Mia Sophia's Day

Moved

2010-01-15T12:34:00.003-06:00

At the first of the year I decided to make a change.

As some of you may know from my previous posts I have been learning metalsmithing. I eventually wanted to concentrate completely on this.

Also, some of you may not know this, but not a week has gone by in my MiaSophia shop without someone asking me if I am affiliated with Lia Sophia, a popular jewelry line somewhere, although I had never heard of it until I opened MiaSophia. This was a particular sticking point with me. I have never been one to follow a crowd and never wanted to be like anyone else except the skinny girls!

So, on January 1 I struck out on a new adventure, a new shop. I am now www.ThirtySixTen.etsy.com. It is solely my metalsmith artisan jewelry, hand crafted by me.

I have also started a new blog: it is http://www.thirtysixten.blogspot.com/

I hope you will follow me there as I am trying diligently to find the rest of you!

Hope to see you there!

Happy Birthday!

2009-12-29T14:53:00.002-06:00

It's my beautiful daughter Claire's birthday today. I can't believe she is already 14.

She was a surprise baby (found out about the pregnancy on my 30th birthday! A double whammy). I wasn't happy about it, but had I known the gift I was being given, I would have been overjoyed beyond words. She is my proof that God knows what I need more than I do, ten times over~

She has been such a blessing in my life and the source of so many happy moments~ I love her more than I can express!

Happy birthday my precious girl!

Year End Sale

2009-12-26T21:43:00.002-06:00

After the first of the year I will be concentrating on my sterling silver designs and am clearing out my bead and charm jewelry.

All items in my shop are now 50% off. Most have one available.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy Christmas!

2009-12-22T20:11:00.002-06:00

This month has been extremely busy and, now we are down the the wire, I find myself exhausted at the end of the day.

My etsy shop exploded this season and one weekend I sent out 20 packages, not just items, but packages! I can't explain what happened but I was looking forward to the day I would close down. Between trying to get orders out and trying to prepare for my family I needed to be three different people.

Well, all worked out, and, on this eve of Christmas Eve Eve (as my kids call it), I am now finished with my shopping, have purchased all the necessary groceries, wrapped (almost) all the presents. I am greatly looking forward to spending the next few days with my girls, making cookies, watching christmas movies, and playing games.

I hope this finds all of you with peace and happiness this season.

Merry Christmas~

Snow Day!

2009-12-04T20:53:00.004-06:00

Here are some pictures of our snow day here in Pearland, Texas.

While some of you may be up to your knees in snow, this is a once-in-a-year-if-we-are-lucky type occurrence.

Although they didn't cancel school they did let the kids out of class to play in it! Yay teachers!

This is now BIG the flakes were. They were like mini snowballs hitting the ground.

It all melted off within a few hours. I would have taken more pictures but I thought it would stick longer. It was amazing while it lasted.

Happy Thanksgiving Funny

2009-11-25T23:37:00.001-06:00

Have a blessed day!

Wisdom from the Aged

2009-11-24T15:57:00.004-06:00

When I was younger I was afraid of the elderly. I have no idea why. Maybe it was from not being around grandparents and those that were much older than my parents. I never got comfortable around those much older than me until I met my husband and spent time with his grandparents.

Since then I have developed and appreciation and, dare I say, love for the elderly. Not in the way that would lead me to work in a nursing home, but I love to talk to them, loving their perspective on things. I love the fact that they rarely mince words. I don't know if it comes from their lack of inhibitions, feeling life is too short, or a little dementia in some rare cases. However, when I meet an elderly person, I love to talk to them.

I believe we can learn a lot from the elderly. They have seen so much. Just think of how the world was just 75 years ago and all the advances, changes, wars, and wonders that have occurred. Someone who has seen all of that, lived through raising a family, jobs, life, death has to have more wisdom than me. I feel I'm much wiser than I was 20 years ago so I KNOW they have to have wisdom I would love to have.

This brings me to my encounter today in the post office. I entered the post office behind a very elderly gentleman. Kind face, larger than necessary dentures and slightly stooped. He smiled with those glassy, watery eyes and offered for me to go ahead of him. "Ladies first" he told me. I declined since I had a few international packages to mail, but he insisted.

He then began telling me "ladies first" is what his mother taught him. "She taught me a lot of things" he said and then chuckled to himself, seeming to think fondly of her. The slight gleam in his eye gave me the impression that maybe she wasn't quite the saint I would picture teaching her son chivalry. "Good things I'd imagine" I quipped back fishing for a little more. "Oh, yes," he said thinking and remembering.

Then came the gem of wisdom I always look for. He then added "She also taught me 'It's better to watch women wiggle, than to hear them rattle' ".

I laughed out loud, really loud, and had to cover my mouth. I absolutely love that! He didn't say much more, but I believe that was enough wisdom for me today.

Oh, and btw..when we got to the front of the line, HE went first.

I love old people!

Christmas Tradition

2009-11-23T12:20:00.002-06:00

This movie has become one of our family's favorite Christmas traditions. Unfortunately last year our VCR (yes, we still have one) ate our VHS tape of the movie. I am so excited that I received a new DVD copy in the mail today. Just in time for the holidays!

This movie is true to the Muppet's genre of bad puns, bad jokes and completely unexpected humor. It follows the Christmas Carol story through the narration of Gonzo (the one with the long nose) as Charles Dickens. Kermit, of course is Bob Crachet and Michael Kaine is Ebenezer Scrooge.

I am practicing some restraint, however and won't watch it till after thanksgiving. But I can't wait!

A Visit from Jack Frost

2009-11-21T13:35:00.002-06:00

My latest treasury was inspired by the crisp and cold weather that we almost never have here in Houston. We can dream though, can't we?

Fabulous Friday Find

2009-11-20T19:44:00.003-06:00

This is a little item that caught my eye this week. It is too cute and I have added it to my list for christmas. Hopefully my family will be quicker than you.

You can see from the pics it's a cute little snap purse. It's a little bigger than a change purse and you can find lots of others at antiquebasketlady.etsy.com

I've Already Made My New Years Resolution

2009-11-12T15:45:00.006-06:00

...and it's to focus on my metalsmithing skills.

While I love the jewelry with charms, lockets, and vintage jewels. I have decided to focus on my sterling designs.
So, while Christmas Shopping is getting into full swing, I have put lots of my items on sale. I have reduced all of my "whimsical collection" by 20%. I have marked down my "jewel collection" and have made the jewel earrings two for $20. AND, if you spend over $50 you get free shipping in the U.S.

None of these items (unless I currently have them made) will be duplicated. So, once they are sold out, I won't be making more.

I will have a HUGE de-stash at the first of the year and my shop will become solely metalsmithed items.

No, I won't sell as much but I get such a reward making something from scratch and it's time I focused on that.

So...good deals are to be had while they are there.

Saying Thank You Doesn't Seem Enough

2009-11-11T13:37:00.002-06:00

How do you say "thank you" to someone who has left their family behind for you? How do you say "thank you" to someone who has feared for their lives daily for you? How do you say "thank you" to someone who has lost a limb for you? How do you say "thank you" to someone who has seen a friend die for you? How do you say "thank you" to someone who sufferes from depression and PTSD for you? How do you say "thank you"?

I have no answers but my heart is full of "thank you" even though it will never be adequate for what has been done for me.

A Good Laugh

2009-11-10T23:59:00.000-06:00

I love Christopher Walken.... OH, OH, OH!! rofl!

Temptation and Addiction

2009-11-10T11:04:00.008-06:00

I heard an interesting quote today that said "your addictions teach you that you will never have enough of what you don't need". When it comes to fabric, I am afraid that completely applies to me.

For those of you who know me, or know my shops, or just take a look around here on my blog, you can see I make jewelry. I am not one that sews or even likes sewing. I have, on occasion, and only because of desperation or boredom unpacked my sewing machine to dabble or create something only to, in VERY short order, pack it away again out of disgust at my abominable sewing skills.

That being said, I have a weakness that you would not expect. I absolutely LOVE gorgeous fabrics. Fabrics of all textures, colors, patterns, I just want to have it dreaming (though as previously explained not likely) to create something wonderful.

There are so many shops on Etsy that have gorgeous fabrics and, yesterday, I came across another. I must say it is good that I just paid my etsy bill or I would have purchased way too much of this fabric! However, I am still contemplating purchasing some and, once again, being deluded into thinking I can complete a project.

The shop is: MaterialGal and here is only a small sampling of Stephanie's fabrics.

These are all fat quater collections she has put together for a project called "Scarf Along" that is going on at another blog.

Julie from JoysHope.com is being kind to many out there like me who for some reason feel the need to sew but lack the necessary skills. She is taking some brave souls by the hand and leading them through a journey of sewing-self-discovery.

So, there you have it. They have made it very easy for us. Perfect little gorgous bundles of fabric that are impossible to resist, and someone kind enough to guide us in a sewing journey.

If you are a reluctant sewer like me I encourage you to take the plunge and join in! Click on the pictures above and they will take you to Stephanie's MaterialGal shop to get your fabric. Then go to JoysHope.com and follow along. I am still on the fence about joining in, but keep an eye out, you never know.. I just might surprise myself.

Fangs are the new Black (Jacob Black that is)

2009-11-06T18:04:00.004-06:00

A fun treasury celebrating the new movie coming up. I haven't read the books but my daughters are so excited!

Romantic Treasury

2009-11-04T11:38:00.002-06:00

I snagged a treasury at the last minute yesterday. See the title? When it came up I had no idea what I was going to do. I thought that would be good for whatever theme I wanted. I built it off of a few things in my favorites and some of my facebook fans and then went from there. Nothing like a mental challenge to get the creative juices flowing!

Finally!

2009-10-29T15:25:00.004-05:00

Well after about 10 attempts at getting this glass bezel set without the design discoloring or air bubbles appearing I finally got one!

I love trying new things. I browse supply shops and see wonderful pieces I just have to try out. Sometimes I love working with them, sometimes I don't. Ergo....this will be an one of a kind piece in my shop! lol. I have a few more I will be making with different designs under the glass, but this is it for me.

But, as Franklin Roosevelt said "take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all try something." I wouldn't say it failed, but I am going to be moving on!

Featured

2009-10-25T18:38:00.003-05:00

My Ring was featured on the Front Page of Etsy today, at least I think it was. It was included in the original treasury, but craftcult said it was an alternate ( I guess admin moved it) however, I received over 300 views and 17 hearts on it, so I'm pretty sure it was on there for at least a little while.

That made up for the weird weekend I've had. Ah well, this too will pass.

Adding to the Collection

2009-10-20T08:53:00.004-05:00

From time to time I have shared with you little pieces of my salt and pepper collection. While I love the old I also embrace the kitchy and quirky new pieces that I find. I choose what speaks to me and, of course, those wonderful pieces I receive as gifts.

I was lucky enough this week to add two sets to my collection.

First, while trolling through an amazing and huge antique store near my house I came across this little pair. I was very excited because not only were they salt and pepper, they were also dogs, another one of my quirky little loves.

I don't believe this pair were ever used because one still had packing material inside. As you may be able to see in the picture, one of these had lost it's head in the past and had been crudely re-attached. I don't mind. I think it adds to it's charm.

This adorable second pair was a gift from my Mother. She knows just what I like! (hi mom!)

She spent the last two weeks on a cross country trip with her sisters. All the way from here in Houston to Portland, Maine, criss-crossing amish country, seeing the fall leaves, visiting lighthouses. And she was so sweet to pick up this endearing little lighthouse and it's adorable keeper. Thanks mom!

Tripple Threat

2009-10-18T18:11:00.005-05:00

I am having one of those stuggle times where I just sit back and say "why can't I just make stuff? That should be good enough." Unfortunately, when we sell online it isn't that simple. We have to be a crafter, photographer and a writer.

First, great photos are a must. This is something I constantly am working on. When one of my items isn't getting the views and, most important sales I retake the photos with different lighting, positions and backgrounds.

Here is a wonderful collection of articles to help us all with our photography: http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/photographing-how-to/

Writing is also something we have to be good at. Coming up with titles can be a daunting task if you like the more creative titles. I do, and sometimes I just have to rely on the "sterling silver ring with ....." At the point I am listing the item I have photographed, edited, uploaded and now, I'm pooped. Any time I get writers block I go to this group of articles and get tips and help.

http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/writing-description/

A bright spot is that we belong to a great community of fellow artisans who are creative and can give a little help when we need it.

I would love some help naming my new ring (pictured above). It is a chunky ring with a jade green aventurine stone. The band is thick hammered sterling silver. (see? not too creative today)

Isn't Big, but Should Be.

2009-10-17T08:48:00.015-05:00

We've all seen them, the shops on Etsy that have thousands of sales. Great product photos, interesting products, fantastic everything. We've also seen other shops with few sales but equally fantastic photos, products, and everything. In my mind I am always wondering what makes a shop soar while others, equally fantastic, seem to grow slowly?

In a new series of posts I am going to be highlighting shops that are small for whatever reason but deserve to be HUGE.

My first pick is none other than Burntmill Candles and Soaps at Burntmill.etsy.com. I have personally tried several of her soaps, plus a generous offering of samples I received with my purchase. These soaps are wonderful. The way she swirls the colors in her soaps makes them so interesting (and you should see them wet!) and the scents are wonderful. Not too strong but enough for a wonderful experience. My skin, which by the way is sensitive, loves them. It feels soft, conditioned and pampered.

(summer medley ~wonderful scent)

She has a mixture of cold process soaps as well as melt and pour. Both types are equally amazing in color, scent, lather and softness.

(jack frost vanilla mint)

For a sneak peek into what she is working on, what is coming in the future and even to add your input into names of new products check out her blog at http://burntmill.blogspot.com/

(new gnome candy garden)

Her talents aren't limited just to soaps. She also has a selection of bath bombs, candles and scented tarts. If her soap is any indication these products are amazing as well.

I have tried other soaps on etsy from the larger shops and I can honestly say that I prefer the soaps from Burntmill.

(rootbeer soap, yum!)

If you are looking for bath and body products for yourself or for gifts this holiday season, I highly recommend Burntmill.etsy.com.

(coconut lime, my favorite)

This is definately a shop that should be Big!

Marketing Strategy vs. Being Unique

2009-10-05T22:36:00.004-05:00

I made these rings today and I am very pleased with how they turned out. While it wasn't my intent, after I created and paired them I realized how they could be considered a "twilight" item. The moonstone I understand is synonymous with Bella (apparently she wears one) and the garnet is such a gorgeous deep red ring that reminds me of blood, aka Edward.

While I love making these rings, one of our goals is to sell our items, right?

So the question is, do I market these as "Twilight" inspired to reach more buyers? I really don't like to do that but isn't that what marketing is all about? Appealing to the masses, and the bigger mass the better?

How do you feel about mass appeal vs. just offering your items as you made them?

Short But Sweet, and Funny

2009-09-30T16:55:00.000-05:00

New Item

2009-09-26T08:24:00.003-05:00

I've seen statements lately in the forums regarding keeping the personal out of shops. Regardless of what it is from religion to animal rescue, vegan-ism to international human rights, if we truly believe in something, how is it possible separate ourselves from it? Isn't that what we do, as artists, put ourselves into our work?

I've been designing in my head items I want to put in my shop that reflect my faith. I finally finished my first piece this morning.

It is subtle, yet, encompases my beliefs entirely. One symbol, the cross, one word, love. I think that says it all.

All the Single Babies..... Gotta See!

2009-09-25T20:19:00.001-05:00

My Favorite Tweet

2009-09-24T23:04:00.002-05:00

I've been on twitter for less than 48 hours. It's been interesting and easier than I thought it would be.

I'll post later on the results of my "twittering" "tweeting"???

but I want to share something I saw there today:

"Famous last words : Hold my beer and watch this"...

rofl!! Love it!

Dream ~ Denied...

2009-09-24T08:59:00.002-05:00

For the longest time I have been a fan of French Bulldogs. Long before Martha Stewart got hers, long before they were the "it" dog, long before most even knew what one was.

I never seriously considered getting one because of the two amazingly hairy Australian Shepherds that now occupy my house. One more dog seemed too much.

Lately, with seeing them more and more in pictures, media, etc. I thought I'd look into getting one.

Researching breeders was my first step but I was stopped DEAD in my tracks. These adorable puppies are, on average, $2000 each. Yes, Two THOUSAND dollars, each.

Well, simply put, NO WAY! I expected them to be a little expensive, but, no matter how blessed I am, how poor I am, how rich I am, I would not, will not pay that for a dog.

I am a little disappointed, but still chuckle to myself...two thousand dollars!?! um, no.

It's Comfort Food Time

2009-09-23T07:14:00.000-05:00

I recently came across this recipe at Cookstr.com. It sounded like the perfect meal for a crispy cold fall evening. Pair it with some squash or potatoes and, yum, it's fall!

~~~~~
Pork Chops with Apples and Brandy

Ingredients

8 boneless center cut pork loin chops (4 to 5 ounces each)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 to 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 sweet apples, such as Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and sliced
½ cup brandy
½ cup nonalcoholic apple cider
½ cup whipping cream
Directions

Using a meat mallet, pound the pork chops until they are ½ inch thick. Generously salt and pepper.

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to a separate bowl.

Melt another tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Brown the chops on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Do it in two batches if necessary, adding another tablespoon of butter for the second batch. Remove to a separate plate.

Deglaze the pan with the brandy and cider. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cream. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the apples and any accumulated juices. Return the pork chops to the pan, cover, and cook until chops are cooked through, about 4 more minutes.

Place chops on plates on Mound apples on top of chops and pour sauce over all.

Enjoy~~

Kris Allen New Song

2009-09-22T09:11:00.001-05:00

I watched American Idol this past season and was so happy that this guy won.

Here is his new released single, I hope you enjoy it.

Sunday Funnies

2009-09-20T14:02:00.002-05:00

Holiday Wrapping Ideas, Resources and Tips

2009-09-17T17:00:00.009-05:00

Although the temperatures are barely cooling down (or warming up depending on which hemisphere you live in) like it or not, the holidays are coming, and coming fast. It’s time for those of us with shops to start preparing for the little details that will help us stand out this season.

As hectic as the season has become, shoppers are looking for ways to beat crowds, check off to do lists faster, and make the gift giving as easy as possible while still giving great, memorable gifts. I think we, as shop owners, can do a little something to fill this need.

One of the ways I am filling this need this season is to send all my items pre-gift wrapped. Now, this presents a unique problem because my, as well as most of your customers shop over the internet. They cannot see, feel or try on the items we sell prior to purchase. If I send their purchase pre-gift wrapped, how will they know the item is something they want to give? What if they want to see it first? I have decided to develop my wrapping style with this in mind.

As you can see from my picture, a gift does not have to be wrapped in paper to be gorgeous. I have made my packaging so that all that needs to be done if desired, is to untie the ribbon to see the item, and then tie it back. I plan to include instructions on how to tie the bow back (yes, men will need this).

The boxes I have decided to use are very heavy duty Kraft boxes from Uline.com. They come in so many shapes and sizes. I have larger boxes for my necklaces and smaller for the earrings. These boxes come with fiberfill pad already included. I keep this in as extra padding for my jewelry.

Inside I will be adding a piece of hot pink tissue paper. You can use any color you want. I would recommend cutting it to match the width of your boxes so that it can be slipped under the fiber fill, and it will fold nicely over your items. You can also purchase tissue paper in bulk from Uline.com

Etsy has so many wonderful graphic artists. I have purchased some designs from Lulydesign.esy.com to use as my jewelry cards. I feel they match my shop’s nostalgic elegant feel. She customized the size for me so that they would fit the larger boxes. The work is gorgeous and she had a fast turn around. Pre-printed scrapbook tag paper would also work nicely. Personally I like the look of the nostalgic prints better than using the printed cards. Although not all of my pieces are vintage, they have the look of vintage or nostalgic pieces and I feel the papers match my overall theme perfectly. You can figure out what works best for your shop.

In developing my packaging I felt it is important to create an overall look that is consistent that way there are no surprises when your customer receives their package. I have used a gorgeous satin ribbon in my signature color of sage green to tie a generous bow on the box. The sage green matches my banner in my shop as well as my business cards. A tip on cutting ribbon for a bow that I learned when working at Williams/Sonoma: Cut the ribbon five times the width and height of the box and it will be long enough to tie around with length enough for a full bow.

I have also included in the packaging a tag on the outside of the package. ! I am stamping the back of these tags with a “To: From: “ stamp I have and will slip it under the ribbon on the outside of the box.

I buy tags from the most wonderful shop on Etsy. Txbutterfly74.etsy.com. She uses nostalgic and vintage images to make hang tags. They are classic in shape, the images are clear and the tags are sturdy. Each has a complimentary color thread. Her tags are reasonably priced; you can get a dozen for less than $5.00. She also ships very quickly. I highly recommend her!!

Now, for product identification. Most people buying this holiday season will be buying for others. The recipient probably won’t know that their gift is a handmade item from your shop on Etsy. So how do you let them know these things without blatantly advertising in their gift? I have decided to do it subtly and with a look that fits the overall style. A few months back I had stickers designed by PaperJunkie514.etsy.com. These have my shop name; again, match my banner and business card in my signature sage green theme. Usually this sticker is front and center on the boxes I send, but since this is special gift wrap I want to keep this information secondary to the gift giver, but still have it present. . I am putting these stickers to identify my shop on the bottom of the box This way the information is available, yet subtle. I also won’t be sticking my business card in the gift package, but I will include it in the shipping box.

This gift wrapping is going to be standard for all my packaging from now until the end of December. This will streamline processing orders when the holiday rush starts. I won’t have to wait for convos saying yes or no, or if I don’t get a preference I won’t have to contact the buyer and wait for a reply. I’ll wrap it up and out it goes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little tour through gift wrapping and hope that I’ve given you some ideas and resources to spiff up your holiday packaging and make your packages very special for your customers.

New Ring! Who Knew?

2009-09-16T08:31:00.003-05:00

This is one of my new rings. It is a petite faceted labradorite stone. While placing the item for sale on Etsy yesterday, I was having trouble with the spelling of the stone (not good for a search based site). I learned that it is Labrador-ite, like the dog, lol. I also learned that the stone has some pretty cool properties. I usually don't buy into the mystical properties of stones but I thought this really interesting.

These are the properties of Labradorite:

Self Esteem: Labradorite promotes strength of will and a feeling of inner worth about your own abilities, while relieving insecurity and apprehension about your value as a spiritual being. (now where is that ring? I need to put it on now!)

Creativity: Labradorite helps to combine intellectual thought with intuitive wisdom enhancing discernment in all situations. This gemstone elicits creativity by inspiring you to come up with original ideas and solutions to problems. (a much needed help!)

Diet: Labradorite is an excellent gemstone for those seeking to lose weight as it balances and regulates metabolism. (um, won't we all try anything...I'm making myself one! I wonder how big a stone I can get~)

Career: Brings patience, which leads to better focus and concentration. This stone enhances perseverance, very helpful for those who are facing a period of sustained work, such as students at exam time, and for those who are prone to overwork. (a cure for ADD, who knew!)

Athletes and Procrastinators: It can stimulate physical activity, and 'kick start' the energy necessary to get into action. (a nice kick in the pants!)

I hope I was able to help you learn a little something today and have a little fun, too.

A Long Awaited Installation

2009-09-13T11:09:00.003-05:00

A little over a year ago I came across these beautiful brass chandeliers. They hung in the woman's grandmother's house since she could remember and, after her grandmother's passing, they moved into her house and thought them too old fashioned to live with. Well, another person's lack of taste is my gain!

I was thrilled to get both of these for less than $50~ You heard right! All the crystals in great condition, albeit very dirty, but with a labor of love, lots of soap, water and gentle sponging everything came out beautifully.
And then, it was up to my husband to hang them. A little over a year later, I don't know what possessed him, but he finally decided to hang them for me.

I am so thrilled with how they turned out. They have added such a wonderful touch to my master bath (yes, that is where they are) but they truly make the room so elegant and bright. They look better than I imagined and I am happy.

Cutest and Funniest Thing You Will Ever See!

2009-09-07T07:47:00.001-05:00

"Up" in Real Life

2009-09-06T15:07:00.003-05:00

Have you see the movie "Up"? The main character refuses to sell his house to the big corporate bullies who were building a mega mall around his house.

This is an article about a woman who did the same thing. A very neat picture and a neat story. (Read the article HERE)

My Funny Dog

2009-08-16T22:36:00.002-05:00

This has been a crazy summer. I have fallen so behind on my blog, artfire shop, the only thing I've been able to keep up with is my Etsy shop.

The kiddos go back to school next week and I have plans to get busy again after they are gone. We'll see how that goes.

Just wanted to share this pic of my dog. She found herself a cozy place in the middle of all of the laundry (yes, that is not how my floor usually looks).

Silly Chile!

Making Room in My Shop

2009-08-01T10:19:00.003-05:00

I am trying to make room in my shop so I am having a bogo sale. I have a special section for Buy One Get one Half off http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5746155&section_id=6309860.

These are still my high quality jewelry, packaged nicely in a sturdy box with ribbon. I'm not cutting corners, just the prices (lol, I sound like a furniture salesman). Anyway, most of these are the last pair I have, so get them while you can. I won't be making more.

Perfect to start stocking up for Christmas.

Sharing from Our Vacation

2009-07-23T08:26:00.003-05:00

We took an amazing vacation last week as you could see from my previous post. I will share more pictures with you of our journey and, although I am taking these out of order, they are some of the wonderful things I saw during our stop in New Orleans.

This first picture is a view from our Hotel window. The cute little building is actually lived in. I had no idea people lived in these old buildings. Although you can't see in in the picture, the top floor is an apartment with a lovely little kitchen you can see through the window on the right.

During our stay we investigated pricing for these buildings/apartments. We saw a few for sale and, while they are old, they are not cheap.

While shopping in the French Quarter on Rue de Royal (Royal Street), we walked into a shop that had AMAZING french imports. I wanted to snap pictures of how lovely the shop was, but the owner was sitting right there and I didn't know if they would like it or not. I did however sneak a picture of these mirrors and frames. I couldn't resist. Intricate carvings and such beautiful paint colors. This was one stack I saw, but every open corner was stacked with carved mirrors, some taller than me!

This building was also their home. They occupied the third and fourth floors. This is a view from the bottom floor up the staircase. Isn't it amazing? Although, it would be a little difficult to maneuver in the dark.

If you haven't been to New Orleans French Quarter and love this type of architecture I suggest you go. Stay off Bourbon Street and you'll be away from the noise and the bars, Chartress St. and Royal Street have amazing shops full of artists, wonderful antiques (I saw a $22,000 antique clock) and beautiful furniture and architecture.

Greetings from Ft. Walton Beach, Florida!

2009-07-15T10:18:00.003-05:00

We are having a wonderful time on our vacation. Being from Houston (Galveston beaches) we are amazed and in awe of the wonderful color of the sand and water here.

I'll post more details of our trip when I get back, but just wanted to say hello! and share a picture I took for you!

Front Page Feature

2009-07-02T17:40:00.003-05:00

This little set of rings was featured on the Front Page today. It was even chosen by Etsy admin. How exciting. While it didn't result in sales I got over 30 new hearts on this and other items and over 200 views on this item alone.

I'm running a "Weekend Deal" this weekend. Buy One Get One pair of earrings get one Half Off. or 15% off all remaining items. Just put "Weekend Deals" in notes to seller to get the discount.

Maybe that is why I didn't get any sales....they are waiting for this "Weekend Deal".

You can see my shop announcement for more details, as well as take a look at my main shop page. I retook tons of photos yesterday and I think I may have finally stubled upon something that works and that I am very happy with. (lol then admin chooses my old stuff...? hmmm)

Fun things in the Mail......

2009-06-30T23:37:00.003-05:00

I love getting little surprises in the mail. Well, usually they aren't surprises because I'm the one who bought them, but still, it feels like a surprise.

Here are a couple of my treats I've received. What was in the packages was wonderful, but the envelopes were equally a treat.

The first was a fun package from Turkey! Fun writing and labels. I love that.

The next is a package from Paris. I order all of my "jeweled" items from a shop in paris that does vintage jewelery refurbishing and they sell what is extra. I love getting the packages. So elegant and how fun, from Paris, France.

I am such a packrat and keep all of these fun and interesting envelopes. Like I don't have enough to keep up with.

$5.00 Mondays

2009-06-28T22:04:00.003-05:00

Etsy Texas Crafters is having a sale! It's a $5 sale.

I've decided to join in and offer two rings.

First is a textured sterling silver ring. It is great for stacking and combining with other rings or worn alone for just a touch of silver. It is just under 1mm wide and is so light~ It will be $5 for monday ONLY.

Second is a beaded sterling silver ring. It is a little thicker than the other one and has the ball texture to it. Also, $5 only for Monday.

You can get as many as you like, ask for a special listing, but they have to be bought by Midnight on Monday.

For other great items search "etc5" and see all the items on sale from Etsy Texas Crafters' Team.

A Sweet Treat in the Mail

2009-06-25T14:01:00.003-05:00

Today I received a surprise from one of my chat buddies, Vintage Confections. She sent me a candy sampler.

I went to check the mail and these lovelies were sitting on my porch (thank you mailman for not putting them in the sun!)

Well, I have a huge sweet tooth and could not wait to taste these~

I first pulled out a Vanilla marshmallow. These were huge! and so fluffy! I don't see these in her shop at the moment (probably sold out) but they were rich with vanilla flavor, so fluffy, not heavy or sticky and melt in your mouth YUM! She has some Dulce de leche marshmallows which look very delicious, too.

Next I tried a Cashew Nougat . This was so delicious~ Perfectly sweet with the salty crunch and chewy nougat that wasn't too chewy, just perfect.

My daughter grabbed something I believe was a French Sea Salt Caramel , because it had a little salty sweetness. She shared part and it was very delicious. Perfect caramel consistency. Softer than supermarket caramels and much deeper, richer caramel flavor.

I haven't tried the rest (pacing myself) but I am completely positive they will all be as delicious.

I really recommend this seller, VintageConfections.etsy.com if you are looking for superior homemade candies.

Dressing up for Independence Day!

2009-06-19T19:04:00.004-05:00

It's never too early to start preparing for the Fourth of July, Independence Day! I've added these to my shop today.

These large bubble are one of a kind (I only have one set of these beads ad no time to get more). The graceful ear wires are sterling silver and made by me.

All components are sterling silver and you can find them, and more at www.MiaSophia.Etsy.Com.

We're Infested With Mice! Help!

2009-06-18T08:00:00.002-05:00

Not really! This is a little project I got sidetracked on yesterday.

These are cat toys. Although I don't have cats, I am a sucker for mice. I had seen the custest little mice made by Refabulous.etsy.com (the wonderful lady who makes the most fabulous laudry sachets: see here). I follow her blog because I am always facinated by those that can sew and make such nice things. Well, she posted a tutorial for these a few months ago and they had been on my mind.

I thought it would be a great project for my kids to do this summer and then maybe donate them to an animal shelter or something. But with them gone to camp this week and Etsy being so dead, I thought I'd just change gears to refresh myself and try to make them.

I pulled up the tutorial and got out my large bin of scrap material and embroidery thread. I even went and bought some catnip at the pet store.

The tutorial was easy to follow. And, after following the steps I only have one bit of advise...place the ears and nose close to the front. If you do it too far back they end up looking like rats~ (see the pink polkadot one I tried to hide in the photo! lol)

I did make one change and put an X on their eyes instead of the french knot she recommended. I thought it would be funny and I can't do a french knot! ha ha ha.

This will be a fun project for my kids, although I think I will enlarge the template a little. It will make sewing these little guys easier.

I hope you have fun and try something new if you need a little refreshing of your creative spirit.

Plumerias

2009-06-17T10:52:00.002-05:00

I love these plants. The plant itself isn't that pretty, but, wow, when they bloom they are completely worth it~

I just wish I could blog the scent. It is so lovely~

~enjoy

More Yart!

2009-06-12T08:46:00.003-05:00

Click on the picture and it'll take you to their item. Be sure to check out their other yart items as well.

From Countrybythebumpkins.etsy.com

From Hillsidebakery.etsy.com

From Teaman.etsy.com

there are other great yart items you can find here~

Super Yart Finds!

2009-06-11T08:33:00.003-05:00

These are some great finds in Etsy's Annual Yart Sale:

Click on the pictures to go to the item and see the amazing deals!

From delightdesign:

From txbutterfly74

From dirtygirlsoaps:

There are tons on Etsy, too! Go to etsy.com and search "yart". You can even search "yartfreeship" and find items with free shipping!

Happy Shopping!

Yart Sale!

2009-06-09T19:42:00.003-05:00

Etsy is having it's annual Yart Sale. Yard+Art Sale. Lots of shops have some really great sales. I've posted some of my items on sale and put a couple of my best sellers on a discount, for one only! You can check out my Yart Sale section here. All of my items have free shipping, too~

Yummy Recipie

2009-06-08T11:51:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm a throw it in a bowl and mix it kinda gal so i'll share a fun recipie with you that takes no measuring, just tossing it together.

I took one cucumber, about 18 grape tomatos, feta cheese, olive oil and fresh basil.

Cube the cucumber, slice the tomatos in half, sprinkle with feta cheese (however much you like), slice the basil leaves thinly (roll up several leaves together and cut with kitchen scissors). Drizzle with olive oil and fresh pepper. The Feta cheese is pretty salty so you shouldn't need much additional salt, if any.

Stir together and then let sit covered in the refrigerator about one hour to let the flavors meld together.

It's a light, lovely summer salad.

Treasury How To Tips

2009-06-04T19:49:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago I decided to begin making treasuries on Etsy.com. Treasuries, for those who don't know, are "an ever-changing, member-curated shopping gallery of handpicked items. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme or just whatever they like. The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy." (storqe article here) These are the wonderful collections you see on the main page of Etsy.com

Many people have the impression the treasuries are hard to get, hard to do, and for those elite few who have the time or the artistic inclination. Well, I am here to tell you that is not the case.

Lets take these issues one at a time.

First, the impression that treasuries are hard to get is incorrect. Treasuries come available two to three times a week in the main treasury as well as treasury west. There is a new tool available that can give you a "heads up" when they come available. It can be found at Craftopolis.com . While you do have to spend a little time calculating when they will be available, and maybe spend a few minutes waiting for the expiring treasuries to expire, your patience will be paid off.

The MAIN thing you MUST remember when waiting for a Treasury to open up is to NEVER, NEVER, NEVER refresh the page. The countdown is LIVE and while it may not look like it, the countdown is working. When Treasuries open up you will see a box at the bottom of the page allowing you to place your title.

That leads me to my next tip...BE READY. Have your title ready. Have an idea of what you want to say so that when it opens up, you can type it in and hit enter. If you delay typing while you try to think of something you might miss it.

There is also a very cool tool that is available on etsy called the Poster Sketch. This is a tool that lets you find items and place them in a test treasury to see how they look. This automatically saves in your favorites (very cool I don't know how this works) and the items you choose will stay there until you clear it. So when you "snag" a treasury, you can open the poster sketch in another window and just cut and paste. This makes it very easy and much less stressful.

Now for the ultimate goal of treasuries...To Make it to the Front Page! Woo Hoo!. Two of the last five treasuries I have made have made it to the front page. While I like to promote my friends, my teams, sometimes I like to get creative around a theme. There are themes you can choose that will make your treasury more likely to be placed on the fp.

Etsy has merchandising themes they focus on monthly which are current trends, holidays, etc. You can find articles in the storque and search for "merchandising". That will give you ideas of what Etsy is looking to feature on the front page.

Color themes are also a great way to organize a treasury. Take a look at magazines and other websites and look for popular color combinations. You can search for those color combinations in the search engine.

A third tip is to have a variety of items in the treasury. Make sure you have bags, soaps, clothing, jewelry, photos, artwork, paintings, toys, books, etc. Get a good combination of items.

You don't have to choose the most popular sellers, or those that have great numbers. Just get a good collection together, play with it.

These are all the tips I have for you. Take your time, be ready, and, if you miss the treasury window, just remember it's like the bus. Another will come around eventually. Most of all Have Fun with it!

New Ring

2009-06-01T23:14:00.004-05:00

This is my second ring I have made. I am excited to be making bezel rings and offering them in my shop.

This is a vintage cabochon set in sterling silver. It is big and fun, yet still so feminine.

Need a Smile Today?

2009-06-01T05:56:00.004-05:00

I had to post this picture I found on Etsy the other day. It just made me smile.

While the Vintage Christian Dior Pillbox Hat is completely amazing, I just had to laugh because of the staging Rachelle of Vintagestarrbeads.Etsy.com created to showcase this hat.

She tells me she painted her mannequin head about 1970 and actually painted her own face like that in those days!

She has a great shop full of vintage things from clothing to supplies, toys to housewares. Lots of fun, unusual and interesting things. Take a browse around her shop. I am sure you will find something that will make you smile.

Memorial Day and an Unexpected Bonfire

2009-05-26T08:50:00.006-05:00

We celebrated Memorial Day in the usual way. Family, fun, food......and a bonfire.

It started out with a challenge. We decided to cook ribs, which I had never cooked before. I went to my favorite source of information, the Internet. Reading several recipes I learned that slow and low was the best way to go. (hey, that rhymes) I prepared the ribs as directed, set my grill to the right temp and placed them on the grill. Now, I over estimated how big my grill was and the three racks of ribs didn't fit. I placed one on the upper rack of the grill and two on the lower. Imagine my surprise, after a while, to find that the ribs I had placed on the upper rack were cooking perfectly while those on the bottom were still raw.

After two hours, the ribs on the upper rack were perfect, but the bottom two were still cooking too slow. I decided (because it was close to time to eat) it crank up the heat. When it was time to eat (we couldn't wait any longer) I pulled the "perfect" rack off thinking we would start with those, turned the heat back down, and put the other two racks on the top rack.

I believe it was no more than 15 minutes, from the time I put them on the top rack, to when I went to check them again. When I opened the grill, I saw nothing but flames. Sometimes, when you grill you have flare ups from the fat dripping down. This was expected, but it took a minute for my mind to process the fact that this wasn't a flare up in the bottom of the grill, the actual ribs were on FIRE!

One was singed a little, but this one, was a briquette~ Black and charcoal all over. I still can't imagine how, after turning down the heat and putting them on the top rack, this happened.

Ah well, we had one delicious rack of ribs, one that was so so and then this one. It added a little excitement and amusement to the day.

Funny side note: My oldest daughter's boyfriend came over later and ate some and took the rest home. Goes to show teenage boys will eat anything!

Treasury Fun

2009-05-23T07:49:00.003-05:00

This was inspired and mostly created by one of my daughters. She thought it would be fun to try so we searched and created together. I think it's pretty good. Though, when I checked the list this morning it was DEAD LAST in the list...lol. Oh well, it was fun to do with her. Maybe it'll spark some of that creativity lurking in her and she'll get some inspiration to create!

Second Treasury this Week

2009-05-22T16:19:00.005-05:00

Okay, okay, I said I was going to feature my friends, but this time I wasn't totally altruistic. Although I didn't put any of my items (as if it would work) I was hoping to put together something timely so that it might have a chance of being FP material. I think it is, but, who can say? I'll share it with you, this may be the only way it gets seen...lol.

*oh wait, TenthStreetSaks is a friend...( the super toiletry bag second row, middle.) does that count?

**EDIT: after I posted this I went back to Etsy and, guess what, IT WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE! LOL too funny!!

You Put the Lime in the Coconut......

2009-05-20T07:34:00.002-05:00

My new goal is to try to make treasuries. I think it is an important tool to getting yourself seen and out there in the Etsy community. So far, I haven't been picked for many so I thought, why sit and wait..I'll make my own. Now I don't put my own items in a treasury (although I believe it is allowed to have one), instead of thinking of how I can be put in them, I'll highlight all my friends, favorites, and fun things I find. Do unto others kind of thing...it keeps the focus off of me.

So, this is my new one. Be sure to check out LindaGJ.etsy.com. She is ALWAYS including me in her treasuries supporting the Houston team. She does the cutest artwork featuring her little black and white kitty, Peanut. Also be sure to check out Burntmill.etsy.com. I use her soaps and they are amazing. I'm going to be ordering that lime/coconut soap as soon as the treasury expires (lol, don't want it to disappear out of there).

Other great shops owned by super people are LoveErica.etsy.com and Stavroula.etsy.com. Both are my chat buddies and are always charming, helpful and encouraging.

oh yea, and click on my treasury...help me support these great artists.

Afternoon Snack

2009-05-19T17:27:00.002-05:00

Yummy treat~ Jealous?

I grew up with a Dad who always had a garden. Tomatoes were his thing. He would have normal tomato plants growing six and seven feet tall with more tomatoes that we and our neighbors and friends could eat. It was commonplace to go out in the garden with the salt shaker, pick a huge tomato and sit and eat it. Hot and fresh off the vine.

Well, this is hardly the size my dad grew (it being a grape tomato and all) it still tasted wonderful, right off the vine.

I love Picnik!

2009-05-18T18:03:00.002-05:00

I love this feature in Picnic~ If you pay their $25.oo per year fee you get many more options for the collage...but this one works just fine.

Pictured clockwise:

Fly Lariat Necklace - sterling silver lariat necklace with a fine silver bird charm (made by me).

Marseilles Necklace with Vintage French Cabochons

Brocade Necklace - Fine Silver Antique Button Charm

Riviera Jeweled Necklace with Vintage French Cabochons (real French Vintage cabochons and a one of a kind necklace)

Ah, it's fun to do new things...

Quiet and Calm Mother's Day? NO WAY!!!

2009-05-10T17:02:00.003-05:00

This is how I spent my mothers day! I went to see the new Star Trek movie. Now, while I watched Star Trek re-runs as a kid I wouldn't call myself a die hard fan or Trekkie, but I really liked this movie. It was so exciting I found myself gripping the theater seat! Really! I even surprised myself.

It was fast, but not too complicated of a plot. The new characters had similarities to the old characters which made it fun for those of us who knew the old stuff (my kids didn't get it), but it was still brand new enough that if you had never seen a Star Trek episode you would know what was going on.

It was loud, fast and exciting. Just the way I would rather spend "my" day!

Oh, and Zachary Quinto...if you look past the eyebrows and funny haircut and ears...nice~ just sayin'

New Treasury!

2009-05-09T16:59:00.003-05:00

I'm in a new treasury~ yay. Thanks Linda! LindaGJ.etsy.com is such a great curator. She supports our Houston Mini Team with wonderful treasuries. I want to be like her someday and be a treasury hunter~

Check out this article I wrote about her on our Team blog.

Etsy Chatters Blog Giveaway!

2009-05-08T06:18:00.003-05:00

Etsy Chatters Blog has reached 100 followers and now they want to thank you! They are giving away a $50 gift certificate to any shop on their list (mine included, yay~) to their readers. Go HERE to find out the details and how you can participate.

Pairing Old With New

2009-05-07T08:28:00.005-05:00

While rooting through my pile of vintage broken jewelry I found two long strands of rosary chain. They were both dirty and yellowish, so I thought I'd see what potential they had. Wow! What amazing things I found under the dirt.

One had opaque glass beads (the one in the picture) and the other has very tiny freshwater pearls. At least I think they are, it's hard to know when its vintage.

So, for a new piece I have paired the old with the new. The longer strand is the vintage rosary chain with the opaque glass beads and the shorter is an oxidized sterling silver chain with a briolette wrapped in oxidized sterling silver wire. It's very pretty on...now if I can get my daughter to model it for me.

Pseudo Bucket List

2009-05-05T23:59:00.001-05:00

I found this posted on this blog http://casualcottage.blogspot.com/ while I was blog surfing.
It's really interesting. The things in bold are things I have done. Feel free to copy and paste this list into your own blog and bold the items that you have done. Just the exercise of marking the things you've done is very eye opening.....there are alot of things I've never done!!Have fun with this.
1. Started your own blog (yay!)
2. Slept under the stars (grew up in N.M. camped all the time)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower (camping in NM)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (yep..)
7. Been to Disneyland/world (best vacation ever!)
8. Climbed a mountain (New Mexico, yay)
9. Held a praying mantis (loved bugs as a kid, NOT ANYMORE)
10. Sang a solo (when I was younger...not brave enough now)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (daily working on it)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (- tonite...ugh....)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (see earlier posts here)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight (shared a room with a little sister, of course I have)
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (why not? )
24. Built a snow fort (did a year in Wisconsin...lots of snow)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (satisfaction doesn't come from money)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (does it count if it was in a "rock gym"?)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (with injured daughter)
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing (much cooler than I thought it would)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Hank, a crazy troll looking toy I chewed all the hair off)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (tailbone...how glamorous!)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury (b-0-r-i-n-g civil case)
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (three times)
95. Seen the Alamo in person (I live in Texas, of course!)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone (why is this on the list? who doesn't?)
99. Been stung by a bee

Copy this list and fill it out. It's interesting to see what you have done and maybe decide on a few that you want to do.

Minute Harvest

2009-05-05T18:31:00.004-05:00

My garden has grown so well I have begun to harvest a little. My little tomatos have turned red. Right now they are only good for a snack, but, they are delicious~

I have lots of green beans, but for some reason they are not very tasty when cooked. They are tough and have a yuky flavor. I like to eat them raw the best anyway, but how to get the kids to eat them??? I'll have to work on that.

I have lots of baby cucumbers and baby peas, but none that are big enough to pick, yet. These sugar snap peas are my favorite. They grow so well until it gets too hot, then they wilt. I planted them in the shadow of my loquat tree, so hopefully I'll get a few weeks more out of them.

These onions have been in the ground since I planted them last year. I am not sure what happened, but they were only good for the smaller leek type onions until now..they are huge~ I'm saving them for a cookout...they'll be great on hamburgers~ (actually I don't like onions at all, but my family does.)

And peppers, yum. They are destined for pizza and salads and sharing with neighbors.

The Best Way to Re-Gift

2009-05-02T18:00:00.005-05:00

I love getting orchids. I love how they are usually given as live plants that have amazingly gorgeous and unusual flowers. You should really *look* at one some time. Amazing, beautiful and a little scary. Something between an alien and a bug. I also love how they last such a long time.

I was given one last year for either my birthday or Mother's Day. (I can't remember which because they are two weeks apart). I enjoyed it in my kitchen for such along time...to the last.. until the last pitiful wilted petal fell.

I took the remainder of the plant outside to sit in one of my flower beads. I have done this before and that one eventually it died.
Well, this particular plant didn't die. Imagine my surprise when I found little buds had sprouted out of the old stem (which experts say to remove, but i didn't).

So now this birthday/Mother's day, I have my orchid, again! I can't bring it inside because I don't know what critters have taken up residence in the pot; however, it is still a sweet surprise and beautiful.

Pretty Pictures

2009-04-29T22:04:00.002-05:00

For any of you who look at my Mia Sophia shop regularly you may know that I am always trying to improve my photos. Just when I think I've got it down, something changes, either the light, or my camera (one of which died recently) and so I feel I am starting over again.

This is one of the new backdrops I am using. It's a vintage doll head and has a japan sticker on the back. It stands about five inches high, but, from responses I've received from others, it appears to be close to life size and makes the pendants look HUGE! ha ha ha. So, I've made sure there is a picture of someone wearing the necklace in my listing. Also, those holes that are made to attach the doll head to the body, um, how do I say...give me pause...lol. I made her a nice little bodice today. So she'll be more modest from now on.

I think this backdrop is working because I posted it yesterday and it was put in a treasury today (the first this year! yay) click HERE to see the treasury and show it some love...it really is a very nice collection.

Overflowing Generosity

2009-04-27T17:44:00.006-05:00

You want to know the most generous person I've never met? Well, she has a blog called The Graphics Fairy. Daily she posts free vintage clip art images for anyone who would like to copy, download and use in any way. I would love to tell you everything all she has on her list, but there is no room. Her collection is amazing and she gets more and more every week. Go to the site and take a look. You won't believe it.

She also has another site that offers blog backgrounds. The Background Fairy . They are really pretty and vintage themed. My background is one of hers. There are so many colors, patterns, and cute ideas all FREE to download.

Last but not least and saving the best for last, she has an Etsy Shop The Graphics Fairy. It has wonderful pieces of vintage ephemera as well found objects, vintage prints and even vintage wallpapers. There are prints available but some of the items for sale are the actual pieces (my favorite are her maps).

If you are a fan of vintage things, ephemera, pictures and found objects you will fall in love with all of her sites.

Happy Birthday

2009-04-27T06:10:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday. It was great day, all my kids were home (imagine that with three teenagers) and we had lunch with my parents (yes, a pleasant time).

This is my birthday present:

I am so excited. Our main computer is in our game room and that is the only one that was capable of handling all my photo editing requrements as well as having the speed to be on the internet. It is also shared by everyone in the house excluding my husband, who has a "work related only" laptop, and my daughter in college (well can you imagine her letting me touch her macbook?) So I was resigned to sit in a corner, back to the world, to work on line.

NOT ANYMORE~ yay! I am still learning all the ins and outs as well as new photo software (my mind rebels at learning new computer skills) but I'm working through it.

Its now a faster and more efficient me~ wonderful~

Pounced Myself

2009-04-25T15:07:00.003-05:00

This afteroon while killing time and just contemplating taking a nap (hee hee) I pounced myself. I have never done that before it was quite a nice surprise.

For those of you who are wondering "you WHAT??", let me explain. There is a very fun feature on Etsy called Pounce. It randomly selects new shops that haven't sold anything or those that have just made a sale.

As you can see from the middle picture, I showed up on the "just made a sale" pages. What a fun surprise. I've never done that before but it was fun. I'd love to do it again sometime.

My Newest Love....again.....

2009-04-14T22:30:00.002-05:00

I have found a new love. Okay, I know I've said that before (haha see January's posts) but this is truly been fun. All of these items were made with PMC, precious metal clay. It is so fun to see the tiny lump of greyish/brownish clay turn into something so pretty~

I just finished listing them in my Etsy shop and have already had someone convo me to say how much they liked it. That has not happened before, I assure you. So, this is my new passion. Let see how far it goes, shall we?

Gardening in South Texas - Not for the Faint of Heart

2009-04-14T14:51:00.004-05:00

Now, these pictures I am sure will shock you. Especially those of you who live up north. For those of you northern gardeners who get light headed or weak in the knees, please sit down before looking at these pictures.

If you have seen my blog a month ago you would know this is what my garden looked like on March 11:

Sweet little lettuce plants and tiny little tomato plant. So much room left over! ...or so I thought...

This is what it looks like today, one month and 2 days later:

Compare, if you please the tiny tomato plant you see in the first picture (at the far end of the garden) to the monster you now see before you~!

This is a grape tomato plant and bountiful and prolific producer and spreader~ YIKES~! it's taking over. If you look closely at the top left of the plant you can see the tomato cage I put around it to, um, support it? ha ha.

I wanted to share this with my fellow gardening friends. Now I'm off to find a large, strong trellis! While I'm at it I might need a whip and a chair as well! lol

Fulfulling Plans and Dreams

2009-04-09T06:31:00.004-05:00

I did it. I took the plunge. After more than two years reading, studying practicing, ordering supplies, I finally made my first sterling silver piece.

I have wanted to do this long before I began selling on Etsy but was distracted by so many things and have found so many fun and wonderful things to create. But this kept calling me back as the biggest challenge.

This week I finally sat down and created. The heart was sculpted from PMC, for those of you who don't know what that is, it is "precious metal clay". It is pure silver held together with a binder and, when fired, the binder is burned off and you are left with pure silver. I added the ring band (which I also made myself), patina-ed with liver of sulfur (yuk), and polished. All the things I have wanted to do. My daughter has claimed the first ring for her own, but I will be making them as a custom item as well as adding other items as I design them.

I feel I have accomplished a hurdle toward my goals with lots of lovely and fun steps along the way.

One Year on Etsy

2009-03-30T06:36:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my one year anniversary with Etsy. Woohoo! I can't believe it's been one year already. Wow, the things I have learned, the changes that I have made, the skills I have developed.

I'm having a great sale to celebrate so come by and visit. Leave me a message saying you visited my blog and I'll include a free gift with purchase!

Teenage Drivers Sigh

2009-03-25T11:41:00.003-05:00

Ever since she got her license I told my-self it would happen. The odds were for it and to be prepared. Well, it happened. Thankfully she wasn't hurt, and no one else was, either; however, ugh, what a pain. As you can tell she rear-ended someone on the freeway. Unfortunatly she has to drive on the freeway in order to get to school and we knew this was a risk. I was proud of myself. I didn't yell or scream, I calmly told her what to do and how to talk to the other driver. Thankfully, the other driver was very nice to her, they just exchanged information and left. No police, no ticket.

Now to deal with the insurance and rental cars (which she can't drive so she has to drive her dad's truck which he isn't too happy about).

Oh well, it's a learning experience for all of us.

Giving Artfire a Try

2009-03-21T00:22:00.005-05:00

Well, I may be at the end of the line, but I jumped in anyway. It is interesting, I think, to try out new venues. I like to see how other sites work as well as spreading myself out. One of the things I love on Artfire is their rapid check out system. You can see that a little lower and on the left of my blog. This works just like the etsy mini (those of you who are familiar with that) but it doesn't require any set up for the buyer. They can go right here from my blog to purchasing without signing up for anything. Now, while I don't know that is a big deal to people, it is one less step to make that impulse purchase a done deal!

I signed up on Artfire on Wednesday I believe, and had my first sale Thursday. I have heard many are not having any luck with that venue; however, I've made back my initial payment and then some with no other fees coming out of it. It's funny, but there are things I would never trade for Etsy, but Artfire has some nice features, too. Spreading myself around I get to get the best of both worlds.
Register on ArtFire.com

Friday Funny - "British Funny"

2009-03-19T23:22:00.002-05:00

This is the "I can do that" girl. She is always volunteering to do things she has no clue how to do!

Garden Growth

2009-03-19T10:26:00.003-05:00

Ahh Spring. We had a wet and cold front come through last week and I didn't believe it would be warm again. But it is. My garden is grown and blooming. My little seedlings are coming up (clockwise: lettuce, cucumbers, sugar snap peas and green beans) and LOOK!

My tomato plant is blooming. Grape tomatoes are on the way. My favorite.

It is warming up which will now cause these little beauties to grow faster and faster! I can't wait to have my first tomato and basil salad!

Forego Eye Candy and Say a Prayer....

2009-03-17T21:59:00.000-05:00

Liam Neeson has always been one of my actors, as been his wife, Natasha Richardson. It makes me sad to hear of her serious injury and the grim prognosis. Say a prayer for her, him and their family at this awful time.

Soap Diaries Chapter 6 - What went Wrong? or did it?

2009-03-16T23:00:00.005-05:00

This is it. The true reveal. Did it work or not? All three have water spots on the top. While I was waiting (over 24 hours) for this to cure I did a lot of research on line to see what could have been causing this. I found some references to Lye separation (very bad) to condensation (not bad, crosses fingers). I don't have litmus paper so there may not be any way to see what the liquid is, is short of licking it (um , I think not!). So I forge ahead, not one to throw away potential and, now, seeing every thing as a learning experience.
I pop out one of the smaller molds and find a little more water in the mold as well as the bottom is sticky. I wonder if I should have let it sit longer. Just as determined as I am, I am also just as impatient. Maybe not a good combination!

I take the slicer and slice through. The color seems pretty consistent except for the thin "crust" on the top. I know from what I have read that comes from too much heat loss during saponification. (again, Darn cold front!)

I pop out the next mold and it is pretty much the same. Watery bottom and thin crust on top. On to the the large log. As you can see, the bottom also had some moisture. I have a couple of cuts on my hands and that REALLY stings! I wonder if it is the lye separated out. That is also a problem from too little insulation. Darn!

The consistency is fine but look at the color change from one end of the mold to the other. One end was more insulated than the other. (funny it looks a little like brie cheese! especially with that crust on the outside.

So, once again I forge on, cut and arrange this soap for curing. Now, this does have more hope than the first batch because it really smells nice.

And, at the cleanup, it was nice to see a nice lather. Smaller but more bubbles. At least something went right!

(edit: reading on i found a forum where it indicated it would be okay to touch your tounge to the soap to see if the lye separated. it should feel like a "shock" if there is too much lye. So I tried it and, yes, it felt like touching your tounge to a battery! funny, but disappointing. but the lye should neutralize during curing since it was just a slight separation. only the top feels like a shock, the rest of the surfaces are fine. Have a good laugh picturing me licking the soap. hey, it was just one piece!)

New Music Monday/Eye Candy

2009-03-16T06:36:00.001-05:00

Since I missed last week's installment of "Eye Candy" I thought I would combine the segments. Enjoy! The singer is Gerard Way, My Chemical Romance. He usually doesn't look this clean cut, but fills the eye candy requirement very nicely in this video. Enjoy!

Soap Diaries - Chapter 5 The New Batch

2009-03-15T23:18:00.001-05:00

After chatting with a wonderfully helpful seller on Etsy, I was given a simple, easy and small recipe for soap. No complicated ingredients or steps. As you can see from the picture, all the ingredients are found in the baking isle in the grocery store.(except for the lye...see chapter 1) btw...did you know the "vegetable oil" is actually soybean oil? I didn't. So, determined to conquer this soap thing I begin again.

From my experience last time I know that the Lye takes a long time to cool so I begin my by mixing my lye solution. Since the kids aren't home I mix it outside and leave it outside to cool.

I have decided to add a scent this time so, while the lye is cooling I run to Michaels to find some essential oil. The helpful Etsy seller recommended essential oils (EO) as opposed to fragrance oils (FO) because some of the FOs can cause the soap batch to seize. NOT wanting to take that chance I decide on a lovely lavender EO.

Funny thing, though, that we had a cold front the night before I decided to make this soap recipe. So, when I get home my lye has cooled significantly. So significantly it can't be used unless it is warm. Taking advise from an article I read, I filled the sink with very hot water and placed my lye pitcher into the hot water to warm it.

Last time I waited and waited while the lye cooled, this time I wait and wait, refill the sink, then wait and wait until I finally get the lye to 110 degrees.

While I was waiting I mixed my oils and slightly heated them. It took a little juggling of temperatures, but I finally got them both between 105 and 110 (with the lye being the higher temp) and mixed them. The soap is coming together wonderfully. It looks like vanilla pudding. The hard thing is deciding when it is to trace or not. I am hesitant to go too far because I know EOs can cause the soap to thicken quickly too. So, once I can see the droplets remaining on the top of the mixture I add the lavender oil and stir completely.

I then pour into my prepared mold (a foil box. that would make cute squares, huh?) and pour the extra into two rubbermaid containers. (So much for a small batch).

Cover it up and wait. It really smells wonderful and looks just like vanilla pudding.

A few hours later I look and see something disturbing:

there are water droplets accumulating on the top of the soap. Whaa??? I thought it went so well. I touch it and smell it. It has no smell, it isn't oil. Is this the lye separating out? Shoot! I just cover it back up and wait until tomorrow.

It is pretty cold in my kitchen (darn cold front) so, maybe I under-insulated this time? I hope not. I guess the proof will be to see what happens tomorrow.

I seem to be loosing my sense of humor in all this. Maybe it's the weather. Hopefully it'll be back tomorrow. Nite!

Soap Diaries Ch. 4 - Is it Peanut Butter?

2009-03-14T23:34:00.007-05:00

Today dawns another adventure in soapmaking. If you aren't aware of what has been going on this week, start here, at Chapter 1 and read forward. I suspect you'll find it somewhat entertaining and a little educational.

Today is unmolding day. I intend to unmold my soap, cut it and prepare it for curing.

The look of the soap hasn't changed much since last night. The lighter color that was present when it was cold processed soap has disappeared into the darker caramel color you see here. The overall smell has diminished but the ratio of bad vs. vanilla and bad vs. grapefruit is still the same. But, now, this is a challenge for me. I will not give up and start over. I intend to see this through all the way. Even if it ends in the trash.

I prepare my area with my cutting board, a crinkle cutter and my water bottle box lined with wax paper to place my newly cut soap on. Now comes the time to unmold the soap. I pull the sides away from the soap, but the soap moves with the mold. Again I pull, but nothing comes loose. The soap remains sticky. Never fear, I know this can sometimes be a problem, so I calmly pop the molds into the freezer for a few minutes. This should do the trick. 10 minutes pass and I take the molds out of the freezer.Again I twist, press, pull but no luck. They are still sticky. Back into the freezer they go. I'll take a shower . This may take a while.

30 minutes later I emerge, showered and ready to tackle my nemesis. Yes, this soap has become my nemesis. It will not get the best of me and I will not give up!

I pull the sides of the mold and, finally, I see a little air pocket start. I wriggle and push and pull. After a few blunt blows on the bottom of the mold, the soap dislodges and plops onto the cutting board.

It retains it's shape (you can even see the glad logo in the next picture) but the consistency is very similar to that of refrigerated cookie dough. Have you ever made those Pillsbury sugar cookies that you can find in the biscuit section of the grocery store? The consistency of this soap is EXACTLY like that. That can't be good, I think to myself, but, I forge ahead. Measuring and cutting I slice the soap into 3/4 inch wide slices. It is not soft enough to leave finger indentations, but it wouldn't be a difficult if I just pressed a little too hard.
It looks like peanut butter or refried beans. You can see the little flecks of chamomille tea, though. Pretty! if it wasn't that orangey/brown color.Because of my short but tumultuous history with soap making I fear what I might find when I cut into the loaf. But to my surprise, the color is pretty consistent and even throughout. No oil or lye pockets (which may be due to the re-batching), and it almost looks nice, almost.

Well, it is all sliced and drying. I did throw away the end pieces because I didn't have room and, although this may be useable, one day, my hope is springing less and less eternal the more I go through this train wreck!

The smells are still there and the color is lighter than it was. It really is the exact color of peanut butter. I am going to leave this for a couple of days to see how it cures. I'll keep you apprised of its development.

Soap Diaries, Chapter 3 - The Mess....and smell....

2009-03-13T23:07:00.005-05:00

On first glance this morning all seemed well with my soap. This is what I woke up to. Nice, solid, not pretty, but not too smelly chunks of soap. Maybe with some more curing the smell will lessen. (If you aren't familiar with previous problems you might want to start at chapter 1).

Despite my daughter's description of it as "throw-up", I forge ahead, determined to cut and cure it. But, when I pick it up to turn it out of the mold, I find a gloppy mess that has accumulated in the bottom of the mold. (I was so disappointed I didn't take a picture). Basically, the middle of the underside looks a little mushy and there is a small pool of oil. Bright Orange oil, by the way. Oh, and a hideoderous smell!

Disappointed, I go to the Miller website to search their troubleshooting pages. I find that the same problem that caused my wrinkly, yet harmless, top also contributed to the oily mess on the bottom of my mold. Basically I over insulated during the "saponification" (go to gel) stage. I should have removed the insulation when I saw the soap had gelled. *sigh*. Now, the only thing to do is "re-batch".

Well, what that entails is melting down the soap (which will never be considered cold process again) and re-molding it. Almost like a hot process soap, I think. ( I haven't fully explored that technique yet but, maybe in a future diary post.) This is not what I want to do, but I really have no choice.

I, NEVER one to give up, am determined to forge ahead. I am not a quitter and I won't throw out what maysomeday be, although continually doubtful, useful soap.

Now, remember the smell that I encountered when I was making the soap? I didn't give any effort to describing it because, honestly, it defies description. I can't quite put words to it. Its a heavy smell, almost putrid like, kindof kicks you in the back of the throat. Luckily the smell does not permeate my kitchen and is only noticeable within an arms reach of the soap. But, hope springs eternal and maybe it will be better with the re-batch.

After reading re-batching instructions on the Miller site I preheat my oven to 200 degrees and get out my soap pot. I take one of the molds and turn it out. Immediately I am engulfed in the awful smell. Honestly, it makes the eyes water and the throat close up. Now, the rebatch instructions explain that melting the soap in the oven will take a couple of hours. I see this as an opportunity to hunt down some scent.

I know, I was trying not to use scent and keep the soap pure, but I KNOW my daughter will not allow this soap within 10 feet of her if it smells like this. So, off I go to Hobby Lobby. The scents that are available at Hobby Lobby are not the best, but, in a pinch, they are what are available to me.

I pick up two scents. Vanilla and Grapefruit.

I don't know why, but I failed to photograph this step. When I come home and check the pot the soap is almost all melted. It stirs up beautifully (as opposed to the mushy mess I expected, probably because it was not cured at all), but still has that bad smell. I pour the entire bottle of vanilla scent (only .5 oz), stir, and then place it in another mold. I dump the second batch into the pot (uggugghssheesh that smell!), and place it in the oven. In a couple of hours I repeat with the grapefruit scent. Well, I can't tell but I think the smells are worse. One with the heavier scent of vanilla under "the smell" and one with the sharp grapefruit over "the smell". I soldier on, not being one to quit, and cover the re-batched batches of soap.

Now, instead if it looking like "throw-up" it now looks like a dark caramel, but not as smooth. Yes, caramel and I'm sticking to it no matter how many times my kids say it looks like poop! It looks mushier, not as smooth as it did when it was cold process.

On a bright side, when I was cleaning up, the soap made wonderful bubbles and didn't make my hands stink! Once again, hope springs eternal.

Tomorrow I'll tackle unmolding and cutting. Stay tuned...who knows what will happen. (those of you worried about me, don't be worried. I am now on a mission to see this through. I SERIOUSLY doubt anything useful will come of this soap, but now, it's like a trainwreck and I can't wait to see what happens next!)

Funny Friday

2009-03-13T16:26:00.003-05:00

I've been so busy with soap I've missed some of my regular posts. I completely missed the Wednesday eye candy. Bummer, but I have something for New Music Monday that will make up for it!

For now, here's the Friday Funny. Ya'll have a great weekend.

Soap Diaries, Chapter 2 - Mixing Day!

2009-03-12T23:47:00.003-05:00

Today is the big day. I am making soap for the first time. I am very excited now that I finally have all my supplies. (Go back and read chapter 1 if you haven't to see how fun the supply hunt was!) I have read a ton of articles (including some time on the Barnes and Noble couches scouring books), watched a plethora of videos on many different websites and now I am ready!

I begin looking over my recipe and thinking about how this will be good for my daughter's skin. But, wait, what did I read about chamomile being good for eczema? It's supposed to have calming properties. Well, I do have some chamomile tea and I did read where instead of water you could add tea to the lye (or lye to the tea - safety first). Why don't I just do that? So, I made very strong chamomile tea.

While I wait for the tea to finish brewing, I get my mold ready, get all my ingredients together and then my mind begins to review what I have seen in the many videos I've watched. I saw an interesting segment on about.com showing how to add goats milk into the soap. Well, goats milk is good for the skin! I should do that! Since I had some evaporated goats milk on hand I was set! All I had to do was use half the water(or tea in this case)with the lye and mix equal parts goats milk and the other half of the water to add later. This would make my lye solution stronger, but, hey, I can handle it!

When the tea was ready I weighed out half the amount of water, the full amount of lye, poured the lye into my pitcher and stirred. I then took the other half of the water and mixed it with an equal amount of goats milk. All ready to go. I know the lye heats up when mixed so I know I will have to wait for it to cool down. I popped in (yes, I was careful) my thermometer. 150 degrees! Sheesh. This will take forever. So I decide to measure my oils. I heat the oils somewhat to melt the coconut oil. Boy what a smell! That olive oil stinks. I hope it gets better.

Reviewing my recipe and everything I had learned in my mind I remember that the lye couldn't be hotter than the oils....or was it the other way around? Up the stairs I go to the computer to read. If you haven't found this website yet it is a wonderful resource! Millers Homemade Soap Pages. This has pages and pages of information regarding sources, recipes, how tos, trouble shooting, etc. (No, I did not have this resource before I went on the hunt for lye - see chapter 1). This is where I found the information. Okay, the oils can't be hotter than the lye. Good! Off downstairs to check my lye temp. 145 degrees. Sheesh! I go sit and watch tv for 10 minutes or so......check temp again. 140~ oh boy. Now, keep in mind it is recommended that the temp be between 100 or 110 degrees. This is going to take forever! I check my temp on the oils and they were about 110 so we were good there, but waiting on the lye. boy that olive oil stinks! Off to watch tv again...... well about an hour and a half later the lye is cool enough.

It is time to mix. I, once again don my gloves and safety glasses, grab my stick blender and get ready to pour the lye. (I had to slightly heat the oils again b/c they were too cool. Everything now is about 110 degrees.)

First I pour in the goats milk. Interesting combination oil and goats milk. All separate as you can image. No worries, I pour in the lye solution and begin mixing. Now this is beginning to be a weird orange color. Really weird orange. But, maybe it'll be good once it gets to trace.

I mix and stir, mix and stir (alternating running the stick blender on low and stirring with it). It takes about 15 minutes to get to trace (olive oil soaps are notoriously slow to trace - so I've been told). But, I finally got to trace. It is a thin trace, not what I have seen on the videos (I realized that AFTER when I re-watched the videos) but it'll do. Now, I'm looking for a pure soap so I didn't plan on adding any scent. I don't know how my daughter's skin will react so it's best just to leave it out. I do, however, add some dried chamomile tea to the mix, which adds pretty little specs in the soap. ~I wish I could add a scent, because this really is a little smelly!~ And, what's with the orange color ? Did the chamomile do that?

I pour the mixture into my molds which, since I'm not that concerned with appearance, just quality of soap, are plastic glad containers. ~Man, what an awful smell, though~. I keep going anyway and set them on a towel and then wrap them up in about four towels. They have to be kept warm in order to set up right.

A couple of hours later I go to peek at how they are doing I am so happy they are getting to a nice gel stage. Apparently the reaction is still going on and it heats all up again and liquefies somewhat jello like and then re-solidifies. "saponification" class, now everyone say it with me. Anyway, it needs to stay warm so I cover it up again.

Later I have to peek again because, hey, I'm nosy that way. Well, the tops are all wrinkly! Hmm, I've seen that before on the trouble shooting page of the miller website. So I cover it all back up and run upstairs again to read the website. "Too much insulation during gel phase". Oh boy! I run downstairs and take off the towels. I had thought, "if one towel is good, four must be better". Well no... but no major damage was done, I'm just wanting a quality soap. But, boy, what is with the smell??? and the weird orange color?

Now all the hard work is done, it's just time to let it set up for a couple of days, cut it and let it cure. I'll share tomorrow what comes out and, hopefully it at least smells tolerable!

The Soap Diaries, Chapter 1- The Hunt!

2009-03-11T23:39:00.003-05:00

I have long wanted to make soap. I have always thought it would be a fun thing to do that I could include everyone in. I don't plan on making a business out of (which is good....read on....) but for just a hobby it would be interesting. And, since I am a purist (cough, cough) I wanted to do cold process, from scratch!

So, I came upon a recipe the other day for olive oil soap. It sounded like it would be good for my daughter, who has eczema. I search for soaps that don't have nut oils or soy oils because of her allergies, so I thought just a pure olive oil soap would be great.

So, I started researching how to do it, reading lots of websites and watching tons of videos. I learned through my research that pure olive oil soaps aren't that great of a soap. They can be slimy, not lather well, and smell bad. I began my search for a better recipe.

I came upon one that had some coconut oil in it. That promised to be a better soap, less slimy and more bubbly. I settled on that one. Now, to find my ingredients. In all the websites and instructions I had read, I was lead to believe the supplies (including lye) were readily available in any store. So, off to Walmart I went.

I found coconut oil and olive oil in Walmart. I also picked up plastic measuring cups, two candy thermometers, a pitcher to be dedicated to use with lye and various plastic spoons and spatulas. Now for the lye. I went to the draino isle....no lye. Maybe in the hardware department. I found a well meaning helpful employee to ask. After trying to explain what I wanted to repeated puzzled looks I began a sentence that I would repeat more times than I would have imagined in a 24 hour period. "No, I don't want lime, I want lye, L-Y-E". They don't carry lye. "No, sorry mam, we don't carry it".

Hmmm. Oh well, Home Depot is just across the street. I make my purchases and head to Home Depot....The same scenario......"No, I don't want Lime, I want Lye. L-Y-E!" . Sorry mam.

Off to Lowes. I head to the plumbing department and was lucky enough to find someone who knew what they were talking about. After explanations and puzzled looks as to why a nice girl like me would want something like lye. Sorry mam, no lye, but you might find it at a feed store. A feed store? What's a feed store? After some not so clear directions I was off the beaten path, on a mission. Down farm to market road 11-something-or-other to find a feed store.

Now, please realize I am a city girl. When I was young I used to be around horses all the time, but, they belonged to a friend. My extent of horses/cattle/livestock experience has always been from the observer's standpoint with the exception of an occasional ride. Imagine the shock to my sense of smell when I opened the door to that feed store. I almost wretched. I know I let out an audible "uughgghgaasheeh" before I saw the clerk on the other side of the too close counter! Long story short "No, I don't want lime, I need lye L-Y-E", back in the car.

Now, again, I was lead to believe this was readily available, so it must be here somewhere! Ace Hardware No 1: "No, I don't want lime, I want lye, L-Y-E". Ace Hardware No. 2: "No, I don't want lime, I want lye, L-Y-E". Sorry, mam.

While driving through town I spotted a plumbing store that I could tell was a warehouse and dealt directly with tradesmen but I was desperate! I did a u-turn and pulled in. Both men sitting behind the counter had a lip FULL of chewing tobacco and looked at me like I had two heads. After questions and more puzzled looks (no, I didn't have to use my new catch phrase), they had to look on their shelves to see if they had any. Nope. No Lye. Sorry mam.

One last stop at the Giant HEB, if anyone had it they would. Searching and searchin the giant store that I was not familiar with deepened my frustrated mood. I couldn't find any and thought a clerk wouldn't appreciate me yelling "L-Y-E" at her, so I didn't bother asking, I just went home.

Expecting to have to online order I began googling. Eureka! I learned why lye isn't available anymore. One word - Methamphetamine. Sheesh! Can you believe that is used in making meth? (an aside note: no wonder it kills your brain.) Thanks for ruining it for all the soapmakers and allergy sufferers out there!

Finally, through many websites and many links I found a supplier. aaa-chemicals.com. The price seemed reasonable and the amount, too. So, planning to place my order and reading about the company I read the most beautiful words I could have possibly read that day "If you're in the Houston Area, come on by and save on shipping" Wha???? they're local??? The soap gods were being good to me. Not only were they local, they were about six miles from my house! WOOHOO!

I hopped in the car and headed straight over there. As you can tell from their website, they are a chemical distributor, but dabble in soap supplies because the owners are soapers themselves. Very nice people! They gave me lots of tips, talked soap for a while, and linked me up with their soaping forum. (had never heard of Etsy, though...so I gave them MY card)

I headed home happily with my bottle of Sodium Hydroxide (L-Y-E). I'd have to put off my soap making until tomorrow, but, I had everything I needed. It was a productive day!

New Spring Line

2009-03-11T06:25:00.005-05:00

I hate to admit it, but I was weak.

It has long been a dream of mine to learn silversmithing. I know it takes work and investment but it's something I have always wanted to learn. Well, I have been saving my etsy money to start buying tools but, last week, I had to go get some beads for a custom order. *sigh* walking into the bead store I just couldn't resist! It's a new bead store and there are GORGEOUS BEADS EVERYWHERE!

Needless to say, I blew my budget. But really, I don't mind! I love my new spring earrings and the bracelet. The little red jade beads remind me of currants. The yellow jade and blue glass look a little latin influence to me. The bracelet is amazing on and the blue earrings with the laboradorite are so elegant.

Well, I guess the silversmithing can wait. Who can save with so many gorgeous beads around?

New Music Monday

2009-03-09T01:57:00.003-05:00

This is one of my favorite songs. It is from the play Les Miserables. He (Jean Val Jean) has been on the run from the law for most of his adult life. He now is singing this prayer for a very badly wounded young man (Marius) who he just found out is in love with his daughter (Cosette), and his daughter loves him. In revolutionary France, imagine a father's thoughts towards a man who he knew would take care of his daughter and keep her safe after he is gone.

Now I must say, no one else can sing this song the way say this man, Colm Wilkinson , sings it. To say he is an amazing singer is a huge understatement. Close your eyes and listen to his voice, the emotion, the notes,..ahhhh. I could listen to this all day. I hope you enjoy it.

btw: if you have never seen this play, it is a must for a bucket list!

Friday Funny!!!

2009-03-06T04:23:00.000-06:00

This will make you laugh out loud!

Potential, Part 2

2009-03-05T04:16:00.002-06:00

These beauties, along with various seeds are going here:

It's time to get the garden going! I've weeded, composted, manured (yeah) and weedblock-ed the garden. Time to add the seeds, plants, trellis, stakes and the love!

addendum: sorry I forgot to tell you what I was going to plant. From left to right: Green Peppers, Grape Tomatos (which becomes a monster if anything like last year), basil (which also grows huge here in the Houston climate), and butter lettuce. I also planted sugar snap peas, green beans and cucumbers. Those are seeds which I'll update on when they sprout.

Eye Candy

2009-03-04T04:08:00.003-06:00

As you can see from the pictures, this weeks offering of "eye candy" is Sean Connery. I couldn't decide on an old or new picture because, regardless of age, he is gorgeous. (and honestly, looks kindof like my dad so maybe I'm a little prejudice). He is my favorite James Bond, by far.

Anyways, take a break for just a minute and enjoy a little candy before returning to busy life.

Potential

2009-03-03T03:38:00.002-06:00

I love spring. I love the warmth spring sun brings. How it feels on your back as you work in your yard. I love the new things it brings: sprouts of new life, promises of a fresh start, anticipation as to what will come.

I walked through my back yard today and found that most of my photos had to do with potential. See if you can spot the potential.

Spring is Optimism for the future. It will come and bring good things.

Tiny Treasures, are the Leprechauns Around?

2009-03-02T15:25:00.004-06:00

The loveliest of things can just surprise you when you least expect it. After trimming my roses and shrubs I found this little gem smiling up at me. I have a strict policy with my husband that he is not to get rid of this type of clover as long as it isn't in the grass. It is such a sweet little plant that will, just when you least expect it, surprise you.

It shows up in unexpected places and in unexpected ways. This next picture is also a surprise, but in a fun way. Have you ever seen a clover leaf this big? I haven't, and I live in Texas where everything is supposed to be big!

I didn't find a pot of gold, but these little moments are treasures.

I hope you find your own little treasures when your snow starts to melt and spring arrives!

My First Ad~

2009-02-28T16:03:00.003-06:00

I placed my first ad this week with craftcult. After seeing it on the page I was thinking it looked a little boring. I know, though, when you've seen something a hundred times it can loose it's luster. What do you think? This first one, or the next one, which I made myself and didn't pay for?

Is this one better or does it just seem that way to me because it's new? What do you think?

Finally Finished

2009-02-26T06:48:00.003-06:00

This is just a small example of what I have been working on for the past week. I made well over 50 of these little guys in lots of colors for two new consignment orders. Don't you hate when your love for something turns into a chore? But, I take a step back, look at my accomplishment, and feel so satisfied and pleased with they way they turned out. I think of all who will be wearing flowers in their hair this spring (and hopefully not just little girls!). Contentment...

I ran out of some colors, though, so I had to re-order. Exciting thing is, though, see that there are no white in the bunch? That's because Brides.com got dibs on the few I had left. They want to see them in person to consider them for a feature in their "Copy Her Style" editorial coming up. Cross your fingers and say a little prayer that they'll be chosen.

Sharing the Finer things in Life

2009-02-18T07:56:00.002-06:00

I am up to my eyeballs in three wholesale/consignment projects but I thought I'd share one of the finer things that has been shared with me. Just pause and take a moment to enjoy before returning to work. :-)

Have a great day!

They're Here!

2009-02-11T16:54:00.005-06:00

I am so excited to show you my Moo cards. For those of you who are not familiar with Moo Cards, they are a company based in London that make many products including these mini moo cards, full size business cards, stickers, post cards and lots more. You choose what you want, and can upload your pictures from flickr, your computer and even your etsy shop. You can upload as many or as few as you like. For the mini moos, you then choose the text to be placed on the back of the card. (This is my first order so I don't know how the other products work).

I am so pleased with how they turned out. I used the vintage images that I use in my jewelry for the Mia Sophia cards. I used pictures of my items for my Friendly Banter cards.

They are a really nice, heavy card stock, matte finish, clear and beautiful pictures. I am so happy with my order, and it arrived from London in about a week!

New Animated Ad

2009-02-11T06:26:00.006-06:00

This is my new animated ad. Cute, huh.

<<---------------------see how it works? Can't wait to find a good place to put it!

:-)

2009-02-09T21:44:00.003-06:00

I made a treasury yesterday. I occasionally check the treasuries to see if I'm featured and yesterday, as I clicked on the treasury lists, there was a box at the bottom, asking for a title. So, I'm not sure where the inspiration came from (maybe all the cloudy days and not being able to photograph a thing?) but I got one. It took forever to come up with items to fill it. I felt bad for anyone who saw they were in, then out, then in... but I finally finished it. It brightens things up a little.