~Pamela Susan~

The Shop is Open! And I have a yummy recipe for you... Frozen Hot Chocolate!

(Linking back to Sarah's inspirational and gorgeous blog, A Beach Cottage!)

 

Yes, the store is open today and tomorrow!  Hooray! 

And, who's ever had Frozen Hot Chocolate before??  My hubby got the recipe from Starbuck's and it is deeeelicious!  It's even enjoyable in this freakishly cold, snowy weather us Pacifc Northwesterners are experiencing right now.

I first heard about Frozen Hot Chocolate on Oprah years ago.  I think you'll really like it.  Here's the recipe:

 

In a high-powered blender pulverize the following ingredients:

2 cups ice

2 T Frozen Hot Chocolate Mix (we found this at our local grocer's supply store, Cash N' Carry)

2 T chocolate syrup

1/2 cup of half & half milk

2 tsp Hazelnut syrup

(makes about 16 oz)

Top with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a straw.   ENJOY!

(I like to add a tad bit more of the mix, chocolate and hazelnut syrup for an extra punch of flavor :)  )

Okay, that's it for today!

 

xo,

Pamela

 

(for all my wondeful blog readers, use the coupon FROZENHOTCHOCOLATE and receive FREE SHIPPING while the shop is open!)

Fresh New Designs Ready for Monday!

I had just jump on here real quick before we start our movie and popcorn in-home date.  I want to show you a few new designs that will be available on Monday when the shop reopens!

The first two will be part of the Green Collection, which is comprised of recycycled sterling silver discs (I stamp the backsides of rejected discs--discs from previously stamped pieces that couldn't be used because the wrong letter was stamped or it was too out of line).  The first is the Songbird ring, which goes perfectly with the Songbird necklace. 

 

For those of you who are not familiar with the Green Collection, these pieces are offered at a discounted price.  Regularly this ring would cost $35, but it will now sell for only $20.

The next design are Leaf Earrings.  Simple. Perfect.

Regular price--$28.  Green Collection price--$18.

I couldn't resist making a few "gem" pieces this past month.  I LOVE gems.  Especially faceted ones.  I still haven't come up with a name for this necklace.  Any ideas?

(These designs are OOAK--One Of A Kind--and will not be duplicated at this time.  First come first serve!)

The big, fat, juicy gem in the middle is a blue Chalcedony, followed by Lemon Quartz, Iolite, and Garnets.  I added a 2'' extender in the back and dangled a garnet from it.  Fancy schmancy.

These earrings would compliment this necklace perfectly. Simple.  Elegant.

And this last one is my absolute favorite.  It would match the Wild Flower Bouquet necklace perfectly.  Just like the necklace, I'm making a pair for myself.  I told you I like faceted gems...

Yummy.

Rubies, Amethyst, Green Apatite, Green Garnet, Blue Apatite, Citrine, Oregon sunstone, Iolite, Garnet, Tourmaline, Carnelian, and Emerald gems drip from these sterling silver chains.

The shop will open 9:00 am Monday February 28th and will close Tuesday night, March 1.  I have to upload new designs one at a time so it will take a few minutes to get these puppies up.

Here's a link to the shop.  :)

 

That's it for tonight... Happy Weekend!

 

xo,

Pamela

A Concert, a Visit to the Zoo, an Electric Bisque Firing and Homemade Saurkraut... What a Weekend!!

Last weekend was filled with all kinds of fun randomness.  It started with an AMAZING concert Friday night.  My hubby scored the very last two tickets to Tommy Emmanuel (fyi--when you visit his website, the vocals in the song that's playing in the background isn't a good representation of his music, in my opinion!).  Haven't heard of him?  Neither had I until that day.  Aaron was as giddy as a little kid when he told me about the tickets.  Now I know why.  He is crazy good on the guitar.  CRAZY.   I think it's safe to say he's one of the most accomplished guitarists ever.  And he's probably one of the best entertainers I've seen on stage--just down right hilarious.  If you have the opportunity to see him, GO.  You won't regret it.  I promise.  Here's his tour list.  To my friend, Anna, he'll be in Sweden March 3! Perhaps you and the hubs should go?  That is if the concert isn't already sold out.

Here's our view from the upper level in the Aladdin Theater in Portland.  Right smack dab in the middle.  Perfect...

The next day we visted the Portland Zoo on our way home.  Aaron snapped a few shots on his iphone.  It was a gorgeous, sunny morning, but c-c-c-c-cold. 

Miss J was all bundled up.

The girls and I headed back down on Sunday to vist my dad.  While there I did something I had never done before... I fired the electric kiln all by myself!  Remember the piggy banks, planters, frogs, birds, and salt and pepper shakers from long, long ago?  They've been sitting in the studio all this time just waiting to be fired.  I just haven't had time to do it.  I've also been a little intimidated to do it.  But I finally did it!!

I was worried about filling the kiln up correctly and using the space efficiently.  My mom was so good with filling up every nook and cranny so there was no wasted space. 

This was my first attempt...

and then I realized I could fit one more shelf of flat pieces.

Leaf spirits, birds, and my sunface were the perfect fit!

Unfortunatley, I had to head home soon after the kiln reached temperature, so I wasn't able to open it before it cooled down.  I look forward to seeing how everything turned out next time I go back.  Then it's time for glazing and then the pieces will be ready to be fired in the gas kiln.  The gas kiln... talk about intimidating.  It's been fired only twice since Mom's passing.  I'm hoping good ol' Heidi can help us do it again at some point.  :)  Now that would be a treat!  Heidi is one of the people that you just like to have around.  No wonder my Mom loved her so much.

Another fun thing we enjoyed while visiting dad was his homemade sauerkraut.  This stuff is seriously yummy.  And we were in for a treat--this time he added purple cabbage in with the white, so guess what color it turned out?  Pink!  The girls loved it.  Even Miss J.  :)

Here's the sauerkraut crock he uses to make it...

There's an area at the top that holds water.  When the lid is placed on it, a seal is created which helps prevent bacteria from growing on the cabbage. I guess without the seal, you'd have to go in and skim a  film off of the kraut pretty frequently.  No thank you.  I'll take the water seal.

Our German friend, Manfred Rudolph, introduced the art of making sauerkraut to my Dad a few years back.  Manfred was such a great guy.  He has since passed on and he is greatly missed.

To make the sauerkraut, he weighs the chopped cabbage and adds the appropriate amount of salt to it, places ceramic weight on top of it, and places the crock in a dark cool place.   Then he waits for the fermenting to begin--it takes about 4-6 weeks until it's ready for consumption.  Pretty simple, eh?

Here's a picture of the cermaic weights weighing the kraut down.  The liquid is sauerkraut juice that formed during the fermentation process...

And did you know that sauerkraut is a Superfood?  It is!!  The health benefits are amazing!  It boosts the immune system and helps fight cancer.  Sign me up!  I think I'm going to purchase a crock for ourselves.  I love knowing where our food comes from, so why not make my own.  I wonder how hard it is to grow cabbage??

And of course while we were there the girls had plenty of "Papa Time".  My Dad just has a way with kids.  I couldn't pull Miss J away from him without her spazzing out.

 

Thanks, Dad!!

 

Yes, it was a wonderful weekend. 

 

xo,

Pamela

 

p.s. Stay tuned--I'll soon be introducing some new jewelry designs that will be available when my shop opens next Monday and Tuesday, February 28th and March 1!  I think you'll like them.  :)

 

Facebook Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations Facebook Fan #233, Laura B, for winning the fabric flower/ daffodil lip gloss giveaway!

I will contact the winner personally to let her know she won.  :)

Thank you and Happy Saturday!

 

xo,

Pamela

A Giveaway for my Facebook "Fans"!!

Hi everyone!  Today I'm hosting a fun little giveaway for my Facebook Fans.  For those who have recently joined, welcome!

While shopping at Michael's, I found these fabric flowers in the scrapbooking aisle.  But when I saw them I thought, "to heck with scrapbooking--these will make DARLING hair clips!".  If you know me well, you know I'm not a fan of gigantic flowers on heads--gigantic as in the size of the flower is taking over the entire cranium.  Especially on babies.  But THESE flowers are perfect!  And not just for babies or kiddos, either.  I've totally been wearing them, too!  Actually, don't use them on babies or toddlers that might grab them off their heads and try eating them--they contain parts that are choking hazards.  All of them except the dark pink flower.  Just warnin' ya.  :)

I bought a package for me and one for one of you.

As I said, I've turned mine into hair clips.  Yes, I love to make handmade flower hair clips from scratch, but sometimes it's just nice to have a quick and easy project to make.  Right?  Right.  To make hair clips, cut out a piece of fabric and hot glue it to the back, while sandwhiching a hair clip in between (with the snappy part on the outside).  How easy is that?? You could also use a bobby pin.  Alligator clips would work, too, but I'm not a huge fan of them anymore--they prevent the flower from laying flat against the head, which is the look I like.

I seriously adore them. 

I also found a cute pot o' lip gloss--daffodil style.  I had to grab couple--again, one for me and one for the winner. 

It smells like vanilla.  Yuuuuuumy. And it's shimmery.  Preeeeeeety.  Don't worry though, I'm keeping the opened one. 

The winner will receive the following:

1.  Once package of fabric flowers (to do what you want with--I think you should make hair clips!!!)

2.  Daffodil Lip Gloss

 

(bird cage not included--sorry!)

 

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is "like" my facebook business page.  That's it!  If you're already a fan, then your name has already been "tossed in the hat".  But if you want to say hi to me, that would be fun, too.  I love hearing from you!

 

The winner will be randomly chosen and announced this Saturday, February 19th. 

 

xo,

Pamela

p.s. If you don't win, head on over to Michael's because they're 50% off right now! 

The Ava's Nest Necklace is GOING TO BE ON TV!!!!!!

No joke!

Remember my cute actress friend Erin?  Well, she's no longer a guest star on General Hospital--she has recently signed a contract with them!  One day she took the Ava's Nest into work and the main wardrobe director fell in love with it.  She wants to make it part of Siobhan's (Erin's character) wardrobe!  She wore it on set a couple times last month and those two shows will be airing most likely tomorrow and Friday, February 17th and 18th.  She has to wear a coat in those two shows, so it might be a little hard to see, but she'll also be wearing it on an episode that will air Thursday, March 10--with no coat! :)

The Ava's Nest is a design I came up with a couple years ago, and is one of my personal favorites.  It includes a sterling silver bird, Ava, who is flying home to her little blue eggs. These "eggs" are made of 2 mm Genuine Blue Pariaba Topaz gems wrapped in 18k gold bezels, and are nestled in a brown freshwater coin pearl.

Thank you, Erin!  I can't wait to see it on you on TELEVISION!!!!!  :)  :)  :)

 

xo,

Pamela

Yummy Cookies

I received an email today from Becky, who was one of the winners of the Felt Valentine Cookie Starter Kit giveaway.  Before she received the kit, she bought some supplies at Hobby Lobby and got a jump start on a batch of cookies for her friend.  I LOVE them!  She did a fabulous job!!  Here are some pictures she sent me...

She even made a little box out of posterboard so the cookies would look like they came from a bakery.  So clever!  She found the valentine here, and the baker's twine here--$20 for over 3,300 feet!  I need to get myself some.

I love the recipe for them!

WAY TOO CUTE, Becky!!!  I am so impressed.  Too bad we don't live closer to one another--it would be fun to get together and craft!

For the rest of you who have been sewing away making these little felt treats, I would LOVE for you to post some pictures to my facebook page!  Please!  Pretty please?!  I would love to see your creations.

And speaking of cookies, here are some real ones I made a couple days ago.  I must say, sugar cookies are my weakness.  I have no idea how many I consumed today--my taste buds just couldn't resist them!

And I wasn't able to make large Valentine cookies for my family yesterday--I just plum ran out of time.  Oh well, we enjoyed a second round of celebrating tonight!  There's nothing like Valentine's Day two days in a row!  Making these were definitely a must--it is a tradition that my Mom used to do for me and my siblings growing up and I want to continue it.

Making them late actually worked out quite well.  This morning when the girls woke up they asked me why I didn't make a trail of hearts for them yesterday.  I think their high hopes stemmed from this party we had a couple years ago, which by the way, was the BEST Valentine's Day party ever!  I miss my Medford friends.

I also made a trail of hearts for them last year, so I guess a tradition was born that first party!

So, once again, tonight I made a trail of paper hearts from one corner of the familyroom to the other,  ending with everyone's cookies. 

I think they liked them.

Yes, a fun day was had by all.

 

Goodnight!!

 

xo,

Pamela

Happy Valentine's Day! (and here's just one more valentine craft idea!!)

I hope everyone is having a great Valentine's Day!  Just in case some of you are still making some felt Valentine cookies, I had to share this idea with you... Felt Heart Hair Clips!

And, Felt Cookie Hair Clips!!!!

Here's Miss C modeling hers.

If you want to make some too, follow the directions for the regualar felt cookies, but make them smaller and add a clip!  When cutting the hearts, make them slightly bigger than the clip (this clip is about 1.25" long).

Then, snip a little hole off to the side of the heart to pull the clip through.

This is the side that will be on the outside; on the inside, adhere the clip to the felt with a small amount of hot glue to stabilize it.

Finish following the rest of the instructions and you'll be set!

I'm in love with them.

Oh, I found the beads at Michaels. I think it's a pretty good selection.  Use a 40% off coupon and it'll cost only $6!  I think the green ones will be perfect for a St. Patty's project.

Well, that's it for today.  I'm off to get ready for my hot date with my hubby.  :)

 

xo,

Pamela

 

 

 

P.S.  Two years ago, I posted this picture of a "paint splatter" that somehow formed the perfect heart. 

Ever since then, she and I are always on the look out for "accidental" hearts.  While in California last month, we spotted this heart in the sand at Santa Monica.  Amazing, isn't it??

 

 

 

Valentine Oreo Suckers and Lollipops

I've been having some fun in the kitchen... 

At first I was going to make Valentine cake pops, but since I didn't feel like baking a cake, oreo valentine "suckers'' were the next best option.  Do you remember the St. Patty's ones I made a while ago?  These treats are sooooooooo yummy and crunchy. And these Valentine colors put a smile on my face.

Did I mention they're crunchy?  That's my favorite part.

And as if they're not embellished enough, I couldn't help personalizing them.  It just adds that extra special touch.

(The initials were a Target find from last year.)

The paper hearts came from Michael's. Use an exacto knife to slit small horizontal lines in the paper for the stick to slide through.

I thought making Valentine Oreo Lollipops would be a fun twist on this treat.

To make them, after dipping the oreo in the melting chocolate, set aside to dry.  Once the chocolate is completley dry, pour some chocolate in a pastry bag with a fine circular frosting tip on it; pipe a swirl on the flat surface and sprinkle with fine sprinkles!  Voila!  You're done!

For instructions on how to make oreo suckers, visit my St. Patty's Oreo sucker post.

For some extra tips on how to help prevent the oreos from breaking while inserting the stick, go here.

I can't wait to give these to all my Valentines in my life.  I hope it puts a smile on their faces and in their tummies.

 

Thank you and have a great weekend!

 

xo,

Pamela

 

The February Birthstone Necklace Giveaway WINNER!

I just love hosting giveaways.  I really do.  I love the thought of sending one of my creations to someone  somewhere in the world for free.  Just a simple little gift that will hopefully brighten someone's day.  I like to also think about the many different places that my jewelry pieces are: Blaine, WA.  Martin, TX. Oakdale, MN.  Ireland. Austrailia. Portugal. The Netherlands.  I love it! 

Speaking of location, I wonder where the giveaway winner, NUMBER 68, lives?! That's right!  Number 68 was randomly chosen... CONGRATS Lisa Cousineau!  It looks like you won on your third entry, when you "liked" my facebook fan page!  And it just happens to be your birthday today, so Happy Birthday!  Please email me your address at psjewelry@gmail.com.  Thank you!

Thank you to all of you who entered the giveaway!  I enjoyed reading about your favorite jewelry and the stories behind each piece.  I also appreciate your feedback on the oval ball chain and regular ball chain.  I think I just might go ahead and offer both! 

And thank you to those who have joined my facebook fan page!  Since I love giveaways so much I want to host a giveaway for all of you who have "liked" my fan page, so stay tuned!

xo,

Pamela