The Dirty Lowdown

Day 8

2011-01-08T20:44:00.001-06:00

Day 8, originally uploaded by Dirt Road South.

A perfect Cheshire moon tonight!

Day 7

2011-01-08T18:28:00.003-06:00

Already I'm a day behind. I've had zero energy... think I'm getting sick. I don't have time for all that, so I've been doubling up on vitamins and sucking down Emergen-C like nobody's business. We'll see how that works out.

Day 7, originally uploaded by Dirt Road South.
I took this shot this morning before heading to the coffee shop. I really like the way the fat little birdy looks.

PS: Don't take your 5 year old along when trying to photograph birds. The number of subjects diminish with each and every "PEW, PEW... I'm calling that brown one over here for you!" and "HEY! Haven't I gotten good at snapping my fingers?"

Day 6/365

2011-01-06T21:45:00.001-06:00

Day 6, originally uploaded by Dirt Road South.

I love the way the afternoon sun casts a warm, amber glow on everything around me. Today I had a little more time on my hands to really see and appreciate the things around me. What's not to love about that?!

Day 5/365

2011-01-06T12:41:00.003-06:00

Better late than never, right? I did actually take the shot yesterday, but it was late and I was tired so I'm just late getting it posted here. I just couldn't get happy with anything I shot yesterday... nothing made me ooh and aah the way I like to when I feel like I've really done a good job. But close to midnight, I had a choice of uploading one of the shots I'd taken or goin out like a sucka, so I uploaded...

Day 5, originally uploaded by Dirt Road South.

Cream cheese and Ms. Diane's homemade hot pepper jelly on Ritz pretzel crisps again. I can't get enough of this stuff. Anyway, this image reminds me I need to work on shooting subjects in low lighting and shooting dimly lit subjects. I'll just add that to my list of things to do...

Day 4/365

2011-01-04T22:26:00.000-06:00

Today was a great day! Kinda hectic, but great nonetheless. I grabbed this closeup of a scarf handmade by Shana Luke against a fabulous old cabinet at the Mocha Giraffe while we weren't too busy. I love the textures together!

Shana's Scarf... A Texture Study

The wood is the color of the afternoon sky today... a magnificent blue that accompanied higher temps than we had anticipated. Quite a pleasant surprise! Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday!

Day 3/365

2011-01-03T22:02:00.000-06:00

This was the view ahead of me on the way to pick up Will from school this afternoon...

Cottony Cloud Cover

I left the trees in the photo to preserve the perspective, and the photo is unedited with the exception of scaling it down to size. It was truly an awe-inspiring display. I had to keep reminding myself to keep my eyes on the road instead of my head in the clouds. Not all that unusual by any means.

Day 2/365

2011-01-02T20:52:00.000-06:00

Today was a lazy day. A do nothing and enjoy doing it day. A PJs til noon day. And we liked it that way. It was chilly outside, and when we finally had to get dressed and go somewhere, our wardrobe selections could hardly be considered "outfits". But we were comfortable, and we were happy. Because we were together.

Wanna walk a mile in my shoes? Pick another pair. These are my favorites.

These are my go-to shoes for days like today, and many, many other days. Some days we need comfort and familiarity to be happy. Sometimes we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations, treading on unfamiliar territory; but if we turn and run in the other direction, we may never travel our intended path to our eventual happiness. I choose to travel that path. The path may be long and happiness may not be waiting at the other end, but I'll never know unless I seek to find. I know I will learn and I know I will grow. The rest may be uncertain, but I think that's what makes it so exciting and adventurous. I may not know where my path will lead, but I plan to enjoy the journey.

Day 1/365

2011-01-01T15:32:00.000-06:00

Happy, happy new year! I hope today finds you happy, healthy and looking forward to an endless array of possibilities!

One of my reasons for beginning this project was to improve my photography and learn to use more of the bells and whistles on my camera so that I can get more out of it. Ironically, my first photo was taken with the camera on my phone. But I begin this project with an open mind... no rules, no limitations. So when the opportunity presented itself, I took the shot.

I took a photo of the rear view, cause I ain't lookin' back.

I hope to continue to seize opportunities as they arise, and not let them pass me by.

Join us on our journey!

2010-12-31T18:44:00.000-06:00

So I've committed to Project 365... that you know. But what you may not know is CAPow from windshield diaries is wrapping up her own Project 365 and starting another round. We thought we'd team up to help keep each other motivated for the 2011 Project 365, and then decided it would be much more fun if we asked our friends to join in! Sounds like fun, right? CAPow was kind enough to start us up a Flickr group so we can share our progress, and as if that's not enough... she created a blog button to smack on your side bar to let the world know you're gettin in on Project 365 too! Grab the code below and get in on the action...

Copy and Paste Code

Hello? Hello... Is this thing on?

2010-12-29T11:14:00.003-06:00

Yeah, I'm back. And back with a vengeance! Okay, so maybe not so much a vengeance, but more so a hardcore perseverance. It's been over a year. A year! It's hard to believe, but harder still to believe that for the past year, I've been allowing my life to run me rather than me running my life. I'm taking over again. I will run this show, and assign the roles as I see fit. I will be more proactive, rather than just reactive. I will love more, laugh more, stress less. I will find the right red lipstick and wear it. I will be me.

Big changes are in the works. Positive changes. And I want to share them with you... here. I'm embarking on a new journey and taking you along for the ride. As the new year begins, so will my Project 365... a daily visual journal of my evolution. For those of you who know me well, you can look forward to my return and know that 2010 was just a blip on the radar. For those of you who may not know me so well... well, you're about to get to know me a whole lot better, while I get to know myself again.

A new business (I'm talking brick & mortar, yall!), beginnings cleverly disguised as endings, and much more awaits. I can't wait to see what the new year brings! What will the new year bring for you?

Featured on etsy-love!

2009-11-26T21:39:00.007-06:00

So here I am, wallowing in my own self-induced post-Thanksgiving misery, when I find out a couple of my mosaic patchwork quilt pendants have been featured on etsy-love.com!

What a neat little site! If you aren't familiar with etsy-love, stop by today and check it out. While you're there, be sure to read Mississippi Mosaic, posted by admin today.

Thanks a bunch, ya'll! I hope you've all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, surrounded by friends and family and lots of love!

Featured on The Daily Blowhole!

2009-10-28T09:31:00.003-05:00

Eeegads! Has it really been that long since I've posted here? Yikes! In my defense, I've been a busy little bee lately... stocking up on supplies and materials for the holiday season, working on custom orders and getting the coffee shop stocked with new goodies, trying to enjoy the fabulous fall weather we've been having in South Mississippi and the general bussing of teenagers from one location to another have kept me pretty busy. So busy in fact, that Will and I crashed out in my bed last night with the light on and a book in our hands before 8:30. Then he peed in my bed since I didn't make him get up and go potty before he went to bed, but that's another post altogether. Yay, four year olds and their tiny bladders.

Anyway, being the lover of all things geeky that I am, I wanted to share a feature with you. Check out my dig-in danglies in Geektastic! on The Daily Blowhole! Who knows... you may even find something special for your favorite geek or dork!

I hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Featured in Quilter's Home Magazine!

2009-10-09T14:38:00.005-05:00

Squeeee! My most exciting feature yet! And I've had to keep this (somewhat) secret for sooooo long!

One of my mosaic patchwork quilt pendants is feature on page 15 of the October/November issue of Quilter's Home magazine! And the best part... editor Mark Lipinski found my pendant on my Etsy site!

Mark first contacted me back in April and asked if I would allow him to feature one of my pendants in the July/August issue of Quilter's Home. I was completely blown away! After speaking to Mark several more times, we decided to push the feature back to the October/November issue which hit new stands and major book stores all over the US and Canada on September 15th.

For all of you who may be wondering... yes, he is every bit as genuine and personable as he seems in his articles and interviews! He truly is a wonderful individual, and this experience has been absolutely incredible. Thanks, Mark, for featuring my pendant in your amazing magazine, and thanks to the rest of ya'll for happy dancin with me!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Featured on m on the side!

2009-10-05T13:57:00.003-05:00

I received a convo yesterday from the lovely Emily of mchen on Etsy letting me know she'd featured my Sweet Apple Studs on her wonderful blog, m on the side! Check out this colorful collection of apple items from her post An apple a decade...

Click on the photo or title to visit the post and find out where you can score these fabulous Etsy finds!

Thanks so much, Emily!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Woot, Front Page!

2009-10-02T09:27:00.005-05:00

One of my mosaic patchwork pendants took a ride on Etsy's front page Thursday night, as part of a collection entitled rustic autumn, curated by collage!

I can't find the screenshot... I think the Etsy Front Pagers lady has taken the weekend off. Ah well, I'm not gonna let that get in the way of my happy dancin.

Happy weekend ya'll!

Featured on The Red Deer!

2009-09-29T22:12:00.004-05:00

I received an email this morning from the lovely Alicia over at The Red Deer telling me she had featured one of my items on her weekly feature, Tuesday Etsy Picks! Check out my Delicious Donut Twist earrings in Donuts...

(click on the photo or title to visit the feature)

How sweet is that?! Stop by The Red Deer to find out where you can pick up these tasty Tuesday treats! And if that's not enough reason for you to stop by... you can also score a yummy new cupcake recipe or two, woohoo! (Or 36, but who's counting?!)

Featured on Etsy's Front Page!

2009-09-22T20:50:00.003-05:00

My orange stone tile danglies were featured on the front page of Etsy today, as part of this gorgeous collection curated by Munieca, entitled Welcome Autumn!

You can still check out the treasury until tomorrow at 7:24pm by clicking on the photo or title. What a nice surprise after the rough week I've had!

Hope your week is off to a great start!

I'm Alive

2009-09-21T10:27:00.006-05:00

So damn easy to say that life's so hard
Everybody's got their share of battle scars
As for me, I'd like to thank my lucky stars
that I'm alive and well...

It'd be easy to add up all the pain
And all the dreams you sat and watched go up in flames
Dwell on the wreckage as it smolders in the rain
But not me...I'm alive

And today you know that's good enough for me

Breathin' in and out's a blessing can't you see

Today's the first day of the rest of my life and I'm alive

And well...I'm alive and well

The stars are dancin' on the water here tonight

It's good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight

This boat has caught its wind and brought me back to life

now I'm alive and well

And today you know that's good enough for me

Breathin' in and out's a blessing can't you see

Today's the first day of the rest of my life and I'm alive

And well...I'm alive and well

Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews. The last song that Matt and I sang together... the song that Matt forgot. I heard this song yesterday as I returned home from staying with his family for the past week... trying my best to comfort them in their time of loss, doing whatever I could to help take care of the things that I could so they wouldn't have to worry with it. I washed dishes, made coffee, cleaned the bathroom. I kept the list of food and gifts of money that everyone brought so that when they were finally able to sit down and write out thank you notes they would know who brought what. I counted pills when members of the family couldn't remember if they'd taken them with everything that was going on. I held hands when that was what was needed, I held my tongue when cruel and insensitive words fell from the mouths of well-wishers with good intentions, reminding myself they just didn't have the good sense to know their words were inappropriate. I held Matt's 9 year old daughter after she heard the news and she came running to me and asked me to tell her it wasn't true. I held a shovel when the rain came after Matt was laid to rest and I knew the family would fall to pieces if they saw his grave that way. And after the first few days, I even held my food down.

I haven't been able to cry for Matt. I've cried for his brother, my best friend, who will have to see what he saw that night for the rest of his life. I cried for his mother, who I sat up with late into the night because she kept waiting for him to come through the back door. I cried for his biological mother, who has no more chances to try and make up for the things she's done in the past, and all of the things she hasn't done. I cried for his kids, who have so many questions that I can't answer, and for his niece and nephew who just want things to be the way they were before. I've cried for his father, who sits and looks at the place where it happened, and doesn't have the words to express all that he's thinking and feeling. I've cried over the memories of riding the 4-wheeler, shooting the 12 guage, throwing the football, watching the sun come up over the trees, and Matt's nickname for me and the fact that I'll never hear him call me that again. But I haven't been able to cry for Matt.

I walk a fine line between anger and pity. I feel pity for Matt because he had come to a point where he felt that death was the only way out, the only way to end his sorrow. I suffer from depression myself, but I've never gotten to that point before. I know that because I'm alive. I've been bad, but I've still been able to reach up for a hand to help lift myself back up out of the darkness that's consumed me. I feel pity for Matt because he thought he had passed that point, but I feel anger because he didn't give it one last try. I feel anger because his family, who I feel truly blessed to have in my life, is left to pick up the pieces, left to search for answers they won't ever find, left behind to deal with their loss and long suffer the sorrow that he opted out of. I feel anger because he had convinced himself that everyone he was leaving behind would be better off without him. I feel anger because I know that's not true, and I didn't have the chance to convince him of that. And then that anger fades a bit, and I'm back to pity again.

I feel, and I feel, and I feel. And I know he never will. Everyone else will, but Matt will feel no more. No more suffering, no more pain. May you rest in peace, Matthew Jarrod Havard. May you have finally found the peace you were so desperately seeking. May you finally know all that you meant to those around you, those you left behind. And may you be an example to others that there is help, there is hope.

If you suffer from depression, if you ever feel as though you've come to a point where there's no more you can do to help yourself, no more you can take, please muster up the strength and courage to give it one last try. Reach up, reach out. There is help, there is hope. Please find it in your heart to think of others instead of yourself... look around you and see all that you have, even if you feel as though you have nothing left. You're alive.

And today you know that's good enough for me

Breathin' in and out's a blessing can't you see

Today's the first day of the rest of my life and I'm alive

And well...I'm alive and well

Featured on FoundHandmade!

2009-09-12T16:40:00.004-05:00

I got an email today letting me know FoundHandmade has featured one of my mosaic patchwork quilt pendants on their blog today!

FALL BROWN is found under Finds of the Day. Stop by FoundHandmade and check out the other fall brown goodies they've found!

There's been a Southpaw Sighting!

2009-09-08T21:19:00.003-05:00

I got an Etsy convo today from the lovely Lori of Risky Beads letting me know I've been the victim of a Southpaw Sighting on Lefthand Madens! If you're not familiar with Lefthand Madens, you should definitely check it out... it's chock full of fabulous items made by (yep, you guessed it) Lefthand Madens! And why might that be? Because we're made of awesomeness. And how do I know this? Because Lori told me. Her name is Lori and she's lefthanded... she must be all right.

and the winners are...

2009-09-08T08:17:00.005-05:00

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in my Etsyversary giveaway! This was a lot of fun for me, and I really enjoyed reading everyone's posts on their favorite items and hearing their feedback! Here are the results for the drawing...

The winner of the $20 gift certificate is Dee.

The winner of the $10 gift certificate is Jaci.

And the winner of the $5 gift certificate is Aquarian Bath.

Congratulations to our winners! I had so much fun, I also chose a 4th number, yay!

Michelle has also won, and she gets 25% off of any item in my Etsy shop, to be used at any time!

And the rest of you also win... if you participated in the giveaway you'll receive 10% off of any item in my shop as well! Just enter "Etsyversary giveaway" in the notes to seller at checkout and I'll refund your 10% via PayPal after the transaction is complete.

Thanks so much for helping to make my very first Etsyversary super special ya'll! I hope you all have a wonderful week!

and the winner for the most unflattering photo ever published is...

2009-09-05T10:08:00.007-05:00

yep, you guessed it... it's me. Here I am, teaching an Intro to Beading Class at the Pass Christain library in July, complete with angry eyebrows. I promise I wasn't angry. I actually kind of enjoyed the class. This photo in the Gazebo Gazette says otherwise...

I have no idea what I was saying at the time this photo was taken, but if I didn't know better I would think it was something along the lines of "What the f*ck is wrong with you? It's beading, not brain surgery!" Check out the girl on the left... "oh dear God, please help us!"

*sigh*

I guess they can't all be good photos. I would just prefer the photos that I take while molding and shaping young minds wouldn't make me look like a serial killer.

Hope you all have a happy holiday weekend! If you haven't entered my Etsyversary giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 3 gift certificates to my Etsy shop, you've still got 2 days to get in on it!

Featured on Tip-Tops-Spot!

2009-09-04T17:45:00.003-05:00

My friend Lisa of Tip-Tops Designs surprised me today with a super sweet feature on her lovely blog! It's shocking that Lisa would even still associate with me, given my penchant for busting into giggles like a 6 year old girl when she mentions the term "korker", so I was completely blown away when she featured my shop on her blog today! Stop by and check out Shhh! It's a Secret.. and while you're there, check out her korkers, ha! Here's a sneak peak at Lisa's Halloween Korker...

Oh, come on... you know it's a fun word. Just say it. It even sounds a bit dirty doesn't it?

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday weekend!

Featured on Stuff Under Twenty!

2009-09-03T13:17:00.004-05:00

Earlier this week, N + S of Stuff Under Twenty let me know they were going to feature one of my items on their incredible blog this week! Stuff Under Twenty is a fabulously fun blog for recessionistas... a couple of ladies in their twenties who have jobs and responsibilities but balance them with their love for sharing their fantastic (and affordable!) finds with the rest of us. Needless to say, I'm quite honored to be featured there! Check out R: mosaic pendant...

A special thanks to N + S for including my pendant on their lovely blog!

Hope you're all having a great Thursday afternoon! Don't forget to enter my Etsyversary giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 3 gift certificates to Dirt Road South on Etsy!

Featured on UniqueDaily.com!

2009-09-02T08:37:00.013-05:00

I have no idea who's behind this, but I'd like to find out so I can give them a big ol' hug!

UniqueDaily.com has featured not 1, not 2, not 3, but FOUR of my items in the last couple of days! Click on the photo to go to the original post on UniqueDaily.com!

A special note to the person responsible: I love you.

Hope you're all having a wonderful Wednesday!

Happy Etsyversary Giveaway!

2009-09-01T22:06:00.004-05:00

Although I didn't actually start selling items on Etsy until the middle of January, I technically signed up as a seller on September 7th of last year... Happy Etsyversary to me! I knew from the moment I signed up on Etsy that this was going to become a big part of my life... I had a lot to learn, and that meant I had a lot of research to do. I also needed time to create, which was at a minimum while I was working full time and burning the candle at both ends.

I've come a long way since then, and I've met some amazing people. I've managed to get a few sales under my belt, reprioritize and restructure, and finally put myself in the position to create full time. I've been able to cut out some not-so-productive habits and some not-so-supportive individuals and create an atmosphere of positivity and creativity that I hadn't known existed before. I couldn't be happier, and I'm ready to celebrate!

So on September 7, 2009, my 1 Year Etsyversary, I'll be giving away 3 (yep, THREE!) gift certificates to my shop on Etsy! At 7pm I'll be choosing 3 numbers via the True Random Number Generator on random.org from all eligible entries.

The author of the eligible comment that correlates with the 1st number chosen will receive a $20 gift certificate.
The author of the eligible comment that correlates with the 2nd number chosen will receive a $10 gift certificate.
The author of the eligible comment that correlates with the 3rd number chosen will receive a $5 gift certificate.

How to enter: (leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to include a valid email address or Etsy shop address so I have a way to contact you in case you win!)

1. Visit Dirt Road South. Come back and leave a comment telling me which item in my shop is your favorite and why.

2. Follow this blog publicly via the widget to the right. If you're already following, that counts too... just post a comment letting me know. If you're reading this post as a note on Facebook, you can follow along here. Leave me a comment with your blogger ID.

3. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to The Dirty Lowdown. Leave a comment with a link to your blog post.

4. Tweet about this giveaway and include @DirtRoadSouth. Leave a comment and let me know you tweeted the link. You can tweet as much as you want, I don't mind! Just be sure to leave a separate comment each time you do.

5. Become a fan of Dirt Road South on Facebook. Leave me a comment and include your Facebook name. If you're already a fan, that counts too... just post a comment here letting me know.

And that's it... easy peasy! So what are you waiting for?! Get your entries in now... let's get to celebratin!

Holy smokes... 2 FPs in 2 Days!

2009-08-31T17:38:00.005-05:00

How freakin cool is that?! After my kiwi studs were featured the day before, one of my patchwork mosaic pendants debuted on Etsy's front page yesterday, as part of a collection curated by chicalessia!

Be sure to check out chicalessia's beads, other beauties and dainty jewelry when you have a minute... you'll be glad you did!

Having Breakfast on Etsy's Front Page!

2009-08-30T14:51:00.005-05:00

My Cute Kiwi Studs were on Etsy's front page this morning, as part of this incredible breakfast collection curated by outofthepinksky!

How fun is this?! I fell in love with it when I saw it, which is really no surprise since we all know how I feel about food, and breakfast food is certainly no exception!

Thanks so much to outofthepinksky for including me in your tasty treasury!

Stop by outofthepinksky today and check out the fun and original everyday earrings, odd and unusual earrings, fancy upscale earrings and some fabulous pendants and charms! You won't be disappointed.

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Woot! Featured on the OC Weekly!

2009-08-26T21:59:00.004-05:00

The fabulous Steph Calvert of Gettin' Made on the OC Weekly featured my Aloha Fabulous Flamingo ring today!

Stop by OC Weekly and check out Gettin' Made: The Not So Endless Summer and leave a little dirt road love if you feel so inclined! You could also stop by Steph's shop, Hearts and Laser Beams, check out some of her stuff, and get your hot pink glue gun panties while they're hot, hot, hot!

Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Featured on pandacub cafe!

2009-08-25T09:03:00.004-05:00

I got a convo yesterday morning from the lovely Stephanie of pandacub on Etsy letting me know she had featured my Tiny Little Spot of Coffee Ring on her wonderful blog, the pandacub cafe! Here's a little sneak peek of her feature on coffee related items...

Who doesn't love coffee?! Read more about this cafe collection and learn where you can score these fun and fabulous finds by checking out Stephanie's blog post "pandacub wants...coffee"!

Thanks so much, Stephanie!

Full Frontal Exposure!

2009-08-24T09:01:00.004-05:00

That's right... I lucked up and got a spot on the front page again last week, yay! I know, I know... it was last week and I'm just getting around to blogging about it now. Everything's been nuts on the dirt road lately... kids going back to school, my new subcontracting gig that's been sucking the life out of me, trying to stay afloat on custom orders and requests, and I don't even want to talk about my consignments... ugh, I'm so far behind! But I'm catching up, slowly but surely, and hope to be blogging more frequently in the near future and maybe even *gasp!* posting daily again as well! But I did want to share this with you while I had a quick minute to check in... it's my little birdie ring on Etsy's front page!

Hope you all have a great week!

Featured on Libertydoll Creations!

2009-08-09T21:29:00.004-05:00

Marissa at Libertydoll Creations was kind enough to feature my Toaster Necklace on her blog this weekend! If you've got a moment, stop by Marissa's blog and check out her feature or stop by her shop on ArtFire and show her some love!

Thanks Marissa!

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Featured on the long thread!

2009-07-31T20:26:00.003-05:00

My Floral Spots and Dots bobbies were included in the Etsy Finds Friday feature on the long thread today! These are my newest bobbies and my favorites so far. I just listed them last night, so imagine my surprise when I got a convo from Ellen of the long thread this morning letting me know she had featured my work!

If you're not familiar with the long thread, you should definitely check it out. You'll find sewing tips and techniques, lots of crafty links, plenty of gorgeous photos and tons of helpful information. You can even stay up to date with what's going on at the long thread by following Ellen on Twitter.

Stop by the long thread today and check out my bobbies on Etsy Finds Friday! While you're there, tell Ellen I said thanks for including my work along with that of so many fabulous Etsy artisans!

Happy weekend yall!

Treasury Love - sej79!

2009-07-30T09:10:00.003-05:00

Sooooo... I've seriously fallen off the treasury love wagon lately yall. I've missed more than I'd like to admit this last week, but I should be able to keep up better now that another baseball season has come to a close. On Tuesday night, the season wrapped up with the boys taking 3rd place in the state, and by last night my house was finally and completely devoid of teenage boys with the exception of the one that actually lives here. So here's to getting caught up and getting back to some sweet, sweet treasury lovin!

And to kick it off, my beautiful blue bubble bobbies have been included in this soothing blue marine treasury curated by sej79! Check out Blue Marine; A few of my favorites!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, July 30th at 7:24pm)

sej79 is a buyer on Etsy, and you know how I feel about buyers! Stop by the treasury and click and comment and let sej79 know how you feel about buyers too!

Thanks yall! Hope you're all having a happy Thursday!

Scored a Spot on Etsy's Front Page!

2009-07-28T21:49:00.007-05:00

My gorgeous grapefruit studs made it to the front page last night, yay! I missed it (again!) but got the screen shot...

Selected by Etsy admin... I'm a lucky girl!

Hope you're all having a great week!

Featured on Unlimited Possibilities in Our Unique World!

2009-07-22T22:24:00.004-05:00

I've fallen off the blogging wagon with all of this baseball we've had going on lately. Last Friday marked the start of the state championships for 14 year old all-star baseball, and I've been up to my eyeballs in baseball and boys ever since. Every morning it looks as if a bomb has gone off in my living room because of all the bodies everywhere. I've spent a fortune in gas, gate fees and groceries and should probably own stock in Shout stain spray, but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way! This morning I found myself with a few moments to try and catch up and I wanted to share something with you.

Last Wednesday, my amazing friend Karen of JMJ Creations on Etsy completely blew me away with a surprise feature on her lovely blog, Unlimited Possibilities in Our Unique World. Karen is an artist and designer living and working in Oroville, California, a wonderfully positive person and a fellow member of Unique Women in Business. Her Etsy shop is full of gorgeous goodies and bright, colorful jewels that show off her creativity and attention to detail as well as her evident passion for jewelry design and artistry. If you have a moment, stop by and check out her feature on my Etsy shop and maybe even leave a little love while you're there! But don't forget to stop by JMJ Creations and take a peek at some of Karen's work... you'll be glad you did!

Thanks so much Karen, not only for the fabulous feature but for being such an incredible friend!

Treasury Love - Woodcrafts & Candles!

2009-07-22T12:17:00.003-05:00

Woodcrafts & Candles curated this gorgeous treasury and included my minty green popsicle posts! Check out Celodon Aqua and Mint, A few of my favorites!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, July 23rd at 4:07am)

You may remember Woodcrafts & Candles from a previous post. Kathy and her husband work together to bring you gorgeous pens, keyrings, bottle stoppers, birdhouses, and magnets in addition to countless incredible scents of pillar candles, votive candles, tarts and more. They even have a Christmas in July section in their shop right now, so stop by today and score you a fabulous gift item for a special someone on your list or maybe even for a little something for yourself! But I'm giving you fair warning though... once you've smelled one of Kathy's fabulous candles, you're going to want to sniff them all!

Featured on Runako Designs Girls Night Out!

2009-07-20T18:54:00.003-05:00

My friend Dee of Runako Designs on Etsy has featured my Dig in Danglies on her lovely new blog, Girls Night Out!

Girls Night Out is a fun new blog Dee started so we'd have a spot to hang out with the girls on Friday and Saturdays when we can't get out of the house. She's got tons of great stuff planned like spa nights and scavenger hunts, and started this weekend off right with a fabulous slumber party in Paris, complete with a giveaway of a pair of Dee's fabulous earrings!

Stop by Girls Night Out and join in on the fun! While you're there, be sure to check out Monday's Mesmerizor - Dig in Danglies!

A Celebration of Hearts - Tocute4U!

2009-07-18T09:58:00.011-05:00

I recently came across a neat little shop that I wanted to share with all of you. Tocute4U sells fun little puffs called "snugs". What is a snug? I'm glad you asked!

As described at Tocute4U: This cute little puff ball comes to you from trees right in your backyard. Some loose there balance and fall out seeking human life. They are curious little puffs looking for someone to play with. Maybe that someone is you.

Here are just a few examples of snugs...

Pink Flamingo Snug

This snug was found playing with the flamingo's in Florida. She loved the way they looked so much, she disguised herself as one.

She is such a diva.

This snug is about 5-6 inches tall.

Pixie Dust Snug by Emily

The one you are looking at is named Pixie. She is one of my mythical creatures snugs. She loves magic tricks and fairy world.

This cute little snug is about 5 inches tall.

Sea Coral Snug by Emily

The one you are looking at is named Coral. She is from the deep blue sea. I went to the beach the other day and found her playing in the sea weed. She loves sand and sea foam.

This cute little snug is about 5 inches tall and 6 inches wide.

Since coming across Tocute4U, I've had the priviledge of getting to know the designer and creator of these sweet little snugs, and the brains and brawn behind the business with a successful record of 20 sales on Etsy. Her name is Emily, and here's the dirty lowdown... Emily is 10 years old.

Emily came up with the idea for her snugs while shopping at a local craft store last November and has been creating them ever since. Her mother, who also has a shop on Etsy called Fluttons, says that Emily has always been the creative type and has been crafting for a long time. When she's not creating snugs for her Etsy shop, Emily enjoys doing other crafts with friends, riding her bike, swimming at the pool and of course, as any good Etsian can attest to, browsing on Etsy!

Because her mother is an illustrator and graphic designer, Emily does get a bit of help with her packaging ideas, but the rest of the responsibility of her business rests in Emily's own capable hands. She constantly generates new ideas for her business, and plans to expand her business in the future by adding Femo clay snug charms to her Etsy shop. She also wants to learn to crochet, sew and make resin charms because as Emily says "It would help my business grow."

A ten year old girl with the drive to create, the desire to make money from her own creations, and plans to grow and expand her business in the near future? Is it any wonder that Emily's stolen my heart? Anyone who has children, knows children, or has ever been a child themselves knows that there are no limits to what children are capable of if given the right guidance and support. I applaud Emily's mother, because although she downplayed her role in Emily's business to only assisting with packaging from time to time, we all know that she's done much, much more than that in helping Emily get to where she is today. With continued support and encouragement, there's no limit to what Emily can accomplish with her business in the near future, and I hope to have the opportunity to have a front row seat to watch. Hang on yall... it's gonna be one heck of a ride!

Featured on Dusting in Pearls!

2009-07-17T20:08:00.004-05:00

My sassy orange slice studs have been featured on Dusting in Pearls!

Dusting in Pearls is the brain baby of my new friend and fellow member of Unique Women in Business, Cindy Garber Iverson. A behind the scenes look at the store with the same name, Dusting in Pearls is a celebration of all things pink, oh-so-girly and absolutely fabulous, so it's quite an honor to be featured on such a site! Stop by and check out "Summer" when you've got a moment to click around and take a peek at all of the other fabulous finds on Cindy's blog... you'll be glad you did, and Cindy will be glad to have you!

Treasury Love - Scraps of Paper!

2009-07-17T08:21:00.003-05:00

Scraps of Paper recently curated this fabulous collection of interesting Etsy items and included my Bright Moroccan Delight necklace! Take a peek at Morocco; Still waiting to go on holiday here...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Saturday, July 18th at 4:26am)

Scraps of Paper is a fun little shop on Etsy featuring paper goods created from recycled paper products like discarded library books and old envelopes. There you will find cards and stationery, blank books, incredible collages and limited edition gocco prints on recycled materials! And here's a fun little fact about Scraps... she LOVES postcards and postmarks... convo her for her mailing address, send her a postcard and she'll do the same for you! Sometimes all it takes is a moment of your time and a buck or two to make someone's day. It's a good habit to get into. You just can't put a price on what you get back out of it. Alright, that's enough of the mama soapbox stuff for today... stop by Scraps of Paper and sneak a peek at her super fun paper goodies! While you're there, be sure to tell her thanks for including my necklace in her gorgeous treasury, and when I'm all rich and famous we'll visit Morocco together!

Treasury Love - ebaur1029!

2009-07-16T20:46:00.003-05:00

ebaur1029 recently curated this gorgeous wedding treasury and included my spring tulips mosaic votive! Check out Wedding Be Bold! Bright on white!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 10:51pm on Friday, July 17th)

What a fabulously fun and colorful wedding this would be!

ebaur1029 is a buyer on Etsy, so there's no shop feature to go along with this post. However, I do appreciate each and every treasury that includes my work and this one is no exception. One look at the treasury will tell you that a lot of time and effort went into curating such a gorgeous collection of fantastic Etsy items, and I wanted to give it the recognition it deserves. Not to mention, where would we as sellers on Etsy be without our fabulous buyers?! So I'd like to thank ebaur1029 for including my work in this amazing arrangement of gorgeous goodies!

Hope you're all having a great Thursday night! I can almost see the weekend from here...

Treasury Love - Sigmosaics!

2009-07-16T09:32:00.006-05:00

My little cuppycake mosaic votive has been featured in this fabulous collection of craftiness curated by my friend Kerrin of Sigmosaics entitled oceanic coolness and warmth!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 2:45pm on Friday, July 17th)

By now you're probably familiar with Kerrin's marvelous mosaic work, since I don't keep it a secret that I'm a huge fan of not only her work, but of Kerrin as an individual as well! What you may not be familiar with is Kerrin's other passion... creating fun and functional magnets that are cute and colorful, with the same attention to detail and superior craftsmanship that makes Kerrin's mosaics so amazing. She's recently opened a second shop on Etsy, Signified, to give her magnets a permanent platform of their very own. There you'll find fabulous magnets and magnet sets and my own personal favorite...

Kerrin's Chicken Magnet!

How fun is this?! It makes me smile, as does all of Kerrin's work.

Stop by Sigmosaics or Signified today and show Kerrin some love! While you're there, tell her I said thanks for including my votive in her latest amazing curation and for being such an fantastic friend!

Treasury Love - FashionTouch!

2009-07-15T16:01:00.003-05:00

My fab friend Elena of FashionTouch curated this pretty pink treasury and included my fat free donut danglies! Check out PINK. A few of my favorites!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, July 16th at 8:22am)

You may remember Elena from a previous post. She's a fellow member of Unique Women in Business and creator of unique and affordable accessories and jewelry for sale in her shop on Etsy. Not only does Elena currently have a Christmas in July sale section in her shop, but she's also offering 10% off of each additional item after your purchase of any item at regular price! So stop by FashionTouch today and get a start on your holiday shopping for the fashionable peeps on your Christmas list! While you're there, be sure to tell Elena I said hello and thanks for including my earrings in her super sweet pink treasury!

a few words on South Mississippi heat...

2009-07-15T09:59:00.004-05:00

My awesome friend Amy sent this to me in an email last night, and I thought I'd share it with all of you here. Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday with lots of AC!

Dear Diary:

May 30th: My husband and I just moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi from up North. Now this is a city that knows how to live!! Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! Watched the sunset from a park lying on a blanket. It was beautiful. I've finally found my home. I love it here.

June 10th: It’s really heating up. Got to 100 today! Not a problem. Live in an air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun everyday like this. I'm turning into a sun worshiper.

June 14th: Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing the lawn for us! Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

June 30th: The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting used to the heat and humidity is taking longer than I expected.

July 10th: Fell asleep by the pool. (Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body.) Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson though. Got to respect the ole' sun in a climate like this.

July 15th: I missed Morgan (our cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning. By the time I got to the hot car for lunch, Morgan had died and was swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stank up the $2,000 leather upholstery. I told the kids that she ran away. The car now smells like Kibbles and shits. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.

July 20th: The wind sucks. It feels like a giant blow dryer!! And it's hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the A/C repairman charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts!

July 21st: Been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. $1,500 in house payments and we can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

July 22nd: It's 105 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today.. It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85, but this humidity makes the house feel like it's about 95. Dumb repairman peed in my pool. I hate this stupid city!

July 23rd: If another wiseass cracks "Hot enough for you today?" I'm going to strangle him. By the time I get to work the radiator is boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!

July 24th: Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts and sat on the black leather seats in the car. I lost two layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs. Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

July 25th: The weather report might as well be a recording: Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do anything for two months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. How can it WARM UP when it’s already 1000 freakin’ degrees? Doesn't it ever rain in this desert?? Water rationing will be next, so I might as well watch $1700 worth of cactus just dry up and blow into the pool! Even the cactus can't live in this heat!

July 26th: Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to 105 today. Forgot to crack the window and blew the windshield out of the car. The installer came to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?"

My husband had to spend the $1500 house payment to bail me out of jail.

Dang South! WHAT KIND OF A SICK DEMENTED PERSON WOULD WANT TO LIVE HERE!?!??!!

Treasury Love - DefiantDamsel!

2009-07-14T13:24:00.003-05:00

My teal retro glam ring has been included in this eye-popping treasury curated by DefiantDamsel! Check out Electric Blue, a few of my favorites!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 9:56am on Thursday, June 16th)

It doesn't take long to figure out that DefiantDamsel doesn't use your grandmaw's cross-stitch patterns for the fabulous creations in her shop. From an angry, knife-wielding milk carton of doom magnet to a 12"x12" portrait of Joan Jett stitched in purple and black, DefiantDamsel offers fun and funky cross-stitch treasures that illustrate a mastery of her craft and attention to detail as well as her ability to take cross-stitch to the next level by blazing a new trail where patterns are concerned.

Her secret? "I stitch things that make me happy :-)"

Well, it works. The things she stitches make me happy too! Stop by DefiantDamsel today and start getting some ideas for Christmas gifts for the folks you love the most. I know you have someone in mind that would adore you forever if you hooked them up with an 8"x10" stitched Pabst Blue Ribbon emblem... don't disappoint them with another pair of stretchy sleep pants again this year!

Featured on Stylestance Daily!

2009-07-13T11:23:00.002-05:00

Linda over at Stylestance Daily has featured my Etsy shop on her lovely blog today! Stop by and check out Stylestance Meets Etsy: Dirt Road South, and leave some love if you're so inclined. There just may be a bonus discount code in the comments for ya!

For those of you who may not be familiar with Stylestance, here's the dirty lowdown, as jacked from the Stylestance profile...

What is Stylestance? STYLE + SUBSTANCE. Stylestance is a thing of beauty that has a deeper purpose behind it. Stylestance can be a simple yet life-changing product. Fashion that serves a dual purpose, even if that purpose is just to make us feel good. A beautiful item lovingly made by hand. A company or service that sets out to change the world. And stylestance can be embodied by a person with effortless style who does meaningful work. Stylestance Daily is my forum for new stylestance discoveries. I strive for stylestance every day.

Linda, thanks so much for the super sweet feature... you rock!

My week's off to a great start, thanks to Linda and her Stylestance Daily feature! Hope your week is off to a great start as well!

Treasury Love - Sigmosaics!

2009-07-13T10:54:00.003-05:00

I heard my fabulous friend Kerrin of Sigmosaics (and now also Signified on Etsy... check out her new shop and show her some love!) had included me in her latest treasury and I was planning on featuring it and her shop here today because I thought it expired this afternoon. Ooops... looks like I missed one, eek! I can't find the treasury, so I assume it's expired. Hooray for starting the week off one step behind! Yes, I do realize my sarcasm kinda loses a little something when I'm typing, but I thought I'd throw some your way anyway.

Kerrin, thanks so much for including me in your latest treasury, which I'm sure was absolutely amazing, as all of your treasuries are! And even though I suck and missed it and can't feature your treasury or shop here, I still adore you and hope you have a fabulous week with your kids before they have the go back to school soon!

Treasury Love - artsyphartsy!

2009-07-12T23:56:00.005-05:00

That's right yall... the Treasury Queen is at it again! This time artsyphartsy's curated a lovely collection of earthtone items. Check out her latest: Earthy Delights... great art in earth tones.

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 3:33am on Monday, July 13th)

Kathleen of artsyphartsy and artsyhandpaints is always doing so much for everyone else, from offering words of kindness and support to blowing them away with a random act of kindness. This week she surprised one of our mosaic friends with an amazing work of art. Check out Tess, created for Judy of Red Crow Arts...

Now here's a picture of Tess, after a birthday trip to the groomer.

How awesome is that?! Who wouldn't love to have a custom mosaic of their fur baby for a special occasion? I can't think of anyone who wouldn't. And guess who offers custom orders? You guessed it... Kathleen is happy to oblige your custom request and will provide photos and updates along the way to ensure your absolute satisfaction with your mosaic purchase. Send her a convo at her shop on Etsy so she can get started on the custom order that will make this Christmas the best one yet for your favorite pet lover!

Thanks, artsy, for including my toaster necklace in your latest curation!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Featured on the front page of Etsy!

2009-07-12T19:34:00.003-05:00

The gazpacho treasury curated by KnotOriginal made it to the front page this morning! I missed this one too, but I lucked up and got the screen shot...

My little homegrown tomato studs sold shortly afterwards. Thanks, KnotOriginal... great job!

Treasury Love - Woodcrafts & Candles!

2009-07-12T13:27:00.004-05:00

It's Christmas in July on Etsy! WoodcraftsandCandles has curated this cheery Christmas in July treasury featuring items from shops that are having sales or offering discounts and/or free shipping!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Sunday, July 12th at 3:58pm)

Woodcrafts & Candles is owned and operated by a husband and wife team in Coventry. Mr. Woodcrafts has been working with wood for over 30 years, and Mrs. Candles has done extensive research and experimenting with materials and processes in order to bring their customers the best burning and most highly scented candles that money can buy. And you're in luck... they're having their own Christmas in July sale, offering sweet discounts on fabulous items like their incredible wooden pens, candles, tarts/wickless candles, gorgeous hand turned wooden Christmas ornaments and more! Be sure to check out their hella long list of amazing available scents on their profile page, and feel free to drop them a note with any questions you may have about their incredible items!

A special thanks to Woodland Crafts & Candles for including my cherry cheesecake ring in their fun and festive treasury!

Hope you're all enjoying a wonderful Sunday afternoon!

Treasury Love - KnotOriginal!

2009-07-11T09:14:00.004-05:00

Oooh... now you know this one is right up my alley! My little homegrown tomato studs have been included in the yummy treasury curated by KnotOriginal... gazpacho!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 9:52pm on Sunday, July 12th)

Sharon of KnotOriginal is an opinionated, stubborn, sarcastic wife, daughter, dog mom, cook, accountant, finder of lost socks, business manager, problem solver, caregiver, artist and knitter who is cared for and loved by many in Gig Harbor, Washington. In her shop on Etsy, you'll find original one of a kind designs featuring wearable knit fiber art, eco-friendly clothing, and large scale colorful artwork. Handknit scarves, cowls and scarflettes, sweaters and shrugs, and capelets and wraps are some of the goodies you'll find there, as well as original fine art, second chances eco-friendly repurposed clothing and fun why knots knit jewelry and accessories! That should be enough to keep you busy for a little while, but when you're done browsing KnotOriginal, you can head on over to Sharon's other shop and feed your vintage addiction in just 13steps!

Thanks, Sharon, for including my tomato earrings in your brilliant treasury. If you're feeling really generous, you're welcome to share your secret recipe for your yummy gazpacho right herre... I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated! * update... Sharon shares her recipe in the first comment below, woot! Thanks so much, Sharon! *

Happy weekend yall! Hope it's off to a great start for all of you!

Treasury Love - maybeads!

2009-07-09T11:02:00.006-05:00

Alright ya'll, it's time to get back to some sweet, sweet treasury lovin'! Before I do, I would like to thank those of you who have contacted me with prayers and support for Maddie... I heard from her mom last night and she's truly grateful for the outpouring of kindness we're generating here. Prayers and warm, positive, healing thoughts are coming in from Mississippi, Virginia, Oregon, California, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia and in Brooklyn, New York, a candle was lit for Maddie last night (thanks, M!). Ya'll rock! I'm a lucky girl indeed to have such wonderfully kind friends, and I'm very grateful!

And as my luck continues, my toaster necklace has been included in this fantastic treasury curated by maybeads... small but MIGHTY; Good things come in small packages!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Friday, July 10th at 5:54pm)

A visit to maybeads on Etsy makes me happier than a fat kid let loose in a candy store! I don't know which direction to go in first, but I know whichever way I choose, there's something fabulous waiting there for me! Ya'll know how I feel about glass, and Lauren's lampwork beads are fabulously fun, funky, bright and colorful, shiny little glass treasures that make me smile and wish I lived closer to Illinois so she could teach me to do that!

At maybeads you'll find lampwork beads of all types... dogs and cats, rats and mice, turtles and owls, moo cows and penguins, as well as a host of other animals and critters. She has focals and bead sets, and you can even pick up a fire hydrant to go with your whatever dog bead you choose! Lauren also has jewelry and cell phone charms made from her lampwork creations, and even has a sale and destash section where you can pick up some of her handiwork on the cheap! Just don't buy this set, because it's my personal favorite and I'm going to scoop them up as soon as I can beef my PayPal account up after paying my Etsy fees for last month... eeew!

Beer and a Hot Dog Handmade Lampwork Charm Beads

by maybeads

Thanks for including my necklace in your awesome treasury, Lauren!

Hope you're all having a happy Thursday!

If you're the praying kind...

2009-07-08T19:49:00.007-05:00

I would like to ask you to pray that this year is a better year for Madison Mingloski.

A year ago, at 19 months old, Maddie was diagnosed with High Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia MLL trans.4;11. In the year that's followed, Maddie has undergone 17 blood transfusions, 6 platelet transfusions, 18 lumbar punctures to administer chemotherapy, and 3 bone marrow aspirations. She's had approximately 45 clinic visits and 75 inpatient hospital stays. When she's not in the hospital, her trips outside and her visits with friends and family are limited... the risk of illness is just too great to take any chances with her recovery.

Now in remission, Maddie continues to undergo intense and extensive chemotherapy treatments in an attempt to beat this monster and reclaim the life that this little girl deserves... a normal life. This is the only life Maddie's ever known... she's a trooper, a warrior, an angel, and her family thanks God every day that they've had another day with her in it. Luckily, she was blessed with an amazing family... a family I know well. Looking into her eyes is like looking into the eyes of her Aunt Tracey the same way I did every day for so many days of my life. I ask that you remember her in your prayers, and if you're not the praying type, that's okay too... please send warm, happy, healing thoughts and positive vibes that this next year of her life is a year where she can leave this illness behind and live a life filled with only happy tears, surrounded by family and friends.

This is Maddie... I wanted to share a video that her mother, Glenda, made in honor of her 1 year crapaversary, as it's so lovingly referred to by chemo moms. I just wanted you to see who you're helping by sending prayers and good vibes. It's a long video, just over 11 minutes long. You don't have to watch the whole thing. I can't make it all the way through without tearing up, and I don't expect you to either. But I'm hoping that the video will make Maddie Lu a bit more accessible to you so you remember her tonight, tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. You can help her beat this.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thank you!

It's Christmas in July at Dirt Road South!

2009-07-08T00:41:00.014-05:00

Merry Christmas in July ya'll!

That's right, it's time to get a head start on your holiday shopping! I have a Christmas in July sale section set up in my Etsy shop, and I'm offering BUY 3 GET 1 FREE store-wide! Yep... buy any 3 items, get the 4th item of equal or lesser value absolutely FREE! Refunds via PayPal after the transaction is complete and payment has cleared.

So what are you waiting for? Get your shop on!

Score goodies for only 3 bucks...

... and much, much more! Stop by Dirt Road South today and get your holiday shopping started off right!

Treasury Love - Ginger Cat Press!

2009-07-07T21:05:00.007-05:00

Tara from Ginger Cat Press has done it again! Check out her latest curation... Green With Envy!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Wednesdsay, July 8th at 2:21am)

You might remember Tara from a recent post. When I received a convo from her letting me know she'd included my bobby pins in her latest treasury, you should've seen the look on my face. This would probably be an accurate depiction...

Party Animals Original Acrylic Mini Painting - 4 X 6

What a fun painting! Tara's work is so fun and full of life, and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know she thinks enough of my work to include it in her lovely treasury.

Thanks so much, Tara! I tip my party hat to you!

Treasury Love - artsyphartsy!

2009-07-07T09:17:00.005-05:00

Kathleen's at it again ya'll! I love her wonderful curations, because they always include some of my favorite Etsy artisans and fellow mosaic peeps. This one is no exception. Check out Summery Greens...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Tuesday, July 7th at 11:46am)

You might remember artsyphartsy from several previous posts... it's no secret that I'm such a big fan of not only her work, but Kathleen as a person as well. This treasury includes some other peeps that I'm also a fan of. Be sure to stop by the following featured shops and find out why:

the studio julen

joyful art studio

Kari Crump Mosaics

MosaicSmith

Low Bridge Artworks

SigMosiacs

ArtsyHandPaints

If you're looking for the finest in mosaic artwork on Etsy, your journey starts here. And in case I haven't said it lately, I love ya'll!

Hope your week is off to a great start! We're finally getting the rain we've been waiting on for so long, and I hadn't realized how much I missed the sound of it pounding on the metal roof! I hope you all take time this week to be thankful for the little things that make your life a little bit better!

Featured on Second Hand News Handmade!

2009-07-06T23:35:00.006-05:00

I just found out my What's Poppin' Popcorn Danglies listed in my ArtFire studio were featured in a fun blog post on Second Hand News Handmade! What a nice surprise from fellow ArtFire artisan SecondHandNews. If you've got a minute, stop by and show some dirt road lovin!

Treasury Love - Anna Tinklenberg!

2009-07-06T09:26:00.004-05:00

Morocco is at the very top of my list of places I'd like to visit someday. I can't wait to see all of the vivid colors, patterns and textures while I'm taking in all of the sights. I know it will be like an eye candy buffet of overwhelming proportions! Until then, this incredible treasury will have to suffice. I have to say that so far, it's doing the trick! Check out Memories of Morocco, curated by Anna Tinklenberg!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 7:35pm on Monday, July 6th)

Anna's a buyer on Etsy, so I can't show you her shop or tell you about her fabulous wares, but I think we all agree that we appreciate our fabulous buyers just as much as our fellow sellers, so I wanted to share this gorgeous treasury with all of you and thank Anna for including my Moroccan Delight necklace among all of these amazing Etsy treasures!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Treasury Love - Cape Cod Jewels!

2009-07-05T21:04:00.005-05:00

My friend Linda of Cape Cod Jewels curated this gorgeous treasury and included my little birdie on a swing necklace! Check out My birthday is coming... and I would be THRILLED to receive ANY of these!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Monday, July 6th at 4:08am)

What an interesting way to let everyone know what you'd like to receive for your birthday, huh? Linda's an interesting lady, a fellow UWIB member and a jewelry designer who takes her inspiration from her surroundings in beautiful Cape Cod, Massechusetts. Stop by her shop on Etsy for various findings and unique jewelry like these fabulously fun Heart Wire Blue Fish and Bubbles Earrings!

These lovely earrings were fashioned with gold plated brass heart loop earwires, gold plated headpins, acrylic opalescent beads and pretty, clear and blue glass fish beads.

They are approx. 1 1/2" long and come in a box for gift giving.

Linda accepts Pay Pal, money order, or carefully concealed cash.

Save on shipping if purchased along with other items. :)

Be sure to check out Cape Cod Jewels to see what else Linda has to offer!

Treasury Love - KBShimmer!

2009-07-05T19:52:00.003-05:00

Ugh, I could kick myself in the butt for this... I'm late posting this one, and it's the first time I've been late with any treasury love post. I just wasn't able to get it done before we left for the ball field this morning, but it still makes me feel bad. This treasury has already expired, but I wanted to share it with you anyway because it's fun and it's the first one that's featured my new corn on the cob danglies. Check out Celebrating the 4th of July, curated by KBShimmer...

KBShimmer carries fresh and fun handmade soap, scrubs, lip balms, and bath bombs in her shop on Etsy, all in fabulous colors and heavenly scents! She also has gorgeous gift sets that anyone on your gift list would love to receive, and even has a sale section so you can pick up a little something for yourself as well... guilt free! Be sure to stop by KBShimmer when you've got a moment to browse around for a new favorite or two, and be sure to tell her I said thanks for including my earrings in her fabulous holiday treasury!

Treasury Love - Erin Keys!

2009-07-05T07:47:00.003-05:00

My Hollywood in Hot Pink ring has been included in this fabulous treasury curated by erinkeys! Check out G is for... Gorgeous Creations!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Sunday, July 5th at 9:03)

You may remember erinkeys from a previous post... she is a designer of fabulously flirty jewelry, a fellow member of Unique Women in Business, a great friend and one hot mama! Check out erinkeys for unique and exquisite creations today and treat yourself to a sexy little something with a sassy twist!

Thanks, Erin! xoxo

Treasury Love - Feathered Gems!

2009-07-04T19:19:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to share this yummy treasury that features my lobster necklace... check out Feast for the Eyes, curated by Feathered Gems!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Sunday, July 5th at 12:47am)

Feathered Gems is a jewelry shop on Etsy that also offers up other goodies from time to time, such as supplies, books, stained and fused glass pieces and even an occasional crocheted or hand-sewn item. What I find most irresistible are the fabulous greyhound pieces found there, like the running greyhound ring (available in several different sizes), the greyhound profile ring and the stunning adjustable hinged bangle bracelet in sterling silver that features a running greyhound. Although known for their speed, I appreciate the bold yet elegant curves and lines that greyhounds posess, and Feathered Gems captures them in a way that any other greyhound lover would appreciate as well. Stop by today and see what else Feathered Gems has to offer. You'll be glad you did!

Treasury Love - gingercatpress!

2009-07-03T09:24:00.003-05:00

It's Tea Time in Etsy's main treasury! I love this pretty pink collection of girliness curated by gingercatpress, entitled An Invitation to TEA!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Sunday, July 5th at 6:24am)

Artist Tara Anderson is the driving force behind Ginger Cat Press. After studying illustration and fine art at the Ontario College of Art and Design and then working for many years as a children's bookseller, Tara got back to her artistic roots and started a career as a cover artist and children's book illustrator. She now creates fun custom and original artwork on a 200 acre farm in Tweed, surrounded by cats for plenty of inspiration for her artwork. Cats make me sneeze so I'm generally not a huge fan, but Tara's cats make me smile all big and dorky! Stop by Ginger Cat Press on Etsy today and see if her work does the same for you! Right now you'll find Summer Sale originals and prints, and a clearance greeting card section, so what are you waiting for? While you're there, be sure to tell Tara you got the dirty lowdown on her shop right here, and tell her thanks for including my necklace in her gorgeous treasury!

Treasury Love - Fawn Potter!

2009-07-01T14:23:00.006-05:00

My yummy yellow lime studs have been featured in this sunny treasury curated by Fawn Potter... Lemon Water!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, July 2nd at 1:34pm)

Fawn Potter lives and creates in the Ozark Mountains of Arkasas. While her baby boy sleeps, she takes advantage of the quite time and creates "woolagains" from recycled wool sweaters by using various wet and dry felting techniques. Each woolagain creature is completely unique... some resemble actual animals and others are creations of Fawn's imagination. Stop by Fawn Potter on Etsy today and check out her fun and interesting woolagain creatures like this one...

Red , White , and Blue Bird - Recycled, Reclaimed Wool

Fun!

Thanks, Fawn, for including my earrings in your super sweet treasury!

Hope you're all having a wonderful Wednesday!

Play Ball!

2009-06-30T15:09:00.015-05:00

Most of you already know I spent the weekend at the ball field in Long Beach, in the blazing sun and searing heat that made for temps into the hundreds. It was Porter's first tournament weekend of the season, and I can't think of anywhere else that I'd rather be when he's out on the field playing ball. Although he usually catches, this year he's mostly been playing 3rd base as the coaches are trying to make them more versatile, well-rounded players and playing on their individual strengths. Here are a few shots from the weekend that I wanted to share with ya'll. In the background you can see that Long Beach still looks awful from Katrina. There wasn't much shade at all, but the boys still came ready to play and played well.

Hope you're all having a happy tuesday!

Treasury Love - Michael's Photography!

2009-06-30T10:30:00.007-05:00

Check out this fun summer treasury curated by Michael's Photography... SUMMERTIME!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, July 2nd at 11:35am)

Michael is a photographer in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania who markets his photos on Etsy as a creative outlet. A degreed metallurgical engineer, Michael owns an engineering consulting company but balances his technical, analytical side with his love of nature and photography quite nicely as is evident in his Etsy shop. As the former office manager at an engineering and consulting firm, I do speak a little enginese and can whole-heartedly appreciate the need to strike a balance between these two opposite extremes, and I applaud Michael for recognizing how important that truly is. Stop by Michael's Photography today and see for yourself what a great job he does at accomplishing this task. Here's a sneak peek...

EAT AND RUN - 5'' x 7'' Fine Art Photographic Print

Thanks, Michael, for including my baseball pendant in your super sunny summer treasury!

Featured in the john westley School of Music Newsletter!

2009-06-29T14:08:00.004-05:00

My talented friend John has started a newsletter for his fabulous studio, john westley School of Music, and featured me on the first page of his July newsletter!

The john westley School of Music is located at 2422 20th Avenue in Gulfport, Mississippi, and features original Dirt Road South mosaic artwork on display in the front lobby. Owned and operated by musician and composer John Westley Hodges, john westley School of Music has seen phenominal growth in its very first year and has a lengthy waiting list of students lined up to learn from one of the very best instructors on the coast. I'm quite honored to be featured in the second issue of the studio newsletter, which currently has over 400 readers. If you would like to subscribe to the john westley School of Music newsletter, you can email John at jwschoolofmusic@gmail.com and ask to be added to the mailing list. There's no charge, and you will receive minimal studio updates while being assured that your email address will never be shared or sold. If you have questions for John or want to check his waiting list status for the next available time slot, give him a call at his studio at 228-234-4074... he'll be glad to hear from you! Tell him you got the dirty lowdown on his incredible music school right here, and I'll continue to keep you all up date!

Hope you're all having a marvelous monday!

Treasury Love - MosaicSmith!

2009-06-28T18:34:00.003-05:00

Check out this incredible collection of mosaics entitled Mosaic Sunshine, curated by my amazing mosaic friend, MosaicSmith!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 5:09am on Tuesday, June 30th)

You may remember MosaicSmith from a previous post. I don't keep the way I feel about Linda a secret... she's an absolutely fabulous mosaic artist, and an incredibly supportive friend. If you have a mosaic question, chances are Linda has a mosaic answer for you. Because she's a fan of the colors, textures and design flexibility, Linda works almost exclusively with stained glass. In any of her pieces you can expect to find precision cuts, smooth and even grout lines and an unexpected twist from the norm... Linda likes to mix small and large pieces of glass to add movement and flow to her designs, rather than the standard technique of using pieces similar in size. But you don't have to take my word for it... stop by MosaicSmith today and see what you've been missing out on! To get the scoop on works in progress, check out Linda's blog, and to see some of her previous work, visit her gallery on her website. While you're there, tell her she still rocks my mosaic socks, and I appreciate her including my spring tulip votive in her gorgeous treasury!

Treasury Love - tamaragarvey!

2009-06-26T08:57:00.004-05:00

Check out this sunny collection of interesting items by Tamara Garvey, entitled My lovely lady group!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Friday, June 26th at 10:56pm)

Tamara Garvey is a fellow UWIB member and a talented Etsy artist. A degreed illustrator, Tamara primarily draws in ink on archival watercolor paper and offers an interesting variety of original illustrations and prints in her shop on Etsy. There you'll find sets of prints as well as single 11 x 17s and 8 1/2 x 11s, ACEO originals and prints, stationary featuring Tamara's fabulous work and a few other interesting items too! There's also a sale section where you can score some of Tamara's boo-boos on the cheap... heck yeah! So stop by Tamara Garvey on Etsy today and check out some of her lovely work and see why it's been featured on reputable sites such as design-milk.com and cuteable.com, as well as right here on The Dirty Lowdown!

Happy, happy Friday ya'll! Hope you have a great day!

Featured on Etsy's Front Page!

2009-06-25T14:04:00.002-05:00

My Hollywood in Hot Pink ring was featured on the front page this morning. I didn't get to see it, but here's the screen shot, woot!

Selected by admin using Etsy's color picker, yay! Sold the ring while it was on the front page, then relisted it... gotta love that! AND, we're finally getting the rain we've so desperately needed for so long now. Will and I are gonna go dance around in it like morons now. Hope you're all having a great day!

Treasury Love - JiJis!

2009-06-24T22:51:00.003-05:00

Check out this sweet new treasury by JiJis... An Apple a Day keeps the crafters at play!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Saturday, June 27th at 3:40am)

Not familiar with JiJi's Creations? Then you'll soon be glad you stumbled upon this little jewel! JiJi has bags galore... carryall totes, everyday totes, hobos and mini purses, and satchels are on the way as well! JiJi also has cute little Ipod armbands for running, baby and toddler clothing and everything in JiJi's shop comes in a variety of designer fabrics. Stop by JiJi's Creations today, and while you're there be sure to tell her I said thanks for including my little apple slice studs in her fantastic treasury!

Treasury Love - ErikaPrice!

2009-06-23T14:27:00.003-05:00

Check out this super sweet new treasury from ErikaPrice... Cool Down with an Ice Cream Sundae!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, June 25th at 9:30am)

Erika Price Designs is one of those exceptional sites on Etsy... you know the kind... the kind of shop you come across and you wonder "how the heck does she do it?" and "why isn't she completely sold out all the time?!". Erika has a passion for designing and creating jewelry and donates all of the profits from her work to charity. And there's more... she offers free world-wide shipping! Yeah, you read that right, but I'll pause here for a moment in case you want to read back over it again.

At Erika Price Designs you'll find a section of flower, animal and bird items as well as symphony silver necklaces, sonata silver earrings, concerto silver bracelets, and virtuoso earrings and necklaces in brass. Noticing a pattern here? Good. It works well with her signature piano key photos in her shop. Stop by Erika Price today and feel good about picking up a little something for yourself, knowing it's for a good cause... your enjoyment as well as a worthwhile charity!

Thanks, Erika, for including my ice cream sundae necklace in your super sweet treasury!

Treasury Love - peanutoak!

2009-06-23T08:51:00.005-05:00

My Have a Piece of Fruit necklace has been featured in this gorgeous new treasury curated by peanutoak! Check out tangerine...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 9:14am on Thursday, June 25th)

Be sure to stop by peanutoak and check out her fabulous bags, necklaces, brooches and earrings, like these gorgeous little gems that would've worked wonderfully in this tangerine treasury...

Orange Earrings with Orange Heart

only 12 bucks!

Thanks, peanutoak, for including my necklace in your refreshing treasury!

Hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

Treasury Love - davenevanxaviour!

2009-06-21T20:37:00.003-05:00

Check out this Cute and Geeky treasury curated by davenevanxaviour!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Monday, June 22nd at 12:14pm)

Check out Daven Evan Xaviour for cartoon characters, video games, anime, animals, and other geeky stuff! There you'll find bead sprites, crocheted cuties, keychains and more! And while you're there, do tell her I said thanks so much for including my little cupcake earrings in her fabulously geeky treasury!

Featured on a few of my favorite things!

2009-06-21T20:06:00.003-05:00

Today I received an Etsy convo from Erica of ericasheknows letting me know she had featured my vintage cookie jar bobbies on her lovely blog! Stop by A few of my favorite things and check out her post Roundup: Bobby Pins, which includes some of her favorite bobby pins on Etsy!

Thanks for the super sweet feature, Erica!

Hope you're all having a wonderful night!

Treasury Love - EllieLee!

2009-06-18T20:37:00.003-05:00

Yee-haw! Check out this smokin hot new treasury curated by EllieLee entitled Buffalo Girls (Won't you come out tonight and dance by the light of the moon?) <----- [reminds me of It's a Wonderful Life!]

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Saturday, June 20th at 6:58am)

Vicki is the artist and photographer behind EllieLee, a shop named after Vicki's grandmother, Effie Ellington Lee. At EllieLee you'll find Vicki's stunning photos that hint at her love for nature as well as limited edition and open ended ACEO originals and prints. She also has a charity section where she lists items that when purchased, a portion of the proceeds are donated to a charitable organization as outlined in the item description. Stop by EllieLee and check out all that she has to offer, and while you're there be sure to tell her I said thanks for including my Annie Get Your Gun necklace in her awesome treasury!

Happy almost friday ya'll!

Treasury Love - MaryAnnCleary!

2009-06-18T08:37:00.003-05:00

Check out this vibrant collection of unique and interesting Etsy items, Colors of Summer, Flowers and Sunsets!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Friday, June 19th at 3:31pm)

This gorgeous summery treasury was curated by Mary Ann Cleary of Spirit River Studio. With a paintbrush or a stick of charcoal, Mary Ann creates unique and original works of art in her little studio/log home that sits along the river in Minnesota. She utilizes light, contrast, value and color in her attempt to reach her ultimate goal of taking something ordinary and making it into something magical and emotional to the viewer. You can tell by the works displayed in her shop on Etsy, Mary Ann doesn't often fall short of her goal. Stop by and check out her oil paintings and portraits, and her section called 29Gifts Cards, which includes prints of her original watercolors in high-quality, pigmented inks on acid free cards stock (translation: suitable for framing!). She's also got a sweet sale section where you can score an original Mary Ann Cleary work of art or print at a discount!

Thanks, Mary Ann, for including my moroccan delight earrings in your lovely treasury!

Happy Thursday ya'll!

Treasury Love - FashionTouch!

2009-06-17T15:09:00.013-05:00

Elena of FashionTouch curated this gorgeous collection of items made by Unique Women in Business members entitled Tell a friend about UWIB and included my newest patchwork quilt mosaic pendant!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Friday, June 19th at 5:37am)

Elena is a fellow UWIB member who creates chic and elegant bracelets and cuffs, scarves and scarflettes, capelets and wraps as well as necklaces and hair accessories.

Check out this sassy scarflette...

Comfort in Beige Handknit Scarflette Very Easy to Manage Accessory Will Be Great Addition to any Spring Coat You are ready to Wear Combination of Beige Green and Bordeaux

So chic!

Thanks, Elena, for including my pendant in your fabulous UWIB treasury!

Ya'll be sure to stop by FashionTouch and check out Elena's handmade goodies... you'll be glad you did! Especially since Elena is so excited about being featured here, she's offering 10% off everything in her boutique to readers of The Dirty Lowdown! So why are you still reading? Go now! Put "I read The Dirty Lowdown on your shop!" in the message to seller so Elena will know you saw it here and she'll take your 10% off via PayPal after your payment has cleared! Happy shopping!

My 100th Post!

2009-06-17T12:30:00.004-05:00

I am so hardcore.

Like this platter in my faves from trixiedelicious. I freakin love her stuff!

Here's to another 100 posts of my endless blah, blah, blah! I know you're looking forward to it. Thanks for sticking around... ya'll rock!

Treasury Love - H and J Star Creations!

2009-06-16T21:00:00.004-05:00

The newest treasury from H and J Star Creations is vibrant, red and titled Red Dirt Girl... perfect for a Dirt Road South original mosaic frame in red!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, June 18th at 9:01am)

The brains and brawn behind H and J Star Creations is a mother of two almost teenaged kids (this is where we in The Dirty South usually interject "bless her heart") creating fabulous fabric goodies in Rye, New York. You'll find wine bags and tote bags, zippies and multiuse pouches, pyramid bags and key fobs and more in her shop on Etsy. Most of the items you'll find there are one of a kind and all are ready to ship. She also welcomes custom orders, so if you see a design you like but would like it in another fabric, send her a convo and let her know... I'm sure she'll be happy to make it happen for you.

Alright, that's all you're gettin out of me tonight. Good night all!

Treasury Love - Alexander's Designs!

2009-06-16T11:49:00.005-05:00

Alright, so after all of that pouring out of the guts last night, we're gonna get back to some sweet, sweet treasury lovin today! Check out the interesting color combo in the latest from Alexander's Designs entitled Oceans N Olives...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 7:04am on Thursday, June 18th)

Alexander's Designs is a husband and wife team in Independence, Missouri. Together they create unique and interesting jewelry and offer the resulting pieces in their shop on Etsy. There you will find an eclectic mix of bold designs and colors as well as a few more subtle pieces, so there's a little something for everyone! If you're in the market for pendants you'll find borosilicate, dichroic and fused glass, along with a great selection of bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings. Stop by today and check it out and be sure to tell them I said thanks for including my big ol martini olive pendant in their lovely blue and green treasury!

How lucky can one girl be?

2009-06-15T18:20:00.009-05:00

I'm a lucky girl ya'll. I know most of you have heard me say it before but seriously... how lucky can one girl be? I'm constantly overwhelmed and amazed. Treasuries, features, and giveaways galore, and many of you know just how many because I share them right here with you. I'm not gloating either, although sometimes I'm afraid that's how it may appear. I'm genuinely thrilled each time I'm featured in a treasury or on someone's blog, and I share them here with you because these things take time. I'm so very grateful that the curator of the treasury or the blog author took the time and opportunity that they had and shared it with me! I want them to get the recognition that they deserve for their efforts, and I want to thank them by sharing some of their links here with you in the hopes that you'll check them out and find something you might like. But lately it seems that's all I'm able to blog about, and don't get me wrong... I'm not complaining! I just decided that because of this I'm going to make the time tonight to share a little bit more.

I haven't always had it easy. My background is riddled with hard knocks and bad breaks, but they've molded me and shaped me into the person that I am, the person that I'm proud to be. I recently hit a brick wall in the career department and instead of beating my head against it any longer, I turned the corner and began a new chapter in my life. I took a chance on that nagging gut feeling that I should be doing something more with my talents and passions and threw myself into my business. Since then I've experienced steady growth in my online venues as well as my brick and mortar venues, and I get steady encouragement and recognition for my accomplishments and achievements along the way that helps to keep me motivated and focused. I feel so good about how far I've come and where I'm at and I couldn't possibly be happier than what I am right now.

I'm one of the lucky ones... I have the most amazing support group and "Go Lori!" cheerleaders that I could've ever thought possible. I have the most incredible friends that want to see me succeed and are willing to help in any way they can. Most of them would come help me change a tire on the side of the road in the middle of the night in a remote area of Texas. The rest would pick me up, get a room and a twelve pack and say "we'll deal with that crap in the morning". I also have a fabulous (albeit completely disfunctional) family that remind me of where I came from and why I strive so hard to do the things I want to do. My kids make me proud, and although they may not be perfect (who wants perfect kids anyway?), when they screw up and they work to fix it or change it or make it right it brings a tear to my eye and a smile to my face because it's proof that I'm doing a good job.

I have time. When you lose time, you can't get it back. I've lost too much time and I refuse to lose anymore. I've taken back the time I used to spend on someone else's clock helping to make all of their dreams come true while putting mine on hold. In doing so, I've given myself a gift far greater than any I've ever known... time with my kids and time to do the things I love to do. I spend every day with my little boy because now that I'm working at home I'm finally able to take him out of daycare. I spend time with my older 2 kids as they see fit, mostly while I'm running them here, there and everywhere, but they're 13 and 14 and far too big for their britches so that's about all of the quality time I can squeeze in with them. But it's more than I had before, and for that I'm grateful. I'm very, very grateful... I'm a very lucky girl.

This has been on my mind a lot lately, and I figure a lucky girl's gotta have lucky gear right? Well check this out... last week I received a Sasaki bag that I ordered to start my lucky gear collection. Holy wow... never has there been a cooler bag!

Made from a recycled "Lucky" Brand potato sack! And get this... I'm so stinkin lucky that Barb from Sasaki Creations threw in a little tissue holder made out of material with potatoes all over it! Okay, so she probably gives them to everyone... whatever, I'm a lucky girl. Oh, and I forgot to include it in the picture, but lucky for you... you'll get over it.

Then today I got the next item in the lucky collection... a custom pendant made for me by fellow UWIB member Christie of Candy Glass. I saw a design she had that I loved and thought it would look great if she added "lucky" in there. I got it today...

How great is that?! Christie used the design I liked but changed it to include the colors I chose, gave me 4 proofs to choose from, only charged me $7 (okay, so that's what they all cost) AND I got free shipping because I bought it during the Yart Sale! And yeah, there's more... when it came in the mail today it was as if it was my flippin birthday. The box it came in was stuffed with that little crinkly packing paper that makes you feel like you're at a party, and inside was a clear plastic box with a marabou bow on top. My little pendant was tucked inside of a ball of shimmery, glittery packing material that was sitting in a cupcake wrapper! I almost didn't want to get it out of there, but I did anyway. And I couldn't wait to wear it.

So this is just the start... there's more lucky gear to come. I'm a lucky, lucky girl, it's only fitting.

Treasury Love - earthexpressions!

2009-06-15T17:13:00.003-05:00

Soothing greens and cool blues abound in this new treasury entitled From UWIB with so much love curated by earthexpressions...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 6:34pm on Wednesday, June 17th)

earthexpressions is a fellow member of Unique Women in Business, a mother of 2 and a creator of fabulous jewelry in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her photos pop and her pendants rock and if you don't believe me check them out for yourself. Stop by earthexpressions today and peep the wooden art pendants, recycled glass pendants, and rings, dive right in to the one of a kind section, or save a buck or two by shopping the clearance section. You might want to clear out your favorites first and make room for more before you do though... it'll be that kind of visit.

Thanks, Susy, for including my mosaic patchwork pendant in your lovely UWIB treasury!

Treasury Love - DesignKnitFun!

2009-06-15T14:28:00.004-05:00

Check out this hot, hot, hot pink treasury curated by DesignKnitFun entitled Pretty (and Punk) in Pink!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 4:21pm on Tuesday, June 16th)

Donnielle of DesignKnitFun is a fellow Unique Women in Business member living in Santa Monica, California. She knits a variety of fine fiber goodies in whatever spare time she finds when not in grad school for acupuncture or teaching pilates. Stop by her Etsy shop today and check out her scarves, accessories, fun knit jewelry and headbands, and don't forget to swing by her sale section for fabulous knit bargains!

Thanks, Donnielle, for including my new skull mosaic in your seriously hot pink treasury!

Treasury Love - artsyphartsy!

2009-06-14T09:16:00.004-05:00

By now you're probably familiar with artsypharty as I've been lucky enough to be included in several of her treasuries and she's been featured just as many times here on The Dirty Lowdown. What you may not know is that she recently suffered a great loss and accepted the love and support of her many, many friends on Etsy to help see her through. This treasury has special meaning because of that. I consider it a great honor to be included in all of the treasuries that showcase my work, but this one is especially close to my heart. Thank you my dear friends... for all the hugs, thoughts and prayers after my father's passing...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Sunday, June 14th at 10:05pm)

The first comment under the treasury explains why Kathleen included my ice cream necklace... that's all they could get her father to eat during his last days. This very special treasury brought tears to my eyes, not only because I feel the great pain of my friend's loss, but also because I just feel so honored to be included in Kathleen's circle of friends. She's such a talented, kind, generous and supportive person, and my life is truly better for having friends like her in it. Her father obviously did a great job in raising her for her to turn out as wonderfully as she has, and although I never met him myself, I know the world lost a great man when we lost him because of that. May he rest in peace, and may the love, comfort and support of friends and family continue to see this family through this difficult time in their lives.

Much love, Kathleen. Know that you are a dear friend to many and we all hope that you turn to us and lean on us during this time. We love you dearly, and that's what friends are for.

Treasury Love - cris0809!

2009-06-13T10:05:00.004-05:00

Cris0809 put together this fun and fabulous treasury entitled Oh So Sweet... Summer Treats and included my Smarties candy bobbies!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Sunday, June 14th at 3:27pm)

How cute and sweet! Cris0809 is an oh so sweet buyer on Etsy. Drop her a convo and tell her what you think of her fabulous treasury... I know she'd appreciate it.

Thanks Cristy, for including my bobbies in your bright and colorful new treasury!

Wishing you all a happy, happy Saturday!

Treasury Love - isntthatsomething!

2009-06-12T17:30:00.008-05:00

I don't know about where you are, but here on the Gulf Coast it's just past beer thirty... the perfect time to share isntthatsomething's latest treasury, Alcohol, My Permanent Accessory...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 7:05am on Sunday, June 14th)

My necklace for the serious wine drinker looks right at home here, doesn't it? Thanks, isntthatsomething!

A quick trip over to isntthatsomething will more than likely turn into a lengthy visit. My personal favorite...

YART SALE Say Hello to My Little Friend Earrings

The description as it reads at isntthatsomething...

Now you can have two little friends with you all the time! Think about how great it will feel to go to the office with these babies hanging from your ears! These guns are made of thick, flexible plastic- the safest guns you'll ever own.

Photos by salvagedexpression.etsy.com

Free shipping on this item for the Etsy Yart Sale!

Who wouldn't want 2 Thompson submachine guns dangling from their lobes on their next trip to the post office? Stop by isntthatsomething today and see what else they have... you'll be glad you did!

Happy weekend ya'll!

Treasury Love - karmologyclinic!

2009-06-12T08:56:00.010-05:00

My ladybug on a leaf mosaic pendant is included in this yummy treasury curated by karmologyclinic, entitled Yummy YART!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 2:08am on Sunday, June 14th)

If you're not familiar with karmologyclinic, you're in for a treat! Check out this outfit...

This girl is out to take my money, and yours too! Click on the photo to check out the description, but I'm giving you fair warning here... you're going to lose your mind and your money if you visit karmologyclinic... it's been nice knowing you!

Treasury Love - Clariceonline!

2009-06-11T18:01:00.006-05:00

Check out this stunning black, white and grey treasury curated by Clariceonline... Killing me softly.

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Saturday, June 13th at 12:02am)

A visit to Clariceonline will offer you goodies like this one....

Mohair Shawl---Grey

As described by Clariceonline: This hand crocheted rectangular mohair shawl is incredibly soft and really light to carry on... It will complete your outfit ever with a jean or a elegant night dress.... You'll catch all eyes on you....

It is crocheted with 70% mohair yarn, which makes you feel so cosy and warm.

You'll receive the shawl with the filigree brooch in the picture or you can use your favorite one...

Color may just a little differ because of camera light/day light

Measurement are 27"(67cm)height and 68" (170cm) length.

The shawl in the picture is ready to ship. If you would like this shawl to be in different colors please write me your choice and it takes about 10-15 days to ship...

Feel the difference...

Oh do I ever wish I could!!!

Stop by Clariceonline today and check out this shawl and other crocheted goodies... you'll be glad you did!

Thanks Clarice, for including my book thong in your incredible treasury!

Etsy Front Page Baby!

2009-06-11T09:59:00.003-05:00

I was looking through Etsy Front Pagers' Flickr photostream to try to find LostRiverRags' front page screen shot and found this...

Holy moly... my mosaic frame set on Etsy's front page! Thanks, Sigmosaics, for putting together such an amazing treasury... you rock!

Treasury Love - erinkeys!

2009-06-11T08:06:00.004-05:00

erinkeys is at it again ya'll! This time she's put together a fabulous collection of Yart Sale items entitled Yart Saleing and included my ladybug on a leaf mosaic pendant!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 9:36pm on Friday, June 12th)

You might remember Erin from another post earlier this week, but that was before she had her Yart Sale Section set up in her shop! Stop by today and check out great deals on fabulous jewelry like this gorgeous necklace...

The Flirt

For this necklace, Erin's used a pink plastic flower that sits to one side, attached it to beautiful melon shaped glass beads that are black as coal. She used some silver chain to "layer" it for a little extra pizazz!

This necklace hangs at 17 inches and closes with a silver finsihed lobster claw clasp.

Regular Price $25.00 Yart sale price $21.00

Pardon me... I just yarted a little bit.

2009-06-10T11:05:00.006-05:00

That's right... just got my first sale in the Second Annual Etsy-wide Yart Sale sponsored by the Etsy Supply Street Team! The sale is going on right now through Sunday, June 14th, and there are great deals at every turn!

In my shop, I've set up a special Yart Sale section that includes 80 items I've already marked down... some are killer deals! And in addition to my Yart Sale section, I'm also offering Buy 3 Get 1 Free store wide! Yep, that includes items already marked down!

So what are you waiting for?! Get your shop on! And if any of the rest of you are having Etsy Yart Sales of your own, post them here for the world to see! Okay, so maybe not the world, but a few folks, and hopefully they'll tell other folks and well, you know.

Treasury Love - jmjcreations!

2009-06-10T08:49:00.006-05:00

jmjcreations curated this gorgeous collection of girliness entitled Pocket Full of Poseys and included my little coral lily ring, on sale now during the Yart Sale!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, June 11th at 2:58pm)

Karen of jmjcreations is a fellow UWIB member. In her fabulous Etsy shop, you'll find an amazing assortment of earrings, hair accessories, necklaces and sets and right now you can score a great deal by visiting her Yart Sale section! Stop by jmjcreations today and check out all of the incredibly girly goodies Karen has to offer, and be sure to tell her you got the dirty lowdown on her shop right here!

Treasury Love - GlitzyEvents!

2009-06-09T14:06:00.004-05:00

My pale pink rose bobbies have been included in this gorgeous collection of pretty pinkness entitled Got Pink? curated by fellow UWIB member GlitzyEvents!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, June 11th at 8:04pm)

Never have I known such an incredible group of talented, kind, supportive and amazing women! One of these fabulous ladies is Kim of GlitzyEvents, specializing in custom wedding invitations and more! She offers a assortment of elegant and upscale (yet surprisingly affordable!) invitations variations such as pocketfold invitations, layered invitations and gatefold invitations as well as place cards, table numbers and other customized items. Stop by GlitzyEvents today and see what they have to offer or check out their blog and find out what's coming next!

Treasury Love - papertivity!

2009-06-09T13:39:00.005-05:00

Check out this cute collection of itty bitty tinies... Itty Bitty Bits curated by papertivity!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Thursday, June 11th at 6:58pm)

If there were such a thing as cute overload, we'd all be suffering right now. Thanks, papertivity, for including my cotton candy danglies in your super cute treasury!

Ya'll be sure to check out papertivity for handmade cards, gifts sets, embellishments, tags and supplies for all of your one of a kind projects, and make sure you don't skip the Yart Sale section where you'll find great deals!

Treasury Love - Sigmosaics!

2009-06-09T11:19:00.007-05:00

You probably remember me mentioning my incredible mosaic friend Kerrin of Sigmosaics in a previous post or 3... yeah, I told you she's incredible! Check out her latest treasury, blue monday, which includes my mosaic daisy frame set!

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires at 12:59pm on Thursday, June 11th)

So what's new with Kerrin? Dishes and trays! Check these out...

Calm waters mosaic tray

description taken directly from Sigmosaics...

This lovely calm blue mosaic tray is just the right size to take afternoon tea outside while you sit in the garden or on the balcony and relax.

The base is a white-washed, painted wooden tray. Mixed blue acrylic mosaics have been used (ultramarine, dark and light blues) and it's been grouted in white. I have strived to make the lines as evenly as possible .. they are 'almost' perfect :)

The handles of the tray slope slightly outwards therefore the length measures 10.4" (26.5cm) from tip to tip. The width is 6.7" (17cm) and it stands approximately 1" (2.5cm) high.

A liquid sealer is applied to the finished piece therefore any 'cleaning' required is by way of a dry/damp cloth or a light soapy wash.

All my work is carefully packaged and comes gift wrapped.

Calm waters rectangular dish - mosaic

description taken directly from Sigmosaics...

A calming blue water dish that is not only a decorative piece but also fully functional as a multi use dish. Perfect to place your rings, earrings or even your business cards.

The base object is white porcelain. Mixed blues (including dark, marine and light blue) acrylic mosaic tiles have been used. It is grouted in white.

The piece measures 4.7" (12cm) x 4.3" (11cm) across and is approximately .6" (1.5cm) high. It is slightly concave shaped.

A liquid sealer is applied to the finished piece therefore any 'cleaning' required is by way of a dry/damp cloth or a light soapy wash.All my work is carefully packaged and comes gift wrapped.

Stop by Sigmosaics today and pick up a little something for you or a friend! While you're there, be sure to tell Kerrin she rocks for including my frames in her gorgeous treasury!

Happy Tuesday! ~Dirt

Featured on Shop By Hand!

2009-06-08T19:46:00.004-05:00

I got a convo from Rebecca of Soap Deli this morning letting me know she had featured my mosaic patchwork pendant on her blog, Shop By Hand!

(click on the title or photo to visit the blog feature)

It's a color parade was Rebecca's answer to the dreary grey skies in Virginia last week. I remember those well. The mosaic patchwork pendant included in the blog feature has sold, but there are others available in my shop and I'm working on more now. And here's the dirty lowdown on that line of pendants... you'll be seeing it in a popular craft magazine in the fall, woot! That's all I'm gonna say about that for now.... gonna make you wait for it, ha!

Thanks Rebecca!

Hope you're all having a happy monday!

Treasury Love - bubbletime!

2009-06-08T13:51:00.004-05:00

My one carrot ring is in this gorgeous treasury by bubbletime! Check out Carrot Tops...

(click on the photo or title to visit the treasury before it expires on Wednesday, June 10th at 9:48am)

You may remember bubbletime from a previous post where I featured her mini koi with orange markings... so cute! Thanks bubbletime for including my ring in your fabulous new treasury!

Featured on A Day in the Life!

2009-06-07T12:24:00.005-05:00

I can't tell you how great it feels when someone thinks enough of you and your work to feature it on their blog! It's like your guts are all warmed up by sunshine and you just can't keep the silly smile off of your face, nor do you want to. That's how I feel now, after receiving a convo from Pinkfink letting me know she had featured my shop on her blog, A Day in the Life.

After reading her convo and the kind words in her blog, I checked out her shop and was so very glad I did! Page after page of fabulous polymer clay creations... whimsical animals and critters, jewelry, magnets and even tiny people, all expertly hand-crafted of polymer clay. There are even tiny little ACEOs that would look great propped up a little easel on a shelf!

And the dirty lowdown... she's already set up a Yart Sale section in her shop so you can take advantage of great Yart Sale deals and score a one of a kind original piece of polymer clay artwork of your very own! Stop by today and tell Pinkfink I sent you.

Octopus on the Sea Floor by pinkfink