YBC Artist Feature - Mackenna Swinford Creations

WOW!!!  It has been a week, I can't even describe!  But I didn't want another day to go by without sharing another shop from Scott's Marketplace,

so today's feature is on Mackenna Swinford Creations.

Grumpy Cat Ornament

What is the story behind your shop name?

No imagination there. Just plain, simple and to the point.

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

I spent each Christmas season as a child going to schools and churches with my Mom to the local Holiday Bazaars. I loved them. I spent most of my childhood and early adult life drawing and painting but I was always so impressed by how cross stitch could look so much like a painting or drawing. 5 years ago I transitioned from working on a retail sales floor to working from home and decided it was high time I honed in on learning to cross stitch. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year so I purchased a few kits online to try to teach myself and would sit up all night watching old movies and making ornaments. After my first one sold I was hooked!

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success?

Getting your merchandise in front of buying customers is the biggest challenge I think. The internet does make it easier than it used to be but it also makes it easier to locate 10,000 choices at the same time.

Super Mario magnet set

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, etc.

I spend my days with the most wonderful man. My brothers, sister in law, nieces, nephew, Mom and friends I consider family fill my days with laughter and meaning. And even though my father was lost to us 5 years ago his memory and the way he inspired all of our lives keeps him with us daily. 

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb.

I live in central Indiana on a farm. The tiny house is 105 years old. Barns, garages and gardens are all present but no animals (yet).

Monkey ornament

Share a story / memory of your childhood.

Growing up spending every summer at the pool with my family and friends jamming out to 80’s Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Chicago and the Eagles. It was the greatest way to grow up!

Tell us something about you that no-one else might know

I do not take my Christmas decorations down until mid March when Spring starts to show up.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be, and why?

Jonas from the book The Giver. To be able to learn that reality as you know it is just a sliver of reality…fascinating. 

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet.

Twitter: mackswincreate

Instagram: mackennaswinfordcreations

tumblr: mackennaswinfordcreations

facebook: www.facebook.com/mackennaswinfordcreations

Santa holding tree

Pick a favorite item from your shop, and why is it your favorite.

Santa Claus Ball Holding Decorated Tree Christmas Ornament is one of my favorites. It is just such a cheerful ornament.

What advise would you give a new artist just starting out?

It starts slow. Don’t get frustrated. Just remember you do this because you love it. Be patient, all it takes is one person to love your work.

Pick a favorite item from another shop, and why is it your favorite.

Boba Fett Star Wars Hat in the shop With Love by Sim. As a child of the 80’s Star Wars was such a big part of my life (especially having 3 older brothers).

Boba Fett Star Wars hat

Do you have any special coupon codes for our readers?

NewYear2016

And that's it for this weeks feature.

Click on any link to visit Mackenna and I'll see you all soon.

Be blessed,

Debbi

Carrying On Another Family Tradition

As y'all probably know by now, I love tradition.

When my kids were growing up, it was our family tradition to get everyone together to bake our Christmas cookies.  We used an old family recipe, and all my sisters and their kids, rolled, and cut and frosted everything in site.  We would have up to 17 people crowed in someone's house, and chaos usually ensued.  But boy was it fun!

So this year, I guilted asked Amanda to bring over Owen so we could continue the fun.  While there was only us...it was fun.

First it was the boys turn.  While I made the dough, and took the pictures, Amanda was in charge of rolling.  She can be a perfectionist, but she did well letting the boys make a bit of a mess. lol

Ahhhh...two perfectionist sisters working side by side.  You know I stayed out of this one. lol.  And while the girls were working....

...the boys were playing.  Owen would hold Brandon down while PeeWee licked his ear.  Who needs video games when you can have fun like this? haha

Now it's time for the frosting.

No, we don't get fancy with the frosting, mostly because we spent most of the time telling the boys not to eat the frosting. :0)

Time together...that's what we need more of...family traditions.

Share with me some of your family traditions that you try to keep alive.

Be blessed,

Debbi

Wait! Come Back! I'm Still Here!

I cannot believe I've let so much time elapse since my last post!

How dare my real life interfere with my virtual life! hahaha

So, you want to see what I've been up to?

Gingerbread Houses.

Before Christmas Brandon got an urge to make a gingerbread house.  I don't know where that urge came from because we have never made one before, but hey, I'm game for anything, at least once.
So before I show you ours, let me show you others.

I found these on a Google search, and if there was a link to a working webpage, I added that to the picture.  Give credit where credit is due, and all that stuff.

And the piece de'resistance!

Now for ours...and when you see this, you'll understand why on last night's live The CraftStar show, why I commented that I don't read "mommy" blogs anymore.  I just can't measure up. lol

Here's a photo montage of the fun we still had creating this work of art.  The construction workers were me, Hannah, Brandon, and Owen.

Take note of Hannah's happy face in the first picture.

I showed Hannah how to pipe the first side, then let her go.  As you can see by this last picture, she was NOT happy.  The fun of having a perfectionist daughter. :0P

At least the boys had fun....
and yep, they started to pick it apart and eat it about an hour later.  I was lucky to even get pictures. lol

A new Christmas family tradition.

How was your Christmas?

Be blessed,
Debbi

Hannah's Homeschool Teen Christmas Party

This past Friday, our teen group got together for a Christmas Party. 

It was wonderful.

Hannah's new "do".  She wants to be a hairdresser, and will spend literally hours in the bathroom fixing her hair. lol

Here's a few pictures of the teens getting to know each other.  The wonderful man in the Santa hat was our game controller, and he did a great job. 

Next came a break for some more visiting, and eating. 

Then back to some games, very challenging.  Plus the kids were learning at the same time.  (shhh, don't tell them that) 

Next came the gift exchange.  And the silly Santa game.  No names were on the gifts, and stealing was encouraged. lol 

After all the gifts were distributed, it was time for one last game, the left/right game.  Santa read the nativity story and every time he said left or right, the gifts were passed.  So no one actually went home with the gifts they started with.  It was fast, and funny. 

Now the group shot.

A really great group of kids, no-one felt left out and everyone had a great time. 

And I want to give a special thank you to Charles and Judy Blow who handled all the food, and Michelle and Roger LaFlamme, the game masters. 

The kids (and us adults) are already looking forward to our Valentines Day party.

Be blessed,

Debbi

Friday Featured Artist - Laura Reynolds from Paint It Pretty

Believe it or not, I did start this on Friday (I wrote the title) but then we had the opportunity to enjoy a child free evening (thank you Amanda and Brandon), so now I'm back to finish my Friday Feature on Saturday morning...before we go antiquing. :0)

Ok, we're back.  That's was fun and a much needed couples break.  Now on to Paint It Pretty from The Craftstar!

Would you like to know what I like best about Laura?  She is an artist that likes to promote other artists.  You'll find her all over, tweeting, re-tweeting, and sharing.  Friends like her are worth her weight in gold.  Another thing I like about her is her talent.  This woman can (and will) paint on anything.  And I do mean anything. lol  Let's see what she has to offer for the holidays.

Isn't this Snowman Candle Holder cute?

This would be great on a shelf or anywhere you want to add some soft candlelight.

Or, you can think out of the box, and use it on your dressing table to hold your rings and or keys or change.

They say packaging is everything, and here are some more of her snowmen playing on a painted gift bag.  Just stuff this with tissue paper, candies, jewelry, and give it away, with a smile.

"Sleigh Bells ring,

are you listening?"

Some families have a tradition of getting a new ornament for the tree every year.  How about adorning yours with this holiday bells ornament?

This last piece is my absolute favorite in her shop, a ceramic pitcher with poinsettias.  Fill this beauty with some homemade eggnog and serve your guests with class.

Now don't hang out here any longer, you need to check out all of Laura's beautiful things, and look for her here too...

Pinterest /   Wanelo / Twitter

Be blessed,

Debbi

A Handmade Christmas in July

It is HOT outside....and I mean REALLY HOT.  

So, what better subject to share today? 

CHRISTMAS!!!

We'l start at The Craft Star.

What a cute little snowman.  He sits on a spring so he can nod to the rhythm of the Christmas carols.  You can find him in the shop Snowman Collector.

I found this cute and jolly Santa Claus in one of the many ways you can sell at The Craft Star, a collective.  A collective is a selection of themed items from various shops across the whole TCS.  This is from the Holiday Collective.

Here's something for the crafter in all of us, a Christmas stocking lampwork bead by DzignbyJamie.





And now I'm off to the Handmade Artists.

Now, what is Christmas without a tree?  And what is a tree without ornaments?  And this Candy Apple Red handpainted ornament is sure to become a family heirloom.  You can find it and many others at Reflections.

For your Victorian themed tree, you must have this Victorian Bell Ornament.  It looks so regal.  This is made by Dara Gallery.

That's it for me today....I need to stop the sugar plums from dancing in my head....and head to the garden and harvest some home grown goodies.

Are you ready for the Christmas season?  It will be here before you know it!

Be blessed,
Debbi