bag lady

i am becoming a bag lady. i never used to be this way - i'd buy one tote/purse and then use it till the strap fell off or it got a hole. but lately, all i can do is think about what bag to get next! the above hobo - made by the lovely angie from stitchandswash - is one of my favorites, and now i just received a custom red hoodie bag from kinies. i also have several other bags that are in my regular rotation... but seriously, can you have too many bags?????????

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The Lost Art of Trading

it's financially difficult for everyone these days - but lucky for me, i have the honour to belong to (and co-lead) an amazing group of crafters who believe that trading is the way to go! not only do you meet some wonderful people and get to see their fabulous talents, you are able to trade your items for things that you have wanted/needed/coveted! my street team, the TradeAHolics, just had a HUGE trading event on etsy and i was able to trade some of my jewelry for things that i wouldn't be able to make in a million years! (okay, well maybe i'd be able to make them, but it would take a million years and they would look or taste like crap.)

peculiarparchment (the alter ego of my co-leader, raevyn77) makes these thank you cards that i cannot do without. they are perfect for sending little notes in the packages i send out! i think that they are totally sweet.

i've admired this lovely little pouch by bagsbytracy for months. and now it's mine!! tracy makes the loveliest bags - i already have one of her totes - and i can't wait for this one to come!!

my friend sparklegarden just opened another shop for her fabric creations - twigandfeather. these cute little napkins will be perfect for the mini when she starts to eat solid food! or for me, when i eat...

... the stupendous looking snickers fudge to the right from hillsidebakery! seriously, fudge AND snickers? yum. the husband will probably kill me for bringing this into the house - he's dieting down (i can hear him on the stationary bike as we speak) and subsisting on chicken breasts and brown rice. i'm sorry in advance, honey. don't worry, i'll eat it all myself.

since i've been home on maternity leave, my mom has been helping me with the upkeep of my garden. so, this is going to be for her! mirasolfarm makes this amazing gardener's hand lotion and i can't wait to give this to her!

nitelily3's bags are to die for. this little card holder is from her "bella" series - perfect for my new "twilight" purse which is on its way!

ah, the fabulous spartasoap... i've traded with her several times before and her soaps and lip balms are amazing. her peppermint soap was a standby for me during my first trimester last summer - not only does it smell fresh, but it has a lovely tingly-ness too. hmmmm... i think i need a shower...

... which will also include some of yourtimebodytreats' vegan chocolate body polish! i know i won't be able to resist eating some of it. sorry, yourtime!!!

thank you for such fabulous trades... and for being so tremendously talented! and especially for loving my jewelry enough to trade with me! go team go!

if anyone with an etsy shop wants to join the street team, you can check us out here: http://etsytradeaholics.blogspot.com/ but i cannot take any responsibility if you get addicted.

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F*cking Metalsmithing Class... and the Value of Retail Therapy!

i couldn't even post about my class last week because i felt that the whole thing ended up so disappointingly. no, i didn't set any fires, and no, i didn't end up cutting my finger off like i had anticipated, but i did end up crying in the car.

i'm not one to toot my own horn, but i'm usually really good with my hands. with CRAFTY things. (get your mind out of the gutter!!!!!!!) however, this carpal tunnel thingy certainly had me beat at last week's class. i was clumsy and slow - it took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to load the saw blade correctly and then 30 seconds to snap it right off the frame. i am sure my instructor thought i was an idiot, but she was patient and kind with me. the mini-muffin was trying to be encouraging, bubbling around in my belly the whole time, but it really didn't help.

so i went home, tail between my legs, where i poured out the whole frustrating experience to the husband, who listened patiently. after telling me that i should have stopped at McDonalds for some emotional eating, he told me to hang in there and just learn as much as i can and to take my time. which, of course, is the logical thing to think. it's funny how your emotions - and CARPAL TUNNEL - can just take over.

lucky for me though - the results of my latest etsy shopping trip had come in:

this lovely, lovely messenger bag from bayanhippo (http://bayanhippo.etsy.com/), which i had been coveting for DAYS before i finally buckled and bought it!

and a fabulous boxful of stuff from the always wonderful BizzieLizzie (http://bizzielizzie.etsy.com/) who has the most amazing bags in the most fabulous of fabrics. this little baby to the right now holds my digital camera and memory cards and is the perfect size to fit in my ScabbyRobot (http://scabbyrobot.etsy.com/) purse! she also made a wicked cool messenger-style bag for me... sigh! i feel like a celebrity, having this woman sew for me!

i am going back tonight to keep trying. i'm not one to give up easily!!! what kind of example will i be for the mini-muffin if i give up now? (plus they probably won't reimburse me, LOL) i've been waiting so long for this class. hopefully i won't burst into tears tonight!!!!!!!!!! but i probably WILL stop at McDonalds.

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