Goodbye 2009...Hello 2010!

even though 2009 was a good year...looking forward to 2010!

we're heading down to SC to the new house to spend a few days relaxing and celebrating :)














it's a loooooong drive :)

merry christmas 2009!!

we had a white Christmas!

















me and brother by our tree

our little Christmas

before we headed to NJ and FL for the holidays...we had our own little Christmas at the house :)

**let it snow**

friday night into saturday we got 2 feet of snow :) I love winter! I heard there is snow in NJ as well...so hopefully we'll be in for our first white Christmas in a few years!! Bring it on!

Handmade for the Holidays

second annual shopping party :)

Squidfire 2009

Squidfire Holiday Art Mart December 12th 11am-6pm
Du Burns Arena
1301 S Ellwood Ave
Baltimore, MD 21224


come on out to see BEST!

oh, christmas tree!

I love decorating for Christmas...the lights, the ornaments, the star...it might not be a real tree, but it always looks beautiful :) complete with shatter-proof (aka cat-proof) ornaments :)















and of course, our pig ornament in honor of living in Pigtown...

winter stuff to do in Baltimore

ice skating in Patterson Park :)

Greenbelt in the snow :)

even with the inclement weather on Saturday, we had a great turn out at the Greenbelt Craft Show!

Greenbelt Festival of Lights Craft Fair this weekend!!

come out and see BEST at the Greenbelt Festival of Lights craft show!!

Greenbelt Community Center
15 Crescent Road,
Greenbelt, Maryland 20770

It's a Girl!!

Isabella Grace :)
Congrats to Ashley and Shawn!!













our first visit, in December 2009 :)
11.20.09

gobble. gobble 2009

I love the holiday season :) trips home to NJ to see the family and friends are the things that get me through the rest of the year :)

this year was no exception...got to see the girls (minus Janvi...we missed you!!)

























celebrated at Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Charlie's















and put up our Xmas lights

tons and tons of glitter :)

oh how I love glitter...always have, always will...I'll be covered in it for days at a time...especially while prepping for the holiday craft show season!...my new love, Martha Stewart Glitter, comes in about 49807076070 colors, so the hardest part was choosing a few to start with...lucky for me, they also come in smaller multi-packs, so I can test them out :)

and just what am I doing with these glitters you might ask? well it involves resin...and it's sparkly, shimmery and awesome!...so you'll just have to wait and see...oh and come see me at some of my holiday sales!

below is a photo of the 'works in progress'...it doesn't look like much...yet...but it will!

Happy Birthday to Meg :)

My 'youngest' cousin is 19! Happy Birthday Megs!!

Happy Birthday Ten-Ten!

happy birthday to my Panera Hokie :) :)















celebrations commenced at our favorite VT bar, the Sly Fox :)

Lauren & Brett +8?

ahh Halloween :) this year Brett came up with our costume idea...based on my guilty pleasure show, Jon & Kate +8...they even had wigs for Kate's signature hairstyle! I made an "Ed Hardy-esque" t-shirt for Brett and we pinned 8 dolls to our shirts...yay for home made costumes!



















Bonnie and Andy came to visit us for Halloween...one of our traditional holidays we spend together :) they dressed up as M&M plain...and with nuts!




















The girls from Panera met us out in the city :) a good Halloween all around!

Wedding Marathon 4 of 4...Brandyce & Pete in NJ

we made it! the last of four weekends in a row of wedding fun! My second run as Maid of Honor this year for Brandyce & Pete's wedding

It's Another Boy!!

Congrats to April and Luis and their little boy, Gavin :)















10.15.09

It's a Boy

meet little Rylan! The newest addition to the Opett family :)



















10.08.09

Wedding Marathon 3 of 4...Tysons Corner

the weekend of October 10th we stayed semi-local for one of my favorite Hokie's weddings! Artemis and Seth had a beautiful wedding at Maggiano's in Tysons Corner, VA

oh how I miss knitting

This picture just says it all...I had to take a hiatus from knitting since school and the jewelry business took priority...but how funny!? Someday I'll be reunited with my needles and yarn :)













(image courtesy of Natalie Dee)

Vote for BEST!!

the Baltimore Sun is running a poll- The Mobbies- for Maryland's Outstanding Blogs...and we need your help! Please go and place a vote for the BEST blog (Baltimore Etsy Street Team) under the Art & DIY sections!!

















you can vote once a day...so what are you waiting for??

Wedding Marathon 2 of 4...Dallas here we come!

let the month-long wedding extravaganza continue! we headed to Dallas next for Brett's best man debut at Paul and Rachel's wedding!





























Congratulations Mr & Mrs Thienprayoon!

October Birthday madness!!

Happy Birthday to...

my cousin Carrie on the 1st

my cousin Brian on the 3rd


and on the 4th Happy Birthday to the best Mom in the world :) :)


and to Aunt Barb on the 5th...

whew...that's a lot of birthdays in one week!

for the animals

I am a big fan of animals...as you all know, so of course I jumped at the chance to donate an item to the Maryland SPCA auction -Shop-a-Paw-Looza- which runs October 2-30th. You can bid on my necklace, as well as more then 300 other items. So head over to the site and start your bidding!!














Here's a link to my item, an Amethyst and Freshwater Pearl necklace :)

oh wait..I actually make jewelry still...

yes, I know, this blog has definitely veered away from the jewelry and design that it was meant for...but with the busy year that I've had, I have had less time to make things let alone photograph, edit and post them. But I'm determined to get back to that very soon...with the holidays approaching, my Etsy shop needs some TLC!

I did finish two orders for wedding parties...for Rachel and Artemis!


gold circles and birds for Rachel's wedding!














crystals and stardust beads for Artemis' bridesmaids! (picture coming soon!)

a wedding...Boston style

Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Simonini :) Kristin and Jon got married this weekend in Boston at the Museum of Science...one of the nicest views I've ever seen!



























We also met the newest addition to this side of the family...little Caden...so another congrats goes out to Laurel & Michael!

Happy Birthday Cuz!

my little Katie is 21! I can not believe it...















happy birthday!! apples to apples 4 ever ;)

We <3 Wine!

Friends and wine on the most spectacular day of the fall...okay yes fall is only about 3 days in at this point, but still...we spent the day Saturday with Bonnie & Andy, and Jimmy & Michael at the Virginia Wine Festival in Herndon.

my favorite place was the champagne tent...could have stayed there alllllll day :)

oh and the hokies won! good day all around!!