Right As Rain Creations

The Things I Do for My Kids...

2011-12-07T22:14:00.001-08:00

So we are a family of five living on one full-time income. I make my own bath & body products and sell them via Etsy as a way to bring in extra money for all those little things our budget doesn't allow - an occasional DVD for the kids, a treat to Dairy Queen, Christmas presents, etc.

One of the ways I earn a little more is through a website called the SuperPoints Network. Now there are all sorts of sites you can join to earn points for various things through various methods. I've tried several and so far SuperPoints has been the easiest and most rewarding. For one thing, you can earn points without having to sign up for or buy anything. Even at the basic level, you get 30 clicks a day on the Superpoints Button! I've earned 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and even 50 points on a click and I usually get 3-5 winning clicks each day. I've also earned points taking surveys and I do have two people who have signed up using one of my invites (once you hit two, you get points whenever they win them and your number of clicks on the SuperLucky Button increases, thus giving you more chances to win points!)

In the last month, I've already earned enough points to redeem $5 in PayPal cash - and I haven't signed up for or bought a single thing (well, apart from signing up for SuperPoints in the first place, of course)! That's another reason I love SuperPoints - I can get PayPal cash instead of having to order a gift card to somewhere specific. Since I do a lot of my online buying via my PayPal account and I have a PayPal debit card, this is extremely convenient for me. (You can redeem for gift cards to various places as well.)

UPDATE 12/27/11: I have now earned $10 PayPal cash - it is already in my PayPal account burning a hole in my pocket, waiting to be spent. :) I am loving SuperPoints!!

UPDATE 1/25/11: I have enough to redeem my 2nd $10 PayPal cash award and am over 25% to a third, but I'm saving up my points until I find myself saying, "Oh if only I had the money for THAT!" ;D

So... if you want to give it a try, would you mind using one of the below codes to sign up? Each code can only be used once, so I will try to keep this list updated as the codes are used. If the first one is taken, come back and grab the next one down!

1. http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/p0dce1

2. http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/5o0o2q

3. http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/vby8bx

4. http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/w0jmmw

5. http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/sv1jz5

One of These Things Does Not Belong!

2011-11-28T11:32:00.001-08:00

Well, the holiday season is upon us and I can tell the busy season has hit because I will be posting half the blog posts this month as in the two previous months. Whoops!

My husband and I have always had a "not till after Thanksgiving Day" policy regarding all things Christmas (except for buying gifts - I'll do that year-round if I see the perfect thing for someone!) Alas, this policy, like so many, has been completely ignored by our children. Our oldest especially, as he is eight and is An Authority on Just About Everything.

He is also very adept at getting into the boxes in the garage, and so delved into a Christmas box early. After strictly informing him that the box would be the only one to be opened early or he forfeits a Christmas present, I allowed the kids to get the stuff out of the box and start to decorate the house last week.

One of their favorite things is the Fisher Price Little People nativity set. All three love this toy, even though anything "Little People" in our regular toy selection is considered "baby stuff" by the boys. They had much fun and merriment setting the nativity up and setting out all the figures just so. I didn't really pay much attention until I went to look out the window at some deer the other day.

Can you spot the anomaly?

Just in case you need a hint:

Somehow I don't think the baby Jesus had blond hair, a pink bow, or a cuddly teddy bear. That would be because this is the baby from my daughter's Mom & Baby Minivan set. Apparently the nativity baby Jesus was missing, so the kids had to substitute.

All you purists out there can relax, the real Little People Baby Jesus was found later that day. All is well in the world once again!

Winner Announced!

2011-11-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

Congrats to @hminnesota for winning my Twitter lotion giveaway! :)

I'll be having another giveaway once I reach 250 "likes" on my facebook page, so pop on over and click that thumbs up button, ya hear?

http://www.facebook.com/RightAsRainCreations

The Leaves Are A-Changin'!

2011-11-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

The weather has been up and down, clear and rainy, calm and windy, and mild and cold over the past two weeks... which means, it is fall! Even though we had a very cold, wet summer, it seemed to redeem itself in the end and cling on a bit longer than usual, so fall was pushed back a bit. I was starting to think winter was going to force fall to abdicate and muscle in early because it seemed to be getting colder but the colors in the trees weren't changing.

However, I have noticed as I've been driving around this past week that there IS some beautiful color happening in our trees right now. Here is proof from my own back yard!

I love the evening sunlight in the fall and winter, too. It gets that gorgeous lemony color that I don't recall seeing in the spring and summer. I happened to run in and grab my camera just in time to capture this leaf aglow from the setting sun. Within two clicks of my camera, the sun had already dropped just enough that the light had changed and the moment was gone.

It reminded me that life itself is full of fleeting moments, and when you have one happen to you, you had better enjoy it fully because if you blink a couple times, you might miss it. As fall is rapidly giving way to the rush of the holidays that heralds the beginning of winter, I am making a vow to myself to make sure I stop blinking sometimes and open my eyes fully to those moments so that I don't miss them. Maybe I'll even have my camera handy, and I can share some of them with you!

500 Followers and a Giveaway

2011-11-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

500 Followers on Twitter! Hooray!

To celebrate, I'm having a giveaway. The winner will receive one 8-oz lotion in any of my new fall/winter scents: Enchanted Apple, Spiced Fig, Sparkling Plum, or Lump of Coal. Keep it for yourself or make someone happy by giving it as a gift!

Entering is easy, you can enter up to three times:

1. Tweet it! "I want to win lotion from @rightasrain - my scent of choice would be __________" (and obviously replace the blank with your choice of the four available scents)

2. Leave a comment on this blog entry. Just be sure to leave your Twitter name so I can find you.

3. Leave a comment on my Facebook business page (feel free to "like" my page, by the way) - again, be sure to leave your Twitter name so I can find you:
http://www.facebook.com/RightAsRainCreations

It's that simple! You may enter using each of the three methods once, for a grand total of three entries per person. NOTE: You must be following me at the time of the drawing in order to win, since this is a "thank you" to all my Twitter followers! :)

I'm sure I probably need legal jargon here. Something like all entries are free, drawing will be selected using a random number generator, I'll do my best to make the drawing fair and square, and don't sue me for any reason, because HEY, free giveaway! Note to foreign country participants: Make sure it is legal to receive my products before entering my contest. Thank you.

Edited to add: Would you like to see/read up on your choices? That might be helpful, yes? Just click each picture to go see its description & more pictures!

Um, edited again to add: Contest ends at 11:59 pm Monday, November 7th. Drawing will be sometime the next day or the day after and I will announce it forthwith. Posthaste, even.

Two New Lotions and an SNS!

2011-10-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

I've had a busy day today - especially considering I'm on my 2nd migraine in two days. I did some product photography this morning, cleaned up the pictures a bit and listed my two newest lotion scents - my holiday ones!

Sparkling Plum is a lovely sweet plum complimented by a hint of tangy citrus and softened with a touch of jasmine and light musk. A very feminine scent that I think is just gorgeous.

Lump of Coal is just flat out fun. Star anise and vanilla blend perfectly to create a scent so tempting, you'll have everyone leaning in for another whiff.

PLUS, today is Saturday, which means it is time for Etsy's SNS (Saturday Night Special) hooray! Visit my shop and use coupon code "SNS1029" to save 25% off EVERYTHING! This sale only lasts until 6 am EST Sunday so better get shopping!

Check out the SNS thread on Etsy - lots of good sales going on tonight!

http://www.etsy.com/teams/8085/the-original-saturday-night-specials-sns/discuss/9209624/page/1

Homemade Applesauce

2011-10-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

Very few things smell or taste better than fresh, warm homemade applesauce.

I made some today for my kids. We bought the apples 2 1/2 weeks ago when we went to the pumpkin farm, which is also a major apple farm in the area (BelleWood Acres) - the cashier recommended I wait a couple weeks before making applesauce because the apples would be sweeter and need less added sugar.

The apples most recommended for applesauce are Gala, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, and Fuji.

I used 8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced. I added them to a pan with 1 1/2 cups of water (which easily could have been reduced to just one cup... I had to let some of the liquid cook off at the end). Then I added 1/4 cup of sugar, several dashes of ground cinnamon and two dashes of ground cloves. The cinnamon and cloves are basically to personal taste - you could add them after cooking if you aren't sure where you stand on your spice levels. :)

Cook over medium heat until the apple slices are soft and easily mashed. You can then mash them in the pot for a lumpier sauce or run it through a food grinder for a smoother sauce.

Here are my kiddos enjoying the fruits of my labor. Well, two of my three, anyway - my younger son (the pickiest of my three) devoured his bowl so quickly, I didn't have time to get a picture!

I put one container in the freezer for later and the rest in the fridge for this week! I'm thinking pork chops might be in our near future.

Take A Closer Look

2011-10-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

I spend half my time browsing Etsy impressed by the products offered by amazingly talented artisans. I spend the other half of my browsing time impressed by their product photography. This is something I've spent years striving to improve (and believe me, there has been improvement! Y'all should see the first items I listed on Etsy. In fact, if you went to my sold history and looked at the first pages, you could!) and I'm always appreciative of other sellers who do it well.

So I made a treasury list of items I thought had excellent detail and perspective in the first listed photo of that item. I encourage you to click the picture to visit my treasury, then actually click some of the individual items so that you can see the detail I am talking about!

My Brain Is Going in Too Many Directions

2011-10-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

This week has been so busy! Of course, there are a lot of weeks I say that now that I have three kids in school. Which reminds me that I wish the "Now" me could go back and tell the "Then" me that it was true what parents of older children warned me about life being busier once kids start school. Seriously, I thought having the kids in school would free up all this extra time for me to have to myself (and in some ways it has) BUT it also means that the time outside of that is FULL OF STUFF. Appointments, field trips, parent/teacher conferences, not to mention the other stuff I'm involved in - which I try to keep to a minimum, but it seems that this year in particular, things are just getting out of hand AND MY KIDS AREN'T EVEN IN SPORTS YET. I just don't know how other moms do it! Of course, I've been assured that those other moms are saying the exact same thing about all other moms too.

Mostly, I just feel that there are all these things I want to do, that even when I have some free time to do something, I don't even know which thing to do first, and I get overwhelmed and end up doing nothing - just waste time playing a game on facebook or reading an actual book. Or a book on my Kindle, which is a real book, but not an ACTUAL book. All you avid readers out there will know what I mean.

[side note: I love my Kindle. I was afraid it would detract from my enjoyment of holding and reading an actual book, but it hasn't. I still read actual books - now I just have the chance to read MORE books because I can buy the actual books that I really want, and I can ALSO get cheaper e-books to sample new authors or genres. Since I have a hard time allowing books to leave my shelves (even ones I didn't love all that much) this has also helped the space issues we have in our house. I mean, a person can only physically store so many books in her home before her children start asking for their closet space back...]

All this to say - I wish I had more time to devote to my many interests and passions. One of which is photography and photo-enhancement/alteration. I play around and I love it, but I lose all confidence when I see the spectacular work that is out there. Trolling etsy, looking at photography, I alternate between "wow, that person is SO talented, I'd be wasting my time listing my stuff" and "wow, my stuff is definitely better than that, I should list it!" Which sounds extremely rude and pretentious now that I've typed it out, ha.

So, before I bore you to death, here is my Red Dahlia.

NEW Scent in My Shop!

2011-10-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

I ordered my fall scents over a month ago and so far have managed to get ONE of them made and listed. Is that sad? Probably. Is that life? With three kids - definitely. Things just get in the way sometime.

That being said, I chose Enchanted Apple to be the first in line, and if I do say so myself, it is amazing! My sister came over this weekend and took one sniff and had to have one!

Enchanted Apple takes advantage of the best of the apple world, being tart and sweet at the same time (how do apples DO that?) PLUS this particular apple scent is underlaid with a hint of jasmine and light musk, so it is fresh and fruity yet still manages to be soft and feminine too.

Just the color of the label makes me want to bite into a juicy apple!

Orange You Glad?

2011-10-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

So, I have a bazillion things on my to-do list and what do I spend an hour this afternoon doing? Creating a treasury list on Etsy, of course!

I just needed a mental break and putting together a treasury list is a lovely outlet for my creativity and love of window shopping while (very) marginally fulfilling my online promotion quota. Ok, that's probably a real stretch, as I don't think many people who view my treasury lists ever actually visit my shop, but I'm too tired to quibble with my non-logical side today so I'm letting it go.

Now, without further ado (because the previous ado was more than enough and it is time you get to witness the creative magnificence I have assembled) - here it is!

No, no ... no applause necessary. Just click on the picture and go click and comment on my treasury. That will be thanks enough. ;D

Pumpkin Patch Time!

2011-10-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

I absolutely ADORE fall. The crunchy leaves, the wind in the trees, the stormy rainy days, cozy meals, and the annual family trip to the pumpkin patch!

This year we decided to try out BelleWood Acres - known mostly for their apples (and they are amazing!) but they also have a pumpkin patch. BONUS: you can ride in a train of apple carts pulled by a tractor. My kids were thrilled.

You get a gorgeous view of Mount Baker while selecting your pumpkins. They've set up a great photo opportunity to take advantage of it. The cart in front is our selection of pumpkins. My oldest was excited that his pumpkin was the tallest of the five.

They also have a wonderful shopping area where you can buy fresh-made donut holes, apple cider, a wide variety of apples, caramel apples, cookies, other treats, and fun decorations! Plus, the kids can sit on this awesome rocking horse. Although, as you can see, my 2nd son was less than thrilled to share his turn with little sister, hahaha!

Despite the look on Thad's face, we had quite a fun time on this year's pumpkin picking trip. Our two boys both have extra needs plus our daughter is three, so family outings are always an unknown. Will they behave? Will we have a meltdown? Will more than one of them meltdown at the same time? (This has happened and is probably one of the most parenting stressors known to mankind, ha!) Thankfully this time everyone behaved (mostly - they ARE kids, after all - some whining is expected) and we all went home happy.

More Soap!

2011-10-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

I made more soap! This time, I even colored it. The excitement knows no limits now. I made a lavender shea butter soap, scented with lavender essential oil of course. I decided to pour most of the soap into the mold, reserving just about a quarter of it, to which I added some color. I was aiming for lavender, of course, but when I stirred in the color, it turned very very pink. However, I couldn't mess around with it because I needed to get the top layer poured before everything set up on me, so I figured "live and learn" and that this entire batch would be going into my own shower.

BUT... the next day when I went to un-mold it and cut it into bars, it was a very lovely lavender color! Hooray! The shade is more pink than blue, but it is definitely in the purple family. Phew!

In fact, here is a very rough picture - it was evening and the lighting was horrid, and this is right after I cut it, but I think it looks so pretty!

Did You Know I Like Moss?

2011-09-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

I like moss. It is a staple here in the Pacific Northwest. My favorite color is green, and I believe this is heavily influenced by my love of moss. Also, I love the word "moss." Moss, moss, moss.

If you say "moss" enough times, it ceases to have any form, function, or meaning.

However, this treasury remains pretty! Click it, and you can go see it on Etsy, and click through to each item to truly appreciate it (maybe even buy it!)

2011-09-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, as promised... Here is my finished soap block:

And here is the soap cut into bars!

Of course, now I have to wait 3-6 weeks for it to cure, but so far I think it is looking good!

I Made Soap!

2011-09-22T01:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Scaredy Soapers Anonymous.

My name is Megan and I'm scared of making cold process soap. Why? Well, there is the whole "caustic lye" angle, but really it comes down to the trace.

What is trace, you ask? For those that don't know, when making cold process soap, you mix the lye into the water and then you separately heat up your oils (fats). Then when they've cooled to the same temperature (depending on your source, this should be somewhere between 80 and 120 degrees F) you blend them together, then stir like crazy until you reach TRACE - which is when everything is perfectly blended and the fats are no longer separating out, but before the mixture thickens up to the point where you can't pour it into your soap mold.

Trace makes my blood run cold. I never have done well with things that are under pressure time-wise. Like Thanksgiving dinner. Trying to get the turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, stuffing, and green bean casserole all done at the same time is impossible for me. So the thought of bringing a mixture to trace and having only seconds to add in the fragrance & coloring, etc and then getting it stirred in and poured? I'm panicking just imagining it!

I've been making bath and body products from scratch for about six years now. I make lotion, cream, salve, lip balm, sugar scrubs, bath salts. I've even managed to make some liquid shampoo from scratch that wasn't half bad! I had some tracing issues (thus only adding to my fear) and I only ever made one batch, because my patience is about as long as a gnat's life span and I couldn't handle the cure time; which was another one of the main reasons I kept putting off making soap, ha!

However, I've long had soap lust over other B&B makers' soaps. They are so pretty! They are so fun to photograph! They are so easy to package! You don't have to be worried about them melting or leaking when you mail them to customers thousands of miles away!

So tonight, I made my first soap! I've actually gathered the equipment over several years (for instance, some of it I needed when I dipped into shampoo making) but over the last week, I've stocked up on the rest of the equipment and all the ingredients.

I even bought a book! I've read TONS of stuff online over the years, but I have to say the book is handy because everything is in one place. While waiting for my ingredients to arrive, I researched recipes. I found one that was simple and made one pound of soap. It seemed like a good place to start, but OF COURSE I couldn't leave it alone and used Majestic Mountain Sage's lye calculator to tweak it a little. Which may have been a mistake - see details later.

I laid out a towel. I set out my two containers, one for the heated oils and one for the lye solution. I pre-measured my ingredients, including my scent (Enchanting Apple!) and the colorant (which I stupidly put INTO the fragrance oil instead of dispersing into a teeny bit of water like I should have, thus causing the lovely apple-y green color to sink to the bottom and stick to the bowl and not make it into my soap at all. Mental note for next time.)

I had all my stirring utensils lined up, my thermometer ready, and my stick blender plugged in. Gloves on (and cuffed to catch any errant drips that might try to sneak down towards my elbows), goggles in place. My husband was oh so kind as to take a picture of me in all my fashionable glory. And for those of you wondering if I'm going to post said picture, the answer is HELL NO.

First I mixed my lye into my water, which involved a lot of stirring and not a whole lot of breathing (fumes are bad, mmmkay?) While that was cooling, I heated my oils. Then I waited for both to cool. When they were both around 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit, I poured my lye solution into my oils and used a stick blender to mix them together. According to one trusted source, this should have taken about 90 seconds.

This is where my fears surfaced and everything started going NOT according to my carefully arranged mental plan. At maybe the 30-second mark, I felt the mix was thickening faster than it was blending. I could still see swirls of oil that hadn't fully blended in - which is not ok, so I kept blending but my mixture was getting thicker. It was nearly pudding consistency and according to what I'd read, that was too thick. I don't even think I made it to 60 seconds of blending when I felt the mixture was fully blended and I added the fragrance oil and gave it a quick buzz to blend it in. I immediately poured it into my prepared mold, but it seemed very gloppy and thick to me. So now I'm nervous.

Was it because I tweaked the recipe to include shea butter? Maybe I should have increased the water in the lye solution just a bit to compensate (although the calculator recommended 4-6 ozs and I used 6 ozs). Did I blend at too high a temperature? The recipe that estimated 90 seconds of stick-blending also recommended combining the two mixtures at 120 degrees F. so that didn't seem to make sense - however the book I read said that lower temps would take longer to reach trace, thus making timing a little looser, which I prefer. Oh well, too late to do anything about this batch, so make a note to try a few tweaks to the next one (if this batch doesn't turn out awesome - which it may. I mean, miracles happen right? RIGHT?!)

I wrapped my molded soap in a towel and tucked it into a cupboard and now I just have to wait. I'll un-mold it tomorrow evening (if it is hard enough - but hopefully not so hard it crumbles) and cut it and take pictures to show you.

Don't worry - I only test out new products on family members. I won't list any for sale in my shop until I'm totally awesome at it. Should I start accepting bets now on how many batches that will take?

Aqua and Red Together Again

2011-09-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

This is another classic color combination - it is fresh, fun and cheery!

An Atypical First Day of School Photo

2011-09-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

So, my oldest son suffers from pretty bad anxiety. Bad enough that even though we are not the sort of parents to rush our kids to psychiatrists and doctors at every little thing they do that is out of the ordinary, we felt his anxiety levels were enough above normal to warrant medical intervention.

So he's on meds, and he's in therapy, and we are constantly working on ways to help him cope. Some days are great, some days are ok, and some days are really really hard. However, even in some of those really really hard days we can still find moments of humor, laughter and joy.

For instance, the first day of school. Every kid is a little nervous, right? Even the most excited ones probably still have at least a twinge of anxious anticipation pinging around inside of them. Isaac, on the other hand, takes that to a whole new level.

Witness his first day of school photo:

Now, this is not your typical standing by the bus or front door with a wide grin on your face first day of school photo, is it?

Despite the evidence above, he actually did get on the bus (after a lot of coaxing) and when I got a call after lunch-time from the school nurse informing me he had a tummy ache and wanted to come home, I was able to convince him to stay, and he made it the rest of the day.

However, in moments like the one above, I've found it invaluable as a stressed-out parent to find the humor in the situation. Ok, sometimes the humor doesn't strike you until later and some of the moments we've been through with him are bad enough that there just isn't any humor to be found. But God truly blessed us with our son, despite the challenges He included, and Isaac does bring so many moments of laughter into our lives.

So when I saw what he was doing, I grabbed my camera. *CLICK* There we have it - our son's first day of 2nd Grade, yay!

Note: after we convinced him to leave the house (but before we had to bribe him onto the bus) I did manage to get this shot, more closely resembling the typical First Day of School photo - albeit the smile is heavily infused with nervous grimace.

My Yellow and Navy Treasury

2011-09-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

I enjoy making treasury lists on Etsy. It is a fun challenge for myself stylistically. I love getting to roam through so many fun shops and items that I otherwise might never have discovered. Plus, it is a real joy knowing that I might be bringing attention to someone's handmade item that they've poured themselves into and maybe even get them a sale, connecting a handmade artisan with an appreciative customer.

So, without further ado, I present my latest treasury list! I used one of my favorite color combinations. I just thing this color pairing is classic and never goes out of style! So click on over and check it out!

If I Were Going Back to School

2011-09-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

If I were going back to school, I would want the following Etsy items to make the transition from summer vacation just a little sweeter. :)

Chalk Board School Supplies Bracelet by MySelvegedLife

Vintage Learning Curve Pencil Box by Mmim

Shark Bag Zipper Pencil Case by minnebites

And of course, I wouldn't want to forget a gift to my teacher! Never hurts, right? :)

Peppermint Foot Cream by RightAsRainCreations

Any teacher would welcome some of my peppermint foot cream after a long day of standing. The cream nourishes, the peppermint soothes and cools. Remember kids: A teacher with happy feet is a happy teacher indeed! (and maybe she'll go lighter on the homework as a result)

My Baby Started Preschool!

2011-09-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a very sentimental person. Not really. I haven't saved all my kids' baby teeth. I think the "souvenirs" from their infancy could fit in a small storage tote each - a couple outfits, a special stuffed toy, the hospital paperwork, and maybe a fun bib or rattle or something. I figure most of what I want to remember, I can revisit through pictures without having to store a bunch of stuff.

I don't really mourn each phase my children pass through, and to be honest, I spent all summer looking forward to when school was starting again. Ok, so mostly this was because my kids are at that constant bickering/name-calling/tattle-telling phase and I'm going insane (please, please tell me they outgrow this? Or at least get more adept at it so my involvement isn't needed? ha!) To put it mildly, I'm just not sentimental about a lot of things.

However, it kind of hit me that my very last baby, our youngest, our only daughter... is growing up. It isn't a sudden revelation, truthfully. She's always been eager to keep up with her brothers and has been eschewing anything "baby" since before she turned two. Somehow, though, this step smacked me in the face a bit.

Not that she cares. Look at her:

This is the face of excitement, folks. This is the look of months' worth of anticipation! She just did not understand my need to cuddle her and hug her and kiss her and take a bazillion photos of her this morning. She just wanted to leave already! (Note: she did cry for about two minutes after Daddy left, not realizing somehow that he wasn't going to be staying there and playing with her the entire time.)

See that sparkle in her eyes? No? Well, she is making "camera smile" face here, hahaha. The sparkle is there, trust me, and it was even sparklier when I picked her up three hours later. She spent the entire 10 minute drive home filling my ears with all the fabulous things she got to do: play with playdough! Play with her friend from Church! Hear a story about pirates stealing beans from Grandma! Eat a snack!

So, goodbye baby and hello school girl. Mama loves you the same. No, that's not true - Mama loves you even more!

Are You Ready for Halloween? Well, My Son Is!

2011-09-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

School doesn't start until next week, yet my oldest is more interested in Halloween being only 2 months away (LESS THAN TWO MONTHS NOW, as it is September 1st as I am writing this) than he is about starting 2nd grade next week.

Seriously, two weeks ago he was in the garage pulling down our Halloween decorations (I think we have five) and painstakingly placing them around the play space. I thought he was playing with Legos. Silly me.

So when a friend of mine posted a link on Twitter to one of her awesome sculptures and it happened to be a pumpkin version of Munch's "The Scream" I just had to make a Halloween treasury. I knew Isaac would flip for it.

Allow me to share it with you. You might find that Halloween decoration you never knew you always have needed! Plus, with stuff that you buy via mail, it is always safer to buy early (in fact, three items in this list have already sold, so better not hesitate!)

... and let's not talk about how this is my first post in 2011, shall we? Thank you. (Hopefully I'll post more often, but let's face it. I've made that promise before!)

Hooray for Winners!

2010-12-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to participate. :) I wish I could afford to send you all a free item! Since I can't - here are the four lucky ones who won the drawing:

Emily
Kawaiiflipchica
Alisha
K is for Calligraphy

I'll be in contact shortly!

My Etsy Shop Is Turning FOUR!

2010-12-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

On December 10th, Right As Rain Creations will celebrate four years of selling on Etsy! I want to thank all my totally rockin' awesome customers for the 1100-plus sales that have allowed me to do something I absolutely love and make a little fun money on the side.

I also want to thank Etsy, for providing such an amazing place for me to reach the world-wide online community. I love being able to send my products all over the globe. I love the friends I've made on Etsy. I told someone the other day that Etsy wasn't a business, it was a lifestyle!

So... are you wondering how I'm going to celebrate this year?
(drumroll please)

I'm having A SALE and A GIVEAWAY!

Check out my Etsy shop at RightAsRainCreations.etsy.com and search "4 YEARS on ETSY SALE" to find all my discounted items. Here's a few selections from my personal favorites!

4 oz Peppermint Foot Cream

Root Beer Lip Balm

Lavender Skin Salve

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
Browse my shop. Post a comment here with a link to an item you like. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win (email address, Etsy username, or Twitter username).

On December 10th, sometime after noon, I will randomly pick FOUR winners who will get to choose ANY ONE ITEM in my shop as their prize! (note: it doesn't have to be the item you post in your comment)

I will pick four individual winners, so you can only win once. However, you may post as many comments with links as you like and each one will get you an entry, increasing your odds of winning!

BONUS! I'll also pick one person who "likes" my page on facebook to win an item as well! This person CAN be one of the blog winners, so you have a chance to win two items!

Now, GO! Look, Link, SHOP! :)

Flashback Friday - Trimming the Tree

2010-11-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

My blogger friend Tia has inspired me to flashback on Fridays (when I remember) and this Friday her flashback inspired mine as well.

Since getting married, my husband and I have established the tradition of getting our tree the day after Thanksgiving. Now that Aaron works on that Friday serving a huge Thanksgiving feast to the homeless community, we've pushed our tree expedition back to Saturday or Sunday dependent on weather, but we like to get our tree as soon as possible so we can enjoy it for as long as we can.

Getting a real tree is a must for both of us. It is what we grew up with, and living where we do, I can't imagine celebrating Christmas without the crisp heady aroma of a real tree scenting the air! Last year was our first Christmas in our new home, and my husband managed to catch the sweetest photos of the kids as we started to decorate the tree.

Isaac was six last year, and took the task of decorating very seriously. You can see how intent he is upon his job.

Thaddeus has some developmental delay and is very sensitive about getting his hair cut, so in order to get through the ordeal as quickly as possible, my husband completely buzzes it twice a year. Last year he did it for the first time just before Christmas. So Thad looks like a recovering cancer patient in all his photos - but apart from choking on a bit of hair and throwing up, it was the least painful haircut he'd had in four years.

Also, see how he put all the jingle bells on the end of one branch? That was his decorating style last year. We had four very over-laden branches where he'd chosen to decorate. I left them like that because it was too cute!

Miriam was 21 months and this was the first year she was aware of the hoopla surrounding Christmas. She saw her older brother sniff the tree, so of course she had to as well.

This set of three photos makes my heart swell with love, and maybe with a touch of sadness because already the kids have grown up more since this time last year and have left these stages behind, and I just want to gather those moments up and hide them inside me, where I can keep my kids safe and no one can ever ever hurt them.

Of course, that's not possible, and I wouldn't be where I am today if my mom had done the same to me, after all. So as I look back over this past year, all our ups and downs, all the tears cried (many by me), all the stress, worry, fear, angst over my children (it's been a hard year), and even the laughter too - I realize that my kids will grow up no matter what I do, so I'd better just do the best I can and take lots of pictures along the way.

Give the Gift of Luxury!

2010-11-14T22:29:00.000-08:00

I created a treasury at Etsy - a collection of 16 items that I focused around the theme of giving luxury to your friends and family, because you know they deserve it (well, some of them anyway, ha).

Of course, you can always find luxe gifts for body, bath, and home by searching for "teamluxe" on Etsy!

Flashback Friday - Oh Where Oh Where Did the Sippy Cup Go?

2010-11-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a fellow mommy blogger, I'm posting my very first Flashback Friday blog post!

A few years ago, I was attempting to teach my kids to start picking up after themselves (ha, moms get some crazy ideas in their heads sometimes). So I was busy with the baby and told my 2nd son, age three, to put his sippy cup in the kitchen.

Later, I went into the kitchen to make lunch and was annoyed to see that his sippy wasn't anywhere to be seen. I had to grab a clean one from the cupboard and make a mental note to hunt down the morning one so we didn't find it someday with 3 weeks-worth of nasty chocolate milk inside.

Sure enough, after lunch I found it.

You know, I mentioned the kitchen sink - I just didn't specify which one! That is the blue play kitchen that Santa brought for our two boys for Christmas the year before. It was a huge hit!

And here is the culprit, age three. It is almost as if he is remembering the sippy cup incident and saying to me, "But I did put the sippy in the kitchen!"

Share your flashback here!

Brrrr! It is cold and rainy and I love it!

2010-10-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

I know the world is full of sun-lovers. Thus the popularity of the Caribbean, Florida, and Mexico, to name a few. However, I also know that hiding beneath the branches of towering cedars and fir trees, there are the rain-lovers like me. We love a drizzly day, so we can curl up by the window with a good book and alternately read and watch the rain drops race down the panes. We love a windy rain storm that batters the house and howls through the trees. We love the green that the rain brings afterward, and how fresh and clean the air smells once it stops.

Here are some of my favorite photos, all possible because of the rain!

My Love/Hate Relationship with the Berenstein Bears

2010-09-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with the Berenstein Bears? The books were popular during my childhood years and my mother-in-law saved all of her boys' Berenstein Bears books. For those in the dark, it is a storyline created by Jan and Stan Berenstein about a family of bears who live in a tree house in Bear Country. Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Brother Bear and Sister Bear (and I think there was a baby born into the family in later years).

Now, from what I remember of the books when I was younger, the stories all had a good message about life, family, etc. Brother and Sister learn to share, going to the dentist isn't scary, going to school is fun, and so on.

Recently my kids have discovered my mother-in-law's stash of books and subsequently we've discovered there is a cartoon series too. Here is where the love/hate part enters. I do love the lessons they insert into most of their episodes, just like in the books. My kids love watching the Berenstein Bears so this is added-value in my opinion, as I've found that children do pick up on the subtleties presented in what they watch. However, the message that the Berenstein Bears videos presents is somewhat erratic and varied.

In my experience of these videos, Papa Bear is the wise head-of-the-family figure one moment and in the next episode, he's a complete idiot. In one episode he's teaching the cubs an important lesson on taking care of responsibility first so that you can enjoy the rewards afterward. The next episode he's obsessed with growing the biggest pumpkin in the country (and acting embarrassingly stupid about it) and when the cubs teach him a lesson in humility, he doesn't even get it.

Now, I know that we as parents are not infallible and in reality we sometimes act like good parents one moment and the like complete idiots the next but I really don't need a cartoon to drive this fact home to my own children, thank you very much. It makes teaching my kids to respect their father that much harder (for we all have an in-born tendency to push against authority, do we not?) when the show they love to watch sets the father up for ridicule and contempt. What is worse, is that he isn't contemptible all the time, so you can't write him off as an undesirable character or a joke. Since the series does present him in a serious light as a wise figure in some episodes, it frustrates me because inevitably the children watching are going to be confused in how to view him. Is he a role model or a dunce? Should they take what he says seriously or ignore it as silliness? I give young children enough credit for them to tell the difference between these two, for my kids know that VeggieTales stories are based on real stories from the Bible but that Spongebob Squarepants is just plain silliness. However, if the ridiculous (and indeed, duncelike) behavior and the upstanding and admirable behavior are presented by one and the same character, how are they to tell what to take to heart and what to slough off as so much nonsense?

So I've found myself trying to wean my kids off the series, because seeing Papa Bear go from wise and instructional to a bumbling idiot is just too painful for me to watch and I find myself cringing inside. I wonder if Jan and Stan Berenstein are cringing inside too.

Losing My Cool

2010-08-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

There comes a time in every mother's life when her child's level of cool outstrips her own. This usually happens around the child's thirteenth birthday, give or take a year or two. In my third child's instance, this happened about 11 years early.

Sunglasses and a cell phone? AND they both match her jammies? I just can't compete with that.

Artistic Ability Runs in the Family

2010-08-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

My husband is an amazing artist. It is the first thing that drew me to him, in fact, as he wasn't my usual type. My mom was trying to set me up with his best friend, in fact.

I'm a very creative person, but unfortunately my artistic talents lag behind my creativity. Thankfully between the two of us, we passed on both creativity and talent to our children. Well, 2 1/2 year-old Miriam is still an unknown, but our boys both spend hours (hours!) each day drawing. I go through a 750-sheet pack of copy paper a month, no joke. (Yay for Target and their cheap paper!)

Thaddeus just turned five early this month. He has outstripped his older brother in love of drawing, I think, and easily churns out two to three times the artwork. His favorite thing to do is draw scenes from cartoons that he watches. He'll copy out scenes off DVD cases and inserts, or just from memory.

Here is one he drew of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner.

Although I prefer the creativity of his made-up pieces, like this one of a train driving off a broken bridge into the water with an alligator jumping up to scare it, while two floating rubber duckies look on. Is it just me, or is that the most awesome alligator you've ever seen?

I'll have to dig out some of my favorites from Isaac too! One of these days, I might even get around to showing you some of Aaron's awesome artwork. After all, my house is completely decorated with it. :)

Working for the Weekend?

2010-08-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

After the weekend we've had, I couldn't help but think of the expression "working for the weekend" and laugh. I swear around here, when Monday morning comes, I breathe a sigh of relief!

We managed to pack tons of fun into this past weekend, but with three little kids, sometimes that fun involves lots and lots of work on our part.

First off, the wedding on Saturday went really well as far as Thad was involved. He only had three melt-downs and all three were over the fact that the wedding couple wasn't going to open their presents at the party (really, who could blame him? The only parties involving presents he's ever been to have been birthday parties so the concept of seeing a table of gifts and not seeing them opened is mystifying!) The first time we broke the news to him, I wasn't sure he'd be able to recover, the poor guy was heartbroken. He cried a couple other times when he'd spot the table of gifts, but reminding him that the presents contained boring things like sheets and toasters helped. No Scooby-Doo videos, Thad! (although I'd have loved getting Scooby-Doo videos for my wedding, ha!)

The wedding was outside, though, and it was FREAKIN' HOT! I think it hit 90 degrees, which is very rare for around here, and having to sit in the heat for nearly 45 minutes waiting for the wedding to start was brutal on the kids. In fact, I missed the last third of the ceremony, because I had to take two-year-old Miriam for a walk through the shaded, wooded paths nearby to get her out of the sun.

I think yesterday was even hotter. We skipped church and the kids played in the little blow-up pool all morning, which Daddy had filled with fresh cold water for them. Then we spent the afternoon at my folks' house since it was the last day my brother was here visiting from Colorado. Mostly we lounged around watching Tom and Jerry cartoons with the kids, because it was too hot to do anything else. The problem with living where it only gets over 80 degrees a handful of days per year is that no one has air conditioning.

Finally, after dinner we all converged on my in-laws' house. They live on the lake - and it is a very clean, clear, refreshing lake too! We jumped in and there was a collective sigh of relief.

I must say, though, I am glad it is Monday and we are back to normal. It is still hotter than Hades out, but at least I have nothing to do but keep the kids from melting. A cool pool and a freezer full of popsicles should do the trick nicely!

I have to say, reading over what I just wrote, that my life looks entirely different now than it did seven years ago. Of course, it isn't surprising considering that then I was child-free with a full-time office job and now I'm a stay-home mother of three! I wouldn't have it any other way (even when I complain that my brain is slowly sizzling away like baking soda doused in vinegar).

The Ghost of Fear

2010-08-13T11:14:00.001-07:00

We are going to a wedding tomorrow. It is 1 1/2 hours away and we are taking the kids with us as we've been informed by relatives that we don't dare show up without them.

Our 2nd son, who just turned five, is mildly autistic. Well, the two consultants at Children's Hospital in Seattle have refused to label him as such and instead call it Pervasive Developmental Delay, Not Otherwise Specified - which puts it under the same developmental umbrella as Autism and is harder to say, so we just call it Autism.

What does that have to do with the wedding? Well, for years, going anywhere with all our kids was painful. We slowly stopped going out to restaurants because Thad couldn't sit still through a meal. We stopped going to family-friendly church events or friends' BBQs because dealing with Thad's social issues while keeping an eye on the other two children meant that neither my husband nor I ever had the chance to visit, so it was pretty much pointless to go at all. Essentially we found ourselves avoiding any public group activities because it was too stressful for us and the kids.

However, Thad is now five and - thanks to special ed preschool and both speech and occupational private therapy - he's come quite far socially and developmentally. We've started going out as a family again, and sometimes it isn't half bad!

I am still haunted by the ghost of fear, though. Every time we have a family activity planned, my stomach clenches up and anxiety seizes control of my emotional and logical self. Going to events still isn't the carefree get-up-and-go experience that it seems to be for parents of "normal" children.

In fact, I clearly remember watching the kids play on the playground after church one Sunday about a year ago and talking with one of the other moms. She asked if we were going to the church campout the following weekend. I attempted to explain why we were not, and I can clearly see the blank expression on her face - confusion, disbelief, skepticism, and just plain not understanding. She just didn't GET it. At which point, I got something that I hadn't been getting: normal families had completely different experiences of going out than we did.

Now, a year later, we also sometimes have that "normal family" experience when we go out. My husband and I will look at each other while driving home and be astonished that nothing terrible happened. No freak-outs, no scream-fests, no ten-minute struggles trying to get our son to calm down and just eat ONE BITE of dinner. I remember after one memorable family trip to lunch out and a stroll along the beach, I turned to Aaron and said, "So this is what normal families feel like! No wonder they are always going out and doing things. It's FUN!"

So now I'm facing a day-long trip tomorrow, to a wedding - where kids have to sit still and be quiet for large amounts of time - and I'm fighting down that anxiety. Thankfully, the wedding is outdoors, it is "casual and rustic" according to the invite, and we know from experience that these relatives are easy-going and kid-friendly. Plus my in-laws will be along to lend two pairs of extra helping hands! I am tentatively hopeful that it will be a mostly-good day.

Quick note about my to-do list: I did sort through the kids' clothes, but I didn't get to the dishes. I did make dinner, but I didn't mail my order (she said she wasn't in a hurry and I didn't leave the house to drop it off at the post office). I also cleaned the master bath shower, which wasn't on my list and I can't remember how it came about, but there you go.

So today's list: put together some photos and mats for the wedding gift, wash my outfit that I want to wear tomorrow, and mail the order on my way to my mom's (yay for Nana having Fridays off and getting me and the kids out of the house for an afternoon!) I've decided to let my husband tackle the dishes. After all, I don't want to hog ALL the fun, right?

How to Get Back on the Horse

2010-08-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

When I first started my Etsy shop, selling my handmade lotions, I had all sorts of energy. I was fired up about what I did. I loved to craft. I had two little boys. I managed to keep up with them, the house, and still have time to spend online networking and promoting my business.

Fast forward three years or so. We've moved, we had another child, the economy has slumped into the dumpster, and my motivation has slithered underneath like a snake seeking shade amongst the discarded waste.

I don't know how all my good habits morphed into bad ones. I try to change things around, but I find myself standing in various spots of my house, staring at the project I want to tackle and just feeling dejected and useless. The times I don't, one of the kids will invariably find me and need something anyway.

So I'm going to try something a bit new. I'm going to blog about my tasks and to-do lists and goals. I apologize in advance if you follow me and find this utterly boring. Maybe take comfort in the fact that I have "restarted" this blog probably three times and it never lasts. I mean, this post in itself is almost one year, one month after my last one.

SO.

Today's goals: 1. sort through the kids' clothes they've outgrown and set aside the fall stuff to take to the consignment store. 2. pack up my Etsy order and get it mailed. 3. empty and reload dishwasher and wipe down the counters. 4. make dinner.

Those seem doable. Most of those I would do anyway, but maybe if I write them down, I'll feel more successful once I've done them. Now to post this and get started!

So It's Been Awhile

2009-07-14T07:35:00.001-07:00

I have no excuse other than getting sucked into other things like facebook and twitter. Poor abandoned blog!

Besides, getting up at 6 am doesn't make me very lucid, so most posts wouldn't make any sense, hehehe.

Here is what I look like at 6 am.

Although, chances are good that I always look that bewildered, hehehe. Later on in the day I may or may not have brushed my hair.

EGCG Easter Egg Hunt & Giveaway!

2009-04-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

Do you love a good Easter egg hunt? How about winning free stuff? Yes to both? Well then, you need to check out the Etsy Green and Clean Guild's Easter Egg Hunt! HINT: There are 14 hidden eggs and ONE of them is in my shop! :D

♥ EGCG Easter Egg Hunt ♥
Would you like to win a wonderful Bath and Body Grab bag, filled with fabulous handmade goods from the members of the Etsy Green and Clean Guild? EGCG will be giving away 3 Grab bags of bath & body products made by some of the EGCG members.

Who can Participate?
You must be an Etsy member to win, both buyers and sellers are welcome!
Members of the Etsy Green and Clean Guild are not eligible to win.

How to play?
Visit each of the participating EGCG shops below and look through the pictures in their shop listings (recent sold items included). Some shops will contain a picture of an "Easter egg" hiding in one of their shop listings (egg picture shown at http://egcgswag.blogspot.com). Search through the participating shops and jot down the listing # and the name of the shop you have found the Easter egg in. (Note: Not all Shops will contain an Easter Egg)

For each correct Easter egg you find, you will receive one entry into a drawing to win a grab bag of bath and body goodies. Please convo me (http://domaly.etsy.com) with your entries and your name. (Please know that each person can only win ONE of the three prizes, but the more entries you have, the higher your chances are)

Contest ends at 12 midnight EST, April 11th. All correct entries will be entered into a drawing and the 3 winners will be selected at random and announced on Monday, April 13th.

The lucky winner will be contacted by ‘convo’ on Etsy and the results will be posted in the forums.
Good Luck and Get started Looking for Those Eggs!

Participating Shops:

• http://AlchemicMuse.etsy.com
• http://aromaherbals.etsy.com
• http://AthenasOliveTree.etsy.com
• http://BLSoaps.etsy.com
• http://bunnybuttapothecary.etsy.com
• http://ceruleabathandbody.etsy.com
• http://DarkTemptations.etsy.com
• http://Domaly.etsy.com
• http://DressGreen.etsy.com
• http://faeriemadesoaps.etsy.com
• http://Good EnoughToEatSoap.etsy.com
• http://GrumpyGirl.etsy.com
• http://IlluminatedPerfume.etsy.com
• http://InseineCreations.etsy.com
• http://jadewicks.etsy.com
• http://JBSoaps.etsy.com
• http://JoviaSoap.etsy.com
• http://KellesKitchen.etsy.com
• http://Magichands.etsy.com
• http://MeaCulpaBathandBody.etsy.com
• http://MirasolFarm.etsy.com
• http://Morganstreet.etsy.com
• http://PinkQuartzMinerals.etsy.com
• http://PixieSoap.etsy.com
• http://RachelRene.etsy.com
• http://RightAsRaincreations.etsy.com
• http://savor.etsy.com
• http://showertreatsoap.etsy.com
• http://SkinEssentials.etsy.com
• http://SkinJourney.etsy.com
• http://SoapKitchen.etsy.com
• http://SoapStore.etsy.com
• http://southpacificbody.etsy.com
• http://SpaTherapyWorks.etsy.com
• http://stephaniek.etsy.com
• http://SudzNThings.etsy.com
• http://SweetCreekHerbs.etsy.com
• http://TheBathProject.etsy.com
• http://TwinDreamCreations.etsy.com
• http://TwoRiversSoaps.etsy.com
• http://Urbbody.etsy.com
• http://WixandWhacks.etsy.com
• http://youstinksoap.etsy.com

.

It's Like Christmas All Over Again!

2009-04-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

So says my five-year old, who has been "celebrating" Christmas for three months now. He takes random toys from around the house (believe me, there is plenty to choose from, I swear the stuff is breeding) and "wraps" them in one of Dad's boots (for a stocking, don't you know?) or in one of my dish towels.

Then he "gives" them to his brother or sister or me. By "give" I mean, he says it is for you, then proceeds to unwrap it himself and tell you all about it, but don't you dare actually try to take the toy and play with it!

I finally got so tired of him carrying around his father's boots (of questionable cleanliness) that I went out to the garage and gave him his actual stocking.

Although, I have to admit, think about how much better off our finances would be if I could just wrap up any old thing around the house in a dishtowel and give it to someone as their present - especially if I get to then take it back, wrap it up again, and give it to someone else!

Somehow I think if I tried that at his next birthday, it wouldn't fly.

.

WWJW - What Would Jesus Watch?

2009-03-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

We had dinner at my parents' house last night (Yay Mom for making me a nice dinner when I am so sick!) and my husband drove the boys home in his truck (since he met us there after work) while I took the baby in the van.

He told me that on the way home, Isaac asked if God had DVDs in heaven. My husband said, in typical parental fashion, "What do you think?"

"No, I bet God has On Demand!"

Ahahahahahahahahah!!! I wonder if He watches America's Next Top Model with as much anticipation as the rest of the world? LOL

My Knockers and My Virus

2009-03-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

There's a title for you!

First off, I've been sick. Really really ill with a head cold/virus/nasty bug thingy. I don't think I've been this sick for this long in over 10 years.

I haven't been able to taste anything or smell anything in days. My husband picked our daughter up the other day and said, "Whew, she STINKS!" She had just been crawling all over me and had been pooping the whole time. I walked right up and took a big ol' whiff of her diaper with my nose pressed against her fleece-covered bum. Nothing. I couldn't smell even a hint of poo! Which is nice (and I got saddled with changing her as a result, not so nice) but it also means I have to visually check her diaper every 1/2 hour to make sure she hasn't pooped. Oh, it's been fun, let me tell ya!

On the plus side, since I also can't taste anything, my appetite has been fairly nil. So I've lost nearly 10 pounds already. I force myself to eat some toast in the morning and then usually have some soup for dinner. I have been snacking on a few Ruffles potato chips since they feel good and scratchy on my throat and I can almost taste the saltiness, but I can still only eat a few. You know you are sick when you don't even have an appetite for potato chips!

Anyway, want to hear about my knockers? I thought so!

My three year old has been obsessed with his Diego adventurer/explorer kit lately. He is probably at least six months to a year behind his peers verbally, so sometimes it is hard to understand what he is saying as he is yammering intently to you. I kept hearing him in the other room saying "knockers." Since I was pretty sure he hadn't sneaked a copy of Playboy magazine into the house, I went to investigate.

He was leaning against the back of the couch looking intently out the window through his yellow Diego binoculars. He turns and holds them out to me.

"Look, Mom! My knockers!"

Kids Are Funny!

2009-02-11T23:04:00.000-08:00

So the baby and our five-year-old had been playing upstairs. I'm not overly worried as I hear lots of baby giggles and no loud thumps.

Until later, when I realized that the baby's hair is gooey and she smells like lavender.

"Isaac," I call. "What did you do to Miri?"

"Nothing!" he calls back.

My husband, in a moment of sweet genius, takes a different tack.

"Isaac, come here. Why is Miri's head sticky? Did you put something on her head?"

"Dad," he says, matter-of-factly. "I was babytizing* her!"

Of cooooourse! It all makes perfect sense now! We can't have Miri crawling around without being babytized! Heavens, no!!

I just have to say that as often as my kids drive me nutso, they also make me laugh on a daily basis! :)

*Babytizing apparently means anointing her head with baby wash found on her changing table. At least he didn't use the butt cream.

This Is What Happens When You Get Up at 5 AM Every Freakin' Day

2009-02-03T15:01:00.001-08:00

Dear Son,

Please sleep later in the morning. This way you can avoid these crash'n'burns in the middle of the floor surrounding by spilled Cheerios. Also, I'd enjoy sleeping longer in the morning.

Thank you,
Mommy

The Impartiality of a Three Year Old

2009-02-01T21:59:00.000-08:00

We took the kids over to my folks' house today. I'd like to say it was to watch the Super Bowl, but I'd actually forgotten that it WAS the Super Bowl, so watching the game over there was just a bonus. It was nice to see the game on my Dad's giant flat screen though.

None of us were die hard fans of either team. We decided to root for the Cardinals just because they'd never won a Super Bowl before. The boys spent most of the time in the living room watching a kiddie video and playing, but by the fourth quarter, they'd decided to move into the TV room to be nearer the adults. Mostly this meant standing in front of us, climbing into our laps and talking into our faces, and occasionally being distracted by a game known as "toss the stuffed animals down the stairs over and over."

When the Cardinals made the long running pass for the touchdown that put them in the lead, we all were shouting and cheering. My three year old runs over and starts wildly clapping and spinning in circles doing a crazy dance. It was so precious.

However, we soon realized his joy was not specifically for the Cardinals, because when the Steelers then scored a touchdown minutes later, he clapped enthusiastically and yelled, "Yay! You DID it!"

Which really drove home the point that sometimes it is important to not choose sides, but just to be encouraging and supportive of everyone and cheer them all when they do well! :)

One Way Cell Phones Have Changed the World

2009-01-27T07:15:00.001-08:00

I don't really have anything against cell phones - much. I mean, they are handy in an emergency, even if they are annoying in public restrooms (seriously - how difficult is it to relieve your bodily functions and then call your BFF Tammy?) A cell phone is great if you are at the grocery store and can't remember if you have enough olive oil in the cupboard for that dish you were going to make for dinner and your husband is home giving the kids a bath so you get to actually shop in peace!

However this episode cracked me up and then made me realize how times have changed.

I had run to Target the other morning with my boys and I ran into my BFF Kim. This was unusual since I usually only shop in the evenings so I can leave my kids behind with Daddy and she tends to shop during the day while her kids are in school.

So we chat for a few minutes, even though we'd just had a playdate with our kids the afternoon before. Then her cell phone rings. Nothing unusual in that - it is becoming quite common place. But then I hear her say "Mom!"

Wait - didn't she tell me she was here with her mom?

"...where are you?"

Yup. Her mom had called her on her cell phone within the same shop in order to find her. Whatever happened to the days of parents and children hollering at each other across the top of the aisles? Oh, society! How you've progressed!

My friend walks to the end of the aisle and peeks out. "Mom, I'm eight feet away. Turn around!"

My favorite part is that while my friend just hangs up her phone, her mother properly says, "Oh there you are! Good-bye!"

Speaking of Babies...

2009-01-13T14:14:00.001-08:00

Miri likes to stand now, and one of her favorite methods is to hang off my pants while I'm in the kitchen cooking or making lotion.

Which was fine, until today, when I was still in my baggy flannels and hadn't tied them around the waist and she was "helping" me make some lotion and pulled my pants down! The sudden give of material startled her into letting go and she fell backward and whomped her head pretty good on the floor.

Poor baby, lying there with her head injury and her mama screaming in laughter with her pants halfway down.

The worst was that I lost my place while measuring and my scale turned off on me. So I had to pour the scent back into the bottle and re-measure.

Miri was fine. By the time I went back into the kitchen a few minutes later to stir, she was back at it, clinging to my pants - which this time were firmly tied!

And Then There Were Three!

2009-01-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

Stop beating down my blogverbial doors! I'll give you the synopsis on our third and last child now!

Miriam was born end of March last year. I can't believe she is nine months old already. She has been our joy, truly the best-natured, happiest baby I've known, which I'm sure will come back and bite me on the arse when she is a teenager, hehehe.

Gulp.

Really, though, when you know this is your last baby, it sure is nice for that baby to be fun and a joy to be around. Miri is just so happy with life. Well, unless she is tired, hungry, or teething - but who isn't cranky in those situations?

She crawls like a fiend, pulls herself up on anything she possibly can, and has recently discovered the joys of walking, using her baby stroller we got her for Christmas. The look of impish joy on her face as she haltingly pushes that wee stroller around is priceless beyond words!

But it is obvious from that twinkle in her eye, she means trouble - and so we better be on our toes!

Second Son, NOT Same as the First

2009-01-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

When I found out our second baby was also going to be a boy, I knew theoretically that they would be different, but in reality, I totally prepared for the baby to follow in his brother's footsteps.

Boy, was I wrong! The adage "no two children are alike" is true. So very true. I am sorry I doubted you, adage.

Our first son had colic, and cried almost constantly (or that was what it felt like at least) for the first four months. Second son was a peach! He slept through the night after only a few weeks, and the best part was that he didn't wail for three hours before doing it, either. Isaac, even up through age two or three, took a lot of work to put to bed and usually still cried or fussed himself to sleep for a few minutes. Thad was so easy - you just laid him down and walked away. No fuss, no muss.

Of course, as Thad grew out of babyhood and into toddlerhood, the personality differences became much clearer. Thad is a very happy child, but on the rare occasions he got upset or mad, it was like a hurricane blew in, wreaked havoc, and then left - all in the space of minutes!

Thad is now three years old. He was a really late talker - in fact, he is still catching up to his peer level. We have had some concerns over his developmental delays. At 2 1/2 to 3 years old it is hard to tell whether he is just displaying extreme toddler angst or if there are deeper issues at hand. We've had evaluations done, but no one was willing to give a hard and firm diagnosis - we'd have to take him down to Children's hospital in Seattle to do that, and I am just not willing to put him through that yet. The evaluations done here were harrowing enough.

These local evaluations did qualify him for occupational and speech therapy, which we will start soon. They also qualified him for the public pre-school program aimed at children with developmental delays. He started the one-on-one prep class with his teachers in December and has done really well; we hope to integrate him into the classroom with the other children soon!

He is such a soft-hearted sweetie with a 1,000-watt smile! When he is adorable, he is the most adorable boy on earth. When he is cranky, you want to tear your hair out! I am not sure which son is more persistent - they just wear you down in different ways!

One of my favorite Thad quirks is how he will ask for something 23 billion times until you finally say, "Oh, Thad, would you like some pretzel sticks?" and then he will happily say, "Okay!" like it was all your idea - and a great one at that.

Another thing he does is say thank you - to everything. He'll be having a temper tantrum over watching a show and I'll get down and take away the DVD case as his punishment and when he calms himself down, I'll give it back to him and make him put it away. "Thanks" he says. Hahaha. Silly boy.

For a long time, he wouldn't give hugs, but he has now decided hugs are awesome, so he gives everyone one! He likes to reach around both your arms and squeeze with all his little three-year-old strength. I just love it!

I have a feeling that Thad will give us a hefty set of challenges that are completely different than his older brother's; I also think he'll bring us some of life's greatest joys. My heart swells when I spend time with Thad - he has that effect on you!

When Two Extremes Collide in One Child

2009-01-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

So now that I've professed my dedication to writing about my family (please, contain your enthusiasm - it's embarrassing) I thought I would introduce my children, as they will most likely figure prominently in most future posts.

Let's start off with my first born. He is five. My husband's and my genes must have feared he would be our only offspring, because I'm pretty sure we genetically tried to cram all of us into his tiny little body.

He is the epitome of both our extreme personalities. He is mouthy (ahem, that would be me as a child) and he has anger and temper issues (Dad as a child - actually till college). He has an insane imagination and makes up so many stories (me, me, me) and he has an amazing artistic talent and draws much in advance of his age (that would be his daddy all over).

He is Mr Melodramatic (I have NO IDEA where in the world he could ever had mined his talent for over-exaggeration AT ALL. NO IDEA!) and he talks about 97% of his waking hours (and not surprisingly, 5% of his sleeping hours - and you should hear some of the things he says in his sleep! Hahahahah)

In fact, he is chattering away at me as I write this, even though, shameful Mommy that I am, I stopped listening about 10 minutes ago.

When I consider how much he has packed into his skinny-butt body at age five, and I multiply that by three in order to imagine what he will be like at age fifteen . . . well, let's just say I barely prevented myself from passing out and as soon as I post this, I will drop to my knees and plead with God that isn't how it works, because I can tell you right now if that's the case, one of us won't survive that long.

New Year's Resolution: Blog More

2009-01-01T21:03:00.000-08:00

So my New Year's resolution is to blog more. One way I can do that is to talk about my family, because I just find talking about making lotion so much more boring than actually making lotion - and I can always find something to say about my family life.

For those of you who hate personal drivel, pretend I am using metaphors for deeper purposes.

Here is what I have to say about today: I'm tired. Very, very, very tired. I wore myself out preparing for Christmas and then when I was at my lowest, I managed to get some sort of flu or virus. I take two to three naps a day (well, until my husband went back to work) and I am still bone-deep tired.

For a stay-at-home mom of three children ages five years and younger, I am used to being tired, but this is ridiculous. So my New Year's wish for myself is that I miraculously become infused with energy. Magically losing 20 pounds wouldn't be amiss either!

What do you mean I have to exercise in order to lose weight? Phthbthtthbt.

Weekend Sale - Holiday Kick Off!

2008-11-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

For this weekend, I am offering a FREEBIE!

Buy any three items and get a fourth item of equal or lower value FREE. Simply visit my shop and select four items (or 8, 12, etc) and submit your order. You may either pay and I'll refund you the lowest priced item (or items) OR wait to pay and I will send you an invoice via Paypal.

Get a sugar scrub for your sister, a gift crate for your best friend, a Gardener's Therapy skin salve for the gardener in your life, and a peppermint foot cream FREE for your very own! Your feet will thank you! :)

Sale ends Sunday at midnight EST.

Yay! My Lemon Creme Lotion Was Blogged!

2008-11-20T13:09:00.000-08:00

If you would like to hear personal testimony about my Lemon Creme lotion ( my current favorite) then check out Beck and Call Girl's blog post!

And I just remembered the bottle of it in my car is getting low, so I'd better make some more! I can't be without my lemon creme goodness, no way.

My Sugar Scrub Made Etsy FRONT PAGE Today!

2008-11-05T14:10:00.001-08:00

Etsy Front Page 11/5/08 longwinterfarm, originally uploaded by Etsy Front Pagers.

See my lovely sugar scrub there in the middle? :) I don't know how long it was on the front page, it was replaced by a new list a few minutes after I saw it (thanks to the several Etsyans who alerted me), but I got 300 extra views in my shop and the scrub got 10 hearts today!

Thanks to longwinterfarm for including me in this lovely treasury list!

Look! Something NEW in My Shop!

2008-10-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

I rarely list brand new items in my shop, so I get really super excited when I do. I am preparing for the holidays, and when I saw these adorable mini watering cans at the craft shop, I couldn't resist. My travel-size one ounce lotions fit inside just perfectly - look!

These would be perfect for writing everyone's name on and using as place-cards at a lunch for your girlfriends! How about giving one as a Secret Santa gift for your office co-worker? Maybe a stocking stuffer for the gardener in your life?

Vote for Another of My Photos! :D

2008-10-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

An Award? For MEEEE???

2008-10-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

I have been honored with a gift from Nicki Leigh. The above image is known as the Butterfly award. It is a way for bloggers to show appreciation to others as well as vouch their interest in that particular blog. It is my duty to pass this award on to ten other bloggers whom I enjoy reading and who I admire. So, here are my picks:

1. Hot Child in the Suburbs
2. It's My Life
3. CakeWrecks
4. Jazzie's Junque
5. KrazyKate Designs
6. LLing Designs
7. The Lady Is Buggie
8. The Junk Drawer
9. Designs by Missrie
10. Pretty Pear Designs

Go check out these fun blogs!

Vote For My Photo! (pretty please?)

2008-10-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

I've Been Tagged

2008-10-09T23:46:00.000-07:00

A few times actually. So here goes - Seven Interesting Things You Never Knew (or even wanted to know) About Me:

1. If I laugh really hard, my throat gets all mucousy.

2. I only like tea with milk and sugar or iced with sugar.

3. I hate wearing socks and put it off as far into the fall/winter as I possibly can. I will sit around in wool pants and two or three sweaters and still have bare feet.

4. No matter how crazy or hectic my life is, I can't give up my Pogo.com membership. I think I need a Monopoly intervention.

5. I hate getting up in the morning so much, I don't even have words. If I were rich beyond all imagination, I would pay a personal chef to concoct delicious smelling breakfasts every morning as an incentive.

6. I used to record pretend TV shows on my tape deck - like soap operas on a 10-year-old level. I even did the commercials and everything. I still have one of the tapes floating around somewhere.

7. I was going to marry Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block and my friend Rachel was going to marry Jordan Knight and we were going to live in a mansion duplex and each have three children - two girls and one boy for me, two boys and one girl for her. NKOTB came out with a single this summer called "Summer Time" and I refuse to tell anyone how many times I've watched it on Youtube late at night. I may or may not be playing it the background right now, in fact.

There you go! If you'd like to participate on your blog, feel free to consider yourself tagged! :)

Check out My Pretty Treasury Lists!

2008-09-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

For those not in the know: Etsy is an online shopping center for handmade items, vintage, and supplies. One of the many varied ways to shop on Etsy is through community curated "treasury" lists - compilations of items for sale on Etsy that last about 2-3 days.

Here are my two current ones (link won't be good once the lists expire) - I am really happy with how they turned out! Click on them and you can see all the amazing items up close and link to each one individually! :)

Well, Mow Me Down!!

2008-09-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

I have been featured in another blog! :)

JazziesJunque is a terrific shop on Etsy, and the lovely owner of said shop has a blog, in which I've been featured!

Check out her Blog HERE and her Etsy shop HERE!

Thanks Jazzie!

I've Been Featured in a Blog!

2008-09-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

Check it out - and read some of the other interviews too. Fun reading!

http://www.femmedetails.com/2008/blog/right-as-rain-creations/

And thank you to FemmeDetails for the feature!

OVERSTOCK Sale!

2008-09-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

I had a local shop close and now I have overstock! Check out my sale section in my Etsy shop for some great deals!

SALE SALE SALE!

:) Some of my best sellers are there, discounted up to 1/3 off the regular price!

Saturday Night Special!

2008-09-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

Have you been wanting to try out any of my products?

Tonight is the night to do it! I am offering a BOGO 1/2 OFF sale for the Saturday Night Special on Etsy tonight! :)

Now through 6 am Sunday, EST, buy any item and get a 2nd item of equal or lesser value for 50% off! Put the items you want in your cart and checkout, putting "SNS" in the notes to seller at checkout. Submit your order, but don't actually go to PayPal to complete payment - I'll send you an invoice for the discounted amount.

PLUS, all orders $20 or more (after discount, not including shipping) will get a surprise freebie included! :)

http://rightasraincreations.etsy.com

Stock up on lip balm, lotion, foot cream, and more!

Vote for Me! You Know You Wanna!

2008-09-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

I am running in this week's Etsy Challenge!

Visit the Candle, Bath & Beauty category and cast your vote (preferably for ME, lol)!

If you are an Etsy seller, be sure to enter one of your items in next week's challenge! Many categories to choose from and it is easy to enter.

Thanks! :)

Etsy Seller of the Week: LilMouse

2008-09-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Please welcome LilMouse as featured seller this week! Chainmaille is a fascinating art form - be sure to check out this great chainmaille artist!

LilMouse says, "Thank you so much for including me in your blog as a featured artist, I feel very honored. As a thank you to you, and to all of the wonderful people who will be reading your blog, I would like to extend an offer of 20% off all items in my shop! Please mention this blog in the notes to seller, and I will send over a revised Paypal invoice."

How did you find Etsy?
I was working at a bead store about 2 years ago, and one of the regular customers came in talking about how she had started selling her items on Etsy, she gave me the website, and I looked into it. It took me a few weeks to get up the courage to actually list my first item, but I am very glad that I did!

What do you love about Etsy?
The thing that I love most about Etsy is the support and encouragement that I have received from the friends and contacts that I have met here. I have defiantly made some great friends that I will keep for the rest of my life. The camaraderie and support that I have received is wonderful! (Hehehe the money isn’t too bad either...lol)

What is your favorite dinner?
Well, there are so many things that I love to eat, but I would have to say that a really good steak and baked potatoes has got to be my favorite. mmmmmmmmmm, YUM-O!

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
Everything is very different and unique. This allows me to express my creativity. I have never been formally trained, so no one has told ‘you can’t do that’ so I just do what the heck I want to! Also, all of the rings are opened and closed individually by my own little hands. This is a serious time killer that a lot of people don’t appreciate, but it’s very therapeutic for me after a long hard day at the office.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
That would be a toss up... I would either got to Ireland or Scotland. I absoulty would love to go on a horseback riding treck thru the lands of either country. They are both so beautiful, and so steeped in history and lore.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I love the fact that chainmaille is so different and unique. You don’t see a lot of chainmaille out there, and it is very satisfying to me to make something so different. There are over 300 different weaves that you can make, and many more that you can design yourself. Just by changing the size of the rings, you can change the look of the entire piece. Not to mention all of the different metals and colors that the rings come in. Niobium, Sterling Silver, Gold, Gold Filled, Aluminum, Anodized Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper.... and the list goes on...lol

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
Believe it or not, one of my favorite ways to relax is to sit in front of the TV with a new batch of rings, and just sit there and open and close the rings. Then I get the fun job of piecing all of those individual little rings into some new creation! Deciding which colors go best with each other, and what weave would work best for the picture in my head... Very fun and very relaxing for me!

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
hehehehe, I am a handmade soap addict! I never tried handmade soap until I started shopping on Etsy, and I have to say I will never buy another bar of store bought soap! I love to look thru and see what great concoctions the wonderful soap sellers on Etsy have come up! Also, I have a serious addiction to anything with a hedgehog on it! LOL

What is your most unique pet?
Wow, I have had several…. The most recent ones have been a lil mouse that I named Fwed. She was a sweetie, loved running on her wheel. She would get out in her cage and tease the cats! Just running around and playing, knowing that the cats couldn’t get to her!
Then there was the hedgie that I had. His name was Acheron. He was born here in my house, and when he was old enough he went to a good home in Texas. While he was there, some bad stuff happened to his human family, and we ended up making an emergency run down to Texas to bring him back home. That was one heck of a trip! Driving 20 hours straight to get there, picking him up, and then turning around and driving another 20 hours to get home. But Acheron was defiantly worth the trip!

Photographers of Etsy!

2008-08-26T16:56:00.001-07:00

The POE street team (Photographers of Etsy) have started up a blog! Check it out:

http://photographersofetsy.blogspot.com

As anyone who knows me can attest, I am a photography nut. I am a huge admirer of the talent other photographers possess as well as quite click-crazy myself. With the advent of the digital camera age, photography is being stretched and pushed into new dimensions as well as old ones with a new twist. My husband is an avid photographer as well. See our photography for sale here. We are members of POE!

Please stop by the blog. Then go to Etsy and search for "POE" - prepare to be amazed! Photography is a great way to add character to a wall. Choose the right piece for your house, and it is like having an extra window. One that bugs won't splatter themselves against!

My biggest tip? Get four to six different photographs, all the same size and frame them the same. Then, every couple months or so, you can "change the view out your window"! Of course, this does require you have a place to store the other framed photographs. I use the back of my closet, leaning up against the back wall with an old bed blanket draped down between each piece.

Happy Photograph Hunting!

Etsy Seller of the Week: Aquariann

2008-08-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

This week's featured Etsy seller is the talented artist, Aquariann! Read all about her here and then check out more of her work, because she is offering 10% off to any buyers who mention "Rainy's Blog" in the notes to seller at checkout (wait to pay, she'll email an invoice) - offer ends next Monday, Aug. 18th.

How did you find Etsy?
My mom and I were sharing a table at a small, local strawberry festival. Another vendor was impressed with my work, and thought I would be a hit on etsy. She (Aimee of Jewelstreet.etsy.com) had such amazing jewelry and was so enthusiastic about the site that I just had to check it out. It only took a few days of listing items and fluttering around the forums to make my first sale. It was a huge boost of confidence, as I had just started to try to sell my artwork and hadn't had much luck.

What do you love about Etsy?
The incredible amount of talent and support! I still do a happy dance every time I make a sale ... and every time I buy from a fellow Etsyian! I've gotten so many fantastic presents for my friends, family, and myself, of course.

What is your favorite dinner?
Pasta! I devour it all - spaghetti with meatballs, fettucini alfredo, stuffed shells, lasagna, you name it.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
Where the name comes from. My birthday is February 8th, which makes me an Aquarian completely and utterly. My middle name is Ann, so Aquariann works wonderously.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Definitely Japan. Its culture just fascinates me. Anime has been a big inspiration to my work, too.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I get to share my imagination - if it weren't for drawing, I would probably go mad not being able to let my visions escape. My drawings are flickers into the fantastical world that dances within my mind.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
Just hanging out with my boyfriend, especially when there's massage involved. A pomegranate pear martini helps, too. Yum.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
Other fantasy-inspired items. I'm a member of the Fantasy Artists of Etsy team, so I just type the tag word "FAEteam" into the search and stare captivated at all the beautiful creations.

Where can people find your work?
Besides http://aquariann.etsy.com, my personal website is http://aquariann.com and my blog is http://aquariann.livejournal.com. I'm part of many networks, including flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/aquariann/, myspace http://myspace.com/aquariann, facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/aquariann/29929765133, deviantArt http://aquariann.deviantart.com/, ArtWanted http://www.artwanted.com/aquariann and Ning http://faeetsy.ning.com/profile/aquariann .

No Etsy Seller of the Week this Week

2008-08-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

Why, you ask?

Well, I forgot. Ha!

Our baby has been waking up in the middle of the night the last few nights and it takes about 2 hours to get her back to sleep again. I am pretty wiped out and as a result, my brain is foggy.

I'll be more ahead of the game next week, I hope!

So, instead, I'll share a story about my family life - lucky you!

I usually manage to luck out during the week and have at least one grandma available to watch at least one of the kiddos. But not Wednesday last week. My mom was working or busy all week and my mother-in-law had watched the boys the day before so I could get some orders made and mailed.

So, I hauled all of us into town to both the post office (where I had to stand in line because I had international packages to mail) and the shop where I sell, to restock. First of all, hauling three little ones under age five ANYWHERE is not pleasant and takes about 1/2 your day just to get them all ready and loaded in the van. Then, my 4-month old is apt to cry when we are still 15 minutes from anywhere. Which then makes the almost-five year old start yelling and crying. And that sets off the three-year-old, who doesn't cry when the baby does, but will start yelling when his older brother does.

So usually by the time I've got them all dressed, fed, in the car, and then listened to all three of them lose their minds for the last 15 minutes - you can see that I am not really in the mood to haul them all out of the car and actually be seen in public. Which is why I never go anywhere.

I keep telling myself that in a couple years or so, this won't be nearly as much of an issue. Then I think "what if it is?" and get a mental image of driving around with a crying 12-, 15-, and 17-year old in the car; which makes me laugh and I can somehow make it through that moment without selling any of them.

So, we get to the co-op where I sell. I madly put out the measly few things I've managed to make above and beyond orders that week and pay my rent. Meanwhile, I've got the baby strapped to my chest, and my head is on constant swivel to make sure my boys aren't destroying anything (the 3-year-old managed to "redistribute" about fifty business cards from other tables the last time I took him with me.) But we get in and out without any damage and not even any screaming! I am thrilled.

On to the post office! If you've stuck with me this long - well, I am impressed! :) Thankfully the line isn't very long. My younger son immediately starts walking laps around the island divider thing that separates the line from the counter. Then my oldest decides to follow him, which quickly erupts into a game of chase. I put a stop to that immediately and praise God they listened to me and kept it to a walk after that.

The highlight of the trip was when my three-year-old stopped in front of the waste bin, pointed to the "W" in "Waste" and said, "W!"

I don't even know if my almost-five-year old could point out a W! I have tried working with him, but he is way more interested in drawing trains. He knows the alphabet, and the letters in his name and that is about all he cares to know right now. I figure he still has a year of pre-school and kindergarten to learn these things, so no pressure!

After the post office, I had to sit in the van in the parking lot and nurse the baby. No way was she going to make it the 20-plus minute drive home and no way was I going to listen to the kids screaming that whole way!

Well, there was a little slice of my life. I made it back home in one piece, and so did the kids. Although if you had told me 10 years ago that going to the post office and dropping in on a shop would take me three hours from the moment I put on my shoes to the moment I took them off back home again, I would have laughed you out the door!

Might I just add one thing? I love my kids to bits! As much as they can drive me crazy, being crazy is the best thing that has ever happened to me! :)

Sale! Sale! Sale!

2008-08-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

UPDATE *Sunday Aug 3rd*
Thanks for the successful SNS! As host, I was busy as it was a very active and crazy SNS this week! As a seller, I got sales from four people! As a shopper, I bought from four! (one was a non-SNSer though. ) It was a fun and productive time for me.

I am hosting Etsy's Saturday Night Special sale this week. Sale is up and running - mine is in the very first post here:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5742116

After shopping from me (lol), please continue to browse the rest of the thread for great deals! :)

If you haven't purchased from Etsy before, just let the seller know when you check out with your items that you are a newbie and might need help. :) There is a spot for Notes to Seller at the checkout for such purposes.

It's Ok to Call Me the Muppet Junkie.

2008-08-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

I know. I just posted last week about Season Three of the Muppet Show.

I was so excited about it that I'd already watched all four discs through about five or six times and was already craving more.

So I bought Season Two, and I think I might love it even MORE! :) Season Two has more guest stars I recognized than Season Three had. Favorites like John Cleese, Steve Martin, Julie Andrews, George Burns, and Bob Hope!

This set also has the sketch where the Swedish Chef makes "Chocolate Moose"! Ahhh, classic Muppet stuff! :)

Also, check out these great new clips posted on YouTube! The originators are "unknown" but it is believed these are official clips from the Muppets franchise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDFgtFXfnv0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDA9NbPAK8o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpcUxwpOQ_A&feature=related

Now all I need is Season One and I'll be all caught up Muppet-wise.

Etsy Seller of the Week: Niftyknits

2008-07-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

Please welcome this week's featured Etsy seller, Niftyknits! I am a knitter myself, and it is so inspiring to see the amazing variety of items Nifty has come up with in her shop! Contact her via Etsy before buying, mentioning you read her interview on this blog, and she will give you 10% off your order!

How did you find Etsy?
My son’s girlfriend told me about Etsy. I’d started selling my knits on ebay but when I looked at Etsy I was in awe at the talent. I didn’t think my work was good enough, but she encouraged me to go for it…the rest is history.(Thanks LennyPenny!)

What do you love about Etsy?
I love the variety, I never know what I’m going to find next. I love curating treasuries, putting together beautiful quirky unique items.

What is your favorite dinner?
Traditional roast for me please! The pork from the farmshop near my house is gorgeous, with crackling and apple sauce and veg and gravy and roast potatoes. My husband makes the best roast potatoes in the world, all crunchy yet soft inside. Mmmmmm.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
Tricky question, this one! I suppose my answer is that the knitted and crocheted items you see in the store are not everything. You name it, I’ll knit (or crochet) it! I love puzzling out new ideas … at the moment I’m knitting morris dancers, because I want to have a stall at a folk festival.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I always wanted to take my family to see Steve Irwin at Australia Zoo, but sadly that’s not to be :-(
My holidays are in different parts of the UK, we have so much beautiful countryside to wander in. I would like to retrace Steve’s adventures across Australia, but someone would have to turn down the temperature and remove all the biting things first, please.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I enjoy that moment when I see it’s all coming together., but I LOVE the journey to that point. My favourite piece is still the fuschia flowers I designed and knitted. When I started I had no idea I would be using headpins and seedbeads…indeed I’m not sure I knew what they were at that point! I knew what I wanted it to look like, and had to find ways to make it happen. That’s the best bit.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
Hot bubble bath and a book, preferably with a glass of red wine :-)

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
Steampunk! Again, I had no idea steampunk existed until I found MadArtJewelry on Etsy. I read a lot of Science Fiction so when I discovered her jewelry and asked her what it was about I was instantly hooked. My first piece is called Tempus Fugit (time flies) and was so appropriate at that time in my life.

Where in the world are you?
In the real world I live in the south east of the UK, in Kent (the county with the white cliffs of Dover). This area is known as the Garden of England because it is so beautiful – come and visit!
On the web I am at niftyknits.etsy.com and naughtyknits.etsy.com
I have also just helped my son set up a shop to sell his band's CD at AScandalinBohemia.etsy.com
Then there's my blog http://niftyknits-somuchyarnsolittletime.blogspot.com/
and last but not least my website
http://members.lycos.co.uk/heatherml/Up%20the%20Lone%20Piners/
(Actually that will change shortly as my son has shamed me into realizing what a truly atrocious URL that is!)

The Muppet Show: Season Three

2008-07-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

If you are a Muppet fan, this four-disc DVD set is a must-have! I bought this for my kids as a special treat for while their Daddy was gone on a week-long business conference.

Well, I ended up watching it more than they did! I watched it after they went to bed every night that week! :)

Some of the guest stars: Danny Kaye, Loretta Lynn, Sylvester Stallone, Gilda Radner, Harry Belafonte, Raquel Welch, and Alice Cooper!

Danny Kaye, Gilda Radner, and Harry Belafonte are probably my three favorites.

Plus, you get plenty of well-loved classics: Pigs in Space, the Swedish Chef, Dr Bunson and Beaker, and an endless line-up of great songs and talented puppetry.

Look for it at Costco, Target, etc - or click the picture to find it on Amazon.com!

Etsy Seller of the Week: Greenbelts

2008-07-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Thrift shops and landfills applaud this week's featured seller! Greenbelts uses reclaimed belts to make all kinds of unique pieces - from dog collars to wrist cuffs (even dog collars and matching wrist cuffs!) AND until next Monday, July 28, she is giving blog readers 10% off any purchase over $10! Just put "Rainy's Blog" in the notes to seller. Now read on!

How did you find Etsy?
My neighbor (who has since moved) used to have a shop on Etsy. He saw some of my dog collars at a neighborhood party and suggested that I give it a try.

What do you love about Etsy?
I am a graphic designer by trade. I mainly specialize in printed pieces (ink on paper). I am not really excited about the idea of designing, producing, and upkeeping web sites - especially my own. Etsy is a perfect fit for me and my Greenbelts. They do it all for me and all I have to do is find time to list and create. I adore Etsy.

What is your favorite dinner?
My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I love a hot loaf of French bread with butter, a sliced crisp red apple, and a hunk of yummy cheese. With a glass of freezing cold milk. Mmmm, yum.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
I worked out of my neighbors basement for my first year. They were nice enough to loan me a workbench on a temporary basis. After a year of their kindness I decided that I needed to give them some space. I begged my husband, Chris, to build me a tiny shed out in the corner of our back porch. So now, my 4yo son and I go out to the shed whenever we want to work. He has a little workbench too. He's learning how to hammer and use a electric screwdriver. He's been making some fun sculptures out of the scrap wood we have left over from building the shed.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I'm not picky. I have only been to 3 countries (Canada, USA, and Mexico) in my lifetime. I feel like I have so much more to discover. I would love to go ANYWHERE. Especially Europe, Australia, Africa and anywhere that is warm. :)

What do you love about what you make/sell?
Because I base my pieces on recycled items, I love the thrill of the hunt. When I find a really cool belt that makes me want to run home and start cutting it up immediately, or a super-cool button that is just begging to be sewn onto a piece of leather, that is FUN! There are more and more of us belt recyclers out here on Etsy now. It's important to me that I find really unique pieces to start with so I can keep my items fresh and interesting. Searching and reclaiming the findings is half the fun.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
I pound, cut, punch, and sew all my pieces by hand. I get my aggression out on my poor belts while I sip a glass of wine and listen to my favorite music. That's pretty darn relaxing. Even when we go camping or sit in front of the television, I'm cutting out leather flowers or sewing on buttons. That's still 10x more relaxing to me than sitting in an office all day (which I used to do). I have no complaints.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I'm obsessed with earrings right now. And necklaces. I can't seem to get enough of them. And, of course, buttons and buckles.

What is your favorite sound?
The sound a dry, puffy pine cone makes when you step on it. That crunchy, crackly, smooshy sound. Love it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Etsy Seller of the Week: MerkabaJewelry

2008-07-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

Feast your eyes on this week's Etsy Seller of the Week, MerkabaJewelry! Her beautiful designs and great eye for color combine to create gift-worthy pieces - even if the gift is for yourself! :)

Plus, she is offering 10% off to all blog readers! Just put "Rainy's Blog" in the notes to seller at checkout and she'll send you an adjusted invoice.

How did you find Etsy?
I found Etsy through other online crafters who were fed up with eBay and looking for another venue to sell their handcrafted goods.

What do you love about Etsy?
I love the community and all the people I've met through forums, groups, and treasuries. I attended two local craft shows this past weekend in Asheville where the majority of vendors were Etsy sellers. It was great meeting the folks behind the shop name :)

What is your favorite dinner?
I love pineapple pizza and wish my metabolism allowed me to eat it every day!

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
I am getting ready to introduce a line of gourd jewelry. Gourds grown in my garden, dried and cured, then cut up into large beads and pendants. I enjoy expanding my craft and trying new things.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Italy. I've always dreamed of going there to experience the culture, art, food, etc.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I love that each piece is unique and my customers enjoy knowing that they are the only person that has it.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
Actually making jewelry is my zen time. With an active toddler, I am always on the go. I like being able to spend time totally focused on each piece. It also allows me to be uninterrupted and spend time with just me! Seems a lot of my personality comes out in each design.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I love all things handmade. Soaps, handbags, cards, jewelry, etc.

What is the best thing about your business?
The greatest thing about my business is how it allows me to stay at home with my son, Camden. I thoroughly enjoy spending my days with him. As much as I teach him things, I constantly feel like I'm the one who is learning. It's an amazing journey. The icing on the cake is the freedom to be with him and also work on my craft.

Etsy Seller of the Week: flauntitmaternity

2008-07-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Having just had my third (and most likely last) baby, I really wish I'd discovered this shop earlier!! Flauntitmaternity has the coolest maternity shirts at a very reasonable price!

Now YOU can get it at an even better price because for the week of this feature, you can save 10% off any one item (except sale items) or buy two maternity tees and get free US Shipping (or just $5 everywhere else). Simply mention "Rainy's blog" in notes to seller at checkout and wait for an adjusted invoice!

Learn more about this great shop and seller!

How did you find Etsy?
A friend of mine told me about Etsy.

What do you love about Etsy?
I like that thousands of people from all over the world have access to see your product.

What is your favorite dinner?
I love grilled salmon.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
I have stylish maternity tees of all varieties that are affordable, comfy and cool. Personally being pregnant twice, you have so many days that you don't feel beautiful. With my first pregnancy, I was frustrated finding something to wear on an every day basis and didn't want to spend big bucks for maternity clothes or wear "tent like" maternity that makes you look larger than life, so I started this line! Women shouldn't hide their miracle, but Flaunt It!

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would go to Switzerland, always wanted to go there since I did a report on it 3rd grade, plus I love chocolate and know they have awesome chocolate there!

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I love that women can feel good in it and enjoy it.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
I love to work out-run, swim, lift weights etc.. gives me more energy and I feel good after I do it.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I love shopping for skin care, lotions and scrubs, but ones made with all natural ingredients, not chemicals!(funny I put this, I just looked at your shop and the scrubs look delicious!)

Why, thank you, flauntitmaternity! :) Now everyone run off to her shop. She has gift certificates as well, so think about all those mothers-to-be who want something different and fun to wear!

Etsy Seller of the Week: WarpedandWonderful

2008-06-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

This week brings us to the world of WarpedandWonderful! I have one of her handwoven baby blankets and all I can say is WOW! I drooled over it every time I saw the listing online, but holding it in person was immensely better. The quality and workmanship is superb. My daughter is snuggled in her blanket right now as a matter of fact!

Now is a great time to give WarpedandWonderful a try, because she is offering 10% off all orders during the week of her feature! Convo her with "Rain's Blog" and she'll adjust the price or mention "Rain's blog" in the notes at checkout so she can send an adjusted invoice. Offer ends July 6th.

Now for her interview....

How did you find Etsy?
I first stumbled upon Etsy soon after it started but I was not ready to set up a shop at the time. A little over a year ago it was mentioned in a forum and I decided to join.

What do you love about Etsy?
I love the community. There are not many places that everyone answers questions and gives so much of themselves to help others. The variety of crafts represented is staggering. Where else can you find so many wonderful things in one place?

What is your favorite dinner?
Wine and lobster ~or~ steak and salad ~or~ roast beef and potatoes ~or~ roasted chicken um - I can’t make up my mind....

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
Weaving is not a lost art. There are handweavers around the world exploring and rediscovering what masters of our craft knew centuries ago. Many of the designs I use come from old manuscripts written by weavers in the 1600's and 1700's. They were struggling to compete with the factories of the industrial revolution. Some master weavers decided to break with tradition and share the information they had been keeping secret in the guilds. They hoped to help weavers in outlying areas be able to continue to earn a living with their craft.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Anywhere in Europe. I am fascinated by old buildings. Here in Idaho the oldest buildings are the old cabins of early settlers and they are just over 100 years old. I dream of wandering through old castles and ancient ruins.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
The fact that I am able to do it! Weaving fascinates me. I love the process and am mesmerized as I watch the patterns grow on the loom in front of me.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
A good book, once I start one, I can’t put it down till I’m done. I’m looking for new authors all the time and would love suggestions!

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I love to look for several things on Etsy. One of my “fetishes” is fountain pens. I am searching for just the right one when I have money to spare. The turned wood pens are so beautiful. I also discovered a love for lampwork beads. The ones I have found on Etsy are amazing.

What are you working on right now?
Right now I am working on my Certificate of Excellence in Handweaving. I completed Level 1 two years ago and am finishing up a specialized study for Level 2. It has been an all consuming task the last few months. I will be able to call myself a “Master Weaver” if the judges approve of the work I have done. I will be so relieved when it is finished and I can focus on adding new things to my shop in the fall.

Etsy Seller of the Week: WhimsybyMari

2008-06-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

This week's featured seller is WhimsybyMari! Check out her shop for fresh, fun jewelry. I especially love her earrings! From now till next Monday (June 30th) she is offering 10% off if you mention "Rain's Blog" in notes to seller at checkout! :)

How did you find Etsy?
A very good friend “Angelinabeadalina” thought it would be a great outlet for my jewelry. She already had a shop and was having success. I registered and shopped for awhile to get comfortable then slowly started stocking my shop.

What do you love about Etsy?
There are so many things I love about ETSY. Number one are the people I have met, everyone is so helpful and supportive. I love it that people from all over the world has a chance to purchase my jewelry. I love being able to look at everyone else’s shops.

What is your favorite dinner?
This is the hardest question yet. I love BLT with my heirloom tomatoes straight from the garden, fresh picked corn and a cucumber salad. Homemade ice cream would finish off the meal.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
That I craft each piece as if I was to keep it myself. I use the highest quality supplies and best Lampwork beads I can find. Each piece is a small work of art in itself.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
It is several places, I would like to visit all our National Parks. There is so much beauty in this country I have yet to see. I have had the opportunity to see a grizzly bear in Glacier National Park, a condor flying over the Grand Canyon and shooting stars over Crater Lake. I don’t want to camp, I would like to stay in the nicest rooms at the lodges.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I love the glass, the small little treasures each piece contains, the way the glass reflects differently with the sun. I love the look in someone’s eye when the try on that perfect piece and know they have to have it. I love putting different components together to make a piece of jewelry. Sometimes I play with them forever until I get it just right.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
I like to read, and garden and of course playing with the dogs. We have a 14 year old Golden, a Brit and a ShihTzu, three cats round out the family. I love to take my coffee out on the deck early in the morning and watch the world come alive. I like to walk and canoe too.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I love to pounce, just to see what comes up. I don’t have a organized pattern to shopping on Etsy! I have bought beautiful bangles with scripture written on them, lampwork beads ( a girl can never have too many lampwork beads!), purses, the list goes on and on. If I like it I usually buy it. All the gifts I have purchased this year have been from Etsy, that is a good feeling.

Where so you see yourself after a year on Etsy?
I hope that I will have many repeat customers, that is when I will feel like I have accomplished my goal. Success in my book does not always mean monetary, sometimes it is knowing I have done a great job.

Visiting Elderly Loved Ones

2008-06-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

My mom and I took my newborn daughter on a road trip this past weekend. We went east over the mountains to visit my grandma, who is 84 and slowly losing her memory to dementia.

It was fun to see how much she enjoyed having the baby around. It was sad to hear her ask 10 times in an hour how old the baby was, or what her name was. It was great to laugh at old family memories. It was hard to see that she no longer remembers some of her favorite stories she used to tell. It was hard to see her cry when it was time for us to leave. It was sort of a relief to know that an hour later she will have forgotten we had left. Although not when I realize she would also have forgotten we were even there at all.

The trip was fun in many ways. I got to spend quality time with just my mom and my daughter. We ate whatever we wanted without worrying about calories or fat content. I learned some new funny family stories I hadn't heard before. I also learned things about her and her family that I probably didn't want to know - things she hadn't told me about before because I was too young. Apparently now that I am a mom of three just like her, I was ready. I really wasn't.

However, the past is the past, and I can't do anything to change it. I can only move forward, hopefully with more understanding for why people are the way they are. And really, can't that be applied to everyone we know? That crotchety neighbor who has a fit over how fast you drive down the road (even when you are going the speed limit) - maybe he had a grand-daughter who was hit by a car. The cashier who is impatient with you at the checkout - maybe she gave up cigarettes three days ago. Your son's teacher who grills you about every bruise he gets - maybe she was abused as a child. Your uncle's new wife who wants to know how much you make and how much your mortgage payment is - maybe she was homeless during part of her life.

I guess this weekend was a reminder, in more ways than one, that life is so short and so out of our control. We need to take each day as it comes, being thankful for the blessings we have and simply surviving the hard parts. And in the midst of it all, show love and forgiveness for people and their shortcomings. Because face it - you have shortcomings too.

Etsy Seller of the Week: JazziesJunque

2008-06-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's featured seller: JazziesJunque! She sells all sorts of great supplies, plus a selection of her own hand-crafted goodies. And through Sunday, June 15, she is offering 30% off one item if you put "Rain's Blog" in the notes to seller at checkout (she'll send a revised invoice). What a great time to try her out! :)

How did you find Etsy? I found out about Etsy from my good friend Kate from KrazyKateDesigns. She has been wonderful in helping me to get started and answering my many questions, such as "Does this look good and do you think it will sell on Etsy?". She has been great.

What do you love about Etsy? The best thing about Etsy is the people. I have met so many wonderful people here and consider them as good friends. And I love being able to provide that item that someone has been searchng for but not able to find.

What is your favorite dinner? This one is a toughy - Favorite dinner would be chicken enchiladas with green chile, spanish rice, and a sprite. For dessert white chocolate Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Notice the plural?

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop? I try to provide unique items that can be used to make really cool altered art, mixed media or assemblage. And also I like to make things that has (as far as I know) never been made by anyone else.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would love to go to Australia or to Africa on a safari.

What do you love about what you make/sell? I like the originality of what I make and the ability to find something that would have been thrown away and sold to someone that can bring new life to it through Art.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind? Sitting on the sofa with my dogs is the best way to relax.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I buy way too many beads, just ask Kate. I don't know what it is but I have the hardest time finding a bead I don't like.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Why didn't I think of the Etsy concept first?

Etsy Seller of the Week: ancientgamecupboard

2008-06-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

This week I am featuring the shop ancientgamecupboard. The business is a family effort, with Mom running the Etsy shop! See her interview below and check out the amazing games from history! For the week of this feature, ancientgamecupboard is offering 10% off the item price if you put "rainy" in the notes to seller at checkout.

How did you find Etsy?
My Mom kept bringing it up. She saw Etsy featured on a TV show and then saw it in our local paper, too. This was just at the time that we were thinking about making our games for more than just gifts for our own kids. So, Providentially, I made our username something to do with the games and even though we eventually registered our business under a different name, our Etsy name still makes sense.

What do you love about Etsy?
I love the community, as quirky as it may be sometimes. Generally speaking, people are very willing to help you learn new skills for your craft even if it means adding competition for themselves. Etsy is such a diverse community that every individual can find an audience - there may be a lot of jewelry, for example, but it's diverse enough in style and price that you can reach your own target market despite all the 'competition'.

What is your favorite dinner?
Arabic food - specifically, anything involving hummus and filafel.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
That we put our heart and soul into it. We love what we do, we love to see a game turn out perfectly and we obsessively re-do them until we are satisfied with them. Also, most of our wood is reclaimed from sources such as discarded furniture, hardwood pallets, and any other high quality wood that still has life and beauty in it. We love to discover some really great pieces of hardwood in a heap of discarded materials.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I think I'd go back to Jordan. We used to live there, and I just love the people and the culture there. I'd also love to take a year off from life and backpack across either Africa or Asia with our little tribe.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
Everything! I love that we've found a business making something that combines our love for board games, history, woodworking, and art, and which has aspects that every member of the family can take a part in. The older kids are learning woodworking from their Dad, they all do some sanding and have aspirations of moving on to staining and painting someday, they're all learning about customer service, quality control, sales, time management. It's been the perfect family business for us.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
Reading. We're book-aholics in this family~

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I love to look for other woodworkers shops and for shops selling Renaissance Fair or other historical reenactment wares.

What game is your current best-seller?
Our best-selling item is our Viking Game, Hnefetafl.

Etsy Seller of the Week - LadybugsDesigns!

2008-05-26T00:08:00.000-07:00

This week's featured Etsy seller is LadybugsDesigns. Check out her shop for fun baby items, and more! Plus, if you put "Rain" in the notes to seller, or contact her before ordering, she will give you 10% off your order this week!

How did you find Etsy?
A former coworker suggested it instead of Ebay.

What do you love about Etsy?
Since it isn't an auction, I don't have to constantly check to see if someone won. And you can always find someone to answer your questions and give you advice.

What is your favorite dinner?
Macaroni and cheese casserole. It makes me feel good when I'm down.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
My emphasis is on great baby things, many of them embroidered, but I also have bookcovers and cool ties, and I'm always thinking of new things to try. They might never happen, but I am thinking about them. I also carry some lovely jewelry made by one of my sisters.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
If it was just one place, I'd like to go to England and tour London and Bath and some of the great houses, and stop by Edinburgh too. If I could go more places, I'd take a month and visit the museums in Washington, D.C. and tour some of the Revolution and Civil War houses and battlefields.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I think my favorite items are my bookcovers. I take a book wherever I go, and they make it so easy to keep track of your reading material (and avoid any comments on my choices). My second favorite would be my toddler aprons, which keep little ones clean from neck to knees.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
I love to read, watch movies/tv series from Netflix, play computer games, and hang out in the Etsy forums.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I like to look for soap and hair products --- one of these days I'm actually going to buy some! :o)

What's your favorite part of Etsy?
All the friends I've made in the forums. Most of us have never met or even talked to each other, but we're there for each other in good times and bad.

What A Nice Birthday Week!

2008-05-24T23:51:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday! Well, for 10 more minutes anyway. :)

My whole week was pretty great. Tuesday I added more products to my table in the crafters' co-op I was invited to join.

Wednesday I had my sugar scrub featured in the "Etsy Finds" email, and received four orders for a total of six scrubs sold! Not to mention the shop exposure I got!
See my sugar scrub here.

And today was my birthday and we went to my folks' house. My mom made her famous potato salad and I totally pigged out (hey, nursing moms are allowed to do that, right? Right!)

My husband gave me a "free day pass" so I can spend a full day all to myself one of these weekends. My parents gave me a gift card to Best Buy so I can get the WiiFit, once they get more in (yeah, none of us thought to reserve it.)

Now if only my kids would sleep in till 10 am tomorrow! I'm not holding my breath though. Our middle one loves waking up at 5:30 am. If I hadn't given birth to him myself, I'd doubt he really was my son!

Etsy Seller of the Week: Circleinthesand

2008-05-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

This week I am featuring CircleintheSand! Check out her shop for fun supplies and a variety of handmade items! PLUS, put "Rain" in notes to seller, and she'll give you 10% off your order while she is featured.

How did you find Etsy?
Our local newspaper did an article on a lady in Jacksonville (thedoglady), who was making pet accessories in order to raise money for her vet bills, cos her doggies were in need of medical attention. I was intrigued, so I started browsing around on Etsy looking at all the wonderful handmade items. I did that for almost a year before I had the nerve to actually sign up.

What do you love about Etsy?
Well, of course, what got my attention at the beginning was the 20 cent listings for 4 months. I had been selling on Ebay before coming here and the fees are so much better. But, after I started spending more time on Etsy, I grew to just love the spirit of friendship, helpfulness, caring and love that everybody had for each other. I have since then made some really close wonderful friendships here. And, I think it is neat as heck that I can talk to folks all over the world! Some of those close friendships that I've made are from ladies "across the waters".

What is your favorite dinner?
My favorite dinner is anything that I am eating with hubby!! We have a good time just eating together, no matter what the menu is.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
I would just like for everyone to come away from my shop feeling as if they had an enjoyable experience - whether they buy anything or not. I always try to have fun, colorful items listed, I try to keep my Sections List easy to read and organized and I try to keep the number of items per section at less than 12 so that folks only have one page to look at. I am always pleasant and friendly with my customers - I want them to come back time and time again. I can't work at Etsy fulltime, so I have to try harder to compete with the larger shops, so every shopper is a potential customer, and every customer is a potential referral for another customer so I try and treat each one special. And, I'm known for my fast shipping (just read some of my feedback).

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
If I could have an all-expense paid trip - I would like to have a fullsized motorhome so hubby and I could travel all over the United States.

What do you love about what you make/sell?
I just love playing around with all kinds of different crafts - but I also love playing around with all kinds of supplies to make those crafts. And it gives me great pleasure to put those supplies in the hands of another crafter so that she can play around with her favorite craft. One of my favorite things to "play" with is vintage buttons, I love getting them and sorting them and grouping them together. And, I use button on some of my own creations, like the purse pouches.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
I love to relax by browsing around on the internet, or reading thru several favorite magazines that I get, or sitting and watching a movie with hubby - we don't really watch any TV, but we have a ton of movies; give us a big bowl of popcorn and we're set!!

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I love to browse around Etsy looking for some of my own favorite things - vintage buttons, plastic canvas items, supplies, cross stitch - and I also look for things that I can use as Christmas gifts. I did a great deal of Christmas shopping last year right here on Etsy.

Where do you see your Etsy Shop in 3 years?
I dream of being able to do this fulltime, and actually make some income, lol. It is so much fun - both being here on Etsy and searching for those special items to put in my shop. It would be awesome to have this as my sole employment.

Etsy Seller of the Week: oneeyeopen

2008-05-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

I am re-dedicating myself to this blog, and to keep me on task, I will be featuring an Etsy seller every week. This is a great way to find new shops and get to know the owners behind them!

My first Etsy seller is oneeyeopen, who has generously offered 10% off any item in her shop if you mention "Rain" in the notes to seller at checkout!

How did you find Etsy?
I found it while I was blog hopping. It kept popping up on blogs I was visiting.
What do you love about Etsy?
I love the format, the easy navigating of the site, the fact that there are millions of goodies that you look for to buy in one place, plus the ease in selling on Etsy.

What is your favorite dinner?
Some kind of pasta with lots of red sauce.

What would you like us to know about your craft/shop?
Although my photography is completely digital, I still love to focus on alternative methods, i.e., I’m not using a Holga camera, but instead using digital processes to make that digital print look like it was taken with a Holga.

If you could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Tuscany. It’s my dream vacation.
What do you love about what you make/sell?
I have a penchant for aesthetics and was taught by my mother at an early age to love beautiful things, but not necessarily expensive things. I love the fact that my work is priced so that just about everyone can afford it.

What is your favorite way to relax or unwind?
S-L-E-E-P.

What do you like to shop for on Etsy, even if it is just browsing, not buying?
I love looking at the artwork: photography manipulations, digital collage, clothing for my Blythe doll, and really anything that catches my eye on the front page or the Time Machine2.

What is your personal goal with regard to your photography in the coming years?
First of all, I would love to get motivated again. I have many pictures that I have not even edited yet. I would also like to get more involved with submitting my work to stock sites and sending my work to publishers. One of my dreams is to be published on a book jacket. (Okay, maybe that’s not a big deal to some photographers, but it would be to me.)

Frankie Kins
oneeyeopen.etsy.com
Blog: www.bluemoonstudio.typepad.com

I've Got A DAUGHTER!!!

2008-04-22T11:07:00.001-07:00

Hip Hip Hooray!

Miriam was born March 25th, 2008 at 9:25 am. She weighed in at 7 lbs 9 ozs, and was 21 inches long.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rightasrain/2368041398/

After a spurt of contractions Monday afternoon and evening, I woke up at 2 am Tuesday with steady ones five minutes apart. After an hour of those, I woke up my husband, called my mom, and called the Doctor. He recommended laboring at home for as long as I could and heading to the hospital around 7 am, or sooner if the contractions started coming every three minutes or closer.

My mom came out right away, so that we could leave whenever we needed. I labored at home in relative comfort (having my mom there for company was nice, and it also allowed my husband to get more sleep!) and took a shower at about 6 am. By that time, I was having to bend over and breathe through the contractions. My water broke at 6:30 am (after I showered and dressed, of course) and we headed to the hospital, arriving at exactly 7 am. Hope Doc was impressed! :)

I got checked into a room right away, as my water had already broke. The nurse checked me shortly after and I was already dilated to 4 cm! After about 20 minutes of intense back labor, I decided to get an epidural. I'd been through back labor before and decided to cut my losses and go straight for the pain-relief! (I have noticed once you have an epidural, it is hard to forgo one the next time, because you just know how heavenly they are!)

I had to wait awhile for the epidural because my Doc was the only one who could order one and he was with another of his laboring patients. It was about an hour before relief arrived, and I was in tears by then, but about 10 minutes later, all was right in my world once more!

By then I had dilated to over 9, so they decided to let me start pushing. Miriam hadn't dropped all the way yet, so the first bit of pushing was just getting her into position. After trying a different position, she dropped all the way and I started pushing in earnest. She had been face up, but she twisted at the last moment and came so suddenly, the Doc almost didn't make it in time to catch her! I've never seen someone get on booties, scrubs, and gloves that fast in my life!

She was born so fast that the fluid hadn't been squeezed from her lungs fully, so the nurses had to suction her out a few times, poor dear.

But she was beautiful! We are so happy. I'll have to detail our first few weeks later. :)

She's Almost HERE!

2008-03-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I am coming up on the last three weeks of this pregnancy! Yay!

Wait - no! I'm not ready!

Ok, I can't wait to meet her, but I am not ready to be a mom of three. I don't know that I ever will be though, and at this point it is inevitable, so I guess I'll just jump in feet first into deep water and acclimate as fast as I can!

After all, lots of other moms have done it - some with kids even closer in age than mine, and some with more than three kids altogether. So if they can do it, so can I!

I think most of my panic is knowing I only have limited time to finish certain things before the insanity begins. Like filing our taxes! Gulp. I really should get on that, huh?

But all that stress and worry and panic fades when I actually think about snuggling up a newborn under my chin again. Aaaaaah, there is nothing else like it on earth and it is such an amazing experience that in the moment, I would easily agree to have 15 children. Newborn baby smell must interfere with rational thought processes. Someone should scientifically prove that, because I am pretty sure it is true. I mean, I fully acknowledge, after having two children, how much work adding a third is going to be, yet all I have to do is think about having her in my arms and I forget. I forget all about temper tantrums, throwing food on the floor, dirty diapers, runny noses, back sassing, shoving siblings, and running late for everything by at least 15 minutes.

Yup, all I have to do is close my eyes and remember the first time I held my firstborn in my arms, and all of a sudden I am bawling with sentimentality and spouting about how amazingly wonderful children are! And you know what? Despite all the not-so-fun part of raising children, each child is still oh-so amazingly wonderful. Thank God for each and every one of them.

Prepping for Fugly's Grand Opening!

2008-01-29T22:08:00.000-08:00

I opened a 2nd shop on Etsy back in September. Yeah, I know - like I don't have enough going on!

But, I wanted to streamline my RightAsRainCreations shop into just my fabulous Bath & Body products.

So all that other stuff I just love making had to go somewhere! And so it did - check out my Fugly shop! I am still adding new items. I plan to have a grand opening in just THREE days! Friday February First, in fact! :)

http://fugly.etsy.com

Art, jewelry, knitted goods, paper goods, note cards, and MORE!

Vote for What You'd Like to See Next!

2008-01-13T23:40:00.000-08:00

I have been busy this last month or so adding new products to my Bath & Body line!

Now, I need your input! What would you like to see me add to my shop next? Please vote in my poll - choose two or three if you'd like!

Thanks, I really appreciate your input!

And check out my new Body Cream, Lip Balm, Sugar Scrub, and Refresher Mist here!

RightAsRainCreations.etsy.com

My 1 Year Etsyversary!

2007-12-10T13:11:00.000-08:00

Wheee! I love a good reason to celebrate - and reaching one full year of selling (and buying) on Etsy is a very good reason! :)

I have LOVED being on Etsy! I am so thankful I found it - thanks to an eBay customer! Because of her, I was able to leave eBay behind and sell successfully on a site that just "fits" me so well!

In my first year on Etsy I have:

Sold 353 items
Bought 90 items
Received 727 hearts
Given 237 hearts

And had so much fun, shared so many laughs, and made lots of friends! :)

Oh, and to celebrate, check out my Etsyversary sale in my shop!

Reason #683 Why I Love 4 Year Olds.

2007-12-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

My son cracks me up.

We "encourage" him to eat food (he is a little bird eater who will sometimes take maybe three bites of a meal all day long, yet want to snack constantly) by telling him that eating healthy will help him grow tall or grow as strong as Daddy.

So yesterday he ate all his Mac'n'Cheese (I know, big sacrifice, right?) and he gets down and runs around the table to me and points to his toes.

"Look how tall I've grown Mom!"

As though the distance from his eyes to his toes had increased significantly! LOL - Yup, those toes sure look farther away, he must have grown taller!

Mega BlowOut Sale!!

2007-12-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't like FREE?

I am offering all my JEWELRY BOGO FREE!!

That is right! Buy any piece of jewelry and get a 2nd piece of jewelry equal or lower price FREE!

Why? I have new Bath & Body lines coming soon and need to re-focus my shop!

Visit RightAsRainCreations Shop for details!

Lavender Dreams

2007-11-29T13:08:00.000-08:00

I am dancing in the streets! Our little unborn babe is a GIRL!!!

After two boys, I am SO EXCITED to do some baby girlie shopping! :) Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my boys. But shopping for girls is just more fun, lol.

So far I have bought her one pair of maryjane booties on Etsy and a couple of outfits at the local consignment store. I am *trying* to be good and not buy more until I have all my Christmas shopping done first. I figure I should probably buy the gifts I need for those already born FIRST, tee hee.

That being said, I need lots of money so I can shop till I drop!

So I am offering BOGO 1/2 OFF on ALL JEWELRY in my Etsy shop!!!
Buy a piece of jewelry and get 50% off another piece of equal or less value! Wheeeee!!

RightAsRainCreations

Want to SAVE MONEY?!?

2007-11-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

Then stop by my shop tonight! From 5 pm EST tonight to 6 am EST tomorrow, I am having a great sale! :)

*!* Saturday Night Special *!* BUY MORE SAVE MORE *!*

-> Buy 1 item, get 15% off

-> Buy 2 items, both are 20% off

-> Buy 3 items, get 25% off entire order!

-> Every item over 3 will be 30% OFF!!*

*Three highest priced items will be 25% off, everything else will be 30% off. :)

*!* Just put "SNS" in notes to seller and I will send an adjusted invoice. Please tell me if you'd prefer Google instead of PayPal. Sale ends 6 am EST.

Visit RightAsRainCreations now!

And the Winners Are. . .!

2007-10-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

The top three vote-getters in my scent contest were:

Brown Sugar Spice
Vanilla Hazelnut
Plumberry Spice

Gingerbread Spice tied with Plumberry Spice, but since I already have a Ginger Creme scent in my shop, I gave Plumberry Spice the win. :)

Thank you all for voting and I will announce the two contest winners shortly!

Be sure to check my shop for these great new scents in about 2 weeks.

VOTE for YOUR Favorite THREE New Scents!

2007-09-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

Vote Now in my Fall/Winter Scent Poll!

Choose the three scents you would most like to see in my Fall/Winter lineup!

If you would also like to be entered in my drawing for a free 3-pack lotion sampler featuring the three winning scents, please post your Etsy shop name or email here so I can contact you if you win!

Thank you!

Fall/Winter SCENT Contest!

2007-09-24T17:29:00.001-07:00

It is time for me to put three new seasonal scents in my shop! I had a contest for my summer scents, and it was so much fun, I decided to do it again!

First of all, I need to gather suggestions before I compile a list for the final vote.

Please leave a comment here letting me know which scent(s) you would like to see!

I will put the name of each person in a hat for a drawing (make sure I have an email or Etsy shop name so I can contact you if you win). Each person gets ONE entry, but feel free to post as many suggestions as you like. The winner will receive a FREE lotion sampler pack of the three final winning scents!

Thanks so much! Here is the list of scents I already have (so please don't put these ones on your list!)

April Showers - like a fresh rain on a spring day
Au Naturale - unscented
Beyond Melon - eating melon at a summer's picnic
Chocolate Orange - ALMOST as good as eating chocolate!
Citrus Basil Breeze - great unisex scent - bold and clean
Coconut Lime Verbena - like a pina colada for your skin!
Elemental Bamboo - light woodsy floral, mellows nicely
Garden Sage - smells fresh from the herb garden!
Gardenia
Geranium - as spicy and sweet as the real deal!
Ginger Creme - ginger cookie topped with vanilla frosting
Green Tea & Cucumber - as fresh as it sounds!
Juicy Pear - mouthwateringly pear-like. A Best Seller!
Lavender - made with lavender essentail oil.
Lavender Vanilla
Lily of the Valley
Morning Rain - Like collecting raindrops off of flower petals
Mood Lifter - Smile! Orange, ylang-ylang, & chamomile
Orange Spice - a spicy & sensual orange scent for grownups!
Patchouli - earthy goodness
Sleepy Time - soothing lavender w/ StressFree aromatherapy
Spruce & Berries - like eating berry pie in the forest
Tangarine - sweet and tart - perfect!
Wild Strawberry - smells like it was freshly picked!
Winter Sunshine - fresh light floral w/ a hint of lemon

Also, Beyond Melon, Wild Strawberry, and Morning Rain will be retired till spring, so get them now while you can! :) I am trying to keep my scent list to 25 so as not to overwhelm myself!

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL!

2007-09-22T15:42:00.001-07:00

Save lots of money tonight on amazing handmade products! Stop by Etsy and check out the weekly Saturday Night Special!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5241941&page=2

My sale is the 2nd one listed on page 2. Be sure to check it out if you are a fan of smooth skin and smelling good!

Lots of other great shops having sales too!

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day!!!

2007-09-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Oh, and Happy Birthday Isaac! My son is four years old today! Born on Talk Like A Pirate Day! Aargh!

Check out his super cute pics on the Talk Like A Pirate Day flickr page!
http://flickr.com/photos/talklikeapirateday/39605771/in/set-997225/

http://flickr.com/photos/talklikeapirateday/39605770/in/set-997225/

PLUS - In honor of this special day, I am offering 19% off my entire Etsy shop!

Just put TLAP in the notes to seller when you check out and I will send you an invoice later. Sale ends at midnight PST (3 am EST).

NEW Product! Yay!

2007-09-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

I am excited to introduce a new product in the Right As Rain Creations bath & body line!

Peppermint Foot Cream!

A nice cooling foot cream that is sure to please! The consistency is like buttercream frosting, and it smells good enough to eat (but don't! lol)

I've been using some on my feet every night and after three days, I can already see a difference in my dry heels. Plus, it is cooling and refreshing! My feet are in love!

Coming soon. . . Two new scents in my lotion line: Blackberry Sage and Oak Leaves & Acorns! Plus, I am getting closer to delving into making shampoo! Look for shampoo in my Etsy shop sometime in October! :)

Great Savings to Be Had!! :)

2007-08-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

Check out the Saturday Night Special sale going on every Saturday night on Etsy. Many (hundreds) of Etsy sellers post special sales here and it is a great opportunity to stock up, browse, and save lots! :)

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5206636

For instance, if you are a fan of my work (or are interesting in trying it out for the first time!) check out page two of the thread for my special! :) You can save up to 25%!!!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5206636&page=2

So run on over - sales in most shops end at midnight Hawaii time (6 am EST, I believe).
:) Megan

If I Were . . . Having a Tea Party!

2007-08-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

If I were having a tea party, these are a few must-have items from Etsy:

First of all, tea! TeaNoir has amazing hand-crafted loose leaf tea. I have had the Lady in Red blend, and it is the best tea I have ever made. And I am a tea snob!

In fact, I just bought some more, so I will have to show off this Red Hot - 4oz loose spicy rooibos chai instead! :)

Click the pic to go to the listing!

Of course, if you are going to drink delicious hand-crafted tea, you will need to drink it out of gorgeous hand-crafted teacups!

dbabcock has some amazing teacups in her shop - and she includes really cool saucers too!

Please check out her shop!

What else does one need for a tea party? How about some amazing shortbread!! These orange zest shortbread cookies made my mouth water just looking at them.

Ulljas is a licensed bakery, so you can rest assured you are getting a quality product from a clean & safe baking facility!

Oh, and I suppose I should also have a lovely teapot! This one by fancyfootwrkspottery tickled my fancy!

Plus, you get two free mugs, so I could even invite some friends to my tea party. Although that would mean having to share my cookies, hehe.

Click the pic to see this listing!

NOTE: all pics are "borrowed" from the Etsy website and remain the property of the individual sellers. Please do not use these photos for profit.

Poor Blog Getting No Love!

2007-08-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

I have completely ignored you of late, oh blog. I am sorry!

But I have a good excuse! Ok, well it is an excuse - good or not.

We are having another baby!! My hubby is excitedly terrified of adding a third into the mix of craziness that is our lives, but I am pretty much ignoring how much work it will be and focusing on the baby part. My arms are already open and waiting to cuddle another little one!!

I have been much sicker to my tummy with this one. No actual sickness yet, though, just queasiness. That has lasted for about five days running. I have to eat every 1/2 hour or I pay. And if I overeat, I pay. Other than that and the rampant exhaustion, I feel great!

However, I am battling the bulge already. With my first, I didn't have to wear maternity clothes until week 16. With my 2nd, it was week 10. I am about 8-9 weeks right now (ultrasound to check for a more exact date is on Friday!) and I am having trouble finding pants that fit. It is like my body has a memory and thinks its job is to make my belly as round as possible as soon as possible. But I refuse to open the box of maternity clothes yet.

I just won't be leaving the house much in the next few days. Either that, or I will be looking quite nice in my sundress to run to the market for milk.

So, let the games begin, and let my life get even crazier! Bring it on!! Yeah!!! :)