About Me

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Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
I am a single mother of an adult son and a teenage daughter who are my world! I love life and try to make ech day better than the one before. I love to create beautiful things and spend time with my loved ones! I am "designing to make life beautiful"!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Holiday Boot Camp

I took a big step today as a relatively new artisan, and pledged to participate in the Etsy Holiday Boot Camp! It is a boot camp designed to help etsy seller get geared up, excited and ready for the holiday selling season.  It's purpose is to give sellers assignments and tips to help us...but even more importantly, to have a support group where we can help and encourage one another.  I know it will stretch me and bring me out of my comfort zone...and I need that!  I'm excited to be a part of this boot camp.  If you are participating in this program, I would love to have you follow my blog (and I will follow yours) so that we can motivate and encourage one another! 

My first assignment is to post my pledge for myself and others to see.  I have taped it to my desk where I read it every morning.  Here is my pledge:



I, Melissa Hurlburt, pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities.  I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers.  I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot.  I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude.  I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!



I am enjoying working on my first week's assignments and am indeed feeling very motivated!  If you are a boot camper or would like to know more, leave me a comment, and I will be glad to share more!  I hope you all have a very happy Wednesday!

Melissa


Friday, September 24, 2010

Candle Cozies


Some days I like to take a break from hats and design other things.  In my home, we LOVE candles!!  Sometimes, I think the candle labels are a little unatractive and just don't go with the decor.  I decided to design a crochet cozy that will cover that label and make the candle a part of the decor. 

I love beads, and this is a great way for me to use pretty beads!

I can't wait to try different colors and add holiday themed beads, etc.  I can picture me changing my candle cozies each season! 

I hope you have all had a great day!  I have been visiting fellow artisan's etsy shops and facebook fan pages today.  There are sooo many talented people out there.  I think I will try to spotlight a few of them occasionally here on my blog! : )

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Day of Design


Today I have accomplished much!  I completed four new hats...such as this pretty pink baby hat.  I also completed one in white (just like the pink one) and one in blue...for those baby boys out there.


Since my personal favorite accessory color is black (and at the request of a dear friend), I also made an adult size hat in black!  Black doesn't photograph very well, it seems, but the stitch pattern is the same as the little blue one.


I have also designed and completed 3 neckwarmers in pretty fall colors.  I only need to purchase and add the buttons before I can photograph them.  In case you don't know, neckwarmers are mini scarves that you button around your neck...keeping your neck all warm and cozy! 
Upon the request of one of my beautiful nieces, I have designed a pair of arm/wrist warmers (also known as fingerless gloves).  I intend to photograph these when my daughter's lovely hands are available to modle! 
I'd say that so far I have had a beautiful day in yarn heaven!!  I hope you have done something that you loved to do today!


Tuesday, September 21, 2010

My beautiful daughter!

OK...so...this is my second post today, but I just had to share this.  My daughter got her sophmore pictures back today...and they are just beautiful!  She is loving 10th grade and is making all A's so far!  She has Visual Arts, French I, English II, and Civics and Economics.  I think Visual Arts and Civics and Economics are her favorite classes.  She is quite the artist and loves anything history related.  She has signed up to play "Powder Puff Football" and starts practices this week.  She is also joining the "Interact" club, which is a club based on service.  They go to Walter Bickett preschool to give the children Chrismas/Holiday gifts, they organize two blood drives, and they host the school's Special Olympics.  She will be in her element with this club as she loves to serve!  She wants to do track in the spring and maybe join the Reading Club (because her English teacher gives extra credit to Reading Club members who read the books).  She loves going out to support the football team...(who is undefeated so far this year).  She also cannot wait until Homecoming.  I can tell she is going to have a busy and fun-filled year!!  And that means that I will too!  =D 

Light out of darkness...

My daughter and I were enjoying some time together on the road this weekend, when we saw the most beautiful thing...the sun coming from behind a dark cloud.  Since my daughter drives everywhere we go now, I was able to take a minute to capture the moment on "film", well actually on her cell phone.  To me, it was just breathtaking, and as I pondered why...I realized that it reminds me of my life.  Having come through some dark times the past few years, I finally feel as if there is now an abundance of light in my life coming out of the dark.  I have often heard that we should be thankful for our trials, as they help us to grow and to appreciate the good.  I have struggled with this concept these past few years.  Perhaps this wonderous scene was placed there just for me to see. Pondering this beautiful picture has made me realize that I now appreciate beauty and blessings so much more than I ever have.  Because I have seen dark days, I now rejoice in the good days.  I am so thankful for my many blessings and for my Heavenly Father's love for me! I look forward to much more light out of darkness and to my future.  I hope this small post may give someone the hope that it has given me! 

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Here I go...

Well, it seems that everyone is blogging these days. I enjoy visiting others' blogs...reading their stories, looking at their beautiful photos, and keeping up with their lives. It allows me to stay in touch with loved ones that I would otherwise lose touch with due to distance and time restraints. I also know that writting is a great form of therapy and is good for the mind and soul. Trust me, I could use a good dose of therapy most days! Sooo...I've decided it's about time for me start a blog. Better late than never, right? I can't garantee that it will be exiciting, or even interesting...ok, I can probably garantee that it won't be! haha I am photo challenged and need to start keeping my camera with me so that I will be able to capture all the precious moments in time! I have so many things that I want to share on my blog, but I know it will take time for me to figure out all the technical stuff that will allow me to do so. Most of all, this will take discipline for me, in that I will need to make a routine for myself that will help me remember to blog!! I hope you will enjoy your visits to my blog. If you have a blog that I could follow, send me the link!! Here I go...