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!

Man Cave vs. Mantuary

I was directed to the site The Mantuary by it's "Founding Father" I think to imply that referring to my basement as the Man Cave is immasculating and unoriginal. Let it be known that I didn't name the Man Cave, and I don't watch HGTV. :) Reading this blog made me feel like I was snooping around in Man Land, but I was drawn in and even laughed a little. Really, you should check out his site. Show your hubbys. Then later write the Founding Father of the Mantuary and thank him for saving your marriage. Or me, since I figured this out long ago. I love the Man Cave. I don't care what the hell a man calls it as long as it exists. It lets me watch DVR'd episodes of Days of Our Lives while sitting on my own cozy couch, instead of being forced to watch endless hours of football. Or hockey. Or baseball. Or any other sports, is there something this man doesn't watch? It hides the empty pizza boxes, nasty chew spit bottles, and empty beer cans, that would otherwise be overtaking my kitchen and/or living room. In fact, it even has an entirely different smell than the rest of the house and that alone is enough to keep me out. The shouting at the TV and the obnoxious sound of video game mortar fire ensures that I will forever stay upstairs.

I have been known to join the boys downstairs, after a couple glasses of wine, for a rousing rendition of Cheeseburger in Paradise on Rock Band, but then I'm outta there!

I'm now left wondering if making a Man Cave sign to "decorate" the Man Cave is crossing a line in Man Land... so, Founding Father of Mantuaries, do I at least get some points for the woodburned sign? I tried to make it manly... and I promise not to decorate the Man Cave without explicit permission anymore. Haha.

A little more about the sign... I had such a great time designing this with Mary Lou Beyer of Hidden Gem Studios. I've known Mary Lou for a good long time, but this was my first excursion to The She Shack (oh yeah, us ladies need to get away sometimes too!) where I got to work on this great plaque. We had an excellent time and I'm so very impressed with how it turned out! Thanks again Mary Lou!