Ok, I am taking a break today, I'm on creative overload.  I cannot get ideas out of my brain, which makes sleep hard to get.  Only 4 hours sleep today and I'm up and getting out of town for the day to unwind.  I hope when I return this evening I can visit some thrift stores and maybe a fabric store to find some supplies to create my first item that I can post for sale. 

Endless possibilities.......................

 

Ok, so here is my new interest. There is something about taking something old and ugly and making it fresh and new. Much like painting a room in your house, it just adds a whole new personality. So, with quilting being a new interest as well, it has led me to this, recycled clothing. I really like Pinterest for this reason http://pinterest.com/happigirlgifts/ . I found all these items there, which you can find in my recycled clothing board.

Thrift stores have been a favorite of mine since shopping with my mom and grandma when I was young. Didn't NEED to go there, but we did because of all the treasures you could find. I recall when I was a kid the Salvation Army was the place where you could buy skirts and shorts for 10 cents. So, with my dollar in hand I was able to have a ball. One day I will have my thrift shop, but until then I will play around at home. With regard to recycled clothing this brings all new meaning to the thrift store experience. With just looking at a few of the photos I've attached you can see where a combination of items can be turned into one awesome and unique style statement.

I already was able to turn two tired t-shirt type tops into better fitting cute tank tops to wear for summer. Keep in mind recycled clothing is a culture all its own for designers and buyers. Beautiful possibilities are never ending. Recycling anything is fun; I especially like recycling tin cans, which I am building up a supply again in order to make more organizers. Such fun!!!

pinterest-35179.html

Now what I have discovered about myself this week is that just because I love something like this that doesn't mean it has to consume me.  For some reason I get this mindset that I MUST create whatever it is I see.  This is not the case; I have time to dabble with all my interests. 

 

Spring is in the air!  Tonight is our time change, and most of the valley snow is melted.  Since Christmas Eve we've had 1-2 ft. of  snow on the ground.......but NO MORE!!! 

This picture you see is the newest hobby I can blame once again on my mom.  Yes, I really had no interest in making these, however I got sucked in.  She started me on strips, and it took me three weeks of just staring at these strips before I GOT IT!  Now, she set me up with special rulers for my birthday which was February 28th.  So I am a stripping fool..........  I really like how easy and fast they are to put together.  This is my second quilt topper.  We have a system, which I make my toppers, then ship them to mom to quilt them on her long arm.  I plan to have these posted to my Luulla.com and Etsy account by late spring early summer. 

I am also getting my hands busy on learning handmade card technique's, which these also will be up for sale in sets.  With an active season coming up where I can get outside more, I hope to dedicate a finished project to get finished each week.  We will see how that goes.

Since my last post I have been busy doing different things,even playing with new crafty ideas.  Now the new thing appears to be some quilting and vinyl signage with my Cricut.  Also will soon play with card making to see what I can come up with there. 

So, being that I am in my last year of school, I am not sure where it may take me.  What I seek the most is a career I love, but with the way society appears to be going I wonder if ethics, respect, hardwork, and honesty are a thing of the past.  My current job is only a stepping stone, but it is not the best.  The experience I am getting I love, but there are things and personalities I struggle with.  I cannot understand why bad behaviors are not corrected.  So, I use this as an entire learning experience of what I do not want in my life, and also who I am NOT. 

Having been craft most my life, I do wish it were possible to do more with that, however that is hard work.  I wonder though is it worth the work you put in to pay a decent salary.  Sure!  Laws of attraction are more of what I try to practice.  I choose to be happy, not annoying yipping dog happy.  Just making the CHOICE to be happy.........  So many people forget our choices........ 

Today is December 21st, and the world has not come to an end.  As if logical people thought it would.  Anyway, I''ve attached a picture of these recycled coffee cans.  Simple to make and fun to decorate.  You can use them as simple decor, storage, or a planter.  You may also use to replace a gift bag.  Very fun!  With Christmas almost here, I of course want nothing more than to get it behind me.  I am joyful that our son is home for a week to share the holiday.  He of course came home sick and exhausted, so hopefully he can recover before he returns to his normal duties.

I have begun my creative process once again, with renewed interest in knowing how special handmade items are.  They are not mass produced or sold in magazines, they are unique and more thoughtful than any other gift you could give.  Useful gifts are always my first choice, to me it makes no sense to give a gift that will just collect dust or end up and the thrift store after spring cleaning.  We are never to old to learn new things, no matter how well learned we are at something, chances are there is still something we don't know about it.  Explore, use that brain of yours, keep in young by keepin it engaged.

Christmas this year is simple.  The older I become the more I appreciate the true reason for this season.  It is not about money, marketing, and selfishness.  It is about the birth of Jesus.....  With that comes renewed hope and restored faith.  There are many who are doing with less this year, or who have been knocked so far down the ladder they feel there is no hope. But there is..........

Less than 10 days from Christmas, can't wait for it to be over......... is that wrong?  I do celebrate what it truely is Christmas stands for, and love that my family raised me to know what the reason for the season is.  So many of our youth have no clue, other than gifts and selfishness.  Money is nice and gifts are nice, but what matters most is  that we celebrate it's meaning.

With this year to an end it has been fun with new life changes presented.  So thankful for all the blessings and good health. 

As for my jewelry and crafty life, I've done well with Park Lane  www.myparklane.com/mwebb and have also had renewed spark for getting creative again.  My mom upgraded me with a new sewing machine, which I've so far used once, and had a ball trying all the new stitches.  I also recently sold a beautiful Agate wire wrapped pendant on Etsy, which was a pleasant surprise. 

With a new year upon us, and my last year of school (if all goes well). I can get myself busy to make enough money selling items to help me with my school loans that are frightening.  We will see! 

OK here is an update......  I have been in a slump, not really wanting to do much since my crazy end of the month in October.  I questioned if I had taken on to much with Park Lane, keeping in mind I am a procrastinator.  I have a good party tomorrow afternoon, which I am now super excited about.  The reason for my excitement is due to the fact in my first month with Park Lane, I qualified Level 2 for sales in my first month, which wasn't hard to do.  With that said one of the things I recieved was the months sample jewelry.  Yes, what you see above is just a few of the items I recieved for FREE!  I was going to purchase the bracelet, but now I don't need to.  How great to have the new months jewelry to show, and get it for FREE.  Being qualified for Level 2 also earned me $400 in jewelry credit and a few other complimentary items to help me in my shows.

I am so excited and once again blown away by the quality of the samples I feel I will be able to sell easily.  One thing I have found is that I have problems as do others with catalog shows.  Currently I have 4 out, but they just are not producing.  I feel the key is to have that short period of time to actually show the jewelry and have customers try it on.  This is very important I think, however with the help of having my website up, there has been no change in that department.  I really hope I can secure at least1 or 2 shows each week.  Once I start back to  school 1 show a week may be all I can handle.

My Park Lane slump is over, thanks to decent sales in October I am well on my way to hopefully having another good month.