The Perfect Storm

You know, the perfect storm, where all the elements come together in just the right way, at just the right time with just the right composition and create something phenomenal? Well, my latest creation feels that way to me right now.
Great beads, the kids going back to school, Raku (my favorite), motivation of an upcoming show, nice silver, and the desire for some new bracelets.

BAM!


Now, it is rare that I keep pieces for myself. Especially really nice ones becasue I always think I can sell it. I always convince myself I'll keep the next cool one. The dear old hubby encourages me to sell them becasue we need the money and he hates that I am always looking for a bigger jewelry box. This one I am very tempted to keep. It will be going up for sale this weekend at Septemberfest, but if it doesn't sell, who knows. Then again, it may end up on etsy because I can keep the next one, right?

Routine Memories

Let's see if I can remember how to do this. It's only been a good 6 months since I found the time to ramble (at least on here). This is a week of getting back in the swing, returning to a routine, structure, blah, blah, blah. Bottom line is, the kids are back in school. So, I hope against hope for a little normalcy, a little peace and quiet and a little "me" time. Then again, I though that would happen once school was out and the list of commitments dwindled. Nothing like a lack of carefree summer days to smack you up the side of the head with a dose of adulthood reality.

Speaking of reality, I have an official "meanager" now. yep. Crackling voice, outgrowing shoes before your eyes, attitude filled, myspace obsessed, girl oggling, meanager! Now, I knew this was coming. Afterall, his 13th birthday was in January. I was just hoping it would take a little longer. I wasn't quite ready for a daily dose of guilt-induced craving to call my mother and apologize, and yet I thank the good Lord himself daily that he is NOT a girl. I don't know either of us could survive me raising me as a teen.

Truthfully, he's a good kid. Both of my boys are. I babble on and get fed up like any mom, but in the end, I am lucky. If I could just get them a little boot traiing I might have more time to create and less time playing maid.

I am making a concerted effort to begin blogging more often and get back to some featuring of art I love and am inspired by. Maybe the ocassional funny story will get thrown in. There's no shortage of funny mishaps in my world, why not share. So, stay tuned and who knows, I just might get a handle on this yet. If not, you'll get a good laugh watching.

It's A good Thing!

We all know who's line that is. Yep, the one, the only

Martha.

If you live in a cave and avoid any and all media coverage, maybe you don't know her on a first time basis. Oh, wait, you are here and on line, and most likey an etsy seller, shopper or frequenter, so forget that last statement. of course you know "the Martha"!

Well, now "the Martha" is getting to know etsy. The Martha Stewart Show will be featuring etsy, in all it's glory, this Friday. You can get the full story here. Name dropping is not my usual m.o. but it seems one of our own "hussies" will have the honor of being mention durting this segment. The original "Girl Savage".



I will admit, I have been green with envy of the girls' ability to land on the etsy front page, in treasuries, the subject of endless blogs, etc. However, that envy is always tempered with the utmost congratulatory glee. She does fantastic, custom, special, unique work.
Feltidermy is not something you can find just anywhere!

The hussy's, being hussies by nature, have clamoured with excitement since the announcement. This, of course, includes our own, jump on the bandwagon attitude. I mean seriously, it's Martha!!!!! Etsy on Martha is bound to bring people to etsy in droves, .............packs,.............herds. Creative people, art/craft/dyi people, people whom understand and appreciate the concept of "buy handmade".

This brings us to the heart of the matter. The Hussies are celebrating. Treasuries, sales, forum threads, shop announcements, the works. We have pulled out all the stops and rolled out the red carpet. ( oh, wait, we just rolled that up after the Oscars). We are supporting, cheering and celebrating the wonderful Girl Savage and others lucky enough to get the nod. We are giving great deals on our own items to mark the special occassion, we have shown our best side in our effort to welcom the occassion. Hell, Karma even uveiled a special trollbie.

Martha is a Hussy at Heart

So tune in on Friday, and/or its replay on Monday (Fine Living Network). Support etsy, keep spreading the word about this great site, and check out all the Hussy regalia. Watch this blog for an update of the sale announcements, treasuries and other Martha related news.

Pay Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

yes, pay very close attention. You see, lately, even more than usual, I have that heavy, weighing feeling that we're not in Kansas anymore. I think they officially call it adulthood, but I myself keep checking the sky for flying monkeys.

Sick kids, fighting the system, tax season, winter doldrums and a serious need to kick my own ass for lacking the self discipline to track my etsy activities ( always goes back to the tax man, always) have left me in need of some ruby slippers. We all know my drum has a different beat though, so I had to go with RubyShoes. Believe me, there is magic in her Kansas! She does things with polymer clay the Wizard would never dream of. No smoke and mirrors here, just plain talent.

I first met RubyShoesSam on the Military Homefront Street team thread. Every Monday they have a little Monday Madness party, and I stopped in for a few. What a fun group ( that's its own seperate post, toot those people's horns) Well, madness it was! I have been "mad" for this and this, and this and this ever since. Imagine, my madness when you check out all the great shops on this team.

So, as usual, I waited and lost out on this lovely.
Take it from me. Don't wait for the house to fall on you to get your ruby slippers, buy them, and fast. Afterall, the yellow Brick Road awaits. I hope to return to Kansas one day soon with a handful of these magic pendants to inspire my own creations with them. Auntie Emm will be thrilled

Me and Netta June

What a perfect match. What a perfect Valentine. After a terrible, "Mom Goes on Strike" day Wednesday, I could not have spent a better Valentine's Day Thursday. Okay, maybe I could have afforded to skip the loveless relationship with the middle schoolers I was teaching all day that day, but then again, they're middle schoolers. If you loved them it would be a sure sign something was wrong, you or them. However, the thought of a night with my Netta was getting me through.

Now, you may be a bit confused. Maybe this talk of "my Netta" is making you scratch your head a bit, well, truth be told, she's not "MY" Netta. She is the 6 month old, permajoyful, cute as a button, fill your heart with warmth, betcha can't help but smile little baby girl of my Cousin and his wife. Yes, I will admit, all predjudice aside, that she is one of the cutest, happiest babies I have ever experienced. And she was mine, all mine for four lovely hours Thursday night.

We played, we laughed, she cooed. I was tired, exhausted really, and looking at another day filled with middle school ingrates, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The rocking, the cuddling, the feeding, even the diaper changing was memorable
(okay, I really need to get out more). It has been a looong time since I had a baby to care for. I think I really enjoy this "other's babies" thing. Knowing you are ( reluctantly) giving her back. Not the one walking the floors, changing millions of diapers, easing her teething, pumping breast milk, unable to find 10 minutes to shower, saving for college and generally responsible for raising a healthy, happy, productive adult rally adds to the joy of the experience. The added bonus of walking in your own front door, looking at your own preteens and thanking God they are fairly self-sufficient, healthy, happy and on their way to that productive adult stage has an extra satisfying edge.

How does this all tie in several days later? Well, I find myself thinking of babies, reminiscing about my own and wanting to indulge others. Where do I start? An etsy search of course. 4,452 items that is. Now, I don;t have that kind of time, but boy, it sure is fun perusing much of it. Yet it all leads back to Pook.
Pook is a very talented half of PookThy. She is hands down, my favorite Canadian gal. She talks a mile a minute, has that great "eh" that rolls of her tongue after every sentence and just oozes sewing talent to boot. Her ability to thrift shop and turn an old table cloth or spread into this is just amazing.

Now, I encourage you all to meet Pook. Talk with her. Fall in love with her. It's inevitable. Her effervescense is contagious. Her baby clothes amazing and her purses stunning. I only wish I could buy her out and dress Netta in all her glory. In the meantime, I wait for those occassion when i can and I keep toasy warm on a Chicago winter's day with this.
Now I'm off to weasle another great babysitting experience out of Netta's parents.

It's That time Again ( I hope)

I have just been under the time crunch forever. All of a sudden, it was here. Home Show time. Then, once again, as usual, my life got in the way.
So I have spent a week vascilating between doing my regularly schedule open house, or postponing til mid April. I fear a postponement for so many reasons. Life, beig the biggest. I just never know what life is gonna bring, or should I say kick my ass with. More often than not, my hopes for a showing are dashed for a myriad reasons. I just hate to take that chance. However, is a week enough notice? A people booked solid? Will I be wasting my time and money?

There's just no telling. So, after frantic printing, shopping, peeling, sticking, stuffing and posting, it's done. i will be having my usual February showing. Now, let's all pray ( novenas welcome. you know who you are) that the snow ends, the bitter cold lifts and the customers show ( and buy)

I have some great new items, and some tried and true staples. the food will be scrumptous, the wine will be flowing and the goods will sparkle. if that's not enough, a coupon for use at my etsy store is the "pies de la resistence" ( okay, sorry, I took Spanish)

For those of you in the Chicagoland area, come on by. Google it, call or just meander aver for a glass of wine, a good hearty laugh, a snack or two, and who knows, yuou may just find that perfect Christmas, I mena Valentie's, no I mean, easter, Mother's Day, Birthday, memorial day, Arbor Day, Independence day, Armitise day, D-day, gift. or maybe just a little sumin' sumin' for yourself.

Give and Take

seems to be the theme of the weekend for me. For the first time in weeks I actually flowed creatively this weekend. Creating new pieces is always relaxing for me. If I could only say the same about photographing them.It seems this piece was both my alli and nemesis this weekend

Now, this led to my first mistake of the weekend (only a matter of time til the inevitable). I should have followed my head and continued on my productive journey, but nooooooo, my heart convinced me to participate in the infamous SNS Sale on etsy. What ensued was a frantic mad dash of photography that proved as uncooperative as a two year old with an purple crayon
(we all know how that one ends).

I know by now there is no need to bore you with the intricate details. We are all adults. We know it always gets worse before it gets better, and it did. Suffice it to say, it did get better. It had to get better. I MADE it get better.

And now we return to the regularly scheduled program. It's Sunday night, beef stew is on the stove, it's bitter cold outside and I am rewarded with this. Oh, there's more, but as usual I have to have things special. I never have been one to conform, why start now.
Jpat is the perfect fit for me. She is the master of non-conformists. She loves custom orders and delights in accomodating the most finicky of customers. Now, I have yet to find an item in her shop I don't like, so why is it that fincky rears it's ugly head? well, becasue it can!
So, I admit to indecisiveness and an order larger than necessary, but that seems to be my M.O. I will spend this busy week awaiting this

, and this(sorta) and yet a few others to arrive. See, that's the thing. Janese will take those lovely, incredible fabrics, do that thing she does ( that no one else does quite like she) and give you magic.
Yep, it's magic.
Why? you ask.
well first off, it involves sewing. Anyone who knows me, knows I consider that akin to magic.
secondly, she does it perfect. time and time again. perfect fabric, perfect shape, perfect quality, perfect service.

So yes, I sold this, and this, and have a few irons in the fire. I made these beauties too. However, the highlight of this weekend will be the arrival of my new purse. On that note, I dare you. Double Dog dare you to go here. You to will be pining for your mailman to arrive.