Help me I am Drowning!

I am a self proclaimed MESS!!!

Yes, I will admit it...I am not a hoarder, I just let my passions take over. For example - my sewing room. Yes the last few months have had a lot going on, for example did my first show in June or was that May (?), worked 6 days a week until I put my foot on the plane and went to Scotland at the end of June.But now it's nearing the end of August. And I think I have a problem and I need help. I am writing out to vent my frustrations at myself. I, myself created, so I need to fix it. LOOK at my room I have to work in!!!

it starts at the desk.you barely have room to put your hands on the keyboard!

the embroidery area. AGH!!!

The creative sewign table that I cannot even get to. I end up cutting material on the dinning room table.

My attempt to display notions for bags, yea I still end up buying duplicate.

Don't even get me started on storage! All those boxes, more fabric that I need to put away - but WHERE?!?!?

Oh, this is me just wanting to walk out. Can I rub some magic lamp and someone take care of this???

I have wrote this for my friend, co-worker Mindy who looked up organization last night with me on the internet. Apparently we both have this problem... I will keep you posted if I can figure out a solution. But if you have any, please I will take advise. I don't have the room, or $$ to follow them - but maybe having someone else talk to me will be motivation alone. I cannot be the only person in the craft-world like this.

One Month...

Hello all, I want to thank those who virtually support me on facebook with those wonderful comments and encouragement. I have one month till my first craft show down at the St. Augustine Pier.

My goal was to have 30 bags, I really think I am going to make that because when I signed up last month I had a few and I have made a lot since then...I think I have 16 now. I am using about 10 bag patterns varying the fabric on bags. And I love color, so hopefully you will find something in my collection that meets your style. 

I also will be making some coordinating wallets with some of the bags and my seat belt covers. So yep another busy month of crafting...and working and riding. 

....and only 6 weeks till Scotland and I cannot wait!!!





So come by and see me June 1st at St. Augustine Pier, 9-3. Thanks  :) 

and Evan will be in the tent next to me selling all of his pottery. Check him out on facebook too.

Moving on to Bigger and Better...Machines

So most of you know that I am participating in my first craft show June 1st. I am a very novice sewer and embroiderer.

I started sewing about 4 yrs ago when my awesome husband bought me a very generic Singer that did its job, taught me basics and has since moved on to greener pastures (the original is at my friend Lisa's house, I am sure collecting dust). In replacement I bought this tiny Singer with more functions, it was so much more advanced at the time that my generic.

Singer

...and now I am sure it just needs a spruce up, but with my time crunch and my need for wanting a better embroider machine  - I went ahead and purchased an embroider online Brother PE-770. My rational to my husband was that 1) I was going to use it and 2) look at all the tools he has in the garage... WIN for me!!!

PE 770

SE 400

So I pull that sucker out of the box throw it together and DAMN, its fast and awesome. It is a serious machine compared to my first, the SE-400, which I love also as more of a sewing machine. After the last 2 purses I made yesterday I was glad I started sewing with it instead of just using it for embroidering.

 The SE 400 is smooth, cuts the thread at the end for you, has a much better motor and gets right over thick areas because the foot raises higher. It has now become my primary sewing, I will still use it for embroidering but it's nice to have options.

So this is my newest machines (PE 770) first finished pattern, a freebie at this awesome site called https://www.urbanthreads.com 

Oh and what am I going to do with the old Singer...my husband Jimmy asked him if I would teach him, and so did my brother last month. Interesting the boys want to learn to sew. Maybe this is a new trend. lol

Diaper Cake for Baby Braxton

This is a first in many ways.
1) Never made a diaper cake
2) You know how much I LOVE babies...yikes.
3) Patience and a Deadline.

But my ever-so-adorable coworker asked me if I knew anyone and I went ahead and volunteered. Using scraps of fabric, dowels, cake pans, embroidery machine...The only new thing purchased was the diapers. And did you know diapers give a pungent baby powder smell??!?! My sewing room smells funky.

So those who know me, know I made my own wedding cake. Which I was very proud of at the time.

Using the amazing youtube as my guide...this is what I have so far.

I have little decoration work to do still, gotta get it done by Friday :)

3/19/13 All done with the diaper cake. I hand-stitched a little giraffe for the top, and I loved the little pillow letters that spelled out BRAXTON. I wanted to make a purposeful gift, I hate seeing things thrown out...hopefully they let the little one play with the giraffe and letters. I hope the new mom and baby likes it.

 

The Bunny Project by Urban Thread

With Easter around the corner, I just found this adorable project called the Bunny Project.

So I made one real quick for my nephew Jax.
I just need to finish him off with some cotton tail...didn't have that laying around. :)

And this is why it is worth it...Jax playing with his new bunnies. Whitie and Blackie.

ANd the Bunnies for the work crews little kiddo's...

Getting Ready For St. Patty's Day

One of my favorite holidays, not because of the food and drinking, well yes the drinking I guess. I'm not a Irish whisky girl. I love some Cardhu, Glenmorangie, and Scapa.


We are hosting the tasting at our house Saturday. Last year (yes this vegetarian) I made Corn beef and Cabbage and stunk the house up. Apparently everyone loved it, it was all gone. Oh and I made seitan Guinness stew for me, it was yummy.

This year I am going pub style food. Jim and I will be marinating and rubbing some meat for several days prior to cooking it on Saturday. Also making some fish and chips. And I can't forget the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes again.

So the Buddha is on the front porch decorated for the occasion.

AND Chico is sporting a kilt. I still need to make him a sash...his attire needs a little more. Unsure how this is going to be since he is whimpering with it on...baby :(

More pics to come...

Seat belt Covers

Who knew???? My mom (and yes I am giving her the credit for this one) came up with the idea for a seat belt cover for her car that would not get stained up with sweat after they run or ride.

The solution a fabric, that is water resistant and an embroidery machine.

After a couple of trial and errors I came up with one. Then I had this nice seller on etsy help me with getting a Cupcake Ninja embroidery pattern. What, why...you ask. Because that is our team name.

Kilt Flask Bags

So this year, we are one day passed the Highland Games.

Jim and Todd were fully involved in the Whisky Tasting at the Northeast Florida Highland Games. Todd was the Whisky Master and Jim his cohort and at one point server.
Todd did a great job. You can read his very humorous bio here.

So my involvement in all of this was small, but a major milestone in my ability to create, produce and come through with something...remember I have ADD ;)

Back in December as we (the majority of our whisky club) were sitting around and watching the cool movie Brave. I came up with the idea to make something to sell at the games. Well weeks went by and nothing happened. Then late January, I figured I better start doing some homework. I bought the flasks, busted out the embroidery machine and in the 2 weeks before the Highland Games I came up with what I thought were pretty cool - Kilt Flask Bags.

 As a female and a scotch drinker, I was needing a way to tote around my Glenmorangie.

This was the perfect solution.

I have over 20 listed on etsy, gotta sell to make our way to Scotland in June 2013 with our club.

New for Me:Selling

So I have finally figured out how to sell on my blog. I don't want to use Etsy, because a lot of the patterns I use are from cool people there that are already selling the purse, bag, etc.

SO I have figured (after several hours of Internet research and help) how to set up Paypal via my blog. YAY!

So happy shopping, not sure how all the details work - I would not charge shipping to a friend of course, that just means we have to meet up and have lunch or a drink.

It's just a big step - meaning I also need to finish 3 projects I have sitting on the sewing table.

12:50 pm okay  - i'm not sure if it is working. i am gonna have to have someone test this

The Tree is up!

Well the ornament mobile is up. As usual I just made and didn't measure, so I got a little irritated with it after a while. And I don't think I have enough ornaments on it - but I can add later this week.



This is how it is hanging from the ceiling.



 




Looking up from under the mobile.



This is my work stocking I made at the begining of the week. I like it...it's me.