Texas -Sized Sale Coming!

I am a proud member of ETC...Etsy Texas Crafters. Our next First Monday Sale is going to be as big as all of Texas! It will be combined with a special event at the Etsy Labs in New York City! Several great Texas crafters will be representing those of us who were not fortunate enough to be able to attend.

Etsy Texas Crafters' wagon train pulls into New York City ETC Trunk Show At Etsy Labs, 325 Gold St, Brooklyn September 28-29, 2007. Enjoy the best arts and crafts that Texas has to offer, and visit with some terrific Texans, without even leaving the city! The fun starts Friday, September 28, with the Etsy Labs Last Fridays Trunk Show from 6-8pm EST. Then, because things are bigger from Texas, the show continues on Saturday afternoon from 1-5pm EST. With more than 50 Etsy Texas Crafters represented, you get a taste not only of Texan artists and Texas size art but also of terrific Texas edibles and door prize drawings every half hour throughout both shows (no need to be present to win). And if you're one of the first 25 early birds at Friday night's opening shindig, receive a goodie bag, guaranteed to be Texas sized and Texas Special! One of the goodies included in the bag is a chance to win one of my signature fused glass pendants, "Catch a Falling Star!"

The Etsy Texas Crafters Trunk Show is free and open to the public -- but please rsvp to rsvp@etsy.com so we'll know y'all are coming!

Don't know how to get to Etsy Labs? http://www.etsy.com/labs/visit.html

Can't make it to the show? Attend virtually via Etsy.com workshop (link will be posted prior to shows), shop the sales in the ETC shops at Etsy.com throughout the entire weekend, and participate in an online treasure hunt (with prizes!).

Visit the Etsy Texas Crafters website at http://www.etsytx.org/ or our team shop at http://etsytexascrafters.etsy.com/ for more information and links.

This promises to be a fantastic weekend of great deals! Don't miss it!

Lowcountry Boil and BFFs

It's a great day at the beach! We finally have a sunny day, and the crowds from Labor Day have gone home. Yesterday was not so great a sale day on Etsy after all, and I am working at staying optimistic about my glass work being able to support itself. But today more than makes up for the disappointments of yesterday! Our golden retriever and I spent the morning down at the beach watching my husband fish for redfish. Last year there was quite a run, and he and several of our friends spent days taking out lines and reelin' 'em in. It was great. The redfish haven't really started running yet, but we're hoping that they find their way here soon. In the meantime, there are plenty of shark. They make a great shis-ka-bob, so that's not so bad.

Our best friends of over 30 years are on their way down, and I am going to make a giant shrimp boil. They have a house right up the street. It's quite convenient. I found this recipe some time back, and it is the easiest and quickest thing to make. Here is the link to the recipe:

http://www.coastalliving.com/coastal/food/entertaining/article/0,14587,609731,00.html

The recipe doesn't have any garlic...I may have to add some. As they say...

Good friends, fine wine, mellow music, and something with garlic...

ETC First Monday Sale

“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”

Busy, busy, busy...Iam determined to post in my blog today, but I am also involved in a serious promotion in my Etsy shop!

For over 150 years, there has been a gigantic flea market in Canton, Texas on the first Monday of every month. In those years he market has gone through many changes and enormous growth. There are many stories as to how First Monday Trade Days began, from suggestions that the district judge came to town that day to convene his court to an informal gathering time of families and friends in an era of poor communication, among others. No matter how it began, it has evolved into an gigantic opportunity to buy everything from antiques, to crafts, to emu oil. Texas crafters on Etsy have jumped on the First Monday Trade Days with a huge Frist Monday Sale of our own. Check out http://etsytexascrafters.etsy.com/ for a list of stores that are giving discounts on some really unique and interesting items. I will be listing quite a few pieces myself. Here are 2 I have already listed: Color Cues and Southern Comfort

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Old Dog...New Tricks...

Who says, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?" In the past year I have learned glass fusing, how to blog, how to photograph jewelry, and way too many computer skills to mention! Today, I participated in my first chat room. WHEW! And the sad part is, there is so much more to learn!

In the meantime, I'll practice my fusing skills
and continue to add to my Etsy shop.

Here is something I recently added...

It's called Beyond the Sea. This is the image I posted as my feature photo, but I think it may be too "hot." It was the first time I had used this method of photographing the pendants.

Here is another image that I took my old fashioned way.............
What do you think? Don't you think the calmer version on the left is better?

I haven't been as successful at selling as I need to be, so I thought that my photographs had gotten a bit stale. But, now that I really take a good look at them both, I'm thinking that I'll stick with the lessons I learned first!