Sunset

As I walked through my living room on Sunday I noticed that everything had an orange hue. This is what the sky looked like out my back door.

New Year’s Resolution 2009

Well, it’s that time of year again. It is time to reflect on the year that has passed and think about what I would like to change. I know that, without a doubt, the personal problem that I would love to tackle, and win, is procrastination. I am a world class procrastinator. My main form of procrastination is the computer. Hanging out in different forums is a main source of time consumption for me. The tool that I am going to use to help me combat this problem is the microwave timer. I will allow myself a certain amount of time online each day and when the timer goes off I will be done. This will include listing items in my Etsy and Artfire shops, blogging, Flickr and reading email. Wish me luck!

What are your resolutions? Leave me a comment; I would love to hear them.

PROCRASTINATE
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It Pays To Ask

Quite a few months ago I put an iPod case in my favorites. I thought that it would make a great gift for my 13 year old son for Christmas. It had a place for the ear bud wires to come out and a clip so that he could attach it to his backpack, duffel bag, etc. When I was ready to shop I saw that it was sold. No big deal, right? I'll just go to the shop and find one there. Well, there wasn't one listed and it looked like there hadn't been one listed in a while. OH NO! It's not being offered any more! I sent a convo to Tenthstreet and within minutes I got a convo back asking what color I would like. The next day I got another convo saying that there was one listed if I was still interested. It was exactly what I wanted. It arrived in plenty of time for Christmas and it came with a freebie - a pink coin pouch. Had I just looked in the shop and moved on when what I wanted wasn't there I wouldn't have this great case for my son



and cute pouch for myself.


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Thanks Tenthstreet - you rock!

Featured Etsyblogger for December

This month's featured Etsyblogger is Spotted Cow Soaps. If you like to pamper yourself and luxuriate in a nice hot bath, this is the place for you. The photo above shows the Chocoholics Unite Bath Fizzies. I don't know about you but I couldn't imagine anything better on a cold winter day then a nice warm bath surrounded by the aroma of chocolate. Two of my favorite things at one time and in one place...ahhh!

Spotted Cow Soaps, located in Vermont, not only makes soap, but bath accessories, candles and more. They will also include a free sample in every order.

If you would like to learn more, or even join, Etsybloggers please click here.

Wonderful Wednesday

I live in New Jersey and lately it has been feeling more like winter then fall. It has been way below freezing the past couple of nights and I can't seem to get warm. This week I am featuring these great coasters from Elle Quilts. They have marshmallows wearing earmuffs on one side and the other side has pretty dots. Couldn't you just imagine these with a steaming hot cup of hot chocolate on them?

The Million Dollar Bracelet

There is always a lot of talk on the Etsy forums about making sure that you get paid for your time when you are pricing your item. Well, I'm sure that we have all had item like my black, gray and red bangle. It is bead crocheted which entails stringing all the beads in order on thread and then crocheting them into a tube. The tube is then joined with an invisible seam to create a bangle. This is how it went:

Attempt 1 - Crocheted all the beads. Did invisible join. Knotted and knotted some more to make sure it was secure. After closer inspection I found that the stripes didn't match up evenly. Once a bangle is securely joined it cannot be taken apart, so it meant cutting it a part, restringing and starting over.

Attempt 2 - Crocheted all the beads again. Did the join and it lined up perfectly. Went to slip it over my hand and there was no way it was going to fit. Since I'm an average sized women I couldn't imagine it selling too quickly at the size it was. Cut apart and restring, again.

Attempt 3 - Crocheted all the beads again. Did the join and it lined up perfectly. Tried it on before doing the final knotting to make sure that it fit me loosely so that it would also fit someone slightly larger. Photographed and listed.

If I actually charged for all the time I worked on this bracelet I would have to charge an exorbitant amount. Since all time spent was due to operator error it is being offered in my shop for $28. Hopefully it will go to a good home to someone who appreciates it.

SALE! SALE! SALE!

The EtsyBloggers Team is having a sale from Black Friday, 11/28 through Cyber Monday, 12/1. For a list of the 50+ shops participating in this sale click here.

Wonderful Wednesday

This Wednesday I was feeling a little nostalgic. I was thinking about the holidays when I was a child and that led me to thinking about the dog I had as a child. I was petrified of dogs when I was very young. It seems that a relative’s dog jumped into my playpen when I was an infant. Fast forward a few years. I adored my grandfather and he got a dachshund named Fred. He assured me that Fred wouldn’t hurt me and because he was Grandpa I knew that it must be true. So for my 5th birthday I asked for and received a dachshund of my very own. I asked for a brown one since my grandfather had a black one. I named him Peanut and he was my pal for over 16 years.





This leads me to this Wednesday’s wonderful find – a polymer clay Doxie pin made by Kritter Krazed. Dachshunds aren’t the only dogs she has available. There are also Labs, Boston Terriers, Pugs and more. Wouldn't this be a great Christmas gift for the dog lover on your list?

Wonderful Wednesday

I decided that this week I would use the Pounce feature on Etsy to discover a shop with nice items that has not had a sale yet. It was love at first sight when I saw this baby sand pail hat by Crackerjack Knits. This hat is made from merino wool and lined for baby's comfort.

I usually only post one picture, but I couldn't resist this face.

Tagged Again

I was tagged by two people from the Etsy Bloggers team last month and in the past two weeks I have been tagged twice again. Since there is not a whole lot left to tell you can read about me here.

I was tagged by some Etsians with fabulous shops. I would love if you would pay them a visit.
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Lil Bees