I recently became an Amazon affiliate so I can help bring some of my favorite products to others looking for good products to add to their everyday lives (it doesn't cost anything extra). I tend to do heavy research and really weigh pros and cons of everything I invest my money into - from scissors to appliances - so I wanted to compile a list...maybe it'll help in your decision making, too!
I'll update this as I find things. Let me know if you use any of these and what you think!
WOPET automatic pet feeder (the one I have):
WOPET automatic pet feeder that connects to phone with app, HD camera, etc.:
Clamp Desk Lamp (I have it on my desk)
Starbond Cyanoacrylate Adhesive (the real superglue) with lots of tips for bottle
Containers / Cannisters HUGE set, amazing quality!
Gutterguards - great quality (if you need them, you know how important quality is!)
Art Supplies
POSCA pens
Soulcolor 72 Colored Pencils (A recent purchase - I'm impressed so far)
Gel Crayons (not exact ones I own but the most similar out there) Set of 36
Paper Crafting
Over 500 Pieces of Ephemera!
50 Sheet Plaid Scrapbook Paper 12x12
The Antiquarian Sticker Book -Bibliophilia
Cinch Bookbinding Machine
Stamp/Stencils/Die Cutting
Acrylic Stamps - Lace Border
Postal Rubber Stamp Sets (to “cancel” your faux stamps)
Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
Bookmark Die
Big Shot Magnetic Platform
Sizzix Ornate Labels Die
Sizzix/Tim Holtz Wildflower Stems Die
Decorate Edge Scissors - 18 pack!
Other Things I Love
Craft Caddy Bag (I keep my planner stuff in it)
Sharpie S Pens (the BOMB)
TOZO earbuds (better for you to hear me with…mwahaha)
Canon Pixma G3260 Supertank Printer (LOVE this printer so far. Canon software is ehh but the print and scan quality is superb! Great - and cheaper - option to the Ecotank)
Elmer’s Extra Strength Glue Sticks (A lesser of all the evils)
A5 Planner Binder
A5 Binder Weekly/Hourly Insert Pages
A5 Binder Mix/Dotted Paper Inserts
Plastic Zipper Storage Pouches
Dymo Label Maker Refills
One thing I am always on the hunt for is writing of some sort. Postcards, notes, letters...anything handwritten. I have always been fascinated by the handwritten word. What was David thinking about when he was scribbling that note to Iris on the Hotel Burton letterhead notepad? He sent his condolences for the loss of a friend and invited her to visit him in Danville. But what was really behind that letter? And what were Iris's thoughts when she opened that envelope and read those words? I like to put myself in the place of the writer/reader and feel what they felt, think what they thought. So much can be told by studying one's penmanship.
When visiting the old report cards, you can't help but wonder how many report cards that teacher filled out before she got to this card? What were her thoughts on this student - William? Who was she, the teacher? What type of impact did she leave on this young man's life?
I guess I like to fancy myself a writer and as a writer, character development and storylines are fascinating - whether in the fictional world or the nonfictional. Envelopes and letterheads and even the formal typewritten correspondence is so fascinating in the eyes of this writer. Gone are the days when so much was put into the handwritten letter. Gone are the days of letterheads and envelopes and typewriters. Technology has taken the emotion out of the basic letter.
A lot of the handwritten ephemera pieces I have come from one family. Apparently, they were a married couple and both were teachers/professors of some sort. The wife appeard to be a poet of sorts. I find little snippets of poetry and verses stuffed among book pages and in envelopes. They were used as place markers in magazines and old textbooks. She wrote poetry to a friend of hers. Apparently, she had a falling out with this friend and she wrote a poem to the friend (Edna) expressing how fond she remained of the memories they shared. She expressed how empty her world was when Edna went off and created her own home leaving poor Pearl behind. There must have been an age gap between the two or Pearl got a little later start on creating her own home. Whatever the situation was, it reallly affected Pearl. Her heart was still bruised, even after so many years.
School notes, love letters, formal letters to customers - they all have their own energy about them. They speak in their own voices if you "read between the lines." You can see who was trying to display their best penmanship and who was in a hurry. Notes to one's self are always in a special kind of "scribble." It's as if they want to write beautifully because they enjoy certain bits of their own penmanship but they may not have time to really put their full focus on the "writing" of the note while they rush to accomplish the mission of the note. Yet, revisiting that note you have written may bring you joy when you notice how nicely the curve of that "a" looks and how fluid the words flow together.
I guess I've done all this rambling to let you know that I've added a digital kit full of vintage (for the most part - one note from the 90s was just too cute NOT to include!) handwritten and typed pieces. I hope you find as much joy in them as I have! There are lots of checks from the early 1900s and terrific poetry and letters!
Thanks for stopping by! And, as always, thank you for your support!!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1271229030/the-handwritten-word-42pc-digital?click_key=3b3078179f0a721d6808d1d1afd99ac3d58a1e0f%3A1271229030&click_sum=6f2f23b0&ref=shop_home_active_1
~M
I've since turned my attention to the online market. I opened an Etsy store two years ago and have been selling live on YouTube since before it was cool. I try to provide vintage paper goods and some fabrics to those interested in creating with them. I try to inspire creativity through the things I sell. A lot of the books have terrific images or covers. I really enjoy finding old notebooks or letters with someone's handwritten sentiments on them. Something about the handwritten piece really speaks to me as an artist (if I only make messes, can I really consider myself to be an artist?).
I try to upload inspirational videos to Youtube as I can - more having been made lately. The last couple of years was hard to create and upload videos. My space wasn't really set up to do it (still isn't - I just throw it all off the desk for a while!) and I am creating in my livingroom/kids bedroom until I can get a studio set up. I might take you on the studio journey with me depending on how thrilling I find it.
I want to use this space to share my creations and ideas. I want to give you a chance to see what I find and give you a few special opportunities to snag goods before I list or live sale them.
What other things interest you? What do you want to see on here and in my newsletter? I want to provide you with inspiration through the blog and newsletter. I'm using Blogger for now before I go and set up a website, which is an expense I can't justify at the moment. But, if this proves to be a success, who knows what the future will hold...?
Thanks for reading my ramblings! I'll be updating and changing and creating things as I go along. Your input is always appreciated regardless of the stage of development I'm in. I do this for myself, but I do this for you, too. I want to give you a place to come and enjoy a cup of coffee while looking at things you love and finding new ideas for things to create.
Stay tuned...you never know what I'll come out with next!
I kinda went crazy. I'm not going to lie! I put together Christmas packs and went crazy doing it and now they are almost 1lb each and ...
