Kreativ Blog Award

I got to my computer today to find out that I was awarded by Gidu a Kreativ Blog Award!! How cool is that!?! I think this is such a great idea. I was trying to track back through other awardees to see where this started, but couldn't figure it out. So, to whomever started this, Bravo!
Now, I have the privilege to award it to EIGHT Kreativ bloggers that I think ROCK!

So, in APLHABETICAL order, I give the Kreativ Blog Award to eight of my favorite beautiful, creative blogs and their makers:
1) Art Nest
2) Badger Sandwich
3) Bathrobe Warrior
4) Bebe & Alice
5) Chelsea Ann
6) CraftPudding
7) Eco Etsy
8) Grosgrain


The rules for this award are:

1) Add the logo to your blog (will do after posting)
2) Link to the person from whom you've received the award (yes)
3) Nominate 8 blogs of your choice (see below)
4) Leave a message on the nominees' blogs (will do after posting)

Art Nest Pincushion RingGIVEAWAY!!!!

How cute are these!?! Grosgrain is hosting a contest and three lucky people will win a ring. Click on the link below the pic and you can enter to win one of these adorable pincushion rings made by their sponsor, Art Nest. Check it out! Love them!!


Art Nest Pincushion RingGIVEAWAY!!!!

Techie Tuesday: Integrating an Ad Checkout w/ Paypal

Welcome to the late night version of Techie Tuesday with the Bathrobe Warrior. I just added the option for all you fabulous crafters and vintage sellers to buy ad space here on this blog, and I was thinking that some of you may also be wondering how to sell ad space on your own blogs. So, I begged and pleaded with the Bathrobe Warrior, aka, my husband Jeremy to do a quick tutorial on how to do this. So, if you've been thinking about this and have gotten stuck--watch this tutorial and get un-stuck!

You will notice there are actually two tutorials here. The first shows you how to do the paypal part and then create a page on your blog to post the paypal link. The second tutorial shows you how to make your "Advertise Here" button live...linking it to the paypal page you created.

Make sure to watch this in full screen mode so that you can actually see what the Bathrobe Warrior is doing. (Do this by clicking on the icon under the tutorial that looks like a little tv.)
Also, please note that I am unaware of the exact tax rules. In the tutorial we sort skip over that...I'm not completely sure of how that works. I live in NH where there is no sales tax. You'll want to check out the regulations in your own state.

Manic Monday Must Have: Vintage Sunglasses

It's definitely just another Manic Monday! After this weekend we just had...the most beautiful, sunny weekend-- I think this week's MUST HAVE has to be Vintage Sunglasses. I cannot help it--I love BIG sunglasses. Probably always will. If they're not big they at least need to be dramatic. So, here are my pics this week. All found from etsy.




Go out and snag them for yourself before I do!
Clockwise from top left....
Title: Vintage TURA Italian Sunglasses with New Lenses
Find them here: http://www.SusabellaBrownstein.etsy.com

Title: vintage 80s Sunglasses blue
Find them here: http://www.Groovintuesday.etsy.com

Title: Big hippie glam '70s Foster Grant sunglasses
Find them here: http://www.kansascouturevintage.etsy.com

Title: Fluorescent retro orange pink sunglasses vintage
Find them here: http://www.Groovintuesday.etsy.com

HAPPY MANIC MONDAY!

Finally Freakin' Friday: Etsy Day!

TODAY IS ETSY DAY...and, Finally Freakin' Friday!!



The Etsy forums have declared today April 24, 2009 Etsy Day. So go on out there, support your local crafters! Sign up. Become a seller. Become a buyer.
Come check it out!

Come visit the varied sellers of Etsy.
Here are some of my favorites:





Make sure to tell everyone you see Happy Etsy Day and
HAPPY FREAKIN' FRIDAY!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend. We're in for temps in the 80's for the first time since last year. Woooo hooo!

(The image at the very top is from Etsy's blog, The Storque.)

Westmoreland UCC Yard and Craft Sale

WESTMORELAND YARD AND CRAFTERS SALE: RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW

For all you NEW ENGLAND crafters out there...
There is going to be a Yard and CRAFTERS sale in WESTMORELAND, NH on May 30th. So, for any of you up in this neck of the woods who have that Saturday open, send me an email and I'll hook you up with the people to contact. It is sponsored by the Westmoreland United Church of Christ. It's rain or shine and bring your own table. Spaces are a very affordable $20.00. I will be having both a yard and craft sale table.
Contact me for more info: missy@clothpaperstitches.com

Wicked Green Wednesday: Earth Day Challenge

Holy mama! Today is Earth Day and Wicked Green Wednesday. In honor of Earth Day I'm giving myself an Earth Day Challenge. I have been thinking about this for a while and PROCRASTINATING. So, TODAY is THE day. No more procrastinating. I'm going to take an ugly walk into my TRASH. How much do I really throw away? Last week I posted the link to the Story of Stuff, and when I first watched it, it really made the wheels start turning. I do recycle a fair amount. The cans, bottles, newspaper, cardboard...but there are always those questionable items. Like the yogurt container that I don't think I can recycle in my area, or the just regular, non newspaper, paper, that my local center doesn't really have a good system for...then the food I throw. There really is no excuse for me to throw food. I live in a rural area and I could easily compost. Then there are those shameful, but honest times where you get lazy, or you're on a cleaning spree and you say, F--K it, and you toss it, because it's easy.
So, it's not going to do me or anyone any good to get angry or overwhelmed by how hard it is to recycle. It won't do me any good to feel bad about what I've already tossed. Nor should I think that change can happen overnight, right?

So, here's the CHALLENGE: *For two weeks I will track EVERYTHING that I throw away in the trash and in the recycling. *After those two weeks I will take a look at that info and make a plan of action to reduce what I throw away. *I'll start with the easy and obvious and when I get to the less convenient items I will start digging around to see where and how these items can be recycled or reused. *Then finally I will take a look at what comes into this house to determine how I can reduce what enters the house so it never becomes trash at all. REDUCE. I plan to make this about a five week challenge and I'll keep reporting. So check in. Or better yet, JOIN ME! Join me and comment on this and future postings and tell me what you've figured out.


And now for a little bit of Earth Day shopping and a couple freebies that are out there right now:

FIRST THE FREEBIES

1) Looks like anyone can get a free roll of their new 100% recycled materials foil wrap!
Get yours: http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com/index.html

2) The food blog Carrot n Cake teamed up with Stonyfield Farm and you can enter to win.
Check it out: http://carrotsncake.com/2009/04/stonyfield-earth-day-giveaway.html

EARTH DAY ON ETSY:


These colorful, funky drawstring wristlets are so great! They are made from tee shirt sleeves and pieces. I love the collage look to them. It reminds me of the magazine collages I used to make. Love them!
Title: What's Your Word Wristlet ONE Pouch Custom
Find them: http://www.zJayne.etsy.com



These are my own, Upcycled Shopping Bags. The are very strong and durable. Each has both a tee shirt and usually a non-stretchy button up shirt. They are made from the unwanted items the closets of myself, my husband, friends, yardsales, thriftshops, etc.
Title: Upcycled Shopping Bags
Find them: http://www.ClothPaperStitches.etsy.com

Manic Monday Must Have: NH Made

This past Saturday I participated in the Artisans @ Mt. Monadnock Craft Fair in Keene, NH where I met a great variety of crafters and artists. So, for this week's Manic Monday Must Have I have featured some of the wonderful Crafters from my home state, New Hampshire, who participated at the fair. I hope you check out their work and their sites!

MIJOY, a business run by Sandy Lee and Tracy Pollak are from Barrington, NH. They sell very cool 100% organic tee shirts. I think this shirt is such a clever idea. Splat is written on the front and MIJOY says, "...it's intended to be used as a canvas for the dribbles, the smears, and the frequent splats of life."

Find them at http://www.mijoyonline.com

Before the fair opened to the public I did the walk around and came across what I thought were these beautiful photos of golden retrievers, but to my surprise they were illustrations! If you are a pet lover you may just want to have Mia Houman of do a custom illustration of your pet.


Find her at http://www.goldenillustrations.com
See her on Etsy, too. http://www.goldenillustrations.etsy.com

Neighboring the Golden Illustrations booth was Ripenstitch, the works of Kristen Lehouiller from Loudon, NH. I love her stuff! It's hard to say which item I like the most. The Reversible Daily Traveler Hobo Bag has a shape that I love. It seems like it would just hug the body. The inside pockets help to keep the bag organzied. Add the skinny wallet and the Key Fobs and you have the perfect set. To top it all off she uses vibrant fabrics from some of my fabric designers out there.

Find her at http://www.ripenstitch.com
See her on Etsy, too. http://www.ripenstitch.etsy.com

After the craft fair got going my husband and I got very hungry. Fortunately for us we were next to Michele's Sweet Shoppe seller of Totally Awesome Gourmet Popcorn. She sells both sweet and savory varieties that she and her family take time to perfect. We had the yummy Chocolate Caramel and the hot, hot, Buffalo Supreme. I recommend them both.

Find her at http://www.micheleseetshoppe.com

This is just a small sampling of the fabulous crafters that attended Saturday's fair. Check back as I hope to feature more of the work from the great state of New Hampshire!

Finally Freakin' Friday: Bottlecap Magnets

It's Finally Freakin' Friday! Tomorrow I will be at Bentley Commons in Keene to participate in the Artisans @ Mt. Monadnock's craft fair. Along with some upcycled bags I will be bringing these alphabet magnets I made with bottlecaps. The question: Where do you put 1000+ magnets when you live in a tiny house that also serves as your studio? Well, we made it. They took over for a while, but atleast when they are done you can just stick them up. After the craft fair I will put some of these in my etsy shop.

Craft Fair: At Bently Commons

This weekend on Saturday April 18th I will be participating at my first craft fair. It's at Bentley Commons in Keene, NH and it's hosted by the group Artisans @ Mt. Monadnock. Come check it out if you are in the area!

Wicked Green Wednesday: The Story of Stuff

Have you seen this yet? If you haven't watch it. If you have, watch it again. The story of stuff is a quick paced film with Annie Leonard about the process that takes place so that we can all have the things we want and think we need.

Today being Wicked Green Wednesday made me think that was a perfect time to share this short film and website. This zippy film takes us through the processes of Extraction, Production, Distribution, Consumption, and Disposal and reminds us that within that linear system there are other important elements: like people, corporation, and LIMITS.

Now, I don't typically like a preachy, in your face, you better do this or we're all going to die kind of documentary. Sure, it may be true, but as I see it that is no way to live. Can't we fix the problem and be happy? Maybe it's idealistic, but if we are living each day in dread is it still living? With that said, this film gets it's point across without being overwhelmingly dark and dreary. So, in that way it also appealed to me.

A couple things that really stick with me after watching this again are the concepts of planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence. The first means that products are designed to be disposable. There are the obvious things like toilet paper and trash bags, but this has begun to get way out of hand. So many items are designed this way including large items like computers and televisions. In the design it is planned that you will need a new one in so many months or years.

Perceived obsolescence is similar, but instead of it breaking or no longer working in the more modern system, we think its no longer good enough. Like our clothing or our cell phone. Our current cell phone probably successfully calls our friends. It works perfectly, but there is a new one out, and if we do not have it we will be perceived as out of date. Our value is tied to our things and how many things we have, and out of all these things we accumulate it is said that after six months 99% of it is trashed!

I don't believe this issue is black and white, but I think it is important to be AWARE of what cycles we are involved in and how we choose to participate or not. I don't believe that we are all going to suddenly stop buying and consuming, nor do I think we should, but I do think it's a good idea to take a look at what we consume and how it's produced, and to decide how we can clean up the chain of events. I think this film will strike a chord with us all. I think we all can do a little to fix the problem. Some of us may finally get on the boat and recycle everything we can. Some of us will buy the better light bulbs. Those of us who can afford it will power our homes with solar power. Then some of us will be driven to find ways make the smart choices affordable for us all, and I think all these things are good.

So, check this film and website out. It goes by super quick and I think you'll be glad you did.
http://www.thestoryofstuff.com

Manic Monday Must Have: Breakfast

So, it's Monday again. Maybe you love Monday. But for those of us who need a little motivation to get up, how about some good breakfast. I started my Monday with a search of breakfast food. I was shocked at how many felt eggs are out there!!

Ok. Roll out of bed and try one of these baked yummies!



Title: 12 Cinnamon Pinwheels
From: http://www.Shabbies.etsy.com

Title: Annas Oatcake minis with blackberries
From: http://www.DownFromtheMountains.etsy.com


Of course you have to have some coffee or tea with it, and why not drink it in this cup?



Title: Breakfast Tea mug - red
From: http://www.MrPS.etsy.com


And, if you truely are someone who cannot stomach breakfast, I suppose you could wear it.



Title: Eat Your Breakfast Necklace
From: http://www.CuteAbility.etsy.com

Title: MMM...Bacon and Eggs
From: http://www.kristasgonebananas.etsy.com


Whether you eat it or wear it, enjoy your breakfast, and Happy Manic Monday!!

Wicked Green Wednesday: Rosewebs

Hello! Thanks for checking out the first week of "Wicked Green Wednesday." This weekly posting will feature anything from green crafters to solar shingles. So, today I was searching for green crafters and came across this super cool etsy store called Rosewebs.

I love when I find something new online. Someone reusing unwanted items in a new way. So, Rosewebs takes the webbing from lawnchairs and turns it into wallets, zipper pouches, and handbags. Love them!

Find her store at http://www.rosewebs.etsy.com

Techie Tuesday: Add an Etsy mini to your blog

Welcome to the first edition of Techie Tuesday with Bathrobe Warrior. So, I am admittedly tech challenged. I assume I'm not the only one out there like this, right? Beyond emailing, searching the internet, and writing documents I am a bit useless. Without my husband, Jeremy (Bathrobe Warrior) I probably would not have an Etsy store or a blog.

So, to help those out there, like myself, I dedicate Tuesdays as Techie Tuesday. Jeremy is a web developer and will have a weekly post here ranging from tutorials, tips, or telling us about great resources.

Today's tutorial will show you how to add an etsy mini to your blog. I hope you find it helpful. If you are still stumped I recommend marrying a web developer!

You can find his work at http://www.bathrobewarrior.com


To view the video in full screen click on the tv button directly under the video (left of the audio button)...

Manic Monday Must Have: Coffee Cups

I know that for me coffee is a must have. Especially Monday morning. So, for this first Manic Monday Must Have how appropriate to showcase some of my favorite coffee cups on etsy. So, in no particular order, here they are!



Any of these fabulous coffee cups are worthy of the Monday morning brew! Find them and more cool items with the links below.

Title: Burst of Color 3 Vintage Retro Coffee Mugs
From: http://www.oldcrowfarm.etsy.com

Title: set of 2 vintage mugs
From: http://www.ricracandbuttons.etsy.com

Title: Left Handed Mustache Mug
From: http://www.breadandbadger.etsy.com

Title: fiesta inspired hand built porcelain yellow cup
From: http://www.clayswan.etsy.com

Title: Coffee for you, me, and she
From: http://clothpaperstitches.etsy.com