New Store!

Introducing the debut of my new store on the new, and still in beta, website ArtGarageSale.com. I've started another branch of my Pink Pear Designs shop. The url is http://www.ArtGarageSale.com/PinkPearDesigns.

ArtGarageSale is a very new site and is very different from etsy.com in that, the site is advertised, and they currently do not allow vintage or supplies. It's not a juried site at this time and they are offering free listing fees until June 2009. So, I thought I'd give it a try.

So far I've only listed items which I have duplicates of from my Pink Pear Designs etsy shop but I plan to list some items that will only be available at ArtGarageSale just as I will have some that are only available at etsy.

So far, I am the only jewelry designer doing this style of vintage inspired jewelry. I'm hoping that by getting in early, I'll make an impression and won't be buried, like I am at etsy.

Last week, I listed my first three items and by Friday, had sold my 1st item. YAY!

I hope everyone will check out my new store!

Purple is the new black!

Purple is the new Black!! Thanks Marilyn of GrandaMaMarilyns for featuring my Passion necklace from my Pink Pear Designs shop in your treasury!!
You can still view Marilyn's treasury here.

More Vacation pics!

OK, I'm going to bore you all with more pictures from my vacation.

What a sweet Koala, sleeping at the San Diego Zoo! Don't you just want to hug him?

Which one is the superhero?
The one on the right is my superhero. XXOOXX
The other is made out of Lego's.

Look! I'm a level 3 Planetary Pilot on the Buzz Lightyear game. So is DS. That is our favorite ride at Disneyland and also at the Magic Kingdom in Disneyworld.

And what is that attached to my arm? Why it's a sweet bird wristlet made for me by Cathie of Sweetwolf! Check out her etsy store - she will make you any color bird you want! I love my bird wristlet. It's very well made and so cute. The other side is white with black and the inside is a pretty turquoise blue.

Look out for the crazy driver!!!

Making out at Toontown. We mostly just do stuff like this to irritate our son. He thinks it's so gross when we kiss. So we made him take the picture. hahahahaha

The Azalea Trails Arts and Crafts show was a big success this weekend. Thanks to all my customers!!! I was a little worried about it because of the economic situation but apparently people in Tyler are still buying. YAY!

The azaleas and spring flowers were gorgeous too. So if your out and about this coming weekend, you might want to swing by and take some pics. There are activities going on for about the next 2-3 weeks.

Azalea Trails Arts and Crafts Fair

The opening weekend for the Azalea Trails is this weekend in Tyler, Texas. It's also the weekend for the annual Azalea Trails Arts and Crafts Fair at Bergfeld Park which is right in the middle of the Azalea Trails.

If your coming out this weekend to see all the beautiful flowers blooming, stop by my booth at the craft fair. I'll have plenty of goodies for everyone. We'll be open Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm.

It's suppose to be a beautiful weekend, weather wise. Warm and alittle breezy.

My etsy shops will be on hiatus for this weekend only. I'll reopen them on Monday.

Have a good weekend everyone!

I can't believe these two handsome, strong fella's can't pull the sword out of the stone!

Legoland is awesome!

The Presidential Inauguration made entirely out of Lego's. How cool is that! Taken at Legoland, CA.

All out of lego's!!

Bottom view is of the whole scene including ambulances and limos off to the side.

My Birthday - last week

Last Tuesday, March 10th, while my family and I were on vacation, we celebrated my birthday. My (cough, cough) 29th birthday - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Anyway, the nice and really excellent housekeeping staff in the Disneyland Hotel left me this cute "cake" made out of towels and this sweet card with a signed pic of Mickey and Minnie. Thanks so much Disneyland Hotel staff - we enjoyed our stay! They also gave me a birthday pin and I wore it all day while at Disneyland. About a million people told me Happy Birthday. It was a little weird.

My own sweet hubby and son gave me these two cards and played a trick on me at the same time. They gave me a gift card to my least favorite store in the world (in fact I hate it) - Walmart. I just stood there looking at it and not knowing what to say. They know how I feel about that aweful place.

Then they said, "just kidding, that one's empty and your real gift is at home". So, I didn't strangle them that day.

My son took my pic in front of this Disney Celebrate sign. Can you tell I have about three sweaters on. I was freezing. When is it ever warm in California? I've been there 3 times and we can't seem to hit a warm month. The temps ranged from 40's to 60's but as soon as the sun started to go down, the temps just plunged. So it was semi-warm for only about 4 hours each afternoon. And there were people in the POOL! Can you believe it? I told my Dh that they were probably from Canada or were in that Polar Bear club.

We have so many good pics from this trip that I'm sure I'll have to force them on you guys at some point. I'll try to go slow. LOL

I'm BAAAAAACCCCCKK!!

I'm back and I'm exhausted. We spent all of last week, which was Spring Break for us, in California. We went to Disneyland (several times), California Adventure, Legoland, Seaworld, and the San Diego Zoo.

I will have pics posted ASAP. We got some great ones.

My feet still hurt though and I'm really tired. I want one of those vacations where you just sit around the pool somewhere warm. California was not warm - 40's-60's all week :(

When I finally had a chance to boot up my computer last night, I discovered that Valerie at Additions Style had given me a Sisterhood Blog Award! YAY Valerie! Thanks so much!

Now I get to share the award with other great blogs. This is how it works:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 5 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

My Sisterhood Blog Award Choices are:

1. Pink Lemonade Bags

2. Refabulous...it's new again!

3. 4 boys and a Ball of Yarn

4. Mia Sophia's Day

5. Mommy's Kitchen

It was hard to pick just 5 as I love to read a bunch of people's blogs!! But congrats to the winners! Love your blogs!

TAAAAA DAAAAA!

About a year ago, I bought these adorable little crocheted flowers and leaves from Lavenderlizard (she sells them in her Lavenderladybug shop now). Liz even made me the color I wanted and everything. I told her then that I was going to make a pillow for my bed.

Well, here it is, a year later. Liz asked me just a couple of weeks ago where that pillow was. Well here it is!!!!!!!

TAAA! DAAA!

Here is my new pillow on my bed. I used a quilted chocolate brown fabric as the background, then I appliqued fabric stems, flowers and leaves on it. Then I hand stitched the crocheted flowers and leaves on top of that and added buttons as flowers also.

Yes, I know, my appliqueing needs work as does my hand stitching and just about everything else. But hey, I think it still looks great.

This is the back of the pillow. It's an envelope pillow with a pillow form inside. Very easy to get in and out.

So, I had a flower left over. It was a cute flower with alot of petals. I just couldn't bring myself to stitch around every single petal, so I didn't use it on my pillow. But I still wanted to use it.

Lately, I've become obsessed with pincushions. I've seen some lately on etsy that are truly a work of fabric art. So Saturday night, while watching Kung Fu Panda with my two favorite boys (DH and DS) I stitched this little beauty. Well, it's not perfect by any means. But I think it's cute. I used the button on top of the flower and sewed the flower down that way. So all the petals are still free to blow in the wind but it looks cute. I also think I did a better job of appliqueing the fabric flower to the brown fabric. I went really sssslllllooowwww.

The main problem with this pin cushion, which my son pointed out to me, is that I didn't use anything in the bottom to prevent the pins from coming through. I will next time though. Guess I'll just have to be careful with this one.

Look Liz! It's not a UFO (unfinished object) anymore!! YAY!

Lavenderladybug is having a 20% off sale today for First Monday! I've got my eye on these:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21157365 - shabby chic flowers. They are so pretty!

Check out Liz's other shop today, Lavenderlizard, for her Buy One and Get One 50% off sale! Her scarves are to die for! So pretty and soft. And my lip balm wouldn't know what to do without it's lip balm holder. Makes it very easy to find in my purse!

Thanks Liz, for making such a great product and for giving me the bump I needed to finish this pillow. I hope you like it!

Etsy Texas Crafters First Monday SALE!!

It's time again for ETC's First Monday SALE!!

All day Monday, from midnight to midnight, the sale for Handmade Whimzy will be Buy one item and get the second item for 50% off (of equal or lesser value)!

The sale for Pink Pear Designs will be Free shipping to the US and Canada!

I will honor the sale starting NOW and going through until 9am on Tuesday! So shop, shop, shop!

For the entire list of shops participating in the sale, please check out either of the above shops. I will post a link to the list just as soon as the promotional thread is started on etsy.