=RIGHT TIME/RIGHT PLACE=

If you do not have a Pinterest account, you are simply missing out on the most spectacular way to make you feel like a failure. I realize that statement may make a few of you turn on your heels to avoid feeling such a way... but Pinterest only makes you feel like a failure after you have been inspired to do so much and fail to actually get it done. Crafting,( can we even call it that?) fashion icons, outfits put together before your very eyes, just to click to a board and mimic with your own clothes that you already have in your closet. Spontaneous clips and pictures that make your heart smile...  Pinterest is hard to explain because to anyone who hasn't "pinned' thinks its just a place to keep pictures of the things we like. But for us artists, dreamers, achievers, crafters, designers, do-it-yourselfers, it is a place where we can come together and in complete organization (another pin favorite) to file our next great idea, our big project, or great idea we came up ourselves and want to share with others into separate boards to look back on later. It's a head-spinning orgasm of everything that you think is the best idea ever. The days of ripping out pictures in magazines, folding cook book corners, or trying to remember where you found that cute hairstyle from, are over. In pinning, you single handedly file your life into tailored categories. Like I said-

Best. Idea. Ever.

I am not one who can confidentially walk up to someone who is a complete stranger and spark up a conversation. (Luckily my husband takes care of the small talk category.) But when shopping for supplies for my Etsy shop I saw what could only be defined as a "potential pin"and that if I would see on Pinterest, would go absolutely nuts over. The hair. The messy bun. (I have a board just for hair styles I like & that I want to try on my own) Those polka dot shorts. Oh my gosh, have you ever seen such cute shorts? And that sweater! A sweater so simple paired with spunky shorts seems like any idiot could do- but the people who think that are the ones who leave with biker shorts and high heels on. Eyeballing this girl up and down I realized I might look like a serial killer- much less if I approached her and asked "Can I pin you?" No. There had to be a way I could get her picture to "pin"- without me sounding like I wanted to lick her face and throw her in the trunk of my car. The answer was simple. I was going to have to grow a pair, explain my situation that I am a pinterest whore & designer who couldn't pass up an opportunity to pin her. & she would simply have to believe that what I said was true. But I got my business card out just in case. (Read below)

A little lamb in polka dot shorts & an oversized sweater.

This is where this cute little lamb comes in. Chelsy Larson is her name, and ironically when explaining myself to her that my intentions were to simply to snap a picture of her clever outfit, she chimed in as well and admitted she too, owned an Etsy shop. ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/chelsymlarson?ref=seller_info ) No wonder this girl looked so darn adorable. She agreed to stand where I asked her to, looked embarrassed and off guard (as expected, when a crazy person comes charging at you) and took the perfect picture. The perfect pin. Now, maybe hundreds of pins later from other Pinterest whores, maybe someone else will see my perfect pin and be inspired to ask a stranger to take their picture for one of their boards. And maybe by then, someone will have figured out a way to do so without sounding like a psycho pinterester.

Summer time suits me just fine.

This past week Jason and I were blessed with having his parents fly in from Virginia Beach. Their timing was quite ironic due to the Wild Canyon Fire that spread over 17,000 acres. It was basically in our back yard. You know that post I made about my best friends wedding and my adorbs mustard yellow dress? The place we are standing in that photo- the Flying W Ranch- is no longer. It was consumed by the fire and literally burnt to the ground. When flying over head, the in-laws said they could see the smoke coming from the mountains. Crazy. Anyways, luckily the Cog Rail that shoots up Pikes Peak was open by the time they came. (Colorado had to close it due to the danger of the fires) Knowing how elevation has a way with the weather, the temperature at the top of the mountain was about 35 degrees cooler than Colorado Springs! So what I choose to wear for a special occasion? My own goods, of course. The good thing about off-shoulder-shirts is they not only give you the perfect amount of skin showing (without baring it all) but they are perfect for any weather ranging from hot to cool. Shown here is one of my summer line creations- and again, the inspiration comes from my Native American roots. I got many compliments while I sported this look. & I remained comfortable in the hot weather at the bottom of the mountain, clear to the top where it was a little chilly. & I know I should say it with more confidence that I made it- but I feel like that's gloating. And who likes a person who gloats? Not me. I just hope they see my 'pebby' trademark on the back and do the research themselves to find where they can get one... :) But just in case you are curious... you can get one at www.pebbyforevee.etsy.com 

=GETTING TO KNOW=

items currently for sale by pebbyforevee

When I was younger, searching for arrow heads in fields with my grandma was not an unusual thing to do on a Saturday afternoon. We would carefully sift through the plowed fields, tediously searching through the dirt mounds in hopes we would find a genuine artifact that linked us to our heritage. I honestly believe this may have something to do with my slight obsession with this Navajo/Aztec/Native American trend popping up all over the place. It touches close to home. It feels like it's a trend that I can take part in that I honestly feel I belong. I won't deny that I sometimes struggle with what exactly my "style" is. That is partly because I can be preppy one minute, and then see a cute outfit and become a gypsy. Styles have a profound affect on my wardrobe & what I do with it. But finally, I feel a style that came from the past has presented itself with uber confidence that anyone- not even someone with Native American Heritage- can wear with pride.

I encourage you to take a look into your heritage. Perhaps you have an awesome keepsake or heirloom that you can incorporate into your every-day style. There is nothing more satisfying than sporting a look that you know your ancestors will back you up on. ;)

=AZTEC INSPIRATIONS=

I will never deny that I am a girl who likes a bargain. My entire living space is made up of interesting finds bought from antique malls and thrift stores. Maybe it is because I live in Colorado that there are so many great places to browse but the possibilities out here are endless. Here pictured is an Aztec inspired belt that I picked up from a thrift shop I spotted on a way home from a friends house. With the delicate details of the buckle notches, and the colors streaming from burnt sienna, to cream and off-black, I hope this inspires you to check out your local thrift shops. While Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie have addicting websites, you can pick up similar items at a fraction of the cost and support a local business as well. This my friend, is a win-win.

=MUSTARD & WEDDINGS=

mustard yellow bridesmaid dress

When it comes to weddings, there are many reasons to be joyful and excited. If you know the couple about to be wed (as opposed to just being a date to the event) you can understand how exciting this new chapter in life can be. In most cases they are happier than ever and work well together to make the celebration of a lifetime. There is much to do, however! Luckily, when I was asked to be the Matron of Honor in my best friends wedding, I got to not only help her with said event, but got to pick my own dress to wear! If you have ever been in a bridal party- you know what a sigh of relief this is. No ugly mahogony colored dresses for us! No floor length gown that would be said to us "...if you shorten it, you can wear it again!" That's a big negative, ghostrider...

So my lovely mother who has spoiled me- I dare say when it comes to clothes-makin'- and I teamed up to make the perfect dress for me to wear. I do not prefer my legs to be shown above the knee caps... I have a rather large bust line & so to keep the eyes focused on the bride instead of my cleavage line, I opted for a higher neckline. & to avoid the ever-cringing expression "matronly" I wanted a low cut back to keep me in my youth...

After creating our own pattern and about 2.5 hours later...here we have what I consider to be the cutest lil' matron dress you ever did see! Feast your eyes on a mustard yellow low cut backline by pebbyforevee :)

=E L E V E N=

I remember being seven years old, dancing around in the church sanctuary out of sheer boredom waiting for my parent's conversation to wrap up. There were a lot of children in the same predicament that I was & were dancing to their own beats in their heads. As I was twirling and squirming about, the older girls- who were aged 11-12- caught my attention. They too, were waiting for their parents to stop talking about nothing of importance. But they were not throwing themselves about as I was. They were sitting in a close group, huddled together and whispering about something delightful but impossible to hear over the trumps of  the dancing feet beside me. The very thought of knowing what on earth they were gossiping about made my brain go wild. Being a younger sister I had come accustomed to feeling left out- but these girls were different. I didn't have to share a bedroom with them, I didn't have any previous baggage or fights or any reasons for them to be annoyed with me whatsoever. They were a clean slate. And a rare opportunity for me to leave my current group of ridiculously-dancing, unaware group of kids and move on up in the world. To hang with the big girls. Immediately, upon realizing this, I tucked my flailing arms back to my sides. I remember the moment exactly when the courage to become a preteen at age 7 took over my senses and I could not wait...simply could not wait.... to grow up and be age 11. The age when you would be looked at by other 7-year-olds as goddesses of gossip and knowledge. The age of knowing-it-all.

Now that I am much older than 11- looking back on that Sunday afternoon makes me realize how shaped my life began. I decided around that time that I should stick with what I know- art, music, and dance. Art was the only thing that I could do better than anyone in my family at the time (my brother eventually began to get very creative with the arts himself) so being the middle child, I took that as a chance to get some good and obvious praises. I am so glad I did.

As a successful business owner I am so honored to have had the chance to work with my clients. Thank you for making my dreams of being an artist that developed at such a young age come true. It is only because of my customers that I feel that the goals I made for myself at age 11 took place at all and grew to become the business 'pebby forevee'. So thank you. <3

me, on the right- "growing up".