ljlh*designs: Composing Creativity. My brain, in words.

Wisdom Wednesday - Humor

2010-05-19T17:56:00.000-04:00

"Humor has been analyzed with great success by any number of people who haven't written any". -Henry Morgan

Tasty Tuesday - Eating Raw Oats

2010-05-18T17:03:00.000-04:00

I am not sure how I discovered that I like eating raw oats, but I do. Weird right? Maybe I was really desperate one day and just decided to try it. I really don't know. I don't get the instant oats, I get the old fashioned ones. I've never tried the instant raw, but I somehow figure the old fashioned is better. Plus, if I want to cook them, which I do sometimes, they really don't take that much longer to cook than instant.

I also like to add the oats to my yogurt. In fact, I just finished a cup of fat free or low fat (can't remember) coconut cream yogurt with raw oats. TASTY! I think I really like the raw oats because of the texture. They do dry your mouth out a bit raw, so have a glass of something to drink on hand. Or just throw them in your yogurt. While it might seem odd to eat these raw, they are really good for me. Nothing but oats baby! Now you couldn't get me to eat steel cut oats raw. They are a bit tough uncooked. Got to go with the rolled if eating them raw. And no, I haven't tried eating the steel cut raw. I just KNOW they wouldn't be good. lol Plain ole oats, float my boat!

Movie Monday - The Art of the Steal

2010-05-17T11:11:00.000-04:00

"Appreciation of works of art requires organized effort and systematic study. Art appreciation can no more be absorbed by aimless wandering in galleries than can surgery be learned by casual visits to a hospital." -Dr. Albert C. Barnes (that's him and his cute doggie on the left)

Art. Who owns it? When a person dies, do their wishes really matter? If they were eccentric, does it make it "ok" to ignore their wishes?

Not many movies stay on mind days after I have seen them, but "The Art of the Steal" has stuck with me. I suppose it is still lingering because I am an artist. The movie concerns the relocation of The Barnes Foundation , which is located in Merion, PA. It is located about 5 miles outside of Philadelphia and does sit in a residential neighborhood. It has the worlds greatest collection of nineteenth and twentieth century French paintings. Henri Matisse even came to the foundation in 1933 and painted a mural right on the walls of the building.

Dr. Barnes didn't create a museum. He created an educational institution. He never called the mansion that houses his collection a museum. It was always a place for education, first and foremost. And there are still classes. The collection is displayed in such a way to give you an experience. Paintings are not grouped by style or artist. They are grouped to give you a feeling. They claim they are going to preserve the layout of the paintings and over all aesthetic of the collection in the new building. I somehow don't think it will be the same.

Even though Dr. Barnes was wealthy, he hated Philadelphia society types and was a very independent soul. Some say he was a mean old man, but I just think he was a million mega watts smarter than anyone and was resented for it. Shocker! He started collecting this artwork before it became famous. A monetary estimation of the collection has been said to be 25-30 billion dollars. Yes, billion. But it isn't about the monetary worth. I would seriously say, it is priceless.

Oh, but wait! The people who pushed for this move are all politically connected and/or are politicians. AND they all have access to LOTS of money. OH, and it's all about driving tourists to downtown Philadelphia so they can make more money. About the art? Yeah.............NO! It would be long to explain to you how this deal went down, but let just say it was SHAY-DEEE. While people are mad about it moving, I think the real anger comes from in how the deal went down.

Now, many people say the film is one sided. I don't disagree with this. It is sided to the side of resentment about moving the collection. Many of the people involved in moving the collection refused to be interviewed for the documentary. They had their chance to tell their side and didn't. And the people who did interview who were involved with the move, ended up looking like asses. Too bad the others refused to look like asses. lol

My fiance and I are making plans to see the collection before it moves in 2012. We hope to see it this summer. No, I have never been. I hadn't even heard of this collection before I saw the trailer for the film. I kind of feel like a bone head for never of hearing about the collection before. But now that I know about it, I feel passionate about it. I'm trying to imagine what it will be like to see the collection. I have yet to be successful.

GO SEE THIS MOVIE if you can still find it playing. If it isn't playing, the dvd comes out July 27th. Please visit the Friends of the Barnes.

GIVEAWAY!!!

2010-05-14T15:38:00.000-04:00

I reached 200 fans on my fan page! So I am doing a giveaway! You can enter to win a $15 gift certificate to my etsy shop. Snap! All you have to do is leave me a joke on my FB fan page . I love humor! Yes, I am going to make you work for it. ;) Scroll down the fan page and you will find the post about the giveaway. Make sure you leave your joke in the comment section of the giveaway post. Please don't post it here on the blog. Thanks! And Good Luck all!

Foreign Friday - Ritter Sport

2010-05-14T13:55:00.000-04:00

I am completely and utterly fascinated by European candy. When I lived in San Francisco I discovered something called Ritter Sport . It is a German company the makes different types of chocolate with various goodies mixed in. And is it ever AWESOME! My personal favorite is the white chocolate with whole hazelnuts .
And they do not skimp on the hazelnuts. They pack all of the their chocolate with tons of goodies! I have not tried that many flavors. But their chocolate with corn flakes is really good too. I know, sounds weird, but it is excellent! They only carry certain flavors in the US. But you can find the foreign flavors on Amazon. They also have a new 10,000 sq. foot retail shop in Berlin. OMG! HEAVEN! I'll take a one way ticket please! I have a feeling no matter which flavor combo you pick, you won't be disappointed. I have been able to find this in the international isle of grocery stores and at Walgreens. And I am sure European specialty shops carry it too. Enjoy!

Wisdom Wednesday - Rain

2010-05-12T13:38:00.000-04:00

Since it is a cloudy/rainy day here in Ann Arbor, I thought a little quote about rain would be nice. Enjoy!

The rains that nourish the optimist's flowers make the pessimist's weeds grow.

Tasty Tuesday - Julia Child Inspires

2010-05-11T12:03:00.000-04:00

2 weeks ago I finally watched the movie "Julie and Julia". And after watching it, I really want to cook the beef bourguignon. It just sounds and looks divine! That said, it is labor intensive to make and takes forever to cook. From start to finish it will take about 4-5 hours, depending on how fast you are. But I somehow I feel the reward would be worth the effort. How can you go wrong with beef, red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and fresh herbs? UH, you can't! Remember, bacon makes everything better. And of course there is butter involved. It certainly isn't health food, and I wouldn't recommend eating it everyday. But it would make for a lovely main course for a special occasion. It would be even more divine served with garlic and butter mashed potatoes. Well, that is my opinion. Before I can make this I must get the original book the recipe came from, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". I found the two volume set on Amazon for $50.

Which after some research, is a great deal. I haven't quite figured out why anyone would want to only buy the first volume. That's just me though. I found the recipe for beef bourguignon on Oprah's magazine website. Not my first choice of mags, but it shows the recipe. I could just use that recipe, but I am still going to get the set from Amazon, at some point. I somehow feel the experience of making it from the exact words of Julia would be better and more satisfying. Now, if you are by no means a cook, this book is not for you. From my understanding this isn't the easiest cook book on the planet. You should probably have some experience cooking and enjoy doing it. I do! And I wouldn't say these recipes are for everyday eating. You would never leave the kitchen and probably gain 100 pounds. I like to think of it as a great book for parties, special occasions, and a special meal for two once a month. The only reason I see this book being a challenge for me is that I don't like to follow recipes when I cook. lol But this one may convert me. We'll see.

Movie & Music Monday

2010-05-10T15:38:00.000-04:00

Last night the man and I went and saw Iron Man 2. Yes, I did see the first one. And I was the one who was all gung-ho about seeing it, not him. I watched all the trailers and clips that came out before the movie too. I don't think they could have cast a better person to play Iron Man than Downey Jr. And I had my doubts about Don Cheadle's character, but came around. I absolutely love when director's put themselves in their movies too. Jon Favreau wasn't in it much, but I enjoyed his character when he did appear. Sydney Pollack also had a tendency to do this, and did both very well. And of course Stan Lee has a very brief moment in Iron Man. It's lovely how they include him in some way in the Marvel based movies. I was watching Spider Man 3 on tv the other night and he was in that too. It's so cute to me! I'm not a mega Paltrow fan, but I do like her as Pepper Potts. And I think she looks better with her hair slightly red, than total blond. Special effects were plentiful in the movie, but not to the point where they just seemed excessive or stupid. And after sitting through the credits, it just amazes me how many special effects people work on a movie like this. Crazy!!! OH, and if you stay for the credits, there is a little nibbler at the end. :) Mickey Rourke makes the most perfect villian too.

His Russian accent is totally convincing. He really doesn't speak that much though. Even though it is an action movie, there is a plot and emotional moments. It's a nice blend of elements. I would say if you are looking for a good movie to see, Iron Man 2 is a great choice!

Now that I work from home, I am ALWAYS listening to music. iTunes radio is the most fab thing! There is every kind of music and a ton of stations in each category to listen to. When I lived in San Francisco, while attending college, I was introduced to techno/electronica/dance music. I ended up liking it. What I enjoy the most is when Pop songs are remixed to faster beats with more bass. The more bass the merrier! If the wall isn't shaking, it ain't baking. Anyway, I fairly recently started surfing channels under the Electronica category on iTunes and after much previewing of stations, found one I

really like. It is Energy 98. They have some remixes, but mostly it is original dance music. Dance/techno/electronica is mostly popluar in Europe. Most artists in this music category are from Europe. But this station is actually based in the U.S. Oh, and there are NO commercials! yay! They have Dj's, but they hardly ever talk. One dj's is from Australia and has a fantastic accent. :) I love to listen to this station while working out on the Wii too. Keeps you pumped!! I admit it can all start to sound the same after a while though. It is just a great way to keep you motivated. :)

Getting Serious About Blogging

2010-04-30T13:56:00.000-04:00

I went to a lovely meeting this past Tuesday at Blue House Ann Arbor . A fellow Ann Arborite, Nicole Ray of Sloe Gin Fizz , has a wonderful blog, which I have always been jealous of, and she talked about blogging at the meeting.

I like to write and share things with people, but never could find my stride. She got me thinking about taking my blog seriously, but keeping it real and fun too. And while my business is a huge part of my life, there is more to me than just my business.

So I sat down and thought about what else I like in life. I decided a good thing for me to do to keep on track with my blog was to have a theme each day of the week. Cheesy maybe, but I am quite sure it will work for me. My goal is to share things I have an interest in and educate/inform you. And yes, humor will absolutely be involved!

Here are the themes for each day of the week.

Movie & Music Monday - anything about music and movies. I love movie trailers, so you will see links posted to those for sure!

Tasty Tuesday - anything having to do with food. Because food rules!

Wisdom Wednesday - I love quotes and quips.

Thirsty Thursday - anything about drinks and drinking. :)

Foreign Friday - anything about anything going on outside the U.S. Because culture is good!

I hope you will tune in each day to see what I find!

Artist or Other?

2010-03-18T23:57:00.000-04:00

Do you see yourself as an "artist" or something else? And why do you see yourself as this?

Please leave your comments. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Giveaway Winner!

2010-03-15T12:09:00.004-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered! Much appreciated!

Susan from PursesBagsAndSewMuch is the winner!

Give her some love and check out her shop. :)

I have added some new shapes to the acrylic earring section on Etsy too.
Check it out here.

And I will post again when I have another giveaway.

Thank you again my lovelies! *mouah*

-Libby

Acrylic Earring Giveaway!!!

2010-03-03T16:19:00.004-05:00

For my birthday, March 16th, my fiance is going to laser cut more acrylic shapes for me. I already have some in mind. But I want to know what YOUR favorite shapes or designs are? The possibilities are infinite with a laser cutter! And please don't be offended if I don't end up using your idea(s). I still love you! :)

As a thank you for your input, I will be giving away a pair of acrylic earrings! yay! I will randomly choose a winner and the winner can choose any pair of acrylic earrings from my Etsy shop.

I don't have many pairs right now, but once I get the shapes cut, I will. The giveaway will run til March 12th at 11:59pm. Please leave your email address in the comments so I can contact you if you are the winner. I know it's short notice. I just thought of it today. lol

Here is a link to the earrings I do have so far, just in case you are curious little buggers.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ljlhdesigns?section_id=6724398

Thanks everyone! I look forward to your comments!

-Libby

My DIY Jewelry Display

2010-03-01T13:31:00.007-05:00

I'm so happy to be a part of this new handmade studio here in Ann Arbor! The house looks fabulous and I have a space with some of my jewelry. Here are pics of my setup. The earring tower was designed and made by me and my fiance. We made a total of 5. The other 4 are for shows. I made the earring tent cards, the paper cones, and the box my business cards are in too. I'm the Jane of all trades!

A Poem

2010-02-25T17:39:00.002-05:00

The best poem I've written so far. Enjoy!

To the friend I thought I had.
To the person I thought I knew.
To everything I wanted to have, but
Found I couldn’t.
To something I believed in and it didn’t believe back.
To you for replacing me.
Replacing me with something I couldn’t give you.
And maybe wouldn’t give you.
Is anyone to blame?
Are we both to blame?
Can it go back to the way it was?
It can, but it won’t.
Do I really want it to go back?
Sometimes.
The times when I feel like nobody is there to listen.
Times when I want to be needed.
Times when I need to be needed.
I don’t want to go back.
It is the little things that drive me crazy.
The qualities we don’t share.
Is it better this way?
Did I set myself up for something knowing it would fail me?
Was it an initial friendship?
A friendship to get us started?
I must learn to move on.
Knowing things will never be the same
I suppose is the hardest part.
I can say it can go back, but I know it won’t.
We both do.
Maybe neither of us wanted it to work.
Did setting ourselves up to succeed help us fail?
Was what we had to comfortable?
To familiar?
Maybe we were bored.
Could it just be that we are too different for it to work?
Me the worker bee, you the queen bee.
That won’t work.
In the end the queen gets bored with the worker bee
And she moves onto another worker until she is never
Completely satisfied with what she has.

Copyright by Libby Hampel (if you would like to share this poem, please link to this blog post. thanks!)

Easter Egg Earrings

2010-02-24T20:31:00.005-05:00

My mom keeps sending me wood pieces in different shapes and sizes. She sent me 6 egg halves. I have made 4 of them into earrings so far. I can't decide how to decorate the last two. Here is what I've done for now. Enjoy!

First Show of the Season!

2010-02-21T21:26:00.005-05:00

A new handmade studio is opening March 1st here in Ann Arbor. I'm so excited to be a part of it!! I will have some of my jewelry on sale there and may also teach classes. We'll see about that. :)

There is going to be a handmade show there on March 20th and it is the first for me this year. I think it is going to be so much fun. The woman who runs/owns this studio is so awesome and she has had the inside of the house completely redone and it looks super great! Posted below is the info about the show. If you happen to live nearby and see this, you so need to be there! Awesomeness you will find!!!

Now on Facebook!

2010-01-28T14:08:00.003-05:00

Yeah, I decided to do it. I really like it actually. I have my personal/business page and I also have a fan page for my business. You will see the fans for the fan page on the right column of this blog. Send me a friend request to! You can find me under Libby Hampel for the person/business page and ljlhdesigns for the fan page. Let's get together, yeah yeah yeah!

-Libby

Featured on Blog!

2010-01-25T22:47:00.002-05:00

I was featured today on a lovely blog called "all things paper" that is authored by Ann Martin. She did a small interview with me and posted a nice variety of paper jewelry. Woo Hoo!

http://allthingspaper-annmartin.blogspot.com/2010/01/ljlhdesigns.html

Lots Going On!

2010-01-18T11:30:00.006-05:00

Everybody and their mother has been coming out of the woodwork lately. Not seeking money, but my jewelry. Which is good, because I have lots of jewelry and very little money. ;) I have two blog features coming up, I was contacted by a store in WI about selling my jewelry there, and there is a handmade studio that is opening in my area soon and they contacted me on Etsy. I'm very excited about the handmade studio! I am meeting with them tomorrow to took at the studio and ask some questions.

I've also been making things of course. I've ventured into making paper covered wood bangle. So far it has been fun and quite successful. I always like a challenge and figuring out how to cover the bangles with the paper proves to be just that. I'm trying to come up with new ways to cover the wood with something other than strips of paper and achieve a non striped look.

Also, I have made more paper earrings and brooches. Starting making some V-day stuff too. I'm not big into holiday themed items, but I thought "why not". Other people like it.

I also made my first pair of post earrings. I found some paper pulp at a craft store and have been molding it into different shapes. I keep thinking of other ways to shape the stuff and have some great ideas for it. It's fun to work with, but takes at least a day to dry. The drying time depends on how large and/or dense the molded piece is, but most of mine have been pretty small.

I also bought some new beads and crystals yesterday, so got some cool new stuff on the way. I found some wood circles that are going to turn into something really fantastic at some point.

Here are some pics. Thanks for reading! Enjoy the eye candy now. ;)

Now Making Pins

2009-12-21T20:47:00.006-05:00

I bought some purple Swarovski crystals that did not have any holes in them and could not figure out what to make with them. After some thought, I decided they would make nice centers for pins. I had never made a pin, so it was a complete experiment. I didn't think I would like doing or be good at it. I proved myself wrong. It is fun and new creative endeavors are always good. The pics are in the order in which I have made the pins. The most recent one, I f-ed up at first, but ended up turning out better. YAY for happy accidents. Let me know your thoughts! Enjoy!

First Custom Box Order

2009-12-15T11:34:00.007-05:00

A few months ago I had an Etsy buyer contact me about a custom box to keep memories of her daughter in. She didn't respond for about 1.5 months. I was so excited about doing a custom box, but I thought after such a long period of time it wasn't going to be. Then a few weeks ago she got back to me!! I was so excited. After talking about different options, I went to work. The box is 10" x 10" x 6.5". Those are the closed dimensions. The main walls of the box are 5" high. The walls of the lid are 1.5" high. Making a lid for boxes is always the hardest part. This lid came out very nicely though. It was a lot of fun to make and I just love the overall look of it. Knowing it will be used to store lovely memories of her daughter's life is also a lovely thought. Here are the pics of the box! It's hard to photograph the larger boxes. The black strip right under the lid is a piece of ribbon. It added such a nice touch. OH, and the pink papers are die cut!! They are so cool. Enjoy! :)

My First Show!!

2009-12-07T13:34:00.007-05:00

I only had a total of 5 sales for the day, but I learned a lot and got to meet a lot of nice people! People were interested in buying online, so I gave out a good amount of business cards. People loved my cone display and my business cards. I need to work on a different earring display and have some good ideas already. It was great to see all the MICE signs around too and talk to some MICE members, new and familiar. The people from FlintHandmade were super nice and helpful! Here are some pics.

My fiance was the driver and held things down when I walked around. He is the BEST! He looks a bit tired here. We got up at 6a that day. That part wasn't fun. :)

My First Custom Jewelry Order!

2009-11-16T19:47:00.004-05:00

Another seller on etsy contacted me last week and wanted a custom pair of paper bead earrings. She was such a pleasure to work with and loves her earrings. I've heard horror stories about custom orders in the forums on Etsy. I'm glad to say mine was the opposite! I think it helped that she is also an Etsy seller. More understanding. Here are the earrings!

What a Great Week!

2009-11-15T21:08:00.003-05:00

This week has been just great! I was in a few treasuries. One of them made it to the front page too. My first time on the fp! I got super dorky excited. I still am come to think of it. Got my first custom jewelry request. It is for a pair of paper bead earrings. Got the perfect paper for them today! Sold some stationery and thank you stickers on Zazzle. And today I sold my first pair of paper bead earrings. They were sold to someone in the UK. My first international sale.

My fiance also got an offer to build a tree house that he designed for a competition in 2001. He was one of the winners and his design got published in a book. Here is the book. People who own a resort in Bali want to build it for themselves at the resort. It is not a typical tree house. It is really a full on house. It has bedrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, etc. We will have to see what happens with this. I'm hoping for the best.

Hope you all had a great week too! I'm hoping for more to come.

Life is Crazy!

2009-11-10T12:08:00.004-05:00

Life has been busy lately. I got accepted to my first craft show and I am super excited! I am already preparing for it. It is Dec. 5. Me and other members of the MICE team on Etsy are in the show. I'm actually right beside another team member. That should be fun!

So far I have made earring cards and the bracelet display. I am also making earring trees and little merchandise bags. I was going to buy the bags, but the quantities I have to buy are crazy. So I am making little bags out of all the scrapbook paper I have. I haven't made any new jewelry in two weeks because I've been busy with getting ready for the show and making all the Christmas gifts my mom has ordered from me. And I got my rubber stamp with my logo and website yesterday and need to stamp the earring cards. I am also stamping the bags once they are done.

If anyone needs a rubber stamp, I highly recommend lovetocreatstamps on Etsy. They are quick in answering convos, you can send your own artwork, it arrived fast, and it looks and works really great!

OH! I also am retaking all my photos for Etsy. I started almost two weeks ago and I am still not done. I was all over it, and then I got accepted to the craft show, and that has taken over my life. People always talk about getting ready for these is a lot of prep, but I didn't realize everything you had to do until I actually had to do it. I hope it will all be worth it though. I love people and love what I do, so I am sure it will be fun!

I will post pics of my craft show table at some point too!

-Libby

OMG! FINALLY!

2009-11-02T03:01:00.002-05:00

I FINALLY got accepted to craftgawker! This bracelet did it! WOO HOO! I'm a dork. Had to share. :)

New Picture Style for Etsy

2009-11-01T13:58:00.005-05:00

I was getting bored and not 100% happy with the pics of my jewelry for Etsy. I was also determined to not be afraid of shadows. I thought everything would look best on stark white before. I have found shadows can be your friend and cropping photos in a different way can be good too. So far I have gotten really good feedback on my new photos. I would love to know your thoughts too!! Below are some examples of what I am doing now. Enjoy!

Weekend Makings and Experiments

2009-10-25T23:31:00.008-04:00

So last week I was lazy with the blog. Shoot me! I wonder if more than a handful of people read this anyway? Anywho! I had experiments with new paper and die cut paper strips this weekend and made some earrings that aren't my usual style. I did make more than this and will post these and the others during this week. Enjoy!

I'm featured on handmadenews.org!!

2009-10-16T15:34:00.006-04:00

I'm so freakin excited to be a featured artisan on handmadenews.org!! I would like to thank Heather Folkner for interviewing me. Her and I know each other through Twitter. She, fairly recently, became a writer for HandMade News and she is such a peach. She asked me a few weeks ago if I wanted to do an interview. The answer was obvious. I like her questions and her intro to all her articles are always very good. As she pointed out to me, she was a literature major. I found it funny she loved my "perfect grammar". I hope you enjoy the interview and would love to know your thoughts on the article. Also, you can let Heather know your thoughts. On Twitter she is @SugarPlumFerret. Click here to read the article. Be sure to vote on the article too! There is a thumbs up and a thumbs down icon at the bottom. If you give it a thumbs down, I will come break yours off! Ok, maybe not. Thank you and enjoy!

-Libby

My fiance carved that!!

2009-10-14T13:42:00.002-04:00

Bustin Out Skulls

2009-10-13T19:44:00.003-04:00

I am not really into themed jewelry, but I liked this paper. Skulls are popular year round too. I've listed the earrings pictured above and another pair as of now on Etsy. You should see both of them in my mini to your left. Will be making more. And probably a necklace or two or three. Who knows!

Painless, plus a preview

2009-10-12T16:52:00.005-04:00

I'm finding that making necklaces is quite fun. I think I always thought because they were longer than bracelets that they would take me longer. I like simple necklaces so that is what I make. Simple, yes. Boring, no. I made several this weekend, along with some more paper bead earrings. The necklace above is listed. See it! Here is a preview of a pair I have yet to list on Etsy. Will list them probably tomorrow. They are long (2.5" from the base of the ear wire), but are super light weight and cute as crazy when on!

Branching Out to Necklaces

2009-10-08T11:58:00.004-04:00

I've decided to branch out and make necklaces too. The picture above is the first attempt. I really like it. This was done by spur of the moment, like most of my jewelry. I have been sketching more lately, but find I prefer spontaneous design. I have made another necklace, but don't have pics of it yet. Those little elephants were a happy accident. I happened to have 4 silver ones left and it worked out perfectly. I was glad I didn't put the two elephants towards the top down by the other elephants. Having them up there adds something. Maybe balance? I am working on some paper beads for a necklace that should be done later today. This necklace will be posted later today on Etsy. Hope you like what I come with. Enjoy!

Should I Sell Fabrics With My Designs?

2009-10-01T13:25:00.002-04:00

So I found this amazing site, SpoonFlower, that will print small runs of fabric. I about had a coronary episode when I found out about this yesterday! I'm wondering if I should sell my fabrics on Etsy? I do know how to sew and have a sewing machine, but I would much rather someone else use the fabrics to come up with something more awesome than I ever could. To see more of my designs Click Here.

Tell Me What You Want/Like

2009-09-29T23:30:00.010-04:00

I've been thinking and have decided to ask YOU what you want to see in my shop! I try to make a variety of styles, colors, lengths, etc. But having some ideas as to what others like is very helpful. Below is a list of questions. The easiest way for me to read your responses would be for you to copy and paste the list into your comment and then put your answers below each question. Your time is very much appreciated!!!!

What is your favorite color and/or color combination(s)?

What size is your wrist where you prefer your bracelets to fall?

What length of earrings do you prefer?

What do you wear the most? Bracelets? Earrings? Rings? Necklaces? Anklets?

Do you prefer to wear sets? Earrings with a matching necklace? Bracelet and matching earrings? Necklace and matching bracelet? You get the idea.

Do you coordinate your jewelry with your outfits or do you wear whatever you like no matter what your clothing is?

Are you more likely to buy jewelry for yourself or someone else?

What are your top three factors in making a jewelry purchase?

Additional thoughts:

PANCAKES!

2009-09-29T15:27:00.006-04:00

I never really used to like pancakes and I've recently discovered why. I always had the kind out of the box, not homemade. Now, I only make homemade and have modified a recipe I found. I will give you the recipe I found and then tell you how I modified it. Super Easy!!!

Ingredients

1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

The modifications: I put in one cap full of Almond Extract and cinnamon. Whatever amount of cinnamon you want. I should mention that the cap full of extract is a cap full from a smaller bottle. I cap full is plenty, unless you really, really like almond. It is potent stuff. If you make a double batch, I would double the extract too. The almond flavor with the cinnamon is just super. I also use honey as the syrup sometimes instead of maple syrup.

Leaves are Lovely

2009-09-28T18:01:00.004-04:00

So, I am not sure where this new found love for leaves came from, but it has arrived! I found this lovely paper yesterday and I am finding it to be very versatile and super lovely. It is a far cry from the other leaf paper I have worked with, but they are both equally beautiful. I've made 3 color variations of the picture above. The bottom colors are yellow, lavender, and grass green. The top part and design of the earrings are the same, I just changed the color of the bottom paper. I also have other styles with this paper and I am still experimenting with it. I also bought 3 other new sheets of paper yesterday, and am working on those too. Enjoy!

-Libby

Would Appreciate Your Thoughts

2009-09-25T00:35:00.005-04:00

I would really love to know what your thoughts are on my Etsy shops. I know there is a forum on Etsy for critiques, but I just find it very unhelpful to ask there. I promise you won't offend me or hurt my feelings. Please comment on anything including but not limited to photos, prices, shipping,policies,banner,avatar,shop announcement,selection,colors,materials,item descriptions. Or whatever else you can think of. You can also approach it from a sellers view point or a buyers view point. Or both if you really want. Don't feel like you have to focus on everything, just what ever you notice the most. All, I ask for is honesty and constructive criticism. I have two Etsy shops. The one I am most active in is my jewelry shop, but I do have another where I sell handmade boxes. Whether you choose one or both does not matter to me. The two links are below for easy navigating. Thank You!

Jewelry: www.ljlhdesigns.etsy.com

Boxes: www.ljlhpaper.etsy.com

Yo! It's a quote!

2009-09-24T11:50:00.000-04:00

A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. --Oscar Wilde

Letting Down My Guard

2009-09-23T00:34:00.002-04:00

I'm usually very protective of my poetry and don't share it. But my writing skills don't want to come out and play. They are being brats. So I thought I would share a poem with you. This poem was written 7 years ago. This is the best poem I've written so far. I don't title my poems. I feel it ruins them.

To the friend I thought I had.

To the person I thought I knew.

To everything I wanted to have, but

Found I couldn’t.

To something I believed in and it didn’t believe back.

To you for replacing me.

Replacing me with something I couldn’t give you.

And maybe wouldn’t give you.

Is anyone to blame?

Are we both to blame?

Can it go back to the way it was?

It can, but it won’t

Do I really want it to go back?

Sometimes.

The times when I feel like nobody is there to listen.

Times when I want to be needed.

Times when I need to be needed.

I don’t want to go back.

It is the little things that drive me crazy.

The qualities we don’t share.

Is it better this way?

Did I set myself up for something knowing it would fail me?

Was it an initial friendship?

A friendship to get us started?

I must learn to move on.

Knowing things will never be the same

I suppose is the hardest part.

I can say it can go back, but I know it won’t.

We both do.

Maybe neither of us wanted it to work.

Did setting ourselves up to succeed help us fail?

Was what we had to comfortable?

To familiar?

Maybe we were bored.

Could it just be that we are too different for it to work?

Me the worker bee, you the queen bee.

That won’t work.

In the end the queen gets bored with the worker bee

And she moves onto another worker until she is never

Please respect creative rights and do not copy or take credit for this poem. If you would like to share this with others, please provide them with a link to this blog post. Thank You!

-Libby

Keep your eyes/ears open and your mouth shut.

2009-09-22T00:20:00.004-04:00

The past few days I have become addicted to making earrings out of paper. Two things I love coming together to make one: paper and jewelry. I don't know if I ever would have put these two together on my own. How did I come to marry these two things? Well, someone I follow on twitter, and like, makes beads out of paper and sells them on Etsy. Once I saw them, my little hamster started burning up the wheel. I started doing Google and Etsy searches for "paper beads" and "paper jewelry". Most people make the beads out of scrapbook paper, newspaper, magazine pages, and kraft paper. I thought to myself, "wait, I have a lot of awesome handmade paper! I can use that". Almost of all of the beads I found were rolled in only one manner. So one of my goals became to try cutting the paper out in different ways to achieve different looks and shapes. After I made my first 3 pairs, I was happy with what I had achieved. Being one to never stop at one idea, I explored more. I thought "how can I make simple rolled beads interesting?" I started combing quilling paper and glass beads into the scheme. It amazes me how supplies that were bought separately come together months and even years later to make something awesome. Now I'm taking all of these elements and jumbling them all together to see what happens next. I've only been making these for about 4 days, so the experimenting will continue.

The point of me telling this? It got me thinking of how seemingly separate elements can come together to make something unexpected and beautiful. It also strengthens my belief that none of us hold all the good ideas and being curious plays a huge roll in being creative. One of my favorite things to do is look at what other people make. No, I don't rip off their designs. It gets my creative hamster running. I look at most things and think "how can I make that better and/or my own?" The above story is the perfect example of what that thought generates. I've always been good at jigsaw puzzles. When doing them I can remember where I saw a certain piece, remember the general shape of it, and figure out where it goes pretty quickly. That's how my creativity usually works. I collect pieces in my mind from looking at the world and then I can come across the next piece and it finds its mate(s). Keeping an open mind allows me to absorb so many pieces. I'm open to all things. Of course, there are things I don't like, but I have learned from them too. Everything is a learning experience.

-Libby

How This Blog Should Have Started

2009-09-21T00:45:00.002-04:00

So..... I have been a blog slacker. I'm a pretty new to this and have struggled with what to talk about. After looking at some blogs and thinking, I'v decided it will be about what I fee like writing about. Simple and obvious conclusion, right? I am making a point to post at least once a day M-F. I've always written poetry and find writing it to be therapeutic. I have no idea if you will find what I have to say particularly interesting. You will find a mix of humor, opinion, insight, ramblings, information, and more. When this blog asked for "Blog Description" I put "Random and creative, like my brain." That really sums up what you will find here. I don't write, just for me. Hopefully you will take something away from it. My goal is to provoke thought and feeling. We were given brains and we should use them.

Now for what this post is about. Me. This won't be your "I'm married with 5 kids and 2 dogs and I'm a stay at home mom who loves....". You get the idea. I'm none of the those by the way. This is more about sharing everything that will help to show who I am and what I am. Everything in the list, has some part in showing you the real me and/or is just something that pops in my head that I think you might find interesting or weird about me. The little things are far more interesting and telling about who someone is. I hope sharing this makes you feel freer to share who you really are, and maybe makes you laugh. This list is formed as I think, so pardon the randomness mess.

blue eyed, 2 holes in one ear and 3 in the other, former fingernail biter (2 years biter free), channel flipper (radio and tv), MAC user, lip gloss lover, like coke better than pepsi, like diet pepsi better than diet coke, enjoy British and Aussie accents, like peanut butter and bananas, put onions in just about everything I cook, twitter twit, cereal lover, coffee drinker, coffee maker, coffee grinder, hate the smell of patchouli, love lavender, perfume lover, obsess over my eyelashes looking perfect, don't like to speed (too much), moody, have an "L" tattooed on the inside of my left wrist and an "H" on the inside of my right wrist, love Munny dolls, never wear high heels, wear size 11 shoes, think it would be fun to be a judge (just so I could tell people to shut up because I said so), first thing I wanted to be was a chef, LOVE "The Golden Girls (have every season on DVD), if I could only meet one famous person my whole life it would be Betty White, have long fingers, messy, not a picky eater, hate silence, 80's music lover, movie theater popcorn fiend, rude people annoy me, like spicy foods, favorite movie is Out of Africa (Mr. Redford's looking his best in it), sing in the car (but not the shower), like to dance, have to wear a watch or I go nuts, very social and at the same time really enjoy being alone, human behavior interests me, can't sleep on planes, only child grandchild and niece (I'm not a brat, promise), some days I believe in God and some days I don't, used to have my tongue pierced (have a lovely scar to prove it), HATE stereotypes, gay men love me (and I love them), almost nothing offends me (don't test this), patience is a virtue I'm working on, entrepreneur, like my food and coffee blazing hot, bad at finances, quote freak (mine and others)

I'm sure there are more things that I can't think of, but this should give you a pretty good idea of me. As I write more, it will become even clearer. This is the preface. Or maybe a warning? I'm always open to and welcome your comments. If you have something nice, mean, humorous, sad, or whatever else to share, please do. You may teach me something. I love to learn. And no, all posts won't be like this.

Tata,

Libby

We Have Winners!

2009-09-20T17:15:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Laura and Cindy! They were the winners of my earrings giveaway. Thank you to all who entered! Much appreciated. I will be doing more contests and giveaways in the future. Next month I will also be having Etsy specials in honor of my jewelry shop being featured on another blog. When it comes closer to the feature, I will post details here and in my shop announcement. I will also put a link to the blog where I will be featured.

Thank you all again and keep it creative!

-Libby

Thank You!

2009-09-19T00:32:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all who entered my first giveaway!

The winners will be notified by email and congratulated on this blog on Monday Sept. 21.

Good luck to all and have a great weekend!

Enter to Win!

2009-09-04T21:27:00.013-04:00

If you like these earrings they can be all yours!

You can also choose which color you would like to win. One person will win the yellow pair and one person will win the blue pair. Please only enter to win the yellow or blue pair.

How do you make this happen?

Click on the "Enter to Win!" title to fill out the entry form. It's super short.
Your information is used only for contest purposes and will not be used for unsolicited emails.

Materials used:
*metal stars
*headpins
*hematite beads
*Swarovski crystals
*surgical steel ear wire

Entries will be accepted until September 18th.

Thanks for entering!

Etsy Treasury

2009-09-03T19:59:00.004-04:00

This bracelet is in an Etsy Treasury by
handmadebyannabelle

Click here to see the cool Treasury!

My 2nd Etsy shop!

2009-09-02T19:52:00.003-04:00

My 2nd shops has handmade boxes!

It will eventually have other paper goods as well, but for now it is just boxes.

Most of them were made a few years ago and it just became a hobby after learning how to make them in college. They don't really have uses in mind, so use them for whatever your imagination desires!

I'll be adding more, so return often to take a peek at them!

Thanks. Enjoy!

3 newbies!

2009-09-01T13:51:00.002-04:00

Added 3 new bracelets to Etsy and they are all very different!

This is one of them!

I was in the mood to make a pink/purple bracelet. This is pink/purple/blue. Three great colors in harmony.

Enjoy!

Featured in a Handmade Spotlight!!

2009-08-29T21:49:00.004-04:00

This bracelet is featured in a ByHand spotlight!

Click on the title of this post to see it.

There are other beautiful handmade items shown there as well.

So Excited!

Busy Bee

2009-08-29T13:19:00.003-04:00

Between last night and today I have posted 6 new items on Etsy!

This is one of the bracelets.

It is so shiny! Love it!

Enjoy!

More Bracelets!

2009-08-27T18:56:00.003-04:00

Just added to Etsy!!

My fifth post today. I've been stock piling.

Enjoy!

As promised!

2009-08-27T15:27:00.003-04:00

The two bracelets in my previous post have been added to Etsy!

This green one was added also.

I bought more beads so now I have to go make more bracelets.

Enjoy!!

Coming to Etsy soon...

2009-08-27T11:02:00.005-04:00

Adding these to Etsy some time today.

Just had to share before they went up!

New Bracelets!

2009-08-24T19:35:00.004-04:00

Added to Etsy today!

Also added another one as well.

To take a look at all of my jewelry click on the link below.

www.ljlhdesigns.etsy.com

Thanks and Enjoy!

Zazzle Sale. Yippee!

2009-08-20T20:05:00.002-04:00

Sold 30 copies of this postcard on Zazzle today.

Of course, I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!

Vampire by ljlhdesigns
Create a Full color postcard with zazzle.com

Soapy Times!

2009-08-20T18:01:00.002-04:00

Bought some Lavendar soap from The Burnt Mill on Etsy.

The soap there looks like cake to me. I'll try not to eat it!!

Just noticed she just re-listed it. Check it out!!

Click here to check out Burnt Mill's lovely soaps!

Simply Orange Bracelet

2009-08-20T15:23:00.003-04:00

Posted and made yesterday!
It was late when I listed last night, so that is why the blog about it today.

Loving this bracelet right now! This picture just makes me happy too. It shows how the bracelet moves and shows off all the details.

Let me know what you think!!

Click here to find it at Etsy!

Awesome Salad...Have to Share This

2009-08-20T14:44:00.003-04:00

So I have been doing most of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's lately and have found a salad that is awesome using some of their ingredients!!

Ingredients:

-Weeds
-Baby Carrots
-Fresh Raw Broccoli
-Onion
-Croutons
-Trader Joes Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Tenders
-Trader Joe's Organic Creamy Bleu Cheese Dressing

Additional tips and tricks about this salad:

-For the Weeds I use Trader Joe's spring mix. You get a great variety in your salad.
-Cut up the baby carrots into 3'rds. You could shred them with a cheese grater or shave them with a veggie peeler. Smaller=easier to eat!
-For the onion I would recommend red. I used white because that is what I had. You can use whatever you like, but red provides a more mellow onion flavor and is best on salads and sandwiches.
-For the chicken, I cooked them over med to med high heat on the stove in an uncoated, stainless, skillet. I didn't use any oil to cook them in, but you could. If you don't want them too brown, cover the skillet with a lid to keep in the moisture. Also, let them cool down before putting on your salad. About 5 mins. or so. They'll taste better cooled down. Promise! They keep well in the fridge for later salads too. About 45 secs. in the microwave gets them to perfect salad temperature. These tenders are sooooo yummy!
-Now, the dressing! I love bleu cheese! Period. This dressing with the sundried tomato chicken is just awesome! The two flavors together just make my mouth so happy happy. If you aren't a bleu cheese fan, TJ's does have a Parmesan Ranch dressing too. Haven't tried it, but hear it is yummy. The bleu cheese dressing is also awesome as a veggie dip. I eat it with baby carrots.
-Croutons are optional. I love the crunch, that is why I use them. Any flavor you like will work.

I hope you live near a TJ's so you can try this.

Enjoy!!

2009-08-19T11:17:00.006-04:00

Added to Etsy today!

There are matching earrings in the "Earrings" section too!

All the earrings have a bracelet mate.

This bracelet was not meant to be patriotic looking, it just worked out that way. I was also told by someone that it reminded them of Christmas and berries. Never would have thought that myself. Good call!

Click here to see this bracelet at Etsy

Apples to Apples

2009-08-18T23:59:00.004-04:00

Just added this bracelet to Etsy.

I found the enameled apples and already had the red and green beads. It worked out so perfectly!

I also added more earrings and updated all jewelry pics.

Click Here to see listing for Apples to Apples Bracelet on Etsy

Zazzle Halloween Features

2009-08-14T16:08:00.002-04:00

I was only going to choose one gallery to feature for their Halloween products, but only four galleries participated, so they all get props.

Thank you to the galleries who participated!

Halloween by Got Tees?
http://www.zazzle.com/teezazzle/gifts?cg=196383382552974123

Halloween by YesterdayCafe
http://www.zazzle.com/yesterdaycafe/gifts?cg=196403800275007043

Halloween by Alleycatshirts
http://www.zazzle.com/alleycatshirts/gifts?cg=196114107159282547

Halloween by BlayzeInk
http://www.zazzle.com/blayzeink/gifts?cg=196378187209431233

2009-08-13T16:42:00.004-04:00

Sold this set of note cards on Etsy today!

Sold this bracelet on Etsy today also!

Same person bought both.

YIPPEEE!!

Check out more paper goods and jewelry at:
www.ljlhdesigns.etsy.com

New Blogger!

2009-08-13T15:17:00.000-04:00

So, I have decided to try the blog thing.
This blog is about my business, ljlhdesigns.
I design and make jewelry, note cards, postcards, and boxes.
I like many creative things, so this is just mostly what I do, not everything.

My designs are available through etsy and zazzle.
You can access both of these sites through my main webpage:
www.ljlhdesigns.com

Thanks for stopping by and I will update at least once a week, most likely more!

-Libby