Weird title to this post, but when I look at what got done, and what WILL get done, it just reminded me of the Karate Kid movie.  To get anywhere creatively, you must make messes before organization can happen........  Hence this photo.......
Picture
With the weather acting out of control all week, I just knew Bill's plans of starting to clear out our 'storage' unit called the garage would get messed with.  But when I got home from getting a cut and color and a little shopping and mailing done this is what I found!  He's got a good start on it, and now when he's done having lunch and I'm done blogging, we'll BOTH get out there and get at least 1/4 of it completed today.  And let me tell you, that is HUGE!  When we left our 2800 sq ft home, and 8000 sq ft business, we tried cramming all our STUFF in this little garage.  FAIL!  So for over 2 years, it has sat untouched.  So what treasures will we find today?  Who knows!!!  :)  See anything in there you want?  Make me an offer!  HA
Picture
So here is an update on everything else that is going on around here.....

This is the shipment we got yesterday from Fabric.com that contained the Amy Butler fabric for my special order large portfolio set.  The brown/pink/green floral and dots are what she picked. 

Picture
This is where the bags from Joann's always seem to end up - on a chair.  But wait till you see the pretty stuff I got!  Oh, and of course I used two coupons to get the basics in that right hand bag - go through that stuff like water around here.

Picture
Is this NOT the prettiest stuff you've ever seen?  When all this got put together at Joann's it screamed at me HOBO BAG with a big a** flower on it!  The colors are divine and even the gals at the cutting table remarked how fun it will turn out.

This will be for a girlfriend at work who wants to give it as a gift.  Hope she approves!

Picture
Went to the front door to see if my package from China was here yet, but nothing there.  Decided to hit the mailbox anyway, even though I don't have the evil taxes stamped yet to mail, just to get that dreaded part of the day over.

And there was my package from China!!!  Look at these beautiful purse closures!!!!  Can you tell I'm excited? 

Picture
And to prove I'm not always working or shopping, here is a pic of the three hat special order from another gal at work.  See!  All but one flower is crocheted and then just a lot of sewing them all on and placing the leaves where they need to go.  Can you tell they're caps?  Upside down and all?

Picture
And to end my writing today, I wanted to share with you a special card I got in the mail this week from Donna, my sister down Florida way.  I'd cleaned out some stuff and found a few embossing dies that we just mailed off to her because she is so good at this stuff - and LOOK WHAT SHE DID with one of the designs?  How cool is that?  She's the best and think I'll hang on to that one.  :) 

Until another day - I will sign off and get to work helping in the garage.  I just know there's treasures out there.........  now go get CREATIVE!

 
There hasn't been much to report or update this week.  Not sure what's going on in my head, but maybe after the work week is over and a Saturday morning packed with some 'me' things I'll get back on track in the work room.  I'm not a real fan of tax day either and that's probably part of it all.  So now that I've laid that out on the table, I thought I'd show you a couple of things that should be arriving this week for a special order and another idea of mine.
Picture
I found these on Etsy at a price that could not be passed up.  Yes, they are coming from China with very inexpensive shipping.  Now why can't I ship something to Canada which is closer for that same kind of money?  I can't figure it out and I HAVE to get something up there, somehow someway.  Very frustrated with our local USPS office as they were no help whatsoever.  But anyway, enough grumbling.  I found a large swatch of my own knitting while cleaning out a bin and that's what this particular closure will be used for.  I'm rather excited to try this method of purse making out and hope the tutorials on YouTube will stick in my brain.  :)

Picture
I also found this fabulous and elegant strand of pale lavender pearls on Etsy.  There is a gal at work that has such talent in making bracelets and I just want to encourage her to keep on keepin' on.  There is a charm I found to go with these pearls and thing it will make a dynomite bracelet for someone I love very much as a gift (sometime).  

Gorgeous or WHAT?

Picture
And finally, this is the fabric that is on order and should be here tomorrow for a special request large notebook/portfolio from my Etsy store.  It's an Amy Butler fabric and should work up wonderfully.

So hopefully it will come when UPS says it will and I can get this made up this weekend for the buyer's approval.

There are three crocheted hats that are nearly complete for a special order from a co-worker.  I should probably tie up those lose ends this morning and get these to her as they are for a friend going through chemotherapy out-of-state.  

PLUS I still have that bountiful box of goodies from Marcy that need to be made up into interesting items for her.  

And then there's Bill's leather notebook - it's still daunting me as 'unforgiving' materials, no matter HOW gorgeous, still scare the poo out of me.  

So there's a lot on my plate, or should I say PLATES!  Ha Ha!  

Now get on with your day, and get CREATIVE!
 
I've been slacking in my blogging lately and haven't had time to really tell you all about the wonderful package of supplies and gifts that came this week from my blogging buddy Marcy.  This box is jammed packed full of fleece, cotton, buttons..... handmade earrings, and a gorgeous black and white "Friend" coffee mug, which is in the dishwasher.  Marcy has challenged me to use these fabrics to make her a cover for her journal book pictured and who knows what else I can come up with for her!
Picture
And today my niece came to pick me up and five of us went to "The Mother of All Garage Sales" at the event center.  I've never gone before - it was overwhelming and SO much fun!  So don't laugh when you see these photos, but they will all be turned into something useful and fun..... bags, linings, blingy stuff......  who knows?!?!
Picture
Now really, can't you just see this as a big ol' tote bag?  What fun is that?  HA  I even talked the seller down to a nice crisp five dollar bill on it.  Deal?  Absolutely! 
Picture
Now you're probably saying to yourself, "She's lost her MIND!!!"  Yes, you see two prom dresses, which were $5 each and full of bling, taffeta, and fun.  Purse linings, journal bling... again, who knows what will happen with these?  But something will for sure!  Almost had a wedding dress bought, too, but he wanted $20 and I cheaped out on him.  The train alone would have made MANY many trimmings, but I was a good girl and said no.  :)

Yep, it's all odd stuff for sure!  But if you can't have a little fun, really, what can you have?

And Marcy..... the challenge is ON!  No sneak peaks either.  tee hee 

Get your 'creativity' on and LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!   (now I'm off to clean more toilets)
 
Today I'm bragging on a friend of mine and her beautiful knitting....
Picture
Aren't these fun?  She MADE these socks for me for Christmas last year.  It's about time I brag about 'em, don't you think?  THANK YOU, Judi!  You dear friend, you.  These are my only hand knit socks because I won't make them myself.  No way.  

Blessings to you and your WHOLE family, Judi!  I leave these socks on my dresser, out in plain view, so every day when I see them, I offer up a prayer for you.  Today I'm wearing them in celebration of your coming back home to Lincoln.  YEAH!!!
 
Picture
My eyes were SO tired after work last night, but not too tired to see that Bill had been working on rounding the corners to the wood cuts for our leather venture.  Isn't he the best?  I sure hope I can pull this idea off for him because #1) he truly thinks he'd use it and #2) he's one of the best salesmen in the world and he's not shy about promoting the handmade things around here.

Pretty bad when the Home Depot chick sees me walk in, and you can almost feel her mood change.  And not for the better either!  LOL  How many women walk into Home Depot in heels and head towards the lumber aisle and NOT be a problem customer?  And just getting across the store in heels brought many male employees towards me with questions on how they could help.  And not because I'm some hot chick either!  You remember the Sesame Street song "One of These Things Just Doesn't Belong Here"?  Yeah, like that.  HA  They are getting to know me there, and know that I'll want LOTS of cuts.  Both of the cutter guys rock and never fear each time they honestly do mess up a few boards.  But why get bent out of shape about it, it makes for some great laughter and good conversation.  And as I was leaving and listening to the HD chick tell me about her flower bushes she needs to dig up out of her boyfriends' yard, I just had to smile and say, "I'll be seeing you in a couple of weeks for a flower update and more boards, so be ready!"  LOL

 
Picture
The Debbie Mumm fleece baby blanket is all trimmed up with crocheted lace and ready to go to its buyer.  Was very happy with the way the lace turned out on this one as the fleece is lightweight and really couldn't have handled a heavier lace than this.  So that project is now complete and outta here today.

Picture
So after getting things wrapped and organized yet again, of course it was time to get yet another project in the works.  Like I don't have enough already?  HA  But the baby blankets are great time fillers as they can be worked on for 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there....  especially when there isn't any counting to putting the two base rows on them.  Isn't this ladybug fleece print adorable?  It's not a Debbie Mumm, but it's cute!

Come on everyone and get your 'creative' on!  Blessing to you all.

 
I have uploaded 5 products to the "Three Sisters' Marketplace".  Now it has all been sent off to their jury to see if it is all worthy of their market.  Time will tell, right?

See if you can see my shop there by clicking:  Three Sisters Marketplace

Wish me luck, folks!  :)

OK, now I'm off to get this last baby blanket done and delivered tomorrow.  The boards for Bill's leather idea have been cut by the local Home Depot and now it's up to him to round those corners for me.  This was HIS idea, so HE can sand those corners, don't ya think?  :)

Here are the projects I submitted (if you'd like to see).
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
 
Picture
Picture
And so they're done - finished - no more of these to be had.  Too many other things on the plate around here.  But I think they came out great, and it just closes another chapter on a previous life of mine.

I even located some Tinkerbell satin and fleece - must have thought I was going to make blankets or something out of it.  Well, so I cut them out and sewed one up.  They are so simple that it's probably not going to be something offered in my store.  But they will make super baby gifts for all those babies coming at work.  Just hope one of them is a girl!  :)

As I'm taking pics of these, Bill asks if I'd had a chance to work on any of the leather ideas yet.  Nope.  Can't lie.  Not happening today, because I feel the end of the commissioned baby lace edged blanket coming along this evening...... ahhhhhhhh, that will feel good.

Thankful for the triple treasure today.  But I know there were really more than that.  

 
The sun came out this morning and so did the iron, but that's another story.
Picture
After the two week pile of ironing was finished (shame on me) I finished up the packages that need to ship out tomorrow and got all THIS done!  Every t-shirt is bagged and sized, just ready for whenever and/or whoever.  So at least now they are off the dining room table!

Picture
Our package of leather scraps came yesterday and just the smell that came out of the package when we opened it was faaaaaaantastic!  Don't think I'll get to trying out the idea for these today, but soon, very very soon.  The sizes that were sent are just perfect.  YEAH!!!

Picture
So while I'm digging through some things that still had not been opened since we moved over two years ago, I find these three knitted pieces.  Knowing exactly what these were made for, I stopped and thanked God for such a treasure find.....  These could possibly be the last of such items that helped me get through a lot of anger and depression in years past. 
PLUS I came up with a HUGE box of things that are getting shipped to someone quite deserving of them.

Picture
So here is what these knitted 'swatches' were intended for....... knitted journal covers.  Something I had not visited or entertained for over 3 years.  The color in this picture isn't very good, but this is the completed version of the middle one pictured above.

The black one is sitting on my ironing board along with fabric cut and interfaced, ready to sew up (whenever I feel the drive).

Picture
Blessings - and USE that creativity you've been given!
 
Picture
The new t-shirts are in, the new t-shirts are in!  We couldn't be more excited about how these came out and the colors are perfect.  Our local Adwood Company did fantastic with the logo and photo, don't you think?

So now what to do with them?  Promos, give-aways, sell them, a buy-two-store-items-get-free-tshirt deal?

Ideas, folks, ideas!!

Yeah, and don't give me grief over my overloaded and messy dining room table, ok?  :)