New Designs In My Shop!

What didn't sell at the recent Spring Bash and Renegade Austin last month, I listed in my Etsy shop. Every design is my own creation, totally one-of-a-kind and original, and made by me with needle and thread! Hope you likey.

Big Triangle Design

Little Triangle Design

Totem Style Design

Stacked Design

Fabric Beads on Ribbon

and more of the clustered art sculpture pendants

Visit my Etsy shop today (or click here to see all my fabric necklaces)!

Pixies, Peacocks and Dragonflies

New Designs for Spring
The past two months have been all about my newborn, Ian. But somehow I've managed to make a few exclusive necklaces and earrings. They are all One-of-a-Kind and available in my Etsy shop.

Never shopped on Etsy before? It is the marketplace for all things handmade. It's just like any other shopping site (Amazon, eBay, Anthropologie) where you will need to create a login and password. Sweet and simple!

I'm In the Paper! Part 2

Today our local big paper, The Dallas Morning News, made the decision to turn its daily freebie the Quick into a weekly rag. Lucky me! Today I'm featured, along with several other fellow Etsy Dallas members, and I'm lucky enough to get seven days of exposure versus one measely day. YAY!! When I founded Etsy Dallas back in September of 2007, I had no idea it would go this far.

The article features my Opah! hair bobbies (bottom left). Click here to see the pdf version and read the text.

Let's Get Ready to Jingle!

Mark your calendars, folks. It's nearly time to kick off the holiday season!



Etsy Dallas, who first brought you the famous Beer-B-Q trunk show, is doing it again - even bigger and better this time. The First Annual Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash will be held at the historic Sons of Hermann Hall at 3414 Elm St. in Dallas on November 22nd from 3pm-10pm.

The show will feature over 40 local artists and crafters, live music, karaoke, great food, and a full bar. There is no cost to the public for admission or entertainment. While this show will be family-friendly, the vibe will be a fun, night-time holiday bash full of handmade love and good times. Think of it as a party - not your typical craft show!

Stay tuned to the Etsy Dallas blog for updates on this one-of-a-kind local shopping experience.

Good Job, Chewy

Congrats to Jen and Justin! - my two favorite Aryan peas-in-a-pod.

Welcome Summer Solstice!

Today is officially the first day of summer. If you live anywhere near my corner of Texas, then you know that summer really began 2 months ago. But alas, the stars have aligned and it's time to whip out the leafy garlands and dance around a tree or something.

But it's too dang hot!

So instead, let's ring in the summer season with a Big Ol' Sale in my Etsy shop. I've slashed prices like mad, and made sure nothing was over $40 ($39.50 to be exact). Just look at these great deals:

Forever In Blue Jeans
WAS: $60 / NOW: $39.50


Live Oak
WAS: $48 / NOW: $39.50


Maura
WAS: $55 / NOW: $39.50

Sale Ends Tomorrow!!

Whew! I've been a busy little beaver lately. Not with my Tefi line, but with this. I'm a little factory, and I have been exhausted most of these past few days.

In celebration of hitting 100 sales in my Etsy shop a few weeks ago, I waived all shipping and handling charges (domestic and jewelry only) for the month of May. So you've got 2 days left to take advantage of this offer as it ends tomorrow night. Just check out some of the goodies in my shop:

A Long Circuitous Path necklace: $22


Word Up! cameo bobby pin: $7.50


Let's Stick Together earrings: $14.50

FAME! I'm Gonna Live For...a Few Minutes

Making it on the front page of Etsy.com was bittersweet. Sweet, because I got some major face time on the premiere international online marketplace for all things handmade; bitter because I missed seeing it and reveling in the greatness.

Here's the item that was featured, my Dark Crystal bracelet - and it's still up for sale! It was featured alongside a fellow EDer's handmade item, a coffe cup cozy by Patricia of Karma Crochet:



This instant and fleeting fame of mine was due to my grant writing skillz. No, really! See, I wrote a grant request (with input and edits from my trusty leadership team), and we were accepted for some grant funds to help defray the costs of our big ol' rockin' indie craft event - the infamous Beer-B-Q.

Check out the Etsy article here!

Shopping at the Beer-B-Q

The 1st Annual Etsy Dallas Beer-B-Q is a mere five days away. Are you ready?

When you come out to support your local artists and crafters, please bring plenty of CASH as many of our indie handmade vendors will not be able to accept credit cards. But remember: The food and drinks are FREE!!

Check out all of the great Etsy Dallas members who will be at the trunk show:

Alicia Colina-Ashby - cigar box home goods
Atom-In - resin jewelry, magnets, bags
B.liscious - bags, photography, journals
Bending Light Studio - photography, prints
Carol Vega - art print jewelry
Designing Diva - glass & metal jewelry
ebraunnagel - bags, purses
Freeforged - fine metal jewelry
HipHazel - ceramicware
Honeydew Baby - hair bows, kids' clothes
HOUNDMADE - dog accessories
Karma Crochet - crocheted housewares, blankets
Kathy D. Keith - art, prints, cards
Kessler Craftsman - glass art, lamps, votives
Lena Studio - fine metal jewelry
Little Cookie - kanzashi hair accessories, plushies, bags
Memopause - notebook necklaces
Menagerie - clay home art and accessories
Miamaria - purses, aprons
Modest Ambition - crocheted clothes and accessories
Pamela Michelle - art pendants, prints, paintings
Purple Toes - beaded jewelry
Sadie's Things - antiqued brass jewelry
Scribbles - beaded pens
SugarLoveHoney - blankets, tutus, baby clothes
Tefi Designs - felted jewelry, hair goods
The Carpenter Collection - beaded jewelry
The Plaid Mushroom - Lip balms & key chains
TP Design - paintings, home décor, cards
XY Factory - baby goods, maternity clothes

Originally I posted this on the Etsy Dallas blog. Check it out!

Olives update: 72 + 3 I already had made (Yeah, I cheated.)

Nesting Instincts

Many, many thanks go to mother, blogger, and jewelry lover Courtney of Nesting Insticts. She was kind enough to feature my Peapod necklace, which sold a record number of times yesterday and today.

I'm making a ton of Peapods (with 2 and 3 peas, both large and small beads) to have on hand at the upcoming Urban Street Bazaar next Saturday, May 10th. Come by my tent and get one!

Welcome to the Boomtown

Today is a Good Etsy Day! I'm showcased today in Etsy's Mother's Day shopping guide - yippee! This is good only for today, so give it a quick clickety-click.

I've done the showcases twice before with zero sales. But today is a windfall boom of a day for me. In fact, I am up to 96 sales. Let's make it 100 by the end of today and I will have a MEGA SALE in my shop! Deal?

And check out my latest in the Peapod series - this one with 2 sweet little peas! Aw...

Go On, Sample Me

Tefi Designs is thrilled to be a part of The Sampler for the month of May. I donated 50 fabric bobby pins to the cause, which has turned into a potentially bigger deal that I will tell you about later...It starts with an M and ends with a TV. Very exciting!!

See my listing here, 17th crafter down the list.

The Sampler is a subscription bonanza where you get a box full of handcrafted promo items each month from crafters and artists from around the world. Subscribe today or contribute your own handmade goods!

Etsy Dallas Beer-B-Q!!

On Sunday, May 18th Etsy Dallas will kick off the summer season with a festive trunk show at the home of one of its members, Larry, a.k.a. the Kessler Craftsman.

Etsy Dallas’ first annual Beer-B-Q will boast over 20 local artists and crafters selling their handmade goods. Shop for jewelry, stationery, photography, bags, hair accessories, glass art, soap and bodycare, clothing, home décor, and so much more!

Customers will also be greeted with the delicious smell of grilled meats and veggies, cold beer on tap, soda, and live music – all free to the public! The first lucky 25 customers will receive a goodie bag chock full of promo items and coupons.

Etsy Dallas will also offer a Make-&-Take booth for all ages. Customers can explore their creative side for free and experience first-hand the joy of the handmade way! All unused supplies will be donated to a local children’s charity.

So bring your appetite, your creativity, and your support for local artists and crafters, and get ready for a day full of handmade food, music, and fun with Etsy Dallas!

Where: 1027 N. Windomere, Dallas 75208
When: Sunday, May 18thTime: 11am-5pm
What: shop for local handmade goods - jewelry, bags, stationery, accessories, home decor, glass art, bodycare, and more!
Bonus: FREE food, drinks, live music, goodie bags, and Make-&-Take booth for all ages!

Welcome Spring!

The cool breezes and sunny days of late inspired me to create a whole new line of simple beaded pendants strung on metal choker neckwire. So simple and classy! I will debut these in person at the Oak Cliff Earth Day Festival. Stop by and visit me and pick up a pendant or two. (Also available on silver-plated chain, if that's your bag.)



Also available at my Etsy shop!

I Am Officially Bummed

Elemental

Lookie what I bought yesterday!



Had a lot of "firsts" already in my new Element:

First song played on the CD player: "Strange Town" by The Jam
First CD played in full: The Boy with the Arab Strap by Belle and Sebastian
First drink in the cup holder: coffee - cream, no sugar
First thing hung from the rearview mirror: handmade bird softies from Anthropologie
First thing put in the front area: piece of wood from antique desk for knocking on, as needed
First thing put in the trunk area: Tefi's emergency kit (first aid, TP, flares, fire-proof matches, rain slicker, wet wipes, energy bar, solar flashlight, McGuyver Honorary Badge)
First route: from John Eagle Honda to my office building to say "adios way" to my Corolla, which is still parked in the garage til I figure out how to drive two cars home
First rider: my mom, who went with me and made this whole process fun
First animal passenger: Oliver, who loves car rides

I am still mourning the passing of my Corolla as my primary car. Nothing wrong with it, except that it's a bit (a lot a bit) dented, needs a washing, has an oil leak, and is from the ages of the previous millenium (1999). Yesterday morning was my last commute in the Ghetto-rolla, and I took this goodbye pic with my phone. It's from the Zang bridge into downtown, and I was a little stunned by the way the rays bounced off the argon building toward Reunion Tower.



So. I want to name my car, which is "kiwi green," according to the execs at Honda. I think it looks like a lilypad. Here are the names I've come up with so far. What do you think?

- Prince Ribbit
- The Lilypad
- Lil' Kiwi

Funky Finds

Thanks to Jessica of Funky Finds for giving me a shout out in her blog yesterday. She came by my booth at the Deck the Halls show and couldn't have been nicer. Check out her site and keep up-to-date on some crafty happenings! Looking forward to seeing Jessica at our Etsy Dallas trunk show this Saturday (11am-3pm!).

tragedy

This is from a bulletin I posted this afternoon on Myspace.

I'm keeping track of the breaking news on CNN.com regarding the massacre at Virginia Tech this morning. So far, 32 (unconfirmed) people are dead, including the gunman, person unknown.

There are reports of students jumping out of classroom windows in a panic to get away from the gunfire. Some students were killed as they sat in classrooms, and some were killed in several buildings, including a large dorm.

So far, this is the worst school shooting. Before that, the record went to Columbine in 1999 and UT Austin (my alma mater) in 1966.

I'm hardly capable of understanding what happened, and it's hard for me to type this. I hope what I reported is accurate.

I'm an atheist and would never proselytize, but I do ask that you keep the students, faculty, and their families in your thoughts, etc.

Read about it here: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech.shooting/index.html