A kaput stove and a couple terrific sites to explore

Well folks it was a sad day at Kathy-Ann's house. Her oven died. Never mind that it was older than dirt. So she's been depending on the toaster oven for oven things. That can get old, especially if you have a large family. So we went electric range shopping. Youch! Those can be expensive. So I suggested we check out Freecycle to see what they had to offer. I absolutely love IndyFreecycle. Trying to sell stuff takes so much energy. Energy I usually don't have or that I want to spend elsewhere. Freecycle is for giving away one's excess, helping out others and keeping stuff out of the landfills. No trading, no money, no barter. It's free. They also have a "Wants" section. This is not just a local thing. They have groups all over.

So I scrolled through the "offers" section. There were kitties and a few dogs. Someone had five fancy rats that needed a new home. I asked for those. Charlotte, my daughter, was just telling me the other day how much she wanted a pet rat. The perfect pet for a perky goth. I hope they're not already gone. They would make an awsome surprize for her. There were also wooden doors without frames but with the hardware, older computers, audio and video equipment, clothes, toys, a toaster oven and two electric stoves, with working ovens I might add. I asked for one of those but as yet, haven't heard back anything. Keep your fingers crossed.

I've been checking my e-mail frequently to see if I've been chosen for any of the wanted goodies and found a note from one of my favorite sites ByHand.me This site is terrific. Belonging is free. I use that word intentionaly because that's just how it feels. You belong to a caring, supportive group of artisians rather than having a membership in an online network. You don't sell from there, you advertise. Each artisian has their own profile page with links to all their shops and galleries and blogs. Here is the one for Kathy Summers. There is an artisian directory to help folks find you or for you to find others there. It truly is a community. Admin. is wonderful and really care about the site and are constantly striving to make it better for us. Promotion and networking and referals all in one great site. I really encourage you to check it out and also check out some of the incredible artisians. In fact become one of their incredible artisians. ;O}

And Last but not least, is Craft Lister. This site is a customizable listing of fairs, shows and events. It is a pay site BUT you get 14 days free to start out and 14 more for each person who creates a login account and uses you as a referal. barcyd@yahoo.com. Am I being a bit mercenary?... nah, not me. I intend to broaden my show schedule and this seems like the place to get the info I'll need. There are some nice benefits with a paid membership so it's worth looking at.

The photo for the day is one of my very favorites. It comes from Kay's Fairys. A wonderful artist who is getting some really nice exposure these days from Laura Ashley.

Joy and Happiness Always
--Kathy