~Craft Show Fever~

Well my first craft show is fast approaching (it is on Black Friday) and I am in high stress mode trying to make enough product to look like I belong there with the other craft exhibitors!! All of my items take a bit of time, so I am having to make sure that each night after work (well after work and after gym that is) that I come home and work on at least 1 or 2 items to build up my inventory!


I have been trying for a week now to find time to make my first attempt at soy candle making and tonight I was finally able to do it!! I have to say that most of it was pretty easy except when it comes to inserting the wicks---ahhh scary!!! The wicks that I had were pre-fabricated with a metal piece at the end which I assumed would help weigh it down and keep it in place well I learned that was not the case-- (mind you I tried inserting the wicks before it was time--I was slightly impatient--- go figure!!) So my husband/assistant craft maker took all the wicks out while we waited for them to really be ready for that step and this is when we experimented with using a wick that had no metal piece and let me tell you those wicks definately worked out much better---so I think that my next batch will be made like that! They are by no means in any shape to sell but I think that for my first attempt that they came out decently!! (See pics below)









I am also finishing up work on two frames, one which is on it final drying step and the other that is waiting for the decoupage to dry so that I can put on the finishing touches-- I think they came out pretty well---definately room for a little improvement but I still think that they are good enough to list on Etsy when they are dry!!






Finally, last night I started work on a complete scrapbook for a baby girl (it is an 8x8 pink suede album that will have 20 pages when it is done)...I am two pages into it and hope to have it finished thursday night before I go out of town!!I am going to Debarry for my college roommates baby shower for her second baby girl!! I cant wait to see her and her family, as I haven't seen them since Hannah's 1st birthday party back in February!>

New Item!!

Well I have begun work on new crafts to add to my Etsy shop as well as my offering for my craft show in November and here it is!!! I have one more thing to finish on this before it is ready for Etsy but it is only some minor touchup painting! I am still unsure about whether or not it needs a little something more but I have been told it is good to leave it alone---but I am not sure that I can--so any thoughts or critiques are appreciated!! I chose to start out with the unfinished wood frame project because I thought that would be easier than the soy candles (which is my other project that I can going to begin work on) but let me tell you it was not as easy as it looked!!! I am hoping that my next frame goes a little smoother now that I think I have figured out a better process. I am definately excited to start work on my candles but I think that will be another week or so as I am waiting for the rest of my supplies to arrive!!!

New Craft Ideas!!

I am enjoying my new crafting experience but after spending so much time on Etsy and constantly being inspired, I decided that today I wanted to go shopping and get some new supplies so that I could begin expanding my horizons into new crafts to add to my Etsy shop!!

After giving it some thought, I decided on soy candles and designing unfinished wood frames!!! While I do not have all the things that I need to begin making these, I am close and hoping to finish up my shopping tomorrow, so that when I finish my last class of my MBA on Monday night I can begin work on these new items : ) I cant wait!!

My first sale!!!

This afternoon I made my first sale!!! I am so excited!!! Right after work I came home and got it all packaged and went over to the post office! I had estimated my shipping costs on Etsy so while I was there I played around with different zip codes and countries to validate my pricing and I actually was very close, so now I can set up my shipping profiles to use on a regular basis. I hope that my customer enjoys her purchase, and I eagerly await her feedback!

I was all motivated to come home tonight and create some more scrapbook pages, and unfortunately by the time I got home from my errands and dinner, I am just way too tired to start on that project. So my goal for this weekend is make at least a hanful more pages as well as one fully designed scrapbook!! I will report back this weekend on my progress!!

Blah....

Ever since I returned from my trip, I have felt blah!! I got out of my exercise and diet routine and was just exhausted when I returned from the trip, so I decided to take the weekend off from pretty much everything and enjoy my anniversary weekend thinking that would help me feel better but I am here to say that now I feel even worse!! I am so tired yet last night was unable to sleep and ended up only sleeping like 3.5 hours, definately not enough to get through a hectic "Monday" at work (technically it was Tuesday but because I had off Monday it was my "Monday"). Things at my job that pays the bills are definately getting much more stressful and thus is draining all my energy so that I do not have any creativity left when I get home to put into my craft work : (

I am really hoping that I get out of this funk very soon as I have lots to do to get ready for my craft show in about 5 weeks!

Looking forward to this weekend....Our 1st Anniversary!!

Well I am back from my trip and let me just tell you it gets harder and harder to bounce back from some of these trips!! Don't get me wrong I love going on vacation to see new places or to visit family but it is hard to get back into my normal routine after being gone!!

One good thing is that I was able to create four new scrapbook layouts while I was away (2 baby and 2 halloween) --that I will be able to add to the 6 I currently I have for sale on Etsy!!

The only problem I am facing is that we temporarily lost our camera so I have no way to get them photographed and on my site as it will be a few days before my dad gets it mailed back to me......So I am thinking that its time for a new camera for the business : )

I am glad to be back home but having a hard time getting back into my routine of daily exercise and healthy eating...(that is very challening to do while you are away)....so my plan is to take the weekend to rest up and enjoy our anniversary weekend...(this time last year I was a crazy person getting last minute stuff ready for our wedding)!

I have planned a relaxing weekend.....Saturday we are just going to hang out together and watch movies and catch up on our TV shows, then on Sunday our actual anniversary I have setup a surprise for my husband as I got us a room at the hotel on the beach where we were married and he has no idea!! We will go to the beach on Sunday and then eat dinner at the revolving resturant at the top of the hotel....and for the finale on Monday, we are going to a couples spa experience (couples massages, pedicures, and manicures)!!! I am looking forward to this weekend and looking forward to getting back to my routine of work, gym, and creating layouts when I get off of work!!!

Weekend Adventure

While I am sitting here at Starbucks indulging in my pumpkin muffin and hot chocolate (two things I shouldn't be having hehe since I have started back on my fitness and diet regimen 3 weeks ago)....I figure that since I have not blogged in over a week that my weekend travel adventure would be a good topic to discuss, so here goes!!!

My Saturday morning started off at 1:30 am to the sound of my 3 dachshunds howling to a fire engine siren....then once they calmed down from that they decided at 4:30am that it was time to get up...so in my normal routine I get up take my pillow to the couch, let the dogs into the background for a few minutes and then me and the dogs curl up on the couch and go back to sleep till it is time to get back up....it just so happened that this saturday that alarm time was an ungodly 5:30am....

Despite being tired I was excited to get up and get ready to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure....I had been planning this event for a bunch of us from work for weeks now...from making sure everyone was registered, to designing the team t-shirts, to getting the logistics situated of where we all needed to meet and a what time!!!

The weather could have been better as it was rainy and overcast but once the rain stopped not having the sun beating down on us ended up being a blessing!!! So at 8:00am we were off to walk 5K (which is a little over 3 miles)...it was my goal to beat our time last year of 1 hour and 32 minutes....which I am proud to say that I beat by about 15 minutes!!! Next year I am going to shoot for one hour : )

Once that event was completed, it was time to head home, shower, pack the car, get the dogs to the vet for boarding and get out of the house by noon!! Well of course that was alot to get done in 90 minutes so we ended up leaving another 90 mins later.....oh well what can you do!!!

We were on the road to pick up my brother in Tallahassee on our way to our final destination of Tupelo,Ms to visit my Dad and other family members that live here.....4 hours later we arrive in Tallhassee and of course the college kid is not ready, he is still working on his laundry!!! Man was I ticked off!!! I had already been up for 13 hours!!

After two hours of waiting for him in my car because his apartment was so dirty I couldn't bear to be inside of it for more than 5 minutes....we were on the road again!!! This time we get on the interstate and the traffic is backed up and barely going 5 mph!!! We could not see what was going on we just knew that we were going nowhere fast and we still had 430 miles to go till we arrived at our final destination!!!

Finally after an hour we were moving again!! By this time it was already after 8pm!!!! I tried to sleep for a little while layed out in the back seat with the suitcases and my Ipod.....I probably got a little bit of sleep and then it was my turn to do the last leg of the trip!! The final 240 miles were mine to drive!!!

Finally at 230 Central Time (330 am EST) we arrived in Tupelo and yes we were tired but in one piece!!!! Man was that a long day!!

But the true crafter that I am I did not leave home without at least a fraction of my scrapbook stuff so that I can create some layouts in my spare time on vacation : ) We shall see what inspires me while I am here!!!

Etsy Addiction

Ok so I have read many of the forums posts about how Etsy is addicting and they are sooo right!! I find myself drifting from my work during the day to just "check in" and see if I've had any sales and then just take a peek at the forums but then I look down at the clock and I end up "peeking" for over 30 mins lol!!! I also find myself staying up past my normal bedtime to play around-- like tonight!!

I do however feel like I'm going through creative withdrawl because I have not been able to work on my scrapbook layouts as much as I want because I am in my last class for my MBA and I have to put my time when I get home from work into that because I need an "A" to graduate!! I just keep telling myself that after October 22nd when I get that A that I can spend all my free time working on my craft!!! So the countdown is on only 21 more days until I can spend more time being creative and get more things listed on my Etsy site!!!

Oh and one last thing before I am off to bed.....I decided on my first craft show!!! It is on Black Friday from 7-11pm in downtown St.Pete!!! I am so excited and nervous all at the same time!!! I am glad though that it isnt for a little bit to give me the time I need to get my product built up for the show!!! I am also going to be showcasing Kopah soap for my best friend : )
Now the work begins, I must design a booth setup to display my work!!! Any ideas are welcome! Well I must be off to bed now it is getting late and I must go to my day job that pays the bills!!