We guarantee you won’t find these anywhere else! Jen Lownie, the super-talented artist behind Paper Jewels creates each pair of earrings by hand. Besides her collection of gorgeous designs, she also does custom designs, and recently introduced a line of logo earrings for small business owners looking for a unique way to advertise their work.

Add the fact that there’s a HUGE sale going on right now, and you’ve got yourself one great reason to check Paper Jewels out!

To quote from the pages of TheDailyStroll:

“First there were 2 parents. They fell in love, they got married, they had twins- then sextuplets. Yes, 8 children under the age of 5. As seen on Mother’s Day on Discovery Health Channel, meet the Six Gosselins, well plus Cara and Madelyn, and their parents, Kate and Jon. So really, meet the 10 Gosselins.

Help The Daily Stroll make this happen for Kate and the Gosselin 6! The twins Cara and Madelyn can walk themselves but the Sextuplets are only 2 years old. 6 two year olds under one roof- believe me, even if all of our readers donated $1 we would have enough for a few of these limousines!!!”

Visit TheDailyStroll now and donate a dollar or two to help them out with this amazing cause!

It seems that country and cottage magazines have caught on to the revival of the cottage industry. Last month, Country Living did a great feature about creative businesses, and I just read in the May/June issue of Cottage living an inspiring profile of Mel Lim, the creator of Joy by Mel Lim. Mel designs beautiful greeting cards and other paper products that are heavily influenced by her cultural roots. Read more about Mel and view her designs at joybymellim.com.

Although Acorn Studios has lots of great, thoughtful items in their collection, my favorite has to be this recycled circuitboard necklace. Its appeal is doubled in the fact that it’s a fun and oddly elegant way to showcase your inner tech goddess, and it’s also 100% eco-friendly. A pretty nifty gift, and under $10 too!

A visit to Asian Invasion Saloon is a treat for the senses. From the moment you log on to the site, you are immersed in a world of creativity and fun. The chosen greeting for customers? “Nee Howdy!” Who could resist?

Joyce Chan, the designer behind Asian Invasion Saloon, tells us on her home page, “Growing up in a traditional Chinese home first as a Yankee, then as a Redneck, I’ve come to appreciate and love all things Asian, country and western, rockabilly and of course the ’40s and the ’50s.”

This unique history leads to a website and products we are simply blown away by! We recommend you visit each page so you don’t miss out on any of the tasty treats in the store. Our favorites:

The Memory Boards: If you are like us and live behind your camera or can’t seem to find that little note from your son’s teacher, these boards can be a lifesaver and inspiration all in one!

The Train Cases (Pictured Above): Crafty goodness awaits you at the bottom of these unique containers! While the site suggests you use them as a makeup case or to store accessories, we think it’s a wonderful place to store those smaller craft bits that tend to wander off with a mind of their own. Going to an outdoor craft market this summer? The small locking boxes can keep your cash stashed safely while showing just a bit more of your personality.

Make sure you visit the Custom Gallery before you leave the site. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the wonderful prints and unique combinations seen there, and perhaps inspired to request your own custom work.

Lots of new things for A Planet 4 Creation this month of May. First we have a *NEW* web site!! Second, May 14th is our 1st Birthday and also Mother’s day. Every order in the month of May receives 2 gifts (a birthday cake bookmark and a purse charm). ALL orders on May 14th will receive USPS First Class delivery for free. Come by and check us out!!

http://www.aplanet4creation.com/

Hosted By:
Elite Event Productions

When:
Saturday May 13, 2006
at 1:00 PM

Where:
Elks Lodge
4500 N Main St
Fall River, MA 02720
US

You are cordially invited to the hottest home show of the year! Join us for a tropical themed Home Show Event! This exclusive event is by RSVP only. View great products in an entertaining and no stress environment. You’ll have the opportunity to order products, book your own home show, and best of all, win GREAT prizes! This is a fun and festive afternoon. Find out how fun our at home parties really are!

Best of all, this event is completely FREE!

You will also have the opportunity to win fantastic prizes through games and raffles. You are bound to go home with something great!

View more information on our website!
www.EliteEventsRI.com

Sign up for the Shammashoes.com Trend Sheet Newsletter and they will email you once a week to let you know what the latest trends are.

The best part? All Trend Sheet Newsletter members are automatically entered into all Shammashoes.com giveaways!

Trend Sheet Newsletter

by Rachel Paxton

There is nothing as special or personal as a homemade Mother’s Day card. Surprise your friends and family with your handmade creations. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Materials:

Four blank greeting cards (available at craft stores), scrapbooking paper with floral pattern, coordinating solid piece of scrapbooking paper, creme or white colored cardstock (whichever matches other papers best), paper cutter, scissors, glue stick, computer, printer, sewing machine.

Card #1:

For this card you will need a floral piece of scrapbooking paper, a coordinating piece of solid colored scrapbooking paper, and a piece of white or creme colored cardstock. Cut a piece of the solid colored paper to fit the front of the greeting card and glue it in place. Cut an approximately 2-inch strip of the floral paper and glue on lefthand side of card as a border. Use your sewing machine to stitch* along the righthand side of the floral border and around the outside edge of the card. Cut a large square out of creme colored or white card stock and glue to the center of the card. Type “Happy Mother’s Day” on your computer and print out on white or creme colored cardstock. Cut out the phrase (narrow strip) and glue to the bottom of the square in the center of the card. Choose a flower from the floral paper and trim to fit in the center of the square on the front of the card. Glue in place.

* Stitching tips: If you have never used your sewing machine to make cards, it is easy! Just sew on the paper like you would on fabric. You might want to reserve a needle just for paper so you don’t dull the needle for your fabric projects. There are two ways you can include stitching in your card making projects. You can either stitch directly on the card, or you can stitch on a separate piece of paper and then glue that piece to the card (then the stitching won’t show through the card).

Card #2:

This Mother’s Day card is quick and easy. Cut a piece of the solid colored scrapbooking paper to fit three-quarters of the front of the card. Carefully tear along the righthand edge of the paper and glue the paper in place. Next cut a piece of floral paper to fit half of the front of the card. Carefully tear along the righthand edge of the paper and glue on top of the solid colored piece of paper. Type “Happy Mother’s Day” on your computer and print it on white or cream colored paper. Mat the cut-out phrase first on a piece of the solid colored paper, then glue to front of card. Stitch around the outside of the card if you wish, but it isn’t necessary.

Card #3:

This card will open horizontally. Cut three approximately 3-inch strips of paper to fit width of card: two floral and one solid colored. Tear bottom edges of each piece. Beginning at top of card overlap the three pieces with floral paper first and glue in place. Cut a large square from the cream or white colored paper and glue it in the center of the card. Cut a slightly smaller square of solid colored paper and glue in center of cream colored piece. Type “Happy Mother’s Day” on your computer. Print on cream or white colored paper, trim, and glue in the center of solid colored square. Stitch around the edge of the card, if you wish.

Card #4:

This card will open horizontally. Tear a rectangle from the solid colored paper and glue near top of card. Type “Happy Mother’s Day” on your computer and print on white or creme colored paper. Trim and glue to center of solid colored paper. Tear another piece of solid colored paper (larger than first) to glue across the bottom of the card. Cut a rectangle from floral paper and glue to center of bottom piece of solid colored paper. If you wish you can accent edges of floral rectangle with coordinating eyelets.

Notes: The terms “card stock” and “paper” are used interchangably here, but it is up to you which kind of paper you use, depending on the look you are trying to achieve - A sewing machine isn’t necessary for this project, it is just a nice added touch - You don’t have to use your computer for this project, you can handwrite the words if you wish.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For scrapbooking, card making, gift-giving ideas, and more family memory-making activities, visit http://www.crafty-moms.com.

We have launched our new Sugar & Salt Scrubs for the sultry summer season. Get your hands on our new Ocean Mist Salt Scrub. Why not bring the beach home with you?? Get 10% off your online purchase. Just enter “merrymay” in the coupon section during checkout.

WHY USE OCEAN MIST: SALT SCRUB? Scrubs should play a mandatory part in your weekly skin care routine. This Pacific Sea Salt Scrub is with Coconut Oil, to give your skin a soft, supple glow.

Salt scrubs help to remove left over toxins that your skin has secreted, stimulate your skin, helps slough off dead skin cells to prepare for new skin growth. Gives your skin a wonderful, new-skin glow. This salt scrub is rich in natural ingredients-your skin will be in for a real treat.

NURTURING INGREDIENTS: Pacific Sea Salt is a very fine grained salt. It is solar evaporated from the waters of the Pacific Ocean. We added Seaweed Extract is high in vitamins A, C and E. Kelp extract is rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals. Kelp extract helps to detoxify and re-balance the skin.

Ocean Mist Scent is a blend of fresh air, water and sand.