The Silver Acorn

Christmas Came Early This Year

2011-12-12T20:21:00.001-06:00

My husband’s family has the tradition of making “Wish Lists” for Christmas and birthdays. While this tradition guarantees you won’t be returning or re-gifting any of your presents, I have to admit I was a bit put off at first by this tradition. I really like giving gifts that people don’t expect – something they might mention in passing or something they don’t even know exists that will make their life better or just more beautiful.

Well, two years ago, my husband went “off list” and surprised me with what I regard as the best gift he has ever given me, with the exception of my custom made wedding ring. He found me something that I did not know existed that made my life insanely better. He bought me the Vornado® iControl™ Whole Room Heater.

To understand the significance of this gift, you have to understand that I am always cold – not a little cold – I mean freezing cold. I live in Houston, Texas where its 100 degrees 9 months out of the year and you will rarely see me wearing anything less than ¾ sleeve tops and capris. Now my husband is hot all the time. On our honeymoon, we were on a glacier in Canada and my husband was in shorts and a t-shirt, I was in four layers of clothes and was freezing to death.

Well, about 6 months ago, after many hours of continuous use, my beloved heater died on me. I got by ok until the temperatures outside dropped below 70 degrees and I started wearing two pairs of socks around the house. My husband is not a handyman, so when he decided to “fix” my heater, I expressed my fear, “Considering the warnings of death and destruction for just tipping over a heater, I’m thinking heaters really aren’t something you want to cut your DIY teeth on…”

Thank God his attempts failed and he called the company! They asked for the serial number, told us when we bought it, informed us that it was still under warranty and let us know that I would have a brand new one within 4-6 days. Talk about customer service!

So today my new heater arrived and it is Christmas for me! I am now toasty warm and completely satisfied; the rest of my Wish List doesn’t even matter now.

Here’s wishing you get a surprise this Christmas that makes your life better or just more beautiful.

Holiday Market 2011 - BOGO time

2011-11-29T14:09:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, November 30^th is the annual NetIQ Holiday Market and not only will I be there, but I will be offering Buy One, Get One 1/2 off.

So if you're in the Galleria area of Houston tomorrow between 11am and 2p, come on by 1233 West Loop South Ste. 810 and do some Christmas shopping. Love to see you!!

Turning Pumpkins in Place Cards

2011-11-07T20:56:00.000-06:00

My husband and I offered to host the family Thanksgiving feast at our house this year and I’m well on my way to getting as much done as I can so that I can enjoy the holiday with everyone else.

Since we are having our meal around 1pm, I decided to go with my Pier 1 Antique Rose dinnerware; it’s a bit casual, but has a rustic warm feel to it.

I didn’t want the traditional turkey, cornucopia or harvest centerpieces, so I choose white pumpkins for my place cards and one medium pumpkin for my centerpiece. Simple and fitting with my color scheme; except there are no tiny or medium white pumpkins to be found – real or fake – in any store, any farmer’s market, or anywhere online.

So I found “Realistic Fall Mini Artificial Pumpkins” online; package of 16 for roughly $15.50 (including shipping). Now I had to laugh at the one comment on Amazon where the lady wrote “I would not buy them again because they do not look real.” Seriously? These are 2” foam pumpkins for less than a $1.00 each, did she really except them to look real?

This is where left over paints, grapevine wire, cardstock, a glue gun and a huge desire for white pumpkins turned

This is what I was hoping to find and worth every bit of the effort, especially since I can reuse them at some other family gathering.

Where Is Your Creativity Hiding?

2011-10-26T12:42:00.002-05:00

Several years ago my niece, Sydney, was opening a present from me and as she tore off the paper, she squealed, “It’s a BOX!” I died laughing, thinking “Hell, she would have been perfectly happy with an empty box, why did I bother with the present inside?”

It seems like all children start out that way, preferring pots and pans and boxes to the more expensive toys. Why is that?

I think it’s because, even at very young ages, we could make them into anything we wanted them to be – castles, cars, airplanes, caves, musical instruments, weapons of mass destruction… anything our little minds could come imagine.

I always have to laugh to myself when I get comments from friends and family about how much creativity I have and the lack of creativity that they possess. I laugh because I don’t think that they are lacking in creativity, I think that it’s just been suppressed, but it is still there and can be reawakened.

The artist, Mary Lou Cook, once said, ”Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”

My stepdaughter, Sarah, will tell you that the two words I hate to hear more than anything in the world are “I’m bored”. I seriously go nuts when I hear those words from anyone and I can’t help but turn into my mother and say “Only boring people get bored.” Because it’s true!

In the difficult economic times that we are in, it’s not as easy to go buy the newest this or that or premade items, but you don’t have too when chances are you probably have all the “ingredients” to make so many of the items that you need; you just need to stop and look at things with different eyes. Debbie Allen was right when she said, “…out of limitations comes creativity.”

The next time you need something, before you jump into the car and head to store, stop and ask yourself, “what would I do if I couldn’t go to the store to get this?” You might find that inner child hiding in a box somewhere just dying to come out and create something.

How to Make Paper Look Old in 10 Easy Steps

2011-10-24T13:20:00.018-05:00

Saturday my stepdaughter, Sarah, asked for my helped on her school project; she needed the pages of her report to look like they were from the 1800’s. Although I remembered having to do this for school, it had been a long time since I’d baked paper, so I went to the internet for information.

There is a lot of information and videos out there – so much information that we ended up doing it wrong the first time which jammed up our printer and then doing one step wrong the next time which meant having to redo a couple of pages. But after two rounds of brewing really strong Starbucks coffee and baking paper for several hours, Sarah ended up with a really cool homework assignment and I ended up with great pieces of paper to use if I ever need to draw a treasure map or handwrite a Harlequin love letter.

For your convenience (and sanity) here are the complete and easy steps:

Things you will need:

coffee maker
coffee
oven
cookie sheet
sturdy container (9"x13"x2" baking pan works great)

Directions:

Type out what you want on your pages first. All the text and pictures must be in black and white. Be sure to remove any hyperlinks from your pages (they print out in blue – colors dissolve in water). Seriously, this is the most important step in saving your printer and your sanity.
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Have your cookie sheet and sturdy container next to each other on your working area.
Make 5 cups of really strong black coffee. Use about 6-8 times as much coffee as you would normally use but with the same amount of water.
As you’re waiting for the coffee to brew, crumble up all your pages into a ball and then carefully straighten each page out again. This gives the pages the worn look you’re after.
Once the coffee is done, pour all of the coffee into the container.
Put one piece of paper into the liquid at a time. Let it soak for about 5 minutes so that it absorbs the tannins.
Carefully, so as not to rip the damp paper, lift the paper from the container allowing the coffee to run off. Place the paper onto the cookie sheet. Put your next sheet of paper in the container of coffee so it can start soaking.
Make sure there are no pools of liquid on the paper. Bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit until the paper has dried. The edges of the paper will start to curl up as it dries.
Take it out and let it cool.

You now have sheets of paper that look like they are straight from the 1800's. Enjoy!

A Blog By Any Other Name…

2011-10-22T13:15:00.002-05:00

I’ve probably committed the cardinal sin of all sins in the blogging for business world today – I changed the name of my blog.

For anyone who has any kind of small business there is a constant pressure from the experts to have a blog to “promote your business, gain visibility as a thought leader and get yourself to the center of an industry-relevant dialogue with customers and partners.”

Here’s the deal, I make jewelry – really pretty, handmade jewelry. My dream is to live in the Pacific Northwest, have a home studio, make jewelry and have my jewelry in Sundance catalog. Now, do I want to blog about jewelry or even fashion all the time? No. But with my blog named the same as my store, I always felt conflicted as to what I could and couldn’t blog about.

When I look at the blogs that I love to read, I realize that the reason I love to read them is because the bloggers are being themselves; sharing their lives – the good, the bad, the funny and the ugly. That is where I am most comfortable – being me and sharing my passions, which involves much more than just making jewelry.

So stay tuned.

Not So Many Miles Between Us

2011-03-17T19:11:00.013-05:00

I think we all have been shocked by the devastation of the massive earthquake and the subsequent tsunami and aftershocks that have affected Japan since last Friday. We see the constant barrage of TV and internet coverage and, as much as we are shocked, Japan is on the other side of the world – far removed from our everyday lives.

There are approximately 6675 miles between Houston and Tokyo, but the miles between us faded away when I read this email from our office in Japan:

Our colleagues in Tokyo office are all safe.
But I have not confirmed yet if their families and relatives who live in Tohoku district are injured or killed by earthquakes or tsunamis.

Only we can do now is praying for their safety and rescue as early as possible.

We have received a lot of emergency aid from a lot of countries. We greatly appreciate their kindness.

Here in Houston, we are not strangers to the powerful effects of Mother Nature and the devastation often left in her path.

2001 Tropical Storm Alison in Houston

(click to enlarge)

2005 Hurricane Katrina (New Orleans/Houston)

2008 Hurricane Ike (Galveston)

(click to enlarge)

In my efforts to help in some small way I've created this "Hope" fine silver pendant necklace with 20% of the sale price is going to Doctors Without Borders for their efforts with the disaster in Japan. You can get it here.

I thank you for your support of the Japanese people during this extremely traumatic and difficult time.

Hope For the Holidays

2010-12-20T10:00:00.003-06:00

I love to make my Christmas cards every year. I’m not into scrapbooking and my cards aren’t fancy, but I do seek out and ponder over a theme or message that “speaks” to me. One of the most beautiful cards I ever made came to me several years ago in the middle of the night – literally waking me up from my sleep.

This year the word “Hope” kept coming to my mind – maybe because so much of this year was very trying for so many people and the need for hope for very much warranted. Hope is often the one thing that gives us the power to step out and try again.

George Iles said it best when he said, “Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.”

Claim the wonderful gift of Hope

this holiday season and

throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas!

Mom's Wish List

2010-12-16T14:33:00.000-06:00

My sister, Lisa, and I often go in together and get my Mom a nice Christmas or birthday gift. At 76 years old, my Mom is sweetest woman in the world and wants for nothing, so my conversation with her yesterday was priceless.

Me: “Mom, you need to tell me what you need for Christmas, not what you want, because you always say, “nothing”. So what do you need?”
Mom: (after some thought) “Hmmm… a short black jacket.“
Me: ”Ok Mom, one for when it’s cold outside or one you would wear indoors, like a blazer?”
Mom: “A lightweight one”
Me: (laughing in my head) “Mom, would it be a jacket that you would put on because it’s cold outside or one you want to wear indoors with an outfit?”
Mom: “A shorter one… like they wear now.”
Me: “Ok, Mom like a short blazer you would wear with a suit”
Mom: “Well, I had my short red jacket that went with a suit, but I wore it with other things too.”
Me: “Ok, Mom – got it. Lisa mentioned to me that your washer wasn’t working properly.”
Mom: “Oh, my washer and dryer, but that’s an expensive gift. If you guys go in together on that, don’t get me the jacket.”

Wishing you priceless moments this holiday season!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

2010-12-07T15:48:00.000-06:00

Most of this year life has gotten in the way of what I wanted to do with my jewelry, but this past month I got back to work and got my hands dirty… with my first love – Precious Metal Clay.

Once I got started I suddenly remembered what I was missing. I made molds of anything and everything that had any kind of unique, different or cool texture. I spent hours designing graphics to turn into photopolymer stamps. My neighbors probably think I’ve joined some new kind of religion that requires holding something in your hands up to the sun for 3 minute intervals several times a day.

But after two weekends of ~~work~~ pure enjoyment, these are some of my creations that I came up with. Look for these and other new items at The Silver Acorn sometime next week.

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and I found that the break from my jewelry has done me well. I’m excited at what the upcoming year has in store. Hope you find something you like too!

Shop Etsy, Help The Gulf Coast

2010-07-18T23:03:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not a beach person, but growing up in a Gulf Coast state spending as much time as possible at the beach was my favorite pastime, if not my obsession. Many of my life lessons and favorite memories come from my time spent at the beach.

So when a collective Etsy shop where 100% of the proceeds are given to charities to help the Gulf Coast recover from the massive BP oil spill was formed, I knew I had to do my small part to help with this massive tragedy.

Whether you spent summers at the beach or have never felt sand between your toes, this disaster effects us all and will for many years to come. So what better time to shop Etsy than now when you can feel good about buying handmade and help the Gulf Coast recovery efforts at the same time.

My Sand and Sea bracelet is listed on Help the Gulf Coast along with hundreds of other handmade and vintage items donated by other Etsy artists and sellers. For more Gulf Coast fundraising items on Etsy, search save the gulf, gulf relief, help the gulf or any similar search terms.

Sand and Sea Bracelet $25.00

Enjoy shopping for a great cause!

Totally Astounding

2010-03-16T17:14:00.001-05:00

Thomas Edison once said, “If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves” and this past weekend I had one of those days where I astounded myself.

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of taking a class with Cheryl Lucas on how to make Precious Metal Clay (PMC) hollow beads. In this class we were supposed to use burnout armatures to create the hollow beads – meaning you wrap the PMC around objects like mini wheats or cheetos so that when you fire it, the object disintegrates and you end up with a hollow beads. We were encouraged to truly “think outside the box”.

Of course, as usual, I had a vision of what I wanted my bead to look like, which didn’t seem all that hard to do, but apparently my vision was something you learn in the advanced class. After working for over an hour with the clay and circular chex mix object to obtain "something similar" to my original design, I proclaimed defeat. Seeing that I was simply dumbfounded by the fact that, logically, my desired bead shouldn’t be that hard and seeing how hard I had been working on my bead, Cheryl wouldn’t let me quit.

She told me that I had time for one more try at it and she talked me through the advanced class method of making a hollow bead without a burnout armature. At times I felt like I was working with a fragile egg shell and I was terrified that all my hard work would just break into pieces at any moment. But little by little I did it and when I finished the patina and final tumble, I looked at that bead in complete amazement that I had actually made the vision in my head come to life.

The long cylinder bead was made by wrapping the PMC around a straw, creating end pieces, constructing it after all the pieces were dried, then firing it. Then I had just a little bit of PMC left and didn’t want it to go to waste, so I grabbed a mold, rolled out loop, and made a charm.

I can’t wait for the next month's class; it's such a great feeling being astounded by what you're capable of doing. Go do something you're capable of doing and astound yourself!

Good Eats: Key Lime Cookies

2010-01-17T19:27:00.002-06:00

I made these cookies at Christmas and, pretending that I can actually read without my glasses, I measured out too much lime juice. Long story short, I made a double recipe and ended up giving them out to everyone. To my surprise, they were a huge hit. I've gotten many requests for this recipe and a lot of comments about not wearing glasses when I bake in the future.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup key lime juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup prepared key lime curd (I use Dickinsen's brand)
1 cup powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time and the lime juice, and mix well.
In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture until incorporated. Dough should be stiff but not dry. Shape into 1-inch balls, press thumb into center of balls to make an indentation, being careful not to press through to the bottom.
Fill indentations with about 1 teaspoon key lime curd.
Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Makes 24 cookies | Prep: 20 minutes |Bake: at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

It’s A Time To Slow Down

2009-12-27T21:31:00.003-06:00

three tile set handmade by tilesmile

With Christmas behind us and the New Year fast approaching, so many of us start to make resolutions or, at the very least, lists of things that we want to get done or need to do.

This holiday season I found myself not as “Christmasy” or what I refer to as “festivemas” as I normally am at this time of year. Christmas just came on too fast; I had too many things going on; and I didn’t get everything done that I usually do – which for a list-making, detail-orientated person creates all kinds of havoc.

But as I celebrated Christmas on December 26th with my husband and stepdaughter, I read the card my sister sent me and no truer words could have been spoken or will stay with me longer than the words on that beautiful card.

I share them with you now; just in case you’re busy making a To-Do list for the New Year:

It’s a time to slow down,
Let go,
Help those who need it,
Love them, too…
And maybe that’s the way we find our peace and joy,
Not by taking on the whole world all at once,
But just the part that fits in our hand.

Wishing you a New Year filled with peace and joy (and no To-Do lists)!

The Perfect Gift

2009-12-17T12:37:00.001-06:00

I was always told that “the perfect gift has two primary traits: It always expresses the personality of the giver, and it unfailingly meets the needs of the receiver.”

But I would have to disagree with that saying and rephrase with my own version:

“The perfect gift has two primary traits: It always expresses the thoughtfulness of the giver, and it unfailingly meets the desires of the receiver.”

I’ve had the joy of being part of the thoughtfulness of several givers as they worked with me to custom make special pieces of jewelry for loved ones – wives, moms, and sisters. Here are two of my favorite custom orders that I worked on this holiday season.

Blue London Topaz Necklace and Earrings

Garnet and Moonstone Necklace

Wishing you many perfect gifts this holiday season!

A Special Christmas Tradition

2009-12-13T11:16:00.000-06:00

Special traditions are wonderful things; they are what sear our minds with beautiful memories and give us that feeling of home. While I have very fond memories of Christmas from my childhood, I was open to accepting new traditions with my new family when I got married three years ago.

One special tradition that my husband and his daughter introduced to me while we were still dating was what they referred to as “pretzels” – apparently marketing wasn’t their forte.

That first year, my husband was in a small apartment, so we had wax paper and pretzels spread out on very possible countertop and table available, His daughter was five, but she gave detailed instructions on how to put the M&M into the almond bark on the pretzels while she acted as quality control eating any cracked, chipped or otherwise imperfect M&M.

This special tradition has evolved into putting on some Nora Jones or classic Christmas music, lining our kitchen island with wax paper and 450 pretzels,

having my husband fill all the pretzels with melted almond bark,

while my stepdaughter (if she is with us) and I follow behind placing the M&Ms in each one.

Once they are hardened, they go into Chinese take-out boxes that I decorate and we start the process over. Yes, we make about 1000 pretzels each year – only they are now called Reindeer Treats. Santa can’t be the only one getting snacks on Christmas.

I love this evening spent with my family and our co-workers love these highly addictive, tasty treats.
I hope you have some special traditions that create wonderful memories of time spent with your loved ones over this holiday season.
Happy Holidays!

A Rare Treat

2009-12-04T14:12:00.002-06:00

I live in Houston, Texas - it's hot and humid about ten months out of the year, so when giant snowflakes started falling this morning, it was like manna from heaven. The last time we had "snow", it was Christmas day 2005 and it was just a little bit of snow flurries that didn't stick, but we still got all excited. You can only imagine how excited we all are to have this snow fall and have it sticking!!

We are expecting 3-5 inches through tomorrow and if the number of snowmen already made is any indication of the excitement in our neighborhood, it's going to be like Christmas, New Year's Eve, and your first kiss all rolled into one.

Looking forward to a great weekend ! Hope yours is wonderful too.

Good Eats: Peanut Butter Chicken Skewers

2009-11-30T08:00:00.004-06:00

here may seem to have a lot of ingredients to this recipe, but we've made these Peanut Butter Chicken Skewers at the last two Super Bowl parties and they are seriously good and a huge hit with everyone.

Ingredients

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsps. lemon juice

2 Tbsps. brown sugar

3/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Directions

In a saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until smooth.
Reserve half of sauce. Keep warm, as it thickens as it cools.
Slice chicken lengthwise into 1-in. strips; thread onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Brush chicken lightly with peanut butter sauce.
Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium-hot heat for 2 minutes; turn and brush with peanut butter sauce. Continue turning and basting for 4-6 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
Serve with warm reserved sauce

Makes 4-6 servings | Prep: 30 minutes | Grill: at medium-hot heat for 2 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

Cyber Monday Sale

2009-11-29T07:54:00.000-06:00

Get a headstart on your Cyber Monday shopping.

I'm offering 10% OFF and FREE SHIPPING at The Silver Acorn

And remember, not all gifts are for other people.

My First Time Out

2009-11-24T13:07:00.003-06:00

This past Sunday was my first craft show and although I didn’t sell a great deal of jewelry, I gained a wealth of knowledge and insight. I had no intentions on doing the craft show route and I’m still not sure that is my “thing”, but it was nice to get live feedback from the public on my jewelry, my marketing and my display.

Here are pictures of my display at Sunday’s show:

We have a Holiday Market at work next week, so I thought I'd give it a whirl and see how it goes.

Gifts Ideas Under $30

2009-11-12T09:43:00.001-06:00

1. Rosette Jersey Scarf Ellaina Boutique  $24.00
2. Urban Iridescence Earrings The Silver Acorn  $22.00
3. Heart bowl Red Hot Pottery  $22.00
4. Garden Angel Bird Feeder Plow & Hearth  $29.95
5. Scrabble Journal Little Put Books  $22.00

Good Eats: Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken

2009-11-09T20:46:00.002-06:00

Here's a recipe for a quick dinner that adults and kids will enjoy. Just add their favorite vegetable or two and you'll be a hit.

Ingredients

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 env. Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

(about 2 lbs.)

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F.
Mix cheese, dressing mix and garlic powder. I put the mixture in a gallon ziplock baggie so I can add all the chicken pieces in at once and "shake" the mixture on the meat without making a mess.
Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.
Bake 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is done (165°F).
For a golden appearance, after chicken is cooked through set oven to Broil. Place 6 inches from heat. Broil 2 to 4 min. or until chicken is golden brown.

Makes 6 servings | Prep: 5 minutes | Bake: at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

Adding Gold To The Silver Acorn

2009-11-06T08:00:00.005-06:00

Just recently I've decided to create some jewelry using gold and stones. I just posted my first two pairs of gold earrings to The Silver Acorn.

Autumn's Furry Earrings

Terracotta Tears Earrings

I will have more gold items to come, so stop by often and see what's new!

Love This! Gift Wrap Station

2009-11-05T10:33:00.003-06:00

I got my Lowe's Creative Ideas Magazine yesterday and have to share this Do-It-Yourself Gift Wrap Station project. This can't hold all of the gift wrapping items that I have—I won't even mention how much Christmas wrap, bows and ribbon I have—but a slightly larger version is going to be great as a year round gift wrap station.

1. Position two 1 x 2 x 4 boards on the back of the peg-board 1/2 inch from the long edges, and position a third 1 x 2 x 4 board in the center. Attach the boards by drilling wood screws from the front of the peg-board. Do not screw into existing peg holes.

2. Paint the front of the peg-board with two to three coats, allowing each coat to dry. Here, we also painted the peg-board with blocks of white behind each wrapping roll and gift bag to create the look of shadows.

Good To Know:

Before painting the peg-board, cover your work surface with a drop cloth. While the paint is still wet, tap the peg-board, allowing paint to seep into the holes.

3. Using included hardware, attach café rods to the peg-board to hold wrapping paper. Insert a double-prong peg hook in the peg-board to hold gift bags, and use two double-prong peg hooks to hold a copper basket for storing ribbons. Hang a towel bar from the bottom of the copper basket to hold tissue paper. Insert the peg-hook drill holder in the peg-board to hold scissors, and insert the wire peg-hook basket to hold bows and tape. Use a hot-glue gun to attach a clear sponge holder to contain tags, pens, and other sundries.

4. Using included adhesive squares, attach one 12-inch-square cork tile to keep invitations and notes handy. pic 4

5. Attach picture-hanging hardware to the 1 x 2 boards on the back of the peg-board. Hang on your wall with appropriate fasteners for your wall type. pic5

Skill level: Beginner
Rough cost estimate: $70
*Rough time estimate: 1/2 day (not including paint-drying time)

Materials

1 sheet of peg-board, 1/8-inch x 2- x 4-foot (#15498)
3 boards, 1 x 2 x 4**
paint (Valspar Ultra Premium, New Avocado 6007-6A, semi-gloss)
3 standard café rods (#86253)
3 packages (#8 x 1 1/4-inch) wood screws
1 rectangle copper basket (#24632)
1 package of double-prong peg hooks (2-inch, #267950)
1 wire peg-hook basket (#267969)
1 peg-hook drill holder (#267968)
1 clear suction sponge holder (#50105)
1 package of cork tiles (12-inch-square, #33530)
towel bar (#83698)
picture-hanging kit (#210928)

Tools

drill/driver
screwdriver
paint roller with tray
hot-glue gun

*Does not include applicable taxes, which vary by market, or the cost of tools.
**Availability varies by market.

http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/gift_wrap_station_1109.aspx

Down these instructions

Good Eats: Easy Bread Pudding

2009-11-02T08:00:00.004-06:00

I use Pepperidge Farm French Toast Swirl Bread for french toast, but since we don't eat french toast every day I end up with "day old bread" which naturally made me think of one of my favorite desserts, bread pudding. The Cook and Serve pudding makes this bread pudding super moist and since there are already regular raisens in the bread, the golden raisens add even more flavor.

Ingredients

6 slices Pepperidge Farm French Toast Swirl Bread
1 pkg Cook and Serve vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1/2 cup golden raisens
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter over bread. Sprinkle with raisins.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine Cook and Serve pudding mix, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed.
Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the mixture. You want the all the bread completely soaked with the mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.
Serve warm.

Makes 9-12 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

Free Shipping and Fall Bazzar

2009-11-01T22:41:00.012-06:00

Everyone loves something for free, so I'm offering FREE SHIPPING until Christmas at my Etsy shop, The Silver Acorn.

I'm adding new items and I love custom orders, so come by take a look or let me create something special for you.

And as if November isn't busy enough, I decided to try my hand at my first craft show—the Sunday before Black Friday no less.

I'm very excited to be part of the 11th Annual Fall Bazzar hosted by Congregation Brith Salom. With 40+ other vendors, this should be a good first show for me.

If you're in the neighborhood, come by and get some of your holiday shopping done, I'd love to see you.

Shop early and give yourself time to relax around the holidays!

Welcome To My Parlor, Said The Spider To the Fly...

2009-10-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

We are ready for Halloween and all of the of kids that come by our house each year. We have a great neighborhood for Halloween. Neighbors get together and create haunted houses for the trick-or-treaters to go through; parents take their children all over the subdivision—some even dress up the family dogs and take them along. It's an exciting night for everyone!

Hope your Halloween is filled with lots of spooky fun.

Good Eats: Coca Casa Coconut Cake

2009-10-26T08:00:00.002-05:00

Someone brought this dessert to one of our company "dessert happy hours" and people were fighting over who got to lick the pan—it's that good.

Ingredients

1 white cake mix with pudding
1 (8 oz.) can Coco Casa or other cream of coconut
1 large tub of Cool Whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups coconut, shredded

Directions

Mix and bake cake according to package directions.
Bake in 9x13 inch pan. While cake is hot, poke holes in it with a fork.
Mix together sweetened condensed milk and 4 ounces cream of coconut and slowly pour over cake, filling holes.
Let cake cool slightly. Blend the cool whip and remaining cream of coconut and spread over the cake.
Top with coconut.
Refrigerate; serve chilled. This is really rich and VERY moist.

Makes: 8-12 servings | Prep: 10 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Table Settings

2009-10-25T13:23:00.001-05:00

Thanksgivng table settings don't have to be formal or traditional.

It's your table, show your style.
Relax and enjoy the holidays with your family and friends.

Take Note: Tablesetting 101

2009-10-22T12:00:00.003-05:00

Not all of us have time to entertain throughout the year, but the holidays are coming and so are the family and friends. I know it's been a while since I've set a formal dinner table and maybe it has been for some of you, so I'm sharing Tablesetting 101 from myhomeideas.com.

Formal Dinner

The primary difference between a formal luncheon and formal dinner setting is the increased number of glasses for red wine and champagne. Notice the glasses are arranged over the knife in the order in which they are to be used: water, white wine, red wine, champagne. Also, the fish fork moves to the left of the plate. Candlesticks may be present on the table since the candles will be lit. The coffee cups and spoons will all be brought to the table after dinner, when coffee is served. Place cards reinforce the fact that this is a well-planned, organized event.

Download the Formal Dinner Cheat Sheet

Formal Lunch

For a formal luncheon, the table is set much as for dinner with a few exceptions. The presence of an iced teaspoon and iced beverage glass announce a daytime event. The lack of candlesticks, too, is appropriate for a daylight meal.
Stemware is limited to a water goblet and a wine goblet. Old etiquette books dictated that the flatware should align at the bottom of the handle. Looser customs now allow you to arrange them in a graceful angle, if you prefer.

Download the Formal Lunch Cheat Sheet

Breakfast Table

When company comes, it's nice to set the table for a proper breakfast. You won't need a salad fork, but if you're serving a hot cereal like oatmeal, you may want a place spoon. You can also put the teaspoon on the table in this instance, since coffee will be served from the beginning of the meal. A juice glass is the only necessary stemware, although you may want to serve ice water, in which case you could add a water goblet.

Download the Breakfast Table Cheat Sheet

Casual Lunch

For a casual lunch, feel free to use heavier dinnerware, like these simple ceramic plates. Provide glasses for whatever beverage you plan to serve. The coffee cup may be set on the table rather than passed after the meal. There are no candlesticks on a lunch table, since you don't use them when you're not lighting the candles, which you wouldn't be in the daytime.

Download the Casual Lunch Cheat Sheet

Casual Dinner

A casual dinner calls for less formal china and stemware, and stainless steel flatware is fitting for the relaxed setting. Here, the formality of a mahogany dining table is softened with a bamboo place mat. The salad fork is omitted, but dessert flatware does lie in its usual place above the plate. To remember which way these face, imagine them "driving up" from their customary places to the left and the right of the plate, and "parking"in the direction they're facing.

Download the Casual Dinner Cheat Sheet

Soup for Dinner

When you're serving soup as a main course, perhaps for an intimate dinner by the fire, you can simplify the setting. But simple needn't mean boring, as this non-traditional setting demonstrates. Square china provides a twist on the traditional soup plate, and a wine glass with a square off bowl echoes the geometry of the china. A soup spoon, often called a place spoon in etiquette books, and a salad fork are all that is needed for a meal of soup, salad, and bread, the perfect winter meal.

Download the Soup for Dinner Cheat Sheet

Eat good food, drink good wine, laugh alot...Enjoy those times with family and friends.

Good Eats: Corn Casserole

2009-10-19T08:00:00.004-05:00

This is a wonderful Thanksgiving recipe and it also has been a huge it at potlucks.

Ingredients

1 can cream style corn
1 can whole kernel corn
1 ½ stick margarine
Medium onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 box JIFFY corn muffin mix
3 eggs, beaten
Bread crumbs and grated cheddar cheese for topping (generally 1 cup each)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Melt margarine in casserole dish
In large bowl, mix two corns, onion, bell pepper, JIFFY mix and eggs together. Pour into casserole dish. Save bread crumbs and grated cheese to add as topping to your liking about 15 minutes before time is up otherwise the cheese will burn.
Bake at 400 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes
Serve warm

Makes: 10-12 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: at 400 degrees F for 40-45 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

Love This! Gravy Restaurant

2009-10-17T20:13:00.004-05:00

My husband and I recently came back from Portland, Oregon where we spent our third anniversary. We are breakfast people—the kind of breakfast people who believe breakfast foods are good at any time of the day—so when I had heard about this "great breakfast place amply named Gravy", of course, we had to try it out. We were not disappointed.

Gravy is a small, cozy, eclectic restaurant located in the Historic Mississippi District. We went there on a weekday around 10am and there was a small crowd waiting, but since we could sign ourselves in on the waiting list, we could see that there where only a couple of parties before us. We only waited about 10 minutes for a table and were immediately waited on. There were only two servers and one was at least 10 months pregnant, so our server was ridiculously busy. Even so, she was super friendly and helpful when I asked her about portions and special orders. The manager was all over the place keeping everyone's drink filled, wiping down tables and making sure everyone had everything they needed.

My husband had the oatmeal brulee with apple, raisin and cinnamon. First, it is a huge bowl of oatmeal and the oatmeal is wonderful, not mushy. They layer the fruits on the bottom, then the oatmeal, and then they top it with raw sugar and fire it, like a crème brulee—so yummy—like healthy dessert for breakfast. I opted for the French toast made with thick slices of challah bread—the half order of two very large, melt in your mouth pieces of heaven, which I shared with my husband—and one scrambled egg, the size of at least two jumbo eggs, cooked to my exact request.

This was by far the best breakfast that we had during our vacation in Oregon and if you are in the Portland area you need to stop in; from what we hear there is usually a longer wait, but it is worth it.

Gravy Restaurant | 3957 N Mississippi Ave | Portland, OR 97227

Good Eats: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2009-10-12T10:07:00.004-05:00

A wonderful co-worker shared this super easy, mouthwatering recipe with me and I passed it on to others after it was a huge hit at my Super Bowl party.

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese
1 3/4 cups (1 jar) Alfredo sauce
(I recommend Bertolli Garlic Alfredo)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach
2 tablespoons hot sauce
4+ pieces of bacon (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Thaw spinach, drain and squeeze out water. Blot with paper towels to remove as much water as possible.
Allow cream cheese to soften. Whip cream cheese until smooth.
Add Alfredo sauce and mix until smooth and well blended. Add minced garlic, artichokes, spinach, hot sauce, parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese (and crumbled bacon). Mix until blended. Put in baking dish.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Makes: 8-12 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

My Own Space

2009-10-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

When we moved into our house three years ago, I went from being a single woman in just over 2,000 sq. ft. of her own to sharing around 2,600 square with my husband and stepdaughter. One of the biggest adjustments for me was not having any area that was my own space. As you can see, my jewelry took over the formal living room this past year...

until my stepdaughter decided that turning double-digits and playing with Barbies didn't go together and I was allowed to pack them away.

So now it's my turn—I finally have my own space. The practical (and sentimental) part of me decided to use the giant Barbie house that my father, my husband and I built for my stepdaughter as storage for my display and shipping supplies.

I have enough room under the window to set up a table for my tabletop photo studio, so taking over the kitchen table will become a thing of the past.

I love my new space, but I do miss being able to look up from my work and see my loving husband working at his desk in the office across the foyer. I'll just have to take more breaks to visit him. :)

Good Eats: Lemon Curd Tart

2009-10-05T13:00:00.002-05:00

This is my award winning (company party awards count) that is a simple, yet attention getting dessert that gets raves every time I make it. It's the cookie dough crust that people love but can't quite guess what you used.

Ingredients
1/2 of 18-ounce tube refrigerated rolled sugar-cookie dough
1/2 cup bottled lemon curd (I've found Dickinsen's brand is the best)
3 cups fresh raspberries (about 1 pint)
Fresh mint leaves for garnish, optional

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9-inch springform pan with removable bottom.
Press dough evenly over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and center springs back when lightly touched. Remove springform pan to wire rack. Using thin metal spatula, carefully loosen crust from side of pan. Remove side of pan; cool crust completely on wire rack.
Place crust on serving platter. Spread lemon curd over crust. Top with raspberries. If desired, garnish with mint.

Makes: 8-12 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes

Download a printable recipe card.

Love This! Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner

2009-10-04T12:00:00.008-05:00

I love multi-functional products and so many times I find that companies are not taking full advantage of their products potential. Such is the case with Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner. Lysol touts this product as a disinfectant that will:

Help protect your family from the spread of food borne bacteria.
Kills 99.9% of germs* on hard, nonporous surfaces. It is effective against Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
Effectively cuts tough grease and grime.

Purely by accident, I found two other wonderful uses for this product. The first one I found while cleaning the kitchen counters with the cleaner and I noticed the ever annoying fingerprints and smears on my stainless steel refrigerator. Before I could get "the proper cleaner for stainless steel", my OCD kicked in and I was spraying down the door. To my joyous surprise, I had a streak free shine in seconds with very little effort. This is seriously the best product I have found to clean stainless steel appliances!

The second use came as a huge surprise. I was at the kitchen sink and a giant roach came across the floor near me—I live in Texas; roaches are gigantic. Now we keep all of our cleaning supplies and bug killing supplies under the kitchen sink, and of course, you have to dig for the bug killing products. So I just reached for the nearest product to spray and, at least, stun this monster coming at me. The Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner was the product of choice and "stun" isn't the word I'd use—"dead in seconds" is how I'd describe that scene. This product not only kills bugs almost on contact, but I bet it's killing all the germs too—double win!

My husband did make the statement that it was a bit unsettling that we were using a product on our countertops, where we put food that kills bugs on contact. I reminded him that the products instructions read: Rinse after use on surfaces that come in contact with food.

All I have to say is Lysol is underestimating the talents of their product.

Gemstone Spotlight: Opal

2009-10-03T12:48:00.013-05:00

Opal is the birthstone for the month of October; it is also the stone given to celebrate the 14th year of marriage. Opals come in almost every color from white through yellow, orange, green, blue, red, and all the way to black, which is the most precious of them all. Revered as a symbol of hope and purity, opals were one of the most highly prized gemstones to the Greeks and Romans.

Opals have centuries of history as a treasured gemstone and numerous myths have surrounded them including: keeping hair from going gray, making a person invisible whenever he wished, bringing bad luck, bringing good luck, making the wearer immune from disease, warding off lightning, and possessing magical properties.

1. Lunar Eclipse Necklace Opalwing $395.00
2. Fine Gold &Yellow Gold Bracelet w/ 3 Freeform Opals Bimonia $1,245.00
3. Opal Doublets Twisting with Fire Earrings JelliesJewelry $68.00
4. Boulder Opal Lara Ring JanishJewels $98.00

Australia is the largest producer of opals in the world and is famous for its white and black precious opal. Opals are also found in western United States, Mexico, and other locations around the world.

Opals contain between 6 to 10% water and have hardness of 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs' scale, so they are not very hard gemstones and can more easily be damaged. Never subject opals to extreme temperatures. When storing opals, it is best to avoid plastic bags and dry storage conditions. Soft cloth bags with padding are ideal for opals. If storing a solid opal, take it out for an occasional wipe with a damp cloth or a dip in fresh water. Use a soft dry cloth to clean opals. With care, opals may be enjoyed for many years to come.

Gemstone Spotlight: Sapphire

2009-09-09T22:52:00.003-05:00

Sapphire is the birthstone of September. Blue is the most famous of the sapphire colors. Sapphires also come in other colors, especially yellow and pink, and some beautiful shades of green; these are known as fancy sapphires. In fact, sapphire comes in every color but red, because a red sapphire would be a ruby: both are the mineral corundum.

Sri Lankan and Madagascar sapphires are the most common today, with a wide range of colors from light sky blue to dark blue. Other producers of blue sapphire are Australia, Tanzania, Thailand, Cambodia, and Montana.

The ancient Persians believed the earth rests on a giant sapphire. Its reflection, they said, made the sky blue. In ancient times, a gift of a sapphire was a pledge of trust, honesty, purity, and loyalty. This tradition makes sapphire a popular choice for engagement rings.

1. Blue Phoenix Earrings CoryellDesign $128.00
2. Shades of Blue, Branch Bangles kateszabone $345.00
3. Double Layer Sapphire Blue Kyanite Necklace madebysam $44.50
4. Spring Flowers Ring EidelPrecious $450.00

Sapphire has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs' scale and is extremely tough. As a result, sapphires are second most durable of gems next to diamonds. Use a gentle liquid detergent and warm water if your jewelry needs more cleaning than just a wipe with a damp cloth.

Undiscovered Treasures

2009-08-29T16:58:00.008-05:00

Yesterday, I hit two of my milestones at the same time: I made my first sale on my Etsy store, The Silver Acorn, and it was my first multiple items sale on my Etsy store. Now that I've finished happy dancing and have sent this first sale off to my first wonderful customer, I decided I would show my appreciation by showcasing a couple of other folks on Etsy who are undiscovered and looking to make their first sale.

Plastic Box Art

The colors and uniqueness of the photographs by Georgiana Marcu of Plastic Box Art caught my eye and then I was intrigued when I read how she obtained images.

"None of the photographs in my store are photoshopped. They have an unusual colour because I only use expired film and vintage cameras. The cameras are used are generally very basic, a Plastic Box, and I treat my film strips like a canvas. I scratch and force lightleaks on them, as well as I overlap photographs with the use of modified cameras.

When I scan, i like to leave a fair amount of dust specs on my photographs, because I believe it adds to the character of the shot.

I like to travel and I like to photograph a lot of the unusual and irregular."

WestCoastGlass

Colors, movement, and emotions are what drew me to the beautiful hand-blown original glassworks of WestCoastGlass.

"WestCoastGlass is brand new to Etsy, and the opportunity to share what we do best with the Etsy community is truly exciting and a new medium for us.

We are located on Vancouver Island, in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.The glass shop is surrounded by Westcoast forests and nestled in amongst the mountains of the Cowichan Valley. We are family based business with a passion for glass!

We have been working with glass for a decade now, and are constantly learning and growing through our art. Glass blowing is an art form that takes years to develop. Every piece is created in the same scientific process that has been used for thousands of years. And still, to watch a glassblower in action is pure magic.

With every calculated scoop of molten glass, a unique and beautiful art form will be created. Shapes appear seemingly effortlessly at the end of a spinning blowpipe. And for the artist the hardest part is the waiting, for every piece must be annealed, in order to make it strong and useable.

The process is the same every time, but the result is always a uniquely beautiful and creative piece of art."

Stop by these shops and others on Etsy and see what you might discover.

New Bracelets and Earrings

2009-08-27T16:51:00.009-05:00

For the last week I’ve been battling what I term a “summer cold” and my doctor refers to as a sinus infection and bronchitis, so I’m a little behind getting my inventory posted on The Silver Acorn. Here are the latest additions to the store…hope you like what you see.

1. Dewdrop Earrings $18.00
2. Yellow Brick Road Bracelet $35.00
3. Autumn Harvest Bracelet $45.00
4. Urban Iridescence Earrings $22.00

Take Note: How To Look Great on Your Social Media Sites

2009-08-17T19:38:00.019-05:00

With all the venues of communication on the internet today, it can be exhausting keeping up with all of them and even more frustrating trying to look good on all the different formats. I was feeling this pain last week when I was tasked with designing a new Twitter background for my day job's web site.
Now, there is nothing I love more than easy-to-understand, useful information nicely collected in one place, so I was understandably thrilled when I stumbled across Paul Holmes' essay, "Design for Social Media: Best Practices," posted on The Idea Zone. Whether you're online for business, for pleasure or for both, I hope you find this as useful as I do.
All of the following information is directly from Holmes' essay (with my comments added for the Twitter background).
Here are a few basics:
Facebook Picture (Profile or Page)
The top-left image is 200 pixels wide. The height can vary substantially. Facebook will convert to a JPG and will shrink images wider than 200 pixels, so your page looks best if you save as a JPEG and have an image exactly 200 pixels wide (and 100 dpi, not 96 or 72). Since the image spans two colour fields, trying to have the background match either is pointless - in fact, it looks better if you use a third colour as the background, to add some contrast (the blue is #EDEFF4 and the white is standard #FFFFFF).
(Another cool option is to put a 1 pixel border around your photo using colour #D8DFEA. This matches the menu border colour - have a look at the Avid Reader page for an example.)
Facebook Thumbnail
You cannot upload a separate thumbnail image for Facebook, you must zoom into a 110×200 pixel area of your picture that looks good. Think about this when choosing your picture image.
Twitter Picture
The "Picture" icon is a variation of 73×73. Since people can view a larger image by clicking on your face (or logo), you may want to do a larger image - but keep the dimensions a variation of 73×73 (i.e. 146×146 or 219×219). Twitter accepts and does not convert a PNG, so use a PNG.
Twitter Background
Because the Twitter website is not a fixed position, the background image option on Twitter is a design nightmare. Avoid trying to make things line up perfectly on the "right" side of your profile - instead, put anything important on the left side, or go with a "subtle" tiled image. Important: make sure your background image's background colour is the exact match of an HTML colour, and define the rest of the background with that HTML colour, otherwise your image will look like it's in the invisible box.
My 2¢ on Twitter backgrounds
If you are even somewhat proficient in Photoshop, you have more options with the Twitter backgrounds. What I found most daunting is designing for the vast array of monitor sizes and still being more creative than just a tiled background. Caresofts blog offers a list of "10 Beautiful Customizable Photoshop Twitter Background Templates".
For my project, I found two basic, blank Twitter templates that I merged into one that you can download and use. I quickly learned that:

There is no way to make a great design for a 1024x768 view and a 1900x1200 at the same time
The best size for the entire background is 2560x1600
Graphical elements on the diagonal work the best.
If you pull up the template for the 1440x990 and the 1900x1200 and set your graphics to look good on those two screens at the same time, you are good on the other sizes, except of course, 1024x768.

YouTube Account Image
Your YouTube account image is 88×88 pixels, and scales throughout the site at 60×60 in various places. Make sure your image looks good at both, and upload the 88×88 pixel image in JPEG format (other formats are just converted to JPEG).
YouTube Channel Background
YouTube backgrounds that are not tiled are centered (and, thus, look ridiculous behind your channel info). If you do a background at all (a solid colour is good), make it something subtle that you can tile nicely. (Note: YouTube is rolling out new channel designs, so stay tuned on that.)
LinkedIn
An 80×80 pixel JPEG works best for the profile image, and a 100×35 pixel JPEG for your company page image. (Other image formats are just converted to JPEG automatically, even if they are the correct dimensions.)
Flickr
A 48×48 pixel JPEG works best for your buddy icon, and your group icons.
MySpace
Ugh, where do I start. Unless you are a band, think very seriously about whether you need a profile on MySpace.

Gemstone Spotlight: Peridot

2009-08-12T19:10:00.007-05:00

Peridot is the birthstone for August and is also the gemstone for the 16th year wedding anniversary.

Peridot is a symbol of fame, dignity, and protection. Peridot has been adored since ancient times and has been believed to enable the wearer to gain foresight and divine inspiration. It is also believed to rid one of negative feelings or emotions and promote restful sleep.

Peridot is a gem variety from the olivine mineral group. This lovely stone ranges in colors from lime, yellowish green, olive green or medium dark green hues to deep chartreuse. The medium to dark green color is called peridot, the yellowish green is called chrysolite, and the olive green is called olivine.

Emerald Cut Peridot Solitaire Ring onegarnetgirl $138.00
Emily Necklace awakenjewelry $70.00
Greas Bracelet beadsss $46.00
The Green Light Earrings PoleStar $40.00

With a hardness of 6.5 - 7, peridot is not a hard stone and may scratch easily. As with all gemstones, protect peridot from scratches and sharp blows and avoid drastic temperature changes. Do not clean gemstones in a home ultrasonic cleaner.

Smaller sizes of peridot are readily available in variety of shapes, but larger sizes are becoming scarcer. Peridot is usually priced in the range same as a garnet.

Open For Business

2009-08-11T14:06:00.006-05:00

It happened; it finally happened...The Silver Acorn has opened its doors for business!

A huge part of me is so excited and can't believe that it's finally a reality and that other part of me—that super compulsive perfectionist part—is saying "but you only have a third of your inventory listed." I just remind myself that it's like so many things in life, if you wait until "everything is absolutely perfect," you'll never get anything done. This is definitely motivation to get my entire inventory listed quickly.

Come by, take a look around, and let me know what you think. I'll be adding items often, so drop in and see what's new.

Presentation Is Everything

2009-03-26T12:09:00.010-05:00

Many months ago, my nine-year old step-daughter was watching me decorate cupcakes for a baby shower that I was throwing for my boss. It was when I started to inspect each candy duck that I had made and discarded those with any imperfections, that she said, "Oh, those are fine – it doesn't matter what they look like!" Without a thought, I said, "It does matter! Presentation is everything! It shows that you have pride in who you are and in what you make."

The reality of life is that presentation is everything, whether you are selling a product, presenting an idea, inviting someone into your home, meeting someone new, or deciding what to wear. In the end it all comes down to presentation and you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

I would be lying if I didn't admit that I'm extremely intimidated by knowing the importance of great photography with an online store and knowing that this is not my forte. Now, I do have our resident paparazzi, my father-in-law, who is an amazing photographer and I also have a dear friend, who is a professional photographer, to turn to for advice, but I can't completely depend on them to do this aspect of my business for me.

The loudest advice I have heard from my two mentors and several Etsyians has been to get a tripod and to find the perfect lighting. So for my birthday this past week, I asked for and received the Tabletop Photo Studio Set.

The studio includes light box, four backdrops, tripod ultra-lightweight and aluminum legs quick and easy to mount and remove, two 50-watt lights, and the set includes a handle and a built-in carrying case. 20" L x 20" W x 20" H.

From what I've read this "tabletop photo studio set provides clean backgrounds and optimal lighting, allowing you to create studio-quality shots using your own camera." I'm really hoping that now with the right tools, a fair amount of advice and guidance, and a lot of hours behind the camera, I'll be able to make that great first impression.

First Sale

2009-03-25T12:38:00.016-05:00

Yesterday I hit my first milestone—my first sale as The Silver Acorn! The Etsy store isn't able to open its doors yet, but a co-worker at my day job bought three bracelets from me for a grand total of $131.52!


Here's two of the three that she bought.

My husband and I celebrated just as I wanted—with sinfully delicious desserts from our favorite bakery, Ooh La La, and a quiet evening alone together.
My next milestone will be my first sale on Etsy and I haven't decided exactly how I want to celebrate that just yet, but I'll think of something befitting that "Yeah Me" moment.

Lillyella Giveaway

2009-03-10T16:19:00.005-05:00

Ever since I read Nicole's story, I began to live vicariously through her. I truly admire her ability to keep things fresh—from her shop,lillyella; to her blog; to her photos on flicker.

She has been so generous to me over the past several months and now she is extending her generosity to you. Just visit Xenotees blog by March 12th to enter to win your choice of item from lillyella. Good Luck!

Chocolate and Steel Giveaway

2009-03-06T13:00:00.007-06:00

The first time I came to Etsy, I ran across Christine Street featured in Etsy's "Quit your Day job Series", which lead me to her amazing shop, Chocolate and Steel. Her designs are funky, fun and inspiring and now she is giving you a chance to win this wonderful ring.

She's offering you several chances to win, so visit her her blog and enter before Friday, March 13th. This is only the first of many giveaways to come, so be sure to check in with her often. Good Luck!

It Just Hit Me

2009-02-27T13:40:00.002-06:00

I've been burning the candle at both ends this past month with my obsession to get my store open as fast as I can and with the demands of my day job. You would think with everything that I'm doing to actually make this store happen that I would get that this whole process is for real, but it didn't really sink in until yesterday. I guess the five hundred thousand stones and findings all over my dining room table; the endless hours creating jewelry; the constant search for inventory; the trip to the courthouse for my d.b.a; and the endurance of 48-minutes of Disney princess movie music while on-hold for the Texas State Comptroller's Office weren't "real" enough for me.

Instead it was the simple, little act of pressing the "submit" button on my packing/shipping supply order that knocked me over the head, tightened my chest, sucked the air out of my lungs and made me say, "Oh my god, this is seriously for real!" It was at that moment that I realized that I have boxes, satin ribbon and padded envelopes—lots of boxes, satin ribbon and padded envelopes—coming to my house which means that I have to actually sell my jewelry in order to put it in the boxes to get the boxes, satin ribbon and padded envelopes out of my house. I thought I was going to pass out until I remembered that I was home alone with only my dogs to save me and they don't know CPR or how to dial 911.

I just knew that my husband would tease me relentlessly when he got home and I told him of my near death experience, but I was wrong. He reassured me that I had experienced the first of many "OMG" moments to come. Then he suggested that I write down all of my milestones, my goals and my ultimate measure of successes so that when I hit each of them we can properly celebrate. Yes, I know, he's wonderful...this is just one of many reasons why I'm going to keep him for a very long time.

So, was it your first sale, getting your business cards or seeing your name on your tax ID number that made it real for you? I'm curious to know, what was your first "Oh my god, this is seriously for real!" moment?

Back To The Classroom

2009-02-09T14:01:00.001-06:00

Here in Houston we have this great educational resource called, Leisure Learning Unlimited, which touts itself as "Houston's Source For Lifelong Learning Since 1979." They say that they offer over 500 fun and educational courses/activities and looking at their catalog, I believe it.

After spending every free moment I've had gathering knowledge from the Internet, I decided to step away from my computer and take advantage of this wonderful resource. I choose "Successfully Starting & Operating a Business" as my first class since, along with many other important things that I did not know, it promised to teach me the "fundamentals of preparing a winning business plan; learn hundreds of IRS mandated tax deductions and loopholes for the self-employed and how to choose the proper legal form of business entity." That right there was worth the price of admission.

But even though there was the promise of viewing a case study of how the instructor obtained over $250,000 of free advertising for a client and how I could too, I knew I was going to be spending three hours with a CPA. I envisioned myself spending three hours with Louis Tully, Rick Moranis' nerdy character in Ghostbusters. My preconceived notions couldn't have been more wrong.

Joe, my instructor, is a fast talking, larger-than-life kind of guy with an East Texas accent who hands out Moon Pies for right answers or good questions. He has more stories to tell than the National Enquirer and he ends each one with "and that's a true story." Seriously though, this guy knows his business and, not only did I learn a great deal from him, I made a great contact for future use.

Next came my "fun" class – the class I'd been dying to take: "Intro to Precious Metal Clay (PMC)." I was not disappointed! You see, as I have been building up my inventory for The Silver Acorn, I have had the hardest time finding toggles and charms that I like that I can afford. I have exactly what I want in my head; I just can't find them anywhere. This seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life and the answer always ends up being,"I'll just have to make it myself."

Yesterday, this class was seven hours long, but it felt like it flew by in no time. Cheryl, the instructor, is this wonderful older woman with so much talent and knowledge it's insane. I think the thing I loved most about this class was that she made it real. By that, I mean, she was open and giving with her knowledge; most of the tools that she supplied were simple everyday items that I already have; and she gave us time to create. After about 15 minutes of up close demonstration of how to use PMC3 clay and PMC in sheet, she let us loose to create whatever we wanted. The class was small and she offered one-on-one attention whenever needed, but would back off and let us learn as we worked with the clay.

The class description guaranteed that we would create at least two pieces of finished jewelry. As the women in the class made earrings and charms, the one guy in the class made a seriously cool spider; he even accentuated its eyes with tiny red gemstones provided by Cheryl. I ended up with a total of four charms: one bigger-than-I-planned charm made from the PMC3 clay and three more charms made from the PMC in sheet. I discovered that I'm not so crazy about the PMC in sheet, but I've definitely fallen in love with PMC clay and the possibilities that it will afford me. My husband was in awe when I came home; he wasn't expecting me to bring home such "shiny beautiful" jewelry. Let's just hope that awe stays with him as I buy everything needed to make that shiny beautiful jewelry.

First Steps

2009-01-31T12:21:00.009-06:00

Ok, here I come. After years of people telling me that I should go into business with this hobby or that hobby, I'm finally taking the plunge. My ~~excuse~~ fear has always been that if I did my hobby as a job, what would I do for a hobby?

I'm not quitting my day job, so in my off hours, I'm researching all that I can about running a small business, taking classes, ordering supplies, deciding on a marketing strategy, soaking up constructive criticism, and oh yeah, creating inventory. The Silver Acorn is slowly, but surely, becoming a reality.

I've come to realize, like I'm sure most people do, that there are certain areas where I am extremely knowledgeable and other areas that I don't have a clue. I think what gets me are the areas where I am so clueless. I mean, seriously, I completely understand marketing, PR, ROI, inventory control, booking keeping, SEO, social media and more; but feel totally lost and confused about licenses needed, shipping packaging/charges/services and craft shows.

It's exciting to be learning all of these new things that I didn't know I could do and still have a nice comfort zone to count on. Speaking of having something (someone) to count on, I have to give a huge "thank you" to Nicole of lillyella for her generous help and advice. She is one of the nicest people I have met in a very long time. She's also very talented – check out her Etsy store and her blog to see what I mean.