The gals have arrived...

....in my etsy shop, in the form of greeting cards. I know, I'm not the first person in the world to do something like this, but nonetheless, I am super-excited because, let me just say that I LOVE cards! I love buying them, sending them, and of course, receiving them. I don't think electronic communication will ever replace the delight of getting a real old-fashioned greeting card in the mail. Birthday cards, great. Christmas cards, great. But a card just for no reason to say you were thinking of me? Even better! And that's the kind of cards that I've made. They're blank inside so you can send them for absolutely any occasion or for no reason whatsoever.

I'll be listing a couple each day on my etsy. The listings are for single cards, but if anyone wants to order a certain card in quantity, just let me know!

Blossom!

"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." --Anais Nin

For me, this quote speaks to being your true self and to chasing your dreams, whatever they may be. Life is just too short not to, don't ya think?

Lovin these ladies...

Been having lots of fun lately with paint and vintage sewing patterns, creating some fun little collages combining vintage fashion images with words of wisdom from the likes of Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe. I just added two of my favorites to my etsy shop. The quote featured on this piece is from the legendary Bette Davis. And I couldn't resist the aqua pantsuit. I mean, who could?

The never-ending To-Do List

One of the tunes that plays in my head regularly is "busy, so busy..." from a Thomas & Friends movie (occupational hazard of having a two-year-old boy obsessed with a fictional train), but right now it is an applicable soundtrack for my life. And so the annoying little song reminds me that there are about three hundred and eighty-seven things that I need/want/have to get done....ASAP! Because they are TIME-SENSITIVE. So if I don't get them done on or before a certain date, I might as well just skip them!

Here's a little run-through of all that I need to accomplish in the next week or so:
1. Make Bingo Books for my last craft show of the year this weekend (it's at Central Presbyterian Church at 39th & Grand in Des Moines in case you're out & about and want to say hi). Luckily this is something simple that I can do in a few steps, because I've got this Bingo Book thing down to a science. This morning I picked out the papers for the inside covers, tonight I'll glue them, and tomorrow I will put together ten little Bingo Books.
2. Create a Christmas card. Now that I am the parent of an extraordinarily adorable child (no, I'm not bragging, just stating an undeniable fact here, folks), I feel obliged to send out a photo Christmas card to friends, family, and a bunch of people I know but rarely, if ever, talk to anymore just so they can see how cute my kid is....isn't this why people send photo Christmas cards? I mean, honestly?
3. Finish Christmas shopping. I like shopping for art supplies and toys for my little guy. But I detest Christmas shopping. I am an avid and guiltless regifter when possible (i.e. when I can get away with it!). I also have three wonderful friends who have December birthdays who tend to get neglected because of Christmas, even though I have the intention every year to send them a unique, handmade gift. Probably not gonna happen.
4. Clean my house. Okay, this one's optional. However, I did promise that I would clean out the little pantry closet in our kitchen as well as the red hutch where I have a slight tendency to stack my magazines, mail, books, supplies, toys, batteries, mittens, keys.....and well, you get the idea. The "red thing" in our kitchen is a deep source of irritation for my beloved. So is the little pantry closet, which is just full of fun things that I've shoved in there, except I can't remember what all I've shoved in there so I can never find those things when I want them.
5. Update my etsy shop. It has been sadly neglected these past few months due to a slightly hectic craft show schedule. Now that my last show will soon be over and done with, I need to get some fresh inventory in my shop.
6. December Daily! Some of you might be familiar with this fun project, from Ali Edwards. I did a good job of putting my foundation together in advance, but I find myself falling behind with the "daily" part. And I feel the inclination to share the Daily on this blog, if ever I could snap some pics of it and upload them for your viewing pleasure. Because I just know that you, my multitude of readers, are all dying to see it. Right.
So, that's what I'm thinking about. In between trying to complete the above tasks, my mission to defend the Christmas tree from the little boy and the cat continues. They're ahead, three to nothing.

All I can say is....WOW!

That's right, WOW! Market Day Black Friday just rocked! I knew it was going to be good, but it totally exceeded my expectations. Everything was great: the location and all the shoppers. There were TONS of people there, many of whom had never been to Market Day before. And there were lots of people there who I recognized from previous Market Days. It is so cool to recognize and even get to know your customers. I had repeat customers, which just makes me so happy! It also makes me feel really good when somebody likes something I've made enough to give it as a gift to someone they care about. And it was great to see people choosing unique handmade gifts instead of spending all their dollars at the big-box stores. Personally, I would rather get something handmade. Wouldn't you?

Now I'm down to just one more craft show for 2010 and I will be busy over the next two weeks replenishing my inventory for the HOLIDAY MARKET at Central Presbyterian on December 11 and 12. And I even managed to update my etsy shop last week and am going to try and add a few more things this week.

My other main activity from now until Christmas will be keeping the two-year-old boy and the nine-year-old cat from destroying the Christmas tree. I'm afraid this may prove to be more than one woman can handle alone.