the goods, the bad, the winner

so where do i start, the good, the bad, or the winner?  whenever i have several things to talk about, i never know where to start, and that goes for blog posts and real life; i'm kind of scatter-brained all the time, and i hope it doesn't get worse with age otherwise i only have a few more good years before i'm crazy.  anyway, first i want to announce the winner of the danielle clubmaster sunglasses from tumbleweeds!  drum roll..... the winner is LIZ!

now, how about some good(s)?  it's been cold and rainy here, so i've been watching old tv shows (the millionaire is one of my favorites) and stockpiling links of all the things i want, want, WANT!  i'm seriously eyeballing the boots, but there's just one thing in the way of me making them mine, and i call him husband.  why must my wants outnumber my dollars?

you can find these beauties here: lulu*s, i miss the sea, raw dezign, honey and bloom, turquoise city, lulu*s, hindsvik, tumbleweeds handcraft

okay, it's time for the bad.  but there is some sliver of good in it., so i won't be a complete negative nancy.  last night beca told me that there was a shop on etsy selling cell phone cases with my elephant painting on them.  it felt like a punch in the gut.  i put so much work into what i do, and i just finished communicating with someone who told me a few months ago that she loved my shop and was inspired by it, and then ended up copying some of my paintings, so the last thing i wanted was to have to deal with it again.  not only did Daddydecor steal my artwork, they also stole artwork from several other artists on etsy, and then used it to make a profit.  this is disgusting and it makes me so fucking mad i could shoot smoke out of my ears.  i'm not sharing this because i'm looking to have my ego stroked, but rather as 1. a warning to artists who share their work on the thief-infested internet - be proactive and STAND UP FOR WHAT'S YOURS, and 2. to hold people like Daddydecor accountable for their actions in hopes that potential customers will see it and not give another cent to sellers who don't think twice about stealing.  this sort of thing runs rampant, and sadly, there's so much of it on etsy it makes me want to cry. the listings have been removed, thanks to another artist (whose art had been stolen) confronting the seller, and that's the good part, but etsy (as usual) refuses to get involved and enforce anything; let a non-vintage item be listed as vintage though and etsy is on it like white on rice, because that's an important issue, right?  geez.  i think beca summed it up pretty well in her last blog post, so i won't continue a rambling tirade, but be sure when buying things - handmade or otherwise - that you're supporting the REAL artist and not a copycat or thief!

take a look at these treasures.

apparently i'm not the only one who was about to go into nervous breakdown mode yesterday because the mail didn't run, and i'm glad to know it! i pretty much camped out by the living room window this morning checking about every two and a half seconds to see if the mail had been delivered. finally, it was delivered. and it was glorious. i got a certain supply i've been wanting so i can get on the ball with tote bag making, and i got two other special somethings that i can't wait to show off!

one thing i've been anxiously awaiting is this pretty amethyst core sample from sarah's etsy shop, sadie. because of chris' crazy mixed up employment ordeal, i've been really good about not shopping with the exception of necessary supplies (and it's sucked, i won't lie, because i have so many talented and creative friends i want to support). this necklace, however, had to be mine no matter what. sarah had a valentine's sale in her shop, and that pretty much sealed the deal! sarah has a blog as well as her shop, and i think you'll really like her!

the other thing i've been excited about for the last few days is this amazing, earth-shattering, heart-stopping pair of boots! i don't think boots can get much better than this, and i'm happy to say that they're now mine! one of my absolute favorites, maria, and i did a trade and this is what i got! i'm thinking she got jipped because there's no way she can be as happy as i am! i'd been eyeing them in her vintage shop, little tree vintage, for a while, and i kept hoping that somehow i'd make some extra money so i could buy these! not that her prices are high, i'm just pretty much broke. when she agreed to do a trade with me, i almost roundhouse kicked through a wall i was so excited! if you're looking for vintage or handmade jewelry, check out her shop, or if you're looking for some new reading, be sure to check out her blog!

and how awesome is it that she drew a picture of flojo for me?!? i was amazed and i was smiling so big it almost ripped my face. also, i love the nickname she gave me, "toes." and speaking of nicknames, another one of my favorites is, "beans" courtesy of my soul sister, carla.

blooper: when i first started to take pictures, my big kona bear was pretty curious about the camera flashing on the tripod...or maybe he just wanted to be on my blog, i'm not sure. he's a cutie, so i figured i'd include his picture, too!

my husband might say i collect boots...

...and i would tell him i need a few more pairs before it's an official collection (wink). here's the problem i have: all of my boots are suede, and suede does not protect your feet well in rainy, snowy or icy conditions. my part time job as a field representative requires me to go from client to client to #1 get advertising information, and #2 be the happy, friendly face of the company, and i get to do it in all types of weather. i've been looking for a year or so for a pair of leather boots to keep my feet dry, but the main thing i wanted was a pair with a large enough circumference to fit over my skinny jeans without being so tight. i hadn't found any until lauren did an outfit post on her blog with this amazing pair of boots. i went to target the very next day and saw they had my size...jackpot #1. then i tried them on and saw that there was enough room for jeans...JACKPOT #2!!!

i got them in taupe because i thought that color would work with everything. the best part is that they were only $49.99, and while i know that isn't just pennies, it really is a hell of a deal for real leather boots. so i'm foreseeing many, many outfits for years to come that include these boots! the dress is french connection, but i was lucky enough to get it at the thrift store for $3!

you may remember me posting (a lot) back in the summer about the tiny baby kitties that i was raising. well, i've been missing them like crazy, and i swear every cat i see makes me miss them more. yesterday when micaela and i were at our favorite antique shop, i couldn't help but stop and rub a pretty long-haired black and white cat relaxing in the sun by a window. on my way home, i was so sad thinking about that soft kitty cat because i so badly want a feline friend to live with me. it's really crazy though, because i've always liked cats okay (we always had them when i was a kid), but i didn't give much thought to having a cat child...until i raised the kittens. now i'm cat crazy and all i can think about is having one curled up in my lap. that's random, i know, but i just can't stop thinking about cats.

thank you to miss stringbean studio for featuring dinosaur toes jewelry!

thank you to carla for being one thousand kinds of awesome, and for the blog feature!

if i'm forgetting anyone, please remind me, i'm terrible at remembering things.

wishlist wednesday!

you know one of the things i really hate about being a woman, besides aunt flo? it's the way we can talk ourselves into believing we really need something that, when we think logically, know we can live without (even though it's difficult). when it comes to shoes, and especially boots, i wish i could be more like a man, in that i'd be happy living with only three pairs. well, i'm all woman about boots, and as far as i'm concerned, the more i have, the happier i am! here are a few pairs i can't live without wouldn't mind adding to my small (even though chris would disagree) collection...

i know the last two pairs aren't boots, but i want them just the same. sources: 20twenty vintage, lolly crisp vintage, blueberry deluxe, rarae aves, need supply co.

now that we got the wish list out of the way and i can mourn over all the shoes i don't have, i have a few questions for you... i've lost several followers this last week, and while i know it's completely normal, and i'm not taking it too personal, i want to know what you expect in a blog. i've asked before, but be honest, even if you say my blog totally sucks and needs a major overhaul; you won't have to see me crying because of the shield that is the internet. kidding. but seriously, what would you like to see more or less of? do you like the wishlist wednesday posts?

if you have a wish list you'd like to share, please leave me a link in the comments section so i can see what you're currently lusting over!