A little bit of news

I've been kinda keeping something under my hat for a while and after an e-mail this weekend I think it's finally safe to get my hopes up a bit and tell you all.

First, if you don't know what Regretsy is head over there and get a vague idea. It is a bit important for this story.

Did you check? Finding the weird and bad from Etsy, got it.

As you may have noticed in the upper left corner there's a little box promoting the Regretsy book due out April something or other (the immense focus on Christmas has blown out what date retention I had).

Back when it was first announced that the Regretsy purveyor got a book deal she asked for submissions and ideas from Etsy shop owners.

While it has been rather interesting to watch some of the vitriolic reactions from people on Etsy in regards to Regretsy a few things can't be ignored: one, it brings attention to shops that would otherwise be completely ignored in favor of the Etsy elite (some of it warranted because there are talented people who maybe did something strange or odd every once in a while, of which I've certainly been guilty) and two it actually puts the Etsy name out there for the public which Etsy has barely tried to do (instead they're saving its money to invest in more cowls in owls I suppose).

Okay so a blind bat with an inner ear infection can see where this is going but I decided to try and send in my shop as a suggestion for the book. I mostly highlighted my wedding dresses because, as I learned from the Wedding Bee fiasco, some people think they're creepy headless people out to suck out your brains while others think they're super cool.


I certainly wasn't expecting an e-mail right back saying that it was great and she really loved this for the book.

But the publishers still had to approve everything so for a month or so the idea sat in limbo and I kept going from was this still a good idea, free advertising with my strange thing in a book about strange things or a horrible idea because everyone will laugh at me and call me names and won't let me play their handcrafting games?

Then yesterday I get another e-mail sent to everyone who's going to be in the book to fill out a questionnaire to be included about why you got into crafting, does everyone have to like everything in the world, and are you as thin skinned as a peach.

So it really looks like it's finally gonna happen, my paintings are going to possibly maybe be in the book (I have a habit of keeping my hope tethered securely to the ground Gulliver style).

And you know, after doing some soul search and finding my shoes under the table, I'm actually really happy about it. I wouldn't have submitted them in the first place if I didn't love my paintings and think I put as much effort and love into them as I could. But at the same time I also realize that they're certainly not for everyone, then again nothing in the wedding industry is one size fits all. That's why we have awesome places like OffBeat Bride for those who think invisible people, fairy wings or giant snakes are cool (an anaconda wedding would be pretty awesome actually).

I'm just hoping that for every 49th "laugh at the bride with her head rolled off" there's one that thinks "hey that's actually pretty damn cool" and goes a looking for me and my paintings.

So I guess that means come April some of you may have world famous paintings in your possession. If you think it's kinda neat you could even show family and friends how you were cool long before that book came out.

P.S. I also asked to create a painting specifically for the book because I don't want any feelings to be hurt but haven't heard anything back yet. If I do get to make one what do you think would be the funniest setting/place to put a bride and her groom?