in the depth of winter i learned lay within me an invincible summer...

these very words are my heart and soul ....
So grateful for my island cowgirl bangle that I wear and cherish daily to remind me of how far I've come....

and on this beautiful winter day, the five year anniversary of Buddy's transition, which was probably the hardest day of my life...and which also represents so much else for me....

I wear these words on my wrist and in my heart and soul with absolute Love and Gratitude

i'm such a sucker for Heather's pictures and jewelry......

 www.islandcowgirl.com
 

Island Cowgirl (you must have missed my posts:):

I just enjoy this picture:)   (hope they appreciate all my free advertising:)

www.islandcowgirl.com 

Messing Around with the Island Cowgirl Line :O

You may have noticed, I have a not-so-secret love affair with the Island Cowgirl jewelry line I never thought there would come a day when I start breaking apart their spectacular craftsmanship to customize a piece to suit me;). But alas, I wanted one necklace on a long chain for layering with non cowgirl pieces...so I cut a leather cord, placed it onto a long silver chain, even transferred their little silver logo over, and made it my own;). I figured J would appreciate this gesture more than me buying another piece . I done real good (hope Heather doesn't mind;) 

Friday Funday----girls' day out

lunch.....and my mini fashionistas have themselves a SHOPPING SPREE!!!!

 





hahahahah, yep, that's my foot, and my island cowgirl starfish anklet (that's as close to a tattoo as I'll ever get...even the anklet was a bold move for me ;)

Uber cute bracelets from Island Cowgirl...

and I just may have to make these :D (NO, I'm NOT going to buy something I can easily make:)  I've donated PLENTY of funds to the Island Cowgirl piggy bank, and have no qualms about "recreating" a similar style bling:)

 

excitement of the day....

I  just like this picture and this saying, a lot!



fairy girl showered my bling studio with pretty flower petals.... 


Lunch with my little ladies, and their little ladies 


I finally caved, check out the new dragonfly ring (from Island Cowgirl, of course;)

digging these earrings from Island Cowgirl!!!!!

http://www.islandcowgirl.com/item.php?item_id=864&category_id=15

I wrote a little thank you note to Island Cowgirl

and I just found this on her blog; I'm so touched!

http://islandcowgirl-blog.com/2013/05/19/postcards-from-hilton-head/

…postcards from hilton head…

Posted on May 19, 2013

We have the best customers. Yesterday I received a beautiful, heartfelt email from someone just reaching out to me in a random act of kindness. To let me know what Island Cowgirl means to her…and I am reminded again why I do what I do.

It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day chores of running a business and everything that goes into it…that sometimes we feel disconnected from what really matters. This is a common theme among my artist friends & I. We talk about this a lot. A LOT.

It meant the world to me that she took a tiny piece out of her day to write such a sweet email…and it pulled me back into the now, the present & reminded me that living in the moment is ever so infinitely important…so much so that I could almost smell the salt air and sun on my toes on that beach in Hilton Head.

Here is her letter:

Hi Gals! 

I feel like we’re old friends now!

Thank you for ALL the wonderful jewelry; it makes me happy, everyday, to pick out my outfits based on the Island Cowgirl bling I’m wearing;) (and inspires me in my own work). I feel genuninely uplifted and joyful, wearing your pieces.  They are truly filled with VERY beautiful energy…thank you!  Enjoy the photo, taken from Hilton Head Beach, my neck of the woods on the opposite coast;) (starfish anklet). Peace & Blessings.

Thank you Sherry! You made my day.

~heather

while J and his girls had a date night (a festival that involved bands and pizza;)....me....mama's night out!!!

and it didn't involve the grocery store...wooo hoooo!


and while I was standing in the warm coastal waters, I was gifted with a baby dolphin, awkwardly jumping....it was amazing! 


this book's kind of cool (even though I didn't really read a whole lot;)...because Edisto is a beach just north of my county...south side of Charleston County....drove the girls out there once when we first moved here...but honestly, the beaches all look kind of the same around here....beautiful!

and I was gifted with a fabulous sunset over the tide pool 

fun saturday out!

the hunt continues....

One of my favorite parks where I (ahem the girls;) can play:D 
  
 

Sail boats...the main source of traffic congestion around here:D  


(shhhh, Island Cowgirl owl necklace...hoo hoo!!!)

fun friday out

we test drove a new boat
saw dolphins, including a mama and a baby
hit the hilton head diner for the first time (i'm quite certain it's been on "diners, driveins and dives;") 
and finally hit the beach ... J and the girls had fun on their boogey boards, while I sat on a beach chair in the water, with a book
...OH, and I got to wear my first-ever anklet...living the beach life and all, my ankle thought it needed an anklet (it's from Island Cowgirl; of course;)
....ahhhh, sweet heaven....
and...of course I took photos :D  
**(the one of me and the girls is probably my official Mother's Day photo this year; given it's supposed to rain on Sunday:) **

just poppin in to say...

hey (in some Island Cowgirl Bling....LOVE!)

Blessed Beltane!

Blingin' it in Island Cowgirl

I'm an Island Cowgirl Goddess :D

LOVE my new "great things lie within earrings"...LOVE my "walk boldly, grow wise" tree necklace!

 

cowgirl boots are HOT!

so I have REALLY been digging the look of cowgirl boots as of late...not all of them...just some, like these (from Country Outfitters):

I'm not even sure why?  I DON'T like country music.  period.   Where I live, it's mostly too warm for boots like these...(ok, maybe not this year, but I'm digging a the cooler temps...we have enough warm weather:), I've ridden a horse maybe twice in my whole life? (though once was along the mountain tops of Estes Park Colorado with my high school marching band, so that was kind of cool:)  I think these would look SO cute with a cotton floral dress and a jean jacket...wouldn't they???!!!  I'll probably never get a pair, because they are crazy expensive for cute ones like these, especially for boots that are just not practical in the land of sandy toes and flip flops...(plus I heard they are just not all that comfortable)...but *if* I were to entertain the idea of a pair of cowgirl boots, I most definitely would HAVE to have the brown ones with the little flowers, top left....WOW!!  Maybe my love of these boots began when my little "obesession" with Ilsand Cowgirl began.  She posted pictures from her wedding, and now I have this romanticized vision of cowgirl boots.  Plus she lives on a beachy island...and well, so do I!!  (almost:D)  (I hope Hearther doesn't mind that I snagged her photo...but hey, I give her LOTS of free advertisement, plus I sport more than my share of Island Cowlgirl bling;)  But isn't this crazy cute!

So, maybe cowgirl boots would be fun someday; we'll see......or maybe it's just best if I just enjoy the pix, and focus on crazy cute FLIP FLOPS!!!!!  Speaking of which, I had better get going....it's time to take the clan to da BEACH!!

have a sparkly flip floppy time of day!
xoxo

greetings from the sparkle studio

Island Cowgirl

earrings I love....
 
Great Things Lie Within
 
Before Dawn

Peace and Petals 

Baby Bird