Sharing

Ohhh, I've been really bad.  Sorry.  I truly didn't realize how long it has been since I made an entry.  I've been busy.  Busy looking at other webs and blogs, following up on Twitter followers, I've made some purses and totes, I am currently putting together gift tags for a local business that wants them on hand for patrons, not to mention a ton of family drama.  But I'm still here and still creating!  A couple of people who have hearted my Etsy shop lately caught my attention and I want to share their creations with you.  Today's guest artist is BerryliciousButtons!  She makes a lot of products from buttons, of course, but the magnetic clips are just too cool.  They are strong, magnetic and beautiful.  Great not only for yourself but as a gift to others.  Check her out on Etsy (berryliciousbuttons.etsy.com).

So please forgive me for going so long without an entry and then know that it is because I am still learning and growing!

Learning and Doing

Well, as usual I've been hard headed and remiss in keeping up with all that I should have.  I have been busy.  I have taken the photos that I was asked to take.  I have been to my grand-daughter's pre-k graduation (that was fun!), I have been working on my bag orders and I've been keeping up with the house (for the most part).  

Bags you ask???  Yep, I made myself a tote bag a few years ago and used it for a bit and laid it to the side.  The other day I found some material and had an idea for a purse.  So I modified the tote pattern and the purse turned out well.  My mom liked it so much she asked that I make her one, but orient it to the Jax Jaguars.  So I'm working on that.  Then through my best friend Brenda and a mutual friend, I have the possible opportunity to put some of my work into a local store.  This is am extremely excited about!  I had to create a portfolio for the store owner to look at which went through Brenda and our friend.  I put the portfolio in my original tote so that I could pass it to Brenda conveniently.  Brenda loved the tote and wants one of her own.  So that's the story of the bags!

The pictures were of Bean with the balloon barrettes in her hair, which I have taken and loaded on the Etsy sight.  I think it will help people realize the size of the barrette.  

So now you know what I've been up to.  Don't forget to check out my Etsy from time to time to see what I've created!  :o)

Marketing and Inspiration

Today I'm inspired to market myself!  I love reading the thoughts and information that Shannon Riffe of Rifferaff puts on her blog and shares with fellow Etsians.  She's successful.  She's intelligent.  And I want others to be able to look at my shop and say the same about me, knowing that they can come to me for help in making their shops more successful!  

Today is all about marketing!

Graduation time

Well it's been several days since I last let you know what was going on, but trust me, I was busy!  My friend Kathy needed graduation announcements made - 50 of them.  I'm not set up like a print shop, so it was a piecemill operation, but I did it!  And they looked pretty good.  Pictures are posted below.  I also have made congratulations cards for several graduates.  They are fun as I remember how important and emotional graduation was for me (all those many years ago!).  I also tried a new technique to make a wedding congrats card.  I embossed the front and then took chalks to color in here and there to give it an "old" feel.  I really liked the results and will probably do a few more cards like that.  

We're in our third day of a good old nor'easter and I've been wet more times than I care to mention, but it has forced me to stay inside and get some work done.  And moreover, it has caused everything outside to become so beautifully green!  So, I'm off to get a few more things done.  Everyone be safe out there and have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Starting to pick up business

Well, it was a great Mother's Day weekend.  Time with family was nice.  Food was great!  I'm just about to finish up the birth announcements and today I picked up a friend's grandson's graduation invites.  I'm really getting excited about the amount of work that is coming in lately.

Also, I have a purse order.  This is something I'm not putting on Etsy, just word of mouth stuff, but I'm excited to have the order none-the-less!

So I have a busy week ahead, but I'll try to keep a blurb here and there on Twitter!

I'm So Excited!

When I dropped off the Bean to school this morning, I was greeted with words of praise for my visit the day before.  I was pleased not only to hear that some of the mothers were checking out my web site and products, but Ms. Lisa had used the Cricut I left for her to play with to make a Thank You card for me that all of the children signed!  It was fantastic!  I was so pleased with it and with the experience.  Now I'm even happier that I did the project than I was yesterday!

I have another new follower on Twitter too.  This is shaping up to be a great day!

Have a great weekend and pleasant Mother's Day everyone!

Pre-K Craft Day

Well the Mother's Day card craft event at my grand-daughters pre-k was a big success!  It was so much fun!  The kids took the precut letters and spelled out Happy Mother's Day and glued them to the card.  Then added paper die cut decorations and signed the inside.  Every child did the card just a little differently and they all turned out very nice.  I think they will be proud to give it to their moms.  I've been invited back to do another craft on another day, so I'll have to think of something fun for the next round.

Staying busy!

I hope everyone reading this is doing fine.  The weather here in northeast Florida has warmed nicely and our average temps this week are in the 85 range.  Sunny too, so I have had to water the plants in the pots daily.  I have tomatoes on the vine and bellpeppers and the squash plants are growing fast.  

I've also been busy crafting.  I just completed a purse/tote bag of my own handiwork design that is large enough, has enough pockets, is summery and the straps are the right length.  I love it!  Also, I've been crafting barrettes and listed them on Etsy.  I've finished up a few new cards and I've etched a couple of glasses that I'm giving my daughter and her hubby as a gift.  

This Thursday I am working with the PreK kids to make a Mother's Day card.  I will have the letters cut out and let them decorate the card with other die cut designs I am bringing.  It will allow them to be creative and still have it be one of my cards.  I think it will be a ton of fun!

Stay tuned as my creative juices come up with more stuff for the Etsy store!  Have a great week!

I'm back!

Well, it's Friday.  I haven't written all week, mostly because I was quite ill.  Spent Tuesday with Mom, did a little shopping and looking around.   And that's about it.  I was really sick.

But today, I got up, was feeling better so I am working on a new idea!  I am creating a silk screen project that is an angel to be put on cards or tee shirts, that appeared to me from a few opaque green glass shards that my granddaughter had put on the bar.  As I passed by one day I saw the angel and tried to repeat it in drawing form, but couldn't get it right.  This morning, I got it right and put it in silk screen as well.  So I hope to be able to create some card sets from this.  Keep checking Etsy to see how it goes!

Birthdays

It's a beautiful Saturday morning and I'm on the way to the Post Office to mail birthday cards.  My niece is a young 20 something and my baby brother is officially a member of the older generation!  I just love it!  Steve is now 40!

Sarah will be receiving an assortment of cards I've made for her to use.  Thank you cards, gift tags, a note card and a book mark.  

Steve will be receiving a card, made to be not all flowery and feminine.  It simply conveys the message that he is welcome into the old people's category.  I can make fun as I am the oldest sibling and 10 years his senior!

So in the pictures section, please check out the cards for Sarah and Steve.  And remember, getting old is a privilege.  You don't get here being a fool!

Bereavement

This is a sad start for my readers, but not really if you think about it.  My best friend lost her mother-in-law Monday night.  Flossie was 90, she had 14 children and lots of grandchildren and even  two great-grandchildren.  She lived a full life until the last 7 or 8 years when her age and a bad burn in a fire took most of her health.  Now she's with our Lord and suffers no more - something to be happy about.  

I tell you this because it brings me to the card I made for my friend and her husband.  It was a flat card.  It simply had two red roses at the bottom and the words "With Sincere Sympathy" above the roses.  On the back I was able to add my sentiment.  They know I cared enough for them to make the card.  It helped me realize that I need to make up a few sympathy cards for those unexpected moments.  I pray that my friend and all of her family continue to see death as a part of life and that their sadness is overcome by the joy of the grandchild they are about to receive!

Expanding my ideas

I've been searching around a bit to find other crafters in my area.  And I have found a group call the North Florida Craft Revolution.  Some are even from Jacksonville, which is quite close to me.  I'm following their blog for a while in hopes of feeling comfortable enough to join their group.  I've also spoken with my granddaughter's preK teacher and for Mother's Day I am going to provide the kids with the means to make a card for their mom.  It will get my name out locally and I think it will be a ton of fun to see what these kids come up with when presented all of these paper cut outs!  I'll take pictures and post them when it is done.

Have a great weekend and don't forget to check the mirthfulmary.etsy.com page at least once a week - Buy Handmade!

Welcome!

Day 1 - The very beginning of blogging for MirthfulMary Creations.  I'm very excited!  I've just started sharing my love of creating with people outside of my immediate family and friends.  I created a shop on the Etsy web, which I just love by the way, and have had a couple of sales.  I find that I've been spending every waking moment thinking of something new to create or trying to put something I can see into a card.  Even driving around town, with all of the trees and flowers blooming, I want to put that beauty into a card!  My family is extremely supportive (and my best friend Brenda too!) and for the time being I am going from their advice.  Hopefully, as new people find me, I can get some new prospective on my shop and learn to sell what I have created.  So if you are new to MirthfulMary Creations, please let me know you are there and what you think of my work.