I've Moved!

Don't forget to check out the new location of this blog! While you're there, enter the contest I have running! Just comment on the "Contest!" entry over at the new site!

Hope to see you there!

This morning is a GOOD morning! The sun is bright and hot, the sky is clear, the job front is positive!

Yesterday I handed out some more resumes...well, it ended up only being one because I walked in and they wanted to interview me right away...and then they offered my the job! The position is a Events Coordinator Assistant for an Entrepreneur center. From the description of it, it's just my cup o' tea, creative, professional, enough contact with clients etc...it sounds fun but still "a job".

I phoned the company that I had an interview with before, told them that I had been offered a job but wanted to consider their position before I made a final decision...they'll be calling me back this afternoon.

Another thing that has me excited is Tara's comment on my post below. Her tips and encouragement were super awesome and she also made me aware of a consignment site, How To Consign. I checked the site out and for those creators out there who are looking for a way to get their products into the hands of sellers, not only in their own towns, this site is worth checking out!

By the way, I went to the green house on the weekend, like I said I was going to...but apparently the Foxgloves won't be ready for another month or so. Shows how much I know about flowers. But I did end up getting some great...flowers...I tried to be pro and remember the names, but I couldn't. Their pink and purple...does that help? :D

Creative Cravings!

Do you ever get that feeling that something great is going to happen? It feels the same as when you have a word on the tip of your tongue but you can't quite remember what it is. I have this feeling today. I feel anxious and excited and really have no idea why! It could be about that job interview I had last Thursday, or maybe it's something more on the creative side. Maybe I'm about to make it big with KatelynJane...Maybe!

I've been reading through my blogroll, focusing more on the inspirational and creative blogs (which, now that I think about it, is actually most of them). I've been getting super excited to create something. I feel like there's something there, something at the edge of my mind that I can't quite reach, that will help improve my store, sell more, bring more business. I'm just not sure what it is yet! It's killin' me!

I want to go home, sew, create, brainstorm, promote...anything CREATIVE! I don't want to be stuck here in the office, trying to figure this paper work out.

Maybe I should just quit my job, go home, take a week to regroup and create and enjoy life and then pursue another job. Oh right, this probably sounds trite to you guys because I haven't been telling you what's been going on with my job lately. To put it in a nut shell: I've been on the edge of quitting for a week now, sick of being taken advantage of, and ready to move on to new adventures because of the "advantage taking".

Besides, my sister is in town this week! Wouldn't it be amazing to spend the week together, enjoying the beautiful weather, sipping Tim Hortons Coffee and venting about our mother? Sounds good to me! She has other friends too, so while she'd visit them, I'd be sewing! Perfect plan!

Now...to just to work up the guts to quit...

Consignment Attempts

Well, this weekend, like I said in my post on Saturday, I brought some of the Katelynjane bags to a local store. As soon as I had finished ironing them, attaching tags, and worked up the gutz to actually go, I drove down, took a deep breath and asked for the owner.

To make a long story short, she said that she normally doesn't take crafts that she tries to stick with vintage products and wholesale items from larger companies. Another point she made was that she has tried to sell bags before but they haven't moved fast at all. She said to let her think about it and to call her early this week...so we'll see what she says then, but I'm not too hopeful.

That's what I get for living in a small town (: There's one more store that I could try, but I'm not sure if I'd want to sell my bags there, so we'll see.

Drag drag drag. I was really hoping the first store was going to take some of my bags!

Oh well, next goal!

Thanks for all your best wishes for this attempt though! It was really encouraging!!

I'll write more later...after I have my coffee (: Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Saturday Sun and Feature!

Goodmorning all!! It's a BEAUTIFUL morning where I'm at, I hope it's as sunny and springish whereever you are!

It's so hard for me not to find amazing stores on Etsy. Everytime I browse through the site, I find a couple more that I add to my list of faves. KMCdesigns is no exception. It's filled with these funky wallets and bags....all made from Duct Tape!!(Wouldn't Red Green be proud?). Their prices are super cometative and totally worth it for their unique products. Their style is totally in!





I'm headed out today to bring some of my bags to a local store. I'm hoping to meet with the owner and be able to sell my bags at her store. I'll let you know what happens. It's all part of my promotional plan! I'm not so concerned about the amount I earn from my bags being in this store, it's more about getting exposure.

Then I'm off to the greenhouse to see if they are selling Foxgloves yet...I'm hoping to plant my garden on May Long Weekend and I need to add to my Foxglove bed.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far! It'll only get better!

Etsy Fave

I haven't featured an Etsy store in a while and I found this great store yesterday. Somavenus has these funky journals or sketch books, covered with colorful collages and abstract art. I love it!!

One of my favorite things about this store is that they use their original photography to decorate the covers of the journals, not all of them, but some. And great prices! $30 bucks for a freaking cool journal. I think it's a great idea for a present for a teen, they're always so hard to buy for I find.

Treasury West! Horrah!

Woootwooot!

I got a Treasury West! It IS easier!! Actually, before I had assumed that a box would pop up on the screen...like right in your face, to enter your treasury codes. It doesn't. It comes up at the bottom of the page. So I could have gotten it a treasury way before this if I had been aware of that...oh well though! Now I know!

Here's the link! YAY!!!

Etsy Attempts

It's been three days since my last entry...what have I become?!

Have you ever tried to get an Etsy Treasury? I have. I've never actually been successful, but I've tried! I just lately found out that it's easier to get a Treasury West treasury, so I'm attempting to grab one of those today.

I've been working on more gift tags this weekend. I'm going to try renewing four items a day in my Etsy store, I hope it will bring more sales and views into my store.

This past week and weekend I've been focusing on getting more hearts and views into my store. One of the ways I have been pursuing this is by participating in the Etsy Forums more often. I used to comment all the time in there, but have been slacking in that department lately. I'm pretty sure that this is what brought several more hearts into my collection within the last couple days.

Last night I had a dream that I had sold a bag. I checked my Etsy store this morning and it hadn't sold...drag! I was hoping it wasn't just a dream...

7 Things.

I was tagged by TwiddleStix with Seven Random Facts! I've done this before, a few months ago, but it was fun so I'll do it again (:

Here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog. (Check!)
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.



The Randoms:

1) I hate liver. I hate it. SO MUCH. Ewwww grosss SICK! Just the smell of it makes me gag. Gross but true.

2) I'm secretly getting discouraged with my Etsy store. I love the site, I love the sellers...but I hate the fact that I haven't sold anything in the past...who knows how long. I think I have interesting products, I always get compliments on them from other sellers and buyers, but hardly any sales! I'm not sure what's up with that. But yeah, secret frustration happening over here. I'm trying not to be discouraged, but the Glad Game is getting worn out.

3) I've always wanted to be a model. I'm not conceited, I don't think I'm amazing looking or that I'd make it big, but I love posing for pictures and getting "done up". I'd just love it if I could be a model. It's not a huge secret, everyone is always giving me a hard time about being so eager to have pictures taken. I'm not thinking "I look amazing today, someone should take a picture of me", I just think it's fun.

4) I'm so jealous of my sister. I know I have a lot in my life that is amazing, but she makes me so jealous. She's traveled, lived in Australia for a year, can move whenever she wants just because she feels like it, shops her butt off when she wants...I'm just jealous.

5) I was completely humiliated when I lost a tooth when I was 15. Who looses teeth that late?! It was so embarrassing!

6) I love family traditions. My family used to rent cabins at a lake during the summer and it made the best memories. I just love doing things similar every year. It's fun and it builds great memories. I hope I can continue that when we have kids.

7) I'm a very honest person. Something that really bugs me is when someone can't be honest back. It used to really get to me when boyfriends would break up with me for stupid reasons or lie about things. Hello! Just tell me! Yeah, it might make me mad for a little while, but I'd rather know the truth than wonder for months what I did wrong or what really happened. But it's not all about boys. Just in general, I would rather someone be completely honest with me, in a nice way, but still honest.

Ok, now to tag seven people (Seven?!):

I Heart Peonies
Snippet & Ink
Enjoy: {the blog}
a new one: Lucky Me!
Christy DeKoning
Paper Chick
Style Me Pretty

....now just to let all these bloggers know that I've tagged them!

Ever Changed Your Blog Layout?

I've been thinking lately that I need to change my blog format. I tried this once and when I had a new code in the proper place, it told me that I would lose all my links if I didn't save them. Is this a hard process? Do I need to write down all my links and then re-enter them?

The reason I'm doing this is because I'm trying to find a blog banner that will STUN my audience :D Have you seen All Sort's banner?? SO AMAZING! I'd love to have something like that, something that wow's you as soon as you click onto the page.

I have a place for a banner on this set-up, but it's only at the top of my entries...and it just isn't bold enough or big enough for me. I don't want something huge, but I'd love something more noticeable.

I'm all about the flahsy-flashy.

Once I figure out how this goes, I'll write an entry on what I found out (:

Etsy Banner

I was working with an Etsy seller, Well Feathered Nest, for a custom banner for my Etsy store. She ended up giving it to me! How nice, hey?? Take a peek into my store to see the new banner!

Tryin' out the Gocco

This first one is my number 1 attempt at printing on the Gocco. It's not bad, but there's dots of carbon around the actual image from the photocopy I used. Oh well, you live and learn.

I learned from the Gocco-How-To link I posted a couple days ago, that you can save your screens and ink by putting them in plastic and in then in the fridge (just like you can with paint rollers!). So I did that with both of these screens and I'll be using them again tonight.



These are my second attempts at Gocco printing. I had printed an image of these leaves but they came out super small so I printed several more, cut them out and placed them individually on a piece of white paper. I then imprinted them into the screen. I'm not sure if others do it this way, but it worked. The only thing I would suggest is that you somehow stick the separate images onto the plain paper. Some of the leaves burned to the screen and I was afraid of taking them off. I did, and it was fine, but I'm sure there was a chance of me making a hole in it. Don't want that!

I made three 4 x 6" cards, three 4 x 5" cards as well as a 30 page note book. All on one screen with one round of ink on it. And there's still more to use! I'm not sure how much further the ink will go, but it seems like there's a lot left on there!

I don't know if I'll keep these for myself yet, or sell them on Etsy...we'll have to see!

Once I build up my "stock" on these types of items, I'll be listing them on Etsy.

I love getting mail!

I came home at lunch on Friday to find two packages waiting for me! One full of this great fabric I found on Ebay and the other MY GOCCO!!!!!! All the way from Japan, little Japanese candies, paper bags and clothes-pins included! I have yet to use my Gocco since I didn't have the PERFECT picture to start with, but I'll be experimenting tonight, so hopefully it goes well and I can post pictures soon.

Also, the Ebay seller that I bought the fabric from has an Etsy shop! Check it out!

I'll be making a Kiki bag out of the fabric and I can't wait to get started...now if only I had some free time....

Invitations and Snow

I decided to use Tricia's engagement (the new sister-in-law-to-be) as an excuse to buy some new colorful paper, a stamp and ribbon, to design some wedding invitations. They're simple enough, nothing too fancy, and so much fun to make! I made some while I watched A Midsummer Night's Dream last night. Maybe we'll make one of these options for Tricia's wedding, maybe not, either way it doesn't matter, I just love working with paper!









It's snowing again. When will this winter end?!

Guest Blogger

I just blogged another guest blog on TransCanada Etsy Team blog. Take a look and leave your comments!

Another Wedding!

My new sister-in-law-to-be has asked me to be in charge of her wedding decorations (Yay! Another one!) and I've been brainstorming for ideas. Her colors are Chocolate Brown and Voilet. I have yet to find out if this is a deep color or light so mostly I've been concentrating on the brown and coming up with original favor ideas. Here's what I've come up with for the favors:

Personalized Jones Bottles
Personalized M&M's


I know, I know, it's not that original. But I'm just getting started (:

Then for table centerpieces I'd like to go with the picture below as well as walnuts and t-lights. The table itself would be mostly browns and then I'd like the chair covers to be white or ivory with a violet bow.



We'll have ivory tooling from the ceiling to make a tent-like atmosphere, perhaps some violet colored Chinese lanterns here and there to bring in the color more.

More ideas to come!

We worked for six hours yesterday and finished another 23 boxes for Krystal's wedding! Here's what the finished product looks like! I can't wait to see them on all the tables with t-lights all around and rose petals. It's going to look so good! (Proud mama!)

Only 60 or so to make!

I just saw this movie in Etsy, in the Storque's Wedding Series and thought it was hilarious!!! So true though!

I was looking through Style Me Pretty, an amazing blog with great wedding ideas (my husband has to keep reminding me that I'm already married) and found this link to a really cool stationary store.

I'm addicted to stationary. It's my dream to open up my own brick and mortar shop one day, filled with creative and unique paper, writing utensils, journals, etc. At one point I had even designed my own business card, drawn the floor plan and decided on a name. I just don't think that my little home town of cowboys would be able to support a fancy store like I have in mind. It might be worth looking into one day though.

In the meantime I'll stick to buying multiple journals and paper, just because I love the color.

I've posted another blog (it's weekly!) on FMB. Remember to leave a comment when you visit! I'd love to have your input!