One of the most talented metalsmith artists ever to grace this earth is having THE MOST incredible giveaway! Anna-Karin - jewelry designer, metalsmith, chief head-honcho of all business related doings, and founder of Black Daisy Designs - is offering you...yes, YOU...  the chance to own one of her beautiful creations! And unlike others who offer just one prize for a giveaway (I'm guilty of doing that myself), Anna-Karin is offering a selection for the winner to choose from!

So...if you haven't entered this giveaway yet, get on over there and DO IT!  The link is right here:

http://blackdaisydesigns.blogspot.com/2012/02/bag-finds-giveaway.html

As a way of saying "Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year", The Soap Opera is giving away a 4-pack of Fizzing Shower Soothers to three lucky participants!

Entry into this giveaway is easy - and you can earn between 10 and 225 entries - making your chances of winning MUCH greater!

The entry page is here - but don't forget to browse the store while you're there!

It's time for another giveaway - and we're giving away three full-sized bars of our luxurious handcrafted Shea butter soap! These soaps are made with our signature blend of skin-nourishing oils and butters, weigh between 5 and 5.5 oz. and are shrink-wrapped for freshness. You can view our entire line of handcrafted soaps HERE.

The winner of this giveaway will be selected from all entries received, via random.org. They may choose three bars of soap from all soaps listed, including those that are currently "out of stock". Bars that are listed as "out of stock" are currently made and curing - however may take additional time prior to shipping to the winner.




To enter this giveaway, all you need to do is:

1) "Follow" this blog, then Go to our website

2) Look around

3) Come back here and leave a comment telling us what item (jewelry, soap, laundry soap, hair accessories, etc.) is your favorite and why.

4) Gain an extra entry for sharing this giveaway on your social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc. - please provide link).

5) Gain FIVE (5) extra entries for blogging about this giveaway (please provide link)

Giveaway ends Friday, July 8th at 4:00pm PT

Good luck, and have a bubbly day!

In early 2008, after scanning the internet looking for the *best* place to sell my jewelry, I came across an advertisement for a new handmade shopping venue which would be opening within the year. At that time, they were taking a few "registrants" to try out the site - as it was in the first stages of development and they needed people to test out the site and it's (then) basic features. To this day, almost 3 years later, I'm still just as happy to be part of the "Art Fire family" as I was back then.

Here's just a couple of reasons why I love Art Fire so much:

1) The AF staff listens. They listen hard. It doesn't matter whether it's 1000 people saying the same thing - or just one person. They take the time to listen to whatever it is you need to talk with them about, whether it's a question, concern, problem or even a joke of the day.

2) They explain in detail upcoming changes and events - and although sometimes I don't completely understand some of Tony's lingo...well... I know he hasn't forgotten to mention anything.

3) Listing an item could not be easier. One page and you're done. :)

4) I know and I feel that the staff is doing whatever is in their power to help MY business grow.

5) The Art Fire community is a very special group of people. Unlike most other selling venues, the artisans of this community help each other, promote each other and encourage each other to be and do the best they can.

If you sell handcrafted items and you haven't signed up to be a part of the Art Fire family, don't hesitate. Do it now. CLICK HERE to get started selling your handcrafted items on Art Fire!

Sure, it's different than all those other venues.

It's better.

In honor of our 2nd Anniversary since opening the doors of our B&M store, the Fo-Shizzle Design Studios would like to celebrate with a GIVEAWAY!


We're giving away a bar of our scrumptious handcrafted Shea butter soap (your choice of available scents)! Each bar weighs approximately 5.5 oz and is made using our signature blend of skin-nourishing oils and butters, which create a wonderful, bubbly and rich lather that will leave your skin feeling soft, silky and fabulously moisturized! 

The rules to this giveaway are simple*:


1) If you haven't already done so, "LIKE" our Face Book Business Page


2) Tweet, Plurk, Stumble, Facebook, etc. This blog page with the contest info


3) Come back here and leave a comment with links to your posts and your e-mail address - so I can notify you if you've won!  ;)


THAT'S IT!


Winner will be drawn via Random.org's list generator on April 30th, 2001. 


Comments which do not contain valid e-mail addresses or posting links will be removed or disregarded. Limited to one entry per person.  


Good Luck!


Check out our store on Art Fire for handcrafted jewelry, soaps, and hair accessories!


* giveaway open to residents of the USA and Canada only.

As a jewelry designer, it is my duty (and desire) to search out the most beautiful beads and the perfect supplies - not only to create what is appealing to me, but also to create what I think my customers would be more inclined to wear and buy. About a year ago,  I came across a very talented lampwork bead artist - who creates some of the most beautiful glass beads I have ever seen. Her name is Deronda O'Neill. Her Art Fire and Etsy shop name, "DerondaDesigns", is an understatement to say the least - because not only does Deronda make incredibly gorgeous beads, but she hand draws (or as she calls it..."doodles") intricate and detailed designs that she then etches onto copper and brass.

Here is just a very small sampling of Deronda's work:

So if you are like me, and you're looking for the best and the most beautiful, check out more of Deronda's lovely glass lampwork beads, her copper and brass etchings and more at
www.DerondaDesigns.artfire.com

Every Friday, I head over to the local thrift store in hopes of finding an interesting piece of jewelry that can be incorporated into a new design. Most of the time it's "slim pickin's", however once in a while I come across fabulous pieces that are just screaming to be purchased.  When I go thrift store shopping, I mostly look  for vintage brooches -- however several times I've come across necklaces or bracelets created with rare stones, or  a pair of sterling silver or 14k gold earrings  -- and to my luck, the thrift store literally has no idea of their real value.

Last Friday,  I arrived at the store at the same time as a  gentleman dropping off a box of belongings from his elderly mother.  The store clerk gave me the "OK" to look through it before they took the box of items into the back to sort through.  It contained mostly dishes, glassware and a few little trinkets, however at the bottom of the box were two beautiful brooches! 


One was a vintage Cloisonne piece, surrounded with rhinestones and gold filigree and the other was a sterling silver filigree tiger lily flower brooch.  I purchased them both, then immediately came back  to do some "Googling", hoping to find out more information on them. 

Here's what I found out:
The sterling silver filigree tiger lily brooch was made in the 1930's - 40's. It measures 2-3/4" in diameter and has the .925 hallmark on the back with a "C" clasp closure. It is in absolute mint condition, and obviously the previous owner took immaculate care of it. This piece is considered "RARE" and is valued at a minimum of $49.00.

The second piece is a vintage Cloisonne broach. It was made in the early 1950's (possibly a Sarah Coventry piece). It does not have a hallmark, yet still utilizes the "C" style clasp, as used on jewelry from that era. Again, this piece is in mint condition with all rhinestones firmly intact and no chips, scratches or flaws. Based on similar brooches of this year and style, this pieces is valued at $42.00.

At this point I don't have any solid plans for either brooch and if you are interested in purchasing either of these, contact me and I'll give you a great deal!

Stay tuned for the next edition of "Fabulous Friday Finds!

~ Mischelle

It's plain and simple: I want to be 29 and holding.....forever. 

I know in my heart I will always remain young, however in my family, all of the women seem (at an early age) to develop deep wrinkles around our lips and eyes, with bags so large and puffy, I swear they would need to be checked at any airport terminal prior to boarding a plane. I had already spent hundreds of dollars and tried many brands of creams and lotions that claim to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. 

Well guess what? They don't. 

Each time I tried a new product, I took a "before" picture so I could really see if there were any results and by the time I was through the first bottle, tube or jar of stuff I was inventing new swear words. After several years of trial and frustration, I had literally given up on trying to have the "29 and holding" look, to match my young at heart personality.

Then I was introduced to Tami, owner of Essensu Holistic Skincare. Tami makes a Vanilla Lavender Dry Oil Spray that sounded wonderful! You see, I simply LOVE the smell of lavender together with the sweetness of vanilla. It reminds me of a warm summer day and, well...lavender is purple...which happens to be my favorite color.  

So late last February, I placed an order for a bottle. When the shipment arrived, Tami had included a few samples of some of her other products too. One of the samples was a jar of her Lavender Vanilla Silky Body Cream.

The sample of silky body cream was rich, creamy and smelled absolutely heavenly...and I decided that not only would it be good to try on my dry elbows, but just for sh*ts and giggles I was also going to try it under my eyes and around my lips. As usual, I started out by taking a beforepicture of my worst wrinkles...under my eyes. 

February, 2010

When I put the cream on, I could immediately feel my skin absorbing the nutrients in it. It didn't just sit on top of my skin or feel waxy like many other commercial creams. It was light and extremely moisturizing. I used it twice a day: in the morning and before bed. After the first week I already had noticed a huge improvement and softening of my wrinkles. I was so excited with the results that I ordered more Lavender Vanilla Silky Body Cream from Essensu.

Now, almost four months later, here's the dramatic results:

June 2010

My puffiness and the extra baggage has almost vanished, my wrinkles are greatly diminished and I feel (and look) like a much younger person! My husband has just started using this cream too -- and for a 55 year old with very deep line wrinkles down his face, I can (and he can too) already see a major difference after just one week.

So, if you're like me, and want to remain "29 and holding" way into your 40's, 50's and beyond (and actually look it too!), I strongly recommend using products from Essensu!

Results are not guaranteed, but hey! Look what it's done for me!  :)

~ Mischelle "Mzz Thang" Martell

   

Spring is my favorite time of year, and with the onset of the season, I thought I would share a few of my favorite spring season pieces from the very talented artisans at Art Fire:

From Spoiled Bratzwear - Spring Button Flowers Handknit Neck Cuffie for Dogs

From Into The Dawn - Pink Spring Bud Polymer Clay Earrings

From Tiarras Boutique - Spring Butterflies - Sugar - Sewn Infant or Toddler Tutu and Headband

From Glasstastic Treasures - A Little Frit of My Heart Mini Lampwork Bead

From Gravel Road Jewelry - "Innocence" pendant - handmade sterling silver pink crystal pearl necklace

From Butterfly-Crafts - Thinking of You Card - Green Butterflies - Handmade

From Firebird Jewellery - Photosynthesis Necklace

From Kathryn Bloom - Tulip Bag in Violet

From Island Girl Pottery - Brown and Cream Butterfly Trinket Dish

From Blushie - Butterfly Garden Vegan Soap

Springtime brings loads of color! If you haven't visited these fine artisans before, the links are clickable to the items listed. Check them out and support handmade!

For those of you who want a quick but tasty dinnertime meal, here's a "copy cat" recipe I created based on Pasta Pomodoro's "Gemelli", an Italian dish rich in smoky meats and creamy sauce. This was my husbands and my favorite dish -- but unfortunately was discontinued by the restaurant several years ago. After many months of testing and tasting, this is without a doubt as close to the original recipe (taste wise) as is possible. It is, to this day, a family favorite and has been passed on to several friends as well. Enjoy!

Chicken and Ham Gemelli

Creamy pasta with smoked ham, chicken, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes.

Prep Time	10 minutes
Cooking Time	20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pkg of Gemelli pasta (or Rotini) Two whole chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes 2 Tbs. Vegetable Oil 1/2 c. diced smoked ham 4 medium white mushrooms, sliced 1 small jar sun dried tomatoes, drained 3 c. heavy whipping cream 2 pkg. Good Seasons ZESTY Italian salad dressing mix 2 tsp. Corn Starch 1/8 c. water
Method
Boil pasta per package directions (don't overcook - remember, al dente is best!) Cook chicken pieces in oil over medium heat until lightly browned and almost thoroughly cooked through. Add diced smoked ham, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are softened and chicken is fully cooked. Stir in salad dressing mix and cream until well incorporated. Meanwhile, add water to cornstarch and mix well. Add cornstarch mixture to meat/cream sauce and stir. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Drain pasta and add to chicken/ham/sun dried tomato cream sauce. Mix well and serve.

Why is it that as we get older the years seem to get shorter? Seems it was just yesterday that my youngest daughter was born -- but in reality, she'll be 24 in a couple of days. When I first joined the band that I spent 30+ years with, I was 14 years old and the youngest band member they had ever had. When I started playing darts at age 22, I was one of the youngest darters to go "pro". Now I look around me and realize that I'm no longer the youngest at anything that I do. And I don't like it one bit. At heart I'm still young, but God has not been kind to my body. I feel like a young woman in an old person's body. At least that's what I tell people anyway.

Gone are the days of "partying", drinking till I can no longer stand on my own and staying up until 5 or 6am -- knowing that if I can just manage to find where I'd parked my house -- I'd still have enough time to take a quick shower and be to work by 8am. These days my eyes start to cross and I'm yearning for sleep by 9pm. The thought of going to a party or concert -- or even to a movie means that I have to "hit the hay" at 7:30pm for at least a week prior, in preparation for staying up a bit longer on that special night.

They say with age comes character.

I want to know who this "they" person is, because the only thing that I've found is that with age comes aches, pains, arthritis, gray hair (and lets not forget the hair that begins to grow in strange places) and wrinkles. Whomever coined the saying "Growing old gracefully" must have only lived to the ripe old age of 30 something....because in actuality...it's all downhill from there.

January is already half over. Where did it go? Am I just in such a rush throughout life that I've missed it? Who knows. The way the years fly by throughout my old age, I'll probably wake up tomorrow, only to find out that it's already 2011.

And we haven't even gotten to Halloween yet!

Oh well, even though it's just now turning mid-October, it is -- in fact -- time to start thinking about the holidays. Most crafters are feverishly working on their wares for holiday sales and preparing for upcoming boutiques and fairs.

Art Fire has created a category specifically for purchasing stocking stuffers (items under $10.00) and a sea of fall colors and reds and greens seems to be flooding the front page lately.

Fo-Shizzle Design Studios store at Art Fire has e-gift certificates available for purchase - in case you run out of time to shop or just don't know which jewelry gift to choose. Our e-gift certificates are available in increments of $20, $30, $40 & $50, or we can customize a listing just for you in any denomination you'd like. Our e-gift certificates can be used towards any item in our Art Fire shop or for a custom designed piece.

MzzThang





Holiday Gifts

Congratulations to Robert W. from Tennessee! Robert won a pair of Peach and gold earrings from our "Hannah Collection" during our September Monthly Giveaway!

Sign up now for our October Giveaway! This month we're giving away a beautiful bracelet from our NEW "Sasha Collection"! It's our sparkling Pink Ice bangle bracelet featuring faceted pink crystal rondelles and clear bicones, set among .925 silver plated "noodle" tubes and finished with a silver plated lobster claw clasp. This bracelet is assembled upon 20 gauge silver-filled wire for strength and durability.

It's easy to enter! Simply visit the Fo-Shizzle Design Studios and click on the "WIN FREE JEWELRY" link on the left side of any page! Fill out the entry form and keep your fingers crossed! YOU may be the next lucky Monthly Giveaway winner!*

SASHA - Pink Ice

*by submitting an entry you are agreeing to receive the Fo-Shizzle Design Studios monthly e-news letter.

My mother used to be a member of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, a group of women who met on a weekly basis to plan fund raisers for charity, hosted the wackiest theme parties and led the ever-so-social life. And just as each of our US states has its own representative flower, each of these sorority groups did as well. The Beta Sigma Phi sorority flower was the yellow rose.

One of the ladies in this group lives around the corner from my parents house (where I grew up) and although neither her nor my mother are still active in the sorority, the symbol of the yellow rose has remained an important part of each of their lives. As the upcoming birthday of this neighbor approached, my mother contacted me regarding possibly making a piece of jewelry and incorporating the yellow rose. I had just started a huge project and quite frankly, did not have enough time to make anything, so I began my internet search for something I could purchase for my mother to give as a gift.

There it was. The most perfect and beautiful rose I had ever seen. It looked amazingly real, yet according to the website was hand crafted out of a special formula synthetic clay, produced exclusively for the artist. Items created out of it have the delicate look of unglazed china but are very light, yet strong. I purchased it and when it arrived I was even more amazed at the intricate details of this rose. The petals weren't thick like most polymer clay roses and were finely detailed including having "veins" in the petals, like a real rose. The leaves were multi-dimensional and the color was the softest yellow with hints of an even paler yellow in each petal. It was perfect. So perfect in fact, that I almost didn't want to let my mother take it.

The artists' name is Maria Gower. She owns and operates Rose Paradise in the UK. Her work is brilliant and unique and -- well -- here...

...just look at the pictures. And I must say, the pictures really do not do these pieces justice at all.







And here's the one I purchased. With shipping it was only around $18.00 and came with the silver snake chain:



Check out Maria's other unique pieces on her website at:

www.RoseParadise.co.uk

I was tagged by Pink Clouds and Angels and BEBs Treasures

It's my turn to share ten facts about me and to tag 10 others to do the same. This is a great way to get to know about each other and further develop our friendships, even though most of them are long-distance.

So... without further a-do, here's 10 facts about me:

1) I'm married (for the third time) to a wonderful man who believes that I am the most important part of his life. It's a great quality in a man, I must admit. This is his third marriage as well. We both thought we would keep trying until we got it right. I'm pretty confident that we did this time. Larry and I met while playing darts in the local league, 14 years ago.

2) Together we have four adults (they hate being called children)- 3 women and 1 man, and three beautiful grandchildren ages 15, 2 and 6 months.

3) We were not wealthy growing up and made most of our own toys -- from cereal box guitars to cardboard canoes. We were forced to use our imaginations to keep us occupied (Imagination: something that has become lost with the invention of video games). I can't thank my parents enough for helping us embellish our creative minds.

4) I was as tall as my kindergarten teacher and reached my full height of 6 feet by the 7th grade. I am the second shortest in my family.

5) I've always been involved in the arts of some sort. I began playing the upright bass at the age of 7 and was playing professionally in a pub with a jazz group by the age of 14. My parents had to drive me to my gigs until I was old enough to drive myself. Even then, they had to chaperone me because I was too young to be in the pub. I was with that same jazz group for the next 30 years.

6) I have performed with many great musicians, including David Baker, Todd Coolman, Jon Faddis, Buddy Montgomery, Willard Dyson, John Patitucci, Rodney Franklin, Will Kennedy, Sarah Vaughan, Peter Horvath, Jeff Hamilton, Sheila E. and songwriter Paul Williams, just to name a few.

7) In 1996 I became a professional darts player, traveling the US and Canada for competition and representing Northern California -- and was inducted into the National Darts Hall of Fame in 2001. I was nationally ranked in the top 15 and world ranked in the top 30 at the height of my career.

8) Due to a severe shoulder injury, surgery and then re-injury, I had to retire from playing darts in 2007. Currently in my spare time, I bowl in two leagues and compete in local bowling tournaments.

9) I am a 18 year ovarian cancer survivor; however with the cure of cancer came the onset of Lupus. To date, there is no cure for Lupus.

10) I began my current hobby/career of making jewelry after searching online for magnetic bracelets for therapeutic purposes. After noticing that all that was offered looked dull, drab and virtually the same, I decided to make my own using colorfully painted magnetic beads. Several people in the building I work in noticed my bracelets and asked if I could make some for them. My business today has evolved from these requests.

OK, There's my 10 fun-filled facts! Now... what are yours?

1. Butterfly Crafts
2. Almondtree Designs
3. Bei Creations
4. Bijoux Designs For You
5. Blue Betty
6. Haffina Creations
7. Risky Beads
8. Silver River Jewelry
9. Jewelry By Fyfe
10. Huckleberry Arts

I was watching a T.V. show last Wednesday (while babysitting my grandson) called "She's Crafty". While we don't have cable television, I'm not sure whether this is a nationally broadcast show or just something local; but nonetheless, it was quite entertaining.

The host of the show made several simple crafty things, such as an accordion-style photo album using 8-1/2x11 sheets of paper, a tea tray using a wooden-framed picture frame, some fabric and drawer pulls -- and she closed the show by making some wonderful sugar scrubs.

Now I've heard of sugar scrub before, but have never used any myself. But listening to her talk on and on about the wonderful effects these sugar scrubs had on her face and skin, and how people were telling her how much younger she looked after a few weeks of using it, I decided that yes...I wanted to look younger too.

I raced into the kitchen to get a piece of paper and pencil to write down exactly how to make this sugar scrub, and as I began writing down the ingredients, I realized that not only was it a very simple item to make, but I had all of the ingredients to make it too! :)

So off to the kitchen I went -- to make my first batch of sugar scrub.

The recipe called for 2 cups of sugar, 2TBSP. of extra virgin olive oil and enough Green Tea Tree oil to make the scrub not too flaky, but not too liquidy. This was the only part that didn't have an exact measurement.

After putting the sugar in a bowl and mixing the two oils in, I added 1TBSP. of pure vanilla extract and 4 TBSP. of sweetened cocoa powder. This gave the sugar scrub a wonderful chocolate/vanilla aroma, plus the cocoa added coloration.

I scooped the scrub into a small glass jar with lid, and voila! It was done!

It smelled wonderful! I tried it this morning just on my face. The granulation of the sugar is an excellent exfoliator, and the oils made my skin feel as soft and smooth as a baby's behind.

I'm going to be trying some other scents real soon! Can't wait!

As summer ends and fall peeks it's head around the corner - we've decided to try something new. Our jewelry products will be formed into groups or "Collections", rather than just a mish-mosh and scattering of pieces. This idea came about after creating jewelry for one particular wedding party this past summer. The bride and groom both wore white, as did the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Because the bride did not have a particularly favorite color, she chose an array of colors for the bridal party: blue, green, purple, peach and light green. The bridesmaids each had earrings, bracelets and necklaces made for them and each one wore a different color. The groomsmen each wore a cummerbund and tie that matched the color of one of the bridesmaids and all in all it was quite colorful. Each of the bridesmaids pieces were made slightly different from each other, so that they all tied in, but were still unique.

The bride (Hannah) thought that we should make more of these as she was so impressed with how they turned out she thought others would like them.

So they were born. The "Hannah" collection of earrings. They each have an 8mm Swarovski crystal and are set on our handmade 22 gauge 12K gold-filled ear wires. They have been made just as the originals. Following are pictures of the entire five-piece series, available for purchase on our website or at our store:



For more information on the Hannah Series, or to purchase these earrings, visit Fo-Shizzle Design Studios

With the holidays creeping up upon us, it's time to start thinking about those holiday gatherings and get togethers. If you're like me, no matter who's having the gathering you'll ask if you can bring something (food, drink, etc.). Even if the host or hostess expressly denies the need for anything additional, I will always bring a little something anyway, and leave it up to them to put it out for the gathering or keep it for themselves.

One of the easiest and most raved about foods I've made I found in a Better Homes and Garden magazine and altered it slightly to suit my taste. The original recipe was for chocolate truffles, made from Oreo cookies and dipped in white chocolate. Personally I prefer my chocolate to actually have a CHOCOLATE taste -- so for me, the white chocolate was out.

I've now made every flavor that Nabisco Oreos have to offer, and everyone I've give these truffles to has begged for more. Here's the general (altered) recipe:

1 package (16 oz.) Oreo cookies, finely crushed (I use a food processor to get them ultra-fine and powdery.

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese

2 packages (8 oz. each) Bakers' semi-sweet baking chocolate, or 4 cups of your favorite semi-sweet chocolate chips.

DIRECTIONS:

Place cream cheese in mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until softened. Add crushed cookies and mix well. Cover bowl and put in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

Roll mixture into approximately 40 - 45 small balls (diameter of a quarter). Place on waxed paper and put in freezer for 1 hour.

Melt chocolate or chocolate chips in a double boiler. Dip balls in melted chocolate and place back on waxed paper. Refrigerate until ready to use.


Variations: Peanut Butter Oreos, Double Fudge Oreos, Mint Chocolate Oreos (my favorite).

Congratulations to Peter P. from Rochester New York!

Peter won the Fo-Shizzle Design Studios' MONTHLY GIVEAWAY for June, 2009! His free jewelry was "Lilies", a pair of Lucite and crystal earrings.

I know they will look great on you Peter! (giggle)

If you would like to register for your chance to win free jewelry, click here and sign up for our monthly newsletter!

Fo-Shizzle Design Studios' Art Fire Store


Why am I having a 50% off sale?

Each year, I donate to the Lupus Foundation of America. Last year a little over $3,000.00 was raised from sales, dart tournaments and other fun events and given to the LFA during October, which for those of you who may be unaware, is Lupus Awareness Month.

This year, however, one of our events was canceled so I am relying more on sales and a "Walk For Lupus Now" event at the end of this month to be able to fulfill my goal of matching last years' donations. We raised over $300.00 during our the previous store sales, but still have a long way to go -- and let's face it -- October is going to be here quicker than we think.

Tomorrow only, all items in our AF store will be reduced 50%. Hopefully for those of you who've been eyeballing our items in the past, this will be enough incentive to make that purchase.

100% of the proceeds from all sales tomorrow will be donated to the Lupus Foundation of America.

If you do not care to make a purchase, but would like to become a team member of, or make a donation for the "Walk For Lupus Now" event, click on the link and read more about this wonderful charity event. I'm going to be walking it (fingers crossed) for the first time this year, with the aid of my daughters.

Thank you all in advance for your support!


~ Mischelle (aka "Mzz Thang")