2 Posts 1 Day Whoa!

I just found out I was on Etsy's Front Page yesterday!! Unfortunately it was when I was at The Strutt and had over half my shop inactive. What kind of timing is that?? I thought that if an item was inactive that it would be replaced with the alternate for that treasury? I don't know. Maybe I didn't have that Spare Pocket inactive? I had so many items with me yesterday that I don't even know. I should be happy I made the front page, but I just feel bummed that my 50+ most favorite items weren't even available. If I had sold a bunch of stuff at the show, I'd be less peeved. I should get over it and look at the bright side huh? I was featured in 2 treasuries and made 10 sales! I also learned a valuable lesson - bring my laptop to the show! It never occured to me that they'd have WiFi. I could've just made the couple things I sold inactive right there instead of deactivating everything. Doh!

Catching Up

I keep going through these blog phases... so here I am... once the snow is gone again I'll most likely disappear for a bit again!

I did a show yesterday with Erin at The Strutt. It was nice to be out selling my wares rather than sitting at home waiting for Etsy buyers. It snowed ALL DAY. I borrowed my hubby's car, thanked God that I made it alive since it was like the downtown-deathride. We both managed to sell a few things, so it was cool. I so needed a kid-free day as well. I love that little kidlet but I think it's Official Whine Week, and I was ready to rip my ears off. We used one of my sister's gem trees to display some earrings and it was a huge hit! I eventually just made her little makeshift cards out of some cardboard I had since I was writing her site address on the back of my own cards all day and handing them out. If she weren't one of my favorite people I'd have been irked about her stealing our thunder. Instead I hope she gets a ton of sales! Let's face it, her trees are fanastic! Seriously, every single person that came to this show commented on the tree! How to get more lookers at your shows? Get yourself a gem tree! Then sit there for a few hours talking to strangers about how awesome my sister is and making it obvious that you don't have a clue how she does it! Rock on!

I managed to get nearly 50 wallets made for this show!! I knew I had been working a lot, but I didn't realize I had made that many till I started unpacking them at the show. I love colorful things. And having many of the same things. I just wanted to spread them out on my floor and stare at them. They're just so bright and pretty! And there's so many! I am so weird. I think this is where my son gets it. He loves his cars, but if he ends up with more than 1 of the same car then he is so extra excited. He likes to get them all out and line them up, open all the doors or tailgates that open. Stare at his great collection. I do that with the wallets. Open em, close em, stare at em. I haven't even kept one for myself yet because I can't decide which one I want!!

Today, my mission is to start Bonnie's diaper/tote bag. She was pretty specific in what she wanted, and aside from the giant grommets I found everything I need for it finally. I found giant grommets, but the tool to attach them was $25!! So my new mission is to find new cool hardware to add that isn't a giant grommet. I have some ideas, but the perfect idea hasn't come to me quite yet...

I made a vest this week! I made the pattern and lined it and even did buttonholes! Buttonholes scare me. This vest is so cute, and I was scared to put buttonholes in, mess them up, and not have a vest at all. I avoid them as much as possible. Zippers are where it's at. Anyway, I made 3 PERFECT buttonholes. Originally my pattern called for 5, but I know myself better than that. 5 perfect buttonholes? Not likely. That's like winning the sewing lotto.

It's a little tighter than I wanted it to be. I tried wearing it yesterday but it was just too contricting. If I finish my custom orders, most of Bonnie's bag, and a couple other bags I had in mind, I'm going to try again. What I'm going to do with this tiny vest. Maybe I'll change the buttons (I MUST have those ones on the vest I keep - I want em!) and sell it on Super Sale.

I have to show this off too. I picked up a couple giant wooden chargers at the Salvation Army a couple weeks back thinking they'd make a great display. Then I realized OH YEAH! I know a real cool lady that woodburns! She's the one that made my hubby's Mancave sign for Christmas. So I called her up and she woodburned my etsy site address onto both chargers! They turned out great! I couldn't be more pleased! I ended up displaying most of the wallets open since they are so fun and colorful inside and the chargers still worked out great!

Since Mary Lou was handling my displays, I helped Erin with hers. Aside from the gem tree, I made a hanging the same size as a wine box she had with 39 spots to hang earrings! It had velcro straps that hooked it onto the wine box. See it here. It worked out so much better than I had expected! Especially since I waited till 11pm on Friday to start it.

Well I need bacon and I've rambled long enough :) Happy Sunday!

Yeah I called you a Twit...

Ok, so a while back I joined Twitter. It was all the rage among the Etsy forums and I thought, hey, what the hell? I only have 768976098707 things to do each day, what's one more? I don't regret it! Some days I'll send a Tweet asking a question to my 200+ followers and get zero answers. Some days I'll get a bunch of responses. It's an odd little social community. Today I lost more than a handful of followers and was left wondering if I need an e-shower or something. Do I stink? What's the deal? Then as I was clicking away on links my fellow Twits posted (yes I call em Twits, everyone else seems to avoid that word, though I don't know why since you're limited to 140 characters) and found this gem of a blog post from JennaDesigns! I've met a few sweet, talented crafters on Twitter, and Jenna is definetely one of them! She's uber-talented in many ways -- photography, sewing, sometimes even sewing photos she's taken onto other things! Not to mention, she's friendly, beautiful (not that that matters, but check out her avatar, I'm not lyin!), and sure knows how to pick em - like me! haha! I've had a long, loooong day and finding this blog sure was an excellent way to end the night! I sure hope Jenna digs that serger out and gives it a shot. I remember when my stepmom-in-law got a new sewing/embroidery machine even though she hadn't used one before. She kept telling me that it was sitting in her dining room still in the box and I couldn't help but have a physical reaction to hearing that. TAKE IT OUT! USE IT! If ya don't want to, I will! Well, my stepmom-in-law finally took my advice and she made me a lovely 12 Days of Christmas hanging that she quilted all by herself - AND she had a great time once she got over her fear of the machine. I did have a little problem with taking the first item she had made, but maybe that's just because I want to keep everything I make, especially if it's the first of its kind! :) So Jenna, I say to you, keep your fingers away from the blade and stitch away my dear! Because I'm itchin to see what you create!

I whipped up a huge pile of wallets this weekend... sleep is entirely overrated. So far I've only numbered them instead of named them. I really want to name them Fred, Joe, Bob, Sue, etc. I can't explain why. Sometimes even I think I'm too weird!

It Was a Soggy Saturday...

It's 2pm. Pantlegs soaked up to my knees. It felt like there was a cold, wet sponge in each of my boots. Oh the things I do for a dose of sunshine and a craft show! Gotta love the Michigan melty season. It sounded like it was raining all day. I love when the snow melts! I saw grass today! Grass!! Beautiful, green, soggy grass!

Eventually we made it downtown to the art show we wanted to see. We got there a little early, hopefully before everyone set up, since there wasn't much going on. We decided on a table 2 weeks from now and I can't wait! I haven't done a show in so long! The last shows I did I was selling clothes and Ninja Pants, and this time around I'm doing things a little different. My Slapdash Wallets and Clutches have been pretty popular locally, along with my coasters and Button Wallets. There's so many ideas in my head of all the things I want to make. I'm thinking Slapdash Messenger Bags, Spare Pockets, maybe even pillow covers. Or lampshades. So many ideas, so little time!


Soooo, after the craft show, we took our happy soggy selves to the Salvation Army. We pulled in and thought "wow, this place is hoppin for a Saturday afternoon." 15 satisfying shopping minutes later the trip took a turn. The loudspeaker lady announces that Saturday Night Madness has now begun. Let the thrift store craziness ensue! As the mad dash to the registers began I got into line with my 4 items. Right behind a lady with 3 carts. 3 CARTS! THREE!! Normally I'd have taken a second look at the items I was buying, deciding if I needed them. I had to wait, I had to have it. I found 2 giant wooden plates, I think they are called chargers? To go under plates or something. I never understood the concept really. But anyway... 2 big chargers to display my wallets on at shows = less than $8. Not the best deal, but they are in absolutely flawless condition and I just don't have the time to go hunting for something that would work better, because they were already perfect. I also found a shallow but pretty big, light-colored wooden basket to maybe display more wallets in, who knows? It was in good shape so I bought it. I also found a big yellow coffee mug that all but screamed "BUY ME!" for a mere 69 cents. Now, there's a tie for the best item found all day. I came across a double-snap purse frame for ONLY 99 cents! Knowing how obsessed I've been with my purse frames lately, that really made my day. BUT, then Erin my shoppin buddy found... of all things... a bluegrass record, the name I forgot now and I hate myself a little for it, and for not getting a pic... with all 4 guys in pretty pink ruffled tuxedos and cumberbunds and all. LMAO! It was too funny. We just had to buy it and hear it and then maybe send the pic off to the Greensky Bluegrass boys, since they'd probably get a kick out of it. Maybe they'd find some ruffly tux's for next NYE! I wish I had the pic!! I tried Googling it, but I'm guessing the Bluegrass Union High or whatever cheeseball name it had never made it to the World Wide Web. I love crazy record covers.

All in all, it was a really good day of shopping and finally walking somewhere instead of driving. Aside from the fact that my feet were sopping wet this entire time. Pruney little raisin toes for hours. Oh yeah, I also got 2 slices of Martini's pizza this afternoon too! MMM MMM MMMM! And my waitress recognized my purse from Etsy where she's shopped my site before, and come to find out we had more than a few mutual friends! It was a real cool small-world moment.

Last but certainly not least...

Happy Birthday Mommers!! I love you!

It's Tuesday and you ain't got shit to do...

I hate the word "ain't", yet sometimes I can't stop myself from saying it. I love the word "shit", for so many reasons. It's just so ... useable. It's my day off and I'm once again in hibernation mode. I feel a sickness coming on. By tomorrow I hope I can breathe. At the moment I'm thinking tomorrow will not be good. So as much as I tried to lay low and relax today, I of course trashed my living room with a mess of fabric and sewing stuff. Why is it that my own messes don't bother me, yet everyone else's do? In the words of my twin sis... I don't annoy me.



It's official. I'm obsessed with frame purses. I have made a ton of them so far and spent a small fortune on more frames that are being shipped from Thailand right now. I satisfied my urge to make more purses while waiting for my shipment, by picking up a couple clutches that were on clearance at some random mall store. Lucky for me these clutches were put together so shitty that I merely pulled the purse out of the frame with very little effort and didn't have to mess with any glue removal or anything. Score! Inspired by my Slapdash Scrappies Wallets I whipped up this gorgeous and funky clutch of my very own! I'm loving the color combos and the versatility. I can't stop looking it it. It's a freakin fantastic clutch. That said... check out it's innards:


That's 8 card pockets, a lined zippered pocket, an open pocket, and 9 different fabrics!!I'm so damn proud I can't stop staring at it. So after making one, cleaning up all of my mess, posting it all over to show it off and blah blah blah, I got everything out again and made another equally fantastic clutch! I used basically the same fabrics, just in different combinations. I just need to photograph it tomorrow and get it listed. Now I'm back to impatiently waiting for the other frames I ordered. I may have to make my way back to the mall and get myself a few more to tide me over.

I should quit staring at my purse and get some sleep... maybe I'll blog again about the new one in the morning. :) Goodnight!