Tumus

What's on the board

2012-02-08T12:24:00.008-05:00

I had alot going on last week so it's nice to get back into a normal crafting ebb and flow.

Sarah contacted me mid-season last year wanting 3 ornaments for her pups. She has two sweet and hard working Siberian Huskies (Kooper and Khole Ann) and one Kookerhondje (Duncan). Kookerhondje's are in a word beautifully awesome. I've never come across this breed to date so it's rarity is pretty cool.

You can read more about them here.

But I think this might be a new favorite breed for me. Just LOOK at those puppy pictures!

I've also been busy sketching out ornament kits for this year and attempting some bag designs for Craft for Hope's newest project though I don't have any pictures of my attempts just yet. I've discovered that I need to really refine my sewing skills. I've gotten a bit rusty.

Happiness

2012-02-06T12:22:00.000-05:00

These little guys are really making me happy every time I walk outside. I could've swore I had some purple and white ones mixed in there as well but so far only the yellow ones have popped up. But I don't mind because yellow is such a cheery color. Even with an incredibly mild winter (ie Spring like weather) I'm still excited for planting season to start. It's almost a tease how warm it's been. Makes me want to put out pansies already.

Craft for Hope #16

2012-01-24T11:36:00.003-05:00

Be sure you check out Craft for Hope's Project 16:

http://www.crafthope.com/2012/01/project-16-the-littlest-warriors/

If you're not familiar with how C4H works it's a lovely site run by one very dedicated mom who searches out meaningful causes for crafters to donate to. Some of the more memorable projects include Sock Monkeys for wildfire victims in Texas, Christmas Stockings and Blankies for tornado ravaged Alabama and Safe Birthing Kits and a Craft for Hope sale to help earthquake communities in Haiti.

I love this site and the way it's helped thousands of people across the world. I have made it a goal to participate in as many Projects as I can this year. It's a great excuse to create and make for others!

I have several ideas for hats and matching bags ^_^

The deadline for Project 16 is March 16, 2012

All the details can be found in the link at the top of the post.

Spread the word! Spread the Karma!

This is YOUR Internet

2012-01-18T10:01:00.001-05:00

Unless you've been living under a rock lately I'm sure you've heard of the current legislation being rushed before Congress, SOPA(Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act).

Both of these so-called "Bills" were created by lobbyists and are both poorly worded and dangerous to everyone, yes even you readers who use Blogger or Facebook or Google or Twitter or YouTube or Wikipedia...ANYONE who uses the internet (for business or pleasure) will fall under these new rules if we do not stand up and tell Congress to vote NO.

Here is a link from the Cheezeburger network with every state's Senator and their phone number. Call them TODAY and tell them to vote NO.

Voting NO will keep the internet and your freedom of speech intact. It will allow you to share pictures, comment on TV shows, blog about current events without fear of being wrongfully sued or shut down.

http://lifeaftersopa.cheezburger.com/32355841

Here is Google's petition:

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

This will become reality unless we all give Congress an earful. Don't let the government start censoring our right to every side of the internet. If these laws pass I won't even be able to share that picture or those links without this post being canned.

Things That Happen

2012-01-16T10:18:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of last week we noticed our second cat Guinness gimping about the house. He tends to be a psychotic spazz most days but he'd seemed out of it lately. And by "out of it" I mean he didn't run away like we were trying to eat him. So I packed him up and off to the vet we went.

A couple hundred dollars later this was the result.

If I had to be frank this cat in particular will always have too much of that stray mentality. His flight or fight response will always give way to flight. We are guessing he fractured his paw over the weekend when he spazzed out and ran behind the couch. When we couldn't find him we discovered that he had burrowed his way into the back of my recliner in an attempt to "disappear".

It's really a wonder he didn't do himself more damage or that I didn't sit down in that seat and pop open the foot rest (shudder). This makes for his worst hiding place to date next to the paint shelf in the basement, crawling up into our old refrigerator by the motor, and stuffing himself into the light table in Chris' work area on top of the light bulbs. He's not trying to keep warm he just likes to hide so he can feel secure.

We can only hope he totally forgets the recliner hole exists.

A Resolution(s)

2012-01-12T14:45:00.004-05:00

It's that time again. When I come out of vacation hibernation a little more revived in the creativity department and ready to take on more "adventurous pursuits". In no particular order here's what I hope for my 2012.

#1 Not bury myself in projects at the last minute.

#2 I will finish sewing all my half started projects...entirely.

#3 Discontinue a few ornaments and add more ready-to-ship options.

#4 Introduce ornament kits (ooooh! ahhh!)

#5 Get more haircuts! The constant ponytail is giving me headaches.

#6 Plant a simpler veggie garden, but with more potatoes.

#7 Take more pictures

#8 Remodel our disgusting pink tiled bathroom.

#9 Have a baby and make a gallant attempt at motherhood.

That last one isn't really a resolution as it is an announcement that the Tumus house will be growing this year, probably around the end of summer. This means I'll have to take things a little slower once the little bean gets here, but it'll be a good thing.

Happy New Year (a tad late) ^_^

A Dirty, Dirty Life

2012-01-10T15:38:00.000-05:00

A few months ago after most of the garden had died off and things were slowing down enough that I could read at a leisurely pace I found this book, The Dirty Life.

It wasn't entirely what I expected, but then again I'm not sure what I may have thought this book would be about. I find that in most cases non-fiction writers have very different voices and very different ways of explaining things from their lives than a fictional writer. This is more-or-less an autobiographical novel of how a city girl who met a diehard organic farmer learned to farm, love, and trust. The title "The Dirty Life" is well suited for the book because it's certainly not a romance novel. In fact it's very truthful about how tough love can be especially when you're not even sure about yourself. I could relate to nearly every uncertainty she may have felt heading into the wild blue yonder.

In the end though Kristin does a really marvelous job retelling how their not so ideal farm came to be the best thing she never knew she needed. I cheered along with her as she figured out how to make cheese, when she picked her first draft team and grimaced at the frustrations of not knowing how to milk a cow, getting up before the sun and having to slaughter their first pig. It's a real account of knowing where your food comes from and being proud that your own two hands helped shape it.

A good read for any time of the year, but especially now, right before the earliest Spring planting gets underway when you're still dreaming up new things to sow.

Be Inspired

2012-01-09T13:04:00.000-05:00

Oh, the places you will go...

(may be slightly NSFW because it's Burning Man, but nothing offensive just inspirational, promise)

Hope this new year you'll have places to go.

Your mountain is waiting so get on your way!

Dear Vacation,

2012-01-08T10:21:00.013-05:00

We should see more of each other this year. I actually forgot what bad daytime TV was like, how much I love chips and salsa, and how neglected my house has gotten between Halloween and Christmas. I miss not doing anything for a few weeks, being able to do things at leisure (like the laundry) and just slowly catch back up on domestic life.

It's nice cooking real dinners again. I'll try to keep in touch more often this year and work on leisure time management, I promise.

XO's,

Rebekah

p.s. Guinness told me to tell you that I've been doing a swell job at being a couch potato this week.

Stock in Tissues

2011-12-16T18:46:00.001-05:00

I've been pretty darn sick over the past week. Like rooooooough kind of sick. It's been an absolute challenge getting my last orders out this week and it will sincerely be an act of God or a Christmas Miracle that my fingers don't cramp up on the last few. I'm just glad to be back in a working state both physically and mentally.

I wanted to give a big THANK YOU to all of my customers though. This season at Tumus has been alot of things, but insanely stellar seems to sum it up pretty well. Even some of the newer ornaments did well which is unusual since they were introduced in late Fall.

In any case I'm off to sew once again. I should really invest in stock of Puffs or Kleenex with the amount I buy. I kind of feel like there's no way one could ever have too many tissues. At least not at this time of year.

Doggie

2011-12-14T11:54:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks back I received an email from a lovely lady looking for a custom ornament. To be truthful I wasn't taking on any more custom orders since the shop had been so insanely busy already, but I read her request to see what it was she wanted.

It turns out Emily wanted an ornament made of her son's favorite stuffed toy, Doggie. Each year Emily and her family set out to find an ornament for Collin, their little boy who sadly had passed away in May 2010 from complications of the treatment of cancer, he was 2. Immediately I changed my perspective on Emily's request. It's not everyday these types of requests come thru. It is after all, hard to say no to something with this much meaning, but it's also intimidating.

Would I be able to live up to Emily's hopes of giving her an ornament to help her family remember her little boy?

I told her I would try. And one night I cleared off my worktable and set out free forming Collin's Doggie.

I didn't make a paper pattern to help guide me along. This had to be one-of-a-kind and something that I wouldn't make again because it would always belong to Collin and his family.

I didn't stop working on it. I didn't want to over do it.

And then Doggie was done.

I haven't heard back from Emily yet to know what she thought of the ornament, but I don't think it's something that I'll need to wonder. Some things you just know inside your heart and head already.

Tumus Going on Holiday

2011-12-12T11:48:00.001-05:00

If you have something favorited in my Tumus shop you'd better get there quick!

I'm closing up for the Holidays tonight December 12th at midnight EST.

All orders will ship out by Saturday December 17th at the latest. After that I plan on vegging out, drinking hot chocolate, finishing my Holiday shopping and visiting with family. I'm sure there will also be lots of sleeping in, video games and pajama lounging in there as well.

And I will finally be baking the cookies I've been craving since Thanksgiving.

Damn Nature Damn Life, You Guys Are Amazing

2011-12-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, even though we are in truth just tiny specks of dust careening thru space on an iron rock (as Carl Sagan once put it) it's hard to image a more beautiful place. It's hard to imagine NOT living here and being told that Earth isn't damn incredible.

TimeScapes 4K from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.

Seconds Of Beauty - 1st round compilation from The Beauty Of A Second on Vimeo.

I wouldn't be surprised if you got a tightness in your chest and even dabbed at your eyes a bit. Remember that no matter what's going on at this moment in your life the fact that you can exist is damn amazing.

Found and Loved!

2011-12-08T12:09:00.006-05:00

I had to run errands out in miserable weather on Monday. It was pouring rain, cold and windy, but I needed black thread as I'd run completely out. While I browsed thru the craft store I came across a really adorable UK magazine called Mollie Makes.

Their slogan is Living and Loving Handmade. I even love the covers of each issue. So clever and vibrant and it's always a handful of lovely crafts that you can find featured in the issue.

They also have a blog you can follow: http://molliemakes.themakingspot.com/ that's updated nearly ever day. There you can download crafty patterns for a small fee and view how-tos and techniques. I'm very keen on this magazine but it costs a pretty penny for a US subscription (almost $100 for 12 issues)...so Santa if you're listening! Still if you're in love with the handmade life and meeting artists and designers who love it as much as you this periodical is definitely for you!

Happy Early Christmas

2011-12-06T12:08:00.000-05:00

This video's gone a bit viral over the past few days and I can clearly see why. If you're in need of some cheering, man-candy or just a reason to feel happy for the good fortune of others then this video is for you. The HMS Ocean is returning home to the UK from deployment while aiding NATO forces in Libya.

Honestly who doesn't love a muscled seaman in a Christmas pudding hat?

First Snow

2011-11-29T18:21:00.000-05:00

It feels a bit surreal to see the first snow of the season. It's still makes me smile and get a bit excited. It's cool you know? And these flakes were FAT. Fat, wet and coming in buckets. When I snapped these pictures it had just started, but now just barely an hour later the ground is already covered and suddenly it feels very much like Christmas.

I haven't decorated the inside of the house yet, but the outside lights are strung up and glowing warm and colorful outside my window. We have those big, plump C9 bulbs. Not the LED's either, the old fashioned ones. The ones that will always remind me of being home.

'Arry Pott'r

2011-11-27T08:42:00.001-05:00

I'm takin' a break from the Holiday jabber to rehash some vacation fun.

Admittedly I'm a big dork over Harry Potter. I'm sure you could've figured that out after seeing this year's Halloween costumes. But seriously Harry Potter was so well written and just delightfully done that I can't wait to read it to my future kids. It's just a damn good book.

(the broom ride is inside and you can walk thru most of the castle on your way to the ride it's really cool)

This year I had my Hogwarts dreams fulfilled and we got to visit the theme park at Universal Studios. It's alot smaller than you'd think it would be, kind of crammed into one end of the park, but they did an amazing job on recreating the look and feel of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts.

Even Honeydukes was packed with just about every candy they had in the book, though I was disappointed with the Chocolate Frogs it was still bright and lively inside.

I sampled the Pumpkin Juice.

and decide the stuff that's fresh from the tap was better. Yes, they have Pumpkin Juice on tap and it's actually VERY good. I must say though I think a Harry Potter themed park would've done better further North. It felt weird to be walking thru snow covered streets with tourists in shorts and tank tops with temps in the low 90's. They had random walking performers stop and do short "meet and greets". I missed the "Toad Choir" by about 15 minutes but managed to see the Beauxbaxtons.

Ollivander's wand shop even did limited wand castings in which Ollivander himself picked out one person to fit a wand to. It was very neat, though the wait was insane.

All in all it was a fine time walking thru it all. I'm glad we went. Summer vacations always seem so far away once the season turns colder. Do you remember your favorite summer trip?

A Smattering of Ornaments

2011-11-21T12:10:00.001-05:00

There's a small comfort that this week is Thanksgiving here in the States. While I'm looking forward to having an excuse to bake in the middle of my busiest November ever, I keep wondering how on earth I'm going to actually manage to even get the rolls started. I'm guessing it'll be the last thing I do before I go to bed on T-Day Eve. It wouldn't be the first time I went to bed covered in flour.

Still I half wonder if my Tumus dog ornament will make another unexpected appearance around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If it does I'll probably be done for the season earlier than expected, but right now it's all a matter of chance. It's got so busy that I had to reorder more business cards.

Somewhere in all this mess I have to figure out when I will be able to get out and dig around in what is now mud in my flower beds. My bulbs have arrived, with the exception of my Day Lilies, and are in need of planting. I really don't think I'd ask for more "hours in the day" because I'm sure whatever it would be filled with would be more urgent than planting flowers.

Seeing a Horizon....sorta

2011-11-15T00:13:00.001-05:00

I've dug out from the pile of orders I received almost two weeks ago and I'm down to the last 4 from that batch. I feel like I fell behind and I could not get caught up. I really don't know what it was this time around because normally in November I'm right on schedule with everything. I dunno I guess life just sorta head butted me into the prone position and I felt too old to get up that fast.

But I'm not really "old". I think I just needed some nice words and some reassurance that what I was doing was appreciated. It hasn't been easy. There have been some strange ups and downs with custom orders lately. People deciding that after they received their ornament that it wasn't what they wanted after all even though it was exactly what they ordered. But Chris says, don't let it get to you. He's right. I can think that all my hard work will be rewarded with kind words, but we all know what happens when we assume. Still thank you to everyone whose enjoyed their ornaments, both happily and some half-heartedly. Your feedback helps me grow and move on.

Everything is Amazing Right Now...........And Nobody is Happy

2011-11-10T12:28:00.009-05:00

Two of my favorite people Conan O'Brien and Louis CK. They both put it all in perspective and it serves as a good, humorous reminder that if you can't be happy with what you have now you probably will never be able to be happy with anything in your life.

Be happy for your everyday miracles and realize that everything really IS amazing right now. No matter what you're going thru. High five to my bloggy friend Lupin and her new personal motto.

Windfall

2011-11-07T10:30:00.001-05:00

I had a very unexpected bit of luck last Friday. I got a rather big "spot" on the Etsy Holiday promotion page for Personalization, which has since rotated to feature another category as of Monday at midnight. In fact it was so big it's practically buried me in orders. While there's alot to do and so much to get in line I have to make sure that I'm keeping my wits about me these days. I'll admit it's hard. I am, afterall, very much human and the Holiday rush can be overwhelming when you don't foresee lucky windfalls.

When the unexpected happens it's usually human nature to spaz out, which I did in spades on Saturday. It's not easy to accept a windfall when you strive so very hard to forge your own path. I work so hard to uphold extraordinary customer service in a business that's personalized down to the last detail and make sure that each ornament I create is something I, personally, would be proud to place on my tree.

I need to reaffirm to myself that I can do this. That I can uphold the quality that I place in my products.

I may be a bit absent in the next few weeks, but I'll try and update as much as humanly possible.

So keep me in your thoughts and prayers because each year it seems that I'm given more opportunities to prove that I am capable of taking the heat and giving back to my patrons. Without my customers I would truly be nothing and that means so much in a world that's so focused on mass produced quality.

p.s. My parents are so very proud of me for being able to do what I do and love it.

All Hallow's Eve

2011-10-31T21:57:00.000-04:00

Halloween is always fun. This year Chris and I went as Hagrid and Hermione from Harry Potter. You'll have to forgive the blurriness as they were taken without a tripod and we wanted to get to our costume party.

We even tried our hand at "pumpkin art".

No matter how you spent it this year I hope you had fun.

I still don't think I'm ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I like Fall too much.

Retiring the Tank

2011-10-30T12:14:00.000-04:00

Anyone whose ever owned a good, solid sewing machine knows the sadness that comes from your machine breaking down in the middle of a project. My Pfaff 1475 has been a real trooper over the last 5 years that we've owned it. It was first my husband's and then it was passed on to me. Now it's going back to the hub's because the mother board is going out on it. To fix it will cost around $300, but Chris is convinced he can fix it himself in house. Despite his offer (and best intentions) I think it's time to move on for me. I'm getting a newer "used" classroom model from our local quilt shop. The Pfaff Expression 2.0. We're also getting one for his mom which I secretly hope she doesn't ruin within the year. She's got a bit of a "bad touch" when it comes to anything computerized. He's hoping that since both her and I will have the same models that I can help her if she gets stuck....(insert laughing sigh here).

They don't actually make this model any more and the design itself is barely a few years old, but it's a beauty. I'm not very keen on computers in sewing machines, but since that seems to be the "wave of the future" I've been forced to go with the flow. This machine sews like silk. It has a super wide throat (which means we may have to modify my beautiful sewing table, eep!) to accomodate bulkier projects. Even the computerized display will tell you what foot you need to attach and a suggested tension for your thread. It's like sewing has become too easy nowadays.

I remember learning to wind bobbins and thread the machine on my mom's old Singer. It wasn't easy, but it was a work horse. Many Barbie's were well clothed when I was at the machine. Still I can't help but give the ole' 1475 a good salute for a job well done. It's not down and out yet, so I hope I can keep it around for a bit longer.

A Doodle with Tea

2011-10-27T12:04:00.002-04:00

I received a second custom order request last week from a wonderful girl in NY. She'd already purchase a custom Bulldog ornament the week before and asked if I could design an ornament for her Labradoodle, Lani. I'd never done a 'Doodle before so I set to work researching the breed a bit, looking over Lani's picture and sketching out possible patterns. New dog breeds are always a challenge to scale down properly. The original drawing was extremely huge compared to my other ornaments, but it turned out really lovely once the size was adjusted.

The ornament could not have been timed better because the rain had just set in for the week. It also allowed me to break in my new Totoro teacup I'd brought back from Japan, Epcot while on vacation. I love how dainty it is. If I'd had the money and wasn't afraid they'd break on the trip back I would've bought the other 3 designs they had in the display.

Sipping tea from this cup makes me feel very girlish and happy ^_^

Arrrre Yooooou Reaaaaady?!

2011-10-25T12:02:00.000-04:00

Wrestling announcements aside, raise you're hand if you're ready for the Holiday Rumble? To help you keep it in perspective today is exactly the 2 month mark before Christmas.

That's right....2 months or 69 days away.

The fact dawned on me during the most normal of routines while baking an apple pie. I'll bet you can guess what prompted the sudden realization from the picture below.

Once the pie was in the oven I made sure to get all my shipping and packing supplies ordered by the end of the day. It's good to get reminders even if they are subliminal.

Battle Wounds

2011-10-18T21:09:00.000-04:00

This weekend we did 2 mountain bike rides. John Bryan on Saturday and Caesar's Creek on Sunday.

JB is now officially "cake". Caesar's Creek however, will be spoken of in hushed tones of fear and loathing. It kicked our butt's to next week and back. I seriously thought my heart was going to explode! How do people BIKE up half those hills?! I'll never know. Sure it's possible because anything is possible, but oh.my.god.

Poor Chris got mauled by his peddle ramming into his shin, the bruise is about 6 inches long. I slid down a ridiculous hill sideways while walking my bike down. My crank/gear area nailed me right above my ankle and it's swollen to the size of a walnut. There were 4 of us and we were muddy, exhausted and banged up, but we rode those trails anyways and we did some crazy stuff that seemed ridiculous.

You might say, Rebekah, you're crazy to keep riding trails like that! I say, why not? Just because I get so hurt I cry and get pissed off at how hard it is I still managed to ride on and tough it out.

But let me just tell you it will be a long while before I haul myself back out to that trail.

Respect yo.

Hushed

2011-10-13T17:44:00.006-04:00

I know I've been very quiet this week and it's all because I've been working, working, working. Here's a new limited edition ornament that'll be popping into the shop tomorrow. This little guy will be my FIRST ready to ship ornament and of course he's only here for this Holiday season!

I've been working on orders and prepping for the Holiday season, but the most exciting work is getting ready for an appointment with a local shop to discuss selling wholesale to them.

This has me unbelievably psyched up mostly because I've been dragging my feet for two years about asking this shop in particular. But I did it and I'm totally going to nail it, I know I am. Even if I don't get the business I'm incredibly proud of myself that I actually asked, presented my work, set up the meeting and am following thru.

Some times it just takes bullying thru the doldrums to get where you need and want to be.

Reflect

2011-10-10T12:29:00.002-04:00

(taken on a hike at John Bryan State Park)

I don't know why Fall makes us all look back on the year that's nearly past us, but I think it's a good thing. Just remember to wear your mud boots when tromping thru the forest.

John Bryan

2011-10-07T12:05:00.000-04:00

If you don't mind driving there are several State Parks around my area. One of my local favorites is John Bryan. It's situated right beside another park/nature preserve, Glen Helen, and both are beside the hippie/indie/artsy town of Yellow Springs (which also has my favorite farmers market and honey), but that's another post. We've taken up biking in hard earnest this year. Both trail/mountain biking and paved biking on the local pathways. The mt. biking has me hooked though and it's so much fun even if I'm slow.

Last month I brought my camera on one such trip out to JB and captured some amazing pictures of all kinds of fungi.

Of course this meant having to stop every mile or so to snap a quick shot and then hop back on my bike. I don't know if it annoyed the others or not, but they all loved the pictures once they saw them. They even stopped and waited for me to catch up by a "field" of giant Puffballs.

Now the mushrooms have all gone and dried up and we're in a streak of amazing weather for the first week of October, but I'm okay with that.

Of Crafty Thangs & Business Pangs

2011-10-05T12:05:00.000-04:00

Earlier in the year you may remember the Log Cabin quilt I made for my niece Abby

and then came along Project 14 for Craft for Hope: Christmas in Dixie

I forced myself to work from my stash when making those stockings and they were the first I've ever made, but I caught the sewing fever again. This means two things. 1) That what I was hoping to do with Pinpinn as it closes down from selling pincushions feels even more right. 2) I have an excuse to buy more fabric. Seriously though it's exciting.

I've noticed that as this year draws to a close the changes that Etsy has launched has really made the whole site feel much like a closed loop or a very confined circle. It's becoming harder to push people towards my shops for various reasons and it's discouraging. There are a few personal factors hanging around with my decision about Pinpinn and also the urge to really become a business and meet potential customers. In other words I'd like to start selling at craft shows, just a few. Etsy has me feeling very stuck and the longer I'm there the more claustrophobic I feel. Because Tumus is set up on a "made to order" basis I can't really sell at shows, but I've reached out to a few local places to advertise at this year.

The idea I have for Pinpinn though has potential, the kind that makes my tummy kind of flip and my brain go into overload when I try to sleep. It's funny when you have those kinds of ideas. I don't know how well it will go or what kind of reaction I'll get or even if it's something people will want, but it feels good and I know my area and what people buy around here so it's very possible. So possible it's scary.

Name that Fern!

2011-09-29T12:01:00.001-04:00

I need your help in naming this fern. I totally forgot what it was called, but it's absolutely the coolest thing I've seen a plant do outside a Venus Flytrap. This plant was in our Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot.

The guide joked with us that she has one at home and when new guests arrive she likes to show off her fern. As the guests are ooo-ing and ahh-ing over it's neato defense system she'll bump the table and the whole plant with contract ALL of it's itty bitty leaves at once. The guide then likes to tease the new dinner guests by telling them they've killed her plant. Of course it's not really dead and the plant will open itself back up in a matter of minutes. Spurred on by this news 3 younger boys in our group promptly gave the potted fern a good shake and made it wilt before our eyes.

Boys will be boys.

Behind the Seeds Tour

2011-09-27T12:30:00.000-04:00

Of all the things we did on vacation this was probably my second favorite (sorry but Harry Potter was just too cool) The "Behind the Seeds Tour" at Epcot basically went "behind the scenes" of their hydroponic gardening center and let us release ladybugs, eat hydroponic veggies and generally look in awe at all the bare rooted, MASSIVE plants growing around us.

All the while asking questions about how the systems work, what's actually in their hydro solution and how you can build your own hydroponic garden at home. If you want to do anything extra at Disney it always costs more, but because of that the groups are usually smaller and definitely more intimate.

There were so many unusual things going on, not to mention the reDORKulous size of the fruit and veggies. As it was all inside a giant greenhouse they had fans to circulate the moist air. The outside walls were lined with corrugated cardboard which trapped the moisture the fans were pulling out of the greenhouses and that water would drip into a tray and off to a holding tank where it would be recycled back into the whole system. Pretty spiffy, eh?

Even more amazing were how fast the plants grew in a soil-less environment. Pepper plants were literally maturing within 2 months if not less. Lettuces were ready for harvest in a matter of weeks. It's so low tech it's high tech. I've seen hydroponic gardens done with 2 liter pop bottles on a PVC frame, but this place was on a whole other level.

I wouldn't mind working in a place like that, you'd learn so much, but I don't tolerate Florida heat that well and I burn too easily. C'est la vie.

A Mushroom Update

2011-09-21T15:56:00.003-04:00

I received this email the other day when I sent out an inquiry about the Ohio Mushroom Society. I asked why there were no events in SW Ohio and if there were any other clubs of the fungus or foraging type around my area. This is what I got back.

" Rebekah,

Unfortunately, we do not have any active members in SW Ohio and there are no local clubs there. This could change as in the past we had members in Xenia and we forayed at John Bryan St. Park. Those members have passed on and no active members have surfaced. "

That really makes me sad. This particular society is most active on the opposite side of the state from me and all the events are over there too. I don't want to drive 4-5 hours across the state for an event. I don't understand why there is no local push for groups like this around here?? It's insane that the members closest to me have all but passed on from this life and no one has taken their spot. It's like society doesn't give a poo about Nature or what she can do for us.

Down but not out.

Brain Overload

2011-09-20T11:25:00.001-04:00

I think I'm going thru a learning spurt. It's one of those spurts where you can't seem to find ENOUGH information and the stuff you do find you read until your eyes are about ready to fall out of your head. And then you ask a question, which leads to 10 answers and not all are reliable or accurate so then you have to research the answer. What I'm getting at is this "wild foraging" thing is the new black for me. But I don't want it to be a fad so I'm really trying hard to read up on it and learn. I want to be resourceful in my own backyard or local (non-treated) woodland.

I've been so inspired by Lisa over at Lilfishstudios and her amazing treks into wild foraging. It is truly amazing. I've also been able to track down a few other noteworthy foraging blogs thru her and Google. I've been gobbling up so much info that I've got to back off or else suffer overload.

But here's the depressing part. For some reason wild foraging in Ohio only seems to come about in the Spring and it's almost entirely because of Morels. There seems to be a distinct lack of guidance when it comes to edibles in the wild other than mushrooms. In fact I've never eaten a Morel in my life. Maybe if I went to our resident "green/hippie/artsy" town Yellow Springs I could find someone but even then I would really have to work at finding local, knowledgeable people who go out in the field to find and forage for these things. Maybe I should start a group or put pressure on the local parks and state parks to make these groups more accessible. If the park agency aren't spreading the word I sincerely hope it's not because they fear thousands of people will converge on the supposedly fragile ecosystems. Well there are fragile systems and people in masses tend to be plagued with a "herd mentality". But I still want to know why is this hard? Why do groups not exist to pass this know-how down to other generations? I mean, honestly why do people not care about knowing this stuff? And if they do care why are they not out talking about it more? You can't spread a gospel sitting on your ass.

It may just boil down to a complete lack of caring. That seems to be the general consensus nowadays. I've found that over the years as I've become older my perception on things has changed (shocking I know), but deep down I've always loved nature. I think that the further removed from nature you become the less you care about where things come from. In the end all things come from the earth, even chemicals. To me if you don't care about where anything comes from or starts from it's the beginning of the end. If you don't know how to survive then how do you live?

It's my hope that as I learn to live that I also learn how to survive and thrive...and lets face it, probably get wet and muddy in the process. I personally believe that you can never become fully "green" because you will never stop learning how to be resourceful and respectful of the Earth.

A Trip and A Half

2011-09-06T12:27:00.000-04:00

Last week we went to the "Happiest Place on Earth".

While I would beg to differ on the title of "happiest place" it was definitely a different sort of place. We haven't been on a vacation since our honeymoon in Charleston so it was time we went out of state for a change. We also jumped over to Universal Studios for two days so we could geek out at Hogwarts.

I'll be talking a little more about each place once I've settled back into a "normal" schedule again.

Some days were better than others.

Stockings for Craft for Hope's Christmas in Dixie

2011-08-25T12:31:00.004-04:00

This year's weather has just been insane here in the States.

Thanks to a heads up from Lupin over on Bugs and Fishes I found out about Craft for Hope's #14 Project: Christmas in Dixie. You can read more about it here. It's a special project to help families hit hard by this year's devastating tornadoes by bring back some holiday cheer in an unexpected way. The project is making handmade stockings! If you wish to participate the deadline is September 23rd, 2011, that's when your stockings need to be at the address posted on their blog.

There are some basic requirements but the key is they should all be handmade. I'm very excited to do as many stockings as I can, even some pet themed ones, before the deadline.

For those who lost everything this year I hope that we can help you start some new traditions that you can rebuild with, our hearts and prayers are still with you all :)

The Crash Club

2011-08-22T11:11:00.000-04:00

I've got stuff to do. LOTS of stuff to do because Hurricane Irene or not we're supposed to head out to Disney here on Saturday. The only thing is that yesterday we went mountain biking. It was really fun and my second time out on the trails. I was doing excellent till I rounded a bend and the path went between two trees and then did a 90 degree right turn, all downhill. I'm sure you can guess where I'm going with this. I made it between the two trees, but was going a little too fast into the immediate turn and hit my brakes a little too hard and fell off to the side of the trail.

Fortunately for me Chris was with me (remember kids never ride a trail alone for this very reason!) as was one of his co-workers who was right behind me. After I brushed my bum off we figured out that I had a really good busted up knee and my left wrist and elbow were pretty stiff and starting to swell.

THEN as if it couldn't get any more "worse", after biking nearly 7 miles thru the woods and crashing, I heard thunder. And literally out of nowhere a BIG thunderstorm started to roll in. It happened no more than maybe 5 minutes after my crash. So in alot of pain, we lucked out by discovering we were right by a trail exit to a paved road. Chris took off for the car as it started to rain and I waited with Chuck, I swear adrenaline makes me want to barf once it subsides. Chris ended up going the wrong way on the road and had to double back past us. By then it was a monsoon rain. I looked at Chuck and told him it couldn't possibly get any worse and laughing hobbled myself back onto my bike and we charged thru the torrential downpour and hail of lightning.

We managed to load the bikes back up, say our good-byes and headed off to the closest Urgent Care which was about10 miles away. We had to stop off at my parents, who lived nearby, to ask them where it was because I couldn't remember. After getting x-rayed it was determined that I sprained my wrist, bruising the base of my left thumb joint pretty good and hyer-extended my left elbow, but no broken bones. Hooray for strong bones, a good husband and finding an Urgent Care open on a Sunday.

I'm just stiff for now and my knee is finally turning into a giant scab, but hell I guess I can now say I'm officially in the Crash Club for mountain biking. It could've been worse. I mean after all I could've broken something. Then I would've had to walk around Disney in sweltering heat with a cast.

I hope to be back on my bike in two weeks once I can bear weight on my arm for an extended period and back on some trails in about 3.

Old School

2011-08-16T12:13:00.002-04:00

Last year I had a garage sale. My first one as a "grown-up". I know, I know that's kind of funny, but really we haven't ever amassed enough stuff to even have one by ourselves, which is a good thing. It wasn't even that big. In fact my mom brought over some of her stuff too just to help fill it out and of course help out. In the stuff she brought there was a big box of old books and guess what I found? My mom's old canning books. Even the one for her old pressure cooker.

These are straight up from the early 70's...as if you couldn't tell from the pictures. I stashed them of course because they just seemed a little too cool to let some stranger nab them for 25 cents. Check out the sweet food photography.

I even found an recipe for preserving chili. The date on the newspaper was Wednesday September 9, 1981. I was 1 and 1/2 years old. Egads. The 80's don't make me feel "old"...yet.

Then while wandering thru the local hardware store one evening I saw a massive Home Preservation setup. Ball's put out a fancy, schmancy new canning book. Complete with updated recipes, but honestly nothing's changed between the two books other than maybe the food cravings of different generations. I really don't know if I'd ever "can" meat, but I won't say I'm not curious.

I'm glad I found and kept them all. Looking thru all these makes me pretty nostalgic for those busy, hot days of canning. If I can manage to find pictures of my dad and I tilling up our garden I'll be sure to post them up. They're pretty cute.

High Five to the Weekend

2011-08-08T12:13:00.006-04:00

The weekend was awesome. I danced, but not so much as to be foolish. I drank, but not so much as to be drunk. And I ate and shopped and learned and laughed. I smiled till my face hurt.

Between the drinking

the shopping

the Viking crafters

the bagpipers and musicians

and audience participation

I really can't decide what was my favorite part. But this festival is one I get so excited about and look forward to every year and always will. It's well thought out, the music acts change nearly every year and it continues to really honor the Irish heritage of the city thru cultural exhibits and demonstrations that are beyond amazing. Like they say "the Dublin Irish Festival is like Ireland, only smaller". I can't imagine next year as it will be their 25th Anniversary and I'm sure all the stops will be pulled out!

Till next year Dublin!

Still Stitching

2011-08-03T12:11:00.003-04:00

It's raining and cloudy outside today which means two things. It will cool off for a bit and I will get alot of sewing done! Here's another preview of the new ornaments for 2011.

I'm really stoked about these and I hope you guys are too! I'm working on getting the monkey put together today as well as the first Limited Edition one. I am aiming to get the ones that I have ready photographed for the shop by at least Sunday evening so I can start updating by Monday.

On a side note, I hope that this stubborn high pressure will break soon. I don't preach alot about my views on climate change and how I feel about the environment, but this year's weather pattern really is proof that the earth is definitely cycling thru some big changes. Will there be another Dust Bowl? Seems like it. I also wonder what it was like before so much pavement was in our towns and cities. What was it like before heat indexes?

Back In The Saddle Again

2011-08-01T12:10:00.016-04:00

While Tumus' been a bit slow even with the Christmas in July sale, I've been able to really get some work done. It seems that my creative spurt cycles around summertime because it's usually when I start to really bust out ideas. I mean remember these sketches? I made these up this past Winter. Yeah, it's been a while.

Well, they're finally coming alive in felt.

I have 5 new ornaments that are in their hardline pattern forms, cut out, stitched up and nearly ready to be photographed and listed. But the lion and monkey are just the tip of the iceberg. I'm also whipping up 2 new limited edition ornaments on top of the 5 regular ones. I might even manage to put out 3 additional dog breeds (Airedale, Beagle, and a Basset Hound) and maybe even a Siberian Husky full face ornament. This year feels like another busy one for me. I'm super excited because I'll be at over 20 products and it's been such a rare thing for me to have that much UNIQUE and individual selection in my store. Of course with more selection can come more sales and being as these are all personalized ornaments I could be setting myself up for one heck of another season. Still, I can't wait to introduce these in the shop!

Recovery

2011-07-27T12:44:00.001-04:00

This wedding was almost more work than my own. I kid you not. I have to admit that I'm very glad it's finally over and done with as is my mom, my dad and pretty much most of my immediate family. It was a ridiculous amount of work even after the wedding was over. So now we're in recovery and enjoying the peace and respite that comes after working one's ass off.

Finally having the wedding over means I can work on Tumus more, who by the way is having it's annual Christmas in July sale from now until July 31st. If you have a specific breed or ornament in mind now is the time to order!

Pinpinn Sale

2011-07-16T11:25:00.002-04:00

I've been giving Pinpinn alot of thought lately. Mostly that it's not really "doing it" for me anymore. And if I've learned anything after selling online these past few years it's that you have to learn to cut your losses and run.

So Pinpinn, will be liquidating it's remaining inventory and closing up by the end August. While this hurts, supply-wise I'll be able to use a good majority of my leftover felt for new ornaments in Tumus. It also means I can focus all of my attention on that shop. To be a business person you just have to realize that some ideas just aren't as grand as you once thought they were and to be frank I have not been investing any time into Pinpinn like I used to when it first opened.

It's been fun while it lasted, but I think I've found my true calling with the personalized ornaments and that's a comfort if nothing else :)

Lost?

2011-07-15T16:24:00.000-04:00

This week has been one of creative turmoil. I've been so mentally stagnant. It's been like that all week. So in an attempt to be productive I bought a few more hostas to add to the "dead bed" which is on the north side of the house. I had been digging most of the afternoon with a small band of robins following me. They tend to appear when I'm out. I have robin stalkers. I was taking a breather when I noticed a baby robin and it's mama hopping around. The mom flew off and the baby was left nested in the grass chirping wildly.

(mom, mom, mom, mom, moooooooooooooom)

It hopped around for a good 10 minutes before I eventually ran inside to grab my camera. It took a mini adventure around 3 different back yards and 2 fence lines before it stopped, probably exhausted.

(look at it's tufts!!!)

Then out of nowhere mama reappeared with a much needed snack and several indignant skwaks at me. This was all the motivation the baby needed to find it's way back to the nest.

I guess if I find myself lost and unmotivated this next week I should probably just eat a couple of snacks and visit my mom. Mom's are good for lighting fires under ones butt.

A Snip, Snap Will Make Ya Pop!

2011-07-08T16:05:00.001-04:00

I have too many beans for just two people to eat. The last time I checked the cats didn't eat beans either so it's up to us to consume the bounty ourselves. Silly cats, they should eat beans. They don't know what they're missing...maybe they do, but cats certainly can not make beanstaches.

p.s. Nothing says summer more than the middle afternoon buzzing of cicadas in full force...that and the humidity.

My "Extra" Thanksgiving Day

2011-07-05T10:41:00.000-04:00

Traditionally Thanksgiving is in the Fall, November to be exact, and it's a day filled with relatives, overeating, football, homemade rolls and catnaps. But for a lot of folks the 4th of July is like a mini-Thanksgiving in the middle of summer. There's no turkey and probably not too many homemade rolls or pumpkin pies, but there's still a lot of overeating, football and "thank yous" that happen.

Sometimes the thanks comes more as a bear hug, an upward "sup" nod or in this case an early Easter egg hunt.

And sometimes they're said to people who've already paid their dues and moved on.

Really though to me the 4th isn't always about freedom or our country's history. It's about knowing that you can go out and enjoy a few hotdogs and watch fireworks with one hell of a hard working brother and know that he's safe and you're safe because everyone's sacrifice, no matter the size, is equal.

I Done Good Mama

2011-06-27T15:16:00.000-04:00

Rachel's shower is over and done with now....whew. What a ton of work! Between my sister-in-law, my mom and myself we managed pretty well, but boy do my feet hurt. If I wore heels everyday I'd probably be used to it. The food was good and despite Rachel being rather sunburnt on her legs she enjoyed herself as well.

The one thing that everyone, even my grandma got into was the Toilet Paper bridal dress game. Each table was a team and each team had 4 rolls of tp, a roll of tape, and 10 minutes to come up with some crazy funny dresses. Rachel had to pick the winner.

To be honest though I don't remember who won. Everyone seemed to be laughing so hard at everyone else's dresses. If you can't see on that last picture, Rachel's friend Laura, has tp boobs strapped to her chest.

I can now check this off my To Do List and help coach mom thru Rachel's wedding in July. No one ever told me that I'd be mentally supporting my own mother thru all kinds of life events, but it's good to know we got each other's backs.

Learning to Exhale

2011-06-24T11:25:00.003-04:00

It's been a very busy week. Abby's quilt is officially done and was gifted on Father's Day. Being the 8 year old she is it was received with about as much fanfare as she could politely muster before going on to the next present. Oh to be 8 again.

Pictures will follow of the completed quilt as soon as I can get the hubby to upload them as their on his camera and not mine. We, read that as I, was rather frantic in taking the final pictures because it was about to pour rain and we were running late to the celebration.

I plan to fully exhale on Monday when I finally get a bit of a "life" break. My second sister's bridal shower is on Sunday which means we're almost in the home stretch for her wedding (whew).

And that is MY que to get my new ornaments photographed and listed.

What? You thought I'd forgotten about Tumus? Oh no, I've got some pretty sweet ones for this season.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Because It's Important

2011-06-17T11:16:00.000-04:00

When I was at work last year (before my layoff) we got to talking about canning. To my great surprise I found out that several of my co-workers had NO IDEA you could actually can your own fruits and vegetables. I guess it's shocking because to me the whole idea is so basic and commonplace that it's hard to imagine NOT knowing or wanting to preserve food.

(Warning: Long post ahead)

Then it made me sad. Well more like "depressed about society" kind of sad. I sincerely feel that food preservation or even the basic knowledge of how to grow your own food should be taught to ALL people. Canning seems to have this weird reputation of being something that only "country folk" or farmers do. One girl said she thought only Amish people still did that kind of thing. In other words, canning is for the not so rich or the very frugal.

But when we really started talking about how you can food at home it was like I was some cool "organic" farmer who had this awesome wealth of garden knowledge. Even my boss was surprised I knew so much. Maybe it's because those people only knew me from an office environment. I really thrive being at home and in the dirt. I explained everything I could remember and was honest that I hadn't actually canned anything myself since I was 10 or 12 (and I'll be 32 this year). Still their awe held. It's so much work, I told them. You don't realize just how MUCH work goes into making a jar of green beans or how many tomatoes it takes to make spaghetti sauce.

Really you'll learn to HATE picking beans and snapping them. You'll hate the weeds and the potato bugs that destroy your crop. You'll hate the weather, especially the storms that flatten the sweet corn and the droughts that kill the cucumbers. You'll hate how hot the kitchen gets in the middle of July.

BUT, and I almost teared up a bit,

but you learn to respect the weather and the soil you're given. You learn to live with the weeds and know that some years you just won't have potatoes. You'll love how colorful all the jars are when they're neatly stacked and put away. And you'll feel resourceful and accomplished when you finally carve that last giant pumpkin.

Finally one of my co-workers asked me why I still wanted to do it, even now when I haven't had the chance or storage room to try it out and when it's such a long, labor intensive process.

Because, I said, because it feels important. It's important that we never forget how to do simple, basic, back breaking work. The kind of work that makes you humble and quietly proud. I don't want to be a "rare" person who knows how to do these things. I want everyone to know how to do it. Self-preservation is as important as your heritage. Once you forget, you lose who you really are in the end.

The Urban Garden

2011-06-13T11:02:00.001-04:00

It's been a few years since I've had a sizeable garden. To be honest I haven't had a real garden since I was about 10 years old and that was when we lived outside the city limits and had a store room for all the canning we did. Not to mention a HUGE chest freezer for all the other veggies that needed frozen.

The funny thing about gardening and my family is that only 2 of us 5 kids actually do it. My sister Sarah and I however, both live in the 'Burbs so it's hard to get that large canning garden we both really want. I mean it's hard to beat homemade salsa or pickles.

If you've been keeping track you might recognize alot of the plants that have sprung up. Though I'm most proud of my potatoes and peas, I'm very excited to have actually had great results with the garlic and onions (which were SUPER easy to grow) because it was my first year trying them.

The peas have been really trying, though their leaves seem to be browning badly on the bottom and I think it might be due to all the rain. I'd like to plant a bigger crop next year and hopefully get some sweet peas managed.

I have a dream, a dream to one day have a Sweet Pea Teepee in my garden, but it'll probably be at another house in a few years, down a more country road.

Laundry Day

2011-06-06T16:18:00.001-04:00

It's the kind of day that makes drying clothes on the line take longer than expected.

But I swear line dried clothes smell fresher than anything out of the dryer.

And if you haven't noticed the USPS is putting out some really cool stamps this summer too.

Work Space part 3

2011-05-27T12:36:00.007-04:00

To help sign you out for a weekend of cookouts and bug spray here's the final installment of my Work Space.

This is the table that I love the most. It's so cool and compact and made just for me ^_^

Look familiar? This is probably the cleanest it's been since the Christmas rush.

(note the hinges)

Firstly you have to pull out the legs. They're designed so they look like one, solid leg when it's all pushed together. We like streamlined things in our house.

The nifty leg "mechanics"

Remember those hinges in the first picture? That's because there's two pieces of wood there. Now flip open the table!

Try not to be too envious of the space this both gives and saves me. It's ingenious.

I don't recall the exact measurements but it's enough space to really spread out.

Have a great weekend and wear your sunblock!

A Fresh Quilt and Sun Tea

2011-05-23T14:32:00.001-04:00

I've been busy taking a quilting class on Tuesdays at a local quilt shop (well more like 45 minutes away local). I really just wanted to be able to refine my "self-learned" quilting techniques. I'm pretty keen on seeing how to baste a larger quilt. This is for my niece Abby. I love traditional quilts but sometimes they just need updating.

Also I think Summer is already here. It's funny because each year I'll complain about how it needs to be warmer in May all the while completely forgetting that it gets really hot and humid by Memorial Day weekend. I'd say we're right on track with that weather pattern.

I've been itching to make some sun tea too. I remember my Mom's big, glass jar that she would fill with tea bags and set out in the sun. It had a red lid that would get so hot in the sun. I like to ask myself why no one makes big, glass jars anymore and then realize oh yeah, plastic is cheaper and lighter and everyone's all about cheap these days :( But I've learned one thing, plastic doesn't brew the same good tea and it sure as heck doesn't hold up as well. I'm crossing my fingers hoping I'll find one soon.

Hella Busy

2011-05-18T09:55:00.000-04:00

May has been hectic.

The months leading up to May were pretty mundane and average but now it's like life is hurtling forward in some frantic attempt to cram everything eventful into the next 4 months. Let's look at this shall we? Everything with an * is an event I'm either throwing or helping with.

May:

- an outdoor wedding (PRAY it doesn't rain because there is no real back up plan)

*quilting class every Tuesday this month

* Memorial Day cookouts (yes plural)

June:

* my annual tea party (also outside)

- the local Strawberry Festival

*my sister's bridal shower

July:

- the 4th of July cookouts

- the bachlorette party for my sister (o.m.g.)

*Chris' Birthday

*Tumus's Christmas in July Sale

*my sister's wedding

* Dayton Celtic Festival

August:

- Dublin Irish Festival (I'd volunteer for this but it's near Columbus which is an hour away)

*Disney Vacation (hello Florida humidity)

~Deep Exhale~

In perspective it doesn't look like alot but it's the planning that kills me. I just kind of want to skip summer and get right to Disney so I can relax. Oh and did I mention my garden is really hopping now and then there's the home improvement shenanigans that need to be brought under control and finished. At least the kitchen and front door are fully painted and done (check mark).

Double Rainbow! (what does it mean)

2011-04-29T12:28:00.002-04:00

Even though there's more rain forecasted for Sunday, even though there's been so much horrific weather in my area and down South, and life feels strangely hectic because there's nothing big going on.... I think Mother Nature is giving us a much deserved break.

It's so good to see the blue of the sky again.

Where Have All the Dry Days Gone?

2011-04-21T11:31:00.001-04:00

I miss the sun. My cats miss the sun, my lawn is growing like a crazed monster and because of the inclement weather pattern the rain barrel we've purchased is still sitting by the wayside not collecting an ounce of this valuable runoff. Hopefully we can manage something on Sunday. This week alone we've had approx. 3 inches of rain in my area with another 1-2inches expected tonight and tomorrow. I even shuddered at the 7 day forecast which, you guessed it, called for scattered thunderstorms up till next Thursday.

I don't mind all the rain, but it's been excessive this Spring. Our Winter was already incredibly wet to begin with and the water tables are very full. With the ground saturated we've actually had to deal with flash flooding around our area. The Great Miami River flooded incredibly bad once in 1913 and all of downtown Dayton went underwater. Because of that there are now 5 huge flood gates and dams build along it's path and tributaries to prevent flooding downstream. Here's a brief wiki about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Dayton_Flood but even the dams are getting a historic workout with this constant deluge.

Still we live far enough away and our city is on a natural ridge above the valley that the only flooding we have to contend with is that of our basement and overworked sump pump :( You could instead say a prayer for Texas who needs the rain more than us.

Things Are Gettin' Green

2011-04-11T12:18:00.000-04:00

The flower beds out front are really putting on a good show this year, which is encouraging because it's taken quite a long time to get things planned out, put in place and started. It's hard to think of Spring in the Fall and it's even more tiring planting all those bulbs and praying they all make it. But after 4 years of nurturing our rather crappy and clay filled soil, everything looks really bright and cheerful and above all beautifully cute.

Even the Irises that were separated last year and moved around seem to be coming back very well. I've had a few rotters that didn't make the wet winter, but Irises are sometimes hard to keep going if you don't get them planted right the first time. And then it's just soft rot and fungus central....

If you think my planting is done, trust me it's not ^_^ I've got Trilliums to put out (in the bed that never grows), a new version of coralbell called Sweet Tea that's just going to be AMAZING once established and some cyclamen too. Oh and my garlic and onions are sprouting thanks to the unseasonably warm weather.

There's alot to be excited about right now.

She's My Cherry Pie

2011-04-04T11:38:00.002-04:00

Bet that song is stuck in your head now ^_~

In any case I've finally managed to have some sit down time and get back to sewing on some new ideas. It's funny how when you finally get the urge to create you can literally go for hours which is exactly what happened last night. Was good to see that I still had the drive in myself after a few months of not feeling very productive.

(sneak peek at a new pincushion)

p.s. Flickr is telling me I'm nearing my mark of 200 pictures so looks like I'll have to upgrade soon. At least then I can figure out how to organize everything into neat and tidy folders.

The Good Gardener

2011-03-29T12:32:00.004-04:00

I love gardening.
I love it more than sewing, baking and photography. It's a sincere passion. I've even thought about starting a blog called the Good Gardener because there are things I just want to write about. Not that there aren't enough books, blogs, passed on knowledge, heirloom seeds and dirt to write about already, but there is something special about each person's garden and their experience.

I garden because it's imperfect, dirty, wet, hot, cold hard labor.
It's easy and it's hard.
You learn constantly, you will never "know it all".
It's a skill that will never live in an office.
It's a life cycle and a life style every season, every year.
I love it, I get so excited for it.

Today is planting day for the cool weather starters. It's my first year planting potatoes, onion and garlic. I'm hoping for moderate success on all of them and no potato beetles in the summer.

Neighbors kind of laugh at me and think I'm silly for planning out alot of my flower and food crops, but I have to do it because after awhile you forget what bulb you put where or what seed is spouting in the second row behind the corn. Having a notebook of each season also helps me figure out what I hated planting and working with and what thrived.

It's helpful to have a notebook in the winter. I usually don't journal in the summer because, well I'm too busy gardening.

The Lineup

2011-03-21T11:40:00.002-04:00

A few of my seeds have already arrived and I'm doing my "OMG I NEED TO PLANT NOW!!" dance. It's like clock work. The first real warm day and people are out in droves to the garden centers hauling away wood chipped mulch by the tons and baskets of pansies. And I'm in the yard pulling up crabgrass and making nesting balls for the birds.

I need to get myself to a lumber yard to find a good batch of cedar for my new garden additions this year. I'm growing out my usual space and extending it sideways so I can add more goodness.
In the yard garden:
- sweet corn
- one heirloom tomato variety
- cherry tomato
- sweet peas
- normal peas
- potatoes
- garlic
- onions
- green beans (bush variety)

On the patio:
- maybe one hot pepper variety
- parsley
- cilantro
- radishes
- carrots

I don't typically start any of my seeds indoors, mostly because I don't have much room to do it and I don't think it's necessary as our growing season is perfectly adequate to plant directly into the soil. The only thing holding me back right now is getting the new raised beds prepped in time. I just discovered that my potato and onion sets shipped on Friday (EEK!)

FACT: most local towns and cities that collect leaves in the fall also mulch them for organic compost/mulching materials AND will often delivery it to you for free if you can't pick it up. Leaf compost/ mulch works even better than traditional wood mulch and can be tilled or raked into your soil for added nutrients at the end of the growing season. Trust me it doesn't look tacky, if it did I wouldn't use it. I like my gardens and flower beds to look neat and tidy too.

Speechless?

2011-03-16T11:18:00.003-04:00

I typically do not speak out about things that are touchy subjects on here. Be it politics, religion, or other heavily opinionated topics. But this one is really getting to me because it affects everyone on Etsy and it's starting impact people's livelihoods and businesses.
It seems for the past few months there's been alot of civil unrest between the forums, sellers and Etsy itself. I'm not really sure what to think, but the less I frequent the forums the more I'm finding out about Etsy outside of the actual site. I shouldn't be getting my information from news sources that aren't "Etsy". I know the privacy issue is not a new issue, but it's still bothersome. What's also bothersome is the way Etsy's CEO is handling the whole mess and coming off sounding like a total db-bag and saying making the feedback private now somehow fixes the whole thing.

Article fro Ars' website

The fact that it's taken several users and a few non-users to go outside of Etsy to make this issue very public in order to get an actual concrete response from admin is beyond me. This should never have happened and it's yet another blow to the Etsy community. It's definitely not what it used to be. Granted your public info on site along with your purchases and feedback is easy enough to make private and several of us do take advantage of that. But the more Etsy gears itself towards this inbred idea of social commerce the harder it will be to keep who you are private. You can not have a social commerce site without wanting to pawn out and sell valuable demographic information to investors and other interests. It's hard not to make the comparison to the Facebook privacy debacle but this is so similar that it's amazing there hasn't been even MORE of an outcry.

As I attempt to grow my business on Etsy it seems that I'm simply getting into more "circles" with less sales. Where will the new blood come from if new buyers don't want to sign up because their purchases will be come easily searchable? And there will be buyers who won't be aware of this and sign-up to buy and possibly have all manner of their buying habits broadcast.

It's natural for a business to want to gather information on it's buying and selling public. You do it to be successful and to grow, but at what cost? Etsy will always be able to take care of itself. It's the people like me who are trying to make a living from handmade that I'm worried about.

New Blog Schedule

2011-03-14T12:05:00.000-04:00

(mouse from Bubbletime)
I've decided to start blogging twice a week. I'm hoping that by limiting my blogging schedule I'll be able to provide more content that's both fun and interesting. Plus it will help keep me off the computer and doing things I need to be doing, like sewing and gardening and *cough*housework*cough*.
I haven't thought about set days for when I'll post but most likely they'll be posted during the weekday time frame ^_^

Hurry Up Already!

2011-03-11T12:05:00.001-05:00

I can not begin to tell you how badly I have Spring Fever. I've had seeds ordered for nearly a month now and my potatoes and onion sets are coming at the end of March. I've been so anxious to get things going that I've pushed myself outdoors to start turning the leaves on top of the flower beds into the soil (it's tedious work that I like to do after it rains) and prepping the garden beds. And while I'm out I've been searching for peeks of daffodils and tulips. My crocuses are all up but haven't quite opened yet. Even the trees are starting to bud. Spring is hovering on the stoop reminding me of just HOW LONG it's been since we've had a sunny day. It'll be here before too long but right now it just feels like it's taking
F-O-R-E-V-E-R.

Be Stewards of the Earth

2011-03-09T16:58:00.002-05:00

(Middleton Place Plantation, Charleston, SC)

"Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never
alone or weary of life." -Rachel Carson

Of all things

2011-02-25T14:06:00.002-05:00

My computer desktop has decided to crap out on me. It gave up the ghost last night which means alot of my pictures and shop data are currently being held hostage on a hard drive I can't access. I've 90% of it backed up to an external drive which is always, ALWAYS a good idea....BUT that doesn't make it any less annoying that I can't do my normal stuff and face the possibility of
buying and building a new computer.

Hope everyone has a much better weekend and I hope to have things fixed by Monday.

Work Space Part 2

2011-02-22T10:48:00.006-05:00

Table 1: the sewing machine table

(forgive the dark pictures)

You might recall my previous post about my workspace and the love I have for my sewing tables that my hub's built for me. Here's the first table, the mysterious hole is the finger grab for the sewing machine drop in. Just put your finger in and lift!

(ledge & "fancy" cut out)

There's the other cut out that I keep stored on the actual ledge you see above. It's what will go around the sewing machine once it's place on the drop ledge to make it flush with the main table. The cut out rests on that tiny ledge you see below going around the opening.

Once I place the machine on the ledge, the "fancy" cut out you saw in the previous picture gets dropped in around it. It's even got a notch for the power cord to have space in the back.

See how flush that is? It's pretty sweet. The table top is covered with melamine which makes it smooth and easy to clean. The only bad thing about melamine is it chips something awful when you cut it so it can be time consuming when you're working with large pieces like this.

And PRESTO! I usually move all the stuff behind the sewing machine onto the other table to the left so I can push fabric thru without too much bunching.
That's a Pfaff 1475 machine, one of the best machines I've ever owned and it was used when I picked it up ^_^ Sadly Pfaff's are no longer being made in Germany so I can't speak for the quality nowadays, but hopefully they're just as good. Mine is about 20 years old and still kickin'.

Haven't Been Sewing Much

2011-02-16T11:00:00.002-05:00

(new design rough sketch for Tumus)

I have been drawing and sketching for Tumus.

But alot of my energy has been on brainstorming and pondering new ideas for Pinpinn. It might be headed in a direction I never even imagined. How weird is that? But it feels right and it would give me more creative freedom. I've also been contemplating if Etsy is a good venue for how I'd like to set up and market Pinpinn's new idea. Lately I've felt a little drowned in the Etsy "economy" and I'm not alone, but it is a good site for all it's up's and down's and it does have many things other sites don't.

I'm not going anywhere yet and the idea may fizzle out. I tend to have a bad case of ADD in the Winter. My mind goes stir crazy and I can't seem to get any sort of organization to my thoughts.

So to help I ordered some vegetable seeds and plotted and planned new plants for the newest backyard flowerbed. Girl's gotta have hobbies, right?

Good Stuff

2011-02-14T09:41:00.003-05:00

I saw these on Lupin's blog over a month ago and ended up getting one....
then I got another one, for mom....
and then a third for my sister Sarah.
The towels had an adventure getting to my doorstep since customs has been really locked down as of late. Seeing as they were coming from South Africa I was very glad they arrived when they did.

Skinny LaMinx has a really pretty shop with lots of organic prints and textures. The tea towels themselves are quite large and the print is bold and beautiful.

What a Difference a Quiet Week Makes

2011-02-10T11:34:00.006-05:00

(1.5 inches of ice)

I think we've finally dug out. That was around this time approx. 2 weeks ago when we had our first BIG ice storm in quite a while. It took me a while to get all the pictures as the weather was unbelievably bad. I couldn't keep my lens dry for the life of me and the wind, omg, the wind.

(my road covered in ice and sleet)

In any case hope you're staying warm because it's about 15 degrees as I write this and it's windy, again. That groundhog better be right because this el Nino weather pattern is sucky. One of the local news stations posed the question on their Facebook page:

Would you rather 2 ft of snow or 2 inches of ice?

I really don't think that's a hard question because no one will ever pick ice over snow.

Nostalgic

2011-02-07T12:39:00.005-05:00

Between the ice, the snow and the solid grey I'm itching to get outside
and dig around in the dirt and grass. I want to plant very badly.
I ordered so many bulbs last Fall that I have leftovers and I'm wondering if
they're any good and if I could force some early tulips....

In any case I can't dig in the dirt right now. So I dug thru my old photos and found
my Bon Bon Bunnies. It amazes me that I still only sold one while they
were listed on Tumus, but in a way I'm kind of glad because I love them dearly
and I sort of made them for myself to begin with.

Work Space Part 1

2011-02-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting show my work space ever since I started this blog.
It's evolution is pretty amazing.
When we bought our house I only had a fold up table and fold up chair.
This was how I started out when I first joined up on Etsy.

(2007)

After that first year I decided I REALLY needed something
better and more functional.
It's taken about three full years to get it to what you see down there.
Yes it's messy, but if I didn't have a messy, used workspace you
would all think I didn't actually sew much or maybe that I was a neat freak.

(2011)

I'm going to do a whole OTHER post about those two ingenious
tables you see there. Because they are incredible for two reasons.
Chris, hubby, made them for me and they were designed to what I really wanted in a table.

The one on the right (against the non-window wall) has a cut out
drop down that I can sit my sewing machine in so it's flush with the surface, but
I can take it out and lay in another piece to make it a solid surface again. It's
actually covered up by the mini cutting mat so you can't see it at the moment.

The second table, which is the REAL masterpiece, its legs actually pull out
and the top half folds out to extend to the full size of the table beside it.
I wanted it to fold so I could have the sitting area when needed and unfold
when I do large piecing and strip cuttings for quilts.

You guys have no idea how cool this set up is. So I promise to show you
because it's too cool to keep secret ^_~

You Couldn't Have Just ONE Piece

2011-02-03T12:22:00.000-05:00

(Lemon Cake, from Barefoot Contessa)

We've been having some pretty "awesome" wintery weather lately.
Being crammed inside due to a half inch of ice makes me bake and cook
alot more than normal. I don't know why.
It's a peculiar phenomenon that happens with all the women in my family.

I also vow to never again use fake / concentrated lemon juice. It can't
beat the real thing. I used about 8 lemons for their zest and juice
so the cake has ZING, but it's not overly tart, just right.

When the weather's grey, bake away.

Buttons Buttons, Whose Got My Buttons?

2011-02-01T13:23:00.006-05:00

Lisa over at Lilfishstudios has been cleaning out her much envied button stash.
Naturally I had to have a bag, a whole 1 pound bag. A bag
that was randomly picked and stuffed by one of her onery, lovable and creative children.
That only upped the "I need to have it" factor. Children have a great mind
to fill any kind of bag with any number of unique

and sometimes painfully funny artifacts.

My favorite button is the "SMR" one, but I'm totally in love with all the small white
buttons that will probably work their way into alot of my pincushions.
My regular Etsy work schedule is set to start next Monday.
Procrastination will have to wait.

The Lake of Innisfree

2011-01-29T12:26:00.000-05:00

This is a lovely poem by W.B Yeats that I like to sing to myself when Winter just
seems to linger in my head and won't leave. Cherish the Ladies did a really wonderful
rendition of this poem in song, but I can't find it anywhere to play it back for you.

I will arise and go now,
And go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there,
Of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there,
A hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there,
For peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning
To where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer,
And noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now,
For always night and day
I hear lake water lapping
With low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway
Or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

What the Winter Hath Wrought

2011-01-26T17:30:00.003-05:00

Winter needs color. So I made some.

These will be in shop by this Saturday.
There are two more pear colors that I'll leave as surprises
but if you look at the top of this picture you can see one ^_^

I've Been Places

2011-01-24T12:13:00.005-05:00

And I've been delayed places. If you've been wondering what I've been doing
ask no more. I've been away visiting my sister whose just recently had her
first baby, Mr. Ben. Of course getting to see her turned out to be an
adventure as you can see. But now I'm safe back and the good news is
Mr. Ben
is super cute.

(straight out of camera, natural light)

Pearfect for those snowy days

2011-01-11T11:13:00.005-05:00

I'm starting back up on PinPinn in about a week.
Which means more felty goodness in pincushion form will be taking shape soon!
I've layed out a few new color schemes for the Perfect Pear Pincushion
and have been sketching up new plans for Tumus ornaments as well.

Trust me, now's the time to do these things because trying to be super creative during the final quarter of the year is really hard.

I do have two specific goals in mind for Pinpinn:
Keep more things in stock (like the pears and oranges)
and get up to about 15-20 items in the shop.
I've looking back thru the pictures of my pincushions and realized that the
designs have changed slightly and may warrant a new photo shoot just to keep
things updated and fresh. I'm also hoping to add more emery selections too.

I have the time now I just need to keep the drive.

The Start of Something Different

2011-01-05T11:26:00.005-05:00

Everyone is breaking down their 2010 year. Looking back on it there weren't many small things that happened. Every event of importance was a big deal.

Aaron (brother) came home from Iraq.

Sarah (sister) graduated from college...
surprised us with her announcement that she was pregnant...
Then she moved to Virginia with her husband.

Saw my in-laws in AZ and learned more
about immigration laws and immigrants
than I ever figured I'd learn.

I was laid off from a rather stressful and much loathed job.

Rachel (sister) got engaged...

Then moved an hour away.

I re-opened Tumus and had an incredibly successful season
along with a heck of an opportunity on HGTV's Handmade Holidays.

I spent my first Christmas Day not seeing my family
and cried all morning.

The hubby and I decided that we could make
this year (2011)work even if I stay home and have a baby.

2011 might turn out to be bigger than planned after all.

A Public Service Announcement

2010-12-18T14:43:00.005-05:00

Tumus officially closed for the season on Monday December 13th.

I worked up until Friday December 17th, 8:30pm finishing out orders.
I can now tend to this cold with some well deserved R&R. The prospect of sleep
and birthday presents makes me even happier.

Guinness would also like to remind you to not eat the "yellow" snow.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas!

Adventures

2010-12-12T21:49:00.007-05:00

Back in May of this year (2010) Chris' dad and step-mom flew us out
to the middle of the desert...aka Arizona....
about 10 miles from Tombstone....
and give or take 25 miles from the Border....

(that little stretch glimmering there is Tombstone. Wave Howdy)

I didn't really like the desert. I'm not a "hot n' dry" kinda gal.

I like my moisture. I like grass. I'm not a fan of things that poke or
choking dust.

Tombstone was small. Very small. It's not hard to imagine cowboys and
gunslingers shuffling up to the bars there
and getting rowdy drunk. It IS the middle of nowhere.

But then there's the sad fact that it's entirely done up for the tourists.
So some of the magic is lost. SOME, but not all of it.
If you look really hard you can find some pretty great things where you
least expect it.

(Sheriff Armadillo as seen in a tourist shop in Tombstone)

The REAL crafters arsenal

2010-12-09T16:46:00.004-05:00

Alot of times my "real" crafting arsenal has nothing to do
with scissors and thread.
It's not packed with colorful bits of felty bits or buttons.

It's a grittier reality.

It's IcyHot on a flexible fabric roll taped to my wrists and fingers.
A variety of heating pads for my back and to keep warm.
Scented candles to keep me perky.
Advil
A doughnut seat (yes it's true)
hand lotion
eye drops
wool lined slippers that are molded to my foot shape
ponytail holders and clips for those days when my head remains "down"
Tea for the morning
and beer for the evening

These are my constant companions in the days leading up to the final push before Christmas.

What's in your secret crafter's arsenal?

Crafting for Everyone? Eep!

2010-12-06T14:42:00.004-05:00

Sometimes Christmas wouldn't be Christmas
without last minute projects to finish, er, start.

Mom is getting felt cat face versions of all
of the cats we've owned and loved.
Then it'll be framed.

A dog ornament for the mother-in-law
and another one for my youngest sis.

I don't know when I'll have time to do all this, but I think if I wish REALLY
hard it'll happen, right?

There there's the "other" list of things I want to do, not necessarily
before Christmas, but I'll worry about that AFTER the Holidays.

There is a Santa Claus isn't there Virginia?

4 months is a heck of a long time

2010-12-02T20:22:00.008-05:00

Alot has changed in 4 months.

I now work from home.
I had a really successful garage sale.
I threw my youngest sister a Baby Shower (I feel old).
I had an INCREDIBLE November on Tumus.
I planted 100 bulbs and still have leftovers :(
I baked 4 pies and 2 cobblers for Thanksgiving.
I was featured on HGTV the day after Thanksgiving for their Handmade Holiday special for my Doxie ornament.
I've grown in confidence about keeping my shop going and have faith that things will continue to happen when I need them too.

But some things will always stay the same.
I still make a heck of a lot of dogs and I'm okay with that.

Leaves

2010-08-23T11:21:00.005-04:00

It's the air I feel the most.
When Summer shrugs his woolen coat away
and linen hangs in a cooling breeze.
The sunlight softens and all around me Fall begins to stir.

Nevermind the fat squirrels....
Photo by Chris

OMG I Need to Clean

2010-08-13T13:26:00.008-04:00

Like desperately clean. I feel chaotic but somehow out of the chaos things are coming together!

This isn't really crafting for myself, but it's for my mom so that kind of counts right? It's for her very large stuffed sheep (who I've named Henry). He has only one other blanket and she requested something more patriotic.

In the mean time there's errands to run and supper to figure out. But I can't start supper until I've cleaned the kitchen which was floured and egged during the morning baking experiment, pound cake. For the record I'll be attempting this again as soon as I've got more eggs and butter. I also have plans to start on cleaning the sewing room. It's a sneezing chaos back there.

Of Things to Come

2010-08-10T11:16:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the blogging hiatus. As my "9-5" ended there were several loose ends that needed tied up, sorted and gathered in. But things are settling in now and I'm getting used to a schedule that I haven't been on since, well college. I spent last week not only sorting thru personal matters but also finding joy in the little things again like cooking, hanging laundry out, picking copious amounts of cherry tomatoes and photography.
I'd kind of forgotten how fast everything had been going when I was working constantly. I know working from home won't always be easy, but I'm hoping it'll give me the chance to enjoy the things I'd put aside and neglected for so long.

Happy Guinness Cat

Done and Done

2010-07-30T16:00:00.003-04:00

Today was my last official day of working at my "9-5".

I am SO relieved and beyond excited to be leaving finally. It felt like it would take forever to get here, but it did and now it's OVER! WHOO HOOO!!!

Only happy stuff for me today! The local Celtic Festival gets underway in 2 hours and you can bet I'll be there dancing and drinking the night away in celebration!!

Here's to new freedom, new possibilities and a new start!

Bulldoggery

2010-07-28T10:30:00.001-04:00

I like it when I can take this:

And turn it into this:

Look for the Bulldog ornament listing to hit the shop around Thursday.

A day at the "9-5"

2010-07-23T10:00:00.004-04:00

Dog sketching taken via cellphone

I've 4 official days left at the "9-5". Admittedly I'm nervous. Mostly because it'll be the first time I'll be without a real steady source of income. I'll be relying entirely on a few odd jobs and Chris to help pay the bills while I get Tumus advertising up and running/scheduled and new listings created.

In the meantime, I've been busy doodling. The ones in the picture are done in halves so I can take them home and copy them over to graph paper and make them symmetrical. At the request of a nice returning customer I've also sketched up a bulldog face pattern. I haven't snapped a shot of him yet, but you can use the picture above for clues on how it might look!

Summer Reading

2010-07-20T21:11:00.007-04:00

From The Ivory Bird

I recently bought two super neat vintage books on Etsy. I haven't gotten around to reading them just yet but they are next.

I love old books especially ones that reflect on the times they were penned in. But I also enjoy reading romances, fantasy, fiction and children's books. What's your summer reading list? I think it's always good to have a list of things to read otherwise you might forget and miss something really great.

To Read This Summer:

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon (#4 of the Outlander series my most favorite series of ALL time, bar none)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The BFG / James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (I need to buy James and the Giant Peach great books, great to read aloud)

Re-read all the Harry Potter Books (why not?)

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Dealing with Dragons

A few of the old Nancy Drews (because they were fun and I miss them)

Christmas in July Sale

2010-07-16T15:11:00.003-04:00

It's going on now thru July 25th!

Tumus is having a great Christmas in July sale thru July 25th! All personalized dog ornaments are marked down 10% and all personalized guitar ornaments are marked down 20%!

New Theme and a New Ornament

2010-07-01T20:58:00.008-04:00

You might have noticed a new ornament in the shop last night ^_~ I've been holding myself accountable to get things done on my shop. I need to make myself live up to my word. And last night even though I was dead tired and the photographs taking too long to upload, I did it.

It's even listed in my shop right now. This took a bit of trial and error and was more challenging than I thought. A bit more tweaking and it'll be spot on.

I've two more guitar ornaments lined up for this month. I'm pretty stoked about these.
And to keep things fresh I've changed to a new more vibrant theme. Very fitting for a new colorful career! Now it just needs a new banner ^_^

Tumus on Hiatus

2010-04-22T08:01:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone :)

You might have noticed Tumus is temporarily closed for now until June 19th.

I did this so I could get inventory ready for my annual Christmas in July event and to get as much stock ready as I can for the up coming season. With my layoff barely 3.5 months away I'm pretty excited to be at this point already :) I'll be opening after June 19th with the new shop theme ready to go!

I've got a couple of other personalized ideas I want to try out in my shop alongside the doggies.

Have a great Earth Day everyone!

Very Berry

2010-04-03T09:35:00.004-04:00

Normally strawberries appear closer to the end of April or mid-May, but I saw these in our local grocery store (Trader Joes') and had to get them. It's not every day you see 4lbs of strawberries THIS RIPE at the beginning of April.
It's been unseasonably warm this week and looks to stay that way for a while yet. I have to resist the urge to plant flowers that might not be ready to handle a sudden cold snap. It is the midwest after all and our average last frost date isn't until the end of April. So for now I'm sticking with the violas, the pansy and a bucket load of pre-season strawberries.

In Every Corner

2010-03-25T20:33:00.006-04:00

You can find incredibly interesting intrigues....
I was out taking pictures at a local wooded park when I happened across a nice patch of moss filled with little growing things, but what caught my eye was a half buried bottle stuck in the leaves. When I pulled it out I found that it housed a tiny grouping of green stems.
There were also lots of these little blue flowers dotting the hills.

In every corner there is room for even the smallest things to grow.

Bon Bon Bunnies

2010-03-19T15:17:00.003-04:00

I really love my Bon Bon Bunnies ^_^

They are currently on sale in my Tumus shop. They will be hopping away come April 19th to make room for my shop makeover.

I think I might try and make mini Bon Bon's for my mom and aunt this Easter if I find time. These are super cute as they are so I can't imagine how sweet teeny tiny ones might be!

Stepping Back For a Bit

2010-03-01T11:54:00.003-05:00

I went ahead and closed up Pinpinn till August to help me deal with layoff-induced stress. I couldn't bring myself to keep the shop open without any new updates or products on the line :( It wasn't fair to my customers and certainly not fair to my product line.

So Pinpinn is on a break for now, but will be back after my layoff situates itself. And as another reminder Tumus will be going on break as well for a few months starting April 19th.

Tumus is going on break for some different reasons though, namely to get stock prepared for Christmas in July and to give myself a longer hiatus to sort thru other layoff requests and overtime madness at the "9-5". I'm hoping that opening Tumus up in July (which is my final month at my job) that I won't be too taxed and can come back swinging! I have my budget set up and ready to go, I'm set on supplies for the most part and just have a bit more to go with sorting out my craft room.

It'll get better! I know it will because in 4 months I'll be looking back at all this and laughing, maybe laughing a little bit too much.

Fall down seven times, get up eight.

Where's all the new stuff?

2010-02-21T14:00:00.008-05:00

Since I've been coping with alot of stress in the last two months my shops have no doubt suffered a low blow.

It's hard to spin out creative ideas when you're mentally exhausted, but I have been attempting to keep myself immersed in some part of crafting....mainly cleaning. My room really needed some elbow grease.

This is just a small fraction of something I'd been meaning to do for a while, cut leftover felt bits into stuffing scraps.

The past few nights I've also been purging my fat quarter stash (for a yard sale in August)of stuff I've not used in over a year and it's freeing up space! Yay! What you can't see are the 4 other tubs of felt, fabric, and other organized chaos sitting about my tables and floors. I feel quite proud that other than buying new scissors at the beginning of the year I've not bought any supplies in 2 months. It feels refreshing and nice. I proved to myself that I really do have everything I need right now. I think May/June will be my breaking point and I'll need to order/buy some things by then, but I'll have gone near 6 months at that point ^_^

At some point I will show off a cleaned craft room, heck I might even have shelves on the wall by then :lol:

A Belated Valentine's Post

2010-02-19T10:00:00.002-05:00

My grandma gave me a really cool present. Though it makes me feel a bit odd that she's starting to give more stuff away. It's a little reminder that each day is a little closer to an end. I know that's sad, but it's how I feel about it. In any case I'm glad that she's very thoughtful in what she's giving me.

I didn't notice this when I was last in her sewing room, but it used to be my great-great grandmother's sewing chest of sorts. The laquer is chipping badly, but I cleaned it up and used a good wood oil on it to restore it a little. I kind of like the used look on it.

I don't think it's an antique as I can't find any markings on it, however it's old enough. She didn't clean it out when she gave it to me either so it was like digging thru a mini treasure trove of memories which were good and sad at the same time. Good because it showed me how alike we are, but sad because there were things she'd made for my grandpa years ago when her arthritis wasn't so bad.

There were others too. I'm going to buy a few little frames for them and put them up on my walls.

They feel more special to me than the desk itself. It's a piece of grandma and grandpa that I can always have nearby.

Tum & Gun

2010-02-17T20:43:00.003-05:00

Tumus and Guinness that is.

It's time to get myself out of the "self-pity" gutter and move on so on that note, I hope you had a good day whatever you're doing :)