The Next Chapter

My new item, Crochet Brooches

I'm enjoying my off-Etsy time! I know it was the right decision to close up shop a few weeks ago. I've been really having fun during my free time. I needed a break from selling all together for the last few weeks. Now I'm ready to sell again, but at my own pace and on a site with less stress for me. I was going broke relisting trying to stay on top of searches, so I'm now selling a few little items on my Facebook Fan Page. I'm having a trial run there, and will see if I like it or not. Here is the link to it:

MattsCraftyWife

Along with that change, I've just changed my blog background and layout. I love how it looks now, so fresh and new. I hope this new chapter will be fun, having a few items for sale on Facebook, where I made most of my sales before anyway! If not, I'll move on to the next chapter of life.

The End of an Era

The time has come. The end of an era. I am officially closing my Etsy shop, mattscraftywife. I have thought long and hard about this and feel it is the right decision. I have a part time job working from home and do not have the time to devote to making new items for my Etsy shop now. Sales have been pretty slow for the better part of a year. The passing of my mom has brought me to a new chapter in my life, whether I like it or not, and it's time to do something else. I just don't have the heart for it right now.

I will be leaving my BreathofDawnStudio shop open until fall/winter to see if the higher-end scarves and winter items will sell. If they do, I might keep that shop as a seasonal shop. I will not be leaving Etsy altogether, I will still log in with the one shop in order to check on sales, and to check in with my teams. I'll just be laying a little low until Fall. I can still be found on Facebook at My Fan Page.

A Great Big thank you to all of the customers who have come to me and been loyal to me. I also need to thank my Etsy friends who taught me so much and supported me during some hard times. You all are dear to my heart. And thanks to my husband who has supported my time on Etsy, and my other family members who bought from me and supported me emotionally. Of course I thank and praise God for the success I had on Etsy over the last two years. I had 319 sales as of today, with 100% positive feedback. Maybe someday God will bring me back to Etsy on a more regular basis, who knows. Until then...

Farewell!

Easter Sunday

He is Risen!

He has risen from the grave! The tomb is empty! Hallelujah!

Happy Easter Sunday!

Palm Sunday

The Triumphal Entry

John 12:12-15

¹²The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the King of Israel!" ¹⁴Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
¹⁵"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."

Today is Palm Sunday. I am thinking back to my childhood today. I grew up Catholic and Palm Sunday was always a big deal. They handed out palm fronds and we waved them just like they did when Jesus came back to Jerusalem. I can still remember how much my sweet mom loved Palm Sunday. She was a true lover of the Lord, and is now Home with Him in heaven. This will be my first Easter without her, and it will be very difficult. I am trying to remember that she is happy, happier than ever in this life, in heaven. She is with Jesus celebrating Palm Sunday today in the most spectacular celebration. I can not imagine what heaven is like, but I know it is full of worship, full of love, and full of joy. I know she is happy and content, praising her Lord today in eternity. I love her and miss her and will Praise the Lord even through my sadness and pain. She would want me to, and I need to because I too am a Lover of the Lord!

My Daughter Has an Etsy Shop!

My thirteen year old daughter won an award for her art last year, and has decided to open an Etsy shop to sell original watercolors, drawings and other art. It opened today, and we listed her very first painting. It is called "Evening Meadow".

Please check out her shop at foreverdawn17 on Etsy.

Missing Mommy "TODAY"

Today

Chorus:
Today, is the happiest day of her life
I should be happy for her today
So tell me why are these tears in my eyes?
I know i should be happy for her
But i've lost everything
I've lost everything i've ever wanted today
I heard this song today and found it to mean something different to me than what he was really singing about. He is singing about a woman he loved, that is marrying someone else "today". But when I hear the chorus, I think of my sweet mommy. The day she went to heaven WAS the happiest day of her life, how could it not be? I am happy for her, but there are still tears in my eyes... often. I didn't lose EVERYTHING because I still have three great kids, and other family like Dad. But I lost a lot that day, so much more than words can explain. I had tears streaming during this song today, and had to go and look at photos of mom because I miss her so much today. I don't think this pain will ever go away. It may lessen a little, but never go away. I am mommy's girl, always. She was my best girlfriend and my mom. She always will be. Yesterday was four months since she went to be with Jesus in heaven, that may not be helping my feelings right now! These are just my musings from the depths of my sadness.

More Blog Wins

Yep, I won MORE blog contests. I'm on a roll! I have learned, if I don't enter I can't win. So I entered several and won some of them! I'm not entering any more right now since I got so lucky with these, to give others a better chance to win, having one less name on the list. :)



this is one of my wins, from the Loud and Wacky Street Team. It was a goodie box full of stuff from several of their members. Inside were a small black and red knitted pouch, a felted bag, several cards and postcards, an ACEO with hearts, a heart shaped clay magnet, a heart shaped keychain, a guitar pick necklace, a pair of earrings, stickers, notepads and a pencil. WOW I was so blown away by all of this wonderful stuff!!! I'm so thankful that I won such wonderful things.



I also won these ACEOS from Kathy of Tapestry 316. I received this beautiful ACEO along with a few others that she chose for me. I love them so much! She is a wonderful lady - check out her shop and blog.




Lastly, I won this set of wonderful items from Marlene of Marlene's Musings. Included was a book about acrylic paintings, an ACEO and a beautiful pair of blue beaded earrings. I'm just thrilled with this stuff!! My teen daughter is a painter so the book was given to her to learn from. Her Etsy Shop is wonderful! Check it out.

I'm so thankful to all of these etsy shops and teams for having wonderful giveaways. I hope you will take a look at all of them!