"Farm Chicks" Giveaway

Wanted to let y'all know that the "Farm Chicks" are having a giveaway and you can register on their blog. It is a 'mystery-grab-bag' prize, but if it is anything like their site, it will be adorable!

Of course, I'd like to win, hee hee, but link here:
http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/2009/02/surprise.html

Happy Saturday night! I'm hoping to get some cute little girl sundresses and some minky blankets finished and pictures posted tomorrow. Here's hoping I don't fall asleep or get sucked into watching my DVRs of last weeks "Days of Our Lives" episodes.

Just Be Happy - I started watching this while on maternity leave, and I'm hooked. :-0

I've Been "Tagged" - Twice!

So Xstine and IfIHadAHammer both tagged me a couple days apart. Below is Hammer's tag...I hope it aligns well with Xstine, but will check hers to see if it is different Qs. Here goes! I hope this is interesting to you readers.....

Step 1: Respond and Rework. Answer the questions on your own blog. Replace one question that you don't like with a question of your own invention.

Step 2: Tag other un-tagged people

1. Make a list of things you can see without getting up: Yoga DVD, Blackberry, hat, two books, clock radio, pen, Frosted Mini-Wheats, hot choc, oatmeal, 4-cup coffee pot, kitchen (I'm in a hotel room as I write this!)

2. What's your favorite word? NICE

3. What are you wearing now? Heather beige light wool fair isle sweater, burgundy colored turtleneck, beige corduroys (it is COLD in DC) - I sat in class all day and wanted to be comfortable.

4. What's the last thing you read/are currently reading? Last: The Lovely Bones; Current: The Reader. And I just blogged about my NY Resolution on reading! :-)

5. Who was the last person you hugged? My daughter before I left for class on Monday afternoon. OH and the dog.

6. What's you current obsession/addiction? "Hello, my name is Jennifer and I'm an Etsy addict".

7. What is your least favorite household chore? (My Question) Clearing out the dishwasher.

8. What was the last thing you bought? Besides my afternoon cup of tea (a bargain at $1.09!), last night (because I'm in this hotel room) on Etsy: a blue ceramic necklace from Fisheye, and a rose necklace, teal hairclips for Ryan, and beads from Ticklebean. I like to support Etsy shops and hope it comes full-circle!!

9. What are you listening to right now? The forced-air heating system. No music or TV on.

10. What is your favorite type of bath product? Bubble Bath!!!

11. What is your most challenging goal right now? Finding time for all that I want to do - AND getting my husband to budget (I think he is a lost cause).

12. Say something to the person who tagged you. Hi Hammer!! Wondering how your prep is coming for the trunk show?? When is it again??

13. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be? Would I have to keep working to pay bills?? I love where we are now, Long Beach, NY...but wouldn't mind the Carolina Coast - North or South.

14. Favorite vacation spot? Easy - Fair Harbor, Fire Island. I don't think it is 'vacation' anymore, but just teh family beach house I've been going to for 28 years. No cars, ferry over, wagons and kids. Bay and Ocean. No better place in my opinion.

15. Favorite children's book? I'll go with "Goodnight Gorilla" and "The Bear Snores On".

16. What is your most favorite Candy Bar of all time? Baby Ruth!

17. What was the first tape or CD that you bought for yourself? Ack- tape "Cornerstone" by Styx or Pat Benetar? CD is easy: Gene Loves Jezebel, but cannot remember if there is a separate title, that is the group, and the song off it is "Desire".

18. Describe your perfect day: Waking up to coffee and magazines in the sunroom, play with Ryan, go to the beach, take a nap, go for a massage, sew a couple hours, play more with Ryan or take her to the park / library, eat a nice dinner (not necessarily at a restaurant, but if not, one I don't need to clean up), and tuck into bed to watch a movie.

19. What's your favorite sweet treat? Hard question because I'd eat dessert before dinner if I could....Peach Melba, Bananas Foster, Lemon Meringue Pie, Bread Pudding, Boston Cream Pie, Apple Pie, Vanilla Ice-Cream with Chocolate Sprinkles...yyuuummmmmmmm!!

20. What would you do if you won the Lottery? Depending on the amount, pay off family's houses, put away for Ryan's education, and buy a retirement home in Wilmington, NC or another coastal town, where I could open a little baby-gift and baked treats shop. I'd also be able to be a SAHM and I would sign up to be a foster parent. Oh, and I'd have a bigger house where I could have my own sewing room, have a fireplace, and enough yard for a great garden!!

21 Aside from blogging, what is your favorite past time? Sewing our baby quilts, toys, and the new little girl dresses I've been working on - in addition to the little handbags I make. And playing with, reading to, and teaching Ryan. She already likes to help me sew!

22. If you were a fish what kind would you be and why? An angelfish because they are beautiful and graceful.

23. What is your most favorite movie of all time? Grease! And a few other favorites....Dr. Zhivago, Shawshank Redemption, Life is Beautiful....

24. What is your favorite food to eat? DARN!! This was going to be my added question - Italian!

I'm not going to tag anyone bc I don't know who has and who hasn't done one of these...so if you haven't, please feel free!! AND let me know if you do so I can check out your answers. :-)

Have You Lost Followers??

Here is a link to info on Blogger changes that may explain why...Found it on the "Crazy Adventures in Parenting" blog:

http://www.crazyadventuresinparenting.com/2009/02/update-on-bloggers-sudden-drop-of.html

Another New Year's Resolution: Read Books

This is a repeat of last year's resolution, and while I did up the ante, it ain't by much! Some history: I had stacks of magazines built up from subscriptions that I couldn't bear to throw away without thoroughly reading first - the guilt of 'wasted' money prevailed in my attempt to clean the house. So what I chose to do was let most of my subscriptions lapse with exceptions for Coastal Living (I can dream of the beautifully decorated retirement home right on the Ocean or a lake), Country Living, Redbook (at $8/year I cannot give up the affordable fashion spreads, money-management articles that I constantly put in front of my husband so he can ignore, and 'best new products' bc I am a product whore), and US Weekly (the best maternity gift I received!). I also limit myself to a one-day commute to get through the magazines, or else it is garbage.

This freed up commute time to get back into reading books. I forgot how much I truly enjoy reading a good story. Last year's resolution was to read five books and I managed to meet the goal and almost got in a sixth, but ended up finishing "Crooked" by Louisa Luna in early January. My 2009 resolution is for six books - hence, my barely upped-ante. I will read different types of books too - chick-lit, classics, non-fiction, thrillers. My downfall is the same as my magazine downfall - I usually stick to finishing the book even if I don't like it because I don't like to leave loose-ends. There are two books from at least 8 to 10 years ago that I haven't finished and to this day, still consider going back to finish "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and "Snow Falling on Cedars" (both were too slow-moving for me - I needed some sort of SOMETHING to happen).

BUT, onto my 2009 reading! And I admit that when I check-out people's blogs, I go to the Profile to see what books others call 'favorites'. My first finished book for 2009 was "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Seibold. Right from the get-go it captured my interest with the despicable crime and narration from the perspective of the murdered Susie Salomon, but it is the infuriating lack of apprehended suspect, the unraveling of the family, and the building of a life that became the sad story for me. And there were moments on the LIRR or NYC subway when I had to have a tissue in hand. "Lula Boutique" blog owner mentions this book as one of her favorites and I can see why.

I'm currently reading the Ned Kelly story and don't like the author's style of writing, but I'm struggling to finish it and get that "check mark" next to book #2 (I'm counting "Crooked" as a 1/2 read - hee hee). Next up is "The Reader" as many of you know Kate Winslet won the Academy Award for her role, so I'm hoping it is a good story as I tend to respect Ms. Winslet's film choices.

Lula Boutique also listed "Go Ask Alice" by Anonymous as a favorite - and I read this back in junior high school. I thought about re-reading it a week before I read her profile, so this will be on my 2009 list, as will "The Fountainhead" and "The DaVinci Code".

Anyone care to through out some more titles?? All welcome!

And A Custom Order Onesie!

To top off the week of a sale and two treasuries, we finished a custom order onesie with a Brazilian flag applique. A new little baby is expected in just under a month's time and will have this to keep him or her in his or her heritage...

We wish all the best for a smooth delivery out in Washington state!

A Treasury!

Last night I checked Etsy (Hello my name is Jennifer and I am an Etsy addict) and had a convo that I was included in a Treasury! Last week, KimsCraftyApple included my "hip to be square" earrings (featured in former post) in her Treasury, but I wasn't 'fast' enough to capture it for a posting. So this time around I'm not delaying. Here is the link to "SShhh You Wake Him You Take Him" by Aurorafedora - PLEASE take a look and leave a comment:


http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=41012


Thanks to Fisheye for forwarding me the Treasury in photo-format!!






AuroraFedora has beautiful cards in her shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5404935. Here are a few of my favorites:

A Sale!

While Ryan is watching "Wow Wow Wubbzy", I had a few minutes to sit at the computer and I wanted to blog, but what to write about? Knowing my daughter, I literally only have a few minutes. Nothing short-and-sweet was coming to mind, so instead, I decided to check Etsy. Lo and behold, I had a sale!

I love green and when I saw these glass beads, I just HAD to have them. But then I couldn't just let them sit in a box, so I decided to make some earrings (I kept a pair for myself!). And the sale gave me something to write about - *smile*.

Step Away from the Computer

I am amazed at how productive I can be if I just step away from my laptop....

Plant Love and My New Obsession: Orchids

Happy St. Valentine's Day! Instead of writing about my love for my husband, daughter, dog, and family, which is a given...I decided to write about another long-time love of mine - my love of plants and flowers.

My baby book says my first word was "flower". While my mom is not much for gardening, I do remember her pointing out specific plants to me - tulips, daffodils, impatiens, azaleas, argeratum, mint - as we'd walk around the house. When my parents uprooted us (no pun intended) from one end of town to a bigger house on the other (hey, there were four kids!), I was in fourth grade and as a result, I got my own room. Soon, the plant life became a significant part of my decor. My dad installed a plant rack on the ceiling so I could macrame pot holders and have my plants hang in front of the window. I named each of my plants and with the spiders, I had a family tree. My babysitting money would be spent at Frank's Nursery buying new pots, soil, and plants. I always trolled the $1 rack to give an unwatered plant a good home.

Now, my latest obsession is Orchids. On a trip to Hawai'i back in 2005, I dragged my husband to an orchid farm where 'we' picked out six dendrodiums and threw down $120. I gave them as vacation gifts to my Dad, who also shares my love of flowers, and my grandmother, who I knew would take care of it. I kept two for myself and my husband doled out the last two to his co-workers. I'm not sure how the co-workers are doing with theirs, but my mom threw out my Dad's plant, and my brother inherited my grandmothers. *sigh*. I have mine and while they haven't provided me with too many flowers since Hawai'i, each has bloomed once. A small victory!

On a routine trip to Home Depot about a year ago, the reject orchids left over from Christmas were sitting on the discount rack. All were dry with dead flowers. True to form, I scooped up the three dendrobiums and brought them home. They have lived quite well in my sunroom and one is so happy, I've been rewarded with not one, but two shoots of flowers! These are the 'thanks' I've gotten from saving it.

I'm hoping to save five more from my local grocery store. They sit on a back counter almost dried up. I've gone in three times to see the discount price, but the florist and I are on different schedules, so I've left a message through the produce man.

I'm now obsessed with orchids and all the beautiful flowers they produce.

From the Mouths of Babes: I

I imagine I'm going to have quite a few of these gems throughout the year....

"Mommy, you are old. You need to throw yourself in the garbage."

- Ryan Rebecca Hicks, 2.5 YO; January 2009

Gift Box for a Baby Boy

It has been an unusually busy January and February for our little baby business. These are typically quiet months when we can sit back and sew at our leisure, but so far into 2009, we've had six.....that is right SIX orders! And it seems the baby boys dominate as our blue to pink ratio is 2:1. I just put together this gift box over the weekend. It includes a blue hooded towel with emboridered A-B-C letters out of clowns, a Winnie-the-Pooh long-sleeve onesie and burp cloth, a pair of white pants, and a yellow terry cloth bib with a blue chenille star. I'm happy the customer was happy! NOW, I wonder where the next sale will come from....and how soon!

ETSY: "If I Had a Hammer" Jewelry Shop

With the beautiful weather we had in New York this weekend, I began to think of Spring. I know it is too early to get my hopes up, but the air smelled so fresh and the sun was so warm on my face. I thought about all my little tulip and daffodil bulbs that 'may' be getting ready to come out of hibernation. I know Winter is not over and we will have more arctic blasts, but for the mild temps to hit over a weekend, it was a perfect jump-starter.

On that note, and since I love flowers and gardening, I wanted to post these beauties from the Etsy shop "If I Had a Hammer"....

Here is the link to the earrings:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19921739

Featured on a Blog

How nice of Rachel from "From Athenas Desk" to have us as a feature on her blog this week! Please check it out the article - and while you're there, all her great skincare products too.

Thanks Rachel!
http://www.fromathenasdesk.com/

New Baby Girl Burp Cloths and Bibs

I love my husband's new camera. The clarity and color on the new pictures are 100x better than with my camera. We get alot of interest in our burp cloths and gift sets, so we're constantly making new sets in new fabrics. We buy a limited number of yards of each flannel specifically for this purpose: it's fun to sew with new fabrics! Here are three hot-off-the-machine:

Long Beach Polar Bear Club

On Superbowl Sunday, the Long Beach Polar Bear Club makes it annual splash into the Atlantic Ocean. We've been in LB for almost 7 years - we decided to check it out first hand. It was a mild, sunny day with no wind to speak of (unusual for LB) - temps in the upper 30s. The ritual has expanded into an 'event' - there was a bandstand, cameras, helicopters, two police and rescue boats (I'm sure these are there every year). The group was trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records by having at least 350 people in the water at one time. I'm not sure there was photographic evidence of all being in the water at one time, but there sure were more than 350 people jumping into the February temperatures of the Ocean!! Ryan, my 2.5 YO, stated..."I want to get naked and jump in the Ocean"! She settled for removing our shoes and socks and running in that way. It was a beautiful day and very cold water. I have to say, it was cool to watch, but I wasn't inspired whatsoever to join them next year.

Here is the link to the Long Beach Polar Bear Club: http://www.longbeachpolarbears.org/index.htm

BEATS RECORD! And pictures linked to the article - Congrats to the Polar Bear Club!
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-lipola0202,0,4575826.story