He finally did it!

My husband finally opened his shop!  Yay!  You can see it here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lamplightpottery

He is having a Grand Opening Sale... buy one get one free button set until November 2nd!

You can see the kids helping with these buttons in this blog post... http://nightowlcraftworks.blogspot.com/2009/10/working-in-pottery.html

Or see some of the finished product in use in this post...
http://nightowlcraftworks.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-hubbys-buttons-tons-of-etsy-glitter.html

For now we have buttons up, but we will be adding mugs, and other gorgeous hand thrown pieces of pottery!

Andrew Zimmern, enough said.

OK, maybe some people don't know who Andrew Zimmern is.  He is the host of Bizarre Foods on The Travel Channel.  He usually eats things like bugs, rats, and bats.  YUCK!  When my husband heard he would be in town and doing a presentation he nabbed us tickets.  Apparently just in time, because the "show" sold out.  It was a great hour.  As anyone who knows me, knows I CAN'T COOK!  I love food, and I love to eat food.  To be sitting in a tent with about 100 people drinking wine and eating food while watching Andrew Zimmern cook, and even better tell stories was amazing!  I am always so envious of people who can cook, this man is an artist!  We sampled Latin cuisine.

The menu:

Cebiche a Tonno (Brazilian Fresh Tuna Ceviche)

Ecuadorean Salt Cod Fritters with Table Salsa

Yucatan Shrimp with Green Chiles with Avocado Sauce 

My favorite was the Tuna.  Superb.  He was very gracious, and put all the recipes on his blog.  As soon as he mentioned his blog, the guy next to me piped up and said that he must not want too many men to visit the site because the color scheme is pink & chocolate.  Andrew took it in stride.  No one pointed out that the guy that was calling the website "girly" was wearing a tasseled jacket... one that matched his wife's.  My husband and I got a chuckle out of that.  After the presentation there was a book signing.  So, I got to have my picture taken with Andrew Zimmern.  I wish we had the good camera and not the camera off of the phone.  Oh well.  We had such a good time!

What a great visit!

What a fun visit!  My mother-in-law came from NY to Wisconsin just for a visit.  She spent 5 days, which was almost not enough time to get everything done.  We decorated, shopped, and ate!  She had such a great idea for these "Boo Brownies"  She made some royal icing ghosts ahead of time and the kids had so much fun decorating these.  They were very rich.  I think we'll do some more with cake mix instead of brownie mix.  We went to get some pumpkins.  We went to a few pumpkin places... we like a deal.  The first place we stopped had some animals, a hay ride and a bounce house.  We opted to get our pumpkins somewhere else...    we ended up with some really nice pumpkins, doesn't our pumpkin family look adorable?

I think the sun was in everyones eyes, but aren't those the cutest girls?  I think the baby thought she could climb through there!  

My Hubby's Buttons & Tons of Etsy Glitter!

These buttons are GREAT!  A few weeks ago the kids helped Mike pound these out & they came out so well!  I love the fish.  He looks kinda like a phirana.  They are terra cotta.  He is thinking he wants to leave them plain.  He is considering adding some stain.  I am now convinced my husband can do ANYTHING!  Now, how to get him to do what I want him to do... hmm.

 

His job is done, my job starts.  Product tester!  I am probably the best person for this job.  I know if I break it I can get him to make me a new one ;)  So, in order to do some testing I threw together this cuff.  It is bulky and not really pretty, but I can wash it and wear it!  I'm hoping this will get him off his buns and get him to start his own Etsy shop. 

My friend at JennaDesigns tweeted me about the front page!  Apparently I made the front page of Etsy today.  I missed it, but she e-mailed me some screenshots.  She is the best! 

If that wasn't enough... I was featured in one of my favorite blogs... Kate & Oli!  She is such a sweet person, and I think my confidence was boosted 500% after the kind words and great feature.  I was a bit nervous about it... but I couldn't be more happy & proud!  Thank you, Katie!

The compilation...

I added a video to my blog!  OK, so it's kinda cheesy, but it was fun!!!  Watch it in my sidebar!

Working in the pottery...

We are lucky enough to have two "studios".  My studio... which is usually called the craft room (I really need to change that!)  Then there is my husband's studio, the pottery.  This weekend the kids worked with him in the pottery.  They were busy making buttons.  Lot & lots of buttons.  They went out there after lunch on Sunday, and it was 5 o'clock and I was wondering where my kids were?  I can't believe they spent the whole time working on buttons!  I went to check on them, and they were working away, not wanting to be bothered.  Why can't I get them to help me out like that?  Then I found out why...  "Daddy said we get $.XX for each button we make!"  OK... really?  He is paying them off!  Why didn't I think of that?!  So he looks at me and grins, "Child labor, isn't it great?"  My husband thinks he's funny.  I have a feeling I've lost my children to the pottery, not that I'm complaining.  They looked so cute playing in the mud.  How do I compete with that!

What Etsy has given me...

I am always amazed how the little things in life surprise you!  I love Etsy.  There are many reasons.  I love that I have a craft I love doing, and I can share it with other people.  I love that Etsy is a wonderful community and so supportive.  I love that all I have to do is ask a question, no matter how silly, and it always gets answered.  I love Etsy because it has given me confidence in my craft to be very proud of what I do.

Most of all...  I love Etsy...  because of the relationships!

This weekend my friend, JennaDesigns, took time out of her SUPER BUSY schedule to come and visit.  She brought pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust... which I would have never attempted to make!  I got to meet her son, Isaac.  He is an absoloute angel!  And, of course her gorgeous baby Hannah.  I think my Ashley would've held her all night if the other kids didn't want to play.  It was a great evening.  I am so far away from family and friends, 14 hours, that I have become somewhat of a recluse.  It was nice to just get a chance to be around another etsy mom.  Thank you Jen, for the amazing cheesecake (I want the recipe so I can attempt it, no promises)!  I appreciate you and your family so much!

Patchwork Linen Zipper Pouch No. 3

A Little Sunday Something...

I love quilting, and I love quilts.  When the nights are getting cold and you need something to cover up with a nothing can beat that great quilt with all it's warm coziness & handmade charm!

Oh, don't forget the hot cocoa!

Sooooo Posh Baby or Lap Quilt

Quiltowne

 

Funky Windows with Charisma

Quiltville

Sweet Cherry Lemonade Contemporary Modern Quilt

MagpieKnits