Can your wardrobe keep up with your #nailart?

Can your wardrobe keep up with your #nailart? by noel-giger featuring formal party dresses
Shop: www.noelgiger.jamberrynails.net 

Stock up on winter boots for next year!

Buy a gift certificate to ShoeScandal and get a great deal on super cute boots!  

I think that I'd get these in pink for Jordan :) 

They also have short boots, and lots of colors!

Undercover Mama Plum District DEAL $13.50 or $8.50 SHIPPED

Today ONLY!


Have you discovered Undercover Mama? Just slip the tank on and attach it to your nursing bra, and then your sides will stay covered as you nurse.

To take advantage of this deal:

1. Go To Plum District and create an account if you don't have one already.  If you don't have one, using the link I provided will get you a $5.00 gift certificate that you can use on your first purchase.

2. Look for Kansas City (the deal is online so it's good anywhere, it's just not listed under the everywhere section).

3. Add the voucher to your cart.

4. Use the discount code: visa10 to save an extra 10%, bringing your total down to $13.50.

Your voucher code will be available in your account at plum district, and then you just enter that at the checkout area of Undercover Mama. If you purchase just one tank ($24.50)  then the voucher covers the shipping ($3.00) also!  Or, buy 2 tanks and get free shipping.

And don't forget to enter to WIN a free Pambra's Bra Liner!

Product Review: Pambra Bra Liners & GIVEAWAY!

I was so excited to learn about Pambra's Bra Liners.  I am, ah hem, well endowed, and have worn a bra forever.  Well - since I was about 11.  I was a teen when I started wearing under-wires, and I've never been able to switch back.  I love the support that I get from my under-wires (not to mention the extra va-va-voom for the girls - the higher they are, the more attention is drawn away from post-6 pregnancies belly!)

OCCUPY

OCCUPY prayer closet by noelgiger
Create custom tshirts using zazzle

OCCUPY prayer closet: button by noelgiger
Join Zazzle's graphic design affiliate program

OCCUPY prayer closet: mug by noelgiger
Learn how to make money as an artist online at Zazzle.

Modest (and Chic!) Dresses

I'm on the e-mail list for several modest clothing companies.  If you are like me, and have trouble finding clothing that is not too revealing up top or too short, you'll love this company!  The prices are moderate, especially when you consider that you don't have to drive all over town (or to another town) to search for appropriate clothing.  I got a deal in e-mail today that I thought I'd pass along!

This cute dress, the "Kate", in the color "twig", is regularly $64.00, with the coupon code it's only $29.99!

This is from the Sweet Innocence dress collection from Diviine Modestee.  Use the code KATE at checkout to receive your discount!   Be sure to check out their clearance section too :)

(I was not paid for this review, not did I receive anything in exchange for posting thie.  That does not mean that I'm opposed to doing unbiased reviews for your product in the future!)

Free 8 Aprons Sewing Pattern eBook!

I just love aprons!  I feel so "June Cleaver" when I wear one!  It is also a very practical way to protect your clothes (especially when you are committed to living simply and having less!).

This great little eBook offers instructions for 8 different kinds of aprons - the possibilities are endless!  I especially like the "pillowcase apron".  It repurposes (hello? - that's what I'm all about!) a vintage pillowcase into a half apron with pockets.  This would be perfect, not only for the kitchen, but also for keeping your money and supplies handy when you do a tag sale (or a booth at a fair).  If the pillowcase isn't too delicate, you could use the completed apron to carry small household cleaning supplies (this is a suggestion just for you - you know I don't clean!  LOL)

This has me thinking I need to finish my "studio apron".  I've got all the supplies, and I think it's a great design (they always are when they're still in my head!) I just need to pull our the sewing machine and DO IT!

Thanks to Savings and Stewardship for passing this along!

Eco-Chic Valentine's Gifts: Flower Hairclip From Scraps (Tutorial)

Here's a project to treat the littlest Valentine this year!

This hairbow took only about 30 minutes and was effectively free, since it was made from scraps an on-hand materials.

Remember this?  Well, I had material left over and decided to make a hair clip to match!

I started out by putting the two materials wrong sides together.  Then I sewed tear-drop shapes free-hand on my machine, each approximately 2 inches long.  This could also be done by hand, but it'll take you a long time!  After making 10-12 of these, I cut them out, leaving aproximately 1/4 of an inch around the stitches.  I also made one circle about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

I played around with the layout until I decided on 4 petals for the bottom (because they were larger) and 7 for the top layer.  I stitched each layer together with the sewing machine and a heavy zig-zag stitch.

I chose to turn the layers in opposite directions for contrast, but you could also layer them the same direction.

Next, I used a 4-strand of thread on a hand-sewing needle and assembled the flower bottom-up:

Bottom Layer

Button (to provide spacing)

Top Layer

Circle

Decorative Button

I passed the needle through twice then tied the threads off securely.

Last - I hand stitched the flower to a hairclip (this one happened to already have a pink ribbon glued to it!)

Clip it onto the ribbon and it doubles as a package topper!

Thanks for checking out my tutorial!  If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment and consider following!  Thanks!

I've been traumatized, I went to the MALL

It has been a long time since I went shopping in a mall.  I'm not completely against them, I just have found that I can better express myself, stay within my budget and waste less time if I stay away!

I had to deliver a custom order today and the only convienient time for my customer was at her Estee Lauder appointment.  I arrived about 30 minues early so I decided to look around.  While I adore vintage/retro fashion, and I'm really glad to welcome back some styles, here are 2 that should remain burried in the annals of time:  Leggings. Sweater Dresses

I even did some browsing to find pics to share, but I couldn't stand looking at them!  True, they look great in the catalog, but on real women, eeew.  I saw things that my eyes don't want to remember today!

So, to sooth my weary eyes, here are some funky/boho/vintage inspired/indie finds:

"Lucy" from Red Dress Shoppe

"Some Like it Sweet - Black" by Cocoricooo

Slip Dress by Stacy Leigh Atelier

And now, for some shameless self promotion:
My newest endeavor, clothing with digital art, available at Zazzle:

"Love Heals Surely" my original design on just about anything

This is my retort to the "love kills slowly" message that is going around :)  Don't get me wrong, I like the designs too, and I can "feel" the sentiment - I've been hurt too, many times.  But I've found that True Love heals... surely!  Enjoy!

What a crazy weekend!

It started off pretty good - I finished 5 new pieces of jewelry and took them for a test drive (I always wear a new creation, at least around the house to work out the bugs.  That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! - And yes, I clean the earrings with alcohol before I sell them!)

necklace and earrings from a wooden chess set, vintage sterling silver hand-made beads and [ReDeemed] teardrop shaped glass beads that once went to a ball as the handle on an evening bag

I got so many compliments on this one and the other styles (dice and Scrabble Sentance Cubes - have you ever heard of that game?  No?  me neither!), that I was floating high!

We went to a "garage sale" for my husband's company.  They just moved into Downtown Dallas where they didn't need all the furniture and artwork from their previous space.  I scored 2 chairs for my living room, a great vintage framed print for the family room and 2 large lateral file cabinets to (try to) organize my studio!

My amazing hubby loaded it all into the van (along with both of us and 2 of the kids), tied the chairs to the top and we headed home, elated with our bargains!

ENTER ANTAGONIST: Railroad tracks

No, not a train - just humble little tracks.  The thing is, they didn't play nice with the bungee cords holding the back of the van shut.  Up went the hatch, down came the hatch, shatter went the window!  EEEKKK - all we could do is laugh (thank God for a healthy sense of humor - otherwise we'd all be six feet under!)

(see my great chairs on top? 20 bucks each!)

here's wonderful hubby cleaning up the glass, I quit after I cut my hand

the baby found my "ouch" very entertaining, as my oldest relished the opportunity to use the alcohol wipe on me for a change!  (I really don't think that it needed to be cleaned FOUR times!)

My hubby and oldest kept speculating on what I would [ReDeem] the bits of glass into.  I appreciate their confidence in me, but I threw it all away anyhow!

We finally got it home and unloaded, taped up the window and went to Third Monday Trade Days.  We live only 20 minutes away but have never been, so I wanted to check it out to see if it would be an option for my business.  WHOA, 1 hour was not enough!  I wandered in a daze, there was so much to look at!  I want to go back in December (18-19-20) at least to shop (anyone wanna come with?)

From there, we went and bought hubby a new car, then went for a moonlight picnic under the stars (it was freezing to me, it was a short picnic!)  After a great Sunday service at The Crossing, hubby drove to meet Nana to pick up our daughter, taking all the kids with him so I could have... (insert music) STUDIO TIME!

I finished 6 pieces of jewelry, 1 commissioned art piece and 3 other pieces of artwork for my show this weekend and a new design that has been rolling around in my head:

"Love Heals Surely" (sm) available at Zazzle on just about anything!  My retort to "love kills slowly"!

Then turned to the sewing station to work on my newest item: [ReDeemed] spa masks (reclaimed linen filled with organic flax seed and dried lavendar buds, in a removable reclaimed silk cover - nope, no pics yet, I have to put them on FB first, I promised!)  Well, I broke my serger! 

Bummed, I turned to the computer and worked on my website, my Zazzle, my blog and my customer list. 

It all turned up today though - I met an old friend for lunch and she brought me some neat things to [ReDeem], I got an order for a gift certificate and a commission for a piece of jewelry.  But the best of all?  The temp dropped below 50, sparking our tradition of the first fire in the fireplace!  We celebrated with a fireside picnic (2 picnics in one weekend!)

As you can tell, things got a little crazy!  But that's ok - that's the kind of crazy I'll take any day!