Crystal and Pearls

I've been feeling better this week and making some big changes.  I'm trying to keep myself busy though, to keep my mind and hands busy.  Idle hands, you know.  I've been spending my days while Goose is at school sitting in various cafes for free wi-fi.  We are counting down the days for our tax return to get here so we can finally get Internet at home.  Its been way too long and I have been feeling extremely isolated since I haven't been working.  Not being able to blog daily has been pretty rough as I have no other outlet.  Like I've said before, I just like to talk and my blog is the friend I tell my stories to. 

So I've been keeping my mind busy with Internet and my hands busy with beads.  I've been making lots of earrings to build up an inventory for when I am able to get my Etsy store online and I hope to do CraftxNW again this spring.  I'm going to enlist my mother-in-law (hopefully) to do the booth with me this time.  She is also preparing to launch a jewelry shoppe (which will be unabashedly pimped on my website once its open.) 

Last Monday I hung out with her all day and we made earrings.  Her craft room is to die for! And her bead collection, OH EM GEE! It's like heaven, not that you would expect less from the queen of the bead empire.  We are planning on making it a weekly thing.  Here is my favorite pair from our little get together.

And did I tell you I got a sewing machine for my birthday? NO!? well, I DID!!!  I couldn't be more excited.  It took me a month to get up the courage to turn it on but once I did, I was amazed,  I have no idea what I was so afraid of!  I've made a few things, with patterns and without.  Putting my bits of fabric to good use.  I've got some projects done, but nothing photographed.  I'm so excited about the new crafty doors that have been opened and all the pretty new supplies I have to buy! 

I've also got a new outfit post coming up soon and some recent vintage finds.  Oh, and a little thing I am working on for Elsie and Rachel's Project Restyle (Flikr group here). 

Craft x NW Recap

Craft x NW can be described in one word:

DISASTER!

BUT...

Now I know what I need to do next time. 

Cuz there will be a next time.

Hubs was (and still is) sick, and I was having a bad week.

All this stress with moving and the craft fair really got to me.

So already things were not looking so hot for me.

I was a man down AND my IL's took the canopy/tent with them.

(How dare they!? It only belongs to them. ;"P)

I was supposed to get downtown to set up at 2 and I didn't get there until a quarter to 4.

The fair started at 4:00 pm!

Then, 

it started to rain.

So there I was...

by myself...

with no tent...

in the rain.

I set up my display and started to get soaked.

People walked by and looked sorry for me.

I wanted to cry.

Then I got my first customer. 

:)

And realized that the $20 in change I had brought with me was no longer in my pocket.

:(

$!@#%&!#$!!!

It rained harder.

I couldn't take any pictures.

I cried.

Then a wonderful girl took pity on me and invited me into her tent.

I was literally seconds from leaving when she stopped by. (And it was only 5!)

Her name was Molly.

We carried my displays through the rain and Molly and her friends (Emily and Emily, the "Deer soap" girl) graciously made space for me in their tent. 

Piel de Miel. That's the name of their business.

They don't have a website yet or I would link you up.

Molly and Emily make lip balms and face scubs and other body treats with organic and local ingredients and Emily makes (deer) soap.

All three of them were beautiful and amazing! And I am so so very thankful they took pity on me. I really couldn't have done it without them. 

I didn't make it the whole night. I only stayed until about 7:30 and I was supposed to stay until 9 pm. 

I tried to stay as long as possible but by the end of the day I was spent.

I made about $30 though. And my booth spot cost $30, so I broke even on that.

(Unless you count the $20 I lost...)

And despite feeling like a complete failure, I feel like I owe it to myself to go back and do this again.

I can't give up!!!

The organizer of Craft x NW is planning to do this every second Saturday of the month from June-September.

I don't know the cost yet, but I hope to be able to participate. 

Now, I know what I need to do to be prepared.  

And it shouldn't rain as much this summer.

AND

I will be investing in a tent!

WIWT - Casual Friday

I love my job.

I love the dress code at my job.

I work for an attorney but it's just my boss and I and he is pretty laid back.
We "wear our uniforms to Court," and since we "take what we do seriously" we don't have to dress that way all the time.

So really, for me, everyday is pretty much Casual Friday.
But personally, I like to dress up...
So most days, I get up early, shower, make-up, hair.
I usually have my outfits picked out in advance.
I have been known to plan out all my work outfits for the entire week on the weekend.
No joke.

Anyway, 99.9% of the time, out side of work, I am a jeans and tee kinda girl.
I like cardigans, jeans, and camisoles.
Hoodies and yoga pants could be lived in... if I never left the house.
The "mom" uniform, ya know?

It's versatile, easy to fall into... I get it.
But I also try to remember that I have to get dressed everyday,
I might as well dress in something cute.
Right?

And...

No matter what, I always wear earrings.
A little promise I made to myself when I was preggo.

And... if you haven't noticed yet, I shop alot of sales and second hand.
I want to be an example to other moms that you can still dress cute (and be comfy!)
and not go broke.

A *new* version of my "Other Mother" necklace!!

I played around with the concept and think I really like this!

I'll have them for sale at my booth at Craft x NW!

Sweater: Steve & Barrys, $8

Shirt: Funk Junk, Vintage Lee, $10

Jeans: Macys, Grane, $25

Shoes: Target $10

Hat: Target $10

Jewelry: KelsyC-made

Sunglasses: Target, $5

OMG! Craft x NW!

OMG! OMG! OMG!

I'm gonna be a vendor!

Oh CRAP!

Now what???

This will be my first time participating in something like this.

And I couldn't be more excited...

And nervous!

More details to follow!!!

Check out Craft x Northwest for more details!