Getting to know you/ Peekaboo aka Alycia

To start, please tell us a bit about yourself. What's your story?
I am very happily married to my dear hubby of going on 11 years...Mr. Victor. We have four wonderful children, four boys, one girl, and his oldest son, Zachary, is graduating high school this year! Zachary is not mine, but I still claim him as if he were! :) We are currently living in Alabama, but we hail from Upstate NY. We're here for my husband's job, which we're very thankful for in today's economy! I am working from home right now, until God opens up a full-time job in the workforce for me. (I'd really rather keep working from home, though!)

What is your favorite quote?
"To love another person is to see the face of God." ~ Victor Hugo (from "Les Miserable")

What is your favorite movie?
One Night With The King

What is your favorite TV show?
CSI: Miami

Do you have a hero, if so, who? why?
Everyone should have a hero! :) My hero is my husband...he puts up with me when I'm miserable, loves me when I'm unlovable to all others, and tenderly wipes away my tears when I can't take it any more. He makes me laugh. He knows too much about me. And he lays down his life for me and our children.

What is your favorite song at the moment?
Hmmm... Wow! I just went to find the exact title of it, and I came across this one! It's perfect for Mother's Day...so, new favorite song of the moment:
http://www.plumbinfo.com/ (This should load as Plumb's official website and play a song entitled "Always" ~ fantastic! Every mother's deepest thoughts...) (In My Arms was the one I was originally going after! LOL)

What kinds of music do you listen to?

Christian all the way! Plumb, Casting Crowns, TobyMac, Rita Springer

How long have you been creating?
I have been creating for a very long time now...countless years...I've been taking pictures since I was four. I've been writing since I was pre-teen. I've been scrapbooking for over 15 years. I've been stamping and making other paper crafts for at least 5 years, now! :) I love creating new things! I love using the talents and gifts that God has blessed me with, hopefully and intentionally for HIS glory!



What inspires you?
Ooh! All sorts of things. I can be driving and see a sunset and be inspired. I love wildflowers, how God took all these pretty little "nothing" flowers and put them into a field to grow together in really pretty colors and look incredibly beautiful together. Their perfect blend inspires me. I can see something that someone else has created, and it can inspire me to design something completely different. God created the earth, and He has made us in His likeness and image. That means that every one of us, regardless of how small or how great it is, has some sort of creative gene in us. :)

Is there any kind of music you listen to when you create?
My children...


What's your biggest artistic disaster to date?
Um...I don't think I have had one, but that doesn't mean I won't?

What's your favorite piece that you've done?
My heritage scrapbooks. Each Christmas I make a scrapbook for my Grandparents from their lifetime of photographs. It is an incredibly satisfying joy to watch my Grandfather's eyes well up with tears as he flips through pages of his life story. They're the last of their siblings to still be alive, and they both came from fairly good-sized families, so I cherish every moment that I have left with them!

What's the best advice you were given when starting out?
Don't give up.

Do you have any advice to give others?
Use the gifts that God has given you. Don't be like the foolish steward and bury them in the sand. Perceive that your merchandise is good. Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established. The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty. In all labor there is profit (even if it's something learned, rather than earned). Do your work with excellence. You shall stand before kings.

What's coming up for you; any big plans artistically?
I want to write a Christian fiction novel. I would love to see my photographs out in the world. I would love to start selling wholesale/consignment via Peek-A-Boo Productions.

Where can we find you? Both online and in stores.
www.peekabooproductions.etsy.com
www.godsgloryphotography.etsy.com
www.peekabooproductions.blogspot.com

A Woman that Inspires Me written by HaloHatz

There aren’t a lot of people in my life that I would consider a role model or someone that I would like to be like. I have met many great women, but none have inspired me or encouraged me like my friend Claudia. Claudia is the mother of my best friend, Gia. I met her not long after I met Gia; they are a very close family and they are in each other’s lives daily. So to know Gia is to know her parents.

When I first met Claudia I was not a believer, but she was kind and sweet, always giving hugs and being completely genuine, even if she didn’t know you well. We became closer as the years went by and she and her husband, Ron, were very instrumental in my search for the Lord. Claudia had a bible study with me and was so encouraging and wise. She would pray with me and call to check on me often. I would sit with her and the whole family at church and I really felt loved by them all. When I did become a believer, it was Ron who baptized me.

Claudia is a wonder woman, truly. She takes care of her husband, her mother, her home and still makes time to be part of her five grandchildren’s lives almost daily. She never forgets a special day, a birthday or a holiday. She treats my husband and my children as if we were part of the family and she reminds me that we are just that, family.

Claudia is such a godly woman. She has been through some big trials in her life, but she trusts the Lord with everything. She takes everything to the cross and prays continually for God to guide her life. When I need advice or help with any situation I turn to Claudia. She directs me to the Lord, first and foremost. She is gentle and kind and is sure to tell me when my thinking may not be in line with God’s.

So, when I think of someone I would most want to be like, it is Claudia. She is not perfect; but in my book, she’s as close to perfect as a woman can be. I am so blessed to have her in my life. She is my friend, my mentor, my sister in Christ.

Getting to Know You!! InspiredByMarie

To start, please tell us a bit about yourself. What's your story? I am a mom of 4 amazing children, Zach 24 , Jade 22 , Cheyenne 17 , and Lucas 11, . And a wonderful man in my life, Mike. I was raised in the south, and now live in the beautiful state of Oregon.

I have loved wood crafts since I was a child. I am always looking for wood I see as beautiful or unique. To me wood is like snowflakes, no 2 pieces are ever alike, and it is like Christmas to me every time I sand down a piece and see the beautiful natural designs and colors.
What is your favorite quote?
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." Erma Bombeck

What is your favorite movie?
It's A Wonderful Life
What is your favorite TV show?
NCIS
Do you have a hero, if so, who? why?
Mike. He took on dating a woman with 4 kids, and never looked back. He is an excellent role model for my kids.
What is your favorite song at the moment?
The Old Rugged Cross always has been and always will be.
What kinds of music do you listen to?
A little of everything. Country, Soft rock, oldies, jazz, and the blues.
How long have you been creating?
Since I was a kid. I loved to make things out of sticks in the yard.
What inspires you?
I have been lucky in so many ways to have traveled around this country and see such beauty. My shops name is after my Mother who has inspired me all of my life. My wonderful children, and amazing people I have met in my life. Also living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with the beauty of the ocean, forests, mountains, and high desert, will inspire anyone.
Is there any kind of music you listen to when you create?
No.

What's your biggest artistic disaster to date?
I couldn't really say disasters, but if I don't like the way something turns out I try to use it as firewood unless someone rescues it.
What's your favorite piece that you've done?
Each time I create a new piece it somehow becomes my favorite. Someone told me that is a sign of a true artist. Right now my favorite piece is "The Old Rugged Cross"
What's the best advice you were given when starting out?
Believe in what I am creating, and do it to the best of my ability. That there is a reason we make what we do, and though not all might appreciate it, there is someone out there that will be touched by it.
Do you have any advice to give others?
What I said above, and NEVER give up nor compromise your standards.




What's coming up for you; any big plans artistically?
I haven't done rustic furniture and lamps in a long time, and would really like to start back doing that as soon as I can find a place to take it.
Where can we find you? Both online and in stores.
Right now on my Etsy shop
www.inspiredbymarie.etsy.com
and I will be doing several shows around Oregon.

I don't take let many photos of me get taken. But this is the most recent. It is my family at my sons wedding.

Shalom

The Hebrew word SHALOM is understood around the world to mean peace. But peace is only one small part of the meaning of the word SHALOM.

Strong's Concordance 7965 - Hebrew Shalom ..... A word study in the New King James version for SHALOM says: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

Shalom comes from the root verb Shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.

Sar SHALOM (Prince of Peace) is one of the descriptive names the Bible uses to indicate the ministry and personality of the Messiah: Isaiah 9:6 - The Son of God is completely perfect in all things.

So in essence, when you speak out the word SHALOM - you are not only proclaiming peace, but all the above meanings of the word over that person - that's a mighty blessing!!!

Remember what the word of God says - "there is life or death in the power of the tongue".

We recently heard someone on a Christian TV program say: "No wonder the Jewish people are so blessed, because every time they say Shalom to one another, they are also allowing the full meaning (see above) of SHALOM to be pronounced over them. He humorously proceeded to say that this greeting word would be much more beneficial to the American people if they greeted each other with SHALOM instead of their usual "Hi" or "Howdy" greeting. As Josie and I adapted to life in Israel, we adapted to the SHALOM habit over the "Hi" habit....As Messianic Jews, we are called to bless you and we take that very seriously, by praying for you and by greeting you with SHALOM. Therefore, from now on, when we or someone says SHALOM to you, you should receive it as a tremendous blessing. And bless them back with a hearty SHALOM!"

Numbers 6:24-26: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His face upon you and give you SHALOM. In the name of SAR SHALOM - the Prince of Peace.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(The above was borrowed from OUT of ZION Ministries.)

Just a thought for the moment!

If I let fear get ahold of me, I will never get to where God has me going!

Featured Team CAC Seller

Sorry about not having a featured seller for awhile there, but now that I’m back up and running, I’m hoping this won’t be an issue again. So without further ado, here’s this week’s featured seller, Glen of Sneath.

To start, please tell us a bit about yourself. What's your story?
My name is Glen and I'm an unmotivated community college student from the San Francisco Bay Area. I got my Associates degree in Electronics > PC Technical Support. My only source of income right now is what I make from chainmaille. But I would much rather be working again, but when I tried to 6 months ago, I came up pretty much dry. I'm a computer geek who used to work as a merchandiser for the late CompUSA *sniff*, and I'm a musician who works with my church's high school youth group as a staff member and as one of the worship leaders. Either as the drummer, guitar, or singing (in that order).

While I am currently going to school as a mechanical engineering major with a manufacturing focus, I've been recently pulling away from that and looking for work in logistics. I started down the engineering path because my schools manufacturing program shut down for budget reasons, and at the time there weren't many other options to continue learning the subject. But, since then I've found options aside from spending another 4 years of college getting a bachelor's to learn manufacturing processes. All I really wanted to do is work with my hands, and/or make things.

The current life path I'm pursuing is a career in logistics (shipping/receiving and inventory is SO fun!). But, if that doesn't pan out in the next year, I'm considering joining the Coast Guard for the resume boost, and the on-the-job training. And heck, I'm too comfortable where I am. I don't like traveling and I've lived in the same spot all my life, but I think it would be a good stretch for me. After all that, if nothing works out (or maybe sooner, who knows), I've been toying with the idea of the mission's field. Preferably somewhere cold. I hear theres a lot of work to be done in Poland for the Roma people.
O ya, and I'm an Eagle Scout of Troop 71, 2006.

What is your favorite quote?
Proverbs 4:7
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”
and the wisdom I've gathered seems to say that I should “... seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness...” (Matt. 6:33), so that's what I'll do.

What is your favorite movie?
Don't really have one.

What is your favorite TV show?
An anime called One Piece. Currently about 400 episodes long and counting!
Oh, and I guess Smallville since its the only “TV show” that I keep up with.

What is your favorite song at the moment?
I Need You by Relient K

What kinds of music do you listen to?
Worship. I love listening to people who are passionate about praising God. Sometimes its praise music like Chris Tomlin, Shane & Shane and Jars of Clay, or Christian rock like Kutless, Skillet and Relient K. But, a lot of times it's the hard-rock/screamo stuff that really gets me, when I can find a good screaming worship band. Not too common, but things like Dead Poetic, Thrice, Underoath, and Spoken have really hit home.

How long have you been creating?
Since I was a little kid when I would play with K'Nex. I used to build forts, and other relatively large structures out of the stuff. I started doing chainmaille a couple summers ago after our worship team watched a Lord of The Rings marathon. I decided to look it up online and soon after bought 100 bright aluminum 16awg 1/4” rings. The first thing I made with those rings was a pouch/holster for my cell-phone, which has since been decommissioned... It will be missed.

What inspires you?
Seeing other people doing what they love doing, or watching them discover something that they love doing. More specifically, people who have found their niche in the body of Christ, and totally all-out about it. Even the lowest janitor is a great inspiration if he finds a way to bring glory to God doing what he does.

Please describe your creative process (the how, the when, materials, etc.).
I bring my rings with me wherever I go, so I sometimes maille when I'm out and about, but usually its at my desk between classes. If its a weave and color pattern I'm familiar with it goes pretty quickly. But many times its a custom order in a color pattern, ring type, or weave that I'm not very comfortable with. With those I start with one combination of colors, or ring types, and see if what I make turns out looking nice. About an inch or two into the weave I make the decision either to keep going with it, or to scrap it, and take it apart so I can use the rings for another attempt at the current project, or for a future one. Sometimes it comes together right away with no hassle, while other times I have to take it apart many times because I can't get it quite right.

Is there any kind of music you listen to when you create?
I either let my computer shuffle through everything I have, or I listen to an online Christian radio station. Every once in a while I'll listen to a theological CD. Greg Koukl from Stand To Reason has been what I've listened to most in that category recently.

What's your biggest artistic disaster to date? How did it help you progress?
My armor! It turned out fine in its own way, but the design was completely off the top of my head. No drawings, blueprints, or exact measurements. I made it in a blacksmithing class I took, and I did the majority of the shell with a swage block and any oxy-acetylene torch, for the most part all free-form. The biggest problem with it is that its held together with 4 bolts... 2 of which are on the back, meaning I need help to get into it. I did learn quite a bit about shaping metal though... because the hoops under the arms are doubled over and then channeled, and then bent... which is all kinds of stupid, and very difficult to make well with a hammer...

What's your favorite piece that you've done?
My favorites come and go, so for now I'd have to go with something I made very recently. It's a trackball from an old mouse I found, wrapped in chainmaille (go figure). I'm particularly proud of this one because it marks a landmark in discovering what I can wrap. I figured out a new way to cinch the sides up with rubber rings that allow for ANY size of ball. Granted, it might not work too well on anything but spheres, but I'll figure that out later.

What's the best advice you were given when starting out?
Hmmm... The best one I can think is from a bunch of fellow Etsy members. Something along the lines of “Don't panic because you're not getting many sales at first. Be patient.”

Do you have any advice to give others?
Seek God constantly and make glorifying Him the focus of your business (and your whole life for that matter). If your shop is just for getting bank, then you're wasting an awesome opportunity to be a light to the world.

What's coming up for you; any big plans artistically?
I'm selling at my first convention at the end of May, so I need to stock up on more marbles and findings, as well as mass producing all sorts of bracelets and key chains. Very excited about that... But as far as what I'm making, I've been swamped enough with finishing off the semester, working with the youth group, ordering supplies, and running my Etsy to have thought seriously about any big plans right now. Although, a while ago I was making candles by melting the excess, throw-out candles from my church's candle-light service (so much wasted wax). I made a chainmaille hanging thing for the candles, but never made the stand to hold it up. I guess I could work on that next.

Where can we find you? Both online and in stores.
www.Sneath.etsy.com
GESlagle [!at] gmail.com
www.myspace.com/holygorge Very old screen name which I converted into a big ad banner for my Etsy...
I'm also on facebook: Glen Slagle

Featured Team CAC Seller

Sorry about not having a featured seller last week, the time flew by me so fast that it wasn’t until it was too late that I realized I didn’t have anyone.   No, you’re not getting two this week to make up for it.  Just one, Simplypuresoycandles.

 

What is your favorite quote?

All things are possible if you believe! Mark 9:23

What is your favorite movie?

Titanic, but a close second is Dumbo (I know but we have kids!)

What is your favorite TV show?

House

What is your favorite song at the moment?

Dead or Gone, by TI and Justin Timberlake

What kinds of music do you listen to?

A little bit of everything, I enjoy all kind of music just depends on my mood! From instrumental to alternative!

How long have you been creating?

3.5 years

What inspires you?

Everything around me, things I want to use, things that i think are pretty, my kids and family.

Please describe your creative process (the how, the when, materials, etc.).

Is there any kind of music you listen to when you create?

No I like to concentrate!

What's your biggest artistic disaster to date? How did it help you progress?

Well I am bad at putting the wrong color in my wax!! Like if I am making lemon, of course it needs to be yellow well sometimes it doesn't get yellow, but maybe blue or green! LOL but after about 3 times of that... I pay very close attention to what i lay on my work table!

What's your favorite piece that you've done?

My favorite things that I make are my candles, I made a rustic pillar for Christmas that was black and red and it was my fav! Scented in Apple Jack.

What's the best advice you were given when starting out?

Take it slow and make sure your product is worth buying!

Do you have any advice to give others?

Just because others make items/products doesn't mean that everyone can. It is not as easy as you think! Everything gets better with practice!

What's coming up for you; any big plans artistically?

Well every April there is a store that lets me place my items there and we do very well until November! So I am very excited about that.

Where can we find you? Both online and in stores.

You can find me online at www.simplypuresoycandles.com on etsy www.simplypuresoycandles.etsy.com and in Ashe county stores Sally Mae's, The NorthWest Trading Post and in the surranding area in Boone at Green Mother Goods. We also do around 9 festivals a year so always out and about!

Navy Petty Officer Mike Monsoor

I got this email from my sister-in-law today, thought I’d share.

On 29 September 2006, 25-year-old Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor (MA2, not EOD2 as stated below) was killed during operations in enemy-held territory at Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when he threw himself on top of a grenade in order to save the lives of his fellow SEALS. As described in the final two paragraphs of a Summary of Action (SOA) regarding the circumstances of his death:

While vigilantly watching for enemy activity, an enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade onto the roof from an unseen location. The grenade hit him in the chest and bounced onto the deck. He immediately leapt to his feet and yelled "grenade" to alert his teammates of impending danger, but they could not evacuate the sniper hide-sight in time to escape harm. Without hesitation and showing no regard for his own life, he threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, mortally wounding him.

Petty Officer Monsoor's actions could not have been more selfless or clearly intentional. Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped. Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life. By his courageous and selfless actions, he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALs and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor.

In April 2008, Michael Monsoor (who had already been posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in a 9 May 2006 incident, when he and another SEAL pulled a wounded team member to safety amidst gunfire) was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His funeral, attended (in the words of President Bush) by "nearly every SEAL on the West Coast," was held on 12 October 2006 at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. As shown at the end of the tribute video linked below, during Monsoor's funeral service, as the casket was taken from the hearse to the gravesite, fellow SEALs lined up in two columns to slap and embed the gold Tridents (a pin, pictured above, awarded for successful completion of SEAL Qualification Training) from their uniforms onto the top of Monsoor's coffin:

PO2 (EOD2)(Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Mike Monsoor, a Navy EOD Technician, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq , giving his life to save his fellow Seals.

During Mike Monsoor's funeral in San Diego , as his coffin was being moved from the hearse to the grave site at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, SEAL's were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers route forming a column of two's, with the coffin moving up the center. As Mike's coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin.

The slaps were audible from across the cemetery; by the time the
coffin arrived grave side, it looked as though it had a gold inlay
from all the Tridents pinned to it. This was a fitting send-off for a
warrior hero.

This should be front-page news instead of the things we see every day.

Featured Team CAC Seller….

We've continuing our feature in the team blog, to coincide with Self Portrait Thursday. Each week we'll feature another team member. We're continuing things with Sharon of javachip.etsy.com.

To start, please tell us a bit about yourself. What's your story?
I am a college student at UC Irvine, majoring in Studio Art and hoping to get a degree in Physical Therapy in grad school. I am half Filipino and half (Caucasian) American, and I have lived in the Philippines for my whole life up until college because my parents are missionaries there. I have two passports, I love dogs, I love cats, I love sports, I played rugby and soccer in high school, I played soccer for the Philippine national team when I was a senior in high school and I played for one year for my college team but now I am just playing club soccer and loving it! I love playing the piano, singing, ceramics, finger painting, running around barefoot in mud, playing soccer on the beach, jumping in puddles, drinking hot chocolate or english tea with a hoodie on in my jammies, surfing, baking cookies, eating cookie dough, and just plain eating.

I love to travel and I have been to Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Myanmar, Japan, China, Mexico, the U.S., Guam, the Philippines, and I will be adding England and the Czech Republic to the list this summer. I love taking pictures when I travel, and my greatest dream would be to become a photographer for National Geographic. Imagine the opportunities! My favorite things to paint and photograph are people, because I love the idea that you can capture a person or an aspect of a person in an image. I love God and I adore the fact that He is the ultimate Creator and has instilled in each of us a love for creating.

What is your favorite quote?
Anything by Victor Hugo from Les Miserables. These are some good ones:
“Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face.”
“Love is the foolishness of men, and the wisdom of God.”
“All those places that we no longer see, which perhaps we shall never see again, but whose image we have preserved, assume a painful charm, return to us with the sadness of a ghost.”
“This lowly sand which you trample beneath your feet, if you cast it into the furnace, and let it melt and seethe, shall become resplendent crystal, and by means of such as it a Galileo and a Newton shall discover stars.”

What is your favorite movie?
I’m indecisive! I love Batman: The Dark Knight, Bolt, The Incredibles, Pirates Of The Caribbean, The Princess Bride, Transformers The Movie, V For Vendetta, and the first X-men movie. I love action and superheroes and animated films, and I’m a sucker for movies made on ridiculous premises.

What is your favorite TV show?
Heroes! And the Office is a close runner-up. :)

What is your favorite song at the moment?
(*fin) by Anberlin

What kinds of music do you listen to?
A lot of rock and indie music. My favourite bands are Anberlin, Eisley, Emery, Ingrid Michaelson, Iron And Wine, Skillet and Sufjan Stevens. I really enjoy crossover artists/bands that are made up of Christians but not necessarily sold in the “Christian” section of the store. My all time favorite band is Anberlin, and I feel like they really get a good message across.

How long have you been creating?
Since I was teeny tiny.

What inspires you?
Beauty. I enjoy finding it in the strangest places. One of my friends told me that she liked how I make the mundane seem beautiful. That’s how I feel that God transforms us, he beautifies the ordinary.
“Beauty itself is but the sensible image of the Infinite.”
- Sir Francis Bacon
Beauty, of whatever kind, invariably excites the human soul to tears.
- Edgar Allen Poe
Please describe your creative process (the how, the when, materials, etc.).
I get crazy ideas all of a sudden and I drop everything and make it. It usually involves paintbrushes, watercolours, acrylics, India ink, or just pencils. It’s either that or my camera jumps into my hand and make me take fifty billion pictures.
Is there any kind of music you listen to when you create?
I like soft music, Indie folk usually, like Iron and Wine or Sufjan Stevens. But I also have this weird thing where I really like watching House when I paint.

What's your biggest artistic disaster to date? How did it help you progress?
When I was working on my portfolio for AP art, my first piece was not looking at all how I wanted it to, and I was very disappointed. My art teacher just told me to stick with it and keep reworking it. He told me something I never forgot: “If you get it right away you will end up with a boring piece of art. It is the struggle that adds character, the layers and layers that build up to make a complex piece of art that has so much more value than a piece that took no time at all.” It is so true! Now one of my signatures in my art is how I just go for it and slap on that dark brushstroke with confidence, because I know that I can rework it and build on top of it. It was always something I did with drawing, but it took me a while to find myself as a painter.

What's your favorite piece that you've done?
This is great, because it is that piece that I was just talking about, the one I didn’t like at all. It took me forever to keep tweaking it and reworking it but not I absolutely love it.

What's the best advice you were given when starting out?
From my art teacher again, it was to be willing to use anything. You have materials all around you that are much less expensive than things you can buy in an art store and work just the same. Be creative even when it comes to tools!

Do you have any advice to give others?
When you get your great ideas, just sit down and work on them, it always works best when you are excited about something. Then take a step back and look at what you’ve done. If you look at your creation with fresh eyes it allows you to see things you may have missed or come up with new ideas. Look at it in a mirror, upside down, from 20 feet away. And this goes for everything, not just painting! :)

What's coming up for you; any big plans artistically?
Well, artistically as in painting? Not really, just passing my classes I guess. But artistically as in musically, I’m starting a band! I’m the lead vocalist, haha, it’s really chill and not a big deal, but it’s still going to be a lot of fun.

Where can we find you? Both online and in stores.
www.javachip.etsy.com
www.starlike.etsy.com
http://support-a-starving-artist.blogspot.com/ (I haven’t blogged in forever though!)
www.zoshalucyna.deviantart.com
or search for Sharon Lynn Whelchel on facebook and add me as a friend. :)

Killer Hazelnut Brownie Bites

These sound really good. (stolen from food network)

Killer Hazelnut Brownie Bites

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 1 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts

Grenadine Frosting:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons grenadine

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease and flour.

In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together, butter, sugar, vanilla seeds and vanilla extract. Add eggs and mix until well incorporated.

Mix together the dry ingredients and slowly add it to the egg mixture. Mix until well incorporated.

Pour the batter into prepared pan and spread evenly, add hazelnuts to the top.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until brownies are set and begin to pull away from the side.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Once cooled, remove brownies from pan and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares for individual bites.

For the frosting:

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream butter and slowly add the powdered sugar. Add grenadine and mix until a frosting consistency is reached.

Place frosting in a piping bag and pipe onto individual brownie bites.

Featured Team CAC Seller….

We've continuing our feature in the team blog, to coincide with Self Portrait Thursday. Each week we'll feature another team member. We're continuing things with Susan of Wagscreations.etsy.com.

To start, please tell us a bit about yourself. What's your story?

My name is Susan Foskin. I am a Christ-loving, fun-having, dog-hugging, wife to the most wonderful man I know. I strive for perfection (oftentimes too much) and like to work hard, and am learning to play hard too (something that doesn't come so easily).

What is your favorite quote?
I actually have two favorites right now… "Coincidence is God choosing to remain anonymous." And “The Best use of a life is to spend it on something that outlasts it.” I have the first quote on my outgoing email and the second quote I put on a huge sign on my living room wall.

What is your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is really generic but I am in love with things like St. Elmo’s Fire, Ocean’s Eleven, & When a Man Loves a Woman.

What is your favorite TV show?
I don’t watch much TV so if I have to pick one, it’d have to be Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne” since that is really all I watch on a regular basis.

What is your favorite song at the moment?
Favorite song at the moment…depends on where I am (work, home, car, etc..) I would say that it is either “Slow Fade”, or Vivaldi’s Concerto in d Minor, or anything by Toby Keith. I know it is rather spread out, but really it depends on where I am and what I’m doing.

What kinds of music do you listen to?
Christian (hymns, rock, etc..), classical, 80s rock, and country

How long have you been creating?
I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember, but I’ve been selling my creations for about 4 years.

What inspires you?
I’m not sure what it is, but God just delivers various ideas and inspirations for me to work with to me and I run with them. I may see a set of colors together on something else and think, “oh, that’d look really good mixed together on something I make”, or wonder how I can mix a particular patter or something on one of my designs.

Please describe your creative process (the how, the when, materials, etc.).
I usually have something in my head for a day or two and play around with it mentally for a little bit and then sit down in my craft room and start working on it. I often have several projects going at once (if I don’t, check my pulse!), and bounce back and forth from one to another. Many times, the project will take a direct turn from where it started in my head to where it ends up because in my rummaging around to find the perfect item that I was looking for in a drawer or canister, I will find an item that will work even better and take it a slightly different direction.

Is there any kind of music you listen to when you create?
I’m probably one of the few people that prefers silence and the sound of my dog sleeping/snoring at my feet while I create.

What's your biggest artistic disaster to date? How did it help you progress?
My biggest artistic disaster to date was a huge batch of clipboards that I was taking to a show and they had to be finished. I thought that I’d finish them in the hotel room, but I didn’t factor in the humidity of the location (from what I have at home) or the time needed appropriately. So they really did not turn out good at all, thus causing us to run really low on inventory for that show and high on stress.

What's your favorite piece that you've done?
I have several pieces that I really like, but one of my favorites is a domino necklace that I wear quite often that says, “Life is Good, Eternal Life is Better” and has a small silver cross on it. I like this piece because it has opened the door to allow me to share my faith with people. For instance, just yesterday, I wore it and a lady read it and said, “Wouldn’t that be nice?” (meaning having Eternal Life) and so I was able to share with her about Jesus Christ and how he died on the cross and stuff. It is not one of my bigger pieces, but I believe that it is a bigger piece in the grand scheme of things. This necklace is coming to my shops in the next week or so.

What's the best advice you were given when starting out?
Don’t give up. If you love it, then keep doing it.

Do you have any advice to give others?
Find what you are good at AND what you love, not just what sells. Because if you make something that sells a ton but you don’t enjoy making it and find great pleasure and love while creating then it is the same as any other job.

What's coming up for you; any big plans artistically?
I am working on getting into 2 other stores and I will hopefully be accepted into the local Mistletoe Market show in October (the Junior League show) here in Oklahoma City. I am also looking for wholesale shops to get into.

Where can we find you? Both online and in stores.
Wagscreations.com
Wagscreations.etsy.com
Timeless accents Gift Shop in Arcadia, Oklahoma
Loving Touch Crafters Mall in Yukon, Oklahoma

Featured Team CAC Seller....

We've started a new feature in the team blog, to coincide with Self Portrait Thursday. Each week we'll feature another team member. We're continuing things with Kelli of KelliRene.etsy.com.

To start, please tell us a bit about yourself. What's your story?
My name is Kelli. I'm married with two adorable cats and I love the Lord.

I've lived in many different places and currently live in Northern Virginia. I love to make stuff and I love to learn new processes in order to make stuff. :-)

What is your favorite quote?
Biblical:
24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24

Hamlet:
"'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature. Possess it merely. That it should come to this! " Shakespeake

What is your favorite movie?
Right now it's Slumdog Millionare. LOVE that movie!

What is your favorite TV show?
House

What is your favorite song at the moment?
Irene by Toby Mac

What kinds of music do you listen to?
I like all kinds of music as long as it is GOOD within that genre.

How long have you been creating?
For as long as I can remember. It started with crayons and legos at a very young age.

What inspires you?
God's word. Nature. Music. Sometimes a misinterpretation when I look at something inspires me to something new.

Please describe your creative process (the how, the when, materials, etc.).

Um. I don't think there is a process. I'm very disorganized and usually go solely by what I am being inspired to make. It's more of what comes through me than what I think to do. I have a hard time focusing on one material alone. I think I suffer from ADD in the creative world!

Is there any kind of music you listen to when you create?
Nothing to busy or too loud. I prefer listening to the voices of female singers for some reason. It lifts me up. I like music I can sing along with and can understand what they are saying. Cesaria Evora is one of my favs. I like Sheryl Crow a great deal too.

What's your biggest artistic disaster to date? How did it help you progress?
Oh, I've made some pretty horrendous paintings! You know, you try to rework them and rework them and then they turn to mud. I've learned that it is dangerous to fall in love with an idea. And, I've learned that canvases are wonderful because you can paint over them!

What's your favorite piece that you've done?
I raised a very pretty vase in my holloware class simply by heating and hammering a flat sheet of copper. It is amazing what metal can do through heat and force. It became a pod shaped vase. Sadly, I lost it in our move. :(

What's the best advice you were given when starting out?
The best advice... hmm.... I've been given so much good advice. I think the best advice I have received is that there is never 'one right' way to do something. There are many routes to get to the same destination. All valid. Kind of like our walk with the Lord.

Do you have any advice to give others?
Always give credit to God in all that you make. Because every good thing, even our designs, come from Him. And, don't let other people's opinions dictate your own designs. Stay true to your vision.

What's coming up for you; any big plans artistically?
Yes. I am going back to school for a psychology degree. My goal is to have a job that helps people and to make art my fun and my release again. I no longer want art to be my 'job'.

Where can we find you? Both online and in stores.
KelliRene.etsy.com (for jewelry)
KelliBelli.etsy.com (for supplies)
VintageKelli.etsy.com (for Vintage items)