Open Letter to my Bloggy Friends

...because it's all been so very secret and closed, before????.....

So you may have noticed that I've been persona non blogga lately. In fact, not one post for the last 19 days.

This new global job is kicking my butt (LOTS of travel), I'm trying to support my family long distance (Life-changing events for two of my siblings) and mostly, when I have some free time, I am either enjoying the very hot summer or crafting / painting / sewing creating. It's so different from corporate life and I find that I need to tune out of email/blogging and make stuff with my hands, other than typing my silly posts about birds.

(Oh, and the bird? Comes back while I'm out of town. Guess Mr. Lulu is not fierce enough.)

And I feel really guilty about it. Until today. I remembered that this is my blog and if I want to post every day or minute or hour I can, and if I want to take a break for other stuff, that's ok too.

So I think I'll have a little summer break.

I'll still lurk on all y'all's blogs and sometimes, I even have a chance to comment.

And I'll blog at least once a week, even if it is to post more of my work and to promote my etsy store. I still have lots of topics, and I might even be funny....if my mojo comes back.

But if you miss me, just imagine this - I'll be the girl with the very large mint vodka tonic and paint smears on my face, with the paint/fabric/paper stuff scattered around, hanging out on my porch and at our beach place....and I'll drink a little toast to you all!

Monday Morning

...and although I'm traveling again (short trip, in the U.S.) I resolve to be relentlessly cheerful today.

So beware.

And please check out my etsy store! I have some cute new stuff there - go ahead and buy it and pretend that you made it and gift it to someone! I won't tell....

NC Triangle Street Etsy Team

Hey - I snagged an Etsy Treasury for my NC Triangle team - check it out!

For those of you not as familiar with Etsy - you need to sit, staring at your screen, hands hovering over your keyboard, for an opening in the list of Treasuries to clear.....trembling hands, waiting, waiting...YES!  There's the box, saying, "List your title here..,"  and I swear - I'm either too competitive or have had too much coffee (both far too likely) but I'm as excited as if I'd won the Tour de France.

:)

Only without the physical, sweaty, mountain-climbing, dangerous political bike riding stuff.

Flirty Girls

Yup...time to plug the store a bit.  Mr. Lulu is threatening to blockade the crafty wagon train when it makes another delivery.  ( I still contend that the additional buttons last week were a NEED and not a WANT, but ok, yeah, the mortgage and insurance and payments and whatnot are important too, I suppose.)

So I need to sell a few of these little beauties once in a while to feed the crafty pig.

That's the piggy bank, right?  Not talking about Mr. Lulu. ;) 

Check me out in the etsy store - yup, over there, on the right.  Tell your friends and family!  Send them my way!  Always a family discount for my decksters and bloglackers.

I've just posted a slew of button art cards.  They are the size of a playing card, with paints, inks and pieces of sewing patterns.  There are vintage '60's images on the front of each card, along with buttons that are hand-sewn.  The back has fabric and more flirty, fashiony images.  

So yeah.  Please stop by.  Thank you for your patronage.

Lulu's Sandbar

Bitsy Creations made me some new ads so I can get the word out a bit further about my etsy Sandbar - you should take a look at her store.  Thanks Bits!

Speaking of checking things out....when I walked into the gym tonight, two thirtyish guys walking out did the total head-to-toe checkout thing, and I'm thinking, "Wow, ok, maybe I still have it."  And I strutted a little bit into the locker room - and then, naturally I tripped and dropped my water bottle and it spilled.  But they didn't see.  So I was still a little proud of myself - I've been working out hard!

Of course, the conversation that they had as they walked out probably went like this:

Guy #1 "Man, I was so busy selling widgets today, I didn't have time for anything personal."

Guy #2 "Like what?"

Guy #1 "Oh well, you know, I had to check Match.com, and find that girl's number...and there's something else I have to do this weekend, but I just can't remember.. "

Guy#2 "What's that?"

Silence as they walk by me and check me out.

Guy #2 "So anyway, what were you saying about this weekend?"

Guy #1 "Yeah, I remember now - gotta pick up something for Mother's Day.  For my grandma."

Yup, probably.  

Nothing says Easter like Deviled Eggs and Sugar and TicTacs

Easter randomness....and my birthday, the Masters, and the in-laws going home.  And books and magazines fresh from the bookstore. 

Yup - all those things happening today.  The in-laws left this morning at 0 dark:30.  I can talk out loud on the blog now.  Turned out to be a pretty decent week and apparently a success, as at least one of the 'laws has skin like mahogany now, so the tanning was good.  And everyone has cheap t-shirts.  So that's got to count for something.

And it is my birthday today and the neighbors stuck birthday balloons on the mailbox.  Sweet.  Even though they probably felt like popping them after the 'law's car alarm went off at midnight.

My mom called at 7:30 am as I was trying to sleep in from the 'law departure, to tell me the story of my birth, as usual.  That she had relatives from Canada visiting, and was in labor most of the day, and had to iron my sisters' play jackets before leaving for the hospital.  And that she had an emergency appendectomy  4 weeks after I was born, and when she came home from the hospital my dad was all proud because I was sleeping through the night - but he had unfortunately left an unwashed bean casserole pot sitting out for those two weeks and the house was stinky.

Then my sister called to remind me that the next-door neighbor actually watched me quite a bit while my mom was in the hospital, and that she and my other sister went over and stole me back because they thought she'd kidnapped me.

My other sister left a message - I know I'll talk to her later - we're both hooked on TAR.

MyfriendTeri called yesterday AND today.  She sets the notices on her blackberry for 24 hours, and for a few years she kept calling me on the wrong day to wish me happy returns, so she's decided that my birthday is actually April 11th because that's easier for her.  And she made deviled eggs (a huge deal, she doesn't cook) and has eaten a lot of chocolate and deviled eggs and TicTacs (apparently, she raided her mom's purse during church...) (at least she WENT to church with her mom) so she is all hopped up on a weird food combination.

My brother called to tell me that sadly, his father-in-law passed away today....here's to you, Mr. A.  He was a really nice guy.

Mom called twice more to tell me that he died, and that he's gone straight to heaven, because he was such a good guy, and always went to church.

She's a travel agent....specializing in guilt trips.  

Other famous birthdays today - Claire Danes, David Letterman, Vince Gill, David Cassidy and Andy Garcia (yum).   Along with 627 fellow Etsians - Happy B-Day!

Oh yeah - one other gift.  From Mother Nature - because why let even one holiday / event go by without crazy hormones and cramps?  

New stuff in the Etsy store tonight and then I PROMISE - the giveaway starts this week!!!

CEO of Craftyworld

Ahem.  Quiet down, people.  CEO of Craftyworld here.  I'm trying to start the conference call regarding the new collection for Lulu's Sandbar Etsy store....

Check me out!  I have lots of new stuff in my store - I'm really inspired by lots of color, fabric (as if you didn't know that) and vintage 60's / 70's ads.

Oh yeah and I want to do a blog giveaway - I hear all the cool kids are doing it.  What's popular?  What's cool, what kind of giveaways are the hipsters into these days?  Ideas?  Thoughts?

Here's one of my new ATC button cards - Sailor Girl.   I'm liking the sewing stuff these days too, even though I'm teaching myself to work the machine, the needles and the threads.  I'm not doing too bad....most of the time.  My pin cushions aren't quite ready for primetime yet, but I'm thinking of making one that looks like Miss Smuggy's workout thong - wooot!  OTT!!  That would make a great giveaway!!

Hokey Pokey Pickles

This guy makes me laugh every time I look at him!!  I just posted him up in my Etsy.  Still working on the collections, but I had to get some new collages out.... 

Life is Just So Daily

One of my favorite lines.

And it fits because yikes!  I've been online all weekend and I've checked out all of my hip blogsters, but haven't written much myself.   Ok, anything.  All week.  I traveled for three days, and that usually blocks out a chunk of time, but I should still try to note up every day.  It's just that I'm trying to craft and reintroduce my Etsy store - more to follow - and work at the daily job and spruce up the house and and...ok, this is turning into a whineogram without any wine so I'll stop.

So - a few things for a rainy cold Sunday.

First - a new blog for the Run Scamper list - it's Little House on the Quarry and I've been following her for a while - it just occurred to me that she should be on the RS list so that you can follow her too.  

Next - I'm finally doing the healthy thing.  I've been talking a good game for a while, but the game's not as good as it could be so this is it - an actual resolution.  But it's a life resolution, not a New Year resolution.  I'm cutting out caffeine, diet soda, working on portion control and trying to work out five days a week.  I figure that talking about it here will help...so pile on with any thoughts or suggestions.  I'm tired of looking like the snowman twin in the Special K ad - without the puffy jacket.

I mean - I might never make the Single Girls Dance team, but I'd like to make it to the auditions.

Now - the Etsy store.  I'll have more to talk about in later posts, but I want to be better organized in my approach to my little Sandbar!  Most of the time I have 13 gozillion separate creative ideas or processes going on, and as I'm not in a place to creative full time, I want to find a way to channel the time that I do have available.  

The first organizational item is to approach my ideas as separate but integrated collections, with the inspiration for each collection to be apparent through the execution of my ideas.  My first inspiration is color - I LOVE color.  Color color color.  Bright pops of color, muted vintage color, colors of the sunset and sunrise, all shades of blues.   

I've added a new section to my side roll to show off my latest inspiration.

Have an OTT day! Oh, and check out how OTT is helping out with my crafting.

Appeasing the Job Fates

I LOVE MY JOB!  I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK TO WORK TOMORROW!!

(I hope that was good enough...it's about all that I can muster on this rainy Sunday).

Why is it that no matter how old I get, the final day of Christmas vacation still makes me feel that I have yet to start that 15 page, single-spaced Honors English paper with footnotes (at the bottom of each page, not at the end in a cop-out footnote page) with at least 10 unique reference bibliographic sources, on Great Expectations: Miss Havisham - Bitter Old Maid or Early Reality TV Show Host?  And it's due at 9:05 am Monday morning.  And I've been putting it off since the end of October.

Vacation can't be over.

I still haven't listed any New Year's resolutions.  I haven't made any resolutions.  I haven't lost 10 pounds since Christmas Eve.  I haven't created 30 new items for my Etsy store - although I have started at least 15, gotta count for something.  I haven't created a personal budget for 2009, updated my resume, checked in on blackberry, caught up on 20 years of photo albums, organization and journals.  I haven't cleaned out the attic, taken a Pilates class or a spinning class.

Big.Heavy.Sighhhhh.

(New OTT photo.  Please view.  Blurriness due to photographer, not because of many Pink Fuzzy Navels consumed by the little guy.)

OTT!!! Snagged my first Etsy Treasury!

Oh, she's a LULU, she is....!

Check out my first Treasury!  I finally timed it correctly, and can give a shout-out to my fellow Lulu sellers.  

When is it ok to be me?

I think I'm creative, even though I won't be featured in the Met anytime soon, nor will I ever hit a record number of sales with my art anytime soon.

I think I'm funny, even though I could never do standup.

I think I'm a good person, even if I have to be Corporate Lulu at work, and some people don't like it when I make them follow the plan...

I think I'm a good sibling and daughter and mom, even though my family life is challenged.

So why don't I ever post how I really feel about politics, or work or my family?  Because my mom taught me that it's best really, to be nice.

Nice.   Niiiiiiiice.  Nissssssse. nicenicenicenice.  A good girl, a nice woman.  Oh Lulu?  Ohhhhh...she's so so nice.

(Ummmm.  Not really, but it's hard to out myself - my mom will NEVER ever see this blog, but I have that fear that someday, someone from work or family will stumble upon my little part of the sandbar and then - they'll KNOW that I'm not nice at all.)

I started this blog to find creative, funny people to talk with, and it feels as if I'm still hiding behind my nice facade, and what I have to say is so uninteresting because I'm too nice.   I also started it to talk about Etsy and art and creativity and stuff, and I find myself more worried about creating ART THAT WILL SELL.

wow...the black dog is shaking me all over the room tonight!!

If only I were thin.  Sighhhh...

Wait - that's another post entirely.

:)

Happy Sunday anyway!  Amazing Race is on tonight, so maybe a good dose of reality TV will cheer me up.

amAAAAzing Race

So - two things for tonight.  First - the original, best, six-time Emmy-award winning reality show, starts a new season tonight.  I'm talking of course, about Amazing Race.  The best, even though not every season has been of quite the same caliber as some - the four-person, keep everyone in the U.S. season - NOT a good idea - still, truly a cool show.

Click here to see all of the racers and to follow them.   

Of course, if I need to get a good cry on, I'll also try to watch the first show of the new season of Extreme Makeover-Home Edition.

And next, is today's Tin Can Savings purchase!  

At the top of my post are some of the items that I've purchased from Inkpainter - seriously cool stuff that I'll use for all new collages and shadowboxes - I have lots of ideas, so keep watching for crafty cocktails from my sandBar.

And last - ok, there's three things for tonight - I also love to catch 'Best Week Ever' on VH1 - snarky, funny, delicious.  

Watch up!  There will be a test later this week.

:)

Lulu

Etsy Treasury!!

Woo Hooo!!!  I've just been included in an Etsy Treasury - yay!  "Cowgirl Up" is near and dear to my heart, so I'm excited to see it - thanks gracenapolean!!  Here's a link to her Etsy shop - very cool and very green.  http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5992439

Here's the treasury link for 'Cowgirl Envy' treasury, available until Tuesday.

I am inept at trying to get a screenshot of the treasury - if anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Yee HAAAA!!!

Woo HOOOOOO New Etsy Stuff

Wow...what a looooong day - and I'm not done posting new listings yet.  But I did manage to get three new listings up in between watching the Ryder Cup - go U.S.! - and Notre Dame / MI State in college football...booooooo.  So here's a preview of my new Halloween crafties - check me out on Etsy!

It's up and running!  Welcome to Lulu's Sandbar - my new Etsy store.   I'm really excited and anxious and a bit overwhelmed at the same time....

Pictured here is the first completed shadowbox collage, titled, "Cowgirl Up!"

To view this and other items in my Etsy store, please access the "My Etsy" link in the sidebar.

Can't wait to see you there!