cyber monday sale

Sale tomorrow for cyber monday!


happy shopping!!!

f.a.q's

I have been receiving several repeat questions lately regarding my pendants, so I thought this would be a good time to do a f.a.q. post...

1. How many names can you fit? The answer...it depends. I know, clear as mud, huh? It depends on which size/shape setting you choose, the length of each name...here is a pendant I did recently (one of my bestselling designs) with 9 names and it turned out quite nice - they all fit even though some of the names are longer ones.


Keep in mind that this pendant is less than an inch in diameter. The fact that the print is small is intentional -- my goal is to create a unique and beautiful design in the pendant. The fact that it also has meaning is an added bonus -- the names aren't the central focus on the pendant and I think the print size keeps it from becoming a glaring piece of "name" jewelry. I am working on adding a larger size to the inventory, but it is not yet available. I do have an oval that is larger in size that can be used with any design and will fit 10+ names. Feel free to email me if you have any additional questions or would like to order the larger oval pendant in any design you see.

2. Can I wear my necklace in the shower? Yes, the necklaces/pendants are 100% waterproof.

3. Are your necklaces sterling silver? Yes - all chains, bezel settings and findings are sterling silver.

4. I want to buy a necklace for someone, but the family is still growing. When I create a pendant, it's a done deal - it cannot be added to or changed. So, my advice for this situation is to go with the square or circle initial necklaces - where you can add initial charms as new babies arrive. Also, I have done some bracelets lately at the customers' request - it allows for many charms to be added. You can, of course, add as many charms to a necklace as you would like, but I personally think 4 and under look best. Here are two examples recently done at a customers' request.


These were the most asked questions - but if you have another, don't hesitate to write me! I'm here and am always eager to help design the perfect piece for you.

patchwork long beach

I missed Patchwork yesterday in Santa Ana. Had plans to go, but laundry, groceries + children won out. sad. :( I was soooo looking forward to perusing the fine goods that Patchwork always brings, coffee in hand and time alone. But time is of the essence these days - we are leaving on quite a long trip next week and since I have a packed scheduled until then, time to prepare is a must. Anyway, this post is not about my ever-growing to-do list...but about the 1st ever Patchwork in Long Beach - next Sunday! Unfortunately, I'll miss this too, since we will be out of town, but you MUST go...you won't be disappointed.

little einstein

So, E needed glasses...and here he is...they fit him, no? I was way worried it would be a battle to get him to keep them on. They must be helping, because it hasn't been much of a struggle (yet).


Next posts will be all business - but fun business! Stay tuned...

happy halloween!

Yep - this is the best picture of the gang :: spiderman taking the presidential oath, a yelling pegasus unicorn, a very serious dumbo and a sweet (& confused?) butterfly. Oh and an oh-so-cute chili pepper...


E is still sick so we couldn't go to the fall festival at Brooke's church, so we stayed behind and gave out candy...

fall in signal mountain

checking daily on our friend, the pet spider...


Last night, we had dinner {homemade butternut squash soup - yummy, Brooke!} by fireside. And celebrated E's birthday (again) with pumpkin oat muffins {also deee-lish} and of course, smores.


S is loving all of the activity - lots to watch with four other little ones running around. Unfortunately, E is sick now, but it isn't slowing him down too much. I am enjoying the help and company - taking care of S lately has been quite exhausting. So, Brooke and I switched responsibilities tonight (she took care of S while I did kitchen cleanup and finished dinner with the other kids) - that was a little refreshing for me and gave me the chance to miss him again. ;) It's nice being here - and I love coming in the fall. I realized earlier that this is the third year in a row that Elliot and I have come to Chattanooga in either October/November - the perfect time of year to come. Gigi (my mom - that's what the kiddos call her) arrives tomorrow...can't wait! Hopefully I'll have pics of the kids in costumes this weekend - depends on how E is doing. Hope you are having a great week!


oh and have you seen a sweeter face than this?!? what a sweetie my niece is - and when I say sweetie, I mean little firecracker that will barely crack a smile for me. ;)

pic heavy post

We made it safe and sound - not too much drama to report. This may be one of the few times I have traveled with children when I haven't had flight delays/cancellations, so that was a welcome change. But, as a friend commented in my last post, I unfortunately did NOT sit next to a grandma who was missing her grandchildren on either plane...but all was well. S did a great job of sleeping/eating and E did a great job of playing (thanks to the toys I brought along that he had never laid eyes on - my tip that NEVER fails me on flights).

Finally got around to looking at pics from our visit to the pumpkin patch a couple of weeks ago...


Still can't believe he went down this huge slide...



best buds...


and S is usually sleeping in my sling, but here is a recent pic - he's doing a bit better - screaming a little less, sleeping a little more... ;)

off to see...

...the beautiful fall foliage in the mountains of Tennessee. Yep - we're leaving tomorrow -me and the boys - if you recall, it's not quite what I would call a fun journey. Well worth it in the end. I'm feeling my nerves about traveling with both of them as I write this - and oh yeah, waking them up at 3:45am to leave. Good times, right?

I will hopefully have time to post pics while we are there. Over the past few weeks, we participated in the walk, went to the pumpkin patch a couple of times, celebrated E's 3rd birthday and I have pictures from all of it, but haven't had a lick of time to post. Life is busy. And business is starting to pick up for the holidays. Yup - I said it, the holidays. They're right around the corner, ya know.

So, I'm off. I decided not to take my jewelry supplies with me this time, so if you do place an order for a custom piece sometime between now and November 3rd, it will not ship until November 5th. If the order is for an already designed piece, no problem - my husband is at home and can ship it right away.

Let me know if you have any questions! Talk soon...

hudson wayne

This is my nephew, Hudson Wayne. He was born on July 3rd, 2002 - he would be 7 years old right now but he lived only two short days. I have started writing this so many times and can't even count the number of times I have written, deleted, written, edited... because really, there are no words. Still. After 7 years. I didn't understand it then {why it had to happen} and I still don't. What I will say...I am thankful that I was able to meet him, to touch his precious little toes and watch him squirm. I am thankful that we will have the opportunity to see him again one day. I am still in awe of my sister's strength and faith. I am rejoicing that God has since blessed my sister and her husband with three {adorable} children since Hudson.

It wasn't until I became a mother that I got a taste (just a taste) of what it must have felt like to carry a child, your first, a baby, a gift from God and then have him taken away. My first son spent a couple of days in the nursery when he was born...I wasn't able to hold him and he didn't come home right away because of a minor complication. There, for the first time I understood the idea of a "broken heart"...it literally felt like my heart was ripping in two. I went home one night without him and I felt as though I was in a dark hole. ONE night. Again...it was just a taste and it feels silly to even compare that to a lifetime here on Earth without your child. But for me, in that moment, I couldn't help but think of Hudson and Brooke - and how she must have felt - and how I probably wasn't there for her like I should have been - and just how powerful a mother's love really is.

Because of Hudson, my heart remains heavy for parents that have lost a child. I am writing about Hudson now because I am participating in the OC Walk to Remember this Saturday. It is my 2nd time that I will be memorializing him in this way. It is a really wonderful organization that supports parents who have lost a baby in pregnancy or early infancy. OCWTR was founded by Kristyn von Rotz, you can read her personal story here.

OC Walk to Remember asked me to be a vendor at the event this year- to be there to display some of my collection. To be honest, at first it felt weird, going to profit from someone's loss. But you know the more I thought about it ... creating jewelry is my passion and work...it is something {however little} that I can do. A piece of jewelry is tangible and lasts forever. I think it's important to have meaningful tokens to remember a life...something tangible. And, of course, a portion of proceeds (25%), will go to OCWTR. Proceeds from the walk go to local hospitals and support groups, as well as national organizations. The walk has helped fund memory box programs at several local hospitals, so parents have footprints, blankets, and other items to take home following their baby’s death. In addition, cameras and photo printers have been donated to local hospitals so photos can be taken of the baby and given to the parent.

Thanks for listening! Sorry for the light posts lately. Life...it's busy!

sweet little boy

if i was a writer...

...i would have entered this contest from Real Simple earlier in the year - with an essay answering the question "When did you realize that you had become a grown-up?". And here is my answer :: There is nothing that makes you feel more grown-up than paying a babysitter to have a night out on the town. Wasn't I the one babysitting just a couple of years ago? Now the tables have turned and I am asking the girls that babysit my boys what shoes to wear with my outfit as I rush out the door {because I no longer know what is in style}... girls that look and seem like my peers - but really, I am a decade older. A decade. What?! When did that happen?!

It happened just the other night...my sister-in-law and her adorable baby girl, who will be soon celebrating her 1st birthday, came to visit from Chicago - they were here almost a week. We had a perfect time - as perfect as it can be when you are outnumbered by three children under the age of 3. ;) Here is a picture of us heading out to enjoy wine, sushi and good conversation. {...the prom-like photo was taken, of course, in front of the mantel of my fireplace by our babysitter.}


And a picture of me with E, because he was feeling all left out.


What is your answer? When did you first realize you were a grown-up?

end of summer

We ended our summer with a visit from Lance's parents last week -- they stayed at a nearby hotel so we were able to take advantage of the swimming pool -- which we had all to ourselves. It was really nice for E. The last time we took E to a pool, he screamed and wailed until we let him out. He did much better this time. He kept saying "look mama. I brave. I swimming."


And S...oh where do I start? He's growing. Talk about night and day difference from E. S is a mover and a shaker and our prediction is that he will continue to hit milestones at a very rapid pace. He still really likes the sound of his own voice - at very high decibels - but through the screams, I am finding it a joy to be his mama. I was just sitting here working and looked over and saw this...


Oh how I love the view from my office.

Here are a couple more. It remains to be seen if he will be a thumb-sucker, but he definitely has found it a lot lately, as well as his fist.


Working on a couple of new ideas but it may be a couple weeks until the reveal. Gotta find some time. Anyone know where I can get any?!

Family Tree Necklace

The winner of the Facebook giveaway helped me design this new pendant for her FREE necklace. It features a family tree design - the birds can be added or changed to represent your own family. And can also be customized using names or without names.

You can find it here...

Japanese Gardens

We spent some time at the Japanese Gardens at Cal State Long Beach today. Lance and I went to a beautiful wedding there a few months after we moved to California 4 1/2 years ago and even though I pass it almost daily, we have never gone back. I'm feeling silly that I've never taken E. He l o v e d it - I knew he would! There is a huge koi pond, beautiful plants, trees, vibrant flowers and so much to discover and explore!

Adoption Journey Necklace

The inspiration for this piece was from the adoption story of a family who rescued a sweet little boy from an orphanage from the city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia this past year.

I designed this pendant showing the continent of Africa, Ethiopia highlighted and a small red circle pinpointing the city of Addis, where Escher David was found {love the name!}. The pendant can be customized using other countries, names, initials, dates - whatever you choose!

I'm sure you have known at least one or two families who have adopted or are currently trying to adopt - if you do, you know that it is NOT an easy process. I think this would be a really special gift for a mom to mark the end of the adoption process but also the beginning of a new chapter in their lives as a family!

You can find it here...