Christmas Times a Comin'...and it's gone!

It seems the older I get, the faster Christmas flies past me. I could have really used a few more weeks to get things completed this year, but I don't know if my poor, tired hands and brain could have withstood much more! We finally got the tree into the house and decorated one week before Christmas, which is highly unusual for me. I'm typically the one with the tree up & decorated the day after Thanksgiving...it just wasn't happening this year. I've made a vow to not do this to myself or my family again next year though. I have new plans for the shop for the coming year, including more ready-to-ship items. Hopefully this will cut down on some of the stress.





On a lighter note, we had a great time visiting with family and eating tons (and I do mean TONS) of wonderful food. My mom is a firm believer that everyone should have whatever it is their heart desires for holiday and birthday dinners. I'll post a couple of photos of some favorites from this year. We always have bbq for Christmas Eve at Mom's and Christmas morning breakfast there as well. Then it's off to Andy's parents for steaks at lunch (no traditional turkey here!)

We had a blast watching Marli Claire opening her gifts, and even at this young age she seemed to really enjoy it. I can only imagine how much fun we'll be having this time next year!

When will I ever get the hang of posting here regularly? I love writing, so it's not that part of it that's so difficult. To be totally honest (and those of you who know me know this already, so don't laugh!) I'm just too ADD to remember the passwords. Really! I have to go through 3 or 4 steps just to sign in here when I forget it. I know, I know...write all my passwords down and keep them in a safe place. Been there, tried that. Do you know how many of those notebooks I've lost? It's crazy when you're the mom and you can't remember! I did only forget my children once, you'll be glad to know! Actually it was mostly my husband's fault (since he doesn't actually read this I"ll blame him.) We had eaten at a local restaurant and had arrived in separate vehicles. We vaguely discussed which one the boys were riding home with, and needless to say, my children stood on the sidewalk outside this restaurant for about 10 minutes before we realized that neither of us had them! They're safe and sound in their beds as I type, so you'll be pleased to know they survived life with me all the way to 20 & 18.

There's so much going on right now. We're getting ready for the holidays of course. My sister and her family are arriving soon from Africa. We only see them every 3 or 4 years, so it will be great having them home for Christmas this year. I'm trying to slow down a bit before they get here, so I'm trying to get all my orders out by the Monday after Thanksgiving (we'll see how that one works out!) It's been madness in the shop with a few Christmas outfits among other orders. Then the call comes that a local boutique has several orders for ornaments I hand-painted last year! Umm...you mean you all are really selling those again this year? I'm in the midst of fabric delirium, and now you want me to add paint to the mix? Remember that ADD thing I mentioned? It comes in handy on occasion because I happen to be a pro at multi-tasking. Which leads me to bragging on my dear, sweet husband (maybe I'll let him read this afterall!) He has cooked dinner 3 times this past week. Not just grilling while I do the rest...he actually cooked everything...3 times! Then he base-coated my ornaments, and I'm thinking it may be a call for Man of the Year or something. We'll have to work on that one! Please send me ideas as I currently have no brain cells left unbusy to come up with something!)

Last but not least, I'm a blogaholic. Amazing how much time you can suck right out of your door reading blogs! Not that I'm quitting...I thrive on the stories, photography, and ideas in blogland. So here's one that I adore: http://oldredbarnco.blogspot.com/ She's currently having a giveaway for three of the most gorgeous quilts ever. So to all of you reading this, DO NOT GO OVER THERE AND ENTER! You may visit and then leave, but do not enter this contest...my feet need to be toasty this Winter, and besides I need a little eye-candy in my life!

Wooo...it's been a while!

Wow! I can't believe I haven't posted anything new in over a month now! All I can say is life has been so busy. School has started back of course. I have a new principal and assistant principal, and that's always a learning process for everyone involved. It's been great though...I love the sense of calm and organization that seems to have settled over our new school year. Even with the calm, it's always hectic right here at the beginning working our way back into a schedule.

My shop has grown to include some new items. It's so much fun to see a new piece of fabric and instantly know exactly how it should look made up into an outfit. That's happened with a couple of pieces over the last month or so. I have a few ideas in the "crock pot" simmering away just waiting for enough time and energy to be made into some new style. Be sure to check back for updates on those new ideas.

I have a new venue for my clothing also. Handmadefuzion is a new site that is juried, which is what I liked about it. Etsy is still great, but anyone can have an Etsy shop if they are willing to just input a little information and a couple of photos. Handmadefuzion requires the seller to submit photos for an application process, and thankfully, I was accepted. I'm sure there will more updates on that soon. In the meantime, please be sure to visit me there . Around December, I will also be joining the Lollishops venue. It sounds like it will be a fun site to be a part of. It's called the "frou-frou marketplace." Sounds like me, huh? Well, some of things are very frou-frou, so we'll see what that brings.

I'll try to become more regular at this blogging. But for now I leave you with a few new items...Enjoy!

What a day!

It's been a great day so far! Let me just start by saying...I'm the unluckiest person in the world! No, you do not one-up me on this. I really am more unlucky than you! I have never won anything - ever. Today I checked my email as usual, and there was an alert about a blog I frequently check in on. I checked into it only to find that I have won a giveaway from Mod Kid Boutique. She has a new line of fabrics coming out in the Fall called Andalucia. It's simply gorgeous, and I can't wait to get my hands on it! Forget the kids on this one...I think I need something out of this fabric!

After checking my email, I went directly to Etsy (of course) to check for sales. There was one! Oh the joy of finding a sale in the ole convo box. Sometimes I get fooled with 3 or 4 convos and they're just inquiries about all sorts of things, but there truly is nothing like clicking in to see that you've actually sold a creation! Really, I should look at all of this in my email, but I do love the suspense of knowing I have convos, but not knowing exactly what they're about. So it's kindof like my little game with myself to wait through the email process and check the convos on Etsy. Does that make me sound crazy? Oh well, those that know me already have opinions about that!

Not only did I have sales today, but I was also accepted into the EtsyBaby street tem, which is a big deal by the way for those that of you that don't 'do' the Etsy thing! At least it's a big deal to me! It's a great support system for those of us that create handmade goods for babies and children. I lastly checked the Treasury, and lo and behold...there I am in 2 treasuries! I've only ever been in 1 treasury EVER, and now...2 in one day! Unbelievable! And of course, it's all thanks to my new team members at EtsyBaby. On a side note, I did try to get my own treaury, but that unlucky thing reared its ugly head once again!

Okay, enough for now. I may be jinxing myself even writing about it!

So much for the pedicure...

Well, so much for getting a pedicure before heading to the beach! We had a blast spending a week at Ormond Beach in Florida. It was such a quiet, family-type beach (just perfect for sharing with your teenage sons!) Actually, the boys only got to spend 2 days with us since both are working their daytime jobs and teaching Bible School in the evenings. We did enjoy a full week with Miss Marli though, and may I say without being too much of a boastful aunt, that she has to be the best baby ever created! She literally doesn't cry...not when she's hungry or wet or...okay I'm going a little too far here, but she really is a wonderful baby. Delecta is very, very blessed with such an easygoing first child. Of course you know what will happen when she decides to bless us all with her baby #2! It must be a holy terror to make up for the ease of raising Marli!

While I was away, I placed the etsy shop on vacation. I believed this would be the death of me as I had really just begun to have some fairly regular sales, but lo and behold I made a few more sales and even more contacts while I was away! I'm so thrilled to get to create even more now that I'm home.

Other great news after arriving home: HeatherBailey has her new website up and running. It is simply stunning to see her creations! I cannot wait to get my hands on this fabric. I have a feeling Miss Marli can expect some really bright Summer into Fall clothes. I've also ordered the bag pattern just for me (although if I honestly believe Delecta won't beg for one of those for herself, I'm just delusional!) Oh well, it's arrival is still a few weeks away, so we have time to decide if she gets one or not.

For now, I'll leave you with a picture of complete contentment!

Bellaboos New Model

Bellaboos has a great new model! Isn't she just adorable? We had so much fun watching her pose and priss around in her Bellaboos clothes. It was a delight to sew these with her in the back of my mind. I could just picture her little curls and huge eyes as I stitched all those ruffles! We have many new items up in the etsy shop with lots more coming. I'm hard at work creating a new Fall line of items for babies and older children as well. And to all you moms of boys out there, I'm working on it! I know how difficult it is to find cute little boy things having had 2 myself, but really...there's only so much you can do when there are no ruffles and rick rack involved! I'm always open to suggestions! For now, be sure to stop over at etsy and visit!

New blog faves

I've become very addicted to blogs now that I have my own! Isn't it amazing (or frightening?) how half a day can be just gone while you're reading about someone's Mom, their new baby, the latest shopping finds, and giveaways? Even worse...try explaining to dear husband why his laundry didn't get done because,
"for heaven's sake Sally had her baby!" I exclaim
"Who's Sally?" he asks
"She's from my new favorite blog and she had him 6 weeks early!"
"What's a blog?"
"Nevermind...it just didn't get done!"

That's literally last night's dinner conversation! He's really confused about this technical world of blogging, and then don't even get me started trying to explain the whole etsy thing (hearts, posts, treasuries...) But really, I can't draw him into this world. What if he wanted to read his own set of blogs, and then I'd like have to share the computer! (You may all gasp at this point!)

Well anyway, Ill leave you with 2 of my faves this week. I've joined a Fall Apron Swap, and it's my first such swap so I'm really excited and the ideas are swirling! Check it out at http://boomingaprons.blogger.com

Then my 2nd fave would be Apronista. It's an adorable blog about... well of course aprons! She has lots of great info on shops that sell aprons as well as many, many giveaways. This week's giveaway is from a great etsy shop http://morganmoore.etsy.com/ Be sure to check out her great oilcloth lunchbags and adorable pincushions while you're there!

And he's off...

This morning we've sent our oldest (but still our baby) off to Kansas City for a plumbing competition.  Austin found his calling in his senior year of high school...we were really sweating it at the end there!  Who knew or could have even imagined that he would ever want to become a plumber?  Where in the world did that come from?  But we are so proud of him for following his dreams so diligently.  He will finish up his program of study this summer and head into the wide world of REAL work!  Just yesterday I was watching him run through the water sprinklers in the back yard giggling with glee, dressed as a baby bird hatching from an egg at Halloween, playing grown-up workshop the year he got a "for real Mommy!" workshop, and the memories go on and on...

Okay enough of that nostalgia!  Today he's flying on a plane without us for the first time, and actually he's only flown on a plane once before when he was 2.  He's a little nervous (and we're ALOT nervous!)  But he'll be fine, and I'm sure having a great time spreading his wings without us!  Wish him luck as he competes this coming Thursday! 

It's been a while, but...

Marli Claire is here! My new niece was born quite unexpectedly this past Monday. My sister and her husband travelled the 5 1/2 hours to Georgia last Thursday to attend her final baby shower. She fell on Friday and had to be admitted to our local hospital. It's not her posh birthing center she was planning to birth in to say the least! After several days of monitoring and some complications, Miss Marli was delivered by C-Section early Monday morning. The staff and doctors were so incredibly attentive, and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude!

Marli is a beautiful baby. I don't say that because I'm biased...really! She is such a tiny little bundle, and we weren't expecting that. Therefore, none of her little clothes I've made for her fit her just yet. Even the newborn clothes from stores swallow her whole. We're now down to buying preemie things. After delivering almost 10 lb babies many years ago, this one is intimidating in her smallness. I must admit that I tend to hog her a little bit. I do love to hold her, and I know she has to go back home eventually!

For the twins

I have a friend that I teach with the first nine weeks of every school year (in fact, she taught one of my children a few years ago) anyway...all that to say that earlier this year she found out that she and her husband were expecting another baby...make that two babies! We were all so excited for her; of course, we're not going home with her to help take care of her three children...oh did I forget to mention they already have a 2 year old? That's right, 3 in daycare! She needs all the help she can get. I decided to make the twins some little matching diaper sets because really, can we have too many of those? I was able to find this adorable bib pattern free online from http://nested.typepad.com/blog/files/bib-instructions.pdf. She has a great blog! I found out so much from just reading her very well-written posts. I've bookmarked that one to make sure I get back there often. Here's a couple of pics of the diaper sets. Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there and especially to my own. We were able to spend Mother's Day with both mine and Andy's moms today...it's so convenient for both families to live in the same town! Today was also Andy's birthday, so that made it an even nicer celebration!

Most of my new endeavors (http://www.bellaboos.com/, http://www.artsiegirl.etsy.com/, and this blog) all came about because of my sister's impending motherhood and my new found love of embroidery. All of the girly items in both of my shops have been made for Miss Marli Claire as we have already determined that she will be the girliest of them all and she's not even arrived yet! We are eagerly awaiting her arrival in just a couple more weeks now. If this child is a tomboy, it may very well destroy what little bit of sanity I have remaining! The photos you see are two of my favortie new outfits for Miss Marli. She can thankfully wear these while she is still very young and we are able to completely force our will upon her. Lord help the day she tells us all she'll be wearing the camo t-shirt and jeans to school today!

Who knew...?

So I've started my website and an Etsy shop all in the last two or so weeks. Who knew and should have told me how difficult and time-consuming this was going to be? Where are my technical friends out there? Honestly, I don't think they exist. Sorry guys, but we all know we're not technical in the least!


Well it's all up and running, so now should come the fun part right? Just sit back, maybe play around with the images a little bit, create a few more outfits or burpies...NOT! How about obsessively check the website, email, and the etsy convos for any hint of a sale. No sales? Okay let's at least see if anyone left a comment on the website...nope. How about views and hearts on Etsy? Okay we have 17 hearts...WOW! Let's look at their shops now and how many hearts do they have...915? Are you kidding me?


Meanwhile, the family feels a bit neglected. When Andy calls from his chair for me to watch one more Funniest Home Video and hears that heavy, heavy sigh...well, let's just say he doesn't feel in any way appreciated. So I've got work to do on the homefront too.


Needless to say, there's alot going on around here. Thank God the summer's on it's way...I think my second job is calling!


http://www.bellaboos.com/


http://www.artsiegirl.etsy.com/