Christmas is coming!

I am currently gearing up for two Christmas craft shows.  That means I'm busy beyond belief!  I still have so much to make and I still have to price everything and put together an inventory.  Craft shows are a lot of work, but I wouldn't trade them for anything.  I've been doing these two shows for years with my mom; it's a great opportunity to spend time with her and bond in our common interest of crafting!

I've always thought of myself as a crafter, not an artist, but this year I began to think of myself a little differently.  You see, I'm not very good at painting - my hands just aren't that steady - and I don't usually come up with original ideas.  But this year - this year, I think something has started to change.  I saw an idea in a magazine to create these wonderful "doodle" ornaments.  I decided to try it and wham-o!  All of sudden, I am painting on these ornaments and making my own designs!  I truly began to feel like an artist!

These are two of the first ones I made.  I love them.  I'm eager to see how well they do at the show.  Each one I've made has been unique - just like snowflakes, there are no two alike.

If you are inclined to try this for yourself, I found the idea in the BH&G Holiday Crafts magazine.  All it takes is a Elmer's Painters pen, a matte-finish ornament, and a little creativity!  See what you come up with!

A little about me!

Okay, so now that I've sent you over to 3squares on Etsy and to The RikRak Studio, it's time to formally introduce myself.

I'm Dana.  I've got a 3 year old and I work full time.  In between those two things, I occasionally find time to craft.  Really, crafting is my obsession.  Even when I'm at work, I'm thinking about what I'm going to work on when I get home - you know, that's after dinner, baths, outside time, and snuggle time.

I've got two Etsy shops myself - Initialed and The Salty Cat Co.  Initialed offers monogram and name Scrabble tile, glass tile, and bottle cap pendants.  The Salty Cat Co. features metal and stone jewelry.  I'm in the process of changing the focus of The Salty Cat Co. so check it out cause I'm having a huge sale!

My other hobbies include rubber stamping, sewing, gardening, resin casting (new!), watching TV, and, oh yeah, playing with the adorable 3 year old I mentioned earlier.

I've tried blogging before, focusing just on my Etsy shops.  This time I thought I'd broaden my topics and see if I can keep it up!  So I'll post different things from time to time, mostly about what new project I'm working on or what I've created lately.  There might be a few musings in here too...we'll see.

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This is my First Post...

...and it's all about this cool giveaway over at The Rikrak Studio. It features a friend of mine, 3squares. Check out her awesome wares on Etsy. Then hop over to The RikRac Studio for a chance to win!