A little history about yourself and your venture.

My name is Holly Ernst. I have been married for 15 years(on Sept. 9!) to my husband Dan. I have 2 kids, Noah age 7 and Karina age 2. I would have to say my mom has been my biggest influence in the arts and crafts. She got me interested in sewing and crafts when I was very young. I really just started a few years ago trying to sell some of my creations on Etsy. I started just to pay for my hobby.

One word that most describes you

Crafty

How did you get started making appliques?

I was doing a lot of scrapbooking at the time, with the birth of my daughter. I saw some flowers on a scrapbooking site that were made of fabric. They cost too much so I said, I can do that myself…and here I am today.:)

What do you like most about the craft you have chosen?

I like it because I can take my artistic style and abilities and them onto fabric.

What is you creation process, where do you derive your inspiration from?

I have always liked drawing and painting since I was very young…I am more of a cartoonist. I like to sit down and look at things and draw them into my style and think how can I turn this into an applique? One of my favorite artists is Mary Englebreit.

Do you work better in solitude or chaos?

CHAOS!! LOL

What is your proudest moment? or your biggest failure?

I would have to say giving birth to my 2 children would be my proudest moments!

How do you balance your home life with your Etsy shop?

Well I have to honestly say, I am still trying to figure that out!

What advice do you have for other Etsy Artists?

Find something you enjoy doing and stick to it…If it sells. If not…do something else you like. That is what I did. I just kept going with different things I enjoyed doing until I found something people wanted…

What is your BIG (crafty) dream? Where do you want to take this venture?

My dream is to just be able to stay a WAHM. But I would like to have my own spot to create. So I probably am working on getting a bigger house!

Thanks again for this opportunity! Happy crafting!

~ HOLLY ERNST

Holly Craft Blog

Thank you, Holly, for sharing your story with us! Tune in next month for another “Featured {Crafty} Friend” Interview. Oh, and a giveaway is also in the making…

TOP 10 REASONS I MAY NOT FOLLOW BACK

1. You are a *bit* DULL.
2. You NEVER “retweet” anyone!
3. All you do is “retweet” everyone!
4. You are a a twitterholic spammer.
5. You haven’t updated your feed since Christmas.
6. You are a marketer, nude girl, or wealth builder.
7. Twitter is an interactive site…and you are a wallflower.
8. You used the phrase “check it out” one too many times.
9. Offensive or NO avatar, NO bio, or a ridiculously fake name.
10. You are an obsessive Twitter follower stalker (follows>followers).

{ Who do YOU refuse to follow? }

Vacation?

It began on a beautiful, sunny Monday morning.  My husband and I were headed out for a  little R&R in Eastern Washington (we live in Western Washington), so we loaded up the car with our over-stuffed suitcase and our beloved dog, Chance, since he would not tolerate being left behind.

After a 4 hour drive to Chelan, Wa., we arrived at our hotel, and disappointment began to set in as we realized it was not meeting our expectations. Our room was cramped, the view of the lake was barely visible, and children loudly playing in the pool right outside our door (I love children, but a pool full of kids 10 feet from our room was a bit much).  Since it was not meeting our needs, we decided to stay just the one night and then hit the road the following morning. Upon our return home, we learned that the Chelan area was hit with a massive rain and electrical storm that we would have experienced, had we stayed. Happy to have missed it!

Beating the Clock

At this point, I must tell you that my youngest daughter was expecting her 6th child, but her due date was 2 weeks away, and all of her previous children usually arrived late, so we thought it was fine to take our trip, and be back in plenty of time for our new grand baby.

I had read my horoscope the day before we left, and it said “Your plans will be interrupted, but you won’t mind hanging out at the hospital for someone you love.” That might have been my first clue.

Anyway, the following day started at 5:00am , as we headed up to the far northeast of Washington, hoping to experience some of Washington’s natural beauty. We had just arrived in Kettle Falls (4 hours of driving) and my cell phone rings. It is my daughter, and she is in labor! “Are you kidding me?” We immediately decide to head back home, using the shortest route we can find, not knowing if we would get there in time or not. I was so worried we wouldn’t make it. We were just so far away, and I wanted to be there to support my daughter so badly.

After a 555 mile drive that day, I called my daughter’s number and her mother-in-law said they had left for the hospital! “Oh no!” I jumped back in the car and headed to hospital. Upon arriving, I entered triage in the birthing center, after being informed of her admittance. She had been transferred to a birthing room, and things began to get very intense and fast.

She had opted for natural childbirth, so, as her mom, it was very difficult to see her in such pain, and to coach her through it.  At the same time, it was the most amazing thing I have experienced. I could not have been more proud!

Home is Where the Heart is

Jackson David Wininger was born July 27, 2010 at 9:52 pm, and we were all delighted to meet him! Thank you, Jackson, for waiting for “grammy”.

Jackson was born with some medical issues, was transferred to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital for surgery, and has not been able to come home yet. His recovery is going well, but slowly, and we hope he will be home with his Mom, Dad, 2 brothers, and 3 sisters very soon. (Prayers are much appreciated, thank you)

Bonnie (Grammy) & Rachel (Auntie)

“Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope;…..Love never fails.” 1 Cor.13:7,8

Update Aug. 6 *We are happy to report that Jackson is recovering nicely.  He has made great progress this week, and we are thrilled.  We are all waiting for the day he comes home.  That wonderful day appears to be getting  closer.  :)

Update  Aug. 13 Jackson has been in a Children’s Hospital since birth, and has had 2 surgeries.  Today was a great day, and we are so thankful.  He should be home within the next few days thanks to power of prayer and faith.  We thank everyone for their support and prayers that resulted in this miracle.

Aug. 16th He’s Home!!!!

I think the most difficult part of sewing for me (so far, anyway) is planning ahead and doing things in a very specific order. That usually throws me for a loop. Makes my brain hurt. I know that as I move past the basics, I can adapt more of a free form method of sewing, adjust, and make my own items and patterns and THAT’s what I really look forward to!

It IS a process and I’m learning a LOT…like don’t use satin…ever. And that not all bobbins are the same size. Oh, and that if you get pricked with a needle hard enough, you WILL bleed. It’s definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’ve decided that I’m never too old to learn! I mean, SEW what if I’m a slow learner and I don’t know how to use a button-hole foot. And who cares if my pincushion is a little squishy? And who needs zippers anyway? You can close any bag with a tie
Happy Sewing!

The marine mammals (like dolphins & sea turtles) need us. If you can sew, knit, crochet, recycle old t-shirts, or even tie knots, you can help. Wash cloths and hand towels (made from absorbent, soft materials, like cotton) are desperately needed to help clean the animals affected by this disaster. The deadline is July 3rd, so there’s still time. Please visit Craft Hope to learn more! We are all in this together, so please pass this on.

And, if you prefer to donate something from your shop, please visit Help the Gulf Coast – a collective shop on Etsy, where 50% of the proceeds go to the National Audobon Society and the other 50% goes to Oxfam America, both of whom strongly support relief efforts on the Gulf Coast.

Apparently, the rain has also inspired me to write this blog!  Enjoy your weekend…rain or shine.

Bonnie

1. Purpleandlime Crystal Raindrops Cosmetic Pouch
2. Seaspirits Ocean Rain Handmade Soap
3. KnitChicGrace Rain Drop Shawl
4. BellyBabies Alphabet Rain Nursery Art
5. Gorjuss Rainy Daze
6. Initial You Learning to Dance in the Rain Wall Art
7. Lewfosters Storm Watcher
8. lulubugjewelry Rain Drop Necklace
9. Prettymadesallinarow Rainforest Bracelet

Photo by Rachel Bovee

Twisted sunlight filters through my eyelids and I break from my cocoon. Dreams turn to déjà vu and thoughts of the pending day fill the void. Dust swirls in the movement and cold air collects around my feet as I move towards the door, inevitably greeted by furry friends. Smile, and so it begins.

I was served fluffy pancakes and to-die-for bacon as the sun decided to grace us with its presence. We all decided it would be great to go for a bike ride or do some work out in the yard, but the weather had ulterior motives. During the hail storm, we settled in for a game of Scrabble, which I lost to my husband by 3 points. Let me just say, I *almost* always win…oh nooo, but not on Mother’s Day! Congrats, dh ツ

So, we thought our outdoor recreation ideas were ruined, but then the sun came out a SECOND time. Unfortunately, my hubby denied me the fun of playing in the yard (didn’t want to go flower shopping), which caused a minor disagreement…which progressed into us leaving the girls behind to go drive around town for 30 minutes. Sometimes, we just need a drive. All was better by the time we got back home.

They made me dinner…shrimp ceviche tacos, no less…and then served up an angel food cake that rivaled my grandmother’s, which is no easy task. That woman is some kind of crazy prodigy in the kitchen. She could have nothing in her refrigerator and STILL make a luscious casserole.

So, after all of this, we sit down to watch an old 80s flick and before we start it (I’ll spare you the title), my two girls offer me a token of their sweet love. My oldest daughter, 14, has put together a collage…no ordinary collage, but a work of art using little trinkets she has saved over time. Things that meant something to her…and now mean even more to me. So much thought went into it…and time. She was so precise in the way she applied every item. She painted the board it was on. She arranged. She glued. She expressed. What a treasure!

My youngest, 11 years old, took what may be perceived as the easier route and made me a card. The thing is that she wrote things like, “When you smile, I feel happy” and “When I think of you, I think of sunshine shining all over the world.” Teary-eyed, I was.

For me, as a mother, all the thanks I need lives in a piece of paper and a cut of wood. Life is so simple, if we just allow it to be.