A day goes by, and another and next thing you know, it’s been another 11 days since I’ve posted a daily! I’ve got a really good excuse this time though. I’ve been working hard redoing the website for LittleandLOUD.org and we are also campaigning to win a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi RefreshEverything.com competition.  Winning would mean we could branch out here in the U.S. to create more creative, cultural, empowering and all around transformative LOUDLabs for children of all backgrounds.  Please vote for us EVERYDAY if you want to support the next generation in becoming empowered leaders of social, humanitarian, environmental and all around global movements to come (http://www.refresheverything.com/littleandloud)!  Before we get to the dailies, check out our video:

Day 324: Sexy Boots

Day 325: Crinkled haze

Day 326: Waiting... for my prescription to be filled that is. I was so sick here!

Day 327: Dark Snow

Day 328: No two are alike

Day 329: Fragments

Day 330: Reading makes the heart blossom (This is a necklace I'm putting up on Etsy!)

Day 331: Biker babe

Day 332: Fuzzy wuzzy was a nerd

Day 333: Orange you glad I'm smilin'?

Day 334: Am I the only one not fond of donuts?

I’ve been making these one of a kind (each one is different) daisy rings which will be in the reFINDesign shop by tomorrow afternoon.  If I am able to make more, they’ll go into the Etsy shop too.  Email me if interested (rhoda [at] metaphormula.com).

"You have it in your power to make your days on Earth a path of flowers, instead of a path of thorns." ~Sri Sathya Sai Baba

If you know me at all, you’ll know that loving shoes is in my blood.  When I was a little girl, I wouldn’t be able to sleep when I had a new pair of shoes so I would try them on late at night, keep them on and then crawl into bed.  I know many little girls like this. It isn’t learned, it just is.  I call it the Imelda Marcos syndrome.  But for me, it’s not even about owning shoes.  I just appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty they can offer.  A really good pair of shoes can make a girl’s day.

Today, I stumbled into an awesome vintage shop whose basement was like my dream closet.  This is where I met these babies which were on sale for the low, low price of $22 (my lucky number!) but I didn’t buy them.  I’m a little broke at the moment but it was fine not owning them.  It’s like looking at flowers and not picking them.  You just leave it for someone else to admire.  We had a short affair and I walked away saying that if it is fated someday and someplace when things are just right, then we’ll be together forever.  I do hope we meet again!

Speaking of beauty, today is our friend Kayla’s birthday!  Happy Birthday, lovely!!!  This quote is for you because you certainly are marvelous :-)

"Age shouldn't affect you. It's just like the size of your shoes - they don't determine how you live your life! You're either marvelous or you're boring, regardless of your age." ~Steven Morrissey

For Kayla’s present, she styled and picked the charms for this personalized vintage scrabble tile necklace I made for her.  I think the matching heart lock toggle closure matched really well.

Email me rhoda(at)metaphormula.com if you would like a personalized necklace too!

I’m just playing around with some necklace designs in this photo.  I’m wearing the tiara just because and why not?  Doesn’t everyone where a tiara when they are crafting?

“When hope is not pinned wriggling onto a shiny image or expectation, it sometimes floats forth and opens.” ~Anne Lamott

I really hope that my love of leopard print dies down a little.  I would hate to be known as “that crazy leopard print lady” :-D.  Note that I’m wearing another version of the “Spring Time” book flower wrist corsage which will soon be in the online store.  I believe the one I’m wearing on this photo is still on sale at reFINDesign (1122 High St. in the Short North) for those in Columbus, OH.  It’s an amazing space that just opened so check it out!

By the way, the store on this site will soon be composed of more than my Etsy stuff in order to accomodate the non-vintage and non-handmade items I’ve got that I know will be a treasure for others.  It’s hard to part with some things but I simply can’t horde all the baubles, leopard prints and other pretty/shiny things to myself!

In other news, I’m so pumped doing this refresher Landmark Education seminar! I’ve already gotten some great results from the first class last Wednesday night.  The tools just makes life easier and an overall empowering experience for everyone I’ve known that has done it.  All in all, it has made my life more enjoyable and I believe those around me too.  My fiance is certainly more pleasant to be around and our relationship has gone up a zillion notches since he finished the course a few weeks ago.

I just got off the phone with my Landmark group and am feeling philosophical.  I looked at this photo and it got me thinking about all the things we are committed to in our lives and how and with what we fill ourselves up with in order to keep going.  A little metaphor to get you thinking and also a little play on words in the reminder below in the photo caption for all you graduates out there ;-)

Be mindful of what you fill your tank with, lest you hurt yourself and others should you have a breakdown.

Tonight, here in Columbus OH, was the monthly Short North’s Gallery Hop which was also an opening night for reFINDesign, an awesome arty store/workshop that is all about showcasing upcycle artists like moi and providing an atmosphere for sustainable thinking.  And I manged to make a sale!  Here is my first customer wearing her “Stop and Read the Roses” hairpin accented with feathers.  These will make it to the shop very soon so stay tuned if interested or message me for a request.

My lovely first customer wearing the newly purchased hairpin and I'm wearing a new product soon to be in the shop, the "Spring Time" wrist watch band corsage.

Jewelry Frames – made with vintage frames and wallpaper and Nature Cards/Journals/Sketchbooks:

All of these are soon to be sold on Metaphormula’s Shop!