My First Vendor Booth!

The restaurant I work at, Old Chicago, hosts an annual event called Rocktoberfest. They clear out the parking lot and host bands and vendors all for the purpose of supporting breast cancer research. I just happened to be working one night when the planners came to the restaurant for a meeting. I overheard them and thought it would be a great opportunity to sell my stuff- especially since I already donate to breast cancer research with a few items in my store. I chatted with one guy and gave him my card. Well, he just emailed me and said I can have a booth! I'm way excited! There is no booth fee, I was just asked to donate 20% of my sales back to the cause. Duh! No problem! I'm so excited! So, I've got quite a bit to get ready before September 25-26, 2009. I want to have a bunch of stuff ready! Wish me luck and lots of sales!

Awesome Jewelry Giveaway!

olive bites is holding a jewelry giveaway! Go check it out here and enter for your chance to win some beautiful jewelry from Elisa Shere!

Feature: Sock Monkey Sound

So, this is my first blog featuring someone and it happens to be about my fiancee and friends. They've started a podcast (An audio broadcast available for downloading from a website to a personal computer or other device).

It's called Sock Monkey Sound and you can find their website here. It's a Music & Culture Podcast recorded in Rockford, IL. Hosted by Brandon Lutmer, Chip Copeland, & Patrick Delehanty (all friends). Recorded at MIA Studios by Mark Gustafson (my fiancee).


They (we) have always been very involved in the music scene. Mark and I (and Chip Copeland) met when we were in a band together (long story- another blog sometime)! We've also always been avid coffee drinkers. We used to stay out until morning at Denny's drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. This whole podcast idea evolved from the realization that these guys were gonna sit around for hours and talk about this stuff drinking coffee anyway. Why not record it and try to promote the music scene in the Midwest? We have a recording studio in our basement (that's what Mark does!). Makes sense to me!

So, anyway, take a listen, enjoy, subscribe, and get off your butt and go support your local music scene!


website: www.sockmonkeysound.com
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sock-Monkey-Sound/123770656064
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sockmonkeysound
email: sockmonkeysound@gmail.com

Locks of Love Donation

I've wanted to cut my hair and donate to Locks of Love for many years now, but my hair would always get long, I'd get tired of it, and just cut it telling myself I'd donate next time. Well, this time I finally did it! I haven't gone with short hair (above my collar bone) in at least a decade. I e-mailed my hair stylist to ask her what she thought about short hair for me and she was fully confident that she could make me look great. I thought about it some more and finally just set up an appointment. I was more determined to cut my hair to donate (it was really long and I was getting fed up with it) than I was concerned about the length anymore. Here are my before and after pictures! I am so happy with it! It's a great length and I love my color!

Before- Looooooooong hair

After- Back View



After- Front View!



Ponytail for Donation!

Charities and Christenings

So, I've been working a LOT lately. I wait tables and we've got servers leaving for college as well as a couple who have been training to switch to bartending. We're down 5 servers right now which means I'm working doubles and incredible close to overtime (very out of the ordinary for servers to reach that). But, I have found the time to complete a couple projects amidst my crazy work schedule. One was actually FOR work!

Old Chicago (the restaurant I work at) participated in a charity event called Martinis for Mosaic. The day before the event my manager asked if I'd be able to help make something to go along with the 'Mosaic' part for them to display things on at our table. One day! I'd usually give a deadline of 4-8 WEEKS! But I agreed and even brought materials into work so I could get going on it (since I had to work 2 of the 3 shifts in between when he asked and when they needed it!). I pulled through and made a neat mosaic on a tray for them to display our martini on (Pomegranate Mojitos). Here it is! I would have liked to do it a little different to make the letters stand out more, but this was all that time had to offer.
I also had my nephew's baptism this weekend. The first baptism we had after I got into glass, I made a stained glass cross for our present. Well, it's turned into our 'thing'. Any baptism we go to, I make a One of a Kind stained glass cross to give. Here's the one I made for my nephew. I had fun adding a few embelishments. The white was a little overpowering once I finished, so I added the twisted wire circle (crown of thorns?) in the center and added the solder dots to hold it in place and decorate.
Hope all is well where ever you are!

What a Fantastic Day!

Today was my daughter, Lyla's, 2nd birthday and we had an amazing day. It started off with both the kids sleeping in (nice for Mommy!). We went out for brunch to a little restaurant called Johnny Pamcakes. We had a great time. It seemed that Lyla knew it was 'her day'. She was super funny and extra cute! We came home and the kids took naps. I got a chance to work out. Then we headed to my work, Old Chicago, for an early dinner- PIZZA! The kids again were were awesome. They loved getting to meet my co-workers and vice versa. We had a special birthday cookie with ice cream there. After that we headed to Target for Lyla to pick out her present. She got a brand new Disney Princess tricycle and helmet with knee pads. We brought it home, had cake, then let Lyla ride around a bit before coming in for the night to watch "The Last Unicorn" (a movie I loved as a child and found that Lyla loves as well). Here are a couple pictures from tonight. Enjoy!

Getting Back On Track

I've been off my game the past week or two. Too much going on causing me to temporarily lose my mind. We had 2 deaths in our family over a matter of 24 hours- my grandfather and Mark's great aunt. We had all the services throughout the next week. As tough as it is to come to terms with a loved one passing, it really was nice seeing family and catching up. It was talking with them and remembering the good times that made everything easier for all of us. Thank you also to all of you who sent your thoughts and prayers to us.

But we've gotten through all that now and I'm getting back to normal. I've been able to get the kiln fired up a few times and am pretty happy with what came out. There were a few designs that have been floating around in my head that I finally put into glass. I do need to get to the gallery that I have some pieces at. I want to pick them up to photograph them and add them to my Etsy site. So keep an eye out! I don't only make glass jewelry! There will be more fused items and some of my stained glass pieces soon!

As for personal life, we're preparing for school. My son is only 4 1/2 years old, but he will be in his 2nd year of preschool. And I've got lots to do as co-president of the PTO *blushes*. We've got to figure out what fundraisers we'll be doing this year and I have registration that I'm helping out with next week. Sometimes I have to laugh, though, when I realize my "title". Liam was on a soccer team this summer, so technically I've turned into a "PTO Soccer Mom". I don't drive a minivan, but we do have a station wagon. I just find it funny that though I fall far from the typical pre-conceived image, I still fit into that category. I love busting people's stereotypes!