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PRICELESS TEAPOT ROSES...

I did mention I went to the flea market yesterday and didn't find what I was looking for but I didn't mention what I did find.  No, no, I wasn't holding back, I just wanted to show you because it inspired a small project and I wanted to document it for you before I blabbed about my find.

So, I was thinking about Wedding season which I am in the belly of the beast right now and with that comes showers and gifts and more gifts, no not for moi but for all the bride's.  It seems that a small 'hello' can garner you an invite to one that for some reason you must go to or have to sneak out your bedroom window to avoid the neighbor  for as long as you live next door to her, ahem.  So, I like to be crafty, not in a macaroni mosiac way or anything like that, but to make something that the recipient would enjoy and preferably be able to use again and again, so this project is perfect, it will illicit oohs and ahhs and you can get away with spending under $20 or less!

Tea pot: $5

Flowers from the Farmer's Market: $10

Being able to use the front door instead of climbing through the window to avoid my neighbor: Priceless

For a more mod bride, look for Japanese ceramics and put in baby succalents (super cheap!) And this would work for Mom's day too (not that I am pushing the under $20 thing for your mom or anything..)

IT'S MONDAY ALREADY???

Hmm, you think the weekend could have lasted just a wee bit longer, eh?  Alas, it's Monday and the show must go on.  I hope everyone had a very nice weekend (while it lasted) .  I had this idea to go to the flea market to pick up some things for 'props' for my new mission to make the shop look a little more exciting.  I had been wanting to do this since a few million posts ago where I wrote about the Etsy Labs suggesting how to make your wares look a little more enticing.  I was looking for a few specific items: a trophy, a tea cup and some vintage glass.  I came up empty.  Either there is a rush on these items and they got swooped up before I arrived or I just had some dumb luck.  No problem, I came back and tried my hand with what I had.  Here are some of the shots, I know the quality is not the best but I was hoping to go for a 'look', at the very least create some interest in the darn things...

After pawing through the internet for 2 days, I realized a few things  One, there's a cool thing on Flick'r where you imput the name/model of your camera in the search box and it'll show you photo's taken by others with your same camera.  They all sucked!!  Yea!!  It's not just me!!!!,   I am not a horrible photographer, I just need a better camera!   My camera is the equivalent of Fred Flintsones car (remember he had to use his feet to start it up?)  My camera is old, but not in a cool vintage way, no in a functionally obsolete way.  My Fancy was going to get me one for Christmas but we got a sever e case of the 'poors' so it put a kaboosh on that idea.  I really would rather wait anyway, I want to be able afford something great and not something a little better than what I have now.

Oh and if you are wondering what the heck those thick black borders are, it is a technique where you put your digital camera over the lens of a vintage camera, I have a Holga, it's basically a very old toy type camera.  There's all these tutorials on the internet for making contraptions but I didn't bother reading (most of them were for nice cameras and it pissed me off).   I just tried a bunch of my own crap, and realized you can pretty much put anything in front of your lens and get an interesting effect.  I read this one clever mom put her daughters' light pink tights over the lens, it gave the photo a very ethereal glow and grainy texture.  I don't have any tights or daughters lying around the studio so I have to put that technique on hold for right now, but get creative shoot through vellum, glass, etc.  Enjoy the rest of your Monday...

WHY I LOVE ETSY, LET ME COUNT THE WAYS...

I love Etsy for so many reasons.  I love that it has given me an opportunity to make money being creative, okay, so I don't make money per se, it all goes back into supplies, but it gives me such a thrill that I don't think there is a drug that could match the feeling I get.  I try very hard to support my fellow Etsians and try to buy supplies and as much stuff as I can afford via Etsy. I love that people are selling tutorials as I love to learn how to make as much crap as possible.  I am going to showcase some of the items that I have on my wish list that should be on my 'I need right this moment' list, but since funds are sparse, I have to just dream....

I am a novice sewer, so any little projects that I attempt make me feel like I won the lottery.  I think this little project would be just the ticket to build my sewing acumen.

You can pick up your tute at Three Green Apples.  Catylouquilts has some gorgeous fabric at great prices and would work very well with the above project or you can get some of their patterns if you are feeling a little more daring:

CatyLouQuilts

My only problem with fabric though is figuring out which pattern I like enough to have one of my fave bloggers create my couture apron (I actually wear one everyday, not all day mind you...), I don't know if she is offering this service to everyone but she certainly has some little pretties in her shop if she doesn't...

Segue here...I have been wanting to get my hands on some bakers twine for some time now.  I didn't want the traditional red and white as it didn't  go with  labels I created (I have about a million labels so I have to wait until they need replenishing to re-do the color scheme) but I marked this seller as a favorite because she has the twine in chocolate and white and I like how she shot it (I am easily persuaded).  You can visit her shop Armelle Jewelry for some twine of your own, she has it in a variety of colors!!!

If you are in the market for unique custom boxes for your line, then you must swing on by the amazing (and might I add nicest?) peeps  at Pantry Press Inc.  This is their own version, but they can create a custom die for your project.  I am hoping one day to be able to afford their services.

You can see their cool store here.

Well, what are you waiting for?   There are supplies to be had and things to make and I must be going to the flea market to scout for ephemera to continue this little Etsy venture I have embarked on.....

WISH LISTS...

I have a friend that is ahem, a bit on the new-agey side, in fact, I have a lot of friends that are-I am not.   I have been given multiple copies of 'The Secret' that have been slowly but surely sold off in my Amazon selling mania.  I get the gist of it, if you want something and think of it enough, it may just manifest itself.  Okay, so I am very pragmatic, I don't believe in things like star signs, numerology, bumps on the head, but I do believe in lists.  I make lists, lot's of lists.  One of my favorites lists is my 'Wish List' basically I make a running list of things I am interested doing, places I want to go, yes of course items that I want, etc.  It's fun and I feel that having my list makes me one step closer to actually 'manifesting' it.  I thought this list might be fun to make in one of those scrap paper notebooks that I blogged about early this week, you could carry it with you and when you were in line at the grocery or DMV you could add to your list, doodle, etc. Yes, of course you could also cross out 'wish' and add 'grocery', but it would be as fun adding toilet paper to the list as say a new pair of shoes, but that's just me...

You can get your Wish List here

I LOVE MY MOMMY....

I really do!  My 'real' mum, my faux mum and my God Mum...There's a lot of love to be doled out. I have for years tried to research the best floral places in San Francisco when it's Mother's Day, Birthday's etc.  It's always taxing and it doesn't bode well with my need to control, ahem, the situation.  So, how delighted was I when Martha did the miraculous and added her panache to a steady if not outdated purveyor of flowers?  She actually did a segment on her show, which I of course being the sycophant that I am when it comes to Martha watched every minute of.  It was great because she showed her inspiration for her vases from her vast collection of vases, vessels and the like.  She really does have pretty impeccable taste and knows a lot about, well, a lot.  I am going to show you a  few of my fave's here, priced relatively not bad.  I mean much better than spending $80 on a bouquet from a mystery florist that is sure to have (cringe) baby's breath galore in it.  Okay, really now, my mom could care less, it's the gesture, but I am seriously going to be stealing, uhm, borrowing permanently one of these vases from her....

This might work as a cool pencil holder, I love me some new pencils.....

Those lotus pods are like little modern art sculptures and yes, I suppose a little Dr. Seuessian to boot....So, to finish up my infomercial, you can stop by her shop and order some for your mom, your best friend, yourself, etc....buy flowers here...

THE ONES WE LOVE....

I am always trying to keep myself creative, partly because I am prone to severe bouts of procrastination but can't just sit still and watch TV.  I have been wanting to improve my photography skills for some time, mainly so I can take better product shots for my shop.  I have been scouring the web and find that a lot of the photography info is pretty high brow and quite confusing, or maybe I am just dumb? 

On my search I did find this amazing, inspiring and completely creative project called-The One's We Love.  It's a collective of photographers that submit photo's of people that they love. 

Besides the wonderfully moody photo's that are almost voyeuristic appeal to them, I love the little blurbs prior to opening up and viewing the images, here's one from a photographer that put a lump in my throat:

You can stop by and check out all the talent and best of all if you are truly inspired you can submit your images for consideration for the project.  You can visit the site here...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER EARTH!

It wouldn't be a celebration without a present, so I bought myself something to celebrate my commitment to Mother Earth.  I did order it a while back but hadn't had an opportunity to use yet and now that I have I am quite addicted.  I am officially considering this a Craftista "must-have":

What the heck does a stapler have to do with Earth Day? Well, I saw this great video on 'Mom's' TV show and it's a way to make some super cute (and useful) notebooks from recycled paper.

Here's the link to the video, but be forewarned once you start you may find it hard to stop...Notebook video

PRETTIFY YOUR DESK....

It's Monday and if you are at work counting down the hours like a prisoner in jail, I am here to brighten your day just a tad.  I have created my first desk top wallpaper, I hope it works!  I don't know about you but I have an awful lot of folders on my desk top so I can't have a lot of pattern that will confuse me more than I already am, so I created this so there was some color but space to see my folders clearly. 

You can download it here, Happy Monday!!!
 

CURIOUS DOODLES....

It's Sunday!  That means I spotlight on an Etsian that has made me smile.  I loved these when I found them and marked them as a fave.  They are so simple, cheeky and crafty, but in a very modern way, is that possible?  These are from the genius behind Curious Doodles, Lara Trimmell:

What makes these so special?  Maybe, I need to give you a close-up shot, these are all hand-embroidered cards, just brilliant!

If you would like a set you can swing by her little shop here...

T.G.I.F....