Head in the Clouds

The image above is from Bing's Image Creator. It fits my thinking today. My sisters and I are considering forming a company to sell what we make. We all make things using different materials and styles and techniques. We are thinking of finding venues to sell in person. We are creators, all three of us and it gives our lives purpose and meaning that sometimes our significant others don't understand.

I am wondering if I have my head in the clouds thinking that we could make enough money to make it worth our time. The link is from a site giving the history and meaning of the phrase. What I wonder is if we sisters are being delusional? Can in person sales give us what we need to keep making? I have pretty much decided that for a small time hobbyist like me that Etsy is a waste of time. It has become a wasteland of POD t shirts and resellers with thousands of items who don't spend time and heart and soul to bring a customer hand crafted works or vintage treasures. 

I am also considering a web site for myself and maybe selling on eBay which doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is unlike Etsy. Head in the clouds, maybe. I guess we won't know until we try. 

Back with more again soon.

Take care and stay cozy!

Deer in Snow (My Own Photo)

This morning, searching for inspiration to keep up with a writing daily habit, I came across this photo from December 2011 of deer outside my house in Jackson Wyoming. 

No matter how sneaky you are animals like this are very aware of any kind of movement. It is what keeps them alive. As I, as quietly as possible, came out a back door to take some pictures their heads all turned to look at me. This was the first image and the best of that day. 

I stayed as still as possible and after a while they relaxed, kept eating the leftover dry grasses from summer in the field and moved on. I did add the vignette shading to this image to make sure the animals stood out as the main focus. 

I shared some deer in snow art from eBay and Amazon on X today too. If you want to find your own art or any other treasures from those sites you can use my affiliate links below to start your search. 

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

 

Paisley, Love or Hate?

It is simple and doesn't matter but I love paisley, and my mother hated it. She would have looked at my made-up bedroom from Bing Image Creator and said you should change that. In my mind I am ready to climb in and take a nap. The colors are soothing, and the pattern is pleasing to my eyes. This light filled imaginary room looks like a good place to hide, sleep and recharge.

Are paisley designs as polarizing as the way my mother and I thought about them? Does anyone see this kind of design and think "meh"? Tell me about it. Would love a comment or two.

Over on X (cozyatoz.twitter.com) I will be sharing paisley neckties from eBay and Amazon after I get repost favors taken care of. I just figure if ladies must wear heels to be formal then guys shouldn't complain about a necktie.

I know this blog might seem very random in its topics but that is the way my mind works. With a goal of writing daily there will be great days, good days, and days I should just shut up but don't want to. I would love to share this blog with lots of other people but at the end of the day it really is a place for me to share in small ways random thoughts and feelings without going too deep. It is by and for me. If you want to come along, thanks and welcome.

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

 

On This Day, Mickey and Minnie

On this day, November 18th, in 1928 Micky and Minnie Mouse made their debut in the cartoon Steamboat Willlie. From that small start in a New York theater, we end up with all that Disney is today with theme parks, movies, streaming services, and merchandise. If you love Disney I am going to share a couple finds you might like, one from eBay and one from Amazon. Even though you can find Disney on Etsy, if it is labeled handmade it is a trademark violation. I don't know many who list vintage Disney there because you can run into too many problems so let's just stick with the safer sites as sources, okay?

Starting with eBay...

Photo is affiliate linked

This porcelain item from the 1980s can be found in the eBay shop SweetMagnolias. With over 1500 reviews this seller is rated at 100% and personally if I was a collector, I would buy from a seller like that with confidence. The condition and photography quality tell me this is a seller that cares. Click on the picture to check it out.

From Amazon...

photo affiliate linked

On Amazon I found this Lego Duplo birthday set for toddlers. It definitely looks like something my children would have enjoyed during those early years. As of this writing it is 20% off and is rated 4.9 with over 2000 reviews. Again, you can click on the picture to check it out.

So, are you and your family Disney fans? I am not really but I am related to some who are in one of the parks yearly. My own link to Disney is tenuous. My husband's grandfather worked, and I am not sure in what kind of job, on building the original Disney theme park in Anaheim California.

Take care and stay cozy! 

 Back with more again soon. 

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Elephant Appreciation Day September 22nd

Started in 1996, September 22nd is National Elephant Appreciation Day. Concern around the world continues since poachers still kill elephants every day for the ivory in their tusks. Hopefully this can be stopped before this very special animal disappears from its wild homelands in Asia and Africa. 

If you would like to know more about elephants NationalDayCalendar.com has some book recommendations. One of them is The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony. The following quote is from the description of this book on Amazon.

"The Elephant Whisperer is a heartwarming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad account of Anthony's experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, it is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere."

I am sharing 2 sources for this book today. One from Amazon for a new book and if you are frugal, like I tend to be, a used book from a highly rated seller in eBay. The choice is yours and these, in full disclosure, are affiliate links.

From Amazon > https://amzn.to/3PNaAKN

From eBay > https://ebay.us/GlAyTM 

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

Mail Order Catalogs to Online Shopping

The Wards Catalog you see here is from the year I graduated from high school, 1973. It is for sale on eBay and you can check out the listing by clicking on this (affiliate) link. At that time in my life, I probably would have been waiting for it or the Sears catalog to show up at our house. Those catalogs were huge and offered several thousand items for sale. I would have spent days going through it page by page and dreaming about what I could buy.

 I don't remember ever buying much from catalogs, maybe because money earned from babysitting didn't go very far, but I remember dreaming about the lovely wardrobe I could have. The catalog made it easy with all the options of style, size and color laid out in clear photographs for you. It wasn't just clothing either. You could get household goods, fabric, toys, tools and so much more. The fall/winter catalogs were the best with all the holiday items in them! These two companies, Wards and Sears were the Amazon of their day. Gone now, both of them, lost to a changing world and retail environment where some of the best things still come by mail but the paper catalog is gone.

Is there a reason why I am taking this quick browse through those memories this morning? Yes, dear reader, there is. As with most days I sat down with my first cup of coffee and went to the National Day Calendar website and found out that today, August 18th, is Mail Order Catalog Day and I wanted to let you know that. 

My question for you today is this, do you get that same dreamy feeling scrolling all the big sites have to offer like you did when turning from page to page of a very large catalog and maybe marking the things you would like to have?

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

Dean Crouser, Watercolor Artist

Another souvenir from our recent road trip to share with you today. As you can see from the picture we bought a magnet with a watercolor image of an elk. The artist who created the original image is Dean Crouser. We found this at The Center of the West gift shop in Cody, Wyoming. A nice memory for a great day spent exploring the museums there.

I knew of this artist before we bought the magnet. His shop on Etsy was one of the first I ever followed. His shop there is filled with wonderful and lovely scenes of winter, wildlife or florals. In scanning his shop I found a new to me work to favorite. You can see it below. I wish I was sitting there under the Christmas lights with them. What about you?

If you have other places you like to shop better than Etsy, I can help you out with links to other shopping options. First, I want to mention that I have found the art of Dean Crouser in one form or another at nearly all national park gift shops anywhere in the country. My sister bought a cup and saucer set decorated with a hummingbird by this artist as a gift for a friend in the Yellowstone National Park gift shop. So, if you are out and about on a great American summer vacation in our national parks keep your eyes open.

Online shopping options...

Amazon search results for Dean Crouser https://amzn.to/3OnFMyx (affiliate link)

eBay search results for Dean Crouser https://ebay.us/OJYlI1 (affiliate link)

His work can also be found on...

The Art of Dean Crouser on crouserart.com

iCanvas at Dean Crouser - Canvas Prints & Wall Art | iCanvas

Demdaco at Dean Crouser: Bestselling, Watercolor Artist | DEMDACO

Wayfair at Wayfair | Dean Crouser All Wall Art You'll Love in 2023

Thanks for taking the time to read this far. Before you go, a question. Do you have a favorite art style or artist? Share your thoughts in a comment, please.

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy!

On Being Consistent

Being consistent is something I am not good at but want to change. At 68 do I really need to change things in my life. My answer is yes, yes I do. I know we can't know our future but while I am alive I want to do what it takes to keep it enjoyable for as long as possible. That means being healthy and strong physically and mentally as long as I am able.

I am trying to build a catalog of habits that will serve me well in one way or another. The first habit I chose to start is writing here daily. I figure if I can come up with something to write about each day and am able to form complete sentences it means I am doing okay. I don't know if I am just talking to myself here or actually have some readers but to me it doesn't matter. I will keep going. I have, so far, written every day since June 16th. Go me! (If you are reading though because I lied about caring if you are out there reading or not, it would make my day if you said hello in the comments!)

What I added next was a physical habit. I started doing yoga again every morning after writing my post here. It has been 5 days so far of a series with Lindsay Samper that is on Prime Video. I feel I am doing good so far and I feel better exercising each day. The body weight exercises of yoga are good for my bones and building strength and we all know old ladies need to take care of those old bones to help prevent fractures. 

By the way, Bing Image Creator was used to create the yoga studio you see here. I have lots of fun playing with that tool. I only have a corner in my craft room a bit bigger that my mat and I am okay with that. I have made some lovely wallpapers using this tool for browser and computer backgrounds to personalize those things especially for me and to have something pretty to look at. I also have made images for posts here on the blog. Have you played with it?

I have not firmly decided what habit I will want to build into my day. That is a decision to be made next week. I am considering a daily walk either outdoors weather (heat) permitting or on my treadmill or adding one item each day on eBay. I am not going to open a store there, but I want to take advantage of the no insertion fee listings you can get each month. Eventually I will do both but pondering now whether the next step in building new habits should be physical or building mental skills by learning how to do new things. When I know you will know here.

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

Afternoon Plans Made

I started the day by checking NationalDayCalendar.com and was delighted to learn that today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. I now know exactly what I will be doing this afternoon. Baking cookies! I love baking cookies and chocolate chip cookies are a favorite of mine.

I found some chocolate chip cookie items from Zazzle, Amazon and eBay to share with you today. I hope you find a bit of inspiration here today. Maybe by this evening you will have spent some time mixing, baking and tasting something delicious like I plan to.

From Zazzle you can get a beautifully designed sticker if your baking leads to gift giving. By the way if you do this can I give you my address? Just kidding but consider how it could brighten someone's day to do that. You can find this item on Zazzle by clicking right here.

If you are not a baker there is always someone who is. I found a 100% rated baker on eBay. If you live in Pensacola, Florida you can pick up for free, or if not, have a couple dozen shipped right to your door. If you want to buy in quantity for a special occasion or just because you can get discounts for a larger order. Consider that and use this link to learn more.

If you want to think about cookies but not take in all the calories, consider this next item. I found this one on Amazon. You could give it to yourself, or it would make a great gift for a housewarming, wedding shower or your favorite baker. Purchase this kitchen towel by clicking here.

The power went out here for about 10 minutes as I was finishing up this post. This time of year in Arizona that is definitely not a good thing. It is going to be another warm one, it is August after all, with temperatures at about 110 degrees for our expected high.

All links in today's post are affiliate links and I could earn a small commission if you click and then make a purchase. This is no cost to you of course.

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

And stay cool!

National Sunglasses Day

Checking in on NationalDayCalendar.com I found out that among others things like pineapple it is National Sunglasses Day. So sunglasses is what I will be tweeting about today as well as sharing some links here too.

Remember please that sunglasses are more than just fashion. They can also protect your eyes for the type of damage that can lead to cataracts. I came to realize this personally at my last eye exam. The doctor told me I have the beginnings of cataracts but they are not developed enough for surgery yet. I asked if there was anything I could do to slow the process and was told no. Cataracts are created by years of damage early in life and I am guilty of not taking care of my eyes when I was younger. 

I did a search on eBay and to check for yourself click this affiliate link. Below are a couple of the styles I found. I, as usual for eBay found old, new, classic, trendy and cherished vintage styles. 

Amazon had of course a wide range of prices and styles too. Use this affiliate link to see the search results that just might help you find your next pair of sunnies. 

Funny thing I noticed while looking today. Nearly all of the images of the sunglasses on the pages of search results were looking the same direction. If there was a variation at all a few were straight forward. Random things that make me wonder why. LOL

So did you see anything you like? Feel free to let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you!

   

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Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

 

Considering Online Marketplaces

Happy Wednesday! I don't know what the day will bring but want to start with a positive attitude. 

We finished the last episode of the last season of Mrs. Maisel last night. I really loved this show and will miss it. The monologue she did on the Gordon Ford show was one of the best she ever did in the show. I won't give away anything else. I still don't really like the jumping around of the timeline this season had but it is what it is.

While upstairs doing laundry I started knitting a mindless scarf. This one is the last that I have planned out of the Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball. I bought, I think 6 different colorways at very good prices and when done will have a triangular shawl and a wide scarf knit on the bias out of each color. Hope they sell.

Speaking of selling...

I am considering moving from Etsy to eBay and Amazon Handmade. There are no up front costs with either of those and both sites have more traffic that Etsy. Anyone have any experiences with eBay or Amazon Handmade they would like to share? Comments are open and I would love to hear from you.

I don't like what is going on with Etsy concerning strange bot take downs of products and holds on payments that are happening so often these days. On top of that I still feel that Etsy has lost control of their marketplace. I have a shop that I have been reporting for months. It is so very obviously a reseller. This shop lists all its wholesalers as production partners and its listings as handmade and it is so infuriating! Let's face it, Etsy hasn't been what its founder imagined for a very long time and I miss that Etsy. Whoops, slipped off the positive attitude already. Damn.

Deep breath and I'll be moving on to twitter now.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Easter Finds From eBay

Lots of eggs and bunnies around here this week. Today the items being shared are from eBay. As in previous posts I need to let you know that these are affiliate links. If you click and then make a purchase I could get a small commission. 

I've got four items for you to look at today so let's get started. Clicking on the picture will take you to that items page.

As you see it's all about the bunnies today. I was so pleased to see some handmade shops on eBay. I have a soft spot in my heart for fellow makers. The first and third pics are from handmade shops. The other two are items that I like the look of and would be happy to have them in my own home.

Back with more again soon. Take care, stay safe and stay cozy!

Coming Soon!

I know, I know Valentine's Day is nearly a month away. But holy cow it is only a month away! With so many of us shopping online and shipping times not as predictable as they used to be because so many are shopping online the time to think about gifts or home decor for this upcoming special day is getting critical. If you are considering a personalized gift from a maker on a place like Etsy the time is now!

Last week on Twitter I started sharing Valentine's Day finds from my affiliate connections on EBay, Society 6, Zazzle and Amazon Handmade. If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen some of these.

Valentines Day Cute Watercolor Hedgehog Holiday Card https://t.co/6bmAPNZc3J via @zazzle #affiliate #ValentinesDay

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) January 12, 2021

Almost Every Day Holiday Card https://t.co/xFmpvLiiOz via @zazzle #affiliate #ValentinesDay

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) January 12, 2021

Valentines Day Face Mask with Nose Wire, Insert Pocket, and Adjustable Ear Loops. Fabric Mask, 3 Layers, 100% COTTON & POLYPROPYLENE, Washable, Made in USA (Flower Tr... by MY'S BRIDALTERATIONS, LLC. for $13.99 https://t.co/sUpun5GoVY via @amazon #affiliate #amazonhandmade

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) January 15, 2021

Just saw this on Amazon: Gnome Valentines Day Mug by The Rustic Country Home for $15.95 https://t.co/ALdr3WiQjU via @amazon #affiliate #amazonhandmade #ValentinesDay

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) January 15, 2021

Check out 2 Vtg COWBOY 1950s VALENTINE GREETING CARDS #ValentinesDay https://t.co/m2Y9FAZmaj via @eBay #affiliate #ValentinesDay

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) January 14, 2021

Hearts Pattern watercolor pink heart perfect essential valentines day gift idea for her Throw Pillow https://t.co/90cpOlx2Vy #affiliate #ValentinesDay

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) January 13, 2021

I Love You Like No Otter Coffee Mug https://t.co/Q9fG8CKzH5 #affiliate #ValentinesDay

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) January 13, 2021

 

As I said the links in these tweets are for affiliates. I could earn a small commission if you click on one of them and then do some shopping at the site. This would cost you nothing and could in a small way keep my husband from knowing how much I spend on yarn so we can have a Happy Valentine's Day too. Thanks!

 Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Nativity Searches on Etsy, Ebay, Amazon, Society6 and Zazzle

Last week here on the blog I shared some Santa images from Etsy. On Twitter I shared Santa products from other companies where I am an affiliate.

This week the focus will be Nativity products. With Christmas on Friday it may be too late for orders for this year but I like the mood and thoughtfulness these images create in me.  If you do click on links in this post and then make a purchase I may qualify for a small commission at no cost to you except on Etsy where I am just a cheerleader and not an affiliate.

First up is a beautiful tree skirt that I found on Zazzle. I love watercolor art and even though this is a digital design it still has the watercolor look that I like.

Next is a framed print that I found on Society6. We are a weary world and I hope to find small things to rejoice about.

For something to hang on your tree I found a Nativity ornament on Amazon Handmade.

For something to display on a mantel or wherever you might have a bit of space I found this Lenox Nativity on Ebay.

Finally something from Etsy. I am not an affiliate here but I love to window shop.  Isn't this handmade wooden Nativity just lovely? This shop (RETIREDELF) will be accepting orders to be shipped in the New Year. I am glad an Etsy seller has had such a wonderful season.

I hope you saw something you like today and had a gentle reminder why we are celebrating the season and the day this Friday.

Merry Christmas!

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Another Book Post

Three days in a row of blog posts and exercise. I didn't get these things down during Labor Day Weekend but am on a roll this week. I have a lot of changes and travel coming up in my life between now and the first part of 2019 so I expect there will be more interruptions. Despite these happenings I have every intention to keep up the habit and established routines of walking and blogging whenever possible.

My daily steps and stairs are done and I am drinking a tall glass of water while cooling down and writing. In the background I am listening to a Fresh Air Podcast that is an interview of John Kerry.

I have a backlog of books I have read and not recorded here. Today's post will chip away at that list by one book. The book I am talking about today is a Reader's Digest Condensed Book, Volume 1 from 1992. If by some strange chance you are interested in reading any or all the stories in this volume I found that a few sellers have a copy to sell on EBay. Please note that I am an EBay affiliate so I would get a few pennies of yarn money if you make a purchase.

So here are the copies available as of today (9/6/2018). No guarantees that they will still be there when you click.

• lancemcc0719 has a copy for $4.77
• stuff4you22 is selling a copy that has a dust jacket for $9.85
• bawoods2011 copy info says very good condition for $6.00
• grandmashouse347 has the least expensive copy at $1.55 for a book said to be in good condition

The stories in the volume were all good and I enjoyed them all. Included in this volume is Night Over Water by Ken Follett, Doctor on Trial by Henry Denker, Beast by Peter Benchley and Dear Family by Camilla Bittle.

My favorite of the four included works of fiction in this volume was Dear Family. It is a story of a family struggling and even triumphing through the years of the Great Depression. Beast was the book I liked least in this group. I found the idea of an evil, thinking octopus a bit far fetched but your appreciation of this book by the author of Jaws my vary from mine. The other two books included in this volume were certainly worth my reading time. I have read a few of Ken Follett's books and enjoyed them all.

Time to get on with my day.
Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!