So you know how I sell custom painted growth charts on Etsy right? Well I got an order from a girl in Denver for a present for her nephew. She wanted it to include snowboarding, snow skiing, tennis, and Brazillian soccer. Her BIL is from Brazil. It took a while to come up with a way to incorporate all that, and even longer to paint it, but I think it came out ok! I emailed her the pictures and she loved it. She’ll be getting it tomorrow! 
Category: crafts
Small potatoes
Today my sister Sara & I participated in our first Arts festival. 
She sold her photographs and I sold my jewelry & growth charts. I was up practically all night fretting about everything. “Don’t forget this and be sure to bring this” etc. I literally got 2 hours of sleep. We arrived at our location at 7 am and got set up. Now, we weren’t official vendors in the arts fest. We bought our spaces from a girl scout troop who was selling spots in their church parking lot 
as part of their twice a year yard sale fund raiser. It just happened to coincide with the arts fest. So we were able to set up for just $10! Woohoo!
I made a bunch of earrings and a few bracelets and put together a photo album of my growth charts. I spent an hour prepping gift boxes. I brought 500 business cards. I made a mailing list sign up sheet. I was ready. Or so I thought. Once the real arts fest started Sara walked down and looked at some of the vendors and came back laughing. They had tents and shelving and hundreds of items to choose from. She had 5 frame prints and I had a handful of jewelry! 
I didn’t even have any professional displays, just a fun tiered server from IKEA and some bowls! 
My friend Heather had a fancy tent and we were in awe of her set up. 
She makes amazing things. But even her booth wasn’t as fancy as some of the other vendors. Some even had electricity and took Visa! Oh well, everyone’s gotta start somewhere right?
My goal for the day was to just make my booth rental money back. And I did. And then some! I’m pretty pleased with myself! I even have an order for two custom sets of earrings & bracelets. Although I was surprised that most of my fans today seemed to be in the Hannah Montana set. Women would come over and look at my stuff and say “oooh my daughter would love this. She’s 7.” I would have a gaggle of giggling girls oohing and aahing over my earrings and their moms wouldn’t even look at stuff for themselves. Good thing I spent an hour making my first pair of chandelier earrings! Oh well, a dollar’s a dollar!
After the arts fest I went home and took a nap then met up with Christina and Jessica to paint pottery. I still have to go back and finish my piece, a spoon rest to replace the one I made my Nanny (grandmother) then broke the day I picked it up from the pottery shop. After pottery we grabbed some dinner. On my way home I noticed my friend Kim was at my friend Kimberly’s house so I went home and let the pugs out then took Zoe to Kimberly’s for a play date. Zoe played with the Kims’ daughters while the adults played the Wii. So fun. I so want one of these! Kim & I were boxing and bowling and playing baseball & tennis. Although I got a little too excited during my tennis serve and konked Kim right in the shoulder. No wonder they put wrist straps on those controllers!
Sit & Knit
Thursday night my friend Kimberly & I attended my first Sit & Knit (that I organized thankyouverymuch). We had dinner first, where I took this pic of my ice: 
then we met up with a few other ladies for chatting and knitting.
It was a lot of fun. One lady, Heather, man is she amazing with the knitting! I can hardly even talk about it. She makes things you would totally think came from a store. I can knit rectangles. Oy. I’ll get there though. I’m currently knitting a blanket for the Linus Project. Once I’m finished with that I hope to move on to a different shaped thing!
Finally….my Spring PhoBloDays!!!
Welcome! For those of you just joining us, four times a year I ask my bloggy peeps to document their days through photos. We document a Friday &/or a Saturday. Then everyone posts their photos on their blogs &/or the PhoBloDays Flickr Group. I post a link to the participants here on my blog so everyone can go see what everyone else is up to.
I LOVE PhoBloDays. I love seeing your worlds through your point of view.
On with the show! Click below:
Thanks to those who played!
Now…on to my days!
Friday: This is the first thing I saw when I woke up: 
I got up and ironed CSP’s work clothes. 
Then went downstairs and had breakfast. Took care of the pugs and did a little house cleaning. Then answered emails and checked out some blogs: 
Then I got showered and dressed and headed out to have lunch with a friend. 
I took her a little present I painted her. A giant clothes pin I thought would be cute for holding pictures or recipes etc. 
She seemed to really like it so that’s good! After lunch we walked around and checked out some local shops. Then we parted ways and I proceeded to get quite lost on the way home. 
I so need a GPS!
Now, here’s where things get a little fuzzy. I forgot to take any more pics of my day! And now that I’m trying to blog it, I don’t quite remember much of what else happened. Must not have been too exciting!
Oh well, on to Saturday!
I woke up in much the same manner as Friday: 
Ironed again. 
Had breakfast, took care of the pugs, checked email, then worked some more on our taxes. 
I know I’m past the deadline but I filed an extension. It’s a long story. I gave up on our taxes for the day and went to the park to meet up with Sara & the boys & some friends. 
We hung out and took pictures of the kids while they played until it started to rain. So I drove home in the rain 
When I got home I got dolled up and ready to go to dinner with some friends. 
After dinner we went back to Kimberly’s house and played her Wii. So fun! 
Zoe came over. 
Zoe played hard too and fell asleep on Kim’s daughter Ciela: 
It was a long, fun day so we went home and straight to bed!
*click on all photos to enlarge. More photos here!
Let’s hear it for the boys
I just painted 2 growth charts for Shannon’s sister’s kids. I hope she likes them! Click to enlarge. 
Fabric store finds
The other day CSP & I met his mom for breakfast. While in her area we stopped at this MEGA cloth store. Jon found Vikings patterned fleece for a blanket, and we bought fabric to recover our dining room chairs. I was also looking for some Mexican oilcloth. Unfortunately they didn’t have any. Fortunately there’s Google. I found a few sites that sell it and one with a huge variety and good prices. So I bought this fabulous aqua floral oilcloth. I’m making a tablecloth for Spring/Summer. LOVE oilcloth because it doesn’t fray and it’s super easy to craft. Pictures of the completed dining room chairs when….well, when they are completed!
Mardi Gras
Last night I went to a Mardi Gras party with my friend Kim. 
It was put on by The Mommies Network. I know I’m not a mom yet (and I promise to post an adoption update this week), but my sister encouraged me to join as they have an adoption forum. I’ve met some great people through TMN. Kim & I got together in the afternoon (she lives up the street from me) and we made our masks. Then we headed out to the party last night. I was able to meet some more members and visit with some I’ve already met. So that was fun. I was shocked however, by the behavior of some of the moms there. It was a “get to know you” event and they (loudly) talked about really inappropriate things. Like 3somes, anal sex, and they used really foul language. It was just really disappointing. I’ll still do things within TMN, but just not things that those girls are involved in.
After the party I dropped Kim off and went in for a little while. She has a wii. Her and her 16 yr old son taught me how to play. So fun! I want one!
Today I went to the grocery store and picked up ingredients for fun football food (Texi Mexi cups & this great dip I make). CSP came home from work and we watched most of the Super Bowl. He’s already in bed. No idea who won. But I recorded it so we can at least watch the commercials!
Oh, and
So I was thinking and I’d like to name some jewelry items after my favorite bloggy peeps….that’s you! So when you leave a comment entering your name in the free earrings contest, be sure to leave me your favorite color. And you just might see something cute named after you in my shop!
And check back often for new products! Coming soon….more earrings! more bracelets! necklaces! more growth charts! so much cuteness!
Bellatini’s back, baby!
To celebrate the relaunch of my little jewelry making business I will be holding a little contest! 
Up for grabs, a free pair of earrings custom made for you in your favorite color. Just leave a comment and you’ll be entered. Drawing to be held Sunday February 27.
And a special contest for you graphic artisty types. Make me a banner for Bellatini* and I’ll make you a coordinating custom set: earrings, bracelet, and necklace. Email me at bellatini at mac dot com if you’re interested.
Along with jewelry I am also offering custom painted growth charts for sale. And in 2008 Bellatini* will donate $1 from the sale of each pink themed jewelry item to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer via Women’s Circle of Giving.
So now you can look good and give to a good cause all at the same time!
Now, go check out my shop! It is chock full of way cute new designs!
Birthday babies!!!
Friday the 18th was Molly’s 2nd birthday 
and Joey’s 3rd birthday! 
Saturday night I went over to Sara’s house for Joey’s birthday dinner. 
. It was a smallish affair with just family and a couple close friends and their kids. I wanted to make growth charts for the boys’ birthdays but Sara said she wanted them to share one as she’s low on wall space. So I made this:
We had a lot of fun that night. The ladies gathered round the table and I taught Gigi & Sara’s MIL how to play Bunco. Then we all played Rummikub. Meanwhile snow was falling, but not sticking. I didn’t get home til almost 11! Who knew a toddler’s birthday party could run so late!
Bless Your Heart 