Chocolate Rabbit

Spring is most definitely here...wild baby bunnies and adopted goats in the field, so sweet!
That inspired me to do a few mini {4" x 5"} paintings, the first one up is Mr. Belvadere the Chocolate Rabbit. I have always loved those small brooch like paintings with the unusual little frames, like you would find in an antique store.

Any bunny that I don't have to cleanup after is good with me, the chickens keep me busy enough already!

***Shop & Farm News***

Well, I did it! I'm officially back in my Etsy Shop and already have three new art pieces posted....all that and a day ahead of schedule, whoopie!!

Okay, so I wanted to let you know that I will continue to carry my herbal goat milk soap as well as new skin care products in the shop {they are on the way}. I debated long and hard on whether to just open up a second shop, but truth be told I'm just one person and a busy one at that, so it's still just one shop, Blossom.

I will be holding another contest/giveaway in the near future, {the last one}, although a bit drug out was much fun, so we will have to do something else!

The winter has kept my adopted fur babies in the barn for the most part, but they were out and about the other day so I asked TJ {middle son} to hold one so I could get a picture {I think this is Lightning} . I would love to figure out how to get a video of them playing about in the field and download it to the blog. I will have to figure that out, it's so funny to watch them frolic.
Getting big, huh?
What a cry baby! He's only quiet when you rub his ears...not spoiled is he?

**IF you have Shop Specials/Shop News you would like me to share with everyone, I would be happy to! Just send me the info and any pics, with any links to your shop or blog.**

blog awards

It really makes my day when I find a special something in my email, such as a sweet note from a fellow blogger or thoughtful gifts such as these two awards. Actually I have been slacking, this has been given to me by two people~
Pampered Papier, she is a very creative Etsy seller that sells paper goods...be sure and visit her shop!!!
and a new blogger friend Alexandra from Holland, you must see her site...Objets de Charme!

Thank you ladies!!

I am passing the award onto 7 other creative bloggers:

1. Heidi from Crabby Gabby.
2. Madai from Forget Me Knots at Wren Cottage.
3. Pam Warden Art.
4. Tiffany Jane.
5. Miss Jenn at Blessed Femina.
6. Lady Farmer Parables.
7. Artful Adventures

This Little Handmade Life

By Friday I plan to re-open my shop on Etsy, Lord willing.
Since Brian and I make our living by what we make and because many of our friends and family also make & sell handmade goods, it's inevitable that the subject of selling and marketing doesn't come up, on an almost daily basis.

Since there are a few of you folks that might be thinking of opening your own little shop, filled with handmade goods, but don't know where to begin; why not consider selling on Etsy?
It's an inexpensive option to starting a stagnet website without any traffic, Etsy is very simple to navigate and the community is great! I haven't run across any problems that someone at Etsy wasn't more than willing to help me with.
Here's a great article:

Not sure where to begin? Start here, A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Shop on Etsy.

Here's what's blooming on the farm

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin

This time of year always has me buzzing in so many different directions! In between getting my Etsy shop ready for new things, preparing for the growing season and taking care of family stuff I have been bouncing on and off this blog trying out new templates again, this three column template seems to fit my plans the best.
{Instructions to Convert your 2 column blogger template into a 3 column, here.}

Hope everyone had a great Sunday!

say a prayer and plant your seeds

I've been told that March is "mud month" and around here it is so true! Rain, rain and more rain...but I know with all that rain the flowers are soon to come. This time inside has given me the opportunity to focus on finishing a few projects like my Garden Angel you see here. If you want to see her beginnings, look here. She's my first mixed media doll, or should I say half a doll, hee hee!

I truly just let myself go with this piece and I enjoyed exploring drawing and painting more. I felt like a little girl all over again and was lost in the hours it took to create this little angel and her garden, that's when you know you're on the right track...when one minute you're drinking coffee and it's 8 am and the next the boys are home from school at three.
The top of the box says "Say A Prayer and Plant Your Seeds", and that's just what I am doing.
How about you? What new seeds are you planting?

carefully chosen words

She gave little care to thought of who would read her words one day and maybe that is the way it should be, she was just honest...sometimes painfully honest as she wrote down the details of the moments in her life. Everyday there was an entry, for some 40 years of her life, even when she broke her arm. At times I revisit these old journals that my grandmother left behind for me and feel so grateful that I have them and even more grateful that she didn't choose to sensor or choose her words carefully out of fear that someone would think of her differently...she was herself, a complicated yet simple woman.
This is something I have been pondering lately, as I come to the computer to write or as I am working on a new site for myself which by the way is taking far longer than I thought it would because I have a tendency to question what I'm putting out there for the world to see. Wouldn't things run smoother if we didn't choose to be so careful with our lives and how people perceive us or how we think we are perceived? We could just get on with it! Get on with life, dirt and all.
I was once told "it's none of your business what others think of you" and you know I think they were correct.

Handmade for Profit

When I began selling my soap and candles some twelve years ago I had no clue what I was doing. Truth be told Brian started making and successfully selling his furniture about that time, so I followed him to the craft shows he attended every year and happily set out small baskets of my handmade soap and candles on the tables he was trying to sell. I had enough success selling my products like this that it gained me enough confidence to venture out a little more on my own, however I was clueless!

That was until I bought the book Handmade for Profit by Barbara Brabec. The wisdom, advice and resources she shares in her books {she has written many}, as well as the articles on both her websites are priceless. I had the opportunity to correspond with her a few weeks ago through email, concerning networking on Etsy and she was kind enough to write an article about it, which you can find here.

Making a handmade living is a HUGE passion of mine, so much so that I have been taking classes focused on e-commerce and helping others every chance I get with this very subject.
I know so many of you are creative and you would love to find a way to turn your beautiful talents into a profitable business, it's very rewarding.

I wrote this post in hope that it would help give you the resources you need for selling you own handmade goods for profit. I look forward to sharing more articles of this nature with you in the near future.
Also, be sure to check out my other articles, Tips For Selling Online.


embracing your authentic self

It takes courage to be yourself.
You might not think you are as cool as all the other kids, but you are....you and all your quirks {not flaws just quirks} because they have quirks too, just ask them. I would be lying if I told you I am completely comfortable with myself at all times, especially when I have to deal with my little quirk of being painfully shy. Most that know me find it a sweet attribute, but I do not and am constantly beating myself up for it....until now.
I have decided to embrace my authentic self, red face and all in hope that you will join me. Choose to love yourself, just the way God created you and stop apologizing for it.

This subject can cover so many aspects of who we are and I personally have had quite a hard time embracing my true self outside the realm of my familiarity {outside the house} especially with people I just meet. There are so many little parts that make up who we are that it's easy for me to cover up and stay hidden to "play" a part to fit the environment I'm in, not that I'm creating a new character around certain people, but out of fear I just don't let it all show.
For example, I find it difficult to let people know "I'm an artist" when I first meet them {there again the shy kicks in}. I can see that by doing this I have chosen not to live authentically and really is not the kind of life I want, it's just not good for ya!

With that being said I would like to step out of the comfort zone and share something with you...

Drawing is something I love to do. As a child I would draw until my arms just about fell off and as a kid in school I made really bad grades because in class I chose to draw instead of doing the work. When I became a teenager, it was more of the same, but then I went through a really rough 6 year period {14-20} where I left this part of me behind because life was so painful.
After I married my highschool crush, things were good again but I had totally forgotten how much I loved to draw although you'll never find me without paper and pencil, I love doodling.
When Brian and I were first married I made the statement "I can't draw", he wouldn't hear of it "yes you can" he would say and so I picked up a sketch pad and began to practice.
I think somewhere down deep the other day, it just hit me I have been drawing all my life and this is truly apart of who I am as an artist.

And don't be shy, leave me your links I would love to know more about you!

reaching out

For the past few weeks things have been fairly quiet around this little farm, while I have taken much needed time for myself. I appreciate all the sweet notes in my email box, taking time out of your own day to check and reaching out to me.
The truth of the matter is I needed to take a step back and address what my heart was trying to tell me. It had been forever since I had made time for my art and for me that is just as important as breathing. Don't get me wrong, I love making soap {it's an addiction} but I wasn't making room for much of anything else...I have always had a problem finding balance.
So after much thought and soul searching I have decided to hang out the "on vacation" sign at my Etsy shop for now, so I can focus on new projects that have been swimming in my head for quite some time. I will continue to blog as long as the words keep coming. However, I have been crafting a new website and blog for myself and I can't wait until it's completed...a place of my very own!
The time away from the computer has been exactly what I needed, I even made time {although it took much courage on my part} to reach out to another artist here in the area, in fact she lives only 20 minutes away from me. The artist I'm speaking of is Nina Bagley, I have been incredibly smitten with her beautiful jewelry and her creations for quite some time now, so being that she is so close by I finally decided to reach out. After a few emails back and forth we decided to meet up Monday morning, she was gracious enough to invite me for tea.
The funniest part to me is what happened the Saturday morning before we had planned to meet. Brian and I decided to go antiquing {for old hand tools of course} and guess who we saw buying a lovely antique chest of drawers, that's right it was Nina. After Brian got her attention {because I'm so painfully shy} we all three stood and talked and I can tell you that she is just as lovly as her jewelry.
Monday morning came and I happily set off over to Nina's on FireFly Road. It was a wonderful visit and being able to sit and talk with her, plus look at all her treasures and jewelry up close.
So inspiring! But of course before I left I had to take a picture. Now, please be kind we were both wind blown while standing outside in the cold trying to get this taken and just ignore my braided pigtails.