My first Artfire Sale!

I made my first sale on my Artfire! I haven't got a payment yet, I think they elected to send a money order, but I'm not sure if Artfire is supposed to notify me of that (I didn't get a notification) or not, so I contacted the buyer to make sure. I know Artfire is beta and is buggy, I have patience and am convinced it will be an amazing site when it is fully grown.

Anyway, I have two horseshoe dreamcatchers pretty much finished up and ready to get photographed, but its cloudy and gloomy today, I will probably need to photograph them tomorrow. Then they will be listed. One will go on Artfire, one will go on both Artfire and Etsy. I have a few more shoes ready to paint up and decorate. I will get to that sometime soon. I want to get some different paint colors so I can have some different color shoes, not that I've even used all the colors I have laying around.

By the way, there is a wonderful yahoo group about trying to save the children's handmade community from the CPSIA, I wanted to recommend joining for anyone that makes anything that can be 'construed' as for 12 year olds and younger.

As far as application to grad school is going, everything is in except ONE reference letter, and I'm so nervous that the professor I asked to write it will not get it in on time. I asked him back in November, I've been reminding him pretty often too. He has already written me reference letters, so really he just needs to tweak one and send it. I asked him to please send it by yesterday at the latest so it had a week to get to the University of Arizona. However, things can take 7-10 business days in the mail so this is pushing it. If its not there by the day before the due date (the 28th) I'm going to have to ask if I can have him fax it to her.

I will be SO mad if I don't get into this program because he was too lazy to send the reference letter he said he would send. So, I'm nervous about that not showing up.

Also, we got the check from our insurance company deposited. We're using it to get a new dishwasher, since our old one broke. Most of the rest is going to our pole barn, although there are a few bills we might need it for.

Between working on planning a wedding, money, and trying to get into school, I'm kind of stressed. I need to go do some yoga or something!

Progress on 101 goals

Alright, updates on my 101 goals for 1001 days. The original list can be found here.

Goal # 7 Knit a pair of socks. I have almost 2.5 inches of one started. It has taken me a while to get the hang of knitting with the double pointed needles. So far though, I'm rather liking it. So far I have just been doing 1k1p ribbing and I am excited to start the pattern stitches. Its a kind of lacey sock, but not very complicated (hopefully!).

Goal #15 Identify 100 Things that make me happy. I have identified three! My husband, my kitties, and my horses!

Goal #17 Learn a new word every month and use it. 'Vermiculate' is my word this month. It means 'wormlike.'

Goal #26 Make and send a post card to Postsecret. I have started to write down my ideas of what to send and I have my cardstock ready! I'm excited about this!

Goal #33 Read the Chronicles of Narnia. I have read the first book, The Magician's Nephew, and it was so helpful to understanding a bit more of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which I have read before, and seen the movie. I have started to reread the second one.

Goal #81. Give one million grains of rice on FreeRice.com. I have currently given 53,03o! I changed the goal to 1 million because they have now changed from 20 grains of rice per right answer to 10.

There are many other goals that are partially in progress, but I feel they will take so long that I do not want to italicize them yet as I'm afraid I'll focus too much on them for the time being.

I have also decided that my goals are slightly changeable. If I lose interest in a goal then I am going to change it, why keep outdated goals? They are for me, not for anyone else, so I will manipulate them if I choose. However, I will not do this lightly and I certainly won't do it just to make the list easier.

The next goal I will definitely work on is going to the gym everyday for a month (excluding if the gym is closed). I have realized that if I get into school in May, doing this may be problematic during that time, and afterward I hope to be employed, so now is the best time to get that one done!

I have 989 days left to go!

Google Analytics.

OK, this is kind of a PSA, but honestly, I can't recommend using Google Analytics enough!















You can plug Google Analytics into your blog, your Artfire, and now, even your Etsy! It is so useful to see how long people stay on your blog or shop, where they came from, what they click on, and more. It is pretty easy to set up and once you figure out what everything means, it is great and helpful! Etsy has an article in the Storque that explains how to set it up on their website. Artfire is easy to set up as well and you can find it under your stats section.

A WIP, A WIP! And more

I had to go grocery shopping today, which is of course, loads of fun. I was up too late last night and up too early this morning. I'm exhausted and think I'm going to take a nap, but first, I figured I'd update both blogs, as it is my MISSION.

I have cleaned up several of the shoes and these two are painted and ready to be adorned with beads and such.
Also, I started cutting out a leather purse, I'm thinking I'm going to at least use up the tooling leather I have and if I decide to quit after that, so be it. For now, I'll at least make something!

Maybe I should make that breastcollar that is on my 101 Things list.
I might try that.

Anyway, I am tired, so this is just a short entry with a photo of pink shoes!

Horses and leather.

So, I'm thinking of getting out of leather craft. As much fun as I used to have with it, I've lost a lot of the enjoyment now. I will still keep my Etsy and Artfire shops if I decide to do this, but they will be crochet and knit focused. I would like to learn to cold process soap, maybe I'll get into that and sell those down the road, all I know is I'm rather burned out with leather.

If I stop the leather I will shift my focus to making way more dreamcatchers and horseshoe related stuff. I will also probably knit and crochet more.

I feel like I shouldn't stop doing the leather, because lots of people love it, but then again, I haven't had the best luck selling it, and its a lot to invest in if it doesn't sell. I got into leather to make horse equipment, and I'm not sure I'll have time to do that either, although I think I'm going to give it a whirl before giving up entirely.

In other news, I'm starting a new blog all about horses and barrel racing and training. Find it here. There will still be horse and animal pictures here, of course, but the new blog will give me a chance to blog about all things horse related.

the giveaway continued, and horseshoes!

Crafting ruts are never fun.

I am working on knitting a pair of socks for me, but I'd like to make some stuff for the shops. I just got 8 horseshoes to make new dreamcatchers. I figure I'll make 7 and then the winner of my blog giveaway can pick a previously made one or request a custom one (within reason). So I guess that is something to do. I really need to work with my leather more but I'm not really sure what to make, I have a purse in progress that is all wrong and it makes it hard to want to start a new purse, I'd rather finish the messed up one. Except, I'm not sure how to fix the problems. Hmmm.

As for the giveaway, I will close it to entries on January 28th and you will know the winners no later than January 31st. There are currently 12 entries, so, if you haven't entered, enter the giveaway!

I think I will go to prep a few horseshoes. By prep, I mean clean them up. My farrier this time knocked all the nails out for me, which was very nice of him. He also said that if he comes back he will give me all his horseshoes, but since I was first and only on the list today, he didn't have any. My normal farrier got hurt, so I have a substitute from Oregon that worked with my normal farrier and his stepson. He also told me how I can get rusted on nails out!

Blog Giveaway

Who doesn't like free stuff?

I will be giving away a horseshoe dreamcatcher in your choice of colors and style as a grand prize.
I will also give away two keychains that are currently in my Etsy and Artfire shops as runner up prizes and a amigurumi owl with your choice of color (that is available) and whatever expression you want.


You can enter up to 3 times, but you will only be able to win one prize.

How to enter:
1. Follow this blog and comment here to let me know you're now following and want to enter the contest.
2. Write about this blog giveaway in your blog, link it to me in a comment on this entry.
3. Visit my Etsy and Artfire shop and write what you like the most in the shops.
4. Purchase something in either of my shops.


Good luck and feel free to leave any feedback as well!