Father's Day Designs

I am currently prepping for the Ohio Pibble March Event on May 30th at the Columbus, Ohio Statehouse. I will be providing more details about that in my next post. On Monday, I decided to try out using my portable workbench on my front porch. I have a hobby that can be a bit loud. I also have an 11 month old baby that I wouldn't dare risk waking up. This makes it very difficult to find the time to stamp my orders, let alone anything new. My idea notebook has been growing by the day, so I needed to find a way to get some things done and try out all these new design ideas I have without having to recruit grandparents and babysitter's to watch him, so I can work. I cut my hours at my day job, so I could spend more time with my son. For that reason, I avoid working while he is awake on my days off. I have 2 days off from my day job a week, so I like to plan outings and activities for us to do. Anyways...stamping on my porch worked out beautifully and the view was much better too!

I was on a roll. I stamped out several pitbull designs for the upcoming event. I also spent nap time on Tuesday stamping out more designs including grandfather and father gifts for Father's Day.

I am happy with how they turned out. Now I have new designs options and a gift for my Dad and my husband from the boys for Father's Day. Of course, we will still be putting together other items to go with it, which will most likely be Pinterest DIY projects. I'm obsessed with Pinterest and DIY projects:) I also stamped out a few cuff bracelet designs that I adore. "Trust the path unseen" and "Wild heart gypsy soul."

I decided to make a few pairs of earrings too. I used to make a lot of beaded necklaces, earrings and some bracelets. That is where my jewelry making journey began. I started an Etsy shop with encouragement from friends. I was making more than I could ever possibly wear. I sold a few things, but I was a bit clueless about how to get my business established. Am a very goal oriented person, so I set goals for myself every year. The list is usually long, but for the past several years has always included learning a new jewelry making skill.

In 2013, I decided I wanted to learn how to make handstamp jewelry, so I did. It appears as though this is what I'm supposed to be doing. I really enjoy making personalized items. It is much more satisfying to my soul. I love when people share their stories with me, the reason why they want the items that they want for themselves or as a gift...what makes it so special. I love when people tell me the recipients of my jewelry items cried when receiving them. It means so much and it has become so much more than just a hobby or just a business. I can't imagine not doing it. I have met so many amazing people along the way and pets:) Also, it's a productive stress reliever. I can take my stress out hammering and make beautiful things. It's a win win situation. For my day job, I educate kids on nutrition in a psychiatric hospital program. In the psychiatric world, we would call this one of my coping skills. It has also allowed me to help animals which I also love. I've had a life long love for dogs and would save everyone if I could. I donate a portion of all of my pet jewelry items to a local animal rescue and I've also donated many gift certificates for my shop to different animal rescues all over the U.S. to use for raffles and auctions to help raise money for the rescues. Thanks for reading and for all of your support!

Special Projects

Life has been keeping me extremely busy these days. I hope to post handstamping demonstrations in the future, but right now I'm just trying to accomplish posting regular blogs! I feel like there are so many things to keep up with between completing orders, preparing for shows, keeping my etsy page up to date, posting regularly on instagram & Facebook and just finding the time to create the new designs that I want to make...and still keep my house fairly together and have a meal on the table! Crafting has taken priority over cleaning in my house these days! I love crafting and creating things, so I plan far to many projects than I have the time to complete as quickly as I would like. I'm not one to rest much. I could work all day when I'm at home making things for my boys, making jewelry, food, planting a garden, exercising, making homemade bath & body and cleaning products, etc. The only days that I feel accomplished and satisfied are the ones where I am getting a lot of things done and I feel absolutely exhausted by the end of the day. I wanted to share a few of the projects that I have been working on lately. I created a special first communion personalized necklace recently.

I have started adding birthstones to designs recently. This was for a June baby. June birthstone can be a pearl or Alexandrite stone. I went with the pearl like bead because I thought it fit best with the occasion. I have also been working on several new Mom designs because I sell my mom jewelry consignment at a local Mom/Baby store called Blue Cocoon in Montgomery, Ohio. Blue Cocoon offers mom/baby classes, lactation consultations, an open play cafe and support for moms with classes and groups to help support moms on a journey to be as natural as possible (breastfeeding support groups, pumping and returning to work, essential oil classes and make your own, cloth diaper classes, etc.) I have been invited to sell consignment at the Cincinnati Enrichment Center also in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is a center that has an open play café, healthy snacks, mom/baby classes and a space in the back for local artists to sell mom and baby/kid craft items. I am trying to come up with some new designs for my display and I was also preparing new designs for Mother's Day. This was a custom order that I did for a dad who was looking for the perfect gift for his spouse. They had just had their first baby 3 weeks before Mother's Day.

I'm always impressed when I'm contacting by men and they put as much thought into a gift for their woman as this man did. I love this design! I was a bit stumped when he told me all of the things that he wanted to include in a bracelet design, but I love how it turned out. Custom orders are so fun to do and I love the challenge. Trying to complete all of these new designs can be challenging with working outside of the home part time and having an 11 month old crawling all of the place and keeping me on my toes. Nap times are work time! Some days I have to nap with him though. I cut my hours to part time, so I could spend more time with him, so I won't allow myself to work when he is awake. I have also been working on projects for him as well. I finally moved most of my craft supplies to my basement workspace, so that I could turn my craft room upstairs into a playroom for him. I also made him this giant floor pillow to go in his tent in his playroom reading corner. He loves it!

Check back soon! I have several upcoming events that I'm preparing for and my son's 1st birthday party that I'm preparing and making things for, so I will have plenty of pictures and new designs to come and also a new pet rescue project that I'm excited about! Thanks for reading.