It's so hard to say goodbye

Good Morning!  I know it's only been a few days since I last posted (I know, feast or famine, right?!) but I won't get the chance to post again for probably about two weeks, so I wanted to get a few things down.  I guess I am also feeling a bit sad.  Tonight, we finally had the Virginia Reel pillow class after multiple reschedules, and I received some sad news.  One of my first students, a nice woman I met at the first craft bazaar I participated in, will be moving out of state next week.  This was a move that she and her husband had been planning in order to get closer to kids and grandkids so we knew it was coming, but suddenly their house sold in 15 days and they found the perfect property where they had been hoping to relocate and now they're moving next Friday!  I'm so excited and happy for her, but certainly sad to see her go.  I know I'm still a Mom and Pop operation, but I don't think you ever forget your first.  She began as a stranger at a craft show, and became one of my most reliable customers/students.  As well, she formed friendships with the other students and was a welcomed addition to every class.  She will be missed.  We wish you the best of luck and blessings on your new endeavor Jodie!

So, while I taught my class tonight, my daughter attended her little sewing class (thank you so much to her BFF's wonderful mother!) and this is what she made.  This adorable quilted throw pillow was such a delight to me.  She made this entirely on her own and I could not be more proud!  Am I worried that she is already this talented at nine years old and is going to be looking soon to run old Mom out of business?  Nah....okay, maybe just a smidge.  :-)

The fabulous windows went in Wednesday!  They look fantastic and I could not be more pleased!  My electrician comes tomorrow and then a door, flooring, insulation and walls by the Hubby.  I can't believe this is coming to fruition and still every time I walk into the porch, seeing the windows throws me for a loop.  We had a snafu on getting heat ducts run, but looks like we have another good alternative, so things are still on track.

This knockout bombshell you see was the other big news of the week.  My brand new Bernina 550QE sewing machine.  She came with a big price tag and I'm not too proud to admit when she came out of the box Wednesday night, I was so intimidated that I considered putting it right back in the box and accepting that I'd made a huge mistake, and I was not woman enough for this machine.  But three days later, I have to confess, I am falling pretty hard for this pretty baby and I look forward to many beautiful years together.  

Lastly, a last minute trip to Amish country last weekend scored me this big monster.  I was in the market for another hutch for storage and display in my shop/studio and this big guy fit the bill.  Standing at about seven feet tall with cabinets and a roomy drawer, I think it will work out great.  It's not exactly the 'shabby chic' look I've been going for, but it definitely has charm in a big way.  Thanks to the Hubby for stumbling across this when I was close to giving up on finding something well built and reasonably priced.  

Things are slowly coming together.  I have two of my fabric lines in stock and need to order two more.  I'm still completing a large lunch tote order, a smaller lunch tote order and then begins the Christmas craziness.  Right now, I've got an order of 15 soap gift sets, two table runners, a purse and a lunch tote.  At some point, my daughter and I need to make something for her teachers too.  I'm thinking bowl cozies for EVERYONE!!  

Well, it is time for this old girl to go to bed.  Thanks for following along and I hope you have a wonderful week!  Talk to you soon.

The Black Hole

Good Evening!  Well, as usual with me, it's good morning!  I hope you've been well.  I apologize for the lapse in blogging, as you may have guessed, I've been preoccupied with life and new projects.  What you see above is the "Virginia Reel" 16" throw pillow.  My sample (which was actually made for my daughter) was made with a mix of Kona cotton in a winter white and bright geometric flannels.  This is a class being offered next Friday 6pm to 9pm.  Not only will students leave with a super sweet throw pillow, it's a pizza party too!  Only three more classes left in 2013.  Wow! This year has flown by-- but man!-- has it been fun!

The store website is DONE!! www.quiltstorenextdoor.com went LIVE last Sunday September 8, 2013. Not everything is up on there yet, but I'm slowly getting fabric and products up for the world to see! Be sure to check it out, and as I said, I'm slowly adding more and more so be sure to visit often!  Of course, I still have my etsy shop, and you can be directed straight to the etsy shop from www.quiltstorenextdoor.com  to see all my current fabric offerings.  The website probably isn't as nice as a web designer could have done, but let's face it, I'm still operating on a shoestring, so my little website in it's current state will have to suffice for now.  Honestly, I LOVE It!  It's so exciting to have something out there in the world not owned or supported by someone else.  It's very liberating and gives me a deep sense of satisfaction.  I know I'm a little overly excited about a simple website, but it's been one more way that I have been blessed as I follow this path I'm on.

Our hot tub is GONE!  The hot tub sunken into the floor of my screened porch, really the thorn in my side as far as the conversion from porch to room was going, is now gone and I have a floor and NOT a black hole!  We got the privilege of giving this hot tub to a special family with a special little boy who needs it more, and will most likely use it more, than we ever did.  God is good!  A win-win for two families--it couldn't get any better than that!  My wonderful and talented hubby built the floor in and now, I have a full-sized 240 square foot room to begin renovation from porch to shop/studio. Windows have been ordered, electrician comes next Saturday and heating/AC duct work (hopefully) goes in some time this week.  It's surreal to see it happen as I had hoped and to venture to dream of what could come to be in the future.  More to come on that! 

I am still finishing up a few stray lunch tote orders and then I think that frenzy will calm down for awhile.  Bowl cozies have been huge.  I made six of these OSU cozies and sold them in about 18 hours!  Here in the Columbus, Ohio area, our folks love them Buckeyes!  I'm currently working on a large Christmas order of bowl cozies that is really putting me through the ringer since I'm having a lot of trouble with my current sewing machine.  I am beginning to look at purchasing a newer, more heavy duty model.  I'll have more info about that next time.  

Next time.  I'm always so glad that there is a next time.  I'm so happy that someone reads this bunch of nonsense I post every couple of weeks.  I'm so thankful for the abilities that God has given me.  I love this zipper picture because it is a reminder to me just how far I've come---a couple months ago, I had no idea how to sew a zipper in anything and now, I do them all the time.  I'm also bursting with pride in my sweet daughter.  We have been attending sewing classes at the big box craft store.  I'd posted earlier in the summer the pillowcase that she learned to make, but last night she finished making a pair of pajama pants.  The best part was, knowing that I never learned to sew and make clothes she said to me "Mommy, you're teaching me to make quilts and I'll teach you how to make clothes."  Each time I write this blog, I am reflective, and quite honestly a whole lot amazed at this opportunity that I've been given and all the wonderful people who have been supporting me as I take each step.  A part of me sometimes wonders when people will get tired of my rambling and endless Facebook posts about fabric and stuff I've made.  I realize that those parts of this journey can be fleeting.  But this has also begun to build a bond of friendship and sisterhood between my daughter and I and that, is irreplaceable.  That's good stuff.   Great stuff.  The best stuff.  Have a wonderful night and I'll be back soon.