Designs By LaShelle Facebook Fan Contest

Designs By LaShelle
is having a 100th fan contest!
Once Designs By LaShelle reaches 100 fans on Facebook
we will have a drawing for one fan's name. That fan will be able to choose
any custom designed pair of earrings or a necklace, even choose to have
a custom Bodacious Fairy Beauty. The winner and I will work together
to custom design just the right piece. They will also be able to choose
one other person to receive a custom designed piece made by me.
(both winners will have to be fans of Designs By LaShelle at the time of the drawing)
So the sooner we reach our first goal the sooner someone will win!

Etsy West Michigan Team has been a pretty terrfic bunch of crafters, jewelry makers, artisisians of all kinds making hand made items from their hearts. I belong to this team and I'd like to introduce you to some of them:

Here you will find an assortment of wonderful tags for just about any occassion!



















http://www.etsy.com/shop/mariasoleil

Here you can find wonderful recycled baskets and gifts from Craftinator~Come down to Fulton

Street Artisian Market this year and see these



up close!













http://www.etsy.com/shop/craftinator

I've always enjoyed looking at this artisians items, her display is terrific! Come and see her at the Fulton Street ARTisian Market this summer too!






















http://www.etsy.com/shop/PitBullLadyDesigns

Who says there's a silver lining behind every dark cloud? I found a gold one.....................

Beginning again...letting the creativity flow to music...purple music....

A raindrop turns into pink sunshine......>

It's been a long day...

I'm so excited about this upcomming event!

Pay It Forward

I was moved today by a kindness that my friend showed me. She brought me a bag of food. In the bag was a cake with a piece missing (it was too rich for her so she gave it to us) and other food items she didn't want and wanted to share with us. I knew it was time to PAY IT FORWARD.

Sometimes when I've given things to people at work or other places, I have heard "oh, no thanks, I don't like that" or "ewwww, I don't like the color" or "get that away from me I'm on a diet" (OK the last one is understandable). I just have never understood pickiness. I don't understand people that complain especially when someone is offering something FOR FREE and the person it's being offered to ask for something different or just doesn't show tact when the item is offered. Someone once said to me "I really need something to eat, I have low blood sugar" and I offered them an apple. "No thanks" they said, "I don't like apples". OK, sometimes I get to the place where I don't want to offer anything because of the rejection. When something is offered to me whether it's food, water, help, a handmade item I am honored, humbled and very appreciative. I don't care what flavor or color I will take it graciously and not complain.

I was in Family Fare today and saw an elderly woman pushing a cart. She looked frail and something inside me told me to buy her some flowers. I don't get these convictions often and when I do I always act on them. I saw that she had her husband with her and when she began talking to another lady I walked up to him and asked him if it would be ok if I could buy his wife some flowers, that I was being moved to do this act of kindness and that she was the person I was to do this for. He told me "naw, really, you don't need to do this" and I told him when I felt convicted to do something, I had to do it and I wouldn't take no for an answer...LOL He pulled out a dollar bill and said, well then let me put a dollar in too" I wouldn't take it, I told him I was going to have the bouquet up at the front of the store when they were ready to check out and he smiled and said "Thank You, it's going to make her very happy, as she is going through chemotherapy right now..." The only reason I'm sharing this story with you is not to get any kind of praise or acclamations, but to encourage each and every one of you to do something for someone today. You never know to what level that will encourage them and help them in their walk of life. And what did I get? I got a smile on my face.

What's Really Important To Me

Sometimes when things seem like you can't make it

And every heart you meet is sad

Knowing that there is someone who'll take all the

the tears away and make you glad

Life can always show you heartache if that's the life you're looking for

Although through crying comes a rainbow

When the sun shines through the grey

I'll be waiting till you need me

when life gets to heavy for you to bear

I'll be there to turn that sadness into smiles

Just waiting...I'll be here.

Friends

I had such a great time at Fulton Street ARTisian Market today. I got to be next to a good buddy of mine, Michele, she's a riot and a half, we laughed and had a very interesting day, with the wind blowing our stuff all over haha it was still fun. She was so generous; she loaned me some bungees, helped me prop my trunk lid up and was just there for me in general. What a blessing she was.

Visit Michele's shop at http://www.craftinator.etsy.com/ or

http://www.secondsight.etsy.com/ for beautiful creations of magnets, hand pastel drawings and more!

It's always fun to see my team mates and get to meet new people, do some networking and with the bodacious fairy beauties there are just laughs never ending at my booth. It makes it worth it for me, just to bring them and watch people laugh, smile, and sometimes even try not to laugh. Those people the ones that want to maintain their "proper" crack me up because you know they want to laugh but don't because of the company they are with.

I had to go down and try the asparagus; I hate asparagus, haven't eaten it in over 20 years. My ex mother in law used to serve it on purpose just to piss me off. But I want to let her know that "it's all in how you prepare it sugar!!!" because the asparagus I had to day just rocked my world! Blue cheese crumbles, warmed over grilled tender crisp asparagus, marinated in some kind of salted wonder, was just heaven in this grandma's mouth.

While I was picking up my greens, Sarah Roemer was calling to me trying to get my attention....in her hands was something that I'd been hinting about for a few weeks but never ever did I expect that she would go ahead and make one. It was the most beautiful, yellowish gold headband made with her rawkin' pop tabs, and I seriously almost cried. What a moving display of loving friendship, thoughtfulness and selflessness! I really didn't know what to say. It is just beautiful. Thank You so much Sarah. It's just beautiful.

Visit her shop at http://www.sjroemer.etsy.com/ for more of her creations using recycled pop tabs made into purses, bracelets and more!