Simple Joy Sunday

Here are some things that made my week happy...

Purging!  I am so not an obsessive shoe girl, but my closet was actually pretty full of them.  I'd buy shoes for special occasions and then they would sit there for years (occasions to get *that* gussied up don't come too often).  I actually had shoes in my closet from about 15 years ago!  I have a brown grocery bag FULL of shoes that are falling apart, that don't fit, or that I haven't worn in years.  I love clearing out unnecessary things and making space; donating to a worthy cause is a plus, too.

I'm having a lot of fun learning Wordpress and building my new website.  There's so much to learn but it is a lot of fun!  See more in my post here.

I joined a new Meetup group called Sticks and Twigs Nature Girl.  The main point of the group is an appreciation of nature and the outdoors.  They have some fun stuff planned already including a hike in a local nature preserve.  I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to meet other women with similar outdoorsy interests!

I started the next phase of my workout to kick my ass and get into shape: Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30.  As you may remember, I *loved* her 30 Day Shred, so I'm really looking forward to this!  If it's anything like the Shred was, I expect the workouts to be totally kick ass and expect great results.  (This is only Day Two, so no review yet.)

Lastly, I was driving into my neighborhood on my way home from work one day and had to stop.  There were a few ducks crossing the road.  =)

What made you smile this week?  I'd love to hear, if you'd like to share in the comments below!

Simple Joy Sunday

Some happy highlights of the week...

Spent an afternoon floating in the pool and enjoying a beer.  It was so relaxing.  Basically, my summertime equivalent of a hot bath in the winter.

Graphic design continues to be a challenge for me, but I learn a little something every time I play.  Artfire's new studio design forced me to play again since the banner size changed.  I'm pretty satisfied with how it came out.  It's very simple, but it works.

They also gave us a few more ways of customizing the shop.  Let me know what you think!

One night this week, my honey greeted me at the door with a Long Island Iced Tea.  That was awesome.

I signed up for another website that will offer me sponsored blog posts.  Nothing has come of it yet, but I'm excited about adding another one to my arsenal.  As always, I promise I won't falsely review anything and will always cover sponsored posts with my own unique angle that will, hopefully, be interesting to my readers.  Times are tough, work-wise, so every little bit really helps a lot.

I'm still loving the 30 Day Shred!  Yup, Level 3 is a challenge, but it makes me feel strong whenever I do it and that definitely makes me happy.

I did a number on my nerves when I got my part time job schedule for the coming week.  Hours are getting less and less (for all of us in the department) and theater work has pretty much come to a freaking halt for me.  I'm really, really starting to get worried.  But, I went out one night with a friend from the Herb Society and had a chance to decompress.  We both needed it.  I'm really grateful to have her friendship.

I joined a new street team on Etsy: Tampa Bay Etsy Crew.  I'm hoping that this will be a way of meeting local crafters, forming some friendships, and maybe even a good resource for finding out about shows.

Scott & I attended a free soil prep workshop.  I'll have to tell you more about that in a different post!

What made you happy this week?  Please share in the comments!

Simple Joy Sunday

It was a pretty boring week around here, but let's see if there aren't a few highlights...

I've stuck to the 30 Day Shred despite wanting to call in sick one day and despite not seeing the drastic results that I keep (unrealistically) expecting.  Scott keeps reminding me that it's the 30 Day Shred, not the 12 (or whatever) day shred and to chill out about the results; valid point, I guess.  I made a commitment to myself to get healthy and to get in shape and sticking this out for this month and planning what I'm going to follow it up with next month is a HUGE part of that commitment.  It makes me proud to think that when I set my mind to something like that, I do make it happen.  Now, if only I can carry that strength and commitment over to other areas of my life...

Scott and I went to see Captain America this week.  Really fun movie, I highly recommend it.  Scott is a big old, self proclaimed geek so of course he knows all about all of the comic book characters in the movies of late.  I don't.  But that's okay because Captain America was a great stand alone movie for someone that doesn't know all of the mythology behind the character.  Also, we snuck in snacks to avoid paying $20 for popcorn and soda.  =)

Once again, I want to send out a big thanks to all of my friends on the internet that keep giving me a thumbs up when I ask for it!!  I've been earning $1 here and there every time I reach a thumbs up goal through Crowdtap.  In addition to that, I'm donating a portion of that dollar and Crowdtap is donating 5% of every dollar to Susan G. Komen to fight breast cancer.  I may not be walking this year, but I'm still doing what I can, when I can.  Plus, those extra dollars that I'm earning for myself through Crowdtap are going towards helping me pay for a couple of things I can really use for work but don't have the spare cash to purchase. So... Thank you!!

I started working on a new recipe for herbal body powder this week.  I think I like the base, now I'm starting to play around with ideas for what herbal powders to add to it.  This is so fun for me!

My blog was stuck at 178 followers for the longest time and all of a sudden, I'm up to 182!  I know it's not a drastic jump, but four new followers within days of each other was a fun little surge.  Hi, new followers!  Thanks for following!!


In closing, I'd like to share with you a super fun video that Planned Parenthood released in celebration of :
"The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has ruled that birth control is basic preventive health care and should be made available to millions of women in the United States without a co-pay. This ruling is a giant leap forward for women's health."


Hope you enjoy the video!  Also, I'd love to hear what made you happy this week, so share in the comments below.  Have a great Sunday!

Simple Joy Sunday

Let's see...  The majority of my week was spent trying to play a little bit of catch up here on my blog, working out, and, well, working.  But there were a few shop highlights...

I sold yet another Sleep Pillow, some of my Tangerine Lavender Soap, and Foot Soak from the Apothecary!  I also got a *rave* review about my Sleep Pillow from a customer.  I must get some more muslin bags so I can get these back in the shop.

I concocted some more of my Queen of Hungary's Water.  I love mixing that stuff.  The herbs in it smell amazing.  I'm also considering adding it to the Apothecary.

My Cinnamon Clove Soap (I love this scent!) was included in another gorgeous Mermaiden treasury: Rugged Romance.

Hope you had a great week and found some moments that made you smile!

Simple Joy Sunday on Monday

It has been a really busy couple of weeks and, sadly, that meant that I've been neglecting my blog.  On a good note, however, it meant that I got a little bit of much needed theater work.  Let's see if we can't at least get caught up with a few little bits of happiness from the past couple of weeks.

The air conditioner in my truck has been broken for probably around three months at this point.  In the summer.  In Florida.  Not fun.  In fact, it's been pretty miserable.  But, the up side is that I've been swimming a little more often when I get home to cool down.  I love to swim.

I really appreciate my online friends for sharing links, clicking, and giving a thumbs up for Crowdtap.  Thanks to your help, I've earned $11.50 plus donations for Susan G. Komen for the fight against breast cancer.  That may not sound like a lot, but every little bit helps and I really do appreciate it.

I tried a couple new recipes that I really liked.  Laura over at I Am a Refined Young Lady shared a crock pot recipe from SkinnyTaste.com that I just had to try: Chicken Taco Chili.  I love my slow cooker, but hardly ever use it so this was a good excuse to pull it out.  I also made skirt steak with chimichurri using fresh parsley from the garden.  Yummmmm...

At my framing job, I got to work with a customer on designing a mat and frame for this original artwork that her husband got her for their anniversary.  I think I found a new favorite artist.  The piece is really beautiful and was a highlight to a rather crummy day.

I finished reading the second Richard Castle (from the TV show Castle) book, Naked Heat, and enjoyed it just as much as the first one.  A really fun, tongue-in-cheek read, very much like the TV show.  I've moved onto the first book of the Dresden Files: Storm Front.  The show was really enjoyable and the books come highly recommended by Scott, too, so I suspect I will like them.  I'm very much enjoying just brain candy right now.

So far as the shop goes...  I had seven sales in July.  That may not sound like a lot to some, but it kind of is for my shop.  I put out a call for help to raise some funds so I can buy more soap making supplies and a few friends were able to step up to the plate for me.  Not only that, but they also helped me reach the 100 sales milestone in my Etsy shop.  To help celebrate, I made some loyalty coupons that will be included in all future orders and I sent out a bunch of free samples with those 7 sales.  One of those free samples turned into another order for four of my new herbal sleep pillows.  My Wolf Hunter Chain Maille Necklace was included in a beautiful treasury by Mermaiden Creations (her treasuries are always gorgeous, actually).  And, on top of all of that, I got more rave reviews about my Warrior Salve from another happy customer: "Got the Warrior Salve last night & put it on this morning: it helps so much!! I love it!!"

Overall, a busy, exhausting couple of weeks with a  bunch of good stuff to highlight them.

Simple Joy Sunday

This week's simple joys started with the 4th of July: Scott and I spent the day just hanging poolside before heading down to the beach to watch the fireworks.  I love watching the fireworks at the beach!  We saw a few really unique "fireworks" put out by people, too.  They were basically wee little hot air balloons.  I tried to get a picture, but it just looked like a bright splotch so you'll have to take my word for it.  Very cool.

I made a few sales in the shop this week of my Warrior Salve and soap!  I'm so happy to have products that actually help people (plus, I really need the sales).  I also had fun concocting a new foot soak.

My guest blogging series started this week and is already so much fun!  I loved Erthe Fae's post and enjoyed the reader feedback, too.

My soil sample was finally dry enough to package up and send off to be tested.  Hopefully when I get the results, I'll know what kind of soil amendments to make for the raised garden bed.  Can't wait to get that going!!

I'm a little late to the party with this one, but FishHawk featured my mixed metal bracelet in his  Thinking of Christmas Gifts in July post.

This isn't a joy, but it really made me laugh.  Overheard at work: an associate helping someone figuring out how to hang a shelf say "what kind of walls are they?" The answer? "White."

And, lastly, I had a cupcake.  =)

Simple Joy Sunday

It was a pretty quiet week around here, nothing too terribly exciting going on...

I did a couple more days of the 30 Days of Creativity project...  Bummed that I wasn't able to do the full month but am really glad that I did what I could.  The project has encouraged me to be creative on a daily basis even if it's not on a whole project.  I also think that I'll keep blogging about my creative/crafty projects as much as possible, too.  It's been fun sharing them.

I joined a new website called Crowdtap that will help me earn some money, influence brands, and (most importantly!!) raise donations for a charity I believe in: Susan G. Komen (committed to breast cancer research and awareness).  In order to help me raise funds for Komen, would you mind heading over to FilmFan & giving them a thumbs up?

I listed a couple new things in the shop this week: a beautiful new bridal piece and more herbal goodness.  I'll blog about the herbal goodness (my Warrior Salve, finally listed!!!) separately, but the bridal piece is something new for me since I haven't really focused on wedding jewelry.  I'm excited about it's addition.  It's a six strand pearl necklace with a vintage clasp and is very much a statement piece.

I'm very excited about the new weekly guest blogger series that I have lined up.  Some topics lined up already include: faerie lore, gardening, feminism, craft tutorials, jewelry, and upcycling.  Slots are scheduled through mid-August right now, so if you're interested in participating, there's still time to figure out what you'd like to do.


I experimented with making some solid perfume this week.  It was a really fun little project!  I'm going to try to get a couple scents listed in the apothecary this week.


For those of you in the States, have a very happy and safe 4th of July tomorrow!!

Hey, so I added this cool linky widget here to this post if you want to participate in sharing your simple joys.  Leave a comment & leave your linky.  I'd love to have you!

Simple Joy Sunday

A busy and screwy couple of weeks have gone by and not only did I miss doing a Simple Joy Sunday blog post last week, but I also fell off the 30 Days of Creativity project.  It makes me sad, but life really did get in the way.  Let's see if we can't at least play catch up on some joy!

Here are the highlights:
-I learned some new framing techniques; which actually was fun to learn!
-Scott & I went kayaking.
-We finished building the raised garden bed (it does need some supports, though).  Now, we need to figure out the soil situation and fill it with plants (mainly herbs and veggies)!
-I sold some soap!
-Got caught up on my Wonder Woman reading.
-Had a little lunch & movie date with my honey.  We saw the new X-Men movie.
-My Stretchy Flowers Chain Maille Bracelet was included in this Artfire Collection:

Chain Maille Summer Rainbow

  Curated By: TheLuckyDogs

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Photography

-Came home from work to a surprise one night.  Scott got us this stretched photo canvas of the Flatiron Building from IKEA that we had been eying:

-I sold a couple more things on Craigslist.  Yay for getting stuff out of the house and yay for money in my pocket!

In the meantime, we had a hell of a storm here last night and into today, so Scott & I are both completely wiped from keeping the house afloat.  You'll forgive me if this isn't the most exciting Simple Joy Sunday post?

How about you?  What were your joys this week?

Simple Joy Sunday

I had a minor meltdown this week when I started doing some number crunching and realized how tight things are going to be this summer (theater work pretty much comes to a stand still down here in the summer).  I started brainstorming some more ideas for work and am also thinking about having a sale in the shop soon (so follow the blog so you don't miss it!).  Despite the small anxiety attack...  I still found some simple joys this week.

The garden bed is coming along nicely.  Actually, I have to post another update because we worked on it some more yesterday.  I'm so excited to have a home for my herbies!

My 30 Days of Creativity started out a little slow this week when I was pretty much too exhausted to do anything on Sunday and was without my muse on Monday.  Thankfully, things picked up from there with some experiments in the kitchen, an herbal concoction, and a new planting.  Some of this stuff I would have done even without the 30 Days project, but I may not have made an effort to do something everyday.  I also felt like I was "cheating" a little by following recipes and instructions but realized (thanks to some twitter brainstorming) that not only was it a creative process, but also that everyone does things differently and brings a sense of self even when following instructions.  Regardless, I'm still having fun with it!

I joined the Etsy Blog Team this week and have been having fun getting to know the members via their blogs.

I became a Silver level certified framer this week.  There was a big hullabaloo getting there which I won't recount here, but it's fun to have reached another certification level.

My copper Gaia Chain Maille Bracelet was featured in a treasury.  There it is in the bottom row, far left.

Youve Got Maille!

  Curated By: blinkingtoad

ArtFire.com

Jewelry Supplies

I got a great deal for movie tickets through Living Social this week!  I basically got two tickets for the cost of one (at $9)!  I got a similar deal from Groupon recently, which is how we saw Thor.  We love going to the movies (and I'm constantly looking for ways to save), so this was a really great score.

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Simple Joy Sunday on Monday

Yesterday, I was just plain dead tired.  I was lucky that I got Day 5 of 30 Days of Creativity done, although barely.  It's a day late, but here are my simple joys from last week...

Spent a fun Memorial Day with Scott going to see Thor and eating at a Mongolian barbecue.  Thor wound up being a really fun movie despite mixed reviews from the critics.  Can't wait for Captain America, Harry Potter, and Green Lantern this summer.  It's going to be a decent summer for movies.

I went swimming in the pool a couple times this week!  Last summer, when I was training for the 3 Day, I didn't use our pool at all.  After spending the morning outside walking for miles in the sun & heat, all I wanted to do was get out of the sun, into air conditioning, and showered.  I've always loved the water, so I really missed it!

I discovered the yummimess of Greek yogurt this week.  I love how tangy it is!  Plus, it's so good for you; better than the traditionally sweet yogurt, actually.  Yum, yum, yum.

It's been a while since I was exercising regularly & that needs to change.  I'm not happy with how I look and feel, so I need to do something about it.  I started with Pilates and Yoga this week and felt amazing afterward.  The other thing I need to do: stop snacking on sugary and fatty treats so much.  Seriously, it's gotten a little out of control recently.  I'm making a commitment to my health; not to mention that whole swimming thing, so it will help with the bathing suit wearing.

30 Days of Creativity started this week & I'm loving it!!  The first project that I did (the sugar scrub) was inspired by a friend and it was so much fun to do (both making the project and blogging about it).  The homemade dishwasher detergent project was born out of necessity but I actually find researching how to do things like that a lot of fun.  The next couple of days, I worked on some projects for the shop.  Playing with the stamping seals was definitely a learning experience.  Working on my labels was also very much a learning experience, extremely frustrating at times, fun to learn how to make a transparent background in Gimp, and satisfying at the end when I finally had a finished product.  I was really thrilled with the amount of traffic that my blog got on that first day of the challenge and then really bummed when it didn't keep up.  Thing is, that's not the point.  It would be awesome if this project brings more traffic here, but the point is making being creative every single day a priority.  And that's happening.  And I love it.

My horoscope this month includes a quote that I love:

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Carl Sandburg

This is not the first time that I've heard this quote and know that hearing it again is no coincidence.  My dreams used to be very clear cut, but I've been in a transition for the past few months.  I think it's time to get focused and start living my dreams.  

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Simple Joy Sunday

My week started off pretty crappy: I was counting on three days of work that I didn't get.  That had me in a good rut to start the week off but I still found things to make me happy.

After finding out that I wasn't going to be working, I stopped by IKEA.  It just happened to be in the area I was for my lack of work.  I got a lingonberry soda.  It was tasty and made me happy.  And then I went home and spent a couple hours replanting my succulents and potting a couple new plants that I picked up from IKEA for stupid cheap.  The time I spent outside and communing with the plants was great.  Such a mood elevator!  After doing a few more crafty things outside, I sat down with a beer and enjoyed my work.

1. A small palm of some sort, 2. Red Mandevilla and some small Aloe, 3. Succulents, 4. Variety of plants and shells

I finally framed artwork that I got from estasketch literally years ago!  Scott's a big fan of Spiderman and I love Wonder Woman, so it only seemed appropriate that we have work from this series called My Secret Identity.  Now, we just have to figure out where we're going to hang them...

I finally got paid for my first couple of blog articles!  Woohoo!  That's definitely encouraging to me to do more.  I've done a lot of research to find places to write, now I really just need to get down to business and start typing!

One of my 3 Day Tweeps buds @knittingbagel and her daughter drew some pictures inspired by the Armoury.  I must say, this is a first for me and I'm honored!

Joys for the shop:
-finally adding the Apothecary to the Armoury, starting with some soap.
-new banners and the continuation of a blog makeover.
-getting labels for the metal tins that contain my salves, etc.
-spending a lot of time working on beefing up my Artfire shop (adding new sections, putting some custom items in the gallery, adding a bio, updating the on site blog).

Foodie joys:
-successfully making a tasty pot of miso soup with chicken (I didn't have any tofu in), soba noodles, wakame, and scallions.
-a peach, peanut butter, and cardamom smoothie.
-a cheese calzone big enough for 2-3 meals.

And just because it's a picture of my favorite cat and a pretty plant, it made me happy.

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Simple Joy Sunday

It's important to notice the things that make us smile, no matter the size or shape.  Here's some of my happiness from this past week.

The majority of this week was spent creating new chain maille, shining it all up, and working on my display for yesterday's Women Riders Event.  The event went really well for me, so much better than what I was anticipating anyway.  I really thought that it was going to be more about just promotion for me, but in addition to giving out some business cards & getting names for the mailing list, I also made a few good sales.  I'm not sure if I would have gotten those two bigger sales if I didn't accept credit cards: I am really in love with the Square app and reader for my phone!  Scott was my wingman, keeping me company (traffic was in spurts), and helping me with set up & tear down.  I am so happy that I made those sales!  Not just because it feels good that someone loves my work enough to purchase it, but also because I can now reinvest that money into my shop to order some more rubber rings (I'm all out!) and oil to make soap (I'm nearly out !).

I sold another one of my Jeep accessories!  I still have a few more ads posted on Craigslist, but this stuff has been a good start & I'm grateful.  Work is going to be slim this summer, so anything helps!

I can tell that 3 Day walkers are starting their training for this year's events: I'm getting even more requests for my sore muscle salve!  After plenty more requests for my soap, too, I'm going to add some limited supplies of both into the shop this week.  The packaging/labeling may not be perfect but it will be available to those that need it.  Why is this a simple joy?  Because I am so terribly flattered that people are requesting my products.

This week, I attended a webinar with Kiva Rose.  She's such a smart, caring herbalist and so generously shared her knowledge.  I really learned a lot from her in that short webinar and continue to be inspired by the plants and our Earth.

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Simple Joy Sunday

Little victories, things that made me smile...  here are some simple joys from the week.

I used to have a Jeep.  I *loved* my Jeep.  But I had to get rid of her due to a problem that is actually quite well known in that model year as "the death rattle."  I don't know why I waited so long, but it's been about a year and a half since I sold her and I'm just now finally getting around to selling some of the accessories that I had for her. Happy day this week when I sold three things from Craigslist ads!  They were the smaller items which is actually why I didn't think they would sell; I just have the three larger ticket items left.  It's bittersweet, but it really is high time I did this.  So, yay for sales!

I had three instances this week where I just knew that the universe was looking out for me.  I guess I just really need to trust in that more.  Yeah, we all have bad days every once in a while (okay, sometimes more often than not) but overall everything is going to work out okay!  Right?  Right!

Scott and I started working on the yard, but you already heard about that.

I decided to do an event next weekend where I'll be hawking my wares.  I'm excited and nervous.  It's been a long time since I last did a craft fair.  I'll tell you more about it later this week!

I did write another short little paid post this week, too.  Between the yard work, starting to prep for the event, work on the truck, and a dentist appointment, I didn't have much time for researching more online work but at least I did get that one little post done.

The past couple of Christmases, I had been given some money earmarked specifically for two special presents and I finally got around to getting them and setting them up!  I finally have my Foredom Flex Shaft and High Production Jump Ringer with long mandrels.  My work bench looks extremely sexy.

My kitty makes me incredibly happy, too!  He's been hanging with me a lot in the work room lately.  I love that.

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Simple Joy Sunday

I missed out on doing a Simple Joy Sunday blog post last week due to lots of work; not necessarily a bad thing, but I did miss my internets.  Let's see if we can get caught up...

I cut up my Tangerine Lavender soap last week.  It's lightly scented and such a pretty color!  I may not have all of my graphics and what not shop ready yet, but I think I might start listing my soap this week since I had a couple more people ask for it.  Who am I to deny a demanding public?  ;)  It also occurs to me that I'm going to have to order some more oil so I can make more soap -- I'm running pretty low!

I've been beading a bunch in the past couple of weeks which is something I really haven't done in a long time.  It's been a lot of fun!  I even got some new beaded stuff listed in the shop.  I don't know if it's just the fact that I've been paying a little more attention to the shop or if it's because of the few new items that I added recently, but I even made two sales this week.  Happy dance.

We got our new fence last week!  It's so bright and cheery!  It's amazing how much light reflects off of it and into the house, too.  They're still installing it in this picture:

It's going to look so pretty with all of my greenlings in front of it!  That's the next large project, well combination of projects: the drainage and the raised garden bed.  We're getting a lot of stuff done this year, it just takes time (and I'm not necessarily one of the most patient people, especially when I'm excited to get something done).

I got approved for Project Wonderful and published my first Squidoo lens (3 Day for the Cure Essential Gear)!  My plans to monetize my blog and get word out about Athena's Armoury are continuing along nicely.    Again: slowly, but surely.

Remember a couple weeks back when I mentioned a blacksmithing course I wanted to take?  Yeah, well, the same arts center is now also offering a welding class!  It's probably not going to happen this summer (I just found out how much it's going to cost to repair my air conditioner -- nearly had a heart attack), but I will take both of these classes.  And I'm so excited for it!

I worked my first concert as a stagehand at a new (to me) venue!  Just a little more experience doing different things...  I also worked a load in for another Broadway show and was thrilled to get two extra hours of work on top of the norm.  Actually, as I was crossing the bay on the way to that load in, I spied a few dolphin.  I always feel like the universe is giving me a little gift when I see those guys.

I added Bee Balm, Lavender, and Catnip to my herb garden.  My friendly little toad made a mess of the lavender pot's soil: there was a huge hole where he burrowed and dirt thrown everywhere.  That little guy really makes a mess.  Meanwhile, the catnip got attacked in the night.  Jack (my kitty) alerted me that there was someone outside.  Upon investigation, I noticed one of the neighborhood cats molesting the catnip!  He knocked over the pot, was rolling around in it, and eating it!  I tried to recover it the best I could, but I don't know if the poor plant is going to make it.

I got home from a really long day framing to discover that my tech geek honey not only put in a new video card and fan for me (streaming videos + overheating = me not being able to use my computer for a lot of stuff) but even treated me to a super sexy new monitor.  Since I've been trying to work more from home on my computer, he thought that I could use more screen real estate.  I have to say, it is extremely convenient to have two windows open simultaneously to work from.  Isn't he just a doll?!

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Simple Joy Sunday

I'm one of those types of people that love everything to have a home and to be able to put everything back in it's place.  That said, my blog, aside from finally starting to post again, had grown rather stagnant.  I spent a good amount of time this week starting the clean up process.  I got rid of old links, logos, and some widgets that just weren't cutting it for me anymore.  I started doing some sponsored blog posts and added a couple of widgets that I thought my readers might be interested in and will also help me generate some income (check out the Groupon logo & Vistaprint deal over on the sidebar there!).  I'm going to continue redesigning things and will hopefully have a new & improved blog when I'm finally done.  In the meantime, it's a work in progress and maybe it will never be done because it's an organic, growing process that changes with me.

And now, some things that made me happy this week...

I spent a lot of time brainstorming ways to earn money.  There were a few reasons for this that I discussed in my Need Cash? blog post earlier this week but another reason is because there is a blacksmithing course at a local arts school that I would *love* to take.  Needless to say, I spent lots of time thinking about the course and what I can create for the Armoury.  You may hear more about this soon...

I was absolutely delighted that my Pink Warrior Chain Maille was featured in a collection, my beadwork was featured in a treasury, my Fairy Chain Maille Lariat was featured in this treasury, and my Uber Chain Maille Dice Bag was featured in this collection!  I really felt the love this week!!

I got my first orchid.  I had always thought them to be very sensitive plants, so I was always afraid of killing them.  A friend explained to me that they aren't quite as sensitive as I may think and to just make sure it gets plenty of filtered light.  She mentioned that a friend of hers with a green thumb actually feeds her orchid green tea.  It's just a little one, but I love it.

My first orchid!

I purged some clothes, shoes, & electronics this week.  It feels so good to get rid of some of that weight hanging around!

Got some good thrift store booty: glass bottles, wood display stuff, a ceramic teapot, a metal trivet, a garlic keeper, and a wee herb collecting basket.  All very useful stuff and all really great deals.  Gotta love that!

Made some Tangerine Lavender Soap this week.  I'm really enjoying soapmaking and am starting to get more creative with my additives (I used Apricot seeds in this soap for exfoliation).  I also had an idea for an herbal goodness package inspired by 3 Day walkers.  I can't wait to get it together!

I enrolled in a Culinary Herbalism course!  Yes, I invested a few bucks that I don't necessarily have with this course, but it's such a phenomenal deal and an investment in my herbalism studies and health.  I'm very excited about this!

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Simple Joy Sunday

I can't believe it's Sunday already!  This week went by super fast!!  I also realize that the only blog posts I've done lately have been this Simple Joy Sunday series but it's helping me get back into the swing of things. =)

I was really touched this week by the comments that I've gotten about the soap I've made so far.  I've given away bars of my Lavender Oatmeal Soap and my Creamy Castile Soap to a bunch of people to get some feedback and have been blown away with their reveiws.  I really wanted to wait until I had a new banner and graphics before I started listing my herbal goodness in my shop, but I may have to at least start adding my soap sooner since people are actually asking for it.  Makes me so happy to hear!  Plus, this week I made a new flavor: Cinnamon Clove Spice Soap.  It smells sooooooo yummy!!

I attended a really interesting webinar this week about Natural Pet Care.  It was actually really thought provoking and I love learning new things.  Talking about the webinar could be a blog post in itself but suffice to say that it really made me think about things for Jack's (the official kitty of Athena's Armoury) sake.

There has been a bunch of scheduling BS going on with my part time job that has made me extremely cranky.  Obviously that's not a simple joy but the kick in the pants it's giving me to start listing new stuff has been!  I got two more new pieces listed this week and have many more to come that need to be photographed.  The crankiness is also making me think of different ways I can try to earn money so that I can create my own schedule so as not to conflict with calls for theater work.  Ultimately, that would be perfect: if I could work from home and be a stagehand.

I tend to be a bit of a loner, so this week when a friend from the Herb Society asked me to do something I, surprisingly, came out of my shell.  We had a deliciously fresh lunch, watched Eat Pray Love, and took a walk on the beach.  Overall, it was a really lovely afternoon and something I very much needed.

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

  

Simple Joy Sunday

Last week's lack of a Simple Joy Sunday post was due to what I was calling booger brain: allergies have been really bad off and on for the past month.  I was feeling better this week and so was a bit more active and have a few simple joys to share...

With everything that's been going on these last few months, I hadn't really made much time to devote to my mailling.  This past week I made a couple new copper maille bracelets, including coiling & cutting rings.  It made me realize how much I miss working with metal.  And it also reminded me that I need to get my Jump Ringer; I don't know what's taking me so long since I was given money for it as a present last year!  Here's my new Shaggy Loops Copper Confetti Chain Maille Bracelet available in Athena's Armoury on Artfire and Etsy .

In attempting to make herbal candy (didn't work out so well this time for some reason) I spilled 300 degree liquid on my hand.  Very, very not fun.  I made a burn salve for it and wound up with no redness or inflammation with the exception of one blister.  It feels good knowing that I have the ability to treat myself and others.

I started talking to a graphic designer friend about creating a new logo for me so that I can start adding some herbal goodness to the shop.  It was a lot of fun talking about the world I see for Athena's Armoury & Apothecary and I really look forward to seeing what she comes up with!

We'll be getting our fence done within the month (it really needs to be done, so yay!) but that also means that our drainage project & my herb garden will be following shortly behind.  So excited!

I haven't borrowed a book from the library in a very, very long time.  Maybe not since college and then it wasn't for enjoyment but my studies.  I did this week, though, and I can't tell you how happy it made me.  I don't know why.  Maybe it was the smell.  =)  But that also led me to spending a very enjoyable day making my lemongrass chicken soba noodle soup and indulging in reading most of the day.  It was a good day.


Oh!  We have a rain barrel!  Scott was able to finish it up this week (after not being able to find a part locally last week).  Of course, there's not rain in the forecast anytime soon but that's okay.  So excited to have rainwater available to me for the plants to drink!

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (link back here & I'll do the same for you, just let me know!).  I'd love to hear!