Candy, Oh Candy, Why do I love you so?

That's not a famous quote from Shakespeare, or anyone else....just me :)

I'm not vegan, but I love the treats made by Sweet V Confections, which can be found at this etsy link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetVConfectionsom/shop/SweetVConfections (I'll add it to my links on the sidebar too!)

These yummy goodies are awesome! All natural, vegan (if that is important to you) and delicious! Goodies arrive packaged so sweetly, ready for gift giving, or as a special gift to yourself if that's what you need...wink wink!

Here are a few of my (and my kids') fav's:

Fudge Filled and Peppermint Patties (you get a bunch!)

Taxes Suck!

Taxes are a necessary in life...but today I just feel like saying:

Taxes SUCK!!!

There, I said it.

To be or not to be, that is the question

Today the famous opening phrase of act three, scene one of Shakespeare's famous Hamlet plagued me. I'm not saying I was considering "being" or "not being" literally...just that the opening phrase could be applied to many life scenarios.

To be an HR Manager or to be a Seamstress. That was an interesting question I was faced with a few years ago...luckily I chose to follow my crafty passion and become a full-time seamstress.

How many people choose "not to be" rather than "to be" and live to regret it? An interesting question.

Here's the soliloquy in it's entirety:

To be or not to be – that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep
No more – and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to – ‘tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th’ oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th’ unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.—Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remembered.

Oh, and I got two more orders from stores this week! One is a new shop, The Bradley Gallery here in Stoughton. I am going to be sewing like a mad woman the next few weeks! (Don't I always say that? LOL)

Rub a Dub Dub-get clean in the Tub!!

I'm going to be featuring a great Etsy artist on my blog once a week or so. I'd like to focus on my fellow Wisconsin etsians, but there will be others thrown in here and there.

This week I'd like to share my love for the soaps, lip balms and laundry soaps created by Heather Rai of Beautiful Soaps (www.beautifulsoaps.etsy.com). I LOVE her soaps, especially during this long, long, dry winter! They last much longer than other handmade soaps I've tried and the earthy, yet light and natural scents are a delight to my sniffer! My husband even likes them too (but what guy wouldn't like soap made from his favorite Wisconsin - or other - beer!)

I ordered a sample pack of her laundry detergent last fall and fell in love with it! I love the scent, which Heather said wouldn't last through the dryer, but I think it does! If you have an HE washer and only need a few tablespoons of detergent for each load you should try this great, natural laundry soap!

I've never tried the candles or shampoo bars, but they are on my list to try!

If you want to know more about Heather Rai and her products, follow her on FB! Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/BeautifulSoaps#!/pages/Appleton-WI/Beautiful-Soaps/250124056652?ref=ts

Clean is good-get clean with Beautiful Soaps!

Leather Pics

I finally got a chance to snap a pic of the little leather handbag I stitched up last week. I need to work on handle placement and I will use nicer zippers once I iron out all the kinks. This was just zipper on a roll that we use at the upholstery shop.

Let me know what you think! Leave a a comment here (I think you can do that...I'm such a dummy with this stuff) or feel free to check out my new FB Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Painted-Daisy/305188933127?ref=mf

All new fans receive 25% off any item in my Etsy shop. Just type "new FB Fan" in the message to seller at checkout and I will refund your $ after payment is verified. Thanks!

Saturday...ugh, still have a cold

My cold is still plaguing me, so no skiing this afternoon with the kiddos (boooohoooo). However, I have gotten a lot of work done in the last 24 hours and am starting to feel caught up with store orders. No mail on Monday for President's Day, but I'll be mailing some big boxes on Tuesday. Hmmmm, maybe UPS works on Prez Day? I'll have to call and find out. I would prefer to mail on Monday...we'll see :-)

Anyway, I have to really kick the sewing into high gear. Final big remodel project for our 1880's hom will begin in late March or early April...all this is on our 2nd floor. My sewing studio and general cutting area and dumping ground for sewing stuff is on the second floor, as is my photo taking area. I have a feeling I will be living in serious chaos for a month or so! Plus trying to get ready for the big Moose Fest show and the big Syttende Mai show. (I'm assuming I'll get into Moose Fest with my friend Jess...fingers are crossed!)

Time to get back to work!

New things to come

I've been sewing like crazy the past few weeks...actually I think that's going to be a regular thing (YEAH!). I'm continuing to plug away at orders from the stores who graciously offer my products as well as fill special orders and I'm desparately trying to build up my inventory for spring. I absolutely HAVE to start on spring/summer wear for girls next week.

On top of all that, I finally launched a Facebook Fan Page for The Painted Daisy (Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Painted-Daisy/305188933127?ref=mf I hope it works!) And I'm trying to add a lot of older inventory to my Etsy site so I can do weekly sales!

Pssst.... If you fan my FB page I'm offering 25% off any item in my Etsy store!!!

WOOT! I also (finally) got around to prototyping a leather bag with a zip top. I collect a lot of leather hide scraps from the upholstery shop and I'm pretty happy with the first try. I didn't make a pattern or anything, just free handed it. I'll get a pic posted soon. Need to tweak the zipper and handle attachments, but not too bad for a first shot!

Sewing machine is calling my name...Later peeps!

Quilt Pictures I promised to post!

Here are a few of the beautiful quilts that my mom has given my family over the years. Some are handquilted, but most are not machine quilted by a lovely women in Missouri!

This one was made for my son Ian after he was born.

This was the one made for Sofia after she was born.

This is Ian's newest quilt...Very cool fish pattern!

This quilt graces Sofia's bed. It came with a matching throw pillow. Thanks Granny!!!

The last one shown is the wonderfully snuggly, warm quilt that Mom gave us for Christmas. This photo does NOT do it justice. It is a combo of cottons and chenille in a dark red/raspberry color and the back is a dark forest green FLANNEL. The kids argue about who's turn it is to snuggle under Granny's quilt!