{sparkle} Flawed Perfection Jewelry

this summer has practically been a blur! crazy!

obviously blogging was not at the top of my list...

but I still have some fun things to share,

so hoping to settle back in to a schedule.

stick with me! :)

>>>>> <<<<<

Megan & I have worked together before on some fun projects

{I really loved the Dinner at Downton post}

and I'm excited to share some of the new things she's been up to!

"Megan Reynolds started Flawed Perfection Jewelry in 2009, right after she graduated from high school and right before she started college. For the past four years, she worked to grow her business while being a full-time student. She just graduated with her business degree in May 2013 & is excited to just into being a full-time entrepreneur. She is based out of San Diego, CA and is always inspired by the gorgeous landscapes of her sunny home. Megan creates playful, and colorful customized Swarovski crystal jewelry designs that work for women of all ages and walks of life. If you are attending a wedding, just running errands with the kids, or anything in between, there is something from Flawed Perfection Jewelry for you!

She uses the finest crystals and high quality sterling silver, silver-filled, and stainless steel to create jewelry that is timeless, yet very modern. Her earrings start at just $10 & can be perfect for any occasion (they're also her best-selling items)! Additionally, Megan believes in giving back with her business. Back in March, she started a commitment to donate a percentage of her sales to the Half the Sky Movement, which helps oppressed women worldwide with several key issues. Read more about her pledge here. So, when you buy from Flawed Perfection Jewelry, you are also doing good at the same time!"

I personally love Megan's {fairly new} section of the shop that offers interchangeable pieces.

You can choose the pieces you like best & then mix-and-match them however you'd like.

I think it's a great way to get the most out of your jewelry without having to spend a ton of money.

Megan sent me this beautiful "Sweet Treat" layered sparkle necklace;

I just love it! The colors are so pretty & I know all those tiny beads were attached with care.

If I ever want to mix it up, I could just order another bead cluster &

add it to the chain I already have for a totally new necklace! So fun!

If you'd like to order your own Flawed Perfection piece,

Megan is offering my readers a discount code for 2 weeks:

just use JACKYROCKS for 10% off anything in the shop!

Keep up with Megan & Flawed Perfection Jewelry: Online Shop | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

{Megan sent me a necklace to review, but all opinions are 100% my own}

latest project // Modern Yardage

I first discovered Modern Yardage while I was at SNAP! back in April

and absolutely fell in love with the fabrics they had there!

The designs were all so fun & modern, I knew I needed to get my hands on some.

Modern Yardage sent me some of their fabrics so I could give them a try;

I got a bunch of coordinating prints that are so cute!

The colors are bright & fresh, the fabric washed well,

and my only problem was trying to decide what to make. ;)

I ended up making a couple small projects so I could use a good mix of the prints I received.

This zipper pouch is my favorite because of the patchwork detailing and the gusset corners!

It's been living in my purse, keeping all of my lip gloss/gum/etc.

from floating around in the bottom of my bag.

I also made this rectangle zipped pouch with a key ring attached

{perfect for running errands and such!}

and a pretty yo-yo headband {perfect to dress up any outfit!}

aren't they pretty? I love how everything turned out!

Modern Yardage fabric is a bit different than standard fabric companies,

so here's a little more about their product & how it works:

Fabric
We print on a high-quality, 100% cotton, pre-shrunk, optic white poplin fabric. It is slightly heavier than traditional quilting weight fabric and great for your sewing and craft projects. 

Ink
We print with environmentally-friendly, water-based textile pigments. We do not use any harsh acids or chemicals. These pigments have been specially formulated to be compatible with our printers and fabric and offer a rich color gamut with very good fastness.  

Layout
We are different than most fabric companies in the way we layout our fabric. Our prints are 44” wide, which is standard among most designer quilting weight fabrics, but we print on 58” wide fabric. We use the additional 14” of fabric to offer fun and creative value-added items. For example, on one order you might find a message from the designer of the print you purchased. On another order you might find an inspirational craft idea or simple sewing pattern. On another order you may find a coupon for your next purchase or pictures of us making fabric. It will always be a suprise!

{read more about this here}

Oh, and each print of fabric is available in different size scales,

which makes it perfect for whatever project you may want to work on.

I've been very pleased with my Modern Yardage experience

& will definitely order more in the future!

They have so many great designs, you will want to check them all out.

I'm currently loving the Verdant & the Personality collections.

{Modern Yardage sent me fabric to use, but all opinions are my own!}

The 1500 Tree Project

I really love adoption.

I really love supporting adoptions in any way I can.

So today I'd like to introduce you to Angie,

the mama behind The 1500 Tree Project,

and her cute family. :)

I found out about The 1500 Tree Project through Instagram,

ordered a tree myself, and wanted to help spread the word!

I'm going to let Angie's words tell their story better than I'd be able to. :)

"In 2012, on a warm Saturday morning in November, my husband and I waited anxiously in a bright orphanage. At 9 am, the director arrived, carrying a serious(ly adorable) 6 1/2 month baby boy into the room. I burst into happy tears. Quiet. Happy. Tears. After months of waiting, piles of paperwork, and an indescribable amount anticipation, we were finally in Taiwan, holding our son for the first time.

Now, we spend our days chasing, laughing, gardening, giggling, and dreaming. Life is pretty beautiful. And we are thrilled to share that our son is going to be a big brother! On the surface, the 1500 Tree Project is a way to fund our second adoption. 1500 trees made. 1500 trees sold. One fully funded adoption. But really, it's so much more than that. 

It's cutting leaves out of colorful paper while my son toddles around the living room, babbling away. It's thinking about designs as my husband plucks away at his upright bass guitar, practicing a bluegrass tune. It's piecing together a tree when we chat about our days, with the low hum of the baby monitor buzzing in the background with our toddler's sleeping breaths. The 1500 Tree Project is love and hope, poured into a little 6x6 canvas. Joy really is the heartbeat of our shop and the spirit I pour into every piece I produce. This is our family. That is our big picture. Where will you fall in The 1500 Tree Project?"

It's pretty simple:

If they can sell those 1500 trees, 

their 2nd adoption will be fully funded.

Isn't that fantastic?!

The trees are just lovely, perfect for adding a pop of color to your space.

My pink one will be living in our shared office, which could always use more color. ;)

I love that Angie's created something pretty to share,

and that it's an easy way for others to support their adoption.

Will you help?

Shop for your tree HERE.

Also, Angie's offering a little coupon code just for you;

simply enter PetuniaReader at checkout.

--> follow along with The 1500 Tree Project on

Facebook, Instagram or their blog.

{Angie isn't paying me to share their story,

I just love the idea & wanted to share. :)}

>>>>> <<<<<

Google Reader will be gone pretty soon;

please be sure to follow The Sweetest Petunia on Bloglovin'

so you don't miss anything!

it's been quiet + a little news

It's been quiet here on the blog the past week or so, but for good reason.

I announced this on Instagram, but time to make it blog-official...

We bought our first home!

Oh my goodness, it's exciting. :)

We ended up with a 3 bed/2 bath townhouse,

just down the street from our old place (we were renting).

We've been cleaning/organizing/packing/moving/etc,

so I've been a little too busy to blog.

We're officially living in our new place,

but there's still quite a bit of work to do

before we're completely settled in.

I have more fun things to share, projects I've worked on,

handmade favorites, so I'll be back soon. :)

happy Friday!

hope your weekend is wonderful.

summer sunglasses {Firmoo review}

Summer in Florida is HOT & BRIGHT.

I love my state & I've never wanted to live anywhere else,

but I won't lie and say it's not rough sometimes. ;)

I recently got to choose a pair of glasses from Firmoo;

since I don't wear Rx glasses, sunglasses seemed like the perfect option!

Firmoo.com offers a ton of options as far as glasses go,

you can shop by style/shape/etc,

and you can get your 1st pair for free!

Firmoo also offers a Virtual Try-On system,

which I think is great if you aren't sure which frames you want.

I chose this fun pair, #OTO3570

They're a bit different from my usual sunglasses choices,

but I actually like them a lot!

The frames are big enough to protect my eyes

from that bright sunshine, and they're really comfy.

They arrived with a hard plastic case,

a soft pouch case, a repair kit, & a cleaning cloth.

I've been keeping the soft case in my purse so the glasses stay safe,

and the cleaning cloth is perfect since

I always seem to get fingerprints on my sunnies.

Overall, I was very happy with my Firmoo experience;

I'll be wearing these shades all summer! ;)

Be sure to check out their website

the next time you need a pair of glasses.

{Firmoo sent me a free pair of glasses, but all opinions are my own}

>>>>> <<<<<

Don't forget!

You can enter to win some fun coffee & tea goodies here.

Also, my {virtual} Thirty One party is tonight,

so come join us & shop here!

coffee + tea (a giveaway!)

it's no secret that I love coffee,

& I also love my (real life) friend Elisabeth!

she blogs over at The Everlasting Eli,

and, of course, I was very excited when she offered

to donate this fun set of goodies for a giveaway!

someone could have a wonderful coffee (or tea) date

with all of this great stuff - even better if you can share it with a friend. :)

enter using the widget below:

{US only, please!}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

happy Friday, my friends!

Thirty One party!

Cosmetic Bag Set || Keep-It Caddy || Mini Zipper Pouch

Mini Utility Bin || Inside-Out Bag

Hey friends!

My sister-in-law introduced me to Thirty One products

a few years back, & I fell in love quick. ;)

I have several bags/totes/organizers, and they are so handy.

I've used one as a knitting bag for a few months,

one to carry my multitude of library books,

one to organize my linen closet, to tote sewing supplies,

one even went around the world with me!

I'm excited to have a virtual Thirty One party coming up on June 4th,

& I'd like to invite YOU!

The party will be happening on Facebook, so if you'd like to attend,

 please send me an email & I'll get you set up.

I was a part of one recently, and it was so much fun;

you can stay in the comfort of your own home (pajama party, anyone?!),

interact with some awesome ladies & learn about all Thirty One has to offer.

Who doesn't love online shopping? ;)

Oh, and the June special is fabulous:

I'd love it if you could join me next Tuesday night,

but if you can't make it to the party,

you can still shop right here.

Let me know if you have any questions,

& hope to "see you" there! :)

coffee date

It's been quiet around here lately, and I have to confess...

it's because I broke the keyboard on my laptop. Oops!

I'm hoping my mister can get it fixed over the weekend,

but for now I'm just borrowing his computer. ;)

I decided to link up with Alissa this morning

because I just love coffee dates.

So, if we were having coffee together...

I'd probably mention that I broke my favorite mug (the one seen here)

earlier this week. :( I keep trying to remind myself that it's just a thing,

it's really not that important, but it's still a bummer.

Those pretty Anthro mugs up there make me smile, so someday I might replace it.

I might talk about how I feel not-good-enough when I see

some fabulous bloggy friends taking up running/completing big goals with running, etc.

I tried the whole running thing; I finished the Couch-to-5k program & all that,

I just never fell in love with running. And deep down, I know that's okay,

I just have to get it through my head on a surface level.

There are a lot of fairly big changes heading our way in the next few months.

It's exciting, but I also don't love change - I like the security of sameness.

My Jesus Calling devotional has been talking a lot lately about

letting go of what MY plans are and what I want,

and trusting Jesus' sovereignty in my life,

trusting that His plans are best and that He's in control. 

He always knows what I need and even when I need to be reminded of it. ;)

I haven't really done much sewing lately;

usually it seems like by the time I drag everything out and do all the prep work,

it's time to get everything cleaned up and put away!

But last night I had a couple of fun projects that I really needed to work on,

and it just happened that the Mister was gone with friends until late...

perfect timing for me to get stuff done.

I'll be sharing some of those projects here soon!

My overall goal for this year is still to SIMPLIFY,

so I've cleaned out closets/cabinets/nooks/crannies/etc.

over the past few months. If you're interested,

I set up a separate Instagram account so I can do a

shop-my-closet type sale.

I have lots of handmade accessories & such

that I would love to send off to a new home!

Follow the sale @petuniascloset

And that's just a random smattering of

what's on my mind right now...

How about YOU?

How are you doing, what have you been up to?

Happy weekend!

SNAP! 2013 // learning

other SNAP! posts

great fun & great people // Queen Bee Market

>>>>> <<<<<

I got to meet so many fantastic people while I was at SNAP!,

and I also got to attend a bunch of really great classes.

there were a lot of choices (I had a hard time choosing!),

a lot of amazing speakers, TONS of information.

some of my favorite classes:

Basic Blogging Tips for Online Success

Amy @ The Idea Room / Desiree @ The 36th Avenue / Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick

even though I've been blogging for a while, I really enjoyed this class;

it was a great refresher, plus some new perspectives to think about.

oh, and they put the notes from their class online,

so I don't have to share all of my crazy notes! ;)

PART 1 >> PART 2 >> PART 3

How To Do It All

Becky @ Organizing Made Fun / Lisa @ The Pennington Point

I really struggle with time management

& getting everything done, so this class was for me!

favorite tips:

> stick with your goals & be specific with your time

> make wise choices before taking on too much..

> set time limits for yourself!

> be realistic - budget your time.

be consistent, but don't overdo it.

> don't put your blog before your family.

> be flexible!

Running a Handmade Business

Amy Cornwell / Diana @ Livy Love Designs / Katie @ Vintage Rose Wraps

you can read about Amy's talk here.

favorite tips:

> sometimes you have to learn

what works for you/your customers

by trial & error.

> stay on top of trends;

they change frequently.

> try to find a good photographer

to work with.

> set yourself hours to work.

> be open to constructive criticism.

> find the things that inspire you & do them.

> don't be afraid to up your prices; it has

to be worth it. don't sell yourself short!

> sometimes you have to take a chance

& invest in your business.

> be willing to give a LOT.

everything comes back to you

and MORE.

> learn as you go & be patient

with yourself. be open to new ideas,

but stay focused on what works.

>>>>> <<<<<

that's just a taste of things I learned;

I have pages & pages of notes!

do any of these tips stand out to you?

what are you most interested in learning about

when it comes to blogging/handmade businesses?

SNAP! 2013 // Queen Bee Market

I've dreamed at shopping the Queen Bee Market for quite a while,

so you can bet I was excited when I heard that QBM would be happening at SNAP!

I just wanted to share some of the goodies I came home with;

I couldn't resist supporting handmade, although I did tell my husband

it might have to be my Christmas present for the year. ;)

 >> gorgeous engraved wood coasters + a diy banner from Alexis Mattox Designs

 >> mint chevron tee from The Printed Palette

 >> an adorable elephant from Kelsey Bang

               {I don't have kids, but I had to get this little guy for me, ha!}

 >> earrings from Hoopla Earrings

 >> pretty heart ring from Cinnamon Sticks

 >> necklace/hair clip from Creme de la Gems

               {these were actually a birthday gift for my baby sister, she loved them!}

 >> lip balm from Kustom Kissers

 >> cute magnets from Livy Love Designs

 >> wristlet from August Blossoms

 >> my favorite button earrings from Made by Jewls

 >> headbands from Vintage Rose Wraps

I would definitely encourage you to check out these wonderful shops!

So glad I got a chance to shop in person, but their online shops are just as great.

SNAP! 2013 // great fun & great people

It's been a couple of weeks since SNAP! 2013,

& I am so glad that got to attend this year.

I was nervous before I left; first time traveling all by myself,

meeting lots of new people (I can be kinda shy!),

not knowing what to expect during the whole thing...

but everything worked out fine.

And having to meet new people really pushed me out of

my comfort zone, which was good for me. :)

The theme for this year's conference was:

I love that! Such a wonderful reminder for everyday life.

I think my very favorite part of SNAP! was the people.

I met so many amazing, beautiful ladies while I was there!

Even though we had never met in real life before SNAP!,

I think my roommates & I got along really well.

We went to a lot of the same classes, got to hang out together,

and went to bed early when everyone else was partying. ;)

Jessica of OhSoAntsy // Albion Gould

And then a bunch of other awesome ladies...

Diana // Elise // Jessica

Courtney // Caroline + Alissa // Meagan

Skye + Alissa // Morgan // Carrie

They had a super fun photo booth at the closing party,

hurray! It was really fun! :)

Danielle + Beth // Alyson + Karri + Amy + Elizabeth

So happy to meet ALL of them

(& even more I didn't get pictures with)

& already planning my trip to SNAP! 2014.

more to come soon...

petunia travels // Caversham Wildlife Park

previously in the {petunia travels} series...

Singapore // Perth + King's Park

{just a note: all of our pictures are from our iPhones,

and I didn't edit any of them beyond resizing them for the blog}

>>>>> <<<<<

if you don't want to see lots of pictures of cool Australian animals,

you may as well skip right over this post. ;)

if I had to choose a "favorite thing" from our trip to Australia,

I think it would have to be Caversham Wildlife Park.

we spent most of the day there, and it was so neat to be able

to get "up close & personal" with some awesome animals.

{koalas! we got to pet them & everything!}

oh, and the kangaroos. totally amazing.

they had a huge enclosure where you could go in & walk around;

all the kangaroos were chilling out in the shade,

you could go right up & pet them.

I might have been freaking out a little about how cool it was! ;)

we saw quite a few beautiful birds...

a wombat {such a strange animal!}, funky lizards, dingo...

oh, and finally... a couple of baby kangaroos, about 6/7 months old!

seriously, they were just the most adorable little things;

I wanted to sneak one home in my suitcase. :D

do you have a favorite Aussie animal?

>>>>> <<<<<

I'll be sharing at least one more post about Australia,

but I want to share some SNAP! posts first...

so this edition of {petunia travels} will be continued a little later.

thanks for reading!

petunia travels // Perth + King's Park

to see the first part of our trip, Singapore, click here.

I'm so excited to be sharing these pictures from our time in Australia with you!

We visited Perth, West Australia, and it was so beautiful there.

Even the weather was perfect for walking everywhere we went!

{just a note: all of our pictures are from our iPhones,

and I didn't edit any of them beyond resizing them for the blog}

>>>>> <<<<<

our plane landed in Australia pretty late & we were exhausted,

so we slept in and headed out for "breakfast" at lunch time. ;)

coffee is always a priority for us, so we went to a cafe-style restaurant

called Dome - it ended up being our favorite place for food while we were there!

pretty much every restaurant in Perth had "famous" fish & chips,

so the hubby decided to have some for lunch - I think he ended up having it

(at different restaurants) like 5 times while we were there!

{first kangaroo sighting, ha!}

after breakfast/lunch, we went off into the city to do a little exploring.

I had heard that King's Park was beautiful, so we started that way first.

there was a kind of a short cut through to the park called Jacob's Ladder,

and we figured the stairs couldn't be *that* bad...

well, there were about 1300 stairs.

we were pretty exhausted by the time we got to the top!

the view was gorgeous, but we ended up just laying in the grass

for a while to recover before walking through King's Park. ;)

{the grass in Perth was gorgeous; almost like a golf course!}

{views of the city}

we really enjoyed the park & seeing the whole city spread out below us.

I feel like it was a good start to getting acquainted with Perth.

to be continued...

hello.

hello Monday >> after being away at SNAP! all weekend, I believe today is going to require at least 2 cups of coffee...

hello home & husband >> SNAP! was amazing & I'm so thankful I got to be there, but my home is always my favorite place to be.

hello laundry >> not my favorite chore, but it needs to be done. first load is in now!

hello inspiration >> as soon as I got on the plane yesterday, I had to pull out my notebook & start scribbling down ideas. feeling refreshed & inspired as far as blogging goes, so keep an eye out for some upcoming posts. ;)

hello priorities // I'm realizing that I struggle with prioritizing & time management... not good. making an effort to put the truly important first & not sweat the small stuff, but also to (hopefully) not waste as much time in the course of a day.

hello Australia >> I haven't forgotten about sharing pictures from our trip! we just took SO many, I have to pare it down to the best ones. (you can see the first part of our travels here)

hello winner >> Katy P won this pretty scarf! congrats!

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I'm linking up with Lisa Leonard today.
hope you all had wonderful weekends!