The HeartoMatic Trifecta...

Oh MY!

OH myohmyohmyohmy!


Yesterday was pretty exciting around here, as the Weekend Deals Storque article and email went live...

But then I wake up this morning to this:

Thank you TiedUpMemories ,for including me in this beautiful treasury!

AND this, which I am almost CERTAIN will never ever happen again. I hit the HeartoMatic Trifecta! HeartoMatic is an extremely nifty tool for Etsy sellers that lets you track your traffic, hearts, features, etc. If you are a seller and haven't visitied this page, hightail it over there and check it out. I'll save your spot....


On the "featured" page, it usually reads that I have not been on the FP, have not been in the Storque, am not in any Gift Guide, so this really made my morning!

Celebrate with me,will you?


Until Next Time,

Did She Say FREE??

A few weeks ago, on a whim, I threw my name in the hat for the Etsy "Weekend Deals" post...

What the heck, think positively and all that stuff...




Well, I got an email from an Etsy admin yesterday afternoon...

That meant burning the midnight oil last night (and that's OK, because boy child's birthday sleepover was last night. I still went to bed before they did!)...tidying the shop, sweeping the floors, adjusting shipping info...

I looked like this by the time I went to bed last night...

But the great news...
These stickers were chosen to be one of the featured items for this weeks' "Weekend Deals" on Etsy....


In exchange for this lovely, free PR, I am running a sale....a pretty darn good sale...FREE (yes, she did say free) shipping all weekend long!
Anywhere I ship (which really is anywhere), the shipping's on me, if you order and pay this weekend (through 11:59 EST, August 16).


And if you are a fan of my FB page, make sure you head on over there....I've got a little bonus "thank you" for you!
Heck, even if you become a fan this weekend, you're still eligible ('cause I appreciate you too!). Check it out!


So I hope to have a busy weekend, printing all sorts of FREE shipping labels....

Until Next Time,

11? Already?

It was just yesterday that I was heading to the hospital in the sweltering Louisiana heat, very pregnant, two weeks overdue, extremely cranky.

Fast forward eleven years- today is my baby's birthday.We went to the Dollar Tree this morning to gather a few things that we had forgotten for his sleepover tonight...Groucho Glasses? Check....
Weird wiggly, googly-eyed creature? Check....Silly...errrr....Goofy String (this is the Dollar Tree- no brand names here) in every color? Check....
Birthday Cookie with butter cream icing, sprinkles and a message written by his big sister? Check....

So we're all set. Off to celebrate a birthday...

Until Next Time,

It's Not Just a Burger...

You Texas girls probably already know where I am going with this...

It's a Whataburger.
What....A.....Burger!


This is my last Texas post (we have been home almost a month, for crying out loud), but not one of our trips home would be complete without at least one meal here...a Texas institution, the McDonald's of the Lone Star State, home of the BEST ketchup anywhere (not sure why but it is gooood!)...There are very few Whataburgers on the "wrong" side of the state line (did a little research, they are actually in ten states now- say it isn't so!). We did frequent one very close to the border in LA -if I remember right- when Mr. Sunshine was stationed at Ft. Polk.

I think one of the minor reasons I enjoy Whataburger is their great colors and theming. Who doesn't love orange crush stripes with a slice of blue sky? And never was a paper bag more truthful: "Rarely do the fries make it all the way home".


When I was a girl, the old-school Whataburgers were drive-ins, triangle shaped buildings with the roof coming to a point. The first meal I remember eating at a fast food joint after we moved to Texas (that wasn't McDonald's) was- yes, you guessed it- at a What-a-Burger.
In high school, a good many lunches were a large order of fries, lots of that special ketchup and a large Diet Coke. What can I say, I was poor and I had a junk-tooth (but have never ever liked the taste of "real" coke- go figure).


Every time we travel home, a stop at Whataburger is usually our first and last meal in the state (unless we can last long enough to hit a Taco Cabana- Mr. Sunshine's fave). This trip was mid summer and Molly went along, so most meals were drive through (you don't leave a poochy in the car during Texas' 100+ degree summers), but a potty break was necessary for one of us this time. I stayed out in the truck with this sad face....

She was happy a few minutes later though, because, of course, Mr. Sunshine shared a few of these with her:
No fancy ketchup for the Molly though....that was all mine.

Until Next Time,

I admit it...

I ordered this book the day it came out....

I paid extra for overnight delivery....

It's Blogging for Bliss.

I am devouring it as I have time...kudos to you, Tara Frey! You've managed to create a beautiful how-to book. For all of the harried bloggers with short attention spans out here, I salute you!

And as a good student should, I am taking notes. But being the realistic gal that I usually am, I know I will never achieve the heights of some of the absolutely gorgeous blogs featured in the book.
Honestly, it's not really "me" anyway. I like things with worn edges, a little tattered and not so amazingly perfect (how am I doing?).
I will always write how I talk- lots of "..."s , a few typos that sneak through, and you can't even imagine how often I really want to add a smiley face after something I have written. I know, it's sad (a grown woman am I!)...but I really like an occasional (0; !

None of these things are really conducive to a beautiful, grown -up blog, are they? Sigh...But there's room out here for all sorts of bloggers: the beautiful, the clever, the adorable, the witty, the "total packages" that have it all. And me.

But I am doing a few simple things that Tara suggested...playing with photo frames and effects is one you may have noticed over the past few posts...it's a work in progress, but I will tweak it 'til I am satisfied. I do like a simple frame around the photos- they look a bit more finished, but some of the other effects just take too much time to do to every single picture that I include here. I suppose I could reduce the number of photos....on second thought....

And I have finally admitted that maybe some people may not share my taste in music. Or may not want to hear it when they visit. Every. Single. Time.


So I came up with my little helper here. Isn't she cute? Isn't she helpful? If you'd like her to help your readers too, feel free to right click and take her home with you....

And seriously, I hope I did not sound negative about Blogging for Bliss. So far, I love the book and have learned a ton. One of the things that I have learned is that I love to visit lush, frilly, gorgeous blogs (and admire their authors oh so much)... but I gotta be me. And I'm OK with that.

(0;

Until Next Time,

my {only} sunshine

I think I jinxed myself last night.... made this bright sunshine-y treasury.

L-O-V-E it! I even love the alternates (which, I may be the only one, but sometimes when I curate treasuries, the alternates can be difficult), so I included them in this screen shot. Give them some Etsy love, please!

Top row (L to R, every time):
*LemonsLittles
*blendastudio
*urbanbabybonnets
*yellowdogvintage

Second row:
*uniquedichroic
*moxy
*GemGourmet
*rumandrubies

Third Row:
*lbrodar
*farouche
*swanmountainsoaps
*lakenandlila

Fourth Row:
*sarap
*sissysoap
*sosovintage
*opart


But...I wake up this morning to such a gloomy day! It was even too dark to take pictures this morning...my little photo set-up is situated in an are that only on the darkest days is it too dark to get a decent shot...

So I will share some Target love in the meantime. Went to my fav-o-rite big box store yesterday. It had been awhile. I spent too much. Of course.


Doubly dangerous for me is this time of year at Target.
I always love their fun (and cheap) picks
for dorm rooms.

Had to have this very very cute pink lamp for my studio desk (boy child tried to talk me in to apple green and it was tempting, but girl child won this one with her vote for PINK). And it was only $7.99...I am happy.



Also picked up these very cute little tins, on clearance (yes!), in the dollar aisle. I love little buckets this size. They are so great to hold all sorts of little loose things. And I have little loose things everywhere. Organization is not my spec-i-al-ity.
Now that should elicit a comment from Mr.Sunshine...wait for it, 'cause I'm sure at least a snort is sure to follow from his general vicinity... note to the Mr: you better end it with "but I love you!" cause I love you too! (o;

Most of my Target money went to back to school necessities...yawn. But I thought you might like my little studio pick-me-ups...

Make sure you pay my treasury friends a visit...give 'em some Etsy love- they deserve it!

Until Next Time,

Fresh Country Air...

What a beautiful day we had in Upstate NY !It started with a hint of autumn in the air and a phone call from a friend inviting me to go to a craft show.

I have not been to a craft show for close to a year (and that one was the first I had been to in at least three years).

I hate to admit this, but I generally do not find them so much fun any more. Maybe it was actually being behind the scenes selling at them for a few years (fun in some ways but so much work!).
Maybe it's the glut of imports you generally (and unfortunately) see at larger shows. Maybe I'm just feeling like maybe I should be doing some local shows. But then I think how busy all of my online friends keep me- that's enough for now...
Fresh, crisp air and good company are soothing to the soul (and I had been holed up in my studio all week working- probably would have spent today the same way if my friend hadn't called). Add that the drive there was scenic and the actual grounds were part of the historical society that was hosting the fundraiser. I like these kinds of craft shows- they are generally smaller, quainter and the host puts the profits back into something good (not their own pockets).

One thing I love about living up here is the history. Old buildings are everywhere and they are oh so charming! This truly is one of the most beautiful areas that the Army has sent us to (a close second to Germany, I think). It's very rural, but lovely. Unfortunately, I didn't learn too much about this historical society, but I enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and snapping some shots (not sure why but the view through this window- through to the other side of the building caught my eye)...I took these with my smaller, pocket sized Canon, so they aren't quite on par with shots taken with my main camera. I didn't want to haul the big guy around though, so cute little turquoise point-n-shoot it was...

What's a Fair without food?
NO, not goat food....although I think she got all the attention and grass she could handle...


And fresh-squeezed Lemonade?
I was good though, saving myself for the fudge...mmm..chocolate, all gone before I could take pics!


There was plenty of personality served up too! How charmingly nostalgic is this
snow cone /popcorn stand? I could almost see Richie Cunningham making snow cones in this baby (wearing a white paper hat, and a red bow tie, of course)...

I think they must have left the door open just so I could take a shot....right? "Time to Lean Is Time To Clean". I need one of these signs for my kids...they'd abide by it, right?



Just one more shot because seriously, this stand was the highlight of my morning...
I didn't buy too much...got some home made fudge, of course, a couple of very nifty beaded hair clippie, pony holder type things that are much prettier and less painful than the dreaded plastic butterfly clips (which always give me a headache- so far almost 10 hours later, no headache and it's holding my thick but fine hair perfectly), and some goat's milk lotion- three different scents because I just couldn't choose.

This gal did not contribute to my goat's milk lotion but she was in attendance...she had a date but all he seemed to want to show me was his hind end....typical man...


And so I will sign off for now where I started- with a flower shot. Don't know what it is about flowers, but I could literally take pictures of almost nothing else and still be happy...

Until Next Time,