Back in Action

Sunday - Coffee and Cake
weekly musings, articles and mostly babble...


Back In Action It's been a busy few days, and for a change I feel like I'm on track with things! Including doing some new stuff like furthering my web presence on the blog, getting more exposure for the Monday Magic-ers by bringing them into the Etsy Treasuries, even getting a few new prints on the go :) I also sold a copy of Coco Pink earlier in the week which brightened my spirits and a lot of my efforts in recent days have has really positive responses from all that have been involved (and especially the kind few that have returned kind gestures of their own!)
I thought to myself on Monday that it'd be great if I could bring more views in for the Monday people that manage to get featured and thought I'd see what would happen if I created an Etsy Treasury, themed on our newest stars to Etsy... and it has had a tremendous response, I have to say I am really pleased with the feedback so far and I have decided that every Monday Magic group will get inclusion in any treasury I manage to grab (you have to fight for the things!) from here on. I don't know how many people pay attention to the stats of sellers when they find shops and items through Etsy search, or even if anyone checks Etsy pounce regularly which I do try and do because you never know what little surprises you may find with the emerging talents as opposed to what is already known to be fabulous with the established Etsians. I think the treasury on top of the Monday Magic post, although only focusing on 12-16 sellers a week is a step in the right direction for giving the newbies a chance to shine and get acknowledged before they and their items get smothered under the increasing amount of items and sellers adding themselves to Etsy every day. It's something anyway!
A couple of people got in touch with me with lovely kind gestures of their own which I thought was very nice of them, and wanted to give them a shout out because they're so lovely!
TurcoArts, a fellow photographer may I add sent me a message thanking me for showing interest in their work and offering 10% off any purchases, not only for me but anyone that I refer to his store in the future. I told him I'd mention this in the blog which I know made him quite happy and to remind anyone that visits his store from the link on here that plans to buy a photograph, to let him know that you had a referal from moonangelnay! Also I wanted to share a gesture from Wintergarden on Etsy whom kindly included my print Against the Grain in her gorgeous spotlight on byhand.me which is well worth checking out, its a stunning collection of items as is her store of beautiful knitted flowers! Thanks ever so much for that!
So regarding the community my fingers have been very busy on my keyboard! In my own little world however when not chasing my son and being booted from the inside by the baby.. and housework, I have somehow found the time to get a couple of new prints and like I said earlier, get some further word out about things like the blog and also my store... Infact I made an interesting discovery earlier whilst checking out the vault on CraftCults heart-o-matic site and found out that my print Twilight Rose had made the front page on Etsy on September the 18th 2009!!!! LOL! I never knew! I wish Etsy would tell people when they make the front page! At least I know why it's had a zillion views!

Anyways I'll leave the rambling at that as I have a new week to focus on after this and more newbies to find!

moonangelnay x

SUNDAY... Coffee and Cake

Sunday - Coffee and Cake
weekly musings, articles and mostly babble...




Sinuses, Snow and Slipped Stiches Well I think I'll apologise to begin with as my poor blog, Etsy and general internet activity have been on a virtual standstill for over a month now. I have slowly began doing little things like last week as you are aware, Monday Magic is back in action and regarding Etsy, I have popped into the forums a couple of times as well as catching up with my relists (as opposed to them catching up with me!). I honestly thought it was bad when I was running around helping mum and getting consumed by Christmas and I can't believe how hard it hit me, only the week before the big day I had the worst chesty cough imaginable that literally stopped me from doing anything. Bless my other half for doing as much as he could to help me regarding my son. It was bloody awful, each cough threw me into long coughing fits and I won't even go into the amount of tissue boxes I went through lol!!! Funnily enough my best day was Christmas day itself, where to my relief I was able to cook our lovely Christmas meal, as well as enjoy all the fun that the day brought to our household! Then to my dismay, Boxing day I started getting jaw and face pains, couldn't breath most of the time and generally looked like the living dead. Diagnosis... sinusitis! I still have it mildly now!!! but back then I was lucky if I could make it to the bathroom without writhing all the way there... I have never had any sort of winter bug like this. So as you can guess that is why my usual Etsy and Blog activity had to stop!
The past 2 weeks I have been able to get on with things again, so my priorities have been housework and knitting... knitting because in the days where I could barely move, it was the one thing I wanted to do the most, that I couldn't!!!! LOL! So I'm getting that out of my system to treat myself! so far I have made 2 hats and about to start a beautiful blanket for our new baby girl who is now in her 24th week residing in my tummy :) Not long now before she's here!
Another joy recently has been able to make the most of the crazy weather we've been getting in the UK. Around Christmas time when we had a bit of snow, but I was unable to get out and be a happy snapper being so unwell :( So the past couple of weeks have been wonderful, and besides working on some gorgeous new prints I have been able to have the best snow wars with my little boy and other half! Well worth the wait if you ask me! When you're not able to do much for yourself for weeks at a time, things like heavy snow, despite how much everyone around you seems to hate it is a real special thing to enjoy!
Anyways! Here is to health, knitting and some blooming independance! Hurrah!

moonangelnay x

SUNDAY... Coffee and Cake

Sunday - Coffee and Cake
weekly musings, articles and mostly babble...




Puppies! Hello! Oh my goodness, I have had a mental couple of weeks. I don't know if I said before but I have had a partner in crime when it comes to pregnancy and 2 weeks ago she had her babies! SEVEN of them!!!! Thank goodness she's a doggy that's all I can say lol! but WOW! What an experience! I was out with my partner and son when I first heard the news. Specifically standing under a doorway in the middle of the city center eating a cheese and onion pasty when my mum called me to tell me "Sascha" was in labour! I had been asked to assist the birth you see so after wolfing down my lunch I had to speed back to the car and make a move, yet before we even properly got going she called me back to say the first had been born! We were so excited, and knowing how big Sascha was we knew we had to get to my mums as fast as possible so not to miss the rest although the boys weren't going to join in on the spectacle so they just dropped me off. Unfortunately after I arrived it was another 2 and a half hours before puppy number 2 was born! couldn't believe it! And to top it off she was still massive so we knew there were more.... 6 hours later and all 7 had popped out! What a girl! And I moan about the trouble I have carrying one! LOL! Well I must say I felt very privalaged that Sascha allowed me to be "midwife" and very hands on at her birth, considering dogs are very private and protective at that stage. Poor thing had a terrible life prior to being rescued by my mum. She's still a puppy herself, under a year old and has seen abuse no one should see so early in their life at the hands of her previous owners and who knows who else. I think that may be why she was glad of the support, which has been a moving thought for both myself and my mum. Bless her. Well this is the reason I've not been so attentive to the blog, as being the more dog savvy I have been making frequent visits to assist my mum and advise too when it has come to the pups and their mum! Anyways I'll post their progress over the weeks for those that are interested! For now I'm off to play with my lil boy :)

Moonangelnay x

SUNDAY... Coffee and Cake

Sunday - Coffee and Cake
weekly musings, articles and mostly babble...






Reflection on Inadequacy
Ahhhh, to think it was only a week ago that I was having the panic of the century over losing the internet... I have been thinking about it and to be fair as much as my Etsy work and Blog had come to a standstill, the fact I was pretty ill that weekend with the Rotavirus came at a good time as believe me there was absolutely no way I was going to get anything done whilst living in the bathroom for a few days! Yet it left me feeling insecure which is something I have spent the week trying to reflect upon. That tech guy was right about one thing throughout his non-discreet sexist insults. People do heavily rely on the internet, whether it be for work in my case or just for fun in many cases. Being a stay at home mum I really do find that my escape only comes in the form of doing my own thing, and being busy about it... and I do get that from trying to get my business working as I am passionate about being an artist, and also about the handmade community. I guess being the drama queen that I am, the loss over that weekend left me feeling helpless and ordinary which was amplified by having a nasty bug to contend with! But it's funny how I really did feel a bit insecure without that little bit of independance I rarely get in other forms. Shows how much I love what I do!
But it got me thinking like I say about the lessons being laid out for me. I spent one of the mornings this week, having being blessed with a lie in! chatting to the other half about it. For as long as I can remember I have felt pretty inadequate and small in such a big world... events as they do, happened to make it worse... Like never knowing my dad, going through puberty before I reached 9, having relationships that stripped me of my self esteem are but a few examples which could have been worse, but did unfortunately leave me feeling fearful of losing things that DID give me confidence in myself. Then god bless my fortune, I met my current partner and have lived a very happy life ever since. Surely I should just feel better about everything now! I guess it doesn't work as easily as that... However I do know that I really sould be feeling good about things now, and reached an epiphany when I finally said to myself that I was actually being an absolute retard thinking in any other way! The past is the past come on woman! Seriously, I think it is so easy to fall into the trap of inadequacy you forget to remember that when good things are around, you ARE actually allowed to recognise it and reflect it within! I see so many sad stories in the news about people taking their own lives, or murdering other people due to their own feeling of self loathing and it goes to show the extremes that can come out of true fear. I feel I have learnt a valuble lesson having my partner and son as my guides this week, that true blessings really are disguised if you're the one throwing walls up at every possibility. I think the reason I am an artist and developed an interest in photography in recent years is not just the idea of my soul trying to project the beauty I see in the world, but mirroring the beauty I have been desperate to see in myself for so many years. It makes me more grateful to be doing what I am, whether business can be slow like all of us handmade lot know and experience daily. I understand why i felt lost this weekend, and it has only made me fall deeper in love with art, nature and who I am.

Moonangelnay x

Kettle And Me

I had a bit of fun earlier with a kettle and my camera whilst the boys were out and figured it was internet worthy. What could I possibly do with my camera and a kettle? (ho!) To be honest I don't even know what sparked the idea, but after the morning coffee I suddenly felt inspired to pull faces and take pictures... i love the way its distorted my head in all the pictures. Either completely over or undersized lol!!! Yeah I know I can be pretty basic! enjoy!