It’s All About Chemistry

  This chemistry class I am taking this semester is taking over my life. The little time I did have to sew and do other fun things is now being consumed by chemistry homework and reading. I honestly do not get it at all. There are all these math problems and equations and the instructor is not very helpful. Basically I am having to learn it on my own since she doesn't go over anything in the class. I am depressed and am stuck in this until December. I just hope I pass. My 4.0 gpa will obviously be ruined after this. 😦
So I don't know when I will open my Etsy again. Or when I can get started on the custom projects. I thought maybe this weekend I could start on a few things I had previous orders on but it didn't work out as I had hoped. I have spent most of yesterday doing chemistry then today I have been cleaning my sewing room most of the morning/afternoon. It's still not done yet. I may cut some fabric and make some scrap bags for Etsy or sell on here though. I need to de-stash in a bad way. Especially now that I am not sewing yet still buying fabric. We are going to Mary Jo's Tuesday and I know that will bring even more fabric piles to my already cluttered shelves.

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Pop Garden…

  Asheville Cotton Company has some Japanese prints in their store! I was
so excited but was only on a lunch break so didn't have time to get
every print cut. I did manage to get this one though. I love it and
will be returning to the shop next week to get the rest of the
collection. 

Also, I finally received my Pop Garden fabric and must say I am a tad bit upset. The prints were so much larger than I had anticipated and the one print I got specifically for a bag I am unable to use because the flower bouquet got chopped off at the top and would look completely ridiculous on anything.

I was debating selling it on Etsy or Ebay but decided I wouldn't want to sell it for less than I paid for it. I wouldn't sell it for what I paid for it though because I felt almost ripped off. I know it's not the fault of anyone I just wish I would have known the pattern was so enormous. It would make a great window curtain, table cloth, or skirt though if you get enough yardage. Luckily Pam got me a yard of the brown background though since she was probably sick of hearing me complain to EVERYONE about how my bag I had been waiting to make since I found out about that print wasn't going to happen. So thank you Pam. I apologize for the suffering your ears must  have had to take that you actually bought me a yard of fabric to shut me up.   🙂 So I can use the piece I already have for the pockets or something.
 I decided to go ahead and keep the rest of the half yards as well and I will probably do some patchwork project out of them. They really are lovely and look great together. I think they would be perfect for little girl dresses or smocks or something. I don't have any little girls though or know anyone with them so they will probably end up in the hoard area where one day I will do something with them when time permits.

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Egg Cup Pincushion Tutorial

This isn't really rocket science but it's for a friend who just started sewing and I figured this is a simple little pincushion that looks lovely on a sewing desk.

All you need is a scrap of fabric, an egg cup (try thrift or kitchen stores), hot glue gun (or gorilla glue), and needle and thread.

First turn your egg cup upside down and draw a circle about an inch further out around the opening.

After cutting the circle out sew around the edges and cinch it.

Make sure there are good knots on the ends so when you stuff it the thread won't break.

After you fill the little ball with cotton put some glue inside the egg cup and around the bottom of the ball (around where your thread line is).

Then set the ball inside the egg cup and let the glue dry before inserting pins.

You can add ribbon around the bottom to make it spiffy or just let it be as is. I like mine plain personally, however, occasionally I do add little crystals around the top edge.  🙂

*Imported from old blog so sorry for the crap photos*

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Quick Post No Pic

What no picture? Why? Because it's been raining here for two days straight. It's still going. Let me tell you I have been rained on 12 times today.
1. going to my car for work
2. getting out of my car to take Christian to school.
3 getting back in the car from Christians school
4 getting back out to take Kody to school
5 getting back in the car from Kodys school
6 getting out of the car to go to my work
7 going to lunch
8 coming back from lunch
9 going to my car to go to school
10 getting out of my car to get into school
11 getting back to my car to go home
12 getting out of my car and into my house.

The streets of Asheville are flooding.

Needless to say I have spent the whole day with wet socks and clothes and my hair, we can't even get into that.
Maybe I should invest in an umbrella….

I got my Spoonflower acceptance today. YAY!
Now if only I can get Chris to fix my Photoshop.

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Cosmetic Bags & Moda Fabric

I made this the other night completely zoned out on the meds. I woke up amazed that it turned out okay. I will be putting this up on Etsy sometime this week. I am still working on getting the shopping cart functioning on here. I need to get one of my wonderful friends or family members to test it out to make sure it works out right before I go live.

I still can't believe the pain I am still in. Who would have thought someone lightly slamming into the back of your car would cause so much trouble. We had a family get together today and Deb got me some really lovely fabrics from Stitch in Time. I am so excited about them. I will most likely do something patchwork with them…maybe a quilt. I really have a few quilts in mind that I would love to do. It's just hard enough for me to get any sewing time right now. It would take me months to finish one project. When I could produce tons of smaller items in that same time frame.
I guess we will see how the rest of the week goes. I will figure something out by then.

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I WON!

I hardly win anything but I actually got to be the lucky one on Sheree's blog. I received 4 wonderfully soft colorful prints from her the other day. I only now just got to posting it because of the car accident. I hope this post even makes sense with all the medication I am on. Anyway I already have in mind what I am going to make with these. A little patchwork clutch. I did sew something last night though actually. I made a little makeup bag which turned out really good for the condition I was in. Tonight after the boys go to bed I will be cleaning up the sewing room and cleaning my sewing machine. It hasn't been as quiet as it used to be. Hopefully it just needs some oiling. We have Kody's birthday encore tomorrow so that will take up my whole day. I am so disappointed in my productivity these days. It's all I can do just to get a makeup bag completed. C'mon Labor Day. That's one extra free day of no work that I may get something accomplished. 

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Mail Day

I think poor Tracy (receptionist at work) is getting tired of being my mail lady. All these packages of fabric she is stuck signing in for me and bringing to me downstairs. I was trying to be good though and not buy any more fabric until Mary Jo's but once I saw these prints I caved.

I got these from Fabric Tales. It only took a little over a week to arrive. I picked the pokey mail too, aka the cheapest one. They said between 12-24 days or somewhere along those lines. I am really glad it didn't take that long though as I can't wait to start working with these prints. I did get a yard of a couple of them and am tempted to cut half of it into fat quarters for Etsy. I know some of you are thinking why am I even talking about Etsy…I haven't updated my shop in months. After discussing it with a Flickr friend of mine I decided maybe Etsy isn't the best way to go. I already gave up on Ebay because they increased the fees so much…Etsy is stiffing me too. I may just set up another page on here and have people email me if they want an item and I can send them a bill through Paypal. Or, I could try and figure out those shopping cart things and actually try and make a webstore. I don't know if I have the time to figure it out though. I set up a Paypal shopping cart on my old site but I couldn't figure out how to set a limit to the items. Someone could punch in 20 quantity of the purse I had listed even though I only had one available. I guess that is something that is probably fixable if I could force myself to sit down and really focus on it. I should have done it before this chemistry class starts…which by the way….is….tomorrow!!! I am so stressed about it. I haven't even gotten the book yet. I am a little miffed because the book is almost 200 dollars more than the class. I don't qualify for any of those grants or financial aids either since I already have a degree. The school system really makes it hard for people to try and get an education to live a normal life.
So anyway that is my drama for the next few days.

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Bohemian Babes

I got the best fabric package EVER today. Lots of cute prints from JB and then Trish sent me some items to make a glass environment jar and some cute vintage prints. As much as I would love to say stay tuned for new projects with these wonderful prints, I can't. We are going to Chris' work picnic thing tomorrow that will probably take up my whole day saturday. Then he has to work all day sunday which is usually my time I get alone to sew. It's very unfortunate. So I am a little bummed out today.  This particular print was my favorite of the package. It's Bertha from the Bohemian Babes collection by Michael Miller. I have yet to think of what I will make with it but it's fun to look at sitting on my desk as it is for now.
I am out of here. This week has been long and I am glad it's over. It's just a pity I won't get much of a weekend before the next one. Plus with chemistry starting on top of that. The class is Tuesday and Thursday nights so I doubt there will be any posting or creating going on during those days.
*sigh*

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Shinzi Katoh Bags

Here is a sneak peek at the Shinzi Katoh makeup bags. Now they could be used for items other than makeup just to clarify. I particularly like the Alice in Wonderland bag myself. That has always been one of my favorite movies though so I may be biased. I will probably be doing some more of the Merry Merry one as well since a lot of people really seemed to like that one. On other unrelated topics my mother is in town so naturally creating and blogging will slow down a bit. Plus on top of that my chemistry class starts next Tuesday. I am not sure if I am ready for chemistry. Nursing isn't too tough…chemistry though…..
 

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Weeknight Sewing…

That never really happens in this house. Usually the kids are hogging all my attention or I am too tired to even look at my sewing machine.
Today for some reason I felt the need to sew. Maybe playing in all my Japanese fabric got me in the mood. I am not sure. Either way I made a couple little boxy bottom zip pouches.  The one pictured is Shinzi Katoh "3 Little Pigs." The inside is a blue dotted print. Unfortunately my camera battery died so I didn't get a lining shot or my other little gem, MY FAVORITE. It's okay though. I will take a photo of it tomorrow. I am contemplating keeping it for myself. I already have the Merry Merry one I couldn't part with so I guess I will have to let it go. I have so many zip pouches and purses lying around. I wonder what people do with their old things  they make for themselves. I mean they are used so I don't want to sell any of it. It seems a shame to just toss it or throw it in a box to be stuffed in a closet or attic for who knows how long. I know some people give old handmade items to friends or family but I think my peeps have enough stuff like that from me. They probably have as much as I do. I have a feeling these things will all end up in some thrift shop when I am gone and it will be some thrilling find like what happens to me when I find some cute little vintage trinket or fabric item. It's weird to think of Shinzi Katoh vintage though…….

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