I Do Not Want to Move All This Merchandise

Mr. LuckyGirl is still searching for a job, and he's expanded his search area to Charlotte--about 3 hours away. As much as I don't want top move, I know that we'll go where we need to go. I've been looking around our house, both hoping we don't have to move and dreading the day we begin packing.

I decided to reopen my eBay store a few weeks ago in an effort to reduce the amount of inventory we have, just in case we end up moving. I've been trying to add 10 items each day, and I'm stunned at how many beautiful things I've had tucked away in drawers and file boxes! I can easily continue listing 10 items each day for a few more weeks before I have to put any effort into searching out stragglers.

I'm anxious to clear these things out--I'd rather pack them now send them to new homes than pack them later and drag them with me--so if you see something you like please feel free to make me an offer!

Hot--and Green!--From My Kiln

Not really hot, temperature-wise--I always let the kiln cool down slowly to room temperature before I unload it so that the glass doesn't suffer from cooling stress. Hot as in new and now!

I love this business card holder! I used a layer of clear glass with an iridized coating and iridized stringer over a layer of translucent green. The glass with stringer attached is really difficult to work with, but absolutely worth every bit of struggle!


This 7" plate began with the same glass as the card holder, but I added frit and confetti (paper thin bits of glass). After several rounds in the kiln it developed some tiny, beautiful air bubbles. I hadn't planned on the bubbles, but they add a nice touch to this plate!


This cute little plate is about 5" square, with a recessed area in the center. It would work as an appetizer plate, a candle holder, or a coaster. I'm really happy with the way the blue and the green complement each other.

A Few More Awesome Finds

Betti, by Kate Louise, has the sweetest handcrafted headbands and crocheted beanies and scarves. We loved this cream satin lace headband so much I asked her to make an assortment of similar headbands. They were all terrific, and arrived much faster than I expected.



I'm not usually a fan of coffee cup cozies, but I picked up this one for the monkey-lover in the family. It's so cute and well made that I'm thinking of getting a few more to use for "just because" gifts. Really, can you look at that face without smiling? Click over to Maceme and have a look around, there's always something new and different to discover!

Far superior to the old pet rocks (anybody else remember those?), this rock has a dragon figure carved into it. This piece is so terrific I'm thinking about getting more rocks, maybe Mr. LuckyGirl will get a custom rock to celebrate our anniversary (ssshhhhh!). Check out sjEngraving, especially the custom nest section.

I Really Did Not Mean to be MIA for so Long!

Really, I didn't! But in the midst of the normal craziness of the holidays, I went from being a wicked weekend stepmom to having two kids in the house 24/7. This has been a huge adjustment for everyone, especially the children, and has managed to drain my time faster that you can say "Who forgot to flush?".

We're finally beginning to find some sense of schedule, so things are looking up a bit. And I do enjoy having kids in the house! So anyway, I want to show off some of my favorite purchases.

I found these cute stuffed trees at TattieTats. They added a bit of Suess-ness to our holiday decor, and were a big hit. You can find a beautiful assortment of headbands, clips, and other hand-sewn lovelies there year-round.











These snowflake ornaments were made with walnut and maple, and just like real snowflakes you can find something unique about each one. That's one of my favorite things about buying handcrafted items! I found these at D and D Woodworks, and I've got my eye on a set of handcrafted wood trivets next. Check out the brain teaser puzzle there while you're browsing!






This penguin shirt has been a huge hit. It's not only really cute, but if you lift up the back of the shirt you can read the story of these penguins on the inside. How cool is that? Check out all the awesome shorts and things at Aleloop--I was entertained for quite a while!




This sweet little Scottie dog was originally named Snowflake, but my 18-month-old grandson immediately renamed it Kitty. (I still giggle when I think about that!) Check out Juliekope for more cute stuffed creatures and some amazing handsmocked clothing.