Photos of back home

I finally downloaded my photos from my vacation back home to Washington State.  Here are a few of my beautiful home state and a couple of my family.  Hope you enjoy :)

my super cute niece Madeline "Maddie"

A very happy Maddie :)

A picnic out on the boat in Seattle (my mom, Maddie, my sister Nicole (maddie's mom) and my brother-in-law Jason)

Sunset out on the water

Mt. Rainer as seen from I-5 on the way home to Shelton, WA

I just love this photo :)  It's an outside table at The Robin Hood in Union, WA

A sleeping grandmother and grand-baby :)

Oakland Bay, right outside my grandma's house :)

So those are a few photos from my trip home.  I hope you enjoyed them.  I really can't wait to go back home for Christmas in a few months.  Have a fabulous rest of the day!

~Jennifer :)

Give-away on Facebook!!

I almost forgot to mention, I am having a give-away on Laughing Taffy Designs Facebook page.  This time around I am asking people to post photos on the page of their most creative project they have done.  On Sunday the best photo will win a custom frame :)  Good luck to those that enter!

A link to Laughing Taffy Designs Facebook page.

~Jennifer :)

The school year and craft shows have started!

It has been over a month since I last wrote anything, but I'll catch you all up on what's been going on!  Back on Aug. 8th I took 10 days off and went home to Washington State to visit my family and take a much needed break.  I had a fabulous time back home seeing my family and my absolutely adorable niece!  I was also able to finally give my sister and brother-in-law the gift I have been working on for Madeline's room, her name to hang on her bedroom wall.  It was a great visit and I can't wait to go back in December for Christmas :)

When I got back from vacation the family also got back from their trip to Maine, which meant there was no down time for me.  The kids' summer camps were all done,  so I had them all day to entertain.  I wish it had been them entertaining me instead of the other way around... hahaha :)  But it was nice to have them back in the house.  I tend to get a little bored during the week when they are all gone on vacation.  We had a lot to do though to get ready for their new school year.  They had to finish doing their summer reading, get their school supplies, make sure their uniforms fit and most of all, just enjoy their last few weeks of summer break :)

The family did have something very exciting to look forward to though in the weeks before school, they were going to be having a new addition to the family.  No, the new addition wasn't going to be a baby, the new addition was an exchange student from Austria that will be staying with the family for 10 months.  Her name is Kerstin and she is fitting in with the family just fine and adjusting to the American culture.  I am sure that I will be sharing more about her throughout the coming school year.

Ah, the school  year, yes that has started and I now realize why my mom was so happy for it to start in the fall! :)  It's so nice to not have someone saying "What can I do?", "What are we doing?" and all those questions that have answers that after awhile the kids no longer like... hahaha :)  But with the school year has some the sports and clubs and tons of driving.  So when 3pm comes around driving becomes my main job.  Trying to juggle all the schedules so kids get picked up and dropped off in time becomes crazy at times and I don't know if it will all work out, but some how it does, and I am always surprised :)

Finally, the craft show season is in full swing.  I participated in the Upper Providence Community Day this past Saturday and had a lot of fun.  I loved meeting new people and talking to them about my craft.  I also talked to a mother who had bought a bulletin board from me a year ago for her daughter and she still loves it.  That always makes me smile when I hear that my pieces are still bringing joy to those that bought them :)  On October 3rd, I'll be at the Malvern Fall Festival of the Arts and Paws in the Park.  That will be a long day, but also a ton of fun.  I am really looking forward to it!

Photo of my booth at the Lower Providence Community Day

Photo of my booth at the Lower Providence Community Day

 Okay, I think that's all for now.  It's time to return to my job duties and also to take some photos of new pieces to add to my website.  I hope you all had a wonderful end to the summer!  Fall is almost here and I am looking forward to the leaves changing color and the nice cool, crisp air :)  Be well and always dream Big!

~Jennifer :)

It's been a little...

So, I know it's been a little since I have made an entry.  My life has been a tad hectic the last couple of weeks and sitting down to write just hasn't been in the cards.  I received several custom orders which was fabulous, but they took up a lot of time.  Add on to that, the fact that my 7 to 7 job was go, go, go.  And then add onto that the fact that I have been helping my boyfriend pack for his move down to Wilmington.  He's going to be almost an hour away from me... so sad :(  Plus several other things that have taken up time, which leaves no time to sit and write.  Which is probably why I am writing this tonight at almost midnight... hahahaha :)

I am going on vacation this coming Sunday and am so looking forward to it!  I will be going back home to Washington state for a little over a week.  While I'm there I am hoping to post some pics of my wonderful family and adorable little niece.  For now though, this is all I have time to write.

I wish you all a fabulous week and hope you are staying cool from the heat :)

~Jennifer :)

A Very Long Week...

Have you ever had one of those weeks that just seems to keep going on and on and on?  That is how this week is going for me.  It is Wednesday night, but it feels like it should be Friday night already.  Now, this could be because I just really want it to be the weekend, so I can have a morning to sleep in.  But I really just think that it's one of those never ending weeks.

This week I have been working on several projects, one of which is for my adorable niece.  A while back I decided to do Madeline's name for her room, and just recently received the wood letters in the mail for it.  So I have started to pick out papers and patterns to use in the colors of light greens, pale yellows and light pinks.  I am hoping to have it done before I head home in two weeks to Washington State for vacation.  When it's all finished I'll post some pictures of it for all to see :)

The other projects have been coasters for my website and also a set of coasters for a give away on my facebook fan page.  The non-craft projects where cleaning my studio apartment and working on organizing all of my supplies.  I always seem to be organizing.  I will have everything neat and tidy and looking great.  And then two days later it's on the road to chaos again... I really hope I'm not the only like this... hahaha :)

Today I supervised a splatter paint project with the kids this afternoon, which turned into the kids painting themselves... hahahaha :)  When I say painting themselves, I mean really painting all over their bodies... faces, legs, arms, hands, bottom of their feet... there was no way they were walking in the house that way!  Caroline, who is 15, cleaned off her feet and hands before going in the house, but Jonny had to jump in the pool to really scrub his feet and hands before heading in the house.  It really was quite a sight!

That's it for now... and the long week continues.  I hope for you all it has been a short and fast one though :)

~Jennifer :)

Paper, Paper, Paper Everywhere!

When my boyfriend goes with me to a craft store, he usually does his best to get me out of the store without buying any paper.  I love paper!  Patterned paper, colored paper, textured paper... it's all just fabulous!  I see a pattern or color and just start thinking of what I could do with it, what other patterns I could put it with and so on.  Now, my wonderful boyfriend tries to get me out of the craft stores before I buy any paper because he knows, just as well as I do, that I really don't need any more paper.  I will probably never use all the paper I have now, and deep down I really know that.  But I see something new and just can't stop myself from wanting it... hahahaha.  This leads me to what I was doing today.  I was browsing through the new products on Scrapbook.com and came across a product line I had not seen on there before called Websters Pages.  They have some fabulously styled papers and ribbons and I thought I would share them with you here.

Finishing Projects...

Today was spent working on and finishing up a few projects.  The first project I was finishing up was a framed mirror for a buyer on Etsy.  The second project was a sign for my mom.  I love my mom to death, but she can be overly picky... hahaha :)  She has not seen the "no soliciting" sign yet, but I'm hoping that she doesn't find anything wrong with it since it's beyond the point of changing.  So my fingers are crossed :)  And since my time is very limited today, this is all I'm writing... I have included photos of the two projects for today... enjoy :)

A very girly order...

It's Monday and I think this week will be a good one :) Over the weekend I received an order for a custom ladder trinket chest. The buyer described her niece as "a diva in training" which meant this trinket chest was going to be super girly... just what I love!

All of Sunday was spent working on the ladder chest and getting it just right. Papers of pinks, greens and yellows were used, flowers were put on the knobs and the little girl's name was put down the edge. And I have to say, when it was all done, I loved it! I think it this little girly trinket chest is my favorite by far :)

Here are a few pictures of how the ladder trinket chest turned out for little Gianna :)

Bags and Purses, Purses and Bags, I love them all!!

Yesterday I started cleaning my little studio apartment and going through all my dressers and my only closet to get ready for my boyfriend to come stay with me for a few weeks. By the end of last night I realized 3 things. 1.) I had held on to too many clothes... I have 4 garbage bags full of clothes to give away. 2.) I have an admitted obsession to shoes. Finally, 3.) I found out that I also have an obsession with bags. Now when I say "bags", I mean hand bags, purses, duffel bags, backpacks, and so on. I really didn't realize how many I had until I was cleaning last night... I just kept finding them and saying to myself "Where have you been all this time?"

I love small handbags and large ones with tons to pockets to keep everything and cute ones that no one else will have. After realizing that I had a ton of handbags and so on in my living space, I also realized I had saved a ton on Etsy. So, I thought I would share one of my obsessions with you all and show you some of the fabulous finds I have found on Etsy.com.

Handmade Stylish Handbag in Retro Style with Ribbon
by MariesCornor

X Large Tote/Messenger Bag with Floral Pattern
by MariesCorner

BIRD CALL-pleated handbag/tote/purse made with Paula Prass Michael Miller Fabrics
by purseona

Grab and Go Wristlet/Mini Purse/Cosmetic Bag/Bridesmaid Gift
by Dollbirdies

Herringbone Harris No More
by breagha

Olive green Chiffon Flower Handbag
by mojospastyle

Sassy Linen Tote/Messenger in Garden Green
by Kinies

Large Tote with Japanese Blossoms
by MariesCornor

Grey Chiffon Ruffle Flower Handbag
by mojospastyle

Modern Hobo in Bright Summer Floral
by maddikayhandbags

Large Size Coin Purse Made From Flourish Large Floral Medallions by Studio e Fabrics
by MimisCrafts

Bird on a Limb Shoulder Bag
by LBArtworks

French Market Bag...charcoal black ruffle tote from down de bayou
by bayousalvage

My Tiny Space...

It's been a miserable day today, tons of rain and now it's super duper humid outside. So, I decided that since I have done all my errands and chores for the family I work for, I would work on my living space. I am not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I am a live in nanny and have a small studio/apartment in the family's house. I feel like I am constantly cleaning and tidying up stuff. My boyfriend thinks it's because I have too much stuff in a too small of a space. And I am thinking that he is right. The space was good when I started working 8 years ago, and held everything nicely and neatly. Over those 8 years though, I have accumulated more furniture, started a craft business and got 2 cats. So, in order to solve my space problem, I am going to start a major cleaning project. Drawers will be gone through, closet will be emptied, magazines tossed, and anything I haven't touched in months will be gotten rid of! Or at least that is the plan... hahaha :) There is one other reason I need to do an over haul cleaning of my area... my boyfriend might be staying with me for a little while he looks for a new apartment or house. I, or should I say we, will need all the free space I can muster up in my tiny area.

So, with that said, I am off to do a little cleaning before heading out to pick up kids. I hope you have a fabulous day and wish you tons of smiles :)

Too Hot to Be Out

If you are living here on the east coast this week, you are probably trying to survive the heat just like I am. I moved here about 9 years ago from Shelton, WA and am still not use to the summer out here. I know this heat is not all that normal, but it is nothing like the weather I am use to and miss.

So, in trying to stay away from the heat I have been working on up-dating my Etsy page and my own website. Many new items have been added (that took a ton of time) and I was reminded why I was putting it off... hahaha :) I also worked on a present for the girl I am a nanny for. Caroline is turning 15 this coming weekend. She is a very talented artist and is looking to going off to college in a few years to get a degree in art. Caroline is also an amazing photographer. She doubts her abilities sometimes and feels she should know the ins and outs of her camera in order to take good photos. I keep telling her that anyone can know everything about their camera and take a decent picture, but it's the person that has the creative eye that takes a great photo even when they don't know much about their camera. This leads me to her birthday gift...

I felt that if Caroline saw her photos printed in a book that she would see how good she is at photography. So I went in search of an online publishing site and I found Blurb.com. It has a free program to download to allow you to design your book with different fonts, colors, layouts, themes and so on. It's great! I asked Caroline to send me 40-50 of her favorite photos she has taken. I put them together in a coffee photo book for her.

I was going to keep it as a surprise for her, but just couldn't and had to tell her why I asked for all the photos. Her face completely lit up and she was/is so excited about it. Even though she won't have the book for a week and a half she said "Wow, it's like I'm a real published artist!" That is exactly the response I was looking for. I know she is an extremely talented girl and that talent is going to take her far, I just hope her confidence in her talent keeps growing.

I have included some of her photos on here to share with you all.

A Hot Hot Weekend for a Craft Show

Good morning! I am happy to say that I final have internet again!! After spending over an hour on the phone yesterday with Comcast to fix a problem that should have been fixed on Monday when the technician was here. But it is all up now and we can move on... hahaha :)

This past weekend I was at a craft show/flea market. This was the first event I was attending by myself, which made me a little nervous about setting up the tent and really nervous about how I was going to get a bathroom break! Luck was on my side though and a space on the covered walkway opened up so I didn't need to set up the tent. As for the bathroom breaks, that was also not an issue since I was next to the nicest vendor, Peggy, who watched my booth while I ran to the restroom quickly.

This was probably not the best weekend to be at an outdoor show, it was HOT HOT HOT out! The temp was well over 90 and super muggy on Saturday. Not the best for my items since they don't really handle moisture very well. But they are all dried out now and as good as new :) I think the heat kept a lot of people inside and not out at the show. I had a lot of interest in my items and people really seemed to appreciate the work that went into them. As for sells though, I got some interest in custom orders and made an even trade with another vendor. I also made a few contacts with other fabulous vendors which is always a plus and makes for a decent show.

Now this trade I made was for the cutest zebra print poofy skirt for my little niece. I know she's not big enough to wear it, but when she is, I think she'll LOVE IT. I mean, what little girl doesn't love a fun skirt to twirl around in! :)

Well I am off to pick up Jonny from tennis camp and then take him to art camp... he's a very busy boy :) I hope you have a fabulously sunny week!




~Jennifer :)

The Evils of the Internet...

So usually I tell you about my fabulous mom and sisters or my absolutely adorable niece or what new project I am working on, but not today. This is going to be a short and sweet complaint about the internet... hahaha.

For the past weekend the family I work for has been gone on vacation and I have been left in charge of the house, dogs and parrot, which I am totally cool with. But something always happens when they go on vacation, the basement floods (has happened several times), something stops working and so on. And this time it was no different. This week the internet at the house has stopped working, which isn't such a huge deal until it's time to pay the bills on time and emails from costumers need to be responded to. Normally I would have taken care of it, but Comcast (I really don't like them) will only let the home owner schedule an appointment for service... so so annoying! I have dealt with all kinds of emergencies for the family, but the internet goes down and I am completely helpless to help them... go figure.

Luckily, part of the family is coming home today and the mom will be able to schedule an appointment to get everything fixed.

Now you might be asking yourself, where is she blogging from then, well I am at my boyfriend's apartment using his internet connection. It's cool here, his cats keep me company and I don't have to worry about someone looking over my shoulder at my personal information or my snacking issues like I would if I was at a cafe or bookstore.

So, with that rant done, I leave you in a much better mood, but still wishing I didn't rely on the internet so much... hahaha :)

~Jennifer :)

Coasters...

It's just a short post today. The family is getting ready to go away for a week, so everything here is very hectic to say the least. In my down time though I have finished several sets of coasters. And I have to say, I am pretty proud of them! Especially since they were the only thing that sold at the recent show... hahaha :) The mom that I work for even bought two sets to take up to Maine for the family. I thought that was very nice of her to support my crafting. Below are a few photos of some of the coasters. Have a fabulous day and always smile :)

~Jennifer :)