Attention Tulsans!

If you live in the Tulsa area, come out to The Collective tonight for Audrey Eclectic's opening. If you can't come tonight, just make sure to swing by at some point to see her stuff. I fell in love with her whimsical, achingly beautiful art at Indie Emporium this year, and I bet you'll love it, too. I hope to see you out there!

Photo of the day #3

This is yesterday's photo of the day:

The larger image is a bit blurry, but I think that works with the subject. It was so windy and strange yesterday when I walked the dog after work. It was another hint of weather to come -- the cold, blustery kind that threatened to steal Piglet away. This view is from the west side of the Arkansas River, where my apartment complex is. I love stepping out my door, walking a few yards, and standing at the bank of a body of water across which lies downtown Tulsa. The Arkansas isn't exactly the nation's prettiest -- or cleanest -- river, but when the sun hits right, it feels vibrant and momentarily breathtaking. Tulsa might not be on my good side at the moment, but there is plenty of beauty hiding in it if you know where to look.

Ad!

If you're in the Oklahoma City or Tulsa area, look for the newest edition of NONzine. The Oklahoma Etsy Street Team, called Disciples of Etsy, will have an ad. I'm one of the lovely ladies whose shops are featured, so check it out. You can preview the ad here on the Disciples of Etsy blog.

Also, if you're interested in upcoming shows and such in Oklahoma, check with the blog periodically. JD and Claudia, the team leaders, update every so often on what's happening especially in the OKC area.

What I've been working on

I've been working on many aspects of craftiness lately. Inventory is important, of course, so here are some new items that will be available soon: rings and Yo Yo Pendants.

I showed you a purple-and-white heart ring I made for myself a little while back, but this black-and-pink one will be for sale. The green is also mine, but one just like it will be available, too. See how good they look together? That's why you should buy tons of them! ;)

I call these Yo Yo Pendants because they are two flat-backed marbles glued together and then wrapped with wire, so they look a lot like those fun toys you played with as a kid. Each side is a different color, so they're reversible for double the fun. I have one that's red on one side and blue on the other. The ones I have for sale are all different, and a few even have patterns. The colors I have available are red, orange, yellow, light green, medium green, teal, navy blue, medium blue, white, black, purple, cream, light pink, and medium pink. Custom colors and designs are available, too, and purchased pendants will come on black cotton cord for wearing. They'd also look great on leather, chain, or ribbon. I wear mine proudly. :)

The other major thing I'm working on is my display. I've been doing shows for almost a whole year now, and I'm finally acquiring the right things to make my items stand out. I've recently purchased/been given six necklace busts (three white, three black), a bracelet stand, and an earring carousel. Check it out:

"Oh Brigid, your second earring display picture is blurry. What's the deal, nerd?"

That's because it's spinning! Yes, I am a nerd. I think the rotating display makes a huge difference, though. Everything looks more professional and is easier to sift through. In the first picture, my $15 stuff is on the left, and my $10 is on the right.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures! I'm working on a display for my rings and pendants now, so I'll be sure to share it with you soon.

Gotta keep it presidential

To celebrate the Election Eve, Grey and I went to see W. I liked the movie a great deal, and in general I would call it an even-handed portrayal of our lame-duck president. It didn't glorify him, but it didn't damn him either. The portrait you get is of a misguided young man who wants to please his father and do right by his faith and belief, but he lacks the direction and motivation to do so on his own. He overcomes his own demons -- specifically alcohol and drug abuse -- to succeed, but he still cannot escape other aspects of his personality and those of the people he surrounds himself with. Whether you love Bush or hate him, you'll come out of the film with a more interesting idea of him. I have never been a Bush supporter; I supported Gore in 2000 and Kerry (as a third choice) in 2004. Still, W. made me have a little more compassion for both Presidents Bush, even if I still vehemently disagree with their politics.

Now Election Day is upon us. Grey and I will cast our ballots during our lunch hour. This is the second presidential election for which I'm old enough to vote, but this will be the first one I've done in person. In 2004, I was a junior in college in California, so I voted absentee. I'm looking forward to completing my arrows (warning: PDF) and making my voice heard (even if I know many will not go my way).

In conclusion, I will now share with you my photos of the day for yesterday and today.

Sully is not interested in politics ever since Kucinich dropped out. He was the only one who spoke out for animal rights. On an unrelated note, this picture also answers the age-old question, Does the dog match the carpet? Wait, that is the question, right? ;)

Here's today's election-inspired photo. It's a reminder that you hold the fate of this country in your hands. Go out there and vote!

Challenge: do something every day

Starting today, my good friend JD of JDStar's Handwoven Bracelets is challenging herself to weave something every day for a whole year. You can read JD's blog -- and see pictures of her weaving -- right here. She invited her blog readers to take part by picking something to do every day, and I've decided to start today with her. My challenge: take a picture for the next 365 days. It can be of anything: an item for my Etsy store, a family photo, something pretty in nature, or whatever else strikes my fancy. I just have to do it every day. I will try to post the pictures every day, too, but if I have to lump a few together, that will be OK. What will today's subject be? You'll find out soon.

Wanna join the challenge? I'd love to know what you will choose to do. Please leave me a comment letting me know.

Show and tell!

Oh friends, I finally have all the pieces of a working camera. Hurray! I lost my replacement battery charger (yes, replacement) a month or so ago. I was unexcited to spend $40 to replace it, but I finally decided to bite the bullet Saturday morning. (It didn't help that I woke up three hours before my boyfriend and didn't have anything else to do.) I'm so glad I did. I also picked up a second memory stick just in case and got my oil changed, which is mostly unrelated to this post. The result: I have pictures to share! Pictures galore! So as not to bombard you, we'll start with a "What I Did This Weekend" post.

First came Halloween. These were all taken with the disposable camera, which is kinda obvious.

Above is me in my Dorothy costume (ruby slippers not visible); my dad with a bow on his head; and my siblings -- Kaity as pumpkin head, Sarah as a witch, and Jacob as a ninja.

Here we have Sarah opening her presents from me, Jacob covered in allergen-free chocolate, and him again striking a ninja pose.

Then was the ballet, which we moved to Saturday in order for my love to have time to heal. Check out my fancy dress:
Oooooooo, the hotness is too much to bear! ;)

This dress was made by Shannon Mulkey of Patina. Check her out.

Here are some shots of me walking Sully this weekend:

And if Halloween wasn't scary enough for you . . . Dun dun DUN!