The tunes that move me...

Yup. You know it. Music feeds the soul. Here's what my soul's munching on lately.

WARNING. My music is strange, just in case you didn't know. :)

If it gives you that 30 second crap, there's a link in the top of the box that says 'play full song here' or something like that. just click that if you want to hear more.

May

Found on Flickr: Pt 2

In Found on Flickr: Part 1 I talked about Gary Shrimpling and how his awesome photography knocks me off my feet. Once I got past staring at this photo in American Photo, there were so many other cool Flickr features to see!

I know a lot of people spend a LOT of time on Flickr just browsing around. I really haven't before, but recently I was introduced to some really cool things on Flickr. Things so cool that I think I might start browsing Flickr to see what else is out there. :) As soon as I figure out how...

What's a good way to find cool people on Flickr? Anybody?

Anyway. The American Photo spread of Flickr Superstars also features Lauren Rosenbaum Her photos are definitely different than Gary's, yet are just as if not more intriguing for some very different reasons. I mean, check this out.

She does this gorgeous set of self-portraits called 365, which is a year of herself and her camera. I definitely recommend flipping through it. As noticed in the photo below, she also takes a lot of really cool photos in (bathroom) mirrors. The below shot was 118 of 365. She really makes me want to grab my camera and go take pictures of myself, which is saying a lot because I tend to not like photos of myself.

If you take a look at some of her photos, you'll soon notice she's either capable of seemingly impossible feats such as levitating or holding her kids in one hand, or she's great with Photoshop. The magazine even goes in-depth with one of her shots and explains the process of how she ended up floating in midair. You can see a small version of this tutorial in her photostream as well. I looked through a good 100 pages of photostream for this picture in a size I could save. It's in the magazine and it makes me go ooooh...

These are some of my other favorites:

Please note: The photos used in this feature are all really low-quality versions of her photos. Visit her photostream and check these pictures out in better versions. I just looked through her whole photostream, and trust me, you won't be sorry!

I'm Going Crazy!

I'm getting involved in so many things, I might be spreading myself too thin! But it's all fun stuff!

One thing I've joined is A Granny A Day. The object's simple: Make a Granny Square every day and share it. :) I've yet to share a square, but I'm working on my second one (I just joined a few days ago). I'm thinking I'll make a lapghan and sell it in my shop. Check out the awesomeness that's in this group, the color combinations are so inspiring!

Found on Flickr: Pt 1

I know a lot of people spend a LOT of time on Flickr just browsing around. I really haven't before, but recently I was introduced to some really cool things on Flickr. Things so cool that I think I might start browsing Flickr to see what else is out there. :)

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I'm a Maghound member, and that because of it I've fallen in love with American Photo. The May/June issue headlines 12 Flickr Superstars, and highlights some really awesome photography that's on Flickr!

This photo REALLY caught my attention, because it looked so tragic, and just a touch familiar. Turns out it's from the Atonement set, which photographer Gary Shrimpling was allowed access to after filming.

All of his photos that really catch my eye are Long Exposures, which I know so very little about but am so very captivated by. Here's a few more of my favorites of his extensive collection. Click on any photo to be taken to his photostream.

Should I do a new layout?

I really like my 3-column layout, and I did a lot of work to get it to be the way it is, but now I'm wondering if I'm ready for something different. I've seen a lot of people with these layouts where the text is all on the left and then there are two columns of space on the right for links, advertisements, etc.

I've really noticed this is trending lately on blogs and I'm wondering what other people think of it. Two blogs of interest that I've noticed that are set up this way are Meet Me At Mikes and LillyElla

What do you guys think???

Does anyone still do magazines?

I've always loved magazines. I love to pour over a particularly good issue of one of my favorite magazines over and over again. On the rare occasion when I find myself in Knoxville, I love to go into Borders or Barnes and Noble and drool over the massive collection of magazines.

Back in the fall, we found Maghound . Very much like Netflix, with Maghound you pay a monthly subscription fee and they send you X number of magazines of your choice each month. We were signed up for a while waiting on the site to launch. When we first started, we got 5 magazines for under $8 a month.

After a few months of getting magazines that I wanted to read but still haven't had time to (even now there are still several issues of Real Simple and Siempre Mujer are stacked underneath my coffee table waiting for me), we recently dropped down to an even lower package, 3 magazines for $4.95 a month. It's perfect for us, and between our monthly and bi-monthly magazine choices we share the three quite well. We have one magazine pick in common, Poets and Writers . Our other choices make us look somewhat like a small magazine store, my boyfriend getting Discover and National Geographic while so far I've tried everything from a crochet magazine, home & decor magazines, and a few spanish magazines just to practice!

One awesome Maghound feature is if you dislike a magazine, you can just swap it and you get a different magazine the next month. If magazines only come out bi-monthly or quarterly, you set up substitutes and those magazines come instead on the months that your regular magazines aren't around. With several of our picks being magazines that only publish bi-monthly, we've been able to try some new magazines out. I've found that I really like Real Simple, and I get it every few months when there's a substitute (it's on the top of the list). Even though I don't really cook, I also enjoy Saveur , a mouth-watering cooking magazine.

Last month, I decided to venture out on yet another new magazine journey and signed up to get American Photo . I've wanted to try this since the fall, and when it arrived yesterday, I fell in love immediately! So much in fact that I blogged all of this to preface talking about some things I learned about in A.P., which will be coming up in the next few days. So, I'm settling down, picking a regular magazine for a while. Alas, my days of Maghound magazine hopping are over. :) If you like magazines but don't have a lot of great ones in your area, (i.e. you live in the middle of nowhere like me!) or just don't have the time to go browse the bookstore, check them out! There are a lot of magazines that they do not have, but they do have quite a variety!

Amigurumi Madness :)

Since the warmer months are upon us, I've been looking for ways to still crochet but not make as many scarves. Lets face it, people just don't buy scarves in the summertime!

So, I've been working on various ideas including fingerless gloves (which are in many ways a year-round item) and amigurumi.

On my days off when I'm sitting at home doing lots of Owls and other Etsy stuff, I keep the television news on all day. All day long today I've been watching the outcry over the unveiling of Bo Obama, the new First Puppy, seen below. This is an adorable little doggie, and I think I could make the cutest little amigurumi version out of him, so I think I'm going to try it. :)

Also, a few weeks ago, I made Toledito (shown below) and when I did him someone mentioned making a Highland Cow version of him. I decided this might be the cutest thing EVER, so I added it to the to-do list. I mean, look at Toledito and then the below picture of a highland cow. Wouldn't it be the cutest thing ever?? We'll see!!

Since I haven't done this in a while...

Here's the latest political fodder on SNL. I love Biden. :)

Spanglish Team: Miembro de la semana!

I'm a member of the Spanglish team and this week they are featuring auclairdelalune as their member of the week. Her shop's full of gorgeous clothing and other fabric items all made from upcycled fabrics. She rescues fabric and gives it a new life.

Check out her shop and also her blog at http://auclairdelalune2009.blogspot.com/

For the Love of Frida...

There are some of the coolest Frida Kahlo-themed items on Etsy. I want them all, so much! Have I ever mentioned I love Frida Kahlo? I love Frida, seriously. Always have. This entry highlights some of my absolute favorites. Click on the pictures to see the listings on Etsy.

This one is from http://six06.etsy.com/ and is a print of an absolutely gorgeous painting! She's incredibly talented. I also have fallen in love with Loteria, it's not a Frida print but it's gorgeous, go look!

The below print is from http://teetee344art.etsy.com/ It is a print of an original painting as well, and I love the way you can see the texture of the canvas in the print. She uses some beautiful colors too!

http://minimalista.etsy.com/ is one of my Spanglish teammates, and I've loved her shop for quite a while! Her Viva la Frida tops and bags are just precious! Here's an example, but there's so many more than this one!

This is an art card from http://catboxartstudio.etsy.com/ She has an absolutely gorgeous shop full of prints, cards, jewelry, and other Dia De los Muertos and Frida Kahlo inspired pieces.

There are so many gorgeous Frida Kahlo themed items on Etsy, these don't even really begin to cover it. Click here to see a Frida Kahlo Etsy-search! Viva la Frida!

TeamESST's First Weekend Shopping Extravaganza

The destash supply shop I have with presentsforpirates and knitandpearl-- PiratesDreamofPearls is a member of a supply Street Team on Etsy teamESST

Every month they have a First Weekend Shopping Extravaganza, where they host various sales over the weekend and invite other Etsians to participate. Participating at least one day is a requirement for the team, but the best fun is participating all weekend! Check out this Etsy thread for great specials all weekend long! And be sure to visit me too, I'm on the very bottom of page 24 or you can just see my specials right here!!

In my crochet shop, I'm offering 25% off your purchase and Free US shipping on orders over $20 (after discount) (Code FWSE in Notes to Seller) Sale ends Sunday night at 10:00 Eastern time! I also have a new 'on sale' section where the items are priced at 50% off original prices. This weekend you can get an additional 25% off those already reduced prices! Here's the section:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5002728&section_id=6042712

In PiratesDreamofPearls, I'm offering Free US shipping on all the times that are mine in the shop. Here's a link to them:

http://www.etsy.com/search_results_shop.php?search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_6155163&search_query=SDJ

Happy Shopping!

World Autism Awareness Day (x-posted from the Etsy Owls Blog)

April Is Autism Awareness Month, and today is World Autism Awareness Day, and in honor of that, we're trying to do a little something extra to help out.

One of our members, lalala08 is participating in Autism Speaks' Walk Now For Autism in her hometown of Lehigh Valley, PA and we thought that would be a great cause to contribute to! So, some of our members are donating items to the team shop at OfftheWall and we're giving 100% of the profits from those items directly to the Lehigh Valley Walk!

There's a wide variety of items, including crochet, felt, drawings, photography, jewelry, and more!

Most items are autism themed by either having a puzzle piece, using primary colors, or both, as shown in this posting! Click on any picture to be taken to the listing on Etsy!

Also, Etsy members who have a loved one impacted by autism might be interested in joining Etsy for Autism

Follow this link to learn more about Autism and what you can do to help

April Fools goes Crazy!

Ha ha, this is what I found on the Gmail sign-in page. It might be a bit hard to see it, but you can go to http://gmail.google.com and see it more up close. It's a launch for an Autopilot system, one that responds to your email for you, because, lets face it, reading and responding to email is just too hard!!!

Happy April Fools everyone!

April Fools Day SALE!

Mega-SALE TODAY and TODAY ONLY! The only April Fool is ME!

For April Fools Day only, I've marked almost all of my shop down at least 50%, with over a page of items marked at 75%!!! Get scarves for as low as $4.00, and fingerless gloves starting at $5!!! PLUS: Free US Shipping on orders over $25 WOW!

75% off!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5002728§ion_id=6031189

50% off!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5002728&section_id=6031191

Etsy Buy Handmade suenosdejmi