Featured Etsy Shop: Rose Creek Cottage

One of my favorite shops on Etsy is Rose Creek Cottage (rosecreekcottage.etsy.com). Just the name of the shop makes me think of a cozy sitting room with a fire burning in the fireplace on a cold day, a good book, and a cup of tea. Or if it's summer, I see myself strolling through what else but a rose garden that surrounds a pretty white cottage.

The shop's owner, Carol, also writes an outstanding blog, sharing the ups and downs in her life and providing regular awesome inspiration to all of her faithful readers, of which she has many. As one of her "followers" I enjoy checking in regularly to read her latest post (http://rosecreekcottage-carol.blogspot.com/). One of the most poignant things she shares is her journey with her mother who has Alzheimer's. It's both heartbreaking and uplifting as it's obvious that Carol's approach to life is to never let go of her faith and never be afraid to share what's on her heart.

Back to her wonderful Etsy shop....




I've purchased a number of her Scrabble tile pendant necklaces for my granddaughter and several of my nieces. On seeing the necklaces at Christmas, my sister-in-law wanted one for herself. One of the great things about Carol's jewelry is that it appeals to all age groups.




I especially love the rhinestones that embellish so many of her pendants, adding such a sweet touch of bling. The packaging is fun, too. Each necklace in the 'Truffles' collection (like the ones pictured above and below) is nestled in a truffle cup and tucked into its own little tin.


I also love the 'Definition' pendants. Each one comes with a charm that complements what is written on the tile.



Carol says, "You'll see that I love incorporating words and stories into most of my creations. I think you'll be pleased with the stories each one conjures up!"

Obviously a lot of people have been pleased since, as of this writing, Carol has sold 949 items on Etsy alone. She's also sold on Ebay and participates in craft shows and festivals.

All the best to you, Carol! You and your shop are part of what makes Etsy such a great community to be a part of.

Showering Baby

I have been so busy lately that I haven't posted on my blog for a while. A baby shower for my daughter, that I helped organize, was held about a week ago and was so much fun. We had a great turnout with 40 women and all of their gifts packed in together quite cozily. Sacramento hasn't had rain in ages, but we got a downpour the day of the party. Fortunately, it didn't dampen anyone's spirit or desire to come help celebrate the occasion.

I was able to get the cake (Boston cream pie!) decorated with the same design as the invitations we sent out. I was so pleased with the results. Thank you Freeport Bakery! And tasty? Oh yeah!



My sister-in-law was in charge of the decorating, and she did such a beautiful job. It was simple and cheerful and felt like Spring instead of a rainy day. And of course there were silly games, courtesy of my daughter's sister-in-law. It was a wonderful family collaboration.



My one regret? I don't think anyone took a picture of my daughter and me together ... sigh .... Hating to have my picture taken, I don't usually put myself out there for photo ops so no big surprise. But after the fact I'm sorry that I didn't ask someone to snap our photo. So what if my eyes are usually closed and my chin looks like it invited a second one? Maybe someone can cut and paste a couple of pictures together to put us next to each other - for posterity.