This, That and The Other

On New Year's Day, I set a goal of Blogging once a week (I'm already a day late....and probably more than a dollar short)...so here is this week's post.

I decided to follow some general advice and be my own advertisement by using something I made.  So, I made myself a super cute tote bag that I had been wanting for ages and low and behold I was approached by someone to make another!  So I did...and I have enough fabric left over that I am planning on doing another take on it using the accent fabric for the main part.  It was very rewarding to know that other's really do like my work!

I completed a custom order for a customer wanting an apron.  This customer is a hairdresser and wanted a stylish apron that would protect her clothes from the chemicals she works with on a daily basis.  So...I laminated a fabric print of her choice, trimmed it, made pockets for her to use for her gadgets, tips and appointment cards.  I am hoping to offer more of these in the future.

And in that vein, with the CPSIA kind of leaving things up in the air, I am looking to branch out by doing more aprons, etc.  I have done several baby shower gifts and would like to start offering bridal shower gifts.  I recently assembled a bridal shower basket for a customer by monogramming kitchen towels and dish cloths and filling the basket with things many new brides could use.  I am currently working on a set to offer in my Etsy shop that can be customized....check back soon!

Lastly, I made a full apron using a fabric I adore!  I am waiting for a model to be available and then this will be up in my shop!

In an effort to stick to some of my other resolutions for my blog, I have been brainstorming ideas for regular features and kind of hitting a mental block.  I would love some input as to what you all would like to see...what is going to bring you back each week or each month.  At some point this year, I am hoping to do a giveaway, although I have nothing specific in mind.  If you have something you would like to be featured or just have an idea you would like to share, please comment!!!

This 'n That

This post is a little of this and a little of that.  

I made a gift set featuring pink and brown.  

I used Pink Paisley-Embossed Minky and backed it with a brown and pink paisley satin charmeuse and then bound it with pink satin.  I then made a matching bib and two burpers from the left over fabric.

For the boys, I made a super cute blanket using Michael Miller's Bobby Plays Pretend fabric which I backed with a denim-blue flannel and bound with red satin binding.  I appliqued a cut-out of Bobby pretending to be a baseball player.

Yesterday, I made another bag using Joel Dewberry's Ginseng fabric.  This one features the Orchid and Wildflower prints in Raspberry and Mulberry (which is really a very Cranberry color).

And...my EMCA prize arrived!!!  Yay!!! I won the first EtsyMom Curator Award for curating the most Etsy treasuries featuring EtsyMoms.  For those of you who don't know, a treasury is something you put together on the Etsy site.  It is a grouping or "exhibit" that you "curate".  You can feature sellers that you like or chose a theme or feature colors;  the possibilities are limitless.  It is a fun way to highlight fellow artists and it is also a great way to find new shops.  Anyway, as the recipient of the award I was to chose a prize from one of three sponsors and I chose this super cute frame made by Gifts From the Heart by CraftGirlAlli.

And in the prize winning vein, I also won one of the SuperGiveaways.  I won a beautiful print from FoodChic who takes spectacular artistic photographs featuring food.  Here is the link to the print that I won, it is a 7x5 vertical print of a guava.

Fabric.com's "Sew Sweet Giveaway"

If you sew or if you know someone who sews, you have to check out this contest!  It runs through October and you can submit one entry everyday.  The prizes are a seamstresses dream!  Free shipping for a year, a fabric.com shopping spree, an Amy Butler bag, scissors....much, much more.  There are two prize groups you can register for:  one for seamstresses and one for quilters.  Both groups are amazing.

On a separate note...I completed yet another bag.  This one is a mini diaper tote and I really like it.  I am planning on making some more of these and changing up the shape a little.  I am 

making a custom bag for a baby gift for a boy;  it will have his initial appliqued and will be used for daycare.  I also am offering a few as part of a "Baby Gift in a Bag"  or an all-in-one gift with the bag, bib and burpcloths, possible a changing mat as well.  Check it out in my Etsy shop.