Hey! That's one of my Babies :)

If you frequently stop by my etsy store you may notice that I rarely have a baby quilt in there for very long. It seems like they are gone before I can make a new one. But my sale numbers are low. It's because so many of my friends and family members have babies that I'm constantly giving them away as gifts. Then I wonder if the quilt is just as happy in their new home. I know I miss them terribly, but if they are loved I can live with that.

The other day I was out with my Mom friends and here comes one of my friends with her new baby. Seth is a really cute 3 month old and what was he cuddling with. The quilt I gave him! Oh, how cute the quilt looked with the little baby arm attached to it.





It's happened a few times and I'm amazed at my feelings when I see a friends baby with my quilt amongst their favorite things. I miss them terribly but very happy that they found a baby that loves them as much as I do. I am in the process of makeing 2 more quilts because I already have 2 friends with babies on the way. What will come first the baby or the quilt?

TuTu much fun

I started making tutu's for my shop. I made one for my daughter awhile ago and was commissioned by a friend for her daughter. So I finished that one and am in the process of making a pink and white one for my shop. My 6 yo son loves my daughters so much that he wants one. I'll have to see if I can order some green tulle.



Here are the two that I've made so far. They are so fun to make and fun to watch the girls play with them on.



Aren't they adorable!!!

Tutti Frutti

I was at JoAnn's Saturday and ran across this really awesome fabric. Tutti Frutti it has so many fun colors for kids and is wonderfully light and textured. I was so inspired by this I had look at the patterns and see what I could make for my little girl. I found some really cute things, but I need to work on finishing the other projects on my table. Plus I had to buy new fabric for some quilts......Some many projects so little time.

I'll try and take some pictures of the fabric and post it. There where some really bright and wild colors. I picked just 2 more subdued, but I knew she would like them and I would be able to find coordinating "whatevers" more easily.

If there is a way of you posting pictures in the comments, you should show me things you've done with your Tutti Frutti fabric.

Crafted From The Heart

If you on the Etsynewbies Street Team you will have seen Rhonda's name often and may have even seen the wonderful things in her shop . She has been a instrumental part in keeping the Street Team going and has been a good source of information for some of us less experienced members. So Thank You Rhonda, keep up the great job.

I've asked Rhonda to answer a few questions so we could get to know her a little better. Here's what she came up with:

How long have you been crafting?
I started crocheting before I was old enough to read, so that is over 42 years. I had 2 aunts who taught me how to crochet to help me work off some hyper energy I had stored up. My mom couldn't crochet, but she would read one line of instructions to me, I would do that and then she would read another line to me.

After I started school, I would come home from school and mom would have a project ready for me to work on and I would make the item. I didn't know other kids couldn't do this. Mom did this with other crafts as well. I came home from school one afternoon and mom said "I want you to macramé this table for me". I had never heard of macramé, but I got started and finished the table. This was the same with all crafts; I see something and just make it. I was the kid in the classroom who would finish her test, then make items until the bell rang. I would sell the items to make some extra money to buy more supplies.

What is your favorite medium?
Yarn, yarn and more yarn. I've often said I have yarn in my veins. I am also addicted to making things with paper.

Where do you get your inspiration?
In my sleep, looking through a book, browsing the internet, watching TV, my mind is always working towards my next item to make. I sometimes get so obsessed with a new idea, I have to take a notepad out of my purse and write down the idea, so I can get my mind back to whatever I was doing before the idea popped into my head. Unfortunately, I don't have the energy to do all the ideas I come up with, so I've recently decided to start writing patterns.

What item in your shop would you most like to keep?
That is a tough one, because I like all the items but I've been able to narrow it down to two.

#1 Would be the "Incredibly Soft Pink and Gray Star Afghan 52 inches" http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8635053 because it is soooo soft. The picture makes it look like its purple, but it's actually Pink and Gray. I did make a shawl out of the same yarn, for my personal use. Everyone who sees it just loves the way it looks and feels.

The #2 item I would keep are the Slippers http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10243021 Over the past 30 years, I've had several pairs of these, and have given many to my aunts and friends. Every couple years, they come back for another pair of slippers. I feel they are a "must have".

If you could learn a new craft what would it be?
Spinning. I don't know how to Spin Yarn, and I know if I ever started Spinning, I'd be totally hooked. Oh yes, I have Soap Making on my list of things to do next. I'm in the reading and research stages of that.

Is there something about yourself that you would like us to know?

I've been married for almost 30 years to my best friend; we have 4 sons, 2 daughters-in-law and a wonderful grandson. Our life is dedicated to our family and to God. I do have some health issues, but I just look at it as "who doesn't". I love to learn new things, so I ask a lot of questions when I find a friendly person. My husband and I enjoy traveling all over the world, so I never know where we are going to show up next. You can see some of our pictures listed on my husband’s etsy site at CraftFX

. Yes, I married a crafter and he is an enabler when it comes to my crafts… but you got to love him.

So if you haven't already checked out Rhonda's shop Crafted From The Heart I hope this post has inspired you to do just that. She's confided in me that she's got some great poncho's that will be going up onto her site in the next couple of days. So take a look and keep on looking. She's always adding new things.

What difference an edit makes?

So I decided to try and edit one of my pictures to have an all white background just to see what kind of difference it would make. I thought it was really interesting. Here are my results.



I thought it would be fun to see them side by side. It wasn't too hard to do it, and might be worth it....I'm not sure. It was kinda time consuming to go around the bunny to make sure that it was all very clean, and I'm not sure I did the best job. But it was just a quickie experiment to see what difference it would make.


What do you guys think? Is it worth the time and effort to white out the background (if you don't have a light box) Or is the bunny too shadowy anyway and it's wasted effort? Let me know your thoughts.


Chureen

Newbie Showcase - Moochiesmamma's

So my weens woke me at 5 am this morning. What better way to be productive then to right in my blog. So here I am featuring an Etsy Newbie.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5039964

It's kinda hard to write about people that you never met, so I think my best approach here is to contact her and see if she wants to write a little blurb about herself and her shop. I can say that she has very nice clothes for kids. Very hip and so super cute! I'll post a few picts so you can see some of what she offers. Like I said SUPER CUTE!

Treasuries -

I haven't been in a treasury for a while and was getting kinda bummed, but I figured that's the way it goes because I needed to freshen up my inventory (who wants to buy scarves now). I had pretty much forgotten to check the treasury listings for a few weeks, but decided to check and found these. What I think is funny is that two different people created treasuries (one was a west) with the same theme and my bunny was choosen for both. Funny huh? Here they are.

And I was even an alternative in this cute Easter Treasury!

Thanks everyone, you made my day. I even got a few new hearts out of the deal, just no new sales :(

***Sorry about the treaury picts. I was hopeing they would turn out better. I just don't have time to fix it right now. I'll have to work on that the next time I add treasuries.

Spring Dress for Ciara

I'm so excited about the new dress that I made for my daughter Ciara. Well okay...it's almost done. I just have to topstitch the hem. It's got a circle skirt that sews onto a store bought t-shirt ant I modify to put ties on. The circle skirt is perfect for thost princess moments when she wants to twirl. I just wish that the weather was nicer so I could take some outside picts of her with it on. I'm making an identical on for my Etsy site, so I need some good picts to put with the listing. I'll have to post a picture on her when I get it done. Hopefully later this morning. She wants to wear it to the egg hunt that we are going to this afternoon.

Okay, I've finished it. Here's a pict of it (note to self: Need to take a picture of the back). Isn't she just the cutest! I'm sure I'm a little bias, but come on.....

Now I'm trying to think of what I can do with this pattern for my shop. The possibilities are endless, just have to see what is appeals to people.

In the mean time Ciara will be wearing this today, Sun and probably sleep in it everyday in between if she had her way.

Make someones day - Feature a Newbie

So I was reading in another blog and got this great idea. Feature Etsy sellers! Okay, so it's not a novel idea...as a maker of fact I have seen other bloggers doing the same thing. But I never really paid attention to it, because I wasn't a blogger or even thinking of becoming one. Now that I'm thinking of interesting things to put on my site and ways of getting people interested in what I do, I'm paying attention. I decided to feature EtsyNewbies, since these guys are just getting started and need as much help as they can get.

So for the first Featured Artist: Rhonda's Paper Boutique

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5615796

I first say Rhonda's name in a forum. She was looking for people to put her blog link in their blogs and she would do the same. As I'm looking for ways of promoting myself I thought what the hay, why not. So I checked her out and found some really cool things.

What I like best is her party favors. (which reminds me I need to heart her store) How many times do us Mom's look for party favor bags for our little girls birthday party and just can't seem to find anything fun and unique? Well here is your solution. Rhonda offers so many different options depending on your price range and you may have your own embellishments that you would like to add. Or what about that perfect rainy day craft project?

Anyway, Rhonda's shop is worth a look. So support your Etsy Newbie and shop away!!

Knit-tastic

So I've thought many times that I need to learn how to knit. And if fairness I learned from my Grandmother about 20 years ago. But of course I forgot everything that I learned. Then my Mom has tried to teach me a couple of times now and since I never practiced I never really learned. So here I am. I have a set of needles and ball of yarn and a how-to-book infront of me, and of course my Mum sitting next to me.

Overall it's not going to badly. I've learned to do the double cast-on and the knit (not the pearl yet). The trouble that I'm having is that it's getting a bit to tight on the needle. So tight I can barely move the loops on the needle. I've done it a few times and the same result. I can now move the beginning loops and the ending loops, but I must get over excited in the middle because there is no law in nature that will move those babies.

I'm guessing that I won't be making baby sweaters as beautiful as the ones my Mom makes, but I might make a half decent pot holder or cat blanket someday. I'll keep you posted.

Chureen

What to do first?

So here we are...I've read often that blogs are the way to go when it comes to promoting yourself in this crafting world. I've never been a good self promoter and plus with the lack of time I have, I've never even considered the thought of starting a blog. I mean, good Lord, who has time for all that plus watching 3 wee ones.

I decided I'm going to take the big leap and start one. I think it was mostly because I finally finished a new project that I'm trying to sell and I'm so excited about it. So I'll try to post some picts, but I can't promise anything since I'm new to all this.





Wish me luck, I'll need it :)