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.

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.

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.

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?!"

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

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.