Holiday Madness!!!!!

Im so sorry I have not had more time to update my blog the past month or 2... This is what I feel like doing at times... see the photo? Run away!!!! Run as fast as you can!!!! Naaaaaaaa... I wouldnt run now if my life depended on it!!! :) Things have been great... but sooooo crazy!!!! The skirts and rosettes are flying off the shelf... almost faster than I can keep up... its been great! But Im starting to feel like the holidays are getting ready to wiz right by me... so Ive made an executive decision (ha!ha!)... Im taking a "skirt vacation" after my last show coming up this Saturday at Market Square (come see me if you're in town!)... Im stepping away from the sewing machine until after the New Year.... I think my sanity might depend on it!! :)~

The past couple days I realized just how busy Ive been with my skirt business, and I've been missing some quality time with the family... especially my daughter. So last night, we spent some overdue quality time together putting up all of the Christmas decorations around the house... we had put up the Christmas tree last weekend, but nothing else... it was looking just a bit un-festive around here... so we fixed that right up! And had such a wonderful time doing it!! Alex has really gotten into this whole decorating thing... and I have to say... she's not bad for 8! :) Her new favorite show is the decorating show "Boys vs Girls"... she watches it every morning while she eats her breakfast before school... I love it!!! Although... I might not love it so much when she tells me she wants to turn her bedroom into a skating rink, or some other off the wall idea... eh! You're only a kid once, right?! And it's just one room... (I must be losing my mind!)

Well, as I slow down for just 5 minutes this morning (before I run upstairs and start another sewing marathon!)... I try to remind myself what this season is all about... its not about, sew, sew, sew... sell, sell, sell... its a celebration... a celebration of Jesus' birth... a celebration for the love he has for all of us... a reminder to make a special effort to show that same love to others around us this holiday season... even when we might not want to... or might not typically stop long enough to bother... that's when the Good Lord is truelly present in our lives... when we do those unusually good deeds... even the tiny ones... I truelly think it makes our souls glow when we do those "little things"... sure, when we do good things for others, it certainly blesses others... but I think when we do good things for others, it feeds our souls in such a wonderful way... a little blurp from one of the sermons a couple weeks ago continues to stick in my head... "when you truelly give everything that you have to give... and not just the "leftovers", that is where we find God.... " That has been one of my favorite sermons this holiday season... something that really hit home for me... its easy to give the "leftovers"... whether its going out of your way to fix a special meal for your family on just a regular quick-meal kinda night(instead of pizza or leftovers).. or whether its giving $25 (instead of the usual $5) to church or a charity... whether its passing a friend you havent seen in a while and stopping for 10 minutes to give them a big hug and ask them how they've been and make a reconnect even when you dont have the time (instead of just smiling and saying "hey!")... whether its making eye contact with an elderly woman at the grocery store and offering them a sincere smile or help reaching the top shelf(instead of looking the other way and quickly rolling by because you're short on time)... so many things we let pass us by... let us(me) not get so caught up with the busy-ness of the season, that I let it pass me by... this is my prayer today. Have a WONDERFUL Tuesday all!!!! :) and I know we are still 2 1/2 weeks away.... but MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!!

Very proud parents of our Long Jumper!

Ok, so what's the difference to being just plum proud of your child for achieving something and wanting to shout it out to the world... and bragging? I try to teach our daughter NEVER to brag... to always be proud of yourself for your accomplishments, but not to do it in a manner that makes others feel inadequate... so what is that fine line? I know I tend to be too sensitive about this subject at times... but there's nothing more annoying than someone boasting about themselves all the time... such an unattractive quality! But there has to be a way to be proud of an accomplishment and wanting to share that accomplishment with the ones you love... so I suppose its in the approach... the sincerity behind it... how do you teach that? I guess the best way is by example... but Im not even sure I know! Ive always been overly conscious about all that that I probably dont talk about myself ENOUGH sometimes... so where's that happy medium?... at bible study, we are taught to always bring our WHOLE selves to church, or to a relationship or to a conversation... that THATS where we find God's grace... well, Im trying... and right now, I just want to shout out to the world how proud I am of our baby... she won Longest Long Jump of all the girls in 3rd grade that tried out at Brickey... who knew?!!! Our baby can JUMP! :) She'll be going to the county competition.... she will be representing 3rd grade girls from Brickey in the Long Jump competition... way to go sweetie!!! Mommy & Daddy are so proud of you giving it your all!!!!

KCHST Etsy Holiday Show & Sale - Nov.7th - Knoxville - West Town Mall

Ok all you Christmas shoppers.... on your mark, get set, GOOOOO!!!!!!!! It's that time again... time to start thinking about that long Christmas list... and what better gifts to give than something wonderfully unique, handmade, and from a local Knoxville artisan!!!

Support your local artists this Holiday season!!!!!

There will be tons of local Knoxville talent out at the KCHST Holiday Show & Sale over at West Town Mall, this Saturday, Nov.7th from open to close. Come on out and check it out... everything from children's clothing and accessories (that's me!), to jewelry, to hand-knit items, to pottery, to hand blown glass items, to soy candles, to soaps, and so much more!!! There will be over 40 artisans set up. We will be set up in the mall, in front of JCPenneys, where Santa will be set up starting this Sunday.... can you believe? Santa is here already?!!! I don't know about you, but this holiday season really snuck up on me!!! The older I get, the quicker time seems to go... Well, I'm just excited that my mom is coming in from Delaware to keep me company during the show this weekend... as the holidays start to roll in, I always tend to miss my family (especially my mom) more during this time... I wish we lived closer, to do all the fun Christmas festivities together... bake cookies, shop, decorate, share nostalgic stories as we come across old ornaments... its just tough to cram that in to a 4 day visit during Christmas... anyhow, I love ya' Mom!!! Thanks for making the 10 hour drive in for me this weekend!!! You're the best mom ever!!!!

New Snigglefritz Hair Accessories!!!!

Ok, been trying to play catch-up after nursing the family back to good health this past week... recovering from flu and pheumonia... fun! fun! fun! Im very thankful they are all on the upside of it now!!!

So I finally uploaded all of the new hair accessories.... flower hair clips and flower headbands!!! Check them out and let me know what you think!! www.snigglefritz.etsy.com

Oh! and I uploaded some new holiday doggie collar covers too... I couldnt leave the pups out for the holiday festivities!! :)

Send me some feedback... any feedback... good or bad!!!

Virginia Creeper... aaaaaahh... the fresh air!

Ok, so we experienced the Virginia Creeper for the 1st time... and wow!!! What an amazing day!!! A perfect sunny Fall day to bike ride down the mountains! We biked the top 1/2 which is all down hill or flat... 17 miles... long, but not bad... we only wished we had given ourselves more time... we had a 3 family group... including ages 3 all the way up to 40... our wee ones were tired by the end, but they all hung well and did great!!! Lots of quaint little towns that we didnt have time to see much of, but that just gives us extra motivation to get back up there and do it again.... I highly recommend!!! A great break from the business of life!!! A perfect family outing in my opinion! If you go, try to get up there by 10ish... takes about 2 hours to get there from Knoxville... leave yourself plenty of time for stops... I wanted to stop about every mile to take pics, but since we were with a big group, I tried to keep that urge under control!! :) But I could definately spend a very full day up there taking beautiful pics and enjoying the quiet peaceful sounds of nature... and the wonderful feeling of the warm sun shining down on my face through the trees on a chilly Fall day... just wonderful!!!! I wish everyone some "peaceful" Fall moments this week... take an opportunity when you can to take advantage of the amazing beauty around us right now... and take a long, deep breathe... I'm pretty sure I need to practice this waaaaaaay more often than I have been!!! PeAcE to you all!

One of those weeks!!!

Ok, this has been one of those "not-according-to-plan" weeks... Ive had to just throw the To-Do List out the window... but Im trying my best to take it in stride and just go with the flow! My husband has been sick for the past week with a major cold/sinus thing, so I have been doing my best to take care of him and everything else while he tries to sneak in some extra rest inbetween working... so he is finally starting to get over his thing and feeling better, and now my daughter is sick... her throat has been hurting the past couple days, some swollen glands going on... trying to give her mucinex and advil hoping it was some sort of sinus thing, and now we found a big white little ball in the back of her throat... all I can think is Strep... EEK!!! So Ive kept her home and the earliest I can get into the doc is 10:45 this morning.

Meanwhile, Im trying to keep up with getting orders out inbetween everything else... but frustrated that I have 3 skirts cut and waiting to be sewn, then a new style that is waiting to be cut and sewn too before my Wednesday show next week and my big West Town Mall show the week after!!! EEk!!! Then I have a PTO Spiritwear Sale & Fun Week getting ready to start at my daughter's school next week (my responsibility) and I still dont have my tshirt samples back to take pics of and make the order form... I am suppose to make 1000 copies and have them distributed to all the teachers TOMORROW!!! ugh!!! Feeling a bit stressed... trying not to let it pour over onto the family!!!! I think I need to wear my tshirt that says "I have issues" today.

On a brighter note, we had bible study last night... talk about a breath of fresh air in the week of chaos!!! We rambled on about deep pocket sheets and eggs for about 15 minutes before we ever got started... it was so random but so great!!! Freshens my spirit every time we go!!! I think I could have used a 3 hour session instead of just a 1 hour session to get through this particular week though!!! :) Deep breaths... in with the good, out with the bad... deep breaths... deep breaths... have a great weekend everyone!!! ;)

Oh yeah... can't forget a pic of the bride & groom!

And here is the beautiful couple... my little cousin isnt so little anymore... :( He's all grown up... which, you know what that means... that means... I'm OLD!!! Naaaaaaaa.... I truelly do believe you are as old as you think you are... and I think I'm 29... that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!! :)

Congratulations Ben & Kim!!!! We are so happy for you both!!!

The view of the Chesapeake Bay

This is the view from the wedding reception... it's like the good Lord was laying his hands upon this special event giving his own personal blessing . Just breathtaking!!!

Cut'n a Rug at the Wedding

Ben & Kim's Wedding in Stevensville, MD

This is Kim and Alex... Kim is my cousin's beautiful bride. Their wedding was 2 weekends ago in Stevensville, MD... right on the Chesapeake Bay. I just cant tell you how amazing this wedding was... the view, the weather, the food, the music, the little details... everything!!! It was just incredible! They did an amazing job with the planning and prep work and it showed for sure! They make such a sweet couple!

Alex was thrilled to be their flower girl... she looked so pretty!! Well, for the first 1/2 anyway... once the kid-favor markers found their way to her dress... along with the chocolate fountains... and then there was some sort of break-dancing going on on the dance floor too (I'll see if I can add some pics of her and her cousin cut'n a rug together)... that by the time she was finished beating up on the dress, we actually left it behind at the hotel... yes, it was THAT bad!!!! But you know what, she got through the ceremony looking sweet as can be, so the h*** with the rest! We snapped some beautiful pics (pre-marker and choc fountain) so we do have proof that she can clean up well when we scrub really hard!! :)

Anyhow, Ben & Kim... we love you guys!!! Thanks for letting us be a part of a very special day!!!

I might be off my rocker.... Doggie Collar Covers!!!

Ok. so I just might be off my rocker... my husband certainly thinks I am!!! I've just added a new little collection to my website... Shabby Fashion Dog Collar Covers!!! :) Oh come'on!!! Stay with me here... so I have been collecting these fabric remnants as I've been making these skirts... too small to put into another skirt, but too big to throw out... so they've been piling up and piling up and piling up. So I was in a store a couple weeks ago and saw these nifty little dog collar covers... now, I say "nifty" because of the whole concept... but thats all that was "nifty" about them... the fabric that was used was probably the ugliest fabric on the face of this planet!!! So last week I started jogging my brain on what I could use my remnant fabric for... and it hit me... those Doggie Collar Covers!!!! Ok, so I think I'm either going to sell these things like hot-cakes... or Im going to get locked away in a padded room somewhere!!! Have my creative juices went too far this time? Well, we'll see I suppose... but let me just tell'ya... they sure do look cute as can be on Kelsey and Allie!!!!! :) So what's your vote? Cute? or... Off my rocker?

A beautiful night's sky!

Ok, so I just had to post this picture from last night's moon... Brent and I were out on the front porch waiting for Alex to get home from Awanas and we both noticed how cool the moon & sky looked so I grabbed the camera and snapped a shot... and thought I'd share with all of you! :) It's all part of my "stop and smell the roses" therapy Im trying to train myself to do more often!!! :) Im calling a strike against my constant To-Do List!!! What's life all about if at the end of it, all I can say is, "I finished everything on my list!!!" So, my advise for today... look up at the sky tonight... and enjoy the view!! :)

Free Hugs... Pass it on!

http://www.freehugscampaign.org/

Check out the video from the above site.... what a wonderfully simple concept of spreading some love... they played this video at church on Sunday... it has really stuck with me (thanks Thom!)... I just love it!!! Hug one person today that you might not usually hug... it might change someone's day more than you would ever realize. Hugs to you all!!!! :)

"The Plant Project"

So here we have a picture of a piece of the"The Plant Project". Alex and her classmates were given a project to "Design a Plant". So here's my dilemma as the parent... how much is too much help? So when she was trying to get started and thinking what she could make it out of... she was thinking basic construction paper... but i thought... OO!!! Ive been saving all of the toilet roll and paper towel rolls for some sort of craft project... this is perfect... so I gave her that... then I had another OO!! moment... I have a bunch of scrap fabric left over from making skirts... "You can use that!" I told her... so from there... she took over... she figured out how she wanted to cover the rolls... the pattern that she wanted... she found some green floral tape and insisted to cover the stem portion with this tape... so she had all of the pieces put together and then it was time to figure out how to keep all the pieces together as one flower/plant.... thats where the glue gun had to come into play... so we pulled out some popsicle sticks and i hot glued the sticks to the middle and peddles and then Alex added little designs to each stick... so anyhow... to make a long story a little longer... we put it all together... and Daddio comes in and sees it and says "Wow... the teacher's never going to believe she did that by herself"... so here I am now... fretting over this poor project... "did I do too much?... no, i only gave her the materials and handled the scolding hot glue... but was that too much?... should i have let her do whatever she was going to do with the construction paper?... naaaaa... I was just teaching her that she can use other mediums other than paper... and to try and think 3 dimensional... but is this her idea now, or my idea?.... blah, blah, blah.... " It's that little battle between the angel/backer on one shoulder and devil's advocate on the other shoulder, ya know? Anyhooo... I will be starring at this 3 foot flower until Friday when it's due... and probably continue to torment myself until then... can we say "LET IT GO ALREADY!!!!" :)~

Ahhhh... the joys of being a parent... this whole "getting older" thing has me a little perplexed this year... its a new phase in letting her take on more responsibility and has me trying to figure out where Im suppose to take a step back and where I'm still suppose to take a part... didn't I just give birth to this child yesturday? Surely she can't be 8 already!!! Final note for the day... give your kids an extra special hug today and look them in the eyes and tell them how much you love them!!! :) Hugs to all of you!!! OO!! Hugs!! That gives me an idea for my next post!

Cats and Plants... and Kids Teeth...?!@#

Ok, so the 2 subjects on this header have nothing to do with one another... but that's whats on my mind right now...

So 1st... cats... this is Boots... aka "Bootsie" when she's being sweet.. or "CAT!" when she's being mischievous. This is our first cat... adopted her from a stray kitten about a year ago... we've been dog people all of our lives, but we love all animals and she stole our daughter's heart, so what were we to do? Well, obviously, bring her home! :) So she has adapted well... the dogs get along with her quite well... our younger dog, Allie loves to play with her sometimes... and Bootsie loves to play chase with Allie... she knows that Allie is suppose to stay inside the baby gate in the kitchen and family room... so she'll zoom right past Allie getting her all wound up... and get her chasing her, then she'll go straight for the gate... hilarious to watch!! Anyhoooo... so our only obstacle that we have not overcome with Boots is the plant thing... she has killed every living plant in the house except for our last 3... we have 1 tree left that is on the floor in the kitchen, and then 2 potted plants that we have had to put up on the top of the fridge to keep them safe... now, you might say... "Well my cat can get up on the fridge!"... yeah, yeah, yeah... ours can too... but she doesnt like to because we've surrounded the top edge with inside out strips of duct tape!!!! Its the only way she'll leave them alone!! So that brings us back to the 1 last tree that has survived... we have put chili pepper on the top of the soil... tin foil around the edge, saran wrap, skewers poking out the top, even this spiky rubber stuff that you wrap around the trunk.... and NOTHING HAS WORKED!!!! HELP!!!! Please, please, please, I beg for some good insight on this one!!!! Its a matter of tree life or tree death!!!

Ok, so on to our next subject... children's teeth! Our daughter is 8 and is a pretty disciplined morning brusher... we're not very good about brushing at night... we do sometimes, but forget other times... my husband and I both grew up morning brushers, so that is just what sticks with us... anyhow, she brushes with good effort every morning... however, her big teeth are coming in pretty crooked on top... so when she brushes, it just doesnt get in some of those tough areas where her teeth are overlapping and crooked... so my question is... do children get braces now'a'days before all of their adult teeth are in? I dont know the answer to this, but my daughter has been noticing kids the same age with braces on... so it makes me wonder... should this be something I look into? I hate to think of the cavities we will be accumulating because she can't get into those tough places very well while we are waiting for the rest of our big girl teeth to come in... I suppose this is a question for our dentist... our next cleaning is coming up soon... just thought I'd throw that out there though... surely someone else has experiences this as well... maybe you can help shed some light on the situation...

Ok, back to work... today is Monday... and its starting off to be our first beautiful Fall week... after 2 weeks of rain, rain, rain... aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh.... I LOVE Fall!!!! :) Enjoy your week everyone!!!

Market Square in Knoxville

So I just wanted to remind everyone to stop down at Market Square this Wednesday, Sept.23rd if you find yourself around downtown Knoxville between 10-2pm! The Market Square Farmer's Market is going on... and it is not your traditional Farmer's Market... yes, it has wonderfully fresh organic produce, baked goods, jams and honey... but it has so much more... there is a whole arts & crafts section with wonderful jewelry designers, artist/photographers, handbag designers, tie-dye clothing designers, gourmet coffee suppliers, children's clothing designers (that would be me... heehee!!), and much, much more... and then, of course, there's just the wonderful peaceful atmosphere that Market Square magically creates... especially on a day with beautiful weather... there's just no better place to be!! So!! Speaking of weather... I need everyone to do the reverse rain dance Tuesday night, K? The rain MUST stop by Tuesday evening... it just has to... this will only be my 2nd show... I can have a rained out show already!!!! :{ So, all of my friends and followers... do a little jig for me, ok? I would be so very grateful to you'all!!! Ok, well, I suppose I do have to get some sewing done today... I have 2 new designs in full size sets to complete before Wednesday... Eek!!!! I hope everyone makes the best of this wonderfully rainy Monday... curl up on a couch with a book if you can.. forget about the house cleaning and responsibilities for just a day! or if you work full time, order pizza and curl up on the couch with your kids and catch a movie when you get home this evening... who says Movie Night has to be on Fridays?!! :) Oh! and by the way, this is a picture of our little "Samantha" Skirt... a beautiful asian inspired print with wonderful Fall colors, like oranges, red, turqs, and browns... I'll be switching all of my listings over to actual inventory in the next day or 2... so be sure to check it out later in the week for all the new styles and sizes!!! www.snigglefritz.etsy.com

Snigglefritz Photo Shoot 2

So here we have our beautiful little friends from Atlanta... Livi and Issy, and then Alex too. They were such little troopers... modeling is not all fun and games... they were quite patient with all the change-out of accessories, shoes, outfits, props... and then of course, there was Tif... my wonderful photo shoot assistant/mommy... I wish I had that kind of help every time!!! Made things so much smoother to have a 2nd set of hands and eyes... especially one that has such good fashion sense!! Thanks Tif! :) You girls are the greatest!!! We always adore our time with you'all!! We already can't wait for the next reunion!!

Snigglefritz Photo Shoot 1

Well, this weekend has been very busy!!! We did a little photo shoot with our neighborhood friends on Thursday, then had some dear friends come into town for the weekend on Friday, did another photo shoot with those little girls on Saturday, and then went to go see another dear friend dance at the Greekfest on Sunday. So today, I seem to be moving a bit slow... its a rainy Monday after a busy weekend... what can I say?!! Sometimes, you just have to cut yourself some slack, right? :) For now, trying to post a quick blog update will be my priority for this rainy morning... can't quite think of a better way to spend it (blocking out my long to-do list)!! So our super models here are Carley, Whitney and Alex... they seemed to have a great time and they were wonderfully patient!! We really wanted to do the photo shoot outside, but all we've seen here for the past week is rain, rain and more rain... so indoors it was! So thank you my generous neighbor model agent friends... for loaning me your beautiful children!! :)

Still going... Skirts, skirts, skirts!!!

Ok, I've just had a sewing marathon over the weekend. My husband and daughter went to Paducah, KY to visit Grandpa again.... he is doing GREAT!!! It's amazing to hear how well he is doing, considering where he was when we first got to the hospital

last weekend. A wonderful reason to celebrate and say our thanks for sure!!

Meanwhile, I stayed home to take care of the Carter Zoo and make skirts, skirts, and more skirts!!!! My first show is coming up next weekend and I want to premiere the collection with a bang! So I'm working really hard on getting my inventory up... I figure I need to abandon this idea that everyone will place custom orders... we are an immediate gratification society (myself included), so I need to have skirts ready to roll off the rack... and boy do I hope they roll off the rack!!! I sure struggle with the whole confidence thing... one part of me says... "YES! This is the time... its now... you can do this... give it your all... and don't let a few failures stop you... learn by them... and make it better... you can do this!!!" And then the other part of me says.. "I am such a horrible sales person... what makes me think I can go out and sell my product?!.. I'm sure there are plenty of others trying to do this... what makes me different from them... what makes me any better... any more deserving?" Why can't I be one of those ubber confident women that can have that confidence, paired with humility? There is such a fine line, ya know? It annoys me so much when people portray confidence and come across pompus and stuck on themselves... I feel like the little train that is chanting "I think I can... I think I can... I think I can..." I know I can do this... I've wanted it all my life (well, since I was 13!)... this is what every job (good and bad) and experience has lead me to... I know it is. I still firmly believe that I need will eventually need to expand and recruite a good team though... I know my strenghths, and I know my weaknesses... I will eventually need someone who has a good business sense to manage the financials and planning... a sales rep to go around and sell the line to specialty retailers... and I will also need a graphic designer... I really want to do a line of tshirts that coordinate back to the skirts but in a very non matchy-matchy way... and at a very reasonable price point... I will also need a few sewers too... so anyone who would like to start out pro-bono, let me know!!! :) A percentage of sales is the best I can offer right now... I have 8 shows booked and another 2 shows in the works between now and the new year.

I can see it... I can smell it.... I can taste it... I will work like a dog for it... its what I love to do.. its in my blood... nothing makes me happier (except my family of course... nothing compares there!! :) Ok, so the first show is coming... down at Market Square... yeah, yeah, its just the Market Square Farmer's Market... but lots of cool arts and craft vendors down there... this is the produce/food section, and then an arts and crafts section... if you find yourself around downtown Knoxville this Saturday, please, please, please stop by and say hi... and do a little "no-rain" dance for me, k?

Ok, back to work... and for those friends and family that I have neglected horribly over the past 2 weeks, I am so sorry... I still love you dearly... just trying to stay focused and off the phone until I have met my inventory goal for this weekend... I promise to catch back up with everyone after this first show!!! I hope you are all well and have had a great, restful, long holiday weekend!!! :)

The Snigglefritz collection - pumping out inventory!!!

Ok, This is the beginning of a new chapter for Snigglefritz... shows, shows and more shows! Very exciting... and very nerve racking at the same time... so much I want to get done, but so little time!!! I have 8 shows lined up between now and the holidays... a couple more in the works but not confirmed yet... here's the schedule so far:

Market Square - Saturday, Sept.12

Market Square - Wednesday, Sept.23

Market Square - Saturday, Oct.10

Market Square - Wednesday, Oct.28

KCHST Holiday Show - West Town Mall - Saturday, Nov.7

Market Square - Saturday, Nov.14

Picky Chic Boutique Show- Fountain City Lions Club - November (TBA)

So, with that said, not much time to blog... time to sew, sew, sew!!!!! So many designs sworming in my head, yet so little time!!!! Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!! Ok, back to work! Have an awesome day everyone!!!! :)

Grandpa Carter

This is a picture of our "unofficial" god child, beautiful little Alyssa (ahhhh.. the Catholic church and their "rules")... this was taken during one of our days visiting Grandpa Carter at the hospital.

So its been a bit of a rough couple of weeks in the Carter family... Grandpa Carter has been in the hospital with congestive heart failure... there was a stretch of 5-6 days where we thought we were going to lose him. The family, especially all the grandkids and great grandkids, came in from allover... close and far... it was a moving thing to watch as a married-into member of the family. The spirit that was lifted when they were all there was unbelievable... and the spirit that seemed to drain away when they told him they had to leave for a couple days was overwhelmingly saddening. But prayers came from all over and the grandchildren figured out how to visit in shifts and never let a day go by without cheerful faces coming into his room... we received a text picture yesturday of him sitting and eating in his recliner and have been told that he was moved out of ICU and into a regular room.... unbelievable!!! God is good!!! You could see it in his eyes... he just wasnt ready... and I think the good Lord knew it. His time may still be around the corner, but for now, we feel like we have atleast secured "tomorrow" and feel like there is some sort of hope that he will be with us for just a little while longer. So for all of you who have been sending prayers his way, Thank you! They truelly do mean so much... I know, without a doubt, he hears our calls. We love you Grandpa!!

The Everett Theatre - To Be or Not To Be... A Pirate

Ok, so this is one of those things where we were waaaaaaaaaay hesitant to send our daughter to her Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop's house, over 600 miles away in Delaware, to attend a 3 week theater camp over the summer.

Well, to our pleasant surprise, I think it may have been one of the greatest highlights of her childhood that she will remember the rest of her life. The Everett Theatre is in Middletown, Delaware... the teeny, tiny town that I grew up in (well, I suppose its not so teeny tiny anymore). This is a beautiful old historical theatre that has been kept afloat by dedicated volunteers over years and years and year... some of those volunteers being my brother, mom and dad. They do everything from heading up the volunteer organization (brother), to planning and organizing (mom & brother), to working the candy counter during shows (mom and dad). The children's theatre workshop has been going on forever (atleast since my childhood anyway)... it seems to be a tradition kind of thing... I, personally, was never involved... although my brother popped in and out of it... but many of the ones that attended, continue attending, getting better, getting bigger parts, helping with sets, lighting, production, etc... to eventually come back and volunteer in directing or production or costumes... it is a wonderful life cycle that goes on at this beautiful place. I found myself taken back and the new "family" that my daughter was adopted into over those 3 weeks... so much so... that on the day of the final production... the first thing she said was "I can't wait to come back next year!" What a wonderful bunch of people... very professional... very dedicated... very welcoming! She absolutely loved it... so here we go... making plans for 3 more weeks next summer... ahhhhh... when will the summer running ever stop! I guess when it becomes not-so-much fun! ;)

The volleyball family

This is a picture of my husband's awesome volleyball team that he coached this past Spring/Summer. This picture was taken at the big tournament down at Disney in Orlando, Florida this past June. What fun it was! They played their hearts out! What talented and sweet young ladies these girls are! Our family was truelly blessed with a wonderful extended family this year... the girls and their parents are as sweet as they come! We love you guys!! Go SMJVC!!! :)

Coming out of the summer break whirlwind!

WooooooooWeeeeee! This picture is a pretty close representation of how I felt at the beginning of this week. I have been in a daze, wondering where the summer went, and wondering where in the world shall I pick back up?!

Actually, this is our sweet new stray puppy... her name is "Allie". She is part dachshund, part beagle. She is just the absolute sweetest, most lovable, most stubborn pup ever! I was about at my witts end with trying to house train her when a lovely friend of mine from church (Thank you Kristin!) offered a wonderful book to me called "How to housebreak your dog in 7 days". Well, its been a little more than 7 days, but she's still here... so I think there is hope! ;)

Ok, so the recording of Summer events will have to be done in stages... I'll do a brief summary of them all here, but then try to pick out the highlights in stages as we play catch-up. First, school ended.. 1 week later, we left for New York for our church youth mission trip at St.Anne's Episcopal Church in the South Bronx to work on church repairs and to work with elementary kids that attend an inner-city after-school program that they have year round. Then we were back home for a 4 days and left for a big volleball tournament in Orlando, Florida for my husband's volleyball team that he coaches (Go SMJVC!!) for 5 days. Then we were back home for another 4 days and hopped back in the car to Raleigh Durham, North Carolina to visit and stay the night with our friend & Alex's godmother, Meg... along with meeting my mom there to hand off our child to go back to Delaware with her wonderful Mom-Mom for a 3 week Theatre Camp. Then we came home for 1 full week (woohoo!!) and my husband and I enjoyed a majorly rare opporunity of spending a week together without children in the house... yeehaaaaa!!! ;) Then once we enjoyed one full week (and started to miss our baby dearly), I hopped back in the car and drove to Delaware for the last 2 weeks of theatre camp.... a week later, my husband flew up and joined us for the last week and final performance of "To be or not to be... a pirate".... our daughter's permiere stage performance... loved it, loved it, loved it!!!!... our return from that was July 13th. So then, our last part of the summer (AT HOME finally) was spent having mini birthday sleepovers, karate classes, Vacation Bible School planning and preperations, Vacation Bible School week, friend's birthday parties, playing with friends, speratic hours here and there for mommy to design and sew, training (or attempting to train) a new pup, endless hours at the pool, and most recently, preperations for another wonderful school year. (taking a long deep breathe here!)

And that would be were we pick back up... the start of school this week... Alex is in heaven... she loves school, she loves her teacher and she loves her classmates... and Mommy and Daddy love that she loves it so much! Meanwhile, Mommy, back at the homestead/office, has been chasing her tail trying to get back into some sort of work routine all week... mostly all Ive really done this week is clean.... something that just isnt possible with family members and little friends constantly running in and out. So cleaning is all Ive seemed to be able to concentrate on this week... until today. Today is my day to kick myself in the rear and begin to "really" work again. I think last night's bible study helped give me that one last nudge over the fence... it was a wonderfully motivating bible study... I call it "fuel for the soul"!

So I will close for now and try to get back on track with seperate postings of whats going on... life and work both... but please bare with me... it will probably include stuff from the present, and then occasional flashbacks with fun pictures of summer events, and then pictures of new design projects. So I bid you'all a wonderful close to a joyful 1st week of school (or 2nd, or 3rd) and I hope everyone has an awesome weekend!!! Peace!

Crazy Chic on Field Day & Horse Farm Dream

Ok, so here's my crazy little chic on Field Day. She was so excited about field day, that she woke up around 5:30am the morning of Field Day and was ready by 6am... she doesnt even have to leave for school until 7:20am! She had a blast! For me, I was a little run down and tired (from all of the end-of-year events) so I didnt have quite the enthusiasm that she had, but it was awesome to watch all of them have such a great time! Mr. Israel does such a great job planning out all of the events and the kids love every second of it!

So Friday was our last day.... yeaaaaaaaah!!!! I don't know about any of you guys, but boy was I ready for summer!! Im ready to chill out a bit... do a little R&R... well, and maybe play with some new skirt & dress designs!! :) Just finished my first dress... along with 2 more skirts... I havent taken pictures of them yet... but Ill post them as soon as I can to see what you think.

On a whole other note... my husband and I have been looking at purchasing some acreage or finding a small horse farm to buy lately... I think we are ready to branch out of the subdivision world... needing a little more space, a little more quiet, need to simplify our living a little bit, be more appreciative and enjoy the beauty that already surounds us, help our daughter nurture her own individuality... scale back from having so much "stuff"... find some time to sit in the rockers on the front porch... are you laughing at me yet? I sound like an old grandma, dont I? Why dont we do that anymore? Why dont any of us take time each day to just relax and take some deep breathes? Everyone always seems to be on the go... including us! We are just trying to rediscover some balance in our lives... to appreciate the blessings we have been given... so we'll see how that all goes... the real estate market is not at its best so I know now is not the optimal time to sell... but we'll see what happens... if its meant to be, the right deal will come along, and if its not meant to be, than it wont... atleast we are fortunate enough not to be in the position where we HAVE to sell... like so many others right now... tough times right now... but tought times may help us get back to the basics... maybe it will help us refocus on the right things... shave off the excess, so to speak.

Well, enough of my rambling... one thing I seem to do quite well!! :) I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend... and for all of you who are traveling... be safe!!!

Introducing SAVANNAH...

This is SAVANNAH. She's our triple S gal.... sweet, sophisticated, with a little dash of sas! :)

SAVANNAH is my new baby... she is a much "sweeter" look from my usual... but Ive been pleasantly surprised with the reaction.... several orders already, so I think it might be something I need to nurture a little more... the "sweet" side of things, that is.

Sorry it's been a while since my last post... have gotten a little busier with orders lately, while PTO is still going strong with end-of-year events... 1 1/2 more weeks until school is out though... YEAH!!!!!!!! We have a busy summer planned... but it begins with 1 week of down-time after school lets out, so Im just going to take it one week at a time!!! :)

Let me know what you think about this one... feedback (good or bad) is what helps me grow in the right direction. I hope all of our mommies had a wonderful Mother's Day... mine was a wonderful gift from above... spent with my family.. being super sweet to me all day long, completely relaxed with absolutely no rushing around!! :) Does it get any better than that?!!!

A few more pics of Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg

So our Colonial Williamsburg week was awesome! What a great place... just as neat as I remember as a child! Alex seemed to enjoy it just the same... we were so worried she would get history overload and be so bored by the end of the week. But it never happened... Yeah! She got to dress up one day as one of the little Colonial Williamsburg children... she was very excited about that!

Of course, the costumes are what got my attention... there are so many beautiful details on those dresses! Im hoping to incorporate some versions of those details on some of my upcoming skirts... I have so many different ideas sworming in my head right now... I just need more time to work on them. I just have to hang on and finish out this PTO gig... I made a commitment, so I need to see if through... taking up a ton of time this year, and its all been great... just keeps me from putting as much time as I would like into designing... so Im looking forward to the summer... although I'll need to be careful I dont bury myself up in my studio!! :)

Newest addition... another baby skirt is born! :)

Ok, the past 2 weeks have just gotten crazier and more chaotic with each hour that has passed... especially with the recent loss of a very cherished hour... I have dark circles under my eyes that Ive labelled "Spring Forward... right back to bed".... I just love waking up when its pitch dark again... Im so very motivated by darkness... can you hear the sarcasm in my voice?... it's pretty thick... Anyhoooooo... :) Luckily, I did find enough time to finish my newest little creation... yippeeeee!!!!

Meet STELLA!!! She's confident, a little whacky, and has her own unique point of view. She's my newest addition to the skirt collection! This one is made with a colorful & whimsical owl print, mixed with a red ditsy polka dot, a vibrant fuschia pink pleated trim, and then a whacky green & turqoise polka dot ribbon snap strap... you just never know when you'll want to carry around the little girly change purse or maybe just a favorite keychain without the fear of losing it! Let me know what you think... I welcome ALL feedback... good or bad!

I'm getting ready for Spring Break next week... squeezing 2 weeks worth of my "To-Do List" into a few days, but boy, am I looking forward to it!!!!! We're heading to Williamsburg... not the typical kid spot for Spring Break, but I remember it from when I was a child and I just remember it being such a neat, neat place... hoping my daughter thinks the same!!! All else fails, I know there's an indoor pool where we are staying and icecream somewhere throughout Williamsburg... so we'll be just fine regardless!! :) I'm personally just looking forward to some long overdue uninterupted family time!!! So to all of you that will be on Spring Break as well... be safe and have an awesome week off!!!!

First order of business when I get back is my 1st dress... I know what the design will be... just have to work out the fabric choices and cut out the pattern.... so stay tuned!! Later my taters! Have a wonderful day!!!

My little tree-hugger

OK, I'm back up and running again... came down with an awful sinus infection last week... really thought it was just a bad head cold until around the 3rd bad day my ears started to tighten up... i knew at that point i needed to seek professional assistance! So I am 6 days into the antibiotic and finally feel back to normal again... yeah!!!!
So I'm going back about a week and a half (right before I got sick)... we had 2 or 3 absolutely beautiful days... low 70's, beautiful sunshine, you would have thought it was the end of April, not middle of February!!! So we decided to take advantage of it and went out for a scooter ride around the lake... and along the way we inspected some Minos, skipped some rocks, tried to fish for snapping turtles with a long tree limb (didn't work, just in case you were wondering! :), had a contest on who could throw a rock the farthest, played on the playground, climbed some trees (well, one of us did anyway! :) It was great!!!
I wish I would slow down enough to do more of this... still working on that thing I mentioned earlier... that whole stepping back out of the Mommy Boot Camp mode... we have such a good time when we do this. Why in the world is it so hard to "just enjoy the moment"... I tend to get caught up in the "what comes next" instead of "whats going on now"... that whole "we have to get this done, that done, oh! and then there's that other thing..." way of thinking.
Those rare moments where we're down at the lake goofing off, or walking, or biking... or having family game/puzzle night, or Friday pizza & movie night... those are the "real" moments... the ones that really count... so how do you balance the endless to-do list with that quality time of being in the moment? i think the key might have to do with time-management... something I definitely need improvement on! So that will be my area to focus on this week... we'll see how it goes... I have a new skirt that's waiting to be sewn up (fabric is cut out and ready to roll)... I'm hoping to finish that one tomorrow... I'll post when I get it photographed to see what you think... and of course, I'll need some suggestions on what to name the new baby.... so be thinking about some new groovy "S" names!!! :)

My little imaginative one... Tin Foil City

Ok, so my daughter made some poor choices yesterday and we've been trying to take a different approach lately with discipline... we WERE taking the approach of talking with her about what she did wrong and what would have been a better choice... we had been trying this approach in many different versions, tones and octives... it just wasnt seeming to stick. So, we decided to take a different approach... instead of mommy and daddy getting all upset when she lost her 3rd sweatshirt this month or whatever, we explained to her that there would be "consequences" to making poor choices and not being responsible. So yesturday, she made some poor choices (not a huge deal, but enough to address), so we gave her some extra chores to do for the day (i.e one was to put away the "safanator 3000" - which i still have no idea what that really was... an "invention" of hers that was put together by a clothes basket, some tin foil and a few other things...) So I left her alone upstairs for a while to get some of these chores done... well, I hadnt heard from her in about an hour... which is a bit unusual... usually we hear her yell down "Mom - can you put this in the downstairs closet for me... or Dad, can you come up and help me with the litter box"... etc, etc.. So I decided to go check things out... and brought my camera with me! :) I snuck up really quiet behind her bedroom door and snapped a quick picture of what she was doing... and then asked what that was she was working on. She explains (very matter a factly).. "Im making a mall, with cars, people, balls for the kids to play with... and oh, this is the sunsphere over here" All of these things were made out of the tin foil that she pulled down from the "safenator 3000". I didnt have the heart to ask her right away if she had finished all of her chores yet. I admired her little creative tin foil city for a while, then nicely asked if the chores were finished... there were a few stragglers, but for the most part, she did a pretty good job. Ive been trying really hard not to "sweat the small stuff" lately with her... its a struggle sometimes for me... I really want her to grow up into a kind, responsible, motivated, energetic young lady... its really my bible study and church time that really keep me in check... reminding me to take that step back... so that i dont let her childhood just pass right by me... to be "present" in the moment... enjoy these wonderful little "tin foil city" moments... ya never know, she could grow up to be an architect... and that could be her defining moment. So as I type this little story, its more of a reminder to myself to keep working on this part of myself... that tends to get caught up with the "Mommy Boot Camp" moments sometimes... I'll keep you posted on how thats working for me later... :) Have a great day all!

Proud of my husband

I just wanted to take a minute to mention how proud I was of my husband today. He started facilitating this book discussion with our church youth kids today. The book is called "Do hard things" by Alex & Brett Harris. When his buddy, Jeff suggested that he read this book because of his involvement with our church youth group, he went straight out to buy the book... read it in nothing flat... then set out on a mission to get it in front of our kids so that it could fuel the amazing gifts and talents that so many of our kids already have inside of of them. He did such a wonderful job today... you could see it stirring thoughts and ideas in the kids... they were all participating in the discussion. I was even amazed by the attendance alone... maybe 30 or so showed up. It's a new thing we are trying... after Sunday school and church... so its an additional committment of time to the church for these kids.... I think it's really great... its such an amazing bunch of kids. We are blessed to have them in our lives... and today, I felt they were surely blessed, to have Brent in their lives too.... those are the simple, but very special moments that make me fall in love with him over and over again.

My new baby... skirt, that is... Princess folk farmer meets Pipplongstocking!

Ok, so I have to share this little conversation I had with my daughter Friday night as she was getting her PJ's on. I sent her to school in this latest skirt creation I finished last week... she wore a cute little love/peace/joy hippie type tshirt with it and a pair of flair bottom jeans underneath... I thought it was quite cute. Well, as she's putting her pj's on and hanging the skirt back up on its hanger (and no, her clothes dont always end up back on the hanger... it was just a lucky night!) and she says... "Mom... " with this very sincere and kind face..."I really dont want to hurt your feelings... and I do like the skirt and all... but.... ummm.... I just dont understand why these little tab things dont go all the way around the skirt... how come you just put 2 of them right here?" (she's talking about the 2 little ribbon trim tabs I added to the 2nd ruffle on the front of the skirt) At first, I wanted to defend my creation... and explain to her my reasoning behind wanting to balance out the little off-centered red ruffle panel that i put at the top front of the skirt, blah, blah, blah, blah... (thats really what it would have sounded like if I had went into all of that), so instead, I took it all in... put a finger to my chin... and said "Well... thanks for being honest with me, sweetie... I will put some serious thought to it and see what I can do"... can I just say, I do so love my little apparel consultant... slash / assistant clothing designer... and, of course, exclusive model... and inspiration provider... as well as my own personal smile-maker... and since we're on the subject, i mine as well mention that she's my best snuggable hug-giver in town too... Anyhow, this one might still be a work in progress... I never dismiss good criticism without consideration first!! :)

A day off from school for some fun in the snow!

Another snow day today... this is now the 2nd day... actually 2nd and a 1/2... they were let out at 12:30 on Monday for snow, then off Tuesday, and now off today again. I'm sure the kids will be back at it again today as long as the snow sticks around, but here are a few from yesturday. My neighbor, Sharon, took some great pics when they were out yesturday playing in it. Snow days are just the best for kids... what more could you ask for?! An unexpected day off from school, not sick and layed up, still able to play with friends, and on top of that, SNOW to play in and hot chocolate to help warm you back up! :)

Kentucky Ice Storm Pics

Brent's cousin posted some pics of the ice storm that hit Paducah, KY. Everything is now underway with getting back to normal... everyone is just now getting electricity back and clean-up has begun. Most of them went without electricity for over a week.

CPSIA postpones ruling on new lead testing for 1 year

Well let me just tell you how relieved I am to hear this morning that the goverment has postponed passing the new lead testing law for children's products for 1 year. They want to further investigate and modify the law so that it protects our children but does not kill our small businesses while doing so.... Woohoo!!!! I just can't tell you how relieved I feel right now! Of course, there's still no telling what we will face a year from now, but it alteast gives me the freedom to continue making and selling my skirts (and burp cloth sets) for 12 more months... and that makes my heart smile!!! :) Temporary victory!!!! I'm posting another favorite picture of my daughter that is a good representation of how I feel right now!! If you are part of this small business group that designs/manufactures/sells childrens clothing and/or accessories, and you would like to help make sure this new law gets modified as it should be, you can follow this link to sign the petition yourself http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html Every signature helps!

And please continue to say a few prayers for those in Kentucky that still have no power from the ice storm... they are going on 6 days now without power... pray that everyone stays safe and warm.... much of my husband's family live in Paducah, KY... some of them have fled to Clarkesville and Murfreesboro until power is back up and running, but some are still there trying to tough it out with the help of generators.

Have a great weekend everyone!! The sun is shining bright here this morning... so between the new news this morning and some warm sunlight coming through my windows, today is starting out to be a beautiful day!! :)

Ending the night on a good note.

So I just cant end the night with that last blog. I have to leave you with something uplifting... I have to leave ME with something uplifting too... I turn my head up to the heavens and thank our good Lord for so many blessings... a beautiful daughter with a beautiful heart, a wonderful and loving family, unbelievably supportive friends, a home with HEAT (some of our family has gone without heat for 3 days now - in Paducah, KY - ice storm), our kind and gentle animals (2 pups and 1 cat), the list could go on for days... So, big deal! Law makers have found another way to stir up the pot... what a surprise! It will all work itself out... and I will still be here making my skirts!!! :) Leaving you with a favorite photo to close out the night... me with 2 of my biggest blessings. Love to you all... Nighty-night!

Trying to educate myself on CPSIA

Ok, so I have been trying to do a crash course of what's been going on with this new CPSIA law... apparently, some joker that knows nothing about manufacturing and was obviously not thinking anything about small businesses when they decided to pass this new law that requires lead testing for ALL children products that are for children 12 and under... and possibly some other testing as well. These testing costs would cause retail prices to more than double... yeah, THAT'S what we need to help the economy! Geeeeees!! So my understanding is that anyone manufacturing children's clothing (and most other children's products) will have to issue a GCC (General Conformity Certificate) once you have testing results back from one of only 23 CPSA accredited testing labs in the United States, stating that your products contain no more than 600ppm lead. This must be done for every item you sell. This law passes Feb.10th. Then, starting August 14, 2009, this maximum level lowers to 300ppm lead. In addition, all products will have to have a permanent tracking label. A clear explanation of the new requirements can be found at http://nsf.org/business/toy_testing/CPSIA.pdf You can get the most up to date information at http://www.fashion-incubator.com/ and then go to the CPSIA Forum. I'm hopeful this new law is going to be postponed so it can be modified. The magnitude of businesses that this would effect... fabric suppliers, graphic designers, trim suppliers, yarn suppliers, advertising agencies, sales reps, sewing operators, pattern makers, and the list goes on... Little ol' me would not do much to the economy, but thousands of "little ol' me's" would certainly make its mark.

Anyhow, my head is swimming with all this red tape. I still have hope though... and I'm still going to push forward. But nothing like throwing an overgrown wrench into the whole equation, eh?!! Keep your fingers crossed for all of us lone craftsmen and artisans out there!

Snow Day & New, Fun Fabrics!!

So yesturday was a snow day. We had a few flakes come down and they closed all surrounding schools. Im not complaining though... snow days are great no matter what you end up doing! We had a house full of kids running around the house like a stampede most of the day, but it was one of those rare occasions where the sound of the stampede was actaully pleasant and brought a smile to my face.... Im off my rocker, arent I?! They went out first thing in the morning to play in the few flakes laying on the grass, then came in, stripped their many layers off leaving a sea of coats, scarves, gloves and hats in the hallway, then warmed up & recharged with some hot chocolate & popcorn... then off to the playroom they went... like a stampede on a mission! Then we didnt see them again until lunch was served... chicken noodle soup, carrots, apples and string cheese... mmm-good! Once they finished... the stampede fled again up the stairs until it was time for everyone to return home. It was a great snow day!

So I have some new fabrics Im dying to play with!!! Ill try to add a picture of some of them later today. Im thinking about trying my hand at some sun dresses for the Spring/Summer. Skirts are still my 1st love, so there will still be plenty of new skirt designs to come, but Id really like to try out this new dress design that keeps haunting me for the toddler age. So many ideas, so little time!!! Keep checking the site though... I expect to have a couple new things on there sometime next week... well, as long as I can manage my time wisely with my PTO duties... that one is always an unknown... always interesting and keeps me on my toes constantly... I think I secretly love it, but boy-o-boy... it takes quite a chunk of time out of my weeks!!

Anyhooooo, I must confess something to you really quick before I close... I have done HORRIBLY about working out this week... we had off school for Martin Luther King, Jr holiday on Monday, then snow day on Tuesday, and then jumped right into work once Alex walked out the door this morning. SO!! I will use this confession to my advantage... Im closing this out and going straight upstairs to my treadmill... and Ill be feeling those love handles bouncing at every step I climb (boy, you'd think that would be enough of a reminder, ya know?) One day at a time... that's what I need to keep reminding myself... one day at time. Ok, off to make my fate for TODAY!! :) Have a lovely Wednesday my friends!!

Crazy Week / Burpie & Paci Clip Sets

Ok, crazy, crazy week!!! PTO stuff coming out the ying-yang, 1st week of truelly trying to put the house back together from the holidays, working on some new designs for the etsy site, found out my mom's trying to burn down her house (not really.. just a small kitchen fire.. but still!!!), and then had our new bedroom furniture delivered and wow!! never realized a "furniture delivery" could be such a horrible experience! Rooms to Go has an OUTSTANDING sales team, but the delivery company that they contract out to is... well... wow... horrible!! So beware... highly recommend them for the sales team, but be prepared for possible major unpleasantness during delivery time! Email me if you'd like more details on that. And then, of course, trying to keep up with some skirt biz... I have so many ideas that I want to play around with but there is just not enough time in the day to explore it all... I lay my head down on the pillow at night and it just starts to stir at full speed... "oo! what about this... what about that... oo! this trim would be great with this fabric... oo! and if we did a little drawstring pull there... " I just LOVE playing with new fabrics and trims and unique details... it's like a kid in a candy store!!! But I tend to slip back into my old workaholic ways when I get going, so Im constantly needing to keep myself in check... especially when it comes to spending time with my family! It's like diving into the ocean and finding all these new and beautiful things under the sea... but then eventually... you have to come up for air to breath... unless youre a mermaid... and then, well... i guess your sewing machine would get awefully rusty awefully quick... ok, totally getting off the subject, sorry!!

Ok, so I worked up some of my burpie & paci clip sets. I'd love to get some feedback on these. Im wondering if it's enough. Im wondering if the 1 burpie & 1 paci clip is enough to hold its own, or if I need to do 2 burpies & a paci clip, or if I need to do a burpie, paci clip and little plush rattle animal... My thinking behind this set was that I was able to use the funky fabrics I love so much and mix them with some funky ribbons for the paci clip and it made a nice price point for small, easy and quick baby gifts... retailing at $12.00. Im just wondering if I shouldnt be afraid to go up to an $18.00 price point but add a 3rd item to the set. Whatcha' think? Feel free to click the comment button and offer feedback on this.

Bibs and Burpies and Clips, Oh My!

Ok, so my next priority is to get my bibs, burp clothes and paci clips listed. It may take me until next week to get all of my photos taken and listings done, but I will probably have seperate paci clips and then bib/burpie/clip sets... of course, in funky fabrics. I have a ton of boy requests in the past several months so I really need to re-balance my inventory so I'm not so heavy in girls and too light in boys. So to the mommies of sweet little boys... Im working on it... Ill have some fun stuff available for you real soon!

Check out the etsy site around mid next week to see all of the yummy new stuff! :) http://snigglefritz.etsy.com

Motivated!

Ok, so Im feeling good... Im 2 days into my 2009 work-out routine. Im bound and determined to stick to it! I can feel the law of gravity taking hold of my mid section and its just not pretty! When you run up the stairs and you can feel your love handles actually jump up and down at each step... well, that just cant be good!

Some of my family (my Aunt Liz, Aunt Giddi & Uncle Joe) have really kicked some tail with getting into shape. They look great, you can tell they feel great, and there is just this extra healthy & energized glow about them... a couple of them are even doing marathons now! So they are a big part of my inspiration... surely, if one generation ahead of me can get into shape, so can I!! :)

"Just say NO to jiggly love handles!!"

My inspiration

Ahhhhh... and this is the source of my inspiration! (and a few gray hairs)

Skirts, skirts skirts!

Ok, playing around with inserting pictures... this is one my recent skirt designs... trying to navigate around the blogger tools... trying to get the hang of it... fun, fun, fun!