Amy Cornwell Designs

Freebie Friday: Free Earrings!

2012-02-10T09:42:00.000-05:00

Today's Freebie Friday is a free pair of your choice of earrings: birth stone, drop stone or domed itty bitty. You'll get them free ($12 value) with any $60 purchase, today only! Add $60 worth of product to your cart as well as your choice of earring, enter code "earring" and it'll take the $12 off. Happy Friday!

Pay it Forward {with guest, Laura}

2012-02-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

Laura McPherson is one of my amazing sponsors and the owner of Labors of Love. She's going to share with us today a topic that's dear to my heart: paying it forward. This is such an important concept! I could go on and on, but I'll let Laura tell you what it means to her...

***

For as long as I can remember, I have been the most likely one out of my family and friends to make a gift by hand rather than buy one. There’s something about giving someone something that I’ve personally made that makes it even more thrilling; and to know that there’s only version of that gift just like it is neat too.

Every year, I make a New Year’s resolution (like everyone else) to work toward, but I’ve noticed that I have become increasing able to really stick to mine. Last year’s was to say “I love you” more and yes, I did it – not just verbally, but in gesture (for those who are wondering why you didn’t hear it spewing from my lips). I found that by spreading my love a little more, life was a lot more satisfying, rewarding, and pleasurable. So, when the end of December rolled around this year, I wanted to continue my trend of showing others how much they are cared about – even if they were someone that I didn’t know incredibly well.

I vowed to Pay It Forward at least one time a month for the entire year. Although paying it forward can be as simple as smiling at a stranger or holding the door for someone, I decided that I wanted it to be a challenge – because the more work that I put into the little surprise gifts that I have given, the more rewarding they have been. I want to motivate people to take the gift they have received and use it as inspiration to pass that on to another person. My first endeavor was a silver half-marathon bracelet for a non-greek sorority sister who has made a resolution to ring in a new version of herself with the new year. When the surprise arrived via snail mail, this was the gift I received in return (a facebook announcement of her reaction)…

I am unsure of her physical reaction since I could not experience it in person, but I’m almost positive that when I saw this message on her facebook wall that we had almost identical ear-to-ear grins. And that is what makes paying it forward worth it. It may be a simple wave hello or a project that costs a little bit of cash and an hour of your effort, but who can say the effort’s not worth it when it brings such intense happiness to multiple people? Now, I know that I have made a difference in the life of another. I touched the lives of two birds, one being myself, with one gesture.

I’m hoping that with my twelve challenging gifts that come in the New Year, and many other small ones, that my sense of self-worth and gratitude grow exponentially – as well as those who are on the receiving end of my creativity. Giving gifts is already one of my favorite things to do (as anyone who has seen me around Christmas time can attest), but surprises are SO much more fun. I encourage anyone and everyone to take a second to brainstorm something that you can do to pay it forward. It can be for a friend, a family member or a complete stranger, but have no doubt,YOU will make a difference and inspire them to continue the trend that everyone should be a part of.

I encourage you to {get inspired, be creative, and make a difference.}

***

Thanks Laura for sharing with us today! How will you pay it forward this month?

eraser people

2012-02-08T12:42:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a little girl with a bunch of erasers. She decided to make faces on them and create eraser people.

The eraser girls were all smiles as they lined up and saw...

The eraser boys, conveniently ice skating on my iPhone...

Then the eraser people decided to have a dance and boogied the night away.

Until unfortunately the clock struck twelve and they lined up and headed home.

It cracks me up how she made little eraser people, I did this when I was young too! The kids have had so much fun playing with them - remind me again why I buy toys????

Tuesday Tutorial {home decor} with Megan!

2012-02-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hey! It's Megan from Brassy Apple! It's not just clothes that scream at me to be refashioned but furniture and odds and ends do to!

A little Mod podge, decorative paper napkins and a second hand store find and I created this:

Supplies:

Statue, vase, decorative piece to makeover

Decorative paper napkins

Mod podge

Brush

scissors

Step 1: I loved the shape of the piece I found but it looked off. Then I noticed it was broken on the top.

So before I bought it I searched for a piece to add to the top of it to balance it out. I found a wooden egg shape and it was perfect! A little glue (and dry time) and my I had a new shape to makeover!

Step 2: Unfold a napkin and apply a layer of Mod Podge to a medium sized area. Lay the napkin on top of the Mod Podge and start to smooth out and mold it to the under lying shape.

Continue the process until the entire thing is covered.

Step 3: Apply a layer of Mod Podge over the top to adhere the napkin well and to seal it. Smooth out with your fingers. I loved the folds, wrinkles and texture the napkin made. I did NOT try to make it perfectly smooth - you won't get it to do that with a napkin.

Also - if your napkin tears just cut or rip a piece of napkin and apply over the top. The design on mine made it easy to add layers and over lap without it being obvious.

Let it dry, place it and enjoy it! This entire project cost me UNDER $5.00! So next time you are thrifting or yard saleing, try to see the shape of the object and how it could be transformed!

Thanks Megan for joining us today and sharing this fabulous project! Can y'all believe that's a napkin?! Genius! Now I want to head to Goodwill and see what I can find to Mod Podge! Be sure to check out Megan's blog for other fabulous ideas and her shop for super cute sewn products and patterns!

New In Shop: More Bead Dangles

2012-02-06T12:04:00.000-05:00

I just listed 7 more bead dangles in the shop since I was sold out! So glad you all love these like I do. My favorite way to wear them is on the plain wrap (as shown above, top left) but I also love it attached to a bead bar on a wrap. I know a lot of customers simply wear them on a chain as well. So versatile!

big dent

2012-02-02T10:00:00.005-05:00

Rewind almost three months. I was attending the annual Tea with Purpose at our church where we had tea & dessert while perusing handmade items from Africa to purchase to benefit the Mathare community. The speaker for the night was a lady who talked about the organization Big Dent. I decided that night that I'd help via the business and donate money in the coming months to this great organization. {little did I know that time would get away from me, and I'd all but forget about this fantastic organization that so deeply affected me that night}

Today as I was reading my Joyce Meyer daily devotional the following really hit me. Joyce was talking about a day when during her quiet time she asked God, "how can You stand seeing all the pain, starving children, human trafficking, genocide, injustice, degradation, poverty, in the world and not do something?" She then heard God say back to her, "I work through people. I'm waiting for My people to arise and do something."

I think most of us who call ourselves Christ-followers know that Jesus calls us to help the least of these. Jesus calls us to take care of the widows and orphans. He calls us to speak up for those who can't speak for themselves. He calls us to help with whatever means God's blessed us with. For some, it's financial. For some, it's physical. For others, it's simply loving people when they're hurting.

source: big dent

This reminded me today of Big Dent. I'm all about people giving money and providing food for those in need. I get that. But the thing that I love about Big Dent is that instead of only giving money, people give needy people a loan. To start a business. To help their family get out of the cycle of poverty.

Those who want to start a business go to Big Dent and are put on a list. Then people who want to donate can do so and choose the business that they want to help start. The money that is received is given as a loan to the recipient, who does training or purchases materials to start the business. After a certain amount of time, the loan is paid back and it then goes to another recipient who wants to start a business.

source: big dent

I love this aspect of helping someone succeed. It's teaching a man to fish instead of just giving him fish. It's helping a woman get out of the cycle of prostitution and owning a business so that she and her family can eat. You can donate any amount of money that you're able to provide, you don't have to fund the whole loan yourself. Can you help make a big dent in poverty?

Other fabulous non-profits that I love:
Love146 {ending sex trafficking in young girls}
Amazima Ministry {showing the people of Uganda God's love}
147 Million Orphans {helping needy children receive food & medicine}

Last-Minute Valentine Gift Guide

2012-01-30T09:21:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is just two weeks away - I can hardly believe it! Wasn't it just Christmas? In order to receive your gift in time, I suggest all Valentine orders be in by February 1st {remember, orders take about a week to ship}. To help you, I've created a gift guide with my favorites for 2012's Valentine's Day:

For the woman in your life {under $30}:

by far, the #1 seller on my website

True Love Ring

For the woman in your life {under $50}:

Love Heirloom Necklace

For the woman in your life {under $100}:

My Heart is Full Bracelet

For the man in your life {under $30}:

Leather Cuff (limited quantities available)

For the man in your life {under $50}:

Large Leather Cuff (celebrate all of the milestones in the couple's life)

For the man in your life {under $100}

Sterling Dog Tag Necklace

P.S. This weekend I cleaned house so I have a new clearance section - come on over and check out these limited edition items at a deep discount!

Freebie Friday: You Pick the Sale!

2012-01-27T08:04:00.000-05:00

Today's Freebie Friday is a pick your own sale! Choose your discount based on your total amount in your cart!

Orders up to $50 - free first class shipping ($3.50 value) - coupon code: freeship
Orders $50-100 - 10% off - coupon code: big10
Orders over $100 - 15% off - coupon code: fab15

(please note, % off discounts not valid on already discounted items...sorry! free shipping valid on ALL items. limit one coupon per customer.)

Don't forget that Valentine's Day is coming up! The Hugs & Kisses necklace is available for a limited time!!

favorites {and dreams for my house}

2012-01-26T12:45:00.000-05:00

I have a confession. I am not creative when it comes to home decor. It seems crazy, the fact that I'm creative in so many other ways but when it comes to decorating, I don't have the slightest idea how to do it or what my style is. I know what I want my style TO BE, but bringing it to fruition is daunting, to say the least.

This is what our living room downstairs looks like. It has rust colored walls and dark tan walls in the kitchen. To say it's dark is an understatement.

see how dark?? bleh!!

There are, however, a few things that I love in our downstairs, like the magnets on our fridge celebrating the places we've been either as a couple or as a family.

puffy felt magnets from MiChiMaLand

And my bright and cheery Magnets from Aisle to Aloha. It took some quick fingers to get these babies...she's selling them like crazy. They make me happy when I look at them! {and yes, I still have E's Christmas elf on the fridge, he's so cute}


magnets from Aisle to Aloha studio

And my favorite thing of all downstairs is the Cornwell family rules. Whenever someone new comes to our house they always ask about it (make your own here). People especially love the rule "flush". You may laugh, but "flush the toilet" has become a mantra in our house with a three year old boy!

Most of my favorite things are in my kitchen and none in my living area so I'm ready for a refresh and remodel! I'm leaning toward light gray walls in the entryway, living room and kitchen to lighten it up in here. I'll add pops of color and the decor will be vintage/antique. I can't wait! Here are some of my inspirations from Pinterest that I hope to incorporate into the design.

Source: kaseybuick.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Source: tarawhitney.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Source: lilblueboo.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Source: curbly.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Do you have any decorating tips for me??

New In Shop: Hugs & Kisses, Teardrop & Cuff

2012-01-19T15:10:00.000-05:00

I've had some fun this week bringing new designs to life that have been in my head. One is a special for Valentine's Day, one is a blast from the past (one of my first styles was a teardrop, here's the updated modern version) and one is a variation on the current leather cuff. Which is your favorite?

Hugs & Kisses Necklace - sterling & freshwater pearl - $28

Show her that she's loved with a Hugs & Kisses Necklace.
The light pink freshwater pearl can be removed if needed. The charm
is 14mm in size and is sterling silver (as are all of my silver charms).

Initial Teardrop w/ Briolette Drop - $40

The Initial Teardrop is a variation of one of my first styles. Now I'm pairing

a thin, long teardrop with a briolette for a modern look.
The teardrop is hammered along the edge and stamped with a single initial.

Rectangle Leather Cuff - sterling silver charm - $40

The leather cuff has been updated with a sterling rectangle.
There are just a few of the old style left in the shop. You can have this stamped in
one of two ways: with initials or two lines of text (up to 7 letters on each line).

anxious

2012-01-18T16:05:00.001-05:00

Lately I have been worried. Anxious. I can't quite explain it, it's so different from how I normally am. Normally when we go on vacation I'm excited and ready to go. This past vacation, I felt like I needed to get everything in order "just in case". I had life insurance information typed out, bank accounts reconciled, information on how to close my business should something happen. It felt so weird. Luckily once we got on our way all of those worries went to the wayside and we had a wonderful time.

Then my 6 month check up mammogram came. They had to reschedule it which made me so frustrated because I just wanted to get it over-with. The time came yesterday for my check and I had this uneasiness that something was there (well, I know something is there, but I was afraid it had changed). I was convinced that I felt such a connection with Ashley and her journey because that would be me. Again, such a weird, unusual feeling for me. I went into the mammogram, however, with a peace like a pro. I'm so used to being squeezed and examined every which way that when I was there I finally felt peace. I don't know if it was a peace that I'd finally have answers or peace that all would be okay. Regardless I had peace once I was in that room. I know part of that was because I had lots of friends praying for me (thank you!). All glory to God, my exam came out clear (after a few extra "pictures" for good measure) and I was told that I didn't need to come back in 6 months - I could now go back to annual mammograms. Again, relief.

I'm not an anxious person. I have always said and believe that if I get breast cancer, there's nothing I can do about it and I will take life as it comes. I don't know why these two events have made me anxious. Actually, I do know why. It's because Satan wants me to be anxious. But that's not how I'm meant to live my life.

source

I think that now that the business is established, the kids are getting older, etc. that mortality takes on a new meaning for me. But that's not how I want to live my life, worrying about my health or safety anytime something comes up. So I will hold tight to Scripture, trusting what Philippians 4:6-7 says

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and  petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God. And the peace  of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and  your minds in Christ Jesus”

Tuesday Tutorial: Valentine Heart Wreath

2012-01-17T11:30:00.001-05:00

I've never been one to decorate for holidays (except Christmas) but in the past year I've really loved making wreaths so I decided to make a heart Valentine wreath for my front door. Today I'm going to show you how to make your own as well! I got all of my materials from Hobby Lobby and it was $10 for supplies, which made two wreaths.

You'll need:

- wire heart wreath form

- thick yarn (or ribbon)

- ruffle trim (2yd)

- hot glue gun

- scissors

- cardboard (for wreath #2)

Start off by tying a long strand of yarn to the bottom of your wreath form.
I used about a 5 foot piece, any longer and it'll be hard to wrap.
Simply weave it in and out of the inner two wires of the form.
Push the yarn together making it a solid color, hiding the wire.
When you need more yarn, just knot it together until you get to the end.
This took me a little over an hour, so put in Bride Wars &
enjoy a quiet naptime (oh wait, that's what I did)!

The bottom of the heart will be left open, so just take a scrap piece
of yarn and fill it in by wrapping it around the wire and knotting it.

The ruffle trim is perfect for the outside edge.
Simply open it up and add a line of hot glue.
Don't do too long of a line, about 1-2" at a time.
Press it around the outside of the wreath form,
squeezing the two edges together.

You'll see in the top left picture how the front ends.
Turn the wreath over (top right picture) and tuck in the end of the trim.
Fold it over and hot glue it to the back.
Use a few scraps of yarn to create a handle.

vinyl from Uppercase Living

I had enough trim and yarn left to make a second wreath,
so I decided to use some cardboard to create #2.

You can free-hand a heart, or do like I did and use your Cricut Expression
(or Silhouette) to cut out a 9" heart. I then measured 1" along all edges
and cut out the inside. It doesn't have to be perfect, it'll be covered with the yarn.
Knot the end of your yarn and using your hot glue gun, glue the end of the yarn to
the back of the heart. Then wrap, wrap, wrap around the heart, gluing every few
inches. If you see the cardboard through it, simply double up on the wrapping of the yarn.
This wreath takes less than 1/2 hour to make, so it's definitely the easier of the two.
For the points of the heart, glue and wrap until you can get it covered.

Hot glue the trim around the yarn-wrapped edge.
When you get to the end, simply wrap the edge of the trim
over and hot glue, making a clean edge.

Use another short piece of yarn and hot glue it (be generous with the glue)
to the back side. Since this is cardboard based, it'll be a wreath that I'll only
use for this year because of the moisture that will get in the cardboard.
I know I'll be making a new wreath next year anyway so that's fine by me!

Happy crafting! If you have any valentine crafts, feel free to leave them in a comment!

Freebie Friday: Mini Sterling Silver Charm

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's Friday again! But now that Christmas is over we're back to having Freebie Friday's! Today's Freebie Friday is a free sterling silver mini charm ($10 value) with any purchase over $40. Simply add products to your cart totaling $40 and the sterling mini, enter coupon code "friday" and you'll get the mini for free! Happy Friday!

January Sponsor Love

2012-01-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

I have a whole host of fabulous sponsors for January after taking a brief hiatus from sponsorships. I'm so excited to have three new sponsors as well as two faithful sponsors (thanks CeCe's and Neverland Adventures) back supporting the blog. Please click below and check them out - three cute shops and two service blogs/websites that are great for saving money!

{would you like to sponsor the blog for just $10/month and get exposure to your shop/blog?
I'd love to help get the word out about your business!}

WIWW - Mexico Edition

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

Since we were in Mexico last week, I wore my bathing suit every day. But I did get showered & dressed at night. Unfortunately in Mexico it's dark at 5pm, so outfit pics had to be taken with a flash (gasp!!). I did get a few that were decent enough...

left two: daily attire (Target bathing suit & Old Navy coverup, GAP fedora)
right two: a few dresses for dinners (Francesca's & Old Navy)

My favorite outfit is the green dress. Hubby got it for me from Old Navy and the belt is from Francesca's. Francesca's is my new favorite store (that's where the white-ish dress with the red sash above is from). Their clothes are super cute and affordable and they have super stylish accessories. My shoes are from Target and the bracelet is from my shop.

Look how tan I was.... *sigh* ...it's fading already. But we had a great time! (read more about it here)

Today I'm linking up with Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy for some fashion inspiration!

Tuesday Tutorial: Shell & Seaglass Pendants {{Memorialize Your Beach Trip}}

2012-01-10T14:00:00.002-05:00

When we were in Mexico we found a TON of seaglass and some cool shells for the kids. I also found a shell with a hole in it that I knew would be a great pendant. Then I got to thinking, what better way to remember your beach trip then by being able to wear it every day? Don't think of the gaudy shell necklaces that you find at the tourist shops; you can make this completely your style because you're the one picking the shells & glass and wire wrapping it. Want to learn how to make one yourself? You'll be done in 10 minutes or less - let's get started!

Shell Pendant - you need a few feet of 24ga wire (I use sterling), jump ring, shell with a hole and pliers.
1. Start a wrapped loop at the end of your wire with about 2" excess at the end.
2. Finish wrapping the excess around the long end of the wire.
3. Take your loop and put it behind your shell, then wrap the long end of the wire through the hole as many times as you want. I did mine three times on each side.
4. When you've finished wrapping through the hole, wrap the end a few times again around the loop, securing it. Cut the excess wire and attach a jump ring and you're finished!

Seaglass Pendant
1. Make the same wrapped loop around a piece of wire.
2. Put the loop and the wire behind the glass.
3. Wrap it in any direction you want. For the white glass, I did one vertical and two horizontal wraps. The last step is to wrap the end of the wire again around the loop and attaching a jump ring.
4. For the turquoise glass I just did two wraps since it was more of a triangle. You can wrap it as much as you want (or as little, as long as you do enough to make it secure). Then you can layer the pendants or wear them alone! (shown before I added the jump rings)

Attach a freshwater pearl to remind you even more of the ocean. These would also make great, inexpensive gifts for your friends...all you have to do is take some time to find the perfect pieces of glass or shell and take a few minutes to wrap them. An easy, quick and inexpensive gift that is heart-felt and special. I love that I'll always think of our anniversary trip to Mexico when I wear one of these pendants!

Riviera Maya {10th anniversary adventure}

2012-01-09T09:22:00.002-05:00

Dave and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary at the end of December so on New Years Eve we headed down to Riviera Maya, Mexico for a trip alone. We figured out that we haven't done a trip just the two of us (no kids, no friends) since before I was pregnant with Big E (about 7 years ago). It was time. We've done cruises but never an all-inclusive resort so on the recommendation of a friend we decided to stay at Now Jade Riviera Cancun.

The resort was beautiful. Dave read a ton of reviews before we went, some good and some bad. I've come to the conclusion that everyone has a different experience - ours was very good. We went during a busy time of the year but because it was just two of us we hardly ever waited for meals. Our room was beautiful (although our view was obstructed by plants since we were on the first floor). The beach was outstanding and long. There were free water activities to choose from that we participated in. All in all - a wonderful resort choice!

We had a blast just relaxing the whole week. Pretty much every day you could find us laying out, reading from 8am to 5pm when it got dark. I read 4.5 books last week which is insane for me, but I loved it. Dave played beach volleyball (he's the one blocking a spike in the black hat). We did scuba one morning which was fun (I love scuba) and spent plenty of time riding the waves on the boogie boards. Dave also took us out on a Hobie Cat sail boat, SUPER fun!

We walked up and down the beach searching for treasures. I love that Dave's now into finding beach glass too and would get even more excited than me to find pieces that had been worn from the sea. He loves the clear (turned white) pieces and my favorites were the unique colors like turquoise, cobalt blue and even olive green. {{stay tuned tomorrow for a tutorial on one thing I did with some of our found items}}

The one big thing that we did was head to an adventure park called XPLOR. It's kind of like Disney World, but adventurous. You pay one fee for your whole day there including the best lunch that I've ever had at a park like that. There were amphibious vehicles to drive through caves and water, underground rivers to raft on and swim through (the stalactites were beautiful) and 14 zip lines to enjoy. There were two circuits for the zip lines, one had a water slide and two water entries (i.e. freezing cold and soaking wet) and the other circuit just had one water entry. It was a blast. A few of the zip lines we got to go on together and the others were single riders. If you're going to Cancun, I highly recommend XPLOR. It was a fabulous time.

My goal for the vacation update was to not bog you down with pictures, but now it seems that I've bogged you down with text :) We just had such a great time and I wanted to share it with you all. I hope you had a great Christmas break and a wonderful start to 2012. Happy New Year!

Come on over and see me on Moriah Makes

2012-01-03T14:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'm guest posting over on Moriah Makes, talking about Pursuing my Passion. Come on over and say "hi"!

peace, joy & family (and a whole lotta sugar)

2011-12-27T17:28:00.000-05:00

December 2011 has been a blur. Most of the month was spent processing orders, but for the past few days we've been able to relax and take a few days off. It's been great spending time with family, eating my weight in sugar and watching movies.

Here's a little recap of our month...

Big E made a gingerbread house at school

Little E sang to us at preschool

We crafted at Big E's Kindergarten Christmas party (they let little siblings come)

We iced and ate tons of sugar cookies

I tried a new Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread recipe

The boys enjoyed their new helicopters (seems to be the gift of 2011 for men!)

Celebrated annual traditions (Mimi reading The Crippled Lamb to the kids)

Spent Christmas morning celebrating Jesus' birth at our church, WRCC

Enjoyed unexpected surprises, hubby got me a Kelly Moore Camera bag!!

And just today we had fun in the first real snow of this year for Indiana

From the Cornwell's to you, we hope you had a Merry CHRISTmas and that you have a happy new year!

{Side note, Hubs and I are celebrating 10 years on the 29th, so we'll be jet-setting to an anniversary trip. The stuido will be closed from Dec. 30-Jan. 8. You can see more details on the website.}

Encouragement, round 2

2011-12-21T14:51:00.001-05:00

Back in September as I was preparing for a trip to California I pondered what to do with the travel hours all by myself. I decided to send out a request for those of you who needed encouragement with great response! I sent over 20 cards that weekend and was happy to pray over every situation and person that I sent a card to. Last week I sent out another handful of cards to readers who needed a little bit of love.

Well, I'm sending out the offer again, but this time it will have a permanent place on my blog (see it there, top right??). I'll have this open at any time, for anyone who needs encouragement (in the US, if you're international, I'd be so happy to send you an encouraging email and pray for you!!).

So what do you need to do to receive encouragement? Simply send me an email to amy{at}amycornwell(dot)com with your mailing address and 1-2 sentences about why you need some encouragement. I'd be honored to send you a note and pray for you!

what we've been up to...

2011-12-12T09:15:00.000-05:00

From Thanksgiving until now life has been a blur. My life these days has been a mix of running around being a mom and making jewelry at every available opportunity. This is my view on most days:

Thankfully this was taken on Friday, when hubby was off of work. He did everything extra that needed to be done that day: laundry, dropping off kids, playing with them, getting me Starbucks (all of the important things). I'm so thankful for him and his support of the business during this crazy time of the year.

But it hasn't been all work...we have made some time for other important things like...

decorating our ginormous tree

loving on some newborns at my MOPS table

making tissue paper flowers

(which got ruined in just a few hours...gotta love when my oldest

wraps one around the dogs collar - her brother's - and the

dog tears it up, resulting in tears from little brother)

and checking out the light show in the next neighborhood

(www.noblesvillelights.com)

I'm not going to lie, there have been tears and stress but I'm SO grateful that I was able to take the leap in June at become a WAHM. Because of this I've been working all day long, but I still have my evenings to relax with hubby and I'm home during the day for the kids needs, instead of working all day at my job and all night at jewelry. I'm so grateful for God's provision and faithfulness.

Now that the Christmas deadline has passed and orders are getting out (even though they're still coming in, just not as many so I can breathe again)...I'm excited to start baking, crafting and working on the blog for next year. I'm still not sure of the direction of the blog for 2012. I want this to be a place where people will enjoy coming...learning new crafts, being inspired and learning a little bit about my life. If you have suggestions for the blog in 2012 - what you'd like to see/read, what you've enjoyed so far, etc - please let me know in a comment or email. I value all of you so much and want to make this an inspiring, life-giving, positive place to land.

I don't know how much I'll be back before the end of the year, so have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

who doesn't love glitter?? (sparkle ornament tutorial)

2011-12-02T16:33:00.002-05:00

It's been crazy busy here in the studio, so you'll forgive me for posting a Tuesday Tutorial on a Friday, right?! Yesterday & today I had time to craft and I had some fun with Martha Stewart glitter making these pretties...

I know that you're super busy this time of the year so I won't dilly dally, let's get to how to make your own!

All you need is some blank glass (or plastic) ornaments, Christmas rub-ons, glitter & diamond glaze (or other thin glue). Spread out your rub-ons (if you're like me you have too many to ever use) and pick ones that are appropriate for your ornaments. I used my Christmas ones from StampinUp! but also used some "friend" phrases for an ornament for my best bud. Being very careful, place your first rub-on onto the ornament.

Carefully rub on the rub-on (that sounds funny) with a plastic tool or Popsicle stick. Make sure you don't squeeze the ornament too hard, you don't want to break it and shatter glass in your hands. Keep adding rub-ons until you're happy with how it looks. Be careful not to drop your ornament...not like I know from experience or anything. Create a funnel with a spare sheet of paper.

Here's where there are two different ways to glitter the inside. First I'll tell you how I did it on my sample, then later I'll explain how I did it for the other 3 that I made. Take off the top of the ornament, pick out your glitter colors and add them to the inside of the ornament. You'll only need about a teaspoon or so at first.

Then, drip your diamond glaze on the inside...you'll need quite a few drips. Covering the opening with your finger (or your finger and some paper towel) shake, shake, shake to cover the inside. You'll add more glue & glitter until the inside is as sparkly as you want. Allow it to dry upside down so that the excess glue will fall out. Then finish it off using tulle or ribbon and hang it on the tree!

(Alternatively, for the rest I made dots of diamond glaze all over the inside of the ornament as my first step. Then I put in a few sprinkles of each color while turning around the ornament. Then I shook them, adding more glue and glitter. Both methods will have the same result.)

If you're a person who does NOT love glitter (what?!), here's another easy way to make a beautiful ornament and it's super easy. Cut scrapbook paper into 1/4" strips. Curl the paper around a pencil and then put the paper curls inside the ornament. (and if you want you can add a little bit of glitter to the bottom for sparkle when you shake it). Add some tulle or ribbon to finish it off.

Pretty ornaments for your tree! Happy crafting!

Linking up with:

Freebie Friday & a Super Sale!

2011-12-02T11:03:00.000-05:00

This week I've been having Super Sales up on Facebook and today is no exception! Today's Super Sale is 25% off any ring in the Ready to Ship category. Simply add the ring(s) to your cart and use code "ring" to receive the 25% off.

I'm also having a Freebie Friday today! You can only use one coupon code at a time so choose wisely! Today's Freebie Friday is a free pair of my newest Itty Bitty Domed earrings with any $100 purchase. Add $100 worth of product to your cart AND the Itty Bitty Earrings and enter code "earring" at checkout to get them free! Happy Weekend Shopping!

New in Shop: WOW...lots!!

2011-11-29T19:25:00.002-05:00

I have had so many requests for the True Love ring as a bangle and I'm super excited that it's now live on the website. I had a customer pre-order one as my prototype and I finished it today. I am so excited with how it turned out. I start with a layered heart, stamped just like the ring. Then I solder it to a heavy-gauge twist bangle and polish it to a beautiful shine. You can get your very own True Love bangle for the introductory price of $80 on the website.

I've also added lots of ready-to-ship rings to the site in sizes 6, 7 and 8. I love the faceted stone rings!

Have fun looking at all of the new items! Don't forget, you will receive 15% off all items in the Ready to Ship category by using coupon code "RTS" at checkout.

Thanksgiving, Black Friday & a Deadline

2011-11-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my side of the family. We celebrated with my sister's family, my parents and my grandma. Big E told us at the end of the day that Thanksgiving was her "favorite". It warmed my heart.

We ate tons of food, had caramel pie, checked out the Black Friday ads, had cuddle/movie time, played some mean games of Sequence & Euchre and LAUGHED. It was a fantastic day...I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful as well!

I have some Black Friday through Cyber Monday sales going on in the shop. There are 30 items that are up to 33% off. A TON are one of a kind so if there's something you like, snatch it up before someone else does!

Don't forget, my Christmas deadline is staying firm at December 10th this year so don't delay. I will not guarantee orders after the 10th! (unfortunately, it's too late to guarantee any international orders)

What was your favorite part of Thanksgiving??

WIWW - Corduroy Edition

2011-11-16T11:54:00.000-05:00

Today is MOPS Wednesday! I love my MOPS ladies, we have the best table! Anyway, I'm wearing my fave l/s henley from Target, gray cords from GAP, TOMS shoes, mustard scarf from Charming Charlie & jewelry from my shop. I love the stripes w/ a pop of yellow, I wear this combo all the time (you're probably getting sick of seeing it!).

Linking up with Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy

Handmade Holidays Sneak Peek

2011-11-14T14:48:00.000-05:00

Handmade Holidays is almost here, I can hardly believe it! Just 6 more days - I hope you're ready to shop, laugh and eat! Here's just a sample of what I'll be offering at Handmade Holidays...the other 4 ladies have equally awesome items for you to preview!

plenty of beaded wraps, plain wraps & dangles

LOTS of beaded & stamped necklaces - ready to take that day!

TONS of rings as well, most sizes 6, 7, 8 - ready to take

a fun, inexpensive new item - bloomie corsages

totes, pouches, clutches and wristlets...carry all of your essentials!

earrings, bloomies, the original wrap bracelets, headbands & mini magnet
boards - so many great gifts and stocking stuffers to chose from!

more great stocking stuffers - gift tins (perfect for necklaces)
and decoupaged clips for just $1

This is the first time that I'll be setting up in the studio for the open house instead of in the kitchen and I'm super excited to have people in my creative space looking at my creations. If you're in the Indianapolis area, we'd love to see you Saturday between 10am and 1pm. Email me for the address! (if you can't come but would like on of the items above, just contact me for a price quote!)

Birthday Club love

2011-11-12T13:28:00.000-05:00

I'm part of a birthday club led by Megan from Flawed Perfection Jewelry. Every month I get a birthday girl that I get to send a card to (and normally a small jewelry item) to help them celebrate their special day!

I'm sad to say that as I was cleaning out my office I found my Birthday cards from my lovely birthday club friends for the month of September and forgot to do a "thank you" post. I'm so sorry, ladies!

Sweet Alli sent me a cute birthday card in the mail. Maegan sent me a card as well with a Starbucks card to treat myself to a latte! Megan R. celebrated with me at Craft Weekend and gave me a gorgeous set of Anthro bowls that I use literally every day making jewelry. Thanks to my birthday club friends!

Winner, winner!! Or should I say Winners??

2011-11-11T08:38:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2,500 fan giveaway! I have our four winners so without further ado, here they are!! (winners chosen via random.org)

$25 - Whitney Freeman
$50 - Shayna Orr*
$75 - Mindy Scott*
$100 - Angela Mabe

Congrats to all the winners! **Shayna & Mindy, I need your email addresses to send your e-certificate!

If you didn't win, you're still a winner in my book so receive 15% off your entire purchase today by using code "fan".

2,500 fan giveaway

2011-11-08T09:00:00.006-05:00

I promised, and I'm here to deliver! I didn't hit 2,500 fans by my birthday as I was originally hoping, but I'm so excited that I hit that milestone before Christmas. Thanks to everyone for sharing my page with their friends on Facebook - you all are so good to me! I was ecstatic to come home last night after a GNO to see this...

Now that I've hit the 2,500, who's up for a giveaway?? I knew you would be! So that more than one of you can win spectacular prizes, I've split up my original plan of a $250 gift certificate into 4 portions for FOUR WINNERS!

Four prizes up for grabs! Ready to enter? Here are the details:
~ You must be a facebook fan to enter - after all, this is a celebration of hitting a milestone and since Facebook won't let me do a giveaway there, I'm doing it here :) (This is not an entry)
~ TO ENTER) simply leave a comment with what you're most looking forward to during this holiday season
~ Winners will be chosen on Friday the 11th. Feel free to share the giveaway & my fan page with your friends! One entry per person. Good luck!

New in Shop: More Wraps

2011-11-07T15:24:00.000-05:00

I am so excited at the response of the wrap bracelets. I love the versatility of the Interchangeables and it looks like you all do too! Today I have a few more options for you.

The first are three wrapped beaded bracelets that are ready to ship. They are not interchangeable but they feature the same beautiful gemstones and sterling silver.

Aren't they gorgeous?? I've also added 5 additional dangle styles because I was almost sold out of the others. You can see all of the dangles here.

The last item is one I'm really excited about. It was a custom design by request and I've decided to offer it in the shop. It's my largest bar that I feature on a few of the other bracelets in the shop. The great thing about it is that it's wide enough for three lines of text. Isn't this quote perfect?

You can get the large bar for the interchangeables here. I hope you had a great weekend!

Freebie Friday: your choice of earrings!

2011-11-04T12:02:00.000-04:00

Today's freebie Friday is your choice of ONE the following earrings FREE with any $50 purchase:

birth stone earrings | drop earrings | double pearl earrings

Simply add $50 of product to your cart, your choice of one pair of earrings and enter code "earrings" at checkout to have the $12 deducted. Have a great weekend!

*valid on Friday, November 4th only. offer good for one pair of earrings free per $50 purchase.

Handmade Holidays 2011

2011-11-02T16:49:00.000-04:00

If you are local to the northeast side of Indianapolis (or really anywhere in Central Indiana), we'd love to have you join us for the 3rd annual Christmas Open House at my home. This year we will have FIVE vendors instead of just me so I'm very excited!

We have the following HANDMADE vendors this year:
SeaRose - funky & fun jewelry
Cards by Jessica - handmade greeting cards for all occasions
Life is Ruff -handmade dog collars for a cause
Angela Cox - pillows and photography prints
Me! Amy Cornwell - handstamped jewelry, beaded jewelry, hair accessories & sewn goods

You can come anytime between 10am and 1pm for the open house. We'll have plenty of food, Christmas music & decorations and laughter. I personally always have a blast meeting with people and seeing friends at the open house every year and I'm even more excited that there are 4 other ladies joining me this year and getting to meet their friends. We'll be accepting cash, check and credit card (for the first time) so come ready to shop! Or, if you don't want to Christmas shop, come ready to EAT! Hope to see you November 19th!

8 years...where does the time go? {time flies when you're making jewelry}

2011-11-01T21:17:00.001-04:00

circa 2007

In 2003 I started my business. I remember my first jewelry party in October 2003 (sadly, I couldn't find the pictures). I was so nervous but I had a wonderful host with wonderful friends that came out to support me. Back then I focused on beaded jewelry & key chains. I continued to do shows through the coming years, growing my business and getting my name out there. The show in October went so well that I registered my business in January 2004 and made it official. What a ride it has been!

circa Jan. 2008, just starting out

In 2007, as most of you know, I decided to try my hand at stamped jewelry. I LOVED it, but wasn't great at it at first. I'm a bit surprised I sold anything, but the practice definitely helped me to become better and perfect the stamping technique.

Fast forward to 2010, my record sales year! God is so good and faithful in His provision and growth of the business. In 2011 I heard from God, asking me when I was going to finally trust in Him and take the leap. In June 2011, I did that and quit my job that I had for the past 9 years to stay home with my family and be a WAHM with the business as my income. I'm not going to lie, it was scary. We love to travel and thinking about not having that luxury was hard on us. But you know what? God has blessed the business ABUNDANTLY since June. It has grown in ways that I never dreamed possible and it's all because of Him. 2011 has now already become my record sales year. I am so thankful to everyone who has shared my business and supported me and my family.

People always say they want to talk to me when they start a new small business and I chuckle to myself. I chuckle because it took me EIGHT YEARS to have a business where I could quit my job and do it full time. It reminds me of what Megan said at Creative Estates, "It takes some people 5 years to become an overnight success." I guess for me the quote would be, "It took me 8 years to become an overnight success." But those eight years have helped me to grow, learn, perfect, struggle, stress out and rely on God in ways I never thought possible.

Thank you again for joining me on this ride of having my own business. Whether you're a brand new fan or one who has been here for the past 8 years, I love and thank you all! Because of you moments with my family can happen more than they did in the past. I love being able to live out my dream - creating & being with my loved ones!

circa October 2011

New In Shop: Leather Wrap Bracelets

2011-10-31T08:49:00.001-04:00

I am so excited about this product. I've been wearing two of the wrap bracelets for the past few days and I just love how they add a bit of edge to my outfit. They're so fun and all of them are interchangeable so you can purchase a few staples and then just change things out according to your outfit to make a completely new look! I've had the faux suede wrap bracelet for a while which is also interchangeable with different ovals, but this is completely different. I could go on and on, but let's just get into the products and how they work. (you can see all Interchangeables here if you want to start shopping now, but I encourage you to read on and learn how they all go together)

First we have the wrap bracelet for bars and the bar itself. The wrap bracelet for bars is 19" in length, so you'll need a stamped bar or bead bar to go with it in order to fit on your wrist. Each wrap will go around your wrist three times and has a lobster clasp on each end. The stamped bar can hold up to 22 characters. All of my silver components are ALWAYS sterling silver - only the best for y'all!

If you want to add a bit of color to your bracelet, you can add a bead dangle to it.

Or purchase one of the bead bars - they're one of a kind and made of sterling silver
beads and gemstones. They're a great alternative to the stamped bar.

Right now I have the 6 styles shown above but hope to add even more very soon.
They are all 2" in length and make your wrap a perfect 21" in length.

The dangles are also one of a kind and I have 8 of them currently in the shop for
just $10 each. They attach at the clasp so you can use them on just about anything
(well, anything with a clasp or slip them on a chain).

If you want something more simple, you can also get a leather wrap by itself. These are 21" in length and also wrap around your wrist 3 times. They're perfect for a standard wrist. If you're worried your wrist is too large for 21" - I can customize the size for you, just ask!

You can also add the bead dangles to the plain wraps - so many possibilities!

Happy Monday and happy shopping! Christmas season is upon us and my deadline is still December 10th so don't delay!

Family Time: Hiking @ Turkey Run State Park

2011-10-25T14:00:00.005-04:00

Saturday we headed to Turkey Run State park with the in-laws for some hiking and enjoying nature. It was a GORGEOUS day and we most certainly enjoyed our trek in the woods. We figure we went about 5 miles, the kids did great climbing on the rocks and through ice-cold water and we celebrated with a stop at a local Dairy Barn. Fabulous weekend!

reason #541 why I love my father-in-law - hilarious

love.

What was your favorite part of the weekend?

New In Shop: Live a Beautiful Life

2011-10-24T15:37:00.000-04:00

The other day when I got done with orders I decided to make something new, just for fun. I've been really inspired by beauty lately -
sharing beauty, making beautiful things and living a beautiful life
(more on that in the coming months as the blog makes some changes).

I made myself a necklace that was stamped with "live a beautiful life", domed and then a small flower was soldered to the center {{the same flower as the dainty flower earrings}}. I posted a picture on Facebook and got great response. I was asked to add it to the shop so I finally got some shots and it's now live in the shop for just $45! It's a medium (3/4") charm that is domed and soldered. It's a beautiful reminder to live a beautiful life.

What does living a beautiful life mean to you?

Who do you know that lives out this sentiment?

Freebie Friday: Make Your Own SALE!

2011-10-21T08:43:00.000-04:00

Today's Freebie Friday is a make-your-own SALE! You'll get $10 off any $50+ purchase by using the coupon code "youpick". It's valid on all items except for clearance and Bloomies. Happy Friday and happy shopping!

ch-ch-changes! (and the Christmas open house is coming!!)

2011-10-19T12:20:00.001-04:00

I don't know if you've noticed (maybe you haven't!!), but I haven't posted in almost a week! Things have been so busy around here and I'm just trying to keep up with orders and being a mommy which has left little time for creating for "fun" or blogging in general. Until Christmas orders are over I anticipate it'll be like this, so just know that I'm still around and will be back with a new and improved blog in 2012. I have so many ideas going through my head with the direction of the blog and sharing beautiful things. I can't wait to show you all what I've been thinking up!

Because of the lack of regular posts for the next few months, I'm going to remove my sponsors from the blog because I don't think it's fair to them to not drive traffic to their blogs/pages. I don't know where I'll end with sponsors on the blog - I value each sponsor I've had but really want to see where the new direction for the blog leads. It might be with sponsors, it might be without. I just don't know!

In just a few weeks we'll be having the annual Christmas open house! More details will follow when we have all of the promo materials done, but it'll be on Saturday, November 19th from 10am-1pm. We'd love to see you if you're in the North-Central Indiana area.

Be sure to check back in January for a new-and-improved space for the Amy Cornwell Designs blog! Be sure to "like" my fan page on Facebook for updates, sales and other fun goodies. Thanks for stickin' with me!

Craft Weekend in Cali

2011-10-13T14:00:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago today (I can't believe it's been 2 weeks already!!) I went on a craft retreat in California with my girls from Creative Estates. There were 7 of us (we missed you Alison), 4 of which were from California and 3 of us were from the midwest. We stayed at a gorgeous beach house off of Newport Beach in the OC.

We had a blast together crafting...

shopping & eating...

walking down the beach with Jazz...

watching sunsets....

Megan, Katie, Elizabeth, me with crazy hair, Nicole, Kristen & Jacqui

goofing off in the car while heading to the craft store & getting fro-yo...

walking on Balboa Island...

& eating all of the delicious food that Katie made for us...

It was a fantastic long weekend with lots of crafts being made. Coffee cozies, purses, skirts, dresses, jewelry, hats & more were made in that short three days. New relationships were strengthened as we had one-on-one (or three/four-on-one) walks down the boardwalk. These ladies are truly amazing and I am so grateful that friendships like this can happen when you've only met people one time. The thought of it is crazy - meeting ladies at a conference that I didn't know beforehand then going across the country to meet them for a craft retreat. I truly hope this is going to become an annual event!!

crafts from the other ladies

Craftee McGee made my hat. I made a scarf, bag, pillow, hoop art for e's room,
knit maxi skirt/dress and cards. Lots of crafty goodness going on!

Here are some great recaps of the weekend from the other ladies as well
with more fabulous pictures - be sure to check them out!

Food, Wine & Mod Podge

Olive Blue (sunsets & outfits)

pumpkin patch love

2011-10-12T14:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Little E had his first preschool field trip to Russell Farms. Little E loved going on the hayride and had a blast!

I can't believe how big he looks out at the pumpkin patch!

Can you tell how smitten I am with this kid? He's a lover and his
teachers tell me how sweet and good he is. It makes my heart full!

The kids had stations to learn all of the things the farmers have to do at harvest.

They also learned about the farm animals and got to pet a rabbit and goat.

The only thing missing for me was going through the corn maze, but we'll do that as a family hopefully this weekend! What is your favorite Autumn activity?

WIWW - comfort edition

2011-10-12T09:06:00.000-04:00

Wednesdays come so fast here...I was in the shower this morning and thought "is it Wednesday?? Gotta get WIWW up!" I can't believe it's the middle of the week already.

This week (as are most weeks) were all about comfort...jeans or leggings and comfy tops.

crochet hat in top left corner via Craftee McGee

My nails were dressed in a new (to me) gunmetal gray with sparkles. LOVE IT for Fall! The purple dress/legging outfit on the right was super comfortable (which is why I wore it) and people kept asking me where I had been since I was dressed up. Little do they know it was a chubby day when my jeans didn't fit right and I had to pull out the stretchy clothes! I love the fact that it's almost time to start wearing sweaters, scarves & hats every day - I LOVE FALL!

Linking up with Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy for fashion inspiration & accountability!

See all of my What I Wore Wednesday posts by clicking on WIWW below.

Tuesday Tutorial: Leather & Lace Belt

2011-10-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

When I was in California a few weeks ago I got this great dress on Balboa Island. I knew I'd want a belt to go with it so I made one! It was really easy with some hot glue, lace & leather and I'm going to show you how to make your own today.

Did you know you can dye things with tea and coffee? Well, you can! One of the laces I wanted to use was too white so put it in some espresso for about 1/2 hour and then washed it with the laundry. It gave it just a slight tint and matches perfectly now!

You'll need the following for your belt (all can be purchased at a local craft store such as Hobby Lobby):
leather strip
3 pieces of lace
small piece of felt for flower
pearls
hot glue & gun
snaps & snap setter (w/ hole punch)

1. First, cut the leather to your waist size with about 1-2" of overlap.
Round one edge of your leather.

2. Also round the edge of the large lace.

3. Zig zag stitch along the edge of the lace (optional).

4. Start hot gluing the large lace to the back of the leather strip.

5. Don't be afraid to be generous with the glue, just don't burn your fingers like I did!

6. When you get to the end, cut off the excess.

7. Great start! So pretty!

8. Glue the end of the smaller strip to the back in the middle.

9. Glue the small strip to the front of the leather in an inconspicuous place.

10. Leave about 1" and glue it to the back of the leather.

12. (I have my pics flipped) Cut a circle of felt the size that you want the flower to be.

11. Start hot gluing the lace around, moving into the center.

13. Here's what the back looks like.

14. Taking about a foot of lace, continue around the backside, hiding the sides of the felt.

15. Just keep going!

16. Almost done!

17. Flip the flower over, put a large dollop of hot glue and add some pearls.

18. These are the snaps you'll need.

19. Punch a hole on both ends, making sure first that it fits your waist.

20. I wanted mine adjustable, so I did 2 snaps on one side.

21. 2 snaps, perfect for any outfit! It'll fit over cardi's now, even if they're heavy.

22. Another large dollop of glue...

23. And attach it to the center of the flower. I made sure my flower would overlap the second snap when closed.

24. DONE!!

necklace found here

Thanks for joining me today - what are you creating this week??

Freebie Friday: Drop Earrings ($12 value)

2011-10-07T10:05:00.000-04:00

Today's freebie is a free pair of drop earrings with any $50 purchase. You can choose from 12 different colors! Simply add $50 of product to your cart and the earrings, enter coupon code "friday" to have the $12 taken off. Happy Friday!

Make the Difference: HOPE

2011-10-06T20:54:00.000-04:00

I am so excited about the second campaign for the Make the Difference program. This month I'm doing something near and dear to my heart. My mom is a breast cancer survivor (more about the Rollercoaster Ride) and I use every opportunity to celebrate her overcoming cancer as well as remembering those who have passed away from this disease. I have three products to help raise money for breast cancer research to hopefully find a cure.

The necklace features a hammered & layered charm stamped
with HOPE and hanging from the chain is a light pink freshwater
pearl. It is $57 and $10 will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Get yours here

The earrings feature two light pink freshwater pearls.
They are $15 and $5 will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Get yours here

The bracelet features two tiny stamped charms, one with an
awareness ribbon and a framed heart to celebrate a loved one

who has battled the disease. It is $42 and $10 will go
to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Get yours here

Thank you for supporting this wonderful cause! All items will be available through November 6th (or while supplies last).

WIWW - Monday edition

2011-10-05T07:58:00.000-04:00

I spent the long weekend at a crafting retreat so I didn't dress up much there (more on that later this week). I basically wore jeans or shorts & a tshirt (and my TOMS from my bestie).

My favorite outfit of the last week was my outfit on Monday. I got this super-cute striped shirt for $12 at Target, the scarf was gifted and is from Charming Charlie, I wore the feather earrings from this tutorial, ring from this tutorial and jeans are hand-me-downs. I felt cute all day long in this outfit, although it did get a little warm in the afternoon sun. I can't wait for Fall to officially be here (temperatures, I mean)!!

linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy for fashion inspiration

take a peek...

2011-10-03T15:54:00.000-04:00

...one more time at my fabulous Sponsors! These men & women are small business owners just like me and have awesome shops & services.

Thirty-One with Jessica Niccoli - stylish accessories

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A Page of Creativity - custom ribbons, pendants & other gifts

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Neverland Adventures Travel - FREE Disney Travel advice & planning

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Cece's Boutique - one of a kind items for your one of a kind princess

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Lindsay Konduris - Indianapolis photography and art

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Berries & Brine - flower headbands & accessories

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Visalus - change your life starting today

{{If you'd like to partner with me and grow your business, please see the stats here and contact me!}}

Tuesday Tutorial: 5 alternate uses for scarves {{guest post with Stacie}}

2011-09-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hello! I am Stacie, and I am so excited to be posting for Amy on today’s Tuesday Tutorial. I am a new writer for Scarves.net and because I look at scarf-related things all day, I feel like I am becoming a scarf mini expert. (What a fun job!:)) Like me, Amy has a thing for scarves so I thought a few tips on alternate scarf uses might be helpful.

When it comes to decorating, I’ve always been resourceful. I use a pair of deer antlers as a necklace holder. I stack suitcases to hold all the things I don’t use very often. While I love these projects, one of my favorite things to come up with new uses for is scarves. With their typically punchy prints, unique textures, and varied levels of flowiness, (Yes, I made up that word) scarves are so fun to use in creative ways.

5 Alternate Uses for Scarves

1. Make rosettes from old scarves. If you have a scarf with a stain or a hole, make a little flower from it! These little rosettes make great broaches or hair accessories.

Rosette Tutorial

2. Throw Pillows. Fold a scarf to a pillow-size and shape, and use color-coordinating needle and thread to hand-stitch a throw pillow cover. For those who are sewing-challenged, you can simply wrap the pillow for an equally chic effect.

Photo Source

3. Wall Art. In an interesting frame, showcase a smaller scarf or a section of a larger scarf. I found this scarf at an antique fair and I just thought it was the cutest thing. I love maps and I love scarves, so this was the perfect little find. I didn’t want to hide the scarf in a drawer, so I framed it to admire every day. :)

4. Use a scarf to wrap a gift. If you are like me, you run out of wrapping paper all of the time. The only wrapping paper I have at my house has little reindeer on it. Fix that problem by wrapping a gift for a friend in a scarf. Not only is it part of the present, you don't have to waste any trees for it either.

5. Make a scarf curtain. Simply tack together some scarves to make a unique curtain between rooms. Thrift stores are a great place to find vintage scarves for really low prices.

Photo Source

Hopefully these tips will help you turn your scarves into something beyond a fashion accessory. Thanks again to Amy for letting me write a post. Her blog is such a creative and crafty resource! :)

{{Stacie Grissom is a writer for Scarves.net where she writes about everything from how to clean a scarf to 37 ways to tie a scarf. In her free time, she loves to work on her DIY blog, run, and take lots of photos with her collection of old cameras.}}

Thanks Stacie for guest posting today! Aren't these ideas great? I have so many scarves and now I have more uses for them. Be sure to hop on over to scarves.net and tell Stacie "hello".

Do you need encouragement?

2011-09-26T14:31:00.002-04:00

"If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging."
Romans 12:8

This weekend I'm going on a craft retreat with 6 other ladies that I met at Creative Estates. We're going to hang out at a beach house in Cali and I'm so looking forward to it! I've been thinking about what I can do while I travel so that I don't get bored. I planned to maybe take some wire & buttons to make some rings and of course books to read. As I was doing the dishes just now, I thought about how I have some time to craft (just for fun) today and that I wanted to make some cards. Then the idea hit me - what better way to spend a few hours while in the plane than to write encouraging notes to some loved ones as well as strangers.

So here's where you come in. Do you need encouragement? Shoot me an email with your address & a little background about why you want a handwritten note (just a sentence or two so I can focus my writing) and I'd be happy to send you one! Unfortunately, it can only be to people in the US so I can use a standard stamp (sorry to all of my international friends). My email is amy{at}amycornwell(dot)com and I'll write to each of you this weekend while I'm traveling and your note will be on the way to you by next Monday. Get me your email by Wednesday night so I can make sure I bring enough cards. I can't wait!!

Freebie Friday: $10 off Clearance Items!

2011-09-23T08:44:00.002-04:00

Today's Freebie Friday is a good one - you'll get $10 off any clearance item with any $50 purchase. You don't have to have $50 of clearance merchandise in your cart, just $50 in merchandise (including 1 clearance item). For example, you can order the True Love ring ($25) and the Enjoy the Ride Necklace ($33 on clearance) and with coupon code "markdown" you'll get the Enjoy the Ride necklace for just $22! Clearance items are limited so be sure to shop now before your favorites are gone!

** simply add $50 worth of product to your cart, including an item from the Clearance category to get $10 off the clearance item. If the Clearance item is under $10 you will get that item for free instead of $10 off **

Sassy Feather Earring Tutorial

2011-09-21T14:54:00.002-04:00

Maybe I should start calling it "Wednesday Tutorial" instead of Tuesday Tutorial? I just can't seem to get back into the swing of things! But regardless, I have something sassy and fun for you to make today.

source - NBC

The other night hubs and I were watching The Sing Off. I noticed that just about every girl singing had feather earrings on. Now I knew that feather earrings & hair feathers were hip - but I was just amazed that nearly every girl was wearing them on the show. So although the look is a little funky for me, I decided to try it out and see what I could come up with.

And these are what I made! Want to make some of your own? They're really easy and only took about 10 minutes to make. First off, gather your supplies...you'll need earwires, feathers, wire and chain. That's it! For tools you'll just need pliers and wire cutters. (added info: people have been asking where to find feathers - most craft stores have them. Mine are from Hobby Lobby!)

First off, on one end of the wire, wire wrap a loop with one chain on it. Not sure how to wire wrap? Check out these videos on Google.

Then make a 90 degree angle on your wire right at the end of the wrap. Start wrapping that wire down your feather as far as you want and come back up, all the way to the bottom of the loop (circle). Clip the excess wire. Repeat this with one of the larger feathers at the other end of that chain.

You can wire wrap as little or as much as you'd like. I only wrapped it enough to stabilize it, but you can keep wrapping and wrapping if you want more of the wire to show.

See? So pretty and dainty!

Repeat with the other feathers & section of chain.

Now decide how you want the feathers to fall. Some people might want them to lay evenly, but I wanted the end with the smaller feather to be slightly shorter than the one with the large feather. Open the loop on your ear wire and hook it to a section of your chain. Repeat with the second ear wire and you're all set!

So sassy!!

What are you creating today?

{{linking up to Today's Creative Blog}}

New In Shop: Necklaces, Earrings & Rings - oh my!

2011-09-20T14:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I had so much fun working with the new product that came in last week. I've had so many ideas going through my head and it's always fun to see them come to fruition. I'll have more coming, but for now I have four new items to show to you.

First are the Dainty Flower Earrings. The tiny sterling silver flowers are paired with a gorgeous faceted laboradorite bead for simple little earrings that are perfect for fall.

Next up is the My Open Heart Necklace. A textured heart is soldered onto a 1.25" disc. This is perfect for a verse or for families with a lot of family members to celebrate. This is sure to make a statement!

I also have a brand new Family Tree Necklace! This one has a cute soldered tree with a momma bird perched in it. This is also on the 1.25" sterling silver disc so it's large enough for up to 40 characters stamped in the typewriter font.

I'm really excited about this last one. This is the one thing that I had my mind on a few weeks ago when I felt like it couldn't be done. Well, folks, it can be done and I figured out how! I love the way these birthstone rings turned out and the sparkle that they provide. A dainty 4mm faceted birthstone is surrounded by sterling silver and is put on the twist band. I love the look and can't wait to see them stacked together! You can get your own birthstone ring here. There are also new colors in the dainty gemstone ring here.

I have more new items in the works, the rest just weren't flowing yesterday but I'm excited to keep dreaming and thinking of new beauties for all of you! What's your favorite new item lately?

32

2011-09-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

Last week started off less than stellar. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed on Monday and the kids were less-than-obedient all day. The day ended with crying kids and a crying momma on her bed. I hoped to cry it out and compose myself before hubby came home but as I opened my eyes I saw him walk through the bedroom door and say "uh-oh". He's the best...after dinner he handed me some cash and said, "I got this. Don't come back until you've had starbucks and ice cream". So I took him up on it and felt much better once I got home and the kids were in bed ;)

Tuesday both kids had school and when I picked up Big E we headed to the Verizon store to see if there was anything they could do for me. My current (free) phone had been dropped so many times that I couldn't see out of 1/2 the screen but I wasn't up for upgrade until May 2012. Luckily they were running a promotion so that I could upgrade to an IPHONE!!! and I also am getting a $100 gift card back. Um, happy early birthday to me! Tuesday was also the day when this pin rocked my world and I had a record sales day {{EVER}}...the week was looking up!

Wednesday I spent naptime and 3 hours that night making rings & trying to get orders out so I could relax on my birthday. I got everything made, but not shipped. So I figured I'd work a little bit on my birthday and then take the evening off on a date with my man! Thursday started with sweet singing from my three loves and funny cards to make me laugh. Both kids went to school and I headed to the dentist {who does that on their birthday?? I'm crazy!}. Turns out I need 3 fillings so it ended up being an expensive day! Once both kids had lunch I laid them down for naps and got ready to ship orders when I heard the garage door open. I opened the front door and there was my hubs - home early! He said "you have 20 minutes, pack your bags" so I laid the orders down and got packing. I had no idea where we were going but Nana came over to be with the kids and we went on our way to this...

After Monday night's fiasco Hubby decided that I needed a night away - it was the sweetest thing! He researched and researched and found us a beautiful cabin in Brown County (Indiana) to stay at for the night. It had a fireplace (actually 2) and a hot tub. It was SO relaxing! We ate dinner in Nashville, IN at the #1 rated restaurant, Big Woods Brewing Company. I got to pick dinner so we had BBQ pork nachos and BBQ pizza. It was absolutely delicious! The next day we ate Krispy Kreme's in bed and set off for a 3 mile hike.

The hike was gorgeous and we had fun taking goofy pictures...

Going off the path to downed trees (where the rattlesnakes are - no thank you!!)...

We spotted a lover's tree but didn't stay long enough to carve our own initials...

Hung on some vines...

And enjoyed each other's company in the beauty of God's creation...

I'm thinking 32 is getting off to a good start! I am so blessed!

DIY Wrap Button Ring (i.e. Tuesday Tutorial on Wednesday!!)

2011-09-14T13:55:00.001-04:00

Before I start I need to make a disclaimer - I am aware that I am in desperate need of a manicure...I plan to take care of that in the next 24 hours! Now that I got that off my chest, let's create!

You'll start with your materials & tools: buttons, wire (20-24gauge), pliers & wire cutters.
I used about a foot or so of 20 gauge wire for mine, 24 gauge will be easier for beginners.

Put the wire through all of the buttons and cross them on the back (bottom pic).
Leave about 6 inches on one side and the rest on the other.

Wrap the long end around your ring mandrel (or highlighter or something that is a
bit larger than your finger). Wrap it as many times as you want or depending on
how much wire you have. I wrapped mine 4-5 times.

Take the long end of the wire and wrap it around the bottom of the button,
this will help it stay secure when you take it off the mandrel.

Take the ring off the mandrel and wrap one side around the band about 4 times.

Repeat with the other side and DONE!

A super easy and inexpensive gift idea. Literally takes less than 10 minutes!

That's my craft for today - making a bunch of True Love rings tonight for my lovely customers once product arrives. Anyone else crafting today and what are you working on?

{{linking up to Today's Creative Blog}}

New In Shop: love is... & tiny turquoise

2011-09-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

The newest necklace was inspired by this necklace (on left) that a customer had the idea for. It's the My Heart is Full necklace but instead of two names she did a Scripture reference. I love how it looks and what is stands for so I made a brand new necklace to celebrate what love is.

The new "love is..." necklace features my regular oval charm that has two soldered hearts on it. I love the way it looks! You can have it stamped as shown or with names or another sentiment up to 14 characters.

Another new product that I'm excited to announce is the Dainty Turquoise Ring. It has a tiny 4mm turquoise cabachon resting in a sterling silver cup on my signature twist band. It's so light, you'll forget that you have it on! I have high hopes for more gemstone rings & pieces in the future, so stay tuned for those coming in the next few months.

At just $20 it's a steal and it looks great with the stackable twist bands and small oval ring!

Friday Favorites: Photography

2011-09-09T14:00:00.002-04:00

Today I'm going to share some of my favorite pins for photography...I desperately need to get off Auto on my Canon xSi and these are helping me (well, a few) while the others are helping when I edit. Enjoy and happy Friday!

Editing by changing white/black balance (so simple!!):

Source: bluecricketdesign.net via amycornwell on Pinterest

Understanding your DSLR Camera Tutorial:

Source: kevinandamanda.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Editing - Photoshop Actions for purchase:

Source: mcpactions.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

22 things you can do to change your photography forever:

Source: improvephotography.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

13 most popular photo tips of all time:

Source: digital-photography-school.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Enjoy your weekend - CAPTURE LIFE!

Freebie Friday: Free Wrapped Briolette

2011-09-09T08:19:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! Today only get a free sterling silver wire wrapped Swarovski briolette with any purchase over $35. Simply add $35 to your cart, add the briolette in your choice of color and enter coupon code - sparkle - to get it free! Valid on 09/09/11 only.

What are you waiting for? Start shopping! ;)

** Today all Bloomies are on sale. You can see all specials here. **

(can you help me? I'd love to hit 2,500 fans by my birthday on 9/15
- I'd love if you'd share my page with your friends!! Thanks!)

Autumn is upon us...what are you creating??

2011-09-08T18:31:00.000-04:00

The crisp weather is reminding me that I need to do some fall decorating so until that time I wanted to give you some past inspiration from the blog...

Fall Decor Ideas (courtesy of my Goodwill finds)

Tulle Autumn Wreath Tutorial

A fun autumn craft idea for the kids

Seriously 10-minute Scarf Tutorial

Patchy Fabric Scarf Tutorial

It's about time to bust out my tulle wreath, that's for sure! I haven't started any fall projects yet - what are you working on?

WIWW - MOPS Edition

2011-09-07T08:40:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day of MOPS at my church and I'm so excited to meet other young moms! I'm loving the cooler, fall weather so that I can wear cardigans again {and my cowls from Olive Blue!!}!

cardi & undertank: Old Navy | cowl: Olive Blue | Jeans: GAP (via Goodwill)
Shoes: Nine West | Watch: Lacoste (gifted)

Linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy!

what life's all about..

2011-09-06T12:42:00.000-04:00

...enjoying family! Hubby's parents came over on Sunday afternoon so we spent it outside grilling out, eating for the first time on the new patio, throwing a football, passing a frisbee, tossing baseballs, toasting marshmallows and laughing A LOT. What a fantastic day - my heart is full from all of the fun and laughter that we had. I haven't laughed that much in a long time! We had an amazing day!

excuse the dirt-mount background...taking care of that soon!

What was your favorite part of the weekend? What fills your heart?

New In Shop: OOAK Faith Heirloom Necklace

2011-09-05T16:38:00.000-04:00

I am so in love with this necklace! I almost kept it for myself but decided to offer it in the shop. It's one of a kind and comes on a 30" long link chain. The charms hang from a small twist band. Included are a rustic heart, large freshwater pearl, flat bar, wrapped briolette and Bottonnee cross. It's just $70 and you can grab it here before someone else does!

Also, don't forget that until the end of the night TONIGHT (9/5) you can get $10 off of your $50+ purchase by using coupon code "laborday" on www.amycornwell.com - I hope you've had a great weekend!

Freebie Friday: Tiny Tag Charm

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

It's been a great week around here and I hope you've had a good one as well! I can't believe it's Friday again ALREADY! But lucky you, I have another freebie for you. Today only, with any $30 purchase you will receive a free Tiny Tag Charm. All you need to do is have $30 worth of product in your cart and the tiny tag - use coupon code "tinytag" to have the $7 removed from your cart!

finding love at any age

2011-09-01T13:30:00.000-04:00

This weekend we celebrated the wedding of Dave's grandma, Jackie. Her story is one of the coolest that I've heard in a long time. Jackie has been a widow since Dave & I got together. Jackie lives with Dave's parents during most of the year but goes to Florida every winter. This winter while in Florida she was introduced to a man named Bob. She found out that Bob lives about 10 minutes from Dave's parents in INDIANA! So basically they went all the way to Florida to meet each other, even though they lived in neighboring towns. Needless to say they hit it off, spent all winter together and soon became engaged. There has been a sparkle in Jackie's eyes since she returned from Florida, and we all know it's because of Bob.

It was so sweet to hear them say their vows to each other, my eyes got misty as they were talking about "till death to us part". They are the youngest 80 year olds I've ever met! I love the next picture because it's so sweet, and also Dave's dad's face is hilarious. I guess seeing your mother-in-law kissing is a little awkward. ;)

I was pleasantly surprised how well our kids did during the ceremony, thank goodness it was simple and quick otherwise they would have done what they did at the cake reception, which is running around the room! They sure look like angels, don't they?

I'm blown away by how God has brought them together, fulfilling their need and desire for companionship. I learn more every day that God has a sense of humor, taking them all the way to Florida to meet each other and fall in love.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

You can have a future and a hope at any age...what's holding you back? Do you need to go somewhere to find what God is trying to tell you? Do you need to appreciate what He's already given you? Appreciate His plan. Cherish His plan. Accept His plan. He is good, all the time.

thank you...

2011-08-31T17:00:00.003-04:00

...to my fabulous August sponsors! Some are new and some have been with me through this entire journey of having sponsors on the blog. Regardless, they are all awesome and have something I know you'll enjoy. Come check them out!

Jessica is a Thirty One Consultant. I'm sure most (if not all) of you have heard of Thirty One - both for their wonderful mission statement as a company and also for their fabulous products!

Fairytale Journeys by Christopher Lingren is THE place to go if you're planning a Disney Vacation. In fact, we're planning one with our best friends and I went straight to Christoper first for a FREE quote. He showed us a ton of options to make our decision easier.

a Page of Creativity is a great Etsy shop with custom glass pendants, keychains, sports necklaces and more. She's got just about everything you'll need to celebrate your little sports star!

Lindsay Konduris is a wonderfully talented photographer in the Indianapolis area. But she's also an artist with an Etsy shop for her paintings.

Cece's Boutique just started working on her business full time and she's got lots of great products. Jumbo paper clips, bows, felt flowers - so many things to choose from!

Berries & Brine features super cute flower headbands for little girls with a vintage look.

Want to be a sponsor on the blog for just $10 a month and grow your business? Email me at amy{at}amycornwell(dot)com!

WIWW- June Cleaver edition

2011-08-31T08:00:00.001-04:00

This week for What I Wore Wednesday I'm in my Sunday outfit...Dave said it's a little "elegant" meaning June Cleaver (a.k.a. not sexy - matronly maybe??). But he said I looked pretty so that's what matters, right? Bless his heart, he's a good man.
{{and I was having an outstanding hair day, if I do say so myself}}

necklace: 30" long link chain, oval, layers of my heart necklace || earrings

cardi: GAP || tank: NY&Co || skirt: made by ME! || shoes: Target
(cardi: free || skirt: free || shoes $3!!)

bloom ring || 4 hammered stack bands (not in shop)

Thanks to Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy for keeping us accountable with getting out of our jammies!

Tuesday Tutorial: Shrinky Dink Bracelet

2011-08-30T14:00:00.000-04:00

This was a joint project with Big E - she did the art and I put it together. Big E LOVES doing Shrinky Dinks...I mean LOVE. She asks me every day if she can do them so I knew I needed to figure out a craft that she could enjoy more than just that day that she created it. Enter a flower punch & bracelet blank!

make sure your flower is about 2" in size so that when it shrinks you can still see the picture

punch holes with a standard hole punch, otherwise when it shrinks the hole will be too small

shrink according to package directions & seal with clear nail polish

gather the charms, jump rings & chain (or bracelet blank like I have shown)

twist open your jump rings, don't pull them open...this way they'll close tightly

add them at intervals that will make them even on your chain

the house charm is my favorite...I love it in miniature

E was so excited when I showed her the finished product

those of you who have been following me for a while know that I love multiple charms because of
the jingle...and I was happy to hear that even though these are plastic, they jingle too!

Shrinky Dinks & Permapaque markers purchased here.

New In Shop: LOVE Heirloom & Swarovski Earrings

2011-08-29T15:51:00.000-04:00

I've been cleaning up the shop: deleting items, putting some on clearance and editing categories. Hopefully you'll still be able to find your favorites! In doing so I realized that I only had a couple of Heirloom pieces in the shop so I decided to make a new design. The Heirloom pieces are my favorites for a few reasons...the chime they make when the charms hit each other, the fact that all of your passions can be on one necklace and that you can remove the charms to give them to your loved ones as the years pass. This new necklace uses my brand-new large uppercase typewriter font on two different charms. Each are hammered along the edge to match the rustic feel of the letters and a single freshwater pearl is added to the center.

I also thought it was time to add some Swarovski earrings to the shop to match the add-on pendants for the necklaces. So now I have the standard birthstone, drop birthstone and briolette as earrings. Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was fantastic!

LOVE heirloom necklace | birth stone earrings | drop earrings | wrap earrings

Friday Favorites

2011-08-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

I'm going to attempt to get back on a blogging schedule (anyone miss the Tuesday Tutorials?? I DO!) so I've decided to share some of my favorites each week with you in addition to the other regular posts. They will be recipes, crafts, clothing - just about anything! So sit back, enjoy and have a great weekend!

I made these and they are DELICIOUS! Just as good as Starbucks and a fraction of the price!

Source: tasteofhome.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

This is just like the skirt I made for myself, except it has POCKETS!

Source: freshlypickedblog.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

I just think this is SO true. If it's too small to read, click on the link to see it full size.

Source: twitter.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

I'm loving the thought of using some of the pallets from our new patio to make a wall garden with.

Source: livingwallart.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

My hubby's a pilot of small aircraft like this and I think a photo shoot at the airport would be so cool.

Source: omgimgettingmarried.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Freebie Friday: Bottlecap Magnets

2011-08-26T08:45:00.000-04:00

Today only, free with any $25 purchase you will receive one set of bottlecap magnets. They are limited so get them while you can! Add the magnets that you want to your cart and use coupon code "bottlecap" to get them for free!

These magnets are fabulously strong and can hold 10+ pieces of paper on your refrigerator. Or you can use them for the new bottlecap changeable necklaces that are so popular with youth right now. There are so many uses for these!

He knows what we need...

2011-08-25T11:00:00.000-04:00

Philippians 4:19 "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."

It never ceases to amaze me the way that God gives me exactly what I need at any given time. I have been blessed with a growing business that has kept me busy since I went full time as a WAHM. In fact, the weeks have come to the point where I'm working every day during Little E's naptime to keep caught up (and I am so grateful for that). Until this week. Sales have really slowed, and I have no doubt that God gave me this downtime to renew and refresh and remember creativity FOR MYSELF.

It's been so long since I've just created for me. Not to post a tutorial. Not to sell. Not to give to someone else. Just creating freely without taking pictures every step along the way. I have been so annoyed at myself lately for feeling like every craft I do I have to photograph instead of just enjoying the process.

So that's what I did a few days this week. Sure, there was some creative time where I made OOAK pieces for the website, but yesterday was entirely about being creative to bless my family and myself. I woke up and made the family cranberry-orange scones. While Little E was napping I made a bag for myself from vintage fabric that my grandma gave me.

I made banana bread and a skirt. It was an absolutely wonderful, relaxing, creative, somewhat selfish day. And I think that's exactly what I needed.

I'm refreshed and ready to create beautiful pieces again for friends & strangers to enjoy. I'm ready to bless others with the gift God has given me through creativity. I'm so grateful for the lack of business God gave me the past few days. But now I'm ready to work (and I'm going to TODAY)!

A few items of business:
~ I've posted a ton of new items this week, you can see them all here
~ I have sponsor spots left for September - sign up now and you'll get the last week of August for free!
~ I would LOVE to have some guest posters again on the blog - if you have a craft you'd like to share please contact me for a possible guest spot.
~ In order to make room for new items, I've clearanced out a bunch of stamped items. Some have just one left in stock so be sure to check on your favorites!

New In Shop: Layered Monogram & Initial

2011-08-24T09:00:00.001-04:00

These are the last of the new stamped styles for this week, thanks for hanging with me!

The first is the Layered Initial necklace featuring two rounded squares, the largest being 14mm in size. The two squares are soldered together and the smaller one is stamped with my uppercase typewriter font in a single initial. Oh, how I'm loving this new typewriter font! It's such a great size.

The Layered Monogram has become my new favorite and one that I've been wearing every day since I made it (some of you even got a sneak peek at church on Sunday!!). The large square is 19mm in size and both are hammered along the edge. The large initial in the center is also my newest uppercase typewriter that is slightly rustic and it's surrounded by my standard lowercase typewriter font.

Thank you for joining me this week as I announced all of my new products. I can't wait to hear and see what you think of them! Thanks, as always, for continuing to spread the word about my business and it's only because of you guys that I've been able to work from home for the past three months. THANK YOU!! xo

easy one cup smoothie

2011-08-23T17:52:00.000-04:00

My kids are constantly asking me to make them smoothies - we love them in our house! Soon I'll try a green smoothie and will let you know how they are. I just can't imagine that you can't taste the spinach, but I digress. I've come up with a super easy way to make a smoothie using just one cup and a smoothie. Yum-o, here we go!

fill your cup with berries, almost to the top.
I used strawberries, blueberries & raspberries.

fill it in halfway with juice and top it off with vanilla yogurt

throw it all in the blender...if you want it more frozen
throw in some ice cubes or use frozen fruit

enjoy! yum!

Do you have any fun smoothie recipes to share with us?

New In Shop: The Heidi & The Leslie

2011-08-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

The two new necklaces I'm introducing today celebrate two of my sweet friends, Heidi and Leslie.

The Heidi features a 22x10mm rectangle with rounded
edges and is stamped with a single initial. The initial is
stamped in my newest large uppercase typewriter font.

The Leslie features the same rectangle,
but this one has a soldered 10mm flower on top of it.

More tomorrow - see you then!

New In Shop: Cuff Links & Greek

2011-08-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to announce the first of many new products this week (or, if you're an enews subscriber, you saw them ALL last night!!). I've had so much fun this past week getting new products and new stamps in. I had one setback that I'm going to attempt to still figure out, but for now I have a host of fabulous new lovelies for you all to enjoy. They will all be released this week, with the first three being released today. Let's get to it!

Sterling Silver Cuff Links
The first one's for the groom - personalized sterling silver cuff links to celebrate the wedding day. What makes these different from others on the market is the fact that they are ENTIRELY sterling silver. The stamped disc is 3/4" in size (the medium disc) and the cuff link is sterling as well.

There are so many ways to personalize this. Have it as shown with the couples names, wedding date and last initial in the center. Or stamp it with only the couples names and initial in the center. Or stamp it simply with the wedding date straight across. The options are endless and I'm happy to work with the couple to make this special keepsake exactly what they want. Custom sizes are also available if you want something smaller or larger. This personalized keepsake is $75 and you can get them here.

Greek
I'm so excited about this next new line! I will keep adding more Greek items, but these two are a great start to those of you who are entering a sorority or fraternity. I can also custom make items with the Greek alphabet using any of my charms, just ask!

The layered Greek necklace includes the mini disc soldered to a medium (3/4") disc. They are both hammered along the edge and stamped with 2-3 Greek letters of your choice. It's just $48!

The Sorority Sister necklace is simply the flat bar necklace with 2-3 Greek letters and "sister" in the typewriter font. Just $25!

If you need any of these in bulk for your entire sorority, let me know and I'll tell you the discounted rate for multiples. You can also add your colors by using the birthstones or custom ordering your specific color.

Freebie Friday: Bloomies!

2011-08-19T11:38:00.000-04:00

Today's Freebie Friday is a Free Bloomie (up to an $8 value) with any purchase over $50. Simply add $50 worth of product to your cart and a bloomie of your choice. Use coupon code "bloomie" to get the $8 taken off. There are limited bloomies available so get them quick! Happy Friday!

(if you decide to get the bloomie as a headband, you'll get $8 off of the $15 price making it just $7! Valid Friday, August 19th only. One per order.)

New in Shop: Bloomies

2011-08-18T15:06:00.000-04:00

While in the airplane flying to New Hampshire I had LOTS of time to sew bloomies! I have seven new ones to show you and these are great because UPick what you want them to be: a pin or a headband!

Side note: I do have a fabulous new "line" of items for next week. It's not a Fall line, just a compilation of many new ideas going around in my head that all came to be at the same time. They don't all fit together, but they are all new and are all FABULOUS. I can't wait to show them to you! Three were photographed today and the others have to be made this weekend. I hope you're having a great week!!

overcome

2011-08-17T10:56:00.000-04:00

While in New Hampshire we went rock jumping...granted it wasn't a huge, 40 foot rock but it was still very daunting when looking down from the top. All of us jumped except for our two little ones (although E thought she might want to try).

me jumping the first time (I jumped 3 times, what a rush!!)

The best part? My bestie Chrissy overcoming her fear of heights
and jumping off. It took her 15 minutes of this...

...but finally she overcame her fear and took the leap.
I'm so proud of her for facing her fear!

What do you need to overcome today?

The Beauty of New England

2011-08-16T13:00:00.000-04:00

Romans 1:20 NLT

"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature."

When we went to New Hampshire from flat, hot Indiana we saw some amazing things. Before I share with you about what we did on our trip, I wanted to share what we saw through God's creation. New England is a beautiful place, full of mountains and streams and ocean. It almost makes me want to move there (if it weren't for our family living here in Indiana)!

flying around amazingly beautiful thunderstorm clouds

on the way to the White Mountains

Lady's Bathtub in Lincoln, New Hampshire

Ripley Falls

What is your favorite: mountains, plains, oceans? What do you think is the most beautiful?

Freebie Friday, I mean, MONDAY!!

2011-08-15T10:13:00.001-04:00

Because I was on vacation for Freebie Friday, we'll do a Freebie Monday (excuse the picture below):

Today only (Monday, August 15), get a free itty bitty charm (sterling) with any purchase over $30. Simply add $30 worth of product to your cart and the itty bitty and use coupon code "ittybitty" to get the $5 taken off. Happy Monday! (plus, check out the new items I just posted...)

ACD Celebrity Sighting

2011-08-13T13:36:00.000-04:00

source - necklace by me and I think she's wearing her True Love ring as well!

If you've followed me for a while, you know how excited I was that the sweet Tenley from The Bachelor has been wearing Amy Cornwell pieces. She has been so sweet in our email exchanges and I just love what she represents. Even her boyfriend Kiptyn has a leather cuff. This past week while I was out on vacation my bestie (who also loves Tenley) told me that Tenley was wearing her ACD necklace in the video she and Kiptyn posted reviewing Bachelor Pad and also on a picture she posted on her facebook page. Here's the video if you want to watch - I think I might even hear the charms making their beautiful chime sound as she's talking (one of the many reasons I love wearing multiple charms). Love it!!

open house recap

2011-08-08T10:13:00.001-04:00

This weekend I realized I never did an Open House post - only the WIWW. OOPS! This wasn't the first open house in my home, but it was the first where I had other vendors selling with me. I thought the turnout was great and am so excited for the Christmas Open House in November! Here's my setup:

Eva from Snappee Turtle launched her company the night of the open house and it was so fun to get to see her creations. She makes interchangeable headbands with a magnetic snap, hence the name. They're genius and very well made. She even adds fabric to the headbands and the flowers are so adorable. You can preorder her headbands and flowers right now to ship in early October when her snaps arrive.

What would a party be without food?! And I had to decorate like Christmas, my mother and hubby told me I didn't have a choice. Once it was all said and done it was fun to have the red & green out again!

Jessica's company is called Cards by Jessica and she makes beautiful cards, gift bags and gift tags. She had her bags & tags on one table and her huge assortment of cards on the other. Her designs are adorable - check out that cute "for ewe" sheep gift bag!

Thanks to Jessica and Eva for a night of fun and a special thanks to everyone who came out (and for my bestie Jaime for taking pictures while the open house was going on!).

I'm different...

2011-08-05T17:17:00.000-04:00

{some of you who know me are thinking "that's so true!!"}

...than most business owners. Most business owners have "lines" that they like to have a few times a year. I'm not going to lie, I wanted to do that. I don't necessarily want to have new things all of the time, making it hard for people to know what to get. But I'm not wired that way. If inspiration strikes, I make something new. And quite often I'm so giddy about said new product that I can't even wait until Monday's "New In Shop" post to release it. But this is how I was made and I'm going to embrace it. I'm not made to create a bunch of product and then wait a few months to create new ones. I create a new item a few times a week. Some make it to the shop, some end up being one of a kind and some make it to the scrap pile. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

That being said, I have a new necklace that I just made this afternoon. I can't wait till Monday to share it with everyone because it's just THAT cute AND Limited Edition. I've had these hearts for years and my supplier no longer carries them. This is bad because I love them so much, but great for you because I got them at a great price before sterling got to be so expensive. So I'm passing on the savings to you!

These soldered necklaces feature an open heart with a stamped bar on them. They can fit up to 12 letters in the typewriter font. They're just $40 and I only have 8 available! Get yours here.

Freebie Friday: Sterling Gemstone Pendant

2011-08-05T08:09:00.001-04:00

Today's Freebie Friday is a free sterling gemstone pendant like the ones on the left with any $25 purchase on www.amycornwell.com. The best part? You don't have to do anything! One will be included in every single order today that is $25 or more. Happy Friday!

Make the Difference: Love Update

2011-08-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the first Make the Difference campaign for the month of July. Because of your generosity we will be sending $285 to Love146 to help save girls from sex trafficking! I am so excited that 19 of you now have these necklaces and can remember to pray for these girls each time you wear them. Please remember to tell your friends about this organization and how they can help!

I'm looking for suggestions of other great organizations to help for the Make the Difference campaign so please let me know of any you support that you want me to check out!

the power of pinterest

2011-08-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, I am not one to jump on the bandwagon of a hot new social website - I'm kind of anti-establishment (or whatever) in that way. That is exactly why I haven't signed up for Google+ yet, but that's another story for another day.

One site that I did give in to and I'm so glad I did is Pinterest. I love seeing what other people are pinning whether it be crafts, yummy recipes, home decor, clothing - whatever. The other thing that I love is how fast things get pinned and repinned. Blog posts, recipes and products spread like wildfire on Pinterest. A prime example? My true love ring on Etsy. I didn't realize what was going on until I checked my analytics and saw that it had been pinned by a few {seemingly} influential people. During the week of July 18-22 47% of the views to my Etsy shop were due to Pinterest. That's power!

Pinterest is a great way to catalog your favorite things and sharing them with others. So my challenge to you is to pin, pin, pin (and if you need an invite let me know)! You never know what impact you might be making by sharing your favorite things. Here are some of mine...
{I apologize for the captions looking like they do, I couldn't get the html to do what I wanted it to}

Source: meghan-blum.blogspot.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Source: dana-made-it.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Source: seddy5.typepad.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Source: simplesimonandco.blogspot.com via amycornwell on Pinterest

Check out all of my pins here.

family time

2011-08-02T09:20:00.001-04:00

Our weekends usually are a little different because my hubby is off on Friday and works on Saturday. This weekend he actually had Saturday and Sunday off so we were able to spend the whole {real} weekend together. The kids and I started it off on Friday with a trip to Conner Prairie with my mom. It's a really cool interactive history "museum" where the kids can visit different time periods and learn about how they lived during each one. They can watch a metalsmith create nails & hooks, watch an artist make pottery and pet the farm animals. My kids love it...we get to spend time outside and see a lot of different things. I love that they're learning and that I'm learning too since I'm horrible with history.

While my mom and Big E were checking out one of the original homes from the 1800's, little E and I tried to get some cute self-portraits. Lucky for me our son likes goofy faces just like his sister. At least the last one is cute!

Saturday we spent the day as a family at Cheesecake Factory with Hubby's parents and then we went camping with some of our friends. We had a great time despite the heat and went swimming, ate tons of s'mores and got no sleep in the tent together. Side note - if you haven't tried s'mores with Reese's Cups, you need to. Like, right now. They are the best things I've ever had. You can thank me later :)

Our week days are pretty standard (errands, pool time, working, dinner, bed, repeat) so to have the weekend together doing whatever we want is great. It was so nice to unplug and just relax and not worry about anything. Sunday night we celebrated Little E's 3rd birthday...all in all a fabulous time with the ones we love!

What was your favorite part of the weekend?

New in Shop: The Reese

2011-08-01T17:18:00.000-04:00

About a week after I posted the newest Gold Filled Flat Bar Necklace I saw these two pictures (within days of each other).

Reese Witherspoon AND Kate Hudson wearing gold bar necklaces, just horizontally instead of vertically! I know the pictures are hard to see but I just loved the simplicity and beauty of the necklaces. I don't know if they're stamped or hammered or what, but I decided to use the same bar from the Flat Bar Necklace, hammer it and pair it with the cable chain for my newest creation!

It's simple, gorgeous, and a little bit fancy but still okay to wear with jeans & a tee. If you want it stamped in addition to the hammering you can do that too! The text would look best on this necklace undarkened, so if you choose to have text added it will be left natural. Get yours here! For the time being I'm calling it The Reese to avoid confusion with the other gold filled bar necklace.

Right now I have just 6 available because my supplier is out of stock. I hope to add more once they come back in stock. I also posted a BUNCH of new product in the past week {headbands, rings & necklaces}, you can see all of these new items here.

little e is three!

2011-08-01T08:20:00.000-04:00

I can't believe the day has come...little e is 3 today! He is the sweetest, most lovable little guy. He can play with cars & trains for hours on end, but he also loves to cuddle. We celebrated his birthday yesterday with family at our neighborhood pool followed by a cookout. Little e had a blast celebrating and got lots of trucks, trains and cars to play with!

Little e, you are sweet and playful and a cuddle-bug. I love the way you curl in your top lip when you smile for the camera and the way that you ask to "cuddle" when you don't want to go to bed. I love to hear you talk to yourself as you play cars and when you & Big E play together. I love how you run with your arms straight down and how your cheeks get red almost immediately. I love your imagination and how you tell ladies that they're pretty then get all shy about it. I just love YOU! Happy birthday bubby! Love, mommy.

Freebie Friday: Sterling Mini Charm

2011-07-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Per special request from a fabulous fan who just had her second baby, we're repeating last week's freebie friday!

Today's Freebie Friday is a free sterling mini charm with any purchase over $40! Simply add at least $40 worth of product to your cart, add the sterling silver mini charm to your cart and type in - freebie - as the coupon code to get $10 deducted from your total.

Tank Top Refashion

2011-07-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

It never fails that Big E ruins a shirt the first time she wears it. It was no different the first time she wore this stripe tank. French fries & ketchup did the job.

I'm not going to lie, I considered just throwing it away. It was only $3 and my laziness almost won out. But then I thought, surely I can put a ruffle or something on it! I just used some of the tulle left from the flowers I've been making and 3 buttons. Easy-peasy! I'm going to let the pictures show you how it's done, it's THAT easy!

Big E's all-girl so she was happy to have a pretty shirt to put on. Isn't she the cutest?!

Don't forget, less than a week left to help Make the Difference! Click on the button below for details!

WIWW - open house edition

2011-07-27T07:59:00.000-04:00

Monday night I hosted a Christmas in July open house with two other crafty ladies. I had a great time and met a lot of sweet ladies who came out to shop. I think dressing for an event like this is always hard because you want to look hip and fun because you're selling your brand. The three of us didn't talk about what we were going to wear so I also didn't know how casual the other ladies would be. I decided to meet in the middle and wear this (I'm on left):

dress/shirt - H&M

skinnies - Target

belt - H&M

jewelry - Amy Cornwell
(I wore a TON of my pieces layered together)

shoes - none (hence the cut-off feet)

Want to check out these other ladies? The one in the middle is Jessica, owner of Cards by Jessica. Eva is on the right and her business is Snappee Turtle. More pics from the open house to come!

{linking up to Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy}

Tuesday Tutorial: Button Heart Sign

2011-07-26T09:00:00.004-04:00

On Saturday I made this cool sign out of a scrap piece of wood, some fabric and buttons. The funny thing is, at about step #5 of this project I realized it would match in my room! Up until then I just figured I'd find somewhere in the house to put it. I guess the new room decor is still new to my brain. For this project you'll need a piece of wood, fabric, a staple gun (or you can hot glue it), buttons & a hot glue gun. Here we go!

Piece of wood from Hubby's scrap pile.

Cut your fabric so that it'll go around to the back.

Staple or hot glue the fabric, pulling it tight.

Look how pretty!!

I started out by just freely placing the buttons to make a heart,

but then I wanted something more symmetrical so I cut a heart

out of paper and laid out the buttons.

Hot glue them down to make the outline. You could stop here or...

Fill it in like I did! I had a ton of red buttons so it was no problem.

Next, take a picture and glue down the corners of the buttons.

I didn't glue on the picture so that I could replace it as I wanted to.

All done! Me and my love. The picture still moves a bit

so I used double sided tape on the back to keep it steady.

Did you craft or play (or both) this past weekend??

Linking up with Weekend Warrior, Made with Love Monday and Tatertots&Jello!

New In Shop: Flat Bar Necklace in Gold-fill

2011-07-25T09:00:00.003-04:00

I love this new necklace against my tanned skin (sorry, we've been enjoying my WAHM status and our pool, for sure!). The gold bar is thick and the letters are left natural (not darkened) for a subtle look. It comes with one charm but you can add a second charm for a discounted price.

Get yours here!

Freebie Friday: Sterling Mini Charm

2011-07-22T08:00:00.003-04:00