i'm sponsoring a GIVEAWAY!!

i'm sponsoring a GIVEAWAY!! and it's my first! the winner will receive this beautiful pendant, handmade from upcycled glass! this one of a kind piece is a striking red with yellow edges. it looks like a frozen flame!
i would be so thrilled and honored if you all could enter to win! here's the link!
http://love2upcycle.blogspot.com/2011/04/giveaway-from-inmetaljewelry.html

upcycling blog feature!

http://sofiastreasurechest.blogspot.com/2011/04/upcycle.html

check out this awesome blog featuring my upcycled rosette pendant!
yay for upcycling!

BNR round 2 going on now!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4db8299847f26d91bbdcd975/open-perfect-for-mamas-day-bnr-round-2?page=4#comments
here's the link for the BNR going on right now until 3pm EST!
i have two featured spots so i'd love it if you would stop over and show some love!!
and don't forget my current coupon for 10% off your purchase ILOVEMYMOM10

glass part 2

so once i bring the shards home, they get a good cleaning. they are individually washed with soap and warm water, dried, and then shined up nice and pretty. here's a pic of a handful of glass all dried and shined up, ready to be made into something fabulous. i go over every edge and point to make sure it isn't sharp. i love the rough and unique edges of each piece, but i will rub my fingertips over the edges and on some fabric to make sure it doesn't cause damage. if there are any issues i use some tools to grind the sharpness down to make a safer edge, still leaving it rough and varied. i think one of the most interesting aspects of the pieces is how asymmetrical they are. (i am a libra so i typically like balance and symmetry, so this is odd for me!) each piece has a shape that suits it better for vertical or horizontal hanging. the thickness of the glass determines how deep or bright the color is. the size determines if it will be a suncatcher or pendant (some are interchangeable if you like big statement pieces!) i'm thinking of trying to make some earrings and outdoor mobiles soon. we'll see what else i come up with! i'll take suggestions if you have any!

for the love of oreos!

if you love oreos, this is the recipe for you! it is so popular with all of my in-laws that i am signed up to make it for every gathering. 

oreo truffles
1 pkg oreos, minus 2 (not sure why!)
1 pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 pkg almond bark
it could not be simpler! put the oreos through the food processor and then put it all in a big bowl. use your hands to work the cream cheese through the crumbs until it it totally mixed together. this is the messy and fun way (especially if you have kids!) you can just as easily add the softened cream cheese to the food processor with the oreos once the oreos have been sufficiently pulverized. after this, i suggest putting the mixture in a bowl and putting it in the fridge so it's easier to work with.

next, cover a cookie sheet with wax paper. make small balls out of the oreo mixture and put them on the sheet. once they are all made, put them in the fridge for a few minutes to chill. while they chill down and firm up, melt the almond bark in a double boiler. then dunk the oreo balls in the almond bark and put back on the cookie sheet. i always top them with seasonally appropriate sprinkles. i also really like the white almond bark flavor with these, even though i hate white chocolate. you could also use real chocolate to dunk them in. i haven't because i think if i deviate from the original recipe there will be a revolt. some like them cold out of the fridge. some like them room temp so they are creamy and delicious inside (that would be me). they also freeze really well so you could make a batch or five, freeze them, and then take one out every once in a while when you need a special little treat. give 'em a try. seriously!

hidden treasure: the glass shards

this is just a small portion of my stockpile of glass shards. aren't there are so many beautiful colors?? holding each piece up to the light really shows you the striking shades. it's hard to see just how amazing they are, but this is how i found them- covered in dust and dirt, all piled together.  i found these at Creative Reuse Pittsburgh, where i get a lot (most!) of my materials. they were all on a shelf, separated by color, stored in huge plastic pretzel barrels. because they were kinda in a corner i had passed them by a couple times before finally noticing them. i went back again and again, each time sitting on a big spool of hot pink ribbon, holding each piece up to the sun shining through the giant window in order to see the color. i looked at each piece for shape and break, handpicking some for pendants and some for suncatchers. so much fun- like a treasure hunt! each piece has beautiful striations. some of the break patterns are parallel and some are rounded and swirly. every piece is as one of a kind as you can get.

pancakes!

i can't think of many things as wonderful as pancakes. and in our house, the weekend equals pancakes. my son is obsessed. i think he could eat them all day every day! today we did a quadruple berry pancake- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
here's the recipe. it's my mom's and i love it!
1c flour
2tbsp sugar
1tbsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1 egg
2tbsp oil
1cup milk
mix up all the dry ingredients then add the wet to them. don't mix too much, it's ok if it's lumpy. cook em up and eat!
and get creative with the mix-ins! berries, fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit... the possibilities are endless! you can also substitute any fruity baby food or applesauce for the oil. did you know that you can sub mayo for an egg in a pinch if you have to? (like when your hubby uses the last egg and doesn't tell you!)
i also always add some greek yogurt (for protein) and some flax seed (for omega 3s).gotta get the healthy stuff in wherever you can.
i prefer whipped cream on top over syrup, but my son would not agree.

yum!

monday bnr!

hi all!
this is just a little fyi that i am going to be in a bnr on monday, april 18th from 11am - 3pm, EST. here's a link to the preview if you would like to browse around:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4da8725d75626d9127b47600/preview-only-perfect-for-mamas-day-bnr

hope to see you there!

reward for the hardest job ever

so Mother's Day is fast approaching and i wanted to get the word out that i am having a SALE in honor of the hardest job ever- being a mom!
get your mom a gift that is as wonderful and unique as she is. i bet i've got the perfect thing, in the perfect color!

enter coupon code ILOVEMYMOM10 for 10% off.
and if you convo me at the time of purchase letting me know that the gift is for your mom and that you are a mommy yourself, i'll send you a special free gift!! 

if you are a mom, there is nothing wrong with getting a little somethin' somethin' for yourself!
as a working mom, don't think i don't treat myself every once in a while :o)

ps.... i love special orders!

here's a pic of my mommy, my son, and me down the shore 2009.

a match made in heaven

jennasaurus: haikuesday 9: "Where did my keys go?Not in my purse or pocketOh, they're in my hand......"

crafts and haikus? yes please!
check out this super fun feature!

i'm in a blog feature! yay!

 the feature of the week is me! take a peek!
Teslas: Crafting in College: Feature of the Week: "Every Friday I will showcase one of my follower's so we can find out more about them and their art. This is the second lucky person to be fe..."

hi, i'm new here

well, here i am....blogging? that seems so weird to me. but i guess i never would have thought i would begin selling pendants and have it be successful enough that i would have the guts to open an etsy shop either.
so let me take a moment to tell you a little bit about myself. right now i'm sitting in the living room, typing away. my husband is watching the pens game and my 4 year old son is walking back and forth between the two of us, wrapped up in a snuggie, trick or treating. it is april. most of the time that i spent fumbling around the internet creating this blog i had a candyland box on my head. my son is the most awesome person ever.
in a nutshell, i grew up in union, nj and moved to pittsburgh when i was 12. i was voted most unique dresser in high school. i went around the world on a boat when i was 19. i got married in 2005 and it made the news. i have a MSW and have worked in child welfare for 10 years. it's the type of job that when you go to holiday parties you dread the small talk question "so, what do you do?" no one actually wants to know- even when they think they do.

i have been loving the jewelry making that i picked up last fall. it has been a nice way to have some focused me-time. it is so important to keep those creative juices flowing. it's healthy. and i also get to focus on and preach about upcycling!
 thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

long beach island, 2010

check out my items on etsy: http://www.inmetaljewelry.etsy.com

and you can also find me on fb: http://www.facebook.com/InMetalJewelry

and feel free to leave comments! i love them :o)