Busy, busy, busy...

Hi all of my blogger, Etsy, Facebook, and other friends! I think about all of you all the time, but I am so busy. School started this week, so all last week we were all getting things ready for the new school year. The 16 year old has been in school a few weeks but still needed a few things, like some new jeans. I am finally a senior. I am sure to stay a senior for a while because I am an art minor and that takes for freaking ever apparently. My oldest is in his second year. We have an astrology class together. I just try to pretend I don't know him so that he won't be too embarrassed. He said he worries that people will think he is a mama's boy when in fact I rely on him way more than he relies on me at this stage in our lives. Oh well, I am old enough that I really don't care what anyone else thinks, but I know he hasn't progressed that far just yet. We rarely cross paths actually. The campus is big and we have really different interests. I just happen to need one last science credit because they wouldn't accept my ecology and zoology credits I already had from my school in NC. In other words, they found a way to get a few more bucks from me.

Vacation!!!

We have been on vacation for the past week. Actually my SO was on vacation, and I never really planned on throwing everything aside so that I could go goofing off with her. But, it was too enticing and we have had the best time together this past week. Today is her first day back to work and I am in a funk.

We stayed at home a lot. Played video games. Yes, women in their upper 30s early 40s do play video games, and we kick ass. This week we were giving the Horde hell. We played through Gears 1 and 2 for about the fourth time.

We watched a couple of movies. We watched tv. We relaxed.

Over this past weekend we went to Bell Buckle, TN. One of the best little places anywhere. Old buildings all in a row filled with neat old things, some new, and a couple of places to get yummy things to eat. We ate at the Bell Buckle Cafe. We walked around and looked at all of the awesome junk in the "antiques" shops. It does tickle me a little that people have taken to calling old stuff either "vintage" or "antiques". It takes a lot of special to make an old thing worth keeping around. So, unless an item has that specialness, it is junk. Now, that doesn't mean completely useless, but it does mean that the price should reflect its status. lol I just love the mixture of awesome old junk, vintage, and antiques in the shops in Bell Buckle. If you ever get the chance to see them, you should go. We got some photos I really like from our trip to Bell Buckle. The photo above was one taken at one of those junk shops. It will be available in my brandedbutterflytwo shop soon.

Now that I have taken a week off I am buried in stuff I need to get done. Bleck.

I am now on 1000 Markets and Etsy!

I just got my shop open on 1,000 Markets. I am very excited. Out of all of the artisan shops offered online, that was the one that impressed me the most. I read several peoples stories about having to really jump through hoops to get their shop live on 1,000 Markets. I am so proud to say that I only had two little things to correct. (In case you don't know, 1,000 Markets is juried and they preview your shop before you can actually start selling there.) I listed my handmade buttons, and didn't realize I was not supposed to have them in the shop because 1K Markets does not allow supplies and they consider buttons strictly a supply. And I had one photo listed with a watermark they thought was too prominent. Two easy peasy changes, and I am in!

Please, keep in mind that I have just started listing my items, so I don't have everything listed yet, and it will take time to get it all listed! If you see something in my Etsy shop not listed in my 1K Markets shop and you prefer to shop on 1K Markets, please, let me know and I will get it listed!

1000 Markets

brandedbutterfly

Visit the Shop

Update

I had jury duty for this month. I was one of those rare people who was looking forward to the day I would get to serve on a jury. There are probably many reasons for this linked to my personality, but the biggest reasons are probably because I have a writers mind, I have a journalist's curiosity, and because I love our jury system.

I didn't even know how our system worked here in Rutherford County. Now I do. First, I got a notice in the mail that I was chosen for jury duty. In the same envelope, was a paper I could have filled out to get excused. I didn't fill that out. There was also a form with a lot of pretty basic background questions, pretty surface questions about job background, wrecks, past involvement with the court system and that was pretty much it. There was instruction that we were supposed to fill out the form and bring it with us for the assigned date.

I had no idea how the rest would go and thought some readers might find the process interesting.

We were assigned a court room and time to arrive for our first day. Mine was Aug. 3.

There were a lot of people there. I would say at least 200. The courtroom was set up so awkwardly. The gallery was where the bulk of the people were sitting, but the screen for the orientation film was situated so that it would face that jury which was at a right angle to the gallery. Whoever thought this bit of brilliance up, wasn't firing on all cylinders.

We were told to be there at 10am and the judge walked in promptly at 10am. He introduced his staff, told us a little about the orientation film, and then we started watching the boring orientation film. I was shocked at the number of people who showed up late.

After the film, we single filed out of the room, handing in our questionnaire forms we filled out beforehand. Those who wanted to be excused told the clerks that bit of information. We were handed a card as we went by the clerks.

We were instructed to call the number on the card each evening after 4:30 to see if we were called for service the following day.

I called that first evening and was instructed to call again on Friday the 7th. I called Friday and was told to report for criminal court on Monday at 9 for a jury that was being seated for a case.

I would love to be able to fill in the rest of the blanks, but I can't because my health got in the way of me being able to serve.

So, I learProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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d that people are called up about every three years. You serve for a month and are expected to follow through to find out if you are going to be questioned for a jury. You can either be notified that you will be on civil or criminal jury duty or you can get a notice to serve on a grand jury.

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I haven't been feeling great for the last several days. I feel like I am getting a cold. Summer colds are the worst.

Earlier in the year, right after I was diagnosed with diabetes, I developed an allergic reaction to something. We have tried to rid me of this since early May. It drives me crazy. I have had a couple of rounds of shots, the usual pregnizone, and taken about 5 boxes of benadryl.

About 3 weeks ago I had another round of the usual and thought I was rid of this forever. I'm not.

It reared its ugly head Sunday night and I knew there would be no way I could serve on the jury Monday because the medicine that gets it under control also puts me out like a light. This worried me sick! I hated feeling like something was getting in the way of serving, but it couldn't be helped. So, I talked with the clerk and was excused from service.

Calling all Artists Up for a Challenge

I have signed up to participate in the August challenge on AprilMarieMai's Handmade Challenge site.

I highly encourage you to jump in, too. This challenge is all about creating something that pertains to machines and cogs. Seems inspired by the fantastic current trend of Steampunk fashion. Don't know what that is? Just the best mix of Victorian beauty with science fiction fusion ever! Think time travel dressed up in a corset.

I have my gears turning, why not give it a try, too.

http://aprilmariemai.com/handmade_challenge.php

We Have a Winner!

I am happy to announce that Audrey had the winning entry to my blog giveaway! I use a random number generator and she was the lucky winner!

Her entry:

Wow - you would think only 6 things would be easy to come up with. Ok here goes (Not necessarily in order of importance):
1) sunshine
2) family
3) coffee
4) blogging
5) entering give aways (and sometimes winning)
6) quiet

I just wanted to thank everyone who entered! I really loved how many great entries I got. Thank you to those who spread the word, too! Believe me you made it a very fun giveaway. We had so many entries!

Don't worry if you didn't win, try again next time. (Yes, I will be doing another giveaway just like this one in the future.)

Dear Followers

I love that you are following my blog. I have some followers I am not following because I couldn't figure out how to follow them. If I am not following you, but you are following me, I know you are there! Hi!

If you are following me, but I am not following you, and you want me to, you need to tell me how.

I promise to get back to regular posting soon. I didn't want my blog giveaway post to scoot down because I want as many people to enter as possible.