i was going to call this "feather friday" but now it's saturday.

i intended to blog yesterday, but i ended up hammering a few pieces of brass, drilling said pieces of brass and some bullet casings, and falling asleep on the sofa before 10pm. so yesterday's post is now today's!

lately i've been obsessed with making bullet and feather earrings (and i have lots to go in the shop in the coming days). i'm having so much fun putting together different color combinations with different chains, and in different lengths; i feel like there isn't enough time for me to make as many variations as i see in my head! also, yesterday was "feather friday" because of the cutest set of cards micaela surprised me with! i'm not sure why they made her think of me...

how cute are those cards?!? the one on the right is a sun conure, just like miss dinosaur toes! i told micaela that when i have cards so beautiful, i set them aside and wait for the PERFECT opportunity to use them, because they're far too beautiful to send to just any ol' person!

now that i've gotten the feathers out of the way, here's a public service announcement, if you will...

have you ever found yourself assuming or inquiring as to a woman's pregnancy status because of her age, time in a marriage or relationship, or the fact that she's hungry for something specific or just in general? well, i'm here to tell you that it's rude. apparently, being a 28-year-old married woman who is not expecting is socially unacceptable, and warrants those assumptions, questions and comments. it gets real old. for example, here is a typical conversation i may have with someone on any day of the week:

me: "i'm hungry. i'd like mexican"

rude person: "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE HAVING CRAVINGS, YOU'RE PREGNANT!!!!!"

the fact is, anyone, men included, can crave a certain type of food, or just be hungry, and it doesn't mean that person is pregnant, it means that person is human and wants to eat. i was talking with someone recently who is a few years older and has experienced the same thing, and we agreed that it is no one's business, and no one's right to ask about pregnancy. what if i wasn't able to have children? what if i had one and gave it up for adoption? what if i was pregnant and lost the baby? none of those things have happened to me, but one of them has happened to her, so she's even more sensitive to people's prying.

i didn't mean to write a book, but i swear i have to deal with sort of thing several days a week, and i can purposely be a bitch and tell people that i DO NOT want to be asked about it anymore, but for some reason, they never listen. women in long term relationships without babies are not sideshow freak acts, we're simply a. not ready for children, or b. not going to have them. okay, rant over, but be sure not to be one of those people that constantly makes assumptions!

kittens.

remember how i became a foster mother back in may to little kittens whose mother was killed? well, today was my last day raising the kitties as they're old enough to be adopted by a permanent family, so i'm a little lonely, a whole lot sad, and even more heart-broken. i knew that the day would come when miss kitty and monsieur kitty would have to leave, but i didn't want to think about it becuase i love them so much, and they added so much silliness to my days. i know someone will love them and care for them, but i can't help thinking that no one could possibly love them as much as i do. anyway, i know i shared this video a while back, but it still makes me smile every time!

wishlist wednesday!

you know one of the things i really hate about being a woman, besides aunt flo? it's the way we can talk ourselves into believing we really need something that, when we think logically, know we can live without (even though it's difficult). when it comes to shoes, and especially boots, i wish i could be more like a man, in that i'd be happy living with only three pairs. well, i'm all woman about boots, and as far as i'm concerned, the more i have, the happier i am! here are a few pairs i can't live without wouldn't mind adding to my small (even though chris would disagree) collection...

i know the last two pairs aren't boots, but i want them just the same. sources: 20twenty vintage, lolly crisp vintage, blueberry deluxe, rarae aves, need supply co.

now that we got the wish list out of the way and i can mourn over all the shoes i don't have, i have a few questions for you... i've lost several followers this last week, and while i know it's completely normal, and i'm not taking it too personal, i want to know what you expect in a blog. i've asked before, but be honest, even if you say my blog totally sucks and needs a major overhaul; you won't have to see me crying because of the shield that is the internet. kidding. but seriously, what would you like to see more or less of? do you like the wishlist wednesday posts?

if you have a wish list you'd like to share, please leave me a link in the comments section so i can see what you're currently lusting over!

a happy mailbox.

So the last few days have felt like Christmas for me, minus the food babies, excessive spending and annoying family. I knew I had a little surprise on the way from Annie Cristina, but I had no idea that she'd basically send me an entire store! I can't lie, she's one of my favorite blogging friends, and I often wish Florida and Virginia were closer to one another! Even Chris was jealous; anytime I get fun packages in the mail, he always says that maybe he should start blogging for all the great friends!

Can you believe everything she sent me? And I also got a cute beaded elephant bracelet in the package, but I forgot to photograph it (even thought I set it out for that very reason). I'm sure you can see why I feel a little spoiled right now! Side note, do you feel weird about posting pictures of yourself? I do. Okay, so as if that wasn't enough, that's not all I received! The sweet and beautiful Fritzi Marie offered to send me a set of Grease buttons! Growing up, my brother and I religiously watched Grease and Mannequin every single day of our summer break for several years. I still love Grease and sing the songs quite often, and I imagine this button now makes me an official Pink Lady (Frenchie was my favorite)!

While I'm on the subject of gifts, remember how I begged you to help Chris and I out with the altruismed project? Well, I still have some little gifts waiting around to send to anyone who prints out a card (or multiples) and lets us know how they used it!

charlottesville necklace winner!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who visited my little display on Saturday! I hope this giveaway was as exciting for you as it was for Chris; he couldn't wait to draw the winner's name last night! So, without further ado, the winner of the bullet casing and rutilated quartz necklace is...

Carrianne K.! Carrianne, please email me your mailing address so I can send your new necklace! Thanks so much to everyone who participated. Maybe I'll do it again next time!

charlottesville, i love you.

So after all the work and fussing (thanks, Chrissie, for being a good sport) in preparation, the show in Charlottesville is now a thing of the past. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love Charlottesville. The people are so much more friendly, the atmosphere is completely different, the restaurant selection is better (yes, I love to eat...a lot), and mainly, it's just a more diverse city with more to offer. Anyway, it was a nice, if not ridiculously hot, day yesterday, and while it started off slow, I think I did pretty well in the end; certainly better than I would have done sitting at home yesterday! The only problem is that Chris and I were in vendor mode and forgot to take pictures of my display! Here's what we did get...

The gallery is split into two buildings, so to direct traffic to our nice, AIR CONDITIONED building, Sarah was kind enough to make funny signs to get the shoppers attention! The next picture is of my pita-and-coca-cola-stuffed self on the way back to the parking lot after dinner. Out of all the nicknames I've picked up along the way, I think "Finch" is my favorite. Haley started calling me that a while back, so I told Chris to get a picture of Finch by Finch to show Songbird (Haley)!

At first I had nothing but spiders...EVERYWHERE! Luckily they've seemed to move on, but now my yard has been overtaken by grasshoppers, and by the looks of the picture above, I'd say I can expect a lot more. This couple kept me company while I was resin casting the other day on my deck; they weren't shy, either.

P.S. If you entered the giveaway at The Bridge yesterday, don't forget to check back in the morning to see if you're the lucky winner! Also, if you haven't already, be sure to enter the bullet and aquamarine necklace giveaway!

it's time for a giveaway

I'm a little behind on doing another giveaway, but hopefully you'll think the item up for grabs is worth the wait! Since these seem to be the most popular item in the dinosaur toes inventory, I figured I'd give you the chance to win a bullet necklace. This particular necklace is made from a silver tone .38 caliber bullet casing with a raw chunk of aquamarine; the casing and stone are suspended from a vintage brass chain that I've oxidized to black.

You have multiple chances to enter, and here are the rules:

-Leave me a comment telling me your favorite gem stone (1 entry, and mandatory)

-Leave me a comment if you are a follower (1 entry)

-Leave me a comment and link if you blog or tweet about this giveaway (1 entry)

-Leave me a comment if you purchase something from our shop during the giveaway (10 entries)

I hope you like the giveaway item, and I wish you luck! This giveaway will close on Sunday July 31, and I'll announce the winner right here the following day.

wishlist wednesday!

Most of the wish lists I do are made up of things I really like, and let's be honest, wouldn't mind having, but they aren't my heart's desire. Today (and pretty much ever day) I've been thinking about California, and how there's some indescribable and powerful hold it has on me; it's like when I go there I feel like I'm home. If I can ever convince Chris to go along with it, California is the place I'd like to be. Permanently. So my wish list today is what I really, truly want more than anything else...

First, I'm going to need a plane and a ticket to take me there. SFO, LAX, doesn't matter as long as I'm California-bound! Next I'll need a suitcase full of (all new...maybe?) clothes for the California sunshine. And I don't really need a plate, I'm sure there are plenty of plates in California so I won't need to take my own, but I needed something that actually said California, right?

Just for kicks (pun not intended at first), I thought I'd share a tangible thing I wouldn't mind owning. Cotton candy pink vintage cowboy boots! I'm truly not a pink, girly person, but how awesome are these?!? I could be a pink person for these babies.

Have a wish list you'd like to share? If so, please leave me a link in the comments section so I can see what you're currently lusting over!

how i won, i do not know

Aside from making lots of things and over thinking displays for the show in Charlottesville this Saturday, I really haven't been doing much. I feel like my life suddenly turned boring and I don't have much to blog about, because really, how interested are you guys going to be in the number of leather pieces I cut in one day? Not very. So, the most exciting thing to happen to me in the last few days (and it would still be exciting even if my life hadn't turned into me being a one-woman sweatshop) is finding out that I won a giveaway from Dwell Studio! They had a giveaway on Twitter for this duvet set, and can you believe I won?!?!?

I'd like to tell you that the room above is my own, but it's not, I used the picture from Dwell Studio's site. I may or may not have a problem with making my bed everyday, and you may not be interested in seeing the rumpled pile that is my bed. However, I remove my pretty new duvet before we go to bed at night so as not to wrinkle it up!

The shams and duvet are made of 400 thread count Egyptian cotton, and let me tell you, it's some of the softest, highest quality fabric that has ever graced my bed! If you're thinking of giving your bed a makeover, I suggest looking at these duvets!

Hopefully I'll have something more to report on, but until then, I hope you're having a good Monday, and don't forget to check back for the giveaway I'll be having in the next few days!

just a quickie...

I should REALLY be in bed right now since I have to get up early tomorrow morning (which is all my fault since I've had a week to do something, but I've put it off until the last minute), but before I go and read myself to sleep with Breaking Dawn, I wanted to share this with you. If you're in or around Charlottesville, VA on Saturday, July 24th, please come by and see me at The Bridge! I'll be there from 10am to 5pm, and I'm even going to have a little giveaway for visitors!

One last thing before I sign off for the night; I've been so super busy getting things ready for the event that I've really slacked off on blog reading and commenting. Don't take it personally, I really do miss you, and to make up for it, I'll be doing a giveaway for you lovelies in the next week, and I can't wait to get back to my regularly scheduled blogging relationships!

I hope you're all having a good weekend!

why i love my chris.

For those of you who don't know him, this is my husband, Chris, or as I like to call him, Chrissie. Since the dawn of time, or at least the last eleven years feel that way since I'm still somewhat young, Chris has been the one person I could count on for anything and everything. I've never forgotten how much I love and depend on him, but recently I was once again let down by someone close, and it just reinforced that Chris is my true soul mate; he's not going anywhere, and he loves me even when I don't deserve it. Okay, that's so out of character for me to be sappy, now it's back to normal. This is why I love my Chris...


1. He lets me have fun without worrying that we're acting immature.

2. He doesn't get mad when I call him the girl in the relationship. He's sappy, he likes romantic comedies, and he lives to snuggle. See?

3. He protects me from snakes even though he hates them, too.

4. He agrees to compete in my pool races even though he knows I'm going to win.

5. He lets me use his tools even though I play rough and have burned him before with a red hot bolt.

6. He wakes me up every morning before he leaves to tell me he loves me and that he hopes I'll have a good day, even though my breath stinks and I tell him to leave me alone.

7. He lets me cook fish, without complaint, as often as I want, even though I know he'd prefer beef.

8. He lets me put makeup on him when his sugar is low (he's diabetic, and he may kill me for sharing that).

9. He sings me made up songs in a voice that sounds too animated and cartoonish to come out of a real human being.

10. He lets me be the animal-loving, tree-hugging, uber sarcastic, introverted, creative oddball that I am without ever trying to change me.

And that's why I love my Chrissie.

wishlist wednesday!

Time for another round of virtual window shopping! I have to say, I've been so busy getting things ready for the art fair next Saturday, plus I've been using this old desktop today that's older than the dinosaurs, that I didn't really know where I was going with this wish list. It really doesn't have any theme or common thread other than I picked it 'cause I like it. Works for me!

frame purse, oil drop studs, grey leather tote, floral button ring

Regarding the last picture, you may be thinking, "you added one of the hottest men alive to your wish list?" Well, yes, I did. It's a little joke with my lovely blog friend, Miss Annie Cristina, and I promise to tell you about it in due time! If you have a wish list you'd like to share, please leave me a link in the comments so I can see!

them branches are good for hangin'

I don't why I called this post such a ridiculous name, because I can assure you I don't talk like that off the internet! Anyway, I've been wanting to make this type of display for quite a while now, but I just had to figure a time when Chris and I both didn't have anything else going on (I'm a terrible carpenter, so I require his assistance). The other weekend, I got an email inviting me to another art fair (at this gallery) on July 24th, and since I had such amazing luck last time, I knew I wanted to do it again, which meant I needed to get these displays made sooner than later!

I didn't think while I was working on them to take pictures along the way, but they're super simple to make, so I thought I'd tell you how...

The first thing we did was went through the woods looking for the perfect branch. My advice would be to get one from a recently fallen or dead tree, but not one so dead it'll break from the lightest touch. If you get a green branch, you're going to have to set it aside for a few days and let it completely dry.

Once I selected my branches, we went back to the garage, and I cut the end/bottom flat with a band saw, then I cut the little branches back far enough so that they were strong enough not to break when something was hung from them.

Next (this is where Chris comes in), the lumber was cut into two 4"x4" pieces. Then the base of each branch was measured, and Chris drilled a hole that size through the lumber, in which to place my little trees.

Once the branches were set into their blocks, a wood screw was used to "pinch" it in place and ensure it wasn't going to wiggle, spin or fall out. Then the last thing to do was paint! See, it's an easy project, and a fun way to display your jewelry!

Lastly, if you're in or around Charlottesville, Virginia, you should stop by and see me at The Bridge on Monticello Road from 10am to 5pm!

more and less.

Today I was thinking of the things I would be happy to have out of my life forever. And ever and ever and ever. Those things include: a job, humidity, speeding tickets, Miley Cyrus, periods, grocery shopping, flossing my teeth, cellulite, beans, bras, snakes, mosquito bites, sunburns, hearing the use of double negatives, and washing dishes.

Well, now that I've gotten all that negativity out, here are a few things I wouldn't mind havinga little, or a lot, more of in my life, in no particular order...

How about you, what would you like having more or less of in your life? I currently have more bullet necklaces in my life. I went stone shopping this afternoon, and I came home and made 5, five, muah ah ah, bullet and gem stone necklaces! That makes me feel productive!

altruism: pass it on

Okay, I'm going to warn you, this is going to be a wordy post, and even a little personal. Since Monday afternoon I've been thinking about an elderly man, and I can't help but wonder if I could have done something to help him. When Chris and I were on our way home from Culpeper on Monday, we stopped at Sheetz for gas and snacks. While Chris was pumping gas, I noticed a frail elderly man looking through a trashcan in front of the store. He first pulled out a sandwich wrapper, and when he realized there was no food inside, he continued searching. Next he pulled out a cup of coffee, drank what was left and searched for a minute more, without success, before walking into the store. I told Chris that I saw the man searching for food, and that we could give the man the crackers and drinks we had with us. I stayed in the car with Flojo and the kitties while Chris went inside Sheetz to ask if he could buy the man some food. After talking for a minute, Chris noticed that the man most likely wasn't completely lucid, but he bought the man two apple pies and told him to take care.

Right now Chris and I are going through a bit of a difficult time financially because of troubles at the office Chris works for. While we're having to find new ways to make some extra money, discontinue our satellite service and cut back at the grocery store, I realize just how rich we truly are. We always know we'll have a home to call our own, a vehicle to take us where we need to be, food for every meal, and even things we don't need to survive...like the internet. I never pity myself, but sometimes I don't realize how much I really do have until I see someone who has almost nothing, and I think that's true for most of us. That leads me to the next part...

A while back, Chris told me about this idea he had that he said he hoped would change the world; a tall order, yes, but a noble goal. He wanted for one act of kindness to be passed on, and on, and on, and on. While we've been "altruism-ing" people in town and out, we haven't really gotten any response to the project. I'd like to think that even if we never hear anything, that first altruism has been continued and is still going around. Today I was reading about a study of kindness, and I'd like to ask you to help me "breed kindness." Seeing that old man searching through the trashcan not only upset me, but made me think that if there were more kind acts being passed on, maybe there wouldn't be so many people who were hungry. And it's not just food related; I think kindness can fix a lot. So, even though true altruism is a deed done without expecting anything in return, I'm more than happy to spread a little love in the form of a surprise mailed right to your door if you can help me out. Do something nice for someone, and it doesn't have to be something that requires spending money (you could help an elderly person unload their groceries, share your umbrella with someone in the rain, donate your time or expertise, and the list could go on), then give them one of these cards, and just let us know how you passed on a little kindness!

It may seem like I'm begging, and maybe I am, but I'm not above kicking and screaming on the floor if it means someone else will receive something, be it a smile or a surprise free lunch, without expecting it, or even earning it!

wishlist wednesday!

My days are all mixed up. I kept thinking today was Tuesday, then when I got to work, my office buddy thought it was Thursday, so I was all mixed up, but now that I'm sure of the day, it's time for wishlist wednesday!

While I'm usually the palest person this side of the Mississippi (or both sides for that matter), I'm happy to announce that I have a tan! It's not a dark tan mind you, but it's color nonetheless, and I'm happy I can finally wear shorts without looking like one of the Cullens! I'm currently loving floral shorts, although I don't yet own a pair, and I also threw in a cute romper for good measure.


shorts can be found at: ruche, nordstrom, forever21 and swanee grace.

What do you love wearing (or would love to wear) this summer? Do you have a wish list you'd like to share?

how we celebrated

It just so happens that Chris' aunt & uncle were vacationing on the west coast and needed someone to housesit for them over the holiday weekend, and our weekend was open, so our plans were made! Their house is a large log cabin tucked back in the woods away from pretty much everyone and everything. They have the best pool (organic shape like it was meant to be there) with a waterfall, a hot tub, a large pond (story about that further down), a gym, and lots more to keep us occupied! Of course my favorite part was swimming. I've always loved the water, and I'm better in that than I am on land! Side note, we wrote Chris' aunt & uncle a note before we left, and I made Chris write this, "Danielle's stealth and speed are unrivaled, and I (Chris) am jealous." I made him put his name in parenthesis so they'd know who the jealous one was. I kept making Chris race across the pool with me, and I honestly can't believe he kept doing it because I won every time! I'm a mean wife, and he's a good sport.

A little underwater camera action, and of course the infamous hand heart. What can I say, I heart swimming! I haven't been practicing my handstands for a while, so could only walk on my hands for a few steps before I flipped over. A few years ago I got so good I could walk on my hands half way across the shallow end!

We brought Flojo out to the pool with us in her travel cage, and if there's one thing she inherited from me (besides her love of eating), it's her love of playing in the water, so we set the hose to mist and let her flap and shake until her little birdie heart was content!

Now, onto the pond story. So the pond is really quite large, and a nice, relaxing addition with it's gentle waterfall, pretty goldfish and lush water plants. Having said that, it's also the place where I could have been viciously murdered by a copperhead. On Sunday evening, I was feeling sort of irritated (thanks, PMS), so I decided I'd go sit by the pond and watch the fish and the frogs while I switched back from monster to human. We'd been told that snakes occasionally visit the pond to eat the goldfish, and at first I had my guard up, but since I didn't see any the first few days, I got comfortable... big mistake. So I was sitting there looking around when I noticed a copperhead to my right poking its head out of the water watching me. I told Chris a couple days before that, as he was going back in the house, and I was walking around the pond by myself, "if you hear a scream, either I fell in, or I saw a snake." So I started screaming and basically made one huge record-breaking long jump from the pond to the house and told Chris, "A SSSNNNAAAAKKKKKKE!" So he went outside thinking he'd use something to sling it into the woods, and he realised it was a deadly copperhead. So yeah, I used dirty language and refused to visit the pond again. Ever.

I'd said something to Chris about getting sparklers so we could have a little celebration, so after we finished dinner on Saturday night, he surprised me with regular sparklers, and a kind called "morning glories" which changed colors as they burned. He was a pro and spelled his name, but I'm really not sure what I was doing in that picture!

So, that's how we spent our Independence Day, how was yours? What did you do to celebrate?