14 October 2008

What a Weekend!




Hunter's Moon this weekend was busy and well attended as usual. I love doing this fest every year because the weather is gorgeous, the people come out in droves, and this year they added live music (and it was even close to my booth, which was awesome), to liven things up. I also got interviewed on the radio, on country 94.7 or something like that, which was very spur of the moment and without warning, but I think I did ok NOT sounding like a fool! LOL The DJ guy said I looked 29, so we became fast friends. It was fun, irregardless! All that, and children's activities and a parade, which makes it the only craft show Sierra actually wants to go with me to. See?

Unfortunately, the next day was also beautiful weather, which made it a great bike riding day. The wierd thing about October in this part of Kentucky is that is is often still summer weather, with leaves on the ground. So summery in fact, you can forget the leaves are there. Which is what happened when Sierra's bike flew on the leaves coming down the hill on our road like she's done a million times before. My dad always warned me about driving on leaves, and how they can be slicker than ice. Apparently, dad was right once again, because down she went, and man, was it ever scary! With the help of my neighbors, we got her taken care of and to the ER immediately, where after getting her calmed down and cleaned up, were able to see the extent of her injuries. Three head (face actually) wounds with a total of around 15 stitches, chipped teeth, head to toe deep scrapes, road rash and abrasions, and a broken wrist later, Sierra is at home on bed rest. She looks and feels pretty rough, but is a real trooper and her spirits are still high.

Poor baby!! Keep her in your prayers as we battle infection and try to get her healthy!!

10 October 2008

Hunter's Moon Festival (and the drink of the week)

Tomorrow, Saturday October 11th is Hunter's Moon Festival here in Grand Rivers. I have been a proud vendor at this super fun event since moving to Grand Rivers in 2005. From the parade full of great floats and even decorated golf carts, to the rockin' street dance at night, this event filled day is fun for everyone. This year the lovely Kim Kraemer, the head of tourism for Grand Rivers, has also put together a huge storytelling event Friday and Saturday nights at the Badgett Playhouse, featuring nationally known storytellers!! There are also dozens of art and craft vendors, several food vendors with local yummy foods, and kids events including those huge inflatable things all kids love. I, for one, am all about getting a funnel cake and some kettle corn. To make things even better, the weather promises to be beautiful at around 86 degrees!

Look for my booth and my show specials while you're there! Mention "octoberfest" and get 20% off. When you get home, get in the mood for fall with some chocolate. Make this Chocolate Martini!

Death by Chocolate Martini
1 1/2 oz vodka (I like Stoli)
3/4 oz creme de cacao
3/4 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Chill martini glass by filling martini glass with ice and water. Let sit while measuring liquors into strainer. Dump out ice water, and drizzle chocolate syrup around inside of chilled martini glass. Shake ingredients over ice, strain into glass.

08 October 2008

Rad Rockin Recycled Gift Boxes On the Cheap

I have been working all week making sure everything is all ready for the Hunter's Moon Festival here in Grand Rivers. One thing I have been working hard on all year is trying to look more pulled together and "professional," while sticking to a tight budget and maybe even being a little earth-friendly too. With the holidays coming up, I have been searching high and low for affordable gift boxes for my jewelry, but boy oh boy, are they expensive! I would have to charge more for my jewelry to afford the silly boxes. Then I found this fabulous tutorial video on Etsy shwoing how to make boxes from paper. A few calendars and Rolling Stone magazines later, I had these:


While I was at it, I cut up a stack of old (probably vintage by now) greeting cards into 1 1/2" x 2" pieces that are colorful on one side and blank on the other, and made gift tags out of them. By the time you fold up the boxes or cut up the cards for tags, the original pictures don't matter, all you see is a super rad, modern colorful look that I find irresistable.


From now until the end of the year, buy something from my Etsy shop or come visit me at the Hunter's Moon Festival this weekend and get a free handmade box, tag, and a fun bow with any purchase, just in time for the holiday season! The Hunter's Moon Festival is a great time, has tons of food and craft vendors, along with inflatables and kid's activities. Add to that a big parade (and a golf cart parade afterwards, since we are a golf cart friendly resort town, lol), a street dance with the wonderful Tabitha of Southern Fry'd (a great local band), and funnel cake, and it is a great day for the whole family!! We hope to see you there!

06 October 2008

Seaside Dreams and the great blogs

Its a charmed life! Ever go to the beach with your kids, collect boxes full of shells that you lug back, only to wonder a week later what to do with them? Anyone with kids is probably faced with pocketfuls of rocks shaped like things, pretty shells, and other outdoor treasures all over the house. After our recent trip to Clearwater, Florida, visiting my grandmother. We brought back tons of shells from the number one rated beach in the US, Caledesi Island. One look tells you why it's so highly rated:


Not to mention it's one of the few beaches left with great shelling. We found probably 50 unbroken sand dollars alone. So upon our return, I decided to start making things with the shells, in the grand tradition of grandma, whose house boasts a vast assortment of shell crafts. One of my favorite things I have made so far is this charm bracelet with shells we found:


The greatest thing about this bracelet is that not only is it the newest thing in my shop, it is one of the 50-plus things on sale for 20% off from now until October 19th, for Bluegrass Etsy's Octoberfest Sale! Check out my shop for awesome deals, or go to the Bluegrass Etsy site for a complete list of great sales in tons of shops.


As long as you're browsing the web and reading blogs of artsy people, check out Cherished Dreams. She writes about tons of interesting crafts, mainly showing off beautiful quilts she makes. We're keeping it Bluegrass this week, since I am in the quilt capital of the US!

03 October 2008

Drink of the Week, and a Big Big Sale!!


I'm really feeling fall this week. The crisp fall air, sleeping with lots of blankets and the windows open, leaves almost too pretty to rake up, and the wonderful smell of cookies baking in the kitchen. Mmmm...

Since we've been baking cookies today (hey, homeschooling means I can teach fractions by doubling recipes, and eat the results!), I've decided to make the drink of the week today an Oatmeal Cookie shot.


Oatmeal Cookie


1 part cinnamon schnapps or Goldenschlager

1 part butterscotch schnapps

1 part Irish Cream liquor

Shake over ice, strain into shot glass(es), enjoy!



While enjoying cookies, be they actual cookies or these yummy shots (or both), hop skip and jump over to http://www.bluegrassetsy.blogspot.com/ and peruse some awesome huge Octoberfest Sales, just in time for holiday shopping!! Most shops are offering 20% off AND free shipping, including me!! Just enter in the code, "BEST OF" in the message to seller in checkout, and wait for a revised invoice before paying. Sale goes until October 19th, but at these prices, handmade, one of a kind items will go fast! Check out my shop here!


Enjoy!! xoxo

02 October 2008

Fall Beauties

Today is another beautiful fall day and I cannot get enough!! I finally get to open the windows this week, after a summer of captivity to the air conditioner thanks to Josh, whom I swear sweats in the snow. Yesterday I even took a long walk with my mom and Sierra, hills be damned! Of course my mom, visiting from Illinois and not used to hills at all, was not as gung-ho about the walk through the neighborhood as we were. But, at least it was just cool enough to not sweat about it.


It was also nice enough for me to take plenty of pics of my new jewelry, just in time for the team wide sale the Bluegrass Etsy team is having in a few days. One of my favorites is this necklace I made, using coral, slices of shells, and freshwater pearls:


Super big news about a super big sale coming up!! Details announced Sunday, October 5th!

01 October 2008

new work on a beautiful fall day


It's been a beautiful week here as fall has, well, fell, and we've all been enjoying the gorgeous 70-something degree weather. Even the cat, Tramp, as he chilled while I snapped pics of some new jewelry, soon to be appearing in my Etsy shop, daydream art studios:


Here is my newest piece, a lovely turquoise and silver necklace featuring gorgeous, high polished turquoise nuggets in a beautiful blue-green perfect for fall:


This necklace is completely one of a kind, all handmade, and very lightweight and easy to wear.

Available in my Etsy shop tomorrow!