The Best of Etsy — 11 February 2009

Feb 11, 2009 | Best of Etsy

Hi all! It’s almost Valentine’s Day and I hope you’re feeling the love!  Here’s my list for the week. No theme this week–just 7 of my top picks. 

 

The Best of Etsy:

Aww… I love you too! These mugs are perfect, even past the holiday! 

I’ve decided this is the new it color for Spring. 

And while we’re on the subject. . . This entire store is fantastic! And new, check them out. 

There should be an Olympic sport: New uses for ordinary objects. This would win the Gold.

I’m ready to jet anywhere to avoid Winter weather. Wonder how much I can pack into this?

Amanda’s work has a touch of nostalgia about it. Whimsy too. This is just one I adore. There are more.

It’s not a question, to smock or not. It’s a statement. Make it!  

 

So, tell me what you love! You can catch my live Twitter cast on Wednesdays at 1 pm (PST). Follow me here.

Be Mine

Feb 10, 2009 | Out of the Archives

You’ll have to bear with me today. I have been laid up with a bum ankle and a pulled back. However, it doesn’t escape me that it is Tuesday, so I’ve fished an appropriate post out from the archive. It’s old enough I suspect most of you didn’t see it the first time it ran. Enjoy. Hopefully, I’ll be on the mend by Thursday. 

Out of the Archives: Be Mine

For IZ:

You walked in. Late, dressed in a two-piece suit. Brown tweed. Tall. So tall and lean and blond. Every strand in place.

A sharp elbow nudges me. I smile, nod, acknowledge that: yes, I saw you walking in the door. The elbow nudger muses, “He’s cute!

“Mama! I have a boyfriend,” I whisper back, trying not to draw the attention of my father sitting two seats down from me. It’s my aim in life these days to avoid that beady-eye stare he is so famous for. Not here and not now; this is the Sunday service, after-all.

I watch your family find their seats. You and your father stand like perfect bookends to your immaculately dressed mother. I’m trying to remember the last time someone wore a hat to service and I’m fairly certain I’ve never seen anyone your age wearing a suit. I’m not the only one watching your family.

Another nudge.

“What!” rolling my eyes.

“He’s really cute!” she says again.

“He’s BLOND. I don’t date blonds, mother!” I say a little too loudly. People shuffle in their seats in front of me, giggling.

“Never-the-less,” she continues, “You will go and greet him after the service has concluded.” My father leans over and gives us both the look. Good, she can bear his disapproval for once.

What has occurred to my mother is now beginning to be born in the imaginations of the rest of the congregation. The Sound of Music is swelling in their collective consciences—“you are sixteen, going on seventeen…” You are to play Rolf to my Liesl.

Under the piercing glare of my mother and amused glances of the old ladies in the congregation, I make my way to extend a peace offering. Not so much for you as to pacify them. There is no reason to add “inhospitable” to the ever-expanding list of my character defects.

“Hi, my name is Wende…” I begin my welcome announcement, sticking out my hand to shake yours. You take my hand and strangely, you don’t let go. Is that my sweaty palm or yours? Even stranger still, you say nothing while I invite you to youth group this evening. No words, no sounds, just you looking too deeply into my eyes.

“He’d be happy to attend,” your mother finally answers for you.

“Ok, then…” I blush as I leave, “Nice meeting you.”

I can see them watching me, all these old ladies who have known me since I was a second grader. I can hear their minds turning. “Oh the possibilities,” they are thinking. From the looks on their faces they are as equally impressed by your visage as my mother. I can hear the whispers before they begin and there will be no fighting the rumor mill once it starts. It’s as if they have had a simultaneous vision of the future. The clouds parted, sunlight spilled out, and shimmering before them was a vision of our joined destiny. Lord knows they are hard at work already petitioning the gates of Heaven to make it so.

“Are you happy now?” I ask my mother on our way out of the building.

“Yes,” she says with a smile creeping into her voice.

“I do have a boyfriend, you know.” I’m not giving up so easily.

“Yes,” she answers with certainty, “I know.”

 

This was originally posted 2/14/2007 with an explanation that this was how I first met IZ. 23 years later, he’s still looking too deeply into my eyes and making me blush. 

That’s A Wrap

Feb 5, 2009 | Thrifty Goodness

This has become my new favorite for wrapping gifts. My old favorite was butcher paper and I’m still a fan. But, like the old standby, vintage pattern paper is extremely versatile. Not to mention economy friendly!

I rescued this pattern for $.12–it was half price day on green tags at my local thrift store. You have to hunt around a bit and make sure you’re picking up patterns that haven’t really been used. The older the better. If you can find one in a French, ooh la la! But anything that hasn’t been too cut up will do–especially for smaller items.

You’ll want to separate out the directions and wrapper. Those can be recycled! And then give your piece of a paper a good press. I only press as much as I need at the moment, because you’ll just end up repressing it in the future. It attracts wrinkles like most tissue paper.

Then wrap your item like you would using any other paper. Except, you can be smug about it, knowing you didn’t spend but pennies to look this cool.

Then comes the fun! I’ve used scraps of paper and small things I’ve collected to wrap this same package 3 different ways. As you can see, it really is versatile. You’re only limited by your imagination!

The Best of Etsy February 4, 2009

Feb 4, 2009 | Best of Etsy

Welcome to The Best of Etsy! I’m putting up the links and small photos of my choices each week, in hopes that it gives just a bit more exposure to these amazing artists. Please join me on Twitter for The Best of Etsy LIVE each Wednesday at 1 pm PST.


Meet Bradforde! I’m thinking Miss Sophie should have per portrait done!

New vintage seller on etsy and Ioving this dress! I think this would be the perfect little Valentine’s Day Date dress.

Absolutely Stunning. As is the rest of her store!

Eco Luxe indeed! So modern and so beautiful!

I think Leanne Christie’s work has such beautiful light to it. And really, at these prices you should be a collector too!

I’m digging these bangles! And I’m thinking yellow is going to be HOT for Spring!

Sweet! Tweet! I’m such a fan of bird and pottery. Together, I get a little giddy!!

Ok, that’s this week’s list. Have fun checking out these amazing artists and do tell me what you think!


Letting Go: The Plan

Feb 3, 2009 | Changes

I’m feeling a bit under pressure lately. It’s all internal, mind you.  There are no thugs hanging at my door wanting explanations as to where my payment is. Yet, I’m feeling the pinch, the squeeze, the. . . why I am running out of overused expressions? I watch all those CSI, Law and Order, good guy wears blue shows. This is pitiful. Oh bother, fill in your own.

There is a process to my panic and it looks like this. First, I freeze in fear and assume the “deer in headlight” pose. Being a Californian, I assume the position beneath the nearest hard surface I can find. Wide eyed and frightened–withdrawn and silent.  I don’t blog this part of the journey, because it’s hard to type beneath the dining room table.

From there I move on to “The sky is falling” phase. I pace back and forth, waving hands in the air, repetitively driving IZ to distraction, “Oh dear, oh dear! What ever will I do?” Not blogging this part either! But this is a choice driven by vanity. I’m cool, collected, and I got my stuff together. That’s my story. . .

Whatever indeed! Eventually, IZ gets bored with my constant self- analysis and I realize it’s time to take control of the situation. Therapy by boredom. When your friends start yawning, you’re cured. You know who you are. . . YAWN.

Ahem, so in a “use every cliche I can muster move” I finally summon up all my courage and “pull myself up by my bootstraps” to craft a plan.

Typically, if I’m feeling under pressure it’s because I’m over extended. I’ve taken on too much without a real plan to juggle it all. A plan. . . I’m not so hot with planning. I’m delusional enough to believe I don’t really need one, until I find myself in a dither–procrastinating out of fear and obsessing over pointless details.  I could avoid all this unnecessary drama if only I’d be a bit more organized.  You may all laugh hysterically here.

So, I have a plan. A plan to redeem my sanity, a plan to regain my composure. And it means letting go of a few things. I’m going to put the plan beneath a fold. Those of you who know me, know that this entire post has just been me working up to WRITING the plan out. Putting it under makes it a bit easier for me to accept. Hey! Just because it’s not rational doesn’t mean it can’t work! Ooh, triple negative! Do I get extra points for that like in Scrabble? (more…)

Pssst. . .

Feb 2, 2009 | This Life

Several of you who have written and said that you liked these and were sad to have missed out. Well, I thought I’d let you know that I have reserved a few JUST for Evidently readers! There is one listed right now–but if you’d like to reserve a set or two please leave a comment, or convo me on etsy, or email me! I’m happy to save a set for you.  They are VERY limited!!

Letting Go

Jan 31, 2009 | Changes

On this last day of January, “The Monday of the Year*”, I’m sitting with all the potential change in my life. And I find it easily overwhelming when I start paying attention to the perpetual loop eight-tracks in my mind whispering fear.

We all get that change is difficult. It’s part of the human condition, we hang on to things. Perhaps longer than we should. Perhaps longer than I should. I stash away paraphernalia from my past, bits and pieces of potential.  Piles of fabric in my studio that will be something, eventually.  The first line of several novels. Th first paragraph of hundreds of posts. Projects I always mean to finish, but never really begin. Relationships that will get better, if given just one more chance. Associations out of obligation, participation out of nostalgia, connections to a former self best left in the past. The boxes of my life are filled with debris; marked “fragile” as if writing out those letters imports some meaning. I’ve not been ready to let go of any of it, even the harmful bits.  That’s what the voices on the eight-track whisper, “You are not ready.”

Although, I know better.  Beneath the din, in what quiet I can muster, there is a self that knows better. I am ready.

I am letting go of small things first. Clearing space, making room, determining what of the debris really is worth hanging on to forever. It’s surprising how much you just don’t need. And I’ll let you in on a little secret, letting go. . .Yeah,  it’s not as scary as you might think. In fact, it can be downright liberating if you let go of the right things.  The voices in our heads that peddle fear and shame need not be the loudest! They are obsolete liars that only have power if we believe them. It’s not an issue of drowning out the noise. It’s an issue of letting go. And if you can take a little advice from the girl who keeps everything, start by tossing out  that perpetual taped loop in your head that tells you change is “Scary”.

*January is the Monday of the Year was borrowed from the lovely Bethany! Go read! Be inspired.

When The Economy Gets Tough

Jan 27, 2009 | Thrifty Goodness

The Tough go shopping thrifting.

Those would be practically brand new Italian made J.Crew flats. I’d tell you how much I paid for them, but you’d just call me a liar.