Etsy Front Page 12/22/08 spongetta

Etsy Front Page 12/22/08 spongetta,
originally uploaded by Etsy Front Pagers.

I can't believe I finally made it to the front page of etsy! I am so thrilled...of course I missed it but was fortunate enough to find out about it after a search of the treasury. I saw that gold star in Spongetta's treasury and then read the comments..and noticed all of the 'congrats of FP' comments left there. I could not find a screen shot of it until now...after realizing I was searching the wrong flickr group for it! Thank you Spongetta!!!

What a week!!!

Well I am sure that many of you know that the Northeast of the U.S. has suffered a very bad ice storm this past week. Unfortunately, we here were right in the middle of the madness. Last Thursday night we lost power...and if you me then you know I am a big city girl at heart and do not enjoy anything remotely resembling "Little House on the Prairie"! Not that I am high maintenance or anything because I am not but I NEED the basics. Those basics have been electricity, cable, phone, internet and HOT water! If even one or two of those elements are missing from everyday life then I am not very pleasant to be around. So, imagine if NONE of those elements are present? Now add the fact that those elements are all missing and for 4+ days!!! We didn't even know what was going on around us as we had no access to local tv broadcasts..everything we have for phone, cable internet are with one company and when that company is down then we are screwed...But the absolute worse part was no electricity..and no means to heat our hot water tank!! WE did however have a generator that is wired in to our electrical box but the items on it are limited. You would not believe the expense we have gone through in gasoline to run the generator for all those hours!! Yikes!! But it could have been worse..we could have been dealing with last month's gas prices.. I had no access to my etsy shop for all of those days too which really put a huge damper on my holiday sales as I had many great promotions set up to offer...My daughter was able to travel to her college to check on internet correspondences...so she was able to get back to those customers who contacted me during that time..But that is it...The ironic thing about being without all of my usuals is that once I got them back..like cable, there was NOTHING on..over 200 channels...so I shut it off and watched some more DVD's like I had been doing all week...I have to say..taking a shower..a hot one..was an absolute joy today!! It does make one appreciate those small things we tend to take for granted...We are very fortunate to have gotten our power back as there are still over 100,000 homes still without power! Many of those homes are being told that they may not have power back until Christmas!!! Some areas were so bad that the town's entire electrical system has to be rebuilt! Amazing and a testament to the awesome-ness of nature...all of this was created from rain...then the temperature plummeted that evening...and voila!! We lost quite a few large branches from our big trees in the backyard..a few hitting the house but no real damage..If you stood outside you could actually hear all of the trees cracking and falling down all over the neighborhood..The damage was unbelievable...along with those downed trees were an astronomical amount of downed power lines...The thing that really sustained me was knowing that so many others were experiencing the same thing as we were..and everyone else we saw was unshowered too..so the stink and dirty hair was acceptable..I don't ever want to go through that again BUT I choose to live in New England....so the possibility is always there...That's it for now....I am trying to get myself get caught back up on all the missed work and laundry and everything else..so...until later..

The holidays are fast approaching!!!

Hello all!!! Well it's that time of year...again! I swear I am still paying off last year's Wii purchase! This year is going to be a very tight one...gift wise. I know the holiday's should never be about what you can give and what everyone should get but with a 16 and 21 year old at home, that whole idea never flies! Although, I must confess, my kids have never been ones to ever complain about the amount and types of gifts they receive. They really are grateful in that respect! But, it is the mother in me, you know..the one who has to do better than their own mother..and show their kids just how much they love them? Yep! That's me...I want them to have and not need for anything. I want them to feel as if they can and will have those 'things' they really want...nothing wrong with that...except that this year all of that has gone out the window. We are feeling the crunch..the one everyone else is going through too..well almost everyone anyhow. So, what's a mother to do? Despite the idea and ideals that I hoped my kids would have...it is better to give blah blah blah..they are in fact..kids! They feel the pressure too..the pressure to have what others have..the pressure to need what they think they should have. It's tough out there for them. Yes, we all went through similiar things when we were younger and every generation previously as well but it really is different for them. Our parents said the same thing about us, I know..but really...our kids have so much more to contend with....crazy drugs, weapons, the idea of being unsafe at school and outside of school. There really is a vast difference these days and quite honestly I just don't know how they approach each day...Because of this..I worry..I worry A LOT!!! Way beyond the normal mother worry that I think my own mom went through. I feel a constant struggle and a huge rub against the grain..for them and therefore it trickles down to me! This is a huge part of my thinking and wanting for them to have what they want! Enter Christmas.. I truly wish and hope that the enormous pressures of gift giving for one day out of 365 would subside a bit. It isn't about what we should instill in our kids to make them realize the meaning of such holidays because we are only one very small precent of their daily influences. What they see and know and learn from their peers etc. play a very big part in their underlying need to fit in and be the same as everyone else. As adults we spend much of our time attempting to be individuals..different..with substance but our kids wnat the exact opposite! They don't want to be different, individuals or stand out in any way whatsoever!! That is what fuels their lack of destinction...being the exact same is what they require...funny how perspectives change when we mature.. So, my hopes for this holiday and every day in between is that I can, will and hope to provide a sense of giving and getting for my family. While I desperately want to subscribe to the ideals of giving as opposed to receiving etc...truth be told is that I want to be the one giving and have my kids be the ones getting..including what they need and what they want! Isn't that what all of us parents want? Cause I sure know that is what my kids want... To everyone suffering through this season...remember this...do what you have to in order to appear as if this year is no different than last...yes..you may have much difficulty and no you shouldn't have to choose between gorceries and that xbox game..but the reality is that most of us will have to this year. Yes..still dream of the day when our kids will realize that the spirit of Christmas is what is important but until then..do whatever needs to be done to give to them..and that includes a sense that all is the 'same' as it ever was..and that our small lives will continue on in the very same way as it has in years past. I really feel strongly that our kids can feel that sense of worry and hopelessness from us..and it isn't their worry or concern that the market tanked or unemployment is at an all time high...the best thing we can give them this year especially is the appearance that we all are continuing on without regret, worry or dire straits! Peace to all..and to those who sit in this same and very large boat!

Fall back, for sure!!

I've realized that keeping up with this blog is something I am not very good at. It is difficult and like a full-time job to even post everyday let alone carry enough information to keep the masses busy, informed and amuzed. I just can't do it. Well, I could if I did nothing else and quite frankly I just don't know how others do this while maintaining an etsy shop at the same time. I have all I can do just to keep up with that let alone this too. While online sites such as etsy are great for us crafters and artists, they are merely a vessel. We, the crafters, have to do all of the leg work if we expect to have any success with sales. Because it is an online venture, one of the most important aspects to success, besides the obvious great items and quality, is to take great photographs and provide indepth descriptions. When I say great photos..I mean professional grade photos!!! Buyers expect handmade items but not handmade pictures of those items if you know what I mean! Not to mention that when you do get your items listed you must expect to have to relist those same items if you are expecting to get them seen by potential buyers. Etsy moves quickly and the items listed in it move even quicker. There are thousands upon thousands of listed and relisted items daily on etsy and if you don't keep up with your items then they will get buried on page 1 bazillion and six if you are not quick and careful! So, it is not enough to just create great items...how good are they if no one is seeing them? Once the artistic part of you handcrafted venture is complete..you then have to become Ansel Adams with a twist of Maya Angelou to get those great items looking there best over the world wide web. During that process, much consideration also has to be given to purposeful price points and the configuration of shipping fees..it's all a guessing game and a gamble that most of us artisans seem to sell ourselves short on...We have to maintain a competitive edge with all of that and try to consider what our time is worth and hope that we have somehow mastered the configuration of the US postal service's 'zone' rates so that we don't lose out on the shipping prices. All of this has to be done just from creating one item..and it is over and over again when we add more..and then don't forget to promote those items..anywhere youcan so it's more time spent on blogs and flickr and the like to get your name and product out there just to be seen. None of this is ever a guarantee either...doing all of this in no way solidifies a sale...all a gamble. So, you could have the greatest, best made and most creative handcrafted item in the world but if you don't impose all of the aforementioned steps for that piece then it won't matter if you're giving it away let alone trying to sell it! I rant about all of this because these steps are what consumes me and my time aside from the crafting portion of my venture. This is a very busy, make or break, time of year for crafters too. The craft show, fair, festival time of year is upon us all and that too is a gamble if you are a newbie to the 'circuit'...There is a laundry list of do's and dont's associated with success at these venues and I have yet to participate in one yet. On October 25th I will be attending my very 1st craft fair..fall festival. The majority of my time has been coming up with and crafting unique items of different price points. My goal for this show is of course to make $ but to also get my name and products out there among the public. Networking and word of mouth are big plusses for future success so if I am fortunate in that area then I am more than happy and will mark the success box!!! I will write again before the show and of course after it as well but I do have much more still to do and only hope that i'll be able to meet my own expectations and visions for this event!! Until then...

A Spotlight interview

Hi all! I am so very happy to share this spotlight with you all. A wonderful etsy shop owner and blogger has featured my shop on her blog. It was an in depth interview with some great questions for me to answer. The woman behind the blog, Amber, truly is a fantastic person, great blogger and proud owner of a growing etsy shop. I would love for you to follow the link to her blog where you can read the entire featured interview. http://naturalamber.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/etsy-spotlight-thinkoutsidethebox/ While you are there, take a moment to browse around Amber's blog too. She really has spent much of her own time to create a blog loaded with great tips for etsy sellers! There are many posts dedicated to this very topic with invaluable information for us all. Amber speaks from fabulous business experience so her advice should be taken very seriously! I thank her tremendously for spending her valuable and limited amount of time...even through a very bad illness these past few weeks....to selflessly promote my shop and others! Not only do I get this great feature full of limitless exposure but Amber has also shared some very heartfelt words of kindness about me as a person. I thank her over and over for everything! She also has her own personal website up and running now too! Take a moment to check it out in addition to her blog and etsy store. On her new site you, the buyer, will be able to easily request and create personalized and custom orders through the myriad of selections she has...here is the link http://www.Naturalamberdesigns.com and her etsy store... http://www.naturalamber.etsy.com I do hope everyone will take a few moments to check out all of the great links I've provided..enjoy! Rachel

Yet another really cool blog to visit!!!

You must have a look at this fabulous blog. It is another in the ever growing list of blogs and bloggers who selflessly spend their free time promoting OTHER etsy shops. Some of those featured on this blog and the others like it are in fact, direct competion for the blogger and their own etsy store..but they don't care becasue they are just super wonderful and caring people. They are worth having a look at for just that one reason alone not to mention the unique and cool ways that they have come up with to feature other sellers. This blog in particular, owned and run by Amanda, features countless other etsy shops by featuring a few each week, adding links to their shops, providing an item picture and then to top it all off..creating a super cool rhyme about that shop!!! For this I applaud these blogs and the people behind them who take the time out of their hectic daily schedules to spread around some promotional love in unique and creative ways to people other than themselves. All of this for nothing more than an occasional 'thank you'. Well, I thank you greatly from the bottom of my heart.. Visit Amanda's blog...Unique Fabric Needs... http://sygnetcreations.blogspot.com/ and again I'd like to showcase the tags and buttons blog because it was through her that I found Amanda's blog...(funny how all of these great individuals know one another!) http://tagsandbuttons.blogspot.com/ Thanks again ladies!!!!!

Another great and new etsy related blog!!!

Hi all..well it's been a few days since my last post but I gotta tell ya..something cooky has been going on with my blog. Maybe ther eis some sort of bug or something but it really has me losing my very small amount of patience. I went to view it last night and the layout was there but no info at all..no sites, no posts, no pics, no links..no nothing!! A few hours later it was fine. Today, I am desperately trying to add another blog to my list of 'great sites' and the edit button is not working at all! It is so frustrating. I have wasted a good amount of time thus far by clicking in and out of the blog and continually clicking the edit as if it were going to magically work..but all of this to no avail. What I am going to do until all of this works out is to post here the link to the new blog that you simply MUST visit if you are any kind of fan of etsy and its sellers! The blog is brand spankin' new and the author of it has 2 etsy shops and other well maintained blogs related to all things handcrafted and even your pets! So, it is worth a peek. You will find there some very ingenious ways to become an avid reader and fan of that blog..so go and check it out instead of me telling you all about it. Here's the link http://tagsandbuttons.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-be-seen-on-this-blog.html Happy blogging and reading peeps!!

I'm an ETSY Handmade Kids Challenge Finalist!!!

Well, hello all.. I have some fabulous news to share with you. One of my etsy shop creations was entered into Etsy's big Handmade Kids Challenge contest and...it became a finalist! This, folks, is a very BIG deal to me...there were 7 different categories to enter into. I entered my paper mache 'Spring Meadow' inspired pink piggie into the Home Decor category. Approximately 40 entrants in each category were chosen to be in the finals. Right now the voting is open and will continue until Septemeber 8th. The 1st round of contests will be calculated by the etsy community..the most voted item in each category will win that challenge. Another voting contest consisting of some pretty talented judges (from Martha Stewart, Decor8 and many more) will be placing their vote for the favorite in each category as well. Just to be picked as a finalist amongst the hundreds (maybe more) of entries is a huge deal for me...so psyched about it. If you have not voted yet then get on over there..just by voting you are entering yourself into the etsy sweepstakes where 14 people will be picked to receive a $350 shopping spree on etsy! For every category you vote in you will receive an entry into the giveaway! Here is the link to the page that my piglet is on...make sure you are logged into your etsy account, find the piggie on the page..select the circle and press cast vote at the bottom of the page..it's that simple. Oh, by the way, you have to be a registered member of etsy to participate in the voting...so if you're not a member yet it is an easy thing to do..I'll also include the link to register and as always, it's totally free to become a member. Here's the link to my finalist's home decor page.. http://www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?room_id=16 and here's the link to register on etsy if you aren't yet a member. https://www.etsy.com/login.php?from_page=shop.php?user_id=5620372 Thanks to everyone who has already participated and entered a vote for me!

Another great blogging giveaway!!!

Hey peeps!!! Well, the onthedotcreations giveaways/celebration is still going strong!!! While today is the last official day for Julie to list each giveaway, it is NOT the last day to enter. The only giveaways that will expire today(8/22) are the 6 ones Julie listed on day one of the blogiversary celebration (8/18). So, the 6 listed on 8/18 will expire at the end of this day, Friday (8/22). The giveaways listed on 8/19 will expire at days end, this Saturday(8/23). The giveaways listed on 8/20 (mine included..#17!!) will expire at the end of the day this Sunday(8/24). All giveaways listed on 8/21 will expire Monday (8/25)and all those listed on 8/22 will expire on Tuesday of next week(8/26). This allows each days giveaways to be posted for the same amount of days (5) for equal exposure. It was very well planned out by Julie. So, one more time, here is the web address. http://onthedotcreations.typepad.com On another note...here is another great blog giveaway. http://debiquilts.blogspot.com is hosting her '200th post giveaway'. All you need to do to enter is to go to her blog, read the giveaway post and leave a comment! That's it!!! But be sure to remember to leave her you email info so that you can be contacted if you win! This blogger is giving away the following...2 Moda Charm packs (Wee Play and Peek a Boo), the 'Q' is for Quilt book and 2 spools of Essential thread in lavender and orange. If you post the giveaway on your blog and a link to the post, you will receive 5 additional entries into the giveaway!!! It's a great blog, especially for those serious quilters out there..so go and check it out jsut for that..the giveaway is a bonus! Here's the link to the giveaway post. http://debiquilts.blogspot.com/2008/08/200th-post-giveaway.html

Today's the day!

Ok folks!!!! Today (8/20) is THE day that my donated items to onthedotcreations blog are being featured. They are giveaway #17! So get on over there and enter (it's SOOO easy) to win, win, win!!! If my items don't strike your fancy..and I don't see how they wouldn't-they're so cute...then do yourself a huge favor and enter one of the many already lited other giveaways. This celebration has been ongoing now for three whole days and there are 16 other giveaways prior to mine that you can enter into..I'm positive that something if not everything over there will get you excited at the possibilities of wining and owning them. Better yet, if there are items that you personally can't use (ie: a crib blanket) you should still enter that giveawy as th holiday season will be upon us before you know it and these gorgeous handmade items are sure to please someone on your list! What are you waiting for? Show me some love peeps! I am getting so self conscience over this as it is plainly written under each giveawy just how many people have entered each giveaway so it's almost like a high school popularity contest...Thus far, 16 wonderful and interested ladies have entered into my giveawy and I'm hoping for lots more...help a sister out will ya? That's it for now..oh, and don't forget to check back in at onthedotcreations blog for many more items slated for the giveaways...At this point, we're only at the halfway point of beautiful items...see you there.

Here's the link again...

http://www.onthedotcreations.typepad.com

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES!

WOW! The kickoff to On the Dots Creations blogiversary celebration has been met with overwhelming response. Yesterday, 8/18 was the 'official' beginning of the weeklong party. Julie's day began with a morning post welcoming in the day's events. Immediately following that she began her 1st in a series of 6 giveaway posts for the day. Beginning at 9 am with the 1st post Julie posted giveaways every two hours throughout the day with the last one ending at 7 pm. Everyone visiting the site is allowed to enter once into each of the giveaways. It is merely a simple reply to the post in the comments section. Julie does ask that you visit the shop in each post and comment on a favorite item from it. She provides a quick link to each and really, it is only appropriate to take a peak at the places behind the people who have so generously donated a handmade item for this event. Be sure to leave your email address too so that you can be contacted if/when you win one of the great giveaway prizes. Anyone can participate and winners will be chosen on the eve of the last day of the celebration (8/22). When I tell you there are fabulous prizes involved..I mean it. I am continually blown away at the generosity of many etsy sellers. There's a lot of talent out there. At present time, Julie is on giveaway # 9 so get on over there and get in on the action. No need to worry if you missed yesterday's events..all giveawy posts will be open for the week and your chances are equal to those who have already psoted since Julie will be using random.com to pick the winners of each giveaway. I too have participated in both the giveaway with a few specially made polka dotted items for the event and I have left my entrance in a few of the giveaways too. So, what are you waiting for..get on over there NOW. http://www.onthedotcreations.typepad.com/ Enjoy all the fun and the rest of your day!

A Thank You goes a LONG way!

It has been brought to my attention that people don't say thank you nearly as much as they should and even not at all in some cases! It saddens me greatly and it pisses me off at the same time. This is basic stuff people! I am sure that all of our mothers have taught us to say thank you and some were even more insistent, making us kids actually hand write thank you notes! Sure I may have bitched about it then but it is something I have grown to appreciate over the years and try to instill in my own brats. Even, dare I say, reminding my kids to thank ME when I do things for them. Sure, maybe motherhood holds many 'expected' things but a simple phrase, 8 wee little letters, two syllables, one breath and voila! I am rejuvenated to go on and do more things for them. The same holds true for others. This is even more so when someone is actually doing a lot of work for you and they don't even really know you very well. I bring this up because recently there has been a generation of etsy blogs popping up. Most blogs are for pure self promotion while others dedicate their pages and posts to promoting OTHERS! Blogging is hard work. You have to know your way around a computer and be willing to suck up many hours of your time to getting everything just right. I have links here on my blog to others that participate in such selfless ideals. These individuals have taken it upon themselves to seek out and offer 'free space' on their sites to fellow etsians and some who are a direct competition! How incredible is that? The downfall to this is that when seeking out other etsy shops one must usually advertise their blogs on the etsy forums. The immediate response to these posts are overwhelming and the poster is usually inundated with interested takers! Most of the time the blog author just requests a minimal amount of info from the shop owners and then they take that ball and run with it. One would think that the etsy shops involved in these blogs would be so thankful and grateful to the blogger for giving them such free advertising. Not to mention all of the invested time the blogger has taken away from other things to do this. But, the sad truth is that many of these shops just hit and run so to speak with never a thank you uttered. Even some loyalty to that blog..like just clicking and visiting even if just for a minute?! How about actually reading the posts on the blog or the emails generated by the blogger? NOPE..they just get discarded, ignored or deleted...unless of course such things are relevant to the shop...maybe they are being featured or one of their items were picked for an article..then their loyalty isn't in question! The bottom line here and it think there are a few..First, don't pretend that you are interested in something just to get some advertising..the person on the other end o that transaction is very invested in the whole thing! Second, spend a few precious minutes of your time LOOKING at the blog....the person on the other end has spent much time on it and has taken their time away from other things they could be doing. Third and most important, if you are going to be a shit about the whole thing and let your true colors show..then at least have the decency to extend a written 'thank you'..because the person on the other end isn't doing it for the thank you, they are doing it for every reason but, however a little, teeny, wee, puny thank you goes a very looooong way! Come on people..really...be selfish somewhere else.

Oh...and on a very personal note..a big fat thank you to Amber at http://www.naturalamber.wordpress.com/

to April at http://www.etsyhandmadenetwork.blogspot.com/

http://www.thehandmadenetwork.com/

to Julie at http://www.onthedotcreations.typepad.com/

to DZ at http://www.dzfantasy.blogspot.com

to Erika at http://www.tryhandmade.com/

and to ALL of those dedicated bloggers committed to daily selfless acts of random kindness in promoting others! It is much appreciated by me.

On The Dot Creations Blog-iversary!!!

I wanted to share this news with everyone. I may have mentioned this site in another of my posts but since the time is quickly approaching I will share it now. There is a great blog penned by a wonderful woman named Julie. The blog set on the page with the celebration info thus far is.. http://onthedotcreations.typepad.com/onthedotcreations/2008/08/one-week-and-counting.html Just click on it and it will take you there. Julie began this great blog approximately 6 months ago and she has decided to celebrate it with a 6-month 'blog-iversary!!! Let me tell you a quick bit about her site to begin with. Julie is a mom to a darling son and she runs her own Etsy shop. Her blog has been dedicated, since day one, to showcasing other Etsy shops and their owners. Each day Julie highlights an item from 5 shops. Typically her posts and highlights of items are based on a particular theme...like cupcakes or pink or trains etc..you get the idea. Julie also dedicates some posts to featuring various Esty artists with a series of interesting questions geared toward their craft, mediums, sales, successes etc. A very interesting read and it helps tremendously in getting to know different artists on a more personal level. I suspect many people frequent Julie's blog where these features enable a buyer to get a great sense of whom they are dealing with when making Etsy purchases. It is also a fantastic feature for us other Etsy sellers to draw inspiration from and to get a sense of community as many of us will never actually meet in person some of the people we have grown to know from the site. Julie's blog is extremely eye appealing as well. Her layout is very user-friendly and she has quite the talent at picking gorgeous and visually stimulating pieces. There is one common theme to Julie's blog..can you guess what it is? The hint should be in the name itself. There is only one requirement to having one of your items picked and featured on her blog..YUP! Your item has to be some sort of polka-dot themed, in one way or another...I am continuously enamored by Julie's daily ability to find such items and to then take it one step further to have these chosen pieces also fit into a themed category. Trust me...navigating through Etsy for such is not an easy task by any means! This alone tells me that Julie LOVES what she does and puts all of that into her blog..take a peek and you'll see what I mean. My biggest reason for this post is to let you all know that Julie and her beloved Onthedotcreations blog are partaking in a very big Blog-iversary beginning on August 18-22. Many Etsy shops are participating in this celebration by donating handmade items from their craft so that Julie can host daily giveaways during those dates! She has stated that there has been such an overwhelming response from shop owners that it has enabled her to put together 6 or 7 giveaways EACH DAY of her blog-iversary week (5 whole days!)!! I, and my Etsy shop are personally participating in the giveaway too. Of course I have created some items that follow the blog's polka-dot theme. I don't know every detail of the giveaway's yet but will keep you posted and/or you can follow the link to keep yourself up-to-date on the festivities! I'd say with the amount of participation that there's a good chance you could be the lucky recipient of one of these special gifts..so be sure to enter . Julie is extremely efficient with her site and will be sure to share all of the details, rules, directions and just down right fun with her readers..but please, mark the date(s) and get ready for oodles of fun and join in with celebrating and wishing Julie a very Happy Blog-iversary!! More to come...

Getting There

Ok...My darling, sweet, smart and very computer-literate daughter has spent the better part of her Sunday afternoon changing the layout of my blog. The original layout was very scrambled and not conducive to good reading or viewing. It was one of those pre-programmed templates provided by this site. It was OK to get me up and running with my blog but I think I've just outgrown it. Which, I suppose, is a good thing. This means to me that I am getting the hang of this and that I just may be, dare I say, a blogger?! Blogs to me were always something someone else did and I read....certainly not something I would ever partake in personally. Like I said in my previous post, I am far from a computer enthusiast...as far as understanding all those codes and letters and links and whatnots..as far as I knew..links were something I cooked with eggs and layout is something my friends and I did when we were teenagers in order to get that golden tan! And widget..well isn't it that girl from those 60's movies that hung out with surfers? I really could go on and on with this banter but I'll spare you somewhat from my humor! The point being is that I never would have thought at age 40 I'd be so old as to not be 'up to date' with the things my kids were in to and knew how to do..Having a lesson from my daughter makes me feel like...yes..here goes..my mother! UGGH! Point in case right there with taht one word..UGGH to my daughter is a great boot from Austrailia and to me it is reminiscent of something Charlie Brown would say after missing that damn football one too many times! I never would have thought that I'd be squeezed in , feet dangling, eyes popping...in that huge 'ol generation GAP! Screw the wrinkles..sagging boobs, unexplainable gas and the like...it is this sort of thing that makes me feel old! Not more than what I think was just a few years ago, I was wiping my kids' asses..now..well I feel like they will soon be wiping mine! Imagine, all of this ridiculous thought because I felt the need to change the layout of my blog! I can't even begin to comprehend what I'll be feeling and going through on the day I decide to get my own website! Watch out world... Well, as of now, all is looking pretty good with the blog...my daughter picked a very nice layout for me and really did work hard at restoring all of the links that had magically disappeared when she was renovating this today...there are a few more that I have to and can add myself but other than that..all is right with the world! A big fat and juicy 'thank you' to my beautiful girl, Sammie!

Blog Overhaul!!!

OK!!! So, last I wrote I was ranting about being computer savvy and all that entails. I have joined so many different networking sites to help promote my etsy shop and other crafters shops. With all of this comes a very big jumbled cloud of information and confusion for me..adding links, page elemnts, script, java whoosey-whatsies...html? I haven't a clue and really have been faking it for some time now and somehow getting away with making the correct settings etc. BUt this blog and its layout is not even close to being user-friendly or easy to navigate. Every piece of information contained here just lines up in a row and creates a very long viewing page. In my mind, I have great visions of how I want my blog to look. I think part of the reason I have not consistently kept up with it is because I hate the look and feel of it and as it is currently is not even close to a reflection of me. I liken this tositting in a dirty and cluttered room while trying to relax or craft..sure, you'll most likely be able to get something accomplished but we all know the process would have been much more enjoyable had we taken some extra time to rid ourselves of the mess. Same thing holds true with this blog..sure there is info to be had here and it is accessible but who the hell wants to sit here in the confusion? If I don't then certainly you don't! So, here's my plan...I have thrown in the towel of belief for myself. Belief that I do know what I am doing and that I can personally create the blog I am looking to have. I have gotten over the idea of pretending to know the difference of computer speak...it's a hard pill to swallow but I have hung my head low, in three-toed sloth-like movement and a very weary and cracking voice have approached my 21 year old daughter and asked for computer help! Embarassing as this may seem, and yes, it is for me...I do this and accept the humiliation for all of you...Because this blog has great potential and I have to at least exercise the possibility of it..I feel that after all is said and done..this will become a place that I enjoy visiting and participating in..plus, I have compiled some really great links for many of us..ther eis a wealth of information spewed among the hecticness of this blog..so, fingers crossed that this can get up and running at some point tomorrow provided I catch my daughter before she engages in a World of Warcraft marathon with her boyfriend..so stay connected and see what's in store..until then..

OLD OLD OLD SKOOL!

Allright...so I've never claimed to be computer savvy..at all BUT, I do like to pretend that I actually know what I am doing. This type of thinking can get me into some trouble. First, I have the great potential to F* up this whole blog! Who the hell knows just where I may be directing my blog peeps? I have been trying to add a few 'buttons" to try and cross-promote my etsy store...signing up for google placements..feeds...feedburner..links and whatnots! My head is spinning just thinking about it. Hopefully I have bullshited my way through all of the technology enough to send you all to places I have intended...Secondly, that 'ol ass-sucking time wasting vortex of reality..you know..the time it actually takes to try and navigate through all of the places that will optimize my views and increase my traffic flow...Hours upon hours of time have been devoted to such and all is still a big question mark to me. Let's just be straight here..I have no idea at all what I am doing...with the codes..and copying..and widgets..and feeds and blah, blah, blah! There is something to be said though at the amount of technology there is out there...especially for those who really do know how to use it all...Hey..it could be worse...about 10 years ago..when we all had pagers...I had a numeric pager and my mother would actually call my pager number and attempt to leave a voicemail on it! I shit you not! Then she'd get so pissed that I didn't return any of her 'messages' she left me...I'd say.."Mom..it is a numeric pager...you have to call and leave your phone number..then I call you back after I receive it"..so, you guessed it...what she did after I gave her specific directions..YUP..she'd call my pager...and after the beep..would begin to leave her phone number by saying it outloud.....she never did quite grasp the idea of having to wait for the beep and then DIAL your number..Oh well. So after all of this crazy forward progression I am trying to put myself in technically..I'll never be as bad as my mom! (Although, I am certain my own kids laugh at me behind my back becuase of the less than knowledgible way I approach the 'puter!) I'm out for now..gotta get back to crafting!

Where has the time gone?

Ok...Ok...Ok...I've always known that I am a HUGE procrastinator..but this is bordering on ridiculous! Has it really been two months since I last created a post? Either that means that I have had the good fortune to be amongst the living and actually enjoying my summer OR I have just been slacking! I can't bring myself to admit to either...so you pick whichever one you think is the truth. There are still so many things on that endless 'to do' list that I have admittedly not even looked at let alone actually done. Where is the reason in that? Part of me feels as if I am actually accomplishing something by even adding items to the list but what good are they if you don't do them? Just ends up becoming an overwhelming long list of nothingness! I used to LOVE the actual physical crossing off of completed items on said list..but now it just all seems so overwhelming..NO MORE LISTS! Yeah, that's how I can solve the procrastination problem. Don't have anything to procrastinate over, right? In theory this sounds good but I will inevitably end up with a bazillion unfinished projects, a room-filled pile of dirty clothes, a sink-full of dishes, a dirty (and stinky) dog...unruley knee-high grass and an overwhelming sense of failure... So, I find myself having the need to create a rather twisted version of an Aesop (sp?)Fable...let's see...ok.." A long list of things to do that never get done is far greater than never getting done that long list of things to do"... Well that's not an Aesop's Fable at all...that's more of a revelation...a Confucious speak...some quirky play on words...But the sentiment is there..so let's see what I can accomplish. The only way to actually accomplish anything at all is to get my 'growing by the day' ass up out of this chair and off of the computer..so..to be continued!

A Memorial Day of a different kind

Memorial Day for me has been something I have a deep heart for. My rememberances are of a different kind though...it signifies the birth of my son Eddie. He wwas born on May 26, 1992. Today he is 16! WOW! The time sure does fly...Every memorial day for the past 16 years has been filled with presents and cakes and great kid parties. Those party days ended about 5 years agao though..when it was no longer cool to invite your friends over to celebrate. I sure miss those times! Because my son's birthday has always fallen on Memeorial Day weekend it was always so easy to round up all the kids for a great bash. I would always go all out for the kids too. Every year was a challenge to find a new and better place to hold a party at. The last one we had was at our local bowling alley and the owner of it opened it up especially for our party. What a great guy he was! Most adults and businesses are off celebrating the day at a BBQ or party of their own..so this was very special to have someone do this for us. The best party we ever had was a year we held the party at a driving range..so much fun for everyone..even the parents! But, all of that has been replaced as the kids get older. They don't want parties..well, I secretly think they all still do..but, it wouldn't be cool to do so...Now we celebrate with more expensive gifts and an expensive meal of choice..today's is Chinese food.. It is growing more difficult for me to make the kids birthday's a special day. I would usually accomplish that with a party but..now..well..you know what I mean. What I have always done every year that I will continue to do is to tell my kids the story of the day they were born. That to me is special. I remember as much as I can about the day..times, places, pains etc. Both of my kids although now adults..and almost adults..are still very receptive to the yearly story...maybe they are now just trying to please me but I do love it... I just wanted to briefly share my Memeorial Day memories and what it will always mean to me....peace

The last HOORAH!

Well folks...this is it for me..the last hoorah...tomorrow I turn 40! 40!!!!!!40!!!!40!!! What is it about turning these big numbers that gets us so down? My dad thinks that it symbolizes another decade therefore making it seem more important in some way. Really there is no difference between 39 and 40 nor 19 to 20 or 29 to 30...But, in our minds, more so for women I think, these 'milestones' make us feel somehow older in a way we don't want to be viewed?! I have received much advice from many people these past few weeks...everyone having their own feelings, war stories and battle scars associated with their emotions when they've reached these marks. It is all reminescent of the stories we each hear when we are about to go through something..like having a wisdom tooth pulled, giving birth etc. People LOVE to share their traumatic moments with you..why do we do that? As if telling me of the horrible feeling of pain you'll have when you inevitably get a dry socket after your tooth is pulled..coupled with the infection you will also get..or the uncomparable pain you'll feel when the head and shoulders pass through during childbirth...Don't people know that it isn't a good idea to share these stories with the person who hasn't yet been through it? It all goes along with the power of suggestion. If you tell me that my 40th birthday will bring about feelings of discomfort and angst then I automatically think that I will or should be going through this..Don't do this to people... On the other end of the spectrum..there have been a few women who have offered up many good vibes about the whole experience I will be facing tomorrow..I like these types of people..let's look at the good instead of the bad..From these women I now can expect to have an overall feeling of peace and wisdom from turning 40. They say that there is a sense of calmness about your 40's..an ideal of just being ok with yourself..so I've got that going for me..I'll get back to you on this as I do need to try it all on for size! So, until then..peace.

JUST AS I THOUGHT!

Just as I thought...my parents have come and gone...and I really miss them being here! So many different emotions are attached to seeing them. First and foremost, as always, when I do get to see them I am always wishing that they lived closer to me! They both are such wonderful and grounded people that certainly would be such a great influence in my life and the lives of my family. My hubby would greatly benefit from their abilities to be level headed and calm and rational..as would I. My kids would benefit from having their grandparents around...for my daughter an established sense of family and for my son, to have great role models to look up to and to fall back on! In the short time they were here I have taken away with me a sense of well-being and a different view alltogether on how my behaviors can and do affect others. For example, how I interact and speak 'at' my husband instead of speaking 'to' him and listening when I should be. There is always a constant underlying friction in this house because of the way we have become accustomed to interacting with one another. We all have settled on the idea that our way of being is normal when in reality it is anything but! The most peculiar thing about reflecting upon this patterned behavior is that I truly think that none of us even wants to be this way. We all share an ideology that we want peace and love and understanding amongst us..so why then do we do anything but? I truly have been enlightened by viewing my family and our relationships with one another...this is not what I have set out to create. We all need to have the utmost respect for one another because demanding it doesn't work but rather showing, especially those sponge minds of our children, and leading by example is how others learn to be. If I am being disrespectful to my husband and vice versa then it is evident that my children will learn this behavior and then view it as the norm. I have now taken a very big step back, taken a long look and realized that there are different and better ways to speak and get my points and views across than just yelling them out in a stressed daze! I am constantly reiterating to my kids that they need to treat others as they'd want to be treated but yet I hipocritically do the opposite, especially with my husband! Ridiculous! So I will not waste one more moment of one more day buying into the behavior that I so hate. Realistically I can not expect to have everything change overnight but it is my responsibility to myself to do the very best I can everyday to plug away at creating an environment that I want to be in. I have taken a huge effort to calmly speak with my hubby about things that create stress for him..ask him why and then peel through all of the complex layers associated with it and get to the core of the issue. Which by the way never seems to be about the subject that we are stressing over. It is quite interesting and I vow to apply this method to myself as well. I have been trying it on for size these past few days and the response, while frictional at first, has been wonderful. That huge ball of deep seeded stress that has been lying in the pit of my being seems to be burping its way out of my body...a very big AHHH for me. I feel a calm that I haven't felt in a very long time and also feel equiped with the tools to handle the moments that really are stressful. I am dealing with the now as opposed to stressing over those moments that have not even happened...you know, those moments that you think will be stressful and you set yourself up for the failure of those moments that may never happen at all! No more! I feel good...and I want and will take this ball and run with it. Imagine, all of this from a four day visit from my parents! The only downside I can see from their stay is that quite possibly they will never again want to stay with us..after the display of bs my hubby and I put on for them...But, because of the type of people they are I do feel somewhat confident that they understand and that they will not hold onto any of the negativity...for too long anyway! I truly believe that it takes another set of eyes sometimes to make you realize what has been going on in your life and the negative patterns that have become commonplace...It is only through realization and then acceptance and the willingness to recognize that any of us can change..so for this I hope my parents know just how grateful I truly am for their visit...who would of ever thought? Peace in your day...

The 'Rents' are coming..

Well it is 3:30 in the afternoon here and what do I have to show for it? Nothing! I don't know what it is with me these days..can't seem to fall asleep at night until about 2-3AM...and then I can't get up the next day until at least 11:00...so by 3:30 my head isn't even in the game yet. I have noticed that the older I get the more I want to be by myself..So when the kids get home from their day at school, I am barely even together yet..This is a very bad and vicious cycle I have put myself in but I just can't seem to revert back to the way it used to be. I think I am staying up so late because it is a time when no one other thatn the dog, needs me for anything! Everyone's asleep....I can be alone both mentally and physically..but this brings me to my topic.. My parents are coming to town. They'll be here very late Saturday night and will be staying with us in our new house for about 4 days. They live across the U.S in Seattle and we only get to see them about every two years and even then we don't see them much as they have much ground to cover when they are here. So this will be such a nice change from the normal visit plus I finally have a home big enough to house more than just my family...It's a great feeling. I am a bit worried and stressed though...everyone has different lifestyles and while my current one is all over the place, I am going to have to radically change it to entertain the lifestyles of others. They are even on a different time zone so it may work out for me where they are three housr behind us so 1:00am to me is only 10 to them..I think my dad and I are a lot alike in the respect that we both are night owls so this just may work. But as you can imagine..I have been driving myself crazy trying to clean up the house even though the rents have said not to worry!!! I worry!! That's what I do...and while hubby has been helpful i the cleaning dept..he has his own version of clean and what needs to be done..He's off doing the 'man' things around the house while I scrub toilets? Who the hell is going to even care if that light sochet down the basement needs a new plate or not? And is it totally a priority to aerate the lawn for their arrival? This is just an excuse to play with man toys and pretend that what is being done is oh so important to the arrival of the rents! It actually creates more work for me...the muddy footprints on the carpet..the tools left out eveywhere..etc. But I digress because hubby in his own craziness is a great help to me in ways that I know other hubbies are not..so I should never complain...but I can and will rant about it! My rents are so easy going and laid back..nothing pretentious or stressful about them in any way so I just need to lighten up and not worry about anything..it's so funny because when it is all over and they leave..I will look back on their visit and note how wondeful it was, wishing that they lived around the corner and will be sad that they are gone..There will be a void over the following days and I will think back upon this very moment...sigh a bit, let out a giggle and tell myself the same thing I always do..'what the hell were you so worried about"..'Why do you always put yourself through this'....I guess this is just another of those life moments with a lesson thrown in there somewhere....stay in the moment and enjoy all that life has given you and all the little extras that come along the way...this would be those very 'rents that I allow myself to worry over...for they are the moment in this moment that life is all about..our family and all of the extensions of it...peace!

Priorities!

My poor and neglected blog...I really try to keep up with it but it's almost as if 'what's the point' if nobody is even reading it? But, regardless of that it is cathartic for me to sit and write whatever is going on in my noggin from day to day. So, for that alone, I keep plugging away at it. This whole thing brings me to my point as I know I do have one..what was it again? Oh yeah..priorities! I have been having this very discussion with many of my fellow etsians lately. We all consider ourselves artists. With that we all seem to lack a bit in the priority category. It comes with the territory I think. After all, that is why we want to be artists..so we don't have to deal with the conventional day to day priority grind. If we are slacking off in any way then we reserve the right to call it creative 'thinking' instead of what it really is..slacking! Far too many of us lately have devoted way too much time on various websites like flickr and the etsy forums doing anything but creating! But, as artists trying to sell our wares, we instead call it 'promoting'..instead of what it really is and that is just a bunch of women shooting the shit so to speak. Yes, it's true that spending some time on these sites in a promotion capacity is beneficial to our shops, crafts, sales and bottom lines but...and a big one here...is that these cyber meeting places can suck the hours out of every day if we do not prioritize our time! In all good conscience I have sworn to myself that I will put myself on some sort of schedule. I will devote certain times of the day to promoting..some for just creating..some for ideas..some for listing etc...but it never seems to work for me. I am one of the biggest procrastinators I know so a schedule for someone like me is almost taboo. Plus, there is no one here in the day to give me that push I so need..but I also like not having anyone here nor do I like being pushed in any capacity. So you can see my conundrum...I have put myself on a figurative carousel of hell..all the while spinning around in a self-induced whirlwind of guilt over not having the discipline to keep myself on any schedule let alone a prioritizing one! Someone stop the ride, please! The one big problem I am finding with having an etsy shop and being able to be home to create the items to put and sell in that shop is that I really do enjoy it all. I just need to find that happy medium between it all. I like being home void of people and conversation and all the craziness associated with a regular 9-5. I love being available at a moments notice for the dog or the kids. I like working in my pj's if I so choose! The worry about it all going away if I don't get it all together and soon is what continues to fuel all my feelings of guilt over having priorities...If only I could sell that on etsy! I know a lot of people wo'd buy that! So, I am going to give myself some good advice..whether or not I follow it is a whole other blog entry..I find for myself that if I write things down..a grocery list, a list of things to do..that need to be done etc..is when I am the most productive. There isn't much better that being able to have a list and then being able to cross things off of that list! It's such a feeling of completion..My 'list' will be for a schedule of time...and what I need to get done within that time....kind of like those class schedules we had in school. We knew where we had to be at such and such time..how much of our time needed to be devoted to that block of time and what was required of us within that block. So if I have to treat myself like a junior high student for awhile..then so be it! I will keep you..me..abreast of my progress. If I do not write another entry for some time then that only means my method for prioritizing has succeeded! So that's my rant for this day..other than this issue all else seems to be going well in the life of craziness. My parents will be here soon and I still have a very long list (only a mental one thus far!) of things that need to be done around this house before they arrive! They put no pressure on my home being clean or perfect in any way but you know how it is when anyone visits, let alone your parents...The house needs to be uber clean and all those odds and ends that are yet to be finished needs to get done. The 'rents don't get this way often and it will be the first time they see our new home so...well..you know what I mean...just not enough hours in the day is there?

Spring has Sprung!

It was a gorgeous day! The weather was picture perfect. I truly believe that we here in New England are finally on the other side of Winter and have slowly and gently moved into Spring. I saw my first close up of a Cardinal the other morning. He was breathtaking..I think I saw one from afar early last week but I can't be certain. This little guy was up close and personal. I caught a glimpse of him in an unbudded bush of of my backyard deck. At first I was only able to see the side of him which was a deep brownish red with almost a pearlescent glow about his feathers. Suddenly he turned towards me and it nearly took my breath away. There is no shade of red sufficient enough to describe his coloring. It is one of those moments where you realize what you are seeing is such a gift. His red breast proudly puffing itself out in a stance that I can only call majestic..almost regal in stature. I am of course assuming that it was a male Cardinal. I assume this because it seems that most beautifully vibrant colored birds tend to be of the male persuasion. All of this grandure of course, is meant to attract the female species. Well not sure about our fowl feathered female counterparts but it worked for me! If only it could be that way for all of us ladies. Have the males be the ones who need to fuss over their appearance while we can remain plain in every way possible. Would be nice. We all could learn a thing or two as well from those male penguins and sea horses who have gone a step further to actually birth and/or take care of the little ones like a mother would do...if only, but I digress here..back to Spring. Hubby and I took full advantage of the perfect weather today and began projects on our 'honey do' list! We spent much of the afternoon painting the trim on the exterior of the house. Never having owned a house before we could not wait for the good weather to arrive so that we could finally do all of those homeowner things..puttering around the house..creating great curb appeal..raking and what have you. I think after today I've come to the conclusion that all those things are much better in theory and thought! It was all I could do to keep my mind off of my current needle felting project and try to focus and enjoy painting the house...it was a stretch! This in no way changes my appreciation for the house and all that we are happy and lucky to have it's is merely the understanding that work is work! You can dress it up, wrap it, call it something completely different all you want but bottom line is it's work! But thinking back on the day's events I can be nothing but happy because I actually ow a home that I can paint and with that I have a beautiful backyard that my dog can romp around in at her leisure and my kids can finally have more that one friend over at a time if they so choose....and the weather, well, I remember a few short weeks ago just wishing, wanting, hoping for the endless mounds of snow that had taken over our outdoor space to disappear so that we could enjoy outside. There isn't even a small glimpse of these piles of slush ever having been on our lawn so for that I can't be unhappy! Dare I say I am grateful? Absolutely! My parents will be visiting us in a few short weeks. They are arriving from Seattle and they will have a chance to see our new house. I know they'll love it and appreciate all of the nature and space we have carved out for ourselves. (never seems to matter what age you get to be..having your parents approval will always be an important priority!) The best part of them coming is of course our getting to see them and spend some time with them as we only get to visit with them once a year or so if we're lucky. But the visit is two-fold for me as far as what is the best part. Becasue they are coming to our home and will be staying with us for some of their time here this gives me that kick in the ass motivation I have so needed. All the loose ends of unfinished tasks and projects will finally get done becuase I want them to see what I have been envisioning and that has to include those things to be physically finished. That sense of accomplishemnt will go a long way over the next few weeks. I do have a suspicion that some of my crafting projects will have to go by the wayside a bit though. I have been staying up 'til all hours of the night to stay caught up but I don't think that can continue much longer as I am getting very tired and bitchy I've been told..So, I'll enjoy what I can and when I can and be sure to remember the process behind all of this work and remember to enjoy it along the way and the weather too!

There's hope yet!

Hi all..or most likely..hi me! How do I get people to visit my blog??? Is it even important anyway? Not sure on either but it is cathartic to write even if it is for just myself! I was sitting here taking a break from needle felting and gazed out the patio slider into my backyard..There is NO snow left on the ground. WOW! I forgot just how big the backyard was..it's like a whole new world..an extension of my home...I've noticed tiny little buds of the impending spring....the trees, the flowers and even the grass..all starting to grow. I love spring for that alone. There is something to be said for new life..it is hopeful. Even small bursts of sunshine that peak out between the clouds..makes me happy. How can anyone be blue when spring is arriving? It makes me feel so guilty if I am feeling down on a picture perfect day..It's just unnecessary. What could possibly be that bad that one can't stop for just a moment to revel in the miracle and beauty of what spring is? Those flowers you planted last season..the ones that have been covered for months in mounds of snow and ice..are now slowly spurting up from that very ground to take a peak at the world...it amazes me that they even survive! Just stop and think for a minute at the actual odds of this...survival, birth and rebirth...it is miraculous and we all need to take a moment out of our hectic lives to really enjoy the wonderment of it all...but then just as quickly we need to get back to work! Until another sun-soaked morning..enjoy all that life is offering us and I promise to remember to do the same..

Mutha'Hood

Well folks..today is a day to put in the books! You know the books? The mental book all of us mothers have that we store in the very back of our brain? That part of our brains that we use to recall wonderful life moments as a parent? Well, since my parenting has graduated into teenagerdome....that area of my brain has been replaced with moments of not so good parent memories. I used to use that part of my cranium to draw upon pleasant moments when an otherwise pleasant parenting day has gone awry...You know..the day your kid says that they hate you...you quickly scatter to that place in your head that is overflowing with cute and proud mommy/kid moments...then you take a deep breath, sigh and let it all out...'This is jsut one moment in time and everyone says it's normal for a teenager to react to their parents in such a negative way". So fine..I let go of the heated minute of spewing sadness and reflect on the times when I was everything to my children. But lately the negative has far outweighed the positive and that area of my lid is now full and busting with those 'un' words! UNhappy, UNbelievable, UNsatisfactory, UNgrateful, UNfair, UNknown, UNfamiliar..and so on...Gone are the days of being able to pull from those thoughts any and all happy cheerful and cute moments. Today was a day to beat all days..a less than proud moment in a parents life. I won't say a parents worse nightmare because I can think of many more horrible ideas to put into that category..but I will say that I will not be adding a new page in my scrapbook life! I had to attend juvenille court with my almost 16 year old son today! Not a fun nor amusing place to be. It wasn't extremely serious but enough so to where we needed to attend. The problem is that my darling sweet little boy has not yet learned the art of brevity! You know..learning to keep one's mouth shut..ending that outloud thought BEFORE you go too far with it...Well that will get each and every one of us in trouble every time! We're all guilty of it but in this day and age..due to all of the problems that have gone on in our high schools with unhappy teens 'getting back' at those who have wronged them...well kids just aren't allowed to say anything anymore. And rightfully so..who are we to decide and to be able to judge if and when a kid is serious or not with their words. Nothing anymore can be left to chance..Sad at the same time too...but it's for the safety of everyone. My son needs and needed to learn the reprocussions of his actions and words. So for that it was a blessing in some small way for him to realize the seriousness of this and to accept responsibility for his actions. There is something so real and final when these words come from a legal standpoint as opposed to my son hearing those same words from me..after all, I'm just his mother...So let's hope that this was the first and last time that I as his loving mother will have to ever be in this position again! For my own sake I do hope that I shall again be able to call upon those wonderful mother memories to replace these not so good ones..and that my son will realize what all of this actually does to everyone else around him and not just him..all I can say is that he is soooo very lucky that he is cute!

COMPARTMENTS!

Is anyone else having trouble staying on task these days? I sure am. I blame it all on the weather. It isn't winter anymore but it definately can't be called spring either! It is seasonal limbo!! A pergatory of impending precipitation if you will! Should I put away all of those heavy sweaters and sweatshirts? How 'bout the UGGS? Can I safely assume that my shelfed Crocs are ready, willing and able to get into the footwear rotation? On a side note here..many a dedicated Ugg and Croc wearer (and they seem to go hand-in-hand!) swear that either can be worn through every season...but I BEG to differ...Have you ever seen how ridiculous a pair of Uggs actually looks with a short skirt in the middle of the summer? Or for that matter, a pair of Uggs with a short skirt in the winter..kinda' redundant? Or the worse of the two shoe faux paus are the Crocs in the winter snow!! For Chr*st's sake people..they have holes in them and are made of plastic!! If I have to hear one more time how 'waterproof' they are..I think I'll end it. They have HOLES in them!! No amount of Mickey and Friends covers are going to plug the holes enough for water and snow to not get on your fett..or worse yet..your socks if you are actually dumb enough to wear them with socks! You might as well just pack it in and move to an over 55 timeshare in Florida and get used to eating dinner at 4 pm! I may have gotten off subject a bit here..now where was I? Oh yeah...having trouble focusing....and blaming the weather...my immediate thoughts go to those who create Waldorf inspired season dolls...another year without a real spring and those dolls will be sporting a turtleneck with a pair of Bermuda shorts! For those of you who will get this next dry-humored joke...another year without a spring and James Taylor will be there more than you'll want him to be...."Winter..blank..Summer or FAll"..all ya have to do is.... anywho...the lack of any real resemblance of new life..budding leaves..peaking crocuses...chirping birds..buzzing bees..lulling breezes and spring will just be a thing of the past...Because of this I can't seem to begin and end anywhere...in my home...with my crafts..getting organized in any fashion whatsoever. There is something to be said for the phrase "spring cleaning"..this in itself represents a new time, a starting over, a refreshing moment and a get organized attitude..It is all wrapped up in that slight sweet, clean, fresh-smelling breeze associated with the season..It is renewing and without it..another crusty, stale and deadening day void of any rejuvination and motivation...For the love of Pete..there is still mounds of snow in my yard!! I just want..well I need to know..when..when...when...at this point I'd be willing to settle for 45 degrees with a hint of sun...until then everything will suffer..and that's how I see it..

"Did you say PARK? Or was it TREAT?"

baby Gracie 2, originally uploaded by Thinkoutsidethebox2008.

Gracie giving her best..'what was that you said' face...I love her more and more...

You've GOT to be kidding me!

I woke up this morning to find 6+" of new snow on the ground! UGGH! Lately, my spirits have been on high..well..at the very least, close to high...This is a direct effect of the pending spring...The backyard, although still snow covered in many areas, was beginning to show life with random patches of what I think is grass. Even the dog had an extra spring in her step as she waddled around the yard in hopes of getting off to a full-fledged run. Although the yard has looked a bit war-torn with potholes of deep snow dispersed among softer slushier areas mixed in with many dead and falling twigs left over from a pretty wild wind storm last week. We all here were more than willing to take part in any clean-up necessary to get our yard back..our space..our sense of freedom..but not as of today. No...today's blanket, or should I say quilt of snow has quickly dashed all of our dreams of lazy days lounging on the deck while the dog ran around senselessly chasing away any available squirrells. Gone are the hopes of the sun beating down upon our faces, eyes squinting, thirst-quenched from the heat it gives off... Back are the harsh realities of pulling out the snowblower..again..dealing with the sharp back pains from shoveling the heavy wet snow...Dashed away is any resemblance of healthy foliage green of any sort... The idea of snow in late March really douses the emotions in depression.. For it is difficult to even motivate one's mind and body or gravitate our thoughts towardany fresh and blooming thoughts..How does one now create the hope that yes..Spring is just around the corner! Well who's corner are we talking about and where is it? It certainly isn't here in New Hampshire...I guess I'll just have to suck it up, dust myself off and learn to accept the bad with the good as this is all a part of choosing to live in the Northeast....it does have it good points too..but it is just hard to find or remember them while I stare out the window at a white..cold..wet..covered life!

The Day After...

Well Easter is now behind us. For those of you with little ones, I am certain yesterday was both exciting and exhausting. Now that my kids are way beyond the idea of the Easter bunny..these holidays get a bit lost..It is sad yet somehow refreshing at the same time. No worries of having to find that Easter basket with this years most popular characters..no more major candy shopping and no more of having to get up at the crack of anything to see where the Easter bunny left the baskets.. While this all sounds too good to be true..at the same time it's all very sad. There are less than a handful of great parent moments each year and the big holidays used to be those times..No matter how bad the rest of the year went it was always a great feeling knowing that the kids were grateful and excited about the Easter Bunny, Santa..the Tooth Fairy etc. Now...nothing..This novelty has been quickly replaced with the whining and nagging of the kids about having to go anywhere there might be relatives at. My 'holidays' are now spent figuring out what the kids may or may not complain about when it comes to the meal associated with each holiday. 'Do we HAVE to have that?'...'lets just get Chinese food'..etc., etc. Most of my holidays are now spent carting the kids to their friends or girlfriends house..or having to pick them up and bring them here...The whole concept of a holiday..a time for family, good food and a welcome rest from the usual day to day grind has been lost forever! Easter Sunday has been replaced with just a Sunday..Christmas is now a day for the kids to get all the grub they know they are getting and the whole prep for it is over in less than 5 minutes! The kids could care less about the Tooth Fairy..but the idea of getting money for teeth is still high on their priority list of belief!! I could go on and on about all of this but I guess..in a nut shell is to slow down and enjoy those special moments with the kids because when you blink your eyes..it will all be gone! Here's hoping that many of you parents were able to enjoy the stained hands from coloring those eggs..were able to enjoy running to the market at the last possible moment to get carrots to insure that the 'Bunny" wouldn't pass your house by...enjoy for the next few weeks..finding those jelly beans that have rolled under the couch..and for the most fortunate...I hope you will remember to enjoy the fact that your little one imprinted a chocolate handprint on your Easter best right before you were leaving for church..and that hopefully you were the envy of the town as you proudly wore those macaroni earrings your little one made for you to wear on Easter!!! Peace to all.

Eddie & Sammie on Halloween

Eddie & Sammie on Halloween, originally uploaded by rachel.grande.

The other half of my heart is here! My beautiful kids!

laundry day!

laundry day!, originally uploaded by rachel.grande.

Life is so very hard..

Life is so very hard.., originally uploaded by rachel.grande.

Me & my mommy in the car..

Me & my mommy in the car.., originally uploaded by rachel.grande.

Me and my side kick!

peter shadow

peter shadow, originally uploaded by Thinkoutsidethebox2008.

Making decisions

Hi all, Well I am convinced that I am only writing here for myself...which I guess is allright as I guess I am my best audience. I think if I devote a little more time to this whole blogging thing that maybe my blog might be of some interest to other people. But what to write about? The only thing I can really pull from is my day to day thoughts and decision making. I have slowly entered into the world of crafting for profit. It's a lot of fun...in fact, more fun than I thought but...with that comes major decision making. While I fancy myself a crafter of many areas I do not possess that one signature item or thing that separates me from the masses. Not a bad thing but it has its problems too. With so much talent out there and honestly, more than I would have imagined...what is your defining factor for selling? I don't have a method so to speak...I craft whatever is in my mind for that day unless someone has taken an interest in something specific from something I have already created...like a different size, color, pattern etc. I love to paint and create eye pleasing items that also function as other things. If I am creating an Easter basket then I also want that basket to have other uses for the buyer. I think that this is appealing to a buyer..like a double bang for the buck. I think it makes us feel less guilty spending money...yes, an Easter basket is a useful item but what about when that 24 hours has passed? What then...well, for me it's..lets make that bsket purposeful for other uses..something that can be used all year long. Makes sense to me. My biggest daily arguement with myself is what should I create today? But the honest truth here is that a crafter will never know what may appeal to a buyer on any given day. I have had items that I thought were sure winners for that sale and..nothing! Other items that I was sketchy about have sold immediately..so it's all a crap shoot. But isn't that what makes it fun? Well selling makes it fun but you might as well enjoy the entire ride. Everyday can bring a sparkle of excitement as you look in your shops and realize that there is one less item in your inventory because someone purchased something from you while you were sleeping!!! Small..small..small bits of excitement but I'll take it! As some know..I have recently begun needle felting...now that's a challenge! I never quite know what I am making until I am a few hours into it..and good needle felting can command some high priced sales. But many many many hours go into just one item. Is this worth putting on the back burner all those items you know you can create that will sell? Bottom line is to do what you love no matter what the outcome is. Because...if you put your love into your work..inevitably someone else..a buyer..will recognize that and then you get your sale! Building a good strong fan base is just as important as making loads of sales..because one goes with the other...

Springing forward.....

Hi all...as I sit here I am thinking how great it is to know that today and every day there after for at least 6 months....the available daylight hours will be getting longer and longer!! For some reason, this makes me extremely happy...I think it's the old sunlight in the pupils for more dialation addage that many refer to when it comes to Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression. The more light in the pupils, the more dilation...the more endorphins etc. Not sure of all the science involved in this but I do know that there must be some truth to it all because I am feeling the winter crusty blues beginning to disappate. But the flip side, and this is the depression side of me talking here is that if you are having a 'bad' day all around then the longer sunlit days will seem as if they'll never end! But all in all a bad sunny day far outweighs a good cold, snowy and rainy one! It would also seem that due to the 'longer' days we all have a better chance at redeeming ourselves and turning around that bad day. If it feels to us that we have a longer day because it's not getting dark until 7 or so then maybe there's a chance that our day can get better...who knows. I haven't gotten it all figured out yet but one thing rings true to me with Daylight Savings...Spring is right around the corner. The whole Daylight Savings deal, from what I know, came about decades ago when farmers depended on the days and sun and moon or whatever, for their crops and hence their livlihoods. I can never seem to remember how putting our clocks backwards and forwards played such an important role in farming. But, since the world is ever so changing, I guess we don't have that need for longer and shorter days at certain seasons. I've heard that they(whomever they are) will do away with the 'ol clock changing stuff at some point alltogether! But this year we all got a bonus, in my eyes, we were 'allowed' to change the clocks 3 weeks earlier than in previous years! My one pet peave with the clock changing is that our family traditionally reminds eachother when the clocks change about how it 'really' is only 2pm even though the clock says 3! We play this ridiculous game for a few days until the novelty wears off but don't tell anyone..the novely wore off for me about 10 years ago! Well. I have branched off from my original thought here as I often do in conversation. I think my whole point was to just say how nice it is to see the sun at all let alone being able to see it now for at least one hour more each day!!!

chick-gallery

chick-gallery Originally uploaded by Thinkoutsidethebox2008

# 3 in my needle felting. This is Orville and he is SOLD. Click on my links to take you to my Etsy shop for more needle feltings.

Phinneus gallery

Phinneus gallery Originally uploaded by Thinkoutsidethebox2008

# 2 in my needle felting ventures. Visit my etsy shop for many more to come. Click on my links to take you there.

Fritz

Fritz Originally uploaded by Thinkoutsidethebox2008

My 1st atempt at needle felting. Much more on the way and available in my etsy shop. Click on my links to take you there.