A second day in Paradise

Today was officially our 2nd day in paradise. Yesterday we drove north around the coastline and today we decided to explore the south side of the island. So we decided our main destination would be Haleakala National Park. This park houses a dormant volcano and the highest elevation in Maui. Yes 10,023 feet! So we started out at the base of the volcano at ground level and 78 degrees.


Every thousand feet we were updated with a wooden sign that told us what elevation we were at. We drove and drove around bends and turns. Then through the clouds we started to go! Yes we actually drove through clouds! Elevation: 6,000 feet and 61 degrees!
Here is what the view was like above the clouds :)




So were were awed and amazed when we were above the clouds. Absolutely unreal! I wish i could be more descriptive and intimate with words on how this view was.... but all i can come up with is unreal, breathtaking, and beautiful! so we had 4,000 more feet to go before we made it to the top. As we climbed the winding roads the clouds got more sparse and we were starting to see parts of the island. Soon enough we could see almost all of Maui! Yesterday I was gasping around every bend, today was just breathtaking.
So We finally reached the 10,000 feet elevation marker and were able to park and walk around. There was actually a sign that said, "walk slowly at this elevation" yikes! So we walked up some stairs and stood 10,023 feet about sea level and it was back up to 78 degrees.
p.s. pictures don't even do any of this justice. Especially with the terrible picture skills I've got going on...But here is what I could capture.






We stood up there for awhile to just take it all in. We could practically see the entire island of Maui from the top! We could even see the big island of Hawaii! Brett even got a lava rock from the "highest" place he could find to take home. haha.

Now the decent! We were able to drive 25 miles down this volcano without ever once pressing on the gas!!! The speed limit is ony 15-20 mph because of the winding roads! The view was just as amazing coming down because it looks totally different.


So we drove and drove until the sun began to set. We were able to see some of the country side today that was just beautiful! This beautiful green hill was covered with baby sheep! The sounded so cute!





I wanted to blog tonight and show you all of these beautiful things we saw because the wedding is tomorrow! I can't wait to see what kind of amazing photographs Brett is going to get tomorrow! We are both so very blessed to be here. I have always heard people say that you have to see things or do things before you die. I've been to some pretty places in my life but i can honestly say you have to see Hawaii before you die. It's absolutely breathtaking! I really wish i could be more descriptive but I've never seen something that is actually breathtaking! I've only been here 2 days and I'm already saying this. I am so blessed. God is good...

Aloha Maui!

And so we have arrived! But first... let me just tell you that the plane ride to L.A. California was not too bad... then we had 15 minutes and had to board our next flight from L.A. to Maui, which i thought was 4 hours... Little did I know... The pilot comes over the intercom and says, "Our flight tonight will be 5 hours and 25 minutes.." Oh dear. I was in the middle seat next to one person i didn't know and Brett... Let me just say that flight was brutal! BUT we arrived safe and sound!



We got to Maui at night so we couldn't see anything. I told Brett it felt like playing mario in the dark haha. We cold only see what was illuminated by our headlights. We got to our hotel and when we walked in I was in awe! There was a waterfall and the lobby is just open to the outside. But then we walked around the corner and there were LIVE flamingos in the water!!! I still can't get over it!


























Our first day has just been full or excitement! We woke up around 7 a.m. which is ridiculously early for the both of us but we're 4 hours behind now so it was nice to start the day out early! We walked along the beach (right outside of our hotel) for some of the morning, got breakfast, and the went exploring! We just drove around the coast line of the island for 4 hours and only went 20 miles!! That's how much there is to look at! It was absolutely breathtaking! Every time we came around a bend i would gasp!


















We stopped at one location that had all of these little piles of rocks. Like someone had spent days taking rocks and stacking them into these piles. They were everywhere. I'm not sure what the story is behind them but i was impressed.





Brett and I ended up making our own pile as well. We think maybe that's what happened. Someone made some piles and then others followed. It was really neat.
After we got back from our exploration we got ready for the Luau! I don't have any pictures from it because Brett was the picture guy for the night. I did however take a picture of the real Lei's we got while we were there. They smelled amazing! I'll post more pictures of the luau when brett gets them up.



This is the first blog of many from this trip! Day 2 is about to begin!! Enjoy!

Etsy world

I think it is time that i introduce you to my Etsy.
I always compare Etsy to being a handmade eBay. So there are thousands of users on Etsy that sell handmade items. I am one of those "Etsians" that sells handmade items on Etsy. Here is my shop! http://www.caseydavis.etsy.com.

My shop is called Tiny Treasures. I picked this name because there is a song by the Rocket Summer that has the lyrics in it saying, "My treasure is heaven" I love it. I want it in ink on me but I haven't found the right place for it yet. So I had to name my blog "My Treasures" because I wanted to blog about my Esty shop and my personal life. So I can blog about all of my treasures.

One of the things i wanted to accomplish on Etsy was to be on the FRONT PAGE! I knew it was completely out of reach. Especially with the terrible pictures i had taken of my items. So I started to promote my shop and take better pictures and make more items. It's difficult for me to keep very many items in my on-line shop at once because i also sell them at the fabulous salon I work at and a shop in Decatur called Tournesol. So if something sells at the salon I take it out of my online store. So it's fairly difficult to keep these two places stocked.

My mom and I have been making typewriter key bracelets. We have been buying them on eBay and making personalized bracelets. We made one that said "LOVE" and had a red key on it. I put it in my online store on Etsy. The next day when i go online I had 5 messages. Which is very rare for me on Etsy and the typewriter key bracelet was sold. Two people had messaged me about making another bracelet like the one that was sold. I had no idea how so many people knew about the new bracelet i had just posted. So I went to www.craftcult.com which shows you the recent sellers that were on the front page of Etsy. Guess what i saw?!!!




My Bracelet was picked BY Etsy for the first picture of the front page! I was in tears! I couldn't believe it! So out of that came a woman wanting to know if i could sell her wholesale bracelets for her shop in California. Oh dear. I think I'm moving up in the Etsy world!! I'm going to try to get some more pictures posted this weekend!
One week until Hawaii!

a lovely friend....

I have been blessed with so many lovely friends and I'll be sure to blog about all of them.
First off my my friend Maggie...
Where do I even begin.... Well she is fabulous. There is an woman on Etsy who makes wreaths from pages of a book. she rolls them up and shapes them into wreaths. They are fabulous. I wanted to make one for my mom for Christmas but thought i was out of reach so I didn't make her one. We exchanged presents at work and Maggie told me she made me something and that she wrapped it in a curtain! I was SO excited because i knew no matter what she made it would be fantastic! So i saved that present for last and guess what she made me?!! A wreath made of pages from an old book! I was in tears. First because it was beautiful and then that i knew it took her so long to make it.




It's beautiful. I know! So then I wanted to make one! The only person i could think of that would appreciate something like that was me, Maggie, and my grandma Carolyn. So we were having Christmas at my grandma's the next day and I was determined to make her one! It took 3 hours and 9 glue sticks but she LOVED it!
Maggie never looks at something and thinks it can't be done. That's one thing I love about her. She inspires me to step out of the box and do things I didn't think could be done. We share a love for fairies, shabby chic items, chandeliers, beautiful furniture, Tournesol (hehe), and we have glitter in our veins! I think we were separated at birth. I love her like a sister, she is great. She's also my boss haha but it's so great to work for such and inspirational person. She even made our back room into a craft room! It's great! To get to know her better check out her blog
Thank you for being my friend