Check out this lovely blog feature of Screamin Monkey Circus by Julie at Always Inspire!

http://alwaysinspire.blogspot.com/2009/11/friday-feature-screamin-monkey-circus.html

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving... we are heading to Q's parents' house today for gathering #3!

SQ

(...and just for the record we are up to 28 HSP items!!)

Hello Hello!

We are on day 19 of collecting donations for the Humanitarian Service Project and I'm happy to report we are at 23 items for the Creativity Kits!! So exciting!!

On Tuesday I presented my very last project in my very last class for my Masters degree program! I cannot tell you what a relief that was... now I can finally focus on my thesis and wrap this program up. Fortunately I have a pretty good idea of what I am going choose as my thesis topic so I'm planning to get a proposal ready in January, approach readers, apply for a grant, etc, etc.

In crafting news, Q and Screamin Monkey Circus continue to be featured in treasuries and gift guides all over Etsy plus his items continue to be featured on Craftgawker! The hollow book orders keep rolling in and this makes for a very busy Q. I do have to send out a thanks to him though as he spent all afternoon yesterday tidying up billions of pieces of shredded paper and organizing his newest book acquisitions in our craft studio.

Last night while Q was working hard tidying up I finally had a chance to get back to the barn after about a weeks hiatus. Finals week always takes me away from the barn but the minute school was over, I was back in the saddle and rode both Rudy and Delia!

Here is Rudy:


... and this is Delia:



Soooo of course I was exhausted this morning and could barely wake up at 6:30 a.m. for work hehe. Sorry Q! Once I finally did wake up I came upon a message in my inbox from Candace of Bridgewater Art with a consignment inquiry! Check out the sweet Boston gallery here: Bridgewater Art

I sent my items to Long Beach at the beginning of the month for Cosa Bella... so I'm happy to announce that soon you might be able to purchase QQ goods on each coast! Yey!

Just in case I don't have a chance to update in the next week, have a happy Thanksgiving holiday!

SQ

I opened my inbox earlier this week to discover the latest newsletter from the Humanitarian Service Project (HSP), a wonderful non-for-profit in our area dedicated to serving the less fortunate in Kane and DuPage Counties. For several years Q and I have participated in HSP activities such as buying presents for giving trees and helping with gift sorting around the holidays. Well... as I was reading through the newsletter at the verrrry bottom there was a note about a new spin-off of the popular birthday box project HSP does. Instead of birthday party supplies, they will be collecting arts & crafts supplies in kits for children ages 8 - 12 and up to 15 for the holidays. I got so excited! This is a great opportunity to give to the community in a new way... and not only that.... but in a way that supports and fosters creativity in young people!

I immediately set to work trying to figure out how to raise awareness while also gathering supplies and I decided to incorporate the Quintessential Quirks Etsy store. So for every item sold from November 1st through December 6th, 2009 I am going to donate an arts & crafts supply. The supplies will be assembled into creativity kits to be delivered to HSP on December 13th when Q and I participate in the annual present sort.

I've already put a notice up on my Etsy store and I sent a preliminary tweet out. My goal is to be able to provide 5 creativity boxes to HSP by December 13th. I can't wait to get started!

SQ

... and just a quick note about another exciting development... today my Red Tomato Poptop was featured in this Etsy "Do-It-Yourselfer" Gift Guide!