From 0-60 in just 2 days!

I just went from a girl who works til noon and then spends the rest of the day trying to keep busy, to a girl with so much going on, my head is spinning!

First, let's talk business...

(I've changed my name to Plain Fancy Paper, but this image doesn't reflect that for whatever reason)

My giveaway has just about a day left. ---> check out the box/widget to the right to see how you can enter to win a fun quilled paper necklace!  I'm trying to promote my etsy shop and my facebook fan page.  But, I'm also trying to get an idea of what calls out to people.  What designs are winners, which ones would you be draw to if you were out shopping at your locally owned/operated gifty shops?  

All this, of course, means I really need to get into the studio on a more regular basis!  I've been very bad about this over the winter.  It's just so much easier to snuggle up with the dog, than go down to my basement studio!

Second, I have my other project...

The Barracuda project.  The 1967 Plymouth my sister and I inherited from Dad almost a year ago, which we were going to restore and get back on the road.  Well, it has come down to me...mostly begging my brother to help me once Spring arrives.  But, staying true to myself, I have decided I really need to take matters into my own hands, and I've enrolled in a Basic Automotive Repair class at one of the Tech schools on Cape.  So, starting in a couple weeks I'll have class every Tuesday night for 8 weeks.  I am hoping it will help with the restore, but it can't hurt to have practical knowledge for every day life, too!

Third...well, third...

Roller Derby??

(source: google search: www.thefedoralounge.com)

Yep!  I haven't quite committed yet, since I don't really know what the time requirements will be.  I'm going to a meeting with about 20 girls to hash out details.  I've always wanted to try it!  It's a great excuse for me to focus on getting back into shape and committing to my workouts!  Plus, most of the girls are moms, so their time constraints are sure to be less flexible than mine, right?  The main issue for me is the money, of course...I'm looking at $300 just for start up gear!  But, again...first we meet...then I decide!  

It seems odd to anyone who is always on the go, but this girl can't remember the last time I had so much on my plate.  I'm sure it's because all of it costs money...but leaves no time for a second job!  This is when we realize our priorities, I guess.

So to all of you busy people, enjoy your week!  Maybe you get an extra day off for President's Day?  Maybe you are home with the kids for February Break?  Maybe, though I hope not, you are one of the unfortunates stuck at home with the flu!  But whatever your reason for being on line and checking in with my little blog...be sure to check out the giveaway!  Let me know what you think, good or bad, please!  And you could be the lucky winner of the groovy yellow flower necklace!

Head's up!

This necklace could be YOURS!

IT'S COMING!! A GIVEAWAY!

I'm hoping to get some of my stuff in some local retail shops & boutiques this Spring.

I'm asking for your help, and will be offering this necklace as thanks to one lucky winner.

More details on the way.

I'm not starting the giveaway until Sunday morning...I'm just giving you a head's up...

not really Pinterested

I did it.  I'm about to alienate myself from a lot of people out there, but that's just life, I guess.
I recently expressed my confusion concerning the popularity of Pinterest.  It seems as though everyone who blogs, tweets, or uses any other form of social media has used it, and they love it.  Finally, with a couple minutes to spare before work the other day, I checked out.  I was overwhelmed by the home page that opened up.  What was I supposed to do with that mess of images??
The next day, a co-worker (and facebook friend) posted something to facebook about something she pinned or something she and her daughter made after finding it on Pinterest.  I commented that I liked the heart-shaped crayons they made, but didn't understand the appeal of Pinterest.  Yesterday she came up to me and said, 'You don't use Pinterest!?  I'd have thought it was right up your alley!'  After a short conversation she suggested I give it another go, and recommended I try the 'DIY & Crafts' tab.
This morning, I did.  At this point I had it in my head that I would fall in love with it, and spend all day looking and pinning.  After about 10 minutes of sensory overload and a still confused voice in my head questioning the purpose of Pinterest, I hopped over to the 'About' page. 

And there I got my answer! 

 The question: why am I not in love with this thing that everyone around me is so into, and worse yet, something that my friends think is 'right up my alley'!?  What am I missing?
It hit me like a ton of bricks...I am not that person who scours the internet looking for images and 'things'.  Oh, how I would love to be, but I am not.  Obviously, as you can see by my blog, I don't tend to be image heavy.  I wish that I was, but if it's time or effort holding me back, I don't know... they just don't make it into my internet world.
It kind of made me sad, too.  I took a correspondence course in photography the year after getting booted out of university.  I was 19 and didn't know what else to do.  (And, it was all through the mail!!  The 'ooh, look what else we offer' draw was that you could use your PHONE -land line, of course, no cells back then!- to call in your test answers or speak with a professor!)
I wasn't great by the end...my 'final' was a 3-part hands-on photo session of sorts where you mailed in your photos for critique.  I still have my 'wildlife' entry: a picture of my cat sitting in a field of tall grass and little purple flowers.  As the years went on, I experimented with my camera and took some pretty cool artsy photos. I grew a lot, and took, what I believe to be some really great photos.
But, alas, I am not a digital girl.  Since giving up my film camera efforts, I have fallen out of love with photography.  Taking photos...not viewing.
Who cares?  Well, probably no one, but I think it is part of the reason I tend not to post pics...they are not good examples of my skills.  Or, the skills I once had, anyway.

So, back to Pinterest.  To me, it's just a jumbled mess of too much stuff to sort through, for a person with no patience for that sort of thing.  If I'm gonna spend hours sorting through photographs, I want to touch them...have them in my hands.  I'm old fashioned.  I want to break out of this moldy oldy rut, but I think it may be too late for that.
But, I also think I'm okay with it.
I'm certainly not saying that people who love Pinterest are just sitting around all day looking at pictures!  I know all too well about finding a site you love and spending hours, without even realizing, just lost in it all.  But, for me, Pinterest isn't that site.  For now, I'm sure someone, some other day, will convince me to try again.  Or, maybe some day I will simply have more time to sort through it all?!

Moving on...

My giveaway is turning out to be a bust, but that's okay.  I have come to realize that I don't have the time to promote and 'virtually' socialize on a scale that will really make a difference in my online presence.  Again, that's okay, it's just how it is.  Until I have more time, I will just continue to putter along as best I can.
But it's still gonna happen...the giveaway, I mean.  Here's a link to the original post, and I amended the time frame so that you may enter up through Thursday; and, the winner will be announced in a post Friday. 

Here's a quick recap of rules, if you don't want to go back in time to read them:

1. Check out my Facebook Fan Page and ‘Like’ me.  You can also access it by clicking the 'MyDearest' box at the top right side of this page.  Let me know in your comment here.
2. Follow my blog, and let me know in a comment here.
3. Do you have friends who may be interested in my shop? why not blog about this giveaway, and add a link (and let me know in a comment here)!
4. Do you tweet? ‘Follow’ me. Tweet me something…it’ll be fun!
OH, and the prize, again, will be a quilled snowflake and a cotton bag with one of my original designs (ironed on).  It's a play on this crazy late summer-like weather we are having this winter!  It's February 1st and I can go outside without a coat!!  In New England!!

Now, all of this is to (gulp!) promote my Etsy shop that I've recently re-opened with a new line of paper jewelry,and some new hardcover journals.  So, if you are so inclined, you may also want to go there, too.

Perhaps my next post will just be pictures!? 

good news...giveaway update

After thinking about my giveaway a little more, I decided that just one weekend isn't enough time.  In my original plan, the giveaway would've run closer to a week, but then things got away from me...but, I didn't change the end date.

But, now I am changing the end date!

I've decided to run the giveaway through Thursday...and, I'll pick a winner to announce in my post on Friday.  That seems more fair.

So, again, good luck!  And thanks for sharing!!

And, if you missed the original post, or are just tuning in and want to know more, go here for the original post.  There you will find the 'rules' and take a peek at the prize!

It's Friday...time for my first giveaway!

Boy, I'm coming in under the wire for a 'Friday MORNING' post!!  As you may remember, Hubby is in NYC for a conference this weekend.  He left early yesterday morning, and I was out ALL DAY yesterday.  So, since I took the next two days off, that meant no alarm or good reason to get up at 5a.m. as I usually do.  It meant, instead, that I made the dog wait until 6 a.m. for her breakfast.  It meant freshly brewed coffee and homemade pancakes for breakfast, and lingering in my jammies. It also meant catching up on all I missed from being away from my computer for nearly 24 hours!
So, here we are at 11 a.m. and I'm finally to the point where I can post my giveaway post.
I have officially re-opened my etsy shop (MyDearest -yes, I've decided to keep my original name) and added some great new stuff.  I DID leave my old stuff in, too, for now so that my shop isn't nearly empty.
And, now I'd like to invite you all to take a peek.
Here are the giveaway rules, if you'd like to play along!

First, you should check out my Etsy shop, since it is what I’ve been working on getting up and running. Then,


1.  Check out my Facebook Fan Page and ‘Like’ me (if you truly do, of course).
2.  Follow my blog, if you don’t already, and let me know in a comment here.
3.  Do you have a blog of your own, with friends who may be interested in my shop? why not blog about this giveaway, and add a link (and let me know in a comment here)!
4.  Do you tweet? I’m trying to get into it…why not ‘Follow’ me? Tweet me something…it’ll be fun! Each of these actions will get you an entry into the drawing, so do as many or as few as you like. I’m just trying to find some love for my shop, out there in cyberspace. Anyone who is already doing any of these things will automatically get entered, for your previous kindness! (if you’re not interested, you can just let me know, but who doesn’t love free stuff!?)

The prize?
This hot new bag…










...and this cool quilled snowflake!

 

The bag is 100% cotton (it’s going to shrink a bit when you wash it) in a ‘natural’ creamy color. It has been awesomely embellished with an iron on transfer. The design is an original, by me. I took a piece of card stock and cut out a flame outline, then put the outer bit over another piece of card stock. Then, of course, there was some scanning and printing, etc, etc.
The snowflake is one of many that I made over this winter. It was my entry into the world of quilling and I just fell in love. Every single snowflake I made, pulled me deeper into love with this art form. I’ve added some jewelry to my shop, using this art of paper twirling.

The winner will be chosen by random at noon this Sunday afternoon. I know it’s not a lot of time, but I’m hoping that this will not be my last giveaway.

Good luck, Everyone!! And thanks for helping me get a little deeper into this social networking thing!

Oh, and Happy Friday!