My First Etsy Sale!

Very excited- I just sold my first card on Etsy!  It's a small victory, but I hope the beginning of bigger things to come!  Here are some of the cards I have posted for sale:

           This was a winter photo I took at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

Here I used a little abstract watercolor I did and liked.

                                          A thank you for teacher!

This week I've been working on jewelry, but don't have any inventory to put in the shop yet.  So enjoying my semi-retirement :-)

Thanks for stopping,
Michelle

This week, bracelets!

I know it isn't a brand new style, but I began admiring wrap bracelets about a year ago, seeing them online and on wrists (!) and noting that some were quite expensive. Of course, my crafty friend Jane and I decided that we could make them- we love a challenge. So, I did as I often do when I want to learn a new skill, and went online to look for tutorials.  I found a few, and picked the one I liked best.  I watched "Learning the Ladder Stitch"  from Lima Beads, but I made mine starting with the loop rather than the button, and clipped my loop to a board to hold it steady while I worked.  Here is the result, which probably took about 8 hours to complete:

I was pleased with the result, and think my next attempts will go more quickly.  Keeping the loooong thread tangle-free was the hardest part!  Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you also find some creative inspiration this week, whatever shape it takes!

Michelle

Putting it Out There, Taking Chances

Hello, all!  Hope this finds you well-  I just had a great "girlfriends weekend" after a busy week, and am feeling refreshed and inspired.  I finally took the step to start a shop on Etsy, by the same name as my blog, and though I have only posted a few cards (Valentines!), I am excited to expand my offerings with more cards, some jewelry, and anything else I get inspired to make!  Last week, I made my first metal clay pendant; I haven't finished polishing it yet, but I will share it on this blog when I finish.  Today, I want to post a card for the Casology challenge for Week 129: NBUS! at http://casology.blogspot.com/2015/01/week-129-nbus.html  The idea is to make a clean-and-simple card with something you haven't used before.  For me, that was a Stampin' Up Bloom with Hope stamp, and here is my card, which I stamped and hand-colored with Prang colored pencils.

I really DO need to have a better photo setup than taking pictures on my kitchen table with my phone!!  I hope you like my card, and wish you all an inspired day!

Michelle