Weird

We are in Austin, TX this weekend, where their motto is about keeping things weird. Well, so far, the only weird thing is that our hotel's a/c sounds like a plane preparing for take-off. Other than that, the city has been fun and visually interesting. My feet hurt from all the walking, but that's not really weird.

Gotta Get My Butt in Gear

My father-in-law's birthday is coming up and I've been mentally preparing for his gift and even have all the supplies. But now I need to design... to quote Keb Mo, "Ain't it funny, how time slips away??"

Pictures to be posted soon.

Porcelaine Paint Pens

For my last craft fair I made some cute upcycled tea cups and shot glasses (which sold before I even made it to the fair) using really cool paint from Martha Stewart and Porcelaine 150 Pens by Pebeo. They were a hit! And I loved making them. I got requests for custom orders and decided to make a set of glasses with an inside joke for my dad's birthday coming up. Then I went on vacation and found more cups at antique shops that would be perfect. My mind was swimming with all the possibilities.

Then my pen ran out. So I went to Michaels' to get a new one or two. Gone. All the other colors were on clearance.

CRAP!

So I searched online, friends offered to check their local Michael's stores for them and I went to Hobby Lobby to no avail. I can order them on amazon.com and other places online. That's fine. But it really bothered me that this item I could just run up the street for is now disappearing from my quick reach.

Then I had an *a-ha* moment. I went back to Michael's and bought the bottles of the paint and am going to pour them into the pens. *If* this works, you can call me a genius. If it doesn't work, you can call me a goober.

Welcome, old friends

My old site is now officially in the past and this site is the future. After two days of live chats and tech support tickets, anyone who went to my old site landed right here where I wanted you.

Add to this accomplishment the fact that my work room is close to me being able to work in it again, and I would say this day rocks!

More to follow each day. Check back in for my brain dumps, crafting ideas and failures, new stationery or other products and other fun stuff.

This is gonna be fun, y'all!

Tuesday Treasury "Rainy Day Grumpies"

With my new blog I decided I need to have a Treasury Tuesday. Each Tuesday, I'll post an Etsy Treasury I make. Because today was pouring and gray and I was grouchy, I made this Tuesday Treasury, "Rainy Day Grumpies":

lady art, lady print, R... lewfoster $15.00	Black and White Photo, ... TheShutterbugE... $30.00	Rain and Trees. 9x6. AlBrydonPhotog... $22.00	Sharing in the Rain - P... 360Art $10.00
SALE 25% OFF Rustic Pho... ara133photogra... $18.75	Dandelion Charcoal Grey... Maddenphotogra... $25.00	North Dakota Photograph... rrobertsphoto $135.00	Cloud and rain - origi... ollina $20.00
Dark Art: lonely day 8x... MarianneLoMona... $35.00	A Severe Thunderstorm S... ScenicSurround... $25.00	Storm Sea, Dark Waters ... BooHu $20.00	Last Winter Storm, Orig... winjimir $100.00
New Mexico Photograph B... rrobertsphoto $85.00	5x7 print - Chocolate B... fisker99 $4.00	Norway impressions I. vlad $640.00	A Rainbow of Discovery ... backroadmile $25.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Howdy, y'all

A year ago, this April 1st, I launched my very own website shop, selling stationery I design, print, fold & cut from my home deep in the "heat" of Texas. It took quite a while and a lot of cussing to develop the site. Technology, especially computers, can make my blood boil. But once I figured stuff out I was so proud and excited by what I'd accomplished. In fact, I even had a FLEETING thought of going back to school for a web design degree. Cra-zy.

Once I got going, I loved every aspect of owning my own business -- from the design process to fulfilling orders to custom designing for someone to getting a message that a package arrived and my customers loved what they ordered.

But something still didn't seem right.

I decided I needed different (warning: business world word coming) "channels". So I signed up for my first craft fair, and with the help of my mom, had a blast meeting people and, yes, showing off my work. It was fun and I learned a lot. But part of what I learned was quantity. I had no clue before the fair how much to take. And in some cases, like 2012 calendars, I took WAY too many. Considering I had a bunch of 2012 calendars leftover in December of 2011, I had to figure out something to do with them. Enter: Etsy.

I knew about Etsy prior to starting my own site and chose not to go that route in April of 2011. I am really glad I made the decisions I did. But once I had a boat load of calenders to sell before it was too late, I made my Etsy shop and sold calendars! It was great. And then I was hooked on craft fairs and Etsy.

I recently did another fair and added more than stationery to the mix. And I've added more than stationery to Etsy. I want to upcycle, think outside boxes. Make stuff useful out stuff that's pretty.

So, with my new "channels" (there's that business world word again) breathing new life into my business, I reevaluated what and how and where and when I wanted to function.

That leads me to here.

I decided to shut down the site I agonizingly built a year ago because it just wasn't needed anymore. It was a great ride and I will cherish the experience, the pride and the challenge. But here is where I need and want to be. I want to blog and post fun stuff and share my creative outbursts and challenges. I want to discuss everything that goes into running my business or what I think about embossing guns. And I want to use this new site as a way to reach out and learn from readers, fellow artisans and customers.

Of course I hope you'll like my designs and head to my Etsy store and order some personalized stationery for you or a friend. I hope when calendars come out, you'll find one you like. I hope you'll fall in love with my Classy Sass note pads and order a bunch for you and your girlfriends. But, this place is a place for me to express all that I hope to learn and create.

What's My Future? Whatever I come up with!