Child of Hope

Poor Bloggy

2007-10-05T19:03:00.000-04:00

I've been so neglectful of my little blog here. Life is still really getting in the way right now. Once I get things settled down I'll definitely get this here bloggy up and running again. I haven't been sewing like I want to, and that's a big reason I haven't updated things here.

The good news is that I have a second interview for a job on Monday. I had the first interview today, and I did really well. I'm excited because it'll be a really good job if I get it. Much better than I was expecting even. I hope I do well. I'm really hoping I get it too. I think I would be good at it, and it would be an interesting job to do as well. Plus, it has awesome pay and full benifits. In Michigan that's rare now. It would be wonderful to have health insurance again. I try not to think about what would happen if I got really sick or injured. So until I'm done with that next interview and they make their decision I'll just be sitting here crossing my fingers and praying real hard.

Hopefully I can do some crafter interviews soon and I'll have those up to share. Until then, thanks to everyone who reads my lil neglected bloggy. :)

Poster Winners!

2007-08-16T12:37:00.000-04:00

I'm so happy the poster contest results are finally in! There were so many beautiful entries, and I got into the honorable mention list! This was so much fun, and I hope they do it again sometime.

Sorry, I haven't posted in a while. Hopefully I'll get back on track soon. Sometimes life just gets in the way. I'm still applying for jobs, and I think I'm going to go back to school in the winter. I'll take some more unofficial computer courses for now. Then I'm planning on entering a Paralegal Studies program at a local university. I already have my bachelor's degree, so the program would be post bachelor. Theoretically you can finish the program in a year, but since I will hopefully be working as well, I think I'll go part time. Well, I guess that's the update for now. :)

Again, a big congrats to all the winners!

Video of the Week

2007-08-03T18:20:00.001-04:00

Sorry I didn't post one last week, but here's this one from The Office for you. I have discovered the Jim and Pam goodness, and this is a great little music video all about them. I can't wait to see what happens this season! Enjoy!

New Fairy line!

2007-07-24T15:36:00.000-04:00

Here's my fairy! Actually, I made two. One to sell, and one for me. :) I couldn't even help it. It was supposed to be a self portrait for the Etsy Plush Street Team, and how could I make myself, and not keep one?

So here's a couple pics. The top one is the full view, with her cotton body, cute feathery hair, and silk taffeta dress. She's a very luxurious fairy. ;) The next pic is of her wings, with her hair up in a clip. I was very important to me to make hair that can be played with. I always loved doll hair. Oh, and her wings are made out of flannel. They're snuggly!

I also make the dresses completely removable, and will have more dresses in my shop soon. My favorite thing to do as a girl was change my dollies clothes, so I'll have a bunch of dresses up soon. I'll do some other cute accessories as well, but you'll have to wait and see. Hopefully these fairies will be a hit. I just love them. And they're so so fun to make. It's probably because I was so doll crazy when I was a kid. I had so many that I loved. Heck, I still have some stored away nicely. I can't part with a few of them, and to be honest, neither can my mom. (hehehehe, she's so cute.)

Anyway, I love them, and I hope others do as well. I have another cute one already planned, and I can't wait to sew her up!

Etsy Poster Contest

2007-07-20T12:28:00.000-04:00

So I just made a treasury called Angel of Mine, and I liked it so much I made a poster for the etsy conteset! They're going to make 20 prints out of the entries they receive. I hope mine makes the cut! You can click on the pic to see a larger version of it too.

p.s. I haven't heard about the job yet.....I think I might not get it. Sigh.....not giving up hope yet, but I am starting to get discouraged.

Post Interview...Post :)

2007-07-16T16:05:00.000-04:00

Okay, big sigh of relief. The interview went really well, at least I think it did. I hope I get it. I was the first interview and I think I made a good impression. I answered all the questions she shot at me well and I could tell she liked my responses. There's a couple more interviews today and one on Wednesday, so she said she'd probably be doing callbacks on Thursday. She's really nice, and I fall more in love with the store every time I'm there.

So now I'm really hoping I get it. Although I know it went well, my concern now is if I'm better for the job than the other people interviewing. It seems like an absolutely wonderful place to work, so I still have my fingers crossed really hard. I just have to wait now, and Thursday seems like a long way away......

Job Interview

2007-07-16T10:04:00.001-04:00

Today I have a job interview at the cutest little shop in Berkley. It's called Catching Fireflies, and it's just the most adorable little place. Here's a pic of the outside and one of the inside. Isn't it cute?! While things with Etsy are going well, my financial situation has changed a little, and I need some extra income. They're looking for part time help, and I really hope I get it.

This shop is so adorable, and they sell handmade items too! That's what makes this shop so unique. They sell local artists' work, so it's a one of a kind shopping experience. They even sell Fairy Buttons! I love her work, and bought one of her mobiles for my nephew-to-be.

It would be just a dream job. I obviously adore handmade items and I love promoting fellow artists, especially local ones. And helping people find these one of a kind gifts that they love is so rewarding. That's the best part of my Etsy shop; knowing that people love what they buy from me is just the most wonderful feeling.

So the interview is in about 2 hours, and I'm starting to get nervous. I really want this job, and it would be much needed right now. There hasn't been a job I've interviewed for that I haven't gotten, so that helps my confidence. I'm still nervous though. I would adore working there. They even have a resident kitty cat! How adorable is that?

Well, it's time to start getting ready. I'll probably do another post-interview entry later on today. I hope I do well. *fingers crossed*

Video of the week July 13, 2007

2007-07-13T13:33:00.001-04:00

Well it's Friday again, and look! I'm actually posting it on Friday like I'm supposed to! hehehe. This video is of Kevin Crawford. He's an AMAZING musician from the group Lunasa. This is him playing the tin whistle.

I love this video because I already play the flute, but I want to get a tinwhistle so badly. He inspires me.

Mini monkeys everywhere!

2007-07-09T12:42:00.000-04:00

I am on a mini monkey makin' binge! I have these two done so far. Avery is the pink one on the left, and Melanie is on the right. Melanie sold already! I have 3 more that are half done and will be ready to list soon. I think after making 5 in a row, I'll be ready to take a break from the mini's for a bit.

I think after I'm done with these I'll try my first fairy. I have the designs all layed out, I just have to make the pattern and give it a whirl. The only thing that's really hanging me up is the hair. I'm going to do yarn hair, and I think it's going to be a bit of a challenge. I've never done a doll before, so we'll see how it goes. I have a vague idea, but I don't know if it's going to work or not yet.

I also have no idea how much they're going to be. They're going to be a lot of work, with the doll, the dress, the wings, the embroidery, and the hair. I guess I'll see once I make my first one how much work they are.

I know my mini's are worth more than I list them for. They take about 3-4 hours to make, and I sell them for $20. I would make them more, but I don't know if people would buy them if I made them more expensive. My large ones are $35, and I've only sold one. I did a couple trades where I made big ones, but those don't really count. I've sold a bunch of mini's though.

I enjoy making them no matter what they sell for, and I love that they make people so happy. That's the best part. If I can make people happy with these little munchkins I'm satisfied.

Video of the week

2007-07-07T18:24:00.001-04:00

I love this little flash animation. I originally saw it on deviant art, and loved it. Enjoy!

Monkey with no wings

2007-07-03T15:04:00.000-04:00

This is Yomi, my first monkey that doesn't fly. She's been grounded. :) The girl who ordered her was afraid the dog would tear off the wings.

I really like how she turned out too! It's weird not making the wings, but I like her still, and the sewing went a lot faster. Cutting and sewing all those turns, and embroidering the wings take a long time.

So if anyone wants custom order monkeys minus the wings I'll definitely do some more.

Otters holding hands

2007-07-01T15:35:00.001-04:00

Alright, I know I was supposed to post a new video on Friday, but some unexpected things happened that needed immediate attention, so here's this ADORABLE video for you all. Watch the WHOLE THING. You have to wait for the best part of this one until the end. Enjoy!

Fabric is Organized

2007-06-25T17:10:00.001-04:00

I'm really excited! I just put up a link on the side bar over there under the links section to a list of all my fabrics that I have. I put single pics of everything up, and combo pics like this one. The combo pics are good because it shows what I already know looks good together, and gives a buyer a good sense of what things will look like when thinking about a custom order.

Plus, when a buyer asks me what kind of fabrics I have, I can just shoot them the link so they can see for themselves. Hopefully this will be convenient for those who are looking for a custom order.

I love doing custom orders too. It's nice to make something special for someone. I just finished one today actually. Someone wanted a mini monkey like Miki. So the new one is Kita, and I think they could practically be twins! I hope she likes her. Well, that's it for now. Happy Monday everyone!

Video of the Week

2007-06-22T17:13:00.001-04:00

Well, it's Friday, and it's time for the first installation of the video of the week segment. Every week I'll be putting up a youtube video that I love. Something cute, funny, or touching.

This week is cute and funny. What's cuter than a baby, and here we have 4! And who can keep from laughing at this giggly bunch?

Enjoy!

I love treasuries

2007-06-19T15:06:00.000-04:00

There is a feature on Etsy known as the treasury. It's a great little feature. Members get to collect listings of the items they love, and put them together in a 12 item list known as a treasury. I love making treasuries with themes.

My first one was called Blue and Brown Goodness, full of lovely pale blue and brown items. I was so excited it made it to the first page of treasuries. So far, every one I've made has been really popular. That makes me so happy, because I love showing off the beautiful and amazing items found on Etsy.

The picture at the top is the one I made last time "Pink and Brown Goodness". Starrz85 showed me how to do a screencap, so I have this one to share with everyone. Thanks Starry!

I've been tagged!

2007-06-15T17:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I was tagged by Snow Angel Designs , a girl who makes really cute dolls that I came in contact with on Flickr. She has an Etsy shop too. I have to post 5 random things about myself. The game is....get tagged and post 5 random facts about yourself and tag 5 others. Make sure you include why you tagged them. You also have to make sure to post a comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged.

Ready for the randomness, here we go!

1. I use to take figure skating lessons as a girl, but I had to stop because I had asthma. Well, it wasn't the asthma really, it was the cold ice that aggravated it and made me catch pneumonia. I was 7 and crushed when my parents told me I couldn't do it anymore. So, I guess I'll never be the next Michelle Kwan.

2. One time when I was about 13 my friend came over and we made a HUGE batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. Did we make a million cookies? Nope. We ate the dough, with big glasses of milk! Why make the cookies when eating the dough is so much fun. It just seemed the logical thing to do once we were both white from head to toe after our monumental flour fight. And hey, we didn't even get sick from eating all that dough. So now I never listen to people that say you shouldn't taste the dough or the batter because of the eggs. They just don't know what they're missing.

3. I love music that moves me. When you can feel something inside of you swelling with the music. There's just something about having a song touch you so deeply you feel it in every part of you. Songs that do this to me: Nessun Dorma from the opera Turandot (I love that little clip by the way), Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings Op. 11, Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium (make sure you click the right song), Rachmoninoff's 18th Variation of a Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (only the first half of this clip though), John William's theme from Schindler's List, Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro, and many more.

4. I didn't have one drop of alcohol until I was 21 years old. My first drink was on my 21st birthday where my hubby (then boyfriend) took me out to a wonderful restaurant (Italian of course!) and I got to take out my new licence and everything. A friend recommended a red wine, which was AWFUL, so I sent it back and got a nice white wine instead. That tasted much better. I still don't really like red wine, but I like whites, blushes, and of course champagne rocks my socks.

5. I'm really into interior decorating. I love that we have a house that needs fixing up, because now I get to plan it all out. I mean, I have no money right now, but once we save, I can't wait to renovate. I've already got the bedroom plans completely set, and that should be the cheapest room to do. Next is the bathroom, I have the plans for that almost finished. That will be really cool, because it's a total bathroom renovation for under $1000, that even includes tile and supplies, paint, stain, towels and rugs, mirrors, lighting, a jacuzzi tub, and all kinds of other goodies. It'll be my spa retreat before I know it. Now I just have to save for it and get to work!

Okay, on to the people I'm tagging:

1. The first person I'm tagging is aPunkinCardCompany. She makes the most beautiful cards. I bought one for my hubby for our anniversary last month, and she was the first person to buy a monkey from my shop. So she's extra special!

2. The next person is Slumbergirldesigns. She makes really cute pajamas that are oh so comfy. I got a pair of shorties like these, except mine are pink. If you want some really cute and comfy pj's, she's your girl.

3. The third person I'm tagging is Fribbles. She's a girl I first found out about on Deviant Art, and her bears are so amazing! She's a bear artist who makes most of her creations 3 inches and under. They're just beautiful, and I found out she made an etsy shop too!

4. Next up is TheDancingNeedle. She makes lots of embroidered labels, bags, and other beautiful things. She's such a sweety, and her shop is definitely worth a 'lil looksee. If you are lucky enough to get to know her, you will be lucky indeed.

5. Alright, we've made it to the end of the list. And the last person I'm tagging is.....(drum roll please).........Binageyer! She makes lovely jewelry on etsy. I really adore her dangly earrings. She's very creative, and her jewelry goes fast, so check back often for new things before they're all snatched up.

Okay all done! That was fun. I hope all the people I tag enjoy the game too!

New Line: Mitten Kittens!

2007-06-05T16:47:00.000-04:00

Here at Child of Hope Creations there's a brand new line, Mitten Kittens! All of them will have cute little mittens on their paws and tails. I just listed the first one a few minutes ago in my Etsy shop. There she is on the left. Liddy the pretty kitty!

I already have more cut out, and they will be up for sale soon! If you don't see exactly what you're looking for, just let me know and I can make something special just for you!

This special kitty is Liddy. Liddy is a snuggly lap cat that loves to purr. She’s always up for some good scratches behind her ears and a belly rub. Liddy is a very good kitty. Unlike other kitties, she won’t scratch your furniture, or make messes. Now that it’s getting warmer out, she’s dreaming of warm sunny beaches and cool lemonade. Won’t you take her home and spend a lazy day in the sun with her?

I am just in love with these kitties right now. I have 2 more that are all cut out and ready to be sewn up. After I do those two, I have even more ideas to start sewing together. I'm so excited! I feel like I have some good creative energy right now. I better get back at it while it lasts!

Quick update

2007-05-27T17:18:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted anything lately. I have been busy with some personal things, but will be back to post all kinds of new items and ideas soon. Plus, my laptop, where I do all my image editing isn't working right now. I'm getting a new part for it soon, and then I will be able to post in my shop again, and will be able to put more on here too. Thanks for being patient!

First blog!

2007-05-12T16:22:00.000-04:00

This is my very first post, in my very first blog ever! I'm so excited, because this little blog took me forever to figure out. I've never worked with HTML before, and it was hard to figure out! But now all the boxes say what I want, and the content in the boxes say what I want, the picture is how I want it, and I added some pretty music for your listening pleasure. It's taken me practically all day, but I'm so happy! More to come soon.....