Etsy finds: Leverback earrings

I love leverback earrings. They’re easy to put in your years, no extra parts to be lost, don’t fall out, and are dangly without being too long. They’re my fav. I didn’t realize they were until I had a few pairs, and now I’m hooked. Here I am to help you get involved with collecting leverbacks from Etsy.

	I wish I had something yellow to wear these with, but my fair skin looks rather silly with yellow. Cute description from the Etsy artist on her site. Click through to read! Only $16 with free shipping.
These look like they would be great for everyday wear. I’m probably going to buy these if you don’t!
	I am a sucker for birds and birdcages. I’m not sure yet what it is about the cages but I have an inkling. Only wish these were silver, I’m not huge on gold/copper/bronze/anything goldeny.
I’m not crazy about Twilight, but I really like these sweet Twilight inspired leverbacks.

This barely scratches the surface of what’s available on Etsy. I only browsed back through listings over the past two days. There are hundreds and hundreds of listings. Unfortunately I’m not supposed to be shopping for myself anymore, I started my Xmas shopping a couple of weeks ago on a quick stop in Toronto. As usual I’ve finished shopping for my brother first

Take a look on Etsy yourself, and let me know if you find anything good!

My so-called sideways scarf

Here I present my first finished object in likely over a year. Which is approximately how long I’ve been working on it. Not that it’s all I’ve knit, it’s just all I’ve finished. I’m really quite pleased with it.

I bought the Manos del Uruguay when a LYS was going out of business at half-price. I only wish I’d boughten more. As much as I love the way it looks though, I’m a little concerned with how it’s going to hold up with use as a scarf. I made a scarf for my bff with Manos del Uruguay a while back. When I visited her some time later I found it hanging on a doorknob looking a bit strung out. I thought maybe she’d been a little exuberant in her love for the scarf, but after just two days of wearing mine, I think the yarn just won’t hold its shape. Time will tell.

You can get the pattern for My So-called Scarf here.

Another installment of 5 posts commented

Welcome to the latest installment of 5 posts commented, where I chronicle the posts that compelled me to say thank you to their bloggers since the last time.

1. I enjoy these artist interviews more than I thought I would. Now following Missy’s toon, Tofubaby!
http://indiefixx.com/2009/11/04/wednesday-indie-artist-fixx-with-missy-kulick/

2. Remind yourself that it’s really a matter of mind over belly.
http://blog.nutritiondata.com/dieting_weight_loss_blog/2009/11/wouldnt-it-be-great-if-you-actually-realized-that-the-very-obstacles-you-seem-to-face-are-merely-created-in-your-mind-rath.html

3. Never buy another gift bow again (I originally found this post on Lifehacker.)
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-gift-bow-from-magazine-page.html

4. Mutant veggie contest?! I wanna go!
http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2009/11/07/mutant-veggies-at-the-fall-fair-2009/

5. Crabby McSlacker is checking out Twitter.
http://www.crankyfitness.com/2009/11/smart-phones-and-dumb-humans-is-web.html

What posts did you comment on this week?

5 comments of the week

Here are 5 of the posts I’ve commented on this week from the blogs I subscribe to.

1. I don’t do enough fall projects. Heidi of My Paper Crane shares some projects that she’s involved in this weekend that actually look totally doable to me: http://www.mypapercrane.com/blog/?p=1341

2. Have I mentioned that I love owls? I recently found a blog for those such as me, featuring a another site selling a super cute owl mug: http://www.myowlbarn.com/2009/10/rock-scissor-papers-owl-shoppe.html

3. This might be my favorite costume that I’ve seen this year: http://www.shutterbean.com/happy-halloween/

4. Jonathan Fields asked his readers whether they are focused on creating a body of work or floating along:
http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/

5. Fit Bottomed Girls has generously offered to donate $1 per comment on their post to Girls On The Run:
http://fitbottomedgirls.com/2009/11/★fitstars-girls-on-the-runs-molly-barker/

Which posts have you commented on this week?

Letterpress Christmas cards

Normally I wait until the last minute to search for, select, and purchase Christmas cards. Due to this it usually ends up being a mixture of big box cards and handmade cards. This year I’m getting started early and and I’ve going to document my top finds here.

I am limiting the entries here to sets of cards; I don’t think I can afford to buy card by card. I love letterpress, so they’re that too. Find them all on Etsy.

1. Beautiful embossed snowflake holiday cards // LetterpressLight (But then I am partial to snowflakes.)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32691908

2. Partridge in a petri // hawkgerber (Not as partial as I am to birds, however.)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32938473

3. Sweet birds // wrapstardesign
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33214446

4. Christmas trees; Merry // shortstackpress
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33032136

5. You should just check out the entire holiday card offerings from Fugu Fugu Press. Too cute.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/fugufugupress?section_id=6502274

6. More partridges // byvikINK http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32962800

7. A fat little snow bird // ave9river
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32938473

8. Beautious ornaments // SweetLetterPress
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32864234

9. Super tall, skinny-legged, adorable bird // shortstackpress
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32736741

10. Pair of birds next to a tree // luckybeepress
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32713771

11. Delightful folk santa // byvikINK (Not a bird.)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32643072

12. Bird on a branch // twohanddesign
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32046456

13. Two turtle doves // dutchdoor (Yeah, I know it’s number 13.)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17004715

Bonus. OK, so this is a single card, but when your recipient is finished with it, they can plant it to grow wildflowers! (Birds, of course.) // roundrobinpress
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30349852

Strive for five (comments)

Despite having seen some affiliate links on some of the blogs I follow, I’m really not sure how some of even the most popular bloggers make a living off of it. I certainly don’t think they’re making much off of me. So I made the following comments to express my thanks.

1. Karl at Work Happy Now has a weekly video post where he shares “the hard, the fun, and the beautiful” from his week. What a dork I am, I was a week behind on my blog reading and posted on the previous week’s post! Sorry Karl, I’ll try to keep up better!
http://www.workhappynow.com/2009/10/hard-fun-beautiful-before-it-gets-cold-edition/

2. Holly at decor8 put together a day full of calendars on her blog. There are so many to choose from it might take me a while to make up my mind!
http://decor8blog.com/2009/10/16/calendar-round-up-2010/

3.On Simplicity makes some recommendations on how to choose a type of collection that will do something other than gather dust:
http://www.onsimplicity.net/2009/10/are-your-collections-pulling-their-weight/

4. I’m looking forward to more discussion on multitasking at Indiefixx:
http://indiefixx.com/2009/10/21/multitaskingmy-thoughts/

5. More from Holly, have I mentioned how inspiring I find her blog? I’ve some ideas for future blog posts from reading this article:
http://decor8blog.com/2009/10/21/jennifer-davick-photography/

6. Fit Bottom Girls want to know what your running issues are:
http://fitbottomedgirls.blogspot.com/2009/10/whats-your-biggest-running-issue.html

The reason I’m blogging

I’ll put this right out there: I have no idea what I’m doing. If I seem scatter-brained, distracted, and otherwise unfocused in my choice of post topics, that’s why. I’m blogging to find my voice. It may take weeks, months, and hopefully not years, but I’m not sure how else to do it. I’m a writer without a voice and it’s time to make an effort to find it.

So there it is. But I’m not alone: Why You Write on Copyblogger.

And another thing. I’ve never purposefully showed my blog to anyone I actually know, or even mentioned that I blog. I don’t even talk about blogging. To anyone. I know it’s because I’m afraid of what people will think. I feel like I’m exposing a part of myself that I don’t usually share. But why don’t I?

I’ve decided that by bringing the two worlds together I can be more a more authentic me in them both.

So if you know me, welcome! I hope you won’t find me to be even more of a dork than you already do.

Five posts commented

Since you’re reading this, I’m guessing this isn’t the only blog you read. It isn’t exactly well known (at all). When was the last time you commented on a post? When was the last time you said thank you? Like you, I read a number of blogs, and I’m quite the lurker for the most part. I’m constantly amazed by the quality of blog posts I read. I’m regularly blown away, and it’s time to start saying so.

I myself have gotten a few thoughtful comments, but an equal number of spam comments. I get a huge kick out of it when someone posts, and I don’t think that feeling goes away even when you get 100 each day. I’m not saying that my comments are noteworthy or insightful or even regularly add something to the discussion. But one thing they do say, even if they don’t use the exact words, is “thank you”. I think it’s fair to say that every blogger loves comments and every blogger is trying to grow a community. I let them know I’m there, I try to add even a tiny piece of myself to their community.

Each week I’m going to highlight not my comments, but the posts that I commented on. This is another way for me to say thanks! Without further ado:

1. I was intrigued by the stunning flower on the charming little succulent posted on You Grow Girl, now I just have to find one: http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2009/10/02/blooming-lithops/

2. One of my fav shopping blogs, Indiefixx introduced me to a site I’ve heard of but never visited, and will this year be buying Xmas presents from: Sock Dreams http://indiefixx.com/2009/10/15/i-heart-sock-dreams/

3. I read a super inspiring interview on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. It was an interview an author who described the process by which she wrote the poetry for her magical children’s book, Once upon a twice: http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=1815

4. I was blown away by Tina’s story of personal enlightenment during a 3 month retreat she attended. How lucky to have such an opportunity: http://thinksimplenow.com/clarity/living-enlightenment-report/

5. I’m an introvert, but even I need a reminder sometimes of the importance of solitude. This post resonated so much with me that I’ll read it again and again: http://www.soulshelter.com/technology-vs-the-soul/in-defense-of-solitude-part-two/

What blogs have you commented on this week?

Loftyness

Although the direction of this blog may seem aimlesss, I’ve come to feel that the only way I can move forward is to write. Hopefully over time I’ll get some direction and find my voice. I’ve started following some writers on Twitter, and from there I’ve started reading Dan Holloway’s Songs from the Other Side of the Wall. Hearing Dan’s voice got me thinking about my voice and tone. And I’m none too pleased with it. It doesn’t feel authentic to me. Most of my posts have a kind of lofty tone to them that is not an accurate reflection of who I am.

I know where the tone comes from: my desire to find more meaning in my work. I volunteer because I need to give something back, and it makes me feel really good about myself and I want to share that. I want to share all of the things that make me feel good, like running. I hope it doesn’t come across as boastful but I fear that it does.

So I’ll write, and I’ll be conscious of this and of other things, and maybe eventually it will become the eagerness that I feel.

Bees knees

My dad is a beekeeper. I haven’t had a lot of exposure to it because he keeps them at the cottage about 3 hours from home. I’ve always been interested but I don’t think I’ve ever expressed to him just how interested I am. Some day when I have space I’d like to keep my own bees. Life is short, and I don’t want time to go by until then so much so that I lose my opportunity to learn from him. I finally got up to the cottage for the first time this year over Labor day, and I asked him to teach me stuff.

It was a brief lesson because he’d recently “worked” the bees and didn’t want to disturb them again so soon. Next year I’d like to be there when he greets them in the spring.

I have a lot to learn, and some of this learning can be done on my own before then. Since you don’t have my father’s wisdom to learn from now or later, I’ll share with you what I find when the time comes.