Cupcakes & Owls & Etsy Oh My!

I re-did my etsy banner and am commited to loading lots of new items in my shop this weekend. I had so many great things for xmas but didn't have time to put them up. My stationery business on ebay has been taking off lately and I was swamped. Super happy about that but sad my fun felt creations didn't get seen.

So I'm super commited to getting something up for Valentine's Day. So here's what I've got going on.

These cute cupcakes are tree ornaments that never got put in the store. They could also be used as a gift tags or scrapbook embellishments. I've re-worked this design for valentine's day and also made it smaller for a cute wearable pin. I'll post photos after I get them in the store.

I'll have a St. Pattie's Day version too based on this one. Mmm mint cupcakes.

This is Old Man Grizwald. He's the oldest owl in the woods. He's a cute little felt pin for you to wear. More owl family pins will be put in the store when I have time to sew them up.

Just a small sample of things I've been working on. I hope you like them and I'll post photos here and on Flickr when I have everything ready.

Happy New Year!

Handmade Presents I'm Giving This Year

For my mom I made this Red Hat Pin. The pin is underneath so you wear it like a hat hanging on a peg. I used red sparkle and purple eco felt. I put 3 red beads on the front of the band for interest. This I know my mom will love. She's such a sassy Red Hatter!

A cute Hello Kitty pin for my son's girlfriend. Really easy to make after I sat down and drew out how I wanted it to look. I think it came out really cute and really hope she likes it. I did another one with a pink bow but I'm not sure if I'll give her both or save one for her birthday.

Carmelita & Binks hanging out

My two buddies hanging out together.

Etsy Store is Open!

O.k. I finally did it. The etsy store is open. I only have one item in there- this sweet little ginger man but more will come in the following days. 2 people have viewed this listing so far and I'm pretty excited about it!

I also promise to blog more often and hope to share my creative process with you as I transform my stationery designs to other fun items. I'll also share fun finds etc.

Some items coming up are scrabble tile pendants with my designs, more felt ornaments and other felt creations. I'm have a love affair with felt right now. Can ya tell?

Wish me luck!

Holiday Ornaments Prototypes

This is a terrible picture but I took a quick shot to show some holiday ornament ideas I've been working on. These are done in the new eco-felt that's made from recycled water bottles. I'm all about recycling and I love felt so it's perfect.

I'm opening an etsy store for a new idea I had to turn some of my stationery designs into felt pins and ornaments, etc. The gingerbread people is a design I've had for a while (reminds me of the cookie cutter we used when I was a child) but never put on cards. The ball ornament is the same design I have on cards and stickers in my ebay store right now. I have them in red, blue, green, yellow, purple and pink.

I also have a sweet idea for a baby's First Christmas ornament. Lots of designs for beyond the holidays too. I'll put a link once I get my store up and running. If you see anything in my ebay store you'd like to see turned into felt, let me know too. http://www.thesassypackrat.com/

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

History Was Made.

Last night I sat on the couch with my mother and daughter and we watched history being made. I had a color me in electoral map and my daughter and I took turns coloring the results in. Although Obama was ahead in the beginning and a favorite of our family, somehow a small part of me just still couldn't believe that he would really win. After all when my parents married in the 1960's it was illegal for them to do so in some states. I was concerned that this country hadn't come far enough and that Race would be a huge issue instead of what was really important - the content of Obama's character.

When the count all the sudden jumped to 297, we sat in stunned silence. We won so quickly it was hard to wrap our heads around the fact. We immediately called my brother in another state to get his reaction. we never thought this day would come in my lifetime we both agreed.

As we watched President Elect Barack Obama's speech I looked over and saw tears on my mother's face. Afterward she said the two greatest moments in her life were meeting Martin Luther King Jr. when she was in college and seeing Barack Obama elected President of the United States. She so vividly remembers the March on Washington and the speech King made in front of the Lincoln Memorial. She had just finished college and so desperately wanted to go to Washington, but her parents felt it wouldn't be safe and were concerned for her safety. So she had to watch it on t.v. Her greatest regret has always been not going anyway.

My mother is a 67 year old white woman from Connecticut who married a man she loved who just happened to be black and she helped elect America's first Black President. I'm filled with joy that my mother was able to experience this, but I wish my dad had lived to see this day too.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Driving Miss Diva - On Hold

Because of the "freak out" nature of my lovely daughter we have decided to push her driving training to the spring to give her more time to mature and calm the heck down. She was pretty worked up when her brother had his accident and hasn't tried to drive since. She came to me with this plan and I was all for it! I have no desire to be in car with her driving in the snow, no way!

Hopefully a few months will mature her and I'll sign her up for driving school. This will be better for both of us!

I Can't Believe It been A Month Since My Last Post!

I haven't had much time to blog recently. This time of year is super busy for me and I (in an insane moment) decided to do 2 craft shows back to back next month. I've also been working on my website and another project. Busy, busy, bee!


Those of you who twitter with me know that my son was in a car accident at the beginning of the month. Well the darn car has finally been repaired and I get to pick it up today. I'll be so happy to have my old familiar car back. And now that gas prices have dropped so much I'll get to drive it too!

I have a lot of great ideas for this blog and can't wait for the time to get them going. So I hope you will all keep checking back!

What I was doing 19 years ago today....

Giving birth to a big headed boy! Only 6 lbs 5oz and he still broke my tailbone! I couldn't sit upright for 6 weeks! Now my first born is all grown up: 6 foot, 190 lbs of bearded hairy man. My sweet boy was in a hurry to enter the world. He was born 3 weeks early, I still had a week left to work before my maternity leave. He also decided to be born in 5 hours from start to finish in the most painful, natural back labor ever! Of couse snapping my tailbone on the way out shows his impatience to get started in the world.

He has continued to be impulsive and impatient even now. Funny how those traits are with us from the beginning.

It's a sad and happy day for me today. Happy I was able to keep him safe so he could reach this age and sad because my little boy is really now gone.

1st day home. OMG I look like I'm 16! I was really 23 folks, honest. Wow look how skinny I was after his birth! That so didn't happen with my second child!

Happy 19th Birthday RJ!!! MOM loves you!!!

Driving Miss Diva - The 1st Drive

A super tired mom and a crazed anxious daughter are not the best combinations for a first driving experience. Here's what happened. I took her to the grammar school parking lot. It was empty and large enough for turning and parking and backing up. The daughter couldn't tell the difference between the gas and brake even after repeatedly trying each one out. She didn't understand why I wanted her to drive between the rows and turn at the end. (Perhaps to practice driving straight, stopping and turning?!)

After white-knuckling the steering wheel and stopping again and again she complained that the school janitor was watching her and it was freaking her out. I told her I wasn't going to take her on a real road until she and I had some confidence in her driving. So just shut up and drive. Next a woman walking a dog stopped to watch us, which started another freak out. I changed places with her and went across town to the junior high, which was having open house night of course. I finally drove around to a quiet street and decided to let her try street driving.

She did o.k. at 5 miles an hour until a car 2 blocks up started to back out of it's driveway. This started another freak out. "OMG!" I said to her. "How will you drive on the street with cars all around you if you freak out over every little thing?" She ended up driving all of 3 blocks and I needed a Pepcid when it was over.

She decided that driving on the street was better cause it goes straight. I reminded her that not all streets are straight and you have to turn sometime.

I know all of this sounds terrible but she was really better than her brother when he drove for the first time. I'm not looking forward to the second time, perhaps her brother will take her.

Palin for President, Michael Palin

I knew there was some kind of mistake!

Driving Miss Diva - The Background

O.k. it started like this:

My daughter, pounding up the stairs just home from school, "Mommmmm, can you take me driving today?!"

Me, hanging head and cringing. "Umm, yeah I think I'll have time later"
Now I've been through this last year with my son and 15 years ago with my baby brother. So I knew this was coming and I do have previous experience, but there is just something different about your daughter driving. I don't know if it's because she's my baby or a girl.

Now I'm all for women's rights and women can do anything men can do, but I feel strangely protective of her in a way I didn't with my son. I've spent time thinking about this and here are some reasons I've come up with. As much as I hate to admit it I do have a double standard when it comes to my children. And I think it really comes from a physical standpoint.

The Girl:

My 16 year old daughter stands 5' 4" and weighs 110 pounds. (she's 4 inches shorter than me)

Without make-up on she looks 11.

I own a mid-size SUV and she can't see over the steering wheel.

She is severely anxious about new situations and events. (it took her 2 months to get the courage to go to the DMV and take the permit test)

The Boy:

My 18 year old son stands 6' and weighs about 190 pounds.

Has a man-sized body and looks 25.

He is very confident (perhaps overly) in most everything he does.

The physical issue is probably all in my head because my daughter is an athlete and is tremendously strong for her size. But I can't help wanting to protect her! I guess it all comes down to the fact that I'm just not ready for her to grow up yet.

Stay tuned for further installments of "Driving Miss Diva".

Online Socal Networking Clubs

Are you a Swanky Mom, a Posh Mama, a Blogger Mom or a Twitter Mom? If you are then there are others just like you joining these online social clubs. Clubs are a great way to connect with like-minded people. I design personalized stationery so a club of mom's who handcraft things is right up my alley. I also have an addiction to Twittering so belong to a club for that feeds my addiction for more. I do consider myself "Posh" at least in my own mind (although my teenage daughter wouldn't agree with me) and I'm a Mama so there you go, perfect for me.


I enjoy talking to the people I meet and the networking is great (I've noticed a slight increase in sales-not sure yet if this relates or not). But it's a great way to put your business or blog out to a whole new group of people who might not ever had the chance to find you.

There are also smaller sub groups within the sites you can join that really focus on your likes and interests, such as: groups for business women, cancer survivors, politics, children and family, blogging etc. There really is something for everyone. And if there isn't you can create a group that interests you.


The biggest downside I've seen so far is that belonging to these clubs is very time-consuming. I've met some women who are on 5 or 6 sites. When do they find time to sleep? I've personally had to limit my time to a half an hour a day now, which is very hard when I'm getting email after email informing me someone has left a comment for me. I'm super nosy and it's hard not to stop work and click over to see what's going on. Also you can get spam. The sites I'm on are very good at deleting people who do that and working hard to keep a spam-free community.


I really do love the sites I'm on (www.poshmama.com & www.twittermoms.com) are my favorites. The women there are smart and savy. It's amazing how many women business owners there are! I love the discussions and business tips. I learn something worthwhile every day and enjoy contributing the little things I know.


So I highly recommend finding an online social club that suits you and hope you enjoy the experience as much as I have.

Singing Cake Kitten

This appeals to my bizare sense of humor!

I am WE, are you?

Historical Campaigns & Party Support

Well this has been a week full of firsts. The first African-American Democratic Presidential Nominee and the first Woman Vice President Republican Nominee. I've twittered to death my position on the whole McCain/Palin thing so I won't go into that here. Suffice to say it will be one of the most interesting, unusual and passionate campaigns ever. And I for one am excited and fired up to participate in such a defining moment in history. This whole election will change us as a nation, how we see ourselves and how the world views us for years and years to come.

My son is turning 19 next month and I'm hoping he will get involved in this process, come to some understanding about the history of it all and the importance to his and his younger sister's future.

Now for the self promo bit: I have red, white & blue note cards, flat cards, address labels and memo sheets to show your party pride. See my store for more. thesassypackrat.com

USA Women's Soccer Is Golden!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our women's soccer team! Have to give a quick shout out to our ladies! Maybe some day our men's team will equal these great women.
I am super busy since returning from vacation. I haven't had time to put any photos up. But I had to do something quick for my girls. A fantastic end which leads to a new begining next spring for the Professional Women's Soccer Teams coming back to the US. Looking forward to going to many games for the Chicago team.
Big wave for Brazil too! A pleasure to watch them play. If they weren't playing us I would have been cheering for them. Now my Olympics is done.

Vacation Time Is Here!

And I'm ready to lay on one! This will be my last post until I return from vacation and it's all about me, me, me. I'm slightly frazzled around the edges. My business has taken off...yeah...but I'm exhausted and need the time away. It's been 5 years since my last vacation so I'm due.

I'll post pics of the happy tan and slightly sandy family when I return.

National Underwear Day?

Seriously? Wow nothing make you feel as out of shape and old as young 20 somethings with great bodies prancing around in their unmentionables. Has society sunk so low that we have to have a National Day to promote undies. I mean I know we all have them and all wear them, well almost all of us wear them, but is the designer underwear industry hurting so bad that they need a special day?

How do you get a National Day anyway? Doesn't that require an act of Congress (like Mother's Day)? If so, our tax dollars are being sadly misused. Or is this one of those "I'll make up a day to benefit me"? If so, I want to have a National Sassy Pack Rat Day. Why not? Oh no I just found a National Pack Rat Day on May 17th. I can only shake my head. Well at least I got to see some really cute guys almost naked. I never pass up a chance for that!http://www.freshpair.com/underwear-day-gallery.html

Sweet Little Frogs

We have a new baby coming to our family this month. My brother & his wife are having a boy. Their other son is 7 so they need everything baby all over again. I've spent a lot of time lately looking at and shopping for baby stuff. I fell in love with this bedding set called Leap Froggie by Kidsline. You can view all the bedding collection at: http://www.babysupermall.com/main/products/kli/kli4003beds.html I had a client who had me design baby shower invites and favors based on this design. I adore designing cute little things for little ones and frogs are a personal favorite. I added this cute frog design this spring. It has so many uses: baby shower thank you's, baby shower or birthday invites & even moving announcements. www.thesassypackrat.com

Wish I Was At The Beach!

I'll be packing up and heading off to the beach on Friday. Can't wait to sit in the sand and just veg with a good book. I'll be sending quick little notes to friends using my "Heading to the Beach" notes.

Here's a selection from my store. http://www.thesassypackrat.com/

Hot Summer Days

As the heat kicks up we all look for ways to keep cool. My daughters' idea is to wear tank tops and shorty shorts. My son prefers to crank up the air and just lay around. The dog lays on the floor in the foyer and I pretend I'm at the beach. When it gets too bad we all (the dog included) jump in the pool.

We found a great ease of mind product for our dog, a dog floation device. We use it in our pool and will take it with us to the Lake this week for vacation. This company has floaties to fit any size dog. No more worries about your dog falling out of your boat or into the pool.

http://www.petstreetmall.com/

Self Confessed Pack Rat

I am a pack rat. I drive my family crazy with my collections of stuff. A majority I intend to sell on ebay and some I'll keep just cuz. The problem is I never seem to take any photos and start any auctions. So everything just sits on shelfs, leaning against walls and gathering dust . I used to bring something in and turn around and ship it out right away, but just haven't in the last year.

Now it has been a pretty crappy year personally, so I know that has a lot to do with it. Between my 19 month old nephew drowning and finding out I had cancer all in the same week, life has been difficult. There have been some postive things this year though. I have a new business and a sweet little dog (see pic above) and so far I'm cancer free. Plus there will be a new baby in the family this month.

I really need to work on my motivation outside of my stationery biz so I can get all the crap out and gone. Confession... we can't use our diningroom because of all the stuff piled in there. If anyone has any ideas on motivation or organization, don't be shy, leave a comment.

Great New Boys Catagory

By request I started a new boys category and it has really taken off. Above are some of the new designs I have. The Retro Outer Space design has a UFO (shown) and a Rocket Ship. That design has awesome birthday invitations (not just for kids, but any space lover) and kid's fill-in thank you cards, gift stickers and address labels. The Guitar is a big seller and I have a girl's version too. There are flat cards, address labels and gift stickers to round out this design. Coming soon this design will have "Rock Star" birthday invitations. To see more boys designs check out my store at: www.thesassypackrat.com

Cupcake Best Seller

This design is one of my best sellers. It's totally customizable. All the colors can be changed. It's available in birthday invitations and I have coordinating items available too.

New Sassy Palm Tree Design

Here are my new Sassy Palm Tree Designs. This design is for the wilder, more colorful and fun people out there. It also comes in regular palm tree colors for the slightly more restrained folks. This design comes in A. Note Cards, B. Small Round Envelope Seals, C. Address Labels, D. Flat Note Cards, E. Large Round Favor Stickers, F. Large Square Gift Stickers. Not shown are Memo Sheets and Large Square Address Labels. There are 8 color options to choose from, see my ebay store for the options: http://www.thesassypackrat.com/

This is my first time blogging and I'm using this medium to attract new customers to my products. I would love to get feedback on my items. Designs you'd like to see, some you don't like at all and ideas to improve what I have. Also if you like my offerings please pass my blog on to others. I'll put my newest designs here for comment and review. I'll also give correspondence tips and party favor ideas. Thanks for taking the time to read this and please come again.