The Latest...

Here's a sneak peek of a few new items in my studio...coming to my shop in the next few days! ;) I've been using recycled magazines and junk mail to create a fun little package of papers. I've added to it glass beads and voila!

What's in your mailbox?

I love paper and recycling. So, here's my latest little pouch made from the security envelopes that have arrived in my mail box for the past few weeks. I love the way all the different patterns look together - I had no idea there were that many security patterns or that I got so many in less than a month!

What do you recycle at home in an unusual way?

Indie Goodies

I recently did a show and HAD to have this from fellow vendor Textile Fetish of Austin! I absolutely LOVE this bag!

I'm in a treasury! :)

It's Peach Season in Texas!

Mark Your Calendars!

November 21, 2009, 1p - 7p
Sons of Hermann Hall
3414 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75226
Admission: Free

Join the 3/50 project

So one of my newest fave blogs is feltandwire.com the blog for Mohawk Paper. I love the writing style on the site and they blog about cool things other than paper too. (I am such a paper junkie.) They ran an article at the end of last month all about the 3/50 Project. I read the article and about fell out of my chair. It is exactly what I have been saying for so long and they have the numbers and statistics to back it up. Their basic premise is to support your local economy by patronizing locally owned independent businesses. They suggest that if each of us spent $50 total a month at our 3 favorite locally owned businesses each month we could seriously boost our local economies. The majority of the money you spend flows back into the local economy through paychecks, taxes, etc. The amount drops drastically when you shop in those mega chain stores. So think it over carefully before you select the next business where you'll spend your dollars.

So, what are your three? What three locally owned independent businesses would you miss if they closed? Here are my three;
• Boba Tea
• The Argentinian Bakery
• Dunes

Do what you can to support your local area. Stop by your 3 fave local shops regularly (change up your three occasionally) and support them, tell your friends about them and watch the local economy around you bounce back. It's a win-win-win.

Come on by -- it's tomorrow and Sunday!

Indie Shop Soiree
July 11 & 12
11a -4p
House of Blues Dallas Victory Park
www.indieshopsoiree.com

Come see me and fellow Dallas Etsian Dowdy Studios at this event.

Texas Pottery and Sculpture Guild Show

Don't miss the Sizzling Summer Sale! Fellow Dallas Etsian Jill Whitfill will be participating. Click here to see more details about this fun event!

Need A Girls Night Out?

This maybe the event for you! July 11 & 12 from 11a -4p at the House of Blues Dallas Victory Park. Get all the details here. Come see me and fellow Dallas Etsian Dowdy Studios at this event. There will be drinks, chocolate, shopping and giggling. Stop by and check it out.

JULY FREE SHIP EXTENDED!

Free shipping for the long weekend was popular -- so I am extending the offer through the end of the month! Happy Shopping! Check out this section of my shop for eligible items.

Happy Fourth of July!

This long weekend, I'm offering free shipping on items in this section of my shop. Check out other Etsy Dallas folks who are participating; Tefi Designs, Cut Out and Collect, Pamela Michelle (who created this fun graphic), Artful Expression, Sadie's Things and Laura Davis Design Lab for some more fabulous deals on shipping.

Do your patriotic duty and shop -- it stimulates the economy! :)

Are you Feeling the Love on Etsy?

Craftcult.com has a section called the heartomatic that can show you who has hearted your shop, specific items as well as telling you if you're featured in the Gift Guides, Front Page, and Storque.

There's another site called statsy.org where you can sign up with the Featurator to be emailed each time you appear on the front page.

This adorable red monster is from HappyMonsterTime's shop -- check it out!

Twitter Overload?

I started twittering last month and was surprised and amused to see this message when Twitter had gone over its' limits. At least it wasn't a blue screen of death or an ugly error message. The little whale and his bird friends lent a spirit of levity to the whole adventure. Follow me on twitter.com/laalicia

Do you Twitter?

Featured Seller: SleepyKing

Please meet sleepyking. I saw her creatures and fell in love with them all! Especially Loretta. Apart from creating things, what do you do? Do you have a day job? I haven't had a job in almost a year now. I decided I want to be with my little boy to teach him things and watch him grow. I couldn't stand the thought of me going back to work while someone else gets to enjoy his cuteness. After he was a few months old he got a lot easier to take care of and thats when I knew I wanted to try to sell my creations on etsy to make some extra money. What first made you want to become an artist? Well honestly? Its kind of weird but when I saw Marilyn Mansons paintings for the first time when I was 14 I felt really inspired. His water colors are absolutely beautiful. I started painting shortly after that and painting became my main craft. I stricktly painted from the age of 14 to 21, at 22 I started to branch out. I've done some ceramic work, knitting, embroidering, paper crafts, etc. Then I found that sewing was the thing I really enjoy the most. Its so much fun and its also a lot easier than dragging out the messy paints and brushes when you have a baby. Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc. I sew whenever I get the chance. If my son is in a really good mood I might get to sew for a few hours a day, if he's cranky I might get 10 minutes here and there throughout the day. I try to listen to music while I create because I feel like music changes my mood and the way my creations end up looking. If I'm listening to Bob Dylan I might create something like my little prarie bunny. If I'm listening to Tom Waits I might create something a little weird like Loretta the daytime insomniac. Music has a lot to do with my crafting ;) My favorite materials are recycled ones and wool fabrics. What handmade possession do you most cherish? I really love this handmade knitted donkey that I got from a good friend for Christmas a few years ago. Its only about 3 inches high by 4 inches long. Its one of the cutest little things I own and I adore it. What inspires you? Music, people watching, animals and my little boy. Anything else you'd like to tell us? I will be posting a lot of new plushies in the near future so add me to your favorites or your bookmarks and check back often! You can also find me on twitter, facebook and myspace.

I'm so excited...my purse is at HOW!

If you happen to be at the HOW Design Conference this week, be sure to stop by the Mohawk Paper area in the Resource Center to check out this purse in person. Ask for Barbara, she's got it in her possesion! It's made from Mohawk paper stock, faux bois lining and a glass bead zipper pull and holds more than you might imagine! To see my other purses, click here.

Hedgie Birdie Pendant

It's here, it's here! My custom order, hedgie birdie pendant from PamelaMichelle! YAY! It's so stinking cute -- I can barely stand it! It was hard to take it off long enough to take a picture! ;)


This friendly pair look like they have been friends for ages. I love all the texture on the pendant and that the little animals are a little more shiny than everything else. Check out Pamela's other fun pendants here -- in her Etsy Shop.

The Black and White Barbara Bag

This bag was really hard to part with. It did, however, go to a good home. It was sold at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash to a lovely lady who I'm sure is taking good care of it.

I totally enjoyed making it -- black and white on the outside, crazy flowers on the inside and a fun zipper pull. I may have to create something similar for myself. What would it NOT go with!?

Native Plants

Choose plants native to your area. Click here to get help determining which plants will flourish in your region. It's very satisfying to watch your garden grow.

Click here for more tips on a healthy garden.
And while you're at it check out xeroscaping which really takes minimal effort once your garden is planted.

Thanks -- Wordless Wednesday

Ecotourism

As we ease in to summer and consider our options for a little getaway, don't forget to consider what ecotourism has to offer;

National Geographic

Texas State Parks

US National Parks

International Wilderness Journeys

Check out these links for places in your area for a little ecofun!

And the winner is....

Rhonda Warren of ColorBox Designs! YAY! Congratulations the Mohawk Swatch Clutch is yours! Carry it in good health and know that if you get in a pinch you can use it to select your paper stock color and weight.

Get Paid to Recycle the Unexpected

If you are living in the Oncor or AEP service areas you're eligible to participate in the "Great Refrigerator Roundup" -- you can get up to $50 in addition to having your old working fridge or freezer hauled away for free. Contact the following entities for additional information;



Oncor 866-472-9376
www.oncorrecycle.com

AEP 866-552-3755
www.arcaincutility.com

A Surprise in the Grocery Aisle

I went to the grocery with my list. The most fun thing I was looking for was Annie's Chocolate Bunny Grahams. Every since discovering them, I've been addicted. The Chocolate Bunny Grahams are my faves! I saw that the section when the chocolate bunnies live was empty and I was sad to see that. I saw a wild and crazy looking box and picked it up. It was printed with a tie-die pattern -- blast from the past -- they are called Bunny Graham Friends. It's a box with honey flavor, chocolate chip (I didn't know this was a flavor), and chocolate bunnies. I realized it was a melting-pot type box of bunnies - that made up for there not being any of the ones I was looking for.

The cutest part of the whole package is the bunny at the top of the box who is wearing a peace symbol around his neck and flashing the peace sign. Too hilarious! Then add to that the grahams inside are delish -- it's a truly yummy experience!

Herbal Sorbet Season!

So, it's starting to get hot out there and one thing's for sure -- something cool and sweet hits the spot! I recently checked out Savoy Sorbet at the Coppell Famer's Market.

They have yummy herbal flavors like; Anise, Apple Mint, Chamomile Orange, Chocolate Mint, Ginger Lemongrass, Ginger Orange Honey, Lavender, Lime Thyme, Peppermint Tea, Rose Geranium Raspberry, Rosemary Lime Chablis, Spiced Wine, and Triple Lemon.

I tried the Chamomile Orange Sorbet -- it was delicious! It was the prettiest pale orange color and was totally refreshing after a hot day outside. Check out their site to see where they'll be next, so you can try it too. I highly recommend it!

volunteer for the deco committee

A friend of mine is head of the decoration committee for the DSVC show here in Dallas, TX. It's happening next month and she invited over a couple dozen people for an origami party to help fold origami cranes for the events centerpieces. It was really fun, she had refreshments and it was hilarious to try to figure out what to do next to create a paper crane. Thankfully, there were a couple people there who are practically pros and they were uber helpful! I think her cats thought we had invaded THEIR home! :)

She sent us home with extra paper once we mastered the crane to make more for the show. Once you make two or three - you get in the zone. Here's the flock I created -- it was super fun.

If you've never had an origami party -- I highly recommend it. It's a good way to get to know your friends in a different way. We learned that most of are creative and rarely follow directions but we got to a crane at the end anyway -- there was much giggling. If you'd like to have your own origami party, check out this link for a video how-to.

Hedgie Birdie Pendant

I recently commissioned Pamela Michelle to make me a hedgehog/birdie pendant -- can't WAIT to see it! I'm sure it's gonna be adorable! I love her whimsical style that mostly features nature and all kinds of fun little details. Be sure to check out her shop. As soon as I get my hands on my custom pendant, I'll post a picture so you can basque in its' cuteness too! :)

Einstein?

"The important thing is to never stop questioning."
- Einstein

Lost Monster?

So I went to the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash on May 16th. It was a great event. I'll confess when I got home that evening, I parked my car in the garage and brought up one load -- leaving the rest for the next day.

Exhausted, I opened and put away two boxes of show stuff. In the second box, I reached in and pulled out something soft and blue that I hadn't seen before. It was a monster with two long ears and a sad yellow face. So, I wondered if he was an intentional stowaway or an accidental tourist. I parked him next to my desk monster still wondering how he ended up at my house (I think my monster had ear envy). I went to dreamland and slept like a rock.

The next morning, I unloaded the rest of the car and got everything put away. I read a few emails and saw there was a new post on the Etsy Dallas Discussion Groups called "Lost Monster!". I checked it out -- it was the same sad blue creature. The lost monster belonged to the daughter of ArtfullExpression. After the show ended, there was an all out search for the monster. He was not found and there was much sadness over his disappearance. That cute little blue monster was originally created by AnkleBiter. (Be sure to check out her shop -- there are many of the cutie blue monsters siblings available for adoption.)

After reading the discussion group, I got in touch with ArtfullExpression to see where I could send the monster to reunite him with his little human. I didn't know that she hadn't told her daughter that the lost monster had been located. So, I wrapped him up in tissue with a little note on the outside that said "Shhhh...monster sleeping." Before I wrapped him up, I attached a little note to his ear saying -- I missed you a lot. I had a little giggle to myself as I pulled up at the post office. The clerk asked if my package had anything flammable, fragile, or perishable — I smiled and replied no.

A few days later the package arrived in the mailbox of ArtfulExpression who said "my daughter got to the mail before I got home that day and found him. I hadn't told her he had been located. Needless to say she was thrilled. She hasn't let him out of her sight. Well, except for when she goes to school. No monsters allowed there!"

I'm so glad there was a happy ending to this adventure...but I still don't know how the mischievous blue monster ended up with my show stuff.

What's the funniest thing that has happened to you at a show?

It's tomorrow!

Come check out the Spring Festival at the Coppell Farmer's market. See this previous post for all the details! :) Hope to see you there!

The Mohawk Display at Clampitt Paper

M is for the Mohawk Swatch Clutch at Clampitt Paper. In case you don't get a chance to check it out in person, here are some pictures of Mohawk's display at Clampitt Paper. Tomorrow is the last day to enter to win. Barbara will be picking one winner to receive the Mohawk Swatch Clutch. Here's the display and some close ups;






















































Here are Kim Neiman's uber cool Showgirl posters that were also featured at the Circus show;

Sushi Newbie

I took my mom who had never had sushi before for her first sushi experience. We had a ball.

The only sushi she had ever tried were California rolls. Well, she brought her adventurous appetite and tried all kinds of things like; rainbow roll, tuna sashimi, salmon sashimi, spider roll, seaweed salad, edamame and red bean ice cream.

I was totally impressed. She tried everything I challenged her to try. Neither of us eat shrimp, so that limited us just slightly. When I asked her how she liked it -- she said -- it tasted like fresh ocean and that it was MUCH yummier than she expected. The salmon sashimi was her hands down favorite.

This just reminded me no matter what your age of level of experience - it's never too late to try something new! :)

Have you been to Clampitt Paper Lately?

Be sure to check out Clampitt Paper's latest vendor display at the Clampitt Creative Center this month. The Mohawk Paper Rep, Barbara Wardlow, commissioned me to make one of my paper purses for this month's giveaway from Mohawk paper. The giveaway will be held on May 29, so be sure to stop by before then for some paper inspiration. While you're there drop your card in for a chance to win the Mohawk Portable Swatch Clutch.

For you guys, you could win a sassy, unique, one-of-a-kind, handmade clutch for your girlfriend, wife, mom, auntie and never have to tell her that it was free! Here are the details;

Clampitt Creative Center
9207 Ambassador Row
Dallas, TX 75247
Phone: 214.638.3300
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30a-5:30p

If you'd like to see my other purses made from recycled magazines, please check out my Etsy shop.

Mother Teresa on Recycling...

"I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use."

-- Mother Teresa

Shadow Sunday

Hey Harriet has been doing Shadow Sunday for quite a while -- I always check out her blog and am never disappointed in what I see. I finally took some shots that I feel are SS worthy. Check 'em out!

It's today!

Come on by and check out this uber fun event! To preview the vendors that will be on hand, click here.

3 days and counting!

Yes, that's right in three days it'll be time for the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash!
Come on down and join us!

Just new today in my etsy store!

I'm totally excited to introduce my new line of spring purses made with recycled magazines, catalogs and junk mail. This one is the bitsy coin purse. I have been weaving paper for a while but these are my first woven paper purses! :) They will make their public debut at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash. C'mon check 'em out.

HI Mom!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I saw this beautiful pendant on Etsy for Mother's Day and thought it was totally perfect for the day! Check out onelifejewelry for more details! :)