Happy New Year! (and FREE Panda Express...)

Welcome to the year of the Rabbit!

and just to get you excited, there are free Firecracker Chicken Breast bowls at Panda Express TODAY ONLY! Go get em folks!

and Happy New Year!

My Etsy Shop-- I'd LOVE a Visit from You!

A couple of weeks ago when I announced my first Etsy sale, I received several inquiries about it. I figured I ought to make a post about my Etsy shop sometime to satiate any curious readers. Yes, Shannon, the pastel of the duality of man is one of mine. 20 dollars.

I haven't really advertised my shop to people who know me or on my blog. The reason is simple. I never attempt to sell my best work on Etsy because I could never get what I think it is worth (quality paintings of not famous artists can still usually sell for hundreds) on a site that usually caters to cheaper purchases. I use Etsy as a forum to sell the art with which I'm not extremely pleased, that I have multiples of, or that might have some kind of defect (like curled edges from a hasty move or something). I save my best stuff for myself since I'm not famous enough to get what I think it is worth or ambitious enough to attempt the time-consuming business venture of getting into galleries. Etsy caters to cheaper prices anyway, so why not unload my 'less-than-professional' art for 'less-than-professional' prices? (my prices are from 7 dollars to 40 dollars.) My lofty aspiration is to make enough selling out my inventory that I can put back into resources for future art projects (since we don't have an art budget and supplies are so pricey).

I'm actually somewhat embarrassed to admit to people who know me that my shop belongs to me. Of course I would never admit on Etsy that some of my paintings are amateurish. But if someone I know goes and looks, they'd probably think I was only a mediocre artist. I guess my pride doesn't want that. Consider yourself warned: I DO make better artwork than what you'll see on Etsy. But if you are looking for decent original artwork at extremely affordable prices, please please please feel free to visit my shop: InspiringdesignsbyE!

Restoring and Reusing

Reuse is often easier (and more fun!) than recycle, I think. A challenge and physical labor to sand down the old, find the inner core beauty, and refinish for a desired new look. Kind of like reworking the best in ourselves, I guess. You know, we've all got strengths and weaknesses. But if we scrape off all those unsightly layers and find the beauty buried under it all, we can utilize the Atonement of Christ to shine it up, fix it up, and be better than before. No reason to throw it out completely (or feel we have to give up on changing something because it is "just the way I am"). and isn't it interesting how something with a story behind, that has been through a lot, seems to be more esteemed and valuable to us than something brand new and trendy? Hmmm, it would seem that we don't need to be so hard on ourselves for being "imperfect" because that actually gives us an opportunity to testify of the hand of the Lord working in our lives. If we were all spit-shined and plastic without any scratches, then where would be the evidence of experience that can help others? Where would the faint marks of the Master's hand be to indicate that He has been working on us?
Those have been some of my thoughts as I've been fixing up this old highchair I got from my folks. I sat in this high chair as a baby. If I ever get around to scanning my parent's pics of me, I'll prove it. But for now, just enjoy the new look! Sanded it all, reinforced the joints with wood glue, reworked the metal mechanisms on the tray so it slides on and off better, stained it all, sealed it all (3 coats!), and now I'm just trying to find a good cushion/backrest thingie to put in it. But then again, it would only get beans and bananas on it... maybe I should leave it? Would that be too uncomfortable? I'll try to find something plastic-ey, but I haven't the slightest idea where to look. Anyway, there ya have it! A restoration!

P.S. Also bought a used jogging stroller on Craigslist for cheap and cleaned it up so Gwen and I can get some exercise! (I actually ran 2 miles yesterday, btw!) And how bout the bookshelf that Heather and I stumbled upon abandoned by dumpsters on one of our walks? Reglued the laminate that was peeling off. Good to go as soon as I finish painting it! I love fixing things up!

Baby's Room Projects

Way back in the day I promised Jennie I'd post pics of the nursery... well, I'm finally getting around to it. And it finally is shaping into a nursery, minus the clutter of gifts, crafts, not-yet-assembled projects, and air mattress (this is where all of our helpers slept). Still waiting on a rocking chair and don't look too closely at the desk area because I haven't tackled "my" side of the room yet! You'll notice the furniture is mostly brown/cream and I tried to have items such as crib sheets and changing pad cover in a nice neutral green so we don't give any future sons a complex! :) All pictures taken during nap time, fyi... :)
Changing station and dresser... we refinished this dresser that we got on Craigslist for $20. I think it is so cute now! Especially with the contrasting green of the changing table pad! I still have to hang up the organizer, but for now it just sits on top of the diaper pail. (we're going to be using cloth diapers, that's why we got the pail. But we haven't started cuz Gwen is still a bit too small for them, so don't need to use it yet and it works great as a 'shelf' right now.)
Bookshelf/Toyshelf... you'll recall the fun project of refinishing the bookshelf? $3 garage sale purchase transformed into a lil gal's toyshelf. Green baskets bought on sale at Michael's. Hopefully I'll be able to keep things curtailed a bit so that lil plastic keys and chew rings don't end up EVERYWHERE in the house! But we'll see... :)
Crib... This $200 Craigslist purchase was definitely worth the money! I love the colors, the fact that it is solid wood, and the drop down sides. The "skirt" was actually originally going to be a bumper. I bought the material to sew the 'slip cover', was given an old bumper pad from a friend (Thanks Robyn!), had borrowed a friend's sewing machine (Thanks Jenni!) and was all set to sew... when Eric and I decided that the risk of SIDS, however small, wasn't worth the bumper. But I was crushed because I really wanted to sew this matching valance and bumper... now what would make her room cute? I improvised and turned the bumper into a 'skirt' that just goes around the outside of the crib. I think the valance and skirt project turned out pretty great considering I didn't have a pattern. Just measured and went for it! It definitely helped to have friends that are good seamstresses so I could ask how to do certain things like a ruffle. Thanks quilting/sewing group!
"GWEN" Frames... I got these unfinished wood frames at a garage sale for 25 cents each and used some leftover material from the valance/crib skirt project to cover them. Then I had this pattern book for soft baby blocks that I was borrowing from a friend (thanks Michelle!) from which I got the sewing pattern for the elephant and the bee. the other patterns in the book I didn't enjoy as much, so I made up my own for the dragonfly and the frog (which is why they aren't nearly as cute, I'll be the first to admit!). I sewed them on before modgepodging things down. A lil bit of cute string attached with thumb tacks to the back, some 99 cent block letters from Michaels, and "wuahlah"! You've got cute wall decorations!
Well, there you have it. Nursery. Baby. Both cute. :)