Happy New Years Eve :)

it's here...again....already! how did it get to be December 31st already?? I know they say time goes faster when you get older, but seriously! Tonight we'll be ringing in the new year at Bonnie and Andy's house...lots of champagne and yummy snacks...should be a good time :)

so until next year...

a party 90 years in the making

not many people get to have 90th birthday parties...but yesterday, we had the chance to celebrate my grandparents, and their 90 years...it was great to see everyone together, and for them to realize just how many people love them...
















we had a crowd of about 40 people...good food, good drinks, family, friends and fun

















here are the guests of honor, with their children :)
















and their grandchildren :)

happy holidays :)

There is nothing I love more, then being at home for Christmas :)






we had a semi-white christmas :) the cats seemed to enjoy it :)

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRANDYCE & PETE!!!

ahhh more weddings! but another special one for me...brandyce and pete are getting married!! I am going to be the maid of honor, which (no pun intended) is a huge honor for me :) one I get to do twice next year! oh my :p

but, here's to the happy couple!!

a monumental sale

first non friend non relative etsy sale!!!

hooray for lights!

finally got the lights up outside around our door...I think they look pretty festive :)


that is until we closed them in the door a few too many times and the string went out :p















also got the tree up...but of course we didn't manage to decorate it...oh well...there's always next year ;)

success at Squidfire!

whew...last weekend was a whirl wind...between running my own personal jewelry-making sweatshop, attending Kelley & Heather's Pocketful of Posy shopping party, moving furniture to Bonnie & Andy's, attending Ashley's birthday party :), capping it all off with 10 hours at Squidfire...I was a little tired...

more business ventures...

so a little while back I got my business license, and with that I had the idea of starting a business with several facets...my graphic design and illustrations, my jewelry designs, and a third to sell off excess supplies...(because believe me, I have excess!)...and so JGDJewels on Etsy was born! I just recently- in the last two days- began listing items, and it has paid off so far...in two days, I got my first sale!! the items are packaged up and out the door today :)

I started with my less expensive supplies...some glass beads that I have used enough of, and want to share with others :)

Blog Carnival - December 8th Edition

December 8 is "Winter Flowers Day"

There's something about winter, and flowers that just seem to not go together...but maybe that's because I live in the city, and hardly see flowers as it is...so once the winter months set in, I'm doomed to the harsh grays and browns of the city streets, and no color until spring...but I knew there had to be some flowers out there that survive in the winter....so I went on a search...and found a few beautiful examples on flickr! These bright, beautiful flowers stand up to the cold and in these cases...snow to liven up our cold winter days!!











photo by japi14















photo by myfanwyx













photo by BelCan75

Etsy Bloggers Featured Member for Decmeber!!

A big congrats to Spotted Cow Soaps! She is our featured Etsy Blogger for the month of December!!!

Handmade in the lovely state of Vermont, Spotted Cow Soaps are as delicious looking as they are fragrant. And just in time for the holidays, you can get several limited edition soaps and other bath goodies to give as gifts...or to keep for yourself...it's okay, we won't tell ;)

Yummy Candy Cane Soap















Sparkling Champagne Bath Fizz



















Cranberry Garland Whipped Sugar Scrub















want to read more about these luxurious soaps? head on over to the Spotted Cow Soap Blog!!

mooooooooooooooo

just ordered some fun stickers to put on the boxes before I ship them out to customers this holiday season :) some plain with the logo on them, and the others have this adorable little snowman :)

I did a bunch of colors...but here are my two favorites...





















and of course, had to have a Hokie one...VT love for my ACC championship bound team!!













oh, and I ordered them from Moo...just in case you were confused by the name of the blog post ;)

30 years ago today...

my parents got married :)

















and they are still just as happy now as they were then...and of course I appreciate their finding each other for many reasons...I wouldn't be here if they didn't being the biggest reason...but of course the fact that seeing them together makes me truly believe that love really exists :)

okay, enough mushy stuff...I might cry ;) but here are some cute pics of them...December 2, 1978







































my mom's dress is so beautiful...if I was only about 8 inches shorter...it's what I'd wear to my own wedding someday :)

Etsy finds...calendars!

Once December hits...it is time to start thinking of the new year, and that means a fresh new calendar!

Animal Calendar by Story by Mia





















Funny Cats Calendar by Modern Pop
















Art Calendar by Lauren Alexander

















Wall Calendar by Nella Designs

Squidfire...Next Sunday!!

Not doing anything next Sunday? Need to find some great, unique, handmade gifts for the holidays?? Come see the BEST table at SquidFire's Winter Art Mart!

SquidFire's 2008 Winter Art Mart

Sunday December 7, 12-6:30pm

Lyric Opera House

110 West Mount Royal Avenue – Baltimore, MD 21201

click here for a list of Vendors!!

IF- Balloon

finally...I am determined to be back on track with my Illustration Friday submissions!!

This week...Balloon :)

Digital Illustration...Apple from week 2

Etsy Bloggers November 24 Edition

Welcome to the November 24, 2008 edition of etsybloggers.

Jen (bfbeads) of Baby Friendly Beads presents The Thanksgiving Bowl posted at Mama's Magic.

Stacy Gibbs presents EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival posted at The Fancy Fritter.

Two Zany Zebras presents How fast does a turkey trot? posted at Two Zany Zebras.

Julie Antinucci presents Blog Carnival: Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition posted at Creative Mines by Julie Antinucci.

Rose Works Jewelry presents Rose Works Jewelry: My Thanksgiving Story - Etsy Bloggers Carnival posted at Rose Works Jewelry.

Linda Wheelock presents TurDuck...Tee Hee.... posted at Spotted Cow Soaps.

BeadedTail presents Thanksgiving Traditions posted at beadedtail.

Ellen Behm presents Thanksgiving Traditions posted at Down the Street Creations.

miesmama presents Thanksgiving posted at miesmama.

Brigid presents "Traditions" posted at Grey Eye Designs studio.

Yazmin presents It's all about the dessert, baby! - A Pretty Rock - Jewelry Blog and More... posted at A Pretty Rock Jewelry - blog

Donna Pool presents Donna Says...: What's Next...? posted at Donna Says....

Kelly Drill presents Another Totally Out of Character Food-Related Post posted at Macaroni and Glue.

Rainy presents How are you going to prepare your business for the holiday rush? Blog Carnival posted at RainyDayArt.

BunnyKissd presents Thanksgiving Traditions posted at Diary of a Crazy Rabbit Lady, Too.

Serena Lee Pena presents SAPPHIRE and ICE STUDIOS, LLC: How are you going to prepare your business for the holiday rush? posted at Sapphireice's Weblog

Frances presents Preparing for the Holidays in my Shop posted at Home Made Originals.

Julie Antinucci presents Blog Carnival: What I'm working on.... posted at Creative Mines by Julie Antinucci.

Five O'Clock Somewhere presents Blog Carnival - How are you going to prepare your business for the holiday rush? posted at Five O'Clock Somewhere

Angie A presents Angie's Crafts: Etsybloggers November Carnival! posted at Angie's Crafts.

Patti presents F.........irst Christmas on Etsy posted at peacoxcreations.

Melissa Sinisgalli presents Thanksgiving Traditions posted at Made By Melissa.

Lisa Human presents Blog Carnival: Thanksgiving Traditions posted at Human Touch Designs.

smox presents Christmas Is Coming! posted at The SMOX Workshop.

Erika presents Pecan Pie, Anyone? posted at TOTE-N-TOTS.

Jaime Johnson presents Thanksgiving Thoughts posted at The Sewing Chronicles of JaimeSews.

Melinda Beatty presents The Rush posted at My Aphrodite Jewelry.

Stacey presents Holiday Happenings posted at Elle Belle.

Waxela Sananda presents ThanksGiving posted at SpiritMama Art and Soul.

MagdaleneJewels presents Carnival: Thanksgiving Memories posted at MagdaleneJewels's Blogs.

Janet Reddick presents Traditions of Thanksgiving posted at Sky Girl Style.

Deanna Lack presents Interlude [EB Carnival] posted at You've Got Maille.

Jo Hoffacker presents Preparing for the Holiday Rush posted at Dogmaw Glass.

Ebony presents Blog Carnival November posted at Off The Peg.

Studio Gilead presents Doda's Creative Wanderings: One box too far? posted at Doda's Creative Wanderings.

Elise presents Betani's Bureau: Blog Carnival: What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition? posted at Betani's Bureau.

Nancy presents Thanksgiving Holiday Tradition posted at NanjoDogz.

Anitra Cameron presents THANKSGIVING A NEW WAY posted at Coffee Pot People

Nora Demirjian presents Preparing My Business for the Holidays posted at Nora's Blog.

Lauren presents Blog Carnival - Preparing for the Holiday Rush... posted at Lost Mitten.

shellmitchell presents Getting Ready For The Holidays posted at Shell Mitchell Accessories and Design.

storybeader presents Etsybloggers Carnival, Nov 24: Thanksgiving traditions posted at Stroll Through Storyland.

Kirsten Hetherly presents The Holidays are fast approaching.... posted at The Quinna Collection.

Heather presents EtsyBloggers: Blog Carnival posted at Winemakerssister.

Kathy & Carrie presents Thanksgiving Traditions posted at CalKat The Jewelry Junkie.

Stormy Designs presents Getting ready for the holidays and a SALE posted at Stormy Designs.

PurrPrints presents My favorite (unusual) Thanksgiving tradition posted at PurrPrints: Art, Cats, and Randomness.

Jenni Brighton presents Pie will really gum up a sewing machine... posted at My Lil Etsy Shops:.

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Blog Carnival - November 24th Edition

This week's blog carnival is hosted by me!! The topic I chose to write about is....

What is your favorite tradition for the Thanksgiving holiday?

I absolutely love the holidays...pretty much once October hits until my birthday in January, I'm a happy girl :) Thanksgiving is always fun, because I usually haven't been home to see the family in a while, and all my friends who now live all over the country make it back to good old Hillsborough to celebrate. My dad and I get to watch football, and my mom and I do some baking, and pre-Christmas preparations...but the best part of Thanksgiving, is dinner at my Aunt & Uncle's house. The past few years have been extra special, because my Aunt battled and beat breast cancer, and is back in the swing of things cooking up a Thanksgiving feast...its not the food that's important, but the fact that she can, and does cook a fabulous meal, and we all have the best time together...

and now it's less than a week away!! I can not wait to see everyone at home on Wednesday!!!!!

Seven Secrets...

I was tagged by "ametistadea" (of the EtsyBloggers team) to tell seven secrets about myself, and then tag seven more team members to do the same...

1. I now have 3 Etsy stores :P although 2 are still empty...
JerseyGirlDesign
JGDJewels
Linus&Lucy

2. I own all 10 seasons of Friends on DVD...and watch them in order while I clean :p

3. I have over 30 pair of flip flops

4. my Christmas decorations go up the day after Thanksgiving and stay up until my birthday (01/11)

5. sometimes I talk to my cats, and think they'll actually answer me...

6. If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be Pizza from Alfonsos, in Hillsborough, NJ

7. my #1 goal, is to learn to ski, #2...play the guitar :)

Digital Illustration...Apple from week 1

so in one of my new classes (that's right, full time student here!!) we are to create a digital drawing of an apple every week...so week one...apple!

off to see the wizard

TBS was showing the Wizard of Oz this past weekend...and since I haven't seen it in so long, I sat down and watched it...which prompted some cute sketched which I plan to color in Illustrator...so stay tuned for those :)

so I thought I'd do an Etsy finds post...Wizard of Oz style :)

Wizard of Oz Paintings by brilliant
















Wizard of Oz Rag Dolls by TatteredRags



















Wicked Witch and Flying Monkey Messenger Bag by KittyEmpire

















Tinman Button by MessageOnAButton

if you need to get me a gift...

I would love love love...anything from the Philosophy line...available at Sephora ;)


the best part is that they smell just like the real thing! you could have a Margarita bubble bath!










i'm also in love with this fragrance, Sugar Lemon by Fresh, (also at Sephora)

the GGGGGGGGGGGG-men

yes, being that I'm a Giants fan in Baltimore...I have to gloat a little this morning...

jewelry...SOLD!

the School of Medicine holiday craft show was pretty successful...here are the items that sold...

UMMC School of Medicine Craft Bazzar today!!

come by and see me...if you're in the downtown Baltimore area, I'll be at Westminster Hall from 11-3 :)

full time student?? me??

as of today, I am officially enrolled full time at the Art Institute...I'm a little overwhelmed...two classes at once...I don't know which one to 'go' to first :p












Design Principles or Digital Illustration...I'm so excited!!!!!!!!