Do What You Love

As I shared with you before, back in April I attended the Women's Show in Nashville, TN.  A friend and I took a road trip there and back, enjoying each and every moment along the way.  One of those moments was during the show when she wanted to visit the Miche booth. 

I had always admired this particular friend's handbag, so I was quite eager to take a look at the Miche products with her.  Little did I know at that moment I was about to fall head over heels, hopelessly in love with this product!

For those of you that are not familiar with Miche, it is not just not a handbag, but an extroadinary handbag.  This particular product has many faces because you buy the base bag (which comes in several sizes and shapes) and then you buy separate shells for the bag.  You will never have to change your bag again and yet you will always have a bag to match your outfit!  They never go out of style and each and every month a new lineup of shells is released, allowing you to continually update your wardrobe without breaking the bank.  Of course the best part is that these shells attach with the use of earth magnets, safe for your credit cards, cell phone, cameras, and even airport security.  And as a result, they are super easy and quick to change.  You can swap out handles as well, resulting in endless possibilities. 

Ok...so getting back to my story...you guessed it.  I bought my first Miche.  Well, it was a bundle.  I bought the mini, an adorable smaller bag, with three shells.  I wore that bag for about a month, changing my shell every chance I got.  I knew I had to have more.  I thought to myself, "Self, why not host a Miche party?!"  And so I called a rep in my area to set one up.  Only one problem...the rep is on hiatus.  She referred me to another rep.  But that particular rep took several days to get back to me and in the meantime, I was talking to myself again.  "Self," I said "you could rep these gorgeous bags yourself!"  And so, the idea was born...I became a rep.

Last week I held my first party.  It was a huge success.  The bags practically sold themselves and I was a very happy camper.  Lesson learned.  Do what you love.  So, I am now selling Miche bags as well as running The Odd Sparrow.  Sure, I am a busy girl, but idle hands are the devil's workshop, no?  And honestly, I am happy as a clam!

**To find out how to become a Miche Party hostess, become a Rep, or if you simply want to buy a Miche, please email me at CarryAMiche@gmail.com or text me at 717-858-0806.**

What Creativity is All About

The warming spring weather with it's thunderstorms and humidity bring to my mind summertime memories of my childhood.  I spent most days outside, playing with my friends, either swinging on a tire from the tree, swimming in the neighbor's pool, or playing in the shade of the trees.  If it was too hot, we would be in the air conditioning...playing board games, reading books,  or watching game shows on TV.  But one of my most vivid summer memories involves a craft.

I learned to crochet rather young.  I don't remember exactly at what age, but my first experience with the hook came when my mom wanted to learn how to make a poncho and decided she could best learn from a friend at church who would take her step by step through the process.  For some reason my grandmother came along as well, and there we sat in Mrs. Schaeffer's house, crocheting.  Well, I didn't know what I was doing, but Mrs. Schaeffer gave me a little blue plastic hook and some leftover blue yarn and taught me how to crochet.  Little did she know that afternoon that I would be telling my friends about that day more than 4 decades later!

I practiced a lot on that piece.  I actually became quite good with the hook, gradually learning a couple of stitches and patterns.  One memory I have is of sitting outside in the summer, my dolls at my side, crocheting.  I crocheted a few gifts that year, a makeup case and a belt.  The case was a bit crooked and lacked a lining and a closure, but it did have a nice fold over flap (I am laughing as I type this!).  The belt...well...it was a strip of crocheted fabric.  No buckle.  Silly kid I was, thinking that was a good gift, but it was the thought that counted and I was thinking of my dear sister the whole time I made it.

Hopefully I have improved many times over since those days.  I go on crocheting binges here and there throughout the year.  Sometimes I am bored.  Sometimes I am not sure what I want to make.  Sometimes I get involved with other projects and do not have the time or energy to start with the hook. But inevitably I come back to crochet because it is so ingrained in me.

Crocheting is a skill I learned early on and have honed over the years and I will continue to crochet throughout my life.  It is part of me. I know my personality shows in my creations, for better or worse.  And isn't that what creativity is all about?

Do you have a craft that you have been doing since early on?  A childhood memory, or something you just keep coming back to?  I would love to hear your stories.  Please share!!!
 

HURRY!

Mother's Day is THIS Sunday!  So hurry on over to TheOddSparrow.com where I have listed all of my bedside organizers (under the Tuesday Treasures catgory) and get yours for a LOW price and you will receive a free linen spray with your fully loaded organizer!  Order TODAY so it will get to mom in time...and get an extra for yourself because you deserve it!!!

Mother's Day is this Sunday!

Today I received my package with items that were left from the Nashville Show.  This means that FINALLY...after all of this time...I can begin to put more of my handcrafted items onto The Odd Sparrow!  WHEW!  I took the pictures, weighed and measured the items today, already.  So as soon as I can edit the photos and get the information onto the site, you will be able to make your purchases!  I will be working tirelessly tonight and tomorrow to make sure that happens.  Please keep in mind that the organizers are designed to go with you, whether from one room to the next or on a trip, they are completely portable.  Moms everywhere will appreciate that!

If you would like to purchase for Mother's Day, you will have to purchase quickly.  Once I receive your order, I will gladly wrap it for you and mail it directly to your mom, so just indicate if you would like that in your order.  I can upgrade the shipping (at extra cost to you), so it will get there faster as well, so please also indicate that with your order. PLEASE NOTE that your bedside organizers will be fully stocked with notepad, pen, emery board and tissues, and some even include a little box of mints.  But as a BONUS I will also include a free Lavender Linen Spray made by Francie of The Scented Cottage as well as another free gift.  Your mom will get all of the bells and whistles that she deserves!  I am adding quilted, reversible laptop bags and two other quilted, reversible totes to the site so be sure to check those out as well.

In the meantime, I started another organizer.  I have a bit more hand work to do on this one, but it will also be ready shortly.

The Odd Sparrow participates each Tuesday in Tuesday Treasures themed shopping.  Please check each week for our themed specials at 20% off.  Each Friday is Free Shipping Friday for those who purchase $50 or more from The Odd Sparrow and use coupon code FRIDAY at checkout.  Additionally, there is always a Daily Deal at The Odd Sparrow where you will find one featured item daily with a low, low price.  Grab 'em while they're hot!

Ponderings...

"Remember that time is money."


Guess I better start spending more time with the gas station attendant.

Ponderings...

"Aim Low, Reach Your Goals, Avoid Disappointment."


How NOT to be successful...

Ponderings...

"Wisdom begins in wonder."


I wonder who said that...

Ponderings...

"A golden key can open any door."

So what does a silver key open?

Ponderings...

"A friend in need is a friend indeed."

Tell me...why is it only needy people that are your friends?  

Crazy Encouragement

Here I sit, in the quiet, long after my son and his sweet girlfriend have left again to return for the last few weeks of college. It's eerily quiet. My hubby is at work, my mom is out doing errands, and the dogs are resting from the weekend's activities. Even the air conditioner has turned it's hum to silence. I am left with my thoughts. Thoughts of what I have not been able to do this past two weeks and thoughts of what needs to get done quickly are creeping my mind.

One of those thoughts is this:  The Odd Sparrow is in need of more bed organizers must be done and listed on the site!  Now, for those of you that have traveled here from the Shabby Lane site, you may be looking for the organizers, one of which is being given away at shabbylaneshops.com today.  Unfortunately, Miss Catherine of SLS has all of the remaining organizers, so if you are interested in purchasing one, please do contact her by email at ShabbyLaneShops@comcast.net.  If you would like to have one made for yourself or  for your mom for Mother's Day, please contact me directly and I will hurry to make up more for you.  I will be sure to send it out to you ASAP and the shipping will be FREE!!!  Just email me at OddSparrow@msn.com!  They are $23.99 each and come in a variety of patterns.  Another picture of the prototype is here for your reference. The Odd Sparrow strives to make this the best Mother's Day for you and yours and that is why we are offering this special of free shipping!

Just another reminder:  Free Shipping Fridays is available each and every Friday on The Odd Sparrow with coupon code FRIDAY at checkout, but you must order $50 or more!  Also, Tuesday Treasures at The Odd Sparrow features themed shopping at 20% off every Tuesday.  Daily Deals are also available at a really nice price each and every day.  Be sure to come back frequently to see if your favorite item is being featured!

Of course, there are a whole lot of other crazy thoughts bouncing around in my head as well.  There are so many more products to be made, personal errands to be run, housecleaning to do...and above all PLANNING!  But before I delve head first into a mountain of work this week, I am going to take a few moments with the Lord and renew my strength.  Let me encourage you to do the same with this song and verse from Isaiah:

Everlasting God

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

20/20

No! I am not referring to hindsight...but I AM referring to our online show special this week! As you know, I will be at the Southern Women's Show in Nashville this week with some new products and I would love for you to join The Odd Sparrow at this event. I will be showing in the Shabby Lane booth.

Of course, understand if you cannot make it to the show. For some of you that is a very long way to go. Since the new products are not yet available online, I want to extend a little special to my online only customers: 20/20. This week ONLY you will receive 20% off your order of $20 or more with coupon code 20/20 at checkout.

A few quick notes: Tuesday Treasures every Tuesday at Shabby Lane and The Odd Sparrow is still on this week. Free Shipping Friday applies on all orders over $50 with coupon code FRIDAY, however, you may only use ONE coupon code at checkout, so please be sure you choose which will be best for you. The Daily Deal category offers a specially priced item each day. Please check back regularly...maybe your favorite will be on sale! And, last but not least, be sure you get your faux Easter cupcakes THIS WEEK so they will arrive in time for your celebration. There are only a few left and they appear under the Daily Deal category as I have them specially priced at rock bottom for you!

The new items will be online shortly and I'll be sure to let you know when they arrive. But in the meantime, happy shopping!

Oh...and little P.S. here...I just wanted to put a smile on your face to get you through the week. Here is my little buddy:

I am FAUX hungry!

This week I wanted to share with you a few of the new items that I have already listed on my site at The Odd Sparrow. First up, cupcakes! These festive yummies have zero calories, but do not be deceived! They may look very tasty but they are for your eyes only...no eating!

As you can see, the cupcakes in the pictures above are for your Easter decor, so you want to "hop" on these fast, because they will not last long. There are only a few available of each style and when they are gone they are gone for good!

Next up...another spring goodie! These are such sweet little pots for Mother's Day. Add a packet of seeds and a pair of garden gloves and viola!...the perfect gift. Or just add Mom's favorite plant - she will love that!

We have added Daily Deals to the site as well. Each day you will be offered one of our amazing products at a special price, so be sure to check back EVERYday for your deals!

Don't forget to visit The Odd Sparrow and all participating shops at Shabby Lane each Tuesday for Tuesday Treasures themed shopping. The Odd Sparrow offers 20% off all items in the Tuesday Treasures category. And of course, please remember to visit us at the Southern Women's Show in Nashville this April!

Preparations

This week has been a busy time for me. I have been trying to get back into a bit of a routine, which has proved a challenging feat. As you can see, I have had some "help" with my sewing and as cute as my little helper is, I am afraid he is very little help at all!

My efforts have not been for naught as I have managed to crank out a few totes to take to the Southern Women's Show. Along with the bedside organizers I believe that I will have a nice little display for my tiny part in the Shabby Lane booth. I sure hope you will be able to attend. I will be there and would love nothing more to meet you!

In addition to my efforts directed toward the show, I have more plans for my site, including some of the totes and bedside organizers. Creative ideas are swirling in my head now and they are causing me to become a very dangerous whirling dervish of activity in my craft room. WATCH OUT, DURANGO!!! Truth be known, I am finding my inspiration in just about everything this spring...birds, music, blooming flowers, children's laughter, books and magazines, colors, trees, scampering squirrels, and just about anything I see out my back door...including barking dogs! What a beautiful time of year to awaken one's senses. God has been so good to me and as He inspires me with His beautiful creation I hope to bring more of that blessing to you through The Odd Sparrow.

Please join The Odd Sparrow for Tuesday Treasures every Tuesday, where we offer discounts off of different themed items each week. Also remember that The Odd Sparrow offers FREE SHIPPING every Friday. Just type in the word FRIDAY for your coupon code at check out!

Soon to come: Daily Deals. We will be offering a special on one or more items each day. So once this option is up at running (before April 1) you will need to check back EVERY DAY for the specials available to you ONLY from The Odd Sparrow!

As always, thanks for reading and have a blessed week!

Please be patient...

This has been an interesting and fun week, though not productive overall. Even as I managed to keep up with my household duties such as laundry, cooking, and the like, I have not managed to create anything for the shop. There is truly a good reason for this...maybe a few.

This week my son has been home on Spring Break from college. He also brought his sweet girlfriend with him. What a treat! We have been laughing all week. It is so much fun to have them here, if only for a short time. We have looked through his baby photo albums several times, shopped quite a bit, chatted a lot, and watched videos into the wee hours. You see, I was soaking it up because on Sunday they left, heading back to their school in Virginia.

Some of you know that my mom had surgery on Thursday. We are currently looking ahead to the days when the recovery is complete, physical therapy and pain behind her. I am sure my sister will be coming for a visit with mom soon. But in the meantime, my nest is quiet...really quiet.

Maybe I will get more done in the week ahead because of my loneliness for the kids. Hopefully I will be able to pour it out into creativity, sewing myself silly, or crocheting, or painting, or some such activity. The ideas are there...and inspiration abounds. But time is short....too short not to enjoy your family when you have the opportunity. So, I look forward to bringing you more of my inspired work very soon. Until then, please be patient and keep your eyes on The Odd Sparrow but mostly keep your eyes focused on Jesus!

Flowers in Paris

Birds bring us the first inkings that spring is returning. But the second indication is the Philadelphia Flower Show! It was apparently Springtime in Paris last week and I was blessed to be there for the event! Oh...not the REAL Paris, of course. I was in Philadelphia for the Flower Show, whose theme was none other than Springtime in Paris.

Jaw dropping displays captured our imaginations from the moment we stepped onto the floor of the show. The entryway was graced by an arch replicating the famouse landmark, the Eiffel Tower.

The amazing floral displays were beyond my ability to share in just photos and words. It was an incomparable experience to be surrounded by such creativity and beauty. Everything from butterflies and peacocks to...

...French market scenes to...

...french inspired parlours to...advertisements! I want to share with you a little humor and a bit of fun. Below you will see an advertisement for Smith and Hawken patio and lawn furniture. This may seem a strange thing to photograph. But the eye is deceiving. I actually took this picture to demonstrate the creativity of the vendors at the show. This photo is of a WALL! Yes, the patio furniture you see here is actually attached to the wall. Amazing!

The vendor in the picture above, right, speaks for their creativity with the name of their company. I couldn't help but laugh a little, displaying my own warped sense of humor.

And though I have more photos of the show, I must not only pick and choose what to share for the sake of space, but many did not turn out well. I forgot to bring my camera and had to use my Razor phone. So, though I do apologize for the quality of the photos, I also am so happy to have some memories to share with you. And lesson learned: REMEMBER CAMERA next time!

To celebrate this year's Philly Flower Show, please head on over to my website at The Odd Sparrow where we are featuring a special price on my Springtime in Paris

painting as well as our Tuesday Treasures specials. Happy Spring to you!

New and Exciting!

I took the weekend "off" in hopes of being rested up for the week ahead, but to no avail. You see, we spent the weekend visiting my son at college. That involved a 5-6 hour drive each way which somehow managed to drag out to...well...you don't want to know! What with all of the rain and the traffic, let's just say it was a very late night coming home.

So you might be surprised to know that I actually have a sneak peak for you this week! The item I am showing you here is actually the prototype of a new product that you will soon be seeing in my web store at The Odd Sparrow. This bedside caddy has been in the

works for a while and I have several made up which will soon be en route to Nashville for the Southern Woman's Show in April. You will find them at the Shabby Lane Shops booth along with many other beautiful items featured by the shops at Shabby Lane. I hope you can visit the booth at the show, but if now, you will certainly be able to buy these online at The Odd Sparrow very soon.

And...speaking of Shabby Lane and The Odd Sparrow, please don't forget that tomorrow is Tuesday Treasures, where we will be featuring special discounts on items you will need as we "Countdown to Spring!" Be sure and get your spring shopping done this week! Also, please remember that Fridays we offer FREE SHIPPING on purchases of $50 or more. Just use coupon code: FRIDAY at checkout at The Odd Sparrow.

It's a process...

You have seen The Odd Sparrow's final products on our website but you have rarely seen something actually in progress. Why? Well...it's not that it is a huge secret. I confess. I am not the neatest worker on the planet. You see, I have this tendency to get into one thing...then another...and then another...all while doing my best to stay on track with my first project. I know, it sounds a little crazy...and it is. But I love what I do and I get excited about each and every idea as they roll down the pike.

Where do I get these ideas? There are a lot of answers to that question, but the quickest and most accurate answer is that they come mostly from "conversations" that I carry on with a dear friend. These "conversations" happen exclusively online via private chats and they occur with one person and one person only. Who is this mastermind? None other than Francie of The Scented Cottage. Whenever an idea pops up in my mind, it is usually refined and sometimes transformed through the daily conversations that Francie and I share. It is such a blessing to have a creative friend that shares and inspires me in my crafting adventures.

So who inspires you? Take note: I did not ask what, but rather who. There are many ways to be inspired, but for many of us there is that one person that can get your creative juices flowing and push you on to the next level. Even if you are not a crafter, you need that someone in your life that moves you onward and upward.

For me, upward to the things of God is not just important, it is crucial. In my spiritual life one of the greatest blessings I have is my son, Alex. Today I would like to share his blog, STAND, with you and I do hope that you will follow it regularly. It will inspire you in your walk with Christ and transform your thinking ...from the ordinary to the extraordinary! Meet him here at: AlexKocman.tumblr.com. Enjoy and be blessed!

And one last note: Tuesday Treasures is once again upon us and we are celebrating SPRING!!! So hurry on over to The Odd Sparrow for some great spring savings of 20% off our Tuesday category and don't forget to shop at Shabby Lane too!

Invitation

Who: YOU! and all your friends!

What: Tuesday Treasures

When: All day Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Where: at The Odd Sparrow and all other participating shops at Shabby Lane

Why: to celebrate this week's theme of Vintage Inspired Treasures

How: Just click the above link to The Odd Sparrow and Shabby Lane Shops and get shopping!

Grand REopening...and renewed passion

I have been noticeably absent from the blog world for almost a year. It's been quite a journey these months and I hope to share some of those experiences with you in the months to come. But the announcement I want to make today is that The Odd Sparrow is up and running FULL FORCE!

Two days after the last blog post I began a new job. About a month later that job became full time for me and set me on a year long course that would require more time and energy than I had imagined. As a result, The Odd Sparrow had to be placed on the back burner and while it was still functional, new products were hard to come by as I did not have the time to create.

I am currently back at home full time and LOVING every moment of it. The Odd Sparrow has a renewed sense of purpose and a passion that will drive the company for years to come. I hope you will set out on this journey with me. It will be one of excitement, creativity, and passion for all things created. I have already begun restocking the shop with some unique and beautiful treasures and I am in the process of creating quite a few more. As each item is complete it will be added to the store, so always be on the lookout for new items.

Also, please note that the website is currently being updated to reflect new categories. There is a search engine to help you find your favorite items. But if you have any trouble finding them, you know where I am! Just send me an email and I'll get right back to you with the answers you need.

So with that I wish you a happy coming spring and lots of enjoyable shopping at The Odd Sparrow!