Do Something Good Every Day

Let's take this as a sign from the Universe and try to make/do something good for someone else (or yourself) every day. Thank you Universe.

Okay, I got a few new listings up yesterday on ArtFire including the other set of Dragonflies in red.

Like Sparkle? or Dragonflies?

New listing on ArtFire today! Very pretty, sparkly dragonflies. These are so fun to wear and have the elusive (ever try to catch one) dragonflies hovering around your face! Check it out. I have another pair to list in RED too!

Free Shipping Offer

I am offering Free Shipping on purchase(s) from my Etsy shop, Miss Chic Boutique, from today (11/26/08) through Sunday 12/4/08.

So if there is something that you have been wanting -- get it now without having to pay for shipping!=)

Sharing Time

In the spirit of the upcoming season, I am sharing one of my favorite recipes with you. This recipe came from a newspaper insert about 20 years ago and I no longer have the original or have a clue who came up with it. I have adjusted it slightly to my tastes.



These little cheesecakes are perfect to take to any gathering as they are already 'ready-to-serve.' You can make them ahead and freeze them and pull out the morning of your event to chill out in the fridge. You can use Amaretto liquor instead of Kahlua (which I make my own by-the-way)!


Also, not all of my brood will not eat regular cheesecake, but they ALL eat these! Give em a try you may be surprised.

Green

On the way home from school yesterday conversation with my 6 YO dd:

"Mom, the colors are just beautiful right now," (talking about the trees)

"Yes, they are. Be sure to enjoy and take in the colors before they are gone."

"Mom, I know God's favorite color."

"You do? What is it?"

"Green. Everything is green. The trees the grass the plants. Green, Mom." (Said with the tone of: Duh, Mom, why haven't you thought of this too!)

How funny is that? You just never know what is going through their minds.

Halloween Sweet

These are the yummiest sugar cookies I have ever made. I have had this recipe from Wilton for well over 20 years and it is incredibly yummy. Did I say that twice? I make mine fairly thick and frost with a good layer of frosting. The cookie is so soft. The kids request these for Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

Fall Colors

These are from last year, but I went to scan in this years leaves and they are the same leaves. I need to find a new neighborhood to go to! Anyways, love the colors.





These are really easy to create. Get the leaf, put it on your scanner, put bright white paper on top of it and scan it at a really high resolution - tada! You now have a nice scan of leaf that you can frame or use for scrapbooking, or whatever!

Surprises

Wow - I found out today I was included in a treasury on Etsy. Thank you Sedgeworks.

And . . . my hand beaded Horse Feather earrings were mentioned in Stacey Kimmel-Smith's blog today! Thank you Stacey!

Creating + Life + Family

So . . . I have not posted in awhile, but I have been incredibly busy getting kids on track in school, taking care of the garden and the bounty that came from that, creating things for Etsy as I was going along and for school auctions and just life in general.

Here is a picture of some of the bell peppers and tomatoes that I have dehydrated lately. Got tired of canning them. These dried veggies are so yummy in pasta salads, salads and dressings! Bell Peppers look alien, but the tomatoes are really pretty. The kids have been eating them faster than I can dry them as snacks as they are so sweet and become chewy.

I am getting ready to start working on some new earring designs and maybe try to finish up a couple of old crochet projects and get them listed. Oh yeah . . . and . . . waaaiiiit foooor iiiitttt . . . . the kids want me to make Halloween costumes!!!

Walk the Plank!

Ha! I no longer have to walk the plank - I finished the Captain Hook Sleeves from the Knit.1, Spring 2006 issue.





Here's some pictures of myself modeling the finished top!

Pictures are done now!

Birthday Present for my Mother.

I finished my mother's birthday present and got it off in the mail today! Hopefully she will get it before this weekend's over! It's okay to post as she does not have a computer!

Are these not the cutest little faces????

I got this great beading pattern from Mary Hipple (she's on Etsy: wolfdendezigns38 - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5941559) Be sure to check her out, her designs are really wonderful (and she's great to work with too).



If you really like this set of earrings I currently have another set listed on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14592414

Tea Rose Halter Top

Okay - So I was gone for 2 1/2 weeks at my mother's following her knee replacement and I haven't posted since I have been back. I went into hiding!

She lives pretty much in a very rural area (aka . . boonies) and its a good drive into town to doctors or grocery stores. Needless to day, I did not get very much done on the things that I PLANNED ON FINISHING! Dang it all! I did get this done, however:

Tea Rose Halter Top by Wenlan Chia from Interweave Knits, Spring 2007

I also was able to get a lot of beadwork done and some designing of earring patterns too! So I have some new earrings that I have completed from Mary Hipples designs and a couple of my own design!

In the next 2 weeks (promise) I hope to have the bullion sleeve top done! (If it kills me) I will find the time to complete it as I want to wear it to my dh's parents 50th wedding anniversary towards the end of September.

Updating Info

My mother is having knee replacement surgery and I will be MIA for 2 or 3 weeks. I know, like I haven't already! I will post more pictures of finished works when I get back. So, no, I did not fall off the face of the planet!! (Not yet anyway!)

Another UFO, but it wasn't my fault!!???

Okay, okay, my fault - I made the sleeves to the captain hook shirt from the Spring 2006, knit.1 magazine (I know, okay -- 2 years ago) Gheesh, but could not find the "right" shirt to put it on. Dang it all. Really silly since the sleeves made up really quick and easily. Very pretty bullion stitch.






Then totally by a fluke a shirt that I bought in a stack of other regular shirts turned out to have the perfect length sleeves to attach these too. (It only took 2 years - so what??) I am in the process of pinning and getting ready to drag out the sewing machine and put them in their place once and for all. I also need to hunt down my ribbons to weave ribbon in the row around the elbow attachment when I finish sewing them down.






Maybe I can post a picture of the finished captain hook sleeves by Tuesday or Wednesday (of this year) haha. Joke - funny!

Finish This! NOW, already - Gheesh!

I have to get these finished. They are officially UFO's (UnFinished Object). Yes, it's been THAT long since I had started these back when I did the original corset. Now I must decide if I am going to make more corsets (which I have had numerous requests for a pattern to and create a corset AND a pattern) or just turn them into bikini/halter tops.

Dragonfly Treasury June 10, 2008

Okay, okay . . . I know . . I am seriously behind in posting. I had got a second treasury on Etsy on June 10th totally devoted to, what else, Dragonflys! There were so many to choose from. The watercolor notecards were just beautiful. Anyways, here it is even though it is long over:

Treasury + Purple

I was so excited yesterday! On my first try at a treasury on Etsy . . . I GOT ONE!!!

I had been collecting pretty purples as I have been going along for such an event and I GOT ONE!!! Please feel free to check it out and give it some L.O.V.E!!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=48898

Okay - the poll is over regarding my avatar for Etsy. Drumroll - the Green Dragonfly received 50% of the vote, so therefore due to the popular vote (or possibly until they sell) they will be the face of my shop!

Thanks to those who posted a vote!

Doing a Happy Dance

I have been put in a Treasury on Etsy! Wow! Here's a screen shot of the Treasury. Cottage Charm Kitchen.

Thank you therosecottage.etsy.com for including me. Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=47952

Help me out with my avatar for Etsy!

Okay - I need help picking out an avatar that represents my shop on Etsy. Please help me out and place your vote. Voting goes through June 4th. Voting is immediately to your right ---------------------------------->

1. Overall Girl


2. Crochet Halter


3. Pink Fringe


4. Mint Fringe


5. Green Dragonflys




Thanks for your help and any comments are welcome!

Clip On Earring Findings for Earrings

For those who have not taken the plunge to get their ears pierced and wear or want the clip on earrings I am posting pictures of your options to swap out here. I currently offer the following and will add more options as I get them.

Gold Plated clip on with ball:

Stepping Out.

Stepping out. Those two words could mean all kinds of things. In this case, it represents this Iris, which is named "Stepping Out." It is usually a sign that Spring has sprung. I guess that we are a few weeks behind on Spring this year as it has been really chilly. I mean snow on Spring Break . . . good grief! I just love this Iris with it's lovely shades of purple.

Sneak Peek for week of May 19th

Here is a sneak peek of what will show up this week in my Etsy shop. My fingers were so sore after doing this! Be sure to check my shop as these will be showing up sometime this week. I have been experimenting trying to come up with better pictures too!

Hand Beaded Earrings are Addicting!

It seems like when I start doing these earrings I can't stop and by the time you do stop you have made like 10 pairs of them!

This particular bead work is called brick stitch or cheyenne stitch which is in reference to how the foundation rows are made and worked.

I have done bead work for a VERY long time and I always return to it. It is very soothing to sit and bead. It does take a 2 to 3 hours to complete 1 set of earrings as each bead is sewn to the next one bead at a time!

Playing in Corel Paint Shop Pro!

The other night I was playing around in Corel Paint Shop Pro and this is what happened!

Here is the original picture:

I enameled it and got this funky picture.















This is one where I was finding the edges by rolling the dice!














And more finding the edges and getting a glow!











I must now experiment further with more pictures! I think a monster has been created! Need to get some family pictures and see what I can do to change them up for scrapbooking.

Round Dishcloths are Awesome!

I love using these dishcloths! The garter stitch makes great little scrubbers for your cleaning needs. These can be used as washcloths or facecloths too! These fit in perfectly with any shabby, cottage or country decor.

Beaded Socks that go Cha, Cha, Cha!

I prefer to make these for the older little girls rather than for the babies as babies put everything in their mouth to check it out! Always, better safe than sorry! The little girls love to dance around in these or just bounce their feet to hear the 'music of the beads'.