Do you have a craft business?

If you have a craft business, this can be your busiest time of the year. Clients are purchasing items for holiday gifts, craft shows are every weekend and you may have a long list of items to handcraft for your personal gift list.

Juggling your business and your personal life will keep you up late into the night - especially this time of the year. It's also a great time of the year to look at your accomplishments for the past year and create goals for the New Year.

There's a great blog from a fellow Etsian, Justine, which includes wonderful ideas for managing and growing your craft business. Take a look at http://etsyselling.com/. Justine is also offering a "Massive Craft Biz Giveaway". Get in on the fun!

Beginning to Look Like Christmas?

My studio sure looks like Santa's Workshop. The rush of finishing bags for customers and the special projects I'm making for friends and family have fabrics, trims and paints spread out on every surface!

Outside, southern Florida doesn't look like the typical Christmas card scene. These are plants on my porch, still in full bloom and showing no signs of slowing down.

Look at the interesting blue bug that landed on this plant. Only stuck around long enough for me to take a quick photo.

A friend emailed me that snow flakes were falling in Minnesota! My little ones are eager to build a snowman. One of these years we'll need to venture north of Florida for a winter vacation. Brrrrrr!!

This week my design projects are to finish a wristlet bag with a teacher theme in a gorgeous shade of red; work on a new handle design that will work as a wristlet and purse handle; and complete a tote with an adorable owl. Look for pictures later this week!

How are your handmade holiday projects coming along?

Gift Ideas with Something For Everyone

I'm still behind on my gift buying/making for friends and family, but I've found some favorites on Etsy. These great items will help me give the perfect, unique handmade gifts for under the tree, or in the mail, just in time for Christmas!

Know any movie fans or new parents on your gift list? Check out this Movie Night Party Pack - Printable Download PDF Party/Photo invitations from Typewink. Also includes instructions on how to make those adorable Popcorn Cupcakes! My brother and sister-in-law had their first baby Oct. 30 and everyone is clamoring for photos and baby time. This party pack will make it easy to host a wonderful night!

Check out this great package at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35823631

Living in Florida, we love the natural colors here - blues from the ocean, greens from all the tropical foliage and NorthernFleeceWeaver has a gorgeous rug perfect for that beach house look!

And guess what? It's made from Polar Fleece! Soft and can be cleaned in the washer - doesn't get any better than that! It's at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31095811

I have a few "tween" girls on my holiday list. Wow - girls now seem more mature than I was at that age. I found Natural Lip Gloss in Remarkably Raisin at BellissimaMinerals http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32202975

The makeup they crave, with natural ingredients that I feel safe in giving. BellissimaMinerals Tinted Lip Gloss recently appeared in the international publication Styl  http://www.stylmagazine.com/about.html

Well, in all this happy shopping on Etsy, I spotted another gift idea for me. Hubby has received the message :)

HappyCloudMoments has a beautiful necklace in ruby (my birthstone). Passionate Gifted Necklace with Swarovski Crystal Pendant is full of charm.

Need a different chain or color, go to http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34270895 Let them know it's a gift and it will ship with matching gift box for free! Love it!!!

Hope you are having fun and enjoying the season!

Decorating for Christmas

This is our favorite time of the year! The holiday decorating, baking and family traditions are all highlights and create wonderful memories every season.

We decorate inside and outside for Christmas. My little ones are old enough this year to hang all the ornaments on the tree, much to their delight. Of course, the ornaments are only placed as high as they can reach on tip toes, but that bottom 2/3 of the tree is gorgeous!

Every year the manager of a local store gives away store holiday decorations from the previous year, since each year he decorates with a new theme. We happened to be in "the right place, at the right time" for these darling decorations.

Can you tell that last year's Christmas theme at the store was "Baking Homemade Memories"?

There are twenty, or so, ceramic ornaments that look like cupcakes, cookies, fancy desserts and candies. They are adorable. My daughter is fascinated by these and wants to use them after Christmas in her doll house.

We also received candles that look as if they were rolled in gum balls, shaped in giant candy canes and more. There are small, glass ornaments in shades of green and silver that look beautiful on a holiday topiary tree.

These adorable decorations have inspired me. Felt food is very popular right now. I think some darling felt ornaments that look like the baked goods we give to neighbors and friends would be perfect to go along with our goodies. I'll wrap the cookies and candies on special plates with clear gift wrap, tie it up with beautiful bows and add a few of the felt food ornaments for a unique gift.

We are having so much fun decorating this year. How's your holiday decorating going?