I Finished the Backpack

I was so nervous about the order I got for one of my “Doggie Travel Bags”, because she wanted me to make hers into a backpack, rather than a bag with two straps.  I said yes, although I had never made a backpack and I was so scared I couldn’t do it.  I made a practice one that took me 2 days to make, but by doing that, I figured ways to make the bag sturdier and a bit easier.  Sometimes I think pattern companies make their patterns too hard when in fact the same thing could be accomplished in an easier fashion.  I much prefer creating my own patterns to using a store bought one, but sometimes I have to bite the bullet and use one that came from the store.  Anyway, I finished the ordered bag yesterday and I am very pleased with how it turned out.  I may never make another one though..LOL  The customer stopped by this morning to pick up her backpack and she was thrilled.  It was just what she wanted.  I love the great feeling I get when I create something for someone and have it turn out just as they envisioned.  I took a couple of pics last night, so I could post it for you all to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One last thing…we are so happy for Bradly because as a member of this year’s “Chess Club” at school, he is going to his first beginners tournament tomorrow for most of the day.  We have to have him at school at 8:30 am where the kids will be picked up and driven to Belmont Central School for the tournament.  Brad will be back around 4:30 pm.  Brad is very excited and this is huge for him because it is a privilege he has earned by working on his honesty issues and becoming more trustworthy.  We are so proud of his accomplishments.  :o)

Working Hard

Ugh…I am feeling a bit stressed (but happy) with the orders I need to get done.  I am showered, dressed and ready for the day and it is only a little after 9 am….so as soon as I finish with my blog, I am off to my studio….hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I go..LOL

My hubby has been doing such a great job of keeping up with the laundry and the cooking while I am working.  He is a peach.  :o)  Yesterday he baked oatmeal scotchies and an apple pie.  He finished up the last of our 2 bushel of apples and made more apple sauce for the freezer.  He roasted a delicious chicken, made stuffing from scratch, mashed potatoes and he cooked up two winter squash.  Am I one lucky women or what??  It does help to marry a bakery manager..LOL  **  In case you can’t tell, our diet is not going well.  **

Speaking of baking, tomorrow I want to share an awesome sugar cookie recipe that Steve found in a country magazine.  He made them last year and they were so good and easy that we traded that recipe for our old family recipe I have been eating since I was a kid.  These have cream cheese in them!!  MMmmm  :o)

Candy, Candy and a “French Maids” Costume

Brad and Nick both managed to gather quite a bit of candy while trick-or-treating last night.  Rachel came home for the night and took them out.  Rachel’s friend Kelly went with them  I guess they were out about an hour and a half and quite cold by the time they got home.  So now begins the battle of them wanting to eat candy 10x a day (Nick started today by grabbing his candy bag and asking if he could eat some candy out of it.) .  Of course I told him that he was not eating candy for breakfast…so he had two granola bars and a drinkable yogurt.  Now, he is eating a tiny sucker (yup, I caved in, but at least he had something healthy first).  LOL

Yesterday my neighbor’s hubby asked me if I could whip up a “French Maids” apron for his wife.  Evidently she bought a costume at Walmart, but he didn’t care for it.  I made one and if I do say so myself, it turned out very well.  When her hubby saw it, he was thrilled (I have a feeling he was thinking of maybe getting more use out of it after Halloween if you know what I mean…LOL).  Anyway, his wife called me later and thanked me for my contribution to making her look even cheaper than she was already going to look.  She said no way she was going to wear it to hand out candy, but she would wear it to the Halloween party they were going to later last night.  Turns out she had no idea her Hubby was having me make this “French Maid” apron.  He surprised her.  Ha ha.  I assured her I thought she wanted this apron made…..she wasn’t mad but it was rather funny.

  These pics of the boys and then the boys with Rachel before they went out last night aren’t very good, but I thought I would post them anyway. Nick was a robber…he came up with his outfit and Brad was a Ninja.  :o)

Are You Ready for Halloween??

When you live in town on a busy street, it is a must to be ready for Halloween.  We have to plan on between 200-300 trick-or-treaters.  They start to converge upon us beginning at 5:00 pm and they keep coming even after curfews sometimes and we have to tell them we are out of candy.  The boys are quite excited about going trick-or-treating, especially Nicholas.  Bless her heart, but Rachel called to say she would be home tomorrow and take the boys trick-or-treating.  What a peach!!!  :o)

Bradly returned to school yesterday after staying home for three days as he had the flu.  Wouldn’t you know that about 10 am yesterday, the school nurse at Nick’s school called to say that he was in her office sick, could we come pick him up.  When Steve got there he was all covered up and anxious to go home because he didn’t feel good.  We were afraid he would have a cow about coming home early since they were dressing in their costumes and having their Halloween party and a parade in the afternoon.   He was fine about leaving, but when they go home he was in tears and wanting to wear his costume.  He has a clown costume and I saw no reason that he couldn’t wear it, so he did and was happier than a pig in mud.   By 11:30 am he was feeling great and asking for a piece of pizza.  He has been fine ever since and was actually quite hyper and irritating for the rest of the day.   He had almost vomited 2x in school so everyone assumed he had the flu also.  Evidently something just hadn’t agreed with his tummy.  We are very glad that he doesn’t have the flu.

The kids have no school today as our school district is having a staff development day.  I have a teacher book/tote bag almost finished and am hoping to finish it and list it in my shop today.  I also have two men’s barbeque aprons finished and I am hoping our buddy Robert next door, who is a senior in high school, will come over and model them so I can take some pics and then list them also.  Bradly has some more ornaments  ready to list also, we just need to take pics of those too.  Anyway, I think I have a busy day ahead of me and hopefully it will be a good one.  Here is a pic of my newest listing…a zippered teacher pouch.   I also just listed a cute little “Dora the Explorer” purse for a little girl.  :o)

Recycling Newspaper

I am frequently impressed with the ingenuity of the crafty people that sell items on Etsy.  I have seen so many creative products made from recycled materials.  I ran across this shop today called “reuse2recycle”  .  Even the name of the shop is a clever play on words, and leaves no doubt in your mind that they use recycled products to create new products.   This seller is looking for some feedback on her shop as sales are not going well.  Take a look at her products and if you have an opinion, please let her know.  Here is her addy and I will add a couple of pics.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=8278996

Flu

Yes, it happened…Bradly has the flu.  His school has been inundated with it for the past two weeks, so I guess it was inevitable.  He went to the Dr. Sat. and the diagnosis of “flu” was confirmed.  He will be home for most of the week according to the Dr.  He is definitely feeling better today than he did Saturday, so that is good.  We have been cancelling appointments for this week and I still have one more to cancel for tomorrow.  We are hoping and praying that the rest of us do not contract it.

My BF, Peggy is coming back to NY today with her hubby…they live in Virginia.  Due to the flu, she won’t be able to drop in for a visit.  Peg’s mom  was diagnosed a few months ago with Leukemia, and she is finally home .  Peg will be staying there, and the last thing she would want to do is take the flu bug to her mom who of course has a much lowered immune system due to the chemo she has endured these last months. Her mom will be going back into Roswell every other day for treatment.

I got an order for one of my “Doggie Travel Bags”, but made into a back pack.  I have never made a back pack so I am a bit nervous about it, but I think I know how I want to do it.  I also have an order for a leash I need to get made before Thursday.  :o)

Let’s Encourage

I met an Etsy seller yesterday who is really discouraged and thinking of giving up her shop.  I knew if I mentioned her on my blog, that some of my wonderful followers would give her some encouragement.  Being a seller right now is tough with the economy the way it is, but customers still enjoy having the option of buying something hand made as opposed to something bought in a store.  I am hoping this fellow Etsian will hang in there and see if she doesn’t get a few sales with Christmas on the horizon.  Here is her shop…take a look and if you are of the mindset, please give her some encouragement.  The shop name is hisjamilynn.  :o)

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7913881