Feature Friday

I am sure this is not a totally new and unique idea, but I decided to start doing it as it seemed like fun and a great way to meet other sellers on Etsy. OK - truth be told, I am also hoping new people will find me in the process as well.

Each Friday, I will post an Etsy Mini from that shop - can be seen on the right side of my blog underneath my little etsy mini. They will be there all week long for FREE. A little bit of free advertisement for them and they will mention me to their blog friends as well. One of those, you scratch my back and I'll scratch our back ideas. Like it? I do!

I've got my 1st two shops lined up and have several others that have expressed interest so I should be able to share several great shops with you each week for quite some time.

Also, I have heard from a little bird that one of my newest friends would like to sponsor a give-away right here on my blog. As soon as that is arranged I'll update you with the information. Of course that means you will need to check back here again soon. Trust me, you won't want to miss out on the opportunity - hey who doesn't like getting a FREE gift, no strings attached? I love it. I am carrying a great little pouch that I won recently - see below for more info on that.

Thoughts for Thursday

Photo by: Jenai Collins - Designs by Jenai
Titled: Take time to smell the flowers.

Happy Friday Eve!

I made a new friend yesterday, another awesome Etsy seller and she has a huge heart - Blaire of goodkarmasoaps. Her shop is full of fantastic soaps - with my must have, exploding frogs. Yes, I said it exploding frog soaps. I am going to win Aunt of the Year as I am ordering them for my niece and nephews.


Today she shared some words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama and I felt it was a great reminder to myself and wanted to share it with others as well. Take from it what you want and feel free to share it with others.

Instructions for Life from the Dalai Lama


1.Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2.When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3.Follow the three R’s: - Respect for self, - Respect for others and - Responsibility for all your actions.
4.Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5.Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6.Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7.When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8.Spend some time alone every day.
9.Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10.Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11.Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12.A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13.In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14.Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
15.Be gentle with the earth.
16.Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17.Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18.Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19.If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
20.If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

I would like to challenge each of you to find at least one item above to reflect on for the day. Also, practice an act of kindness as often as you can and watch how your life changes. Feel free to come back here and comment on either my challenge or an experience you have had with a random act of kindness.

Jenai

Meet my new friend - Herbert

Every once and awhile I come across something that really catches my eye or heart for that matter. I fell in love with Herbert the moment I saw him. He is just the cutest guy ever and he is so well traveled and has many friends.

Yes, Herbert is an owl, a drawing of an owl by a very talented and creative Etsy artist, Maggie Hurley. Maggie went to school at the Laguna College of Art and Design before moving to San Francisco and then on to Berkeley, which she now calls home. She accepts commissions for portraits, specializing in children and pets. She occasionally sculpts as well. She is multi-talented for sure.

When I saw the picture of Herbert and the Aliens I knew I had to talk with Maggie and Herbert and invite them to my blog. They agreed to share some information with us as well as some pictures.

Share a little about yourself and what inspires you: I've been drawing and painting as long as I can remember and seem to have difficulty focusing on just one genre. Herbert, my little owl, sprang to life one day of his own accord. I just surround him with what feels right. This same idea rings true for most of my work - I feel like more of a conduit than a creator. I think, in a lot of ways, each of my paintings is a direct line into what I'm thinking at that moment... often I can't really tell how I'm feeling until I read the expression on my character's face!

Other locations were Maggie's artwork can be seen - check them out:http://hushmouse.etsy.com/, http://hushmouse.blogspot.com/, and http://www.maggiehurley.com/

Above is one of my favorite pictures of Herbert with his Alien friends, below Herbert can be seen on a magic carpet ride and riding along with his Yak friend. Check out Maggie's other sites to see her wonderful work.

Thanks Maggie for sharing these great pictures with us and a bit about yourself.