I realized at the last minute that nothing was prepared to be gifted to Caleb's two teachers today. (I do know it shouldn't be the Grandma's job but let's not go there). I remembered seeing this fab tutorial from Allsorts recently so I made a couple sets of coasters last night.

They were fun and went together really fast. Wish I was better at making sharp corners. The hardest part was telling myself, "Yes, these ARE enough!" :-)

My very exciting terribly fabulous-to-me news of the week is this:

I was driving in Old Town this past Monday...a little shop window caught my eye...drove around the block three times trying to find parking, walked into said little shop and OH MY STARS!!! I was literally gushing to the girl working, "My wreaths totally need to be in here! And my stockings too. And OH MY GOSH I MADE THOSE BEADS!" I'd left some bamboo tile pendants (first thing I ever got published) at the bead store a couple doors down several months ago...hadn't gone in to see how they did for quite some time, and the owner of this quaint store pictured had seen them, bought them all and beaded them up herself.Here, I'll show you:

Long story short, I went back in on Tuesday when the owner was working...a darling girl somewhere around the age of my own two girls...and I was right! She agreed that my stuff DID need to be in there! (refer back up to the first photo--the pink wreath is mine, as well as the two pink stockings hanging in the forefront.) I'll tell you; I've wrangled around and around with the wholesale concept the past couple of years. Usually I get to the point of "I can't afford to do this for only half of what it'd sell for" but a) yes, I CAN on a few things, and b) clearly I'm going to just keep making stuff so I need to move product somehow. Until I can get the rest of the world to know my website is there..well, you get my drift. I'll sell the fairly quick/inexpensive items via wholesale and put the one-of-a-kind/can't-let-it-go-for-less things on the website So, I'm happy. Happy for the outlet. Happy for having met Larissa... a real-life crafty acquaintance! What a concept! I mean; I love my internet friends as much as you do, but when one finally shoves away from the computer and wants some real interaction it can be kinda lonely if no one else is around. She mentioned wanting to start up a weekly or monthly craft group. I was just reading about how popular that's becoming in the current issue of Adorn magazine. Sounds great to me! Anyway, here's a couple more pics of my things in their new environment:

my aqua wreath.

A couple more of my stockings. Oh, she'd asked if I could do microscope slide charms...I brought in three from my living room tree and she like 'em so well I came back home and grabbed them all...she's got them on a sweet lil feather tree on the front counter. I only brought in Christmas stuff for now but we're talking about Valentine's day and Spring stuff, too. Isn't her store adorable? Full of fun stuff. You really can't walk fast through there...too much to look at...and usually you have to walk around more than once. Okay, that's enough gushing about my news. Have a great day!

Comments

[Barbara]

What a fantastic store!!! Your things are gonna do increibly well here!!!!

[Sue McG]

Congratulations Jen - your beautiful items look perfectly at home in that store, what a great fit!

[lauradodson]

yay! congratulations! How exciting to have an outlet for your things. I have some things in a shop in New Braunfels and it is always so fun when something sells. :o)

[Kris]

what I would give to have a store like that around here!! Looks like an awfully fun place. Good for you at putting out your stuff in this shop. I hope it works out for future items too.

[dede Warren]

good for you. i hope your treasures fly outta the store!

[Michelle Infantino]

i'm also lovin those bottle brush trees this season. super cute.

[Michelle Infantino]

that is one cute store and your creations look really nice mixed in there.

cool about the craft group--sounds really fun.