Before and After

Early this year we inherited one of Kenon's grandmother's rocking chairs. I loved the vintage look to it but I knew I wanted it for Wren's nursery. So we scrubbed it down and painted it bright turquoise. I am thrilled with how it turned out. We had a large arm chair in his room but he seems to like the rocking motion of his new chair much better.

Determination and Love

Have you ever had a feeling you just couldn't put your finger on? Like I know I am feeling this way but what is it that is pressing on my mind and my heart. Well, yesterday the light bulb went off while at a friends house. She was talking about something she really wanted to happen. She said I am determined for it to be. And I just started to tear up out of no where. But it wasn't out of no where, she said what I couldn't figure out. Determined or in my case determination. I have missed this feeling in my life for sometime now. I had such determination about where my creative business was headed a year ago and I was determined to be a mom as well. But being a new mother has changed the way I look at balancing all of this. I can't start a project and finish it in one sitting. I have to plan around naps and my hubby coming home to help. I love my new role as mom but I am just being honest with myself about how tedious the balance is between having a creative business and being the best mom I can be. With all that said, I am determined to nurture and love where this needs to go. It is so important for me to acknowledge my feelings instead of repressing them as nothing. I am so glad to have figured all of this out yesterday so that I can move forward and focus on my little man and all of these amazing creative ideas swirling in my head.

An Estate Sale Find

Going to estate sales is like a treasure hunt for me. I think I get a bit of a junkin high when I get to a sale and I think to myself, what room should I start looking through first. Lately there have been a lot of estate sales in my little town and they have not disappointed. I had to blog about this incredible 60s style danish desk/table I just  recently found. It was in the back room of this modern 70s style house on the golf course.  When my eye caught it I had to have it. The only question was how was I going to get this thing home. But where there is a will there is a way. And in my case, I called my dad to bring his truck. I really didn't know where I was going to put it but when I got home it just fit perfectly as a buffet in my dining room. The best part of the whole story is that I didn't pay that much for it. I'm telling you finding great pieces at estate, yard, or garage sales can really make your space beautiful and unique.

And The Winner Is...

Happy 4th of July and thank you all so much for stopping by my blog and following me. My necklace giveaway is now finished. I placed every ones name in a bowl and had my little man pull the winning name out. Congratulations Sara Mason!!  I will be in contact with you via your profile e-mail.

I will be hosting another giveaway in August. A special thanks to Erika over at IndieSpotting for letting my necklace be a part of the latest roundup of giveaways on her blog.

Charming Giveaway

 I am posting my first joyajewelry giveaway!! This is so exciting and I have been thinking about doing it for some time. I am feeling a sense of renewed energy from the e-course I am taking and it has motivated me to celebrate what I post on my blog. To welcome this celebration I am giving away a one of a kind repurposed vintage charm necklace. It is so sweet and dainty. All you have to do is "follow" my blog. Just click the follow button in the right hand column and you are entered. On the 4th of July I will post the winner. I will put all of your names in a bowl and have my hubby pull one out. Thanks for following.

Creative Circle

 Monday was a great meeting of like minds. I am so thankful for the circle of creative friends that I have in my life. I met Tiffin about three years ago in my mom's bunco group, of all places. We started gabbing about antiques and then creative aspirations and the rest has been a whirlwind of fun times. Jessica and I met through Tiffin when we were at our first photo shoot. Jess was our photographer extraordinaire. Good times ever since. I recently met Jenni at a local festival and can't wait to get to know her better. I introduce these fine woman because they help me. And when I say this, I mean it so sincerely. We support one another whatever creative dreams we are chasing. The part I love the most is that there is no jealousy just love and support. When one succeeds we all succeed. We try to meet monthly and this gathering was about revamping our blogs and finding new ways to get ourselves out there into the world.
 So, if you would love to surround yourself with other creative people, go to etsy and click on the shop local section.  There you will find other artists in you area. You would be surprised at how many of you are looking for one another. I tell ya it helps to have the support.

Taking Flight and Setting Goals

Yesterday I started this wonderful e-course taught by Kelly Rae Roberts. The course is designed to help me (and other artists) really think about where I want my creative business to go. But with a twist!! It is so spiritually driven and so personal that I am, after the first day, realizing how badly I want my creative business to grow. We were given the challenge of setting goals for ourselves and it got me thinking and motivated to right them down in my journal. And now I am going to put them out there into the blogosphere.

1. List more jewelry regularly on my etsy shop.
2. Reorganize my blog and make it a wonderful place for inspiration and honesty.
3. Get published in a national magazine ( Lucky and Country Living magazine I am talking to you)!
4. I would love to be a jeweler featured on the Today Show.
5. Publish a book about repurposing vintage jewelry.
6. BE DIFFERENT IN A SEA OF OTHERS CREATING JEWELRY. I AM NOT THE SAME!! (This one is very important to me hence the all caps)
7. Becoming a legitimate business
8. A big goal I would love to accomplish is to design a jewelry line with any of the greatest costume jewelery houses: Lisner, Trifari, or Monet. A line that would bring back the beautiful jewelry of the past. I would even like to see Sarah Coventry bring a line back to life and I would love to be a part of it.
9. This goal is the biggest of them all. I really want to find a successful way to juggle being a first time mom with being a successful creative artist. This I know will come to me:)

I know these goals are very real and tangible and I am very excited to have them out of my head and out there to come true. The universe knows my hearts desire to do what I love. And being a designer, artist, crafter... whatever you want to call it. It is my bliss. So, whatever it is that swirls in your head, write it down, yell from the roof tops. It can happen. I have seen it.