Loose ends...

I have a handful of things I have been meaning to post or share...and since Doug is working late, I thought I might catch up. But first, thanks to everyone who took time to comment for me...I really needed to hear the same answer over and over again and I intend to take your advice. Delete (emails), (mark as)spam, ignore(any or all contact). I am even thinking of getting rid of anonymous comments, too. That is my plan of attack. Not out of malice but in an effort to protect myself and family. I know that ignoring her is the right thing...it just helps to know that everyone else thinks it's the right thing too, you know? So, thanks fabulous Blog friends. ;)

Above is a favorite shot of mine that I got of Moses last week during our heat wave and we introduced him to the sprinkler...set on 12in of sprinkle mind you.

And this is another favorite...he is trying to drink the water...he would go from one end to the other...this boy is too cute! I love his little hands and chunky thighs in this photo.

This is another great shot from last week...I was watering my plants and he kept running into the spray of the water...before we knew it he was soaked and I was spraying him full on with the hose...he loved it! He never noticed that his diapered bum was hanging out of his drenched pants. This boy has a special place for all things water!

He loves to play in this bucket with water...he likes to sit in it...legs up, crocs on, bum down and water up to his eyeballs if he can get that low!

And this is long over due...but sweet Mrs. April sent me a box of goodies...a comfy shirt, note pad, paper soap and a cute little coin purse...which for some reason, Moses has claimed. :) Thank you thank you my dear April! I get the best love from friends in the mail...so much so that I have been hiding from my mail lady...because to deliver a package to me she has to go out of her way and walk it to my door...the other day I was telling Doug about this and what does he say..."She thinks you're the QVC lady"...thanks honey...that makes me feel so much better!

And then...just last week...the kind Mrs. Julie sent me some patterns to try out...I knew they were coming to me...what I didn't know was that she also included a big 'ol bag of Starbucks coffee and a coupon for a free Starbucks chocolate bar....tasty. Thank you sweet friend!

And it must have been my week for Starbucks...cause my honey brought me home a brand new mug. He loves me...he really loves me. :)

And here is one last thing that has been on my mind...ok, so you know how I said that I am not one to worry? Well that is generally true...I am not by nature a worrier...I am slightly neurotic (in a charming and not weird way mind you)...and I make my husband help me contain it. For example...we have a code word that I will use if I am being kidnapped. HaHA! I can't believe how crazy that sounds as I type it. But seriously...we recently had delivery guys at our house...and Doug was unable to be there. So it was just me...so I told Doug that I would call him as they got there and make sure that they heard me tell Doug that I would call him as soon as they left. Doug was under strict instructions to do something if he didn't hear back from me. And if I called and used our codeword then that would mean that I was being kidnapped. Because of course I would tell the kidnappers that my husband knew to call the cops if he didn't hear from me. As crazy as that sounds...just saying it out loud to Doug made me feel better and I was no longer worried about being kidnapped. So, I guess I am wondering if this is a normal kind of crazy...or what? :)

And p.s. check out the crazy hail we got last night!

A Man, His Son, A Day, A Tote, A Problem

Ok, so there is a LOT running through my head at the moment and I really want to get it all out so I can think a little straighter...so you might want to go grab some coffee or a soda. :)First things first. We had a fabulous Father's Day weekend. I mean top notch, not a thing could have been better. Moses and I are blessed beyond measure by having Doug in our lives. He is such a wonderful man and father that it is often baffling to me that God choose him for me. Doug is far more than I deserve and I truly thank God for him daily. He is an amazing father to our son...his parents should be proud of the man that they raised!
Moses just adores Doug...follows him around, asks for him when he is not there, waits for him to come home from work...and Doug does more than his "share" of parenting. He is a hands on Dad...I pray that Moses will one day truly appreciate that and all the great things about his dad.
On Sunday we went to church and Moses was just a jewel. The best best part of the day was Moses dancing and clapping along to worship and spontaneously yelling "Yay, Jesus!"...melted my heart right away. The worst part of the day was leaving Moses in nursery for the first time. Yikes! Bawling and sniffling...it was tough...please tell me it gets better...Moses and I then took Doug out for a fancy lunch. :)
Then we piddled around window shopping...one of my favorite Doug traits is that he likes to shop. :) Meg I think of you every time I see this display. :)

Another favorite Moses moment was last night before we were putting him to bed...I asked him for a kiss and he obliged...only I didn't make the kiss noise so it was a silent one...he giggled and tried again, I gave him another silent one, more giggling, more silent kisses...then he looked at me, puckered and made the kiss noise...as if to say "this is what it should sound like"...then Doug did it to him...more giggling and funny baby...a great way to end our day. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And today I found out that I am a featured artist on a local website. cvillestyle.com
How fun is that?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And the winner of the loot this week was Bethany!! She was the first to guess 55 bouncy balls! Yay, Bethany!!...Watch out next Friday for another fun giveaway...and coming later this week...a super fun announcement...what will it be?
One more fun thing...check out the new market tote in the shop! Get it while you can...and if you miss it and need one let me know quickly...you never know how long they will be available. :)
And finally...a plea for prayers and advice. Do you have a yucky(for lack of a better word) person in your life? Someone who only brings hurt and drama into your life but no matter what you do or how you beg you cannot get them out of your life for good? I do. And I have tried it all...begging, writing, praying, ignoring, having others who are relevant to the situation write, pray, beg and ignore...but nothing. I was doing well and thought that this person was finally getting the hint, was finally moving on...only to receive another email from them. Yes, I could have just hit delete but I am an eternal optimist...I really wanted to hear them out and hope against hope that they had changed. This person has done nothing but reek havoc in my life from the day I was "introduced" to them via several emails they wrote to my then fiance' telling him what a huge mistake he was making by marrying me. So I read the email. And immediately recognized the pattern that they go through in my life...drama, accuse, judge, talk it out, friend, we don't live up to their expectations, drama, accuse, etc...repeat. And immediately felt yucky. Not knowing what else to do, I went to their blog...after days of digesting the email...to see if the change was true...if I should, like a fool, give them another chance. But no. More lies and judgments. This time, they stated that I didn't want to be their friend because I was jealous that I could see God pouring into their life and not mine. More baloney. I immediately deleted the email to remove the temptation to say anything to them...but it sits there in my trash can and mocks me every time I log in. The worst part is that they don't even know me. Literally. They have never met me. I am at a complete loss as to how to get rid of the yucky feelings this person gives me...or rather that I let them have the power to give me...I can promise that there is no malice in my heart for them, no anger or lack of forgiveness...I have long ago learned that un-forgiveness and anger only hurt the one carrying it.

Honestly the only non-positive thing that I associate with this person is dread aka yuck(dread for the drama and mess they spread). I just want to be left alone but that doesn't seem to be happening so this is where I need help and/or prayers. Is there something I can do? Is there a verse I can cling to to take away their power to fill me with dread? Give me anything you got that may help. I just don't know what to do anymore. If the answer truly is to ignore...then I need some prayer support to do that. Talking it out with them has proven over and over to not be an option. And a protective order seems to be taking it a little far.............just kidding. ;)

So please comment away...I am anxious for your replies. :)

Lake Love Flashbacks

We went to the lake this morning. Moses was in love!

He did a lot of this. And a LOT of walking through the water. He is completely fearless in the water and that makes me and his swimming champ of a dad happy too.

Here he is saying "cheese".

And even though I felt like a complete tubba in a bathing suit and was having some serious stomach pains...we had a great time. Moses is sleeping it off. :)

We stopped at this out of the way little coffee place. Not sure if you have heard of it. The other day when we were at Target they were handing out samples of a new Lemonade Frappuchino and I was dying for a real sized one. When we tried to order one today (at a different location) they were appalled that we ever knew about it...because it is not due out for few more days. I can't wait...that sample was yummy.

And just for fun...here is Moses and I at the lake last year (2007).

And here we are the year before that. (2006)

I hope your weekend is blessed. I know mine already is. :)

Make a Guess-Get Some Loot!

Here is what's up for grabs this week!

I call this collection birds and bugs!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment guessing how many bouncy balls are in this jar!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One guess per person and you can't guess a number that has already been guessed!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'll choose the winner on Monday!

Happy Friday!

All things bright and beautiful...

Moses wore these around the house yesterday afternoon...
...is it weird of me to wish he would do this more?
It made him have a cute little walk.

Moses is the only model I have for things this size...Doug was not happy when Moses started dancing as soon as I put it on him. :) Don't worry...it's going to cousin Kyleigh.

Here are my absolute favorite towels at the moment! Have you ever seen a happier towel? There is a set in the shop right now!

And in case you didn't know, since it would be such a shame to miss out...the "good" ribbon at Micheal's is on sale for $1!! A super great deal.

Thanks to everyone who offered kind words through comments, calls and emails. I truly feel the love...I usually am a little thicker skinned but meanness for the sake of being mean always gets to me...especially when it was SO random and pointless! Thanks for being sweet to me!
Love you in a non creepy internet friend kind of way!*

*thanks meg!

Tomorrow is giveaway day!
Come back then to see what is up for grabs and what you can do to grab it!

Day off!

Pardon me while I recover from a not so nice comment or two...
...kind of sucks the inspiration right out of you, you know?

How to get your Etsy on...

But first I have to show off the cute skirt I made for my niece...

So cute...if I do say so myself!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

OK, so here goes a lot of reading for all you Etsy starter uppers. This is by no means "professional" advice just things that I know that I do in my Etsy experience that make a difference. If any of you other Etsy folks have something to add please comment! If any of you Etsy buyers would like to leave us some hints about what you like to see in a shop, practice and policy wise, leave a comment for that, too. :)

1. List often and at different times of the day. Mondays and Fridays are my best days. The weekends are usually slow...especially if the weather is nice! :) I try to post right before I go to bed. :)

2. No copying others...ever...it just is so not cool to do. It is one thing to be inspired by someone but quite another to copy them completely and call it your own. I have had experience with people copying both my items and my blog posts...neither makes me feel very happy...and I always find out about it. :)

3. If you are looking to get a part time income out of it, you have to treat it like a part time job. Be professional. You can't jump in just when you need a few bucks. If you are looking to just have a hobby and some extra cash now and then, then you have to be OK with sporadic sales. :) Both ways are good ways! I am not saying one is better than the other.

4. Be YOU. Have fun, enjoy yourself, this will show through in your shop and all that you make. If you don't love what you are doing than you need to find something else...it's no fun to force yourself to make things that don't make you happy.

5. Take great photos. Use natural lighting, it always makes for the best photos. Try fun and different angles...choose your backgrounds with care.

6. Be nice and courteous to all of your customers and Etsy peers. Don't ever think that you can get away with being not so nice to others...it will always come back to find you. :)

7. Price your items fairly. Don't way overprice...you won't become a millionaire via Etsy. At the same time don't under price either...that makes it harder for those of us who price items competitively.

8. No whiney shop announcements! I have seen people actually put in their shop announcement that they are in desperate need for gas/milk/diapers/etc. For me that makes me leave the shop right away mostly because there is no way to judge if this is a true need or someone just trying anything to make a sale but also because that is just not a way to run a business...you wouldn't have a "real" shop owner approach you like that?!

9. Have bargain sales sometimes but not ALL the time. You don't want people thinking you are desperate for sales...be patient sales will come!

OK. That is all I can think of for the moment but I am sure I will think of more later...leave any questions or comments you want and I will try to answer/respond as best I can. :) And you can always email me at littlebitfunky.etsy@gmail.com!

Happy day to you!

Welcome to the bean farm!

So, some time back I mentioned that I gave Moses a tray of rice to play with...later I added a bag of dry beans to that tray and let him have at it some more. Sometimes we would take it outside...he was happy as a lark, scooping away and having a blast. Now if you ever wondered to yourself...could you plant these dry beans and would they grow?...the answer is yes. I have about 30 bean plants or so to prove it...sporadically placed around the entire yard in a way that only a toddler in his own world could. :) They make me smile every time I see them so I have no intention of getting rid of them. :)

This boy has been a joy of all joys lately. I am soaking up the fact that he is and has always been such an easy baby. People have always told me that things about him would change...that his hair would fall out(never happened), that the calm sweet nature that he had in the hospital would be replaced with a more typical personality (never ever happened), that he would outgrow this or that...none of those ever happened either. As far as parenting goes...he has been easy as pie...yes there have been days that weren't great, nights he wouldn't sleep (until we met Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child) but all in all I have nothing to complain about. Today I am especially thankful for the joy and sweetness that is Moses.
He makes me especially proud lately because he will say thank you to strangers who give things to him...like the snack lady at story time or the grocery bagger giving him stickers. A 20 month old toddler who is using please and thank you UN-prompted in such a sweet voice makes my heart melt like butter and my eyes tear up just typing this. Yes, I am thankful for this sweet blessing of a boy.
One more...I just taught him to say "cheese" when I take his photo...for some reason, this pose goes along with saying it. Ok, sappy over...I have decided to paint my dining room...right now it is a shade called brick hearth...I love it but I want something brighter to compliment the shade of my living room which I ADORE. :) A bright and cheery shade of green it is...but which one?

Lots of new cards going into the shop today...

This weekend I made a couple of gifts for sweet little Meira who just turned one! The skirt above is waaaay cuter in person...I am pretty proud of it...considering I had to alter the pattern that is a 5-6 to fit a 12m old. :)

I also made her this way fun tu-tu...Moses may or may not have looked super cute in it. :) My niece will be getting one of each of the above. :)

And the WINNER!
Is Julie from Joy's Hope who guessed Washington D.C!! Technically my friend Pam guessed it first so I will be sending Pam some goodies too...silly me failed to remember that people who actually know me read this too...so I withheld Pam's guess to keep the guessing going. :)

Look for another GIVEAWAY next Friday!!

Have a happy day and be sure to go check out the new goodies in the shop!

Oh, oh, oh and someone asked about Etsy tips for success...tomorrows post will be dedicated to that so come back tomorrow! :)

Stylin' and profilin'

Just me showing off my adorable son again. :)

He is wearing one of my favorite outfits of his at the moment. :)

You see any Moses in this face? (That is baby Me by the way).

Moses looked more like me until he got his first major haircut but he still has my brown eyes.

Me and my little brother...is it just me or does that bunny look terrified?

Who can forget the Glo-worms and Cabbage Patch Kids...
...this one is named Rodney Dale...I still have him. :) Me with my little sister...like 10 years ago...loved my pixie haircut
and yes my sister is still this skinny. :)

Busy busy weekend...lots of new goodies in the shop on Monday! :)
Have a blessed and beautiful weekend!

It's GIVEAWAY day!!!!!!

No, you can't have him but couldn't you just squish him he is so cute! :)

Here is this giveaways bag of goodies...full of papers, flowers, embellishments, tags, ribbons...

Stickers, hearts, cute little tin and way way more...

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on THIS POST. :) In that comment leave a guess for what major U.S. city you think I was born in! The closest answer wins!! You can guess more than once as long as someone else didn't already guess it! So tell all your friends and get to it!

I'll choose the winner on Monday!

Have a happy Friday!