Woo - Hoo! Look What I Got from CharmingDesigns Etsy Store!

I purchased the very beautiful black bird, pincushion in a stunning orange carnival glass dish! I just LOVE it! It fits right in with my very eclectic display of my very favorite things. Check her out on my Blog Posse list!

Hope you are having a very Happy Autumn!

And We Have A Breast Cancer Challenge Winner for 2008!

THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING!

This year we had 6 Absolutely Stunning Entries with a whopping 118 total votes. (As compared to 61 votes in 2006, and 68 Votes in 2007)

You all really got the word out about how important it is to be aware about Breast Cancer. Early detection is key. And I thank you...

Without further ado.. this year's winner is Sandysez with an overwhelming 50% of the vote!


Again, thank you all - Go out a make a difference... It only takes one!

Please see flash display of all the contestants for the past 3 years.... Thank you again!

A Void in Crafting... Filled with Junk!

I was recently reading a post that reflected on the good ole days. The thread directed me to this old Carol Duvall Show segment Then it dawned on me just how much I missed Carol Duvall. When HGTV & the Scripps Network turned their attention away from crafting & followed the overly saturated reality trend to more 'Surprise by Surprise' Design Shows, they left millions of DIY creative folks out in the cold. Yeah, I get it~I really do! It's called 'follow the money' Why cater to the loyal crafters, when the advertisers are pulling you in a different way? After all, they'd rather sell a $1000 washer & dryer combo set, than a $12.99 box of amazing markers that cut as it outlines!


Originally posted on Flickr Photo by abandonview
But I wonder have the marketing geniuses realized that crafters are habitual repeat offenders? We will enter a Jill Crafter Mega Craft Supply Store 3-4 times a week... each time spending dollars upon $$'s! Then we will go to the nearest (or furthest) competition store and buy more crafts! We are truly an unusual breed. I have well over 30 different glues. They all have a unique quality, and I am convinced I need every one of them for a different project! LOL

Now turning back to Carol... I realized that the absence of her show has left a major void on the air... One that can't be easily filled by the newer shows. Now don't get me wrong, I will watch any show that majors in crafting, or one that simply has a craft segment. But, none of them can fill that empty hole where Carol use to reside. She has an uncanny way to reach across the ages. She covered a wide array of crafts, from needle pointing (which I know nothing about), to Trash 2 Treasure~which is now my new love and complete obsession.

So maybe it's not such a bad thing.... These big corporation machines have inadvertently coaxed me to turn off my tv and to turn on my inner creativity. So instead of spending my days in front of the chatter box.. I spend my free time curb-side shopping or thrift store lurking. Instead of spending money I don't have in the craft stores & malls, I am now saving it, or spending on the higher cost of living due to the economical down turn.


lamp turned towel holder
Originally uploaded by byabpryor





Photo Lamp turned Papertowel holder byABPryor on Flickr
I am now forced to be creative in every part of my life. I collect broken or found objects to created something beautiful. This requires me to pay more attention to garbage... especially my own... You see if I can't see the creative value in something, I can atleast separate the recyclables from the trash. I already did it before, but now I am even more sensitive to what can be reused. Heck, I am even scrapping metal (gold included) when I can... something which never gave me cause to pause before. Look, I make a few bucks and keep usable items out of the land fills. Creative & Green!

So Carol Duvall, if you are listening. You will always be in my heart. They can take away the show, but they cannot take away what I have learned from you & your guests over the years. The tried & true techniques I have learned have worked well with my card making , decoupaging, home decor and even with turning junk into jewels! So thank you very much!
Photo Floppy disk pad, Flat back marble push pins & Handmade greeting card byABPryor