My own kind of sneak attack.....

Click here to visit Handmade Movement Sneak Attack website

Have you ever heard of the sneak attack? If you are active in Etsy circles, chances are you have. I really like the idea of the sneak attack. For those of you who aren't crazy Etsians, the sneak attack is when a bunch of people purchase items from an Etsy shop with little or no sales. The idea is that you are really making some sellers day. Can you imagine? All of a sudden getting orders left and right? I mean literally? I'm sure it is an amazing feeling.

I have participated in one sneak attack. I bought 3 hand made cards. They were very lovely, and I felt good about making this seller's day. Every once in awhile I visit the site to see who the next "victim" is and check out their wares.

I'm sure everyone has heard of pay it forward. This is something else that Etsians have managed to make their own. They list an item from their shop for just the listing fee (.20) plus shipping, or sometimes they sell it for a price that just covers the materials. The idea here is, that if you buy a PIF item, you in turn do the same thing. List a PIF in your own shop, or do something else to pay it forward.

Both wonderful concepts. I've been thinking lately of doing my own form of the sneak attack. In a way I've already started. When I have a little extra money from sales, I purchase from someone I have gotten to know a little from the various on line venues that us Etsians frequent. So far they have been all soap sellers. Soap is a wonderful treat and generally affordable.

I've been one to hand make things all my life, and I can't believe it has taken me all these years to figure out that I should be supporting the handmade community. I plan on purchasing and making handmade gifts this Holiday season. I'm very excited!

So that is one part of my own little sneak attack, but the real part of my sneak attack is going to be something I do all year long. Every now and again, I'm going to sneak attack my friends, or family. Maybe send some jewelry to a friend I know who is going through hard times as a little pick me up. Or to a friend I know wouldn't buy anything for herself. Or as a thank you for something someone has done for me.

It does feel good to do things for other people, and while I love the thought behind the original sneak attack, I want to make it a little more personal. I want to touch the lives of the people in my life.

Marilyn Monroe

Click here for Etsy listing. (Yes, I must link everything back to Etsy! I really do love it THAT much! :) )

I just finished reading a biography by J. Randy Taraborrelli called The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe. I'm not sure what made me pick it up, I don't have any particular fondness for Marilyn Monroe. Of course I know who she is, have seen some of her movies, and who could miss the onslaught of constant Marilyn Monroe everything from posters, keychains, postcards, t-shirts, books, pictures, etc, etc. I guess I have always thought of her as a ditzy blonde actress who had a troubling personal life.

I think one of the things that sparked my curiosity about her life is seeing so many young starlets imitating her, tattooing Marilyn's face on their bodies, identifying themselves as somehow like her. I guess the real kicker was when I saw a quote by Marilyn on my 16 year old nieces FaceBook.

I mean, if I'm going to quote someone, it's going to be someone I really admire. So, I can only assume that the younger generation really admires her.

After reading the book, all I can say is, poor Norma Jeane Mortensen. She was born to an unwed mother who put her into foster care right after her birth. She stayed there for 7 years when her Mother decided she wanted her back. Norma Jeane's Mother was to be diagnosed as Paranoid Schizophrenic. Her Mother before her also suffered from the same mental illness, as would Marlilyn in later life.

Marilyn's early life entailed her being shuffled around here and there until she married at 17. The only reason she got married is so she wouldn't have to go the state orphanage. Her rise to fame wasn't meteoric, she struggled, but made steady progress in her career.

She is described constantly by those who knew her as absolutely beautiful. Every inch of her, from head to toe. She knew how to turn it on, how to work a room, how to BE Marilyn Monroe. To look at her, you'd think she had everything. But she constantly battled her demons. She battled them unsuccessfully with drugs and alcohol, and in the end she lost her life.

This book gives the reader a peek into what her mental state was like at times. I can't imagine living with what she had to deal with. Abandonment issues accompanied by mental illness, the poor girl never had a chance.

I walk away from this book, not with admiration for Marilyn Monroe, but with a new found respect for what she had to live through. It is amazing she made it as far as she did given what she was up against.

The State Fair of Texas

When I hear the word "Fair" my mind conjures up visions of ferris wheels, livestock shows, cotton candy, children running, laughing and playing. I think of horses, chickens, goats, and pigs. Beautiful quilts, canned goods, and other craft items made by ranchers or farmers wives. I think of the animated Charlotte's Web.

The reality for me going to The State Fair of Texas was a little bit different. I'm sure when the fair was founded many years ago, it was much more like the vision I had in my head. While walking around the fair, I imagined what it must have been like for kids out on the ranch to come to Dallas all those years ago to show their wares, to see and be seen. How exciting it would have been. The flashing lights, the cotton candy, corn dogs, popcorn, ice cream. Friends you only see once a year....

To be fair to the Fair, we arrived in the late afternoon and were quickly sucked into the carnival rides. The only animals we saw were the horses in the mounted patrol in the parking lot. There had to have been exhibits and animals somewhere, we just didn't get to see them. I really want to go back and see everything. We'll do a better job of it next time! The parts we did get to do were great.

The first thing we saw was a pond full of swans floating around a pond. Of course the girls HAD to do this.

We teased my husband and oldest daughter that they got "the ugly duckling". It was weird, a whole fleet of swans, and they got the duck!

The Dallas skyline from the top of the ferris wheel.







They had a great kids section in the carnival. My youngest is barely tall enough to ride the rides. This was the first time she was able to ride the cool rides! The girls had so much fun. I have always hated amusement parks, but the smiles on their faces while going on the rides made me smile too. I really, truly loved seeing how much fun they were having. So much that I just might take them to a real amusement park. Someday. Maybe. :)