Pay it forward

I have decided to change my way of collecting items. I decided that every time I go to a garage/estate sale I am to donate something to make room for the new item. We have so much stuff and I am feeling overwhelmed. So the other day I went through my craft room and donated a trunk load to my St. Vinnie's since I have boughten so much from there before and I felt I was returning the favor and besides I support there causes (most of them anyway).

See my pretty car? I love my car it is a Honda Civic SI it is an older model not the super tiny one and not the current style. My dad refers to it as the mini-mini van. Though it is a lot cooler and faster than a mini van. My car was a pre-baby purchase and it was still so new when we found out we were having Leila that I didnt have the heart to sell it. It was the car I had dreamed about for a year and was amazed I found a used one. My husband last night backup up into a large rock in my car. There is a hole in my rear bumper and now a hole in my heart. My baby is broken.

**Moment of silence for my sweet, now broken, ride.**

Not always rainbows and butterflies

Instead of me complaining (again) about the excessive heat how about pretty pictures?

My town has been invaded by butterflies this summer. I dont remember hoards of butterflies last year, but I am not complaining, they are pretty little bugs!

Its Egg-tastic

I hate the heat. And I really hate cooking in the heat. So last night for dinner I made omelets. Well let me rephrase that I attempted to make an omelet.



It looked so pretty in the frying pan. Ok time to flip...


Alas my omelet flipping karma is bad and scrambled eggs appeared.



At least she liked it and really that all that matters.


If you need me I will be in front of the AC.

Hot Summer

This was how my weekend was spent. Drinks in the car basically. On Saturday I woke up early on a mission it was the city wide garage sale and after finding all kinds of new streets in my tiny town I brought home a pretty good haul (more on that later). I digress, drinks I had a big iced coffee that day. That evening we drove over to my best friends house (hi Katy) for a girls night of bad cable and strong drinks (my first in 2 years, eek!)


On the way to Katy's I had Ken grab me a slushie, I felt like I was 10 again. There is nothing better then a cold slushie on a hot Wisconsin summer day. I could go for a slushie again, today we are in the high 80's with tons of humidity. Its days like this that I cant wait for fall! And we arent even at the worst of the worst for Wisconsin stickiness!

Weekends in blog land have slowed down a bit so I hope you all had a good one, I know I did *smile*

I heart Etsy

I havent been on Etsy lately. Actually for a long time I took a oddly long hiatus. I was overwhelmed I guess. It seems to get noticed on Etsy you need to be overly active on the forums until you build a customer following. I was spending WAY too much time there and not really seeing a benefit. I got tired of the politics and the process so I just stepped back completely. I am back on Etsy (not a full force like before but I stop and say hi!) and I have started to buy again. For the few months that I have been gone so much has changed and there are more and more great artists joining everyday. After a yuck day nothing feels better then spending (a little) cash to help continue the dreams/goals of a fellow artist. So here you go my first Etsy purchase in a long (long) time.

I love Japaneses fabric but I never splurge on it so I figured I might as well have a cute little pouch made outta the stuff. How cute is this owl? I love everything about the pouch including the cute gingham lining. So go check out Simbiosis by Julia you wont regret it!

Super excitable

I am thrilled for my newest project, the doll quilt swap! I have never quilted before but I am up to the challenge and I am diving head first into it! I love love LOVE the fabric I am using. I actually bought the floral squares pre-cut on eBay and they are better then I imagined. The blue fabric I found at a local quilt store that matches perfectly to the blues in the two other prints. I am also planning to use an old white table linen as an accent. I wanted to make a funky cool quilt but nothing too difficult, I really didnt feel like setting myself up for failure. I think I found the best pattern! It isnt too difficult and the results look amazing!

So what projects are you excited about this summer?

Spread the wealth!

On a fabric diet this summer? Sick of staring at some of your old fabrics?

Feel like a swap?

Katie from See Katie Sew has set up the "Use What Another Person Has" swap so go venture over there and sign up! I have alot of scraps, and notions that are itching for a new home.

Neck of the woods

If you ever venture up near my home town of Manitowoc, WI you HAVE to stop by Persimmons and say hello to Kim. This is the best store ever and way ahead of it times (for Manitowoc) I could spend hours there talking with Kim about crafting and hours looking at all of the great stuff she carries in the store. Which now includes of few of my patchwork bags as well as other items on consignment (yea!)

Kim loves to create and trade this ATC (art trading cards) on Etsy with fellow artists she let me pick one out before I left, I found it hilarious since I love ducks and always (here comes a weird bit about me) have to take pictures of ducks when I am at a park and such. This bad boy is going up on my inspiration board (once I finally get it up on the wall!)

Kim, it was awesome meeting you and I now have a place I MUST go to every time I go home!

Introducing...

Sidney
June 10, 2007

I'm an aunt! Sorry it took awhile to post regarding the newest member of the family but I didnt have a picture and I wanted to see her first before I shared her with the world. She is tiny and perfect you forget how tiny they are once your little one grows up. My husband told me not to get too comfortable as she feel asleep in my arms. I am just fine being a momma of one right now, but I wouldn't hesitate to have another little one to love and cuddle. Welcome to the world baby girl!

This is huge!

Huge update in my Etsy shop!
All of the patchwork purses are up.
Tomorrow I will tackle listing all of the denim totes.
Stay tuned...

Oh well...

Its over its done and it didnt go so well. I am trying to be optamistic. I have decided it was truly a good learning experience. For the rest of the summer I will be attending other craft shows as a spectator and taking notes on the ones that fit my product the best. This just wasnt the right market for me. By the end of the day we also realized people were out just to look and enjoy the weather they werent really a buying crowd. No one around us seemed to be doing utterly well. which isnt a good thing but made me feel less worse. The biggest thing for me was the fear of rejection. I still feel it a little but I am keeping my chin up and will keep trucking along for most success doesnt happen over night it takes years of hard work and I have only been sewing less then a year and my abilities have been growing by leaps and bounds in this short time.
I have to say though the people who stopped by the booth were very friendly and everyone had nothing but nice things to say. One women made my day by commenting on the shabby chic/anthropologie vibe I had going on. That was the exact look I was going for I am so glad that someone noticed. Its the attention to detail that thrills me!

So onward ho I say. I will be listing most of my stock within the next few weeks on my Etsy site (as long as Leila gives me a chance to take photos, she is teething again) and then this summer I am going to start sewing again for myself and myself only the whole reason I started sewing to begin with!

On a completely different note , I had come across a blog entry of somewhere out there in the vast crafting community that I thought I had bookmarked and can not find anywhere. So I am asking for anyones help. It was a crafter who signed up for a craft show I want to say a few days before it was to be held (she saw a sign for it driving home I believe) and she was sewing like mad for a few days. She made amazing linen bags and I wanted to see if she had an etsy shop. If anyone knows the crafter/post I am talking about can you let me know?!?!? Thanks a million, its driving me batty!

A whole lotta fluff

T-minus two days and the light at the end is still very faint. Most of the major stuff is done now it just down to the details.

Since I have been suffering some serious insomnia I have been sewing fabric flowers a la this tutorial in to the wee hours of the morning. I highly recommend people making these if you havent already!

Busy Body

Just wanted to pop my head in to say hi from my one women sweat shop. The nerves are starting to kick in for the craft show Friday I have a feeling will be an all nighter type of night to get everything done. I am down to the details. Well, if you consider sewing on handles details then yep TONS of details being worked on!

I have to say making handles is the worst part for me when it comes to sewing but I absolutely cant justify buying plastic handles when I can sew handles. Argh me and my cheap ass!

I am also starting to get bored. I have NEVER created a stock before and if I never have to again I will be happy but I know I will maybe I will just be more sporadic though it seems that consistency sells better so we will have to see.

With my bordem I have started to dream of my new projects I want to try. So dream a little dream with me?

I want to start sewing clothes for myself.
I have a baby quilt to make for my soon (very soon) appearing niece Sidney.
More baby girls dresses are in the works.
A quilt for our room.
Doll quilts for Leila.
New style purses.
A few custom orders (which include drapes of all things)

I have also signed up for a swap that I am SUPER excited about

I have never quilted before but I wanted to try and what better way then a doll quilt? I just hope I dont disappoint my partner.

Finally!

I have finally had garage sale/estate sale success! I hit the vintage & craft jackpots this weekend. And I really want to brag since everyone has been making me green with envy with there great finds lately (you know who you are!)


I have decided that I want to decorate Leila's room in a shabby chic design once we move her out of our bed. I found the great shabby lamp that I want to rewire and just clean up. At the same garage sale I picked up the retro clock and the paper doll set which I was SO excited about. I also got a great deal on some fabric scraps and ribbon at a different garage sale and picked up a few craft books at an estate sale.


At the vintage jackpot garage sale (I have seen the homeowner at quite a few of the estate sales around town) I picked up some cute vintage baby things and some hankies and linens. The piggies bib is my favorite I dont think Leila will use it since I dont want to stain it more I think I will just have to figure out a way to display it. I also found the cutest doll quilts that once washed I think Leila could use when she gets older for her dolls.



Finally the sale I wish I would have bought more from. I took home three lovely overstuffed totes (which you couldnt open it was basically a surprise grab) that were full of great ribbons, lace, and bindings. I also got a handful of these (handmade?) flower pins in various colors and styles. I am still kicking myself for not going back the next day to see if there were any left on "reduction" day.

Now arent you all green with envy :)
(I think I just screwed with my blogging karma!)