Shop update with lots of new crochet hippie tams

(maybe I should make my posts more google-friendly and throw more keywords out there:)

I stuck to my goal and updated my website with several new hippie dreadlock tams.
Most of them are wool and unisex.
But I also love a funky and unique style. There will always be a crazy style or strong color thrown into the mix.
All tams can be purchased at Purple Sage Designz and paid through paypal

This is just wrong

to wake up to snow storms at the end of March.
The picture shows the "remains" of our Mulberry tree covered under a blanket of snow.

I will update my website with pure wool tams tomorrow. I was debating whether to put them to the side until next fall, but the unpredictable weather has affirmed that wool tams should be available all year around.

If interested, please visit Purple Sage Designz tomorrow evening to take a peek.

In case you like my new blogger background and want to get a free background, please visit


I found her through google and the best thing about her templates is that you will not lose any of your gadgets on the sidebar when you implement her templates. With most other templates all your links and gadgets disappear after inserting a new template created outside of the typical blogger default choices. I also like how they cover the whole screen and never look "off".

About repetition, perfecting and work...

My handmade business has been very good to me...I receive plenty of orders and I seldom take a day off.
Lately I have been struggling with headaches and a flu bug.
I had cut back on crocheting and put Purple Sage Designz on the backburner for a week
I am getting back to my normal self and am so glad to have my energy back.


Normally I have a gazillion plans in my head for sewing new clothing and making new accessories.
But I have found out that trying too many new things can be stressful and will not always provide success. A little bit of repetition makes us masters in our own respect.
I have repeatedly sewn tiered patchwork skirts and find it so much easier now to gather, patch and sew these voluminous gyspy style skirts.
The pictures show 2 girls skirts I custom made for a dear Etsy friend. I am really happy with the outcome and the nice flairing silhouette.
I am tempted to take apart older designs and re-style them with my new expertise and experience.
Guess I'll just do it? One of these days:)

Farewell to a tree

It's sad to see trees being cut down.
In the case of our mulberry tree we waited as long as we could and helped ourselves with cutting back the limbs year after year to keep the hazard for our home as small as possible. Its growth got out of control. Living in the tornado alley makes it especially crucial not to have a monster size mulberry tree sitting right next to your house with huge limbs hanging over the roof.
This tree got so huge that it blocked the entire sunlight and kept the neighbor Magnolia tree from blooming on one side. The ground underneath was so shady and dry (since it sucked up all moisture and nutrients in the soil) that every attempt to grow grass spelled defeat.
The steel cable was left by the former owners of the property and once surrounded the 6 single trunks of the tree. While we watched over the years the cable was partially absorbed by the bark as the trunks spread wider and wider.

Oklahoma Night Out -- Stepping into my western boots for Mr. Merle Haggard

I love authentic live music. Anything that isn't watered down to pop.
Rock, blues and old school country.
And when you live in the rural heartland and don't want to travel to the big cities to sit in huge auditoriums the close by Native American operated casinos have a great gig now and then.
The John Anderson Band sounded dynamic and fresh, and well, Merle Haggard was just himself, the Country & Western legend in his own right.
And every time he performs "Okie in Muskogee" I seem to detect a chuckle in his voice, and I somehow recall that there was a hint of irony when he first came out with this song.
Anyway, Sid and I enjoyed our getaway to the First Council Casino where we had a dinner buffet first. Crab legs and fried frog legs as advertised, but I wouldn't eat frog if it was the last meat on earth.

I love pointy toe western boots, squeezed my feet into them and of course was happy to take them off on our ride back. But some things are just a must...

No cliche thinking...good thing we can pick a little bit here and there...and that's our own unique life style.

A few words of caution...(online) TANTRUMS

Today's blog post was provoked by observations I had made over the past year in several areas of online selling and communities.
I am talking about tantrums...fits, complaints, personal outbursts, clique rants...
If you depend on the internet in any way on selling, client work or customer service I would advice to NOT throw any kind of tantrum. Especially if they can be tracked back to your business/professional persona.
Internet savvy people can find anything and everything you have ever posted.

One of the worst offenses seem to me the badmouthing of customers or clients.
Now we all know that some people can be very difficult to deal with, or we may even get scammed. But, here is where you just should use caution and try to resolve these problems in private.
There is nothing more petty then internet wars or drama.
"She has copied me", "this buyer ripped me off", "what a pain in the butt to work with"...if you get known for talking this way about any customers or business partners you are committing business suicide.

Whenever I read postings of this manner, regardless whether in community forums, twitter or even in private settings of online groups, my desire to deal with their business dies. I could be next on their list of customers who they will slam if I dare to "be difficult".
Same goes for condescending remarks about other artists' work or skills. It's just bad taste.

We all encounter bad experiences somewhere along the line of working with people or organizations, venues and groups.
"Don't burn bridges" is a guideline which has served me well during my life's journey.
In selling terms this can translate into not hastily closing accounts because of one little incident. Personal differences or just perceived "unfairness". Leave your back door open to return to selling venues, because you never know what life will present you with.
You may feel good about telling a company "go to hell", but we should think really hard before swearing and throwing the kitchen sink at them. Sometimes we just have to leave our personal feelings out of business matters.
Some examples (hypothetical and in context with selling handmade products):
A promising new selling venue may turn into a greedy corp once it has gotten successful. If you don't have plan b or c, it may hurt to leave established websites with no option to return. Even though you may praise (as examples only) artfire now, maybe one day you'll need Etsy or Ebay again. If you have closed doors forever by insulting the company or calling them names there won't be any turning back.
And if you are an employee you will already know that throwing cyber mud at your employer and boss isn't the smartest thing to do.

If you get bothered and need a breather, just turn of that pc and go outside. Walk it off, shout it out, but don't get tempted to air dirty laundry on the web.

Happy Friday!