Spring has Sprung!!

I'm happy to report that Spring is (finally) in full swing around these parts!  Although, I do believe we broke the record for the wettest on record.  I'm thinking I may need to build an ark soon . . . here is a pic I managed to take on one of the (rare) sunny days we had recently.  It is supposed to be in the high 80's by Memorial Day.  I'm thinking we are just going to fast forward into summer.  Crazy weather!!

Rain, rain . . . Go Away!

Yesterday we ventured to Eastern Market, where we bought all of the plants you see pictured above.  Today was designated as the day to put them all in the ground, but it seems that Mother Nature had other plans.  So, here I sit, looking out the window and patiently waiting for the rain to stop.  Tick tock, tick tock . . .

Checking In

Hello everyone! I've been away for a while, I know. It seems I have been extra busy and fell off the blogging bandwagon :) I will try not to go MIA again, for a while, anyway. I hope you're doing well and enjoying Spring. We all know how much I love this time of year, especially seeing all the flowers in my yard "spring" up. I am sure I've probably bored you all to tears in the past with tours of my little garden, so I will try not to repeat. However, I could not resist posting this picture that I took recently. This lilac has the most intoxicating fragrance! I wish you could smell it through the computer. One day I noticed there were at least half a dozen butterflies, like the one pictured, resting on it. Do you think they were getting drunk??

Shop Update: Spring Has Arrived!

The official start of Spring is just a few short weeks away :) Word on the street is that coral is the hot color of the season. I've always been a fan of this shade ~ it looks especially great when paired with light blue, white or even yellow. I am excited to announce that a couple of favorites will be making their way back to my shop this week. If I have a trademark piece, it would have to be the ever popular Miriam necklace. Grab her quick before she is gone! Also, the pretty Valerie necklace has returned due to popular demand :) Below is a sample of what I currently have to offer in coral. Keep your eye on my shop this Spring, as you will surely see some new pieces in this fabulous shade!

Miriam Necklace, $40

Valerie Necklace, $25 Miriam's Sister Necklace, $48 Maude Earrings, $18

It's Almost Time!

Although I'm not one to turn down ice cream, if you would have offered it to me during the wintry weather we were dealing with a few weeks ago, I would have opted for hot chocolate instead. This week, however, is a different story ~ it finally feels like the Spring thaw has arrived. So, I could not pass up a chance to stop here for a peanut butter and Oreo flurry. I love this time of year!

It's Feelin' Like Summer!

To me, the one sure sign that summer is in full "swing" (no pun intended) is a day spent at the ballpark. Even though summer hasn't officially started, there's nothing I love better at this time of year. Today we met some friends at Comerica Park for our first live Tigers game of 2009 ~ unfortunately they lost the game, but it was the perfect way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Here are some of the highlights:

An outing to the ballpark must include a kosher dog ~ yum!

Amazing Pewabic tiles ~ these are one of my favorite architectural details

These ferocious Tigers greet you at the park entrances ~ look out! There's my Tiger, #30 (Magglio Ordonez) in action :)

May Flowers Are Here!

The sun was shining today, so I ventured out into my little backyard with camera in tow. The rain showers that seemed never ending this past week really did help to bring May flowers, as you can see from these photos!

I just love this bleeding heart! I planted it last year, after my other one died. It seems to be loving its new home

Lily of the Valley ~ just starting to poke out their little heads

Lungwort ~ I love these little pink and bluish purple flowers!

Happy Spring and Happy Gardening!!

Shop Update: Plenty more to come!

Geez, what a disappointment this day was! The weatherman promised all week that today would be stellar, and it turned out to be somewhat of a let down, weather wise. We did have a few hours of sun, but the threatening looking clouds made themselves known. The wind was blustery, and when I did go outside, it blew my hair in my face so that I couldn't see what I was doing. How annoying! I should not be complaining, but with the humidity and temps in the mid 80's, it felt more like July. I'm not ready for July yet. To top things off, it stormed at least three different times. My poor husband was trying to get stuff done around the yard, and he kept having to pack up and come inside. At least he got an excuse to take a nap. So, what did I do on this day? Besides a bunch of errands and miscellaneous odds and ends, I photographed twenty new pieces of jewelry that I've created in the past week. Here's a little glimpse into what's to come:

Keep your eyes on my shop in the upcoming weeks to see the debut of these Summer-y designs. I also made some delicious dishes, so keep your eye on this blog for some new Summer recipes. I hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Early Spring Special ~ *FREE* Shipping!!

I got a little excited last Friday when temps reached close to 70 degrees here and then surpassed that on Saturday. Today, it feels more like April showers . . . however, I am still offering my early Spring Promo of *FREE* Shipping on all orders (yes, even International shipping qualifies). This is a very limited offer, so be sure to jump on it now ~ it will save you a few bucks, and we all like to save a little green. With that, I will leave you with this photo I took during an outing to Detroit’s Eastern Market a few weekends ago. These beautiful hydrangeas are a sure sign that the April showers we're getting will bring May flowers!

Word of the Day: Snit

I don’t know if it’s the time change or what, but I’m in a snit today. After a weekend of continuous rain, it looks like the sun might be starting to appear. Maybe I’ll go for a walk on my lunch hour to try and shake these blues. March is an odd month anyway. The saying “In like a lion and out like a lamb” is very true. Right now winter is starting to loosen its grasp, although I am expecting at least one more dumping of snow before too long. Spring officially starts in a few weeks, but it will be a while before we really start to feel the thaw. This cabin fever is really getting to me!

May flowers ~ will they ever get here?

I think my problem is that I’m feeling stuck in limbo. I’m overdue for a vacation. Usually just knowing that there is one on the horizon is enough to shake me out of the doldrums. Like a lot of people, we’ve put our future plans on hold due to the uncertainty of jobs, the economy, blah blah blah. Please don’t think I am whining about not being able to take a vacation when there are many people who are losing their homes and don’t know how they will afford their next meal. Seriously, I think I’ve figured out what is troubling me ~ I’m so fed up with the negativity that’s in the news and on TV every minute. It’s so hard to escape, even if you try.

My question is: What do you do to shake the “blah’s”? I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been affected in some way by everything that is going on in our nation and in the world right now. I’d love to know what you are doing to keep your spirits high (besides getting high ~ haha).

Go ahead, cheer me up :)

5/22/08 ~ Everything's Blooming!

I absolutely love Spring!! Of course, I love all seasons ~ except for Winter, which I can only stand for about two weeks. The bonus to living in Michigan is that each season is distinctly different and wonderful.

You can probably tell that I'm a freak about flowers. I feel like I have my own slice of Heaven when I can look out and see the beauty that is growing in my little backyard. It makes me happy :)

Some famous person once said "Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into". I would agree. These shots were taken this evening.