Rainy Day Treasury

Cute Rainy Day Treasury on etsy that included my Sunny Bunny. I just love the colors and theme. Click here if you need to jump to the live treasury page and capture of those offerings for yourself.

Into the Forest

Fall is in the air here in Oregon, though the days are still quite warm. I'm back in the studio full time, ready to stock my shops with goodness and bliss. I have basically taken the past six weeks off for summer with the kids, gardening, camping, canning, swimming, then end of summer de-clutter for home and yard. I see the studio needs that TLC too. It's easy to be a pack rat when one is a designer/crafter/artist because "I will use that one day" is probably true.... however if one can't get into her studio due to all the goodies stored there..... lol. It's not that bad. yet.

Check out this gorgeous etsy treasury. My gnome ornaments are everywhere this season, but haven't sold one pair yet. It's funny that my Bliss Forest shop (gnomes, bunnies, woodland plush) get tons of visits and press, but not many sales. I hope people will be returning for holiday gifting. Ninja Bunnies are the current selling item in BlissForest.

Here's a question: Do you think it a good idea if I were to offer Gnome prints for people to embroider or paint, and sew their own ornaments? It would be the gnome set, printed on cotton, with instruction/inspiration sheet?

Here's to Autumn (clinking coffee cups).
xoxoxo
Aly

Front Page ETSY

For those of us who sell on etsy, it's a thrill to see your goods on the etsy front page (home page). These are picks right from Etsy admin, who think the products are hot, well photographed, timely, and a good collection together. Not only is it a compliment, BUT being on the front page tends to bring many new visitors to one's shop.

An article on me by Stacy Schrak of Grow By Love.

She's also a designer, and a mom, and a great writer! Thanks so much!



A fun, monstery treasury!

Taste the Rainbow!

Can you taste your rainbow? Take a moment today to think about what you want in the new year. Visualize your life, your work, your health, your family just as you want it to be. Hold that thought!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Friday MORE Snow!

We woke to a fresh blanket of snow this morning (view straight out back- I love the sky!), and the last day of the school before vacation cancelled!

So far today, the kids and I have played, built a snow CAT outside, did some office work (me not so much them, though they did work on holiday gifts), and I stitched up a few new pairs of wrist warmers to ship out. We had a long walk in the snow and out for "second breakfast-es" like hobbits do, and over to the store and back home. It's nice to be able to go places without the car.

I've just discovered that I have several rolls of vinyl in my studio (from a long time ago) and that my new machine sews it up nicely.....hhhmmmm, what will be come of THIS discovery?



Can you spot my item in this neat treasury?

Happy Sunday

We were having such a lovely Sunday, with blueberry pancakes, Mudslide Sydney's last soccer game of the season and trophy party, getting picked for this lovely chocolate treasury, selling my new zombie cozy three minutes after it was posted (personal record), and some much deserved free time, when a pitbull at the dog park got ahold of our labrador and tried removing his ears. After hours at the emergency vet, and some stitches and staples, his ears are still bleeding and he's home trying to navigate with a two foot wide funnel on his neck. We are really unhappy about the incident, but glad it wasn't worse. Poor pup. I won't be posting a photo of him today. Too sad. But he'll heal up fine.

Handsome Treasury

And the Answer IS.......

Have you had a guess at the curator's real name? If not, read the end of the previous post where it shows an etsy treasury then come back to this post.

I wrote and asked what her name really is. She was most amused with our guessing. Somehow I totally missed the May reference, but luckily we have some sharp minds here... and her name really is: Cherry May Brown. Isn't that so cute? I hope she lives a charmed life! Thanks for the fun everyone.

Happy Happy and Treasury Riddle

Good Morning! Can you see me waving to you as I walk up to my front door? Its a very good morning. I'm wearing my favorite hat (it's cool and already fallish this morning = good hat weather), and my Moomin tshirt that was sent from Finland by my friend Kajsa. Her etsy shop is completely delightful. Love her work.

My guys just started school yesterday morning. My heart is so happy that they are in the wonderful Family School, both happy, AND in the same classroom this year! We have 1st through 3rd mixed grade classes in our school. It helps kids learn, teach, share, and help one another. My baby is now is first grade!!! Here they are on the first day- deskmates!

In our class of 23 kids, I think almost half the kids are siblings! My guys have been plotting this for years.

Do you understand why I'm so happy about it all? Finn's first grade year was really intense for him at the start, Quillan's first Kindy year (last year) was a huge and difficult transition for him. They go to school 6 hours. That's a long kindy day, but we requested an especially gentle teacher who keeps things very mellow for the little ones afternoons. Still, the first two weeks had lots of tears and uncertainty. That's really rough on mamas. AND in the midst of that was the experience I call my "Double Root Canal Week". When things seem rough, I say, "Yea, but it's not as bad as double root canal week....." And it's always true.

I had one root canal and the pain afterwards was really intense and got worse --- I needed a second root canal in the neighbor tooth, only I was busy having a horrible allergic to vicadin and was too sick to even crawl into the office. I'd managed life just fine without taking any serious pain meds until then. Finally I NEED them and I'm allergic! I had vertigo for 14 days afterwards. It was like I was poisoned.......

So! With school year starting off so sweetly and happily, you can see why I'm light hearted!


Parachute games. We have a parachute big enough to fit our entire small school around the rim! It's a beloved bonding exercise we always do the first day of school.


I'm in this treasury today. REad the title...... is it a riddle? Or did I just miss something? WHAT IS her name then?? Let's all guess, then I'll write and ask her! What's your guess?

Invisible Arms

My French Press coffee pot cozy made this collection from Oregon artists. I should write that tutoral on using the French press.  Makes amazing coffee at home.  To do list...... 

I'm completely fascinated with purses, bags, and pouches right now.  My studio is amuck with zippers and little squares.  I try NOT to use rulers in the studio, not because I don't like them, but because I like to hand cut.  I like the look of natural lines and curves and made up sizes and shapes.  But for little lined bags?  It's back to the ruler.  Actually, I probably use a ruler more than I think I do.  I probably have an extra set of arms, one that holds the see through ruler, and one that works the circular cutting blade.  THAT's how things get done around here!  Ha, I've figured it out.  While I'm busy playing with fabric, sketching, and thinking up lovely things to make for the inhabitants of the world, my invisible arms actually MAKE the stuff!  Mystery solved.  

Much love to all

Time of Year Treasury

How Sweet is this? If you click on the photo, you can see it enlarged, but the individual links are disabled since this is just a screen shot. Thanks so much for putting my Happiness Blooming cozy in this collection! I think the treasury is so much fun because we get to take turns being little curators.

Do you KNOW you can get your daily horoscope at the very bottom of my page. Scroll scroll scroll down and click on your sun sign. I am very proud of choosing colors and installing this thingie, so try to use it once in a while just to make me happy. (NOt that I can tell if anyone uses it or not... but just to say.... lol)

I'll have a "Lil Things" post later today. It's shipping morning and I gotta stay focused. Love to all!

Cuteness Emergency

I was taking photos of all the wonderfulness we were doing in the yard this weekend, and I put my camera down somewhere weird. I guess. Sunday, the kittens went from sleeping companionably next to each other, to sleeping all snoogled up and I searched the house shouting, "Cuteness emergency! I can't find the camera!" But no luck.

Now anyone who sells on Etsy knows how important a camera is! I MUST have it today. I'm finishing my NEW Hot chocolate cup cozies and can not post without the camera. URG!

Dear Readers, please use your artsie mind powers to LOCATE my camera and write to tell me where it's hiding? In the meantime, I'll share a treasury that makes me drool. I just love the colors. If you click the photo, it will get big so you can see it.


I found an AMAZING vintage mushroom cluster piece of fabric at a yard sale this weekend. I'm not sure what I'm going to make it with yet. I just love it! I'd show it to you, but need a little help finding my camera...........

Bananas!

Why is felt food so cute and irresistable??!

I Won!?!!

A package arrived at my door one day. Don't we all love mail? Especially etsy mail?! It was from AdoptACritter, saying I'd won her sweet give-away, and Brobe was now mine to care for.

He hopped right out of the box and after a brief stretch, he introduced himself and was such a friendly guy! He's so smart and scientific and stuff.... I hate to admit it, but I guess I just expected he'd have fewer..... social skills. He really is fun and playful and so witty! Here he is sharing a bit of my homemade fruit smoothie.


Mudslide Sydney, Brobe and our beloved Oogly. They spent much of the afternoon is the top of the plum tree together. He even spent a day at Kindergarden, and got to be the subject of Show-N-Tell.

Thanks for our new friend, AdoptACritter!





This lovely treasury hit home page! Oooooo, la la!
Thanks for including me Syko!

Sweet Treasury I'm In

There's something about these colors that make me drool. I mean seriously, that's my reaction, as if those were all edible. I'm in love with the wee goblin!!! Wonderfully weird. Isn't it lovely when somone puts your work in their treasury then tells you about it? That is supposed to be spam? I think ETSY 'aught to add a feature that AUTOMATICALLY emails all treasury entrants. Yes?