Brides Magazine. . .A little birdie told me

I love when little surprises light up your life. This little surprise was really quite nice and if not for a wonderful customer of mine telling me about it I would have never known.

Here is how the story goes. I had a customer contact me about some birds for her wedding. We emailed back and for a few times. Toward the end of one of the emails she said: Someone probably already told you but your birds are in Brides Magazine this month. I think my heart skipped a beat! I emailed her back saying that no one had told and could she tell me what issue and details. They were in the May issue. I found out before it hit newsstands because she subscribed to the magazine. I had to wait around 5 days until I could finally get my hands on the magazine yesterday. I finally stopped calling Barnes & Noble because they probably thought I was stalking them!

While on my lunch break yesterday I stopped by the grocery store just to see and there it was. I was pretty excited to see them in print. I didn't let myself get to excited in case they really weren't mine so I went back and checked my sold orders and its true I did sell the bride the birds last year. 

The article is about her wedding style and her wedding looked wonderful. I didn't get mentioned as a vendor but they did mention etsy. Even though "Tiffzippy" was in article I still think its pretty cool my birds were included in the magazine! 

My blue birds in the May issue of Brides Magazine.

She used them as place cards and attached to a clothes line with clothespins.

My new snack food obsession - Special K Cracker Chips

I always like to try new snacks that come out. I am one of those people who eat something every 2-3 hours of the day. I saw the new commercial for these new cracker chips from Special K. When I was at Target last week they were on sale + I had a coupon. So they went into my cart. I of course had to try when I got home later that night. I was pleasantly surprised. To me they are more flavorful than Pop Chips. They are quite good and have a lot of flavor. You also get a lot of them - 27 chips for 110 calories. So you actually feel like your having a snack instead of 5 mini cookies from a 100 calorie pack.

 

Just my thoughts, have you tried them yet? or have a new snack food to suggest? 

Make your life worth loving

I wanted to add some art/personality to my work spaces (home office and my day job cube). I love Kal Barteski's work. I read her blog daily and when added these mini prints for sale, I had to get them.

I put 3 of them in my home office and 3 in my cube. Here are some photos of the ones in my home office (no photos from my cube). I just love how look great and they mean something when read them. I purchased the 6 5x7 set. I was able to jazz up my bulletin board that needed some color, along with the business stuff I have on it.

My bulletin board. I just love my GIANT push pins from Walmart.

This is a mini clipboard I picked up a Staples a couple months ago.
It hung forever with nothing on it until the prints arrived.

This print is on my blue wall I face while I am on my laptop. So everytime I look up I see it. It's my favorite.

Handmade Easter Cards

I try to make handmade cards when I can instead of buying them at the store. They are fun to make and I think they are more personal that way too.I made 3 cards - each with a similar design to send to my family. I found yesterday they received them so now I can share them with you.

Here are all the cards, each on has the same elements just a little different.
I hadn't used my colored pencils in ages so I thought I would use them to make the die cuts pop.

On this photo you can see I how used the colored pencils. I outlined the title "Happy Easter",
I used a couple different greens for the grass and also colored the Easter basket.

I purchased these big jelly bean brads at a scrapbooking expo back in Feb.

Inside of the cards. To cover the brads I used a fun piece of paper.
I embellished the bunny die cut with a googly eye and colored their ears. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before and After DIY - Home decor GIANT Clothespin

I found this super cool GIANT unfinished wood clothespin on clearance at Urban Outfitters. It was only a few bucks so I had to buy it. Actually I bought 2 of them but only took photos of one of them. One is my home on shelve you see right when you walk in our door. The other is on my desk in my cube at my full time job.

Before: unfinished wood

Middle: I painted it purple with 2 coats of craft paint.
If I would have done a base coat first I would have only needed 1 coat of purple.



After I finished painting I decided it needed something else. I put these cardstock embellishments on each side. I ran them through my sticker maker and just put them on. They stuck fine to the craft paint.  I didn't put a sealer on them, I like look of the matte paint.



Etsy Shop Tour - Panda Pack

Today I wanted to share these super cute panda's I created. I have always loved animals since I was kid and panda's are just so cute. I decided to make a panda die cut and I just couldn't be happier with how it came out.These would be cute to use in scrapbooks, on a greeting card, or kid project. This panda pack comes with 5 pandas each has a hand drawn face by yours truly.

Panda Pack

Gnome Adventures - Las Vegas

We had a wonderful time in Las Vegas. I actually came home with a little extra money - which for vegas is pretty exciting. I did bring the gnome but he was in the hotel room most of the time. I did get a couple photos of him.

I love the Sugar Factory and had to stop in for something sweet.

Over looking the strip from the New York, New York

I always have to stop by the Bellagio garden area.
Seeing I am artist and love art this was killer.

I took a tons of photos of these glass balloons





Even though we live closer to LA than Vegas we finally had a famous Pink's hot dog in Vegas and not in LA. It was really good and not even a line. The original place in a LA always has a line.

Here we are enjoying the moving walkway ;)

Las Vegas here we come. . .

Photo of us in 2009

Larry and I are heading to Las Vegas for a few days. Wish us luck and I will be back later this week.

I love . . .white, black & sliver

These are a few of the things I love right now in the colors of white, black and sliver. They all will be coming with me to Vegas.

1. My sliver glitter Toms
2. Sharpie Pen - these are best, I love the way they write
3. Fujifilm Instax MINI camera - This camera is so fun (don't worry I will share the photos I take)

To do list 4 • 5 • 11

I want to try and post my "To do list" once in a while. Its a good reality check and also nice to share whats going on around here. 

Here is a peak of my to do list this week, I have crossed off what I have completed since my last post. 

• Wrap my aunt's birthday gifts so I can mail them out this week
• Blog about my new round business cards (they came out fabulous)
• We are leaving for Las Vegas on Sunday - I need to start packing
• Go to Target to stock up on things for our Vegas trip (snacks, gum, lip gloss & such)
• Finish etsy orders before I leave town
• I need to put more Kleenex in my car (I have major allergies)
• Start on my new business card design 
• Start thinking of ideas for Easter cards
• Make a chalk board sign - I have been seeing these round the blog and etsy world a lot. 
• Buy dog treats. Yogi would not be happy if we ran out of treats.

*To do list notebook in photo is available on my etsy site.

Gnome Adventures - Scrapbooking Night

Saturday night I went with my friend Cindy to scrapbook at a local scrapbook store from 6 p.m. to midnight. We do this about once a month. It's great because if you need something you can just get up, find it and buy it. We pay a small fee to use the space and they provide snacks and prizes. This time the gnome came along.



I was front and center to check out Tiffany's scrapbooking skills.



I had a great view of everything from here.

I needed a quick nap - scrapbooking can be hard work.

Oh dear, that is a long way up. I wonder if they have a lift.

I was next to Tiffany's supply caddie and I handed her what she needed (that glue can be sticky).

Hello to a new month

Photo taken by me at San Clemente Pier

March was great but I have new goals for April. It's really true that time flies by or so it seems.If feels like its going tby slow but before you know it gone. 
Highlights of March:

• 20 Days at the gym or doing P90X yoga
• Surpassed my sales goals for Etsy 
• Had my 1000th Sale on Etsy on March 31st
• Planned a Cupcake Party for April 
• Went to the beach to relax with Larry and the gnome
• Made garlic knots for the 1st time 

All in all a very good productive month I would say. Being the person I am I always want to do more, make more and see more.

Here are my plans for April:

• Scrapbooking tomorrow night for 6 hours with a friend of mine (The gnome is coming)
• New branding for my shop (more to come on that)
• New sales goals for my Etsy shop
• Going to Las Vegas for a few days to have some much needed fun (The gnome is coming)
• New goals for the blog - this blog is a whole new world to me and I want to make it the best it can be 
• More time spent at the beach

Have a wonderful weekend :) 
Next week I will be sharing my new round business cards and more on branding.