Happy Injection

Yesterday, I was spending some time catching up on my favorite blogs, and Victoria, from the Silly BooDilly, talked about these hand stitched easter eggs that she found on Retro-Mama's blog (see why the call it the web? I'm thouroughly entangled).

I have found myself sick AGAIN, and I was feeling depressed. So when I saw how simple and sunny these little eggs were, I had to make some. I could literally make thousands of these out of scraps of fabric that I can't bear to throw away. As I was cutting these out last night, my husband asked, "What is the point of those? What are you going to do with all of those eggs?" "They make me feel better, " I said. And they do. If you want to make some of your own, you can find the tutorial here.

Hummers

Just a quick post to tell you that the Hummingbirds are back in force! Our Red Flowering Currant is in bloom, and it has stirred up quite a commotion! I'm posting a photo taken by a friend, Dick Logan, of a lovely Rufus hummingbird at rest.

And here's a new wallet from my spring collection.

Quick One

Bronwyn is in school for only a few hours a day this week, so I have less time to get everything done! A quick post will have to suffice for today. Bronwyn and I went to see a play this weekend ("Sleeping Beauty") and she dressed up for the occasion. Her Great Grandma sent her this lovely spring dress, and we just had to try it out! And here is a new bag that I sewed: I think I'll call her the "Friendship Bag" because there's so much about her that is friendly! She's cruelty free, washable, not too big, not too small, and she's cute!

Neglect

I can't believe it has been five days since I last posted; where has the time gone??

My blog is like a friend: I think of her every day and the time that I want to spend with her, and then the day is over, and she is neglected again. I'm so sorry!

Spring has arrived officially. And along with its arrival I got this lovely package in the mail of fabric! Normally, any fabric on my doorstep is greeted with the utmost of happiness, but this fabric was special. It comes from the amazing Michelle from Cicada Studio. I ordered several yards from her Dogwood collection; it is rapidly becoming scarce, and I "needed" to get some before it was gone.

Isn't it pretty? But the dilemma: how to cut into this buttery loveliness? What project deserves to be created from it? I'll have to ponder it and get back to you with my decision.

And now I want to also share with you that I've opened up another shop on Paper 'n Stitch! Check me out here! And while you're there, give me a "heart" will you? There's a little contest to see who can get the most hearts. Ordinarily, I wouldn't bother, but there IS a reward: a free month of shop platform on paper n stitch PLUS a cash prize! So go and click, my friend! There's a little heart next to my picture with a "plus sign" (+) next to it. Click on the plus to give me some sugar.

Sweetest Pea

Normally, I plant peas right around President's Day in February. This year, though, I got sick, and then the weather was unseasonably cold, and then it rained so hard that I didn't want to go out mucking. Today, it is not raining or snowing or hailing. It isn't exactly sunny, but hey, it's Washington. So I am going to plant my peas!

I can't even begin to tell you how glad my heart feels at this prospect. It truly sets things right in the world to plant seeds. I have no pictures of my activity, and I simply want to go and do it, so I will leave you with a little inspiration wallet that I made.

Seeing the Potential

Today it is pouring rain. Pouring. I would be depressed, except that it means that the several inches of snow that we got this weekend will be washed away, and the ground will be warming up. I am putting the "NOOOOOOOO" in Snow. Not that it means anything to the weather Gods, but I thought I'd put it out there. I think this little Junco would agree with me!

Today I will have a massive photo session to take pictures of the new inventory that has not yet made it into the digital world of my shop. I don't know why I procrastinate taking pictures, but I do.

In an update, I finally decided to join "TWITTER," yet another social networking site on the web. I had been putting it off, but after more encouragement from friends and colleagues, I went for it. So follow me there, if you want. But if you want to simply follow me here, I'm down with that. Just follow me!

Love,

Colleen.

Featuring

Good morning! I woke up to a nice note from Violet of Etsy Stalker: a blog devoted to great handmade finds on Etsy. One of my wallets has been featured there! Thank-You Violet!

Getting recognition from others feels very good and helps me feel validated in the arts and crafts community. And this made me think that it's time for me to do some features of other artists! Not that I don't like to toot my own horn, but that tune gets tiresome for you guys, right? So let's hear a new song. Today will be a tiny feature, with more to come from this, one of my very favorite artists, Elsa Mora. I have purchased several of Elsita's prints, and they are all very compelling and beautiful images. Also, the quality of print is amazing; the paper feels like watercolor paper and the colors are really crisp. Recently, I purchased this little original papercut. This little vagabond birdie is adorable, but in person, he's just so much better! But let me tell you the best part about Elsita. She is the most genuinely good person you can ever come accross. She is full of interesting stories and perspectives which comes through in her artwork and her writing. Reading her blog has made me a better person, and putting her artwork in my home reminds me of the joy and playfulness that is so important in my life. Some time ago, I purchased this print for my daughter's room. It's called "Babysitting." No other explanation is needed!

Elsita's artwork can be purchased in her Etsy store. You can admire her INCREDIBLE diversity on her blog, and I will do a proper feature of her SOON.

Have a joyful day, everyone!

Packages

I finally got my box of goodies finished that I'm shipping to Genuine Artikle, the gallery/boutique in New York. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to pull it off after being so sick! But here it is: wallets big and small, and headbands, too! They will be present in the March 28 show; if you're in New York, check it out!

Deep Breathing

HOORAY! I'm feeling better. So much better. Thank-You all for your supportive words and recipes for soup and tea, and for sticking it out with me. I can now breathe deeply; no rattles, creaks, or snorkel sounds.

Here's a little ditty that I composed just now. I'm feeling creative again!

Oh, Spring!

Tempestuous air.

The sharpness of sun and chill

I embrace

as I thaw and stretch.

Oh Spring,

I've been waiting for you!

Surviving

Good day, my friends. Unbelievably, I am still sick. I'm feeling behind and also feeling sad because it's sunny out and I would love to have the energy to do something, anything! I keep thinking, "Tomorrow, I will be all better." I guess it's not really something that I get to control, no matter how much I wish I could. It's only my third day on the anti-biotics, so maybe tomorrow I'll be better. Sheesh!

Okay, enough whining. Let's focus our attention on other, more fun things. I'm at least not so sick that I can't type (that was last week.)! So let me tell you that my friend and mentor, Pam Corwin, has offered a generous discount for any of my friends who want to shop with her at Paper Scissors Rock. If you type in "bcharm" as the coupon code during your checkout process, you can take 15% off of your order! How great is that??

Stay well, people! Tomorrow I will tell you how much BETTER I'm feeling! Above is a photo of the catkins on my contorted hazelnut tree. Don't they look so happy and full of life?

Business Class Promotion

Right now, during these hard economic times, it's good to come back to the things that are important to you. Like making a living doing what you LOVE to do and are good at!

Being an artist is a wonderful livelihood, but the business aspect of it can be very frustrating, overwhelming, and confusing. Yet, the key to success is not only to be a great artist, it is to be able to market yourself and stay organized. Need help? Pam Corwin of The Business of Crafts and Paper Scissors Rock is just the person you should be talking to! Pam has been a successful artist since 1981, and is FULL of valuable information. She can help you learn the ropes so that you don't have to re-invent the wheel, so to speak. And the bonus? She loves to help other artists be successful! She's currently offering classes on March 14 an 15 in Edmonds, Washington. And here's something even BETTER! If you register for a class and you tell her that BCharmer sent you, you will get a $20.00 discount! HOORAY!! So here's the list of topics to be covered:

Saturday, March 14 (9:00-5:30)
Intro to Marketing
Wholesale Demystified
Lunch with Guest Artists
Artist Panel
Booth Design and Display

Sunday, March 15 (9:30-4:30)
Pricing
Marketing
Guest Retailers Panel
Lunch with Guest Retailers
Small Group Consultations with Artwork

This is a great opportunity for artists to get themselves out there. Pam has taught me so much, and I know you will get a lot out of her class. Can't make this class? Don't worry, she will do more in the future; just keep checking her website, and I will try to let you know of upcoming classes, too! For more information about the class this weekend and to sign up, go to The Business of Crafts

Spring 2

Sunshine, snow, wind, rain, snow, sunshine, etc... it is definitley spring. My husband and I discussed our gardening plans this morning. I'm feeling itchy to plant but must wait!

I'm STILL sick! I'm going to the doctor this afternoon to see if something crazy has invaded my personal space; I have been eating raw garlic, drinking cayenne pepper tea, and using steam to try and clear my head; I'm definitely stinky, but still stuck in NO energy mode. AACK!

Above are some crocuses in our yard that I caught between snowstorms. They cheer me up and help me feel the promise of tomorrow!

Spring

As promised, here is a picture of the blouse that I made. I used a summer weight Italian wool that is super soft and light weight. As it turns out, It was a little big in the chest and the sleeves were a little too short, but it still fits well enough to enjoy wearing it. It is being modeled by my six-year old (size) model, so the fit is wonkey! I'll try to get someone to take a picture of me wearing it so that you can see it better.

It was super beautiful today, and we hosted a little spring party at our house with a gaggle of neighbor kids. They all ran around and yelled and laughed as they took in the fresh air. It was nice.

A New Day

Good morning! I can almost breathe through my nose again, and I am so so glad. I can't believe how long this crud has lasted. I almost never get really sick and I have to say, I just don't know how to cope when it hits me. I try different strategies but mostly I just attempt to push on as best I can. Anyhow, I'm happy to report that in a few more days I will be back to normal! My studio space is a slight disaster with unfinished projects and little bits of thread and fabric clippings on the floor. Normally I am pretty fastidious in my work space because it is SO TINY, but I just haven't had the energy. Now, of course, it feels a little overwhelming with all of its chaos. Today I will clean and put things right so that I can get back to work. That will feel so good! Above is a picture of our last kitty, Fiona. She is so good at relaxing! She helped me through this illness a lot.

I have been working on my first garment project for myself: a peasant blouse with bell bottomed sleeves. I was a little intimidated because I have a hard time following other people's patterns and because I don't normally sew anything that isn't square or rectangular. But I finished it last night and I'm mostly happy with it. I learned how to do a french seam, which is a way of enclosing a seam so that there are no raw edges. A neat trick! I will post pictures of the blouse tomorrow, as I haven't had a chance to photograph it yet.

In BREAKING NEWS: Bronwyn lost her second tooth in the wee hours of this morning! She's growing up so fast, it's just amazing. She woke me up at around 3 am with some fussing sounds. When I went in to check on her, she had her hands in her mouth, clearly working on the tooth. I checked it and the poor little thing was just hanging there. It only took a tiny little tug to free it up, after which, Bronwyn smiled and fell asleep. I'm thinking about making a little necklace that I can keep her baby teeth in. When I say that out loud it sounds kind of weird, but I feel attached to them!

I'm *Almost* Back

My whole family has been sick with a terrible cold/flu. My poor In-Laws arrived just in time to wintess the coughing, sneezing, couch lounging disaster. Luckily, we were well taken care of. I still have food in my freezer that my Mother-in-Law and Husband cooked. Thanks Karen and Brian!

Today I'm feeling a little better. Bronwyn's fever is gone, and she's finally eating again. I'm coughing less and got more sleep last night. And to make things even better, the sun is out! HOORAY! My mood is lifted just being able to see the sun and all of the birds that are getting busy for making babies.

In an update, I was able to raise $34.65 for the Australian Red Cross to benefit the victims of the devastating fires there. That's about $54.00 in Australian currency. Thanks to all of my wonderful customers who made this possible.

That's all for now, I have a lot of catching up to do!