Mystic Wynd

6 on Saturday - Edition 10

2012-01-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Each and every Saturday, I enjoy the honor of featuring new, undiscovered and underdiscovered shops on Etsy in the spirit of community and to share some great new talent and finds with all of my readers. I find these shops in all kinds of ways - browsing for items, reading the forums, through the teams I belong to, and some are suggested by the shopowners themselves or through other people who bring them to my attention. I'm happy to share these great shops with you, and hopefully give them a little leg-up on their entrepreneurial journey!

Here are today's 6 on Saturday :)

Ramon from RDCwoodworking joined Etsy last summer with a great new concept in fashionable jewelry storage that he calls "jewelry furniture", and I have to say, it's kinda cute! If you're tired of the somewhat old fashioned simple jewelry boxes or armoires, or you're looking for something truly unique to store your bling in, you can choose from jewelry vanities, jewelry roll top desks, and even a jewelry chaise (with the storage underneath) that's fit for a queen. Check RDCwoodworking out - and see if one of his designs would be a perfect compliment to your boudoir decor!

We learned earlier this week that our next grandchild will be a little girl, so Grandma's getting in baby shopping mode - and I love sweet little booties and mitts for newborns. Bulgarian fiber artisan Ralitza from BubaBuba may be an actress and musician by day, but her creativity sure doesn't end there. Her infant and toddler mitts look soooo soft and silky, and wonderfully well made. Stop by her shop if you're in the market for a baby shower present or something sweet for a new addition to your own family - and share her work with anyone else who may be! You might also find some lovely home decor items there on occasion!

While in some social circles, I might be considered a "shiksa" since I was a gentile who married into a Jewish family (and to boot, I'm blonde, lol), I probably stay on top of the traditions and values even more closely than my husband. Judaism is a beautiful religion and culture, its roots going back to the dawn of religion itself, and the traditions and symbolism continue to be time honored through shops like SimplyJudaica. This shop, run by two sisters, is dedicated to people of the Jewish Faith, and everything you will find there is handmade by them. From holiday decor for your next Seder table, to lovely aprons, and even some great gifting and baby items, the shop is rich with beautifully made items that will warm your spirit.

Golden Thread Design (marinalubomirsky) is not your run-of-the-mill art shop. While artist owner Marina's work may look like paintings, they are actually needle felted 'wool paintings.' All of the designs are originals, many based on her favorite photographs or inspirations from life, brought to a new form of artistry. Wouldn't one of these look wonderful in one of your favorite spaces? Stop by marinalubomirsky and consider one of these unique and beautiful pieces of art for your next decor purchase!

There are many brides out there who are planning those June weddings and shopping around for items to add the final touches to their special days. KandKFloralandDesign to the rescue! No matter what you might need - from card holders to wedding favors, silk florals to specially designed gift wrap ideas, and everything in between, shop owner Carolyn Koslowsky is ready to help you by designing something perfect with your tastes in mind. KandKFloralandDesign isn't limited to weddings either - it's a shop "For all the seasons of your life." Stop by today and check it out!

My vintage shop pick for today is RSRenew (Shady Nook Vintage). Shop owner Roxi resides in Florida and simply loves having the opportunity to share her vintage finds with the world. RSRenew has a lovely selection of vintage goodies - primarily housewares and kitchen ware with a few interesting odds and ends.. Stop by and give this shop some love - you may just find something from the past that you'd love to add to your future!

That's it for this "6 on Saturday" feature. As always, if you're just starting out or know of a shop that is and would enjoy a feature, introduce me to the shop and you may find it featured in one of my future 6 on Saturday features. Use the "Contact Me" option in the menu bar at the top of the page and send me the links!

Best of luck to these un- and underdiscovered shops - and happy shopping to you all!!

xo,

6 on Saturday - Edition 9

2012-01-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday, I have the pleasure of featuring new, undiscovered and underdiscovered shops on Etsy in the spirit of community and to share some great new talent and finds with you all. I find them in all kinds of ways - browsing for items, reading the forums, and even having them suggested by the shopowners themselves or through other people who bring them to my attention. I'm happy to share these great shops with you, and hopefully give them a little leg-up on their entrepreneurial journey!

Let's take a look at today's 6 on Saturday :)

The shop announcement for my first featured shop really gets their mission across perfectly -

The Needle Palace was created to keep your needles in lovely ,organized place so you can spend more time doing what you love, not looking for needles!

Isn't that what crafting is all about, after all? Enjoying your craft, not trying to tame it! Shopowner and craftswoman Jodi offers a small but beautiful selection of handmade standard and circular knitting needle organizers, as well as project totes in a variety of sizes. So if you love to knit and would like to spend more time knitting rather than taming your project, head on over to TheNeedlePalace and get organized!

Next up is Eva Barkman's shop, AliveWithColor. Eva calls Ashtabula, Ohio "home" and while you may already be familiar with her other shop, BohemianIce, where she shares her talents in jewelry design, this Ohian has expanded her love of nature, photography, and digital design to share her world, which is truly AliveWithColor. You'll find original fine art, prints, digitally altered art, greeting cards and other goodies that express her view of the natural world. I love naturescapes and florals because of their versatility - from home to office and pretty much everywhere, you can't go wrong with this type of art.

Our furry friends like to look fashionable too, and now your pet can do it in comfort as well thanks to PetPosies. Inspired by a chance encounter with a dog wearing an uncomfortable plastic adornment, the mother and son team behind PetPosies developed the adorable accessories they now offer in their shop. Of course, their posies aren't limited to use by just pets - they easily convert to people posies as well! With themes running the gamut from everyday simple to holiday fun, you'll find yourself wanting more than one!

Another midwesterner, Mel (Melinda) from SissysSpinnings makes her home in Charlestown, Indiana, where she admits to being a confirmed fiber addict. In addition to hand dyed wools from sheep and alpacas, she also offers angora fiber which she obtains from her three angora bunnies, as well as some yarns, spinning tools and even a few already made items. If you love yarn and are looking for something slightly different, stop by and check out SissysSpinnings!

Life throws us curve balls at times, and we can either give in and give up, or learn to use our talents to stay in the game. My friend Renee, of MovableArt is working hard to stay in the game. Her biggest curve ball was thrown by a drunk driver several years ago, leaving her in a wheelchair and with a whole new way of life to learn due to her extensive injuries, but I can honestly say I don't think I've ever known anyone as determined to succeed and learn and cherish life as this lovely lady. Having learned how to paint as a child in her job in a leather shop, she continues to share her talents for combining color, texture, and form in her shop. Using cast off components, upcycling elements to give them new life, and fashioning whatever she can get her hands on into something useful and beautiful - one of her "light creations" - she gets her inspirations from her heavenly Father's light. Renee's artistry is unique, eco-friendly, and inspiring. I hope you'll take a moment to browse through her shop and perhaps find something special that touches your heart and spirit.

And of course, I had to include a vintage shop - and my pick for today is RedwoodVintage. I like my vintage shops like I like most shops - with a good variery and cross section of goods, so i can have fun discovering new treasures. RedwoodVintage has clothes and accessories, housewares and collectibles... and I think shopowner Ashley Duval has a great eye for items that are appealing and interesting. Stop by and give this shop some love - you may just find something from the past that you'd love to add to your future!

That's it for this "6 on Saturday" feature. As always, if you're just starting out or know of a shop that is and would enjoy a feature, introduce me to the shop and you may find it featured in one of my future 6 on Saturday features. Use the "Contact Me" option in the menu bar at the top of the page and send me the links!

Best of luck to these un- and underdiscovered shops - and happy shopping to you all!!

xo,

Mystery Solved

2012-01-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

On Monday of this week, I introduced a new little bit of fun with my Monday Mystery Theme. You were invited to guess the answer to a "who is it" based on the clues given, and today, I'm revealing the answer.

The mystery person was singer/songwriter Neil Diamond. Now to explain the clues a little bit.

1. He wrote the song "I'm a Believer" which went on to be a huge hit for the pop rock group The Monkees and more recently Smash Mouth (along with Eddie Murphy) for the Shrek soundtrack.

2. Caroline Kennedy was the inspiration for Neil's 1969 hit "Sweet Caroline", a song that continues in popularity with young and old alike.

3. While attending Abraham Lincoln High School (the high school he received his diploma from), Neil was part of the school's fencing team. His swordsmanship was good enough to garner him a fencing scholarship to NYU.

4. Neil was born on January 24, 1941 in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, where his parents owned a small clothing store.

5. He attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn for his first two years of High School.

6. The soundtrack for the 1973 release film Jonathon Livingston Seagull, was written and performed by Neil Diamond.

7. His album, Stones, released in 1971, was his third album to go gold, and contains the hit single, "I am, I said " which many of his fans feel defined the mood of a generation.

Thank you to those of you who ventured a guess at the mystery theme. Check back Monday for another mystery theme.

xo,

Monday Mystery Theme

2012-01-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd try something fun today - and this will be the first of several posts this month that will present an opportunity for you to show off your wisdom, wit, and detective skills.

Today, I'm going to showcase a total of seven items - from Etsy or other similar sites - that have something to do with a particular subject, and it will be up to you to try to figure out what that subject is. You'll only receive one true clue from me and that will be whether the theme is about a Famous Person, a Famous Place, or a common Thing. If you think you know what the mystery theme is, post your answer as a comment to this blog post along with a way to contact you. Answers are limited to one per contact address. Everyone who has the correct answer in their post will be entered into a drawing for a $25 MysticWynd gift certificate to be awarded monthly to one of the participants in one of my challenges.

You'll have until midnight CST on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 to post your answers. I'll be posting the correct answer on Friday morning. The names of all participants with the correct answer will be compiled along with participants from other challenges on this blog through the end of the month, and on February 5th, the winner of the $25 MysticWynd gift certificate will be announced.

Today's theme is about a FAMOUS PERSON... and here are the seven items to help you determine the name of this person:

1. Christian Cross Necklace - Believer - Hand Stamped Sterling Silver
from betsyfarmerdesigns

2. LIFE Magazine - Caroline Kennedy (As a child on her pony Macaroni) - September 7, 1962
from rcvintageprint

3. 1960s Fencing Mask
from mockingbirdroad

4. Coney Island School Buses
by TaoSorrento

5. erasmus elephant
by rabbitsmoon

6. Gull Travels
by RickCainSculptor

7. Custom Engraved Stone Chinese Character
by MonkeysJewels

Good luck and have fun!

xo,

Sunday Afternoon Reflections - That's My Answer and I'm Sticking to It

2012-01-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

So, if you read my "goal post" early last week, you know I'm trying to "lighten things up a bit" around here. Yeah, I'll still subject you to some of my critical opinions, and give you some food for thought, but today I thought it'd be fun to play a little question and answer game. Truth be told, I've seen this done on a few blogs, and it really CAN be a lot of fun! Of course, the more participants we get, the more fun it will be, so if you're stopping by here and joining in the fun, be sure to pass the word along. You might be amazed at some of the answers (and questions) that turn up here!

Here's how it will work...

The person before you has asked asked you a question. You’ll answer their question in the comments as well as ask the next person a question. The next person answers your question,and asks another for the next commenter to answer, and so on and so forth! And please, feel free to come back to answer more than one question if you'd like! The only think I'll ask is that all questions and responses be kept "family appropriate" !

Now that you know the rules, I'll start with this question -

If you could be shipwrecked with any celebrity (just the two of you) who would it be and why?

Now, let's see who's brave enough to be the first one to answer my question and ask a new one!

(Have a great day!)

xo,

6 on Saturday - Edition 8

2012-01-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last 6 on Saturday feature, but I didn't want to let another week go by without introducing you to some great shops you just may not have visited yet! Picking up where I left off a couple months ago, every Saturday, I will be featuring new, undiscovered and underdiscovered shops on Etsy that haven't hit the criteria for syndication yet, which will give them much needed visibility on Google shopping. I'm happy to share some of these great shops with you, and hopefully give them a little leg-up on their entrepreneurial journey!

Now, without further ado, here's today's 6 on Saturday... drum roll please!!!

Flissitations, searchable as Fliss01 on Etsy, is the outlet for the creative whimsy and talents of Phyllis Braham of Cheshire in the UK. Phyllis offers a wonderful selection of art prints, personalized gifts, and greeting cards featuring her artwork as well as inspirational messages. Flissitations has been open for business just about a month as of this writing, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of the items you'll find there - so please stop by and check it out!

Crystals, gemstones, and wire are the passion of Stormy from whimsywishesbystormy. She's been crafting jewelry since childhood, started selling it at craft fairs in 2006, and recently, upon the birth of her fourth child, Stormy has decided to focus her attention on selling in the online marketplace. As you can guess by my own work, I love jewelry artisans who don't narrow their field of focus much. It can make catering to a niche market next to impossible and it certainly takes more time since so many designs are one of a kind, but I love shops like Stormy's where you'll be treated to a great variety of techniques and styles - it's almost like visiting a jewelry buffet!

Ralyha81, or Rachel Mullen as she's known to family and friends, hails from Holly Springs, NC, and you'll find her shop filled with adorable handmade hair accessories for girls and women of all ages. From punky and funky pom-pom headbands to elegant and sophisticated rolled fabric flowers, there is something for every taste and occasion in her shop. Rachel welcomes the opportunity to design custom accessories and plans to extend her accessory line to offer things for boys at some time in the near future! Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I'm thinking one of her lovely red floral designs would be just perfect for you or your little princess!

Next up is the woodworking talents of William and Kathy Lanford and their shop, founditinthebarn. As former owners of a furniture making company years ago, they've revived their interest in handcrafting fine wooden products from domestic and exotic woods that have been recycled, rescued, and/or harvested from environmentally responsible sources. Along with their dog and a couple of cats, they make their home in Eagle River, Wisconsin - the "Snowmobiling capital of the world." Founditinthebarn offers not only lovely household items like cutting boards and wood handled kitchen tools, but they also offer some lovely woodworking supplies.

"Classic Americana Dry Goods" is the working title for my next shop - EastRiverTrading. Their philosophy is simple and to the point, " We think everything you put on your body, in your body or your home should be made with some love and care." And that is what you will find at EastRiverTrading . Whether it's something to wear - like one of their classic aprons or neckwarmers, or something for your home like their felties, or even one of their skincare products, you get the sense that they've made it with love and care - and maybe just a little good old-fashioned "New Yawker" attitude. (I know that attitude well, since my hubby is a New Yawker too!). Stop by their shop and be sure to check out some of their descriptions - they're sure to leave you smiling!

Couldn't finish this up without a look at a Vintage seller, and today's choice was GabriellasTreasures - vintage everything! If you're looking for vintage clothes, housewares, or even some great collectibles, hop on over and take a peek at what shopowner Patricia currently has to offer. I'm so impressed by the great outerwear that is currently being offered - they simply don't make coats in these classic styles anymore - and I'd venture a guess that the fabric is much higher quality than all but the very high end market coats available today. But judge for yourself - and be sure to check out the rest of the goodies at GabriellasTreasures while you're there.

That's it for my first "6 on Saturday" feature of 2012. As always, if you're just starting out or know of a shop that is and would enjoy a feature, introduce me to the shop and you may find it featured in one of my future 6 on Saturday features. Use the "Contact Me" option in the menu bar at the top of the page and send me the links!

Best of luck to these un- and underdiscovered shops - and happy shopping to you all!!

xo,

Wishful Wednesdays - Show Some Love

2012-01-11T14:14:00.000-07:00

I was trying to decide when to put out my Valentine's Day decor and housewares, and was browsing through the aisles at Etsy for something special to add to the collection this year. There were so many beautiful, romantic, and stylish home decor pieces out there that I just had to share some of my favorites with you.

Whether you're looking for something special for Valentine's Day, or just something sweet and romantic to cozy up your own personal love nest, the possibilities are amazing! Enjoy :)

LaurelsByLaurie has a great selection of heart shaped wreaths that are perfect for your front door or foyer to let everyone know that your home is filled with love. My personal favorite this year is this sweet design featuring delicate mauve parchment roses and a medley of cream, mauve, and green berries.


Heart Shaped Wreath - Valentines Day - purple mauve from LaurelsByLaurie

Dinner by candlelight is a must, in my opinion, for a really special romantic evening at home... and if you're so inclined, it's the perfect time to share a glass of your favorite vintage with your partner. Special wine on a special day should be served in special glasses, and I'm loving these adorable Hand Painted Wine Glasses from PrettyMyDrink. Featuring two birds on a tree branch beneath a romantic heart, these glasses will dress up a table for two lovebirds beautifully!

Hand Painted Wine Glasses- Birds on Tree Branch by PrettyMyDrink

Candles aren't just for the dinner table of course. Candlelight is perfect lighting for smoothing away the imperfections of everything it illuminates, which makes it a favorite wherever it's placed. There are thousands of different types of candles and hundreds of candle holders available on Etsy, so there should be something for every decor style out there. I tend to typically lean towards more earthy types, but since we're talking romance here, I love the sleek, sensuous lines of this Candle Holder Set by WhiteEarthStudio.

Candle Holder Set - White Pottery by WhiteEarthStudio

For a bit of Valentine whimsy, I headed over to my friend Heather's shop - niftyknits - to see what she had in the way of meerkat mischief for the holiday and met up with this little cutie - complete with a Valentine's Day flower bouquet. How can you not love these little darlings? Perfect for a shelf anywhere in your home that you want to add a bit of romantic frivolity - and trust me, this would make an adorable Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart!

Meerkat valentine by niftyknits

No matter how hectic the day, the bedroom you share with your lover should always be an oasis of love and security... and seeing a reminder of the special love you share is always a welcome sight. Weiweisbabies won me over with this lovely vinyl wall decal quote that I'm sure will be the perfect romantic sentiment for so many of you out there - "I have found the one whom my soul loves." Sigh...

The one my soul loves wall decal by Weiweisbabies

Perfect for Valentine's Day and everyday, this set of LOVE blocks from lisabees is a simple and sweet reminder of what makes the world go around. Stack them on your desk at work or home, arrange them on your fireplace mantle, a bookcase or shelf in the bedroom, or just about anywhere else you can see them and get warm fuzzies whenever you need them. The simplicity of the design and the neutral colors are so versatile, you can even buy a set for every room in the house!

LOVE block set from lisabees

I'll post some photos of our Valentine's Day decor as it goes up here at home - and I'd love to see yours too! Just post a comment and leave a link so we can find the photos. I'll be sure to visit and I'm sure many others out there will too!

Have a great Wednesday :)

xo,

Mixed Bag Mondays - New Attitude

2012-01-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

After a hectic holiday season and a few false starts to the New Year, I'm finally ready to get back into the swing of things - with a new attitude. Or maybe it's just more of a self defense plan. If the past few days are any indication of how this year of the dragon is going to go, however, I hope the adage of getting the bad stuff out of the way first so I can enjoy the good stuff is going to be true. If not, I guess I'll have to just put my big girl panties on - and hone my secret ninja skills to boot! Either way, I want this to be a memorable year.

For the first time in many years, I made absolutely no resolutions this New Year. Maybe it's because of it being an election year, and I'm already tired of listening to all the political muddlings. I realized New Year's resolutions are a lot like campaign promises. They sound wonderful, you almost want to believe they're really going to make a difference, but in the end, you have to be naive to think that they can realistically be put into an action plan that won't get sabotaged by something in the end. When that inevitably happens, everyone else gets all "I told you it wouldn't work" on you, and you wonder where all that wonderful support and promise that you started out with went. Oh wait - you say you expected me to just magically make things happen? I'm sorry, I seem to have filed that with the address for the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny... you know, in Fantasy Land.

Yes, I've got a new attitude, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you!

As in past years, I did come up with a theme word for 2012. That theme is "evaluate and actualize". I'll be taking more time to step back, get a perspective on things, ask for opinions and suggestions, decide where I want to head with things - and then pull it all together to MAKE IT HAPPEN! 2011 was a pretty good year business-wise, and I'm looking forward to 2012 being even better. With that in mind, I also came up with a number of goals that I'd like to share with you. I hope you'll take the opportunity to be part of my journey - there will many opportunities for you to share your opinions, give feedback, inspire me, and hopefully learn a little bit about yourself in the process!

Here are just a few of the areas I'll be evaluating and/or new concepts I will be actualizing that you'll see on the outside - but there will be a number of things going on behind the scenes as well. Busy, busy, busy!

January 15th will mark the first edition of my newsletter - Mystic Wynd News, Reviews, & How-to's. This monthly newsletter will contain news about my business, interesting tidbits about the world of handmade and independent crafters, a look at the world of gemstones and the mystery and lore attached to them, introductions to some great shops and the creative energy behind them, tutorials, product reviews, marketing and business tips for the small business craftsperson, a touch of humor, and of course some super special promotions for subscribers! Be sure to sign up so you never miss an issue - you'll find the sign up form in the menu bar by clicking on "Newsletter".

You'll also see me focusing more on the metaphysical properties of stones, and offering more designs that take these properties into consideration. In addition to this, if you've visited my shop on Etsy since the beginning of the year, you'll notice that I've gone back to sectioning my shop by theme - you'll be invited to browse by such themes as fantasy jewelry or tribal jewelry - and of course the traditional goodies will be there too.

I've also made a decision to share some of my other explorations into the world of crafting with the world, but since I'd like to keep it varied and completely spontaneous, I'm planning on opening up a shop towards the beginning of autumn that will showcase what will be a hodgepodge of items from greeting cards to paintings, crocheted goods to kid's clothes, and whatever floats my boat between now and then. Why wait until autumn? Well, we have a grandbaby on the way (#8, woohoo!), and I want to make sure that I've had my time to ooh and ahh, and goo and coo... and since he or she is due in mid June, early autumn seems like a good time to officially get a start on a new venture... that, plus my numerology guide tells me so, lol.

My last goal is to have more fun and be just a little sillier - to try to relax and not be such a stick in the mud! This may be the hardest of all for me, but I know I have friends who will tell me to chill, others to make me laugh, and others who will bring sunshine into my life when clouds are threatening... so SPEAK up! Don't be shy - leave that to me!

So, there you have my Reader's Digest version of my goals for 2012... at least as far as my business goes. On a personal level, I have the same last goal - and beyond that, I want to turn our two car closet back into a garage. Back up the truck, boys... I'll be waiting!

xo,

PS - Thanks to my teamies on the Blogging Business Artisans Team on Etsy for the inspiration for this post - and for all your support and friendship. What a great bunch of ladies (had to mentally go through the list, but yep, all ladies!) you all are!

Sunday Afternoon Reflections - Thanksgiving Preparations

2011-11-20T16:51:00.001-07:00

It's the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day here in the US, and like many of you, I'm guessing, Al and I were discussing Thanksgiving preparations and what would happen around the house up to and on the holiday. My kids will be here with their families, the menu has been decided on, and I'm sure when the morning arrives, I'll take at least a few moments to check out the parades on TV while I'm awaiting my turn in the kitchen... although I'm hoping to have most of my dishes prepared the night before and ready to either serve or heat and serve.

Custom - Thanksgiving Dinner - Menu Card - JPEG Printable File from DelightfulOrder

When it comes to cooking, Al's the master chef on Thanksgiving, while yours truly acts as the sous chef and pastry chef, relegating the responsibility of the bird of honor to him. I often marvel at his attention to detail and balance when it comes to planning a holiday meal - in fact, he spent the better part of the day today reading through recipes, writing down ideas, asking me questions, and insisting that our balance of sweet and savory were off, until he stumbled upon a recipe for a cheesy and savory broccoli bake that would balance out my corn tomalito.

It's funny in a way, because my Thanksgiving dinners had always been SO traditional and predictable before I met him. As a child, I remember always having a big old turkey, my mom's sage and onion chestnut stuffing, sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows, canned cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, salad, my mom's special strawberry ice-cream jello mold, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie for dinner. When I started cooking my own Thanksgiving dinners the year we moved to Arizona from Illinois, I kept the traditional turkey on the menu, as well as the corn and sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cranberry sauce (although we switched to the chunky kind)! I developed my own special sage, onion, and sausage stuffing, and we added broccoli to the menu, in addition to indulging in King's Hawaiian rolls and including chocolate cake on the desert list. Jello would occasionally make the cut too, but it was more of a random exploration of flavors than any one set recipe. That was our traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Times do change, though, and after meeting Al and being introduced to his affinity for trying new dishes every year, in the spirit of togetherness, we work on agreeing to what should be served. He scours the web and cookbooks, and sends me recipe ideas, and questions the balance of savory and sweet, fresh or store-bought, prepared the night before or the day of.

Actually, I have a confession to make. Truth is, we could be serving up hot dogs and beans and I'd still be happy as a clam - because for me, it's not about the dinner. Every year, I've taken a moment shortly after dinner begins and all the dishes and platters have been passed around and everyone is chowing down, to just look at our family - and to say my own private prayer of Thanksgiving for the blessings we've all received. Our growing clan is, outside of the minor inconveniences that life throws everyone's way, happy, and healthy - and for that I am eternally grateful. Yes, it's one of those proverbial moments that takes my breath away...

Our Family Wall Decal from wwwDECALDELIGHTcom

To me, this day is about family - the opportunity to share time with the kids and grandkids eclipses anything that comes out of the kitchen...and attitudes of gratitude - being truly thankful for all that I have been blessed with, and the blessings that are yet to come. Watching everyone interacting, laughing, telling stories (and the traditional picking on Angela), and just being a family - although I think maybe, this year I'll invite everyone around the tables to share something they're thankful for too. I'm sure the grandkids would love the opportunity! What more could I want out of a day? The parades? Yes, they are wonderful and fun. The food is AMAZING... but it's the grandkid's shrieks of laughter, passing the phone around as everyone talks to my mom/their grandmother/great-grandmother back in Illinois, brothers and sisters being brothers and sisters, the hugs shared, ... no, the LOVE shared... and the sense of family and community that makes the day.

I only hope I'm prepared to feel my heart swell two sizes with love and pride like it always does!

Enjoy your own holiday preparations...

xo,

6 on Saturday - Edition 7

2011-11-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my 6 on Saturday, where I have the pleasure of featuring new, undiscovered and underdiscovered shops on Etsy that haven't yet met the criteria for syndication, a qualifier that will give them much needed visibility on Google shopping.

I love taking this opportunity to share some of these great shops with you, and hopefully give them a bit of a boost on their entrepreneurial journey! I really don't want to get into the habit of "themes" for these features, but as I was looking through my list of shops to share, I was reminded of a topic that tends to pop up quite a bit in the Etsy forums, on some teams, and in the blogging community as well. I know I've been asked the questions, "Why do you feature other jewelry shops when you sell jewelry yourself? Why would you want to take the chance on someone seeing something they might like better than what you're selling?"

Well, the truth is that there is no way I could ever believe that my work or styles would appeal to everyone on the entire planet. Although with the variety in my shop, many people think I'm trying hard to achieve that! I've always believed that people will buy what they buy for the reason that makes the most sense to them at the moment. If what they see at one shop doesn't appeal to those reasons, they'll move on. Those reasons may be individual tastes, budgets, preference for materials, and any number of other factors. Some are driven by brand - in which case, very little of anything little old me might say will have a lot of influence; others want to feel a connection with the item - which again, will either be there or it won't depending on what appeals to them; others simply want something different for the sake of it being different. There is plenty of room for all of them, and for all of us as artists and artisans.

That being said, there are a couple of categories that are a bit tough to break into simply because of the sheer volume of shops offering goods... and anyone will tell you that jewelry is one of them. Today's 6 on Saturday shops represent another in hard to be seen categories - and that's photography. You'll be treated to six very different styles today - and hopefully that will help you understand why I hesitate to worry about broad category competition. After all, could you imagine a mall with only one clothing store, or shoe store, or even one restaurant in the food court? Enjoy the variety - and maybe you'll even find something you love that will speak to your heart... oh, you couldn't tell? I'm one of THOSE shoppers!

Here's my 6 for this Saturday, November 19th, 2011...

"Perspective: It's how we view the world, how we feel about the things around us and the events that shape our lives. A positive perspective can change everything. It can turn a bad day into a good one, a setback into an opportunity, even something as ordinary as a puddle on the ground can become a beautiful work of art. I think that perspective is the key and I sincerely hope that you enjoy mine...." That's the shop announcement from ReflexionPhoto's owner, Scott Cahill Rude, and I think it gives a refreshing reminder to look for and enjoy the unexpected and perhaps fleeting pleasures of the day. Scott's ability to catch those moments with his camera are unique and his work registers a surprising view of the world. Scott's first customer loves their purchase, and I'm sure his next customers will be just as thrilled!

Crissy from DullBlueLight describes her fine art offerings as nature photography that is surreal, and dreamy... and while you'll find the occasional fun and unexpected pop art photo thrown in, for the most part, you'll be treated to the essence of nature in all its beauty. I love the close-ups that show the fragile and delicate side of plants, using creative focusing techniques to effect an extraordinary view of nature forms. Crissy is waiting for her second customer - why not let it be you?

“Our lives at times seem a study in contrast... love & hate, birth & death, right & wrong... everything seen in absolutes of black & white. Too often we are not aware that it is the shades of grey that add depth & meaning to the starkness of those extremes.” That quote is by one of my favorite landscape photographers - Ansel Adams - who was renowned for his studies in black and white. His words define his unique perspective on the world and his photography... and embrace the true magic of classic black and white images. I'll invite you to look beyond the obvious simplicity of the black and white of these stunning photos from GeorgeJacksonPhoto to see their complexity of depth and composition that can only be appreciated by really looking at the shades of grey... Introduce someone you love to the beauty of black and white photography as a gift this holiday season and help George enjoy his first sale at the same time!

"Kitchen" photography is a popular trend in fine art photography and the subject matter ranges from cups of hot latte with creamy heart designs, to luscious looking servings of dessert, to farmer's market finds. While there are many shop that offer kitchen photography as part of their portfolio, there are very few that specialize in this photographic genre and even fewer shops that met my criteria to be featured here. (Which may be a good thing considered the successful sales of most of the shops I looked at!) Lisa Lawrence of FoodcrushFoodasArt has recently taken on this market with some great fresh food photos that would be perfect for any gourmet, food aficianado, organic grocer, or restauranteur who's looking for a fresh look for his or her establishment. Perhaps you'll be her first customer with a great new photo for your kitchen or dining area!

Whether you're a world traveler yourself, or you're in need of a visualization prop to provide inspiration to do what it takes to make your dreams of world travel come true, or you simply like photos of exotic places, travel photography is for you. There are many wonderful shops on Etsy that offer breathtaking photos of off-the-beaten-trail vistas, photographic examples of cultural diversity, and spectacular insights into people and places that many of us can only dream of visiting. One such under-discovered shop is SiennaDesign, where you'll find photos of owner Susan's travels around the world! Susan is patiently waiting for a 4th sale - where would you like to visit through the magic of her photography?

My last shop is a "neighborhood" shop, if you will. I was hoping to give you some idea of the amazing world that is Arizona, and luckily for me, I was able to track down a relatively new shop that hasn't yet been syndicated, and specializes in the natural beauty of the landscapes and wildlife that is Arizona and the greater desert southwest. For anyone who hasn't seen the colors of a desert sunrise or sunset, or the unique rock formations that are our amazing canyons and badlands, or even encountered some of our native fauna and flora in its natural habitat, you're in for a treat. DaveDilliPhotography offers all of these and then some. Even though I live here already, Dave's photos certainly make me want to explore my home state even more - and if you've been fortunate enough to find your way to the Great Desert Southwest, I think you'll find his photos beautifully illustrate the magic of the land!

As always, if you're just starting out or know of a shop that is and would enjoy a feature, introduce me to the shop and you may find it featured in one of my future 6 on Saturday features. Use the "Contact Me" option in the menu bar at the top of the page and send me the links!

Best of luck to these un- and underdiscovered shops - and happy shopping to you all!!

xo,

Friday's Focus - Whimsical Winter Wonderland

2011-11-18T10:27:00.002-07:00

The first snowflakes of the season have begun to swirl and dance upon the McBride House in New Brunswick, Canada, and the magic wintry wonderland they're creating is giving way to whimsical reveries for Bella McBride - as she makes her presents, felt.

That's a little bit of a play on the phrase, I know, but at McBrideHouse, owner and designer Bella does make her presence felt by creating felted presents that are beautiful bits and baubles of whimsy and artistry all in one.

Having been chosen as the theme selector for today's Friday's Focus theme I asked her to share a little about herself and her creations... and as you read her story, I'll share some of my own personal favorites from this delightful shop and the enchanting collection of felted sculptures you'll find there. You can just click on the photos to be taken to each listing for more information or to purchase one of these whimsical works of art!

"I'm the girl next door, born and raised in the same small community that I live in now in southern New Brunswick, Canada. I'm a true country mouse, a former botanist, lover of all things pink, caretaker of two cats, one husband and too many felted creations to count. I love the smell of old books and the written word. I am a work in progress, an animal lover, a lover of nature, shy, passionate and fiercely loyal. I love the challenge of creating something from nothing and needle felting helps me achieve that goal.

My sculptures are made from a technique called needle felting. This involves poking and prodding different colours of wool with a very sharp barbed needle until you reach the perfect shape. It literally takes thousands of pokes, hours and hours and sometimes days to reach just the right one-of-a-kind soft sculpture. Every sculpture is unique and takes on its own personality.

In my early 20's I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and over the years I have fought this tooth and nail and have struggled to find a proper balance. Because of this, working outside the home became more and more difficult so I needed a way to supplement our income, and give myself a creative outlet. I also come from a long line of resourceful and artistic women and creating is simply in my blood. I feel a drive to create something from nothing and that challenge really influences me.

It's easy to get bogged down in the realities of life so I try to bring a feeling of whimsy and fantasy to my little sculptures. I want them to make you smile, laugh out loud or even say "awwww". My goal is to transport you to a place where you forget your worries... if even for a fleeting moment. If I can achieve that then my goal has been successful."

Amazing inspiration from an amazing artist, wouldn't you say? I know I couldn't help but be inspired by Bella's story and creative goals!

In selecting a theme for today's Friday's Focus, Bella asked that I focus on something , "with the theme of Winter Wonderland, Snowflakes or Whimsical Winter." She expressed her feelings that while it might be a little *predictable* for this time of year, she hoped that I would be able to track down some items that would help others to share in the magic she felt seeing the first snowfall of the season. Bella, I'll try my best! Here's my selections for the theme of "Whimsical Winter Wonderland"!

Winter Toddler Snow Princess Tutu Set by Baby2BNashville

Bridge Into Wonderland Photo Print from shashamane

First Snow - Giclee of Original Oil Painting by WordWeaverArt

Whimsical Deer Ornament by IrenesArtwork

King of Snow by jardinhiver

First Snow Original Watercolor Painting by SummerSaylor

Snow Queen Ballerina Doll by petalbelles

Brighid's Yule Crown by Thyme2Dream

OOAK Jack Frost Sculpture by mindy141

Frosty Light Up Christmas Decoration by SeasonalWreaths

Let It Snow Quilled Snowflake Ornament by QuillyNilly

Whimsical & Vintage Inspired Christmas Decoration/Ornament by GlitterStudios

My goodness, I could have easily shared a hundred more whimsical winter wonderland themed goodies with you, but I hope what I've showcased here will convince you of what a wonderful selection of items there are available from the handmade marketplace. Whether you're looking for beautiful needle felting like our friend Bella from McBrideHouse creates, or painting, photography, papercrafts, beadwork, or any of the other amazing crafts that so many talented artists and artisans offer, chances are good you that you'll find something that touches your own spirit of wonder and whimsy.

I hope you've enjoyed this Friday's Focus. If you'd like to have the opportunity to select next Friday's theme (and have a mini-feature of your shop done as well), please leave a comment and share your thoughts on today's selections! Be sure to leave contact information as well. One randomly chosen commenter will be chosen sometime next Wednesday (November 23rd) afternoon and contacted to decide on a theme! (I'm bumping it up a day for the sake of Thanksgiving dinners everywhere!) Of course, I love reading your comments for whatever reason you feel the desire to post, so please, please comment!

Now I'm curious - what's the most whimsical thing you've ever delighted in doing on a magical wintry day?

xo,

Treasury Thursday - Dude... Green.Means.Go!

2011-11-17T14:07:00.001-07:00

It's Thursday and time to share one of my treasuries with you. This particular treasury was created as an entry in a treasury challenge by one of the teams I belong to - Selection Perfection - but anyone can play! So after you visit the treasury, stop by the team blog to learn how you can participate and perhaps have your own shop featured in some fun treasuries!This

'Dude... Green.Means.Go. ' by mysticwynd

Go. Buy.These!(and visit) http://selectionperfection.blogspot.com/2011/11/seller-treasury-challenge.html

Dude Card Green ClaireandMeDes... $3.00	Emerald Drops of Dew Ea... herblueyestudi... $12.00	Emoti-Monster Series - ... RedandMain $30.00	Winter dress with long ... tasifashion $75.00
Vintage Wheaton Army Dr... cattales $9.00	KEY CHAIN Heart Green ktimages $5.00	Green Algae Rocks 5x5 P... troubled $8.00	Angelina Jolie Cocktail... ellabellebouti... $30.00
necklace - circus peanu... LegalMissSunsh... $25.00	Crochet Wrap Bracelet C... lapisbeach $44.00	vintage 1950s green fau... Luncheonettevi... $30.00	Woodland earrings with ... WoodlandHoney $35.00
green moss beanie - wom... IreneBau $32.00	Trio of Vintage Juice G... Modred12 $11.00	Soap - Bamboo Lotus - S... SymbolicImport... $6.00	Jade Gemstone and Fresh... Gilliauna $82.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Wishful Wednesday - Holiday Happenings

2011-11-16T09:46:00.001-07:00

One of the delightful things about the holiday season is the opportunity to participate in holiday happenings (like those Christmas parties, special church services, community Christmas caroling, or even those big family dinners) dressed in holiday finery. With a trend toward comfort and casual clothes in most areas of life, my theme for this Wishful Wednesday includes a touch of holiday happening glam.

For Her...

1980s Vintage Black Velvet Corset / Red Taffeta Dress / s from starletvintage

Vintage Beaded Purse with Poinsettia Theme from JerrysHouse

Christmas Gold Poinsettia and Crystal Earrings from GirlieGals

Black Birdcage Veil and Rose Comb from VelvetTeacup

For Him...

The Holly Jolly Berry Tie from HauteUnderTheCollar

Winter Holiday Poinsettia Flower Cuff Links from AristoCrafty

Red Mens Steampunk Vest by AtticRaiders

For the Little Ones...

Black Stretch Velvet and Red Christmas Plaid Dress by DIPDesigns

Set of 3 - 3.5" Christmas Pinwheel Bow Set by mylilmunchkinscloset

Christimas Shirts and Pettiskirts from CollectingforFun

Christmas Gent (6 mo) Outfit from kolorfulkidlets

And - can't forget the furbabies...

Christmas Caroler Dog Pet Costume outfit by MattiOnline

Santa Costume holiday cape and hat for cats and dogs from PamperedWhiskers

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

xo,

Sunday Afternoon Reflections - It's Only a Matter of Time

2011-11-13T17:06:00.001-07:00

One of the most common answers that a new entrepreneur receives when they ask the question,"When will I get noticed? (or make my first sale, or other similar queries) is "Don't worry, it just takes time. It'll happen." I recently read an article on success that I though had a lot of merit and that made me stand firm in my own commitments. Please don't ask me what the title was or who wrote it, because while I committed the theme to memory, I didn't commit the source or author to memory.

The general theme is one I'm quite familiar with - why are some people so successful and others aren't? I'm going to share the gist of it with you, but don't quote me that it was written exactly like this - but I hope you'll get the general idea.

Road to Success Motivational Quote Print from backtoherroots

The article gave an example of two talented businessmen living in similar metropolitan areas, both about the same age (say early 40-something-ish), both college graduates with degrees in business, both happily married to career women, both were wonderful fathers of a couple of kids, and both worked hard, dedicating themselves completely from 9 to 5 every Monday through Friday, as owners of businesses within the same general industry.

The first businessman (I'll call him Fred) lived in a nice middle class neighborhood, drove a typical family sedan, and led what most of us would consider a pretty average middle class life. The second businessman (let's call him Frank) lived in an affluent neighborhood, drove a higher end car, and made quite a bit more money than our first friend. Luck of the draw? More career breaks? What was so different about their lives that created such a vast discrepancy in their life styles? Turns out it was a matter of time.

Our friend Fred probably worked harder than most when he was at work - and he was very good at what he did. But when 5 o'clock came around, Fred turned his energy to living that typical suburban lifestyle of watching TV, taking care of a few chores around the house, washing the car, helping the kids with their homework, attending church services, and reading the news.

Frank, on the other hand, did all of the above with a few changes. He also taught a free adult-education class on entrepreneurship, coached a little league team, played golf a couple of times a week, worked out at the gym, volunteered at a local charity, stayed on top of business and world news, and kept both his mind and social skills sharp by staying active in the community.

While both men had a "plan" for professional success, Fred limited his time to act on his plan to his activities from 9-5. Frank, on the other hand, was constantly putting himself out there through his volunteer and community activities, finding the time to work at staying healthy, well informed, and networking. Turns out that several of his students had recommended his business to other business people who would become his clients. Through his coaching, he learned of opportunities of sponsor teams and just by having his company logo on the outfield wall, he had gained several more clients. The same was true of the rest of his activities, and the friendships he formed in the process would last him a lifetime. Since Frank also kept up with business and world news, he was almost always ahead of the game when it came to developing new strategies to build business or take advantage of new opportunities before his competition did. It turns out that the time that Frank spent "not working" had a more profound effect on his success than the hours he put in at the office!

I think the same is true for most "overnight" success stories... the owners of these businesses put a lot of energy and work into not just their crafts or skills, but by staying engaged in making themselves visible to the people who are likely to become customers or spread the word about the business. I have to admit that sometimes I'll hear or read a small business person's complaints about why "they're not just having any luck" with their businesses, right before they excuse themselves to watch this or that TV show, or to play online games for the evening, or to just otherwise generally "relax." On the flip side, those "overnight" successes that they often envy, are usually anything but. Most of the more successful shops I've run across online and in the marketplace are run by "Franks" - people, men and women alike, who put an incredible amount of time and effort into building their businesses, helping others in whatever ways they can, and always looking for ways to do something new or better - all of which takes time.

And so it is with anything we want to achieve - whether it's success in business, success in relationships, health, or any of our other goals in life -it truly is just a matter of time... how are you spending yours?

xo,

6 on Saturday - Some Things Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

2011-11-12T14:21:00.001-07:00

xo,

Friday's Focus - New Attitude

2011-11-11T10:16:00.001-07:00

(Please feel free to click on any product links or photos to be taken directly to the shop listing!)

It's Friday and that means it's time for a Friday's Focus feature. Today's theme selector is Nea Allison of BlueDartDesigns on Etsy. I asked Nea to share a bit about herself, her shop, and her creative philosophy, and here's what she had to say!

Detroit-
Glass metal dangle hoop earrings

"I usually describe myself as a rock 'n roll hippie. My friends usually call me "that hippie." I'm crazy about classic rock (especially AC/DC), and strive to be environmentally conscientious. So, the evolution to recycled rock 'n roll inspired jewelry was only a matter of time."

Royal blue recycled glass
& white faux suede cord

"I wanted to make and wear something interesting and unexpected. When I do wear jewelry (which I often don't!) I want it to be a reflection of my personality-fun, simple, a bit sassy. I figured there are some folks out there that feel the same way. I'm always looking for ways to keep material out of the waste stream, and jewelry seemed like another natural evolution for that need. "

Natural orange feather earrings
with recycled glass beads

"I go through phases in designs, and always make a "prototype" to wear myself before offering a new style in my shop. This lets me make any adjustments to later pieces, and I won't be heartbroken if a favorite item sells. I've been making jewelry for years, but only started selling recently, thanks to the encouragement of my amazing fiance! I followed him to Texas when he got the orders to deploy, and since he's been gone, making jewelry has been a welcome distraction. It's a great conduit for my artistic sensibilities, and I really hope it's something I can continue with a degree of success!"

I love hearing about what inspires my fellow artisans, and I think a lot of Nea's thoughts and hopes for BlueDartDesigns follow the same common thread that most of us feel. We put a little bit of ourselves into every piece we create - our emotions, our values, our soul essence, and we can only hope that someone comes along who has a similar attitude and way of looking at life, and that they'll appreciate our work and value it as much as we do.

Speaking of attitude, THAT is Nea's theme choice for today! Looking at her designs and reading her thoughts, I got the sense that attitude is a driving force for her - be it an attitude of playfulness, sassyness, or determination. Keeping that in mind, here are some of the great finds I tracked down on Etsy - with my interpretation of "attitude"!

When Life Gives you LEMONS throw a PARTY Blank Card from aedesigns

Personalized PRINCESS Humor Graphic T Shirt from togs4sprogs

I Ain't No Bluebird of Happiness Needle Felted Soft Sculpture by McBrideHouse

Sweet Sassy and Southern Classy Pink T shirt from CountryCabinCrafts

Vinyl Wall Decal Art Sticker - Some People Say I Have Attitude -by WondrousWallArt

Attitude Phrase Art Pendant by 4TDesigns

Some People Dance in the Rain Contemporary Print by catalyst54

Thank you to Nea of BlueDartDesigns for selecting such a fun theme. I hope you'll visit her shop as well as the other great shops featured here.

I hope you've enjoyed this Friday's Focus. If you'd like to have the opportunity to select next Friday's theme (and have a mini-feature of your shop done as well), please leave a comment and share your thoughts on today's selections! Be sure to leave contact information as well. One randomly chosen commenter will be chosen sometime next Thursday (November 17th) afternoon and contacted to decide on a theme! Of course, I love reading your comments for whatever reason you feel the desire to post!

One last question since I'm curious, how would you describe your attitude today?

xo,

Treasury Thursday

2011-11-10T12:08:00.001-07:00

Thursday is synonymous with Treasury Day here on the Mystic Wynd blog. It's the day I like to share one of the treasuries I've created over the past week, although with the holiday shopping season approaching, the treasuries are coming fast and furious. A great way to help promote other sellers as well as to find items that I might not have otherwise readily seen, the treasury feature on Etsy is definitely a marketing boon. While I only actually post one or two of the treasuries I create each week, you can find all of the treasuries I'm involved in - whether it's curating them or being featured in them - by clicking on the Treasuries link in the right sidebar of this page! Wouldn't want you to miss any of them ;)Today, I'm sharing a couple of gift guide treasuries that I've put together this week - I'd love to hear your thoughts, and of course I'd love it if you'd visit them and help promote them as well! Here's the first one - a treasury of hostess gifts that are perfect for the upcoming holiday season of entertaining and spending time with family and friends!

'The Hostess with the Mostest'

Some wonderful hostess gifts for those holiday get-togethers!

Burlap Table Runner wit... LolaRoseDesign... $42.00	SALE - Fall Leaf Dish E... miasorellagift... $19.00	Personalized Cutting Bo... TaylorCraftsEn... $31.00	Breakfast Placemats - S... QuiltSewPiecef... $54.00
Nature Decor - Coriande... MoniCandles $6.50	Crochet - Napkin Rings ... MistyandMe $12.00	Pretty Organza Lavender... thegifthutch $12.00	Artisan Soap and Candle... CabanaBarSoapC... $16.50
No Gluten Pecan Pie Veg... SweetVeganDeli... $10.25	Handmade Photo Frame - ... micastudio $14.59	Morning ritual coffee s... TheVintageWedd... $14.99	Shabby Chic Decoupage W... LilacGifts $12.00
Build Your Own Recipe B... BurnedintheBra... $49.99	Hand printed prairie wh... Thefadedtearos... $22.00	NEW Winter Wonderland S... MoreThanColors $25.00	Fall Leaf Butter Dish cyvonneh $18.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

The second collection is a Shabby/Cottage Chic gift guide to cure the cold weather doldrums and bring you some sweetly feminine finds to focus on.

'Shabby Chic Holiday Gift Guide'

Pink Patchwork Fabric H... Emilyparkesart $10.00	Cottage Chic and Shabby... homeforhire $18.00	Shabby Sleek Dupioni Si... ElsieAStyle $5.40	Woman's Silhouette ... Mmim $6.50
Luxe Lady Capelet with ... EfiaFair $150.00	Topiary Rose Tree madilyns $40.00	Dusky Pink Single Roseb... QueenofCuffs $45.00	handmade pink ribbon he... GingerlySpice $13.00
Pale Pink Rose Cameo an... AngelPearls $18.00	Shabby Chic Christmas H... SeasideRoseCre... $16.00	Set of Four Floral Bang... AppleWhite $14.00	Wish Tree Handpainted N... Febystan $16.00
Golden - FREE US Shippi... tylerja $50.00	Shabby chic teacup phot... ErinBphoto $15.00	Vintage USA Pottery Lea... smilemercantil... $23.50	Winter Pink Drawstring ... GrandmasCroche... $8.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Enjoy these and the many other treasuries on Etsy... and Happy Shopping!

xo,

Wishful Wednesday - Predictions, Please

2011-11-09T13:47:00.001-07:00

When Pantone released their Spring 2012 color palette for fashions a few weeks ago, the buzz began about what the color of the year might be. Why does it matter to me or anyone else who designs fashions or accessories? Simply so we can start developing products that will fit the future trends. The announcement of the 2012 color of year will probably come out sometime in December, but I since I wish I already knew what it was, I thought it would be interesting to post examples of the spring color palette to see what your thoughts were. Leave me a comment and tell me which of these colors you would select as the color of the year!

1. Tangerine Tango

Orange Tangerine from smileswithlove

2. Bellflower Purple

Reverie in Indigo from MysticWynd

3. Solar power

Dragonfly Sarong Wrap Skirt from PuaWear

4. Sodalite Blue


Soft Viscose Navy blue lnfinity , loop , circle scarf from tocamade

5. Cabaret

Urban Funk Jean Jacket - Fuchsia Pink from DavidsonStudio

6. Margarita Green


The Mossy Bank Mad Men Suit from FabGabs

7. Sweet Lilac

Chiffon and jersey top in pink - lilac from MyLolaFashion

8. Cockatoo

Baby Blue Seaglass Stack Necklace by JoyfulDsign

9. Driftwood

The Simone fabric flower statement bib necklace from FreshMetal

10. Starfish

Vintage Short Leather Boots Tan Flat from mustlovevintage

There they are, Pantone's fashion colors for Spring 2012. Which one would you like to see be the fashion color of the year?

xo,

Talkin' Shop Tuesday - Say What?

2011-11-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

DY knw h2 wrt a gr8 blog n aQr8 en? f nt ur nt solo!

Say what?

What it says (in SMS lingo) is - Do you know how to write a great blog in accurate English? If not, you're not alone!

I'll admit it, I'm a bit of a spelling snob and, to a lesser extent, a grammar snob. Not that I don't make typos or grammatical errors, but when I read some of the content that's posted on the web, or read articles about how schools simply don't take spelling and grammar into account like they did when I was a young'un, I cringe. Attempting to interpret cryptic text messages or IMs (instant messages) makes me cringe too.

I know, I know... there are many of people out there who think that spelling and grammar should be the least of our concerns, but when it comes to writing things that others will see, and that search engines will index, I think it's worth the time and trouble to get it right. I prefer that my customers, reading audience, and Google PageRank see my efforts to write well - plus I can think of an English teacher or two that would never let me live it down if "Older Brain" (my nickname in school) didn't put the effort into it to get it right!

I will also agree with those who argue that it depends on whom you're writing to. In a casual exchange, relaxing the rules may be acceptable. In a business relationship, or in the case of blogging, if you're trying to establish yourself as a reputable resource of information or opinions, most people would agree that spelling and grammar accuracy does carry weight. Since I never know exactly who will come across something I've written, I prefer to err on the side of caution and mind my p's and q's - literally!

I put together this article for some teammates a while back, and thought I would share it today. It covers more spelling than grammar, but since the two tend to go hand in hand, I hope you'll find it helpful if you're one of those people that gets confused on what word to use when, or how to spell some commonly misspelled words. Enjoy!

Why Grammar is Important

Do you think punctuation doesn't matter? Read the differencebetween these two paragraphs - same words, totally different punctuation.

Dear John,

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You aregenerous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being uselessand inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have nofeelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy--will you let mebe yours? Gloria

Dear John:

I want a man who knows what love is. All about you aregenerous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being uselessand inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have nofeelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let mebe? Yours, Gloria

****************************************************

I am certainly no expert on punctuation, but there are somebasic rules that will make anything you write flow more accurately, and readmore professionally. I'm just going to cover the punctuation issues I runacross most often.

Capital Letters have three main purposes: to let the readerknow a sentence is beginning, to show important words in a title, and toindicate proper names and official titles. When you're posting a title for yourproducts, every important word should always be capitalized. Words like (and,to, the) should never be capitalized unless they are the first word in a title.

Apostrophes (') - Apostrophes have three general uses: 1) toshow possession (product's description); 2) to take the place of letters in acontraction (it's = it is, that's = that is, etc.); and 3) to show plurals ofsingle letters (dot your i's and cross your t's). This does not apply tonumbers or degrees (i.e. PHDs or 1950s)

Quick tips: Don't use an ('s) after a noun that ends in swhen showing possession. (Correct- That was the morning class' recital.Incorrect- That was the morning class's recital. or That was the morningclasses recital.)

Commas (,) - Read your sentence naturally, and if you pause,put in a comma. It's that simple in most cases! The most common uses of commasare: to separate items in a list (book, bell, candle); to introduce a quotationin a sentence (John said, " I will be spending the morning at thelibrary."); before a connecting word to join two short standalonesentences (I will write a blog post this morning, or I will list a couple ofnew items.); to separate information that interrupts or introduces a completesentence ( In the middle of the night, a fire broke out in the apartmentcomplex.); to separate a person's name and title (John Smith, MD).

Quotations Marks (") - These alert you that there issomething different about the words between them. They should be used: 1) whenquoting someone; 2) when referring to a title of a work, song, or book; 3) toemphasize words. (Some experts may disagree with numbers 2 and 3, saying that they should be italicized or set apart in some other way.)

When you're quoting someone, there are rules to follow inusing quotation marks:

commas and periodsalways go inside the end quotation mark
question marks andexclamation points go inside the end quotation mark, when they are part of thequotation as a whole
dashes, colons,and semi-colons never go inside the end quotation mark
use a single quote(apostrophe) for a quote within a quote

Spelling and Selecting the Right Word is Important ~~Two,~~ To, Too!

This is just a quick"down and dirty" of the most common spelling and grammar mistakesthat occur on an all-too-regular basis. It's sort of funny how your minddoesn't necessarily process the errors as you're writing, but on a review, theycan be pretty blatant.

alot/a lot - Incorrect -alot Correct - a lot (I know, I'm guilty of this one, a lot!)

to/too/two - To is adirection. Too means also. Two is a number. No excuses. (Two boys went to thezoo too)

there/their/they're - Thereis a place. Their means belonging to them. They're is a contraction meaning"they are". No excuses on this one either! (They're going to theiruncle's house which is over there.)

accept/except - Accept meansto agree or concur with or to receive. Except means excluding. (I will acceptthe bill for the supplies. I received everything except the pearls.)

advice/advise - Advice isinformation or opinions you give someone. To advise is to give thatinformation. (I would advise you to follow your own advice.)

altar/alter - An altar iswhat you find in a place of worship. To alter means to change. (The ministerdecided to alter the altar.)

affect/effect (when used asverbs) Affect means to influence. Effect means to bring about. (Reading murdermysteries doesn't affect my sleeping, but slasher movies effect changes in mysleep patterns.)

affect/effect (when used asnouns) Affect means influence. Effect means a result. (Wet weather does notaffect my hair, but dry hair produces a fly-away effect.)

lead/led - Lead is what isin a pencil. Led means to have guided. (The radiologist led the patient pastthe lead door.)

alright/all right (Guiltyagain - it's even helping me to review!) "All right" is alwayscorrect.

altogether/all together -Altogether means completely or entirely. All together means grouped. (Eventhough the people were standing all together, the fact that they were allwearing different styles made them altogether incongruous.)

capital/capitol Capitalmeans upper case or primary. Capitol refers to a building. (The capitolbuilding was relocated to the state capital) A hint to remember this is thatthe o in capital is shaped like the dome of the building, so if you're thinkingbuilding, it's capitol.

among/between - Among isused when talking about more than two. Between is used when talking about two.(The teacher wanted to divide the cookies among the whole class, but since twochildren were allergic to nuts, she divided an apple between the two of them.)

its/it's - "Its"is a possessive pronoun that means belong to it. "It's" is acontraction of "it is." (This is something I see misused all thetime!)

desert/dessert - Desertmeans to leave behind. A dessert is a tasty treat. (The brave boy received adessert as a reward because he did not desert his injured friend.)

lay/lie - Lay means to putsomething down. Lie (in this context) means to recline or rest. (I will liedown after I lay the bricks.)

lose/loose - Lose is a verbmean to misplace or no longer have. Loose is an adjective meaning free, or nottight. ( I promised I would not lose their pet mouse while I was pet-sitting,but one night, it got loose and ran away!)

then/than - Then refers totime. Than shows comparison. (The bar was emptier than the church then.)

compliment/complement -Compliment is a noun meaning something nice that is said. Complement is a verbmeaning to go well with or complete. (I think you will receive many complimentson that dress, since it complements your skin and hair so well!)

here/hear - Here refers to alocation. Hear is what you hopefully do to a noise. The music was so loud, Icouldn't hear the man talking here.)

principle/principalPrinciple means main or primary. A principal is a head of an organization. (Theprincipal's principle job was to maintain order in the school) Quick hint toremember this one - the school principal is your pal.

who/whom - Who is always thesubject of a sentence. Whom is the object of a preposition. (Who did you saygave which book to whom?)

which/who/that - If you'retalking about people, use who or that. If you're talking about things oranimals use which or that.

your/you're - Your meansbelonging to you. You're is a contraction meaning you are. (You're pushing yourluck, Karen.)

right/write/rite - Rightmeans correct. Write means to create letters or word. A rite is a ceremony.(Make sure you write about the right rite.)

sight/site/cite Sight is theability to see. A site is a place. To cite means to quote or use as areference. (I was going to cite the travel brochure in my review of the site,but my sight was poor without my glasses.)

farther/further - Usefarther when you talking about actual physical distance. Use further whenyou're talking about distance that can't be measured. (I went further into thedream world the farther along I walked on the path.)

good/well - Good is anadjective that describes a noun. ( A good book ) Well is an adverb thatdescribes how something was done. (She danced the minuet very well.)

stationary/stationery -Stationary means immovable. Stationery is the paper you right on. (The box ofstationery was stationary.)

rain/reign/rein - Rain is thatwet stuff that falls from clouds. To reign means to rule over. Reins are whatare used to guide horses. (The prince knew that he would reign over the kingdomif he could handle the reins well in the rain.)

past/passed - Past meansover or done. Passed means moved by or gone by. (We passed the point in ourrelationship where we worried about past relationships)

It's receive, not recieve. - Remember, "I before e, except after c, or when sounded as a, like in neighborand weigh."

Either/or and Neither/nor -Don't combine them. If you're using either, you should be using or. If you'reusing neither, you should be using nor.

It's "I am," "you are," "theyare," "he/she is."

It's "supposedto," not "suppose to."

Commonly misspelled words:

Definite (not definate)

Separate (not seperate)

Desperate (not desparate)

Grateful (not greatful)

Permanent (not permanant)

Weird (not wierd) (this isan exception to the i before e rule)

Friend (not freind)

Success (two c's in themiddle, two s's at the end)

Handkerchief (nothankerchief)

Calendar (not calender)

Experience (not experiance)

Lavender (not lavendar)

Don't rely too heavily onyour spell checker either, because it doesn't take context into account. Readthis passage written by Darren Rowse of ProBlogger fame. It would pass spellchecker with a perfect score.

“I have a spelling checker -

It came with my PC

It plane lee marks four myrevue

Miss steaks aye can knot sea

Eye ran this poem threw it,

Your sure reel glad two no.

Its vary polished in it’s weigh-

My checker tolled me sew.

A checker is a bless sing.

It freeze yew lodes ofthyme.

It helps me awl stiles tworeed,

And aides me when aye rime.

To rite with care is quite afeet

Of witch won should beproud.

And wee mussed dew the bestwee can,

Sew flaws are knot aloud.

And now bee cause myspelling

Is checked with such grateflare,

Their are know faults within my cite;

Of non eye am a wear.

Each frays come posed up onmy screen

Eye trussed to be a joule.

The checker poured o’erevery word

To cheque sum spelling rule.

That’s why aye brake in twoaverse

By righting wants too pleas.

Sow now ewe sea why aye dewprays

Such soft wear for peaseas!”

Happy Writing!

xo,

Mixed Bag Monday - Feeling Frazzled

2011-11-07T17:36:00.001-07:00

It's Monday - just after 5:30 PM local time - do you know where your sanity is? I lost mine hours ago and don't expect to see it again today. Whoever thinks having an online business selling handmade items is a piece of cake should try it sometime - I'm sure there are many of us who would love to have a short vacation! Between reading and answering e-mails, packing orders, tweeting, updating and interacting a bit on Facebook, checking for changes on websites, reading about google's latest algorithm changes, updating listings, taking and editing photographs of my work, and participating in some team activities on Etsy, after this blog post is up, I'm finally (hopefully) going to get around to some actual creating - or at least jotting down ideas! But you know what? I LOVE it! I love the work (it's better than the alternative), the frustration (because it means I get to learn something new), the people (my friends and customers are the best!), and the community (the amount of talent, inspiration, and motivation out there is amazing!

Since I'm feeling frazzled, I thought it'd be fun to share a few of the items I love that reflect my state of being and mind on days like this. Seems that I'm not alone or else people just have really great imaginations!

Silly sign - Good Morning by TheHeadsCreation

I'm Not Tense Just Terribly Terribly Alert - glass tile pendant from SnarkyandSweet

STRESS Needlepoint Pillow by Beenstitchin

Art Doll - Anxiety by MissMillificent

Stressed Out Button by kohaku16

inhale exhale repeat hand stamped sterling silver necklace by PunkyJane

How's YOUR Monday been??

xo,

Sunday Afternoon Reflections - When I'm an Old Lady

2011-11-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

Part of me has a small sense of perverse humor about how I might spend my later years. I have three children to choose from if it ever came down to living with one of them, and if they're smart, they're saving up their pennies to supplement my retirement income for a nice live-in caretaker... or a lovely assisted living center.

Not that I'm that difficult to get along with, but let's just say that I believe in the adage of "Don't get mad, get even," when it comes to some things. Like when my oldest finally got his driver's license (at 17 instead of 16 like most of his friends and both of his siblings)... one of the first things I did was climb into the back seat directly behind the new driver - and proceed to jam my knees and feet into the back of his seat while asking "Are we there yet?" every two minutes. Okay, maybe it was a little mean especially since he was actually the quietest of the children when it came to being a passenger in the car, but there was that one trip...

Anyway, I ran across this adorable poem and had to share it - if any of my kids are reading this, stop now, close your browser page and remember that your mother is maternal perfection personified!
(Everyone else, keep reading!)

Red Hat Lady from APieceOfLisa

WHEN I'M AN OLD LADY

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
and bring so much happiness, just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,
and I'll bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
and when that is done, I'll hide under the bed!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they cook dinner and call me to eat,
I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
And when they get angry. I'll run. if I'm able!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
and play in the mud till the end of the day!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,
I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
and say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"

-- Author Joanne Bailey Baxter, Lorain, OH

xo,

6 on Saturday - Edition 5

2011-11-05T12:04:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my 6 Saturday, where I have the pleasure of featuring new, undiscovered and underdiscovered shops on Etsy that haven't yet met the criteria for syndication, a qualifier that will give them much needed visibility on Google shopping. I love taking this opportunity to share some of these great shops with you, and hopefully give them a bit of a boost on their entrepreneurial journey!

No more suspense... here's today's 6 on Saturday for today, November 5, 2011. Enjoy - and be sure to show them some love!!!

I chose this first shop with the holidays in mind. My daughter and daughters-in-law have already brought up the subject of clothes for the kiddies, and with all of the photo ops during the holiday season, it's nice to be able to dress the little ones in something memorable. Tutu dresses are still all the rage, and ClaraBellesBoutique has some truly awesome options! (My current favorite is the Santa Dress, but they are all adorable!) Bonnie opened her shop in August and, as of this writing, has 5 sales to her credit, and hopes you'll be number 6!

Having spent the better part of my youth in Chicago (26 years to be exact) I still have an appreciation for the winters back there. Trust me, that wind whipping in off of Lake Michigan will chill you to the bone in no time flat - if it doesn't manage to park you on your bum first! I speak from experience there :) Toppytoppy is based in the Chicagoland area, and I can tell that Coral - the accessory artisan behind this great shop - knows what it takes to keep warm...and stylish! From hats in all styles and even characters, to scarves, to fingerless gloves, to sweaters, and more - if it can be crocheted or knit, you can probably find it at toppytoppy. I personally love the bulky cable knit designs and the adorable earflap hats, but I'd love to hear what your favorite is. Coral's had 7 sales to date, and with the weather forecast being a wicked one for the coming season, now's the time to pick out something great to help keep you warm and toasty!!

Judy, of JaySilver, calls the East Midlands in the UK home, and she has special place in her heart for greyhounds, donating a portion of her profits to charities who help with the adoption of these amazing dogs once their racing days are over. My oldest son and his family have adopted two "retired" greyhounds (both were under the age of 5 at the time) and I can attest to the fact that this breed makes a wonderful addition to any household. And with a life expectancy of 12-15 years, there is definitely a need for adoptive homes with thousands of greyhounds being retired each year. Enough about the dogs for a moment - Judy has some awesome jewelry designs as well as some adorable pet tags and accessories. Everything is colorful and unique, and while she has 3 sales right now, you might want to head over to her shop and pick up something cute for you and your pet - and help out a great cause at the same time!

I adore trinket boxes, and my stepdaughter does too - so I'm always on the look for great new shops featuring pretty much any style of these pieces of whimsy. TheDecorativeBox is my new favorite, filled with a multitude of feminine and frilly treasure caches. What young lady (or mom, sister, aunt, grandma, or friend) wouldn't love something sweet, in any of a number of themes and color combinations, to hide their prized possessions in? Belva has 9 sales right now, but I think that number will go up quickly as this lovely shop gets more exposure. Get a jump on your holiday shopping now and stop there for the best selection!

For those of you who love to work with yarn to create your own awesome accessories to wear or sell, this next shop is for you! Suzy, the woolwench, calls Utrecht, in the Netherlands, home now, but she is a New Zealander by birth. Having grown up around sheep, she has a love of wool, and the magic that can be created by spinning and dyeing it by hand which she is sharing with the world through woolwench. Being a knitter and crocheter myself, I love the colors and textures shown in her offerings, and I think you'll love them too! Suzy's off to a good start with 8 sales - now pick out something amazing for your next project and make that number grow! I'd love to see the finished product too - so don't hesitate to let me know about it, and I'll even post it on my blog!

The world of fabric and textiles is my last artisan's favorite retreat. Lori Craffey, a Rhode Island resident, is the creative energy behind LittleRhodyDesignCo, a sweet little shop filled with - you guessed it - fabric and textile creations. I love the variety in this shop, and since Lori is blessed with a love of variety as well, you'll find her putting her skills to work on any number of items from crayon carriers to tea towels, and wristlets to home decor treats. This underdiscovered shop has 4 sales, and a plethora of ideas for versatile gifts for friends and family this holiday season, so be sure to stop by!

As always, if you're just starting out or know of a shop that is and would enjoy a feature, introduce me to the shop and you may find it featured in one of my future 6 on Saturday features. Use the "Contact Me" option in the menu bar at the top of the page and send me the links!

Best of luck to these un- and underdiscovered shops - and happy shopping to you all!!

xo,

Friday's Focus - Into the Woods

2011-11-04T19:38:00.003-07:00

(Please feel free to click on any product links or photos to be taken directly to the shop listing!)

It's Friday and that means it's time for a Friday's Focus feature. Today's theme selector is Edi Royer of Memories For Life Scrapbooks on Etsy.

I've known Edi for a couple years now, having first been introduced to her and her shop when I joined the Etsybloggers team back in 2009. Back then, Memoriesforlifesb was a fun little shop filled with adorable scrapbooks and photo albums that were handcut and assembled painstakingly and artistically.

Like any artistic soul, Edi has found ways to evolve her creativity and talent and today, her shop still has those adorable scrapbooks and photo albums along with some other great paper products like earring cards - and with the purchase of a laser engraver, she's expanded her creativity to offer two new product lines. The first is her beautiful and sophisticated laser engraved glassware and barware like those shown below:

The second is a truly enchanting selection of laser engraved wood products that will capture your "Memories for Life." Since Edi has gone *into the woods* in her crafting, she's selected woods as the theme for this Friday's Focus. Before I share some of my other favorite woodcrafted items on Etsy, let me share some of my favorites from Edi's shop -

I can hardly wait to see what Edi comes up with next! For now though, I'm going to take on her theme and head "Into the Woods"!

With the steady parade of teething grandchildren over the last 6 years, I'm always interested in great new ideas for teething toys. While wooden teething toys actually aren't new, they're regaining popularity lately as a safe and eco-friendly way to soothe those little gums. LittleSaplingToys offers some awesome wooden teethers in addition to their other eco-friendly wood products, and I think this little bunny teether is simply adorable and perfect for those chubby little hands.

Wood Teether Bunny from littlesaplingtoys

DolceHome offers some lovely wood kitchen and home wares, many of which are created from wood harvested from their family land as part of a sustainable forestry clean up project. Since I never use the same one for more than one category of food in a single meal prep, I always feel like I never have enough cutting boards - especially with the holiday feasts coming up. This sturdy solid cherry wood cutting board looks amazingly capable of standing up to many, many years of use - and I think you'll find the rest of their products show a similar type of quality!

Solid Cherry Wood Cutting Board by DolceHome

I'm not sure why, but I love natural edged turned wood bowls... and since I also love maple trees, having grown up among these beauties, when I came across this gorgeous Texas Sugar Maple Natural Edged Wood Bowl at NELSONWOOD, it was love at first sight :) Wouldn't this look fantastic on a mantle or kitchen shelf or bookcase?

Texas Sugar Maple Natural Edged Wood Bowl by NELSONWOOD

I had run across CelesteLambert a while back when I was looking for wood items for a treasury, and I still think she has the best selection of wood bracelets I've seen on Etsy. My current favorite from this shop is this contemporary Zebra Wood Bracelet. Isn't it stunning?

Zebra Wood Bracelet from CelesteLambert

I'll admit my last piece is a wee bit of a fantasy choice for me, but I had to share it. I won't go into all of the details that Gary "Wiz" Burns from TreeWiz shared in his description, because I really want you to read the whole thing. Suffice it to say that Mr. Burns is an extraordinarily talented wood carver - but this amazing carving definitely speaks for itself! (Yes, those are dancing bears!)

Dancing Bears Tree Wood Carving from TreeWiz

Thank you to Edi of Memoriesforlifesp for selecting such an awesome theme. I hope you'll visit hers and all of these great shops for your next shopping excursion "into the woods."

I hope you've enjoyed this Friday's Focus. If you'd like to have the opportunity to select next Friday's theme (and have a mini-feature of your shop done as well), please leave a comment and share your thoughts on today's selections! Be sure to leave contact information as well. One randomly chosen commenter will be chosen sometime next Thursday (November 11th) afternoon and contacted to decide on a theme! Of course, I love reading your comments for whatever reason you feel the desire to post!

Have a great weekend!

xo,