'earthy girl charm' necklace, whimsy luv designs

i love this..i think i love mostly love the bead that looks like a stone. then it's complimented by the different greens. this handmade necklace is very charming...it's even prettier in person. when it's around the neck, it makes you want to look at it..figure it out. see how it adds more interest to this simple rufffled blouse? luv...

'rosy luv necklace', whimsy luv designs

this handmade necklace was inspired by the roses in my front yard. i pick a bunch weekly for my dining room table, but as autumn slowly approaches i will have to say goodbye. this is a fall necklace and why not have a memory of summer in there. it's just so pretty and unique. the color combo is what i love the most about this. a very whimsical handmade necklace, it is.

'take me to paris' necklace, whimsy luv designs

                                                  

who doesn't want to go paris? this is a, vintage inspired, handmade necklace.. it was made with luv  for the romantic at heart. this pendant simply hangs on a roap chain and can be thrown on with a shirt and jean jacket. simply chic!

                                                                                                                      

bird cuff bracelet, whimsy luv designs

this is a funky bracelet, i tell ya. very unique, made with beads from a necklace i totally took apart because i loved the beads. the bird was originally a pendant that i bought to make a necklace with. so glad that i went with the bracelet instead. because the bird is the main focus, the rest of the bracelt is simple..just a few beads. this adds fun to any outfit.
                                                                                                                                     

guess who walked for us today?

yes, ms ky!!! my booga baby did! BOY, did we celebrate. i couldn't be more excited!!!! wish i got a pic of that for you! maybe next time :)
                                                                                                                                     

faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase-martin luther king

      i love my family. i do. i just look at my kids and my hubby and i am in love. just like any other family, we have our ups and downs and i believe that in life, those downs actually change you. they make you stronger. they bring you even closer together. i met hubby in college and more than a decade later, this is our life. often times i joke around with him and say "imagine if in college we could've looked into the future and we could see what kind of life we would have". wow. i think if i did, i would've fallen in love with my kids. i mean, me? a mother of three? NO WAY. to tell you the truth, it would've scared me. the thought of all that responsibility. hmmm...maybe that's the magic of the unknown? it is scary. it is exciting. it's fun and full of possibilities. sometimes our imaginations get the best of us, doesn't it? fear itself can make us freeze.

~~~~~~~~

 i still have issues with the unknown.

i have been making jewelry for 10 yrs or so, i'm self taught. i would just stay up for hours and watch video after video. i would go to the bead store and if there was someone there buying beads, i would use the opportunity and ask questions. i wanted to make jewelry and i knew this was a passion. for a long time i created pieces for myself and people would compliment me on it. then, of course, i would tell them i made it. people loved my pieces and yet i was still scared to show many people my work. i was afraid that they wouldn't like it or it wasn't good enough. fear.

~~~~~~~~

 as years went by i got more comfortable, and eventually to the point where i started selling some pieces to friends and family. everyone thought that i should go into business, get an online shop and start sharing with the world.

here we go again. that feeling.... fear. the 'what ifs' started setting in. what if they don't like it? what if i'm pricing too high? too low? what if this isn't good enough? what if I'M not good enough? so what happened? yup. i froze. i just stayed where i was comfortable, making jewelry for family and friends. half the time i gave it away. don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with giving my jewelry as gifts, but this is how i wanted to make a living and i couldn't get comfortable with selling.

finally, one day as a dare, hubby suggested that i start a blog. i didn't know one thing about blogging, but here he was daring me. i knew i couldn't resist, so i started one. i started blogging about my everday life as a mommy, something that my children could look at when they grew up and see all the memories that mommy documented. i loved having my family blog. that was a step out of my comfort zone and i took it!

after a few years of doing my family blog, i still felt like i needed to do something that was my own. something that allowed my creativity to buzz, to inspire others.

~~~~~~~~

 i started really concentrating on making my jewelry and getting serious. i sold more pieces in the last couple of years than i ever have! yes! that is big time for me. i had to just have a talk with myself and get real. i finally decided to make my own blog and this was for my creativity and everything that i, evelyse, loved. i needed a place to just connect with other creative people. and guess what? i have and it feels so good. i have that little community of people just like me. people that are doing what they love and making money at it. it makes me feel like "hey, i can so do that". it gets me excited and inspired. i am so glad that i started this blog.

taking those little steps have given me a little bit more courage. step by step, i get a little more confident. i get a little less scared of the unknown and more excited. i have more confidence in what i do because at the end of the day, people care more about the connection they have with me. i want to make beautuful pieces for people, pieces that make them feel unique, at the same time i want to share with you a part of this journey. it's amazing because you get to go on this ride with me. that's very cool.

~~~~~~~~

 where am i at right now? i'm working on inventory and hubby is working on my website. to tell you the truth, for the first time in a long time, i don't feel scared. i don't know if people will like me or if they will buy my jewelry. it's not about that in the end. it's about following what my heart is leading and continues to lead me to. i am showing up and and the rest in not in my hands. i can only be myself, share my story and i hope that i can inspire someone else to follow their dreams. i'm letting go of the fears and the whatifs. this is what makes my heart sing and i'm gonna let it sing! every time i  take a tiny step, the next step isn't as scary.

~~~~~~~~

 i am so excited to share my creations with with you! i'm also excited to have others wear something that i, evelyse, created. how cool is that? mostly, i'm excited to inspire. i want to write my own story and i have been all along without knowing. all those fears and unknowns was part of my story. i went though them for a reason. i can finally have something here that i can not only use to share my creativity, but i can use to inpire you. for you to see that you, too, are writing your story. don't let fear take over and write it for you. take that little step with me and start listening to those little whispers. we can feel the fear and we can stomp on it and we can hold each other's hands and take those steps together. today can be the day that you can start living and creating the life you want. we deserve it!

                                                                                                      

beautiful soul necklace, whimsyluv designs

as the my children slept last night and the hubby was on his laptop, i pulled out my vintage light blue suitcase. my blue suitcase holds some of my beads and supplies, and it sits in my living room, so when inspiration calls- i listen and it's right there. this necklace was inspired by everything earthy. a woman that knows herself and even though she is not perfect, she is beautiful inside and out. a woman who is unique and proud. i love the mix of bronze, silver, brown and black. my favorite? the hint of turquoise. this necklace..i love.

if you are interested in any of my jewelry, please feel free to contact me. thank you for visiting.

elephant charm, whimsyluv designs

i'm starting to get back in the groove of things and it feels so good! i wanted to tell you about a slight obsession i have with elephants. i think they are so beautiful, big and mysterious. yes, i think they are magical, too. i made this necklace and it would be hard to part with it because it's so earthy and simple. of course, as you can see...yes, the little elephant. just a touch of elephant. i'm in love.

this is a design style i've never done before. i hope that you like it as much as i do. oh yes-mr elephant, too. he is adorable.

seasons change

 

ok. so there is literally a few hours left of summer. i can smell fall making it's grand entrance. it's everywhere you look. pumpkins fill the stores, leaves are getting a little crunchy and i've been caught wearing my sweater at night. yes, i do love fall.

i think what i like and appreciate about seasons is they change. i tend to get bored after a while. hmm..maybe that's why i'm an artist. i don't have to ever do the same things over and over. i can always be me, but with change. 

                            

i have to tell you that i am so ready for it. i will miss some things about summer. my roses. the ease of just throwing flip flops on and getting in the car and ready to go. but, i know it will be here next year, and i welcome change with open arms.

i feel that the cooler months allow you to slow down, take comfort of the more simple things of life. it allows to sometimes, start over again. or maybe, to just start. and i really like that.

                                

fall into change....



whimsical bedroom

i have to admit. i'm addicted to decorating my daughter's room. after having two boys, i was pregnant with a little girl and you couldn't tell me anything! don't get me wrong, i liked decorating my sons' rooms, but i'm a female. a very girly female. so as you can imagine, i would mostly put things in there that were either car or super man cape related. then here comes my little girl...

i knew that right off the bat i didn't want a "pink, sweet room", not that there's anything wrong with pink/sweet, but i wanted something more vibrant. so, when people would ask what they could get the baby, i would tell them that i wanted something handmade. made with love.
it could be a blanket, drawing..whatever. and, that's what she (baby girl) got. her room is filled with lots of love, i have to say. mostly everything in there is made by me or painted/redone from thrift store.

the photo above is of a keepsake box that i handpainted for her. don't you just love a pretty keepsake box? makes you want to find things to put in there. well, since she has so many hair thingies (i call it), we keep most of the keepsake boxes full. ahh..i love my children. i love my boys and i love having my little girl. but, it's just a little more of a good time with what us girls appreciate..

for colored girls, official trailer!

i don't get too excited about movies. i mean, it has to capture me in order for me to really want to see it. this here, for colored girls, looks like the type of movie i like. Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf is a 1975 play by Ntozake Shange. Initially staged in California, it has been performed Off-Broadway and on Broadway, and adapted as a book, a television movie, and a planned theatrical film. The 1977 Broadway production was nominated for a Tony Award for best play

this is a tyler perry movie so i know it's going to be very entertaining!

my dress form is dressed up, meet ms. thang

this is ms thang. she is my wonderful dress form and she sits beside my fireplace and welcomes guests in our home. i just got ms thang not too long ago and since then i have been dressing her up in beautiful things. she always looks great and never has a bad hair day...not having a head helps. whenever i design a new jewelry piece, she gladly displays it for me. the kids enjoy her presence too. i am so happy to have found her and for such a bargain. she totally gets my fashion sense and she has been a wonderful addition to the family. ms thang meet everyone.

*by the way, i got ms thang for a really great deal and you can get yourself a dress form, too! *

learn how to make recycled fairy wings

my awesome blog friend, harmony, was just telling me about creating some wings for my new dress form and i didn't know how. funny how things work because i found this video here and i thought "hmm..i can do that". oh, by the way- harmony is a very talented arstist and you can find her here. we have so many things in common like wearing skirts over jeans and stuff. she's a total creative geek like me and she makes me happy. you have to meet her. i want to try making these wings for my dress form..or i can just put them on and walk around the house like that because i can :) happy creating!

the hundred dresses

The Hundred Dresses...remember this one? i read this when i was younger and just fell in love with it. i found a very old copy of it at a thrift store for about a quarter and i was so happy. it's about a little girl, wanda, who wears the same blue dress everyday and claims to have a hundred dresses, but where? how? i love the message in this book and its simplicity. i plan on reading this to my daughter when she gets a bit older (it's about 70 pages or so). if you have a little one that wants a good read, this is perfect. you can find it here.

booga baby.

this is my booga baby. she is 16 mnths old. she loves to eat anything. i mean, anything. if it's a crumb and it's within her reach-she'll eat it. so i am constantly sweeping. this booga baby as you will notice is crawling. nothing wrong with that...except she's 16 mnths and that's all she's doing!!! yes, she pulls up and stands by herself for a period of time, but taking a step? nope. nothing. most people are either surprised she's not walking or they say "eh, just give her time". as a mom you can't help but to be a little concerned. everything else she's above and beyond in. both the boys walked at 13 months. i figured she's walk a little sooner than that, but she's got her own ideas. one thing i can thank her for are how toned my arms are. she's heavy! oh well. i guess we will just have to wait until this booga baby is ready.

my life

as the end of summer approaches we have been trying to enjoy the not-so-hot-weather. the kids have been enjoying it so much and that makes me so happy. we've played in the park and mommy and daddy even had a race. my son proudly took that picture. i am secretly excited about autumn coming. i am ready for pumpkins and sweaters, and enjoying a hot cup of coffee on my porch while they play. yes, ready. these past few weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions, but that is what life is all about, isn't it? it makes you sit back and look at all the important things in your life. i have to say -i am blessed. i have wonderful kids and a wonderful husband, and i have the good life.

the boys are in school during the day and it's just me and baby girl. she's my little buddy and i love having this time to truly get to know one another. as far as in time for creating paintings or jewelry? wow. none. i'm one of those that has to be inspired and i'm slowly getting there. until then i am enjoying life with these beautiful people i call my family. i love them so much.

She's always there for me~

i wish that i had a scanner because this photo does this painting no justice. it reads on the bottom "she is always there for me"..and it was inspired by the relationship i have with my sister. she means a lot to me, but this painting is talking about any woman that is close to you. isn't such a comfort when you have someone that is there for you? in your beautiful moments and in the ugly-cuz we all have them!

in this creative journey there has always been a part of me that has wanted/needed to connect with other women that were creative. women that get excited about little things like color combo! it's funny because even though my sister isn't creative in the same ways that i am (she's a singer) she still understands the passion aspect of it. the love of art. i sure do appreciate our relationship, and i always will