Eclectic Design Choices - Designs for Your Life

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

2012-01-25T07:55:00.056-06:00

If you are still searching for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift or card, there are still a handful of items with a heart theme in each of my shops, EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic. All jewelry and accessories will arrive in a gift box, ready for you to add some ribbon and a bow for presenting to your Valentine.

If you are not a stickler for the heart theme but want something romantic for your guy or gal, a set of rustic wooden tea light candle holders or a wooden mini oil lamp holder to set the mood for a romantic “candle light” dinner may be more appropriate.

Other gifts are available too. I will ship your order promptly but please watch the calendar to allow enough time for first class mail to get your order to you. Contact me about expedited shipping before ordering if you think you need a shipping upgrade.

Science Rocks!

2012-01-18T18:58:00.002-06:00

At least that has always been my take on science. I thoroughly enjoyed my science (and math) classes throughout school, going so far as to earn a BS in Physics from UTA many moons ago. It was with great interest that I read the “Message from the Dean” titled “Why science?” in the fall 2011 issue of Maverick Science. Pamela Jansma, Dean of the College of Science at UTA did an excellent job of describing why science has always been and will continue to be of paramount importance to society. Read her timely musings with regards to the question, “Why science?” below:

“In the technologically driven society of today, we understand and appreciate the utility of advanced devices to deliver drugs and directions, faster computers to improve data transmission and analysis, and alternative energies to transform industries and transportation. What we frequently don’t recognize, however, is the underlying science and its connection to technology.

Science comes from the Latin scire, which means “to know.” Scientists seek to know, or understand, the universe around us. Curiosity drives them. They delve ever deeper to get at the fundamental essence of nature through testing ideas and refining hypotheses. Layers are peeled away one at a time.

The phenomena being observed occur increasingly at smaller and smaller scales: macroscopic to microscopic, cellular to molecular, atomic to sub-atomic. Through this, progress can be unpredictable.

Steps can be incremental, but build through time creating leaps in understanding at unexpected moments and in unanticipated directions.

While seeming inefficient, this nonlinear path of discovery is essential to the accumulation of knowledge. By asking why and responding to the hints of each potential answer, science guides the way forward and forms the framework for invention.

Without the contemplation of why, we would not have the action of how. When Johannes Kepler sought to explain the motion of the celestial bodies, he was not imagining the placement of communications satellites around the Earth.

When Marie Curie pondered radioactivity, she did not dream of therapies that would be effective in the treatment of cancer. And when Gregor Mendel wondered what caused variations in pea plants, he likely did not foresee the genetic engineering of food and disease-resistant crops.

These outcomes happened years, if not centuries, later. Indeed, the work of Mendel had little impact on the society of the nineteenth century and was largely ignored. Yet he stands today as the father of modern genetics.

Every day, we are besieged with evidence of the weakening of American competiveness in technical fields. Fingers point to universities, which are hailed as ivory towers conducting esoteric and irrelevant research for the most part with exceptions granted only if results are immediately applicable to providing solutions to recognized problems.

Scientists must constantly remind us of the importance of asking why and the nonlinear path to discovery. Our future depends on it.”

I strongly agree that science is important and needs society’s support and I think that scientists and science geeks should be proud of their interests and accomplishments and share their enthusiasm with others. What better way to start a conversation about what you love to do than when someone compliments you on your fashionable science, math or tech themed piece of jewelry or accessory? I started carrying a small assortment of just such items almost a year and a half ago. I have recently discovered some exciting new supplies that I expect will allow me to expand my selection. Keep an eye on EclecticSkeptic’s “Geekery” section as I add new items later this year. You can also watch for announcements of my new items on my blog, EclecticDesignChoice's facebook page (like it for updates) or in my newsletter if you have subscribed to it.

And don’t think that you missed the boat to get involved with science because you didn’t get a science degree. There are many citizen scientist opportunities that you can get involved with that are fun and will contribute greatly to our understanding of our world.

Garden Pond Clean Out – Part 2

2012-01-13T09:42:00.000-06:00

Day three began with more rock removal from the middle and bottom levels of the pond and rock washing. (If you have landed here without reading part 1 of this garden pond clean out project, you might want to bring yourself up to speed by reading part 1 first.) In addition, as the dirty rocks and silt were removed, the liner cleaned and enough clean rocks returned, we began to restack the bottom two walls of large rocks and replace pebbles on the ledges. Finally by early evening the silt and sediment were declared banished along with the last of the water (see first photo). Now we just needed to replace a stone bridge that serves as a fish hiding place on the lowest level and the pebbles before we could begin to add water, treat it and return the crowded mosquito fish to the pond. Since we had some rocks to clean still, we only filled the bottom level of the pond so that we could add the water lilies and mosquito fish before it got totally dark. I didn’t want the fish to spend another night in their crowded temporary housing. The mosquito fish were so taken by the change back to a larger body of water that they swam in a tight school round and round the edge of the bottom level of the pond for quite some time before splitting up and investigating their new environment individually. It was actually quite amusing to watch them. We also placed a small pump in the water to circulate it since we couldn’t turn the waterfall back on until the pond was full.

The next day meant a return to work or school for my two guys. I spent the week looking for appropriate containers for the upper ledge plants that I wanted to return to the pond. Also, with the help of the other two when they could, we replaced the remaining pebbles as we cleaned them. It was the next weekend before we were able to fill the pond up the rest of the way. I had no luck locating the smaller hollowed out stone planters that my local stone yard used to stock so I made my own rock planters using small slabs of stone from Whiz Q Stone and fixing them in place in the pond using black expanding pond safe foam. Once the new “pots” were made, I replanted the dwarf papyrus and pickerel rush and then treated the water as we refilled the pond. Once filled, it was time to turn on the waterfall, replace the snails and tadpoles (which had grown tremendously in the week they spent in their bucket with the pickerel rush and dwarf papyrus). The next weekend I purchased 5 new goldfish and some pond starter to help re-establish the beneficial microbes in the pond that help break down organic matter and help keep algae from forming.

We did leave the stream section untouched during this project, hoping that the good bacteria from that section would help repopulate the pond. It is the last piece of the water feature installation that has not been cleaned since it was installed. Since we had to leave the waterfall off for a week, this was not as successful as I believe it would have been if we could have turned it back on before it dried out most of the way. However, the water for about 6 feet downstream from this untouched section did clear up and stay clearer than the rest of the pond, so it seemed to help some. When the weather warms up enough in the spring, I will begin to add more beneficial microbes to help combat the string algae that has moved in with the cooler weather. (We will mechanically remove much of it too.)

All ponds will silt up and require some maintenance over time. This siltation can be minimized by avoiding certain plants that tend to create large root masses, such as water clover and horsetail (dwarf or not). I still have a bit of edge work maintenance left to do around the pond and I expect that we will clean the stream section this coming summer. After that we should be able to enjoy our water feature without major maintenance for many years to come.

Thanks for the Treasuries - December 2011

2012-01-05T07:46:00.074-06:00

Four different Etsians let me know that they had featured one of my items in a treasury during December. Four December Etsy treasuries, that treasury makers let me know about, included one of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective that were featured during December. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 4 Etsy shops that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

ArtGlamourSligo
Find one of a kind innovative and custom made art and crafts to suit your design needs including modern sculpture, unique wall decor, wooden clocks and paintings.

BuyMeLove
This shop sells handmade & vintage clothes, lingerie, accessories, jewelry & gifts for any occasion. They use new, old & recycled supplies in their handmade items.

CorkyCrafts
Corkycrafts' unique wine cork wreathes and cork crafts make the perfect gift for the wine lover.

TheYellowRoses
This shop is stocked with rag dolls, teddy bears, stuffed animals, pincushions, clutches, & wallets.

Design This – Necklace to Match Bracelet, Part 2

2011-12-29T17:49:00.001-06:00

It has taken me a bit longer than I had intended to find time to write/fit in the second part of my “Design This – Necklace to Match Bracelet” post. If you need a refresher on this challenging project, please see Part 1.

I was excited when my order from my supplier arrived. One of the rose quartz pieces pieces seemed perfect to compliment the soapstone bead of the bracelet and what was even more exciting to me was that one of the filigree beads that I had ordered as a possible companion to the large filigree bead in the bracelet actually was flat and delicate enough to serve as an accent on the oval piece of rose quartz, much like the silver decoration on the soapstone bead. The other filigree bead was perfect for spacers between sections of the necklace.

I laid out a design and asked my customer to come back and check it out. She suggested a couple of changes and asked about the possibility of a pair of earrings using some of the same components as in the necklace. Now that we had a final design, I got to work putting together the different sections and joining them together. I sent a photo of the almost completed necklace for approval. When that came through, there was just one thing left to do, come up with the perfect length.

My customer came back for a “fitting” and we decided that the best option would be to make it adjustable. I didn’t want to just add a standard extension chain however since my customer planned to wear this with mostly uncollared shirts. I didn’t want the clasp to look lopsided on her neck in the shortened position, so I came up with a double clasp extension chain that would allow the clasps to be symmetric at any length. Since I still had a bit of work to complete the necklace before it could leave and my customer was really excited about her new jewelry set, I sent the earrings home with her then. Soon thereafter she was able to pick up the necklace and wear the completed set.

Since the bracelet that I was trying to match was so complex and a necklace of similar complexity was desired and because I had so many matching materials, it was very helpful to be able to accomplish part of the design process of this custom order in person. Don’t let this stop you from contacting me though if you have a piece of jewelry or an outfit that needs a special companion piece and you haven’t been able to find it anywhere. Most of my custom orders have been easily handled by email, including photos at various points during the design process.

Fabulous First Day of Winter

2011-12-22T18:32:00.000-06:00

So you might be asking, "How do 'fabulous' and 'first day of winter' go together?" They might go together for you if you are into winter sports or love the cold weather, but neither of those reasons is why I say that the first day of winter is fabulous. The first day of winter, the winter solstice, December 22, 2011, marks the shortest daytime and longest nighttime in the northern hemisphere this year. The daylight portion of each day starts getting longer from here. That is fabulous in my book! So if no one else has wished you a wonderful winter solstice, let me be the first. I wish you a fabulous first day of winter and a wonderful winter solstice.

As we round out the year, there are other, more celebrated days and I wish you Happy Holidays for your remaining 2011 celebrations as well as an early Happy New Year for 2012. And since today has the shortest daytime of the year, you will get to enjoy all of them with a little more daylight. Yippee!!

Thanks for the Treasuries - November 2011

2011-12-12T20:39:00.005-06:00

The Holiday craft show season has pushed this post back a week, however there is still time to shop for holiday gifts with these wonderful Etsy sellers that featured me in a treasury of theirs. And as the card in the center of the image below says, "Have a Berry, Merry Christmas".

Five different Etsians let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during November. Six November treasuries, that treasury makers let me know about, included one of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during November. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 5 Etsy shops that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

CorkyCrafts
Corkycrafts' unique wine cork wreathes and cork crafts make the perfect gift for the wine lover.

DecoHearts
Find heart shaped items and items that will touch your heart at DecoHearts.

IntoTheLight
This jewelry artisan creates beautiful fused glass jewelry and accessories.

LaughingFridge
Find magnets with colorful, funky, OOAK designs at this shop.

MothersAtelier
A great assortment of kilim (rug) pillow cases are found here.

Handmade Holidays - Arts, Crafts & Vintage Marketplace

2011-12-07T20:34:00.001-06:00

I am very excited to be a partner of 817ArtsAlliance LLC and a leader of Etsy817 as we launch a brand new all handmade and vintage shopping opportunity. Handmade Holidays will be held this coming Friday (noon - 7pm) and Saturday (10am - 4 pm) at the Maverick Activity Center on the UTA campus.

In addition to shopping for unique items such as handcrafted glass, Southwestern, gemstone, hand painted, wire wrapped and other jewelry, photography, crochet, home decor and so much more, there will be entertainment in the form of fashion shows and music. For more information about this show, including some of the vendors that will be there (I will be.), please check out the Handmade Holidays web page. There is also a great write up about the show in the Shorthorn.

This will be a great opportunity to complete your holiday shopping list with unique, handmade or vintage finds.

Olde Town Christmas Craft Fair & Holiday Lights Parade

2011-11-30T08:01:00.001-06:00

If you are looking for a unique gift or two or three this holiday season, set your sights on attending the Olde Town Christmas Craft Fair December 2 – 3 at the Dottie Lynn Recreation Center. Shop on Friday from noon – 7 pm and on Saturday from 10 am – 3 pm. I will be back as a vendor for the second year with items from both of my online shops, EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic, and more. There is also still time to come by and talk with me about creating a custom item for that perfect, one of a kind gift.

More festive, holiday fun can be found Saturday night, December 3 in downtown Arlington. Come out and watch Arlington’s Holiday Lights Parade. A local, independently run team of Etsy shop owners, Etsy817, will be walking next to their parade entry to let you know how you can get your hands on even more great handmade or vintage goodies at their Handmade Holidays – Arts, Crafts & Vintage Marketplace, December 9 – 10. (I am a member of this great team.) After the parade you can watch the lighting of the Christmas tree at City Hall and/or get your picture taken with Santa at the Levitt Pavilion.

Here’s to having plenty of fun and enjoying the festivities of the season with the ones you love. Happy Holidays!

38th Annual Ladybug’s Christmas Collection

2011-11-25T09:50:00.000-06:00

Last year I discovered a great little holiday store tucked into a workshop behind an artist’s home in Arlington, TX. I was really enamored with the whimsical polymer clay creations of one artisan in particular. Some artists/crafters that have their work on display at Ladybugs Christmas Collection have been there all 38 years and some like me, will be debuting their wares this year. Items from over 25 artists are expected this year.

I will be sending an assortment of my zipper pulls, gathering pins, matted photographic art prints, bookmarks, cards, CD clocks and wood items to add to the wonderful handcrafted gifts that will be on display. Exclusively during December, Eclectic Design Choices' zipper pulls, cards and matted prints featuring ladybugs will be found here.

A special opening night reception with light refreshments kicks off this year’s show from 6 – 9 pm, Thursday, December 1, 2011. The remainder of the show runs December 2 – 11 with store hours Monday – Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday from 1 pm – 5 pm. Mark your calendars and be sure to make it in before closing on Sunday, December 11 before this holiday pop up shop shutters its doors for another year.

Alcon Holiday Craft Fair

2011-11-18T10:37:00.003-06:00

I’m excited that I get to share with you, over the next four weeks, four different opportunities local to the DFW area where you will be able to see my work in person. I’ll have the chance to wish you happy holidays at three of them if you get a chance to stop by and say hi. (Look for my Eclectic Design Choices banner.)

The first of these four opportunities will be Alcon's 11th annual Holiday Craft Fair. It will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 from 9 am - 6 pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel across from Alcon in Fort Worth.

I will be limiting what I bring to this show to my photographic art items. I will have various sized matted prints, a few framed prints, note cards, holiday cards, gift tags, bookmarks and clocks that feature my photographic art. You can see a preview of some of the photographic art items that I will have with me in my shops EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic.

(Design This update: I had planned on writing part two of my recent Necklace to Match Bracelet post today, but I have found that I need to postpone writing it until after the holidays in order to have the time to do it justice.)

Garden Pond Clean Out

2011-11-11T10:25:00.002-06:00

After almost a year of concentrated work on clearing out the plants that I will never recommend that anyone plant in their garden pond, ever, we had most of them pulled out of the pond. (See my previous blog post so that you can learn from my mistake.) In addition, the water lilies that had been growing for about nine years needed thinning so over this past Labor Day three day weekend and finally finishing the following weekend, the three of us tackled a major pond clean out and restoration project.

With most of the water clover and dwarf horsetail removed we could tell that either the 19 degree low of last winter, the plant overcrowding, some combination thereof or the fishing skills of the herons or raccoons finally did away with all of our goldfish. We still had several hundred mosquito fish that would need to be removed in order to drain and clean out the pond. We also anticipated a good deal of silt build up after nine years and lots of root mats created by the plants that I will never plant again. There had been a lot of silt that we had to remove from the waterfall “bucket” when we did the leak repair on the spillway about two years ago and the pond is hundreds of times larger than that, so this was no small undertaking.

Day one entailed removing the remaining “evil” plants as well as the water lilies and some other plants that I wanted to keep. We had many more water lilies than I would need to replant and a friend with a large natural pond that wanted them, so we meticulously cleaned the water lily tubers and roots so no stray “evil” plants would make the trip to his pond. These were stored in large buckets filled with the pond water and I had a bucket for my plant keepers as well as snails and a host of tadpoles that had just hatched.

Day two started with filling another large bucket with pond water and beginning the great mosquito fish harvest. We also began draining the pond with our pond vacuum and removing rocks so that they could be cleaned and silt could be removed from the liner. I had really wanted to be able to put the mosquito fish back in the pond by the end of the day so we continued to work by shop light on the first level of pebbles before we called it quits on day two. By then we had a bucket full of hundreds of mosquito fish, many of the rocks removed, cleaned and some replaced but lots of works still ahead as can be seen in the second photo taken before work started on day three.

Stay tuned for day three and the following weekend in a future post. (Images enlarge when clicked.)

Thanks for the Treasuries - October 2011

2011-11-02T21:25:00.001-05:00

Four different Etsians let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during October. Three October treasuries, that treasury makers let me know about, included one of my items. One additional treasury included an item from each of my shops. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during October. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 4 Etsy shops that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

IntoTheLight
This jewelry artisan creates beautiful fused glass jewelry and accessories.

LoveStar1
This crafter makes handmade banners and bunting, including custom requests for your decorating needs.

MarasFabric
Fabulous fabric yo-yo embellishments and quilt squares abound in this shop.

OliveBranchOrganics
Find organic coconut wax massage candles & body butter at this shop.

Design This – Necklace to Match Bracelet, Part 1

2011-10-28T16:13:00.002-05:00

When a previous custom order customer mentioned to me earlier this year that she had a bracelet that she wanted me to design a necklace to match, I told her that I’d be happy to see what I could come up with. I love a good challenge and eagerly awaited what was in store. I must admit however that I was initially a bit intimidated when I got to look at her bracelet (and I don’t intimidate easily). It was a beautiful bracelet, but very complex and it included a pretty dark gray macramé section that I wasn’t sure at first how I’d complement it. I don’t think I let my brief bit of uncertainty show and said I’d go home and pull out materials that I had on hand to match the components of the bracelet and start to work up a design.

After sleeping on the challenge, I realized that some gunmetal chain could be a good stand in on the necklace for the dark gray macramé on the bracelet. After pulling out a large pile of materials that matched or complemented the other components of the bracelet, I was still a little unsure of where to start. Did I mention it was a very complex bracelet and that the pile of materials was large and varied? In addition, I was unsure which components of the bracelet were most important to echo in the necklace and which materials of mine that my customer would like best. (If you haven’t checked them out, click on the images of the bracelet and the large pile of materials to enlarge them for a better view.) I decided that the best course of action would be to ask my customer to look over the materials in person instead of just in a photo.

This turned out to be a good plan. My customer was able to identify which components of the bracelet were most important to work into the necklace and set aside my materials that didn’t interest her. We were then better able to focus on the smaller pile that was left. I had a strand of small mixed gemstone spherical beads that made the cut with several containing good color for use in the necklace. (Not pictured, I thought of them after I took the photo of the pile.) My customer seemed to have a good time picking out the beads that she liked and arranging them. This gave us a good starting point. We brainstormed what to do with some of the other elements. Unfortunately, I did not have a good companion for the large pink soapstone bead or the filigreed silver elements of the bracelet, so I searched for materials from my suppliers and ordered some beads to see how they would work into the necklace design that was starting to come together.

Part 2 describes how the necklace design evolved and what the finished necklace looks like. If you have a custom project in mind, simple or complex, please contact me to see what I can work up for you.

Texas Native Plant Week

2011-10-20T21:27:00.006-05:00

Even with the extreme heat and drought of this past summer, the few fall rains that we have had are bringing out some welcome color via some Texas native wildflowers in my back pasture. Many native Texas wildflowers are even suited for the home garden where they require much less care than most nonnative nursery plants. I have several currently in bloom in my gardens including this native lantana.

To help bring awareness of the many benefits of native plants, the Texas legislature passed and the Governor signed a bill into law in 2009 designating the third week of October as Texas Native Plant Week. This year it is October 16-22. Now is one of the best times of the year to establish a native plant garden or meadow. Texas Parks and Wildlife has what sounds like a very comprehensive and very reasonably priced resource to help you start your own native plant area. I was so impressed with the description that I have just ordered the DVD to add to my gardening library.

Some Texas natives even managed to bloom unattended during this past long, hot summer. On a trip this past August, I was surprised to see a field of purple just off the highway. We were still in our 100 degree plus streak and I just had to go back and see what could be holding up so well. It was not a mirage, it was a field of Texas bluebells. They were gorgeous!

If you get a chance, how about giving a Texas native plant a try in your home garden to celebrate Texas Native Plant Week? Nurseries are getting better at stocking native plants and some even specialize in them. Two examples from my garden that I dug, with permission, from pastures and brought home to my garden are the liatris and big bluestem as seen in my Texas Stars photo album. (Note: Not all of the plants in this resource are natives, some are just adapted to our climate.) Another great resource for native plant information (and purchases at their native plant sales) is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. GO NATIVE (plants that is).

See EDC at Martin High School Craft & Specialty Sale

2011-10-11T11:14:00.000-05:00

The holiday craft show season kicks into gear for me this coming weekend with the Martin High School Craft & Specialty Sale. For those of you that live in and around the DFW metroplex you can see my products in person in Arlington at a venue easily reached from I-20. This show runs October 15 - 16 at Martin High School. Come out and say "Hi" on Saturday, October 15 from 9 AM - 5 PM or on Sunday, October 16 from noon - 5 PM. Adult admission is $2.00, children under 12 are free and parking is free. (Click images to enlarge.)

You will find my handmade items from my EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic Etsy shops on display in addition to many pieces of jewelry, accessories, home decor and photographic art that are not currently listed. I look forward to seeing you. I will be sharing my booth with a friend, Nancy Tuttle Custom Designs, who sews wonderful purses and totes. Look for my Eclectic Design Choices banner to find us in the maze of vendors. You will find us in gym B.

After this show, I have a bit of a break from local shows until the end of November and into December. Stay tuned for more information on these upcoming shows or subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with where to find me next. (My short monthly newsletter usually comes out on the first Friday of each month.)

Thanks for the Treasuries - September 2011

2011-10-09T20:41:00.003-05:00

Two different Etsians let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during September. Three September treasuries, that treasury makers let me know about, included one of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during September. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 2 different Etsians with active shops that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

CorkyCrafts
Look no further for gifts for a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate unique hand made items. A few noncork holiday items are available too.

StarFlyCreations
This artist has a great selection of original paintings, digital art and stationery.

EDC at the Arlington Museum of Art

2011-09-30T08:18:00.006-05:00

From October 5 - November 13, 2011 EclecticDesignChoices will have two pieces of artwork on display at the Arlington Museum of Art. Each matted and framed photographic art print will demonstrate a range of variations on one of my original photos. One series is based on a photo of a Jacobean Lily and the other on a photo of a Gulf Fritillary butterfly resting on Red Flowering Autumn Sage. Both of these original photos were taken in my garden and then digitally altered to create a variety of new looks. (I’m including a photo of each work of art so that they are easier to spot among the pieces included in the Community Art Showcase at the museum.)

If you are in the area and get a chance, please stop in and take a closer look. These framed prints will be available for sale as well. If you would prefer a single image, please contact me to inquire about sizes and availability. In addition to prints of my altered photos, custom digital alterations of your photos as seen in this "Design This" blog post can also be arranged.

Etsy817 Sponsors Crafting Fun 10/15

2011-09-24T16:10:00.001-05:00

The local independently run team, Etsy817, that I am a member of is sponsoring a make & take craft table at the Cowtown Indie Bazaar. The craft table will be open from 10am – 4pm on October 15, 2011. There will be a choice of two crafts and a take home coloring sheet (designed by one of our team members). One craft uses new or recycled paper to create small origami wreaths. The other craft recycles a variety of cardboard tubes as the basis for snowflake ornaments. Etsy817 team members will be there to show you finished examples of each craft and assist you as needed as you create your own work of art to take home with you.

While you are at the Cowtown Indie Bazaar at Will Rogers you can also browse aisles of handcrafted merchandise, listen to local musicians and see artist demonstrations. In addition to meeting Etsy817 members at its make & take craft table, some of our Etsy817 team members will have booth space at this show as well.

Etsy817 is also sponsoring a show, Handmade Holidays – Arts, Crafts & Vintage Marketplace, later this year. Save the dates, Friday and Saturday, December 9-10. It will be held in the MAC at UTA. I will post more information for shoppers as we get closer to the dates. In the meantime if you are a vendor, as of this post, we still have a few spaces available. If you are interested in finding out more information about participating in Handmade Holidays, scroll down the page at the previous link to the vendor FAQ.

Thanks for the Treasuries - August 2011

2011-09-01T14:52:00.002-05:00

Three different Etsians let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during August. Four August treasuries included one of my items. One of those items was featured twice. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during August. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 2 different Etsians with active shops that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

CactusFlowerWomen
This shop carries cute girl's t-shirt dresses and sundresses along with a few quilts.

CorkyCrafts
Look no further for gifts for a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate unique hand made items. A few other darling goodies like this shelf sitter show up from time to time as well.

Meet My New Flying Pig Model

2011-08-26T19:02:00.003-05:00

I’d formally introduce you, but she doesn’t have a name yet. You can help with this, more later.

I’d been thinking about making myself a new flying pig model, possibly out of polymer clay, when I stumbled across this wonderful pig with wings in BrondyBlue’s shop on Etsy. Don’t get me wrong, I like my old model that I have used in my photographic art on my note, holiday and special occasion cards, clocks, cufflinks and bookmarks found in my shop, EclecticSkeptic. However it has its limitations. It is only partially 3D and I wanted a truly 3D model.

I plan to add shiny black eyes and then this flying pig will be ready for her glamour shots. However, with the holiday season fast approaching, it may be next year before she debuts in a new item on EclecticSkeptic, so stay tuned.

Now for the part where you can help, I’d love to have a name for my new model. I’ve decided to open up a naming contest. Submit your suggestions in the comments of this post and if I select your submission, I will give you a coupon for 25% off one item from my shop EclecticSkeptic or 10% off your total order from one or both of my shops, EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic (excludes shipping).

So, put on your thinking caps and submit your names below. You are welcome to submit more than one name.

Design This – Grandmother’s Necklace

2011-08-19T19:51:00.000-05:00

My custom birthstone necklace has been ordered to represent mom and dad and the kid(s) as I anticipated, in addition it has also been used to celebrate close circles of friends. It was one of these customers who asked if I could modify the design so that it would work as a Grandmother’s necklace. She needed five birth months represented and didn’t just want them added to the central crystal section of the necklace.

I told her that depending on the necklace length, I was confident that I could do this and got to work. My customer wanted an 18 inch necklace made with silver plated findings and figaro chain. After a bit of experimenting so that the spacing between the sections was balanced and not cramped and so that all of the sections would show at the front of the necklace, I had a design. Actually, this request was not as difficult as many of the custom requests that I receive because my original design allows for a lot of flexibility.

So if my original birthstone necklace design doesn’t quite meet your needs, please feel free to contact me and explain what you are looking for. I’ll be happy to give you an estimate based on your specs for your own customized piece.

Baseball in Waco

2011-08-13T15:25:00.003-05:00

Sometime during the first week of August each year, Little League baseball comes to Waco, TX. Waco is the headquarters of the Little League Southwest Region and hosts the Southwest Region Tournament at the baseball complex behind region headquarters.

I have just returned from spending a bit over a week in the record breaking heat in Waco. “Why?”, because my husband was invited to umpire at the Little League Southwest Region Tournament this year. I wanted to show my support of his accomplishment and help out when I could. The volunteers took good care of the players and umpires and even though the temperature was over 100 each day, none of them fell out from the heat. Fans were encouraged to stay hydrated as well and seemed to follow this advice. I was able to pitch in and help clean up the stands after each game.

The umpire assignments rotated them through the different positions during the tournament. My husband called the plate for the semi-final game between the Colorado state champions and the Texas East champions. (Texas is so big it has two “state” level tournaments, one for Texas East and one for Texas West.) The team from Texas East beat Colorado in an exciting and close game. For the finals between Texas East and Louisiana, my husband was assigned to rotate out with another umpire on the right field line. This is where he was at the bottom of the seventh inning and where some of the action occurred on the game winning play. (Little League tournament games are six innings. This game was in extra innings because the score was tied at the bottom of the sixth.) A clip of this play was uploaded to YouTube. The first minute of the clip shows the lead up to the last play, the final hit and my husband calling the ball fair. The hit resulted in a triple, but with an overthrow by Texas East at third, the batter scored the winning run. Louisiana now goes on to represent the Southwest Region at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.

The fans really get into the excitement of the tournament. Fans of teams often have matching t-shirts, some had matching jewelry. I wore my baseball gathering pins several times and one fan wore an elaborate handmade hat to the semi-finals and finals. All in all, in spite of the heat, a good time was had by all.

Thanks for the Treasuries - July 2011

2011-08-03T08:00:00.085-05:00

Seven different Etsians let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during July. Eight July treasuries included one of my items and one treasury included one item from each of my two shops. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during July. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 7 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

artefyk
This shop carries mostly jewelry and home decor one of a kind Polymer Clay and beaded items.

BellaVioletta
This shop owner does an amazing job of upcycling materials from everyday life and turning them into gorgeous goodies.

CarrotPatch
Unfortunately this shop seems to have closed up since I posted, but here is one of her sold items, a cute flat wallet or business card holder.

CorkyCrafts
Look no further for gifts for a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate unique hand made items.

IntoTheLight
This shop carries a large assortment of beautiful, affordable fused glass jewelry & accessories.

LarkspurStudios
This fused glass artist "paints" with powdered glass to create unique fused glass pendants.

TexasHillCountryArt
Find Fredericksburg area wildlife & wildflowers, greeting cards, an occasional acrylic painting and some tropical vacation art in this artist's shop.

EclecticSkeptic Turns Two

2011-07-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

Terrible twos? Not on your life, I’m sure this next year will be the “terrific twos” for EclecticSkeptic and my customers. To get the “twos” off to a terrific start for my customers, I am offering a sale to celebrate this second “birthday”. To find out the details, visit my facebook business fan page.

EclecticSkeptic carries a wide variety of whimsical through whimsically elegant flying pig items. These include altered photographic art of flying pigs on note cards, holiday cards, bookmarks and clocks. You will also find flying

pig necklaces, earrings, zipper pulls, tie tacks, keychains, cufflinks and pins. EclecticSkeptic also carries a small selection of goodies for the math and/or science geek.

EclecticSkeptic officially turns two on August 1. Remember to visit my EDC business fan page to find out how to participate in the sale going on that day.

Here is a toast to “terrific twos” and a great BIG THANK YOU to all of my past and future customers for your support.

Get Linkified

2011-07-22T22:31:00.001-05:00

Do you ever run across a link that you want to follow, but it’s not clickable? While there are several reasons for this to occur, when it does you have to copy the URL, paste it into the address bar and hit return in order to go there. Independent of the reason for the nonclickable link, wouldn’t it be nice to never have to go to all of that trouble again?

If you use Firefox, there is a great add on that makes nonclickable links clickable. No copying and pasting, just click on where you want to go. This Firefox extension is called Linkification. It is easy to install and has worked wonderfully for me since I added it about a year ago.

To be clear, this makes nonclickable links clickable when you are using Firefox as your browser and have installed Linkification as an add on to Firefox. Linkification will not make a particular URL clickable for people not using this combination. To make that happen, you would most likely need to have access to the code behind the text and often that is not accessible. (I have seen info recently that there may be similar solutions for other browsers, especially Chrome but I have no experience with them to verify their existence or usefulness.)

So, soup up your surfing. If you use Firefox and don’t have Linkification installed, I highly recommend it. I have found it to be useful and reliable.

Embrace Your Geekness Day - 2011

2011-07-13T14:07:00.000-05:00

Are you in need of a fun, quirky reason to celebrate today? Then join in and celebrate "Embrace Your Geekness Day" this Wednesday, July 13, 2011. (This holiday and many others are copyrighted by Thomas and Ruth Roy, aka WellcatHolidays.)

What better way to celebrate than to buy yourself some jewelry from EclecticSkeptic to show off your geeky side to others? Be proud of who you are. Fellow math geeks will get a kick out of seeing your pythagorean theorem or fibonacci necklace. If you are a science geek, embrace it with a pair of hydrogen atom earrings.

Have fun, no need to hide your abilities and interests. Embrace your inner geekness today and every day.

Thanks for the Treasuries - June 2011

2011-07-07T15:21:00.009-05:00

Five different Etsians let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during June. Four June treasuries included one of my items and one treasury included one item from each of my two shops. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during June. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 5 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

artefyk
This shop carries mostly jewelry and home decor one of a kind Polymer Clay and beaded items.

CocoCocoa
Look no further for lovely hand knit and crocheted hats, headbands and even jewelry.

KellyEMarra
This shop specialized in big, bold, chunky statement jewelry and spirit wear.

LarkspurStudios
This artist fuses "paints" with powdered glass create unique fused glass pendants.

MagnoliaSurprise
Crochet and Needlework for Home, for Baby, for You!

Cookie Machine Adds Cakes/Cupcakes and Saturday Lunch Hrs

2011-06-29T17:25:00.002-05:00

My first experience with Cookie Machine was selling tubs of frozen cookie dough for an elementary school fundraiser many years ago. Cookie Machine is the only gourmet cookie dough business in Tarrant County and was the first cookie dough fundraiser company for local organizations.

Cookie Machine, located at 3100 W. Arkansas Lane (corner of Arkansas and Roosevelt) in Dalworthington Gardens, has been in the cookie dough business for more than 25 years. This summer, Cookie Machine is rolling out cakes, pies and cupcakes in addition to their freshly baked cookies and cookie cakes. They are currently offering a selection of 10 flavors of cakes and cupcakes, and 3 delicious pies.

I had the opportunity to try their German Chocolate cupcake at the Dalworthington Gardens 75th Celebration on Sunday, June 12. Cookie Machine participated along with other DWG food vendors to provide food and drink to the attendees at reduced prices. My cupcake was moist and fresh with a perfect icing. I have since tried the Italian Cream, Coconut, Southern Pecan (really tastes almost exactly like pecan pie) and Carrot Spice cupcakes. They are all wonderful.

Many years after the cookie dough fundraiser, I found out that Cookie Machine offers more than just cookies. It has a menu of soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts (including gluten free sandwiches and desserts. You can also order cookie platters and sandwich trays. They have added lunch hours on Saturdays from 11am – 2pm in addition to their regular hours on Monday – Friday of 10am – 6pm. I tried the grilled chicken breast sandwich Saturday before last when they started opening on Saturdays and was very pleased with how tender and moist the chicken was.

So whether you have an organization that needs a fundraising project, a party that needs sandwiches and/or dessert, you want to grab a quick, reasonably priced lunch or just have a sweet tooth calling out for something, stop by Cookie Machine to take care of your needs.

Design This – Wood Pens

2011-06-24T17:01:00.001-05:00

All of my previous “Design This” posts have been about something that I designed for a customer or for myself. This post is about my search to have something designed for me by someone else.

Some time back I had milled a bunch of pen blanks from a sycamore tree that we had to have taken out because it had died from drought. I set aside a few that had interesting color or spalting and toyed with the idea of learning to turn pens myself. I decided that at this time this was one more project than I could handle, so I spoke with a few pen makers that I had seen at craft shows about the possibility of having them make pens for me out of my blanks. Even though they were interested and very accomplished, none were local. So since I wasn’t in a hurry, I decided to keep their contact info but keep looking to see if I could find someone in my area.

This past spring, I noticed someone selling pens at the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market (DAFM). He had a nice assortment of pens made from different woods and turned in a variety of ways. I approached him to see if he would be willing to make pens for me out of my pen blanks and if he needed any additional blanks. It was a yes on both counts if they looked properly cured and cut. I brought my blanks out to the DAFM the next weekend for him to look at. Bob liked the looks of the blanks and could see why I was interested in having pens made for myself out of the blanks I had set aside.

We discussed what style of pen, etc. each of the blanks was best suited for and settled on four thicker and two thinner pens. We worked a partial trade for my extra blanks and I placed my order. Before Bob started turning my special blanks, he worked with one of the extra ones first to make sure how the wood worked. I was able to pick up my custom order the next weekend. I am very pleased with my pens and happy to have mementos from the old sycamore tree that used to shade my tack room. If you are in need of a lovely and functional writing instrument and Bob Igel isn’t at the DAFM, you can contact him at buckeyebob1@sbcglobal.net to see what he has for sale from Igel’s Longhorn Woodshop.

I would not have thought of going to the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market to find a woodworker/ pen turner, however that is exactly where I found the craftsman to create my pens. In addition to locally grown fruits and vegetables, you will find fresh eggs, beef, poultry, arts and crafts and more according to the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market facebook page. I was there earlier today and couldn’t resist the dead ripe homegrown tomatoes. Check it out for yourself from 8 am – 1 pm Fridays and Saturdays at 215 E. Front St., Arlington, TX.

A Little Patriotic Bling

2011-06-15T19:13:00.000-05:00

If you haven't found that perfect red, white and blue accessory for your Fourth of July and Labor Day festivities, I can help. You still have almost two weeks from today to order so that your patriotic bling will arrive in time for the 4th, but don't delay as I only have one of each ready made and ready to ship.

It's the little touches that can really add the wow factor to your patriotic ensemble. From EDCCollective, you can choose from a pair of red, white and blue lampwork bead earrings or a zipper pull. The zipper pull is great to bling up a variety of items from backpacks to belt loops to purses, anything with a loop to clip to. For the math geek, EclecticSkeptic has a red, white and blue pythagorean theorem (right triangle) necklace.

While you are enjoying the holiday festivities and looking good in your red, white and blue please remember to stay hydrated and apply a quality sunscreen so that you will finish the day in as fine a form as you started out.

What's in Bloom? June 2011

2011-06-08T17:09:00.000-05:00

Getting all of the loose ends wrapped up for the big DWG Celebration Weekend has kept me running this week such that I don't have time to write the post that I had planned. However, I didn't want to stop the weekly blog post momentum so this week I am sharing some photos of what is currently coloring up my gardens. Enjoy.

The leaves of these two shade loving plants (Japanese Painted Fern, Purple Leaf Oxalis) are reason enough to plant them. In addition to its pretty two toned purple leaves, the oxalis also sports pretty lilac pink flowers.

Standing up to the heat and full sun, my coneflowers and cosmos mix provide bright focal points. The cosmos attracts a wide range of butterflies too.

You will find other blooming beauties in my Texas Stars photo album.

Thanks for the Treasuries - May 2011

2011-06-01T20:26:00.042-05:00

Four different Etsians contacted me to let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during May. Six May treasuries included one of my items. One of those items was featured in two different treasuries. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during May. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 4 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

CorkyCrafts
Look no further for gifts for a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items.

HandPaintedPetals
Find hand painted, heirloom designs on stemware, jewelry boxes, signs and more in this shop that also welcomes custom requests.

MarasFabric
This shop specializes in precut top quality quilting squares and is branching out by offering sewn goods and crochet flowers.

Zoharmorag
In this shop you will find etchings based on photographs and memories as an adult looking at photos from the artist's childhood.

A Bright Idea for Father’s Day

2011-05-27T14:52:00.003-05:00

Is your guy the “light of your life” or the “guiding light” for your family? If so, let him know it with the symbolism found in a gift that provides a point of light for special occasions or in power outages.

While there are many items out there that could provide this symbolism, I’d like to suggest a recent addition to my EDCCollective shop. This item would be a great access piece for a desk or lend a bit of rustic charm to other areas of your home. This wooden mini oil lamp holder was made from a section of elm branch and includes a mini funnel for you to be able to fill the glass oil lamp reservoir with your own high grade lamp oil. More information about this eco-friendly gift suggestion can be found in the item description in my shop.

Dalworthington Gardens 75th Celebration Weekend

2011-05-18T11:50:00.010-05:00

I would like to invite all of my local readers to a big bash that has been two years in the making. My little city, Dalworthington Gardens (DWG), turns 75 this year. To celebrate this event a group of citizens that I have been part of have worked with the city to plan a three day weekend of events celebrating our unique history and the community spirit that allowed this tiny hamlet to flourish.

DWG began as a homestead association project during the Great Depression to assist people during this difficult time. Much more information about its history can be found on the DWG Celebration website and in one of the displays at the Fielder Museum in Arlington, TX. More information and displays will be found at the event on Sunday, June 12 at the Celebration Committee Booth. There will also be a continuously playing short movie in the DWG Annex titled “Dalworthington Gardens - Building Hope” by People's History in Texas. This video focuses on how DWG was formed and descriptions of early life in this community.

The activities on Sun., June 12 kick off with a dedication at the Texas State Historic Marker Plaza. Other activities on Sunday include hayrides, face painting, games of skill, sketch artists, a hula hoop contest, an interactive fishing demonstration and more sponsored by citizens, local businesses and organizations with ties to DWG.

Inspiration for many of the weekend long events came from recollections of life in early DWG that were recorded for our oral history project, from our Friday night supper (tickets required) to ball games on Saturday evening to movies in the park on Saturday night. We also have four different musical events planned as part of the festivities. There will be a concert by Melissa Lawson, winner of the 2008 Nashville Star competition on NBC, from 7:15 – 8:15 under the tent at Gardens Park on Saturday, June 11. An informal concert by John E. Dosher will be part of the “Fun, Food and Frolic” portion of the festivities from 5 – 7 pm on Sunday, June 12 followed by a concert by the Arlington Community Band at 7 pm. After the band concert, get up and dance to oldies tunes provided by a local DJ.

The Etsy team that I am a member of is sponsoring a face painting booth. Etsy817 will also hold drawings for door prizes and have information about participating member's shops and wares. You will be able to flip through a portfolio of some of my items and pick up my business card.

So if you will be in the area, check out the schedule, mark your calendars and come out and have a blast celebrating this important milestone event at one or more of the planned activities. The Friday night supper (tickets required) will be held at the Montessori Academy of Arlington and all other events and activities will be held in Gardens (Pappy Elkins) Park off Roosevelt Drive.

Design This – Unique Peacock Feather Earrings

2011-05-13T11:57:00.002-05:00

I love to get messages from previous customers asking if I can make ….. . I received one earlier this year from a customer that I have done several custom pieces for. I enjoy designing for her, she has a gorgeous style that really works for her that I like to refer to as elegantly funky. She likes her jewelry and accessories to be unique and one of a kind.

The request from her this time came in the form of an e-mail stating that she had been holding one of the custom peacock feather pins that I had made up to her ear and wondering if I could make a peacock feather earring for her. Since I know that one of her signature bits of style is to wear mismatched custom earrings such as this pair of moon and star earrings that I designed for her last year, I realized that she might have actually meant just one earring, but I thought I had better verify this. It turns out that she was thinking of just one feather earring but with a coordinating small stud for the other ear and she wanted the earrings to be silver in color.

Guided by this input, I mocked up a pair of earrings for her to look at. I selected silver plated shell style posts that I could hang the feather or a short dangle of crystals from. Then I chose a peacock feather to trim for the one earring that would be adorned by a coordinating dark AB coated Czech glass bead and suggested a stack of three of the same Czech glass beads for a short dangle from the other post. After receiving a thumbs up on the design, I assembled her new custom mismatched peacock feather earrings.

If you are interested in having your own custom piece made but only have an inkling of what you want, a good place to start for inspiration is by browsing my photo albums on my facebook business fan page.

Thanks for the Treasuries - April 2011

2011-05-04T20:53:00.061-05:00

Six different Etsians contacted me to let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during April. Ten April treasuries included one of my items. One of those items was featured in two different treasuries. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during April. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 6 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

BerryBlueCreations
Stethoscope covers make a great gift for a nurse or other health care professional. Custom graphics can also be found in this shop.

CorkyCrafts
Look no further for gifts for a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items.

FlauntDesigns
This jewelry artist is currently on a break while attending a craft fair.

IntoTheLight
Brilliant colors and varied designs adorn the jewelry and accessories made by this fused glass artist.

LiteMyFuseJewels
Browse jewelry made with fused glass, crystals, gemstones and vintage components by the purveyor of this shop.

MarasFabric
This shop specializes in precut top quality quilting squares and is branching out by offering sewn goods and crochet flowers.

Baseball Fever

2011-04-28T10:06:00.002-05:00

Baseball fever is going around at all levels of the game. It is mid spring and players, umpires and fans from Little League to the big leagues have been out practicing, playing, calling and watching America’s favorite pastime.

My husband started umpiring for Little League when my son started playing in grade school. About a decade later, he is still at it because he has developed a love for umpiring. How can anyone develop a love for anything that is likely to involve jeering from the crowds or in your face confrontations from managers as can be seen caught on tape at many major league games? My husband’s response to that question often includes comments about personal growth and the challenge of staying focused in order to be able to take in all of the elements of play so that each call is accurate and the kids get a chance to play a fair and fun game that unfolds in an orderly fashion. He must be successful at this as he has been honored with an invite to umpire at the Little League regionals in Waco later this summer.

Evidently the answer to why someone would put so much time and effort into volunteer umpiring is of interest to the media as well. Recently, a reporter from Texas Country Reporter contacted another long time umpire, who has been rated as qualified to call at the Little League World Series, to find out what makes umpires tick. The reporter joined the weekly Saturday morning umpire breakfast and then followed my husband and his fellow umpire as they drove off to call games. The resulting story is slated to air on the weekend of May 21. The first photo in this post shows my husband after he dropped off his car after that breakfast to ride with the other umpire to that day’s games.

While I still don’t totally understand why my husband has developed such a strong case of baseball umpiring fever, I try and get out and support him at important games by being there. (Umpires really deserve their own fans too.) When I do, I like to add a bit of baseball bling to my outfit to show my support. I have designed baseball themed gathering pins that I wear as sleeve or bodice pins as seen in the second photo. These are available through my EDCCollective shop.

No matter what level of baseball you enjoy participating in or supporting, have a great season!

Update: The Texas Country Reporter story actually ran on Sunday, August 7. Also, I posted a follow up about the 2011 Little League Southwest Regional Tournament.

Texas Natives for Your Garden – Sage n Gaura

2011-04-20T14:46:00.003-05:00

The berm that I have planted mostly with Texas natives has been alive with lovely pinks, blues and purples from the blooms of native prairie onion, spiderworts, phlox, mealy blue sage and guara for a few weeks now. While the first three plants listed only bloom during the spring, the mealy blue sage and the gaura will bloom on and off through fall, although their heaviest blooms for me are during springtime.

Mealy blue sage is a perennial whose clumps will expand and new ones may form for you from seed. Slight variations in flowers and flower stem color occur in the seed propagated new plants. The sage plants in the photos of this post are offspring from seed of plants that I dug with permission from a ranch in Cresson, TX. Many wonderful additions for your garden can be found in uncultivated areas. Before collecting any plants from the wild, please make sure that you have the property owner’s permission and that you are not digging any endangered species. You will find cultivars of mealy blue sage available in many nurseries.

While gaura is native to Texas, the pink variety as well as the white one in the accompanying photos are store bought cultivars rather than native transplants. This plant is often referred to as “whirling butterflies” in the nursery trade.

Even though my area is experiencing drought conditions, these Texas natives are holding their own and blooming wonderfully without any supplemental watering. I do keep the garden mulched to help conserve water, however planting the correct plant for your area goes a long way on cutting down or eliminating your garden’s water needs. Additional native and adapted plants from my North Texas garden can be found in my Texas Stars photo album on my Facebook business page.

Open Link in a New Tab

2011-04-15T10:01:00.001-05:00

When I am reading or browsing through a website and find an interesting link that would take me to another website, I really appreciate it when clicking on that link opens up the other site in a new tab in my browser. I like having where I started from still visible and easily found again after perusing the new link. Yes, you can always use the back arrow, but if you find an interesting link on that second page and click on it too, getting back to where you started is more difficult if each link just opens up on top of the old one in the same tab. Usually the links I click on are related to where I started from so being able to click back and forth between the tabs in any order I wish makes it much easier to cross reference each page of information.

I also want other people that land on my pages to be able to easily find their way back to my page if they click on a link that I have included. Therefore I add a small bit of html code that makes links to other sites in my blog articles, etc. open up in a new tab. You can check out this behavior be looking at and clicking on the links in my recent “Thanks for the Treasuries” blog post. While I hope readers of this post will check out my shops, an enlarged image of my items and the other shops that I feature, I also want them to easily find their way back to my blog post when they have finished checking out the other links. That is why I add the bit of html that makes links open up in a new tab. (Sometimes when you are adding links to a blog or website, a particular widget or module will be hardwired so that you cannot add this bit of code. However when you can access the html, here is what you do to make your link open in a new tab.)

The html circled in purple above, not including the bit circled in turquoise, is the html generated by most sites when you add a link. This bit of code will cause the link to open up in the same tab “on top of” where someone was when they clicked on the link. If you add the bit of code in turquoise ( target=”blank”) to this html, your link will open in a new tab. The image below shows a portion of the screen shot that I took when clicking on the word (link) “EDCCollective” in the above referenced post. The tab circled in turquoise was added when I clicked on the link and the tab for the original blog post, circled in pink, is still visible making navigation back to the blog easy by clicking on it.

(Each screen shot opens up larger in another tab when clicked on.)

So make it easy for me and your other visitors to get back to your page after clicking on links on your site by making sure they open in a new tab. It’s a snap.

Thanks for the Treasuries - March 2011

2011-04-07T16:43:00.003-05:00

Three different Etsians contacted me to let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during March. Six of my items were featured in Etsy treasuries last month. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that I received notification about being featured in March treasuries. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 3 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

CorkyCrafts
Look no further for gifts for a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items.

Teretissot
This wonderful Etsian supports the artists on Etsy by creating lovely treasuries.

WhoopsieDaisies
Whoopsie Daisies uses rescued vintage & retro fabrics to create one of a kind tooth fairy pillows, scarves and aprons.

Design This – Print to Match Frame

2011-03-31T11:22:00.000-05:00

We have a waterfall and pond in our backyard that provides year round enjoyment. Some of that is seasonal like watching the dragonflies. They buzz the pond the most during the summer and fall. I enjoy taking photos of them and had developed a few photographic art prints from some of those photos prior to seeing a wonderful stained glass style frame of dragonflies and water lilies with my husband when we were on a trip last summer. Both of us loved the frame and as we contemplated whether it would fit somewhere in our home, I suggested that I should be able to create a perfect image for the frame from my dragonfly photos. We decided that that sounded like a great plan and brought the frame home with us.

The first step in this project was to look through my original photos for ones that had potential to fit well in the opening of the frame and complement the frame’s colors. After I had selected a handful of shots that I thought might fit these criteria, I worked with each one to see what digital effects I could add that enhanced the images. I then cropped each one to the proper aspect ratio, sized it appropriately and printed it as a proof on plain paper on my laserjet. I placed the resulting images behind the frame opening in turn and my husband and I began the process of selecting our favorite. I then printed the “winner” with my inkjet on heavy photo paper. This winning combination now sits on our piano so that we can enjoy the beauty of our dragonfly visitors all year.

While the frame was a bit skinnier than the standard 4 x 6 image size, the custom image that I prepared for our frame works as a 4 x 6 as well. You too can enjoy this colorful beauty in your home. If you check out my listing for this dragonfly image, you will also see the original photo that I started with. While I like and have some of my original photos displayed in my home, I really enjoy seeing what I can create from them. Sometimes the altered photographic art images are close to the original image and sometimes the resulting image is a world away from the original photo. Many different styles and techniques can be aimed for. If you are interested in a custom image from one of your photos or just looking for a specific image, please contact me to see if I can help you out.

EclecticSkeptic Hits 100

2011-03-23T09:27:00.006-05:00

When I open an online shop, getting my sales numbers out of the single digits is cause for a happy dance. I also take notice each time another 10 is reached. Watching milestone sales is kind of like watching your car’s odometer when it rolls over to an even 1000 and subsequent multiples. So it was really awesome earlier this week to see my sales “odometer” at EclecticSkeptic role over to the triple digits.

While my total number of flying pig and geekery items reached 100 some time ago from craft shows and other offline sales, I don’t have one place that I keep track of the total number of sales of things that fit my EclecticSkeptic branding. So it is very nice to have that number tracked for me in my Etsy shop. A big thanks goes out to all of my customers that have been a part of this milestone for EclecticSkeptic. To further show my appreciation, any of my customers that contributed to my first 100 online sales, by making a purchase from my EclecticSkeptic online shop, will receive a 10% refund on any additional orders made between today and the end of April, 2011. Please put “I was part of your milestone.” in your notes to seller and you will receive your refund through PayPal before I ship your package.

Thanks again for everyone’s support and here’s to new milestones for me and you!

Is Your Garden Ready for Spring?

2011-03-16T20:34:00.000-05:00

Ready or not, the spring equinox is almost here in the northern hemisphere. I’m ready for winter to be over, however I still have a few things that need cutting back pdq now that it is almost here. I have trimmed back the majority of my perennials as I should have by now, however I tend to leave my ornamental grasses till the last minute because I enjoy the look of them even through the winter. It is time now though, if you haven’t done so, to make way for new growth on perennials that die back to the ground each winter.

Spring arrives, according to the calendar, on Sunday, March 20, 2011. Those of you that live in the northern tier of states might think this talk of spring seems a bit premature, however those of us in North Texas have been noticing signs of the coming spring for several weeks now. Spring bulbs have been blooming, fruit and ornamental trees have been flowering and many other trees have begun to leaf out.

Here in North Texas, we do need to be careful not to jump the gun in planting tender vegetables or annual flowers because even though the first day of spring is after our average last freeze date (March 14), our actual latest freeze recorded was on April 13. (However if you wait to plant some tender things such as tomatoes until then, things will heat up so fast that your crop is likely to be less than if you planted now.) So just be prepared with the row covers (A lightweight sheer curtain or sheet is a reasonable substitute.) or individual plant protectors such as purchased or handmade wall o waters to protect your “babies”.

If you have a case of spring fever and need some help channeling your gardening urges to produce the results you want, please contact me to see if my garden coaching services can be of assistance. Happy gardening!

Updating Your Web Presence – Part 2

2011-03-09T11:11:00.003-06:00

Two weeks ago I posted part 1 of Updating Your Web Presence. In it I described what I am doing to update my blog layout and promised to describe the project that helped me get past my mental block on my site. Here in part 2, I will describe the website review that I did for my new client that helped “get the juices flowing” on my own upgrades.

First let me say, never underestimate the connections you make networking. I stumbled into this recent job because of one of my local jewelry customers. While she knew of me first through local contacts, she had since signed up for my newsletter, seen my blog and shops, as well as a website that I had updated for a local organization. She had a friend that was in the process of redefining his career and suggested to him that I might be able to help him figure out how best to utilize his current web assets.

Her friend, my new client John E Dosher, has always been involved with music, mostly as a performer but also for several years as owner of a music store. After deciding to close his shop and focus more on recording and performing again (he has a new single), he needed to retool his web presence, but where to begin? That is where I came in. I did an initial consultation with him after reviewing what I could find on the web. I found one site that he had pretty much forgotten in addition to others that needed differing levels of updating and connecting. We brainstormed, based on what his current online contractual agreements and future growth needs were.

This brainstorming session concluded with my client still needing to mull over a couple of options about how to fairly easily update his main web presence with current content since it was paid up for approximately the next year. This would give him time to investigate other hosting sites to see if they would be a better fit for the long term. Other things were discussed including making sure that his different sites link to each other where appropriate and making sure that e-mail information is easy for people to access from all browsers.

Once my client figured out how he wanted to retool his main website, he sent me a link for me to review. I wrote out a page of notes to go over with him and we scheduled a conference call to do so. The new site did a great job of including all of his current career goals. My suggestions included some editorial and design ideas to polish the look, some navigation suggestions so that people wouldn’t get lost while investigating the site and its links as well as some ideas to help the site’s SEO. After the consultation, I wrote up a summary of the items that he had agreed would be helpful changes so that he had something concrete to work from when he had time to implement them.

I definitely credit my thinking about how all of the pieces of my client’s web presence fit together with helping me take a good look at my own web presence and seeing where I could improve visitors’ interactions with it. I have gotten a good start on updating it, however it is still a work in progress. You should give a good look at yours too at least once a year to make sure everything is up to date, easy to navigate and coherent. Contact me if you are interested in an objective consultation.

Thanks for the Treasuries - February 2011

2011-03-03T17:43:00.003-06:00

Six different Etsians contacted me to let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during February. Eight February treasuries included one of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during February. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 6 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

BlackDelivery
A wide assortment of styles of vintage and handcrafted jewelry is available from this shop.

ChicThrows1
This mother and daughter team makes lovely quilted throws and receiving quilts.

CorkyCrafts
Look no further for gifts for a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items.

LDemasGifts
This shop is stocked with gorgeous book and bible covers.

MarasFabric
This shop specializes in precut top quality quilting squares.

WhoopsieDaisies
Whoopsie Daisies uses rescued vintage & retro fabrics to create one of a kind tooth fairy pillows, scarves and aprons.

Updating Your Web Presence – Part 1

2011-02-24T17:05:00.006-06:00

It is a good idea to do a periodic review all of the places you have created for your business on the web. New features may have been added to sites you are on, information you have posted may need updating to stay current or you may need to prune out a site from your web presence that isn’t working for you. Two recent examples of this that I have been involved with made me think that sharing them with my readers might provide them (you) with a helpful reminder.

It has been about a year now since Blogger added the ability to add static pages to the blogs it hosts. I remember finding out about this fairly early on but didn’t get a chance to check it out for a while. When I did, I found that it was a pretty easy thing to do. (I suspect that it is even easier to do for a brand new blog than retrofitting an old, modified template like I am using.) Just click on the posting tab on the blogger design page for your blog, click on the edit pages button on the line below the tabs and follow the prompts. You can create up to 10 stand-alone pages this way. I knew intuitively that I wanted to do this and that it should make it easier for people to connect with my information that would be useful to them, but it took a while for me to figure out exactly how I wanted to use this great new feature.

My mental block finally dissolved and currently my blog is a work in progress. I have fleshed out the “bones” by creating my static pages and picked the option to have them show up as horizontal buttons placed under my header. I then placed a bit of content on each page. Some of this content came out of my side bar so that it is not as cluttered. As I have time, I will be adding content (text, links and visuals) to my tabs with an eye towards cohesiveness, ease of navigation and SEO. Feel free to check back and follow my progress. Perhaps it will give you inspiration for your own blog’s facelift.

What fueled my inspiration to be able to dissolve my mental block? I think it is due in large part to a website review that I just completed for someone that was changing his direction but seemed to be suffering from his own mental block on how best to proceed. (Isn’t it always easier to see what someone else needs to do than to fix your own things?) I’ll do a review of that project next month as this post is getting lengthy.

Spring 2011 Fashion Colors

2011-02-17T11:12:00.004-06:00

Want to see if your favorite color made it into Pantone’s color suggestions for spring fashions? Check out their top 10 women’s fashion color picks for spring 2011 as well as their inspiration for these trends. Did you find a new favorite color in this list? That would be a perfect excuse to treat yourself to something new for the springtime.

Pair your existing wardrobe with a new accessory to add a pop of this spring
season’s colors. Use complementary color pairings to bring a bit of fun to your outfits. For example, pair this coral rose chunky chain, carnelian and agate necklace with a regatta or blue curacao blouse from the opposite side of the color wheel.

Treat your math geek to a funky bright necklace evoking this spring’s colors of beeswax and peapod. This right triangle necklace will really pop on a russet top and is currently available from EclecticSkeptic.

Other items with Pantone’s spring 2011 fashion colors can be found at EclecticSkeptic and EDCCollective such as this vintage lavender fan necklace. If you don’t find quite what you are looking for, please contact me to see if I have the materials to create a custom piece to accessorize your outfits with a splash of the spring color you are looking for.

EDCCollective 2 Year Etsyversary

2011-02-08T18:21:00.014-06:00

Once in a blue moon, or less often, you get to take advantage of a sale at EDCCollective. That's because I don't add "sale padding" to my everyday prices. I want my customers to know that they are getting a fair deal every day of the year, not just on sale days. However, EDCCollective's two year Etsyversary seems to me to be a good reason to hold a sale to show my appreciation for helping me reach this milestone. To celebrate, I'm offering a store wide 10% off sale in my EDCCollective Etsy shop. (shipping not included)

Only subscribers to my newsletter and readers of my blog or Facebook business page wall will know about this sale and the secret code. The prices that you see in my shop will be my everyday prices. The way to participate in this sale is to order on Wednesday, February 9 (the date of EDCCollective's 2nd Etsyversary). In the "notes to seller" of your order, you must write the secret code, Happy Etsyversary, EDC2. After you have paid using PayPal, I will refund 10% of your merchandise total through PayPal. (When you check out with PayPal, you have the option of using your PayPal account or paying with a credit card.)

Remember, this sale is only valid at EDCCollective and only on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 with the secret code. Thank you in advance for shopping at EDCCollective during this sale and know that you are appreciated.

Thanks for the Treasuries - January 2011

2011-02-04T11:51:00.009-06:00

Eight different Etsians contacted me to let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during January. Ten January treasuries included one of my items. Two of them included two of my items. My turquoise gathering pins and my vintage purple cloisonne fan necklace made their way into two separate treasuries during the month of January. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during January. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 8 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

BerryBlueCreations
Here you will find unique and one of a kind handmade items from stethoscope covers to pillows and more.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

KellyEMarra
Bada Bling - Jewelry & more for the Diva in you.

Kikiishere333
Delicate, feminine handmade earrings and necklaces, perfect for weddings or a sweetheart ensemble.

MarasFabric
This shop specializes in precut top quality quilting squares.

Sobresitos
Sobresitos is coming soon. In the mean time visit Gabeadz for lovingly handcrafted simple and elegant jewelry for any occasion.

SunnyPlainQuilting
Looking for hand sewn quilts, clothes, aprons and more? Look no further than SunnyPlainQuilting.

Teretissot
This wonderful Etsian supports the artists on Etsy by creating lovely treasuries.

Design This – Chains

2011-01-27T09:37:00.007-06:00

Sometimes an Etsy alchemy request can be for something simple such as a chain. I have fulfilled custom requests for a safety chain and a necklace replacement chain through alchemy.

One customer had a lovely vintage copper bracelet whose clasp was unreliable and she wanted a safety chain so that if the clasp popped open, she wouldn’t lose the bracelet. Completing this request taught me that having the item in front of you, even if you are creating a simple addition for the item, is invaluable. I made the safety chain to the specs supplied by my customer. However much to the dismay of both of us, the gauge of the copper was too large for the spring rings to attach to. This had not been apparent in the photo of the bracelet, so my customer shipped the bracelet with the safety chain she had just received back to me so that I could remedy the situation. After being able to see the bracelet in person, I mocked up a couple of solutions for her to choose from and noticed that the clasp was upside down. I asked my customer if she would like me to turn it over and she was happy to have me do so. I was also able to tighten the clasp a bit so that it would stay closed more reliably. The safety chain was still an important safe guard because I expect that since the clasp had loosened up through use before, it would eventually do so again.

The necklace chain was for a lovely pendant whose former chain kept breaking. From seeing the photos, I was concerned about the size of the bail on the pendant and didn’t want to have a round of extra shipping required as with the safety chain, if the chain that I had suggested in my bid couldn’t fit through the bail or existing jump rings. It turned out that it was very fortunate that I requested to have the pendant shipped to me, because once I could see it in person, I had an idea for the replacement chain that I thought complemented the copper and antiqued brass colors of the pendant perfectly. (The exact colors of the pendant had been difficult to see in my customer’s photos.) I sent a photo to my customer of this idea and the original chain suggestion. She liked the copper and brass combination that I had come up with better than my original idea, so that is what I made up for her. This unique replacement chain would not have been possible without seeing the pendant in person.

Small or large, I enjoy making repairs or creating custom pieces that allow my customers to continue to enjoy a cherished piece of jewelry or find a new one matched to their needs. Please contact Eclectic Design Choices if there is something that I can repair or create for you.

Great Backyard Bird Count 2011

2011-01-21T11:28:00.012-06:00

Do you enjoy getting outside and observing nature? Would you like to participate in a worthwhile project that is great fun for you and your family while helping further scientific knowledge? If so, I hope you will have the opportunity to take part in this year's Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). This is one of many citizen scientist programs that you can participate in by gathering data for research studies.

This year the GBBC will be February 18-21. For more details check out the GBBC website to learn more about how you can participate and to see some amazing photos taken during last year’s event. I took the photo in this post from inside my house during last year's GBBC, which coincided with a record February snow in the DFW area. (Click on the image for a larger view.) Even with the record snowfall, I was able to gather data as the birds flocked to my bird feeders looking for a meal because most of their other food sources were snowed under.

Mark your calendars now, and happy counting!

Hearts for Your Sweetheart

2011-01-12T10:36:00.013-06:00

The perfect gift for your Valentine doesn’t have to include a heart. EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic have plenty of great gift ideas sans hearts. However, while a heart themed item is a perfect gift for your sweetheart at any time of the year, it is especially appropriate for Valentine’s Day.

Each of my shops has a small selection of gifts with a heart, including whimsical Valentine’s Day cards at EclecticSkeptic.

There is still time for me to make a custom item for you to give if you contact me and we get the details worked out before the end of January. I have a variety of gemstone, shell, blister pearl and glass hearts to work with. Listed items should arrive in time if ordered before the end of the first week of February.

I hope you and your sweetheart have a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

Thanks for the Treasuries - December 2010

2011-01-05T10:35:00.010-06:00

Nine different Etsians featured one or more of my items in a treasury during December. Twelve December treasuries included one of my items. My tealight candle holders made their way into two separate treasuries in December. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during December. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 9 different Etsians that let me know that they featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the shop links of anything that catches your eye.

BerryBlueCreations
Here you will find unique and one of a kind handmade items from stethoscope covers to art dolls and more.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

HandPaintedPetals
Hand painted keepsakes including jewelry and memory boxes, glassware, votive candle holders and more can be found here.

InspiredDesigns4You
This designer creates one-of-a-kind handmade, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and accessories, many with southwest influences.

MarasFabric
This shop specializes in precut top quality quilting squares.

Maulani
Colorful felted jewelry, hair accessories and more can be found in this shop.

MermaidontheMoon
Find hand crafted pearl, gemstone and costume jewelry in this shop.

Teretissot
This wonderful Etsian supports the artists on Etsy by creating lovely treasuries.

TheFancyLamb
This shop is home to vintage housewares, home decor, odds and ends, plus upcycled journals from vintage books.

Design This – Statement Earrings

2010-12-31T10:15:00.014-06:00

While I have had the pleasure of creating many custom pieces for other people, sometimes it comes in handy to be able to whip up something for myself. A few months ago, I found myself in need of some statement earrings to go with an outfit that I wanted to wear.

I was going to be emceeing a charity wine tasting and silent auction. A few days before the event, I went through my closet to find a suitable outfit. I decided on a short sleeved black blouse adorned with sequins and beads worn over a velvet textured maroon long sleeved shirt. Now I needed to pick accessories. The folds of material in the neckline of the maroon shirt precluded wearing a necklace and I thought a bracelet would pretty much get lost under the long sleeved shirt, so I needed to see what earrings I had to work with. While I had some simple silver and/or pearl earrings that would have worked, they were more subtle than I wanted, since the earrings would be the major addition to this outfit.

So I grabbed the beaded blouse and headed to my supply station. My goal was to create a pair of lightweight clip earrings that had sparkle, movement and picked up the colors from my blouse. I pulled out a pair of silver plated, hinged, screw back clip earrings, all of my crystal and Czech glass beads that picked up at least one color from my blouse and some sterling silver chain. I played around with several combinations and finally settled on the beads and chain that I wanted to use. I made up four short crystal sections using silver headpins for each earring. I suspended each of these sections from different lengths of sterling silver chain. I then attached the chains
to the loop of each ear clip.

These earrings are long enough and have enough sparkle that they don’t get lost, but rather are the statement earrings that I was trying for. They are wonderfully lightweight and their sparkle and movement give them a lot of life as I move.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation and would like something designed especially for you, please contact me to see if I have the materials needed and enough time to design something to fill your needs.

Fellow Etsian Sightings - CorkyCrafts

2010-12-23T20:06:00.005-06:00

Ok, I did it again this year. I bought another Christmas tree ornament from a fellow Etsy artisan. Even though I realized that it might be a challenge to add any more to my ornament collection and still get them all on the tree, this little pony was just too cute to pass up.

Ponies, Santas, reindeer and other ornaments are handcrafted from wine corks. Ornaments are not the only thing that you will find in this talented Etsian’s shop however. You will also find great ideas for hostess gifts, other holiday decorations and home décor. Wine cork wreaths are a specialty. CorkyCrafts is the perfect place to browse for a unique gift for any wine enthusiast. Although, you don’t have to be a wine lover to appreciate the wonderful cork and other handcrafted items found in this shop.

I hope this wee bit of my holiday decorations that I have shared has brought you a spot of holiday cheer. May the rest of your holidays be merry and have a very happy New Year.

No More Green Tomatoes

2010-12-16T19:18:00.015-06:00

In an earlier post I described what I do when I’m faced with a blue norther threatening to turn my still unripe tomatoes into tomatocicles. And as promised, I’m back to share with you the photos of the small green slicer, shown in my previous post, that I was letting ripen on my kitchen counter.

Three weeks later, on December 8, I decided that the small slicer, that I had picked on November 17 for this green tomato ripening test, looked ready to be sampled. I took a photo just before and after slicing it. You can see that it was a nice even red inside and out and was still nice and plump. My two guys and I tasted the tomato and the verdict was that it had a nice tomato flavor. The flesh was not dry or mealy. If we hadn’t polished it off sampling it, it would have been perfect on a salad or sandwich.

I picked my green cherry tomatoes and remaining small slicers on Thanksgiving as our first predicted freeze bore down on us. They have been ripening nicely in my kitchen too. Last night, December 15, we enjoyed a fresh salsa made from most of what remained from that harvest along with store bought tomatillos, garlic and cilantro.

So remember next year that your unripe tomatoes don’t have to turn to mush on the vine or be turned into fried green tomatoes if the first freeze of the year threatens them before they are ready to be picked. Go ahead and pick them all, leave them in a colander out of direct heat and light and use them as they ripen, just as if they were ripening on the vine.

See a complete list of my gardening tips at my garden coach profile.

Thanks for the Treasuries - November 2010

2010-12-08T20:27:00.015-06:00

Eight different Etsians featured one or more of my items in a treasury during November. Twelve November treasuries included one of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during November. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 8 different Etsians that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop or profile that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

ArtandWool
Lovely fine art, original handknits and jewellery from Down Under.

AuntJaneCan
Original fantasy art as sculpture, paintings, greeting cards, jewelry and prints.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

EnchantedBeads
This shop has the most amazing Victorian revival and romantic retro beadwoven jewelry with gemstones, pearls and more.

FotoGirlCreations
The prints and note cards in this shop are altered photos that resemble fine art paintings much more than the photographs they began as.

HandPaintedPetals
Hand painted keepsakes including jewelry and memory boxes, glassware, votive candle holders and more can be found here.

Teretissot
This wonderful Etsian supports the artists on Etsy by creating lovely treasuries.

TeroldegoandTomatoes
Handmade floral note cards, wedding invitations, bridesmaid thank you cards, paper magnolias and gift tags can be found in this shop.

See Eclectic Design Choices at Olde Town Christmas

2010-11-25T19:05:00.005-06:00

Eclectic Design Choices will join an array of more than 65 other artists and crafters for your holiday shopping at Arlington Parks and Recreation's Olde Town Christmas Craft Fair. This holiday craft fair will be held at Dottie Lynn Recreation Center in Arlington, TX on Friday, December 3 from noon to 7pm and Saturday, December 4 from 10am to 3pm.

Click on the photo above to see a larger view of most of my display from my recent Hillsboro show. Look for a similar display at the Olde Town Christmas craft fair.

You will find many of my current listings from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic and much more. I've been busy creating and I will have many items with me that are not currently listed in my shops. I have added some photos of some of these new goodies to my Facebook business fan page albums.

Whether you will be shopping for yourself or shopping for those perfect holiday gifts, I hope you will get a chance to take advantage of this great shopping opportunity. While you are there, please stop by and introduce yourself. I'd love the opportunity to say "hi" in person. Look for my Eclectic Design Choices sign near the back of my booth.

Green Tomatoes and the Big Chill

2010-11-22T11:33:00.012-06:00

So, your tomatoes are still producing, not all of the fruit is ripe and a heavy frost or freeze is forecast, what do you do? You get out there and pick all of your tomatoes of course, regardless of color, as the cold front's winds are bearing down, threatening to turn your still productive plants into dead tomatocicles.

You're not into the fried green tomato thing you say? Not to worry. Tomatoes are climacteric fruits. This means that they will continue to ripen after you pick them. Last year I decided to see just how green a tomato could be and still ripen to a lovely red and taste like a homegrown tomato. I kept my rescued tomatoes in a colander in the kitchen away from heat sources and out of the direct sunlight. I was surprised to find out that even the dark green ones would eventually ripen. The occasional fruit would shrivel a bit, however almost every tomato ripened and was enjoyed instead of being left on the vine to freeze. It was great having a tomato from my garden at Christmas.

As I am writing this, we are in a warm spell in between a couple of light frosts and our first freeze that is predicted for Thanksgiving night. (Guess what I'll be doing after turkey dinner?) Before our previous light frost I picked just one small slicer that was barely beginning to blush. (I have a system for keeping a light frost from damaging the plants so that they can continue to produce until a heavy frost or freeze.) The tomato pictured was picked on November 17 and photographed on November 18. I will do a follow up post to let you know how long it took to fully ripen and what it looked and tasted like.

So, if your tomato plants haven't been done in by Jack Frost yet and still have tomatoes on them, grab a spare colander as that blue norther is bearing down and pick them all. By doing so, you will enjoy some fruits of summer during the gray days of winter.

Update: Click here to read my follow up post.

Design This – Sturdy Box for Display Case

2010-11-11T07:00:00.008-06:00

This design this post explains how I went about solving the problem of safely transporting a glass sided display case to and from my craft shows, such as the one I'll be at this weekend in Hillsboro. I could have placed it on the top of the items that I packed for the show and covered it with a blanket, but I wanted something more secure. Finding a sturdy box proved to be a challenge due to its size (18 x 23 x 6 inches). When my usual box sources didn’t have what I needed, I headed off to my local box and shipping supplies store.

They have boxes, tubes and mailers in a huge variety of sizes. Even with such a great selection, there were not very many options for my needs. I finally settled on a single wall 24 x 24 x 12 inch box. Unfortunately, none of the double wall boxes had the correct dimensions, so I would have to “beef up” this box when I got home.

This was one of the times that my “pack rat nature” came in handy. After I used packing tape to secure the bottom of the box, I set out to reinforce the bottom and sides. I had a piece of cardboard that was big enough to lay in the bottom of the box. Then I cut to size and pieced together four strips of cardboard to go around the sides of the box. I used liquid nails to secure the cardboard pieces to the box sides. I still had a bit to attach when I ran out of the remains of a large tube, so I grabbed a small squeeze tube of the newly formulated liquid nails for small projects. I love what they did with it! It squeezes and spreads better than the old formulation and I think it had better adhesion for this application.

Now it was time for a test fit of my case. There was just a little bit of room in the long dimension of my case for shifting that I needed to fill up. Unfortunately it was not quite enough for some reinforced corner pieces that I had been saving but I did have a couple of "I" shaped pieces of cardboard that I could slide down the sides to take up this space to make a secure fit. The corner pieces fit into the corners of the box to make it very sturdy, even if something got stacked on top so I cut them to length. I used my liquid nails for small projects to secure all of these pieces, applied some bracing and let all of this cure overnight.

Because this box is a large, somewhat awkward size, I wanted to make it easier to carry and reduce the risk of dropping it. I used a sturdy, open topped box that I’d saved to make a template for handle cut outs on my reinforced display case box and a mat knife to cut them out. Now I have a sturdy box that my display case fits securely into. I can use the space on either side and the top of the case to carry my table covers in. Problem solved.

Thanks for the Treasuries - October 2010

2010-11-04T13:41:00.012-05:00

Five different Etsy shops notified me that they had featured one or more of my items in a treasury during October. Six different October treasuries included one or more of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during October. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 5 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

HandPaintedPetals
Hand painted keepsakes including jewelry and memory boxes, glassware, votive candle holders and more can be found here.

LilliputLoft
This mother and daughter team create enchanted, whimsical items for the child within.

Natalya1905
Natalya's Studio offers high quality, original custom knit and crochet patterns and items such as Newsboy Hats, Scarves, Cup Cozies, Moccasin Slippers, Beanies, Berets, Yoga Socks, Arm, Leg Warmers and more.

SigalsArt
This artist offers a wide range of beautiful polymer clay items including beads, jewelry, accessories and unbaked polymer clay canes in addition to other jewelry items.

EclecticDesignChoices to be at Hillsboro Holiday Craft & Antique Bazaar

2010-10-28T14:12:00.020-05:00

Outlets at Hillsboro is sponsoring a Holiday Craft & Antique Bazaar on Saturday and Sunday, November 13 - 14, 2010. You can "shop till you drop" from 10 am to 6 pm on both days. On Saturday there will be even more fun for those shoppers that purchase a Shopping Extravaganza ticket. So, if you are in the area, grab some friends or head out solo to come by, say "hi" and see my creations in person.

You will find many of my current listings from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic and much more. I've been busy creating and I will have many items at the Hillsboro show that are not currently listed in my shops. I have added some photos of some of these new goodies to my Facebook business fan page albums.

Whether you will be shopping for yourself or shopping for those perfect holiday gifts, I hope you will get a chance to take advantage of this great shopping opportunity. While you are there, please stop by the crafts area and introduce yourself. I'd love the opportunity to say "hi" in person. Look for my sign near the back of my booth.

Design This – Native American Hair Tides

2010-10-20T11:40:00.012-05:00

This design project got its start when a prospective customer saw something in another one of my “Design This” blog posts that she liked. She sent me a screen shot with the item that she hoped to be able to purchase. I had recently sold that exact pair of Native American style feather and leather hair clips but had a similar pair that was not currently listed anywhere, so I sent off a picture of them. She liked them and was interested in some earrings in a similar style and wondered, “Also, do you make Native American hair tides, they are also called hair leather straps?”. The earrings were the easy part of this custom request but I would have to do some research into these “hair tides” to see if they were something I felt confident creating.

I was having some difficulty locating examples, so my customer found a couple of links for me. After seeing the product that I was being asked about, I discovered that they could also be found by searching for Native American leather hair ties or wraps. This gave me an idea of the product that my customer was after. These hair accessories are meant to wrap around your hair braids and the solid leather part at the top is tied securely around the braids with the leather fringe hanging below. I asked for some specifics as to the preferred length of the solid and fringed portions as well as color preferences and then I was off to search for supplies and to investigate fringing methods.

I found a nice red suede piece of leather that looked like it would make what my customer had asked for. After researching fringing, I decided to use a multibladed tool to fringe the lower portion of the hair tides. I practiced on some scrap leather to get a feel for the tool. I had to be careful how I pulled the leather or the fringes would not come out right. After a bit of practice, it was time to create my customer’s custom hair tides. After fringing the pieces, I attached laces to each one for securing the hair wraps to her braids.

Since my hair is not long enough to braid, I needed a way to model the product for my client. I used the tail of my stuffed white tiger to simulate a hair braid. I have doubled up this image so that you can get a feel for what these Native American style leather hair wraps would look like when in use.

Feel free to contact me if you find something on my blog, in my Facebook photo albums or EDCCollective's sold listings that you like. If I don’t have the item but can recreate it or something similar, I’d love to make a custom piece for you.

Gardening for Wildlife - Monarch Migration

2010-10-15T08:15:00.012-05:00

There are several great plants including milkweed and butterfly weed that can attract Monarch butterflies to your garden. I would like to share two Texas natives, that you might not be as familiar with, that Monarchs flock to in my garden. They feed on the nectar of these plants to help fuel their 2500 mile fall migration to Mexico, where they hibernate for the winter. These two Texas natives, late flowering boneset and blue mistflower, supply much needed food for this epic journey.

Late flowering boneset naturally grows near streams, lakes or other low lying areas. I have found that it is adaptable to being included in my xeric garden. This plant does spread by underground roots and if it is in an area where it is very happy (damp or frequent watering), it will spread and form a large colony. It is also a vigorous reseeder, so it is best to clip and dispose of the seed heads so that you won’t be constantly pulling seedlings the next year. (Natural seed propagation is how it found its way to my garden in the first place.) So much for it’s vices, there is still a lot to recommend this plant for the right spot on your property. Late flowering boneset will attain a height of 3 to 6 feet. In my garden, it tends to get 4 to 5 feet. It usually blooms, from late September into early October. It is covered with an umbrella of white, fuzzy blooms for a few weeks and attracts a large variety of insects to feed on its flower’s nectar, including Monarch butterflies. This is a plant for the back of a large bed or for holding the soil along banks near low lying areas on your property. It is a perennial that dies to the ground during the winter.

Blue mistflower is also good for stabilizing sloping ground near low lying areas. It also spreads by underground roots but I have not found it to be an aggressive reseeder. It too, will happily fill an area that stays damp or is watered regularly. I have found it to be very useful in my xeric garden. I got my start as a division (with permission) from a local xeriscape. It also dies back in the winter but only gets a foot or so high in my garden, so it can be planted closer to the front of a bed. It usually blooms at a similar time as late flowering boneset but often for a little longer. It has similar flowers that are lavender in color.

If you have the space for either of both of these plants on your property, I would like to encourage you to plant them to help support the Monarchs on their long journey. You will be rewarded by getting to watch Monarch butterflies flitting around your garden during their fall migration, in addition to the other nectar sippers that will visit.

Thanks for the Treasuries - September 2010

2010-10-06T09:17:00.008-05:00

Three different Etsy shops featured one or more of my items in a treasury in September. Seven different September treasuries included one of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during September. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 3 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

HandPaintedPetals
Hand painted keepsakes including jewelry and memory boxes, glassware, votive candle holders and more can be found here.

SpunkyDiva
Home of the StayPut towel. These towels make fantastic housewarming, wedding, or hostess gifts.

Diary 2011 Project

2010-09-29T12:08:00.017-05:00

For the second year in a row, I have participated in the Diary Project. This is the Diary Project’s fourth year. The layout has changed a bit this year, however it is still a great solution for people that like to keep a daily diary or journal.

Artists and craftsmen are asked to submit artwork for a given day of the year. The artist is allowed to include what they do and a link to their work. This information, as well as the date, is translated into English, French and Spanish. Space is incorporated into the page design for your diary or journal entry.

You can see a preview of my artwork for Thursday, July 14, 2011 at the left. This photographic art design is of my gazelle earring model, modeling a pair of flying pig earrings. Click on the gazelle for a larger view. Additional flying pig items can be found in my shop EclecticSkeptic.

You can purchase a copy of the this year’s artistically designed diary, a CD of the diary or a download of the diary. For ordering information, please click on the Diary 2011 button at the right.

EDCCollective begins collaboration with RhymesAndReason

2010-09-23T08:51:00.010-05:00

Sometimes two very different things can be combined for a more pleasing whole than either of the parts could be on their own. Some examples that come to mind are bread and butter, suit and tie, Simon and Garfunkel. The combination that is the basis of EDC’s new collaboration is poetry and illustrations. Now don’t get me wrong, EDCCollective’s photographic art is great as home décor and on note cards and bookmarks, while RhymesAndReason’s poems capture thoughts and feelings that you might find difficulty finding the words for. However, the combination of a poem with a complementary illustration provides more interest and impact than either on its own.

How does this work? The poet sends me a poem, I brainstorm images that I think enhance the poem and work from my stock photos or take some new shots to work with to come up with the final illustrations. I then artistically arrange the poem on the illustration and send the finished file to the poet.

You can find the products of this collaboration in RhymesAndReason’s Etsy Shop. Most of her current listings are geared towards giving as a gift to a special friend or dear family member, many of which can be personalized. Other poems may be something that you wish to purchase for yourself and hang in your home. Also, the current listings are for a pdf of the poem that you can print out as an 8 x 10 on your choice of paper. If you would rather have a printed copy mailed to you, please contact EDCCollective or RhymesAndReason, as we have plans to make that happen as well. I'm sure there will be many more poems to come as time goes on, so please bookmark this neat new Etsy store, RhymesAndReason, for your future illustrated poetry needs.

Design This – Turquoise Crystal Necklace

2010-09-17T11:43:00.008-05:00

Not all of my custom orders come from Etsy alchemy requests. Earlier this year, a friend asked me to show her some of my completed designs and materials in colors that she liked to wear. We sat down with what I brought and she picked out a couple of things and made a wish list of others that she wanted to add to her wardrobe over time. This post is about a jewelry set that I designed around a strand of turquoise crystal beads that she particularly liked.

Initially, my goal was to just create a necklace design using the strand of crystal beads. The length necklace that my friend wanted was longer than the strand of beads, so I needed to incorporate some spacers or other complementary beads into the design. I had other beads in the same color as well as a variety of faceted glass and crystal beads that I thought would help showcase the large turquoise crystal beads. I strung up a variety of beads in different patterns to see what my friend liked the best.

She liked the small, faceted, AB coated Czech glass spacer beads the best. They did a good job of adding length, without taking away from the turquoise beads that she liked so much. We also discussed the pattern of spacers and large beads in the necklace. To add more emphasis to the turquoise beads, the final design was to include several of these beads grouped together in the front of the necklace without spacers.

There was a pleasant surprise when I laid out this pattern to the correct length. There were four extra large turquoise crystal beads. I sent a photo of the necklace and a suggestion for a pair of matching earrings before I beaded anything up. My friend was thrilled with being able to have matching earrings, so the custom necklace became a custom necklace and earring set.

If you have a particular color or style that you would like incorporated into a custom piece of jewelry, I’d love to hear from you and see if I have the materials to turn your vision into reality. You can contact me through my Etsy shops, EDCCollective or EclecticSkeptic, or send me an e-mail.

EclecticSkeptic adds Math and Science Geek Themed Items

2010-09-09T15:23:00.009-05:00

In an effort to blend my love for math and science with my love for creating things, I have put on my thinking cap to come up with items for the math and science geek. My goal is to create items that not only are attractive, but that will be appreciated on a deeper level by someone with the appropriate math or science background. EclecticSkeptic has a brand new section, geekery, for these items, in addition to its broad assortment of flying pig (aka pigasus) items. At this time this new section is stocked with two of my new designs.

If you or someone you know is a math geek, the fibonacci necklace is a great accessory. I have gotten several compliments when I wear mine, just because it is a colorful and pretty piece of jewelry. The people that I know with a strong math background also appreciate what it represents. This necklace is available in silver plated chain and findings as well as the gold plated seen here. You can also arrange to have me customize the colors that represent the first five numbers of the fibonacci sequence for you.

Perhaps you are more of the science type. Then the hydrogen atom earrings would be perfect for you or for any female science geek on your list. (I'm working on ideas for the math or science guy geeks too, so stay tuned.) The electron is represented by a movable fluted gunmental plated bead. Other colors of faceted glass beads can be used to represent the proton of the hydrogen atom. Please contact me about the availability of the customizations that you are interested in.

Let EclecticSkeptic help you display your love of math and/or science with style.

Thanks for the Treasuries - August 2010

2010-09-02T16:12:00.008-05:00

Seven different Etsy shops featured at least one of my items in a treasury in August. Ten different August treasuries included one of my items. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during August. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 7 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

bomobob
Unique and original fine art photography is featured as prints, in calendars and on lockets in this shop.

ClassyAndSassyCharms
This shop carries two sides soldered glass pendants that feature a variety of images and text.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

HandPaintedPetals
Hand painted keepsakes include jewelry and memory boxes, glassware, votive candle holders and more can be found here.

MarasFabric
Look no further than this shop for a great selection of pre-cut quilt squares and lace. A few handmade fabric items such as coasters can be found as well.

Maulani
Fun and bright needle felted, fabric rose and charm necklaces are sold here.

SoyComfort
Shop for a variety of shapes and fragrances of hand poured soy candles at this shop.

Design This – First Wedding Anniversary Gift

2010-08-25T14:19:00.011-05:00

This project came about as a result of another Etsy alchemy request. The requestor was looking for ideas related to the traditional, paper, or modern, clock, first anniversary gift ideas for her husband. She mentioned in her request that he liked pencil sketches. My bid on the request was for a custom 8 x 10 photographic art print from one of her digital photos, with the aim of making the finished design look like a charcoal or pencil sketch.

After I answered a few questions from the requester, I was awarded the bid. She sent three photos for me to see which one would work best for this treatment. (I have found that there are many variables that may not be noticeable to the naked eye that help determine what outcome you can achieve with any given photo.) I was pleased to inform my customer that the one she most wanted to work, was the best one for turning into a pencil sketch look alike.

I prepared four different starting point files with the look of a charcoal or pencil sketch and two of another style that I found interesting in order to determine my customer’s likes. She picked one of the pencil sketch style images and had a couple of specifics that she wanted adjusted. I took care of those and another that I saw and sent an updated proof. She then noticed a couple of other details that she hoped could be reworked, which I did, along with a bit more clean up. My customer approved the next proof that I sent, so I printed it and mailed it too her. She planned to have it matted and framed to present to her husband for their first anniversary.

If you are looking for a custom photographic art print, please contact me through my EDCCollective shop. I also have many matted and unmatted images that are currently available in a variety of sizes. Another customization that I can do for you is to add text, that you have the copyright privileges for, over an image. And if you are going for the more modern gift idea of a clock for a first anniversary gift, I have recently added some clocks to my EclecticSkeptic shop.

A Terribly Beautiful Mistake

2010-08-20T18:03:00.009-05:00

Some valuable information that a garden coach can provide to their clients is what plants will look good and thrive in a client’s garden. Equally valuable is what not to plant. Reasons for not planting include, the plant getting too large for the location, the plant is unlikely to survive in the given conditions, or the reason I’m going to discuss in this post, the plant is likely to run rampant so that it smothers out the other desirable plants.

These “Godzilla” plants usually look beautiful and tame enough in their small pots in the garden center. However, get them home and just like kudzu, they will cover or push out everything in its ever expanding area of influence.

When I first added plants to my water garden, I did some reading and knew not to plant things like full sized cattails, water hyacinth or horsetail reed. The dwarf versions of cattail and horsetail reed were supposed to be better behaved however, so I gave them a try. The dwarf cattail showed its Godzilla nature quickly and I ripped in out before it gained much headway.

The dwarf horsetail reed on the other hand, behaved for a couple of years. It stayed where I planted it and almost looked at one point like it might fade away. In a couple of years it began to spread slowly and I was still not concerned. Then, in what seemed like overnight, it covered about half of my pond, tried to clog up my filter and pump system and spread out into my surrounding garden. I do hate that it got so aggressive, because the dragonflies love to perch on it and I have many photographic art prints, note cards and bookmarks because of this. It had to go though. (I’m still working on rooting out the remnants.) After my husband spent several sessions wrestling the main part of the invasion out of the pond, we left it to dry out thoroughly before shipping it out as trash, so that it would not be able to spread if it found a favorable location.

Two other plants that looked so beautiful in their small pots that I just had to take them home and add them to my pond were floating heart and a four leaf water clover. I have to admit that I had been warned about the floating heart, but its nice leaves and pretty yellow flowers proved too tempting. “I can keep it in check, I reasoned.” Big, beautiful, mistake. We did battle it and get it removed before the horsetail and water clover got out of hand.

I really like the water clover. In the open water, its leaves lie flat on the surface and remind me of searching for terrestrial four leaf clovers as a kid. We tried pulling the water clover back to one curve in the pond. I truly thought I’d be able to keep it in check if I had it in a small enough area. Not so, its Godzilla nature was too strong and I am currently working to eliminate it too. It is no where near as pretty when it is crowding the water lilies and standing proud from the water’s surface.

I hope these tips will help you avoid making your own terribly beautiful mistakes in your water garden.

Wardrobe Colors – They are a Changin

2010-08-13T09:49:00.016-05:00

I am writing this as we continue our over two week streak of 100 degree plus days, so it is a little difficult to believe that fall is actually almost here. We are in one of those season changes where it can be difficult to find something to accessorize your outfits with if you find you need something for the current season, especially if you need something for Labor Day that is patriotic but not quite as in your face red, white and blue as you would wear for the Fourth of July.

If you shop with EDCCollective, you will find jewelry with summer and the cooler days of autumn, that surely lie ahead, in mind. Red, white and blue floral motif earrings would be a perfect addition to your Labor Day attire. (These earrings placed first in the EART team July Red, White and Blue Challenge.) There are also rich reds, sunny yellows and terrific turquoise hues available. Remember also, that one advantage of shopping with EDCCollective is that if you don’t see quite what you are looking for, you should ask. Because unlike a department store, what you see is not all of what you can get. I would love to talk with you about a custom design in the colors that you are looking for.

If you are already thinking ahead to your fall wardrobe, you will enjoy browsing with EDCCollective too. I have begun listing items reflecting the hues of the harvest such as these carved bone and picture jasper earth tone earrings.

Enjoy the rest of your summer as you look forward with anticipation to the change of seasons.

Thanks for the Treasuries - July 2010

2010-08-06T16:55:00.013-05:00

A record nine different Etsy shops featured at least one of my items in a treasury in July. Nine of my items were featured once while my Turquoise and Peace Sign Zipper Pull and my Sunflower Note Cards were featured twice each. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during July. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 9 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

BerryBlueCreations
This talented crafter has a wide range of items to offer you, from art dolls and stethoscope covers to pin cushions and pillows.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

CslayerD
This shop has an interesting mix of jewelry, accessories and home decor.

DecoratingYourself
Decorate yourself with fine vintage jewelry from this shop.

HotdogCrafts
This shop's pin back buttons, jewelry and bookmarks include awareness items and a lot of just plain fun stuff.

MarasFabric
Look no further than this shop for a great selection of pre-cut quilt squares and lace. A few handmade fabric items such as coasters can be found as well.

MichellesCharmWorld
Fun, funky, upcycled jewelry creations. Many will remind you of the care free days of childhood.

MigratoryJewel
You will find colorful crochet items and patterns as well as macro flower photography when you browse this shop.

TheCraftyChemist07
This shop is full of gorgeous Venetian feather masks, feather hair clips and headbands and more.

Eclectic Skeptic One Year Anniversary

2010-07-31T17:41:00.007-05:00

It doesn’t seem like it has been almost a year since I opened my whimsical flying pig (aka pigasus) shop, EclecticSkeptic, on Etsy. I started stocking my shop with altered photographic art of flying pigs on note cards and bookmarks. I expanded my line to include flying pig necklaces, holiday cards, earrings, zipper pulls, tie tacks, keychains and pins. My latest addition takes me back to my photographic art beginnings, clocks with flying pig imagery. I hope to have at least one new type of item available before the Christmas shopping season and also plan to add some items for the math and/or science geek.

Stay tuned to my blog, by becoming a follower, my facebook business fan page, by liking it, or my monthly newsletter, by subcribing to it, for details. But I digress, back to EclecticSkeptic’s one year anniversary! EclecticSkeptic’s one year anniversary is officially on August 1. To help celebrate, I will be offering a special sale to my customers the following week on Sunday, August 8, 2010. The details of this sale will be in my newsletter, scheduled to go out on Friday, August 6. You still have time to sign up for my newsletter and get the details so that you can participate in this sale. You will find a form in the right hand column of this blog to have your e-mail address added to my newsletter subscriber list.

So here is a great BIG THANK YOU to all of my past and future customers for your support, without which this anniversary would not have been possible. Here is to many more anniversaries to come as well.

Design This – Circuit Board Pine Tree

2010-07-22T17:53:00.011-05:00

Shortly after completing the dead iPod pendant custom request, which included a piece of circuit board in the design, I spied another general alchemy request that offered the prospect of upcycling some of the old circuit boards that I had set back in my materials stash. The title of the request was “Circuit Board Pine Tree (Christmas Tree). The request included the basic size needed as well as a description of what the requester wanted to be different from an attached photo. I submitted my bid and it was accepted.

The first thing to do was to come up with the shape that my customer was looking for. After sending a couple of templates and revisions for approval, we had a winner. I then cut out the center of the winning template and used it to find a section of circuit board that looked good on both sides within the size and shape of the template. Next, I cut out another copy of the template and traced around it onto the section of circuit board that I wanted to use. To cut the shape out of the circuit board I mounted a fairly heavy jeweler’s blade into my jewelry saw and got to work. This proved to be a bit trickier than expected. Straight sections were easy to cut, but I had to bring my skills learned coping baseboards into play for the curved sections and rounded corners. I think I only broke one blade. After the shape was freed from the circuit board, I used my dremel tool to smooth and slightly round the edges and finished off the project by drilling a hole to facilitate hanging.

You always wonder how your creations are used once they have gone to their new homes. I can envision my little tree hanging from a rear view mirror or as an ornament on a Christmas tree.

If you have a project that you think I could help you with, I'd love to brainstorm it with you. Just click on the "contact EDCCollective" button or the "request custom item" button in my shop.

Texas Stars – Low Maintenance Plant Resource

2010-07-15T22:52:00.011-05:00

Do you ever go to the garden center and stand there scratching your head trying to decide what pretty plant is likely to do well in your garden? Sometimes the plant tags help give you a clue and sometimes they are too vague or missing entirely. Plant recommendations are one of the services that I offer as a garden coach.

Often, my clients aren't familiar with my suggestions. To keep from having to lug my plant books around or hunt down links to photos of these plants, I am developing a resource that I hope will be useful. I have started a photo album on my Eclectic Design Choices’ Facebook page. In this album I will be posting photos of plants that I find to be low maintenance, reliable plants in my garden. This list has been developed through years of trial and error based on recommendations, research and just trying out that pretty plant from the nursery.

I garden in North Texas in an area that seems to correspond to USDA zone 8. Even if you are also in zone 8, your success with some of these plants may vary due to different microclimates and soils found on your property. Many of these plants will thrive in other zones as well. I will be adding to my photo gallery as I can, so check back periodically to see what new “stars” I have added.

For me, low maintenance means that the plant shows little or no problems with diseases or insects and has low water requirements. Of course, mulch is an important part of any low maintenance garden. Some of my Texas stars are true Texas natives, others have learned to adapt to the climate. Please add you comments below the photo of a plant to share your experience with it. This information will help others make informed decisions regarding the purchase and planting of these plants. Also, feel free to ask any questions in the comments that you may have about any of the plants and I will try to answer them for you.

EDC Opens New Online Shop

2010-07-08T13:20:00.007-05:00

On a tip from a fellow online merchant I recently found an intriguing new online sales venue. After looking through the site, I decided that it has potential, so I opened a new shop. The look and feel is much different from my other shops, EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic, on Etsy. I'd love to hear what you think of the site in general and my shop specifically if you get a chance to check them out.

I currently plan to stock this shop with my photographic art images, as unmatted prints in a variety of sizes as well as in free standing frames, on bookmarks, on note cards and on clocks. I will also be adding my gardening related booklet and information sheets that are described in my garden coach profile.

Note: The site that I opened a new shop at was sold in 2011 and changed how it did business, so I no longer have this third shop. If you are interested in my garden resource booklet or information sheets, please contact me.

Thanks for the Treasuries – June, 2010

2010-07-01T14:13:00.009-05:00

During June, five fabulous fun items found their way into an Etsy treasuries. Two of them were from my shop EDCCollective and three of them were from EclecticSkeptic. Below is a collage of the 5 items that were showcased during June. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

It is really cool when one of my items is featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 4 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

ButchsBaubles
ButchsBaubles' shop announcement states that you will find jewelry for beautiful women, freaks, geeks, goth kids, steampunk lovers and bikers.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further. You will find decorating items themed for other occasions as well.

HippopotameJewelry
OOAK handmade jewelry designs, inspired by a love of travel, can be found at HippoptameJewelry.

MarjoriesCorner
A wide range of jewelry items and styles can be found at MarjoriesCorner.

You Have Snail Mail

2010-06-23T12:38:00.007-05:00

When e-mail was new, finding out that “you have mail” when you were online was an exciting thing. Now, e-mail, text messages, tweets, etc. bombard us all day long and are no big deal. It is quick and easy to send out these missives, read them and discard them. While they are now a useful part of how we communicate, another form of communication not practiced as much today, the hand written note sent by snail mail, should not be overlooked.

Why would you choose the hand written note over instant electronic communication? I find that taking the time to sit and put pen to paper helps me collect my thoughts and more clearly express myself. Getting a piece of snail mail can be like getting a little gift. Make someone’s day with your little present. When your piece of mail arrives on a pretty piece of stationery or note card, the images you choose, add to the words that you send. A hand written note conveys to the other person that they are worthy of the extra time and attention given to them by the sender of the letter.

There are times that you want the person receiving the note to have something tangible, that they can hold in their hand. Maybe this note will be saved for later reading and will bring a smile to the recipient’s face once more.

I find it helpful to have a stash of a variety of note cards on hand, so that when the need arises, I can find one that complements the message that I plan to send. I carry several sets of note cards that allow you to express yourself with a variety of images. These images are original and photographic art prints that I have created. They are available in my shops EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic. Many of my other photographic art images are also available as note cards. Contact me if you are interested in checking on the availability of other images.

So, next time you are about to dash a note to someone by e-mail, think for a second. Do you have to get the message to them immediately, or would your message be better a couple of days from now, as a little surprise present wrapped in a note card waiting in the recipient’s mailbox?

Fencing to Mitigate Traffic Sights and Sounds

2010-06-16T13:20:00.009-05:00

If your side or rear yard has a clear view of a street, odds are, the sight and sound of the traffic can be anywhere from a minor imposition on your enjoyment of your yard to a downright annoyance. If you suffer from this problem, there are many ways to add privacy by screening out potential gawkers and reducing the noise of the traffic.

If you are lucky enough that the street that you want to screen is a quiet one, with no chance of an increase in traffic or of being widened, then the ubiquitous wood fence can be a decent option. However, with the inevitable wood shrinkage, most wood fences wind up with vertical gaps that allow passersby a view of your yard and let in sound. Even if these are not issues for your situation, then the need for maintenance or replacement due to weathering down the road may send you searching for fencing options.

There are many options to choose from such as vinyl, masonry, stone and composite fencing. You might even opt for a combination of wrought iron and landscaping to mitigate the impact of the traffic on your yard. While all of these materials have pros and cons, I’d like to share the solution that I chose for a side yard project recently. This choice was less costly than masonry or stone (both really good choices for sound mitigation and longevity), a bit more expensive than vinyl (to me, most look fake and don’t seem dense enough to mitigate the sound well.), and needed less room, maintenance and time for plant growth than a wrought iron and landscape option.

This particular side yard had been unfenced for about 40 years. Initially, a rural two lane road was separated from the house by about 20 feet of bar ditch (right of way) in addition to 25 feet of side yard. Over the years, traffic increased until finally, what was once a quiet rural road, was widened to a 5 lane thoroughfare. In doing so, 11 feet of the side yard was taken for the project. Now there was only about 9 feet of ROW between the curb and lot line that included a four foot wide sidewalk. The road pavement was now closer to the house than where the original lot line used to be. The traffic noise was a constant imposition, even inside the house and the traffic (vehicle and foot) felt on top of anyone trying to enjoy the patio or use the side yard.

The product that I chose for this fence, to serve as both a visual screen as well as a sound barrier, was a composite material, Trex, that has been used extensively for over 15 years in outdoor uses such as decking, outdoor trim, garden boxes and fencing. It is an environmentally friendly product made from reclaimed/recycled wood and plastic fibers. I chose the Trex Seclusions Privacy Fencing to enclose the side yard and connect into the existing chain link fence of the year yard. There are many styles and colors to choose from and many more good things I could tell you about this product, however to keep from making this post extremely lengthy, please visit the Trex website for more information. (I have no financial interest in this company, I am just a longtime fan of its products.)

As for how the project turned out, everyone involved considers it a huge success. The pictures in this post are of the project just after completion. The traffic noise outdoors and inside (especially noticeable improvement in the bedrooms that are on that side of the house) was greatly reduced. The side yard actually became usable again from the definition and privacy that the fencing provided and the patio area was once again something that could be enjoyed without feeling like being in a fishbowl.

If you need any assistance putting together a solution for a problem in your yard, you can find my contact information on my garden coach web page.

Design This – Pendant from Dead iPod

2010-06-09T16:13:00.021-05:00

What to do when your dead iPod with the custom engraving that is special to you doesn’t work anymore? You can’t just throw it away. Let Etsy’s alchemy section come to the rescue! Earlier this year I found an alchemy request titled “Make me a pendant out of a dead iPod”. At first I was stumped for an idea, then I decided a nice wooden frame sounded like a good way to accomplish this. I sent a convo to see if the requestor liked my idea and if so I needed a few questions answered so that I could make a bid. After a bit of discussion, the requestor decided to accept my bid saying, “I like the idea of a wooden frame with embellishments from the circuit board. The contrast of natural/industrial is great.”

After I received the iPod from my customer, I had to take it apart to see what was available to become part of the pendant. I took photos of the pieces(#1) and sent them to my customer to see if there was anything that especially caught her eye. The only real imperative at this point was to incorporate the custom engraving and to have an open backed frame in a dark wood color, so I mocked up a few frame and circuit board embellishments for us to contemplate(#2). The aspect ratio of the pendant mock ups kept bothering me though. I didn’t like that the pendant would be wider than it was tall. I started to think about how I might make a rounded frame. Inspiration struck and I sliced some sections off a small, cured sycamore branch and cut out an opening. I sent a photo of this to my customer and after some minor adjustments, it was a winning idea.(#3)

Now that I knew what my frame opening would be like, I needed to cut out the metal section. The iPod case was a bit tougher than I had expected, so I had to buy some less fine and stronger blades for my jewelry saw. After getting the section cut off that included the inscription, we needed to decide on what would show through the open back of the pendant frame. We finally decided on a section of circuit board.

After securing the metal piece with the engraving to the circuit board section and then the wood frame front and backs, came the part that I was really looking forward to. I had had an idea for filling the gap between the wood frame on the edges that my customer agreed to let me use.(#4) I had not worked with the materials myself before, but had seen it used in many similar circumstances and really wanted a chance to try it out myself. I thought the gap would look great filled with inlaid crushed stone. Malachite would be a great color to coordinate with the green of the circuit board. I’m pleased to say that it worked out just like I had wanted it to.

Now the only thing left was to attach some hand formed “jump rings” so that my customer could attach her pendant to a necklace and send off photos for final approval from my customer.(#’s 5 & 6) I’m happy to say that she thought the pendant was beautiful and loved the way that it turned out. It is rewarding to be able to rise to a challenge like this and successfully turn someone’s idea into reality.

Please e-mail Eclectic Design Choices or request a custom item from EDCCollective if you have a custom project that you would like to see if I can help with.

Thanks for the Treasuries - May 2010

2010-06-02T17:27:00.005-05:00

During May, seven of EDCCollective's items found their way into Etsy treasuries. One of them, my "Love the Grape" purse charm was even featured twice! Below is a collage of the 7 items that were showcased during May. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

It is really cool when one of my items is featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 6 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

BellaVioletta
BellaVioletta's upcylced art includes embellishments, like these colorful peace signs and more, journals, stickers and pins.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

GaBeadz
Exclusive handmade jewelry designs such as this stunning necklace are presented by GaBeadz.

GlassnWood
This husband and wife duo creates amazing nature themed wood carvings, such as this blue heron, and stained glass items.

HotdogCrafts
Awareness ribbon, natural beauty, angels, ham radio callsign buttons and polished stone and paper jewelry are some of the great gift items you will find at Hotdogcrafts.

rhradcliffeDesigns
Amazing works of art from original watercolors to prints to ACEOs are available at rhradcliffeDesigns.

Plants to Avoid

2010-05-26T13:22:00.006-05:00

If you were asked what plant someone should stay away from in the great outdoors, your first thought is likely to be poison ivy. While that is a very good answer, I’d like to introduce a couple of others that can cause quite a bit of pain if you happen to brush up against them.

The two plants that I would like to introduce you to are commonly know as stinging nettle and Texas bull nettle. According to a quick check online, stinging nettle can be found throughout much of the world whereas TX bull nettle may be limited to the southern central US and Mexico.

Stinging nettle can be an inconspicuous plant growing among pasture grasses or in other areas as seen in the first photo. This plant has tiny stinging hairs that will cause a painful site reaction when touched. The pain often subsides in a few minutes, however I have known it to cause welts and prolonged pain/discomfort in some individuals. Often, when I have not managed to avoid it and am experiencing its painful sting, I have had to look closely for the offending plant because it can blend in so well. Strangely enough, the young leaves are supposed to be able to be prepared properly and eaten. I’m not planning on giving that or puffer fish a try though.

A much larger and more noticeable plant with pretty white flowers in the spring is Texas bull nettle. As you can see in the second photo, this plant is a bit easier to see and therefore to avoid. I had the good fortune to find out about this plant before touching it, as its sting is reported to cause more pain and for a much greater length of time than stinging nettle. Stinging nettle is bad enough for me. I have no curiosity about just how bad bull nettle’s sting is.

Before you go on an eradication spree however, you need to know that these plants are host plants for some butterflies so they are an important part of the ecosystem. Also, don’t forgo enjoying the great outdoors for fear of brushing up against them. Wearing long pants and tall socks while hiking around and watching where you put your hands should keep you pain free. Hopefully the information in this article will allow you to identify and avoid these two plants and thus keep you from finding out why the plants are referred to as “stinging” nettles.

Custom Birthstone Jewelry

2010-05-19T14:39:00.011-05:00

Ever since I did a custom bracelet order for a customer last summer using colored crystals to represent the birthstones of the people to be represented in the bracelets, I have pondered jewelry designs that could easily be customized for customers with the birthstone colors of their choice. After much thought and research, I have come up with designs, using materials that I am confident that I can replenish as needed, for custom birthstone necklaces and earrings.

For the necklaces, I envision representing mom and dad with inline crystal sections. The child(ren) are represented in a pendant crystal section. This can be added to as a family grows. Of course, anyone dear to you can be represented in any of the crystal sections.

I am currently offering two basic necklaces at a couple of different lengths and price points. Custom lengths are also available. The first photo shows a 17 ½ inch necklace made with silvertone figaro chain and findings. It has two inline crystal sections and a central pendant crystal section. The second photo shows a 16 inch necklace using the same layout of crystal sections, however with your choice of gold plated (as shown in the second photo), or silver plated figaro style chain and findings.

Custom birthstone crystal earrings are also available. The base style uses three birthstone colors of your choice as shown in the first photo. They are made with gold plated or silver plated ear wires and findings.

Custom birthstone jewelry is a great way to keep your loved ones close at all times. It also makes a great gift for a new mom, grandmother, etc. Who you choose to represent is up to you. Let me know the months that you want represented and in which crystal sections on a necklace or in what order for earrings. My contact information can be found at EclecticDesignChoices.com.

Design This – Earrings to Match Costume

2010-05-13T10:03:00.010-05:00

The perfect accessories for a costume are like the icing on a cake. They should complement the costume while supporting the theme and not detract from it. Whether your costume is for a play, Halloween, a party, a convention or other fun event, I’m always happy to brainstorm a solution to your needs.

A general Etsy alchemy request for “Earrings To Match Harlequin Jester Costume” caught my eye. There was a sketch of the costume and it suggested to me some materials that I had on hand. The request also included a need for hypoallergenic ear wires. I stock a variety of colors of niobium ear wires for people with sensitive ears so I was off to my supply room to put together a mock up for the request.

The basic pattern of the costume was an angular, geometric one in black and white. I had some square, white shell beads as well as some black gemstone cubes that I thought would lend themselves to this project. I included a gray pair of niobium ear wires in the photo of my initial design idea. (photo #1)

The person that placed the request liked the basic design but wondered if I could add some of the blue accent color in the sketch. I had just picked up some awesome blue sponge coral beads that seemed to be the perfect color and had some that were small rounded cubes that I suggested adding as a dangle from my original design. I also suggested a dark blue pair of niobium ear wires as an option. (photo #2) After looking at a photo of my other available blue sponge coral beads, my customer decided to go with the dangling cubes and the dark blue ear wires that I had suggested.

All that was left now was to make up the earrings (photo #3) and get them shipped to my customer. I think the shapes and colors of the materials of the earrings will be a good fit for the design of the costume and the niobium ear wires will both add a bit of color and provide a hypoallergenic solution for comfortable wearing for sensitive ears.

If you would like for me to brainstorm a solution to your accessory needs, please click on the “request custom item” or “contact EDCCollective” button in my shop.

Thanks for the Treasuries - April 2010

2010-05-05T10:44:00.014-05:00

April tied February's record of thirteen different items from EDCCollective having been featured in Etsy treasuries. One of them, my corn maiden style feather pendant was even featured twice! Below is a collage of the 13 items that were showcased during April. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 7 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

BellaVioletta
BellaVioletta's upcylced art includes pins like this beautiful butterfly brooch, journals, stickers and other embellishments.

BerryBlueCreations
This talented crafter has a wide range of items to offer you, from art dolls and stethoscope covers to custom graphics.

CherylsPurpleCow
Cheryl works diligently to raise awareness for a wide range of great causes. You will find a variety of awareness and other jewelry in her shop.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

GaBeadz
Exclusive handmade jewelry designs such as this stunning necklace are presented by GaBeadz.

GemuineCreations
Fine handmade jewelry and accessories for all occasions such as this lovely wire wrapped goldstone pendant.

PlainSpirit
Shop for OOAK and vintage sterling silver jewelry and gifts such as this amazing inlay bolo tie.

Dividing Fall Flowering Bulbs

2010-04-28T20:45:00.006-05:00

Have you promised some of your fall flowering bulbs to a neighbor or are you hoping your friend will share some with you? When you transplant them will make a difference to the likelihood that they will bloom again next fall and not skip a year. It is important to understand their habits so that you move them at the correct time.

Many fall flowering bulbs, such as spider lily, autumn crocus and oxblood lily, emerge in late summer or early fall with showy flowers on leafless stems. When the flowers are mostly done blooming, leaves will emerge around the flower stalk. After the spent flower stalk is removed, the strap-like leaves will continue to grow. After the leaves reach their full size they will provide some evergreen color over the winter and persist into the spring.

Sometime during the spring, the leaves will begin to yellow and die back. It is important to wait until the leaves have died mostly back before dividing them so that the bulbs will be properly fed and mature enough to move and have a good chance of blooming again next fall. If you move them too soon, even if you plant them right away, you will get leaves but not necessarily blooms during the next fall.

The photos in this article are of the same spider lily clump. The first is of the blooms last fall and the second was taken recently. The bulbs are almost dormant as evidenced by the yellowing and the brown and dry leaves. This clump is still a little small to divide however. More bulbs will develop over time to make the clump larger.

When your fall flowering bulbs have multiplied enough to divide, I recommend using a spading fork. You are less likely to knick a bulb than with a shovel. If you have waited until the bulbs are mature, there will be little or no roots left on the bulbs and you can keep them in a mesh bag and transplant them later. If you have harvested them too soon as evidenced by lots of roots, you should replant them in their new spots as soon as possible.

Happy Harvesting

Earth Day 2010 – 40 Tips for 40 Years

2010-04-22T10:43:00.014-05:00

Today marks the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in that was first held on April 22, 1970. It is now celebrated internationally. Earth Day’s purpose is to make people aware of their impact on and promote appreciation of our environment.

I’ve heard people say that they don’t bother with recycling and trying to be earth friendly because whatever they might do is too small to make a difference. It is true that if only one person made an effort, those efforts would be statistically insignificant or if only one person was wasteful, that no impact would be felt on the environment as a whole. However, what one person does usually influences others, so it is worth your while to pitch in and do what you can to leave as minimal a footprint on our environment as possible. Consider your efforts multiplied by masses of people and all of a sudden you are part of an effort that does have a positive impact. Different people will be better at different things, so listen to the myriads of great ideas out there and add in the ones to your life that are a fit for you. You can and do have an impact. Will your impact be positive or negative?

Instead of rehashing the usual tips like upgrading your light bulbs, recycling your newspapers or conserving water, I’m going to share with you 40 items picked by Etsy that recycle, repurpose or upcycle materials to make something new or in some other way are green products. I’m excited that my rustic wood vase was included in this varied collection of earth friendly products. I hope that browsing these products encourages you to purchase one of these or other environmentally friendly finds or inspires you to recycle, repurpose or upcycle something in your own world into a great “new” useful item.

Please think about what you can do for our planet the rest of the year as well. Happy Earth Day!

Design This – Product Brochure

2010-04-15T14:39:00.013-05:00

Getting the word out is an important part of a successful business. You can achieve this by handing out business cards, placing ads online or in print, displaying a banner at a craft fair or your can distribute brochures as SweetnSassyBaby, wanted to do. She turned to Etsy's alchemy feature for help.

I saw the request and my bid was accepted. After agreeing on a scope and price for the SweetnSassyBaby brochure project, I gathered information from my customer about what she envisioned on the different sections of her tri-fold brochure. She sent me a copy of her logo and a list of contact information, photos, etc. that she wanted included. I started laying out the basic design, including some different font choices that I thought complemented her shop.

I find an important part of a successful graphic design job is to keep the customer up to date with the design process. As with all of my custom graphics work, I sent my customer the basic layout design so that she could choose the fonts she wanted me to use and give me feedback on the current layout. Once I had a clear direction to go in, I imported, sized and touched up each of the product photos as needed. A few more intermediate designs were sent to my customer and any feedback that I got was discussed and incorporated into the final design.

This same process can be used to create your custom graphics design project. Whether you need a business card, flyer, logo, banner, ad or brochure design, I’d be happy to discuss these or other projects with you. You can find more examples of my graphics design work in Eclectic Design Choices' Facebook Custom Graphic Design photo album.

Whimsical Mother’s Day Gifts

2010-04-08T09:20:00.010-05:00

Does your mom enjoy a good chuckle? Do you recall hearing the phrase “When pigs fly” in response to any of your requests while you were growing up? If you answered yes to either of these questions, your mom is a good candidate for a whimsical gift for this Mother’s Day from EclecticSkeptic.

EclecticSkeptic carries a variety of flying pig items. You will find earrings, purse charms, necklaces, note cards, bookmarks, keychains and pins. Each item in this shop sports a pig with wings that is sure to garner a giggle.

More traditional Mother’s Day gifts can be found at my other shop, EDCCollective. If you see something there that you think would benefit from the addition of a flying pig charm or image, please contact me about the feasibility of doing just that.

Here’s wishing you a fun filled Mother’s Day.

Thanks for the Treasuries – March, 2010

2010-04-01T21:05:00.021-05:00

The count of my item's featured in treasuries for March was 10 from 5 wonderful Etsy sellers. My featured items from both EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic are in the collage below. Following the collage is a short description of what you will find in the shops that featured at least one of my items in an Etsy treasury during March, as well as something that caught my eye in their shop.

..........................................(Click on the collage to see a larger view.)..........................................

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links to see what other wonderful items can be found in the following shops.

CherylsPurpleCow
This shop does a great job of promoting awareness of many great causes. Check out this epilepsy awareness bracelet.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

DivaDea
Polymer clay artist offers art, jewelry, home decor (such as this photo frame), beads and buttons.

GaBeadz
Exclusive handmade jewelry designs are presented by GaBeadz.

PlainSpirit
Shop for OOAK sterling silver jewelry and gifts.

Design This – Feathers for My Hat

2010-03-25T09:03:00.011-05:00

An alchemy request on Etsy caught my attention because it involved working with feathers and I had some that I thought would complement the fabric of the hat in need of new adornment. It seems that the previous feathers used to adorn this gentleman’s fedora had fallen apart and new ones were being requested.

The first thing that I did was to pull together a few feathers and mock up an idea for my prospective customer to look at. After seeing my original design, he asked if I could address 5 specific thoughts that he had about it. I felt that I could address them and went back to my feather stash to come up with an improvement on the original design. It was a hit, so I got to work.

The feathers had to be trimmed to size and stitched together. Then floral tape was to be wrapped around the base to make it easier to attach the feathers to the hat band. The stitching turned out to be more challenging than usual in order to keep the feathers oriented correctly. I had to stitch some additional quill material into the base area to keep the feathers in place. I have found that feathers seem to have a mind of their own when it comes to securing them together. You have to work with their natural tendencies and even then, some shifting is likely to occur. This feather grouping stayed put very well when I stitched them up, however when I added the floral tape the spotted feather in the back decided it wanted to be on the right instead of the left of the blue feather. Luckily this was in keeping with one of the 5 design thoughts (a sweep to the right design) that my customer had originally had, so I didn’t fight with it.

My customer was nice enough to share a photo of his newly installed hat feathers so that I could see how well they complemented the fedora. I was very pleased with the outcome. I hope you agree. (Note: You will find this custom sold listing in my second shop, EclecticSkeptic, because I forgot that I was signed in there instead of EDCCollective when I bid.)

Watch the Butterflies

2010-03-18T08:58:00.005-05:00

If you are looking for another nature themed family outing, be on the look out for a live butterfly exhibit coming to your area. Visit a local butterfly attraction to enjoy seeing and learning about these lovely creatures and possibly get motivated about attracting them to your garden with nectar, water sources and host plants.

A friend of mine convinced me to take a break for my birthday recently and visit the “Butterflies in the Garden” exhibit at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. This exhibit is open daily this year through April 4th. Many tropical butterfly species fill the conservatory. You will find them flitting through the air, perching on flowers or just hanging out on the greenery. I have included a couple of the many photos that I took during my visit.

If you do not live close enough to take advantage of this wonderful exhibit, check with your local arboretum or natural history museum to see if they know if and when a similar exhibit is scheduled to come to your area. While visiting the Texas State Fair the last couple of years, I have strolled through a butterfly exhibit garden that was staffed with volunteers to point out the caterpillars and butterfly eggs that were on the host plants in the garden. Adult butterflies could be seen flitting in and out as well. Many different opportunities may await you in your community.

So, take a moment and check out your local butterfly watching prospects. You’ll be glad you took the time to view these jewels of the air.

Feed the Birds

2010-03-11T10:42:00.009-06:00

Watching wildlife in your yard is an enjoyable pastime. Two of the best ways to attract wildlife to your yard are to provide food and water. This can be achieved through plant selection and well placed feeders and water sources. With their high degree of mobility, birds are an easy critter to attract to your landscape and the variety of sizes and colors are a joy to behold.

While you can purchase and maintain hummingbird feeders, you can also plant small trumpet shaped flowers to attract these tiny aerial acrobats to your yard. These plants will also provide color for you to enjoy. Three of my favorite hummingbird attractors are autumn sage, agastache, and anisacanthus (hummingbird bush). For a bright spot of fall color, before the birds discover it, American beautyberry is a good choice. Several species of birds enjoy these bright magenta berries.

There are many hardscape ways to provide food and water. Water sources can include bird baths, ponds, and fountains. There are many good bird feeders available in the marketplace. If you would like to provide both at once, a “teacup” bird feeder might be a good choice for you. These small combo feeders and bird baths are great for an intimate setting just outside a window. Hang them from a limb or a garden shepherd’s hook so that it is visible from a window. You will also want to place it so that it is easy to refill and clean.

Add a little wildlife magic to your landscape with these suggestions. The combo feeder and bird bath pictured is available from EDCCollective. The name of one of its recycled components is the “Magic Garden series”. It is suspended from brass components for years of rust free use.

Thanks for the Treasuries - February 2010

2010-03-05T07:00:00.001-06:00

February set a record. I was honored to have 13 of EDCCollective’s and EclecticSkeptic’s listings featured in treasuries on Etsy during the month of February. Below is a collage of the 13 items that were showcased during February. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. Because of this, I have listed below (in alphabetical order) links to the 7 different shops that featured at least one of my items, as well as an item of theirs that I especially like.

Enjoy window shopping and I encourage you to click on the shop links of anything that pleases your eye.

CherylsPurpleCow
These earrings are perfect for St. Patrick's day or May birthday gifts.

CorkyCrafts
Wine-related products make the perfect gifts! If you are a wine connoisseur who happens to appreciate hand made items, look no further.

DivaDea
Polymer clay artist offers art, jewelry, home decor, beads and buttons.

EnchantedBeads
This pendant would make a lovely gift for someone with a March birthday.

Flahwiz
This arrangement, titled "Sunshine in a Basket", is the perfect thing to chase the winter grays away.

GaBeadz
Exclusive handmade jewelry designs are presented by GaBeadz.

NoahsArkCollection
This gift box would be the perfect way to present someone with a ring such as the one above.