tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17733348609101805762024-03-14T14:06:22.572-04:00Journey To "A Longing Fulfilled..."Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-85626639807577553082012-03-06T21:23:00.000-05:002012-03-06T21:23:24.838-05:00Big Sis!A friend requested a shirt for her daughter, same age as Olivia, to wear when baby #2 arrives. I immediately knew it would be a great time to try out the Studio MCA Designs' <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/big-lil-sis-and-bro-machine-applique-design" target="_blank">Big/Lil Sis/Bro</a> design. I needed the <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/mca-angelina-embroidery-font-revised" target="_blank">Angelina font</a> to personalize the shirt and once I had the design all together in my software decided to also add the companion <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/mca-ladybug-machine-applique-design" target="_blank">ladybug</a>. I was really pleased with how this came out. I am still learning my new embroidery machine and it is much quirkier than my combo machine was so it's still trial and error but I am getting more comfortable with it as time goes on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rWRbxBWFeXixNEXEcHLFQubVlS-MUhacZVFfJq52m9VI0iCZAODHFBEur8VDE7HDG2mqO7pX4dyuqsH0zwWb0EnX4TAufuIWQFcXfq_92IxtTSbCRRUnX-wnKC3KWGERBDn-ggUE5gcU/s1600/Big+Sis+Sarah+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rWRbxBWFeXixNEXEcHLFQubVlS-MUhacZVFfJq52m9VI0iCZAODHFBEur8VDE7HDG2mqO7pX4dyuqsH0zwWb0EnX4TAufuIWQFcXfq_92IxtTSbCRRUnX-wnKC3KWGERBDn-ggUE5gcU/s320/Big+Sis+Sarah+copy.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-44002177973091514172012-03-02T23:50:00.001-05:002012-03-02T23:58:15.052-05:00Be my Valentine!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">For Valentine's I used a ready made Monag empire waist dress in red. I embroidered Olivia's initials on the top center. The font is Curlz by </span><a href="http://www.8clawsandapaw.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">8 Claws and A Paw</a><span style="text-align: left;">. This was my first experiment with re-sizing letters in my software. I resized the O and N so that they looked like a traditional monogram format. Then I added Studio MCA's </span><a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/mca-tweet-heart-machine-applique-design" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Tweet Heart</a><span style="text-align: left;"> design to the bottom right. I went with this design because though it is cute for Valentine's it can really be worn anytime.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivUbX-5UcaYoMvkqQMogwraSoSqSzRXATviBwKN9dBX810MvuPdNR5LXkQA5PrbeLGKO9Fdb1RUuZiDbwRpFrCDxzOltlMaoxl_EtL1rji9Us9jadrilLwVns4O4Vdgci9crfHvf0OUfz/s1600/Valentine+Dress+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivUbX-5UcaYoMvkqQMogwraSoSqSzRXATviBwKN9dBX810MvuPdNR5LXkQA5PrbeLGKO9Fdb1RUuZiDbwRpFrCDxzOltlMaoxl_EtL1rji9Us9jadrilLwVns4O4Vdgci9crfHvf0OUfz/s320/Valentine+Dress+copy.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Isn't she precious? We sure do think so!! Olivia discovered Buddy's Halloween costume in the closet on Valentine's Day evening and was obsessed with putting it on!</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQq7wF7cYqUrSmrmzWmd_MSm1NkHZbrki9rUpmCxa87Mu_kDLI3S1UPp4uP74Icc3P0HTqiFdpOJEvuQf9ouqjhO_DmkJClrd5O4fZLuiBEDm63J-ek-Qosh_SbDy21x1ceqaV5pFYfYd/s1600/Olivia+as+a+Bee+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQq7wF7cYqUrSmrmzWmd_MSm1NkHZbrki9rUpmCxa87Mu_kDLI3S1UPp4uP74Icc3P0HTqiFdpOJEvuQf9ouqjhO_DmkJClrd5O4fZLuiBEDm63J-ek-Qosh_SbDy21x1ceqaV5pFYfYd/s320/Olivia+as+a+Bee+copy.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-34560568170079078602012-03-02T23:41:00.003-05:002012-03-03T00:01:40.349-05:00Gymnastics!A friend asked me to make a shirt for her daughter to take to her gymnastics meet. She sent me an example of something she had seen on Etsy and asked me to try to make something similar. This required me to merge two different designs together plus a font which is the most complicated thing I have done with my software to date. The gymnast is filled embroidery which uses a lot of thread and takes a long time to stitch but I was pleased with how she stitched out. She was from a larger design set from <a href="http://www.designsbyjuju.com/" target="_blank">Designs by JuJu</a>. The team colors are zebra and hot pink. I used a variegated thread on part of the gymnast's top to try to create a zebra-like effect and of course the M (from <a href="http://www.planetapplique.com/" target="_blank">Planet Applique</a>) is done with zebra print fabric.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVESDuy0xxd8CM7pLA_L4RF8psuquxQ-zWHU_7COA2q2_zJJngBetIYvtpGZ1kDmNIj8X4T13fDy6vW4aB8TNfVtSm9dTtaomD9O0Mow7zHR5JRf6EGTONENF-rj0mTmxf0DLzhZbQlk7/s1600/Maddie's+shirt+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVESDuy0xxd8CM7pLA_L4RF8psuquxQ-zWHU_7COA2q2_zJJngBetIYvtpGZ1kDmNIj8X4T13fDy6vW4aB8TNfVtSm9dTtaomD9O0Mow7zHR5JRf6EGTONENF-rj0mTmxf0DLzhZbQlk7/s320/Maddie's+shirt+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-20242941510591943812012-03-02T23:34:00.002-05:002012-03-02T23:57:39.344-05:00Recent baby projectsI haven't posted in 2 months but I have done a few things here and there in that time. In general it is taking me a really long time to get projects done. I am just so tired between working and being mommy. Mark travels most every week now so I am "on" all the time and hardly ever get a moment's rest. Fortunately, I am happy to say that the past week or so Olivia has been sleeping much better at night which means I at least get uninterrupted sleep.....it only took 20 months!!<br />
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Below is a ready made blanket and big set I did for a friend as a gift for her 3rd boy. She had a planned section on Feb 8th so I sort of what thinking Valentine baby which is why I picked the plane with the heart. The font on both is Tinker Toy from <a href="http://www.8clawsandapaw.com/" target="_blank">8 Claws And A Paw</a>. The plane was a generous freebie on <a href="http://www.appliqueforum.com/" target="_blank">Applique Forum</a> from <a href="http://www.appliquecafe.com/" target="_blank">Applique Cafe</a>. The lighting on this photo is terrible! It looked okay on the camera screen but that was just an illusion!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9fgTdFBRZOj0LDQbA-6WvL7B8NUTG5OTWqWE0eL-JgRBoQiFnn2okCHC1BZ1oQlu3Kzxssn28P7QWvUDiF31lNeJrWP8C4gV4HmQFjTFJWbaQKe9pvCt-EaSGbON3Rj14HdL1R8K-x6H/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9fgTdFBRZOj0LDQbA-6WvL7B8NUTG5OTWqWE0eL-JgRBoQiFnn2okCHC1BZ1oQlu3Kzxssn28P7QWvUDiF31lNeJrWP8C4gV4HmQFjTFJWbaQKe9pvCt-EaSGbON3Rj14HdL1R8K-x6H/s320/032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div>Next up we have a blanket I made with fleece and minky and then embroidered with the name. This blanket was for my aunt's first granddaughter! The font here is from <a href="http://www.hangtodryapplique.com/" target="_blank">Hang to Dry</a> and is called Holly Jolly.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P9EZw8Ua9z-XBN9_RqWJp8Z8I6yWSt7-hZERclGEpHsxGyR92lz3Iy5X-vdKOLupyuC4IE6obty_An5HDr0Iz3H_LSJanGszhcu_1UwdXU5rqbQgmB9Zb6j1nW3pS-Fxcgi0AgSS-wjV/s1600/Chaya+blanket+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P9EZw8Ua9z-XBN9_RqWJp8Z8I6yWSt7-hZERclGEpHsxGyR92lz3Iy5X-vdKOLupyuC4IE6obty_An5HDr0Iz3H_LSJanGszhcu_1UwdXU5rqbQgmB9Zb6j1nW3pS-Fxcgi0AgSS-wjV/s320/Chaya+blanket+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-42796896174129279842012-01-07T16:19:00.000-05:002012-01-07T16:19:42.274-05:00New babyI have mentioned my new machine several times but she needs a proper intro! <br />
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Over Black Friday weekend the timing worked out for us to purchase a Brother PE770. The PE770 is a step up from my SE400. The SE400 is a combination sewing and embroidery machine and the largest hoop size is 4x4 (which can be stretched to 4x12 with some snazzy software skills). The PE770 is an embroidery only machine which has a hoop size of 5x7 (which also can be stretched to 5x12). <br />
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With combo machines there is a different platform, for lack of a better word, when sewing vs embroidering. When you want to switch tasks you have to change the foot,thread and switch out the platform. It's a real pain if you do equal amounts of each. I had gotten to the point I had learned to group my projects so that I wasn't constantly switching everything but it was becoming a nuisance. Also, as Olivia is growing the 4x4 sized designs were beginning to look a little small. <br />
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My new machine has some quirks I am adjusting to but overall it is really nice to have so many options. So in a year's time I have gone from having no machines to having three (sew/embroidery combo, embroidery and serger). Wow! Here is the new baby!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMbXi-hVEQmWi4yNB9lRmACIVvRgZzaC2AhlJeS5kKbswn9-Kd4MSGLEnB98B1NlFixKpUHUUvRw_FuaSqs0Z3LaRR6IVEEpeN8s0tohX5wu497vL79lwlvZVtFdJE1ucM3tMDELd5Ap7/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMbXi-hVEQmWi4yNB9lRmACIVvRgZzaC2AhlJeS5kKbswn9-Kd4MSGLEnB98B1NlFixKpUHUUvRw_FuaSqs0Z3LaRR6IVEEpeN8s0tohX5wu497vL79lwlvZVtFdJE1ucM3tMDELd5Ap7/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-80230423181685604962012-01-07T16:01:00.001-05:002012-01-07T16:03:04.067-05:00Happy New Year!Can you believe how quickly 2011 flew by and we are already a week into the new year? My brain is already churning with thoughts of how in a few short months I'll need to start planning my daughter's 2 year birthday party!<br />
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Many folks make New Year Resolutions or goals at the beginning of each year and I am no different. My goals for 2012 are:<br />
-learn to use my serger<br />
-work on my sewing skills (specifically I'd like to learn to make some simple clothing items for Olivia like ruffled pants and A line type dresses)<br />
-continue to hone my embroidery and applique skills<br />
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I have decided to put business plans on hold for now. I will continue to do small requests from friends and make gifts for relatives but I am not ready to sell my work to the mass public by any stretch of the imagination. I really need to work on my techniques and fine tune them first. I ruined several items over the holiday because I was either tired, not paying close enough attention or just not familiar enough with my new machine. The reality is that because I work full-time I am only able to work on my crafting in the evenings unless it's during a nap on the weekend. At night I am just not at my best. So, the time to open a business is not now and I am totally okay with that. God has my family's future in His capable hands. When it is the right time He will make it clear to us what the next steps are and the timing for them.<br />
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So, what can you expect to see on the blog this year? More of the same!!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-33435598195873596902012-01-07T15:01:00.001-05:002012-01-07T15:08:06.359-05:00Christmas GiftsHere are some of the items I completed during the Christmas rush -<br />
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</div><div>Added initial to two ready made scarves for relatives</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYjQxIIYZA3BM91b72HJwyYP-4aEa7NbLW3Lmu9B814K7ZAy7fuy_ER4Vpe7-JGwyimG7Vtu6nNYmmenXECt9v6fjjcEnfldb7GqFpPk30XuKehJ2x0gPDz7x66NCBm-fgwLfj-MPpuoT/s1600/Scarf+with+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYjQxIIYZA3BM91b72HJwyYP-4aEa7NbLW3Lmu9B814K7ZAy7fuy_ER4Vpe7-JGwyimG7Vtu6nNYmmenXECt9v6fjjcEnfldb7GqFpPk30XuKehJ2x0gPDz7x66NCBm-fgwLfj-MPpuoT/s320/Scarf+with+A.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhSHiI5OUt5K1CghCj7A01lo2gIu-VRoK2ztctlWcMy3S97qwPuOUtKXvLFj4ZhMwfnCJ0TtpVWPoqhnNdpRWrVCDFJc5eBmyUPfmt4ukVMmInT2Myo4FFdxt64yNMuFbCn0fzEAvQemZ/s1600/Scarf+with+C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhSHiI5OUt5K1CghCj7A01lo2gIu-VRoK2ztctlWcMy3S97qwPuOUtKXvLFj4ZhMwfnCJ0TtpVWPoqhnNdpRWrVCDFJc5eBmyUPfmt4ukVMmInT2Myo4FFdxt64yNMuFbCn0fzEAvQemZ/s320/Scarf+with+C.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hooded Toddler Towel for a relative (made from 1/2 of a hand towel and one bath towel, strip of fabric and then embroidered) - </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4VK-onQ9EbcpiivoSrpYpn6DsKL1RomKucqxJNdndLnzHDqVnl9YWs3pQ8XPgGHntMWYepz2QG4enF69xxBhiIDGKoHRvtUcPDCgMP5040VgmHT6sUc5XWUE8FJQpBRNfbjHLcvUDqo0/s1600/Nate+hooded+towel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4VK-onQ9EbcpiivoSrpYpn6DsKL1RomKucqxJNdndLnzHDqVnl9YWs3pQ8XPgGHntMWYepz2QG4enF69xxBhiIDGKoHRvtUcPDCgMP5040VgmHT6sUc5XWUE8FJQpBRNfbjHLcvUDqo0/s320/Nate+hooded+towel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And for my little girl, I added the adorable <a href="http://www.studiomcadesigns.com/" target="_blank">Studio MCA Designs</a> <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/mca-jingle-jungle-giraffes-with-ornament" target="_blank">Jingle Jungle Giraffes with Ornament</a> applique. I opted to use the fuzzy giraffe print fabric rather than plain fabric and the embroidered polka dots from the design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA21xlFgSyWgGSl7BizA9IfQZyrOuYwemf5yMB_hXHdQz6fQ6aI2LxgROp5g6bBK_jQW_lnRCHaI6uEtygMewSipdmH2NsEJVopkeYczocLszjQQyRK5RUdcQorX3qJyhRrmXqXEZ6EHEl/s1600/MCA+Giraffe+Design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA21xlFgSyWgGSl7BizA9IfQZyrOuYwemf5yMB_hXHdQz6fQ6aI2LxgROp5g6bBK_jQW_lnRCHaI6uEtygMewSipdmH2NsEJVopkeYczocLszjQQyRK5RUdcQorX3qJyhRrmXqXEZ6EHEl/s320/MCA+Giraffe+Design.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-78281939227717542882011-12-18T14:45:00.000-05:002011-12-18T14:45:11.305-05:00Monag Brand BlanketI have decided that going forward when I do blankets I'd like to focus on baby blankets and use a ready made blank rather than sewing them myself. I don't mind an occasional request from family or friends and really nothing quite beats minky but from a business perspective they take more time than I really have to give. So, around Black Friday I had ordered a few <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/blank-white-monag-interlock-blanket" target="_blank">blanks</a> (Monag Interlock) from my trusty source <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">Studio MCA Designs</a> and when the invitation came to attend a baby shower at work recently I took advantage of the opportunity to experiment with them. The verdict? These stitch out beautifully and are very good quality. I definitely plan to work with these as much as possible in the future. And, I am IN LOVE with <a href="http://www.hangtodryapplique.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=HTD+Steinweiss+Script" target="_blank">Hang To Dry Applique Designs' Steinweiss Script Font</a>!! I got several compliments on it and am looking forward to more projects that it will be appropriate for!<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkptYiULWHWKRUee6DcirYGh5h5nToo-8L8_5FhyiKp2yk-VoAHcusJJU0NR12UW-Qq_RpdZMLYjtsttpS4tq0t5iFhZD6mnOArF6HhWlwszz8UgOOMKjyDAOauCF1pOthOA7RndZx6p7/s1600/Zoe+blanket+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkptYiULWHWKRUee6DcirYGh5h5nToo-8L8_5FhyiKp2yk-VoAHcusJJU0NR12UW-Qq_RpdZMLYjtsttpS4tq0t5iFhZD6mnOArF6HhWlwszz8UgOOMKjyDAOauCF1pOthOA7RndZx6p7/s320/Zoe+blanket+copy.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-16002581392916030422011-12-18T14:15:00.000-05:002011-12-18T14:15:09.185-05:00School of T&E: Toddler Christmas TopA friend asked me to make a Christmas top for her daughter, Ariella. She gave me complete creative license which I loved. I scoured my favorite websites for Christmas designs but the moment I saw <a href="http://www.studiomcadesigns.com/" target="_blank">Studio MCA Designs</a> <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/mca-jingle-jungle-applique-alphabet" target="_blank">Jingle Jungle Alpha applique</a> and <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/mca-jingle-jungle-alphabet" target="_blank">font</a> I knew that was what would go on Ariella's shirt. Just like Olivia, Ariella is a sweet little monkey and I knew this would be perfect for her! Plus, with this design I knew she would get more use from it than just Christmas day and I think that is really important personally as a mom.<br />
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My first task was to find the right fabric for the A. I knew just what I wanted but by the time I actually found it online I was terrified it would not ship in time. I decided to put an APB out on my beloved <a href="http://www.appliqueforum.com/" target="_blank">Applique Forum</a> and a sweet member came to my rescue. I just cannot say enough good things about Applique Forum - I ♥ it! I've never been involved in a forum of such generous folks!<br />
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This was a pretty big project for me in that there were several fabric changes and thread colors and then additionally it was my first shirt with my new machine and my first time merging a name and design into a 5x7 hoop with Sew What Pro which I am still learning. Also, once I had completed the work I decided the monkey needed a bow so she could be more girly and that is was my first time adding a bow. I need A LOT more practice with bows (and need to find some premade bows!!) but overall, I was very pleased with the final product. And, I am happy to report that my friend's daughter "squealed" when she saw it! That is my favorite part of this new 'hobby' - hearing that the recipient is happy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcUSS8PGg0xRSn0eJ2e0k_B31MuMaCdeHy0uq_CnNUyWmcY95pXOzxdDgMwxQx0gXs49PsNp_7afvd4xaI_mTdGcYhJiJj5m_NJsY6qCr1yo-bvQZDQqelINA7-ox9BaWMtfgEPuqc4C2/s1600/Ariella+MCA+Jingle+Jungle+Alpha+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcUSS8PGg0xRSn0eJ2e0k_B31MuMaCdeHy0uq_CnNUyWmcY95pXOzxdDgMwxQx0gXs49PsNp_7afvd4xaI_mTdGcYhJiJj5m_NJsY6qCr1yo-bvQZDQqelINA7-ox9BaWMtfgEPuqc4C2/s320/Ariella+MCA+Jingle+Jungle+Alpha+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-72248377396510657572011-12-18T14:00:00.000-05:002011-12-18T14:00:57.924-05:00School of T&E: Toddler Car Blanket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Director at Olivia's daycare asked me to make her daughter, Megan, a blanket for the car similar to the lap blanket I made for Olivia. I decide to use Minky like I did before but instead of fleece to use a cuddle fabric (not sure what its official name is). All I am going to say is that these two fabrics together cause more lint than I've ever seen in my entire life of lint all added together!! I learned a few really good lessons with this project:</div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Use your Walking Foot!!</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Do not put the wrong applique on these fabrics and have to rip the seams to get rid of it - it will take you forever and the amount of lint such an error produces is unfathomable!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Below is a picture that show both sides so you can see the fabrics used. This applique is Planet Applique's Sweetheart Alpha and the font is Boyz R Gross by 8 Claws & a Paw.</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSdQ_gz3nEQgTDWqynNN1CeNTvs1DiH1w0YbcwFA7LyRd6_GTi5ryxCxvSiyzNv7kGH00tL6Xkok2Ghd7DojX2uX4mE_UUfdG_1f7iWethqzmKNyDZ_wqdaVlKYvzsKuuaIMfnrJYnDfd/s1600/Megan+blanket+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;">A</span><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSdQ_gz3nEQgTDWqynNN1CeNTvs1DiH1w0YbcwFA7LyRd6_GTi5ryxCxvSiyzNv7kGH00tL6Xkok2Ghd7DojX2uX4mE_UUfdG_1f7iWethqzmKNyDZ_wqdaVlKYvzsKuuaIMfnrJYnDfd/s320/Megan+blanket+copy.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-91544845687500938762011-12-18T13:48:00.000-05:002011-12-18T13:48:56.311-05:00Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange: An Experiment in TowelsI participated in <a href="http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/2011/11/handmade-gift-exchange-winter-2011-linky-party.html" target="_blank">Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange</a> in November. I was lucky to be paired with a fabulous quilter named Kelly who blogs at <a href="http://craftytwinmommy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Live.Love.Create</a>. She created this fabulous quilted wall hanging for me and quite honestly, just looking at it makes me want to learn to quilt!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLXRecqRekU_Z17-a8YO0y_eQNJ2sQLBXuWM6X3ml4UqPVOFbqEAEO-PbHnKKWhX6ozbGoOoJPBgbe0ot4AZmJXbEH4zOyZrG5rJPZfiTfrBSAFXGLuyczuBFYYPFHMh3NqWapt_pX4bS/s1600/Wall+Hanging+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLXRecqRekU_Z17-a8YO0y_eQNJ2sQLBXuWM6X3ml4UqPVOFbqEAEO-PbHnKKWhX6ozbGoOoJPBgbe0ot4AZmJXbEH4zOyZrG5rJPZfiTfrBSAFXGLuyczuBFYYPFHMh3NqWapt_pX4bS/s320/Wall+Hanging+copy.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She also sent a sweet homemade Santa Claus card and some scrapbook supplies as well! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1TXzVc3DALRFFQbiWtSaV5qWMimMeoOrrjx18WCynmcvAa-ghCpEqQIB4SAKSqys_DU1y2zYW0IS8CxT8TUC1-CxTcjuP0zoqsI0XPIhz1jjHedtJV-PUgzLkmxB-t-483XtI0ma9Y1l/s1600/160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1TXzVc3DALRFFQbiWtSaV5qWMimMeoOrrjx18WCynmcvAa-ghCpEqQIB4SAKSqys_DU1y2zYW0IS8CxT8TUC1-CxTcjuP0zoqsI0XPIhz1jjHedtJV-PUgzLkmxB-t-483XtI0ma9Y1l/s320/160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you again Kelly!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For Kelly, I decided to do a set of seasonal kitchen towels with appliques/embroidery. I really had a few additional holidays in mind but simply ran out of time. Here are the ones I did displayed together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12OyHcWsI7sPTIJXZ2QHUBxTr8wW7UtPcNRI3TtSeVua3UM217l5LIMyQcbhk1osEvlEl4r8ihrtb__KtTznuOR29U7FRvgdQ6Fse02-vbaFYKjVPQdJERcCSMmfZ4LX5Q1XMHsRxQUcy/s1600/Seasonal+Towels+Grouped+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12OyHcWsI7sPTIJXZ2QHUBxTr8wW7UtPcNRI3TtSeVua3UM217l5LIMyQcbhk1osEvlEl4r8ihrtb__KtTznuOR29U7FRvgdQ6Fse02-vbaFYKjVPQdJERcCSMmfZ4LX5Q1XMHsRxQUcy/s320/Seasonal+Towels+Grouped+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think the cupcake (general use for birthdays or other celebrations) was my favorite.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNgQJy9a5bcdb0aQUCFiZg-G_uoPWcI-6k_B_uuJx0fcTr-pyYfvvwJlIj9HUiqwcRADvIZh6BR9lZPHXGvxU9mv5XWD4PzE-mQTEoz-zcJZNZgFkeiqZPn0TTMj8W8AgS8se4xAqw2BQ/s1600/PA+Valentine+Cupcake+Towel+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNgQJy9a5bcdb0aQUCFiZg-G_uoPWcI-6k_B_uuJx0fcTr-pyYfvvwJlIj9HUiqwcRADvIZh6BR9lZPHXGvxU9mv5XWD4PzE-mQTEoz-zcJZNZgFkeiqZPn0TTMj8W8AgS8se4xAqw2BQ/s320/PA+Valentine+Cupcake+Towel+copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's a tad confusing to look at initially but I just couldn't resist using this filled embroidery design for the Halloween towel since Kelly has twin boys!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbCaF8hVSiQUSueDAO7pymlb3GCxCXXOCj5ywhbTnoaeFcS6RUl8wwqFQQAVDmQ7A59ARIYqsOCfQ5FAKxvtcHub65Cr9sqfhr-kRukrQZAiBqUgWzGatiib-lMWrqzvowB4CUyVF0cuJ/s1600/Embroitique+Double+Double+Towel+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbCaF8hVSiQUSueDAO7pymlb3GCxCXXOCj5ywhbTnoaeFcS6RUl8wwqFQQAVDmQ7A59ARIYqsOCfQ5FAKxvtcHub65Cr9sqfhr-kRukrQZAiBqUgWzGatiib-lMWrqzvowB4CUyVF0cuJ/s320/Embroitique+Double+Double+Towel+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, what would a gift exchange be without putting a little of yourself into it? Kelly lives in a different part of the country from me so I had to share some Southern hospitality with the Fall towel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDrZvZElCvRD442nuSNL0ehwcRhQ7vIg-A7raUN0TxzFtfgU202zBHAZYR5sNzGmIC8hbuPxQSPBnCwqjM_jHbE-zIBn9ZLsHGo34AoswfUKbfPyfI10STFdcrTE_ummkZOJ97iLqiYVd/s1600/Embroitique+Happy+Fall+Ya%2527ll+Towel+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDrZvZElCvRD442nuSNL0ehwcRhQ7vIg-A7raUN0TxzFtfgU202zBHAZYR5sNzGmIC8hbuPxQSPBnCwqjM_jHbE-zIBn9ZLsHGo34AoswfUKbfPyfI10STFdcrTE_ummkZOJ97iLqiYVd/s320/Embroitique+Happy+Fall+Ya%2527ll+Towel+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you Linda for the awesome opportunity to share our handmade craftiness with others!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-65281683676086335692011-11-27T02:15:00.001-05:002011-11-27T02:17:10.627-05:00Another Turkey TopFinally got around to getting a shirt done for my sweet girl - just in time! This design from Planet Applique went relatively well except that the personalization was a tad too close to the turkey. I had a hard time getting a decent photo of the entire shirt so I finally gave up and decided to just post the applique area itself. Gobble Gobble!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFxAIT7B_OR9XdY0c4wInOuASrGsJUmbQYmj8Tn1TM9hsoJFd6IpPxNRHCcLedusaOLYny8raIsL7wHx1h_tp6LqNOEDX9C5pfY1yJsUGi5oHraUlbOhXdpPhQErB9HCSjq1Khu1iAT1E/s1600/Turkey+for+Olivia+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFxAIT7B_OR9XdY0c4wInOuASrGsJUmbQYmj8Tn1TM9hsoJFd6IpPxNRHCcLedusaOLYny8raIsL7wHx1h_tp6LqNOEDX9C5pfY1yJsUGi5oHraUlbOhXdpPhQErB9HCSjq1Khu1iAT1E/s320/Turkey+for+Olivia+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-53991648735595179772011-11-27T02:12:00.001-05:002011-11-27T02:27:06.013-05:00Guinea Pig #1 for Learning to Applique/Embroider Baby ItemsOne of the things I am most interested in is creating cute things for babies!! In an effort to learn to do lots of different things I have a special group of pregnant mamas I am making gifts for over the next 6 months or so. I tend to refer to them as my guinea pigs!<br />
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The first mama up actually went into labor about 3 weeks early. I went into a frenzy to get my planned items completed for her once I knew she was in labor because I had really wanted her to have them before the baby's arrival. The night I worked on these I cut my finger with a rotary cutter and bled like a stuck pig for a good 15 minutes. The whole time I took care not to get a drop of blood on her special things - which was rather difficult considering they were all WHITE! As it so turns out her sweet little boy is having a little stay in the NICU so it will be a while before he gets to wear any of this but at least I know when he does he'll have a few little items from me!<br />
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New things I experienced with this set of gifts include<br />
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<ul><li>first applique on bib</li>
<li>first kimono wrap top</li>
<li>used new technique for backing a burp cloth with fabric</li>
<li>first time combining designs to make my own design (personalized patch)</li>
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This mama uses Dr. Seuss characters in her nursery. I had hoped to have time to order some special fabric for her but there was no time for that. The best I could do in the way of Seuss-ness was this bib with the Thing 2 patch on it - fitting since this is her 2nd baby!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbN8czCDcXzyapv-Hxjs1zO4OnHTIarjQcXhRBrqYrZAlUY6XEmooqoQLd0Crh8bfU3C5MA0mWhRVyAQiI8fnw-5nfz_f_XEQy2ODFcBljJ8dkmrUdeRmnTmfTF4cIO34RTAmUJ1QMxm8/s1600/Thing+2+Bib+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbN8czCDcXzyapv-Hxjs1zO4OnHTIarjQcXhRBrqYrZAlUY6XEmooqoQLd0Crh8bfU3C5MA0mWhRVyAQiI8fnw-5nfz_f_XEQy2ODFcBljJ8dkmrUdeRmnTmfTF4cIO34RTAmUJ1QMxm8/s320/Thing+2+Bib+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I also had been wanting to try out these kimono wrap tops. I thought they would be easier to work with than a onesie but I'm really not so sure about that now. The hoop edge gets a little too close for my comfort to the curved edge of the wrap. At any rate, this one is kind of funny. The patch is hysterically large on this tiny top but it really did stitch out nicely. The "r" is from minky. Prior to stitching this design I had just bemoaned my 4x4 hoop but this design on this top made me appreciate how big 4x4 could really be!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_TURy6rGgJd3yGxSrgJ-PGQ52i1OrcXZfnIeaZ7CsHnnPHOR5crq5_ZhMhi0Amhh7hPk8D5nh5XgEIFDnBar7nvwiI1noRxd7lkmMGMM-ThhbR9YVkPABuofCnx5ennVrf2sj5neWzmu/s1600/r+kimono+wrap+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_TURy6rGgJd3yGxSrgJ-PGQ52i1OrcXZfnIeaZ7CsHnnPHOR5crq5_ZhMhi0Amhh7hPk8D5nh5XgEIFDnBar7nvwiI1noRxd7lkmMGMM-ThhbR9YVkPABuofCnx5ennVrf2sj5neWzmu/s320/r+kimono+wrap+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, lastly, what mom can't use another cute burp cloth? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTcFzNs3ZFkt1bhRxNzXits7uZE68DfHCdTqXDBLY_3gcWTWxTVXkjjW4Rg6ySmfwzpawYJFkCLWQZLD1cT1M6GZE_ddAV1h6TRCW2nhz_y7VpOWyDU2LFGZ6qFgWm8UDx7efqArpSFH9/s1600/Rowans+burp+cloth+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTcFzNs3ZFkt1bhRxNzXits7uZE68DfHCdTqXDBLY_3gcWTWxTVXkjjW4Rg6ySmfwzpawYJFkCLWQZLD1cT1M6GZE_ddAV1h6TRCW2nhz_y7VpOWyDU2LFGZ6qFgWm8UDx7efqArpSFH9/s320/Rowans+burp+cloth+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-9832622938602134312011-11-18T23:02:00.001-05:002011-11-18T23:08:55.245-05:00My Future Business: Logo and Packaging SuppliesIn planning for my future business one of the first things I did was have a logo designed. Really, Shannon? Who has a logo when they don't even have a business? That's crazy talk, right? No, actually I don't think it's crazy at all! <br />
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Having a logo reminds me constantly of what I am striving for and also helps me to think professionally about what I'm doing even though I'm such a newbie. Through the wonderful and often spoke of <a href="http://www.appliqueforum.com/" target="_blank">Applique Forum</a> I came in contact with Marie, owner of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/autumnscreek" target="_blank">autumns creek designs </a>. As a sponsor she offered a discount to Applique Forum members on logo designs and since I already had a name and design in mind I was able to purchase a very affordable package from her.<br />
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Here is my logo which I adore<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6fUdim0rVnFLKveXA4SSU6z3UQZIhk3lHHR384Kc9_qr2kKyLEAa0i-EhNHBaHVquOgrFjNSzVnwuseEMQRzyxeA0CQM_Bn8K5bzEMnWPq9DW-iUKEKNwPiIv_q8VVBha49Xi4Z3HfMH/s1600/polka+dots+and+snails+at+100+pixel+height.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6fUdim0rVnFLKveXA4SSU6z3UQZIhk3lHHR384Kc9_qr2kKyLEAa0i-EhNHBaHVquOgrFjNSzVnwuseEMQRzyxeA0CQM_Bn8K5bzEMnWPq9DW-iUKEKNwPiIv_q8VVBha49Xi4Z3HfMH/s1600/polka+dots+and+snails+at+100+pixel+height.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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The other thing I just did recently was order some packaging supplies from Melissa at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/studiomcadesigns" target="_blank">Studio MCA Designs</a>. I still am in the process of getting hang tags created to tie to my packages when I mail them out but here is an example of a recent mailing with Melissa's <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/category/packaging-supplies" target="_blank">resealable bags and Divine Twine</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEe6geBKEfMfs78bEgU5GCndynDvz6SQhpR4udmR3FTmfjjkM6nRqES_-e6hw9SUA23ZBINy-nkdgsq13eQTff6h6doIVcisHjcdHgf4WquF8PQQnLkfwVR1eAekoWd5XMh2QDcMk5mNGt/s320/Jake+package+copy.jpg" width="280" /></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-64595496839716350202011-11-18T22:27:00.001-05:002011-11-27T02:16:07.782-05:00School of T&E: Applique Cafe Raggy TurkeyBecause I have a girl I do not get much opportunity to do cutesy stuff for boys. I also have never appliqued a onesie since Olivia rarely wears them anymore so when I had the opportunity to buy some boy colors onesie blanks from a destash I immediately thought of my online BFF who has an almost 3 month old boy. I looked at the MANY turkeys available and decided to go with <a href="http://www.appliquecafe.com/" target="_blank">Applique Cafe</a>'s Raggy Turkey merged with the Whoa Nelly font by <a href="http://www.8clawsandapaw.com/" target="_blank">8 Claw and a Paw Embroidery</a>.<br />
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This project brought with it many firsts so the School of Trial & Error was, of course, in session!<br />
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<ul><li>first raggy design </li>
<li>first boy outfit</li>
<li>first time figuring out how to hoop a onesie</li>
<li>first time using my new software, Sew What Pro, to merge a name with a design</li>
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Working with a onesie was hands down the most frustrating aspect of this project but now that I know what to do and what not to do I think it will be just get easier each time. Fortunately, I was able to turn to my trusted <a href="http://www.appliqueforum.com/" target="_blank">Applique Forum</a> friends to find the perfect tutorial for how to hoop a onesie. Megan, from <a href="http://www.penguinpersonalization.com/" target="_blank">Penguin Personalization</a> has a fantastic tutorial <a href="http://penguinpersonalization.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-hooping-technique.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Part of the angst I experienced with the onesie is that I accidentally allowed the snaps to get caught up under the hoop while stitching and what a mess!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgrOdJ_Cz2RbCqcjbHHx5oFYURjcWlMYGcSolP171_VUExoDNMqczZRteRjojry1R7uXmi-yJs_DxHt2PTNkGQvVNFvOekVRMJmieZrujgxZKFmDlP121DUY3W3vfp2On5Lu990GqzSSA/s1600/Turkey+mishap+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgrOdJ_Cz2RbCqcjbHHx5oFYURjcWlMYGcSolP171_VUExoDNMqczZRteRjojry1R7uXmi-yJs_DxHt2PTNkGQvVNFvOekVRMJmieZrujgxZKFmDlP121DUY3W3vfp2On5Lu990GqzSSA/s320/Turkey+mishap+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Yep! I sew that turkey right onto the snaps area.... Sigh.... So me and my handy seam ripper spent a long time fixing that one. That will NOT happen again!! And lastly, one more little learning moment, apparently if you want your "raggy" turkey to be "raggy" you should not put Heat N Bond Lite on the fabric like you do for everything else! Lesson learned!!<br />
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Here is my final product, whole onesie and design up close<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PONHiZKE80vCYiTnH2UW1Q8UWDa8rY2fKDfZhwa3WeZXPSRliXOQYiMtv78hyphenhyphenbZwlrXGWiTq3ZJqT1xOocwrUH1eL_ivf4dWRumb7Hg2cwy02PLGRImSQJ1ASzgeooTCs1Uj_wuXp77d/s1600/final+product+Jake+Turkey+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PONHiZKE80vCYiTnH2UW1Q8UWDa8rY2fKDfZhwa3WeZXPSRliXOQYiMtv78hyphenhyphenbZwlrXGWiTq3ZJqT1xOocwrUH1eL_ivf4dWRumb7Hg2cwy02PLGRImSQJ1ASzgeooTCs1Uj_wuXp77d/s320/final+product+Jake+Turkey+copy.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoBhnHA7Z3NzveKmpfd2ZWgu51XH_j_td-FAn8lEwDxm9m11hw379P3V2W_Td5kS0-EdFO1CveeSRnDddcZXkYeCggAmJ638PuSIKM404mCcnlxTnG0hd3FOCYZGUThN1eqLQP9WkiwCa/s1600/Jake+turkey+up+close+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoBhnHA7Z3NzveKmpfd2ZWgu51XH_j_td-FAn8lEwDxm9m11hw379P3V2W_Td5kS0-EdFO1CveeSRnDddcZXkYeCggAmJ638PuSIKM404mCcnlxTnG0hd3FOCYZGUThN1eqLQP9WkiwCa/s320/Jake+turkey+up+close+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-22389222745926796812011-11-18T21:53:00.000-05:002011-11-18T21:53:41.648-05:00School of T&E: Studio MCA Ski ChickA few weeks back I bought this plain pink hoodie jacket for fall/early winter for Olivia with plans to add something special to it. Over the past few months I have been a member of <a href="http://www.appliqueforum.com/" target="_blank">Applique Forum</a>. Through AF I met <a href="http://www.studiomcadesigns.com/" target="_blank">Studio MCA Designs</a> owner, Melissa. She has since become a favorite source for embroidery blanks and packing supplies. I am just starting to stitch out some of her designs and expect to be doing a lot more because her Christmas line <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/category/applique-designs" target="_blank">"Jingle Jungle"</a> is adorable!! <div><br />
</div><div>But back to that jacket.... After looking around quite a bit DH and I decided to go with Melissa's <a href="http://studiomcadesigns.bigcartel.com/product/mca-ski-chick" target="_blank">Ski Chick</a>! <div>As mentioned before I am very new to applique and learning by trial and error along with help from the wonderful members and sponsors at <a href="http://www.appliqueforum.com/" target="_blank">Applique Forum</a>. Part of the purpose of this blog is to serve as an outlet for documenting my learning process. I think it will be fun to look back on these challenging times later on so I want to keep track of them!</div><div><br />
</div><div>My main error made with this design was wanting my chicken too fluffy. I added flannel below the fabric to puff him up a bit. Somehow that resulted in his body lifting up when the stitching was going down and a small hole occurring where that happened. I went back and stitched by hand to secure him after the fact but I wish now that I had not added the flannel and I think it would have gone perfectly. Either way the design is absolutely adorable.</div><div><br />
</div><div>First is my finished product and then following the chicken with hole and subsequent hand stitched chicken.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wjmUlyVnWns-uPjcyNEIUjC4xHzAvsKtnRtkflDZVKB0UWMa2RPAJ-biJwtYnhz4Lk4i98ql155fwj6wnjUUP6A3_ncGfo0I-eZJaPv9YwX5_Umxk3LmJcy46XGUa5gIW3Cal9hjzZcg/s1600/Ski+Chick+on+jacket+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wjmUlyVnWns-uPjcyNEIUjC4xHzAvsKtnRtkflDZVKB0UWMa2RPAJ-biJwtYnhz4Lk4i98ql155fwj6wnjUUP6A3_ncGfo0I-eZJaPv9YwX5_Umxk3LmJcy46XGUa5gIW3Cal9hjzZcg/s320/Ski+Chick+on+jacket+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBk5J2C7Pg2EPigHphjVoDtotkzu5CMNVK-JzHkwmz6gss_VFsAFoIOulPZVCmTzNRYWqoS7w9wQqRvpIppATIKLkS2ZakCWoYeiAsZwfysQ8T4YhcEMRsZurYlkyVLIDw7ybLY5yqp72u/s1600/ski+chick+with+hole+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBk5J2C7Pg2EPigHphjVoDtotkzu5CMNVK-JzHkwmz6gss_VFsAFoIOulPZVCmTzNRYWqoS7w9wQqRvpIppATIKLkS2ZakCWoYeiAsZwfysQ8T4YhcEMRsZurYlkyVLIDw7ybLY5yqp72u/s320/ski+chick+with+hole+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4t6oa5YZcHw2y3kv1QbfGiZxrAiNqadL1907nH3CUlfveTb2beKLQDNyN0WQ5aIcIq4uBhbh4BmzeolWQuH3-717gF1joqXTtrOcZ8vYwTHCeWkFz07CMrMIw1hxbA8z3dDKA5l5w7s1/s1600/Ski+Chick+after+hand+stitching+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4t6oa5YZcHw2y3kv1QbfGiZxrAiNqadL1907nH3CUlfveTb2beKLQDNyN0WQ5aIcIq4uBhbh4BmzeolWQuH3-717gF1joqXTtrOcZ8vYwTHCeWkFz07CMrMIw1hxbA8z3dDKA5l5w7s1/s320/Ski+Chick+after+hand+stitching+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-33957166564201208592011-11-14T15:49:00.001-05:002011-11-18T21:54:41.242-05:00Learning the Hard WayGrowing up, my mother did not sew and in high school Home Economics was not a requirement so I never touched a sewing machine until a year ago when my sweet hubby ordered one for me as a Christmas gift. I googled and googled but really could not find a good option for sewing classes in my area. I tried a couple classes at a local sewing store but concluded that they were not meant for folks like me who could barely figure out how to make the machine go. I would be so far behind the other students that the teacher would come over and essentially do my work for me so once I was home I couldn't reproduce any of it. I also tried a private lesson with a local lady who taught classes but didn't have any openings. That was a costly choice that netted me no new skills as well. So, instead of continuing to pursue classes I entered the School of Trial and Error. Apparently, I learn best by doing things wrong two or three times at least, sometimes more.<br />
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</div><div>Currently, I am learning to applique using digitized files that are loaded into my sewing machine. One would think that if the design has already been created and the sewing machine knows what to do when the file is transmitted that you will have a wonderful creation 100% of the time. I wish! Who knew it could be so hard to center an article of clothing for a sewing machine! The fun part though is picking out the fabric and thread colors - that is what really makes for a unique creation from one person to another.</div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1773334860910180576.post-36946853153484038112011-11-14T15:32:00.000-05:002011-11-14T15:32:30.554-05:00Welcome!For as long as I can remember my heart's desire has been to be able to stay at home when I had children. My daughter is close to 17 months old and I am still not sure when I might be able to put my career on hold but I do know that once I do I hope to make it a long-term situation. I am planning for that by learning to sew, embroider and applique so that later on I can continue contributing to our income while spending time with the most precious gift God has given me.<br />
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I have started this blog to help me keep track of the many projects I find myself wanting to do and also as a way to chronicle my personal journey to making my dreams reality.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723875719901947672noreply@blogger.com0