Mystery Invitation Element: REVEALED!

Last week I mentioned that although my jewelry making is slightly slurred now since we are packing up everything we own to move to Kansas City, I am still craftin' away. My husband is a pastor and will be getting ordained next month... which basically means a bunch of bishops will put their hands on his head and deem him a pastor. While that part doesn't necessarily thrill me, the task of making invitations to the event is what gets my blood pumpin! I am the kind of gal who likes to get elemental with my cards/invitations... our wedding invitations had brads, ribbons, and stamps! For this round of paper goods, I immediately knew what I wanted to use: can you guess what is it (hint: it smells)?

The answers I received from y'all were great and made me smile: braided hemp; lavender/dried flower; seaweed; and even old boot straps! I can see how this random item could be any of the above items... here is what it actually it:

FISHNET!

I searched and searched online to find some sort of small/thin net that I could use on these fishy invitations (made in such a way because many parables and events of Jesus' time involved fish/fishing, etc). I was totally overwhelmed with the choices online (you try looking for fishnet online and see what you come up with!), but also the limited large quantities in which I would have to purchase it! I finally looked at Michael's on a whim and voila! They had it -- and even better, I got to use a 50% off coupon, so I bought over 5 yards of this stuff for less than $5!


Next was figuring how out to get the fishnet on the actual card stock. I tried sewing it. Too time consuming and messy. So I tried gluesticks. Yeah right, too soft. I bought a stitching bug little thing and didn't even open the packing and admitted defeat preemptively. Finally someone mentioned a glue gun, and thankfully I hadn't yet packed up my long lost gluing friend and she and I went to work! Cutting the net was the most time consuming, as I had to form it to fit each card and trim it over and over again. This stuff not only comes with an authentic smell (not sure if that's a good thing...?), but it is also very dirty and really browned up a new pair of rubber-gripped scissors I just bought. Oh, the things a girl will do for her husband. 

While the husband cut the fish (which I designed and printed using my Mac, 120lb cardstock, and a color printer), I cut the net and glued it on. But we weren't done there -- we needed corresponding envelopes and return address labels! I found the brilliant blue envelopes at Action Envelope and accidentally ordered a size too small for the invitations, but figured I would just fold the invites in half and not make it any more complicated than it needed to be. After searching Etsy over and over for some kind of cute fish stamps/stickers for the return address sticker, I finally came across this super cute little stamp. I asked the seller, Butterflystamps, if I could possibly order the stamp in a 1/2" size and also in a 3" size. She was super great in getting back to me and custom making the stamps for me and within my timeline. I highly recommend her! (I will be using the 3" for the Ordination programs, which I will of course blog about when the time comes!). I bought some small blank return address labels from Staples and printed our new Kansas City address up on our printer and added a little accent of the fishy stamp to each one:

After buying some silver Sharpies, I went to town and labeled over 200 of these things!

Even my dog Ping wanted to join in. At first I thought it was cute:

Then I realized that she gave me no use of my arms and I couldn't get any work done!

But I wouldn't have it any other way! 

So, there you have it! Mystery revealed! That said, I might be a little MIA over the next week -- we are moving in a few days and are driving to the midwest, so who knows when I will have internet access again! See you on the other side - ah!

Spring Collection: Inspiration and Preview

A few weeks ago the Hubs and I were at Crate and Barrel and I literally GASPED when I saw the color combination of these chopping boards:I of course had to buy the green one and couldn't get the color combination out of my head. Apparently, I went a little nuts later that day at Target:And Nordstrom Rack: And when I got home I realized that my garden was on the same page: Heck, even Ping's Frisbee was in my new color scheme of dreams! I of course looked through my bead collection to see what I could find. I came up with this little number: And have been busy buying beads and components in those colors ever since! More to come as I continue to work on my Spring 2010 Collection - coming to a blog and Etsy site near you soon! Meanwhile, here are a few other teasers from the collection that are currently on the Etsy site:

So, what inspires YOU this spring?

I love you Wednesdays: Doggie Jewelry

One of the first things people who knew me especially well asked after I adopted our new dog, Ping, was "Well, are you going to make her jewelry?!" Though I appreciate the question, I am pretty sure I won't be making jewelry for Ping for three reasons: 1.) I can't even think of what I would make for a dog who hates having her collar on her, let alone a piece of jewelry! 2.) I know my heart would break a little when Ping manages to get said piece of jewelry off of her body and into the toilet, trash, mud, etc (see #1). 3.) There are so many people on Etsy who can do it better! I did some investigative research on Etsy and found a few pieces that were especially inspiring, and others that were just plain interesting! Let's see how Etsy sellers are spicing up your otherwise typical dog products:

Why have a boring black rope-like collar when your pup can have this stylish, hand beaded creation!

Sunset by collars4chloe; $45

Actually, why have a typical collar at all when you can just sport a cute little doggie necklace?

Boys Wear Necklaces Too - Pet Jewelry by nikkimcl; $16

And no collar is complete without a tag, but why get a standard silver bone when your can tell the boys what's really on your mind?

Bite Me Valentine's Day Dog tag by BowWowzerZ; $10

Just like those "My Child Is An Honor Role Student" bumper stickers, pets deserve a little affirmation, too!

Obedience School Drop Out Pet Tag by UrbanPuppy; $18

Or you can just skip the fancy tag and sport your dog's gemstone?

Birthstones Bone charm by BirthBones; $10

And don't forget the icing on the cake!

Ocean Blue Summer Dot Bitty Bow by BOWWOWMeOverBows; $3

And last but not least...

Pugs N Pearls Girls Necklace from FromStewartsKitchen; $15

Yeeeeah, I'll keep to human jewelry for now!

Adoptions

This has been a week of adoptions. On Friday afternoon I was watching The Bonnie Hunt Show while at work (as part of my work, actually!) and was hit by cupid's arrow when I saw a dog on the episode they were showing for adoption. The beagle terrier mix's name was Annie, and she was all I could think about for the rest of the day (give the video a few minutes before a stage assistant brought "Annie" out to Bonnie). I rushed home after work to tell my husband that I would do whatever it took to get that puppy - I needed her and wasn't going to sleep until she belonged to me (I am quite the stubborn type!). Long story short, my hubs agreed to skip his Super Bowl party and join me in adopting our little orphan Annie on Sunday afternoon in Santa Monica. Since then, we have also fostered her son, Bob, for the week to help Annie (whom we have re-named Ping, which means peace in Chinese) readjust to our home. Isn't she the CUTEST thing you have ever seen? Bob is handsome as ever and looks like a mini-German Shepherd (Bob is still up for adoption, so holler if you are in the LA area and interested in this VERY well behaved puppy!). This is not going to be our last adoption. In fact, the hubs and I have been talking about adopting a Chinese baby since before we were married. I have had a huge heart for Chinese adoption since before I ever even went to China or stepped foot in a Chinese class, and thankfully the hubs is on board with me. A few months back I somehow stumbled upon Desiree's blog about her journey to adopt her 3rd Chinese baby! What an inspiration! After some correspondence, Desiree asked if Bead Up could donate some items for her upcoming online raffle where she hopes to raise funds that will go toward the administrative costs of her newest Chinese addition! Of course! So... head on over to Desiree's blog to buy a few raffle tickets for yourself -- prizes include Bead Up items (like this Whooo's Pink necklace!), a blog-over, gift certificates, children's clothes, and an xBox with DJ HERO!! Raffle ends on the 21st!