Back to School

Charlotte Russe

Hello back to school wardrobe! I've got my eye on these cute tops.

Charlotte Russe

I may be short, but I don't want to be short on style this fall.


Wet Seal

Casual and comfy tops are on my shopping list, and I can't wait to snatch these up.

Simply Stated

The other day, while at work, I had the urge to make jewelry. Lately, I have been trying to exercise a modicum of restraint when it comes to buying supplies, so instead of buying more, I made do with what I had. What I made were these sterling silver chain and pearl necklaces.(The green glass piece was just thrown in for good measure.)

The holes in the aqua pearls were too small for my wire. Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time. I went right back to the jeweler's bench and drilled bigger holes in each. Thus, a project that would never have been completed was finished. It really comes in handy to have the right tools for the job.

Now, if only I had more chain...

Studio Friday: Look Back

This week's topic for Friday July 13th: LOOK BACK!

They say don't ever look back, nor dwell on things for too long. One is supposed to instead just move on, eyes straight ahead focused on one's goal.
BUT...here's the but... while it is certainly true to not look back and dwell on the negative events it is one of the best things one can do, to look back... but on the positive things and see how far you have come!!!

"The people who are happy and fulfilled measure their progress by comparing where they are against where they’ve come from. The people who are stressed and dissatisfied measure progress by comparing where they are against their ideals."- Jamie Smart

This topic is a little bittersweet for me because as you may already know from reading one of my last posts, I'm letting go of my original dream for Yvette Designs.

Looking back to the start of my jewelry making endeavors, I have come a long way. I went from not knowing what a blog was, to being blogging obsessed; from being photographically challenged, to nearly accomplished. The materials that I used have evolved to better quality and the jewelry now has a more young and contemporary style.

My first and only jewelry party is depicted in these two photos above. I hosted it at my home. The day that I sent the invitations the city began roadwork on my narrow two way street(I had no idea they were going to do this), and it completely threw the success of the party. I only had a few guests, and only one of them bought jewelry. I put a lot of effort into it, and I was crushed, but I kept forging ahead with my sales in other ways.

This photo was one of my first attempts with hot lamps and an empty milk carton diffuser. I would sweat to death in my little home office or in the hallway where I'd try to get the perfect shots to put up on my new blog. At this time, I had never even heard of Etsy. Now, getting the perfect shot is as simple as point, click, and some minor Corel Photo touch ups, and Etsy is no longer a mystery.

My jewelry and I have come a long way. The journey has been fun, but there is still more to do. Since I'm ever changing, it should be interesting to see how my skills and jewelry develop in the next year. Maybe then I will do another similar post to have a walk down memory lane.

Bedding for the Day

Now that I know I won't be working in my little home studio quite as much as I'd anticipated, I feel like I can go wild and make it into a great little lounging room. The daybed above is caddy- cornered by the large arched window. It's a great place to sit during the day as I read, or daydream while looking out at the sky and trees.

The window and the bed are the focal points of the room, and the first things you see when you walk in the door. I want to find the right bedding and curtains for the space because it will really make the most impact in the room. Right now, it feels unfinished and pieced together.


Since I'm saving a good portion of my monthly income for investments, I have quite a limited budget to work with. I'm considering keeping the white waffle weave coverlet. Then, I'd purchase white pillow shams, and add a few decorative pillows in eye popping colors and patterns.

Though, I have found that Wal Mart has a surprisingly cute selection of bed-in-a-bags for reasonable prices. These two young, girlish sets above are examples of their thrifty goodies.

For a splurge, I found some delectable eye candy-like colors and fabrics from Pillowsandthrows.com


You may have noticed that I love color. I just realized that my home is very adult, and while I too am adult, I'm feeling the need to liven things up a little around here. That's why my decorating goals for the studio are to make it as young, colorful, and fun as I can. We'll see what happens...

This is one of the toughest posts I've ever had to write. Recently, my husband and I have made some very important decisions for our financial future. We have resolved to devote most of our free time to learning as much as we can about real estate investing, searching for properties, and acquiring them.

We are both very passionate about this pursuit, and have been wanting to do this for quite some time. In the long run, the payoff will be great. Time is as short, as the road is long.

This is why I will be devoting far less time to the business than I had originally intended. Sadly, I will not be releasing the much anticipated web site. Instead, I will continue to put my jewelry up for sale on Etsy. I truly enjoy making YD Jewelry, and sharing it with you. It is not something that I can easily give up, so I will continue to do what I love, albeit on a smaller scale.

Dismay: The Rainy Day

I had big plans for today that were supposed to get me that much closer to presenting the new YD website to all of you. However, mother nature had other plans for me. It has been pouring down rain all morning, and with no strong natural light in the forecast for today, I won't be able to re-take my product shots.

Recently, I took a look at the nearly finished "Necklaces" page and thought the images needed more "oomph!", so yet another day of photographing is in order.

Wellington Rain Boots!

Really, I am such a perfectionist. Especially when it comes to my product shots. In fact, that is the reason why I am still working on this project. I rely on natural light, rather than bulbs because I find that they cast a yellow, green, or blue tint that really distorts the true color of my jewelry. So, I am at the mercy of nature on this one.

(I wish I could just curl up in this space with a book today.)

Though, my sister in law called me the other day to tell me about an awesome studio lighting kit she had just bought from Wal-Mart for only $50. I'll have to see about the lights in this little kit. Wendy, expect a phone call.

Studio Decorating Inspiration

The Studio

Hands down, the studio is my favorite room of the house. It was the room that when I first saw the home plans clinched the deal for me. I had to have it. I don't remember what my initial dream for the room was. I'm not sure if I really had a distinct plan for it at all.

I'm pleased with the look of it so far, but feel that there is still more to be done. Now, I'm on a search for inspiration to finish the decor in just the perfect way. These photos are generally in the same color palate. I love the lime washed walls, in the photo above, but white floors are just not practical for me.


Here, an electric blue chair sits against a serene backdrop. It makes me feel like a punch of unexpected color would be a great touch for my room, as are fresh flowers every now and then.

I added this photo because it's just the treatment that I've been planning on giving to the large folding closet doors in the studio. Though, this wallpaper is not what I had in mind, it is quite the focal point of the room. Maybe a lavender, chocolate, or a gray pattern against white would do well in my space.