Thursday, May 29, 2014

Business Cards

Could I get some opinions please on business card designs/layouts?

I have had very good luck / service in the past from VistaPrint so I am using them again (just their basic cards, nothing fancy) but with the "basic" version you are limited in layout, design (cant change fonts, etc) but I found three I like pretty well, so I'm asking for opinions between these three from those of you who give/receive a lot of cards at events, shows, etc.  What catches your eye the most in a card?  Any of these?

I've tried to make my email and etsy addresses the most prominent, because I think communication and sales are certainly my priorities at this point.  Does that seem logical to everyone else?




Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Lucky Me!

A couple of weeks ago SewMamaSew hosted the semi-annual giveaway day and there were hundreds of folks linked up to give away some fantabulous prizes!  

Lucky me won not one, but two wonderfully delicious gifts! 

First up from Jan at Sew And Sow Farm I received this bright collection of Aurifil threads.  I love Aurifil but have only used the neutrals and am really excited to have this 'every day color' collection!


And .... I also received two charm packs of  Carolyn Freidlander's Botanics from Anna at The Crooked Banana.


Thank you so much to everyone who participated, from hosting to giving, and to all the wonderful blogs I found because of this giveaway linky party.  I hope somebody reminds me a little bit ahead of time next go-around so I can gather my wits and my goodies and be a participant on the "giver" side of things.  Meanwhile, I'm sure enjoying being a "taker"!  


No Pink!

BabyGirl asked me when she first found out she was pregnant if I was going to make her a diaper bag (since I had made one for Sadie).  

Well, duh, of course I am!  She had only one request .... NO PINK!

She really loves green ... the brighter the better.  So on a shopping trip a few weeks ago I saw these two fabrics and text her this picture for her approval.  


Then it got kind of shifted aside while I worked on other projects because I knew I had plenty of time.  Suddenly, her shower was organized and a date set.  I had to get my hiney in gear! 

I finished the bag a little over a week ago and then pondered over what size to make the zipper pouch.  Then I messed it up ... twice ... but I unpicked and resewed the first mistake ... and covered up (literally) the second mistake .... to come up with this. 





But then I remembered ... changing pad! So yesterday I made this.


And stuffed it into this! 



So, now I'm all ready for her shower (given by friends) in a couple of weeks!  

Her "church ladies" (BabyGurl is youth director at a small rural church) are giving her another one a couple of weeks later so I will probably make some burp cloths / bibs etc for that one.  Because, you know, that's what Mommas do!! 
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Also, thanks so much to everyone who participated (as in, offered prizes) in the SewMamaSew giveaway day!  I won two of them.  See my prizes HERE
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Find me on Facebook, Instagram & Etsy!
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Linking up with:
Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story
Show & Tell Tuesday @ i have to say
Linky Tuesday @ Freemotion By The River
Sew Cute Tuesday @ Ms Midge
WIP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced
Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio
TGIFF @ Ms Midge
Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilts
Friday Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
 Sewing Saturday @ Simple Simon & Company
Oh Sew Baby @ Fort Worth Fabric


Saturday, May 17, 2014

Friday Finishes ...

I have a couple of finishes this week.  

First up, tshirt dresses for Gabbie-Lou-Who and Sweet Sadie.  

Next time I'll make the skirts fuller, but otherwise I'm pleased.  
Second up is another pleated purse.  It was a commission for a friend of a friend and unforseen circumstances made her unable to take it so it is listed here in the Etsy Shop.  
Now, on to finish up a diaper bag and some blankets, bibs, burp cloths and all that jazz for the soon to arrive Ivy Rose! 

Linking up with:
Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilts
Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
Anything Goes @ Stitch by Stitch

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

WIP's Wednesday

I actually have several projects going on right now.  

Last week Gabbie-Lou-Who and I went to Hobby Lobby for the makings of some little matching dresses for her and Sadie Mae* to wear to wear to church this coming up Sunday (when I will be babysitting Sadie). 

We I had hoped for matching tshirts but Gabbie insisted on the blue and there was no blue in Sadie's size.  There was pink in Gabbie's size but she was having no part of it.  And truthfully, blue is a great color on her.

So this is where I am so far.  All I have to do to finish Sadie's is attach the skirt.  I did mange to get it pinned while I was at lunch today (I'm fortunate to work two miles from home so I can take a little break from the office at lunch time vs eating in the breakroom/kitchen area).  

Tonight I will measure Gabbie so I will know where to cut the tshirt and how long to make the skirt.  


I've made a few teacher gifts for Gabbie's daycare/preschool teachers.  She has been with them for nearly four years and they have really been a blessing.  They love her like their own and we often kid that she is the assistant director at the day care. 

I have four done and enough fabric for one more.  But I think I need about eight of them, so I have to decide whether to order more of the same, or just use something on hand.  I do have some more school themed fabric, and I don't think they are going to argue over who gets what fabric.  I really wish I could do more for them than a notebook cover, but when you're making for eight ..... 


This is BabyGurl's diaper bag, partially cut out.  I have about four more weeks til her baby shower so I'll be good to go by then.  (Of course I also want to do some blankets, and bibs, and ..... )


And this is another purse like the one I did for my DIL for Christmas.  She has a friend who wants one.  I have it cut out and interfaced so it wont take long to stitch it up.  


And this is my sewing table with all the projects piled on it!  Oh my!  


I've been so busy with gifts and personal items lately I haven't had time to add much new stuff to the Etsy Shop, but if you're a new visitor to my blog, drop by and check it out.  

You can follow me on Facebook, and I've recently joined Instagram, so drop by and say hi.  I try to follow back anybody who follows me (though occasionally I do miss an alert, so feel free to call me out on it if you need to!) 

* Sadie Mae's real name is Sadie Lynn.   I prefer to call her Sadie Mae. 

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Linking up this week with:

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Triangle Pillow ......

I had a few triangles leftover from the TQA, and a little bit of time before Mother's Day, so I made a pillow cover (envelope back) to go along with the Triangle Quilt that I'm giving my mom. 



Also, I am newly on Instagram @sewystuff
and of course still on facebook and etsy

And for one-stop updates you can check out my website www.sewystuff.com which will give you access to all my socials in one handy dandy place! 

Linking up with:
Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts


Friday, May 2, 2014

Triangle Quilt FINISHED!

YAY!!  FINISHED!!
(Picture Overload Alert!)

I've been working on the Triangle Quilt Along with Paula @ The Sassy Quilter for .... oh, about six weeks now I think.  (It doesn't really seem like that long!) 

I picked my fabrics ..........


Cut them out .......


Got them on the design wall ....


Started sewing them together ....


My backing fabric arrived ....
 

My top got finished ...


I got it quilted and started attaching the scrappy binding ... 


And now .... FINISHED!!






My Mom always "needs one of those" whatever I'm making, so this time she's getting it.  



She has seen snippets of it when Gabbie would be looking at pics on my phone, but she doesn't get to get a good look at it (Gabbie doesn't let anyone else hold my phone!) so hopefully this will be a surprise.

Triangle fabrics: cotton quilting prints purchased in store at Hancock Fabrics.
Backing: "New York State of Mind Brick Wall Grey by Bernatex, online @ Fabric.com
Thread: Aurifil 50 wt Color 2615
Binding: scrappy, from leftover triangle prints.
All sewn and quilted in my living room on my Brother cs6000i. 

Approximate size (before washing) 54" x 62"

Linking up today with the final Quilt-Along linky party.  
You should come check out all the great quilts.  So many made with the same pattern yet they are all so different!! 

Also linking up with:
Fabric Friday Frenzy @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio
Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts
Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilts
Getting My Whoop on with Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Needle & Thread Thursday with Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
Marelize @ Stitch By Stitch

(You can find links to all these and many other great blogs/linkys in my right-hand sidebar)