Crafty crush

One of the topics on the current EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival is to share with everyone an item from someone else's shop you love so much that you wish you'd thought of it first. I run across stuff on Etsy all the time I wish I could make, so I'm going to share with you all three things on my "Wish I'd Done That!" list. Since I make jewelry, I've decided to confine the list to that category. First is this wonderful Layered Keepsake Necklace from my friend GemsByEm:

This is such a great wedding or anniversary gift! I love how delicate and classic everything looks with the small silver discs and the old-style typeface. Next up is my friend Hollyrocks' way-too-awesome Rainbow bubbles pendant:

I don't even work with polymer clay, but this piece always makes me wish I did. It's so simple yet totally stunning. Someday, this will be mine! And finally, there is the whimsical, elegant work of LieblingDesigns. Her Bonita Necklace in particular caught my eye recently:

I love that the design is simple but still gorgeous and totally unique.

So now you know a few of my crafty crushes. Who are some of yours?

It's a miracle!

I finished my taxes! That's right, folks. Somehow, I managed to calculate my income and expenses from my little ol' business and fill out the (hopefully) appropriate boxes on TurboTax. I think everything is correct, but I guess I'll have to wait to see for sure. One thing I've learned: keep better records. Seriously. I was very bad about filing receipts properly and updating my spreadsheets. This year, I'll be better. I've already updated my Excel files with current expenses and income, and this weekend, I intend to organize my business drawer and buy a new folder for all that stuff. Adding in my losses reduced the amount I have to pay to the feds and the state, so I'll certainly take that. In 2009, maybe I'll turn a profit. Hmm . . . we shall see.

Speaking of the ol' biz, Heather of Tothe9s suggested we do a trade on Etsy. I'll be sending out her end of it tomorrow. I made her this cell phone charm:

And in exchange, I'm getting these bobby pins:

Hurray! Heather is such a sweetheart, and she has a great shop. She lives in Dallas, but we met at the Holiday Rock N' Roll Garage Sale last November. Setting up next to her was probably the only good thing that came from that particular adventure. :P

On an unrelated note, I had a little puppy scare earlier this week. My sweetest pooch had been acting out for about a week with regard to her potty behavior, and I decided she might have a bladder infection. I took her to the vet on Monday and freaked myself out all day thinking she was probably dying. It turned out my original guess was right: she had a doggie UTI. She's already doing a lot better with the pills I get to shove down her snoutless face twice a day. I'm grateful for that! And in slightly craftier news, I took my hair a little redder on Sunday. I've been unsuccessful at getting a photo, but hopefully I'll have one for you soon.

That's all for now, folks. :)

Retail thoughts

Ever since I learned that Deco to Disco was closing on Cherry Street, I've been thinking how cool it would be to run a shop out of the space. My dream, of course, would be to have a boutique that sold all handmade items, especially those created right here in the great (:P) state of Oklahoma. Deco to Disco officially closed its doors on February 15. I drove by one time to see if there was a "For Rent" sign in the window, but I believe the store owner is still moving out through the end of the month. For all I know, a new tenant is already lined up, but I'm so curious to know what that space would cost. I absolutely do not have the money to start such a risky business venture at the moment. Still, the thought lingers, and I will not be satisfied until I find a figure or someone new moves in.

Blogger of the Month: donnapool

This month's featured EtsyBlogger is longtime member and all-around pile of awesome donnapool!

She is a multitalented artist and crafter. In her shop, you will find buttons, original photography, plush toys, and a few other things, too. Her love of vintage images and her beautiful eye for light and angles is evident in her unique creations.

In addition to being a talented lady, I'm also convinced she must be a juggler! In addition to being a great asset to the EtsyBloggers team, she also maintains her own blog and is a member of EtsyMoms, EtsyCREST, and CafeMom Etsy Moms! That's a lot on her plate. Donna is a wonderful member of the EtsyBloggers Team, and we're all grateful to have her around. She's always excellent at promoting the team and hanging out with us.

Thank you, donnapool, for all you do!

All about me!

The lovely Tara (MyLittleGnomies/KloverStudio) interviewed me over at the Tulsa Craft Mafia blog. To read my thought-provoking, mind-boggling, Pat-Sajaking responses, click here. You won't be sorry you did. Still aren't convinced? Here's an excerpt:

Tara: You prick your finger on wire, what four [or more] letter word emanates from your mouth?
Brigid: In that situation, I’m most likely to say “Holy crap!” I’m plenty capable of harsher words, but beading is kind of like my sacred space.

See folks? That's interview gold. So go check it out for yourselves, and look for more TCM girl-on-girl action to follow soon (that's hot).

Win some swag!

Everyone wants to be a winner, right? Unless you're a total fool, then I know you want to be in with the Tulsa Craft Mafia. Well, lucky you! Now you have the chance to win a bag o' swag from the fine ladies of the Mafia. Just head over here to take a little survey to be entered in the contest. Come on! You know you wanna win!

Obligatory Valentine's Day post

I didn't mean it to sound that way. The truth is I'm incredibly excited about Valentine's Day. We have a lovely day planned tomorrow. In the morning, I'll rise early for my ballet class, and right after, we're heading to the Circle Cinema to catch a back-to-back airing of the Oscar-nominated short films (dorks!). We'll spend the afternoon doing whatever sounds like fun -- thrifting, snoozing, maybe getting free couples massages at our apartment complex. At 8:30, we have dinner reservations at Biga, the tastiest, fanciest, and most deliciously romantic place in town for our buck. I'm going to wear my scandalous green dress (viewable in this entry), red lipstick, and perhaps a pair of fishnets -- oh my! We will sip wine, eat more than ought to be humanly possible, and still manage some dessert. I just can't wait!


We don't do gifts on Valentine's Day other than the sweet stuff. My box of these amazing chocolate miracles are arriving today, and I'll be baking Grey his gold cake with orange icing either tonight or tomorrow afternoon. I also managed to win myself a V-Day treat by being the second caller on Up Late with Ben Sumner on Saturday. They are from Sweet Tooth Candy & Gifts in town. I was really hoping they'd be shaped like Ben Sumner's face, but roses are nearly as cool:

Cute, huh? I love that the full-on chocolate roses (with stems, not in the box) have a tag that reads "semi-solid". Is that how we say "hollow" these days? :)

Really, though, this will pretty much be my perfect Valentine's Day. I'm happy any day I get to do the things I love with the one I love. Through a fancy dress, some wine, and magically delicious chocolates on top of it all, and it's like a dream come true.

I hope you have your ideal Valentine's Day!

Fancy Pants Vance Vintage

If I had my own store, I would call it Sunshine, Rainbows, and Fancy Vance Pants or something equally ridiculous. When I decided to add a few vintage things to my Etsy shop, I clearly had to call the section Fancy Pants Vance Vintage. Today, I added a Glamour Puss Coin Purse to my store. Ain't she a beaut?

Deco to Disco, an awesome vintage clothing and accessories store in Tulsa, is going out of business in Tulsa by the end of the weekend (but its sister store, Mod 50s Modern, is remaining open). Everything is 50% off through tomorrow, and then it's all 75% off. I snatched up two armloads of goodies on my lunch break yesterday, and I'll likely head back over on Saturday to pick over what's left. The owner is shutting down because she wants to semi-retire, not because of the economy. She has two adorable pug babies to care for, and frankly, I can't blame her for that! She said she'll start setting up at the Great American Flea Market sometime soon, mainly selling accessories. Between the flea market this weekend and yesterday's exercise in non-restraint, I decided to dabble in some online vintage selling, so look for a post full of goodies and some new listings soon!

New items!

In celebration of the Tulsa World article I mentioned earlier, I'm listing three new items today! I'm giving my wonderful readers a preview of things to come -- it's almost like I'm bestowing psychic powers upon you, except they're a little limited, I suppose. Anyway, as I put the items in my shop, I'll link to them in this post. Here are the goods:

Oklahoma Is, Indeed, OK -- $6

Green Goddess Earrings -- $18

Delicate Bloom Cell Phone Charm -- $4

In the news!

Come check out the Tulsa Craft Mafia in the Tulsa World! The article PDF is here.

I'm the lass in the blue shirt, and yep, the photographer did spell my first name wrong in the cutline. There is no D in the middle of Brigid. That would just be silly. I'm trying to decide whether or not to point that out to him. I normally wouldn't since they get in trouble for that, but since it's all tied to my business, I may be a nag. Still debating.

Anyway, it's a neat little piece, and my oils made the page. Woo hoo! Make sure to click on the link for the rest of the article with Tara's cuff tutorial, and you can check the TCM blog for all the tutorials, which are still slowly coming up. Go team!

Anachronistic nostalgia

Mom, Grey, and I went flea marketing this weekend, hitting two in one day. The big one in Tulsa is the Great American Flea Market at Admiral and Mingo, which we did second. It is a good place to go, especially if you're a parent looking for a good deal on toys, clothes, or books for the family. However, my favorite gem in town is the not-huge but still bustling Saturday Market in west Tulsa. The vendors there are so friendly and will always cut you a great deal on something. For example, guess how much money I spent to acquire this beautiful 1940s/1950s engagement ring featuring three small diamonds in 10 karat white gold?

Give up?

$35!

The little beauty is nearly as glorious as the day she left the jewelry store. She needs some polishing, but otherwise, my mouth almost hit the counter when the woman quoted me that price. Thirty-five dollars for a delicate, high-quality ring still in perfect condition 60-some-odd years later. I handed over chump change for this gorgeous piece that has a whole story to tell. Once upon a time, it lit up some young woman's eyes, maybe brought tears to them, and made her say "yes". She wore it throughout 60 years of happy marriage, while she nursed and raise four children, and later while she rocked and loved 12 grandchildren, until the flea-market seller picked it up at estate sale. Maybe the tale wasn't such a happy one. Maybe it carries with it the ghosts of a broken engagement, a lover who died in the war, infidelity, or the tragic humdrum of someone's forgotten life. That isn't the reality I'm choosing, though. I look at this ring, and I see dreams and hope and infinite love.

And good golly miss Molly does it fit me perfectly! It isn't my engagement ring, and I only wore it on that hand for ease in taking the picture, but it does look nice, eh? ::sigh:: It inspired me to dress in early '60s style today, though I did feel like an anachronism driving my car into my professional job today. I do mean that in the best way possible. I'd like to look Joan but still have Peggy's job. :)

Spreading the Tulsa Craft Mafia love

Wanna give your sweetie a little handmade love this Valentine's Day? Head over to the Tulsa Craft Mafia blog for tutorials on great goodies you can make yourself. I just posted mine today! Others will go up throughout the week. As soon as the news article goes in the paper, I'll post a link to the Web version as well.

I also excitedly wanted to announce that we have two new group members! Andrea of Paper Lotus Design Group is already establishing herself as a maker of fine greeting cards in Etsyland. We have also welcomed Emily of Girl with a Red Kerchief, who just opened her Etsy shop over the weekend. Both are wonderfully talented women whose craftiness and ideas I'm glad to have on the team. This year is shaping up to be everything 2008 wished it was! And for even more TCM lovin', check this out:

Sale today! In honor of Go Red for Women Day

Come by my shop, Grey Eye Designs, all day today to save 25% off on all my red jewelry items!

Today is Go Red for Women Day, and in honor of women's heart health, I wanted to raise awareness by offering a discount. Come check out my sale section, where you'll find these items (click on each picture to go to the listing):

I'm it! (again)

I was tagged by the lovely Tara at Nothing Elegant, who is also my neighbor. Small world. Here's the deal:

Step 1: respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.

Step 2: tag—eight other un-tagged people.

1) What are you wearing right now? Black pants and a blue button-up shirt, both from Express. My shoes are three-inch black heels that I likely bought at a department store given the brand name. I'm also wearing a pair of earrings I made, a topaz ring I scored at a flea market, and my lovely watch.

2) What's the last thing I read/ are currently reading? I recently finished Little Women and looooooved it. I then started Catcher in the Rye, but it hasn't grabbed me yet.

3) Do you nap a lot? I used to nap multiple times a week. Now, not nearly as much. I can't really sleep at night if I do. :(

4) Who was the last person you hugged? My boyfriend, Grey. :)

5) What's your current obsession/addiction? If you read my blog regularly, you know that it's making crocheted washcloths. I know, I'm a wild woman!

6) What was the last thing you said out loud? "Oh, sorry." I thought someone was talking to me, but they weren't.

7) What websites do you always visit when you go online? My gmail accounts, Etsy, Twitter, MySpace, Blogger, and LiveJournal.

8) What thing are you most likely to splurge on? It's either really tasty food or clothing from Postlapsaria!

9) What is your most challenging goal? Trying to make my craft business take off. It's a slow train.

10) If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished- anywhere in the world, where would it be? Rome, Italy, no question about it. I'd move there tomorrow if I could.

11) Favorite Vacation spot? Well, I guess Italy for this one, too. I really enjoyed Amsterdam, too.

12) Say something to the person who tagged you: Your pug is adorable!

13) Name one thing you just can't resist no matter how bad it is for you: Sour Patch Kids!

14) You are on the Oregon Trail. How are things going? I always wanted to caulk the wagon and float it, so my party wouldn't make it very far.

15) If you woke up tomorrow and were a boy, what is the first thing you would do and why? Pee standing up, of course!

16) Name one thing you can not live with out: Chapstick!

17) Has a celebrity's haircut ever influence you on your own hairstyle? I should be ashamed to admit this, but I did get a Mandy Moore haircut in college. It was pretty cute . . . until it grew out almost into a mullet!

18) What is your favorite characteristic or quality about yourself [not appearance-related]? I'm socially conscious.

19) What brought you to blogland? My narcissism. That's not a joke. I started blogging just out of high school at age 17 because I needed to talk about myself. I stayed with it this long because I love to write and meet new people this way.

20) What attracts you most to another person? Witty repartee. :)

21) New question: Do you think your life has peaked or that it will only get better? I'm a fairly optimistic person by nature, but I genuinely do believe that there are blue skies ahead. I look forward to the rest of my life.

As for my tags, I choose Amby, Renee, Holly C, Holly H, Tara, Heather S, Heather W, and Adrian.

Interview

I've been quiet around here lately. Sorry for that! It's been a busy week at my day job. I'm also testing out a new migraine medicine, which is affecting my memory and concentration (fun!), making updating the blog a bit of a task. The truth is that I haven't been creating much lately either. The slump shall be shortlived, however. I have a bunch of yarn, beading supplies, and jars for my new scrubs. I just need to sit down and get to work. The ADD brain has been making this difficult the past week. Oy.

However, tonight, I'm getting together with Tara and Christine of the Tulsa Craft Mafia to meet with a reporter from the Tulsa World (yep, my former employer). She's writing a piece on inexpensive Valentine's Day crafts to make for your sweetie. I've decided to come a bit out of left field and do a tutorial on making massage oil. My recommendation will be that the bottle also comes with a "gift certificate" for a massage, of course, not a request for one. One lucky soul (the boyfriend) got to be my test subject last night. Aside from enjoying the back rub, he helped me decide which fragrance combination was the most pleasant and which oil had the best consistency. I'm really lucky to have such a willing participant, no?

We all plan to post our tutorials on the TCM blog, so I'll let you all know when that's done. I'll also post a link to the completed article. I'll see you in the funny papers. :)