If Wishes Were Bags

I made this custom bag for a friend at the kids' school. I am so pleased with how it turned out that I am considering changing my name to Laurel.

Quilter's cotton encased in 12 gauge vinyl, navy piping, solid blue lining and super lovely straps (not white lest they show smudges said my friend). I love it.

It is going to be her swim bag. Perfect for that.

Thoughts?

Super Cute Custom Packaging

One of my many "jobs" is a Mary Kay consultant. I really love the products and meeting interesting new women. But my heart is in my studio where if I could I would create all day (that is my goal this year, and I am getting closer every day, but that's a story for another day).

One of the most important components of MK, or really any business, is quality customer service. MK encourages women to be who they are and act with integrity in our interactions with our customers. My friend Bea is a shining example of examplary customer service. Her stock is full, she returns calls quickly, she gives free shipping and delivery, and she takes product presentation seriously.

In the coming days, fellow MK ladies and other home business owners can start sharing Bea's passion for product presentation by visiting my etsy shop. I am stocking my virtual shelves with business card/sample holders, small product bags and customer note cards. I can offer them in sizes from 1" to 23" and virtually any color. These will be fully customizable and built to customer specifications. The other cool thing about them is they will be cost effective for the home office. Each order will come cut and ready to assemble, with score lines marked, a bone folder included and instructions if necessary. Also a glue stick!

Think of them as little diy kits for showing the best of your biz.

See images for ideas.

Brain Overload

I was out of town for a week. I've been back almost a week. I'm still behind on everything. Dirty Laundry is strewn about the house like so many ghostly children, dishes dangle precariously in the sink,custom orders call my name. The dog keeps pooping in my studio, the kids have almost daily year-end events for which I mindlessly (and happily) volunteered.

Today it is my intention to finish a few custom orders, wash some dishes, cycle through the laundry and play on the video game with the littlest kid. I know that when I do this, he will yell at me, because my gaming skills are lacking.

On my list of fun things: cloth napkins, a kindle case for EM, teacher's summer fun fabric buckets, and lunch with the big boy.

The picture above doesn't pertain to anything other than well, I like it.

Earth Day Tutorial

I made 24 reusable sandwich/snack bags for 5th grade no trash lunch day. I also sell them in my little store.
If you are sew inclined, you can make your own.

Cut 2 7" squares of cotton. Press down 1" on top of each.
Cut 1 6" piece of sew on velcro and align across the 1" of cotton you pressed down.
Stitch close the both long edges of the velcro and repeat for other piece of cotton.

Put 2 pieces cotton right sides together and stitch using a 1/2" seam allowance, turning at bottom corners to sew along three edges of bag.

Clip corners, turn, press and think you are wicked cool.

Don't feel sew inclined. Visit fourcorners to buy yours...buy one get one this week. Oilcloth are listed, but cotton will be posted later today. Share a bunch.

It's a Gateway Craft

chalk cloth coasters...write your guests' names on these babies so you don't drink someone's cooties.

sweet little thank you notes perfect for any day

this amazing little bag would fit a nice gift of chocolate or something small and amazing, like jewelry or Mary Kay...Just saying.

When I say I love this new machine, the Cricut Expression, I do not understate the intensity of my emotion. I dreamed about it last night. My heart races just a tiny bit when I'm watching it cut out cool new things. I watched the intro video today (good projects at the end, but those presenters need presenting class) and figured out how to do some more cool stuff.

Yippee Yahoo Hooray, it's play with my Cricut Day!

So, I got a bee in my bonnet about this Cricut Expression machine. Got ridiculously obsessed with it. Spent most of last Saturday skimming ebay because I had to have one. The problem with "winning" an auction is you have to wait for your goodies to arrive.

I started looking for the postal guy on Monday, pacing in front of my windows, desperate for a growl from the doggies alerting me of its arrival. Really. Like a kid at Christmas.

It finally came yesterday. Look what I've been up to! It is so exciting, I wanted to skip 3rd grade OK History Day. I had to tear myself away. Tell me what you want; I will cut it for you. Yea!

An Equation

A little math problem for you. What do you get when you combine the following.

An old dog who can barely go at half speed for maybe 50 yards with a full bladder, a young dog who thinks he's qualifying for the Olympics with a full bladder, and a frustrated woman who wants her exercise, trying to balance the ipod, the phone, a heart rate monitor and a full bladder.

Answer: a very unsatisfactory walk.
Let's not forget that the said walker forgot the plastic doodoo bags so when the dogs dumped their waste in the neighbor's yard, I promised, to the windows, that I would return.

Old dog tired at 10 minutes. Heart rate not really all that steady. Young dog flying after squirrels and ripping skin off my fingers as well as his leash. The walking poops, which totally gross me out, the pee in every grassy patch which are many. (This is the dogs, okay?)

Finally reach home, after figuring out how to hold it all. Drop off dogs, grab the bag, run down the street, grab the poo, run back to the house with poo slapping against my leg.

I will have to think this through.