Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone! Spring is here!

Fariy Friday

Happy Spring! I almost missed Fairy Friday! Got caught up at work but I remembered just in time.

How wonderful that the first official day of Spring is on a Fairy Friday! It's felt like Spring for the last couple of weeks here in Southern Nevada, but now Spring is officially here! I love iris's and they are usually one of the first Spring flowers to pop out their heads to greet the sun. Enjoy the beauty of Spring!

Have a lovely weekend!

When the Root Children Wake Up

A perfect book for spring...I need to dig it out of my bin to re-read....

The author is Helen Dean Fish. This books illustrations are by Sybille von Olfers. What is your favorite book to read in the springtime?

The Lilac Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker

I've been feeling very lilac and lavender lately. I think because it's spring the color is calling to me. I was saddened when I went to visit my mother and found out her lilac bush had died. Unfortunately, I live here in the desert and I don't think lilacs do very well so I can't grow my own. Every spring, usually around Easter the bush would bloom and I would bury my face in the spikes and just breath in the fragrance. It was an immediate elixir of life. All would be right with the world - the lilacs are in bloom!

I hope my mother will try to grow another bush. Although, I only get to her house a few times a year these days, I would make a special spring trip just to see the lilacs.

The Wood Sorrel Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker

Spring....bringing new things

Spring, time to start anew.....

Well, I have put my etsy shop on vacation. I'll leave it like that for awhile until I decide if I want to close it for good or not. Never say never!!! I've enjoyed the shop but, it is a lot of work and I just don't have the motivation right now. I've also given up my spot on the Moonlight Journey Design Team.  I love Becky and Lynn and I will continue to use and  promote their products but, I didn't think it was fair to be part of a team and not pull my weight.

So, this brings me to what do I do with my spare time? Well, I'm finishing up knitting a sweater that I should have finished months ago cause I wanted to wear it during fall and winter! It's the first sweater I'm knitting that I'm really paying attention to fit and made a swatch and adjusted the size according to the yarn and needles and all that. So far, so good with that. I'll have pics of it soon.

So, on to my next craft. I bought this by mail today:

I'm getting back into embroidery. I haven't done it for years! I actually learned how to embroider before I learned to knit. I think my mother still has my first project. It was a bunch of flowers in a little vase. I think I did it when I was around 10....

I thought this would be a good starting project. It looks like it has simple stitches and shouldn't take me too long to do. I'm thinking of going back to an all white bedroom and this would look quite nice on an all white bed with some white sheets with a crochet edging....ah spring!

Time for Change......And a Giveaway!

I've been mulling it over for a couple of weeks now and, I think, I've decided to close my Etsy shop, at least for awhile. I never started the shop for a profit (would have been nice!). I initially started it to sell handmade scarves and accessories. Somehow that morphed into selling the pendants that I've been peddling for the past couple of years.

I want to say I don't have the time to dedicate to the shop that I should be putting into it. But, that's not really true. I could make the time if I really wanted it. A successful Etsy shop requires a lot of constant and continuous time and dedication to self marketing and such. I feel like my crafting life may be taking a different route. I love the little pendants I've been creating, selling and giving as gifts. But, lately I find myself spread a bit thin. I knit, crochet, sew and create ATC's. I've been doing the latter the most. I want to finish up some knitting projects and work on my crochet and sewing skills as well. I've participated in a couple of ATC swaps and really enjoy those. I'd also like to do something about our backyard. As in, we need one. We bought the house new but, it came with no backyard landscaping and we live in the desert so, everyday I'm staring at an ugly backyard and I'm kinda tired of it.

I also need to get back into yoga. I'll be 48 this year and exercise in general needs to more of a priority in my life. That goes for reading too. I've only been reading at night before I go to sleep. When I have time during the day to read I feel like I'm wasting my time and reading should never be thought of as a waste of time. I find myself wanting to simplify and minimize things in my life and yes, closing for now is the good thing to do.

Maybe I'll open the shop again. I'm a firm believer in never say never but, in the mean time in order to pare down on some overstock I'll be having some giveaways!

Here is a nice pre-spring giveaway:

It a 1x1 inch square pendant set in a bronze base with a glass overlay. It will come on an 18 inch black satin ribbon.

If you are interested in participating just leave me a comment and I'll do a random drawing on Friday March 1st.

Good Luck!

Winner of the Spring Giveaway is.....

Lisa at Suburban Retreat! Congrats Lisa! Lisa won the little trinket below. Sorry I did not post on Saturday as promised. It was a really, really hectic weekend.

Lisa, I'll be emailing you to get your mailing info.

Also, I'm hoping to post for another giveaway later today, stay tuned!

A Giveaway for Spring!

I haven't had a giveaway for sometime and with Spring right around the corner it's time! I'll be having more giveaways in the coming weeks of some of the items I have in my Etsy shop.  I don't plan on closing the Etsy shop but, as I've been knitting and crocheting more and with  the move coming up I just haven't had the time to create, market and promote much of anything. So I'll be keeping it open with new items coming out but, just not as often.

Here's a pretty little vintage inspired pendant. It's a little bouquet of spring flowers with a script background. It's set in a copper tray and measures 1 inch in diameter. It comes on a brown satin edged organza ribbon necklace. The winner can let me know how long or short they'd like the necklace. If you want to enter to win leave a comment telling me what your favorite flower is. That will not determine the winner, I just like to know! The winner will be drawn at random next Friday and I'll announce the winner on Saturday.

Click the image for a closer look.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Good Luck!!!

Fairy Friday

The Narcissus Fairy....

Another flower that is brave enough to pop out in early Spring. I hope everyone is doing well and that any of you that have been buried in snow are seeing bits of Spring green.



The Narcissus Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker


I live in the San Francisco bay area and guess what? Snow. Well, snow is predicted for Saturday. Not a heavy snow, mind you but, flurries. Still, snow in SF?! It hasn't happend since 1976! If it does indeed happen and the snow does stick I'll be sure to take pictures and post. Have a lovely weekend everyone!

P.S. Do you like my new background? I've been wanting to use it for a long time and I think it fits Spring perfectly. It's by Plumrose Lane. Please visit. Sharon has beautiful backgrounds for free and for sale at her Etsy shop.

Fairy Friday and The Joy of......

....the promise of Spring!

For many of my friends out there in blogland Spring feels no where near. They are covered in blankets of snow and are keeping the fires in the hearth going. Here in the Bay Area of California we are having some unusually warm weather. It's sunny and in the high 60's with rumblings that this weekend it may even get into the 70's in some places.

I have even noticed a few pink cherry blossoms peeking out of their branches when I go for a walk. I do like this warm weather but,  it doesn't do well for crops, gardens and orchards. Plants and flowers are tricked into thinking it's Spring and bloom. We'll then get hit with some cold weather and there goes your garden!

And some people believe there is no green house affect? That's a whole other post or blog for that matter! But to my freezing friends I send some sunshine your way (at least in thought, sorry I can't deliver the real thing). I'm rambling here but, I would think that people that live where it snows would really know and feel the true meaning of Spring. You truly know what it feels like to come out of hibernation and when you see the first glimpse of green leaves you must feel the joy that Spring is near.

Here is a little fairy for you that promises that Spring is not too far away. She is the Snowdrop Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker. She promises to bring Spring to you as soon as the time is right.

Here is the official link to the Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker if you'd care to find out more about her artwork.
Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker

Have great weekend everyone!