That's a Wrap

Bet you thought this was going to be a post about wrapping paper and packaging, didn't you? I am going to do a post on that soon, but today's post is a different sort of wrap-up.

It's the last day of NaBloPoMo! I can't believe I made it all the way through the month without missing a single day. I now have a new respect for bloggers who blog every day, especially if it isn't one's main source of income (or in my case, any source of income). It can really take over your life if you let it. But, I'm happy to say I also had a lot of fun blogging this month! I got to know some new bloggers and new readers. It also sparked a lot of creative ideas, far too many to actually make an appearance here yet.

I thought about taking a few days to get caught up on other things, but I already have a few draft posts in the works, so who knows? Maybe I'll keep it up a little longer. We'll see.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
xo,
Mary

(Click on image to go directly to source.)

Edor

I won this beautiful little turquoise pendant necklace by Edor a couple of weeks ago through Diana's blog, exPress-o. I've been a fan of Cindy's shop for years, and I'm so excited to finally have a piece of her jewelry! Her delicate necklaces are just my style.

I've been wearing it almost nonstop since I got it! Now I'm thinking I may have to buy some of Cindy's necklaces to give as Christmas presents...like this one or this one. :)

(Clockwise from top left: "Kitten" watercolor illustration by Barbara Szepesi Szűcs; "The Longest Train Ride to Zermatt ll" by Josie Portillo; English Village in Winter by ursastudio - Ursula Andrejczuk; and "Parrot Girl" by Irena Sophia.)

All of these illustrations seem plucked from the pages of a fairy tale, perhaps the story of a little village in winter where even the most ordinary objects are magical. This collection would be fantastic in a child's room but could fit just as easily in the living room too, don't you think?

Making Lately

Here's the ornament and card I made for Dawn's swap. Nicole mentioned that she loves camping and had shared photos from a recent camping trip on her blog, so I went with an outdoorsy woodland theme for her ornament. I embroidered it freehand and just let the design take shape.

A couple of thank you cards I made to go with orders from my shop.

I made this brooch for the daughter of one of Peter's coworkers. She's only 2 or 3 years old, and she had a bad fall and lost a front tooth. She was sad about it, so I made her a new one.

I've got several things for the shop in progress...just need to find time to finish them amid all my "extracurricular" crafting. ;)

What have you made lately?

Antique Shop

I took my parents to the antique center when they were visiting and snapped a few photos to share:

I didn't buy anything even though the prices were really reasonable. But my mom did pick up a few presents for friends who collect various antique things.

Do you collect vintage or antiques?

Black Friday

There are so many great sales going on right now on Etsy! I had a hard time picking just a few shops for this post.

(Clockwise from top left: Amber Alexander - 15% off; Street Bauble - 25% off; SparrowNestScript - save 15% when you spend $25 or more; and EyePoetryPhotography - save 25% off prints, 20% off iphone cases and calendars.)

I'll definitely be shopping online today to try to get as many Christmas gifts as I can. I'm still hoping to make a few things for family members, but seeing how this month has flown by, I'm not too confident that I can finish them in time. Anyway, I will be supporting my fellow Etsy sellers regardless of what I make (or don't make) myself.

Happy shopping! :)

P.S. Enter code BRILLIANT to save 15% in my shop too!

Message of the Day

How sweet is this print from The Wheatfield by Katie Daisy? Though I guess it's really bittersweet; if I remember correctly, it comes from a poem about the death of one of Milton's school friends in a shipwreck. Though to be honest, I recognized the quote but remember very little about the poem; it's been so long since I read it. I guess that illustrates the power of a well-turned phrase: it extends beyond it's passage or stanza, takes on new contexts and offers new insights to fresh eyes.

With such cheerful hand lettering, bright colors, and whimsical plants and trees, I'd love to look at this print every night before I go to bed. It seems to hold all the possibility of a new day in each brushstroke, does it not?