Who says there's a silver lining behind every dark cloud? I found a gold one.....................

Beginning again...letting the creativity flow to music...purple music....

A raindrop turns into pink sunshine......>

It's been a long day...

I'm so excited about this upcomming event!

Pay It Forward

I was moved today by a kindness that my friend showed me. She brought me a bag of food. In the bag was a cake with a piece missing (it was too rich for her so she gave it to us) and other food items she didn't want and wanted to share with us. I knew it was time to PAY IT FORWARD.

Sometimes when I've given things to people at work or other places, I have heard "oh, no thanks, I don't like that" or "ewwww, I don't like the color" or "get that away from me I'm on a diet" (OK the last one is understandable). I just have never understood pickiness. I don't understand people that complain especially when someone is offering something FOR FREE and the person it's being offered to ask for something different or just doesn't show tact when the item is offered. Someone once said to me "I really need something to eat, I have low blood sugar" and I offered them an apple. "No thanks" they said, "I don't like apples". OK, sometimes I get to the place where I don't want to offer anything because of the rejection. When something is offered to me whether it's food, water, help, a handmade item I am honored, humbled and very appreciative. I don't care what flavor or color I will take it graciously and not complain.

I was in Family Fare today and saw an elderly woman pushing a cart. She looked frail and something inside me told me to buy her some flowers. I don't get these convictions often and when I do I always act on them. I saw that she had her husband with her and when she began talking to another lady I walked up to him and asked him if it would be ok if I could buy his wife some flowers, that I was being moved to do this act of kindness and that she was the person I was to do this for. He told me "naw, really, you don't need to do this" and I told him when I felt convicted to do something, I had to do it and I wouldn't take no for an answer...LOL He pulled out a dollar bill and said, well then let me put a dollar in too" I wouldn't take it, I told him I was going to have the bouquet up at the front of the store when they were ready to check out and he smiled and said "Thank You, it's going to make her very happy, as she is going through chemotherapy right now..." The only reason I'm sharing this story with you is not to get any kind of praise or acclamations, but to encourage each and every one of you to do something for someone today. You never know to what level that will encourage them and help them in their walk of life. And what did I get? I got a smile on my face.

What's Really Important To Me

Sometimes when things seem like you can't make it

And every heart you meet is sad

Knowing that there is someone who'll take all the

the tears away and make you glad

Life can always show you heartache if that's the life you're looking for

Although through crying comes a rainbow

When the sun shines through the grey

I'll be waiting till you need me

when life gets to heavy for you to bear

I'll be there to turn that sadness into smiles

Just waiting...I'll be here.

Friends

I had such a great time at Fulton Street ARTisian Market today. I got to be next to a good buddy of mine, Michele, she's a riot and a half, we laughed and had a very interesting day, with the wind blowing our stuff all over haha it was still fun. She was so generous; she loaned me some bungees, helped me prop my trunk lid up and was just there for me in general. What a blessing she was.

Visit Michele's shop at http://www.craftinator.etsy.com/ or

http://www.secondsight.etsy.com/ for beautiful creations of magnets, hand pastel drawings and more!

It's always fun to see my team mates and get to meet new people, do some networking and with the bodacious fairy beauties there are just laughs never ending at my booth. It makes it worth it for me, just to bring them and watch people laugh, smile, and sometimes even try not to laugh. Those people the ones that want to maintain their "proper" crack me up because you know they want to laugh but don't because of the company they are with.

I had to go down and try the asparagus; I hate asparagus, haven't eaten it in over 20 years. My ex mother in law used to serve it on purpose just to piss me off. But I want to let her know that "it's all in how you prepare it sugar!!!" because the asparagus I had to day just rocked my world! Blue cheese crumbles, warmed over grilled tender crisp asparagus, marinated in some kind of salted wonder, was just heaven in this grandma's mouth.

While I was picking up my greens, Sarah Roemer was calling to me trying to get my attention....in her hands was something that I'd been hinting about for a few weeks but never ever did I expect that she would go ahead and make one. It was the most beautiful, yellowish gold headband made with her rawkin' pop tabs, and I seriously almost cried. What a moving display of loving friendship, thoughtfulness and selflessness! I really didn't know what to say. It is just beautiful. Thank You so much Sarah. It's just beautiful.

Visit her shop at http://www.sjroemer.etsy.com/ for more of her creations using recycled pop tabs made into purses, bracelets and more!

I Made a Vendor Apron!

HERE IS MY APRON!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!

I needed a vendor apron and it seemed easy enough but the problem was that I can't sew. So I visualized what I wanted, wrote to my friend in England about it and she sent me a very detailed drawing on how to do it. It seemed mostly like straight line sewing just rolling my edges so I didn't have any fraying problems and I began.

So I took a long piece of fabric, the same material as I'm going to cover my tables with and sew'd all the edges after measuring it about where I wanted it to lay when I had it tied on. I bought a roll of yellow ribbon to match to use for ties. Then I cut out three squares of different colors of butterfly material with some really shiny strings in it, looks like glitter in the fabric, and put 3 little pockets on the front. So far so good LOL then I folded the apron in half and got a little wild, and sew'd zig zag stitches all down both sides and in the middle of my butterfly pockets so instead of having 3 little pockets in the front I have 3 big pockets too!

I'm always trying to find things that actually go around me. It was funny because recently I was asked "do you take a small, medium or large" and I had to tell them a 3X. So big is great but plus is where I'm at.

I was just glad I was able to use my head and make this. I usually leave these kinds of things to the pros but this time I needed to prove to myself that I can do whatever I put my mind to do. I can't wait for Geoff to come home in the morning so I can show him I did it, and I actually finished it HAHAHAHA as I'm terrible at finishing things. He knows that fact so this will be a suprise for him for sure!







This is my wish for how I want it to look on me HAHA nice tiny waist, but this bod uses the entire apron, TRUST ME.


ROTFLMAO

I decided to put a ruffle on it, I've never made a ruffle for anything, I only eat ruffles LOL

It sorta turned out a little crappy, the ruffle ended up not even. But it's still cute to me. I'm thinking about added some hand stitched crystals to the pockets. But that will have to be another day as I need to make mobiles today.

Ramblings From A Nervous Heart

The vibe rock pendant business has been taking off lately! I've sold 6 at work (gave one away because I got a big tip from one of the buyers) and had a custom order on Etsy among other orders. I've been making new ones, trying to make different colors because there are so many different people. Trying to please....hmmmm sounds like a blog entry...

I am going to be doing my first craft "show" and have been wondering lately how many people will try to insult me or my team by making statements such as "oh I can make that," "you're asking what for that"?, "you're asking $20 dollars, will you take $5"?, or "I like this one, but do you have it in the color of the rainbow?" I think most people will be respectful and it's what we can hope for however I know there will be people that will be just plain rude, with their noses turned up. I know I will hear statements and see the kind of looks that people make when they step in a pile of dog crap. I just want to say to all those people that are more than likely "loaded", that come to the market this summer to take advantage of the sellers down there, (trying to get something for nothing and then taking there "prize" home to brag about later) that we are not the starving artists that you think we are. We are hard working men and women with a passion to create beautiful and practical things. We are people that love what we do and put a fair and comparable price on our beautiful handmade items. We are men and women that take a lot of pride in our knowledge of craftmanship no matter what level we are at and expect to be treated like the artisians we are. It's not always about the money though; just having someone say "I like this" can be payment enough.

I am excited to attend the Farmers' ARTisians Market this summer and can't wait to get to hang out with all my team mates and be apart of this team I belong to. One thing I will do though, is keep my eye out for those that attend, and I think God will let me know, those people that really need a break.

I expect to see someone walk past my table with diamonds on her fingers as big as bowling balls, hair and makeup expertly done, nails manicured, and designer clothes saying "I can do that" while I sit and drink my soda knowing in my mind that it won't be my things she turns her nose up at but it'll be after she goes home and tries to make it herself...remember the pile of dog crap I mentioned?