I’VE BEEN SPOTLIGHTED!

Simply Serra, another wonderful Etsy artist, who is also a newbie, started out making adorable headbands for babies and has since grown her product line to include snugglie blankets, magnets and jewelry for all occasions and ages.  

Serra found me in the Etsy forums and has graciously featured me as her very first artist on her blog!  It is wonderfully composed and I’m honored to be the first to grace her page.  Check it out here:  http://cachevalleyboutique.blogspot.com/ and make sure to leave her a comment and make a mental note to return to her blog another day.  It’s her first feature and I’m sure, as we all do, she would enjoy feedback!  Let’s make her feel welcome.  Thank you!

Where my inspiration took me..

Here are my creations from wood burning.  I’m quite excited!  There are so many possibilities!!!  I burned the wood, then adhered turquoise cabs to the design and coated it in two-part epoxy to give it a fun shine.  I plan to make it into a pendant, but it could progress into something all together different before I’m finished!  The side that doesn’t have cabs on it is still being developed.  I’m playing with the idea of where to place the turquoise.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

 

When things come our way…

Inspiration…a SERENDIPITOUS moment, indeed!

This is probably my most favorite quote and my mantra.  I believe quite strongly that, you can achieve any goal that you can conceive and believe in, and that if you commit to working toward making it happen, it will.  The beauty of following your dreams is the places they will take you.  You might have something in mind when you start on your journey and you may expect to proceed down a specific path.  Sometimes that happens, but sometimes your dreams will take you somewhere completely different from your original plans.  When this happens, you have to embrace the natural ebb and flow of life.  It’s like they say…”Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”  I believe that everything happens for a reason, so with that in mind, I suggest we believe in reasons unknown and make the most of what we’ve been dealt.  The unexpected “detours” on the path of life can be completely beautiful in how they contribute to our growth, knowledge, wisdom and experience and often bring unexpected gifts of inspiration and wonderful blessings in disguise. 

Follow your dreams.  Take risks.  Love with all that you have.  Live life to the fullest!

Something beautiful about being an artist is that inspiration can strike us at any given moment.  And when it does…let it be a force to be reckoned with!  It is a beautiful gift, so don’t let the whirl of thoughts, ideas and mental pictures die.  Inspiration… One of life’s natural highs - let it take you places! 

The last few days, I have been working on creating a new something for an Etsy friend.  This something required that I work with wood and paint.  While working on that item today, something struck me to play around with a tool I had originally bought for soldering.  The tool doesn’t get hot enough for gold or silver, so it has sat around for months.  It was a hot iron tool, that can also be used for wood burning and today it occurred to me that I might just TRY it!  I have never dabbled with wood burning, but today I gave it a shot and let me tell you…I loved it! 

I know that all artists find inspiration differently, but today, lit a fire of fresh and new ideas!  I’m getting ready to turn in early for bed, so I’ll post a picture of the doodling I did with the iron tomorrow.  Who’d of thought that burning some wood would lead to such great inspiration?

How about you?  When is the last time you stumbled upon something that led to great inspiration? 

Happy St. Patty’s Day! Go GREEN!

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY! 
In honor of our day of green, I’ve decided to list some Green items from Etsy sellers.

Lemon-Lime Earrings from the Button Boutique:
 (only $6.00!)

Marching Turtles Little Girl Apron from Carissa Black
 ($15.00)

Coffee Corset - Andes Mint from Jenngee
 ($12.00)

Mint Chocolate Chip Sky - Fine Art Print from StoopidGerl
 ($25.00)

Artsy Stained Glass Magnets (a little bit of green) by Further Journeys
 ($12.50)

Happy browsing and shopping all!
And my closing statement, using an image/product found on Kaboodle.com…

Introducing Bella…

I’ve introduced “Bam” so now I’m going to introduce another baby of ours.  If you are new to my blog, my husband, Anthony, and I have three dogs.  Two (Bam and Bella) are Old English Bulldogges and one (Sadie) is a Border Collie Mix.  I’ve already introduced Bam, so today it’s Bella’s turn.

“Bella” - AKA “Wiggle Bum”
An Old English Bulldogge.  Fawn and white in color. 
Famous for her intimidation factor, power-wiggling happy bum, the funny way she sits, defiance, limit-testing and a persistent melancholy appearance (although sometimes she laughs - see pics!).   
Our “problem child,” a trouble-maker, but a sweetheart!
Accomplishments:  Food theft, home Demolition, Loud Snoring
….and leaves the biggest dump in the yard (yeah - gross, but true!).
   
   

THAT’S OUR BELLA.

SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY

Today, I just thought I’d share some things with you.  I took a picture of my desk (where I’m at 90% of the time), my supplies, some items that I got in Smicksburg when we were home, some pieces I got to create in the soldering class I finished this past Wednesday, and other random things.  I guess you could just call it…”SHOW AND TELL.”

My desk…it’s not the most well composed place, but I decided not to move anything for the picture.  THIS is what I looked at when I got up this morning.  I do straighten and clean it regularly, but it always gets back to this.  On this lovely combo, care of IKEA, I have beads, beading supplies, my lucky bamboo, a card from my hubby, a singing dog from my hubby (on top of monitor), my laptop and a clay pot that I keep pens/pencils/tape/hole punch/ and my beading tools in:
  When I am seated at my desk, this is what is behind me…(my supplies).  A very kind woman, Sylvia, who works with my husband gave me most of what you see.  When I started making jewelry and my husband talked about it at work, she decided to give me “a few beads.”  Haha!  Boy, was I surprised and excited when this all came home!
 (you know you love the purple carpet - giggle — we did NOT pick it and we will be moving next year, so we will just replace it before we move.)

Let’s see…more peeking into my life.  When we were in Smicksburg, I bought two things that I love.  I have been needing a funnel and found a lovely collapsible funnel, but I also have been wanting to try making doggie treats and I found this adorable tiny cookie cutter for when I try a recipe.  As you can see, it is the same size as the treats our doggies love.

Next up is my packaging…I sent some items out recently and packaged them in some lovely, pink bubble wrap padded envelopes that I found at A.C. Moore.  They were cheaper than the post office envelopes (and I think they are nicer), so that is what I’ve been using for the outside packaging.  I print out labels onto some adorable note paper that I found and I tape them on to add prettiness.  I’ll post pics of the inside another day:

As I said, I recently finished taking a soldering class (my very first one!).  I was so excited to learn new skills.  We had two projects to complete - a bracelet and a pendant.  Mind you, they are “firsts,” so they are not perfect, but they are perfectly wonderful in my eyes!  I was even able to get an extra pendant from my cut out.

 

and here are some close ups of the bracelet
 

And here is what is on my desk right now…I made some new earrings and just listed them in Etsy, and I’m trying to think of what I can do with these adorable glass lemon beads.  I like the blue with them, but not sure…any thoughts?
New Earrings–> <–Lemon Beads

WAY COOL ETSY TOOL!!! Etsy’s “Alchemy” is BACK!

Alchemy

“Etsy’s ALCHEMY“?  What is THAT???  Well, it’s a way cool tool that Etsy used to have, but has now brought BACK!  It is called, “Alchemy” and it’s all about CUSTOM ORDERS.  It is a user-friendly way for buyers to place requests for custom made items from hand crafting sellers, such as myself.  :O)   

 

If you plan on using the Alchemy, read the whole article here before you start.  They’ve got pictures, alchemy dos and don’ts, and much more to help you get started.

Go on!  GET CRACKIN’!  Read up and start listing custom order Alchemy requests! 

TAKE TWELVE MINUTES TO WATCH THIS.

My college girlfriend, Carrie, sent this to me and I must share.  The things that this man says are the way I choose to live my life!  Watch it.  You will understand why I shared after it ends.  I hope it inspires you.

<http://video.stumbleupon.com/?s=ithct48cqw&i=ufcchmyxqsuj9vwsemax>  

I’ve put together a collage of my thoughts and emotions following that video:

                                      

I’m in THREE BEAUTIFUL treasuries!!!!

Yippee!!!  This is so exciting!  I hope it helps drive sales!  Yippe!  Yippe!  YippEE!!!

 Here’s what got featured in the treasuries (Pretty, pretty, pretty!) 

  

Here are the treasuries, care of excely , CurlyGirlCrochet  and Rittenhouse.  Thank you so much!  They are absolutely gorgeous!  Before they die, you can view them by clicking on the images.  When they die, the images will stay for posterity!  :O)

  

Work in Progres…Seeking Opinions!!!

So, I’ve put this bracelet together, but don’t want to complete it until I’m certain of the design.  Could you please give me your feedback?  Here’s a pic. 
Thoughts?  Suggestions?