Saturday, June 2, 2012

Lennon and Maisy Stella


If you haven't yet watched this latest viral video sensation, you must! Sisters Lennon (12) and Maisy (8)  have the most beautiful, soulful harmonies I've heard in a long time. 
Check out the rest of their videos on their You Tube Channel.
Someone call Ellen quick!






Tuesday, May 29, 2012

New Elenowen EP!



I have been so excited about today's release of the new Elenowen EP! I had the pleasure of hearing Josh and Nicole perform a couple of these tunes live last year, and couldn't wait to finally add the songs to my music collection. Elenowen is one of my all time favorite artists and this EP is AMAZING!

Here's a peek at the making of "Blood and Bones"...


Find the new Elenowen EP on iTunes!

Friday, May 25, 2012

School is out! 15% Off!


School is out! Summer has officially started!
 Celebrate with me this weekend by taking 15% off your entire order in my Etsy shop! Enter coupon code SUMMER15 at check out! Offer good through May 27, 2012

                                                                                

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Punctuation on Smash!


I have been so busy the last few weeks with Ashton's high school graduation (which was wonderful!) that I haven't posted anything in a while. I have also been behind in watching my favorite television shows. I really don't have that many, but one of my guilty pleasures is NBC's Smash. I love watching behind the scenes of the making of a hit broadway show. 

Since I am a jewelry designer, I am always noticing the jewelry on any and every television show I watch. So, while watching episode 14, Previews, I literally screamed and almost fell out of my chair when I saw Debra Messing (Julia) wearing my Little Sparrow with Pearl Necklace! 

It is in the scene where Will Chase (Swift) is confronting Julia in the hotel lobby and she tells him that she doesn't want him back. Debra always looks amazing, but even more so in Punctuation!
Thank you, Smash!


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

15% OFF

I can't believe May is here!
One Day Sale- Today Only
15% off my Etsy shop
Use coupon code MAYDAY15

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Today Only! 20% off Etsy and Wedzu Shops!

One Day Sale!
20% off my Etsy and Wedzu shops, today only, April 25, 2012
For Etsy- use coupon code TWENTY20 at checkout.
For Wedzu- refund will be sent via Paypal after purchase.

Have a fantastic day!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Nick Vujicic "Something More"

This weekend my church, Northland, hosted guest speaker, Nick Vujicic. He spoke here last March and I was excited to hear him again. It was an amazing service! Nick was born without arms and legs and to no surprise felt very lonely and hopeless growing up. He almost committed suicide when he was just 10 years old. He believes there is a purpose for the struggles we have in our lives and now travels around the world, sharing his story of hope and Jesus Christ with millions of people.

Nick recently discovered another hidden talent! He recorded a song written by one of my favorite artists, Tyrone Wells. This is his debut music video. It is so inspiring! Grab a box of tissues and be prepared to cast your worries aside. 


Sunday, April 15, 2012

The Civil Wars- National Anthem



 The Civil Wars performed an acoustic version of The National Anthem at the Atlanta Braves home opener on Friday night. 
Best rendition ever. 
Amazing.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Secret Sale


20% off my entire Etsy shop this weekend!
Use coupon code SECRET20.
Offer expires April 15, 2012 11:59 PM EST

Thanks for looking!
xoxoxo

Friday, March 30, 2012

The Hunger Games

I loved The Hunger Games book, loved the movie, and now am seriously loving the soundtrack. Only three of the songs actually appear in the film (during the closing credits) but if you love The Hunger Games as much as I do, you will be captivated by these songs that help tell the tale and truly reflect the mood and spirit of the story.

Here are some favorite tunes:

Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars
Safe & Sound

The Decemberists
One Engine

The Carolina Chocolate Drops
Daughter's Lament


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Jenny & Tyler "The Sound of Silence"


The Sound of Silence
(iTunes Preview)

Husband and wife duo, Jenny & Tyler,  just released this beautiful cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence." Not only is the song simply gorgeous, but they are donating 100% of the profits of this single to the International Justice Mission to fight human trafficking.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Invisible Children- KONY2012

Please take 29 minutes to watch this inspirational, yet heartbreaking video- 
then share it with everyone you know. 
Together we can make a difference. 
Together we can change the world.

Click on the following link:

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Friday, February 24, 2012

Ben Rector- I Want to Dance with Somebody

 Love this cover by Ben Rector of Whitney Houston's I Want to Dance with Somebody. 
Ben actually began recording it in January, before Whitney passed away, and now considers it his tribute. We are looking forward to seeing him in concert next week when he opens for needtobreathe! 

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

When my daughter, Ashton, saw a picture of these cookies on Pinterest, we knew we had to try them. They contain three of our favorite ingredients, chocolate, peanut butter, and pretzels. These cookies are so amazing, she has made them twice this week. The post originally came from the blog sugarcooking.blogspot.com. 




Recipe: Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Pretzel Cookies
Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients:
                1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
                1/2 tsp. of salt
                1/4 tsp. of baking soda
                1/2 cup of butter at room temperature
                1/2 cup of tightly packed light brown sugar
                1/3 cup of granulated sugar
                1 egg (beaten)
                1 tsp vanilla extract
                1 cup milk chocolate chips
                1/2 cup peanut butter chips
                1/2 cup broken up pretzel pieces
                Preztel Salt or Sea Salt
Directions:
1.             In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2.             In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). On low speed, slowly add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Beat to combine, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3.             Add the flour mixture and beat just until there are no more streaks of flour. Stir in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and preztels. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out well rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Leave about 2 inches between each ball. Bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer crispier cookies increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Monday, January 30, 2012

Coupon Code!



Valentine's Day is right around the corner! Use coupon code HEART15 for 15% off my entire Etsy shop today through February 9, 2012. All orders are shipped the next business day!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Goodbye Chuck! We Will Miss You!


Tonight my favorite show is coming to an end. I have loved watching Chuck these past 5 years and although I am excited to watch the series finale this evening, I am feeling very sad. I can't believe it is finally coming to an end!
nbc.com
Chuck is the most entertaining show to come along in years; dramatic, funny and full of exciting spy stuff and pop culture references. It is about the average guy becoming a hero and finding love.  I originally tuned in because the show's co-creator and executive producer, Chris Fedak, happens to be my very sweet and super-talented nephew-in-law. We were so excited to watch the first episode of his new show and then instantly became hooked. Since then, we've had many Chuck marathons, watching the DVD's and recorded episodes over and over again. I am proud to admit that I am the only member in my family to have danced our wacky family "Chuck" dance to the opening theme song for every single episode.


There are so many favorite Chuck moments, but my all-time favorite has to be Season 2 Episode 22, Chuck vs. The Ring. The Mr. Roboto Wedding shoot-out scene was simply the best on television, ever!

nbc.com

nbc.com

Favorite guest star? Timothy Dalton as Alexei Volkoff.
nbc.com

Character I miss the most? Matt Bomer as Bryce Larkin. 
No explanation needed.




Back in 2008, we got to visit the set. I'll never forget this day! We had the best backlot tour ever and the cast and crew were so incredibly nice.

Watch the 2-hour series finale on NBC at 8 ET. Even if you've never watched before!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Us and Our Daughters

Another awesome husband and wife duo singing honest lyrics about the ups and downs of walking through life together.  Here is the new video for "Honey." I love this song by Us and Our Daughters

Friday, January 20, 2012

The Giving Keys

younghollywood.com

I have always been a fan of actress/singer/songwriter Caitlin Crosby and love when I see Christians make a difference in the entertainment industry. Her music is filled with positive messages and she is a great role model. As a mom of 2 young daughters, I love that!

I recently learned about a project of hers called The Giving Keys. My admiration and respect for has quadrupled! I just ordered my first one and cannot wait to give it away! 

It all began with a simple, old hotel room key that Crosby engraved with a word. She began giving them to friends. After meeting a homeless couple on the streets, Crosby came up with the idea to engrave inspirational words and sell them in effort to raise money to help the couple and others like them.  But that wasn't enough, she felt like something was still missing so she came up with the idea of "paying it forward" encouraging buyers to make a commitment to give the necklace away at some point to someone who you feel needs the message on your key. I just love this concept! I have no idea who I will give mine to,  but I can't wait! There is also a section on the website where you can read heartwarming stories about the givers and receivers of these very special keys.

photo: thegivingkeys.com

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Christmas Holidays


What a wonderful Christmas break. The last few months have been so busy, I feel like I've been going 100 miles per hour and it felt so good to finally slow down! We all needed a rest and it was great to get away. Last year we had a White Christmas in Asheville, NC with 9 inches of snow on Christmas day, so we thought we'd go back with hopes of having another snow-filled week. It didn't snow this time, but the weather was much colder than Florida, so it really felt like Christmas!  Our cabin was lovely and had a magnificent view. For me, it is so much easier to relax when I am away from home! If I would have been home, I would have found at least 100 things I still had to do :)  My favorite part was just hanging out, enjoying each other's presence, and celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Our cabin in Cheshire Village
The day after Christmas we drove to Cataloochee in Maggie Valley for a little night skiing and enjoyed some man-made snow!



It took a whole day to see the extraordinary Biltmore Estate and Village- especially pretty in the evening with the Christmas lights.








Downtown Asheville



One of our favorites, the Fried Chicken Sandwich at Tupelo Honey- yum!


I'm not really sure why, but this guy ran through the streets dressed as a gingerbread man and had a Jamaican accent. He called himself The Ginger Dread Man! 
(note his dreadlocks) Hilarious!




I hope you enjoyed your holidays as much as I did!