So easily distracted

I thought I'd do some etsy shopping today.  There was one thing in particular that I kept checking out on my phone yesterday, decided I'd go ahead and buy it today, but it is gone.  But, just that little set back had me searching again for a gift for our family gift swap on Christmas Eve.  The only real problem is that I tend to just find lots of stuff that I want!
Never anything I need...just fun stuff that I would totally buy if I had unlimited funds.

Like these awesome shoes that I want simply because they remind me of a pair my grandma used to have.  We used them when we played around the house.  I'm not sure where I'd wear them in my life now, but they are gorgeous!

(source: 9LivesVintageWears)

And, our upcoming trip has my mind wandering even more when I'm browsing!

I love this!

(source:Gracie Designs)

This is super cool, but it's also a definite 'unlimited funds' kind of want:

(source: The Steam Emporium)

And after all of this, still no idea what to do about our gift swap!  We have a $20 limit, and it has to be handmade...we may make it ourselves or buy handmade.  The biggest struggle I have is trying to find something for everyone wrapped up in one gift.  But, it just doesn't have to be that way...I'm always making things harder for myself.  There are few things out there that will be 'the perfect gift' for everyone in our little group of 8 totally different personalities!  I'm slowly coming to grips with that. 

Or, maybe I just make something edible!



A beautiful Thanksgiving Day

At this moment, I'm thankful for this beautiful day. I got to go for an early run this morning!

This year marks our 12 wedding anniversary.  Tomorrow is the official date, but we always use our day off for Thanksgiving to celebrate, since it was actually Thanksgiving day when we got hitched.  This year is also the first year in several years that I actually have the whole day off.  Having left my job at the animal hospital when my dad's health started to decline so rapidly, I don't have the type of job that requires me to work when the business is closed.  Even better, I volunteered to do an 'overnight' shift Friday/Saturday.  That means, I got out of work yesterday at noon, have today off, and don't have to be to work until 9 PM on Friday! 
Today's agenda, now that I got my run out of the way, includes tearing into one of my piping hot cinnamon rolls, walk to the beach and pick up our freshly baked bread at the bakery, then some Detroit Lions football and beer, followed by massive amounts of turkey and whatnot.  OH, and probably my regularly scheduled workout...just to make sure I can handle all the food and beer!

I have been trying to make time to make my snowflakes, too...

I want to get some up at the bakery; but, also get some up in my Etsy shop this year.  I'm just not sure I'm gonna make it!

I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday spent with the people you love and are thankful for (or not, like us...we'll be alone, the way we like our thanksgiving/anniversary).

the long and the short of it

Craft fairs are a weird thing for me.  I only usually go if someone else I know is planning on going so that I at least know I will have someone to chat with.  In my experience, that's pretty much all I end up doing.  There's a small sale here and there, but I am in awe of the people who are able to use craft fairs as supplemental income.
Let me also state that I took ONE photo of my booth, as reference mostly, I had been instructed once to send a picture of a past fair set up when I applied to a holiday fair several years ago...you never know when you'll need proof.  For some reason, my computer (that I already hate because of how loud the hard drive is and how slow it is to do ANYTHING) won't recognize the files.  So i can see my latest pics on my camera, but not on my computer...which is not helpful at all.  Technology and me...we are not friends.  Never have been, and I fear never will be.

Which makes me sad, since I would love to some day be able to, at least, make some part time money online.  I get nervous when I fire up the ol' laptop to check my etsy site, just to end up sitting for 30 minutes waiting for the darn thing to stop creaking!  I suppose my troubles could be solved with a bigger budget, but that's just not happening right now.

So, I have no pictures from the fair.  The first day was so cold near the end that I didn't want to go back for the second day.  I had sold a few things to friends who came to support me and local artists, but only one snowflake to a stranger.  Same thing next day...friends showed up, lots of people lingered, and even came back for a second look, but nothing major.  One of the ladies who runs the fair apparently does all her Christmas shopping at the fair.  She bought my last 8 snowflakes!
That means, back to work on those! Last year, I never got them up on my Etsy shop, because they all sold at the bakery.  This year, I was planning on bringing leftover fair flakes to the bakery and making a bunch for etsy.  Now I'll be making snowflakes non-stop for the next two weeks!

Now I'm considering a couple other fairs this winter, to see if I can snag a few more holiday sales.  But that means more time off work, so we'll see.

Falmouth Artisan Fair

My oh my, where does the time go!?  I feel like I have been more busy since leaving my job at the vet, than I did working two jobs!
I had decided months ago to participate in an art/craft fair at the farm where my sister works.  It is finally happening this weekend, and I feel greatly under-prepared.  I mean, I have my displays made and a general idea of how to work my 4 foot table, but I didn't get nearly as much product made as i was hoping.  I am also nervous, having sold only a couple items on line this year (one was a custom order).  I did, however, have a surge of friends at work buying stuff.  All sparking from a gift I made a friend!
At any rate, I've been working away at trying to get stuff together that I think will be a good representation of my work...in real life.

Three new earring designs...they make me think of little hard candies!

My new favorite necklace...I'm loving the combo of paper pendant and metal chain.

These tiny trees are spin-offs of a larger, pink version I made for my friend who just finished her chemo/radiation.

I am always pleased with the finished product, but I feel the internet makes it hard for people to see the real excitement of how strong these paper pieces really are!  I'm hoping by being out there, and promoting myself a bit, that I may get more online traffic.  I do have plans to peddle my wares to local shops this spring, if I have success this weekend.

My little packaging station.

 I also, since it's pretty clear around here that people are beginning to think about holiday shopping and wintry decorations, I have been a snowflake making factory when my fingers start fumbling with the tiny strips of paper I use for my jewelry.



I was able to sell these at my friends' bakery last winter and they did really well.  They're a lot of fun to make...and they keep my hands busy, and away from the cookie jar!

Well, last week was our Hurricane Sandy, but yesterday and especially today, we are getting a lot more rain and, I think, heavier winds.  We lost power again yesterday evening, too.  I'm sure they are closing all or our Cape beaches, as I type this.

I hope everyone has a great weekend, and I hope I can get back to blogging once I'm not working around the clock!