Heather Ann Melzer

Fly by

I love Friday's - who's with me??!  I'm finally getting things crossed off my list and the weekend is staring me right in the face - ahhhh.

One of my to-do's was to add my newest bracelet to my shop - it's called All A Flutter.  Isn't she fun?!  Butterfly motifs are so hot right now and with summer right upon us, this is the perfect little accessory.  I used some really fun butterfly collage images in a nice mix of colors so it will go great with everything. 

It certainly has been a crazy week.  We're still working 24/7 on this acquisition and I'm flying out to D.C. next week to help run the orientation sessions for our new employees.  They've been great to work with, so that's been a big plus.  I've also been working like crazy on photo jewelry orders, which I love doing.  Today I'm finishing up a giant wedding party order with double necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.  The bridesmaids dresses she chose are so beautiful - a gorgeous deep pink.  What I wouldn't give to do my wedding over and pick a different color scheme.  Ah, I digress.

Another GREAT thing happened this week.  After dropping our vacation flights all together, Travelocity was able to book us on outgoing and return direct flights to Cancun.  Yes!  It sounds like alot of the hotels are pretty vacant right now and some are even closing attractions/restaurants and have been forced to lay off workers.  We may not have all of the options available to us at the resort, but I'm still out-of-my mind excited about going.  If Tom and I are able to go to the grocery store alone it feels like a date, being in a hotel with only 4 restaurant options instead of 8 will be completely transparent to me, I think.

On my way to get coffee this morning I heard my new favorite song twice, and I'm sure anyone that saw me in my car thought I was a crazed lunatic.  I can dance and drive at the same time.  I can also type and dance at the same time - I dare you try not to!

And with that, I'll dance my way on out of here!  Have a wonderful Mother's Day :)

Mother's Day gift ideas

My shop is freshly stocked with custom photo gift ideas - great for Mother's/Father's Day! 

All photos are sealed with clear casting epoxy resin to a hard cure with a beautiful dome finish.  Please allow 2 weeks to process orders for these items due to the sealing and curing involved.  Orders purchased this week will ship out by May 1st, in plenty of time for Mother's Day (which is May 10th).  Is time flying or what?

I'm off to pick up my nephew from school, but I'll leave you with a cute video of my laundry monster from last night.  Enjoy!

Sweet Bohemia

I've got a new necklace up in the shop today that I'm in love with.  It's lightweight and delicate and the czech glass and faceted givre beads are such a beautiful shade of peachy coral.  I have mine on right now with a lightweight v-neck sweater and jeans and it's a great casual accessory. 

I got my haircut today, which is why I'm actually dressed (as sad as that is).  I'm really good about showering and doing my hair first thing in the morning (since it's so short anyway), but my usual uniform is sweats and slipper boots (that I've now worn a hole through the bottom of).  I think my hair is officially shorter than Tom's in the back (which I know he doesn't care for), but the top is still super long and took quite a while to add highlights to.  I know I'll be loving it if when the weather takes a turn for the humid this summer.  I used to only 'do' my hair once a week or so when it was longer, but it only takes 10 minutes tops, so I do it every morning, and feel all the more put together because of it.  My hair color was looking as dreary as the weather, so I had her brighten it up quite a bit, too - feels good.

I'm in a bit of a funk this week - can you tell?  I had someone accuse me of something that is completely untrue and it's really bugging me.  I don't expect everyone in the world to like me, but when someone completely misreads my actions it bothers me more than I'd like it to.  The worst part is that I actually feel bad that she feels the way she does.  I'm angry and empathetic all at the same time.  Sigh.

I'm also still completely sucked into the series and am halfway through Eclipse now.  I finished New Moon before I picked up Dylan from school yesterday and then we went book shopping.  Tom lent the series to his sister's boyfriend, but my obsessive personality wouldn't allow me to wait, so I bought book 3.  If I keep this up this pace I'll be done with all the books by this weekend - how depressing is that?  I'm also halfway through Midnight Sun, which I am thoroughly enjoying.  Tom always jokes about my obsessive personality and how lethal it would be if it were aimed at something not quite as healthy as book reading, jewelry making, scrapbooking, coffee drinking, etc. etc. etc.  I can't help the way I am.  When I'm in something, I'm in it - all the way.  I think obsessive and passionate go hand in hand.  Throw in a little OCD and you've got a really psychotic mess on your hands.  LOL  If only I could apply my traits to closet cleaning ;)

Happy Spring!

Lots of new goodies to share with you today - the first day of Spring!!  First up, how about a little sunshine...

Eternal Sunshine Bracelet & Ring - Vibrant yellow lucite cabochons bezel set in an antique silver bracelet and adjustable ring.  They shine so beautifully!

Olive to Shine Bracelet & Ring -  I found the same stones in a gorgeous olive green, too.  I had a hard time capturing the true olive color - it's gorgeous in person.

Vintage Delight Bracelet - And how pretty is this?  Gorgeous sterling silver links/toggle with vintage lucite cabochons set inside.  My girls LOVE this piece (and so do I).

Branching Out Bracelet - This one is so sweet - love, love, love it.  Pink shell beads, czech glass bell flower and wasabi green leaf (LOVE that color) with an antique silver branch that's bent to fit nicely right around your wrist.  Such a fun bracelet for spring and summer!

Vintage Charm Bracelet - I am SO in love with coral right now - it's popping up everywhere.  I set out to make a modernly vintage bracelet with coral and antique brass (which are just made for each other, I think).  I mixed in some vintage cream beads and clear czech glass to really make it sparkle.

And some of my most popular pieces are now back in stock!

I should have a couple more of these and these in the shop by day's end as well.

Home dec is the order of business for this weekend.  I've been printing pics for my wall frames today and Tom is gearing up to plaster/paint the powder room tomorrow.  I think I've settled on this color:

Ain't it pretty?  My art.com print just arrived (yeay!!), so hopefully we can get the powder room pretty well finished this weekend.  We'll see!  I also have a ton of new necklace ideas in the works and a Spring digi kit all sketched out.  Just not enough hours, ya know?  And already it's 3:30 on Friday! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dreamy

It's been awhile since I made a new bracelet design and I had SO much fun with this one :)

I am such a morning person.  I worked on it on and off all day on Sunday and went to bed frustrated, and then it magically came together Monday morning.  I must have dreamed it in my sleep, so we'll call her "Dreamy".  I used turquoise dyed jasper, aqua glass quartz, a sweet acrylic flower, vintage melon beads and a czech glass flower in lovely teal.  The components are 100% natural brass by Vintaj. The charms dangle on to your hand so sweetly when you wear it!  Ahh, my new favorite piece.

We are in the middle of some pretty dreary weather here in Chicagoland, but you know what, that's ok.  Because a week-long rainfall can only mean one thing - Spring is almost here!  I'd prefer a foot of rain to a foot of snow any day.  And as much as I despise daylight savings at 7am (that feels like 6am), it's so nice to have longer daylight in the evenings.  Jack has been banging on the patio door like he's been trapped in here way too long and needs OUT.  Believe me, buddy, we're all with you on that one.

So, you guys will NEVER guess what I did today.  I SCRAPPED!!  Gina has a new kit coming out that I was super inspired to scrap with, so I pulled out some old favorites of Jack and put together a page this morning that I'll share (and link you to the kit) as soon as it's up.  I also got the new Scrapbooks, Etc. in the mail yesterday and I have 2 layouts in there.  Need to find more time to scrap - it still makes me so happy.

I have 3 more things to be happy about today 1) I'm taking tomorrow off  2) I'm having lunch with my best bud Pam and  3) I'm guaranteed a *$ because I pick Dylan up from school tomorrow.  Woohoo! 

What's that - you don't know what *$ is? *=star $=bucks  I picked that up from Tom's god daughter's Facebook page.  Dylan didn't even know what it was, so I must be hipper than him - haaa.  Hardly.  I also had a You Tube video to share with him that he hadn't seen before.  I think my friend, Kasie, sent it to me awhile back.  Cracks me UP....

HA!

MIA

What I bad blogger I've been!  I apologize for being so absent.  I honestly just don't even know where the days go anymore.  It's amazing how I can wake up in the morning and be so excited about having 10 work hours ahead of me and before I blink it's lunchtime and then the kids are sneaking in to my office to scare me and demand I make them dinner.  Throw in a time change and I'm just completely lost.  It was pure torture trying to get out of bed this morning - why do we do this again?

We've been spoiled with lots of weekends with nothing to do, so many days the kids would just stay in their pajamas and play all day, but this past weekend we had Emma's 1st birthday party to go to, so we all had to actually shower and look presentable for a change.  I, of course, had the most difficult time with that.  My hair was cut way too short behind my ears last time and now that it's starting to grow, I look completely insane.  And then I've been working with some toxic materials lately and my face is breaking out like a 16 yr old.  I'm in sweatpants way too much and not used to having to dress like a human, so me finding something to wear was pretty painful.  Regardless, the kids looked nice for a change and they had a ton of fun.  Here are some pics...

Emma, the belle of the princess-themed ball and my very stylish sister - Kenzie looking very grown-up to me and sporting her new photo smile - Katie looking like an 8 year old.  I think she's going to be really tall - she's only 4 yrs/4mos old for goodness sake - my 2nd cousins's son, Lane, he's like a blonde/blue-eyed Jack, so cute.

Speaking of, I don't have any pictures of him at the party because he was running around like he owned the clubhouse and then locked himself in the women's locker room.  Crazy boy just looks for trouble.  He fell on the playground last week and scraped up his face real bad and Tom just sent me a message saying he did it again today on the other side of his face.  It kills me to think of that sweet face all banged up - I'll have to kiss it extra tonight (is that even possible?)

Let's see, what else is going on.  Oh!  I signed Kenzie up for t-ball and Devin is going to be on her team.  I struggled with it because some games/practices start earlier than Tom gets home, but I decided to anyway.  If I have to go pick her up a couple of times a week, I'll do it.  She'll be starting 1st grade in a new school in the fall, since she stayed at her current for kindergarten, and I really would like for her to make some new friends at her new school.  Plus, she needs to learn how to work as a part of a team - badly.

Other than that, I've been beading like a maniac.  I managed to put some sold out pieces back up in the shop last night...

    

and I have a new bracelet I'm going to put up tomorrow that is sooo cute!  I may have to make a few of these just in case - well, definitely one for me!  It's in a hot, hot spring color that I can't get enough (in my dreams) of right now.  Until then!

Hello Spring!

Here are the new beauties I've had so much fun working on over the past couple of weeks - I hope you like them!

*All purchases made in my Etsy shop before noon CST tomorrow, March 3rd, will be entered in a drawing to win a FREE pair of earrings - your pick...

  

 

  

  

I've also been busy making colorful necklaces, like this Tiger's Eye piece with pretty pink and coral mixed in (bonus earrings included with purchase!)...

 

And this very unique Vintaj natural brass linked necklace...

 

Oh, and this one is just way too hip and fun...

 

And this beauty - ahhh Bloom...

  

And my new favorite everyday necklace...

As always, if you need something lengthened/shortened, just send me an email or an Etsy convo and I'll let you know if it's possible.  All pieces arrive artfully gift wrapped and are shipped within 24 hours of purchase.  Enjoy, and good luck to those who enter!

Spring Collection

I'm having way too much fun over here :)  TONS of new jewelry pieces will be arriving at my Etsy shop at 4pm today!  I thought I'd upload everything at once so that you can save on shipping if you're interested in more than one piece.  I'll also be hosting a giveaway, so be sure to check the announcements section of my Etsy shop or here for details on that!

How about a sneak peek?

I have some really fun pieces that are sure to put you in a Spring-y mood!  Playing with all of these fun spring/summer colors has really helped lift my winter blues and get past the overcast/snowing/freezing cold weather we're having.  We had one 65 degree day last week and I was ready to bust out the capri pants and sandals - amazing what it does for the spirit.  I may have to set up shop on the patio once it warms up for good because I intend on soaking up every last second of sunshine when it arrives!

I also have tons of photos to upload for my photo-a-day (are you still hanging in there??) and thought I'd share this one from last week.  Some days it's tough to figure out what pic to use and other days they just magically appear in your in box from Miss Sarah...

That's my girl boy! :)

Natural beauties

 

Lots of new goodies in the shop today!  I've been falling in love with natural brass and put together a gorgeous leaf accented necklace and some dainty czech glass earrings (that are my new favorite - SO easy to wear).  Then I put together another long link necklace in gorgeous shades of green (not that anyone needs an excuse to wear green, but it would be great for St. Patty's Day).  Then I have a sweet natural brass and aqua quartz glass necklace.  I wore mine to the office last Friday with a white fitted turtleneck sweater and it was the perfect little accent piece.  And then I have a new necklace/earrings set made of gorgeous vintage glass beads.  I haven't been able to get anymore in this same color/size, so this may be a one-of-a-kind set.  The beads were in the same vintage lot as the coral beads I used for this choker.  They have such a soft texture and the color is so beautiful in person.  Beads make me so happy - can you tell?

I picked my nephew up from school this afternoon, and of course we had to hit Starbucks, so now I'm typing faster than my brain can keep up with - whew!  I'm making pork chops for dinner and I just realized that I forgot about the chocolate chip banana bread I had in the oven - urghhh!!!  Man, do I hate that.

Speaking of things that urk me, I was recently in the spotlight at The Daily Digi and had to share 10 things that I loved and 10 things that bug me - you can read all about it here.

And while you're there be sure to check out the hot photography tips in Janet's last 2 posts - really great information.  She's doing such an amazing job over there -  a wealth of information.

Allright, I'm off to cook some chops.  I'll be back later tomorrow with my dining room pics and wish list.  I'm hoping you guys might be able to help me find some things I've been searching for for way too long.  The transformation has begun and I'm dying to see it through.  Until then!

Pinch me

Did you have a nice weekend?  It was heavenly here in Chicagoland, let me tell you.  Sunny and 50 degrees on Saturday - wow!  We ran out for our weekly Wal-mart/Starbucks/family lunch out trip around noon and before getting in the car I stopped, held my arms out and directed my face right at the sun and soaked it up for a good minute.  Being cooped up in the cold this long has made me a little delirious.  It's supposed to hit 50 again this week - craziness (that I'm loving every minute of).

Yesterday was a nice stay-at-home day.  Tom did some plastering and lots of video game playing, the kids ran around in circles playing with toys and tearing my house apart, and I made jewelry - yeay!  I have new Crystal Briolette Necklaces in stock and matching earrings are now available (in your choice of 6 colors)...

They're just about an inch long - so, dainty and sweet.  I also have a couple of newly designed Silver Lining Bracelets and another Custom Photo Necklace in stock.

I'm having a totally insane day at work today, so I'll update tomorrow on our movie night last weekend and a few movie reviews of recent flicks we've seen.  I honestly don't even bother turning the TV on anymore unless the kids are in bed.  They are so unbelievably loud that we cannot hear ONE WORD that is being said, which frustrates me, so I don't try.  Except for American Idol on Wednesdays when my parents are over.  I've also tried to watch the new show Lie To Me the last couple of weeks (because my parents were over) and the 1/3 of the show I did catch, was amazing.  Someday TIVO, someday. 

I do think I'm going to have to find a way to watch the new season of Dancing With The Stars, though - have you heard the lineup yet?  So many I'm dying to see dance.  Lil Kim, Steve-O, Jewel - Belinda Carlisle!  Wow!

And speaking of dance shows, does anyone else out there watch America's Best Dance Crew on MTV?  I caught it during lunch last week and was tearing up it was so insane.  I saw it about a year ago and it was good, but not nearly as good as this episode was.  They were dancing to songs from the 90's and one crew did a routine to "Too Legit to Quit" - it was crazy.  Then there was the all girl group with a that did a full minute long headspin.  I get so crazy watching stuff like that - total goosebumps.  I never could spin on my head, but I did have my own piece of cardboard.  Lol!