I am absolutely enamored with these giraffe statues!

via: Dewy Morning Vintage

I pretty much need this on my wall.

via: Three Red Apples

All the signs from this Etsy shop are funny, but this one is my favorite!

Via: Sign Fail

These adorable mustard arm warmers are definitely going on my Christmas list! Why am I so obsessed with mustard yellow lately?

 Via: Lets Back Track

This dress would be pretty darn perfect for the holidays!

Via: Modcloth

I'm dying over this sweet little guy's expression!

Via: Pinterest

A very lovely tattoo!

Via: Inkah

If your wondering why I'm posting this now, I'll tell you. Today is my "Friday" because I worked a craft fair today and I have the next two days off. So happy Friday to me! I wish you all a very good week!

Dreaming

 Felt Acorn Broach - Delica

Cat Illustration - My Different Strokes

Chevron Knit Leggings - FineThreadz

Veggie Letterpress Print - KatesPaperGoods

Felted Gnome Slippers - SimonasCrafts

{Nay Nay Blog}

Business Days: Being Fair to Yourself

Since I started selling on Etsy, I've had many great experiences, received wonderful feedback, and met a lot of exceptional people.

Every once in awhile, however, I come across some challenging people. People that make me feel inadequate, incompetent, and just generally frustrated.

Problem #1:
Messaging me after they place an order to tell me they need it in a few days, when my shop introduction specifically says to notify me of any deadlines (earlier than my general 7-10 days plus shipping time) before placing the order. This has been happening to me a lot lately! I am still working on a solution for this.

Problem #2:
Requesting a custom order then changing their mind after I have started making it. This has happened to me a few times. It is one of those things that I can't really do much about.

Problem #3:
Claiming the order they received wasn't correct. For example that I got the quantity wrong, or the exact size is different than described. This has only happened to me twice. It both cases I allowed the customer to be right and offered them options for refund/exchange.

Are there any Etsy sellers out there who deal with similar problems? I would love to hear any suggestions you have!

(Image)

Halloween Gifting Goodies

More Halloween themed goodies available in my shop!

I had so much fun making these!

Orange Pumpkin Gift Tags

Chandelier Gift Tags

Haunted House Gift Tags

Black Cat Gift Tags

Flying Witch Gift Tags

Purple Bat Gift Tags

Brown Owl Gift Tags

Silver Rat Gift Tags

Black Crow Gift Tags

Which are your favorites?

Book Review: The Bluest Eye

I started reading this book because it was within my reach while I was rocking Lila to sleep. Before this book, I hadn't read a real book in months.  I have read some of Toni Morrison's work before, including Beloved. I remember her work being very moving and sometimes painful to read. This book was indeed moving; very much so. It would be interesting to discuss it with anyone else who has read it! The book jumps around in time, and is told mostly in the third person although one point of view is told in the first person. I found myself wondering why she chose to use certain writing techniques as I was reading. I love a book that makes me think about the writer's process. At the end of this book there was an afterword by the author which I really, really, enjoyed. She explained a bit about why she chose to tell the story in the way she did, and where her inspiration came from. Without this afterword I would have felt a bit confused and in-conclusive.

I would definitely recommend this book. You have to be able to see past the frank telling of certain unpleasant events to appreciate what the writer is trying to say. This is definitely a book for people who appreciate literature and consider themselves "readers." It is not a feel-good read. It makes you think about the ways others used to live, and some that still do. It is an eye-opening, thought provoking book.

I would love to hear your opinion if you have read it!

Have a Sassy Halloween!

This is my favorite Halloween card of the year:

I wonder what this sassy lady has in her bad of tricks?

Made by yours truly, available here. I can make as many copies as you would like!

Every Detail, Every Memory

Be You

What this means to me: Do you ever feel like you know what you want to do, and if only ---[enter excuse]--- was different then you could do it? For example, I want to buy a DSLR camera and learn how to take amazing pictures and work photoshop. If only I knew which camera to buy, how much is reasonable to spend, how to get started learning the first thing about photography, and had a personal tutor in photoshop, then I could do it. I want to have amazing photographs, and if I did, I would totally be brave and post them all over the internet.

But... I have a hand-me-down digital point-and-shoot, and I don't own a photoshop program, and wouldn't know what to do with it if I did. I can be a slow learner when it comes to some things, so I am afraid that it will take too much time for me to learn these skills.

There it is: the fear. I am afraid of the time it will take. I am afraid that I won't be able to do it. I am afraid I will not be happy with the result once I do finally learn how to do it. Screw that! I want to learn this! I am not happy with my current camera and I want to try this. I may not be happy with the result but I certainly won't be happy if I never try. Photoshop might be too complicated and tech-y for me, but learning as much as I can about it will make it a little less complicated, and certainly won't hurt.

This is me, this is what I want to do, and I am going to be brave and do it!

What is something that you try to be brave about?

image source: unknown

A hobby to try: Paper Quilling

Do I love paper arts because I am a paper artist, or am I a paper artist because I love paper arts? Either way, I am absolutely in love with these paper quilling pieces, and I am determined to try quilling sometime. I always pass by that section in my craft store because I really don't need another hobby (or set of craft tools and supplies) but the more I look at these the more I am just in love with the possibilities!

(via: oddity central)

(via: Yulia Brodskaya)

 My favorite is the hand, followed closely by the wreath and the starry nights image. I also think the cross-section of the human head is pretty awesome. Which is your favorite?

**I apologize for not having all the correct links for these pieces. If you know the original sources, please let me know!

I can do this

What this means to me: Personally, I find the root of my self-doubt comes from the people around me who doubt me, or act as if they do. When I tell someone that I want to be a small business owner and they respond with "well that's a nice hobby, but what will you do for real?" I immediately think a little less of myself. Obviously if that person doesn't think I can do it, there must be some truth to that, right?

No. Wrong. I know in my heart that I can do this! How do I know? Because every day I see dozens of people who do stuff similar to what I want to do, and they do it successfully! I know it can be done! I have faith in my creativity, my motivation, and my abilities. I know I can do this.

But often I forget. I forget about those things, and its easy to think I'm not the type of person who can do this. So this week I am focusing my thinking on remembering who I am, and focusing on my positive qualities!

And if there is a quality that I don't have and I wish I did, then I focus on how I can cultivate that quality or make up for it in another way!

So who do you think you are?

Image Source: Unknown