Mother's Day and Spring

1916 Mother's Day post card

Hi to all,

Happy Spring and happy Mother's Day.  Mother's day is a celebration honoring mothers and motherhood that is held all over the world. In the US, the holiday is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. 

Mother's Day celebrations date back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who held festivals to honor the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele.  The closest precedent to the modern Mother's Day is an early Christian celebration called "Mothering Sunday".  

The roots of the modern Mother's Day start with Ann Reeves Jarvis, who organized "Mother's Day Work Clubs" to teach women how to care for their children.   In 1868,  these clubs were called "Mothers' Friendship Day", women gathered with union and confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.  

The official Mother's Day holiday started in the early 1900's as a result of the efforts of Ann Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeve Jarvis.  She wanted to honor mothers and their sacrifices.    Ann lobbied hard for President Wilson to make Mother's Day a national holiday and her persistence paid off in 1914.

After Mother's Day became a national holiday, it was not long before florists, card companies and other merchants capitalized on their popularity.  Jarvis had  hoped the holiday would become a personal celebration of mothers, but by 1920, she was disgusted with how the holiday had become commercialized.  She  disowned the holiday, By the time of her death in 1948 . Now the holiday is one of the biggest holidays for consumer spending!

An Old Necklace

Finally, here's an old necklace I am going to use to create a beautiful new necklace.  Check this blog next week, I'll have pictures and hopefully a finished piece to show you!

Be sure to stop by my Etsy shop, have a wonderful week.

anne 

Croton Spring Arts Fair

Setting up my table for the Croton Spring Arts Fair yesterday

Hi everyone,

Here I am setting up the table for my second craft fair!  It was yesterday in a Croton-on-Hudson park.  What a beautiful setting and a beautiful day for a fair. One note to all of you who are are new (like me) to the craft fair circuit, be sure to have wind proof set-ups.  Displays and even tents went flying in yesterday's wind.

And just like they say, each time you set up your table or booth it does seem to get easier.  I think you are more organized and a lot more confident that it will all work out.   Of course the best part of the fair is meeting other crafters and several "etsyites" too.  I even reconnected with a jewelry maker from the fair I attended last weekend.

Another fun part was the giveaway contest I had.  I ran a drawing with a simple entry blank and picked one name to receive one of my bracelet kits.  It is a good talking point when people come to your table and just filling out the entry slip gives them a chance to spend some time with you and look at what you have. Not to mention, the contact list you build!

For this fair, I made a few more bracelet kits including one Tropical Pink Bracelet Kit, which I just listed on my Etsy site.  Also I crafted some black beads and combined them with beads made from the pages of my French grammar book from many years ago.  I think this bracelet has a completely different look made this way.  It is listed as Vintage French Language Book Bracelet.

Paper Bead Bracelet Kit-Tropical Pink

Vintage French Language Book Bracelet

These items and every thing on my Etsy site is available with FREE SHIPPING until Mother's Day.  So take advantage of the offer.

Later this week, I will be participating in an Earth Day Fair for the local school.  I will be leading a workshop for middle school students, teaching them how to make paper beads.  Sounds like fun, doesn't it!

Talk to you all soon,
anne

My First Craft Fair

Tori and me at the John Paulding School Fund Raiser

Hi to all,

Yesterday was my first craft fair.  It was so much fun.  What an experience to actually talk to your buyers.  They can give you a lot of new ideas.  But I was exhausted when it was finished.

I have a few pointers for anyone doing their first show.  First remember the duct tape and scissors, there are a million things duct tape can fix!  And be sure to bring plenty of water.  If you have wonderful friends like I do, bring them along too.  Having an extra set of hands is invaluable. Try to walk around the show, I saw some great displays and even met some fellow Etsy shop owners.

Next week, Sunday April 29, I will be at the Croton Spring Market.   Read all about it at this link.

And finally the update on the guest room makeover.  Take a look.

I think we all like it; it was a lot of hard work, but worth it.  There are still a few finishing touches to be done.   It's a real comfy guest room now! 

And finally, remember Mother's Day!

Take a look at my Etsy shop, free shipping until Mother's Day

See you soon,

anne



Darkest Before the Dawn!

Hi everyone,

Here's a quick look at the progress we've made on the new guest room!

What a mess! It always looks the worst, just before it is finished.  You can see the new lamp and the new bedside table in the background.  Only a week left to go!  I'll keep you posted.

The tutorial on making Paper Beads has been missing for about a month, it was originally written on January 9th.  Well, I have rewritten it, so everyone can get a first hand look at how I make paper beads.  If you try it, let me know how the directions go; if they need any revisions.

MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL

Starting tomorrow morning I will be running a Mother's Day Special on my Etsy site.  I will be giving free shipping to any items purchased before Mother's Day, May 13th.  Just use coupon code FREESHIP when you check out.  Here are some Mother's Day ideas:

Tropical Pink Paper Bead Bracelet

Pretty in Pink Paper Bead Bookmark

Also I will be posting some new items--PaperBead Bracelets made with chains.  I am sure you will like them.  Go to my Etsy Shop and see what you think.

It is going to be 80 degrees in NY--so everyone enjoy the day.  Get out there and take a walk!!

Thanks for reading and see you soon.

anne