It's Giveaway time!!

Check out this one-of-a-kind, gorgeous necklace!  It could be yours!  The pendant is a Fluorite Druzy with flecks of Pyrite in it.  It's on a multi-strand chain of sterling silver and oxidized sterling silver with Green Amethyst, Smoky Quartz, White Topaz, and Keshi Pearls.  

If you are on Facebook, just have 2 friends sign up as fans and get entered into a drawing. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Erin-Jane-Designs/47151974088?ref=mf

Check the Discussion Board for more details.

If you aren't on Facebook, well, I'll enter you anyway!  Just comment on this post and I will add your name.  The drawing is August 5th.  Go, go, go!

Our Adventure

My husband and I (and our 2 dogs) just got back from a 9 day road trip down the Oregon and Northern California coasts.  What a FANTASTIC trip!  There were so many great moments, but I thought I would share some of my favorite photos including one of a California Condor that was sitting on a guardrail on Hwy 1 near Big Sur.  We were driving when I took the photo, but I still think it turned out well, although you can't tell how insanely huge he was - at least 3 feet tall.

I also finished my giveaway item today!  Of course, I left my camera battery charger somewhere along the way on our trip and my battery is totally dead :(.  But, any day now I'll have details and photos for you so you can learn how to enter for the giveaway.

Enjoy the photos!

Lulu with her ball 

A sunset from our deck in Santa Cruz

Here it is!  The California Condor!  Just 172 living in the wild...and we got to see one!

Ahhh...Big Sur.  So gorgeous.

Starfish in an Oregon coast tidepool

Strawberry Jam

I'm not sure where the urge came from, but I had been thinking about homemade strawberry jam, but usually you have to mess with pectin, etc...and it just seems too tedious for me.  But, then I found a recipe that uses apple to act as the pectin and it worked great.  I messed with the recipe a bit and...Yum, yum, yum!!!  You've got to try this recipe!  The lemon at the very end adds such a nice tartness and really brings out the strawberry flavor.  Seriously...so good.

Ingredients

3 pints fresh strawberries

3 cups sugar

2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur

1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and small-diced

1/2 lemon  

Directions

Rinse, drain and hull the strawberries. Cut the larger berries in half or quarters and leave the small berries whole. Place the strawberries in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot such as heavy Dutch oven and toss them with the sugar and orange-flavored liqueur.

Bring the berry mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Add the apple and continue to keep the mixture at a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, until the jam reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. This should take 25 to 35 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top. Squeeze the half lemon in and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and then store covered in the refrigerator. It will keep refrigerated for at least 2 weeks. 

Erin Jane Designs Giveaway sneak peak

So, is it just me or is everyone giving stuff away?  Well, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and do a giveaway.  More details to come, but I thought I would post a photo of some of the materials I will be using for the piece I am making...maybe for you!  Here's your little sneak peak.  Stay tuned!

Hummingbird!

Oh, this little guy couldn't be cuter, so I just had to share.  I had my hibiscus outside for some sunshine and this little hummingbird was sure happy with it.

Studio Transformation!

Well, FINALLY!  My studio got some LOVE this last week or so.  Of course, the project took on a life of it's own, and was a bit more time consuming than I first thought - but I don't even care anymore!  I am loving how it turned out.  There are still a few things to do, but there always will be...

So, the first photo is the "Before".  I had already started to take some things out of the room before I took photos, so this isn't even the messiest :).

And, now, the AFTER!

So much more storage!  So much more light!  So much more inpiring!  My favorite part is probably my white concrete floor.  I had hideous beige carpet that just didn't seem appropriate for a studio, so since I didn't have a budget for a new floor, I just threw some white paint on the concrete that was under the carpet.  Not perfect, but great for the interim.  Plus, white floors are so cool.

Here are a few more photos...

         

   

Orange!

Well, I finished my first painting of my orange series.  I love it. The other one I'm working on isn't working out as well, so I'm glad I like this one. So bright and cheery! I'm not sure where to put it though! In our living area, this is really the only spot to put a painting, but it needs a BIG painting and looks a little naked with the white birds.  And, I really don't feel like putting more holes in the wall. Since my husband is probably the only person who reads this darn blog (and is out of town, so hasn't seen my painting yet), I will just ask him which he likes better...before or after, honey?