Being Creative

I'm so sorry I haven't posted in so long! I've been quite busy the past two weeks! I've been making more travel wallets for my online shops. I have decided to go through my fabrics by theme (which is how they're organized) and choose which ones would make (in my opinion) cute travel wallets. I've already finished novelty prints and I am now currently working on animal prints.

I have eight animal print wallets cut out and ready to put together but I'm on hold. You see, my local quilt/vacuum shop was running a special $10 off a maintenance and repair check on your sewing machine. Since I hadn't taken mine in in quite awhile, I decided to take advantage of the special. They say it may be a week before I get it back. EEEEK!!! But at least it'll be all clean! As soon as I get My Precious home, I plan on finishing those travel wallets.

I have been working on some paper items while my machine is MIA. I'm making envelope and corner bookmark sets. These are GREAT promotional items for your business! I use them myself! I usually give a bookmark as a free gift with purchases made in my shops. I use the mini envelopes to put my business cards in also.

Recently, I ran across a blog that posted online handmade markets, so I decided to see what was available besides Artfire and Etsy. I found two that I decided to give a whirl. One is called Blujay. There are no listing fees and only a 2.5% selling fee. The other I decided to try out is Winkelf. This one is absolutely free if you get the basic setup. So you may want to check those out for yourself if you're thinking of expanding your online store(s). You can find the links to my shops there on the left side of my blog page.

So, that's about all I've been up to! What have you been busy doing?

Project Basket Finished

So, here's what I do. I cut up several projects, put them in ziplocs, and throw them in a basket I have sitting on my cutting table. That way, I can just grab and go. Well, recently (ok a month or more ago) I had decided to use up all my scraps for whatever projects I could. So, I cut a TON of small items (notepad holders, tissue cozies, glasses cases, checkbook covers, cup cozies, coasters, and card wallets) and put them all in ziplocs according to what they were.

At any rate, I finally finished them all!! Yay me! So now I can finish up the rest of my Christmas gifts I hadn't gotten to yet lol. I know that sounds funny, but rather then sending gifts last year, I decided to wait until I went down south for my yearly visit and take them with me. I usually don't go down for Christmas (weather) so I never get to see anyone open their presents from me.

So, the other night, I finished up my SIL's present. I had already made her a purse but I needed to make a matching checkbook cover, cell phone case, and notepad holder. Well, the notepad holder is Tigger because she collects Tigger things (which I understand because I collect Mickey) and I always try to make her something with Tigger.

Today I hope to make a purse for my niece. This is the first time I'll be making this particular purse so I hope it turns out well. The fabric she picked is SO pretty too! I'm rather excited to see how it will turn out.

So there are lots of new things to look at in both my Artfire and Etsy stores!