Out of the Blue

Dear Zachary

2012-01-19T11:19:00.000-08:00

After hearing a friend talk about an amazing movie she watched on Netflix, I decided to watch it today while the kids were at school. It's called Dear Zachary and it is by far the most emotional and heart-wrenching film I have ever seen. I seriously cried for an hour and a half straight. It is a documentary made by Kurt Kuenne about his friend that was murdered by his ex-girlfriend who also happened to be pregnant with his child. If you have the chance to watch it I highly recommend it. Make sure you have a whole box of tissues handy though.

Annual Clearance Sale

2012-01-15T14:49:00.000-08:00

Our annual clearance sale ends tonight at midnight. Receive 40% off all items with discount code CLEARANCE40.

Out of the Blue

What's New at Out of the Blue

2012-01-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

Now that the dust has started to settle after another whirlwind holiday season, I'm getting back in the groove of things. I've listed some fun new items in my shop this week, and have a lot more to come!http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Shadowbox Ring

Maroon Flower Earrings

Colorful Flower Rings

Free Shipping!

2011-11-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

From today through December 31st, Out of the Blue is offering Free Worldwide Shipping! Just our way of saying "thank you" to all of our wonderful customers.

www.outoftheblue.etsy.com
www.outofthebluejewelry.com

Sale Item of the Week

2011-10-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

Each week I am offering one of my items at an extra special discount for all of my wonderful customers. This week's special is my Lemon Drop vintage etched glass ring which retails for $14. This week only, you can get it for $7! Price is good through Sunday October 23rd.

Book Page Wreath

2011-10-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

I've been obsessing over book page wreaths recently...I seem to be seeing them everywhere I look lately. I thought it would make a really cute Halloween decoration so I decided to sit down this week and try my hand at it. I found a great tutorial on the Living With Lindsay blog. All I needed to purchase was a styrofoam wreath. I had plenty of old books and glue sticks on hand! It was much easier than I thought it would be. It took about an hour and a half to complete and I only scalded my fingers with hot glue 3 or 4 times. Much better than expected! I had some glittery spiders left over from last year that I glued to a few of the pages and then I hung it with a simple black organza bow. Super easy and less than $5...can't beat that!

Sale Item of the Week

2011-10-19T09:03:00.001-07:00

Each week I am offering one of my items at an extra special discount for all of my wonderful customers. This week's special is my Dictionary Locket necklace which retails for $20. This week only, you can get it for $12! Price is good through Sunday October 23rd.

What's New at Out of the Blue

2011-10-19T08:52:00.001-07:00

I've got lots of exciting new pieces that are new this week at Out of the Blue

Studio Reorganization

2011-10-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

I feel very blessed to be able to have a studio space in my home to create and retreat to when I need to feed my soul. Unfortunately it had become way too cluttered the past few months and it was more a place of chaos than serenity. It was definitely hindering my creative juices so enough was enough! I spent three days doing a complete reorganization and refreshing of my office and studio. Here is a little tour of my "before" and "after":

This is what my office looked like the morning before I started my cleaning spree. The kids were starting to take over as you can see by the sleeping bag in the computer chair, the stuffed animal on the floor, and the dinosaur art gallery on the back wall. Time to reclaim my space!

Yikes! This is my former dining room which we never used. I took it over and this is where I now create all of my jewelry. The large table is perfect for spreading everything out when I'm working, but I also have a little issue with returning everything to its proper spot when I'm done. This inevitably results in a table full of miscellaneous supplies, half finished projects and other random items.

This is the bench where I keep most of my finished jewelry as well as all of the vintage bits and baubles that I pick up from estate sales, garage sales, thrift shops and from friends and family. The old printer's drawer on top of the bench is perfect for organizing, but unfortunately I've started piling on bags of miscellaneous costume jewelry that hasn't been sorted through. Time to get cleaning!

The first area I tackled was the shelves in my office. I pulled the vintage suitcase from the studio that was formally used to stack my massive collection of dictionaries on. I filled it with table covers and displays that I use for craft shows and put it up on the top shelf. The covered white glass dish, the long oval dish, and the displays to the right hold jewelry that I've taken to shows, but don't currently have listed on my website.

I just love all of the drawers in these vintage organizers!! The two larger ones were purchased from a fellow Etsy seller and are perfect for some of my flower cabochons, ring blanks, and other little miscellaneous findings. The smaller plastic organizer was picked up at a local church rummage sale for a buck...gotta love that! I use it to hold some of the rings and post earrings that are listed on my website.

Here are all three shelves all organized and decorated with many of my favorite estate sale finds. The large oval white Fenton bowl tucked away on the bottom shelf is one of my most recent finds and is filled almost all the way to the top with my collection of vintage buttons.

This cute cubby organizer is another one of my recent favorite finds. It was originally brown wood, which you can see in the "before" picture. My sweet hubby and son spray painted it white for me and hung it next to my shelves. I've taken some of my costume jewelry from the overloaded printer's tray and organized it by color in the little cubbies. I also discovered that my cuff bracelets fit perfectly in the spots. Some of my teal gift boxes are stored here and I also left a few of the cubbies empty for future treasures!

I created this shipping area so that when I package up my orders I have all of my supplies right at my fingertips. My bubble mailers are stored in a cute shabby chic mail organizer, my teal jewelry boxes are ready to be filled with customer's orders, and scissors, tape, ribbons, pens, and shipping labels are all within reach. I love the black stacking drawers that I picked up at Target a while back. They hold my return address labels, business cards, plastic zipper baggies for jewelry, and vintage paper wraps for my packages.

Here is a wider angle view of the back wall of my office. I recently found the vintage goldtone metal phone stand at an estate sale. I had to grab it because it is exactly like the one my Hoot used to have. I'm using it to store my smaller dictionaries in...I have a feeling it will be getting a coat of spray paint soon!

We always get a kick out of getting caricature drawings when we go on family vacations. These were the latest ones we had done in Kemah last month. Love them!

Here is my bench which is now nice and organized. The memo board holds some of my finished pieces. My inventory from my vintage shop, Hoot's House, is tucked away behind the white drapes. The blue shelf on the wall is a previous re-do which you can read about here: http://outofthebluedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/05/taking-over-dining-room.html

I can actually see my table again!! I covered it with a fun retro tablecloth to give the room a little color.

I filled this rotating metal jewelry display with all of my chains. Why didn't I think of this sooner?!?

I picked up this glass wall display case at Michael's for 50% off and was pleasantly surprised to discover that my revamped pink estate sale frame fit perfectly around the door. A little hot glue and it gave the piece a whole new look!

I have had this glass table since shortly after I moved in with my husband 15 years ago. It was a shiny chrome and had definitely seen better days. A few months ago I was headed to the dumpster with it and had a last minute change of heart. I decided to give it a few coats of sky blue paint and I fell in love with it all over again. It is perfect for holding all of my mason jars full of supplies!

This old window frame was salvaged by my husband from our old shed out back. He asked if I could do something with it and I said "you bet"! I stapled wire mesh to the back side, attached a couple of hooks at the top and now I have the perfect display for some of my dangle earrings and necklaces.

As my dictionary jewelry gets more popular, I am constantly on the lookout for more old dictionaries for my stock. I never photocopy any of the words, I only use actual clipping from vintage dictionaries. Therefore, when a popular word like "love" or "mother" or "friend" is sold, I have to find another dictionary. As a result I've amassed quite a collection. These were once piled up on a chair in the corner of my studio. They now line the counter of my office as well as fill up some of the cabinets above.

Thank you so much for touring my studio with me! I feel a renewed sense of creativity in my refreshed space and can't wait to get busy making new pieces for my collection. I just hope I can keep it organized!!

Item of the Week

2011-10-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

As a special treat to all of my wonderful customers I am starting an "Item of the Week" promotion at Out of the Blue. Each week I will select a special item from my shop to offer to my customers at an extra special price. This week I am offering my compass ring for $6 through Friday October 7th. This is a 50% discount off of the regular price. Get yours while they last! Compass Ring

2011-09-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

T.G.I.F!! Start your weekend off with a little retail therapy...this Friday only, Out of the Blue is offering a 30% discount on everything in our shop. Enter discount code FRIDAY30 at either of our shops http://outoftheblue.etsy.com or http://outofthebluejewelry.com

What's New at Out of the Blue?

2011-05-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

I've added some new fun and feminine accessories at Out of the Blue and wanted to share them with you. Hope you enjoy them!

Blue and Pink Vintage Rose Disk and Loop Bracelet
Tiny Blue Rose Flower Cabochon Earrings
Tiny Pink Rose Flower Cabochon Earrings
Blue Cameo and Clear Setting Womens Cuff Links
Carnelian Cameo in Black Setting Brooch

2010-11-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

I will be at the Souper Good Holiday Show this Saturday from 11-5pm. Come out and say hello and preview all of my new designs before they are added to my online shop! Mention that you saw my blog post and receive a 20% discount off of your entire purchase. Hope to see you there!

Mystery Grab Bags

2010-11-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

I'm cleaning out my studio and decided to put together some fun grab bags with my excess stock. I will fill a small flat rate USPS box to the brim with lots of vintage inspired jewelry goodies! I will include a mixture of earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets. The retail value of the included items will be at least $200. The photos I've included are an example of the types of items that you may find in each goody box. Grab yours for only $45 while they last!!
Mystery Grab Bag

These items would be great to add to your brick and mortar shop, to add some additional inventory to your craft shows, or to share with family and friends!

FREE SHIPPING!!

2010-11-02T11:55:00.001-07:00

Just in time for your holiday shopping...Out of the Blue is offering FREE SHIPPING on all items through December 31st!! No special discount codes needed. All shipping costs have been adjusted to $0 at my online shop Out of the Blue

What's New at Out of the Blue

2010-10-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Well, the kids are back and school and I'm finally getting back in the swing of things here. I'm getting geared up for Fall and have some wonderful new pieces I'd like to share with you.
Amber Honey Rhinestone Ball Necklace

Merlot Rose Asymmetric Necklace

Winter Frost White Rose Charm Necklace

Follow Your Heart Compass and Locket Necklace

What's New at Out of the Blue?

2010-07-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

I always have a hard time keeping up with my shop while entertaining my two little ones during the summer, so new items are usually few and far between. However, I've been sneaking in a little extra time here and there to create while the kids play on the computer, photograph my jewelry while they blow bubbles or swing outside, and add all of the new creations to my shop at night after they are asleep. It's definitely a juggling act, but I am so blessed to be able to stay at home and be a part of my kids lives everyday.

Here are some of my latest additions at Out of the Blue:

Dusty Rose earrings

Gothic Romance earrings

Emerald City earrings

Sweet Lullaby necklace

Madame cameo ring

Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer!

3 Year Anniversary Sale!

2010-06-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

In honor of my 3 year Etsy Anniversary I am offering Free Worldwide shipping for the entire month of June. In addition, orders over $30 will receive a discount of 30% with discount code "anniversary30". Just visit my shop at Out of the Blue and enter the code in the message to seller at checkout.

The past three years have been incredible and I can't thank all of my supporters enough! I absolutely love what I do and I have the best customers in the world :)

Etsy Front Page

2010-05-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

My compass cuff links made the front page in this lovely treasury today:

Etsy Front Page

2010-05-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful surprise this morning when I discovered my compass cuff links on the Front Page of Etsy. I haven't had an item featured on the FP in a while and I think this is the first one I actually got to see with my own two eyes so I was really excited.

Badminton anyone?

2010-05-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

My kids absolutely love being outside. Me, not so much. However I recently purchased a badminton set for us and we have been loving it! We don't really play by the rules...we like to challenge ourselves to see how many hits back and forth we can get in a row. I'm proud to say that my husband and I are the reining champions at 38 :)

Here are some fun badminton themed items I found browsing Etsy recently. The last one cracks me up because it reminds me of my husband...he is willing to sacrifice his body anyway necessary in the name of badminton. It is rather funny but scary watching my 41 year old husband diving 6 feet across the lawn and landing face first in the ground just to hit the shuttlecock.

Spalding Carlton Plastic Shuttlecocks by echoart

Vintage Olympic Sporting Goods Badminton Racket by toanlaja

Shuttlecock belt buckle by littlegreenthings

Badminton Casualty Limited Edition Print by LouisaArmbrust

New at Out of the Blue

2010-05-10T11:57:00.001-07:00

It was a busy weekend with Mother's Day, but I managed to get a few new items to add to Out of the Blue. The warm weather has got me thinking about summer flowers so here are a few new flower pieces:
Shabby Rose vintage inspired earrings
Spring Meadow vintage inspired earrings

Daisy Cuff bracelet

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks for always being there for me Mom...I love you!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day!

Hoot's House Vintage

2010-05-07T07:26:00.001-07:00

I've been busy adding vintage goodies to my new Etsy shop Hoot's House. I've got lots of fun nautical themed earrings that would be perfect for this summer. Here are a few of my favorites:

Vintage Enamel Anchor Earrings $12

Vintage Red White and Blue Patriotic Earrings $12

Vintage Nautical Ship Wheel Earrings $10

Cinco De Mayo!

2010-05-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some items to get you ready for a fiesta! Happy Cinco De Mayo!!

Lime Margarita Exfoliating Sugar Scrub from CleanQueenSoapCo

Calaveras Ornaments from Alphabulous

Colorful off shoulder embroidered dress from AidaCoronado

Taking Over the Dining Room

2010-05-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

I've been slowly spreading out from my office/studio space into our unused dining room for some time now. It started out with a few things piled on top of the table, then as I've begun doing local craft shows, my displays and extra inventory have been making their way there as well. The room was beginning to look like an indoor storage unit as you can see in the photo below.
Not a pretty sight...I know. So a few weeks ago I decided to make it official and make it a second studio space. Fortunately I have a husband that allows me to do ridiculous things in the house such as take over two complete rooms for my jewelry. (Love ya babe!) It is definitely a work in progress and I'm trying to decorate it as cheaply as possible so it is evolving a bit slower than I had hoped. I don't have it totally presentable yet, but as soon as I do I will be posting pictures.

For now, I wanted to share my latest addition to the room. While visiting our local church thrift shop, I found an unusual display shelf for $2. Yes, I know it wasn't the prettiest thing, but I saw potential in it. I couldn't figure out what its original purpose was...there were round indentions evenly spaced out on each shelf. After a little research I realized it was a display for golf balls...never would have guessed that one. I was hoping it was something a little more interesting, but oh well! :)

After cleaning it up a bit I removed the felt covered backing and spray painted it a cheerful blue color. I then covered the backing with a cute, whimsical fabric that I found on sale at Hobby Lobby for $4.20/yd. The fabric is made by Brother Sister Design Studio, but I'm not sure what the name of the print is. I loved the colors and bought extra fabric to re-cover my computer chair cushion also.
I haven't decided what I'm going to display on my new shelf yet...but I'm thinking maybe some small glass jars filled with beads and cabochons. I just adore it and the fact that the entire thing cost less than $5 has to make my husband happy too!

Custom Wedding Jewelry

2010-04-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

It is always a privilege when I receive a request to make jewelry for a bridal party. I love being able to play a little part in such a momentous occasion, so when I recently received a request from a customer, Britanny, I was super excited.
Britanny requested a set of my Heirloom Pearl Initial Bracelets for her bridesmaids. These make a wonderful personalized gift and are one of my most popular bridal items. In addition, she asked if I could make a pair of cufflinks for her groom that would match the initial charm on the bracelet. I had never made them before, but I was up for the challenge.
The hardest part was finding the perfect bezel to insert the initial into. All of the ones I had on hand were a bit too feminine so I searched Etsy until I came upon these from brassgoldbeads. They were exactly what I needed! I was so happy with the way they turned out, I'm thinking about adding them to my online shop. Thanks so much for the inspiration Britanny!

When it came to the gift wrap I was stumped on how to creatively distinguish the bracelets from one another. I always wrap my jewelry boxes in a sleeve of paper from vintage books. When going through my stash of old books, I came upon a book of quotations. The index contained an alphabetized list by author which gave me a great idea. I wrapped each box in a list of author names which matched the initial of the bracelet that the box contained. They turned out so cute I couldn't help but snap a photo before they were boxed up and shipped off.

The Winner Is

2010-04-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Where in the world did March go?? I know I promised to announce the winner of my giveaway on March 31st...just 5 days late :) The winner is JustJingle. She has won a $25 gift certificate to be used at either of my online jewelry shops. Congratulations JustJingle and thanks to everyone that entered!

2010-03-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and I'm feeling the need to refresh and renew the things around me. That includes all of my jewelry at Out of the Blue. Its time to get rid of the old and bring in the new...that's good news for all of my loyal customers! I am having a "Spring Cleaning" sale at Out of the Blue and all items will be 30% off through April 4th.

No special discount codes are required. Just make your purchase and after your checkout is complete I will issue you a refund through Paypal for your 30% discount.

Visit my shop at Out of the Blue

March Blog Giveaway

2010-03-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

This month's giveaway is a $25 gift certificate to be used how ever you please at either of my Out of the Blue stores. To enter:

1.Visit my Etsy shop or my Big Cartel shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, Tweet about my giveaway on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST March 31st. Winner will be announced on April 1st.

Good Luck!!

What's New at Out of the Blue?

2010-02-10T09:54:00.000-08:00

I've been busy in my studio this week and have a lot of fun new jewelry to share with you. I hope you enjoy it!
How Do You Measure Up Necklace $42

Lavender and Lace Ring $12

Cream Lily Cabochon Ring $8

Green Apple Rose Ring $8

Lily and Black Flower Cabochon Bracelet $28

New Jewelry

2010-02-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

I've just finished listing some new jewelry pieces at my online shop Out of the Blue and wanted to share it with you!

Pearl Tassel earrings $12
Mocha Peony and Copper Necklace $16
Simple Silver Cross earrings $6

Flamenco Coral Cabochon earrings $16

Lily Cabochon and Filigree Necklace $16

Rose Locket necklace $18

We have a winner!

2010-02-02T16:20:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Kathy P. for winning the January Out of the Blue blog giveaway! She won a $25 gift certificate to spend as she pleased at Out of the Blue and she chose the Gothic Rose Cuff. Thanks to everyone that entered...I appreciate all of your sweet comments. I will be posting February's giveaway soon. Please come back and enter!

Lucky Finds!

2010-01-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

I always keep an eye out for interesting finds to use in my jewelry. You never know when you will uncover hidden treasures at garage sales, junk shops or estate sales. However, recently I've had the good fortune of having others discover some wonderful items for me! I've used some of these treasures in my new designs recently.

These beautiful baubles were courtesy of a nice lady that had a booth at our local Farmers Market. She approached me at my booth recently with a large ziploc of old rhinestone balls and other interesting finds. She said that she's been holding on to them for years but never found a use for them and thought I might be interested in them. Well of course I was interested! What a pleasant surprise.

I received a call from my Mom recently and she said that a friend from her church had discovered a set of old liquor tags at an antique shop in Corpus. My mom was headed to Corpus for a doctor's appointment and offered to swing by and see if they were still there...and they were!! Yeah...thanks Mom!! They were absolutely perfect...a set of four "gin, vodka, bourbon and scotch" tags in their original box. I used the bourbon tag in this one-of-a-kind necklace.

Daphan, a sweet lady that had visited my booth at the Farmers Market contacted me through my website to let me know that she found an old bag of costume jewelry in her closet and thought of me. This skeleton key and rhinestone necklace was created from some of the pieces she found.

January Giveaway

2010-01-13T21:35:00.000-08:00

This month's giveaway is a $25 gift certificate to be used how ever you please at either of my Out of the Blue stores. To enter:

1.Visit my Etsy shop or my Big Cartel shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, Tweet about my giveaway on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST January 31st. Winner will be announced on February 1st.

Good Luck!!

I love Wii Fit Plus!!

2010-01-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, I have to admit I was a bit offended when my husband purchased Wii Fit Plus for me for Christmas. He would never in a million years tell me point blank that I need to lose weight. He's continued to make me feel like a sexy mama even after all the weight I've put on with two kids, but I know this was his not so subtle nudge letting me know that its time I finally get my butt back in shape!

The first time I used it and realized that it was going to weigh me I made sure he was out of the room. Thank goodness I did because the next part was totally horrifying. My avatar came on the screen as I stepped on the board to be weighed and the avatar grew increasingly plump until it looked almost as wide as it was tall. Now if that wasn't humiliating, I don't know what is. As brutal as that was to take in, I think it was the slap in the face that I needed.

I've been using the Wii Fit almost every day since Christmas now and I really love it. I absolutely hate to exercise usually because it bores me to tears. However, being the game lover that I am the Wii fit exercises are actually entertaining to me so its really kept me going. Some of my favorite exercises are the obstacle coarse and the hula hoop. My kids get a big kick watching me do that one! Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it and get myself back to a healthy weight soon. I'll keep you posted :)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! I'm finally getting back in the groove of things after some much needed time off. The kids are back in school now and my house has been restored to a somewhat normal state. I've been busy in my studio and have lots of new jewelry pieces that I've been introducing into my Etsy shop this week. Hope you enjoy them!

Meet me in Paris Necklace
Cellar Door Necklace
All Chained Up Necklace
Alice Necklace
Azul Earrings
Florence Earrings
Carnelian Cameo Ring
Key to the Past Bracelet
Lemon Drop Ring
Florence necklace

And the winner is...

2009-12-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Katie (blogger username Meet The Browns)! She has won her choice of Retro Glam vintage glass earrings from my shop Out of the Blue.

Thanks to everyone that entered. Keep an eye out for a new giveaway to be posted soon. Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season!

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Sale!!

2009-11-27T08:47:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Now that we've all had our fair share of turkey...let the holiday shopping begin. Out of the Blue wants you to have a wonderful and stress free Christmas season. Forget the crowded malls...get comfy in your pj's, grab a cup of cocoa and come find the perfect gift for the special people on your list.

From Black Friday through Cyber Monday save 25% off all of your purchases at Out of the Blue with discount code "holiday25". In addition, we are offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $15 (after discount).

We are making gift giving even easier by providing free gift wrap with all jewelry. Sending directly to a friend and need a message included? Just let us know and we'll include it for you.

Two locations to shop at:
Out of the Blue Etsy
Out of the Blue Jewelry

New Jewelry Monday

2009-11-08T12:32:00.001-08:00

Since I skipped last week's New Jewelry Monday, I've got lots of new goodies to show you today!

Little Treasures Charm Bracelet $28

Tiny Coral Cabochon Earrings $5

Winter Wonderland Bracelet $16

Gothic Rose Cuff $28

Bohemian Flowers Pendant $26

Aunt Agatha Necklace $32

November Giveaway

2009-11-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

This month I am giving away a pair of my Retro Glam earrings...perfect for upcoming holiday parties! You get to choose any pair you like...view the entire collection here:
Retro Glam Earrings

To enter:
Visit my online shop Out of the Blue

Find an item that you would love to either give or receive this holiday season, then come back and post a comment about which item you've chosen.

For extra entries: Tweet about my giveaway, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

Entries must be received by Midnight November 30th. Winner will be notified on December 1st.

New Jewelry Monday

2009-10-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

I only have two new pieces to list this week...but I love them so...hope you will too!

Blue and White Cameo ring $14

Blue and White Cameo bracelet $18

New Jewelry Monday!

2009-10-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about the new jewelry designs that I have added to my shop this past week! I've added three fun new charm necklaces and a funky revamped vintage cocktail ring...take a peek:

Personalized Initial Pendant charm necklace $12

WISHBONE charm necklace $14

RED RIDING HOOD matryoshka charm necklace $18

PRETTY IN PINK adjustable ring $14

Free Shipping Friday!

2009-10-09T07:04:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! All purchases made at Out of the Blue today will ship for free...just my way of saying "Have a great weekend" :) No special discount code needed. Shipping costs have been adjusted to $0 for all items.

New Jewelry Monday

2009-10-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

Last week it seemed like I was on an earring kick...well this week is necklaces! I have two new necklaces listed in my shop Out of the Blue...take a peek:

Wing and a Prayer charm necklace $34

Starfish beaded necklace $40

First Monday Sale!

2009-10-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! Etsy Texas Crafters is having their First Monday Sale on Etsy. Out of the Blue is offering 30% off everything until midnight tonight. To check out all of the other wonderful sales, visit our forum thread for a full list of participants:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6208880

Free Shipping Friday!

2009-10-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! All purchases made at Out of the Blue today will ship for free...just my way of saying "Have a great weekend" :) Mention "free shipping Friday" at checkout and I will refund your shipping.

New Jewelry Monday

2009-09-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

I've just listed some exciting new pieces at Out of the Blue this morning:

Dice Earrings $10

Eiffel Tower Earrings $15

Flea Market Chic earrings $24

Something New

2009-09-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

I'm getting geared up for the Farmers Market this weekend and decided to try out a few new items in addition to my jewelry. First of all, I had a big box of old childrens blocks that I purchased at an antique store a while back that have been taking up room in my cabinets. I decided to glue them together as words...with the help of an anagram tool I found online I was able to come up with about 12 words: friends, shop, lol, dad, cupid, junk, etc. Wouldn't these be fun sitting up on a shelf or in your office as a conversation starter?
I've also been wanting to do some paperweights for awhile now so I decided to make a few to try out this weekend. If they go over well I may decide to add these to my Etsy shop as well. I had a lot of fun making these with vintage photos, old sheet music, vintage atlas pages, etc. I soldered the bottom edge and then added a piece of felt to the bottom to finish them off. I had some organza bags in my supply closet that they fit perfectly in so I will be packaging them in those.

I found this really cool vintage suitcase at my local antique shop for $5 the other day. I'm going to use it at the market to display some of my items...that's my new paperweights in the front. This should be a fun addition to my vintage themed display.

New Jewelry

2009-09-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

Well between my cold last week and a road trip to Austin for my nieces birthday, I didn't have time to add many new items to my shop this week. However I absolutely adore the two items that I did get listed...have a peek:

Chrysanthemum Bloom necklaces $20

Bloom vintage inspired bracelet $16

Free Shipping Friday!

2009-09-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

New Jewelry Mondays

2009-09-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

Now that my daughter is back in school and my son has started pre-k three days a week, I'm trying to get back in the groove of things. My business was pretty much on an unofficial hiatus during the summer so I have some catching up to do. I will be posting a ton of new stuff in my shop and will highlight many of the new items here each Monday...so stay tuned for lots of fun new jewelry.

Mocha Peony Earrings $12

Mocha Peony Necklace $28

Fly Away Home Necklace $20

Topaz Orb Necklace $22

Chrysanthemum Blooms $10

September Giveaway

2009-09-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

This month's giveaway is a $25 gift certificate to be used how ever you please at either of my Out of the Blue stores. To enter:

1.Visit my Etsy shop or my Big Cartel shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST September 30th. Winner will be announced on October 1st.

Good Luck!!

First Farmers Market

2009-09-02T12:32:00.001-07:00

I recently participated in my hometown's new Farmers Market and had a great time! I had been wanting to do some sort of craft show for a while now, so I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to get my feet wet. It was even better because my mom and sister decided to jump on board and share a space with me. They made some adorable stuff...decorative picture frames, letters, magnets, checkbook covers, etc. It was definitely a learning experience for all three of us, but we had lots of laughs and made a few sales.

The majority of the shoppers were looking for produce...however due to the terrible drought we've been having in South Texas there was none, so calling it a "Farmer's Market" was a little misleading. There was a gentleman selling tropical looking plants a couple booths down from us and he seemed to be doing very well. There were also some sweet ladies selling nuts beside us that said they sold three times what they usually sell at other local farmers markets.

I had lots of fun planning out all of my jewelry displays. I had purchased a glass front display cabinet at Michael's last year for 50% off. I had it open on my table and displayed vintage dictionary word necklaces on one side and the other side, which had small display areas, was perfect for holding rings and other small items. I hung all of my soldered pendant necklaces on a metal "tree-shaped" stand...I had lots of positive comments on it, but none of the necklaces sold. My personal favorite was the display at the entrance of the tent. My husband salvaged an old window out of our shed and said he thought I could turn it into something. I purchased a roll of screening from Lowe's and stapled it to the back (my husband had already knocked out the glass for me). I hung lots of earrings in the screening and also hung some necklaces on hooks that I mounted to the sides of the window. I purchased a large ornate easel for around $35 from Hobby Lobby and placed the window on it. Rounding out my display was an old cigar box that contained a bunch of marked down items, a small treasure chest type box that held all of my stud earrings and a large frame that I added fabric to and pinned earrings from.

The next market is taking place this Saturday and we will be giving it another try. I've decided that I will take more small ticket items with me this time...I'm making some simple earrings that will be priced at $5 that I will display at the front of the tent to entice shoppers. I'll probably leave the majority of my higher priced items at home because I don't think the local crowd appreciated the value of my revamped vintage items. I had an embarrassing moment at the last market when a woman approached me with a bracelet made from a variety of antique buttons. She handed me a five dollar bill and I looked at it for a moment with what I'm sure was a very puzzled look on my face. She reread the price tag before I could speak and said "how much is that? $25??" her voice was filled with disbelief. She took her money back and immediately walked out. It wasn't how I envisioned my day to start out...but I bounced back and ended up having a fairly successful day.

All in all it was a lot of fun and we look forward to doing it again. If you are in the area, come by the Aransas Pass chamber of commerce parking lot on Saturday and say hello.

Fun With Old Dictionaries

2009-08-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

I recently pulled out a couple of my old dictionaries that have been collecting dust and decided to make some fun new jewelry with them. I browsed through them and clipped out fun and inspirational words. I mounted the words behind oval glass cabochons and then set them in silver plated bezels. I then took the bezels and created pendants and rings with them. Aren't they fun?! Some of my favorites are: laugh, survivor, kind, chocolate, craft, and vintage. They are available at Out of the Blue for $12(rings)and $15(necklaces)each.

August Giveaway!

2009-08-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

This month's giveaway is a $25 gift certificate to be used how ever you please at Out of the Blue. To enter:

1.Visit my online shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST August 31st. Winner will be announced on September 1st.

Good Luck!!

We Have a Winner!

2009-08-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Jessilyn82...she is the winner of the $50 Out of the Blue jewelry giveaway for July! Thanks to everyone that entered. I'll be posting a new giveaway soon so please come back and enter!

Introducing Our New Website!!

2009-07-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

I've been contemplating starting my own Out of the Blue website separate from Etsy for quite some time. Although I absolutely love Etsy, and will continue to have a shop there as well, I really felt like the next step was to gain a little independence. My new website is a work in progress but I finally feel like its ready to share with you. Visit me at www.outofthebluejewelry.com and receive a 20% discount through the month of July with discount code "OUTOFTHEBLUE20".

July Giveaway!

2009-07-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

This month's giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to be used how ever you please at Out of the Blue. To enter:

1.Visit my online shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST July 31st. Winner will be announced on August 1st.

Good Luck!!

Visit My Studio

2009-07-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

It isn't very often that my studio is clean and presentable, so when I recently went on a cleaning rampage I decided I should take some photos. Hopefully looking at these will inspire me to keep everything organized. Visit my Flickr page to view all of my studio photos.

First Monday Sale!

2009-07-06T05:52:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! Etsy Texas Crafters is having their First Monday Sale on Etsy. Out of the Blue is offering 25% off everything until midnight tonight. To check out all of the other wonderful sales, visit our forum thread for a full list of participants:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6208880

Congrats!

2009-07-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

We have a winner! Make that winners :) In celebration of my 2 year Etsy anniversary last month I gave away 2 $50 gift certificates...the winners of the giveaway were Eloise and Kathy. They got to pick out lots of new goodies from my shop! Thanks so much to everyone that entered and be on the lookout for a new giveaway to be posted any day now.

A Perfect Morning

2009-06-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night my husband, Kevin, surprised me and the kids by asking if we would like to go to St. Jo Island the next morning. Kevin works extremely hard and is always on the go...he's never been the type to "stop and smell the roses" so to speak. So when he actually offered to set aside some time to hang out with us we jumped on board!

He picked us up by boat so that we didn't have to wait in the ferry line to Port Aransas, then off we went to St. Jo. It is a small island just off the coast of Port Aransas and is only accessible by boat. It is uninhabited and has no public facilities or buildings, but it is a wonderful place to search for shells and to fish.

When we arrived, Shelby and I decided to walk to the shore and hunt for shells while the guys stayed on the boat and fished. My daughter and I are both wimps when it comes to getting in "mysterious" water. We had to trek through about 30 feet of sea grass and other unknown objects to get to our destination. We had a good laugh by holding hands and chanting "Ommm...take me to a happy place" over and over.

We were able to fill our bucket full of shells to add to our growing collection at home. Kolby and Shelby did some fishing together before we had to head back and they each caught 4 or 5 perch. Everyone had a wonderful time on our perfect morning together!

June Giveaway!

2009-06-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

To celebrate my 2-year Etsy Anniversary this month, I am giving away two $50 gift certificates to be used how ever you please at Out of the Blue. To enter:

1.Visit my online shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST June 30th. Winners will be announced on July 1st.

Good Luck!!

**************Don't miss out on my Anniversary Sale*****************
All items in my shop are 30% off until June 30th. Just mention "anniversary30" in the message to seller at checkout and wait for a revised invoice.

Anniversary Sale!

2009-06-14T20:36:00.000-07:00

I am celebrating my 2nd year on Etsy and want to thank everyone that has been a customer, followed my shop, or encouraged me along the way. Through June 30, 2009 I am offering a discount of 30% off everything in my shop. In order to receive your discount, just mention discount code "anniversary30" in the message to seller at checkout. Please note that Etsy does not have an automated discounting system in place. I will manually adjust your cost when I receive your message and send you a revised invoice. If you prefer to complete the checkout and pay without waiting for an invoice, then I will promptly refund your discount through Paypal.

Thanks so much for a wonderful two years! I look forward to what the next few years have in store for me and can't wait for all of the new friends I will make along the way. All the best to you!

Bridal Jewelry on a Budget

2009-06-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

Eleven years ago my husband and I eloped and were married in the Reverend's living room with her husband as our witness. It was a total spur of the moment adventure...and probably the first and last spontaneous moment of my life. Do I sometimes regret not having a real wedding with all of our family and friends...sure. Am I thankful for all of the money we saved? Absolutely!

Because I'm a frivolous person myself, I decided to design a line of bridal jewelry for brides on a budget. Here is a sample of some of my designs that are popular for weddings.

The Heirloom pearl initial charm bracelet makes the perfect accessory for bridesmaids. Each bracelet is $18, but I will give a discount for 5 or more bracelets ordered.

These cuff links are made from small aluminum working compasses mounted to silver cuff link blanks. These would be a wonderful groom or groomsmen gift! These are $18 each.

Every bride deserves to feel glamorous on her special day, and what better way then with these Retro Glam vintage rhinestone earrings. Available for $20.

Going for a romantic vintage feel? These sweet white rose earrings are a perfect fit and are only $10.

Another wonderful option for vintage inspired weddings is this chic Victorian Elegance necklace. This would be beautiful for a bride or her bridesmaids. Available for $24.

We have a winner!

2009-06-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Danielle...she is the winner of the $50 Out of the Blue jewelry giveaway for May! Thanks to everyone that entered. I'll be posting a new giveaway soon so please come back and enter!

First Monday Sale!

2009-05-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

ETC First Mondays -- 24 Hours of sales & special offers held on the first Monday of every month (12:01am - 12:00 midnight, Central Time / 1:01am Monday - 1:00am Tuesday, Etsy Time). For a list of participating shops and their sales, join us in the Etsy forums at http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6170555

My sale this month is : 30% off all items in shop!! Visit my shop at Out of the Blue.

Retro Glam!

2009-05-30T10:03:00.001-07:00

I am excited to introduce a new line of earrings called Retro Glam! They are created from vintage glass stones in a variety of shapes and colors. I handset each stone in a brass setting and hang them from gold plated leverback earwires. Retro Glam earrings are $20 per pair...see the whole line at Out of the Blue.

May Giveaway!

2009-05-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

Where in the world did the month go?! I usually like to have my giveaways posted earlier in the month to give everyone a chance to enter, but I'm a bit behind. I had so much success with last month's giveaway I've decided to repeat it:

This month's giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to be used how ever you please at Out of the Blue. To enter:

1.Visit my online shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST May 31st. Winner will be announced on June 1st.

Good Luck!!

Memorial Day Sale!

2009-05-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

In honor of Memorial Day weekend, Out of the Blue is having a huge sale! All items will be 30% off from Friday through midnight Monday 25th. Please mention "Memorial Day" in message to seller at checkout and wait for a revised invoice.

Front Page Treasury

2009-05-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning to 14 new "hearts" so I knew I must have been featured somewhere. I went to the Flickr photo group which has the Front Page Treasury screenshots and found my Music to My Ears earrings featured in this lovely treasury! I'm always excited to find out my products made it to the front page...too bad I didn't get to see it "live" :)

April winner!

2009-05-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our April Giveaway winner, Sherry!! She is getting lots of goodies with her $50 gift certificate. Thanks so much to everyone that entered...I loved reading all of your comments. Keep an eye out for a new giveaway to be posted soon!

Estate Sale Finds

2009-04-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

I checked out a really cool estate/office liquidation sale this morning and found some exciting treasures. A lot of the items for sale were old office equipment and furniture from our small town newspaper, The Aransas Pass Progress. They had dozens of old letterpress trays for $10 bucks a piece. I've been wanting one for a long time to organize my jewelry and beads in, so of course I had to grab one! I also found a really cool old wire basket/sorter for $1...what a bargain. It still had handwritten paper labels on the front for the different sections of the newspaper. I also picked up a couple aqua ball jars to add to my collection, a jar of old wooden spools, and a seashell baking tin. What a wonderful day!

Hump Day Sale!

2009-04-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! Today's hump day sale is: Buy one item, get a second item 50% off. This is a great opportunity for Mother's Day shopping. Plus all items include free gift wrap. Just mention "hump day sale" in message to seller at checkout and wait for a revised invoice.

http://outoftheblue.etsy.com

Payaso

2009-04-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

I was so proud of my 2 yr old, Kolby, this Easter weekend. My husband bought a horse named Payaso for Kolby and our 7 yr old daughter Shelby awhile back. Kolby has been pretty much terrified of the horse...he will hesitantly pet it occasionally, but other than that he keeps his distance. He got a sudden burst of courage this weekend and actually let my husband put him on Payaso's back. Then to my total surprise he even rode it with his daddy sitting behind him. I'm so proud of my little man for conquering his fears!

Hump Day Sale!

2009-04-15T09:03:00.001-07:00

It's that time again! Need a little retail therapy to get you through the week? Out of the Blue is having a Buy One, Get One 50% off sale until midnight tonight. Just mention "Hump Day" in the message to seller at checkout and wait for a revised invoice.

April Giveaway!

2009-04-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

This month's giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to be used how ever you please at Out of the Blue. To enter:

1.Visit my online shop and tell me what goodies you would get if you were the winner.

2.For extra entries: follow me on Twitter, follow my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter. You will receive one additional entry for each one that you add. If you already follow you can still receive extra entries...just mention each in a separate comment.

3.Entries must be received by Midnight CST April 30th. Winner will be announced on May 1st.

Good Luck!!

Hump Day Sale!

2009-04-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! I'm a little late getting today's Hump Day special posted...so I'm making it an extra special one! All necklaces in my shop will be 50% off until midnight tonight. This includes items in stock only...discount not available on custom orders please. Just mention "Hump Day" in message to seller at checkout and wait for a revised invoice.

Hump Day Sale

2009-03-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

My special for the day will be 25% off all items plus free shipping on orders over $30(after discount). Just mention "Hump Day Sale" in the message to seller at checkout and wait for a revised invoice. If you prefer to complete the checkout process, then I will promptly refund your discount through Paypal. Happy Shopping!

Hump Day Sale!

2009-03-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

Need a little retail therapy to get you through the week? Out of the Blue is offering a "HUMP DAY SPECIAL" until midnight tonight (CST). All items are 25% off, plus shipping is free for all orders over $30 (after discount). Sale prices are not reflected in my shop. In order to receive your discount just mention "hump day" in the message to seller at checkout. You may wait for a revised invoice, or if you prefer to complete your checkout then I will promptly refund the difference through Paypal. Happy Shopping!

We Have a Winner!

2009-03-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Jennifer ("Jingle")~ she is the winner of my February giveaway! She will be receiving one of my Rose Garden Locket necklaces.

Thanks to all of my faithful followers and to everyone that entered. It is always such a pleasure reading all of you comments. I will be posting a March Giveaway very soon...can't wait for you to enter!

Hump Day Special!

2009-02-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

Today's Hump Day Special is:
Buy one pair of earrings get a second pair of equal or lesser value FREE!! Please do not place the free pair of earrings in your shopping cart. Instead, in the notes to seller at checkout tell me which earrings you would like as your free pair. Sale ends 11:59pm CST Wednesday February 25th.
http://outoftheblue.etsy.com

February Giveaway!

2009-02-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late getting this month's giveaway posted...this month has just flown by!! This month I will be giving away one of my Rose Garden Locket necklaces. You can read more about this item here:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19078591

In order to enter:
1. Visit my shop Out of the Blue

2. Pick out your favorite item, or suggest something you would like to see added to my shop

3. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.

4. Entries must be received by 11:59 pm Feb 28th. Winner will be announced March 1st.

5. To earn an extra entry:
*Follow me on Twitter
*Sign up for my newsletter
*Follow my blog

Post a separate comment for each additional entry.

Hump Day Special!

2009-02-18T07:11:00.000-08:00

Need a little retail therapy to get you through the week? Out of the Blue is offering a "HUMP DAY SPECIAL" until midnight tonight (CST). All items are buy one get one 50% off. To receive your discount just mention "hump day" in the message to seller at checkout. You may wait for a revised invoice, or if you prefer to complete your checkout then I will promptly refund the difference through Paypal. Happy Shopping!

Valentine Box

2009-02-09T21:02:00.000-08:00

I always loved exchanging Valentine's with my schoolmates as a young girl. Now I get to live through the excitement all over again through my daughter, Shelby. We always have a lot of fun decorating her Valentine boxes together. This year instead of doing the usual decorated shoe box, we decided to decorate a paper mache heart box instead. It turned out so cute I just had to share it with you all.

We went to our local craft store and picked out some coordinating paper, some glitter stickers, and a heart shaped box. We began our box by coating the top of the lid with mod podge then placed the chosen piece of paper on top and smoothed it out. I trimmed the excess paper and then cut out a slot with an exacto knife. With a paper punch, we cut out a circle for each letter of her name and applied it to the top with more mod podge. Inside each circle we placed a silver glitter sticker to spell out her name.

Next, my daughter applied more mod podge to the sides of the bottom section of the box and we applied a coordinating paper to it.

For the edges of the lid I used some vintage sheet music from an old music magazine that I had on hand. All of the paper surfaces were then coated with a layer of mod podge on top to give it a little more durability as well as a nice sheen.

Finally, we wanted to finish it off with some sort of trim, so we decided on some frilly lace. I attached it to the edge of the lid with a hot glue gun. Shelby is so excited about her new Valentine box and can't wait to take it and show it off at school!

Giveaway Winner!

2009-02-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

Congrats to our January giveaway winner, Gloria! She will receive a monogram vintage inspired ring. Thanks to everyone that entered...it's always such a pleasure reading all of your comments. I will be posting a new giveaway any day now, so keep an eye out! Feel free to suggest items you would like to see offered as giveaways in the future.

HUMP DAY SPECIAL!

2009-02-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

Etsy Texas Crafters First Monday Sale

2009-02-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

ETC First Mondays -- 24 Hours of sales & special offers held on the first Monday of every month (12:01am - 12:00 midnight, Central Time / 1:01am Monday - 1:00am Tuesday, Etsy Time). For a list of participating shops and their sales, join us in the Etsy forums at http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6025307

My sale this month is : 25% off all items in shop, plus Free Shipping on orders over $30(after discount)

Hump Day Special!

2009-01-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

Need a little retail therapy to get you through the week? Out of the Blue is offering a "HUMP DAY SPECIAL" until midnight tonight (CST). Receive 25% off of your order, excluding shipping, by mentioning "hump day" in the message to seller at checkout. You may wait for a revised invoice, or if you prefer to complete your checkout then I will promptly refund the difference through Paypal. Happy Shopping!

Fab Five Friday

2009-01-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite 5 Etsy finds of the week.

Love-Fine Art Print from SherriConley

Sandcastles and Waves from redletterwords

Personalized Minky Dot Washcloths from thefreckledelephant

Vintage Metal Trays with my favorite flower from CharmCityStyle

Recycled Wine Bottle Soy Candles from GreenerLandz

Obama Vintage Blocks

2009-01-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

I picked up a huge bag of cool retro wood blocks at my local antique/junk shop awhile back. I will be listing various words in my Etsy shop from time to time. In celebration of the Presidential Inauguration, I just listed a set of "OBAMA" blocks.

Treasury Love!

2009-01-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

I'm so honored to be featured in three Treasuries on Etsy right now. Check them out and show them some love :)
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=39740
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=39805
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=39787

January Giveaway!

2009-01-12T09:06:00.000-08:00

This month I will be giving away a vintage inspired Monogram ring in the letter of your choice. Read more about this ring here. In order to be entered into the giveaway:

1. Visit my shop Out of the Blue

2. Pick out an item that you would love to receive for Valentine's Day and come back and post your pick in the comments.

3. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.

4. Entries must be received by 11:59 pm January 31st. Winner will be announced February 1st.

Fab Five Friday

2009-01-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

Some more great finds from my fellow Etsy sellers. Check them out!

Vintage cut glass bowl from Thelovelys

Pebbles top from zelaya

Boardwalk address sign from ClassicAddressSigns

Vintage baby doll top from leasvintage

Driftwood mirror from blackeyedsusan

Congrats!

2009-01-02T15:39:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our December giveaway winner, Britt. She will receive a $50 gift certificate to spend at Out of the Blue. Thanks so much to everyone that entered this month...I enjoyed reading all of your comments!! Keep an eye out for January's giveaway which will be coming soon. Happy New Year to you all!

Fab Five Friday

2008-12-26T21:09:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite five finds for the past week:

Vintage Pyrex sugar jar from bluebellbazaar

Vintage salon box from Mina180

Monogrammed door knocker from daisybeedesigns

Cool vintage stapler from twotallgirls

Distressed letter "G" from thebackporchshoppe

G is for Glitter!

2008-12-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

I just love anything that is glittery and sparkly! Here are some of my favorite glitter finds on Etsy:

This cardigan from DewberryVintage is beautiful! It would be perfect for a special Holiday party.

This set of sparkly holiday ornaments from Blondheart are so sweet!

I just want to shrink myself and climb inside this adorable pink cottage from GulfCoastCottage!

Fab Five Friday!

2008-12-19T09:26:00.000-08:00

I love window shopping on Etsy...as anyone could tell by my ever-expanding favorites list! I've decided to start a new series called Fab Five Fridays where I showcase my favorite five finds of the week. This week includes:

Library Card Journals from lollipoopdesigns

Sample Pack of old-fashioned bath & body products from Portland General Store

Letter Canvases from beachchik

Nouveau Bouquet Gold pillow cover from ruby+stella home

Women's French Lounge Pants from gomonkeydesign

Snowflake Cookies

2008-12-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

Baking decorated sugar cookies has become a holiday tradition in our household. We make hearts for Valentine's, eggs for Easter, stars for 4th of July, fall leaves for Thanksgiving and snowflakes for Christmas. My daughter is having her Christmas party for Daisy Scouts today, so of course I had to whip up a batch of sugar cookies. I found this recipe several years ago online and it is by far the best sugar cookie I've ever eaten. Give it a try...

1 cup butter
3 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour

Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar (room temperature butter and cream cheese works best). Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the flour gradually and mix well. Divide the dough into 3 balls and roll out between layers of parchment paper. Put rolled dough in refrigerator for about 1 hour. Cut out with cookie cutters and bake for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

For the frosting, I use about 1 lb of powdered sugar. Add a dash of vanilla and gradually add water and mix until it gets to the consistency that you want. Coat cookies with frosting and decorate with sugar and any decorations you like.