Busy, Busy

It's that time of year.  Running, running, running.  It seem's like it never will end and in a storm of ripping paper it's over and done.  Well, this week has been about the running.  I completed an apron that I started a while ago, I made a blanket for a friend's son, I made part of my nephew's Christmas gift (the cute little Bear's pants and hat, I have some fabric left I think I will try some matching mittens), what else......I have a custom order coming up for a shopping cart cover.  I will post that as soon as it is done.  Still waiting on the fabric for mounting that 90 year old dress, but I will post pictures as soon as it is completed.  

I'm trying to get in the Holiday spirit...I lit the tree, although, it remains free of ornaments because I am anxious about what my one year old will do to them and there is no gating him out of that room.  We will have my daughter's preschool Christmas program next week.  I can't wait she has been working so hard and is looking forward to her roll as one of the "dancing ladies".  A wedding this weekend will keep us fully occupied and then on to another week!  Happy December everyone!

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.

Oh Baby!

Sorry for the break...pre-school started and with it came the colds;  first my daughter and then she so graciously shared with me.  All better now and just in time.  My sister's friend had a beautiful baby girl and the name was finally revealed so work began on her gift.  Monograms abound in this gift set.  I found this SUPER cute Marcus Brothers print that features pink and brown with baby buggies, balloons and flowers and stripes.The set consists of a 35"x35" blanket with a 2.5" ruffle, 3 burp cloths, 3 onesies and 3 reversible bibs all wrapped up in a functional cloth basket and tied with a bow.  Now with that complete I can begin work on a custom order for an Etsy customer...a cute birthday dress with duckies.  That is today's project and then hopefully the rest of this week and next week can go to finishing the bags with the Amy Butler fabric and starting some of the inventory for the Christmas season.  I hit the fabric store yesterday and walked away with way more than I had intended, but found some prints that were just too cute to pass up.   I will post the results of those projects as I get them 

completed.

And the Winner is....

I WON!!!! I won this SUPER CUTE portable pocket made by Brandy of WyleStyle, check out her Etsy Shop.  I won playing a question/answer game at the EstyMom Street Team Virtual Trunk Show last night.  It was so much fun.  There are soooo many very talented mommies out there.  Check them out using the Etsymom links to the right. 

Beth from Beth Thompson:  Art, Jewelry, Crochet and More won this bib and burper set I made by answering a question about my inspiration.  Check out her Etsy Shop, very cute.

Well, now it's back to the old grind stone, the excitement is over for now.  Hopefully, we will be able to do another event soon, with the Christmas season upon us.  Next weeks' goal is to complete the other diaper tote using the other Amy Butler August Fields fabric I have.  I also have a few custom orders coming up for friends and family and I can't wait to show you all  how they turn out.  

My INsecurity Blankets

Will this sell?  Will anyone but me like this?  Did I really do a good job?  Good enough to expect someone else to pay money for?

The questions that plague my every creation.  This sewing thing started as a hobby for me.  I needed something to help the transition into the SAHM world.  See, I have worked pretty much full time since I was sixteen/seventeen and so to not work came as unnaturally to me as being a mom came naturally (not sure if translated that thought right, I think it sounded better in my 

head).  But, I am plagued by insecurity.  Don't get me wrong, I am passionate about the things I make and the Pink Minky Quilt (with the Joel Dewberry) was one of the first blankets I made and my disappointment grew with each passing month that it sat in my shop unbought, but after months of sitting it sold and I almost cried to have to pack it up and send it away.  However, I have a split personality...a Type A side and a Type B side.  It is the Type A side that fuels the insecurity.  I see things in the items I make...little things, imperfections, "character" if you will.  That 

make me question if I am truly a legitimate artist/crafter/seamstress whatever.  At times, I get a vibe from certain places that I am merely a "poser" if you will.  I have no training in my craft, I am entirely self taught (well not entirely, there was that one pattern and patchwork pillow I made umpteen years ago  in freshmen Home Ec.).  I am not a proclaimed artist.   And I battle these demons with each piece I make...especially the custom pieces, that someone chose me (picked me) to make.

I'll bid on a project and hope and hope I get it.  Then, when the

notice comes that my bid was accepted, I am ecstatic (somebody likes me, really likes me) but then the Type A side says "Wait a minute...do you really think you are skilled enough to charge this person to do something that is just a hobby?"  And then the nerves set in...will I get it done in time...will it be perfect (that elusive condition)...will the buyer be happy (never had a negative comment or unhappy customer, but...)  

But, I persist on, each creation better than the last...improving each imperfection so I don't have to fret it on the next project...at times even admiring what I have done and actually wishing I could keep it for myself (I need to sell the pieces I make in order to continue 

being able to make pieces since I have chosen not to win bread, but to

stay home and raise my children).  I take glee in the positive feedback and the votes of confidence from strangers on this vast world of bits and bytes and digital signals (because who can trust the positive feedback from friends and family who love and care about you?)

Well, that was probably waaaayyyy more information than I needed to share, but I still felt the need to share my "process" if you will.  I would love to read your comments on this...anyone else feel this way?  ...how do you cope with it? ...think I am completely over analytic to say the lease?