Welcome Wednesday with Loopy Bird's Boutique

Please welcome Louisa and her Etsy shop Loopy Bird's Boutique

Based in London, Loopy Bird's Boutique's aim is to create bright, fun and unique handmade accessories at an affordable price, guaranteed to put a smile on your little one’s face.

Now let's discover Louisa and her creations

What is the first creative memory you have?

Watching films and cross stitching with my mum when I was a little girl.

What or whom began your creative journey on Etsy?

My biggest inspiration has to be my mum, she’s always supporting me and keeps me going, she suggested I started to sell my work back in 2009 then I came across Etsy and that’s where it began!

How did you come up with your shop name?

At the time I set up my shop, I had another hobby – bird watching and obsessing over my new SLR camera, I used to go and take hundreds of photos of birds at nature reserves, which is where the ‘bird’ came from and the ‘loopy’ refers to the loops made by the stitches when I am sewing, crocheting and knitting.  Also the Loopy part of my name describes my personality - forgot to mention that!

Describe what creations you have in your shop

I sell handmade hair accessories using bright and colourful fabrics and buttons, I also crochet flower headbands and brooches. But in the future you may see something very different from me!

What inspires you?

Anything bright and colourful, I have taken to using Pinterest for inspiration.

What do you listen to or watch while creating?

Harry Potter! They put me in the zone, and once I start, I cannot stop!

Please share a favorite recipe

It involves a good Yorkshire Tea Bag, 1 teaspoon of sugar, some boiling water and a little semi-skimmed milk! Yes, a good cuppa! - My all time favourite recipe!




Where else can we find you?

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Blog
Ravelery






Now please go show Loopy Bird's Boutique some love and come back and tell us what your favorite item(s) are!

Meet Monday with Timeless Avenue and a GIVEAWAY

Please meet Ger from Dublin, Ireland and her Etsy shop Timeless Avenue



Bringing you inspired creations by the speculative, steampunk, fantasy, and all things vintage, Timeless Avenue creates one of a kind, single, original pieces that all are given individual quirky names.

Ger is also offering one of her creations as a giveaway...please see all of the details after the interview.

Now let's discover Timeless Avenue

What is the first creative memory you have?

I've always been creative and it has manifested itself in so many ways over the years, through my creative writing, my graphic design, and now my jewelry. I've always known I was creative and theres a certain buzz I get when I make something I'm especially proud of.

But it all started years ago when my mum said to me “ah sure, just write a little story,” when I was eight years old and bored. I hung out of her as she folded the ironing one Saturday morning when the eighties had just ended and Irelands then recession still bit at the ankles. I twisted in between her legs and bounded around the Hoover as she got on with the week’s housework. I was a nimble child, too young to know to help and pick up a duster and too youthful to think of what to do to pass the long Saturdays before school would eventually take the weekends away with homework, studying, exams and thoughts of prospects.



So, I wrote a short story about a talking telephone. It was an old rotary dial telephone in glorious pink. It sang Kylie Minogues I should be so lucky when it rang. I was after all, a true child of the eighties. I lay on the brown linoleum floor in our extended front hall, with a cushion under my elbow, my legs kicking the air behind me as I wrote with a red pen on a wad of old computer paper with the sides punched and corrugated. That story was the first of many. By the time I was twelve, they had ended up in a shoebox tied into mini scrolls with multicoloured ribbons keeping them in place. But it didn’t stop there.



What or whom began your creative journey on Etsy?

I was looking for a particular type of necklace which I couldn’t find in any of the shops, so randomly one day I decided to make it myself. I found myself scrolling through the thousands of suppliers items on Etsy and instantly fell in love with the idea of creating my own jewelry. I began this journey with just a few ideas, which has just exploded! I almost made it to 100 items and suddenly I was back down to 90 again because of sales.

It’s an amazing feeling to have someone else wear one of your creations and love it as much as you do.

How did you come up with your shop name?

I struggled with my shop name for quite a while. I wanted it to have importance and meaning, to stand out and be remembered by my customers. In the end I chose the title of a poem I wrote about 15 years ago. Timeless Avenue is a short poem about the future and about friendship and I felt it was quite apt as my shop name since I love nothing more than to pass on my work to friends as gifts.



Describe what creations you have in your shop

I make steampunk and vintage inspired jewelry and I’m learning something new and wonderful about my style and craft every day. I love nothing more than to order a batch of vintage watch movements and create beautiful intriguing jewelry with them, from necklaces to earrings and cuff links (which all sold out so quickly!)

It’s all a little bit kitsch and a whole lot of me!

Everything I make in my shop I make for myself. If I won’t wear it, I won’t make it. There’s definitely a little bit of me in every piece. The majority of my pieces are one of a kind because I like to make something different every time. And I especially love when someone asks me to change an element of a piece I’ve created because it’s what they’d prefer or like. Putting the personal element into my jewelry is what I’m all about. I want someone to wear a piece of my jewelry for their friends to say, “oh that is so you”! I want my customers to know that the piece they have bought was made especially for them.

What insprires you?

So many things!



Inspiration is incredible because it literally can come from anywhere. I could see a color and long to use it in a bracelet or necklace. I love looking at old movie posters, and love trying to incorporate the imagery I see. Anything dystopian, futuristic and steampunk is obviously a huge influence on me and I love the intricacies of the inner workings of machinary. Watch parts are a big element of steampunk jewelry. I spend ages just looking at them before I decide on how I’ll magic them into a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Essentially, I try to combine something hard with something soft and beautiful. So a rough metal watch piece matches perfectly with a sepia tone ballerina!

What do you listen to or watch while creating?

I’ve recently developed a Netflix addiction! I prop my iPad on the side of my craft table and watch series after series. So far I’ve watched, or rather listened to!, entire series’ of Heroes, 4400, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and I’ve just started on Lost again from the very very beginning!

Making jewelry and watching tv has to be one of the most relaxing things I do!



Please share a favorite recipe

My favourite recipe is Chocolate Banana Bread. Its a tradition in our house to make atleast four loafs of banana bread every Christmas, and my husband is always asking me to make some more. Its simply beautiful, tastes great and the best thing, is that it is so quick and easy to make! My problem is that every time I make it I change the ingredients ever so slightly, and believe it or not my husband knows! He always knows when I've done something different. This epicurious recipe is one I've been sticking to for a while, and it passes his taste test.

Chocolate Banana Bread with Walnuts

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in small bowl; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and toss to coat.
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in zigzag pattern.
Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool.

Where else can we find you?

Facebook
Pinterest

Now let's see what one lucky winner will win!!!



Bird Cage Summer Bird Pendant Dangle Earrings vintage inspired with crystal beads - Birds of a Feather

*****SHIPPING INCLUDED FOR ALL ENTRANTS!!!

These dangle earrings are so light and comfortable to wear. They are simply adorable and eye catching. These bird cage earrings dangle at approximately 2 inches in length.

NOW TO ENTER...please remember you do not have to do all of the entries, but the more you do the more chances you have at winning.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tribute Tuesday with Stockannette

Shout out your tributes for Annette and her Etsy shop Stockannette



Hand knit items for the children, adults and the kitty cats in your life!

Annette has offered a 15% off coupon to my readers with coupon code: FAVERITTE

AND she is offering an item from her shop for a GIVEAWAY!!! Please see all of the details to enter below this interview.

Now let's discover Stockannette

What is the first creative memory you have?

I remember sitting beside my Grandpa while he was playing “Happy Trails to You” on the organ, and he let me hit the sound effect button that made horse-hoof-like clip-clop noises (he also let me clip-clop on “It’s a Small World” and “My Marie,” too).

What or whom began your creative journey on Etsy?

People saying, “You should SELL these!” or asking, “Where can I buy your knits?”

How did you come up with your shop name?

There is a stitch in knitting called "stockinette" (it’s the one that looks like tiny Vs). Since my name is Annette and I knit every day, Stockannette became the name of my Etsy shop!



Describe what creations you have in your shop? My original designs, including a pumpkin hat (for kids and grown-ups!), baby pom pom hats, scarves, and most recently, cat toys.

What inspires you?

There’s nothing quite like seeing someone smile when they put on something I made. Every time we get those cards with family photos on them and I spot someone wearing one of my creations, it brings me joy!

What do you listen to or watch while creating?

The Walking Dead, True Blood, Breaking Bad, Project Runway, John Hughes movies. I love rockabilly and 80s music.

Please share a favorite recipe

Chicken baseballs
3T light cream cheese (softened)
2 tsp. light butter (melted)
4T chopped onion
2T skim milk
a dash of salt and pepper
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 tube reduced-fat refrigerator crescent rolls

Combine top 5 ingredients.
Pour over chicken & stir.
Open crescent rolls - make 4 squares (by smushing the diagonal lines together).
Put 1/4 of chicken mixture in the middle of each square. Draw opposite corners together and press to seal ‘seams,’ making into a ball shape.
Bake 20 min at 350○. Makes four (each is 4 Weight Watchers Points, FYI).

Where else can we find you?

Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Pinterest
Handmade Movement Group - mission is to give new and undiscovered Etsy shops a boost of hearts and sales, via kindly “Sneak Attacks” twice a week. Some ‘Sneakers’ call me ‘the Reminder Bee’.

NOW LET'S SEE WHAT ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL GET!



Knit Toy for Cat or Kitten...please see other pics here

Measures approximately 68 inches long. Place in garment bag or knotted pillowcase and machine wash in warm water, tumble dry on low.

***THE WINNER MAY RECEIVE THEIR TOY IN A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN WHAT IS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE***

Now to enter...please keep in mind you do not need to do all of the entries for a chance to win...but the more entries you do, the better your chances are of winning :)

PLEASE refer back to "Where else can we find you?" for all of the links.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet Monday with An Astrid Endeavor

Let's meet Astrid and her Etsy shop An Astrid Endeavor

Colorful textiles and embroidery art with her passion for Ethiopia in every stitch; Astrid's creations are interesting and beautiful statement pieces and perfect unique gifts!

Please enjoy 10% off of your purchase from her shop using coupon code: BLOGLOVE10

Now let's discover An Astrid Endeavor!

What is the first creative memory you have?

I've been crafting for as long as I can remember- that, I get from my moms side of the family. One of my first memories is going to a weaving class with my mom, I was defiantly the only kid there- which, of course, makes a kid feel very special and "grown up". We did weavings on a round frame. I remember it was really funky and abstract and I loved it! I also created a series of Teddy Bear paper dolls, they were very intricate and detailed. I was really intent on selling this idea, so I sent them off to a designer who made teddy bear stuff at the time- God, teddy bears! The 80's!!

What or whom began your creative journey on Etsy?

I had been toying with the idea of trying to get my Etsy shop up and running for awhile. Finally I was inspired by my coworker who helps her mom manage her shop. She convinced me! I am so happy I did- it's been great to connect with fellow Etsians and creative people. I love it!

How did you come up with your shop name?

An Astrid Endeavor, which I've used for awhile now, seemed like the perfect name since I'm always embarking on a different project or art medium. Jewelry is always the constant, but I didn't want my name to somehow "trap" me into just one art form. I've worked with clay, glass, weaving, paper, paint, fabric, wood- you name it!

Describe what creations you have in your shop

I am making primarily jewelry at the moment- bright, unique, fun pieces that are mostly hand embroidered. It's easy to work with textiles and embroidery when you have a little one and need to keep it quiet at night. That's when I get all of my work done!

I also have embroidered ornaments that honor the birth continent of my little one, as well as cards and treats that celebrate Ethiopia and adoption.

What insprires you?

People and the natural world- jeez- everything! I just got hooked on Pinterest and it's been so addicting- the images are like candy for my eyes! I have also been so inspired by so much beauty being created on Etsy, in my community, and across the world that I've been able to experience in person and right on the web!

What do you listen to or watch while creating?

That's hilarious, because I just finished going through "The Office" on Netlix. I was laughing constantly, and now find myself singing the theme song when I get going with my crafting! I managed to also get through all the episodes of "Mad Men" and "Arrested Development" that way. If I don't want the added distraction of Netflix I like to listen to NPR and my favorite radio show called Radio Lab. It's awesome- you learn so much and the commentators are so witty!
www.radiolab.org/

Please share a favorite recipe

Here's one I found on Pinterest that I really want to try since I love beets so much!
Beet pasta with ricotta!

Ingredients

1 pound red beets, trimmed, scrubbed
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Coarse salt
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon chopped tomatoes
Red-pepper flakes
12 ounces farro spaghetti
1/2 cup fresh ricotta

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle beets with oil and season with salt. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until tender, 1 hour. Peel and chop once cool.

2. Pulse beets, walnuts, and tomatoes in a food processor. Season with salt and red-pepper flakes.

3. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup water, and return to pot.

4. Toss with beet mixture, adding pasta water until creamy. Serve with ricotta, a drizzle of oil, and red-pepper flakes.

Where else can we find you?

Pinterest
Facebook

Check out all of Astrid's creations in her Etsy shop and please come back and tell us which piece(s) you LOVE! I do adore these earrings!

Welcome Wednesday with Sarah Bella's Boutique

Please welcome Chan Tell and her Etsy shop Sarah Bella's Boutique

If you are looking for beautiful jewelry plentiful with bling...then you will love Sarah Bella's Boutique! Offering trendy accessories for all styles and ages that are all handmade by her and full of personality!

Currently her shop is all on sale for 15% off...what a fantastic deal!

Now let's meet Chan Tell and discover her shop Sarah Bella's Boutique!

What is the first creative memory you have?

I have always been a creative kid...I come from a crafty family. My first memories were being in my Granny's basement working with her on floral arrangements that she made and sold. We also made floral straw hats that people would buy and hang on their doors for spring.

What or whom began your creative journey on Etsy?

My Granny always worked on crafty projects and I guess I got it from her that I always needed a project to do. I started helping

her with her crafts then got into painting, then started quilting, then tried to sew, then tried scrapbooking, then jewelry making. Of all those projects I had finally found MY THING. I started making jewelry for family members and they told me I should take my talent further. So I researched Etsy and began a shop in May 2011. It took off very fast and I am glad I did it because I love what I do.

How did you come up with your shop name?

My Great Grandmother was my best friend and she passed away when I was 13. I always said if I had a daughter I would name her Sarah after her. When I started my business it was a no brainer that it needed to be Sarah something. Then I added Bella because it means beautiful...which I thought my pieces were. Sarah Bella's Boutique was born.

Describe what creations you have in your shop?

I make trendy and fun jewelry that everyone can love. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, you name it. I realized people love to follow trends so I kind of went with that...even though I have a few things that I make with one of a kind in mind. Later I got into hair bows for little girls. Instead of opening a separate shop I sell them all under the same name.

What inspires you?

Everything inspires me. Fashion, Photography, People, etc. I can just see something and my mind takes off.

What do you listen to or watch while creating?

I listen to music. It does not matter what kind...music has always been an important part of my life and it really soothes me while I work on my creations.

Please share a favorite recipe

Cheddar Bay Biscuits
(tastes just like Red Lobster's)

Biscuits:
2 1/2 cups Bisquick
4 Tbsp cold butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Butter Glaze:
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp dried parsley flakes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease or line one cookie sheet with parchment; set aside.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter (I just used 2 forks). Don't worry about mixing too thoroughly; there will be small chunks of butter in the mix about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and garlic powder. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

Drop 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto the lightly greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes in preheated oven until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

While the biscuits are baking, melt butter is a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in garlic powder and dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread the garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the freshly coated biscuits. (Optional...I didn't add salt to mine) Makes one dozen.

Where else can we find you?

Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest

Now please follow Chan Tell at all of the previous links, heart her shop and a few of her items and come back and tell us which ones you love!

Mommy Monday with How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer

I came across this book on Pinterest...and I actually think this is one I would find time to read! You see...I am so busy with my business, toddler son, keeping up the house and being a wife; the only books I end up reading consist of the ABC's and colors these days :)

I am going to post highlights from an interview with Jonah Lehrer, but you can listen to the entire interview on NPR.

What makes people creative? What gives some of us the ability to create work that captivates the eyes, minds and hearts of others? Jonah Lehrer, a writer specializing in neuroscience, addresses that question in his new book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.

Lehrer defines creativity broadly, considering everything from the invention of masking tape to breakthroughs in mathematics; from memorable ad campaigns to Shakespearean tragedies. He finds that the conditions that favor creativity — our brains, our times, our buildings, our cities — are equally broad.

Lehrer joins NPR's Robert Siegel to talk about the creative process — where great ideas come from, how to foster them, and what to do when you inevitably get stuck.

On comparing Shakespeare with the inventor of masking tape

"I think we absolutely can lump them all together. I think one of the mistakes we've made in talking about creativity is we've assumed it's a single verb — that when people are creative they're just doing one particular kind of thinking. But looking at creativity from the perspective of the brain, we can see that creativity is actually a bundle of distinct mental processes.

"... Whether you're writing a Shakespearean tragedy, or trying to come up with a new graphic design or writing a piece of software, how we think about the problem should depend on the problem itself. Creativity is really a catch-all term for a variety of very different kinds of thinking."

On how Steve Jobs redesigned Pixar studios to maximize collaboration and creativity

"The original design for the Pixar studios consisted of three separate buildings, where they'd put the computer scientists in one building, and the animators in a second building and the third building would contain everybody else: the directors, the editors and so on. Steve realized that that was a terrible idea; that the real challenge of Pixar was getting people from these different cultures — these computer scientists and these cartoonists — to work together, to really collaborate. And so he insisted that Pixar studios just be one vast, cavernous space."

On forcing people to meet and mingle ... even if it's in the bathroom

"[Jobs] insisted there be only two bathrooms in the entire Pixar studios, and that these would be in the central space. And of course this is very inconvenient. No one wants to have to walk 15 minutes to go to the bathroom. And yet Steve insisted that this is the one place everyone has to go every day. And now you can talk to people at Pixar and they all have their 'bathroom story.' They all talk about the great conversation they had while washing their hands.

" ... He wanted there to be mixing. He knew that the human friction makes the sparks, and that when you're talking about a creative endeavor that requires people from different cultures to come together, you have to force them to mix; that our natural tendency is to stay isolated, to talk to people who are just like us, who speak our private languages, who understand our problems. But that's a big mistake. And so his design was to force people to come together even if it was just going to be in the bathroom."

On why you should stop trying to harness your brain, and instead help your brain get out of its harness

"The question becomes, what happens if you hit the wall? Because we've all got experience with this. You're working on a creative problem, and then all of a sudden that feeling of progress disappears ... What you should do then — when you hit the wall — is get away from your desk. Step away from the office. Take a long walk. Daydream. Find some way to relax. Get those alpha waves. Alpha waves are a signal in the brain that's closely correlated with states of relaxation. And what scientists have found is that when people are relaxed, they're much more likely to have those big 'A ha!' moments, those moments of insight where these seemingly impossible problems get solved. So when you hit the wall, the best thing you can do is probably take a very long, warm shower. The answer will only arrive once you stop looking for it."

On the relationship between creativity and originality — and being triggered by other people's ideas

"The brain is just an endless knot of connections. And a creative thought is simply ... a network that's connecting itself in a new way. Sometimes it's triggered by a misreading of an old novel. Sometimes it's triggered by a random thought walking down the street, or bumping into someone in the bathroom of the studio. There are all sorts of ways seemingly old ideas can get reassembled in a new way."

On the creative processes that resulted in Nike's "Just Do It" campaign

"This is a great story from Dan Wieden at Wieden+Kennedy, the very honored Portland ad firm. ... He'd come up with seven videos for the new Nike ad campaign. ... He knew these different videos which featured different sports needed a shared slogan. But he just couldn't think of the slogan. ... At some point during the day, somebody must've mentioned Norman Mailer to him. And so Norman Mailer was in the back of his head somewhere.

"It's near midnight. His deadline's approaching. He's really, really frustrated at this point because he can't come up with this damn slogan. And then suddenly he thinks of Norman Mailer. He remembers Norman Mailer wrote this book called The Executioner's Song about Gary Gilmore. And he remembers Gary Gilmore's last words right before he's executed by a firing squad in Utah. His last words were, 'Let's do it.'

"And Dan Wieden thinks to himself, Geez, that's pretty brave. That's a pretty brave sentiment to have right before you die — to just get it over with. But he realizes 'Let's Do It' isn't quite right, so he tweaks one word. And there you get 'Just Do It.' ... But that's a perfect example of how, in a sense, that's an old idea. It was a line in a Norman Mailer book, and he tweaked it ever so slightly. He substituted one word and came up with one of the most influential advertising slogans of the second half of the 20th century."

I am definitely going to purchase this book...I love the part about Steve Jobs wanting all of the employees of Pixar together and only having two bathrooms to "force" them all together and to share stories while washing their hands...brilliant! I am a true believer that we all "borrow" our creativity from others. I personally look to my sons t-shirts, toys, coloring books, my husbands brain and other Etsy creations for many of my inspirations.

Purchase the book at amazon.com

I would love to hear any thoughts you have on this and Happy Monday and Happy Creating!!!

Welcome Wednesday with Heart of Autumn

Please welcome Amy and her Etsy shop Heart of Autumn

Where magic and fiber intertwine...Heart of Autumn offers a variety of beautiful art quilt gifts. Her shop is filled with many seasonal creations.

Now let's meet Amy and discover her Etsy shop, Heart of Autumn

What is your first creative memory?

My first creative memory is of my Gram crocheting. I never could pick it up from her as she was right handed and I'm left, but I got my crafting bug from her. She would make quilts the traditional way - patchwork from scraps and a heavy blanket instead of the batting we use today. No wonder I started quilting.





What or whom began your creative journey on Etsy?

I knew of Etsy for a couple of months and would just linger around the wonderful shops, dreaming of the time when I would have my own. I joined in order to purchase a print from Nudes and Shoes. A couple months after that I found the courage to open my own shop.






How did you come up with your shop name?

Heart of Autumn stems from being born on the fall equinox, and my Dad wanting to name me Autumn. It became my creative alter ego, and I sign all of my work with a heart and Autumn.

Describe what creations you have in your shop.

I love art quilts and creating pictures with fabric. I'm expanding to include media holders, and adding different styles of bags too.



What inspires you?

My inspiration has to do with magic, fantasy, and nature, and you'll see all of those elements reflected in my work.

What do you listen to or watch while creating?

I love to listen to Celtic music when I create, and Lorena McKennit is a favorite.

Where else can we find you?

Facebook
Pinterest
Blog

Please check out Heart of Autumn on Etsy...favorite her shop...love a few of her items...like her on facebook...follow her blog. Tell her fAveritte creations sent you! Share with us which of her items you love!

Mommy Monday

Here it is...my first Mommy Monday blog post. Mommy Time Out...even if you do not have kids you still need a Me Time Out

I struggle with this daily and often times I do not sleep well because I did not take the time for MYSELF. I did not give myself a "mommy time out" because I was busy with my toddler son: playing, feeding, diapers, bathing, playing, reading, diapers, feeding, playing, singing, dancing, feeding, diapers etc...I was busy with housework and busy with my stay at home business making sure my orders get sent out on time. At the end of the day I look back and realized I missed lunch because I was so busy or I missed a shower or didn't get out of my pj's until after noon. This is truly something I struggle with and I have to make myself relax and take a time out. Here are a few things I enjoy for a "mommy time out."

Creative Outlets
My business does allow me to delve into my creative outlets and I am very fortunate to have a job that I can say I absolutely love. I am my own boss and I am spreading my joy of colors, patterns and silly and inviting creations with the world. After the gloating of my wonderful job...I find myself yearning for creative outlets that do not involve the custom orders I have lined up for the week.

1. I love, love, love triple stamp LOVE to just doodle and write and scribble even in my sketchbook(s). I have four that are just filled with creative images that have leaked to the front of my brain and flow from my fingertips. My husband called my first art journal my "Brain Vomit Book"...simply because if you were to flip through the pages it would make hardly any sense to you. I am now on Volume IV of my brain vomit. Most thoughts come to me at the most random times. From missing out on creative opportunities because I did not jot down the idea...I have learned to just write it down before I forget it. Many ideas come home from the grocery store with on the back of the grocery list or the receipt.

2. This may seem a little silly to most, but my second creative mommy time out is reorganizing my fabrics. This allows me to be reminded of many pieces that may have been tucked away and would help out a current creation. Some evenings after my son is in bed, I will pull out my fabric drawers and spread them all over my table and coordinate fabrics together with colors and patterns.

A little piece of heaven for me is being surrounded by beautiful fabrics...thusly why I also take one night a week by myself to go
to the three different fabric stores near me. Which brings me to my third creative outlet...

3. My husband takes over the nightly mommy duties with my son and I travel the 15 miles to the nearest fabric stores to let the creative monster in my brain play. Even if I am not purchasing fabric I still love to let my eyes dance as they jump from one bolt of fabric to the next. I always say..."if I had enough money I would buy at least a 1/4 yard of fabric from every bolt in every

store." This season is my favorite at the stores because they are introducing their new spring fabrics...and they are all so colorful and cheery!

Plain Old Brain Mush Outlets

1. This would first include for me just browsing through the wonderful finds on Etsy and pinning on Pinterest. I have to remind myself to not make it too work related and just dream about all of the products you would love to buy or home projects you would love to do(or add to my husbands honey-do list).

2. Snuggle up under my favorite blanket and watch episodes of "The Office" on Netflix. I have probably watched seasons 1 - 6 at least 7 times now. Cracks me up! I would love to work at Dunder Mifflin to partake in the daily shenanigins.

3. Baking. Enough said.

4. Sitting outside on our back deck and watching the squirrels and red cardinals...simply breathtaking!

Now I do love spending time with my husband: we play video games together, watch movies, play with our kids, play sports outside etc...but this post was to focus on ONLY me. Since I have became a wife and mother I have found that more often than not I tend to forget about ME and focus on everyone else. I leave me out and put myself on the bottom of the list...and frankly neglect myself.

I would love for you all to leave me your Mommy Time Out or Me Time Out moments and ideas in the comments...happy Mommy Monday!