More Baby Cards

Here are the other two baby cards I just listed in my Etsy shop - you can find them HERE and HERE.

I had to deactivate about 6 cards, until I finish the whole series of 12... Being in a bit of time crunch this week, though: I have to finish, polish, revise and post all my finals; I need to work on the custom order for 3 bookmarks (no due date on this order, but the sooner it's done the better); I am working on some new Christmas/Winter/Holidays series which is going to take me some time... It looks like it's going to be a really busy vacation...

Well, off I go - lots to get accomplished!

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Wednesday Quote

We only go around once. There's really no time to be afraid. So stop. Try something you’ve never tried. TEACH it. DO it. RISK it.

- Jon Blais

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New Baby Cards

Good morning, folks!

I hope your day started better than mine; a few things require some immediate attention and what do you know - due to finals this week, I am running extremely short on this precious commodity names TIME!!!! ughhhhh...

Here are two of my latest baby cards; I had a few that expired and my Baby Cards folder was getting a bit sad. I have a few more planned for the rest of the week, but I will post them as I get them listed. You can check out the listings HERE and HERE.

I've got to run to the Post Office to mail the 10 custom ordered bookmarks and a second package of 7 cards. Sometimes, it feels I sell these cards faster than I make them. Well, it's actually true - cross-stitching takes quite a bit of time to complete... And it takes me even longer, as I try to divide available time into many projects... I really need my vacation next week - 10 glorious, homework-free days!!!

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Camouflage Bookmark

After finishing my custom order for 10 bookmarks, I've decided to create one for my own shop. Although my customer decided against the camouflage look, the one I did for my shop is in these awesome shades of olive green and creamy cocoa brown. It looks great IRL. Now I've got to make the envelope for it on my Crafter's Companion.

I have a few new listings coming up in my shop: a few baby cards (paper crafts), 3 winter related cards (cross-stitch), a romantic card (cross-stitch), and a Peach Rose/Thinking of You card (paper crafts). Not quite sure what time I have available - this week is my last for this term and I've got finals in all 3 classes. Don't get me wrong, since I've started managing my time a bit better, I am having more fun in class - but I AM ready for a short, 10 days vacation!

I am planning to work on refreshing my watercoloring techniques so I can apply that to my cards. So, I have been watching my DVDs, and getting my supplies ready (I can hardly find quality watercolor paper around here... grrrrr).

Well, it's time for me to get back to cross-stitching - my best friend wants 3 personalized bookmarks for her grand-daughters. No particular occassion, they are "just because" gifts. I LOVE that thought!

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New Term Classes!

Yesterday I had to confirm my classes for the next term and order my books. I think i will very much enjoy next term: Web Page Design, Creative and Critical Thinking, and College Algebra II.
Not quite sure what the Creative & Critical Thinking is about, it's part of the Humanities courses we have to take.
I hope my Spellbinders "Nestabilities" Assorted Dies Classic are getting here today; the Bazzill cardstock I have ordered the same day got here in 4 days. I'll have to get some Scalloped "Nestabilities" soon - they look so much better layered...
I am almost finished with my bookmarks custom order and I am actually adding one to my inventory (it's camo colors, too...). I haven't done much stitching these last couple of days - not quite sure where time went, really...
Well, I'm off to... somewhere... I'll start with a large glass of Cranberry-Raspberry Juice and then my regular mug of delicious, fragrant Kenyan coffee. Life IS good - as long as it's saturated with caffeine!

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Good Morning!

I want to share my breakfast with you today.

A plate of love.
A bowl of peace.
A spoon of hope.
A fork of care
and
A glass of prayer....

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Two more cards :)

I really wish I took better photos - I am never happy with the way they turn out... These two cards can be found HERE and HERE. It's not likely I can take any photography classes any time soon, but it's on my WishList :)

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New listings

Here are my latest cards, completing the Aqua & Brown/Get Well collection. They can be found HERE and HERE.

It's a drab, rainy day here in East Tennessee; it rained most of the night and it looks as if it will start again. We have been under a Flood Watch/Advisory since 11pm Sunday night... I wonder if I should get my boat ready...?

Week 7 ended pretty good; I had to create an original mock up for either a beverage product or a video game. Obviously, not being a video game type person, I choose to create a beverage label/package mock up. Of course I selected COFFEE, is there any other beverage as perfect as that...?? I think not! I had to do a sketch, hand drawn sketch - that's even worrse than Illustrator. LOL... I have to work on perfecting it in Illustrator, though I am having some trouble deciding on the right kind of fonts right now.

This week, I have to critique the work of 3 of my classmates - I hate doing that, I just do! It's hard telling someone that what you see it's not what they saw when they did the layout... Ughh

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Sunshine & rain

Don't get so busy preparing for a rainy day that you miss today's sunshine.

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More Get Well Cards

The other two "Get Well" cards listed in my shop: the triangular "Feel Better Soon" can be found HERE. The assymetrical "Get Well" card is listed HERE - I actually had to make a gift box for it, with an open acetate window. It was a bit of a challenge, but it ws not fitting nicely in any envelope I had! The flowers on this card have been colored with Copic markers, then sprayed with a bit of Shimmerz for an extra bit of sparkle!

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Get Well Cards

I have some new "Get Well" cards in my shop.
The "Get Well Pop-Up" can be seen in more detail HERE. It has a cute little gift box, with an open window and acetate. The "Get Well" card with the huge multicolored, glittered flowe can be seen in more detail HERE. I really liked the color combination.
I have just ordered some Bazzill cardstock - I hope I can find great colors like these in the stacks!

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My First Interview!

I am so jazzed up about this!

Margaret, of "Knit 1 for the Road" offered me the opportunity for my very first Etsy artisan interview - how exciting is that! Why not take a couple of minutes and check it out "FarAway Designs is Delightful".

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Last of the Mini Samplers collection

And here are the last three of my Mini Samplers! I cannot believe that the end of another year is getting closer and closer every day!

Well, week 7 of the 5th term has started; lots of Illustrator and Psychology work... I am positive that the Psych textbook I have is for a student that majors in Psychology - we are on chapter 17, already... LOL... We skipped 4 chapters, and there are 5 more chapters after the one I study this week...

I'm ready for some coffee. I should be eating some breakfast, but coffee will do... Maybe some more Cranberry-Rasberry juice :)

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Green On This Side

What if it's not greener on the other side?
Maybe past the fence it's still the same ride.

What if the ultimate joy always exists in the now?
Maybe every moment should take it's own bow.

What if the apex of happiness was always just here?
Maybe we don't have to guide, we don't have to steer.

What if that's why children always laugh so?
Maybe they're able to just let go.

What if they know happiness is not a thing to be achieved?
Maybe they can feel that being open to it, is all that we need.

What if we've become so "wise" we've forgotten that realization?
Maybe once in a while we should give our brains a vacation.

What if happiness is more about our hearts and our souls?
Maybe we can be happy with the now and still have goals.

What if the grass isn't greener, what would you do?
Maybe it's time to let happiness be the thing that fills you.


~ by Brian Beard ~

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Love

It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us...
Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.
- Mother Teresa

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Three more Mini Samplers

Here are the next three months from my Mini Samplers collection. It was fun to go from one month to the next, as if I was travelling through seasons faster than ever!

Still working on my Custom Order; I have 5 of 10 bookmarks completed so far. This weekend hasn't been too productive - I had lots due in Illustrator, which takes lots of Do's and Undo's. I am finished with those assignments, so I can focus on my order, then later on on my inventory. LOL... It's not easy jumping from one thing to another.

Yesterday I decided to enjoy the last sounds of summer and put couple of handfulls of sunflower seeds on my back patio. This morning, there is this brown colored cardinal (a female, I assume) chirping up a storm right next to the seeds. It only started eating after another cardinal flew over. I poured myself a cup of fresh coffee and enjoyed my morning... I'm thinking that maybe I should get a bag of birdfeed for the winter :)

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Love

Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves, without any insistence that they satisfy you.

© Dr. Wayne Dyer

We can't keep someone's love for us when we've made them prisoners in our homes and hearts.

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New Mini Samplers

Three more of my Mini Samplers have been listed on my Etsy shop. I'm not feeling very well; it could be the weather... Or a bad, bad stomach flu... Yuck!

Two of my nieces, my nephew and their mother are sick at home with the dreaded swine flu. Keith, their dad and the oldest girl, Nikki are OK at this point. The little ones are dealing with fever over 102F, poor little babies :(

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Thoughts, Words and Deeds

Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.

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New listing - Mini Samplers

I have finally finished all 12 Mini Samplers! WooHoo! Between schoolwork and my recent custom order for 10 bookmarks, there just wasn't enough time to work on shop inventory. Fortunately, I seem to be getting much better at managing my time - the LESS I sleep, the MORE time I have for school and stitching! Magic, isn't it...?


Classes are going well; I am not too happy with my progress in Illustrator, though from the looks of it, I do better than half of my classmates... I am trying to be positive here, and NOT think of the other 50% that are far, far better than I am! Well, practice makes perfect, right...?


I just shipped a two card order - time to work on more bookmarks and select some Holiday themed patterns :)

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Thursday Quote

Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy.

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Echoes of a Woman's Soul

A very dear friend of mine, Dianna Doles Petry, received an awesome review for her first published poetry book. I have had the book for months and every so often, when my soul needs to surround itself in beauty, I open "Echoes of a Woman's Soul".

If you love beautiful poetry that will touch your very core, read Nancy Silveria's book review HERE. Then stop by on Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble and grab yourself a book that will become a favorite :)

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Etsy Feedback :)

One of my customer, actually my very first customer when I opened my Etsy shop in April, 2009, left this feedback for me last month. I LOVE my customers :)

"Always Very , Very Happy here . Always check in to see what is new . I appreciate your work , just as you do my purchase. Thank You for the Gift "} . That was very kind ! "
"
I adore these designs as are the Best I have seen in folk stitch and designs. Service was Fast & Excellent which is why this seller stays in my Faves ! ~ "] ~"

"I bought 3 of these as Colors are so Bright and Pretty .Perfect and very Happy finding Patriotic cards for friends / relatives in the Armed Forces . They LOVE them too ***"

"Wonderful FUN card ! I love this card !! The wine charm is a wonderful charm ! I hope you make more of these as I know a few , who would get a huge :] from. Colors are Beautiful +++"

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5 Simple Rules To Be Happy

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less

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Tuesday's Update

Well, no - I have not fallen off the face of the planet!

Not quite sure why, but I have been totally worn out for the last week or so... I cannot sleep, but I cannot stay fully awake, either. It completely messed up my homework, and this is a really big week: 10 page essay on Domestic Violence, creating/designing a comic book character for a poster, magazine cover or T-shirt, plus a Psychology study of Erikson's Phychosocial Dilemmas/Life Stages... Aghhh...

I haven't done much cross-stitching, either. I am working on completing a series of 12 mini samplers cards, but it's not going well - at all...

How strong do I have to make my coffee to stay awake long enough to study...??

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