Wow I Made the Cover

So a few weeks ago, fellow Etsy seller Tim Adam of TimothyAdamDesigns added a post to the forum that was quite intriguing, I must say. Basically, the deal was this: You buy the book that he is creating ("The Handbook to Handmade"), and all those who bought it would have their work featured in it. It can then be used as a marketing tool for Etsy sellers and Etsy in general.

I went ahead and bought a copy, figuring this kind of marketing would be quite easy (and that's my favorite kind!). Anyway, I got an e-mail from Tim today, pointing us to his blog where the Handbook is featured, and Talking in Circles made the front cover! I told him I was very flattered to be among such "wonderful-ness" of Etsy. I am also very thankful that he is taking the time and the effort to compile and publish this book. I can only imagine the level of dedication required. Cheers to you, Tim.

If you get the chance, give Tim a visit at his Etsy shop, listed below. He's a self-taught metal artist who creates some really unique items, ranging from jewelry to furniture to wall art. You can also view some of Tim's work on Trunkt.

Couchbound

Gooooooood grief Charlie Brown, my cold has kicked my butt this week. I thought I was coming around, but today my head felt like it would explode and my energy is all gone. So, most of the day has been spent on the couch. I have my little bead board beside me, waiting to be picked up, but the creativity just isn't there, basically because every two minutes I have to grab another tissue and blow my nose. Ick.

So, I'm going to have a slight delay on the feature article; look for it early on in the week. I also think I'm going to do a book review of some of my favorite resources. Finally, I need to figure out how to do this Blog Carnival thing, as I'm a member of the Etsy Bloggers Street Team and I need to determine ways that I can be further involved.

I'll also be posting some new items this week--a few pairs of earrings, my Talking in Circles necklace (finished! finally! yay!), maybe a bracelet, and a pendant or two.

Wire it up...
Chelsea

The Smell of October

I caught it today after I walked down my driveway, returning from a quick trip to the store: October. Breathing in, the crisp air burns from the golden sunshine that rises later and sets earlier, reminding us that our summer has had its finale. If you know me, you know that I'm not really an autumn fan; I'll take spring and summer forever. But for those few weeks in October, as the leaves glow orange, red, and yellow amidst their lack of light, and pumpkin patches bear their signature fruits, I take it all in.

In my little nook of the U.S.--Western Pennsylvania--the leaves are not quite turning yet. From my deck at the back of my house, my view is covered in trees, all trying to hold on to their green while their neighbors slowly transform. Soon, they'll give in, and the view from my sliding glass window will be adorned with nothing but color. Even my birds know that fall is upon us; their numbers are dwindling, hopefully because they've discovered the birdhouses my husband and I built for them.

This morning I began the fall scrub-down of my house, which is why I'm late on posting and why I'm delayed in jewelry making. I need to get things in order on the homefront in order to let my creativity flow without interruption. Halloween will be here soon, and I'm doing a revamp of all of my decor (mostly because my house is in the process of a complete transformation). Tonight, because of my completed missions today, I was able to finish Reloj (yeah!) and get busy with Talking in Circles (see my previous post on these for details). With my camera arriving tomorrow, I hope to get things photographed, descriptions written, and open that store soon...but I'm patient. It will come. Until then, I'm going to let the chill of the air creep in when it can, let the leaves begin to color my backyard, and get ready for All Hallow's Eve. All is good.

Look how the sun has painted the trees
All these colors never known to them
Colors never known to their leaves
I'd like to sing like that
--Chris Pureka, "Compass Rose"