Welcome to 2018!

As a kid, I used to lay in bed and calculate how old I'd be in the year 2000. It seemed so impossibly far off in the future, I couldn't even imagine! Now that year has long come and gone and I've clicked over to the ripe old age of 60. Oh.My.God. 60! I have to admit I'm sort of in panic mode here. Life is whizzing by!!!! STOP!!! I don't want it to ever end. Am I scared about getting older, aging, possible sickness, all those worries I guess everyone else has? Yes. For sure I am. So I've made a vow this year. Not some stupid resolution that you know you'll abandon in February, but a vow. I'm vowing to live THE BEST LIFE I CAN! Every day, every minute, every second!!! And to do that means I need to live how and where I want to live and that is not where I currently am. Biggest mistake I ever made was moving out of Seattle, but mistakes can be fixed and that's part of my "vow" for 2018!

Aside from my clicking to 60 (gulp), there hasn't been a lot of "landmark" events that have happened in 2017 really. Well our grandma (Granny Hilda) from California just passed away a couple weeks ago and that was huge for us. We loved this woman SO much! She would've been 100 this May 1st. She was truly my hero. A crazy, kooky, free spirit of a woman that I've always loved and admired. She loved everything Western, cowboy, Arabian horse, and country. She raised Arabian horses her whole life and gave me 2 of them. We had adventures together, traveled in her van on road trips, road the rails on a train trip from CA to WA, ate lots of Mexican food, and had just the best of times. On one of our road trips, we took her up to Lake Tahoe, CA to the Ponderosa Ranch where they filmed the old TV western "Bonanza". We tried to hook her up with an older dapper gentlemen who tended the saloon there. Unfortunately he was already married. LOL! Yes, she will be dearly missed...they broke the mold with her that's for sure..

This past year has also brought me a lot of great sales as well as customers in my Etsy shop, By Way of Salem. My sales have increased by like 46% from last year which is fantastic! Surprisingly, I didn't sell as many of my painted snowmen rocks as I normally do, but instead sold a lot of everything else. I think it's cause everyone's sort of getting on board with painting rocks. It's a "thing" now.

My jewelry sales in my other shop, "Salem's Charms" haven't been as great as I'd like, but I do keep selling so I guess that's promising. That's my other goal this year, to really work on that shop and to get better photos of my items as well as create new ones and learn new techniques, and market more. I know it can be successful so that's a plan.

I got another dog this past year which brings us back up to 6 after losing Freckles, my #1 dog and love of my life. This one is named "Dolly". She's a purebred Pit and the sweetest girl EVER! Another rescue I'm afraid. Hubby found her wandering into his GM dealership and she was still wandering around there when he was leaving for the day so he brought her home. She's just the sweetest girl and I'm so happy to have her!

The true goal for my job though is to buy a 2nd home, somewhere where I truly want to get away to! 

Somewhere where there's skiing and snow and four seasons. We're thinking of either Salt Lake City, Utah or thereabouts, or possibly Colorado. And maybe a modular home or A-frame cabin or something. Doesn't need to be huge, just something with a big kitchen and ample room for a craft studio as well as my many critters. Or I'd consider a nice trailer, as in the towable kind possibly to put on a piece of land. Not sure.  And of course must be near skiing! That's a big part of my "vow"; to continue my life doing what I love; skiing.

Gobble Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Will you be partaking in "Black Friday?" I definitely won't be. I love shopping, the hectic hustle and bustle of the holiday rush and all, but Black Friday is just a bit too crazy even for this girl. I'll just shop local at some of the little mom and pop shops. Kind of cozy and a bit more intimate I think.

Nuts! 

What are your plans for the holidays this year? For me, it'll be a quiet one. It's been that way pretty much since my Dad passed away. Holidays just aren't the same without him at the end of the table. There's really only my brother and myself left and he's in California and I'm in Tennessee (for now), so we just celebrate on our own. Sort of lonely but we make the best of it. Try and find bits of joy....

My Etsy shop is always busy this time of year so I've been filling orders while watching Hallmark movies. I just love them! Do you have a favorite? "Christmas Under Wraps" is one of mine.

I also love, "A Christmas Kiss", though I don't think it's a Hallmark movie. It's still one of those happy, feel good, festive ones though.

I've been working a little also, just cutting hair for now until I find a regular day job, or maybe I'll stay cutting hair. I really do like it. I mean what a fun job!

Really I've been home more than I've been working, but that's ok. I love to spend time with my dogs and cats especially cause 2 of my dogs are getting old and every day counts. I give extra love and attention to them. The dogs love having me around too to keep them company. We all watch Hallmark movies together!!

Happiest of holidays everyone!!!

Gypsy Souls for Sale

And Sold!  I'm really excited! I can't believe how excited I am! LoL!  I've had a lot of sales in my By Way of Salem store, but for some reason, my first sale in Salem's Charms has me giddy! YaY!

My Gypsy Soul necklace, yes that one!, the silver swirl with beads and the dragonfly, sold yesterday! I absolutely loved making it and now I must make more. Be back soon with more new stuff!

Salem's Charms on Etsy

It's up, it's open!  My new Etsy store, "Salem's Charms" is now open for business. The past couple of weeks I've been busy trying to coordinate everything; taking photos, thinking of things to write about in my shop announcement and story, etc. I'm still working on my banner and avatar but I've got my design laid out so now all I need is time on Photoshop to put it together. It takes a lot of work to open a store, and time which I don't have a lot of. Whew!

Not that I'm a great photographer anyway, but I discovered after I posted my listings, I really don't like how the pictures turned out so I'm going to redo them. And of course I'm not very stocked up with listings, so be patient while I create and photograph more.

So why did I choose the name "Salem's Charms" you ask? I wanted to tie into By Way of Salem and not  be totally random, sort of an off-shoot of my current store, but without a lot of Halloween jewelry. 

Salem's Charms is about rustic, romantic, gypsy, soulful, happy jewelry. Classic and pretty. Stamped metal, beads, fabric, clay, leather, ribbons and charms. A world of pretties!

Come on over anytime for a visit. I'm excited about this new adventure and hope you will be too!  See you soon ~ Jeannine

I Just HAVE to Share!

I was going to wait, but no, I'm not going to. I'm just really excited about something I've recently started and I just have to share with you!

Ok, so you know how I currently have my By Way of Salem store on Etsy? and this blog and Facebook page..well I'm embarking on a new creative adventure (yes, another one...). I've immersed myself into metal stamped jewelry (and other things) and I'm totally hooked! So...I'm opening up another Etsy store called SALEM'S CHARMS! I will of course have jewelry appropriate for Halloween, but I'm going to do lots of other specialties such as weddings, births, and my usual non-traditional items of course. Yes, ok, so there are a ton of other jewelry shops all over the place. That's fine..enough people in the world to share. Plus I'm going to add the By Way of Salem flair to each piece, so they'll be different and unique.

In addition to my metal jewelry, I'll also have beads, polymer (clay) beads and pieces, and who knows what else.

During this creative adventure, I recently discovered that I love wedding jewelry! I'm hoping to really jump into doing lots of special wedding pieces cause it's such a special day and I'd love to have a part in that. I can just envision some rustic necklaces for a barn wedding!

LOVE this one!

Of course I'll have my original By Way of Salem shop still open and I'll be painting and creating for it. I love Halloween too much to give that up! I just like to venture off the beaten path here and there. Keeps things interesting!

So stay tuned and I'll let you know when I'm all up and running. Thanks for staying my fans!

Oh My Gosh it's 2014! Where Does the Time Fly???

How about making a New Year's Dream jar? Cute huh?

I remember when I was a little girl, probably about 10, I'd wonder what year it would be when I turned 44.  I don't know why 44 was the magic number, but for some random reason it was at the time. Oh I know - because I was wondering how old I'd be in the very far away year of 2000. It was 44.  I couldn't imagine being that old! LOL! Now I wish I was that young!

Here we are now in 2014...I really want THIS YEAR to be MY year. I've been saying that for about the past 5, and so far no such luck. Maybe if I don't pronounce it as "my year", then maybe it will be my turn.

I've got lots of things in the works for this year. Some are top secret, so I can't say yet, but they are BIG! HUGE! GREAT! And I can't wait!!! The others are equally great, but not quite to that degree.  You just can't help but plan and hope and dream when a new year rolls around can you?

What are all your dreams and wishes for 2014?

Oh Christmas Tree (Topper), Oh Christmas Tree (Topper)

A Christmas tree without a "topper" is like not having frosting on your cake, a bow on a wrapped present, or no carved face on your Halloween pumpkin. Don't you agree?

Some people decorate with stars, some with angels, and some relate to whatever theme their tree might reflect. My favorite are of course snowmen!  The snowman tree topper that I make every year is an angel snowman with a rusty star and a vintage card tag. He's a customer favorite year after year.

Not only is he a tree topper, but you can also put a little gift card in his hem, or he can sit over a gourmet food jar such as cookie mix, jam, etc. Both of these ideas make for wonderful hostess gifts!

If you'd like to order one for yourself or a lucky friend, you can go to my Etsy store or email me directly. 

Halloween Works in Progress

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a few of my most recent creations with y'all before I forget, which I'm known to do since I strongly believe there's a direct correlation between art and insanity!

This is my first attempt designing/stitching and painting my version of a monster doll. I know, I know, you've probably seen a lot of these already, but I wanted to give it a try cause they're so darn cute. Mine isn't done yet so this really is a WIP (work in progress). Once I have him complete, I'll put up a new pic. I've got a couple more appendages to add...

Not using a pattern, I sort of winged it. Just stitching and shaping as I went along. Being a fabric hoarder (and darn proud of it!), I had lots of Halloween scraps and quarters available to choose from. It was more difficult than I thought to put all the fabric selections together, and even now it's too "perfect", so next time I'm just going to randomly pick and choose.

For the face, I did some stitching but then had to add in my handpainting as well. His "crazy" eye and teeth are painted and trimmed with stitching instead of ink.

Once I stitched all the parts and pieces together, I laughed out loud how he turned out! I liked him!

Here's my Halloween version of my favorite snowman holding a pumpkin under the night sky while a spooky tree watches from behind. I still have to add some finishing touches, but he's on the way to chubby cuteness!

Next is a Halloween "Trick or Treat" Wish box. This is a petite wooden box, embellished with a special surprise inside; a tiny envelope to hide a wish underneath the lid. The top is painted with witch boots(say that 3 times fast!) and whirls, stars and dots, along with lots of witch hats all the way around the sides. It's held up by 4 ball feet, each painted a different Halloween color with added polka dots. Inside is lined with black and white polka dot paper.

 

You can see all of these and more in my Etsy store. Just click here and it will take you right to it. Happy Halloween! 

Let it Snow!

Happy Fall - almost Winter to everyone. Where has the year gone? It was just Summer! Oh but I love Winter though. Snowmen, skiing, Christmas, holiday lights, and of course the proverbial bad holiday movie that comes out every year. LOL!

I've been painting again and I wanted to show you all my latest snowmen creations. I got several custom orders for snowmen and other things from my Etsy store. A customer in Rhode Island ordered my snowman paperweight, then ordered 5 more! They're painted with acrylics on river rock, about the size of a grapefruit is what I try for, then sealed and then varnished. I love them and am sad when I have to send them on their merry way. Yes, I do get attached to inanimate objects! The snowmen were originally designed by Renee Mullins, but I do try to modify them a bit, however I must give her credit for the original darlings.

Here's a group photo of the 5 I just painted, and then my favorite holding a heart.

Isn't he just huggable??

Fall Confetti Bracelet

It's no secret that I love Fall. Who wouldn't with all the beautiful Fall colors? There's a crispness in the air, the sky is more blue against the big puffy clouds, and then of course there's Halloween.

My Fall Confetti bracelet is a blend of my favorite Halloween and lovely Fall colors, with a touch of whimsy tossed in of course! There are about 4 layers of beads in the making of it including; freshwater pearls in soft peach, glass, crystals, silver lined, metal, strung on a base of black beads. It's finished off with a silver toggle clasp. I will be posting it on my Etsy store today.

I'm making lots more pretties right now, so check back soon!

Idle Hands are the Devil's Workshop

One of my mom's favorite expression when I was a kid. Guess I was always into something. LOL!

These hands have not been idle lately. I've been enduring a grueling schedule in my "technical" class at cosmetology school and I'm plum worn out! Last week was days of "foiling", this week it's been nothing but perms, perms, perms. This Saturday is another test, then I've got finals in another week. Non-stop I tell ya!

Good news on the craft-front: I do have some Halloween items in the works, a swap in September with Rabbit Hallow Prims, and I'm planning on doing a local holiday craft bazaar in November as well, so I will be creating shortly. And once finals are over, I'm going to start busying my hands in clay and paint, instead of perm rods! LOL!

Mostly, I just wanted to touch base with my loyal following who have been so patient with my non-creating lately. Thanks for staying with me and checking in. I'm lonely not creating and hearing from you, so please drop by anytime to just say "Hi!" Take care, Jeannine

On Etsy Tonite!

Here's a few snowmen, angels, and even a santa ornament I've just finished.

These are cut of 1/2" pine, and painted with acrylics, and topped with a clear coat of varnish. I've used twine, gold thread and ribbon, or a blue angel print fabric for the hangers.

Of course I'm partial to snowmen, but I love these angel babies too!

And the Santa holding the tree - reminds me of a green sugar cookie! Hope you like 'em! I'll be putting these on Etsy tonite.

Yet MORE Etsy Listings! and Pictures!

Hello dahlings! Hope you are all doing well this lovely Fall day. I've got more items going on Etsy tonite. Lots more! I'm excited to get them into my shop. Don't know why I didn't before, guess I got all caught up with Halloween, and these are mostly all Winter items. I'll probably be putting on about 20 pieces or so I think. Bet you didn't think I could paint such sweet little things did you? Surprise! So let me tell you what I've put up - and here's a few pics too....

First are some soft sculpture Vintage Snowman hats. These are full size top hats that I made of heavy weight black fabric, decoupaged with a vintage old thyme Christmas card, and embellished with holiday trims; berries, etc.. Finally, it's all grunged with cinnamon, and sprinkled with German glass glitter. These make gorgeous centerpieces for a holiday display!

Next are several prim Christmas stockings. These are about 22" long, sewn of various flannels, trimmed with tea dyed cheesecloth, embellished with a rusty ornament, and then stuffed with either a snowman or a gingerbread man, cinnamon sticks, berries, and moss.

Then I've added a few more snowman and angel bottle toppers/tree toppers. These are great to put over a gourmet food gift such as butternut squash puree from Willams-Sonoma, or a bottle of wine! You can even add a gift card into the pre-folded cuff at the bottom. Or if you don't want to do any of those things, they make a perfect tree topper as they're open at the bottom and will fit over the top of your Christmas tree. A perfect hostess gift.

Finally, are my tole painted wood items. I love to paint, AND cut wood with my giant RBI scrollsaw, so besides Halloween, snowmen are my favorite! I've got all sorts of sweet and whimsical creations; mittens (LOVE these!), sled, ornaments, shovel, and a large Winter Wonderland snowman sign that's one of my favorites!

So if you get a chance later, please stop on over at my Etsy store and check them out. Let me know what you think too! I always love hearing everyone's thoughts. Till later...now back to painting...

New Items on Etsy

Good afternoon dearies! I'll be listing some new items on Etsy today; two quilted stitcheries (I LOVE making them!), sculpted mini-witch hats, SootFoot, the black cat familiar with a wonderful collar, and two wooden bunnies from my Bunny of the Woods collection. I'd love it if you'd stop by! Just click on the Etsy logo on the side of my blog to enter my store.

Sorry to say, but my days on eBay are now officially over. I swear, everytime I go on there, somehow my password gets compromised! I make sure I log out, but it doesn't matter. Because eBay and PayPal are linked, it makes me very nervous. Last time this happened, I lost $790! I'm sorry to say that 2 of our Halloween groups are on eBay, but it just can't be helped. You will now find me only on Etsy and Arts a Flutter. I think I'll check out the Etsy groups and see what they're all about. Plus Etsy is just wonderfully supportive and informative for artists anyway, so it's a great venue being surrounded by all that talent. See you there!!!