something new

Needle Felt version of an ACEO "Art Cards, Editions and Originals"

ACEO stands for "Art Cards, Editions and Originals". These cards have one main rule - they are 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches - the size of a trading card.
The reason for this is, of course, that Art Cards are made to be traded! But while artists were happily trading cards, the general public was left out in the cold, having no Art Cards to trade. A group of artists realized this, and quickly made their cards available for sale at remarkably low prices so that everyone could join in the fun!

Cards are also sold either as originals or editions. Make sure you know which you are buying! If it is a print it should say so, and it should be numbered and signed, usually on the back.

Art Cards can be a riot! Artists from all over the world are creating, and now selling these little gems in different mediums and of different subjects. Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic, Colored Pencil, Pastels, Pyrography, Pen and Ink, Sketching, Collage - the sky is the limit. Abstract, Surrealism, Outsider Art, Impressionism, Expressionism -every style you can think of - and then some!. Every interest and subject is covered! Extremely collectable Pocket Art, you can't stop at just one!

Beneath The Tree Needle Felt Display

Old Bathroom Cabinet gets an upgrade to my Display

approx. 280 items displayed in a 4'x2' space

Necklace Pendants

Magnet Broaches

Pins

Rings

Earrings

Hat Pin

Hair Clips

Bracelets
Animal Portriats
Snowmen
Finger Puppet
Fingerless Gloves
Martini Glass
Artist Trading Card
Pumpkins

Pin Cushions -Toadstools, Mice, Pumpkins

Bookmarks - Paperclip & Elastic Band styles

Indoor Snowballs

Jean Jacket w/Lily Cascade

Christmas Ornaments

Back

Front Side

New Stuff

http://www.thedogfiles.com/2010/10/11/pit-proud-the-history-of-the-pit-bull/

Guinea Pig Costumes for the Livestock Fashion Show

First Place for their catagory at the Barry County Fair Fashion Show!! Congrads kid & pigs. . . .

Siren & JewelE are very happy in their Burrito & Taco costumes. . . I have simular costumes listed in my Etsy Shop. Stop by and see!

COWBOY CAVIAR

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4 color peppers (1/2 of each) - chopped

1/2 onion - chopped

1/2 celery heart - chopped

1 can black beans rinsed

1 can fiesta corn

1 can white corn

1 can yellow corn

Whip til mixed:

1/2 cup vinegar (white)

1/2 cup olive oil (cold pressed)

1/2 cup sugar

Mix everything together and refridgerate for 2 hours.

Serve with chips, as a topping on meat, hotdogs, salad. . .

ALTERNATIVES OR ADD-INS:

extra Black Beans/Kidney Beans

Black Eyed Peas

Roma Tomatoes

Canned Chopped Tomatoes

Cilantro

Avacados

Green onions

DRESSING alternatives or add-ins:

Italian Dressing

Garlic

Lime Juice

Cumin

hot pepper sauce

Jalapeno peppers

VIEW FROM THE GRASS

Rock solid Temperment! Curiser is a APBT rescued from our local animal shelter 4 years ago. . . goes to all kinds of dog events with his handler who just turned 9 and welcomes short term foster dogs into HIS house. . . not bad for a dog agressive/dog fighter rescue

Mike Rowe (the Dirty Jobs guy) has nailed it when he talks about the future of farming: http://www.mikeroweworks.com/2010/05/the-future-of-farming/

Cooking, TV and OK. . . . . . . . Ranting

when all through the house…the only one who was stirring was me… in the kitchen…making stuff. What kind of stuff? Good stuff. I thought my stuff was already good. This stuff is better. Lord. Better stuff? We’re dating…
Yes, I have officially lost my mind. I blame it on reality TV and the idiots who participate. I don’t want to see anymore people with a jillion kids, or crazy people who’ll jump off a mountain if someone will watch. I just want my old TV shows back. The ones with good drama. Sometimes funny. Sometimes sad. But fiction, for God’s sake. Isn’t there anyone left in the entertainment industry who has some creative imagination?
Ok. So I’m on a rant. It’s sugar overload, I think. I haven’t eaten real candy in over a year. I’m making goodies and sampling them against Weight Watcher advise, I might add. Don’t worry. I haven’t lost complete control.

Butterworth Hospital Spring Show

With the spring cleaning does the urge to redecorate enter your mind? In addition to purchasing new art for a space, there are some low cost ways, budget friendly ways to freshen up a room. Today's art themed article is Low Budget Decorating, High Style Looks by Kahi Lee of the Home and Garden Television show, Design on a Dime. She details a few simple tricks "do-it-yourself-ers" can do to give any room in your home a fresh, new look.

Dangerous Women

May we be dangerous women.
May we be women who acknowledge our power to change, and grow, and be radically alive in God.
May we be healers of wounds and righters of wrongs.
May we weep with those who weep and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
May we cherish children, embrace the elderly, and empower the poor.
May we pray deeply and teach wisely.
May we be strong and gentle leaders.
May we sing songs of joy and talk down fear.
May we never hesitate to let passion push us , conviction propel us, and righteous anger energize us.
May we strike fear into all that is unjust and evil in the world.
May we dismantle abusive systems and silence lies with truth.
May we shine like stars in a darkened generation.
May we overflow with goodness in the name of God and by the power of Jesus.
And in that name, and by that power, may we change the world.

~ Lynne Hybels
Nice Girls Don't Change the World

Are you DANGEROUS?

! !Goody Bags! !

The ideas for low cost swag can be applied not just to craft shows but to your Etsy shop too. Enjoy!

Goody Bag Swag for craft shows does not have to be expensive!

Goody bags are a great way to welcome and encourage visitors to arrive during a time which is typically quiet - early mornings. Visitors love getting a free gift: it makes them feel special and appreciated and it encourages them to become shoppers. It's also an amazing way to get your name out there. You can actually say to visitors - "Hey did you get that little notebook l I put in the goody bag you're carrying?" thus making for another point of conversation with a potential customer. And of course they then have some sort of way to be able to contact you afterwards if you put your phone number or email on your swag item. It's an easy, inexpensive way to get YOUR name out there & to remind visitors of you & your craft!

I've received free magnets at shows I've attended with images of artists' work and have specifically sought them out - during the show as well as after - to make a purchase just because I so liked their work represented on the little magnet. So it cost the artist maybe 10 cents to make the magnet but it translated into a $30 sale.

But it can be cost and time prohibitive to give away samples of your work. You don't want to give your work away for free however there are other things you can pass out to make yourself and your business memorable. I want to emphasize that swag does not have to be expensive or time-consuming to be an effective marketing tool. I personally give away "Fortune Fish" with a business card in all my sales and you'd be amazed at how effective a 3 cent item can be!

Here are some more goody ideas:

- One fabric artist I know made little pins by tying a little strips of her leftover fabric (with frayed edges) to safety pins. Then she pinned these to her business cards. Brilliant!!!

- One gentleman at the last Red Rabbit show, a woodworker, took slices of his leftover wood and rubber stamped his name & logo on each one to make coasters. Very cool and gorgeous. I liked the idea of stamping or printing a business name or logo onto a scrap of the material that represents your medium.

- If you happen to have a button badge machine, little 1" buttons cost less than 10 cents to make and are a great way to use fabric scraps or prints of artwork.

- Sticker paper is cheap and you can print a little bit of artwork or a logo to make great little stickers. Use a paper punch to speed things up.

- Glass artists always have lots of scrap glass around. You can fire polish or tumble the glass to remove the sharp edges and drill a hole. Add a little piece of string and tie it to your business card. Easy.

- At other shows, I've seen jewelry makers take a bead or two, and they don't have to be expensive beads at all, and string them onto a little piece of pretty thread and tie that to a business card. The giftee can later add a chain or finding and make their own artwork.

- If you've got a die cut machine (like a Sizzix or Cuttlebug) you are living the life. If you find a die that fits the theme of your art or business, this will allow you to cut your scraps (fabric, paper, cardboard, leather, etc.) very, very quickly. Paper punches in various shapes are great too although not all handle thick materials.

- How cute would it be to get a bag of those little plastic toy bubbles that you get from gumball / toy machines and put a little "fortune" inside - a scrap of paper with your business info and maybe a cute little cartoon scribbled on it? I would totally love a unique little piece of art!

- Imprinted pencils are always cool but they tend to cost maybe 30 cents each. How's about getting a box of pencils from the office supply store (or Costco!) and adding a little label / banner to the top announcing your business? Even easier if you print the labels on sticker paper.

- Don't forget about printable iron on sheets. You can print your business card sized artwork - maybe 15 to a sheet - then iron onto stabilized fabric. Cut apart then add a magnet to the back or an eyelet with a key ring. Now that's a business card that I wouldn't throw away! A variation is to print out artwork instead, make it into a pin and attach it to a business card.

- Wood (popsicle sticks, clothes pins, precut shapes) and a wood burning tool. 'Nuff said. :)

- Never underestimate the power of office supplies and their potential swagability. Rubber bands, colored paper clips, glassine or coin envelopes and ink stamps that say "Urgent" can be combined to make memorable little business card holders.

- Look around at what you've got lots of scraps of - paper, unwanted beads, cardboard, clay, ribbon, fabric, wire - and see if there isn't a way to turn that into a goody somehow. Think clever and make it cool. As long as you put some love into it, even humble leftover material can become a welcome gift.

I think the best swag is something that somehow represents your art and your business but is not expensive or time consuming to make plus it is somehow entertaining (like fortune fish) or functional (like a bookmark or magnet). You want your business info to somehow be on the swag so that people will remember you next time they see you somewhere. "Oh yeah, she's the girl who made those great magnets last time! I love her art! I think I want to buy a picture from her." It happens! I know I often purchase from artists because I remembered them from having gotten a little free goody from them once. And when you see someone walk up to your booth carrying a goody bag be sure to say "Hey! You lucky - you got a goody bag! One of my pieces is in there. Did you see it?" Heck! Offer to sign it! Then with this little icebreaker, you've just introduced yourself to a potential customer. Remember - they got there early so they are looking for art!

Have Seen This Before. . . But It Makes Me Laugh Everytime!

BATH NOTE

Don't be alarmed, the world isn't coming to an end. I am simply taking a bath. It will take about thirty minutes and will involve soap and water. Yes, I know how to swim. Even if I didn't, forcing myself to drown in a half-inch of lukewarm water is more work than I've got energy for. (Which reminds me, I'm all for science projects, but the next time you want to see if Play-Doh floats, use cold water.)

Don't panic if I'm not out right on time. I've heard that people don't dissolve in water and I'd like to test the theory. While I'm in the tub, I'd like you to remember a few things. The large slab of wood between us is called a door. Do not bang to hear my voice. I promise that even though you can't see me, I *am* on the other side. I'm not digging an escape tunnel and running for the border,no matter what I said a while ago. I didn't mean it. Honest. There will be plenty of time later to tell me about your day.

"Later" means at a time when I am no longer naked, wet, and contemplating bubble gum in the blow dryer. I know you have important things to tell me. Please let one of them be that you have invented a new way to blow bubbles, not a new way to add gum to your hair.

Believe it or not, shouting, "TELEPHONE!" through the closed bathroom door will *not* make the phone stop ringing. Answer it and take a message. Since Amazing Mind-Reading Mom has the day off, you'll need to write that message down. Use paper and a pencil. Do not use your brother and the laundry marker. We can't send him to school with telephone number tattoos.

Water makes me wet, not deaf. I can still tell the difference between the sound of "nothing" and the sound of a child playing the piano with a basketball. I can also hear you tattling at the top of your lungs. I'm *choosing* NOT to answer you.

Don't call your dad at work and tell him I am unconscious in the bathroom. He didn't appreciate it last time. He won't appreciate it more this time. Trust me.

No matter how much I would like it, water does not make me forgetful. I remember who you are and why you are grounded. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to play. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to use the bathroom. If someone is in our other bathroom, you will just have to think dry thoughts and wait. Unless you have four feet and a tail, do not think of going outside to "water" the lawn. I know the dog does it. The neighbors don't feel the need to call me when the dog does it.

Unless the house catches on fire, stay inside and keep the doors locked. Do not go outside and throw rocks at the bathroom window to get my attention. I know it works in the movies. This is reality, the place where people don't like to sit in a tub while rocks and broken glass rain in on them. Do not set the house on fire. Call me if there is an emergency.

Emergencies ARE:

1. Dad has fallen off the roof.

2. Your brother and/or sister is bleeding.

3. There's a red fire truck in front of our house.

Emergencies are NOT:

1. Dad has fallen asleep.

2. Someone on TV is bleeding.

3. There's a red pickup truck in front of our house.

One other thing: Being forced to use the last roll of toilet paper for a towel does not make me happy. It makes me sticky with little white polka dots. In the future, when the tub overflows, use a mop to clean up the water instead of every towel in the house. For my sanity's sake, let's pretend it was the tub, Okay? No, I don't want to hear the real story. Ever. Especially not while I'm standing in the pool of water you missed.

By the way, all Play-Doh experiments are hereby canceled.

Be good. Entertain yourselves. Yes, you can do both at the same time. Try coloring, playing a game, or paying that stack of bills on the coffee table.

I'll be out soon. Maybe.

Love,
Your Mom

Indoor Snowball Fight!!

Canned Snow Ball Fight No Matter The Weather! Kid tested, Mother approved.

All the Fun of Snowball Fight straight from a Michigan Snowstorm but in a non-meltable form. These extremely light and safe wool balls make great indoor fun when cold outdoor sport is unavailable.

Needle Felted white roving creates a light, airy ball with a soft squishy inside unlike a wet felted ball that can be as hard and heavy as a tennis ball. I have been having fun throwing them at my computer screen (and not hurting it) and at the library where I work. . . who says kids get to have all the fun!

This listing is for a set of eight (8) snowballs in natural ivory and is presented in a silvertone gallon paint can. Four (4) large balls and four (4) small balls. The balls vary somewhat in size, the large balls are between 10" & 11 1/2" in circumference (11" ball would be 3.46" diameter) and weigh less than an ounce each. The small balls are approximately 8" in circumference (2.45" diameter). The set's total weight of wool is 8 ounces and 15 ounces with the can.

Other size snowballs and sets are available. Convo for more information. See my profile for a description of how these balls are created. Not felted as an animal toy, please see my team mate Lona at www.etsy.com/shop/ShadySideFarm for wet felted dryer balls that will handle rougher play.

Try a New Recipe Today. . .Snowbound West Michigan

Cowboy Cookies

2 sticks margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
1 package bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat together margarine, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and add to the mixture. Fold in oatmeal and chocolate chips. Grease and sprinkle flour over a cookie sheet. Place balls of dough (think the size of small ping-pong balls) about 2 inches apart from each other and bake for 8 minutes. Since many oven temperatures vary, keep an eye on your first batch. At the first hint of browning, take them out. They should be soft and doughy. Carefully remove cookies with a spatula and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container to keep them soft.

Yield: About 50 to 60 cookies.

Things to do when you're bored

(yes, I know that much of this is for outdoors, and for older kids, but MAYBE something will trigger an idea): from my EtsyWMI teammate Lona at ShadySideFarm.etsy.com


1) ride bikes
2) roller blade
3) basketball
4) play board games
5) make a tent out of blankets
6) squirt with hoses
7) run through the sprinkler
8) jump rope
9) read books
10) blow bubbles
11) make homemade play dough
12) play with play dough
13) press flowers
14) do crafts with pressed flowers
15) write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal
16) clean bedroom
17) vacuum livingroom
18) clean bathroom
19) make a craft
20) draw
21) color
22) paint
23) pull weeds
24) watch a movie
25) write stories
26) use binoculars
27) use magnifying glass
28) use microscope
29) bird watching
30) write a play
31) act out a play
32) invent circus acts
33) perform a circus
34) play card games
35) make art on the front walkway with sidewalk chalk
36) play catch
37) play baseball
38) collect rocks
39) collect leaves
40) collect feathers
41) play Frisbee
42) make Frisbee's out of old plastic lids, decorate with
markers
43) dust the house
44) brush the pet
45) write letters
46) read a magazine
47) play dress-up
48) play Cowboys
49) pick vegetables
50) play outside with the pet
51) build a fort in your rooms
52) build a fort in the backyard
53) do a jigsaw puzzle
54) play on the Geosafari
55) play on the computer
56) listen to a story or book on tape
57) do extra schoolwork to get ahead
58) do brain teasers (crosswords, word searches, hidden
pictures, mazes, etc.)
59) cook
60) prepare lunch
61) surprise a neighbor with a good deed
62) play store
63) prepare a "restaurant" lunch with menus
64) hold a tea party
65) have a Teddy bear picnic
66) play with toy cars
67) play dolls
68) play house
69) chase butterflies
70) collect caterpillars and bugs
71) plant a garden or a pot
72) collect seeds
73) hunt for four-leaf clovers
74) learn magic tricks
75) put on a magic show
76) plant a container garden
77) sprout seeds or beans
78) make sock puppets
79) put on a puppet show
80) make Christmas presents
81) make homemade wrapping paper
82) make homemade gift cards
83) make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard
84) crochet or knit
85) make doll clothes
86) sew buttons in designs on old shirts
87) run relay races
88) make bookmarks
89) take a quiet rest time
90) take a shower or bath
91) bathe a pet
92) feed the birds or squirrels
93) watch the clouds
94) organize a dresser drawer
95) clean under the bed
96) empty dishwasher
97) vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found
98) write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or
two to do
99) whittle
100) whittle bars of soap
101) practice musical instruments
102) perform a family concert
103) teach yourself to play musical instrument (recorder,
harmonica, guitar)
104) fold laundry
105) sweep kitchen or bathroom floors
106) sweep front walkway
107) sweep or spray back patio
108) sweep or spray driveway
109) wash car
110) vacuum car
111) vacuum or dust window blinds
112) clean bathroom mirrors
113) clean sliding glass doors
114) clean inside of car windows
115) wash bicycles
116) clean garage
117) play in the sandbox
118) build a sandcastle
119) work with clay
120) copy your favorite book illustration
121) design your own game
122) build with blocks or Legos
123) create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and-ends
of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn,
etc.)
124) plan a neighborhood or family Olympics
125) have a marble tournament
126) paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang
it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days
127) finger paint with pudding
128) make dessert
129) make dinner
130) give your pet a party
131) paint the sidewalk with water
132) start a journal of summer fun
133) start a nature diary
134) have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling
135) have a neighborhood bike wash
136) play flashlight tag
137) play Kick the Can
138) check out a science book and try some experiments
139) make up a story
140) arrange photo albums
141) find bugs and start a collection
142) do some stargazing
143) decorate bikes or wagons and have a neighborhood parade
144) catch butterflies and then let them go
145) play hide-and-seek
146) create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands
147) listen to the birds sing
148) try to imitate birdcalls
149) read a story to a younger child
150) find shapes in the clouds
151) string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace
152) glue noodles into a design on paper
153) play hopscotch
154) play jacks
155) make up a song
156) make a teepee out of blankets
157) write in your journal
158) find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what
happens
159) play charades
160) make up a story by drawing pictures
161) draw a cartoon strip
162) make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
163) call a friend
164) cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
165) make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
166) do a secret service for a neighbor
167) plan a treasure hunt
168) make a treasure map
169) make up a "Bored List" of things to do
170) plan a special activity for your family
171) search your house for items made in other countries and
then learn about those countries from the encyclopedia or
online
172) plan an imaginary trip to the moon
173) plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you
want to go
174) write a science-fiction story
175) find a new pen pal
176) make up a play using old clothes as costumes
177) make up a game for practicing math facts
178) have a Spelling Bee
179) make up a game for practicing spelling
180) surprise an elderly neighbor or relative by weeding
his/her garden
181) fingerpaint with shaving cream
182) collect sticks and mud and build a bird's nest
183) write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
184) put together a family newsletter
185) write reviews of movies or plays or TV shows or concerts
you see during the summer
186) bake a cake
187) bake a batch of cookies
188) decorate a shoe box to hold your summer treasures
189) make a hideout or clubhouse
190) make paper airplanes
191) have paper airplane races
192) learn origami
193) make an obstacle course in your backyard
194) make friendship bracelets for your friends
195) make a wind chime out of things headed for the garbage
196) paint your face
197) braid hair
198) play tag
199) make a sundial
200) make food sculptures (from pretzels, gumdrops, string
licorice, raisins, cream cheese, peanuts, peanut butter, etc.)
and then eat it
201) make a terrarium
202) start a club
203) take a nap outside on your lawn
204) produce a talent show
205) memorize a poem
206) recite a memorized poem for your family

Very proud of our Etsy Team. Check out some of them in ths video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGdQE1FuMss