the real good day sunshine

well hi there!
i just recently realized that this blog does not lead anywhere anymore! you can come see me over at the real good day sunshine, where i share things that make me happy.. and things that i think will make you happy too. i'm starting my 5th month of being a real big-girl blogger.

come see, won't you? ;)

the beans have been spilled.

for about six months, i've been a contributing writer on the blog, indie icing. i write a weekly post (on wednesdays) about some of my favorite handmade goodies.

recently, jessica (the fabulous editor-in-chief) decided to step down from her leading role and focus on her other projects.. including the i heart handmade market and her personal blog, bloomerie. i, for one, didn't want to see indie icing go by the wayside, so i volunteered to step up and take the job! it's a wonderful opportunity for me, and i'm beyond excited to continue what jessica started and grow her amazing blog even more! its grown from around 70 followers when i started writing to almost 300, so i think it's definitely on the right track!

so check me out as the new editor-in-chief over at indie icing (along with my wonderful guest writers, robin and alison), and come see what handmade goodness we find for you every day!

indie icing post 4.16.10

it's a double-dose of christen over at indie icing this week! no specific theme for today, just a few of my recent etsy favorites! [click the photo to be taken straight to the article.] have a great weekend, everybody!

indie icing post 4.14.10

if you didn't see it yesterday, please check out my latest post over at indie icing! it's dedicated to my favorite jewelry piece.. the necklace! [click the photo to be taken straight to the article.]

throw out 50 things challenge.

one of my new favorite blogs, lost and fawned, is taking [and issuing] a challenge to get rid of 50 unnecessary things that are cluttering up her home. lord knows i need to do the same. read lindsey's opening post here, and stay tuned for my own challenge documentation!

long weekend + possibilities.

sometimes, a long weekend and a little spontaneity is all you need to gain a little perspective and a lot of inner peace.

i love what i do. i make things that make me happy. i make things that make other people happy. but sometimes, i need a break.. and a reality check. i'll be the first to admit that, right now, business isn't great. if every month had continued to be like november and december, i could have made a living off of this. but that's just not the reality of the situation.

granted, i don't pay rent since i live with my parents.. but it would be nice to have a little extra spending money every now and then, which i haven't had the luxury of lately. i'm not one to go splurge the second i make some dough, but i honestly can't even tell you the last time i went shopping.

the reason i love etsy so much is because i don't have to force my products on anyone. anybody that knows me can tell you that i'm just not a salesperson. if you like what i make, buy it. if not, that's okay too.

i've sat back for a long time and just kind of let the sales roll in. i've been lucky with some blog features, front page spots, and etsy finds emails. i'm starting to realize now that i need to be more aggressive. i need to be a salesperson. i need to get my name out there. i need to stop being lazy and complacent. i'm happy with my life, but i want more.

recently, i've been handed an amazing opportunity. i can't reveal it quite yet, since it's not mine to reveal, but i'm beyond excited about it. it's a step in the right direction for the type of business-lady i want to be.

stay tuned, people. i'm just getting started. :)

indie icing post 3.31.10

it's hipster week over at indie icing, and my guest post for today is all about hipster history! [click the photo to be taken straight to the article.]

festival of flowers.

every year, mobile has their annual festival of flowers. organizations and businesses from the area come together and display arrangements, sculptures, and demonstrations all about flowers and plants. my grandmother has been participating for as long as i can remember.. and probably before that! i went with her this year to help set up her arrangement and couldn't resist taking photos of some of the amazing creations.

[disclaimer: these photos were taken with my iphone. don't judge.]

one of the organizations made sculptures based on popular children's books. this is the alice in wonderland display.

i was so amazed by these beautiful dresses made completely from flowers and leaves. i would so wear that wedding dress. and the pink one reminds me of something straight out of a disney movie. [you knew i couldn't go a whole blog post without mentioning disney.]

planes, trains, automobiles, & bikes.

one of my favorite blogs, scoutie girl, is doing a new weekly feature called "we scout wednesdays". tara has asked her readers to share their stories, their experiences, and their items with her via blog or flickr. so this week, i'll be tooting my own horn [pun absolutely intended].

several months ago, i worked on a series of illustrations for my etsy shop. included in those illustrations were a plane, a 57 chevy, and a bike. no train to speak of yet, but i just may have to get working on that.

they're all available in 5x7's, and i see them as perfect decorations for a little boys room, or for someone who loves simple, clean design.

and for good measure, i just love this colorful, abstracted train wheel photograph from fellow etsy seller, yellafish.

ruche.

i came across this online boutique from an ad on a blog sidebar. [i guess those things really do work, huh?] usually, i'm not inclined to stay and look around for much longer than a few seconds because of extreme sticker shock, but i was happily surprised at ruche's very affordable prices! check them out for yourself. they call themselves "a modern boutique with a vintage touch".

here are a few of my favorite items:

not only do they have great clothes, ruche also features shoes, accessories, and jewelry from other "vintage inspired" vendors. check out this great ring from ollipop!

i did a search to find more ollipop rings, and i'm officially in love. but that's a blog post for another day! happy st. patrick's day everybody!