Handmade Mother's Day Gift Ideas #4, You Can Be Featured Too

It is simple to join in. To get a handmade item of yours featured, simply leave me a comment with the link to your handmade store, and I will select an item to feature. I am doing these blog posts twice a week, on Tues and Sat, through Mother's Day. You do need to come back to the post you will be featured in, and share the post on one social network. Easy! Today, I am featuring this lovely pear shape Mandarin Orange Garnet ring. It is sterling silver, chevron design, and beautiful. See it in my Etsy store 

Handmade Mother's Day Gifts #3

Well I had one participant, besides myself, for today's post, but her store is on vacation, lol.  So, I will share the link to her store, and you can go look at it and see if you like anything.  Kelleen Kreations is a shop featuring handmade sewn items. 


From my Etsy store, is this beautiful blue resin pendant with a real dried yellow rose bud in the resin.  It comes with a goldtone chain necklace.  Tuesday will be the next blog post.  If you want a handmade item of your featured, leave a comment with a link to your store, and I will choose one item to feature in the Tuesday blog post. 

Handmade Mother's Day Gift Idea #2 You Can Join Too

This is second post in my handmade Mother's Day gift ideas thread. If you want me to feature a gift idea for Mom, it is easy. First the item has to be handmade. Second leave a comment on this post, with a link to your shop where you sell your items. Third come back Sat to see the post, and share the post on one social network of your choice. Then repeat the process if you want to keep being featured. This blog averages 200 hits per day, so that is pretty good.

 No one chose to join in, so I am featuring one of my paintings that I think any Mom would love. An Orange and Teal butterfly painting, done in acrylics. If your Mom, loves nature or butterflies, this would be the perfect gift. See it in my Etsy store. 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas #1 and What I am Working On Now

It will be Mother's Day before we know it. So, I am will be featuring gift ideas for Mom. May is an extremely busy month, here at my house. There are four birthdays to celebrate, Mother's Day, and District Events for 4H. It will be very busy, lol. I will be featuring items I made, and maybe some other Esty sellers. I will do two, or three posts a week, up until Mother's Day. If I get a good response I might do Father's Day as well. So, to start it all off, I am featuring the upcycled tin can planter painted yellow with a little girl silhouette pushing her baby bunny in a stroller. This will come with a plant. See it in my Etsy store.

 I finally got to do some crocheting done. A product I have not shared yet, but will shortly, that will help decrease cleaning products in the landfill. Stay tuned for those. But, we painted, and did some other home repairs. Now, I need new curtains, and bathroom accessories. Instead of buying new ones, I am going to make my own. Yep crocheted curtains, and bathroom accessories. Don't worry I will let you see how they come out. It might take a while though, I am almost out of white yarn, and not sure when I will get to Walmart again in the next few days.


 On Friday, I also got to draw out three new pictures for painting.  I am hoping to get at least one of them done tomorrow evening.

How To Crochet A Granny Square

I love Granny Squares. Once you get the hang of it they are super fast and easy. Plus they are versatile if you are creative. The video below is for beginners. I personally do better with written instructions for crochet, but most people like visual better. Some written instructions, with pictures are best, though.

Time For Some Changes

March has already proven to be an interesting month.  Some in a good way, and some not so good.  My 6 month experiment for Ebay vs Etsy is done.  I have made some observations and conclusions.  Yes, I did sell on Ebay. Not a ton, but more than I have on Etsy.  But, my fees were substantially higher, and though handmade items can be sold on Ebay, customers there are not willing to pay for what you think your hard work and effort is worth.  You don't really have to advertise your goods on Ebay, that is taken care of for you.  With Etsy self promotion is extremely important, and needed.  Etsy listings last three months, Ebay only 30 days for store listings.  So, with all that said my Ebay store will be closed as of April 1st.  My inventory will slowly be moved back to Etsy, and some will be saved for gifts and donations for the needy.  I have several items ready to be donated, I just have not had time to prepare them to be shipped.  I will use Ebay still, for an occasional awesome auction, and to sell used clothes and other items we no longer want or use. 

I will be going back to school, shortly.  That means I will have substantially less time for creating new items.  I have a huge inventory anyways, so that might not be a bad thing.  I will continue to paint when I can, but crocheting and jewelry making will probably go by the way side.  I will continue to blog, and add cool tutorials and info, so that won't change.  My Jewelry in Candles experiment also didn't work out, so that will be removed from the blog as well.  My Etsy store widget will be added once again. 

I think that is it for now.  Have an awesome weekend!

Colonial Log Cabin Painting in the Woods

I think I started this art work three weeks ago. I just have not had time to finish it, until yesterday. The kids and I are working our way through American History, and we are doing some art work to go with it. This is my early Colonial period log cabin, in the woods. My perspective for drawing has improved immensely. My donkey looks dumb, but hey, whatever. This was all hand drawn first, then painted with acrylic paints. Tomorrow, as long as everything goes as planned, we will be doing some Native American themed art. I also completed my third painting in my Home Sweet Home series. I will share that one soon. This painting is available in my Etsy store. 

3 Ebay Sales In 8 Days, Yippee!

This adorable resin cheetah cub pendant sold out last night. This is my first resin jewelry piece that has been bought. I hope she loves it. This is my third Ebay sale, in 8 days. No Etsy sales, unfortunately. Spring is in the air, and I hope the weather will be beautiful where you are. Here in the Sunshine State it is going to be warm and sunny. I have a bunch of gardening to do, and yard work. Later, we will watch Big Hero 6. The kids have been waiting forever to see it. No crafty stuff today, but maybe tomorrow. Trying to get back on a normal schedule after a major family emergency.

Aquamarine As A Healing Stone and 2 More Ebay Jewelry Sales

I had a family emergency this past Saturday. It has almost been a week, and things are still not quite normal. So, I have not been able to be creative, at least not with Art, crochet or jewelry. I hope to get back on track soon. I did have two Ebay sales this week. Both rings, and I am happy they have gone to owners that will wear and love them. Making jewelry is no fun, if no one wears what you make. I have had no Etsy sales, and I am not really surprised. Though I continue to advertise and run my store the same as always, it seems the only stores getting good sales, or any sales, are those buying ads. That is OK, as long as I am moving my products somewhere. I have halted auctions for now.

Aquamarine is the birth stone for March. A truly beautiful blue gemstone. It can be used as a healing stone as well. Check out the interesting video below.