gigigoods

A Song for Japan

2011-04-18T22:44:00.002-04:00

Put my Noggin to the Bloggin'

2011-04-10T21:25:00.000-04:00

Same old tune, right??!!! I keep posting these apologies for slacking on my blog and I ALWAYS have a good excuse, right???!!!! Well, I have been busy at least . . . really busy. Among other boring, day to day things which I promise I will not tire you with, I've been busy making flowers for weddings. I have been so thrilled that wonderful people have found me on Etsy and have had me make so many different things for their weddings, from name cards to the actual bridal bouquets. My business just in this direction is taking off as well as I could ever have hoped for. I actually took the big plunge and ordered business cards a few weeks ago for all of my networking . . . GET ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And since I put my blog down on my business cards, that gives me quite an incentive to keep this up now. I am super excited to show you some of the wedding items I've been working on. And I'll keep you updated with new events I'm working on . . . plus some fun extra tidbits I think you'll enjoy. An example: Did you know there is a George, Washington (as in city and state)? I think that is so cool!!!!!

I've been bad for a good cause

2010-01-20T14:30:00.000-05:00

Let me explain...I've been bad again - I haven't been around the blogging world much lately. I've missed all of you (again!!!), but I have a pretty good reason which involves a really great cause. Casey from the Sooner Golden Retriever Rescue group contacted me several months ago and asked if I would like to donate some of my doggy cards for a charity dinner/benefit she is coordinating for October. I, of course, wanted to help out but I didn't really have time to make all the cards I said I would until after the holidays...thus my absense from all things blog :) But I'm back and hoping to have more time to spend with all of you now.

I just thought you should know about the great work that Casey and her coworkers are doing for our animal friends. Here is what she told me of her organization:
I work for Sooner Golden Retriever Rescue (www.sgrr.org), which is based in Oklahoma. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which was founded in 1986. To date, we have rescued over 1600 Golden Retrievers in the Midwest. We take in homeless and injured goldens, rehabilitate them, and place them in loving adoptive homes
Their website is http://www.sgrr.org/
so check them out and see for yourself.

And here are some photos of the cards I donated to the dinner. Per Casey's request, I sent a few of my other doggy cards and then I created new Golden Retriever cards for the majority of the donation. Enjoy and think of happy Golden thoughts!!!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T22:06:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!!!!! I am so happy that I discovered this whole art community this year and I can't tell you how much it means to me that I have all of you around. I love reading your comments about my items and I so love reading all of your blogs and realizing how unbelievably talented you all are!!! Thanks for making my year so great!

My New Flowers

2009-12-22T16:21:00.000-05:00

Oh, how I've been neglecting this blog!!! I sincerely meant to write so many times and always found myself running out of time. My tutoring usually has these weeks of craziness when ALL of my students need to meet at the same time and for an unpredictable amount of time. Needless to say, I just finished up one of those times and am so glad to have some quiet time around the holidays. My husband is taking tomorrow off work so I spent yesterday and today doing just some "me" things, crafting being the focus. Here are some of my newest flowers I just posted in my shop. Beatles' fans, make sure you check out my Revolution #9 flowers!!!

Fearless Friday

2009-11-27T10:53:00.000-05:00

This is dedicated to all those who fearlessly struggle through the crowds on Black Friday. I could never do it in a million years - you would find me huddled in a corner somewhere mumbling peaceful words to myself, but I appreciate all of you who are able to endure it (and sometimes even like it) in order to find that bargain. I would love to be able to be that fearless!

I do think these new apps for the iPhone and iTouch are pretty cool for you Fearless types:

My cheeks aren't even shimmering!

2009-11-24T08:34:00.001-05:00

If you read my most recent Fearless Friday, then you know that I tried my hand at Martha Stewart's glitter painting. Every other time I have worked with glitter (albeit, they were few and far between), I was pulling glitter out from my hair, eyelashes and fingernails for days. Maybe I've matured (though I doubt it) and being able to work with glitter without making a mess is a passage into the next realm of crafting. Anyway, I'm not saying that the room made it out completely unscathed. I'm hoping my vaccuum is up for the challenge of sucking miniscule particles of shine out of my carpet, but I had so much fun that I don't care if I made a mess! Here are the photos of my end result. I still have to figure out how I want to finish the edges, but I am really pleased with how it came out.

Fearless Friday

2009-11-20T14:57:00.000-05:00

I KNOW...I have been the BIGGEST slacker in history!!! I haven't posted anything in so long, but I do have an excuse. I had such a good time participating in the Shop Swap and Blog that I wanted to give those blogs time to be seen before I ramble on about something else.

But Friday is here and that means I need to grant you all with a Fearless Friday post: how about glitter...I hate it and love it at the same time! I always have! It always looks nice, but I never know what to do with it and it gets absolutely everywhere...everywhere...everywhere. Maybe it's just me, but I can never seem to keep it where I want it. So I kind of gave up on glitter a few years ago.

That was before I saw the Martha Stewart Living how-to on "painting" with glitter. It is soooooooooo beautiful, so I'm going to try it today. See, the fearless part comes from biting the bullet and knowing I'll make a mess just to turn out a beautiful, sparkly piece of art. Plus, you use your own photos. How cool is that!!!! I'll have to show you how it goes after I clean all of the glitter off of me, which I predict will require 3 showers. In the meantime, here is the link to MSL's glitter painting tool. Have Fun and Be Fearless!!

More Shop Swap

2009-11-10T09:23:00.000-05:00

Many of you read my blog about Georgia from Yeah Hello Jewelry, my wonderful partner for the Shop Swap and Blog. Now, you can read my interview on her blog. Her blog is absolutely beautiful, by the way, so you will have fun checking it out! http://yeahhello.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/meet-gail-gorske-of-gigi-goods-handcrafted-paper-goods-artist.html#comments

Yay - It's Shop Swap and Blog!

2009-11-02T08:50:00.003-05:00

It's the day I've been telling everyone to wait for...my shop swap and blog package came and I want to tell you all about it. My partner is Georgia and her business, Yeah Hello, http://www.etsy.com/shop/yeahhello sells the most amazing and fun jewelry! I was so excited to get her package and became even more excited when I was opening up her sweet little boxes, all adorned with cute little stickers proclaiming her shop's name. It makes you realize how fun it is to be a girl when you open up little jewelry boxes filled with goodies!!

Here are the photos of me opening up my treasure...make sure you keep reading to see her interview afterwards.

1. What’s the name of your business, what do you create and sell, and how did you get your start?

My jewelry line, Yeah Hello, is a fun collection of handmade jewelry and accessories tailored for women who are looking to jazz up their style with a little something different. Yeah Hello was born after I'd come across some plastic owl beads that I instantly wanted to turn into earring studs. The name came from a radio show drop that was of a man calling the show in this funny confused tone saying, "Yeah.. Hello?" I could never get that funny voice out of my head, thus I had to give it a life.

2. Share some of your inspirations as they pertain to your art.

I'm inspired by fashion both old and new. Sometimes if I see a dress in person my mind will race thinking about the perfect piece of jewelry I could create for it. I like more reserved classic styles with a touch of flare. I would sum up some of my special occasion jewelry as timeless.

3. Describe your creative process.

Ah, it's a tough one! I'm a perfectionist at heart, so sometimes I wrestle with an idea for days/weeks/months if it's not coming together nicely. It's hard to know when something is complete. Lots of ideas evolve from the starting point. Often times I need to sleep on a design before I can look at it again with fresh eyes.

***This is Georgia's workspace. Look at how organized she is...and she has a cool map showing where she has shipped throughout the world.

4. What are some of your favorite websites, blogs, and magazines these days?

I'm really enjoying flicker these days. It's amazing to connect with people from all over the globe share work in a peer to peer setting.

5. What’s new? Any products or projects you’d like to share?

I've been slowly adding new items to my Hello Metal line - which I'm having so much fun developing. While on my honeymoon in Seattle this summer, I felt a strong need to diversify by adding everyday silvers and golds into my repertoire after seeing first hand just how many women really do wear gold or silver on a daily basis. The rest has been about the challenge of using only one material to represent the style and flare of my other collections.

**I saw these on Yeah Hello's shop when I first found out Georgia was my partner and I immediately fell in love with them. Imagine my excitement when I found them in my package!!!

6. Since this is about sharing great art, are there any other artists/shops you would like to give a little shout out to?

There are so many great artists and handmade shops out there. Too many to choose from! I always tell people (if they haven't already) to go discover etsy. It's an amazing network of crafty people. You can find just about everything on there. Stop buying gifts for people at the huge chains and malls, yeah they may be convenient, but with etsy you're almost always guaranteed to find something affordable, thoughtful and rare tailored for the recipient which makes it a win-win for all.

***Definitely, definitely check out Yeah...Hello's shop as soon as possible. Georgia is a great artist and a sweetheart. It's no surprise that she is a trained pastry chef because she makes all of her jewelry look scrumptious - the beautiful coral color of my ring she sent me just makes me think of the prettiest buttercream frosting I've ever seen.I'm so glad I got to know her a little better through this experience and I will definitely be going back to her shop in the future!!!

Yeah Hello's blog: http://www.yeahhello.typepad.com/
Yeah Hello's facebook fan page: http://ro-ro.facebook.com/pages/Yeah-Hello-Vintage-Inspired-Jewelry/45110606078
Yeah Hello's shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/yeahhello

Fear...ful Friday

2009-10-30T08:56:00.000-04:00

Ecards | World Wildlife Fund

I know Fridays are usually my Fearless Fridays, but I couldn't resist the Halloween connection here. I hope everyone has a Ghoulishly Good Halloween! Use the link above to send creepy animal ecards to your favorite haunt from the WWF.

Mmmwwwaaaahahaha....

It's just another manic Monday...

2009-10-26T20:50:00.000-04:00

whoawo, I wish it were Sunday, whoawhoaoo, That's my fun-day...

Sorry, I slipped into the Bangles lyrics for a minute, but I'm back. That's what you get for growing up in the 80s!!

I'm getting my package ready to send out to my SHOP SWAP AND BLOG partner and I want to make sure you watch my blog in the next week or so for the exchange to happen. I'm so excited! I won't tell you what I'm sending because I want it to be a surprise for her, but I'll give you all the details when the time comes. Stay tuned...

Fearless Friday

2009-10-23T08:59:00.000-04:00

More Pink-tober!

Within the last few weeks, I have heard so many amazing stories of brave women who have defeated or are in the process of fighting breast cancer. I can't imagine the courage this takes. In this spirit, I have picked several Etsy items from different artists who are participating in breast cancer awareness. I know there are so many out there, but here are a few of my favorites:

Why dogs don't like Halloween

2009-10-22T09:06:00.000-04:00

You may have seen some of these photos because I just received it as an email, but it was so cute I had to pass it along to all of you. I know my dog, Pancake, doesn't like Halloween because he HATES the doorbell...and he's not too fond of visitors either. He actually doesn't mind his pumpkin outfit, but he has never had to wear anything like these costumes:

Great Apron Giveaway

2009-10-21T08:01:00.000-04:00

Oh, how I love great aprons!!! I never gave them much thought until a few years ago...and ever since I have wanted a really cute one. If you feel the same way, you have to check out this wonderful apron giveaway, hosted by The Fancy Lady: http://thefancyladygourmet.blogspot.com/2009/10/handmaidens-cottage-apron-giveaway-and.html#comment-form

This is the apron she showcases, but the giveaway lets you pick your favorite. How much flirty fun is that???!!!

I messed up

2009-10-20T20:39:00.000-04:00

Sorry, I was working all day today and just realized now that I gave the wrong link before for binspired (since I was running late this morning and not thinking about what I was doing). Aaaagghhhh!! Don't you hate when real life gets in the way of blogging?!

Anyway, here is the correct link: http://binspiredmama.blogspot.com/2009/10/seven-handmade-alternatives-to.html

My fortune cookies are getting around

2009-10-20T08:53:00.000-04:00

I've got a blog for everyone to check out: http://binspiredmama.blogspot.com/2009/10/halloweentreat-for-moms-to-boost-your.html
It's an awesome blog with very good ideas, and I'm happy to have my paper fortune cookies included in her latest post. I keep rolling out the fortune cookies for friends and family and they are becoming a big hit for Halloween. Now, I've got to start stocking up for other occasions.

Hope everyone has a great day!!!

Great deals; great shirts

2009-10-19T09:20:00.000-04:00

Several of you commented that you wanted to see my purchases from the Ellembee sale I so joyously blogged about on Friday. Although I went mainly to do some early holiday shopping, I did find 3 shirts for myself I just had to have (but since it was a sale, I don't have to feel guilty at all, right?). I'm posting the photos of all my great buys here so you can see more of her super cute designs. Some items were marked down because of small imperfections, others were her older designs, and others were just regular sale items.

I happily came away from the sale with 2 totes, 5 shirts, and 1 hat (which wasn't an Ellembee design, but looks very cute with all of her shirts), and 4 of those items will become holiday gifts...not too shabby!!!!

If you missed my post on Friday and you like these designs, you should definitely check out Ellembee's shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5691356

She is a very talented designer and she's always adding new things to her shop ... I noticed some scarves last time I visited that I might need to give more attention to :)

In the end, I'm so glad I went, not just for the great shopping, but because I love learning from all of my fellow Etsians. She ran a very organized sale and had a great plan for raffle prizes. Plus, I can wear my new fortune cookie shirt when I list new paper fortune cookies on my shop (they've been a big hit for Halloween and I plan to extend the line for weddings and baby showers, etc.).

I hope you enjoyed my shopping experience!!!

Fearless Friday

2009-10-16T15:40:00.000-04:00

My fearless act is going to be delayed until tomorrow. That is when I'm going to be going giddy over Ellembee's sale in White Lake, MI. I am sooooo happy to be a neighbor and easily pop in to take a look at all the wonderful shirts and other items she is putting out at discounted prices. My fearless act: not going over my budget!! This is the time of the year when I should be spending money on Christmas gifts for others, but the desire to add to my own wardrobe is going to be extremely high when I see all of those wonderful designs. ...I'm going to have to befriend more people who wear my size before Christmas comes around :)

****If you are going to be in the Detroit area tomorrow, check out Ellembee's shop announcement to find out more about her sale: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5691356

And if you're not going to be here, you can still drool over her designs online.

Cards for the Troops

2009-10-15T09:38:00.000-04:00

For our October challenge, the Etsy Paper Street Team decided to make thank you cards to send to the deployed troops. I made a few yesterday, but found I was in a doodling mood this morning and created this card to add to my collection. I guess this is kind of like show and tell, because I wanted to share it with all of you. I love to doodle, but never take the time to do it much. When I do, it almost always comes back to swirls...I LOVE SWIRLS. They always remind me of a sea nautilus.

Let me know if you would like to send your own cards to the military and I will check with our team to see if we can add them to our shipment. I'm sure they would appreciate anything.

It's getting cold outside...

2009-10-12T09:32:00.000-04:00

I guess I won't be able to enjoy a long autumn season of crisp, but warm days because it looks like we are going right into winter (whether I'm ready for it or not). At least the leaf colors are just as beautiful (if not more) as any other year. I added my first true holiday card a few days ago to my Etsy shop. I apologize to those of you who don't know about our crazy Michigan tradition of always pointing out where we live on our hand. Those of you who have had to endure it will understand what this card it all about!

Have a great Monday, everyone!!!

Fun Friday

2009-10-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

No Fearless today...ALL FUN!! It just sounds like people might need a fun thing to get them through until the weekend. So, have your hand at Reversi above. I'm not going to keep it up for long, but I thought you might enjoy it if you need a little break. I loved this game when I was a kid and I got pretty excited when I just saw it. If you've never played, it is addictive! Have Fun!!!!!!!

Brussel Sprouts

2009-10-07T20:25:00.000-04:00

We finally had some of the wonderful brussel sprouts that are in season for dinner tonight. I've been looking for different recipes, and I found this really easy one from Rachel Ray's mag:

Halve the sprouts, mix with olive oil and sea salt, bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tender. Serve with cut up apple and cooked bacon pieces.

This was so easy and so delicious! It was one of those perfect fall dishes.

Just a little sad

2009-10-06T22:46:00.000-04:00

My Detroit Tigers just lost in an amazing 12 inning tie-breaker :( I'm a little sad and had to grieve about it just for a minute. I know it's not even close to being the end of the world, but it is always sad to see those poor guys faces when they realize they're not going to the post-season. Oh, well. I'll be better tomorrow! Have a great day, everyone!!!

Mega March for Michigan Humane Society

2009-10-05T08:38:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a GREAT weekend! I walked for the Michigan Humane Society on Sunday and it was a great success again. All the dogs were so well-behaved (I know better than to bring mine because he would have been the exception) and the rain held off. Here are some photos of the happy fur-monsters!

Fearless Friday

2009-10-02T07:53:00.000-04:00

Normally (as in 99.99999% of the time), I am a live and let live person. I don't really like to be told what to do, and I hate telling other people what to do even more. Being good sleuths that you are, you may be predicting right now that this is that 0.00001% time and that it accounts for my fearless act this Friday. I promise I won't go around giving any more advice after today, so don't be scared off, and just know I'm doing it with the kindest of gestures.

As you are aware, the wonderful month of October is now upon us. It means hayrides, apples, and brisk walks in the woods. October is also National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Because of this, I am advising everyone to consider the people in your life (including yourself) and make sure everyone who should have an annual breast exam has. Many women need a little push in the right direction when it comes to this issue and we can all be there for each other. I know I need to schedule mine, so I'm going to make the call today.

Magic Car

2009-09-30T12:39:00.000-04:00

Yes, we have a magic car!!

The background: At least 6 months ago, my husband and I were on a little road trip and somehow he dropped a nickel into the vent in the driver's side dashboard. Me, having the wonderful luck that I do, figured it would somehow manage to find its way to some electrical part and short-circuit the entire vehicle...or make it burst into flames. I do have an active imagination!

But it didn't and we didn't hear from it until last week when my husband started noticing a rolling and clunking sound every time he made a turn. So, he decided he was going to try everything he could to retrieve it. He took the car for several spins around the neighborhood until he was fairly certain the nickel was near the vent opening. Then he popped off the vent cover with a screwdriver and started searching around with a flashlight to see if he could locate it. Well, he saw it and was able to pull it out.

But when he looked at the coin in his hand, it was a dime, not a nickel.

Moral of the story: We figure we have a magic car on our hands that changes nickels into dimes. We are going to try a 50 dollar bill tonight! :)

This is NOT our car, but isn't she a bute!!!

Red Beet and Lemon Poppyseed Ice Cream

2009-09-28T12:54:00.001-04:00

Yeah, I thought I would catch your attention if I started with that title, but I'll get to that bit in a moment. First of all, I wanted to thank you all for wishing me luck with the walk. I came in ninth overall (out of around 100) and first for my age group, so I was pretty darn happy :) It was all for raising money for the animals and I had a great time.

To celebrate, my husband and I went to Columbus, OH on Sunday and finally got to experience Jeni's Ice Cream. Something I haven't told all you bloggers yet: I'm a HUGE ice cream lover!!! I've been hearing about Jeni's for awhile and knew I needed to taste it. She has several locations, and they are all cute, but I absolutely love the one in North Market. I adore historic food markets anyway, and this one did not disappoint.

What about the ice cream, you ask? UNBELIEVABLE!!

I sampled almost all of the flavors and I loved them all. There were two that were a little too spicy (crazy, I know, to be talking about ice cream) for me to have a whole scoop, but all had amazing flavor. She's not outrageous just to be outrageous. Jeni really comes up with the BEST flavors that you may not get at any other ice cream parlor. So, my favorites: definitely the red beet with lemon and poppy seed (like a wonderful dairy version of the best lemon poppy seed muffin ever, with just a hint of some sweet beet flavor - not to mention a beautiful purplish-red color!), goat cheese with roasted red cherries, and sweet corn with black raspberry (yes, you can really see fragments of corn in there!!). Wow! If you love ice cream, you can check out her blog here, and see what you think.

Talk then Walk

2009-09-26T07:43:00.001-04:00

I only have a few seconds before I have to scurry off to the fundraiser walk, but I wanted to thank you for putting up with the "corny" joke last night.

Also, MY BIG NEWS:
EnviroMental included me in her treasury of Etsy Paper Team Friends! It's my first treasury and I'm SUPER excited!!! You can go to it by clicking here.

You should definitely check EnviroMental's shop out too, if you haven't done so already. Being from the Midwest and a lover of maps, this is my favorite thing:

but everything in the shop is awesome!!!! Click on the bangle above to take you to her shop.

Fearless Friday

2009-09-25T22:55:00.000-04:00

I have only a little over an hour to get this post in and I have no idea how coherrent I can be after a REALLY long day of work. I was so busy, I didn't have time to do anything fearless (unless I can count sitting next to several kids that are already sick for the season). But tomorrow, I'm going to powerwalk 5K for a local nature preserve fundraiser. It's supposed to be pouring in the morning, but I really want to make the top 3 positions, so I'll try to be fearless and forget about the rain...does that count??

Well, how 'bout if we make this Fun Friday instead and I'll tell you a joke (I'm making it a brunette joke since I'm brunette and I don't want to offend any blondes):

A brunette girl decides to do a puzzle so she grabs the puzzle and pours out all the peices and tries to put it together....

After a while of trying she gets frustrated and calls her boyfriend...

Her boyfriend says: Honey what's wrong?

The brunette says: I'm trying to put this puzzle together but I can't do it.

Her boyfriend says: Well look at the picture in the front and tell me what it looks like.

The brunette says: Okay... well the background is blue and there is a tiger on it.

Her boyfriend says: Honey... put the cornflakes back in the box.

It may be a groaner, but it's the best I can do at this late moment :) I promise I'll be better next time.

Did I do that?????

2009-09-23T08:55:00.000-04:00

I'm missing all the little avatars of my followers and I'm hoping it's not something I did! I never know what I might have been messing up as I experiment with all the widgets I can add, but I'm hoping it's one of those classic technological malfunctions that will correct itself soon.

While I try to figure that out, I'll tell you how excited I am that we were able to get tickets to the first two home games of the baseball post-season, as long as the Tigers can stay ahead of the Twins ****knocking on wood all over the place!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spooky Fortunes

2009-09-22T08:01:00.000-04:00

Happy First Day of Fall, Everone!!!

I love fall, which is weird because I also love hot, humid weather (the hotter, the better) and autumn in Michigan doesn't usually bring that weather. But I also LOVE the crisp smell of the fall days and the romanticism of snuggling under a blanket to watch the local high school football games. I love apples and colorful leaves and osage oranges...trips to the cider mill and lightweight jackets. And then there's Halloween - I love Halloween and all its fun and magic. I'm having a blast thinking of Halloween themed things for my shop. My newest additions are these spooky fortunes :

Something funny to get your week off to the right start

2009-09-21T10:06:00.002-04:00

One of my fellow Etsians pointed me in the direction of this funny thread: Name one amusing thing that you've learned from your craft..."
www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6252765

That got me thinking about a story I have that involves art, although I was still teaching at an elementary school at the time. The art teacher had dropped off several different paper bag puppets (think Fandango puppets, but soooooooooooooo much cuter!) that my students had made in her art class. Most had names but one lone puppet did not. I thought it might have been Alexandra's since she had not claimed one yet. When I asked her, she replied with, "No...my mom has foot fungus." Well, I didn't know what to make of that. Was she really upset and needed consoling? I just stood there dumbfounded for several seconds until she came to my rescue. She must have understood my confusion and finally told me that her puppet's name was Foot Fungus, and her mom had already picked it up earlier in the day. It just goes to show you how important naming your art can be...because I have NEVER forgotten her puppet's name after all these years :)

ob-la-di, ob-la-da

2009-09-19T23:02:00.000-04:00

I have just had a couple of wonderful days...you know the ones, where nothing in and of itself is just mindblowing, just a string of really nice events that make you feel good all over. I won't bore you with everything but I do have to tell you of two things.
First, if you are a Beatles fan at all then I definitely suggest you listen to the newly remastered albums. My husband just surprised me with the White Album today and it sounds great...much different than my old copied tape version I had from college:)
Second, the Martha Stewart special edition Halloween magazine is out in bookstands now. This is one of my favorite things to look at every year even if I never get around to doing a quarter of what it shows. I'm just happy thumbing through the photos.
I hope your weekends are happy too!

Fearless Friday

2009-09-18T08:17:00.000-04:00

On this Friday, I would like to showcase a man who truly exhibits fearlessness - a man who has more poise and grace at almost 92 years of age than I can ever hope for. If you live in the Detroit area, then you certainly know of Ernie Harwell. He was the Detroit Tigers announcer for many years and a national announcer as well. He also has been diagnosed with incurable cancer. Even if you don't live here, you may still know of Ernie (especially if you are a baseball fan). And although I didn't grow up here and wasn't really a Tigers fan (well sort of a Tigers fan because Magnum PI always wore their cap!), it didn't take me long after I moved here to realize what this man means to the city and humankind in general. He addressed the fans on Wednesday and I wanted to share it with you here. Don't worry - it's not too much of a tear-jerker; it's more of a celebration of a wonderful life!

Fall into Flowers

2009-09-17T08:18:00.005-04:00

I've added quite a few flowers on http://www.gigigoods.etsy.com/

Check them out; they're perfect for adding some color to your house or party favors, place cards, gift decorations, etc.

*mention this blog and you'll receive 10% off any group of flowers you buy*

Another give-away everyone should know about

2009-09-16T12:42:00.002-04:00

I promise I won't bombard you with give-aways, but I had to let everyone know about this one because it's from one of my favorite Etsians, Grace Hester Designs. Go to her blog to participate in this wonderful contest - http://gracehester.typepad.com/weblog/2009/09/giveaway-for-18-x-24-poster-print.html
and then visit her shop at gracehesterdesigns.etsy.com to see all of her artwork - it is so sweet, it'll make you melt!! This is one of my favorites here, but they are all adorable.

She paired up with largeformatposters.com, which I'm going to have to remember if I ever need any banners or large photos in the future. Super neat stuff!!

Thanks and Apples

2009-09-14T20:29:00.002-04:00

First, I want to thank everyone for reading my blog and cheering me on. It really is neat how technology can bring us closer together and show support (even if it's just for me walking a few extra miles) for one another. Thanks; you're all great and I love reading all of your blogs too!

Second, my husband and I had a great time on Saturday at two new (for us) apple orchards. We have had our favorite for many years and always make a point of going there several times during the season. Just recently, we discovered that we had these other two almost as close. Both orchards offer such different settings and activities - it was wonderful to experience them both and compare them. I found this website since that seems to list most of the orchards around the country. I hope it comes in handy for some of you and I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful time of the year (it's my favorite!!!!).

http://www.pickyourown.org/index.htm

Fearless Friday

2009-09-11T08:05:00.001-04:00

Fearless can mean so many things to many different people, so I'm not going to even try to impress you with a completely risky event every Friday (I've never been the bungee jumper type anyway). But when I was thinking about what fearless event I should do today, I thought about what I want to do that I probably wouldn't end up doing if I didn't commit myself right here and now.

I have an hour and 45 minutes in between seeing students today (I haven't been able to quit my day job yet) that I am going to commit myself to walking right now. I normally plan things like that and then find the shallowest of excuses to get out of the entire walking time. I really have no excuses today: the weather is beautiful and I have a few extra pounds I put on since our last long weekend in Traverse City, MI (voted #1 food town by Midwest Living) that I really need to shed before winter arrives.

So there you have it - I'm sure some of you are scoffing at this "fearless" act, but this blog is actually helping me keep my priorities straight and I appreciate you being there to help me along.

A Photography Giveaway

2009-09-05T16:55:00.000-04:00

Here's a link to a great photography giveaway at Akane Designs:

http://akanedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/09/photography-competition-giveaway.html

You have lots of chances of winning, so give it a shot and good luck.

Super Saturday - a follow-up to Fearless Friday

2009-09-05T15:40:00.000-04:00

Well, I blogged yesterday that I was going to use one of the great threads Etsy provides and have another
Etsian grade my shop. It was nerve wracking for me - I wanted to know what changes to make, but I didn't want to hear anything too bad. It turned out, it was a wonderful experience. I had 3 different people grade my store and they all gave me an A. I'm sure they were still being kind, but it really was nice to hear that I'm doing at least a few things right :) In a way, it gave me more confidence to not worry about every little thing and keep thinking about what I can do to make my store the best it can be.

This entire process reminded me how I don't particularly like being out of my comfort zone, but it makes me feel so good afterwards (ask me about my dog-sledding experience for more examples!!!!). So, I would like to make Fearless Fridays a regular thing to my blog. I don't know if I can come up with enough things at first that put me in that nervous (but good) position, so please let me know if you have any suggestions...or even if you would like me to post something you have done yourself that fits that description! It doesn't have to be dangerous by any means, just something we would normally put off till that proverbial tomorrow.

Oh, and why is this Super Saturday? I finally had my first sale, thanks to my fellow Etsy Paper Team member, Paper Peddler. And I was able to contribute to the Susan G. Komen goal. YAY!!!!

Fearless Friday

2009-09-04T08:18:00.001-04:00

Okay, I've decided to bite the bullet and take leap: I'm going to have my store graded using this thread: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5939911&page=484. I'm pretty worried, which probably means that I know it could look better and I need to spend more time trying to figure out how, but here goes...
...I'll let you know how it goes.

My new shoes

2009-09-03T16:45:00.001-04:00

I just have to tell everyone how much I love wearing my TOMS shoes. I got brown ones that go wonderfully with all of my Ellembee shirts - a little shout out to one of my favorite Etsians! The shoes are a little expensive and much more than I would normally spend for this type of shoe, but I liked their cause (posted below) and they are as comfortable as any slippers I've ever owned. I'm sure people much more talented than myself can make their own shoes, but this will be about as close as I will ever come to wearing shoes that feel like they were made just for me. Click on the link below if you have a chance; it's a really neat thing.

New Shoes

2009-09-03T16:36:00.001-04:00

Community - Official Store - TOMS Shoes - A Pair of New Shoes is Given to a Child in Need With Every Pair Purchased - One for One - TOMSshoes.com

Shared via AddThis

End of Summer recipe

2009-09-02T13:14:00.001-04:00

I know blueberry season is pretty much over and I wanted to share this WONDERFUL recipe that I just found. It allowed me to use up the end of my blueberries (you can use frozen if you don't have fresh) and some rhubarb I had laying around (again, frozen is okay). ENJOY!

RHUBERRY CRISP

1 c. flour
1/2 c. oatmeal
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. cold water

2 c. rhubarb
2 c. blueberries
1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. flour

Combine first 7 ingredients. Mix to form crumbs. Set aside.

Combine last 4 ingredients and put in 8x8 pan. Sprinkle crumb mixture over top. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Another Card Set for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

2009-08-31T12:07:00.001-04:00

I just added another card set to my shop, and this one also gives $5 of each set sold to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, via Captured Time Books goal of $3000 for the walk. I am hoping to add more items to this trend, and will hopefully help both my fellow Etsian and the cause out with some nice donations.

Thanks

2009-08-29T17:29:00.000-04:00

I would really like to thank everyone who has helped me so far with my blog. I don't really know why I never looked at any blogs before, but I am learning so much from all of you. And those of you who have left advice as comments have really helped steer me in the right direction. I'm sure I will keep tweaking away, but at least I have a start I'm happy with.

A good deal for a good cause

2009-08-26T10:57:00.000-04:00

RIGHT NOW, BUY THE LOVESONG NOTE CARD SET AND $5 OF THE PROCEEDS WILL NOT ONLY GO TOWARDS THE SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FUND, IT WILL ALSO HELP ONE OF MY FELLOW ETSIANS, CAPTURED TIME BOOKS, IN REACHING HER GOAL OF $3000 FOR THE 3 DAY WALK!!

GO TO www.gigigoods.etsy.com TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFER!

Hello Again!

2009-08-26T10:53:00.000-04:00

Okay, I know I've been bad about keeping up with my blog. But I'm definitely going to be better from this point on. For one thing, I have more to report! For another, it's supposed to rain for the next couple days here, so I really have no excuse, do I?

Hello

2009-08-06T13:32:00.000-04:00

Say hi to the newbie. I'm new to all this, but I decided to finally start a blog to go along with my etsy shop. I hope I'm not too boring at first, but I will probably have to look at several different blog's before I really get the hang of what I should write. If you have any suggestions, I will be more than happy to hear them. I also have waaaaayyyyyy too many interests, so if I don't write enough at first, it means I'm probably out gardening or being artsy. I'll leave my post at that for now and just hope that I get better in a few days.