SHOWERED AND READY TO GO!

Yup, that's right, baby and I are showered and ready to go!  We were surprised with not one, but "TWO" baby showers!  The first one was held at my house.  My mom is amazing.  She comes to my house with a huge cooler, unpacks a boat load of food, and takes over my kitchen (I love when she does that).  And my sister in law totally out did herself.  She claims she's not crafty, but look at all of the wonderful things she made...the mason jar cookie favors, the cheesecake pops, her signature cookies, the diaper cake, the amazing framed family tree, and  the "It's a Girl" sign.  She paid attention to every detail and made sure everything was "Tina" perfect, and for that I am truly thankful.  The party was a huge success!  As you can see, we were not left empty handed.  Our friends and family were very generous and it's obvious the baby is coming into an loving environment.

Then, two weeks later, my very good friends/co-workers Tanya and Tara threw us another shower at my job.  It was held in the morning and to my surprise many contributed to the potluck style buffet brunch.  The food was delish!  And what made this shower different was their unique choice of games.  You can imagine how a quick game of pictionary can get interestingorking with a bunch of apparel designers and graphic artists.  On top of that, I was totally overwhelmed with the amount of creative and thoughtful gifts.  Many of them were hand made which added a special touch.  Brandon and I left feeling very fortunate and blessed.

All we need now is the baby!  34 weeks and counting, we await patiently and in the meantime are enjoying the holidays with our family.  We'll be sure to keep you posted!  Happy Holidays!

SALON SUCCESS!

       Writing a quick blog to let everyone know Lily Dilly is now being sold at The Salon & Spa at Mystic Hair in Tampa, Florida!!  We are very happy and excited about this opportunity.  This is one of the more prestigous hair salons in Tampa.  http://www.mystichair.com/.
As the story goes, my hair dresser (who I love, shout out to Audrey) noticed my bracelet.  She was very impressed and asked me to bring in more.  At the next visit, she bought one.  She told me she wears it often and receives many compliments from co-workers and clients.  That motivated me to bring in more the next time.  When I did, her co-workers gathered around and I made enough money to pay for my hair cut!  Sweet!

One thing led to another and I finally met the salon owner.  I gave her a copy of my line sheet and she put in an order for 12 pieces!  We displayed them near the front door, which is prime real estate, next to the cash register!  Over 3 days, we sold 9 pieces!  I went back a week later to replenish the ones that sold, and to my surprise, she ordered another 24!  That's not including the custom orders I received from some of the employees. Yes!  I'm a busy lady...making jewelry and making a baby!  Oh, and don't forget I work full time, and am juggling the normal holiday "to do's" (luckily my hubby's been very helpful).  We are 33 weeks and counting (a little more than a month until the projected due date).  Sometimes it's hard to keep up with everything.  I'm big enough now where every time I get up it's a process, but I'm hanging in there.  As the date approaches, I get more anxious and excited.  Baby is going to be beautiful and I can't wait to meet her.  Here is the latest picture I have to share.

BOUTIQUE BOUND!

Lily Dilly is in it's 1st BOUTIQUE!!  "How did it happen?", you ask.  Well...funny story.  I was out and about, during my lunch break, and noticed a cute boutique near by.  So naturally, I made time to stop in and check it out.  Right away I sensed this boutique had a good vibe.  It was light and airy, open and spacious, not dark and overcrowded.  The items featured were tasteful and trendy.  The boutique owner was sitting behind the register and noticed my baby bump.  She asked me the usual questions..."How far along are you?", and "Do you know what you're having?"  As I answered, she smiled and stepped out from behind the counter.  Come to find out, she is also pregnant!  We're both expecting girls and have THE SAME DUE DATE!  Can you believe it?!  Coincidence?  I think not!  We hit it off right away and chatted up a storm.  I mentioned my jewelry line and before ya know it, I'd set up my first official business appointment.  I put together a press kit that included a line sheet with pictures and pricing.  I presented it to her along with actual samples and she loved everything!  Within a week my line was displayed at the front table.  She even asked me to frame my bio page to complete the presentation.  We sold 6 pieces in the first week!  If you're in the area, please do stop by to check it out or visit their website at http://www.sorellafrettacollections.com/

This one experience has taught me so much already.  It gave me the courage to push forward and approach other boutiques.  But in this industry, you win some and loose some.  You have to have patience and faith.  Just last night I received a call from my hair salon who wants to place an order for a dozen bracelets!  My goal is 25 boutiques, if this works out, 2 down and only 23 more to go!!

LET THE NESTING BEGIN!

YUP!  That's right, I'm nesting!  Scouring the earth to find unique and inexpensive things for the home and baby's room.  My mom and I share the joy of thrifty shopping.  You never know what you're going to find...like this pink velvet rocking chair.  It literally rocks!  I saw it from across the store and it called to me.  It's perfect for the baby's room.  All it needed was a little love and POOF!  It's like new!  The best part is the price!  Only $20!!!

Here's another "wow" find.  This old toy box (see below) only cost $7.99!  Yes, I know...it's not that cute at first.  It's actually pretty beat up and dirty.  But people!...you have to put on your designer goggles and see the possibilities!  With a staple gun, a couple yards of upholstery fabric, and a new set of hinges, we were able to turn this sad toy box into a chic piece of furniture (bottom right).   It will go in the family room and perfectly disquise all of the colorful toys that are soon to come! What's great is that it doubles as a bench and can be used for extra seating.

Okay, just one more.  We found this old beat up chair (see below) in the attic.  It was left from the previous owners.  It was a mess!  The legs were coming off and the mint green paint was chipping.  The hubby was ready to throw it out.  "But wait!" I said.  I convinced him to keep it and that it could be saved.  Um hello!...it's definitely an antique.  So this weekend my mom and I, well mostly my mom, sanded it down and her husband sprayed it white.  Look how cute!

But you know what the best part of this is...spending time with my mom. She's been amazing, and so supportive.  I'm 33 and I'm still learning from her.  I'm so fortunate and blessed to have her.  If only I could repay her someday.  I offer her money and gifts, but she refuses.  She won't take a dime from me.  So I've decided the best way to repay her is to try and pass everything she's taught me along to my daughter!  I love you mom...thanks to you and Jim for all your help this weekend!

HENRI BENDEL OPEN SEE

If I had my blog set up last year, I would have definitely written about this one.  I attended the Henri Bendel "Open See" last October, which was one year ago today.  "What is that?", you ask.  Henri Bendel is one of the oldest department stores in NYC, and twice a year they open their doors to independent accessory designers and invite them in for an interview.  No appointment necessary.  You just have to show up!  If they like what they see...they buy!  It's a huge deal and an awesome opportunity to get exposure.

From the moment I heard about this opportunity, I worked my butt off to pull a presentation together.  In a short period of time I perfected my displays and managed to pull together an impressive catalog.  I was ambitious and determined.  I booked my flight and was on my way.  I arrived the night before and treated myself to a night at the Hudson Hotel.  I was up bright and early, to be in line by 5am.  To my surprise the line was already wrapped around the building.

This is a picture of me, anxiously waiting in line, with my very good friend Annette.  She lives in NY and stopped by to keep me company.  I'm so thankful she did because I was a nervous wreck and it wasn't until noon by the time I got in!  The buyer I met with was a younger lady and she was accompanied by her even younger assistant.  I remained enthusiastic and proudly pulled out my stuff while they silently watched, emotionless.  OUCH!  The interview didn't even last 5 minutes! They gave me some constructive feedback and sent me on my way.  I have to say, at first, I was sooo disappointed.  I kept thinking about all the time and money I had invested into this project.  I practically ran home and cried to my hubby.  BUT, he lovingly supported me and encouraged me NOT to give up. After all that, I don't regret the trip.  You only live once and should take some chances while you're here.  I took their advice and added some bling to my jewelry line.  And those pieces are actually my most popular styles!   Check out my ETSY website for more recent stuff. http://www.etsy.com/shop/LilyDilly

MY FIRST BIG GIG!

This cutie right here is my friend Jenn.  She's the beautiful bride who is now newlywed and off to Aruba for a fun filled, much needed, baby makin honeymoon!  (Good luck my friend!)  Thanks to her, I had my first "big gig"!  She hired me to make bracelets for all 6 of her bridesmaids and earrings for the wives of the groomsmen.  In the end, everything was a success.  The bridesmaids looked amazing and the bracelets were a big hit.  I have to say, finding the right fabric was a little bit of a challenge, but I managed to find a lightweight chiffon that had a beautiful brown feather print.  The colors  matched perfectly to the swatches she gave me.  The fabric was matte, but the swarovski crystals gave it just the right amount of sparkle.

Please keep me in mind if you have any friends or family that are getting married.  I can custom make jewelry that will perfectly match the bride's theme and color story.  Plus, each piece will come meticulously wrapped and ready to go!  What's great is that my jewelry is wearable for many occasions and when the bridesmaid wears it again, she will undoubtedly remember that special day. Thanks again Jenn for the opportunity and exposure.  Brandon and I had a blast!  Here we are, you can kind of see my belly.  I'm 25 weeks and counting!

THE CAKE REVEALING!!

We found out the sex of our baby in an exciting and memorable way.  I strongly suggest it for anyone who is expecting.  This is what we did...

The day before our scheduled doctor's visit, I stopped by our local baker to order a cake.  The outside was to be neutral, using green, yellow & white, while the inside was TBD (pink or blue)!  The next day we went for the sonogram.  My sister in law joined us, which made it extra special.  I was anxious to find out whether nugget was a boy or a girl, but my husband and sister in law convinced me to wait.  We all covered our eyes as the doctor examined closely.  I asked the doctor to contact the baker with the good news.  Later that evening, we arranged a dinner party with our close family and friends.  I made dinner ahead of time so we were all set.  However, if there was any night to have dessert before dinner, this was the night!

We were all on the edge of our seats and could hardly wait.  With everyone present, my husband and I made a toast and cut the cake together.  We finally got to use the cake cutters we used for the wedding again, which was a nice touch.  Here is a glimpse of what we found...can you tell what we're having!!??

IT'S A GIRL!!!

PREPARE FOR BATTLE!

So here is a picture of me at 17 weeks! (Doing the Beyonce pose!)  You can see I'm starting to get a little bump.  Nugget is growing and I'm always hungry!  I hope I'm that girl that only looks pregnant from the front, ha...we'll see. There are a lot of wonderful things to say about being pregnant...but I have to say it sure does take a toll on your body.  An article posted on ivillage.com claims, "You'll never look the same in a bathing suit again".  Aaaahhhhh!  What's a girl to do?  Well, I'm not going down without a fight, so today I'm going to share a couple things I've picked along the way to help me win this battle!

First, I've been wearing "mum" shorts!  I actually know the lady who designed these.  She's a fellow mompreneur and good friend of mine.  I started wearing her compression shorts about a month ago, when I started to feel some back pain.  I have to say they are wonderful!  As soon as I put them on I feel like someone is hugging me in all the right places.  I feel supported and my back pain is significantly reduced.
http://www.recoveryshorts.com/

Second, I lather up!  Every morning and night I've been using these creams to help prevent those unwanted stretch marks.  A little expensive, but being a coupon cutter allows me to save on some stuff and splurge on others.  Do they work?  Actually, I don't know, and probably I won't know until after I have the baby.  But I smell good and feel great and that's all that matters right now! http://www.mustelausa.com/

Third, I bought new shoes!  I know these aren't no Jimmy Choos, but at this point, I DON'T CARE!  They are sooo comfortable.  I searched high and low for the perfect preggy shoe.  I wanted something cute with lots of support.  When I put these on I immediately felt like Cinderella.  It's like the soles were perfectly molded for my feet.  I love them! http://www.naot.com


As I sit back and look at all the things I've bought, I realize that what I'm really battling here is FEAR! The fear of what's going to happen to me physically and how my life is going to change.  But I have to remind myself that fear is the enemy...and the best defense is to trust in the Lord.  So I truck on and patiently wait for my little miracle to be born!

Mathew 6:25-27.  DO NOT WORRY “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

THE MAIN INGREDIENT...A BABY!!

So this is the first picture of our little bugger!  Isn't he/she cute.  Until we find out the gender, let's call he/she "Nugget".  From the looks of that BIG head, Nugget is going to be very smart.  And sorry Dad, but I think Nugget has my nose.  This picture was taken at 12 weeks, which was already 1 month ago.  Today I turn 16 weeks.  Wow, time flies when your pregnant!  I have to say, this is one of the most exciting steps of becoming a mother.  The first glimpse of your little one is priceless.  What's wierd is that you don't feel anything inside.  Of course you have the fun side effects of being extremely tired, ragingly hungry, and over the top emotional, but you don't actually feel any movement inside.  So when I saw the 1st picture, I was full of relief.  Phew!  I'm not crazy, there really is a little baby growing in there!  It's amazing, and yes, a little surreal.  I'll admit, I'm scared out of my mind.  Up to this point, I've been totally independent.  I work hard and come and go as I please.  My "mom" friends already made it very clear to me... A LOT is going to change.  But I feel good and we're excited.  I'm thinking positive.  I recognize that I am blessed to have a great support system near by.  My husband is heaven sent.  Seeing him interact with my niece and nephew, I know he's going to be an amazing father.  His sister is young and spunky.  Reminds me of my younger day,  plus, she doubles as a dog sitter (thanks Mo!).  My mom is the modern day handy woman.  I am proud to say she can fix a toilet, change a faucet, and true story, duct tape a diaper.  My brother is extremely talented.  He consistently sets a good example by being a loving, and supportive father himself.  His wife is one of my very best friends and a mother of 2!  She knows EVERYTHING.  She is always one step ahead of me and seriously, she's better than google.  But most of all, I have the Lord.  I'm taking this time to learn how to trust him.  Being human, naturally I want to control everything.  But what I'm learning is, his plan is ALWAYS better than mine.  His timing is perfect.  When you let go and trust in him, things will eventually work out.  A little patience and faith can go a long way.

Stay tuned next week and I will give you a glimpse of this growing belly!