New Hair

I dyed my hair this past Sunday. Thought that it was going to be lighter than the way it came out. Sadly, it came out WAAAAY too dark. So, I thought, I'll just highlight!

I bought a frosting highlighting kit the other day because I was told that I would get a more natural look from that than hair painting. Yes, I like to torture myself. I always have to make things harder than they have to be.

I pull out this cap with tiny holes all over it. I look at the tiny crochet-like hook that I'm supposed to poke through said holes and pull hair through. I look at it like it's some kind of mideval torture device. I'm supposed to poke this tiny hook through all these holes and pull a small clump of hair through those holes? Yeah, hello!

So, I resign myself to this archaic torture device. I'm always up for a little torture.

Well, it takes me 2 whole hours to pull little bits of hair through the confounded holes. Most of the time, my hair knots up, I have to comb it out and I yank handfuls of hair out of my head.

Is beauty really this worth it?

Finally. I can mix the color. OK. Dump the powder in the trowel, add the activator and then the creme. Mix it all together with the plastic spatula which is at the other end of the hook. OK. Got it. Now I saturate my hair with this stinky mix.

OK. Got the painting done. Piled my hair up on top of my head. Now I have to cover my head with a clear plastic bag. Done.

Now we wait.

During the waiting, I look in the mirror. I started freaking out because my hair is yellow. And I don't mean just yellow...I mean Crayola crayon yellow. Canary yellow. Neon yellow. So do I wash it out? No, I leave the color on for 65 minutes (max is 90).

OK. Time to wash it out. This is the boring part. Rinse the hair. Shampoo. Add the moisturizer and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Rinse that out. Dry off and wrap a towel around my head.

All right...here we go....take the towel off and whip out the blow dryer. Anddddddd....


IT'S GORGEOUS!!!!!!!



Before

After

iCraft.ca

I opened my email this morning and find a new message from About.com. Usually, I delete these messages. But, for some reason, I opened it today. Inside is a blog post about a newer website for selling handmade items. Curious, I click on the site.

http://www.icraft.ca

I click on their "About" page and this is an excerpt of what I find:

"We know that everyone has a creative side. But not everyone is able to showcase their work to the world. That's where we come in. Based in Toronto, ON, iCraft.ca exists to connect artists, designers and craftspeople to those who appreciate their work. All creators of unique, one-of-a-kind items, can take advantage of the powerful marketing services offered."

OK. They've piqued my interest.

So, I keep poking around the site. Hey! They're offering free sign-up and fees for one year if you register before March 31. OK. No harm. No foul.

I enter my info. They accept my membership. I post an item. So far, so good.

They're still in the baby stage. Right now, they haven't gone national. But, supposedly, when they do, they're going to do all kinds of national press releases. We'll see.

If this goes big, I'll be happy to have gotten in on the ground floor!

Of course, I'm keeping my Etsy shop as well!

http://icraft.ca/jerz

http://jerz.etsy.com

Inspiration from The Princess

So, I was working on a halter. I had cut up a T-shirt to make it into the front and shelf bra. The Princess took one of the sleeves and shimmied it on like a skirt. It got the creative juices flowing in my head that I should make a skirt from the sleeves of the T-shirts!


See, I'm already collecting the backs of the T-shirts to eventually incorporate into a quilt. Most of the shirt is used up in making the halter. The sleeves just get tossed aside and thrown out.


I looked at what she was doing and thought, "That's a great idea! I'll add some fabric on the bottom..." And this is what we get:













I'm really happy with the way that this skirt turned out!!!! And, the bonuses: it looks adorable on her and she really loves it!!!!


Of course, custom orders for one of these are always welcome!!

Tootin My Own Horn!

I just posted two new listings in my shop! Hopefully, they're in time for the holidays this month. I guess they would be...within the US, I can ship as close as four days with Priority...

Anyway.

Using St. Patrick's Day as inspiration, I came up with the Shamrock Forever Bouquet Brooch. I'm really happy with the way these turned out.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10018777

And, then, going toward the commercial side of Easter...have to use a cute little bunny!!!!!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10018991

So, stop on by and browse! Maybe pick yourself up a new little pretty!!!

Back to Life

Although my candle will shine until Nicholas comes home, it's time to get back to my hum-drum life. My thoughts and hope continue to be with Christine and her family. I still have the section set up in my shop for donations for her (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5491644&section_id=5326560). But, I've been disheartened by everything that's transpired through the search.

Persons on Etsy started to collect donations innocently enough. There were support threads and donation promo threads. Then the nastiness started. People started reading and posting on outside forums. Then, the Etsy community got bashed. It got ugly. Let's leave it at that.

Unfortunately, the bashing back and forth has left a really bad taste in my mouth for humanity. In a time of tragedy, instead of banding together, it pulled people apart. It left a lot of bad feelings in a good online community. Some even left that community because of it.

I have decided to rise above the animosity and continue to try to build my business on Etsy. I still hang out in the Etc. forum and try to have a good time. Usually, I do. And, usually, I have. I have made some friends on Etsy and I'd like to continue to foster those friendships. These people make me laugh. They make me feel welcome.

So, this will be my last blog entry regarding Nicholas and Christine; unless, of course, he comes home. From here on out, I will continue with my list of shops to feature. I will post entries about the various projects I'm working on. I'll even post about my boring little life once in a while. The Princess will be going to school in the fall, so that should yield some exciting ditties to blog about! :-)

Still Looking For Nicholas...

There is tons of support flying on Etsy. If you just go to http://www.etsy.com/ and do a search for "Christine", you will bring up over 100 items that the sales are being donated in her name.

I just wanted to post another picture...the picture of Nicholas' missing flyer. It has some important contact info on it.

Bringing Back Nicholas Francisco!

I have a heavy heart as I write this. A fellow Etsian's husband has been missing since Wednesday, February 13, 2008 from the Seattle area. I don't know this person from Eve, but since she is part of the Etsy community, I feel as though I have no choice but to write about it to get the word out as much as possible.


Many members of Etsy have started several prayer/positive energy/hope forum threads in the hopes that Nicholas will be found safe.


Nicholas and his wife, Christine, along with the two and-a-half children (she is pregnant with their third) live in Queen Anne, Washington, which is just outside of Seattle on the Puget Sound. He was last seen leaving his job in Sea-Tac; his destination was home.


Authorities have since found his car in Federal Way, Washington, about 30-45 minutes away from his home. They have impounded the car and have a lead, but no other information is available. Volunteer search teams have been pounding the pavement posting flyers, getting the word out and searching for Nicholas. They got another team together within a couple of hours and started their search all over in Federal Way.


For more updates, please go to this thread in Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5475232&page=1/. There are more updates on the local news stations at http://www.komotv.com/news/ and http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/. There is also a website dedicated to the search efforts at http://mailpen.net/.


I have dedicated an entire section in my shop for sales to be donated to the family at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5491644&section_id=5326560. There are also two entire threads for shops donating at http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5473832&page=1 and http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5474521. An account just for donations is being set up tomorrow at a local bank.


Please keep Christine and her family in your hearts and hope for a safe return home for Nicholas.