More Natural Museum Tags

I have lots more Natural Museum Type tags to sell. I am even starting a natural museum Christmas collection. It will have birds, deer, bears, pine trees, and more! Right now I have cards and tags. I just have not listed them yet. I really love the way they turned out. What kind of natural antique looking items would you like to see?

Meet My Studio Mascot

I have been so busy lately preparing for Christmas sales that I thought I would take a break and have some fun. I added a hat and sign to this little guy. The sign says "believe" to remind me to believe in myself. I will be adding new items to my Etsy store. It was in the high 80s to day!!!! I cant wait for cool weather. Tomorrow is supposed to be 30 degrees cooler than today. I cant wait!

Its Snowing Glitter at Brandywine Boutique

Glitter, glitter everywhere. I have gotten a really good start on my Christmas creating. I am making cones, dangles or ornaments, cards, and lot so fun vintage style stuff. I am digging in to my stash and using my "good stuff". The items pictured are going to a local show here. You can read about it here. http://stokeschicantiques.blogspot.com/ I will also be adding some to my ETSY store!

Ditzy and Deep

Can you really be both? Well, I guess I am. My "break" from ETSY lasted two days. I should of known. I just cant stay away. It fuels my passion which keeps me breathing. I woke this morning and ideas just poured out of me. Thank goodness. I was starting to wonder where my muse had gone off to. I know what I am going to concoct for Christmas. I want to use a buttery cream color, black, and silver glitter. With lots of vintage post cards and birds. I cant wait! Is it too early to start on Christmas yet? Also the whole "cabinet of curiosities and natural museum" idea will NOT leave my head. I don't think any thing has ever tugged at my soul as much.

Ohh yay the ditsy part. Ok, I have been searching high and low for the little numbers you find on antique prints. They are very distinct and I REALLY wanted them for my work. I looked for stamps, stickers, rub ons, stencils, you name it. Then (after days of searching) I realized its from an antique type writer. And I HAVE one that works. I have never used it. Well ,duh! So, I feel like a very deep artsy type person but, sometimes I am pretty dang goofy. My husband would agree.

Have a great day!

New Collection

The collection I have titled Cabinet of Curiosity's and Natural Museum series is coming along nicely. I REALLY love the way my newest tag set came out. You can see it in my ETSY shop. I will be adding much more to this collection. I have acquired a FABULOUS collection of vintage and antique prints. I actually cried I was so excited when saw all the pretty birds and eggs and NEST! I still do not know why but I am truly obsessed with eggs and nest. Speaking of nest. I think I am going to take a little etsy break. I really need to do some nesting in my home and yard. I also have a REALLY big project I am working on. Me. I am changing a lot about myself and I want to go on a sorda spiritual journey. I really want to learn to live life with full passion and pleasure. If you have read "eat, pray, love" You will know what I am talking about. And if you havent read it you really should.

Books and Roses

I just wanted to thank everyone who wished me a happy anniversary. We went to a very romantic Italian restaurant and went camping. My hubby got me the most gorgeous roses ever! And they smell Divine. I also wanted to mention this book. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Oprah said it was life changing. It really truly is.

Today is my 3 year Anniversary

Wow three years. Its seems like longer. I have been reminiscing this morning so I will take you with me. I DID NOT want a wedding. I wanted to get married on a beach somewhere. But, my dear husband wanted a wedding with tuxes and white dress and all that. So I gave in. And I am really glad I did. We invited only 6o or so people. We found the perfect place. His grandmothers back yard. She has a small forest of persimmon trees. There was a trail in the Forest that lead to a small meadow with a huge pear tree in the center. We had an arch full of lights in the entry to the forest. The guest, and later wedding party were escorted though the trail which was full of hanging candles and lights. Then you step out into the meadow to see a setting sun. The air was perfect. Just a little crisp. There were butterflies flying all around us. They were attracted to the pears from the pear tree. I could not have been more magical or fun. Oh, gosh now I am getting teary. Time to stop. lol

Have a great day!!!

I got invited to join a web ring!

Hmmm...whats a web ring? lol Well it is a FABULOUS blog with very talented women, making Delicious paper eye candy. If you love paper these shops will make you swoon. Sigh........paper I love you so.

The tags above are part of my Cabinet of Curiosity's and Natural Museum series. I really love how they came out. I cant wait to make more. Now if I just could find the time. I have really become obsessed with ideas behind cabinets of curiosities and natural science. Shadow box's, jars, cabinets full of plant specimens, bird eggs, nest, and bugs. It all just makes my soul hum. This is the heart of my art. I do LOVE the glitter and lace but my heart belongs to nature art. So far I have not found much in the way of information on using these things in art. So if anyone knows of where I could find it please let me know. Catherine Moore and Anna Corba are the biggest inspirations to me.

Well, I must go. I have my step sons 5th birthday party to put together. Another weekend of a house full of wild boys. Oh so fun! Have I mentioned how smelly it gets with a house full of boys? One of life's mysteries: how can something so cute and small smell up a whole room? lol

I have been feeling bad lately. Allergies I think. So I have not gotten much done. I have however made a few more Halloween items. I really like the way Scruffy owl #2 turned out. He is fatter than the first one. I will be adding new items to my ETSY shop this week. I have a new series coming out I am calling "Cabinet of Curiosity's-Natural Museum." I have been working on the idea for months. There will be tags and bottles and all sorts of fun things.

Tagged

Oh good grief I have been tagged by Rachel from FH Design. lol

Here are the rules:

Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My middle name is Kay. Haha

K- Keegan is the name of my adorable sweet son who is missing his front two teeth at the moment.

A-Always. I am always working on one or more projects. I am always busy. I am always forgetting stuff. I am always running out of glue.

Y-Yippee(oh come on. Y is a hard one) Yippee my booth and etsy store are doing awesome. Yippee Halloween my fav holiday is around the corner.

I LOVE having a studio!

Today we enjoyed just staying at home. The fair last night was fun. Not much to take pictures of however. Our fair is.....well.....kinda....crappy. Lol No cool crafts or booths or any thing. Just live stock and small rides. So I didn't get many good pics. I did how ever get a shot of this little boy. I have no idea who he was but, he just had all American Fair all over him. He was eating a corn dog, holding a way to big cap, and was very dusty. What a cutie! I have decided one of my all time favorite smells is cotton candy. But, giving kids cotton candy at 8:00 at night is NOT a good idea. It was how ever fun to watch.

I also had time to work on my studio while the hubby and boys went hunting. Sigh....it was so

quite. I feel so lucky to have a studio. Tomorrow we might go fishing. It was my idea. No, really it was! lol

Feeling Birdy

Today I made some little bird things. One is a cute little altered book or journal and the other a wax collage. You can find them on ETSY.

I also found these wonderful, cute keys at a junk store yesterday. They were 10 cents each!!!! I cant wait to add them to my art and make a few jewelry pieces with them.

Tonight we take all three boys to the fair! I hope between rides they let me see the exhibits. Or just maybe i will sneak away to see them alone. No........that would be way to cruel to leave my hubby with 3 wild boys at a fair. Oh well.....I will take pics to share!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Happy creating,

Brandy

NEW LOOK @ MY ETSY STORE

Hi!

Well I did a total make over of my ETSY store! I have been thinking about it for a while. So I have a new banner and avatar. I have a TON of stuff on sale. I decided my business online and at my booth were doing great but needed something. After alot of thinking I realized I just needed to make them more professional. So far most of my items have been one of a kind. The ppl that seem to have the best ETSY stores and online boutiques have a lot of the similar items. So I made a list of items that sell well for me. I will be making more of those items. But, each one will still be a little different. Example: altered comp books, I will make a lot of them, all looking different, THEN list them. I think a group of items just looks better too. Not to mention the time it will save me. I really do not know why I didn't think of this before. I guess I just really enjoy creating something new everyday. So I am transitioning from a fun way to make a little extra spending money to wanting to really make a business. So be on the look out for great new stuff!

Brandy

Updates

I thought I would update from previous post. To everyone who commented on my Bat Man post I feel honored to have touched a cord in y'all. Since that post I have gotten a hair cut, bought new shoes, and bought new make up. But, I am still using Bat Man hair gel. I guess I just like it. lol

I am also almost done with my studio. I just have a few touches left.

My sons birthday party was a HUGE success. Thanks to all who wished him a Happy birthday!

My booth did AWESOME! I made alot more money than I ever thought I would. I sold almost everything!

So there you go! Updates in a nutshell.

Have a wonderful day!

Birthdays!!!!!!

Today my little cutie pie is 8. I just cant believe it. I feel the age 8 is a turning point in a boys life. Mine seems more independent, wants to hang out with dad more than me, and is testing more boundaries than he ever has before. Its making me get all teary! My little boy is on the road to becoming a little man. Hes getting a BB gun. Booo hooo!

Tonight is his big party. Its theme is Dinner and a Movie. We will have hot dogs, pop corn, and a ninja turtle movie. Awww a boys paradise. N-e-ways here are some pics of the cake I made.

I promise to start writing more soon!

Bat Man Hair Gel

I have sold 60 items in 3 1/2 months on ETSY. I feel like this is a real achievement. My booth has also sold some items. I have made my goal of getting my "rent" back for the first month on my booth. And I still have 2 weeks to go. I haven't been crafting or web surfing much the last week. School is starting in a little over one week. So I really wanted to fit in some fun stuff and I have tons to do to get ready. You know the drill, shopping, check ups, trying on old clothes, cleaning. To top that off, my hubbies b-day just passed and now my sons is coming up. So I also have to shop and plan a birthday party. Normally this is fun for me. Its stressful but the parts of being a stay at home mom that I love. But, after a long day of baking, cleaning, doc. appt. and birthday dinner with the in-laws I just sorta lost it. It started when I was getting ready for dinner. I was squeezing the last of my eye liner out, using bat man hair gel, and not finding any thing to wear that everyone hadn't seen a million times. I just took a step back and thought" how long have I been using bat man hair gel and using the last tiny bit of remnants of make up?" I wasn't even sure. Sigh.....My hubby ALWAYS has all his stuff. I NEVER let him run out. The kids do too. Why don't I take care of myself? I always put myself last. So after hubby made a mess in the kitchen I had just scrubbed I just yelled "I'm going out!!!" I grabbed the dog and took off. I went to a park and just walked and thought. I realized some things
1. I'm a perfectionist and nobody can do a job as well as me
2. I DO NOT know how to relax
3. I yell way to much
4. If I do not learn to relax, enjoy myself, and let others help out....I'm going to have a heart attack.
So......when hubby comes home I am going to apologize and tell him I am going to learn to chill. And he can help around the house without me hovering all he wants. (I'm sure he will love that one. lol)

So this blog is much more personal than my others. Why share? I know there are alot of moms out there using Bat Man gel right now. lol My message to you is Take a look at your life. Choose to be happy and have fun. Even if it means letting the Hubby feed the kids junk food, letting the laundry pile up, and the floor go unmoped. Your worth it. Im sure your husband and kids think so too.

Wow Thanks!

I feel so honored! Kat at http://alteredkat.blogspot.com/ nominated me for this. Cool!

I think these sweet ladies need the award too!

Aj at http://trash2treasure.wordpress.com/ She has an awesome store!

Kelly at http://www.dovegreystudio.blogspot.com/ Her house is sooo pretty.

Lori at http://faeriewindow.blogspot.com/ her art is sooo cute and she is really nice!

Tiffany at http://wwwbeyondthevintagepath.blogspot.com/ She does amazing work and is a sweetie!

Yay Rockin Girls!!!!

I LOVE junking!

I have been so busy crafting my little heart out. I have been making items for my etsy store and booth. I have discovered the wonders of crepe paper. I LOVE it. It took practice but I can make rosettes now. Today when I went junking I got some fabulous finds. Tons of vintage rick rack, ribbon, lace, and wooden spools. But, best of all I got this great old school house desk. Isn't it precious? Sadly, it just will not fit in my small house. Not to mention I do not think it is wise to have antiques around 3 little wild boys. So off to my booth it will go. I meet some wonderful ladies this week that are just as passionate about art and junk as I am. It was so nice to chat with such wonderful gals who gave me a huge boost of confidence.

SALE SALE SALE

I am having a half off sale in my etsy store.

http://www.brandywineboutique.com/

I want to change the look of my store and add lots of new cute items but I want to clear out some of the old first. Here is a preview of whats to come at my shop.

Well its done!

I have finally done it. My booth is all set up. It turned out cuter than I thought. Now I just have to sit back and see if I sell anything. Its so nerve wracking! It was sooo much work. I just have to mention how sweet and wonderful my husband is. He helped me set up. Which was a large task with 3 heavy doors to hang from the ceiling! So thank you so much. I couldn't have done it with out you. I am blessed to have such a supportive husband.

So now I must finish painting my studio. I am also planning to have a BIG sale in my ETSY store. I want to start fresh with lots on new items. But, of course I will have to create new ones first! lol

I feel like my new creative journey in life is really starting to get going. It so exciting. Thanks for coming along.