Ideas and The Sharing of Said-Ideas...

For my Momma's birthday and Christmas gifts, I usually get her a collection of birthday cards for her to use for family members and friends throughout the year, as I am an excellent shopper. I even pick one out for her to give to me and it usually reads "you're the most wonderful", or sumpin like that...

I tell you this cause I think it'd be a good gift idea for you to give your Momma, as well, and also to illustrate this point:

My creativity works best by demand.

The latest couple of cards in my online shop, Baby Black Dog, have been the result of a need and a determination to not buy store-bought cards. My "Boy, Oh Boy" card

was created for 2 special someone's Little Boy showers.  It's kinda my favorites... But my newest creation, "A Thrilling Birthday",

was created for my Momma's stash, and therefore created for a much-loved member of my family. I think they both fit-the-bill (and I'm very picky!) and I love the way they look in my shop. Babyblackdog.etsy.com

...And, in case I haven't mentioned it lately, you should go take a look...

Waiting and Such and While-I'm-At-It...

So, we're in a sort of wait-mode...

Ready to go to South America but for a few things to fall in place. Hoping to see our friends and family soon. Hoping to celebrate with them. Ready to share with them. Prepared to tell them what God has been doing in our hearts since we last saw them.

But while we're here, we'll relish in our situation. Prepared to go. Prepared to stay. There's work to be done. There's showers to prepare for and GrandBoys to visit and gifts to plan and new business to obtain and pups to tend to and His will to be done.

And there's my little shop to create for and talk about, so that's what I think I'll do here. Maybe I'll talk about Baby Black Dog (Babyblackdog.etsy.com) and maybe you'll listen...

I actually opened the online shop several years ago with a couple of my mini-journals. They sat there for a few months and I sat with my fingers crossed...and when nothing sold, I chickened out and didn't renew any of my items. Since then I've learned a teeny bit about the Etsy site and marketing and creating and photographing and you name it. I've always enjoyed the creative process but now I'm beginning to kinda like the promoting and marketing part. But mostly, I'm really liking the project as a whole. I like what I'm selling. And I like that other people like it, too.

I'm currently working on a Christmas-in-a-Box and some greeting card designs. I just added a "Boy, oh, boy! It's a boy!" celebration card and it's one of my favorite things ever...you should go look at it! I think I'm about to add some of my lovingly-collected, mismatched, vintage china place settings, too. And get the shop name out there a little bit. And blog about it more often. Or sumpin like that...

Waiting? I'm good with that. But doing? I'd much rather...