Friday, January 28, 2011

1.28.11 Holy Shit, It's Almost February

Today was a running around with a friend day. Estate sales, moving sales, and yard sales were the order of the day. Found some good stuff and spent too much money. Isn't that the way it always is? Now that I bought the stuff I have to take pictures and post. I still haven't taken pictures and posting the stuff from the last estate sale I went to. I don’t think I’ll ever get caught up. I guess I have what one would call an inventory. It’s all in how you look at it.

Well, after all the running I stopped at a friend’s house. She is so creative that I am totally inspired. She paints, sews, weaves, and makes all kinds of things. I am in awe. Her random weaves are fantastic. I want to learn the technique but I don’t think I really need to start working on anything else right now. Too much stuff that needs completion yet the weaves are awesome…..and I do have the branches, and the yarn. hmmm, maybe.

Got to work again tomorrow so there is a pot of chicken chili on the stove ready to go. At least we will get to eat no matter what is thrown at us. We’ll be ready with a bowl of chili in one hand and a spoon in the other. We’re tough, and we won’t go hungry. lol

Here’s a little something special to listen to. The band is Poco. They were fabulous back in the 70’s, one of my favorites. I still have an album or two. The guys are a little older now but the sound is still there. Enjoy!

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire

Thursday, January 27, 2011

1970 Minis, Midis, and Big Hair

 

My mom was a fashionista.  She always had the perfect hair, make-up, nails, and clothes. You’d never know it to look at me. She was happy if I left the house and my clothes matched. Sure, my clothes are still clean but I’m not the kind to have perfect hair (mine has an attitude, a do what it wants attitude) or nails (blame it on the soap and frequent hand washing). Anyway, this is about Mom, her perfect hair, and 1970.

I was looking at some old family photos and found this of my mom. Look at the hair and the mini skirt! Big hair and not a hair out of place.

Copy of image0-8

Well that picture got me looking through my stacks of patterns and I found these from 1970. 

100_8131-1

McCall’s 2357 Misses’ Dress with Princess Front

100_8128

Simplicity 8732 with Empire Waistline

Mini skirts were still the rage, though you could wear a midi and be considered fashionable. Empire waistlines were very “in” especially for young, slim women (you wouldn’t look prego).

100_8149-1

Simplicity 9811 Misses’ Princess Dress with Bell Sleeves

Flirty bell sleeves looked so cool.

That long, straight hair was ironed on an ironing board or rolled on orange juice cans to control the curls. Oh, and we did have pantyhose. No more garter belts and stockings that would fall down. What a relief!

Post by Eileen of GoofingOff.etsy.com and GoofingOff.Artfire.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

New Listings in GoofingOff.Etsy

With all the things going on to get ready for the EtsyChai spring ad campaign I am surprised I got anything done for my shop but I did. I made a few new pincushions and posted some incredible patterns. The pincushions are cool, recycled fabrics from thrift shop rescues. The first ones were made with fiberfill, the next ones will be with emery sand to keep sewing needles shop. I even have some vintage expresso cups to make into little stand-up pincushions. I hope they come out as cute as I see them in my head.

Anyway, here are a few of the new listings.

100_6498

Vintage McCall’s 8009 Maternity Jumper

This pattern is from 1951 in size 14, bust 32. It is complete. Hard to believe a dress with such a small waist could be maternity. Maybe the first month?

il_570xN_211234113

Vintage 50’s McCall’s 8389 Sophisticated 2 Piece Suit, size 14, bust 32. Is this not one of the classiest suits ever seen?

il_570xN_211215747

Handmade Hand Embroidered Daisy Pincushion Light green. This used to be a man’s shirt in another life. Cute

il_570xN_211214319

Handmade Upholstery fabric pincushion The fabric was too nice to trash. Hard to believe somebody tried.

il_570xN_211212556

Handmade Recycled flower and denim pin cushion. This was from the legs of jeans, too worn at the knees to revive but cute as a pincushion.

il_570xN_210499384

Vintage Field of Flowers Afghan Crochet Pattern PDF. After all this time, I think I mastered making a PDF. Each square is a different colored flower, an anemone.

Well, that’s the latest postings in the shop. Hope you like what you see.

Posting by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Amazing Husband and the Treadmill

OK, not amazing men, just one. A couple of weeks ago after months of looking and searching I finally bought a treadmill. Not a little one to fold under the bed but a real one with incline and programs and a place to plug in my pod. Very cool. Only problem was when it was delivered I was responsible for the put together, something  I forgot to tell the hubby. When it was dropped off (manner of speech, the thing is huge. If it was dropped I'd have floor damage), my hubby waited for the guys to put it together. You should have seen his face when I broke it to him that they weren't doing it. Not good.

I offered to take it out of the box but he wisely said no. Good thing. I am much better at taking things apart than putting things together, not to mention my lack of mechanical skills. Oh, I do know which end of a screwdriver to use but it is the order of the put together that leaves me in the lurch. Just don’t get it. Good thing I don’t work on cars. I shudder at the thought.

Well, anyway, after I got home from a long, hard day at work he surprised me with the treadmill, all put together, a special electric outlet for it, and it works! It is beeeyouteeful! I tried it out a little, too. Tomorrow will be the first morning on it. George Thoroughgood on the pod and me on the treadmill. Woo hoo!

Monday, January 24, 2011

New to You: Thrifting in Dixie County, FL

Today is Monday which for me means a trip into town. I know that sounds a bit weird to y’all who live with a post office and a grocery store on every corner. We live in the country so a trip to the closest store is 10 miles, not to mention the post office, bank, and so on. Monday is my day to go shopping. Since it is a “have-to” I try to spice it up with a little bit of fun stuff, namely thrifting.

Cross City, Florida is a small town on Florida’s west coast, only here we don’t call it the west coast, we call the Nature Coast. It is about 150 miles north of St. Petersburg, 50 miles south of Perry, and 50 miles west of Gainesville. In other words, not close to anything. It is a town described as 20 years or more behind the times which is fine with me and most of the inhabitants.  I go often enough to be recognized and one of the crowd, even if I wasn’t born there.

In Cross City are at least 4 thrift shops where you can find anything from clothes to books to real antiques; just takes some looking.

Today I stopped at New to You Consignment on US 19 next to McDonald’s. There is no telling what good things you’ll find in her shop. Kathy, the owner, goes through everything and puts out clothes daily for her sidewalk sale where everything is 25 cents. Inside the shop are deals, clothes, home decor, housewares, you name it. Here’s some of the things I found there:

il_570xN_95752995

Vintage Havilland Limoges Bone China Boudoir Basket

il_570xN_39952748

Vintage Hat Box

il_570xN_78334881

Vintage Kodak Camera.

I’ve even found peach lusterware and McCoy Cookie jars! Besides those finds I harvest bows, buttons, roses, trim, and fabric from the racks whenever possible to provide supplies for my own creations.

Today the pickin’s were a little slimmer than other days but I still found a few things to use. I got a desk organizer (to help me in my never-ending quest to organize my office), some old t-shirts (for dog and cat toys), and some clothes for the fabric (pin cushions and ring pillows?).

Well, that’s all for now. Since I bought the desk organizer I guess I ought to put it to good use and straighten up this messy desk. It will be nice and clean, at least for a day or two.

Hope you enjoyed the chicken chili from yesterday’s post.

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Chicken Chili Recipe

100_8380 Bowl of Chicken Chili

The cold weather has me thinking of ways to keep warm and feed people. As I said in an earlier post, we eat a lot of chicken in my home so there is usually leftover chicken waiting to be reinvented into something tasty. Today the hubby and friends are out in the cold cutting trees for an orchard so I thought a hot lunch would be in order. Looking in the refrigerator I found leftover chicken breast and leftover beans. Hmmm, I thought, looks like the basics for chicken chili.
I won’t claim this as an original recipe, although my take on it might be a little different than most. A friend made some for work one day and it was wonderful. Since I don’t have her recipe I had to make my own. Hope you like it.
Chicken Chili     Makes about 8 12 ounce bowls.
2 cups of cooked, diced chicken
100_8364-1
1 onion, diced
Digital StillCamera
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 cups of beans already cooked. Use 1 can of beans if you didn’t cook any. Kidney beans are great but pink, navy, and black beans work well, too.
100_8369-1
1- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
100_8368
2 tablespoons of chili powder
100_8370
1 tablespoon of crushed cumin seed
100_8371
In a large saucepan heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until the onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute.
100_8365
Add chicken, gently stir, and allow the chicken to heat through, about 5 minutes.
100_8366
Add the tomatoes and beans to the chicken. Turn the heat down to low. Add chili powder and ground cumin and stir.
At this point, you can either continue cooking the chili on the stove over a low heat or do what I do, put it in the crock pot and continue cooking on low. If you continue on the stove, make sure to stir the chili often to make sure it doesn’t scorch.
If you use the stove the chili will be ready in about 1 hour. If you are using the crock pot it will be ready in about 6-8 hours.
100_8378
Serve with grated cheese, diced onions, and crackers, if you prefer.  Hot sauce is also a welcome addition.
The chili was a big hit at my house. I hope it is at yours. Enjoy and stay warm!

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire

Box Tops for Education

While watching TV I saw a commercial about Box Tops for Education. Just think, a way to help the school without volunteering. I’ve seen the box tops before but didn’t think too many people are saving, or using, them. So, being the curious person I am, I went to FB and Twitter, and found a FB page devoted to the box tops. There is also a Twitter thing for it. Couldn’t find the schools in my area, though, so being a civic minded citizen, I emailed the principal and asked if they collected the box tops.

btfeHeadline

Nothing like inspiration to get things moving. It will be interesting to find out if the local schools are involved; even more interesting to get local folks involved.

Along that track of thought, I starting thinking about the box tops on the Betty Crocker products. I remember seeing the box tops when I was a young bride (eons ago) and collecting them whenever possible for merchandise. I guess I wasn’t the only one because the program was pretty popular at one time. People would save the points coupons for silverware and other products. According to William Wilcoxen, Minnesota Public Radio, spoons tucked in Wheaties boxes in 1931 by General Mills had the public wanting more. Soon after, the points starting showing up on flour bags and cake mixes. For a little cash and a few points you could get good quality silverware or other products.

20061213_boxtop_1 A 10 pointer!

Nowadays, most people won’t save coupons for purchases like they did back then. They will use points purchased through the use of a credit card for merchandise and airline miles.

Betty Crocker’s catalog for points purchases was retired in 2006. They still have the Box Tops for Education, though….and from what I found on FB and Twitter it is still going strong.

Which brings me back to my question, I wonder if they are involved in the program around here?

Anyone else saving the box tops for education? Are you saving anything like that?

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Thrifty Chicken and Dumplings

100_8345
Cup of Chicken and Dumplings
We eat a lot of chicken in my house. Lots. Sometimes I think I might grow feathers but I really like chicken. Reinventing the bird so we don’t feel we are eating the same thing everyday can be a challenge but I am not challenged enough to cook something too exotic. After all, it is a waste of time and money if no one eats or likes something. Well, the other day we made a roast chicken. A couple of days after we had open faced sandwiches. Today I made chicken and dumplings with the rest of that same chicken. I thought that would be a good thing to eat with the weather being so cold. I also thought since it is so cold in the rest of the country I would share the recipe with y’all. This recipe makes a good hearty meal perfect for cold days. It is a good way to use up leftover chicken and vegetables.
Ingredients:
Chicken (Traditionalists use all white meat but I am thrifty and use leftovers) 
100_8335
2 quarts water
100_8336
1 teaspoon dry parsley
1 teaspoon salt
100_8340
2 cups Self-rising flour
100_8337
2/3 cup milk
100_8339
1/3 cup shortening
Vegetables (frozen peas and baby carrots work real well)

Chicken and dumplings start with good broth. You can use ready made or just make your own with the leftover chicken. Put the leftover chicken in a pot with about 2 quarts of water and simmer over a medium fire. Add a little salt. You can also add a little (teaspoon) of chicken bouillon powder to make the chicken flavor stronger. Let the broth cook about an hour.

Carefully remove the chicken from the broth. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones, gristle, and skin. Put the meat back into the broth. If you are using frozen vegetables, add them just before adding the dumplings.

Making dumplings from scratch is like making biscuits. Place the flour in a bowl and add the shortening. Cut the shortening into the flour. It will get a pebbly texture. Add the milk a little at a time and mix in. The mixture should be soft, not wet or soupy. Add the mixture by spoon to the broth. These are called drop dumplings. Some people roll them out flat and cut them but it isn’t necessary. If you would rather have the roll out kind, just use more flour, roll them out, cut into strips, and then add the dumplings to the broth.
100_8341
This is how it looks before the dumplings are cooked.
After you add the dumplings to the broth, bring it to a boil, then decrease the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. It will create its own gravy. The vegetables will be tender. 
100_8343
You can even skip the dumpling making step by using canned biscuits or frozen dumplings. Not bad, I just forget to buy those things.
A low fat alternative to homemade dumplings is flour tortillas, the kind used for burritos and wraps. Just slice them in strips and add them to the broth. The gravy won’t be as thick but it will still be good and have a few less calories.
100_8345
Ready to eat. Not bad for a cold winter day.
Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff etsy and Goofing off Artfire.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Medieval and Renaissance Fairs: Hoggetowne Medieval Faire

While looking through my collection of patterns I came across a pattern for women’s medieval costumes. The pattern made me think of the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire with the life size chess game, archery contest, and turkey legs fit for a king’s appetite.
I made it to the faire a few times, strictly as an observer mind you, no costume, but what fun it would be to go in costume. Medieval fairs are like all the middle ages without the black plague. The fairs are sugar coated history,  wenches wearing provocative costumes, ladies and knights walking around in elegant costumes, and kind kings and queens presiding over chess matches. No dark dingy castles, no plague, and the food is good. You can even read a book and not be a priest!
OK, so are you going to a medieval faire in your area? In Florida the fairs start early, the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire is January 28-29 and February 4-6. There are medieval fairs throughout the state of varying sizes, some lasting for weeks with different events on each weekend. Most have tents with craftsmen and women displaying and selling their work. There are merchants with clothing, hides, and furs, all things that would be appropriate for the middle ages.
So, think about how much fun it would be to go to the fair and be in costume. Need some inspiration? Check out this treasury I just created on Etsy called "Days and Knights."




Sure you would drive there but once there you are transported back in time to a gentler medieval time and be the lady or lord you know you would have been. Here are some costume patterns to help you get there and be appropriately dressed when you arrive.
il_570xN_181109497
McCall’s P280
Ever desire to cast a spell or two? How about a sorceress?
How about a gown appropriate for a lady?
100_7990
McCall's 8826
il_570xN_105406388
McCall’s MP275
And you know I wouldn’t forget something for the gentlemen?
So have fun, goofing off style.
Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy.com and GoofingOff.Artfire.com

Monday, January 17, 2011

Spring’s Coming: Passover the Team EtsyChai Way

Ah spring, when a young man’s fancy turns to romance, or something like that. What about us crafters? Our fancy turns to what we are planning to create to make our homes look wonderful after our winter cave-like existence. As soon as the temperature approaches 60 my windows and doors open and the fresh air and sunlight come pouring in. In my Jewish home Passover it means I thinking and planning the Seder, the new tablecloth, what napkins to put out, what pillows to set out. I would think the home getting ready for Easter isn’t much different, except maybe for the pillows. What outfit will look good for church, what to bring to Easter dinner, and so on.

When I hold a Seder I invite friends who always ask what they can bring to the Seder. Since many are not Jewish they often are not familiar with Jewish traditions. Because the foods of the Seder are traditional, I make sure to prepare them. A loaf of bread, artisan or other, is out, and I got the wine. Cheese? Not after meat at the Seder.  What to bring? I bet quite a few people go through the same thing. You don’t want to go empty handed but want a gift that is appropriate, useful, and beautiful.

Well, that line of thought got me to sewing patterns (yeah, I know, it usually does. I am surrounded by them). I found this pattern from 1996, Simplicity 9877, for book carriers, covers, pillows, and wine bottle covers. What a wonderful gift for Passover a bible cover or Haggadah cover would be! A basket cover with maybe some fresh fruit or Passover candy? A cute pillow for the Seder?  GoofingOff even has the Judaic fabrics to make the wine bottle cover or pillow look totally appropriate.

 

100_8237Simplicity 9877

Don’t have the time to sew for Passover  but still want to bring a gift? No problem. Team EtsyChai has talented artists creating the most beautiful artwork and gifts at price points meets everyone’s needs.  Jewelry, glassware, ceramics, cards, everything!

il_570xN_113616095

Mezuzah by TraceyLipman

 il_570xN_122508779

Passover Round Israeli Platter by YafitGlass

il_570xN_174427365

Pewter Judaic Wine Charms by anjalicreations

il_570xN_88803230

Creation Greeting card by AnotherCreation

You can following Team EtsyChai and GoofingOff on Facebook and get the latest on all the happenings. Click here to get to our Facebook pages:            GoofingOff                                      Team EtsyChai

Don’t worry, I got your back. Or, rather, EtsyChai’s got your back. Your host or hostess will be amazed by your insight and knowledge of Jewish tradition.  All it takes is a little help from Team EtsyChai, and a little time for Goofing Off.

Post by GoofingOff of GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.artfire.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Recognizing the Signs of Stroke

Not too long ago I went to one of my favorite thrift shops, you know, the one with all the stuff crammed into every nook and cranny? So much stuff it spills out to the sidewalk?  Yeah, that one. Good shop. Well, anyway, there is a nice older couple who run the shop. Well, when I stopped in the last time there was a younger man at the register. I thought “Maybe they took a trip and he’s filling in” so in my small talk way I asked what happened to the woman who runs the store. “Oh, that’s my mom” he said. “My dad had a stroke about a month ago and she’s been taking care of him.”

OMG, the poor man and his wife. The proceeded to tell me how he stopped at the store one morning and found his dad trying to make coffee but couldn’t figure out how to do it. Being a good son he helped him make the coffee then went on his way. He checked back with his month later in the afternoon and she said his dad wasn’t much better. She thought it was a cold. Anyway, to make a long story short, the man didn’t see a doctor or go to the hospital for a week. It took the hospital a few more days, a CT scan, and an MRI to figure out he had a stroke. He spent another week in the hospital. When I found out about it he was just starting to talk again.

I feel terrible about the whole thing. I don’t place blame on the son for not taking him to the hospital or the man’s wife for the not calling an ambulance. I feel bad because they didn’t recognize the signs of stroke, so being the good nurse that I am, I decided to blog about it. Maybe someone will remember what I wrote and help someone who has a stroke. So, here goes, a nursing teaching moment.

A stroke is called a brain attack just like a myocardial infarction is called a heart attack. There is a lack of oxygen to a portion of the brain.  How bad the effects are depends on a few things but it is important to do something about it. What can you do? CALL 911!

I borrowed this from the American Heart Association. It’s good, sound advice so please read this:

WARNING SIGNS OF STROKE

  • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
  • Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Be prepared for an emergency.

  • Keep a list of emergency rescue service numbers next to the telephone and in your pocket, wallet or purse.
  • Find out which area hospitals are primary stroke centers that have 24-hour emergency stroke care.
  • Know (in advance) which hospital or medical facility is nearest your home or office.

Take action in an emergency.

  • Not all the warning signs occur in every stroke. Don't ignore signs of stroke, even if they go away!
  • Check the time. When did the first warning sign or symptom start? You'll be asked this important question later.
  • If you have one or more stroke symptoms that last more than a few minutes, don't delay! Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical service (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can quickly be sent for you.
  • If you're with someone who may be having stroke symptoms, immediately call 9-1-1 or the EMS. Expect the person to protest — denial is common. Don't take "no" for an answer. Insist on taking prompt action.

For stroke information, call the American Stroke Association at 1-888-4-STROKE or visit their Web site.

Now, I love to see my friends but I sure would rather see y’all in a thrift shop or yard sale than in the ICU. I wish I could have taught the man and his mom to recognize the signs of stroke. Might have changed the recovery time and changed his outcome. I can’t do much about what happened but I can affect what will be by teaching and telling others. OK, I did my part, now you do yours.

Thanks for reading.

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy.com and GoofingOff.artfire.com

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

I love old movies. I remember sitting on the couch with my mother watching Crosby and Hope, the Kettles, and the Bowery Boys, just to name a few. Anything made in the ‘60’s was too new for me and I barely tolerated the ‘50’s. I loved the movies of the 1930’s and 40’s; the elegance of the 30’s fashions and the war-time patriotism of the 40’s. The stars were glamorous. The men strong and dashing, the women gorgeous and elegant.

Although I loved the old movies, the musicals were my favorites. I used to watch Fred Astaire over and over and envy every step taken by Ginger Rogers. They made it look so easy that I never dreamed it took practice, lessons, and more practice, not to mention a little talent.

And the music! The songs still stick in my head playing over and over, not like the one you can’t stand and can’t get rid of but more like a good friend whose company you enjoy and love to visit with. Baby, It’s Cold Outside is one of those songs.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside was from the movie “Neptune’s Daughter” starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Red Skelton, Betty Garrett, and Keenan Wynn.  The song was composed by Frank Loesser for the movie and performed by Red Skelton and Betty Garrett. It won the Academy Award for Best Song in 1949.

Well, when the temperature dipped into the 20’s (and in Florida, that’s pretty darned cold), the tune crept into my head. A little later, I found the cover of Modern Screen in my collection with Esther Williams.

scans0001

I guess that cover just confirmed it. That song will be playing in my head for a while cause Baby, it’s cold outside! Brrr! lol

post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.Etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire where everyday is a day meant for goofing off.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Climbing out from Under the Rock and Discovering Music Matisyahu: One Day

Back in August I finished my BSN. This is not a brag, it is just fact. I tend to have an obsessive nature so while I was in school I did little else except study.  I read  few books other than nursing, watched even fewer movies, and listened to hardly any music.  It wasn't that I wasn't interested, school was very intense, especially while working full time and trying to run 3 Etsy shops. The classes came fast and furious, good for me since I get bored easily, but still hard and time consuming.
School took it's toll on me. My husband learned to stay away from me while I was studying and cooked more (maybe a benefit?). One Etsy shop, MissEileen, my very first, is about dead. I had to hire a house keeper (oh, that's a benefit, too). Now that  school is over I feel like I am coming out from under a rock. I read a few books, watched a movie or two when I could grab the remote, and downloaded a few tunes. My friends at work laugh when I tell them the movies I watch since many have been out for years. That's how out of touch I am.
As for the tunes, I found this guy, Matisyahu, on YouTube. He is a Hasid from New York who sings Reggae. He's pretty good so I thought I would share. Makes me think of my youth when I lived in Borough Park, Brooklyn, among the Hasidic communuity. I loved it but that was a long time ago, fodder for another blog post.
Enjoy the music. Is he good or what? I think I have patterns to count.


  


Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.Etsy.com and GoofingOff.Artfire.com.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Artfire Supplies Group Guild

Selling supplies to the art community is an important part of the artistic process. I take selling sewing patterns and supplies seriously. I double check each pattern for parts making sure it is complete before a sale, take pictures so the buyer can see what they are buying is what they receive, and provide an accurate description of the product. It can be time consuming but I do love sewing patterns and fabric and like sharing the product with the rest of the world.

I am a member of the Artfire Supplies Group Guild. All of the members are primarily suppliers. We do a little crafting but our stores are supply stores. Here is a sampling of the group:

 Antique Bronze Snowflake / Christmas Spacer Beads or Charms from Curious Cleo

100 pcs Antique Bronze Snowflake / Christmas Spacer Beads or Charms - UK Seller

Curious Cleo is a seller from the UK. This offer has 100 pieces of these bronze spacer beads.

Paisley Appliqués' in Fuchsia from Zazuta

--90000--76551_product_262659050_thumb_large

Zazuta is a member-seller from India. These appliqués are beautiful!

Sunset Quartz 15mm Puffed Squares from Blue Butterfly beads

--120000--90766_product_582787137_thumb_crop

Beautiful colors, rich with earth tones.

White Gloss Jewelry and Craft Gift Boxes 4 x 4 x 2  from CDVDMart--90000--67515_product_24555332_thumb_large

10 boxes, reasonably priced. Other supplies available, too!

Handmade Neon Green Silk Satin YoYo Appliqués from IloveYoYo

Handmade Neon Green Silk Satin YoYo Appliques, 6 pieces

Yo yos, great for embellishing.

16mm Peridot Faceted Crystal Rondelles from Piratcha

4 pcs Peridot Faceted Crystal Rondelles 16mm

Red Ceramic Russian Matryoshka Doll Beads from Kitsch n Kaboodle

--90000--77050_product_273562032_thumb_large

For the person who makes pincushions, Emery Sand from Nakpunar is a must.

--30000--2923_product_1969313629_thumb_large

Here’s some wonderful yarn from my buddy Susan of Susanknits. She’s a member of Team Etsy Chai, too.

Novelty Yarn Pack, eyelash and thick and thin, pink, purple, yellow

--90000--63067_product_1101896978_thumb_crop

Last but not least, here is an offering from my humble sewing supply shop.

Fruit Trees Vintage Cotton Fabric from GoofingOff

--60000--55322_product_453126320_thumb_large

So, if you’re looking for supplies, we got you covered!

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff Etsy and GoofingOff Artfire, where every day is a day to Goof Off!