Out of the BOX... and into the RABBIT HOLE!

Just as Alice's curiosity enticed her to venture into the great unknown, taking a risk as to where it might lead her...whether good or bad, I too believe in making the plunge into our own collage of imaginative dreams.  Alice made a choice to step out of the box and into the rabbit hole of adventurous dreams and curious creativity with hope and bravery clinched tightly in each fist.
Where did it take her?.... Only on the most amazing roller coaster  ride of her life!
Facing obstacles along the way, her journey wouldn't have been the same if she had not faced them.
Learning from mistakes can sometimes lead to brilliant ideas and perfect plans.
Oh some may say, hair brained... stupid, crazy, no way, it will never work, say what!...
Let them say ... while they watch!
Dreamers, doers and watchers... Well we all have dreams, but do we all have the courage to try and make them come true?
Some dream and dream and dream... while nothing in the world is wrong with dreaming, you do have to wake up. Some watch others while they work diligently to make their dreams come true then sit back and say... why can't that be me, or I could have done that. Then there are the Alice's... who do take that hope and courage, hold on tight and JUMP ... saying WOO HOO all the way!
Now I have to say that I have been both the dreamer and the watcher and only wishing that I had the courage to take the plunge into the rabbit hole of my own imaginative and creative dreams.
 At 4'11, a high school equivalent of a GED, and a teenage mother at six-teen, I never thought I stood a chance at anything. I never knew who I was or what I wanted. I was afraid of everything.
Fear engulfed me like a hardened cocoon. It was protection but it was also prison.
I had visions my whole life of what my life could be. A writer an artist a dancer a designer...it was bright, it was colorful, it was unique, it was out of the box.
It wasn't until I starred cancer in the face at age forty-six before I finally decided to step into boldness, put on my pink tutu and banana yellow cowboy boots and take the bull by his horns!
Cancer will not take me! I have overcome many things!
I was ran over by a speeding car of teenagers at age six and survived without even a broken bone, I overcame a teenage pregnancy and raised a beautiful ,healthy and successful son whom I am beyond proud of today, I have survived abusive relationships, violent crimes on myself, raised beautiful children as a single parent, have had financial strains, numerous physical threats and after all of that, cancer thinks it's going to take me down?
Bahahahahaha! I haven't even began to work on my dreams!
Cancer you moron! You were my para-shoot for skydiving, you were my Louisville Slugger sitting next to my bed when a burglar broke in, you were my shelter in the storm, you were my banana yellow boots and pink tutu when I walked the Susan G. Komen race in pain, you were the fire it took for me to face my real fear and now make my dreams come true and you are now my bea-otch!
Sometimes taking risks will get you closer to your dreams a lot faster.
Follow your passion, and your heart when it comes to what makes you happy and what makes you at ease when your doing it, because it may lead a brilliant idea into a dream that you can share with others.
If my dream of writing and creating unique, one of a kind, time worn art can be carried over into the hearts of others, then I can say that I have watched my dreams come true.
Walt Disney said two things that have always pulled on my heart strings...
One was that... "A dream is a wish your heart makes".... and the other is...."If you dream it, you can do it".
Don't let fear become your cocoon.... bust through and become the unique butterfly or the Alice who took a chance and plunged into the great unknown and take the ride of your life ... even if it gets a little bumpy. Hang on and see if it leads you to a brilliant idea of your own creative imagination.

Remember....."If you can dream it, you can do it"!

A Hidden Gem!

June 1, 2012

A Hidden Gem!

It was so nice to see green again!... Not only that but the majestic magnolia trees were in bloom as well as everything else. I was home!!!! And it felt great!...Plus I had my baby girl with me. Oh yeah, one thing I had forgotten about....Mr. Humidity... I haven't missed him at all!
On May 24-28th I flew to Nashville to see Chelsea for her 21st birthday.
I was afraid I might not make it, because two days before, I was ill with a horrid cold. But made it through with some heavy antibiotics. The day I got there, Chelsea started to get sick... poor thing, she was a trooper and hung with me the whole time, with a quick pit stop to an urgent care for yes... antibiotics.
Our first day we met with Melinda... the admissions director at O'More school of Design in Franklin Tn...
I could tell from the time we drove into that town ... it was the town for me.
The most beautiful and charming town I think I've ever seen. Sort of a cross between May-berry... and Stars-hallow ...but  instead of Luke's Dinner, it had Starbucks. Although we did eat lunch at the cutest little trolly car that had great sandwiches and the owners (Chapman's) were the sweetest! Never met so many pleasant people in one place.
Unlike Las Vegas where they run people over on a weekly basis...and I mean that literally.
 We got there early and drove to the historic section to take a look. The center of this storybook town, is a little circle with charming boutiques, antique stores, restaurants and ice cream parlors. What more could a girl ask for? Beautiful, clean... no pristine... I knew I was at home in heart. Chelsea got so many compliments on her outfit and necklace... in fact we received numerous compliments on the designs we brought and wore both in Franklin and Nashville.
The school was the most amazing place I've ever seen. Built back in 1860 something, the main house has so much history behind it and has been well preserved. The library.... when you thought you had seen it all, then they walk you next door to the house they call the library.... OMG! Quite the Southern Belle she was... with a wrap around porch lined with lush blue, pink and purple hydrangeas ... it was a plethora of southern grace.
Inside .... full of Bernina sewing machines... and walls lined with previous students designs on exhibit, you could just smell the creativity in the air.
It had me at ...the first sigh. Oh but wait.... this trip , this school is for Chelsea... I keep forgetting because it was calling my name. Not just the school but the town.
I felt like I found my home sweet home. This is a place I will visit again and again even if Chelsea decides not to go to school there.

Hmmmm... maybe I should go...Oh if only..
O'More school of Design and Franklin Tn. is truly a hidden gem.

Fireflies and lemonade.... Those were the days !

So I have long past decided that I need to be three people, and not me, myself and I but three of me! So much to do and so little time to do it in.
I have been busy with projects since my last entry, but not just my projects ... My son has probably anywhere from 2-4 class projects per week not to mention class work, homework, studying, religion, and Spanish
and now French. Let's not forget sports after school every day then a thirty to forty minute mad dash home to organize said days work, projects, study, and get the next days ready and loaded up. I don't work outside of my home and it's a full time job in it's self not to mention the time and money that goes into school projects! Yikes... Well... It could be that I am extremely anal about school projects and micro manage them and my son to death... Poor kid! It's a disease... I just can't let him send in a medioaker,what everyone else would think of doing project, No way!
Think out of the box! Think out of the box! In fact.... Don't even go near the box... So we stray away as far as we can into the great wide open!
Open minds and creative thoughts and come up with things that make the teachers go hmmm?
That's what I'm about and have always tried to teach my children to think that way. Don't take the easy way out, don't do the first thing that comes to your mind, and don't do what everyone else is doing. That's what sets you apart from the rest.. Not that there is anything wrong with the rest but you want the eyes to do that double look, and to be drawn in.
You want them to come back for more. I have two children that have accomplished that and are both artists. My youngest marches to the beat of a different drum. Artistic ... Not too sure yet but unique he is! Brilliant and quick minded and would argue with God. I'm thinking Harvard sounds good!
And that is why I have benn tied up for several months.
I am in flight as I type this .. Seems to be the only way I can make myself sit down and get caught up on everything. Take me away from home and everything that needs to be done there.
How did this world get so crazy busy to where having dinner with your family in the evening has to be a planned event?
What happened to the good ole' days of the simple life, sipping on an ice cold lemoade on the front porch while the kids roamed the neighborhood at night, in the dark, chasing fireflies and holding them captive in a mason jar, smashing them and making glow in the dark jewelry out of them? Oh ... And did I mention that the kids ran around by them selves at night with no worries of some freak grabbing them up and shoving them Into to a car?
Yes those are the days that I miss and wish I could have given to my children.
I can only imagine that heaven will be somewhat like that for children and more! That makes me smile.
So I will be back to the drawing board soon with more designs and plans for our ETSY store. Also hopefully will have a website up by summer as well. So my posts may be far and few between in order to prepare for this goal. Will post when ETSY is up and running and available for purchases.
In the mean time keep an eye on our Face Book page for updates.
God bless and remember to stop and smell the roses. Take that lemonade out to the porch swing and listen to the sounds of your children chasing fireflies .... And if you can't hear that sound anymore, then maybe we should all take the time and go to that place where life is just a little more simple, just for a little while anyway.
Be back soon!

More minitature vintage perfume bottle necklaces....

Just finished a few more perfume bottle necklaces ... these are for sale 24 inch length and the bottles look larger than they really are they are 1 inch tall. We will also be adding a few more later on as well as the rosary bead necklaces.Offering a sale price for Valentines Day... Regularly 36.00- on sale for -32.00 for adult 24 inch and child regularly 30.00- on sale for 26.00  Please follow us and our Face Book.
Chelsea will be posting a photo of a hand made jewelry pouch (holder) that she makes from vintage and vintage inspired fabric. They are really cute! They will also be for sale.
Keep checking back because we will be having a give away soon.

Blessings,

Tammy  RRB

A new design just in time for Valentines Day

I've been pondering this design around for awhile now but had to go through a vigorous search for just the right size and shape and of course they had to be vintage. My search finally paned out for me when I visited an antique store here in Vegas. I think I bought almost all she had... now I'm thinking I need to go back and buy the rest. I love these Miniature vintage perfume bottle necklaces and we hope you love them too. This would make a perfect gift for Valentines Day for someone special or treat yourself! You deserve it.We will have both adult and child size necklaces in these. I made one for my granddaughter for Valentines Day... The Miss Elizabeth England with a pastel pink chain and pink bow and pearl charms... so cute and unique. I love having something no one else has and love making them even more.  We have had a lot of inquiries about these necklaces so get your order in early I have limited bottles until I find more. Adult sizes are on a 24 inch chain and are 36.00 child size chains are 16-18 inch and are 30.00... These are glass so wear with caution for children. We love these and hope you love them too. We will have more up with in the next week or two.

Blessings, from Tammy and Chelsea .... RRB

Working on some new designs...

Hi,

This vintage inspired necklace is made with antique brass chains and a silver rosary glass bead chain, with  brilliant royal blue vintage crystal beads throughout the chains and on the frame brooch and butterflies. The frame piece has been handmade to look like a vintage brooch with detailed beading of a filigree and acrylic flower with a flower shaped royal blue vintage bead inside and attached with a crystal head pin. The butterflies at top have vintage beads attached to them as well as a round vintage crystal bead over top of frame. This is a one of a kind custom design.... 82.00

Just wanted to post a couple of new necklaces for sale, that I've been working on. Hope you like them. A lot of detail and vintage pieces.

Starting off the year right...

Happy New Year!!!!!

Started off the new year in style... well designing a style anyway. My style these days mostly consists of baggy sweats and a hoodie. That's what I'm comfortable in, and gotta be comfortable to work.
Today I started one of several designs for a customer and friend... who has a gorgeous daughter who will be modeling some of our designs for The Ruffled Robin Boutique. So keep checking back with us to see the lovely Morgan... WOW she is beautiful! Can't wait to see how she looks in them and I'm so honored to have her modeling for us ...so excited! That was a nice surprise to have that call from them today.  One down and two more to go for her. Busy , busy, busy.....

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