Plumrose Lane

Austin Accents ~ Welcome!

2012-02-20T13:34:00.006-05:00

Please join me in welcoming my newest sponsor Austin Accents to Plumrose Lane! Austin Accents offers a gorgeous assortment of handmade creations from a fabulous collection of original coasters to personalized mementos of family and events ~ you're sure to find something perfect for any gift giving occasion.

You can find them online at their website: www.austinaccents.com or at their Etsy shop: www.austinaccents.etsy.com.

I do hope you'll take the time to visit and get to know their gorgeous creations better!

Enjoy~

President's Day Sale!

2012-02-18T12:01:00.002-05:00

Another fabulous sale is going on in my Etsy shop so don't miss the savings! Enter coupon code: President2012 to save 18% off everything, now through Monday, February 20th.Enjoy~

Win a Custom Blog Theme!

2012-02-17T16:59:00.000-05:00

One of my wonderful blog friends is hosting a fabulous 3rd Anniversary Giveaway where each week she'll add a new prize to the pot. To kick things off she's starting with gifting one of my Custom Blog Themes to one lucky winner!

So stop on over to Craftin'Granny's Card Shack and enter for a chance to win ~ then stay for all the wonderful creativity and postings!

Enjoy~

Giveaway Winners

2012-02-16T14:36:00.012-05:00

I'm delighted to be posting the most recent winners of two fabulous giveaways!

I'm sharing the first winner who has already been announced over at Suburban Retreat. The lovely hostess Lisa sponsored a giveaway for one of my Custom Blog Themes. The winner was Tracie of Fishtail Cottage ~ Congratulations Tracie!

The next announcement are the three winners for my Share the Love Giveaway ~ I would like to first say thank you to all of you who participated and visited all of my wonderful Sponsors. These are a lovely set of creative ladies and I'm so delighted you all had a chance to get to know them and their work better.

Now onto the winners who were selected by a random number generator ....

the first place winner is

who has won one of my handmade key holders

the second place winner iswho has won a $20 gift certificate for my Etsy shop

and the third place winner is

who has won a selection of festive digital labels

Congratulations to all of you and I'll be in touch via email!

✻✻For those of you who did not win you're still in luck! Be sure to visit Craftin'Granny's Card Shack who is sponsoring another giveaway for a chance to win one of my Custom Blog Themes!

Enjoy~

Happy Valentines Day!

2012-02-14T12:14:00.009-05:00

Yes... here in the U.S. it's a day for roses, chocolates, and hopefully lots of love for all! One of the best parts of this Valentine's Day was creating this blingy bracelet for a dear friend of mine ~ she ordered it for her dad to give to her mom today. What a precious thought and gift!

I don't often create these style of bracelets, primarily because of the sheer amount of work that goes into them, but I always adore seeing them finished. With this one I added a few dangling charms to represent the love and faith they share.

I also wanted to remind you all that it's the last day to join in on two amazing giveaway ~

✻The first is to win one of my custom blog themes over at Suburban Retreat. The hostess Lisa is an absolute gem and can you image she's gifting one lucky winner an $85 blog theme?? WOW!!

✻The second is my own Share the Love Giveaway which is all about sharing some love for my sponsors. You can win one of 3 prizes including one of my original handmade key holders and a $20 gift certificate to my shop.

Today is the last day to save in my shop for the Be Mine Sale which offers 20% off everything so if you find your way over to my Etsy shop be sure to use this coupon code: BeMine2012

So whether you're celebrating a day of love or just loving today ~ here's wishing you all beauty and joy!

Enjoy~

Happy Birthday Little One

2012-02-11T12:11:00.001-05:00

One year ago today our grandson was born ~ it wasn't an easy birth for his mom and he had a pretty tough go of it in the beginning, being in ICU for several weeks, but over the past year he's grown strong and is most certainly the highlight of this little family.

As with most grandchildren his antics can turn any dull day into a sheer delight ~ just check out that shirt as he stands in daddy's boot to the right...

He'll be bringing his mom and dad out in a few weeks so we can all celebrate several family birthdays together since he and our middle son were born just a few weeks apart.

They're shown together above and I'll be sure to post updated photos of cake, candles, and smiles after their visit.

Grandchildren truly are amazing ~ just when you think your heart couldn't possibly hold any more room, along comes a little one that manages to crawl right in and find the perfect spot among all those we love so much ~ what a blessing indeed!

So here's wishing our little guy a very

Always Rushing ~ let's stop for a moment

2012-02-06T10:13:00.004-05:00

For those of you who frequent my blog, you know I never post videos. It's not that I have anything against them, I genuinely love them (think graphics) but seldom have the time to watch or share. Life always has me (and you as well, I'm sure) running around from here to there.

Even if I sit in front of this monitor all day, I'm either working on any number of custom projects, work related to-dos, or school work ~ so to post a video of any sort which requires me (or you) to stop for a moment is simply unseen around here.

and yet that's what I've done...

While visiting a new blog, I found this video which so many words could describe ~ poignant, magical, wonderful, but it was the tears that silently streamed down my cheeks at the end that described it best.

Even while watching I thought, "I have to go", "I don't have time for this", "I really need to __________", but I kept watching. Perhaps because I knew I needed to ~ what was 15 minutes out of my life anyways?

So if you can relate to what I've shared here then I hope you'll do the same as I'm sure you'll find it a true gift.

Enjoy~

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Don't miss two wonderful giveaways~

Click here to win a PrL Custom Blog Theme offered by Suburban Retreat!

Win one of 3 fabulous prizes in the PrL Share-the-Love Giveaway!

Share the Love - Giveaway

2012-02-02T19:00:00.005-05:00

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching I thought it would be nice to spread a little love around so here's a fabulous giveaway that's designed to do just that. Now the best part of giveaways are always the prizes so let's get on to that first...

Three Prizes~

First~ one lucky winner will receive one of my handmade key holders, their choice from the selection available in my Etsy shop...

Second~ one lucky winner will receive a $20 gift certificate to my Etsy shop ~ so you can choose to spend it however you like...

Third~ one lucky winner will receive this assortment of delightful Valentine's Day digital goodies pack...

Now I'm sure you're already in love with the goodies so let's move on to the sharing part shall we??

To Enter~

To enter this giveaway it's all about giving and sharing so for a chance to win simply visit my Sponsors below and do one of the following...

If it's a shop ~ find something you love and leave a comment with the item name or a link to the item

or

If it's a blog ~ become a Follower of their blog and leave a comment on this posting that you've done so.

Click here for a complete list of Fair Giveaway Rules.

That's it! Easy-peasy, right?! Ok, so here's the sponsor's list to visit...

Sponsors List
Shabby Chick Gifts
Craftingranny's Card Shack
Shells and Blooms
Vintage Heartfelt Designs
Sweet Twinkle Stars & Sugar Plum Creations

Since there are five sponsors you'll have up to five chances to win... just be sure to leave a comment for each Sponsor you visit!

Oh, one last thing, since sharing is essential to this giveaway, here's a little badge to post on your own blog. Post the badge and receive three additional entries to win!!

This giveaway will run through February 14th at which time the winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on a follow up posting.

Good luck everyone and have fun!

Enjoy~

Help with Blogger's New Interface - new tutorial

2012-02-01T11:00:00.003-05:00

I know many of you have been struggling lately with the new Blogger interface. It's a huge change from the old look and super easy to get lost in. So for those of you who would like to revert back to the old look I've created a brief tutorial to help you navigate your way.

The steps are super easy so just click here to follow along with this new tutorial~

Blogger Interface: How to Revert Back

Enjoy~

✻´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´✻✻✻And don't miss a chance to enter the Suburban Retreat's giveaway for a chance to win one of my custom blog themes all your own! Click here to enter!(¸.•´ (¸.•´✻

Suburban Retreat's Giveway - custom PrL blog theme

2012-01-31T15:36:00.004-05:00

I wanted to let you all know there's an amazing giveaway going on over at Suburban Retreat. The lovely hostess Lisa has decided to giveaway one of my custom blog themes to one lucky winner ~ I know... pretty amazing, right?!

Lisa's been away from blogging for quite a while and thought it would be a great way to reenter blogland. So stop on by Suburban Retreat, give a warm 'welcome back' to Lisa, and enter for a chance to win one of my custom blog themes. The giveaway will run until February 14th so good luck everyone!

Enjoy~

Back to School

2012-01-29T12:38:00.001-05:00

Yes... it's back to school this week as the spring semester begins at AAU. It's hard to believe it's been a year since I returned to college for my degree in Art Education. There's a little change in the weather this semester though as I'm moving into a new major ~ what for it.... Graphic Design!

I know, I know... it's really a no brainer. While working on my classes last semester I realized I was able to immediately utilize the skills I was learning ~ an invaluable quality for this 'starving artist'. So with a little in-depth thought, after all teaching is near and dear to my heart, I decided this would be the best avenue to take.

I do hope to have more opportunities to post about some of my assignments this semester, I know alot of you enjoy seeing the assignments we work on and as long as they're not too technical (= boring) I'll be sure to share.

So here's wishing all my fellow students a very happy and successful semester!

Enjoy~

Fabulous Find! Free Vintage Calendar

2012-01-26T13:33:00.002-05:00

While making my rounds through blogland recently I stumbled upon this wonderful vintage looking 2012 calendar, offered for free from Crafty Secrets ~ what a fabulous find indeed!

Click here to get your own copy

I don't believe I've ever happened upon this wonderful site before, jam-packed with all sorts of fabulous goodies and a blog filled to the brim with giveaways & freebies, so it's now included under the Freebies section on my sidebar.

✻´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´✻✻✻And don't forget about the Sale going on in my Etsy shop this week ~ Save 25% off everything using

coupon code: MidWinter2012 (¸.•´ (¸.•´✻

Enjoy~

Shimmering

2012-01-25T12:22:00.001-05:00

I had a bit of creative fun last week putting this new Etsy Treasury together. The title is Shimmering and reminds me of all the sparkling snow just outside my window. Of course any of these treasures would be a welcome delight as well.

If you wish to take a closer look and possibly click and/or comment, here's the link.

Enjoy~

Mid-Winter Sale

2012-01-23T17:25:00.006-05:00

The winter months seem to be dragging on around here... ok... maybe not, since it really is only January and we've been rather fortunate with a mild winter in these parts. It's our first year in a "lake-effect" area and we really weren't sure what to expect. I know alot of you have been dealing with awful weather, especially my dear friends in the northeast and I hope things improve very soon.

I digress... seems to me it's time for a fabulous SALE and I know how much many of you wait for these opportunities to snatch up a few whimsical goodies, so from now through January 29th you can save 25% off everything in my Etsy shop.

Yes, that includes all of my digital creations, custom items, AND whimsical treasures too! Just enter "MidWinter2012" during checkout!

Enjoy~

Tagged...

2012-01-22T12:01:00.001-05:00

For those of you who follow my blog you know I seldom if ever participate in "tagging" ~ it's just something that's fallen by the waste side after years of continual tagging. Well, I was just tagged by my dear friend Mina over at Green Witch with Sprinkles and while there's really never enough time for anything these days, there are some things (or people) you just make time for ~ Mina is one of those beautiful souls.

So first off, I loved reading Mina's tag posting ~ if you get a chance stop on over and read for yourself, what an enchanting soul she is. And of course thank you so much dear friend for tagging me♥ Now, "answer the following eleven questions" ~ ok, here we go...

1. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? In the woods next to Mina's house. Doesn't count? Ok, fine... the rolling hills of Ireland.

2. Last book you read? Read.. you mean actually finished? Ok, then it would be "The Hidden Messages in Water"

3. What inspires you? Oh my... what doesn't? From a beautiful moment to a gorgeous vivid color to all the beautiful creations I see everyday, there are so many wonderful things that inspire me in this world.

4. Chocolate or Vanilla? Ah... chocolate.... we are talking candy right??

5. If you could have one magical ability, what would it be? Why to fly of course ~ oh wait, I already have that. Ok, then ~ to grant wished ~ then I could help all those beautiful souls that need it so much.

6. Do you dance? Always ~ in my mind.

7. Do you prefer one on one acquaintances or large social groups? A large get-together of my dearest friends ~ that would be lovely♥

8. Favorite food? That which I don't have to cook.

9. What is your favorite season? I love the moments between each when they're changing over ~ that first bud, the first warm day of summer, the first change of color in a leaf, and that first chill in the air when it smells like winter.

10. What is your pet peeve? Shallow, narrow minded people.

11. If you could live in any era, which would it be? When we could barter for everything and didn't need money.

Now I'm not the best at naming others to be tagged ~ quite frankly because that means I would have to narrow down a very, very large list SO... please, if you feel so inclined, feel free to tag yourself and definitely let me know. I would love to see what all of you write and promise to make the time to visit each posting if you participate so leave a comment.

Enjoy~

Creative Every Day

2012-01-21T12:52:00.007-05:00

A few years back I stumbled upon this delightfully artistic blog Creative Every Day. It's one of those sites I can get lost in ~ not only by exploring the wonderfully artistic postings but in trying to figure out that fabulous website design ~ just hover over those little signs on the top right and watch them dance ~ love that!

The site is run by Leah ~ an amazingly inspirational artist whose own work is filled to the brim with an unobstructed depth of passion and color. As easy as it is to be captivated by her beautiful creations and interactive postings, you would be missing half the fun if you didn't check out her annual Creative Every Day Challenge.

Each month Leah hosts a new theme where artists can participate by creating and posting within the month's challenge title. The best part is you can participate as little or as much as you like by either posting once for the monthly theme or checking-in weekly, so it fits within every schedule. Because the theme is based on a concept you can always work within your own comfort zone or be challenged to stretch out and try something new. And the best part isn't just posting about your own creations but visiting all the other creative souls who are participating as well ~ what a great way to find new creative ideas and certainly my personal fav!

So if you're interested in a little inspiration throughout the year and wish to participate you can signup here. And you can look for my own submissions as I strive to work in the monthly challenge themes into one new prefab blog theme each month throughout the year.

Enjoy~

Featured ~ How Fun!

2012-01-20T15:00:00.001-05:00

I've just received word that I'm being featured on Heart Handmade. Events like this are always so exciting and totally humbling!

So, if you're interested in learning a little more about moi or the magic behind the work I do you can read more by clicking here.

I really enjoyed answering all the questions ~ it's amazing how much we can learn about ourselves sometimes too! A big thanks goes out to Mandie of Heart Handmade who tirelessly runs the site and selflessly features amazing indie artists.

✻✻Oh and I nearly forgot to mention ~ there's a special coupon code for this feature to save 10% off in my shop so be sure to look for that at the bottom of the article!

Enjoy~

Valentine's Day Treasures

2012-01-18T11:00:00.001-05:00

I've listed a lovely new assortment of my handmade key holders, just in time for Valentine's Day! These key chains are so fabulous, each one-of-a-kind and filled with whimsical charm from the selection of wire wrapped beads to the intricate array of shimmering crystals and dangling charms.

Each includes a spring hook so you can hang them from your purse or belt loop creating a fabulous fashion statement and best of all, ensuring you don't loose your keys!

And for those of you who are especially hard on your keys they create a beautiful sun catcher as the light catches all the delicate faceted crystals ~ I love seeing them dance across my studio wall as they catch the light of the afternoon sun.

So hop on over to my Etsy shop to find a wonderful selection, just in time for Valentine's Day!

Enjoy~

Seasonal Goodies

2012-01-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

I was just updating the seasonal goodies section on my sidebar when I realized that Valentines Day must be one of my favorite days of year since to my surprise I have more blog themes for this day than any other seasonal celebration! Isn't it funny when we discover something about ourselves we didn't realize before?! I guess it shouldn't be a surprise though since I truly am one of those "can't we all just get along" types when you get right down to it.

Anyhoo... there are loads of lovely goodies to spruce up your blog for this time of year, from a selection of Valentines Day goodies to a smattering of themes to warm your heart during the colder winter months, so have a visit and peruse the offerings ~ you can find them scattered throughout the Special Occasions/Seasonal Themes or Complete Alpha Listing Themes sections or just follow the quick links listed on my sidebar under the Seasonal Goodies section title.

For those of you looking for just a simple background there's always something fabulous to be found in the Just Backgrounds section.

And for those button loving souls out there, I've got a wonderful selection of seasonal buttons just perfect for adding a little love to any corner of a blog ~ you can find them by visiting the Button Elements section of my blog.

Enjoy~

Sound of a Smirk ~ She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

2012-01-09T13:25:00.005-05:00

One of the recent projects I had the immense pleasure of working on was my son's first CD "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" by his musical name "Sound of a Smirk".

Jesse has his own Facebook page for Sound of a Smirk and you can view his promotional video about the album here:

His CD is available for purchase at any of his live shows, where you can also pick up a t'shirt and the is available for purchase online by clicking the image below:

Of course the word "proud" doesn't even begin to express the depth of emotion I have for my son and his amazing innate musical abilities and the sheer amount of personal work and drive he's put into this project. He truly has lived the mantra "do a little bit each day toward what you love and before you know it...".

But beyond the usual proud-momma stance, I am also immensely impressed with the personal growth he's experienced through this journey as he continues to be an immense inspiration to all of us who have the honor of calling him family.

Namaste' Jesse~

Customer Shout Outs

2012-01-04T12:55:00.009-05:00

It feels like ages since I had a chance to give a fitting shout-out to some of my customer's and the custom themes we worked on together. I always say it's a dual process because they open up and allow me to tap into their persona and the elements they love most, so to me it's truly a sharing process.

While I still have many projects I'm currently working on I wanted to showcase a few of the ones I've finished over the past few months, so without further adieu here they are~

Adventures of the Striped Stockings - seasonal theme

One of my most recent creations was this seasonal theme created for Celia of Adventures of the Striped Stockings. Celia explained what she was looking for and quite honestly neither of us new how I was going to pull this off but fortunately 'the powers that be' aligned this project with last semester's classes and I actually learned some of the techniques while working on this project such as in the case of the wind blow striped stockings I created in Illustrator. All-in-all we both love this theme and the seasonal magic it brings to life.

Fifth Grade Fun - A "Shore" Thing

Another fun theme was this seaside inspired theme created for Krystal. Krystal first found my work through one of my original Etsy shop designed and wanted to continue that theme onto her blog. Through this project it came to light that breast cancer awareness and pink were also vitally important to Krystal and so I incorporated the pink ribbon into her images as well. It's a lovely whimsical theme that works perfectly for this seaside based teacher and mom.

Rabbit Hole Art - giveaway winner

Last but certainly not least we have Melanie of Rabbit Hole Art. Melanie was the winner of my Gypsy Dreams Giveaway and won a free custom blog theme. I'm always excited about these type of projects because I believe everything happens for a reason and so I was super excited to see where this theme might lead us. As expected it was down a wonderful magic path that led to this delightfully playful and personally whimsical theme.

So, thanks so much for perusing these designs which will take up permanent residence in the portfolio section of my blog. Do take the time to stop by and visit each one if you can ~ these little snapshots never quite do the themes justice ~ and you'll be stumbling onto more loveliness created by truly wonderful indie souls!

Enjoy~

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T11:12:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! We've been sharing a wonderful end of the year with our kids and grandchildren and I hope you've all been enjoying a terrific beginning to 2012 as well!

One of our favorite annual events is the family dinner our middle son treats us too each year. They're always filled with smiles and laughs and this year was extra special since our grandchildren joined us for the first time, whoot!

Our holiday dinners are always so special and we just can't thank him enough for his generosity!

Another big event this year is the release of his first music CD ~ Sound of a Smirk - She Loves Me She Loves Me Not. Be sure to stop by his Facebook fan page if you get a chance and look for his Etsy shopping opening soon.

And while I'm sharing all this fabulous New Years News I thought I'd share a bit of generous savings with you too!

What better way to ring in the New Year than with a Big HUGE Sale, right!?! So use this coupon code: NewYear2012 to save 40% on everything in my shop!

Yep, that's the biggest savings of the year and it's good on EVERYTHING, whoot!

This next year holds so many wonderful things ahead for all of us so here's wishing you all a super safe, happy, and healthy New Year!

Enjoy~

Happy Holidays~

2011-12-24T21:12:00.004-05:00

Just a little post to say thank you so much to all of my dear friends, customers, and followers ~ you bring so much happiness to my life. Here's wishing you a heart filled with love, a mind filled with peace, and a soul filled with blessings.

Last Minute ~

2011-12-22T16:15:00.001-05:00

Have you got all your last minute shopping done? Truth be told... I've barely started mine but it's just one of those years. I'm sure you're all much further ahead than me though and so now's the time to pick up a few last minute gifts or drop a few hints for yourself!

Gift certificates are now available in my Etsy shop and they make the perfect last minute gift!

Whether you're looking for a special gift for a friend or family member you've longed to join us in blogland or you're wishing for a personal treat for yourself. So grab some last minute cheer and hop on over to my shop!

Enjoy~

A Dream~

2011-12-21T14:06:00.007-05:00

I had a dream last night~ I was interviewing for a graphic design team and awoke knowing the job was mine. It was a great dream! Maybe my brain is getting in gear ~ knowing full well I have to begin finding a suitable full-time income to support my son and me. I'm really hoping to stay within the field I love ~ Graphic Design ~ and with my newly acquired skills in print design from this past semester I'm even better equipped than before. Now I just need a few good leads and I'm off~

Semester finals are finally behind me and these are the two final projects I submitted. I thought it was only fitting to use my soon-to-be ex as Zeus (LOL!) and it got me an A so I'm happy with that~

I'm not huge fan of working on Sci-Fi either but this earned me an A in my other class as well so I couldn't be happier~

With this semester behind me I'm finally catching up on outstanding projects and should soon have a hefty posting of completed custom creations to share with you all. In the meantime I hope you're all wrapping up your last minute shopping and enjoying a wonderful week!

Enjoy~