We survived a weekend of hopping from home to home visiting family in Prescott and then came home just in time for me to go right to work for two days.  I’m exhausted mentally, physically and creatively. I am really behind on my blog reading, emails and comments and I just keep starring at my long list of things to do.  My head is spinning and spinning and spinning, which would explain my title~~too brain dead to think of something clever.

Anyway, here are some pics from my weekend.

I plan on getting a good nights sleep, and hopefully will accomplish something on my next two days off.

It’s been well over a week since my last post. I’ve been super busy with work, another cold and a small craft fair. Mostly busy making stuff for the art fair that was less than lucrative. Very, very little money was made, but I’ve learned a lot and met some great new people. I had a friend sit with me each day, and that was really fun too.

The first day my set up wasn’t so great. I had Corinne selling very pretty jewelry on one side, and another jewelry table on the other. Basically, people were whizzing by my table without even a slowing of pace or glance in my direction, but they were stopping at both jewelry tables at either side. Okay, I realize that jewelry sells, but c’mon folks!

I went home that night thinking hard about my set up and what I could do to get people to just glance in my direction and maybe slow down a bit to a slow idle. I had cards in a card stand with my pillowcase bags hanging on the same rack, clocks and plaque art hanging on a stand and brooches, tissue holders and little things on a table. I totally rearranged the next day making my table longer, spreading things out a bit. It seemed to help a little and people even stopped to look at my art plaques and clocks, but no buyers. It was extremely depressing. Maybe I need to learn more, rethink what I’m making or pick better venues. I think my prices are very fair. I just don’t know. You can sorta see my set up in my flickr set. Please shout out if you have any suggestions or tips.Everything will go in my Etsy shop this week.

The best part of this art fair, was by far, meeting other great Etsy shop owners! It’s pretty amazing how many there are in Tucson and how super talented they are. Here is who I met~please check out their shops if you can:

Beauties & Baubles
Gift Idea Works
Handmade by Diana
Rainstorm
Joe Momma
Feral Empire
Dragon’s Spark
Chakra Pennywhistle

I’ve got a lot to share. I’ll be posting a lot more frequently from here on out.

A while back, my little I-guy was tagged by ExPat Mom to list eight random things about himself. I thought this would be a really cute way to post for his 3rd birthday, which we celebrated yesterday. I’ll translate, his very good, but sometimes hard to understand I-speak.

1. I am three years old and had the best birthday yesterday with my three favorite people. “I am very bigger” and can do almost everything by myself even though my family insists on trying to help me sometimes.

2. I am also “very stronger” and “super fast” when I ride my tricycle. That is why I call myself “Super-I”. I even got a new bicycle for my birthday that is even “more faster”!!! I rode around the yard last night in the light of the moon until I crashed into the pokey rose bush. What a bad way to end such a great day.

3. I’m not potty trained yet and my parents don’t seem too worried about it yet, but I have a feeling that they are going to get serious soon. They keep going on, and on, and on about how I am three now and they keep getting corny potty-training story books at the library. Geez!

4. My best friend is my brother. He always likes to play with me and hugs me a lot. Sometimes he likes to takes over and rule the games, but I still think he’s the tops. Sometimes if I let out a big cry, he’ll give me whatever I want. Isn’t he swell? He likes to read to me and he’s really good at it. Almost as good as mommy. He’s also very good at getting me things I need like water, snacks and things I can’t reach.

5. I breast-fed for 32 months and it was the greatest thing ever. My mom says that it made me really healthy and smart. Now, I’m a big boy and I don’t do it anymore, but I miss it sometimes. Snuggling up with mom is the second best thing, especially when I don’t feel so good.

6. I love riding on the back of daddy’s bike when we go bike riding. He goes super fast. He also carries me in a pack when we go hiking too. He says that I’m getting too big to carry and I’ll be hiking soon all by myself. I know he’ll still carry me when I need a break though.

7. When ever I am eating I like to take a long time. My mom and dad will say are you done yet? and I’ll say, “3, 2 bites”. That means I’m still working on my food and have 2 or 3 bites left. Some of my favorite foods are broccoli, rice, beans, and any kind of fruit. I love drinking soy, rice, almond and oat milk. They are all very yummy. If it were up to me, I’d only eat candy and cookies. I guess that’s why my mom doesn’t keep that kind of stuff in the house very much.

8. I still like to dance and listen to music. I love watching and listening to Animusic a lot, but I thought I could play with the dvd’s and now they are all scratched up. I especially like to listen to music while I am playing. It makes me very happy.

I am thankful for so many things today…

1. That my children are no longer sick with the flu, and are healthy and in very good spirits these past few days. The sad whining has turned into happy laughter. Yay!!

2. Spending time with my family and doing little things like eating at Govinda’s for lunch.

3. The amazing and crazy weather that has been Tucson. One day it is warm and bright, the next it is cold and snowy. I love the variations.

4. For little gifts in the mail. A little P.I.F bird from Susan at Art Esprit ~thank you! Holiday ornaments from Amy’s swap (thank you for working so hard to get these out), and a special Valentine from Raesha, who never ceases to amaze me with her generosity and kindness.

5. That my child has a kind and patient teacher who is allowing her students to blossom, explore and grow.

6. For my friends at work, who make things easier. For old friends that I am getting back in touch with and for new ones that like to play crafts!!

7. For all of you who stop by to visit and leave kind messages of encouragement and support. For people like Elizabeth and Marcia, who tagged me with the “You Make My Day” award. Thanks you so much! You both made my day for sure.

Now, as a part of this, I am to list ten other bloggers who I find inspiring and full of happy goodness (this is the hard part because there are so many I find inspiring and great).

Geninne
tiny happy
greeting arts
kleas
twelve22
green kitchen
Chara Michele
Trail Mix Designs
Nikki-shell
Artsy-crafty babe

Thank you all (Elizabeth and Marcia included) for inspiring me with your amazing creativity, warm and thoughtful words, funny stories and for sharing so much of yourself!

Thank you again, for all of your warm comments. I appreciate and adore them all.

I picked 3 random winners…… (per Random.org)

# 17 –Lisa   Will get the love fairy & hand stamped notecards.

# 35–Teresa  will get some hand-stamped notecards.

#44– Hilde C   will also get some hand-stamped notecards.

Sorry I can’t give you all a valentine fairy, but I haven’t even made any more like I had planned.  The notecards I carved today and will share with you tomorrow.

The color of the sky as far as I can see is coal grey.
Lift my head from the pillow and then fall again.
With a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather.
A quiver in my lips as if I might cry.

 Well by the force of will my lungs are filled and so I breathe.
Lately it seems this big bed is where I never leave.
Shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather.
Quiver in my voice as I cry,

 ”What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away.”

like the weather, 10000 Maniacs

I am totally sick AGAIN! Ugh!! What kind of luck is this. It started up Saturday and I’m just barely better today. I had to suffer through my bi-annual CPR class this morning (there was no getting out of it) and was put at the back table with my own cpr mannequin and doll so that no one would catch my cooties. Totally understandable, but quite lonely too.

I’ve done everything to help myself get better. Going to bed early, taking naps and sleeping until ten or eleven which is totally against all my fibers of being, but it had to be done. I’ve been drinking loads of tea, oj, soup and water. I’ve even been breathing in eucalyptus steam!!! My sweet husband graciously took care of the kids so that I could get better, but now he is getting sick and so are the kids.  My little I-guy is already in the full-blown fever and runny-nose miserableness.  So, don’t come anywhere near my home.  We are incubating viral muckiness! Sounds nice doesn’t it.

One thing that has definitely lifted my spirits has been all the wonderful comments left so far on my Valentine Love Fairy.  Thanks you guys.  It’s like getting lots of nice warm hugs (the safe germ free kind of course!) It’s the perfect kind of brightness in my grey day.

*first, thank you so much for all the birthday wishes and well wishes.  I feel a lot better, thank you.  There were a couple of days with no voice, but I’m almost back to my old self.

Oh, I can’t believe I haven’t posted about this earlier, but I got it as an early birthday gift from my very sweet hubby. It’s a new Canon Power Shot S5IS and I absolutely love it. I was going to get a digital SLR, but this camera has plenty of bells and whistles to keep me very happy for a long while. Plus, it has video recording which is essential for when my little guys are being super-duper cute and funny.

Now that I have this fancy new camera and am learning to use it and because I was inspired by Karyn and Chara Michele, I have been taking part in Project 365. Check out my 365 flickr set. Oh, I think this will throw me back into my early college days when I did nothing but photography. I took 5 semesters of black and white photography and probably spent 75% of my time in the dark room and only peeking out for a small snack of popcorn and soda. I was so healthy back then! Thank goodness my grandmother always made me eat breakfast before leaving the house. That’s what I thrived on, breakfast, popcorn and my Pentax K1000.

Anyway, Kristin has me thinking back even further to my earlier days of being told I looked like certain celebreties. Here it goes….

Junior high: Justine Bateman/Mallory Keaton

High School: Paula Abdul

Early college: Sandra Bullock

It happened all the time, people telling me I looked like one of these three celebrities. It used to really annoy me. I don’t hear it anymore, but just last week I walked into a patient’s room and the first thing she said to me was, “oh my gosh! You look just like Justine Bateman! Has anyone ever told you that?” Talk about a flash back. Uhm, yep. Heard that one before actually.

So, what do you think? Who do you resemble???

Handmade by me : some of my favorites

My Lovies in all their cuteness!

Holiday Swaps: Postcards

All 8 were received, yeah!!!  From all over the world even!

Ornaments:

Two are either MIA or were never sent. Such a bummer too. I really look forward to getting these.

I am really hopeful that all of mine were received in a timely manner. It is really a sad thing to flake-out on a swap like this (hopefully no one really did this). So much work goes into making and sending off these little bundles of joy.

Over the next few days, I’ll be showing some gifts given and received. Then I am super excited to start the “month of me”. Sounds silly,I know, but I’ll share more about that later.

This will be my last post for the year. I will be back, after a small break from the computer, the first week of January. Can’t wait to see you again in the new year.

Wishing you the warmest wishes for Winter Solstice, Holiday Season, Christmas and the New Year.

Big hugs and Peace,

Maybe next year I’ll make some of these incredibly awesome holiday crafties. I’ve been favoriting them on my flickr to help me keep track and remember.

1. vintagechristmas07, 2. kid/mom scrap ball collaboration, 3. gingerbread mobile, 4. Christmas Stockings, 5. christmas tree patchwork, 6. Glass box, 7. Flashy Glitterboard Cottage!, 8. gumdrop wreath, 9. Soft Trees Forest, from the Purl Bee, 10. Day 12: Christmas Peggy, 11. Peppermint garland, 12. Full Moon Forest patchwork tree, 13. decking the studio, 14. Advent garland, 15. My Christmas Trees, 16. is it time yet?, 17. Advent stocking garland, 18. garland swap - sent, 19. Molly’s Star Ornaments, 20. Christmas Tree Deco, 21. detail, 22. Gum Drop Balls. Much better than Schwetty Balls, 23. fabric chain garland, 24. Decorated table top holiday trees, 25. candy cones

On another note, I’ve finished all of my shopping. I still have a few gifts to make for my little guys (and maybe the big guy too). I was 95% loyal to my Handmade Pledge. I have a 6 year old. That is my excuse. He had a couple of things on his list to Santa that just can’t be handmade. We didn’t indulge him in all of his requests, but a couple couldn’t hurt.

A huge order was made from Amazon (books were the exception), and then there was ETSY. I have to say that hitting that “add to cart” button was quite satisfying. Not only are you buying very cool handmade stuff, but you are supporting others in their handiwork. Quite an amazing feeling. An added bonus was crossing off several names off the list and not stressing about making more stuff (next year I’ll try to be more prepared –ha ha).

*********Sisters and Mother Do NOT Read beyond this point!!!*********

I bought THIS and THIS from Alison Stine.

These very cute hooded towels from Tiny Bubbles.

This really great felt soap from Spider Felt.

And this really great felting kit from Garland Cottage Needle Felting.

It’s not much, but I feel loads better about it having bought handmade.