Billie Holiday- Hot Off the Design Table!

I always enjoy designing a character I haven't done before. I had someone ask me recently if I have ever done a Billie Holiday, the soulful jazz singer from the 1950's.

So.....I got to work, and here she is! She stands a mere 4 an 3/4 inches tall, and you know what? I sort of wish I had a dress like hers! (I love the dresses from the 1950's, and 1940's also!) Maybe that is why I like the old television series" I love Lucy" so much...Lucy wore the neatest dresses. ( I can't imagine doing laundry in them though...)

Apple Pie

There's nothing like going apple picking! Somehow the apples picked from an orchard seem to taste far above anything from a grocery store. I drove to Indiana recently just to visit my parents, and the kids wanted to go apple picking.

Oh, the apples were huge...and so tasty! I hated peeling all of the ones we picked , but I learned the best thing is to get it done. I also went ahead and made apple pie filling and put it in freezer bags. I figured then when I got the craving for a good apple pie, all I had to do was pull one of those out of the freezer, thaw, and bake in a crust.

That's just what I did yesterday. I baked two big Dutch apple pies....and today every last crumb is gone. Why? Four teenagers live here- need I say more? Next time I had better make more!

New (and confused) to Etsy?

If you are new to the world of Etsy, you may be a bit timid or unsure about some things. That's o.k., we have all been there...now that I think about it, some of us may still be there even after being there awhile!

If you have questions about it, and you aren't too keen on posting questions in the forum setting, the perfect solution is to contact a mentor.

Etsy has a long list of nice "Etsians" who are ready to fall all over themselves to help you, answer your questions, and maybe even give just a word of encouragement if you need it. You can contact them directly just by looking at the categories of their specialty and clicking on their name. You can send them an email and most likely in no time get an answer your question or dilemma!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5781541

So don't hold it in, ask someone- ask as many questions to as many mentors as you like! Remember, those mentors are on that particular team, (myself included), because they want to

help. You will feel better, I guarantee it!

Finding Beauty in the Beast

Beauty and the Beast by Debbie @ Uneekdolldesigns


Opposites do attract....Have you ever noticed this? The things that bug you the most about someone will most often be their greatest strengths...Hmmm... that is so true if you think about it!

Think for a moment of someone you know- a spouse, a friend, one of your kids. or a co worker.


Let's say they are talkative....er, too talkative at times- to the point where you have a hard time getting a word in edgewise. Yes, chatty people can get on your nerves, yes they talk way too much at times, and yes, they forget to breathe and let you say something too. That is annoying for sure, but.... Chatty people are outgoing, often friendly, and often make good salesmen!


How about someone who is headstrong and stubborn? One thing is for sure, you won't find them caving in to pressure under most circumstances, and they know how to get what they want.


What about someone who is bossy? Someone who likes to be in charge often makes a good leader and gets things done. You find them being in charge at work or other places because that is their strength- annoying as it may be, to be given orders by them!



There are also people who are shy, quiet, and don't speak up. Yes, that can be a problem. But think how nice it is to be around someone who isn't alway blathering all the time, and will listen to you while you blather! Many times I have found that while quiet people say little, when they do speak , it is usually deep and meaningful.


Then there are those who cry at the drop of a hat, and there are some who rarely shed a tear.
Cryers can be very soft and tender hearted, whereas stoic people are often level headed during a crisis and often get things done with cool thinking. That has been my observation, at least.


My point in all of this is that the next time someone really begins to bug you, try to look at it from a different angle. Those things that are so irritating may just be the very thing that makes them special too. Looking at the plus side of a perceived flaw in someone will help you realize that there's usually something to appreciate about them by the same token.


Now, I am off to go chat and annoy my quiet husband so he can appreciate my outgoing personality.......

Getting by With Less-Make Sure it is Worth it!

Who couldn't stand to economize a little bit more to save money? I know I could always use a few more ideas myself.

I do look for ways to save all the time, but I am also careful not to be ridiculous about it. Let me explain:

My sister and I were discussing saving money and she told me a story about how she went to a friend's house one day. This woman was a strong believer in being frugal.

My sister said she watched this woman after everyone had eaten their fill of ice cream, go around and put the uneaten portions back in the carton. Ewww! Just think how flavorful that next round of ice cream would be at her house! In my view, that is going too far to save money, and it's plain disgusting! LOL

I have heard of other ways people think they are saving money, but some ideas make me wonder if it's worth the trouble.... such as :

1. Unplying the two ply toilet paper - makes no sense to me...wouldn't you use twice as much then to get it to do the job right?

2. Washing out plastic ziploc bags, aluminum foil and such things meant for disposal- seems to defeat the purpose of using them...after all, isn't that why you use them, for the convenience of NOT having to wash them? That's what Tupperware is for in my book! (smile)

3. Cutting open a tube of toothpaste or lotion bottle to get a tiny bit that is left. Honestly, is it really worth the hassle to do that to save maybe a few bucks , if that , for the entire year? Not to me!

4. Going from store to store to store and just getting the specials...that's ok if they are located right next to each other , or are on the way to where you are going- but it isn't saving anything if you have to drive out 20 dollars worth of gas to go collecting the bargains.

5. My pet peeve- people who buy something on sale and brag how cheap it was, put it on their credit card, and take the next 3 years to pay off the purchase. They end up paying over 100 dollars for a 10 dollar bargain that way. Not good! My method is if I must charge, never charge more than I can pay off when the bill arrives- otherwise going to a sale is pointless...

I am sure plenty of you could add more things to this list. I think being careful with one's money is a very wise thing to do. You should try and strive hard to live within your means. You should look for ways to save money and make do with what you have. Give up some things you don't really need have if it means you can pay your bills first.

But, my final thought is this...be frugal, but don't take the fun out of living. Saving money won't last long, if you don't allow some room for something you enjoy while being frugal, at least once in a while!

So remember, make sure you do what you can, but try to allow a bit of breathing room for something pleasurable while being savvy at cutting corners! You're more likely to stay with it if you do!

Have You Visited 1337art Yet?

I like to feature other sellers from time to time, and today I am featuring 1337art found at

http://www.1337art.etsy.com/

If you are a book reader, or know someone who is, then you should take a look at the selection of unique bookmarks that this shop carries. Like this one called Teatime:




With these bookmarks, you won't need to use scraps of paper to mark your page, you can be cultured and stylish while reading!

1337art also carries numerous other items such as ACEO cards, charms, supplies and magnets, and affordable jewelry such as these super cute pine tree earrings:




And take a look at this copper penny look bracelet: (It would make a "centsible" gift!)

These items are just a small sampling of what this shop has to offer in the way of hand made gifts, so why not go take a peek over there and see what else you might find !

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

I finally got this set done! I was surprised how tricky it was to create the dwarfs...I guess because they were so short (3 inches tall), it made it hard to maneuver around...but I managed!






"Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work we go......."




+



Snow White is hoping Sneezy uses the hanky, and not her skirt!



Feels good to get a big project done, doesn't it! Now off to the kitchen to make some banana bread!