Its the End of Something Big and the Beginning of Something BIGGER

Today is the first official day I am without my family consignment store. I turned in the keys over the weekend and filled up my storage with all of the stuff I just couldn't live without. I feel like it is the ending of something that was really big for me.
I bought a children's consignment business last year because I thought it sounded like a lot of fun and a great new experience. I had no prior knowledge of retail and my only knowledge of consignment was from personal shopping experience. It was an absolute blast. I meet so many nice people and had so much fun going threw new items people brought in. I had fun doing the displays and deciding on sales. I worked six days a week and I worked really hard from the time I got there to the time I went home. The hard work never bothered me. I enjoy working hard at something. The entire year I didn't get paid. The store covered its own expenses until about October of 2008 and then it started to go down hill. Sales were really slow and I couldn't figure out a way to change that. After a couple of months of no sleeping and being completely stressed out my family and I decided it was time to close the store. I had gotten an evening job and was doing the store all week. When the decision was made I felt a huge weight lift off me. I always feel better when I have made a decision and can go forward in that direction. I just spent the last two months notify all my consignors, getting things in order and saying good bye to everyone. I believe I will miss all of the wonderful people I met more then anything. I have made many new friends and learned lots of new things. I feel sad and happy all at once to have closed that chapter in my book.
Now I plan to spend time with my kids and hubby, paint a whole bunch, plant a garden, fix things around my house and just enjoy being me. I am only going back to work part time and I feel everyone will benefit from me being around more. I have all these great ideas for things to do with my kids this summer and all these fun projects to start. I also plan on cooking a whole bunch and learning a new skill. I just haven't decided what. I hope that our company Gwynn's Gifts will get back on track and I can take it to the next level. I am just plain excited.

Cool Coffe Cozy from Lynden, Washington

This fabulous coffee cozy is sure to help your coffee stand out from the rest while being friendly to earth.

This is made from upcycled wool and is available from

http://www.trishabrinkdesign.etsy.com/
Supporting my local neighbors here in Whatcom County, Washington.

Sweel Little Birdies Shop Local Recycle

These fab coasters can be found at WesleyAsher's shop. They are made from a recycled wool sweater felt and then hand needle felted. I love the simplicity of the design, the blue brown combo and that they are made from recycled material. How many others great things can you combine to come up with a wonderful creation. I just think it is so great when something that is not being used anymore becomes someones new useful creation. Saves it from finding a landfill and gives it a whole new life. This is also one of my fellow crafters her the the great Northwest. Support your local community.

Shop Local and Support Your Community!

I have decided to feature some local crafters here in my hometown area of Whatcom County, Washington. The talent is just oozing out all over and here is my first fun find of handcrafted items

MAX THE SWEATER BEAR

He can be found at http://www.dangercrafts.etsy.com/

based out of Bellingham, WA. I just love all of Max's fun colors and the shop also has the pattern for sale if you want to make your own adorable Teddy Bear. Please swing by her shop and check out all the other adorable items she has for sale.

Natural Functions

This incredible table can be found at

http://www.branchinoutartistree.etsy.com/

I am very impressed with the way he has used the natural shapes of the wood to create such a functional piece of furniture. I am continuously in awe of the natural beauty of wood and just love this piece.

Easy to Make Valentines for School Kids

We got the LIST for school of all the kids we needed Valentines for and it came to 47 children between both of my kids classes. I always enjoy having the kids make their own Valentines but I try to make it very simple because they tend to get tired of writing every ones name and their own. So this year we created candy bar wrappers that they addressed and signed. It was really quite easy. All you need is:

Hersey's Snack Size Candy Bars

Blank Paper of any color

Tape

Any program that lets you design business cards

I have Print Artist and that works really well

I created business cards with the writing vertical instead of the traditional horizontal. I added the To: and From: and also Happy Valentines Day

Then the kids filled in all of the names and we cut them out. Next we took our "wrapper" and wrapped it around the candy bar and secured it with tape.

We ended up with the Happy Valentine's on one side and the To and From on the other. It was really easy and inexpensive. I thought it might also be fun to secure it with heart stickers or to use bright red or pink paper. I also think it would work with other snack size flat candy bar but I personally love just straight chocolate.

The Bean Chant that we Missed

My son and I found a contest where they were looking for a new "Bean Chant" that said it was a vegetable not a fruit. The prize was $5000. So we did up this little diddy and went to put it on and the contest and it had closed already. I know in his head he had bought a whole bunch more Pokemon cards with our winnings. He was pretty bummed we had missed so we agreed if we were going to enter another contest we would look up the rules first. Anyhow... I thought he did a great job and wanted to share. I hope it makes you smile

Would you wear a tree on your Arm?

These gorgeous leather bracelets are available at

http://www.sodakitsch.etsy.com/

Please stop by and check at this new shop at Etsy

Dance of Color

www.Macadamiaqueen.etsy.com

Chocolate Cake for Breakfast! What has my world come too?

Today is my 35Th birthday and it couldn't have started out better.
I woke up to my boys and my mom singing me Happy Birthday with a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Which is my all TIME favorite cake. Next I got the wonderful handmade cards and inside the cards was earrings that the boys had made with fimo beads they had created. I also got a beautiful book thong with a stunning handmade bead. I feel like the luckiest mom in the world. I am so proud of them for making me my presents and can't wait to find something to wear that matches.
I also think everyone should eat cake for breakfast at least once a month. It taste good, it looks good and it feels good going down. I took a piece right out of the middle of the cake because its my favorite piece and its my birthday. It is the only time that it is excusable for me to do that. Otherwise I just wait till everyone else has gotten a piece and by that time the middle is available. I had it with a nice hot cup of coffee. YUMMY!

Espresso and Puppies?

This sign was in the landscape at a beautiful hotel we stayed at on the Hood Canal in Washington State

Inspiration Has Arrived!!!

I got to spend some time down at my craft cabin today and just had a blast. Life has been so busy that I haven't been able to create and just feel like I am riding a creative high. Here are some of the things that I made today. I was on a roll. I can't believe Valentines Day is the next holiday to prepare for. I love doing black and red and red and white so that will be my next creation.