Thistlecraft Designs

Do As I Say, Not As I Do...

2010-02-26T15:27:00.005-06:00

Here's another post inspired by a Swap-Bot project . . . 10 Blog Tips. Very simple -- we were supposed to send 10 blog tips to our partners, as well as any additional information, resources, etc that we wanted. As I was writing my tips, I just kept thinking of that old saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." I know what I should be doing as far as my blogging is concerned, I'm just not very good at managing my time. So, what I've decided to do is post my tips here, and report back every so often as to how I'm doing at following my own advice.

My Top 10 Blog Tips:

1. The best tip anyone can give you about blogging and creating a successful blog is to be you.

2. Determine your purpose. Blogs are used to filter information, organize businesses, share family news, establish professional reputations, foment social change, and muse about the meaning of life. Knowing what you hope to accomplish with your blog will allow you to begin in a more focused way.

3. Post often / regularly -- sure, daily posting is ideal, but it is not required. However, you should really try to post at least once a week. Use scheduled posting, if necessary. More important than how often you post, though, is to always post something worth reading.

4. Good writing is essential -- and remember to use your spell checker before posting! Tell a story with your writing, but don't write a novel. Write for a reason, not just to be writing, and write about something you LOVE.

5. Also essential is a good photo / graphic to text ratio in posts -- photos and graphics help break up the text to make your blog easier to read, and they also serve to capture readers' attention.

6. Use a clean crisp layout -- do NOT use a lot of flash ads / applications, music, etc that take a long time to load! Don't over-crowd your sidebars or your posts. Use simple colors and fonts. Make sure your text is easy to read -- yellow may be your favorite color, but it is a very difficult text color to read.

7. Include links to other sites / blogs, and keep your links up-to-date. Check any links you post in your sidebars / header / footer from time to time to make sure they are still active.

8. Interact with your readers -- encourage them to comment and to come back to your blog in the future! And remember to respond to the comments posted on your blog.

9. Comment on others' blogs -- but keep your comments meaningful to the posts you're commenting on. Include your blog link in your signature for your comment....this will encourage others to check out your blog.

10. Use tags on your posts -- this will help organize your posts and help readers find any related posts you may have previously written.

Bonus tip: Have fun!

There are only two things that work to build an audience on your blog:

Create Content Worth Reading
Create Content Worth Linking To

If you have a blogspot (blogger) blog, here are some Google gadgets you can add to your blog....just don't get carried away, especially with the flash ones!

Here's a great article, "10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Blogging".

Blogging tips, tricks, tools, & resources:
WebLens.org
TricksForNewBloggers.blogspot.com
DailyBlogTips.com
ProBlogger.net

Lastly, if you don't click on any other link in this note, please take time to check this one out: TopTenBlogTips.com

That's all for now . . . I'll be back tomorrow with an update on my Found Journal, as well as some crafting and gift updates.

I am a Collector!

2010-02-21T18:20:00.012-06:00

I've always been told that admitting you have a problem is the first step (to what, though, I'm not really sure), so here goes . . . Hello. My name is Milly, and I am a collector.

Yes, I collect things. All sorts of things. My oldest collections are probably souvenir spoons (started by my parents) and Early American Prescut glassware (started by my Mom).

One of my largest collections is one started by a Christmas gift from my father 30 years ago or so. We would get the Sears Wishbook, and my parents allowed my 2 brothers, sister, and me to each mark 5 things we'd really like to have for Christmas. We would study and study this book before making our final choices. Well, one year there was a clown music box that I fell in love with. The clown wore a red and white checked outfit and hat and played, "It's a Small World". There was no doubt about it, this was definitely going to be one of my choices. And I was absolutely thrilled when I opened a gift marked from my Dad Christmas morning, and it was that amazing clown music box! Since then, I have amassed quite a collection . . . here's just a few of them:

I don't have a photo of the one that started all this, but here are two of my favorites from the above:

The one on the left is Murano glass, and the little guy on the right is made from volcanic ash from the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens.

I love Christmas, and collect vintage/antique Christmas ornaments, Santa Clauses (especially vintage ones), and snowmen. Maybe I'll get some photos of these collections posted next Christmas . . .

And I have some collections that have just sort of happened by accident. They weren't planned. I didn't set out to collect these items, but I just seemed to acquire more and more of them. My accidental collections include the following:

Angels & Crosses

My Menagerie of Birds & Animals

Miniatures
(yes, it includes more birds & animals)

Lastly, I have a wonderful collection that started by simply winning a contest! If you've read much of my blog, you remember when I won a scavenger hunt contest hosted by the Etsy Plush Team. I have given away some of the plushies I won in that contest, and have acquired several more since then. Once again, I do not have a photo to share of the full collection, but once I get my office set up and all my plushies displayed, I promise to take photos and post them here. In the meantime, here's a photo of the ones I received from the Plush Team:

I'm sure I have other collections, but I'll save them for another post on another day!

A "Found" Journal...

2010-02-15T21:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, this is another idea I got from Swap-Bot. I couldn't join this particular swap, due to being committed to too many other projects as it is. BUT, I want to start making one of these on my own, and I'm posting it here as a way of being accountable for this project (and hopefully to inspire others of you to do this as well).

So, here's the deal.... The idea for this project is to buy an A4 notebook or sketchbook (approx 9" x 11") and fill at least 40 pages with items you find on the ground. Of course, if you want to fill more than 40 pages, that would be awesome! Items can be little notes, cards, to-do lists, shopping lists, receipts, clothing tags, ticket stubs, doodles, photos, envelopes - anything that gives a glimpse into someone else's life. Anything goes... Try to add a large variety of things, and add multiple items per page. We want this to be filled with all kinds of Found goodies. If you would like to make notes by the items saying when/where you found them, then do so. The items you put in your book can NOT be personal to you; they must be found objects! This will also be a nice way to pick up some of the paper that litters our planet. Items may be in any language, just please make sure they are not overly dirty.

Since I have a Bind-it-All, I will most likely make my journal, rather than buy one. And I'm thinking I'll also use recycled cardboard of some sort for the covers of my journal. I've done Found Art projects in the past, and I am really excited about this. So, if you happen to see me walking around looking at the ground, just know that I'm looking for goodies for my journal!

Yes, I will post updates and photos!

One last thing....not sure you understand this whole Found Art Journal thing??? Check out this site for a little bit more info and some awesome finds!

My Life According To....

2010-02-15T02:27:00.003-06:00

I've seen this on Facebook and Swap-Bot and thought it would be a fun blog entry and game....

Copy and paste the section below to your blog, and delete all my responses. Then, pick ONE artist and answer the questions using only song titles written or performed by that artist -- no, don't use the lyrics of the songs to answer the questions or answer the questions as if you were the artist! Just use the titles of songs by a SINGLE artist as your answers. Don't repeat songs, either! Oh, and be sure to identify the name of the artist you chose.

Lastly, once you've posted your questions and answers to your blog, come back here and leave me a link to your blog, and I'll go check them out and leave a comment!

♪ My life according to Ray Stevens ♪

Are you male or female? A Little Blue Haired Lady
Describe yourself! I Used To Be Crazy
How do you feel? Just So Proud To Be Here
Where do you live? Safe At Home
If you could go anywhere, where would it be? Piece Of Paradise Called Tennessee
Your favorite form of transportation? Leaving On A Jet Plane
Your best friend is...? Always On My Mind
You and your best friends are...? Young At Heart
How's the weather? Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
Favorite time of day? Early In The Morning
If your life was a TV show, how would you call it? All My Trials
What is life to you? High Hopes
Your relationship? Oh, Lonesome Me
Your fear? Jeremiah Peabody’s Polyunsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green and Purple Pills
What is the best advice you have to give? Santa Claus Is Watching You
Thought for the day? Everything Is Beautiful
How would you like to die? Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens
Your present condition? Retired
Your favorite color? Deep Purple
What/who are you thinking of? The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

If you have never heard any of his songs, check out Everything is Beautiful, The Mississippi Squirrel Revival, and Shriners Convention on YouTube.

Want to read more about Ray Stevens? Just click HERE.

Be sure to come back and post links to your My Life According To... blog posts so that I can read them!

Baby Afghan

2009-08-10T00:21:00.003-05:00

Just finished a baby afghan for a good friend of mine, and thought I would share a bit about it here.

It is a Granny Square afghan made with blues and brown variegated baby boucle yarn. I need 4 1/5 skeins of yarn and about 20 hours or so to make this lovely soft blanket, and cannot wait to give it to my friend later this week.

When I showed another friend what I had been working on the past several days, their comment was, "All this work for a baby that won't ever know the difference." Well, the baby may never know, but I am sure the parents will appreciate the work.

My how time flies....

2009-06-29T23:13:00.002-05:00

WOW! I knew it had been a while since my last post, but did not realize it had been almost 2 months! OY!!!

I have several things I need to write about, so I'll be working on those and posting them over the next several days, so please check back often. New projects, updates on Bubba, and some really cool new tutorials I've come across -- all on my "To Write About" list!

In the meantime, here's a really cool photo of Earth and the moon that I found while looking for photos to use on a custom order (yes, I'll tell you more about the order later!)....

It's time for our First Monday SALE!!!!

2009-05-04T03:49:00.005-05:00

Yep, it's time for another First Monday sale with the Etsy Texas Crafters! There are 92 shops participating this month, so be sure to click HERE to check out all the sales!

As for me, I will be having a 25% off all items sale in my Thistlecraft shop and a Buy One, Get One 50% off in my Thistlestuff shop. And be sure to check my shops often, as I will be adding new items throughout the day!!!

Just checkin' in....

2009-04-29T13:47:00.005-05:00

Yes, it has a been a week since my last post....No, I have not given up on my goal to be a better blogger....I've just been really, really sick. Am working on a post about the Funky Finds Spring Fling craft show that I attended over the weekend and hope to have this posted soon. It was AWESOME to get to meet so many Etsy Texas Crafters in person, but boy was it HOT!

In the meantime, here are some more kitty photos for you. These are of my "Outdoor Gang"! In the first one, there are nine kitties huddled up together sleeping on an overturned trash can. In the second one....what can I say? They loved just sitting around in my flower pots! And the last one shows them on on the front porch at supper time -- I loved how the little gray one was patiently waiting its turn to eat when it suddenly realized there was only one kitty at the pan behind her!!!

Etsy Day 2009 & Etsy Shops Update

2009-04-22T23:58:00.005-05:00

Independent members of the Etsy community, both buyers and sellers, have joined together and declared Friday, April 24th, to be Etsy Day -- a day to tell everyone you know, and even those you don't about Etsy.

In honor of this, I have re-opened my Thistlecraft shop on Etsy (after a brief vacation) and am working on getting my new Thistlestuff shop stocked with crafting books, kits, supplies and other such stuff. I had hoped to have lots of new and awesome goodies added in my Thistlecraft shop when it re-opened, but I've not got them quite ready for their public debut. Stay tuned, though, I think you're really gonna love what I've got in store!

After getting these two shops stocked and looking better than ever, my next main project will be to get some items listed in my ArtFire shop!

A Story About Cats...With Pictures!

2009-04-22T00:20:00.011-05:00

2nd post in 2 days -- woohoo!

As I mentioned in one of my first posts on this blog, my beloved KiKi passed away in December of 2007 after being a part of my life for almost 13 years.

I was also caring for the strays and abandoned cats in my neighborhood -- as many as 14 at one time! But within days of KiKi passed, one of my neighbors suddenly decided to start trapping the cats & kittens and hauling them off. I did not realize what was happening until after several had disappeared and I just happened to see him loading a cage with one of the mamas in his truck and driving off. I was distraught! What was he doing with all "my" cats???

I immediately went to my vet's office to talk with him (we've know each other for several years, and he knew I was on my way to becoming a crazy old cat lady....and he was going to help me spay & neuter the lot!)....he contacted our local Animal Control officer, who came to the vet's office to talk with me. Now, I had previously discussed these strays with him, and he said they were technically mine since I was feeding them. We just didn't tell my landlord this...

Anyway, he assured me that my neighbor was bringing the cats and kittens that he'd been catching to the Animal Shelter. We "agreed" at the time that this was for the best, and that he would work very hard to find new homes for all of them that were brought in. Within a week, all of my kitties were gone. I was completely devastated.

One re-appeared about a month later, and another one about two or three months after that. These were both adults and were brother and sister. The brother returned first. When his sister returned, he became very protective of her -- you could just tell looking at her that she'd been through a couple of rough months. I do not know where they had been, whether they had been trapped and "escaped" their new homes to return to me, or whether they left after the trapping started in attempt to survive.

I didn't care -- they were home. But, they were both definitely outside cats and would not consider coming in my home. The brother used to come in a lot while KiKi was alive -- he would come in, find KiKi, rub her head, and leave. The first time he came in the house after KiKi's passing, he went all through the house looking for her. Then he went through it again, meowing in each room, as if calling for her. When he couldn't find her, he left and he never came back in again.

Last summer, shortly before I moved, he disappeared again. I keep telling myself that he knew I was leaving and knew he had to find himself another home. The sister, who rarely ever let me touch her, came over and laid on my porch the last night I was there finishing up last minute cleaning tasks. And she stayed there until I left. She, too, knew I was leaving and chose to spend that last night with me.

Cats are way more intelligent than most folks give them credit for being -- and based on my experiences with them, they have feelings just like we do!

Last July, about a month or so before I moved, a little bitty orange and white kitty "appeared" at my home when a friend came over to visit. I've already introduced Bubba here, so I won't repeat that story again. But, if you haven't read about him, you probably should before continuing....go ahead, I'll wait.

I finally have pictures of Bubba!

See....isn't that just the most pitiful little kitty (and one of the ugliest) you've ever seen?!? His forehead and nose were completely bald and you could see every little wrinkle in his skin. It's hard to see, but the last inch or so of his tail was also completely bald. He had little tufts of hair on his cheeks, and a bit of a mohawk look on the top of his head. Okay, so that was Bubba back in July.... here's some more recent photos of him.....

Yep, he's ready for his close-up now!

Playing with a "toy" that was not his! (Sorry, JMDay! The felted kitty has since been placed in hiding!!!)

Yep, Bubba works hard! He is currently still in his Master Destructor phase of his life, which we are really hoping comes to an end soon!!! I'm ready to finish unpacking and actually settle into our new home, without fearing what he's going to break or destroy next. And, yeah, he'll be headed back to the vet soon....doubt he'll be as fond of him after this next trip! But, with any luck, it will not only be good for his health and well being, but also for my sanity.....will keep you posted on the "Bubba Factor"!

Organization.....

2009-04-21T00:33:00.002-05:00

I am really good at organizing information, and because of this skill, I have several folks fooled into believing that my home (and even my life) must also be so well organized. This may be why I don't ever have company over -- I don't want to burst anyone's bubbles!

My home is terribly disorganzized! I am a keeper of things, but not very good at finding homes for my things and then putting my things back in their homes after using them. Plus, there is the "Bubba factor" affecting my home and what is where at this time. He could not be more different from my dear KiKi if he tried!

As for organizing my time, I'm even worse at that! There are so many things I want to do each day, in addition to several things I need to do each day, that I usually end up getting next to nothing done! I'm not sure exactly how this happens, either, as I seem to be "busy" all the time.

But, I am trying to attack the disorganization that is my life and bring some order to it. It is a slow process, though. Part of my goals are to blog a bit more often then every 3-4 months. I even have the next few blog posts planned out already....if I can just manage to get them written and posted!

Something fun I want to share is a new website I came across recently. Okay, okay, this website does not particularly add to one's productivity or organization, but it sure is fun to read! The site is called CraftFail, and it documents crafting projects gone wrong. Check it out......and see if you don't end up bookmarking it to go back to again and again. Consider it crafting therapy. Enjoy!

It's Monday!

2009-01-12T03:45:00.002-06:00

This is the 2nd Monday of the month, so it is time to check out the newest members of the Etsy Texas Crafters team, as well as the newest listings in our members' shops. Please join us in the Etsy Forums!

Such Kind Words!

2009-01-10T13:34:00.002-06:00

I sent Christmas gifts to several Etsy Texas Crafters members who work really hard with our team and who have become good friends over the past couple of years. No, I didn't get them sent out on time, but as I hear from folks, it seems they arrived when they were most needed!

Anyway, I wanted to share a couple of blog posts by folks who each received one of these scarves -- Amy of MiaSophia wrote this lovely post about a garnet red popcorn scarf I sent her, and Connie of ReFabulous wrote this lovely post about an extra-long and super-fluffy scarf I sent her. I LOVE both of these yarns so much, and they make such scrumptious scarves! Thanks, ladies, for your very kind words!

Looking for a scarf? Feel free to contact me through my Etsy shop, as I really enjoy crochet and would be more than happy to create a custom scarf for you!

I Love Swapping!

2009-01-09T23:19:00.020-06:00

I promised in my last post to give more information on the swaps I've been involved in over on Swap-Bot, so here it is....

I am finding that I am not at all interested in their e-mail swaps -- I like getting packages in the mail! And I am also looking at the swaps as opportunities to stimulate my creativity and get me back into the habit of making things again. But not all of them are handmade-only swaps. I am also getting into some of the craft supplies swaps and "surprise" swaps (though I am trying to be very careful with the latter, as I don't want to end up getting a package full of junk).

The first swap I signed up for was the Rapunzel Scarf Swap - Snow Angels. For this swap, you had to send 5 people six 10-foot lengths of yarns/ribbons/fabric in whites, creams, light pinks, and/or light blues. Most folks commented on the swap that they only wanted yarn, so I didn't send any ribbons or fabric. I sent all of mine, and have received 4 of my 5 sets. As soon as I receive my last set, I will put together my scarf and post an udpate. Here is a link to the inspiration behind this swap.

For my second swap, I signed up for Absolutely Cool Handmade Magnets swap. This time, I needed to make 3 magnets for one person based on their profile. My partner likes Halloween, Grumpy (one of the Seven Dwarfs), and rubber ducks, so I created one magnet with each of these themes. My magnets were made by someone in Malaysia - they are currently in the postal system, making their way to Texas! Yep, will post them here as soon as they arrive.

>My third swap was so much fun!!! For the Game Piece Art swap, I had to create something using spare game pieces. I really didn't have any spare pieces of my own, so I talked with my friend Julie at our local Boys & Girls Club, and she gave me lots of spares. I really wanted to build a sculpture of some sort, and just spent several days playing with the pieces. And then inspiration finally hit me, and my Game Piece Critters were born! I didn't get a picture of the one I made for the swap, but here's one I made for my Mom -- the one I made for the swap was personalized with my partner's initial, had a hat instead of hair, and did not have anything in its hands. These are so much fun to create that I have decided to add them to my Etsy shop -- and yes, I will personalize them!

This is the Game Piece Art Frame I received in this swap -- the yellow pieces are legs from the game Cootie, the fleur de lis are from the card game Fling, and the number tiles are from the game Rummikub. She also sent me a sunflower ATC (Artist Trading Card) as a bonus -- my profile indicates that I love flowers, especially roses & sunflowers, and that I collect ATCs. What a special bonus gift!!!

Speaking of my Etsy shop, my next swap was December's Swap Your Shop swap. The goal of this swap is to show off what you sell -- whether an online shop like Etsy, or Avon, Pink Papaya, etc. I have two partners for this swap, and sending them both crocheted items. One will be receiving a black and green scarf (picture shows one end -- it's made with a lovely chenille yarn and measures more than 6 feet in length), and the other will be receiving a pair of raspberry red wristlets. This is the first pair of wristlets I have made, but they were fun and quick to do, so may add some of these to my shop as well. I combined a couple of different patterns to create this design, and yes, I took notes so that I could re-create them!

OK, I think this gets you caught up on my swapping. I will try to stay a bit more current on my swapping posts... :-)

Have a great weekend!

A New Year Has Arrived!

2009-01-08T15:25:00.004-06:00

WOW! Didn't realize just how far behind I had gotten on my blogging!!!

My jewelry set ended up in second place in the War of the Worlds contest, and my scarf ended up in sixth place (see previous posts for more information).

The holidays have come and gone -- they were lovely!

One of my most exciting Christmas gifts was a Zutter Bind-It-All from my Mom. I have soooooooooooooo many plans and cannot wait to start playing with it! Mom is also looking forward to some "play time" of her own with my newest toy!!!

I have also finally followed my Mom's lead and joined Swap-Bot! What??? You've never heard of Swap-Bot??? Here's some info from their home page....

Do you like sending and receiving snail mail? Do you like writing letters, making crafts, or putting together fun packages? You should try swapping! Swap-bot is a online service that organizes group swaps and a community of creative individuals. Swap-bot takes the hassle out of participating in group swaps by organizing all of the participant information and doing all of the partner assignments. On Swap-bot, you can host swaps, join swaps, and chat with other swappers from all over the world. Give it a try!

I have completed a few swaps already, and have received a few goodies also! Will post more about these swaps, along with pics, soon.

I don't really make New Year Resolutions, but I hope to craft more this year, spend more time with family and friends, and truly make my new house my HOME!

Here's hoping for a happy and healthy 2009!

Etsy Texas Crafters October Design Challenge - War of the Worlds!

2008-10-27T22:36:00.004-05:00

What would you do if you scored an awesome vintage record of the story of The War of the Worlds -- one that comes with a book/magazine with lots of incredible images, as well as a pretty amazing album cover? Frame it? Sell it on eBay? Put it on a shelf with your other vintage treasures?

Not if you are Christine of PinupPixie! What did she decide to do with this awesome find? Offer it up to the ETC team for our October Design Challenge!!!

Christine scanned the pages of the book/magazine and posted them to one of our team sites, and members were challenged to create something using these images or their own interpretation of The War of the Worlds.

In Christine's generosity, she also made the record and album cover available to ETC members to create the prizes for this Challenge. Beth of ByBethStudio, Cindylee of FattyCornersQuilts, and Cathie of SweetWolf were the first three to correctly respond with the original radio air date of The War of the Worlds (Oct 30, 1938) and were thus selected to create the prizes for this Challenge.

Entries for The War of the Worlds Design Challenge include:

War of the World Bot - Sterling Silver Pendant
Created by ApacheMoon

Sterling Silver Bird from Outer Space Pin (Take Me to Your Feeder!)
Created by BeachcombersCove

War of the Worlds Mixed Media Canvas Book
Created by ByBethStudio
NOTE: This item is available as one of the prizes for this Challenge!

War of the Worlds Digital Art Print
Created by Carapace

Black & White Print Bracelet
Created by FabFrills

War of the Worlds Mixed Media Quilt
Created by FattyCornersQuilts
NOTE: This item is available as one of the prizes for this Challenge!

Crochet (& Glow-in-the-Dark) Spaceship & Aliens
Created by LavenderLizard

War of the Worlds Halloween Earrings
Created by MotsDots

The War of the Worlds Wallet/Card Holder
Created by ReFabulous

War of the Worlds Upcycled Lamp #1
Created by SweetWolf

War of the Worlds Upcycled Lamp #2
Created by SweetWolf

War of the Worlds Record Bowl
Created by SweetWolf
NOTE: This item is available as one of the prizes for this Challenge!

War of the Worlds Charm Necklace and Bracelet Set
Created by Thistlecraft

*** Click HERE to vote! ***

For more information on each of the above items, as well as more pictures, be sure to click on the title of each entry to transfer to its Etsy or Flickr listing.

Two additional prizes (for the 4th and 5th place finishers) have been provided by Christine of PinupPixie -- she was unable to get them ready by the deadline to be included in the Challenge poll, as she was "caring for two cootiefied kids" this past weekend. Here are Christine's prize offerings:

War of the Worlds Wallet

Sparkling UFO Pendant/Cell Phone Charm

NOTE: Voting deadline has been extended to midnight, Thursday, Oct 30th, the 70th anniversary of the original radio broadcast of the The War of the Worlds! So, please VOTE!

I'm in The Artisans Challenge this week!

2008-10-27T12:28:00.001-05:00

Hooray! My Butterfly Kisses scarf is in this week's Artisans Challenge!

The Artisans Challenge has 12 Artisans from around to world showcasing their talent in different genres. It is up to you, the reader, to select the best entry each week by voting. Each challenge runs from 10 a.m. est Monday till 9 a.m. est the following Monday.

If you click on this link and scroll all the way to the bottom, you will find this week's Challenge entries (and can vote for me!)....

This used to be the Etsy Challenge, but it was changed to the Artisans Challenge to include non-Etsy folks. Also, it used to be 12 challenges (one for each category: 2D Art, 3D Art, Photography, Books & Zines, Candles/Bath & Beauty, Jewelry, Miniatures/Small Format Art, Knitting/Crochet/Needlework, Paper Crafts, Edibles, Clothing/Bags & Purses, Primitive & Rustic, and Any Holiday Any Format) plus a weekly challenge for each of the category winners from the previous week. As life has "happened" for the person who runs these challenges, he is now posting only 1 challenge each week with 1 entry from each of the 12 categories.

I am so excited to be included -- and sure hope to end up with more than 1 vote (mine of course!).

Have a great week!
Milly

Etsy Texas Crafters Design Challenge

2008-08-25T02:39:00.006-05:00

The Etsy Texas Crafters team is holding their monthly Design Challenge today, and the themes for this month are Back to School and Decorate Milly's New Home (a bonus for being team leader!).

Here are a few of the items created by ETC members for my home....

And here are a few more items....

Gotta LOVE those Etsy Texas Crafters!!!

A New Chapter...

2008-08-25T01:21:00.010-05:00

A little more than a month ago, I began a new chapter in my life..... I was adopted by a kitty and I *finally* purchased my very first home!

I don't have pictures of my kitty yet, but let me tell you a bit about him.... A friend of mine came over, and this little scraggly orange and white kitten appeared out of nowhere, followed my friend up the sidewalk to my house and ran straight to me! I asked her who she brought to visit me, figuring the kitty was hers -- NOPE! She'd never seen it.

We took a closer look, and discovered this to be quite an ugly little kitty. :( He had bald patches on his face, ears, feet, shoulders, belly, and tail. And he had great big ears and great big eyes (both of which were dirty and a bit scabby). But he was sooooooooooooooooo loving! So, I called the vet and within an hour or so, we were at the vet's office.

Turns out, the baldness was due to ringworm, which is probably why he was abandoned! Also, the vet guessed him to be about 8 weeks old (making his birthday in mid-May). At first, the vet was calling him UB (ugly baby), and while I thought this was a very fitting name, I really hoped he would outgrow his current state of ugliness. After receiving the diagnosis of ringworm, I decided to call him Ringo. However, in the days to come, I had a hard time remembering this name, so he has come to be called Bubba!!!

And Bubba is quite the little wad of energy! No sleeping late around here, or you turn into a chew toy!!! Speaking of toys, Cathie of SweetWolf sent Bubba an awesome Catnip Pyramid filled with 100% US grown catnip (Bubba's is actually made from a different fabric than the one in the link). Bubba HIGHLY recommends these for all kitties!!!

I knew I would eventually find a new kitty to fill part of the whole that KiKi's passing left in my life and in my heart. And Bubba needed me -- my friend said he was dropped from heaven so just at that very moment so that I wouldn't miss him! I am having to learn how to live with a kitten (which can be quite challenging at times), but it is absolutely wonderful to hear that deep, loving purr again

I promise to post pics of Bubba as soon as I can!

I do have pics of my new home, though....

This is a lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with hardwood floors throughout. It has a wonderful kitchen with lots of cabinets and French doors separating the dining and living rooms. The previous owner (someone I went to school with!) had quite the green thumb -- look at all those pretty flowers she left me!

The house is in really good condition, though the exterior really needs a new paint job. Hoping to get this done soon -- will likely be painted a medium grey (just the wood, not the Austin Stone... yep, someone actually thought I was wanting the rock painted, too!).

I have a rose bush!!! I love roses!!!

This is the back of the house. The metal frame in the foreground is a large A-frame for a swing. Gotta get me a swing!!! The back yard is fairly large and is pretty much lined with trees. Lovely!

Speaking of Contests.....

2008-06-14T00:09:00.004-05:00

I entered a contest on Etsy sponsored by the Etsy Plush Street Team. They were celebrating their 1-Year Anniversary with a Scavenger Hunt.

And..... I won!!!

I haven't received my boatload of plushies yet, but I anxiously await the mailman's arrival every morning!!!

I will add a picture of my prizes here just as soon as they arrive!

Beading Design Contest

2008-06-13T23:43:00.003-05:00

Bead Star magazine, in conjunction with BeadingDaily, is holding their inagural Bead Star competition (think American Idol type contest for beaded jewelry makers). Voting is open through June 18, 2008. Finalists within 9 different categories -- Crystals, Glass, Designs with Heart, Metals, Pearls, Plastics, Seed Beads, Stones, and Under $25 have been selected out of over 1500 entries!

And now is your chance to help select the winners in each category and decide who will be published in Bead Star magazine. This first-ever beading publication is comprised entirely of prize-winning designs selected by beaders worldwide! Winners will be published in the December issue of Bead Star magazine and also receive fabulous prizes. Plus, the Grand Prize winner gets a trip to Santa Fe plus a $1,500 beader's shopping spree!

So, go check out these awesome creations and vote for your favorites!!!

(No, I don't have any entries in this contest, but I know someone who does! Pay special attention to necklaces #6 in Designs with Heart and #3 in Pearls!!!)

Fabulous Mini Works of Art!

2008-05-02T03:32:00.008-05:00

My Mom loves making and collecting ATCs (Artist Trading Cards - works of art the size of a standard playing card). I haven't gotten into making them with the same fervor as Mom, but I love searching Etsy for ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions & Originals - same thing as ATCs, you just buy them instead of trade for them).

Here is an ultimate collection of fabulous ACEOs -- not sure I'll ever be able to add many of these to Mom's collection, but I can certainly show them off!!!

Artists: IttyBittiesForYou, Polyclarific, MissDanceyPants, WhiteSandsGlass, KabsConcepts, HollyCourtney, SunFleur1, Morrgan, PennyFabricArt, JuliePersons, MartaHarvey, GreenFingers, BigGirl4664, TwistedThicket, RavenWolfArt, & JenMaestre

Artists: RustyNailStudio, ElizabethBonura, ShellieArtist, CraftydsCreations, ZudaGay, Antb, Pipyr, MyBusyFingers, Javaslublu, LaRuscStudio, MartaHarvey, MelanieKay, ScaryWhiteGirl, FireHorseTextiles, DivaDea, & Explexia

The Wildflowers are Blooming!

2008-04-06T01:52:00.004-05:00

Another Etsy Texas Crafters (ETC) First Monday Sales Event is just around the corner (Mon, 4/7), and one of our team members, Liz of LavenderLizard created a beauitful treasury on Etsy full of items created by ETC members featuring Texas wildflowers!

Be sure and go to the treasury to view each of the individual items and leave comments! And don't forget to check our team blog Sunday night and Monday for a full list of ETC members participating in First Monday this month!!!

Surprises in the Mail!

2008-04-01T23:01:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to share a couple of fabulous gifts I have received, very unexpectedly, in the mail this week.

The first is a Button Fairy, sent to me by my Mom! Mom loves Swap-Bot, and this is where she was introduced to the wonderful world of Button Fairies. She has made some beautiful ones for swaps she has joined, and when I saw the one below at her house recently, I commented on how lovely it was and that it was probably my favorite of all that she has created. Well, Monday, it arrived at my house! WOOHOO!!!

The second surprise was a birthday gift from Cathie of SweetWolf and UltraTrixie. Cathie and I share the same birthday, and she made the gorgeous pouch below just for me for my birthday!

I absolutely love flowers, especially Texas wildflowers!!! Now I gotta think up a really great surprise for her! (ssshhhhhhhhhhhh, don't tell her, though!)

I LOVE Scarves!!!

2008-03-28T01:29:00.006-05:00

I love to wear scarves, but I love crocheting them even more!!! Crocheting is very relaxing for me, and as such, I have a huge stash of them right now, just waiting to have their photos taken so I can list them in my shop. The thing about Etsy is that the more photos you have of an item, the better chance it has of selling. So, here's a sneak preview of a FEW of my scarves until I can get additional photos taken and get them listed. (The first scarf in the photo below, Butterfly Kisses is already listed in my shop.)

I have some capes/capelets waiting to be photo'ed and listed, too. And then I hope to start makinging and listing baby afghans (don't really have the attention span to make full size afghans!). I also have an awesome design for a kitty bed and a doggie pillow....who knows what other crochet goodies will show up in my shop!

While I rarely work with "all natural" or "homespun" or even "hand-dyed" yarns, I am very particular about the yarns I do work with -- they must be soft and cuddly, something you can't wait to wrap around you!

Oh, and yes, I do take custom order requests on my scarves, capelets, and baby afghans. Just contact me through my shop.

Now, if I could just find someone to take all those pictures for me!!!

Stenciling with BLEACH!

2008-03-27T18:45:00.007-05:00

Look what you can do with multiple-layer stencils and a spray bottle of bleach!!!

I absolutely love stenciling, but I've always used paints. Silly me!

The tutorial for this amazing project was created by Phelyx can be found on StencilRevolution.com

So, put on your "not for public" clothes, gather your supplies (t-shirts, maybe even dark denim jeans (!), stencils, a spray bottle or two, and some bleach) and let's get creative!!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-03-26T02:21:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, March 25th, was my 40th birthday!!!

Turning 40 is really no big deal to me -- I've been rounding up for several years now. When I asked my Mom if I should now start rounding up to 45 or just go straight to 50, she reminded me that I MUST remain younger than her! So, for now, I'll just be 40.

I thought I'd share a treasury of items I would have LOVED to have received for my birthday, or perhaps next year? (a girl can dream, can't she???)...

Credits (from top to bottom, left to right): mufi, tilleyjewels, solicreations, naturescorner, craftiness, alaskaglass, dreamwork, scribbles, spiderbite, jenmaestre, seiyaleo, amygiacomelli, jointer4, trollflings, eastbenchbears, and myhealingheart.

Sports & Schulenburg...

2008-03-13T23:04:00.005-05:00

I am so excited! This is another of my CD Collage Cards, and I was contacted by the Schulenburg, TX Indedpendent School District asking for permission to use the image of this collage on their Athletics web page.

After discussing this a bit, I gave them my permission, provided they link to my Etsy shop in their credit statement -- and this is the end result.

I really like how it turned out! Thanks, Schulenburg ISD!

Etsy Texas Crafters Care about the ASPCA!

2008-03-13T22:55:00.003-05:00

Our ETC Cares recipient this month is the ASPCA -- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. And while ETC Cares is still 2 weeks away, here is something each of us can do to show our support for the ASPCA, as well as for animals...

Other ways to support the ASPCA or get involved....

1. Join the ASPCA
2. Sign up to receive the ASPCA News Alert and be registered for a chance to win 1 of 100 ASPCA Day kits
3. Go Orange for ASPCA Day on April 10th
4. Order a free Pet Safety pack
5. Shop the ASPCA online store
6. Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade and start taking an active role in improving the lives of animals
7. Is there a shelter in your area? Then check out this list for 10 ways to help your local shelter
8. Shop with us during our ETC Cares: You Shop, We Give! project on Etsy on Monday, 3/17 -- watch our blog for details.

Those Crafty Texans...

2008-02-02T00:53:00.001-06:00

I am the team leader for the Etsy Texas Crafters team -- an amazing group of artists and crafters who call Texas home, regardless of where they are currently living and who have shops on Etsy .

One of our major projects is our Spend Your Mondays With ETC promotion and this month's events are:

Monday, 2/4 = First Mondays Sales Event
LOTS of great sales & special offers PLUS one Lucky Shopper will receive a bonus prize!

Monday, 2/11 = Texas Treasure Hunt
One lucky treasure hunter will receive a prize of their choice!

Monday, 2/18 = ETC Cares: You Shop, We Give
Participating shops will donate a percent of their sales for the day to a local charity selected by our team.

Monday, 2/25 = ETC Collaboration Celebration
Another day of sales & special offers, focusing on collaborative projects among our members

For more information on any of these projects, please see our team blog .

See you Monday!

Repurposing CDs

2008-02-01T01:07:00.004-06:00

This is one of my CD Collage Cards -- one of my favorites, actually! I came up with the idea for these after accumulating way too many online service providers CDs (you know, those CDs that come in the mail). I think they make wonderful and unique alternatives to standard greeting cards. For more of my CD Collage Cards, please check out this section in my Etsy shop.

I am always looking for great new ideas for re-purposing / recycling things, especially CDs, and I found instructions for some interesting earrings from CDs on Crafty Crafty today. As I have mentioned, I don't make jewelry -- but I really like the crackle look they achieved in this project and am looking into other applications of this -- stay tuned!

Honoring KiKi

2008-01-27T18:18:00.000-06:00

This is my beautiful KiKi. She was Burmilla (a breed that is a cross between Burmese and Chinchilla Persian), and she would have been 18 years old this spring. Unfortunately, I had to have her put to sleep last December 5th, after she had gotten quite ill (the vet believed she had a form of intestinal cancer). I still miss my dear KiKi very much -- life is so very quiet without out her!

A few weeks ago, while thinking about Ms. Ki, I created this collection of wonderful kitties from Etsy...

Working from top to bottom and left to right, the items included in this collection are:

Row 1
Item 1: Life Is Short - Pet Hard Cat Button by thedogcoatlady
Item 2: Meow ACEO Print by onlypencil
Item 3: Kittens Series 10 Note Card by emmarts
Item 4: Sleeping Moose Print by annwidner

Row 2
Item 1: Caturtle Altered Digital Image by caseyjackdogs
Item 2: Kedus Print by meren
Note: There is no link for the above item because it is no longer in this seller's shop. However, here is another wonderful kitty photo by this artist.
Item 3: Tortoise Shell Persian Kitten ACEO by christinegregory
Item 4: Sweet Henry Print by ksimpsondesigns
Note: Again, no link to item since item is no longer in shop.

Row 3
Item 1: Cat Eyes Print by HappenstancePhoto
Item 2: Where Have You Been Greeting Card by negellatj
Item 3: Motor Kitten Print by LaFemmeFeline
Item 4: My Boo Print by Juliartz
Note: Yep, you guessed it -- no link to item since item is no longer in shop.

Row 4
Item 1: Gaze Print by threebluesnails
Item 2: Vincent Malloy Kitty Fine Art Magnet by ImagesbyAileen
Item 3: Sebastian Print by donnapool
Item 4: Angel With A Heart Necklace by preciouslinks
One last note -- my younger brother gave me a necklace similar to this one for Christmas in honor of my beloved KiKi.

How to Make a Ring - An Awesome Tutorial!

2008-01-27T01:56:00.002-06:00

As I mentioned, I do lots of different arts and crafts, and my Mom and I often joke that my business name should really be ADD Crafts! One of the things I do not do, though, is make jewlery. I like to read about making jewelry, as well as other crafty tutorials, and I came across this one that I really must share: How to Make a Ring in 19 Easy Steps.

This wonderful tutorial was created by Nicole Isaacs of Solo Artworks.

Don't forget to pet the bunny (or other appropriate pet)!!!

I will be bringing you even more great tutorials in the future, so please check back often!

A little bit about me....

2008-01-25T22:34:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Thistlecraft Designs! I am often asked if I am Scottish because I use the thistle in my name and logo. No, I am not Scottish. The name comes from a family story... I have a twin sister, and when my Dad called one of his uncles to let him know that my Mom had just given birth to twin girls, my great-uncle responded, "Well, I guess you'll just have to call them Whistle and Thistle."

I am Thistle, and I craft, design, teach, sell, etc.

My sister and I are turning 40 in 2 months! It's no big deal for me -- I've been rounding up for a few years now. My sister lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with her husband and 2 children. I also have an older brother, who is a chef in Austin, and a younger brother who...well does all sorts of stuff -- a true jack-of-all-trades! I live in the same small Texas town as my parents and my younger brother. However, I have also lived in Kentucky, Minnesota, Connecticut, and New York. From my travels I have learned: Home is where your family is!!!

Again, welcome to the adventure I call Thistlecraft Designs!