Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The ULTIMATE Valentine Card Bought From Etsy!

Just before I left Reno for my long trek across the USA to Maine, I received a Valentine days card in the mail.

At first, when my kids came running in with it (ages 15 and 13) I had no idea who it was from. They were giggling and laughing and trying to figure out just who was sending us a card. You see, the envelope had no name on the front just an address, so who it was for was anyone's guess!


My mind did not even put 2 and 2 together even when looking at the return address. The kids were in a quandary, so, I ripped open the envelope as fast as I could, and lo and behold I instantly realized WHO my secret Valentine was!!


This is the card I got in the mail, purchased from Etsy and sent to me by LethargicLass who I met via etsy. LL (as we call her) has become a very dear friend of mine, and this card has been something a group of us have been discussing for quite sometime now. You see, we could not decide WHO was going to buy the card and who was going to receive it, we were all in such AWE over the magnificence of it!

So, I turned out to be the lucky one, as LL wanted to send it to me to cheer me up as she knew I was going on a long trip across the USA and was very sad about it. WinterPanda, OBTP, PinkFlowerCube, EchosArt have decided instead of traveling Pants, we are going to have a travelling card, and thusly, soon I must send it on to someone else in the group to enjoy!

Here is a pic of the delightful message written inside:


The whole thing is written with glitter glue, and is very sparkly!! Even the envelope was written completly in glitter glue! Im actually surprised my mail man could figure out exactly what it said in order to get my precious to me : )

Here is Mr. ferris enjoying the card and modelling it for me:


So, there you have it.

A magnificent Valentine Days Card, sent to me, by LL, bought from ETSY and created by a very special ETSY seller!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

All moved in!

We finally made it to Maine -- our 3200 mile trek across the USA wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

We had a cou0ple of hiccups on the first day. Quinn had to go to the ER due to an allergic reaction, then Erryn had to go have x-rays of her elbow because she thought she had broken it. At first I thought our journey was going to be fraught with problems, but, it finally settled down.

We only stopped once for a nice meal along our way, at Olive Garden in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was a much needed break from eating Chef Bouyardee, and we all had a blast just chilling out for a couple of hours before we hit the road again.

The boys being silly inside Olive Garden

We have finally settled in to the home we are sharing with my best friend(high school art teacher and artist) and we have the majority of the house straightened up and put away, enough so that I have been able to start listing Buy My Crap rings again -- yay!!

In the coming weeks I will post pics of our new little abode and the snow that has fallen!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Boo-Boo Rings

Im thinking of having a boo-boo ring sale. The way it will work is:

I will list all rings that are for sale in this blog. If you like something, all you have to do is put a message in the blog comments, email me, or convo Buy My Crap on etsy (first come, first served)

I will then go list the ring in etsy for you to buy. This way, the boo-boo rings don't clutter up the shop and detract from the "good" rings, and are only listed right before they are purchased.

There are some stunning rings with a few minor defects, like a couple of air holes, and they didnt pass my inspection! I will hopefully be listing them tonight, or tomorrow : )

I hope you find something in your size you like.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Interview with Hare and Drum

I sat down recently and interviewed HARE AND DRUM, you can visit her lovely shop at: www.hareanddrum.1000markets.com

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a wanderer. I can't sit still: there is a need in me to constantly explore. I was born in Poland, traveled in Europe, married in Las Vegas, and now settled, or so it seems, in breathtakingly scenic Montana, with my husband and toddler son. I have the need to move, if not physically, then creatively. That's why most of my items are one of a kind effects of my whimsy.

When did you first start creating decoupage items, and what brought you to that craft?

I've never attended art school and I struggle with considering myself and artist. But I have a good eye for color and design, inherited from my grandmother and mother, an expert knitter and embroiderer respectively. Collage seemed to provide the perfect, almost instant gratification to my impatient creative soul. But I'm a creature of contradictions and have yet to fully understand myself: I cherish "stuff", collect it, love it. My "stuff" needs to last, be solid and tactile. So, about 5 years ago along came decoupage: collage reined in by solid, heavy wood, smooth finishes, utilitarian items.

What do you love the most about the items you make?

It's a warm, fuzzy feeling to know that I may be creating instant heirlooms. The utilitarian boxes and frames are solid enough and unique enough to be appreciated and to last generations.

What is something you really want to try making that you haven't yet?

I'm always full of new ideas whose realization is delayed sometimes by "technical difficulties," sometimes permanently. Right now, for example, I'm stuck in a rented condo with all its design limitations, and I know I'm not the only one itching to spruce up the putty colored walls and featureless rooms. I'm working on an idea to beautify the bland bathroom mirrors in a way that would be marketable. It's a large and a bit overwhelming project, so I have yet to fully tackle it.

If you could try another craft form, what would it be and why?

I would love to try soap making, but then, who wouldn't? Seriously, I would love to preserve the craft forms that thrived in my family. Grandma knit complex multicolored cable sweaters, Mom mastered ultra-difficult Hardanger embroidery that involves pulling individual threads out of linen, Grandpa created fabulous Christmas decorations out of straw and crepe paper. If I can't be a master in any of those, I would at least like to show my son how those things are done.

What inspires you?

I find at least three sources of inspiration that I can name. Paper, with its limitless possibilities. Nature, with its instant ideas for perfect shape and color combinations. Finally, necessity, a real mother of invention that gave rise to my best, unique pieces. For example, the need to untangle jewelry before an outing brought about my hanging jewelry boxes.

What craft item would you be lost without?

I could make glue out of egg whites and a cutting tool out of a razor, but I'm a paper-holic. I need a constant supply of beautiful paper. I need to look at it every day. It gives me a gentle buzz necessary to go through the day. I get really snappy if I'm separated from it for longer than a day. Don't stand between me and my paper!

If you had $1000 what would you buy?

Other than supplies, that is? Or the new transmission for my husband's truck?

ART. BIG. A huge painting of Orion Nebula as seen through Hubble telescope. I'd stare at it, and go to Warp speed for just a second. Where can a second in Warp take you?

In 5 yrs, where do you see yourself?

I'll be a successful entrepreneur with 2-3 lines of sought-after products that will sell in boutiques and small brick and mortar stores. I will probably have 2-3 employees working on those, as I bore too easily. Myself, I will be creating one of a kind items and offering them online. People will say to each other "Oh! You have an early Hare and Drum? Where did you get it?" Things will sell on the spot.

What? Not realistic enough? And don't tell me about the economy!

If you could give 1 piece of advice to somebody just starting out in online selling, what would it be?

Have fun creating! Sure enough, you need to promote and make yourself visible, and be patient, and do the books, and pay yourself enough, and make sure not to run out of supplies before Christmas, but above all, enjoy yourself! Only you really know how to do that.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Im a slacker, Im a slacker!

No, No, don't try and say I am not, I really am. I have all these really good intentions when I get up in the morning, and I plan out I'm going to do X Y Z and about an hour in, I have lost all enthusiasm!

Lats night Mr Crap said, "Stop complaining (as I am on the phone to my BFF saying how much work putting togther an etsy listing is) and just do it!" -- He was so forecful! Needless to say I did list 3 new rings for him, shame I have a bunch more sat in the ring box to list.

I will do it, I will, I will, I will!!!!

Right now I have booties to post off to LethargicLass, and the house to clean, and I promised my 4 yr old son I would play Wii with him. He has been quite cross with me lately, so I shall leave you with the comment he always throws at me when I tell him off:

"Get your own life!"

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Mrs Mushroom + Mr Crap

Who would have thought a mushroom and crap could live together so happily!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

The man behind "Buy My Crap"

A lot of people have been slightly confused with the fact my husband owns Buy My Crap, but I spend time in the forum chatting under the shop. So, I figured I would post some pics of my husband, Mr. Crap, hard at work on some resin rings, in his little corner of the garage!



It is always fun to wait for him to come inside and see what he has made. I don't go out there too often when he is working, it stinks -- he has a respirator(not pictured) and I don't -- but on the odd occasion I pop out when he has taken something out of a mold, I think, oh gosh, that looks UGLY! Case in point, he made some rings that I thought looked like mold -- I wish I had a before shot, but I don't, he brought it in when he was done, and I fell in love:


This is the Zen ring, you can find it in his shop!

His work really is amazing, and I know its only going to get better!! I can't wait to see what he produces next, and I am more excited about his shop than my own. Go figure!