INDEPENDENCE DAY 2017 - COMING UP!

It's almost time for hotdogs, homemade ice cream and fireworks!   What are you making for your 4th of July celebration?

 

I think I'm going to try some American-made flags with some old fabric.  

Feel free to share your ideas!  Send them to mos274@yahoo.com and I'll post them for you! 

How's Your Year Going?

Did I follow through with any "goals?" 

Well....some, but now I've come to a stand-still.  It's just so hard!!!  I'm working part-time and I actually put my resignation in.  But then, my employers told me how much they needed me and how good I was and would I please stay!

The sad thing is it made sense.  I mean after all, I still have to pay into SSI so I can have something later on, you know, when I can't walk. 

So....I'm still working on Valera Grace at a snails pace.  But faster than I was in 2014!  Haha!

Good Daughter

My daughter has scheduled me for a massage and facial for tomorrow!  Maybe this will help me with my rut!

Creativity is Tough

Creativity is tough when you are busy with every day activities!  I think for me, I have to be in the "mood" to create!  And even then, I can be motionless...kinda like a writer's block!  ...but maybe this is something more.  I have the items I want to complete and actually, I'm about half way finished.  What is stopping me?  

My goals are not being met!  They are still goals, though, and I will strive to reach them...once I overcome this stagnant phase I'm in!  The good thing about goals for the year, is that they'll always be there and I can reach for them any time throughout the year.  Perhaps I need accountability...

I'll be looking for ideas for keeping the focus and staying on track!  If you have some good ideas to defeat this issue, let me know!     

Quick Five! Spring

The days are slowly getting longer and springtime is right around the corner.  It's the best time of the year!  The animals will be having their babies and everything will be blooming and new again soon.  Everything looks dead during the Winter, and Spring proves over and over that plant and animal life are alive and well!

 

On the home front, Spring is a great time to clean and decorate for the new season, so I picked a few of my favorites from "you know where!"  Pinterest IS the place to go for inspiration on just about anything.  Looking over the new ideas makes me yearn for my home in the country.  I love this little Easter vignette which contains a rabbit, cotton stems  in a white pitcher and a featured set of dishes. Christy, at Our Southern Home, dressed the grouping with pastel eggs for that Easter look. 

 

My friends and I have recently been talking about how we don't dress our dining room tables any more with our prettiest dishes.  Our lives are so busy and styles have changed.  Instead tables are empty, plastic is used and those pretty sets of china are purchased as singles for vignettes such as the one above.  However, photographer Alexandra Rowley from Women's Day magazine captured this beautiful Spring "tablescape" so we won't forget how to do it!  Perhaps some people still do it...

 

Brian Woodcock captured the beauty of this dessert in his photo featured in Country Living magazine.  It's Speckled Malted Coconut Cake and you can click here to find the recipe!  Easter is a perfect time for a Sunday celebration with wonderful desserts like this. The name of the cake sounds scrumptious!  I haven't eaten any yet, but I think I've gained five pounds already!

 

Speaking of Easter parties, we must not forget the Easter Egg Hunt!  When the kids were young, I always searched for new ways to decorate the eggs.  The Enchanted Cove page was found on Pinterest with a ton of ideas.  In one pin, the host featured these decoupage and printed eggs.  I couldn't find the original creator of these beautiful works of art, but chose them anyway.  If you know who did them, I'll be happy to add their name to this post.

 

Finally, at French Country Cottage, Courtney believes a room isn't finished until it has fresh flowers!  And boy does she know how to style her flowers!  Take a look at her site here and get some fresh ideas for a French country cottage look for your nest.  The pink and white is enchanting when paired with this chair and background wall.  The container, as well, adds yet another layer of interest.  I'll have to read more of her blog to see if she grows her flowers or purchases them.  I would love to grow my own!

 

VALERA GRACE

 

 

Find us on Etsy.com.  Just click on our name above

and it will take you right to our shop.

Stick Your Hand Out!

I read a book by Robert Kyosaki years ago and he said there's money out in the world; all you have to do is stick your hand out and ask for some.  That's not a direct quote, but that's what I got from it!!!  Likewise, the author didn't mean to literally stick your hand out or to start begging, he was speaking about owning a business or investing in creative ways to provide goods and services to create an income. 

This one paragraph was intriguing to me and made me open my eyes to people and money.  I noticed there are people out there who have money...and then there are those who struggle.  Obviously, those that struggle are more interested in spending money and doing things to make them feel good without looking at the consequences.  Those with an abundance are those that are always "working" their situation.  They find ways to be the best at what they do so they can find the better jobs and most money.  If they don't make it in the working world (working for "the man") they are the ones creating incomes out of nothing.  They are the doers.

This week, I was able to experience a little of what Mr. Kyosaki was talking about.  I've been blogging for two years and not really doing much concerning my crafting and upcycling.  Because of my new 2017 "goals," I forced myself to do what I wrote...and voila! It worked...the money is coming in!  I had an awesome week of sales!!  I posted 30 items to the local online auction, 10 items to an outside online sale site and 7 items to Etsy.  I also have an item picked out for my one furniture piece for the month.    Redoing furniture is new to me, so I plan on starting small and increasing the difficulty each month.  I've always been the kind that takes my time and enjoys every minute of it...probably too slow for a production job!  I love cherishing the item I'm working on and putting my all into it. 

As for Etsy, I posted 7 vintage items.  I have several smaller projects on the starting block, but none complete.  Like I said...I'm not ready for a production job!  Vintage items are a perfect way to fill in the gaps in case I don't create fast enough!

I'm a happy camper this week and can't wait for next week.  It takes time to do all the posting, but not as much as my regular work does.  My extra effort at home is paying off!  There IS money out there in the world and maybe a real income for me.   

Quick Five! Ceramics

 

Time for a Quick Five!  The Pinterest junky strikes again!  I love looking at all the new (at least new to me) creations from around the world.  Today, I'm highlighting ceramics.  ...and these aren't your Grandma's ceramics.  They're contemporary and quirky and useful for our lifestyles today.

 

I would say years ago we were stuck on achieving perfectionism, but look at the beauty expressed in this set of pink bowls. I've recently turned my attention to pink and so this creation caught my eye by color first.  The style however, is intriguing... not perfect... free.  You can find this item on Pinterest at amaisaigon.com.  Amai Ceramic has many similar pieces in a variety of colors.

 

We don't have an artist to highlight on this next photo, so maybe they'll see this and claim their art!  Again, the beauty to me is in the natural flow of the piece. The edges are imperfect and reflects real life.  The imperfections are perfect and the color draws you in!  Every Grandma needs a candy dish like this!  You can also find this on Babble.com, if you search for it!  I was unable to actually locate the original post.

These tree ornaments are made in Istanbul, Turkey by Hande Bilten and can be found in her store at etsy.com.  My link goes directly to the store.   I think she's done a fabulous job, don't you?  I don't know how green trees on a green tree will look, but perhaps you have a white tree... or better yet, a pink tree!  Yeah, I've seen those!  Anyway, I'm a sucker for ornaments.  Guilty!

 

Look at this amazing gadget!  JoAnna Buyert from Minneapolis has this great idea at her store, Fringe and Fettle.  It's located on Etsy.  This is perfect for small fruit!  I've used my hand many times and often wished I had a small strainer like this.  Great idea to solve this little issue.  This store has many interesting ceramic items for sale.  Way to go JoAnna!

Elsa Kettinger also has the inventors gene! From Rochester, NY, Elsa makes these pretty gadgets that make your iPhone easy to see while you're working.  I've often wished for this as well while cooking from a new recipe!  I've been afraid of my phone getting wet or having a splash of food on it.  Check her out at her store Elsakstudios on Etsy.com.  Geeze, why didn't I think of this!  Oh yeah, I don't do ceramics...

Well, that's it for today.  I love these items and can only dream about them and, of course, purchase my favorites from others... unless I get started making ceramics!  Maybe another day.  I might try salt dough, though, to see if I like it.  

GOALS

Hello World!

Do you have your New Year's resolutions made?  I usually break mine within two weeks, so I decided this year to make goals!  I started making goals when I was about 20 years old - not for the new year, but just in general.  Once I make a goal, I then determine the tasks I must complete to reach the goal.  Then, it's time to go with it!

I love the movie, "Julie and Julia," and was able to watch it last week.  Wow, she bit off a little more than she could chew!  But, she did it!  She learned so much and accomplished her mission!  And...she was discovered by many professionals - publishers, editors and news people.  I also love the beautiful story she uncovered about Julia Child!  Such effort put into something wonderful....food! 

I would love to be like Julie, but I just think a challenge to be filled every day would be too much and I would be laying in the floor like she did, crying about how hard it is!  haha  Instead I made goals I think I can reach at my age!

So....here they are:

• Post 30 items to the local online auction each week.  My husband and I have created a little income this year from this little auction and it's easy peasy and it will provide an extra income to be applied in different areas - hopefully my business!
• Refurbish and post one piece of furniture each month. I am way new to this, but I think I can do it.  I want to start small and then challenge myself with bigger or better things each month.  Maybe I'll eventually post them to Craigslist or an online site in the city.
• Post 7 items per week to the Etsy store.  I just think it would be nice to have an item to represent each day of the year.  I probably won't work on it every day though.  Maybe on one day, and then post on another day.
• Post 10 items per week to bigger online sites.  If I can group those posts to a particular time and place, I can make one trip out to meet my customers and possibly , because it will be larger communities, get a better price for them.
• Repair the building we own in town.  My husband and I have a building in town that we used for a pawn shop before I started working.  We hope to repair it enough to store all our items.  It has a bad roof leak and old items from the pawn shop.  No plans on opening the doors, just want to use for a warehouse of sorts.
• Quit my part-time job.  Scary, right?  Yeah.  I've been thinking about it for at least two years!  I think this is the year though.  I make good money, but went from full-time to part-time to take care of my mother.  Well, it's really hard to leave town now to go to work, so I need to do things so I can stay close to her.  So this should explain the the other goals above.  I hope I make enough to be able to quit my job...

Do you have any "goals" for 2017?  I'd love to know about them, if you want to send them in a comment below! 

Happy New Year!!!