To wallpaper or not to wallpaper ...

The very detailed and involved process of decorating my new Etsy room has taken a new turn ... WALLPAPER.

I know it's a scourge to many ... but mostly because it's old and yucky and you have to spend a few weeks trying to scrape it down.

BUT .... check this out ....

oooohhhh....

Rich was less-than enthusiastic as I was lovingly stroking the sample at Lowe's this weekend ... But we both think just doing one wall (with the rest a nice coordinating color) would be nice.

So... I can't make a decision this big without the help of my blog peeps!! :)

1.) YES/NO for the wallpaper

2.) If YES, which color to coordinate; If NO, what color instead?

Soopa Shoe Sale!!!

As you all know by now, I'm moving soon!

This sort of change prompts me to try and get rid of the heavy stuff (so I don't have to pack and move it.)

THUS---enter SHOE SALE!!

From now until moving day, get FREE U.S. SHIPPING on all the shoes in my shop! International buyers get a $5 base charge (which is still a lot less than it usually is!!) :)

Here's the international size conversion chart to help you out!

Here's some of what I've got going on--- in just about every size! (sorry size 10-ers :(....

SIZE 6

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SIZE 7

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SIZE 7.5

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SIZE 8

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SIZE 8.5

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SIZE 9

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SIZE 9.5

I don't like flying.

This blog post is going to be told in pictures ... mostly, because I don't want to talk about it.

I'm going to Seattle next week with my mom to visit my sister and niece.

SO excited to see them both.

SO not excited for all this ....

Exaggeration, I know.

Nonetheless, I will be heavily drinking those expensive in-flight drinks. :)

Trash the dress!!

So -- before I started selling goodies here on Etsy, I had never heard of "Trash the Dress."

It's a photo shoot for brides AFTER their wedding -- and they basically trash their wedding dress!!! (like the name, duh! :)

Anyway, it's sort of an alternative to storing away your wedding dress in a dark closet -- never to be seen again. This way, you get some really original images that you can look at and smile!

Bride Tila sent me these images of her Trash the Dress session while wearing my cocoon comb!

HOW FUN.

Check out the full shoot at LSPhotography.

Sort of big news!

Sort of big news ya'll!

I'm moving in with my boyfriend, Rich, in 2 months!!! It's not super crazy, since I've moved somewhere new each year (at this time of the year) for the last 3 or 4 years... but it's a BIG STEP nonetheless!

The biggest news of this big news is that I'll get my very own ETSY ROOM!!

WOOHOO!! Right now, I have a room upstairs that I *thought* would be my Etsy room, but it got too hot in the summer, so I just use it for packing up stuff and storing product/supplies.

This is where I do the majority of my work now:

The key point is that just beyond the couch is the TV. Bad, I know ... but I guess I'm used to having that sort of background noise when I work!

ANYWAY... the point of this post is that I have to start thinking about how to DESIGN my new studio room!!

This is a big decision.

A studio must be condusive to creativity .. and at the same time -- allow you to concentrate AND feel cozy and relaxed!

The main ingredients seem to be:

BRIGHT COLORS.

LOTS OF BOOKS.

SOFT LIGHTING.

LOTS OF INSPIRATION. (plus a little bit of messiness).

I think I'm also thinking of putting in some sort of cupboard/built-in storage system.

Ideas?

It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

Ben Franklin shirt by LookForFiddleheads

Hey! Just a quick note to let everyone know (in the least tacky way I can) that I'm going to start accepting sponsorships for my blog!

What can I say .. being a full-time Etsian keeps you looking for way to bring home the bacon.

Here's the deal!

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See that little purple box to the bottom right?

$20 gets you a clickable ad in that space for one month! You can make it, or I can make it .. ... Easy peezy! :)

E-mail me at: EmilyZych@yahoo.com if you are interested!

OOOHHH!!!

Look at this amazing wedding with a whichgoose crown!!!

Special thanks so Kristen Gardner photography (http://www.kristengardner.com )

You can see all the photos on her blog: http://www.kristengardnerblog.com/

And also special thanks to the BEAUTIFUL bride, Ali! Isn't she hot!?!?!

Sneak peak!

Coming tomorrow!!

(or whenever I have a good enough hair day to take pictures...)

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Has anyone read "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies" ???

I just got it and will be posting a review later on :) But I guess I'm a bit wary of it ... not that I'm a big Austenphile .... but it just seems sketchy.

Notice how it's by Seth Grahame - Smith AND Jane Austen?? Whhhaaaaat....?

Sounds like a bit of a rip-off ... like some dude basically plugged in zombie scenes to the original?

I dunno.... thoughts?

inspiration

There's always a bad day to deal with ... and I've learned the secret: wallow in it. Wallow in feeling sad, lonely, overtaken and hopeless for one day.

Then snap out of it.

I find that indulging these feelings is the only way to really get over it. There's nothing to say it won't happen again, but at least you will have been through the course of it and come out on the other side!

And mostly, it ends up just being PMS. :)

When I'm having a "bad Etsy day" I go to this folder I keep on my computer's desktop.

It's called "inspiration"

I have this photo of me and Richard:

It reminds me how happy I am with him.

I also have the following quotes/lyrics, etc:

"To stand in silence when they should be protesting makes cowards out of men" - Lincoln

First you jump off the cliff and you build wings on the way down.

Let your mind wander

Look beyond the shadows

Focus on the skyline,

Read the silhouettes

Your deepest desires

are a picture of tomorrow

All your darkest fears

are just a vestige of regret

And it seems like such a long way to go

As obstacles get bigger,

prevailing winds blow stronger

and the fire continues to grow

Don't let shallow water limit your perception

Heed the new horizon, muster to it fast

The moments of your yesterdays

are in the wake behind you

You can't assess the future

if you're living in the past

And it seems like such a long way to go

As obstacles get bigger,

prevailing winds blow stronger

and the fire continues to grow

in your soul

So be bold, let it grow

Don't let it die

Let it burn.

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Then, if all else fails, I watch this video:

New tattoo!!

Zoinks!!

I got a new tattoo!! I'm super hard-core now. Look out little children -- flee in my presence!!

Kidding....

I've been wanting to get something big and bold ever since I quit my "real job" almost 6 months ago now. I always tend to get a tattoo when I have some sort of life-changing event... that way I can always remember where/who I was when I got it.

My first tattoos seem so far away now ... I was such a little kid when I got them!! I might not have chosen them now, but I love them just the same because they seem to encapsulate who I was at that point in my life. And no matter how much I grow and change, I'll always have a little bit of that scared little girl in me :)

This one is especially meaningful for me ... PLUS it's the first tattoo that I can really see! (the others are on my back.) I keep looking at it because I can! hahah :P

Anyways, the flower is a wild geranium .. but I picked it because it sort of looks like a cherry blossom, which is supposed to represent change/a new direction in life. I don't know for whom ... but anyway ...

Normally, I think tattoos that represent something are sort of silly, but this one is a bit non-obvious I think.

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In other news:::: I think I'm going to slowly close out my other shop---the home decor one.

I sold a few things, but it's not really taking off. I was mainly hoping to sell things before I move, but I think I need to just purge and start fresh!!

SSOOOO---look for a SALE in my decor shop, plus some more vintage items transferring over to my main whichgoose site :)

Introspection

(New tags!! :) Hey B--- you should probably go and buy some just like this now...)

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More thoughts on the downside (that's not really a downside) of doing Etsy full-time:

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No matter how much I sell ... how much money I manage to squirrel away after the rent, electricity, cable, health care, cell phone, groceries and insurance are paid ...

I still never feel financially secure.

This is mostly due to the lack of the "steady" paycheck. No matter how much your job sucks, it does give you that sweet comfort of knowing that everything two weeks, you are going to get the SAME AMOUNT of money!

But I guess this is my challenge; this is part of letting go.

I have to force myself not to fall into a routine ... deny the urge to plan out every second of my day.

I have to take a walk in the sunlight.

I have to take deep breaths. Ignore those who lurk in darkness ... shadowing my steps, stealing my light.

I have to learn to appreciate this amazing gift I've been given.

This is my chance at happiness.

Shenandoah and giveaway winners!!

BLOG GIVEAWAY WINNERS! ------> 1st place (any comb under $35 from the shop): Tiger_Lili; 2nd place (the pink lace comb): MichellemyBelle; 3rd place: (the pink flower ring) Ausra

Congrats to all!!! :) I will send you e-mails right after I finish this blog to get your info and such :)

THANKS TO EVERYONE who entered!! Stay tuned --- I love me a giveaway!! :)

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This weekend me and the fella took a little mini-vacation to Shenandoah National Park! This is one of the major perks of doing Etsy full-time ... I can just get up and go! (as long as we stop by the post office on the way.)

It was actually really difficult to not have Internet access for the "almost" 2 days we were there ... I felt so disconnected! And Rich's cellphone went dead after a while, so he was really cut-off. How strange that we are conditioned to rely on technology so much! I don't think it's a bad thing. Just weird... And such a contrast to be "in nature" for the weekend...

It was SO WINDY!!! But we had fun going a couple (very short) hikes ... because I am a big wimp when it comes to hiking. We mostly did some relaxing and I took pictures of flowers a lot :) GOOD TIMES!

And now ... I'm all refreshed and ready for another week of ETSY!!! YAH!!! :D

GIVEAWAY GIVEAWAY GIVEAWAY!!!!!

For all you patient blog-readers who put up with my pointless bantering ...

your persistence has paid off!!!!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Okay ... so I wanted to do something a bit different this time...

There will be THREE WINNERS -- A first, second and third-prize winner. (Because I always feel bad that only one person gets to win.)

This is the deal:

FIRST-PRIZE WINNER: Will win a hair comb OF THEIR CHOOSING from my shop! (Value must be $30 or less.)

SECOND-PRIZE WINNER: This comb!

THIRD-PRIZE WINNER: This flower ring!

TO ENTER>>>>>>

Post a comment on this blog post! YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS IN THE POST TO BE ENTERED. This is so I can be sure I have a way to contact you if you win. I swear I won't send you crap, I've just had problems in the past getting in contact with winners.

GOOD LUCK!! :)