A Little Update :)

These last 7 weeks have been a whirl wind!

As a new mom, I only took 6 weeks off from work, well technically 5 and a half... and less off from Lively Happenings.  I happily got busy with Lively Happenings, getting orders filled and coming up with some fun new items just two weeks postpartum! ...then week 3 came along and my boss called to tell me 3 coworkers are being let go and I'm taking on two of their job roles (still over here contracted, no benefits etc.).  Week 3 - 4 was a big ol' B word.  And I tried to muster up the happiness to write about my 1 month favorites for Braelyn, and updates about her...but I just couldn't.  Instead, I chose to have my moody week and then take the next 2 weeks to just make my days about Braelyn before she had to start daycare and I had to go back to work.

Well, I'm back at work, and things are just as usual here.  Nothing too exciting about an IT job, but I am so thankful it's flexible-ish!  My return to work was pretty easy actually.  Going through emails only took me 1/2 a day and the work schedule seemed to be right where I left it.  I'll be training between now and December for those lovely job roles I'm taking on...so we shall see how that all goes.

As for Lively Happenings, I am absolutely loving filling orders and being creative with this part time job of mine!!!  I have a new Instagram account I'm trying to beef up with followers to get more of my designs out there.  I separated my accounts:  @LivelyHappeningLife for all my baby stuff, workouts, food, and day to day fun and then @LivelyHappenings for all my business goodies.  I'm also working on some really fun new little girl products (yay!) and am considering looking into designing some apparel for little ones in the form of fun onesies and shirts.  I'd LOVE YOUR OPINION!

First, the little girl products:

I'm doing headband sets.  Each set will include 3-5 clips and 3 stretchy elastic headbands.  The clips can be attached to yours or your little ones hair. Each headband can be worn alone. Or if your little one is hairless, like mine, each headband will have a section for you to attach your clip onto the headband!  So you are getting 15-23 different way to use these pieces, pending on the style you choose!!!  ...did I do that math right...oh well, you get the idea...right ;)

Here's the first look into this collection, the Felted Bows!!!  See them in Lively Happenings shop HERE for more detail pics!

Choose Big or Small Bows! 

THE COLLECTIONS!!!

Belle

Black & White 

Giraffe 

Jasmine 

Whats your favorite?  Get your set HERE!!!


Last, but not least....

As for the apparel, I've drawn up some ideas, but I haven't gone to a print shop yet to check prices to see what the cost would bring to get these designs to you.  What are your thoughts?!  Do we like these, do we love these, should we pass on this?  Let me know your thoughts, pretty pretty please!

It's harder to read the small writing, so blow this photo up to get the full view!

The bottom middle shirt reads "Cute tops and nap time by Mommy for cuddles.  Cute printed leggins all wrapped in my sling.  These are a few of my favorite things!"

Father's Day Gifts - Collar Stays and Guitar Picks

With Father's Day right around the corner, have you gotten your dad something special?

This year at Lively Happenings, I introduced collar stays and guitar picks.  The feedback has been PHENOMENAL!  I'm almost completely sold out of guitar picks at this point!  I'm getting a new shipment today or tomorrow, and the current orders should be filled and shipped by Friday, June 6th!

I ordered 30 more picks and another set of 10 collar stays, which should be in today (fingers crossed!).  Of those 30 picks, 22 are already spoken for!  I've only made 3 more of the aluminum ones available so I have 5 extras in case I mess up.  If I don't mess up, I'll list more. :)

Again, thank you all for the great responses on these new items!  I'll be sure to keep including gifts for men in the shop.  Lively Happenings is also going to take on more custom stamping in the future, so stay tuned for new designs!

All orders for Father's Day need to be in by this Sunday, June 8th.  Shipping is 3-5 business days and once my supplies are back in stock, I plan to have every order stamped and shipped within 2 days of purchase.

Go to Lively Happenings to get your gifts today!  www.livelyhappenings.etsy.com

New Lively Additions in the Shop!

Happy Thursday!

I've been working this past week on updating not only the blog (how do you like the new look!?) but also updating the Lively Happenings Etsy Shop with some new designs!

Here's a little preview of the new beauties!

New Silk Wrap Hand Stamped Designs! $30-$35

New Hair ties in Valentine's Day and Zoo Day! $5

New Pearl + Bow Earrings, perfect for you or your bridal party!  Only $15/pair!

And coming to the shop later today, new Raw Diamond Rings!  Yes, those are tiny raw diamonds!  If you like the sparkle of the druzies in the shop, you'll love the shine of these raw diamonds! $36

I also have two beautiful new headband styles that are less of workout gear, and more of a 'let me throw my hair up quickly and beauituflly'. These headbands are perfect for your styling needs! Wear it as a boho crown. Put is as a regular headband. Wear your hair up and wrap it around your bun or just wear as a headband. Put this on as a 'crown' and then tuck ends of hair up and into the elastic on the back, you can tuck it all in or leave some of it out!  I seriously LOVE THESE HEADBANDS!  The rhinestone one comes in gold and silver!  All are a standard length of 20in. $15-$35

Well I think that's a wrap!  I hope you enjoy the pictures of all these new items!  Everything shown is under $39, many things much less than that!  So go check out the shop, see if there's something you like:  Lively Happenings

Cheers to 2014!

As I look back at 2013, I couldn't be happier!
 
First and foremost, it shocks me each year how much more I love my husband!  Neal and I have grown closer than ever.

 
In 2013, I accomplished some great running achievements including a personal best in the Southern Indiana Half Marathon and taking home some medals as part of the USI Running Series:  5K and 7K.
 
I was able to do my dream hike to Lake Solitude in Jackson Hole, WY with my dad and his girlfriend, Kim! (post will come, I promise! Here's some other parts of that adventure though:  Yellowstone, Grand View Point Hike, and Snake River Float Trip)

My brother got married in Paris!
 
Lively Happenings on Etsy grew exponentially more than I had ever imagined!  Thank you SO MUCH to all my lovely customers, I obviously couldn't have done this without you!

So what will 2014 bring?

• I plan to have a post once a week on this blog
• I plan to stay as healthy in mind and body as possible, hopefully making it to Evansville Power Yoga once a week
• I plan to expand Lively Happenings and focus on making more jewelry organizers, especially the cute chevron and shabby chic ones as they seem to fly out of the shop!
• I plan to have Lively Happenings partake in 4 shows in Southern Indiana:  Funk in the City Spring (April) and Fall (October), Yoga Light Party (September), and Castle High School Band(First weekend in December)
• I plan to continue to find ways to grow in love and happiness with Neal!

You'll notice, there's no lofty fitness goals planned yet for this year.  I still desire to workout and do the Tone it Up Love Your Body series, but I'm not going to over extend myself and train for anything crazy this year.  I've met so many of my fitness goals from climbing a mountain, partaking in a mud race, to killing it in a half marathon.  I've realized I'm involved with a lot from a full time job, to Lively Happenings, being a landlord with Neal of 3 rental properties (hopefully another this year), and I still want to have time to relax with Neal, friends and family. 

I hope you find 2014 to be an amazing year filled with lots of love, laughter and adventures!

Packing for Paris...and for a French Wedding...!?!

For the past week, okay maybe month, I've been trying to decide what to pack for Paris.  I think I have my wardrobe down, but I'm still not sure!  How do you pack for Paris in November, and how do you do it for a wedding!?!

Back in mid September, my brother told us that he and his girlfriend got engaged.  Horray!  But now what...?  She is French, and he is American.  Planning their wedding hasn't been the easiest for either of them.  First, they were going to do an American wedding after she got her fiancé visa, but then they decided to do a wedding closer to her family.  This also allowed them to get married much sooner than the typical 6-9 months it could take for the American visa process to go through. 

This coming Saturday my brother, Greg, and his fiancé, Séverine will be married at the city hall of Le Vésinet, near Paris, France!  We have a Parisian wedding to attend!

Now what?  I don't know what to wear in Paris.  I want to be comfortable, but I still want to be chic.  Do I bring my fancy purse so I might fit in with the fancy Parisians, or do I bring my regular? My brother mentioned pick-pocketers were common around the city, which I am sure is typical in every large city, not just Paris.  Also, how practical should I be with shoes?  When I think Paris, I think sexy heels, and beautiful boots.  And what, you can't wear black to a wedding in Paris....it's November, my fall wardrobe is oh-so-dark right now with hints of color from jewelry and scarves.  WHAT will I do!?

First, I sent out loads of pictures to my family and friends to get advice on what to wear, especially to the wedding, and I am going with this lovely teal-green dress for the wedding, sheer tights, heels and a jacket.  Post wedding, I'll change into my comfy, more casual, blue dress.  I have the green dress show with boots and tan tights, but I'm going to dress it up a bit more.

Why the wardrobe change?  Well, from what I've read, it's common for a French Wedding to last all day long.  It's also common for a wardrobe change between day and evening.  Here's a link to a summary of a typical French Wedding (note, not all guests are invited to all of the day's events, it's much different than what we in America are used to).

At my brother and Séverine's wedding we will be attending their civil ceremony early, before noon, at the city hall, and then have a reception at a restraint in Versailles.  Later in the evening, we are taking a riverboat cruise along the Seine River, thus the wardrobe change.

My husband and I will be traveling to Paris 3 days prior to the wedding, arriving Wednesday afternoon and meeting up with my Dad, Kim and out two family friends Hope and Dane.  I started putting clothes aside for the trip a week ago.  Here's the rest of my attire:  two pairs of boots, dark skinny jeans, and basic tops along with 3 lovely jackets as the weather will be in the 50's and below.  Yikes!



Nearly all of this fits into one carry on suit case, the tan jacket in the middle top is going in a backpack with my
purse and toiletries.  I'll wear one of the 2 pairs of boots and one of the outfits on the plane!



Of course none of my traveling is complete without my own
personal jewelry from Lively Happenings

Question of the day:
How far in advance do you start packing for a trip?  Have you ever been to Paris?  If so, any packing tips or traveling tips you suggest?

Yellowsmith and Lively Happenings, Lost Wax Studio Challenge

Last week, I was beyond excited when I received a Facebook Message on the Lively Happenings FB page about a company that had found my designs on Etsy and was inviting me to submit them to their design challenges!

I looked Yellowsmith, formerly Shop Bevel, and found that I totally was in love with what the company is doing.

Yellowsmith is an online seller of unique and creative jewelry.  Their designs come from people like me, and then they manufacture and promote some of the designs they and their community feel would do well. The designer still maintains the right to make and promote their original design, and they receive royalties from what's sold on Yellowsmith!  Yellowsmith has been featured in many magazines such as "Lucky", "Cosmopolitan", "Redbook", and more!

I'm THRILLED to announce that one of my designs is currently in their "Lost Wax Studio Challenge".    Vote for these beautiful earrings by clicking here!

You can vote between now and Sunday, November 10th at 6pm Eastern.

The winner of the challenge will be announced on Monday, November 11th along with the launch of the presale.  The designers will also be invited to the Production Challenge, where they could get an entire line (a few pieces) of their designs manufactured and promoted on the Yellowsmith blog, hosting 40,000+ followers across Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram as well as included in ongoing press promotion.

I want this SO BAD and would LOVE your support!  So go VOTE for my "Druzy Elegance Earrings" and maybe do some shopping on Yellowsmith while your there!

To see all designs in the Lost Wax Studio Challenge, click here.

Motivation Monday: It's Never Too Late Try Your Dreams!

This quote proudly hangs in my office as a reminder of when I first started Lively Happenings.  I wasn't sure where it would take me, but I'm so happy I've gone on this journey!

On the days I struggle with juggling my full time job and my desire for growth with Lively Happenings, I have to remind myself to never give up and to just keep trying.

I'm constantly trying to be a good wife, family member, friend, co worker, employee and business owner.  Some days it's easy, and others I feel the weight on my shoulders.

Right now, I'm so happy that I have tried and am succeeding!  I LOVE Lively Happenings, and I love that a little over a year ago I decided it was time to try this dream.  I've been enjoying where it's going ever since!  I just hope I, and my designs, keep getting better and better!

Thank you, again, for all of your support!

Lively Happenings on Etsy Turns 1!

Happy Happy Birthday from All of Me to You, I Wish Lively Happenings a Happy Birthday so Ya'll Can Have Presents Too!!!

Lively Happenings on Etsy turns 1 today!!!

It's hard to believe that only a year ago, Lively Happenings store was formed.  The year has been full of updates from the materials used, the photos taken, to my personal mindset on where I want to bring the shop.

In honor of 1 Year, to celebrate all of your fabulous customers, I'm giving you a BIG OL' DISCOUNT!  Use the coupon code ONEYEAR to get 25% off of your purchases today!  Yep, you read that right, 25% off all items with a minimum purchase of $10.  Click this link to shop now!

To highlight some of the events of Lively Happenings Jewelry on Etsy over the past year:

• October 5th, 2012, Lively Happenings store on Etsy & the Facebook page were built
• April 27, 2013, Lively Happenings took part in her first craft fair at Funk in the City in Evansville
• May 3, 2013, the first ever 'BIG' sale for Lively Happenings was a hit as I celebrated my 25th birthday and gave 25% off all purchases over $50 (yes today's deal is all over $10 so that's even better for ya'll!)
• June 4th 2013, Lively Happenings hit 100 sales on Etsy!
• September 6, 2013, Lively Happenings partnered with others for Yoga Light Party
• September 21, 2013, Lively Happenings hit 200 sales on Etsy!
• September 28 & 29 2013, participated in the Etsy Artists of Indiana Art & Craft Fair
• October 3, 2013, Lively Happenings expanded into it's first ever home outside of the internet by beginning to sell in Penny Lane Coffeehouse in Evansville, IN!
• October 5th, 2013 - LIVELY HAPPENINGS TURNS 1!!!

Thank you again for ALL of your support!  I wouldn't be here without all my friends, family, and customers!!!

Etsy Artists of Indiana Show, Lively Happenings Designs

Over the past few weeks (okay honestly months), I've been keeping myself busy in preparation for the Etsy Artists of Indiana Show in Brown County, IN.  After my regular job and on the weekends when I'm not working at Busy Beedz, I've been designing, painting, and making some beautiful little creations in preparation for the show.

I loved my setup at the show, but it's definitely something I'm still working on and developing with each show!

 

 

On Friday, we finally started our 2.5 hour drive to Bloomington/Nashville, IN area and about 45 minutes into the drive, I realized I forgot my shutters!  WHHHHAAATTT!! I totally broke down as Neal calmly drove us home.  All the pressure I put on myself was released in a puddle of tears.  It was pretty pitiful!

Lots of my display pieces, but no shutters!

We got into town at 11:30pm Friday night and settled into our hotel room where we awoke at 5am the next morning.  It took us from about 7-10am to do our setup because we kept forgetting things, like wood screws and drill bits for the jewelry organizer holder.  Let's just say we were a bit of a mess!  But Neal, the champ that he is, just kept helping me laugh it off and continue on with the day!

He's my record keeper!

The two day event, Saturday and Sunday, was a lovely show.  Thank you to everyone that stopped by my booth!  I was able to show designs many customers didn't know where out there!  A lot of people are unfamiliar with druzy jewelry, and I always love seeing someone's face light up when they see one of my designs and learn about the stone.

Many of Lively Happenings Druzy Designs!

 

These are new geode earrings I used to describe what a druzy was.  If you take the sparkling inside out of the geode, that's a druzy!



One of my @LivelyHappening Instagram Collaborations

The new organizers were a big hit, and many people stopped to admire them!  The white and teal one sold on the first day!

 

Thank you again to all the customers that stopped by!

 

 

I'm so happy to have made new connections and even some friends!  I loved Brown County and hope to go back!  Below, bottom left, are some of my finds from the Rock Shop!

I hope to see ya'll at the next show in December at Castle High School in Newburgh, IN to support the Castle High School Band!

Stay tuned over the continuing weeks as I am planning on doing some Throwback Thursday's of this past summers adventures including, but not limited too:

• Our 45+ mile Tunnel Hill Bike ride (I never thought Neal would forgive me!)
• A beautiful Southern Wedding at an old plantation home turned war hospital, what!
• Take Me Out to the Ballgame - A Baseball Themed Baby Shower!
• Breaking in the Keezer - yes, that's for beer!
• Exploring the MANY geysers at Yellowstone National Park surrounding Old Faithful
• Completing my 25 year fitness goals and hiking Lake Solitude in Grand Teton National Park (my most favoritest place ever!)