BettyBee Products

Kaput

2011-08-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

It's unofficially official. BettyBee Products is dead.

Well..... mostly dead. I say mostly because I've managed to close the Etsy store and the bank accounts, and converted the Twitter account back to being my "personal" Twitter. I still need to file with the state so that they're not banging on my door at 2 AM looking for money they think I should pay them.... It's on my to-do list! I swear!

Yes, I'm a procrastinator..... is there a 12-step program for that?

There are a few items here and there lingering around. Like the banner at the top of this blog that my sweet and ingenious husband made for me. Business cards tucked away in pockets and purses. It makes me a little sad...

At any rate, I wanted to say thank you to everyone that made a purchase from BettyBee, either through the Etsy store, at a craft fair, or in person somewhere. I also wanted to thank everyone that subscribed to this blog and read my occasionally dry and sarcastic ramblings. Interactions with friends, customers, and peers are what make my day! I've learned a much more than I ever thought I would by starting this business, and I hope that I'll come back at some point in the future or evolve the business idea into something new.... better prepared and perhaps more successful because of this experience.

I wish all of you the best in your own lives and endeavors!

TTFN
- Mel
BettyBee Products

So long! Liquidation sale - day 1

2011-05-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

And so it begins..... the beginning of the end. A little bizarre to think about really. But, here we go!

Every item in the shop is marked down 10%. No need for special codes or refunds or dancing under the full moon in front of a campfire. Just click and make one of these special pieces your own.... or your mom's.... or send it to Aunt Joanie who lives in San Jose!

Thanks again for reading, looking, clicking (even accidentally!), considering, and purchasing :)

TTFN
Mel @ BettyBee Products

Closing up shop :(

2011-05-16T16:24:00.000-05:00

As with anything in life, BettyBee has always been a learning experience. I've put it together from the ground up..... granted it didn't get very far.... and I did have a bit of help from loved ones..... but it's not where my heart is anymore. I feel like it couldn't possibly grow to where I want it to be, somehow restricted by the niche it started it in, or the name I came up with, or even by how much effort was put into it.

Long story short, BettyBee Products is going to start liquidating inventory and supplies in preparation to close our doors, with a projected close date of June 18th. Certain items will simply be de-listed because I was selling them on behalf of another artist. Everything else will be sold at a discounted price to attempt to make back any initial investment. Shipping prices will remain the same. It will take some time to get through the inventory we had acquired, but we'll get it all posted to hopefully go to other good crafting homes.

In the meantime, we'll keep blogging and tweeting periodically..... And maybe we'll come up with a new idea in the process. Who knows, right?

Thanks to everyone that read our posts, visited the shop, and bought items from us via the Etsy shop or at one of the craft fairs we participated in. I wish you all the best in your own endeavors!

TTFN
Mel @ BettyBee Products

It's so quiet here you could hear a pin drop!

2011-03-22T12:46:00.000-05:00

In the time that the BettyBee blog has been experiencing radio silence, we have been reassessing our direction for this particular business and how much energy has been and may yet be expended on it. While there's still some demand for handmade scarflettes and fingerless gloves, as well as holiday demand for beautiful and rare vintage items, reflection is needed.

So, here's where you come in.... we need some help from you, my readers, customers, industry peers. Here's hoping you'll be willing to share a few things:

Share request #1: Your favorite handmade item to shop for/purchase (not necessarily from BettyBee). Share what tweaked your interest with it and what inspired you to take the leap and spend your hard-earned cash. I'm particularly interested in anything that you've bought more than once.

Share request #2: Your #1 wishlist handmade item. The sky is the limit! We'd like to see what's lingering in your dreams.... maybe you want it so bad, it makes you twitch for your wallet...

Share request #3: Something beautiful and inspirational that you'd be ok with sharing. Something that inspired you at a difficult moment with your own art or crafting.

Now, we don't expect your participation and soul-baring to be offered up for free (although we're sure you're all kind-hearted enough to do so), so we're making this our first giveaway! In return for your generous participation in one or more of the share requests, responses will be drawn at random to receive a pair of Anchor Hocking milkglass teacup and saucer sets (that's two saucers and two teacups for those of you reading this without your morning caffeine jolt). You can see pictures of the teacup and saucer here (http://www.etsy.com/listing/64054689/anchor-hocking-milk-glass-teacup-and).

If you're comfortable responding in "Comments," please do so! We're happy to have you share by email too at BettyBee.Products@gmail.com. We will be drawing responses on Friday, April 1st (no joke)!

Provided this works out well, we may be hitting you up for more input!

TTFN!
xoxo
BettyBee

New in the shop - Peacock blue fingerless gloves

2010-12-16T21:24:00.001-06:00

Excuse me while I cluck like Mother Hen for a moment.... cluck, cluck, cluck

I've enlisted my lovely daughter as my model for the knitted and crocheted accessories and bags for BettyBee. Our first knitted item is available now: peacock blue fingerless gloves with ornate black plastic buttons. They're simple with clean stitches and pretty buttons.

And if I do say so myself, my daughter looks gorgeous. sigh.... they grow up so fast!!

TTFN :)

You like me! You really like me!!

2010-12-16T13:48:00.001-06:00

In the midst of taking pictures of new items, coming up with witty descriptions, and posting things on Etsy.... not to mention the 9 million other steps I add into my process.... I somehow missed that one of my vintage vases was featured in a Treasury list by Blissful12. Blissful12 seems to be posting a run of color-themed Treasury lists: first emerald green, then aqua/turquoise, and now hot tamale red! So great! Definitely take a look :)

TTFN!

Procrastination?? Shut your mouth!!

2010-12-07T12:28:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy few days for us at BettyBee. We've been cleaning vintage items, taking pictures, listing them in the Etsy store (9 items and counting! Woo-hoo!!), and then shouting to the world that they're there.

Among the newly posted:

Cream colored enamel flower pin.... click here for more details

Brody Co. wheat and trelis vase..... click here for more details

E.O. Brody wing vase (that's what I'm calling it, and I'm sticking to it! so there!!).... click here for more details

Royal Haeger harvest horn planter. I haven't seen another one like it in this rich, deep green..... click here for more details

Clear glass tulip bulb vase. This vase doesn't have any manufacturer's marks, but is lovely just the same... click here for more details

We're adding new items almost every day! Please visit the shop soon.

TTFN!

A post I love and had to share with you.... about fear and change

2010-11-29T16:11:00.000-06:00

I admit that I have moments that I waiver down this path that I'm attempting to walk. Creating a new business, trying to be a good role model for my kids, being an engaged (and engaging) wife and partner....but it can be hard, right?

Approved convention is safe, secure, and if you follow the "rules" you usually wind up making it through life without too many great and terrible catastrophes. However, safe and secure will not necessarily reward you with the most fulfilling, exciting, enlightening path. Life is a journey and is meant to be lived, loved, explored... sometimes you have to jump off the bridge and realize that part of the experience is the fear AND the exhilaration. Each day is a new leap, stepping out into the world and putting yourself out there, being evaluated and critiqued, and hopefully, someone loves what you've put out there as much as you do.

So, while cruising through the bazillion blogs that I read, I came across this post on "The Middle Finger Project." It's Jenny Foss' story about overcoming fear and convention in her own life. I really connected with this post and hope that you get something out of it too!

Here's the full URL:
http://www.themiddlefingerproject.org/fear-exposed-featuring-jenny-foss/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed

Thanks for reading!

TTFN :)

Newly listed in our Etsy shop - Green crinkle vase and Leaf vase

2010-11-29T12:52:00.000-06:00

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, we've started posting items in the shop in the Vintage Home Decor section.

First is the E.O. Brody leaf motif clear glass vase. We have two of these, not originally a matching pair we suspect, but identical from neck to base. The only difference between these twins are the numbers pressed on the bottom of each.... #1 and #23:

Next, we have the E.O. Brody emerald green crinkle vase. Only 1 in stock!

There are updated photos for the large green glass swirl design vase. There isn't a pressing mark on the base from E.O. Brody, but it certainly looks like it could be one:

And, last but not least, the granny square throw blanket is available for purchase. Remember that sad little sock monkey in "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"? The one that just wanted a hug? Yeah, this blanket needs a hug too....

Come visit the shop and pick up a special and unique gift for your friend or loved one! We'll have yarn items up in the shop shortly

Ta ta for now :)

p.s. - What do you think of the new banner on the blog and Etsy store?

New widget - The Pocket Shop

2010-11-18T11:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, sometimes I'm a little slower to adopt new technology, try new food, change my hairstyle.... My husband can attest to all this.

So, I'm finally catching up with the rest of the world. I just learned about Craft Cult's Pocket Shop widget. Check it out here. I looked around, put in my Etsy store ID, picked a style for the widget, and voila! Ready-made html code for inserting onto a website or blog. It's down below on the right. Take a look! And if you like what you see, make one for your shop.

The Pocket Shop by Craft Cult
http://www.craftcult.com/shop_widget.php

TTFN!

My favorite photos from Halloween

2010-11-04T10:45:00.014-05:00

Full disclosure: Some of you may have seen this post already, especially if you read these posts on Google Reader. As much as I hate to repeat myself (ask my husband), I am reposting with redacted photos. My daughter’s friend has not yet given me permission to post photos showing her face, so it was wrong of me to post them. (It was 1:30 am at the time and I was delirious and half-blind from knitting and lack of sleep.) I work in intellectual property; I can’t claim ignorance, just occasional goof-ups. Someone slap me….

After a couple of all-nighters, the costumes were finished in time for the girls to wear to school on Friday... no threads hanging, all pieces in place, happy smiling daughters. It was a wonderful thing and absolutely worth the frighteningly miniscule 3 hours of sleep I got over the course of 2 days.

Hint: my daughters are the ones with the long skirts. My eldest girl's best friend came along for the trick-or-treating wearing a store-bought "Alice" costume which was WAY too short on her tall frame. I can't be the only one cringing...

Oh, one more thing.... a quick public thank you to Wren of Zen and Coffee on Etsy for making the eldest girl's fingerless gloves just in the nick of time for Halloween. Thank you!! :) Check out Zen and Coffee for some fantastic fingerless gloves...

Ta ta for now!

Mark your calendars: November 6, 2010

2010-10-27T13:07:00.000-05:00

For the second year running, BettyBee will be at Christ the King Church in Wonder Lake, IL at their annual Holiday Bazaar. It's on Saturday, November 6th from 9:00am to 6:00pm. If you're in the area, stop by and check out our table (we'll be downstairs) and other crafters there. We'll be offering knitted and crocheted items, and possibly our newest product just being launched, Perky Nuts. Curious?? Come see us for a sample!

Christ the King Roman Catholic Church
5006 E. Wonder Lake Road
Wonder Lake, IL 60097
815-653-2561

Ta ta for now!

Temporary Disruption

2010-10-19T15:01:00.003-05:00

I know I'm not the only person in the world that loves Halloween.... but it appalls me that costumes made for 9 and 13 year old girls are now skating the very fine edge of hooker costuming. For example, my admittedly tall 9-year-old munchkin tried on an "Alice" costume at Halloween Express two weekends ago. The package photo showed the fluffy skirt hitting the model at about mid-thigh. I was sure that I could manage to avoid freaking out over my daughter's skirt being that length, devising clever ideas about attaching an extra layer of ruffles or throwing together a petticoat on the old sewing machine.... or something....

When she stepped out of the changing room, that darn fluffy skirt barely covered her tush!! What the hell?!?

Again, she is tall for her age, but I did pick out the next size up from what I would normally buy her. I'm not a complete moron, after all.

So she's standing there in the costume, the "bodice" bagging on her and the fluffy pseudo-skirt barely allowing her a shred of modesty, looking at me with her big brown eyes and saying, "Ok, Ma, this skirt is a little too short. The rest of it is so cute, though" -- cue the big puppy dog eyes and pouty mouth -- "Do you think we could get it and you could make another skirt to go under it or something, puhlease????"

As you might imagine, I'm trying desperately not to cave. The big brown eyes and pouty face are my kryptonite. I sigh big and loud and say "Sweetpea, that skirt is way too short. You need to pick something else that's longer. And it has to cost less than $35." Her eyes go all sad and red-rimmed and my heart sinks. I know she's not happy. I'm not happy. Damn costume companies! When did they summarily decide that our daughters need to be showing off their asses while they're trick-or-treating?

My mother, who's been quietly observing, steps in to save the day like the wonderful Gammie that she is. She volunteers to go to the fabric store and look at "Alice" patterns for both the girls and try to find something that's appropriate for both of them. The girls are a little perked up by this idea, but still dubious that Gammie is "cool" enough to find something that will pass muster. We part ways in the parking lot, kisses and hugs all around, and my mother promises to call later with the results of her grand search.

She's awesome, by the way. I'm not just saying that because she's my Mom. She really is! Always creative, always saving the day. Love you, Mom :)

She called later saying that she had found a super cute "Alice" costume for the 9-year-old, with an appropriate length skirt, and, surprisingly, an "Alice" costume for the 13-year-old as well that's so Victorian-esque quirky that it can be easily tweaked to be "goth," just like my big girl wants to be.

This past Sunday was spent slowly working on the smaller "Alice" costume, using my Mom's sewing machine when she schlepped down to my place, dragging all her sewing paraphernalia along, chugging coffee and listening to the kids complain that we wouldn't let them "help." We didn't finish a whole costume that day, but I put the finishing touches on the dress portion of that costume on Monday night..... Ok, actually, I was up until 1:15am Tuesday morning working on it, but it's finished. Victory!!! I'll be whipping up the apron tonight. Then on to "goth Alice"..... Pictures to follow soon :)

Ta ta for now!

Sale in the shop

2010-10-07T11:45:00.000-05:00

As we're beginning to list things, we're also running a sale in the Etsy shop right now:

50% off US shipping and $5 off International shipping

We have way too much stuff which needs to be listed and sold so that we can make room for new supplies and items.

Stop by the shop today!

And now, back to our show!

2010-09-27T16:27:00.001-05:00

After a brief blogging sabbatical (fancy talk for an absolute lack of drive to blog, inspiration, functioning brain cells, etc.), BettyBee is back!

Life is complicated, but I'm uncomplicating it. Everything is a work in progress, and I haven't exactly been slacking.... just not feeling particularly verbose about it. I'd hate to ramble..... ooops, maybe I already am. Sorry about that...

Anyways, it is time for annual fall posting madness. Items will be up in the store soon: cup and saucer sets, handwarmers, neckwarmers, vases, and maybe more. I may also mention every once in a while that I'm selling or giving something away outside of Etsy. Keep your eyes peeled!

Bye for now!

Sold: Vintage E.O. Brody Emerald Green Swirl Glass Urn-style Vase

2010-08-25T11:11:00.000-05:00

Excuse me while I do my happy dance. Believe me, you're better off not seeing it. It's a cross between bad disco, the cabbage patch, and a seizure. Not pretty....

This is the very first sale in my Etsy store.

And then there were two. Items in my shop, that is. I have several more items to be added. Also, we may be diversifying good old BettyBee. My husband and I have been tossing around an idea that fosters his love of good food.... More details to follow as we figure that one out.

Stay tuned! Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel!

Inspiration: Lincoln Park Conservatory

2010-08-23T22:02:00.000-05:00

A few weeks back, we visited the Lincoln Park Conservatory. The sun was bright, the day was warm, and we wore shades....

There were some beautiful plants in bloom, some so stunning that I had to snap a picture.

An explosion of bright yellow in the shade

Intense pink blushing stars

Shy, pale violet clusters

Gutsy orange and red

It was a stunningly gorgeous day! All too soon, it will be just a memory in the snow....

Work In Progress: Renaissance/Elizabethan Costume for Bristol Ren Faire

2010-08-16T09:55:00.001-05:00

The original goal was to get this costume finished before we went to Bristol Renaissance Faire in July. Didn't happen. My machine hated the bodice inner fabric, so I spent probably 100 hours hand sewing every channel, reinforcing stress points, and stitching boning into place. I ran out of boning and boning caps on top of going through a bit of disappointment-fueled sewing burnout.

So, I barely touched the costume for a week.... which turned into two weeks. I sewed briefly that following weekend, but it was a busy one, and I was too tired to stay up into the wee hours to work on it.

This weekend I decided to jump back into it. Enough is enough! I won't let this costume, that I've put sooooo much effort into, go unfinished. Saturday, my husband was tolerant of my begging to go to Vogue Fabrics in Evanston to pick up bias tape, boning, and more boning caps. I was hoping to pick up some trim for the hem of the skirt too, but they didn't have enough of the trim I was in love with. A little disappointment there, but I did manage to buy the boning and bias tape (the caps needed to be ordered from the warehouse).

Away I go again! I hope to have this finished before Labor Day weekend. Wish me luck :)

Blog input overload!

2010-08-05T19:59:00.003-05:00

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!

Oh my gosh, I just attended my first Etsy Virtual Lab. The topic? "Crafty Blogging." soooooooo necessary!

Despite minor technical difficulties and some sound issues, there were some great tips about social networking forums (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.).

The biggest benefit to me was the opportunity to "meet" with other bloggers on the Interwebs. Sharing blog addys was great. As of the time of this post, I now have 5 new followers via Google Friend Connect, and hopefully lots more following independently as well.

I also had the opportunity to follow links to many other peoples' blogs and am now following them all! They're all so beautiful and unique and creative... I could just gush on and on and on! :) gosh, I'm such a girl sometimes.

Good night, all!

Disclaimer: All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. I gotta put this here since I'm a Trademark Paralegal in my 9to5 :)

My first Etsy treasury list - sweet nectarines

2010-08-02T13:21:00.000-05:00

Anyone that knows me well is aware of my weakness for summer nectarines. Maybe weakness isn't quite the right word.... intense love might be a little closer to the truth. I love the scent of yellow flesh nectarines mid-summer. The sweet and tangy fragrance makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

After a binge of 3 nectarines in one sitting last week, I created a treasury list on Etsy to share this with the community. Click here if you'd like to take a look...

Work in Progress: Approximation of a 16th/17th Century Bodice

2010-07-07T13:50:00.004-05:00

This is the bodice/corset as of Sunday at about 2:15 am. Yes..... I stayed up all night. I was on a roll!

This is the left front panel.... my left, not yours... This is where I started making the channels for the spiral steel boning.

Here is detail from the left front panel.

The first (top) stitches were from my sewing machine, and the only good ones that I got out of it before it gave me the finger. Ok, so it didn't really give me the finger.... it doesn't have fingers, obviously... It might as well have flipped me off, though. All the stitches kept feathering, no matter how I tweaked the stitch length and/or tension. My sewing machine just doesn't like this fabric. The subsequent rows are all handstitching. Not perfect, mind you, but it'll do the trick.

Detail from the neckline of the bodice.

And now the front right panel, all channels handstitched.

And last, but not least, the rough channel lines I sketched out on the front right side panel.

There are no expectations of this being historically accurate. I've taken all of this from commercially made patterns and am altering as I go to suit my taste.

More photos to come as soon as all the channels are sewn in, boning added, and a rough fitting and recut of the pieces completed.

Notions purchased

2010-06-28T13:29:00.000-05:00

We trekked down to Vogue Fabrics in Evanston on Friday to buy the boning that I still needed for the bodice.

It turns out (and maybe if I had actually read more corsetry books and websites, I would have known this) that boning is available pre-cut and capped in a limited range of sizes. So a couple of pieces that I bought will have to be cut and capped to suitable sizes to bone the bodice the way I planned. Another learning experience....

$15.61 including tax and I think I'm good to go. I'll be working on the infamous bodice this week: making the channels, sliding in the boning and then doing a couple of "rough" fittings to get it just right before I use these base pieces as the pattern to cut the additional layers I'll need.

Wish me luck!

Hi, my name is Mel, and I'm a Ren Faire-aholic.....

2010-06-24T09:39:00.005-05:00

I'm stoked. Bristol Renaissance Faire is opening July 10th. I've been looking forward to this for over a year.

"Why? You go every year." you say?

Simply because I've wanted to dress up for the Ren Faire for years. This year is the year. It's gonna happen! I've been slowly working on my very first costume since last fall. I bought patterns (granted, commercially made, not 100% historically accurate patterns) so that my first go at a complex costume would not drive me to pulling out my already thin hair. I have McCall's M4107 for the bodice, M4090 for the skirts, and M4091 for the chemise. The general idea is that I'm trying to create a sort of mid- to upper-middle class outfit, not too high-born (because I'm not) but I also don't want to look like a tavern wench either. At least not this year....

As with anything that I work on, I'm tweaking the costume as I go. I've already put together most of the skirt. I still need to work on the waist band, fasteners, and some detail work, but it's hemmed so the worst of it is done.

The bodice/corset has been a source of frustration and fear for me. I've never made a corset. I've barely looked at a real corset to examine the composition of the garment and the fundamentals of its construction. So I'm winging it, referencing several books and blogs (thank you Jo, blogger of Bridges on the Body).

I drew boning channel lines on the base layer of my bodice last night, and I feel pretty good about it right now. I need to cut another layer of the front and channel segments for the back, so that I can rough out the boning and the fitting all in one go. After the fitting, I can cut the final inner fabric and the outer decorative fabric from the adjusted pattern. I'm already seeing issues with the base layer..... The bodice seems a little short for my torso. I may have to cut the final inner and outer layers a little longer. Hmmm, and maybe take in the back a little by creating a center seam.... oooh, or another place to lace up! That would be interesting, right?

I have so much to do before the Faire opens! Super excited!

Ta for now :)

In lieu of actual productivity..... a new background!

2010-06-21T13:37:00.000-05:00

Since I am an utter slack lately, I've posted absolutely nothing on Etsy. I've tweaked prices here and there, but there's nothing new, different, and exciting in the store. Motivation has been non-existent lately, and I've been completely overwhelmed by the mundane process that is life.

However, my birthday was Friday. The big 3-4. Yeah, I'm not kidding.... I don't really care that I'm just a teensy bit older, but somehow, I feel like I should start kicking myself in the ass to (1) start exercising more than just the 30 seconds of walking that I manage now, (2) really start moving in about 5 different directions with BettyBee and see what works, and (3) start putting some money away for the future. Time is passing way too quickly, and pretty soon life will have blown past me doing 65 on the freeway while I'm still in 1st gear.

My mom is more productive than I :( She and my step-father came by on Sunday for a dual birthday/Father's Day celebration. Pizza, salad, and soccer were enjoyed by all..... And while the soccer game is playing on the darn TV, there's my mom, camped out on the couch, crocheting away on these cute little tote bags that she makes. She put the finishing touches on 2, which I now have to post in the store.

And what did I do? N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Just consumed 1 piece of deep dish and a couple of slices of thin crust and watched my hips spread with inactivity. Awesome! (not!)

Geez, I'm such a slack!

Work in progress -- Mind the orange cones!!!!

2010-04-26T11:47:00.000-05:00

I've been silent for several weeks, trying to figure out what the heck I'm going to do with BettyBee now that the warm weather is teasing us..... moving in for a day or two then slipping away again like a dream.

I've tossed around the idea of making bags. I love this idea, but have to learn something about bag construction before I can attempt it.

Screenprinting t-shirts? No good..... everybody and their brother (and their brother's cat) is buying blanks and printing something cute, clever, or utterly bizarre on it and selling it.

Soft toys? Maybe.... I'm still mulling this one over.

I'd like to make jewelry or key chains, but that requires some minor investment of $$$$. Excuse me while I step away to check my wallet and let the moths flutter out :(

In the meantime.....

I'll be trying to post vintage items up in the Etsy store, as I can. The next few weeks will be busy with the in-laws leaving for Thailand on May 16th. No, not vacation, but for their retirement!! I'm excited for them, but sad too. I care about my in-laws and I know my husband and kids are upset to see them go. They're leaving the house to us to do with as we like. There's a lot of work to be done to the house, and a ton of preparation before their departure.

Wish me luck!

I'm on a roll! Just listed....

2010-04-11T14:00:00.000-05:00

One more lovely vintage item is up in the Etsy store:

This is an E.O. Brody piece in mint condition. Learn more about E.O. Brody here.

New Listing on Etsy - Vintage Emerald Green Swirl Pattern Glass Vase

2010-04-10T17:01:00.000-05:00

Just posted in the store:

Denim 10 years later

2010-03-22T12:24:00.000-05:00

Like most women, I have this pair of jeans that I keep in the back of my dresser drawer. No, they're not jeans that are so tight I have to lay on the bed and exhale to zip up. They're jeans that I loved to wear when I was 23 years old that suffered the fate of too much of my love..... I wore them so much that a distressed spot on the back of my left leg just under my butt cheek eventually became a small hole which grew with each wear and wash. That tiny hole is now a gaping canyon stretching the width of the leg from seam to seam.

No, I won't post any pictures of me in them so you can see the hole. You'll have to take my word for it. :p

Anyone with common sense would have done something with these jeans: patched them, recycled them, or tossed them. Not me. These jeans were so perfect on me at the time, hugging every curve, with the perfect length inseam, that I couldn't bear to let them go. So there they rested, first lurking in the back of my closet, buried in the mess, and then recently liberated and relocated to my newly-cleared dresser drawer.

I haven't put them on years -- 10 to be precise. My weight has changed here and there over the decade, and I really didn't want to depress myself by putting on jeans that were likely to be too small for me to squeeze my thighs into.

Today, however, I'm home with my sick 8-year-old (I swear, I'm going to turn her into the next bubble girl if this keeps up) and not feeling great myself, and had the crazy idea that I was going to try them on. Slowly, I slide my right leg in..... with no trouble. And I stop, shocked for a moment. Is it possible that I'm thinner than I was at 23?! No, it can't be! I slide my left leg in, and surprisingly, no trouble other than attempting to keep from snagging the gap with my foot. I pull the seat over my kiester, button, zip, and -- holy cow!!!!! -- they fit!

And they're a little loose!! oh my gosh....

And I smile. Ah, this is nice, but my left butt cheek is cold :(

So, until I find a way to repair them (reweaving the denim might be possible, but kinda pricey, and I don't want to patch them unless there's no other option), I've been cruising new jeans. Sadly, I have expensive taste, but I love these so much.

Someday soon, these will be mine!!!!

*image courtesy of Couture Candy

Mmmmm..... Pi

2010-03-14T13:00:00.002-05:00

I had no idea that there was a day that was dedicated to Pi. No, that's not a typo. I do mean Pi, as in 3.14159...... And while I'm no math geek (math is cool! Stay in school, kids!), this is kinda neat. Check out Pi Day.

Hello, lover!

2010-03-08T10:30:00.001-06:00

*sigh* Isn't it beautiful? We just bought it with the money from selling the dining room table. Now I can have my caramel lattes whenever I want.... If I seem shaky and jumpy, it's just the caffeine!

Sold!

2010-03-06T21:07:00.000-06:00

It's gone.

It served us well.....when we used it.

Farewell dear dining room table! (Whew! I really didn't want to have to move it!)

2010-03-05T16:30:00.001-06:00

Longest.
Friday.
EVER!!!

Meow!!!

2010-03-01T20:47:00.001-06:00

Rhinestone & Leather Cat / Kitten Ears
Originally uploaded by Topsy Turvy Design

I've never been one to wear animal ears on my head..... not even at Halloween. My 8-year-old daughter frequently runs around with bunny ears on (we call her Bunny sometimes too; she's just so cute and cuddly). But these might make me change my mind......

Event - The March Craft Fairy - March 7, 2010

2010-02-28T08:10:00.000-06:00

I just found out about this craft sale/event on Belmont: The March Craft Fairy....

Gothic crafty goodness galore! If it's half as good as it sounds, I'm going to be drooling over super-cool gothy handmade goods. *sigh* I can't wait! Hope to see you there :)

OMG I love this!!!!

2010-02-27T22:13:00.003-06:00

I am now completely in love with Minxshop on Etsy. This tunic is gorgeous!

p.s. - I wish my hair looked like that too.... So hot!

At least I'm trying to sell SOMETHING....

2010-02-27T21:33:00.001-06:00

So, shoot me.... I'm not selling much of anything on my Etsy store right now. I haven't been knitting much, and when I have, I've been working on a pair of grey cable knit armwarmers. They're almost finished.... just need to finish the seams.

I've finally worked up the motivation to put my dining room table up for sale. It's a clutter magnet, since we don't use it for meals except for once a year. So, it's now up on Craigslist, and I have my fingers crossed that someone will want it, and will show up with some big, burly men to move it out of my apartment. I could really use the space (not to mention the cash)!

Once the table is gone, then I can move a white table from storage into the space where the dining room table is, then move all my knitting and sewing stuff onto it. Ah, to have a dedicated workspace! I'm so excited :)

I also might have a new business opportunity.... My daughter's guitar teacher also owns the music store & school she attends. We've discussed that I'm trying to start a business and he's expressed an interest in some music-themed book bags and simple totes. I promised to whip something up and see if he is interested in offering them for sale in his store. I'm a busy gal!

Ta ta for now :)

New look to the blog

2010-02-21T09:12:00.000-06:00

It's new, it's fun, it's funky...... and tweaking the html code yesterday sucked! I'm still not finished, but it's in basic working order. I'll have to spend more time tweaking elements of the code as time goes on, which means that I'll have to break out the teeny tiny bit of html code in my brain, dust it off, and hope that everything I remember still applies.

In the meantime, I'd love comments on the new design! Any thoughts, complaints, constructive criticisms?

PSATs and snow....

2010-02-20T14:03:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it slipped my mind that my 12-year-old had the Pre-SAT at 8:00 am this morning! Maybe I was just in denial that my baby girl is growing up (although, that's more apparent every day.)

The alarm went off at 6:30am -- a sin on Saturday mornings as far as I'm concerned -- and I rolled out of bed, hair messy, threw on jeans and glasses, brushed teeth, grabbed a Diet Coke..... and we were out the door. The drive wasn't long, only 20 minutes, but I guess this morning Nature saw fit to slow down my commute with....snow! Don't get me wrong, snow is lovely, but people forget how to drive in it. Too fast, too slow, not paying attention, or they think that front wheel drive means that they can make it through the slippery slush without spinning out. Ah well, morons notwithstanding, we made it to the testing center without tragedy :)

My little girl spent 4 hours in a little room taking tests which probably won't mean much in a few years when she takes the SAT for college. But it was a great learning experience for her and I'm so proud of her for stepping up and taking the test.

I'm getting choked up even now...

2010-02-12T08:20:00.001-06:00

You never realize how reliant you are on computers until you're forced to function without yours for 4 hours waiting for it to be repaired....

Listing soon - Small turquoise handwarmers

2010-02-08T13:30:00.000-06:00

My latest project was a more petit version of the large, 2 button handwarmers I just sold. These are more of a handwarmer style, as opposed to my usual wrist or armwarmer design. Photos of these (not from my cellphone) will be posted on Etsy shortly....

Sold! Turquoise handwarmers

2010-02-08T13:26:00.000-06:00

Hurray! I've had my second sale in the last few weeks.

I'm keeping my fingers (toes, arms, legs, eyes) crossed that I can keep the sales rolling as I'm updating inventory and working on new patterns.

Work in progress - Turquoise handwarmers

2010-02-05T13:20:00.001-06:00

I've been working on handwarmers for just a little while, fiddling around with a couple of my own rough patterns for 3 or 4 months. I found this really great wool in a lovely turquoise color. It makes me think of the ocean in all those pictures of island beaches that I drool over.

This particular pair of handwarmers has been promised to someone, but I should be able to make 2 or 3 more pairs out of the yarn that I have. I'll post them up on Etsy. Maybe someone else will love wearing something that evokes the idea warm ocean water during our dreary, cold winter :)

P.S. - Sorry for the not-so-great images. These photos were taken in horrible florescent light with my cell phone camera.

2010-02-04T14:37:00.001-06:00

I'll be updating the blog soon. This is too blah for my taste. I'm trolling templates and will be soliciting comments after it's been changed :)

2010-02-04T14:34:00.001-06:00

Oooooh :) that worked! To the 1 non-family member looking at my blog (you know who you are), I've just posted twice in 1 day!

2010-02-04T14:29:00.001-06:00

I'm testing to see how well (or if) blogging from my phone works. SOMEONE has commented that I haven't posted in a while.... So here's a post!

Technorati

2010-02-01T09:37:00.000-06:00

I've claimed my blog on Technorati (technorati.com) in an effort to drive more traffic to my blog, and, subsequently, to my Etsy store (bettybee.etsy.com) as I'm ramping up to really get moving on my business.

Code me, baby!!!

Q2JDJAZ3GE7Q

As seen in a middle school classroom...

2010-01-29T16:09:00.000-06:00

Clever. So very clever....

Mark your calendars: Our King's Faire Holiday Craft Bazaar - Nov. 14, 2009

2009-10-13T11:17:00.000-05:00

Hello, dear readers!

I hope you're ready for some crafty awesome-ness! I know I am!

Christ the King Catholic Church is hosting Our King's Faire Holiday Craft Bazaar on Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. Christ the King Church is located in Wonder Lake, Illinois, just north of McHenry, and a mere stone's throw from Wisconsin. The church is at 5003 E. Wonder Lake Rd. (click here for link to Google Maps ).

BettyBee will have a small table there. Come over and say "hi" (but take it easy on us -- it's our first time)!

Hope to see you there :)

Sale extended until September 30th!!!

2009-09-16T14:54:00.000-05:00

I've extended the free shipping offer on the granny square blanket in my Etsy store. This blanket is big enough to cover a twin or full-size bed and is crocheted from lovely fall/winter colors.

Come on, gang! Give this blanket a home! :)

Sale at Etsy -- Buy my granny square blanket

2009-09-04T14:58:00.001-05:00

In honor of the Labor Day holiday, and all the hard labor we put in for the teeny, tiny bit of cash that we manage to make, I'm offering free shipping this weekend on the Granny Square blanket in my Etsy store.

That's a savings of $10, on top of the already reduced price of $42!!! Check out Etsy.com while you're chillaxing over the long weekend and give my store a look :)

www.etsy.com/bettybee/

Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago

2009-09-03T11:24:00.000-05:00

It's that time again. Renegade Craft Fair is about to grace the fair city of Chicago with its crafty goodness. You must go and tell me all about it, since I won't be around this weekend. *sniff, sniff, sob*

Why, Granny, what big squares you have!

2009-08-25T23:44:00.005-05:00

Hey, y'all.

The granny square blanket needs some love. Come buy it!

First Listing on Etsy.com

2009-08-13T22:40:00.013-05:00

Check it out!
My first item listed on Etsy!

It's a granny square blanket in cranberry, navy, and mint green. Lovely and soft, so that I almost want to keep it for myself.

Save me from being a pack-rat. Give this granny square blanket a good home! Click here!