Stocking stuffer search is solved...

The holidays are fast approaching and for me, stocking stuffers can get stale really fast. (How many toothbrushes do we really need???  Does anyone USE cloth hankies anymore?  If I get ONE MORE soda can opener...I'll scream!!!)  I want to do better this year and A.) Not wait until the last minute and B.) "Settle" for the same old same old.  
 
So...looking for a few differnt and creative ideas for stocking stuffers I came accross some gems and I have to share!  (Oh I just had an attack of CUTE! )Check out Pegasussoaps' Artfire shop...she has marvelous soap idea I think would be GREAT for budding little divas - Neopolitan Popsicle Soap!


It's made with creamy goat's milk soap, is scented Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry and the darling thing looks good enough to eat!!!  I've been scouring this store and lemme tell ya...I love what I see...!  Goodies Galore!
 
Clever is key in my next find...how about a chapstick holder by MountainMaggie?


WAY cool, snappy color and super practical to boot! It can be used as a date stick holder as well!  :o)  Pretty neat thing thinking MountainMaggie.



  I, for one, am always looking for paper to jot an important note, phone number (website :P) down and Liberydoll has the solution with  Handmade Christmas Matchbook Notepads!  Coming in packs of 10, your stocking recipient will always have paper on hand or you can stretch your dollar even further by splitting them up!


Do yourself a big favor and check out these and other stores on Artfire.  A Handmade Christmas can be yours...clever, unique and very memorable! 

Happy Shopping!

Polymer Clay Smooshers? What's that?!

OH...I love clay artists. They just have such talent taking a lunp of nothingness and turn it into fae art, emotion stiring or just a glimpse into their dimension of  the universe.  *Sigh....

So...I found a cool blog about polymer clay...just poking around...  I love the process they go through in terms of ideas- and this blog shows the WONDERFUL talents of these artists...check it out!!!!
Polymer Clay Smooshers: Is this the one? the masks are REALLY cool!!!!!!

They also are having a contest top win this ADORABLE jester pendant

...hey, the Holidays are fast approaching...and we can all use a bit of fun and get it for free!  In for a penny....!

Happy Shopping!!!!!

Back to School shopping...part 2

Hideeho Neighbors and Neighborettes (hopefully that greeting won’t get me in trouble from the Home Improvement lovers...I dug that show, too!)

I’m still chugging along for back to school shopping. I’m about burned out as they have tons and tons of things and doohickeys and trinkets...my head just swims. August 31st cannot get here fast enough. Now for those of you who think I just want to ship my babies off to school...let me qualify my eagerness to be alone.

I’ve not made anything in weeks other than gifts for birthday parties and such. My blogs, shops and such have (willingly) suffered so my kids could go hither and yon. The lake used to hold a kind of quiet beauty and now it almost makes me feel guilty being there cuz I ain’t workin’! Now that a chill will soon be in the air (my fav time of the year) and my shop won’t have the word SWEAT painted in said body fluids (eww...mental picture- so not pleasant), I want to get back into the swing of things and create again.

I love to shop; I also LOVE to surf the net. I am addicted and I have no problem admitting it. (My answer to being an addict is Yea, so?) While I was finishing my rounds for clothes and goodities and nicities for my kids, my mind and keys started drifting to other stuff...like for me...lol! I wound up tooling around ArtFire and feasting my eyes on two really cool items.

Now this girl can dream and whilst perusing this site...I was taken aback and discovered these two treasures I would wear in heartbeat- even though normally I wouldn’t go for either of these stones. Check out this beautiful pair of mouth watering Peridot Earrings by Gonet...


and this funky eye popping pair of Carnelian Earrings from mocahete

Ho mama! Ya gotta love ArtFire. They have SO many artisans who give so much of themselves when they create their unique gifts. ArtFire is getting to be more and more interesting to poke around...I’d lose my shirt if I bought everything I liked...but it would be SO worth it.

Happy shopping!

Is it really time to think about Christmas?

Oh...with kids going back to school at the end of this month here...I sure think so. I know I've been cruising the handmade sites recently and I'm unearthing some really wonderful finds!

With three kids...two girls (One is a teenager now) and kinda picky ones at that...they love little treasures here and there I can find. Unique gifts like these wrist warmers and a gorgeous handcrafted purse. One of my favorite places to look is ArtFire. You should probalby check them out, too!

I'm off to search for the lates and greatest gifts for tenagers and tweener...where do YOU like to shop?

Happy hunting!

Now that all that Resolution foolishness is out of my system...

Yeah...right.... I really do have to work on my resolutions list...big time. Lots I need to accomplish this year. I am a great procrastinator, pessimist and all around Negative Nelly. That aside, I am gearing myself up to be willing, and to focus on improving things in a positive and productive way and move forward.

Not that blogging cannot fill a positive void in the most dismal of attitudal villainy that is my psyche but I don't blog for that reason. Translation: I blog to amuse myself. When you stop to think you're reading this stuff (I know you're wondering what cocktail of drugs I really SHOULD be taking to keep me drooling on myself and "not bothering the adults," arn'tcha? And I don't even have court-mandated supervision...that's scary... ) I write to play with myself (easy, Chewie...I meant my mind!) and tickle the funny bone of any wayward unsuspecting victim or two. ;o)

Sooo.......In the year of 2009, I resolve to (really...I do.....)

• Organize my supplies, tools, educational materials and space into a cohesive workspace and not it's current function as a sucking black hole that once an item slips in, it's never seen again. (Cue Maximilian Schell and Ernest Borgnine...)




• Inventory my current designs properly and publish them. Yes, I have many, many, many pieces of jewelry, but between the Internet demons and Murphy wailing on me- my sites are DOWN more than up. OK then...this brings me to the next thing...




• HAVE my websites up and running properly. Well...Duh? I've taken one down to overhaul but the others are just a'waitin' for me to git a move-on... *Sigh...and now I will...tbc...




• Stop working on my jewelry at my computer desk and move INTO my newly spiffy and organized workspace. Seriously, I spend more time online than I do much else....except maybe fishing beads and wire out from under my keys! I want to keep the two areas separate and it is REALLY hard to do that...! But I have to try...




• Post new goodies here like these regularly for others to ogle and catalog my thoughts and feeling and... (Whoa! When did I sit on Dr. Phil's couch?!)

• Alright...I do want to publish the pieces I make and the stories behind them; feelings, poems and such. Corny but true...



• Publish my progress and catalog my journey to being a better artist. I need to make myself accountable for what I do. And "Dear Diary"...won't cut it. More being a cornball but I AM scouting new horizons...jeez...YOU could be more positive...

• Be more tolerant of the ignats that burn my synapses with mindless drivel and nothing USEFUL to say...and not grind them into dust. Um...Don't be holding your breath on that one- 'kay? I AM one of those people...Hey-you keep that medication away from me!




• Stop waiting until the last possible minute to start a project, never mind finishing one. I am SO bad at this!




• And (The last one, I promise).....giving myself a break and stop blaming and making things seem like they're happening TO me. Things I cannot control are out of my control and not my "fault." What others say and think are not my responsibility. Blame or feeling that I'm not a good enough as an artist to "stir the masses" is just garbage in my head that I need to get rid of...Isn't that like when people tell you this person has "toys in their attic":...? Yes, but I PLAY with all those toys...and most are semi-automatic weapons- hee!

Hope the day finds you and yours well and happy!