Keep Calm...

Because the "keep calm" posters are everywhere. Because today is my banana loving cousin's birthday. Because sometimes the only way to keep calm is to go a little bananas ;)

Happy Birthday Nicole!!

*banana image is from here.

Elephants on Parade

elephant print by nidhi chanani * jonathan adler elephant night light kate spade royal plantation elephant basket * elephant table by vellum new york tilt a whirl bracelet by tarina tarantino * mini elephant earrings eames plywood elephant

It is my cousin D's bday today, and in celebration of her and her love for elephants, I compiled a few of my favorite elle finds.


And because it was necessary for her birthday present to have an elephant theme, I prepared a jewelry set, designed a fun pop-up style card, and ordered a crazy elephant MNKR necklace.


I took an elephant character from stationery purchased years ago, mounted it on light blue paper, folded both in half, and glued the backs of the ears to the inside of the yellow card. When opened, the elephant sort of pops up. The front of the card also holds the same elephant character, just smaller and surrounded by rhinestones. Hand made cards are my fave.


A honey my heart set. The elephant charms are vintage brass stampings and fun with their trucks up.


MNKR crazy elephant necklace charm made with the same material used to make guitar pics. I love that the elephant has shoes on!

My favorite animal is the turtle, but elephants are so cute! What is your favorite animal?

Happy

Untitled. Red, Yellow, and Magenta. Hassel Smith. 1997

Today I feel happy. I feel like the bright colors of the painting above. I feel excited for what is to come.

Today I am 28 and the day has been great so far. The month has been great. The year has been great.

I hope you all are doing great!

November 1

Most of the trees around our area do not change color, but for a few by the bus loop, their leaves are beginning to fall.


Greens are fading to yellow, to orange, to red, to brown.


And the leaves look good. They look like change. A change that promises new things to come.


It is still baffling how fast this year, and the past month, has gone by. How is it November, how are we close to the holidays again, how quick does time really need to fly?

I am reminded more and more about the movement of time today. Today is my little sister's 20th birthday. 20. Wow. I remember when I baby sat her, when she was 7 and we danced around the house, when she played in sports junior high, when she graduated high school, when we moved her into college... My little sister is no longer little. Oh time, please slow down a bit.


Happy Birthday, Feliz!!! Continue to grow in to a beautiful young woman and change for the better :)

Birdie Birthday Earrings

Today is my cousin L's birthday. She's a fun college girl with super cool style and I wanted to gift her with some one of a kind pieces. She's really into earrings, ones that dangle with statement and flair, and sometimes mixes and matches them. With that in mind, I played around with various earring supplies and beads I had on hand, and put together a mis-matched yet similarly styled earring set :)

One earring is a chandelier style with various hanging beads and a fun bird charm. The other one is simpler, has a matching bird charm, and more neutral beads. They can be worn together or separately.


A close up.


And with a gold wreath card.

I've been spending a lot of time breaking down pieces of jewelry that I own and restyling the pieces with beads and charm supplies that I've purchased. It's a fun thing and I hope to share the styles with you all soon!

Hope everyone has a great weekend :)