Not like you wouldn’t have guessed, but I’m taking a little break from all things web-related. I’m also going to be putting my Etsy shop in vacation mode in the next day or two (meaning it’s closed to new orders, but you can still see things that have been sold, contact me, etc., and you can sign up to be notified when it re-opens), and I’m not sure if I’ll re-activate it before the baby bean is born or not. We’re in the middle of project basement right now, and my entire studio is going to be moving down there in the next week. Since I probably won’t know where anything is or have access to everything for a while, I figured it’d be best to put the shop on hold for a while.

So, if you have any shopping you’ve been meaning to do in the Laurie Coyle Designs Etsy shop, now’s the time to do it! If you order something in the next few days I’ll be sure to include a super special free gift, too! yippee!

As for this blog, I’m just going to let myself off the hook, ok? I miss you, but I also feel bad when I don’t post, and that’s just no good for either of us. So I’m here to officially say that until I get into a routine with the little one, I’ll probalby not be here much. There may be no noticeable difference from the current infrequency, but who knows. I totally love you, though, and appreciate all of your encouragement and kind words and your interest in my work (and life!). It really means a lot to me, and I’ll be sure to keep you updated on baby-progress, as well as any new work that comes out of the new studio. I’m also planning a big before-and-after reveal of the basement space, but the project is definitely not done. Not quite yet. So until then…

xoxox

First thing’s first.

I have gotten the question of how on earth we figured out what kind of dog our HappyGirl is, so here’s the story:

I was standing around in the lovely “Wild Birds Country Store” (where some of my calendars just so happen to have been for sale this winter) while my mom purchased something, and I spotted some little booklets by the door on how to identify birds, as well as other things like mushrooms and flowers. There was also one about dogs. I’m always on the lookout for our little girl, so I opened it up and THERE SHE WAS. A drawing of our dog. Labeled “Munsterlander” but it said they were only 24″ tall, which is about 10 inches too short, give or take. I showed it to my mom, though, and she agreed that it looked just like her. I was sure I’d remember the name, since it was so odd, but of course I forgot. The next day I googled “M Dog Breeds” because I remembered it was a long, odd name starting with M. I browsed a list of breeds and finally came across it, recognizing the german-ness of it — and two versions, large and small. Clicked for some photos of the large version and there she was again. Pretty crazy.

In other news, relating to our little menagerie here, we are sending our goats off to a bigger farm this weekend. No, not the proverbial farm, but an actual happy farm-animal farm at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary. We have been weighing this decision for a while now, but with the baby on the way we have decided that these goaty ladies are much more work and trouble than the pleasure they give us, which is not much. They wake us up with their hungry cries (thought there is no way they are actually hungry, they have lots and lots of food) almost every morning, and they are definitely not socialized enough to ever be bred and milked. {So much for our dreams of a goat-cheese empire. But maybe someday we’ll venture into that dream again, especially if we end up somewhere with more land, so the ladies don’t have to live right outside our bedroom window.}

When it comes down to it we really think they will be much happier at their new home, anyway. I am guessing we won’t even be able to contain ourselves and we’ll end up visiting them often. It’s about an hour and-a-half away, in the Hudson Valley.  {Even though they don’t let us pet them unless we have a handful of food — preferably fruit or stale rice cakes, and even then only for a second or two until they realize what’s going on.}

Things certainly are changing around here. All for the better, but I am feeling like we’re living in the middle of a construction zone. Oh wait, we are. I have lots of photos of the big basement renovation to post, but I think I’m going to wait to make it a dramatic before-and-after. Today is paint-color-deciding day, so you know we’re getting close. All the bathroom appliances/fixtures and the vanity need to be put in, the floor installed and the light fixtures put in, as well as the painting, but it’s coming together. I’ll be moving my studio down there when it’s done, and turning the room that currently houses my studio into a bedroom for the little bean. I’ve already picked out a color for that room, a soft yellow-green, and that was easy. The basement, not so much. Maybe a gold-yellow? Maybe? I keep going back to this amazing green office, though.

Of course, that said, if you are interested in taking our goats home, and live in a hundred-mile radius, let me know. They are pretty darn cute. If loud and obnoxious.

or at least thinking about it.

Today marks the first day of a crazy busy week. Well, actually two weeks. I have three (yes, three!) fairs coming up in the next two weeks. And the end of my grad school semester. Yikes. So, again, I may be a little absent here from blogland, as I try to avoid the daily distraction that is the internet. It’s also a rich source of information and inspiration for me, so I allow quite a bit of that distraction on a regular basis, but right now I’m feeling pretty full of information and inspiration (yay!), so it’s time to take a little break from all of that added information and inspiration. I still have to come online to work on my classes, so I’m not making any grand anti-computer statement, but I’m just saying.

Oh and I want to make some time to decorate for the holidays! I’ve been itching to do that for weeks now, but controlled myself since we were having an after-Thanksgiving party here this past weekend (thanks to all who came and had fun and brought food! yay for us!). Now it’s time for twinkly lights and sparkly wintery things, don’t you think? Though I must admit I’m enjoying the above-freezing temperatures today and a little sunshine. Of course it’s not directly shining on me or our house (never really is), but I can see it over there in the distance and it makes me happy. And not so cold as I sit here typing. No gloves today.

Here’s the list of fairs, just in case you wanted to visit me in person. Each one will be filled with a fantastic array of other wonderful crafters and their wares, you are sure to find something handmade for everyone on your gift list!

•Crispina and Friends Studio Sale, Saturday and Sunday December 13 & 14, 10 am to 5 pm in the basement studio at the former Notre Dame Church, 40 Melville St. Pittsfield, MA 01201.

This is where I’ve been all week. Hoping to get it cleaned up next week before I take off for a week in Arizona, visiting my Grandparents, my aunt and my cousin who had a baby recently!

To Do list before the trip:

• Sell much Crafty Goodness at the Richmond School Craft Fair tomorrow! (Nov 1, 10am to 3pm)

• Do much homework to hopefully be able to slack off while on “vacation”

•Clean up studio

•VOTE

• Help start a Berkshire Etsy Street Team — We’re meeting Tuesday at 4pm, at the Elm Street (Pittsfield) Juice and Java; all interested in being involved are welcome!

Here’s a peek at my makeshift craft fair setup in the kitchen:

These little stuffed budgies are now named after characters from “The Office” and some old friends — they make me smile! “Hello, I’m Jim and I like Tuna Sandwiches.” “Hello, I’m Andy and I love flannel shirts.”

And, lastly… it’s Halloween! Not one of my favorite holidays, and we just hung out and handed out candy (I tried a tactic of buying candy I don’t like, and I have to say I only tried one piece so I think it worked… ) and HappyDog wore her first ever semi-outfit, and I think she looks adorably festive. We actually got this bandana to keep her safe from bow hunters out in the state forest we walk in by our house, but I think it might have to become a regular fashion statement — isn’t she the cutest?

“You are a dork. I can’t believe you’re making me wear this.”

Happy Halloween! Hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow if you’re around the Berkshires!

There’s nothing like a deadline to get me to work on into the night! And a newly (almost) organized studio doesn’t hurt, either. I don’t want to show the design just yet, because it’s a gift for a friend, but will soon. It was a fun one to come up with, though. Cuteness abounds!

I will show off the backs of the cards drying atop my new library table/desk, though. Note the swanky new ikea bookcases and paper chandelier. love!