New Love

My evenings and weekends are spend endlessly updating my website http://dewonapetal.com/, reading the Etsy forums, posting new items in my online stores, making things, and what little time left, sleeping.

I've recently in the past few months discovered soy wax. Imagine that. I've been making candles off and on for 15 years, but I always used paraffin wax, which can be tricky. I decided to make candles as gifts for my co-workers this past Christmas, and that's when I discovered how amazing soy wax really is. It's eco-friendly, easy to work with, doesn't give off any fumes, and supports local farmers. Unfortunately, the price of soy wax has increased tremendously since last fall. That's a shame. It irritates me no end that natural, organic products always end up being more expensive so that only the elite can afford to live healthy. In any case, I purchase all my supplies wholesale and try to pass on the savings to my customers as much as possible.

I'm tired!

Weekends are hell! So much catching up to do, and I always seem to avoid the things I really need to do. So instead I sewed on a dress I had started last week putting in 11 buttonholes, sewing the buttons, tacking down the facings. All that's left now is the hem and probably adjusting the back darts.

Tomorrow I want to make a sleeveless shell on my knitting machine. Even though it's a machine, it still will be an all-day project.

I'm also working on my entry for the Spring Beads4You Challenge on Etsy. We all get the same set of beads to work with, and there's a pile of them. What you see above is how much I had finished 2 days ago. The deadline was supposed to be today, but they extended it for 2 more weeks. I have a LOT of beads to add. I'll post a pic of the finished product.

Well, I'm off to check out some other sites I've been meaning to look at.

It's been a long time

It seems that life sometimes takes over and there's no time to reflect and contemplate. I've been busy working, fretting over debts, and trying to make ends meet. (Aren't we all?)

I've been working on my website (www.DewOnAPetal.com) all day today, trying to optimize as best I can with what little I know about the whole process. I think it's helping as my numbers are rising on the Website Grader http://www.websitegrader.com/ I found on the Etsy forums.

Speaking of Etsy, I've once again changed directions, still trying to find my niche in the craft world. I love doing thread crochet and have been doing it all my life, so I decided that was something that might be a little different and unique. I never have a pattern, so my pieces just seem to evolve. When the crochet work is done, I add seed and other beads. It seems to relax me as I enjoy the intricate work. I made this black and white thread crochet choker in 3 days for the Etsy winter Beads4You challenge recently, and I really stretched my imagination for this piece. I enjoyed the challenge and have many more thread crochet items in my Etsy store, www.DewOnAPetal.etsy.com I'm making a custom cuff for my daughter's friend this week, and would love to make one just for you, too!

Well, today we sweated out a possible blackout, but thankfully, it didn't happen. I worked at home today in front of the A/C.

Tonight I worked on my website for awhile. I'm getting some great advice from a web developer from Etsy who is analyzing my site and giving me tips to make it better. Also information about submitting it to directories and search engines. Very labor intensive. There is so much involved and so little time.

This is one of my newer things I have listed on Etsy. I love making the cluster chokers and earrings. They are very time-consuming, but satisfying to make. Hope you like!
http://www.etsy.com/view_item.php?listing_id=348191

first blog post

This is from Etsy forum over 50 question!

I SWORE I wasn't going to post here! but then it got interesting, so these are my personal memories until my party life ended in 1974. At least I had a few good years.
CSNY- Déjà vu
Moody Blues – Nights in White Satin
Les Paul
Grain Parties
Blind Faith
KeggersLayla
Jethro Tull
Ginger Baker
LSD
James Taylor – Sweet Baby James
Carole King
The white Album
Hitchhiking
Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
King Crimson
Blue
Nickel Bag
Earth Shoes
MaryJane
Bennie And The Jets
America – Simon & Garfunkle
Black Beauties
Trout fishing
Woodstock

tip of the iceberg... As you can see, music drives my life. When I hear a song, I remember a time, an event, a love. I despise rock n roll and "oldies" from the 50's and 60's. 70's to early 80's (yay Steve Perry! yuck yuck) on my iPod only and privately shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I gotta start my blog...... I'm up for it tonight.. hehe