21st Century Pillow Book

Happy Monday! Today I am sharing a new obsession with you…stamping on washers. I was Pinning my little heart out a couple of weeks ago (are you on Pinterest ? Follow me! Click the link on my sidebar!), and I saw some washer jewelry. This is why I love hardware stores…there are so many amazing things that you repurpose and make fabulous. Anyway, I had seen this done before, but never got around to doing it. So finding these new links re-sparked my interest. Needless to say, I’ve been making them for everyone. Necklaces and key chains. Here’s the necklace I made for Phoenix’s teachers. What I’m really loving about making these pieces, is that I’m using my Dad’s tools to create them. These letter stamps were his, as is the old hammer that I’m using. His teachers loved them. I chose a clear, pink heart and copper wire for these necklaces. I thought they came out really pretty. Then I thought about making some for my “Mommy Friends.” My friends don’t wear industrial styled jewelry,...

So I've got this Etsy shop. I've got almost 20 things on it. It's got all sorts of fun Alison-ish things. I've got some scarves, a bit of beaded jewelry, some scrapbooking layouts, even a couple of super-cute baby onesies! There are so many things I want to make for it... I have so many ideas, and the supplies to make them all! But... very little time. And, I am slightly discouraged (though NOT giving up of course!) about the fact that I have not yet sold anything. I've checked out a bunch of different shops, some rock... but some, really kinda suck. And yet, they are all selling stuff! Some of the layouts that I have seen are super-duper pricey and super-duper ugly. And yet, they've sold like a hundred spreads. This seems to happen to me and my family a lot. We make some fantabulous items (if I do say so myself), yet the stuff doesn't go to a new happy home. It makes me sad. I think our prices are always reasonable, and comparative to similar items. And our...