JaimeSews

Moving...

2009-10-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, I got impatient and too excited about my move to Wordpress and (aside from the gallery page) I have it up! You should be able to go to www.jaimejohnson.com, which will forward you to www.jaimesews.wordpress.com. Let me know what you think!

Transitions & Tech Speak

2009-10-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Well, ever since I decided to stop doing dressmaking/alterations, I have received a call or email almost every day asking me to do all kinds of various projects!! I have also had an unexpectedly good time saying, "no" for once! Apparently the word is out now because the requests have died down. I really feel a burden has been lifted and I'm looking forward to my new phase of business.

To prepare, I've been thinking of all the things I want or should get in order. I (finally) bought a new computer that should last me several years. The last one we had was on it's last leg. In fact, since we moved all the files over, my husband's been deleting things from the old one and defraging, but it still acts as though it has molasses for guts. I really want my pictures to be better, so I thought about getting a new camera. A friend of mine recommended this refurbished Nikon D40

I'm completely in love with it, but will have to save up as the computer wiped out my funding. :)

Then, as I was looking through the Storque's articles on pricing and trying to find a better, more organized way to do my business finances, I got an email from Etsy in my inbox chalked full of small business helps. One of them is called Outright, and it is a free online way to track your business expenses and income in a Schedule-C friendly format. Not only that, but you can view charts and graphs tracking your profit, expenses by category, and more! It's very basic, but pretty nifty and just a neat, clean way to organize your finances. I would still need a spreadsheet to track sales tax and my budget categories, but if when tax time comes I have all the right info in the right place with outright, it will be great. I'll have to let you know come tax season. :)

I also posted a while back about how I had gotten my website up and going again. I mentioned I had been reworking the websites at my job (here & here) and had learned a new way to do them using wordpress.org. Well, in an effort to keep my overhead as low as possible, I've set up a regular blog on wordpress.com to see if that can be a solution to combining my blog and my website using domain forwarding and free blog hosting. Wordpress blogs allow you to have a static front page, and about me page, and then a separate blog page, however, it does not let you post your Etsy mini or other javascript. I think it might make a good compromise for now, until I get some regular sales going to justify paying for web hosting. I won't reveal that now, since it is no where near ready, but just know that I will be switching to wordpress in the next few months...

As far as current sewing projects, I finished my son's Halloween costume and showed it to him with pride. He responded, in kind, by running away and saying "no." Not in a forceful way, but just mater-of-fact-like. I chased him and tried to put the hood on and he proceeded with screams. LOL. I'm trying to think of ways to get him to like it and if I can get him to put it on, I'll post pictures. It really turned out cute!

I am also still trying to finish up Kim's skirt (the one she asked me to make from part of the dress that didn't work out). Since I know what she really wants is knit, and lining and Georgette are not knit, I went ahead and bought her some new fabrics. I figure I'll just use the satin, lining and Georgette for a little girls party dress some time in the future. She also wants me to create a top for one of her other store-bought dresses, but I'm not sure I'll take on that project.

All that to say, I'm kind of excited to have given myself the holidays off - no craft fairs or high Etsy sales expected for lack of inventory, no more weddings and alterations - just finish a few projects and then to sew through my fabric inventory in search of some inspiration and fun. If you have an Etsy (or otherwise online store), what are some can't-live-withouts for you??

Kara's Bibs

2009-10-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Here are the bibs I made by Kara's request - finished and off to their new home! :)
Thanks so much!

Bibs & Costumes

2009-10-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well, Kim's daughter's wedding was tonight and I haven't had any phone calls! lol. She ended up finding 2 ready-made dresses she liked so I altered both and left the rest up to her.

Though Kim is not the reason I'm about to make the announcement I'm going to make, the whole situation reminded me of why I've considered several times getting out of the bridal business and turning my focus more to my Etsy store. With Etsy, you can create something in your own time and list it for sale. When you do bridal sewing and clothing alterations, you're paid first and have the work to follow (along with deadlines!). So, my husband and I have decided it's best that I finish up a few dresses I already agreed to and then spend next year stocking up my Etsy store (and hopefully making a few sales too!).

In the mean time, I will be finishing some boys bibs this weekend for my friend Kara in some blue and brown fabrics.

The other project I cannot wait to jump into is my son's Halloween costume! Last year I totally blew it and he ended up wearing a too small duck costume my friend found at a yard sale. (Boo!). Since then, my boy's taken a great liking to his stuffed Monkey. So I figured it was only appropriate for him to be a Monkey for Halloween. Here's the pattern I'm using, minus the monkey's hat and vest (although maybe we'd make some money if people thought he was one of those performing monkeys...hahaha).
I hope I'll have time to put all the love into it that I want to. I really want this year to be better than last! (Not hard!) lol.

What projects are you working on for Halloween?

Kim's Dress...is no more...

2009-09-29T13:28:00.001-07:00

This is a first for me...

I have made wedding dresses, bridesmaids, other special occasion, and casual wear for many customers, but this is the first time I have been unable to produce a garment my customer liked. After making a practice garment, the dress, and then another practice garment, I think that the style was just not working out as Kim hoped it would and being that we are only weeks away from the wedding, she has gone shopping and found several dresses that she likes that we may be altering. So, has this ever happened to you in your sewing endeavors?

I feel like this should be in the fashion graveyard like on Project Runway - lol! "One day you're in, the next day, you're OUT!"

Oh Boy!

2009-09-21T14:30:00.001-07:00

Well, I haven't been blogging as much as I hoped lately - mostly because I've been working on Kim's dress. After a wonderful preliminary fitting, I made up the garment, only to find out that there were several changes she wanted to make. This necessitated playing with a muslin some more so I've made a new muslin of the bodice/sleeve/collar and am set to meet with her tonight for another fitting.

Another thing I've been working on is my website/domain name. I already own the domain name "http://www.jaimejohnson.com/", however, I was having trouble pointing that domain to a site I had set up through http://www.weebly.com/. Since it was a free site, I wasn't able to get very good help or a remedy to my problem. So, I went looking for inexpensive hosting. I had paid for hosting last year, but after doing my business taxes, I realized it probably wasn't the best use of my money. However, I was made aware of a very reasonable hosting site, http://www.zipa.com/, where I have opened an account and re-established my website.

However, I am also learning away to use WordPress.org to create websites at work. Once I figure that out, I think I may switch over since I can have my website and blog all in one place. After Kim's dress and one other I've already committed to, I am going to set aside custom work for a bit and give my sewing energy to my Etsy store. Being that my business will primarily be on the web, I want to have a more professional web presence. I think switching to WordPress will help me do that.

What about you? Do you have a blog, website, third-party online store or some combination? Where have you found to host your sites and what do you use to build your webpages?

I Love Being Sneaky!!

2009-09-08T13:21:00.001-07:00

So a post or so ago, I showed you what I made from some Fat Quarters I made with my winnings from my friend Becky at Rebecca's Rags...Well there's something I didn't tell you, and boy, how much fun I've been having!

Click here to get the rest of the story...

Other than my sneaky shenanigans, I've been working REALLY HARD on Kim's dress. I've got the top done and the skirt most of the way done, BUT - when I went to attach the center sash/cumberbun, it fit the top but not the bottom. So I need to cut another one so the two pieces join happily together to make the dress complete. I'll post pics when I've done that.

What are you sewing?

Very Exciting News & A Few New Projects

2009-09-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to get a convo yesterday letting me know my Turquoise Plaid Girl's hoodie and pants have been nominated for Etsy's "Best of Plaid" category! Here is the screenshot (mine circled in red, or is it squared?). If you would like to vote, just click here!

I also wanted to show you what I made with the Fat Quarters I won from Rebecca's Rags! This great little bag is from a free tutorial I found on Sew Mama Sew blog and printed, but unfortunately couldn't find when I tried to go back to get you the link! :(. The Link on the printout is to http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/. Anyway, it's a VERY sturdy bag after all the interfacing used, and I even got to put in metal eyelets, which I've never done before! It was a little tedious trying to cut through all the layers to make just the right size, not too big hole, but once done, I LOVE the professional look they produce. I also made some chicken pin cushions, one large and one small. I was taught how to do this from a former co-worker at my old job in a Local Quilt Shop...

basically you cut two 4" or 6" squares (for small or large, respectively) and then cut a beak, comb and tail from felt (I just do it freehand). You put the squares right sides together and on one corner, place the beak and comb, facing inside with the edges aligned with the fabric edges. Then you sew the bottom, front and top, leaving a 2" opening in the front seam for stuffing.

Once sewn, bring together the two seams at the back opening (the part you have not sewn at all yet) so they are touching and centered, edges aligned (this causes the chicken to start to take shape, making a 3D triangle). Place your tail, facing inside at the center and sew across the entire edge. Turn inside out, fill with batting and rice, then hand sew the 2" opening. To finish, fold the front corner to the back side and stitch in place.

If you're a visual person like me and none of that made sense, feel free to ask - I'd love to help you make your own! :)

So there are my finished products with some fabric to spare! Thanks Rebecca for supplying a few fun side-projects for me in the midst of these weddings. I usually try to sneak some fun projects in the middle of the big ones so I don't get bogged down. It keeps things fresh! What do you think?

Etsy Sales & Kim's Dress - Rough Draft

2009-08-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

I had an excellent week in my Etsy store with 4 sales this week! Here are the items that now have a brand new and loving home...

One of my orders was a custom request, so I didn't take the time to take pretty photos of it...

I was so excited...now I just have to find time to make some more items for the holidays and upcoming craft fairs....

For those of you who have been reading, I told you a few posts ago about "Kim's Dress". We are combining patterns to make just the right style for her. Well, excuse my wrinkled mess of a garment and my messy sewing room, but here are some pictures of the muslin (aka - Rough Draft), sans skirt.

As you can see, there is supposed to be a flutter sleeve under the ruffled collar (shown in beige), but I'm drawing that one from scratch so there will be another one drawn to be more full and about 2 inches longer, as requested by Kim.
The bodice fit perfectly except at the shoulders so I will be altering the pattern soon and cutting from the main fabric this week. Next weekend the hubby's going hunting and then we have Monday off, so I'm gearing up for a BIG sewing weekend...hoping to get most of Kim's dress done except the finishing touches (want to make sure everything's good before I close everything up!)and alter one of the bridesmaid's dresses. Then the week after, maybe I'll have time before the other bridesmaids come for fittings to cut out/sew some more items for my Etsy store! Wishful thinking?? We'll see...

I Won! I Won!

2009-08-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a giveaway, right? Since I've gotten back to my blogging, I've also been keeping up again with my friends' blogs. Unlike me, my good friend Rebecca at Rebecca's Rags has been consistently blogging and has weekly features like "Whip it out Wednesday" and "Sunday Stash". Like the rest of us, she's just addicted to creating and has a fun way of sharing what she's working on for herself or her Etsy Shop and, sometimes, what's going on with the fam.

Anywho...I was reading her blog the other day and she mentioned this fat quarter giveaway so I entered and got word last week that I WON! :) So now I have these great orange fat quarters to make something fun. Any ideas? What do you do with your fat quarters?

Kim Dress Update & A New Find

2009-08-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

I regret that I don't have any pictures to share, but I just did a fitting with Kim using the 1/2 mock-up, 1/2 real version of her dress. What I mean by that is the top portion of her dress I made up in muslin to test out, but the skirt is pretty basic, so I didn't feel it was necessary to take the extra step to test that, so I cut it out of the actual satin. Anyways, the fitting went REALLY WELL! I was very pleased for a few reasons:

The dress looks much better on her than it does on the hanger (Phew! I didn't like it much until I saw it on her) :)
It FIT well! - except when I altered the pattern, I added to the shoulders and I didn't need to. Consequently, altering the pattern for the real dress will be very minimal. I just need to add fullness to the flutter sleeve and lengthen it a little. That's it!
Kim loved it - if you've ever sewn for anyone, you know that's one of the most important parts! (I say "one of the most important" instead of "the most important" because I hate working on something I don't like so I feel like in order to do my best work, it's important that I like it too).

So all of this inspires me - I want to go home RIGHT NOW and sew on it. Sadly time doesn't permit that and I'll have to wait until Saturday afternoon.

I found another source of inspiration today from reading a friend's post on facebook who had won a beautiful little package from Camille Roskelley on her blog Simplify. I loved the look of the blog and then I headed over to her Etsy Store, and saw all her beautiful patterns. Here's one I really like...

Then I thought, "Hey - I've seen these before!" and I loved them when I saw them the first time. So fun, whimsical, pretty and free...So if you like them too, head over to Camille's Etsy Shop, Thimble Blossoms to place your order and be sure to follow her amazing blog, Simplify to keep inspired!

The Glory of Xtra Large Tables

2009-08-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

A year and a half ago, I posted about making costumes for a church event and I showed you this wonderful table:

Well, I use this table as often as possible! And it's been a Godsend in many ways. My sewing room is very compact and managing yards of fabric is near impossible!! As you can see, with this table, there is plenty of room to spread out fabric of nearly any width and quite a length. I bring this up because I have been incrementally cutting out Kim's dress this week on this table and now all I have to do is sew up what I've cut this weekend!

Now I can already feel the jealousy welling up in you. Don't despair YET. While not all of us can have such a wonderful table at home, I thought I'd pass on some pointers for you to gain access to such a table.

First, and most obvious based on this post, is any church or office building you may have connections to. I know the above table is only in use for meetings, etc. periodically. Otherwise it just sits there, waiting for me.
Quilt Shops - I used to work at a quilt store and they had a large, square, waist high table we used for pinning quilts, cutting out quilts and projects and the like. Well, our customers would frequently call to see if the table was in use so they could come pin their quilts. I don't know why you couldn't request the same thing for cutting out clothing or other projects. At the shop I worked at, we carried thread and other notions that would be useful for all types of sewers, so just be sure to purchase what you can as a thank you!!

Do you have any other ideas? If you have access to a large workspace (not at your home), where is it located?

New Swimsuit From BurdaStyle.com

2009-08-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

So you know from previous posts how hooked I am on swimsuits...WELL...I just got an email from Burdastyle.com featuring a new swimsuit pattern called "Cindy"!!

I LOVE IT! Don't you think this would make a great after-baby suit? All the shirring hides imperfections in the midsection and the skirt could be adjusted to any length. Plus - it's a tankini! My only concern is that the skirt would emphasise my pear shape instead of complement it. I think I'll wait to make mine until some other burda members post their creations so I can see it on a REAL woman. (Don't get me wrong, this gal is cute, but not many of us can brag her size or shape!). Pattern downloads for $3.50. What do you think?

Curtains and Dresses and Quilts, Oh My!

2009-08-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Vacations are all over now and so it's back to being busy and gearing up for the end of the year. All of a sudden, I've gotten several sewing requests and have had to turn one person down, so that's great news (being busy, that is, not turning someone down - I hate that!).

My boss has been working new hours in order to take care of her new granddaughter and, consequently, has been busy at home, redecorating and cleaning, etc. Well, she washed her drapes, which had not been prewashed so they shrunk about a foot! Not only that, but the main fabric shrunk WAY more than the lining. So, I get to pull off the lining and make them into valances. She has requested just a simple 19" valance with a rod pocket, like the picture at right. To make it the standard 2 or 2 1/2 it takes 5 panels - I finished one yesterday and have one more cut and ready to sew.

After that, I have a dress to make for Kim. Her daughter is getting married October 17th so I will be making her Mother of the Bride dress and altering the bridesmaids' dresses. Here is what we are planning for Kim's MOB (that's "Mother Of the Bride") dress: We are combining the top of Butterick 5320...

with the skirt and cumber bun-look of Vogue 7521.

She has chosen a GORGEOUS trim for the waistline, which I will have to show you as I get working on the dress. Right now, we are cutting out the skirt and a muslin top to make sure we get the fit/look just right. I will post as we progress!

Kind-of in between (or after the muslin, but before the final dress for Kim) I also have a bridesmaid alteration for Kari. The wedding she's attending is September 19th, hence the in-betweenness of it all. :) She is an acquaintance I met through my job at the church. She works at a print shop we use to print our letterhead, etc.

Then after that, while gearing up for my yearly November Craft Fair, I'll be working on a Santa Quilt for a good friend. He's given me a year to get it done and I desperately need to start it as soon as these weddings are done. It's a simple quilt, but very large, based on a panel center surrounded by squares. I haven't looked closely enough yet, but I'm hoping I can do an Eleanor Burns Trip around the World technique so I don't have to cut & sew each individual square (!).

Other than that, you can always visit my Etsy store where I am currently offering free U.S. Shipping!! Check it out!

What are you sewing?

Hooked on Swimsuits!

2009-07-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well, life sure has picked up for us around here, as my obvious lack of blogging reveals, but I have been able to fit in one or two little sewing projects for myself and I must share!!

Have you made your own swimsuit yet?!? SO FUN! If the thought of making your own swimsuit scares you, don't be dismayed (or try making one for your daughter/niece/friend's kid first). It's much easier than it sounds! Though I've worked with lots of specialty bridal fabrics, stretch fabrics were not in that mix so I, too, was a little leery of how things might turn out. HOWEVER, two years ago when I was facing summer for the first time as a 4 months pregnant lady, I thought it might be a good time to try it (have you seen the price of maternity swimsuits?! YIKES!). Here is the one I made then (not prego in this picture, but the suit still works)

Sorry - I know there's some kid in the way ;) but it's just a plain-styled tankini.

Last year I wasn't quite ready for doting swimwear right after having a baby, so I skipped it. But this year I got back into the swing of things and have made two! The first one I made is from the Alison Pattern by BurdaStyle. Although this pattern is free to download, I do not recommend this as a first time project, as the instructions are very (VERY) vague. However, if you feel confident, a fellow Burdastyle member wrote up her own instructions for the same suit here.

I love the way it turned out! (The picture's small for a reason! hahaha - if you're interested in the details, check out the link above) :) The fabric I chose was very thick so it feels snug and secure.

The second suit I made is similar in style, but it's a tankini. I used McCall's 5400 views E & H with some modifications. For the top, I added some length and the bottoms seemed to have a lot of extra fabric in the, um, crotch section (lol) so I redrew the pattern and took out 2" and cut a second pair. MUCH better. :)

I have been broadcasting on facebook about my swimsuit making and a friend asked about bust support. This is one of the main reasons I decided to make my suits this year! I went to Old Navy and tried some on, but the after-baby bust is just not as happy as the pre-baby bust and I was very unhappy with the support offered. It is pretty easy to add bra cups to a lined swimsuit. The bra cups sold in fabric stores are mostly designed for swimwear so anything you find there for your size and preferences should work.

After constructing most of the swimsuit, while you can still get in between the lining and the outer fabric, pin in the bra cups and try it on. Adjust them to where they need to be and re pin. THEN, you zigzag the bra cups to the lining and cut away the excess lining (or I suppose you could even leave it in if you want). And voila! Great support, your choice of fabric, fit and style.

So I hope this entices you to make your own swimsuit this season or put it on the project list for next year. I love that I can get the fit, style and coverage I want and they are so fun to make!

OH! One last thing, I've found the best place to buy fabric is eBay. Search "Nylon Lycra Fabric" or "Swimsuit Fabric" and there are many, many prints and solids to choose from. Most come in 3-4 yard increments, so it gives you PLENTY to work with (and remake if necessary).

What are your fears about making your own swimsuit? If you need help with any fitting issues, I'd love to help! Just let me know!

Oh, I have a blog?

2009-05-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

A long overdue Hello to my fellow bloggers! My! Has it been a long time since I blogged!! There is so much going on, it is unreal, but I'm finally at a point where I can get a post in. How have you been, friends?!

May is always a busy month for us because, besides Mother's Day, it is my mother in law and husband's birthday month, so at least 3 weekends of the month, we're doing something! I have continued with my maternity jeans independent contract, which has turned out to be as perfect a gig as I anticipated. Alycia of Eeny Meeny Maternity is wonderful to work with and I'm getting the jeans transformation down to a science.

Also, being as it is Bridal Season, I've altered a few Bridesmaids dresses, one of the most involved of which was for a 8 1/2 months pregnant daughter of my office manager. The wedding was Saturday and I'm dying to know tomorrow if she got to wear the dress, or had the baby instead! (sheesh! I tried to tell her at the beginning of all this to say, "No"!) lol.

Our garden is growing big, but we've not had much to harvest yet. The few strawberries that came in got eaten by some birds (!) but I did manage to get 1 1/2 off. Here's how it's looking now, as DS helps DH water it. The corn today is almost to our shoulders when we stand next to it! (This pic was taken last week)

Also, since it was a long weekend, we were able to get away to see my father in law who lives in Hermosa Beach, 1/2 a block from the beach! It was wonderful there! And we really enjoyed our time relaxing.
So that's our story! Today I've sewn some curtains for a co-worker (any tips on pricing them!?) and received an email about a possible drop-ship wholesale opportunity. Have any of you done that before? I'd love your input! Other than that, I'm trying to figure out if I should try to get some more sewing done before DS wakes up, clean the house, or start planning DH's 30th birthday party for next weekend!! We'll see by the end of the day what, if any of that, gets done! :)

To All The Mommies I know...

2009-04-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Thank You, EtsyMom!

2009-04-13T15:26:00.001-07:00

I was surprised to be approached by Jamie of boodybabies and, of course, the EtsyMom team to be interviewed as this month's featured shop! Etsymom is a wonderful team to be a part of - understanding, yet motivated crafters & businesswomen...and best of all, we're all moms!

Thanks to the EtsyMom Team for the feature and thanks to Jamie of BoodyBabies for the wonderful write-up! (Click here to read it!)

Go EtsyMoms!

For more information on joining the EtsyMom Team go here! We'd love to have you!

foodstoragemadeeasy.net Giveaway!!

2009-04-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, you've been thinking about it and feeling overwhelmed by it, but you haven't started yet - gathering a few essentials, that is. With the economy how it is, it is wise to be prepared for job loss, etc. So here's a great chance to get a jump start:

The ladies at http://www.foodstoragemadeeasy.net/ have put together a binder with checklists for car emergency kits (food, blankets, etc if you get stranded), 72 hour kits, etc.; recipes; and more! Now, you can sign up to get one list sent to your email FREE, every two weeks (there are 26 or something like that) so you can do it gradually, but they now offer an all-in-one download for $17. HOWEVER - in celebration of their download launch, they are offering one free download!

To win you just tell your family and friends and then email info@foodstoragemadeeasy.net to tell them what you did to spread the word! But Hurry!! They will choose the winner on Thursday, April 9th!

Check them out - a great resource for your family!

Super Fabulous Giveaway from Gock's Frocks!

2009-03-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

About a year ago when I was new to Etsy, I "ran into" Kristen from Gock's Frocks. As a new etsian, I was amazed at her wonderful creativity and great pictures so I approached her for advice. She was VERY kind to me and more than willing to pass on some wisdom. Here and there we've kept in touch, as every once in a while I get an email showcasing her newest creations. But now...to my reason for telling you about her!

Kristen just posted her 200th blog post and to celebrate, she is offering a very fabulous giveaway!! I'll summarize it here, but be sure to visit her blog to participate!

"I will choose 3 lucky winners to receive the following:

1. $50 gift certificate to my etsy store
2. one log cabin pillow cover of your choice up to size 19" x 19" 3. crafty pack of 4 fat quarters from my OTHER etsy store and some coordinating trims."
So...how do you enter??? All the instructions are on her blog. Hurry! April 13th is the last day to enter! Have Fun!

Spring is in the air...

2009-03-25T10:10:00.001-07:00

Spring is here and one of my goals this year is to start a vegetable garden. Now, I have been known to have a black thumb and kill any living plant in a 50 foot radius, but I'm encouraged by this book, All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew.

A friend told me about Square Foot Gardening (SFG) so I checked out the book at our library and I read almost 100 pages last night! (That's an accomplishment for me!) I am very encouraged and am really feeling optimistic that I can do this!

The main idea is to plant your garden in a 4x4 box made from 2x6" boards placed on top of the ground. This way you can reach everything without walking on your soil. Instead of trying to improve your local dirt/soil, you make a mixture of Mel's specifications (it's 3 ingredients) and then you start out with excellent soil instead of waiting 7 years to get your local soil right and then moving. Then make a grid on top, dividing your box into 16 one-square-foot portions. You can then plant up to 16 different veggies, spacing them as specified on the back of your seed packet. For instance, the book suggested planting cabbage, which you could only plant 1 head in a square foot, but other veggies, such as carrots, can be planted 3 inches (or whatever) apart, so you could fit many more carrots, etc. He claims this is more efficient than traditional row gardening and that you can plant and harvest as much as a row garden in 20% of the space!

Anywho. They recommend at least 1 4x4 box garden per family member, though you could have up to 3 - one with salad greens, one with dinner veggies and one for food storage. However, he cautions you to start small and build up as you deem appropriate for your family and needs. SO - we will be starting with one box, although my tendency is to go big. But as he pointed out, if you go too big, it will get overwhelming, so I'm going to heed his good advice!

So that's what "springing" up here in CA. What about you? What does spring look like where you are?

Some of my Etsy Fav's

2009-03-24T16:34:00.001-07:00

Now that I'm on twitter, I am starting to find people to follow, one of which is ETSY! (of course). Etsy asked us to post our favorites in an etsy mini on our blog for them to see tomorrow, so here are some of mine. I have many, many more!! Etsy Rocks!!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
Jaimesews.etsy.com

Now On Twitter!

2009-03-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hi All - I've finally given in and joined Twitter. Come follow me!

http://twitter.com/JaimeSews

T-shirt Makeover

2009-03-14T22:09:00.000-07:00

Well, in case you were wondering, I did win the chocolate spa basket and am awaiting it's arrival! YAY!

But to the purpose for this post...T-shirt Makeover! For various important and fun reasons, we all acquire men's style t-shirts. We wear them dutifully for the event but then later, they turn into painting shirts, sleep shirts, or dust rags. But thanks to Debbie, I was inspired to turn my friend's t-shirt into a girl-style t-shirt and it didn't take too long! Here's what we started with: a shirt ordered 2 sizes too big (as recommended)...

And here are the results so far! :) Just need to shorten it a bit and find a way to finish the neckline.

I used a shirt she already had for a pattern, but borrowed the sleeve from Butterick 4198.

I really recommend you give it a try! And if it doesn't work out on the first try...well, at least you've gained a dust rag! :)

It's Friday - Win Some Chocolate!

2009-02-27T16:14:00.000-08:00

My friend at To Save A Penny (One of my new favorite blogs!) is having a giveaway...actually THREE giveaways of this Chocolate Spa Basket...Go check it out and good luck! :)

Mission Organization: Sewing Room Closet Edition

2009-02-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I got the Spring Cleaning Bug or what, but this past weekend I was wonder-woman, home-maker extraordinaire! (This is a rare occurrence) I woke up Sunday at 5am, made some home made Pita Bread from a recipe out of the new Cooking Light magazine, cleaned the kitchen and then jumped right into my sewing room. Unfortunately, I am a bad girl and didn't get the before picture, but trust me, it was a mound of fabric on top of some plastic bins, none of which was accessible. This may still look like some sort of mess, but believe me, it is a GREAT improvement over what was happening in this closet before. My fabric with no real purpose (AKA "stash") is organized on the right by type: Garment Fabrics on the top shelf, Quilting Fabrics on the middle shelf, and more Crafty Fabrics and/or remnants on the bottom shelf. The right book case houses my already gathered Quilt Kits or Garment fabrics with notions and patterns in plastic bins. I pulled the patterns to the side of the bins so I could see which bin was what without pulling them all out. Everything on top of the book cases are top priority projects. The hat boxes are quilts to be made up for my Etsy store, but they sit underneath a bin filled with Christmas Fabrics for a customer (I have until this coming Christmas, but hope to finish it FAR sooner than that!). The fabric to the right will be garments for my mom (which I've had for a couple years...I've been busy, I guess!). Next to that are some pants of my own which I need to alter (that will never happen, but you never know!) and then the projects to the right of that are more possible Etsy items.

And what is this, you might ask? (Or maybe you're snoring by now...who knows?! HA!) I have just entered into a business relationship (as an Independent Contractor) with a local woman who is starting an online Maternity Store. She just dropped off 7 pairs of Designer Jeans which I will be converting into Maternity Jeans. I am very excited about this, as she plans to drop 5 - 7 pairs off to me each week - it's relatively steady work for me, and she does all the leg work! I don't have to worry about price or listing items online...just get paid to sew! This is especially good for us as my husband works for the county here in CA and as everyone knows, Government Jobs on every level in California are really shaky right now. So we are blessed by this opportunity.

She is just getting things up and running, but once she does, I"ll be sure to let you know where you can purchase your own Designer Maternity Jeans!

Meet Donna Pool Designs!

2009-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

If you like buttons, Vintage imagery, and just plain cool stuff, you must check out:

I am on two Etsy Street Teams with Donna and am always intrigued by her creative design style. And her buttons make a statement. My favorite new item from her shop are the "No CPSIA" buttons pictured below.

However, this Vintage Lady Pocket Mirror is a classic Donna Pool item. Lots of fun, and a great way to show off your own style!

Donna Pool Designs also helps with your own marketing - send her your logo or image of choice and she'll create buttons just for you! The fun is endless at Donna Pool Designs, so go check out her shop and her blog today!

Valentine's Day Reflections

2009-02-04T09:13:00.001-08:00

Having kids really does change everything! As I'm thinking about my hubby and all the ways I love him, how we met and dated, I long for those days again!

My hubby and I met at a college church group when I was home for the summer (I attended college out of town). He was late that night because he was buying ammunition with his friend for hunting trip that weekend so he walked in and, as everyone does, I looked over to see who was coming in the door. We caught each other's eyes and afterwards, the only person I knew in the group (the pastor's daughter) introduced us. A group of us spent the next two weeks hanging out in one way or another every night until it dwindled down to just the two of us hanging out. Our first actual date was at Mimi's cafe. Andy had a cute little 80's Porsche he and his dad had worked on over the years. It was all black and seemed to fit him perfectly. He also had a full sized truck and often we would sit on the back with the tailgate down, looking at stars and chatting.

We went out to eat almost every night that summer (I tease him that he "tricked me" because I thought he was rich! Really, he shared a really affordable apartment with 3 other guys and had paid cash for his cars, so he had no bills and a decent job - hahaha. We all know how that changes once you get married! :)) We dated for 9 months and were engaged, and then 4 months later we got married! It was pretty quick, but there was never a doubt in my mind that he was the right guy for me.

Andy has taught me so much about love, about God, and is someone I really feel at home with. Now that we have our son, I love watching as he is so involved with Tyler. He is the first one to chase him around the coffee table and get him giggling or roll around on the floor with him and I know Tyler must know his daddy loves him. However, I do long for the days when we had more time for each other and am always working on being intentional with the time we do have. He is definitely my Valentine, this year and always.

Do you ever feel compelled to give...?

2009-02-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I hear a story that knocks the wind out of me. Do you know what I'm talking about? A tragedy that seems unbearable? too much for one person all at one time?
I recently heard about a young gal who is going through a terrible situation and the first thing that popped into my head was, "She needs a quilt". After talking to her sister in law and finding out her favorite colors, I went a-shopping. Here's what I came up with - just something simple I could finish and get in the mail ASAP.

The best part is the back - it's a soft and fuzzy minky-like fabric that I hope will be especially comforting.

What about you? What do you do to offer comfort or encouragement when you hear stories like that?...

Win a Monkey Hooded Towel from Green Akers Creations - Deadline TODAY!!

2009-01-23T15:13:00.000-08:00

Boy am I excited to have found Green Akers Creations on Etsy! Of all my son's stuffed animals, he has gravitated toward his monkeys. I found Green Akers by searching for "monkeys" on Etsy!

I surfed over to her blog where I found that today is the last day to enter a giveaway for a monkey hooded towel! My son would be thrilled. Check out this link to enter, but do it QUICK!

Fabric...Yummy, Yummy Fabric

2009-01-22T15:48:00.000-08:00

Well, as you were, I'm sure, I was very excited about my fabric.com coupon (see post below)! I had received a Christmas bonus that was set aside to be used toward decorating my house, which we moved into 3 or 4 years ago now (?)... I was able to snag up these Heather Bailey fabrics for almost 1/2 price, plus my coupon, PLUS free shipping, since I spent over $35 dollars! WHOO HOOO! I'm thinking couch pillows? kitchen accessories? small quilt?

Also, I got my copy of the Connecting Threads catalog and I couldn't get this collection out of my mind. It's called "Riviera". I've never ordered from Connecting Threads, and with the great price of the fabric (1/2 of what most quilting fabric costs), I wonder about the quality, but I got 2 charm packs and a yard of the brown polka dot to try out. I'll let you know how it goes! Maybe a table topper?
Notice the correlation between my blog background and these fabrics...I'm loving these color combinations right now!

What are you sewing?

$5 FREE Fabric FOR YOU from Fabric.com!

2009-01-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

If you haven't shopped at Fabric.com, you're really missing out! They have a wonderful inventory of fabric for whatever project you're working on. Just for mentioning them in a previous post on my blog, they have blessed us all with a fabulous deal! Here's how to redeem $5 off your next order:

Visit their website

Shop, shop, shop

Enter "Bloggers" in the coupon section of the checkout for $5 off your order - NO MINIMUM, but it is a one time coupon.

Enjoy! Thanks for reading and thank you, fabric.com!

Seasons...and More Ramblings...

2009-01-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

I remember being newly married and a good friend of mine explaining to me the concept of "seasons". This idea has brought me comfort already many times in my life - it's the idea that we all go through seasons and in each season, priorities are different (for good reasons), friends may change, tasks may be added or taken away - balance looks different than you thought it would. I once went to a seminar on "Balancing" and was struck by the idea that balance looks different today that it will tomorrow.

I tend to think of balance in terms of: 1 is most important, 2 is second important and so on and so forth, however, what I'm trying to keep in mind is that today it might be important for me to focus on my etsy shop, but tomorrow, I may need to focus more time on my husband to achieve an overall sense of balance. Saturday I may lay other things aside to clean the house, and it doesn't mean I'm out of balance because number 1 and 2 have fallen off my list for that day.

Over the holidays I really focused on shop, and while it feels neglectful, I feel like I'm in a phase of recovery, focusing a little more on my family and health. I hope balance brings my shop back into my queue soon! It's always in the back of my mind....

Getting back to work...(random thoughts)

2009-01-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Sorry about the serious neglect of my blog! I feel awful, but I find solace in the fact that virtually all my online friends experienced the same holiday craziness and, in one way or another, have also had a hard time keeping up with their blogs. Now that life is back to normal, we can get back into the swing of things!

After the stress and late nights due to the Craft Fair at the end of November, I didn't push myself to do a lot of sewing in December. I finished two more bibs (posted about here), one of which sold in time for Christmas! The buyer was kind enough to send me the following review of the bib: "I LOVE THE BIB!!! Silas does, too. He has this habit of putting his hand in his mouth after every bite, but when he wears your bib he spends all his time playing with it instead of sucking on his hands, which makes me soooo happy! LOVE IT!" It's so great to hear some feedback!

However, if you sell children's items, you've probably already heard about the new laws coming into effect as of February 2009 that require manufactures (however big or small) to test their products for hazardous materials, which will, as is said, essentially put small businesses out of business. Because it is all very confusing to me as to which items will qualify for these 3rd party tests, I am considering leaning toward the quilting side of my sewing. This is kind of a bummer, since I had the children's jeans line in the works, as well as good reports coming back about my bibs and another baby quilt in the making. Fortunately I have not invested $1000's in my inventory so if all else fails I'll be able to give the few items that I have as gifts and focus on quilted items. At minimum, I'll probably put my kids items on hold until we all figure out the ramifications of the laws. - Now, don't mistake my "mild voice" to be indifference to these laws. I'm as upset as anyone, but until I better understand them, I don't feel I can really say much.

Outside of my Etsy/1000 Markets store, I have been called for several pants hems, a bridesmaid hem, and adding elastic to a men's jacket. The sleeves are too long, but we don't want to make them too short, so the customer and I decided just inserting elastic into the hem (which makes a wonderful already-made casing!) would be the best bet. I swore off alterations a few months ago, but these people are friends and family and so how can I resist. Once I do them, I'll remember how much I hate alterations and get back to sewing some of the things mentioned above.

On a final note, I was a bad quilter and forgot to take pictures, but I made a beautiful table runner for my co-worker for Christmas from an American Primer Charm Pack. She had created my logo and banners and wouldn't let me pay her so I thought I'd trade her creativity for mine! My friend Lynn quilted it on her long arm and got it back to me just in time to give to my co-worker on our last day of work. I will see if she's willing to take pictures because I'd really hate to not have a picture of it.

Well, I could go on with random thoughts for days, since it's been so long, but I'll save those for another post! I won some really awesome giveaways that I want to share with you so check back for some fun stuff!

Rosemary's Dress

2008-12-19T15:36:00.001-08:00

Every Christmas I watch "White Christmas" with Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby and every year I'm just blown away by this dress...

My favorite view of it is right before this scene starts - when she's back stage. She turns around and you can see the back really well. You can kinda sorta see it in the video above, but not as well. Do any of you know who made this dress?! Do you know of any good still photos of it? I've googled it and didn't find anything but black and white photos (understandably). Would love to remake it...in my free time - HAHAHAHAHAHA! (free time! - ha!)

What movies do you watch during Christmastime?

EtsyBlogger of the Month: Spotted Cow

2008-12-18T08:00:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone. Are you looking for a great source for fabulous soaps and bath items? Then you should check out the Spotted Cow! Here are some of my favorites from her shop below...

Gingerbread Whipped Sugar Scrub

Organic Cotton Bath Puff

Be sure to check out her blog and Etsy Store!

Amish Friendship Bread

2008-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Though it's not a Christmas-only treat, one of my favorite things to make during the holidays is Amish Friendship Bread! I was reminded just the other day how much I loved it when a friend gave me a bag of starter mix (hence the name).

Let me explain...

Making Amish Friendship Bread is a 10 day process. But DON'T WORRY! It's not difficult. You start by receiving a bag of starter batter from a friend. However, if you do not know of anyone with Amish bread batter, you can start your own with this recipe here.

For the first four days, you merely stir (if in a bowl) or shmush the baggie of starter once a day. On the fifth day, you add some ingredients to make it larger and then the next 5 days shmush the bag. On the 10th day you remove the amount of batter you need for your bread and divi up the rest for your friends, who then start the process all over again and so you spread Amish Friendship Bread to all your friends, to all their friends and so on and so on.

All of this is SOOOO worth it because on that 10th day, when you make the bread with this recipe, the bread comes out of the oven all warm, yummy & sugary. There is the basic recipe, but you can also add any single item or combination of chocolate chips, raisins, chopped apples, crushed pineapple, candied fruit, coconut, chopped dates, or nuts to your liking. I love my Amish bread with chocolate chips.

If the stress of the holidays prevent you from keeping track of your Amish starter batter, I do hope that someday you try this because it is one of my very favorites!

Win This!

2008-12-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't you love to WIN this beautiful star album book from J. Leigh Designs to display all your family pictures in? Visit her blog to see how!

Sew and Help: BurdaStyle is Teaming Up with the American Cancer Society!

2008-12-09T13:13:00.001-08:00

Hey this is a great chance to use our sewing skills for a cause - and we have a while to work on it! From BurdaStyle's website:

"We are asking out members and friends to donate a handmade bow ties to be auctioned off at the ACS Pink and Black Tie Gala on May 7th 2009.

Want to help? Download the David Bow Tie pattern Sew it up in pink and/or black fabric and send it to us here at BurdaStyle by May 4th 2009.

BurdaStyle 325 Gold st Suite 201 Brooklyn, NY. 11201

If you would like to include a personal story with your bow tie you are more than welcome to. Write it on a note card, that way, whoever wears your bow tie will know the story behind it. We are so excited to be helping out with this great cause and we are very happy that our members can be involved. "

To read more and to download the pattern, click Sew and Help: BurdaStyle is Teaming Up with the American Cancer Society!

Posted using ShareThis

New Bibs Listed

2008-12-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. After trying, now, 3 different weights of vinyl, I think I have now settled on a heaver weight. Here are two bibs I just finished and listed today and there are another 2 in the works.

BOGO 1/2 Off Friday!!!

2008-12-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, it's Friday and I'm feeling a little crazy
- so for TODAY ONLY...

Buy One Stocking, Get Another One HALF OFF!

Just enter offer code "Crazy Friday" in the Seller Notes at Checkout!

And I'm also still offering free shipping!! Tell your friends!!

1000 Markets Featured Shop, Christmas Cards & New Projects

2008-12-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

Today I just so happened to go to the "Child's Play" Market Page on 1000 Markets and there I was - one of the featured shops!! So exciting!

But now to the reason I'm writing: this year I am on FIRE! (At least in one respect - lol). I got my Christmas cards printed and mailed by December 1st! This is a first for me, but having a new baby is good motivation. I got my cards from Candi with Creative Celebrations. It was so easy - I just went to her blog, chose my layout, sent her my pictures and got my .jpg file in an email, ready to print! (I used snapfish - .09 a print and FAST shipping!). Here are some of my favorite layouts (we chose the first one) but you can also click here to see all the styles she offers.

I also wanted to show you what I'm working on now - A baby quilt I'm calling "Daddy & Me". It features various scenes of a retro-style dad doing "typical" dad-like things: golfing, driving round town, watching his son's baseball game, fixing the lawn mower, etc.

So fun and great for girls and boys! Stay tuned for the finished product...

December Goodness & An Ode to Amy Butler

2008-12-01T21:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone and Happy December! I hope your Thanksgivings were great! November was good for me, with the Etsymom Super Giveaway, a craft fair, food and family. However, December is off to a wonderful start. Today I was approached with a trade opportunity from Carleens Creations. In exchange for some of my bibs, I'll be getting...(scroll...)

These beautiful earrings!! I'm very excited because I always mean to buy jewelry, but instead, I end up purchasing fabric or clothing staples - or who knows what so I was glad at the opportunity and I can't wait to receive that little package in the mail!

Right after my trade went through, I was notified of some other sales: one of my favorite items, this Spring Table Runner made with Amy Butler fabrics. I'm sad to see it go, but I'm glad it's going to a good home.

Also, these coasters found a new home, so it looks like the verdict is clear - everyone LOVES Amy Butler.

I fell in love with Amy Butler years ago when I started working at a local quilt shop. In a moment of sheer inspiration, I wrote Amy an email expressing how great I thought she was and how nice it was to have a younger person on the scene with such freshness and inspiration. I didn't really expect a response, though I secretly hoped for one. However, lo and behold - months later, she wrote me back thanking me for the note and encouraging me to keep at it myself! I was THRILLED! (She's a sewing celebrity!)

A few months ago I was on her site and reading in her bio about how she started making purses and bags for her friends. She was later able to sell them at a local store and things just took off from there! I couldn't believe how effortless her success had been and, experiencing a slow time in getting started myself, I wrote her in frustration - "Amy, Was it really that easy?!" Amazing, sweet and wonderful woman that she is, she again wrote me back with encouragement.

WELL - I didn't intend on writing about my email run-ins with Amy Butler, but I guess that's what came out! LOL. She's not only very talented and creative, but also very down to earth and supportive of the industry...down to little ol' me and I just think that's so cool! Go Amy! & here's to a fabulous December!

Holiday SALE!

2008-11-26T06:45:00.000-08:00

I am offering FREE SHIPPING on all items in my store!! Come check it out!!

Olive Knolls Craft Fair

2008-11-22T15:43:00.000-08:00

So, you may be wondering if I dropped off the face of the earth - I can't believe it's been two weeks since my last post! Here's why:

Today was the Olive Knolls Craft fair with about 60 vendors! It was a well attended show and I even made a new friend! Here's what my booth looked like - an improvement on last year (which was my first time) and I would have to say that the only thing I would change next year would be to have more inventory.

Here's the whole booth:

And the right side:

The center:

And the left side:

As I mentioned, I made a friend - Lisa of Letters by Lisa. She is an absolute sweetheart and has an amazing website that showcase her "Personalized original artwork for all ages". Please check it out!

I will be updating my Esty and 1000Markets stores throughout the next week or so so be sure to stop by and grab something handmade for your loved ones this holiday season!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2008-11-14T06:13:00.000-08:00

I know I just posted about Christmas and stockings, but I skipped Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is weird here in CA because you want the feeling of fall, but the CA weather doesn't always cooperate. Halloween is generally warm, and between the end of October and the end of November, there can be some cold weather, but we always seem to have a warming trend the week of Thanksgiving and that usually bums me out. I like cold weather, and while I'm in a house full of people, family and friends, I'd like it to be cold outside and warm inside. But that's just me...

We usually head two hours north for a main meal with my husband's family, though we won't this year, and then drop in on some other family while we're in town. With all the step families and in-laws, my mom has claimed the Friday after Thanksgiving for just "us". One of the things mom does is, after the prayer and while we begin to eat, we must go around the table and name one thing we're thankful for. Mom, sissy and I always cry. hahaha!

We're kind of sad this year because our family dynamics have changed - divorces and weddings and new babies have moved some people out of town, added new family obligations, make it hard to travel, etc. So now that I have a new family, I'm feeling some sense of new found responsibility (not in the negative sense) to make new traditions for the three of us.

One idea I heard (I forget where) was to write thank you notes to everyone who attends the meal, thanking them for who they are and how they've impacted your life in the past year. When I think of traditions, I sometimes think it must be burdensome, or grandiose, but this is one tradition I think I could handle! As the years go on, I hope to add other traditions that help to make the holidays more meaningful, that teach my son to be truly thankful and that foster fond memories of the holidays throughout the years.

What about you? What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

(Card Pictured is from fellow Etsyblogger, macaroniandglue)

This Etsybloggers Carnival is hosted by StormyDesigns! Click here to visit her blog and also, check out her Etsy shop!

Christmas Is Coming

2008-11-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

...And so is the craft fair! Here are some stockings I made this afternoon from some Holiday in Paris prints. What doesn't sell at the craft show will be listed on Etsy & 1000 Markets - so be watching! Of course if there's one or two you can't live without now, contact me and I'll be glad to list it for you beforehand.

Jeans & Big Winnings!

2008-11-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

If you have not been over the the Etsymom Month Long Giveaway Extravaganza, you've got to check it out - you can enter to win every item - 2 a day for the whole month of November! Look what I won from MHolland!! Get your own set of coasters, or snatch up any of the various unique and wonderful items from her shop by clicking here!

Also, I have my jeans to the point where I only need to attach some rivets and the button/buttonhole. This being my first real sample, I have found some things I will be changing in an effort to get them just right:

I will do more top stitching in the future.
The denim that covers the top back side of the pocket needs to stretch deeper into the pocket. Right now, it just barely covers the pocket fabric and a wrong move would cause it to peak out.
The waistband needs some work - it might be too narrow, but it definitely doesn't lay the way I want it to. I need to look into how to make it look right.
I would make the back pockets slightly smaller

Now to try them on Mr. Chase to make sure the fit of the muslin transferred to the denim version...sometimes something magical happens in between...not sure what or how...

OK - so now I need your HONEST opinions and suggestions. Comment away!!!!!

EtsyMom SUPER GIVEAWAY!!!

2008-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Etsymom Street Team is prepping for the holidays by taking the time-honored tradition of gift-giving to another level! Riding the wave of unity, harmony and excitement inspired by the Etsymom Trunk Show in September, our team tossed around a few ideas about our next team event. A little idea of having a giveaway, where Moms would donate an item to be given away each day of November on our blog has morphed into a SUPER GIVEAWAY!! When the call for volunteers went out we had an overwhelming response of over 60 shops willing to donate a $10.00 in value item to this cause. Two winners will be randomly chosen everyday to receive one of over 50 prizes.. Donations will range from an assortment of hand embroidery, vintage finds, hair clippies, baby accessories, paper crafts, earthenware pottery and more. Perfect for gift-giving! There is a little bit of everything, so whether you like trendy, shabby chic, traditional or retro styles, you're sure to find something! Don't miss this ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA. Visit us here beginning November 1st for giveaway rules and deadlines!

I've Been Published!

2008-10-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

Where I live, there are several free family-friendly publications to choose from. Most of their articles come from community contributors so I figured this was a great chance to let people know about my sewing and online stores. When you submit an article, it's guaranteed to be available on their website, but to my surprise, they wrote me back and asked me to expand my article for the cover story!! The issue went out yesterday and here's a look at what they printed!

My article focused on Etsy awareness in general, highlighting my store, as well as some others I found with the "shop local" feature on Etsy. If you have these type of publications in your town, I would definitely give it a try! It's FREE advertising!

You can read the article online by clicking here.

And if some of you read the article and are wondering about my jeans, I have drawn up patterns and made muslin's. Here's how they're shaping up!

(Boys on the right, girls on the left) I tried them on the kids I based them on and just need to do minor alterations before I make a real pair for them to test. As they're testing, I'll be grading the patterns for various sizes and once I know they work - I'll start production!

If you would like to keep abreast of their progress, sign up on my mailing list on the top right of my blog!

New Shop at 1000 Markets

2008-10-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you all have heard of it, but several members of my CCCOE (California Crafter's Club of Etsy) Group are signing up with 1000 Markets - "...a community of marketplaces, large and small, connecting artisan merchants with the people who love their products."

So I figured, why not? And jumped on the bandwagon. There are no initial listing fees and they use Amazon Payments exclusively. When an item sells, you are charged 50 cents and 5.5%. This may seem high, but if you are Etsy relisting and relisting in order to stay at the top of the searched listings, you are paying more than 20 cents for listing anyway. As far as I can tell, it's relatively new so I don't know much more about it, but diversifying can't be bad and you only pay when you sell something so that works for me.

Similar to Etsy teams (in a way), you can join different "markets". For instance, CCCOE requested a California Crafter's Club Market so that those of us who open a shop there can stay connected. You can leave comments for other shop owners on their wall, blog about your product and I'm sure there's more!

The address for your personal shop is the same format as Etsy - my 1000 Markets shop link is http://www.jaimesews.1000markets.com/. Check it out!

AND - while I'm here, I may as well let you know about some giveaways I'm aware of:

Totes 'n Tots is having a giveaway for a diaper bag and booties - find out more by clicking here.
Candi from Creative Celebrations is having a Christmas Card Image giveaway - there are only 2 days left to enter so Click here for details - QUICK!!
Win a modern necklace from Timothy Adam Designs. This one also ends the end of October so hurry over there! He's giving 2 necklaces away every month till the end of the year!

New! Amy Butler Quilt

2008-10-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I've put my other projects on temporary hold while I work on items for the Craft Fair I'll be in November 22nd. Here is an Amy Butler quilt I made this weekend (design to binding!) from various Amy fabrics I'd been saving for a particular project. I'm the type of sewer that is real excited about a project until I let it sit a few years and then I get over it. Not that I got over Amy Butler, because I LOVE her fabrics, but I was going to make this very large quilt with her prints that required a lot of tone on tone white/off whites and I had collected 1. That's right, o-n-e! lol. So needless to say, I had all these wonderful Amy Butler fabrics just sitting there waiting to me made into something fabulous and here it is!

Here's a peak of the backing...I found this adorable little quilter's flannel in a polka dot and the dots match a lot of the front fabrics. I love how the blue brought out the blue in the quilt and toned down the pinks a little. It feels more balanced that way.

Here's my DH holding up the quilt so I could give you a view of the entire quilt.

And lastly, just another view against a darker background.

I have scraps left over so I might work on a table topper, some burp rags or bibs...who knows what you'll see in these fabrics next!? Any suggestions? :)

A Smile to Get You Through the Rest of the Week...

2008-10-23T08:19:00.001-07:00

I know most of you have probably received this in an email before, but it's so cute - I smile every time I read it and especially now that I'm a mom myself! :)

*Elementary Motherhood*

Following are answers given by elementary school-age children to the given questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the Scotch Tape is.
2. Think about it. It was the best way to get more people.
3. Mostly to clean the house.
4. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic, plus super powers, and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We are related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string. I think.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

How did your mom meet your dad?
1. Mom was working in a store and dad was shoplifting.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer? Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

What makes a real woman?
1. It means you have to be really bossy without looking bossy.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because Dad is such a goofball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home, and dads just work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power because that's who you have to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't have spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What's the difference between moms and grandmas?
1. About 30 years.
2. You can always count on grandmothers for candy. Sometimes moms don't even have bread on them.

Describe the world's greatest mom?
1. She would be able to make broccoli taste like ice cream.
2. The greatest mom in the world wouldn't make me kiss my fat aunts.
3. She'd always be smiling and keep her opinions to herself.

Is anything about your mom perfect?
1. Her teeth are perfect, but she bought them from the dentist.
2. Her casserole recipes. But we hate them.
3. Just her children.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter -- then she would know my sister did it and not me.

A VERY Productive Weekend

2008-10-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this weekend was great for sewing! The fabric for the tree skirt came Friday as promised so I was able to finish that:

I worked on some of children's clothing too. Here's one that's in the works for a tall guy around 12 mos (25 lbs). There's a hat too, but it's not made yet.

Also got some supplies I sold on ebay packaged and ready to ship and got an article off to a local publication about my etsy store! WOW - I'm feeling good! Only 3 more weekends until the craft fair...I've got a lot more work cut out for me (no pun intended - lol!).

New Bibs for Sale!

2008-10-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

I made a camouflage bib for the Etsymom Giveaway and it got me on a roll! Here are two I've listed in my Etsy shop - Click on the picture to view listing! And I'm sure there are more to come! :)

Sold!

2008-10-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am happy to say my Retro Christmas Table Topper sold this last week and with it came a comission for a tree skirt! :) I asked the customer to browse the Christmas Fabrics at fabric.com and she couldn't decide. She told me she loves Santas and asked me to surprise her. Here is what I ordered. It should be here Friday! It will be fun to work on a Christmas item!

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Also, I finished my giveaway for the EtsyMom Month-long Daily Giveaway in November. No, this is not for sale - but you could win it! Stay Tuned for Details!!

Blouse Photos

2008-10-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos of the blouse as promised. Blast from the past, eh? :)

Front

Front up close

Back view

Happy Birthday, Becky!! (& updates)

2008-10-13T10:40:00.001-07:00

Today is my good friend Becky's birthday! So just to say Happy Birthday, I wanted to feature some of her wonderful creations!

Becky's shop, Rebecca's Rags, is most well known for her cozy and fun rag quilts.
Here's one of my favorites, "Let's Go Surfing Now Rag Quilt":

Most recently, she's added these adorable "Flirty Little Ruffle Skirts"

So be sure to check out her store and also, head over to her blog to wish her a Happy Birthday!

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As for me, I must apologize for my serious lack of project posting here on my blog. It's not that I haven't been working on things! I've been pattern drafting and finishing this blouse. I will post pictures at some point this week of the finished project.

Today, I will be working on my giveaway items for the EtsyMom Month-long November Giveaway. That's right, every day for the entire month of November, the Etsymom Team will be giving away AT LEAST 2 items a day from a different EtsyMmom shop. I'm not sure of all the details just yet, but please check back for how you can win something cool - FOR FREE - for a whole month!

Work: What I do When I'm Not Sewing

2008-10-03T14:01:00.001-07:00

I have posted before, in passing, what I do for full time work, but this month's EtsyBlogger's topic is "work" so I'll take this opportunity to expand...

Though my resume includes affiliations with various and random companies, such as Johnny's Take 'N Bake Pizza, Coffee Kiosk, Viking-White Sewing Machines, Pfaff, To Quilt 'N Sew quilt shop, & David's Bridal, I currently work at a local church as a secretary/receptionist. I landed what I thought was my dream job at David's Bridal as their Alterations Manager, only to discover that after 10 months, I was under experienced and what I really wanted was to have a schedule closer to my husband's so I could actually see him some time and spend my weekends as I choose. (Those of you familiar with the bridal business know that Saturday is your big $$ making day so as a manager, I worked EVERY Saturday). I got my job at the church to get some relief and have been here 2 1/2 years!

I feel that, much like the title "mom", my title "secretary/receptionist" does not fully encompass the job I actually do. Besides the normal office type work, like filing, making copies, answering phones, acting as 411 for the congregation, sorting mail, making coffee for staff meeting, etc. I often design fliers to promote events, create and maintain their websites (see here, here, and here), and even sometimes offer my sewing skills where needed (see this post). In fact, I am bringing my machine in to mend some table cloths this week!

So to avoid boring you to death, I'll stop there. But, yes, Jaime Johnson - Secretary/receptionist by day...mommy, wife, seamstress by night and weekends. As for the future, I hope to be successful with a line of children's clothing...in the works as we speak........

EtsyBlogger of October: BFBeads!

2008-10-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Etsyblogger of the month is Jen, aka BFBeads!

Jen has a fun & creative blog called "Mama's Magic". “Mama's Magic records the daily delights and difficulties of family life, along with entries on writing and creativity. The cast of characters includes Jen (the Mama), her husband (S), their preschooler son (BJ), and toddler daughter (BB). At the moment, Jen is a SAHM. She's also a poet with a Women's Studies degree, a jewelry designer, the owner of Mama's Magic Studio, and the creative force behind Baby Friendly Beads breastfeeding jewelry.” (From Jen's blog)

Jen has two Etsy stores...here are some of my favorites from each store...

My favorite picks from BFBeads' store "Mama’s Magic Studio"

Autumnal Fraternal Earrings

Knit the Knot Known Fraternal Earrings -- Fuchsia
Ok, I don't knit, but I thought this was so uniquely cute!!

My favorite picks from BFBeads' store, "Baby Friendly Beads"

Boo-tiful Baby Friendly Beads Nursing Necklace

My son does this all the time with the necklace I wear daily. Now that he's getting stronger and more easily distracted, I can see how these nursing necklaces would be wonderful to have! Here's the idea of how they'd work below:

Be sure to visit her stores to see all the other wonderful things she makes!

Juicy Secrets - I've Been Tagged!

2008-10-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

I have been TRIPLE tagged! So I guess that means that everyone wants to know my secrets…or at least that’s how I choose to see it. Ha! Actually, this really works out for me as I’ve been working on some things I’ve wanted to post about, but just haven’t had time. And no, I’m not going to do 18 secrets since I was tagged 3 times…I’m going to stick to 6 as that is what is required when you’re “tagged” so here goes:

I am an affirmation freak – I love an A+, an “atta girl”, a “wow”, a “you did that?!” a “thanks so much, you’re awesome!”…whatever I can get!! I spent dozens of hours on a dress and worked myself literally sick and had to take days off work to finish it and totally ignored my family and friends but at the end, the woman called and fawned over the dress and I told my husband, “That was SOOOOOooooo worth it!” It’s an illness, really! LOL
I have been working on designing and creating children’s jeans! Since I started MOPS (Mother’s Of PreschoolerS) last year, I’ve been hearing lots of moms express their frustration about finding pants that fit their kids. So I surveyed them to find out the exact nature of their fitting problems and I’m working on pattern drafting, sewing up muslins and I am about to do fittings to see where all that has gotten me. I’m so excited!!
I will be at a craft fair in Bakersfield, CA November 22nd and hope to debut my jeans at the show. If you are in Kern County and are thinking about doing any shows, this one is really good. It’s established, they do their own advertising, and they accept around 50 vendors. Click here for the information sheet!
Though I appear by many to be outgoing, I am a definite introvert. I can be with a group of people…for a little bit, but then I’d rather go home and be in my sewing room. If I’m in a small group of people I know well, then I can stay much longer, but overall, I get energy from being alone.
I LOVE talk radio…I listen at home, on the internet, at work and in the car. I’m even an “insider” at our local talk radio station and participate in breakfasts they host with guest speakers from around town. I love it.
I would rather write 10 essays or papers than take a single test. I love to write. In fact, (and this is like 2 secrets in one) I submitted an article about my sewing business to a local free publication and they have asked me to expand it and send in pictures for a cover article! Not a total big deal, but free advertising and a great way to debut my new product.

So I hope you enjoyed learning all my secrets! Here’s who I’m tagging:

EtsyBlogger of the Month: Joey And Aleethea!

2008-09-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

Introducing the EtsyBlogger of the month:

Joey & Aleethea!

Joey & Aleethea are Etsy sellers who create cute and unique children's items - from blankets to clothing for both girls and boys! Their store is jam packed with numerous wonderful styles and sizes so you're sure to find something you can't live without! One of my favorite things about their products is the little monsters they create and applique on them! They also make great fabric choices that include modern colors & fun textures!

Joey & Aleethea also (as the name "EtsyBloggers" may suggest) have a wonderful blog where they discuss family, sewing, new products and all around fun stuff. And like any good blogger, they also do giveaways so be sure to check it out! I've included some of my favorite items from their store below for your enjoyment:

My Crocheted Cat

2008-09-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's the project everyone has been dying to see! Many of you read my post, "Strawberries, Yarn Dolls & Pink Napkins" and were asking for pictures of the crocheted cat.

Yes, this is the cat I crocheted for my sister as a kid, stuffed with pink napkins (see last picture). It's old and gross now, like your kids' favorite stuffed animal, but here it is in all it's glory!! I made it a calico kitty like the one we had as a pet at the time.
Enjoy!

Free Michael Miller Bean Bag Chair Tutorial!!

2008-09-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Click here for the FREE Tutorial!

Photo Credit: http://www.makingitfun.blogspot.com/

New "Online Shoping" on My Website

2008-09-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I have really loved Etsy - the creativity, the ideas, the community, and sharing a storefront with so many talented people from around the world. However, I read some advice recently about diversifying, so I'm happy to say that, in addition to my Etsy Shop, you can now purchase my items directly from me through my website using Paypal:

www.jaimejohnson.com

You may or may not know, but Paypal allows you to pay with a credit card, with or without your own Paypal account, so it's great! No need to set up extra accounts - just use your own Paypal account or pay with a credit card without giving me all your personal info!

Christmas is coming soon!......

Autumn

2008-09-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love fall...

Being that I live in the central valley of California, it's not so much the changing leaves (we don't have that many trees), the change in weather (it's 85+ degrees until the end of October, IF we're lucky...the heat can last into the first half of November) - No - It's things like:

- Starbucks starts carrying their special holiday drinks. I, myself am a Grande, no whip, peppermint mocha kind of girl (sometimes half caf).

- Fall/Back To School sales at the mall

- And I just like the idea that pretty soon, I can put on my sweatshirt and fuzzy socks and snuggle under my favorite quilt, falling asleep as I watch a movie.

As for plans for this fall, I really hope to focus in on a project I have in mind, which I hope to launch by a November 22nd Craft Fair. As soon as I get a few done, I'll post them on Etsy! Since I will be drawing my own patterns, It might take a while to work out some kinks, but my goal this fall is to launch this new product. Depending on time, this project may reach into the beginning of the year.

So here's to sweatshirts, peppermint mochas, and Etsy goodness! I hope you enjoy your 2008 Autumn season!!

Thanks to A Keeper's Jackpot of the EtsyBloggers Street Team for hosting this month's blog carnival!

Recent Etsy Buys

2008-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have made some recent purchases on Etsy I wanted to share with you and Friday seemed like the perfect time to do it! :)

First and most obvious is my new Etsy banner (also at the top of my blog) and avatar, purchased from "hbcorner". The price was very reasonable and I have received many compliments on it! Thank you very much, HBCorner!

Additionally, I am working on a new product for my Etsy store, so I have been shopping around for some of the "shop" details that will make my product more professional. I found these adorable hang tags from the KnottyStash store!

Notice how they match my blog background? And tie in with the colors of my new banner? (I like to think I'm so very clever! LOL) When I received my hang tags from KnottyStash, she included in her packaging some samples from her store, which made me want to buy more and more!! She makes the most wonderful paper choices so if you are looking for something like this for your product, you should really go check out her store!

And last but most certainly not least, I requested this wonderful cosmetic bag from my friend Brandy of WylesStyle!! She makes very classy clutches, bags and other purse-like items. I love her stuff, but I have been wanting a super cute cosmetic bag, so I asked her if she would consider making one of her bags lined with vinyl inside and out. She happily agreed and here's what she came up with:

CUTE!! One of the many things I love about Etsy is that when you leave feedback, you can add a customer appreciation picture!! This is the one I left for Brandy:

Hahahahaha! But back to being serious...Brandy has started carrying these in her store now, so here's one of my favorites. Click here if you want to see this listing in her Etsy Shop!

Have a great weekend! And be sure to stop by jaimesews.etsy.com!!

Never Forget - 9/11

2008-09-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

WCW SALE!!

2008-09-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well, if you wanted it, it's gone! This item just sold from my Etsy Shop...but there are other items! And today I'm having a sale! 15% off anything in my store!! Just enter "WCW" in the notes to seller at checkout! Come check it out!

Featured in a Treasury!!

2008-09-09T13:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Brady of WylesStyle for including me in an Treasury on Etsy featuring EtsyMoms! If you have an Etsy account, but aren't sure how a Treasury works, here's what a friend told me, "each photo has a tiny number in the corner - that is how many times it's been clicked. The more clicks a treasury has, the "hotter" it is, and the higher up on the list it goes. Same with comments. So, if you could stop on by and help click and comment, that would be awesome! (you get 12 clicks)" :) (Thanks Brandy) Here's a preview, but be sure to GO HERE and click around...maybe even leave a comment! The treasury expires Thursday, September 11 at 3:47 pm! :)

Quilted Fabric Crib Rail Guard Protector

2008-09-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hey look - I finished a project in less than 24 hours! I started this Crib Rail Guard Thursday night and finished the button holes and buttons on my lunch on Friday! It protects your crib from little beavers - otherwise known as teething infants. But before you think I'm super cool (I know, it's a risk I have to take), I didn't make this up! I got it from a fellow FAME (Fabulous Artistic Moms of Etsy) member, Amy, aka "New England Quilter". If you'd like instructions on how to make your own, Click here!

I had to make some adjustments because the front of Tyler's crib is really wide before it gets to the vertical bars (see below), but otherwise it went super quick! It would make a great shower gift!

EtsyMom "Fall into Holiday Cheer" Trunk Show - TONIGHT!

2008-09-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Get a jump on your holiday shopping with the

Fall into Holiday Cheer Trunk Show

the wonderfully talented
Etsymom Street Team Members are hosting this

Thursday, Sept. 4th at 7 pm EST

in the Etsy Virtual Labs. Come find out what inspires the beautiful handcrafted artistry of this dedicated group of moms in business. Each Etsymom participant will display images of their work, share about their creative process and answer questions. Don't miss this first-time event for Etsymoms and an opportunity to buy some incredible handmade goods!

ALSO - There will be a giveaway and "secret" discount code offered at the end of the show so plan to stay for the whole event!!!

Vote in the CCCOE August Challenge - Get an Etsy Discount!!

2008-09-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

The California Crafter's Club of Etsy is asking YOU to vote on your favorite August Challenge entry. What is the August Challenge, you may ask? Back To School! The best part is, after you vote, you can shop participating CCCOE stores at a discount! A list of participating stores and their respective discounts are listed at the link below. I am offering 10% off any item in my shop for all voters!

CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE & GET YOUR DISCOUNT! And remember to add "voter discount" in the seller notes and wait for an adjusted invoice! Happy Fall Shopping!!

Next Project...From The Archives

2008-08-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

As I was working one morning at the church, one of the ladies in the congregation called to ask if I would sew her a blouse. After discussing my available time frame, she ran the pattern and fabric over...

Check out this pattern!

I don't know how long she's had it, but the fabric was purchased for her from out of country by a relative of hers years and years ago and she never did find the time to sew it up. Now she's at a point in life where she simply doesn't want to sew, so she's hiring me. So this will most certainly be an interesting piece to add to my repertoire! :)

To see some of the other things I've made, click here.

Maya's Pillows Finished

2008-08-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post some proof that I'm actually done with Maya's pillows. I did a different fabric on the front and back and pieced piping. Here's the "front"

And here's the "back"

Now only one more project before I can sink my teeth into the new Etsy product I've been thinking about! CAN'T WAIT! :)

TuLips Treasure Box - EtsyBlogger of the Month

2008-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you all know about a new blog I've found, TuLips Treasure Box! Among blogging about her creations, she is very supportive to other Etsy sellers and her most recent posts include the most amazing beach/ocean pictures! This one below is from her blog:

And there's many more to see so please stop by.

Also, here is one of my favorite items from her Etsy store! Is this not absolutely gorgeous?! It's called "Caribbean Necklace" and there are earrings to match!

Click here to view this listing in her Etsy Shop!

Brillante Weblog Premio Award

2008-08-24T05:25:00.000-07:00

WOW! Thanks so much to Tote-N-Tots for nominating me for the Brillante Weblog Premio Award!! Be sure to visit her blog and her Etsy store to see all the wonderful bags she makes for the fashionable mommy & baby!

Here are the rules for the nominees:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

So here goes:

Brandy, from Wyles Style, creates the most wonderful little clutches and bags which have recently been picked up by a local brick-and-mortar beach boutique! She's also very friendly and immensely helpful. I know you will enjoy getting to know her through her blog and checking out her Etsy store.

"Mama Z" (Two Zany Zebras) writes the most fun & entertaining stories of family life with "Zany Janie" and "Wacky Zachy", as well as featuring her newest creations! You will love following her blog and browsing through the wonderfully unique kids items in her Etsy store!

Boody Babies just started her blog this month! But she's off to a great start, chronicling her sewing projects and life in general. Check out this project! (one of my favorites! So cute!) Also, be sure to browse her Etsy store for some adorable baby items!

Also new in the blogosphere is Rebecca's Rags. Rebecca makes rag quilts of all sizes, but what is unique about them is her fabric choice. She always has the cutest themes and colors, you're sure to find one you can't live without! To find out what she's working on now, visit her blog. To purchase her wonderful quilts, click here.

I go to Pammy Dawn Designs' blog to dream! See, she makes very cute hair accessories and I have a 6 1/2 month old boy! Her newest post highlights some finger puppets she's created. Her accessories are extremely creative and themed for every holiday! Check it out!

Tissuepapers is one of my favorite blogs to go to for inspiration. I just love her style and enjoy watching the various projects she finishes. She also posts several of her own tutorials so you can duplicate her fabulous projects for yourself! Please stop by and see for yourself!

And since I've always primarily been a garment sewer, but hardly ever get time these days to sew for myself, I love to live vicariously through the diaryofasewingfanatic. I love every pattern Carolyn chooses and she's very good at actually sewing them up and showing us a finished project! (Something I have yet to master). I hope you will follow her on her sewing adventures too!

Great Fabric Find

2008-08-23T13:34:00.001-07:00

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know I have more ideas than time, but after I finish my customer projects, I have some ideas for children's clothing I'd like to give a try.

I was sketching out some ideas a week or so ago and one of the sketches just said "rich purple" to me. I wrote it down, but hadn't been able to go shopping until today. I was at the fabric store just wandering around looking for something to jump out at me and I found these wonderful knits in jewel tones. There was a turquoise, a plum and a fuchsia. I gravitated toward the deep turquoise so i put it in my cart and kept wandering. I walked up and down the isles and was disappointed that I couldn't really find anything to coordinate with it. But then, THERE IT WAS!

This wonderful Alexander Henry print - not to match the turquoise, but the plum - just like I had envisioned! SO COOL how it happened. So here's the combo of fabric I'm going to use to make something very yummy and I CAN NOT wait!....

But I'll have to. Until then, I'll just keep the fabrics out to motivate me to finish some other projects! Story of my life!

Strawberries, Yarn Dolls and Pink Napkins

2008-08-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

I just joined a new Etsy Street Team called "EtsyBloggers" and I'm very excited! Among the many things they do to keep things exciting is a Blog Carnival - a kind of blog magazine. Someone picks a topic, the team members blog and post their link and then someone hosts the links on their site (it changes every month) so you can enjoy everyone's input. I'll be sure to add the link later, but in the meantime, you may peek at my entry below! :)

The current topic is, "Something You Did When A Child That You Will Always Remember". As a small child, I lived just four houses down from my grandma and papa's. They had a tiny bridge (over nothing) in their front yard surrounded by strawberry plants. You have to know, I LOVE strawberries. They would be my last meal if I had to choose. So as a girl, I would bend down to pick those tiny, sour strawberries, go inside to grandma's to wash them and gleefully eat the small handful I had harvested.

Another thing I remember is an odd shaped 1970's craft book my aunt gave me. I would pour over it in the summers searching for something wonderful to make. One project I made several times was a yarn doll - you know, the type where you take a piece of cardboard or book or something similar, wrap the yarn around it forever and ever, then tie one end and cut the other, wrapping it around a tennis ball for the head and and then making other ties at various points for the neck, arms, etc? That was great. I wasn't much into dolls, but more into the creative process, so sadly I don't think I ever kept one.

Lastly, my grandma taught me to crochet (oh it was scary! lol) and I decided to make a calico kitty for my sister to look just like the one we had for a pet! With knowledge of only one stitch and no pattern, I concocted a cat body, head, legs and tail and stuffed it with (you guessed it) PINK NAPKINS! HA! My sister still has the cat and has asked me to repair it. When I get it from her, I'll have to post pictures - it is hysterical!

Well, hope you enjoyed that little rant. I really am (PROMISE!) finishing Maya's pillows this weekend and hope to start on a shirt for another customer next week. Maybe someday I'll get to work on Etsy items....some.....day. :)

Sale!!

2008-08-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

FAME (Fabulous Artistic Moms of Etsy) SALE! Take-10-Tuesday! 10% off all purchases on August 19, 2008 between 5:00PM EST and Midnight EST. Just put “T10T” in notes to seller! Click here to visit my Etsy store. Also - many FAM Etsy shops are participating in this sale so be sure to search "FAM Team" on www.etsy.com to find more deals!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
Jaimesews

In addition, I have listed this fabric tray or basket on Ebay. I did not make it, but it is handmade from a 100% cotton butterfly print and lined with a 100% cotton yellow solid. Ribbon ties are in green. Just making room in the sewing room so it's listed for only $1.99!

Click here to view listing

Also on Ebay, a cute swimsuit fabric - ordered from a company last summer and they sent my order twice! Made my sister a swimsuit from the first order and offering the second cut to you...

Click here to view listing

Eulogy For Hamilton "Hammy" Johnson

2008-08-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hamilton "Hammy" Johnson joined the Johnson family January 9th, 2006. Though the date and whereabouts of his birth are unknown, we found him at Petsmart and chose him especially from a group of his peers. Hammy was a happy fancy hamster, of the dwarf variety, who instantly took to his new home - running on his wheel, going up and down his ramp, and climbing the walls. Hammy brought much happiness to our home until the afternoon of August 17th when I found him rather peaceful-looking and still in his cage. Upon inspection by Mr. Johnson, he was pronounced dead at 12:30 pm and promptly buried in the Johnson front yard. Hammy is survived by his mom Jaime, dad Andrew, and brother Tyler. He will be missed.

Totally Cute Belt Tutorial!

2008-08-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, seeing as how I sew, I always wish I were a bit more stylish...a little more funky. But I always have trouble achieving that since I always seem to be sewing for someone else! However, I have come across this adorable tutorial for making a belt from the Juicy Bits Blog, and although I haven't sewn it (yet!), it looks totally doable in an afternoon, right?!? And a belt is oh-so-less of a committment than an entire skirt or outfit made from Amy Butler (or other) fabrics so I think this just hits the spot!

FYI - I found the Juicy Bits Blog from the Sew Mama Sew Blog. It's a constant source of tutorials and inspiration. They even have a fabric store so if you see a project you like, print it out, click over to the fabric section and shop, shop, shop!

Oh, and, p.s. - Juicy Bits is doing a giveaway...be sure to go to the blog for details!

Updates and Free Blog Logo Contest

2008-08-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a little bit since I wrote...We survived wedding #2 for the summer and managed to have a little fun. Once again, I altered the wedding dress, 2 of the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride's dresses (but did not make any of them). Here we all are up on stage (notice my 6 month old in his tux!). It was a beautiful wedding.

I am still working on the pillows (on my lunches) and hope to have them done this weekend.

Other than that, I have been made aware of a contest for a free blog banner from Fusion Creative Team! I am definitely game for that! Here's how you can win:

Visit Fusion Creative Team from now until August 30th.

Blog about Fusion Creative Team and send them a link to your blog. Be sure to include a note about this contest in your blog inviting others to enter. A winner will be chosen on August 31st and announced on BethsHappyHair.

Check it out!

Equilter Forum

2008-08-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

I was so pleased to find a wonderful poplin polka dot for Pam's dress at Equilter.com that I emailed them with the results. I just got word today that they've posted my email and pictures on their Forum!

Equilter has a wonderful and endless selection of fabrics and in my scurry to find fabric, they were great to work with! Be sure to check them out!

Funny Sewing Machine Fact

2008-08-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Just for fun, I am reading a VERY OLD VERSION (Copyright 1982! HA!) of the book "Fashion: From Concept to Consumer" (sick isn't it?) and I read something that tickled my funny bone:

The first man, a Frenchman, to patent a wooden sewing machine in 1825 lost all his machines in a Tailors riot. The Tailors feared for their jobs! HA! Now, I know that at the time, this was a serious situation - all clothes were made by individuals, by hand, custom for each client so the threat of industrialization was real - but I just imagine all these tailors rushing this poor man's home or shop and ruining this staple of our industry today and it just struck me as funny. I am strange, though! But seriously - what would we do without our sewing machines!?!

Just had to share!

Final Picture of the "My Fair Lady" Dress

2008-08-05T08:41:00.001-07:00

I got this picture yesterday from Pam. Doesn't she look great?

AND...You are looking at the current Number One sales director of Mary Kay in the NATION! Congrats Pam and thanks for making my dress shine!!

Pillows & Babies

2008-08-03T15:47:00.001-07:00

Well, as Maya moves into her cottage this weekend, and I face my sister-in-law's wedding next weekend, I have endeavored the past day and a half to alter my dress and start Maya's pillows. The dress only needs some minor hand sewing, now, and is essentially done so I look forward to a non-dress project. It keeps things interesting!

Remember, here are the fabrics Maya so wonderfully chose for her new pillows:

Maya gave me 4 pillows sized 18" x 20", 2 pillows 14" square and 4 pillows 12" square. We decided to do the larger pillows in one fabric each, accenting them with contrasting piping. I was able last night to get two of the largest pillows done.

The other two are cut out and ready to be sewn, which I intend to do after this post. But first, I wanted to highlight a really good source for making your own bias tape & piping. I've known how to do this for several years now, but recently came upon a tutorial at Sew, Mama, Sew's Blog. Click here for that wonderful tutorial on making your own bias tape and piping.

Additionally (and I didn't mention this before) I will be making some curtain panels for Maya's dining room. Here is the fabric she chose and a picture of the windows:

Remember to go to Maya's Blog, "Flavors of Cottage Life" to follow all her rennovations!

On another note, I've been so blessed over the past month to be a new Auntie to a couple new babies...and my cousin is due this month! Pictured below is just one of the brand new ones, born July 16th (my birthday!), Luke Christian. He is my step sister's newest son.

Here's another picture of my son, Tyler (left) and Luke's older brother, Jeremiah. Grammy now has THREE BOYS! :)

I'M A WINNER!!

2008-07-31T04:55:00.001-07:00

I was checking my email at 5am this morning and saw that I won this WONDERFUL Michael Miller 1st Sight kit!! I had been on their blog envying all the fabrics and baby accessory patterns for my son and now, here it is! I'll be receiving a kit! I can't believe it. Be sure to frequent the "Making it fun" Michael Miller blog for other contests and prizes!!

Thank you Kathy - I be watching the mail with GREAT anticipation!

And to add to this wonderful day, I just got a call from the customer I made the black and white dress for...she got #1 in the Nation for Mary Kay Sales! And she was wearing my dress on stage in Texas in front of everyone! I'm so excited!! She will send me pictures soon that I will be sure to post for you. A dress on a person is so much better than one on a dressform.

Boy, am I flying high today! :)

Free Amy Butler & Michael Miller Patterns?!? I officially live under a rock!

2008-07-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

So just incase others of you have been under a rock too, I feel obligated to share this link to Amy Butler Patterns! There are quilt patterns, bags, pillows and more! Also, be sure to frequent the Michael Miller Blog, "Making It Fun" for inspiration and free patterns as well!

On another note, please check out my friend Becky's blog! You'll find it at www.rebeccasrags.blogspot.com. She makes adorable rag quilts, for which I have little patience. I think they're wonderful, but I have a hard time being patient enough to get through the finishing (all that snipping!). Anyway, enough about me, check out the picture below and then go on to her site! She sells these wonderful creations on Etsy too! www.rebeccasrags.etsy.com

Recent Etsy Buys

2008-07-27T17:21:00.000-07:00

While I'm in project transition, I thought I'd take the chance to highlight some of my recent Etsy purchases! They've been sitting in my favorites for a while just waiting for the right time to buy!

1. Knitted Coffee Sleeve from Karmacrochet

I was so excited to recieve this item this past week!! It's so cute and protects my hand from the hot coffee in a more stylish way! Patricia makes them in a couple different colors and even will even take custom orders! But coffee sleeves aren't all she makes, please visit her Etsy shop at www.karmacrochet.etsy.com to browse her other items!

2. Custom Fabric Business Card Holder from KreativeKarryAlls

Heather, the shop owner, was wonderful to work with as I requested colors to match my cards. She sent me pictures of available fabrics and we landed with the combination seen above - matches perfectly!! Check out her shop at www.kreativekarryalls.etsy.com to browse all the things she makes!

If you haven't shopped Etsy, you're missing out on some really unique hand made gifts for yourself or others! Here's a peak at some of my favorites just to give you a taste of what's available...but don't take my word for it! Check out Etsy for yourself!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
Jaimesews

Finished!...Almost

2008-07-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well, all the major work is done...now to making sure all the threads are clipped and seams are pressed and a final steaming!

Here's the top up close:

And the skirt:

Now just a technical note here...How did I get the skirt to stand out like that at the bottom? Well, besides the cut of the dress, the answer is twofold.

1. Netting! Now I had a fight with the netting to get it to behave the way I wanted it to. First I had 3 layers of gathered netting: two shorter really gathered layers and a long slightly gathered layer on top of those to try and even it out. What I got was a poofy middle of the skirt and a droopy bottom so it looked like a ball was hiding under the dress or kind of mushroomy and not at all what I was going for!

So I decided to put a tiny, really gathered layer of netting at the very bottom to make sure it stood out well. Well this was eventually the fix, but I initially placed it in the wrong place. I put it on the lining, under the rest of the netting. WRONG. I had to take it all off, remove the not so gathered layer of netting that was over everything and then attach the short really gathered netting to the outermost layer of netting. All that to say, what is there now is a medium lenth gathered netting layer under another medium length layer placed higher up, to which was attached the short really gathered layer of netting as you see here:

2. Horse hair braid! To those of you who do this type of sewing, this is a no brainer, but for some reason it wasn't my first thought. Only when I saw the mushrooming effect of the netting did I think - OH YEAH! I don't know how I could have forgotten!

I imagine once upon a time this stuff was actually made of horse hair, but nowadays it's synthetic. What it does is provide stiffness at the hem to make full skirts stand out.

So there it is, the right combination of netting and horse hair braid makes a happy skirt!

Now, on to my next project: Pillows for Maya. Here's the fabrics...

Maya just closed escrow on an adorable 1930's cottage! You can follow the renovations by visiting her blog Flavors of Cottage Life. Oh, and she posts yummy recipes too!

On the Home Stretch

2008-07-22T06:46:00.001-07:00

Well the fabric from eQuilter came Friday as promised. (Thanks eQuilter!) It is a much better quality cotton with a little stretch and even after pre-washing it, it still looks fabulous. I sewed from sun up to sun down (and beyond) all day Saturday and half of Sunday and I still had A LOT of work to do. So I took a day off from my full time job to sew yesterday. I got a lot done and even met with my customer for one final fitting. She LOVED the dress, which was a great motivator for me to keep on going!

Before I met with her I pinned on the fluffy collar to get her take on it (before it was sewn down and permanent!) Here's how it was going...

We took out a row and had to play with the rest a little because if you notice in the original picture (below), the ruffling gathers in more narrow rows and is not as bulky, but I think the end result will be really nice. In the picture above you can just barely see the top of the skirt, but when I finish altering it (sides and hem) I will post the entire project.

Thanks for following along! I can't wait to show you the whole thing!

Sewers Beware! This could happen to you!

2008-07-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have already learned this lesson, but the rest of you, read on! If you love to sew, it naturally comes up in conversation. You attend an event and you've sewn your outfit and everyone finds out your secret...YOU SEW! All of a sudden, a thousand projects come to their mind for you! All their lives they've been waiting for a seamstress to cross their path and then, Voila! there you are!

For those of you who don't know, I am a church secretary. If you've ever worked in a similar position, you also know that job title doesn't do justice to describe what you actually DO. Throughout the course of this job, I have created websites, brochures, postcards, cleaned resource rooms, helped wondering children back to their classroom (there's also a school on our campus), fixed boo-boos, and more and more. Add now to that list costuming!

Tuesday afternoon I was sitting at my desk when Pastor walked out of his office and said, "You're making my Rabbi Costume, right?". Now, Vacation Bible School this year is called "Jerusalem Marketplace" and the idea is to take the kids back in time to 1st century Jerusalem and everyone's in costume and there's an actual marketplace with booths, etc. However, I had no idea I would be making some of the costumes! I told Pastor, "Not that I know of, unless you're asking me right now!" "You're hired!" he said. Off to Beverly's I went! Now, here's the pattern:

The next morning, I loaded up my serger, machine, iron, ironing board, and miscellaneous other supplies and got to work. My work station away from home was very nice!

Who wouldn't love a cutting table like that!?! Raise it up to waist height and it would be perfect! Now that is the conference room next door to my desk. Here I am at my desk(s) (the desk with the sewing machines on them is actualy our Early Childhood Director's desk, but she works part time so I was able to use her desk that day, thank goodness!).

Did I mention it was also my birthday? I got this wonderful "vase" with a gorgeous sunflower in it from my coworker's husband and this adorable card from the 18 month old class down the hall. And hey - I got to sew on my birthday!

So between answering phones and emails, I was able to finish the costume in 2 days. Here are the results!

And all joking aside, I really am blessed to be able to use my skills to bless others. I'm always wishing I could sew at work and this week my two worlds collided! More costumes and possible window coverings for the preschool wing are in my future, but at least I get to sew on the clock!! :)

Muslin Complete!

2008-07-13T15:58:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of the complete muslin of the dramatic dress I'm making!

We are testing the ruffle with a stiff organza. I like how it stands, but in the original picture the ruffling seems to lay differently so I'm going to talk to my customer either today or some time this week to see which way she likes it.

Also, here is a view of the back...and you can also see in this picture how low the bustline sits. I'm thinking we may need to adjust it. On my dressform, the bustpoint falls about 2 1/2 inches below where it should!

I have adjusted the skirt to my customer and have started the actual skirt. We encountered quite a fabric problem. I recommended a fabric I found on Etsy and when it came, it was very low quality cotton and a yard short! So I went searching in a panic and found a poplin on eQuilter which I think she and I will both like a lot better. The issue with the fabric is that the original garment she saw was a large black and white polka dot. The only fabric we have been able to find in this print is cotton. We're hoping the final look will look dressy enough, which I think it will. I feel like the style is enough to make it dressy. I should get the fabric this week. In the mean time, I am working on cutting and sewing the lining and attaching the netting to make the bottom of the skirt stand out.

Will keep you posted!

Yay for Fast Shipping!

2008-07-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

I was unable to meet with my customer over the weekend so I have no new news on the skirt, but I ordered a pattern from Burda (#8347) last Thursday hoping I would get it by the weekend and to my surprise it was in the mail today!! I was too excited not to jump right in!

Here are pictures of the pattern (right) side by side with the desired garment (left and bottom):

Now My original thought, after talking with the customer and gaining her point of view, was that since I will be applying a ruffle to the front, I want that to be one piece (not button up) and I would make the collar so that it opens completely and then buttons to close in order to make it easy to put on. As you can see...I didn't think that through as the entire top has to be attached to the collar. I called my friend Lynn Douglass to see if there was any other way she could think of doing it besides making a hidden button placket in front. She wisely counselled me to add the button closure. So, seeing as how the pattern definitely does not have that feature, it was time for me to grab my trusty "Patternmaking for Fashion Design" by Helen Joseph-Armstrong

So i cut the front shirt pattern on the center front and added the hidden button placket (Patternmaking for Fashion Design, page459). I also adjusted the armsceye so that it attached at the neckline and not at a shoulder seam, as the pattern is drawn originally

I then traced the other side of the shirt, adding a 1 1/2 inch self facing, and then drew the back piece down into a halter (one of the design change requests was to make the back of the shirt higher than shown in the picture).

OH how I wish I had time to cut and sew that muslin tonight!!! When Saturday comes I will definitely get to it, take pictures and, if I meet with my customer between now and then, be starting the actual skirt! I can't wait to see how it turns out!!

My Fourth of July

2008-07-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

With the June wedding over, it's time to start on that wonderful dramatic dress I told you about earlier...black and white polka dot mermaid skirt and large ruffled tuxedo shirt? I met with the customer on Wednesday to discuss design changes and get measurements so I proceeded today with a little pattern alteration and muslin making.

One of the design changes she requested was to make the skirt a little less hip hugging. To accomplish this, I measured down 9 inches and marked the hip line on each pattern piece. I used my curved ruler to round out the transition from the form fitting top of the skirt to the flare. You can see in the picture below the original pattern line and where I cut:

I was worried that the design change would take a lot away from the drama of the skirt, but I think it might be okay. Now if you promise to remember that this is just a "rough draft" with no lining or netting and that I didn't get to press it as well as I wanted to before my 5 month old started screaming, I'll let you see the muslin.

We'll see if we can get a fitting in tomorrow, since the dress is due the 26Th. And I'll keep you updated...

Now to make dinner and head to mom's house for dessert and fireworks with the neighbors. Happy 4Th Everyone!

For Baby P

2008-07-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I hope Stacy isn't reading my blog...yet! But I wanted to show you the fabric shoes I made for her shower on Wednesday!

The sole is white fleece, and I also used fleece to line the toe area. I originally lined the heel with fleece, but since you fold it down and sew to encase the elastic, it was too bulky and the elastic wasn't allowed to do it's job. I made a different heel with white cotton as the lining instead.

I got the pattern from Stardustshoes' blog (Click here for a direct link). Download a copy and make some of your own! They go really quickly and are super cute!

Also, here are some pictures from my mother-in-law's wedding this past weekend. I didn't make any of the dresses, but I altered all of them! We found my son's tux on ebay.

Arte Y Pico Award - Premio Arte Y Pico

2008-06-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Allison from *Gifts From The Heart* Creations for giving me the Arte Y Pico award. This award recognizes a blog's creativity and overall contribution to the blogger community.

Now it's my turn to select 5 recipients!
1. Creative Stitches by Lynn
2. Peacockchic
3. Gock's Frocks
4. Vera's Quiltblog
5. Cinnamon & Spice Crafts

Once you've been selected, please follow these guidelines and pay it forward:
1) Choose 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award based on creativity, design, interesting material, and overall contribution to the blogger community, regardless of the language.
2) Post the name of the author and a link to his or her blog so everyone can view it.

3) Each award-winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.

4) The award-winner and the presenter should post the link of the "Arte y pico"blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5) Please post these rules!

Cambria's Creations: Featured Etsy Favorite

2008-06-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

If you live in the Bakersfield area, or anywhere for that matter, and you haven't seen Cambria's Creations, be prepared to be amazed! This twelve-year-old jewelry artist sucessfully sells her items in local craft fairs and online at www.cambriascreations.etsy.com. She has been featured in our local newspaper, created custom jewelry for wedding parties and more! Check out her Etsy Store to purchase her wonderful creations and click here to visit her blog.

Weekend Sewing Results

2008-06-23T13:06:00.001-07:00

Ok, well I didn't do too shabby! Here are the results:

I was able to to steam the dresses. I have a hook in my sewing room, and then another in the vaulted ceiling of my living room (pictured) so I can hang the dress up high in order to steam the train. When I worked at David's Bridal, they had a pulley system where you could hitch up the dress at various heights to steam the different parts. BOY - do I miss that!

I was able to alter my sister-in-law's wedding dress, but didn't touch the bridesmaid's dresses.

If you can believe it, I did make the dress for myself for the rehearsal dinner. I will post pictures of it when I finish some hand sewing and find the right colored camisole for underneath. I'm not sure if I love the fabric, but hey - it fits and it's girly.

No pedicure - I'll have to do a do-it-myselfer some night this week.

Got the bra, pinned my dress, but not altered yet. Again, maybe some night this week.

Had a wonderful date night with my husband too!

And just for fun, here's a picture of my son's morning face from this morning.