Thinking About My Kitchen Lately

Do  you ever wish you could just have a total redo of your kitchen accessories? I get that feeling every now and then. I dream and then I toss the dream away because it seems so unattainable. But dreams aren't meant to be that way, right? What makes a dreamer dream and what makes the good dreamer attain? 

Back Bay Pottery

the felterie

Haven Vintage

GRAINHAUS

White Barn Mercantile

Kids Match Games

Easy, affordable, cute, perfect match games for young kids. Love them as stocking stuffers. Great cotton drawstring pouch included.

Animals

Fairies

Insects

Pink: A Love Hate Relationship

I Love Pink
I Hate Pink
What is it with the color pink?
The word?
The shade?
IF (and that's a big IF) I had to put pink in my life,
this is what it would look like:

from flandersfield on Etsy

from sewZinski on Etsy (I love Etsy)

from joom on Etsy

these beautiful items are just the thing to tempt me to put pink in my life.... :-)

Artisans Gallery Team

"We are a juried team of artisans of distinction, vetted by peers for excellence in design, skill, presentation, integrity, and customer service. Our team will offer buyers an online experience akin to shopping in a gallery by creating a marketplace of high quality, exceptionally skilled artisans. As an international team, with volunteer translators, we are a network aligned to promote the goals of the Handmade Revolution, to connect and support each other across language and geographic barriers, and to recognize and encourage professional standards and unique artistic voices. We communicate through our newsletter, blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Etsy forum team thread." --Profile from the Artisans Gallery Team Blog


I feel so privileged to be a part of this team of wonderful artists! I know many of them and own some of their creations. Check out a few of the ones I've noticed below and dream about owning.

Paula Art

Furious Dreams

Jealousy Design

From all over the world the artistic work of many people could find its way into your home!

Remember...

I remember what it was like to have little kids. But I sure didn't have Etsy when they were small:

by WrenWillow

I remember when I liked to sew - but now I have Etsy:

I remember smelling fresh and clean - I still do:

by Blushie

I could shop all day and never buy everything I want.

That's all Folks

Thanks to everyone who asked for a free domino -- they are all gone!

But what is next --
I should be outside enjoying the sun.
I should be doing this or
I should be doing that...

But life is sometimes not what it should be but what it happens to be...

Am I enjoying it?

Today I am...

Some pretty things I should get...

by deusprovidebit

Wait..should I get the baby or the hat? LOL

Okay something else I should get...

by Huismus

Ummm, I can't get these either -- I don't wear earrings.

Really, though, the purpose of showing you these lovely items is to encourage you to check out the shops. You just might find something you want/need/desire.

Homeschooling

It's amazing how many homeschooling moms have shops on Etsy. I found a mom who lives in Alaska and sells her bags. Very cool...

hoganfe is one of my Twitter friends ~~ "Handmade handbag originals since 2004 / Etsy handmade diaper bags, handbags & quilt totes/homeschool mom."

It would be nice to get to know her a little better....

Weekend Deals

This weekend, September 24-27, I am offering 10% off everything in my shop (excluding shipping fees) as part of the Etsy Weekend Deals. Please enter the code: WEEKEND DEALS in your Message to Seller when checking out.



...and if you are looking to get an early start on your holiday shopping, check out the weekend deals by my fellow TEAMT members (the Etsy group Team Treasury). Simply search at Etsy for all items by TEAMT and start saving. Listed below are the TEAMT members participating in the weekend deals special, each offering a 10-25% discount either in their entire store or for particular items ranging from art, bath and body, knits, jewelry, pottery, clothing, bags, vintage and more. Just click on the pictures below to visit each individual shop! Happy Shopping!

More People I Would Like to Meet in Real Life

Corinna of Piddix is one busy computer lady. I hesitated putting Corinna here because I didn't want to give my source away for all my collage sheets.

photo courtesy of Piddix's Flickr

Hi Cassie and Karen of thebrickkiln -- you're killing me!!

photo courtesy of thebrickkiln's blog

Sarah of SarahJohnAfana getting married in Hawaii!

photo courtesy of Sarah -- she sent this one to me! :-)

Cindy of cindyg has been a friend forever (well at least a couple of years, but in Etsy time that is forever!). We don't talk much anymore because her baby girl (who is over one year old now) takes up a lot of her time.

photo courtesy of Cindy -- she sent it to me a loooooong time ago!

Pegg of fiveforty decided to step out of the picture. Were you ever there Pegg??

picture courtesy of Pegg's blog (at least that's where I think I found it).

SWEET SATURDAY SALES

As I was looking through the shops I was planning to feature this weekend, I noticed something very special. Each of them is having a sale of some sort. You'll find out shortly what their sweet Saturday deals are...

But first, I've been feeling quite sweet lately. I've started taking a variety of vitamins, HRT (natural, of course) and other general good-for-you pills and it's amazing how more relaxed I feel. It couldn't be that I'm celebrating a birthday on Sunday just because it's a turn-of-the-(half)century kind of birthday and I've heard others struggle during this particular age of their life. I'm okay with it.

I'm also having a birthday sale this weekend in both my shops: PipingHotPapers and RunAliceRun - 15% off all merchandise if you only put "Happy Birthday" in the "notes to seller" section of your invoice. I may even run it through May!

I also think you should check out this shop -- Sigmosaics -- Kerrin is offering free shipping on all her magnets -- and that's a sweet deal because Kerrin lives in Portugal! But first I want to say "thank you" Kerrin for the down the yellow brick road treasury you created with one of my mini notebooks included! xoxoxoxo



I love Kerrin's mosaics. Clean, crisp lines appeal to me in all areas of my life. I wish I was more clean and crisp in my homemaking skills!

PS I don't know why this paragraph is underlined. If someone can tell me how to turn it off I'd appreciate it!





Anakim curated a beautiful treasury featuring some new mirrors I've just begun offering in my shop. Some of you may know I'm not a "pink" kind of girl, but the more I see pink being used, the more that color grows on me. Thanks, Orna, for making my sweet pink item look gorgeous!!


Anakim is having a sale celebrating her 1st year on Etsy. Check out her shop to see her sweet deals!!



Happy Thursday was a happy day for me when pixiepaper decided to include some magnets from RunAliceRun. Woo hoo!! Theresa is such a sweetie!


Pixiepaper has many sweet deals in her Spring Cleaning Sale! Check her out -- well, check out her shop. I don't think there are any personal pictures in her shop so you won't be able to check "her" out! :-) Theresa - do you like my "thank you" I sent you via this blog? I even used one of your own cards!!





Sweet Saturday Sales - Do me a favor and be sweet to somebody this weekend!!

Etsy's Top Christmas Ornament

I've been following the voting for Etsy's favorite ornament. I know Amy of soleilgirl and I'm so happy for her!!

http://www.etsy.com/storque/etc/holiday-2008-our-favorite-ornaments-2953/


And, in my highly sought after book, is another seller that simply amazes me with her creativity. Liz, from twolefthands, has the cutest elf ornaments. I bought one and love it on my tree this year!

New Item! 2.25" Pocket Mirrors

Eva and I have introduced 2.25" (5.7 cm) pocket mirrors in our PipingHotPapers shop.



We're trying to decide if we should also offer pins and/or bottle openers. Perhaps we should take a poll. Tell me your opinion. We're also hoping those brides-to-be will think of us for wedding and/or shower favors.

Tag I'm It

I just got tagged. I don't usually play these games, but thought I'd give it a try, especially since
ilexa
did the tagging.


... and these are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

well... 7 facts about me... here they are:
♥ 1. I'm a procrastinator, big time!
♥ 2. I joke around a lot, but people usually think I'm too serious.
♥ 3. I'm the Director of our local homeschooling group (64 families).
♥ 4. I'm melancholy.
♥ 5. I don't like dogs or cats, but I still like people who own them.
♥ 6. I hate to clean my house, but I would love a bigger one.
♥ 7. I don't like playing these types of games

... and here are some people I want tagged:

Waterrose (embroidered cuffs)
The Peach Tree (yummy)
The Ivy Leaf (cool bookmarks)
Horse Girl (my 13 year old daughter)
SandFibers (beautiful beaded jewelry)
Lil Fish Studios (beautiful felted acorns)
ArtMind (felted necklaces)

I obviously like cool things -- check out these bloggers!

Collaborating with cindyg

In the midst of the kids squabbling, my husband out of the country for 2 1/2 weeks and wishing I had something to do so I don't get bored, I find that I can look at the beautiful artwork of cindyg and relax to some degree.

I think it's one of those things I'll never have - the ability to create beauty at this level. I can't even name this pendant -- I'm at loss for words. Suggestions are welcome. Maybe I'll go directly to cindy's shop and see what she named this original work of art.



Even though I haven't personally met Cindy, she has become special when we visit with each other via Etsy.

Perhaps one of these days, I'll be able to visit all the friends, someday, somewhere!

Hubby is gone - now what?

When your spouse goes out of the country for over two weeks, what do you do? I've been kind of despondent, but the weather here is so nice I need to pull myself up by the boot straps and get on with life.

Here's where he is. Can anyone guess the location?




Don't you just love color? I put these beautiful pictures together in Treasury West and love coming to it. They lift me up in the midst of missing my hubby. You can see this entire treasury only until Monday, June 9.

Waterrose

The grass is always greener....well, maybe not in Arizona, but it sure would be neat to meet this interesting Etsy seller and not necessarily because of the beautiful felted rings and cuffs she makes.

I've read a couple of Waterrose's blog entries and it appears she has a great time off-roading. I like just looking at the pictures she takes.

And while you're at it, go visit Rose's shop -- you won't be disappointed!

BudanART

Does anyone own some of budanART's artwork (also known as Mandy). She creates some of the most beautiful abstract landscapes I have ever seen. I own a couple of prints for my wall, a couple of magnets for my fridge and some note cards to send to friends and families. My most favorite is...well, all of them, but I especially like the this rose.

I wish Mandy lived closer so I could visit and see all her original artwork.

Let's see. I have these two prints hanging on my living room wall --

Mitsy of ArtMind

Another friend that I'll probably never meet in person is a personable, humorous fellow-Etsian named Mitsy (a/k/a ArtMind) from Belgium. I love it when I know the real name behind the user. Mitsy is the only "Mitsy" I know. Well, anyway...

I was looking for some drink coasters. I looked high and low over Etsy and couldn't find the perfect coaster just for me. There are many from which to choose, but nothing called to me, "Alice, I'm the one...." So I contacted one friend on Etsy who works with felt, but not the right kind -- "it would shrink," she said. And then I thought of ArtMind who makes beautiful felted necklaces, but didn't have any coasters in her shop. I am one to first buy from friends and I have been known to ask other sellers to make me something not offered in their shop because I want to buy something from them -- but that's another story.

Well, Mitsy took on the challenge and agreed to give it a go. What she came up with was perfect and I can't wait to get them.

Next on my list was to make something special in exchange. So Mitsy sent me some photos of work she completed for her fine arts degree. I was able to make a set of domino magnets and hope she likes them as much as I am sure to enjoy the coasters.