A Lovely Event in Makiki with WildTree Reps

The lovely Makiki home...our event site.

Normally, when I agree to do an event showing my jewelry, I go in with no expectations. I just cross my fingers and hope that there will be some people who will like and appreciate my type of jewelry. It's a very hit or miss thing. Lucky for me and my friends, this event in the beginning part of May which was held at a beautiful home in Makiki on the island of Oahu was both fun filled and successful for all of us.

I was invited to join an event hosted by representatives of WildTree. I had no idea what WildTree was all about but was told that they were going to serve a lotttttt of great food. Ok, I'm in. Who can turn down free GreAt food?

Dawn gave me a great table in a prime spot.
Thanks Dawn!

The gal in charge Dawn sent us the list of yummies they were going to prepare using the Wildtree products. Here's the menu: salad, veggie platter, pasta bar with basil pesto chicken, spaghetti sauce, or scampi blends; pumpkin bread / pumpkin cheesecake blend, pound cake / chocolate mousse supreme, garlic & herb dip, spinach artichoke & parmesan spread, rockin' red bell pepper spread as well as lemonade, chai tea, and coffee. OMG! Who can resist. Gotta try out all this food, right, right?

Dawn is one of the first, if not thee first, Oahu Rep for Wildtree. The other reps there told me that she researched Wildtree, signed up, and then recruited her fellow co-workers and friends. I can see why they agreed to enlist. Dawn has so much positive energy and is so personable and is truly a friendly person. All the best qualities for a terrific direct sales rep. I know that she and her gang will go far.

What Wildtree food items did I get? I purchased the roasted garlic grapeseed oil and the Scampi mix which tasted so fab. My GF Melissa kept asking "Is there Butter in this? Is there Butter in This?" We were eating a toasted bruchette with the grapeseed oil and scampi mix brushed on. And "yes", it really tastes like there is butter in it. So rich and delish. But "NO", there is No butter in it, only healthy for you Grapeseed oil. I've never eaten grapeseed oil so this was a first and it was terrific.

The people that attended this wonderful spread were the most delightful and friendly people---both the guests and the Wildtree Reps. Several lucky people won door prizes of gift baskets filled with Wildtree food products.

I really enjoyed myself as I had the opportunity to speak to most of the gals looking at my jewelry. Doing mostly online selling has it's drawbacks. One being no human contact and no direct feedback from those looking at your creations. But here, the gals were pointing out the pieces that they liked and they were all pointing to different pieces.

The majority of my jewelry is One-of-A-Kind. I like creating new pieces and I'm always playing with my beads to come up with a new design which is different from the others. The fact that these women were appreciating different pieces made me happy.

The custom order-fresh water pearls in flower design.

And, several people--both guests and Wildtree Reps---bought my jewelry. I even had a special order for a matching pendant to match the fresh water pearl earrings shaped as flowers that one terrific customer had bought. She fell in love with the earrings and her favorite color is GreeN! She wanted to wear a matching set so I made her one and delivered it to her the next day.

Such a beautiful house!

My other friends, Liz and Melissa, of Touch Mini Day Spa were doing both eyebrow waxing and a mini makeovers to promote their shop at this event. You can contact them at #808-732-5456...call them for an appointment for the greatest eyebrow and lip waxing and facials around. Many women were lining up for their services. Everyone was having fun kicking back and relaxing.

This event was fun! It was one of my more enjoyable selling experiences and I loved the site. There was a lot of laughter and lots of smiles. What a pleasant way to spend the weekend with friends.

A Lovely Bridal Custom Order

cute tiffanyesque and kraft brown decorated boxes

Another cute custom order for one lucky bridal party. I just completed and mailed out several pairs of my popular "Simply" earrings with sterling silver ball and post backings. My lovely customer Chadsey wanted this super cute earrings for her bridal party. They're soooo lucky.

6 pairs of "simply" earrings

She also ordered matching fresh water light yellow pearl necklaces for her two moms--her mom and her mom-to-be. They're going to be so surprised and happy. She's so thoughtful.

2 matching fresh water pearls "simply spring" necklaces

Each piece of jewelry was placed in their individual maroon pouches. Ready for boxing and packaging. One of my favorite things to do...decorate the boxes. ;)

so feminine...maroon pouches for her jewelry gifts

While her colors are red & gold, she left it up to me to choose the colors as she wasn't really "using" her colors. I thought that this mix of tiffanyesque blue boxes and the kraft brown boxes with red & pretty pink silk flowers on top of the ribbons would look sooooo cute.

cute cute boxes...ready for gift giving


Ta Dah! I love the wedding season. And, I love making brides HaPpY! ;)

I got BloG TaGgeD----and Yes, I'm IT!

Ok, I just got blog tagged by Jen of Jen's Everyday Moments.
Here's her fab Etsy shop---everydaymoments.etsy.com
Please check her shop out b/c she has such SuPer PrEtty photos...she's an awesome artistic photographer who has a distinctive style. She has been one of my Fav shops for awhile.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

***********************************************************

Here's 7 facts about myself that you probably didn't know about little ole moi:

1) Catholic School Girl: I went to all Catholic private schools from Kindergarten to High School. I'm not even Catholic. I always felt "left out" at church services and the likes b/c I couldn't really and fully participate. I couldn't stand in line and accept the little wafer or drink the grape juice. It was kinda weird when I was young, but when I was older it was no big deal. It hasn't psychologically scarred me in anyway. That's just life and growing up.

2) Decorating Cakes is in My Blood: Starting when I was 13 years old, I was decorating cakes and desserts. I started working in my aunt and uncle's bakery---Craig's Bakery located in the beach town of Kailua on Oahu. My aunt hired me so that I could take her place doing the decorating so she could pursue her passion of golfing. Lucky me. No, I really mean it. It gave me a creative outlet that I truly enjoyed. One thing I didn't like was going to work at 5am---AAAGGGGGHHHH!!!---b/c I'm definitely NOT a morning person. I would walk around helping get the bakery open by frosting cakes, putting pastries on the pans, etc. I was a Zombie. Really. Too bad we didn't have Starbucks back then b/c I know I would've been knocking on their doors early in the morning demanding my grande skinny latte. My favorite was decorating Wedding Cakes. LoVeD it! I could get all fancy with the hand piped swirls, drops, swags, etc. My fav was using fresh flowers on the cakes. I guess now I've transferred this excitement to doing wedding jewelry.

3) Soccer: I was a Rod Stewart crazed fan when I was a teenager. I bought all his records---what's that? Vinyl honey, vinyl. And my older brother was so terrific, he bought tixs and he and I went to Rod Stewart's concert in Honolulu. Several years ago, I dragged my GF Amy to see Rod Stewart with me...I mean she did make me go with her to Celine Dion like at least 3x...aggghhhhh! Just joking...no really, aggghhhh! Anyhoo, OMG i'm digressing today...Rod Stewart was an avid soccer player/fan back then so I started kicking around a soccer ball in our local neighborhood park. I was such a nut that I even tried out for my high school soccer team when I was a Sophomore. The crazy thing is I got on. Ok, soccer wasn't a big thing back then. I played until I graduated. We even won State Champ. I loved soccer. Thanks Rod!

4) My Husband: if you want to find your perfect mate, you need to definitely make a list of the ToP 10 (no more, no less) qualities you are looking for in a mate. Put a date on that list, look at it every so often, remember what you wrote, and compare whoever you're meeting with that list. Word of advice---don't put down height, weight, body type, etc. as some or even 1 of those qualities b/c I know someone who did...and well, that's a whole 'nother story. I recently found that list that I had wrote like Ages ago, I mean years ago, like 10 yrs ago, and my husband meets every single thing on that list. He even meets things I just had in my head like---likes to cook, crafty, likes to read. Those were bonuses. I think picturing my soul mate and putting it down in black and white made it real and helped me navigate my way towards him.

5) When I'm Alone: On those rare occasions when I'm home alone, there's no leftovers that I'm dying to eat in the fridge and my hubbie hasn't left me anything to eat, I will eat cereal with organic milk and sliced bananas for dinner. I ReALLy appreciate my hubbie and the fact that he loves to cook and does cook. Enough said.

6) My mom's a Korean Soap Opera Fanatic (freak): while this isn't about me per se, this is a fact about my mom---she's a bonafide Korean Soap Opera fan...aka nut. My mom watches only these soap operas and CNN. That's it. She doesn't know who the American stars or what the American shows are---"whose that?" she'll ask. You mean "Jessica Parker" from "Sex in the City"? "Whose that? What's that?" will be her response. American Idol, Top Chef, Medium...what's that? Ok, my mom is all American, speaks and understands ONLY English, was a school teacher before. She's just hooked on these soap operas. So are most of the retired and many of those still working people on Oahu. She's not alone. It's like a Hawaii phenomenon. This would make a good blog article.

And finally....I hope you're still with me

7) I completed 3 Tinman Triathalons on Oahu. That was several years ago. But now I'm an out of shape slug. Don't look and don't pinch me. I gotta get back into shape. But who doesn't?


I'm tagging the following people:

1) Sheasy of Sheasy Time
2) Joon of Joonbeam
3) Kim of Kimbuktu
4) Livy of A Field Journal
5) Verao of Verao Swim
6) Fanisong of About Fanisong
7) Robyn of Robyare

And to the above 7, forgive me...

Bridal Party Custom Order of Vintage Chandelier Glass Earrings

boxed and ready to be shipped to Nikki

I just finished boxing these lovely vintage faceted glass chandelier pieces with fresh water pearls on sterling silver ear hooks. I added silk flowers to the cute boxes made especially for my terrific customer Nikki. She'll be pleasantly surprised when she opens up her special package.

each pair of earrings are in their own silk pouches
one of Nikki's wedding colors

These are the perfect earrings for a romantic wedding. This is from my "Something Old Something New" line. Vintage always adds a bit of the lovely past to a bride's bright and wonderful future with her future hubbie. So romantic.

Nikki ordered these lovelies for her entire bridal party. Lucky friends! She's so thoughtful. They're going to love them.

As other customers had already bought several, her order pretty much wiped out my collection of vintage pieces for the earrings. Luckily, I was able to find another source and they're on the way over the Pacific Ocean to little ole me in Hawaii. I'll have lots more to create these beauties.

vintage lovelies all ready to be packaged for gift giving

I'm planning to create some matching necklaces to go along with these earrings. They're going to be sooo pretty. I just know.

I've been doing a lot of custom orders and several from brides, Nikki being one of them. Working on these bridal pieces is especially "happy" work. I love packaging them for the brides to give away as gifts. Nikki's wedding colors are brown, cream, sage, and purple. Lovely colors which I was able to use in the packaging.

Tonite, I'm finishing up another bridal custom order. And I'm currently working with another bride on a custom order for matching pair of earrings and bracelet for her flower girl. How sweet.

I enjoy working with my customers to design a piece that will make them happy. Custom order involves communication back and forth between myself and my customer. Before I start on the actual piece, I will create a mock design and send photos for approval and provide a quote. After approval, I list the item in my shop reserved for that person. Upon full payment, I start working on the piece. All my customers who have ordered a custom piece have been sooo happy with their pieces. That makes me happy.

If you like my style, my "eye', then please check out my shop---Stacy's Designs 88
and (Update May 2009) my new Bridal Shop--- Blue Lovebirds. If you'd like a custom piece, feel free to Convo me.

UPDATE on Nikki's Wedding... If you want to see Gorgeous Pictures with Nikii wearing these exact same earrings, then please check out The Knot. Here's the Link --- Nikki & Blake.

cute cute boxes...love them

New Earrings----Bouquets of Blooms

orange and red are some of my fav colors this season
5/21/08---update...just sold

I decided it was about time to cut some of my beautiful blooms and create lovely earrings for all to enjoy everyday no matter the weather outside. I just added these to my Etsy shop. I love these glorious round globes of vintage flowers and beads and pearls.

a bouquet of fresh water pearls...lovely

What's more perfect to wear with a pretty sundress in the summer? I have several more that I plan to list in the near future. And a bunch more that I have plans to make. ;)

aquas, purples, pinks...oh my!
5-21-08--update...just sold

Update: I woke up this morning and checked my Etsy shop and lo and behold...I sold 2 of my new Bouquet earrings to one lucky customer. Yayyy! She's going to love them. I have to get cracking on some new ones. ;)

Lychee Season...A Walk in My Neighborhood

This must be a bumper crop season for lychee!

Today, I decided that I needed some exercise. My body feels like it's turned to jello but is luckily being encased by my skin. Grossss! Gotta get out and get some sun, fresh air, and make my muscles tingle. So, grabbed my trusty camera and my ever trusty hubbie Jimmy and we headed out into our neighborhood. doo doo doo do....click click click. Jimmy commented that our normally 1/2 hour walk would now take 2 hours. click click click...

I started taking photos of interesting, pretty, and unusual things along our route. I plan to use these photos in other blog articles in the near future. Anyway, as I was clicking away, Jimmy pointed out to me the lychee tree. For the first time, I noticed the red delicious round balls dangling in bunches like huge grapes from the green green leaved trees. It's LyCHee season...OMG! I don't recall seeing this many beautiful glorious little red gems hanging from the trees in my neighborhood for a long time.

A lychee tree loaded with lychee!

What are lychees you ask? Lychee trees are evergreen trees---according Wikipidea. It's fruits are covered w/ a bumpy hard red outer shell which is easy peasy to peel off. Inside is a white translucent fleshy fruit rich in Vitamin C and similar texture to grape but with a little more "umph". When it's ripe, this is a juicy sweet light fruit which, like Lay's potato chips, you can't eat just one. These babies are best ripe and cold from the fridge. OMG, just thinking about these makes my mouth water.

See, the skin is bumpy and turns red when ripe

You can get canned lychee from the Asian section in your grocery store. These are a good substitute for the fresh ones. Lychee is super popular in Asian countries and are used a lot in their desserts. Speaking of which, I love lychee over super fine shaved iced. A local traditional all time Hawaii fav dessert is the good old "Almond Tofu" with lots of lychee floating around. Another treat is to just freeze the fresh fruit in it's shell and then peel it when it's frozen...like a lychee popsicle. What a cold delish treat!

And yet another lychee tree in the neighborhood

Check out the lychee on this tree!

It seemed like everywhere we went today there was another lychee tree that was covered in that red stuff! Ok, I didn't take a photo of one of the trees we came across b/c it's owner was outside watering his yard and didn't want to explain the reason I was taking photos of his tree. ;)

During lychee season, you all of a sudden remember that distant relative who has that huge lychee tree in their yard and sorta wander over to pay them a visit. We love lychee here in Hawaii. I love lychee. Try it next time you see it in your grocery store or are lucky enough to find it perhaps in your neighborhood Chinatown. You'll love lychee for sure.

UPDATE 2009: More pictures of Lychee from my friend Laurie's house near Salt Lake area. Check out the post HERE.

Dim Sum Brunch on Mother's Day in Hawaii

This Mother's Day, we did something a bit different for my family. We decided to take my mom to eat Chinese Dim Sum at the Royal Garden Restaurant located in the Ala Moana Hotel (next to the famous Ala Moana Shopping Center). Normally, we would either pick up food from our favorite caterer or have a potluck at my brother's or mother's house or we would go out to a local restaurant. Dim Sum on Mother's Day was a first for my family.

Ever since meeting my now hubbie, Jimmy, I've been eating at very tasty Chinese restaurants which Chinese people (transplants from China and Hong Kong) like to eat at. This has opened a whole new world of Chinese cuisine to me. While Chinese food was never my favorite, it has now moved to the list of "types of food to eat".

My husband (and sometimes I) will go to eat dim sum with his father and his siblings once every weekend. Many other Chinese families meet up and share a dim sum meal together every weekend. It is their weekend ritual to sit together, share a meal, and catch up on their week with each other. The Chinese Cultural Plaza located in Downtown Chinatown is crowded with all the Chinese families, local families, and tourists waiting in a line for their seat inside one of the many Chinese restaurants there.

Inside Royal Garden Restaurant on Mother's Day
Man peering into basket to get a closer look.

As a non-Chinese person, I was brought up going to the local neighborhood Chinese restaurants---which ranges anywhere from "don't go there" to "pretty good". But, when you eat with Chinese people, they will take you to Chinese restaurants that you've never been to and choose dishes that I as a local, born and raised in Hawaii, never tasted before.

During my Pre-husband days (from small kid time 'til then), my family and friends would choose the normal Chinese plates for a meal. These dishes would consist of Chow mein noodles or Chow fun noodles, Beef with Broccolli, Lemon Chicken, sweet and sour spareribs, fried won ton...sound familiar?

Now, when I eat out with my husband's family, we go to Chinese restaurants mainly located in Chinatown. Once in a blue moon, they will venture out farther from Chinatown and go to places like Royal Garden or Panda's Restaurant. When we eat out, they will choose dishes such as these---steamed lobster or crab in black bean sauce or a tasty brown sauce (don't know the name "sorry"), steamed fish, fried tofu, whole roasted chicken with chinese five spice salt on side.

My family has gone to dinner at Chinese restaurants with my husband's family on a couple different occasions and have eaten many different dishes that they've never eaten before. My family now knows what they have been missing. They look forward to eating with my husband's family because they know the meal will be an unforgettable one.

So, this time, my husband's family is not there to choose the dim sum dishes. It is all up to me and my husband. As Jimmy, my husband, talks Chinese to the dim sum cart gal, she opens up various baskets and says what it is. Then, basket after basket is chosen and placed onto our table. Cart after cart come by and Jimmy chooses what we'll eat. An order of cake noodles is ordered with the waiter. Keeping in mind that my mom doesn't eat seafood and my dad doesn't eat meat, he chooses an assortment to satisfy all their palates. My brother Brad and Michelle, his wife, eat whatever is before them.

As the food is chosen, the cart gals stamp the dim sum card which is left on each table. In no time, many little stamps appear on the card. Lots of dim sum baskets cover the table. Chopsticks are clicking away, picking up the delectable dumplings. Little sauce dishes are filled with yellow mustard, red hot sauce, and mixed with shoyu. When I eat, I love to dip my dumplings into this hot sauce mixture. I like my food with an extra punch of heat.

The dim sum goodies that Jimmy selected...yummy!

The trick to choosing dim sum from the cart is to ask the cart gal "what's in the basket?" and point to it. She'll then open the cover and say in English what it is. If you don't understand what that is, then just ask. She'll do her best to explain. Sometimes, you just have to be daring and choose something even though you're not sure. You're more likely than not to be pleasantly surprised and think that you've just found you're new fav dim sum...that is until the next basket is opened and the yummies inside revealed.

The dim sum cart with it's baskets full of yummy good eats

What's my favs? I love the "bau"---the mini steamed white little buns stuffed with seasoned pork or chicken. Who can resist those tender white fluffy buns? My other fav is "jook" which is rice gruel with chopped green onions (aka scallions) and choice of other toppings such as chicken, pork, preserved egg. You always need to put in an order with the waiter and get a platter of noodles----like chow fun w/beef and black bean sauce, or the thin curried Shanghai noodles, or the good old chicken with cake noodles. I also enjoy the look fun with spareribs which comes in a little black pot and is piping hot and soft and yummy. The fried taro balls which is shaped more like little footballs. My all time fav is "Dragon Buns" or "Shanghai Buns" which is a special order---you have to order it with the waiter not the cart gal. Love the red vinegar and ginger slivers on top of the dragon bun. So delish!

Don't forget to try the seafood dim sums if you love seafood. I'm not really into the seafood dim sum b/c I'm just not a seafood type of gal. But everyone else loves them.

There are sooooo many choices. You just have to be adventuresome and choose something a little out of your comfort zone everytime you go. The cost for a little plate of dim sum is pretty affordable---like $2.50 on up. So if you're eating with a bunch of people, you can try a bunch of different plates and not spend a fortune. What an exciting culinary adventure that you can share together with your family and friends!

Another dim sum cart filled with plates of fried dim sum eats

When eating Chinese food, remember to drink lots of hot tea to wash the oils down. When your tea pot is out of tea, just take the little tea pot cover and flip it over and leave it this way on top of the pot. This is a sign to the waiter to refill your tea pot. Keep in mind that these restaurants are very very busy during the peak dim sum hours, so you may have to politely waive down a waiter and ask for refill of your tea pot or your glasses of cold water.

During meals with Jimmy's family, drinking hot tea is their beverage of choice. Only the younger crowd will also ask for tall cold glasses of water. The tea pots on the table are refilled several times by the waiters. That's a lot of tea!

Near the end of the meal, you must treat yourself to the little custard tartlets. When you see the cart go by, ask the cart gal for a plate or 2. The best is when they are piping hot right out of the oven. But even cold, this is a good way to end your meal.

Little custard tartlets on left side of photo

At the end of our meal, my mother and father really enjoyed the dim sum meal as they tried new dim sum dishes that they wouldn't have chosen themselves. My whole family had smiles on their faces and full stomachs. Too bad my older brother and s-in-law weren't able to make it as they were on a trip to Oregon. My s-in-law, Sarah, really loves her dim sum. Oh well, maybe next time.

Cabinet of interesting Chinese food items
located in entry way
See Dried Shark fin to extreme left




REAL bird nest for the authentic bird nest soup



Dried Sea Cucumber

A Sunny Day at the Kapiolani Community College's Farmer's Market

Kapiolani Community College's Saturday Farmer's Market
Best Weekend Fair on Oahu

One of my all time fav things to do is go to the Kapiolani Community College's ("KCC") Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. This is one of the best farmer's market on Oahu...hands down winner. The place is packed with both a large assortment of excellent vendors and tons of customers all milling around trying to buy their favorite freshest produce for that week at great prices. It feels like a community fair! You have to check it out.

There's fresh brewed coffee and pastries, ginger iced tea, lavender vendors, food to munch on for breakfast or lunch or brunch, prepared food to take home later for dinner, fresh cut flowers, beautiful orchid plants, fresh herb plants for your garden, locally harvested honey, fresh baked bread and scones and other treats, etc. etc. There are loads and loads of vendors selling fresh locally grown produce from both Oahu and the neighbor islands like Maui. There's also a lot of vendors now selling organic produce. The Waianae High School is even selling organic produce there.

They're open from 7:30am to 11am on the KCC college campus' parking lot. There's tons of parking. Get there early for the best picks. Of course, we go about 8:30 or 9am and there's still loads of stuff to pick up but many vendors are already selling out.

The newest thing that I saw there was the fresh roasted corn. If you've never eaten fresh roasted corn, you are missing out on a delicious treat.

Side Story---The first time I had this was at this year's China Town New Year's festival. There was this long line of people just waiting for something. I walked closer and saw that it was fresh roasted corn. What?! $5 a cob...are you crazy? People waiting in line for corn! I saw the people walking around munching on their large cobs of corn on a stick. It looked sooooo delish. So, I stood in line with Jimmy. I listened to what the other people ahead of me were ordering b/c there were all these squeeze bottles and spices on the counter to choose from. So, I went with the most popular toppings---butter, mayo, garlic salt. OMG!!!! Orgasmic. If I could've eaten more, I would've. It was so good, I didn't want to share w/ my hubbie...but I did of course. At $5 a cob, it was WoRth it.

Anyway, as we were leaving the market, I spied the fresh roasted corn vendor (not the same one but who cares). My mouth started to water...drool. But, we already had bought a bunch of fresh corn to roast at home. We were having a get together at my house and one of the treats was fresh roasted corn done on our little hibachi. Boo hoo! I had to drag myself away from that stand. I stood there looking at it and considering buying it. With all my willpower, I walked away. Jimmy stood there smiling. He knows how I love roasted corn...my new obsession.


So what did we get that day from the farmer's market? Besides the corn, we got papaya for our breakfast, bunch of sweet smelling fuschia roses for our table, bag of fresh mint for iced tea, assorted veges---organic greens for salad, eggplant, long string beans, jicama...can't remember the rest. I also picked up my other fav---chocolate croissants from the Bale Bakery vendor. Check out their large assortment of delish breads and other yummies.

Next time, we have to bring one of those little pulley carts to load all our food stash in. It was heavy! But we did come prepared with our Trader Joe's grocery bags. ;)

Here's some neat photos that we took with our cell phones. Come on down next Saturday and join in the festivities. Bring a lot of cash and a cart.

Jimmy (the bestest hubbie in the world!) carrying our goodies
going home
back next time

The Story of A PlaYfuL Custom Order

It all started with a harmless pair of earrings, formerly known as "Dr. Seuss"

The continuing saga of formerly known as "Dr. Seuss" jewelry...Last week I received a custom order from an awesomely creative talented super sweet new customer, I'll call her Ms. S, for "Candies Forever No. 2"( formerly known as "Dr. Seuss No.2") matching earrings and lariat in oxidized sterling silver. Initially, Ms. S sent me a graphic design lay out of a matching necklace (by the way it was a blow your mind graphic layout...very impressive---using the same colors and shapes!) for the earrings but that she would love it if I could come up with a design for a lariat necklace. So I did. Here is the design that I came up with and which she loved.

I gave her options for the ring for the lariat. Ms.S chose to go with the sterling silver ring.

Ok, I'm going to digress here-----When Ms. S had initially Convo'd me about her custom order request, she also asked if I would accept a money order payment b/c I only normally accept PayPal as a form of payment in my internet Etsy shop---Stacy's Designs 88. But I make exceptions...and b/c of Ms. S it's now stated in my Profile to Convo me on this. Thanks to great customers like Ms. S, I'm learning lessons which help me build and better my business for both my customers and myself.

Why would someone want to pay via money order? There's a variety of reasons why some people do not or cannot use PayPal such as some may not trust paying using their credit card or bank account over the internet even thru Paypal. What's the fear of the shop owner OR why don't all shop owners just accept money orders and checks outright? Can't speak for everyone, but for myself and my line of regular full time work, I am weary of the fraudulent check or money order. So, that's the reason over the internet, I don't accept money orders outright. However, understanding this, if you Convo me, then we can come to a meeting of the minds so to speak as to money orders. In Ms. S's case, I requested that she get a Unites States Postal Service (USPS) money order.

So getting back to the story, when she sent me her USPS money order, it arrived in this awesomely fanciful delightful playfully whimsical specially designed by Ms. S "Thank You" card with my name on it! (Please do NOT copy or link this card as it is Ms. S's own creation)

The colors are the colors of her "Candies Forever" custom order set.

As she wanted the entire set oxidized a gray/black color, I emailed her photos of the completed unoxidized set before oxidizing it. She loved it. See photo.

So, yesterday I went ahead and oxidized it which took several times to get it a rich gray/black color. It looks sooooo pretty. Here's a photo.

So, now I've wrapped it up beautifully for her and included my handmade matching "thank you" card and will be mailing it off to her today. By the way, after receiving Ms. S's awesome card, I asked if she was a graphic designer...she is! And she works for a very well known American toy company. I see the Dr. S connection. Love it!

Cute handmade packaging---a gift to yourself or for someone else.
This is what the extra $3 to $4.50 (int'l) S&H fee will get you
(Packaging may differ. S&H fee also covers the postage).

The EnD