It Could Happen to Anyone

Hello everyone!

I have started and never finished a few blogs simply because I came home just plain overwhelmed and too busy to complete anything.  Due to a freak storm in West Dearborn, our home was "hugged" by a very large sycamore branch.  We are dealing with the aftermath of 5 punctures in the roof, and the water damage that went along with it.  This just runs the old adage, "...it can happen to anyone".  Many people suffered far worse damage than us with large old maples and the like being uprooted, streets blocked by the debris, and downed telephone lines catching fires to homes.  We were on vacation, but from the pictures we have seen of the neighborhood, it looked like a war zone. 

 "Hugged" by the sycamore we asked the city to remove over a year ago....the irony (or karma via Mother Nature's sense of humor?).

Last night I went to my first in-store crop at Scrappy Chic in Livonia for some much needed R&R to take my mind off things and have a little fun with friends.  Big kudos to them for a well-run crop.  I had a ton of fun and an abundance of laughter filled hours with two fellow scrapaholic friends. As we chuckled over our undeniable paper hoarding obsessions, a friend said, "It's a sickness."  I replied with my typical blatant honesty, "Yes, but I don't want to stop it." Actually, I was a good girl and did not purchase any new lines, but you know I was looking and planning for my next paper spree. *sigh* Bad Faith! (see it does no good).

On to the important stuff...

I am a contributing artist (scroll to the bottom of the page link to find me- I was the last artist to join) for an incredibly important documentary on domestic violence by Tortoise and Finch Productions. I just received news that a donor has announced that he will match dollar for dollar up to $500 in contributions now through Sunday 11:59pm. These finishing funds are very important for the end of production and every dollar counts. Please consider contributing to a socially important and impactful film. just click the link below to help or even to check out the extended trailer: You Look a Lot Like Me

Business picked up quickly when I pulled the store off vacation mode. It has been go, go, go, baby go, so I am off to start shipping and finishing up the millions of undone projects just calling my name...

 Have an inspired day!

Faith

Imprinting Legacy

Things have been beyond busy, running from place to place on a deadline that stretches across 13 states.  There have been many moments where my intense desire to write has been trumped by my deep  desire to connect with the people in my life who are a part of my legacy just as much as I am a part of theirs.  Merriam-Webster defines "Legacy" as something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past. This concept of imprinting legacy as part of our immortality is an interesting one.  Even when our name is forgotten and the memories of family and friends are lost forever, our deeds and their repercussions live on. In both the physical actions and in the positive and negative energy that is created such as emotional damage or planting seeds of enlightenment.  


The day before yesterday, I had the incredible blessing of spending four hours with my grandfather.  I took him to a place where not only he has memories of his own childhood, but where he and I built very unique and special memories together.  His wife, my grandmother,  recently passed.  She and I were incredibly close with a connection that was extremely unique.  As I have become older, I become increasingly aware of the great gift this has been to my life.  Because of this deep bond, I did not often spend alone time with my grandfather. But one day where we did has always struck a deep chord.  

He took me to Cabrillo Beach and the maritime museum just under 25 years ago.  We spent the day walking the boardwalk, eating, visiting the museum, and having ice cream.  During this point in his life his demeanor was generally distant and many times gruff unless on his boat, and/or traveling. I have come to understand that he was most certainly the product of an environment and legacy thrust upon him as he grew up in his own home.  So, this day was even more rare because I experienced a unique view into his sincere love and gentleness towards me and others that I had honestly never seen so freely flow until then. His memories and stories flooded the day.  He shared stories about his past- of war, of family, of my father, of sailing, and of his love for my grandmother.  I witness tears in his eyes and the heartbreaking silence while he stared at the remnant of a ship whose military personal he help save during his stint in the Navy aboard the USS Conner during World War II. This day so deeply imprinted on my mind because not only did he share so much with abandon not seen before, it also was the day I realized my own sincere and deep adoration for my grandfather. 

 USS Conner DD-582

As my grandfather has progressed in age and dementia has started it's ugly course, he has actually softened and become that same man I saw that day.  Or maybe I should write that he has brought down the barrier that guarded him from being free an vulnerable to the world enough to be who he always was deep down inside.  The man that my grandmother saw more than any of us, whom she loved and adored. We have been given a gift at this time in his life where he still can imprint his legacy of love and memories, but the bittersweetness of the Thursday is not lost on me.  Dementia is a formidable foe and a treacherous thief.  And it is only a matter of time where these imprintable days of legacy will no longer be obtainable. I am so thankful for a grandfather who fights dementia with every bit of strength he has...not just for himself, but for us as well, even though he knows full well the inevitable outcome. He is a man with a profound legacy.

My Grandfather and I on Cabrillo Beach July 7, 2011

Road Trip: It's that time again....

Okay, I know what you are about to say (or not...maybe it's just the voices in my head).  "Faith, you shouldn't announce that you will be away on vacation."  And you would be 100% correct, so kids, don't do this at home.  But the fact of the matter is this: everytime I try blog after the trip, I end up out of steam by week 6 of posting smatterings on facebook then and forgetting the delightful little candid moments and inspiration that would otherwise be recorded in long format (yes, ironically that's what I call this blog- my long format).  I mean really, if I don't want to listen to MYSELF type stuff for 6 weeks about my vacation from 3 weeks prior that lasted for 3 weeks before THAT, then why would you? 

This year I am doing something new.  I will be posting as I go, sharing the bits of inspiration I see along the way.

So for any of you would-be burglars and my two stalkers who just can't seem to get enough of me, I have an attack fish waiting by the door...

...and a neighbor doing daily garden upkeep at random times (armed with a hose and pruning shears), and we informed our neighbors to watch our house with promises of homemade cookies and pie.  And if that didn't dissuade you, we have 3 kids so if it's worth something, it's probably broken and held together with duct tape.  Believe me, this house looks WAY better on the outside than it does inside. Especially with my Hayley Mills Parent Trap style boobie trapping I am doing...which reminds me, I need to buy honey.

Oh yeah, and we have the local police doing security checks.
  
Looking forward to keeping in touch with all of you as we weave are way through 6,000 miles of Swientoniowski Road Trip goodness. Stay tuned....

PS: I have been asked if the fish picture above is really a fish and if he is really our fish.  The answer is yes and yes.  His name is Plecostomus Nimbus, and he is a 13 inch long algae-eater who grew barbs on his fins because he is so damn big and old.  He will cut you. ;)

Perks for the Fans

If you are looking for a monthly "perk" at my store, make sure to "like" me on facebook so you can have access to the great monthly discounts and coupons I give to all my facebook fans.  Feel free to post, review, and keep in touch there as well.  I update much of the fun stuff going on with the business, including treasuries, causes I am getting involved in, and whatever other quirkiness I am up to.  This summer there will be a couple of design challenges I will be sharing as well, so don't wait too long to jump on board.  ;)

See you there!

Faith

Adventures in Gardening!

Here is a little gardening before and after. A lot of my time is poured into this small bit of Earth I live on, and it's a huge part of my inspiration and creative expression. I thought I would share my gardening progression since moving here in 2008. Click on the link below to view the full album.

Gardening Before and After Album

Have an Inspired Day!

Faith

Etsy Who?

After being introduced the the world of eBay ten years ago, and becoming a powerseller, I found myself totally immersed with the global concept of e-commerce. However, as time passed, my good friends (yes I made friends on eBay) who also were successful sellers started to feel the squeeze of eBay's increasingly oppressive fees and regulations. I even became a part of a group looking for viable alternatives to selling online, but the eBay elephant was just too big. It was an interesting dynamic to observe.

I was one of the lucky ones, who did not rely on my eBay business for the food on our table. I had become a designer and teacher at a local scrapbooking store. In addition, I had an extremely oppressive homelife/husband - a daily struggle that took it's toll on me personally and made the weight of a home-based business unbearable. (Not to worry, both have been since replaced with the total opposite:) It made the decision to leave eBay a simple choice for me. It wasn't so simple for many others.

As I was able to find success as a teacher and designer, I also saw the number of friends selling on eBay in my genre dwindle. The ones who held to their high ethical standards and personable customer service were being pushed out by large companies and people getting away with extreme fee evasion (a practice of selling low and inflating shipping prices to avoid fees). While eBay is still a household name, and still widely used by normal people like you and I, it no longer is the same place it once was.

One day in 2006, while teaching, a local long-time customer who had actually found me first on eBay, asked me if I would ever go back to eBay. I shrugged, said maybe, since it was really the only viable site of it's kind. The next thing she said would eventually have quite an affect on my life...

"Have you ever heard of Etsy?"

I had not, and it took her 2 more times of prodding me over the next couple months for me to write it down and check it out. I am so glad I did! Because, as many of you know, it developed into my Inspirations by Faith etsy store.

I love it! If you are looking for local or international, from green-minded, upcyled and recycled, from the most beautiful art, to the loveliest of vintage- then this is the place to go. Even the fashion of both established and up-coming designers is amazing. Etsy works hard to try and make sure you are not buying from the large corporations or factories in Asia, but instead, directly from the artists and vintage collectors. The very personal nature of selling this way has created a very intimate buying/selling experience like the one you might get with a local boutique shop owner (and they might sell on Etsy too!). Sellers are invested in all that they list, and shoppers of Etsy reap the rewards of the uniquely beautiful or just mouth-droppingly unique in an incredibly friendly setting.

Despite, divorce, moving away, healing, remarriage, the economy and all the insanity that comes along with those, Etsy was always there in the back of my mind. I had purchased a few items, and found myself absolutely enamored with the site as a whole. I decided in January of 2009 to officially start with a few items and keep building on. It has been a very successful experiment and it keeps growing.

I even started using the Treasury feature to help promote other sellers by curating unique collections to feature. Here is a fun one I did today!

Recently, I received a promotion from eBay to sell items for a free listing fee. I figured, why not try? It's my old stomping grounds anyway, so I didn't see any harm in posting some of my biggest sellers. What a tremendous disappointment it was. One thing that was always a boon was the traffic and web search exposure. That no longer exists as it once did- reconfirming my loyalties and satisfaction selling and buying in the Etsy marketplace.

I encourage everyone to stop by Etsy.com to check it out and support your local artisans. You will be astounded by the variety. And no, I wasn't paid to post this blog :) The only perk is that I get to promote a venue that directly supports artists and collectors both local and abroad. It's a place I really believe in and hope it will stick around for many many years to come.

P.S. I know many of you buy direct from me, and that is still welcomed. My local customers never have to pay shipping on local pick-up if you see something in the store you would like to purchase. Just message me for a revised invoice.

A little more info:Wikipedia link on Etsy

Pork Chops with Lavender

Just created a new recipe last night that I wanted to share with all of you. Everyone in the family loved it (score!) and it made my taste buds dance. It has just a little bit of a spicy kick, so be forewarned.

Ingredients:
4-6 Thick cut pork chops
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1/4 tsp. Coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
Pinch ground Cayenne red pepper
2 tbsp. Lavender leaves
2 tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 cup White wine (Can be substituted with chicken broth)

Directions:
In a large lidded frying pan, heat oil between medium and high until the edges of one grain of rice begins to sizzle in pan. Remove grain of rice and place pork chops in pan.  While pork chops begin to brown, sprinkle the following evenly over the pork chops: cayenne pepper, garlic, lavender leaves, and half of the ground black pepper and salt. Once the pork chop is browned on the bottom, flip over to brown other side, and sprinkle the rest of the salt and black pepper evenly.  Once both sides are brown, lift pork chops and slide onions under them to saute for about 5 minutes, letting them caramelize a bit, but not burn. De-glaze with white wine, turn heat down to lowest setting, cover with lid, and let cook for 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of pork chop.

I served the pork chops with with steamed rice and salad. If you start the rice just before starting the pork chops, and make your salad while the pork chops and rice cook, you can have your entire meal done in roughly 25 minutes. Those of you who live locally can hit me up for fresh lavender from my garden anytime :)

Enjoy!

Recipe by Faith Swientoniowski © 2011