Here's you chance to get a little Norm ACEO along with other Sampler goodies - all for free, all you have to do is leave a comment!

Indie Crafts Gossip is doing the giveaway of a Sampler from The Home of the Sampler

what's up with the weather?

So those of you who live in the Seattle area have to be asking yourself the same question. First, for the past I-don't-know-how-many days we've been having some real heat - like upper 8o's-lower 90's. This alone is unheard of in Seattle, since historically we only get a week of real heat in August. My flower garden is screaming for water - and my house is like a dry sauna!

And then, last night, there was HAIL at 2:30 am - and lots of it - hard hail - the kind that wakes you up from a deep sleep at 2:30am! I don't even want to question what that did to my flower garden. AND, because that surely is not enough to kvetch about, there have been thunder storms since about 2:25am and still going strong at 6am. Obviously I don't know if they continued through the hail storm, because the hail hitting the roof was way to loud, but I'm guessing there was thunder somewhere in the Seattle area, which we would've heard if the hail wasn't crashing down since we are on a hill and we hear everything for miles around.

And of course, I heard and continue to hear all this because I have to sleep with the windows open because it is a sauna in the house...

and what would you say about soldered ornaments?

3" x 1" glass on both sides, soldered with silver-colored lead-free solder. Aren't I clever for figuring that out on my own? Wait - did I already tell you about these... now that I think about it, I gave you a sneak peak into the first round of soldering. Well since then I've had to purchase a new solder iron (I ruined the tip somehow and I couldn't find a replacement tip for the cheap craft iront that I bought about 20 years ago and just now started using).

There's still a few glitches to work out, but I think I may have figured it all out by the Mill Creek Fair.

One of my favorite flowers

I just had to share - she doesn't bloom often, but when she does - WOW! I've had this plant for almost 15 years - I bought it went I worked at Molbaks. It is an Episcia dianthiflora or "Lace Flower" - I guess the name makes sense, huh? One day I plan on painting it - the only problem is the flowers don't last long and it always seems to bloom when I terribly busy. Oh well, I guess that's what digital cameras are for.

trying something new - Meme

so I've been bugged to get something a little more personal onto my blog. here's where I start - this should be enough to keep you busy for a while and to make up for the lack of whatever in the past. My friend Katy at sycamorestirrings introduced me to "meme". Here are the questions , sans answers - you can figure 'em out in your spare time:

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. Favorite drink?

7. Dream vacation?

8. Favorite dessert?

9. What you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. One Word to describe you.

12. Your Flickr name.

and here are the photo credits from l to r top to bottom (all from flickr): 1) ohsewpretty 2) robopppy 3) Mark Griffith 4) faria! 5) hellonheels 6) ochazuke 7) ancama 8) bluepupae 9) wolfy77 10) ParsecTraveller 11) jbelluch 12) artbynorm

Etsy Front Page!

One of the most exciting things about selling on etsy is making it to the "front page" - i.e. the home page, or 1st page that everyone sees when they go to http://www.etsy.com/.

My friend Kelly at TomatoTomato saved the screen shot of Norm's 5 minutes of fame yesterday. I snooped around a bit to find out who put the collection together that go showcased ont he front page - it was leavesofglass- and the treasury was titled "Big Balls" - I'm honored that Norm fell into that category!

And one more shout-out - ok, two. Artsy was also on the front page - love her sculptures, in fact I traded her an old brownie camera for an 8x10 of the "Espresso Family". And I just discovered LemonBall - he handmakes baseballs - how cool is that!

Who wants a peak at the Trunkt book?

Check it out - here's Norm! And the book's only $30 online - or if you are lucky enough to be in NYC you might find it at a coffee shop or independent book store!