Oh My Potato!

If you are innocent and offended easily please DO NOT look at the picture below!  After snapping this photo like a dirty Paparazzi I gave Mr. & Mrs. Sweet Potato a little alone time. ;)  I ended up having to throw them in hot water just to get them separated.  Sheesh!
xoxo,
CL

Very Loving Sweet Potatoes from the Local Farmer's Market

Making a Light Box & Photoshop Tips

I really need to make a light box for my Etsy Shop.  I'm going to need a big box, but there is one in my office at the soul sucking day job that I'm sure I can steal once I've emptied it of coffee mugs.  I started searching around the internet and I found this site:  http://www.handmadeology.com/how-to-make-and-use-a-light-box-to-improve-your-product-photography/   What I really like about this site is that it also has some photoshop tips to really make your product pop.  I'm so excited to finally know how the Etsy front pagers do it.  :) 
Looks like I'm also going to need a tripod and and sweet camera.  I really need to find a man that will let me be a stay at home Mom, without the kids.  I do have my 3 furry babies, but no one seems to think they count.  Boo!
Hugs and Happy Hump Day!
Carrie Lynn

Yay for Christmas Casserole!

Christmas is next week!  ACK! I'm not ready Eddie!  Ok, I have no idea who Eddie is, but he should really finish my Christmas shopping for me. :)  I just have my Dad and his wife to go, so I'm thinking a trip to Tuesday Morning for some cool kitchen gadgets should cover it.  They LOVE crazy kitchen gadgets.
This time last year I was getting a divorce and now I'm planning Christmas with the new boyfriend.  Yes, it's true, I must be out of my mind.  Men are pests and I really should reconsider becoming a nun.  This man in particular really makes me insane.  He likes to obsess over projects and tell me all of the painful details while I try to look interested.  It's only been four months, so it would be rude to start tuning him out already.  But really, remodeling a bathroom in a house built in 1930 that has mouse skeletons in the wall is really not my cup of tea.  It could be my glass of wine though, everything is more interesting with a glass of wine in hand.  :)

Cool Old Vintage Light Fixture

This is the awesome vintage light fixture I'm giving him to put somewhere in the cool old house.  Part of me wishes I hadn't volunteered it up, but too late now.  Don't you just hate it when you're generous and then regret it?  This light would be oh so cute in my master bathroom!
(Sorry about the crappy old blackberry pictures.  My phone upgrade is January 10th and I'm so looking forward to joining the rest of society with an iphone.)

Christmas Crafting Crate

Anyway.......................  He has a stinkin' adorable 7 year old who LOVES to craft.  We made Christmas ornaments for over 6 hours.  Even I was ready to put the glue gun down, but she out lasted me for two more hours.  In my defense the Georgia/Alabama game was on and I'm UGA all the way.  So, for Christmas I put together a big crafting crate for her!  It has paint, clay, brushes, molding tools, felt, beads and just other ridiculous things.  I actually scaled back the present because I thought it would be WAY to overwhelming for her.  Gotta love pink princess paper though!

I'm spending Christmas morning with the boyfriend, who I call Captain America.  He thinks its because of his massive. beautiful arms, but really it's because he is good at everything and it makes me want to punch him in the face sometimes.  I am going to make a breakfast casserole.  I did some goggling and I found this site!  So yum!   http://iowagirleats.com/2012/11/13/crock-pot-breakfast-casserole/   I love a good crock pot recipe. :)  Actually I'm going to probably be a regular on this site.  Her photos are wonderful and the food looks oh so delicious!

Well, I'm off to get some work done.  This whole post was really just to share that crock pot recipe, but I apparently need to lay off the coffee before blogging. :)  If you're reading this, I hope you have a stinkin' awesome day!  HUGS!
CL

Where did I go?

I have no idea where I went for a while there!  I divorced, I moved, I made new friends, I started dating again and then I realized how neglected my craft room is.  It's definitely the holidays pushing me back into a crafting mood, but I'm ready to try and take it all on again!  Blog, Facebook page, Etsy store!!!!  It's on!  
Anyway, I thought I'd start my blogging back off with a symbol I'd really like to get tattooed on my body.  Classy I know, but I just want a tiny version of this.  I think it is where I am in my life right now.

“Drawing this Rune may mark a time of joyful deliverance, of new life, a new path. A Rune of great power, receiving it means that you now have the strength to achieve completion, resolution, from which comes a new beginning.”
“As you resolve and clear away the old, you will experience a release from tension and uncertainty.
You may be required to free yourself from a rut, habit or relationship; from some deep cultural or behavioral pattern… The time of birth is always a critical one. Movement can involve danger, and yet movement that is timely leads out of danger.”
-Ralph H. Blum

*****After reading that you know YOU want it as a tattoo as well.  So stinkin' awesome!

Mummy Barbie

This is a doll I made from Sculpty in the process of drying.  She was supposed to be my contribution to an Etsy team challenge to make a Halloween doll in 2011.  The doll is still listed in my shop, but I really think I could've done a better job putting her together. The arms and legs are not really in this photo, but I promise I did make her some. 

I call her Mummy Barbie.  :)  She may not be perfect, but she is OOAK and my first attempt with this type of clay. I'm going to file this one under WIN! :)

<3

CL

 

Mummy Barbie

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Darby's World

My Sister sent me these hilarious stories from her 3 year old daughter, Darby.  I just had to share the fun!  My Sister obviously added some of the big words, but Darby is a very smart baby.  She is holding a sweet owl I bought for her on Etsy.  I hope you enjoy.  :) Carrie Lynn

I Can't Go To Sleep

"Good night, my little sunshine."
"I can't go to sleep now, mama."
"Why not?"
"The train is too noisy for me to go to sleep."
"The train?" mama asked.
"Yeah, the Conductor Penguin is taking his friends to the beach for a big party.  The train needs to go through my room to get there."
"Oh, I see.  Who else is on the train?"
"In the first car, there are mermaids with sparkily green tails and giant sea turtles.  The car looks like a giant fish tank with a sunken ship on the bottom.  Watch out for the water, it spills a bit when the train moves."
"Then there is a large pink car in the shape of a castle.  The princess in the castle is waving at us from the window in the tower.  Her crown is shining in the light of the nightlight.  Her pretty golden unicorn is following the the next car."
"After her are the penguins friends from the zoo.  There are lions, and tigers, and bears."
"Oh my," said mama.
"Don't worry, they are friendly animals, plus they aren't going to get off the train while it is moving."
 "Good.  Is that everyone?"
"Not yet," I say, "There are giraffes, penguins, elephants, and a hippopotamus."
"Wow, that is a very long train."
"It's not done yet."
"There's more?"
"Just the caboose.  You can't forget the caboose."
"No, of course not."
"A monkey with an oversized yellow bow is hanging from her tail in the back.  Be careful, she is throwing banana peels on the track behind her," I warned.
"Silly little monkey."
"Bye, bye train," I said waving.  "Now, I can go to sleep.  It is nice and quiet."
"Okay, Good night my honey bunch," mama said hugging and kissing me.
"Good night,"
"Mama?"
"Yes, honey?"
"Can you leave the door open.  The volcano on the bookshelve erupted, and I don't want the room to fill with hot lava."


I Can't Go Outside

"Put your coat on, so we can go play in the backyard." daddy said.
"We can't go in the backyard right now," I said.
"Why not?"
"Because the dinosaurs are skiing the backyard, and they are so big they won't see us."
"Dinosaurs?  I thought dinosaurs didn't like cold weather."
"These dinosaurs are on taking a ski vacation.  They all have thier coats and ski pants on, so they won't be cold."
"I didn't know dinosaurs liked to ski,"daddy said.
"They love to ski.  Well, all except the triceretops.  He is snowboarding.  The T-Rex is trying to do tricks, but his little arms keep making him lose his balance, and he falls in the snow.  Right now, all you can see are his feet and tail."
"Can we go out on the deck and watch?"
"You can, but I am going to stay inside.  I don't want to get in the way of the Pteradon's snowball fight."
"That's sounds like it could be dangerous."
"We will be okay if we stay inside," I said.
"Okay, what else are the dinosaurs doing?" daddy asked.
"There are some drinking hot chocolate out of mugs the size of swimming pools.  Others are building snowmen that tower about skyscrapers.  There are even some that are ice skating."
"I guess the dinosaurs are going to be there for a while.  Maybe we should find a different place to play.  How does the front yard look?"
"The front yard looks okay.  There are only fairies practicing ballet dancing.  I don't think they will mind as long as we don't step on them."

I've missed you blog!

I love blogging!  It is so therapeutic to me.  Its a battle out there to get likes on facebook pages and followers and twitter! Not to mention favorites in my Etsy shop.  I feel like all day I'm just begging for people to like me.  Opening a new shop is like being back in highschool.  If you aren't part of the "in crowd" you can just forget about giving up your day job.  LOL :)

This isn't meant to be discouraging to those of you just starting out like me.  You have to admit begging for friends online is WAY more fun that filing paper or whatever you do all day.  I do insurance so you can imagine how easily I'm distracted by the pretty people.  My blog may not be perfect, my facebook page is a hot mess, but gosh darn it I'm having a blast. 

Oh, I almost forgot!  The traveling Etsy doll is on her way to Illinois!  So exciting!  Make fun of me if you want, but I already miss her a little. :)  We had some really fun times.  That's her on the right.

www.facebook.com/CLynnsStudioPage#!/sisterhoodboudoirdoll?sk=wall
sisterhoodboudoirdoll.blogspot.com/

Gotta run!  Have an awesome day!
xoxoxo,

Carrie Lynn