Featured Seller Follow-up - Fizzyclaret

Hi All,

Ages ago, I posted about a talented clay artist that I made a purchase from.  You can read that post here:

Fizzyclaret

I had promised a follow-up post to report on what I made with her killer roses.   It's a simple design where I used a chunky, jet chain to contrast the softness of the roses.  I added some Swarovski Crystals and some vintage acrylic beads.  The result is interesting and still needs a name.  She will probably be for sale on Etsy and/or Artfire soon. 

Crafting With Ivy [Give, Save, Spend Jars]

Awhile back, I saw this cute idea for teaching a child to manage their money.  You just decorate jars to hold money for giving, money for saving, and money to spend.  I finally got around to making them with Ivy.  As far as understanding them, I think she was a little bored with the concept.  But she's never one to turn away a crafting opportunity.  Here's what we did.   I apologize that most of the pictures are just showing off my adorable kid:

I had some jars that used to hold beads and we simply painted the lids.  I let her choose the colors and I think she did a great job. 

Once they were totally dried, we added some letter stickers from my sinful stash of scrapbooking supplies.  I don't even scrapbook.   After we stuck them on, I had her cover them with Mod Podge to seal them up so they'll last a long time.  Dear Mod Podge, I love you. 

We got some glue on our fingers and showed it to the camera.   I swear she's not just throwing gang signs.

After the glue dried, we filled each jar with quarters from her piggy bank.  She officially has more money than I do.  It's all good, though, because this project was free.  :-p

If all she takes away from this lesson was that the "Give" jar is the most important, I'll be happy.  Now I will be curious to see what causes she chooses to adopt as she gets older. 

I Made It! Market (4-16-12)

WOW!  I'm wiped out and brain mushed lately.  I recently took a new job and I'm crazy tired.  I also have no spare time to blog.  It's a bummer but I know the craziness will pass once I get used to my new store.  It broke my heart into a billion pieces to leave the Masquerade.  Me running a year-round costume store just made sense.  And I loved all of the people.  But I am happy to report that I made the best decision for my family and my future.  Anyways, back to the love of crafting...

I spent last Saturday at I Made It! in the South Side Works.  This time I had a whole table.  It was way nice to be out on the floor rather than squished back in the fitting room area.  The venue is a vacant retail space which used to house an Ann Taylor Loft.  This time I sold nothing but hair accessories.  I did well and look forward to returning next month where the show will run in conjunction with "Chili With the Works," a great Pittsburgh chili cookoff.

My husband was kind enough to be my company and my helper/sales associate.  I also had some visitors (thanks, girls!).  Ivy joined us later in the day when her grandparents brought her down.  Here are a few photos I took:

Cancer Sucks!

My Dad, Tony, is a silly guy.  He likes to play blues and write goofy songs. He's a 65-year-old retired airline mechanic and he's literally a mechanical and construction genius.  I get my creativity from both parents.  The vision and aesthetic talent comes from my mom, but I get my keen sense of how things work and my  "making" skills from my Dad.   Whenever I grab a beer and cloister myself in my studio, it always reminds me of my Dad and his garage. 

A couple of months ago, he started having these weird episodes where he would lose his voice.  And he had a cough with no medical explanation like bronchitis or pneumonia.  Finally, he was diagnosed with Metastatic Thymic Carcinoma, a very aggressive tumor of the Thymus gland.   This cancer is so rare that they have no research or true frame of reference.  They do know that it is incurable.  It will really be a matter of keeping a watch on it.  And he will never get his voice back.  The tumor has pressed on his vocal chords and permanently paralyzed part of them.  He joked, "There goes my singing career."  That's my Dad.  Always goofing.

He had his first chemo treatment this past Wednesday.  My heart is breaking for him.  No one that is so hard-working and energetic should have to go through this.  I pray that it will be very successful and that he will have a long and healthy time before he has to revisit this nightmare.  

My reason for writing this post is that I want to help my parents out with the cost.  My Mom, Patty, owns and operates a beautiful tearoom.  She is just starting to bring in real money, so banks will not refinance her building yet.  That's a bummer because she knows that consolidating will greatly help their finances.  We all know that bank regulations are stringent and that the struggling economy has tightened everyone's purse strings.  We've been throwing around some ideas.  The customers at AntiquiTea know my Dad well.  He was a big part of the rennovations to the West View location.

Anyways, I'm looking for ideas on how to do a fundraiser that incorporates mine and my Mom's businesses.  Any suggestions and ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks, as always, for reading.  Here is a photo taken last summer. 

Well, It's Spring!

The calendar says, "Spring", but the weather says, "Not yet!"

Here are a few of my items that may help you to think warm, Springy thoughts.  Click on the caption to view each item in my shops. 

A fun tea infuser to brew your favorite Spring tea!

Fabric Flower Clip

Hand-Embellished Gift Box

Thanks for reading!