Tweet!

Twitter  I did it!  I swore I would not because I thought it was silly.  I joined to help promote my shop
especially since this is my first holiday sales season.   I have an Etsy friend who has two great shops (check out the link).  She has been very helpful to me and I think she knows her way around Etsy. 

This morning I was looking at my blogger homepage and I saw her blog.  She hasn't been posting for a long time and lo and behold there were some new posts.  One involved a giveaway that she was running on Twitter. What a great idea!  ....aaaand she has 2,000 followers.  How does this happeen.  Thinking this was a great idea to get my shop url out there became a twerp tweeter.  Let's see what happens. 

When the cat's away, the mice...

When the cat's away, the mice...,
originally uploaded by Jona&Lili.

This lady sells on Dawanda, the European version of Etsy.  http://en.dawanda.com/shop/jonalili
Take a look at what she does....beautiful work.  This bag is the buttercup pattern which I am using of late.  Lots of sexy pleats.

Time Does NOT fly....

....it conspires against us!  This morning I awakened to reality. when I got a look at the end of the egg carton.  Please do not panic...it is not November 27th, however it is the 11th.  The egg carton is a warning.  AMH, you are not alone. 

The reality of not having two consecutive days to myself between today and the the day after Christmas has given me a stomach ache.

We have more social events this Holiday season than usual.....That makes it the season of cream cheese, candied nuts, nice wine, turkeys and ham!  ..and what will I wear????? And prayers that whatever I select still fits. Now THAT's a stomach ache.  This year, I am going to volunteer to bring appetizers to each event.  On party day I will go straight from the hairdresser to the supermarket where elves make partytrays you can buy. 

I am participating in a craft faire at church where I will sell my handmade goodies. As soon as I make them, that is ...and as soon as our friend, John, who brings us the mail, delivers the zippers and interfacing I need to get my work done.

The altar banner for the next two Sundays is not quite together....part of it is on my cutting table and the rest dwells in Jane's creative brain.  It will reach completion and installation on Friday.  

Logged onto my Etsy Shop and two things happened:  1) there are only nine items for sale and (that means the virtual shelves are nearly bare.  2) there was a new icon and link right there at the top  of my site in holiday colors that said "Holiday Gift Guide".......WHAT IS THAT??  Etsy stuck it there in the night!  I have a sinking feeling that I know what it is, and sure enough one click and I find that perhaps I should have been making things for my shop that were holiday in theme.  If I want to participate in this gift guide I better get moving and make some goodies, photograph them, and list them NOW.  You know, things like 'stocking stuffers' and 'gifts for everyone' kind of goodies.

I am sorry for the whine, and I know that it happens to all of us every year.  Denial, brain dammage, ego trips "oh, sure, I can do that".....whatever,  I still have my love of the  Christmas season. HO HO HO!
 
Tomorrow, I will tell you all about what Garth has been doing.....(hint...'stuff a bus'.....buying turkeys to feed 60 homeless......etc.)

Off to the self-imposed sweatshop!

I made some stuff yesterday.......

At about 3 am the panic set in!  By 4:30 am,  still couldn't sleep.  This is not productive...I neeeeeeeed to make lists.  So up I get and start getting organized.  I worked until dinner time.  Coming and going in too many directions at once and not one whit of organization.  Church banner completed and that is about IT!  EEEEK....Craft Faire at Church coming up....and what do I want offer folks to buy at my booth.  I have bags and purses and one half-done apron, uncompleted projects strewn all over my studio.  By the way....It is not a sewing room or craft room......"it is my fibre arts studio"  If I give my workspace some class and a highfalutin name; ergo classy and highfalutin projects will come out of there.  Forget that I share the space with the washer, dryer and the cat's dish.

First thing....I made this wool houndstooth bag and uploaded it to my Etsy shop.  The virtual shelves need  restocking for winter and Christmas shoppers.

I also made a wristlet for the shop with this beautiful Koi Asian print.  Look at the lining.....little gold dots on red.

I plan on making a couple of rather fancy ones for the gals to wear to holiday parties.




Finally, I made 12 travel tissue holders to sell at the Faire....

You all know that I adore Flikr....There is a lot on my photostream that is new.  Take a look.

Amber Hall over at  Creative Little Daisy has a bee in her bonnet and is encouraging us to get going and get busy crafting.....there are tutorials and links to just about anything you might want to make.

Now I am off to the studio to get with it.

Stuffing for French Onion Dumplings: 11.06.09

3 lbs cooked meatloaf mixture
3 lbs grated gruyere
3 lbs caramelized onions

- combine thoroughly

Buckwheat Spaetzle for Halibut: 11.06.09

4 cups sour cream
12 eggs
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups ground buckwheat

- combine all ingredients and push through a perforated hotel pan into another hotel pan of barely simmering water
- remove as they float to ice water and toss with vegetable oil to prevent sticking

Mushroom Mousse for Sashimi: 11.06.09

1 cup mushroom juice (from roasted mushrooms)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp agar agar

- bring juice and cream to a simmer; whisk in agar agar and cook on low heat 5 minutes
- strain through chinois into bowl inserted in ice bath
- whisk vigorously until cool and transfer to pastry bag