August Lately

New Fabrics for Fall!

Now available for Design Your Own Bags and Accessories:

Stretch Your Business Dollars!

I posted this in the Craft Revolution Blog, but I thought that my visitors here might like to read it as well:

Any small business owner knows that keeping the cash flow healthy in a budding business is a challenge. This problem is multiplied for crafty business owners since the supplies we purchase are often based on a want- rather than a need- basis. I have an especially hard time resisting new designer cotton fabrics when they come out. With average prices between eight and twelve dollars a yard, this can quickly add up to a very full studio and not-so-full business checking account. Luckily for me, I have recently found several fabric co-ops that have allowed me to buy the fabrics I love at much more reasonable prices.

Buy the Bolt is a new group that allows those of us with major fabric needs to purchase fabrics, well, by the bolt! Instead of each designer meeting a large bolt minimum (sometimes up to eight bolts per order), this group allows individuals to place single bolt orders at wholesale prices. The first order is for Michael Miller's new line, and I have a feeling it's going to be a big one!

Fabrics and Notions is a very active, very large group that purchases a wide array of fabrics, notions and sewing aids at wholesale for the group. If you join this group, be warned, there is a very large volume of messages each day- I get the daily digest and skim the topics each day to be sure I haven't missed a buy that I'd like to participate in.

Some tips for participating in fabric co-op groups:

Read the Files
When you get approved for a group, a number of files will automatically be emailed to you from yahoo. They will usually arrive as a word document attached to the email. READ THEM! These files will explain the basics of how to order, pay, and who to ask if you have questions. You will save yourself and the group leader a lot of time and frustration by following this step.

Don't pay early, and don't pay late
Some groups will ask for payment when ordering, others will want to wait until the fabric comes in to make sure that everything is accounted for and to avoid refunds for missing fabric. Again, it is very important to read the files and understand the group's payment policies. Paying early causes headaches for the group administrator and paying late can hold up the order for everyone.

Show Your Appreciation!
This is a big one. Running a fabric co-op is a lot of work and most take very little for their time and energy. Make sure you let them know that you appreciate the opportunity they are providing and perhaps offer to help if you can.

Supply co-ops are another great way that the professional crafting community comes together to support all of its members in making their ventures successful. If you're not sure that you'd like to participate yet, don't let that stop you from joining a group that looks interesting. Read the messages and get a feel for the group. Then, if you're comfortable, try placing a smaller order (Willow Fabric, for instance, allows you to order in one-yard quantities) and see how it works out for you.

Remember, co-ops aren't just for fabrics. Try doing a search at Yahoo Groups to see if there's a coop running for the supplies you use in your crafts. Odds are there are a few out there!

Do you know of more co-ops for crafty business people? Post a comment!

I'm Baaaaaaaack!

And feeling oh so much BETTER! Yes, I meant to shout there. If I were to shout for real I think my jaw would protest but the virtual shouting, that's ok.

Right now I'd say I'm about 50% back to normal. I'm pretty sore, but I won't get into what the pain meds did to me. Let's just say I'll take nagging pain over what they did to my poor little belly any day.

I have a giant bruise on my jaw, it really looks like I took a very solid punch. It'll be gone in a few days though.

I want to thank all of you who took the time to leave comments on the last few very self-absorbed (and rather groggy) posts. You really did make me feel better to know that you care and I promise that I won't be so whiny in the future.

Now, enough about my mouth!

Boy, have I got some news! You know that big, huge, life-affirming project I talked about a while back? It's one step closer to fruition and I'm so excited I can't stand it! With any luck I'll be able to spill in a few weeks. Just cross those fingers for me, ok?

And finally something pretty to share- My new fabric from ReproDepot!

I can't wait to get these lovelies washed and sewn into something!

Ow!

Well, I woke up at 2:30 am in some pretty bad pain. It's weird. One side of my mouth doesn't even feel like anything happened. The other feels like I got punched in the jaw by Mike Tyson.

I'm really resistant to taking the heavy drugs so I took some ibuprofen (they told me that was OK because it will also help with the swelling) and was able to go to sleep again and was in much less pain by 6:30 when we got up. I'm still sore, but much less so. More bothersome to me, and this may be TMI so feel free to skip this part, is that my mouth is expected to bleed off and on for a while and you know, that's just nasty, unless you like the taste of your own blood, which I certainly do not.

One of the cool things I learned from this is that the tannins in tea actually help blood to coagulate. In my after care instructions it actually said to try a tea bag compress if you were bleeding more than you'd like. Go figure. I tried it and it seems to have helped some.

I'm supposed to go to my cousin's wedding today and try to do some photography for her. Man I hope I can get there. I might ask my husband to keep the boys home so all I have to worry about is myself. The last wedding we went to (his mom's) was one big blur of corralling the kids and I think I may have had three adult conversations over the entire weekend. I'm not complaining, it's just not something that I want to deal with on top of my current discomfort.

On a more positive note, I have some great new stuff from ReproDepot waiting for me at the post office. With any luck I'll be able to show you some pretty fabric tomorrow!

Still Catching Up

Yep, still trying to get back into the swing of things since everyone has gone home. I sent out two orders yesterday and some product donations for an event that several of us at Indie Finds are contributing to. I still have to finish that custom order, but it's getting there.

Thanks to the feedback from all of you, as well as some really helpful family and friends, I've decided to make my new wristlets include a removable strap that can double as a keychain. The new wristlets will also include one large pocket and several credit card slots. As my brother-in-law Evan said, it's all about the pockets!

I was so busy getting orders ready to go, that I completely missed Thrift Thursday! I don't want to miss out on the fun, so here are some of my favorite finds from a thrifting trip with my mom this week: All for $4!

For more fabrics, and to read descriptions, see my thrifting finds set on Flickr!

Ok, that's it for now. Once I've had some coffee and gotten some work out of the way, I'll be back with a WIP or two.

My Lucky Day

Woohoo! My mom had the boys this morning so I took the opportunity to go thrifting alone. Anybody with kids knows how luxurious that is! I was free to rummage to my heart's content without worrying about where the little one was heading.

The thrifting gods were smiling on me today. Just look at what I found!

Pretty curtains with these flowers along the edge. They will make cute totes!

I love this fabric. It actually has 1978 printed on the selvage. Pillows? Bags? Not sure about this one yet.

I only found a small piece of this, but it's enough for a clutch or mini-tote or two. I love the little birdie!

This is heavy woven fabric, I think it was originally a large curtain panel. Not sure what I'll do with it, but I love the pattern and color!

This is actually a corduroy with narrow lines. What are the lines called? Cords? I'm thinking some cute wallets for this!

This is my absolute favorite! I'm thinking this would make great fabric for the flap on a messenger bag with the rest of the bag made in a coordinating brown or olive canvas.

Lazy Days of Summer? I Don't Think So!

Thank you for your suggestions to save my table cloth. I picked up some oxy clean at the store yesterday (looked for blueing, but couldn't find any) and will try it tonight.

The boys and I have been busy. Between nearly-constant temper tantrums and sibling squabbles (they're 3 and 9. Someone PLEASE tell me it gets easier!) we have managed to squeeze in lots of fun summer stuff.

Yesterday was a gorgeous sunny day, despite the thunderstorms that had been predicted. In the morning we made grape juice popsicles and took a nice long walk. After lunch and swimming lessons, we decided to make some mint-chocolate chip ice cream. Word to the wise- don't try to substitute table salt for rock salt in your home ice cream maker. It won't work! We'll try again tonight with rock salt and hopefully we'll have success.

Spaghetti and home-made meatballs with bell pepper sauce and fresh mozzarella on a blanket in the back yard with blueberries for dessert. Heaven. Pure heaven. I love summer!

This morning I washed and pressed some more of my recent thrift finds. These were from a grab-bag of fabric that I got for two dollars:

The light blue is actually this nifty seagull print:

And I'm also excited that my latest fabric splurge arrived. I love everything about these prints. I'm very much into blue and green right now, so I just had to have them. The one on top was a freebie that the seller threw in because of a delay in shipping my order (which was not her fault). Now, if I could just find my muse and keep her around for a few hours...

Have I mentioned the color-iffic swap-o-rama? There's a link in my side bar. It's a very cool crafty swap where each month you get a new color theme and a secret partner. Besides sending anything from candy to craft supplies in the designated colors, you also have to include one handmade item. You can visit your partner's profile on flickr and swap-bot, and check out their blog (if they have one) to get a feel for what kinds of things they like and really customize the package to them.

I joined just after the aqua blue and brown packages were sent, and was totally bummed that I missed out on that theme. Luckily for me, a lovely gal named Lori saw my post about it in the group and asked if I'd like to do a personal swap since we both missed out. Yay! I'll be sending it out this week Lori!

I just got my swap partner for August, which is a rainbow color theme. This will be an interesting challenge since this person has very different tastes from me. Hooray for creative challenges! Maybe just the thing I need to get back into creating mode.