Kimbolina Marie: I'm just bein mE.

Where have I been?

2008-12-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you guys know, that there is more to come. I've slacked off on the blog, and my ETSY store! I just wanted to thank all of my followers, and let you know I'll be back on the bandwagon soon! I've been in the process of moving, and I should be settled in shortly!

My first Treasrury on ETSY

2008-11-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

My first treasury. This came from LeentheGraphicsQueen. She is a part of the CFEST team on etsy. We are a new team originating from Wilmington NC. We are very excited to be working together, we have many plans for our team. We will be working togehter on advertising, hosting our own local craft shows, teaching each other different crafts, and just sharing our ideas and love for our shops together!

Gift Tags, When the Economy is DOWN!!

2008-10-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Gift tags are a great outlet for your creative energy, when nothing else your doing seems right! I take a scrap piece of card stock, punch a hole in it, add some ribbon and a few rubber stamps, and I end up with a beautiful little piece of artwork! To accessorize a gift, or to make a personal magnet!

They are quite inexpensive, especially when you already have your own stamps, and they add that personal touch to your gifts!! I stayed up late last night playing with my rubber stamps, and scrap paper! You can get a stack of card stock and scrap paper at your local dollar general for only a few dollars, or at the local craft store!

When you are looking for inexpensive items to play with, Big Lots, Dollar General and the Family Dollar are great places to find small things. I've gotten the scissors with funky edges on them for only a dollar a piece, when at the craft store they are close to five dollars each! Stickers, scrap card stock, and beautiful scrapbook accessories don't have to be so expensive! The Dollar General has a whole craft isle to shop! It is wonderful!!

Another great idea is to buy some inexpensive sticky magnets from the local hardware store! They sick onto the back side of what you are working on, and make a great personalized magnet!!

2008-10-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

I've been working really hard on some new items. I find that when I'm frustrated with what I'm working on, I loose all creativity. I find it hard to write descriptions for what I'm making or to even give them a creative name! I've been at this etsy thing for almost 6 months now, and I've yet to get a sale. I had the craft show a while back, and it was rained out. I said I was going to put down the jewelry thing, until the economy comes back... but I don't know what else to do with my free time!

I received my first domino magazine last night. It is such an awesome magazine! You have to subscribe!! Right now its only a dollar an issue! visit their site at
www.dominomag.com. They have the most original decorating ideas, and the magazine has a Page of stickers that you can peel off, and tab the pages that you love! I've never seen a magazine do that before! It's so much better than tearing out a page or folding the corner over!!

New Bracelets

2008-10-19T16:45:00.001-07:00

These are a few coil bracelets that I made... you can find them on my etsy website. I have so many items that I brought back from the rainy craft show the other weekend. It takes me forever to get good photographs of them! Before Derek and I stained the fence today I got a few good shots in. The days are getting shorter, and as I work 9-5 M-F... I have to do all of my photography on the weekends... and it seems I make more than I can conceivably photograph.

These bracelets consist of glass beads, on memory wire. They appear on your wrist like a set of bangles, however you don't have them sloshing around and getting in your way.

ESTY FOR ANIMALS

2008-10-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

ETSY for animals is a team, that has over 600 members. We all donate items from our etsy stores now and then, and some more often. The donated items are sent out by seller, but listed all at one store. We sometimes donate a percentage of our sales to a charity of our choice. There is one charity a month that ALL proceeds go to. In times like these, where the ecomony is suffering, so do the animals. Many people move, and leave their animals behind, some take their animals to shelters. However many are unadoptable because of dissabilities or attitudes!! They all need our help. The wonderful thing is, we can help. Just purchase an item from the etsy store, and you have a wonderful present for yourself, or as a gift. Most of the items aren't terribly expensive, and go to a great cause. It's very hard to afford to give to charities right now, but we all will still buy Christmas presents for our loved ones. Why not let it help out a charity when you buy a gift?? It's a wonderful thing to do, will make you feel great, and no extra money will really be comming out of your pocket, since your probably planning on spending something at the holidays!

http://efaartistshelpinganimals.blogspot.com/search/label/treasury

What I've been working on

2008-10-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

I'm currently creating an inventory list for all of my products. I came home with so many pieces of jewelry, that I'm putting them in baggies, and numbering them. I'm then connecting them to my jewelry on etsy. Many of my wire shaped earrings look very simular, so you'll see the actual number on the bottom of my etsy listing. I know exactly which pair goes with each listing, and as they sell, I'll know what is left in stock!! This isn't a super exciting post, but I'm going to be adding more pictures of my items, along with some pictures of how I organize, hopefully to help someone out there figure it all out, since its taken me so long to get it right!

The Craft Show is Finally Over!

2008-10-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

The MOPS fair was yesterday. My table was one of eight! It was a very small show! The rain started falling Friday night, and hardly stopped yesterday. Needless to say, it was an unfortunately small turn out. When there is a fair at the beach and it's raining, not much happens! I had a few sales, but the wonderful thing is that I met a hand full of wonderful women. MOPS is a group, it stands for moms of preschoolers. I find that there are very few times in life where you can see so many wonderful people, doing exactly what we are suppose to do. I'm not sure how this fits in, but every mother I saw there, had it all together. When a child was misbehaving they sat down on the child's level, and explained what they were doing wrong, and corrected the problem. The parenting that I witnessed was terrific. There were no temper tantrums, screaming, dragging the kid by the arm outside, etc. All of the mothers knew where their children were, and made sure that the kids were being kids, but still behaved at the same time. I thought that since the show wasn't very successful, that I'd share the very successful parenting that I witnessed. Good Job MOMS!!

Cookie @ Wrightsville Beach

2008-10-10T11:00:00.001-07:00

Cookie @ Wrightsville Beach
Originally uploaded by kimbolinamarie

This is my boxer Cookie. She loves to go fishing with her daddy and me! About 9 months ago my cousin moved, and could no longer keep any of her pets, so she asked if I could take Cookie. Since I had threatened (jokingly) to steal Cookie several times from her, she knew I wouldn't say no! This was Cookie's first trip to the beach, and I've never seen a dog run and play like she did! The amazing thing is, she never leaves my sight. I love how they rely on us as a companion, as much as we do on them.

Just Startin' Out

2008-10-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is my first craft show, and getting ready for it is exactly how I thought it would be. My fingers are cramped, I'm sleep deprived, and cranky. I know it will be worth it in the end, so I'm working as hard as I can. It has felt more like work than a creative outlet. I'm sure thats normal, but I miss the relaxed feeling of just sitting back and making stuff without pressure. Thats why I hesitated to do craft shows. At some point you have to take that leap. My hands off husband is even helping out! I'm so proud of him. He has started cleaning the house, and taking care of dinner for me, so that I have more time to concentrate on my work. (thanks babe!)

the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!!

2008-09-25T05:08:00.001-07:00

an etsy seller posted in a forum:

colorada says:
kimbolina - I think you are CofC, with a direction going towards OIAM...I love some of your wire and washer/disc pieces and you are definitely not everyday. My favs are the Black Steel earrings and the Verdigris piece. Your av is stellar and your photography sets you apart. Great work !

life is wonderful right now. a tropical storm has developed off the coast of North Carolina, spot on where I live... I find rainy days quite pleasant. The weather is cool outside, and large drops of cool rain randomly fall upon my forehead, with a refreshing, almost, mint like feel. I have an upcoming craft show in South Port NC. It will be a small fall festival, the booth is only $25.00, and it will be held at a church. I've never held a booth before, so I'm really pleased that my first show will be a small one. I have only a few weeks, as it is being held last minute. I have a lot of work to do, I will be very busy!! I cannot wait to post pictures with all of my updates... Check in soon!! Cheers

I'm a real kid at heart... It gets me in trouble sometimes!

2008-09-22T06:33:00.001-07:00

So, last night, I was on the phone with my dad. I decided to let the dog outside, into the back yard. Well, being the child (inside of me) that I am, I picked up our resident frog. Hes awesome. Every night he is awaiting me on the back stoop. Just begging me to turn on the porch light, so the bugs will come and visit, and he can have his midnight snack. He was just a weee little guy at the beginning of the spring, now he barely fits into my hand. So then I thought my husband would get a kick outta seeing how big our little frog had gotten. (don't forget, I have my hot pink cell phone between my ear and shoulder)... the frog jumps outta my hand, into the recliner with my husband, he jumps up, not amused at all... and I lost my frog. He was gone. All I could think of was my cat finding him in the middle of the night, although, the frog would have had a pretty good chance of making it, because my kitty isn't professionally trained at frog catching. Well, I grab the flash light, turn over all of the furniture in the living room, and tadaaa, the froggie was waiting for me underneath the ottoman. Whoa... that was a close one! I took an oath to leave all frogs outside where they belong!

Click on the picture, you can see it in zoom, the details of the frog are something you cannot see with your own eyes!!

2008-09-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

What fun I have with my mom... She is a truely amazing person. She took care of my father and I for many years. I was growing up, and he was disabled. She sacraficed so many things for us, and everyone she knows. If you ask anyone, they will tell you she is the most giving person they have ever met. "Thanks Ma!"
Oh, thats Jonathan, her boss, cheezin away. Him and Lisa are terrific brid kids!

2008-09-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

I have found myself in a time warp. I see so many posts, talking about how little time there is in the day. Now I'm posting on it, its inevitable!! I love the abundant knowledge that the Internet provides me. I guess my thirst for knowledge is ruining my sleeping habits, and every other aspect of my personal life. I'm a new blogger, and I find myself looking at others blogs, then I click on the blogs that they love, and I read them, then it turns into an all night vicious cycle!! I find myself on wikipedia reading about famous movies stars like Marlyn Monroe or Elvis or past presidents. I read design blogs, craft blogs... its never ending. If I want to know something, its right there in front of me... and to a very curious mind, well, it gets me into a lot of trouble!

how to make ornaments for christmas

2008-09-17T09:05:00.005-07:00

http://www.dominomag.com/howtos/diy/2007/12/animal_ornaments

life is full of changes.

2008-08-22T09:31:00.001-07:00

Its amazing, how time flies, and it seems as though everyday is the same as the last one. When you look back, things have changed so much. How do you measure your happieness? The number of times you smile or laugh each day, or the number of times you smile and laugh each week, month?? Why are life changing decisions so difficult? If I had my way, I think I'd like to spend everyday laughing, smiling, and just enjoying myself, so matter how miserable the task at hand is. You can still find your own happieness in hard situations. I guess thats what good friends are for.

Searching Inside of Myself

2008-06-30T07:19:00.001-07:00

You have to look, deep, deep inside to find it. You don't really look... you just move, and it will flow out, flow through your blood stream, out of your fingertips... and into something crazy and new. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let it out... it will come, and it will be loved.

2008-06-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

so, ive found, you have to be as different as possible. and no matter how cliche it sounds, if you stick to who you are in your art work, people will like it, because it will be different!!
i always thought my stuff might be to weird or funky, and it might only be found attractive by teens and young adults...how ever was i wrong!! I have the least amount of hits from young people!! i absolutly love the challenge of bettering myself. I am my own competition!