Another Bright Idea?

Well, I've not sold either of the jack-o-lantern baskets I made up. So today they go on sale. And, considering that I've only sold one Handknit Felted Basket, I thought maybe a few Handknit Felted Hats might pique someones interest. So I am busily knitting away.

Now that I've posted the hats it occures to me that they need to be doo dahed up. I guess I'll be off to purchase some gross grain ribbon. And i'm thinking maybe a live model will be better than good ol' Madeline here.

So, if you're looking for a really cute decorative basket for next Halloween, stop by

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/ and snap them up for $7.50 each

And while you're there, check out my other baskets. There's a couple Winter themed ones as well as one Christmas one. I have a whole slew of LIttleFelted Baskets that make great tree ornaments and or little gifty baskets. I have to get the other Christmas baskets I have posted. The holidays are upon us!

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/

www.Flickr.com/JudyAGoddard/

http://www.judyagoddardartist.blogspot.com/

My Old Man

Tom , Hannah and Judy, college moving in day 2008

My old man! We've been together for 34 years! He was the first, and only, boy I ever dated. Our first date? I was 15. We went to see "Young Frankenstein". It was a Saturday matinee. I told myself, " If he tries to put his arm around me I'll slug him!" He says he thought, "I won't try to put my arm around her his this time." That was in February. By May, we swearing eternal devotion!

But there was a problem, right from the start. I was a new Christian. I had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in August of that year. And he was not a Christian. We became a devoted couple very quickly. I had to tell him, "I love you! And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but, I won't marry you if you're not a Christian. And within a couple of months he had, indeed, accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

I know, I know! But you know what? We were married four years later and he has been the help mate and head of our family from the very beginning. He loves God! and he knows that Jesus died for him and rose again to fulfill the promise!

He has supported me in every hair brained scheme I have ever come up with. And, you, know, it's not easy living with an artist! And wouldn't you know! Both of his children are artists too!

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/

http://www.measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com/

www.flickr.com/judyagoddard/

Do You Have a Brochure?

Brochures I have known;
Grateful Creation Design, that was my batik tee shirt business.
Judy Goddard, Singer Songwriter, Artist
Judy Goddard Programs, these were my folk music brochures.

Now I'm a Handknitter and Felter.
So, I need a new brochure.

Sales on Etsy.com have been llittle less than slow. And I have been really, really trying to do everything I can do to make my shop a success.

Last week I sent a friend of a friend one of my Little Felted Baskets. She owns and operates a dance school for little girls. It's called "Through the Looking Glass" dance studio, in the Columbia MD area. She emailed me, asking for a brochure to insert into her November newlsetter.

So I sat down and put together what I think is a pretty snazzy pamphlet.

Two peas in a pod

My niece had her twins last week. they were six weeks early. Each weighed three pounds losmething. they are expected to go home in a few weeks. One is Addison Virginia and the other Evelyn Cora. Pretty names!

I attended my niece's baby shower just the week before. My sister asked me to make them a growth chart that they could share. Of course, I said sure! The only stipulation was that it needed to have lady bugs on it. No Problem!

I got my canvas out and primed it and painted it sky blue. Then, up the center I painted a daisy chain, with the obligatory lady bugs. I placed the inch and yard marks up both sides of the chart, instead of just up the right side. And when I was finished, I realized that I couldn't give just one! So I started another one right away! It's the same sky blue but on this one I made a chain of tea roses with lady bugs. But, at the shower, I couldn't cajole the names out of her. So they stayed blank at the top of each.

Now, ny niece and nephew in law can put the names at the top. Addison Virginia, (my sister's name is Ginni.) and Evelyn Cora. ( Joe's mom is Cora). They are indeed pretty names.

Adventures in Felting

I love to knit! And I love the manipulation of fibers that are possible for me through felting. It's such a trip to open up the washing machine and pull out that sodden, lumpy mess, disentagle it from the blue jeans, pull into shape and see exactly what I anticipated! It makes my heart smile.

Of course, sometimes I open up the washing machine and pull out that sodden mess and go, " Oh no! It's too small!" Or "It's so uneven!" Or It's full of holes!" Then I put on my thinking cap and try to figure out how to use this "Happy Accident" in a creative way. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But the thrill I feel, right before I lift that lid, the thrill of anticipation, makes it worth the effort, even if I do have to figure out just in the heck I'm gunna do with it!

Twitter, Flickr, Blogger, huh?

I decided to try and sell some Handknit Felted Baskets that I had designed and made. So I set up a shop on Etsy.com and started uploading pictures. I was told that to promote myself I would need to spend time in the chat rooms and visit the forums often.

I learned to how sort through the miasma of a crowded chat rooms. I learned how to couch my forum posts in terms that would draw attention to my shop. And I sold a few supplies.

To be fair, I did sell one basket. And I sold one Canvas Growth Chart. All that since April 20, 2008.

So I asked what else I could do. I was told, "Blog!" I set up this blog and now have a new place to direct folks to show off my designs. And I do get some very nice comments. Thank you very much! But no sales of Art, only supplies. (So why and I complaining? At least I'm making sales!"

Next came the suggestion of Flickr. com. And then came the posts telling me to set up a Mysapce account and a Facebook account. Done.

And now I spend many hours everyday punching keyboard pads and squinting at my laptop screen. And still have quite a tidy sum of lovely baskets that people tell me are, "So cute!" "Really Great!" "Super".

I'm getting pretty frustrated. If you pray, please send one up for me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31019349@N06/

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/

http://www.measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com/

My Christmas Look

Is it time? Am I too late? It is, after all October 18th! Yesterday I started uploading Christmas photos on my Etsy shop.

All my Little Felted Baskets are getting a holiday spiff up.

What are Little Felted Baskets?

They serve many happy purposes.

They're little gift holders

little candy baskets

little oranments

lovely little decorations for your table or mantle piece.

Who knew that spending the afternoon taking photos

could be so tiring. But it was fun and I look forward to

continueing with the holiday theme.

If you are visiting this blog, please take a look at my Etsy shop and let me know what you think. Are the photos good enough? Do they convey holiday warmth and the spirit of Christmas?

I know I've got some photos to retake. I'll get it right.

I'll be shooting most of my stock in holiday settings.

www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com

www.JudyGoddard.Homestead.com

www.Measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com

It all Started With The Turkey

My family lives on 16 acres of wooded land, right in the middle of New Jersey. Our driveway wends through the woods to the back of the property. 30 feet behind our house is a cedar creek.

About 7 days ago my husband and I had what we like to call a "Turkey Blessing". It was dusk and we were standing in our kitchen. All of a sudden the dog, who was standing by the french doors, began to growl. The hackles on her back went up. As we peered out the doors we saw a wild turkey in our back yard. It was a big tom and his head was bright turquois blue. We watched him saunter through the yard , heading for the creek. All of a sudden he bobbed up and down a coouple of times and lifted off the ground, flying across the creek and landing in a tree on the other side. He was roosting for the night. Then, incredibly enough, we watched 10 others walk into our back yard, bob up and down and fly up into the trees. They each took turns and picked a different tree. It was the coolest thing!!

So, that was the first. Two days ago, as I was standing in the living room, looking at the bird feeder, all of sudden, there was a flash of golden brown! The little chickadees all scattered and a sparrow hawk careened into our plate glass window! He didn't hurt himself, neither did he catch a chickadee. And from 4:00 pm when it happened until the next morning, there were no little birds at our feeder.

Yesteday, around noon time, I was walking out of our local boy scout headquarters and I heard a red tailed hawk, right over my head! I looked up and searched the tree tops, but I couldn't find him/her. I thought maybe I'd see him flying in the clear blue sky, but he was gone.

And, last night, while we were praparing for bed, we heard a great horned owl hoo-hoo- hooing, right out our bedroom window!

I love where I live! I'm so grateful for the gift of this place and the stewardship that has been placed upon me. I think God put the right person in charge of this little wilderness.

NOTE: All photos obtained through Google images.

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/

http://www.judyagoddardartist.blogspot.com/

http://www.judygoddard.homestead.com/

http://www.measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com/

Why is a size 11 knitting needle.....

closer in size to a size 13 knitting needle than it is to a size 10 1/2 knitting needle?

Because.....

I have a size 13 needle and a size 10 1/2 needle and I need a size 11 needle!!!!

But, I do have a new shop banner! One I did not create myself. If you need or want a new banner and/or a new avatar, check out http://www.cmikel.etsy.com/

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/
http://www.judyagoddardartist.blogspot.com/
http://www.judygoddard.homestead.com/

Mother Theresa of her cul-de-sac

Running a home business allows me to spend time volunteering at my local hospital. Every other Thursday I do visitations for the Pastoral Care department. I pass out pamphlets to people who were admitted the night before. I smile a lot and sometimes, if I feel it's appropriate, offer to pray with people who are worried and frightened. We have a very large senior citizen population. Many of the patients come from the nursing homes and they are all alone. It feels good to be able to share a smile and a prayer.

The other part of my job involves counseling with critically ill and/or terminally ill patients and their families. That's the part of my job that is most rewarding for me. I have a chance to make a real difference, to bring some peace and comfort, to someone who is truly in need of a warm hand and a warm smile.

This week I met Sadie. She's an elderly lady whose been taking care of everyone in her area of the over 50 housing development. She makes sure that those who get Meals on Wheels, get more than just one hot meal a day. If someone needs a ride to the doctor, she's there. She took care of her dying husband, mother, cousin. Now she was sitting in an infectious disease controlled room with her good friend, Frank, who was dying from an infectious disease he picked up during his last stay in the hospital. He was in and out of conscienceness.

When I walked into the room, she was near hysteria, waiting for the doctor to come and tell her how this was going to get better. I asked her if Frank had a spiritual base. She cried out, " No, he doesn't! But I do, and I'm really upset with God right now! Why does he allow such bad things to happen to such good people! My mother, my husband, my cousin, and now Frank! Why didn't he make them better?" And she burst into sobs.

Frank was raised in a home that did not believe in the existence of God. But he knew the bible better than Sadie did. She told me that she got embarrassed that he knew more than she did.
"Well, that doesn't amount to a hill of beans!" I told her. "Knowing the bible is not what counts."

She was angry and confused and furious! But I really think that she was more upset with herself. She is a fixer. That is the world she has built for herself. It's what gives her life purpose. And now she was sitting there, again, helpless, and blaming the only one who could have made the difference.

I knelt next to her and rubbed her back. I told her that God handles situations the way he sees as best, not necessarily the way we see them. And that God knew exactly what the right thing was for Frank. But I didn't leave her empty handed.

I told her, " This is what you can do, When Frank is asleep, or unconscious, you can lay your hands on him and speak words of truth over him. You can speak God's love over him. And that is the very best thing you can do for him."

Will Frank be admitted into heaven? I don't know! But I know that God Loves Frank so much! More than anyone else could. And I know that the fervent prayers of a righteous person avails much! I would not be surprised if, while walking on that cloudy path from here to there, God does meet him and, at last, Frank will understand the sacrifice that was made for him, and the love, so great, that has been poured out over his entire life. And arm in arm, they'll enter heaven together!

www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com
www.JudyGoddard.Homestead.com
www.Measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com

It takes very little....

To make me FREAKIN' NUTS!!

I have been designing a new banner for my Etsy site. I took new pictures, downloaded them onto Microsoft Publisher, picked out pretty colors and vibrant accents. And I was very pleased with my handiness.

That is until I tryed to upload it onto Etsy. I've been trying for THREE days to upload this silly banner! No matter what I try, I cannot figure out how to translate the file in to jpg, bmp, or another uploadable file. I tried saving it as a web page....no good. I tried typing .jpg into the file name box....no good. I tried setting up a trial Acrobat PDF account so that I could change the file into a PDF flie.....no luck, yet.

I have a software program called "Greetings Workshop" with which I can make cards, flyers, stickers, address labels, and...... Banners!! But, yet again, I could not upload it!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

I would have posted a picture of my new banner here for you to see, but I COULDN'T UPLOAD IT!!

It takes so little.....

...to make a simple girl happy!

I knit. All the time! I obsess over knitting. So all my life I've looked for a way to make my knitting a renewable kind of thing. After all, you can only knit your near and dear so many sweaters and socks. Then it kind of becomes a bad holiday joke.

So I started designing and came up with this really cool way to make one of a kind, felted baskets. I've been making
them for a few years now and now they have joined the list of holiday jokes. But my family loves them and think they are really neat. So now I'm trying to sell them.

Here's where the little, to make me, a simple girl, happy, comes in....

I have a nearly complete collection of every kind of knitting needle, in every conceivable size and color and material. But, of course I don't have the one needle I need! A size 13 circular needle, 16 inches long! I checked out the on line catalogues and made some calls, and..... You guessed it! Nobody sells it!

My very wise husband suggested that I look on Ebay and, SHAZAM! There they were; the perfect 13 circular needle in just the right length!

I'm going away for the weekend, and, now that the needle has arrived, I can take it with me and knit my baskets and be very, very content.

It takes so little!

THAT'S what friends are for!

OOf! What am I doing wrong??!! My head is in such a fog and I can't think straight. I'm not focusing and my heart is pounding! You know, my sales are pretty slumpy. And I just couldn't figure out what to do next.

So I called my BFF and cried to her my woes. And she, in her wisdom, got all efficient on my ass, helped me straighten out my path and gave me a pat on the back to gently push me forword.

And out of her mouth comes, " Merchandizing! Marketing! Take better pictures! Show people what the baskets can be used for! Give the world an idea of how wonderful your baskets are! Help them visualize how your handknit felted baskets will look when they use them as gift holders,

table accents, party favors!, thank you gifts!

I hurriedly wrote down, in lists, all she was saying, and what her words suggested to me, on how to market my wonderful baskets.

So! Now I have a clear path! Now I can settle my pounding heart and make lists of what to do first, second and third. ( and 18th, 19th and 20th)

I'm so grateful for a friend who hears my desperation and reaches down inside herself to come up with advise that is truly inspired. I'

m so blessed!

http://www.judyagoddard.etsy.com/

http://www.measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com/

http://www.judygoddard.homestead.com/