I've become a bit obbsessed with the cooking channel

but not really with cooking, which is not really true I guess. I think I'm headed back towards being more excited about cooking again; which means that Autumn is approaching.

In the summer I tire of being in the kitchen, when it's too hot I lose interest in eating and cooking. Salads become the big thing, and of course BBQ. When fall rolls around, I start thinking about rich stews, pasta and chillies. meals to warm us up and comfort us through spring at which point I'm burnt out.

The problem is that since the fire we're still rebuilding up our kitchen inventory. Our insurance only covered the items that we had already replaced and had receipts for, we just couldn't afford to spend a huge chunk of money on grocery staples with the move. So I've resorted to adding staples as we require them for certain meals, it's slow going.

We're not as close to a grocery as we once were, and trips for groceries are now once a month. This weeks top To Do is to make a menu for the next few weeks and make up a grocery list to fit without going over budget.....

Since we're on the topic of things that make me salivate, let me suggest a great blog I've begun to follow. Chatterbox Sara's blog is so bright and beautiful it reminds me of a yummy candy (mmm candy). Some of her recent posts have involved some rather tasty looking dishes that make me hungry just thinking about them. She's fun and spunky and I look forward to reading her posts each day because she always has something interesting to say. Go check her out.

Mabon Moon

After putting Peanut to bed tonight I peaked out the door and saw this:

5 question: that most curious of birds

One day while browsing through my blog list, I came across a tutorial on how to do a tutorial, this post was in support of a blog exchange program on Totally Tutorials' Blog, where Etsy Suppliers offer free samples of their supplies to blog writers who are willing to use these materials to produce an art or craft tutorial linked to the supplier's shop and the shop owners blog.

The first thing that entered my mind after "Wow I'd like to get a piece of that action" was "What a great way to kick start some creativity!"

At the time I was going through a bit of a creative drought and had been in one for a while (hence my 5 questions question about getting out of a creativity block) so I kept my eye on the exchange program in case something that I could work with popped up.

Enter MagpieMine and her digital collage sheets. I was one of the lucky recipients of the exchange, and I've also become a customer too. There is such a wide selection of collage sheets in MagpieMine to choose from that the ideas come fast and furious as soon as I start browsing.

Maggie, of MagpieMine is (as she mentions in her profile) like that most curious of birds, the magpie; always on the lookout for interesting, shiny objects. She collects images and squirrels them away in case they are needed someday. In most cases these images and ideas end up on her amazing digital collage sheets.

Maggie claims to have too many ideas and not enough time to create all of them, which means that there is never a shortage of collage sheets in her inventory. I picked up the Elves and Fairies in the Woodland page and a few others to finish off the backs of my hand sewn greeting cards

Up until now, I'd been using decorative papers and in some cases small hand sewn pieces to cover up the reverse side of my cards which is time consuming and expensive. I can use Magpie's medallions printed onto adhesive paper and stick them over the loose threads to finish off my cards with ease as well as an added decorative flourish.

MagpieMine's collage sheets are a perfect first step to getting creative. They can be used for collage projects, jewelry and in some cases, they can be printed out and framed just as they are (yes, they are that well designed).

You can follow Maggies tweets on Twitter and if you want to learn more about Maggie you can also read her Blog, The Magpie's Nest where you'll find some of Maggie's favourite picks from Etsy, a sneak peek of new work, and of course links to some great tutorials featuring her work (stay tuned for my tutorial in the next week or so).

Magpie allowed me to pick her brain with 5 questions: here are her replies:


What has surprised you most about selling your creations online?

What has surprised me the most is the huge number of artists who create gorgeous pieces with clip art or collage sheets. Prior to making and selling collage sheets, as a graphic designer, I used clip art very occasionally when designing an ad or magazine feature or catalog page. It was kind of the last resort if I couldn't find or create the art I was looking for, and I always considered it not the most creative option. Since becoming part of the Etsy "family", I've been surprised to discover artists who create stunning collages, jewelry (charm bracelets are my favorite!), altered art like books and assemblages, all with heavy use of collage sheet art and clip art. The finished products are ultra-amazing! Luckily, with Etsy and other sites showcasing art, I doubt I will run out of new discoveries any time soon!

The other thing that has surprised me is how much I love thinking up new ideas for collage sheets! They just pop into my head, and I probably have forgotten more of my ideas than I have actually used! Got to start writing them down...




Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?

Actually, I feel terrible admitting this but, no I don't listen to music when I am working. What?!? Un-American!! My favorite atmosphere when working is: nobody home but me, windows in my office open if it's nice outside, listening to the birds and the sounds of the neighborhood, with one of my cats lounging on the other desk by the window. I am just a peace and quiet fan. Today is one of those days, lucky me!



What got you started?

I have no first memory of discovering art; I was probably born with a Crayola crayon in my hand! I'd like to think it was Jazzberry Jam, but they didn't have that color back then! I've been a painter and a sketcher since I was very small.

What got me started selling online was a suggestion by a coworker that Etsy was a place to make some extra money. I had never heard of Etsy! But within a few weeks I had joined up and started making collage sheets.

So now, I have quit my day job, have let my housework go to pot, and spend way too much time at the computer. (No, the Storque will not be looking to interview me for Quit Your Day Job; I think you have to make enough to support yourself which I don't, though I am extremely fortunate that my great hubby picks up the slack, at least for now!)

Details from Grungy Inchies in Jewel Colors Collage Sheet

Which Children's book character would you be and why?

Well, I guess I would say Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz because no matter where I go I always feel that there's no place like home! Haven't found the Emerald City yet though...



Rock, Paper or Scissors?

Definitely paper! The best things are on paper (sad for someone who works almost entirely with digital files, right?). I love books, magazines, paper beads, papier maché, paper airplanes, paper bags, and origami; not to mention watercolor paintings, scrapbooks, doilies, sticky notes, paper dolls, and I hate to say it but I use too many paper towels! You have to watch out for paper though. It piles up and takes on a life of its own! Sometimes I think I am drowning in paper, since I hate to throw anything away.

detail from Birds, Gators and Hedgehogs Collage Sheet

Did you see something that you simply must know more about? Click on any of the pictures in this feature to find out more! As always your thoughts and comments are welcome, plus they'll put a smile on my face. If you want to make me jump for joy, head over to MagpieMine's shop and buy one, two, three or more of her great collage sheets!

Thousand Words Thursday

They say a picture is worth them:

the most relaxing thing about last weekend

Come back tomorrow for this weeks 5 Questions featured artist.

I'm taking a bit of a break

from a Blog Give- a - way entereing frenzy.

The Laughing Vixen Lounge is holding a monster Halloween Goodie Bag Giveaway and the prizes included are creepy crawly and absolutely fantastic. there are many many ways to enter which is why the entering frenzy. Visit the blog post about the giveaway here

Now go, go and enter, enter as much as you want! I've gotta get back to adding my entries...

A little bit more about how I want to progress

On Friday I posted about how I see my Friday Features going, partially to set the stage for this weeks feature, to build up the anticipation so to speak. Also to give myself a little direction, something to refer to from time to time to keep things on track.

This post is something similar for my Monday Blog Share posts. I'm bringing those posts back too, starting today.

I seem to have an ever expanding list of blogs I like to drop in to on a regular basis. Some I pick up from the Etsy forums while I'm promoting my own features, others I stumble on as I read other people's blog comments. Still others are added as I feature an Etsy shop and add the link to a blog to the body the feature.

I follow because I've found something funny, something beautiful, something thought provoking, something that inspires me, something that makes me feel like a part of a community, something that makes me green with envy (because I just wish I had though of that first, or had done mine that way or that I was half as cool as that person is)... The reasons I follow blogs are many. The reasons I want to share these blogs are perhaps not so vast, I just want to share some of the good stuff I've been getting in my blog reader.


In the past my Monday Blog Sharing posts listed up to 3 blogs to check out. Thinking about it, 3 is too many. When I ask myself if I would check out all three blogs as a reader the answer is "no" so I'm scaling back. One blog recommendation per blog share post.

So the return of my Blog Share posts on Monday starts now; with Where Eagles Dare, a lush edgy blog with their own Friday Feature Q&A that falls under the green with envy heading. I love love love the questions asked in the features. They are the questions I love reading the answers to. Also Kate and her husband Johnny5; the voices behind Where Eagles Dare are such rock stars in her own right; they run Where Eagles Dare on Etsy which is full of tattoo inspired paintings and other magnificence. Right now their shop is in Vacation Mode (so you will have to wait to see what I'm talking about) but their blog is alive and kicking so go and check it out.

In addition to Where Eagles Dare Kate also has a second blog called Dear Johnny5, a collection of letter to her husband that really are an intimate portrait of their relationship and also make me wish that my husband had a little of Johnny5's flair for romance... not that I'm complaining.

We now return to our regularily scheduled programming

During my vacation from my regularly scheduled blog posts, I spent some time thinking about what direction I want to take this blog, what my goals are for it over the next few months and how I can possibly reach those goals.

That lead to me thinking about what my mission statement should be for my scheduled blogs. Which got me thinking harder and took me down a few paths that I backed right out of before taking more than one or two steps more than I wanted to.

I started doing a weekly feature because

A) I wanted to drive more traffic to my blog and hopefully further on to my Etsy shops, TMCPhoto and PeanutButterPie.

B) I wanted to showcase some of the artists that really caught my eye while browsing through Etsy

and

C) I wanted to send out some positive Etsy Karma and hopefully help some of these incredibly talented artists and artisans make a sale here and there; the idea being what goes around comes around. If I can help a fellow Etsian add to their income the positive energy would make its way back towards me.

I can honestly say that A has been achieved. My weekly 5 question features garners the highest traffic to my blog each week, sometimes in record numbers. There are one or two features that still get heavy hits. B, it goes without saying is also a goal well met. All my features are of people who's work I adore, In some cases they have work that I have paid for and in others they have work that I would gladly fork over cash for if I had it to spend. C was a bit of a tricky goal, I mean how do you know if something you've posted online has directly resulted in a sale unless the buyer or the seller lets you know. Fortunately In the case of my feature on TubbyTabby this was the case. I can't tell you how tickled I was to have had a hand in making a sale.

My goals for the next few months are more of the same with a little more thought put into it. I'm putting a little bit more lead time ahead of each live posting, hoping to have posts written, linked and ready to go live well ahead of schedule so that I'm not scrambling (yes even working two weeks in advance I was scrambling at some points) and in the case of unexpected speed bumps I'll have some wriggle room and possible ready to go features to tide me over until I can get back up to speed.

Abiding by a feature mission statement meant I've had to create one:

5 questions is a fun look into the mind of an Etsy artist or artisan who's work is something that I personally love. the work has to be something that I would buy for myself or as a gift, have bought for myself or as a gift or have on my personal wish list. The 5 questions asked will range from a growing list of questions I keep on file, chosen at random based on what I want to know about my chosen artist.

Making sure that I remind my readers that they can connect to any item featured in the post by clicking on it's image is also on my list. When I write up my features I always, always always link back not only to the Etsy shop but also to any of the items I've used to illustrate the feature with. In the few cases where the feature artist has requested or provided images that are not for sale in their Etsy shop I link to an appropriate Flickr page or personal website. In any case you can always click on an image of something you like to get more information.

Also a to do is a re-write of my request to feature convo. This is just something for me to help keep me organized. Asking for images and links to websites, blogs and fan pages so I'm not forgetting anything when I start to write.

With this post I'm priming the pump for the return of 5 questions next week. Next weeks feature is an artist and designer that I'm pleased to say falls into the category of some one I have bought from. I came across her while browsing Totally Tutorials blog exchange program. I liked her work so much, felt so inspired what she was offering and immediately had a handful of good ideas for projects that I applied for her exchange. Those ideas for a tutorial really got me excited and I happened to be in a particularly productive stage, I couldn't wait to see who would be accepted for the exchange and I bought a few sheets before she could even post her picks.......

But more about that next week.