CHOCOLATE...and...FLOWERS...LACE....OH, MY!

Have you voted yet? Be sure to check out the "TWTpoll" ------> and cast your choice for what your fave Valentine surprise would be!

And after all the "hard work of that decision-making," why not take a leisurely browse through the shops of the Artisan Beaders Street Team to see what many of them are offering right now, including SignatureSterling, for the "Chocolate, Flowers, and Lace" special Valentine's Sale?! You are sure to find some absolutely wonderful gems, designs, and luscious temptations -- all at special discounts....and here's a thought, the first person you might remember :-) is yourself - in order to more fully love others! So, why not treat yourself this February 14th!!

Chocolate, Flowers, and Lace ~ it's those little treats that mean so much!

"WANNA SEE MY ETCHINGS?" aka SHOW ME YOUR PICTURE (6X6X6)

Okay, no, I'm really not trying to invite you "upstairs" to supposedly see some phantom artwork, LOL! This is actually a blog "idea" I stumbled across the other day that I thought I would try, and then yes, (you lucky friends, you!) "tag" some more bloggers to share...here's the way we "play"...

Show Me Your Picture (6X6X6)

1. Post the 6th picture from the 6th folder in your computer's "picture" file ("my pictures").

2. Write (blog) about the picture.

3. Tag 6 new people - be sure to go to their blog, make the "tag" by leaving a comment and direct them to your blog to get the instructions.

4. Copy the permalink for your 6X6X6 entry and post it as a "comment" to your original "tagger's" 6X6X6 entry (be sure to post the permalink not just the link to your blog - get the permalink by clicking on the blog entry title and then copying that http address).

First, here's the 6th picture that was in my 6th photo folder - and no, it's not a jewelry or soccer pic, LOL!

As it turns out, my "6th" folder contains the book clips that I end up using here on the blog, and the 6th photo was the picture of a book I recently finished (at the recommendation of son Andrew), Maugham's The Razor Edge. Andrew told me that he thought it was in his "top 5 books ever" which naturally intrigued me, so I picked it up and had a go. It is indeed, a "top 5" for me, as well. A unique point of view, with the narrator not only first person, but Maugham himself, it explores such organic issues as the search for God or a universal power and the real meaning of life.

So, now let the "tagging" begin...

1. Pricilla (can't wait to see what my favorite "goat" has in her photo folders!)

2. OrionDesigns

3. AinseLife

4. Bitter Sweet Symphony

5. AbeLee's

6. StudioMarcy

SNOW DAY (S??)

The "unofficial" report just announced on the TV news is 13" of snow from the storm for our city ~ still under a "Level 2" snow emergency and schools have already announced a "delay" for tomorrow...but now the weather is calling for the winds to pick up tonight....so with the new wind chill advisory and 13+" of snow drifting on the roads, I'm guessing that our "one" snow day will be extended.

So, how did we celebrate? And, yes, we celebrate snow days - the wonder and beauty of the falling, swirling flakes, the unexpected "vacation day" for Hannah, the "excuse" to practice the "art of doing nothing" and not feel guilty....

• Waking up, then seeing the giant "snow-globe" flakes and snuggling back under the covers, and catching just a little more sleep, knowing that school had already been cancelled the night before.
• Good oatmeal...the REAL kind - with brown sugar and blueberries. OK, and yes, mine had a couple big scoops of flaxseed, too, for good measure.
• Having the time to catch up on emails and laughing...
• Finding time, at my leisure, to do my yoga - and inviting Hannah to join in....she passed.
• Watching Hannah snowboard again out the back door!
• Sharing great hot chocolate after the snowboarding --- check out Penzeys Spices Hot Chocolate Mix (they are now ONLINE!) - awesome, especially with a sprinkle of Penzeys' cinnamon on top! Mmmm!!'
• Watching a DVR'd Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" - trip to the Azores (never knew about the connection to Fall River, MA - home of my mom and Grandmother....although they are pure Yankee!)

Tonight's celebrations plans? Home-cooked meal...chicken piccata, couscous, spinach salad; some time with "the beads" :-); and then mother-daughter bonding over the latest episode of LOST....and then I'll be catching the return of "Life on Mars" Woo-Hoo!

PRETTY IN PINK

26 days and counting! :-) We celebrated yesterday by having the "final" baby shower for Sarah, themed appropriately, "Pretty in Pink," with lots of the designated color present ~ in gifts, decorations, apparel, and food. "Pink" was the "word" of the day. Guests included family and friends for a wonderful afternoon of hysterical games (Nicole, where do you come up with some of these?? "Break Your Baby's Water!"), great stories ("Bubbles and Suds"), delicious food (if you haven't tried out the new cake bakery in town ~ The Ribbon Box ~ make it a must do!), and most importantly, a showering of love on our favorite mama-to-be.

This new necklace and pair of earrings were inspired by our "Pretty in Pink" fun this weekend ~ and as I wait for the arrival of my first granddaughter, this may be the beginning of a new collection! Wait and see!

~Pretty in Pink Necklace

~Pretty in Pink Earrings

CAN YOU EVER HAVE ENOUGH???

Chocolate, Flowers, and Lace....of course! Well, then the Artisan Beaders have a GREAT sale ready for you now, just in time for ♥ Valentine's Day ♥.

All items in my "VALENTINES SALE" section of the SignatureSterling Etsy shop are available at 15% off original list prices (prices already adjusted for you for easy checkout!).

You can find more beautiful creations by other Artisan Beaders (the talented ABSTEAM!) by viewing the Artisan Beaders Gift Guide.

Be sure to start shopping now for best selection!

PEACE IS THE WORD...

Anyone who knows me well, or well enough to have received an email from me..., knows that for several years now, I have "signed off," using "Peace" as my closing. Now, it's official -- "PEACE" is "my" word ~ at least according to the latest "blog" quiz I took tonight! The link that follows will take you to the quiz so that you can find out what your "word" is, too!

Your Word is "Peace"

You see life as precious, and you wish everyone was safe, happy, and taken care of. Social justice, human rights, and peace for all nations are all important to you. While you can't stop war, you try to be as calm and compassionate as possible in your everyday life. You promote harmony and cooperation. You're always willing to meet someone a little more than halfway.

What's Your Word?

A NEW DAY...EVERYWHERE!

Got an email from Andrew overnight and was able to catch up with him finally by phone today to learn how he experienced Inauguration Day in Tanzania. Here's a "snippet" of his email:

"In Moshi for Obama and it was amazing! Watched the entire thing with 3 other volunteers, an American, a Canadian, Dutch, and a New Zealander. The power in the city only went out twice, but it was during some crucial moments like Biden's inauguration and the very end of Obama's speech. Nonetheless, was very happy to be an American and a volunteer in the UNITED STATES Peace Corps, something that I'm now comfortable adding onto my introductions. ;)"

When we talked today, he explained that the atmosphere was very joyous and crowds were large, but they had opted for a smaller canteen-type restaurant to dine in and watch the event...and that he was glad for the choice. He said that one of diners was a former PC volunteer from the 60's and related her experiences with the Civil Rights movement. Noting the various nationalities also in attendance, Andrew said the discussion post-inauguration regarding politics, world-impact, etc. was very interesting and engaging. He said they were glad they had opted out of one of the larger "bashes" that was occuring throughout Moshi for the more intimate setting.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do

They're really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow

They'll learn much more than I'll never know

And I think to myself

what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

It's late, I know, but I couldn't help but think that it's already Inauguration Day ~ January 20th ~ a very special day that many have been waiting to celebrate, not just here, but around the world.

I've been watching the news (yesterday, now, I suppose) and have been amazed, overwhelmed at the crowds and stories that are pouring forth out of our Capital....and learned tonight that a dear friend's daughter will be there tomorrow as well - a "young girl" last I saw her, now an adult ready to live history. I smile.

And Andrew ~ half a world away ~ texted, yes, texted me a few days ago to double check on the ceremony in "Tanzanian time" as he is planning a trip to Moshi - the closest city where he can try to watch everything on a television. No doubt there will be other PC volunteers with him ~ when I called him on election night, they were gathered in Moshi around a canteen TV, cheering in youthful exuberance at one moment, frustrated at the next when the "network" would cut to some "insignificant" bike race! LOL! Fortunately, his village and Moshi are very close to the Kenyan border and television, when he can find it, is following President-elect Obama (only need to use the "elect part" until noon today!) very closely! I will be calling Drew at some point during the activities to see if they have succeeded in securing a TV connection and to get his feedback on the Tanzania/Kenya response to today.

Ok...and now on a lighter note (and no getting mad and huffy with me....) - this is all in good fun, 'k? Found these on the Huffington Post blog and thought they were worth sharing for the day! Enjoy....or not!

First, a game to try as you say "goodbye" to our "outgoing" jCommander - in - Chief

Goodbye, Mr. Bush!

Secondly, a FUN video look at what LEGOLAND can do with the inaguaration...yes, LEGOLAND:

LegoLand Inauguration

WEEKEND ESCAPE

Hannah found herself with a FIVE day weekend (!!!) off from school (although not from work ~ alas!) and was lamenting the fact that many friends were "escaping" the "great white North" (or least the "great cold Midwest" for what they hoped would be warmer, more southern locales...while we didn't have the time or resources to do that, we did attempt a "girls' getaway" to enjoy - and I THINK we were successful. Here's a peek at our 48 hour excursion:

While we were only about 30 miles away, we felt quite pampered by checking in to the new Hilton Hotel and "splurging" (thanks to a AAA offer) by a stay on the Executive floor, complete with breakfast and perks. The whirpool was warm, wonderful, and EMPTY...except for us both nights ~ how perfect!

Our first night Hannah picked Cheeseburger in Paradise for our dinner plans - another great "escape" (the decor, the music, the food and drinks - you could ALMOST forget the weather outside!). After dinner and a warm soak in the whirpool, we relaxed with an in-room movie that neither of had heard of but both enjoyed a lot, City of Ember, - a sci-fi/fantasy (not my usual fare - but it was really good - comes out on DVD tomorrow if you want to check it out!):

Then - a great night's sleep - after some "Twilight" reading in bed, of course (she's on the 4th book; I'm on the 3rd one!)....

Next morning, after our almost private breakfast in the Executive Lounge, it was time for some mother-daughter shopping at the mall next door (with a very quick sprint from the car to the closest store since the actual temp. was -15...yes, -15!). We started off with "Mimi" shopping since we found the very BEST "Mimi" store - "Janie and Jack" which also was having an awesome sale!! Oooh, Sarah will be very, very happy! :-)) Then, shopping turned "serious" as we split up to get the most done before our movie time...we both ended up with what Hannah is calling our "rocker" tees (LOL!!) -- this one is hers (the one she got is black and it actually comes from a Christian line of products called "Sanctify").

And this one is mine - LOVE the color - and the words, of course, speak volumes - what can I say? Rocker? I dunno...

I also picked up some LaSource items from Crabtree and Evelyn to "take a bit of our getaway" home with us (same items that the Hilton uses -- smell great!!).

Then, off we headed to see the BEST movie ever -- if you haven't seen it - RUN now or make plans immediately to see it. It was a "sleeper" that now is the frontrunner to sweep the Oscars - seriously - and it should! AWESOME film - "Slumdog Millionaire"

We were finished in time to get back to the hotel, unload our goodies, and arrive at the in-house spa for our scheduled...ahhhh....massages.....did I say, ahhhh, already??? Oh, yes!

Dinner, again Hannah's pick, was Molly Woo's - she went with sushi and I tried Molly's Feast, a vegetarian dish with great tofu. Our waiter was an incredible "dish," as well, and I kept telling Hannah that I just might need to rethink my thoughts about younger men!! LOL!! She, on the other hand, suggested that she might be ready for older men - ha!

Our evening was complete with a visit to Barnes and Noble (now you know who picked that one) :-)....and dessert at the Cheesecake Factory - YUM-OH!! One more soak in the whirpool and some more "Twilight" reading before nodding off -- and our quick, close mini-escape came to a close in the morning with an awesome breakfast buffet before scooting off to get Hannah back to reality (aka "work").

PRETTY IN PINK

You can tell by the "widget" on here, if you haven't already heard (!), that I'm on "MIMI" watch -- aka waiting to become a "grandmother" for the first time (and yes, I am being Mimi because I have "issues" with the "g" word so there...I've admitted it).

My daughter, Sarah, and her husband, Mike, have been married almost 3 1/2 years now and are expecting their first child, a daughter, in just over a month so life is very exciting right now. They live just a few blocks away from "soccer girl" and myself -- a real blessing, especially at this time!

Sarah's favorite color has always been pink so it was no surprise that to celebrate the upcoming "delivery," the nursery was "decked" out in traditional pink and white, and a final baby shower we have scheduled this week is themed "Pretty in Pink." :-)

Being the "good" Mimi-in-training that I am, I am really enjoying browsing and shopping for my new little granddaughter -- I've got some wonderful "pink" lovelies for the shower this week! Here are some absolutely new favorite finds -- pretty in pink and so much more!

An adorable gift set from ArtFire's flatplatypus ~

A precious sleeping gown from thepatacakebaby on Etsy ~

This wonderful, cozy hat from Etsy's bubblegirlknits ~

Ready for Valentine's Day? How about this onesie from sweet3leafprints at Etsy ~

Be prepared in style with these fashionable burp cloths from ImNotSpoiledDesigns on ArtFire ~

Oh, what fun! Reminds me of Sarah's very first "doll" when she was just days old - the sock monkey! From 1000Markets' monsterbugblankets ~

SNS - SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS!

Brrr!,baby, it's COLD outside, but the DEALS are HOT inside the shop TONIGHT! Stop by and check out these great savings JUST for TONIGHT'S SNS (Saturday Night's Specials):

۞ BOGO 1/2 on ALL EARRINGS - Buy one pair of earrings, get your next pair of earrings at HALF PRICE!

۞ SAVE an ADDITIONAL 5% on any and all SETS! Usually a 10% discount for these - TONIGHT you can receive a 15% discount on your favorite "SETS"! Now's the time to buy the one(s) you've had your eye on!

۞ RED, WHITE & BLUE CELEBRATION! We are celebrating Inauguration Week here at SignatureSterling by offering a 10% discount off any item with red, white or blue! Show your colors!

Discounts may not be combined, BUT if your total purchase(pre-shipping) tonight is over $50, domestic shipping (USA) is FREE and international shipping will be discounted by 50%! Be sure to put "SNS" in your "Notes to Seller" at checkout and WAIT for a revised invoice before making payment. One discount code per purchase. Questions? Feel free to convo or email me! Happy SNS shopping!SNS expires at 6am, EST Sunday, 01/18/09.

SIGNATURESTERLING

LIFE IS...

a box of chocolates! (Thank you, Forrest Gump!) And you know how I LOVE chocolate! So, let's celebrate life AND chocolate with a look at some favorite finds I've come across ~ and a new listing of mine as well! :-))

First things first -- self promotion is encouraged here! A new listing for me at the Art Fire shop, "Box of Chocolates" with deep, dark bronzite -- hmmm, dark chocolate - my favorite!

From VickiOrion, at Etsy, this "yummy" glazed donut...

Oh, these look so YUM-O from Whimsy&Spice!

Ok...so I LOVE blueberries and I LOVE dark chocolate ~ I'm SO guessing that THIS would be INCREDIBLE from Seth Ellis Chocolatier ~ oh, my!

SUNDAY COCOONING

Sunday cocooning on a winter's day means...

• time to design and create four pairs of earrings ~ and who knows, the evening's young!
• a warm, soothing cup of "Comfort and Joy" tea
• watching intermittent "snow-globe" snow out the patio window
• catching a sight of 6 deer running through the woods...and keeping Scout at bay :-)
• enjoying the best screen "almost-kiss" yet again (how can you forget that scene in the rain?) and getting ready to enjoy the best screen kiss as I watch, yes, one more time, "Pride and Prejudice" (why does Mr. Darcy make me swoon?)
• finishing Three Cups of Tea -- highly recommend! and looking forward to now moving on to the next in the Twilight series, Eclipse (hoping I can read this even though Scout got a hold of it, too - yes, our dog has a "penchant" for "good reads" apparently, too! LOL!)

HAPPINESS IS...

• TGIF, of course! :-)
• Anticipating our first "real snow" of the season (with a heartfelt apology to all my "north-western" friends, seriously!)
• A wake-up email from Andrew from across the ocean, thanking me for the birthday package -- especially for "the Zombie Survival Handbook as there have been countless times where I've just been beside myself as what to do about my highly vulnerable courtyard entrance as it would surely be damaged during the inevitable undead assault." (If you know Andrew, you really appreciate this...and his sense of humor!!)
  
• Dreaming of spring (I know, I know - totally contradicts the anticipating first "real snow" - get over it!) by drooling over this "Hello Yellow" Swing Coat! Love It!!



• And this wonderful "find" while I was "entrecard-hopping" this morning:

Sunsets, Sunrises....Endings, Beginnings?

The funny thing about sunsets is that maybe, just perhaps, they might look, at times like sunrises....just like there are times in one's life when endings, no matter how difficult, might mean a time for beginnings....

Of course, it is quite late, and there is every chance that I'm just waxing poetic - after all, lovely "snow-globe" snow is falling outside on this cold wintry night as I reflect on all...there is every possibility that the stark reality of morning will not greet me with such comfort and cold truth will dawn harshly. But for now, I'll try to go to sleep dreaming of sunrises...

Decisions, Decisions...

Midnight Inspiration Necklace
Originally uploaded by signaturesterling

Decisions, decisions....new creations finally photographed and ready for listing, but now the big decision! In which venue to place them! LOL!

Well, at least for tonight they can preview here and on Flickr until I make the final placement tomorrow...stay tuned or check out Etsy, ArtFire, and 1000Markets to see where these end up! :-)

January Blues Necklace

January Blues Earrings

NEW YEAR ~ NEW SHOPS...NOW OPEN!

Yes, 2009 brings SignatureSterling opening new doors! You'll continue to find us, as usual, at Etsy, our original home, but as of today, we are also, slowly building a shop at ArtFire, a wonderful new venue for artisan creators of all "muses." Hope you'll stop by and check out the new "digs" soon ~ and if your creative juices have been flowing and have been looking for a place to "land," consider ArtFire....it's a wonderful place to be for sellers. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions about my experience there so far. AND, if you do become a "neighbor," don't forget to let them know you heard about ArtFire from me when you sign up! Thanks!! :-)

Coming soon.....SignatureSterling at 1000Markets!

What a Game!

What can I say....yes, we lost. But, watching our Buckeye Seniors in the post-game, you couldn't help but be proud to be a part of "Buckeye Nation" and not be "totally" immersed in the loss. It was not the season we expected, but like a true scarlet and gray fan, I stand behind my OSU team, proud of the "to the last second" plays and as always, saying...."Just wait until next year!" :-)

~ BUCKEYE NATION JASPSER Necklace

~ SCARLET AND GRAY ELEGANCE Earrings

~ BUCKEYE NATION Bracelet

GAME DAY!

GO BUCKS! Counting down to tonight's big game!