Back to Normal Soon...I hope!

A crazy summer? Um, yeah!

Things have been incredibly hectic this summer...with summer classes, working full time (for our family business, which means full time and then some!), trying to fill special orders for earrings & dolls...yikes!

And then, of course, I'm smack dab in the middle of (what seems like) the longest move in history. The upside to all this? All the jewelry in the shop is on sale once again! Out with the old, right???

BUT, it looks like things may be FINALLY getting back to a somewhat normal state...and soon! And I'm thrilled, cause there are at least a million and five things I want to get done this fall.

I'm looking to completely re-design my little jewelry shop on Etsy...new ideas, new looks, new beads and findings for me to play with (yay!). I'm also trying to re-fill my raggedy doll shop on etsy...I'll have a link when it's filled up again ;)

And then I picked up my crochet hooks again...crafting ADD anyone?

Sooooooooo, I'll be updating again soon. I promise!

Embracing the Inner Lazy.

Oh, let's see.

I have homework to finish, website work to get done, laundry to do, new earrings to list, bills to pay, some special order owl plushies to get sewn...

But am I going to do any of it tonight?

nah.

Maybe tomorrow ;P

Crazy Crazy Crazy

I was looking at my shop a few days back...and well, I felt kinda...bored.

Don't get me wrong, I worked really hard to fill my little corner of Etsy up with fun earrings. I love every pair I made...hell, I even stole a couple for myself that didn't sell quick enough! But, well...yeah, there's that boredom thing.

I have new ideas! Different designs I want to try! Colors, shapes, patterns, OH MY! And while I love my old designs...I don't want them to get lost in the shuffle.

Soooooo..........

All the earrings still sitting in my shop are on sale! 20% off til Sunday, June 1st. Everything is all set...the prices are all adjusted...they're waiting for you to go and snatch them up ;)

What are you waiting for? Happy Shopping!

obsession.

I have a love for crafting. That much is obvious, I would think.

But the question was thrown to me recently...why do you continue creating? And as I stopped to think about my answer, I had to laugh. What was the first thing that popped into my head?

The obsession to buy supplies.

Strands of gemstones...in every color, size & shape. Vintage glass, czech glass, lucite...oh my! Bright & shiny sterling silver, antiqued brass, oxidized copper, gold-filled...oh, where do I begin? Headpins, eyepins, clasps, charms, french hooks, kidney wires...

And that's just for jewelry! We won't even get into the fabric involved in sewing up rag dolls...

So I began the process of replenishing some jewelry supplies today...needless to say, it was an ordeal. Imagine this, if you can (which, if you're a crazy crafter...you probably can!).

I have 'X' amount in my Paypal account and I NEED certain things (earwires, headpins, clasps, etc). All seems to be going well until I sneak a quick look into my favorite vintage bead shop.

Damn.

There goes that 'X' amount. And I still need those supplies...you know, the NECESSARY ones.

*sigh*

And of course, since I already cheated and bought some un-planned beads...well, I may as well purchase a couple of brassy charms I've been eyeing, right?

Double Damn.

So, now I'm broke...but I'll have some really sweet earrings in the shop soon ;P

Happy Mother's Day!

Just wanted to take a moment and say...

Happy Mother's Day!

hell hath no fury...

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Damn straight.


That's one angry little rag doll! Lovingly created by Pocomedio, over on Etsy. What can I say...she made me laugh! I can relate to that fierce frown today. Go ahead..mess with her ;P

May I Propel You Off a Cliff? No, seriously...?
Nifty lil' magnet...I really think it says it all! All of the goodies over at Allegrae are awesome...like the 'Piss Off' kitty cat...priceless!

Has someone tried to pop your angry little bubble? Grrr & Argh. Emmajb creates some of my favorite felt-y pins...and this little guy warms my irritated little heart ♥

You asked for it, buddy! Ok, you really have to laugh...
Little Axe Girl is super annoyed...and she has an axe. Don't let the pigtails fool you. She's ferocious ;P This gal is on my wish list...perfectly silk-screened by Juror2.

You're a Cock. And not the cool, feathered kind either.
Need I say more? Awesome lil' mini notecards by ScotiaMade. Check 'em out for some hilariously mean material. Absolute perfection ;P

What's better than a soft & cuddly little bunny that loudly proclaims what a moron you are? Um, nothing! Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. Thanks Spidercamp!

Haha! Ok, if that didn't cheer me up, nothing will! Leave it to the fine artisians of Etsy to lift my dreary mood...you guys are the best!

Have an awesome weekend...oh, and happy mother's day!

dragonfly

Dragonflies bring Enlightenment.

They represent the powers of light and transformation, and the ability to see through illusion. They bring prosperity and harmony. The dragonfly, as a totem, teaches skillful action while maintaining a free and joyful sense of being.

Symbolism in Culture


Why this interest in dragonflies, you ask...?

I saw one at work today! Ok, so I've never seen one before...and I certainly never expected to. But I snuck out for a quick break today, it was such a nice day out, and as I sat there with a cup of tea (staring off into space), one nearly whacked me right in the head.

So the whack in the head wasn't so cool. But the dragonfly was! Made my whole day...

Happy Monday ;)

mug-tastic

Another week nearing completion...where the heck did it go? I could have sworn it was just Monday! hmmm.

Well, anyway...as I sit here, big, old, chipped mug of tea in hand...I thought I'd share some of what I've been coveting this morning.

My ode to mugs.


A simple 16 oz. mug, coppery red & cool gray, created by CyrusthePotter. Drool-worthy. Wouldn't my morning cup of tea look nice in there??? hmmm...

His and Her Coffee Cups, by AlinaHayes. I LOVE the handles on this super sweet pair!

A sweet as can be Red Heart Mug, lovingly created by LynnCardwellPottery. Gorgeous and very, very tempting.

Red & White Ceramic Mug, by GinaDeSantis. Doesn't it look like lipstick on the rim? haha, it would drive my mother nuts...which of course means, I LOVE IT! Well, I love it cause it's really, super pretty, too...

This gorgeous Sienna Mug, by ElmStudios, was the inspiration behind it all. I do think I may need this mug.

I get a kick out of Jusmare's Pine Hollow Mugs! Coolest thing EVER. If I had a rustic little cabin in the woods somewhere...yeah, I'd so have these! Of course, if I close my eyes, I can pretend I'm in a rustic little cabin...

Kinda makes you wanna buy some new stoneware, right? Hey, with all that coffee (or tea) does for you...shouldn't you spoil it a little? Indulge! Buy a mug ;)

mission accomplished.

did you ever have one of those weeks where your only mission was to get something done? anything?

yeah, i'm having one of those weeks!

but...i did get something done...got some new earrings made & listed...so mission accomplished ;)

right? right!

Happy May Day!

Blessings for Beltane!

and all that jazz ;P

stormy weather

there's an electricity buzzing in the air...the sky is a swirling mess of grays and deep blues...

positively stormy.

and yes, I love it! there's something about the onset of stormy weather that is downright exciting...and awfully inspiring ;)

and apparently, I'm not the only crafty individual who finds inspiration in forces of nature...

Pretty amazing, right?

Oh! Leelee's lovely 'Stormy Bracelet' has me craving some Iolite! Stunning...and doesn't it capture the energy of a good storm? I think I'm in love ♥

A lighthouse on a stormy sea...gorgeous and incredibly moving...to say the very least! A gorgeous Giclee by an incredibly talented artist. You just have to check Ave Hurley Illustrations out...seriously.

Gorgeous hues, hand-dyed & spun by Yummy Yarn, has me itching to pull out my crochet hooks! Yarn that is stormy and lovely...doesn't get much better than that!

The 'Ion Necklace' is so super pretty...well, I just don't even know what to say. Equilibria certainly has a way with gems...I'm in awe ;)

Cutest little angry cloud. EVER. Komodokat has hooked me with this one...I smile everytime I see him!

And then there's 'Hold On Mr. Squirrel'...the cutest little mini print by one of my favorite artists, HushMouse. You really can't help but smile :)

Inspired yet?

neat-o

pretty nifty, if I do say so myself...

which, ya know, I do ;)

Smitten

The window is open and guess what...it's warm! HA! Yes, Spring is FINALLY here in Chicago...and ohmygosh, am I in love with it ;)

I'm in such an awesome mood that not only am I sharing the open window with my obnoxious cat...but I thought, hey, why not share some of the other things I'm absolutely smitten with this morning...


Things I drool over...yes, it's true.

Like DCDesigns really super cute necklace, Carpe Diem...how adorable is that? And the perfect color...PINK! And a steal at $19.00. Smitten worthy? Absolutely!

And then there's the little bear coffee cozy by ChetandDot. It really doesn't get any cuter. Actually, if I had immediate cash to spend (you know, the type that doesn't get set aside for the never-ending stack of bills on the corner of my desk), I think the majority of it would be spent there! Seriously, the cutest shop I've ever seen ;)

How bout some lip balm? Creamy Vanilla Nut anyone? mmmmm...so very yummy. And I'm dying to try some. BathLife, oh how you tempt me! (you think that is sinfully tempting? be sure you check out the rest of their shop...ohmy!)

I think I've had Prudence the Yeti, lovingly created by Nimoy, on my 'to buy' list forever now...she is the cutest little monster I've seen in awhile! And again...pink! It really can't get much better than that ;)

First of all, I'm head over heels in love with all the art of CharlieMotel...super cute everyday stuff. I've been dying to find a reason to buy something...and I think I found it...STATIONARY! Cause hey, I'm a writer dammit.
;P

"Do you need an apple jacket?" my mother asked. You know what? Yeah, I do need an apple jacket...cause it just so happens to be the most awesome thing I've seen all morning! My favorite? The ever so nifty purple apple jacket! (you thought I would have picked pink, right?). Handknit by JacquelineKnits.

Be Happy. On this beautiful spring morning, how could I not be? Super cute and incredibly versatile, this pendant by MoonDogTreasures is! Super cute, yes...but versatile, you ask...? Flip this lovely little pendant over and it reads 'Party Time'. Awesome.

Last, but certainly not least, are some adorable teddy bear postcards by Stockton. I think I love these guys. Really. Seriously. Love. Think they're super cute? You have to check out the rest of the shop...you just HAVE to! The chatty acorns are a hoot! Just sayin'.

And that, my friends, is what I find myself smitten over this fine spring morning. Check 'em out! Show 'em some love! Cause a life without super cute things...well, we won't think about that ;)

Happy Friday!

long time...

Serious absentee blogger. Yeah, I suck.

Ok, well maybe not so much...I had to work (yeah, you know...outside of my comfy little craft world, argh). But never fear, I'm back! With a little less time on my hands, and a lot less of the sanity I once (a looooooong time ago) possessed...but I'm back nonetheless.

And I actually got something accomplished...go figure.

i got you, babe.

my own little kitty version of Bonnie & Clyde...

yeah, they look sweet and innocent now...but just wait...nothin' but trouble i tell ya!

happy easter!

Hey, wasn't it just Halloween?

So I'm selling consignment pieces in a holistic-y 'mind, body, spirit' store here in the Chicagoland area. Fun stuff, huh? Yeah, I thought so, too! Hehe...the only problem is that the jewelry I sell there is a bit different than what I sell in my shop on Etsy. More gemstones rather than vintage lucite & glass...finer metals rather than the brass & copper I so love...higher priced (not only on the actual finished product, but on the supplies needed for said finished product *gasp!*) So a lot of my attention has been there lately...

But somewhere in the midst of the crazy gold-filled, sterling silver world I've been tossed into, I've FINALLY put some time aside to focus on some new creations for the shop...yay!

Ahh...lucite...bliss

And yes, lol, some gemstones slipped into the mix. Gorgeous Rainbow Moonstone....soooooo super pretty. But hey, it was inevidable, right?!?!

Happy Easter!

ohmygosh...!

So needless to say, I've been off in my own little world lately. Busy as can be...

But I stole a few minutes today, and a huge cup of tea, and escaped to my little nook to peruse Etsy for a bit.

...ah, bliss...

So anyway, when I got around to peeking into my own shop for a minute, I realized OHMYGOSH...I surpassed the 100 items sold milestone! woohoo!

I laughed, I cried, I danced...I hugged my dog ;)

When the heck did that happen? And how did I not notice how close I was? I have to say, of course, that I'm absolutely thrilled...and yeah, kinda proud of myself, lol. I'm super happy and incredibly motivated...200 sales, here I come!

hip-hip-HOORAY!

Rare Bird Finds...and other such exciting news

First off...let me apologize for becoming an absentee blogger! Did ya ever just need a wee little break? Well, I certainly did...and am feeling much MUCH better for it ;)

So now, I'm getting back in the swing of things (thankfully) and new earrings are finally getting made...

Fun, huh? Yeah...I thought so, too! They're my little ode to summertime...ah, summer.

I should also mention that I'm being featured as the 'Deal of the Day' over at Rare Bird Finds! How exciting is that?!?! Now, you may be thinking to yourself...'oh, that's cool. ummm, errr, ugh, but what does that mean for me?'

Well, if you pop on over to their site, you'll find that for the entire day (until 11:59pm PST), customers are entitled to 30% off in my shop! On anything? Yes, anything!

Feel like shopping? Go for it! Just mention 'Rare Bird Finds' in the notes to seller box and wait for a revised invoice. Don't want to wait? Feel free to pay right away and I'll send a refund (via Paypal) ASAP! Neither of those options floatin' your boat? Then simply contact me prior to ordering and let me know what earrings you're desperately longing for...and I'll revise the item price for ya! All these options, I know...but still pretty darn simple ;)

Well, it's a nice almost spring-like day outside...so I'm gonna go and enjoy it! Have fun, kiddies ;)

yay!

So I was wandering around Etsy...treasury hunting...when I saw one of those coveted little gold stars...I'm in a treasury! yaaaaaaay!

It's all about Etsy and Indiepublic (hence the title Etsy + Indiepublic) and showcases the crazy talent of some very awesome Etsy artists...and then there are my earrings, smack dab in the middle! (well, middle and left a bit, lol)

Pretty neat, huh?

Butterfly Mosaics was the genius behind this very lovely treasury...she has an incredibly cute shop on Etsy herself...you absolutely HAVE to check out her button bouquets!

A very nice surprise on this way too cold Tuesday evening ;)

Spring Cleaning

Time to spruce the place up a bit...

Ok, so I redecorated a bit. Not quite sure what I think of things. Are the walls to busy? Is three columns one column too many? Too much color? Hmmm...not sure what I think of my little bloggy creation. Things may be changed again soon...just not sure.

Anyway, I'm in a spring cleaning frenzy! Cleaning up my workspace...throwing out old papers and bills that have been lining my floor...destashing some beads in the shop...out with the old & in with the new, right? right!

Well, wish me luck ;)

Pink

Time for some color therapy ♥

Indulging in a fit of Friday night boredom, I found myself aimlessly wandering around the internet...tea in hand, dog in lap. Well, I stumbled upon (yes, quite literally stumbled) a great blog post about the meanings of color. So I took one of my favorite (and most often used) colors...PINK...and checked out what it meant...

♥ PINK ♥

Pink is the color of universal love. Pink is a quiet color. Lovers of beauty favor pink. A pink carnation means “I will never forget you”.
Pink is a combination of red and white. The quality of energy in pink is determined by how much red is present. White is the potential for fullness, while red helps you to achieve that potential. Pink combines these energies. Shades of deep pink, such as magenta, are effective in neutralizing disorder and violence. Some prisons use limited deep pink tones to diffuse aggressive behaviour.Pink provides feelings of caring, tenderness, self-worth and love, acceptance, calm feelings, to neutralize disorder, relaxation, acceptance, contentment.Pretty cool, huh? I always knew there was a good reason to like pink! I mean aside from being obnoxiously girly... The best things in life truly are pink ;P

Wanna check out your own favorite color? Check out the original post here!