Little Birdy Needlebook

Little Birdy Needlebook
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Hello Readers! Hope your day is going great! We are having a nice, cooler day...I do believe that there is a hint of fall in the air! I've been busy getting ready for the school year. Linds and I went shopping for school supplies yesterday. I just LOVE school supplies, the smell of a pencil as you sharpen it for the first time, a fresh notebook just aching to be written in, crisp new folders just waiting for you to decide what will go in them so you can make them a pretty, neat label with your new markers! Yeah! I am feeling a little nostalgic this year. We only live about 3 blocks, as the crow flies, from the elementary/middle school that my kids go to. All you have to do is walk down one block, take a trail through the park, across the bridge over the river, down another little trail, go up some stairs, cross the street, and you are at the school. Every school morning for the last 7 years I have watched my kids head off down the sidewalk together, chatting happily, with their little backpacks on their back. Well, now this year Joe will be going to High School so he will be heading down the other way to catch a bus, and I guess that I will walk with Linds over to the park. Time just goes by so swiftly and I miss my little babies! Sorry, I told you I was feeling nostalgic, sniff.

Enough of that before I start crying over here!! LOL I have at least been pretty productive craftwise since I cleaned my craftroom! I finished another bagkeeper that I need to get listed in my Etsy shop. I have also made a few of these little needlebooks like the one pictured above. This is the only one I have photographed so far. Isn't it cute! I was in the forums at Etsy the other day and a customer wrote a post with some good tips on what a buyer looks for while shopping, and happened to mention that a shop's avatar should reflect what the person does (craftwise)...so I have changed my avatar to a pic of this needlebook! What do you think? I got a few more card wallets done and also worked on some new hang tags! Yeah! Now I just need to get to work on taking and editting the pics, which is my least favorite part of it all. I'm not that great of a photographer and so the editting takes so much time...and even then a lot of the pics still don't look that great. BUT, I am better than I used to be, so I guess that practice makes perfect and I will just keep on working on it.

Ok, enough babbling! I should go and take some pics and get some of my new things listed....they can't sell just sitting here, right?! Please swing by my Etsy shop and see what's new...heck, you could even buy something if the mood strikes you! LOL Have a great day and go and get yourself a new notebook and a pack of markers...they are really cheap right now!

Funky Card Wallet

Funky Card Wallet
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Ah, the end of a nice, mellow weekend! Finally! lol It just seems like the weekends get so maniac in the summer and its always go,go, go. Well, we didn't have any plans this weekend, so we slept in, and took the kids to a movie (the 2nd Pirates of the Caribbean movie, which was quite good), and all went to church together this morning and went to the farmer's market for fresh potatoes, corn, and watermelon for dinner. Very nice! I even got down and cleaned my craft room! Yah! Spent 6 hours on it, and it was worth it. I feel a renewed vigor for crafting now. I finished up a couple of embroideries and have gathered together some fabrics that I like with them. You can look for a couple new bagkeepers this coming week. I finished up a couple of new wallets too. This one is made with a cute kind of space age looking fabric in a nice light blue, and I lined it with a chocolate brown with letters of the alphabet in darker brown. It has a nice snap for closing and is just the right size to hold your cards. This will be listed on Etsy either tonight or tomorrow some time...I'm not sure. But, you saw it here first! LOL Please stop by my Etsy shop anytime and see what is new. I add new stuff all the time. Thanks for stopping by and have a great night.

So how's things today? It's pretty close to my bedtime, but I thought I would pop in with a couple thoughts for the day. I need to clean my craft room! It has gotten to the point where I really can't start anything new until I do, which is terrible and I am ashamed of myself, LOL. It's just a matter of putting things away so I really need to quit stalling and just get on it...maybe in the morning. I have worked up a few new little fun magnets that are pictured here....I had all the paper stuff all piled up on my table so I was able to do that at least! I have been working on a couple embroideries too in the evenings...I would like to get a couple new bagkeepers listed soon, as those seem to be my best seller lately. I really hate to say it, but it is getting close to Christmas and I need to get switched over here and start working on things. The craft fairs will be starting at the end of next month and I don't want to be scrambling around and working like a nut then! OK, I guess I'm just babbling away so I should probably get to bed. Take care and blessings to you!!!

Pretty Pink Punchcup Pincushion

A new pincushion
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

I had to do another of the pincushions in the cup..... I just think they are so cute! This one is in pink and brown and I added a little beaded detail to the petals this time too.

Just got back from the cabin, had a great time! It was such a full weekend that it felt like I was gone for a whole week instead of just 3 days! LOL I posted a couple pictures from the weekend on my Flickr site...one of my niece on the cabin swing and one of my great nephew going for his first lake swim. They are so cute and growing so fast! Austin actually fell into the water while attempting to walk backwards, went all the way under, and then popped back up and was floating on his back (because he was wearing a life jacket) that pretty much freaked him out and he was scared for a bit, but then he wanted to go back in a little later! We'll turn him into a little fish just like the rest of the kids before long! LOL
Well, I'm still trying to catch up around here so I am going to make this short. Please stop by my Etsy shop and see what is new there and I invite you to swing by and visit my Flickr site too, there are lots more pictures there than I have time to load here. Have a great day!!

Whimsy 2

Whimsy 2
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

OK, so it's just 1 whimsy! LOL I uploaded a fuzzy pic on Flickr and had to redo it, hence the Whimsy 2. I just listed this little cutey magnet...she is just taking a little joy ride in her party hat! This can be found in my Etsy shop...swing on by when you have the time.

Lots going on here this week. My Godmother, one of the best women that God has ever put on this earth, was found to have ovarian cancer. They just did surgery on her on Tuesday, and it looks pretty good so far. She always has a problem with the meds and coming off of the drugs after surgery, so she is feeling pretty ill. I would like to ask for prayer for her and her family as they go through this hard time. Thanks so much!!

Guess what else? Birthday time for old (and I mean old! lol) me! I'm turning 45 this weekend and we are having a big get together at our cabin to celebrate. Should be a lot of fun. Got my 3 brothers and their families coming for sure...and then various in-laws will be popping in too! Eating and drinking and swimming and fishing and boating and etc.!! Yeah! So just a fair warning, if anyone orders from my Etsy shop, I will not be getting back to my computer until Monday. I should be able to get the orders and pack them up and get them in the mail by Monday afternoon, or Tuesday morning at the latest. Thanks so much. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

The top of the Purple Parfait pincushion

The top of the Purple Parfait pincushion
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Hello! Well, here is that little item I was talking about (the one that wasn't really working out). I was right to leave it be. I went down this morning and it all just fell into place. It is a pincushion that I built into a darling little polka dotted punch cup that I found on one of my many little treasure hunts. I decided to make it look like a parfait from the side, because you can see through the glass and it needed to look purdy! lol I am really pleased with the way this one turned out! If you click on the picture it will take you to my Flickr site and you can see the pincushion from the side. Or, of course, you can always go to my Etsy shop and see 4 pics of it, and buy it if you would like.

I did another feature piece on the Yahoo blog...this one is about Angela from Norththreads. She does a very lovely variety of crafts that all have that old fashioned charm, and her work is just beautiful! Go and check out the blog and make sure you click all the links so you can see all her great stuff!

Happy Day Birdy Magnet

Happy Day Birdy Magnet
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Hi! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Ours was good here, thanks for asking, lol. I took it easy this weekend. Took my daughter to start looking around for her school clothes...you know we have to get a feel for what the fashions are going to be this year so we just go and browse the first couple times until she decides what she likes. We had my niece here for a few day so we did the shopping and the lunching and the gabbing....a lot of fun. We also had a friend of the family give birth to her new baby girl...Faith! What a cutie pie. She weighed in at 8lb.7oz. and looks a little like Holly Hobby (remember her?) and has curly red hair. We live the closest to them so we were the ones who got the phone call at 3:00 a.m. to come and watch their older child (2 yo) while they went to the hospital.

I didn't really get too much crafting done this weekend. I worked on a couple of these little magnets. I just listed this one in my Etsy shop this evening. This one is so sweet and cheerful, I just love it! I also worked a little on something else, but it is not really going together like I want it to...so I just left it for a while and I will give it another try in the morning and see what happens. Does that happen to you? It does seem, a lot of the time anyways, that if you can just get away from it for a while, things look better or work better when you get back to it. I hope it works out, because in my head it is really awesome, LOL!!!

Well, I'm gonna get to bed early tonight. It's been so humid here today and the old knees are aching like crazy. Think I'll go put them up with an ice pack and watch a funny movie! Yeah, with popcorn....!

I'm a Little Teapot bagkeeper

I'm a Little Teapot bagkeeper
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Here's a pic of the little teapot bagkeeper....yes, it is short and stout! LOL I think this one is pretty sweet and cottagey looking. It can be found, along with all my other stuff, at my Etsy shop.

I finally started that other blog that I have been talking about...the one to feature other Etsy shops, the ones that maybe don't get to the top of the page on the Etsy shop due to the fact that their products are more traditional than some. I'm not complaining, mind you, I just want to make sure that people know that we are there too! The blog is on Yahoo 360 and it is a lot different format than this Blogger site. Here is the link...if you have time, check it out and let me know what you think. So far I have gotten some of my pics on there and then I have one featured seller, Dottyral of Dyed in the Wool Designs. She does some beautiful crochet along with a variety of other crafts. Be sure to have a look.

Purse Notepads

Purse Notepads
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

How-dy! Oh a beautifully cool and cloudy day around here...YES!!!! Love it. I got a couple of new things listed in my Etsy shop today. I did up a new bagkeeper that is more of a cottage style with a fat little teapot embroidery on it. AND here are those little notepads I was talking about in my last blog entry. I found this absolutely gorgeous wallpaper and used that for making these and stamped them up with some nature inspired stamps. They are about 3-3/4" x 2-1/2" and have about 20 to 25 pieces of paper in each. I think they turned out pretty cute. I am having a hard time deciding what to price them at. I am thinking about $1.75 each. I did put in a bit of work on them, especially since I have to hand cut all the paper that goes into them. Any thoughts? Leave me a comment about how much you would think, OK? I would really appreciate your input. I think I will list them individually, but if a person wants more than one they can convo me and I will definitely combine shipping on them.

Ok, a new topic...did anyone watch the final "Last Comic Standing" last night? OMG, I almost laughed myself into hyperventillating!! They had the guy that was the host in years past, Jay Moore (?), do a stand up routine that was so funny! I was bawling!

Oh! I sold that funny little keychain with the bird that says "I just pooped on your car" today! I'm gonna kinda miss him, I've had it sitting on my craft table (in a little plastic bag) looking at me since I got it done...good for a smile now and then! Looks like I'll have to make another one.

Well, I think I'll go and get that keychain packaged up so I can pop it in the mail first thing in the morning. Take care!!

Toile Card Keeper Wallet

Toile Card Keeper Wallet
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Hola! How's everyone today? We had a fun day, my niece came over to play with my daughter and all three of us gals went thrifting...which we all know is fun, fun, fun!! I found some really cute little glass items that I can use to make up a little something that I've been tossing around in the old melon for a while now. I'm not giving any hints, you will just have to check in now and then to see what I come up with. I did a little crafting this morning. I worked on some cute little purse notebooks, I will be listing those probably tomorrow. I know I need a little scratchpaper in the purse just for jotting down things, but the space in there is really limited, so I made up some little flat ones. I then had some more of that luscious pink and brown toile sitting out on my sewing table and decided to make up this little card keeper wallet. I just absolutely love this fabric! I might have to make one of these for myself! Well, its been a long day, the humidity is up there and all the walking today, my old knees are barking! I think I'll put on a movie and put my feet up. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to visit the Etsy shop and pick up a nice little something for yourself or someone you love!

Strawberries Bagkeeper

Strawberries Bagkeeper
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Well....I know I was supposed to work on those manly trash bags today...but I was just feeling a little more feminine today! I had finished this strawberries stitchery a little while ago, and it has been sitting on my table all starched and ready to go. I made it into a colorful, vintage flavored bagkeeper. I just listed this in my Etsy shop so stop on in if you are interested. I also finished another little card wallet and another little fridge magnet that I will post when I find the time, maybe later on tonight. Keep an eye on the Etsy shop, 'cuz I try to list things every day or two just to keep the shop fresh and I don't always blog every item that gets put in there. Well, I need to start thinking about dinner...hmmm, maybe meatloaf tonight. Thanks for stopping in and have a great day.

Summer Fun

Summer Fun
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Well, I'm back from the weekend trip, whew! A good time was had by all. Here's a pic of my Goddaughter and my great nephew sitting on my brother's riding lawn mower. They thought that was the coolest thing! (city kids!) Darrel and Linda's home is so nice and they have a gorgeous yard! Wow! it is just like a park. Linda is a really great cook and she really outdid herself, I am sorry to say that I think I may have gained a couple more fatty rolls this weekend! *lol* It was nice to have everyone together again, lots of chatting and laughing.
I sold an item in my Etsy shop right before I left, which was great! and I was happy to find that I sold another while I was gone. Yeah! That really made my day. I got those items out in the mail this morning, so if you are one of the people who bought something, it should be there in 3 to 5 days. I have gotten a couple orders here at home too for the fish trash bags, and now a guy I know wants one like that with a deer head (buck, with antlers) too. So now I need to find a nice pic of a deer that I can use. If anyone knows of one that a person wouldn't mind me using, please let me know, I would appreciate that. Well, I'm gonna go and get to bed early, I am still a little tired from the weekend! I know, lol, I'm getting old! Good night and thanks for stopping by.

Singing Bluebird Magnet

Singing Bluebird Magnet
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Here is another of the little birdy magnets. I have really enjoyed making these little colorful cuties! These make nice little gifts that you can stick in a card...or, dare I say it? stocking stuffers! Gasp! Or just a little something that says "I'm thinking of you". You can find these in my Etsy shop, swing on by and have a look! Thanks.

Count Your Blessings Birdy

Count Your Blessings Birdy
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

I really needed this little reminder to count my blessings this morning! I was down crafting in my craftroom and I kept smelling this musty smell. I did a little investigating and found the culprit. When we had all that torrential rain last week, we ended up with water in the basement. Not a whole lot, but a few little rivers here and there. I mopped it up and forgot about it. Not so fast Karen! LOL I have these heavy rubber mats on the floor over by my cutting table and sewing machine and the water had gotten underneath them and hadn't dried up. PEW! So I had to move all the stuff and I'm going to have to get someone big and strong (Honey....!) to help me get them out of there. Such a bummer, and a bad smell too. I'm glad that I keep all my fabrics in plastic totes or that smell might have gotten them too.
I just finished making these little collage magnets. I made 4 different ones, and they all have little birds on them. This one I have listed on Etsy so far. I will be listing more in a couple days. It is fun to switch off from sewing for a day or two and do a little collage or paper craft. I do get bored easily and have to switch things up a little. I think they turned out pretty cute...but, you know I have a thing for birds!
I have a brother, Darrel, who lives down near the cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) who we are going to go visit this weekend. I am really looking forward to it! We are going with another of my brothers and his wife and kids. We are going to caravan there and hook up with my stepDad, whom we haven't seen for at least 6 months. Should be a great time. They have bought a new house and I this is my chance to finally see it. Any orders from my Etsy shop will be handled on Monday morning, first thing, so if there was something that you wanted, go ahead and order it and I will get to it then. Have a great weekend everyone.

Bass Truck/Car Trashbag

Bass Truck/Car Trashbag
Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

Hi all! I'd like to send a special greeting out to Joni....HI JONI!! *lol* Joni is a friend from a hand embroidery group I belong to, and a real sweetheart! I don't know if any of you noticed but I added a weather thingy to my blog...it shows the current weather and temp. where I live, and the little gal in it dresses according to the weather! So cute. I was just watching the weather this afternoon and they were discussing about what weird weather we have here in Duluth, and they were discussing the fact that July is the only month of the year that we have never had snow in...all the others we have at one time or another! Isn't that a flip?! I do remember that last year we had some snow flurries in August. Ummm, I don't think that will be happening this year. I ran up to the cabin today to pick up my daughter who has been up there with her cousin...it was so nice there! I wish I had more time to go and stay a while but I'm just going to have to wait a couple more weeks. I've been thinking about the cabin a lot lately and so my mind, of course, turned to fishing! I love to go fishing, in fact I always have my fishing pole in my trunk just in case the opportunity arises! I made some really cool fabric transfers of fish, and put them on a couple of trash bags for your car/truck. The transfers are slightly transparent so a little of the fabric shows through the fish...which looks really cool. I am really bummed that the pics don't really do these justice. They are so rich and vibrant in real life. I just solved the dilemma of what to get the men in my life for Christmas this year! Yeah...new truck trash bags all around! If you would like to get one for your fav guy...or yourself for that matter...just pop on over to my Etsy shop and click the "Buy Now" button, easy peasy! Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by.