Dressed-Up Dots

I'm BA-ACK!

2009-12-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am back in business and ready for Christmas orders.....so bring 'em on!!!

Look forward to hearing from yall!

Sorry!!! UPDATED

2009-11-07T14:59:00.001-08:00

****I will have all my supplies at Thanksgiving!!! So there is plenty of time to get those Christmas orders in!!! Let me know if you have something specific in mind, and we'll be in touch after Thanksgiving!!!!!****

Hello all!!
As those of you who are especially faithful (or new!) have most likely realized, I've been out of pocket for a while! We've been doing lots of traveling and getting settled in Idaho. And now that my hubby is deployed I am once more traveling, but I will be getting all of my supplies under one roof very soon. Thank you so much for your patience - as soon as I start making jewelry again I will let yall know!!!

Again, thank you, and keep checking back!!!!

Beaded Necklaces UPDATED

2009-06-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

Here are updated examples of my beaded jewelry. As always, I'd be happy to do a custom piece or help you complete an outfit...just let me know what colors you're looking for and what style you like!

"Rose"

"Faith"

"Elena"

"Brooke"

"Abigail"

"Colette"

"Eve"

"Fiona"

"Sierra"

All of the necklaces range in length from 13" to 16" including the pendant. Since I have to be able to purchase my beads ahead of time (I don't have as big of a stockpile of supplies for my beaded jewelry as I do for my dominoes), I will ask to receive payment before I begin your piece. Thanks for your understanding!

Prices are as follows -

Necklace: $25
Earrings: $15
Bracelet: $15
Necklace and Earrings: $35
Necklace, Earrings, and Bracelet: $50

I AM in the process of finishing up some new dominoes, and I'm looking into getting some mini dominoes for children's necklaces (Thanks, Ang!)....so be sure and check back!

Announcing.....

2009-05-20T13:51:00.001-07:00

...Krystyn, the winner of the give-away!!!!

Thanks for entering, and check back soon for more!

Could it be true?!?!?!

2009-05-06T13:46:00.001-07:00

....a give-away AND a sale?!?!?!? SNAP!

Things have been kinda quiet on the home front, and I'm itchin' for some new designs. So....I'm holding a SALE!!!

All of my EXISTING, AS IS necklaces are (for the time-being) priced as follows:

2 sided: $15

1 sided: $10

Christmas/winter: $5

Custom pieces will still be regular price.

Here are the numbers of the pieces I have left. These are the ones ON SALE!

2 sided:

A (#1)

B (#2)

C (#3)

D (#4)

E (#5)

F (#6)
G (#7)

H (#8)

I (#9)

J (#57)

L (#56)

M (#61)

N (#62)

O (#63)

S (#66)

U (#67)

V (#68)

Z (#71)

as well as numbers 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 38, 39, 42, 43, and 64 (which can also be an initial "P")

1 sided:

numbers 72, 74, and 75

Christmas/winter:

numbers 47, 48, 49, 52, 53, and 54

plus these:

#80

#81

These are on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE basis so act fast! I just got home from visiting family in Texas and got to go to my own personal Mecca: HOBBY LOBBY!!!!!!!! I got some new paper and stickers and such and will soon be churning out some brand spankin' new stuff soon. So check back and I'll let you know what I come up with!

And as for the give-away......

In honor of my precious Maegan's SECOND (are you KIDDING ME?!?!?!?) birthday coming up on May 15th......Leave a comment including your email address AND link me to your blog/facebook page, and if you're chosen by Miss Priss you'll get your choice of one of these 2 lovelies:

And they will have cords on them, I promise. I'll put all the comment-leavers' names in a hat-ish, bowl-ish receptical, and my lovely assistant will draw a lovely winner! I'll let you know who won Tuesday, May 19 (yes, random, I know....it happens to be Maegan's original due date.....I am nothing if not randomly meaningful).

So, to recap:

SALE - all existing, as is pieces: $15 for a 2-sided necklace, $10 for a 1-sided necklace, and $5 for Christmas/winter necklaces.

Give-Away - leave a comment, link this site to yours, win a "pretty"!

Have fun, tell everyone you know, and good luck!!!

And remember, every day is Mother's Day, so if you haven't gotten that special mama in your life a special somethin'...........it's not too late!!!! Just lemme know!

Alphabitties

2009-04-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

I am in LOVE with Alphabitties (I would insert copyright/trademark/whatever sign here, but I don't know how). They are these precious teeny little letter stickers that make my life, not to mention my current obsession with phrases/quote blurbs, SO much easier to manage. Here's what I mean:

I'm only getting started......and, as always, welcoming new ideas!

Not dots, but....

2009-03-06T10:56:00.001-08:00

I have to give a shout out to my blogfriend Krystyn and her give-away. I like shoes as much as the next girl, but I am in love with little kids' shoes. So check out See Kai Run and enter to win on Krystyn's blog!

These are my faves:

Now you have to go check it out, right??? Do it!

Drum roll please....

2009-03-05T10:16:00.001-08:00

We...

...have...

...a winner!!

Congratulations to JO DEE, the winner of the very first Dressed-Up Dots give-away! Jo Dee, email me and we'll get coordinated! Yay! (And a special thank you to my altogether lovely assistant, Maegan, modeling the very latest in the Curious George jammies line. She was a little preoccupied with Lilo and Stitch in these pics...forgive us.)

I want to thank everyone who posted comments, linked me on their blogs/facebook pages/websites, and just got the word out in general. This has become a crazy passion of mine, and it has done my heart so much good to see yall come along side me and support me. You are all lovely (even you, Josh!), and I thank the Lord for the support He has given me in yall! I hope this is as much fun for yall as it is for me!

Be looking for more info, give-aways, etc. Easter is coming up and I have some ideas.....also, please pray for me as I make a decision about the Etsy store. I know it would make life a lot easier for all involved, but it's a SILLY big step for me, and I'm nervous for some reason. Thanks, friends.

Somethin' for nothin'!

2009-02-23T08:30:00.001-08:00

Upon the advice of a wonderful friend (thanks, Tara!!) I have decided to get the word out a little more about my work and hold a ST. PADDY'S GIVE-AWAY!!! Because we all love those......ok, really the only people I can speak for in that area are myself.....and maybe Maegan....and all she loves right now is coloring, Veggie Tales, and her new stuffed turtle from the NC aquarium. We'll see.

The give-away will last for just over one week, so ACT FAST! On Wednesday, March 4th I will close the contest, take down the names of all my lovelies that have commented, put them in a beautiful hand-woven basket (or ziplock bag - there is, in fact, a limit to my creativity.....who am I kidding?), and pull one out at RANDOM. Because we all know Martha loves her some randomness. The winner will receive this:

Because I care....and I don't want you to get pinched on March 17th!

There are (as always) a few rules:

1. Please, please, please link my blog to your blog or Facebook page or MySpace page or any combination of the three........the grapevine is GREAT that way!!!! I am eternally grateful!

2. Post a comment here. Let me know your name and email address and any feedback/ideas you have......I make what I like and what I THINK yall like, but I never really know until yall tell me. And, not gonna lie, it's nice to know people actually look at my stuff.

I will contact the winner Thursday, March 5th (did I mention I love randomness?) by email - or phone, if I am lucky enough to have your number!

Recap: link my blog.......post a comment.....easy! Have fun! If the response is good, I may just have a repeat performance.....can you say EASTER!?!?!?

In closing, and as a shoutout to all my sweet Phi Lamb sistas out there.....Get excited! And good luck!

LUV is in the air!

2009-02-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

I know Valentines Day has come and gone, but shouldn't love be celebrated all year long?

These necklaces are "Valentines" from me to you!!

72 - brown organza ribbon

73 - brown leather cord

74 - black leather cord

75 - red organza ribbon

76 - black organza ribbon

Two-Sided Pendants

2009-02-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

22 - black leather cord

23 - brown leather cord

24 - black leather cord

25 - brown leather cord

26 - black leather cord

27 - brown leather cord

28 - black leather cord

29 - brown leather cord

30 - brown leather cord

31 - brown leather cord

32 - black leather cord

33 - brown leather cord

34 - brown leather cord

35 - brown leather cord

36 - black leather cord

37 - black leather cord

38 - brown leather cord

39 - black leather cord

40 - brown leather cord

41 - black leather cord

42 - brown leather cord

43 - black leather cord

59 - black leather cord

Initials

2009-01-16T05:59:00.000-08:00

4b

5a

5b

6a

6b

7a

13a

13b

11a

11b

12a

12b

10a

10b

56a

56b

61a

61b

46a

46b

62a

62b

63a

63b

64a

64b

65a
65b

66a

66b

67a

67b

68a

68b

69a

69b

70a

70b

71a
71b

I also wanted to include an example of my monogram necklaces:
45b

Just a reminder, the ID# is to the bottom right of each picture. The side with the initial on it appears first (i.e. 2a), and the image immediately following is the reverse side (i.e. 2b). I have been having a little trouble finding some of the paper I have been using, so I can't promise to have exactly the same paper that is pictured. I will, however, try my best to get the same feel. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of "T". And I have also not made "Q" or "X".....but I can! Enjoy!

Winter Designs

2009-01-16T05:58:00.000-08:00

I've finally gotten around to getting the rest of my work on here.....not just Christmas anymore, although it's been fun to see things so festive! But even though Christmas has passed, it's still winter, so I'm re-posting some pictures! Let me know if you see something you like!

Snowflakes, anyone???

Pricing and Ordering Information

2008-12-09T05:47:00.000-08:00

The necklaces are either decorated on only one side (leaving the dots exposed on the back of the pendant) or on both sides (easy for matching outfits!), and are priced as follows:

One-sided: $15
Two-sided: $20

At this time I can only accept checks or cash payments.

If you see something you like, simply post a comment. Please be sure to include a few things in your comment:
1. your name
2. your email address (or a way for me to get in touch with you)
3. the number or number/letter corresponding to the design you have chosen (appears above or to the lower right of the picture)

I will contact you at the email address you provide, and we will discuss your necklace!

Christmas Designs

2008-12-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

17

18

16

15

51

55

54

53

52

48

47

50

49

14b

45a

2008-12-07T18:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my creative outlet!! I am excited to share a bit of myself with you. It has been an interesting adventure that has brought me here, and believing that everything happens for a reason and that when the Lord does something big in your life you should share it, I feel the need to tell my story.

A year and a half ago, when my daughter was born, I went through the usual time of adjustment to being a new mother. But I couldn't quite shake the feeling that I was no longer myself, that my purpose was unclear. Knowing that feelings can't be trusted, I prayed for guidance and peace and received....silence. I told the Lord all about my woes, and got nothing. Nothing while I struggled with my feelings of inadequacy and loss. Nothing while I plodded through day after day of being not at all comfortable in my new role and not at all sure of what, if anything, I was doing right. Nothing while I labored under guilt at missing my life before baby when I had a beautiful, healthy, happy, precious baby that I had desperately wanted. And through it all I told God all about it. I did A LOT of talking.

My husband and I moved from Florida back to Texas for a short time, and the move was supposed to make me "all better": we were going home, and that would fix everything, right? Not so much. I found myself struggling again - still - but in a different way. Now it was a matter of living in a very familiar place, but for such a short time that we were hesitant to join a local church, find a solid group of friends, put down some roots. Needless to say, my relationship with the Lord was suffering. I was lonely, bored, and sedentary. And sad. We eventually moved back to Florida, then back to Texas. At this point I was miserable. Floundering. And thinking that what I needed had to be out there somewhere, that I just had to find it or I would go crazy. Crazier than I already was, anyway. I'd always been creative, crafty, looking for new ways to use my hands and make things. Now suddenly my creativity was being channeled into trying to figure out how to keep my baby happy, invent new ways to get her to eat when she didn't want to, and be what my husband needed. Not much time to be artsy when you're worried that you're going nuts.

Have you ever known something but not claimed it? Gone your whole life genuinely believing something is true but not practicing it? Well, I can't put my finger on an exact time, but somewhere along the line I stopped talking....and started listening to the Lord. He revealed something, and it was one of those things that I already knew but hadn't really claimed. There was nothing out there that I needed. I already had it. Jesus lives in me, and He's always had the answers, but I was too self-centered and self-focused that I couldn't listen to all the good advice I was getting: that I couldn't fix anything, do anything, on my own. That God knows my every insecurity, my every fear. He is bigger than all of that and able to handle it much better than I ever could. And He's given me a gift in the creativity I so enjoyed, so I need to use it, make time for it, and find a way to enjoy it again. It's important to have something to get excited about every day, no matter how small it is.

About that time, my best friend, my big sister, introduced me to my new outlet. She taught me how to make these necklaces and suddenly I had my something to look forward to and be excited about. I made a whole bunch, excited about the possibility to adding a little income to what my husband brings home. And suddenly it was about more than making jewelry, more than making money. God had done something big in my life, and I needed to share not only my story but the product of His help, the small, suddenly not so insignificant thing He used to bring me back to the land of the living.

We moved to North Carolina just a month ago. And although we left family and friends and moved to a new state with lots of unknowns, I am excited for the possibility of a new start. A fresh outlook. I know the Lord ministers to hearts in unexpected ways, so my prayer is that my blessing will be a blessing to you.