October 15th

Whew-long time again between posts. Time seems to be the thing I never have enough of. Been real busy with crafts, home stuff and then of course I just had to go on a road trip to Lewes, Delaware to the Sea Glass Festival. Glad I went, even if I don't collect sea glass. I laughed the whole 29 hours I was gone. Me, my sister, Mom and daughter Meta went down late Saturday night. Took a tour of lower Delaware around midnight, that would be another way of saying we got lost. Got to see Bethany Beach and buy popcorn(tubs of it) on Sunday. Peg got her pieces entered, no winners in the bunch though. Then we met up with Nana's cousin in NJ. She took us to a nice place for dinner. Finally got on the road and arrived home about 1 am on Sunday. Lots of driving and for sure lots of giggles along the way. Never knew you could find the stuff on the beach we saw entered in their "Shard of the Year Contest". So back to work and crafting I go. Did a show last Saturday in Danbury, real slow. Could have been the lousy economy or could have been it was a 1st year show. Hard to tell. I made a few bucks though so it wasn't a total waste of my time. Got to get some more stuff made for this week and the next 2 weeks. Hopefully sales will pick up the closer we get to Xmas.

September 26th, 2008

Ahhh- a day off. Nothing better, even if it did rain all day. Got my errands done, got to go to the thrift store and even got some sewing done. Made pumpkin ice cream, can't wait to try it. Also got a note from Irene, my dog purse lady and she got the bags and seems to like them. I'll keep an eye on the auction and see how they go. All in all a good day for me.
Not so good for one of my very dearest friends who has just found out she has breast cancer. I'll be pulling some strings with God if I can on this one, if there is such a thing. I know some very good people in heaven, maybe they can help her out. She doesn't deserve this, she just retired last week, she didn't even get to enjoy one single day of retirement . Life is just not very fair.

September 24th, 2008

Another beautiful weather day-and I am stuck working. Good note-I'm taking Thursday and Friday off so nice long weekend coming up. Plenty of time for crafting ahead! Speaking of crafts, Sunday was the Pumpkin Festival and we had our best craft day ever in our 1 year history. We were both very happy and excited to be there. Lots of good feed back and turns out we both have a fan base from last fall already. So encouraging to hear especially after such slow sales lately.

Also finally finished up with the dobie purse for my custom order. For some strange reason i was not getting Her emails so i thought she was upset about my lining mistake. Turns out she wasn't and I still can't figure out why all of a sudden her emails weren't showing up. Good thing I have a 2nd address to try. Hope I am not missing other emails. Anyway they are in the mail and i have been paid. Hope they do well on their auction. I will post the website once I see them up there. Here's a few pictures, I think they came out rather well. I even had a little lining material left to make 2 wallets and an ipod sock.

September 19th, 2008

Hurray for Friday-end of the work week! Well almost I do have to get up and come in to work on Saturday, only for a little while then I can boogie out of here.
On a good note- I think I am all set for Sunday, Pumpkin Festival day. I hope we do well, keeping my fingers crossed. I have been working on decorations for our booth and our sign. I think Ihave enough stock made to sell, lots of purses and Halloween stuff ready to go. After this show I'll have to start working on Christmas stuff. We have a couple more fairs scheduled, Heart and Home in Seymour, Whisconier School in Brookfield and a couple of dates at AT&T buildings. Might be able to squeeze in some more, depends on sales at my free time.
More beautiful weather this week, love this time of year. Smells good, sleeping is great and the garden is still blooming. Tom pulled all the tomato plants this week though, a sad day. I am going to miss my Staurday night pizzas made with fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic. I may get another 2 weeks out of the ones he has left but after that its backed to our canned ones. Almost as good as fresh but never quite the same.

Monday the 15th

What a beautiful day! Love this kind of weather. Took the dog for a nice long walk when I got home today to enjoy what little time we have left of summer. Hope everyone had a chance to spend at least a few minutes outside today!

September 14th 2008

Whew- tough weekend. Saturday was supposed to be Dog Days in Oxford which I was really looking forward to. I guess I didn't send in my application or she never got it somehow but they did not have us on the list and she had no space for us. So that was a bust. Then the Sunday show was not advertised well, no signs got put up so not a lot of traffic for us there. Beautiful location though and lots of cool stuff. I bought more than I sold. All for me -no gifts for anyone else :)

Hoping that the Pumpkin Festival works out for me-sometimes discouraging when sales are slow.
On a good note I hit the Monroe Historical Society's Textile sale Saturday. Got lots of good bargains and cool fabrics, stocked up for more totes and purses. Love that sale, so many good bargains.

September News

OK- so I can't seem to get to this everyday, I admit it. Been very busy at work-no goof off time lately which I guess is a good thing for the company just not me! And at home-been sewing cutting and gluing like crazy to get ready for all the fairs I have scheduled this fall. So far I got canceled for last Saturday, too bad, I was looking forward to it. This weekend I will be at Oxford Dog Days on Saturday and on Sunday I will be in New Milford at the Merwinsville Etsy show. Hopefully the weather will hold this weekend for both shows.

Also have made a few sales on Etsy, so I think joining the Ct Etsy team has helped with exposure to my store-Thanks CT EtsyTeam! And people spread the word about custom jobs and I have 3 to do right now, couple more on the horizon I hear. So little by little the business is taking off. I guess slow is good for me right now as I don't always have the time to devote to it that I would like to. Been making witches for Halloween, they are so cool I may not be able to sell them. I might have to keep them, a problem of mine. I like what I make and usually can't duplicate so now what? They are all made from small scraps and old curtains and leftovers so no repeats here. Below is a picture of one, 2 more on the way.

Ct Etsy Team and vacation updates

Ok-back from vacation and right back into the work mode. Had a great time as always, I think I have the best family in the world. We had wonderful weather and a really good time. Started a few new family vacation traditions and certainly carried out the old family traditions. Looking forward to next years reality bike tours and blueberry picking, our 2 new traditions. Here we are off to find the blueberries.

Made a pie when I got home-delish.
And on to my other subject for tonight, the Ct Etsy team. So far a great bunch of people and we have already gone to one fair together and I signed up for another next week. Good exposure and good people. Couple of places you can go and see all the members and their shops.

www.myspace.com/ctetsyteam

http://CTetsyteam.blogspot.com

YES!-Vacation tomorrow

Finally We can go to the beach! Looking forward to it this year like crazy, work has got me dragging. Too many changes, too many stupid things we now have to do. It will be great to get away and hang out with the family. Going to our usual spot, Beach in Rhode Island. Nothing new, nothing fancy but we do enjoy it. Love hanging out with the kids and their friends for the week.
So I went and did the Newtown Farmers Market this past Tuesday in Newtown, neat venue. I like the type of people that go to something like that, they are friendly and most brought their own cloth bags to shop! Good for the enviroment, good for me. Means maybe they will buy some bags of mine! Did OK sales wise, made my fee back and enough to pay Meta(my youngest little darling) for helping me all day and a little for me. It was fun hanging out with her, haven't spent much time with her this summer. She is excited about Rhode Island, she still loves going. I also had the oppurtunity to meet some fellow Etsy sellers. It's always good to be able to put a face tot he name. Here's some pictures of my booth nad others from the market.

My reusable grocery bags

My gourd birdhouses

art yarn from the crafty scientist



crafty scientist's skull pillow and sushi lunch bag. She had about 8 differerent skull patterns in this pillow. She did an excellent job piecing it out.

Dreary Wednesday

Oy-what a start to the day-raining, foggy and back to work. Had trouble getting everyone launched this morning-too many problems for 1st thing in the morning. In case you don't know I am a splicing/construction supervisor at a public utility company. Been here a long time and have always loved what I do but lately......
I like sewing better-the machine does not talk back or call in sick. Once in a while it will break a needle in protest but otherwise works well with me. Someday soon I hope to be able to devote way more of my time to sewing, crafting and creating. Speaking of which, since I signed on to the CT Etsy team I am being invited to all kinds of cool markets and fairs. I just know I don't have enough inventory to do them all along with all the ones I had signed up for the fall already. Geez what to do. Guess I will make as much as I can and see what happens. I am real excited about the farmers market, sounds like it could be good. Keep my fingers crossed. OK got to go back to work
Amy

Off to the roller coasters today

Taking a half day today to go to the amusement park. We try to go at least once a year somewhere, Tom and Meta love rides. Meta will probably want to go on that bungee jump again-I don't think I would like that one. It will be fun though nice weather and not at work. I had listed a desk on Freecycle and I have my web site on my signature of all my emails. I got a reply about the desk and she looked at my site and I may have a custom order out of the deal. So promoting does work just have to be patient. I do like custom jobs, they are fun to work with people and be able to give them what they want. I finished one of my custom Doberman bags finally last night. The belt buckle she sent me is so heavy I had a heck of a time making it look right. It kept hanging down and pulling the front of the purse down. Think I got it figured out now. So off soon to have fun.
Amy

Back to the work grind

Drat, it's Monday, back to work. No fun here anymore, wish I could just sew all week instead. Ah maybe someday soon, but better be careful I don't wish my life away. The weekend was good though even if I did get bit by a wasp and my wrist is very sore and swollen. Minor problem. I did get my cement planters made and a bunch of gourds cleaned. I figure they would be good for the farmers market. Maybe. We'll see. Still struggling with the damn belt on my Doberman bag, can't seem to make it look right. The buckle is so heavy it drags the belt down, doesn't look so good. I'll figure it out eventually. The purse looks cute though with the patch and the inside fabric. Will post a picture when they are all done, I still have one more to do. Well back to the grind
See ya
Amy

A Beautiful Sunday

Today is absolutely gorgeous outside. I love summer days like this. So far I have already walked the dog, weeded some and made 3 hypertufa planters (must be the Italian in me-I like mixing cement). Tom and I just had lunch outside with the flies though, why is it this time of year they are so awful? Chased me back in the house to do this. Not sure what to do next, I think I may clean some gourds and get them ready for crafting. I have so many shows scheduled I really need to bulk up my inventory and be ready. I especially think the gourds might do well at the farmers market I am scheduled for next week. Or hate to do this though on such a nice day, I could go and sew my custom orders I need to do. Maybe I'll wait till tonight to go in the basement. Yeah-nee to go back outside
See Ya
Amy

Yeah ! - Made a sale!

My Etsy site has been incredibly slow, was beginning to think I was being blocked somehow. But no, just a bad time for shopping I guess. I posted 3 new grocery bags on Sunday night and I sold one last night. So happy. I also received my supplies for my custom order I got on Etsy so that is actually another sale for this month. I have to make 2 denim bags for an auction to raise money for a dog organization. This should be good exposure I hope. The purses are interesting, all about Dobermans. The woman sent me Doberman fabric and belt buckles to use on the bags plus a patch of a dobie profile to sew on the back pocket. Leads me to a idea.......
I am scheduled for a show in September all around animals. It is to raise money for the Oxford Dog pound and maybe I'll make a bunch of dog/cat themed purses. Denim bags with animals or paw print linings. Could lead to something here. Just what I need, another idea. Those I have plenty of-it's time I lack. Oh well.
All for now-back to work
Amy

Last couple of months

OK-I'm really going to try and keep this up on a daily basis-so much happens during my day its hard to find the time to sit and type. Especially when you have 14 year old on your home computer-she is such a monitor hog! I have to schedule time on the computer with her. So cute she is. So anyway I have been busy, the garden keeps me hopping, mine and Tom's. He is bringing in basketful's of produce every day. I am in heaven right now, we ate corn and tomatoes all weekend. Just love that combo especially fresh from the yard. Tonight Sean and Laura, our son and his girlfriend, are coming over for a corn feast. Can't wait.
On the craft side of things I have been plugging along. Been making some more grocery bags and a coupe of purses. I have to get my winter stock up for all the fairs I have scheduled in the fall. Plus for some strange reason I said yes to photographing a friends wedding in October-what was I thinking? I joined the Etsy street team in Connecticut. I think that will work out well for me. They are going to be at a couple of farmers markets , one in Newtown and one in Monroe. Should be good exposure for me and its cheap and only a couple of hours in the afternoon. Just have to see if I can swing it with my work schedule, August is going to be crazy around here with vacations and this new call out schedule. work lately has become very stressful. Been here 29 years and never been this concerned about our future, seems like those in charge don't really know how to run this business. But no one ever asks those of us that do the day to day dirty work. So I just say OK all day long, no matter what they ask us to do. Doesn't mean I'll do it but they are happy. So tomorrow I'll put some pictures up of some of my new stuff. And maybe of the baby birds I knocked out of the nest while gardening Saturday. I did rescue them and they seem fine now.

Amy

PS-I do have some photos with me as it turns out. Below is a tea "wallet" I came up. No pattern just started folding material until I got what I wanted. This folds into a small sqaure with a button and loop closure to carry tea/condiments in your purse. The other is a small bag I made from a pant leg and some adorable bee material I picked up-just had to have those bees!

Tuesday

Wow, it's been a long time since I had a chance to do any typing I guess. Holidays are too crazy, too many crafts, too many things to do around the house. I have a million and one decorations to put out for Christmas and then of course I have to figure out how to put them all away again! Well that is all over and done with so I can get back to the task at hand, getting this crafting business back on track. I just loaded a bunch more stuff onto etsy. Along with opening a whole new site for my non-purse items. One of the suggestions I got from the Etsy class, to keep my 2 very different crafting interests on separate sites. So we will see how it goes doing it that way. I have to try and get my timing right also, I seem to be a little late for the holidays it seems. Have to think farther ahead. I guess thats why I ordered 5 witch doll heads (they were on sale) now what am I going to do with them? Have no clue yet but I'm thinking on it. Put a picture up there of my valentine box that i made, have a few more on the new site, Amy's Recreations. Link is over on the right side of the page. Easter is coming up next, so check back and see what's up. Below is one of the wallets I made this week, my Dad gave me a bunch of jeans. OK, enough for tonight, I'm tired of the computer.