Summer…. almost

Posted by on May 23, 2012

It’s almost summer around here. Browder gets out of school Friday and then we’ll call it officially summer! The other 2 got out this past Friday. I’ve managed to do a little work ~ a few odds and ends and things that people have dropped off. Yesterday I found “this guy” on my sewing machine. Luckily he doesn’t bite, but wasn’t much help in changing out thread colors. 

 I monogrammed a couple of these yesterday (teacher gifts) and thought they were so cute! They came from Target and I think they also come in at least 1 other color (royal blue). Love the pocket for the cell phone and such. There is also a “pocket” per say up top that goes OVER the chair (I guess if it will fit). See the circle insert photo on the bottom right corner. There is nothing more aggravating than trying to lounge and a gust of wind blows your towel over your head. Problem solved!

I did a hot pink Specs “H” on the top of these. The H is about 5″ tall (maxed out my 5×7 hoop).

 Not much else going on around here. Our calendar is thinning out and we’re looking forward to summer. I am also looking forward to my children adjusting to summer and sleeping past 7:00. Hopefully it’ll happen! The around-the-house to-do list is long. I need to organize closets (winter to summer) and HANG PICTURES! Maybe by our 1 year mark this house will look more like a home.

Have a great week! Oh I DID work on some exciting pieces last week for a certain magazine photo shoot for TJ’s Fabrics, but I can’t show them to you just yet! Stay tuned!!

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Samples and Fabric…

Posted by on January 5, 2012

First of all, I think most of you know I do my own samples. I typically test the 5×7 design in PES format. This is to make sure all of the steps are right, in the right order, the design is laid out efficiently (can I cut out any unnecessary steps?), etc. I have, in the past, subbed out my sampling. Now that I’m not so busy with customer work, I usually just do them myself so I can guarantee the steps are right and that I get the fabrics I want and a good web photo.

Every now & then I get an email from a customer saying they are sewing a design and the stitches aren’t lining up. I had a girl ask me this week if the design she was sewing had been tested. They are, of course, and they are also sold to hundreds of people! I usually resend the design and that fixes the problem. Since these are digital files which are emailed and downloaded and sent here & there, anything can go wrong! Any little thing can corrupt your file or make it not sew correctly. It doesn’t happen often, but if it happens to you (my design or anyone else’s), simply request that the design be resent and try that! 99.9% of the time that works.

Anyway, I usually sample mine on 2 layers of cutaway stabilizer if I don’t have a blank t-shirt. I try to take my web photos outside on a sunny day. When the designs are listed these usually go in the trash! I thought I’d take a picture of these today before I dumped them. These 5 designs were listed yesterday BTW!

 Every now & then I get a surprise UPS package from TJ’s Fabric in Opp, AL. Today was one of those lucky days!! Is this not a picture of beauty?? By next blog post I will try to photograph and share some of my favorites! P.S. If you go to LINKS on my blog, you’ll see a list of fabric websites ~ TJ’s is #1. I hope to get by there again this year when we go to the beach! I assure you it is fabric heaven! You can see more photos of TJ’s in this post!

 I know you are SOOOO SICKKKKKK of hearing about my stinkin’ sewing room. I am sick of it too! I wish I could just snap my fingers and it be Pinterest-picture-perfect!! I keep going back to Pinterest, and back to Pinterest, and back to Pinterest. Just trying to figure out what I can do to this sewing room/office to make me walk in it and SMILE!! 😉 I’m happy with the green desks, matching bulletin boards, new black chairs ~ basically 1/2 of the room. What I am buggin’ about is the white Expedit on the white walls (I think?). I keep wondering if I should paint the walls. I think that might be cheaper than buying a black/brown Expedit?? Below is the fabric that I ordered. I’m not sure if it is too busy to recover the chairs in. Or find something that compliments this and recover the chairs?

 Do I chose a color and paint my walls?? A pretty yellow?? The room is not that big. I like the blue too but that might be too much. If I don’t use this fabric on the chairs, then what do I do with it? There are 2 windows, both with plantation shudders. Simple valances? Ironing board cover?

 Anyone have any suggestions? Or just send Candice Olsen my way!! Please!! Someone!! Help!! :</ While I LOVE Pinterest, I get so frustrated with myself because I see what I like but don’t know how to achieve it! Arghhhhhh!!!! I won’t get started on the rest of the house! While the kitchen was completely renovated and I love it, we have done NOTHING since it was completed. It’s 2012 and time to get to work!!

Any ideas are appreciated! Here are a few pics of the rest of the sewing room…

To the right of my desk – the 2 windows. I have since hung a shelf, peg boards and my “Take Chances…” sign in between these 2 windows.

 The wall-o-desks. The left wall with the golf ball display is totally blank.

 The wall-o-Expedit. My thread is to the left of the Expedit, and the door is to the left of my thread.

 THANK IN ADVANCE!!

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Designs and Fabric

Posted by on August 23, 2011

 Sorry I have been MIA for a bit. My oldest has started school, but my youngest 2 have.not.started.yet…. I love my kids, but we get up at about 6:40 to get ready to take B to school and I am with them until bedtime at like 8:30. It makes for a long day some days. I “need” that little preschool break and they love it too, so we’re counting down until they start later next week! Factor the summer heat (which I am SO OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) in to the equation and being stuck inside so we don’t melt, or running errands with them in tow (in and out of the car 8 times. did I mention the 100+ degree heat?). You get the picture! 🙂 This was the scene yesterday as I tried to work on a couple of items (to help pay for all the bedding and “decor” for Mallory’s room I’m having made). My sewing room ain’t that big. 4 seconds after this photo were “I’m doing homework and they are being too loud!!!!”, “Mom she is ripping my book!!!!”, etc etc etc. Love them!!

I really haven’t been doing too much work, and said I wasn’t going to until they were all in school. I did some backpacks this weekend and a few things yesterday and today. Like I said, I got the total for Mallory’s room yesterday and I’m lacking a little in my “big girl room” fund! It’s going to be precious and I will post a pic when it’s all done! BUT, it’s a shame I can’t sew!!

Here is the AC Sleeping Owl done on this light blue gingham A-line dress.

And the AC Flower Purse done on this lime gingham A-line dress! I thought they turned out cute!

I also did a couple of bibs this morning, with the AC Airplane on one of them. The airplane is one of our very first designs! The C on the left one is from Embroidery-Boutique’s Chunky Alphabet. Font – both Library which is available for MWP users at Needleheads! It’s one of my favorite boy fonts (I also like Tipsy and Atilla – both MWP). Notice the cute fabric on the applique C – it’s Michael Miller and I just got it from TJ’s Fabrics! I love it for boys!

Speaking of fabric and TJ’s…. every now & then I get a surprise package from TJ and I got one last week! When the UPS man drops off from TJ’s, I get excited!! If you’ll remember I spent the day down at TJ’s in June and here is that post with more pictures from her store. Anyway…. LOVE THESE!! I tried to make a note of who they were from, and some of them don’t have the wording on the piece I have. Also, some are a designer “for Robert Kaufman” for example.

Oops I think this photo is upside down but I LOVE THESE!! I must sew something like an owl or something with these! I don’t think I have a lot of gray in my fabric collection, so these are great additions!

CUTE CUTE CUTE! The right hot pink dot is one of my FAVORITES!! I used it on a few of my AC Samples ~ it goes great with lime gingham!

These are pretty too ~ again with gray!

These are cool too! The pink & blue would make very pretty cross appliques!

Here are a few more, and a bigger piece of the Michael Miller plaid.

This is not even all the fabric they sent! If you buy fabric online, check out TJs! They are located in Opp, AL, and as I’ve said before if you travel to the Gulf (beach) via 331, you go right by it!

Here is my Coop produce for this week ~ I actually share a box with someone so I got 1/2 of this! I plan to make Parmesan Zucchini tonight and might do something with the potatoes as well (I’ve been craving a loaded baked potato). I’ll let you know how it goes ~ I got the zucchini recipe off of Pinterest!

On Monday the kitchen reno begins!! I’ll be sure to take pics and post along the way. Monday they begin with taking all the cabinets out (kitchen, eating area and laundry room), then they will take all of the tile out (700 sq feet of tile) of the kitchen, pantry, eating area and laundry room. Should be interesting!!?? Pray for me.

Filed Under: Applique Cafe, Design, Fabric | Tagged: Tagged With: ,
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