Etsy

So I mentioned earlier I was thinking of selling on Etsy. Still haven't quite talked myself into it. First off, its a hobby, do i want to make my relaxing fun me time into a "job"?? Then again, the bank account wouldn't mind a little extra coming in, and if I enjoy it why not!?
Second, would they sell? does anyone wanna pay for these cutesy thinggys... I mean, its no work of art. My sister (who is my first sale) and her hubby say YES! my friends at the crafters club say yes, my facebook friend says yes... and yet, I still wonder. Here's a few I was playing with:

after playing around this one was actually set in place and glued. Still debating the hanging aspect for it. Do I want to tack some saw tooth whatevs on the back for nail hanging it on the wall (and how do I make those level?) Or do I want to put a ribbon/chain ontop like I did for the first?

Sister's nephew, Safari themed little boy

This one I gave for a baby shower, and she loved it, and hung it (is still hanging?) over little girl's crib. I used eye hooks screwed into the top and looped the ribbon through, I hated the tie at the top, but couldn't get a bow to lie flat.

So those are some... and I think the reasonable price to sell them for would be around $25, plus shipping. I don't have that part figured out yet. Etsy charges 20cents to list an item for sale, then when it sells take 3.5% of the sale price... do I wanna work with them? or just when a friend asks do for them (of course I would not be selling as many)
Things to think about, but if I don't get changed I will be late for real work... hmmmm, Sunday morning thoughts...

Things I haven't been telling you

Hi!! I'm still here, and still knitting. Life is busy, but otherwise GREAT!
Not sure where I left off, but I know that I didn't take enough pictures.
The StainGlass Lapghan is finished, and at its owner's house.I bought a book (which I never do) of knitting patterns. I know someone deserves the credit for the thought and effort they put into creating a pattern. But there are SO MANY free options out there, that I can rarely bring myself to pay for them. But I have a lot of friends having babies, and I had skimmed through the book before and liked what I saw, so I figured the author deserved their royalties.My sister had given me the sock book for Christmas, so now I'm building a collection!
My dear friend from the sorority found out she and her hubby were having a baby boy, so I flipped through the book, and found one I loved. I made the smaller size so it would be perfect for the car seat and since I was still trying to get homework done, I would have time to finish the blankie before the shower.The parents loved the blankie! (When baby boy gets here, I hope he likes it too)
;-)
Next on the list (and I'll try to take pictures when it happens) is another child's name sign. I can't wait to wander Hobby Lobby again for cute little animals, and new creative juices. Thinking about how I want to do this one (for a boy this time) made me think about Etsy. I've thought about it before... mainly because I like money... but I knew I did not have the time required to have a good shop. I knit quickly, but then get side tracked, and finish slowly. And if its a large project I tend to get bored halfway through... Definitely a child of my generation, instant gratification anyone?
For my friends and family I can focus enough (except on that x-mas afghan, no idea is quite perfect enough) but for a stranger, will I be a disappointment? But with these name signs, I can get them done quickly, they are relatively simple and low cost, and still lots of FUN! well, the one I've done was lots of fun, and these next two are keeping me excited. So could I start an Etsy shop with just these simple name signs for sale, and then slowly build up knit wares (blankies, burp cloths, wash rags, etc) and have fun making money off my hobby?? Or am I trying to bite off more than I can chew? Also, is there really room in my apartment for new crafting piles??
Things to think about, and I will be

fail

...on the updating, not on the knitting...
or hopefully the job searching. I don't need a new job, I have two, and they keep me busy and my bank account happy. But I wouldn't mind working in a lab instead of a mall or restaurant. SOoo two new places got my resume this week. Yay!

Florida trip for Forensic Entomology was great, though it is making this weekend super hectic and stressful. Test today, that project Monday, and another test Tuesday... geez I'm only taking 10credits, how does that happen?? oh well, enough complaining!!

!!!Warning decomp picture coming up!!

So the Florida trip. Flight there was great, had to almost run through the Atlanta airport because my first flight couldn't get in to its gate, so we were sitting around waiting while I'm watching my watch tick tick tick... then the second flight was delayed just a little, phew, safe. Girl sitting next to me was cool we chatted and I knitted instead of read because she was fun to talk to. :-) girl in front of us turns around and says, Forensic Entomology? me too! and thats how I met my roommate.

!!!Warning decomp picture coming up!!

So we were in class basically 9-5 everyday with a 20-40min break for lunch. It was exhausting, and we had reading to do every night when we got back to the hotel, they really crammed a lot into that week, but so much of it was interesting... I just wish we had gotten more sunshine, even when doing field work we were in a forest area so not much sun filtered through.
The gave us a break Tuesday and took us to University of Florida's Natural History museum. They have a sweet Butterfly Rainforest...and since Butterfly's are insects too it counts as learning entomology right??

!!!Warning decomp picture next!!!

so after that, here's my piggy. We named her Wilma after Charlotte's Web's Wilbur. Luckily she was only a day in the forest at this point, so not too gross to look at.Moral of the story, learned lots, hopefully some crime lab will look at the experience and go, that's the kind of girl we want working for us! But for now just have to finish this project and get a great grade!! Here's the prof:whatdya think? tough grader?? haha

Great news... I have new jewelery! <3

dreary weather...

makes for a dreary mood... supposed to do homework on Monday's, hence not working at either job after class.
Not feeling it today, stressed out and have lots to do, but I just can't get motivated because I'm feeling overwhelmed :-\
Taking myself to Hobby Lobby... don't know that I'll buy anything, but at least the option should be there... Have a mostly free day tomorrow, it'll be a bright new day with shiney life choices. So I'll get motivated then... don't worry I put the PRO in procrastination ;-)
ps. sorority sister is having a BOY! so if I wanna do a blankie again, I need to get going... even though I have unfinished projects (which I did work on this morning). I'm just trying to follow through on my new years resolution and take time for myself (see, I'm a pro)
((26 days until Florida))

relaxing weekend...and week

the weekend away was a success!! except for the part where I had to come back and go to school the next day, and had homework and all that

We looked pretty snazzy going out... if I do say so myself. We took this at the hotel before we left for our lunch date at Carrino's. Funny part was we sat in the exact same booth as the first (and only) time we were there!
The waiter was good, the soup was delicioso, exactly what I'd been hoping it was going to be. The pasta was yummy, and we had lots of leftovers!!
The only bummer is that you can't see my shoes or my cute new clutch. I "funked" my outfit up a little since its winter, and I wanted to wear socks with ankle boots. They really made a good look. Guess the lady at the hotel reception doesn't know how to show off my awesome fashions :-) haha, she barely knew how to use the camera so I guess I shouldn't hold it against her.
Went to see the movie "the Fighter" that night. Wow, good movie, in the middle it feels a little slow, but it keeps you involved the whole time. I guess I went in expecting the same old Rocky type of movie. Underdog works his way up and finally wins in the end. Not this movie, yes he's an underdog, but the whole family drama with this movie. Its funny and sad, and makes you really feel for him. Christian Bale did great at playing a user, and he looks soooooo sickly skinny!! Hope he doesn't keep it off, I like his round little boy face better.

After we checked out of the hotel and came home, we broke open the new wii game Joey got for Christmas from his sissy. Sports Resort. Here's the score from our game of 100pin bowling. If you notice, one I totally trumped him! ha, and two... I have a sweet argyle pattern going on in the tenth frame. No big deal just 6 strikes in a row :-)
I was doing a pretty good victory dance too. Which completed our awesome weekend of doing NOTHING.

I went to the library Tuesday and got some knitting in. I'm almost done with "Little Women" so thats one NYR I'm keeping, the saving money is going slow at the moment as I'm paying off tuition for Forensic Entomology still. But once taxes come in at least half of that goes straight to savings and maybe more!
(On the FE note, only 31 more days until Florida!!)yes, I will be putting a countdown in my facebook status soon, I'm that excited!!
Sorry no exciting pictures of the snow storm, I feel like this area kinda overreacted. Its Michigan winter for goodness sake!! You should expect SNOW!! My sister got quite a bit though, and I enjoyed the pictures she showed the family. Even though I laugh at everyone's reaction it was nice to have an extra day to do NOTHING again. University shut down, the mall closed up, so I got to just watch old episodes online and finish my homework at my leisure. Then we got to cook like old times, and had a great dinner.

School's back

You can deffinitely tell I've been hitting the books and not the crafty ones... I have not knit in two weeks :-(
the upside to this being that all my homework for class has been done ontime, and often ahead of schedule... the down side being that, I have projects I NEED to finish!!
The only crafting I've done this past two weeks has been some painted picture frames. Our hallway is getting full!! but i want to pull them all down and make them level with eachother... project for another day...
while painting the frames I also painted a shelf for the picture frames that don't hang on the wall. When it gets put up I will post pictures. Until then, I need to shower before class, final packing, load car, go to both classes, then pick up the boyfran and away we go!!
Its our mini-vacay!!! since we work all holiday weekends, this is our special own holiday weekend. planned: hotel with swimming pool, Johnny Carrino's Italian Grill, movie; the Fighter, and LOTs of relaxing :-D

Christmas pictures, and updated stain glass

So, I promised an update after Exams were done, well here it finally is!!
and with a super cute little Santa guy too :-)

My Christmas crafting consisted of making ourselves a place for the cards we were beginning to receive. I bought a pack of 4 square cork boards, and some ribbon from Hobby Lobby, it was tricky, and I think if I were to try again I would do more, but the final look was ok. It sat above our tree in the living room, and worked well... but was a little smallHere's how the tree looked too:

cute right? Also from Hobby Lobby was our tree topper, doesn't light up, but is super shiny
So those are the Christmas pictures I never put up. Nothing too exciting, but felt I should at least post them.

Now on to the knitting updates. All the pieces for the stain glass lapghan were knitted, so the dreaded finishing touches of sewing had to be started. Here's a pic of the black edging all the pieces received:
And the finished, finally sewn together pieces!! No, it was not done Christmas morning, sadly I still haven't mastered that... but I did get overtime at work the week before, so have a GREAT excuse :-\

Next step to the lapghan is the fun finishing touches, MORE knitting!! the two black trim pieces that will sandwich the final product. I decided to knit them at the same time since I had two balls of black anyway. Plus they will absolutely be the same length.
I've nearly reached the halfway spot with knitting, so hopefully before Valentines Day the Xmas gift will be in its giftee's living room.

Other fun Xmas info. Got a cute bag from sister #3 which I already shared with the ladies of DTDLcrafters. And "Knitting Socks from the Toe Up" from sister #1. I'm very excited to knit some socks, its something I've always wanted to do, but been scared because I'm a corner cutter and don't check my gauge (I know, shame on me) so my few sweaters have not lived up to my expectations. Its one of my many irony/oxymoronic natures that I am a perfectionist who wont take time to make it perfect.

But I'm going to do socks right! I'm not allowed to buy yarn until the lapghan is done, so I'm knitting quickly and trying to be good. Gift card to Micheal's from Momma will make it easy to buy some starter yarn to practice with.

OK, well its time to get some homework done, and pay some bills before work tonight. Thanks all for reading my blog :-)