Jewelry fiend!

I just can't seem to stay away from the jewels again! I was tryin' to stick with my decoupage for a bit, but just keep finding myself back in the bead bins. Here's some brand new lovelies in my shop...

OH! by the way... have you liked my Facebook page? Please do! And stop in to say hello :)  

Turns out I'm a natural, Dad!

  I spent this lovely Sunday morning making homemade potato bread with our old family recipe (with some strong-arm help from my husband) and I'm happy to say all the loaves turned out SO good! I even got a little crafty and made some with sharp cheddar cheeses, onions, herbs and garlic cloves...awesome! 

The last time I blogged about breadmaking was about 2 years ago, I had mentioned that the weather was starting to get chilly and my dad would be travelling back to Chicago to make some bread with me (more like me helping him while he did most of the work). My dad stepped up and took over the holiday bread making after my Grandma passed away 18 years ago, she learned from her Grandma (and Aunt Murph) who probably learned from her Grandma. Bread making has always been a special event in our family, because we'd make dozens of loaves to pass out to all of our relatives, friends and neighbors. Everyone knew when my Grandma would be baking and we'd have people in and out of the house all day long, eating fresh hot bread and her delicious oxtail soup. Once she was gone, my dad thankfully kept the bread tradition going and my Aunt Sally kept up with all of her other (awesome) cooking traditions.

 A few weeks after that last bread-blogging, we lost my dad to a sudden heart attack before he ever made it home for the holidays. I've been avoiding the whole bread thing for awhile now, afraid I would screw it up without his guidance...and honestly because I really didn't want to spend a whole day thinking about the fact that he's not here to make it anymore. It ended up being sort of therapeutic, following the directions that I had written down with him last time we made it. My husband even brought out a little childhood picture of him so he could watch over me while I was mixing, kneading, patting, flouring, greasing ...and eating. Now that I know that I can do it, I'm looking forward to carrying on this little family tradition every year...and I can't wait to try some more of the fancy ingredient ones! *you know I can't just leave well enough alone!* 

Thanks for the help today, Dad and Joe ♥♥♥



September Giveaway!!

...head over to my other blog for the whole scoop on the jewelry giveaway I've put together with English designer Suzi Skelton of DashAngel Designs! She makes really cute Day of the Dead inspired jewelry with bright colors and fancy skulls! 3 lucky winners this time and it's worldwide as always! Good luck to all who enter! *Roll on autumn!*

Oh so many colors!

Loving my new Czech beads I just received, can't stop playing around with them! These are some of the new jewels I've made this week and I'll have lots more en route!

Cute handmade cards from Amg-Arts...

I received some gifts from my lovely friend Ann recently and just thought I would share them. She works in mixed media/paper crafts and makes really nice greeting cards, journals, wedding albums and other personalized gifts, along with collaged canvases for your walls.

Ann's been going to college on the east coast of Ireland for art and textile design and continues to make these whimsical handmade goods while she's putting herself through school. I stayed with her last summer and it's easy to see how she can be so inspired by the gorgeous landscapes around her near the town of Slane in Co. Meath.

You can browse around her Etsy shop and visit her Facebook page to see some of her lovely creations for yourself! She also has 2 blogs, I don't know where she finds the time honestly! Amg-Arts is where she blogs about her daily life... like school, gardening, art, her dogs, home renovations etc. She also runs another blog called Where People Create where she showcases artists' studios and workspaces. She even featured my house once (no, I can't really call it my "studio" as I have junk all over the place!). She's always looking for studios to feature too, so contact her if you've got a cool space to show off!

Anyway, check out the links for some really cute handmade stuff and for a look into the life of an Irish art student! *Thanks for the gifts, Ann!!

Handmade Earrings Giveaway...

Hello loves!

I'm having a little giveaway over on my Facebook page. Just "Like" my page and share the giveaway link on your own page to be entered! Make sure you leave a comment on my page saying you liked/shared, that's your official entry. They're made with a rhinestone and bow studded hoop with a pretty olive green Czech glass bead suspended from the center. Good luck!

BIG SALE at RubyClover!

Welp...looks like this is it! The end of the world is approaching fast, so I've decided to have a nice big sale in my shop. Visit http://www.rubyclover.etsy.com/, enter coupon code RAPTURE2011 at checkout and receive 25% off of your entire order. I've been listing lots of new jewelry this week too, so have fun browsing the new stuff! I'll get your order shipped out right away in case the world keeps on turning as usual :)

Again with the new earrings :)

No I haven't given up on my pretty papers and wood boxes, but I've just been so addicted to beads and wires lately! I've incorporated some decoupaged wood pieces into my earrings and also some hand dyed lace bits...I really like those ones personally :) Oh and the necklaces with the rosettes and chains below...those have all sold out, but you can always contact me for a custom piece. Hopefully I'll have more of those in my Etsy shop soon too. ♥

 Happy May to everyone XX

Some new jewels at RubyClover...

Can't get enough of jewelry making lately! I've been working on some little decoupaged numbers, but keep getting distracted by all the pretty beads I have. I know I must get back on track though with the style that people recognize from me...so be on the lookout for more "naughty behavior" pieces soon ;)

New Giveaway!

Head over to my other blog to enter our April giveaway :D There's FIVE winners this time, so you've got a great chance of winning!! This month I'm featuring Sarasota etsy shop ME2Designs and she's giving away 5 of her adorable vintage jigsaw brooches. Just leave a comment with your favorite item from her shop on my other blog post to be entered. Easy peasy!