Champion of the Sun

"Is she pretty?.......prettier than me?......"

2011-01-02T15:41:00.009-05:00

Between using Etsy as a source for Christmas presents and this new Activity Feed feature they've rolled out on the site - which basically shoves irresistible items in my face everyday - I have a ton of new favorites. Here are some of the highlights to tempt you all too...
I'll start with a treasury I made for New Year's Eve - I want it ALL!

I plan on collecting a lot more art this year than I ever have before and Etsy will certainly be one source. Here are a few new favorites...

This one is called Red Parachutes. Check out the whole Alyoisus shop because there is so much more to love.
Another print I would love to own from a shop called Mossmottle is 'Newfangle' pictured below. Again, this is a shop you should explore!

Happened upon this shop recently too and adore the jewelry made from Buffalo horn (taken after the Buffalo has lived a long life..) Many other beauties in Quecraft's shop too.

I would also like very much to make a beer can chicken using this gorgeous piece of stoneware!

Take a look at the Clay Coyote Pottery shop for more beautiful pieces.

Lastly (for now anyway) is a magnet I purchased as a gift and both myself and the receiver were very pleased. The entire Frantic Meerkat shop is great, so take a peek...

2010-10-06T01:14:00.027-04:00

Well I've apparently taken a summer break, but am back, and wanted to share some great and not so great art I saw this weekend. First up was Pipilotti Rist at the Luhring Augustine Gallery.

Pipilotti is a video artist whom I've never known all that much about, but definitely remember enjoying in the past, and when I read that she had a current installation in Chelsea I had to check it out. The main gallery space was filled with floor to ceiling scrims - many of them - and the video was projected onto and, of course, through them. I loved this effect as it made the images very 3-D. Add to that the ability to walk in between the scrims and it's as if you were right there in the scene...a scene of sheep in a field - quite nice. The back room had, among other things, Rist designed wallpaper which I would absolutely love to cover my walls with. Photo below is of a video triptych which is also part of this show.I also stopped in to see some Dale Chihuly (who doesn't love him?) at the Marlborough Gallery, but was under impressed. Too many flowers for my taste. The best part was that the entire front of the gallery was open to outside and the sun was shining in illuminating the pieces. Of course this exhibition will not alter my views of Chihuly. He is and will always be a genius. Photo below is one I took of said flowers.
Next up I happened upon this:That thing is bigger than me. It was awesome!!!! You can see it and many more metal sculptures of oversized accessories by Liao Yibai at the Mike Weiss Gallery.

I checked out the Gerhard Richter show at the Drawing Center and eh, I liked the watercolors, but I'm not a fan of pencil drawings to begin with, so sad little simple pencil drawings like the ones that made up the majority of this show, didn't do it for me.

Last, but not least, I hit the weekend only gallery RE:FORM SCHOOL "which took over four-stories of the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral School in SoHo. This high profile art exhibition, event series, and public awareness campaign is designed to bring together and engage the creative community in the drive to reform the American public education system."
It was tons o' fun. They took the ex-oldest Catholic school in New York City (which just closed) and filled it with contemporary art.
I've attached a video of the installation by artist Michael Murphy.

Finally, just because I found it recently, is a John Waters interview. I could listen to him talk all day long. It's worth taking the 20 minutes and watching the whole thing. He's so entertaining.

Big Think Interview with John Waters | John Waters | Big Think

...waving goodbye to me, with my own hand...

2010-05-01T20:26:00.028-04:00

I'm a fan of everything Christopher Walken, so I went to see a current play he's in on Broadway, 'A Behanding in Spokane'. The play was so-so, but must be mentioned because it's the first time I've ever been allowed to have a drink at my seat. I know there were cocktails at Evil Dead The Musical, but thought that was a special case (and also a themed drink) as I've never heard of such a thing and have been to a lot of Broadway theaters in the last 15+ years. You can imagine my dropped jaw when the bartender asked "would you like that for the bar or for your seat?". She poured my vodka soda into a plastic cup with a lid. Absurd and amazing. I kept the cup.

Nevertheless, I can still only give it 2 stars. Walken was a genius, of course, and it was fantastic to watch said genius live in the flesh, but I wasn't too impressed with anyone else in the show. The story was completely bizarre i.e. exactly what I look for, but not enough to make up for lackluster performances by 3/4 of the cast and writing that was awkward at times. Anyway, I'm really only talking about this because of the "to go" cup, so let's move on.
An orchid moved in with me and I wanted to photograph it before I killed it. It's been a few weeks now and is still looking good, so maybe I'm giving it the proper care? I thought the photos might look good as a series, so here's what I played around with.

Which combination or single is your favorite? I haven't blogged in a long while, let alone had a giveaway, so I'll have one now! Leaving a comment here will enter you to win an 8x10 of your choice (from the orchid series or any photo from my shop). I will draw and announce a random winner on May 17th at 12am. If you're new to my blog and leaving a comment, you can sign up to follow and will get an extra entry. All followers are entered once automatically and get an additional when leaving a comment. Thanks!

Two for Tuesday

2010-02-08T23:29:00.008-05:00

I haven't mentioned any of my Etsy favorites lately and mostly did so before I was buying things for myself. So, today I'd like to spotlight two items - one I own and one I simply admire.
Hostess cupcakes used to be my favorite, but I have to say their taste has changed over the years and when I try one now, it's just not the same. Thank goodness for my Hostess cupcake jewelry box to remind me of simpler times. I absolutely love this little (about lifesize) plastic cupcake box. I use it for small earrings and it's perfect!

I think I saw these earrings somewhere major on Etsy, but can't remember where. I adore them. Love the shell, love the color combination - I want these for Spring!

The Power of the Pyramid Compels You!

2009-12-31T00:59:00.011-05:00

I've had this pendant since I was little, but only rediscovered it recently and decided to put it on a chain and start wearing it. It came from a store my grandmother and uncle used to run back in the 70s that was all pyramids all the time! This pendant is supposed to carry "the power of the pyramid" and you will receive positive energy wearing it. I just love the pendant either way. I took these photos of it for fun with a possibility of listing it on Etsy at a ridiculous price so that I'd be sure no one would actually buy it. I remember hearing/reading in some Etsy tips that you should have at least one significantly higher priced item in your shop, but for myself that would still only mean under $100. Have any of you tried this technique and seen a result? It's probably not the best idea for my pendant since I'd really want to price it at like $1000, but I wanted to bring up the topic. I'm working on a couple of necklaces now that will eventually be priced a bit higher than the rest of my shop. Anyway, as usual, I'd love to hear what you think!

P.S.

2009-12-29T22:20:00.005-05:00

I just visited Print Society for the first time last week and am intrigued. They allow you to upload prints you already have for sale on other sites. You can create a profile, follow other artists, favor prints, etc. I'm still figuring out how it works - I just uploaded my second print today, but it seems like an interesting idea and I'm curious to see if it helps my sales. Let me know what you all think!

I love donuts

2009-11-11T20:24:00.013-05:00

It's been quite a while, but I have new jewelry to show you! I found a lot of great mother of pearl recently and am having fun trying different things with it. The long pair in the middle are a take on my 'Kate' earrings - I had been asked to do a purple version for a customer and decided to use amethyst. I hope you like them!

Ma Ma Se Ma Ma Sa Deja Vu

2009-09-01T17:39:00.006-04:00

This past weekend Spike Lee threw a block party in honor of what would have been Michael Jackson's 51st Birthday. How could I NOT be there? I had a serious episode of deja vu during the celebration. Picture 1 - Prospect Park August 29th. Picture 2 - Pyramid Club August 6th. Maybe Spike showed up to Grind My Gears last month? If you missed the Birthday/Blackout GMG show here are some highlights!

I also wanted to share a brilliant treasury I was in this weekend. Thank you Elsie!!!

I Should Be In Bed

2009-08-26T01:06:00.004-04:00

I recently bought on to a BNR on Etsy and it has been awesome. I highly recommend you fellow Etsy sellers come join us! Since my beginning with this lovely group I have made 20 sales, had some wonderful people to ask for opinions and advice on my projects and shop, and have gained a lot of motivation. Search the forums for the Most Meaningful Gifts BNR and come say hello.

I didn't know Christmas in July was a thing

2009-07-25T00:22:00.007-04:00

I've been having some of my photos printed onto greeting cards recently, so I was looking through some Christmas pictures that I thought might work. Can you help me decide? Which one would you want to use as a greeting card? Would you want any writing on the outside? Thanks in advance!

I just took part in an ACEO X-change over at Ulixis' Crafts blog! I don't know which one will be mine yet, but I thoroughly enjoyed making mine! Take a look!

I usually have nervous breakdowns when I sew

2009-07-12T20:41:00.009-04:00

But may have FINALLY turned a corner. I made a tote bag! Without anyone standing over me helping! Without breaking my sewing machine! Without punching a wall! I'm serious when I say sewing makes me crazy. My projects normally end with a half finished whatever and a lot of frustration. Yet I keep going back. So, I figured I'd do a practice version tote to hopefully ease some of the pressure. And here it is. For the most part it's exactly what I wanted! I read a ton of tutorials and watched some videos, but the two lessons that I used the most were these - Colorful Creates and Super Eggplant. Thank you so much!!! Oh and also Deslynn from the BNR group I participate in. We shared some "learning to sew without our mommies" stories this weekend. More like how we both were trying REALLY hard not to call said mommies for help with our sewing projects. The motivation worked!
The measurements of the bag are 14" long and 12" wide with a 10" drop on the handles. The only real screw up is that the handles aren't quite equidistant from the sides. Other than that I'm just oh so proud of myself.

Art Cards 1

2009-06-14T23:15:00.008-04:00

I tried making ACEOs for the first time this past week and loved it! I took an old print and cut it up to make some collage type designs on the card. I need to find something better to glue them with however. Any suggestions? What do all you collage makers like? But, here they are. Let me know what you think! I have lots of different things I want to try with this, so I'm hoping to have more up soon.

Give me that stuff, that funk, that sweet, that funky stuff

2009-05-15T17:11:00.009-04:00

The winner is Tiny Bird Arts!!!! She will be receiving these double chocolate cookies as I've tried out the almond turtles twice now and am close, but not to perfection yet. They actually tasted delicious on this last try, but I still can't seem to temper the chocolate correctly. AND I put them on wax paper which apparently was a bad idea because they stuck. So, I've ingested some wax paper. It was worth it. Of course, now that I'm close to getting them right, I'll need to make them again. It's a lot of work! I have great respect for all you candy makers!!! Speaking of, this package will also include a sampling from Lollipop Labs ...another candy I really want to attempt one of these days... Anyway, congratulations to Tiny Bird Arts. She's hosting a great giveaway of her own right now, so check it out!
Also, Nicole Tattersall (check out her art - it's fabulous) is hosting her own giveaway for free money to use in my Etsy shop! Enter now!
Oh and that picture above has nothing to do with anything except that I'm having sea urchin later.

Candy, candy, candy I can't let you go...

2009-05-03T22:10:00.007-04:00

It's been a while since I've had a giveaway (or written anything on this blog at all) and I've been inspired by several things to have a one now. First, I've just learned about a wonderful new handmade lollipop company that a friend of mine has started up and I wanted to share with you all how great it is! They're called Lollipop Labs and they do some VERY interesting things with lollipops. I really wasn't sure what to expect when I saw the flavors. I simply didn't know what a lavender rose lollipop would taste like! I like it. A lot. Check out the site and let me know what you think! They are also on Etsy.
My other inspiration for the giveaway is a new vendor I discovered on Etsy through a BNR I joined in on last week. Nicole's Handmade Treats has a lot of delicious options. I tried the almond turtle with dark chocolate and am in love. I've always wanted to try my hand at turtles and figured this would be the best way to do it. I'll make a batch this week, see what happens, and if they're up to par I'll make some for the winner of this giveaway! If I fail at the art of turtle making, I'll bake the winner these which I already know are absolutely fantastic. In this winning package there will be a sampling of some pops from Lollipop Labs. As usual, all of my followers are automatically entered, so sign up to follow if you aren't already. An extra entry will be given to anyone that comments on this post or any other post on my blog. Oh and please let me know what your nut of choice would be for the turtles. I'm going to start with almonds, but pecans would be great too I'm sure, so I'd love to hear people's preferences. This giveaway will end on 5/9/09 at midnight.

Joe Six Pack

2009-03-24T00:55:00.010-04:00

I recently came across the best thing ever offered by Fresh Direct. If you don't know it, Fresh Direct is a grocery delivery service in New York that I think it pretty great. Great for all those things you don't want to carry up 6 flights of stairs or 3 avenues across. Great for the fact that their prices are better than the stores! And exceptional for what I just found. They call it Joe Six Pack and it's their choice of six mix and match bottles of beer out of their inventory. It's only $4.99! And they gave me good beer! I can't get a six pack of Old English in this city for $4.99! The only unfortunate part is that there's a limit of four.
One more great thing I found is this Zoya nail polish exchange. First of all their nail polish doesn't contain toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor. I've been trying hard lately to find health/beauty product with less chemicals in them, so this is right up my alley. Of course, I'm always skeptical on how well they'll work. Sometimes you just need a chemical to do the job correctly. However, in the case of Zoya's nail polish, you really don't! Went on like a dream and I've gone 4 days so far without a chip. The best part is that they're having a nail polish exchange right now through the end of April. You send them at least 6 bottles of old/used nail polish you don't want and they'll send you the equal amount of Zoya polish back. You pick the colors and send in the form along with $3/bottle that you're ordering/exchanging. $3 bottles of nail polish sans the usual slew of chemicals?! I love it!

"You know what really grinds my gears...?"

2009-03-19T16:13:00.009-04:00

Some friends (and bandmates) of mine have decided to do a once monthly multimedia event at a club here in the city. There will always be a performance by Pile of Kittens (they're hosting) but the rest of what happens each month will be determined as it goes along. It's called Grind My Gears and the first one is happening on April 2nd at the Pyramid Club. I, along with other members of my photo a day project mentioned previously on this blog right here, will be exhibiting photos! There will also be several short films and two other bands performing. AND if you feel the need to rant about something into a microphone you can do that too! As long as you start it with "you know what really grinds my gears....". If you're local to NYC come on down!!!!! If you just want to watch us remotely become a fan on facebook!

"...you don't even have to go to Europe any more... just go to Pittsburgh."

2009-03-11T19:33:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to Expressions By Devin a.k.a Devin Prather for winning the giveaway! She chose Andy 2 out of the three and I will be sending it shortly.

Also, I was just featured in a gorgeous treasury by wintergarden! Check it out!

Feeling So Wrong and Right Man

2009-03-03T21:50:00.013-05:00

As an ongoing theme I think I'll continue to share photos from my 365/photo a day project. I've already started to get lazy and it's only March, so I'm trying to make up for it. Since I want to make an all photo calendar i.e. all the text and numbers are from photographs I take, whenever I miss a day of taking a picture, I will photograph whatever number day that happens to be, for the calendar. Once I run out of dates I can move on to spelling days of the week, but hopefully it won't come to that. Anyway, here are a few of my favorites from the last month or so. I've just listed all three on Etsy as well. Let me know what you think! Everyone who does (leaves a comment here - please include which photo you'd want) will be granted one entry into winning one of the three photos - you pick which one. If you already follow me you have one entry to start off with. If you just now sign up to follow that counts as one too. Leave comments on any other posts and I'll give you another entry! Thanks for looking! Giveaway ends midnight 3/9.

King George

2009-02-22T22:53:00.009-05:00

Well I think it's appropriate that I haven't blogged until it was time for Oscar voodoo again. I really only choose who I think should win. Usually it's a VERY obvious choice (for me at least). This year I thought Che might be nominated and I'd have a dilemma, but alas, it wasn't (see rant) so I stuck to my original choice for Heath Ledger Joker cake. What a cake to make! I felt I had plenty of room for mess on this one and I took it.

More importantly I was just half paying attention to the Oscars as I type this and noticed that King George from Coffy died! I just discovered this movie probably about a year ago and love it! I got the soundtrack on vinyl for Christmas.

I was also featured in a treasury this weekend! Check it out! Thank you TickledPinkKnits!

More on voodoo baking

2009-01-27T01:33:00.020-05:00

So here's a rundown of my voodoo cakes since their beginning back in March of 2006. The original was Philip Seymour Hoffman as Capote. Please keep in mind that I do not draw. This was all on a whim and done with a knife and small metal skewers because I'm too cheap to buy proper utensils. I've learned some things along the way though. It's called gel food coloring. I make my icing from scratch and love the recipe. So, when I started making these cakes and needed strong color, I wound up ruing the taste or consistency when I had to add so much liquid food coloring which was the only kind I had ever known. Luckily I found a pretty extensive cake decorating store not too far from where I live and quickly experienced the beauty of powder and gel food colorings.

My second was Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin in 'The Last King of Scotland'. I had not seen this movie before the baking, but loved Forrest as Ghost Dog and figured he had to be good. Also, I just liked him better than the other nominees. ALSO, his picture would be the most interesting on cake. Once I saw the movie I adored it. If you haven't, please do. It's a little rough, but worth it.

In March of 2007 I made a cake in order to cinch a win for the Florida Gators and Ohio State University in the March Madness games being played that night. Both did. I still didn't win the office pool though that year.

I have also given the Celtics their 2008 championship as well as the Red Sox their 2007 World Series.

In March of 2008 I went out to see 'There Will Be Blood' on the day of the Oscars. It was FANTASTIC. I made a Plainview cake that night and have watched that winning performance many, many times!!!!

I made sure that Hillary won on Super Tuesday. And I made sure Barack won the country. I need to do these for something like money. I know Heath is a lock, but the minute that movie came out I knew he would make for the perfect cake. He's such a messy Joker. Just like my technique! So, I'll do him and then maybe move on to stock ticker symbols.

.

What the CHE??? - voodoo cakes explained

2009-01-22T12:26:00.006-05:00

I REALLY don't care about the Oscars, but a few years ago I was attending an Oscar party and decided to make a cake with my Oscar winner choice drawn on in icing. It has become a tradition and turned into a hobby I like to call voodoo cake baking. Other than the Oscars, I've used this power with sporting events and the presidential election (see previous post). I am currently 0 for 6. I did have one loss I am not counting because it was a screw up with the recipe and not my voodoo. Actually, it was quite crazy. I had made it for a couple of March Madness games last year. My rule is that you don't cut open and eat the cake until the winner is clear. So, as I'm watching the games and watching the two teams lose, I'm wondering what went wrong?? Once the games ended I cut open the cake and find that it's completely INEDIBLE!! I had noticed while it was baking that it didn't rise as high as it usually does, but didn't think it was going to be so bad I couldn't eat it! Amazing. Anyway, my original plan for this year was to make a Joker cake - not only was Heath fabulous in this role, but what a fabulous cake it would make! THEN I saw 'Che' at a premier this past December. Not only is Benicio Del Toro my favorite actor, but he's playing Che Guevara! The story was great. The film was beautiful. Benicio was impeccable!! Yet, no Oscar nomination!!!!! THIS is why I don't care about Oscars. How do you ignore a movie this brilliant? Because it isn't the standard 1.5 hours long? Because it's actual ART and not b.s. Hollywood movie dumbed down for a mass audience? Oh, I'm sorry, you had to read some subtitles. And concentrate on something for more than 15 minutes. And actually LEARN something. I apologize for the rant, but it made me quite angry that I won't be able to portray Che in icing this year. If you haven't seen this movie I recommend you do so immediately!

Pepe Silvia

2009-01-15T01:23:00.015-05:00

This year I started a 365 photo project with some friends as an experiment. The point is to take at least one photo every single day of the year. I do think I shoot pretty regularly, but it definitely wasn't every single day. I enjoy having a mission and, being forever the procrastinator, this project is really helping to break that habit. Here are a few new prints I'm offering on Etsy and Artfire. Click on the individual photos to see their full listings on Etsy. As usual, I'd love to hear opinions!

My subject relates to nothing again, so here's the video...

"Expert lover, my baby...

2009-01-09T15:57:00.004-05:00

U ever had a crystal ball?" Yeah it's a stretch, but these new earrings I just made look almost like crystal balls so I'm quoting the only thing I know that relates. PRINCE. (That link goes to the song if you're in the mood)
I fell in love with these turquoise glass beads a while back and knew I needed chain and another bead at the very bottom. Finding the bottom beads, which are black czech crystals, was a harder decision, but I really like how they came out. I had made a demo pair for myself over a month ago, but with a slight variation of black beads at the bottom, and I can attest to how fun - and "glamorous" to quote a friend - they are to wear. All the chain, wire, and components are sterling silver and, as with any other sterling silver jewelry I offer, you will receive a polishing cloth along with the purchase. They measure a little over 3" from the top of the earwire to the bottom beads. I'd love to hear what you all think of these!

On another note I was recently featured on luvmymonkeys.blogspot.com! She chooses themes for the day and finds Etsy items to match. How great!!! She found a LOT of cool items for this pink and black category. Check it out!

Obamarama

2009-01-06T15:48:00.004-05:00

Ahhh, another fabulous Etsy seller. I got mine in holiday red and unfortunately it's in the hands of my mother and not me, so above is a picture of a similar cup that Fleanine is selling. He does really beautiful work. This cup has the design sandblasted on and it will never disappear. AND it's dishwasher safe. If you still need something to toast with on the 20th go here!

"I go-go dance for a living but I’m in a cage. It’s totally different."

2009-01-05T12:05:00.008-05:00

Here's a shot of another trial run of these chocolate snowcaps I did last night (before going into the oven). Tonight I will be making a new batch for YARNCOTURE who is the winner of this giveaway!!!!
Usually when I bake something new I do it as the recipe calls for first, so I don't necessarily start off with all organic ingredients. Because of this I've found that organic ingredients can definitely change the taste and/or consistency of some recipes. You know how you sometimes get that "organicy" flavor? Anyway, it is NOT the case with these snowcaps. They still come out delicious and I honestly can't tell the difference between the semi-organic version I did at Christmas and the all organic versions I've done in the last week. Now, on to trying them with whole wheat flour (after yarncoture's batch of course)! I find that with really chocolatey cookie recipes you can totally get away with whole wheat flour and not notice a difference, but with regular chocolate chip cookies, it's harder to pull off. Just a little tip if anyone is interested! Thanks everyone for entering!! I'll do another one soon!
Also, this blog title comes from Rock of Love Bus - did anyone watch? It's horrendous! And I'll be taping every episode.

Chocolate Rain

2008-12-30T19:54:00.002-05:00

Merry New Year! Let's have another baked giveaway! For Christmas I tried a new recipe from Maaaatha for what she calls chocolate-espresso snowcaps. They were delicious and I'd love to share some! For an entry into this giveaway please visit my Etsy shop and leave a comment here about an item - what you like, what you don't like. I'll take suggestions on ways to improve an item or ideas of items you'd want to see too. Any kind of feedback is great and I'm always looking for it. If you want an additional entry sign up to follow my blog or twitter. Thanks!

I will draw the winner after 12am on Monday the 5th. Cookies will be baked with organic ingredients on Monday the 5th and will ship priority mail on Tuesday.

Communism was just a red herring

2008-12-21T22:52:00.010-05:00

I finally made some necklaces!! This first one above is a gift. I feel like I'm on a never-ending quest for the perfect metal chain. At least whatever that means inside my own head. In this necklace I found it. I added some teal stone beads I have had for a long time waiting for the right jewelry to be made. I don't remember what they are or where they came from though. The green glass crackle beads I have made earrings out of previously. I love them. Also added some sterling silver chain on the left side.

This one I will list on Etsy eventually. I found this chain that was exactly what I had envisioned! It's a silver chain and a gun metal chain with red glass beads that I found about a month ago and have been deciding what to turn them into. Trying out Buddha as a model again although I'm not convinced I've found the right piece for him yet.

Anyway, I'd love to hear what you all think of these. Thanks!

Vacuum Seal THIS

2008-12-17T12:31:00.007-05:00

So close to 20, but there wound up being 19 entries in the vacuum sealed organic blondie contest. The winner is EMILY! I baked these tonight and am shipping out tomorrow.

It's been 6 days since I vacuumed the previous batch and when I opened them tonight they were stale. Oh well. I'm not sure if it has to do with the amount of pressure - maybe they would be better off in a non-commercial vacuum sealer? - or if they never had a chance in the first place and six days is just too long. I know that just covered in saran wrap they last at least 3 days, so maybe the whole vacuum seal isn't worth it at all. I will try the bed/bath/beyond grade sealer next, but after that I think without preservatives or priority shipping these don't have a chance.
Thanks to everyone who entered! I promise to have more giveaways very soon. I will be interested to hear Emily's review of how they were upon arrival. Her batch is wrapped up and pictured above.

All 20s

2008-12-14T22:01:00.007-05:00

I now have 20 followers of this blog and am very excited about it! Because I'm so excited I want to try a giveaway of those blondies I posted about. I remade them a few nights later doing the recipe exactly as Clear Pink had wanted and they came out amazing! I vacuum sealed four of them using different settings and am still waiting to open them. I want to ship preservative free baked goods across the country without them getting stale and without me having to overnight them. Anyway, let's try it out now! Everyone who leaves a comment on this thread will receive an entry to win 8 blondies in a vacuum sealed bag for freshness. If you sign up to follow my blog you'll receive 2 entries. I use only organic products and will send you a list of ingredients along with the blondies. I hope you're as thrilled about this as I am! Contest ends Wednesday 12/17 at 6am EST.

A Dog On A Mission

2008-12-11T17:49:00.014-05:00

This really is one of the greatest things ever. I know I keep coming back to wigglin' for wind power doggie t-shirts, but I have to when I have a customer as wonderful as this! I'm still a lightweight at this point as far as Etsy goes, and I know it has its problems too, but how can anyone not love having this kind of personal interaction with a total stranger that lives 600 plus miles away?! It's wonderful!!! Pictured above is Lassie - the world changing, pro wind and solar power activist dog wearing the first item I have sold on Etsy. Did I mention she attends events where her mother speaks on the subject of wind power? Yes, Lassie wiggles while working to end our dependence on foreign oil. What more can I ask for?
This was all made possible by Mary of Magic Island - check out her beautiful photography and photo jewelry!

Day Bow Bow

2008-12-08T21:49:00.008-05:00

I read a great recipe for blondies (more like saw a really nice photo of them) and decided to try it one night on the fly. I had no chocolate chips, so I added cocoa powder (I generally need chocolate in every dessert). They were really good, but I was wishing for the chocolate chips like the ones I had seen. The next day I had chocolate chips so I stuck some in and they were great!! I will definitely keep this recipe and try it again. Thanks to Clear Pink for posting this!
I've had dreams of being able to bake all organic cookies, chocolates, brownies, candy etc. and to try selling on Etsy. It's the packaging and shipping that has given me doubts. However, I'm now living with a professional vacuum sealer! I think that solves the problem. Now I just need some more time to do it. Cookies would make a nice giveaway wouldn't they? While the project is still in 'beta'?
Since my post title has nothing to do with anything I've written about, here's the brilliant video:

Purple Reign

2008-12-04T23:05:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure why I like this - probably because it's purple - but in any event I want to print it and see how it looks. It's my Andy Warhol.

On the purple note, you must check out this Prince tribute band. They are fantastic.

Etsy Favorite #6

2008-12-04T17:07:00.004-05:00

I can't remember how I came across this one, but it's been in my favorites for a little while and I've had candles on the brain today, so there you have it. I'm dying to see what it looks like in the dark with the candle lit, but it's so pretty in the daylight, I'm not going to complain. I adore the colors, the patterns, the shape - it's perfect. I'm also fascinated to learn how it was made since I have no glass experience (yet). Things like this make me want that glass experience sooner rather than later though, that's for sure. Thanks to Delcia Litt / Mountain Top Stained Glass for making such a beautiful item! Check out her shop for many more beauties.

Wigglin' Comes Through!

2008-12-03T00:15:00.009-05:00

This is the best. I got a first sale!

I had never gone into the chat rooms on Etsy before, but decided to see what went on there a week or so ago. I went into a room of people that were interested in trading items and posted my newly made 'Wigglin' For Wind Power' dog tshirt! I didn't stay on very long after that though. The next day I have an email from a fellow Etsy photog that needs the tshirt! She is friends with a woman that goes to events to speak about wind power and sometimes brings her collie mix along with her!!! Since I already have too much photography, I asked if she'd be interested in a discount and she was. However, I did not have the correct size for this dog! SO, I asked for her patience in order to get some larger shirts and print them and she was fine with it. Got the shirts right before Thanksgiving, printed them last night, and sold it today! Very exciting!!!!!

Etsy Fave #5

2008-11-24T17:30:00.006-05:00

I received an email from NY Magazine recently talking up these wall hooks (above) and thought they were such a great idea. Who doesn't want to put a dart in the wall? Really they just made me realize how simply I could solve some of my lazy/clutter problems. I have lots of wall space, but NO space anywhere else. I also have a pile of clothes that reside on top of my dresser and on various chairs. So, seeing these wall darts made me realize what a simple solution a wall hook could be and since I love Etsy so much (and these darts are overpriced for what they are) I went there first to look for some. And here is what I found.

I love this mosaic piece that combines the helpful aid of a hook with a beautiful piece of art! It's by Flowering Moon Designs.

You Got To Pay The Troll Toll

2008-11-24T00:17:00.006-05:00

I made an apple crostata the other night. I used two recipes and it worked out pretty well. For the crust and the insides I used the recipe here. For an added crumb topping I used the recipe here. I wound up with some extra insides as well as extra crumble. Not sure what happened. Also, the crumble was more the consistency of pie dough rather than sand as Martha describes in the recipe. Either way, it was delicious.

Solid As A Rock

2008-11-19T21:54:00.003-05:00

These look crazy and I love them. I've never seen something that looks like a rock on an earring before and I think this combination with the aquamarine is gorgeous. They really make me want to work only in gun metal. They are by Beijo Flor. Inspiring!

Treasury!

2008-11-17T21:47:00.003-05:00

I'm in another heat-themed treasury! This one was curated by VintageEmbellishment. Check it out and leave a comment if you can.

I Love Squirrels

2008-11-13T19:35:00.004-05:00

And this seems like a perfect way to express that love. The colors are so perfect too. Miami Beach. I haven't started buying other people's art on Etsy yet, but will soon I think. I keep finding such great things!! This one's by Alexis Rawlins Design.

What you have all been waiting for

2008-11-11T22:58:00.002-05:00

Finally! The Wigglin' For Wind Power doggie t-shirts are here! For now, I have listed an aqua t-shirt with a very light lime green ribbed edge in XL (pictured) and a white t-shirt with navy blue ribbed edge in both L and XL. Check them out!

BNR

2008-11-10T22:16:00.007-05:00

Fellow Etsians! Check out this BNR - only $4.50 minimum to get on the list and stay on until you get booted! Oh it has booty in the title which already makes it the best. I got handmade, all natural soap from ConcordSoap!

I have a dessert problem

2008-11-10T16:03:00.004-05:00

I can't stop myself from eating it. However, these aren't too bad (if you can stop at 2) and they were surprisingly fun to make. I knew it would be easy - just melt some chocolate and dip, but the dipping (more like painting with the back of a spoon because the bowl of chocolate was too small) was therapeutic. These were shot while inside my refrigerator.

Etsy Fave #2

2008-11-09T20:39:00.003-05:00

I love this ring! What a cool idea. By QA Create.

I Made It Into A Treasury #2!

2008-11-08T19:43:00.004-05:00

Thanks so much to PussDaddy for this!!! It's only up for two days, but here's the link.

An Etsy Favorite

2008-11-07T22:02:00.003-05:00

I don't always have things to write about as far as my own craftiness goes, so I'm going to start featuring other sellers on Etsy of things I NEED TO HAVE. And maybe you'll need them too. First up are these glass ball earrings by leavesofglass. I love the design!

Shophandmade vs. Madeitmyself

2008-11-06T22:58:00.006-05:00

Reading Esty forums I've learned a lot about some other places to list handmade items. I posted one item on Shophandmade several weeks ago, but just the other day posted a few to Madeitmyself (which was a lot faster and easier to list with). I am regularly being put in with the 'featured items' on the homepage of Shophandmade (see middle photo, bottom row), but it has a very small number of views, and has been there for a few weeks. With Madeitmyself I had more like 30 views in a much shorter period of time. Not sure what to make of it and wondered what other people's experiences were.

A Cake We Can Believe In

2008-11-05T16:25:00.005-05:00

Voodoo Barack cake's humble beginnings.

And the finished product!

Barack-o-lantern

2008-11-04T11:18:00.003-05:00

It's tough carving a pumpkin with kitchen knives. Did I do him the least bit of justice??

And I thought I was Daniel Plainview

2008-10-31T17:36:00.006-04:00

But look at how nice people can be! Yarncouture
featured me on twitter. Just because she felt like helping out some of us
zero Etsy sale types. I see the good! I see the good!
(Today at least)

Notecards

2008-10-27T23:44:00.005-04:00

I decided to go with these two to get some "free" notecards from vistaprint today. I've been curious about what their greeting cards are like.

Etsy

2008-10-25T21:03:00.006-04:00

I made it into a treasury!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=17290

I can thank SnapdragonDesigns for this!

Someone buy me the cds on my wishlist before Halloween, please.

2008-10-25T18:16:00.004-04:00

is a brilliant film.
And I have to say, the more blaxploitation films I watch, the more I want every single soundtrack to every one of these movies so I can listen daily.

Of course it's gonna be a blaze of glory

2008-10-21T23:39:00.006-04:00

This is my Soy iron-on art.
Is anyone (Jacqueline) watching Paris Hilton's My New BFF? Just saw it the other night and am hooked.

Day Man 2

2008-10-20T20:31:00.005-04:00

I started this however many months ago strictly in order to post the lyrics to Day Man. It was something I had searched for online, but was not there. I was to provide a service. Now I'm going to use this to talk about my crafts projects and hopefully get some buyers on Etsy strictly based on having the same favorite television show. I'll post Night Man soon.

Day Man

2007-10-15T21:57:00.000-04:00

Aaaaaaa-aaaaahhhhhhaa
Fighter of the Night Man
Aaaaaaa-aaaaahhhhhhaa
Champion of the sun
Aaaaaaa-aaaaahhhhhhaa
Master of karate and friendships for everyone
Day Man
aaaaaaa-aaaaahhhhhhaa