The world is white and sparkly!

A gorgeous Robin in our persimmon tree...

Today is day three of ice and snow in Branson, MO. We were happy, though, when the sun emerged, and we ran outside to play! I was able to get within four feet of this amazing robin to take her picture! The birds have just been going crazy since the ice hit! They are all over the trees, and eating the feeders empty every day! 

Stop by to browse our Ice Day Sale! All items in the Sale section are $5 and under and all have free shipping! 

Brrr! Ice Day Sale!

We're iced in! To celebrate, we're having a Free Shipping Sale in our Etsy Store! So come on over and peruse our 

SALE Section! 

For Crown and Country... and maybe a Prince

Click here to view and comment on Sister Feud!

Oh this was a fun Treasury to make! I started with Hattie Albino, a fabulous and haunting print by AmberAlexander. This artist does amazing work and I really encourage you to check out her Etsy Shop. She brings such human emotion to the animals she paints. Some are adorable and some seem almost menacing. I love art that evokes feelings, whether welcome, or uncomfortable. To me, an emotional connection is the true value of art. 

Once I had Hattie in place, I went in search of regal items to accompany her. While searching for "goth lace" I ran into the Victorian Inspired Neck Corset and the model struck a similar chord as Hattie! Brilliant! 

So now I had two beautiful ladies. I went in search of a Prince. Instead I found a Frog. But he really looks like he could be a Prince if only regal lips would find their way to his slimy skin.

I added in some ruby red items, a vintage jewelry box, and some fearful citizens, and there you go! A Treasury that tells a tale of menace, greed, and heartbreak. Please come pay a visit and leave a comment. :) 

Valentine Treasury West

My Darling, Your Valentine Awaits...

Here's my Valentine Treasury West! So many sweet items! Please come visit and look around!

♥  

While I wait for the Treasury to open...

Oh it's been forever since I've done a meme! I used to do them all the time when I first joined Live Journal several years ago! I should have known they'd be around Blogger as well! 

I have been tagged by MaryMarsh! I will now list 8 random things about myself and then tag 8 other bloggers. Here goes!

1. I met my fiance on Live Journal! 

2. I was Prom Queen!

3. I still have the tiara!

4. I hate ice in drinks- I'd rather drink it warm!

5. I have a heart-shaped birthmark in my armpit!

6. I have a matching one on my arse!

7. I have three large tattoos and can't wait for my next!

8. I'm crazy about cold kid cereals! I can eat a box a day!

Here are the 8 people I am tagging- feel free to participate but don't feel bad if you can't! :) 

1. Bookwormz 

2. Bonz

3. SpunkbyCM

4. Julie-Ann @ Heavenleighart

5. ButterCup @ Worksofartbysara

6. Dana @ DlPom

7. BoutiquebyBonnie

8. Steve (my fiance) @ Environmental-Perspective

Longing for Spring

Bird Gazing

These are my cats, Lily (petite, in the window) and Spooky (large and downcast). During the warmer months you never see these two indoors. But it's Winter now, and you can see they are quite depressed about it. I keep the kitchen window sill mostly cleared off to accommodate furry perchers. They sit and stare at the bird feeders, and you can just see the want in their fuzzy faces. Soon the weather will clear and they will be out hunting once again. But for now, the finches, cardinals, bluejays,  and occasional woodpecker rule the porch. :)

Featured in Treasury West!

Thank you, bubbletime, for featuring our Tip Your Hat Birdhouse in your Treasury!

Click here to view and comment!

Then go check out the curator's shop! Lots of cute items there! 

Advancing On

Little Vintage Friends

Come visit us on Flickr!

So I started a Flickr account for Times And Chimes. I'm not sure if it will affect business, but I've seen a lot of people mentioning Flickr in the Etsy Forums. If nothing else, it is another opportunity to make connections with people, and to find more unique handmade items for myself! There are sooo many photos on Flickr! You can browse around and search for almost anything at all! 

Do you remember the days of film and film developing? So many rolls just never made it to the store- just sat in a drawer and began to disintegrate. Technology amazes me. What we do each day on Etsy was absolutely unheard of in the not-so-distant past! Just look how far we've come!

Smooshy Mooshy

Vote for your favorite "I Love You" items on Etsy! 

Heart's Desire Birdhouse

Oh my stars! Mom and I are so stunned to be included in Etsy's How Do YOU say Love Poll! There are so many great items to choose from! I voted for this wicked original card;

Card by paperstories

My fiance is an Environmental Scientist, so of course, I'm contemplating getting him this Valentine! It's so clever! 

Should I have voted for myself? I've never felt right about doing so. What's your opinion?

♥  ♥  ♥

Peacock Cafe

Click to enter The Peacock Cafe!

Here's my newest Treasury West, Peacock Cafe! Can you see why I named it so? I love these creamy, dreamy items! There is such an intense display of talent in this treasury. Every shop is filled with lovely, unique items! I encourage you to go look around, and maybe even shop a little!

Give a little love away!

Valentine Art by BeeDazzlesGifts

Have you heard about Etsy's Share Your Love Project? If not, click away to see the Storque article! The gist is that Etsy is inviting all of us to make and send, or purchase and send, Valentine cards to them to hand out to Meals On Wheels recipients! As if doing something kind in the name of love isn't enough, Etsy is setting up a showcase of participating shops! Isn't that nice! 

I "ran" right out to my favorite card maker, BeeDazzleGifts, whom I've purchased many cards from in the past, and she put together a custom listing for me. She is so kind!

Do you have a favorite card maker? Do you make your own cards? If so, I encourage you to reach out and lend a hand in Etsy's Share Your Love Project! It will make you feel so good! ♥

New Treasury!

Click here to view my new Etsy Treasury! 

My inspiration for this Treasury was the cute pink Newsboy hat featured in the top middle. Isn't that a fantastic little photo!? She inspired me to find other "news-worthy" items to share! 

Do you have a current Etsy Treasury or Treasury West? If so, link me in the comments! Did you know numerous clicks and comments help push a Treasury toward the Front Page of Etsy? That's why I seek out Treasuries made by my friends and look at each of the items! It's fun to promote one another in the kind spirit of Etsy! Carry on! :)

The Love Of Handmade

My kitchen window bluebirds ♥

Want to know a secret? I'm WILD about handmade pottery. Like WILD- totally. I'm going to tell you about one of my very favorite Etsy shops- Mudhutt ♥

Live, Laugh, Love Magnets $12

Mudhutt uses little bits of clay to create gorgeous works of art. Her style is simple and friendly. Sweet words, little hearts, flowers, and bluebirds grace many of her works. She makes magnets, pendants, dishes, and hanging designs for home and garden.

Seek Bliss Wall Tag $12

I do hope you take a few minutes to go peruse Mudhutt over on Etsy. I'm sure you'll find something you'll love! I've given her pieces as gifts and kept some for myself. I find joy each time I look upon my sweet handmade treasures! 

You know you look good!

Click to view my new Treasury West- I am PRETTY!

Do you have a current Treasury or Treasury West? If so, link me in the comments! I would love to go support you and the artists you've chosen! :)

Handmade Goodness

Soft, warm, red, and handmade with ♥

I just love getting packages in the mail! Last week I participated in a Treasury that Etsy user sosorosey held in honor of her friend's birthday. Because I purchased a little item from her dear friend's store, sosorosey gifted me with one of her handmade yarn bowls! She even let me choose the color! I chose red because it's just such a vibrant and warm color to have around the house, and I especially enjoy red crocheted items. 

I'm not sure what I'll do with my little red bowl. I put my cell phone in it. Then I tried some change. Then some lipgloss. Then some vintage buttons. Nothing seems to fit it just right yet. I'll keep trying and let you know! 

Time to get dolled up!

Click to see my treasury, Carnival Time!

My inspiration for Carnival Time was the fine art photo "Step Right Up" by Etsy shop Everydaymoments. I've had it saved in My Favorites for weeks! I had to find the right mix of green and cream colored items to go along with it. I ended up concocting a story in my mind of a young girl in the 1950's, getting ready for a date with a handsome young man. She has just the right accessories and she watches the clock as she slips on her shoes and puts on her shrug. 

It's fun to imagine! :)

Do you have a current Treasury on Etsy? If so- link in the comments! 

Finch Pair

Well look here! Two colorful finches are snacking away!

I think it's safe to say this house feeder is a hit! I think I will make more like this to put up on Etsy! 

Test Run Cutie

Aww, can you see the sweet bird butt in this picture? This was taken from our kitchen window, so it's a little blurry and dark, but I tried to lighten it so you could see the... robin? I'm unsure, but it did have a blush-colored chest. So yes, we'll go with robin.

Robin is eating from a unique little feeder/house I made. Let's call it a prototype. I used two copper colored tin molds for feed holders and screwed them onto the front of one of our handmade birdhouses. I wanted to test it out before I made another to sell on Etsy, so we nailed it up next to our other feeders on the back deck.

The first day it was up, the birds acted as if they didn't even notice. I knew, of course, that they DID see it, but they were being very, very wary. I mean, this could be a trap, right? 

So we waited and watched and waited and watched. Then today my fiance brought me the camera and showed me this shot! Hurray! I was so pleased! 

If I make another like this for Etsy, I will need to remember to drill a few draining holes in the tins. Otherwise it will become a birdbath as soon as it rains.  :)

~

Mom completed some really original houses today! By the time I saw them, it was too dark to photograph them, so that will have to wait until tomorrow. But I can't WAIT to get them up on the Etsy shop! She did some really neat things with perches that I think will really impress some bird-loving folks! 

Until then, thanks for reading my blog and have a wonderful weekend! ~Angie

Blue Bliss Treasury West

Click to view this Treasury

Here's my latest treasury! I just LOVE creating treasuries! Have you tried it? If you'd like to learn how, check out this wonderful Etsy article. Making treasuries is a great way to become part of the Etsy community. You are able to show off your favorite items, and help promote the stores you enjoy! In return, people get used to seeing your name in the curator's position at the top of the treasury, and sometimes you may get some views too! I always send convos to the people I feature. I usually get happy replies and thank yous, and I have even had people feature me in their treasuries as a thank you gift! Besides all the promotional fun, making Etsy treasuries is a fun creative outlet- something I can do in the evenings from the warmth of my own home, without having to work too hard! 

The payoffs are great! Make a treasury today! :)

Gratitude

New Listings!

Ok, how fun is my job, seriously?! I have found such joy in making birdhouses with my Mom! It's been a great opportunity for us to enjoy each other's company, put our creative minds together, and really do something that is rewarding! I am thankful for this! 

Farewell, Friendly Holiday

Today I packed away the holiday decorations and we took down the tree. I suppose it's a bit sad, being that I adore my holiday decorations. Most of them are handmade by myself and my mother, and others are gifts from loved ones. It's sad to put things like that away in the attic! I swear one day I'll have a house with a Christmas Room where it will be snowy and candy cane stripes year round! Until then, farewell to my festive friends.

Photography

Before

Today we had sunny skies and bearable temperatures. Finally, a good day for photography! :o)

I've been going through my Etsy Listings and trying to better my photographs, descriptions, and tagging. One by one, I choose birdhouses, take them outside, search for the right place to display them, and try my hand at steady, clear photography. Once I'm successful I upload new photos and edit my listings, and often renew a few items every few days. It's nice to see the shop beginning to evolve into a more professional venue. 

The majority of our online sales come from brand new Etsy accounts, or accounts that have little feedback. This tells me that we are generally sought out through the search tools and what lands our sales is likely our photographs. These observations drive me to get out and try to improve my photography skills every day that I'm able. 

After! Click here to see the listing on Etsy!