A Little Shop Update

Happily, I've been printing and crafting again for the first time in a long time. I'll be updating throughout the weekend. Use the code HOLIDAY25 for 25% off your order in the Etsy shop.

If you're looking for me . . .

I'm doing much more blogging here these days.

Keeping On

Last week, in shock over the devastation in Haiti, I decided to donate 100% of the proceeds from my Etsy shop to the nonprofit Partners in Health. I am happy to say that to date, sales in the shop have raised $194.28.

I was uncertain how much to post last week (and still am), but do want to say that after teaching in a wonderful Haitian community in Massachusetts for several years, this is a cause very near and dear to my heart. I taught writing, and many of my students would compose powerful memoirs about the violence and despair in Haiti. This was before the quake. I can't even imagine what their families are experiencing now. Like many of you, I desperately want to do something, anything, and since I am on maternity leave (our daughter was born in early December), reaching out through the craft community was simply the best way for me to be involved at this time.

I want to thank those who have already purchased from the shop, and also remind all of you that I will continue to donate proceeds until I run out of items. I will also be participating in a silent auction on the Indie Fixx site and plan to donate some items to Craft Hope.

We are all sending hope, in one form or another.

For Haiti

I was so sad to hear the news of the devastation in Haiti yesterday. In an effort to try to do something, I am having a fundraiser through my Etsy shop.

All proceeds, from now until the stock in my shop runs out, will be donated to humanitarian aid in Haiti. Monies will be donated through Boston-based non-profit Partners in Health, founded by Dr. Paul Farmer, which you can read more about here.

Holiday Cards Back in the Shop!

It's that time of year and holiday cards are back in the shop! There are only two sets of the reindeer design left, and only one chocolate "Frost" design available. Get them here before they're gone!

Updates, Personal and Otherwise

Hello, dears. I know I've been quiet the past few months! Thanks for being patient. The pregnancy is progressing beautifully and I can't believe I'm in the home stretch of the last trimester. For those of you that were following my baby blog, I made it private simply because I could not keep up with it! Everything is fine, really.

For those of you following the Etsy shop, I'll have a few updates before the holidays--- mostly buttons and magnets, which make great little stocking stuffers. I'm hoping to save up a bit for maternity leave before I put the shop in vacation mode for, well, as long as I need to! Billy has been sweet enough to help me with the button press and is even interested in learning how to Gocco if we get around to it. I'm a lucky girl to have a husband willing to get crafty with me (he also gets a little thrill each time a button set he made sells. Tee hee!).

In the meantime, here are two new sets for those who love the East Coast:

You can buy them here.

Busy Again

After I got pregnant this spring I was so exhausted from the first trimester that I didn't really make any new items for the shop. Then I found out that I had some restrictions on pushing/pulling motions (which are big with both the Gocco and the button press) in addition to already being a little wary of the chemicals that might be involved in Gocco'ing.

Enter my wonderful husband, who is willing to learn how to use both and do the push/pull motions while I nag. I'll be slowly updating the shop with new buttons and magnets (like the Woodland magnets above), and we also have plans to do some Gocco holiday cards together soon.

After the baby . . . finally the letterpress! (Ha. I think I'll have time to re-learn letterpress.)

I'm a very lucky girl.

Where I'll Be

Clearly this blog (and the shop) have fallen by the wayside a bit. I'm trying something new here.

So . . .

I can finally explain why things have been so quiet around here. In addition to being really busy finding and buying a house (yay!), I've been sleeping and eating for two. We are so excited to be pregnant and while the first trimester was a rough ride, it did teach me a lot about just letting myself scale back (the blog and the Etsy shop had to suffer, and that was that).

I've been debating starting a baby and crafts-for-children blog, but I'm still unsure if this is something I want to do publicly or at all. In the meantime, though, I thought I would explain why things have been so quiet around here! I've missed you!

One Lovely Blog Award - Thank You!

Thanks to Boston Handmade for giving this little blog the One Lovely Blog Award (I feel even more honored since I've been a very bad blogger lately).

And without further ado, I'd like to pass the award on to my following favorite blogs. I love these blogs for such a variety of different reasons, and they are all great reading in their own way. Visit each one and see:

1. The Minecreations Blog
2. doe-c-doe
3. Abby Try Again
4. The Art of Seeing Things
5. Cicada Daydream
6. Things Are Better with a Parrott
7. Piccolo
8. The Sea Within
9. Bread and Honey
10. Inside a Black Apple

Yart Sale

Wow, I cannot believe that six days have gone by without blogging. And I still have big news to share with you guys. Just not . . . yet.

In shop news, I'm participating in a Yart (yard + art) sale until June 14. Shipping is FREE on all items in the shop. If you'd like to learn more about what Yart is, click here.

More posts (and news) soon!

Friday Finds: Night Owl Clock

I've featured clocks by Decoylab before (see here), but this owl one reminded me of all good things, like 1950s childrens books (you know how they have a limited color palette) and vintage wallpaper.

On a unrelated note, I just finished this book, Julia Child's memoir of her early married life in France. As a Francophile and total recipe hoarder, this book had so many things I loved: a sense of humor, a transport back to my own days as a nanny in Provence, and of course, food. I read this book after finishing Julie and Julia last year, which I also loved, and you can read more about here. I am so excited for the movie to come out. Julia Child plus Meryl Streep plus Amy Adams? What could be better?

On another unrelated note, I have lots of news to share in the coming weeks. It is oh-so-exciting, but I have to wait just a bit longer . . . check back soon!

Summer Sale in the Shop

I've decided to have a summer sale in the shop! For a limited time, all items in the shop are buy one, get one free (higher price prevails and shipping still applies). Simply wait for the revised Paypal invoice or, if you forget, I will refund you the difference. Happy shopping!

Update 6/8/09: This sale has now ended. Thanks!

Flickr Favorites 24

1. beetle, 2. Untitled

Bird and Daisy Magnets

I like these; they remind me of some prints we had in our house when I was little. Newly listed in the shop.

Friday Finds: Byron Print by Amber Alexander

I stumbled upon Amber Alexander's Etsy shop the other day and I am just charmed. The "Byron" bear print, above, is a particular favorite, as is this one.

A Little Garden Update and Recipe Call

I haven't given any updates about the garden since we first started seedlings back in February! Above are pictures of the Swiss chard and spinach. The broccoli and herbs are coming along too, but the peppers that looked so promising are struggling a little bit since transplanting them.

I've been on a bit of an anti-veg kick lately, which is very unlike me, and my usual go-to recipes for spinach and chard seem boring. If anyone has some favorite recipes for greens, I'd love to see them! I can't grow these little plants and then not eat them.

I did make this recipe again, with chard from our CSA box, and it is delightful!

Green Space Travel Case

Given my love of paint-by-number (see here and here), I am enamored with this DIY project on Design*Sponge. Such a fun idea for city dwellers.

I've Missed You!

If you're a regular reader I'm sure you noticed that I've taken a bit of a blog and Etsy break lately. Things in my work and personal life have really sped up, and something had to give.

The good news is that I am now on summer vacation, so I am hoping to finally organize my work space and get back down to business. Even if it is not technically business per se, there are a lot of projects that I've been playing around with in my head, and I'm looking forward to having the time to try them out. I'm hoping to take on some personal sewing and knitting projects and to do some things just for fun--- I feel like that always re-inspires me.

The Etsy shop, though, will be slowly brought back to life, too. I listed some new magnets today. I think the ones above are my favorites. More updates--- here and in the shop--- soon!

Flickr Favorites 23

1. flowering trees, 2. familyONbeach