Just who is Melissa...

I guess its time that I sort of introduce myself to anyone who happens to follow/read my thoughts and enjoy seeing the new items that I am designing for my Etsy shop.

My name is Melissa (who da thunk it...LOL).  I am married to my best friend and am the mother to a beautiful daughter and seven....count 'em seven cats (six boys and one girl who is the princess, of course).

I enjoy anything Amish.  A majority of my reading is Amish themed books.  When I heard that Borders was going out of business at our local mall, we went up to start Christmas shopping.  My husband already has a great start on me and we both have a great start on our daughter's gifts.  My favorite author of Amish stories is Beverly Lewis.  Her Abram's Daughter's series was my introduction into stories about the Amish.  My sewing/craft room is Amish themed.  I have a collection of Amish dolls, figurines, paintings, books, and other goodies.  

I used to work for a quilting supply distributor as a fabric buyer's assistant.  I really did enjoy my job.  My favorite part was seeing all of the new fabrics that came in for the different seasons.  I especially enjoyed when all of the fall and Christmas fabrics arrived.  I was able to buy the salesmen samples, which provided me with a very large collection of fabric that I now use in my Etsy shop.  I have some bittersweet memories of working there, but resigning my position to be a stay-at-home mom was the best decision I made.

I always decorate our home for the different seasons and have always wanted to sell my home decor designs, thus was the beginning of Melissa's Cozy Cottage on Etsy.  I haven't been selling as much as I would like to, though.  Everyone says its the economy, its the economy, but if that is the case then why are others in the home decor area selling?  Then I hear, work on your tags, change your tags, change the title of your items, change this, change that, etc, etc.  I do all of that and am still no where farther than before I made all of the changes.  I work hard on all of my designs and make sure that everything is well designed and constructed.   I am thinking of looking into other venues.  My family and I are also thinking about buying a stall at this big fall craft that this large Christian church sponsors every fall.  We went to it last year and it seemed quite nice.  All of the sellers got along and it was well set up.  We'll see.  

Seeing as its the last couple days of August, I'm having my husband bring down all of my fall decor.  I designed most of it.  Door wreaths, table arrangements, wall hangings, etc.  I'm sure he is really looking forward to hauling down my huge box of scarecrows.  I have a great collection of all sizes and types.  I can't wait to get started decorating!

Speaking of decorating for fall, here are my fall wreaths, my cornucopia wall hanging, and an autumn wall hanging.  All are currently available at my shop:

                                      www.MelissasCozyCottage.etsy.com

I hope you enjoy viewing my new autumn designs.  Maybe I'll see you around my Cozy Cottage...