Farmers Market in Merrickville Starts Saturday!

I am so excited! This Saturday, June 4, will be the first day of the Merrickville Farmer's Market! I will be sharing a tent with Louise of Fireseed. We are in a great location, right beside the Main Street Restaurant, across from the Blockhouse and we'll be there each Saturday from 9AM until the afternoon - pretty much we figure we'll be there until the customers stop coming :)

Not only am I selling my fantastic jewelry, but I'll also be selling some delicious Gluten Free, Low Allergy bakes goodies! I made the "mistake" of telling some of the other market goers that I bake gluten free. Let's just say that was all it took for them to pounce on me and tell me I had to sell it at the market! So far I am planning on selling my Maple Peanut Chocolate Fudge with Sea Salt, Oatmeal cookies (made with certified GF oats, some with GF chocolate chips, some with organic raisins), Chocolate Chip cookies, Peanut Butter cookies (some plain, some with GF chocolate chips), as well as my Famous Apple Cranberry Chocolate Bundt mini-cakes, and hopefully some bread as well. I'll also be happy to take custom orders :)

In other news, the photo above shows a custom necklace that I just finished today. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but wow, the client has such good taste, and it turned out beautifully! I used about 100 shell beads attached with headpins to a simple chain mail chain to make a bib-style necklace. Then I used silver plated chain and a hand crafted sterling silver clasp to finish it. In total, it is about 18 inches long, but wears like a 17 inch necklace due to the bulk at the bib part. Heavy and gorgeous, I also have enough beads to make another similar one... any takers?? It won't be exactly the same, but that is the great thing about one of a kind, you will never see the exact thing on someone else!

Until next time, have a great day!

Advertising Spots Available!

Hey everyone, I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. In Canada, today we are all just getting back to the grind after the Victoria Day long weekend (also known as May 2-4 weekend). People are sleepy, people are sunburned and bug-bitten, I am trying to contain the chaos that is my brain as I am learning everything about online businesses that Etsy and other people have published online in the last 3 years so that I can really get my jewelry business humming :)

In that vein, I am offering readers the chance to advertise on my blogs (I have three. Yes three) for a very low monthly rate of $1/month. For this, you get a 200x200 pixel stationary ad of your website, blog, whatever you would like (so long as it is G-Rated). The ad will be run on all three of my blogs for just $1 per month. Yes, you read that correctly. 1 ad, $1 per month, on three blogs. It's a steal!

I have 2 spots currently (you can see them on the left hand side of each of the blogs, underneath the mailing list sign up), and will begin the new ads in June. If you are interested, please email me with the subject "Blog Ad" to Meg (at) LittleStudio (dot) ca to get started!

But hurry, there are only 2 spots left!

Oh wait! I forgot the best part! I'll also do a little blog post about your shop (if you have one), showcasing your items. If you don't have a shop, I'll do a little blurb about your website or blog :)

Hurry hurry!

In the Garden: Go Ahead, Laugh

It is that time of year again. Time for me to fight off the invading hordes of mosquitoes, no-see-um's, midges, blackflies and more. Time for gardeners everywhere to get back into the garden and restart the war on weeds. The crocuses are gone, so are most tulips and daffodils. The weather is more consistently nice, mild, and when it is breezy, the bugs don't make you want to run yourself off of a cliff.

I was going to post this photo first, but the Poet's Daffodils, top photo, are so pretty (they date from the 1500's originally), and so much less scary than me in all my bug-fighting glory. You see, I taste like Skittles to bugs. I am a gourmet feast. While others may be standing about, enjoying the weather and remarking how nice it is to be drinking and eating outside finally, how nice the weather is and lack of bugs are great, I am the one being feasted upon by every flying, biting insect out there, and then swelling up afterwards (and NO! I don't scratch them either, they just swell, it is SO unfair *stomps foot*). So I take precautions, frightened dogs and good looks be damned.

I end up having to wear a t shirt, sweater, bug jacket, light colored pants (my fat legs love that, ew), plenty of bug spray, shoes, and long gloves that can be unrolled up to my elbows if thorns threaten to tear my precious bug jacket. Still, I get bitten. Anywhere the mesh rests on my skin, they bite through. Heck, they even bite through my pants, and occasionally my sweater as well. So I dress like it is below freezing, even though it is short-shorts weather. And I WIN! Mwahahahaha! I only got about 3 bites in 45 minutes on Saturday when FINALLY getting into my gardens for the first time all year. I saw that my bleeding hearts (or dancing ladies, I really like that name much more) are doing very well (see above photo), and I even had a hummingbird around them (didn't have my camera for that one, and I'm still kicking my self for that!).

The weather has been warm, but totally rainy so it has been impossible to get into the yard for anything more than untangling doggies who insist on getting their leashes caught on things in the middle of the yard. In 45 minutes on Saturday I managed to get the dead branches out of one of the front gardens, and start the war on the weeds and grasses that insist on lodging in my gardens. The wheelbarrow was full, the deadwood gone, and I knew that was all I'd be able to manage for that day. I know it looks terrible to leave the dead stalks all winter, but the birds really enjoy the seed heads over the winter, in fact, you can often see them hiding behind the stalks during snowstorms, or eating the seeds all throughout the winter, so I leave the deadwood for them and remove it during spring, though I am sure it would be easier in the fall.

Here's the garden, beside the wheelbarrow. Yeah, I know, the garden still looks awful, but that is because the crocuses, tulips and yellow daffodils have all come and gone, and I'm still waiting for the balloon flowers, veronica, bee-balm and lilys to bloom yet. I think I need some more late-spring flowers to hold the garden over until the next flowering. I'm still learning all of this stuff, so if you have suggestions, I'd be more than happy to hear them! I also need to put down more soil and more mulch. And on that vein, what do I do with the old mulch? Do I mix it in with the new soil? Throw it in the compost pile? Mix it in with the new mulch? So many things to learn, and I'm researching SEO and Analytics, and so much more, all at the same time, oh my!

Soulful Sunday Quotes

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. (That is why it is called "the present")".
Eleanor Roosevelt (Kung Fu Panda in parentheses)

I have a tendency to not live in the moment. I always plan - er, ok, worry, about everything, mostly about what "could" or what "might" happen. That is why I love this quote. We all need to plan for the future, we'd be stupid not to, but we also need to take time out to live in the moment. Be present for whatever is happening NOW. Dogs (see above and below) are good at that. Arwen is especially good at that.

If Arwen sees something interesting, she smells it (or tastes it, see photo above). If she is hungry, she eats. If she is hyper, she plays, shaking the heck out of her favorite toy of the moment. She loves to walk and bark and sniff. She stays present, and really, she has no worries because of it. I could take a page out of her book, as could most of us I think :)

So, relax. Take a deep breath. You wouldn't want to spend all of your time worrying and planning, only to reach the end of your life and say, "Well, heck, I missed so much by not paying attention to what was happening then. I wasn't present." What a shame that would be!

Enjoy your Sunday, be present, laugh at little things. Leave the planning for Monday, it will come (unless we have a Zombie Apocalypse, but then you won't have to worry about anything but not having your brains eaten, so no problem)!

See you tomorrow, Zombies be damned :)

Saturday Squee - the Cutest of Etsy, AlexWijnen

My Little Joker by AlexWijnen

Today's Saturday Squee comes from the shop AlexWijnen on Etsy. Not only is the image adorable, but it is also raising money for charity! This shop is also a member of Etsy for Animals, an Etsy group devoted to loving animals of all kinds!

Hope you like it!

Friday Favorites, May 20 Spring Vessels

'Friday Favorites May 19 Spring Vessels' by LittleStudioJewels

A collection of my favorite vessels - anything that holds something - all in spring colors of greens and pinks. Enjoy!

Delila Bag - Garden Mum... annyandme $68.00	Lace Heart Ring Holder ... LennyMud $10.00
Personal teapot Hodakapottery $100.00	Kawaii Cinderella Fabri... blota $24.00
Printable Posh Dots Bal... ThePoshEvent $3.50	Damask Floral Pitcher -... JosiesPotShop $150.00
Michelle Bag handmade w... aggieray $57.50	Anxiously Awaiting Spri... PoFu $55.00
Fill me up Butter cup Eclecticclaywo... $52.00	iPad Tablet Case with P... BearStitches $50.00
Hand Painted Wine Glass... decouverre $75.00	Ready to ship...Sweet a... bayousalvage $54.00
Pillow Shaped treasure ... Creativewithcl... $48.00	The Versailles Collecti... CarolynPayne $80.00
Big Toile Travel Bowl doggydetail $12.00	One 16 oz Personalized ... TwistedRiverCl... $22.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

So I am rather redfaced to realize that I dated my latest treasury incorrectly. It SHOULD read May 20, but I typed May 19. Doh! Anyway, these are a few of my favorites in spring colors, but only things that hold other things, you know, vessels :) I love the beautiful ceramics, the wonderfully patterned fabrics, and the incredible talent that went into making each and every item.

Here is the link, just in case the image above doesn't link properly: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dd5b86bb3396d911559e311/friday-favorites-may-19-spring-vessels

Please comment and click on the items to give them some love. See you tomorrow for some Squee of Etsy!

Arwen The Wonder Dog

Arwen in Profile

Ok, I missed yesterday's ArWednesday post, so here it is Thursday, just for you. I'm playing with my ancient manual macro lens on my digital camera body and of course, Arwen is a great subject. She did, however, put her ears back when I took this one, probably not liking the clicky-thing being so close to her, but I still like the shot anyway :)

New Project in Progress

I thought I'd show you a bit of a work in progress. I was asked to do a custom bib-style necklace that I had to order some shell beads for, but while I'm waiting for those to arrive, I was inspired by that order to create something a little bit similar, but very different. Above is my little tray that I use quite a bit now - my husband has stolen my good desk chair from my office and is using it for his second desk (yeah, he has two "offices" in our house, don't get me started, lol). So I am stuck beading and making most of my jewelry here on my living room couch. Not that I totally mind - I can watch movies while tweeting to you all or making jewelry, so it isn't too bad.
Here are some of the tools I'm using for this necklace. It will be a bib-style, and in the bib part will start off with a chain mail type chain (a very simple chain mail weave though). To do this, I need my bent chain nose pliers - both pairs! I also need my jump ring opening ring - the little round silver thing in between two pairs of pliers. This little ring is a Godsend for chain mailers everywhere! Pop it on your finger with the correct-sized slot facing out to fit your jump rings and voila! your rings open SO quickly! I also have round nose pliers and my cutters for adding the beads after the chain part is done. In addition, I have some files just in case I need to smooth edges.
Here are my beads! Well, some of them I have also already added some onyx and lapis lazuli chips to the chain for dimension. Above are chips of amethyst, citrine and cherry quartz (which, incidentally, cherry quartz is NOT a gemstone, it is color-impregnated glass. Very pretty and colorfast, but NOT a gemstone!). I also have my headpins. When I start my metals mithing course next month, one of the things I absolutely HAVE to learn is to make my own headpins so that I never, ever, ever run out of these little buggers ever again!
Here is where you can see the stages of the necklace in progress, though I am deliberately keeping you fuzzy (pun intended) on the final necklace's details. Gotta leave something to your imaginations, right?? At the top of the photo above you can see the individual rings which I link one by one to create the simple double linked chain you see in the middle of the above photo. At the bottom you can (hazily) see the chain now has all sorts of bead chips added to it - what fun!! By the end, you'll have a hard time seeing the silver of the rings - it will be almost covered with gemstone chips, so pretty :)

Hope you are all doing well, and once again, thank you to everyone who reads this, even if you don't want to leave comments, or are just an occasional visitor, thank you. I really appreciate you visiting me here, and I hope you'll find the time to stop by my Etsy shop one day soon :)

Have a great day!

Saturday Squee - The Cutest of Etsy, May 14 2011

(Pirate Hat for Your Puppy by LenaPavia)

I've decided Saturdays should be devoted to Squee. Because we all need a little happy to get our happy weekends started.

What is squee? Look at the photo above. Isn't it so Cuuuuuuute?? Just makes you want to go EEEEEEE!!! That is squee - it is so cute and adorable it kinda hurts. Like a hangnail you just can't ignore. But happy. Always happy.

Happy is good, and so is Squee. So here is my pick of Squee from Etsy this week. I Hope you like it!

Do you have an idea for a Saturday Squee - The Cutest of Etsy post? Leave the link in the comments below. I screen all comments, though, so please, no profanity, nudity, or otherwise non G-Rated links, or non related links. (You know who you are. And I'll delete you. As always.)

Have a great Squee Saturday!

Friday's Favorites, May 13, 2011

'Friday Favorites May 13' by LittleStudioJewels

A few of my favorite items on Etsy, this fine, Friday the 13th of May, 2011. This one features animals in many different ways, from kitchenware to toys to pet accessories. Enjoy!

Sebastian the Little Bl... LittleElfsToys... $18.00	If You Listen Very Care... obsoleteworld $10.00
White Lipizzaner Stalli... paintedponysho... $70.00	dog rescuer...you had m... thedogcoatlady $1.00
5 x 7 Original-- Pug wi... SharonFosterAr... $20.00	Pete The Bunny - Candy ... chickenlipsfol... $125.00
Follow Me dancinginthera... $13.00	Annabella's Spring ... BeebytheSea $55.00
Square Pet Blanket Croc... RedBerryCroche... $3.45	Blue Velvet Plush Kitty... catcalls $24.00
Adam and Eve the Naked ... TheHouseOfMous... $60.00	Bird's Eye View Ove... KneeDeepOrigin... $65.00
Puppy Love - An Art Pri... thedreamygiraf... $18.00	Old MacDonalds Farm Pre... UmlautGraphics $15.00
Here comes a Chihuahua,... HepzibabaBowWo... $	Custom PAW dog or cat r... artzfolk $30.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

For this Friday's Favorites, check out this new treasury I made - it even has a black cat, in honor of "lucky" Friday the 13! See it here in detail, and don't forget to comment! http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dcd705e72988eef374772f8/friday-favorites-may-13

I thought I'd have an all animal treasury this week, as I haven't done that in a while. These are just a few of my (42 pages!) favorites. Be sure to give these artists some love :)

See you tomorrow with Saturday Squee, the Squee-est item of the week from Etsy!