Smu's SPOOKY Friday Finds (Round 2!)

Spooky Suds Halloween Soap Collection (sunbasilgarden)

Spooky Album (heartspeak)

Vintage Typewriter Key Bracelet HaLLowEEn SpOOkY BOO (webbysue)

Ghost and Pumpkin Handmade Lampwork Bead Set SRA (REMLampwork)

Death by Chocolate (twolefthands)

Smu's SPOOKY Friday Finds!

One Cuddlesome Candy Corn.... (scrumptiousdelight)

Falling leaves clothespins (mykonos)

Claude the mouse and his wee pumpkin house (goldenneedlecreation)

Glittering Halloween Sticker Pack (ChelseaVanTol)

Skull and Crossbones Soap (karenssoaps)

Wish List Wednesday!

Handbound wood journal by Crearting

I have a real soft spot for unique journals, despite the fact that I don't actually keep a diary :) They are incredibly useful and oh-so-much-cuter than a notebook! I have a several handmade journals in my Etsy favorites, but this rustic wooden design holds a special place in my heart (and in my personal wish-list!)

Crunch Time in Smu-Land!

With the Saturday 9/12 Designers’ Downtown Market in Raleigh, NC rapidly approaching it is definitely crunch time in Smu-Land! Thankfully the process of craft-show prep gets a little easier each time through lessons learned at previous shows. For example, I now have a tackle box full of craft show essentials that is always packed up and ready when show time rolls around, which serves the dual purpose of 1. Saving time, and 2. Making sure I don’t forget something important (like scissors, or tape—both essential!). I’ve also dedicated the awesome wallet I purchased from Madbird on Etsy as my show cash wallet and I still have enough $1s to make change at the show, which means I don’t need to go to the bank first! Hooray!

My displays are currently up in my craft room for the “dry-run” set up I do before every show. Tonight’s prep task will be pricing/tagging any new work that isn’t already tagged. After that I can pack up my inventory and maybe, just maybe, find a little time to relax before the show. ;)

Smu's Friday Finds: Harvest Gold

With fall rapidly approaching, I'm devoting this week's Friday Finds to "Harvest Gold", the wonderful rich yellow-gold hue so popular on appliances in the 70's. Whenever I hear "Harvest Gold" I think of my Mom's kitchen from my early childhood :)

Hand embroidered fiber wall art DRAGONFLIES AND THISTLES

Honey
Golden Leaves, Leather Journal, Suede
Amber oval Earthling ring sterling silver

Wish List Wednesday

Today's Wish-List Wednesday item is from GeekDetails, a perennial favorite of mine on Etsy, and a fellow member of the Etsy Twitter Team :) I love this print for so many reasons--it perfectly describes how I feel about my hubby, while playing to both my quirky personality and general facination with the brain! Well done GeekDetails!

Sneak Peek: New Work for 9/12 Show!

As promised, here is another sneak peek at my new work for the upcoming Designers' Downtown Market in Raleigh, NC on Saturday September 12th. This latest version of my Seahorse Bauble pendant features lovely labradorite faceted stone beads and dainty matching earrings :)

It's That Time Already?!?!

Once again time has slipped by alarmingly fast, and I find myself with only a few weeks left before SmuTopia's next show! On Saturday September 12th SmuTopia will be setting up a booth at the Designer's Downtown Market in Raleigh, NC. As always, it is my goal to have as much new inventory as possible for the DDM to keep my returning customers coming back for more! :) Stay tuned for more sneak-peeks at my new work for this show!

Smu's Friday Finds: Geek Chic!

NES Two Player Controllers in Mountain Dew - vegan soap set - Parody from DirtyAssSoaps

Jet Black Robot Graphic Print Future Style Girls Cap Sleeve Vintage Soft Alternative Apparel T-Shirt in S, M, L, XL from happyfamily

Duck Hunt MAGNETS from Slevin11

iPod Bot - Polymer Clay Robot Necklace from loveclay

I heart my computer, it is where my friends live 2.25 inch pinback button from geekdetails

Twitter Garden: Etsy Twitter Team Treasury!

Check out my Treasury!

Smu's Friday Finds: Genus Hippocampus (aka SeaHorses)

For my fellow science-geeks, here is taxonomy of the SeaHorse:

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Syngnathiformes
Family Syngnathidae
Genus Hippocampus

Seahorse - Poofy Sleeve Top by stevester

Seahorse mug...in seafoam and aqua by vesselsandwares

The Nautical Wayfarer Purse in Deep Sea Blue Corduroy by peskycatdesigns

Seahorse -Tiny PebbleGlyph(c) Pendant by sjengraving

Smu's Friday Finds: Lichen Lover

Today's first round of nature-inspired handmade items come from these excellent Etsy shops: ZenCeramics, MagdaLinen and Ottoman.

Blue Fungi Stoneware Bottle - Inspired by Nature

Linen Thread Lariat. Delicate Crocheted. Lighr Olive Green. Lichen Pincushion

Smu's Friday Finds Round 2: Fake Food!

Round two is one of my perennial favorites--things that look like food, but aren't :) Be sure to click the links above each pic and give these items some love!

Petit Mini Cake Assortment Brooch Pin

Best Friend Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

Stack o' Pancakes Necklace

Felted Sushi nO. 4 (14 pcs.)

Smu's Friday Finds: Baseball!

I am a BIG baseball fan (I bet it won't take long for you to guess my team!), and it always makes me smile to see baseball-themed handmade items :) Here are a few of my favorites in honor of America's Passtime.

Authentic Baseball Sterling Silver Cufflinks by QACreate

Wooden Doll, Ball Player by TheEnchantedCupboard

B is for Baseball - Whimsical 8x10 Original Fine Art Print by MCKPhotography

Baseball Swing for the Fences Vinyl art sports decal by Wallspoken

Friendly Fenway- Print by Knight27

I Snagged a Treasury! EtsyTwitter Team Pretty in Pink

It has been months since I last created a treasury (I never seem to be online at the right time) so I was thrilled to snag a spot in the main treasury on Etsy while I was home on my lunchbreak! The items featured are all from members of the EtsyTwitter Team :)

Smu's Friday Finds, Round 2: Pretty Posies

Here's my second round of Friday Finds: Pretty Posies! I found so many that I've adjusted the format for this round to fit in more selections (including one of my own items that fits the theme!) Links to each of the listings featured here are listed numerically below :)

1 - Handmade Original Map Paper Rose pin International
By hopeandjoystudios.etsy.com
2 - Blossoms--Peaches and Cream Earrings
By smutopia.etsy.com
3 - Simplicity Essential Patchwork Bag in Fresh Poppies
By Antiquebasketlady.etsy.com
4 - Flower Cupcake Toppers ' Spring Celebration '
By millalove.etsy.com
5 - the kayla headband
By monkeyandsquirrel.etsy.com
6 - I Love You Petals. flower plush
By lapomme.etsy.com
7 - True Blue Flower Sterling Silver Ring
By Nafsika.etsy.com
8 - Pink Fairy Rose Lariat Scarf Necklace
By knittingguru.etsy.com
9 - Sailors Valentine inspired Ivory SHELL BLOSSOM Brooch Pin
By MermaidsBaubles.etsy.com

Smu's Friday Finds: Canadian Geese (for Mom!) :)

Per my Mom's request, my first round of Friday Finds this week are all items featuring Canadian Geese! Be sure to click the links to give these items and the shops they came from some handmade love!

Canada Goose Earrings

Felted Canada Goose Tapestry

Geese in Flight

Canada Goose Pendant

Geese (8 x 10)

I've Joined the Virtual Craft Show at Cafe Handmade!

Today is the first day of SmuTopia's month-long exhibit on Cafe Handmade's Virtual Craft Show!

Be sure to stop by and cast your vote for best-in-show! I'll be keeping an eye on Google Analytics to see how much traffic is generated for my Etsy shop from this $10 investment. Wish me luck :)

Rockin' the DDM--Smu's Successful Day!

This past Saturday was the third Designers' Downtown Market for 2009 and without a doubt it was my most successful show to date! I was given a prime location in the Ornamentea parking lot just inside the entry across from the Popsicle Vendor Locopops (which was great for traffic as the day grew warmer!)

Despite a few incidents early in the day (in my clumsiness I knocked over and broke a ceramic hand and one of my star-shaped mirrors while setting things up) my displays held up well and there were no wind-related catastrophes :) The wooden hands generated lots of comments as they always do, and I got quite a few compliments on the suitcase. In fact, several returning customers remembered my set-up for previous shows and commented on the overall progress I have made in improving my booth, which made me very happy! In addition to my returning customers, I also had a special visit from my Twitter friend TheSickChick! Keep an eye on her blog as she will be posting about the DDM and may just include a photo of the two of us in my booth!

Messy Jessie: Progress! (at least on one wall)

As promised, here is the latest update on my craft room organization series (aka "Messy Jessie"). The photo above is from a different angle than the last photos, and shows the section of the room that looks the best :) I've actually gone through all of the drawers in the rolling organizer on the left, which now hold my SmuTopia paperwork and tag-making materials as well as overflow jewelry supplies still in their original packaging. The end table in the middle was actually my childhood nightstand, which came out of storage when I was a kid and is who-knows-how-old. The organizer on top of the end table is one of my favorite creations--a gigantic pencil/marker/etc holder made out of old tin cans attached to a 2x4 :)

I have a day off tomorrow (Friday 7/3) and hope to have more photos showing additional progress.......wish me luck!