Anticipation... & 'What Would You Do With This?'

I have such a great surprise for you all-- but I can't tell you what it is until it's ready!

But trust me, it's great. In fact, it's downright FABULOUS (that's the only hint I can give you!) Plus, it will be combined with my very first blog giveaway, which makes it even greater!

But it's not quite ready. So, while I get my act together, let's play a new game I like to call 'What Would You Do With This?'

It's all about the idea of unusual found objects, and their appeal. I fell in love with this, er-- thing (I don't know what it's for!!) last week... the wheel turns, and the hole at the top makes me think it would have been strung on something, but I really don't know... maybe a clothesline pulley? But it's quite a bit smaller than others I've seen (5" long and 3 1/4" wide).

Why do I like this thing? I really don't know! But I can't seem to help myself-- it's just holds a certain visual appeal for me. But here's what I'd like to know from all of you: What would you do with it? How would you display it? Would you alter it? Add anything? Try to make it serve a practical purpose beyond just looking kinda cool?

Would you display it with something else?

Please, tell me what you would do with this thing!
And I'll scoot off to get my surprise ready. With any luck, it will be ready to post in the next day or two... but I'll be checking back often in between (hey, I need ideas for the thing!)

Until then,

What's in a Card?

Now I don't know about all of you, but I have to say, I'm oddly fascinated by the phenomenon of the business card. There's just something about being handed a pristine, well-designed card that makes me sit up & take notice! If it's a great card-- maybe a different size, shape, fabulous font, unique design-- I immediately think 'Hey, this person has got it going on!' I mean really, if you can take something as mundane as a business card and inject some real creativity into it, you're creating an immediate impression-- and making yourself memorable in ten seconds or less (and in today's fast-moving world of business, isn't that what we all have to do??)

I haven't been 'carded' since I was seventeen-- and believe me-- that was a really looooong time ago! I'd love to get carded. But, since that really just is not going to happen, I've decided to 'card' myself-- in a totally different way! And I'd love to 'card' each of you, too. Here's how it works: each week I'll be featuring someone's business card, blog and site, using their business card as a jumping-off point. If you'd like to 'Get Carded', please send me pictures of your business cards, or even the business cards themselves (please use the contact link to the left to send images or receive mailing information) and I'll feature one card/blog/site per week on this blog-- hey, I'm even having a special sidebar icon made so the card can stay up all week!

I'd also love to know how you decided on the design of your card. What makes it special? What make you proud to hand it out? How does it specifically tie-in to your business? Enquiring minds want to know!

To get the ball rolling, I've 'carded' myself... here's my business card!

Cathy at Avalon Rose designed the card to go with the site, using the logo she created to tie everything in really nicely. I decided on a simple brown on cream theme, using a nice 80 lb. linen stock (I could go on about paper all day-- but don't worry-- I won't!)

And here's the back. I decided on a two-sided card, because let's face it-- getting handed a business card is kinda like getting a greeting card-- don't we all turn it over? And I wanted to have a little something on the back that made it worth turning over...

Okay, so since I've 'carded' myself, I want to 'card' you next! Send me your cards! I'd love to see and share them!

PS. Just wanted to mention the new look of the blog... I love it and hope you do too-- I think it's soooo much better than before. Again, huge thanks to Cathy!

Tiny Treasures...

Today Joy & I went to our 'bar-none' favourite store, Memory Lane. To say this place is the all-day sucker of eye candy is not overstating the fact. Plus, the sweet, sweet owner of the store (whom we are thrilled & blessed to be able to call our friend!) Karen, showed us all the newest & 'bestest' goodies.

It's always so hard though... We are torn between shopping and visiting, and so we wander around doing both, driving ourselves crazy when we take our long, lingering walk out of the store, because inevitably, we end up missing stuff, and have to go back & buy it.

It's such fun!

But Joy did have the best idea ever, and that is the next time we go, we'll take pictures of all of Karen's gorgeous displays-- seriously, this woman is a display genius-- and then share them with you. This store is beautiful, And Karen is so fabulous, giving and sharing with us, that we feel she's our long-lost 'junking' sister... she just totally gets it!

Plus, we met Karen's Mom today, Fran, who is every bit as sweet as her daughter-- we'd barely known her a half hour and she hugged us as we left like we were part of the family. We already adore her!

So... what did I get today? 'Tiny treasures'... buttons, a rhinestone buckle, the sweetest little square bottle, and two adorably little shiny 'baubles' that I put into a silvery box to share with you... here they are! (And, by the way, thanks Karen!)

The Sweetest Offerings...

My kids have been plotting for weeks now. And not just about how they can get a new puppy (though I'm sure there's more than a bit of that going on!) but about what they should be getting me for Mother's Day.

From my 9 year-old daughter, thinly veiled questions for weeks now... "What's your favourite colour Mom?" and "What kind of chocolate do you like best?" (Cadbury's Caramilk, thank you!)

My 5 year old son, takes the more direct approach-- "What do you want for Mother's Day,

Mom?" (To which I always answer "Hugs & kisses!")

And then there's my 12 year old, watching me with the almost underhanded glee as I look at the weekly flyers, and I can see the wheels turning... Can I talk Dad into getting her that new garden furniture she's eyeing up?

Little do they know that they've already gotten me the best thing they can ever get me... weeds.

Because to me, the sweetest offering children can ever make to their Mom happens when they rush indoors, rosy-cheeked and a little breathless with their own excitement, clutching a handful of dandelions, creeping charlie, and other assorted non-grass (but nevertheless growing in the grass) 'flowers'.

And I love 'em. Each and every gangly one. I proudly display them all over the house. (No pesticides for us!) I treasure them.

Because one day, when my kids are all grown up, and they've pooled their hard-earned cash to get me some wonderful gadget for the kitchen, or a day at the spa, I know that while I'll appreciate their thoughtfulness and sacrifice, I'll be thinking back to these days, the days when a handful of weeds was the sweetest offering ever.

Happy Mother's Day to all you other Moms, Grandmoms, Aunts, and all the other kinds of Moms out there too (you know who you are!) who love weeds just as much as I do.

Grand Opening Day!

Well, we're opening up the site today. I'm soooooo excited!

This whole journey of getting the website up & running has been exhilarating, tiring, frustrating, and altogether wonderful! I've learned so much-- and not just about computers-- but about myself. Since deciding to create my own business, I've grown and become more confident, more assertive in my tastes, and more sure of myself in ways I couldn't even have imagined.

And of course, there are lots of people to thank for their help and support along the way... Cathy at Avalon Rose Design, my bff Joy, and of course, my unbelievably patient hubby. I certainly couldn't have done any of this without them... so thanks, guys!

We'll be adding new items to the site all week, but I'm too anxious to wait to open it up any longer. (Guess I'm not as patient as my hubby!)

So, all that said, I sincerely hope you will enjoy looking through the shop.

With thanks,

Getting There!

Just a short post to update.

Been furiously working on the site the past few days, trying to get things loaded in for the Grand Opening, which I hope will be this week!

Want a sneak peek at a few of the treasures that will be available?

How about this...

...vintage creamy suitcase altered with hand-aged papers?

Or how about...

...this adorable petite vintage crown bottle?

Hmm... One more & that's it!

;)

(My personal fave so far... I honestly don't know how I'm going to part with it!)

It's a *fabulous* old glass decanter from Italy, complete with totally shabby tag and vintage stickers intact!

Well, back to work for me!