The Great Sewing Pattern Sale will end tonight at midnight CST. Coupon code is SEWING for 25% off.
Thanks!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Boutique Embellished Overalls
A few years ago I had quite a booming embellished overall business on eBay, but then I was pregnant with baby #2 and had to stop it for awhile and just never went back, as Mr. E is a handful whenever I try to sew, especially back then.
So I took a great applique class and had never seen a pair of embellished overalls in my life and decided to create a pair, then I soon discovered them on eBay and started selling my own.
The first applique pattern will be coming next week, just in time for Halloween called Spiders Pumpkins. Here is a sample. The lighting makes it difficult to see the appliques, but this is the basic idea.
I'm also considering offering applique kits that would include the fabric to make these designs, but I'm not sure how popular that would be. If you like that idea, leave a comment and I can gauge how much interest there is.
So I took a great applique class and had never seen a pair of embellished overalls in my life and decided to create a pair, then I soon discovered them on eBay and started selling my own.
The first applique pattern will be coming next week, just in time for Halloween called Spiders Pumpkins. Here is a sample. The lighting makes it difficult to see the appliques, but this is the basic idea.
I'm also considering offering applique kits that would include the fabric to make these designs, but I'm not sure how popular that would be. If you like that idea, leave a comment and I can gauge how much interest there is.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Went to the fabric outlet today
I was hoping for some Baby Nay. They are a distributor or something, but alas, no Baby Nay. However, I got some large samples and the perfect yellow duck yardage for a valance in the kid's bathroom that has a bit of duckie theme to it.
This place makes children's bedding, very high end boutique-y stuff, like $600 nursery sets, and at this outlet you can get the whole set for about $65. And they sell their extra fabrics by the yardage and they sell all the sample cuts they get, so you can get half a yard sample for 75 cents. I found some sample cuts that were perfect for bags. Great to test out my newest pattern coming soon.
Gotta run Em to dance class, I'll add picture of my goodies from the fabric outlet later.
If you're in the DFW area, it's a fabric outlet off the beaten path in Greenville called Shelbi's Stuff. They also have lots of boutique-y baby stuff, made with minkee and flurr, it's so yummy! And you can get their nursery sets and kid's bedroom sets when they have them for super cheap, thought you sometimes have to mix and match crib items, etc. If you want directions, email me.
I found their website, here
This place makes children's bedding, very high end boutique-y stuff, like $600 nursery sets, and at this outlet you can get the whole set for about $65. And they sell their extra fabrics by the yardage and they sell all the sample cuts they get, so you can get half a yard sample for 75 cents. I found some sample cuts that were perfect for bags. Great to test out my newest pattern coming soon.
Gotta run Em to dance class, I'll add picture of my goodies from the fabric outlet later.
If you're in the DFW area, it's a fabric outlet off the beaten path in Greenville called Shelbi's Stuff. They also have lots of boutique-y baby stuff, made with minkee and flurr, it's so yummy! And you can get their nursery sets and kid's bedroom sets when they have them for super cheap, thought you sometimes have to mix and match crib items, etc. If you want directions, email me.
I found their website, here
Monday, August 27, 2007
Changing some things
I'm slowly working on some changes to the look my blog, I'm not happy with it. So you might notice some stuff changing and then going back to the way it was. I'm still working on the new title pic, I'm not sure if I'm satisfied yet. I think I'm leaning toward the altered ephemera look, but I'm not sure if it's the right thing for me. I love ephemera, but man is it a lot of work to do it completely digitally, lol, much easier to cut it out with a pair of scissors and glue it on.
Also I wanted to give a little reminder that the Sewing Pattern Sale will end on this Friday at midnight.
I might be disappearing for a few days. MIL is coming this weekend and I have let our house go to crap and she is the queen of clean, more so than my mother, lol. It is a total mess as the house went off the market about a week or so ago and I was so tired of keeping a pristine house, so I basically have said the hell with it for now. And we are also doing some touch ups before we try again. Houses are so not selling here lately, so I'm thinking of doing the FBSO thing. Very scary, but it saves me a hell of a lot of money without a realtor and we can lower the price a lot.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Fairy and Elf Waldorf Dolls
Several years ago I had a successful waldorf doll business called SnuggleBees. But I got pregnant with baby #2 and I knew soon I wouldn't be able to make them with a newborn around, it's a lot of hand sewing so I decided to sell the biz. I had turned her down previously, lol. So I sold them most of my patterns but I kept my special ones.
So what does this have to do with anything? My waldorf doll tutorial needs some cleaning up. There will be a printable PDF pattern and some updated pictures for the tutorial coming soon.
When I make waldorf dolls, fairies and elves are some of the most popular (mermaids too, but we'll get to that soon). Do you believe in fairies? I do, fairies and mermaids are my favorite style of waldorf doll to design.
I'm creating a little pattern on how to turn your waldorf doll into a fairy or elf:
- how to dye mohair yarn into fairy colors
- pattern to add pointy fairy and elf ears to your waldorf doll
- patterns to make detachable wings for your waldorf doll
- pattern for a petal fairy skirt or dress for you waldorf doll too.
Below are some examples of my fairies and elves
Thursday, August 23, 2007
a little preschool update
Well...preschool was a success today!! He cried when I left him and didn't want me to leave, and then I left and sat in the car for 10 minutes crying and asking myself why I was doing this to him. So I picked him up before lunch and when I arrived, he was playing with another little boy and didn't even notice me. And the teacher said he quit crying as soon as I left. And he even made me an art collage. Yippee!!
We haven't quite made it to a full day, we'll keep doing half days until he's ready, but I'm just thrilled we made progress.
I was really starting to doubt he was ready for this and was beginning to wonder if my sweet little 3 yr old was ever going to make it to school or end up a 30something mama's boy living in the basement.
Oh oh! I got the dreaded electric bill. It was $60 cheaper than last month. Um, how did that happen? I'm hoping with the new 4-ton'er I'll have a nice little surprise next month.
We haven't quite made it to a full day, we'll keep doing half days until he's ready, but I'm just thrilled we made progress.
I was really starting to doubt he was ready for this and was beginning to wonder if my sweet little 3 yr old was ever going to make it to school or end up a 30something mama's boy living in the basement.
Oh oh! I got the dreaded electric bill. It was $60 cheaper than last month. Um, how did that happen? I'm hoping with the new 4-ton'er I'll have a nice little surprise next month.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Mommy Kiss Card
My little boy, Mr. E, had his very first day of preschool on Tuesday. It did not go well. I don't know why I thought he could handle preschool 2 days a week all day long. Em only did half days clear up through kindergarten, but she was a different school, and I thought it would be better if they were together in the same school, and this school only offers full days of preschool.
So on Tuesday it did not go well. He wanted to be held the entire time I was there. He clung to me for dear life, so I stayed for about an hour and he started to have fun on the little playground. So I thought it was time for me to leave. My daughter was one who would cry with me there, but literally the moment I left, the tears would stop and she would skip off and play...I was hoping he would be the same. He wasn't. The teacher called me an hour later, he had cried himself to sleep. He wouldn't eat snack, he wouldn't play, nothing. So, I picked him up at 11:30 and we decided to see if he would transition slowly and I would pick him up at 11:30 before lunch for awhile. When we got home, he slept all day long. I felt terrible.
So we read some books on going to school, and we've talked about it for the past couple days. He says he misses Mommy, so I tried to think of something he could take to feel close to Mommy, and I came up with a Mommy Kisses Card. I put on some lipstick and kissed one of my famous tags (lol) and wrote it was Mr. E's Mommy Kiss card and I told him when he was at school tomorrow, if he got lonely for mommy, he just needed to pull out his kiss card from his pocket and hold it and think mommy will pick him up soon. So he's very excited about this and says he is ready to go to school now. I'm still not sure what to do. We're going to try for a couple more weeks, but if it's nonstop crying, we'll just try again next year.
So on Tuesday it did not go well. He wanted to be held the entire time I was there. He clung to me for dear life, so I stayed for about an hour and he started to have fun on the little playground. So I thought it was time for me to leave. My daughter was one who would cry with me there, but literally the moment I left, the tears would stop and she would skip off and play...I was hoping he would be the same. He wasn't. The teacher called me an hour later, he had cried himself to sleep. He wouldn't eat snack, he wouldn't play, nothing. So, I picked him up at 11:30 and we decided to see if he would transition slowly and I would pick him up at 11:30 before lunch for awhile. When we got home, he slept all day long. I felt terrible.
So we read some books on going to school, and we've talked about it for the past couple days. He says he misses Mommy, so I tried to think of something he could take to feel close to Mommy, and I came up with a Mommy Kisses Card. I put on some lipstick and kissed one of my famous tags (lol) and wrote it was Mr. E's Mommy Kiss card and I told him when he was at school tomorrow, if he got lonely for mommy, he just needed to pull out his kiss card from his pocket and hold it and think mommy will pick him up soon. So he's very excited about this and says he is ready to go to school now. I'm still not sure what to do. We're going to try for a couple more weeks, but if it's nonstop crying, we'll just try again next year.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
New Freebie Project is Up
I just posted the Felted Pincushion and Shrinky Dink Pin Tutorial in the Freebie list on the side. It's lots of fun and easy to make, and kids love making them too. They are great to give as gifts to your fellow seamstresses. Here is the direct link - Pincushion & Pins Tutorial
You can even use just the pincushion tutorial and create felted balls which are great toys for pets and kids. You can put bells in the center of the ball before it is felted.
Happy Crafting!!
Monday, August 20, 2007
My 100th Post!! And it's about that stupid a/c
Woohoo!! Party time!! It's my 100th post and it's about that damn air conditioner. This will be my last post on that stupid thing.
So we were gone all weekend long, dh met me and the kids right after the a/c was installed Friday and we didn't get hom until Sunday night. And then dh realizes, the night before Em's first day of school, they didn't light the pilot light for the gas hot water heater and furnace after they installed the a/c, so he goes to do it and turns the gas on and suddenly the entire house suddenly smells of gas so much I get a headache. I freaked out and took the kids and the dog outside, because there's no sense in all of us blowing up.
So...after it won't light TWICE, he finally notices the giant pipe of gas that is not hooked up to anything is essentiallly pouring out of it. I'm surprised honestly he didn't blow himself up. He turns it off and we call the a/c people at 10 o'clock at night. They said they were sending someone right then, but at 1 AM when still no one is here, we go to bed. And they finally call at 8 AM this morning, didn't bother to let us know last night while we sat up and waited and waited and waited. Isn't that just great?
So I had to boil water on the stove so Em could take a hot bath before bed. And today was her first day of 3rd grade. She goes to a very small school, there's about 100 kids in the whole school. We've had a little problew with the clique of girls in her class. There is a ringleader who drives me insane. Last year in 2nd grade, she told my child that she doesn't eat for 2 weeks a time, and so my child thought she should try that too. Then later in the year, she felt she was so popular that she was going to require appointments for the other girls to play with her. My child told me this and said Friday was her day. I'm sure the teachers are thrilled when I tell them these things. Needless to say, I've been seriously considered pulling her out due to this little ringleader and clique, but she loves it there and the academics are so wonderful, you can work as far ahead and you want, so Em was doing a lot of third and fourth grade work last year in 2nd grade. But today there were 2 new girls in the class, so I'm hoping there will be better girls to play with.
Tomorrow is Mr. E's first day of preschool. I'm hoping he'll do okay, he is a bit scared about it. He somehow lucked out and got the only preschool classroom that is literally next door to Em's classroom. The rest of the preschool is in a completely other building. He says he's going to go talk to his sister, so I'm not sure how well this will be, lol.
So we were gone all weekend long, dh met me and the kids right after the a/c was installed Friday and we didn't get hom until Sunday night. And then dh realizes, the night before Em's first day of school, they didn't light the pilot light for the gas hot water heater and furnace after they installed the a/c, so he goes to do it and turns the gas on and suddenly the entire house suddenly smells of gas so much I get a headache. I freaked out and took the kids and the dog outside, because there's no sense in all of us blowing up.
So...after it won't light TWICE, he finally notices the giant pipe of gas that is not hooked up to anything is essentiallly pouring out of it. I'm surprised honestly he didn't blow himself up. He turns it off and we call the a/c people at 10 o'clock at night. They said they were sending someone right then, but at 1 AM when still no one is here, we go to bed. And they finally call at 8 AM this morning, didn't bother to let us know last night while we sat up and waited and waited and waited. Isn't that just great?
So I had to boil water on the stove so Em could take a hot bath before bed. And today was her first day of 3rd grade. She goes to a very small school, there's about 100 kids in the whole school. We've had a little problew with the clique of girls in her class. There is a ringleader who drives me insane. Last year in 2nd grade, she told my child that she doesn't eat for 2 weeks a time, and so my child thought she should try that too. Then later in the year, she felt she was so popular that she was going to require appointments for the other girls to play with her. My child told me this and said Friday was her day. I'm sure the teachers are thrilled when I tell them these things. Needless to say, I've been seriously considered pulling her out due to this little ringleader and clique, but she loves it there and the academics are so wonderful, you can work as far ahead and you want, so Em was doing a lot of third and fourth grade work last year in 2nd grade. But today there were 2 new girls in the class, so I'm hoping there will be better girls to play with.
Tomorrow is Mr. E's first day of preschool. I'm hoping he'll do okay, he is a bit scared about it. He somehow lucked out and got the only preschool classroom that is literally next door to Em's classroom. The rest of the preschool is in a completely other building. He says he's going to go talk to his sister, so I'm not sure how well this will be, lol.
Friday, August 17, 2007
the a/c saga continues
I know this is just thrilling to talk about, you have to be on the edge of your seat just waiting to hear my newest a/c updated, so here it is! As I write, dh is at our house getting the new a/c installed. So it was slightly better than expected, we only have to spend $3500. Basically the previous owners of our home got a 3-ton system and didn't replace the 2-ton coils, so our system has been working its butt off for nothing. Isn't that great? Which is very typical for the do-it-himself kinda guy the previous owner was -- you would not believe some of the stupid things we've found he has done to this house.
So, this a/c guy (who was so much better than the first idiot) said our inside part is great, but because of the 3-ton/2-ton issue, we need a new one outside. So they are running new lines because ours are too small and putting the new outside part in right now. Hopefully by tonight we can checkout of Hotel Grandma.
Oh and if you are in Texas and have had your head up your rear for the last few weeks, this weekend is Tax Free weekend, starts today and goes through midnight on Sunday night. We'll be doing shoes this weekend for both kidlets. Happy shopping!
So, this a/c guy (who was so much better than the first idiot) said our inside part is great, but because of the 3-ton/2-ton issue, we need a new one outside. So they are running new lines because ours are too small and putting the new outside part in right now. Hopefully by tonight we can checkout of Hotel Grandma.
Oh and if you are in Texas and have had your head up your rear for the last few weeks, this weekend is Tax Free weekend, starts today and goes through midnight on Sunday night. We'll be doing shoes this weekend for both kidlets. Happy shopping!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
a little update
So my life in hell got even better. I met dh and the kids at the Holiday Inn on Tuesday night only to find when I got in the car, the freakin' windshield was cracked. Fun! Apparently on dh's way home from the airport over the weekend, from one of his European biz trips, he got hit by a rock and it wasn't until Tuesday when it was a 150 million degrees outside that it cracked the windshield all the way across.
So....yesterday we hired an idiot to come fix the a/c. Seriously, he was there a total of maybe 5 minutes. He put 4 pounds of freon in it, and then left. Didn't check anything out, didn't look for leaks....nothing. All for a $132. So....it didn't work, it won't go below 83 degrees and that is when the a/c stays on all the time.
Now who is just dying to hear what my electric bill will be? I know I am. I'm taking bets. My guess will be $1k. Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster dh has an extra paycheck this month.
So...after one night in a hotel, me and the kids are camping out at Hotel Grandma while my parents are on vacation, and I ain't leavin' til the a/c is coolin', lol. Poor dh is still at home with no air and all the ceiling fans on, he would rather drive 5 minutes to work than an hour from grandma's house, lol.
We have a new a/c guy coming tomorrow to see if it's worth saving, or if we get to spend $5-6k on a new system. So my disney vacation is now officially in the toilet, swirling in blue water.
I swear if something else breaks, I'm going to need to be sedated.
So....yesterday we hired an idiot to come fix the a/c. Seriously, he was there a total of maybe 5 minutes. He put 4 pounds of freon in it, and then left. Didn't check anything out, didn't look for leaks....nothing. All for a $132. So....it didn't work, it won't go below 83 degrees and that is when the a/c stays on all the time.
Now who is just dying to hear what my electric bill will be? I know I am. I'm taking bets. My guess will be $1k. Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster dh has an extra paycheck this month.
So...after one night in a hotel, me and the kids are camping out at Hotel Grandma while my parents are on vacation, and I ain't leavin' til the a/c is coolin', lol. Poor dh is still at home with no air and all the ceiling fans on, he would rather drive 5 minutes to work than an hour from grandma's house, lol.
We have a new a/c guy coming tomorrow to see if it's worth saving, or if we get to spend $5-6k on a new system. So my disney vacation is now officially in the toilet, swirling in blue water.
I swear if something else breaks, I'm going to need to be sedated.
Monday, August 13, 2007
When it rains it pours....
So today the a/c sorta died. Last night I noticed wet carpet in the hallway and we had a rental house long ago that did this, so I knew we needed the a/c fixed. And today it just couldn't keep up so we left the house and turned it off. It was 102, and I know we are going to have a ginormous electric bill, I'm guessing $1000. So a/c guy is coming tomorrow morning.
Then Em has a freak out going to ballet class and refuses to go, flat refuses. These are same the girls she's danced with for years, she loves it, she loves t hem, but when a new class starts up she always freaks out and has a little anxiety attack, I'm not sure what to do. She says she's going tomorrow with no problem.
Then dh calls, the lawn mower died in the middle of mowing the backyard. We bought this stupid lawnmower last year brand new. Do not buy a Toro "recycler" if you have St. Augustine grass. So tomorrow we're off to buy another blankety-blank lawn mower.
So thankfully dh travels so much we have TONS of Priority Club points so we got a room at the Holiday Inn down the road (with A/C! lol) and will be staying there tonight. He took the kids to swim there while I finish working tonight. So I'm sitting here basically in my underwear typing away, ROFL. The heat is killing me, it's like 90 in this house, I'm hoping I'm done soon.
A little update, I'll have the newest tutorial posted at the end of the week. It's all finished, I'm just lazy, lol.
Then Em has a freak out going to ballet class and refuses to go, flat refuses. These are same the girls she's danced with for years, she loves it, she loves t hem, but when a new class starts up she always freaks out and has a little anxiety attack, I'm not sure what to do. She says she's going tomorrow with no problem.
Then dh calls, the lawn mower died in the middle of mowing the backyard. We bought this stupid lawnmower last year brand new. Do not buy a Toro "recycler" if you have St. Augustine grass. So tomorrow we're off to buy another blankety-blank lawn mower.
So thankfully dh travels so much we have TONS of Priority Club points so we got a room at the Holiday Inn down the road (with A/C! lol) and will be staying there tonight. He took the kids to swim there while I finish working tonight. So I'm sitting here basically in my underwear typing away, ROFL. The heat is killing me, it's like 90 in this house, I'm hoping I'm done soon.
A little update, I'll have the newest tutorial posted at the end of the week. It's all finished, I'm just lazy, lol.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
I'm an idiot
OMG, so today I wake up at 4 AM to realize that I have not bought my child her "dress" uniform for school which starts in one week. She has had to wear the same dress uniform since 1st grade, but now in 3rd grade they change it up and I haven't seen one damn thing in the mail about uniforms for the coming year. So I wake up and realize this in the middle of the night and have a freak out, lol. I cannot believe I forgot this. How did I forget about uniforms. I'm an idiot. We pay a fee and they provide every school supply, every book, even class party fees, but I totally forgot about the dress uniform changing.
On the first day of school and other "special" days they have to wear the "dress" uniform -- which is their stupid logo on a white button down shirt and a plaid skirt. They have their uniforms at Land's End. And 3rd and 4th grade are to wear a plaid "skirt" but 5th and 6th wear a pleated plaid skirt, so does that mean 3rd and 4th can't wear pleated? I have no freaking idea, they are so damn vague in their little book.
Well, I called Lands End and it looks like "possibly" I can get it by Fri/Sat but there is no guarantee. So I ordered a button down oxford shirt for the fastest, fastest shipping possible at $50 including the overnight shipping. UGH. And to make it even better, they are all out of every size possible for the plaid skirt, any size I could possibly alter myself is totally out of stock until the end of freakin' October. Are these people idiots? How do you run out of clothes that fast. So, I'm crossing my fingers I can go to one of the two crappity crap crap uniforms stores locally (that take 2 weeks for embroidering that damn school logo) and see if I can find a skirt. There is a reason why I shop at Land's End and avoid these two stores, the two times I've been in either store, I was treated like total crap, so I avoid them like the plague.
I'm one of those type of people who bitches about rules, but I am hellbent on following them. I hate getting in trouble. So now I'm queen worry wart right now hoping my daughter doesn't have to go to school without her dress uniform because I'm the biggest idiot of them all.
I'm actually considering hacking up her plaid jumper from last year and turning it into a skirt if I can't find one.
Ok done with the ranting. I'm working on a short little fun tutorial.
On the first day of school and other "special" days they have to wear the "dress" uniform -- which is their stupid logo on a white button down shirt and a plaid skirt. They have their uniforms at Land's End. And 3rd and 4th grade are to wear a plaid "skirt" but 5th and 6th wear a pleated plaid skirt, so does that mean 3rd and 4th can't wear pleated? I have no freaking idea, they are so damn vague in their little book.
Well, I called Lands End and it looks like "possibly" I can get it by Fri/Sat but there is no guarantee. So I ordered a button down oxford shirt for the fastest, fastest shipping possible at $50 including the overnight shipping. UGH. And to make it even better, they are all out of every size possible for the plaid skirt, any size I could possibly alter myself is totally out of stock until the end of freakin' October. Are these people idiots? How do you run out of clothes that fast. So, I'm crossing my fingers I can go to one of the two crappity crap crap uniforms stores locally (that take 2 weeks for embroidering that damn school logo) and see if I can find a skirt. There is a reason why I shop at Land's End and avoid these two stores, the two times I've been in either store, I was treated like total crap, so I avoid them like the plague.
I'm one of those type of people who bitches about rules, but I am hellbent on following them. I hate getting in trouble. So now I'm queen worry wart right now hoping my daughter doesn't have to go to school without her dress uniform because I'm the biggest idiot of them all.
I'm actually considering hacking up her plaid jumper from last year and turning it into a skirt if I can't find one.
Ok done with the ranting. I'm working on a short little fun tutorial.
Infant Car Seat Tutorial is Up
I got the car seat cover tutorial up just now. I would have done it sooner, but we have a Sony camera and the stupid little adapter for the memory stick was MIA since last night until I finally figured out where I had hidden from my children, lol. It's up on the Freebies listed to the left.
My husband has been Europe the last week and he came home today so we could finally see Underdog. We had to wait to see it because Underdog was my husband's absolute favorite cartoon as a kid and I couldn't take the kids and not him, lol. Underdog is really cute, I'd say it's more for kids maybe 5 and older, my 3 yr old loved it but was a little bored. It didn't hold his attention as much as the typical computer animation movies do. My almost 8 yr old loved it and she and I both laughed a lot through the movie. Really cute movie! And guess what? In the previews, they are coming out with an Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, it looks cute too.
Got a new tutorial already in the works involving a pin cushion.
Friday, August 10, 2007
New tutorial coming tonight - Baby Car Seat Cover
I've got a new tutorial I'm putting up tonight for a baby sewing project. It's a quickie little thing, and it's great for mommies who are due with new little babes in the winter. I had my little boy was born in the month of January, the day before an ice storm, and blankets were a big PITA to tuck around him and made the handle slick when I carried his car seat. A lot of times I carried him in a sling, but when it was just too freakin' cold, I kept him in his car seat as a new baby until we got inside. So I went to find online to find a pattern to make one of those car seat covers that had a big hole for the head and fit with elastic around the car seat and I couldn't find one, so I made up my own for him, and it worked so great, I've decided to share it.
So I've got to tweak a couple of things and then I'll upload it after dinner tonight.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
My Final and Cottage Licensing
For my MT course, you don't get a grade on the final, you get a pass or fail, so I passed and am moving on to second half. So I'm halfway done. Yippee!
I'm creating a cottage license for my TipToe Fairy patterns. The copyright on my patterns is for personal use only, so when your purchase a license, you are able to sew and sell bags from my patterns.
I'm still doing a little research while I write everything up, but the way it's looking, it will probably work this way -- the license is per pattern, then if you want to purchase a license for other patterns, it will be discounted. I'm also leaning towards a one-time lifetime fee, versus annual for so many years that becomes lifetime, but I'm still writing out the license contract and making decisions, so things may change due to me overlooking something or other, but as it is now, this is more than likely how it will be. I'm still undecided if I will limit the number of licenses granted.
If you are interested in receiving more information when the cottage licensing is available, send me an email at stephanie @ sewingchickstudio.com (minus spaces for spam avoidance) and I will add you to the list.
I'm creating a cottage license for my TipToe Fairy patterns. The copyright on my patterns is for personal use only, so when your purchase a license, you are able to sew and sell bags from my patterns.
I'm still doing a little research while I write everything up, but the way it's looking, it will probably work this way -- the license is per pattern, then if you want to purchase a license for other patterns, it will be discounted. I'm also leaning towards a one-time lifetime fee, versus annual for so many years that becomes lifetime, but I'm still writing out the license contract and making decisions, so things may change due to me overlooking something or other, but as it is now, this is more than likely how it will be. I'm still undecided if I will limit the number of licenses granted.
If you are interested in receiving more information when the cottage licensing is available, send me an email at stephanie @ sewingchickstudio.com (minus spaces for spam avoidance) and I will add you to the list.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Cute Craft Totes
Have you seen these cute craft totes? I found super cheap ones at Walmart for a 3rd of the price.
I first saw them in use at my mom's favorite scrapbook store, Recollections, in the crop room. They're hiring and I'm trying to convince her to get a job there, she literally is in the store once a day, lol. Anyway, they had a ton of them for sale for $30. I almost bought one, but the bargain shopper that I am, decided to shop around and see if I could find a better deal. They also had really cute miniature versions for $15, which I might cave and buy my daughter one because they are so adorable.
But back to my story, I was walking through the Walmart craft department the other day and they had the same exact style of bags down to the little hidden drawer at the bottom of the bag. You can find them in the scrapbook aisle. I couldn't believe the price, so I looked it over thoroughly. They were only $9.99 for the full size version and they have several colors. They were out of pink...sigh, but they did have a cute chocolate brown one, so I picked it up. I really love it, I have my sewing/crafting notions in it, and I can carry it from room to room and sewing or scrapbook class too. It sure beats the 2 plastic totes I had stacked together with my notions and tools. And the little drawer is perfect to hide stamp pads from little boys who like to get into things, lol.
I brought it to my moms the other day and she saw it and I told her how cheap they are, so she's requesting one for her birthday in September.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Ottobre Woman
I totally forgot my wonderful mail surprise. I got the latest Ottobre Woman. Don't ya love it when you get forget you ordered something and then a a new package in the mail, who doesn't? I glanced through it at the dentist's office today.
I have just had the Ottobre for children subscription and never upgraded to get the new women's issues, but I think I'm going to. If you don't know what it is, you can get a single issue at Sewzannes, great WAHM fabric store, super fast shipping.
It's got some cute stuff in it this time. I really like this set, I don't know if I'd look like a major dork in it, but it's really cute.
Ok, I'm going back to work now. I can find so many ways to screw off when I should be working, lol.
A little Baby Craft & Sew
My mom loves my art, so she asked me to make a baby version as a gift for my newest niece. My brother has 5 kids and they keep popping them out as fast as they can, lol. My SIL is into the whole "quiverful" thing that some christians do. My brother is into the tax deductions...and sadly, I'm not kidding.
So I thought I'd share what I made. Usually I make a new baby outfit for them, but with the house for sale, it's much easier to clean up paper crafting than sewing.
Somethings I just LOVE how they come out, other things I'm not sure about this, this was one of those. My mom thought it was gorgeous and she's going to get it matted for me. So until then, it's in a scrapbook frame.
Knowing my brother and his wife, they'll probably keep it hidden in a closet forever or possibly throw it away. They do not like me or my family and purposely go out of their way to exclude us from any family gatherings they have. I think it's because I breathe air or something. It gets much, much worse, like telling other relatives lies about my children, but I digress...and try to be above their immature weirdness.
So here it is:
My mom has asked me to go in half with her for a craft fair booth before Xmas. We're not sure where we want to do it yet. I'm a boutique-y style of crafter, so I don't think I really fit into those country type craft fair things. Hmmm...I need to research this.
Ok back to work and to drink my yummy Mint and Honey Sweet Leaf Tea. I swear it tastes like I'm drinking Wrigley's Doublemint gum, it's so yummy. You can get 12 packs of it at Costco. Well it's been fun, but I've been off at the dentist this afternoon and have reports to type before too late...fun, fun fun (insert sarcastic eye roll here)!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Final Exam
I've got some new patterns coming soon. By the end of the week I'm hoping to have at least one of the new ones up.
I just sent the final exam for the first half of my school program. It's an technically a very easy final, since all you do for it is analyze the errors you made on all the tests and how you won't make them again. I'm doing a MT distance learning school so I can move into a different speciality than what I'm doing now. You can't get hired without experience in other specialties and the only way I found around that was if you are a graduate from this particular school because companies know the quality of your education.
Anyway, so there were two errors throughout my tests where I don't agree with them and wrote a page on each of them of why they aren't wrong with lots of quoting of references. So now I'm feeling like a big chicken. One of the errors was a numbered list a doctor dictated which he missed a number and was off numbering, which is very common MT work, but my instructors reasoning was stupid for why the number should be one way and not another, which frankly have me questioning if she's ever had a "real" MT job. And then the other issue was over the word intraabdominal. I say intraabdominal without a hyphen is an acceptable variation of the word, I mean I have numerous reference books with that word in them, but my instructor took off points in last test for that word because it is supposed to have a hyphen, intra-abdominal. I'm still majorly pissed over that one.
I went back and forth on going along with the errors and just easily writing how I would avoid them in the future, but I decided I couldn't do that since I knew they were not wrong answers and simply variations (which is quite common in MT work) and if I went along with it, I would essentially be driving myself crazy. I figure they need to listen to me since I've maintained high straight As on all of these tests. I'm not an idiot, I am just a hellbent perfectionist.
I just sent the final exam for the first half of my school program. It's an technically a very easy final, since all you do for it is analyze the errors you made on all the tests and how you won't make them again. I'm doing a MT distance learning school so I can move into a different speciality than what I'm doing now. You can't get hired without experience in other specialties and the only way I found around that was if you are a graduate from this particular school because companies know the quality of your education.
Anyway, so there were two errors throughout my tests where I don't agree with them and wrote a page on each of them of why they aren't wrong with lots of quoting of references. So now I'm feeling like a big chicken. One of the errors was a numbered list a doctor dictated which he missed a number and was off numbering, which is very common MT work, but my instructors reasoning was stupid for why the number should be one way and not another, which frankly have me questioning if she's ever had a "real" MT job. And then the other issue was over the word intraabdominal. I say intraabdominal without a hyphen is an acceptable variation of the word, I mean I have numerous reference books with that word in them, but my instructor took off points in last test for that word because it is supposed to have a hyphen, intra-abdominal. I'm still majorly pissed over that one.
I went back and forth on going along with the errors and just easily writing how I would avoid them in the future, but I decided I couldn't do that since I knew they were not wrong answers and simply variations (which is quite common in MT work) and if I went along with it, I would essentially be driving myself crazy. I figure they need to listen to me since I've maintained high straight As on all of these tests. I'm not an idiot, I am just a hellbent perfectionist.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Finally, The Sewing Pattern Sale
Oh my freaking gosh, I have spent the last two days fixing my website and shopping cart and now all the patterns are PDF Format, including the Diva Mommy Tote.
25% off now through the August 31, 2007. The coupon code is SEWING, just enter it in the voucher in the checkout.
Immediately upon checkout you will receive links in your receipt for your patterns. They will also be emailed to you.
Click here for TipToe Fairy Sewing Patterns.
I just finished Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister last night, I'll post a review later as I've been on the computer entirely too much today and my children are wrinkled prunes in the swimming pool. I'll just say the ending is big WOW. You think the whole book is one thing and find out something totally unexpected. Don't you love books and movies like that? I do.
I'll post some sneak peeks of my Gypsy Tote samples in the next day. It's just what I was picturing.
Thanks!!
25% off now through the August 31, 2007. The coupon code is SEWING, just enter it in the voucher in the checkout.
Immediately upon checkout you will receive links in your receipt for your patterns. They will also be emailed to you.
Click here for TipToe Fairy Sewing Patterns.
I just finished Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister last night, I'll post a review later as I've been on the computer entirely too much today and my children are wrinkled prunes in the swimming pool. I'll just say the ending is big WOW. You think the whole book is one thing and find out something totally unexpected. Don't you love books and movies like that? I do.
I'll post some sneak peeks of my Gypsy Tote samples in the next day. It's just what I was picturing.
Thanks!!
Friday, August 03, 2007
Thursday, August 02, 2007
TipToe Fairy Pattern Sale - Tomorrow 8/3
I need some extra time to fix the shopping cart to add the discounts, so I will post tomorrow with a sale for the sewing patterns. The sale will go through Monday.
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
It's just one of those days....make that one of those week
So I've ignored you long enough, I felt the guilt to update the world on my life. But I'm warning you now, this will be a long annoying post, so come hang out and join me in my "poor, poor me" pity party.
It's been one of those days, well I take that back, it's been one of those weeks. I am getting sick, I can feel the sinus infection/respiratory infection coming over me.
Then my blankety-blank headphones crap out on Tuesday. Yes, the $50 Sony earbuds that I love have just crapped out, for the third time this year. No one else makes earbuds I can stand since I wear them all day for my job, so I keep breaking these pieces o'crap and keep buying them. I'm not sure what happens, but suddenly only one side works, and this is the third time it has happened. And isn't it convenient that they manage to break about a few days after the 90 day warranty ends? Hmmm?
So I was using my crappity-crap-crap backup pair. Those horrific JVC gummies I think they are called. They will kill your ears before popping out incessantly. And I can't hear a thing with them, they let too much outside noise in since they slowly pop out.
Let's see what else went wrong, well then at about 9 pm last night my foot pedal literally broke in half. I was working, and switched to a new job, started to type and suddenly I hear a "Crunch!" I thought maybe I had moved the foot pedal onto something and crunched something underneath, but uh, no, I actually just broke it off. I think it's just a poorly designed foot pedal. Thank goodness my mom is also an MT and had an extra one so I had to go meet my dad halfway, which left me about 2 hours behind in work. So I was up working til about 2 am this morning.....along with my children, who apparently have evolved the human race to require no sleeping. I cannot get them into bed until 5 am, this has been going on for days. I am at my wits end with their refusal to sleep. I drag them out of bed earlier and earlier, I try to wear them out with activity everyday, but nothing is working.
And to make matters worse, my husband is leaving on another trip to Europe. And I don't want to hear another thing about how hard it is. Can you imagine -- flying first class, then staying in an expensive hotel, your room and bed are cleaned everyday, someone else provides all your meals, and you are in the pub with your friends until midnight most nights? Poor guy, that must just be awful.
Then, there is the 3 yr old who hates me. I cut his burrito in half so it would cool faster. Apparently I should be stoned to death for that one. He layed on the floor and threw a fit for quite some time. And to make it even worse, I am the worst mommy ever because then I refused to let him eat in front of the TV.
Oh wait, the best part is the $500 for new tires today. Yippee. But I should mention, if you want to save money for tires, what was going to cost us $700 is now $500. Order your tires at www.tirerack.com and then have Walmart put them on for about $11/tire. Our Nissan Quest is a major PITA when it comes to tires, up until recently there was only one tire that was made for it, now there are 2 different tires made for it and the second is a Yokohama and about $50 cheaper and has great reviews, but nobody sells it, you have to order it, so that's how I saved $200 on tires.
And I'm going to run a little sale on my sewing patterns starting sometime tonight. Stay tuned. I'll be posting a coupon code later.
It's been one of those days, well I take that back, it's been one of those weeks. I am getting sick, I can feel the sinus infection/respiratory infection coming over me.
Then my blankety-blank headphones crap out on Tuesday. Yes, the $50 Sony earbuds that I love have just crapped out, for the third time this year. No one else makes earbuds I can stand since I wear them all day for my job, so I keep breaking these pieces o'crap and keep buying them. I'm not sure what happens, but suddenly only one side works, and this is the third time it has happened. And isn't it convenient that they manage to break about a few days after the 90 day warranty ends? Hmmm?
So I was using my crappity-crap-crap backup pair. Those horrific JVC gummies I think they are called. They will kill your ears before popping out incessantly. And I can't hear a thing with them, they let too much outside noise in since they slowly pop out.
Let's see what else went wrong, well then at about 9 pm last night my foot pedal literally broke in half. I was working, and switched to a new job, started to type and suddenly I hear a "Crunch!" I thought maybe I had moved the foot pedal onto something and crunched something underneath, but uh, no, I actually just broke it off. I think it's just a poorly designed foot pedal. Thank goodness my mom is also an MT and had an extra one so I had to go meet my dad halfway, which left me about 2 hours behind in work. So I was up working til about 2 am this morning.....along with my children, who apparently have evolved the human race to require no sleeping. I cannot get them into bed until 5 am, this has been going on for days. I am at my wits end with their refusal to sleep. I drag them out of bed earlier and earlier, I try to wear them out with activity everyday, but nothing is working.
And to make matters worse, my husband is leaving on another trip to Europe. And I don't want to hear another thing about how hard it is. Can you imagine -- flying first class, then staying in an expensive hotel, your room and bed are cleaned everyday, someone else provides all your meals, and you are in the pub with your friends until midnight most nights? Poor guy, that must just be awful.
Then, there is the 3 yr old who hates me. I cut his burrito in half so it would cool faster. Apparently I should be stoned to death for that one. He layed on the floor and threw a fit for quite some time. And to make it even worse, I am the worst mommy ever because then I refused to let him eat in front of the TV.
Oh wait, the best part is the $500 for new tires today. Yippee. But I should mention, if you want to save money for tires, what was going to cost us $700 is now $500. Order your tires at www.tirerack.com and then have Walmart put them on for about $11/tire. Our Nissan Quest is a major PITA when it comes to tires, up until recently there was only one tire that was made for it, now there are 2 different tires made for it and the second is a Yokohama and about $50 cheaper and has great reviews, but nobody sells it, you have to order it, so that's how I saved $200 on tires.
And I'm going to run a little sale on my sewing patterns starting sometime tonight. Stay tuned. I'll be posting a coupon code later.