Songbird Cotton Co

New Style in the Shop

2011-08-19T06:25:00.001-07:00

I've added these lovely new bags to my shop. The first two have extra long straps that make them perfect for wearing as a cross body style bag. The last two are wristlet styles, making them a great accessory or to give some added organization to a large bag.
These bags are made using a pattern from Palm Harbor Designs called a Charming Little Purse - O - Nality*. I really love this pattern. The directions are easy to follow and clear. I have made two small modifications, however. I have changed up the pocket configuration and enlarged the pattern by about one inch......just to meet my own personal preferences.

Well, I am off to finish sewing a quilt top for our new baby girl. I only have 46 more days until she is due to arrive. Yikes!

* I met the designer for Palm Harbor Patterns at Houston Quilt Market. We chatted about how much I loved this pattern and I told her that I always get requests to make them for sale. She graciously gave me permission to make a very limited number of bags using this pattern for sale in my shop and at craft shows.

Oh. My. Cow!! **

2011-08-14T05:02:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, it has been a loooooooong time since I've written anything on this blog. Over a year! But boy has it been a busy year!

I somehow had a big Blogger problem last August. I made a post and this weird graphic inserted itself right in the middle. I have no idea where it came from........but it appeared and would not go away. I used my (limited) knowledge to try and remove the graphic - which led to me being locked out of Blogger for months! And then I got out of the habit of blogging......and sort of forgot about my blog. Yikes! But now I am unlocked, the graphic is gone, and I am ready to start blogging again :)

As I said, it has been an eventful year. Here is a short and sweet recap:

August - My son started pre-K
September - My husband returned from months working out of state
October - I needed to put my beloved doggie to sleep...he was only eight and had cancer
November - Hmmm.....guess nothing eventful happened
December - We took a long road trip from Florida to Pennsylvania to visit my grandmother for Christmas
January - We adopted a very sweet new doggie for our little family
February - I spent much of February in bed, constantly sick and tired because .......
March - We found out we were expecting number 2!
April - I opened a little shop in an open air market in our town
May - I closed my little shop in the open air market because that air was nearly 100 degrees!
June - We learned that our new little bundle will be a GIRL!
July - My son graduated from pre-K
August - My son starts Kindergarten

Whew! There you have it....a whirlwind tour through my last year! I am excited to get back to blogging. I have a bunch of crafty things coming up, including several pattern reviews and a few tutorials.

** When my son tells me a story, I often find myself answering with an "Oh my goodness" or a "Holy cow". The other day he sat reading a book when I heard him exclaim "Oh. My. Cow!" I laughed so hard I nearly cried.

So excited

2010-07-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

Meet Emma.

Isn't she cute?

And sweet?

I know, I love her too!

She is new in my shop. And the exciting part.....

She will soon be available as a pattern.

In case you want to make your own.

I have written the first draft and now

I am waiting for feedback from pattern testers.

Yeah!

I've got my Kleenex ready

2010-07-13T16:50:00.001-07:00

I love this show.

I love these guys.

I am preparing for a good cry tonight.

New in my shop

2010-07-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

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I've been pretty busy.

Cutting and sewing.

Clicking and editing.

Listing and organizing.

Wrapping and sending.

I am also finishing up a shop sample for

my favorite local quilt shop.

And the summer just keeps rolling on by........

A sale....Yeah!

2010-07-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

It's true.
I am having another birthday.
Turning 29 (again)!

To celebrate, I am offering an additional discount
on all items in the sale section in my shop.
Simply write "turning 29" in the notes to seller
during checkout and you will save an
additional 15% on the already reduced prices
in the sale section. Yeah!

You will receive a refund to your paypal
account in the amount of the 15% discount.
This disoount is valid for the entire month of July.

Well, it's about time!

2010-06-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

Yep, it has been a long time since I posted.
Nothing bad happened.
Just life, I guess.

But I am back now and I promise to post daily.
Well, probably weekly.
OK, realistically, at least once a month.
Pinky swear :)

Here are a few new things in my kids shop:

Addicted

2010-04-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

This is pretty much like crack to me.
And my husband.
And the Noodle.

We love it.
We can eat a whole batch in one day.
So I only make it for special occasions.
But it leaves me searching for new occasions to celebrate.

Like today is National Zipper Day.
Yippee!
And tomorrow is Manual Typewriter Day.
Hooray!
And how could I forget the upcoming holiday on May 3:
Tighty Whitey Appreciation Day!
Certainly a day worth celebrating with some Crack.

Here is the recipe for Crack, er, I mean Ranch Oyster Crackers

3/4 c salad oil (I use a little less than this amount to keep crackers crisp)
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
16 oz plain oyster crackers

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In large bowl, whisk together oil, dressing mix, and seasonings. Gently fold in crackers, stirring to coat all crackers. Pour crackers on baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring once.

Now go find a reason to celebrate!

My very first tutorial!

2010-04-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

I am excited to post my very first tutorial today!

Since I am new to this, please let me know if any of the instructions need clarification.

So I LOVE,LOVE, LOVE fabric headbands!

But I think I have a weird shaped head

because they never stay put.

I've tried several options,

including those found here and here,

but still no luck.

The elastic either slides up the back of my head

or the fabric slips down the back of my head.

The only headbands that stay in place

for me are the narrow metal ones.

But they score a zero on the cuteness factor!

So I decided to solve my problem with

some headband slipcovers!

First, gather up your supplies.
You will need:
narrow metal headband (mine was about 1/8")
2 fabric strips, each measuring 2" wide by at least 15" long
velvet ribbon, measuring 5/8" wide by 13" long
1 Decor-Bond strip measuring same as fabric strips
Typical sewing supplies like thread, sewing machine, scissors, rotary cutter, ruler, and pins

First, measure your headband from end to end (mine measured 15" long)

to determine the length of your fabric strips.

Next cut your fabric strips 2" wide by the

length you just measured.

Following the manufacturers directions, fuse the Decor-Bond

to the piece of fabric that you want on the

outside of your headband.

Next, cut a length of velvet ribbon 2" shorter than your fabric strips.

Center the ribbon on the fabric that is NOT fused with Decor-Bond

and pin in place.

Stitch close to edge down both long edges, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end on each side.

(Do not stitch the ribbon on the short sides.)

This creates a tunnel that you will use to slide your

headband through when you are done.

*Note- The velvet ribbon adds a little friction and helps keep your headband from sliding. You can also use an extra length of fabric or

grosgrain ribbon instead of the velvet ribbon.

Next, measure in 2" from each end and mark.

Then measure in 1/4" from each short side and mark with a dot.

Using your ruler, connect the dots to the line you drew and

trim both fabric strips along the line.

This will taper the headband to make it fit nicely behind your ears.

Now you are ready to sew!

Placing right sides together, pin your two fabric strips together

and sew down both long sides using a 1/4" seam.

Using your favorite method (I use the good old safety pin method),

turn your tube right sides out and press flat.

Edge stitch down both long sides to create a finished look.

Next, finish your headband by running a satin stitch

along the short raw edges.

I set my machine to zig zag and shorten my stitch length.

You are done!

Simply slide your metal headband through the ribbon tunnel to create

a super fabric covered headband.

Now go be cute!

I hope you like my first tutorial.

I hope to have a few more in the near future

so please check back soon :)

p.s. I would have posted pics of me in my new headband

BUT....

the only other person around today was four

and he is not a great photographer

AND....

my roots are showing.

I really need to go buy my red :)

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I will be posting the first tutorial on my blog.

Come on back for something super cute (and useful)!

Look, Look

2010-04-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

I am back from a super busy weekend spent at

the Lake Eola Spring Fiesta in the Park.

The show was pretty good for us and
we even won a ribbon and $100 from the judges!

Woo Hoo!

Since pretty much everything in our booth is for girls

I decided to whip up a few pairs of bandana pants

for the little boys.

I did make two pairs of girly-girl bandana pants

just because the bandanas were too cute to pass up.

And wouldn't it just figure that the only bandana pants that

sold were the little girl versions!

Oh well!

And did you notice the new button on my blog?

Yep, you can now purchase a gift certificate

to my little store right here on my blog!

Yeah!

Happy Easter My Peeps!

2010-04-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

I was driving home from my parents house this evening,

with the bright orange sun sinking in the sky,

when, from the backseat, I heard the Noodle say

"God made the sun."

me: "Yes, buddy, he did."

Noodle: "What else did God do?"

me: "God made the earth and people and animals."

Noodle: "Why did He make people?"

me: "So that we could love and be kind to each other."

Noodle: "Why did He make animals?"

me: "So that they could help people and teach us kindness."

Noodle: "Even elephants? And Bruce the Shark?"

me: "Yes, buddy, even elephants and Bruce the Shark."

Noodle: "What is God going to do next?"

me: "That's a good question."

Noodle: "Can I have a popsicle?"

Explaining God and faith to a four year old - funny and charming!

On a crafty note, I whipped up some super cute bandana pants today.

I am getting ready for a few spring craft shows and I wanted to make

some quick and easy things for boys.

As the mom of a boy, I know it can be frustrating to wander

booth after booth of adorable little girl stuff

and find nothing for little boys.

So to balance out my own booth,

I wanted to have some things for little boys.

I know, I know...there are two pairs of girls pants there too.

The bandanas were too stinkin' cute to pass up!

This week I'll be finishing some messenger style book bags

for preschool boys. I made one for the Noodle and he loves it!

I'll post pics soon....you know, in all of my spare time :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-31T18:40:00.001-07:00

I heart Crocs

2010-03-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am a bit embarrassed to admit this

but I love my Crocs.

I can barely remember wearing "regular" shoes.I have spent most of the past year in these

lovely brown and pink slides

or in these super comfy hot pink mary janes.
But, sadly, it is time to retire my trusty old Crocs.
And replace them with some new Crocs!
Yeah!
I really am in love with these super cute green ones.
Perfect for summer, right?

And how about these feminine and flirty ones.

I love the bows!

And what about these stunners!

Perfect match for summer sundresses.

Oh, I love me some Crocs!

And my toes love them too :)

Saturday

2010-03-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I drove from one coast to another.....

from the Atlantic coast to the Gulf coast of Florida that is!

I spent the afternoon at one of my favorite spots

Tarpon Springs

In decades past, Greek immigrants settled in Tarpon Springs where they harvested the sponges growing in the Gulf.

Now, Tarpon Springs is mainly a tourist destination,

chock full of delicious restaurants, charming shops, kitschy Florida souveniers, and sightseeing boat tours.

After a great afternoon at Tarpon Springs

we drove to Anna Maria Island for the beachside wedding of a family friend.

The wedding was to take place at sunset.

We got to the beach at 6 o'clock.

The Noodle ran around for over an hour.

He had a blast and was covered in sand

even in his underwear!

What time, exactly, is sunset?

And finally

the happy couple

And the sunset!

Hope you had a lovely weekend.

And if you get the chance

visit Tarpon Springs

and eat lunch at

Hellas.

I've been busy

2010-03-15T13:07:00.001-07:00

I've been pretty busy lately.

Well, I am always pretty busy.

But recently........so.very.busy.

Anyway, here is a little look at how I have been occupying myself lately.

I started teaching some purse classes at my favorite quilt shop.

Not only had I never before taught a class,

I had never even taken any sewing class!

I am pretty much a figure-it-out-on-my-own kind of gal.

So I never saw a need for a class....after all, I could read a pattern, right?

I started out with any easy one. I love this tote because it is super simple

and has a lot of pockets.

Please ignore the fact that I have yet to attach the button.

You know........... busy, busy, busy!

Then we made this bag. Slightly more challenging for my students

but they did learn how to install a zipper.

Yeah!

I really loved this bag when I saw the pattern,

but it turns out that I really don't like it.

I mean, I like the shape and the zippered interior pockets

but I just don't like carrying it.

I don't know.

My upcoming class is for this bag.
I finished it today and I am very pleased with how it turned out.

I did change the way the zipper is installed

as I couldn't find a purse zipper to coordinate with my fabric.

I've also done a lot of sewing for my little guy too.

I'll post pics of those projects later this week.

Dear Noodle

2010-03-11T12:55:00.001-08:00

Today you turn four.

Although I sometimes miss the snuggly baby days, I am really having fun with you now.

I love the funny things you say.

Like when you said "Mumma, you stinky like blueberries. Go take a shower."

And I laugh at the funny things you do.

Like when you licked the shaker cheese dispenser at the pizza place.

I am proud of you for being a good boy at school.

For being polite and kind to your classmates.

For being creative and imaginative with your projects.

I love you very much!

Mummy

Some craftiness and some direction

2010-01-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

Oh, there are just not enough hours in the day!

My to-do list is growing and growing

but my days just seem to be getting shorter.

How does this work?

I am still trying to make friends with my new laptop.

And, trying to figure out if I can save my files

from my old laptop and movew them to my new laptop.

But I did get some craftiness done this week.

I made myself a laptop sleeve!

It has been so long since I have made

something for myself.

And I am totally thrilled with the way it turned out!

I even quilted the fabric.

So I just had to brag about it here.

Because, really, my husband is getting tired of

feigning excitement over my projects.

I can't blame him, though.

After all, not many men are interesteed in purses and quilts!

Technical Difficulties

2010-01-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

So....my trusty old laptop has died.

Even with days of TLC in the ICU

She could not be revived.

Luckily, most of my photos were backed up.

But not so luckily, I never backed up any of my etsy graphics

or my itunes, or my business spreadsheets, or my patterns.

Sigh.

So I had to rely on my husbands laptop this week.

But it just wasn't the same.

You know the feeling you get when you

walk out of the house without your cell phone?

That is how I felt this week.

Naked.

Lost.

Unconnected.

So today I broke down and bought a new laptop.
We are still making friends.
But so far I like her.
I am really hoping that she will make friends with my old laptop.
And that someone smarter than me will be able
to transfer my files, folders, and pictures to my new friend.

Fresh

2010-01-01T19:41:00.000-08:00

Fresh markdowns in my shop.

Pop on over and score a great bag!

2009-12-31T19:48:00.000-08:00

via

Happy New Year!

May 2010 be your best year yet!

Christmas Fun

2009-12-22T11:37:00.001-08:00

I love Christmas.

Except for the crowds.

And rude, frustrated people.

Oh......and traffic, too.

But, really, I love Christmas.

It is so awesome to watch my Noodle discover the magic of the season.

And it is funny to see what he remembers from last year.

As we walked our neighborhood looking at Christmas lights last night,

he remembered which house had the giant snowman.

And which house had the nativity with "Baby Jeje".

But my holiday rituals have changed too.

My tree no longer has the ornaments beautifully and evenly spaced.

Instead, my precious ornaments are carefully hung on the top branches

and all others decorate the bottom half of the tree.

Because even an artificial tree needs to be trimmed up with a fake Home Depot saw.

And we are starting some new family traditions, too.

My local grocery store had these super cute gingerbread house kits

marked down to $2.99. Seriously, $2.99.

So we made a "gingerbread man house".

And we got STICKY.

We might possibly have snuck a few pieces of candy.

But our house turned out darn cute, right?

Every day with my Noodle is an adventure.

Full of memories and smiles.

I love Christmas.

And, I love my life.

Merry Christmas!

Teacher Treats

2009-12-17T16:34:00.001-08:00

Ever have one of those "Oh no!" moments?

You know, the kind where you ask yourself "How could I forget that?"

I had one at almost midnight last night.

I realized that the Noodle would be going to his last day of school before Christmas break

and I had no teacher gifts ready.

But a quick search through blog land and my problem was solved!

All with stuff I had on hand!

Yeah!

I snagged this idea that I found wandering here.

The Noodle has three terrific teachers, each blessed with infinite amounts of patience.

I guess they have to, working with three and four year olds.
I know I could never, ever be a pre-K teacher!

Hello There!

2009-12-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

I am excited to finally have some super cute and girly aprons in my shop.

Stop on by and check them out.

Free shipping on Christmas aprons through the end of December.

Making Memories

2009-12-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

I have such great memories of my grandparents.
Growing up, my sister and I were fortunate
to spend a lot of time with my Nana and Pap and my Mima.
Every Friday night, my sister and I would pack our
overnight bags and head over to Nana and Paps.
My parents got a much needed break and we got to have fun!
My grandparents ordered pizza from Yolanda's.
It was SQUARE, something we never got at home.
Then we would watch "The Dukes of Hazzard", "Falcon Crest", and "Dallas".
(Yeah, in case the clothes in the pictures didn't give it away, I am THAT old.)
For dessert, we got peanut butter ice cream.
A flavor never found in our own freezer.
We usually fell asleep on the floor.

And now my son gets to create these same types of memories.
Every Friday night he packs up his overnight bag and
heads off to my parents...his Mima and Pappy.

In the summers, my sister and I would fly to Florida to visit my Mima.

We would spend weeks with my Mima.

Taking a picnic lunch to FIG Beach.

Driving around in her Chevy Chevette that ALWAYS smelled like suntan lotion.

Mima would make us grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch everyday.

And sometimes, hand cut french fries with cheese sauce on top.

Not healthy, but definately a comfort food to me.

Today, my Noodle is flying to Pittsburgh with my parents to

spend some time with my Nana...his Nana GG.

He'll be gone for a week and I will miss him dearly.

She is my last grandparent, and

although I am sad that my Noodle will not know my Pappy or my Mima,

I am infinately happy that he will know my Nana.

Say What?

2009-12-07T16:34:00.001-08:00

I love doing craft shows.

Even with the hassles of sewing like mad to stock my booth,

ironing for hours to remove every last wrinkle,

packing up and toting around all of my inventory and display pieces,

I really love craft shows.
I share my booth with my mom and my sister,

so we get to spend hours chatting.

There are always some interesting people to watch.

And then there are the odd conversations with customers.

I usually have at least one person ask for a fanny pack.

For real? It is 2009!

Sometimes I get people looking for organizer pouches to hang on their walkers.

Seriously folks?

At my last show, a lady asked if I sold adult bibs.

What?

Recently, a customer browsing my booth spotted this bag, and told me she too loved Amy Grant fabric.

Really? I wasn't aware that the 80's Christian singer had a line of fabric.

And my sister gets the weird questions too.

She makes hair bows (and sells them here -check it out) and her stuff is fabulous!

It never fails...someone asks her how to make korker bows.

Or how to make a woven headband.

Don't be lazy people....just Google it.

At the last show, she had over 400 bows.

And a customer asked "Is this all you have?"

Ummm, yeah.

Yep. I double heart craft shows.

Do you?

Did you know...

2009-12-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

* I was married in front of over 30, 000 people (yep, that's right kiddos....30,000 people).

* my favorite movie is Gone with the Wind.

* I never thought I wanted kids. Now I can't imagine my life without the Noodle.

* I love to sew but hate to cut out.

* I can't let my food touch on my plate...and I have to eat one thing at a time.

* my sister is my best friend.

* I hate cherry flavored things but I love cherries.

* my dog Memphis is named after the movie Gone in 60 Seconds.

* I can not read a map and I always get lost.

Happy Wednesday!

Happiest Place on Earth

2009-11-29T19:16:00.000-08:00

It is no secret.

I double heart all things Disney.

As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, my family took a yearly vacation to the House of Mouse.

I have tons of happy memories, a lot of funny memories, and even some grumpy memories.

Come to think of it, the grumpy memories are actually funny memories now.

And now that I live in Central Florida, I get to make so many memories with my Noodle.

Seeing the World through his eyes is so.much.fun.

Today we went to MGM Studios (yeah, I'm old school....I still call it MGM) to see the Festival of Dancing Lights.

Millions of lights decorate the Streets of America.

Just Beautiful.

I was feeling a bit black and white today

so I took all my pics that way.

I think it gives them an interesting effect.

My Noodle thought the flying angels in the pic below were spiders.

Huh?

At this time of year, it is not hard to tell the difference between the tourists and the locals at Disney. The weather today reached a high of 75 degrees.

Chilly in the morning and evening.

Locals wear jeans and flip flops.

Tourists wear shorts and flip flops.

Holiday Sale

2009-11-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

Skip the lines (and the crazy people) and click on over to SongbirdCottonCo.etsy.com .

Take advantage of some drastically reduced prices on great purses
AND
get free shipping on orders over $75.

Happy Holidays!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-25T15:49:00.001-08:00

Treasures

2009-11-22T18:16:00.000-08:00

I was in heaven this weekend!!

I went to Renningers Twin Markets in Mt. Dora for the Antiques Extravaganza!

It was fantastic....row after row of vendors sell all types of things.

Some vintage. Some not so much!

I love Fiesta Ware...with the simple shapes and bright colors.

This vendor had miles and miles of vintage Fiesta Ware.

In my next house, I will replace all of my dishes with Fiesta Ware.

There were a lot of vendors selling pieces of architectural salvage.

I bought myself an old window frame that I am going to use as a sign for my booth at shows.

I'll be sure to post pics when I finish my project.

I loved the frame in this picture. And I thought the picture of the girl and cow was adorable. But it was priced at $75....out of my price range. I admit, I don't know anything about antiques. I just buy the things I like. But I am always afraid of overpaying. Maybe I will do some research before my next trip to Renningers.

There were also many people selling chicken houses. I thought they would make great storage bins but I was so afraid that no amount of scrubbing would totally remove the chicken poop. And I just couldn't bring myself to put something poopy in my car.
But now, as I look around my house, I see so many places where a chicken coop would be totally perfect. Isn't that always the way?

And finally.........

this pie safe was SUPER.FLY.FANTASTIC!

All Smiles Today

2009-11-20T09:38:00.000-08:00

After nearly four months, my hubby is coming home from Texas!

The only grey cloud in my day is the fact that he was laid off.

Which STINKS.

But, we have been good little savers so we have our rainy day fund to fall back on.

Which still STINKS.

You know, it is so hard to get money IN the rainy day fund that I dread taking money OUT of it.
But our family will be together again and that makes me very happy.

And the extra parent around to watch and play with the Noodle will give me lots of extra time to replenish the "store shelves" in my shop.

Things are a little bare given the success of my recent shows. I sold so much stuff over the past few weekends that I find myself sewing 'til all hours of the night.

Not complaining, just saying.

Well, I am off to color my hair and shave my legs before I see the hubby this evening!

Weiners in Orlando

2009-11-09T11:41:00.001-08:00

There are more dachshunds in Orlando than people!

Now, I don't have the official census statistics or anything, but I am pretty sure I saw a

bazillion of them this past weekend.

Standard ones and mini's.

Short hair and long.....and a few wired ones, too.

Red and black; dapple and piebald; and even some chocolate colored ones!

They were everywhere I looked.

Some wore bandanas, others had frilly dresses, and a few had sunglasses.

It was silly, crazy and cute.

I shared a booth with my mom and sister at the Lake Eola art and craft show this weekend and there were A LOT of people who brought their dogs. But hands down, there were more weiners than anything else.

Here are a few pics of my booth.

We had purses and wallets, aprons and tea towels, quilts, and little girl hair accessories for sale. My sister does the hair accessories and she sold BOODLES of them!

She has practically nothing left.

And we have another HUGE show this coming weekend.

I am sure that she will be burning the midnight oil this week :)

My mom and I make all of the other things in our booth.

Our sales were UNUSUALLY slow.

And disappointing.

We introduced several new fall and winter styles...some made with fabulous micro suede.

And they are gorgeous!

But, sadly, no takers.

But the most frustrating part of the weekend was the show itself.

We are new to the craft show thing so we had never done the Lake Eola show.

But, we heard great things about it.

The show is big, well-advertised, and juried. And the organizers stressed that all items must be hand made by the exhibitor.

But I was disappointed to find many booths reselling things like knock off Coach and Vera Bradley bags. Or the black tank tops with crystal designs on them (three different booths, all the same items). And some things were obviously handmade....the quality so poor I am suprised that they made it into a juried show.

Well, I guess I just wanted to rant and get rid of my frustrations. Thanks for listening :)

I feel better now......I am off to sew some new things for this weekend!

Amy

I know, I know, I know......

2009-11-08T19:38:00.001-08:00

It's been a long time.

Sorry I haven't written....... Life just seems to have gotten away from me.

Seriously, it's not you......... it's me. Because I'd tell you if it were you. Really. Truly.

But now I am going to write to you everyday. Well, maybe not EVERY day, but certainly every week.

Honestly, I'll try to be good and tell you funny stories and show you fabulous things.

I swear......PINKY swear!

A Day Late & A Dollar Short

2009-09-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess technically it is two days late:)

The September promo in my shop is a Buy One Get One sale for blog followers.

Here is the fine print:
1.Buy any purse from my shop (including clearance priced handbags) and get a wallet, wristlet, changepurse, or key fob for HALF OFF! (Discount will be refunded to your paypal account)
2. Follow this blog and leave me a comment on any post.
3. Tell me in the notes to seller that you are now following my blog (or contact me through etsy if you already completed the transaction).

Pretty simple, right?

Oh, I almost forgot....this only applies to ready made items. No special orders, please.

Happy shopping :)

My super fabulous treasure shop finds!

2009-08-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

My sister and I love to go to our local treasure shop. We make a weekly trip and usually find some fabulous things and great bargains.

But I scored some SUPER FABULOUS things this week!

My favorite thing is this cake carrier.

It's okay if you didn't know what it was at first. I didn't. My sister had to tell me...she bakes/cooks and I don't. The main section (the one with the flowers) holds a round layered cake and the blue sections at the top and bottom hold pies!

And then I found this brand new-in-the-original-70's-box awesome fondue pot. Can you believe that this was never used? Everything was still in the plastic wrap! Unbelievable, right?

And I also got this cute retro chip and dip set. How clever!
And it kinda sorta matches the wall color in my kitchen!
Okay, that is a bit of a stretch but it is still perfect :)

Now, my sister and I are planning a 70's themed family dinner so that I can use my latest treasures. I'll make the chips and dip and let my sister the chef tackle the fondue and cake. That's fair, right?

First Day of School

2009-08-18T12:07:00.001-07:00

Yeah! It's the first day of school! My Noodle was so excited, he practically ran out the door. All he has talked about the last few days is his friends. He kept telling me that his friends missed him. Ahhhh, how cute :)
The Noodle really loves school. I think it is because he is an only child, without even any cousins near his age. He is such a friendly child, never hesitating to play with any kids at the playground or in church. Most of the kids in his class are the same as last year but there was a new boy today. When the new boy was walking in to the classroom, my Noodle was waving and saying "Hi, friend!" Sweet, right?
And, this was lunch on the first day:

I've recently become obsessed with bento lunches after stumbling upon this blog. Since we needed a new lunch box anyway, I thought I'd give the bento thing a try. The Noodle had crackers, turkey sausage bites, cheese, orange slices, and yogurt covered raisins. Yum!

And, with school starting, I can finally get back to sewing!

In the little spare time I've had over summer break, I've been working on some new designs for my FALL COLLECTION! Sounds fancy right? The new stuff will be hitting the shelves (so to speak) of my Etsy store in September. But you can get some sneak peeks on my blog in a few days!

Summer is over

2009-08-14T10:05:00.001-07:00

With the carefree days of summer winding down, I decided to take my Noodle to our local park for an afternoon of splish-splashing in the fountain. As always, he was the loudest kid there, squealing with delight every time the water shot up.

I did notice something odd, though.

Every little boy in the fountain took great, um, satisfaction in standing directly over the spout and letting the water shoot straight up their shorts.

Odd, right?

I am glad, though, that school starts on Tuesday. I love my Noodle but I get nothing accomplished when he is home. He has never been a kid that likes to play by himself so it is impossible to sew or clean when he is awake. Plus, he really likes to help me with what I am doing. Have you ever tried to sew with a toddler on your lap? Well, let me tell you - it is impossible!

But school starts Tuesday. I feel somewhat embarrassed to admit that I am excited about it! I have been anticipating the three days a week that I will get six blissful hours of uninterrupted sewing and cleaning. Well, mostly sewing :)

Too funny!

2009-08-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess summer is coming to an end.

My Noodle starts pre-school on Tuesday & I thought I would make him a special nap time mat.

I made a trip to my local quilt shop and found this great pattern. I am going to use some fabulous and funky fabric from Michael Miller and I'll be sure to post pics of my completed project.

But here's the funny part:

While standing in line to get the batting for my project cut, I overheard the following conversation:

customer to friend: "I think this color will really stand out from the road."

friend to customer: "I think so too. Are they all going to have one?"

employee to customer: "What are you making?"

customer to employee: "I am making clothes for the geese in my yard."

employee to customer: "How do you catch the geese to put the clothes on them?"

customer to employee: "Uh, they are concrete lawn statues."

WHAT! Did this lady really think that the customer was going to make clothes for live quacking, biting, pooping geese? Are you kidding me?

I couldn't help but laugh - out loud. My mother and I had a good giggle when we left the store.

Crazy

2009-08-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

So my life right now is a little bit crazier than normal.

With my husband working out of town for at least another month, things at home are a little topsy-turvy. My husband has only been gone ten days, but I have already missed one garbage day and one recycling day. My grass has grown out of control. My dogs look at me and ask "Hey lady, where's my dinner?" as I forget, AGAIN, that they need to eat too! My dishes pile up, my laundry remains unfolded, and my floors need mopped. We've been getting ready for the school that starts next week. And trying to squeeze in some potty training and end of summer fun. I am working on some new designs for the fall collection in my shop and sewing until all hours of the night to get ready for my upcoming shows. Whew....I am exhausted! I miss my husband (and all of the help he gives around the house) and I will be so happy to have him home again in a few weeks.

August Promo

2009-08-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

The August promotion for my blog followers is FREE SHIPPING! Yeah, FREE SHIPPING!

Any purchase made in my etsy store from August 1 to August 31 qualifies for free shipping within the US. Orders shipped outside of the US qualify for shipping at half off the regular fee.

Here is the fine print:

You must follow this blog.

You must tell me in the Notes to Seller section that you are a follower of my blog.

Happy Shopping!

You know you are getting old when....

2009-07-31T19:23:00.001-07:00

the kiddie rides in Happy Harbor at Sea World make you feel queasy!

Boy, those Jazzy Jellies really kicked my butt,

but my Noodle could have spun the afternoon away!

My husband left today for a job in Texas :( He'll be gone for about a month and that is a LOOOOONG time for my Noodle. After my husband drove away, my little guy kept saying "I want my daddy back." His little heart was broken!

So, my sister and I took the Noodle to Sea World as a distraction. And it worked! Instead, he became focused on riding the roller coaster.....for which, of course, he is too small.

He stood on his tippy toes to try and fool us!

But the seat does not lie!

And, he really loved the turtles!
We never even made it to see Shamu, the manatees or dolphins, Clyde & Seymour, or the stingrays. I guess that is the only thing I like about living in Central Florida. We don't have to cram everything into a few days....we can visit Shamu and Mickey anytime. With only two more weeks until school starts, I guess we need to pay a visit to the Mouse House next week!

GIVEAWAY!!

2009-07-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

I am having my first ever giveaway! Karen is a fellow Etsy seller and she is hosting my giveaway on her blog. Pop on over to www.mysticwynd.blogspot.com for your chance to win this very cute tri-fold wallet and checkbook cover. The winner will be chosen on August 9.

On a treasure hunt

2009-07-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

Today my sister and I went to the best treasure shop. Some might call this a junk store or thrift shop, but we would highly disagree! Everytime we go we find wonderful things. Look at this FABULOUS vintage yellow pom pom fringe. 4.5 yards for only $1...How can you beat that?
It is sure to make its way into something super funky!
And how about these great zippers! I got over 20 zippers for less than $6! These two are my favorites: the blue one is so old, the original price was only 30 cents and the packaging on the orange one is so RETRO!

The packaging on some of these zippers is so great!

And I got this solid PINE kids desk for only $7.50. The Noodle and his Pappy are going to work on this in the woodshop. It needs a little love, but it is solid. I think they are just going to lightly sand it and put a clear sealer over it. And definately get rid of the girly porcelain knobs!

And before you ask....No, I can not divulge the location of our treasure shop. It is our little secret! I could really spend a fortune there.

Happy Birthday to.....

2009-07-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

...Me! This is my favorite kind of cake - one with lots of frosting! And my mom and sister are so sweet indulging my delusion that I am still 29! Not that I really mind my actaul age (35), it's just that I don't really feel 35. Truth be told, I don't even feel 29! Today we celebrated my birthday with one of my favorite meals, tacos, and this fabulous cake. My family is the best!

Godspeed, Endeavour

2009-07-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

Before moving to Cocoa FL, I never had much interest in the space program. I never had dreams of becoming an astronaut, finding martians, or exploring other galaxies. When I was in Girl Scouts (and my dad was our leader), our troop made a plaque for the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe. But now that I live less than 10 miles from the Kennedy Space Center, I am beginning to develop a fascination for the shuttle program. I have been to several launches and they are just amazing. You can feel the shuttle take off....even the walls in my house vibrate a little! With only a few launches remaining, I'll be sure to catch every one.

Writer's Block

2009-07-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

Or maybe, more accurately, crafters block! I have been in a funk this past week, having no desire to sew or craft. Maybe it's because I'm feeling under the weather. Maybe it's because it's summer. Maybe it's because my Noodle is out of school and I can only sew during naps (which are becoming increasingly rare). So, today, in an effort to get my creative juices flowing again, I bought this really cute kids fabric:

And un-sewed this wristlet that had a funky zipper thing going on.

And made this luggage tag for the vacation I am NOT going on anytime soon :(.

And, finally, made this fabric covered beaded necklace.

Tomorrow, I have a big to-do lost: resew my wristler with the now fixed zipper, cut out wipes cases from the cute kids fabric, iron interfacing on a stack out wristlets, and cut out a purse for my mother. Yeah for Saturdays!

Am I OCD?

2009-07-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

Over the holiday weekend, I discovered that my sister has the same strange egg obsession that I do! And even stranger.....my mother does it too!
I CAN NOT have an odd amount of eggs in my carton. I just can't....it is not physically possible for me. I loathe any recipe that calls for an odd number of eggs. I have been known to make egg salad simply to even out the number of eggs left in my carton.
But wait, there is more!
Any remaining eggs in my carton have to be stored in a symmetrical pattern. And the first egg I always use is from the lower right hand compartment.
Why do I do this? Is it hereditary? My mother does this. My sister does this. Do you?

Be a Lucky Ducky and get something FREE

2009-07-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

So, here is the deal. Follow my blog and when you make a purchase from my Etsy store anytime in July, I will send a FREE gift with your order. Just mention in your notes to seller that you are now following my blog and you will get your little surprise. It could be a change purse, key fob, card holder, or something new that I am working on!

Stuff

2009-07-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

I think the pictures in my etsy shop stink! I am not a photographer so I've really been struggling with lighting, backgrounds, and up close shots.....basically everything! I've been reading blogs and esty forums for advice and I think I've picked up some useful information. I took this picture of one of my new bags and I used some of the things I've learned. I took the picture in natural light with a solid, neutral colored background. I used a louvered door (from my craft show display) as the background but I am not sure how much I like it. I thought the louvers would add texture without overpowering the actual bag. But, I'm not sure. I do think that this background works better than the turquoise fabric I was using. I guess I'll keep experimenting:)

Pedal to the Metal

2009-07-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

So....my noodle FINALLY learned to pedal his bike! Yeah! For over a year and a half, he has been content to just scoot along, but today he pedaled! Unfortunately, we had to cut our ride short. Summer in Florida = mosquitos! My little guy kept telling me "'quito bite, mama, 'quito bite", even with bug spray applied before we left the house. Oh, well. My Noodle pedaled the afternoon away indoors.

Getting Funky...

2009-06-30T12:37:00.001-07:00

Lately I have been spending so much time making purses and other stuff for my etsy shop that I have totally ignored my other love.....quilting. So today I dug out this fabulous "Funky Christmas" by Michael Miller fabric and got to cutting. I decided to use my trusty old "Yellow Brick Road" pattern to whip up this quick quilt top. Cute, huh?

Sad

2009-06-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

This is the first record I ever owned. My parents bought it for me and I listened to it over and over again. I haven't really listened to Michael Jackson in years either. But listening to all of the coverage of his death and hearing his music all day has brought back so many memories...like roller skating to Beat It at the South Park Roller Rink, listening to Thriller in the bus on the way to church camp, sitting on the floor, glued to the TV, so that I could watch him do the Moon Walk, and watching his videos on MTV. Regardless of his personal life, he could sing and dance.

Daddy and the Noodle

2009-06-22T16:18:00.000-07:00

Today, my Noodle did not want to go to bed. He is definately a kid with a routine and his bedtime is usually a piece of cake....but not today! I think it was because Daddy was home to play with him and he didn't want the day to end :-) Well, after 15 minutes of gut wrenching, heart breaking crying, Daddy went in to check on him. Next thing I know, SILENCE! And when I looked, this is what I found.....How sweet!

YART??

2009-06-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

So, I am participating in the 2nd Annual Etsy Yart Sale...get it Yard + Art = YART. Of course I think my bags are art worthy! I have maked down several very adorable bags hoping to make some room for new stuff in the shop. Stop by and pick up a bargain!

My noodle is growing up

2009-06-04T19:54:00.001-07:00

So, my Noodle turned 3 in March and it is so hard to believe that he is a grown up little boy and noy my baby anymore! The Noodle went fishing with his Pappy over the weekend and he actually caught a fish! Some days I am so happy that he is a little boy, but other days I really miss the snuggly baby.

Let's go Pens!

2009-06-02T17:40:00.001-07:00

C'mon Pens! Enough said.

Flower Power

2009-05-29T14:01:00.001-07:00

One of my bags was featured in the Silkfair Blog. Cool, huh?
Click the link below and scroll down to Flower Power post. My bag is the last thing listed under Flowers as Accessories.

Flower Power

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I hate frogs!

2009-04-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

So, I am pretty sure that I hate frogs. I didn't always hate frogs...this is just a new feeling. You see, frogs have invaded my pool. Did you know that frogs make A LOT of noise at night? And they leave strands of eggs which turn in to tadpoles which turn in to MORE frogs! My pool guy said that there is really no way to get rid of them. They are kind of like salmon......even if they leave my yard they will return to mate. Gross! We have been told that we have two options to get rid of the frogs: kill them or relocate them. The number of frogs that have invaded my pool make either of these options a full time job! Plus, as an animal lover, I can not kill even these hated frogs. So, I guess I'll have to relocate them. Why did I ever want a pool?

Sweet Jasmine

2009-04-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about living in Florida in late spring is the jasmine blooming. When we moved in to our house almost six years ago, the jasmine vine had just started trailing along our back fence. Now, it stretches the entire length of our fenceline. And it smells so good! In the early morning hours, when I let my dogs out, I like to just stand in the backyard and breathe deeply. It is so peaceful that I can easily forget all of the things on my to do list.

Craft show

2009-04-13T11:58:00.000-07:00

So, I recently did the Renningers Craft Show in Mt. Dora FL. This is my booth.....isn't it cute? I really love the pennant hanging from the canopy. The show was quite successful for us ( I enlisted the help of my mom and sister) and we sold several purses, little girl skirts, wallets, change purses, and hair bows. Now we are busy sewing new things for our upcoming shows in Titusville and Cocoa Village.

My Noodle

2009-02-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

So my husband bought our son a tool kit for Christmas. It was the best $20 ever spent! And, I am a lucky girl....nothing ever stays broken in my house. Today, the drum was apparently broken, but no fear! My Noodle fixed it right up. Notice the safety glasses and hard hat. Safety first!

Almost January....already!

2008-12-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

The older I get, the faster the year seems to go! So is this the year I will make resolutions and actually keep them? Probably not.