Friday, July 30, 2010

I love the farmers market


I was so happy to find SUNFLOWERS ready to plant, not cut, at the local market!! They are so bright and cheerful, and I couldn't resist the red Gerber Daisy also. Now I need to figure out what pots I have to plant in and if I even have a suitable pot. You know how that happens, you find something you really like for a really good price and when you get it home you realize that to 'complete' the project it is going to cost even more moolah! Oh well, they make me feel good and maybe at some point they will feed the birds too.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

I have always wanted to paint

I started taking lessons last month and have ventured into starting a large painting. 30"x 30". I like large. I like it when I walk into a room and there are large paintings or other types of artwork on the walls. Strong, dramatic. Thats what I am hoping to achieve. This is a picture of the beginnings of my first painting. I still have MUCH to do. But I am having some fun with it in between making many new jewelry designs, and working on my website, my blog, and walking my wonderful dog. I will post more pics as the painting comes along. Besides large, I like colorful and bright too, the kind that when you look at it, it just makes you feel good.
xoS

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

new dog designs coming soon

I am currently putting together a few new "charms" that will be perfect on your 'babys' collar, dog or cat that is. and many will also work well as a necklace for the dog/cat owner!

Now is the time if you have any special sayings that you would like to see made in metal. Join me and lets have some fun with this.
Leave a comment below or email me directly at Sandy@TobyandMax.com. So, what would your dog/cat look good in??

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Does this dog look "Bad to the Bone"??



Your right, he doesn't. He is a sweetie with attitude that belongs to a friend of mine. But I think he would be awfully cute in one of my new 'upcoming' dog tags that says "Bad to the Bone" with a tiny sterling 3-d bone on the front!! Maybe it will scare away those big dogs!! And attitude does count for something doesn't it?!!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

update: donating 25% to Audubon Society


I have been searching to find the organizations that are doing the most to help the wildlife that are in crisis in the gulf. I wanted to post on my blog who would be receiving the 25% of purchase price donations. I am sure there are many organizations and groups, but the Audubon Society has a large team in place in Louisiana working hard to help. The donations from you and me will go there. I have links here for you to see what they are doing and how you can help directly also.

I hope you know, I am not offering the 25% to help the birds as a sales gimmick. I wish I had alot of money and I would just donate a zillion. But this is something I can do, and I hope people who care will find my blog and want to participate also. These people who join with me will have something beautiful to wear to show that they care, and that they helped; and the pendants will remind them and others that you can do something to help in this crisis. Please spread the word and email this blog to your friends.

I have also decided to include another design (besides the one in the previous post) that you can wear close to your heart where 25% will be donated to help the birds. It is a sterling heart with wings with the word "Free" on the back. I do want these birds to be free again to live naturally, free of the oil, free of what has happened to them. I know I am getting emotional here, but I just can't seem to help it. Did I tell you that I have owned parrots before, and they are such beautiful, intelligent creatures, and that they show love much like people. The price for this beautiful, petite, sterling pendant is only $22.00!
Click here to see this design and to order/donate.

((Update:I just realized that on my actual website page I failed to add information about helping the birds in the gulf or the 25% donation. In my haste to make this donation available to people on my blog, I did not think about also putting it on the website page. I got very caught up in my research and what is happening in the gulf and blogging about it. I will be making the addition to the page as soon as I can get my website builder to make the changes, but for now, please know that any purchases on these 2 designs I will be donating the 25% to the Audubon Society.

I hope this did not confuse anyone and cause them not to participate when they wanted to get involved.))



Here are some links that show what the Audubon volunteers are doing to help. I want to help them as much as I can, please join me.


http://magblog.audubon.org/oil-spill-photo-gallery-oiled-wildlife-rehabilitation-center-part-2

A day in the life of a volunteer:
http://magblog.audubon.org/oil-spill-volunteer-shares-her-experiences-helping-save-oiled-birds

Another good site: http://www.allaboutwildlife.com/american-wildlife/volunteering-to-help-gulf-wildlife/4843

And this from the NWF as an Emergency Alert. It really brings it all home as to what is happening:

"Millions of gallons of oil have oozed into the water since the April 20th rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Some estimates calculate the oil flow to be up to 60,000 barrels of oil a day—that’s 2.5 million gallons of oil a daycontaminating our waters and threatening wildlife and sensitive habitats!

And we still don’t know when it will stop.

The wildlife casualties are adding up. Hundreds of birds and sea turtles have already been found dead. Hundreds more animals are struggling to survive, drenched in toxic oil. Sadly, this is just the beginning of what’s in store for wildlife in the region due to this devastating tragedy.

Please donate today to support National Wildlife Federation’s efforts on-the-ground to confront this crisis. We’re tracking and reporting on the impacts of the oil spill, and we’re setting up an extensive network of volunteers that will support wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts and restore damaged coastal ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico.

We’re working hard to safeguard the treasured wildlife and wild places impacted by this catastrophe. But we need your help to get the job done." Go here to donate directly to help.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Lets do something to help the birds in the gulf


Doesn't it break your heart when you see the pictures on tv? I can hardly stand it when they show the birds all covered in oil. I wonder why more isn't more being done? Maybe I am not getting the full story on the news, seems like 'they' must be doing more than it sounds like.

I want to do something to help the people/organizations, in the gulf that are helping these poor helpless beings. I will donate 25% of the purchase price to either a bird sanctuary or other group that is actually helping find the birds and clean them up from the oil. The Pendant has a bird wing on the front, and it says "Protect Me" on the back. PROTECT ME, and isn't that what we will be doing when we help get them cleaned off of oil and re-released somewhere safe. Some might say it looks like an angel wing, and believe me, from what I can see, these creatures need all the angels they can get. It is sterling silver, and the price is only $38.00. That means that $9.50 will go to help for every pendant you buy. Show your friends and get them to join in and help the sanctuaries that are helping the birds/turtles, etc. in the gulf. Its not a big thing, but it is something!!! We need to do something!! I have to turn the tv off I get so hysterical some times watching what is going on. This is a small thing, but it is something that I can do and I hope you agree with me and will join in. The Pendant info is here.