Those are just plain....UGLY!

What a day this day has been at Sandypetals' studio. I have tried twice to photograph my jewelry so that I can list it here and in my etsy shop and on some other market places. Notice I said twice! I don't know what is wrong with me, but I have discovered that the pics I have taken of my jewelry stink. They aren't well lit, or there is some blurring,( blurred, an autofocus camera on a tripod?) so I deleted all of the first takes and tried again., Worst of all, I found that some of the earrings I have made are just UGLY. It was quite an eyeopener today when I went through my little box of treasures anxiously visualizing all the pretty little pieces proudly showing off in my shops, excitedly waiting for new homes.
I have heard it said that "blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused" and I have to admit that I have been quite amused with myself today.What was I thinking?, how could I have put those combinations together? The really funny part is that I can picture my husband and child, playing the Abe Lincoln "hey does my butt look big in this dress?" scenario through their minds when I showed off my prizes and asked their opinions.
I thought that the little creative spurts I have been having at 1 or 2 AM lately were a good thing. Boy did I "thought" wrong! Those wee hours of the morning should definitely be spent dreaming! Now that I have confessed my design flaws, I have some questions for you.
What is the "ugliest" combination you have put together? ( come on, I can't possibly be the only one). I know that some others may like and be drawn to what seems unattractive to me, but if I wouldn't wear a piece of jewelry myself, should I try to sell it for someone else to wear?

Tuesday's Tightwad Tip

I can't believe it is already Tuesday again. It seems as though the world keeps spinning faster and faster and the older I get, the faster it spins.

Want new plants... Cheap or better yet Free plants?
There are so many websites and garden clubs now available, that you could literally fill your yard with free/ traded plants.
The easiest way is to start plants from cuttings. My Grandma taught me to root roses by putting a piece in the ground and putting a "mason" jar over it. When I bought my property she started many plants for me from her yard. Her Sister was also really good with plants and she would root gardenia's year round in a bucket behind her kitchen door and start seeds in dixie cups for the church bazzar.
When you start cuttings, they most important thing is to keep them from drying out. Take a 5-6" clipping and put it in moist sandy soil and keep it shaded and it is amazing what you will be able to grow.
If propagating your own plants seems too much, check into some of the gardening sites on the web.
Blossom Swap, Plant Traders, Daves Garden and Garden web all have very active communities of people who love to trade plants, seeds and cuttings. There are always those willing to share what they have or know with someone who is really interested.

Another really good way to be cheap is to grow your own herbs. The basics that you really use the most often are your best bets. Most of them are also easy to grow annuals and don't take a tremendous amount of care. Try Basil, oregano, Thyme, cilantro and dill. They are very easy to grow and taste great when added to your dinner. I don't know what they cost in other places, but here a tiny package of basil or mint is well over $3.00 and if you don't use it all relatively soon, it goes to waste. If you have it growing, you can simply harvest what you need and leave the rest to be ready in time for your next menu.

If you have any good tightwad tips, leave me a comment and I will share them when I do my next frugal posts.

Happy Penny Pinching.

Monday's Motivation

It is no secret that I am really bad about procrastinating. That has to come to an end NOW! We had recently noticed what we thought was a small leak in the roof of our porch. We discovered over the weekend that it wasn't small at all and it has been leaking for some time. I will save you the gory pictorial detail and let it suffice to say, that we will very soon be replacing the roof over our entire addition. The motivation for me is that replacing it won't come cheap and I really, Really! don't want to go back to work. So I have decided that procrastination is a thing of the past for me. I will spend less time putting things off that I have meant to do and more time getting them done. ( "I'm gonna" cannot exist in my vocabulary any longer) I have even gotten off to a good start today.
I listed more items for sale on Ebay and I have also loaded some of my photographic art in my redbubble shop
Tomorrow I am planning to stock my Etsy with my newest jewelry designs and possibly some metal sculptures as well. I simply must get busy, or consider taking a real job. I believe I'd rather get busy.