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Shop Small, Shop Local

This holiday season is certainly a different one!  I, for one, am missing participating in the holiday markets and shows.  I am fortunate to have Etsy and a great web site, however, that are keeping me busy (but not too busy, as I continue to teach in-person and virtually).    Most of us are limiting our shopping to a few stores and making most of our purchases online.  It's easy to pop on Amazon to check off our lists, but please consider shopping with small businesses!  One of the markets I love the most is Marist Holiday Traditions, which is located in Atlanta.  This year they put together a virtual show with links to many of their vendors.  You can...

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Extra Small Businesses?

Right around this time of year many of us with small business that sell at art shows and markets are busy creating, setting up shop and selling.  What a fun, creative, and productive time of year it usually is!  Although I am usually a bit overwhelmed as I manage my small business with my full-time career as a teacher, it's always worth it!  For me, Summers are often spent on the creating side while Fall finds me designing the booth set-up/arrangements to highlight all my new (vintage) goodies.  This year things are, of course, a bit different for many of us.  All the markets I participate in for this season have been cancelled.  While my energy is now focused on...

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Time to Heal

So much has happened since I last posted anything under the “news” section on my site. The holidays were busy and the winter months rushed by with the yearly resolutions and goal setting for both my class and small business. Typical “New Year – let’s get off to a great start!”. Then it all stopped. On March 13 I left my classroom, not knowing when I’d return and how to move forward in academic terms. We, as teachers, moved on to a world of digital/distance learning, ourselves learning the ins and outs as we went. It was not easy for many of us as teachers, and equally, if not harder, for our parents on the other side. We have all...

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Winter Whites

Every year when Christmas is over, I take an afternoon to remove all the holiday decor and tuck everything back into its respective box.  As much as I enjoy decorating the house with all my vintage Christmas items, I always love the look of the house when things are a bit more sparse and simple.  Like so many people, I gravitate to the "winter whites" for January.  I have a decent collection of white McCoy pottery that I love to take out and display with just a few touches of greenery and maybe a few vintage books (imagine that).  Most of the time I keep the look up until February.  It's nice to simplify after the rush of the holiday...

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Upcoming Shows!

I have been super busy getting products ready for the upcoming shows!  My workroom has become a whirlwind of book journals, album cover notebooks, ornaments, clipboards, bottle openers, and more.  Thankfully I have had a bit of handyman help from my husband.  Truly appreciate all the assistance.  This summer has also kept me busy with online orders!  I love having the time to post new products!  Social media has brought me many new customers and connections, as well.  Such fun! Work time on Cottage Indus-tree will soon become work time on school related projects!  It won't be long until I am back in the classroom.  August 1st is creeping up on me.  Yikes! Here are the dates and locations where...

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