twig & willow, long beach

Ladies!  {of Long Beach and surrounding}  If you have not yet gone to twig & willow {4th street}...check it out soon!  I drive down 4th several times a week and when I saw twig & willow going in, I knew I would love it - just from the window displays alone.  It's one of those quaint little boutiques that has just about everything - something for the home, for a friend, super stylish clothing... 

 
and partners, Karen Quimby {Shopaholic} and Billie Gentry {Penny Pincher}, clearly have an eye for design.  And they support local & handmade.  It's all around lovely.  

You can now find an exclusive collection of Bel Kai Designs at Twig & Willow.  Yay!

Follow them on facebook...you'll receive notice of special events and trunk shows...which they have frequently.  And go!  Promise, you'll love it.

yesterday...

Yesterday was quite the busy day - we started out at Pretend City with about 20 of our friends.  Really fun.  My camera is on the fritz and this is just about the only photo that didn't come out blurry.  I am in total denial that my baby is turning one next week - there's just no way.

 
And, last night, I attended Blog*Sugar at the home of Rachel Reeves - who, I must mention, is just as sweet in person as you might imagine when you are reading her blog.  A beautiful home, 50+ other bloggers, some mamas, some business owners - and they weren't kidding about the 'sugar' part.  My kind of party.    


 
Our hosts, Rachel & Andrea, shared really valuable information about blogging, namely the importance of finding your purpose and sticking with it, and how to do it without comparing to what everyone else is doing.  I'm reminded every day just how vast and diverse the blogosphere is...their reminder was much needed.

And, I was able to catch up with the two friends I introduced you on my blog this week - Beth (left) and Carlee (right).  It's a pretty rare occasion that we get to talk business & mothering without kids around.  I came home feeling really refreshed and encouraged.  The more I talk to other moms, the greater the realization that we all want to feel like we aren't alone...whether it is in how we discipline, in the strange things our kids do or the negative feeling about being a mom {did I really sign up for this?}.  Add to that, the decisions you need to make as a small business owner.  Working from home can dramatically affect your family {both good & bad} - some days, that can feel isolating and scary to me.  I am feeling really blessed today that I am in community with other moms who get it and are right there beside me.
 

wish necklace :: shutter sisters collection

I am so thrilled to unveil the next design in the shutter sisters capture collection.  When Kristin Zecchinelli (MaineMomma) sent over her images...I just might have gasped.  Look how dreamy...

 
The Shutter Sisters are making my job of creating a beautiful necklace so darn easy, don't you think?  How could the finished necklace turn out any less when the images themselves are so stunning?

*the two images are accented by aquamarine charm.  The sterling silver chain is available in two long lengths - 24" and 30"

Read more about the necklace in Kristin's own words - and enter a giveaway here.
 

new style :: rings

I have been long awaiting my new ring settings.  I sketched out my design for these two months ago - and just received them on Friday and I am so pleased with the quality.  I love the style of these - the matte, brushed finish and slightly hammered look is simple and organic - but the finished look is modern enough to dress up any ensemble.
 

I had orders to get done between Friday and Monday which prevented me from getting started on making these.  And, let me tell you, those were very l o n g days.  I think I've mentioned before...patience...yeah, it's totally lost on me. 

AND, at your request, more sizes.  They are available in 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9...yay!

 
This is on my ring finger now.  Shop the rest of the collection here.  And if you are on it and buy through May 31st - lucky you - they are $10 off!
 

shout out :: no. 4 :: zoodies

Two days in a row!  How about that?!  Like I said, it's fun to share the love.  Plus...I am working on some new designs and they just aren't quite ready to show you...maybe Wednesday.  Hoping.

In the meantime, let me just tell you about my {talented} friend Carlee and her new Zoodies collection  {say it 'hoodies' with a z}.  And her shiny new website.  She asked me for my help and I ended up designing the site - logo and all.  I had such a great time on this project...how could designing a site around kids dressed up as animals not be fun, I ask you!?!

Really, she's onto something here.  What kid doesn't like to dress up?  And what parent doesn't wish their kid would leave their dress-up clothes at home every once in awhile?  Well, here we are - a dressed up hoodie!

 
Last Friday, we took about 15 kids to the Santa Ana Zoo for photo opportunities in their zoodie of choice.  They were so very cute -- we came armed with candy, just in case they weren't up to it.  But, they love their zoodies...no bribes needed!  So, here are a few - there are more on the site in the gallery.  This was the first time Elliot has worn a zoodie - and let me tell you, that he has only had his dino zoodie off for about 12 hours since Friday.  He loves it - even with the hood up which he is never a fan of.  There he is on the left - oh my - is he handsome - and looking so old all of the sudden.  I got the skunk zoodie for Silas.  Because, well, he's a stinker.  Big time.
 

shout out :: no. 3 :: salvage life

Kinda funny that I said I was going to do a shout out every week.  I guess we all knew that wasn't gonna happen.  Regardless, this is definitely a blog feature I want to keep going...because I ♥ to spread the love...if I can send business to a fellow mama, business owner & friend...well, that's just plain great and it makes me happy.

This one is super fun.  My friend, Beth Giles, is the owner & curator of an online vintage shop - Salvage Life.  And if you are lucky enough to live in Southern California, you can also peruse her finds at Seed People's Market in Costa Mesa, CA.  Just look at these dresses she picked for a recent photo shoot for Harvey's.  And the first one - the yellow - love it - was picked up by Taylor Swift for her recent tour.  How neat.

Here are my picks from her current collection ::I'm gravitating towards blue hues at the moment, as you can see.  Fun, huh?!
 

morning walk

What is your favorite season?  Mine is Summer, followed closely by Spring.  It always seems to me that people prefer the season in which they were born.  It's funny, I have noticed that I often make more resolutions - specifically about exercise - towards the start of summer than I do at the New Year. I think it's because I really like to be outside, but by nature, I'm not the outdoorsy-adventure-type or frankly, the exercise-type, either. But I love being outside in sunny weather. Even better, at the beach.  So, I am trying to get into the routine of morning walks at least twice a week.  We live 5 blocks from the beach - it shouldn't be that hard.  But, I can be awfully homebody-ish sometimes.

The fresh salty air provided just the right amount of breathing space I needed for what is turning out to be a rough week.  Tracey shares similar thoughts today -- have you seen the sea.sand.sky necklace yet?  For me, the piece is a tangible reminder of the restoration the ocean brings to my soul when I am feeling wrapped up in my little world of being a stay-at-home mama.  The ocean {nature} always pulls me outside of myself and reminds me of the bigger picture.   

high tea

Well, the MOPS semester is officially over -- it was truly a joy serving as Co-Cordinator this past year.  I would have to say that the highlight was getting to know the others on our steering team as we served together.  As much as we try to slow down our bi-weekly meetings with all of the mamas, it can feel rushed. {When isn't time without your kids rushed?!}  So, the planning meetings, setting up, tearing down with the rest of our team provided fertile ground for getting to know each other on a deeper level - and I really appreciated it.  We spent the past Saturday afternoon taking high tea at the Vintage Tea Leaf and took time to celebrate the past year.  It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon - I highly recommend it, if you live in the area.  And, ladies, if you are reading this - thanks for a great year! 

my jewelry is jealous...

...of my business card.  I love all things paper.  It's one of the reasons why I was so thrilled to start working with resin & making pendants.  It allowed me to combine my two favorite mediums :: paper & silver.
   

So, when it came time to design my card, I wanted to add something to make my card extra special.  First impression, right?  So, after looking for inspiration {have you ever looked through these?  Or these?  Wow...some will blow your mind}, I decided to look for something to make my card 3D - to make it truly pop and stand out.  I found small adhesive pearls at a craft store, added it to the flower design on my card - and there you have it!  I loved the final result!  They don't fit nicely in my wallet, but it's a small price to pay.

And every once in awhile, after taking the time to affix 200+ miniature pearls to my cards, while I watch two of my favorite one-hour dramas and my fingers feel a bit numb, I wonder if it is worth it.  

Then I give one out.  And it always takes center stage.  Just today I heard that very sentiment.  Twice.  I think I'll keep making jewelry, but it always makes me wonder if I'm in the wrong biz. *wink

time to play!

We took some time to play today - and I'm so glad we did.  It was a great day!  We went up to LA with some friends to the Natural History Museum...and after getting lost for a bit {no thanks to my iphone and google maps....grrr}, we had a great time...picnicking and taking our time in the museum.  Note to self ::  when visiting museums & other such establishments, go at lunchtime and stay through the afternoon.  All of the school buses were leaving as we were coming - and even though some of our kids lost out on naps, it was worth it to have the museum practically to ourselves.
Don't you love these photos where the kids are all doing their own thing - expressing their little personalities in their own unique way?  I do.  You know, as opposed to the photos where they are all looking straight at the camera with a sweet smile, hands to themselves...boring.

Have a great weekend!

sunkissed

We got kissed by the sun this morning...with friends...it was lovely...our first 'real' beach day of 2010.  Because there is such a thing as a 'fake' beach day - didn't you know?  I am so very ready for the frequent beach days that come with summer!

me? a sweet tooth?!

So, I have discovered that, apparently, some people are under the assumption that I am a coffee addict and have a mean sweet tooth.  I know.  Weird.  It's not as if I blog about chocolate or go as far as taking photos of cupcakes & coffee on a regular basis....I mean, puh-lease!  Oh wait...

Yeah, last week at our last MOPS meeting, everyone voted on a list of superlatives and yep, I won for Coffee Addict and Biggest Sweet Tooth.  I have been known to go through a drive-thru to get a latte ON MY WAY to a place where there will be coffee, because I just can't wait.  And it is true, I have some form of chocolate just about everysingleday.  I'm holding onto the studies citing all the heart-health benefits instead of the impact it will have on my thighs.  However, in my defense, even though I really love {and usually must have, if you know what I mean} coffee, I very rarely get through more than a half mug in the morning.  Gone are the days of having an entire mug of coffee, without interruption and without having to warm it up 8 times over the course of 2 hours.  Anyway, who knew you could win awards for eating so many calories?!  I'm off - gotta eat the cupcake my boys got me for Mother's Day before it goes bad...oh the hardships.

Happy Monday!   

the capture collection

Remember my friend, Tracey?  Well, we have teamed up {again} and I couldn't be more excited {again}!  This time, we designed a piece showcasing her ah-mazing photography that just so happens to be of my favorite place...the beach...her images capture the colors and contrasts of the sea, sand and sky so beautifully.  Read more about it in her own words.
 
This is the first necklace of many that I will be unveiling over the next couple of months - I am working with other shutter sisters to create similar pieces for the capture collection.  So fun!  For now, you can find Tracey's sea.sand.sky necklace here.

And, remember, the photo necklace can be customized using any image.  Think beyond a photo of people close to you {though, that is super sweet}...and create your own piece showcasing an image that captured a special moment in time that you'll forever remember.

We're off to create our own special moments this weekend - have a wonderful Mother's Day! 

tanaka farms 2010

Sorry, the new design/collaboration I was going to announce today has been postponed until tomorrow.  So for now...

What a beautiful morning we spent today with friends picking strawberries. Holy cow - these 4 boys are cute together. You may remember we went strawberry picking at Tanaka Farms last year. I was reminiscing about that today -- I was much larger then, wondering whether or not a bumpy tractor ride would start contractions and oh so uncomfortable in the heat. So happy Silas is now on this side of me! ;)

 
How cute are they?!  See you tomorrow...

coming soon...

I created this piece for a friend & mama this past week - just in time for Mother's Day.  I will be adding it to the shop soon {fingers tapping...I'm waiting on supplies}.  She has four children - represented by the four small initial charms.  The middle, larger square has the initials of her husband and a tree design - as he is the center and strength of their family.  The flower, of course, represents my friend, the mother.  So full of meaning, it makes me happy. ;)

This is designed to be a long cluster necklace -- a must have for every wardrobe...a perfect accessory to your dresses and long tunics.

new design

These must be colors of inspiration at the moment -- I have found myself gravitating towards clothes, paper and designs that marry the same shades lately.  Last week, I was wearing a new shirt and I wanted a new accessory to complement it, so I created this.  I just love it.  The pendant designed with colors reminiscent of the beach...the ocean (aventurine), sand (citrine) & sun (freshwater pearl).  Strung on an adjustable antique brass chain.  Simple & stunning.

And now, it is in the shop - available today.  I may not see you again until Friday...be sure to check back then for something fun!

i expected this...

I remember feeling a tinge of loss when we found out we were pregnant with Silas.  Loss as it pertained to my relationship with Elliot.  That feeling continued throughout the duration of my pregnancy.  Every special moment, adventure, hug between the two of us felt different.  I couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that it would never be the same when we added a baby to the mix.  And, of course, it wasn't the same.  It's better.  By far.  But, I realized the other day that the two of us have only gotten out of the house alone twice in the 11 months since Silas was born.  Not good.  I would love to have monthly dates with both the boys {at least} -- but that goal had fallen by the wayside.  Until this morning.  He requested the aquarium - wanted to see the sharks.  So off we went.  And while he was taking it all in - the seahorse dragon, nemo, starfish, sting rays - I was soaking up Elliot...watching him delight, think, express and was thankful for the opportunity to just be with him - no distractions.  And once again, I'm wishing there was a pause button. 

bliss

 
Today was bliss.  Let me rephrase.  This afternoon was bliss.  This morning - as I was getting myself & the boys ready for church...not so much.  I couldn't have been more ready to drop them off in their classes.  And I joked about accidentally {on purpose} leaving them there for a few extra hours.  I needed a break in a big way after a crazy busy week.  An ice cream cupcake {and yes, it is as ginormous as it looks in the photo...and I finished every last crumb, yep I did}, shopping & gorgeous weather was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.  It's back to work tomorrow after a morning date with my buddy Elliot.