Follow me on Style Hive

I have been on style hive for awhile and I wanted to let you know that only a portion of what I find is on my blog. So if you want to follow me on style hive you can by clicking on the follow me link on the sidebar. Style hive is one of the sources of my wonderful finds on my blog as well as :

1. I use the internet as a treasure hunt, I follow links to links to links which leads me to find awesome items.
2. Style Hive ( i know I already mentioned it)
   
3. Etsy Pounce
4. I read a bunch of blogs it takes me a couple of days to go through my blog list and I find great items on other peoples blog
   
5. I search for things using goggle images. A picture really is worth a thousand words.
   

Save the Internet What you can do.

I got my first treasury on Etsy!!!!!!!!

I have always wanted a treasury on Etsy and today I was able to get one. It was quite a coincidence that a spot opened up soon after my boys fell asleep for the night.

The title of my treasury is Undiscovered Etsians and the link is here.

I wanted to post it on my blog but I failed miserable at achieving that. I hope the sellers get some sells from my treasury. And in case anyone is wondering, no I was not paid to feature them. I tried my best to get good photos and sadly I did not pick a few items because the pictures were not that good. Then I felt a bit guilty because as I looked in my shop I thought, "Wow I really need to retake my jewelry photos and try to complete a few projects because my store looks quite bare right now." I only have 11 items listed. When you know better you will do better and I have this link for new or experienced Etsy sellers who, like me want to do better click here.


I have never posted twice in one day. I just had to tell you about my treasury it will end on Monday. If you know how to put a Treasury snapshot on a blog please email me with the details at mslovesrain@gmail.com

Goodnight internet world, I am a bit sleepy and thirsty from playing with my boys today. Take care.

Bonnie's Blog & My Etsy Find

I don't believe I have mentioned exactly how much I love reading new blogs and finding humor and creativity as I read a new blog. I have been thinking of starting another blog just to list all the great blogs that I find and the undiscovered Etsy shops on pounce. I have decided that writing another blog will take me away from making my jewelry designs and weekly treasure hunts. However from time to time I will write about undiscovered Etsy shops and blogs that I enjoy.

Today I want to tell you about Bonnies Blog. Bonnie writes heartfelt posts about her family and her daily activities. Check out this humorous post that she writes concerning her son here.

And last but certainly not least today I found Etsy seller JamsaBon. This seller sell Shinzi Katoh
sticky tape this one can be found here. My favorite is the polkadot one with the little boy and girl blowing bubblegum bubbles. I really loved blowing bubbles with my gum as a kid, maybe that's why this tape is a favorite of mine. It also reminds me of the vintage Dick and Jane children books. This would be really cute to add to a packaged gift.

I want to say thank you for all the comments that I have been receiving and your emails for technical advice and troubleshooting.

Strada Chair by Twentieth

This chair just takes my breath away. It is called the Strada Chair and it is made of stacked laminate construction. What is that exactly? I love the way this looks but I have a pretty good idea that this chair is very hard. It looks good though but is that enough for the price of 58 hundred dollars? If I did not have my little children or my DH objecting to the purchase I would definitely get it if it was say 51 hundred dollars cheaper. I saw this over at style hive and I had to share it with you. Btw this chair is from Twentieth.

Jewelry Supply Organizer

Lately I have been getting myself in gear by organizing the clutter in my home. I was looking online at different sites to find something to put all my beads wire and findings into. At the present I have my supplies in jewelry trays and in small plastic ziploc bags. It usually takes more than a few moments for me to find what I am looking for and I thought it would be best to find a more adequate storage solution. So I am going to buy a few of these Stack on 39 drawer organizers. You can find them here. The cost is just 18.99 and I will paint them or modge podge them with some cute fabric, wrapping paper or scrapbook paper. Yesterday I went to Lowes and they had an organizer similar to this one but it was about 15 dollars more and was a bit smaller. And this organizer is also available at Kmart for 13.00 but at the present they're out of stock. You can fine it here and they will notify you via email when they have them available again.

I had a great time shopping at Lowes where I bought a sample of this blue paint to experiment with painting my new desk area and I saw some contractors paper that I am going to buy. For those of you who don't know what that is , it is a very large roll of durable brown paper that you put down while you are painting. However I want to use it to plan out an 8 gore skirt that I want to make a pattern of. And I thought that I would make a paper pattern with the contractors paper and at the same time have paper that I could put under my kids while they paint on their easels.

You see I have 3 sewing machines that are a result of shopping at shopgoodwill.com, and ebay. I bought a set of 3 portable sewing machines from shopgoodwill, because they were small and portable and I thought it would be a great idea to have a little sewing machine to take on trips. The other two that I bought on ebay were under 30 dollars each so I had to buy them because the price was so reasonable. If you would like to see a lady who seem to have organization in the bag so to speak check out Benita's blog, Chez Larsson. She is living in Sweden in a small house in a suburb just outside of Stockholm. When I have a chance I will put the other earrings I made up on the blog, goodbye and take care!

Make Your Own Crossword Puzzle

When I was a little girl I loved traveling with my grandma. I was a very talkative child and I asked a lot of questions. I look back and I can remember the patience that my Nana had with me. I love doing puzzles and brain teasers and my grandmother would buy crossword puzzles to occupy me at times. I would get so excited as she pulled a wordsearch puzzle from her purse and inside her purse it smelled of strong peppermint and Doublemint gum. I would sit quietly in my seat and pour over those books with a peppermint in my mouth.

This is one of my most fond memories of my grandmother. You can make your own puzzles by following the link here. Wordsearch puzzles are wonderful aids to increase ones vocabulary and the site is easy to use so go and make a puzzle for the special child or children in your life. I even made a puzzle for my husband to give out to his customers that included many of the fragrances that he sells.

Save The Internet!

Complete Embellishing

Etsy is one of my favorite destinations everyday. There is just so much creativity and inspirational stories on that site. Yesterday was no different The Storque did a feature on Kayte Terry. She has a book out that I am definitely going to buy and guess what she used to be the Visual Manager at Anthropologie for many years. You can read the interview here.

I have a problem

Today is the day that I have decided that I really need to start planning more and setting some realistic goals. I have found that I spend way too much time reading blogs and checking my Etsy store for sales. It is not in my nature to worry because frankly I have too much going on. I buckled down before and I learned how to knit in a couple of hours, I still have not picked up my crochet hook to start on a granny square for Hoppo Bumpo's granny-along. It is only one square I have the yarn, I have the hook and I have the time. What is wrong with you Mona?!?! (that is me yelling at myself) Which leads me to this question: What is exactly your problem? You have no plan when you wake up and you have abandoned your lists. I was once an avid list maker. I have a clipboard with several pens close by but I don't write on it anymore. However I am going to start, right now! You may be wondering what brought me to this realization. I was on Flickr and there is a group that I belong to called Pretty Organized and I saw a photo of an organized group of art supplies. I decided to investigate further into the Flickr member who posted the photo and she had a blog that I visited called Defining my Destiny and she had some wonderful quotes. I am going to share a few with you.

Ignorance is a voluntary tax!" - Unknown

"I can't have a crises next week, my schedule is already full." - Henry Kissinger

"You must act as if it is impossible to fail." - Ashanti Proverb

"This is nothing to me, difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week." - Jay-Z

And my favorite quote of all that she featured on her blog is this one below:

"Clutter is a sign that decisions need to be made."

When I read this quote I was like "Wow" It was definitely an Aha moment for me. I am going to have to find a way to curb the clutter in my home. This is not an easy task when you have 3 people in your home working against you everyday. When I clean my DH feels that I am hiding his things. However I work in my home and the atmosphere now is not conducive to my creativity or my well-being. It is a fact that I am internalizing my real feelings on the state of my home. My home is clean just not as organized as I want and need it to be. In my head it goes back to a quote of mines that I used and developed during my college years.

"Potential means nothing if you don't get off you butt and do something. "

You can have all the potential in the world but if you do not take any action to use your potential it is just a waste. I have a decision to be made and I won't let this clutter hold me back!

Bag Love

How many ways can I say I love this bag it is Moroccan inspired and at the cost of over 200 dollar it better stand up and carry itself a few steps for me.

It reminds me of "Paris in the Springtime"

Yesterday I had so much fun creating new things for my shop and I made one pair of earrings that I had to keep for myself. It is my wish that people will buy my jewelry and enjoy wearing it as much as I do. My children were tearing up my house while I was creating these earrings. Sometimes I just take out my supplies and I play around with different jewelry findings and beads. These earring are the result of my afternoon playtime. I call these earrings Paris in the Springtime.

"Paris in the Springtime" where the flowers are starting to bloom the air is scented with the Spring first blossoms. I showed these to my family and they were quite impressed. The other pair is going into my Etsy shop. I made a total of 4 pairs of earrings today and I will show the other three pair tomorrow after I have taken the pictures and named them.

Kritz 4 Prez

Store Fronts

Store Fronts, originally uploaded by Mslovesrain.

1. The Harley Davidson store on Newbury Street Boston, 2. Old Store Front, 3. kyoto store front, 4. Vintage Store Fronts, 5. store front, 6. store front, 7. The Urban Blossom Store Front, 8. Opera Alley Store Fronts, 9. 1100 Sodu Front store display, 10. Store Front, 11. Danneman's Store Front, 12. OLD STORE FRONT, 13. Danish Bohemia Store Front, 14. Restaurant store front, 15. Punta Gorda Store Front, 16. Store Front, 17. Old Store Fronts - Virginia City, Nevada, 18. cool store front, 19. Old store front ... New Mexico, 20. Store Front - West Village, 21. Store front windows along Rue Laurier, Montreal, 22. Store front windows along Rue Laurier, Montreal, 23. NY - Store Front, 24. Euclid Avenue Store Fronts: East Cleveland, Ohio, 25. Lovely store front, Lille, 26. Red Store Front, Chicago, 27. Flower Shop store front, 28. store front, 29. store front, 30. Decatur Arts Festival 2006 - Store Front, 31. Store front in old town, 32. Carniceria Mexican Grocery Store-front, 33. Store Front Ronda Spain, 34. Store Front with flowers, Cesky Krumlov, 35. Old Hungarian Store Front, 36. Store Front

When I go window shopping it's not just to see the latest fashions but to see the wonderful window displays that are filled with a variety of texture and patina.

I blog everyday I just dont email everyday?!?!

This is one post that is just being made to clear up a few things. First of all I would like everyone who reads my blog everyday to know that for the most part since I started taking blogging more seriously I have tried to have a new post up each and everyday. You see I don't actually write a blog post everyday I just schedule my posts ahead of time so that when people come back to my blog there is something new up to share with all my Internet world buddies. I just had to put that out there because I need to get better at returning my emails and I want everyone to know that just because you see a blog post for that day it does not necessarily mean that I have been online that day. So please don't feel like you have been slighted that is not the case at all and once I fine out how I will put my email address on the sidebar.
(mslovesrain@gmail.com for anyone who wants to know)

I try my best to respond to everyones comments and I will respond at your blog (if you have one) or in the comments section on my blog where you left a comment.

Also my 100th post is coming up and what better way to mark that milestone than to have a GIVEAWAY!!!!! Yes I said it a giveaway. For now what I am giving away is a secret but i will reveal soon I promise. My 1000th visit is coming up too but I think I will wait until my 100,000 visit. Now that would be a milestone to mark!

Re-Ment

Re-Ment, originally uploaded by Mslovesrain.

After seeing so many beautiful miniature setting on Flickr I have decided to collect re-ment miniatures. It is funny that I never thought of myselfas a collector but here I am collecting things that I never thought I would collect.

Wall paper your Fridge?

Check out this link, since I can't buy myself a red Smeg if they even come in that color I'm going to do this. This is one project that is just too cute for words. I tell you I am going crazy now because I need to get to Lowe's!

Want a good laugh?

Yvestown Flickr Favorites

1. Breakfast, 2. Sublime Stitching, 3. Shopping Bags, 4. Just For Show, 5. Done!!, 6. Happy Mother's Day!!, 7. Park Slope, 8. HI, 9. Yvestown Giveaway!, 10. Allsorts Elf Clogs, 11. Real Pink, 12. My New Addiction, 13. Jeu de Paume Books for sale at Yvestown, 14. For Jane, 15. Knitting Stripes, 16. Kitchen Notice Board

The Strobist

Photography has been one of my passions. While I was in high school I carried a 35mm Vivitar camera around with me. I precise remember that the camera was black, it had a self timer on it and a sliding lens cover that I thought was so cool. The cost of that camera was not more than 25 dollars and I really loved that camera. I would take pictures over and over again until I dropped it and all the batteries fell out. The batteries door was broken and I taped it shut until I just gave up on that camera and bought another Vivitar camera with a self timer. Since then I have had every kind of camera imaginable digital and an Slr too. I still want a lomographic camera and I wonder if there is a digital lomographic camera.

It was my intent to write this post about a great blog called the Strobist. However you can just follow the link and visit there yourself. It has quickly became one of my favorite blogs. Visit it and tell him mslovesrain sent you.

Here I go again with another fab find at Fred Flare! This colorful contraption is a USB hub chain. It is full of color which is something I love. You can find it here.

Dreaming to do silkscreen?

I don't know if you have been dreaming about silkscreen, but I know I have. I have a notebook full of ideas. You see I have an obsession with planning things out and I get easily distracted so I have to write things down so that I can go back later and finish what I started. It does not help that I am always multi-tasking. Most of my activities involve breastfeeding, I can not seem to wean my 18 month old off of my breast and he wants to be held while he sleeps. I know, I know I have spoiled him silly, I could not help myself he smells so darn good. and I just love me a good smelling little guy.

As you may have gathered from the picture above this post is supposed to be about a great find I found over at Fred Flare. It is a Silkscreen Workshop DVD by Kingi Carpenter, and let me tell you this: I loved how she got started with her business Peach Beserk and I am getting this pronto. Here interview is here and you can purchase it here.

Net Neutrality

Intoducing HoneypieLiving

1. coming home to your shelter, 2. sucre accroche-coeur, 3. breathing red, 4. vanilla Day, 5. shadows and dust, 6. budding light, 7. nessun dorma, 8. enamored, 9. coffee with that?
The talented blogger at All Things Bright And Beautiful interviewed HoneypieLiving and you can find that interview here. Be sure to look at her photos on Flickr she is amazing you will not be disappointed she has a great eye for small detail.

Bookshelf

My next purchase to store my finished jewelry display and jewelry trays. I am going to try my best to keep things simple and compact. It measures 62.25Hx32.75Wx12.75D"
This can be found at Target here.

GorillaPod

It has recently been my quest to take better pictures and I found out about this GorillaPod tripod. I am definitely going to purchase this, and it is in pink! However for those of you who aren't as fond of pink as I am it is available in grey, red, yellow, blue and green. You can find it here at Amazon.com and it will cost you from 16 to 25 dollars U.S. In my opinion the best feature of this is the bendy/twisty legs of the tripod you can bend those legs around branches, poles, handles etc.

Cosmojetz - Wind-Up Hopping Desk Sculpture

While searching for gadgets on Amazon.com I found this collectible wind up toy. The design is by Chico Bicalho and it is composed of stainless steel with PVC feet, measuring only 2.5" X 2.5" X 2.5". It can be found here. This is just one of many in a series, it is worth a look if you are interested in this sort of gadget, which I would call a toy for grownups.

One of my time wasters

Thank You Dr. Richard Williams

The best advice I got from a college Professor was from my math Professor Dr. Richard Williams. he stated " that anything you want to do in life has probably been done before and someone has written a book about it." I quickly jotted down this tidbit of information and I have pondered over it for years. When I think back to that summer that I decided to take that class was a great experience for me. Dr. Williams cared about his students and he pushed us to excel in his class, he gave us handout on 'The Art of Listening," How to Get Along with the Opposite Sex," The Abc's of Planning," and "Making to Do Lists and Schedules." Throughout my college experience I found that I did not get the attention that I received in his class. Taking this class was a stepping stone for me I did not know that for every hour I was in class I needed to study for two. I was without a plan for my schedule and Dr. Williams gave me the tools and information to take my life to another level. I really appreciated that and being in his class was one of my life altering experiences.

Solutions to problems is something that we all search for on a daily basis. Dr. Williams gave us a formula that not only solved mathematical equations but everyday life problems as well. He gave us an equation to follow which is:

• Problem ________________Fill in the Blank______________
  

• Solution _________________________________________
  

• Step One
• a.
• b.
• c.
• StepTwo
• a.
• b.
• c.

Today I still have the math textbook that he wrote and I love Mathematics, which is something that I dreaded before I took his class. Since then whenever I wanted to try something new I went to the library and I read books on the subject I was interested in. I learned to paint, make jewelry, make books, sew, quilt, make mobiles, woodworking, welding, garden all through the use of reading a book by someone who had already done it before. When I could not afford the 300 plus dollars for my Anatomy and Physiology Text and Lab Book I went to the library every week and I found and studied the appropriate section of anatomy and physiology that my class was focusing on. I refused to give up just because I was without a required text. Determination and perseverance was a part of my personality but because of his class I learned to utilize it. I just wanted to say 'Thank You Dr. Williams for giving me some tools that I can use throughout my life."

Steve Madden Wedges

Right now these are the shoes that I'm feeling right now. This is the first time I am blogging about shoes and to be frankly honest the reason behind this is because I really don't want the item to be sold out before I have a chance to purchase it. Sound greedy huh? Yeah I know but to make up for it I will share with you where I make many of my shoe purchases. CutesyGirl has a great selection of shoes, I can always find something I love when I shop online. They have a huge selection so what I do is I input the style of shoe (i.e flat wedge, sandal, boot etc.) the size and the color and from there I search through the selection provided. If you want to look at some awesome footwear check them out.

Dot Village Lampshade

I was looking for a cute inexpensive gift for my niece Brianna and I came across this cute lampshade at Urban Outfitter. I am not sure if this is her style but I want to buy it so bad. Have you ever just bought a gift for someone just because you wanted to go and visit it and see it being used by the person you bought it for. That is how I feel when I buy things for Brianna. I don't have a daughter and I tend to dote on her. Meticulous is a word that I use to describe how she keeps her bedroom, she takes care of her stuff as she calls it. When a child is responsible and they take care of their belongings I am not afraid to buy them something expensive because I know that they will take care of it. That is why I secretly give her things that I want, then when I go visit her I can come in her room and look at the eye candy all around her room

Kidada Jones designs ring for Disney Couture!

While browsing at Fred Flare I discovered this cool ring that opens up to reveal a treasure inside.
Cute to say the least. It is goldplated and has sparkly Swarovski crystal crystals inside. I just hope it is nickle free because I have allergies. The ring is called the "Disney Treasure Chest' ring and it can be found here.