MayDay Giveaway!

It's giveaway time on the Homefront! 19 shops, including mine, 19 awesome prizes! It's easy to enter just check out the Homefront blog for details. Giveaway runs through May 15th. There's amazing aprons, bibs, cards, clips, jewelry, notebooks, and lots more! All you have to do is send a note (or conversation in etsy-ese) to the shops giveaway you'd like to enter. You can enter all 19 if you'd like! Ok, there's the basics... go go go Giveaway!

Here's a little pic of my giveaway item to tide you over while the new page loads.

Simply Marvelous

I did manage to finish my daughters sweater awhile back. The one where I fell asleep at the needles. Also managed to teach myself how to knit left handed or Continental if you prefer. Man, I shoulda just had my MIL show me how she knit instead of trying the righty way! Truley is easier to not throw the yarn.

Anywho, just recently took pics of it to share. She's a ham, but she does love it. Will work great as the weather starts to cool a bit in a few months. Gonna start to work on my son's sweater as well so I can have it finished for this year too. He's a moose! As long as it's the same size as hers, it should fit him :)

This, of course, will be done while working on countless other projects (I can think of at least 5-6 that have been started) and adding new items to sell as well. Gotta keep busy right?

Sale Time!!

It's Monday! Which means it's time for some Sales on the Homefront. We got another treasury, courtesy of bethjt all in beautiful blues. It looks like a breath of fresh ocean air. But don't take my word for it! You can check it out here.

This is just a taste of what gorgeous stuff us gals work on while our men are away (or here).

So come check us out, sit chat, buy (if you wanna) and enjoy the candor of a few military wives. We'll be in the forums, under promotions. Just search Homefront!

Medical Update

For some reason it made sense to me to add this on now. With all the talk of animals yesterday, I figured it was a good time to share my hubby's PET scan results. (Ok, kind of a cheesy intro, but it works!) Anyhow, he put a call in to the doctor on Friday and got a call back Friday night and it was clean! This means that there aren't anymore tumors in his system to worry about now, but he'll still need chemo to clean out his lymph nodes I believe. It was great news to get. As there was a bit of concern for one possibly being in his liver.

So one more day down and how many more to go (I suppose I could do the math for you... 365x5 years to be in the clear... 1825... -44 days since diagnosis... )1781. Just imagine where we'll be then? Just after our 9th anniversary. My daughter will be in the second grade, son in first... could be here in CA or somewhere new. Hubby will have 11 years into his career and I could be a crafting goddess making boo-koo bucks :) But he will be there with us, this I am sure of.

Oddities of life...

So this is beginning to be a theme here. A few weeks ago we had a bird stuck in our house. One of the grates is missing between the roof beams and so they make nests in there. Well this bird apparently went too far into the house and fell between the walls. It was a harmless little black bird that then started to pace between our bathroom (it'd stick it's beak in the hole around our plumbing under the sink) and the space underneath our furnace. After hearing it try to get back up the wall and find a way out, my husband took off the grate under the furnace and waited for the bird to make it's way out. Myself, the kids and the cat sat in another room waiting for it to be freed. Poor cat spent most of the morning at the grate trying to figure a way in!

The bird did decide to come out and my husband helped guide it to the back door which was open. It was just an oddity of life really. No real reason that a bird should get stuck in your house.

Then last week, we saw the bird hit by the truck in front of us getting off the highway. And now today I noticed something against the wall in our living room. It looked like a frog. A shriveled up little frog. Being that my husband is home visiting family, I called my SIL (who thankfully lives next door) and asked when my brother was getting off work. She said it'd be later and asked why. So I told her I had something in the house that I didn't want to take out on my own and wanted him to do for me. She said "Oohkaaaay... what is it?" Told her it looked like a frog. I think she thought I was crazy. There aren't usually frogs in this area, although we do live by an estuary where I'm sure there are a few and I have heard some around before but it was months ago.

Needless to say, when he got home, he came over (he delivered my daughter as well since she went to swim next door) and I told him he could poke fun at me all he wanted if he was just a leaf. Turns out it was a frog. A petrified little frog. It was stuck between our speaker and the kids' easel. Once again just an oddity of life. Not sure what to make of it or take from it... just how life can be. I feel bad for the poor guy and I don't remember hearing him in the living room or know how he could have come in or when... Oddity...

Treasured Items

Woke up this morning and saw there were 2 new Homefront treasuries featuring our Military Spouses work. This lovely orange hues one which features my BerryBerry purse.

And the elegance of black and white on the other. Come check out the beautiful treasuries that Ella Bear put together for us!

Crocheting with a 3 year old

My daughter has been asking to learn to knit and crochet. "Mommy can you show me how to make something?" So I figured I'd give it a whirl today. Showed her how to do a slip stitch. Her little hands in mine holding the yarn and hook. Guiding her through, we made a chain of them together. She wanted to work on it on her own. Didn't get all too far however since she was having trouble with it. That and the house started to get a bit crazy. My son, god bless him, is becoming a terrible two year old a bit early.

For an example, he's currently finishing the food he's had in his mouth for the past 5 minutes. Always too full of a mouth and he can't chew it down. There's not much I can think to do to get him to not put so much in there. Even if there are smaller pieces, he'll just add more handfuls till he can't chew and can't finish it. Then comes the throwing the food on the ground since he's bored of eating (because he can't eat) and he's just done with it. He's always into something and loving every minute of trying to explore. Makes for an interesting time trying to do anything with my daughter while he's around! We'll try again at another time.

I think I've managed to write out my first pattern however. Since I can read patterns and do sometimes use them, the basics are easy enough to figure out. However writing it out, gotta make sure it's completely correct before I share it. It'll at least make my life easier being able to make purses off of the pattern.

Simply Savy... What's in a name

Simply Savy... To take their slogan, Simple purses for your savvy mood, it truly fits!

Our original name was to be twosassysisters. but it was taken as a website already so we came up with SimplySavy. Why not 2 vv's in Savvy, well www.simplysavvy.com was taken so since it's a commonly mis-spelled name (which we did) we kept it. Kinda savvy don't ya think. We thought our handbags are simply savy, so it stuck. Then our tag, "simple purses for your savy mood", went along perfectly with what we were trying to say about us and our product. See our profile.

Oddities of life

Have you ever seen something just so oddly strange you just aren't quite sure what to think of it? While we were driving to my husbands scan today, we saw a bird burst into feathers. The truck infront of us getting off the highway, never saw it since it dived down into the line of traffic. It just surreal watching these feathers poof and disperse as we drove on.

I didn't think much about it till after the appointment. On the way to it, I was moreso thinking what I would do to preoccupy myself. I'd not brought a project to work on because for some reason I was thinking it was a short process. Although all in all, it did only take an hour and a half or so. Thankfully I'd brought a book to read and the hospital here is really a nicely laid out place. Easy to just wander through and think.

On the drive back I brought it back up to my husband and he was a bit awed by it as well. Life can be so fleeting in that sense. It also now makes me think of the movie American Beauty for some reason, there was an interesting beauty in the way the feathers flew down. Bit of an oddity to share, but it's been one of those days. Just a few more days till we get the results on his scan. He's going home to visit family, just take a bit of a break before chemo starts. So the kids and I will get a break as well :) Be nice to know he's getting time with people and we're used to not having him around. That is one of the... not sure you'd call it a blessing... but blessings of the military life.

Across the Pond... What's in a name

Across the Pond... How awesome is this pendant? And there's still so much more to discover across the pond.

Mine is Across the Pond because as a college student, I did an internship in London and I absolutely fell in love with the city. Shortly after, I met an English man and fell in love with him too. :) We've been together ten years now and have two awesome kids. Like my profile says, I live in the South and love it, but a little piece of my heart lies across the pond in London.

*Aren't we all just a little guilty of how we treat the Earth? Remember it's Earth Day so do something special... walk, recycle, plant, use a little less.

SoCalledMommy... What's in a name

I did have a few more stores to tell their story for their names. The next being:

SoCalledMommy... This Mommy certainly isn't just any SoCalledMommy! Beautifully decorated wooden letters, cards, albums, scrabble tile necklaces and so so socalled much more!

When I first created my "internet identity" (ie, screename) we lived in Southern California, so I was "SoCal Mommy". Some of my friends said they always thought of "SoCalled" when they read it. When we moved from SoCal, the name didn't really work any more anyway, but there are definitely days when I feel like a "SoCalledMommy" !

Life is Simple

When viewed by a 3 year old. My husband was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. It was a bit of a shock to us. He's so young (27) we've only been married 4 years (doesn't it always seem longer?) and I want to see him grow old and gray, that's part of why I married him! It's been an interesting thing to think about. He points out the possibility of death, I tell him not to. I know that it is there, but I'd prefer to think that he's going to make it. Now if you believe and focus hard enough, it can be a reality right?

The main reason for this post, well there are 2. I like to think each person who I tell of his cancer, a little bit more dies away. Now this doesn't mean we aren't making changes to his diet and lifestyle. Just a little at a time. It's hard when you're young and stubborn and come to live on things like soda instead of water. I am proud of the fact that he's trying, he'll get there soon enough.

Secondly, we recently told our daughter a little about Daddy. You see he's been sick since the end of January. In and out of the hospital a few times and to different appointments. As well as just sick at home. So we've talked to her a bit about his tummy hurting (for awhile her's hurt daily as well, she'd relax with him). When he went in in March, he needed surgery and so when Daddy wasn't gonna be home for a few days, I told her that was why. The doctors were fixing Daddy's hurt tummy. My hubby told her the other day he was still sick. (We want her to know a bit of what is going on because she does notice the changes in us and our moods or the energy of the house, however you want to say that.) Her response was simply "Uh huh, and the doctor's are going to make you better."

So I am working on spending my time thinking simply as a child, he will get better, the doctor's will make him better and that's all there is to it. Call it denial or just wanting to look at things in a positive light, I'll keep the darker thoughts at bay. It does no good to dwell on what could be. And the picture, well that's simply a kiss from a baby girl to her daddy.

e2 Designs... What's in a name

e2 Designs... Adorable ponchos for anyone's adorable inspirations! Some with the richest looking fabrics as well.

e2 is the nickname my brother gave to my daughter - Ella Elizabeth, and she's the reason I started making my ponchos - and it's just evolved from there!

Yummy Pancake... What's in a name

Yummy Pancake... Food plushies at their finest! Such an interesting view of the world with favorites like Mr. Toastee around! She blogs as well, sharing her crochet and life.

Well, when I was thinking of a name, this was the first thing that popped into my head. It comes from my childhood - My best friend and I used to make silly videos with my dad's video camera, and this one little video we made for yummy pancakes just sticks in my head because it was so hilarious and simple! I had a small vinyl Strawberry Shortcake character holding a stack of crepes (it was Crepe Suzette) that looked like pancakes. We filmed her and just said "Yummy Pancakes are so good, your friend's will want to drop by" and then poured a whole bucket of my vinyl figures on top of her. It's alot funnier when you see the video ^_^ Plus, I think Yummy Pancake is a fun, catchy name.

By the by, anyone else wonder if that video would be any good on youtube?

MadelineCarey... What's in a name

MadelineCarey... For a name so practical, you get whimsy and color! Very interesting niche to fill. I love this guys eyes too.

Mine's just my name. And my father's is CraigCarey. When I first made a website, off etsy, for my father I couldn't get his name as the address. So, I ended up with careyart.com... only problem was that, no matter how many times you told them not to, people would send a check made out to Carey Art, which the bank wouldn't take. So when we decided to try out etsy I made sure that there was, pretty much, no way someone could write out a check incorrectly. Not all that interesting, but practical.

MaryRichmondDesign... What's in a name

MaryRichmondDesign... Always something to think about when picking a name. Practicality can be key. So many different offerings can be found here from the talented Mrs. Mary.

I was told years ago to use my own name for my handmade tile business and I've watched my clients get confused about other businesses with cuter names but they always remember the name of my business. I have clients from 10-20 years ago Google me on the internet because they remembered my name was my business name. And that won't work for every one's business. If you are a designer doing custom work, though, you might think about it ;-0

Colibri Dreams... What's in a name

Colibri Dreams... what beautiful dreams to create such soothing pieces.

Colibri is Spanish for "hummingbird". I love hummingbirds, and they are also symbol of freedom. It seemed right to put the word in Spanish, as I now live in Mexico. And the dreams part here refers to dreams you dream while sleeping - I use them sometimes as my inspirations. Besides, I think that if hummingbirds do have dreams, they must dream of something beautiful! I would have liked to put the name in my native Finnish, as it sounds even better, but I think it might have been difficult for interntional buyers to remember.

Homemade Zen... What's in a name

Homemade Zen... amigurumi for all! Such cute animals all with the extra flowers detail. Perfect to share or just give a home too.

I picked my name because my last name is pronounced like "Zen", and I love making homemade crochet dolls.

Teal Chic Knits... What's in a name

Teal Chic... what can I say? Just check out her blog to see how deep this teal trance can be! It rocks!

That's a great question! I didn't want my name to be used, and everybody and their brother knows I love the color turquoise/teal. I tried to make a website, but turquoise chic was taken. I was so upset about that, but once I thought of the color teal, I liked it so much better!!!!

Vintage Blues... What's in a name

Vintage Blues... words from her blog... this tells half the story!

OK...so I started out with the notion of creating items out of old blue jeans...comfy, but cool. Well being one of those women that is used to doing a million things at one time, the idea snowballed into using vintage blouses (no longer wearable) or linens to create pillows. The vintage is there, but not always the blue. I couldn't very well call my Etsy shop Vintage Pink or Purple so... I left it alone.

You can read the rest here.

11karri... What's in a name

11karri... The sci-fi feel of the name to me (makes me think of a 1984 world) mixed with the vintage, just somehow makes sense.

I was new to computers, and needed a name for online sales. I picked a very close childhood friends name, because it was different. And then the computer told me to add some numbers for a safer name. I added my daughters age at that time. After over 2,000 deals I just sort of became 11karri...

red pajamas... What's in a name

red pajamas ... I wanna a pair! Comfort that is exquisite to look at.

We picked our name after my daughters favorite item, her red pajamas. It's explained with more detail on our front page...

"Red jammies on! Red jammies on!" comes the desperate cry from a four year old little girl. She is demanding her favorite pair of fuzzy red footed pajamas that are two sizes too small. Ever since she got these jammies, she has refused to sleep in anything else, regardless of the mid-summer heat or the fact that they are stretched to the max. She still insists that they fit just fine. She has found a good thing and can't seem to let them go.

Studio Twenty... What's in a name

Studio twenty needlework accessories, made from a needlework designer. With zipper fobs that are just adorable.

I am studio twenty because my blog is named "Inside Number Twenty"... 20 is my house number and my blog reflects what goes on here. Studio twenty is what comes out of here :)

waterrose... What's in a name

Waterrose... Vividness at it's best. The beauty of each color stands out amongst the textures at play. And a name that has yet to be discovered.

Long ago and far away a young man from the land of tulips and windmills made his way to New York. I try to picture the journey and what may have been crossing his mind as he neared this distant shore. Fear, excitement, trepidation? ... finish the story here

Grizzly Mountain Arts... What's in a name

Grizzly Mountain Arts... It would seem they save their detail for their craft. Beautifully intricate, really worth the look! They blog too.

We live on Grizzly Mountain and there are two of us that create the items in our shop, hence the "arts" and not "art".

New Look

After spending countless hours on my blog last night, it's a brand new look. Thanks to those at Tips for New Bloggers I'm starting to figure out a bit more on how to change/read/understand html. At least to a point that I can fiddle a bit.

The one thing I did learn and remember to do, was the save my template before I went to make any changes to it! I still have the one I'm currently using on my pc. And for very good reason because my mouse can be a bit touchy and I accidently changed the entire template in a matter of a second. "NOOOOOOO!!! AAGGGGHHHH!!!" was heard in my house (possibly throughout the neighborhood) last night at about 10:30PM after having done so. The last template change I had saved was at least almost how I wanted it, not needing much tweaking. But man, that's why I do love Autosave on the posts themselves at least :)

Now I'll have to get back to creating and updating my store! I've a few new things to add and a special order to work on. As well as some promo stuff for a craftshow in FL. It'll be on a military base there, some of the Homefront gals are putting it on. I'll take pics of what I send to them (promo stuff as well as a little something for their baskets that will be auctioned off for charity). If you are around Tyndall Air Force Base and would like more info, you can check out Amanda she's one of the few heading it up! I thought there was a blog posting about this event, but now am unable to find it. Been up too long already today :)

Polka Dot Dog... What's in a name

Polka Dot Dog... Simple and elegant jewelry... always brings a polka dot dog to mind! :) Many new ideas on the rise to expand this brand.

My shop is named for my dog and best friend, Sloane. Right now I only sell jewelry, but I wanted a name that could encompass a lot of different styles and products. I felt that Polka Dot Dog could be styled as a brand, as opposed to just one product.

April Fools Day!

So in honor of the Tom Foolery of the day, I posted 2 what's in a names to share with you. I also wanted to share this little bit. My daughter (who is 3 and quick as a whip) has been playing with paint pens while I write this to you. She took out one paint pen (this one with a brushtip) and then tells me it doesn't work! Mind you this while she is looking at me with this interesting looking lipstick job (courtesy of said brush). It's the little things that amuse. Hope all have an amusing day!

D'Beadery... What's in a name

D'Beadery... I love the levels to the name and the shop is great too! Whimsical to classic and vintage to boot!

D'Beadery is a play on words. In some traditional southern speech, the word "the" is pronounced "duh," or shortened to simply the letter d followed by an apostrophe, followed by the noun. Hence my shop name.

My name is Deborah. I'm often called Deb or Debby, so DBeadery is a shortened version of "Deb's Beadery." So you see that D'Beadery is a pun. :D

I make and sell jewelry, with or without beads. I really enjoy my work.

BeepBeepHello... What's in a name

BeepBeepHello... An eclectic shop with all natural knits, and quirky earrings made from spoons, dice and circuit boards. Not to mention the original artwork.

I picked my name because i wanted it to sound like some Japanese anime name. It's catchy and that's all there is to it. Plus it's quirky and I'm quirky so it works.