Pumpkin Carving

So I decided to carve our pumpkins tonight! It was such a mess and soooo much fun for the boys and myself. We have a pirate theme going on here. Tyler's pumpkin is a pirate with an eye patch, Andrew's pumpkin is a treasure chest, and I carved a pirate ship!

I'm getting better at carving the more intricate designs into our pumpkins. Last year I did Tigger from Winnie the Pooh and a Witch on a broomstick. These carving kits are great and have easy instructions. The pirate and treasure chest are my own creations but the pirate ship is from a pumpkin carving kit.

My current Treasury

Here are some awesome ornaments that I have featured in a treasury on Etsy. Check them out!

Just click the title to view the treasury!

Hermitage Moms Halloween Party

Here are some cute pics from our Halloween party!

Walden Farm

I took my boys to Walden Farm on Monday to pick out thier pumpkins for Halloween. Its such a great fall activity for this area. They have so many activities, animals, hay rides, corn mazes, and pumpkin confections! We came here last year also and had a BLAST. Given it was colder last year and we froze while Tyler had fun playing. The corn maze was closed due to the rainy weather we've had recently left the ground all muddy. I was hoping to go to one this year but we may have to wait till the boys are a little older. I think they wouldn't have as much fun as my husband and I would. Tyler did get to go through the hay maze they had set up for the little kids.

Walden Farm has a nice "kids" area for the children to play in. The have a corn crib which is pretty much the same concept as a sandbox but filled with dried corn. We had to pry Tyler out of there when it was time to go. Tyler, Andrew, and Daddy climbed the hay mountain (even though it was a little mushy from the rain) and I got a few pics of them before they came down. It was so funny to watch Andrew. He was walking around checking everything out with this very "SERIOUS" look on his face. He's always so quiet and subdued when we're i?n public. Everyone is always commenting on how quiet he is. But believe me the boy sure can talk! Not necesarily coherant words but he's always gabbering about something. Scott (my hubby) calls him our little Ewok. To bad they don't

make an Ewok costume or I would have gotten that for Andrew instead of yoda.

The farm has a variety of animals that the children can feed and pet. Like the goats in this picture. They have a conveyor belt where the kids turn the handle and it takes the feed up to the goats at the top. Its so funny to see I call it the redneck way to feed you're animals. The kids really love it.

Andrew did crack a smile once we were picking out the pumpkins. He wanted all of them. It was so cute to see Andrew and Tyler running around checking out all the pumpkins. Andrew tried his darnedest to try and pick up one of the bigger pumpkins. He finally choose one of the smaller two dollar ones that he could pick up.

Now the pumpkins are just sitting on the counter waiting to be carved.

Trade-A-holics Trade FRENZY!

Right now the Trade-A-holics Etsy team is having a trade frenzy where sellers can trade their goods with other sellers for their products. It an awesome idea and I've been having lots of fun the past two weeks trading in the chat rooms. Its great to be able to trade for Christmas gifts and neat things for my boys. I also get to see shops on Etsy that I've yet to find. There are such a variety of products you can get on Etsy and with so many sellers it can be hard to find those unique shops.
If you are a seller on Etsy check out the trade frenzy going on now in the forums!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6327840&page=51

And The WINNER is......

The very first winner of my blog give away is................... Fresh!!!! Congrats to winning my First Free Giveaway!

Thank you to all of my followers for being loyal and keep checking back cause there will be more giveaways to come!

Please choose which of these rings you would like and what size you need!

Votings Closed

Ok so all the votes are in and it looks like ring got the most votes! I will be posting some rings for the winner to choose from. Come back and check to see what you might win ;)

Photo Tips:Make Your Own Lightbox

I was having trouble trying to get really nice photos of my products for my etsy shop. So I was looking around and found some help in the Etsy forums where people were talking about lightboxes and how they eliminate the dark shadows that tend to be in pictures taken with a flash. So I decided to save money and make my own. It was easy to make and fairly cheap.

Here are the items you will need to make your own lightbox:

1.) Cardboard box any size that will fit your products (i used a 14inchx14inch box)

2.) Box cutter or knife

3.) White posterboard 1-2 sheets depending on the size of your box

4.) White Tissue paper or thin white fabric

5.) Tape (duct or package tape works best)

6.) 2 Desk Lamps or metal utility lights






Cut out a window on 3 sides of the box

Cut a section of tissue or fabric large enough to fit over each of the openings you cut. Then tape it to the outside of the box. Start with one layer of tissue paper. After completing the box and making some test shots, you may find that you need additional layers of tissue paper to achieve the right lighting.

Cut a piece of matte white poster board to fit the inside of your box. The piece should be in the shape of a rectangle, with the width being the same as a side of the box, but the length being twice as long. Insert the poster board into the box, curving it up towards the top of the box. Curve it gently; don't crease it. Trim it if necessary. This will create an infinite, edgeless look for the background of your shots.

Add your lighting. Photo lights, flashes, and even standard desk lamps can be placed on either side or above the box to produce the desired lighting effect.

The following photos were taken with my homemade lightbox

Time for the FREE Giveaway!

I've reached 30 followers so make sure you get your vote in for what you would like most as the giveaway. The item with the most votes wins. The winner will get to choose from 3 items from that category. The Winner will be announced on Friday so get your vote's in before Wednesday!

Hmmm....Really a Hoax? What gave you that idea Sheriff?

Balloon boy case a hoax, says sheriff

DENVER (Reuters) – The flight of a home-made helium balloon that touched off a frantic rescue attempt for the young boy thought to be aboard was a publicity-seeking hoax, a Colorado sheriff said on Sunday.

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said the parents of 6-year-old Falcon Heene would likely face four charges in the bizarre incident, which riveted television viewers across the United States for more than two hours on Thursday.

The airship took to the skies on Thursday morning and Richard and Mayumi Heene claimed that their son had climbed aboard, triggering a massive search and rescue operation as the odd silver craft drifted for 50 miles (80 km), trailed by U.S. National Guard helicopters.

The boy was later found not in the flying saucer-shaped craft but safe at home.

"It has been determined that this is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt," Alderden told a press conference.

"We believe we have evidence at this point to indicate that it was a publicity stunt done with the hopes of better marketing themselves for a reality television show at some point in the future," he said.

Alderden said the parents could be charged with conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false police report and attempting to influence a public servant.

Investigators think Falcon and his brothers, who are 8 and 10, were "100 percent involved" in the caper, he said, but were not expected to face criminal charges because of their age.

"On the bizarre metre, this rates a 10," Alderden said.

A lawyer hired by Richard and Mayumi Heene, David Lane, told local KUSA-TV that the incident had been a "nightmare" for the family.

Lane said the parents would be willing to turn themselves in to law enforcement to avoid "the public spectacle and humiliation" of being arrested in front of their children.

'THEY PUT ON A GOOD SHOW'

Authorities had considered desperate measures to somehow bring the balloon down safely before it slowly began to deflate on its own and landed softly in a wheat field near Denver.

Rescuers who raced to the balloon and found it empty then began to scour the countryside for Falcon, fearing that he had fallen out -- until the family announced that he was safe and had been hiding in a garage attic.

Questions were raised after a CNN interviewer told Richard Heene to ask his son why he had stayed in hiding so long when searchers were desperately calling his name.

The boy responded: "You guys (his parents) said that, um, we did this for the show."

The Heene family has appeared on the ABC television reality show "Wife Swap" in which families swap mothers to deal with family issues.

They gave interviews on a series of U.S. morning shows on Friday to emphatically deny the incident was staged. Falcon vomited repeatedly on camera.

Alderden, who told reporters on Friday that he was inclined to believe the Heenes, said his investigators determined that the incident was staged after interviewing all five members of the family and searching their home.

"This has been a planned event for some two weeks," he said. "The plan was to launch the spacecraft for a reality TV show. The plan was to create a situation where it appeared that Falcon was in the craft to gain publicity. To obtain notoriety,

to obtain publicity for a television show."

The sheriff said he initially let reporters, and the Heenes, think that he bought their story as a way to gain the family's trust but privately harboured scepticism.

Richard Heene has been described as a storm chaser and amateur scientist who had involved his wife and sons in his activities. He told reporters that his contraption was intended as an experimental vehicle that "people can pull out of their garage and hover above traffic 50 to 100 feet."

But Alderden portrayed the Heenes essentially as hucksters desperate to get on television.

"They are actors. Not only have they appeared on TV, they met at acting school in Hollywood," Alderden said. "They put on a very good show for us, and we bought it."

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Almost time for the Giveaway!

Ok people we only need 4 more people before I have the 1st of many free giveaways here on my blog. So tell your friends to follow me so we can get this show on the road! Have a great night everyone!

Support Breast Cancer Awareness

New Frames for my photos

I added digital picture frames to my photos. Let me know what you think.

Rings

Here are some of the rings I made to sell in my shop. They will soon be listed for sale at www.creationsbycori.etsy.com

Makin' Rings

I just finished making 2 really cute rings. I'll be posting pics soon. They're made from very pretty buttons with beads in the middle. Now that I learned how to make them I'll start listing them on Etsy. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be ;)

Halloween 2009

Here are some cute pics of my boys in this years Halloween costumes!

Pay it Forward Friday

Here are a few of the pay if forward items listed on Etsy right now. Check out these awesome sellers and don't forget to "Pay it Forward" ;)

PIF Goat Milk Tub Soap

PIF Asymmetrical Earrings - LAST PAIR

Simple hoops in Ocean PIF

A Pair of luminous green dangles- PIF

PIF Maraschino Hearts (Pay It Forward)

PIF - 4 oz Cucumber and Ivy Scented Shea Butter Lotion

My Treasury

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=86716 I finally got a treasury on Etsy check out these cool items and their sellers ;)

Here's another WTF!!

So while I was chatting on Etsy another seller told me about another site thats like regretsy.com its called etsywtf.com. If you click the title of this post it will take you to the site. Also I've found a listing on Etsy for a merkin. Whats a merkin? Well its like a wig for your pubic area! This is what the seller lists in the description for a merkin:

This merkin is super soft and super colorful!A pubic wig, this merkin allows you to change the look of your pubic region with some great color!

Originally used by prostitutes to disguise disease, today merkins are used for fun and to add variety.

This merkin is 5" wide and 4" long (from top center to tip).To attach, you can use spirit gum, eyelash glue, or toupee tape. Be sure to apply and remove these adhesives according to directions on the product!

If you don't want to affix your merkin with one of those you can use fishing line or ask me and I'll include a length of the yarn with your order to tie around your hips.I crocheted this merkin using a fuzzy and soft yarn that won't irritate.

Material:•22% Wool, •50% Acrylic, •28% Nylon

Care:•Hand Wash, •Do Not Bleach, •Dry Flat, •Iron Low if needed

If you would like a different color, please convo me. I'd love to make a custom one for you!

Thanks for looking.

Here it is!

Here's my butterfly-shaped rag quilt in all its glory! I'll have better photos on the Etsy site i just wanted to take a few quick ones to post on here. Its a pretty big size, I haven't gotten to measure it yet but it almost covers our whole love seat. I'm sooooo happy I'm finished.

I love Etsy but come on really?!

Hello Etsy lovers! I just found this website RegrEtsy.com and thought I'd share. Now be warned that some of the items posted on this site will disturb you. Whats worse is that they are actually listed for SALE on Etsy! I think the Etsy Admins should really monitor what people post to the site. Take a look and let me here your thoughts.
The admins for the site write some very funny comments on the listed items. I let the chatters in the Featured Seller Room take a look and they were laughing their asses off!

click on the title of the post to get to the website ; )

Finally Done

I finally finished my butterfly shaped rag quilt! I was up until 2 am last night sewing and started sewing again this morning at 11 am. I just finished snipping the edges and put it in the washer to start the ragging process. So as soon as its dried I'll be posting pics! I'm soooo glad its finally done. Seems like I've been working on it forever. Now on to my next project! I need to make a rag quilt for my mom. She'll be giving it to my step dad as a Christmas present this year. I also have new beads to make more jewelry, and I'm in the process of making car seat strap covers. So stay tuned!

For all you 80's children out there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0armyWpAbd0&feature=PlayList&p=yVEESJR_V6g

I know I'm a dork but I wanted to share this link to the "She-Ra" cartoon series. I remember having all the dolls and some of the He-Man toys too. I'm sure there are more of you out there who wish they would bring it back or play reruns on tv. So ENJOY!

Give away as soon as I hit 30 followers!

I'm planning a giveaway once I get 30+ followers to my blog. So stay tuned and tell more people so we can get more people in here ;) Also I will be offering special promos for my shop only available to my blog followers. Check for updates on some of my favorite shops on Etsy!

Playin the waiting game

    I've been working on a butterfly shaped rag quilt and had been in the process of sewing it together when my boys woke up from their nap. It wouldn't be a problem if Scott didn't need to work on reports at home today. This has been taking way longer than I wanted it too. It seems I never have enough time in the day to get to making more products.
    I think sewing projects would go by faster if pattern makers would actually cut out the pattern so you don't waste time cutting them out yourself. It takes forever to cut out the pattern then cut the pattern out of fabric and then you have to sew it all together!
   I just hope when I do get done with this that it turns out cuter than I think it will. Its a very cute pattern by Simplicity. I'm probably going to give it as a gift to one of my nieces. I guess we'll see when it gets done.

Beautiful Vintage Jewelry

Beautiful vintage brooch! This shop has some of the most beautiful vintage jewelry I've seen! www.hollywoodspotlight.etsy.com

This Next

So I've added thisnext.com as another way to show off my work to the world along with fellow etsyians out there. The pics to the left are a few of the items i've recommended on this next. There are alot more recommendations at my thisnext page. Check them out!

Article about my Etsy Shop

http://www.examiner.com/x-3013-Nashville-StayatHome-Moms-Examiner~y2009m9d27-Selling-homemade-jewelry-quilts-and-more-on-Etsy-keeps-SAHMs-creative-side-alive?cid=email-this-article




       I’m very excited to have my shop featured in examiner.com. Katie the author of the article is a fellow stay at home mom and friend of mine. We met through Hermitagemoms.com which is a moms group in our area. Read the article and check out all the awesome shops that are on Etsy.com. Its a great website that sell all handmade items!

Adventures in Etsy Land

I’ve been selling my items on Etsy for almost 2 months now and have had 4 sales in the last week. Recently I’ve been cruising the chat rooms on Etsy and have found a really cool game they play called 5 min FS. (5 minute Featured seller) It’s really fun to be in those chat rooms since there’s only one person promoting their products at a time. So the rules are you become the next featured seller if you are the first person to buy from the current featured seller. It’s a great way to show off your products to a bunch of people at the same time. Even if you don’t get a sale you will have people marking your store as a favorite to buy from you later.

I bought some beads today so I could be a FS. It went pretty great. I didn’t get a sale but lots of the other sellers loved my items. It’s great to get feedback from other jewelry makers. There are so many of them on Etsy that it can be hard to get noticed. I like to browse the other sellers stores to see what they make and get to see many unique products from handmade soaps and beauty products to wooden toys. And many glass products like blown glass ornaments, beads, bowls, stained glass decorations, and jewelry. Soooo much to choose from and not enough money to buy it all!

Check out Etsy!!!!! Support our local crafters and our local economies!!!! http://www.etsy.com/