Cross Stitch Envy

So, I have two Etsy shops. One where I list things I make and vintage country items Trellis and one that I list fabric and patterns for sale Epic Epoch. I have been listing pattern after pattern of these fun cross stitch projects and it makes me yearn to do them. So far I have resisted. I just keep looking back at the cross stitch project I started in High School. I now have a daughter in High School.

And it kinda looks like my new cat....

Spring Brings Fresh Starts

I just got the email containing my new banner and avatars for Trellis! I am so excited. I feel like I have so many earth friendly, country, organic, renewed, creative things to offer and this site brings them together. I plan on listing gourds and also kits to make gourds, renewed hard woods from our sawmill and organic canned goodies, hand painted vintage treasures all from our little corner of the country.

ExquisiteExpressions made my banner and avatar. Isn't it PERFECT and lovely. Check out her shop and see how creative she is.

Knee Deep in Gourdness

I had so much fun at the St. Joseph's Craft fair on Saturday that I was overcome with the urge to do another one. I left some messages yesterday and got a call back from an excited woman who checked out my website and they had just opened up another room for their 15th annual Christmas Craft show in Lenexa. I wasn't ready for last weeks, how am I going to get ready for this one!

I have been inspired by Peggy, a Stampin Up Consultant who I met Saturday, to have a killer booth ready way before the doors open. I just haven't figured out how the Queen of Last Minute is going to reach that goal. Check out Peggy's fun blog and her pictures of her booth. http://mycraftroomblog.blogspot.com

Here is a picture of my little friends that watched Leno with me last night. Less Sleep! More Painting! Oh, and also a picture of our new kitten; Willow.

First Craft Fair for the Year

Saturday is my first craft fair for this season. I only did a couple last year, but they turned out pretty good. Being the queen of last minute, I am nowhere near ready so I need to get into crafting tornado mode. Here's a picture of my rustic hanging gourd just listed at www.jennifergoode.etsy.com

Un Cluttering

jennifergoode's Shop Announcement

My newly listed vintage Items are going to be listed at www.epicepoch.etsy.com Please go visit, I have brought in some amazing treasures. I am making this change because we are producing some rustic furniture and crafts from our recycled wood and it is Gourd Season; MY PASSION! so, to un-clutter, this will be painted gourds, and hand made furniture and crafts. Epic Epoch will be amazing vintage, hand painted cottage decor and Cottage Style Wall decor.

don't forget
www.epicepoch.etsy.com Vintage & Cottage Style Decor & Photos
www.jgoode.net Certified Arborists
www.vintagevaultonmain.com Both etsy sites and our blog

This is the new Announcement on www.jennifergoode.etsy.com I have been doing some cleaning out and organizing everywhere in my life. My "Assertive" Personality (as a past counselor called it) took over and I dove back into our tree service business. It is hard to have a business with your husband, it is hard to know your role. I have tried jumping in head first and being out front and vocal like I have a habit of doing and I think that freaked him out that he was loosing control. I have stepped back and worked more on my crafts and then he tells me I don't help him and can't understand why I can't put that time and energy into our business. So last night I thought about how I want some things to go and became assertive again and cleaned out the shop to become very Tree Service oriented. I delegated work to my husband and Zack, who works for us and started my plan. Plan your work, Work your Plan! I'll let you know how it goes.

As far as my Etsy organization I uncluttered my shops. John has been cutting the most beautiful boards out of his tree removals; walnut, cherry, cedar and poplar. So, my www.jennifergoode.etsy.com is for our earth friendly wood, furniture and gourds and www.epicepoch.etsy.com is for vintage finds and hand painted cottage style decor and furniture. It is a hard decision for me because I have a bunch of hearts at my jennifergoode shop, but it was what I intended when I began this, I just got distracted by all the fun vintage. Tonight I am going to hit the hay early because I was up late last night with my plan.

The image is a fun little vintage wood box that I painted and distressed. It is still on the www.jennifergoode.etsy.com whoa.... this might get confusing. I hope I am making a good decision.

New Hair

I have been so bad about blogging. Sorry! It has been a strange time around here. 6 kids and school and sports. A season in the tree service industry that I just haven't figured out yet. This is my first Halloween Gourd season to sell on Etsy and it has been going well. I will post my newest light up gourd ghost on a pumpkin. The other picture is my exciting new hair! I always figured it is easier to drastically change your hair than your life. It usually does the trick and gives you a new outlook on things. I am loving mine so far; my hair and my new outlook. John seems to love it also.

Garnet

I ran across this ring on Etsy. Garnet is my birthstone. Look at the meaning of Garnet. Garnet: The stone of passion and courage. Stimulates devotion to your family, your friends, yourself and your purpose or goals. Garnet will stimulate the senses, and increase your vitality and stamina. Loved it! I think I will try to live my next week with passion and courage and devotion to purpose or goals. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21614116 I thought the lighting on the picture was stunning also. I think jewelry photo's would be a huge challenge. I have posted a picture of last nights photo challenge at my little shop. How do you display a hat well for a picture without having to be in the picture or have someone wearing it. I think I will keep trying on this listing to get a better picture. I love the color and light, however it doesn't show its shape well.

I have to take off and be a tree trimmer today. Wish me luck working with my husband. He does have a couple guys there also working for him, so he usually watches what he says to me in front of them. :)

Sunday To Do's

It is a chilly Sunday morning here in Missouri so I started going through my drawers to change out my summer clothes and get rid of things I don't really need and store things for next year. But, this fall I am making three piles; One for shop rags, one for storage for next summer, and another for the cocktails and clothes swap. I decided I am going to invite my female family and friends to the shop one evening and we can swap out our clothes that we would otherwise take to the goodwill. Also handbags and accessories. Then leave the rest and make one one trip to donate the unwanted ones. I think it sounds like a ball!

I am trying to get myself in canning mood and then one of my favorite blogs posted a strawberry jam tutorial. The pictures sucked me in http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/08/canning-101-and-strawberry-jam-part-1/ after I put my 10 cents worth in the long list of comments (goto your edit list on the top of the page and then goto find and put in jennifer and hit next a couple times till you see my comment by jennifergoode, if your curious) I found a link to another blog that has cute little downloadable jar lables; http://tinyurl.com/nsazry

I am also getting the shop organized today and some projects finished up and pictures taken and listed. Should be exciting! Here is a picture of the first halloween gourd of the 2009 season! Enjoy

I made a Blog

I have some fun new painted things to list today so I am excited. I also have a couple recent mentions. I made a treasury http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=75824 and a blog also. What a beautiful blog. I only have a minute to post this then I'm off to box up some stuff. enjoy the links

The picture is a sneak preview of my new etsy site www.epicepoch.etsy.com where I will feature vintage style prints in mats and on cards. It will be a way to inexpensively bring more vintage to your space and share your style with friends. I hated the idea of another site but I wanted to avoid some confusion and frustration when looking a products vs pictures of products. enjoy

Vintage on a Blog

Look I made a blog! http://etsylounge.blogspot.com/ Mine is the teal sewing drawer that is holding little gourds. Gourd painting season is almost here. Can't Wait! I'll have weekend Lake pictures later today, just wanted to share my little mention in the blogosphere.

Early Blogging and the Smell of Diesel

You couldn't tell me 5 years ago when I put on high heels every morning and went out to sell marketing that this is where I would be. I got up early and made coffee and packed lunches for John and his crew. He said I didn't need to be on the crew today because it was a lot of heavy dragging and he had enough help. 2 no shows later it is just him and his nephew headed to the jobsite. Someone is still supposed to show up and pick up the truck, so I filled it up and filled the extra gas can with diesel for the loader. This was right after I got out of the shower, applied my new/old Channel #5 and put on a fun summer dress. So, of course, the diesel fuel sprayed me and here I sit, funny on the fumes!

Let me tell you a little about my new perfume. I had the 3 youngest with me at the lake house last week and we went to church, then to the coffee shop to check email and then we saw my favorite 4 letter word; SALE. Even better when it follows the word Garage. I thought that strange on a Sunday, but I needed to find some treasures to list to pay for the attorney to keep our kids at home where they belong.... sorry, short rant. So we meandered down a fun lake road and sure enough. It was like Hansel and Gretel finding the house of Candy and Gingerbread. Everything was bagged, vintage and went on for ever! This woman was so wonderful and I think we both had the same sadness and worried look. As I left with a trunk full of treasures and fun stuff the kids had picked out for themselves also, I told her a little of my story and she expressed what a blessing it was for her to have a big sale. Sometimes things happen for a reason, and going to church definitely makes you luckier. I had looked at a gorgeous straw hat several times, but my funds were running low and I didn't want to bargain with her for such a neat item. She went into her garage and brought me that hat and wanted me to have it. We hugged and she told me it was her mothers hat and her name was Aida. Aida's hat has a fun place decorating my studio now and it ends up in pictures a lot too. Have a great day! I am going to do some shipping, but I bet I will end up on the job site.

Still No Girls

It is 6pm and their mom was supposed to bring them back at 5pm. My stomach is in a knot and I'm upset. These games are not fair. Ok, I have to think of something else. John has gone out to the garden to plant more green beans so he isn't watching out the window. I am listing a lot of vintage items. I have the base coat on some fun furniture up at the shop so I might head up there and turn the music up loud and finish some vintage furniture.

On Etsy I started a Destash section and listed some beautiful yarn. I am also making some plans for selling my pictures as matted prints. I have been wanting some for my walls at home and I know the wonderful people I meet as I treasure hunt would enjoy them. I have also had some feedback from people viewing my site that has brought this on.

Note to self; Expand on how to wear pins and brooches as a foot in the door for a sales job in my next blog.

Is July Over

Rough is the word for this month. I mentioned in my last post how my heart hurt from getting rid of the shop, well then I kept getting strange information about the 3 girls staying with their mom this summer. Things were just making me nervous. Then Audrie was left at a party so I picked her up and kept her with me and the twin boys. We have been at the Lake of the Ozarks a lot having a great time, then light dawns on Marblehead; the two older girls want to move to their mom's house. This is understandable in a way, but their mom left them almost 9 years ago. It hurts and I feel stupid and I have to realize this isn't about me, but I don't understand. Audrie doesn't want to go to her mom's, and that makes me worry that things are strange there. Nothing has changed with their mother, she doesn't have custody and she has moved 5 times in the last 2 years and lived w/ many men and owes 38k in back child support, but we wont go into how the system is one sided and won't go after a woman like they do a dead beat dad. So, I haven't been posting and my thoughts haven't been fun arts and crafts, but as soon as I get this out I will get back to it.

I have found some great vintage finds and have got my etsy site back to 100 items so watch out here I come. Painting will help me I'm sure. I swear I need to write about the Evil Stepmom's side of the story!!! Better news on the next post. Promise!

Early Morning Chores

I had my alarm set to 3:30am so I could take Caitlyn to the airport yesterday and forgot to turn it off, so here I am. Caitlyn made it safely to Boston for a fun stay with Nana so now I have to do the laundry and dishwasher. Just kidding. I'll have to get some other kids home from summer play to do chores! Yeah Right! If I get some work done around here I think I will head to the Ozarks to have a relaxing week with John's Mom and Sisters. I just learned how to knit a 2x2 rib so I am going to take the beginning of the scarf I learned on and knit till my eyes bleed. First I have to finish a bunch of shipping and the painting I started in the dining room.

John wants to cut business expenses and move the business to our home, so that means no more vintage furniture sales from our office building. I was pretty heartbroken the first few days but decided I would feel better if I got everything organized at home. So I started with fresh paint on the walls I have been meaning to paint and moving some of my etsy furniture over and get some shelves up and organized. I have decided this will be a good thing and it will be nice to have everything in one place and my sales were all online so it made the building added overhead. It will just kill me to take the Environmental Service Signs off the front though. Here is a picture of the backyard with a storm rolling in.

Friday Morning Coffee

What a week! And as my life goes, the weekend is usually busier. It looks like I will be getting a plane ticket to go to New Orleans to help drive the bucket truck and car back home. I am not really looking forward to it. I have a lot to do here. I spent the early part of the week being Chainsaw Charlie after Drexel and Paola were hit with 100 mph straight line winds. It wore me out! I thought that my pink hard hat was about to get its 15 minutes of fame when I was doing a large tree removal after the storm in Drexel and the news helicopter was overhead and the news crew was there also. The removal went well and it fell exactly where I wanted it, then all the neighbors around cheered and a woman handed me a Gatorade and 6 men sawed up the tree. I watched the news for it that evening and sure enough, they showed my jobsite, but only the people dragging my fallen tree to the curb. Ugh...

Last night I went hunting in the Treasure barns and got another load of amazing vintage stuff to paint, list and put in the shop. I sold all the metal toolboxes from the first round so that was my goal. I did find 2 more, but also some really neat other things. Like the scale in the picture. I better get to scrubbing this morning. I have a tree bid at 9am and the shop open at 10am so off for some more coffee and get my day rolling.

Vintage Vault on Main

Today is the first official day that the brick and mortar shop will be open to purchase items. I am not ready of course! But that is just like me, last minute. I have made some decisions in the last couple days after talking to the city and thinking some things through. John mentioned that people should be able to peek through the front windows and see a display, so I moved my super cool office that was up front. So now the front and main part is all showroom. Tasneam that is the City Manager encouraged me to get a separate business license and I think that is a good idea because the products are different than the environmental service. So, I did all my Missouri Applications online and picked a DBA; Vintage Vault. Then I purchased a domain; www.vintagevaultonmain.com. I was hesitant to have a different business name because my etsy site is jennifergoode and I have cards that say jgoode and we have everything linked, but I think it is the right decision if there is going to be any longevity. I think I will still have everything linked through the jgoode website and be able to use the cute jgoode cards for craft shows with gourds and a cute catchy descriptive name was important for the shop.

Bug Spray and Cat Lovin

I have been bragging about my new bug spray for a couple weeks now. I keep it in my truck to do bids with. Here is the email I sent her to tell her how much I love it; I just want to tell you how amazing this stuff is! I was a little hesitant to think it would work but I had to find an alternative to the store bought chemical filled bug sprays because they give my youngest daughter hives. I have a tree service so I am constantly getting out in peoples backyards and in brush and I just leave this in my truck and spray it on; Love it! Also, I think it is extremely effective against poison ivy. The other day I did a bid and I had to get back into a row of Cedar trees and the ground was a carpet of poison ivy. I had on capri pants. I got back into the truck and didn't have anything to wipe off my legs and as i was driving I started to get irritated and itchy. I sprayed this on it and I really think it neutralized it. I have been using it to prevent poison ivy before i get into it and I haven't had a splotch of it. Oh and last night I took my 6 kids to a bonfire and field party and I didn't get a bite and I was wearing flip flops. My youngest 3 who let me apply it to them didn't get any bites either, and we have chiggers and mosquito's here in Missouri. The oldest 3 were too cool for bug spray and they are digging and itching their ankles today! I guess I had to learn the hard way when I was their age too. I just wanted to let you know how wonderful your product is and how much it is in my daily routine, I use it more than makeup now! LOL and my daughter doesn't have any reaction or irritation now. Thank you so much. And now I am going to order another. Keep up the good work. You are doing a wonderful service for our family and the environment. Sincerely, Jennifer Goode Certified Arborist

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7177489 it the link to her shop called Lilyessential.

Well, then I went to do a bid and the woman had a kitten and a grown cat. The cat was curled around my leg and playing with me and lovin on me. She said she had never seen him like that before. I am walking and practically dragging the cat with me. It was so funny. I told her maybe he is wanting extra attention with a new kitten just coming home. Then we looked at the label of the bug spray. It had Catnip. It was so funny. The picture is Shannan and Chris, the couple who's reception we went to this weekend.

Headed Home

I think John is headed home today from New Orleans! I am excited to see him home, and it is getting a little busy! I have been doing about 2 bids a day so our job board is filling up. I can do about 1/3 of them and the rest needed him there. I was getting worried about when to do the jobs and how to open the shop up. The plan is still to open up this Thursday, Friday and Saturday to sell our vintage stuff and I have a few people that are already planning on coming. I had a chair featured in the Alfresco Gift Guide on Etsy yesterday and it was in the first position so it was shown on the front page over and over. It then sold last night. I'll show it off here. It was fun. I have another folding chair like it about to be finished this morning. Can't wait!

Catching up From Louisiana

It has been a crazy week.  Kids last week of school.  Monday flying home from visiting John in New Orleans.  Lots of Etsy Orders.  Laundry.  Local work and bids to do....... So, I will post a picture of my weekend getaway with my husband and get to shipping.  Oh, and visit this blog, she featured my gourd.  So sweet of her.  http://folkartandprimtivesonartfire.blogspot.com/

Morning in New Orleans

I booked a flight Thursday to come see John in New Orleans.  I didn't want to leave everything but he was pouting.  I arrived Friday afternoon with no troubles and we had a wonderful evening and morning.  I am so glad I did.  It seemed to help him also.  He is enjoying the work down here but it is a whole different life for him.  He is staying in a nice apartment with 3 young guys and they don't have furniture, but they seem to work well together and live well together.  He even made fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy for them.  I think tonight I will get their key and have dinner ready for them when they all get done working.  So that leaves the rest of my day to explore New Orleans.  I am doing John's laundry at my hotel then I'm out to the old town.  I think I am going to look up Etsy Artists that have brick and morter shops down here and check them out.  I would love to find some antique shops and flea markets.  

The guys are working on the New Orleans City Park and it is beautiful!  Huge Live Oaks with branches so big they touch the ground and grow back up.  I will post pictures tomorrow.  My plane fly's out early tomorrow.  I wish I had a couple more days.  :(  

Above is a picture of our Brownie girls at the Kansas Arboretum for their bridging ceremony.  They are now Girl Scouts!