What a life!

I've been a bad blogger....I haven't even blogged in months! School started--it's my last regular semester--and I have been working too, so things have been very busy1 I have been working on a scarf for my mom for her birthday; it's one of those Sashay yarn ones.  I haven't even listed anything new on Etsy, since I haven't had time to sew.  I feel so uncrafty right now, and I don't like it.......

I have some great fabric for Breast Cancer Awareness month, so I hope to get some wonderful things out and onto Etsy for October, so look for it soon!

Its been a while, huh...?

Yup, its been a while since I have posted on here....

First, work has kept me busy.  I only work part-time, but my hours are all over the board--I don't have a regular schedule and I don't have fixed days off (except when I am in school), so that can make for some odd hours.  I usually end up closing the store, but sometimes I will be scheduled for morning or mid-shift.

Second, I have been trying to work on some new things--a lot of trial-and-error to say the least!  I have an idea, think it will work according to what I already know, but it doesn't always work that way!! I've also been experimenting with at-home screen printing, stenciling, and embroidery.  I'm still working on finalizing some pieces, but I'm not ready to share.

Third, I haven't had much new to post!! Since I'm still working on things, I haven't really had anything exciting to post.  I do have a few things to take pictures of and post to Etsy, and hopefully I can rope my daughter into helping me with the pictures in the next day or so---I need a model for the bigger bags I have (they are too hard to photograph in my little photo box).

One thing I have had fun doing is making aprons! At work, we are allowed to wear aprons we make, as long as we use fabric from the store, so I've made 5 so far, 2 of which I made already for a special sale. I have 5 more I would like to make, since I figure once I start teaching, I won't want to get my clothes dirty (as an art teacher, I don't want to come to work with paint-splotched clothing).

I have been considering slowing business down, though---school will start in 6 weeks, and I have 4 classes now, but need to take 5.  In spring, I will be student teaching, so goodness knows I won't have time for anything after that!  I'm going to spend the next 6 weeks trying to make as much stuff as I can for Etsy, using materials I already have.  Gotta use it up!!

As for the tutorials I was thinking about creating....sigh!  The process is not coming out so good, so I might hold off on the idea for a while........

new inspiration for an old idea

So, I was--of course---on Pinterest, and I saw a lot of cool things. Like, how to quilt without quilting (just going zig-zaggy across your quilt surface) and making galaxy designs with bleach (the pieces are outside drying right now).

 I had an idea before of printing and decorating my own fabric; hand-painted, of course, and I thought that would step up my game a little bit.  I love working with printed fabric, but I would love to do my own thing.  I have been on Spoonflower, and I have been learning how to do repeats on Photoshop, but right now, that is a little too expensive for me to do.  So.....I might get out my litho carving tools and fabric paints and see what I can do to step it up....it seems on Etsy that things of this nature are popular, so I want to try it.  I have tried piecing my own fabrics, and making things from it, and  that comes out pretty good, so I would like to try to quilt my own fabrics and make something from that.

I also found a technique for making a zippered pouch that I would like to try--I think it might work well for piecing thicker layered and quilted fabrics.

I will, of course, add pictures as the process goes along.

Last Day of Class!!!!

Well, today is the last day of the spring semester--I just finished my last paper, and I have a movie to watch in my last class--yes, a movie.  It's a 2nd language acquisition class, and we have been studying Japanese, so we are going to watch a Japanese movie--with subtitles, of course--during our finals time.  And, no, I don't know that much Japanese, but I do know how to ask how late something is open until, and how much do certain things costs.  I can make it in Tokyo!!!

I know my apartment will be happy school is over---it needs a good cleaning!

So, that means that I will have the summer to work on a boat-load of items for Etsy!! I haven't been able to sew for about a month, since I have been so busy with schoolwork, so I am ready to start.  I might even make something tonight! I have a couple of orders to get out, so I have to get started on that. 

I will also try to post stuff on my yummiedebbie Facebook page, as well as my personal Facebook page, and see where that gets me.  Hopefully some new orders will come from that!

Back on Storenvy...and aprons!

I met someone last week at work...she makes crafts, and has a store on Storenvy...I told her I had an Etsy account AND a Storenvy account, but I hadn't used Storenvy much, since I had no luck on the site for quite a while..she told me it had changed and that she was doing well on it, so I decided to give it a go again...

I only added 3 items for now, so I hope to add some more and get things going over there.

I had thought about making aprons as another thing I can make and sell, but I just found out yesterday at work that we can now wear aprons that we make for any season.  I know we could have them for Christmas, but I was still pretty new then, and no one told me about the apron thing.  So, this weekend, I think I will make an apron, or two, maybe 3 if I have the money, so I can wear them at work instead of the standard issue ones.  I will be sure to take pics of my creations when I am done!

3D Sculpture Project for my Digital Media class

Sometimes I will post pics from my Digital Media class that I like.  I seem to have so much trouble in this class--I have been having some sort of issue with almost every project we have done! This time, we got to make a sculpture that represents ourselves, then we will be creating a computerized 3-D project after this, so I at least got this part right!  I made a shrine that represents the elements and themes that I like to use in my art projects:  Mexican, Japanese, and Chinese cultures, old photos, steampunk (the gears), ribbons, sepia tones, etc.  I did not have any of my things from India to put in there, since I have boxed up a lot of that stuff----just no time to work on it right now. I didn't realize how much I missed doing the mixed media thing! I might have to turn out some ATC's soon!

Some Spring Break........

Yup, Spring Break is almost over and I have little to show for it.  I know I should be glad that I have a job, and that I am getting paid, but it takes away from my crafting time!  The one thing I did was last Friday;  my daughter, her boyfriend and I (long story) went to San Francisco for the day.  We went to Fisherman's Wharf, the Haight-Ashbury district, and to Chinatown for a quick dinner.  On Haight Street, they went to Amoeba Records (awesome store for used CDs and movies), while I went to Mendel's.  Mendel's is an arts and crafts store, and they also sell fabric, as well as a few notions and costume supplies.  Not as much as a Jo-Ann's or Hancock, but they have a wild selection of fake fur, oilcloth, and the funky prints that I love.  I limited myself to 6 pieces (that was hard!), and I hope to have some small bags up on Etsy that I made out of the fabrics I bought.

The trip also inspired me to create a bag--and possibly a pattern---for a small, lightweight shopping tote.  Why?  In San Francisco, as it might be in other cities, they charge you for a bag.  I know IKEA charges for bags, too. Every store will ask, "Do you want a bag?" If you say, "Yes", you will be charged 10 cents, so I thought that for my next trip, I had better bring a bag!

As for other bags, I completed a small messenger bag, but its not quite complete--I don't like the webbing strap, so I might make one out of the bag fabric. I am working on more Kindle cases, and I cut out a cute chevron tote bag last night, so there is much to look forward to!

New things listed on Etsy!

So, I finally got my camera battery, and between school and work, I got some pictures of some of my products, and listed a few on Etsy.  I have 2 things you can have custom-ordered, a cat bed and a tote bag. I also have some small items,  so check out my Etsy link in the sidebar to see what I just listed. I have more things coming soon, so check here and my Etsy for the latest info!

That camera battery messed up my bank account!

So, I know I have mentioned that I needed a new camera battery. Well, I went to Best Buy's website to see if they had it before I went to the store.  My camera is almost 5 years old, so I wasn't sure if it was something they would still carry.  Well, they didn't have it, but they sold it through their merchant shops.  Good--I can still get it. I get an email this past Friday stating that my order has been shipped. Well, OK--I thought I would have gotten it by now according to the info on the website, but that's OK...What's not OK is the fact that they just charged me for it--today--and it messed up my credit card payment, causing me to have an overdraft.  GRRRR! Not happy about that, especially since money is very, very tight right now, and paying my bank $29 was the last thing I wanted to do this morning.

At least in the next couple of days I will have a new battery, and I can take lots of pics for Etsy.  I have SO much to list, because I have been sewing things like crazy--not being scheduled to work for a week will do that to you! I am also working on my business cards, and making sure I have some to hand out.  I always meet crafters that have Etsy pages, and I get their cards, but I never seem to have any to hand to them.

Cat Convention fun

So, today we were at the Cat Convention here in Reno---what fun! It was good to see all of the kitties, and to be there for the memorial for Stewie, the world's longest cat. He passed away last week--so sad.  Of course, my daughter wanted to bring home a cat, but my mom and my other cat would have some issues with that!

 I will be listing some items I was selling at the convention on Etsy in the next few days--I earned enough to get my camera battery, so I will have it ready to take some pics.  I have some crocheted cat beds, a request for a crocheted ball-type bed for a ferret (but I think a cat might like it too), break-away collars, and maybe a couple other items to list.  I just have school this week--I am not scheduled for work all this week.  Its that time of year:  things are slow, and my manager said she would try to rotate the times when we have a whole week off, so I guess its my turn.

So, if you came here because you got one of my business cards from the convention, please check my Etsy in the coming week, or get my contact info here and email me if you would like to make a special order. 

Cat convention change of venue

I was just informed that the Cat convention will now be at the Grand Sierra Resort, for those that are interested in attending. I hope I can get everything done in time that I want to sell. I can't wait!

Cat Convention coming.....

So, February 9th is the day for the 3rd annual Cat Convention, put on by the Nevada Humane Society. You can go and adopt cats, meet people, and buy cat-related merchandise and services.  I have a lot of items for sale:  crocheted cat mats and cat beds, tote bags with cat prints, other kinds of purses and purse accessories like eyeglass cases and tissue holders, breakaway cat collars, and maybe some cat dolls.  My daughter didn't like the doll I was working on, but I might sneak a couple of them in, and see how they sell. I am busy sewing, and getting things together, since we are only a couple weeks away from the big event! I wanted to get my camera battery, but I haven't done that yet, so I might have to settle for only posting a few pics right now...I will see if I can post one or two tomorrow...

Also, I am adding some leopard and tiger prints, just to be different!

Yes, I just changed it again...

I changed my layout again...new year, new look!

Cat Convention is coming!

Well, I got an email the other day, regarding the 3rd Annual Cat Convention hosted by the Nevada Humane Society here in Reno.  It's on Saturday, February 9th, and being held at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino this year. They asked me to come and set up a table again, and I am totally excited about doing it again. I did it the first year, and made pretty good money--I sold out of catnip mice!. I couldn't do it last year, since that was when I hurt my elbow.

 I have to go to my storage space tomorrow and find all of the stuff I made that didn't sell before, and to see what kind of cat-themed material I have left. I have seen a lot of fabric I could use at work, too.  I also have a good idea of some things that I would like to sell, since I wanted to make things for cats AND people.  I am also thinking of making some cat collars too.

Whatever doesn't sell, I will make a section for on Etsy to sell it there.

Happy new year..even if it's already the 10th....

So, I do want to wish everyone a happy new year! Here is hoping this year is filled with love, luck and happiness for you.

My first 10 days of the new year have been busy. I have been doing a lot of sewing--so much so that my hip is killing me:  I had my sewing machine's presser foot out of place, and it has turned my hip out so much that it's painful to walk, but I'll be OK...I moved it, so now I have to get used to it in a position that won't make me walk funny anymore.  I also found an amazingly cute font on Pinterest, and I have re-done my printed things (labels, business cards, etc) using the new font.  I'm not much for logos, so I don't use one. I like to decorate them with rubber stamps, and that's how I create the design for them. I am also trying to work on getting labels done for my work:  I have been using iron-ons on twill tape or ribbon, but I am not loving it.  I am thinking I want to try embroidered labels, but they are not cheap...

Although I have created many new things to list on Etsy, I haven't been able to list anything.  Why, you ask??? My camera battery is dying, and it won't hold a charge for more than 10 or 15 pictures.  I need a new one, but I just don't have the money to do it right now...hopefully by next week I will have the extra money, since you have to spend a little money to make a little money.

I've been trying to use some of the supplies I already have to make things--I have a ton of purse-making supplies that I got on clearance at Jo-Ann last year (before I started working there), and I have started working with that stuff.  I have also been trying to use up some fabric that I have been saving--saving for what? I don't know....I see something, like it, buy it, and don't always use it.