Tamsy Trends

Tamsy Trends Is On The Move

2010-11-08T18:00:00.000-05:00

This has been one crazy year. I can't believe it's November and the holidays are already here. I've been busy creating lots of new goodies for my customers and if you have visited my shop, you would notice a lot of changes, from the banner to the quality of the photos. Well, that's not the only thing changing....

I am happy to announce that the Tamsy Trends blog is moving to TUMBLR!!! Yes, I have taken the plunge and started my own mini-blog at Tumblr (http://tamsytrends.tumblr.com). As a mom with a small business, there's not enough time in the day to do everything I want. So, I try to streamline and group tasks as much as possible and Tumblr, which can link my blog to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, helps a lot with streamlining.

Thank you so much for following and supporting my blog here on Blogger. I hope you will continue to follow me on Tumblr. It would be great to see you there too. Again, here is the link to the new home of Tamsy Trends: http://tamsytrends.tumblr.com

ANNIVERSARY SALE!!!

2010-09-28T21:58:00.000-04:00

It's Tamsy Trends' 1st Anniversary on Etsy!!! To celebrate, get 20% off all items starting today until October 1!! Just enter "ANNIV" during checkout or click on the "contact seller" link and let me know if you want a revised listing.

IndieSmiles Charity Birthday Bash

2010-09-14T22:18:00.000-04:00

The kids are back at school! I have had the house all for myself this past week (well, for 6 hours each day), but sad to say, I spent most of the time cleaning and putting the entire house back in order. Oh well...

So how have you all been? I hope you all had a great summer and that you are all ready for fall. I have listed a couple of new items in my etsy shop and I hope to create and list more now that summer is over. In the meantime, I would just like to invite everyone to join the IndieSmiles Charity Birthday Bash. Vote for your favorite handmade item! Vote for the best pet photo! Join to win a surprise prize! All proceeds will benefit the ASPCA.

IndieSmiles

A Feature on ShesSmart.com

2010-08-24T15:44:00.000-04:00

My kids and I got so excited when I found out that one of my Tamsy Trends goodies is featured in fashion blog ShesSmart.com. My first "Dress for Less" feature... how exciting!!! As for my two girls, they were excited since the article was also about one of their Disney favorites... Demi Lovato. :)

Anyway, I hope you would all check this blog and let me know what you think. I hope it makes you smile.

Enjoy!

Dress Like Demi Lovato for Less by ShesSmart.com

Tamsy Trends on the Etsymom Gift Guide

2010-08-18T21:02:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! First of all, I want to say sorry. I have been a very bad blogger since it's been a while since my last post :( There's no really good reason for this... family life has just been keeping me busy. I know it's not a good excuse and I promise to post regularly from now on.

Okay. Now for some good news. My heart lock and key bracelet has been featured in the Etsymom Gift Guide this week. Please come check it out.

Etsymom Gift Guide

A Friendly Giveaway

2010-07-22T16:54:00.000-04:00

Check out this wonderful giveaway hosted by Rikrak Studio!!!

My Friends Giveaway

From now until August 6, you can enter for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate which you can spend in ANY ONE of the participating Etsy shops (including Tamsy Trends :) ). There are so many ways to enter and so many lovely items to choose from so I encourage all of you to join.

A Wonderful Start for the Week

2010-07-12T21:31:00.002-04:00

What a wonderful way to start this week! Tamsy Trends was featured in two Etsy treasuries yesterday. And what colorful treasuries they are! Please come and check them out as they contain so many lovely Etsy goodies :)

The first one was created by Anna of AnnaVirginia Fashioneering.

A Little Girl's Dream Treasury

The second one was created by Deanna of Year of the Tiger.

Gimme More Summer Treasury

To top it off, I found out today that my pink and silver pearl drop earrings was chosen as one of the Top Handmade Creations of the week!!! Yay!!!

Creations with Heart's Top Handmade Creations of the week

Thank you so much Anna, Deanna and Julie!!! Your features (as well as Spain's win in the World Cup Finals) have made the start of this week extra special :)

SUMMER GIVEAWAY WINNER

2010-07-08T22:09:00.000-04:00

The lucky number is 49 and the winner of the Summer Blog Giveaway is .............................

daer0n

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I will be contacting you via email to find out where to send your pearl choker necklace :D

I'd also like to thank all who entered this latest blog giveaway. I was so overwhelmed and deeply grateful with the wonderful response and the large number of entries. Thank you all so much for making this such a successful giveaway :)

Summer Giveaway! --- CLOSED

2010-06-30T23:16:00.001-04:00

Let's welcome July with another giveaway!!! It is always fun to win something, right? How about this pearl choker necklace?

Pearls in Pastels by Tamsy Trends

Here's how you can enter:

1. Visit my Etsy shop, heart your favorite item and leave a comment about it here. (1 entry)

2. Follow my blog and leave a comment here. If you are already a follower, just leave a comment as well, as each comment is an entry. (1 entry)

3. "Like" Tamsy Trends on Facebook and post a comment here with your Facebook name. (1 entry)

4. Tweet about this giveaway. Please include @tamsytrends and leave a comment with a link to your twitter account. (1 entry)

5. Heart my Etsy shop and leave a comment that you have done so. (1 entry)

6. Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment that you have done so. (1 entry)

This giveaway ends on Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 9pm EST.

Good luck and Have a great summer!!!

First Day of Summer

2010-06-21T16:09:00.000-04:00

OH My! It's been more than a week since my last post. I'm so sorry for not keeping everyone up-to-date on what's been going on, both in my shop and in my family life. Last week was my kids' last week of school and everything just got so hectic. I found myself spending more time at their school (attending picnics, performances, end-of-year parties, etc.) than at home or at work. But, the schoolyear has now ended and today, my kids started attending their summer day camp. I'm back at work and to celebrate the official first day of Summer, I created a "sun-inspired" Etsy treasury. I called it "Here Comes the Sun" and it features a few of my fellow Etsy moms as well as other wonderful Etsy sellers.

I hope you would all check it out and click and comment on it.

Here Comes the Sun Treasury on Etsy

Have a great Summer everyone!!!

Peaches and Cream Lovelies

2010-06-13T21:13:00.000-04:00

For some reason, my kids and I started talking about peach pies this morning. How it is definitely the season for peaches... how lovely and juicy the peaches at the grocery store were... and how yummy it is to each peaches or peach pie with a lot of whipped cream. Mmmm, yum! That provided the inspiration for this second Etsy treasury I curated: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c153030f43a8eefeddf9bbe/peaches-and-cream

Peaches and Cream Treasury on Etsy

A Feature... in pink!

2010-06-07T17:20:00.000-04:00

What a way to start the week! My Pink Pearl Neckace with Gold Oval Focals was featured in an Etsy Treasury. It was curated by heatherkingdesigns and includes such lovely pearl creations.

Thanks, Heather!!!

Month of the Pearl Treasury

FREE SHIPPING for Dads and Grads!!

2010-06-05T09:10:00.000-04:00

Looking for Fathers Day or Graduation gifts? From now until June 15th, get FREE SHIPPING to the U.S. and Canada on ALL items in my Etsy shop! I am also offering drastically reduced shipping rates to everywhere else in the world.

Gift Ideas from Tamsy Trends on Etsy

Here's to The Red, White and Blue

2010-05-30T23:15:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend :) Summer is officially here and there will be several days when people will be parading and showing off their red, white and blues. This week's Etsy picks shows off a few extraordinary red, white and blue outfits I found. Enjoy!

It's My Birthday And I Am Having A Sale!!!

2010-05-27T09:31:00.001-04:00

I am having a special one-day sale at Tamsy Trends to celebrate my birthday today!!! 15% off all items!!! Just enter code FAN527 in note to seller at checkout. Offer is good today (Thursday, May 27) only.

Thank you for all your support for me and for my Etsy shop over the past year.

Indie Junction Featured Artisan for the Week

2010-05-24T11:56:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful way to start the week!!! I found out yesterday that I am one of three featured artists of Indie Junction for the week of May 23-29. What an honor! Thank you so much to Deb Hall for this wonderful write-up:

Indie Junction Featured Artisans - May 23

The other wonderful Indie Junction artists featured this week are: Aimee of Aimee's Rock Works and Katie of Corner Studio. Please check out the link above to read more about all of our work.

Ideas for Fathers Day

2010-05-21T19:45:00.000-04:00

This year, Fathers Day falls on June 20th. That day also happens to be my wedding anniversary, and I am looking forward to the double celebration in our family. The kids and I are planning a few surprises for their dad and we are all getting pretty excited :) In addition, I have been slowly building my mens jewelry collection in my Etsy shop. Most of the pieces are pretty casual and can be worn for any day, for any occasion.

Here are some of my ideas for Fathers Day:

Silver Squares Bracelet

This is my latest. I found these silver metal alloy beads at a bead store and thought they would be perfect for a mens' bracelet.

Agate and Silver Drums Bracelet

This is one of my braided bracelets. It features black agate stones and silver drum spacers wrapped in black cotton cord. I made a similar one for my husband last year and he wears it all the time ;)

Orange Mother of Pearl Necklace

Green Mother of Pearl Necklace

How about necklaces? These ones are made with mother of pearl shell beads and are getting pretty popular, especially with summer coming up and folks are preparing for their beach trips.

All these jewelry pieces and much more are available at my Etsy shop.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Earrings!!!

2010-05-17T16:39:00.000-04:00

I am obsessed with earrings these days. I just can't make enough of them. Majority of the items in my Etsy shop are still necklaces, but earrings are definitely catching up. I'd like to share with you some of my latest creations.

THE DROPS: These offer a classic and simple look and are so far, the biggest sellers in my shop.

Light Green Pearl Drop

Purple Teardrop

Pearl and Fancy Clover

Yellow Gemstone Drop

THE DANGLES: I find that creating dangling earrings give you more room for creativity. There are so many possible designs you can make. Small beads, big beads, charms, etc. The options are just endless.

Light Rose and Copper

Black in Gold Chain

(a pink version of this one is coming to the shop real soon :) )

Rondelle Gemstones

CASCADE OR CLUSTER EARRINGS: These earrings are made by arranging the beads so they form "clusters"... they look a lot like bunches of grapes.

Crystal Cascade

Pearl Cascade

BRIDAL EARRINGS: Pearls and crystals. Whether they are drops or dangles, or clusters, I have also been working on a lot of earrings as part of my bridal collection. Although I have done these using white pearls, I can also create them in other colors to match the gowns/dresses of other members of the wedding party.

Pearls and Swirls

Pearl and Crystal Dangle

White Pearls

Craving For Candies

2010-05-10T13:59:00.002-04:00

This week's Etsy picks is for all those who, like me, woke up craving for something sweet. May these help satisfy your sweet tooth (without the extra calories :) )

Have a great Monday!!!

1 - LynniePinnie

2 - CreativeCalamities

3 - Foxxysair8

4 - ThisCharmingCandy

5 - RuthsFunShop

6 - pnbgiftsmadewithlove

7 - NoveltyPurses

8 - CuddleSlug

9 - timepressedcreatives

10 - AllForJasmine

Dilbert :)

2010-05-05T10:35:00.000-04:00

In the 90s, Dilbert was my favorite comic strip. I guess since I was working as a computer programmer at that time, I could easily relate to him. There were lots of days when I felt I WAS Dilbert. Dilbert's boss was just like my boss. His co-workers were exactly like my co-workers. I still marvel (and still feel a bit creeped out) at how some of those comic strips seem to mirror exact situations in my own daily work life back then.

It has been more than a year since I gave up I.T. work to become a stay-at-home mom to my 2 kids. Now, instead of working on computer systems for major corporations, I run my own small handmade jewelry business. We might no longer share the same line of work, but I still love going back to my favorite Dilbert quotes from time to time. I want to share some of them with you. I hope that just like for me, these quotes will make you smile and help lighten your worry and work loads for today.

"The best things in life are silly."

"Change is good. You go first."

"Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue."

"Mondays are not part of the productive work week."

- Dogbert's Theory of Mondays.

"If you spend all of your time arguing with people who are nuts, you'll be exhausted and the nuts will still be nuts."

"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level."

(*** pictures from wikipedia, comic strip from dilbert.com)

It's May!!!

2010-05-01T10:58:00.000-04:00

Tra la! It's May! The lusty month of May!

That lovely month when ev'ryone goes blissfully astray.

Tra la! It's here! That shocking time of year

When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear!

- Queen Guinevere in Rodger and Hammerstein's "Camelot"

Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May. For this week's Etsy picks, I chose some lovely emerald colored items. Hope you enjoy them :)

1 - VenusFlytrapJewels

2 - ModPieces

3 - superioragates

4 - lapisbeach

5 - jewelrybyjanelle50

6 - mermaidsdream

7 - craftychris123

8 - makmaydesigns

9 - AnneMariesPottery

10 - leahmackindotcom

Mothers Day Gift Guides!!

2010-04-27T11:13:00.001-04:00

Happy Tuesday everyone! I had such a wonderful and exciting morning. I woke up and found out Tamsy Trends is featured in not one, but TWO Mothers Day Gift Guides! Please come and check them out when you have a chance :)

The Etsymom Street Team Blog included my yellow gemstone and gold chain necklace:

and QUID essential chose to include my blue vintage floral earrings:

And don't forget, I am currently offering FREE SHIPPING to the US and CANADA on all items on Tamsy Trends on Etsy. Offer ends Sunday, May 9, 2010 :)

Mothers Day SALE and a Feature!!!

2010-04-23T15:16:00.000-04:00

May 9 is the big day... Mothers Day!!! To help everyone get ready, I am offering FREE SHIPPING to the U.S. and Canada in my Etsy shop and drastically reduced shipping rates to everywhere else in the world. This sale starts today, April 23, and lasts until May 9.

Tamsy Trends on Etsy

And I just want to share some exciting news with everyone. I have been featured today on the Etsymom blog as one of their Marvelous Moms.

http://etsymom.blogspot.com/2010/04/marvelous-mom-weekly-maite-tamsy-trends.html

Please check it out :) and thanks for your support.

CHARMing Additions

2010-04-22T09:31:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure why, but the onset of warm weather this year has gotten me thinking about charms and charm bracelets. I have made a few so far and they have all been listed in my Etsy shop.

This was the first one I made this year. The inspiration came from the first warm day we had here in Virginia this year (after a snow-filled winter) and from some lovely flip-flop charms I stumbled upon while shopping online.

Floral and Sandals

This second piece still follows the "spring/summer" theme and uses the same swarovski-encrusted flower charms above.

Beads and Flowers

I also have a few chunkier charm bracelets.

Charm Bracelet in Grey, Blue and Ecru

Charm Bracelet in Cranberry, Garnet and Black

Ladybugs and Flowers

For fellow Etsy seller, MsKarenNY, I created this custom purse charm bracelet. She wanted a chunkier piece that had all kinds of purse/handbag charms on it.

All these bracelets have been very fun to do and I plan on making more of them as soon as I receive my supply order for additional silver and gold headpins... and lots more charms!

Dear readers: Do you have an idea for a charm bracelet? Is there a particular type of charm bracelet you would like to have (all dog or cat charms, musical instruments, locks and keys, etc.)? I'd love to make a custom one just for you! Just leave me a comment on this post or email me at tamsytrends@gmail.com.

Earth Day 2010

2010-04-18T23:12:00.002-04:00

Don't forget! Thursday, April 22 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. To celebrate this important event, the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/pick5/) is encouraging everyone to commit to doing 5 actions to celebrate this important event and to help protect our one and only planet Earth. Here are my 5:

1. I will use only the water I need and reuse when possible (such as collecting rain water to irrigate the yard).

2. I will help keep water clean by starting to use biodegradable and environmentally friendly cleaning products at my home.

3. I have planted a tree and I plan to plant a couple more soon.

4. I will continue to reduce, reuse and recycle and teach my kids to do the same.

5. I am participating in several Earth Day events at my childrens' school this week, including their Spring EcoFest this coming Friday.

AND... to add a 6th action to this list... for this week's Etsy picks, I have selected some of my favorite eco-friendly items.

Happy Earth Day everyone!

( 1 - ecoeveryday ; 2 - withaflourish ; 3 - LoopOverLoop ; 4 - ficklefaerie ; 5 - laurabucci ; 6 - itsourearth ; 7 - LittleBirdsBoutique ; 8 - TheGeneration ; 9 - elliven ; 10 - MyFairMaiden )

Yay! Glee is back!

2010-04-13T17:14:00.001-04:00

The hit TV show "Glee" is back! It's season 2 premiere episode airs tonight at 9:28ET/8:28CT. Now, I cannot really say that I am a hard-core "Gleek" but I do enjoy watching the show. I love musicals, the cast is terrific, the episodes almost always have a happy ending unlike most of the shows on primetime these days... and the fashion is not too bad either. Just look at all the wonderful outfits and accessories from season 1.

Just love these necklaces... Emma Pillsbury (played by Jayma Mays)

and they brought back the preppy look.... Rachel Berry (played by Lea Michele)

Being in the Glee club never looked so good...

Here's to Season 2 and to more unbelievable fashion! Bring it on, Glee!

Somebody said...

2010-04-08T15:10:00.001-04:00

I got this from a friend of mine and I just wanted to share this to all the moms, godmothers and grandmothers out there. It's a tough job, but I think being a mother is the best job in the world.

suchprettycolors on Etsy

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby.....

that somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, 'normal' is history.

* * *

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct ...

that somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

* * *

Somebody said being a mother is boring .....

that somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

* * *

Somebody said if you're a'good' mother, your child will 'turn out good'....

that somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

* * *

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother....

that somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.

* * *

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first .... that somebody doesn't have two children.

* * *

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery....

that somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten ...

or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'

* * *

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married....

that somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

* * *

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home.....

that somebody never had grandchildren.

* * *

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her.... that somebody isn't a mother.

illoh on Etsy

It's time to relax

2010-04-06T22:57:00.000-04:00

The life of a parent, whether working or staying at home, is never easy. Their "to-do" lists are never ending and their kids' needs always take top priority over their own. Despite all the advise from family, friends and books, they seldom take any "ME" time and are always sleep-deprived.

This week's Etsy picks are for all the parents out there. Let's take a break and try to relax :)

1 - SpelledWithaW

2 - EmilinaBallerina

3 - haleystone

4 - ChristineLouiseSoaps

5 - rkdsign88

6 - labsinthe

7 - MVPassione

8 - littlenurslings

9 - freshandclean

10 - spirithorseherbals

Happy April Fools Day!

2010-04-01T15:42:00.001-04:00

"The first of April, some do say
Is set apart for All Fool's Day;
But why the people call it so
Nor I, nor they themselves, do know,
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment."

- Anonymous

"April 1. This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four."

- Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson

"April fool, n. The March fool with another month added to his folly."

- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

"Isn't it appropriate that the month of the tax begins with April Fool's Day and ends with cries of "May Day!"?"

- Author Unknown

"It is the ability to take a joke, not make one, that proves you have a sense of humor."

- Max Eastman

"Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed."

- Mark Twain

Gadgets

2010-03-24T12:05:00.001-04:00

Today, I found myself window shopping online. (Window shopping only. I have not bought anything... yet.) I was in search of a new laptop bag and of course, where else would I try to find a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted bag than on Etsy. Since I was already there, I also browsed at all the iPod cases. I need one of those as well, since I currently use my old eyeglass case to keep my iPod nano.

Talk about choices! There were hundreds of gadget cases available on Etsy. Leather... knitted... recycled... upcycled... you name it, Etsy has it. So, for this week's Etsy picks, I wanted to share some of the gadget cases I found.

Laptop Bags/Sleeves:

janinekingdesigns Mareri

DesignbyErdenesuren interrobang

Emeshmode

For your MP3 / iPod:

EvelynX

angelbot colorsbyliza

iPhone Cases:

Coolbeans717 SydneyAngel

onaroll goodtogoeco

For the iPad / Kindle / Nook:

sivannadesign

RogueTheory

GetSassed byrdandbelle

Top Etsy Shops

2010-03-23T09:04:00.000-04:00

Top Etsy Shops blog

Have you visited the Top Etsy Shops blog yet? It is a great site for anyone who loves crafts. It shares tips and ideas for Etsy sellers, such as how to take and edit pictures and it also features a lot of wonderful Etsy shops each month.

Check it out: http://topetsyshops.blogspot.com/

You can also find them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=171827661989

Favorite Quotes for Parents and Children

2010-03-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

If you are a parent who loves your child, give yourself a pat on the back today. Despite what all the thousands of parenting books say, I believe you are doing a great job. Parenting is the biggest and hardest job we will ever have and on days where we feel like we are not doing enough for our kids, it would be wise to heed these these words of wisdom...

For all moms and dads:

"We never know the love of our parents for us until we have become parents." - Henry Ward Beecher

"You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once." - Polish Proverb

"Love is giving someone your undivided attention." - Author Unknown

"Your children need your presence more than your presents." - Jesse Jackson

"The Hebrew word for parents is horim, and it comes from the same root as moreh, teacher. The parent is, and remains, the first and most important teacher that the child will have." - Rabbi Kassel Abelson

"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." - Clarence Budinton Kelland

"You know the only people who are always sure about the proper way to raise children? Those who've never had any." - Bill Cosby

"I looked on childrearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully interesting and challenging as any honourable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring to it." - Rose Kennedy

and my personal favorite...

"If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much." - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

For our children and teen-aged kids, here are some advice that I want to share:

“You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your father was.” - old Irish saying

"The quieter you become, the more you can hear" - Ram Dass

"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." - Raymond Hull (Canadian playwright and tv screenwriter)

"Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can do" - John Wooden (first person to be enshrined as Basketball Hall of Fame player (1961) and coach (1973))

"Accept everything about yourself - I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end - no apologies, no regrets." - Clark Moustakas

"Becoming responsible adults is no longer a matter of whether children hang up there pajamas or put dirty towels in the hamper, but whether they care about themselves and others -- and whether they see everyday chores as related to how we treat this planet." - Eda Leshan

This Week's Etsy Picks: Let's Play Soccer

2010-03-08T22:22:00.000-05:00

This week, let's look at just some of the soccer-inspired items on Etsy. Spring soccer season has started for our family. This means twice a week practice and weekends spent shuttling our eldest daughter to her games. In fact, she just played in her first tournament last weekend and another tournament schedule for the weekend of the 20th-21st. She loves playing and just like any parent, we want to support her as best we can.

Enjoy and kudos to all my fellow soccer moms and dads out there :)

1- spades290

2- kandjdolls

3- hootiebee

4- LauraHats

5- klapolucha24

6- LillyEllen

7- EliteElishi

8- jillsfabricdesigns

9- Paperquick

10- sleepingdogsstudio

11- blueskiedesignz

12- groovyspookieville

Jewelry Trends: Selena Gomez as Alex Russo

2010-03-04T22:41:00.000-05:00

With two young girls at home, our TV, when it's on, is almost always tuned in to the Disney Channel. With the limited time my kids get to actually watch TV during the week, shows like Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Deck, Phineas and Ferb, Jonas and Wizards of Waverly Place are watched over and over and over and... well, you get the picture. And of course, as their mom, it is only natural that I, too, become very familiar with these shows and their stars.

My daughters' favorite Disney star at the moment is Selena Gomez. She plays Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. She is the sneaky, mischievous wizard-in-training, who always gets into trouble when using magic. I have some problems with the personality and attitude of this character, but I have to say that I love her fashion sense, especially when it comes to jewelry and accessories.

She loves to mix and match and use several pieces at once:

and she is not afraid to wear long chains, multi-strands and chunky jewelry.

That's Alex Russo, but Selena Gomez is not very different. Actually, she is even more daring than her character, as seen in her CD cover sleeve or in her latest music videos. Here are some pictures:

Such awesome, lovely and fun necklaces. Whoever is Selena's stylist or costume designer should be applauded for these fashion accessory choices. It she continues in this route, this young lady is well on her way to becoming a fashion icon.

Congratulations!!!

2010-02-27T22:11:00.000-05:00

Thanks to random.org, the winner of this week's giveaway is ......................

#10 --- COURTNEY REYNOLDS!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, COURTNEY! I will be contacting you via email to find out where to send your brand new pearl necklace :D

Thank you so much to all who entered this latest Tamsy Trends giveaway. There was such a wonderful response :) I promise to plan another giveaway for all of you real soon.

Win a Pearl Necklace!!! - CLOSED

2010-02-22T22:30:00.003-05:00

Daffodils are starting to sprout from the ground and for the past few days, a pair of birds have been hanging out on our deck (looking for a place to build their nest, perhaps?). The first signs of spring are here and I think it is time for another Tamsy Trends giveaway.

What you can win: This pink and white pearls necklace:

There are several ways you can enter: (For each entry, please make sure to leave a comment here with your email address.)

1. Visit my Etsy shop, pick your favorite item and leave a comment on this post about it.

2. Follow this blog and leave a comment here. If you are already a follower, leave a comment as well, as each comment is an entry.

3. Become a fan of Tamsy Trends on Facebook and post a comment here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

4. Tweet about this giveaway. Please include @tamsytrends and leave a comment here with a link to your twitter account.

5. Heart my Etsy shop and leave a comment on this post about it.

I will use random.org to choose a winner on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at 9pm EST. So, make sure you leave a comment anytime you do any of the above to increase your chances of winning. Good luck!

A Week Of Olympians

2010-02-19T12:36:00.000-05:00

This has been a week of the olympians...and I am not just talking about the athletes competing in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. I also mean the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Greece.

My kids and I just watched the movie, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (whew, that's a long title) and we all enjoyed it. I have not read the book, but the movie is pretty good. The story was fast paced so even my 8-yr old didn't get bored one bit and the effects and fight scenes were impressive. I just thought the acting of some of the actors were a bit over, but I'd definitely recommend the movie to others, especially those with school-aged children like me.

The popularity of the Percy Jackson books and the movie just shows how influential the culture of Ancient Greece still is today. And it's not just with literature. We see its influence in architecture, in paintings and in the arts and of course, in fashion. Just look at these Greek-inspired Etsy lovelies...

1 - Baostudio

2 - averidesigns

3 - tHeENDpeace

4 - itsastitch

5 - evietees

6 - blackandlu

7 - plasticouture

8 - mylavaliere

9 - rockedjewelry

10 - unpotpourri

The movie has made my two daughters very interested in the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus. We are currently reading several books on greek myths and our dinner conversations now are filled with stories of the Greek Gods and discussions on which ones they thought had the best powers. So, for my fellow parents who, like me, have had to brush up on their greek mythology, I am providing a short list of these mythological beings. These are the ones I remember as being featured or mentioned in the movie:

Zeus - King of the Gods; God of Heaven and Earth; Son of Cronus and Rhea

Poseidon - God of Sea and Earthquake; Son of Cronus and Rhea

Hera - Goddess of Marriage and Childbirth; Daughter of Cronus and Rhea

Hades - God of the Underworld; Son of Cronus and Rhea

Aphrodite - Goddess of Love and Beauty

Athena - Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Arts and Crafts; Daughter of Zeus and Metis

Hermes - Messenger of Zeus; Herald of the Gods; Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia

Persephone - Goddess of the Underworld; Wife of Hades; Daughter of Zeus and Demeter

Medusa - One of three Gorgon sisters; born extraordinarily beautiful, she was cursed by Athena who turned her hair into snakes and gave her destructive powers so that whoever looked into her eyes would turn into stone.

*** (The Greek Gods family tree above was taken from D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire, Delacorte Press, 1962.) ***

Girls Just Want to Have Fun!

2010-02-08T22:42:00.001-05:00

“I was about half in love with her by the time we sat down. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty... you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are."

- J.D. Salinger

I heard somewhere before that one of the best things about being a girl is the tons of dressing options and ways to look pretty. I completely agree. Not only do we have lots more choices with clothes, but we also never run out of options for accessories as well. Just look at these Etsy lovelies:

1- paleodeux

2- Kirameku

3- janinebasil

4- NotJustBags

5- Cabin

6- HeroineIndustries

7- PlumpFairy

8- DimensionalVision

9- cokiepopaper

(I know #5 is not exactly a fashion accessory, but isn't it really cute? Also, the girl in the print looks just like my daughter so I'm a bit partial to it ...LOL)

Truly... It's fun being a girl and shopping for girly stuff isn't bad either :)

“Chanel is composed of only a few elements, white camellias, quilted bags and Austrian doorman's jackets, pearls, chains, shoes with black toes. I use these elements like notes to play with.”

- Karl Lagerfeld

“I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes. I had one thousand and sixty.”

- Imelda Marcos

Birthday Giveaway Winners!

2010-02-05T20:24:00.000-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of my first ever blog giveaway:

Our Grand Prize winner of a pair of sterling silver earrings and a US$15 Tamsy Trends gift certificate is:

Life with the Crazies

The Second Prize winner who wins a US$10 Tamsy Trends gift certificate is:

Amanda

Thank you to everyone who participated. You guys rock!!!

What's your favorite color?

2010-02-01T18:26:00.000-05:00

Hi dear readers! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Here in Virginia, we just had a snowstorm... our second one for this winter. Very unusual for us, but we are trying our best to enjoy every minute of it. My kids built a mini sled run in our backyard and that has been keeping them busy since they have not been back to school yet since the storm.

Now, for this week's Etsy picks, think Blue...Blue...Blue!

Blue has always been my favorite color since I was very young. When I go shopping, I find myself immediately drawn to things in any shade of blue. Here are some of the items I discovered in Etsy this week that have shades of blue. Aren't they just lovely?

How about you? What's your favorite color?

1 - King of the Magpies print by studiomme
2 - Blue Beret with Pompom by dernierefois
3 - Twilight in the Forest Necklace by IrisHarperDesigns
4 - Buttons and Doilies Photograph by thimblythings
5 - Handmade Light Blue and Green Glass Pendant by ChibiMe
6 - Helio Blue Shell Clutch by koopdegrace
7 - Sunny Days at the Beach Hair Posy by jacarandadesigns
8 - Mini Journal Notebook with Clip Closure by PennyPaperworks
9 - Blue Swish Cup by DeidreArt

A Birthday Giveaway!!!

2010-01-29T10:46:00.003-05:00

My youngest daughter just turned 8 years old this week. Since our family LOVES birthdays, I decided to add to the festivities by hosting my first ever Tamsy Trends giveaway!!! I am inviting everyone to join. The more, the merrier :)

Here's what you can win:

Grand Prize: Aqua Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings (pictured below and valued at US$15.00) and a US$15 Tamsy Trends gift certificate.

(These sparkly earrings use 16mm sterling silver leverback earwires. From these earwires dangle 4mm clear Czech fire-polished glass beads and 9x6mm aqua oval Crystazzi^®crystals. Length is 1.5 inches (3.8cm) from the top of the leverback earwires.)

Second Prize: A US$10 Tamsy Trends gift certificate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's how to enter:

1) Be a follower of this blog = 1 entry.

… this means… All current followers are automatically entered with 1 entry! Yay!

2) Visit my shop, Tamsy Trends on Etsy, and choose your favorite item. Come back here and leave a comment with the name of the item or a link to it. = 1 entry

3) Become a Tamsy Trends fan on facebook and post a comment here with your facebook account name. = 1 entry

4) Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to leave a link to it in a comment in this blog. = 1 entry

5) Blog about this giveaway and post a comment here about it. = 1 entry

6) Post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page. Be sure to comment about it here and leave a link. = 1 entry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RULES:

1. This giveaway will run from January 29, 2010 11:00am EST up to February 5, 2010 12:00nn EST.

2. Anyone entering must be at least 18 years old.
3. Each person can have a maximum of 6 entries.
4. Please make sure to leave each entry as it's own comment. Thanks!

5. The names of the winners will be announced on this blog on Friday, February 5, 2010 8:00pm EST.

6. The prize winners will be notified via email. Please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. Thanks!

7. Prize winners are responsible for all taxes (federal, state and local) and any customs duties and fees.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good luck!!!

On Movies and TV

2010-01-26T13:05:00.002-05:00

Golden Globes... SAG Awards... Sundance... Hollywood's award season is definitely here. Since I am such a big fan of movies and TV shows, I got inspired today to search Etsy for fun "entertainment-themed" items. Here are my favorites:

1 - skymagenta

2 - vortextradingcompany

3 - ShopGreenOwl

4 - scottishcraft

5 - regansbrain

6 - twotreedesigns

7 - mimibuggy

8 - NottyPooch

9 - zoesbagboutique

10 - WhyNotCrafts

11 - greenteam

12 - bugnikdesigns

HAF Team - Spread The Love Shops

2010-01-24T16:43:00.003-05:00

It's the start of another week and as always, I am spreading the love by letting everyone know about the Handmade Artists Forum (HAF) Team's featured shops for this week. Please do take a look at the wonderful items available in these shops. I have posted photos of my favorites below. Enjoy!

Monday, January 25 - Queen Kat's Royal Craft Shoppe (http://katzndogz7.etsy.com/)

Return Address Stamp Personalized for you

Tuesday, January 26 - Lisianblue (http://lisianblue.etsy.com/)

Red and Green Chili Pepper Glass Wind Chime Decoration

Wednesday, January 27 - Paradise Sunrise Essentials (http://paradisesunrise.etsy.com/)

Hibiscus Passion Soap

Thursday, January 28 - Pleasant Peasantry (http://pleasantpeasantry.etsy.com/)

Ceramic Jug Lean and Lopsided

Friday, January 29 - Rojagato Designs (http://rojagatodesigns.etsy.com/)

1950's Rhinestone Clip-on Earrings

Saturday, January 30 - Simply Naif (http://simplynaif.etsy.com/)

Rajya - Original Painting

Welcome Mats

2010-01-20T09:44:00.000-05:00

My kids have caught the crafting bug :) Last Monday, they rummaged through my fabric box and made their very own welcome mats for their bedrooms! Of course, as their mom, I think the mats are just wonderful. I just had to share them with all of you.

This first one was made by my eldest. It has a pocket at the bottom which serves as her very own mailbox.

The next two are my youngest's. She does not know how to sew yet, but she made very good use of a stapler and scraps of fabric.

How did you spend the MLK holiday?

HAF Team - Spread The Love Campaign

2010-01-18T14:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday morning to everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend :) There are only two weeks left for the HAF (Handmade Artists Form) Team's Spread the Love Campaign. Here are the selected shops for this week:

Monday, January 18 Horse 'n' Round Studio (http://horsenround.etsy.com/)

Horse 'n' Round Studio

Tuesday, January 19 - Crazy Quilt Homestead – Animal Friendly Fiber and Yarn (http://crazyquilthomestead.etsy.com/)

Crazy Quilt Homestead

Wednesday, January 20 - Critter Crayons (http://crittercrayons.etsy.com/)

Critter Crayons

Thursday, January 21 - Buy My Crap - Modern Resin Rings (http://buymycrap.etsy.com/)

Buy My Crap

Friday, January 22 - HJM Gifts – Unique Handcrafted Art and Prints (http://hjmgifts.etsy.com/)

HJM Gifts

Saturday, January 23 - Melanie Lynn Design - Unique, Innovative, Affordable Jewelry (http://melanielynndesign.etsy.com/)

Melanie Lynn Design

Sunday, January 24 - In A Beautiful Daze – Artwork and Photography (http://inabeautifuldaze.etsy.com/)

In A Beautiful Daze

Pretty Etsy Picks

2010-01-16T23:53:00.000-05:00

Etsy is a virtual treasure trove of handmade goodies. Here are just a few of my favorites, from just some of the wonderful sellers I have discovered the past few months. Such lovely work. I can't help but smile as I post them here today.

1- Crocheted Coasters by kaati rocketts
2- Harlequin Owl by brightcolorart
3- Yoga Fairy Necklace by Carmen Bowe
4- Butterflies Hand Knitted Scarf by Boutique-a-holic
5- Softly by Sterling Roses Design
6- Baby accessories Gant de toilette hand mitten Hemp and organic cotton terry knit by Curlymonkey Organics
7- Itty Bitty Brittney Travel Bag - Hot Pink with Black Polka Dots by By Your Side

8- Peach Pink Hydrangea Flowers with Pearls on Stretchy Lace Headband by Little Keira’s Bows

9- Gracie P Peasant Top Whimsy by Mari Mac

Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-14T10:42:00.003-05:00

My thoughts and prayers go to all the people in Haiti affected by the recent earthquake. As someone who has personally experienced a similar (but of lesser intensity) devastating earthquake in the past, I cannot help but be grieved by this current tragedy.

As I read about all the destruction of this massive earthquake, I came upon a list of prayer intentions for all those affected. I'd thought I'd share these with you. For those who believe in God, may these intentions guide you as you say your own prayers for our Haitian neighbors.

Taken from the Catholic Relief Services website (http://crs.org/), these intentions were written byFather Jean Jadotte, associate pastor of Miami's Notre Dame D'Haiti parish.

-We are praying for hope despite this situation, that even as we face darkness, people may see a pinpoint of light.

-Praying for families.

-Pray for a greater conscience among everyone not just in Haiti but all over that we must do something [to help].

-Pray for a spirit of thanksgiving for international agencies for their good heart and good faith.

-Pray for relief workers to have a spirit of patience and perseverance.

-For those who at this time are in search of meaning in their lives and peace.

I have pledged that 20% of all my January sales will go as donations to the American Red Cross for the Haiti Relief Efforts. I have also included a link to the American Red Cross website on the top right hand side of this blog for those who would like to make similar donations.

HAF Team - Spread The Love Campaign

2010-01-12T13:14:00.010-05:00

Ok. I am a day late on this one. Sorry :( However, I believe better late than never. This week, the HAF Teams shops selected for the spread the love campaign are:

Monday, January 11 http://silverlaceweddings.etsy.com/

Solid Fine Silver and Swarovski Crystal Tiara

by Silver Lace Weddings

Tuesday, January 12 http://debrascardcreations.etsy.com/

Cheerful Smile Greeting Card

by Debra's Card Creations

Wednesday, January 13 http://hearseboutique.etsy.com/

Thursday, January 14 http://charmedmemory.etsy.com/

Eiffel Amour Charm Earrings

by Charmed Memory

Friday, January 15 http://buddingcreations.etsy.com/

Rose Bud- French Beaded Flowers

by Budding Creations

Saturday, January 16 http://danglingdesigns.etsy.com/

Swarovski Crystal and Gold Saucer Bead Earrings-Come Fly With Me

by Dangling Designs

Sunday, January 17 http://cmaille.etsy.com/

Mobius-7 Necklace, Sterling Silver Chain Maille

by Crescent Maille

Please do visit there shops of these fabulous handmade artists :)

A little bit about myself: I Love Handmade!!!

2010-01-09T23:08:00.001-05:00

Growing up, I was always known in my family as the one who always gave something "homemade" as a gift. Whether it is for Christmas, birthdays or any other occasion, I always end up giving something I made myself. Even the gift tags, greeting cards and sometimes, even the gift wrapper I used were handmade. I guess this is partly due to the fact that I did not have a lot of money of my own when I was growing up. While that is true, I realized as I got older, that lack of funds was not my only reason for going the handmade route. I realized that I actually loved making crafts and stuff. I love the process of learning a new craft, of shopping for supplies at the craft store and most especially, the process of designing and actually creating the finished product. Hence, here I am today - designing, creating and selling handcrafted jewelry.

"A man is not paid for having a head and hands, but for using them."
- Elbert Hubbard

HAF Etsy Street Team - Spread The Love Campaign

2010-01-04T13:18:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of creative handmade artists out there and just like other members of the HAF (Handmade Artists Forum) Etsy Team, I want to do my share in promoting them. Every week, 7 HAF Team members are chosen to be for the Spread the Love Campaign. For this week, the shops are:

For Monday, January 4:
   Artistry Jewelry on Etsy -- http://artistryjewelry.etsy.com/

For Tuesday, January 5:
   Beads on Fire - for all your bead supply needs -- http://beadsonfire.etsy.com/

For Wednesday, January 6:
    Rhea's Renderings - Handmade jewelry and gifts -- http://rhealeanne.etsy.com/

For Thursday, January 7:
   Shaktipaj Designs - Jewelry Designs and Tutorials -- http://shaktipajdesigns.etsy.com/

For Friday, January 8:
   Big Dog Little Dog Buttons and Art -- http://bigdoglittledog.etsy.com/

For Saturday, January 9:
   Gothic Creations - Handmade Jewelry and Handbags -- http://gothicreations.etsy.com/

For Sunday, January 10:
   Capricious Adornments on Etsy -- http://capriciousadornments.etsy.com/

So, here I am spreading the love. If you can, please do visit these Etsy shops and see some wonderful handcrafted creations :)

A Blog Revival

2010-01-03T15:57:00.001-05:00

It has been a year since I started this blog and I am sad to say that I have not done a very good job at it. When I started, my goal was to post photos and stories about my kids to share with family and friends. That went well the first few months, but with most of my family already in Facebook, that became their venue of choice for stories and photos. I could not help but go with the flow as well and I, therefore, neglected my blog. Late September 2009 marked the launch of Tamsy Trends, my jewelry and accessories store on Etsy. This gave me another opportunity to "re-launch" this blog. I started using it to post pictures of my designs as well as promote my products. However, that also did not last long. During the last two months of 2009, most of the time allotted for my business was used up creating jewelry pieces to sell during the holidays, and just like before, I, once again, neglected my blog.

Well, it is a start of a new year... a new decade even... and I say, it is time for a BLOG REVIVAL. This time, I am fully committed to my goal. No more excuses! Unlike before, I now plan to include an "update blog" to my growing weekly To-Do list and I promise that it will get done! Yeah!

Going forward, this blog will be more about my journey as a jewelry artist and small business owner. From time to time, I am sure I will still be adding some news and stories about my family life, but mainly, I plan to use this blog to talk more about fashion, my designs, and my love for all things handmade. I am a member of two wonderful teams on Etsy -- Etsymoms and HAF (Handmade Arists Forum) -- so at times, you will be also hearing about my fellow handmade and Etsy artists and their work.

So, as we start a new year, I would like to thank all of you for continuing to follow me during the past few dormant months. I hope you will like what I have planned and you will enjoy my future blog posts.

Happy New Year! May 2010 be a better year for all of us, full of joy, fun, success and the love of family and friends!

From Those Who Came Before Us

2009-11-14T22:10:00.001-05:00

"Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success."

— Louisa May Alcott (Little Women)

Jewelry for the Young (and the Young at Heart)

2009-10-20T14:57:00.001-04:00

This week, I will concentrate on preparing my jewelry collection for kids/teens. Here are some of my creations so far. It seems these days, I draw my inspiration from "earthy" colors. Might be the cooler days and changing leaves, but recently, I find myself drawn to shades of browns, orange, greens and blues.

Beaded Necklace / Flower Pendant

(I just love the flower pendant on this piece. It looks like it is shell, but actually, it is acrylic.)

Beaded Necklace / Peace Pendant

Peace sign and heart pendant

For my holiday collection, I plan to add a lot of sparkle to my kids' jewelry. Here's my first two pieces - a red and white star necklace and bracelet. I just loved working with the red star czech pressed glass beads I bought at Etsy (seller: bradleybeads). They definitely remind me of Christmas :)

Pressed Glass Spacers

2009-10-09T09:21:00.001-04:00

I recently got several sets of these Czech pressed glass spacer beads from Fire Mountain Gems. They come in packs of 20 beads, 21x5mm each in size, and each with three stringing holes.

Since I am currently working on some jewelry pieces for the holidays, I pulled out the red and green spacers a few days ago. My thought was to make two different 3-strand bracelets filled with crystal and glass beads. The sparklier the better! This, of course, goes against the simple and understated style I try to strive for with my jewelry, but I figured, it's for the holidays... why not really glam it up! So, off to my supplies to get a handful of my red and crystal glass beads.

Well, after trying out several patterns with the beads and the spacers, it seems I was not much of a risk taker after all. Still very sparkly, my finished bracelet was not as wild as I thought it would be.

$35 on Etsy.com

I do love the shades of red, though. The ruby red round beads give just the right contrast to the garnet colored spacers. I am still very happy with the design and I am looking forward to working with the green spacers today.

(After I finished this red piece, I went out to run few errands for the family. Before I knew it, it was time to pick up the kids from school. I put my green spacers back in my supply box, prepared some after-school snacks and put on my "Mom" hat for the rest of that day. :) )

Birthday Cake

2009-10-02T08:44:00.000-04:00

For Jojo's (my husband) birthday yesterday, I made my first attempt to bake a Black Forest cake. I am not a baker (or a good cook for that matter) so I was a bit nervous. I secretly hoped everything would go well, but I figured, I can always buy a birthday cake from the grocery store if things go wrong. The recipe, which I got from a magazine, was pretty easy to follow and called for the use of "packaged" cake mix so at least I did not have to make the actual chocolate cake from scratch. Once I baked the cakes, I only had to prepare the cherry filling/topping and the icing.

Here's the finished product:

It looks pretty good as long as you look at it from the right angle. I made a big mistake when slicing the cakes in half to make the layers. The end produce is actually a bit lopsided. Here's the cake again, from the opposite angle:

Haha! It looks like someone sat on it! Oh well, despite the looks, I still consider this first attempt a success. The cake tastes DELICIOUS!!!

I have plans to try a carrot cake next time...

My Store on Etsy!

2009-09-29T10:39:00.002-04:00

I finally opened my store Tamsy Trends on Etsy!

Now you know why I have been very quiet on my blog for the past few months. I have been busy trying to set up shop :)

TamsyTrends on Etsy

My family has been the best through all of this. My two daughters continually cheered me on, and my husband helped me a LOT with taking the pictures. I also need to add that my eldest, Idoia, helped design my store's logo and banner.

There is still a lot that needs to be done and I have a ton of items I still need to list, but I hope you all visit my new store sometime. Let me know what you think and please help me promote the site to your family and friends -- http://TamsyTrends.etsy.com

Quote For The Day

2009-09-15T22:19:00.000-04:00

"Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."

— Elizabeth Gilbert

(Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia)

A Sweet Surprise!

2009-02-23T13:21:00.000-05:00

My kids definitely have their moments. They worked together last week to come up with a "Welcome Home" poster for their Dad.

Here's a close-up of the little mouse drawing on the bottom left corner of the poster...

Valentines Day Flu

2009-02-15T14:31:00.000-05:00

Roses are red

Violets are blue

It was Valentines Day yesterday

and my daughter had the flu!

Poor girl. The flu is making the rounds in her school and at least 5 of her classmates were sick last week. My daughter got the flu shot a couple of months back, but so did the other kids who got sick. So, I guess it was just a matter of time before my daughter caught this new virus as well. And she did. Last Friday to be exact.

Yes, she felt miserable. Not only did she have a 102 temperature, but she also had to miss their class' Valentines party and their Famous Americans parade. (She was going to dress up as Betsy Ross.) Even the Valentines gifts and cards we got for her did very little to cheer her up.

Of course, since she felt miserable... I felt miserable too :( It was, therefore, very fitting that I should stumble across the following blog entry this morning. It is for all parents with sick kids right now. Some of the ideas are pretty funny ... especially #6.

Cold and Flu Season

As a friend of mine would always say... Share a smile :)

7 Wishes for a Girl Turning 7

2009-01-23T11:27:00.000-05:00

My youngest is turning 7 this weekend. She, of course, is very excited and has been anxiously awaiting her birthday for several weeks now. I, on the other hand, continue to be a nervous wreck (as usual)... both happy and sad and desperately trying to choke back tears as I realize how fast the years have just gone by (as usual). Has it really been 7 years since she was born? Yes, 7 years since that special day when she did not even wait for the epidural to kick in before she decided IT was time. Ouch!

So, here are my wishes for my little girl on her birthday. Seven wishes as she turn seven...

1. May you continue to sing, dance and laugh often.

2. May you learn to stop worrying too much. (Unfortunately, she takes after me in this respect, but I am still hopeful that she will learn from my mistakes and not suffer from having control issues like me.)

3. May you continue to dream big. Always remember that with hard work and God's help, you can accomplish anything, whether it be opening a restaurant, competing in the olympics, becoming a fashion designer or becoming the next great inventor. Sky's the limit, sweetie! :)

4. May you continue to love going to school and learning new things.

5. May you always have your own opinions. Think, think, think and decide things for yourself.

6. May you always remember to count your blessings. Don't dwell on what you want, but value what you already have.

7. May you never forget that Mommy loves you :) I may not always be the fun parent and I know that I am overly protective, but I will always be there for you. Always.

Happy Birthday, Andi! Have fun at your party!

A Favorite Quote

2009-01-13T11:17:00.000-05:00

"The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related, that it is difficult to class them separately. One step above the sublime makes the ridiculous, and one step above the ridiculous makes the sublime again."

-- From "The Age of Reason" by Thomas Paine