This Friday I’d love to introduce you all to two very special and sweet ladies that I’ve had the pleasure of working with and getting to know through The Artisan Group, Sandy and Stevie from Jewels For Hope.
Jewels For Hope creates unique handmade jewelry and donates portions of the profits to several major organizations. This one-of-a-kind jewelry company was founded by Sandy D’Andrea in 2009 after her experience as a caregiver for nearly a decade for her mother, who was afflicted with Parkinson’s disease and dementia. Sandy, a free-spirited, loving wife & mother of 3 girls (and two black labs), is a self-taught jewelry designer who believes that “giving back” is most important.
Sandy’s eldest daughter, Stevie Lynn, joined the company in early 2010 and has learned the art of jewelry design from Sandy. Graduating from The Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in Advertising & Marketing Communications, Stevie also handles the promotion of Jewels For Hope, showing Sandy the ins and outs of Social Media Marketing. The perfect team!
At Jewels For Hope you’ll find the classic style of Audrey Hepburn, the bohemian look of Janice Joplin, and the sassy feel of Betsey Johnson! It’s a mix of Sandy’s and Stevie’s style- all made from the heart!
“Along with working with our beloved Swarovski crystals & pearls, we love working with vintage beads and repurposed items. We feel “going green” is important and love to recycle jewelry whenever we can. To make something that you may not love anymore into a brand new accessory! Look Great & Donate!”
Their future goals are kind of all over the place but they’d love to share two with us today. “Our main goal no matter what- is to be able to donate as much as we can. That will always be there for us- we wish we could donate to every organization (and at the rate we’re going that might happen one day!). We started out with only donating to Hospice and over the past 2 years- we have grown and donate to more amazing organizations. Other than donating, we want our own shop one day. That will have all handmade items in it, but in order for vendors to have their items in our shop, they must donate a portion of their profits. Even if it is just a tiny bit, donate to an organization of their choice. Hopefully this dream will happen for us! We think it would just be so fun!”
I collect mason jars and have a huge love for them. I use them for decoration, drinking glasses, I store things in them, and I even put food into them. There are just so many ways to incorporate them into your home and life. Here are a few fun ideas for mason jars!
Lace wrapped mason jars
Mason jar terrarium
Mason jar light fixtures
Mason jar soap dispensers
Mason jar photo display
What are so cool uses you’ve seen for mason jars?
What You Need:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Cream together your butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Beat in eggs, one at a time. In a separate bowl mix together your dry ingredients. Stir your dry ingredients into your butter mixture.
Refrigerate your dough for atleast two hours.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Shape your dough into 1 inch balls. Flatten with a criss-cross pattern with the back of a fork and bake for 10 minutes (8 or 9 if your oven gets REALLY hot.)
I know IKAT has had it’s glory days already, and a lot of people are over it, but I still dig it (and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.) So bare with me while I swoon over some GORGEOUS Ikat products I scoped out on Etsy! There’s just something about looking at all these glorious colors and patterns that really just inspire you to want to make something beautiful (or to just buy something beautiful.)
(1. Ikat Letterpress Cards 2. Ikat Ottoman 3. Ikat Pillow Cover 4. Red Ikat Clutch Purse 5. Ikat Bamboo Chandelier)
That Ikat Bamboo Chandelier by Spruce Home on Etsy is TO DIE FOR! I just love it! I see it looking terrific in my new office space I’m envisioning once we move!
Some of you may remember my friend Stephanie from Clover Stone Designs. Stephanie is back with a new business and another one on the horizon! How exciting! We’re so happy that we get to work with Stephi on so many amazing design projects! I proudly introduce you to Bleue Moon Web Design!!!
Bleue Moon Web Design was a very happy accident. Stephi spent the last 9 years designing blog templates for herself and randomly for friends, but never considered branching into becoming an official web designer. The founder of The Artisan Group contacted her one day about designing the organization’s blog after viewing hers. It was a snowball effect after that. After several months of consistent work with fellow members of the group (expanding out to site shops and splash pages along with blog design), she realized it was time to create an official name and site.
Stephi chose the name Bleue Moon after the idiom “over the moon”. She finds so much happiness in helping indie businesses get a step closer to their goals, and she loves seeing how overjoyed they are to unveil the new site to their clients.
Her inspiration is the shop’s logo usually designed by Fancy Designs and the products offered by the seller. The goal is to learn the client’s personal style and the vibe they want their customer’s to feel when they enter the site. If she accomplishes that she knows she did her job right.
Bleue Moon is currently having a $50 off sale until February 1st. Let Stephi know who sent you 
I was all prepared to make some fantastic roasted banana cupcakes with peanut butter buttercream frosting when Will tells me that he’d like ice cream instead of cupcakes. I’d gotten my heart set on some yummy roasted banana so I decided to not be thwarted. I love the way my house smells when bananas are roasting away in the oven!
What You Need
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup butter milk (or whole milk)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. While your oven is preheating peal your bananas and cut them up. Toss them with the brown sugar and butter and pop them into the oven. Let them bake for about 15 minutes, give them a stir, and pop them back in for another 15 minutes. (Enjoy the amazing smell wafting around your kitchen as the bananas get all brown and coated in that delicious brown sugar syrup.)
Once your bananas are roasted scrape the bananas, as well as the syrup at the bottom of your baking dish, into a food processor. Add in your milk, whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Puree until you have a nice, smooth mixture.
Refrigerate for about 4 hours and pop it into your ice cream maker. Now you patiently wait for this mixture to become a delicious batch of ice cream! Scoop your ice cream into a freeze safe container and then ENJOY!
I tend to let my life get a little hectic at times. I thrive off chaos and spend the time I should be relaxing, hunkered down in my office like some fascist dictator who tells myself “pee breaks are for sissies.” Yes, I went there. Some nights it’s nice to just tell myself, “Look, self, it’s time to just let yourself go and have some fun.” I’m sure you’re thinking that at this point I hit the club or maybe even a nice bar but nope, this means we are pulling out a board game! Life has always been one of my favorite board games, maybe because I always thought it was a little unlike any life I had ever known. Was life really as simple as spinning a wheel and grabbing your pay check?
Of course not, but life really is as easy as turning everything off around you, taking a few minutes to enjoy something as meaningless as a board game, and just remembering to enjoy the little things!
I’m a huge supporter of local and handmade artisans. The quality and care that they put into their pieces just can’t be beat! Here are some awesome finds by some terrific artists!
Eco Evening Wrist Clutch by Tina Dean Designs
Any idea what this eco friendly clutch is made from? VHS tape and yarn! VHS TAPE! This clutch was originally designed for the 2011 GBK Primetime Emmy Awards Gift Lounge. It’s a wonderful accessory for any evening out on the town. Perfect for formal events, cruises or any event you’re attending. The VHS tape gives it crazy sparkle, without beading or other embellishment that can snag your clothing.
Devious Earrings by Blue Scarab Jewelry
Amber is one of my favorite jewelry makers. I have yet to see her make anything that didn’t make me go ‘I WANT! I NEED!’ These earrings are are made from Earthy Raw Amethyst nuggets topped with a wrapping of Sterling Silver wire and various sized Bali Beads. They hang from Sterling ear wires and have been heavily oxidized, buffed & meticulously polished to give them an organic, earthy feel.
Torrent acrylic sky landscape painting by Sweet Stella’s
This painting reminds of how thankful I am to take a few minutes and just lose myself in the clouds. Just looking at it fills me with a sense of peace. Shannon’s Chaotic Calm series was modeled after different skyscapes, and this piece took centre stage at a gallery showing in 2006 outside London, Ontario. Small but mighty, this intricate painting packs a punch and will breathe life into any room! One of a kind!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s Tutu Dress by Atutudes
I’m sure if you aren’t living under a rock and are at all familiar with Pinterest you’re familiar with this tutu. Isn’t it amazing? This is the ORIGINAL that was also seen on Lauren Conrad’s website! Inspired by one of Kristal’s favorite characters, Holly Golightly from one of her favorite movies Breakfast At Tiffany’s! A Tutu Dress made from Black Tulle featuring Black Tied Sleeves and Sash.
Chamomile Avocado & Sea Clay Massaging Facial Bar by Bellaroma
I could go on and on all day about how in love I am with Bellaroma products. After a week of using her banana grapeseed scrub, people were telling me how flawless my skin was! Richly luxurious bar of soap delicately blended with natural avocado oil, creamy goats milk, calming chamomile and rejuvenating sea clay. The combination of relaxing massage bumps and natural nutritious ingredients will provide the ultimate professional facial experience in the comfort of your own home and without the expensive spa rates! This massaging facial bar gently cleanses, deeply detoxifies and lightly exfoliates. A relaxing massage and renewing facial all in one!
I find that I never pick my camera up anymore. It’s apparently the curse of the iPhone and the invention of Instagram. I only pull my camera out if there are very specific things I want to photograph. Here’s my life according to Instagram. (Apparently I’m terribly boring.)
(1. Pretty days turn to rainy days. 2. Lots of tea consumption. 3. Stealing a few minutes to indulge in Sylvia Plath’s world.)
(4. Pretty return trips from lunch with friends. 5. Giant margaritas from The Place Next Door. 6. Nonsense!)
(7. Trying to remember what it was like to doodle and draw, though Will says my turtle is a toucan. 8. Cleaning house. 9. Another gorgeous Angola sunset from the levee.)
I recently got to work with Melissa Hurst Photography on her new business cards. She was very down to earth and I loved the light and breezy design idea she had in mind. Very simple, yellow & gray, on fabulous linen paper! I immediately loved the images she wanted to incorporate and I knew the only option was for these cards to turn out terrific!
(Photos © Melissa Hurst Photography)
The Musings of a Designer
22 year old Louisianan. Business owner, entrepreneur, cupcake baker. Loves taking pictures, cooking, doodling, gardening, creating, reading, traveling, crafts, thrifting, yoga, fires. In love. We've been together for the past 7 years. Traveling, growing, loving. He's a bullrider and we're night and day different but that's what makes us work, what brings us even closer together.Shop | Wedding Shop | Business Shop | Etsy | Pinterest
(Our journey to GBK Production's Emmy Award Gift Lounge)
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