Tuesday, October 4, 2011

In My Corner- Up To My Knees In Crafts

Hi everyone. I am Barbara from Up To My Knees in Crafts and I am a new member of the FEST Team staff. My job is basically to be noisy and awed by the things I don’t have but will tell my husband I need one day. I will get to snoop around in our members creative spaces and give you the inside scoop on were they work and, for many, live.  That being said I am kicking this baby off with my space. 

Since we just moved into our new house my space is much neater then it would be during (I was going to say the holidays but lets face it) any other time.  My creative area takes up what would have been a kitchen nook in a home that didn’t have a crafter in it.
I took over the computer desk for my sewing machines for two reasons. 1. I can’t afford the $2,500 sewing desk I really want yet.  2. I have a wonderful almost 3 year old boy who thinks my machines are the best toys in the world (not so good for business).  The roll down top locks it was perfect, too bad our computer now occupies a linen table top. All well, sacrifices had to be made.

I started with quilts and then went to Joann’s and got a pattern. And now I have….well you can see…. tons of patterns and books. Most of my inspiration comes from the magazine Sew Beautiful. I love it but it gives me way too many projects to want to do. Now I have a list that looks like something Santa checks off but I keep it in this notebook oh and these binders….

Well you get the picture.  
So my first thought when asked what the one thing I can not live without is was my sewing machines.  A no brainer I know (I mean I do lock them up). 
But as a sewer a seam ripper is a close second as well as a little stash of candy. Don’t worry no fabric is harmed during my secret binges.

So, not all my craft stuff actually fits into this nook so I had to take over a closet in my daughter’s bedroom.

Again a sacrifice a family member makes to feed the addiction of another (me but at least I squeezed it in so that it was only one closet). 

There are a few things missing from my space (like décor but they will go up soon) but I would like to share one last thing and that is a little storage tip. Pictured here is an odd and ends storage container that I got from home depot. It didn’t cost much (maybe $15) and it is perfect for all the buttons, brads and other little items that I use for projects. By no means is it a thing of beauty but as my décor goes up I believe this baby can be painted and/or covered with paper and will fit just fine.


I also had a craft table which sits quietly behind the bookcase:
To be brought out when needed for cutting out patterns:

Oh and I can’t go without including my most precious processions in my corner.

 


My daughter who likes to play around me as I sew or my son who likes to help.
Enjoy,
Barbara  

Monday, October 3, 2011

Sunday, October 2, 2011

OCTOBER 2011 - TEAM MONTHLY CHALLENGE

We hope to truly CHALLENGE our FLORIDA ETSY STREET TEAM members to think outside of the box and benefit  their shops with something different, and hopefully in theme with Etsy merchandising.


OCTOBER - Right around the corner we will have November and with everyone rushing around trying to get ready preparing the perfect Thanksgiving meal and setting for family and friends, we sometimes lose sight of the origins of this Holiday ~

So we are challenging you to tell us now: What are you Thankfull for? Post us an item in your shop that ties in with your story !


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Our team mates can enter their items in our Team Home Page on Etsy and anyone else is welcome to share your stories of what you are thankful for and add a link to items in your shop, or other Etsy Shops so that we can view them!

SEPTEMBER 2011 Monthly Team Challenge Winner

CONGRATULATIONS TO Bead Lovers Korner for winning this months Team Challenge!




The Team Challenge for September was to get our shops in gear for October and share your "Best Halloween Party Themed Item" and Gari Anne's Halloween candy corn bracelet was chosen to be the winner!





Saturday, October 1, 2011

October's Em-Power Days


If you are not familiar with Ellen Whitehurst then you should be!
Ellen Whitehurst is a Better Living Expert and is recognized as the country’s premier expert in Feng Shui and other empowering modalities.
If you would like to know more about Ellen Whitehurst, you can subscribe to or read  her website .
And as part of this month activities, we would like to share our picks from the Florida Etsy Street Team to help your Shuistrology for this month!




OCTOBER 2   Mars is manic today and squaring off against normally joyful Jupiter. All the rest of us will want to engage in some serious retail therapy just to feel better. Since the urge to splurge will be an irresistible force, I suggest you get the energies flowing in your ABUNDANCE area before you hit the shops. Locate that same WEALTH area in your living space and place a healthy green plant there. Wrap three coins (faux Chinese or gold one dollar coins are the currency of choice) individually in red tissue paper and bury them in the dirt of the plant so you can grow mo money! A bloomin’ good idea!
LOVE YOURSELF HEALTHY Wealthy Inspirational Words Motivational Sayings Hearts Heartful Art by Raphaella Vaisseau
Heartfulart


OCTOBER 6   Mercury the Messenger is conjunct restrictive Saturn. Spend some serious time thinking twice before entering any agreement today, contractual or not. Do ALL your due diligence and arm yourself with all the appropriate advice you can. You can easily receive all the help you need simply by putting any problem in your mind’s eye and then visualizing the faces of five people (living or dead) or can assist you. See them helping you to activate and achieve your goals and giving you their opinions and advice too. You can do this every night for nine nights before going to sleep and wake up with a team supporting your every move! GO YOU GO
Vintage Paper, Photo with Words, Your eyes are my spell against a cursed day, 8.5"x11  Print
Rustika


OCTOBER 7   Gmar Hatima Tova to everyone atoning today, Yom Kippur. With a magical and lovely Venus and Neptune trine, relationships of all kinds will also be on your mind. Put a cluster of crystals in the LOVE/ROMANCE/RELATIONSHIP area of your bedroom and shine a bright light on them for at least three hours for at least three days. Now you’re almost as smooth as today’s energies promise to be!
Tough Love Hammered Copper Heart Red Garnet Necklace
Armillatadesigns


OCTOBER 10   HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA! With Moon in Aries complementing ‘Columbus Day’ energies your itchy feet may just have been bitten by a travel bug. Get away if only for the day. Oh, go ahead. Just do it. And when you come home let Ellen take you away by adding marigolds to your bath. This secret Shui is said to restore the soul and is also added for additional peace, good fortune and harmony of the body, mind and spirit.
Bee and Marigolds
morgang321

OCTOBER 11  
This frustrating Full Moon might mean some realigning or readjustment where relationships are concerned. Want to avoid poopy partnering energies and find that Happily Ever After? Come check out the advice I’ll be offering on the Facebook page all the day long today. It will be well worth the drive-by and can really rev your relationships too! www.facebook.com/EllenWhitehurst
Ring Dish - Forever True Blue
KilnGoddess


OCTOBER 12  Mercury the Messenger is trine Neptune making this a magnificent day to brainstorm away. Ideas and inspirations will seemingly come out of nowhere but you should collaborate with colleagues in order to make them real. Because with Venus sextile Pluto on the same day not only will your ideas be embraced but someone special will also want to invest in them. Money, time, energy, support. For the first part of this advice you can burn some sandalwood incense to open up the vortex of inspiration, for the second part, play classical music in your HELPFUL PEOPLE area. You might march to the beat of a different drummer but someone influential wants to help you get attuned.
Hawaiian Sandalwood Shea Butter Soap
productbody

OCTOBER 13   Mercury enters Scorpio and the Sun conjuncts Saturn. Blech! Keywords attached to today’s energies: Serious. Sober. Somber. Shitty. Okay, I added that last one myself since I’ll more than likely be taking ‘sober’ off the list. This is a day when harsh reality hits you over the head and stares at you in the face and brings you to your knees and – okay, okay, you get it. Stay centered and stay peaceful and stay away from the fray (and the madding crowd as well!) Then, at the end of the day, go to a room by yourself and shake your entire body as if you were a dog shaking water of its coat. SHAKE HARD. Then brush your fingers over your body as if you were removing a web. Begin at the top of your head and work your way down to the feet. Wash your hands under cold eater after that and allow the water to pour all the way to the elbows. Now, cleanse again but this time work from your head to your feet as if you were peeling some Spanx off. Wash hands again. Negative emotions and frustrations will magically disappear. You don’t even need a top hat, rabbit or wand either. All you need to do is shake your groove thing. Now, don’t you feel all back in the groove? Groovy!
SOMBER - Modern Abstract Drawing - Art by Kim Dean
KimDeanArt


OCTOBER 14  Uh oh, deja BOO all over again! Venus opposing Jupiter so that loan you were hoping to get or that raise you think you deserve or, or, financial news won’t be what you were hoping to hear! Unless, of course, you have a figure in mind of some amount you’d like to see coming to you and you’ve written that in red ink on four separate index cards. Then, if you placed each of those cards in these spaces, respectively; your bedside table, on the mirror in your bathroom, on the front of a cabinet or the ‘fridge in your kitchen and, lastly, somewhere on your desk. Leave them for at least 49 days. Well, now, if you’ve done that than just skip what I said before about today and immediately pass GO!
Mint Green and Black Mosaic Mirror
memoriesinmosaics

OCTOBER 16   Mercury the Messenger’s hooking up with powerful Pluto and that’s good news for all the rest of us. In fact, ‘news’ is the emphasis of the day. Follow your instincts and trust your gut hunches and tap into your own intuition because there’s some new news you need to hear just waiting for your attention. And then say this all the day and night long (from Florence Shinn, of course!) “Infinite Spirit, don’t let me miss a trick.” Magical.
Kitchen Towel with Amy Butler Fabric and Embroidery "Never Trust a Skinny Cook"
pamwares


OCTOBER 17  Mercury opposing Jupiter isn’t as bad as it sounds. In fact, these energies often proceed other helpful and financial advice. So give these guys a hand, but, before you do that, locate the WEALTH area in the main floor of your living space. Standing in that same place CLAP your hands, loudly, nine times. Three times over the top of your head, three times in front of your heart area and three times down in front of your calves. This clapping out the energies will disperse any negativity and allow for all the fine financial advice this day can bring. Bring it!
Opposites Attract Citrus Disks, Lampwork Disk Pair
fragiacomoglassart


OCTOBER 21   Sun trines Neptune means creative ideas flourish during the day and, then, they take some sizzling shape at night as well. Two words – ylang/ylang. This is oil is essential to creating the most sexy scentual environment you can. Two drops on red sheets and OH BABY! Accent on the ‘O.’
OMG Fabric Postcard
zizzybob


OCTOBER 26   New Moon in Scorpio while Mars sextiles Saturn. Strategy. Organization. Discipline. Then Venus aligns with Mars and Saturn and this triad allows you to face-- and, then--release--a fear. Feel free to face and release. No, really, FEEL. FREE. Sit up straight and lean slightly back. Tilt you head slightly back as well. Breathe in the the light of the Sun. Big breath through the mouth as you visualize that golden light coming straight in through the top of your head and let it wash all throughout your body and being bringing you a golden glow. Now, exhale in nine short staccato puffs and see that exhalation leaving your body as a dark smoky energy. Release the fear. Feel. Free. Because, now, you are.
Let Freedom Ring Windchime
stephskeepsakes

OCTOBER 28   No tricks. Just treats! Creamy good and full size treats! It’s October’s SUPER DUPER STELLAR DAY! You won’t want to miss all the success drenched spooktacular energies today has to offer. And you won’t if you are signed up to the free monthly newsletter because you know that’s the only way to get his info! Do it now and don’t ever be without your Super and Stellar information again!
Halloween Pumpkin Birthday Printable Party - DIY
FrogprincePaperie

Monday, September 19, 2011

Thursday, September 15, 2011

SEPTEMBER 2011 TEAM MONTHLY CHALLENGE: CAST YOUR VOTES!

BOO! It is time again to vote for your favorites in the Team Fest Monthly Challenge!

Since Halloween is right around the bend and everyone is preparing for the BIG EVENT, our theme this month was to submit your best Halloween Party item ~

Cast your vote for your favorite, poll found in right hand side bar. Voting ends on September 30th at midnight!

Little Spider Tutu by UPTOMYKNEESINCRAFTS

Here Kitty Garden Stake by GARDENWHIMSIESBYMARY


Orange and Yellow Halloween Earrings by BAJUNAJEWELLRY


4 for 20 Halloween Soaps by AQUARIANBATH
 

Witches Boots Earrings by AUDREYGARDENLADY

Halloween Party Invites by PAINTEDLATHEESPLUS 

Trick or Treat Door Wreath by PENNYBOPEROO

Halloween Candy Corn Bracelet by BEADLOVERSKORNER
 Now get crackalackin!