Thursday, November 26, 2009

John, Dumpling





Thanksgiving went amazingly smooth. I was ready early with food cooked and even time to dust and straighten the family picture. I am thankful for a quiet evening. Look at all the pre-teens and teen girls in my life! When my mother told me; "Paybacks are Hell" is this what she meant? And then to put the icing on the payback cake I am married to a man that can eat 3 helpings and then have multiple sittings with apple dumplings without gaining an ounce. I am also thankful for the spirited Red Head that sings her own compositions while standing on my favorite antiques. I wouldn't have life any other way. Thank you

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Timer Just Dinged on the Pie



I am in a perfect spot. Thanksgiving is Tomorrow. I just pulled the most beautiful pumpkin pie from the oven and wrapped up creamy mashed potatoes and the sweet potatoes are cooking. I have extra pumpkin puree from the pumpkins the kids and I went and picked from Rigney Farms today and it is about to be stored in 1 cup servings in the freezer. I will volunteer for pumpkin pie for Christmas this year! I am having a cocktail and blogging and my house is fairly clean. My Handsome husband is sleeping on the couch, which means he isn't trying to make all my food better and change my recipes and I feel like Queen of My World. Ahhh, sometimes I win.

Ok, Black Friday and Cyber Monday Weekend; KC Etsy is promoting our stores and each other this year and let me recommend you visit these amazing artists in the link. Buying handmade and vintage is very selfish! Yes you are giving a gift, but you are making yourself feel so good when doing it. Don't lie to yourself, you may see the sparkle in their eye and the huge smile on their face when they receive that one of a kind gift, but really it is how it made you feel to support our local economy, local artists, environmentally friendly artists and you probably recycled in there somewhere. So, give handmade and get warm fuzzy's! Click on our link for more info and a list of participating shops. http://kcetsy.blogspot.com/2009/11/huge-black-fridaycyber-monday-kcetsy.html

I will be having free shipping on Gourds and marked down prices on Vintage Serving and Entertaining Pieces. Please get lost in their amazing shops and stop by mine also. We all appreciate your time.

Quote of the Day


"Audrie, the point of you unloading the dishwasher is... that I'm not unloading it." So says the 14 yr old to the 9 yr old. The day before Thanksgiving and I'm down to 2 kids, from 6 (the rest are at the "Others" houses) We are doing a little cleaning and organizing. I am doing some shipping of etsy sales and we went out to the Rigney Farms and filled the back of the truck with pie pumpkins, so I am about to make pumpkin puree. Here's the link to the recipe I am going to follow. I love the Pioneer Woman and her pictures are as much fun as her comments. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/make-your-own-pumpkin-puree/

I'm having a Black Friday Sale and Cyber Monday at my Etsy shop and will fill you in after I get the pumpkin started. I have a plan on multi tasking everything to get ready for tomorrow, sorta....

Monday, November 16, 2009

Holiday Gourd Ornaments



I am posting the ornaments that I have been selling at craft fairs on my etsy site today. I also have some larger Holiday lamps and medium snowmen going up. This weather has my sinus's wreaking havoc on me so I will do my best to get them all online, but... I have a beautiful new snowman style that should be done this afternoon that has a light up nose and a hand painted nativity. I am excited. Here are a few of today pictures. Notice the white hat on the snowman lamp. It is done on a knitting loom made for flowers. My mom and I picked it up at JoAnne's this weekend and I am very excited. It is so easy and these hats pop out in about 10 minutes. So Fun!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Countdown to Christmas: KC Etsy Team's Great Giveaway! WEEK THIRTEEN: Win a MY DAGGERED HEART necklace from Silver Trove Designs!



Kansas City Etsy Street Team: Countdown to Christmas: KC Etsy Team's Great Giveaway! WEEK THIRTEEN: Win a MY DAGGERED HEART necklace from Silver Trove Designs!
Click on the link and Sign up to win this gorgeous necklace and check out the other talented artists on the kcetsy team!

Just a quick blog to show you what I found this weekend after a show in Oregon, MO. The biggest gourds I've ever seen where there. This is the big one I brought home to dry, sitting in my favorite chair. I am also on a push to post vintage serving pieces so we can all Entertain Vintage Style. Retro=Recycle and I think every little thing we do can help out. The picture is a Mod, Atomic themed vintage candy dish. That's all for now, I have gourds drying.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Crossing the Cyber LIne



I received and email yesterday afternoon that the Etsy Team that I belong to was having a meeting. I decided to cross the line and meet online friends in the real world. I haven't been a huge contributor to this group yet, just getting the feel for things but putting real faces with the avatars was inspiring. It wasn't like being a gamer and meeting your online guild. These were crafters and artists. Not guys that play girls characters online. It was a group of about 15 artsy, outgoing people who have the same stuff going on in life as you do. They were mothers, one about to be for the first time and her husband, people with day jobs, people from the city and the country. It was a great evening and I have so many ideas going through my head that I already have a full todo list, but I might have to blog quite a few times today just to get to cross some things off. The link to this group is http://www.kcetsy.blogspot.com/ And BONUS! I'm on the front page right now of their blog. You can also find the KC Etsy button on the side of my blog. Everyone was so talented and they organized a gift exchange. Let me tell you, this was better than any Office Gift Exchange Ever! Each person brought a handmade gift. I have posted pics of my gorgeous gift; an earthenware tea bag dish and very cool magnet. The dish is going to my next craft fair to hold business cards. These were created by Glazed Earth www.glazedearth.etsy.com Please stop in and check her beautiful items out.

Monday, November 2, 2009

The List



I have started my list of todo's and as usual I have more than six things on it. I was told while in sales to only put 6 things on your list so it is not overwhelming and you will feel accomplishment as you finish a list. So, I'll type fast so I can cross this off my list.... and then probably add another thing.

I was so lucky and got one of the last booths at the 15th Annual Central Nazarene Craft and Cookie sale in Lenexa. If you have never been to this craft fair (which I hadn't until this weekend) put it on your list of things to do before you die. This is the most beautiful, well run, relaxed craft fair I have ever been to. It isn't your normal bake sale, they bake cookies and you get to buy them by the lb all day so when you walk in you are accosted with the smell of fresh baked heaven. This is after the door was opened for you and you are greeted and happily signed up for a door prize. There were 40 vendors and they were all handmade items of all different types. I was the only gourd painter and I did very well. More than that, I learned so much and enjoyed myself and my husband came and joined me and he was a lot of fun too. Put it on your calendar for next year Oct. 30, and 31st on 87th next to the Lenexa Police Department. It is worth it.

So I am in full on craft mode to step up my game. I spent yesterday making hand dipped scented bulbs to put in my gourds. I am very excited. I think they are super cute and they smell wonderful. I sold all my snowman heads that have the bulb sticking out for a nose so I will finish one (it's on the list) and show you the light in action. I am going to list them on my site so if you have a gourd already you can get a scented bulb to put in it too. I will also have them at my next couple craft fairs. Sunday Nov. 8th is in Oregon MO 10-3 at the TJ Hall Building on the West side of the Courthouse. It will benefit the Hope House and feeding local Families. Oregon Missouri is up by St. Joe. Then my favorite is Nov. 13th and 14th at Silvercrest Retirement Community on old Metcalf and just North of 135th St. This is where my Grandma and John's Grandma (coincidence really) both live so it is fun and all the residents also sell their handmade items. One woman that is in her 90's makes the most amazing decorated eggs. The details rival Faberge. Stunning. I will post a picture of my new scented bulbs taking over my laundry room. Yes, I'll have to move them today because doing laundry is on the list.