Snow of the decade?

Soldiers in a snowball fight at Camp Grant, Rockford, IL

1918

"A storm is developing...Tonight it will move across Missouri and west central Illinois to near Chicago by daybreak on Wednesday. This will be the most intense winter storm to affect the Stateline area in at least 10 years. Snow is expected to become very heavy tonight and possibly become convective with thunder and lightning." (mystateline.com 12/8/2009)

So, snow day for me? Or just another hyped-up case of the flurries? I'm hoping for the first option. I've already got grand plans for cleaning and Christmas decorating tomorrow.

Go bundle up!

-Carolyn Michelle

Festivity

First, to kick off the festivity, a few quick pictures of the highly successful Beat Black Friday event:

Since Thanksgiving, the Christmas spirit has been in the air here, even though our local farmers, my father included, are trying to discourage such things. It's been a hard fall: the unharvested corn stands in the fields as relentless reminders of that. December and stuff still isn't harvested?? Nevertheless, I'm patiently waiting for our first major snowfall, which is scheduled to hit on Wednesday. They are talking 6-10 inches. Now, that doesn't sound like much, but out here in the boonies it's not easy to drive some of the roads when they are clean. So, if this storm comes, we're in for a snow day.

YAY!

I'm so ready for the festivities to begin: my extended family is coming in to town on the 20th to celebrate Christmas with us and my beloved Caleb gets home from college, for good, on the 18th.

Above all, I'm only eleven days plus nine final exams away from glorious Christmas-Break freedom. Glorious!

As the day of Christ's birth is fast approaching, I'm filled with a sort of, child-like glee: I love this time of year. Despite the biting cold that nearly drives me to become a hermit, despite the crabby-pants politicians who tell me I can't say Merry Christmas and still be socially acceptable, despite the shopping frenzy and the late-night finals cramming and the terribly icy roads...I still love this time of year. For me it's a time of togetherness and fellowship that just doesn't happen often enough. Wonder and mystery still play into my Christmas season. It's nothing short of magical.

All this goodwillishness is making me want to go hug someone...

In other news: There is a tentative Fiber Freaks event in the mix over this lovely Christmas break. Keep your ears open for more details as they come.

Hope you all are having as good of a week as I am.
-Carolyn Michelle

Not another...

Not another blog post starting with the phrase: "Wow it's been a while." It seems to be the trend this time of year. I can't tell you how many blog posts I've just got done reading that began the same way. It just seems that nobody has been keeping up anymore! Oh well....if you can't beat 'em...

Here we go:

Wow, it's been a while!

Some quick updates before I start any new banter:

The Bethesda Alley Walk was a success for me, but not so much for my mother and sister. It's a shame that it turned out that way, because that means I probably will not be able to show there next year. A solo show just is not in the books right now.

School has started and now is in full swing. Between all the play practices and homework I finally managed to finish my first (and only) afghan. In down time during my Journalism class, I've been teaching some of my classmates how to crochet.

The college search has wound down to a close. I have my sights set on NIU's Art program. Now all that's left is to get accepted and get a billion scholarships.

Easy?

I'd rather tat a bedspread then burn it than have this crazy anticipation. (If you know how to tat, I think you appreciate that allusion)

In new-er news:

There is another Fiber Freaks Event on the horizon....

Presenting:

BEAT BLACK FRIDAY!!

When? On November 27th, 2009 (Aka, Black Friday)

What Time? 10AM-10PM (Aka, Open House)

Where? At 16027 Campbell Road (Aka, The Glenny Farm)

Who? Awesome crafty people who'd rather make some Christmas presents (Aka, YOU!!)

Are you excited by the prospect of waking up at the crack of dawn on November 27th just so that you can stand in long, boring lines and fight with some half-crazed soccer mom about who saw the Tickle-Me-Elmo first? I didn’t think so.

This year, take matters into your own hands: join your favorite Fiber Freaks for the first ever Beat Black Friday craft-a-thon. There's no limit to what you can make: be it a potential gift for a loved one, or just something experimental. So, come on over, bring your projects, and kick-off the Christmas season by doing something that’s low on stress and nice to the wallet. Because, seriously, who wants to spend more time and money on those exhausting shopping trips?

Now, I am aware that my readers (if I have any left) are probably not going to be in the Rockford, IL area during the Thanksgiving season. So why am I posting all the info about the Fiber Freak's Beat Black Friday event? Because I want to inspire my readers to try and organize their own Black Friday event in order to spread the crafty love and save some moolah. So, bust out your yarn stash and snag Santa's list on November 27th. Make this Christmas a handmade holiday! Oh, yah, and don't forget to post a blog about it and tell me how it went!!!

So there you have it folks: this post is proof that the insanity continues, even when I fail to document it on this lovely blog! I'm making an effort to stay back online, just because I miss you all so darn much.

All my love,

Carolyn Michelle

Coming This Fall...

Wow, a whole month of summer...gone, in an instant. From July to August, so much has happened: I've been home from School of the Art Institute since the 24th of July, Tara and Bubba's trip to New York, New York has come and gone, the days are fast approaching when I will have to once again pay my dues at the educational institution. I can't believe it. Spain and France seems like ages ago, when really it was meerly weeks. My summer, my perfect summer, is slipping away from me. Hopefully, there will be one last hurrah before the golden age fades away.

*sigh*

The trials of time moving faster than you planned it to...

In other news...there's a Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs event on the horizon!!!! I'll be showing with the newly formed Glenny Collective at the Bethesda Alley Walk in Rockford on the 19th of September. Now, I know what you are wondering: What the heck is the Glenny Collective??? Well, allow me to ellaborate: The Glenny Collective is a collaboration between Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design and two other Etsy shops that are run by two lovely Glenny ladies: Bubba and Tara. Yes, my sister and my mother. Neither of their shops are totally up-and-running, but in case you want to start snooping, Bubba's shop at least has a name:

Dear Lady Bubs

Tara's shop is TBA, so yeah. I'll keep you posted.

I'm pretty excited about doing a show with my family. It's a good way to start out, I guess. Plus, the booth is 10'x18' and I have no clue how I'd fill it alone!!!!!!

Alrighty...I really need to go and do some work. These college applications won't fill themselves out!!!

Yikes, college. There's a six-year-old version of myself inside me that's screaming "You are OLD" right now.

Eheh.

All my love,

Carolyn Michelle

Staying Inside Today

Today was the day that I had slated for finishing all my papers about my Spain and France trip. Lucky for me when I woke up at ten this morning, I discovered it was a terribly icky, rainy day. That meant that there would be not temptation whatsoever to go and run around and not do my work.

So I did my work...and after eight hours of good, hard work with only one long break: I'M DONE!!!!!!

And at an estimated sixty pages total, my assignments are all printed off and ready to be delivered to Ms. Webb, my dear art teacher, who will be grading them all for me while I galavant about in Chicago. This is a huge sigh of relief.

Now all that's left to do is clean the house. Ugggggggg cleaning.

But today was a very productive "staying-inside-today" day. I got my papers done and updated the shop (thanks to the hat-modeling talent of Tara, which you see above). What a good girl I am! Now, if only there were some ice cream in this household with which to celebrate my goodness. But alas, we are ice cream deprived.


Good night everybody!

Carolyn Michelle

Five Days

Five days. Five days left until I take off again, this time for Chicago. Okay, so I suppose it's not quite as far from home as Spain and Frace were...but I'm leaving again and this time it's even bigger to me. Yes, I loved Europe. It was wonderful and amazing in every way. I learned more than I thought possible, but this trip is a little longer and a lot more future oriented. I'm going to be learning the trade that I intend to use to make my career.



It's scary.



Really really scary.



I'm going to be doing the things I've been doing my whole life but this time, I'll be doing them with the intention to learn how to be perfect at them. I'm going to a school specifically for art and I'm going to learn how my heros and role models do what they do. This is not summer camp, this is HUGE to me. This is the first step on my path to where I want to go in life. I want to run my business, and make it soar. I want to spend the rest of my life doing terribly crafty, creative things that challenge me and keep my brain working until my body finally falls to pieces. Even then, I hope there's a hook in my hand and some yarn by my side.



Haha, I can just see it.



In other news, my mother is awesome. Yesterday I had to go and get all my supplies for School of the Art Institiute and let me tell you...my piggy bank is in no shape to do that.



So, Bubba, if you are reading this, thank you again for making this happen for me. I only hope that someday when my kids come up to me and say they want to chase their dreams and it requires a LOT of my money that I am able to smile, congradulate them on taking innitiative, and help them get where they need to go. How do you do it? Really, Bubs, I don't say it enough. You amaze me. It's moment's like this that make me realize it even more.



In other news, I'm almost done with the course work that accompanied my trip to Spain and France. I am the only student on the trip that is doing the work and let me tell you, I'm really glad that I'm doing all this. Sure I'm sacrificing my summer lazy time, but I'm learning so much more than if I had just gone on the trip.



And on the other hand, once I'm done with the work there will be so much time to do stuff!! Like...crochet.



I've been typing papers all day. I think I'll take a break for a bit.



Hope you all are having fabulous weeks.
Much Love,
Carolyn Michelle

Update

Just some teaser pics because, guess what? The shop was updated today!!!! Go and check out the goodies.

Enjoy the coldest July 1st on record! Darn that global warming :P

Heehee,

Yours,

Carolyn Michelle

Home, Sweet Home

Read about my adventures in Spain and France here.

Man it's good to be home! I had a blast on the trip, but alas, my aformentioned "crocheter's block" has only gotten worse. I bought some yarn that was made in Barcelona, Spain only to be asked by many people, "Que vas a hacer con lo?" "What are you going to make with it?"

Uhhhhhhhhhhh......

I think I'm in need of some serious crafty interventions. My shop hasn't been updated in MONTHS, I haven't made any new patterns since...since.....oh man.

So, in stride with that, I think it's time once again to have a Fiber Freaks event. Yes, an event. I just have to make some all-important phone calls and arrange a date, time, and food-provider.

I have a few tricks up my sleeve, so....be ready!

I plan on hosting the event BEFORE I go to Chicago on July 12th. By the time I get back from Chicago and School of the Art Institute, all my frineds will have had fantastic tans and wonderful parties without me. And with my luck, everybody will be on Vacation in August, the only month I'm actually HOME.

But, yes. An event. Tell me what you guys think?

Missed you all!
-Carolyn Michelle

Did you find a card on the street?

If so, congradulations: you now have a chance to win some fabulous free goodies from the Luck, Love, And Hedgehogs Design Shop!!! Here's what you do:

1. Find a card. These cards have been dropped by me and my team of tourists while we were out-and-about in Spain and France.

2. Take a picture of the card.

3. E-mail the picture of the card to me at luckloveandhedgehogs@hotmail.com

The rest is up to me! On June 30th (if I have gotten any e-mails!!!) I will draw at random one lucky winner to receive a package of goodies (valued at $30 USD) from the Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design Shop! Fantastic, no?

-Carolyn Michelle

24 Hours 'Til Take-Off...

...yeah I'm ready.

Be back in ten days!!!!!

Yours,

Carolyn Michelle

Postal Services

Air Mail Travel Journal by Paperama

Postal Love Necklace by prettypeonies

Embroidered love note by dashofmagic

...and I couldn't resist:

some passport stamps from Mondayne's flickr...

Feeling a little postal today. :) Doing my last few "getting ready" things today before we all take off on Sunday. Very excited. Have a fabulous weekend.

Yours,

Carolyn Michelle

Summer

I'd like to offer my very hearty welcome to Summer 2009, and boy, does it ever promise to be crafty!! I've got loads to do in these next three months including attending School of the Art Institute Chicago for two weeks and registering Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design to get a Federal ID Number. How exciting is that??? I know I mentioned that I was planning on registering MONTHS ago...but, well....yeah. Not even going to TRY and find an excuse for that one.

In other less...procrastination-oriented news, I've discovered a new craft: Bookbinding. Now, I can already hear you all shouting, "CAROLYN MICHELLE!!! Bookbinding is not a NEW craft!!!! It's practically the oldest one there is, spare making loincloths out of animal fur!!! Are you daft??"

I know, I know, but it's new to me! In two days I have perfected the art of Coptic binding. Okay, maybe not perfected, but let's just say I accomplished binding three books with minimal outbursts of obscenities-not-to-be-named. That's quite an accomplishment when it comes to me learning new crafts. Let's not re-live the time I tried to teach myself to knit. Yikes. Nobody ever said I was a fast, non-violent learner.

But yes, bookbinding is definitely up there on my "new favorite passions" list. I've been obsessively hoarding scrap paper with which to practice new binding stitches on.

On a completely different note, SPAIN AND FRANCE IN THREE DAYS AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I'm excited out of my mind, or anything like that. No, certainly not. I'm going to be nabbing paper at every chance I get while I'm abroad to feed my new-found bookbinding love/obsession. Pouvez-vous nous dire l'amour du papier? Can you say, paper love?

I'll be back in the States on Wednesday, June 24th with lots and lots of loot to share. Hopefully, my new camera will cooperate much better than my old one, which would make it far easier to upload loverly pics for you all to see!

Have a lovely week, and do share your all your adventures. I can't wait to read all about them when I get back. :3

Yours,
Carolyn Michelle

Just a quick post

Ahem. We've all heard it before but, "Oh my gosh how time sho' do fly!"

My sister is going to be a Freshman next school year.

A FRESHMAN!!!!!!

She's old!! And that means I'M old!!!! What am I going to do?!

In other news:

I survived my first day of finals. Three tests down, five to go. Uggg, will this year just get OVER already?? I'm just dying to crochet. Honestly. My fingers are literally twitching like mad. I think I have withdrawls and crocheter's block all at once. I was going to throw some yarn in my purse so that I'd have something to work on after I finished my tests today, and I couldn't think of anything to make. Not. One. Thing. I just stood and gaped at my stash of yarn this morning going: "Uhhhhhhh......" like some sort of loser. What's my DEAL???

Anybody else get like this? Anybody? I know I've gotten writer's block...but crocheter's block?? What's with that??

Okay, Tara is begging me to get off the computer, so I must surrender. Silly girl. She's all done for the year. No finals for the Junior High. Psht.

Unfair.

Okay.

I'm done.
-Carolyn Michelle

Yes, Crazy

I believe I have mentioned in the past that my life is crazy.

Yes, crazy.

I'm down to two weeks of school for this school year and let me tell you, the teachers are piling on the work like there's no tomorrow. Now, it's not difficult work, it's just tedious work. Final exams are May 29th, June 1st, and June 2nd. My last day is the 3rd. Can you say: PARTY?!! So many of my friends are graduating this year! Including my boyfriend. Did I mention him before? Heh. Like I said, crazy life lately.

So, as you can see from the hat picture above, I am.......behind on posting stuff to the shop. So, my loving Grandmother took my hats to the infamous "Pec Thing" and tried to sell them for me. I actually don't know how well it went, considering I hadn't even priced the darn things. Oh dear.

In other news:

The article in Rockford Woman's Magazine about my mother, sister, and I was a HUGE success. Sales have not been skyrocketing exactly, but tons of people have been coming up to me and asking me about my shop. The article is here if you are interested in reading it. I am still majorly excited about the nice little slice of publicity the shop is getting from the article. Very very exciting. Who'da thunk?

In other other news....my schedule for Summer 2009:

June 3rd: last day of school

June 14th-23rd: In Spain and France with the Durand Art Boosters

July 12th-26th: In Chicago at School of the Art Institute studying fashion construction

Other than that, I'm taking lots of naps outside, crocheting up a storm, hopefully reserving a booth for the Fall 2009 Pec Thing, playing hillarious pranks on my friends, breathing in and out....you know, the normal stuff we all do in the summer time.

Hope you all are enjoying this FANTASTIC weather today. 85 degrees and sunny, now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout. No more of the snow-cold-winter routine. I'm DONE!

Okay.

Lots of love,

Carolyn Michelle

Crazy Fast Update

There's been a case of The Crazys around here. My stack of crocheted hats has reached dangerously close to the overflowing point. Where are they coming from?! I swear, I don't remember making half of them. :P

Tomorrow is the ACT. Need I say, YIKES?!! For those who don't know, the ACT is a HUGE-MASSIVE standardized test that all juniors in high school take, nationwide. It's only what colleges now base most of their entrances on. No pressure. Psht. None at all.

*Faints from the pressure*

At least we get the rest of the day off afterwards.

Then on Thursday there is the PSAE, another state standardized test, and on Friday I leave to go down state for the state competition of Science Olympiad. More thinking. Ugggg, I'm going to be so braindead!!!!!! At least it's a nice long bus ride, so I'll be able to nap a whole bunch. And the hotel we are staying in has a pool. Bonus! Haha.

So this week is insane and maybe, eventually, I will update the shop. *sigh* I've been renewing my items weekly in order to pretend like I'm keeping on top of things. Key word, pretend.

Okay, study time.
Have fantabulous weeks all of you. I'll try to post after my head stops spinning.
-Carolyn Michelle

Whoa.

Whoa. Haven't been on this page in a while. Life is finally slowing down, like the whole world is finally exhaling again after many months of breath-holding. I don't really know what to think about all this...sudden inactivity. I'm so accustomed to only arriving home late at night that now, I can hardly recognize the place in daylight. Okay, so that's a mild exaggeration, but I have been getting home after school, finishing homework, doing some dishes and then looking to the clock to see it's only...four o' clock?!!?? What now?

I found a whole slew of hats that I don't remember making. Well, okay, I do remember making hats. I remember making hats in a desperate attempt to stay awake during various classes, but I do not remember making such a large quantity of hats. I must have been more spazzy than I thought. Thank goodness Show Choir is over with for this year. I will miss the stage time, though. As you may have guessed, I'm a bit of an attention freak.

So, in other news, I'm teaching a group of Girl Scouts how to sew and alter their own clothing on this Friday. Pretty cool.

Okay, I ought to get something done.
Goodnight,
Carolyn Michelle

Thanks guys!

All your awesome comments about my good fortune make me feel so special! I am really happy to have readers like you. *bows to your nice-ness* Love you all!!

Life is about to get crazy, like so crazy that I'll have no idea which way is up and which way is down. It's show weekend for my school's Singsation (singing and dancing in sparkly costumes on a cramped stage) and I happen to be performing. Tomorrow is opening night and I don't think I have ever been so ready in my life. I have mentioned in the past that I love theater to death so I'm guessing you understand that this is going to be a huge rush for me. :D Besides, I'm hosting the opening night cast party.

Haha, my parents must be crazy in the head for allowing thirty make-up and hairspray covered teenagers to come and rave in our house. Bubba, if you are reading this, thanks again. You have done so much work this week for me and my ca-razy friends. Love you!!!

So, this weekend is going to be a whirlwind of curling irons, costume changes, dance shoes, and sporadic bouts of attempted homework in between wild fits of partying. I'm excited. But once it's done, I'll have nothing to do besides chores and homework. So there will certainly be a huge amount of "Oh no! I have no life now" crafting going on at mi casa in the weeks to come.

I just have to survive next week and then I have SPRING BREAK!!!!! Glorious, glorious spring break. There hopefully will be a Fiber Freaks event. I'll keep you posted.

And Jenn, you are so strong!!!! I'm keeping Shelby and your whole family in my prayers!! I love you guys! And on Saturday there may be a super-secret-covert-Carolyn stopping at your house to drop off a little something I've been putting together for Shelby.

For those who don't know, Shelby is one of the three sisters I babysit for. She has been in the hospital for the last week, at least. Read her mom Jenn's blog here. And keep their family in your prayers, they really need it.

Okay, I suppose I should attempt to get all this make-up off my face before I pass out.

Good night one and all, sorry for the ramble-ness.

Love, Carolyn Michelle

A Day of Good News

Hellooooo everybody!

Long time no blog, eh? I have very little time on my hands right now, so I'm trying to keep this brief. Here's the scoop: Today is full of good stuff.

Good thing #1: I just got done doing a photo shoot with my mom and sister. The three of us are going to be featured in Rockford Woman's Magazine in the May issue. The article is about mothers and their daughters and what they have in common. Our family's crafty-ness and my shop are going to be featured in the article!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good thing #2: My Chaim Mail fingerless gloves got featured in a treasury on Etsy. Check it out here if you feel so inclined. :)

And finally, the most exciting and crazy Good thing of the day...

I GOT EXCEPTED FOR THIS SUMMER'S EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM AT SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE IN CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh. My. Gracious. I'm studying Fashion Construction for two weeks this July. In Chicago. At School of the Art Institute. I can hardly believe it. Hardly. I just, wow. I'm so excited. Excited doesn't even cover it. I'm enthralled, I'm spasmodically amazed. I'm I'm I'm....ready. This is going to be so great.

Show Choir will be done with after this weekend so hopefully I'll have loads of free time to catch up on my Etsy-work (and my house work, and my school work...yikes)

Talk to you guys later.
Much love!
-Carolyn Michelle
magazine

FIERCE AND NERDY!

Hello folks, just dropping a note to say that the Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design Shop has been FEATURED for the first time ever in a Blogozine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The online-magazine's name is Fierce and Nerdy and can be found here: http://fierceandnerdy.com/

Not that I'm REALLY REALLY EXCITED or anything.

Ahem, of course.

The article launches tomorrow (Wed. 25th) at 10 Am. Be sure to go take a gander. I haven't even seen the article yet! So, head on over to Fierce and Nerdy and read the article tomorrow. Tell all your friends!!! :D

Okay, I'd better get going on all my other projects. Hope you all are having FABULOUS weeks.

All my love,
Carolyn Michelle

Winter Cleaning?

I'm just feeling chatty today. I think I've been driving my sister crazy. The whole time she was playing various computer games I was asking, "And what are you doing now? What's going on? Whatchyadoin?!" Two-year-old-style. She'll be glad to get away from me.

Happy President's day! Yay no school! In order to celebrate, I've been...doing my history homework. Wonderful. Luckily, I'm all done with my work and it's not midnight, so perhaps I'll get some time to myself for crafty goodness. Cleaning my room shouldn't take too long...

On second thought...it's been a while since I could see my own floor.

Today has been productive so far. I woke up at ten am, ate some left over Olive Garden pasta for breakfast, did homework, started a loaf of bread in the bread machine, more homework, made lunch, did dishes, finished homework and renewed ALL the items in the shop in some desperate attempt to sell stuff. It's been a long time since I've sold anything. But I do have 31 hearts on Etsy. Hooorah for that. And I have sold two hats at school...and that huge order of twenty two crocheted chocolate candies was delivered to my teacher last. Okay, so for a slacker I'm not doing too poorly.

mmkay, I have to go take Tara to a Girl Scouts thingy. Hope you all are enjoying your day off of school/work as much as I am.

All my love,
Carolyn Michelle

Fires!

The Toy Society: Bushfires: thetoysociety@gmail.com
I'm sure you've all heard, but wildfires are sweeping Australia. Thousands are left homeless and as of yesterday, the death toll is 173. Personally, it's hard for me to imagine being forced out of my home and wondering whether or not my house will be reduced to a pile of ashes by the time I am able to get back. These fires are personal for me because I know many crafters through the Internet who are based in Australia.

You may recall my involvement with The Toy Society, which began in Australia. If any of you are looking for crafty ways to get involved with relief efforts, you may want to read The Society's blog here as they have some good links. You can always make a plushie and send it off to Toy Society members in Australia who will make sure it gets into the hands of someone in need. Just send them an email for the information: thetoysociety@gmail.com

And the Red Cross always works, too.

Crafters, let's reach out!

Love,
Carolyn Michelle

I was featured!

Long time no blog.

Wow, life is crazy. I only have a few minutes to post this little blurb about the Treasury I got featured in, on Etsy. You can see it here if you check it out within the next few days. But hurry, Treasuries sadly are not permanent. But, it is exciting to be featured nonetheless. :D

Good deal.

In other news, I got two orders from people at school this week. One netted hat and a whopping TWENTY TWO crocheted chocolates. Wow. My whole purse has become infested with the things. I'm almost done and hopefully, at some point soon, I'll get enough "me time" that I'll be able to hot glue all the little buggers into their wrappers.

Still got lots to do, this is my only free night this week...I'm beginning to forget what my house looks like; I'm never home. :P

Hope you guys are having wonderful weeks and are staying warm *fingers freeze off*
Love,
Carolyn Michelle

I was blogged

That's right! To my knowledge, this is the first time I've been blogged. Check out the one post of glory about me here, on Noricum's blog. Special, huh? I thought so. :3 She apparently was quite taken by my Tin of Sardines with she found on my Flickr page, so she posted a little tiny blurb about it.

Thanks Noricum! You made my day...even if I found the post a little late....

Okay, now that I feel all warm and fuzzy from being blogged about, I think I'm off to bed. I do have work tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get a chance to talk to Bubba, my in-house accountant, about my SS-4 form tomorrow. That crazy governmental mumbo-jumbo made my head reel a little. *sigh*

Goodnight dear readers.
-Carolyn Michelle

This is Getting Scary!

So.

Guess what my plans are for my day off of school?:

Filing for a tax ID number using an SS-4 for Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design.

That, my friends, is scary. That means my little shop is sort of...moving forward? Moving towards, I don't know, becoming more of a legitimate business? By that prospect, I am excited and also terrified. The future is a scary, uncertain thing and the thought that I am taking steps to insure that my future is what I want it to be makes me quake in my boots a little. I keep telling myself that if I don't have to power and courage to take initiative and stake my claim on my dreams, then who does?

Okay, maybe I'm over thinking this a little. But that's just how I'm feeling right now. I want to spend the rest of my life doing what I love and today, it's all a little tiny bit closer to my reach.

It's just the IRS, after all.

Love,

Carolyn Michelle

Two quick things before I dash out of the house:

Happy Friday, loves! I've officailly survived the first week back to school after my glorious two week break. This week sure felt like a month-and-a-half. But, I did get a lot done. There'll be pics later, I promise! :D

Now, for the two quick things before I dash out of here for my Friday night festivities:

1. Look at the banner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!! Isn't it spiffy? Made for me by my new friend on etsy: FashionCandy. I met her in an almost random way. One of my friends, Allison (also a Fiber Freak), was telling me that her aunt made all sorts of stuff and sold on etsy. She gave me the URL and I introduced myself. She is pretty much one of the coolest designers I've come across in a long time. I'm a major fan, now. *girly squeal* Her stuff is so durn cute!!!

2. I'm debating something important right now: shall I or shall I not book a table at the famous Pecatonica "Pec Thing?" Okay, so it's not very famous if you don't live within thirty miles of Rockford, IL but, oh well. It'll be my first show if I decide to book. I'm kinda wary, considering it is primarily geared towards antique buyers. And...my creations are not antiques. >.< BUT it is a huge sale, and all the other area sales are, well, tiny. I want to get a big audience. It's in May...I believe. Debate debate debate. Any advice??

Okay loves. Thanks for reading. Enjoy your Friday night!!!!

Yours,
Carolyn Michelle

The Fiber Freaks Update

Sorry about the long wait for this post. Life went a little berzerk for a while. Getting back into the swing of school is almost as hard as going back at all. My alarm clock is SO not my best friend right now.

Okay, without further ado, here are some quick shots from the Fiber Freaks party on Saturday December 27th:

Top to bottom: My new sewing machine!!!!!!!!!, the jelly donut pinchusion I found time to make, Sammi (in blue) making some shrinky dinks with Jessie Jo crocheting in the background, and me, freaking out a little.

The party was a total success. Everybody made some super spiffy stuff. I only wish I had a ton more pictures to show you. The whole thing was like a whirlwind, I only remembered to ask Tara to get her camera out at the last second. Too bad, there were some great projects. Such as:

-Sammi's rainbow crocheted american girl doll turbin

-Jessie Jo's Huge massive lime green knitted scarf

-Rachael's crocheted acorn

-Tara's tiny tiny tiny shrinky dink cupcake

-Kody's crocheted bug

-Dan's crocheted...thing

-Danielle's crocheted "Texas tie"

And about a trillion others.

There are a few more pictures on my Flickr so check em out!

In other news, two new shop items, go look!!!

Love you lots!!!

-Carolyn Michelle