Call Me Crazy

I do a lot of crazy things.  The one that gains shock from others is when I tell them that the most relaxing thing in my life is cross stitch.  It is even better than hot cocoa and purring kittens although it does go well with both nearby.

There is something so renewing about taking a pattern, a needle, colored thread and a white cloth and turning it into a piece of art.  It is very methodical and while my mind often wanders it is frequently forced back to the careful task of making each stitch perfect.  There isn't much need for a good imagination, although I think it does help. 

Maybe this says something about the way my brain works (or doesn't).  Maybe this is a proof that I am crazy but sometimes I wonder if the world wouldn't be just a bit more relaxed if everyone could enjoy a bit of cross stitch.

Go Golden Globes!

I love men in scarves!

I'm really not into the award shows.  The usual people win and the unusual people sometimes get to make a speech that later gets taken out in editing.  Just not really my thing most of the time although I do fondly remember the days when Billy Crystal lit up the Oscars.  But this time I have to give a shout out to the Golden Globes for nominating some of my favorite new faces.

Yes that is a um, well one of THOSE kind of dolls.

Somehow Ryan Gosling is now Hollywood's new stud.  That is great for him and I don't mind getting in a few glimpses of what he has to offer.  However if you haven't seen it yet take a step back and watch Lars and the Real Girl.  This is when I became impressed with this amazing actor.  It was at times difficult to watch but a moving view of how lonely some of us can feel.

And of course the whole reason that I even noticed who was nominated this year, my new favorite actor, Michael Fassbender, is now in the running for his role in Shame.  I have not yet seen this dark film but am now even more excited to watch it.  Could this be the year that I have an underdog to cheer for at the award shows?  That hasn't happened in years!  Happy movie watching and happy holidays!

It's Over!

November was a VERY long month!  My Grand Opening, my failed NaNoWriMo, the remodel of my craft room, and everything that happened in between really took it out of me.  A quick update on each...

Wire Willow had a pretty good grand opening.  I sold quite a few items, all of them were sold to friends and family, but I now have a site that looks more experienced and popular.  My only disappointment was that I still can't seem to break into the Etsy clientele.  Just means that better marketing and research is needed.  Why are they important?  There are WAY more of them and the hard core etsy shoppers spend a lot more and shop more often.

Failed NaNoWriMo.  I was about 6,000 words into my book when I decided, it sounded too much like a romance novel.  No, there wasn't any hanky panky, but the mood and POV wasn't a sharp enough contrast to what I've written before.  I want to scrap the whole thing and this time REALLY try to make something different.  That means I need to slow down, really think about it, and then tip-toe ahead.  NaNoWriMo is fun, but not everything can be done at a sprint.

My room.  I know, still haven't taken pictures of it.  Well I have but they didn't turn out very well.  Until my husband has time (hint hint) to get some great ones taken you'll just have to take my word for it.  The room looks wonderful.  I've already begun to retreat to it more often.  And while I haven't gotten much writing done in the small closet retreat that I made, my cat sure does love it!

So what does December hold?  If I survive the holiday then I'll call that good enough.  I need some time to just relax.  But I wouldn't say no to more etsy sales!

Like They Used to...Michael Fassbender

Like They Used to...is going to start jumping into some modern actors and actresses that you should keep an eye on.  Like today's!

The Irish-German that I've fallen in love with is...yup, Michael Fassbender.  Sexy and very intense.  He is a fantastic actor who can play villians, spys, and brooding romantics with ease.  One of the things I love (and hate) about him is that the genres that he takes up in film jump all over the place.  Having a Michael Fassbender-athon would be a mindbending and emotional upheval.

Want a stark view of the Irish hunger strikes...watch Hunger.  Want to see lots Nazis get killed in increasingly horrific ways, Inglorius Basturds.  Scifi fans can watch X-Men.  Romantics can swoon at Jane Eyre.  Want to see him with long hair and wearing nearly nothing at all (hehehe of course you do!) then re-watch the film 300.  There was even a small production family friendly movie about the original "Winnie Bear" that inspired the Winnie the Pooh stories.

As a German Nazi

 One of his most recent films, A Dangerous Method, is "A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis."  I've never had much interest in Freud but now...yup I'll be watching that one.  The next one that I'm really excited for is called Shame, don't be looking for an upbeat movie with a title like that.

It isn't just his looks that makes him someone to watch.  Sometimes he can be downright frightening!  It is the presence that he brings to the characters he portrays.  His severity often comes off as sincere but intense.  So I guess the best thing about becoming a Michael Fassbender fan is that you will try a bit of everything, not all of the movies have been great (Jonah Hex), but he is worth watching.  If you haven't seen him in a movie yet, keep an eye out.  I'd bet that he is about to jump into your favorite genre very soon!

Candle of the Week-Buttered Rum

Smell it!

The first time that I burned this candle I swear that I could taste it too.  I love lifesavers buttered rum candies and burning this candle is like poping one in your mouth for hours and without the added calories.  I honestly use this candle to suppress some of my sweet tooth urges, it is that good!  Rich, velvety, sweet, bold, good lord there is no way to really describe it so just go get a thing of the lifesavers if you need to know more.  I love it for this late fall and early winter period because this season is filled with deserts and this is my cheat for getting around the extra calories.

Get it!

WoodWick gets rid of their seasonal scents every year.  Luckily they often repeat scents from year to year.  Unfortunatly this has not been one of them.  As of right now it isn't avalible through their site but sometimes you can run across one in stores or through other online candle vendors.  Just don't expect a good deal  And don't loose hope, there is always next year for Woodwick to bring it back!

Woodwick Tip

If you read my blog regularly then you already know why I love these candles.  Instead I have a little tip for making them last and last.  When you burn any jar candle you should let it burn for long enough that it melts the entire top layer of wax, or close to it.  This is especially import for wood wicks because they have such a soft wax and won't build up that stiff rim.  Instead they will melt the edges and flood your wick until it goes out.  If this has happened you can scoop out the excess wax with a spoon untill you have the right level all the way around and light it again.

WireWillow

WireWillow is now on facebook!  'Like' WireWillow by December 1st and you will be entered into a drawing for a free handmade pearl necklace!

Painting Splatters

A few before pictures might be nice

I've been working my butt off with this Etsy sale, even taking my two days off to make jewelry so that I wouldn't run out of pearl items to be posted (I underestimated how many of them my mom would buy...). 

It was when I got off work yesterday and went into my craft room to write that I realized, I could not write in that room.  Since we moved in it has become a bit of a junk center.  Don't want something cluttering up another room?  Shove it under the bed.  Don't want to sort through some papers, well I've got this closet of death that fits stuff like that quite nicely.  And the worst part...they had painted it pink.  Almost every wall in our recently purchased used mobile home was splashed with a very pale shade of off pink.  I think that it has finally driven me batty.

This picture was taken when it was mostly 'clean'.

So when my husband woke up an hour and a half later he found a huge pile of junk in the living room and me in my craft room with ratty clothes on and white primer streaked in my hair, on my arms, and even on my back.  (Hey it is hard to paint in those tiny closets!)  Luckily my husband is awesome and he even helped out by spray painting a lamp for the room and slapping on a bit of the paint color while I was asleep.  Although it is a tiny room, painting every one of those nooks and crannies is going to take forever!  So don't be looking for finished project pictures yet but I'm hoping that within the next week I'll be able to show you what a couple of cans of paint and some spray finish can really do!

And that book of mine?  I've still been trying to work on NaNoWriMo but it hasn't nudged too far past the 5,500 mark. Right now I'm not too worried about making that mark.  Like I said, I couldn't concentrate to write in that room.  After the remodel I'll go back to pounding it out and getting it ready.  That might mean that the book isn't done until sometime in December but I'm not going to freak out.  At least not like I did on my craft room!

November Crazyness

Tired but happy-I think Droopy portrays this well.

Yup, it has been even worse than I thought!  The first couple of days of my WireWillow Grand Opening sale I did quite a bit of business and so I've been running around getting things boxed up and shipped out.  I've also had a lot of work to do with those crazy 12 hour days when I turn into a grunting, groaning and tired monster. 

Then there is my NaNoWriMo book.  It went really well the first two days and then I just got burnt out with work and needed to take a day (or two) off.  I'm at 4,545 words but I should be at 6,668.  Oh well I've got two days off and I'm sure that I'll catch up, once I've caught up on my sleep! 

I hope that everyone else is enjoying this last sprint of days until we are all knee-deep into the holidays.

Ready, Set, GO!

This is going to be a crazy month.  Recently everything has been crazy but I now know that November is going to top them all.  I'm having my etsy shop's Grand Opening.  I'm writing an over 50,000 word story for NaNoWriMo, plus it is in a whole new genre so that could be tricky.  Then throw in my full time audit job and part time craft store job.  Also I found out that I have a new part-time auditor to train.  Eek!  December is going to have to be the month for going comatose and then trying to recoup!

This is a subtle way of saying, don't expect too many blogs for the next few weeks.  I'll try to keep everyone updated on how things are going but somewhere I have to tuck in a few hours for sleep and food.

Wire Willow Goes Pearly!

I mentioned on my last post that I had gotten in a large shipment of pearls that will be popping up on my site throughout November.  I wanted to take a second today to share some of the new items and my favorite ways to use these fantastic beads.  So here are ten of my favorite new pieces that will be released in November for my Grand Opening.  

With Hematite Chips

Coin Pearls

Baroque (this set can be found at my husband's site by clicking here)

With Swarovski Crystals

Tiny Bundles

Wire Wrapped

Gorgeous Victorian Style

Hand Knotted on Silk Thread

Coin Pearls

You can go to my etsy site now by clicking here.  Want one of these that hasn't been posted yet?  Send me a message here or through my etsy account.

Who Doesn't Love Pearls?

Fun Fresh Water Pearls!

Okay that's kind of a silly question.  But while some people go gaga for the standard white salt-water variety, my passion lies with freshwater pearls.

Baroque

Coin

They are usually dyed to achieve a wide array of colors.  The styles range from perfectly round to the strange world of 'baroque'  and coin pearls.  I love the textures and varieties that you get from fresh water pearls.  I like to mix them with other beads, like hematite. They add a fresh twist to the old classic.

Recently I was able to get my hands on a large batch of freshwater pearls that have now been made into beautiful necklaces and earrings that will be popping up on my WireWillow site during the month of November for my Grand Opening sale (more on that next time!).

Fresh water pearls really are my passion.  I try to limit the amount of jewelry that I make for myself, otherwise I'd keep everything.  So I only have about 30 sets that I've kept over the past 6 years, 20 of them are different pearl necklaces with matching earrings!

Some fun facts about pearls: 
They are graded from A-F based on flaws and irregular shapes.
The really pricy ones are the perfectly round A grade because they are so rare.
I work mostly with B-D grade because I love the surprise that 'flaws' can bring to the piece.
The F grade pearls aren't sold for jewelry, they get ground up and are then used in most types of eyeshadow!  How many women realize that they are putting on a bit of pearl every day?

Want to see more pearls?  Check out my etsy shop during the coming of November!  Use the code GRAND and receive 15% off!

Wire Willow Update

I haven't been very good about sharing pictures of my newest pieces for sale on my etsy shop, Wire Willow.  For the past couple of months my collection has continued to grow and now has over 60 items up for sale!  Now that it is fully functional I have decided to host a Grand Opening sale.  The sale code will be GRAND for Grand Opening and it will earn you a 15% discount!  It will run for the entire month of November so that you can get your Christmas shopping done in time for gift wrapping.  There will also be over 60 new items by the end of the Grand Opening sale, with new postings daily, so check back often!

And check out a few of my most recent items.  Or visit my shop by clicking here.

Preping for NaNoWriMo

You can imagine the kind of upkeep these two require

November is nearly here which means that it is time to prep for NanoWriMo.  My husband and I have decided to participate again.  Last year it was so helpful for us to dive into new projects and get something done.  The editing of those books has been a little drawn out, since we are both still working on them.  But it is time to set those aside and get a fresh burst of air into our writing.

I've worked a little bit on an outline and some ideas for characters but I really want to hold off on writing anything until midnight on November first when the event begins in earnest.  I'm excited to find out if there is a local group of authors here in Bangor and possibly try to meet up with them for a write in once or twice.

The real prep work for all of this is completely non-writing related.  I have so many other commitments in my life.  There is my WireWillow shop on etsy, my pets, my housework, and various other projects that need my attention.  In November they could all become distractions that lead me away from my writing goals which is why I've decided to prep.  I'm going to get everything done in the next couple of weeks that I've been putting off.  I need to photograph and post my christmas jewelry.  I need to paint my room before winter.  I need to fix shelves and give my dogs a thorough brushing...well you get the point.  My hope is that this way I won't feel bad when November rolls on through and I've gotten nothing done except for work on my book.

So how about it Randy?  Do you still have NaNoWriMo written on your calendar for this year like you said you would last year?  Has anyone else decided to take up the challenge?

Days Off

 The days off for our anniversary were pretty well spent. We went to Acadia with our dogs on the first day.  It was their first time at the ocean but there were too many people around for them to really process much.  The only thing that they really noticed was that they didn't like the taste of the water.

After that we did a full day of shopping for supplies.  Since we live a half hour away from town it is a bit difficult to drop by a store and pick up something especially when I go to work after the stores are closed and get home before they open again, ah the joys of overnights!

We spent the final two days working on my husband's new shed.  We insulated it and then painted the new walls, although I still need to go in and do some touch ups.  I know, not really romantic but it needed to get done and we finally had the time.  Overall it was a nice time for the two of us to unwind.  Now it is back to work!

Icky itching insulation!

Mostly completed and much nicer than before!

Candle of the Week-Cider

Smell it!

Fall is not complete without the wonderful scent of apple cider filling my house.  I love making the bevearge (even if it is with store bought cider and a few spices) by throwing all of it into a crockpot for the day on warm and letting the scent and flavor fill my house.  But when I don't have the ingredients, or the desire for a quart of cider to drink, I turn to my cider candle instead.  Spicy with the right amount of sweet apple and crisp fall leaves.  When fall leaves are starting to touch the road and fall in heaps around the yard this is my go to candle!

Get it!

Cider is a seasonal candle through WoodWick that regularly goes on clearance at their online store in spring, which is the best time to buy and then you can store it away for the next season.  Just be careful that you don't miss the sale because they go quickly!

Why I love Woodwicks

If you've owned one, then you understand.  At first I said that I'd never pay so much for a candle.  I had no idea how wonderful a well designed candle could be.  I often get over 120 hours of burn time out of the large ones.  The wicks are much easier to keep trimmed than I would have imagined.  More important than all of that, the scents fill large rooms and can truly create an atmosphere with their flickering light and the wonderful crackle of burning wood.  This is the prefect kind of candle for cold nights while reading a book.

Our Anniversary

This was our wedding site, perfect!

My husband and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary today.  Although he has to work in the morning for a little while we will then have four wonderful days off together.  We plan to go out leaf peeping near Acadia and also venture a bit further north than we have so far.  I expect that there will be wonderful pictures to share with all of you by the time that we get back.

This is a real treat for us because we have never been able to celebrate our anniversary.  October is always a busy time for Walgreens and it is too hard to get away.  Plus we never had a honeymoon after our wedding.  I drove from Missoula to Pocatello on a Thursday, did bridal parties on Friday, the wedding on Saturday, and was driving back to Missoula on Sunday morning with a text book in my hand studying for a midterm for the next day.  But I wouldn't have changed a thing about our timing, our fall wedding was gorgeous.

Ludo at about 4 months old

I think that the strangest thing when I look back at those pictures is when I see my little Ludo as a puppy.  The first year and a half that we had him I was still going to school in Missoula so when I did come home to visit he would get very excited and show off for me with all of his new tricks.

My only regret is that almost every one of the pictures turned out blurry.  I've collected a few good shots from some friends and didn't find out until afterwards that no one was recording it.  Oh well what really matters is the marriage that came out of it.  Oh and the cake, lemon and yummy!

No fancy filter and this is one of the better ones we've found.

Quiet Nights

Note: The above is not me, I'm brunette.

I honesty tried to give up night audits.  When I left my last job and moved further up north I told myself that I would stop them all together.  I don't spring back as well as I used to between sleeping days and sleeping nights.

So how is it that I've just agreed to take on a full-time night audit position?  The writing.  I have to make a buck (don't we all?) and what better way than working a few hours each night and spending the rest of my time with a latte and my laptop.  The upcoming NaNoWriMo should be a breeze now that I'm going to have so many audit hours again.  I can work on postings for my WireWillow shop on etsy.  I can work on my blog.  I can write the next great American novel, or at least something cheesy and fun.

Now if I can find some way to be getting better amounts of sleep so that I'm awake enough to be efficient at all of those things, I'll be set!

Candle of the Week-Spiced Cake

Want to know more about my candle obsession?  Well good because you were going to find out anyway.  Every day that I burn a candle, which is most days, I like to open up my cupboards filled with candles and sniff out the specific one that fits that day.  My mood, the weather, what I plan to do that day all fits into choosing the perfect candle.  My husband laughs at me, but often asks me to help him pick out one too when he goes off into his "fortress of smallitude".  When you pick the right candle it can emphasis a mood, just like music.

A daily update is a bit too much (even for me).  Instead I want to sum up the week that was with the candle that helped set the mood.  I'll make sure that you know why I love it and where to find it.  Unfortunately there will be times when it is a discontinued candle or one that is very hard to find.  Sorry but I have too many like that to exclude them from my choices.  Instead you might be able to find something similar from another company.

Such is the case with this week's candle. 

Smell it!

Spiced Cake is kinda like Carrot Cake but without the carrots or nuts.  Instead it is all about the exotic fall spices like nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon.  Not too sweet but certainly a treat!  I enjoy it during the early fall season because it isn't as musky and dark as some of my later fall scents.

Get it!

Spiced Cake is no longer available through Patriot Candles (a surprisingly good but cheap brand that can only be found at Walgreen's).  However I've heard that many other companies have this scent too.

Why I recommend Patriot Candles

Well it seems to only be the generic jar candles, not the pillars or anything fancy, that works the best.  But if you get the ones pictured above in their two largest sizes you will be pleased with your purchase.  They burn well, especially for a cheap candle.  Most of their scents fills up a medium sized room and even when left alone for a long time they rarely develops large flames.  I have found the occasional bad scent or a wick that just won't burn right but nine out of tens times I'm shocked that they are so cheap.  The best time to get them is when they go on sale.  The very best time is during their Black Friday sale when I've seen them for as cheap as buy one get two free!

Wedding Bells Galore!

This has been the summer of weddings, none of which I have been able to go to.  So here's a whoop and hallar for the new Jenny Heglund, Lindsay Swan, and the future Sarah Mcdonald and Allison Molitor!

I certainly have been busy lately.  I've been working on some jewelry for a couple of weddings that are coming up.  My cousin Sarah and her boyfriend Zach, and my good friends Allison and Anthony are all tying the knot in October.  Living so far away and being broke means that I will have to miss both weddings but I'm sure that they will have a wonderful time.

I also got in a 'little' shipment of pearl supplies thanks to my mom owing me for a bit of jewelry that I made her.  They are quickly becoming beautiful pieces and I will share a few pics next week.  Meanwhile I've been working at one job, searching for a second job, and just trying to keep my sanity in tact with jobs in general.

The good news is that I'm also back to editing my books and I'm trying to get in the habit of updating my blog again.  I really missed this over the past few months and I have some great new ideas that will start up this week.  I hope that everyone is having a great fall!

Like They Used to...The Brothers Grimm

For they had ready red-hot iron shoes, in which she had to dance until she fell down dead.

Amputated toes, pecked out eyes, entrails on the floor, and torture that even Dick Cheney would have disapproved of.  If you think that all fairy tales were intended to be pleasant then you must have skipped over these ones.  The brother's Grimm were a twisted pair and it is no wonder that their ingenous tales have been dumbed down through the centuries into the Disney fair that they are now.  Don't get me wrong, I still love Disney movies but you have to read the originals to truly appreciate what those two German brothers did.

Let's not argue over who had the first Cinderella story.  Egypt, China, Greece, France, all claim to have told the original version 2000 to 3000 years ago.  What it really comes down to is that by the early 1800s Cinderella and many other fables had spread to Germany where they were collected by the Grimm's brothers and turned into a series of short stories.  Most were meant to impart morals or warnings for not being good.

One interesting thing of about the Grimm's tales is that even when they were published they were seen as being too gritty and raw for children, which is who they were marketed to back then.  In fact before they were released the second time the brothers were told to go back through their stories and change all of the evil mothers into evil step-mothers to somewhat lesson the shock of how they treated their daughters.  That is why there is no one like them around now.  I'd love to see someone create this gore and have the gall to market it to children!

Not all 210 fables are worth reading, some are repetitive and others don't seem to make much sense.  However if you have a stout stomach and perhaps a bit of a macabre sense of humor I fully suggest finding a copy of the Grimms Fairy Tales that hasn't been 'translated' into something for little kids.  How to tell?  Look up the last few lines of Snow White and search for some version of the phrase at the top of the blog.  If instead you see 'happily ever after' then you know you have the wrong book!

Next Time: The German-Irishman who has stolen my heart...

Finally, FALL!

No, my area doesn't look like this, yet!

Early fall has started to sweep into my life.  This is part of why I wanted to move to Maine, I wanted to try out their famous fall weather.  What surprises me is how many of the locals are not only indifferent to the scenery but hate the fall season.  Those Mainers are officially dubbed as being crazy in my book!  But I'm a bit crazy as well and today you are welcome to come in and find out a bit about that side of me!  I am a woman filled with rituals and with fall being my favorite season it is overflowing with 'firsts' and fun little things that get me into the spirit.

The first official sign of Fall is when one tree, any tree decides to give it up overnight and change colors.  The darkening of a few leaves just won't do it for me.  I want something bold and dramatic.  Something that screams Fall every time that I walk by.  This started in college and is now one of my favorite traditions.  This year it was a little spindly tree, not that remarkable except for how early and quickly it turned from deep green to an almost blood red.  This happened over three weeks ago and the other trees in the area are just starting to catch up!

I love Woodwicks!

The second step is my candles.  I put away all of the Mango Breeze, Melon Madness, and bright summer scents.  Then comes out the wonderful smokey and dark fall candles.  Cider is always a favorite but other scents include Bonfire, Gingerbread, and almost anything with Cinnamon or Nutmeg.

Next I like to set out my handmade gloves, hats, scarves and coats.  I've always known that I'm not a 'shoes' kind of girl.  I usually buy one or two pairs a year and only if my sneakers and hiking shoes from last year have given out.  What I am instead, is a coat girl!  I own at least 5 coats, multiple sweatshirts, and more jackets than pairs of pants!  Now is the time to dust them off and pray for those crisp autumn days.

Then there are the cocoas, ciders, wassil, and hot tea drinks!

That apple tasted even better than it looks!

Maine has added a few more exciting things to do.  Apple picking, corn mazes, and leaf peeping (sounds dirty huh?).

Now you can understand why I love seeing that first tree change colors!

What about you guys?  Do you dread this season as the death of the trees and the first sign of winter or do you pack on the mittens and go hiking for that first fall tree?

Wire Willow Part 2

My newest Wire Willow Designs from my Etsy store!

Somekind of Normal

I keep waiting for things here in Bangor to get into a some kind of pattern so that I will no longer feel like I am stumbling along here.  How is it that it took less time to settle into Maine the first time than it has when I just moved a couple of hours north?  Then again hind sight is a bit rosy and I'm not so sure that I did settle into Maine as quickly as I seem to remember.

I'm going to be working some night audits again which should help me get around to posting my blog more often,  I have to admit that night audits not only help me get things done but they somehow remind me that I should be keeping up on here.

As I mentioned last time I am now starting up with an Etsy shop for my jewelry.  I'll soon post pictures of the latest set of jewelry that is now in my shop.  It has been a lot of fun and I am so proud of myself that I've been able to keep plowing along and posting new items.  The more I have up for sale the more likely it is that I'll sell something.  I have had one sale so far (thanks again Penny!) but I know how hard it is to really get these things up and going.  Most people who post to Etsy aren't able to make it past the first few hurdles.  The first step is making something unique and the second is making sure that it can be found.  The third is where it gets really hard, patience.  I'm not always good at that last step.

For now I just keep looking up my etsy shop and smiling with the knowledge that so far I'm passing one of the biggest hurdles...I'm not giving up.

Wire Willow Shop is Now Open!

First Jewelry items on my Wire Willow Shop!

In between moving to a new area in Maine, starting a new job, and hosting various family members on vacation I somehow got talked into opening my own Etsy site.  Yeah, I'm still not sure how that happened, but it did.

I've been making beaded jewelry since about 4th grade and selling it at my parent's store back home.  I usually made enough to go out to a movie once a month and not much more.  About five years ago I learned how to incorporate wire into my jewelry and it just took off from there.  I love giving jewelry as gifts to family but have been convinced by others that I should share what I make on a much larger scale, we'll see.

Mostly my etsy shop will be a fun way to brag about what I'm making and show family back home my latest designs, hey I might even sell something!

My Cross Stitch of Waterhouse's 'Psyche Opening the Golden Box'

The thing that I'm really curious about is my cross stitch projects that I'll be posting.  I love making huge cross stitch projects, most of them represent my favorite pieces of art.  I'd never thought that there was a market where people would want to buy finished pieces, I believed that they were just a bit too old fashioned.  Well it turns out that cross stitch is posted and even sold on etsy so again, we'll see.  For the right price I'd be willing to share my hard work with others, the one above took me over 700 hours to complete.  For right now let's just admit that I mostly posted it for bragging rights. 

So please run on over to my new etsy shop and see what I have to offer and check back soon as I will be posting many more items in the weeks and months to come.

Cats Candles and Crazy

Not sure if she likes candles but otherwise...

Fun blog name huh?  Originally it was the title of my first blog site.  I wanted to focus not only on the things that I love but the things that I think make me stand out.  Those who know me know that I love candles too much, without my husband I would be the classic crazy cat lady, and the crazy was an easy way to encompass all of the rest.

In the coming months this blog will begin to resemble some of what I had intended for the Cats Candles and Crazy blog.  I will be including updates on my various crafts, including the opening of my first ever Etsy shop!  You'll get to see some of the history that I have moved into here in Maine.

The romance writer hasn't vanished, she just really needed a break.  I still love old classic movies and will be putting out book reviews.  Also I'll be putting out those books that I keep talking about.

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful summer!  Check back soon to see the opening of my Etsy shop!