New Calendar, New Year

As is tradition, I got our new calendar for the year....

....it's always this Teapot calendar, and we always get it after the holidays so that it's 1/2 off the price.  How's that for cheap?  The pictures in this calendar are just so pretty, and it is hung above our telephone/computer area just off the living room/kitchen.  The pictures are works of art in and of themselves, and I enjoy each month...all month long.  One year there was a witch teapot which was nasty...the only one I can remember that I really didn't like.  I simply took the picture from a previous month and hung it over that particular teapot for that month.  I'm totally lost without our calendar--keeping track of birthdays, when my husband is working overtime or has training, and when the kids have lessons and things going on.  Hope your new year has started out well!

Sorting, Crafting, Organizing, Etc.

Well, that craft show actually put me in a "I don't want to do anything else" mood.  Guess all the making and preparing and doing of it wore me out a little.  Thankfully there were some sales from my Etsy shop at the beginning to middle of December.  I've made a few things...but lately I haven't done much.  I just finished this embellished key the other day.  Found the chain at a local antique mall and just knew it would go perfectly with the vintage jewelry piece, and it all went together quite nicely (it's in my shop HERE).

Otherwise, I've been working on my taxes so that I'm not overwhelmed with them next month.  Taxes stress me out a little, so I decided to organize all of my paperwork at the end of each month this past year so that once January rolls around there would be only a few series of 12 numbers to add up rather than hundreds!  I got a little behind this fall so had to catch up on October and November's figures. 

I've also been organizing my craft room...my "studio" as it is affectionately called.  It really became a disorganized mess before my craft show, so slowly it is becoming more organized.  It has been amazing to discover, well, rediscover,  the things that are in that room, things under other things and long forgotten. 

We're getting more snow--more in the forecast too.  I guess it is December, and that is to be expected.  I'm looking forward to a fresh, new year coming up in just a few weeks.  Happy New Year!

First Craft Show

Mom and I were in a craft show last Saturday.  What a lot of work!  Whew!  Mom has been in craft shows most of her life, and I remember going to many of them...sitting with her, helping her, etc.  They I got married, moved out of the house...fast forward 24 years.  She hasn't been in one since moving out here with us, so we thought it was time.  We had been going to this one particular show for the past few years.  It looked like a good one--no Tupperware, no Pampered Chef....just all handmade crafts at this show.  We liked that. 

I had worked hard deactivating things from my Etsy shop, tagging items, and organizing for several weeks.  I made two more vintage jewelry wreaths as well as a few other things.  Of course, Mom had many things to put in too...our little table was packed!  It was a sunny day but bitterly cold, and I know that kept some people home.  We did okay...of course, I wasn't exactly sure how it would go.  You always hope to sell, well...like, EVERYTHING, and that rarely happens.  It was a good experience. but we haven't decided if we will do it again next year...probably though! 

Flowers from My Honey

These are some flowers that my sweet husband sent to me.  Aren't they beautiful? 

It has been a rough few weeks.  I was officially diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis...and it has been a little hard to deal with.  However, I'm so thankful for a supportive family who has been kind and gentle with me.  My husband has been sweet and wonderful through it all, and I'm so thankful for him.  I'm very thankful too for the Lord for the strength, peace, and comfort He has given me.  No, I'm certainly not mad at God.  Sickness and difficulties are part of life.  He has allowed it in my life for a purpose, and I know He will give me the grace to get through each day.  I'm on meds that I know are helping--I can feel they are helping.  I don't like the idea of being dependent on medication now--for the rest of my life, in fact--and for having to take a med that lowers my immune system.  I don't like not having the freedom of choice in taking over the counter things for colds and headaches like I used to.  Change is always hard.  But, it just takes getting used to.  I'm thankful for doctors and medication for help.  Through my adjustments and tears, I know that there are many, many other people out there with far more serious problems, and I'm extremely thankful to God that this diagnosis isn't more sinister.  

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Button Card Ornaments

I really love vintage button cards and enjoy looking at them on Pinterest.  Some are just exquisite.  I remember an estate sale that I went to that had many...wish I had purchased more of them.  Anyway, while these button cards aren't over the top exquisite, they ARE pretty.  Of course, you know I like to embellish things with vintage jewelry...so these were a natural combination. 

I bought some pretty paper and worked these up.  I tried to make them look pretty on the front and back. 

They are in my Etsy shop and can be hung around the home as home décor all year round. 

Hope you like them too. 

Happy, Happy Fall

It has been a beautiful past several days here in Wisconsin.  The trees are really turning, and they seem especially bright and pretty this year compared with those in the past several years.  We went on a long walk through a local state park on Saturday and another walk yesterday afternoon.  The sky was a brilliant blue, and the trees....gorgeous!  This picture is of across the street this morning.  Have a wonderful day and week!

Time to Blog

To be honest with you...I'm finding it difficult to find time to blog!  I'm sure many others are having the same problem.  There is my Etsy shop to constantly work on including networking there, Pinterest to peek at, emails to catch up with...then of course, housework, kids, homeschooling, and creating for my shop.  Ugh!  It seems like I set there at the end of a day all the time and wonder just where exactly time went. 

I have been putting on the screws as far as creating goes.  I have been working on some new ideas...some things are done and others are still in the works.  Mom and I had a "craft day" last Saturday while Hubby worked.  It was fun, and we got a lot done.  We are actually going to be in a craft show this year.  She has been in them for years...and years.  This will be my first, so I'm glad we will be in this one together.  I'm going to put some of my bigger and hard to ship things to see if they go.  It is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so at least I have a little bit of time to work some more things up. 

One thing I've started doing is embellishing beautiful keys.  The key first of all has to have design and be pretty.  They have been fun to do.  Of course, you know me and embellishing--can't help myself.  A few have sold (the one above is one of my favorites but hasn't sold yet). 

Also, Mom found at a thrift shop out West a box full of these tiny pink plastic figures--figures from cereal promos in the 1950's.  There are some that I won't use, but the pretty ladies/dancers inspired me to make little shadowbox ornaments.  I tried to make little embellished--true to size, the hard part--scenes.  I made them in colors of ornaments that can be used year round as home décor.  Of course they have lots of glitter.  They are pretty small since they are made out of small cardboard jewelry boxes. 

I had some other little vintage bits that I made into shadowboxes/dioramas...this little winter scene dog is probably my favorite. 
I'll blog about the other "new things" I'm working on, but those probably won't be done until the end of the week or so. 

Fall Sale in My Etsy Shop

Fall is my favorite time of year! To celebrate I'm offering a 10% discount on all purchases in my Etsy shop from Thursday, September 12 through Sunday, September 15. Just use the coupon code "FALLSALE" at checkout.

Vintage Crown Buttons

Mom and I were at the local antique mall last week, and I purchased a bag of vintage buttons for $2.  I got the bag because of these three crown buttons....

...aren't they darling?  I hope to put them into a wearable craft. 

However inside there were plenty of other beautiful buttons---many are glass.  While there aren't very many others where there is more than one of a kind (though those red glass triangle ones are a lovely find!), I'm delighted with the purchase.  Buttons are so fun.

A Door County Sunset

We went up to Door County...the county in Wisconsin's peninsula that juts out into Lake Michigan...last week for a little bit of R&R and camping.  We froze at night in our little tent, believe it or not, but had a great time.  We hiked and fished and shopped.  We went to Wilson's under their famous red and white striped awnings for ice cream.  We had a yummy cinnamon roll at Grandma's Swedish Bakery at the Wagon Wheel Resort.  We walked among the boats at different marinas in the little towns up the coast.  We saw the goats on the grassy roof of Al Johnson's restaurant. It was a perfect few days, and we left relaxed and refreshed (as we always leave Door County).  Did you see the feature in Victoria magazine about Door County?  I haven't read it yet but was glad that Door County was getting some much deserved attention.

A "big deal" is to watch the sun set in the evening--hoping to see a "green flash" after the sun goes down.  One evening we watched from Sunset Park in Fish Creek, and the second evening we climbed the 75 foot tower at Peninsula State Park and watched from there.  When we got to the top...and well out of breath...I saw this pretty sailboat heading into the harbor.  I love the color of the sails.

Then we watched the sun set from our wonderful vantage point.

Going....

Going...

Going...

Gone! 

Ahhh...while we never did see that green flash, it was definitely another end to another perfect day in Door County. 

The Culprit

For a few years now I've attempted to grow Morning Glories by our mailbox.  You have the mental picture:  twirling vines twisting up the length of our mailbox with loads of blue and purple and pink trumpet flowers hanging off.  Beautiful!  Well, this has just never happened.  Last year by September I had a one wimpy vine with two little blossoms on it.  I blamed the hot summer.  THEN...this year...cute as he is...we discovered why I never had beautiful Morning Glories and why I won't this year.....

Perhaps our mail carrier has paid this little guy off.  I suppose mail carriers get tired of buzzing bees and vines creeping around mailbox flags.  Whatever the case, at least I know it isn't my seeds or my lack of watering...it is this bunny and his whole family who have nibbled my Morning Glories down to stubs.  Oh, well, I guess this bunny had a truly lovely snack and our mail carrier can have an unobstructed mailbox to deliver into this year! 

Independence Day Sale

10% OFF

INDEPENDENCE DAY SALE

Well, I'm thankful for America, and I'm thankful for the freedoms we still do have.  One of those freedoms is to have my little shop.  Despite having to pay taxes (and hopefully not MORE taxes), I love having my Etsy shop.  So, I decided to have a little sale (and I don't have sales very often) now through July 4th to celebrate--simply enter the coupon code "GLASS10" to receive 10% off your order.  You may visit my shop HERE to see if there is anything that strikes your fancy.  Thank you for looking. Also, thank you, GraphicsFairy, for the pretty picture above.