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!