June 19 is Father's Day - Great Handmade & Vintage Items for Dad!

What will you get for Dad this Father's Day? The same old tired bottle of after shave or tie that he will never wear? 

Why don't you surprise him this year with something truly unique - it is easy when you explore the world of awesome handmade and vintage items available on Etsy!

Washer Necklace Leather w/Recycled 

Button 'Life Savers'

ReClaimed Wooden Soap Dish

This is an inventive way to recycle buttons! These 'washers' were in a bunch of buttons that I acquired - they are buttons with the middles drilled out to form a circular life saver shape. I have arranged them on a 2mm black leather cord and it makes an awesome necklace for a guy or a girl!
The colors are neutral - black, tan, and shades of brown, so it can be worn with anything. The necklace is a short choker length.       

$18.00


Keep your handmade soaps from turning mushy by using one of these well draining soap dishes from PS Products.
Each soap dish is made out of reclaimed Cedar, finished with linseed oil and is cut to allow water to drain through the dish and away from your soap, so your soap will last longer.

$5.00

Vintage Hazel Atlas Gay Nineties Shot

Glasses-Set of 6

I love this fantastic set of shot glasses/small tumblers for that mid century vintage collector! Made by Hazel Atlas(marked on the bottom) in the 1940s-50s, they show a fabulous bar scene with a lady and her pooch, a man and the bartender.    
From InMyIgloo

$29.00

Hand Formed Copper Money Clip Favorite Guy

He's going to love the way this simple copper money clip helps him hold on to his bills or all those receipts that seem to accumulate in his pockets! More than that, he will love the fact that you were thinking of him! (And he will think of YOU every time he sees it!)

$9.50

Pair of Antique Folding Pocket Knifes -

Signed Richards Sheffield England

Pair of antique folding pocket knifes. Each knife features two different sized blades. These unique items from Grey Squirrel Antiques are sure to bring back many old memories for Dad!


 $19.50

Skeleton Key Boro Glass Beaded Keychain For Him

This lampwork glass beaded skeleton key will make a great Father's Day or anniversary gift for the man in your life. The brass tag can be customized to say the love note of your choice. The bead is dark purple and measures 3/4 inch in diameter and 8 mm. It was handmade in the flame of my torch from borosilicate or boro glass directly on the shaft of a vintage steel skeleton key that measures 2 3/4 inches in length.               $38.00

Hollow Book Safe - Contract Bridge 

Complete with Two Decks of Cards Cut-Out

These vintage book safes from Conduit Press are sure to please a collector of any kind! They can be used as they're intended (as safes hidden on a book shelf to hide your treasures, or your vices) or as a jewelry box on your dresser, or perhaps a conversation piece on your coffee table. 

$50.00 

Safari Print- illustration reproduction drawing artwork wall decor

5" x 7" Signed Reproduction of original artwork printed on professional photo paper. Striking, intense colors, and exceptional sharpness. This artwork by YuliyaArt is unique in that the artist does not use pencil or sketch at all - artwork is alive, developing in the moment I am drawing it and sometimes final result is surprise even for me.

Mid-Century Vintage Leather Jewelry Box

This mall square leather men's jewelry or nick-knack box from Restashable would be a perfect Father's Day gift! Smooth warm medium brown cowhide leather with tan suede interior. There are slots on the inside of the box lid for holding tie bars or something. Lid is attached and closes with a snap.

$18.00

There are way too many more excellent choices on Etsy for me to list them all here. Take a look for yourself and you will see what I mean!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Are you a Liberal or a Conservative?

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very Liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words
redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to "Be the Truth" and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends,  because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked , "How is your friend Audrey doing?"

She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over."

Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's Office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA,  and Certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA." The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, "That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the Republican Party."

If anyone has a better explanation of the difference between Republican and Democrat I'm all ears.

If you ever wondered what side of the fence you sit on, this is a great test!

If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat..
If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.
A liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.

Historic Gold Hill Strawberry Festival

Historic Gold Hill Strawberry Festival & Art & Crafts Walk

On Saturday, May 14 I will be at Gold Hill Village for the Annual Strawberry Festival!

I will have a selection of my jewelry available for sale, and will be accompanied by my mother, artist Barbara 'Jake' Carter of Watercolors by Jake!





Come on out and see us - we would love to meet you!
(And there will be locally grown strawberries for sale- YUM!)

My Office/Studio: A Work in Progress

I have been working on creating a space where I can do all my work. My husband moved his home office out to his shop behind our house, so I was left with a whole room for myself! I needed it, really - I had things scattered all over the house. When I had an order to send out I had to go back and forth between 3 rooms to put it all together. That is just crazy!

Now I have most everything in one room, but it still needs work. I am very obessive compulsive about organization (though you would never know it to see my house!) and it takes me forever to get things just the way I want them. In the meantime, this is what I have so far.

 

This (above) is my desk where I work on the computer, print invoices, etc. Below is my jewelry area where I make jewelry and keep all of my supplies.



There are some changes that I want to make. I would like to cover those cords up; I need to hag the cork board (when I decide where to put it...). I want to replace Steve's poster with something that speaks to ME and move those plants off of my work table. My storage containers are a hodge-podge, I know. I would welcome any suggestions for making this a more beautiful and functional space!

By the way, that is dog food in the container in the lower right corner. I don't actually have the room all to myself - I share it with our dog, Molly!

Getting Rid of That Bloated and Sluggish Feeling with a Cleansing Diet

I have been feeling old, sluggish and fat for the past few months. I have reached an age where I can't eat whatever I want any more (sadly) and still stay in good shape. I don't mind the weight gain so much as the constant bloated feeling! It makes me feel lethargic and slow and OLD! I hate that.

So, I am doing a colon cleanse this week. A friend suggested the Fat Flush diet and did some reading about it, but it seemed too strict for me. I was going to do the 7-Days Sugar Free again, but I was dreading it - I did it in December '09 and and had good results, but I remember eating a lot of yucky cabbage soups and things and to do it properly you really need to have a juicer, which I don't. I just don't feel I have the willpower to do that right now. I came across another one that sounded easier, so I am doing that one.

It is Dr. Group's 7-Day Oxygen Colon Cleanse. Basically it involves grouping foods (no meat with milk, etc.) and having no caffeine, alcohol, wheat, gluten, sugar, etc. It is going pretty well no far - this is the third day. I have already gotten rid of my bloat-y feeling, but I have a lot less energy than I am used to. And I am not a high energy person to begin with! I have decided that some people just have more energy than others, and I am not one of them. (sigh) 

I am expecting to feel more energetic in a couple of days, though. I know it is just my body getting rid of toxins.

I am nibbling on raw nuts and seeds right now and dreaming of Cheez-Its! Haha!

New Listing at Holly&Sage Teal & Khaki Mother-of-Pearl Necklace

I sell more button bracelets and Mommy Necklaces than anything in my shop, but I love making other jewelry.

This is my newest piece just listed in my shop yesterday. I made a necklace like this for myself a while back, and I have enjoyed it so much I decided to make one available to my customers. It is made with mother-of-pearl beads in a variety of shapes in pretty, neutral spring colors.

Great Wedding Favors on a Budget

When you're planning your wedding, one of the things you'll want to remember to budget for are the wedding favors. These are the souvenirs that your guests will take home from your wedding as a thank you for participating in your special day. So, this is not an area where you want to scrimp. You hope that your guests will enjoy your gift to them, and see it as a token of your appreciation. However, you don't want to blow your budget on buying wedding favors either. Here are some ideas for great wedding favors on a budget and homemade wedding favors.

Bulk gifts. Items like candy and potpourri can make lovely wedding favors. You can buy them pre-packaged from bridal shops, but it is smarter to buy them in bulk and package them yourself. Instead of shopping at an expensive wedding store, visit a grocery or hobby shop for discount pricing. To create your own gift wrapped packages, wrap bundles of the bulk item in tulle and tie with a ribbon.

Make homemade treats. For a personal touch, make homemade treats to give to your guests. Special cookies are always welcome. If you make homemade candy, that can also be a nice gift. When you wrap them up, add a handwritten note thanking your guests for sharing your day with you. It will be an extra special touch that will make your favour all the more meaningful.

Candles and votives. Candles and votives can be beautiful reminders of your wedding day. Look for candles in the same colors as your wedding decorations. Almost everyone enjoys candles so it is a practical gift as well. These are also very affordable when purchased at discount or bulk stores.

Bubbles. For a fun twist and lots of laughs, give each guest a small bottle of bubbles as a thank you. Tie a note with the date of your wedding around the neck of the bottle. These will provide entertainment during the reception too, as most guests won't wait until they get home to blow their bubbles.

Make Music. Another idea is to burn a CD of music to commemorate your special day and give a copy to each guest. Be sure to follow copyright laws. Whenever they play your CD, your guests will think of you.
 
Flowers and Plants. If you're having a spring or summer wedding, consider giving out packets of seeds as a wedding favor. These will be a long-lasting fragrant reminder of your nuptials. Alternatively, you can give out tiny potted plants for a spring garden. These are very inexpensive, and if you buy in bulk, you may be able to get further discounts.

Scented soaps. These are another item you might want to consider giving out as a favor. They have an attractive scent, and often come in pretty shapes and wrappings. They are another practical gift that is pretty to look at as well.



Check Frugal Living Now for more homemade wedding favors and lots more ways to save on all aspects of your wedding!