Happy New Year's Eve!

The quilt is all finished and is available for preview at Collage. It will be available for purchase at noon eastern time.

I received a new camera for Christmas and was really looking forward to a lot less struggle. So far it hasn't proven to be any easier, though it is a much nicer camera than I had previously (7.2 mega pixels vs 2 mega pixels). It has *so many* settings it makes my head spin. It has settings for splashing water, candlelight, text, faces, etc. Unfortunately it doesn't have a setting labeled "baby quilt" or "fabric".

I've been taking pictures for the past two and a half hours and have finally decided that those I've taken are good enough. There are many more pictures shown in the listing. Do they look ok to you?

It seems the camera has focussed well at the center but it gets sort of blurry toward the edges. Or have I been staring so long I can't see straight anymore?

What are your New Year's Eve plans? We'll be heading over the the in-law's like we do most years. They just live a couple blocks away...very convenient. I'll indulge in my yearly shrimp-fest. Though this year I'll be creating my own low-carb cocktail sauce so I can eat shrimp til I burst with little guilt attached. And, of course, we'll be banging pots and pans outside at midnight. I think I still love doing that as much as the children do!

Giveaway reminder!!

Just a little reminder about the big giveaway! If you're not in the know (or have forgotten) take a peek at this post!

I'm going to extend the deadline because I know of at least one person who has something in the works. And, well, I hadn't expected to be as busy as I was during the holiday season. And I still need to make the prize. So you've still got time to play!!

Let's extend it until Jan 10th. Plenty of time for all of us. :-)

A Sneak Peek!

We are stocking new items tomorrow at Collage!! Everything will be available for sale at noon (eastern) on New Year's Eve.



I'm not quite finished with my big project so it's not up for preview just yet. But I'll give you a little sneak peek. :-) I just need to stitch the back side of the binding and wash out the markings from quilting. So it'll be up for preview before long.



I've also snuck a few new things into the shop.

I hope you have all had a magical holiday!! I sure did!!

I'm still in awe!

Wishing all a Merry Christmas!!


Carol of the Bells - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.


Miracle from 34th Street - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.


Music Box Dancer - Holdman Christmas Display 2007 from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

Let's take a drive...

...and look at Christmas lights.

(click below to see what I'm talking about)

OOOH! So pretty!

I laughed so hard I snorted.

Whoa!

The cutest EVER!

I admit, I have a bit of a *thing* for packaging. And I got something in the mail today that has me absolutely giddy!

Check out my new hand-carved rubber stamps from CraftPudding!! Aren't the great? I'm over-the-moon in love!

As you can tell, I haven't figured out what my standard layout will be. I'm having a blast playing though!

I'm also super impressed because the very thought of hand carving a stamp brings back traumatic memories of carving linoleum blocks with scary sharp gouging thingies in school.

And those necklace/earrings sets are all newly listed in the shop. I'm feeling much better today and had to play in some beads!

A new doll

I finished a doll today. Out of all the bazillion doll patterns I've made I didn't have one that was the proper size so I made a new one. I'm *loving* this pattern! The size (11.5" tall) and proportions just look so cute to me. Expect to see more made from this pattern in the future.



I'm *still* sick. Bleck! But I think today was the worst of it. I'm feeling better now than I did this afternoon. I'm giving myself tonight to finish wallowing in it.

Tomorrow I've got some Christmas decorating to do! Time to tranform the living room from a makeshift sewing studio into a Christmas wonderland!

And then, one of these days, I need to do some Christmas shopping! I am SO behind!!

Coming up for air

I've been wonderfully busy the past week. I wish I could keep my business going like this all year long!

Pictured is the order I got out today. I started working on it Thursday night. I got sick Friday. I am amazed at how slow-pokey I am when trying to create while sick.

All worked out great in the end though. I finished today (when I said I would ship) and even managed to get the package out to the mailbox before the mail carrier came by. That is *huge*! I saw on the news this morning that today is the busiest shipping day at the post office and the mere thought of having to stand in an insanely long line certainly got my sick self moving!

I've been asked if I'll have more items stocked in time for Christmas. No, I don't think so. I have one more order to complete (not a holiday order though). And then I really need to devote some time to my family's Christmas.

I'm severely behind on that front. My husband has picked up a lot of my slack around here lately. He's done dishes and laundry. But *holiday merriment* is totally my job and I need to get to it! I haven't bought one present yet. We don't have a Christmas tree yet. And there are a few things I'd like to make for my children.

I do, however, have a plan to make a certain number of bendy dolls every week this year. I should have a grand stockpile by next Christmas. They've always been popular. But this is the first year I really felt like I just wasn't keeping up with the demand. So I am taking steps to be better prepared next year.

Shop Talk

Even. More. Bendies. Added. Here.

I know I said I'm feeling twitchy to move beyond bendies. But people keep asking for more. And I can't say no. :-) So it's likely I'll keep making them until people stop buying them or it gets too late to mail them in time for Christmas. Whichever comes first.



I promise to better prepare for next Christmas. Had I known the whole China/recall toy thing was going to happen I would have started preparing Dec. 26th last year. I may just do that this year in preparation for next Christmas.

That is, actually, the plan. Seriously. :-)

Shop Talk

Just added a few more bendies to the shop.

I think I see the end of the bendy doll creating binge on the horizon. Well, except that I think my children will be receiving some this Christmas. But, other than that, I think it's nearly time for a quilty break.

My quilty fingers are feeling twitchy!

Shop Talk

New stock is available atCollage today. New items become available at noon (eastern time) but many are up for preview now.

All of my *Princess Nimble-Thimble* items can be seen *here*.

Yes, I did it. I made some needlebooks. I've been asked repeatedly to make some needlebooks for sale. I've been hesitant though. To be honest, they take so long to make that I've been concerned they'd end up being priced too high. Keeping my pricing reasonable is always a concern of mine. But then so is attention to detail. Finding balance between the two can be a challenge to say the least!

Since I've been asked about them so much recently I decided to make a couple and see how it goes. Perhaps there will be more in the future. I hope so. I just love making them!

Another quick shop update

I just stocked the shop with several bendy dolls (7, to be exact).

And I also added this picture to the Fairy Mail stationery sets because a friend of mine said that the picture online had her thinking they were much bigger than they are. They're pretty darn tiny. Small enough for oooh's and aaaah's and little squeals of delight. Yet, just barely big enough to actually write on. These sets are a bit tedious to make but so cute it had to be done. :-)

Today I'm working on something special to stock at Collage tomorrow. New items will be available at noon (eastern time, I think). Hint: working on un-twisting my arm. ;-)

Shop update

Just a quickie post before I hit the hay to say I *just* slipped a few bendy dolls onto the store shelves.

Edited at 6am because, well, that didn't last long. No worries. I'll be making more over the next few days. I probably won't be listing any today though as we're having friends over and I'll likely just be wrapping bodies in any spare time I find today. Watch for them over the weekend though. Or let me know if you'd like anything specific.

I also made up some Winter Holiday Fairy Mail stationery sets. I haven't put together these little sets in a while. I don't know why I've waited so long as they're so unbelievably sweet. (Well, maybe the fact that all those itty-bitty envelopes are a bit tedious to make had something to do with it!)

This is tiny stationery, intended for the correspondence of fairies and dolls. I can't even begin to tell you how fun this can be!

Isabelle's dolls are forever writing letters and sending cards. I've even found several fonts on the computer that will print really teensy so we can print out a lengthy letter and fit it inside a tiny (1" x 1.5") envelope.

Perhaps you know some dolls or fairies in need of some lovely winter holiday stationery?

Well I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams...

It's supposed to snow today. Maybe sleet mixed with now. We're hoping for all snow. I love how bright the light that comes in through the windows is so bright when there's a layer of snow on the ground. We can't count on a good snow every year here in St. Louis. We're often right on that dividing line between snow and rain, which usually results in sleet and ice. And while we do see our share of flurries, it's a big deal if we get enough snow to fully cover the grass. This little snow will almost certainly leave blades of grass still peeking through. But the kids will still have their faces pressed up to the windows, nonetheless.

I had a basket of oranges here that were rejected as snacks due to their sour taste. Hey, they were on sale! I had been planning to slice them and dry them but have taken my time getting around to it. Simmy's productivity has me inspired and I'm happy to say they're in the oven.



I finished this dollhouse family (adults are 4.5", children are 2.5") for an order. And I was going to say that I had just finished listing some bendy dolls in the shop but they've been swooped up as I've been typing this post. I do have a few more to finish up that I'll be listing sometime today so there will be more.

Now that I've slept enough to feel normal again, I'll explain a bit about what the whole Collage thing is all about.



I'll start off by saying I'll still have my etsy shop. The two shops serve different purposes and so I think there's a place for both.

To put it simply, the purpose of my etsy shop is to bring is a little extra to supplement my husband's income. While I enjoy creating things for that shop, I do aim for making things I that I think will sell. There are things I don't make because I fear they'd end up being priced beyond what someone would be willing to pay due to the time it would take to make that item. There are things I don't make because I think they'd only appeal to a select audience. And I don't think I have put the effort into finding that audience.



Collage is an interesting opportunity for me. By joining with other creative souls I'll be increasing the exposure of my offerings greatly. We all plan to offer *special* things at Collage. And I plan to offer things that I might normal not make with the intent to sell.



I'm going to allow myself to get as creative as I want. Oftentimes I hold back on some of the detail I'd like to put into something because I want to keep it's price down. I'm not going to worry about that sort of thing here.

Rather I'm going to create what I feel inspired to create. I'm going to work on things until I feel they're perfectly finished. And I'm going to create them as I see them in my mind's eye, without concern over whether something may seem odd or weird to some. Hopefully I'll find an audience that appreciates my art odd, weird stuff.



This angel, the "Angel of Virtue", is my first offering at Collage. When my husband first saw her he sighed and rolled his eyes a teensy bit. He does not appreciate the aged/stained look. He could not understand why I ruined what could have been a pretty doll with stains. He thinks I am insane to spend hours embroidering her dress only to scorch it in the oven. I know that many reading this are agreeing with him. That's ok.



I can't explain why she needs to be this way, but to me this is how she had to be. To me, she is perfect this way. I see personality is her that would not be there had she been all bright and pristine. The stains give her a sense of wisdom and a gentleness that would not be there otherwise.

I know this doesn't make sense to a lot of people. The upside is that I'm ok with knowing there's a chance that she may never sell. She's perfectly welcome to live here forever because I love her. To me, she's perfect.

And I'll pretend it doesn't bother me in the least if everyone doesn't see what I see. In truth, I do feel a little vunerable about this. But I know that it's my own insecurity showing and I'm trying hard to not let it factor in.

On another note, I've completely recovered from my night of no sleep and my house has recovered from my crazy weekend of crafting. So now I'm back to it. I am working on bendy dolls at the moment. Some for an order, some for the shop. So look for them soon, probably tomorrow.



And then I'm actually thinking of making some needlebooks to sell. I've been planning to create a tutorial but I've been asked about them so much lately that I think I may just make a few to sell as well. My arm has been sufficiently twisted. :-)

Today's the day!

In just a few hours Collage opens!!!

I've been up all night finishing that doll. I couldn't stop until she was *perfect*. So now that the sun is up, I'm off to bed.

But I wanted to remind you before I turn in!

The big announcement

Well, here's the big announcement. See that blue banner over to the left? Tomorrow at noon the new wahm-congo, Collage, kicks off. And I'm a part of it! I'm so excited to work as part of a group!!

This time of year gets crazy hectic for me so I haven't been able to do all that I would have liked for the launch, but I will have one special doll I've been working on. Here's a sneak peek. I've still got a bit of work to do on her before I can get her listed (though she has progressed quite a bit since I snapped that picture) so it's likely to be a late, late night around here.

(pssst...she's an angel and there's redwork involved....shhhh!)

On a roll

This was the state of my kitchen table over the past few days. My much anticipated bead order finally arrived and I got busy making earrings galore! My shop is now *fully* stocked with earrings. Seventy pairs to be exact.

I don't think I intended to make that many when I started but I tend to get lost in a pile of sparkly beads. Especially the Swarovski crystals. I could just twirl those fancy beads in front of a lamp and watch rainbows shoot out of them all day.



I was also on a bit of a roll with bendy dolls. I had an emergency order for twenty that had to get on their way to their destination as soon as possible. I had seven ready to go. And the other thirteen I made in one huge marathon session. Phew! I was so happy to get that box in the mail the next day. I didn't know I had it in me (though I hoped I did!).

And now, with that box on its way and my kitchen table (almost!) clear once again, I've got one last project to work on before a little break. Do you remember when I said I had a business announcement to make soon? I'll be back tonight with that announcement and a little sneak peek.