New Business Cards!

I cannot believe I haven't posted a picture of these yet! Hubby designed my business cards and they finally came in the mail this week! Aren't they lovely? I'm just crazy about those rounded corners. Yay!! My first business cards!! Oh I feel so official!

Late Merry Christmas

A tad late, but Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I know I did. I wish I could have taken some time off, but it was still nice. I think this is my first year in awhile that I actually had to work Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. Not cool.
Anyway, Christmas was great! Willie got me a Cuisinart Griddler:

This thing is great! It's a panini press, a grill and a griddle! It can lay flay and has 2 different types of plates, one for grilling and one to use as a griddle. So I can make pancakes and stuff on it! I'm really excited about finally being able to make some panini's too!
He also got me a gift certificate to the Institue of Culinary Education. I really can't wait to go! I'm still indecisive about what class I'm going to take. But I've already told Willie that I think he's started something. I'm gonna want to keep going to more classes! I don't know if I want to take a cupcake course, or a cooking one. I'm leaning towards a cooking one. I think I'm pretty good at making cupcakes. It would still be cool to learn how to make ganache and stuff like that. So excited!
Eleanor of course, opened her gifts....



proceeded to de-stuff them....



aaaaand then she crashed....



I got Willie a new 50mm lens for the camera. It's awesome! I'm starting to appreciate the different lenses and what they can do. Let's see what I get when I take pictures of my new artwork when I get it done. More on that later.
Have a wonderful and safe New Year everyone!

My first sampler!

I purchased my first sampler this month from Out of the Box Sampler and I just received it today!!! Oh my....soooo many things!! Too many to take individual pictures of, so please visit their shops!

Twist of Taste
Ficklefaerie
My Pretty Pink Box
SBS Teas
Six Peas In A Pod
Zosimos Botanicals
Oregon Candle Gels
Tickled Pink Scentsations
Wondrous Cookies
Ugly Duckling Designs
Angel Made Scents
Lazybone Creations
Sara's Soaps N Such
Soy By Jen
Smoodz
Natural Goodies
Me Time
Pookie

The items range from bath and body to baked goods to laundry soap! Fun!!!

Unique Women In Business

I recently joined a new group called Unique Women In Business. A very supportive and talented group of women! I can't say enough how amazing they all are. I originally joined through yahoo groups. They just recently set up an etsy group as well.
When you join, you have to make an initial purchase with the person who refers you. And then every month, you have to make a purchase with one of the people in the group. Don't let that scare you! There's no minimum purchase! So people have lots of things to offer that's at least $5. Good luck with that though. Too many great items! Honestly, the monthly purchase thing is what convinced me to join. It's a small expectation to make sure everyone contributes at least something to the group. I've made 1 sale thanks to joining, and this is my first month. There are other great activities within the group as well. You should join! Yep, this is my official Unique Women in Business blog advertisement!
Just be sure that if you join, tell them I referred you! I promise you won't be sorry you joined. Take a look at some of the awesome items the group members have to offer:

Erin Keys


Tamara Garvey


The Laughing Mouse


This is just scratching the surface. There are other shops outside of etsy as well.
What are you waiting for! Come join us!

Ornaments 2,3,4,5

I received some more ornaments for the swap!!

An oh so precious little mini sweater from Annie! How cute is that! AND it has a little wire hanger to hang it on the tree! AWWWWW!!!


A gingerbread man ornament from Marcia! So sweet! And yummy smelling too! Bonus!


A felt elf from Christine! I adore his little smile! He really is too precious!


And a linen heart ornament from Kelly. This is actually one piece of a whole message. She stenciled it all out first on the whole piece of fabric, then cut the hearts out. Very sweet!



Thanks so much guys! They're very happy in their new home on my tree.

Ornaments Done!!

Well I finally finished my ornaments! Polka dots!! They're being shipped out almost 5 days late. Sorry swap partners. I really underestimated how time consuming the steps would be. The drying times. But it was SO worth it! I have 2 more styrofoam balls left over and I plan on making at least one for our tree. Can you tell that I LOVE color?

Prints!

Last night we went upstate to Beacon to Open Space gallery to see the opening of their print show. Willie's Bison Woman print was in the show (which he sold!!):

It was an awesome show with some amazing prints! Screen print, Giclee, wood block....all kinds!
And as we were browsing, I noticed this owl print I really liked and I just felt like I had seen that style somewhere before. I'll admit initially I wasn't too thrilled with the plane on the bottom. So we kept looking, and as I came back by it again, I started looking at it and happened to glance at the signature and I almost freaked out! I realized...it was an Amy Ruppel screen print! I had no idea she had a piece in the show! I cannot tell you how long I've been wanting to own one of her pieces of artwork! Well of course, I HAD to have it!

We also bought this awesome batman print. It was between that and a print of the thing. The wanted ad is what won me over on the batman print. Too funny. If we had the space, I totally would have bought the thing too though.

I still have no clue where we're going to hang these pieces once we decide how we're framing them. If you go to my flickr, you can see pictures of some of the other pieces that were in the show.

December Featured Etsyblogger

This month's featured Etsyblogger is Spotted Cow Soaps! Oh my.....she sells some amazing handmade soaps! I've recently become quite addicted to handmade soaps. I don't think I can go back to store bought! I mean, look at these pictures! How can you resist!


No this isn't a dessert...this is actually a sugar scrub! Nice to exfoliate and moisturize! Looks good enough to eat!

Yeah I dare you to buy one of these items, and not come back for more!
And be sure to check out her blog while you're at it!

December Blog Carnival

The Etsybloggers Blog Carnival topic this time is: Christmas spotlight- Show & tell of a Christmas item in your shop or your favorite gift idea in someone else's shop.

So I'm showing my Christmas hatchling. It just makes me very happy.
I'm very proud and happy with how his candy cane legs turned out.

He's still available in the shop!

First Ornament!

I received my first ornament today for the '08 Holiday Ornament Swap!! Yay!! This one was from Diane. So lovely and sparkly!! Thank you Diane!!

I'm Yours

I thought this was a great idea, and even though I'm too late to participate, I'm still going to post my song. The idea is to post a song that moves you, touches you...just affects you in some way.
My choice is I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. I adore this song! I adore Jason Mraz! But this song, every time I hear it, I just can't help but smile. It puts me in a wonderful mood! The lyrics, the beat and the music, is just infectious!

Pink Popcorn Flowers

I realized I haven't done a silhouette in awhile so I decided to try to get another one of those in the shop. It's been a bit of a dismal experience so far really (as far as selling my work). I'm trying not to question whether what I am doing is good enough, but it's difficult sometimes. There are only so many times you can tell yourself..."It's the economy and artwork is a frivolous expense." But I'm gonna keep on truckin' along. I do still enjoy making my artwork. Even if others don't like it as much as I do! :) Regardless of selling, I feel like I'm learning and growing throughout this whole thing, so that's at least a good thing!
Oh my, enough boohoo'ing. Enjoy the pink popcorn flowers!


These were done the same way as my other pieces, painted on a vintage dictionary page and mounted on a block of wood. I really enjoy making the silhouettes. I like to see the form and shape of whatever the image is, and silhouettes really draw attention to that. It's fun!

The List

So I came across this list on mizu designs and thought I would take part too!
You're just supposed to go through the list and bold the things you've done. Bolded more than I thought I would!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Giveaway On Mom Fuse

there's a really awesome giveaway going on right now on Mom Fuse to win a handpainted ivy bowl filled with 1 pound of homemade peppermint crunch fudge from Shake Your Bon Bons. you've got until december 5th to enter. so go do it! her fudge and bon bons...and EVERYTHING looks amazing! i'll be buying something from her for sure for christmas! :)

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

my dog has a crush on a white cocker spaniel in our building named henry. now hear me out first before you decide that i'm nuts!
first off, eleanor doesn't like other dogs. loves people, not dogs. they make her nervous. she gets very shy and will usually either hide behind my legs, or if they're bigger dogs, bark loudly to assert herself. but usually, she avoids them.
not henry. the first time she got around henry, it was an instant reaction. she got all wiggly and whiny. she just couldn't contain herself! no playing hard to get with this girl!
she actually freaks henry out. he wiggles his little stubby tail, but keeps a safe distance. it's cute.
today, baffled me. i'm taking eleanor on her usual walk in the morning. as we're coming back into the apartment building, i know instantly henry is coming. why? because eleanor starts pulling on her leash and whining. she never does that to come back in. she usually wants to stay out! but the crazy thing is....henry was nowhere in sight when she started doing this! he showed up a few seconds after she had started whining! and i don't mean, they were coming out of their apartment, and you could hear them. they live on the first floor, but this time, they had definitely already left their apartment and shut the door, but there was no sound (no jingling of keys, no jingling of dog tags) or visual to indicate that henry was coming! and he wasn't anywhere near the lobby! he was still down the hall and around the corner! how does she know! she can't possibly smell him coming from that far away! i had barely opened the lobby door to come inside before she started her giddy little display!
i swear, it's just baffling. but there's no doubt about it. eleanor loves henry. i can't say the feeling is mutual, but he makes her giddy and wiggly in a way no other dog does! it's sweet!
so yes...i'm slightly off for humanizing my dog. but how can you not when things like this happen? :)