While reading over at the Baby Gardner today, I was made aware of some new child product safety standards that will make it impossible for crafters to legally sell their wares.  It has to do with something called Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.  Read more about how you can help here.

The thought of actually penning a letter to my congressman scares the pants off me.  I’m horrible at business writing and am sure that I would sound like a kindergartner saying, “hey, it’s not fair, I want to play too!”.  So, if someone out there would like to pen a letter and let the rest of us use it, please let me know!

On to more pleasant things, I did a little shop update today- some aprons and a bib.  AND, I decided it was time for a holiday give away!!  Simply leave me a comment telling me your favorite holiday dish and you will be entered to win this fun towel and pot holder set.  Comments are open until I go to bed Friday night (I have a date with the husband, so it should be late).  I’ll announce the winner Saturday morning!

Today was a perfect Sunday afternoon. By desert standards it was a chilly day, which meant we could legitimately light a fire (so what if the house smells like we’re camping)!  I love our fireplace, I’m told that in new builds these days you cannot get a permit for a wood burning fire place, it has to be gas.  Makes me love mine even more!

From scratch sugar cookies with sparkly snowflake goodness.  Do you want to know my decorating secret?  Fill a ziplock sandwich bag with icing (mine is a combination of heavy whipping cream, vanilla and powdered sugar) and cut a tiny bit of a corner off.  Use it to pipe out your fun designs.  If you do have a tip set (which I do) a sandwich bag is still a good alternative to the huge icing bags, I just slip my tips into the hole I cut in the corner .

Fresh roses from my yard, 1pt added for winter in the desert!  I have one rose bush that has grown to about 7ft high, I think it’s time for some pruning.  I’ve never been much of a gardener (although Aaron and I are talking about a raised bed this spring), but every January I go out and hack the rose bushes back to a more manageable size.

Italian Pot Roast for dinner, which we ate in front of the fire.  The son was so mesmerized by the fire he rarely took his eyes off of it!

Going backwards in the weekend, I had a really good time Friday at Crafeteria.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by and said hi, gave me lots of warm fuzzies (which I needed since it was a cold night!)  Sarah took a few pics of our spread

Georganne assigned us the perfect spot!  On this cold Friday night we were sandwiched between free hot coffee and the Urban Cookies table- right by a light!  There was a good crowd and we did a decent amount of business.  I really enjoyed chatting with Brady Breese the co-owner of Urban Cookies, he is the baker of the yummy cookies, which I of course had to sample.  The Milk Chocolate Chip cookie was so rich- would go perfect with cold milk!  Now lest you get all bummed because you don’t live in PHX and can’t swing by for an afternoon snack -they ship- all over the US.  If you are still undecided about whether or not to order some for yourself, they are a green company.

Saturday at Bliss was a fun event too!  There were 3 kids who sat down to make the ornaments, two seven year-olds and one six year old boy.  I was totally amazed that they each finished their ornaments- they didn’t give up!  One of the little girls had never sewn before and she impressed me with how straight her stitches were.  Again, I had some kits left after the event and listed them in the shop if anyone would like a fun holiday craft- that even the kids can do!

Tomorrow I’ll be adding a few more items to the shop, a few things that didn’t make it at crafeteria.  I know, I said I was closing the shop…I’m so indecisive!  I for sure won’t be doing any big shop updates until after the first of the year!

I have a few ornament kits leftover from the Santa event at Domestic Bliss today, I went ahead and put them into the shop.  Each kit includes all materials (just add your own scissors and needle) for both the heart ornament and the gingerbread ornament.  $5 for the kit (2 ornaments in each kit), $1 shipping.

If there is something you’ve been eyeing in the shop, now is the time to get it.  I am closing the shop on Monday the 24th.  I don’t know if I’ll open it again.  I will still be doing holiday photo cards- custom designed specifically for your photo, by word of mouth only.  I will probably take some custom orders starting in January, we’ll see.  Happy Shopping!

If you’re in the PHX area I will be at Crafteria with all new items:

to start thinking about christmas crafts and decorations?  Inspired by the retro aqua and red I created a new photo card.  It’s already in the shop.

My mother asked me to make an outfit for a friend of hers who has yet to deliver a little girl.  She wanted a skirt and shirt set for the baby to wear next spring.  I feel in love with Robert Kauffman’s “sweet confections” cupcakes and decided it would be perfect for the project.  I have enough left over for a lounge set or another skirt set if anyone is interested, leave a comment or email me.

Thanks to Sarah for measuring her sweet little nearly 6 month old baby, so I could get the size right!

and on the backside?

I’ve been rather productive in the creative department this week.  I want you to understand though, that it all comes at a cost.  This is my laundry room…all of those clothes….are clean….

the cost of creativity can be steep sometimes.

p.s. I loving these Hoops & Yoyo videos over at youtube- they are actual greeting cards that you can send to people.  I sent my husband this one (i have no shame) and I think this one is my favorite.  Oh, they crack me up!!

Luggage Tags!

Make it easier to find your black bag this holiday travel season!  Vinyl pocket just right for your business card, -tested- your card will NOT fall out!  At $5 a peice, be sure to grab a few for stocking stuffers!

I’m also slowly rolling out this years Holiday Photo Cards, starting with this fresh off the mouse, Glowing Tree card!

Be sure to check the shop, as more cards will be popping up!

with the budget crunch of 08 i have been trying very hard (ok sometimes not trying at all) to watch my spending and cut out the superfluous.  on my way to the studio today (to drop off the nov. class samples) i saw a yellow sign advertising a church rummage sale…i dropped my stuff off and raced over there with 15min until close.  sure enough there were things I just couldn’t live without and real steals.

the pyrex and stationery are in the shop.  i cannot resist that aqua color, if it went with my kitchen i would have kept it for myself.  the scalloped stationery was too cute, and i totally dig that gold box!  i did snag one thing for myself.  a great proctor-silex ice cream recipe book.  i loved the illustrations.

have a fantastic weekend everyone!!

I did a little thrifting today…not that I need anything, but sometimes it is fun to look.  I found a plastic cake carrier- which I was actually wanting/needing for something that I can’t share yet.  And then, then I found a bag of wooden spools of thread for $4, I simply couldn’t pass it up!

The best part about collecting these is that they are still usable (and I do use them).  Their practicality is what keeps me from feeling guilty about collecting them.

In other shop news, here is what I am working on:

I listed another set of address labels last night, Holiday Themed.  For those of you who are on the ball with your holiday letters (we have a cousin who manages to get them out Dec 1, I don’t know how she does it!).

A few more days left to sign up!  Come make this Vintage Sheet Skirt with me on Thursday Oct. 2, $25 for the class and you can bring your own materials, or $15 and I’ll bring everything you’ll need.  You can sign-up online, or call the studio and do it over the phone.

Also, if your free Saturday morning (ie, not preparing food for 300 local people who’ll be watching this, like me) then you might want to swing by this charity garage sale, it promises to be good!

Oh, a little Post Script, to whomever it was that snagged my pajamas today at the Nie Recovery Etsy sale, THANK YOU!