So many new books that I want to buy!

The 'Handmade Nation' is a gimmee since it's really what we're all about at Etsy!
Leigh Radford is a genius - Alterknits was such a cool book, and if you visited me before you'll know I love all things felted, so her new book 'Alterknits Felt' is just a regular must-have!
'Happy Gloves' by Miyako Kanamori is just the cutest book ever, well if you haven't seen his other book called 'Socks and Gloves' - love them!
It's a little known fact- cough, splutter - that I am a book addict, but I need to possibly take out a loan in order to afford it, never mind the larger house, or maybe just addition, in order to house them all! But as I like to say, often, as addictions go, this is not a bad one! Right?

a cute fall treat for free!

Want to win a free java jacket ? Who wouldn't, and wait until you see how super cute it is - a cute birdie with fall berries on a comfy sweater. Click on the link above and enter for your chance to win!

What's not to love about Fall?

I love Fall / Autumn, it is my favorite season by far. Living in the northeast I am spoilt by all the beauty this time of year affords, I just wish it could stay around a little bit longer, oh just a month or so!!!!
Here are the main attractions , in no particular order -
apple picking - which leads to eating of, making applesauce, making apple prints, etc....
pumpkins - decorating with, making pies, making jack-o-lanterns, etc.....
leaf-peeping - quite a pastime around here, involves very slow driving on weekends
beautiful fall leaves, ever-changing and just generally showing off!
fall clothes - wearing wool, turtlenecks, opaque tights, boots, great colors, etc.......
this is the time of year when I could break the bank at the clothes store!!!!!!
Hay rides
chrysanthemums
lots of new fall books to curl up in a blanket and consume
time for lots of knitting
new season of tv shows
weekend away in Maine - of course, this may not effect that many of you!

and, of course, Halloween - but that's another post all by itself!

what I'm making -

I call them my wee oakmen - little fairy folk from my woods.

One represents a sunflower, the other a oak leaf - both wearing their best fall colors. Happy chappies indeed!

what I'm reading -

This Common Ground by Scott Chaskey and The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket.

Both are such wonderful books.

This Common Ground speaks eloquently to my inner farmer, it is about the beginning, and evolving, of a community farm - just wonderfully written!

And Jane Brocket's book speaks to my everything else - she basically loves everything I do; Kaffe Fassett fabrics/quilts, fairy cakes, tea, Sweden, old movies........just to name a few. It's jammed pack of great pictures, but mostly great musings. A must have!

what's playing -

If you have access to the Sundance channel you have to watch this amazing series.

I only recently managed to get this channel, plus dvr, which I have to say is the next best thing since sliced bread!, and have just watched this particular episode with Mario Batali and Michael Stipe. It is a wonderful concept and boy, does it work! You get a real feel for the actual personalities, not just the hype! What can I say, excellent - a must see!

guess where one of my bags was hiding?

It was featured in a Storque article!

What a wonderful place to be, that's made my day!

Thanks to Julie in charge!!!!!!

It was an article about Etsy's monday craft nights, which are always fun to watch - they would be really fun to attend, but you need to live nearer to Brooklyn than I do, for that to be an option. If you haven't watched one before, you should check it out on Monday Sept 22nd at 5pm in the Virtual Labs!

here's the link to the info for that night, which also happens to feature my bag, hehe -

http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/events/article/news-from-the-etsy-labs-922-craft-night/2580/

maintaining fairy houses -

My daughter built this fairy house about three years ago now, and since then it has undergone a few transformations - like the birch tower, to the right of the main house, which was adorned with small pink flowers in the summer.

Now, for the upcoming changing of the seasons it is resplendent in it's fall flower glory, with snail shell decorations as the final touch, maybe a nod to the labyrinth addition planned for the spring?!

wordless wednesday - BOO!

could it be a fairy house?

Is that a little door I see?

Inspiration

Featured Etsyblogger for September - JoeyandAleethea

This month our featured etsyblogger is, in fact, our leader and mentor - JoeyandAleethea, check out her amazing blog at -

http://joeyandaleethea.typepad.com/blog/

Apart from her own blog, she is responsible for our team blog -

http://www.etsybloggers.blogspot.com/ and our team message board, as well as her wonderful, and highly creative, etsy shop -

http://www.joeyandaleethea.etsy.com/ - if you have wee ones, or buy for other family members you have to check out this shop!

It is a really cute boutique shop full of clothing and accessories for both "boys and girls, and their peeps!" It has everything you could possibly need for a totally stylish little one, from cute onsies, blankets and burp cloths; to jeans, ankle-biters, and hoodies; to cute baby cuffs and headbands.

A one-stop-shop for all the little people in your family come the holidays, trust me!

This is a serial multitasker indeed; she has two inspiring children, ages 2 and under, and Aleethea, the german shepherd, quite how she manages to do it all I just don't know, I can only gawp in awe and amazement.

I hope that she feels the love and support of the rest of her team members, because she is truly an inspiration and great support to the rest of us, from this etsyblogger a heartfelt THANK YOU!

Heather Bailey's trash ties!

Just found the cutest new thing in hair accessories - at least, new to me - they come in a million different colors, even polka dots - oh joy!

As I mmmed and ahhed over whether to buy one, I came upon a cute blog who was having a giveaway of...... you guessed it!

If you too want a chance to win, go to - http://www.sweetlifeinthevalley.com/

or if, you just want to check out the trash ties website, go to - http://www.trashties.com

Also, you have to check the blog of the very talented Heather Bailey, who invented the trash tie, as she has a line of supercute fabrics also, and great ideas on what to do with them!

That's all at - http://www.heatherbailey.typepad.com

Halloween things I love on Etsy -

Aren't they fantastic?

the 'BOO' sign is from the Polka Dot shop -

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=cat3_gallery_7&listing_id=15021612

the cute beeswax witch crow is from the shop of Jennifer Conway -

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14933718

and the irrestible cat tutu is from the shop of Jiniaj -

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14202373

Are you as excited about Halloween as I am already? If so, then go shopping!!!!!!!

Art I love on Etsy!

aren't they beautiful!

Check them out for yourself -

www.carambatack.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=10375742

www.hidenseek.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14110567

www.elsiecake.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=10101164

'fraidy cat friday!

Can't you feel the beginning of Fall sneaking up on us, and then it'll be the season of Halloween waiting around the corner waiting to say BOO!

My favorite color at this particular moment in time is Orange!

Fall is my favorite season of all, and orange is a main player in the colors that make up the setting for this, the comfort season! Pumpkins, leaves, butternut squash soup, chrysanthamums, etc.....

Also, in the midst of Fall is a most fun holiday - Halloween. Say no more!

wordless wednesday

summer days

The last days of Summer are upon us, but the fun hasn't stopped yet!

My children decided to make garden decorations, and how pretty they turned out to be - the various toads, salamanders, crickets, grasshoppers, etc. must be so happy to see their home's new decor!

So go ahead, get outside and enjoy the great outdoors!