Caramel Apples

Well, its almost Sept 1st and in many parts of the country, the mindset is switching to Autumn. For lots of us that means caramel apples. Of course personally, I think they are great all year long, but they seem to be way more promoted during the Fall months.

Out of curiousity, I started browsing around etsy. As many of you already know already know, that is one of my favorite past times. I found some caramel apple beauties!

AdamsApples @ http://www.adamsapples.etsy.com/ has some really wonderful looking treats. I looked around the shop and they are all so yummy looking. This candy corn caramel apple particularly caught my eye as it is so very much Autumn-like (and i'm still on a candy corn rush from my last blog post). Visit the shop and browse around. I'm sure you will find something you like.

Back on the etsy browsing trail, and I find DoubleDippedSweets @ http://www.doubledippedsweets.etsy.com/ Oooooh la la, there is some awesome goodness in this shop. I've picked this tye die apple to feature. Seems it is, what else, but double dipped! In caramel and then again in swirled white chocolate. I can honestly say that i've never seen anything like it. Take a peek in double dippeds shop, i'm sure you'll be glad you did.

Now not to be undone, i look on the "non edible" side of caramel apples and lo and behold I find one in the shop of a friend, Darcy. http://www.darcy777.etsy.com She has all sorts of crocheted Waldorf and also cat toys as well as bath and beauty. But in any case, I love this little crocheted number. It would look wonderful sitting admist a Fall centerpiece on your kitchen table. But dont try to eat it!

Candy Corn

Its a sweet treat! Actually its way too sweet for me. In my book chocolate is the way to go, but you cant help LOVING the candy corn...........the colors the shape and the way it just screams Halloween and Fall! This has been my daughters favorite candy since she was real young, and i've always made and bought her lots of things for halloween which were candy corn related. This year i've designed some mini candy corn notecards. They are for sale in my etsy shop. http://www.craftheart.etsy.com/ Nice little thank yous, lunch box notes, include with an Autumn gift etc. They are blank inside, so can be used for just about anything.

Its not just a sweet confection to eat tho you know. If you take a look in saralibbeys shop http://www.saralibbey.etsy.com/ she is already ready for the autumn season with quite a few Fall type jewelry creations. i like her earrings the best. And heres a pair celebrating the candy corn in quite a unique way. Nice colorful beads, great design!

How about a hat? Check out http://www.dottiekayskids.etsy.com/ for all sorts of super cute fabric and knitted items. I know this colorful and totally adorable hat would look awesome on someones special little someone. Is there a little one in your life? son, daughter, grandchild, niece, etc. Well then take a peek around her shop, and I'm sure you'll find something you just have to have!

Calling All CARDS

Cardmaking! Its special because each card is one of a kind, some of them designed specifically FOR the recipient. Years ago when scrapbooking became popular, i swore i wouldnt get into it. There just seemed to be so much involved, so much to buy, etc. But after a while the scrapbooking bug bit me. Even more so, I realized that making cards is practically if not exactly like doing scrapbooking and I really became interested in that. For my moms 80th birthday I made her invitations with torn paper and jewels, rubberstamping and more. They read "youth is a gift of nature, old age is a work of art". I do lots of custom card orders in my etsy shop and really enjoy it. http://www.craftheart.etsy.com. I recently made a super girly, frilly card as a custom order and the inside read "what the F**k?" Seems the buyers friend was a prim and proper woman, but as the buyer tells me "she cusses like a sailor". I really enjoyed making that one!

I do still BUY some cards when I find some in a style that I dont make myself or one that just catches my eye so that i have to have it. I found this scarecrow card in jessis shop http://www.jessijewels.etsy.com/ and its simply amazing. Alot of work went into this one: rubberstamped and colored in with colored pencils and chalk. Its lovely. Browse around her shop. she also makes jewelry!

Somebunny loves you in snowys shop. http://www.snowy652.etsy.com/ This little bunny is super adorable and says it all. Snowy has pages and pages of scrapping items and cards in her shop. If you make cards, its the place for supplies. If you are looking for a special card, visit her and shop around. She has lots to choose from

About Glue

About Glue........................lets see, I used to work teaching craft classes at an Arts and Crafts shop on the air force base where we live. All sorts of miscellaneous classes were taught in all age groups, but mostly home school kids. We did so many projects and i was asked so many times: What glue do you use to glue this to that, for example. It prompted me to do some internet research and find an easy way to answer the question. I found http://www.thistothat.com You can ask your own glue question and you receive your own glue answer! Its simple as that. I cant count how many times I've used it. Some glues I have never heard of and were a little difficult to find and some I were suprised to find out for instance, THAT works on fabric, or THAT will adhere glass or metal.

Always fun to find little tidbits and tips to making crafting more fun and easy. Definitely bookmark the thistothat site. i am sure you will find need to use it, if not now, def in the future!

AH CHOCOLATE

Something about chocolate is just so good, its sinful! Every diet I have ever blown has been for chocolate. But what can I say, its creamy, its yummy, its sweet and its color is even warm and inviting to look at.







In honor of chocolate, I found a few yummies in some shops on etsy.com that I just knew I had to share here. First http://www.thesoapbuffet.etsy.com/ has some brownies that you can wash up with. Thats right, these delectibles are not really edible, as they are not real chocolate, but soap! Ever see anything like it? Prob not. So, I'd say you need some. Browse around her shop. She has all sorts of wonderful soap products.







Look no further than etsy if you're looking for some one of a kind OOAK chocolate items. http://www.sandyssundries.etsy.com/ has THE MOST adorable jellies. They are fun and cute but of course not edible. These little sea creatures would look darling sitting on a little girls frilly bed. Sandys shop has several different types of jellies, but we are interested today in the chocolate variety. he sure is a cutie!





http://www.earcrma.etsy.com/ tells me that she makes chocolate carmels upon request. They certainly do sound delectible! Pictured here is one of her listings of a variety pack. But if you LOVE LOVE chocolate like me, don't hesitate to message her and ask about a custom order.



If you want to do a little browsing in MY shop, you will find some chocolate goodies there as well. I just listed some of my mini chocolate washcloths. Great for removing make up and exfoliating your face. They are 100% cotton and super soft. These were a big hit for stocking stuffers last year, so I am hoping for the same again this year. http://www.craftheart.etsy.com/

Scrunch it Up

Scrunchies? are they still in style? back in the day when I had very long hair, if i wasnt wearing one in my hair, I def had one on my wrist, ready at any time to become just a bit too warm and BING there it was to swoop up my hair.

So i've been sick with some kind of weird coughing flu bug for the past week, and wanted to spend my time at home doing some short term crafting projects where I could see the result right away. And with the upcoming christmas season in mind, I started thinking stocking stuffers. I have lots and lots of different kinds of fuzzy and eyelash yarn around the house (everywhere from the closet, to under the bed, to in suitcases that are put up) So I made lots of different colors of scrunchies. Hoping for a mad stocking stuffer rush for the season!

I did alot of my stocking stuffer shopping on etsy last year and found lots I could use, particularly in the bath adn body section. I had 4 stockings to stuff, including my mothers, so etsy was definitely the place for one of a kind fun items.

Check my shop for the new scrunchies and lots more stocking stuffers............bookworm bookmarks, mini washcloths and more. http://www.craftheart.etsy.com/

Reconnected and Refreshed

So today is the first day I reconnect, refresh and try to get myself on track. In so many aspects!!! South beach diet here I come. I was on this diet years ago and did very well and more importantly felt great, so I'm giving it another try. Falling "off the beach" a year and a half ago was not good for me. But I can fix it.
Also reconnecting with many things in my life that have been missing and trying to find more time to organize and schedule myself to do more of the things i love, mainly crafting!!! I have so many ideas in my head and not enough time to complete them all. With the holidays coming, i really want to fill my store http://www.craftheart.etsy.com On top of that, I opened a small supply shop to help destash some of the supplies i will never use along with some of the supplies i bought for my daughter in her "venture to have her own shop". http://www.suppliesfromtheheart.etsy.com
Trying to keep on track and finding that zen place and peace is whats hardest, but I think we all owe it to ourselves in one way or the other. So here i go...................wish me good luck on my "trip". And I hope everyone can find a way to reconnect and refresh themselves as well so we can all be happy! Thats what we're here for after all

The End of Christmas in July

Quite an event that was going on over at etsy.com. Lots of sellers, setting up seperate sections in their shops and running awesome sales. I was one of them. Seemed not too many were into christmas this July, in spite of all the sales. But thats ok, as the items will stay listed in the shops for months still.

And I mean, whats better for gift giving but home made gifts? You can get everything from your christmas and holiday cards, food, gifts, decorations and more. If its stocking stuffers you're looking for, you're visiting the right place at http://www.etsy.com

As a special blog promotion, I will offer 25% off of anything christmas related in my shop till Aug 5th, 2008. Please enter code 25% off blog special in note to seller when purchasing.

And be sure to browse all around etsy. its quite addicting and i promise you will have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!