Notes from A Cottage Industry

Press kits with a little vintage French market flair

    Ooh, la la! The Press kits are coming along quite nicely, thankyouverymuch.

  I had an appointment yesterday with the host of a local Style television show here in the biggest little city, and I took her the latest and greatest press kit along with a sweet little treat ( a cupcake  in the clear box with a chocolate fleur di lis on top  and black and white m&m's surrounding it in the bottom. It didn't photograph well, but it was cute in person! Click on the photo to see it larger)
     We'll be guests on her show in June right before the Vintage French Market! (talk about free advertising!)

This is going to be one great faire.

Vintage Memories Kit available on the newly opened website

       Whew! A few late, long nights, and, although I am not really happy with the way it looks, the website is up. (Aaaurgh! It looks quite home made, and there may be some hiccups, so bear with me for the next few days.) More kits and products will be added as quickly as I can get them up there, so do check back often!

    My newest kit, "Vintage Memories", is now available, and it is my newest favorite! Just in time for a nostalgic Mother's Day affair, this kit lends it self to any romantic, vintage event you are hosting. (I will be sharing my tablescape that I created using this kit later this week!)

I've made darling two sided vintage postcard style place cards, with antique photos on the backs, and two choices of Menu cards or invitations to be used along with the theme.
Mini banner templates that read "Family" or Mother" round out this wonderful kit.
     Check it out on the website, and please let me know what you think.

What's in a name?

Um....just everything.

    I've really thought this through, people. I mean, now that we've got a baby on the way, (People!!!! We've got a baby on the way!!!) I've been obsessed contemplating different names, and spellings. Oh, I know what you're thinking. It's not really for me to choose. Well, if we want it right, I think it is.
     A name kind of shapes a person's identity, wouldn't you agree?  You know, someone once said, "Your clothes speak before you do" and I believe it's true. After a first glance at someone's overall appearance, our name gives the first glimpse at who we are, really. Take the name...oh.. Poindexter. Let's take a moment and just ponder the visual that comes to mind, shall we?

     It conjures up a definite type of person, right? Alrighty then, so you see what I mean. We grow with our name, so to speak.
     Now, before you think I am referring to what they'll name the baby, I'm not. No, no, no. I implicitly trust the parents-to-be to make that decision. (although I've already let the mama-to-be know that Henry and Zoey are at my tip top of my boy/girl name list, and of course it goes with out saying that the names Robert and Roberta would be out for sure, since their last name is Roberts...you've just got to question the kind of parents that would do that to a child...)

Where was I?

Oh yes. I wasn't talking about the baby's name.

     What I was talking about was my name. Yes people, I'm talkin' 'bout what the precious lil' sweet smelling baby will call me.
      Do I look like a "Grandma?" Or am I more of a "Mimi?" (or is it "Meme"?) Maybe I'm a "Gramma"or  "Gram". Yes, maybe I am.
     I do know for sure I am not a "Nana",not because I don't like it, but because at my grown up girl job we always call each other "Nana" when one of us can't find their glasses, or complains about something like a work event lasting too late and it's only 6:27 in the evening. Then, there's Nonnie. And Nonna. Those are both respectable contenders in my book.
     I know I am not a "Grandmother" because it's so formal, and I am anything but. Oh, and I am absolutely not a Me-maw. Or a Maw-Maw. (Oh, lordy.For personal reasons, I hate that for myself, so let's not even go there.)
     Am I a "Grams"?  Or, how about a Grammie? (Grammy?!) Gosh, that sounds too much like an award. OK, that spelling is out.
     I know that I can't be Grand ma ma, because that is what my one son-in-law calls my Mom, and it sounds so charming and endearing when he calls her that. I do believe that is who she will be, unless she decides that she's "GiGi" for Great Grandma..?

OK, back to me people.

     Could I be a "Glam-Mom"? I heard that's what Goldie Hawn is called.(Yes, I do watch Inside Edition and the Insider on rare occasions) It's kind of cute, but it's also kind of hard to pronounce, with the two "m's" so close together.GlammmmMmmom. Hey, this might be something to consider.

...Or not. It's actually a little hard for me to pronounce smoothly, and I'm over half a century old.
     There's Marmee...too Little Women"-ish? Very possibly, ...moving right along...While I like it, I'm not sure about "Nanny" because it does kind of remind me of either a goat or a babysitter, although not necessarily in a bad way.   
     There are foreign language versions of Grandma, like Bubbie, Vovo,Oma and Yaya....Um,Ya, no.
     This is tricky stuff, people. I don't want to get it all wrong and be shackled with some weird nickname that sounds like a type of pasta the rest of my days. (I plan on having oodles and toodles of grandbabies you know...)
     I think it's safe to say that while I don't know exactly what I want to be called, I do know that I want to pick a name. Otherwise, the name will just somehow "evolve" and that can be..well...dicey at best. Do you know what I'm saying?
     I mean, c'mon now. We all know people who's grandbabies call them some strange name, that they say somehow just "happened". I'm just not sure I want one of those. The odds of the name being cute are just too iffy.
      Many of my friends have now taken to calling me "Gramma Cupcake" and actually, I kind of like it. It's cute. The mama-to-be is positive that it is too long of a name for the baby to ever get out legibly, and then, most certainly, some strange concoction of the name will evolve. After thinking about it, I realize she is absolutely right.

The last thing I want to end up being is Gramma-Ca-ca.

A Cottage Industry website to relaunch this week.

...and I wanted you to be the first to know.
I will be relaunching my website later this week. I'm going to be showcasing my "Make if Special!" Kits, including a new one just in time for Mother's Day...keep watching!

Words to live by - week - 66

That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.          Henry David Thoreau

It's amazing to me just how much pleasure I can get out of baking a simple batch of cupcakes to share with friends.

To slightly alter a line from Winnie the Pooh: No one can be uncheered by a cupcake.

 

A little more cupcake love...this time for a baby shower.

    I'm off to a baby shower this morning. I made the party favors, (cupcakes, of course!)and I wanted to share them with all of you.

They look so sweet, and they were oh, so easy to make.

I melted 1 part light blue candy melts and 6 parts cream colored candy melts, along with 1 teaspoon of Crisco in the microwave, 20 seconds at a time to soften it up until creamy. I then poured the melted candy melts on to a piece of freezer paper and let it sit until firm. I then used a butter curler to cut the curls. After frosting the cupcakes, I sprinkled the shavings on top of the frosting.

     My friend that is hosting the shower ordered the acetate 4"x4" boxes and double sided satin ribbon online. I lined the bottom with baby blue tissue and set the sweet little cupcakes in. Once I added the bow and tag with a verse, they were all set.

    As you surely have guessed, she's having a sweet baby boy.

When is an early Mother's day gift the best Christmas present you'll ever get?

...Give up?

Well...before I tell you, let me begin at the beginning.(I actually was trying to wait to do this post until the day before Mother's day, but I just can't wait a single. minute. longer. I fear I will burst)

The newest newlywed is a planner by nature. Always has been. Born on her due date, not crazy about surprises, makes lists. Doesn't lose them.
      She thinks things completely through, every move is a purposeful decision, big or small. By her own definition, she's a "planner". Definitely not one to simply "wing it" or fly by the seat of her pants, like her older sister, and younger brother.
     Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying she isn't adventuresome; quite the contrary. She's my cutie patootie that's a world traveler, (even going to Morocco while living in Spain, shortly after 9/11 when I told her not to go) and the one who invited her baby brother to get tattooed together. (much to my horror) What I am saying is that those things were well thought out, and carefully planned, even if they were not Mom approved.
      She's the middle child, so she's used to sharing, and compromising, and not necessarily getting to be the center of attention all that often. Seldom does she get the opportunity to be the "first", and she's fine with that.
      I think that's what makes this all the more special. It's her time, their time, to bask in the thrill of being first, on both sides of the family, and share their joy and excitement with the entire family.

     So, I'll pose the question again.

"When is an early Mother's day gift the best Christmas present you'll ever get?"

That's easy. It's when they give you one of these.

After all the squealing and jumping and hugging I did in Chili's restaurant when they gave me this fabulous little present, I did some quick math. (With my birthday in December, and my son's birthday in December, it wasn't all that hard.)
    They laughingly admitted that with all of the planning, the due date was the one thing that they never even thought about. They just knew they wanted to start their family right away, so the planning began.

*Sigh* I can't think of a better Christmas present in the whole. wide. world.

It's a small, friendly, puddle-jumper-wearing world out there in Blogland

** a second short post for today that I just had to share!**

Aaah, for the love of galoshes.

Remember this post? Well read this post , and you'll see what transpired between my sweet friend Ms. Crafty, and sweet Dolly over at From my cherry heart!

The people out in blogland are the best.

A big thank you, a little bit of this and that...and an award!

Happy May Day, internets!

I've been busy the past week, but I am finally getting caught up. So, a little bit of this and that... first of all, a huge thank you to everyone that bought my flags, placecards and invitation/menu cards kit!!!! I was completely and totally blown away at the response. Thank you all so. very. much.

Next,  I want to thank Jen for this wonderful "Arte Y Pico" award! It's an award for creativity and I am supposed to recommend 5 more creative blogs...but there are so, so many more than 5 that I can't bear to even try doing this. I thank you all the same, Jen!!! I am honored, truly!

Finally, I was tagged for a meme by Tracey. The meme is to share 6 unimportant things about me...OK, well, hmmm... here we go, then!

1. I can't find a hairstyle that I like on myself. I've been trying for a few years now. Actually since I was 22. I've been blonder, darker, shorter, longer...still struggling.

2. I have kind of ugly pinky toes. My little toe nails are very tiny.

3. I don't care at all for artichokes,(and I just don't get the point of eating them like that) but I love artichoke dip. I am sure it has to do with adding mayo or cheese or whatever to it.

4.I'm a morning person and a night owl, apparently. Since becoming suddenly single, I only sleep about 6 hours a night usually.

5. I think I've shared this before (Oh, my gawd! I seem to share a lot of useless stuff here I am suddenly realizing)...I sing when I'm alone at home with my dogs.
A lot.
Mostly the Mary Tyler Moore theme song. They seem to love it. (If they don't, they haven't let me know about it)

and finally...

6.I have a pretty substantial crush on Donny Deutsch. I think he's wildly cute in a kind of older-preppy-dorky-ish-offbeat way. (but he needs to stop that thing he does with the reading glasses half way down his nose)

There, that's 6. I'm tagging all of you to share now. (C'mon, people! I want to know.)