Timeless

Flickr Inspiration part 1

2010-04-27T17:11:00.001-07:00

Sketchbook Vol 3
Originally uploaded by Dennis Raines

Here is one of the great Art Journals or Sketchbooks I stumbled upon on Flickr. I really like the combination of text and images, keeping notes and ideas right there on the page.

Want to see more? Go to Dennis Raines' Flickr page.

New blog!

2009-03-31T04:54:00.000-07:00

Pssttt... I'm over here!

New hair!

2008-12-18T13:48:00.001-08:00

I did it!

2008-11-30T06:55:00.001-08:00

This year, like every year, I told myself that this was the year I was going to actually finish the story, but it proved to be difficult. I did not like my story one bit. But funny enough, I think that helped me. Instead of rushing through it, giving myself a writer's burn out by the end of the month, I paced myself. Every day was a struggle to get words on paper, which meant that I thought more about where to go and what my characters would be up to next. There were still a few surprises along the way, but no elaborate ones like the years before when the story went completely off one end and it took me at least two days to get it back to where I wanted it. Great for word count, but not so great to keep the story going.

Anyyywayyy...

Last night, just after midnight and with little under 24 hours to go, I finished my story. Finished it. It's crap, the end seems rushed, but that's beside the point. I finished the story, and did it in 51005 words.

I did it and I'm soooo proud!

Nanowrimo

2008-11-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

Just ten more writing days, people. Can you believe it? Just ten more!

Nanowrimo has not been that great for me this year. I have already had 3 days of no writing at all, and I am not in love with my story. Every day I sit down to write feels like a chore, and it shouldn't. But I can't help it. My story sucks, and I'm trying to change it bit by bit every day to try and turn it into something I might end up falling in love with, but so far, no luck.

But... and this is the strange part... I think this is why it is going so 'well'. Well in the sense that I have already reached the 50,000 words, like previous years. Well in the sense that I am pacing myself, taking the time to think about what I am writing, planning more as I go along. I am hopeful that this year, my actual story will be finished by the time I reach the 50,000 or maybe it will just take a few hundred more words, not a ten or twenty thousand more.

There have not been any crazy detours, no tricks to boost up my word count, nothing like that. And now that I am working on the laptop rather than the main PC, I can lean back in the pillows instead of sitting on a stool that is slightly too high for the desk, leaving me with major back pains.

It's all good. I will survive Nanowrimo, and the story will too for a change. Just ten more days!

Little Street

2008-11-15T07:06:00.001-08:00

Little Street is a mixed media work on three panels, that you can either hang in a group, but also hang further away from each other. You could even keep one panel and give two to loved ones, so you can be united in art.

The panels are 10 x 10 cm, roughly 8 x 8 inches. I used acrylics, water colour and scrap book paper. The sides are covered too, so the panels do not need framing.

The third panel is signed, EH stands for Eveline Hessels, and that's me!

Work in progress

2008-11-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd show you some Work In Progress, and show you that I'm not a big fat liar when I tell you I've got NO space at all to work in. But it's coming along nicely, and I hope to finish it later tonight.

Go check out this give away!

2008-11-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

You know your brainy friend? The one who has more books than the local library and knows them all by heart? The one who knows more about science than your science professor? The one who can never make it to your cool party because she's too busy with a project or has to study so she can keep her A+ record up?
She would looove this pendant, wouldn't she?

I found it in Beat Black, a great shop at Etsy. And guess what... She's having a great give away on her blog!

If you visit Beat Black's blog, and leave a comment to this post, you might end up winning a $50.00 gift certificate for her shop! How cool is that!

Go and check her out!

Fireworks night!

2008-11-05T10:54:00.001-08:00

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder, treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

I'm not sure if the people who live behind us actually know why they are firing fireworks, but man do they have a LOT.

Thank you!

2008-11-05T01:57:00.001-08:00

Books, books, books

2008-11-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Nanowrimo has started. Yes! Finally! This year I did not do what I normally do, which is start at midnight on Halloween, I was too tired from a long day shopping and then all those trick or treaters at the door. So I started this afternoon and finished my first chapter at 2491 words. I'm happy.

I keep my notes in a notebook. Due to my lack of preparation this year, I'm using a simple spiral notebook, ruled. Ruled! I hate ruled pages! If I had prepared like I normally do, I would have searched for a lovely book, a notebook I would proudly take everywhere, a notebook I would cuddle, stroke the pages of in anticipation of the words that would soon fill it.

A book like the ones My Handbound Books makes, perhaps. They look absolutely gorgeous!

Did I mention Christmas is coming up, and that my birthday is on December 30th? Hmmmmmm.......

What is your little doll hiding?

2008-10-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Out of all the Russian nesting dolls, the smallest one is the cutest. She is the baby in the family, and she is so tiny that if you're not careful, you could lose her.

But what happens when you put all the nesting dolls together again? Is the little doll still the cutest? Or does she have something evil to hide.

What is your little doll hiding?

This OSWOA was done on a water colour post card, using acrylics, water soluble crayons, water colour paper and a gel medium finish.

Creative Challenge and OSWOA

2008-10-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last of my Creative Challenge! I have to say these last 21 days have absolutely flown by!

It has been pretty amazing that not one day I skipped doing 'something creative', even if it was colouring in the drawings I had already done in my sketchbook, or thinking of Nanowrimo-ideas (I think I've got one! I'm working out details, but I honestly think I can work with this idea, yay!). I have learned that I feel lots better when I do sit down and do something creative, and that I don't have to 'finish' something that same day in order for me to feel satisfied.

Maybe I should just continue doing what I have been doing for these last 21 days, what do you think...>

Also....

Just when you think you understand what ACEO means (Artist Card, Editions and Originals, but you knew that, right?), there's something new: OSWOA. It stands for Original Small Work Of Art, and they are slightly bigger than the ACEOs, giving you more space to work with, and more art to enjoy. OSWOAs are 4x6", making them the same size as standard photo's, and therefor easier to frame or put in a photo album.

I just listed my very first one in my Etsy shop, so come and have a look and start your very own OSWOA collection today!

Nanowrimo

2008-10-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

Two weeks from now, November madness, otherwise known as Nanowrimo, starts again.

Nanowrimo stands for (inter-)NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth, and the objective is to write a 50,000 word novel in just 30 days!

Sounds crazy? Oh yes! Sounds fun? Absolutely!

This will be my 5th year of doing Nanowrimo, and I've reached that goal ('won Nanowrimo', as everyone who reaches the goal is a winner in Nanowrimo's book) every time, even before the month was over. I don't have much problems writing 50,000 words that don't even make sense half the time, no, it's finishing the actual story that's my problem. I write way more than the daily target, burning myself out completely by the end of the goal, so I don't even look back at the story.... I tell myself every year that this will be the year I actually finish it, but.. oh well.... But let's not go on and on about it, right?

Why would any sane person want to do this? Because you always wanted to write a novel, but never got round to it. Because you like to challenge yourself. Because although writing is a lonely job to do, having a forum with people doing the exact same thing at the exact same time will keep you going. Because you like competing, even though that's not the main goal of Nanowrimo. Because you're mad about writing. Because you're mad, period.

Come and join Nanowrimo, and look me up. I'm Eveline_uk on there. See you in November!

Twitter

2008-10-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

Curious about what I am up to when I'm not blogging or flooding the Etsy forums?

Follow me on Twitter!

http://twitter.com/EvelineTimeless

Creative Challenge, day 15

2008-10-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, YES, I've been keeping myself busy with the Creative Challenge, I just haven't been updating my blog. I know, bad bad me!

Let's see... What have I been doing?

I've turned my Art Journal page in the post below into four ACEOs, two of which are currently in my Etsy Shop.
I wrote little stories about them in my Flickr description, which I think counts as being 'creative', right?
I started a separate sketchbook come art journal thingy for my birds and other characters, just in case I will go ahead and turn it into a children's book or something....

I also finished my first spread in my Art Journal for the Round Robin we're doing, and I have to say I feel so much better for it! Now I 'only' have to do another spread and I can send it off to the first one on my list!

And last night, as I was struggling to think of anything to do (my sweet Love was already asleep and I did not feel like painting with just a small light on), I went to the The Dreamy Giraffe's blog, and found a link that got my writing juices flowing straight away. Six word stories! I had no idea you could write a story using just six words!

So I wrote these last night:

'Kebab man knows: chicken, salad, mayo'

'Staring at ceiling. Mister Sandman? Please?!'

And today I am writing more. I'm loving it. It's the complete opposite of Nanowrimo where the objective is to write a novel of 50,000 words, so you'll end up using 'fluffer words' in order to get to your daily target, but I do like these six word stories.

And on this site, you can submit your own!

Creative Challenge, day 9

2008-10-10T09:16:00.001-07:00

Meet the birds!

Lalasa (Persian for Love and Friendship)
Dea (Greek for Courageous)
Baina (Arabic for Clear)
Wakinyela (Native American for Dove)

Tye said I should do a children's book on othese little birdies. Who knows, I might...

Art Journal Round Robin

2008-10-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I had a thought. A brilliant thought, if I do say so myself: what better way to 'force' myself to stick to my Creative Challenge than to start an Art Journal Round Robin?

Every time I heard about a Round Robin (a group of people who send a journal, or atc's or other work around so it will end up again with the person who sent it in the first place) I was too late to sign up. Starting one would be ideal. And, as I was meeting new people on Suzi Blu's Ning-network, I knew exactly where to find people who might want to join.

I found 9 great people and now we can get started! We will all send our own Art Journal round, so everyone will end up with an Art Journal filled with artwork done by all of us.

I'm itching to get started. I bought a new Art Journal the other week, but now I am suffering from 'blank page fear'. I have no idea what to do as a first page, what will the others think of what I did when they see it up close?

I'm sure it will get better, once I make my first mark. But that first mark.... Maybe tomorrow....

Creative Challenge day 5, 7 and 8

2008-10-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

Remember I said I did Day 5 and continued on Day 7? Well this is it.. It's not finished yet, so there will be a follow up on this one.

Yesterday for Day 8 I did some sketches for ACEOs I will be doing later today, and another cheetah sketch. But I wasn't too happy with it, so it ended up in the bin. I did it tough, so that's all that counts, right?

Creative challenge day 6

2008-10-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week you can watch Big Cat Live on the BBC. It's a series on wild life in Africa that's been going on for years now. The crew has been following some of the big cats since they were cubs.

It's on every night for a week, and you can watch webcams 24/7. There's also a messageboard where people can interact with the crew. This year, the episodes on TV are live, and there are nightview camera's so you can watch the cats at night.

The series concentrates on lions, leopards and cheetahs, and this year, a cheetah they named Shakira is one of the big stars of the series. She's a single mum who gave birth to six cubs, one did not make it out of the den, and the other day, the trackers found her out in the tall grass with only three of her five surviving cubs. She was crying for her young, you could see the pain in her eyes.

For my Creative Challenge, I paused the programma en tried to draw her. I've never really done any of this drawing from life, but I really like the way it turned out.

(And for those wondering if I have been a good girl and done Day 5, yes I have. But what I did wasn't finished yet. I'm adding bits today and hopefully will be able to show you tomorrow.)

Creative Challenge day 4

2008-10-05T06:44:00.001-07:00

For my 4th day during this Creative Challenge, I decided to do an Art Journal page about it.

The text reads:
'A few days ago I started something called The 21 Day Creative Challenge. I had read about it on a few different blogs. The idea is that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. And because I find myself thinking and dreaming and planning and not much time actually creating even though I like myself much better when I get my bum in the chair and paint or draw or write. So now, for 21 days straight, I will sketch, doodle, write, paint, crochet, (art) journal, photograph... Anything creative counts. This is day 4 of 21 days. I can do it.'

And hey, who says fish can't have a nose and hair?

(For more pictures, go to my Flickr page, and don't forget to leave a comment!)

Creative Challenge day 3

2008-10-05T06:30:00.001-07:00

Did not have much time to do anything today, but in the evening I managed to do a few sketches. Tye's niece (8) and nephew (11) were here, and they were really impressed. Even when I was not so happy with my work, the shape of the polar bear's head bugs me, the body of the lion cub is too long, the lamb has a weird neck, they told me that it was 'really good'.

Niece even took it a step further. 'You are the bestest artist. You should be on the telly doing art.'

Ahhh.... Out of the mouths of babes, right?

21 Day Creative Challenge

2008-10-03T05:34:00.000-07:00

You didn't know it, but on 1 Oct. I decided to join the Creative Challenge I've been reading so much about on other people's blogs. KJ from The Dreamy Giraffe talked about it in August, and she got it from Love to Illustrate, and she got it from Gina Perry.... And now I'm doing it.

From 1st Oct. to the 21st Oct. I will do something creative. Anything. Sketch, paint, make an ACEO/ATC, do an Art Journal page, write (NANOWRIMO is only a month away!!!), crochet (I am hiddeously behind on my One Block a Month challenge), collage, anything! And I will do my very best to blog about it, too.

So today is actually day 3 of my challenge, how cool is that? Yesterday I made these 6 ATCs that go in my Art Journal page I did yesterday as well. You can find more pictures on my Flickr.

Nowwwww..... what to do, what to do....? You'll read about it (hopefully) tomorrow!

Whenever she felt lonely

2008-10-02T05:14:00.001-07:00

.... she would dance with Mr. Octopus, go for a Hedgehog-walk, take care of Meerkat kids or do karate with Kitty Cat and she would feel better.

The other day I was doodling animals for my Secret Language / Symbols journal (a Suzi Blu workshop homework assignment) and out came these characters.

The little girl stuck in her costume isn't feeling too happy. She feels restricted and lonely, it's hard to communicate when you're dressed up and don't even have hands to hold on to anyone. And she does need a cuddle.

So out come her little friends. Mr. Octopus, who in my Secret Language stands for fun, being a bit of a clown and being playful, Hedgehog, who stands for protection and is a bit of an outsider herself, Meerkat, who never gets any rest and could do with some help looking herself after the kids so she can calm down a bit and Kitty Cat who stands for everything warm like home and cuddles and love. They all help her in their own special way to make her feel a bit better, and guess what.. It works! They are the best friends in the world!

I used water colour paint, water colour pencils, a bit of acrylics and Steadtler fineliner on this Art Journal page. For some strange reason, I think I'll be seeing a lot of this little girl and her furry friends.

Suzi is keeping me busy

2008-08-23T03:37:00.000-07:00

It's only been a week, but I think my work has improved already! Yay!

(Remember, you can still sign upfor the course! And no, Suzi is not paying me to tell you this. ;) )

Workshop!

2008-08-16T03:37:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to tell you....

I am taking a Mixed Media workshop with Suzi Blu! It's starting on Monday, but there's still plenty of time to sign up if you're interested.

Suzi's words:
"Two Workshops In One! Learn start to finish how to create your own original pretty pretty girl. Learn how to shade, make dresses, align faces, layer backgrounds, beeswax. The Whole Shebang! Also included is an 8 week PDF class to support and nurture your creative soul. This class includes a live pajama chat every second Sunday."

Sounds like fun, right?

You can jump in at any time, as long as you watch and read or download everything before the end of the workshop, because after the 8 weeks, it will magically disappear!
So if you have other things to do on Monday, or are off on holiday for a week or two, don't worry, you can still join in on all the fun.

There's also a forum that's already in use even though the workshop doesn't start until Monday and we've already organised an ATC or OSWOA (Original Small Works Of Art, 4" x 6") swap, but I'm sure you could still hook up with that if you wanted. Or maybe there will be a round two after people got their feet wet and got really really into it.

Oh, and you can start a friends list, keep a blog, and for the workshop there will be a Flickr group so everyone can post their pictures and get support and advice.

Come and have a look, sign up for the course, and get your paints out starting Monday!

500 hearts! Free ACEO with purchase!

2008-08-04T06:24:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't loved my blog for a long time, but I have some great news to share!

I reached 500 hearts. Five hundred! That is amazing! Thank you everyone for loving my shop!

For today only, you will receive a FREE ACEO (from my shop) with your purchase!
So you could have these salt and pepper shakers with a free ACEO, or any other combination you'd like.

This sale is only valid today (and to make things easier I will keep it Etsy time), so get it while you can!

A new video!

2008-07-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Just in case you have not yet subscribed to my videos (shame on you! ;) ) I thought I'd let you know that my latest video is up on YouTube!

It's of me doing my Rain in July page, pictures of which you can find on my Flicr.

Go and have a look and let me know what you think!

Hobnobs and Twinkies

2008-07-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, there was a discussion in the Etsy forums. Don't ask me how, but it ended up being about food, and what you can and can't get wherever you are located.

Hobnobs were mentioned, and I said that my sweet love had never tried a Twinkie. You can't get them over here.

The thread went on and on, and to my surprise I got a convo from Lori asking me if I'd still be interested in some Twinkies. Uhh YEAH! ;) We decided to do a swap, she'd send me some Twinkies and I would send her some Hobnobs. Perfect deal!

Nowwww... I'd love to show you the big box of Twinkies she sent to me, but.. well.. you know.. umm... well... They're all gone! My fiance loved them, and so did his niece and nephews, and I of course did to.

Lori did a better job of taking a picture before digging in. You can find it on her blog

Thanks again Lori! They were delicious! (but now that everyone had a little taste and loved them so much, not being able to get them here is an even bigger problem then before! ;) )

My first Moleskine!

2008-07-05T03:46:00.000-07:00

I got my very first Moleskine!

My old Art Journal was falling apart, and I was not even half way through. I was getting more and more annoyed with having to stick pages together in order to make the paper sturdy enough, and still I had paint and gel medium leaking through. It was time for something new!

But finding that something new wasn't easy. The shops I usually get my art supplies from have lots of sketchbooks, but the paper isn't thick enough. They carry water color pads, but they would not be suitable for (almost) daily use, not if I want to actually keep all those pages.

After lots of searching I decided this was it. It was time for my first Moleskine. After all, I had tried all the cheaper journals, and they just did not fit the bill.
I ordered one online and got it the next day!

It took me a few days to get started though. I wanted it to be 'perfect', you know. A bit like how I was in school when starting a new notebook in the new year. But then we went out for a day in beautiful Maldon and I did my first journal page. It felt so good! I love the paper, I love the cover, I'm not too sure about the size yet because it is different to what I am used to, but I love it!

Yesterday, I added some rub-on letters to the cover. There is no doubt now that this Art Journal is mine! I will have so much fun filling it up with thoughts and dreams and things I see and hear.

The importance of keeping an art journal

2008-07-05T03:36:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how sometimes you forget about what you've done?

Just now, I was browsing the many Moleskine groups on Flickr and found one that had a link to a _Helium article on 'The importance of keeping an art journal' and I was thinking of how to word my own.

And then I noticed that I already had! Go and have a look here. I wrote this about my first art journal. My my how things have changed....

Timeless on YouTube, for real this time!

2008-06-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

I have no idea how to show you the actual video on here, so instead, I'll give you the link.

Come and see my Art Journal here! And feel free to let me know what you think!

Sometimes things do not go as planned....

2008-05-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

.....and sometimes, that's a good thing!

When I started this painting I had no idea what I was doing. I just did the background and was very happy with how that turned out. I used several layers of different shades of pink, lots of gesso in between, and I just really liked how it looked. But then I had to decide what to actually do with it...

I noticed a colour different on the side, and that inspired me to do a figure peeking from one side, so you'd only see half of her face. So I decided to do a sad angel, with dark eyes and dark hair. A moody kind of painting, for a change.

But no, the painting decided it did not want to be moody. It wanted purple eyes, and lots of butterflies that I had to cut out of a book I picked up at the car boot the other week.....

So all of a sudden there she was, Butterfly Girl! Not planned, but I'm very happy the way she just 'happened'.

To see more pictures of her and read more about her, please go to my Etsy shop.

Crayons, crayons, crayons!

2008-05-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

The other day I went to Poundland where, you guessed it, everything is a pound. Only a pound!

I love love love Poundland!

My sweet Love got a Buffy the Vampire Slayer book set that's normally priced at £30 for one quid! And we got ourselves some yummy 'misfit' chocolates, that did not come out right and were rejected by Cadbury's etc. Doesn't taste any different! And you get a whole bag for One Pound!

My best buy though was a set of crayons. Not just four or six, no... EIGHTY! Eighty lovely lovely crayons in all kinds of colours, including, it says on the pack 'neon'. Woohooo!

And you know what the best thing is about crayons? The smell! I forgot how great they smell! All I could do on the way home was sniff them.... I bet people on the bus thought I was a bit.. umm... 'special'. Hahahahaha. But I don't care! I have lovely lovely crayons and I can't wait to use them in my mixed media work!

But in the meantime, have a peek at Wyanne's videos on YouTube. She is the Crayon Queen! Such an inspiration.

Sisters in London (oh, and my Love too)

2008-05-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

As you probably know, I'm Dutch, but living in the UK. So, I don't get to see my family all that often. Last time was early February when me and my Love went back for carnaval, which was brilliant!

My youngest sister is an English teacher, and she was in London with her students this week. She had a very very busy schedule, but had Thursday afternoon off to do some shopping. And because we're not all that far from London, me and my Love decided to try and see her there. We allllmost missed her due to mobile phones not working right.. But we found her in the end!

We went to Camden Market, which is absolutely wonderful. So many different colours, designs, and most of all: smells of lovely, lovely food! We had to try some of the Chinese that we kept seeing, it was yummmyyy!

We then went to Oxford Street, and for a drink in a lovely little pub, and then it was time to say goodbye. Her students were at their meeting point, and she was off to have dinner with them and then do a Jack the Ripper walk.

It was great to see her though!

(Oh, I'm the one on the left, in case you didn't know.)

Timeless on YouTube!

2008-05-17T04:30:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't put a video of me painting on YouTube yet (I am interested in doing it, but not sure how to get started. If anyone has a tutorial or something, please let me know in the comments here or in an Etsy convo), but The Eclectic Diva was kind enough to put together a video of lots of Etsy shops.

So..... When you're watching This Video On YouTube be sure to watch it all the way through. At about 4.50 you'll see my shop, along with other great Etsy shops. The list is at the end, so keep your eyes peeled for that one too.

Thanks so much Eclectic Diva for putting this together!

Sneak preview

2008-05-12T04:19:00.000-07:00

I have to say, making ACEOs is getting addictive. But it's an addiction I'm not ready to shake just yet, if ever!

I thought I'd give you a little sneak preview of three cards that will be listed soon in my Etsy shop. (Realllyyy soon if you send me a convo to tell me you'd like to buy one of them!)

Hope you like them as much as I do.

Featured

2008-05-12T02:40:00.001-07:00

This morning, I woke up to a lovely email saying I've been featured on Mindless Pursuits!

What a great way to start the day, or the week, even.

If you'd like to be featured on Mindless Pursuits too, just follow this link and fill out the form. We can all use a little free press every now and again, right?

It's raining cats and dogs!

2008-05-10T14:40:00.001-07:00

When I was in school back in Holland learning English, of course I learned about all these weird proverbs and sayings. Us Dutch didn't come off to great, with Dutch courage and a Dutch uncle.

But 'it's raining cats and dogs' always seems the weirdest of them all. If it was raining cats and dogs, would you ever think of going out? I know I wouldn't, I'd be too afraid of being hit in the head by falling golden retrievers, or stepping on wet kittens.

If you want to see more pictures of this ACEO, come and have a look in my shop, Timeless

Lost

2008-05-06T13:58:00.001-07:00

Every now and again I hear people talking about Lost.

Unfortunately I can't watch it at the moment, because SkyeOne decided that Virgin would not be allowed to show it anymore... But, thankfully, after the full series has been aired, it pops up on the Virgin reply thingy, and you can watch it back to back. So recently, I watched the last series. Good stuff!

One of the things that make Lost different than other series, besides the polar bears, the Others, and the very annoying non-talking but let's play some lovely music- scenes, is the opening title. It's just that. The title. No theme tune or anything. Just the word Lost.

If Lost had proper opening titles, this would be it! Brilliant!!

The girl and the giraffe

2008-05-04T16:15:00.000-07:00

When my sister (another sister, not the one who kept saying she was a fairy...) was only little, we went to the zoo. She fell in love with the giraffes there. They were in a Savanna, and it was made so they were on eye level with the visitors. My sister was brave enough to feed one of them a tiny leaf... The look on her face when she saw the huge tongue!!

This little girl gets up early in the morning, before anyone else is awake, to go and feed her pet giraffe -- one leaf at a time.

This ACEO was done in water colour paint and water colour pencil on a card stock background.

It will be send protected by a plastic sleeve (see picture 4) and in a sturdy envelope.

ACEOs, which stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals, are little works of art. They are all 3.5" x 2.5" (or 8.9 cm x 6.4 cm), the same size as regular trading cards. Their size is all they have in common. You can find ACEOs in any medium, from water colours to fabric, from oil paint to metal work and anything else you can think of.

ACEOs are highly collectible, and make cute gifts or nice bookmarks. They can be kept in trading card albums, but will look best framed on their own or in a group.

You can collect ACEOs by artist, medium, theme, colour scheme, style, anything you like. And before you know it, you'll have a whole bunch, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Dutch? Orange!

2008-04-30T05:19:00.001-07:00

If you're Dutch, living in Holland, you're probably not reading this but out celebrating.

If you're Dutch, living abroad like me, you're probably very homesick today, wanting to dress up in orange and get drunk...

If you've got some Dutch blood running through your veins, but are not so much in touch with the Dutch culture, let me tell you something:

Today, the Dutch celebrate their Queen's birthday (even though it was her birthday on Jan. 31st, but it was her late mother's today, and when she took over the Crown she promised her mum and the whole country that Queensday would still be on April 30th.)

Because the Dutch Royals are 'Van Oranje Nassau' ('Of Orange Nassau'), orange is our national colour. That's why our footie team wears orange, and why you see a lot of orange in the outfits our Olympic athletes will be wearing this summer.

So now you know why these eggcups with a prince and princess on them are orange!

Guerilla promotion

2008-04-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

'Guerilla art' is art you leave in public places for other people to find. According to Kerri Smith it is 'a fun and insidious way of sharing your vision with the world. It is a method of art making which entails leaving anonymous art pieces in public places. It can be done for a variety of reasons, to make a statement, to share your ideas, to send out good karma, or just for fun.

You could use the principles of guerilla art for promotion.

Today, I read about a Dutch woman who put free buttons with her shop logo all over Amsterdam, making it look like billboards and posters were wearing her buttons. Such a great idea.

As much as I like sending off business cards to people asking for promo's, or handing them out, there's something much more fun about being 'sneaky' and secretive.

I think we can learn a lot from those million dollar ad campaignes. You know the ones: first you see billboards all over town that don't tell you what they are about, but you see them so often you're starting to wonder what it's all about. And then, after a few weeks, you get your answer....

Maybe you can do the same on a smaller scale. Be a mystery. Put art work out in the real world and see if people are taking it, and then go from there.

I'm getting all excited just thinking about it.

Wish I could get my super chalks out (not right now of course,it's pouring down and besides, it's 1 am here in the UK....)

Please share your guerilla promotion stories! I'd love to hear them!

Now you see him....

2008-04-23T04:16:00.000-07:00

...now you don't, Mr. Danny Federici.

Look what I bought!

2008-04-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Today I received the pendant I bought from Nicholas & Felice.

It is a hammered and swirled 18 gauge sterling silver wire to make this celtic inspired light weight pendant.

It measures about 1 3/8"( 3.5cm) from the top of the sterling silver bail to the bottom of the pendant. It is about 1/2"(1.3cm) across the widest part.

This pendant came with a long satin cord, which is great because you can tie it as long or as short as you'd like. Which I love!

And the best thing yet, they still have this pendant in their shop, along with other absolutely gorgeous items.

But don't just let me tell you, go and have a look!

Inspiration

2008-04-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

When my youngest sister, who turned 27 this week, was a lot younger, she used to drive us mad by telling us she wasn't C., but a cherry fairy.

At first we thought it was a cute story she made up, but every day it became more and more detailed. When out walking the dog she would point to the trees. 'I was here last night, with my fairy friends.' When my mum would smile at her, and softly tell her that she was in her bed last night, my sister would get upset. She was a real fairy! She was there last night!

She would pick up the phone telling whoever it was that she was a cherry fairy. When we went somewhere where kids could have their face painted, she wanted to be a cherry fairy.

She grew out of it, though right before graduating as an English teacher she did write her dissertation on witchcraft and fairies in the works of Shakespeare.

This mixed media work is inspired by my sister. This girl told everyone she is a fairy too. And you know what, I believe her!

It is an original on a 5.9" or 15 cm square wooden tile. It is done in acrylics, water pencil and water colours. I've used acrylic paper, book pages, gesso, loose glitter and glitter glue.

Tell me what inspires you, I'd love to hear your personal stories.

Stats!

2008-04-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

Want to know how many 'hearts' your Etsy shop got in the last few days? Want to know how many 'hearts' your individual items have and if this has changed recently? Want to know how many people viewed your pages have had? Or how about your individual items?

Then go straight to this website, fill in your shop name and there you go. All the stats you could possibly want!

Thanks soooo so much, Majaba!

I'm in love....

2008-04-11T14:28:00.001-07:00

Timeless goes 2D!

2008-04-10T03:51:00.001-07:00

After lots of crocheting (yes, I'm still working on the One Block a Month blanket, it will be a huuuuge project but I'm loving it) I needed to rest my poor hands for a bit and had a look on YouTube for some new inspiration.

And inspiration I found!

I'm sure lots of you have already discovered SuzibluTube who not only makes wonderful art, but is also sweet enough to share some tips and tricks and to provide ideas for your art journal. And guess what, she's also an Etsy seller! Yay!

I also found the lovely Willowing, another Dutchie in the UK, which is always nice to see. She too shares lots of wonderful art on YouTube, which she also sells on Etsy.

Annyyywayyyy...

All of this inspired me to start my own Art Journal, pictures of which you can find in my Flickr. I'm loving it!

But then.... I also started painting on canvas, small ones for now, and guess what... They're already in my Timeless shop!

So what are you waiting for? Go...!! Go and have a look!

Another month another block

2008-03-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

Hurray, it's March, which means a new block has been posted in the Ravelry One-block-a-month CAL group.

This month it's Cygnus by Chris Simon. It's lovely and I could not wait to get started on it. And so I did, tonight. I finished it in 2.5 hours, including an extra round with dc's (and 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in the corners) because it wasn't big enough.

I now 'only' have to do a second March block, a second January block and 6 filler blocks and I will have 2 strips for my afghan all finished. This is going to keep me busy for a while.....

Crochetalong

2008-02-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, but I've been keeping myself busy. I've done two scarves (one I still need to take pictures of), three more hats, and today... a brand new block!

Ravelry has been fuelling my crochet fire, and I found a great group of people who are all crocheting the same project each month, a so called 'crochetalong'.

This block was the January one, and it took me two attempts to get it right, but hey, I'm quite chuffed by the way it turned out. (More pictures can be found on my Ravelry page.)

The square is called Dream Catcher, and it's designed by Sherri Welch.

One Skein Scarf (short)

2008-01-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

This was an ‘oops, I made a scarf’ experience. I was trying to save this project for when travelling at the end of this week. But then I thought, hmm, as this is the first time ever I will be working from an actual pattern instead of following someone on YouTube, I will test it first so I don’t get stuck while on the train.

I started chaining a few stitches, then figured it was too short to do anything with once finished and ended up chaining 50” worth of stitches. It’s now a very nice length, almost the same as a normal neck tie.

It was done within 3 hours, and I’m very proud of it. I wore it the next day and I’ve had two people ask me where I got that cute scarf. To get to tell them ‘I made it’ felt wonderful!

(The pattern for the One Skein Scarf by Denise Cozzitorto can be found here and in the Stitch 'n Bitch : Happy Hooker book by Debbie Stoller.)

I'm also knitting

2008-01-25T14:37:00.001-08:00

When I was growing up, my mum made me and my sisters lots of clothes. Every birthday I got a new dress, she knitted all our jumpers, scarves, hats, I even remember a bikini when I was only small, and my nan knitted us socks, too.

My poor Love has never owned any clothing that wasn't store bought. So now I'm knitting him a scarf.

I'm learning to crochet!

2008-01-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

I'm learning to crochet! Some of what I've learned has been from the Stitch 'n Bitch: Happy Hooker book, but most of it I've learned by watching the video's YouTuber Tjw1963 has posted. She's very patient, and I can stop and rewind whenever I need to, which is good.

I'm getting rather addicted, which is gooooood, I think.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-05T04:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone has had a great night, and still has all of their 10 fingers. Fireworks can be nasty, you know.

My New Year's resolution is to learn to knit! Oh, and crochet, as well.

My parents got me Stitch 'n Bitch and the Happy Hooker and I am already addicted to both books.

Yesterday I actually managed to purl, which is a baby step to some, but a huge one to me. I had tried before but never got the hang of it. Last night I did some stockinette, and some rows of knitting and then some rows of purling. Because I knitted and purled uneven rows I ended up with 'bumps' on both sides, but who cares, I'm purling. Yay me!

The crocheting is going well, too. I've already managed the slip stitch if you're American or the single crochet if you're a Brit, and the single crochet if you're American or the double crochet if you're a Brit. I had no idea that it might be so confusing, but there you go. Something I need to keep an eye on if I ever want to crochet from a pattern I guess. Oh, and then of course there's the Dutch terms, which I know I've heard before, but I have no idea what stitch is meant by which term. Maybe I should write my own little dictionary, from Dutch to British to American and back again....

What are your creative resolutions for this year?

Last call!

2007-12-07T04:14:00.001-08:00

Do you live in the US, Australia, Asia, well, anywhere but Europe? Have you had your eye on the Peg Santa's, some cute eggcups or anything else in my shop? Then this is your last call!

Today is the last shipping date for Christmas goodies to arrive safely outside Europe.

I will be going to the post office at 11 Etsy time. Hurry!

My two latest

2007-12-05T13:54:00.001-08:00

My first pendant

2007-12-01T09:30:00.001-08:00

I just listed this pendant and have to say I'm rather proud the way it came out. Keep your eye out for more pendants coming up in my shop!

Let's see some other shops, shall we! (4)

2007-12-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

A Punkin Card Company started out of a personal need for wedding invitations. Card making was love at first sight! Now you can find cards for all occasions, gift tags and now of course lots of great Christmas cards in A Punkin Card Company. The vintage look they all have make them stand out.

Let's see some other shops, shall we! (3)

2007-11-27T07:10:00.000-08:00

Craft Pudding has the cutest hand carved stamps you could think of! She also has pouches and wristlets and more cute stuff. Go and check her shop out!

Let's see some other shops, shall we! (2)

2007-11-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

This bold ring is by Spotlight Designs and will look great on your finger during Christmas Dinner. Let it bling, let it bling, let it bling!

Let's see some other shops, shall we!

2007-11-27T07:02:00.000-08:00

This gorgeous blue cyan choker is by A Keeper's Jackpot, she's got tons more stunning jewelry in her shop. Go and check it out!

Cyber Monday

2007-11-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

You may have never heard of it, but today is Cyber Monday. After Thanksgiving in the US, the Friday after is called Black Friday, named because that is when people go mad shopping for the holidays. Shops open in the middle of the night, and people actually queue up in the cold outside waiting for special deals.

Today, Cyber Monday, is the online equivalent. Online stores hope to get a massive amount of sales, and Etsy is no different.

Because I took the Buy Handmade pledge, so I am on the lookout for great handmade items. At Etsy you can literally find anything from handmade notebooks to complete outfits, the cutest cuddly toys, geeky things for your nerdy friends, beautiful jewellery, houseware, and even (handmade and commercial) supplies so you can get your craft on yourself.

If you can sneak in some time at work to come and have a look at Etsy, and of course preferable Timeless, my Etsy shop, that would be great!

Happy shopping!

Stay for breakfast

2007-11-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

(On request also available in her-her, his-his or any other combination thinkable.)

How do you like your eggs in the morning?

2007-11-22T06:13:00.000-08:00

Santa's here!

2007-11-19T08:46:00.001-08:00

Look! There's Santa! And another one! And another one... and another one....

This set of 6 little peg Santa's will look great in your tree, will hold up your Christmas stockings, help you hang up your Christmas cards, look cute on your table with a name tag in them, and of course make cute little stocking stuffers!

Want to see more pictures? Go to Timeless, my Etsy shop.

Timeless in the Storque!

2007-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to show off my article for the Storque...

You can find it by clicking here. Don't forget to comment!

Oh, and the peg Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet were sold after only having been in the Storque for an hour! If you'd like me to make you some do not hesitate to contact me.

Etsy mini

2007-11-16T07:08:00.001-08:00

I won Nanowrimo SALE!

2007-11-10T07:52:00.000-08:00

Like I said in my previous post, I won Nanowrimo! And I am so very proud of it!
Proud, but exhausted, I slept till 12 today, but I figured that after typing 8000 words in one evening, I was allowed....

Now... To celebrate, I figured a sale would do nicely...

So if you put 'Nanowrimo' in the note to seller, or convo me this magic word, you will get a 10% discount on your purchase, shipping not included.

Help me celebrate! Buy my stuff. ;)

Done!

2007-11-09T18:17:00.000-08:00

Just now, I reached over 50K... I've been writing like mad, really, like mad... I've been writing 5000 words a day, and just now I have been writing for 6 hours straight. Mental, I know. Though 'straight' is maybe the wrong word, I have been on forums as well....

The story is not finished yet, it needs at least 20K more, but then, I've got lots more days in the month left to do that...

But I think I will take tomorrow off.............

And now for something completely different: Nanowrimo!

2007-10-30T02:55:00.001-07:00

Nanowrimo 2007 is just around the corner, it's not too late to sign up!

For those of you who do not know: Nanowrimo stands for (inter)National Novel Writing Month and the idea is to... write a novel in a month! Well, rather a novella, because you're 'only' aiming at writing 50,000 words in those 30 days.

Sounds crazy? It is!
Sounds fun? It is!!

This will be my 4th 'Nano', and I'm very much looking forward to it. I've got my main character (usually referred to in the Nano forums as MC) all set, I've got my first scenes plotted and for once, I actually know where the hell I'm going with this. It's all good!

If you've always wanted to write a novel, this can be the boost you've been waiting for. Yes, I know it's a month before Christmas and I'm sure you've got a million other things to do, but honest, Nano does not take up as much time as it might seem. 1667 words a day, that's less than you type in the Etsy forums.... (well...)

Join me and so many others and sign up now! And then, by the end of November, you can say that you've written a novel, how coooooool is that?

http://nanowrimo.org

Etsy in the press

2007-10-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

Etsy has made it into the Austin Chronicles. Yay!

(I should really get my bum in gear and send out a message to the Essex Chronicle...)

Girls can be pirates too!

2007-10-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

I buy hand made!

2007-10-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Will you take the pledge too?

Get your 'peg me'

2007-10-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

Last week, I made Naked Tile her very own 'peg me', or rather, 'peg her'. And this is what she had to say about it in my feedback:

Wow, this is so, so cute!! It's like staring at the mirror, lol! It really is lovely, thank you very much! The shipping was lightning fast too!! Great seller, and lovely person!

How wonderful is that! Thank you so much, Naked Tile!

Now...

If you'd like your very own 'peg me', or if you'd like for me to make you one that looks like your son, your daughter, your Nan, the neighbour three doors down or your co-worker, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Spicy Pirates

2007-10-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Spice up your life with these salt and pepper shakers! Who knew pirates could be this spicy?

Vote for Etsy

2007-10-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

Time.com has a list of the 50 best websites of 2007 up and they want to know what we think of them. And guess what.. Etsy is on the list!

You can vote here, and refresh and vote again.

Etsy is currently on number 5! Check the poll results to see if we can Etsy get even higher!

Tags!

2007-10-15T15:47:00.001-07:00

Hang on.... Wasn't Timeless the shop where you could get those cute hand painted eggcups and fun peg people? Yes of course it is. Ok, so since when does Timeless do paper goods?

Since today!

Years of being told I was 'rubbish' in art class I hesitated a bit when putting paint to paper, but these wonderful water colours with glitter just had to be tested....

Gift tags come in sets of 3 and cost $2.50. They'll look great on your gifts or in your scrapbook!

Ellen wants to know

2007-10-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ellen Degeneres wants to know about your favourite website.
Wellllll... That's not a difficult question to answer, now is it? Etsy of course!

How about you let her know by filling out this form, or alternatively if you're not living in the US, send her an email in which you answer all the questions on the forum to ellencs [at] wb.com !

Check out this article in The Storque for more information.

Let's show Ellen what a great site Etsy is!

Watch out, the Peg Pirates are back!

2007-10-05T17:27:00.001-07:00

Shiver me timbers, the Peg Pirates are back! But this is a next generation!

I say 'next generation' because there have been some changes from the last pirates that came to visit Timeless. They are now facing the front, don't have their bandanas on the same way and have their eye patch on either their left or right eye.

But other than that, nothing has changed. They are still made from old fashioned (but store bought) pegs, and they still make a great gift for a little boy, or one who's young at heart. (Just don't give them to the tiny ones who tend to bite on them, they are pegs after all and will break, causing all kinds of nasties to their mouth....) They are painted in acrylics and sealed with several layers of glossy varnish.

The pirates are not washable, but a damp cloth will work just fine.

Not shopping for toys? These pirates will keep an eye on your washing, your paperwork or all those Jack Sparrow pictures you've been collecting.

Looking for more than 6 pirates or you'd like different colours? Give me a shout and we'll sort things out! I've got lots more pegs just begging to be painted.

Royal Mail on strike (again!)

2007-10-04T06:12:00.000-07:00

The Royal Mail has gone on two 48 hr strikes as of the 4th, meaning effectively there will be No Mail until Wednesday afternoon Oct. 10th, and there might be some delay after... Please keep this in mind when ordering from me or any other shop based in the UK. Please accept my apologies, and fingers crossed they will sort this out very soon!

To say I'm fed up with the postal strikes is a huge understatement...... *sigh*

Etsy -- the movie.

2007-10-03T10:06:00.001-07:00

I'm sure you've seen it in The Storque, but I just thought I'd post it here too: a great video on what Etsy is and a great peek at the Etsy Labs.

Go have a look

(The sellers who appear in this clip are Kate Black, Dew On A Petal, Kart Design, Reconstructionist, 1aeon and Sweetestpea.)

It's my Etsyversary!

2007-09-27T04:56:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's been a year, but when looking at my public profile I know it's true: I've been selling on Etsy for a year today! Woohooo!

And what a year it's been!

What started out as a silly idea of selling my hand painted pebbles turned into a nice little business, and there's lots more room to grow. I've learned so much about my craft, I've expanded the type of products in my shop, I've learned more about marketing and promoting, I've started this blog and kept an eye on other Etsy related blogs, I've met some wonderful people on Etsy, got addicted to the forums, got more creatively inspired than I've been in years, got custom orders which I love and best of all: my items have found new homes and made people smile.

To celebrate my Etsyversary I offer a 10% discount to anyone who convo's me the word 'Etsyversary' or who puts that into the note to seller, and all the buyers in the UK will get FREE SHIPPING! Whoohooo!

(This sale will go on until 7 pm Etsy time, which is midnight UK time.)

Featured on World Wide Crafters

2007-09-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Look! Look! Timeless is featured on World Wide Crafters!

Sold already!

2007-09-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

No sooner did I list these hand painted beads or BeadRee, the one I made these for, bought them. She will use them for her Story Necklaces, which according to her can be found in Native America culture, gypsy culture and appear in many other cultures as well. Storytellers would finger the beads showing how the story progressed, bead by bead, instead of "page by page".

I can't wait to see them used, my first Etsy collaboration! ;)

Meet Mr. Pig

2007-09-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

(Mr. Pig is a custom order, but if you're interested in having me turn your pet into a pebble pet, please let me know.)

Free peg person!

2007-09-06T03:42:00.000-07:00

How can I put this politely?

These items all expire on sept. 11th. If you buy now you will get a free custom made peg person! Just put 'free peg person' in the note to seller and I will get my paints out!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=504292

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=507867

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=539504

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=539666

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5945092

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5945214

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5945410

What to do with eggcups if you don't eat eggs?

2007-09-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

So you like my eggcups, but you don't eat eggs. Or you prefer yours scrambled. Or pooched. Or sunny-side-up. Or... Well, anyway, you have no use for eggcups in the traditional way.

What else could you use them for?

* They make great candle holders. I know there are people here on Etsy who sell egg shaped candles (The Keepers House http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5004735 and Dbpeewee http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5215901 to name two) that will look great in my eggcups!

* Plant some tiny (fake if you prefer it) plants in them. This way you can have a little green in any room you can think of, even the bathroom.

* They make very good paper clip, push pin and elastic bands holders. Or any other tiny office supplies you can think of. They will brighten up your boring office space in no time!

* Let me make you some custom egg cups with the initials and favourite colours of your family and you can use them to show where everyone is sitting. No eggs needed, either as they can be purely decorative.

* Kids love them. They can play with two eggcups and some marbles for hours! Or use them as mugs for their dolls.

* Use them for your secret indulgent snacks. One eggcup of peanuts, banana chips or rainbow drops will make you feel less guilty for eating them. But since eggcups usually come in pairs, two will not do you any harm either....

* Use them for decoration. Start or continue a collection. In fact: collect all my eggcups and make me very happy!

Here are the eggcups I currently have in my shop, but please remember that I love custom orders and it would be my pleasure to make you a cup (or two, or twelve, or however many you'd like) in your favourite colour or theme.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6113088
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6104563
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5945410
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5945214
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5945092

Also check out my sold eggcups to get an idea of what I could do for you:

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5674957
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5672915
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5504948
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5504948

Walking stick

2007-08-26T11:12:00.001-07:00

This weekend we went to a party two of our friends hosted to celebrate their new home as well as her 30th birthday. And because she now occasionally has to use a walking stick, I asked her boyfriend whether or not she would appreciate me hand painting one for her. He said he thought she would... Hmmm... Not really the answer I was looking for...

I painted the stick I found at a car boot sale in deep purple, used lotssss of glitter and painted runes on it symbolizing strength, movement, finding balance and protection, all which I thought was very fitting.

I was a bit nervous when we drove up to their brand new home, but thankfully she thought the stick was 'ace' and when she asked me where I got it and I told her I hand painted it she thought it was even more 'ace'. I was so relieved, as it could be a bit of a sore point (in which case I would've blamed the boyfriend, of course!)

You've heard it all before: the pictures do not do the stick justice. The purple is much more deep purple, the glitter is blinding and the runes really stand out.

If you're interested in a hand painted walking stick, please get in touch with me via the comments on this blog, of Timeless, my Etsy shop.

The Financial Times on Etsy

2007-08-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

Read this great article in the Financial Times on Etsy!

More snow

2007-08-11T03:38:00.000-07:00

I did it! I finally grabbed a Treasury! Yayyy!!

And because it's never too early to go Christmas shopping, I thought snowmen would be a perfect theme for my very first Treasury.

So have a look here and tell me what you think.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

2007-08-09T15:09:00.001-07:00

It's hard to tell, but Chrismas is only just around the corner. Time to sort out the decorations!

These three snowmen, hand painted on terra cotta plates ( 5" /12.5 cm in diameter and 1"/2.5 cm deep) with acrylics, will look great on a shelf, mantel piece or just flat on a table.

They are sealed with a glossy varnish, but I only recommend wiping them with a damp cloth.

Curious to see more pictures, or would you like to get your hands on these snowmen? Pleae visit Timeless, my Etsy shop.

It's always nice to hear what others have to say

2007-08-07T03:45:00.000-07:00

Self-promotion can be difficult at times. It can feel unnatural to blow your own horn, but when you run your own shop, whether that is brick and mortar or online, you will have to do just that. How else will people know that your shop is the place to get all those great gifts?

But, it's always very nice to hear that your buyers really enjoy your product, and even recommend your items to others.

Thank you so much Laura for this compliment. I'm glad the twins enjoy the eggcups so much!

Discount for newsletter subscribers!

2007-07-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

From now on, I will be sending monthly newsletters to those who want to sign up for them. And to celebrate this new service, everyone signing up for the newsletters will get a 10% discount!

Please convo me at http://timeless.etsy.com or email me at timeless_etsy {at} blueyonder.co.uk for details!

Thanks!

New listings!

2007-07-18T16:05:00.001-07:00

These two are the brand new listings in my shop! Aren't they cute?

I love your peg people...

2007-07-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

....but I have no clue what to do with them.

Let's get the two obvious ones out the way first:

1. They will look great on your washing line, keeping your washing safe as it dries. How about ordering a whole bunch so you don't have to use your old ones or store bought ones anymore?

2. They make great toys. Children love the pegs to have lots of adventures with. Wouldn't it be great if you had peg people that resembled your family, or your child and their friends? There would be no end to the stories they would come up with.

Ok, now that we've got that out of the way, let's see what else we can do:

3. They are of great use when you want to stop eating those delicious crisps but don't want to end up with stale crispies. Just roll up the end of the bag and put a peg person to guard your crisps!

4. They can keep an eye on your paperwork, separating it from other paperwork. No more endless searching, your pegs will keep track of it.

5. They can keep your mail separated from that of your house mates or family members, which will work especially well if you will let me make pegs resembling your family or house mates.

6. They sure beat a simple name tag on the table to show your guests what the table setting is like. Again, this will work especially well if you will let me make pegs resembling your dinner guests. And they can take them home after dinner!

7. They make great party favors! Give me a theme to work with, weddings, Halloween, Christmas, and I will make you the required amount.

8. They are perfect to hang up all your birthday cards on a washing line in your room. Or to keep your favourite pictures up.

9. Let me make a bunch of pirates, vampires, or other 'scary pegs' which you can hand out during Halloween. Who said a treat had to be candy or fruit, right?

10. Pegs resembling your children (and maybe even the grown ups in your household) will look great on your family routing planner. This way everyone will know where little Joey has to be on Wednesday and that Dad will be out fishing on Sunday.

11. It gives you someone to talk to when the voices in your head don't want to listen.

12. You can always carry your friends and family around with you. This makes them wonderful for when your child is having a sleep over with friends but gets home sick easily, a fun present for those going off to college after summer, or in the unfortunate event of a stay in hospital.

13. No more worry dolls, these are 'good things that happened today'-dolls! Tell your peg people every night about all the good things that happened that day, and you'll be surprised just how great your days really are!

I am sure there are more brilliant ideas my fellow Etsians and other creative souls out there can come up with, but I thought these 13 were a good place to start. ;)

Charming Girl Ginger

2007-07-11T11:20:00.001-07:00

Ginger is the newest addition to the Charmed Ones. She's got her purple top on that matches her purple hair clips, her pendant matches her eyes and lippy, she's quite the trendy girl.

She would love to keep you company hanging from your bag or purse, phone, key chain, button, anywhere really.

Come and have a look at more pictures of Ginger at Timeless my Etsy shop.

Oh, and if you think she looks an awful lot like Pretty Peg, one of the Peg Girls, well, you're right. They're cousins!

Paint Jam

2007-07-10T03:24:00.000-07:00

YouTube is a great way to show the world how you do your work. I've seen lots of paintings being born on YouTube and it's always wonderful to see.

But this... Is truly truly amazing. It's a 5 min. clip but please keep watching until the end, it's worth it.

Paint Jam!

Move over Spice Girls, here are the Peg Girls

2007-07-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

I seriously don't know why the Spice Girls would even bother, the Peg Girls are going to take the world by storm!

Let me introduce the girls left to right:
Pink Peg - who loves anything and everything pink, from her clothes to her hair.

Pretty Peg - who likes everything to sparkle, that's why she's wearing a glitter top.

Punk Peg - she's not as rough as she seems.

Pale Peg - please don't call her a goth, she was born with very pale skin and it took her a long time to realize that's actually a nice feature on her.

and Pirate Peg - who secretly loved one of the Peg pirates, and when they were sold she started wearing the eye patch and pirate necklace to show how much she missed him.

Come and have a closer look at them at Timeless, my Etsy shop.

Looking for a home

2007-07-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as I opened the doors to my shop to see what needed to be done in the way of inventory and promotions, I heard a strange sound coming from the back. I went to have a look and was most surprised what I saw there: two seals had found their way into my shop! A mother and child, looking at me with those big eyes as if to say 'Please find us a home!'

I tried to calm them down, the shop must have been such a strange environment for them, and promised that I would do my very best to find them a new place to live.

So... If you think you can provide a happy home for these two lovely little pet rock seals, please come and have a look in my shop Timeless.