Cozy's Stitches

Blogfire Blitz Cozy to Just Imagine Crafts

2011-11-01T14:38:00.001-07:00

As the first snow fell this morning here in Jackson I was thinking about ways to feel cozy. Food comes to mind and I think about things like long simmering soups and stews on the stove or in the crockpot. What is cozier that a crackling fire in the fireplace and a soft chair, a cup of tea and a good book? Sound good to you? If so you might consider adding one thing to this picture and I have it in my shop.

This shawl is so soft and warm it will keep any fall or winter from your back, neck or shoulders.Since this post is part of a Blogfire Blitz I encourage you to check out the next blog that is part of the blitz. Just Imagine Crafts has a charming shop on Artfire that features among other things collars and leashes for your canine fur babies.

Is your dog a rockstar?

My Latest Handmade News

2011-08-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

First of all I want to say thanks to Pallas. I won her blog giveaway. The little quiltie is perfect in my guest bedroom where I show off quilts I have collected. In my opinion she put a great amount of charm in it with the photo, the fabrics and the trims.

In other news I sold a scarf last month. The customer was having some trouble with payments and because I now have an account with Squareup.com I was able to help him out. With no account required on Artfire we completed the sale offline and it all worked out.

One last bit to share, well two. First, I have been feeling a bit of guilt about not being one of those bloggers that cheerfully chats every day. I just can't do it and the more behind I perceive myself to be the worse and longer I procrastinate doing anything at all. New schedule for blog posts here is once a week on Thursdays.

Now to that last bit. Fibery folks like me have a group on Ravelry of Artfire sellers. One of them was kind enough to put together a collection of members of the Artfire Ravelry group and included my pink scarf. Thank you to mimacoyo.

for the love of ravelry - 1

Curated By: mimacoyo

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

So until next week I hope you all stay cozy.

2011-07-19T10:27:00.001-07:00

It was a pleasant surprise to find one of my scarves in a new collection. I think it is in some lovely company. What do you think?

Steel Blue & Gray

Curated By: RShalhoub

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

In the morning

2011-06-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

Jim got us a Netflix account which I am loving. I have discovered that is is not a good thing to be trying to count on a row of lace while watching a movie though. I have a row that needs to be undone. I will do that in the morning when the light is better so I don't mess it up.

Two New Headbands

2011-06-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

I finally spent an afternoon with the camera taking some pictures of headbands. It always takes awhile to get pictures done. I mean, I like my headbands, I am proud of them, but really how many ways can you take a picture of them?

Next comes writing descriptions, thinking of tags, listing the size information and materials. Some times it is hard to make your items fresh and inviting. It can be tough to sell online since your potential buyer can't touch the item or try it on but I try.

Here they are and there are more to come. I have about six more styles made and ready to go. I have split the number I made between my Artfire and Zibbet shops.

Dandelion Yellow Inspiration

2011-06-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

After taking this picture yesterday and wanting to collect more of the cheerful yellow I went to Artfire and did just that. I found a group of items that are dandelions and some others that contain the color. I put them all together and now I am sharing them with you.

Dandelion Yellow Inspiration

Curated By: Cozy

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Join me for a cup of tea?

2011-06-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was sunny and bright- today cloudy and windy. As I sat sipping my afternoon cup of tea to ward off the chilly feeling I went browsing in the vintage area of Artfire for teapots. Take a look at what I found-

Join me for a cup of tea?

Curated By: Cozy

ArtFire.com

Craft Tutorials

Finally

2011-06-01T15:38:00.001-07:00

I noticed yesterday that the first of our trees are getting leaves. I have heard spring and summer are very short here so love them while they last.

I found a cute embroidery pattern on Artfire, Spring Birds Embroidery Pattern PDF, that would help me or anyone else keep the thoughts of spring close even in the midst of a long cold winter.

Find this pattern and a lot more in the shop Polka & Bloom on Artfire.

Moose and Art

2011-05-31T14:05:00.001-07:00

We saw quite a few animals not far from our home over the weekend. I told you all about a moose on my other blog in this post. In thinking about that I wondered how artists might be using moose in their work on Zibbet where I have a shop, a bit inactive right now but my shop nevertheless.

I came across a shop that I thought was amazing so I wanted to share it with you here. The shop is Quilling by Sandra White. The moose you see above is in her shop. She also does flowers, Christmas ornaments and scenes that she calls window boxes. When you go check out her shop make sure and take a look at some of her birds too. They are so charming!

Yesterday Afternoon

2011-05-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

It is hard to think about projects and stitching when I get distracted around here. Why sit and knit when I can look out the windows of my own house and see such amazing things. Yesterday I saw this! Click on the link to go to my other blog, A Cozy Life, so you can see what happened.

I don't mind...

2011-05-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

I don't mind going to the Post Office where I live now especially when I get to send one of the things I have made to a new place. This brown headband is on the way to Vermont.

On the way home I was reminded that I do live in a place where the deer and the antelope play. Well it was elk and buffalo but you get the idea.

It is raining now and there are some worries about the local rivers flooding but our home should be safe from any problems. For that I am thankful.

Better Late than Never?

2011-05-09T16:40:00.001-07:00

Long time without a post here. The reasons are many and some very personal and painful so we won't go into that here. I have been remiss in posting thanks to three shop owners that put my blue scarves in their Artfire collections. TBeads included my wide scarf in shades of blue. Harlamy and normasbathandbody included my scarf that I knit to make the colors turn a corner at the ends. Many, many thanks to all three shops.

If you want to see all the great things in the collections just keep scrolling.

Curated By: normasbathand...

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Paintings

Of course if you fall in love with something in these collections just click on the item and you can purchase it on Artfire, with or without an account there.

Changes

2011-03-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

I know some of you that read this blog, Cozy's Stitches, read my other one, A Cozy Life, as well. The link for that blog was http://cozyetsy.blogspot.com and I came to realize that I just could not stand etsy being part of the name anymore. It is now http://cozyatoz.blogspot.com. A to Z as in Artfire to Zibbet. Those shops will be where I focus, that is once I get off my duff and start listing again. One more family afghan to finish and then.......

For a Princess

2011-02-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday for Wordless Wednesday, which is a way of blogging on Wednesdays that I intend to continue, I showed you a pink baby blanket I am working on. In an effort to reduce my stash of yarn and fabrics I decided to make this with yarn I already. As any of you who knit or crochet know sometimes it just does not work out. It looks as if, oh darn, I need to get some more yarn to finish it to the size I want. I am thinking about a green border to enclose the pinks.

I am pleased with the way it looks so far and when finished it will go online in one of my shops so someone can make the life of a new princess softer.

Wordless Wednesday WIP

2011-02-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

Terribly Distracted

2011-02-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

I am finding it difficult to settle down and do what need to be done to get my shops up and running again but I will. I have been doing some knitting and crocheting but it keeps getting set aside to take in scenes such as these.

Go ahead and click. You will see my new surroundings in Wyoming and some of the folks who hang out around my house.

Turquoise for December

2010-12-02T21:36:00.001-07:00

See my headband down in the corner of all this lovely stuff. What an honor!

December-Turquoise

Curated By: BackyardWildl...

ArtFire.com

Jewelry Supplies

Cozy Place

2010-12-02T13:21:00.000-07:00

This looks like a cozy place to do some stitching. Can't come soon enough.

Scarf or Skates?

2010-11-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Ah holiday knitting! The joy! The decisions! The choices! The love in every stitch! The kindness of those who humor us!

For the love of birds.....

2010-11-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

The latest collection to show off to you. Birds is the theme and boy I had a tough time narrowing my selection down to just 16.

What I Needed to Hear

2010-10-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

I saw this video on Miz Katie's blog and found the message just what I needed to hear. October is a wasteland of travel and transition. November I am diving in.

Warmth Collected

2010-09-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

I found some lovely ways to keep warm on Artfire. I have knit and crocheted for years and I admire the skills of every one of these pieces. What do you think?

check this out

2010-09-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

A collection that I have an item in made it to the front page of Artfire yesterday. I did not get a screen shop but have a widget to show you what my little shawl was hanging out with on the front page. Cool huh?

Orange and Grey Collection

Curated By: bycamille

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

We all need handmade

2010-09-16T14:49:00.001-07:00

Getting Chilly?

2010-09-01T12:33:00.002-07:00

Are you somewhere getting ready for fall? Thinking ahead to those days when you might need just a little something to cover your arms and shoulders I have found just what you need.

This hand loomed shrug is from Marion Renee.
It can be yours in size ranges from small to X large.
For care you need to hand wash and hang dry.

What a beautiful hand made fashion statement for $65.00.
Use the link below .
Buy Now

Starting tomorrow

2010-08-31T17:14:00.001-07:00

In a post here (click) I told readers of my A Cozy Life blog about a new venture for me. I will be using this blog as a part of that process too.

It is about OpenSky and I am excited.

Don't know exactly what I will share with you yet for this week.

You will just have to come back tomorrow to find out.

Cool Tool

2010-08-30T15:36:00.001-07:00

I just can't get over how cool the collection tool is on Artfire. I know, I know Etsy has Treasuries but Artfire has collections.

Only collections composed of items from 16 different pro sellers are eligible to be on the front page. Artfire has created a lovely widget in a few different formats for placing on blogs and websites to fit on sidebars or in posts.

Pro sellers can create unlimited number of collections and basic members can make a new collection every 24 hours which I think is very generous.

To keep collections fresh, once 5 items have sold out of a collection it is retired and I think this is already starting to happen. That means good things for the artisans involved, namely sales are happening and that is why crafters like me and artists in fields of pottery, glass, wood, painting and photography as well as supply and vintage shops put ourselves on sites like Artfire.

As of today all the items in my first collection are still for sale. I used fringe as the theme for this one and was stunned by the beauty of the things I was able to find. Take a look and let me know if you are too.

come on over

2010-08-20T14:23:00.001-07:00

I am asking a favor. I see 31 followers and maybe I have some anonymous ones too as well as the folks who see this on Facebook through Networked Blogs. Keep in mind that I have no claims to being a graphic designer.

I have given this blog a face lift and if you are seeing this post through a feed I would love for you to come on over to the blog, take a peek and let me know what you think. I used one of the new templates and backgrounds and my bird banner. I think it is kind of soothing.

I would like some feedback on this to know how the new colors and set up are seen by others.
Thanks ahead of time.

My headband in another red collection

2010-08-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

I put my red headband as an alternate in my Just Red Collection. I was notified today that it was placed in another collection. I just love the red of this yarn and all of the items it is being shown with.

The Fire from Artfire

Curated By: AndreaDesigns

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

It's Lovely

2010-08-19T12:16:00.001-07:00

It is lovely and saying that I am describing this collection and the joy I feel when one of my items is in a collection. My fringed shawl is a part of this group.

Blogfire dreams in color

Curated By: AliciaMae

ArtFire.com

Craft Tutorials

My own space

2010-02-12T09:38:00.001-07:00

Mosiac made by CTStudios of Lousiana.

I spent yesterday getting utilities turned on for a home inspection. Very soon I will have a new place for my cozy self. That includes a room for me that is big enough to get my computer, mailing supplies, photo setup, crafting materials and inventories all in one place. Right now I am spread out all over the house and it is not efficient and going from room to room to work is distracting.

I am excited!

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Simple Joy

2010-02-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

May you all be as happy as an elephant in a waterfall.

Superbowl Ads

2010-02-08T21:12:00.001-07:00

This ad was one of my favorites. I always want to see what the Budweiser horses are up to as well. This year you had to wait for that until the last part of the game. At least it was a game worth watching to the end. Since my Cardinals weren't in it I did not really have a favorite team. I just cheered for both teams to do well. I know strange woman right?

Baked Goodies

2010-02-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

I baked for our weekend breakfast treats. Now of course I have to try one to make sure the cinnamon rolls taste right. Yes it is cream cheese frosting. Excuse me while I go eat way too much sugar and probably take a nap after the crash.

Awesome Show

2010-02-03T17:56:00.003-07:00

Staying up and knitting the other night I watched Independent Lens. I love the show because the topics are always entertaining and/or educational. The show I watched was Between the Folds about the history and the current artists whose work is in origami. I have made my share of little boxes and cranes but never developed the techniques or patience to even attempt one of the creations I saw on the show.

If you get a chance to watch this when it runs again I recommend you do it. I was amazed. Are you?
To see a preview clip of the show click the link below
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/between-the-folds/previewpop.html

Moving Things Around

2010-02-02T11:35:00.001-07:00

I have been working my way through my finished products the last couple days. I am doing it slowly I admit but doing it rather than the frozen state I found myself in last week. I was working my way through the headbands I have made and have some more to add but I thought I would show them to you in a slide show.

I have sold a few of these and alway gotten positive feedback on them that I am very proud of.

"hayyyyy my headband just arrived i love it wearing it now its so pretty"

"Even prettier in person! Super fast shipping, too! Thanks a lot - I love it!"

"This headband is absolutely fantastic! I plan on wearing it on my wedding day. Thank you so much for the prompt shipment. You are wicked awesome!"

"you should make more of these for sure!"

Want to see what all the excitement was about?

A Concept

2010-02-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

This blog had a started with the intent to showcase my stitching with random sharing of handmade coolness I found online. I have been good, well maybe not, about the random sharing and not so good, ok not really good at all, about showing my work. I do have projects I am working on all the time in fact a few, well maybe several things at a time. So for myself as well as for readers in you are interested I am going to try a record more of my work here more often. At times it will be in progress work and other times finished, photographed and listed work.

So over the weekend I needed to start something new. I am trying to use up stash and not buy new things unless they are needed for a specific project. I wanted to make a scarf that would be good for men or women. I think I came up with a stitch pattern that works for both. It has a relatively smooth side and a bumpy side and you could choose which is the right side depending on what you like. I don't plan on fringing this because someone like my husband would say that makes it too girly. When it is all done it will go on my mannequin to get its picture taken and then be listed in a shop. I love the color of this and hope someone else will too.

If you want to read more of my personal ramblings I invite you to take a look at my other blog A Cozy Life.

Icy Blue

2010-01-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

Continuing the icy January theme I am showing you a photo done by Jennifer Squires. I have been a fan of her blog for awhile now. She does a monthly calendar wallpaper download from her website. When I was window shopping for this theme I ran across her ArtFire shop which I did not know about.

Isn't her work stunning?

New Month New Theme

2010-01-11T21:09:00.001-07:00

Although the Gemini in me doesn't do well consistently over a long period I like to pretend that I am a put together, organized person. Last month I did several posts on the idea of Christmas trees. After hearing about so many bloggers who are struggling with the cold this year I decided on a theme of ice. I know and you should know too that every post won't be ice themed but I will post several times this month after window shopping and share with you what I find.

To get started I found a photograph of a glacier in Alaska. If you look closely there are people walking along the leading edge of this ice mass. This amazing image and more can be found in Yulia Kazansky Art Studio on ArtFire. Cool huh? Okay that was bad, really bad. I promise I will not do that again.

Learning Something New

2010-01-06T08:33:00.001-07:00

I ordered one of my own Christmas presents this year because Jim would never have gone shopping for me on a knitting web site and gotten all the little bits and pieces I wanted. I got a Knit Picks interchangeable set, a cable needle, extra cables in all the lengths offered, all the needle tips sizes they have and some fixed cable needles in the very small sizes.These tools are part of my personal plan for this year.

I have wanted to learn how to do a couple different things for awhile now and this is the year. First I wanted to learn the magic loop method of knitting. This lets you knit small round items like hats and socks or knit afghans or baby blankets from the center out without needing to manage a set of double pointed needles. I am working on a baby blanket right now that starts from the center out. It is my own design, not real fancy or lacy this time but I like how it is coming out so far and when I finish it will go into one of my shops.

The second thing I want to do is knit socks. This would be for myself mostly. Even here in Phoenix there are several months a year when having a cozy pair of socks to pull on in the evenings would be nice. I don't see myself knitting up a lot of different sizes to make them for sale. I got a couple sock books as well that have a lot of information on getting started. As usual they don't have directions specifically for left handed knitters. My brain has to switch the hands in the directions but I am used to that.

Do you have any plans to expand your skills or knowledge this year? I would love to hear from readers about what you are doing or learning.

This post is part of a blog carnival hosted by the BlogFire Guild of ArtFire. The carnival will be posted on Friday, January 8th. To learn more about the Blogfire Guild and to find all the posts in the carnival go to our guild blog.

My Wish

2009-12-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

It is my wish for all of you that stop by my little place here to have......

Thanks for taking time to read and sometimes comment. It means a lot.

For Your Tree

2009-12-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

I kind of wonder if a lot of folks on Etsy are thinking about swimmie tonight. Old timers will remember that.

Arizona Style

2009-12-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

This, while not a tree, fits with my life right now. This is my third year down here in the desert and I must admit I am still struggling with enjoying life here. Phoenix has a lot of great things but I miss mountains and real trees and even snow.

This comes from the shop Embroidery Designs and More on Etsy.

Wearable Trees

2009-12-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

Today I am showing you trees you can wear. That is if you are like me, a woman of a certain age who needs glasses to see things clearly. You can keep the spectacles handy and spread some holiday cheer.

This piece comes from the shop Abacus Bead Creations on ArtFire.

Very festive. Don't you think so too?

Trees and trees and trees

2009-12-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

From Etsy today and the shop Poppy Go Round. The set of 3 trees and the gourd snowman are sold separately.

I really like the shaping of the trees. I could see them used all year in a cabin or lodge decorating scheme. Couldn't you?

Charming Tree

2009-12-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

Really charming. At least I think so, how about you?

A tree on an ornament the is also a photo frame. A stand is included so you can keep your Christmas memories in sight all year.

You can find this and much more for Christmas and all year in the shop of RF Colorful Creations on ArtFire.

Wordless Wednesday-Handmade on My Tree

2009-12-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

Useful Trees

2009-12-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

I am having a lot of fun looking for my tree themed items for this month. I may keep this up in the coming year. What do you think about monthly themes as a reader and/or a blogger?

Today the trees are in the form of salt and pepper shakers and come from the shop Blue Sky Pottery on Zibbet. As of this post the shop has a version of these in blue as well as a tree decorated platter. What are you waiting for? Go check it out. I don't mind if you leave me.

Two Most Loved

2009-12-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

That's right - two most loved - at least the way I think. Today I am showing you another tree from ArtFire. This one is from the shop Mandies Candies. In this one item she combines a tree which is the decoration that most says Christmas to me and chocolate and it is the rare person that does not like chocolate.

There are lots of other holiday themed goodies in the shop. I bet they don't last long so you better check them out real soon.

Happy Cozy Holidays!

Turkey and Tunes

2009-12-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

Two things start the holiday season in our family. The first is the Thanksgiving meal. This year it included a smoked turkey done by my husband. It tasted wonderful and Jim was so proud of how it looked he took a picture as you can see here.

The second thing is that we play Christmas music as a background to the meal. Jim put up some speakers on the patio and we played the music with his itouch. That's right here in Arizona we were able to have Thanksgiving dinner outside on the patio. It is such a great way to feed a crowd and there are no worries about kids making a mess!

I found a shop on ArtFire that has a Christmas CD for sale. You might want to take a look if you are considering a new tradition like ours. Just click on the picture to find out more!

Another Tree for the Season

2009-12-02T14:24:00.001-07:00

Today the tree I am sharing comes from the shop Twin Lyons on Artfire. From the shop bio I quote below you find out about the joy behind the creations in the Twin Lyons shop. I encourage you to check it out.

I am an average person with an unusual average and desire to craft. I have worked in the Accounting area for years and find no more happiness than making something with my hands. I started this shop to give me a controlled option for my creativity. Meeting all my customers is just a plus.
I am a great Grandmother of a 4 year old, and love it.
I have three children who are the light of my life and four grandchildren who make me smile. One day a week my friends come to my house and we craft all day, laugh, have tea and just enjoy life. Crafting will do that for you.

While you are checking out Twin Lyon's shop may I (insert shameless self promotion here) suggest that you can take a peek at my work as well. Find me at cozy.artfire.com and thanks for looking.

It's Time

2009-12-01T14:58:00.002-07:00

Now that Thanksgiving is over it is time for us to start thinking about getting our tree up and decorating for Christmas.

Last year we really weren't in the mood to do anything at all. This year should be different. In the January clearance sales we found a new skinny tree so that it doesn't take up as much room as our old tree. The skinny design just seems to make more sense with just two of us here.

I am excited to see how it turns out.

Oh yes and the pretty tree pendant is from Jesse Jane's shop on Zibbet.

Zibbet

2009-11-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

Okay I did it. This place (Zibbet) better last awhile. I bought in to the $100 for life deal. I am one of 100 accounts they are offering. When I signed up there were about 60 accounts left at this price. If you miss it they are also offering $7 a month for life and have about 2000 of those offers left according to the site. To get info go to Zibbet's sell page. I am busy with company this week so I am just posting and running. I will tell you more about the happenings for A Cozy Life next week.

Sidetracked as usual

2009-11-21T18:05:00.001-07:00

I was going to do some kind of getting ready for Thanksgiving post but I found something else I just have to share with you.

The Lavender and Lace Tea Set you see is from Whimsical Bliss Studios on ArtFire. This set and so much more like it in the shop just took my breath away with the delicacy and beauty of the designs. Just a hint if you love things like this as much as I do. Use the shop link to get details on an exciting holiday sale!
Check out this shop and come back to let me know what you think.

After the Race

2009-11-17T20:45:00.003-07:00

We had a chance to go to the Truck races at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday. Jim and I had a great time. As I often do I went looking around the handmade world to find something that ties in to my real life.

I found some soaps from sunburst on ArtFire. The soap that links to the picture reminds me of our day at the race and for an obvious reason to those who know him to Jim. A familiar scent maybe? If you don't know him the name of the scent is right behind the number on car 14. He uses the after shave every morning.

November

2009-11-13T08:40:00.001-07:00

On Artfire you can have a shop blog if you are a verified member. On that blog I announced my deal of the month. I have decided that each month I will feature some kind of special offer for the whole month.

For November if you use the word November as a coupon code I will take 20% off the price of this shawl. The normal price is $50 and for this month blog readers can get it for $40. I only made one of these so if this shawl is something that appeals to you now would be the time to get it for yourself.

Thanks to those who serve

2009-11-11T10:41:00.004-07:00

From someone who understands from a family viewpoint what your call to service means in all its hardships and pride thank you. I posted information on my veteran here.

If you would like to wear something that shows how you feel this button is available on ArtFire from The Angry Robot.

Weekend Work

2009-11-09T16:36:00.002-07:00

We got carpet in what has become a guest bedroom rather than DH's home office. We moved a lot of furniture around and exposed a lot of dust bunnies. We are getting ready for visiting family this holiday season. I wish they were as cute as this one from Purrfect Knits on Artfire. I would have kept her if that was what I found. So cute!

Traditional Crafts

2009-11-06T16:31:00.005-07:00

There are few craft mediums more traditional than quilting. It is something I have done in the past and want to start doing again. Quilting is beautifully represented on ArtFire and I am showing you just one example of that today.

This quilt comes from the shop Debi Designs. Very pretty, yes?

Why Artfire?

2009-11-05T12:28:00.005-07:00

I started selling at craft fairs nearly 30 years ago. I remember the first one I sold at. I wasn't there but it was exciting anyway. My neighbor's mother was part of a church bazaar in another state and the two of us made some things to send to her. After that I started looking for shows around where I was living. Let's just say the holiday season was a very busy one for me for many years in San Diego and the in the Salt Lake City area. Actually because most of what I was doing was thread crochet Christmas ornaments I really got busy about May or June to have enough things made for the shows.

With the coming of the internet I was so excited. Ecommerce was a way out of all the lugging of displays around, packing and unpacking products and weekends away from home. I knew it would happen and I started watching. The first internet craft malls seemed too complicated and expensive and then I stumbled on a blog mention of a place called Etsy in 2005 which was right after startup. I was over the moon excited. As a concept it is still a great place but not, I have come to realize, necessarily for a more traditional crafter like me. This post isn't about that debate though. I have closed my shop on Etsy with no hard feelings because I was looking for a better fit for me at a cost structure I could sustain as a long term dedicated hobbyist.

I did go with the "don't put your eggs all in one basket" approach for awhile. Actually a couple years worth of wasting time doing a little here and a little there. I have had accounts on Shop Handmade, Ecrater, Blujay, Mintd, Lovli and Silkfair as well as the big orange E never quite finding a good fit and realizing something very important about my own way of doing things. Being in so many places even if not all at once was too distracting and everything was only half done and poorly at that. My baskets only had a couple eggs in each and what I really needed was a full, well done basket somewhere.

Along came ArtFire and I liked what I saw. I read about the background of John Jacobs, the founder, and discovered a background of understanding for crafters and the struggles to sell their goods. I hope that I have found a place to fill a basket of my goods and find folks who would like to have them.

Finally, the term handmade as a trend is on the decline. But arts and crafts, artisans, the creative entrepreneur are so much bigger than a trend. We intentionally created artfire not to be a flash in the pan trend based business. Craft shows, art fairs, and the sale of handmade goods is a strong and long-time market. My posting of the google trend is to demonstrate that the handmade trend (the resurgence of handmade as a fashion trend based concept) may not be the buoy that some think in the marketplace. There is a deeper, more longstanding, more traditional market here that is not focused on the fashion trend only. I think that makes for a more stable and long-term marketplace.

I found the above quote in the ArtFire Forums today. The discussion this is part of is generating a lot of interest as the community sorts its way through how they feel about the evolving site. For me if the focus stays on the last two sentences I am staying here and hoping that what happens for me is good. I try to make traditional, useful things that help make life cozy. As I said before I have been doing it for nearly 30 years and I don't know how and don't want to stop.

If you are a crafter, artisan or artist and this sounds like a place for you I would be honored if you would use my referral link if you sign up for an account.

too gemini

2009-10-22T09:25:00.002-07:00

Okay so I have rethought my previous thinking. I will be posting to this blog again. I am working on theme ideas now and as my fine print on the bottom tells you some posts here may be sponsored ones, hopefully of things we both can enjoy.

A New Idea

2009-09-18T14:46:00.002-07:00

This blog started as a new idea for me to showcase my handmade life and the works of others. I was kind of silly to think that those things would fill a blog that I would keep up with and be proud of. I am moving all my scattered Gemini, crafting ADD self back to one blog. For those that follow or visit here please join me at my original blog, A Cozy Life. Keeping all my writing in one place should let me have more crafting time and less guilt.

Studios

2009-08-20T16:13:00.002-07:00

Today I am giving you just a tease of what you can find on the Smithsonian Channel. this has become my new favorite place on out TV channel guide. I watched a couple shows last night and checked out the website today. If you find something to share like I did it is so easy to send the video to your blog for your readers to enjoy. At least I hope you enjoy it and want to explore more.

It is not too late!

2009-08-13T15:51:00.004-07:00

The Etsybloggers are celebrating two years of friendly blogging. It is a great group from all over the world who share a connection to Etsy and blogs and so much more.

To celebrate going strong after two years a couple dozen members are giving away items for free. You do want to know how to have a chance to win something don't you? You need to get over to our team blog. You will find out what you need to know to have a chance. It is not too late but don't wait either. Entries are accepted until midnight Friday August 14th. (That is EST.) Drawings are on Saturday.

Take a look and then get yourself over to the EtsyBloggers team blog and find out what you need to do to enter. Remember midnight Friday is the deadline!

Art In My House

2009-08-12T16:38:00.007-07:00

Today I am continuing to show you the handmade things I have around me everyday. The 2 pieces today are watercolors and hang in my bedroom.

The pictures to the right shows a forest scene that I bought for my husband one Father's Day. I loved the colors and beauty of the trees and he did too. Unfortunately I do not know the name of the artist and the piece is not signed. I bought it at a Quilted Bear store in Murray, Utah.

The painting on the left is one I have had since my high school days. We had a family friend named Claude Lepine who painted. Our families would get together sometimes and during one of those visits he told each of us we could chose one of his paintings to take home. This was my choice that day. I like the shades of spring greens mixed with the brown of the cattails. It looks to me as if a slight breeze is just barely bending the tops of the tall grasses.

Do you have handmade things surrounding you in your life? If you have posted about them leave a link to your post in the comments for others to see.

Finished and Delivered

2009-08-07T12:23:00.003-07:00

The young woman who cleans and checks on my teeth every 3 months is having her first baby. I told her I would love to make a blanket and burp cloth set for her. She chose the fabrics. The print you see here is backed by a solid dark brown. I crocheted a shell stitch in pink and then edged the shells in dark brown. I am very pleased with how this project turned out. I hope the new little lady in their lives enjoys in too. She is due on the 17th of this month and I have been promised pictures!

New Handmade

2009-08-01T10:14:00.004-07:00

I have two new bowls in my house for keys and other small things. They are one of the projects done by my granddaughter during her visit this week. I will enjoy having them to look at and use.

To see the creator of my new bowls you can go here.

2009-07-24T08:59:00.001-07:00

Original watercolor by Lauren Alexander.

Thirty three years ago today I got married. I still am and it is still good. I am using my one of my favorite artists to illustrate the day.

One More

2009-07-21T15:48:00.006-07:00

I have another online shop that I don't say much about and that is a mistake on my part. The shop is on Ecrater. Why do I have it there? Well for one the shop is free. There are no listing fees and no percentage taken on sales not that I have had any there. So why do I keep it? Ecrater submits my products to Google every month and they do get views. Setting up and listing products is easy and I like the shop look.

In case you are wondering what I have for sale there I have an ecrater widget in the sidebar on the right.

More Handmade

2009-07-16T10:30:00.004-07:00

This is something I made long ago. It has had a couple lives so far. the little doily started out in a wood embroidery hoop to hang on a wall or in a window and I used it that way for a long time. I took it out of the hoop when I was looking for something to place a new reed diffuser on. It is made of cream colored crochet thread and uses almost every basic crochet stitch there is from single to triple with a few clusters thrown in.

One of the nice things about creating with cotton crochet thread is that with a bit of care it can be a very long lasting piece of work. I wash my things in the washer and lay them out to dry. To keep things looking nice I press them with a steam iron and some spray starch to help it resist dirt.

Handmade at Home

2009-07-14T15:14:00.003-07:00

Today I am continuing to show the little things that are part of my daily life that are handmade. Having things from hands that care whether your own or another persons just makes it all more meaningful. To me it creates a connection to the thoughts and feelings behind the creation. In a mass produced world the only thought behind the creation of objects is probably "When does my shift end so I can go home?"

The little basket today isn't much. It started out plain white and I sponged the green paint on it. The flowers inside were left from the center pieces on the tables at my oldest daughter's wedding reception. That event was a lovely day and lots of fun. So you see at a glance I can feel better just thinking of the happy time behind the creation. This sits on the edge of the tub in the master bath so I get to see it several times a day.
As for any purists out there I will admit this is not made from scratch but rather the basket is hand altered and the flowers just placed in it but those ideas were put together by my hands.

EtsyBlogger Birthdays

2009-07-10T06:59:00.003-07:00

I am a member of the EtsyBloggers Street Team and have been for nearly 2 years. The group got started around August of 2007. The purpose of the group is to create buzz about Etsy and our team members. To be on the team there are a really just three basic requirements. We have a chosen member each month that all EtsyBloggers are asked to write a post about. We have blog carnivals every other week with 2 topic choices each time. You need to write a post for a blog carnival at least once a month. The last requirement is to put the links to those posts in the roll call thread for the month on the team message board.

One of the other perks of membership is that each Monday an EtsyBlogger is featured on the team blog. There is a sign up thread for that on the message board. I share doing the Mini Monday feature with Lily of Tulips Treasure Box. It is called Mini Monday beacause we use the Etsy Mini widget to show off the shop. To be featured when your name comes up on the list the member needs to be current on the membership requirements I told you about in the first paragraph.

One other thing on the team blog is birthday greetings done by me each week on Friday for those active members who had birthdays in the previous week. This week I posted about two great members and wanted to share them with you here. The first is the shop owner of Spotted Cow Soaps and the second is Shell Mitchell. Both of them are outstanding artisans and if you come to the blog here you will see why. If you are getting this in a reader please come on over because the Etsy Mini widget does not show up on your feed. I really want you to see their products.

See I told you they had great stuff!

Look at This!

2009-07-06T21:01:00.004-07:00

What a charming print! I found this with a search of the word summer on Silkfair. It is from the shop Studio Petite. As an introduction the artist says-

eclectic artist working out of a tiny studio in my nyc apt. i primarily work in watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media. i drink an overload of coffee and love oversized furniture. i also love cats and dogs equally, and can't get enough of music/movies;)!!

It's All About the Fireworks!

2009-06-30T10:35:00.006-07:00

With the 4th of July coming soon I thought I would share my favorite thing about this holiday. No matter what else happens on this day I always look forward to fireworks that night. We are rather lucky where we live. The local display is done at the high school just a few blocks away. There is no need for us to go anywhere. All we have to do is wait until dark and look over the back fence and I love it that way.

I have tried many times to get some great fireworks photos and many times have failed. Last year I finally found a fireworks or night time button on my camera. Can you say duh with me? They would have been so much better with a tripod but I like how some of them came out anyway.

So on to my personal fireworks show!

Handmade Home

2009-06-18T09:43:00.004-07:00

I always seem to have a hard time enforcing time lines on myself. I can meet everyone's deadlines and schedules but struggle with my own. I tend to ignore myself. Do you think that comes from the years of being a mom when making sure family members did all they needed to do on time without regard to what I might want? Enough of that silly self examination and on to what I really want to share today. I hope to do this kind of post much more regularly. I think I will try for about once a week. We will see how that goes won't we?

Over many years Jim and I have collected handmade things here and there that we like to have around us to see and enjoy. In the early years of our marriage of course much of it was small and inexpensive. We may have admired the work of an artisan and just got pieces we could afford. Some were gifts and we certainly appreciated the generosity of the gift.Frankly I don't remember where or when we got this tiny little oil painting. It has just always been around tucked here and there as I move things around in my house. I am known in my family for always rearranging things. It is only a couple inches high and wide and right now lives on a shelf in the master bathroom but I took it outside to take its picture. I do think that making things tiny takes a special skill and it makes me happy to look at this little bouquet of flowers each day.

Summertime

2009-06-04T14:56:00.002-07:00

To me the best part of summer is the long evenings. The light fades gently and the heat of the day begins to fade. The activities that keep you busy during the day slow down. The perfect way to spend the warm end of day for me would be on a big front porch with a cool drink watching fireflies come out and children playing. Of course I don't live in a place where that happens but maybe I will some day. When I do I will need one of these beautiful fans to help cool me off. One of them is handmade and the other vintage and both are available on Artfire.

The fan above is from the shop Vintage Intent.

I remember getting fans like this when I was a kid.
The paper always seemed to tear after a few uses.
It is amazing to me that it is all in one piece.

The fan below is from Southern Charm Soap Company.
I love the colors in this piece.
The tassel with the charms is a lovely way to complete the fan.

Create A Thought

2009-05-29T15:27:00.003-07:00

Life is too short to have boring things in your life,
welcome to my shop full of color and things for you to enjoy,
and make your life bright!

I love writing.
I love the swirl and swing of words
as they tangle with human emotions.

Above is part of the shop announcement greeting at Create A Thought on Etsy. I was so impressed by the phrase "words as they tangle with human emotions". What a concept. So well said. I think this is why people blog that is to tangle or maybe sometimes untangle emotions with words.
On to the shop. Look and of course click below to see these things and more.

More Rugs

2009-04-28T20:38:00.003-07:00

I thought since I showed you my bathroom rug yesterday I would follow up with other handmade rugs you could get for yourself if crafting rugs is not your thing. These are a few of the rugs available on ArtFire right now. Remember there is no guarantee that they will be there tomorrow so if you see something you like you may want to act fast! Clicking on the picture will take you to the shop where you can make your purchase or look around.Aren't they beautiful? You know you want one!

Handmade in My House

2009-04-27T16:40:00.004-07:00

I have set out on a new series of posts here at Cozy's Stitches. I will still feature artists and crafters and their work but a couple times a week I will be showing you what I have in my life that is handmade. I will show you the things that I made myself and the things Jim and I have collected.

To organize this project I will go room by room and show off the big things, little things, decorative things and useful things. We are starting in the master bathroom with something I made. This useful rug tickles my feet and dries my toes every morning.I found myself with a lot of that fabric that you wonder why you really every bought. You sewers know exactly what I am talking about. The kind of stuff that calls to you from the clearance table. You don't have a project in mind but maybe you just might use it someday. This rug used a lot of that kind of fabric up for me. I crocheted a base and latch hooked short fabric strips onto it. The rug is thick and heavy and feels wonderful to step on.What do you have in your life that you use or enjoy every day that is handmade? Feel free to leave a comment about it and even a link if you have posted about your handmade life on a blog.

In the Swing of Things

2009-04-07T20:48:00.002-07:00

I am trying to rebuild my routines after my last trip got extended with car troubles. I don't really know why since once again I need to be away from home for about 10 days. This time it is to California to be with my Mom through some medical stuff. Nothing scary thank goodness but I need to be there.

I will be lining up some travel time knitting or maybe crocheting. Got to always have something to do with my hands.

Thinking about heading for the coast led me to this photo in a new shop on Etsy, Mrs Nessa Moon.

Need Some Sunshine

2009-03-25T16:21:00.002-07:00

Do you need some to help you feel like spring is coming and the world will be warm again? I know I do.

My Car

2009-03-20T13:42:00.004-07:00

If you are a reader of my other blog A Cozy Life you may already know that I am stuck in Utah waiting for my car to be fixed. It had a major breakdown and the part it needs is back ordered nationwide. They say I will probably have it back by next Wednesday.

In the meantime I am able to use computers at different houses to check mail and write occasional posts.

Today I am showing you a box of cute car themed cards. They are from the shop Liz Felgate Crafts. Stop by and take a look at this charming shop and if you are in the mood let her know Cozy sent you.

Carry Your Luck

2009-03-17T06:32:00.002-07:00

With this tote from pinkclover1 you can carry your luck with you where ever you go.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you!

Let Your House Wear Some Green

2009-03-04T15:42:00.003-07:00

In my never ending quest to bring you fantastic St. Patrick's Day products... oops not never ending actually, I got carried away!

Looking around Art Fire today I found these switch plates. I don't usually think of switch plates as a part of my holiday decorating scheme but the more I thought about it the more I like the idea. These are from the shop 3zArt.

The seller lets you know about the high quality of the work in the product description-

All of my plates are hand crafted using the age old technique of decoupage. I then use a minimum of 3 coats of sealer to insure quality and so all my plates can be cleaned with a damp cloth. I also use fabric instead of paper, I find that fabric forms better to the light plate. I fold the fabric over the back of the plate to prevent the edges from folding up. I then finish it off by insulating the back of the plate for added quality.

Like many artisans who are always up for a challenge or to try new ideas, custom work is available at the 3zArt shop. You can get switch plate covers or outlet covers in many styles and lots of fabric choices. After all you will need something cute to put up after St. Patrick's Day right?

In 2 Weeks

2009-03-03T17:59:00.006-07:00

It will be St. Patrick's Day in 2 weeks from today. That is in the US where it is celebrated on the 17th of March each year. It is a day for remembering all things Irish since so many Americans trace their roots back to Ireland. I am one of them myself. So I went window shopping on Silkfair to see what I could find and of course I came up with something for you to see that I think is certainly prettier than green beer and might even smell better than freshly baked soda bread.

This lovely soap is from the Desert Maiden Bathworks Shop. The seller describes the product this way-

Just in time for St. Patrick's day. Buy this bar for your favorite Irish man or lady! The orange is a Fizzling Tangerine scent. The white layer is Lemon Drops, and the green is our Twist and Shout Lime! Perfect for either scent and light enough to celebrate spring and refresh the senses!The Celtic oval represents the Irish's proud Celtic heritage!All my soaps are created using the highest quality bases and fragrance oils. Nothing created in my soap kitchen goes untested by me and my business partner, Lisa. We take pride in all of our creations. All bath and body products are made in small batches to ensure the highest quality for our customers.All soap bars are approximately 3-4oz in size. We do have multiples in stock in most cases. We welcome all wholesale orders. If your fragrance is out of stock, we will be happy to make you a bar or two, but please give us 10 days to complete custom requests.Ingredients: Saponofied Coconut Oil, Saponofied Castor Oil, Saponofied Safflower Oil, Saponofied Palm Oil, Olive Oil, Soybean Protein, Sorbitol, Sorbitan Oleate, Water, Lye, and Fragrance.

If time permits and I don't get too distracted with other things I will be bringing you more things from Silkfair and other sites that fit the St. Patrick's Day theme.

Think Rich Colors

2009-02-25T15:54:00.003-07:00

It seems that rich, deep jewel tones are going to be seen a lot in the coming year. For myself I prefer these kinds of colors. Do you? Let me give you a couple things to look at that I found on Art Fire in the color fushia which is one of my favorite colors.

If you don't like a long scarf hanging down but still want warmth around your neck a cowl is the perfect accessory. How could you not feel great wearing such softness and beautiful color?
If you want this scarf for yourself you can find it in the shop Jenny N Design.

To welcome spring what could be a nicer accent to an outfit than this necklace? The flower, the beads and the delicate wire curls are all fushia. Would you like to have this for your own. You can get it at Lo's Wire by Design.

This post is part of a blog carnival hosted at the BlogFire Guild. the carnival will be published on Friday the 27th of February. You can go to the Guild Blog to find links to the other posts for this carnival and more.

Puzzling Fun

2009-02-24T21:54:00.003-07:00

Think of my shop as a place where you can find something traditional...with a twist! All my soft toys and Christmas ornaments are very child-safe and every stitch is made by hand (I don't use a sewing machine).

As a knitter, crocheter and hand quilter I enjoy the peacefulness of stitches coming from my hands one after another. I admire and feel connected to others who create fabric or fiber arts the same way. This kind of work, done without machines is what you find in the puzzle balls that come from the shop of Donna Pool.

As you can see here the process starts with the hand sewing of the triangular pieces. Part of the fun must be designing the color scheme for each ball.

The three sections above make up the ball.

At the end you have a colorful, washable piece of fun crafted completely by hand. By going to Donna's shop you can see more of these puzzle balls. As I write this there are a couple of these done as Christmas ornaments you may want to snap up for next year. Larger ones can be made as toys for children. The littlest ones I am sure would just love chewing on them and the older ones can be proud of themselves for mastering the puzzle.

New on ArtFire!

2009-02-23T17:46:00.004-07:00

Here is the hand knotted fringe on the Warm Cream Shawl I put up for sale today in my ArtFire shop. It joins the Warm Fog Shawl that is already in the shop. Do you notice a trend in names here? It may not be very imaginative but I have decided to name all my heavier shawls starting with the word warm.

If you live in a part of the country where winter is hanging on or in a place where you just need to keep the chill off your shoulders you may want to take a look at these. I have a couple more in different colors that will be joining them soon!

EditI am so excited! I just discovered that you can make purchases on Art Fire without needing an account there. This makes shopping so much easier. Of course if you are a regular handmade buyer you may want an account so that your shipping information is saved to make future purchases easier. For all the information you need about this new feature you can click here.

I Did It!

2009-01-23T10:58:00.006-07:00

I am the world's worst when it comes to procrastination even to my own detriment. I can meet the deadlines of others with no problem but I cheat on myself. If I tell you for example that I will do something for you on Tuesday it will be done. I get distracted by the little details that can make things perfect rather than just going for it.

I have got my first listing up in my Art Fire shop. The intention was to list two or three things each week starting the first of January. You see what I mean about personal procrastination? I am behind.
The first listing is a shawl I named Warm Fog. Strange name, I know but it has colors of rusty orange and gray in it. The pictures are just okay and I know it. The colors are fairly true at least on my monitor but I want the shots to be better. I got to thinking about how I could take those lovely pictures where the backgrounds are blurred and softened and the product stands out against it and to get the best light of course I need to be outside. I really don't want the back fence to show so sharply. So after camera manual reading, online searches and hours of practicing in changing the depth of field I am closing in on the kind of product images I want for my things.
I plan the shawl above to be my second listing on Art Fire. I was pleased to get this shot late in the afternoon yesterday and then I ran out of light before I could pose it in different ways. The background is gently blurred and the shawl stands out. That is what I was looking for!

I want to...

2009-01-19T13:16:00.002-07:00

Some day I want to learn how to spin. It would be nice to take my creations from roving to yarn to item made in knitting or crocheting. Now that I am at a time of life with no little ones underfoot I have considered learning about dyeing fibers as well. So much fiber and ideas and so little time.
If you are ready to step up and learn something new this spinning kit comes from Maine Woods Yarn and Fiber.

In 2009

2009-01-16T16:29:00.002-07:00

The item in this post if from the shop Yee Haw on Etsy. It seemed fitting to use a calendar when talking about my plans for this blog in the coming year.

This post is part of the EtsyBloggers Street Team Carnival that will be published on Story Beader's Bl0g on January 18th.

The first goal for this blog is to have enough posts on it so that I can ask Project Wonderful to approve it. When that happens I will put 125 by 125 ad spaces in one of the columns on the right. As on my other blog A Cozy Life I will start the ads with a 0 bid amount so they can be affordable for many handcrafters like myself. I don't do this for the money which is only pennies a day but to help you and me find new and wonderful places on the web.
The next goal is to showcase my own crafting and push myself to create and list much more actively than I have in the past. On my other blog I have I post personal things, crafting and do paid posting. This blog is crafting and selling crafts online only.
Third is to increase my good karma in this world by using the blog for what I think of as random acts of kindness. I like to go window shopping on handcrafted sites like Etsy, Shop Handmade, Art Fire and Silkfair and show off the things that make me say "Wow!". I don't solicit for ideas or do interviews. I just like showing my reader's what I think is really amazing stuff that maybe, just maybe things they may not have noticed otherwise.

There you have it. Be sure and check StoryBeader's blog to read the rest of the posts for this carnival. After all EtsyBloggers rock and you don't want to miss this!

Roses

2009-01-13T21:59:00.003-07:00

I really don't know of another holiday where roses are given or received more as gifts than Valentine's Day. It is about a month away and I wanted to show you some choices I found in shops on Art Fire. This should give you plenty of time to do more than pick up some flowers on your way home from work.
Let me show you some of what I found.

This beautiful vintage bracelet is from Just Bead Me.

For the plant lover in your life there is this one of a kind pot. It comes from the shop CMK Sculptures.

I love the shape of this hat, do you? The feathers make it even more special. You can find it at Crochet and Stitches.

Such a charming scene and it can be yours from the shop of Wendy Ferguson.

In a more realistic look at the world's favorite flower you could have this fine photography as a constant reminder of this Valentine's Day and enjoy the beauty every day. It comes from the shop of Distressing Delilah.

This stunning piece comes from Brass and Glass by Urban Rose.

These roses are actually pine cones from a cedar tree. They can be scented and used in crafting projects. You can find them at Flowering Tree Botanicals.

And finally for the real DIY person-
You can grow your own roses. The seeds for the briar rose are from Wise Plants.

I do hope that with my little list I have been able to give you an idea of the amazing range of things that are waiting for you if you go shopping on Art Fire. The things I have shown you are from a list that was nearly 150 pages long when I searched the work rose.

This post will be a part of the first blog carnival done by the Blog Fire Guild of Art Fire. To know more about our new group you can take a look at our blog. The blog carnival will be published there on the 16th of January. If you stop by to check it out you can see what others in the Blog Fire Guild have written on the Valentine's Day theme.

Misfit Yarns on Silkfair

2009-01-07T22:30:00.003-07:00

I thought today I would give you a peek at a shop on Silkfair. The site is so easy to use and I like the shop set ups there. You can have a blog, listing is easy and there are no listing fees. You do pay 3% of your sale. Although this is not a handcrafted only site, handcrafted items are more that welcome there. The shop I am showing you today has handspun yarn and crocheted items.

PS - if you have an Etsy shop you can import your listings from Etsy to Silkfair. Oh yes and your items are fed to Google base automatically for you. You may want to have a look around.

Art Fire and Guilds

2009-01-06T13:25:00.003-07:00

I have joined Art Fire as a seller. Nothing is in my shop yet but I plan to change that very soon. What I wanted to let you know about are the guilds on this site. They are groups artisans drawn together by a common interest, location or art form. I have joined BlogFire which as you might guess is a group of bloggers whose goal is to spread the word and increase visibility for us all.

If you have an Art Fire shop and might be interested you can contact the group through the Interact/Guild page on Art Fire or by visiting the group blog.

Always Slow

2008-12-11T16:09:00.004-07:00

I am usually a bit behind the curve in keeping up with books and movies. It has been out for awhile and last night I started reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
One sentence stood out to me in the author's notes and I want to share it with you.

If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination in the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.

Let me tell you that I am definitely not a fan of crude reality! I want to believe as I stitch my way thought another project of one kind or another that I can do a small bit to make this world cozier.

What about you? Feel free to respond to Yann Martel's statement in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

Look What I Found on Silkfair!

2008-12-09T11:03:00.003-07:00

Today I am showing you this cute serving Santa from the shop Favorite Things on Silkfair. What better way could you set out cookies for yourself or friends and family than this? He is not the only holiday offering in this charming shop either.

Why am I showing you Silkfair things? I like this site a lot even though the emphasis here is not all handmade. The administration listens to the users and they have development plans that will continue to improve the ability to shop and sell on Silkfair. Did I mention it is free to list. A percentage is charged when you sell so the incentive is for the site to bring in buyers or they don't make money. There have also been hints in the forums there about a handmade only sister site. That would be so nice.

It is worth taking a look.

For the New Year

2008-12-08T23:20:00.003-07:00

I love calendars however I usually just end up hanging a free one from some business and scribble things I need to remember on it. I realized that list making and calendar notes were taking up too much of my time. I will have one and only one calendar online and I have decided to do away with lists except for the grocery store. I know what I need to do and making a list is just a distraction from getting things done.

For the past little while I have been working on images and spreadsheets and making plans for how to run multiple shops and keep it all together. I think I have things pretty well set up. So now things can run smoothly or I will be the best organized failure on the planet.

Enough whining. I really want to share a shop with you. You see I still wanted a calendar to look at and I found a very nice one. It was in Lauren Alexander's shop. The art is charming and it has no room for wasting time writing notes that I would really pay no attention to anyway.
Take a look at her shop. I think you will like it too.

My Work

2008-12-06T12:23:00.004-07:00

A Slide Show of Some of my Work.
I was just playing around with my Windows Live Space and made a slide show. Do you think that there will ever come a day when you like all things in one place. With blogs some features I like here on blogger and I like some of the features of Live Spaces.
It is the same with my shops. Each site has something I like and something I don't. I will say right now that the places with the administration the listens to its customers the most are Art Fire and Silkfair.
But of course that is one silly old woman's opinion.

For Your Tree

2008-12-05T22:53:00.004-07:00

I always wanted to have a tree full of this type of ornament. They are so beautiful. I found a shop on Art Fire that has about a dozen different ones. If you like them like I do you will want to take a look at Dancing Wind Designs.

New Look

2008-12-03T22:37:00.003-07:00

I have been selling or at least occupying a bit of cyber space with that intention for a couple years now. Over that time I have lost track of how many times I have changed avatars and banners. I am not a graphic artist or a fantastic photographer but I try. I kept trying out fonts and graphics to create a look and as soon as I was done with a new design I knew I would just live with it for awhile and change again later.

This morning enjoying the sunshine and a cup of coffee I looked across the yard and spotted a bird peeking from the leaves on a bush we have. I watched for a bit before it hit me that this was the type of image I was looking for! I went to get the camera and the bird ducked back in among the leaves. When I returned I had to wait a bit before it peeked out again. I didn't try to get too close being afraid it would duck back in and not come out. I shot lots of pictures hoping that without a tripod they would come out okay.It worked. I now have an image that is my own. No copying of anyone else and I think that it fits my cozy life theme. This is one of the photos I worked with and if you follow the links to my shops using the widgets on the right you can see how I used it. I also used it as a header for this blog and my other blog. Look around at how I used it and give me some feedback if you are willing and have some time. I guess that (the time part) is a bit of a joke for all of us these days, huh?