SANTA COMES TO ETSY FOR CHRISTMAS IN JULY

I really should be packing but I promised that I would write about the "Christmas in July" sale that is happening throughout Etsy. Many shops are having sales on their entire shops or stocking up with Christmas Items. You can check it out here. In the search bar, make sure you type in "christmasinjuly" and you'll find all kinds of neat stuff, I guarantee you! It runs from July 21- 31, 2008 so get going and have your Christmas shopping done early this year.

With my big move coming up I haven't been able to do too much but here's what I have for my Christmas in July Sale for my shop Beadin By The Sea. I made some of these Christmas trees last year for gifts but found it very difficult to find all the "parts" especially in late Fall as many places were out of stock. I ordered early this year so I would be better prepared. I thought they looked so pretty all hanging together in the different colors. And here they are on my new "model".

And... Merry Christmas in July!

SAME TIME, LAST YEAR

I'm in the mood to "muse" this morning. Would you like to "take a walk" with me and my thoughts?

Do you ever stop to think about what you were doing the same time last year? Or two years ago? I think we tend to do this more when we've had significant changes in our lives. As a family, our lives have gone through a few twists and turns the last few years!

It occurred to me yesterday as I was making a new necklace to add to my Etsy shop. Someone suggested to me on the forums that I name it "Hawaiian Sunset" because of the tropical flower pendant I had made, combined with the colors of pink, peach and tangerine orange. I realized that this very day last year we were on our way to the beautiful island of Kauai for a much needed vacation. But that's not all! Last year at this time we had just lost our beloved little kitty named Cleo. We had moved from Washington State to Kansas in March and were just settling into a new house. Well where does that lead to now?

...A total turnaround! It sounds crazy, but we have sold our house and are moving again in a few weeks. Yikes! Talk about twists and turns! There are a lot of things we love about Kansas, but we miss our little town in Northwest Washington more. I will miss the Midwest thunderstorms, the fabulous shopping in Kansas City, the bright sunshine, the many varieties of colorful birds, wide open spaces, the beautiful manicured golf course neighborhood I live in, and mostly being a little closer to my husbands side of the family! I have to say I will not miss the summer heat and humidity, the thunderstorms (I know I said I like them too), the gigantic bugs, the busy traffic, freezing cold winters and a few other things I won't mention, but all in all it has been a great experience for me. I have always lived on the West Coast, either in British Columbia or Washington.

Take a moment and think about where you've been, where you are now and where you'd like to be a year from now. A whole lot can happen in a year. Just ask me, I really, really know!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!

Wishing everyone a safe and fun, Fourth of July! I am a Canadian living in the USA but I can still celebrate the birthday of this wonderful country (yes, I know it has its flaws!). These photos were taken at a fireworks display in our little town of Anacortes, Washington in 2006. For a little town of about 15,000 people they put on quite the display. We would go down to the water with our hot chocolate and popcorn (and blankets!) and see the show.

This year I'll still be in Kansas, but we have reason to celebrate this week because we finally sold our house last Monday after being on the market for 5 months. If all goes well, we'll be back in our beloved little seaside town by August and I'll be down by the bay watching the fireworks in 2009!

As a way of celebrating in my Etsy shop Beadin By The Sea, I have made some "Celebration Earrings". Check it out, you might just find something you can't live without! These earrings are free with a purchase from my shop but only until midnight tonight.