Weekend Wrap-Up

I had a show this weekend (Friday evening and Saturday) in Athens, Ohio at the Dairy Barn. I spent four years in Athens attending Ohio University, so I was a little excited to go back and spend the weekend.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from the show. The Dairy Barn is a wonderful venue for setting up, tearing down, and amount of space per booth. I thought the selection of vendors was excellent - all had very nice items, and many of them have done the shows at the Dairy Barn many times.

My sales weren't too great, though, so I doubt if I will go back.

Since it's about a 90 mile drive (each way) to Athens, and Friday night wasn't over until 8pm, I decided I didn't really want to drive back and forth. It was Mom's weekend at OU, though, so there weren't any rooms left by the time I decided that I wanted to try this show. We ended up deciding to make a weekend of it and got a cabin in Hocking Hills. The cabin was nice, the hot tub was awesome - what a way to relax after a day at a show!

For those of you who have heard me tell about Mimi cat, you know she's pretty needy for a cat. We really were only going to be gone for 2 nights - the Husband came home after work on Friday and made sure she had enough food for the weekend - and we got back home just before noon today (Sunday). You would think we could leave her alone for such a short time.

Apparently not. At some point, she threw up IN her food bowl - so I'm not sure how long she was without food - but she acted like she was starved when we got home.

Poor Mimi cat.

The car is all unloaded and my inventory put away. My book keeping is done for the event, and so now I have the rest of the day to work on - something!

Until next time.

Susan

Sewing Help

I've been alternating sewing and the re-organization of my sewing room, and it's been exhausting.



Mimi cat is worn out from the entire process.

Susan

New Fabric, Continued....

My last post was about the fabrics that my mother-in-law picked out for a new purse and accessories for her.

I did a little shopping of my own that day.

I usually buy quite an assortment of fabrics when I shop, and this trip was no exception.

Sometimes I have specific themes or colors that I look for, and other times it's just what catches my eye.

This time I was looking for some masculine fabrics, which I found a couple, and I also look for new cat fabrics (because I don't have enough). I also found the companion fabrics to one I'd bought a while back, so now I have matching fabric for lining/straps when I make the totes from the fabric.

I also try to keep my eye out for dog fabrics, because I always have someone accuse me of being prejudice against dogs. It's not that (well, maybe a little), it's that the dog fabrics just aren't as cute or easy to use as the cat fabrics. I did find this dog themed fabric, so hopefully it will satisfy a few dog lovers!

You should see some items from this fabric in my etsy shop this week, as I already have some items made from it!

Susan

From Crazy to Insane

As you may have been reading, I've been working on the crazy patchwork. I put it aside while I finished some other projects.

This weekend my brother was visiting and he had some CD/DVD's for his grandkids, and asked if I happened to have any extra cases for them that he could have. No, I said, but I bet I could make something.

Now that's INSANE!

Because this was Saturday and we were getting together with the family on Sunday.

I finished the project I was working on and decided to give it a whirl. I measured, and contemplated, and write some ideas down. Then I got started.

I decided to start on the one for the boy first, because I had LOTS of fabric left from his roman shades and quilt I made. I wanted it to have a way to stay closed (can you say velcro?) and it needed to hold 12 CD/DVDs. Here is the result:




So it one works - but it was way too thick in the middle and I couldn't actually stitch all the way down. I just did enough at the top and bottom to secure it.

Think, think, think - how to make it better?

First, a better way to secure the middle parts. Also, I didn't consider the folding effect, so the outside 'pages' needed to be longer than the inside ones. Finally, if he tips it upside down, the CDs may fall out.

Then, I had to get into the fabric closet and find a good 'little girl' fabric for the next one. And I don't know exactly how much it's going to take, because I didn't want to work that hard and add the pieces up! Finally after much searching, I remembered this cute pink kitty-cat fabric.

For this one, each 'page' is just 2 sides, and not 4 like the last - and organize it so the opening for the CDs face where it secures. I like the result much better. Tell me what you think?




My brother was excited about it - he said - "there you go, something new you could sell!" Maybe I could, but for the amount of time it took, I would have to charge a small fortune

Anyone have a fortune they want to give me to make these?

Hope you enjoyed my story!
Susan