etsy here I come . . .

So I've been wrestling with opening an etsy shop ever since I found out about it, over a year ago. I have many excuses for not starting one: It would take too much time, I would spend my time thinking about that instead of my little boy, I don't have anything to sell. But the real culprit is simply that I don't think I could sell anything. I'm afraid nobody else would want my stuff and I would put all that work into it for nothing. So I suppose I have put it off for a year for fear of failure. But, thanks to Candace's nudges over at Sparkle Power, I have finally decided to get creative and just do it. The more I think about it the more ideas I have, and yes, today my poor little boy was neglected. But he got to watch lots of great movies. We'll try not to do it again. It may still be a week or two before it opens, but here is a preview of one of the things I would like to put in the shop as a print (I'm still looking for a printer):

reversible apron

I finished this reversible apron today. As soon as I saw the lemon printed fabric I knew I wanted an apron out of it. That rarely happens with me and fabric. I was with my mother at the time, and that sweet woman bought it for me. As I was thinking about it I decided a green stripe would be a perfect compliment, and wala, a few weeks earlier I had gotten this green striped pillowcase while thrifting. I was so happy to get started without having to go shopping. I'm always spilling on myself, I'm tempted to wear it all day. . .

wedding and birthday cards

my creative card making juices haven't been flowing lately, so a couple days ago I spent all of my free time making cards. I used a card magazine to start my layouts and ended up making between 10 and 15 cards. I think the creativity is flowing again :)

calligraphy

this is for you Alicia: my Carolingian calligraphy assignment with the decorated versal. It's the only one I have hanging up at the moment so it's the only one that got photographed. You should go and finish yours now!

painting again

So while we were on vacation visiting family, I was able to go to my dad's painting class twice. I miss painting every week, that's for sure. I picked up a vase from Ikea and painted some flowers in it the first time around. (above) The second one I did was also a white vase but with purple and light green flowers. It was still wet so I left it at my parents, alas I didn't take pictures of it first. But since I don't have that one, I thought I would include one of my very favorite paintings: three tulips and a sugar jar. I LOVE tulips, and I loved the expensive canvas this little 11x11 painting uses. It was heavenly to paint on. Plus I love the bright happy colors.

ABC flashcards

My little son started learning his letters a couple months ago-so I made him an ABC book. I had looked around but couldn't find anything with good big letters. I guess I just knew what I wanted and the easiest way to get that was to just make it. I was at the store a few weeks later and saw ABC flashcards- so I thought I would use the same basic graphics I had used for the book and make them into flashcards instead. They turned out well enough that I'm using these as part of a gift for a birthday party we're going to this week. I think I spent too much time making a little box for the cards to go in, but hey, now I have a template!

card exchange

I have 4 sisters and 2 sister in-laws. We don't live close and one way we keep in touch is by having a monthly card exchange. These are the cards I made last month. I got the inspiration from the book The card shop : a dazzling collection of handmade paper greetings by Sandra Lunsbury Foose.