scissors paper glue

:: what's inspiring me - friends ::

First off let me just say thank you for all the new banner love.  I was really unsure about it.  I guess I just loved the boot banner so much I wasn't sure I would like anything else.  Your kind words have given me confidence, thank you.

In this blog world of mine, I have been lucky enough to have met some very inspiring ladies.  Ladies who send me inspired stuff in the mail.  Let's take a look at some of the things that have gotten my creativity going in the last month.

I received these adorable tags in the mail from my pal Mary Ann.  In her card she said, I hope these make you squeal a little.  Did they ever!  I am inspired by all the little details she put into these houses.  I don't think I will be able to use these tags.  They are destined to become inspiration wire fodder.  Let's make like a peeping tom and take a closer look.

Who wouldn't want to live here?  If you are lucky enough you could snag the last set in her etsy shop.

Next up is my talented friend Mary.  This girl can take a picture!  She is also working on opening up a paper shop online.  Woo Hoo can't wait for that.  I received inspiration two-fold when I talked her into asked her to do a photo swap with me.  I fell in love with one of her photographs during color week.  She not only sent the photo but also some amazing tags that will be available in her shop.  Check this bundle of inspiration out.

Now tell me that the orange picture just doesn't scream inspiration.  The tags are tres chic no?  Then she stitched up a little envelope to hold it all.  Brilliant.

Finally my friend Suann sent me a beautifully packaged birthday present.  If you don't know Suann you need to.  She is very talented in so many areas.  She has the cutest etsy shop.  Along with some personalized stationery and an adorable to do push pin, Suann sent this.

A little bundle of Matryoshka love.  There are so many creative possibilities here but I think I'll just sit and stare at this fabric and trim tape just a tad bit longer.

Thank you for keeping me inspired friends.

doesn't get much better than this

you know your friend REALLY likes you when she not only sends you vintage buttons but sends them in your most favorite colors ever.

lucky me, that's all i'm saying.

give-aways, swaps and just because

Get ready for another marathon post.

The Give-Away

Recently I have not only met Carrie of Carriegirl but I also won a giveaway she was having on her blog.  Yes you read that right ,I won something!  Now it is with great hesitation that I share Carrie's blog with you because you see she has one of the best vintage etsy shops EVER!  I would like to buy everything she lists but that is just not possible.   She also has an etsy shop with her handmade goodness too.   Go give Carrie some love but stay away from the folk glasses alright???

Check out the yummy fabric I won here in her give-away

and the awesome vintage patterns

Swaps

My personal favorite thing in all of blogland is the personal swap.  I recently met Jen of Painted Fish Studio.  We discussed among other things the weather in MN and if I should move there or not and polaroids and where to get film.   So we decided to trade spring polaroids except lucky me, spring was not cooperating in MN and Jen got worried she wouldn't have any spring photos for me.  I MENTIONED that i loved the soap photos she recently took in Amsterdam and guess what? double bonus!  She sent me a bunch of photos but I picked my favorites to post here.  My friend Jen also has a great etsy shop, check it out!

The beautiful soap photo.  yummy!

 

The cool accordion book she made to hold my polaroids she sent.

The coolest polaroid ever.  This is Jen's feet and her rhubarb, but isn't it sooo much more than that.  Absolutely breath-taking Jen.  Thank you for agreeing to swap.

Last but certainly not least is Lindsey.  Lindsey had blogged about an etsy order gone bad and I felt for her.  I sent her a LENGTHY email trying to cheer her up and encourage her at the same time and you know what the girl did?? 

She sent me this..

 

I know so great right?  A beautiful necklace in a pretty pouch and the prettiest card.  Don't be surprised if that cards ends up in one of my collages Lindsey. 

Thanks so much girlies.  I am glad to have made your acquaintance.

indulgent with LOTS of pictures

Yes I the thank you cards have already been sent out.  My birthday was ages ago right?  I know, but my friends send the best gifts.  I was inspired by each and every one that was sent. Here they are in alphabetical order because i gotta be democratic.  What makes me giggle is that each of these friend's sent gifts set to a theme.  I wonder why they think i'd like that? (giggle, giggle, snort, snort) Right Kristin?

Speaking of her, here is what she sent:

Kristin let me know she gives a hoot (i know REALLY bad) by sending all things owl.

 

Kristin's card - oh so very true

 

She sent a beautiful beaded wristlet, an adorable keychain, the cutest owl charm,  the most perfect little ceramic dish and the coolest  owl journal EVAH!  Oh shoot, I just realized  all of it isn't all here.  Her son, Peanut, picked out the cutest, brightest owl bank for me. He made homemade wrapping paper and told her what to write on his card.  He also sang me happy birthday over the phone.   Oh and chatting on the phone with Kristin afterwards wasn't bad either :) Thank you both!  You know how much I heart you friend!

Now Miss Mary Ann she went with an animal theme too.  She is such a deer.   Let's take a look at what  see sent.

The cutest ceramic deer, vintage trim, handmade deer cards and a sweet addition to my rhinestone brooch collection.  Of course there was more goodness...

All of my goodies together:  A handmade deer box for all my treasures (love this), a deer cake topper,  I need a reason for a party just to use it. An adorable deer patch, vintage deer stationery (so very good) and a test tube of little deers. and no they are not cloned.  This girl is GOOOOD people! 

Oh and one more shot of the beloved deer boxes bottom (rated G)

Next up Vallen Queen.  Vallen is my No Cal sister and she know how to make my eyes pop out of my head.  Just look at the way she wrapped my gifts.

YES that IS a belt off of a thrifted sweater.  This girl is a GENIUS I tell you!!

Serious I had never even CONSIDERED navy or aqua with green like this.  I feel a new favorite color combination in my work coming.  Of course there we actual things wrapped in there. 

Here they are:

A delicious button bracelet, vallen style.

A gadget box and beautiful japanese postcards. Oh shoot I forgot the dog clips.  Yes, weiner dog paper clips,  Oh and Jen ,now you know my source for the fish postcard.

and finally the piece de resistance

A beautiful japanese craft book.  I can't believe she found one that I don't already have. Since I have mumble, mumble, mumble of them.

Oh my girls, my posse, how you have warmed my heart with these beautiful, thoughtful and creative gifts.  I love them all.  Thanks you for making me feel so special on the day i was born.

 

you meet the nicest people

#24            30 Day Macro Photo Challenge

Over the last few days I have been reading my blog.  Funny how that sounds, but it is a weblog of my life.  It was really fun to go back and read all my posts.  I even visited the "old" blog, yes for some of you newer readers I had a blog on blogger  but switch to typepad because of all it's wonderful extras.  I digress.  It was amazing to reread all of the comments left over the last two years.  Even more amazing to see were the comments of reader who I now consider friends.  I got a kick out of just how long I have "known" some of you.   You all didn't know it but the last two years have been very hard for me personally.  It was  difficult to read the posts where i was struggling, with life and with creativity.  Yet as I wrote those posts, you still showed up and read. Everyday.  I am so thankful for that.  Because of this blog I have so many things:  a cheerleader/confidante in Minnesota, an angel in Ohio, comic relief and someone to lean on in the Bay area, a partner in crime in Nevada  and understanding in Georgia and Kansas. And so much more.  The thing I find unbelievable is that people are still reading and I am still making new friends.  I have to be the luckiest girl in the world.  Thank you, to each and everyone one of you who takes the time out of your day to come visit me here .     Your encouragement, thoughtful advice, smart ideas and funny stories, I treasure each one.

threads

#15         30 day macro photo challenge

So I want to talk about etsy today.  If you will indulge me, I have a few questions for you.   Please answer in the comments or feel free to email me here.

First, how many pages in an etsy shop are too many?  I know if  I am looking at shop and they have more than 15 or so I get a little overwhelmed and move on.  What do you think?

Next, does it bug you when an etsy shop is a mish mash of stuff?  Would you like the shop to be more consistant with items or is it no big deal to you?

Lastly, if a favorite etsy shop owner opens a second shop with different items and a little bit of a different vibe how likely are you to visit that shop?

Thank you in advance for all of your input.  I will be putting all of your comments in a hat and picking one for a scissors.paper.glue package on Friday the 18th.

a photo and a friend

#2 macro photo for the  30 day challenge

I was lucky enough this week to get to meet a second blogger.  Jackie of Wren's Nest and I got to hang out on Tuesday night.  What a ball we had!

Jackie is:

Funny. Smart. Interesting. Talented. Kind. Fun to be with.  A Good Listener. A Great Mom and Wife. and so much more.

We talked about blogs, blogging, bloggers, crafts, craft books, traveling, kids, husbands, family, schools, college, community, friends and other things  that are just for us :)

Jackie-It was so great meeting  you.  I hope we can do that again soon.

like peas in a pod

I have known this blogger for about two years now.  She lives somewhere I visit occasionally and I have been waiting for the chance to have a face to face blogging adventure with her for some time.  That came this weekend.  We set up a meeting time and of course I begged her to take me to some of her favorite haunts.

We had a great time exploring an antique store in heart of the city.  Many a wonderful thing was found.  It was so fun and interesting to see what inspired us.  We ended up purchasing very different stuff but still have very similar tastes.  We both had mutual adoration for the other person's finds.   Of course as is always the case, our time together was too short.  However,  after a delicious lunch we promised that this would only be the beginning of our adventures together.  Veronica, thanks for being the best tour guide in the city.  I can't wait until we get to do that again.  Muchos Besos!

And what does all of this have to do with the photo above?  Well not only did I get to visit with Veronica this weekend, she was also my shoe photo swap partner.  I received the beautiful polaroid you see here along with some sweet extras.  I have started a shoe photo swap group on flickr.  You can add  your photos here.

photographer extraordinare

Hello poor neglected blog space.  How have you been?  I have been missing you but since it has stopped raining, the boy is once again healthy, and the busyness is over (at least for now) I have come to visit.

If you have not seen the work of Cori Kindred run, do not walk over to her blog, flickr page and her etsy store.  You will not be sorry.  Her pictures are hard to descibe because they are composed of so much.  They are beautiful, a little gritty (in a good way) and the colors and textures are so good.  Really, you must go see for yourself.

Cori and I recently did a swap.  I am a little embarrassed to say that I almost cried when I saw all the beautiful things she sent me. The pictures I have here do not do this work justice so make sure you go see the real thing.

A girl after my own heart with this beautiful collection.

I love this piece, so touching

My favorite polairod.  Does anyone else see a theme here?

Look here for the professional version

One of the two postcards she sent.  Hey Aim, do you think I should get this print as a gift for Adam??

To top it off some of  her lovely fabric tags and her cool business card.

Thanks again for the swap Cori!

All images used with Cori Kindred permission

could you do me one small favor?

Hi there friends!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  I have a small favor to ask of you.  I have a very special and talented friend named Mary Ann.  I met her in a pink and brown swap two years ago.  She has become a wonderful friend and a huge support to me.  She is also fantastic artist and currently has a piece in a Valentine contest here. Could you all do me a huge favor and go to this website and vote for my friend Mary Ann's art piece?  She is Mary Ann A.   Please with sugar on top.   Thank you!