Chico Cozy Giveaway

Jane at Jacaranda Designs is hosting a giveaway for one of my Chico Cozies over on her blog!

Jane makes beautiful jewelry... I just love her posy bracelets!

Halloween Posy Bracelet

Go enter the giveaway here!

Wholesale!

Finished up a wholesale order and delivered it today! Very exciting! Stay tuned to find out where these cozies will soon be available!

Monterey

We took advantage of the long Labor Day weekend and took a trip to Monterey. Our older son loves the aquarium and it was the little one's first time. He was a little unsure the first day, but it didn't take him long to warm up. There were soon lots of "ooh's and ahh's".

We got to play in the tide pools and check out lots of ocean critters.

Shane got to boogie board. The weather was beautiful for the weekend... sunny and warm!

And Wyatt stalked the birds on the beach...

Grace Hester Designs

Wow! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind including a trip to Monterey! So much fun! I will be posting pictures from our trip later this weekend. Today I really want to share with you about this weekend's featured Busy Mom of Etsy, Grace Hester Designs! Grace creates beautiful prints that are just perfect to give as gifts or to grace your own home with. She is super sweet and is so nice to work with. She is open to custom orders and enjoys creating special pieces for individuals. Her pieces are sure to become treasured keepsakes! I have two myself!

This one is super cute and would look great in a child's bedroom. I love all the animals!

Modern Alphabet Print 11 X 14 Featuring Animal Silhouette Shapes with Names

I also love this one! Giraffes are my absolute favorite! These number prints are new in Grace's shop and she is offering them at an unbeatable price this weekend. You can get a 4x6 print for $3.50 which includes US shipping!

Introductory Price and Free Shipping US - Number 3 (Three) Print with Giraffes 4 X 6 Print

And if you want all three??? You can get them for just $10!

Introductory Price and Free Shipping US - Set of All Three 4 X 6 Number Prints

So, get on over to her shop and check it out! She also has birthdate prints, wedding and anniversary art, and other treasures for you to browse!

Flying Frog Apparel

My Etsy team, The Busy Moms of Etsy, is full of absolutely awesome talent! This is the first in a line of features of some of our fabulous moms! Flying Frog Apparel is a super cute shop!

Super cute shirts...

Darling barrettes...

And fabulous headbands...

Make sure you stop by her shop and check it out!

How Exciting!

I was on the front page of Etsy today!

Weekend Getaway

My hubby and I had a weekend getaway for our 6th anniversary this weekend... with no kids!!! We went to my in-law's cabin at Philbrook Lake. The lake is just so beautiful and peaceful. Brooks did quite a bit of fishing, mostly from our dock.

I went out for a few kayak rides. I love to kayak into the Channel. The water twists through the willows and you can watch ducks, woodpeckers, quail, fish, and all kinds of wildflife. The sound of the wind blowing through the trees is just magical. I could just hang out in there all day.

We had a really nice weekend. Quiet, peaceful.... Now, it's back to the hustle and bustle that is life with two kids. I'll be heading to the creek with the kids this week as the temperature in Chico will be in the 100's. During naps I'll be busy sewing. I have orders to get out and another Thursday Night Market to get ready for. Happy Monday!

The Possible Bag

I'm so excited to introduce this new design! I designed The Possible Bag out of my need to have a small bag that I could carry easily while hauling around my 18 month old son.

I used to carry around a zip pouch with my cell phone in it. However, by the time I unzipped it and wrestled my phone out, I usually missed the call! And I had my cash and cards in a separate pouch. So, this fun little number features one zip pocket and one snap pocket. I slip my cell phone in the snap pocket and then slip my cash, cards, and my lip gloss in the zip pocket.

The wristlet has a swivel clip on it so I can wear it on my wrist or clip it to the stroller, shopping cart, a larger bag, or my belt loop. I can even clip my keys to it!

I just love this little bag and I really like making them! I'm excited to make more in lots of fun fabrics. I'll be listing them soon in my Etsy shop!

Awesome Giveaway!

Pop on over to A Giveway A Day! and check out this beautiful necklace! You can enter for a chance to win it! Katherine's shop is just beautiful! Oh, I hope I win!

Pay-It-Forward Giveaway!

This is going to be so much fun! This sort of resembles a chain letter/e-mail (which I really despise), but this one has a really cool twist to it! It’s totally not doom and gloom if you don’t participate, but if you do, it could just be great! And the whole pay-it-forward part… I’m all about spreading some love these days!

So, here’s the deal. Whoever participates in this giveaway makes something for the first 5 people to comment on their blog, and those 5 people have to take note of the following to receive their gift:

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.
2. What I create will be just for you, with love.
3. It’ll be done this year (2009).
4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!
5. I reserve the right to do something strange.
6. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your blog post.
7. Send your mailing address - after I contact you. (Be sure to leave a working email!)

IMPORTANT: This offer is null and void if I do not see you post your own blog to pay this forward (please do so within 24 hours of my contacting you to make it easy).

The first five to comment on this post and agree to do the following (mention that you are going to do the "Pay-it-Forward" Project" in your comment so I know) will receive something (oh, the possibilities) made by me.

Who Doesn't Love a Giveaway?

I'm giving away one of my Chico Cozies!!! To get in on the fun go to Megan's Munchies and enter! You could win this...
Good Luck!

Amazing Handmade

The wonders of handmade artists never ceases to amaze. I recently purchased this gorgeous locket from polarity. I just love it!

And I also recently discovered Oakenstone Handmade. She makes an oatmeal soap that is to die for!

I love using oatmeal soap and when I found this great handmade one, it prompted me to try to look for other things that I regularly use in the handmade arena. I found some pretty cool stuff.

Picnic Basket Crafts makes eco-friendly replacement pads for those mop systems so many of us use.

Kat's Kards N Krafts makes a variety of cleaning products. All natural diswashing detergent? Makes sense to me!

I found fun facial scrubbies at Two Seaside Babes.

And check out this batter bowl from Hardy Pottery.

What are you going to buy that's handmade?

Etsy Community Trying to Help a Family in Need

While browsing through the forums on Etsy yesterday, I came across a thread about a little boy who was tragically killed in a crosswalk accident last week. Having 2 boys myself, I couldn't help but feel for this family. Members of the etsy community have reached out to donate the proceeds of some of their sales to the family to help defray the costs of the funeral. You can read more about Zachary here.

Please check out this thread and see if there isn't something that you must have! Proceeds go to benefit Zachary's Fund. Thanks!

Rainy Day

It seems it has been raining for days here in northern California. We've had quite a few gray dreary days and this weather is supposed to continue throughout the week. I really can't complain, though. We need the rain so badly. After a very dry winter, the rain is welcome. I decided to search Etsy for rain inspired items. I hope you like them.

Blue Umbrella by garyjwhitehead

Little Rain Cloud Earrings by ShySiren

Rainy Day Blue Tshirt by diffractionfiber

Rainy Day by teefeebijoux

rainy day by Jillian1234

Rainy Day - necklace by bellabijoujewellery

IndieSpotting

Today I had an item listed on IndieSpotting. IndieSpotting is a gallery that showcases indie and handmade goods that are available online. It's an awesome site to wander around for some inspiration and to find irresistable items. You can also submit items to be included in the gallery. Go check it out!

Cool Birthday Cakes

My son is really into Star Wars right now and wanted a birthday cake that looked like a lightsaber. A friend had shared this site with me some time ago, so I checked it out. They had several examples of lightsaber cakes, so I picked one to try and this is how it turned out.

I made a chocolate marshmallow cake roll, which was pretty tasty. I rolled the sections in different thicknesses, so it looked like his retractable light saber toy. I was pretty happy with it. At least everyone could tell what it was, and my son really liked it, so that's really all that matters.

I've used this site before to find fun birthday cake ideas. There are tons of cakes and usually there are at least basic instructions to help you out. If you're looking for cake inspiration, I highly recommend it!

Saturday Shopping

I decided to shop for hedgehogs this morning on Etsy. Here are a few cool things I found...

Hedgehog Pendant by NBDesigns

Cute Little Hedgehog by printmakerjenn

Hedgehog Bracelet by patchworkpossum

Hedgehog by SandraHealy

Hedgehog Pincushion by squirrelmomma

Fat Hedgehog by sweetestpea

Why Bagel?

I've had several people ask me why I've decided to use the name "Bagel Creations". Bagel is a nickname that I acquired from a friend's husband. He could never remember how to pronounce my last name which has a nice German ring to it. One day I finally said to him, "It rhymes with bagel!" as he tried to remember how to pronounce it... again. Since then, I've been "Bagel". My husband even started calling me Bagel after we met. So, it is actually very endearing to me, and I really don't mind being associated with a starchy carbohydrate. When somebody calls me "Bagel" it just reminds me of my good friends and those that I love the most. What better inspiration can an artist have?

Getting Started

Welcome to my blog! Over the next few days I will be setting up my blog and getting organized. I hope to post about my adventures in the crafting world, cool things that I find, techniques, supplies and most anything that applies to being crafty! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll come back as I get settled in here!