when a model goes to summer camp

Yes, I'm doing a little happy dance this week because my free handbag model is at church camp. This is the same handbag model who schools from home. Everyday. All day. We're together. Every. Day. However, with all of my bon bons and happy dances, I'm missing my handbag model. This is what's happened so far with delayed camera timer.

good gosh! are my legs really that skinny?

and my hands. are they that wrinkly?

and my personal favorite...

Dear Free Handbag Model,

Could you come home for about 30 minutes? You don't need to eat or get money or even smile because I shoot you from the neck down anyway.
Then you can go back from whence you came.

Love, Mom

Read more...

much love monday

what am I loving today?

my tiny "harvest" of grape tomatoes and banana peppers

garage hearts

my pup

what are you loving?

Read more...

monday's picks

1) "Goodbye" from TastySuite

2) "Meadow Mouse" from FawnPotter

3) Lollipop Flower Hoodie from AnnaJoyce

4) Coffee Sack Ottoman from VelvetBean

5) Beads from WanderingSpirit

6) ring from Organikx

Read more...

sooc saturday - i'm in

Every time I visit Courtney at One Mom's Perfect Imprefections I yak about participating in SOOC Saturday. SOOC stands for "Straight Out Of the Camera" and is hosted by Slurping Life. Clearly the gist of the whole thing is to show a photo or two before editing. Last night I had a chance to get outside once it had cooled to a chilly 90 degrees and this is what came out of the camera. Since I'm a rather wordy chick, one or two photos just doesn't suffice.

[ one happy pup ]

...that is, until Mr. Waterstone walked by with that loud, scary noise-maker.

Happy pup then ran for the back door. Wimp.

Working with the manual settings on my camera. I'm beginning to get the hang.

This is my Charlie Brown tomato plant. It truly defies all odds of staying alive.

I finally staked it this week. The two large tomatoes were literally on the ground because they weigh more than the plant itself. It's a freak of nature.

So, what's coming out of your camera? Care to take the challenge?

Read more...

a new summer tote from waterstone

While on my trip this week, I picked up a few beautiful pieces of fabric for summer totes so getting back to the Waterstone studio today was at the top of my list. I was able to complete and photograph this first tote today. I'm in love with this fabric and knew immediately which recycled leather I would use.

The recycled leather handles, font pocket and flower came from a great, weathered Coach bag I'd gotten my hands on recently. The inside green cotton lining seems to complement it pretty well.

I don't know about you but I absolutely love having a handbag with both black and brown. Maybe it was because I was brought up to think that accessories need to match, but I seem to have some sort of psychological hang up in that department. We're working to correct that. At any rate, I love the tan and black fabric with the brown leather.

Today's question...

Do you think about mixing black and brown or gold and silver when putting your daily outfits together?

Or am I the only one who was possibly irreversibly brainwashed in teenage finishing school?

until tomorrow,

Read more...

a scrumptious frittata and a bomb

We'll begin with a little word of advise from the newly wised up. Do not, and I repeat NOT be the only seller at a party for realtors smack in the middle (or end, depending on whose opinion you're getting) of a recession which includes free wine, free food, free massages, free pedicures, free manicures, and free waxings. Hint... they're coming for the free stuff. Your product may be fabulous. They may moon and ooh and ah over it. They may add their names to your mailing list and take your cards. But they're there for one reason and one reason ONLY - the free stuff.

Having said that, let us move on to more appetizing things, like frittatas and fruit salads on a hot summer's evening. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I had a wonderful visit with my mom and during that time we developed a yen for a frittata, ran out to the store, and gathered supplies. This is what we gathered:

about 7* large eggs, which were whisked and mixed with

(STOP)

I will apologize now for not being a specific recipe person. I'm strictly an eyeballer.

So mom and I mixed the eggs with...

a little milk

and a few shakes of hot sauce

then we...

sliced mushrooms, about 6

we sliced about 1 large green pepper

then sliced about three pieces of ham

and finely chopped a red onion

We sauteed the mushrooms until nice and brown, then salted and peppered

Then we added the onion, followed by the pepper (we used green and red).

We added the ham.

Once the ham was heated through, we poured the egg mixture over the vegetables and topped with a generous amount of shredded cheese.

We put the oven-friendly skillet into a 400 degree oven until the eggs began to brown and the cheese became nice and bubbly.

For the fruit salad, we combined honeydew, cantaloupe, orange, and peaches.

YUMMMMM. The perfect, inexpensive, vegetarian summer meal.

*Note*

We added 7 eggs for a standard sized skillet and agreed that we should have used 10 instead.

That's what you get for eye-balling.

Read more...

roasting your own coffee

Several years ago Mr. Waterstone and I had the pleasure of meeting another coffee fanatic lover who actually roasted his own coffee. We were so smitten with the process that we had to try it out for ourselves. Our friend quickly convinced us that the process is quite easy and the end result makes for a wonderful cup of coffee.

In the past I've talked about ordering our fair trade coffee beans from a great online site called Dean's Beans. They sell fair trade products from all over the world. We ordered our I-Roast coffee roaster directly from this site. A one pound bag of green beans (photo #1 below) goes for approximately $4.50 and guess what? Once it's roasted, it becomes a two pound bag! In photo #2, you can see that the beans are actually green in the beginning.

Photo #3 (above) shows what the beans look like loaded and beginning the roasting process. In photo #4 (above) you can see that after only 4 minutes, the beans begin to brown. After a short 5-6 minutes, the roasting is over and they begin a three minute cooling process. Because of the smoke released from the top of the roaster, it's best to roast outside.

We are trying to cut back on the caffeine, so I purchase a bag of hazelnut-flavored whole beans from the grocery store (photo #1 above). In a large bowl, I combine the freshly roasted coffee beans with an equal amount of the hazelnut decaf. (photos 2 & 3 above) I store our mixed, freshly roasted coffee in mason jars.

The aroma and taste are simply amazing. I hope that you've enjoyed my little tour or our sick coffee addicted world! Even if you don't end up roasting your own green coffee beans, be sure to visit Dean's Beans. The green beans are just a small part of what they sell and remember, they're a fair trade seller.

Read more...

monday's question(s)

[ my first harvest. don't laugh. i'm proud ]

Heading out for another road trip today. This trip will be two-fold. I'll get to enjoy visiting with my mom and sis in North Carolina. In addition, I'm going to show off my wares and hopefully sell a few - well, a lot.

Hopefully.

You never know what's going to happen with these things. (By these things I'm referring to private parties, private sales, trunk sales, craft fairs, etc.) My experience with fairs has left me feeling that I just don't want to mess with it. This time it's an event for realtors that will be catered, offer free manicures and pedicures, and have a couple of sellers (that's where I fit in).

I am more excited about attending this show because it will be the first time I've come face-to-face with consumers who will consider buying my bags, which I've only been selling since the first of this year. I'm a little nervous, a little excited.

Now it's your turn...

1. As a seller, what has been your experience with this type of thing?

2. If you're on Etsy, do you inactivate your items or put the shop in "vacation mode" when you sell for an event?

and as a consumer...

3. What's been your best experience with an artist at an event? Your worst?

4. What do you most like to see?

Hoping you have a great week!

Read more...

is it me?

am i possibly the only one who is NOT on vacation?

my kind of sort of, but not really vacation weekend activities...

yesterday I updated my website design. opinions?

AND

i've been trying to understand photoshop - again. but guess what?

this time i have the FULL ON version. had to buy a "for dummies" book before i even attempted to open the program. my pictures are destined to become fabulous, hopefully...

...someday...

maybe.

so, are you on vacation? not?

Read more...

one more tote for the road

It's been one of those perfectly delicious days as I have finally (I think) developed that summertime state of mind. Life isn't rushed because I know that the busy police won't be chasing me down. Are you feeling the same way? I sure hope so.

This is my last painted tote of the week and I know I say this often, but I want it for myself. I really do. If it doesn't sell over the weekend or at the event I'll be working at next week, I may just take it. It's one of my favorite quotes by Oscar Wilde, "Be yourself; everyone else is taken."

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Go and play.

Seriously. Just go and play.

Read more...

her mischievous behavior

We were so proud of her. She was trained to stay off the sofas and chairs. Well, we were proud for a few years. Then I began to hear a sliding sound followed by a thump in the middle of the night if I happened to walk through the dark den.

This was followed by daytime sneakiness. I would catch her taking a nap on the sofa. Eventually we gave up. She'd ruined the sofas and chairs with her long nails. She was constantly shedding. It was terrible. So we bought a leather sofa.

Now? Now she blatantly climbs onto any piece of furniture except for her own bed. The cat sleeps there.

Now if we could just do something about the dog.

Read more...

combining two arts into one

Do you remember when I slipped in a little comment about playing with paint? I finally had the chance to get started this week. Inspired by an article in an old Mary Engelbreit magazine that I'd pulled out one evening, I am making my small attempt at combining the two arts of painting and design.

The paint on both bags, especially the black, will need a second coat. I love the stark contrast of the black against the wrinkled canvas and reclaimed bright red suede straps. Can you tell what the suede did in it's former life? I used front button seams. One strap has the buttons and the other has the button holes. (click here for more info on this bag)

Finally got around to ordering cotton fabric tags from Mommie Made It.

Thinking I should have left off the web address. Sigh. I clearly need to get a life.

With the wristlet above, I used new canvas and reclaimed materials. The little rose pin was my inspiration.

I'm thinking of offering the painted canvas bags at a lower price point. Although you would be surprised at the amount of time painting these little suckers eats up.

Honest critiques are most graciously welcome. So... whadayathink?

until next time...

Read more...