52 Weeks....
As a personal challenge, I intend to document crafting projects for 2008. The idea is to make, and list new items for my shop on a weekly basis. Perhaps posting my progress to the kimbuktu site each week will provide additional inspiration. I know of some who are attempting 365 (1 crafting accomplishment per day). God bless them. If I do well with this intention, who knows...maybe 365 in 2009!
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Weeks Forty Seven through Fifty Two:
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Somehow I have gotten behind in listing my weekly challenge results. I have kept busy making things. I had a custom quilt order at Christmas time which I will try and find a picture of to show. Then the holidays. Then the placemat set, and today I finished and listed this Hearts & Flowers Valentine Quilt.
My husband lost the pictures stored on our computer trying to do a recover operation. So I am starting fresh this year. January 7 marks the first anniversary of my kimbuktu store on Etsy. I am offering free shipping this week within the U.S. and reduced shipping everywhere else in celebration.
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| Crayon Forest PlaceMats |
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| Hearts & Flowers Valentine Quilt |
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| Scrappy Rose Quilted & Beaded Bag |
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| I like this bag a lot! I dug out a bunch of scraps I had from who knows where, sewed them together, did my usual all over free style quilting, and voila! A lovely scrappy Rose bag appeared. I absolutely love the way an odd assortment of fabrics come together to make one glorious whole through the piecing and quilting process. It is a wonder to me. The ugliest fabrics sometimes make the most beautiful quilts. So many analogies come to mind between quilting and life itself. This happens to me a lot with gardening too. It seems that God teaches us through the things we know and love the most.
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These two projects finished this week are not for sale.
The purse is for myself. I like to wear my own bags as much as possible for advertising sake, but also just because I like them!
The scripture quilt is for a new baby at our church. We have a small quilting group called Kingdom Quilters who make a quilt for each family with a new baby. We couldn't keep up with a quilt per child at this point, but a quilt per family to be passed along, we can handle.
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| Floragraphix B & W Bag |
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| Behold, Children are a Gift from the Lord |
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I've been working on a couple of whole cloth bags, one gorgeous Kaffe Fasset, and one in a dark and timely Floragraphix fabric.
They aren't done yet because my husband asked for some new scrub hats for work. So far I've made four, pictured are the latest two. Who knows, maybe someone at his work will love them so much they will order them. You just never know where that next sale will come from.
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| Stephanie Messenger Bag in Kaffe Fassett Lotus Leaf Print |
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| I am especially pleased with this one. It started out to be one of my backpack bags, but when it came time to cut it, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of any of this gorgeous fabric. Therefore it evolved into this messenger type bag with some hand stitched beading in the center of three flowers and freemotion quilting outlining the glorious blooms. I had just enough fabric to make the long strap which can be worn across the chest, or over one shoulder. The bag hangs at hip level and is bigger than my backpack style bags. I also added a magnetic snap for closure.
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| I actually made three others of these little coin purses this week to fulfill a custom order. I was so excited to get the order in the mail, I completely forgot to take pictures of them. People really seem to like these little purses. They are a cute size, and the zipper makes them very practical. These two feature a fabric from the Floragraphix III line. I've done some free motion quilting on the bottom side of the purse.
One happy note this week is that the Create A Day Group has rebanded and started a new blog for our collaborative creations. I will have to update the link sometime soon.
Also, a local Etsy team is forming in the Capital District Area of New York, and we are going to meet up for the first time this Sunday. Hopefully we will be able to support each other in our crafting endeavors in this area.
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| I've been making these Thanksgiving Cards to send out to friends and family this November. Since I had them made, I decided to list a few in my paperparaphernalia shop, just to see how they do. I can always make more if I (happily) need to.
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No, I haven't branched out into pottery. Those beautiful hand thrown items are from my cousin Stephanie's pottery shop in Naples NY. I am hoping she will be our featured artisan for the month of November.
The placemats are mine. I finally finished them and got them listed in my shop. They were on hold for a week or so because I ran out of the fabric used on the binding and had to go back to the store for more. I have done free motion thread embroidery outlining the leaves and butterflies of the design. Metallic gold thread for the butterflies, brown for the herbs. I have plenty more of this fabric if someone wants more placemats, or matching cloth napkins.
I like these so well with my dishes, I may keep a set for myself.
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I am now counting backwards from January 7th, 2009, which is the anniversary of when I opened my shop almost a year ago. I bought the great Moda fabric collection in this quilt through the Etsy Fabric Co-op. It's fun getting together with other shop owners and cooperating on fabric buys to get a better price than we would retail. This quilt was made mostly of pre-cut strips of fabric called a jelly roll. By saving a few steps in the quilting process, I can get the quilt done and up for sale quicker and a bit less expensively.
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| Woodland Blooms Crib/Wall Quilt |
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| Kay bag in denim and autumn mix |
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| 1000 Cranes Foldable Tote |
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Recently, I was reminded of this cotton 1000 Cranes indigo blue fabric in my stash. I had never found just the right project to cut into it for. It just seemed right to pair it with recycled denim and a blue toggle button I found in my button can for one of these foldable totes.
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| The first foldable tote sold, so I made another.
I am really enjoying the process of this design. They go together easily and efficiently. The practicality of the bag appeals to me too. How cool to be able to tuck it into your luggage or glove box and have when needed as an instant shopping bag.
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This batik tote is a prototype for a new bag I've designed. It looks lovely on your shoulder and is practical as well. It folds up and tucks into the attached sleeve at the bottom of the bag, and closes with a button. So it's great for tucking into your luggage, or taking along on a shopping spree for an extra bag.
The design started as quilt blocks from a new jelly roll of batik fabrics I got. But after realizing I came up short two blocks for the wall size quilt, I decided to use the blocks for these new bags instead.
I really like the design. The bag is named after my grandmother on my father's side of the family. She was a tall German woman with a wonderful big laugh that crinkled her whole face.
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| Kay Batik Patchwork Tote |
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| Tina Brown and Blue Batik Quilted and Beaded Bag |
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| This has been a busy few weeks. My family had an adoption celebration party for little Hope. My day job has been crazy. And our Quiltsy Team has been preparing for a virtual trunk show (click here for more info). This new bag is my current favorite. Somehow that almost always seems true, my latest creation is my favorite. Anyway, I love the colors in this one. The batiks are so rich and deep. Brown is a good color in a bag for me. I am making a second one of these for myself. I also made up a custom order this week, a bag I had listed and sold earlier - the Amanda. And I added a button and loop on one of my Binnie Beach/Baby bags for another customer. It has been a good week for Kimbuktu!
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Okay, I missed week thirty two. That's because I was working on these two scripture baby quilts. One scripture reads, " for this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me the petition I asked of Him." The other reads, "Children are a gift from God, the fruit of the womb is His reward."
I also made another youtube video of the Quiltsy Team this week. And a friend and I took an introductory class on punchneedle, so you may be seeing something of that craft over the next few months.
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So this is what I made last night, a youtube video of our Quiltsy Team. That may not seem impressive at first, but considering I knew absolutely nothing about making an internet video before last night, I am proud of myself.
If you would like to watch a better quality version of the video, click on this link and select "watch in high quality."
Oh the possiblilities of the internet!!!
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Another blank art journal. I have gotten as far as I can go on a UFO quilt I started awhile back. Now I need some fabric to do the binding. I would have gotten more done today but tonight was our first team chat on the Quiltsy Team. About 15 of us showed up, although not all at the same time. The conversation was sometimes hard to keep up with, but very entertaining. Tomorrow my husband and I have an eagle scout ceremony to attend, but I still might manage to get another journal done. Then Thursday I will pick up some fabric and get back to work on the UFO quilt.
It feels good to accomplish listing an item in my shop, no matter how small, or how long it takes.
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| Journey Blank Art Journal |
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| Square in a Square Scrap Quilt |
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I finished this UFO quilt this week. It doesn't strictly meet the requirements for 52 weeks because it will not be listed in my shop for sale. Instead it's new home will be at my daughter's on my granddaughter's wall. It is a bright and happy scrap quilt, and I think she will enjoy looking at it each morning. She already appreciates my quilts, she stares at them and smiles.
Another profitable lesson I learned was finding a new place to take pictures of quilts. This was taken at my neighborhood playground, where they have a log cabin for children to climb. It is my granddaughter's favorite piece of playground equipment, and now my favorite background for those notoriously hard to photograph quilts.
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| Believe Blank Art Journal |
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A wonderful customer from my paper store has ordered three more journals. I am so appreciative of thankfulness. The custom order of paper sleeves I just completed was also received by a thankful customer. I do not take that for granted. It encourages me to do even better. Here is the first of the three journals.
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I completed a custom order of 100 stitched paper sleeves for another seller on etsy. It was a challenge getting the colors just right for her vision of what she wanted. Lots of convo's back and forth, emailing pictures, trips to the paper aisle at my local A.C. Moore. Then came figuring out the best way to cut and stitch, and finding matching thread. The thread match that blessed me the most was also the hardest to find. I looked through all my thread for a color to match the charcoal sleeves. I was about to give up and schedule another trip to the store tommorrow, when I remembered some thread I had from a friend's step-mother which was packed away. I had helped my friend clean out his step-mother's craft room after she passed away, and he gave me many nice old sewing notions, some quilt blocks, my favorite thimble, and lots of threads on their wooden spools. Anyway, I hadn't used the thread in years. Sure enough there was a perfect charcoal to match the sleeves. I decided to keep the rest of the thread at hand to use in the future. I am thankful to be able to put to good use something I received from a woman I never met, but who shared my enjoyment for crafting.
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Just past the halfway point of my 52 week goal. July 7 marks the opening of my first shop on etsy. In celebration I am offering 10% off or free shipping on any one item in my kimbuktu shop, icraft shop, or paperparaphernalia shop. Just mention "52 weeks" in a convo to me before you buy, and I will adjust the price of one item or the shipping, whichever is less.
This little journal may not look like much, but it is just under the wire to meet my personal goal of listing at least one new thing a week. I have been working on a couple of custom orders this week, both relating to paper rather than fabric. There is also a UFO quilt in the works, which is coming along slowly but surely. And finally, and most importantly, we have been spending a lot of time with our granddaughters now that school is out for the summer. We spent most of the weekend in our pool. We all love to play in the water.
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I loved this fabric the first time I saw it. It reminds me of a garden, brown earth and different shades of green. Perfect for this season. I am so enjoying my real little garden too. So far we have eaten several types of lettuce, peas, and spinach from it. It has been a beautiful summer - warm during the daytime, and cool at night for sleeping.
Oh, and the Nantucket ACEO I listed a few days ago sold already, yahoo!
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| Got this ACEO/Gift card done and listed too. Another picture taken in Nantucket. That's my son walking on the beach.
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| Mae II Quilted and Beaded Patchwork Bag |
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You might notice that the listings went from week 21 to week 25. That's because with summertime here and family visits and functions, life got so busy I fell behind in listing each week. I was a bit shocked to see it had been since the end of May that I last listed a new item!
I do have three more bags about 2/3 of the way done, and some coin purses started, so hopefully I will be able to list more than just this bag by the end of the week. Still, I am thankful to get this one done. It is the best I can do right now.
Also take note that the picture was staged outside rather than the usual lightbox photo. This past week I jumped onto the hotseat of an Etsy virtual lab critique, and was encouraged to crop my pictures closer for interest's sake. Taking that critique a step further, I decided to try some outside settings. We will see how this goes. I am torn between the clean professional look of the lightbox, and the perhaps more artistic and interesting look of varied backgrounds. To find the right balance will be a challenge.
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| ACEO and Gift Card |
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Another listing, yay, two days in a row!
This is an ACEO and gift card I'm selling in my paperparaphernalia shop.
I took the photo on a family vacation to Nantucket. I made a treasury this week featuring Nantucket and used this ACEO card as one of the items. I've never put myself in a treasury before, but this picture is just so indicative of the overall feeling of the island that I had to use it.
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One of the teams I am on is doing a swap. This little "love is patient" bag is my contribution. I especially like the soft denim of the bag body recycled from a pair of jeans. The yoyo and metal tag keep it from being too plain I think.
I haven't participated in a swap before. It was a little nervewracking, and the deadline was looming, but I finally got it done! Tomorrow morning it flys off to my secret swap partner. Sure hope she likes it!
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| Woohoo, I'm on a roll....latest bag. I really like this one. I usually find I like my most recent work the best until the next one comes along. This bag is made from Kumiko Sudo's Shiki collection. The fabrics have a watercolor effect, very light and summery. I added light lime colored beads and lots of freemotion quilting.
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I like this bag so well, I am going to make another to keep for myself. The perfect bag to grab and go with your favorite jeans. Soft faded blue batik, three inside pockets, swinging beads.
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| Blue Jean Batik Beach Baby Bag |
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I love the soft blue of this batik fabric. When I saw it in the store, I thought of faded comfortable jeans (my personal favorite garb). I put in an oval bottom to this bag, which was new to me. It just made sense with the shape of the bag, and worked out nicely.
It has been a busy gardening week for us. I planted a vegetable garden and James hedged it with chicken wire to keep out the rabbits (but not before they had demolished most of my peas and half the green beans!). Then we weeded and planted impatiens, hosta, astible (sp?), a fern, and my favorite - lavender. I have a lavender collection and add a plant or two each summer. Wouldn't it be nice if it were spring all year....
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| Origami Recycled Mini Moo Business Card Holders |
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Just in under the wire again this week with my listings on Sunday night.
In addition to these origami recycled business card holders made out of glossy magazine paper, I made another of the ACEO gift cards. This one is of flowers my husband gave me on our last anniversary.
I have been working on two new bags, which I am kind of excited about. They are of a soft blue batik fabric which will go wonderfully with blue jeans. One is a beach baby bag, and the other is a patchwork quilted and beaded bag.
I have been having some computer problems, which has slowed down my internet activities. And with summer right around the corner, the garden beckons louder and louder. Lovely May.
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| ACEO and Gift Card |
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May 11
Something new for me this week, I tried my hand at ACEO's.
It wasn't something I was really interested in doing, but one of the teams I am in on etsy is having an ACEO challenge. After I took some really good pictures at this weekend's tulip fest, I decided to enter these. I added a scripture from Song of Solomon. The theme of my cards is "spring," so I thought this particular verse fit well.
Not just an ACEO, I attached them to gift cards with a repositionable glue so they can be given as gifts. People collect these little artist trading cards. They only measure 2 1/2 x 3 1/2. Some folks get an amazing amount of artwork on a tiny little rectangle.
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| ACEO and Gift Card |
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| Scripture ACEO's |
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| Kayren Spring Morning Bag |
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May 6
Tomorrow is the 4 month anniversary of the opening of my shop on etsy.
This bag reminds me of a spring morning, all green growth and blue skies. I have named it in honor of my friend Kayren who is graduating from nursing school this month.
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While looking through my Hancock Fabric catalog this morning, I was struck with how colorful the pages of advertisements were, and started thinking of how to recycle them. Then I remembered an origami book corner design, and the idea was born of making some for my icraft shop. I am also thinking of making some business card holders out of the same magazine in a size to fit the smaller business cards expected in the mail this week.
This cute little hip pocket bag, modeled by my granddaughter, is designed from a purchased pattern. To make it my own, I added some beaded embellishments and a charm tag.
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| Tagalong Beaded Zipper Pocket |
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| Recycled Origami Book Corners |
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Although I worked on a number of things this week (yoyo vest for my granddaughter, a knitted bag, a quilted bag), I did not finish anything to list in my shop. So Friday and Sunday afternoon I whipped up, scanned, and listed two sets of scrapbook tags. I actually finished four sets of tags, but the scanner gave me a problem with the last ones so I did not list them yet. I was glad to meet my goal for the week.
The create a day circle challenge was supposed to end this Saturday. I did not finish my entry in time, and in fact, only one person posted their challenge contribution on time. It was a lovely glass bottle decorated with puka shells. I commend Stacy's effort for meeting the challenge.
See her work here:
http://createaday.blogspot.com/
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April 28
I listed two more sets of journaling tags on icraft this morning. And tonight I finished up my first felted bag. I knit the bag on a circular frame, then washed it in hot water and dried it to felt it. I added a needle felted butterfly to the front, added a rolled felted shoulder strap, cotton lining and zipper closure. I think it is kind of cute. I love the way it hangs. the length is just right for tucking securely under my elbow.
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April 13
So far this has been a buying week for me. I found a couple of sources of organic cotton, and bought some handmade gifts for family events coming up. Lots of fun to be on the purchasing end, but enough of that for now. I am working on a knit bag which I plan to felt, add a leather strap and snap. This is a fun learning process.
The week is new...I have time to list my one new thing by next Sunday.
Once again, I made it just under the wire. I have been working on many things - a new quilted bag, two knit and felted bags, and these coin purses. Everything is in a state of incomplete, except for these two which I was determined to finish and list in my etsy shop before the week was over. It is good to have a plan, it lends to success.
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I have been on a hunt for organic materials to use in some of my bags. So far I have learned that I probably don't want to use bamboo right now, and that organic cotton is quite expensive, especially if it has a print on it. I did find some organic cambray in a natural color that I am going to tea dye before making it into a bag. I don't really want to get into the whole dying process. Working with the chemicals does not appeal to me at all. But if there are some natural elements I can use to dye simply, I will give it a try.
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| Midnite Sun Pieced, Quilted, & Beaded Bag |
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| I am ahead of myself in listing this bag already this week. Actually I had planned on listing it yesterday but ran out of time to finish the last little bit up. I just got my listing in under the wire with the Sunrise Over the Ocean bag. It was late Sunday night when I posted. Still, I made my goal, and that is what counts, right?
These last two bags have not been named after people as in the past. I named this bag midnite sun because it reminds me of my childhood in Alaska when the sun in the summer would still be shining at midnight.
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I had a breakthrough in the assembly process of my bags this week. It will make it more efficient as well as improve the quality of the workmanship. I was able to get two bags done this week as well as some hand sewing of yoyo's for a vest I am making for my little granddaughter. I also bought some wool and felted it in the washing machine. I am very interested in working with felted products, especially bags.
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| Sunrise Over the Ocean Pieced & Quilted Beaded Bag |
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I've made four of these little coin purses this week. Each one is unique, some have ribbon zipper pulls, one has paper braid as a pull, there are a few yoyo's and buttons. It's fun searching my stash for new combinations. The only thing I've had to buy are the 4 inch zippers.
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March 26
I'm using up some of my extensive fabric stash on this one. It is a bigger version of the coin purse I made last week. I didn't make it larger on purpose, I just picked the wrong size circle template when I was making it. Some folks might prefer this size, but I think the next ones I make will be the smaller version because they are so cute!
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| Bigger Coin Purse |
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So here's how I spent my day...
It's a prototype of a new bag design I am trying out. This is from a purchased pattern. Most all of my bags so far have been designed by me. I did alter the pattern by adding a panel and a zipper. The pattern called for an open bag, or at the most a button type closure in the middle. I prefer a more secure closure and was really determined to figure out how to add a zipper. It worked out pretty well considering it was the first time I had made this design. But it took a loooong time!
Now I need to concentrate on getting some things done around the house like laundry, my daughter's taxes, dinner, those sorts of things.
March 18
I am making these little coin purses for an upcoming sampler the create a day group might be doing. In the meantime I will list them in my etsy shop and see how they do. I like a zippered small coin purse. Sometimes I keep my lipsticks in them. They are handy and easy to find in my bag.
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| Quilted Zipper Coin Purse with YoYo and Blue Velvet Ribbon |
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I had a bit of a struggle with inserting the lining and getting the cording right with this bag, but I am happy with the way it turned out. My goal this week is to make and list at least three items. I am excited to try two new bag patterns, and maybe make a coin purse or two. I want to incorporate those cute little yoyos somehow too.
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| YoYo Makeup Bag |
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| I got some tools this weekend for making two different size yoyos, and have been playing with them. Years ago, I had tried the yoyo thing and not enjoyed it very much, but this tool makes them FUN! There is a whole yoyo world out there...heart shaped yoyo's, flower shaped yoyo's, even butterfly shaped yoyos. I find it very soothing to sit and do hand sewing when I don't want to focus too hard, so these projects fit me to a T.
I also found a new site to post my crafts. It is a Canadian site similar to Etsy, just starting up. I put up the Jillian bag for a start, and will see how it does. Some things I like a lot about the site...less competition, larger pictures, easier listing process. And for the first year no fees. Interesting and productive weekend. In addition to my crafting endeavors, I spent time with two of my granddaughters and coordinated a children's fellowship at church.
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| Jillian Quilted Beaded Bag |
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This is the first in a series of scripture quilts I will be making. A few other women and I have been making them for the new babies in our church for a few years. This one is a one block ohio star in batiks, Kaffee Fassett, and a variety of other blue cotton fabrics. Quilts are hard to photograph because of their size and because showing the close up stitching is a big part of their beauty. We don't have the formula down yet. I would love to be able to take photo's of them in a garden. Right now it is all snowy outside, a little too chilly for photographing.
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| Behold, children are a gift from the Lord. |
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| Leigh Quilted Patchwork Bag with Lavender Beading |
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The first Leigh bag sold quickly, so I finished up this replacement today. It is not exactly the same, it has lavender beads and is open inside (no pockets), but is made with the same great Kaffe Fassett fabric collection. Next I plan to finish up the batik scripture quilt. And tomorrow the March Crafter Spotlight featured artist is unveiled. I am guessing you will love her as much as I do!
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A good start to the week, got this bag finished and listed tonight. It has been a busy couple of days with two of my granddaughters here all weekend - lots of fun, but not much crafting time. They did some crafting projects too. My eight year old has been getting into crocheting and is making a purple blanket for her doll. The little one loves setting tiny colorful beads in a design on a plastic form, and then I iron the beads until they melt together. I kind of enjoy those projects too!
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| Faith Quilted and Beaded Patchwork Bag |
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February 23 I finished and listed my Faith Quilted and Beaded Patchwork Bag today. This one is named after my littlest granddaughter. It is fashioned out of the latest 2008 collection from Kaffe Fassett. His colors and designs are stunning, and I love to work with this fabric. This particular bag is in pastel spring shades with such names as celadon lichen, silhouette rose, and blue anemone. Two more bags from this fabric collection are near completion, and you will be seeing them here shortly.
On another note, a featured artist is already scheduled for the March Crafter Spotlight. I can't wait to share her work with you!
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Although I worked on a scripture quilt this week, I did not get it finished or anything new listed in my store. I was a little disheartened by not meeting my weekly goal, but realized the best thing to do was just keep on working. Here is a picture of the unfinished baby size or small wall quilt.
Part of the reason it was a slow crafting week was a wonderful weekend James and I spent babysitting. Family definitely comes before crafting goals. It was well worth the lost work to spend time with such a sweet and funny baby! We both came away from the weekend refreshed, rested, and renewed.
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| Children are a Gift from the Lord |
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| Daisy Sky Blue Blank Art Journal |
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| I also finished this blank art journal.
Reminds me of spring! An updated "What's New" page entitled, " Dreams of Summer" is currently awaiting a technical difficulty to be resolved, and then I will publish to the site. That shows where my mind is. This has been a long winter. I am definitely ready for some budding leaves, gardening, and lots of sunshine!
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| Emma Quilted Patchwork Bag |
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| To meet my sales goal for the year I need to sell more items per week, which means I need to make more items per week. I am upping my expectations of myself a bit. These last two bags are a bit simpler than my beaded backpack purses in that they don't have beads (which take time to adhere, and cost more); but, they aren't as simple as the bag I did week four because they are quilted. Therefore the price is in between those two styles.
I like these spring and summery fabrics. One is called Chez Moi, and the other Summer in the City, both by Moda. I am also experimenting with different colored backgrounds. I figure as long as I stay within my color palate, my shop should cohere.
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| Riley Quilted Patchwork Bag |
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This week I tried out a new pattern for a wallet. I liked how it turned out except that the binding is a little rough. Next time I will put it on by hand. I ended up keeping this one for myself because I needed a new wallet. Also did a new journal. I think this one turned out really pretty, purples, blues, and greens. It has a metal plate that reads "dream big." The base art books I decoupage on are of a really good quality. No lines and suitable for drawing as well as writing. I use them for both. I sold three bags this week so next week will be making a couple more with the same fabric. Oh, and I had a custom order for a crochet tool pouch from someone who had bought a bag to use for her crochet projects.
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| dream big.... |
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| custom order |
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| Amanda On the Go Bag |
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I wanted to try a bag at a lower price point just to widen the range of options, so I made this simple little bag. It's lined and has inside pockets, like my previously listed bags, but it is not quilted or beaded. The cost of materials is less and it takes less time to make, so I can charge less for it. I also started a matching wallet, which I will probably finish tomorrow.
I did sell a couple of my other bags this week, which feels great!
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| tan and cream |
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| January 21 Martin Luther King Day
Today, I listed two more of these little music player cases. They are fun to make, and don't take too much time, once I finished the prototype and worked through a few glitches.
Next I think I'll work on a baby scripture quilt in a star pattern. My friend Tina is doing the embroidered scripture for the quilt. I have an embroidery program for my sewing machine, but hers is easier to work.
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| fuchsia |
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January 19
Today, I made something small - an ipod/MP3 player case. I want to have a few accessories for sale like wallets, checkbook covers, coin purses, and these little totes. That way a person can try one of my smaller items, at a lower price, to see whether they want to make a larger investment in, say, a bag or quilt.
Thanks to my young friend Amanda for lending me her MP3 player as a model for the pictures. I don't have a player of my own. I usually have a song in my head, and a player would just interfere!
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| ipod/MP3 player case |
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| Megan Red Quilted Bag |
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| January 17
I am on a red kick (Valentine's Day is coming up). I finished this red bag last night, and James photographed it this morning. Making my purses is getting more streamlined, faster, from start to finish. Because I have gone through the process recently, I don't have to rethink each step. And getting more done in a shorter amount of time is satisfying.
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January 16
This little booklet can be used for scrapbook journaling or as a gift for that special someone. I made it with designer paper, and stamps. Inside are ten blank pages numbered from 1-10 to list things you love about the recipient. I made a scrapbook page like this for my husband and I think it is his favorite page to date.
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| 10 Things I love About You |
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January 8
Not a real crafty day, but I did finish another mini album, this one on Family. Oh, and I made a little progress on the next Fruit of the Spirit quilt in my Kingdom Quilters group. We get together to make baby quilts for new babies in our church and others, as well as occasional special projects. Last year we made 20 tiny quilts for the NICU at Vassar Brothers Hospital.
I did make my first sale (wahoo!), and was featured in my first treasury on Etsy. Got my post office box too, so progress is being made.
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| mini album |
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| Jillian Bag |
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Getting my shop filled is definitely a fun adventure. To work at something we love is a gift from God. It is joy to have health and energy to spend; the challenge is to to know how and where to spend it wisely.
I learned a lot this week: how to copy and write some computer code to link my etsy shop and site to a another blog, how better to attach d-rings to my bags, how to calculate international shipping, how to package and mail sold items out to my customers (another sale!), and a load of little things I can't remember right now.
I've added a bag and small heart quilt to my inventory this week. Oh, and my postage scale arrived.
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| doll or wall quilt |
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| Daniella Bag |
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| January 1, 2008
A good start on the new year, today I finished two bags, shopped for supplies, and helped my husband photograph three bags for my shop.
January 2
Worked on my bags a little, but need more cording. Did some quilling for the "merry heart" series placques.
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| Heather Bag |
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January 5
Today was a picture taking day. I finished up the last in the 'merry heart' series and worked on one of the little pocket journaling/photo albums. Mostly though I hung out with my family.
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January 7 a.m.
It is now 1:30 in the morning and I have just finished listing items in my newly opened shop! What a rush! This is so much fun. I plan on posting a few more items before days end - a couple of quilts I need daylight to photograph, a small mini album on family, and maybe another backpack bag.
For now it is off to bed after a very satisfying day.
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| tropical stippled quilt |
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| January 7 p.m.
Today was photographing and listing two quilts, and learning how to post to a blog on google. I joined the create-a-day challenge organized by enigmachck on etsy as an extra incentive to keep up my momentum in stocking my shop.
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| Galatians 5 - fruit of the spirit quilt |
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