our home to yours / Yankee Burrow Creations

Saturday Shopping Link Up - children

2012-03-03T07:30:00.001-05:00

Hello. How are you? I'm glad you came by, grab a cup of tea (or coffee) and a piece of coffee cake made by my BESTie friend Annie from Empty on the Inside. Or if you prefer, Isobel from Coldhamcuddlies may have brought some English scones. Ok, are we all settled in and ready to party???? Let's see what children's items I found...

Isn't this adorable? I found this Blue and Brown Elephant Door Sign in the Etsy shop of Little Monkey Doodles. I love the name of this shop almost as much as this sign. Heehee. This sign is a print of Jennifer's original artwork professionally mounted on wood and sealed, to last a life time. A great item to keep forever.

How about this cute Frog Bath Puppet? I found this in the Zibbet shop of Crochet Puppy Love. Owen would love this...he loves bathtime, and that's pretty much the only time my bathroom floor gets a good washing, lol. You'll also find many other great creatures wandering around this shop.

This week I took a stroll over to Artfire and found this sunshiny Sunflower Table and chairs by Great Custom Furniture. The top of the table is a chalkboard for hours of fun. When Amanda and her big brother were little, they had a table and chairs in their playroom, and played on it all the time. You can also get this set in a different color and personalized, just convo them. Ok, now let's see what you all brought to the party...remember this one is for the children, and if you don't carry children's items, that's ok, share whatever you like, I'm sure we'll like it too. And until Monday, everyone have a safe, happy, and blessed weekend.

The path to our identity

2012-03-02T10:16:00.000-05:00

Amanda and I are on a journey. And I'm sure it's pretty much the same journey we are all on...looking for happiness. Amanda and I find our happiness, and contentment, and joy, in our relationship with our Father in heaven, and then thru that relationship, we find happiness, and contentment, and joy, in all the other relationships and situations in our lives. Our husbands. Our children. And our business. Just like everyone else, we want our business to succeed. Do we want to be independently wealthy? Only a fool would say no, hahaha, but we do want to be "successful" and not just spending time making contacts online or creating beautiful things. You see, when Amanda was living in Kansas, we discovered Etsy, and thought "ok, let's start a shop together". And then without further thought, I jumped in and started the shop. And pulled Amanda in with me. Because that's how I am, I get an idea and jump. I don't always think first, because I just get excited and see my vision of the end result. Poor Amanda, she is the total opposite of me in many ways. She thinks, she ponders, she researches, and I chaff at the bit. LOL. That is how we ended up with the name Our Home To Yours. Now we want a web site, but when you search Our Home To Yours, well, you get a lot of results. And that started us on our journey...to find our own special place in the cyber world. And like a good mother, I stepped back and gave the control to Amanda. After all, not only is she more level headed that way, she also spent many years (while very sick) getting her masters degree in graphic design, with a slant towards advertising. See, she's the real brains behind this outfit. And I am very proud of her. Any who, the whole task of rebranding is overwhelming, but we made a break through, a new name, mission statement, and vision. As you can see by the header, and new url address, our new (and unique) name is Yankee Burrow Creations. The Yankee part should be self-explanatory, Burrow to kind of take the place of home since we are about home and family, and Creations because everyone else and their sister has crafts in their name. You can follow this whole process in Amanda's blog AH Designs. And highly recommend you follow her, because while she is extremely professional, she did inherit my warped and often sarcastic sense of humor. Fun reading. Now for some crafting talk...

Several years ago, on a trip to New York, my sister gave me this material. I wasn't sure what to do with it, but true to my artistic packrat background, I brought it home with me. A few nights ago, I had a "vision", to take these squares and create decor for a child's room. Come back to see how I turned this vision into a finished product. I am just twitching to get started. :~D

In case you have missed me lately...I have had poor internet access. So I dumped AT&T (boo) and have only had access thru the wifi hot spot on my smart(er then me) phone. But Monday, I will have a new service provider, Time Warner Cable (yea), so I can get back to my online life. But tomorrow, there will be a linky party!!!! I'll bring the snacks, and we will be celebrating...children. So bring any child item for show and tell. And if you don't have anything childlike...bring something else. Everything is welcome (except mature items). We love to see the creations of our friends. See you tomorrow.
Debbi

What's a Braidlet?

2012-03-01T14:36:00.001-05:00

Before I share with you another great shop from Handmadeartists.com, let me explain to your our blog header. Amanda and I have been working hard (ok, SHE's been working hard) on a re-brand for OurHomeToYours, and we finally agreed on a new name (with a .com for our soon to emerge webpage). The new name is Yankee Burrow Creations and I figured I would add it to the header here for everyone to get used to...you can follow the whole process on Amanda's business blog, AH Designs. I love the new name, and I hope you do too. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Cari is an amazing artist who crocheted crystals and beads to wire, and called them Braidlets which is a trademark name. Amazingly, Cari is a self-taught crocheter and her shop is filled with really cool braided bracelets of all colors and sizes. It was difficult to chose just a few to share with you. I'm going to start with my favorite.

Of course, I was drawn to this Summer Days Cuff Bracelet. I love the bright colors, anything with orange and yellow is a must have for my wardrobe. And while reading the description for this cuff, I discovered that it is designed to adjust in size to fit any wrist. Cari has designed this so that you can push the beads together for a smaller size, and spread them apart for a larger size. I love that!

Nothing says classic elegance like pearls. This Peach Pearl Braided Bracelet has just enough color to match any outfit, but don't worry, Cari also has pearls in colors from classic white to green to red. Time to get ready for the June wedding season!

Not every thing in Cari's shop is for your wrist, she also has earrings. I love these Red Crystal Wrapped Hoop Earrings. Sometimes it's hard to find earrings that do not get lost when you wear your hair down, or that do not take over your whole look when your hair is up. At approximately 2", these are neither too small, nor too large. A great addition to your jewelry box.

Now that you've had a tiny taste of her wonderful items, go and check them out for yourselves. With 101 items for sale, there has got to be the perfect one for you.

You can also find Cari at these other sites.

Web Page / Shop / Facebook / Twitter

Debbi

In the interest of Pinterest

2012-02-25T11:27:00.001-05:00

Pinterest seems to be the latest bandwagon, and one I have never jumped on. It just seemed like one more site to take me away from my other business pursuits...like crafting. Now I'm glad I never got hooked, because it seems like it is not the wonderful site we all thought it was, so if you like to pin, you need to read this article from Technorati, "Pinterest Users Need To Read The Fine Print". And just so you know, please do not pin our stuff, just tweet it and facebook it, and love it! heehee
Debbi

Owen gets the giggles

2012-02-23T10:10:00.001-05:00

Before I share with you one of my many videos of Owen, let me tell you about a wonderful blog...Mercantile Muse. Pamela writes a blog that is simply wonderful. She loves to share not just her own life and creations, but the creations of others. And she has a linky party, and y'all know how I love parties! I was very pleased and honored to have one of my creations featured on her blog, and I would like to share that with you. Just click here, and after you've read her post, don't forget to become a follower, so you won't miss anything!

Now, I bought my hubby a remote controlled helicopter for Christmas, and Owen would just sit and watch Grampa make it fly. Well, these small helicopters are hard to control, and after crashing numerous times, the back rotor stopped working correctly. So Chuck started to let Owen work the controls. Well, Owen has more fun with this broken then he ever did when it was new....I love listening to his laugh.

I hope you got the giggles too, and I'll see y'all tomorrow.
Debbi

HAF artist spotlight....Dalishknits

2012-02-22T13:56:00.000-05:00

I'm still fairly new at the Handmade Artists site, and just getting to know the wonderful artists there. That is why I enjoy the blog ring from the Handmade Artists Forum, it's a great chance to get to know the other artists, and then share them with you. Today I got to meet Gina Dahl, the talent behind the shop, Dahlishknits. And her knit items are simply delicious. Check these out...

this clutching toy is great for newborns that like to grab and hold things. Made of machine washable yarn, and with no pieces to get pulled or chewed off, every baby would love this. And the bright color is great for still developing eyesight. As a plus, this toy comes with a matching pair of booties.

I love this little guy. A OOAK Electric Blue Caterpillar. The bright blue yarn is sure to encourage your baby to reach out and grab at it. The yarn is machine washable, and the eyes are sewn on so there are no detachable parts.

These MaryJanes for newborns would be great as a shower gift. So tiny. I just love babies...they smell go good, and baby feet are the only feet I will touch, lol.

Now for a little background on Gina. She has 2 young children that inspire her creations. She has a blog, Llama Mama, where she shares stories of her fun-filled days. And she has a second blog, Dahlish Knits where she shares her creative process. So click on any link above to find out more about Gina.

Debbi

The Handmade Artists Forum

2012-02-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

A few months back I was reading some of my favorite blogs, and on one there was a button on the sidebar for a site named The Handmade Artists Forum. Well, I love a good social site, meeting new people, and seeing their talent encourages me in my art, so I figured I would check it out. I love it there! The Handmade Artists Forum is the growing "baby" of Andrew and Kimberly Kitchen, who are amazing artists themselves. Click here to read the story of how this site came to be, right from the "horses mouth" as it were. This site is a wonderful place for newbies, and experienced crafters. You can learn from tutorials, check out other artists works, and just visit in our on-line chat every Thursday. And now they have a "sister" site...The Handmade Artists Shop, an on-line shop where for a nominal fee, you can list items for sale, and they promote you like crazy. We have a new shop there, and right now Andrew and Kim are combining both sites into one. So all you crafters need to come and join us! You'll be glad you did.
Debbi

Saturday Shopping Link Up - your happy place

2012-02-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I blogged about the HP computer that I just fell in love with, which gave me the theme for today's linky party....your happy place. I have many happy places; my studio, the beach, the woods, my living room, church, outdoors, indoors. Our happy places are whereever we CHOOSE to be happy. We can dwell on sadness, or we can dwell on happiness, so let's dwell where we feel good. Another place I am happy is window shopping, so let's see what I found today that put a smile on my face...

Beads make me happy. I love looking at them, and rubbing them, and stringing them. Aren't these Polymer Clay Lentil Beads just breath-taking? I was blessed to be included in an Etsy treasury with these beads, and I just can't stop staring at them. The bright colors just get my creative juices going....and when you visit the shop Polymer Clay Beads...you will most certainly find beads that would make you happy too.

On Zibbet, I did a search with the keyword orange, because orange makes me think of Mom and while I'm sad she's gone, my memories of her life make me happy. Now this original oil painting by jennylee, titled Hawaiian Orange Sunset hit 2 of my happy places...orange, and Hawaii, a place I always wanted to visit. And I will someday, it's on my bucket list, along with getting my own motorcycle.

And hats make me happy. I'm a bit of a throw back...I love the styles and looks of past centuries, and I love to wear hats. I have almost as many hats as I do shoes. I will buy a hat or a pair of shoes first and then shop for an outfit to match. It makes Chuck crazy...lol. Now this Red Beautiful Wool Felted Hat has a bit of a flapper feel to it, and since I don't have a flapper outfit...you got it, more shopping for me. 8~D So pop over to Beata's Soul at Handmadeartists and check out all the great fashion accessories she has, surely you will find something to bring you to your happy place.

Now it's your turn, click on the link below to add your happy place item and/or blog. Because it just takes too much energy to be unhappy!

Debbi

Oooohhhh, I'm in loooove!

2012-02-17T08:29:00.000-05:00

We were in town yesterday, hubby was taking us out to eat at MiPueblos (love that place), when we decided to go to Staples for printer ink. And that is where I saw.......HIM.

He's big....he's black....and he likes to be touched....

It's the HP TouchSmart series. The computer is in the screen...no more tower. And the screen is 23" of pure fun...no more squinting for me. But my favorite part is the touch screen...

ummm...nutmeg. Now picture poor hubby trying to corral 3 children loose in the kindle / tablet aisle. He's saying "don't touch" and they're saying "mommy's touching" and I'm just gone, to my happy place, lol. Finally Chuck reminded me that I needed a new laptop and 23" just isn't going to fit in the laptop case. (Actually, I don't "need" a new laptop, I could get mine serviced, but I "want" a new laptop. Just like he "needed" a new tractor. LOL)

Now back to business...I missed last weeks linky party due to a super slow internet connection and a super slow (and a non-touch screen) laptop, so tomorrow let's link up what makes you go to your happy place. But remember...this is a family site! Heehee.

Debbi

Wire Wrapping with Colette

2012-02-16T07:49:00.001-05:00

This week as part of my commitment to the Handmade Artists Forum blog ring, I get to share with you the awesome jewelry designed by Colette. When you visit Colette's Boutique, you will be blown away by the delicate beauty of her designs. I have chosen three pieces to share with you...

We'll start with the earrings. These Blue Turquoise Earrings aren't what I would typically think of when it comes to wire wrapping. And that's why I love them! The wire coils make the perfect petals and with the beads in the center, it creates very pretty flowers indeed. These are sterling silver, but then have been slightly oxidized to give them this great color.

Now on to the necklaces. I chose this Silver Wreath Wire Wrap necklace because of it's originality. Colette wrapped this in a free form style, so it is truly unique and a OOAK. And the tiny pink swarovski crystals just make it sparkle. Like the twinkle in the eye of the woman lucky enough to receive this as a gift, because while Valentines Day may be over, what a perfect lasting gift to hide in a box of Easter chocolate.

And now to highlight your wrists...this Renaissance wire wrap bracelet. To me, anything Renaissance (or Victorian) is a must have, because it speaks of romance and being feminine, and love. What really caught my eye with this bracelet was the photo presentation, my eye was brought back to this piece time after time. Hmmmm, maybe I need to get it for myself.

I hope you enjoyed the wonderful creations I have chosen to share from the shop Colette's Boutiques, and if you just click on any link above you will be whisked away to her shop or each item, for a closer look. You can also become a fan on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter. And don't forget her Blog.

If your an artist, the Handmade Artists Forum is a great place to meet other artists for support, inspiration, and fun. And they also have a "sister" site where you can purchase items. I have a shop there along with having a shop on Etsy. So come and check it out!

Debbi

Valentines Day is for children

2012-02-14T10:58:00.000-05:00

Remember when you were little (way back in the day) when you didn't go to the store for those boxes of Valentines card, but instead you got out the construction paper and paste? I thought those days were over, but our youngest boy proved me wrong. Sunday evening we picked up the cards for the kids school parties and then spent last night tearing them apart, and signing them all. This morning, our youngest foster son gave this to our daughter.

On the outside he wrote in pencil "Happy Valentines Day Hanna". (yes he spelled her name wrong, but he usually called her Anna, heehee). And on the inside he wrote "I hope you have a good day". Now how sweet is that??? It helps me to forget the bickering, and Hannah was so touched, she stuck it center-stage on the fridge. So go on, tell the special people in your life that you love them, and do it everyday, not just on Valentines Day.

Debbi

Around the world in color!

2012-02-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

It's BESTeam Monday and today I am visiting Uruguay, Australia, and my own USA. I've noticed in my travels, that everyone loves color....and for me, the brighter...the better. So let's start with the land down under...

Lesley Boretto from BorettoArt calls Australia home. The land of kangaroos and koala bears. I remember growing up that my step-mom mentioned that she wanted a koala bear as a pet. As if 10 kids, dogs, cats, and guinea pigs weren't enough, lol. But Lesley does not live in the outback, but in the most populous city...Sydney. My favorite piece at BorettoArt is this Vase of Flowers, an original acrylic on canvas painting. The colors are so bright and vivid! You can find more about BorettoArt here.

Etsy / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Now we're off to South America...to the country of Uruguay...where we will find Marisa, the talent behind Floresdelsur. Marisa takes felt, fabric, and ribbon, and creates wonderful accessories for craft projects, or your own personal use. Here she rolled ribbon for a new and funky way to show your love of your country...custom patriotic rolled ribbon rosette pins. Just convo her with the flag colors of your country, and she'll make one just for you. And I bet she would make you one in any color combination you would like, these would be cool as boutonnieres for a wedding party! Convo her and ask..

Etsy / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

And now we're back home in the United States of America. Maryland to be exact, which is where you will find DeeDeeDzyn, one of our newer members of the BESTeam. Look at the colors in this awesome Multicolored Tiger Striped design necklace. Delia has a great "eye" for form and color, and the items she offers in her shop are sure to please every style. And here's an interesting tidbit, Delia was born and raised in South Africa and you'll see that cultural influence in many of her designs. Look for her here...

Etsy / Blog

Now a little info for you on the Boosting Etsy Shops Team, or what we loving call the BESTeam. We are a group of Etsy artisians that help promote and support each other thru our blogs, twitter, facebook, and any other on-line social sites that we have. And thru this promotion and support, we have also become a great group of friends. So if you're looking for some new friends, join us!

And I'll see y'all tomorrow.

Debbi

one mans trash....

2012-02-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

"One mans trash is another mans treasure."

Ok, I have to share a family secret with you. My wonderful husband is a garbage picker. Or should I say...a treasure hunter. Now some wives have husbands that disappear for several days at a time hunting or fishing, or worse they "disappear" for several months at a time for football or hockey season. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with these hobbies, I know several wives that join their husbands in these pursuits, and that is as it should be. But treasure hunting could be embarrassing to our children. When Amanda was a pre-teen, and a teen, she hated to be outside on trash day because she knew Chuck was out prowling. One day we were driving her somewhere when Chuck spied a pile of wood on the side of the road, and cut off other drivers to get to the side, (a slight exaggeration). I was helping Chuck toss the wood into the back of the truck when I noticed Amanda had disappeared. She spotted some friends walking down the street so she ducked down in the truck so she would not be seen....I'm sure our giggles were not parental supportive. Now that we live in North Carolina, Chuck has not been able to go on a hunt, because where we live there is no trash pick-up. Well, yesterday, some guy knocked on our door and wanted to "rent" our truck to haul trash for the abandoned house down the street (he was cleaning it for the bank). Chuck was not about to give a stranger the keys to his truck, but instead offered to take down one of our trailers, and when the guy was done, Chuck would haul it to the dump. Did Chuck go straight to the dump? Oh no, Chuck brought the trailer back to our house. Yep, he went treasure hunting right in his own back yard. He got a fairly large outdoor storage unit, and was just picking thru everything when Hannah got home from school. Boy is she her father's daughter. Her eyes light up and she dove into that trailer like it was Christmas...I just shook my head, smiled, and went into the house. Several times she would come to show me something and remark "look what Daddy was going to throw out". hahaha. Someday you may see her on the show "Clean House", cuz she just can't throw anything away without a fight. But I have to admit, they found some great things, pre-school homeschool curriculum, 2 wooden chairs (those are going into my art studio), and this baseball helmet that Owen claimed for his own.

He kept this on for several hours...and because he's a goof, he would run into walls or knock his head on the floor to "play" with the helmet. At one point I walked by and knocked on the helmet and asked "anyone home?". His reply, "yep, I'm home". About 45 minutes later he gave me the helmet to put on, and when I did, he knocked on it and said "anyone home?". That boy just lights up my life!

Debbi

Monday Besteam Sunshine

2012-02-06T11:35:00.000-05:00

I can't complain about our winter weather this year...no snow and only a little cold. But while it's been warmer than normal, I look out my window and everything is still brown or dull green. I like color. I like heat. I like sunshine, so here is an Etsy treasury made up of wonderful ex-BESTeam buddies that brought some sunshine into my life.

'put a little sunshine in your life' by ourhometoyours

a collection of old BESTeam buddies that made my days brighter.

Large Vintage Style Cha... OffTheWallExpr... $20.00	Silly little Duck and F... FlutteringFlow... $4.00	Coconut Lemongrass Shea... mossycreeksoap... $5.95	Earrings - Vintage Insp... Plumbeadacious $12.00
Yellow Butterfly Gift T... UpcycleRecycle... $3.75	Beaded Bookmark, Book C... Gilliauna $16.00	Vintage Yellow Funky Ca... WayfaringMagno... $50.00	Yellow Agate Earrings w... HeadpinWear $25.00
Yellow Flower w Amber C... MysticWynd $31.95	The Canary and The Spar... LittlePeachFuz... $7.00	Golden Yellow Fabric Fl... youaremysunshi... $12.00	ZigZag Funky Felt Flowe... FunkyFeltFlowe... $12.00
Feather Earrings, Yello... waterwaif $22.00	Pink Lemonade Button Br... clevercrafter $16.00	Vegan Unscented Fizzing... JustTheGoods $5.00	Coffee Carafe Free Moti... TiLTcreations $21.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

What puts the sunshine in your day? See y'all tomorrow.

Debbi

Saturday Shopping Link Up - man toys

2012-02-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I'm late...I overslept, hahaha. Ok today's linky party is all about hubby's new toy. You can read about it here. So, what do you have that says "big boy toy"? Link it up. And enjoy what I found for your man...order today and you still may get them in time for Valentines Day.

I found these really cool guns at KcSoapsNmore on Etsy. No, they are not real, they're soap! A 4 piece made-to-order goat's milk and glycerin soap.

And to keep your man warm, how about this grey and purple striped hat by

Glory S Chapa over at the Handmadeartistsshop.

And over on Zibbet I found this

ultimate campfire gadget.

Grate Outdoor Solutions calls this the Rotis-a-prong. (That name makes me giggle). You stick a hotdog, or marshmallow, on the end, then twist the knob to get all the sides nice and brown. heehee. For the outdoorsman who has everything.

Ok, now it's up to you...link up, and then invite your friends, and their friends, and their friends, to our party!!! And remember, please no mature items...this is a family loving blog!

Have a blessed Sunday, and I'll see y'all Monday.

Debbi

poppa's new toy

2012-02-03T10:55:00.000-05:00

Yep, Chuck's got a new toy...a Ford tractor. It's a nice tractor, but it means a bigger garden this summer. Which means more tilling...more weeding...more harvesting...more canning...more work...but in the end, tastier meals and extra money in the bank. :~D

And coming soon....chickens! LOL. I swear I can hear y'all singing "Green Acres" hahaha.

Come back tomorrow for my linky party...of course you can link up anything (no mature items please) but I especially want to see items pertaining to tractors, farming, fun, your hubby's hobby...and please leave a comment. I love hearing from my friends.

Debbi

You gotta check this out....

2012-02-02T09:07:00.000-05:00

I have got to share with you an Etsy artisan I found, or rather she found me. I was reading my shop email this morning and I get notifications when others add me to their circle. When I am, I like to check out the shop and then reciprocate. This morning I was notified that Natural Pretty Things added me to her circle, and when I clicked on her profile/shop....I was transfixed! Just look....

Now these are not painted on...these are real live flowers! She presses them and then seals them in resin. Who is she? Oh, I'm sorry, I was so excited I totally forgot the introductions... :~)

She is June Moore, the amazing talent behind Natural Pretty Things. June hails from Buckingham, England. Hmmm, I wonder if Isobel knows her, heehee. OK, back to June...she started her journey to her shop when she first preserved her wedding day roses. She loved it so much, that this became her obsession, and now she can't stop! Lucky us! So go check her out!

Debbi

Meet the Rasmussens....

2012-02-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

One of the things I like about the Handmade Artists Shop is all the new (to me) artists I get to meet and share with y'all. And this week I met Debora and John Rasmussens who head up Rasmussensgems.

This is a husband and wife team that together creates amazing items, but right now I'll start with John...

He started out many moons ago with a background in geology and shared his knowledge as a teacher, but after a decade John switched gears to emergency medical services from which he ultimately retired. Now he is pursuing his love of rocks and gems and has a great amount of education under his belt. So when you purchase from John, you can feel secure that he knows what he is talking about, and that his items are created with great care. He is the lapidary, gemologist, and artisan jeweler / metalsmith of this team. Let me show you a few of his creations...

John can look at a stone like this Tourmaline and see the gem hidden inside. Then he does his magic, smoothing and cutting and shaping, till he ends up with something like this...

Faceted Smokey Quartz Gemstone.

Or this... Banded Agate Cabochon, or he adds a little metal and his imagination and creates something like this...

I love this Emerald on Copper Pendant.

And lest we forget, behind every man is a good (better? heehee) woman, so let's check out Debora's creations.

This Old Glory Bracelet will help you get into the mood to vote! We may not have the best choices of politicians to choose from, but Debora gives us plenty of bead worked pieces to choose from...want color? How about this Beautiful Flowers Necklace? Debora used to create beauty for your home with decorative swags and custom wreaths, but now she beautifies your neck, arms and ears...my type of woman, lol.

Check out these Pastel Blue Earrings...what a great combination of colors and beads. And if you grab this Rainbow Anklet, you will be covered from top to bottom. Well, I better finish up this feature since my housework is calling my name, but I have only scratched the surface of all the wonderful items John and Debora have to offer in their shop...Rasmussengems, so go check them out for yourselves. And I'll see y'all again tomorrow.

Debbi

I'm ready for summer

2012-01-31T07:38:00.001-05:00

Now, I am not one to complain (much), and while the weather here has been wonderful for winter, I am sooo ready for summer. And to that end, let me share with you some past summer days with the kids, and some shops with great summer items. Now first, at the end of last summer, we found an amazing water park right here in Statesville. We have lived here for just over 12 years and never knew about this place, the Statesville Leisure Pool. It's part of the cities parks and recreation, and for only $6.00 per person, it is a very affordable all day mini-vacation with your family. Bring your own coolers with food to eat (outside the park) or purchase something at the snack bar. There are chairs and tables and umbrellas, sprinklers for the little ones to run thru, and a tubing area and bigger slide for the bigger kids. We had a ball, and Owen loved it. We learned about this place on the last day it was open, so this summer we plan to go several times. While we have our own pool for daily fun, sometimes it's nice to just go out!

I did a search on Etsy for children, water, and summer, and on the first page I found these very cute Water Balloon Flip Flops from the shop Debbiefife. You can't go wrong purchasing from a Debbi, lol.

I myself have several embellished flip flops for sale in my Handmadeartistsshop, so let's see what else we can find amongst the talented artists there...(how's that for a tie-in, oh I'm good :~D )

These Faith, Family, and Love Flip Flops from the HAS shop lilybluedesigns were created for a wonderful cause, 25% of the proceeds from the sale of these flip flops go to help Robert the Great, a young boy fighting lukemia. There are also other charms in this shop to help support this family in their fight for life.

And since I'm not above a little self-promotion...

you'll find my Rainbow flip flops in our very own HAS shop, aptly named, Ourhometoyours! hahaha. Now the water balloon flip flips are listed as girls size 12 - 13, and mine are listed as 8 1/2 ", I'm sure they all can be made in the perfect size for you, just let us know what you need! So, start planning your summer days, and don't forget your summer wardrobes!

Debbi

B is for the BEST in Black

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's time once again to visit some of my BEST friends on Etsy, the members of the Boosting Etsy Shops Team. And since we have started to teach Owen his colors and letters, I decided to apply that theme to this weeks Besteam feature. So let's see what pretty black items I found.

Look at this great cell phone charm from GMaEllenCrochetGifts. Ellen is a doting gramma, just like me, and we love to share stories of our grandchildren. And since everyone knows that grammas are full of love, you can know that every item Ellen offers in her shop has been created with utmost care, and love. Ellen enjoys a variety of crafting, but her specialty is crochet, and she crochets anything and everything, from wine bottle covers, to baskets, to jewelry, to rugs. You're sure to find what you're looking for at her shop, and it you don't see what you need, just ask!

Etsy / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

I love these onyx and jasper earrings at Cindy's shop, CK Silver. The colors make me think of wonderful purple grapes, just bursting with flavor. Cindy created these earrings as part of a set, the Midnight Remembrance Set. Beautiful pieces of jewelry to remind us of the beautiful gift from God, Jesus Christ, and His gift to us, reconciliation with our Father thru His sacrifice on the cross. This three piece set consists of these earrings, a bracelet, and a wonderful necklace. I am definitely blessed to be able to call Cindy, not just a team mate, but also a sister in Christ.

Etsy / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Patty from Patty's Dream Designs is a newer member of the BESTeam, and we are honored to have her as part of our team. When I had happened across this dark brown stone and black bead bracelet I knew I had just completed my theme...but if you're looking for something lighter and brighter, check out this shop...Patty's styles and colors run the whole rainbow. Etsy / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Handmadeartistsshop / Zibbet / Artfire

Well, that's it for the BESTeam for today...time for me to go to the studio and play!

Debbi

If your looking for an Etsy team that will help you not only promote your shop, but will support you with fun and friendship...check out the BESTeam ever!

Saturday Shopping Link Up - Nana's orange

2012-01-28T09:15:00.000-05:00

First, I want to apologize for missing my linky party last Saturday....it's been a little chaotic lately. I talked about mine and Amanda's runaway day on Thursday, but I didn't talk about what else was important about Thursday. This past Thursday, my mother, aka Nana, would have turned 82. She went home to glory back in 2000, and I still miss her and want to talk to her, but I don't grieve as the world grieves, for I know the future, I will see her again the day I go home to glory. But until then, I have my memories, and I searched out some pictures I wanted to share with you. The first is my favorite.

You see, my mom was an artist. And I have soooo many memories and stories of the times we spent at various art shows. This picture is from the Allentown Art Festival held in Buffalo New York every year. This was probably 1971 or 1972. Some day I'll have to share about the time we had a Vietnam War protest, complete with the SWAT team in riot gear. As a kid, I thought is was pretty cool.

When Mom became Nana, she was thrilled, and was the most doting, and fun, grandmother ever....every holiday and birthday, and even just weekends, were filled with excitement for her grandchildren. Here we have my oldest son Greg, and my nephews Chris and D.J. dressed and painted as Indians, complete with fur vests that she sewed, shields that she helped the boys paint, and of course...war paint. And she passed her artistic creativity on to her grandchildren, encouraging them to express themselves thru paper and paint.

She also played with adults, lol. Always laughing and joking, I don't ever remember her yelling or getting angry, but I'm sure she did. After all, there were 6 of us kids, growing up in the wild 60's and 70's. There were many times she probably should have yelled at us, heehee. We grew up roller skating in our dining room, having food fights in the living room, and bringing home strays....cats, dogs, and friends! My mother was strongly independent, a single mother who managed to stay friends with her ex-husband. There are so many things I could say about her, but the word the come to mind is...amazing. My mother was amazing. So to honor her, and your own mother, this linky party is dedicated to them. Link up what ever reminds you of Mom, and if you can't find something that reminds you of your Mom, link up something orange. That was Nana's favorite color! And when you're done, if you are blessed enough to still have your mom around, call her and tell her what she means to you. Don't wait till it's too late.

Debbi

a relaxing Thursday.

2012-01-26T18:51:00.000-05:00

Amanda and I did something today that we haven't done in a very long time...we took the day off! No kids, no work, no laptops. Just her and I and the open road. Ok, I admit, I took along a crochet scarf to work on while she was driving, but that's not "real" work, lol. Amanda found a dresser she liked on facebook, so we went on a search to Curiosity in Blowing Rock, NC. First we got a little lost, but getting lost in Blowing Rock is fun....this summer it will be time for another trip to walk the Main Street to see all the new shops. Anyway, the shop Curiosity has some really neat items there, and next door to it was another neat shop, The Incredible Toy Company....that totally deserves another trip after payday. I am one of those people that prefer educational board games. Then my wonderful daughter treated me to lunch at Applebees, their 2 for $20 made it a great deal, we were stuffed. During this time together we just talked and laughed. It's great when your daughter is also your friend!
But now it's back to work, I jumped on a Blog/Fanpage Hop hosted by Theresa at Chatter from Texas, so if you're looking for some new blogs to follow, or are looking for new followers yourself, join me there.

I've put a permanent link to this Thursdays Get Together on my linky-party tab, so you can come on over anytime. And I'll see you all tomorrow.

Luv ya's,

Debbi

trying new things! iKnitQuiltSew

2012-01-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

If you caught my blog post(s) yesterday, you'll see where I was playing with my new phone...trying a new blogger app, and not doing too well with it, lol. Another new thing in my life this year is my shop on the Handmadeartistsshop site. It's a forum, and it's a selling site, and part of the "newness" is that there are new artists that I get to meet, and share. So my first HAS artist feature is.... *drum roll please*.... iKintQuiltSew!

Not all artists work with paint, or clay, or marble. Sandi is an artist that lovingly creates beauty with fabric and yarn. She learned to knit and sew from her grandmother, and uses the patterns that came from her great-grandmother, giving such a touch of vintage class to all her items, like this...

Camo Colors Knit Baby Hat and Booties gift set. With all the great-grands, and great-nephews and nieces popping up in my family, gift sets are a God-send to my sanity. And let's not forget poor tired mommy...with this beautiful Ladies Headband with flower. The color is sure to brighten any sleep deprived new mother, and make her look, and feel, wonderful.

And if your newest family member is a little girl, what little girl could resist this...meet Anne the rag doll!
I made a doll..once..for a granddaughter, and let me tell you, attaching curly hair onto a doll was enough to make me pull out my own hair. It's so much better when Sandi does it, lol. This doll looks so soft and ready to help your little angel have sweet dreams. And then hang this colorful Hand Quilted Baby Quilt on the nursery wall. What a perfect touch!

The last item I would like to share is the very first item that caught my eye from this shop...a gorgeous Handmade Log Cabin Lap Quilt. The air can be a little nippy at those 3am feedings, heehee.
You can also get to know Sandi by becoming a follower of her blog, and like her on facebook to get all the latest up to the minute news on iKnitQuiltSew.

Be Blessed!
Debbi

2012-01-24T19:40:00.001-05:00

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Blogging on the go

2012-01-24T16:27:00.001-05:00

Ok. I've downloaded blogger on my smart phone, so let's see how it works. It's been too many days since I posted, and even longer since I posted about Owen, so here he is! :)