Monogram Swapping

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A few months ago, I found a whole new world of bloggers. These aren't necessarily crafty bloggers, but the ladies are loads of fun to read. Some of them take me back to my college and early career days! What to wear, who to date, where to go, shopping, wedding plans, home dec, kids ... One gal of Jewish Girl in WASP'S Clothing is quite fun to follow. She lives in NYC and journals her escapades and shopping finds. She sponsored a Monogram Swap. Now, there's something I can participate in!
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My swap partner is a teacher in Tennessee. She is crazy for all things monogrammed, pink, and polkadots, so it wasn't too hard to know what to send. She noticed the embroidered sorority pillow covers I had just sent out and let me know her sorority is Kappa Kappa Gamma.
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My surprise was this pretty mirrored compact. Perfect for me, as I always like to make sure the lips are covered nicely. Great color combination, too.

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It was nice to work on this wool blend suiting. I bought a number of different plaids and have been anxious to make scarves, bags, and pillow covers with it.

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I have a few of these ready-made scarves to go in my calicodaisy etsy shop, 1 more brown and 2 red, and plan to pick up more. A great price for a ready-made can't beat the sewing effort in this case, and, with a holiday show coming up two weeks from today, these will help boost my tablescape of products available.

The Roundabout Burp & Bib Pattern -- And Giveaway!

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My first e-pattern! It's taken months and hours and a lot of courage to come up with an idea and then work through the process of creating an e-pattern. My first argument with myself is "What hasn't been done?" The other me to myself, "It's not about that actually; it's just your take on things. Your best process." Still, though, I read so many magazines, blogs, tutorials, and hard copy patterns, it's often hard to decide what process is mine, what's a combination of my skill blended in with other crafters' or pattern makers' words, and what really has been done enough that isn't necessary to reinvent the wheel again. I wanted to start small, too. I have two crochet patterns and two purse/tote patterns in my studio journaling, however, it's the long process of thinking, writing, photographing, learning to create PDF files, getting the patterns to print out properly on the other end -- sheesh!
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So, here it is. The Roundabout Burp & Bib pattern by Michele S. Chisholm. Me, myself. Not read about anywhere. Not purchased anywhere. Obviously, I've seen something similar out there in the world, but I haven't touched it or looked it's way. This is mine.
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The Burp & Bib is a contoured, reversible burp cloth that lies nicely on mom's shoulder and gives a generous area for baby to move around. Down the road as the baby starts to hold a bottle or sit in the high-chair, the burp cloth attached at the tabs behind the neck transforms into a bib. There are two ways to create the closure mechanism -- twill tape tabs or sewn canvas tabs with gripper snaps or velcro attached. I used twill tape for the first set of Burp & Bibs I sewed, however, the twill wasn't strong and either ripped out of the seam or the snaps pulled away. So, I am going with the sewn canvas tabs when I sew up more.
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The Burp & Bib can be sewn up in coordinating cottons with a flannel lining for absorbency OR one cotton and toweling on the other side with no lining.
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Though I love the look of the coordinating cottons, I think soft toweling on the reverse of a burp cloth or bib is awesome. The item is very absorbent, can wipe up a mess fast, and turns into a washcloth if needed. I use the Walmart bath towels which cost about $5.00 for my toweling projects. The toweling is soft, pretty lush, and stands up to a lot of wear.
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Right now, The Roundabout Burp & Bib pattern is listed in my "college savings" etsy shop at the handmade fair. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, -- and I was hoping for a big to-do for the first week in September, but I'm not ready -- the new calicodaisy handmade website will be ready to go with the pattern available there. Actually, the site is already up with links available; I just haven't figured out how to load it yet with stuff and I haven't decided on the look for the tabs that will take a reader to where she wants to go. Every decision takes me so long to get through! It's hard to wear all the hats in a business. Especially a creative one like a studio. One part of one idea can take me weeks to get a grasp on.
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So, in my own celebration of producing my first pattern, I'd like to giveaway two copies of the pattern. In hopes of a bit of help advertising the pattern, if you'll mention it on your blog and/or put this little button up on your blog and then let me know, I'll add in another chance for you to win. If you can't figure out how to make a button with link, I can send the html code to you through e-mail. Please leave a comment through Sunday, August 30, 2009, and I'll choose winners on Monday morning.
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Of course, if you win or purchase a copy of the pattern and see any errors or problems with it, please let me know. After all the time I spent writing the information and creating the PDF file, I can now make a quick change if necessary! On the other hand, please let me know if you like the pattern, if it is well written, and show me a photo of the finished project if you like. Thanks so much for your support.
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One more thing -- Along with the puchase of the pattern is the permission to sew it up for gifts or for sales in your shop or craft fair. In general, I won't download a free tutorial or purchase an e-pattern if it isn't available to make and sell. I just don't want to remember who said what. My policy is "if I can't craft it for sales, I don't want it." A recent exception made for my blog friend, Stephanie, who just released her first pattern - a hard copy pattern - of her West Linn Bag, which is quite darling and which I plan to make for myself this fall.
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Now, for the next five days, I will be putting together the Scrappy Christmas Blocks for the ModernJax swap I'm in. I've already received two packages from gals who were EARLY! I'm not opening them, though, until mine are made, so I won't be swayed in my own fabric choices and find the need to go shopping again .....

This post can be considered my WIWOW, too.

Christmas In July Stocking Swap

Stephanie and Linda sponsored a Christmas In July Stocking Swap among their blog friends, and I was so pleased to be asked. The swap was set up in a round-robin fashion, so I sent my items to Gai in Australia and then received a lovely package from another Australian, Fiona.

I was so happy to receive a Christmas Bag full of handcrafted items from Fiona. Inside I found this lovely hand-embroidered, quilted tablerunner. Check out the close-up above. Just beautiful with the perfect cozy colors of a wintry Christmas with a little bit of shine in the fabrics. Most special to me, though, is the hand embroidery, and redwork, too! My most favorite of needlearts and especially the most appreciated because it takes such time and effort.



The little embroidered ornament and handcrafted mittens will be perfect on my blogger-swap tree. My collection of blog swap ornaments is growing now that I'm going on my third year of sharing ornaments with my blog friends. A little koala pin to remind me of Australia and some other treats rounded out a great swap package! There WAS a bar of Cadbury white chocolate, but it didn't make it to the photoshoot, hmmmmm.......



When I received Gai's name as the person to whom my items were going, I pretty much knew right away what I would create. Since blogging around the world, I've been sort of fascinated with a summer Christmas for Australians.



I decided to go with the Merry and Bright fabrics I picked up last year and create a "Cool Yule" package for Gai, since the sun is shining and everyone is talking about the heat that time of year down under.



I LOVE the stocking. I sure wish I would make those items for my home! I included an embroidered ornament and some South Carolina sweet treats, too.

You'll have to stop by everyone's blogs above. They are all so creative, and I'm always very grateful to have bumped into you fun people through blogging.

Special Delivery from the UK!

Last month, I participated in a mug swap hosted by Jenny of jennyflower. She organized a round robin swap, and I was happily surprised upon opening my package that Jenny chose me as her partner.

She was so sweet to pay special attention to my blog and my preference of Diet Coke rather than coffee or tea. We were to include some coffee or tea packets, so she sent darling little coke bottle candies and hot chocolate instead. Very nice! She noted that I enjoy hand and machine embroidery and included a number of interesting embroidery threads and embellishments and a little pattern for a fiber embroidery. I haven't done that before.

See the pretty handmade potholder. The colors are perfect to set out with our coffee and tea service for company. Look at the pretty little knitted pincushion. That's definitely something I can't make for myself, as I don't knit well.



And here is something I was most happy to see -- fabrics from England. There is a perfect mix here to make a patchworked item. These will go well with some fall embroidery designs I've ordered.



My partner was Leslie of ethel and edna. My swapt gift to her is the quilted coffee mat and tea wallet above. Leslie and her family traveled to Egypt for vacation while I was keeping up with her blog, which I found very interesting. Here in the U.S., we run to Florida or the Gulf Coast or maybe Mexico for quick vacations, and several British bloggers I read have run off to Egypt and Morocco and Spain for getaways!
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Thanks, Jenny, for organizing this swap. It was great fun for me, because I stretched my skills a bit with quilting the potholder above and learning to make the tea wallets, which I adore! -- and I was able to meet two new and interesting, blogging crafters in England.

Little Bird, Little Bird, Fly Away Home!

One little bird needs an address to fly home to. Judy wins the drawing! Thanks for all your comments. The birds are so easy to make, and you can find the pattern in Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts. I bought the book when it first came out just because of the birds sitting on top of a stack of fabric, however, there are a number of great little projects you'll find in there as well.

Oh, lots of work here today and so diverse that I don't even know where to start. Well, actually, I do. At the mall of all places. I have to pick up a pantsuit for my daughter, then to the hospital for p.r.n. work, then some applique and embroidery work, then work on a computer project, and then finish a set of fingerless mittens for an order made before Christmas while I sit for two to three hours this evening at a mock trial scrimmage, and then, I guess, it will be back to bed where I will think, "Where did this day go, and what did I accomplish?"

Happy Fourth of July! and June Swaps

Happy Fourth! We are having a quiet day here and enjoying it. I'm so glad this holiday makes a three-day weekend. It gives me a chance to go a different pace with my deadlines and poke around my desk and computer while I work.

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Mee Crafty Doll Swap

1. June Kitty A, 2. June Kitty B, 3. June Kitty D

I participated in a couple of swaps in June and now am able to post my photos. First, Chloe at Mee Crafty held her first swap, which was a doll swap. I'm not generally a doll or softie maker, but seeing the work so many have put out, I thought I would go with this kitty pattern I have had for a couple of years. Actually, it is to be made in a more Folk Art - Americana type fashion, which I have made before. I thought this one came out pretty sweet in her bright calicos. She went to Jacqui in England. Kind of fun to have my creations out and about in the world.

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Sweet Goodness Swaps - Pararsols, Pink Lemonade, and Polka Dot Swap

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1. Sweet Goodness Swap - June 2008, 2. Sweet Goodness Swap - June 2008 B, 3. Personalized Wristlet, 4. Personalized Wristlet - inside

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The second swap was the Sweet Goodness Swaps - Parasols, Pink Lemonade, and Polka-Dot swap. We were to include the above. I found a beach bag at Michael's Crafts with parasols/umbrellas, embroidered a beach towel, and make a wristlet that includes some polka-dots within the design. I also included some summery scrapbook stickers and pink lemonade mix. This package went out to Jenn in Massachusetts. I hope she enjoys it at the shore eating some fried clams in a box - well, that is what I always enjoyed eating on the Massachusetts shore when we lived in the Boston area.

What do you think about the custom wristlet? I think the font looks really great. You can find one in my calicodaisy etsy shop if you have to have one for yourself!

A Lovely Surprise

"waiting sarah"

** please read my 06/17/08 posting below and help me decide **

** what I should use as a giveaway for my first blog anniversary **

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"You WIN!" This was the surprising message I received last week from Lorajean. She pulled my name from the hat for her 150th posting giveaway, and I was able to choose some of her artwork. I fell in love with "Waiting Sarah," an original acrylic painting by Lorajean. Sarah is no longer waiting but is home with me. I'm looking forward to framing her and hanging her in my office. Both my daughter and husband said this favors me when I was younger. Now I'm deciding whether to purchase a companion piece. I'm really loving "Lydia."

Lorajean has many talents. She makes softies, stationary from her prints, and paper mache sculptures. I was happy to learn that she knows the paper mache, because, as I answered the other day on the 20 Questions, #5, an art I would next love to learn is paper mache and making holiday folk art people and accessories. Maybe LJ will coach me from afar.

This is her blog: Lorajean's Magazine
This is her etsy shop: little lolas

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Here are some more rabbit trails for you to follow:

1. bura ellen - Don't know how I got there, but that is where I heard about Lorajean's giveaway. She lives in Atlanta, which makes me feel like a kindred blogger since I went to high school there and think of it as "home."

2. Flossie Teacakes - Lovely lady in England. She writes very well and reminds me of Nigella Lawson, by both her descriptions in writing and looks.

3. Feeling Stitchy - All about hand embroidery. One of the very first blogs I came across.

4. Lee Lou Blogs - This one looks fun. She has free and custom blog designs, but I can't figure it out. When I tried to do this, I lost all my categories on the sides. Good thing I saved the original template - take my advice and do that first! Maybe one day I'll write her and ask her how to get it right.

5. Tiny Happy - I found her through Ravenhill. She moved to Norway from New Zealand. She does lovely sewing and embroidery.

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And finally, at risk of bugging you, but I have been taking you down rabbit trails, don't forget to comment on my 06/17/2008 post below about what might be a good giveaway for my first blog anniversary. I'll have to get that started next week.

Special Deliveries

This week, a nice little haul by mail arrived at my house.

I've been following Melissa of Bridgman Pottery for a while now. I love her style, and she prices her pottery very affordably. Her berry bowls have been very popular; I might have to have one of those. Anyway, I have been crazy to have a butterbell for years but began to understand that unless one uses a lot of butter each week and replaces the water that keeps it fresh, not so good, and the potters I met at craft shows just weren't making them anymore. One day at World Market, I found a tiny little butter dish with cover that holds a few tablespoons, perfect to sit out for a few days. However, it's just all white with a little cow head for a knob, so I was still on the lookout. Until Melissa made this little posting here.

Good thing I started using Google reader for my favorite blogs. I was just checking to see who had a new post one day, and there it was. I ordered it immediately, probably like six minutes after it was posted and scared her, but it was mine and here it is. It looks great on my little cupboard with my other pottery.

A couple of weeks ago I showed you my contribution to Michelle's embroidered button swap. I confessed that I used my embroidery machine because I felt my drawings weren't clear enough, but they seem to have gone over well. I received my little package in the mail on Friday. Wow! It's like a little art show of my very own. Here is what I received.

Giraffe - Starla
Paw print - Anina
Hummingbird - Regina
Whale (see her process at her blog) - Elizabeth
Snail - Lia
Hedgehog (do you see how tiny the butterfly is?) - Val

Michelle sent a little giraffe to all of us for participating. Her eyes must be exhausted; it's so tiny! If you'd like to see more tiny artworks, check out the embroidered button flickr site to see the rest.

Finally, I received a Visa gift card in the mail from one of the contractors I work with. I knew just what I wanted to do with it - BUY MORE FABRIC. Not any fabric. I wanted the "sketchbook" pattern of Anna Maria Horner's Drawing Room set (see photos above). I was set to hit the order button on an on-line store I know well and then remembered Kathy started her fabric shop, Pink By Post, and jumped over to see what she had, and there it was! For just starting out, she has some very pretty lines of fabric. So, I ordered enough to use up my Visa gift card. My package arrived surprisingly fast, from outside Seattle to Lexington, SC, in just two days. Very gratifying. Now I just have to decide what to make out of the fabric. Pillows, I think, will be great to show off the scale of the pattern.

Kathy also included a treat, too, as a thanks for testing her Mail Sack pattern, which, I understand, has been selling very nicely. It's so exciting to have been able to help out with that. Anyway, above are the fat quarters she sent to me. My daughter and I were just loving the designs, decided what would look great in tops and bags, and now we want to order more of the same! Thanks so much, Kathy.

Embroidered Button Swap - May 2008

Personally, I think I might have cheated. Technically, maybe not. Michelle did say "whatever you want" in terms of how to embroider our buttons. You should know, though, that since March I did try a number of times to draw out and embroider tiny sweet animals, and I spent a teeny fortune on cards, scrapbook paper, fabric, wrapping paper, etc., trying to draw something cute, but I was never satisfied, and then the due date was upon me. So, I used what I had - my embroidery machine and sweet, sweet inch-tall animals for Michelle's Embroidered Button Swap.

I've already shown I can hand embroider okay - these were my last entry, so, hopefully, the clarity and darlingness of these button designs will pass this entry. Next time, I'll get a friend to draw out my designs if I can't do it…

If you go to Michelle's blog and look on the left column, you'll see all the participants. I haven't seen everyone else's yet, but check out Elizabeth's whale buttons; they'll make you crazy. I put in a request for one of those!

And these buttons magnets (above) are from Jack and Jane's etsy shop. They weren't in the swap, but I happened to see them on etsy when viewing other South Carolina vendors. They are so darling. I love that fabric.

Four Seasons Quilt Swap - Spring 2008 - My Prize!

The postman brought me something beautiful last week - A mini quilt from Paula as part of the Four Seasons Quilt Swap - Spring 2008. She paper pieced this and machine quilted it. The strips are so tiny! Isn't it unbelievable that someone could part with such an intricate pattern to send to a "stranger?" One can only hope that such work would land in an appreciative home. Well, this baby sure did. I told Paula that I couldn't believe how she could pick the perfect colors and theme for me, and the back was my absolute favorite style of fabric, so it's like I received a whole cloth quilt, too. I might have to hang it on something that I can turn this way and that so both sides can get their due viewing.

I so appreciate her hard work and willingness to choose a pattern requiring such time and effort. She told me her quilter friends and husband didn't want her to give it away. However, I think I convinced them that this gift has a good home and will be well cared for!

You'll have to visit Paula's blog - A Latte Quilts. She has great little stories of her daily life and a vast log of all her work.





Paula sent some extra treats to me, including this fabulous Moda charm stack. I think these intermingled with creamy-white Kona fabric charms would make a darling patchwork throw. Will I or won't I? I hope I will! Thanks Paula.

I Love Paris In The Spring Swap - And I love what Paula sent me!

It was a crazy week last week getting ready to leave for Washington DC with my son and finishing up the Sweet Goodness Swaps swap with Paula. It took me ages and lots of trips to the stores to figure out what to do, but it finally came to me thanks to a new embroidery frame design and font I picked up a couple of weeks ago. (See my new font images on mishflicks - fonts. These aren't all my fonts, but I just had this bright idea last week to set up a flickr set to showcase them!)

Well, I went for the good old shopping tote and monogrammed dishtowel, but I think they came out beautiful. I can't wait to make something for Camille and myself with this look! We were to include a handmade item, a thrifted item, a new item, and some crafty goods that met the swap color requirements of blue, black, and white. I'm not a good thrifter around my hometown, so I put in some cuts of scrapbook paper and ribbons for my thrifting. I sent a pretty "French" box and candies, however, I only photographed what I made, as I was feverishly trying to pack it all up for my husband to post after I left town. Maybe Paula will get a shot of the goodies I sent.

I actually received Paula's box a day or two before sending mine but didn't open it until my package was sealed. The morning of my trip, I opened it up and received such a timely swap gift.

Paula made felt hand-embroidered luggage tags! Aren't they beautiful? Look at her whimsical design for the Eiffel Tower. I love that and can't wait to copy it for myself. She did such a great job, and these are very beautiful and useful items. Immediately, as you can see, I put the Eiffel Tower on my laptop bag that I took on my trip. I knew my luggage was going to get thrown around under the bus, so I didn't put the other one to use yet. I think that one will go on a tote bag that I keep near me. Well, she sure outdid me on the extra items. The box was full including a scarf, a little box full of blue and white and black candies (that was a smart find!), craft goodies, a glass pendant necklace, printed tissues, a butterfly scarf, a vintage perfume bottle, and a spoon rest that will go perfect in my still-to-do shabby chic kitchen in the apartment. See more views on mishflicks - swap set. What a great swap partner. I was so fortunate!