Things I Overheard At The Party

 

  

Blogland Is Full of Goodness

Thanks to everyone who linked up at the Gotta Blog It Hop last Thursday and to those of you who had a look around at the blogs that joined in. There are so many great blogs out there and it's so nice that some of these bloggers hang out here.

Just to prove my point, here are my picks from the party.

top left:  Linkouture. I've been reading Bev's blog for awhile now. Number one, she cracks me up on a regular basis.  Number two, she's quite a talented jewelry designer. Number three, she might be afraid to step out of her comfort zone, but she does it anyway. 

 

top right: Violet's Buds. I think I met Melanie and Scott on facebook, if I remember correctly. You'll find everything from recipes, giveaways, and guest posts from artists and crafters, and shop updates. 

 

bottom left: Mi+Ed.  I think Mirta and I connected through etsy where she has a wonderful paper goods store.  Mirta's blog has some great artists interviews that make me want to try my hand at other things. 

 

bottom right: The Magical Miss. The blog of very talented photographer Abra Alani.  So enjoyable seeing what she's capturing at the moment.

 

So off you go to explore........but first...........

 

Freeform Friday

 

My friend's son sent me this song this morning. It made me cry. It's a beautiful story, sad at times, and beautifully sung. Some Americans may not understand the healing qualities and importance of 'tea and toast' because we're a big coffee nation, but I think because my English Gram gave me tea starting when I was little (trust me, it was very watered down and sweet) I can really relate to this song. Tea is still my morning drink of choice, and tea and toast makes everything right with the world.  Click here if you're reading via email.  

 

 

 

What's hot for your weekend. Ours? Oh you so want to be us.  We get to rip our nasty old shower out because it's leaking and ruining our fairly new flooring. Sweet. Yes, I am dripping with sarcasm. However, I will not be sad to see the current shower go. It's my nemesis. It was built in when we bought our home, concrete floor, tile walls which we've redone. Problem is, you can clean and clean and clean and it looks as if you've done nothing. I don't expect this little demo and installation project to go smoothly, because nothing goes that way in construction. So if i does, I will be pleasantly surprised. I will say this, I plan on having my way with the sledgehammer later and letting go of some stress.  Other than that, I am planning on a Cosmo and some youtube dancing later. It is Friday after all.

 

Ciao for now,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I Found & Overheard at The Party

via the telegraph

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That and a Moose 

Last week's Gotta Have It/Gotta Blog It Link Up Party was a blast. In fact, so much fun, it's still going on (feel free to link up if you have a shop or blog!).  It's a way to highlight small shop owners and bloggers and let you discover new artisans, crafters and blogs that you enjoy.

The things I find in the couch cushions afterwards, are always fantastic. And no I'm not talking loose change here people. I'm talking great stuff that people put their hearts and souls into- how cool is that?

Here's my picks from the current party.

1. Love the cow bell via old susan williams. It's got such great character.
2. The headboard tuned entry console via all things luci rae, makes me go 'hey, why didn't I think of that'!

3. I thoroughly enjoyed Chelsea's sketchbook and notes on her recent trip to Italy via sketchy notions. Oh to be back in Rome standing in the Colleseum saying 'Can you believe we're standing in the Colleseum?"
4. How could I not choose this printable wedding art via Signs of Faith2.......it features one of the readings from our own wedding. 

5. Oh my...the sweetest little fawn photograph via finding focus
6. Pretty sterling silver handmade spiral pendant via nisan
7. A perfect little milkglass compote dish via ratty daddy dinkums
8. Perfect for a log cabin.......moose clock via shellyka

Great stuff gang, thanks so much for linking up! Did you find favorites at the party? I'd love to know what caught your eye.

Since Shelly (one of my etsy teammates) who made the moose clock lives in Israel, I'm thinking she may never have seen a moose. If she hasn't, she did pretty darn good on the perspective on the moose and its size. If you have never seen a moose, let's put it this way...no matter how big you think they are, they're bigger. They're huge.  They're jaw dropping to your chin, mouth wide open in disbelief ENORMOUS.

I found a couple of pictures to give you non-moose seers a better idea of just how big they are.

Sure, this one looks big, but this moose is sitting down which doesn't give you the whole picture.

via The Telegraph

Remember, this guy is on a deck.

via active rain

Now, if you want a REALLY good idea of how big a moose is, you MUST watch this video. They are ridiculous. I may have said this before, but this is exactly why we have 'brake for moose- it saves lives' signs in the North country of New Hampshire. There's lots of moose and they're big. Bigger than your car.  If you hit one, you are not going to win.

Festival of Trees

I have a couple of entries for this Friday's festival of trees, but a couple of trees does not a festival make. PLEASE send me some your Christmas tree pics so this can truly be a festival! Be part of starting a holiday tradition on Mercantile Muse. Forward pictures or links to blogs posts about your trees, send them to me at pbates (at) speakeasyinfo (dot) net by Thursday afternoon.  And spread the word-- Let's make this a real festival of trees!

Have a great day.

Ciao for now,

PS- I keep forgetting to tell you guys, I only put word capture on for comments because I started to get a ton of spam. I'll try taking it off again and see if that's detered the spam-bots long enough. Thanks for your patience in posting screen captures....personally, the bug the heck out of me.



Things I Found & Overheard at the Party

[via notional notions]

Oh My, What A Party

You guys have outdone yourselves this time around. As if it's not hard enough to make picks from the Gotta Have It/Gotta Blog It Link Party, I really could have kept wandering the world wide web from all the great links you left behind.  Have you ever heard it's the people that make the party? It's true. It was so fun sitting in the 'ball pit' with you guys. Thanks for humoring me, but it is kind of nice getting to know each other a little better just like at a real party? Right?

If you receive Mercantile Muse by email, you might have missed my reason for this delayed post (scroll to the bottom of today's email and you'll find it down there). Basically, the power went out. I was just finishing up some stuff in Illustrator before I began posting and bing, bang, boom. That was it. Computer down. Lights off. No power.

It's fixed now. Thanks to the workmen. Two thumbs up for them. However, a good part of my post hadn't been saved and I had to do a little recreating. Good to go now. 

Drum roll please..........here's my picks from the current party (still time to link up if you have a shop or blog!).

1. loving this purse fabric. gorgeous.

[via lucky cat handmade]
2. upcycled and reinvented tape measure bracelet.

[via knick of time]

3. pretty pink solid shampoo.

[via Taryn's Bath Treasures] 

4. farm visit story & laugh of the day.

(would have loved seeing Kristin push her out of the wagon!)

so glad she didn't push her out of the wagon)

[via Milo & Molly]

5. Shirley, aka America's next top model (because she's all she's got...ha!).

[via Trees. Hides.] 

6. candles in classic toile.

[via upon a dream designs]

7. lovely foliage and flowers acrylic painting.

[via lisa salazar art decor]

8. wonderful watercolor of Italy. we dream of going back.

[via notional notions]

9. the sweetest little tiger lily.

[via the lamb's love]

Thanks to all the shop owners and bloggers who have linked up and to all of you for checking out the party. You're the best.

New Giveaway Coming

Can't rest on my laurels, can I?  Actually, I'm don't think I even have laurels. Sure, there's a holly bush under the kitchen window, but no laurels that I can recall. Despite this sad shrub story, the last Mercantile Muse giveaway was happy. Well, the winner sure was. It ended just over a week ago and it was pretty spectacular. The October Giveaway won't be any different.

Not to taunt you or anything, but here's a teeny-tiny, eency-weency tease. Just a taste of some of the things you'll have a chance to win.

What? You want to know more? You'll just have to wait with bated breath until the giveaway is launched tomorrow. That's all there is to it.

See you on the flip side (with bells on),

Pop. Then nuttin'.

The Sound Of Power Going Out

An outtage ate my post. Yup, the power went out. Just a little pop according to my neighbor.  I didn't hear a thing. Except my own big, long, shocked gasp as my computer shut itself down along with everything else.

I was just about done with today's 'What I Found and Overheard at the Party' post and poof, nuttin'.

I'm obviously back up and running, but apparently I hadn't save what I was working on so I must recreate some of it. More on that tomorrow. You are going to love everything I've found, so do stayed tuned for the post on the flip side. 

For now, my wish for you on this Monday.................

....gentle breezes and no squirrels on the powerlines.  [I don't know that it was a squirrel on the powerline, but they've been very busy of late, so it's a distinct possibility.]

Monday Meet Up

Have you connected with me on facebook yet? If you haven't today is a great day to do it. If you have, it's the perfect day to pop over to our page, eespecially if you're a shop/business owner or blogger. Why, you ask? Because it's Monday Meet Up.

Stop by and share your links and do a little networking with others who have left theirs.

If you're not a shop/business owner or blogger, stop by and say hi regardless. I'd love to connect with you on facebook.

That's if from here for today.

Here's to power!