hope to see you here! starts tonight!...

*scroll down to see some previews of my jewelry that will be selling at the bazaar!

perfect timing to shop for your mothers day gifts!

armelle jewelry gift certificates for mom...

new to the shop!

i just added gift certificates, available to purchase and redeem at armelle jewelry!
perfect for a mothers day gift! [yes, mothers day is next week!]

click here to purchase.

google chrome...

if you're a gmailer you may have noticed a little blurb about downloading google chrome in your inbox.

well, i did, and it's a-mazing!  it's like a firefox, or internet explorer, but i noticed it to be super fast at downloading photos etc.   and it's especially fast loading google pages such as gmail, google reader, blogger etc.

so, anyhow you may want to try it.  it could be a time saver for you.  and, i'm really liking it!

download it here.

learn more about it here.

bright + colorful...

have you seen gabrielle from design mom's recent family photo shoot in central park?
just perfect!

i'm just dying over their outfits! so bright and colorful!
if i had a photo shoot and the family showed up wearing this, i'd think i had died and gone to heaven.

see more here.
images by candice stringham.

more earrings...

another little peek of some goodies that will be at the beehive bazaar that starts thursday night..

it's crunch time for me on getting everything ready, so thanks for putting up with all my little previews.

looks like the majority of you prefer shopping on etsy. so i think i'll try it out and post a lot of my new jewelry on there in the next few weeks, along with on my website. let me know if you need anything sooner and i'd love to work with you!

wheely bugs...

recently came across these cute wheely bug ride ons for kids...

i really like the bee one!

p.s. you can get a great deal on them at walmart, yep i said walmart. see here, here + here.

more new jewelry....

some more little previews of some jewelry i've been working on for the beehive bazaar next week!

hope you can make it!

i still have lots more to share... so i hope you don't get sick of looking at my newest creations. i've just been eat, drinking, and sleeping jewelry lately..

again. i hope to get these on my website soon.
please email/comment on anything specific you may want right away..

and p.s. i'd love to know your opinion.
i usually don't list a ton of my jewelry in my etsy shop, [just sale items and one of a kinds] but, are you more inclined to buy from a private site or an etsy shop?

in my experience etsy is just too saturated with jewelry so you have to charge nothing in order to get high volumes of sales... plus they charge fees. and, honestly i've had good luck on my own website.
but, i'm wondering if i should start listing a lot of my items on etsy as well. i know it has it's benefits too...

what do you think?

retro red...

we got this retro radio flyer trike for my little z man for his birthday. [the streamers were promptly removed by the mr., since it's a "boys bike"] ..after putting it together, we realized he's still not quite big enough for it.

do you think he'll remember that he played with it a few months back by christmas time?

...it may end up under our tree with a big red bow from "santa."

i just love this bike. it's timeless... something his grandparents could have had!

i also love this ride on and this one.

smaller...

just got an email from one of my favorite online kids magazines, small to let me know they just launched a new blog.

check it out here.

....yet another blog to add to my reader.

many thanks...

many thanks to all you cute bloggers who posted about my little z man's circus party and invitations.

i am beyond flattered. and, many of you are my favorite reads!

here's a little list of all the nice shout outs i am aware of [let me know if i've missed any...]:

design mom

nesting
party perfect

a little sussy

half baked

at home with kim vallee

tutus and turtles

peppers and pollywogs

one crafty place

the little things

one pretty thing

design dazzle

jonathan & tiffany

poesia

you are my fave

my life my loves

waiting for kids

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oh, and my blogging may be a little spotty the next week or so as i prepare for the beehive bazaar show. i've been working like a mad women on some new jewelry and i'm excited to share them with you!

i'll post more previews as i have time! and, for those of you who can't make it to the show and requested that i put some in my etsy shop. i hope to get that up soon! if you need it sooner email me or comment about a specific piece and i can send you a paypal invoice and we can get that sent out!

thanks again all!

white kitchens...

i can't tell you how obsessed i am about white kitchens. i think my husband is beyond sick of me talking about it. here's a few of my favs from house beautiful's, best of white kitchens slideshow i saw on stephmodo. it made my morning!

{images from house beautiful}

a little preview...

here's a little preview of a few armelle jewelry items that will be for sale at the beehive bazaar show in a few weeks. {mark your calendars!}

i've incorportated some antique brass into some of my designs for some more affordable pieces.

hope to see you there!

**for you out-of-towners. let me know if you are interested in any of these pieces and i can list them in my etsy shop!

new jewelry...

some new earrings i just put up in on my website. prices range from $19-$26!

check them out here!

also, i've been working on some pieces for the beehive bazaar show coming up.
a little preview to come!

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SPRING DISCOUNT!!

oh! and i almost forgot! for all of you loyal armelle readers {i really do appreciate every one of you!}

i am offering you a 15% off discount off your total jewelry purchase on my website between now and may 1st 2009 [*does not apply for my etsy shop]

all you need to do is type in armellespring15 in the notes/instructions to merchant section at checkout on paypal. 15% off your total will promptly be refunded to your paypal account!

thanks again for reading this blog and supporting me and my jewelry!
i enjoy each and every one of your comments!

**************************************************************************************************

the circus party...

i just wanted to first say thank you all for your nice comments on the invitations i made for z man's circus party.

i'm happy to report that the party went well, and i survived!
i wasn't able to finish all the decorating, since i ran out of time, [i had big plans for some GIANT red balloons..] but it was still a success!

here's a few of the party details: {for more details + pictures click here}

on the menu was-

• fresh squeezed lemonade
• homemade pizza- various kinds
• strawberry spinach salad with feta candied pecans and poppyseed dressing
• penne pasta salad with smoked mozzarella cheese, spinach, and roasted red peppers
• white butter cake with buttercream frosting and lemon curd filling
• cookies
• cotton candy
• popcorn
• cupcakes

entertainment-

• one silly clown [i had my husband learn how to make balloon animals. and the kids went nuts over them! ]
• balloon animals
• magic tricks
• photo booth {see silly pictures here}
• easter egg hunt

it was a fun party!
i still can't believe my little guy is two?!!
{more pictures from the party here}

birthday boy...

spending the day today with my birthday boy, i'll be back monday... that is if i've recovered from the big party.

i'll let you know how it goes!

happy tape...

how could this japanese tape not make you happy?

i'm having a hard time not wanting each and every one of them.

they also have a blog with ideas on how to use the tape!

{via oh happy day}

upholstered chairs...

i'm in love with these upholstered chairs from target.
someone please tell me if you ever see them go on sale!!

1. sungold gerber chair
2. polly aegean chair
3. serf gerber chair
4 .polly dove chair
5. athens smoke chair
6. athens cinnabar chair
7. gerber cherry chair
8. floral sea glass chair

easter basket toolbox...

after seeing sally, from shim + son's cute easter toolbox i knew i wanted to make one for my little z man. well, easter came and went a little too quickly last year.

so, this year i wanted to make sure to get it done for the little guy. i had fun filling it with little gizmos and gadgets, and i know my little z man is going to love his gift from the "easter bunny." can't wait to watch him open all his little treasures!

japanese fabric...

i'm loving this japanese print elephant fabric from the this and that from japan etsy shop.
i think i might make z man some pillows with one of these...

beef stroganoff...

{photo by me}

a great way to use your braised beef leftovers... [recipe here]

click here for my recipe for beef stroganoff!

dwell kids...

a few things i'm liking from dwell kids lately...

{bird wall art}

{organic crib baby bedding}

a lovely loft...

i came across this great loft of shauna and stephen of somethings hiding in here via made by girl. what an amazing spread. i love their workspace!

more pictures here + here.

circus party invitations...

i've been busy the last little bit, planning and getting ready for my little z man's second birthday.
i really can't believe he's going to be two next week!

we decided we are going to throw him a circus party with our families. it should be good times. i'll post pictures after the party.

here are the details on the invites i created for the party. . .

first, i took the little guy out to have a mini photo shoot with a big red balloon. i never thought he'd hold still, but i think he liked the balloon. i turned the images into faux "polaroids" using photoshop and i had them printed to polaroid size on 4x6 photo paper then cut them out.

next, i created some long address labels and printed them on full sheet label paper and then cut them out. the front had the addressee and our return address was on the other end of the label that wrapped around the back of the envelope.

i also created the "circus ticket" invitation, and printed it on textured red cardstock paper and cut them out. the date and time are on each end where you'd normally see the ticket number on a real circus ticket.

a fun addition to the invitation and polaroid was the red balloon. on the back of the ticket invitation i put details about a secret password to redeem a prize at the circus party. the password is found on the balloon if you blow it up. my favorite part of the ticket [may be hard to read from the picture] is where it says "disclaimer: password may self-destruct."

so, there you have it. my little z man's birthday invitations.

now, just pray for me that the actual party will go well. i'll post pictures after the party next week!

wish me luck!

braised beef...

{photo by me}

just posted my recipe for braised beef on my recent post over at the cafe zupas blog. click here.

i love to braise beef. it comes out so moist and tender, never dry.

click here for the recipe and more about braising beef.