The Barnes Family

Catch Up

2011-12-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

We are getting ready for Christmas and have been really busy, but I wanted to get caught up on what has been going on with us! Above is a pic for our Christmas cards this year. Tramel and Co. did a great job!

We had a really fun Halloween this year. Both of the boys enjoyed dressing up (as Mario and Luigi) and getting lots of candy!

We also went to Gulf Shores over fall break and had the best time. We loved playing on the beach. :)

Elliot had his 2nd birthday on Sept. 9th! It was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed and we had it at Greenbrook Park. Such a great day!

Mr. & Mrs. Britton!

2011-06-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Emily and Davey!!!

Boys of Summer

2011-06-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

Can't you tell what we are doing this summer?! Ian is playing on his first tball team... the Dekalb Community Bank Lil Bucks! Here he is with his teammates and cousins, Gracie and Garrison.

Ian hit his first homerun!! I was so proud of my big boy... I'm just glad I didn't cry lol. He was more proud of the grounder he got though! Once he stopped the ball, he threw it to Garrison at 2nd base and got the runner out!

We also made time for a weekend trip to Atlanta and went to Six Flags and the Aquarium. The boys yelled "fish!" the whole time!

Easter/Spring Photos

2011-04-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Tramel & Co. Photography for these beautiful pics of my boys!

Spring Break

2011-04-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

We had a really good spring break even though we didn't go on any overnight trips. On a beautiful day, we took the boys fishing. It was actually Elliot's first fishing trip. As you can see, Ian was very proud of the fish he caught. He caught 4 total (by himself), Adam caught 1, and Elliot and I caught exactly 0!

We also took the boys to the Knoxville Zoo one day and had a great time. The weather was a little cool, but that turned out to be a good thing... with all of the walking you have to do its nice to not be burning up. It was not crowded at all and the animals were out. Elliot got up close and personal with this gorilla! This made me a little nervous but the gorilla acted like he could not care less that we were there. Great day!

It's Been A While

2011-02-01T08:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a loong time since I have posted! So sorry about that but we've had lots of changes and excitement at our house. Christmas and Ian's birthday (his 4th bday was on Dec. 26th) come like a tornado, and then soon after we got an offer on our house. We ended up selling our home and buying another one! The new house happens to be right across the street from our old home. :)
Moving is exciting, sad, and extremely tiring! We are blessed with more junk than we will ever need. We finally got moved with the help of lots of friends and family, but I now have boxes and boxes to unpack. With all of this craziness going on, I have decided to not take any jewelry orders until probably summertime. So I have taken off the forever flowers jewelry info for now.
Also, on New Year's, Emily and Davey got engaged! So now we have a wedding to plan. The fun never ends! :)

Ian had his 4th bday party at hotwheels skating center!

Christmas at the Barnes'.

We had lots of snow this winter! Here is Adam and Elliot playing.

Emily and Davey's engagement at the New Year's Eve party. :)

Lauren and Ian boogying down.

Aunt B and baby new year.

The new house.

New Union Christmas Play

2010-12-22T20:27:00.000-08:00

Elliot and Adam before the play.

Aunt Amy, Gracie (as an angel), and Elliot (as a lion).

Ansley (chicken), Ian (sheep), and Garrison (cow) waiting on their big performance!

The animals aboard the arc. :)

Ian being a good lil shepherd.

Pa, Gen, and the boys relaxing after the play.

We had our annual Christmas play at our church Sunday, and everything went really well. It is always so cute watching the little children performing. Elliot was a lion aboard Noah's arc and was supposed to be a lion during the Nativity scene, but he ended up walking out of that scene lol. Ian was a sheep aboard the arc and was a shepherd in the Nativity. They both did such a good job! It's nice to be reminded what Christmas is really about... the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ! Merry Christmas everyone. :)

Snow Day! December 2010

2010-12-13T09:35:00.000-08:00

So we finally got snow in December! Ian was so excited to get out in it. We got a good snow last year, and he had fun in it so I think he remembered it. The problem is that it is sooo cold! Ian liked walking around in\it, but we got cold awfully fast. Elliot, on the other hand, was not amused by the whole thing. He was happy to get back inside and get his cocoa. I don't blame the poor little fella! :)

Ian's 4th Birthday Party

2010-12-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

We had Ian's 4th birthday party this past saturday at the Hotwheels Skating Center! His birthday is actually not until Dec. 26th but due to Christmas, we had his party a little early this year. Not the best date ever either due to the Christmas parades going on, but it went well anyways! The kids didn't start off skating very well, but after about 15 minutes they all seemed to get the hang of it and were skating around like pros. :)

Ian with his Mickey cake!

Elliot skating with Gen's help.

Ian, Me, Emily, Lauren, and B having fun!

Scenes From Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had lunch at Granny's house and then had supper at Pat's house... two delicious meals. :) We also had our very first Thanksgiving dinner for just our little family on Saturday night. We had a little meal and talked about what we are thankful for. Above is Elliot loving on his Gen.

Here is Lauren posing, of course!

Me and Granny.

Elliot playing with Adam.

Our Christmas tree! I got the tree and decorations up over the long weekend. We actually got a real tree this year. Dad gave it to us and he was so proud lol!

Christmas Jammies :)

2010-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

I got the boys some matching Christmas PJs from gymboree, and I think they look soo cute in them! They are tight fitted, so Ian looks like a skinny little twig and Elliot is a chunk lol. I am looking forward to this weekend... we are staying home most of the day today and will be putting up our lights outside. :)
I'm also planning for next week. I can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here! We are actually going to do a little family meal at our house this year and of course the dinners at our family's houses are always nice. I have so much to be thankful for!

Breakfast with Santa 2010

2010-11-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

We went to the Breakfast with Santa at the Inn at Harvest Farms this past Saturday. We had a great time, as usual. The boys (and Carter and Lauren) got to eat a delicious breakfast and then visited with Santa. As you can see, Elliot was not excited. Then they all did some crafts and went outside to play. Such a great day! Ian is also relieved that he got to tell Santa what he wants... monster truck Mater! Maybe he will be a good boy and Santa will bring him one.

Tis the Season!

2010-11-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it is already time to be planning for Christmas! The year has gone by so quickly. Yes, I do have to start planning now because we have so many people to buy for and plus Ian's birthday is Dec. 26th. So, I'm being party planner for him also. He will be turning 4, which makes me a little sad because my big boy is growing up so fast.

Happy Holiday planning everyone! (Above is our possible Christmas card)

Halloween 2010

2010-11-04T06:47:00.001-07:00

We had a great Halloween this year! Ian was finally old enough to get really excited about it, and Elliot just enjoyed going along with it all. As you can see, Ian was spiderman and Elliot was a bumble bee. Ian loved the built in muscles in his costume... too funny!

A Hold On Orders... For Now!

2010-10-29T09:42:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry for the inconvenience but I am going to have to place a hold on orders for the time being. I have had so many orders in lately that I am going to be lucky to get caught up before Christmas. The holidays are such a busy time for me, so I really can't take anymore on right now. Thank you all for understanding!

Samantha's Bracelets

2010-10-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

These bracelets are for a wonderful lady that I work with, Samantha Lester. The flower beads are made from flowers that came from her father's funeral. She requested 2 of them with an angel charm hanging in the center and a Dad charm near the clasp. One is for herself and the other is for her sister. She also asked for one without the Dad charm and I used a cross instead of the angel, which is for her daughter Cassi. I hope you all enjoy them!

Patty's Jewelry

2010-10-21T05:55:00.000-07:00

Patty from Kansas was in town visiting her cousin, Cathy, when they contacted me about making her some jewelry from her son's funeral flowers. The necklace above is for her and is made with the flower beads, black onyx beads, and has a picture frame charm.

She also requested 3 pendant necklaces and a silver sliding bracelet. I think they all turned out beautiful! Thank you so much Patty... I hope you and your family enjoy them.

Vicki's Jewelry

2010-10-17T13:09:00.001-07:00

This set is headed to Vicki in Illinois. Thank you Vicki!

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

We went to Cedarwood Pumpkin Patch today and had the best time! Ian absolutely loved it. We went through the corn maze, the petting zoo, rode the pumpkin train, and picked out our pumpkins during the hayride. Great day!

Underwood Family Bracelets

2010-10-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

When Shawn Smith's uncle, Barry Underwood, passed away, she saved some flowers from his funeral and asked me to make a bracelet for his widow and two daughters. I hope the Underwood family enjoys these bracelets and that they provide some comfort during their difficult time.

Leslie's 2nd Bunch of Bracelets

2010-10-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

Leslie's 2nd bunch of beautiful bracelets (say that 10 times fast!) headed to Louisiana. :)

Lori's Necklaces

2010-10-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

I made two of these pendant necklaces for my good friend Lori using flowers from her wedding. I hope you enjoy Lori!

My Great Day!

2010-09-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day! We (Adam and the boys) went to church and then headed to murfreesboro for me to do some shopping for jewelry supplies. I got some great stuff to finish my orders with and then met my mom, sisters, and niece for Olive Garden and then more shopping a Target. As if the day couldn't get better.... Adam spotted Maci from the MTV show Teen Mom at the restaurant! I had to run over there and meet her because I looove the show. I know, I know... Yes, its a trashy show and glamourizes teen pregnancy but I still like it. Maci is my favorite also because she is really trying to be a good mom and is even attending MTSU. She was nice enough to let me get a pic with her. Brandie took the pic and Emily made fun of me, but I had a great time!

Leslie's Bunches of Bracelets

2010-09-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

This lovely bunch of bracelets is headed to Leslie in Louisiana. She had them made for all of the girls in her family from their mother and grandmother's funeral flowers. This is only half of her order though... I will have the second half finished soon. :)

A Hold on Orders

2010-09-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

I apologize to everyone who has placed an order with me! I am so far behind and am trying to get caught up... I promise! I started back to work kind of unexpectedly last week, so my jewelry making time has been cut short. I am so excited to be working again but it is definitely an adjustment after being home with the boys for so long. I need to stop taking orders temporarily while I get caught up since it is hard for me to keep all of the orders and flowers straight when I get so many. Below are the orders that I am working on:

1. Leslie's bracelets
2. Lori's necklaces
3. Vicki's set
4. Laura's pendants
5. Shelia's order
6. Shawn's bracelets
7. Samantha's bracelets
8. Cathy's order
9. Sommer's order

A Quote I Try To Live By...

2010-09-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because some day in life you will have been all of these. - George Washington Carver

Elliot On His 1st Birthday

2010-09-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

My sweet baby boy turned 1 on 9/9/10! I can't believe he is growing up so fast. His Gen, Pa, and Ganma came over and ate supper with us, and Gen even brought him a cake! :) Elliot had lots of fun crawling around chasing Ellie (the dog) and showing out for the cameras. Happy birthday to my sweet angel.

Sommer's Necklace

2010-09-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this necklace with the flower pendant made for Sommer from Smithville. The pendant is made with flowers from her grandfather's funeral. Included in the flowers they sent me were these tiny purple flowers, so I decided to put some on top of the pendant. I hope you enjoy Sommer.

Emily's Necklace and Elliot's Birthday Party :)

2010-09-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

This necklace is for the very beautiful and sweet Emily Cantrell Estes and is made from flowers from her wedding. The flowers were dried red roses, so you can see the petals in the pendant. I hope you enjoy Emily!

We had Elliot's 1st birthday party Saturday at Rock Island Park. It was such a beautiful day and we all had a great time. The only bad thing is that Elliot and Ian both came down with colds! I still think Elliot enjoyed his special day though. :)

Brandie and Lauren's Necklaces

2010-09-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

These flower pendant necklaces are for my big sister and niece, Brandie and Lauren. The flowers came from their vacation to Cancun, Mexico. When they entered the airport in Mexico, they were given some carnations. They had a great trip and wanted something to remember it by. I hope you girls enjoy them! (And next time, take me with you!)

Heather's Bracelet and Necklace Set

2010-08-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

The very sweet Heather from NC sent me flowers from her friend's mother's funeral. She wanted me to make a jewelry set from them for her friend and wanted a breast cancer awareness ribbon charm included somehow. This is a new bracelet style and I really like it, especially with the charm. Thank you Heather for your order, and I hope your friend likes them!

Leslie's Bracelets

2010-08-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

This is the first of Leslie's bracelets that I have finished. It is for a baby in her family and is made with roses from her grandmother's funeral. The flower beads are combined with pearls and has a "grandma" charm near the clasp. 1 done and 14 more to go... I will be posting pics soon! Thank you Leslie for your order.

I also wanted to post a recent pic of Elliot. He is now standing on his own and will even take a step or two. Look out world, here he comes! :)

Jill's Necklace

2010-08-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

This necklace is for Jill in Fairhaven, MA. She described to me what she wanted, and I was so excited to try something different. I absolutely LOVE the results! This flower pendant is hanging on a 18 inch sterling silver chain. Jill's flower was a carnation which was dried and had a dark purple color and you can actually see the carnation petals in the pendant. Thank you so much Jill for your order, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-08-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

I am a busy girl working on jewelry right now! I've gotten lots of orders in lately, which I'm very grateful for. I will be posting pics soon... up first is Jill's necklace and Leslie's bracelets. :)

1st Day of Preschool!

2010-08-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Ian had his first day of preschool today! He is only going on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but it is a big deal to us! He was so excited to be going to school like a big boy and would get to wear his Lion backpack that he picked out.

When I went to pick Ian up after his big day, this is how Elliot and I found him. He was still asleep and would not wake up so I let Elliot get him up! He had fun and must have done a lot. :)

7 Years and Counting

2010-07-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Today is my and Adam's 7 year anniversary... I can't believe it has been that long! The years really do fly by, and it seems like yesterday since I walked down the aisle. I truly loved my wedding and sometimes I really miss that day. I was 23 years old, young and stupid, but I sure did make the best decision ever that day! Happy Anniversary to my loving husband.

Kara's Necklaces

2010-07-02T06:15:00.001-07:00

Kara Helton sent me flowers from her grandfather's funeral and wanted 3 necklaces for her and her sisters. She asked for something a little more casual than the pearls so I found some beautiful sterling silver chains and sterling silver angel charms to create these necklaces for her. The angel charms have the flower beads and silver beads on each side. I think they turned out great! Thank you Kara. :)

Rena's Jewelry

2010-06-30T14:21:00.001-07:00

Rena Willoughby asked for a necklace and bracelet set made from her great aunt's funeral flowers. They were beautiful cream and purple roses and when dried they turned a golden color and dark purple. I combined them with the pearls and silver beads. Hope you enjoy them Rena!

Angela's Bracelet

2010-06-22T12:41:00.001-07:00

Gena Cripps had this bracelet made for Angela Hedge Miller from a rose from her father's, Amos Hedge, funeral. The red rose was dried very dark so that is why the beads are a bit darker than usual. Once again, I used the silver flower spacer beads. I hope Angela enjoys her bracelet!

Ashby's Jewelry

2010-06-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Gena Cripps had this necklace and bracelet set made for Ashby Cripps as a surprise wedding gift. Ashby is marrying Alex Woodward soon, and when he proposed he gave her a bouquet of tulips. Gena brought me some of the dried tulips and I made this set for her from them. I think the flower beads turned out beautifully because they have a pretty purple hue to them.
Gena is such a sweet and thoughtful person to have this made for her, and I wish many blessings to Ashby and Alex on their upcoming nuptials!

Back to Work

2010-05-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

We had a great vacation in Savannah and Tybee Island! Ian and Elliot had lots of fun playing in the ocean, but we eventually had to come home. Here is a bracelet that I made for Gena in Smithville for a gift... it's a surprise gift so I won't tell any more yet! I found some cute flower silver spacer beads that I used on each side of the flower beads.

Here is a pic of us at the Tybee Island Lighthouse. It was so beautiful and we climbed the 178 steps to make it to the top! Whew... We were rewarded with a gorgeous view though.

My Handsome Boys

2010-05-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

We are so happy that spring is here! We go outside and play every day that we can and the boys love it. I am so blessed to be able to stay at home with them. It is definitely one of the best decisions we have ever made. Don't get me wrong.... being stuck inside with them this winter was tough but it was worth it. (Can't you tell that I love dressing them in matching outfits. I have to have a little fun with boy clothes!)

We love going to the park and visiting people too. We are getting our pool ready so that will be lots of fun. Vacation is almost here too! At the end of this month we are going on a much needed trip to Savannah and Tybee Island. Ian is so excited about playing on the beach!

I feel so happy and at peace with my life right now and I thank God for that. He has blessed me with family and love that I never could have imagined for myself. I have learned (with old age lol) that true happiness does not come from riches and fame and I pray that all of my loved ones will have this happiness also. God is great!

Growing Like Weeds!

2010-05-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I had better snap some pictures of the boys this morning while I was thinking of it, even though they were still in their jammies! Elliot is 8 months old now and is still our lil piggy! When I was pregnant, Adam hoped that he would be his lil eater since Ian eats like a bird, and he got his wish. He likes all baby food but his favorite seems to be bananas because he makes "hmmm..." noises while he is eating! He also loves flying around the house in his walker and getting into stuff already... I am in trouble! He still has 2 teeth that you can kind of see in this picture.

Ian loves playing in the sunroom with his GeoTrax (we borrowed from cousin Carter) and driving his hot wheels! He is really loving Elliot and is protective of his little brother. :)

Never Ending Love

2010-05-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

This bracelet is headed to Gina in Alabama. The bracelet is to a family member and the flower beads are made from flowers from her husband's funeral. I added a Love charm near the clasp. Thank you Gina!

Taking Orders

2010-04-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

I stopped taking orders for my jewelry for a while, but since things have calmed down I have decided to start back. If you have dried flower petals and would like for me to make keepsake jewelry from them, just send em' to me!
I just take some dried petals (it doesn't take many) crush them up and combine them with a beading clay. I then hand sculpt the beads and glaze them. When they are dry, I string them with glass pearls and silver beads or spacers. The flower beads keep mostly keep the color of the petals and you can see the speckles of flowers in the bead.
Bracelets are $15 and necklaces are $20. The best way to reach me is email, and my address is sabarnes21@tntech.edu. Thank you!

The Big 3-Oh No!

2010-04-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

I hate to admit it, but I will be turning 30 on April 16th. I honestly haven't been thinking about it very much but some of my dear family members (you know who you are!) keep reminding me! Like every other woman, I don't like the idea of getting older but when I think about where I am in my life right now I just don't think I can be upset.
I feel happier and more at peace than I ever have and I have been blessed with such a wonderful family and support group that I am not sad. Plus, we can't change it, so we might as well go with it! Every day that God grants me on His beautiful earth is a blessing, so I will just be happy and say "Thank you!" whenever someone tells me happy birthday!

The Terrible, No Good, Post-Partum Blues

2010-04-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

A few months after I gave birth to Elliot I started experiencing symptoms of post partum depression. I had read about it but did not know anyone that had it and had not had any problems with it after I had Ian, so I kept thinking that it would go away. My main problem was feelings of anxiety. I felt like I had the world on my shoulders and cried a lot. Eventually it got so bad that I scheduled an appointment with my doctor. I told her how I was feeling and she immediately said it was very common (especially with having a 2nd child, which I did not know) and prescribed medication for me.
The medication helped immediately and I eventually started feeling great again. I am now happy most of the time and feel like I can handle all of my responsibilities. I have my awesome family to thank for helping me through it. I felt really guilty about putting my family through it but Adam said that he knows I couldn't help it and I guess that is what family is for.
I decided to blog about it because no one really talks about PPD or admits that they had a problem with it, and I definitely understand that. It is hard to admit that there is something that we cannot handle on our own. But if you or someone you love have experienced it, please know that you are not alone!

Scenes from Easter

2010-04-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

Elliot trying to steal an egg from Ian's basket.

Adam help Elliot find his first egg!

Emily giving Ian instructions about the egg hunt.

Elliot taking a nap in the swing.

Adam, Me, and Ian getting our picture taken while Elliot was napping.

Ian with his cousins Gracie & Garrison about to hunt some eggs!

Finally!!!!

2010-04-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am finally posting again after a long absence! I have obviously been a busy girl taking care of my two lil boys but I'm finally getting a little time for myself here and there now. Elliot is almost 7 months old now and Ian turned 3 the day after Christmas. They are growing up way to fast but life is easier now!
Elliot is doing great and weighs about 21 lbs! He is such a fatty lol. He is a happy baby though and laughs most of the time (as long as he is fed). He eats around 3 jars of baby food and still gets his bottle regularly. He has 1 tooth that came in and is working on another one. He likes to say "da da" and squeals when he is happy.
Ian is doing great too. He loves this warm weather and we go outside to play every chance we get. He loves playing t ball with his daddy and hits the ball really well. He is really looking forward to Easter this year and says the easter bunny is going to bring him lots of candy and goodies.
I think that pretty much updates whats going on with us. We are still trying to sell our house (if anyone is interested, we have reduced the price!) and are planning a beach vacation this summer. I hope to post again soon!

Breakfast With Santa

2009-11-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

Random Stuff

2009-11-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

Mom and I took some pictures of the boys yesterday. Here is one of my favorites.

November 3rd was mom's birthday so we all had to celebrate at her favorite restaurant... Fiesta Ranchera!

Happy Halloween

2009-11-03T11:50:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a happy halloween! Ian was Max this year (from the cartoon Max & Ruby on Nick... he is obsessed with him!) and Elliot was a giraffe. I am supposed to be Kate Gosselin but nobody seemed to be able to figure that out lol! We had a great time and Ian really enjoyed trick or treating this year. My family also had a halloween party and we had a good time at that.

Also, today is my mother's 40th birthday (lol)! Happy Birthday Mom, we love you!

Look Alike Much?

2009-10-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Ian when he was right around Elliot's age. This was his first smile on camera. Can you tell they are brothers? Sometimes Elliot looks at me and I feel a sense of deja vu lol.

Bottles and Diapers, Oh My!

2009-10-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Elliot's first smile caught on camera! :)

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! I'm sure you all can understand that I have been a little busy lately. Elliot is growing like a weed. I can't believe he is 7 weeks old today. He is doing well and we took him to the doctor last week and he weighed 10 lbs and 7 oz. He is such a big boy and he loves to eat!

I had almost forgotten what it is like to take care of a newborn. My days (and nights) consist of changing diapers and fixing bottles, and of course taking care of Ian as well. We have been doing well with all of the adjustments though. Ian, especially, has done a great job adjusting to having a little brother. He loves him so much and is always wanting to give him love (which makes me nervous!). He definitely is and will be his brother's keeper.

I did get to finally go on a date last night with Adam. It was so nice! I did torture myself a little though because we went to see Paranormal Activity, which is so scary! It being the week of Halloween though I wanted to see something spooky.

Also, last week I went to the doctor for my 6 week post baby check-up (all went well) and my sis Brandie and mother came with me and we did some shopping in Murfreesboro. Emily even got to go with us before she had to go into work at Bink's. We had a great time, and I so love my mother-in-law for being such a great babysitter!

I have to go because Ian just pooped in his underwear and I have to go clean up the disgusting mess....

Elliot Michael Barnes

2009-09-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

Elliot was born on 9/9/09 and weighed 8 lb 3 oz. We are doing well and he is the most precious thing! Ian is so proud of his little brother. Here are some pics. Thanks to my mother for all of her help and for everyone who has come to see us and has prayed for us.

A Few Pics

2009-09-05T09:09:00.001-07:00

We haven't had much going on lately (other than baby prep) so I don't have any exciting photos! This is a regular sight at our house... Ian loves to just come up to me randomly and love on Elliot. Such a sweet boy! I hope he is as nice to him outside of mommy's belly. :)

We go to church with the very sweet Jennifer & Jodie Lassiter and they recently had a cookout for church members and a non-shower for us at their lovely home. (I refused a formal shower!) We had a great time and the food was unbelievable. Thanks guys!

Jennifer & Jodie's adorable daughter, Annie, and Ian had a great time getting into trouble. J/K they were good, but they always look like they are up to something! They are too cute together, aren't they? I see a possible girlfriend in the future! lol

Full Moon, Please Work!

2009-09-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

No, I still have not given birth and I am hoping that this full moon will do its job! If I do not go into labor on my own by Tuesday evening, they are going to induce me on Wednesday morning. (Elliot's birthday will be 9/9/09). I really didn't want to be induced this time, but at this point I am ready to get it over with. I am now at the point of misery and to top it all off, Ian has gotten sick. He has only had a fever so far with no signs of anything else, so I am hoping the fever will go away and all will be good. He does seem to be feeling better already today.

Everything has been checking out well at our doctor appointments. They did an ultrasound 2 weeks ago and everything looking good, but they estimated that Elliot weighed 7 lbs & 5 ozs at that time! I also had extra amnio fluid which was why I was measuring so large. Ian only weighed 7 lbs 7 ozs when he was born, so I can't believe there is such a difference in their sizes.

I am really feeling it though and I cannot get enough to eat, which is not good! I also have had my first ever strange craving... has anyone ever had peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwiches? hmmm, hmmm. They are too good for words lol! I would never have come up with that combination, but I was watching a Jon & Kate rerun the other day and she had made them for her kids. It sounded so good that I couldn't wait to get to the store to buy some marshmallow creme (I know Brandie will be proud, she is a long time marshmallow creme fan). Has anyone else had any strange cravings?

I know I've been slacking on posting pics too. I promise to do that on my next post! Have a great Labor Day weekend! Thank you to everyone too for the well wishes.

Oh, Boy!

2009-08-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

Okay another baby update: I went to the doctor on Monday for my weekly checkup and whenever my doc measured my stomach, she said, "Wow Ashley, this baby has had a growth spurt. You are measuring at 40 weeks." Even though I feel huge, I was surprised he had grown that much. I also dilated a little bit more, 1.5-2.
So, she tells me that we need to do an ultrasound to see how big he is. I went back today to do the ultrasound and I will not get to discuss the results with the doctor until Monday, but the lady who did the ultrasound said that she would guess he weighs a little over 7 pounds! We still have 3 weeks to go! Ian weighed 7 lbs 7 ozs and he was only 3 days early. Adam is so proud.... he says Elliot is going to be his little eater (since Ian eats like a bird and is skinny like I was). I was a little miffed that Adam is so excited about having a big baby because I am the one who has to deliver him! But at least he is healthy... even though he is a chunk. The lady doing the ultrasound also noticed that he has a lot of hair, so I'll bet he will look like Ian with all of the thick dark hair. If I do not go into labor before Monday, we will discuss the results with my doctor and see what we are going to do. I will try to keep everyone posted! (Pray for us!)

Hospital Necessities

2009-08-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

Speaking of baby coming soon... I have started to pack our hospital bag and would like to know (for those of you who have given birth) if there was something you took to the hospital with you that ended up being lifesaver? I am trying to only pack the essentials, but am wondering if there is anything else I really need or would like to have?

Baby Update

2009-08-17T05:28:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would give everyone a little update on our baby situation. I am now going to the doctor every week. I must say that it's not much fun driving to Murfreesboro with a 2 year old once a week, but it must be done! I am not due until September 15th (4 more weeks), but at my last check up the doctor said I am already dilated to 1 but the cervix has not started thinning. So, we obviously have a while to go and I do not want Elliot born too early but a little bit early would be nice! I am definitely getting bigger which is making it harder to take care of Ian, but we are hanging in there. Ian has been handling things very well too. I hope he adjusts to the new baby so well!
That is about all that is going on with us. Our revival at church started this week, so we will be busy with that. Even though sitting on the pew has become uncomfortable, I am glad to have the opportunity to focus on prayer for the upcoming changes in our life and for a healthy baby and easy delivery. Otherwise, I will keep everyone posted on our baby news!
Also, good luck to everyone going back to school. It feels strange for me not to be going back too but I have been so preoccupied that I haven't had much time to think about it. With the way I am feeling (and with the flu going around), I am still happy with my decision to stay home!
Have a great week everyone! :)

Emily's Big Day

2009-08-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

Emily had a big day Saturday... First, she graduated from MTSU with a Bachelor Degree in Mass Communications and then that night she won the Miss Country Sunshine Pageant, which means that she now gets to compete in the Miss Tennessee pageant in June (which has been her dream for a long time). Congratulations Emily!

Potty Training... Help!

2009-07-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, Ian and I are having some set backs regarding potty training. He was doing really good and using the potty around 4 times a day. To reward him, I would give him an M&M and praise him. All of a sudden, he has stopped using the potty and refuses to even sit on it. Help! I do not know what to do. I have let some time go by because I have always heard not to force them, but he is not showing any renewed interest. I'm thinking of bribing him with something bigger (since the candy is not working anymore) but I'm not sure. Any advice would be appreciated. I would love to have him out of diapers before Elliot gets here! I am also thinking of making him wear his big boy underwear and it will be either pee on yourself or use the potty. Good idea?

My New Bling

2009-07-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Natasha Vaughn at Elegant Designs made this necklace for me. I looovvvee it so much that I wanted to show it to everyone. You can check out Natasha's website to see her other designs and to place an order of your own, just click on Natasha's Cakes on the right side of my blog. (She also does beautiful cakes.)

The Dekalb County Fair has been going on this week and we finally went last night. I usually hold out for the Warren County Fair since it is so much better (sorry Smithville), but Elliot is due the same week as the Warren Co. fair so I'm sure I won't be making it. Ian got to ride some rides and we watched Adam's cousin, Brandon, ride a bull in the rodeo. Have a great weekend!

Gone Fishin'

2009-07-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

We were blessed with such beautiful weather this weekend, so we had to get out and enjoy it. Adam took us out on his fishing boat Saturday afternoon and we had a great time. Here is Adam instructing Ian on how to hold the fishing pole. Ian & I got to fish, but poor Adam was baiting our hooks or getting my line un-stuck constantly!

Ian caught a little fish, and he was so excited... except he wouldn't touch it or go near it!

Here is my bass that I am very proud of. We kept him and will be eating him sometime this week lol. I also caught 3 keeper blue gill and a small catfish that we threw back. Just call me BassMaster!

Our Fun on the 4th

2009-07-06T06:50:00.001-07:00

We had a great time on the fourth! Brandie and her family came to our house early in the afternoon, and so us girls (Lauren, Brandie, and me) went to the Smithville Jamboree for a little while. We had a great time and saw lots of cute crafts. We then back back and everyone went swimming before having a cookout and fireworks. Unfortunately, our fireworks were cut short due to the rain, but we all had a great time. The last pic is obviously my preggie belly... I refuse to show any of the photos with my face in them because I was looking rough by the end of the day!

Legally Blonde: The Musical!

2009-06-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

Mine and Adam's 6 year wedding anniversary is July 12th, and he surprised me with tickets to see Legally Blonde at TPAC this Saturday! I was so impressed with him... surprising me with something like that is a big step for him! We went to the 2:00 show and it was great. I loved the movie but the musical is very funny. Adam even liked it! I told him that I was going to buy him a Legally Blonde t-shirt for his anniversary present lol. If you know Adam, you know how funny this would be.
After the show, we went to eat at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (this was Adam's present) and it was the best meal I have ever had! Everyone there is so nice and the steak was the best ever. I highly recommend it for a special occasion!
Thanks to Adam for a wonderful time and for the best 6 years of my life!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Belated Father's Day to my wonderful hubby, Adam, and to my wonderful father. I hope you both had a great day! Here is a pic of Ian trying on Adam's new golf shoes that we got him.
Sorry for the lack of posts lately... not much has been going on with us this summer. We have basically been in the pool most days. It is too hot to do much else! I did go to the doctor yesterday and all is well with baby Elliot. He weighs 2 lbs and 14 oz already! I am starting to feel it too. Everyone is right, going through the 3rd trimester in the middle of the summer is not fun! It's all for a good cause though.
My nephew Carter and my lil sis Emily both had birthdays this month, so I want to wish them both a happy birthday!

Happy 40th Anniversary!

2009-06-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary to my wonderful parents! We had them a little party at The Cottage last night and we all had a great time. I hope they enjoyed it!

Fun in Pigeon Forge!

2009-05-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ian made Adam ride the new water ride at Dollywood twice with him. Here they are soaking wet! Adam was not happy about getting wet and said that, next time, I will be riding with the kids. (Being pregnant (and sick, but that's another story), I could not ride anything!)

We were in the underwater tunnel at the aquarium in this picture. I know you cannot tell it, but that is a huge shark swimming over Adam and Ian.

At the 50's part of Dollywood, they have all kinds of old cars which Ian thought were the characters from the movie Cars. Here he is with "Mater".

I think Ian's favorite part of Dollywood was just playing in the water!

His favorite part of the trip, though, was riding the go-karts! He loved it when Adam would "crash" (bump into other cars). I think I have a future Nascar driver on my hands...

Speaking of driving... Ian is driving the car!

We were in much need of a vacation, so we took Ian to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg for a few days and we had a blast! We tried to make it all about Ian, since in a few months his little world is going to change dramatically. We took him to the Gatlinburg Aquarium, the Dixie Stampede, and Dollywood, but I think his favorite thing of all was riding the go-karts with Adam! Our hotel also had an indoor and outdoor pool which he loved.

Giveaway!

2009-05-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

Go to the Links to Check Out section of my blog and click on Natasha's Cakes. All you have to do is leave a comment and you'll be entered in her giveaway for any of her designs. She not only makes beautiful cakes but gorgeous jewelry too!

Some Life Changes

2009-05-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

School is almost out! Yaaah! I am very excited that Friday will be our last day, but it is a little bittersweet for me because I turned in my resignation on Friday. This was much more difficult for me to do than I thought it would be because I really do love my job, but after much discussion and prayer Adam and I have made the decision for me to take a few years off work and stay at home with our boys. I'm looking forward to being with my children every day and to not have the stress that comes with being a working mother, but I know that being a stay at home mom won't be a cakewalk either. I will miss being around adults every day and will miss many people that I have gotten close with at work. If anyone has advice, let me know!
We have also put our house on the market and this is a little stressor for me because I don't know what we'll do if it sells! We can stay in the home that was Adam's grandmothers until we find something else or build, but I really dread moving again!
We are going on a short vacation next week to Gatlinburg, so I'll post some pics from it when we get back. I am ready for a vacay! (As I'm sure everyone else is too.) My big sis Brandie had her birthday May 1st and I forgot to post a happy birthday message to her, so happy belated birthday B!

Day Out With Thomas

2009-05-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here is Ian the day we went for our ultrasound. He is wearing his new "It's Cool to Be a Big Brother" t-shirt! This picture was taken in front of Emily's house. We went there afterwards to see her since she lives so close to the doctor's office.

We took Ian to Chattanooga to the Tennessee Valley Railroad last Saturday because they were having a "Day Out With Thomas". You get a 30 minute train ride and they have all kinds of Thomas themed activities for the kids to do. Ian had a great time, despite a few incidents...

Adam will kill me for telling this, but we both had a moment of pure stupidity. Our train was scheduled to leave at 2:30, so we decided to get there at 1:30 so we would have plenty of time. BUT, did we remember that Chattanooga is 1 hour ahead of our time???? NO. Adam realizes this as soon as we get there, so I take off with Ian to try to catch our train while Adam is parking. I was more than willing to ditch Adam as long as Ian got his train ride! It was really hot that day and after running and not seeing the Thomas engine anywhere, I finally asked someone that worked there and sure enough, our train had left! I was almost in tears at this point, but a nice man that worked there said he would try to get us on the 3:30 train. After telling Ian to look really pitiful, we got to ride that stupid train! I have never been so relieved.

Here is Ian posing in front of one of the train posters. They also had a petting zoo and mini golf. It ended up being a great day!

Well......

2009-05-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!

We are extremely excited to be having a little boy. I'm glad that Ian will have a little brother to play with and that the baby will have a big brother to teach him things. We are definitely blessed. Our #1 name at the moment is Elliot. Thank you everyone for the well wishes. I have 2 sisters, so I need advice from anybody with boys!!!

My Big Boy!!

2009-04-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

I am so unbelievably excited because last night Ian pee peed in the potty for the first time! He has been resistant to potty training, so lately I haven't been saying anything to him about it. He has been occasionally mentioning something about using the potty and has sat on it one time. But last night after he got out of the bath, he said he wanted to sit on the potty. He likes to play with the toilet paper, so I let him set there and put some paper in the potty. Sure enough, after a few minutes he peed! I never thought I would be so happy to see a little boy use the restroom. Of course, we praised and rewarded him (with his favorite thing in the world, chocolate).
Also, today is our ultrasound appointment at 3:00, so I will be posting soon to let everyone know if the baby is a boy or a girl! I would like to have a girl, but honestly a healthy baby is all I really care about. We also went to see the real Thomas the Train in Chattanooga this past weekend, so I will be posting pics from that also.

Easter Photos

2009-04-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

The Lord blessed us with beautiful weather on Easter Sunday! My mother helped Ian hunt for eggs, and by this time he was getting the hang of it! My parents invite the kids from their church and our family over for an egg hunt and snacks every Easter. We all had a great time.

We had our egg hunt at Adam's mother's house on Saturday. It was cool so we had to bundle up. Ian did not want to pick up eggs... he acted like it was a chore. When he found candy, he just wanted to stop and eat it. I can't blame him!

Here we are on Sunday... It is hard to get Ian to cooperate for a family photo! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, I know we did. It is much more fun now that Ian can understand what is going on and really enjoy it.

The Big 2-9

2009-04-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so tomorrow is my 29th birthday, ugh. I am so close to being 30 and am already getting depressed! I know that it is better than the alternative, but still. The saddest thing to me is that birthdays aren't really exciting anymore. I heard someone say that today is the 15th and I thought, "Oh wow, tomorrow is my birthday". In the past, I would count the days in April until the big day. Is it just me or is it normal for us to not get excited anymore? I guess my excitement comes through living through my child... Ian's birthdays are more exciting to me than my own! I guess all holidays are like that now.
Speaking of... I hope everyone had a great Easter! We sure did. Ian got tons of candy which I am now trying to give away because I have found myself on the couch eating way too much of it. The Easter bunny also brought him a Max & Ruby DVD which he already has memorized and a bunch of Cars toys. I will try to post pics tonight!

Ian's Big Boy Room

2009-04-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a pic of Ian's new big boy bed. The quilt is from Pottery Barn but I got it from Ebay, of course. My sister, Brandie, painted the lampshades to match. It helps to have talented family!

A close-up of Ian... he was wanting his picture taken! Such a little ham.

Prayer Request

2009-04-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Please keep baby Theo Burks and his family in your prayers as he is having his surgery today.

April 30th!!!!

2009-03-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

April 30th will be the big day.... we will have our ultrasound to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. That appointment is the most exciting but I know it will seem like forever until it gets here! Of course, the most important thing is a healthy baby, so keep us in your prayers.
I am back to work and our spring break went by way too fast! I promise I will post pics asap! We only had 3 days off, so we didn't do anything exciting but Ian and I had a good time being at home together.

Baby Poll Results...

2009-03-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

BOY won!

I really think Adam voted more than once though....

My Gardeners

2009-03-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

My Funny Boy

2009-03-13T06:30:00.001-07:00

I know everyone thinks that their child is funny, but Ian was really cracking us up last night. Adam made me a chocolate milkshake after dinner and I shared some of it with Ian. Well, when it was time for him to be in bed (8:45), we asked him if he wanted his juice. His reply was "No, chocolate milkshake". Adam thinks that this is so cute and funny that he goes and makes him a little milkshake! (yes, I was against this!) So, Adam feeds it to him and then he goes to bed.

Around 9:30 I am walking down the hall headed to bed and guess who is standing up in the crib looking at me! To end the story, Ian didn't go to sleep last night until after 10:00. Please don't call DCS on us!! lol

Ian has also had a big fear of going to the doctor lately. He went for his 2 year check-up in December and had to go a few weeks after that for an ear infection. At that appointment, they had to hold him down and clean his ear out. (not a good experience!) So since then he has been traumatized and will occasionally, out of the blue, say "Doctor hurt".

Last night we were sitting on the couch (watching Grey's Anatomy, obviously not a good idea) and Ian says "Doctor hurt". Adam tried to make him feel better and said "the doctor is fun". Ian looked at him seriously and said "Doctor NO, NO" and kept saying No, No and pointing his finger like he was letting the doctor have it. I am already dreading his next appointment!

Expanding Belly

2009-03-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still behind on blogging but I am really going to try to do better! Just to catch everybody up on what's going on with me... not much except an expanding belly! I am 13 weeks pregnant today and am already in maternity clothes, ugh. I am reminding myself that it's all for a good cause though. We got to hear the heartbeat a few weeks ago and that was so exciting. It just makes you feel better to hear that little heartbeat. Keep us in your prayers!

Speaking of prayer requests, please keep Adam's grandmother (Cyrena) in your prayers. She is in the hospital and is not doing well. Also, a teacher at my school (Mr. Webb) has a 2 week old baby that has had some problems and is in the NICU at Vanderbilt. There is also a student at my school that I am very concerned about. Thank you for remembering these requests!

These few days of beautiful weather has been a blessing! I took Ian to Greenbrook Park yesterday and we had the best time. It felt so good to feel the sunshine again. It is supposed to get cool again tomorrow, but I know spring is around the corner now. I will be posting pics soon, and we should be able to find out the sex of the baby in about a month and a half so I will keep everyone posted. I hope everyone has a great week!

Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the other person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained. C. S. Lewis

Long Time, No Blog

2009-02-26T11:59:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry for my lack of posts lately! I've had a few issues that have been holding me back. First of all, our home computer is located in my utility room and that room of the house is not heated, so I try to spend as little time in there as possible. Which explains my lack of posts and my piled up laundry! I know I need to get a little heater to go in there, but I keep forgetting to get one. I cannot wait until spring!!!
Also, my other is issue is that I am unsure about the future of my jewelry. I feel like I have so little time lately that I feel guilty when I am using my time at home to work on jewelry (especially when I need to be doing laundry :). But I guess all mothers feel that way sometimes... like there is not enough time in the day to be a good mother, housekeeper, wife, especially when we work all day. Also, I love making flower beads but the jewelry part of it is not my favorite. So, I have been thinking about making flower beads only for people, and then they could string the beads themselves or give them to someone who makes jewelry (like Tabetha Sullens, Reminisce Heirlooms are beautiful!) to string for them. This is just a thought... if anyone has any suggestions please let me know! I don't want to quit completely but I definitely need to figure something out. Thanks everyone!

Happy 30th Birthday, Adam!

2009-02-05T11:08:00.000-08:00

Saturday is Adam's 30th birthday! Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! I would also like to wish my dad a happy birthday. His is on Friday.

A Hold On Orders

2009-01-22T10:25:00.000-08:00

I really hate to disappoint anyone, but I have decided not to take any orders until May. It seems that life has been very busy for me lately and I am just not enjoying my flower jewelry crafts right now.
I am planning on having a booth at the Bobby Ray Craft Fair in May. School will be out at the end of May, so I thought that would be a good time for me to start back. I love to do this when I have time, so picking it back up then will be good. This break will also give me some time to make some display pieces to take to craft shows. If you have flowers that you would like for me to eventually make into jewelry, you can dry them out and save them until then. Thank you to everyone for your support and understanding! Of course, I will still be posting family pics and will keep everyone updated on the goings on of my family!

Gina's Jewelry

2009-01-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

These necklaces and bracelets were sent to Gina Courington in Alabama. The rose beads were made from flowers from a funeral. I hope your family enjoys them Gina.

Baby #2 Is On The Way!!

2009-01-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Adam and I just found out yesterday that we are expecting our 2nd child! We are so excited and feel very blessed. I am also terrified of taking care of two children at the same time!! If anyone with more than one child has any tips, please let me know. Ian will be almost 3 years older than the baby, so I feel that is a good distance... hopefully he will be potty trained before the baby gets here! Our due date is September 15th and please keep our family in your prayers.

Davey's Bracelets

2008-12-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

Emily is my little sister, and her boyfriend is Davey Britton. He ordered 3 of these bracelets for his mother, aunt, and grandmother. The rose beads are made from flowers that came from his grandfather's funeral. They were yellow, which is why the rose beads have a golden color. I combined them with all silver beads. He surprised them on Christmas with their bracelets, and he said that they really enjoyed them. Thank you Davey!

Ian's Birthday Party

2008-12-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos of Ian's birthday cake. He is obsessed with Thomas the Train right now, so Shelli Williams at The Sweet Shop in Smithville made him this cake. It was soooo cute, but the best part was that it tasted so good! Everyone loved it.... Ian got a little upset though when we cut into it!

Ian's party was at Chuck E. Cheese. Here is him, his cousin Lee, and Chuck E. He had a great time!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! We had a great one. It was soo much fun this year since Ian is old enough now to know what is going on. I have to admit though that I am very tired. Ian's birthday is the day after Christmas, so I am partied out! I realize now how hard my parents worked to make all of our holidays so special. I've had to remind myself many times this year about the true meaning of Christmas. We have also had lots of fun spending time with our family.

Ian's grandparents (Adam's mother & father) got him this gator for Christmas. He absolutely loves it!

Happy 2nd Birthday Ian!

2008-12-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to my baby Ian! You are the light of my life, and I have no idea what I ever did before I had you. The picture above is the first smile of yours that we ever caught on camera. I love you!!

Shelli's Necklaces

2008-12-22T14:59:00.001-08:00

The very sweet Shelli Williams asked me to make some necklaces for her and her mother and sister using flowers from her father's funeral. The necklaces are sterling silver chains with silver beads, the flower beads, and a charm in the center. Two of the necklaces have the Dad charm and one of them (for her mother) has the cross in the center. I think the necklaces turned out beautifully, and I hope you girls enjoy them. This is another family that is missing their loved one this Christmas, but despite this, Shelli seems like one of the most positive and friendly people that I have ever met (and I can tell this all by just reading her emails lol)!

Shelli is also very talented... She now owns The Sweet Shop (her grandmother is Birchie) in Smithville. She is making Ian's Thomas the Train birthday cake and I will post pics of that soon! Thank you Shellie.

Teresa's Jewelry

2008-12-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

I just love Teresa Knowles! We both decided that she is going to adopt me :). (No offense of course to my parents! lol) The necklace and bracelet in the top pic are for her niece, and the rose beads were made from flowers that came from Teresa's Father-In-Law's funeral. The necklace and bracelet directly above are for her Mother-In-Law. The holidays are always tough when we are missing those people that we love.

Dina's Jewelry

2008-12-19T13:39:00.000-08:00

This bracelet and necklace are off to Rhode Island to Dina Lomardi. The bracelet is made of flower beads (made from flowers from Dina's father's funeral) and pearls, and it is for Dina's daughter. The necklace is a black leather cord with a single flower bead and a silver bead on each side, and it is for Dina's son. This is the family's first Christmas without him, and I hope this jewelry will in some way bring her children closer to their grandfather.

(Sorry for the bad photo... I hope to get a better camera soon!)

Donna's Bracelets

2008-12-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

These bracelets are being sent to Donna in Illinois. They were made with rose beads, sterling silver beads, and black onyx beads with a sterling silver toggle clasp. I think they turned out beautiful... I hope you and your family enjoy them Donna!

Katie's Bracelets

2008-12-02T07:07:00.000-08:00

These bracelets are for Katie Bryant and her family. The rose beads were made of flowers that came from her grandfather's (or Papo's... what a cute name!) funeral. The dried roses were a pretty golden color, which is why the beads are golden also. They are combined with pearls, silver spacers, and a silver toggle clasp. Katie's Papo was very special to her and her family, and I hope that these bracelets will be special to them also.

Cindy's Jewelry

2008-11-29T19:45:00.000-08:00

I had an order from a very sweet lady, Cindy Holland, for some beads made from flowers that came from her mother's funeral. The petals were dried and were a dark yellow/gold color. I used 2 different types of clay, so some beads are a lighter yellow and some are a darker gold color.

Cindy's daughter, Erin, requested a necklace and bracelet made from the beads. They are combined with pearls. I think they turned out beautiful! I also made a necklace like this one for Erin's cousin Laura.

Erin asked for a bracelet and necklace set for her 17 month old daughter Annabella. Annabella's rose was a dark red shade, so that's why her rose beads are that shade. Hers is also combined with pearls. I hope you girls enjoy your jewelry!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

I wanted to take a second and wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! I love Thanksgiving and am taking this holiday as a time to remember all of my many blessings. I have so much to be thankful for and I know that I need to remember that all of the time.

I am also taking advantage of my 3 days off of school (yaaahhh!) to get caught up on jewelry orders. I am getting behind, so everyone please be patient! Up next will be Cindy Holland's order. Thank you everyone and thanks for being a blessing in my life.

Grace's Bracelet

2008-11-21T06:04:00.001-08:00

Tonya Rains had this bracelet made for her daughter, Grace. The rose beads were made from flowers that Grace received when she won the Warren County Little Fairest of the Fair pageant! I went to school with Tonya and remember her being soooo beautiful and winning pageants herself... how sweet for this mother and daughter to carry on the tradition! The rose beads kept the dark red color of the petals and are combined with silver beads and a toggle clasp.