Baby It's cold Outside!

Here are some of my favorite cold weather photos that I took last year. We don't have any snow yet and it's a bit cold, but not bone chilling yet. Just a little reminder that winter is here and it's beautiful!

Gifts for The Almost Teen Female

The almost teen female. They aren't quite "kids" anymore, but at the same time they are not teens. Why push teen, with all its connotations, at them? I'm in favor of "growing old gracefully" at every age. So I wanted to share some of the things that I have found on Etsy for my female, artist, reader, actor, almost teen.

• This journal from UberArt is beautiful, my child's favorite colors and full of sketch paper. She will love to draw in this and it will be a lovely keepsake when full of art. Many styles of journals here... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5428768

• I am all over gentle beauty products that are not make-up, for this age. The yummy lip balm is available in many intoxicating flavors from dennisanderson. There are also some delish body products to make bathing OFTEN more desirable. (Vital at this age, trust me!) Wonderful body products here... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5124873

• This year the princess has become even more firmly entrenched in Nightmare Before Christmas. The Jack style bracelet by adcdmc is right up her alley. Many of her cohorts at school are going to be green with envy! To see what other treasures are available... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5699479

• Speaking of princess, how could you not get someone who is "Morgan Le Fey" for Halloween a lovely art print from EmilyBalivet. It almost seems like this artist and my child are one in the same, they are both so inspired by mythology and the ancients. The art is stunning, take a peek... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=30030

• The pillowcase covered with books is mandatory for my reader! She has a window seat full of pillows where she likes to read that this will definitely be gracing. Maybe you would prefer a book bag? They have both here... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5157917

• For some reason my child has a strange fascination with tree rats. Her mother obviously does not share that love, but bonspielcreation seems to. This small squirrel purse is fabulous and my daughter is going to use this beauty forever! The quality is topnotch. Pop in to see all the styles of bags, with and without tree rats... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=11169

• rhymeswithmagic makes the perfect gift for the book eating female on your list, jewelry that refers to books! My child does not read books, she goes through them so fast we say that she eats them. Could have something to do with the fact that in 5th grade her reading skills were that of a senior graduating from high school, but I digress. Great pendants and earrings saying all sorts of fun things are to be found here... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5329778
  

Thank you to my customer Anna who not only purchased my ponytail holders, but wrote a VERY nice article on her blog about them! Here is the link and these are the ponies, "Gum In Hair" and "Winter Birch". http://www.abdpbt.com/?p=222#comment-1333

Have You Voted?!

If you are a US citizen, please make sure that you vote today! Here are some patriotic pieces that are sparkling away in my shop. Now go vote!

Welcome To My Nightmare!

Yes, I have been entirely lacking in keeping up my blog for the last week and a half. No, I have not been a big slug for the last week. I've been getting ready for a 4 day art show, but that is another blog, and working on an elaborate King Arthur era princess costume for the child. A year ago my daughter decided that she was going to be "Morgan Le Fey, The Greatest Sorceress Ever" for 2008 Halloween. At our house Halloween tops Christmas in the planning department. Christmas just kind of happens, whereas Halloween is intricately planned down to the last underapparel detail. As much as I hate to sew there are no holds barred in creating costumes around here. I gave birth to a kid who hit the ground bursting into song and drama. This holiday was made just for her. I'm willing to suck up the hate-to-sew yen, that I allow to take over at all other times of the year, to make something that rocks for my princess. (I must admit that it isn't just that I hate to sew. I have osteoarthritis in my hands, so it hurts horribly too. She won't be my baby forever though!) The child also has multiple opportunities to wear her costume each year so it isn't just for one night.

We found the pattern in August. One must look early or count on your one choice to be sold out in every store! There were 2 that she liked, but this won the toss. Then the choice was about dress A, B, C, or D. Next was which sleeve style would be the most beautimous. Those choices took a little while of course, so it was a month before we were ready to choose fabric. Back to the store for fabric and trims. First it was all about black. Then we began discussing who we thought Morgan Le Fey was and what made her tick. The child and I decided dark jewel colors were the way to go. We live where it could be snowing on Halloween so warmth was important too. Velveteens for both the cape and the dress. I'll spare you the sewing details because I don't need to relive that here! Let us just say that it was time consuming and labor intensive, but as always, very worth it. The princess was thrilled and as you can see she looked stunning.

Droopy & Dreary

Today is one of those droopy, drippy, dreary cold days that detract from the appeal of fall in Minnesota. So it counteract the gloom I've gone through my photos and pulled up some of my favorite florals. I need to see something colorful and bright today, maybe you do to!

Front Page Treasury

So those familiar with Etsy understand the coolness of being chosen for a treasury that a fellow Etsian has made. The epitome is to have the treasury you are in, or have made, chosen to be displayed on the front page of the Etsy site. What makes it even wilder is that there is no notice by Etsy that you will be, are, or have been on the front page! I happened to trip over one of my ponytail holders on the front page of Etsy on Saturday, September 27, 2008. There it is on the bottom left corner. As you can imagine, there was much screaming, whooping and thundering of feet as I made the family haul it in and take notice. It was really cool to watch the numbers go up on the pony tail holder as people hit it to go into my shop. I MIGHT have been a little obnoxious with the constant play-by-play and updating of my numbers. The 11 year old barked at one point, "I'm trying to read HERE!" Hello, the book isn't going anywhere, your mother is only famous through one of her pieces for a few minutes! The things we put up with for our art! :)

Definitely Fall

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. I love the crispy bite of the air. Just cold enough to make you tingle, but not chill entirely. It even feels good to breathe it deeply. The colors are intense and vivid, nothing soft. The sky seems a richer blue for some reason. It is sweater weather, or football weather, both of which I am heartily in favor of. Fall has special noises and smells which are also so very intense. Burning leaves! Not a smell allowed in many communities anymore. So much better to compost them, but the smell just isn't the same. Dry leaves themselves have a special, inexplicable scent. Why do we have floral perfumes, but not dry maple leaves?! It could be marketed in football pro shops throughout the US, to high school football cheerleaders, football moms. I see a niche! I'll leave you with some of my favorite fall photos that I took last year. Enjoy your area's version of fall!

Making My First Treasury

This is the first treasury that I made up. It was very unplanned! I had no intention of jumping in with those crazy people who lurk on the treasury waiting to see the message that the treasury has an opening. As I was hunting for gold stars, shows where you have an item featured in the treasury, I got to the bottom of the page and there it was...A TREASURY OPENING. My breathing turned ragged, heart palpitations began, do I take it? My fingers seemed to have a mind of their own and before I knew it they had a title typed. The treasury was MINE all MINE. Now what!! Thank goodness Etsy plans for those who act before they think, the directions were right there. Quite good too, I might add. I commenced to dig through my favorites to find the earrings by jennifermorrisbeads that I knew I could live without, but was not sure that I wanted to. The earrings were my "color", "feeling", and "look" inspiration. There was a specific reason for each item shown and I must be humored while I give all of those. :)

1. Live Oak Tree by FriendlyMade - I loved the lines, textures and colors in this photo. They were one of the 1st places on Etsy that I made a purchase and a fellow Minnesotan too.
2. cocina de guadalahara- THE earrings.
3. Do I really need to explain why I would NEED to include a piece of this stunning, rich chocolate cake by FatDaddysBakeShop? Didn't think so. (This shop is on pregnancy leave at this time.)
   
4. Eden Felt Flower Pin by skippingstones - I love the pieces by this artist and had a difficult time choosing which to use. The color, shape and texture worked for this one. The beading, applique and embroidery are beautifully done. These are things I used to be able to do well before I lost the dexterity in my hands through arthritis and I fully appreciate the art and talent involved.
5. Rosette Cloche Hat by giantdwarf - This was just too adorable to pass up. The colors were perfect, and it was made from a recycled sweater.
6. Amalfi Garden by TRMACKSTUDIO - Gustav Klimt is one of my favorite artists and this is so reminiscent of Gustav! Once again the shapes, colors and look worked for me. Such cool work.
   
7. Leopard Witch by nebularmystic - In addition to the colors being just right, this is a big cat in a witch's hat. There is someone in my house who started to hyperventilate when she saw this, so I included the art because it was loved. (Unfortunately this artist doesn't seem to be on Etsy any more.)
   
8. Sea Urchin Shell by ShannonAmidon - The pieces by this artist are stunning and I loved that it was the color and texture that I was after.
9. Blueberry Limeade Flower by ZadaGay - I LOVE polymer clay, but I am horrible at it. (Those genes didn't carry over though, so someone in our house will be a force to be reckoned with in the polymer clay department.) Because it is something I have no aptitude with, not for lack of trying either, I'm appreciative of the talent that goes into each item. This artist does some exciting things with her pieces!
   
10. Almond and Praline by BellaSapone - They have the yummiest looking soap. The design on these bars is intricate and beautiful. I'm impressed. I make cold processed soap and understand what an art both making a scrumptious soap is and getting a clear mold is.
    
11. Blue Angel Print by EmilyBalivet - I was planning on using her 12 Women With Birds, but I needed the blue in the angel. The artist has done some gorgeous art celebrating women.
12. Stunning Sparkling Fish by ovenfriedbeads - I am all over beading and this is a lovely intricately made piece! Colors and textures that were loudly singing to me to be used.

So if you made it this far I'm impressed! Yes, there was an obvious method to my madness. I have done another Treasury since my first on September 9th, but alas, it wasn't captured. My inspiration for that were the cutest lion tushie ponytail holders ever that MaryMarsh has in her shop and also reside in the hair accessory drawer at our house when not being worn for a bracelet. There were also some members of the Minnesota Etsy Street Team (search TeamMn to hunt for us) featured. Now it is obvious and my secret has been revealed, if I have done two treasuries I must have turned into a lurker too. One more thing that I've done in the last three months that I didn't think I'd ever be doing!

The First Treasury

Like most Etsians I love to be active in the treasuries! There is nothing like free advertising and all those warm fuzzies that you get from people enjoying your work. Ten days after opening my shop, July 27th, I woke to find a convo from an Etsian asking if I knew I was in a treasury. Nope, I hadn't a clue! I couldn't believe that I made a treasury so quickly after reading in the forums how many people had never been in one and how long they had been on Etsy. Thankfully a link was included in the convo or it would have taken me forever to figure out how to hunt down the treasury! Those are my earrings in the bottom left corner. At this point I have had my pieces featured in 18 treasuries.

Forgot A First!

How could I forget the first time that I was featured in a blog! Thank you to MaryMarsh.
http://marymarsh.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-feature-pickleberries.html

Another First

So why start a blog!? Hmmm, not really sure, but why not. There have been lots of firsts in the last 3 months so why not another one!

1. My first Etsy shop opened on July 18, 2008.
www.pickleberries.etsy.com
2. My first Etsy sale to MaryMarsh on August 13, 2008.
3. My first large sale on August 21, 2008.
4. On September 16, 2008, notification that I made it into my first huge craft/art show.
5. Started a blog on October 16, 2008.

Thank you for stopping, Lonnie