Come Look....

...at my New Listings on Etsy!

I love quality stones. It's obvious the reasons! Luscious and delectable, good quality stones sparkle with the utmost beauty Nature has to offer. It's amazing that God created such glorious things for us Jewelry Artisans to play with, and us women to adorn ourselves with.


















Rain Dance Dangle Earrings - AAA Chalcedony Briolettes and Apatite Rondelles























Royalty Dangle Earrings - AAA Kyanite Briolettes and Labradorite Rondelles

My Sweet Chloe!

Chloe Takes Over Daddy's Chair....
Chloe always sits with Daddy in his recliner. He got up and she stayed put. She usually doesn't get up on the furniture unless one of us are sitting down.

She decided to take advantage of being so stinkin' cute :)

A Gorgeous Morning!

A Beautiful Autumn Sunrise in Louisiana

I woke at 6:30 am. This is the normal time Chloe feels the need to go outside and, well, you know...do her business. My normal wake-up call involves feeling her crawl out of the covers, shake, and lick my cheek. "Ok Chloe, let's go outside", I say.

On Thanksgiving morning, this is what I faced looking off of my front porch :)

God has a way of painting our sky, doesn't He?

We know we have a lot to be Thankful for.
Hubby and I also celebrated our 4-year wedding anniversary on Turkey Day!

Another Side You May Not Know....

Opening Weekend of Duck Season in Louisiana, November 15.
Mollicy Farms - Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge

My First Duck...Pintail Drake!

Yes, I know, how could I shoot such a gorgeous bird. I've always been an "occasional" hunter.
I've only been squirrel hunting and duck hunting though. I could never think about dropping a deer, no way! I'm a Wildlife Biologist by training and hunting is the most effective management tool for controlling a wild population (outside of natural selection). Some people don't agree with hunting, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion and thoughts. However, we consume the meat, and prefer wild game over anything that is farm raised and pasteurized. We don't hunt for sport, we hunt for sustenance.

This post is not meant to offend anyone and I apologize if it does. This was a very exciting achievement for me, and my husband was so proud of me!
I just thought I would share it with you!
Even Chloe was intrigued by the ducks!!

Fresh Pralines - Southern Style

~~So, I live in Louisiana...a place known for crawfish boils, shrimp etoufee, po-boys, seafood gumbo, and the infamous concoction of sugar and pecans...pralines.

Figured I'd give it a shot and try to make some fresh pralines. Can't be that hard, right?

A co-worker gave me a recipe for making pralines in the microwave. Sounds easy. And, you don't have to stand over a hot stove top stirring boiling sugar.

~~The steps were easy: mix the evaporated milk, sugars (brown and white) and corn syrup. Microwave on high for 12 minutes. Stir. Microwave on high for an additional 12 minutes. Stir in a stick of butter, some vanilla extract and the pecan pieces.

Well, I never got to the end of the second 12-minute round. I was shelling pecans...looked up at the microwave to see the stuff boiling all over the place. WOW. What a mess!

~~Decided it was best NOT to take photos. It wasn't pretty.

~~I took a break and went Christmas shopping for my hubby since he was at the hunting camp all weekend. Then I decided to go out to dinner with an Aunt and friend.

~~Well, I'm not gonna let this beat me. Everyone who knows me knows I'm a cook....I'm awesome in the kitchen....mostly sweets though :)

Did some laundry, vacuumed the floors, changed the bed linens. Ok. Gonna try this again, but the old fashioned way; on the stove top!

~~SUCCESSFUL the second go-round! Yes, you have to constantly stir the sugary and gooey concoction till it reaches 236 degrees (soft ball stage for you cooks out there). Then you add a couple of tablespoons of butter (don't stir) and let it stand till the temperature drops to 150 degrees. It will look like this:
Once the temperature has fallen to 150 degrees, stir in vanilla and pecan pieces. Stir until the mixture thickens and has lost its gloss, or until your arm is aching so badly that you just can't bare to stir anymore.

Drop by the teaspoon onto wax paper and let harden.

I topped some with a whole-half pecan, some I didn't. Oh, and they're as good as they look :)

My Newest Venue!

So....I just found out about Art Fire, another online venue for selling handmade craft. I just "opened" my shop on November 20th and only have 2 pieces listed. Hopefully I'll have some success on this site as it's much cheaper than the other venues I'm selling on.


Come check out my new Art Fire Shop!

Successful October!

Wow! The Etsy Angels were super successful with October's Charity; Susan G. Komen For the Cure. We, with the help of some special Angel Friends, raised $677.98 for Breast Cancer Research! Isn't that just fantastic?


The Etsy Angels are taking a break for the Holidays. Catch up with us in January when we pull together to help another group in need!

Have a lovely day!

Meet Lisa of CBL and Company!

Lisa is an amazingly talented artist that I've gotten the opportunity to become friends with. I met Lisa during a big fundraiser last December (2007).
Her heart is as big as the Wyoming Sky she lives under!

Lisa has been creating gorgeous jewelry for over 20 years. She finds her creativity and inspiration in colors, textures and the beauty of landscapes, seascapes and animals around her.

She has been selling on Ebay and other national venues for years....and it shows! She has many wonderful loyal customers.

Here are some of her latest Beauties! You can find her on Etsy!

She has the knack for putting together gorgeous pieces. I'm lucky to say that I own a few pieces myself :)

Meet Chris, the hands behind Crafts By Chris

It's been WAY too long since I've featured an artist on my Blog!

Fall tri-color Pendant (I snagged this one up!)

I'd like to take a moment to tell you all a little bit about Chris Dembinski of Iowa!
I first met Chris in the Bead Hive Team on Etsy. I really got to know her during a big Fundraiser we took part in to help a couple of children who lost their Mom right before Christmas. She's a wonderful friend with a big heart! She's a member of the Etsy Angels, with me!

Chris has been playing with clay for over 15 years. She takes great pride in what she does and only uses quality materials.

She creates the most gorgeous beads using polymer clay. Recently she has spiced things up by creating beads with an "Earthstone" pottery look, and also shimmery beads with mica powders. (More information about these can be found on her Blog).

Below are some examples of her latest looks:

Polymer Clay Pendant: Earthstone Pottery Collection

Other colors available from her Earthstone Pottery Collection


"Molten Lava" Polymer Clay Beads; with Mica

Purple Dragonfly Pendant: Polymer Clay and Mica

As you can see from the examples I've posted here, she has some great talent! Her beads are exceptional. The finish is amazing as the beads are satin-smooth with a little hint of sparkle.
You can find her beads, and also jewelry creations, on Etsy.


I custom ordered some of her beads for my Christmas creations. Look at those beauties!
Stay tuned for more lovely creations available in her Etsy Shop!

You never know what she's gonna create next!

November Already??

Geez, it seems like we just rang in 2008!!












The cypress swamps in Fall, in Louisiana

It's November and fall is well underway...technically over in some areas. Here in the south, we're finally getting some sort of "fall color". This is nothing compared to what I am used to being from West Virginia.














Typical road during Fall Foliage - West Virginia




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Soon I'll be planning Hubby and I's Thanksgiving Dinner and our Anniversary Dinner. Our 4th wedding anniversary falls on Thanksgiving this year! I think Hubby and I have lots to be thankful for :)

It'll just be us this Thanksgiving. Hubby's parents have a new tradition of going to Branson, Missouri every year to see the shows and Christmas lights.
My family is back in West Virginia, and we'll see them at Christmas. At least I won't have to slave in the kitchen all day to cook up a huge meal!!




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As most of you know (those that follow my blog or consider me a friend) know that I'm the Moderator or Leader of the Etsy Team - Angels. Recently I gained a Co-Moderator, Mona of Sewing Granny's Handcrafted Quilts and Gifts on Etsy, and I am so thrilled about the extra help!

Fun apron handmade by Mona...available in her Etsy Shop

Also, we had our first Chat Meeting in the Etsy Chat Room on Monday, November 3rd. It was very productive, and I anticipate using that method of communication in the future! We established various Committees to help get the job done. We're a very casual Team, but we're growing so we needed to get organized!

We're about to welcome 9 new members to the Etsy Angels Team. On Sunday, November 16th we're having our Fall Splendor Event, and we'll be welcoming in our newest Members. The day will be full of fun chatting, games, contests, a scavenger hunt, and lots of prizes!

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I've also created a gorgeous Fall-inspired Treasury on Etsy. This treasury showcases some of Etsy's finest artists! I love the warm and rich colors of fall.
I'd love for you to visit this treasury and give it some love....click on each item to help the list make it to "HOT" status, and leave me a comment!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=19578



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Stay tuned for my next Blog Contest....coming soon!

Love,
Amanda