Time to Rest...

It's quite a chore to upload items on Etsy :) especially when you need to be lying down and you're sick. I still forced myself to work but it's time to stop for the evening. I'll finish up all the things I selected and photographed to upload in the Shop tomorrow about Noon (EST). Thank you friends!! :)

New Retro Plastic Miniature Tins: Special Easter Edition

I will start uploading items at Shop 66 about 8:00 pm (eastern standard time) tonight!

Happy shopping! :D

COLORBLOCK Sneak Peek

Items I just finished photography for listing this evening (2/29/08)! :)

(and why is the photo so small.... though I edited the size in Adobe Photoshop, blogger just didn't like it... click on it for a better view)

Lady Business!

uterelephant
Originally uploaded by ~aorta~

My dear friends, as you know I've been sick soooooo much the past few months and I'm really not better. What's up with that? I found out it's not from my allergies, not from infection, not from my arthritis, etc. Crazy! However, due to some abnormal symptoms I was having I went to visit the "lady business" doctor yesterday (yes, that's what I call it now - my daughter uses this terminology and I've caught on...) I've come to find out I have a very common, but not so fun, thing that I've suspected for a couple years... much dreaded, not so fun.... endometriosis.

"Thanks for sharing" you say? Well, the only reason I'm sharing this with you is important. I will be having an outpatient surgical procedure very soon (maybe next week) and it will conflict with Shop 66 activities and shipping. Keep in mind, I've been working sick for months now - tired and in pain - so you might not even notice any changes but please be understanding while I "recover." Fortunately, at my (young) age of 42, this is in not really bad news! It's a huge relief to finally know what's wrong and have so many options to remedy - thanks to modern medicine.

So guys, sorry to bring up "lady business" and girls, sorry for sharing my "lady business." I'll try to stick with my updates and shipping schedule but please visit my blog for news or convo me through the Shop if you have any questions!! I know you will cheer me up through your flickr photos and messages!! :)

What gives?

Several posts in one day but no Shop 66 additions?!? Sorry friends, I had urgent real life stuff going on today and when evening arrived I needed to do some organizing around the studio and the office. Tomorrow I'm going to try doubling up and load Wednesday and Thursdays shop items. (You must agree with me though, my workspace table is looking fun and inspiring enough to start working on again!!) :)

Wednesday Etsy Favs: Fun and Bright

Liger by Absolutely Small

I've been so caught up in so many aspects of Shop 66 (and regular life) I've not been browsing much on Etsy. I usually visit my favorite shops a few times each week to see their new things. So, it's Wednesday and it's a perfect time for me to recommend some new shops and visit some old favorite shops.

Absolutely Small

Chickenpants! the coolest plush creature I've seen in a while and I'm in love. Today "Craig" Chickenpants arrived, along with a limited edition print (a new one is created each month), Louis "Poppet" and a very cute pom chicky. -AND- Visit the chicken pants animated short feature on the shop's blog!

Craig Chickenpants - hanging out on my worktable.

Louis Poppet (with the big brass eyes), pom chicky, and other Etsy friends.

Plush Garden! I've been keeping my eye on this one... might need to come to my house soon.

Matte Art

The art of Matte Stephens!! No one illustrates owls, bears, and other creatures quite like Matte! I love my owl painting I purchased last summer. In addition to selling his originals on Etsy, he also sells affordable prints.

Owl Painting - this is the original painting I own. I love it. Suburban Bear Monster print

Details Store

This UK shop is about cute stuff. For some reason I thought everyone knew about this little shop but I'm wrong! Visit this shop and find some cute. Here's some of my cute purchases:

Huey the Owl Retro Girl Pin
Snug the needle felted Seal
That's all for this week! Happy Etsy Shopping!! :)

Morning Horror!

Meiko found my new (perfect) elf this morning and sunk her fangs into his cloth face ripping out his eyeball!! Oh, what morning horror!! I'm more mad at myself for leaving him in an unsafe place and for not "babysitting" my ferrets this morning. This little elf will now be part of my "injured by ferrets" doll group -- therapy is at 4:00 pm. :)

That's all...

That's all for tonight friends! See Shop 66 next week for more dolly shopping!!

Goodnight! Sweet Dreams! :)

Tuesday's Doll Additions!! 10 pm EST

Here's a sneak peak at the dolls I'm uploading tonight. There are a lot of them so I'll only upload a few holiday things tonight. SURPRISES TOO!!!

Please see the previous blog entry or shop announcements in the left hand column for the Shop(s) new uploading/updates schedule! :)

Hooray! Shop Updates Schedule!!

Starting today, each day of the week I will be concentrating on adding the following items to my shop(s):

• Dolls and Holiday Stuff - Tuesday


• Jewelry, Supplies and Tins - Wednesday


• Figurines, Shakers and Ephemera - Thursday


• Art, Zines and ACEO's - Friday & Saturday


• Surprises!! Rubber Stamps and Appliques - Sunday


• As-Is and Sale - Monday

Monday is also my designated shipping and organization day. So customers who like to wait for other shop updates before finishing up their shopping and paying, please try to finish up your shopping by Sunday so you can have your items shipped on Monday.

Happy Shopping!! :)

April's Story

April is a very special ferret to me and there's a story behind why...

April was this cute little kit at a pet shop in Royal Oak, Michigan (just north of Detroit). It was near the video store my husband I stopped by almost every day so we often stopped there also to get supplies for our ferrets or to just see the cute kits (babies). The shop owners always had such cute, sweet ferrets because they handled them all day long and gave them lots of attention.

About a week before my husband passed away, we stopped in there to get something and when I turned around from the register a little ferret was in my face and Don (my husband) said "isn't she cute - i bet you want her!?!". She was so cute and fuzzy and soft AND super sweet. She gave me all kinds of ferret kisses! I loved her! Of course I wanted her!! But I had two ferrets and I just had to say no. I thought about her for days but when my world turned upside down I forgot all about her.

About a two or three weeks later, I stopped back in there to get supplies again with my daughter. I walked in and immediately that little girl ferret caught my eye! She was still there! OMG! She was the only ferret in that shop and she was so cute.... why was she still there! My heart was beating so fast -- it was meant to be -- she was supposed to be there! It's a sign! I grabbed her and said to my daughter, she's coming home with me! I then told her the story. So, my dear little April came home. So you can see why she is a very special. She has comforted and made me smile every day since she came home with me. She has been with me through this long journey!

I love my little April! :)

Forty Two Boo Hoo

February 24, 1966... can't believe I'm 42!?! Though I've accomplished a lot, experienced a lot, and I'm older and I'm wiser... I'm still a kid at heart.

:)

Happy Birthday to Me!

(Plush cupcake by My Paper Crane!)

New Items Added

It's 15 minutes until my birthday so I'm done for the day (night) uploading new things! I'm so sorry friends -- I did not upload as much as I wanted to. However, all my goodies are not going anywhere and will be available late tomorrow night or Monday. Remember to start visiting my partner site: Shop 66 Jewelry. Three "Jar of Charms" are now available. Additional items -- all jewelry or supply related -- will be added daily.

Have a great Sunday!! :)

Birthday Celebration!!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY SUNDAY (2/24)

SO some NEW ITEMS WILL BE UPLOADED TOMORROW TO CELEBRATE!!

I have vintage diecuts, jar of charms, more peeps, more tins of miniatures, big bags of dollheads, appliques, rubber stamps, holiday fun and other kitschy, vintage stuff!! I'm going to try to load a few of each and then the rest all next week. (I have to go out and celebrate too!) Contact me if you see something you want!!

I just need to explain my reason for Shop 66! First you have to understand why I collect. You see I've been a collector of "stuff" my whole life. I see design and art in everything -- so I want to collect it. Someone had a vision, someone had to create it and I love that about stuff. That's why I'm so passionate about vintage. Not only was it created by someone, the item has a story and a history and it shows off genius of an era.

So how does this all fit... well I have fans as a super collector and I'm asked where I get things all the time. I also love to share and I'm a generous person. So naturally, it all made sense - open a shop -- my love for collecting, my love for hunting and finding, my love for sharing, my love for art -- it's wrapped as Shop 66!! And it's my mission to find the wonderful things I love and share them with you. I spend a portion of every day seeking out wonderful stuff.

Can you figure out how young (old) I am?

(Remember I was born in 66'....and really, I'm not kidding!)

:)

On a very dark, rainy day...

I just got Peep Pops,

Juxtapoz and a Kewpie!

:)

Out of the Archives: some cool, crazy stuff

Naughty Devil. 1997(?); pencil.

Here's some more of my art from 8 t0 12 years back (1999 to 1996). Revisiting my work is like revisiting an old photograph. Many times I remember the place I create it - studio, work , home - and my thoughts around it.

Three Pigs: One Was Bad. 1999; colored pencil.

Miniature Art. 1997; pen and ink.

Trapped: Little Sufferers. 1998; pen and pencil.

Studio Tour Bookmarks. Original B&W Drawings. 1996; pen.

You can see I'm not only attracted to "cute" -- I have a crazy, arty side to my work. It's tamed down a little as I've grown older because I've processed so much junk in my head. I'm now very comfortable with "me" and life and it's reflective in my work. :)

Hints!!

I'm not feeling so hot this afternoon because I'm still stricken with sinusitis...so I've put this little mosiac together before I go and take a long nap -- it's just little hints of items coming soon to Shop 66!

Enjoy! :)

Dollyland (aka my Studio/Office) Chaos

In an effort to get organized and add to Shop 66 inventory, I finally put up my other Ikea glass display cabinet. It's been a process. I first had to take out all the containers full of dolls and all the lingering Shop 66 inventory out of the room. Next I had to put the cabinet together - this was my fourth time - so it was easy? Not really... so I procrastinated until 8:00 pm because I have put three others together and knew what I was in for - it's a simple, well engineered design but not so fun to put together. Now, I'm putting the things I took out of the room back and the dolls and toys in the cabinets. Ahhhhh!

So now I'm taking a break from the chaos... BUT IT'S TIME FOR SHOP 66 UPDATES!!! Sooooooo, I'm getting ready to take my photos and load things up.... just keep in mind I'm a little behind! But it's all for good - I now (and will) have dozens of very cool dolls and other vintage items to add to Shop 66 inventory (but not tonight and not all at once).

Anyway, GOOD things are coming!! So do not feel like you will miss out on anything tonight -- I have TONS coming your way :)

Wednesday Etsy Favs: Birthday Edition!

I'm waaaaaaaaaay behind in blogging my favorite newly discovered shops... so in celebration of my birthday this week I did a little self birthday shopping this morning! Now I need to share these wonderful shops with you:

Magic Bean Buyer

(etsy id: magicbeanbuyer)

What can I say! I love these Lil Dumplin dolls! Give me one of each, please...

I bought "Cherry Mushroom" and "Creamsicle."

Annie's Illustration

(etsy id: girlvsworld)

Amazing illustrations of cute girls!

I bought a small print of the second illustration - Girl Outside.

Alma B

(etsy id: almab)

More amazing illustration! and jewelry featuring her art!!

I bought the necklace; titled: Home is Where the Heart Is.

Zachary Severt Shoppe

(etsy id: zacharysevertshoppe)

Super cooooooooool art!

I purchased the "Forest Fire" painting below.... it was the shop's first sale!

All of this art makes me smile!! Happy Birthday to myself!!

:)