Friday, February 27, 2009

Early Morning Blogging and New Gourds Today


John is out of town so once again it was easy to get up. He left last night and is supposed to start on the trees on the Tyson Chicken Estate. I think it is amazing that he is the one to get to work on it. Every Company down there wants to do Tyson's trees and John got the job through his reputation. The problem is however, there is no one to work with him. He called everyone. Today I get to go to another knitting class. I am very excited and I am ready to learn to finish my scarf and start a new project. I have put a new gourd on my website; http://www.jennifergoode.etsy.com/ inspired by my new love of knitting. Today I am posting a couple new ones also. I will try to did up a picture I took over the last couple days because it just kills me to hit publish without a picture on here.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Lots of Etsy Views on a Monday?!


Yesterday was a very busy day of views and sales on my etsy website. It was like before January, so hopefully they changed things back to the way it was. I had three sales yesterday! It is Tuesday and I promised myself I would work on bookkeeping and I have been seperating receipts and making a plan of action for them. I think I would be in pretty good shape if I kept up this Tuesday schedule. Aunt Snooks sent new scarves and lights for gourds so I am excited! I am going to make a bunny and put a scarf on it; "snow bunny" I'll show it off of course when it is finished!

Here is a picture I took in arkansas of a tree that had limited root space and what happens in an ice storm.

Monday, February 23, 2009

The First of The Rooster Gourds


I finaly did it! It was just a matter of doing it, but I made a rooster gourd. I am very happy with the outcome and even happier with the picture thanks to Dorothy's suggestions on my items pictures. Visit her site at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6551772


Today my laundry room is full and John is home so I am going to try to sneek in some painting, but he doesn't understand and thinks I could be doing a lot more productive things, so we'll see. On the Business side of life I am going to make a schedule and start doing my quickbooks every Tuesday. And I am still hot on the idea of opening our shop up with a tentative date of March 4th. I got an email from a customer from a craft fair wanting to come see the shop and look for cottage decor. I'll let you know.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

The Day of the Rooster *** Yesterday was for Silly Rabbits


I have "Little Grandma's" Rooster gourd cleaned, carved and penciled how it will look and the inside prepped, so today is the day! But first, I guess I should get out of bed! Well, I have been out of bed I promise. I got up at 6:30 (late for me) and made coffee and put the pups out and then went back outside because Beavis was playing with my backpack that I put my climbing gear and hammock in. Luckily nothing that my life depends on working was in the bag at the time to get chewed on. Then I got back in bed and played on my artfire site. Ok, quick little tangent. I love Artfire http://www.sixsproutsdesigns.artfire.com/ is my site, I wish that it was over its Beta phase and had more traffic though. I am ready! It is such a user friendly site and I love how I get to work on my artisian shop and how you post items and I do love all the front page time that newly listed items get, however I'm ready for something more from them. My views are very low and the quality of the front page is very low. I realize again it is just in Beta, but it could be such an amazing place to be. I love the terms and the associations that you get to be involved in. I love the people on the forums and I love how my shop looks and the ease of making it my own. But, I hate the colors and the look of Artfire as a whole. I love that it automatically submits you to Google Base and that analytics is so easy to use and right there for you. But I hate seeing huge crappy pictures on the front page and...... well, I'm just ready for the to make the next step. I hope they do because it really is an amazing venue as an artist, it's just not much for a buyer/shopper and that really is the goal now isn't it. Well, just my little rant. Because this is where I come to talk to myself. Be happy I don't rant about my husband here. lol. That might get a whole other blog. I'll let you know the evil address of it! Muhawhawhaw!!!

Oh, and here is a bunny picture from yesterdays adverntures in gourd crafting. Like my daughter says; "Who needs friends when you make your own, mom?!"

Saturday, February 21, 2009

A Quiet Weekend Ahead


It is just Caitlyn and I this weekend. I have 5 little gourd bodies ready to go to become bobble feet characters and I am going to make some more homemade bread. I am getting excited about gardening and canning season. I didn't can a thing last year and now I am regretting it. It is February and we have a tree service and the pantry is bare! I do have the canned fish but I can't bring myself to eat it. YUCK! Maybe I can find some locals to barter with. lol. In the basement there is a stairway to nowhere that used to lead up and outside until they added on so now it is the perfect place for canned goods. I can't wait. Let me see what picture I can find to post here, it looks like my pantry without something on it. Aren't these cute? Vintage baby booties planter. On my site; www.jennifergoode.etsy.com

Friday, February 20, 2009

Easter Bunny Hopping out of the Woodwork


My first blog follower and it isn't my Mom! Be sure and check out her etsy site! I finished 2 more bunnies today and ready for some more. I just love painting seasonal characters; snowmen and bunnies. Grandma Slusher wants a rooster to sit outside her door so I need to figure that one out. Just wanted to post my new bunny. John took off for Arkansas so him and his crew would be rested and up to work on Tyson Chicken's trees tomorrow. They needed an Arborist and John's reputation got them his number. So he will be climbing and I think it will be rainy down there so please say little prayers for him.

New Easter Gourds and John is Home Today


I have cutest new easter bunny with bobbly feet, but in my experimenting with picture taking and backgrounds I dropped it and the bottom is chipped. So I will post it here and make a different one for my Etsy site. I hit my 50th sale yesterday! I was so excited, then this morning I woke up to sale 51 and 52.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

The First of the Easter Gourds


Here it is! The first Easter gourd is finished and posted. I should have another basket early this morning. I think I am going to try to knit bunny ears for this years rabbit gourds. I am still working on my knitted mustache turned scarf. I am very proud of it though! You have to check out our finished website! http://www.jgoode.net/ It turned out so beautiful and the last tab takes you right to my etsy shop. I am still making big plans to try to open the shop again but this time in full force! I'll keep you posted.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Hair Pins



I just love my new hair pins! I mentioned bartering in my last post and that is where I got these. A fellow Etsian made a trade with me and I told her that there isn't a day that goes by that I don't put something in my hair, so yesterday in the mail these gorgeous pins arrived. Love them!

You can find her at http://www.serendipityoriginals.etsy.com/

Early Morning Planning of Gourds and Making it in the New Economy


Even without a working alarm clock I have been up by 5 am the last couple mornings. Why is it that when John is out of town I get up early and fine, but when he is here it is all I can do to get out of the bed? Is it because everyone depends on you in the morning or because the bed is warm and snugly with him home? I have the cutest Easter Gourd to post this morning. It is going to get some ribbon and have its picture taken but I love it! I haven't done one like it before but with all the new shape of gourds we brought back from Arkansas it just seemed to need this design. I also will post the neat thing I got from trading. I believe trade and barter will become a larger part of our society with the economy the way it is. Speaking of economy I baked 2 loaves of bread yesterday. It cost a lot less than $2 each that I pay at the grocery store and I didn't spend $3 dollars in gas getting there. Let me browse and see if I have a picture to go with this post. It looks bare without it. Uh Oh, the dogs just opened the door. Nevermind Caitlyn is up early too and looking for clothes. Ok here is my picture. I found this cool pin at an antique store and then realized it is not only a brooch, look; a lipgloss container! How fun is that! My vintage stuff is at http://www.jennifergoode.etsy.com/

Monday, February 16, 2009

That Goal was Crazy Thinkin!


Instead of painting gourds all day I was John's ground crew while trimming 4 pin oaks and a bradford pear and removing a pine tree. It was nice though. My new helmet fits great. Petzl Half Dome. Love it! It is so light weight. I just wish they made it in bright pink. John is amazing at what he does. I don't think I have anyone climb a tree quicker or more graceful thank him. And actually today he wasn't even rushing. So I got one gourd done. It is a fairy/bird house, whatever your fancy. I think it turned out very cute. http://www.jennifergoode.etsy.com/

Monday Gourd Painting


My gourd goal is 3 today! I have already been up doing laundry and house stuff and have cleaned a few and got them started. I am hoping to do a huge easter lamp, large rooster and an Easter Basket. Ok, make that 4 is my goal, because I would like to finish my fairy house lamp/bird house. We'll see. Here is the gourd girl I made this weekend. She is made from the Arkansas Gourds that I brought home. I absolutely love how she turned out.


I am trying to decide weather to open the shop for crafts and antiques. I have 2 weeks to decide. If John takes a job offer he has had I will do it. I will keep you posted. Don't forget; You can find my gourds and vintage finds on www.jennifergoode.etsy.com or www.sixsproutsdesigns.artfire.com

Friday, February 13, 2009

Knitting a *Something*

I learned to knit yesterday at this gorgeous shop in Harrisonville, MO. Sprouts Gifts and Yarn. I had such a fun wonderful experience and I got to use the knot tying I learned in Arborist class! So far I think I have knitted a mustache??!! But my goal is a scarf. I will keep you posted. It is Friday the 13th. One of my favorite days because I had a beautiful baby girl on a Friday the 13th. The kids are out of school and I have some errands to run. Brennen is going to do some major multiplication studying and I am going to get a knitting journal. I also want to start making my shop into an arts and crafts studio. That is what is in my head.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Romanian Insprired Gourd Girl Lamp

I am so excited. This is the first gourd I have painted from the new gourds I just brought home from Pumpkin Hollow Farm in Arkansas. See the post below for pictures. It is a huge beautiful gourd that is thick and smooth and this is what I saw it becoming. It is the first gourd I have painted in this style. It reminds me of the old nesting cup dolls. I am very happy with the outcome. Next I am going to paint a huge lighted Easter Egg. My front porch is full of gourds of all shapes and I have tons of ideas. www.jennifergoode.etsy.com to see what becomes of them.

Vintage Beads and Lots of Laundry


I got in town Monday night at 12:45. Tuesday morning I guess. I then got the girlies to school and they were in wonderful moods. I had a lot to mail out, a couple sales and a couple trades. Then I stopped by Rutladers antiques and found some fun stuff. A couple bags of vintage beads that I turned into bracelets and earrings.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Pumpkin Hollow Gourd Farm

I am in Heaven! A whole day with my Husband talking about trees and then a Gourd FARM! Someone pinch me! I have never seen gourds this big in real life and all different varieties. I can't wait to get them home. The farm didn't have power still from the ice storm but they had us and some other customers. 3 women came from Mountain Home AR and they were all smiles too. We all went around and made piles and it is so funny to see how each of us picked our gourds. I shake and set them on wood to make sure they stand up. Others hold them up and feel all over, others dig through bins and piles. It was great. The three women were so impressed that my husband walked with me with a cart to put the gourds in. He then went to the truck and made coffee on his little travel cook stove. That impressed the gourd farmer.

Sunday Birds and Gourds


Saturday night we got far enough east in Arkansas that all the linemen that were restoring power had the hotels full. So we slept in a cafe parking lot in the truck under a huge light until the police came knocking at 3am. So back on the road we saw some amazing things. One was the sign that winter is over. All the birds were returning. Check out the picture of the snow geese. It was unreal. I will make one more post about today cause it is my favorite part so far!

Weekend in Arkansas


I am a couple days behind because I have been busy riding with John researching cities to call on in Arkansas. We just got to a hotel that has internet so I will post a couple pictures. You wouldn't believe the destruction down here. It is amazing. What is worse, you wouldn't believe the way people are topping their trees. I believe they just don't know better, not that they do it on purpose. First look at the picture of the set up to trim this tree. It is very lucky no one died in this one. Count the ladders! And check out the rope! This was Saturday on our way across the state. I heard there was a gourd farm in Piggott and their county was one of the worst damaged by ice storms so we headed that way.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Think about the Trash through the whole Process


You have got to watch the video on Yahoo's front page. It is a Good Morning America story about a man that kept his trash for a whole year in his basement. It is so amazing how such a simple message has been missed by America for years! America throws away more trash than any other country. The message in this is great. Think about what it is your buying and where it is going to end up as you buy it. Don't use plastic shopping bags, they don't decompose and it is simple not to use them. Don't use plastic bottles, it takes 100's of years for them to break down in a landfill and it is simple not to use them. And the part about the worms is even great! I can recycle my paper waist and still have bait for fishing!

So next time I can say that I grew the bait that caught the fish!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Wednesday was a Vintage Day




John headed back to Arkansas so me and the kids got around this morning. Two of the girls tried to sneak out with the wrong color leggings on under their uniforms and there was a fight for shotgun. So, normal morning. I then ran around and did banking stuff. Not enough deposits. Story of this winter. Oh, and I got a letter from the city that they have had many complaints about my dogs running the town. They are just making friends!
So today I finished a cat gourd, but mostly I listed vintage stuff today. I am trying out putting backgrounds behind my products to see the response. I like the results so far, but I am from the school of bright white backdrop.
Next week is valentines and the kids have a 5 day weekend. I was telling them how Arkansas had natural hot springs so I am going to try to get us all down there. I think they would love walking around Eureka Springs. The town I fell in love with gourds in. They loved when we went to Sante Fe, but John didn't so this time it will be me and the kids and he can work. Cross your fingers that I can pull off our little weekend adventure. Should be fun.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Three New Gourds




My goal was three new gourds painted today. I am very close. One is little, but I think it is so cute and fun. I also made a new frog prince and I am about to finish a new Cat Gourd Lamp. I cleaned today and had dinner ready and kids are doing well, so a pretty good day. I have been ignoring taxes, quickbooks and bills and I know I will feel better when I do it, but I can't look! John is going back to Arkansas and he will hopefully have lots of big news, maybe even life changing. I'll let you know. Here is my newest gourd. It is a little mushroom charm for a necklace or keychain or such. It reminds me of a fantasy book or game.

http://www.jennifergoode.etsy.com/ or http://www.sixsproutsdesigns.artfire.com/