Pay it forward

I was perusing the new postings on my favorite blogs, and came across an intriguing post on Moon of Glass. Simply put, a pay it forward (PIF) with other lovely artists. Sharing my art, and sending out happy surprises sounds delightful!

So, if you’re creative and would like to participate, please send me a comment and the first five people will receive something (handmade by me!) from me in the mail. In return, all you have to do is “pay it forward”- please see the rules, restrictions and limitations below.

Here are the rules, and happy posting!

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. But I hope you will. This will be something made from the heart.

2. What I create will be just for you with love and good wishes. It will be made of actual materials, not of cyberspace.

3. It will be done this year (2009).

4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be!

5. In return, all you need to do is cut and paste this text on your Blog (from “Creative People are…” and create five things for the first 5 people to respond to your post.
6. Send your mailing address after I contact you.

IMPORTANT: This offer is null and void if you do not post on your own blog to pay this forward. Would love it if you could join in!!

Weekend Wishlist

Obviously from my lack of frequent posting, I am a busy bee during the week. I am sure most women finds themselves as busy as well with all the jobs and roles we have. Well it is supposed to be sunny and warm this weekend. (oh JOY) I find this spring weather absolutely inspiring and energizing. (yes I'm a 'oh woe is me' hermit in the winter) So I have a wish list for my weekend. Now I tend to be a notorious list maker, and my lists tend to be unreasonably long according to the Husband of Wonder, but flip it I'm making one anyway. I figure if I get just over half the list done it's a banner day.

1. Run the boring errands this morning. (just get it done goof!)
2. Till and prep the garden beds.
3. Enlist kids to help with outside spring clean up
4. Get oldest son to change out my tires! Please, please, please!
5. set up the kiln. this one is a double bonus - The Baroness, and Papablockhead gave me a beautiful new kiln for Christmas for my lampworking. Which I don't work on during the winter as it is too cold to properly ventilate. But now I can add in firing my doll limbs....YAY....good thing there are two firemen in the house to make sure I do this properly! ( hehe.....ceramic doll parts)
6. Laundry...........ugh boring but necessary. (don't know if this will get done)
7. Have young missy collect all the birch twigs before I mow. There's enough out there to get 4-5 brooms made.
8. Sand and finish the broom handle blanks.....maybe try out that new woodburning tool?
9. Feed the mass of teenagers that always seem to congregate here....crockpot sounds like a good idea this weekend. I think they all owe me one chore before they get fed! :)

Hmm, too much? I'm going to try anyway. So do you have glorious weekend plans?

Driveby posting

Just a quick post for morning motivation. I got some wonderful new gemstone chips in the mail yesterday. (oh yay!) As I was putting them away I was already planning out projects, but alas I have discovered I am woefully low on wire! What's a girl to do?! Go shopping of course. Thankfully Rings n Things is just a 40 min drive.....I might even find some new pretty stones while I'm there. Whee!!!!!!!!

Families and creating (or not)

I love reading blogs from mommies of toddlers and preschoolers. They are constantly asking how to coordinate family and business, and assume it gets easier as the kids get more self sufficient. HA! ha ha ha :) I have 4 great kids. My oldest son is an adult(22) , and still living at home. My oldest daughter is in her second year of college (away) but still calls or IMs me every day for advice or chat. My middle son is 16 , and an extremely gregarious, and busy teenager. And the babygirl is 10, and I swear from all the tears lately, that she is hitting prepuberty! (HELP!) 

So anyway this last week the kids only went to school 3.5 days. What does that mean? They are here, and their friends are here, I'm the local bed and breakfast, taxi to basketball, choir practice, cheer camp, band, etc. I'm here to tell you so far it doesnt change! I had to get CRANKY on everyone yesterday just so I could work on my orders. I was in my craftroom working on a bear, and the biggest kid ( Husband of Wonder ) wanders in and asks if I'm busy? He wants a haircut, and apperently he wants it now. So fine off we go (better to get it done or he follows me around), and sons see that dads getting a haircut...so hey mom as long as you have the clippers out? the entire day was filled with "hey mom?, and hey Boo?" By the time dinner was over, I was laying down laws, even the kids' friends were given chores to do before I sent them home. I cranked at the Husband of Wonder and reminded him once again that the wife's little hobby is what paid for his flat screen tv.....he'd best do the nighttime patrol with the youngest so I could get back to 'orders'! So how do you coordinate? I dont believe there is such a thing......I just keep pluggin away, family first, business at night. Oh I did get my orders boxed and ready to ship today, and the bear is done!

Personal Challenges

I have decided to challenge myself to get organized and create! My shop took a bit of an inventory hit over the holidays and I'm having to squirrel away time to make new things to restock. So I have challenged my self to create something everyday for the next 90 days, and I will be posting pics and updates everyday here. If anyone wants to join me or create their own personal challenge please comment on my blog and I will be sure to come look at everyone elses progress :)
To start off I got this heart pendant done today and will be posting in my shop this evening. YAY! one down and 89 to go!

Weird or Wonderful?

Today I got told once again...."you're weird!" It was all in fun, and a bit of wonder. My friends I believe have attached to me partially because of my sense of weird or absurd. Truth be told, I would rather be considered weird! If the folks around me stop thinking that, I would worry about my imaginative skills with my art, and crafting.
So how does being 'weird' play out from a business sense? I have noticed at least in my area (which is a very conservative demographic) that I watched a lot of the stroller pushing patrol walk right on by my booth. My designs at first glance dont look mainstream enough for the middle class mommy. So I decided to use my weird style, and most importantly my sense of humor to lure them in my booth. I listen to the comments they make as they are walking by.... example: Hubby makes a joke to the wife about one of my besoms. I walk right up and hand him a coupon for free riding riding lessons! It breaks the ice, and gets them to stop even for a moment to look around and see there is more in my booth that they originally assumed on first glance.
On the other hand the positive of weird style is it draws in the bold and the curious. I find that It's not just other artsy folks, what I think is cool is the bold and curious are older women! They ask more questions, and arent afraid to ask for what they want. So Im sticking with my weird self!