In the Kitchen with some Coffee

The current Blogfire blog carnival theme is to either show off your work space - or talk about items in the kitchen! Now I was planning on showing off my workspace, but I've been having migraines all week and so getting it presentable enough to show off just wasn't going to happen. So I went looking for some fun kitchen items! In a coffee theme of course, because I love coffee! I used to be a total caffeine addict...but that's an entirely different story.

The Country Workshop has this plaque for sale - isn't it darling?

I'd certainly put it up in my kitchen! (Much to my hubby's chagrin)

I have to confess that I already have a towel and oven mitt set that's coffee themed.

AND, to my shame, it was bought in a big retail store.

BUT someday it will need replacing,

wouldn't this set from Desert Rose Gifts be perfect?

What would the kitchen be without some good soap?

DECA candle and bath has some COFFEE soap - does it get any better?

Now I must stop dream shopping...

Valentines Day - Artfire Style!

Now I must admit that Valentines day has, historically, not been one of my favorite holidays. In fact, I used to absolutely hate it! Why? Well, as a long time single girl/woman it was a slap in the face reminder that I WAS single. Some years I faced it defiantly, others I drowned it in chocolate. Now that I'm married (I know, it blew me away too) I actually like the holiday!

This week's BlogFire Carnival is all about either Valentines Day, or items in Red/Pink. Since I finally like the holiday I decided to show off one of my pieces, and some great gift ideas from three of my friends! Now ladies, if you've read this far and hate Valentines Day, you could always buy this as a gift for yourself! Why? Because your special. I said so!

Love the Pink Multistrand Necklace

Miniature Raspberry Pie Earrings

Love Heart on a Stick

Chocolate Tea

*Hugs and Kisses*

I Just Can't Decide!

The current BlogFire assignment is to blog about our favorite crafting technique, but the problem is I just can't decide! I will say that I'm a jewelry artist first and foremost, but I also really enjoy crocheting, knitting, cross-stitch, hand quilting, and I'd love to learn more things!

Even in the jewelry world I enjoy many different techniques. I love bead weave, but I also love knotting hemp, stringing pretty patterns, doing wire work, and there are even more things I'd love to learn how to do! You can see this reflected in my shops and here on my blog.

So how do I pick a favorite among all of those?

I suppose I'll just have to say that my favorite craft technique is whatever I happen to most engrossed in at the time! I've spent a lot of time working on my bead weaving projects today, so I could say that's my favorite today, except for the fact that I've been working on them so focusedly because I want to finish them before I start some other projects!

Yes, I'm a little crazy.

June means Roses!

It's time once again for the Etsy Blogger carnival - I've been planning on writing a post all week and kept getting side tracked! So once again I'm being a bad girl and writing mine at the VERY last minute! This week's theme is:

1) Schools Out For Summer! What are your summer plans or share your favorite end of the school year story.
or
2) June symbols - June's birthstone is the pearl or moonstone. June's flower is the rose. Share your favorites or stories or blog on June symbols of your own.

Well since my store NAME is Rose Works Jewelry - it's only appropriate that I focus on roses don't you think? 

I've always loved roses. Which is kind of odd since I grew up a total tom-boy. Of course, while we're on that subject, it's rather odd that the tom-boy grew up to be a jewelry artist...

I don't know what it is about roses that draws me too them, I just always have been! I think part of it is just how many petals they have nestled in there. I've been teaching myself to draw, and if I ever get to the point where I can draw that beauty I'll be sooo ecstatic you have no idea! 

Looking in my shop...I actually don't have anything with roses at the moment! I need to fix that... So here are a couple of great finds from Etsy that are roses :D

Roses are Red Recycled Necklace

Wild Rose Crocheted Scarf

7 Sisters Handmade Paper Roses

Lady in Satin

My Thanksgiving Story - Etsy Bloggers Carnival

The year was 1982 and Brian and Patty had been married for just over a year.  They were poor, but they were happy, and they were anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child! Patty was hoping for an early delivery because she knew that both her and her brother had been born early, but that wasn't to be.  The due date, October 23rd, came and went. They went in to the doctor over and over, only to be sent home, "sorry honey, it's not time yet."

Finally, November 25th, Thanksgiving Day, rolls around.  Patty was exhausted, she was a month over due and couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten a decent nights sleep! She went in to the hospital to see if she could get some sleeping medicine to take after the family dinner at Brian's Fathers house later on that day.  Since it was an American holiday all of the Doctors on shift were foreign.  Apparently it was much more common at the time to induce people in England than America - and as luck would have it - Patty got a British doctor!

The Doctor took one look at Patty's chart and said, "Would you like to have this baby today?" "Yes, please!"

Late that afternoon, a beautiful baby girl was born.  Despite the fact that the baby was over a month late - Patty took one look at her little girl and said, "Let's have another one!"

As you may have guessed - that baby girl was me! My birthday doesn't always fall on Thanksgiving Day, but I think celebrating my birthday at that time every year has taught me a lot about looking for the things in life that we can be thankful for.  One of my favorite family traditions has always been that we go in a circle around the table and take turns listing what we are thankful for in the last year - and I'm going to have so much to say this year!

Of course, I'll admit that there was times when I hated having my birthday around a holiday, it was soooo hard to plan a party!  I did have them though.  My cousin and I are only 4 months apart and the picture here at the bottom is from I think my 6th or 7th birthday? I don't know for sure.  It was the only appropriate pic I had on photobucket and I don't have time to go upload photos from home today :P