a simple cotton tote.....

.....so I tried my hand at making something new today, this was my first handmade tote. I had a lot of fun sewing this, I was going for a shabby/cottage style.....what do you think?

Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people. ~Colossians 3:23 (ISV)

Curly Ribbon Cake Picks

Spruce up a plain cake with Curly Ribbon Cake Picks!! These are so easy to make and can be done in any color combination to match your party theme ~;o) All you need are twisties, curly ribbon and a pair of scissors....thats right just 3 items!! My kind of project, fast and simple ~;o)

Just cut your ribbon to desired length, curl each color on each side, place the twisty in the center of the curled ribbon and twist tightly into a straight line, all the way down....and tada!!! You have your sweet little cake embellishments!! Then just push them into the desired spot on your cake.

In this small 6" inch round smashcake that I made for Isabella, I created 4 Curly Ribbon Twisties for the cake, I added edible confetti sprinkles, and topped it off with a cute Mickey and Minnie Mouse character. My daughter absolutely LOVES Mickey Mouse!!

A close up of the details...



Btw, I found the Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters at Party City for 99 cents each! They have all kinds of different characters at dirt cheap prices. Happy Baking!!

New in the shoppe....

Happy August everyone!! I have added a few more items to my etsy store!!

(Elephants on Parade!!)

(Tropical Fish Mix!!)

These two items are both new to the shop!! They make great confetti for parties, showers, holidays, and so much more!! Love them both!! You too?! Psssst.....you can find them HERE....will be posting some Fall and Halloween punch outs pretty soon so be sure to check back often!! Until next time darlings ~;o)

New.....

jumbo-sized paper die cuts in the shoppe!! These measure at around a generous 4" inches in height and width!! They are great for birthday and high chair banners, holiday garland, and so much more!!

Want some? Visit the {shoppe}!! I will be adding more jumbo-sized shapes to my store soon so please feel free to bookmark the shoppe: Southern Bliss and check back often!! Until next time darlings ~;o)

Pretty Scallops!!

New Gorgeous patterns and colors, now in THE SHOPPE!! I just LOVE the way these turned out!! All of my scallops can be made into squares, circles, ovals, and rectangles. I can also make them in any size up to 4 1/4 inches depending on your choice of shape. These lovely scallops are just perfect for scrapbooking, gift tags, jewelry cards, party banners, party picks, and so much more!! Wanna purchase a set? Visit: www.southernbliss.etsy.com

Surprise in the Refrigerator~;o)

So I decided to surprise daddyo with a little something just because he's such a wonderful daddy~;o) Yummy German Chocolate Cake.....sprinkled with much {LOVE} on top!! I'm so pleased with the results~;o) Something simple, something sweet.

Time now for crafting news~;o) Need to get the creative juices flowing?? Here's some eye candy for ya! You can find these wonderful "Wordy Birdies" and "Chic Country Scallops" in my {SHOPPE}. Christmas is just around the corner!! Pick up these fun "Recycled Crayons" for the kids! They make great stocking stuffers!! Head on over to {Southern Bliss} today for more delightful craft items!! Until next time friends~:o)

New Reading and a Tutu~:o)

So I was at Wal-Mart a while back doing some light shopping for some things we needed around the house. I always love to go past the magazine racks to see what's new. Well I stumbled upon a new read that I really enjoyed! This magazine reminds me of a Christian based/Martha Stewart type of reading material! A different perspective on decorating, crafts, cooking, money, and it also talks about the family too! I'm not sure how long it's been out for but I can't wait for the Fall issue!! Just thought I'd share this wonderful new reading magazine with you all~:o) If you should happen to come across one, it is well worth the read~:o)

In crafting news I finally completed my first Tutu a couple of weeks ago!! I have been meaning to post pictures of it but have been a little busy trying to balance things out around the house lately. What a tedious chore it was to complete this!! So worth it though! Hope it fits you know who when the time comes to try it on her~;o) I went by a sizing chart and this should fit a size 3-6 months. Doesn't appear to look it though lol, we'll see!! I thought these colors were just lovely for the Fall season! I really enjoyed making this too, it beats paying those outrageous boutique prices. I'm thinking of making some more, but then I have about a dozen other ideas swarming around in my head too right now~;o) Yes, crafting is my addiction. I know there are more of you out there who suffer from this wonderful addiction as well! So then share with me, what is your crafting addiction? I'd love to hear~:o)

Just Listed....

(Kitchen Gift Tags)

(Autumn Maple Leaf Die-Cuts)

(Nine Months Preggers~;o)

I listed a few items at my etsy shop today! Trying to stay busy while waiting for you know who to arrive~;o) Still working on the kitchen gift tags, but if you are interested in the fall leaves feel free to take a peek in the shop: Southern Bliss I am hoping to add a few more different varieties soon too!! I also added an updated picture of the baby bump, enjoy! Until next time friends~;o)

A visit with the locals.....

While at the market in Savannah we visited the second floor expecting to see more shops but instead got a bonus! Several of the locals rent a decent sized work studio on this floor. Some of these type of studios include: jewelry, knitting, and painting. We were lucky to run into Derek Larson of Addikt Space Studios. Derek and his friend Kyle Stavella, are both graduates of The Savannah College of Art and Design or (SCAD). Their studio is located in The City Market at the intersection of Jefferson and w. St. Julian St. on the second floor. Some of their work in includes various forms of painting, and unique digital comic strip art on vintage window panes.

When we planned our trip to Savannah I made certain to squeeze some time in to visit Wormsloe's Historic Site! Oaks trees stretch for about a mile before reaching the historic ruins and their museum (which by the way is filled with all kinds of reasonably priced treasures.) The staff was extremely helpful and friendly too! If your heading into Savannah, this is a must see! A special thank you goes out to Thomas and Kathy for making our visit an extra comfortable one!

Before heading into Charleston, we were fortunate to stumble across Champney's Farm. One of the highlights of this farm is their blueberry bushes run by John and his daughter Cameron. Very friendly and helpful people, they give you the option of purchasing blueberries right off the table, or grabbing a bucket and picking them on your own. And if your lucky, you might get to see their cute new puppy Isabel! They are located in Ravenel, SC 29470. If you are interested in purchasing from them they can be reached at (843) 763-6564.

As we were on our way to the visitor's center in Charleston, we came across a jolly bunch of men who were so kind to let me snap a photo of them~:o) The Charleston Fire Department has to be one of the kindest crew I've ever met. If your in their neck of the woods your sure to get a friendly "hi" from them~:o) Their station dates back to 1882. Thats about all for now friends, my next post will include highlights of our visit in both cities, stay tuned!

Were back from vacation.....

We are back from our vacation to Savannah! I am exhausted yet completely satisfied!! We even made a surprise stop in Charleston, SC! I will post pictures of some of the locals and also some of the historical and scenic areas as well as soon as I can.

In crafting news I made this lovely name bracelet for a friend's little girl who just turned 3 years old! If you are interested in one you can find them in my etsy shop: Studio Bebe. Until next time darlings~:o)

Going out of Town.....

I am just about finished packing for our trip to Savannah, I'm so excited!! We will be away starting tomorrow through Sunday. I will have my laptop with though so I won't be without email. I can't wait to get pictures of Savannah and her beaches!! I look forward to sharing them with you too! For now let me leave you with the craft of the day, at least I think so. I am always having trouble with ideas for Father's Day. Thanks to a dear friend from work I won't have any problems finding the perfect card for my Dad and Daddyo~;o) I hand made these cute little Father's Day cards from scrapbooking card stock and some buttons!! I am hoping to put some of these into the little shop soon! They also make great Birthday cards for those special guys in your life! Keep an eye out for them in my Southern Bliss etsy store! Cheerio for now friends~:o)

Some Fun Splurging.....

Well we know where I have been spending my money at lately~;o) I purchased a couple of fun little toys for the baby and everything was so beautifully presented and reasonably priced! I LOVE etsy!! The top are some soft and sweet shabby chic baby blocks by MoreCookiesPlease. The next is a baby journal handmade from a little golden book by thishandmadelife. And finally these adorable little handstitched felt animal cookies by DaisyDaydreams. Want your own? Be sure to checkout their shops to see what other goodies they have! Until next time friends~:o)

Babymoon in Savannah?

We are trying to plan a little summer vacation getaway to sweet Savannah, Georgia! Key word here, "trying." We didn't wanna wait too long before going only because of my pregnancy and not quite knowing what the third trimester will be like. No hints at what it's like either please. I've already had my fill without even asking. So we are hoping to go in mid June. One writer suggests it to be a babymoon. I'm still trying to figure out what one of those are myself, all I know is that it has to do with being pregnant, taking a vacation, and a spa being thrown into the mix somewhere. Sounds good to me! Although the spa part is highly unlikely at this time, it's okay, I can pretend. I'll keep you posted on Savannah though~;o) As for the tissue paper flowers above: inspiration. So where are you going this summer?

A Solution.....

In order to comply with the CPSIA standards, I have made a couple of changes to my baby and children's jewelry line. After much consideration and thought, I have decided to swap out the Swarovski Crystals that I use in my girls and baby bracelets, to Fire Polished Czech Glass instead. I am very pleased to announce that they are lead free! (NOTE: I will still use Genuine Swarovski Crystals, but only at buyer's request, the amount I use is less than a gram and safe.) I was fortunate to find a couple of suppliers that carry these beauties so now I will be offering them in my etsy shoppe! Look for them soon! In addition to this change, all of my beautiful bracelets will be made with Freshwater pearls instead of Swarovski Pearls because of the fact that Freshwater Pearls are natural. All Sterling Silver findings will remain the same. These following changes DO NOT apply to my teens and Ladies Jewelry collection. I am looking forward to sharing my new baby and children's collection soon!

In other creative news, I purchased a generous handful of these sweet vintage baby announcements and shower invitation cards on ebay! Aren't they just darling?! I can't wait to put these to use!! Time to get the creative juices flowing~;o) Any ideas? Please do share them!

A little Motivation.....

Never have I been so excited about SPRING and SUMMER! This Winter beat me up good! I got sick two times and my immune system has been rather weak now because of this. The colder than usual air certainly didn't help things either. So finally, after a few months of hiatus, I decided to create something. Yes I have been depressed and sick, like a walking dead man. Unmotivated, the creative juices are sucked dry, I don't even know where they went. Although these clippies didn't really require too much effort and thought, it was a start for me to "do something" again. I am happy with the way they came out. I think they are pretty. I used a thicker ribbon just to try something different and I like it, I think I will continue to use this new length as well. I will try to make more beautiful things, I think I need to so I will push myself to, it truly is therapy for me. Perhaps the beauty of spring will cheer me up and bring more life into me, we'll see. At least the air will be a little bit easier to breath! Fresh new life, the warm sunshine, State Fairs and Festivals, just the thought of these brightens my mood!