Implants

This is pretty clever. I love it. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month may I present: Implants by Mosaicate.




Keep 'em healthy, girls!

There's No Spooky Like Free Spooky

If it seems I haven't been tending to my blogging responsibilities, it's true. I've been busy treating myself to lots of spooky fun on the internet. There's tons of stuff to entertain you during the chilly autumn nights.

For those who like to read, there's this cool site that has a huge library of horror stories. And guess what? It's free! The site is called HorrorMaster. I'm looking forward to soaking up some H.P. Lovecraft. Ooky!

Maybe you're working around the house or office and want to listen to scary tales. The Monster Club is a great place to download or stream thrilling old time radio shows. It's a free site, but they require you to become a member and get a password before having access to the five hundred free shows.

If you're like my friend MaryAnn you would rather be mesmerized with the visuals of TV and movies. Hulu, also free, is a terrific site that gives you access to full-length movies and TV. For Halloween chills how about tuning into Bram Stoker's Dracula?

No matter if you like to read, listen, or watch, there are hundreds of horrors awaiting for you with a click of your mouse. Ain't the internet grand?

Featured Shop - Glorious Hats

About twice a month I contribute an article to the HandmadeMN blog featuring the HandmadeMN members' shops on Etsy. I thought it would be nice to have those articles on my blog too, as I really like the artists and shops I feature, and their wares might add a bit of class to my little corner of the blogosphere.

I've always loved hats. I love looking at them and I love wearing them. I'm not so excited about hat hair once I take the hat off, but that just means I should leave my hat on. (Didn't Joe Cocker sing a song about that?) When in New Orleans I could have spent an entire day trying on the hats in a millinery shop on Royal Street. Wonderful, wonderful hats. Hats are fun, and more people should wear them. Jane Carlstrom has a shop on Etsy called Glorious Hats. I've also seen her hats in person at Artist Mercantile in St. Paul, MN, and believe me, they are glorious.

Here's one that is just cute as a button. Ha! Get it? It's called Buttons and Beads Straw Hat. So summery, and what a beautiful trim around the brim.

Here's one for the upcoming cooler months. The Wool Beret would give a touch of class and sass to an autumn outfit. My favorite part of this hat is the small splash of orange, the happiest color in the world.


This one is so very cool I can't even find words to express it. The Pagoda Percher is a lovely shade of lavender and so unique. It even comes with a hat pin! Jane sure knows the millinery business, and if you have questions about how to wear a hat with a hat pin I'm sure she'll be happy to enlighten you.

Wear hats and keep the art of hat making alive. The best place to start is at Glorious Hats. With one of Jane's hats you'll look simply divine.

Something's Got To Give

We’ve all heard the saying, “something’s got to give.” There’s another saying, “you can’t have it all.” Those two sentiments have been ringing through my head lately. It’s been a long-time dream of mine to be more organized with my time and materials. The rationale is if I’m sufficiently organized I’ll be able to accomplish everything I need to within the confines of a twenty-four-hour day and still have eight hours to sleep.

Yesterday I made a list of things I wanted to do for the next day. I’ve become more sensible in my lists, including the necessary things plus a few others, but not too much to look overwhelming or which would be impossible to complete. The list contained eight tasks. Eight tasks to complete within the confines of twenty-four hours. Doesn’t seem too daunting, does it? Of course not.

Well, the day is done and I’ve completed only half of the items on my list. I wasn’t distracted by anything and nothing urgent needing immediate attention came up. So what happened? No, really. It’s not a rhetorical question. How come I couldn’t check off everything from my list? Where did the time go? Now when I go to make my list for tomorrow I’ll either have to do that much more, which is improbable, or I'll have to make a shorter list in order to complete it and the leftovers from today. When that happens I just fall farther and farther behind. By the time I reach the end of the week I’m distraught over how many chores and tasks have piled up in time for the weekend, which time is supposed to be spent leisurely.

So what gives? If I can’t have it all, what should be let go? I can’t very well stop cleaning the house or doing laundry. I also can’t resist sleep every night. Preparing, eating, and cleaning up after meals takes time, and I’m told eating is rather necessary to living organisms such as myself. I don’t want to cease being married so I can’t very well give up spending some time here and there with Husby. Family and friends? I refuse to shut them out. And my little business is so important to me and I’m so excited every day to try new projects and think of ways to make the business flourish.

Ah, I think I have it. Five days out of every week I spend eight hours at a day job. That’s a pretty big chunk of time. It’s not a job I’m particularly attached to, although it does provide well. I could really put those eight hours to use if I didn’t have to tend to the day job, but am I willing to give it up with its paycheck and benefits? Is that the something that’s got to give?

Perhaps, someday. I’m continually inspired by Etsy’s Quit Your Day Job articles. If those artists and crafters can do it, why can’t I? If you have a list that keeps growing because you haven’t enough time in a day, maybe you could get inspired by some of these stories too. Because how lovely would it be every day to cross off everything on that list?

Questionably Calm

What was supposed to be the action-packed-full-of-production month has started out to be one of the most relaxing months of the year. Granted the month is only half over and I’ll probably be sorry I’ve been kicking back doing things like reading magazines and watching TV, but I feel like I’m recharging. The house is actually in some semblance of order and I’ve even prepared some of the evening meals for a change. (Kisses to Husby who has been cooking so much he’s decided he would like to start a new culinary career. Go for it I say!)

The Auntie B’s Wax business is going through some kind of, I don’t know, weirdness. I hope “weirdness” doesn’t hold a negative connotation because I definitely don’t think what’s going on is bad. There’s just an air of change about. Seems there’s a metaphorical calm before what could be some very positive upheaval. The thing of it is, I can’t put my finger on what that upheaval involves. But I’ve experienced this feeling plenty of times in my life, and it always ends up with some new adventure.

This time of year I’m usually busy getting ready for multiple shows prior to the holiday season. I’m presently preparing for only one. Usual calm, like I said earlier. What does it mean?

Some might say I’m getting tired of the business and am slowly giving it up. I don’t think that’s the case. I like what I do and from the success I’ve experienced so far it’s obvious others like what I do too. Perhaps I’m resting up to reach farther. Maybe there’s greater success in store for me. Or different success.

All I can do is wait and listen. The suspense is killing me!

Date Night

Husby and I just celebrated our wedding anniversary. We reminisced about our wedding day and our lives then compared to now. Seems these days we have more aspirations than we did when we first began life as a couple. We’re ready to take a turn, and yet we’re a couple of chickens, scared to take that turn. It’s hard to let go of something that gives you so much security for something that is so uncertain. And yet we continue to fantasize and dream, and even devise The Plan. One day we’ll have enough guts to put The Plan into action. For now we’re only taking baby steps toward our goals.

To celebrate our anniversary we decided on dinner and a movie. I know, really creative date. We chose to see Julie and Julia. I wanted to see it for my birthday two months ago and we never got around to it due to circumstances I can’t even remember now. Husby was ever so generous to submit to a chick flick (even though I know he secretly loves them) and then we splurged on a very scrumptious Chinese dinner.

We both liked the movie, and the story got us to thinking about those aspirations I was talking about earlier. Both Julie and Julia were looking for more in their lives, searching for something to give their lives a little more meaning. They both had very supportive husbands, which I’ve been lucky enough to snag. There is a lot to be said for the tolerance, patience, and support of a good spouse. When it came to finding that special meaning in Julie and Julia's lives, their husbands thrived on the obsessions of the girls just about as much as the girls themselves did.

One thing stood out for me – neither Julie nor Julia submitted to their passions in an all or nothing kind of way. Julia worked around her husband’s job which required them to move from one town to another, or from one country to another. Julie kept her unfulfilling day job while she pursued her blogging career. A person can chase a dream despite obstacles and without having to abandon the trivial things (read: pesky day job) that provide a means for survival and the pursuit of that dream.

Things can look kind of hopeless sometimes, like you’ll never get to that place you’ve been dreaming of. But the baby steps toward a goal really add up, and if you look at your life from a distance you might very well be closer to that dream life than you think. Keep plugging away and keep dreaming. That’s what I took away from this very wonderful anniversary date.

Cyber Saturday

I spent my entire Saturday on the computer. What fun! I'm usually so preoccupied with production I lose sight of what needs to be done in the way of promotion and research. Besides, after a late night out with friends I was in the mood to just sit and do screen work rather than physical work (read: housework). I did manage to tackle one chore. The mattress is now soft and warm with the winter featherbed. It's like sleeping on a cloud! Flannel sheets to enter soon.

The Halloween bottle cap magnets are once again avilable at the shop. Soon I'll be offering deals on multiple purchases. You'll be able to choose three, six, nine, or a dozen bottle cap magnets with a savings of up to $12! Stay tuned for that. For now, feel free to check out what's available individually. If you're interested in purchasing multiple magnets and the listings aren't available, please contact me directly and I'll make sure the nice lady behind the cash register gives you your discount.

Top (left to right): Richard Scary, Horror Story, Jackie O

Middle (left to right): Moonie, Boo Who, Jacks or Better

Bottom (left to right): Fraidy Cat, Peek A. Boo, Mockingbird Lane