The EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival November 23, 2009 Edition has Come to Town!

Welcome to the November 23, 2009 edition of the EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival!

I realize it's only the 22nd, but I'm happy to be hosting this carnival and I must say...Wow!!! What a great turnout! Everyone is getting in the spirit of the holidays with their posts about Thanksgiving and Christmas and life in general during this busy and wonderful time of the year. Please take some time to stop by these blogs belonging to my teammates from the Etsybloggers Team!

dizzydragonflies presents More dyed yarn posted at dizzydragonflies.

Terronda Clarke presents Nov 20th Etsyblogger Blog Carnival posted at ~Unique Commodities~.

MagdaleneJewels presents Carnival Blog: My Favorite Holiday Movies posted at MagdaleneJewels's Blogs.

Jessica presents Holiday Movies posted at Cut Your Heart Out.

UberArt presents Upcoming Holidays - Blog Carnival posted at UberArt Shop.

Patti presents T.........ime for Thanksgiving! posted at peacoxcreations.

Joey & Aleethea presents thankful for change posted at J o e y & A l e e t h e a.

Alicia Mae presents Turkey Day is coming!! posted at Crafts and Cooking.

ccjewelryshop presents The Holidays, The Business, The Family, Oh My! Tips on Juggling Your Life posted at Charitable Creations.

Elizabeth presents Christmas Movies posted at Thoughts from an Evil Overlord

storybeader presents Etsybloggers Carnival - November 20, 2009 posted at Stroll Through Storyland.

Lois presents Giveaway with a Twist! posted at Foxy G's Den of i-KNIT-quity.

Lily Wrey presents etsyBloggers November 20th, 2009 Blog Carnival posted at TuLips Talking.

veryverdant presents Thanksgiving Celebration posted at Very Verdant.

ImagineMDD presents Bernard & the Genie: Take a peek posted at ImagineMDD

Betty Mathers presents Celebrating Thanksgiving posted at The ReFORMatory.

HomeMadeOriginals presents What's Your Favorite Holiday Movie? posted at Home Made Originals.

Antonella presents Young Frankenstein, posted at Zucchero Filato.

Athena Workman presents November 20 Etsybloggers Blog Carnival: Gobble Gobble posted at the weblog of artist athena workman.

Beth presents My Favorite Christmas Movie posted at Sunshine Daydreamz.

Christina Watson presents EtsyBlogger Carnival Post posted at Christina Studio Designs.

Margaret Freije presents Thanksgiving posted at Splendid Little Stars, saying, "great topics!"

Ellen Behm presents Thanksgiving 2009 posted at Down the Street Creations.

A Keeper's Jackpot presents Thanksgiving Dessert: Pumpkin Cake posted at A Keeper's Jackpot.

Sandi Myers presents Blog Carnival posted at The T-Shirt Lady, saying, "this was a lot of fun to write about"

BeadedTail presents One Week Until Turkey Time! posted at beadedtail.

lazytcrochet presents It's That Time of Year posted at LazyTcrochet.

cindy devine presents My favorite holiday movie posted at Devine Designs Jewelry.

Karen aka MysticWynd presents It's (Almost) Christmas Time in the City posted at Mystic Wynd.

Tenuki Handcrafts presents Favorite Holiday Movie posted at Musings of a Crafty Wench.

PatchFirstShop presents Holiday Movies.. posted at PatchFirstShop.

Carol J Grand-Cowan presents Etsy Blogger's Blog Carnival posted at The Grand Design.

Nancy presents Bad Santa, A Favorite Holiday Movie posted at NanjoDogz.

Ashley Lambert presents Blog Carnival posted at Personal Charm.

Elise presents Gearing up for Thanksgiving posted at Inside Betani's Bureau.

Sarah Wagner-Ranes presents My Favorite Holiday Film posted at Sweet Sally's Soaps News.

Sykin presents Etsybloggers Carnival Post posted at Sykin's One Stop Etsy Shopping Guide.

Linda B presents Holidays - My Favorite Movie and Music - It's A Wonderful Life posted at Linda B's Blog.

Kat Lantz presents EB Blog Carnival posted at SassmowthDesigns.

Tammy presents tamdoll's workspace: Holidays this Month posted at tamdoll's workspace.

kristi flores presents Etsy Bloggers November 20th Blog Carnival! posted at Our Scrapbook Memories.

Linda Wheelock presents Spotted Cow Soaps: Blessings for Thanksgiving posted at Spotted Cow Soaps.

Judy Nolan presents That first pumpkin pie posted at Word Walks.

Erika presents The Ultimate Gift posted at NICO* Designs.

Kristen presents Christmas Movie posted at Dip Your Toes Into Something New

TiLTcreations presents Crafts, kids, home and life: Etsybloggers: Favorite Holiday Movie posted at Crafts, kids, home and life.

BunnyKissd presents Diary of a Crazy Rabbit Lady, Too: BlogCarnival: Holiday Movies & Specials posted at Diary of a Crazy Rabbit Lady, Too.

That concludes this edition. Enjoy the above links! If you're a member of our EtsyBloggers team, you can submit your blog article to the next edition of etsybloggers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Have Yourself a Modern Little Christmas...

Wow, where did today go? I woke up late this morning... ok, late for me - around 7:30 - and I've been on the go pretty much since then! We usually put our Christmas tree and decorations up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but since my stepson will be in for Thanksgiving and not Christmas (unless he can swing a really sweet flight deal), and since I'm going to be having to take it easy due to some surgery in early December, we decided "what the heck" and started decorating this weekend.

We spent part of our midday out shopping for some essentials - like our annual Christmas ornament and some replacement bulbs and even managed to pick up a couple of presents for the grandkids in the process. I had put up the tree last night (we have to do artificial because I'm allergic to something in the resin of real pines) and as soon as we got home from shopping, Al got to work replacing burnt out bulbs and as I write this, the tree is about half way decorated... but I needed a break. And then I realized that, OMG, I forgot to post my blog article today! And after I promised some fun and funky modern Christmas accessories. So, better late than never - and as promised, here's some great little fun holiday jewelry and trinkets for the more modern and trendy party-goer!



First, from storybird comes Modern Christmas Tree 28 - and there's even a special going on in the shop - buy 3 Scrabble Tile Pendants and get 1 free! What a deal... I liked this particular piece because it's got those cute little curls that I always associate with How the Grinch Stole Christmas... and the colors are definitely a modern take on traditional standards!








Next up is this fun and funky SANTA BABY Skull Fascinator Hair Clip which I found at artisansagogo. You've gotta love the little Santa hat! It can be worn not only as a hair clip, but works as a boutonniere or even a brooch for a dress!





For my final selection, I picked this Christmas Joy Holiday Bracelet from Beadspiration. Button jewelry is so popular right now, and this festive design would certainly add a touch of holiday spirit to any outfit!



Back to tree trimming for me! Hope your Saturday was a great one and I promise to be a little more timely with my post tomorrow!

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Defiant, Glamorous, and Whimsical

No, not a description of yours truly... well, at least not completely ;)

Defiant happens to be the name of my computer on our home computer network. Most of you probably don't realize that your computer actually does have a name, but it does. Finding it depends on what type of computer you have because MACs store the information in a little bit different place than PCs. My husband chose the name Defiant for my computer because he decided that he wanted computer names that had something to do with Star Trek Deep Space Nine. (and you thought it was because of what??? hmmm???) Defiant happens to be one of the starships from Deep Space Nine. Another piece of our equipment is Promenade - the social venue on DS9... and well, you get the idea.

Most computer networks, like those you might be a part of at work, use themed groupings to identify their computers. Popular themes are names of spiders, or flowers, or even as in one company that Al worked with in the past, the names of the seven dwarfs. So whether your computer name is generic or whimsical, I thought it would be an interesting point to touch on in today's post!

On to glamorous and whimsical... as I mentioned yesterday, with all of the company holiday parties in the near future, I wanted to give you some great ideas for accessories and jewelry to polish your particular look. Today I decided to visit some of the shops from my fellow hitchhikers on the Handmade Highway and show you some of the glamorous and whimsical items they have that would be perfect additions to your holiday fashion statement.

I've always loved the glamorous elegance of an upswept hairstyle for a special occasion, so whether you're wearing your tresses in a classic chignon or more elaborate updo, this Aluminum Blossoms Hair Fork from mairzydozy on Etsy will add a touch of both glamour and whimsy with its shimmery, silvery floral design.









What you're carrying defines your look almost as much as what you're wearing, and for the holidays, nothing adds a bit of Christmas-y color and sophistication like a red velour clutch. I found this beautiful Burgundy Red Luxury Clutch with Silk Lining at ClutchThat on Etsy. Wouldn't it look divine with your wintry ivory or black formal?








The last item I chose is from my holiday collection at MysticWynd on Etsy. I'm in the process of listing all of my latest holiday goodies, so these Blue Christmas Holiday Earrings are only one of about 5 different colors and styles I'll be posting in this type of design. Whimsical and designed to look like miniature Christmas tree ornaments, they're also lightweight and comfortable!






Tomorrow's shopping trip will focus on the funkier and much more contemporary looks of Christmas present. Until then, hope your Friday is a great one and that your weekend starts off wonderfully well!

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It's (Almost) Christmas Time in the City

It's happening already... there's Christmas music on the radio, stores are announcing their holiday sales, and Christmas movies and specials are starting to appear in the tv listings. Christmas is our favorite holiday here at home and we tend to go all out in decorating and celebrating (the 36 or so boxes of decorations will be making their way in from the garage beginning tomorrow in anticipation of my stepson coming to visit next week - we're planning an early Christmas with him since he won't be here for the holiday!) One of easiest ways for us to immediately get in the holiday spirit is of course, to enjoy our favorite holiday movies or specials on the tube.

One of the teams I'm on at Etsy, the Etsybloggers, does a blog carnival every couple of weeks, and one of the themes for the current carnival is holiday movies and specials, so this is the perfect opportunity to tell you a little about mine!

Hands down, my favorite holiday movie is White Christmas with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen. It's a wonderful mix of music, romance, comedy, and has a heartwarming holiday theme to boot! Beyond that movie, I also love all of the versions of Miracle on 34th St and A Christmas Carol, although some of the newer made for tv movies can be alot of fun to watch as well! If you happen to be a fan of White Christmas too, perhaps you'll enjoy The White Christmas Collection from Manhandled - a cute set of buttons perfect for stuffing stockings or decorating your Christmas gifts!



When it comes to holiday specials, pinning down one single favorite is a task I found to be almost impossible! If I was forced to choose, I think I would have to say that my favorite is Nestor the Long Eared Christmas Donkey - a sweet little claymation type holiday story about the donkey who carried Mary on the Holy Family's trip to Bethlehem. I'll admit that I was a bit surprised to find this Long Eared Donkey (based on Nestor) at Leafdancer on Etsy. I also absolutely adore A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.



Holiday music is pretty typical around here at this time of year, but of course I have my favorite songs. Again, very hard to pick that ultimate favorite, but some of the ones that really evoke the Christmas spirit for me would have to be Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy by David Bowie and Bing Crosby, The Gift by Garth Brooks, The Carol of the Bells, and pretty much anything by the Transiberian Orchestra! And once again I was amazed to find this Peace on Earth - Bowie and Bing - Greeting Card at loriville on Etsy... which again just goes to show that Etsy has just about anything you could ever ask for!

Just as an FYI...in talking with a friend (and ex-coworker) yesterday, I was reminded that many corporate holiday celebrations are just around the corner. I've been to a number of company Christmas parties through the years and knowing that the dress code can range from way-out-west hoe-down casual to ballroom formal with everything in between, I thought to myself, "Self, this is great food for thought for your blog shopping spree themes!" So, over the next week or so, I will be focusing on some of the great accessories available to make your holiday party look perfect. I'd love to know what some of your holiday party ideas might be, so that I can find the best of the best to showcase here and make your planning just a bit easier!

Hope your Thursday is/was a great one!

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Flow charts? Seriously?

While I was researching my "Today Is..." feature, I found many, many references to today being "Married to a Scorpio Support Day." Since my hubby the Great WOO is indeed married to a Scorpio (yes, that would be yours truly), I had to look into this a bit further. According to wellcat.com it is "A worldwide day of remembrance to honor all those married to Scorpions and who suffer greatly. Assert yourself today! Hide their household flow charts." HolidayPedia.com had this comment about the day - Hide your household flow charts and relieve yourself of the burden that comes from being married to a control freak Scorpio.

Ahem... flow charts? Control freak? Seriously? Moi? Hmmm... the funny thing is that Al and I were just talking the other night about some of the things that defined our childhoods and mine was definitely academics. I mentioned how I hated standardized tests because you could never get 100% on them (I was a bit of an overachiever) and also how I hated teachers who did the + thing on report card grades. What exactly does an A+ mean, anyway? REALLY excellent as opposed to an A- which would be somewhat excellent? Show me the numbers... was that A for a 100% or a 92%? Was there a curve? Did they round up or round down? Analytical minds want to know.

Ok, and yes, (I can hear Al laughing now) my towels have to be folded in thirds (hotel folds) with the seams not showing - and underwear and t-shirts are folded as if they're coming new out of the package. In a perfect world, I'd be able to organize everything perfectly all the time but to be honest, I just don't have that kind of time - and anyway, a clean desk is a sign of a sick mind, isn't it? I know I tried instituting some chore charts over the years, but that was me against the masses, so I gave up. I'm laughing to myself here, because I actually had a job for about a year where pretty much all I did was create work flows - I was good at it, but I HATED it.

I was also just reminded that I have just a little bit of trouble admitting defeat... like when Al sends me his latest game find on his AARP website with a note to "beat his score" or the fact that I have a Mah Jongh game that I've been trying to beat for 2 years now... and won't go to the next configuration until I do!

I'd like to defend my fellow Scorpios a bit here... yes, we may be a bit control-freaky, but we're also loyal to a fault (ok, you have to prove that you're worthy of it), passionate about life and love, resourceful, and independent. We value honesty and fairness, love a challenge, and aren't afraid to work hard to gain the things we want out of life. The bottom line is that no one sign rules a person's life completely and all of the positives and negatives of one's sun sign can be mitigated by the other planetary influences.

Yes, I am a Scorpio, and yes, I have many of the traits of the typical Scorpio, but now I know that I'm not alone...lol... so for those of you who are married to us Scorpios, enjoy your support day today - it's officially been added to the flow chart somewhere by someone!

I thought I'd share some related items with you - hope you enjoy!

These Flow Chart Mega-Mugs from mernim are great for the Scorpio who really does do the flow chart thing, or anyone whose life work involves flow-chart mentality (which the Great WOO's does, btw - he is actually a pro at putting together amazing computer network flowcharts!)

For the person who's not afraid to admit that they're a control freak, I ran across this Control FRK (Control Freak) Keyboard Necklace at RocknRoll4ever . What a great way to warn others, er, I mean, be proud of the fact that you know how to keep life under control!

This Scorpio Card from PoneKyne sums up how I feel about being a Scorpio - stop on by to read the sentiments!














Sometimes it's good to be a little introspective and try to see yourself the way others see you... and yes, I do see a bit of myself in this albeit a tad over the top assessment of the Scorpio personality. Now, I'm off to refold some towels and underwear now before I start reorganizing some things around here! ;) Happy Wednesday - and Happy Shopping!

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The Rainbow Bridge

Some of you may be familiar with the Rainbow Bridge... for those of you who are not, here is the story...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them; who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

YOU have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Our little Trooper is playing near that bridge now... and we know that he is happy and healthy again... but we miss him sooooo much. Love ya, Troop...

Kyeri's Trophu (Trooper)
6-Aug-2001 to 16-Nov-2009

I found this beautiful little poem and thought it would be appropriate (and those closest to me will probably figure out why I chose it...

"Last Night"

I stood by your bed last night; I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying you found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today; your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today; you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you; I smiled and said, "it's me."
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning
and say "good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to be with me.

( Author unknown )

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Giveaway Time -Three Coins in the...

...no, not the fountain, but rather - you'll be able to put three coins (or many more) in this sweet little Pink Hearts Coin Pouch from nicherndesigns on Etsy. This coin pouch measures 4.75" x 4.25" and has a retail value of $9.00.

First, let's learn a little bit about Nicole, this week's giveaway sponsor and owner of nicherndesigns, and then I'll tell you how to enter the giveaway!

Tell us a little bit about how you got started on Etsy, if you would. I started my shop in 2005, mostly as a hobby. I was selling through my website and craft fairs. A year later, a co-worker at the time mentioned a new internet site called Etsy. I thought I'd give it a try. The people (sellers and buyers) on Etsy are just so wonderful, that I decided to mainly sell on Etsy rather than through my website.

You're the proud mom of an 11 month old boy - what's been your favorite "mom" moment so far? Oh boy, I'm not sure if I can just narrow it down to one favorite moment! What always brings a smile to my face is in the mornings or after nap time when he's sitting and talking to himself in his crib. I walk in the room, and he smiles with such excitement of laughter!

What one piece of advice would you give to fellow Etsian's about getting started in a handmade crafting business? Meet lots of fellow Etsians. Since joining Etsy, I am in several different street teams. Everyone is so helpful and always willing to lend a hand.

Name one thing that not many people know about you: I am an accomplished violinist.

Do you have any family traditions that you hope are carried thru to future generations? We always celebrate Chinese New Year with families. We make authentic Chinese Dim Sums, and enjoy it with both sides of the family.

What's your favorite thing to do when (if?) you've got some free time? Read. My favorite book now is the Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I sometimes get the audio book when I don't have time to read.

A huge thank you to Nicole for sharing those tidbits of information with us! I'm sure you're all wanting to know Nicole's criteria for a chance at winning this great little coin purse, so here it is!

1st entry for visiting nicherndesigns and then posting and commenting on a favorite item in this post.
1 entry for following Nicole's blog http://www.ni-cherndesigns.blogspot.com/
1 entry for fanning Nicole on facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Ni-Chern-Designs/62365621694
2 entries for making a purchase at nicherndesigns and coming back here and posting about it
1 entry for following my blog here, or for following me on twitter or facebook (the buttons to those links are at the top of this page!)

Note: this giveaway is limited to US residents only.

Good luck to all who enter - the drawing will occur Monday, November 23 at Noon MDT, so be sure to get your entries in before then.

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