Finally Settling In

Happy Sunday everyone!

I have been avoiding posting on here for a while but one of my goals for this year is to post way more than I have been. 

A lot of changes with our big move to the Kootenay's and we are all settling in.  Working full time now for our business is great although it takes away a lot of my creating/posting/me time.  I am still trying to get a routine in place for all this.  And I have a much smaller area/room right now for sewing/crafting, but plan on that changing in the very near future as well.  I have lots of plans for growth this year......................now to make it all happen.

So today I wanted to share with you a jacket I made a few months back and I dont' think I ever showed you.  Its an Aviator Jacket.

If you click on the photos, you will get a bigger view.  This is made with leather bonded with sherpa.  Its size is a 24 months. It is loose fitting too.  

I embroidered aviation wings on the sleeve.

 Added a patch to the front chest.  Here is the inside sherpa - very cozy

And a matching hat to complete the set.  

I have done several of these a few years ago and they were very popular.

This one will be loaded to my Etsy store - another one of my To-Do-better items.  I intend to load Etsy and keep it loaded again.  Been slacking there big time!

I have a few custom orders to take care of :)  A couple of Ipad covers which I will share with you tomorrow.  Another is a new Baby Boy gift basket filled with all handmade items from me.  A girlfriend of mine that I haven't seen or talked to in about 25-30 years, found me and my Facebook page a few months back. And now she has given me a custom order!!  I am stoked - I am making everything of course, personalized and she is letting me decide what is going in it.  Love it!!

Well I better get busy digging out some of my designs and patterns. She doesnt' need it til May but I want to have plenty of time to plan and get it done, and to her by the end of April.  I will be sure to show you along the way what I fill it with.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!  Getting my nails done tonite at Sublime Nails - she is the best here in Castlegar :)  I just might take a picture to show you..............See you tomorrow and remember

World's Best

I'm still fighting something - coughing and my stuffed up nose.  Hoping it won't stick around much longer.

My daughter comes home the other day from school and informs me that she wants a going away gift for the student teacher her class has had for a while now.  No notice at all!  It just so happens that I was at the fabric store shopping for fabric for some new projects.  My daughter liked the one project I was going to do and since her teacher's favorite color is pink, it was totally perfect.  So I guess I need to get started and this is what I made.

I love this pattern  I have been wanting to do it for a while now and this was perfect.  Teachers always take a lunch so I was hoping she would like it and of course, use it.

It has a drawstring closure on top and the handle just folds over to the side so it is accessible.

And here it is open.  It's actually quite roomy inside.

My daughter chose this embroidery design - so cute. I couldn't find any solid fabric in my stash that would match so I went with the contrast instead.  

I'm really liking it and will definitely be doing some more.  I already got an order from a friend who wants them for her nieces and she will choose the colors and what design to embroider.  I think she will just go with a monogram or cute picture.

OK, here is a sneak peak for another project that I am near done.

 

Can you guess?  I will leave it here until tomorrow.  I will share it with you when its complete.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine.  We've got two days in a row now and it's melting the snow!  Could this be the start to Spring?  Sure hope so.

Thanks Notecards and TNT

BRRRRR!!! It is freezing outside. Blowing wind from the north and it's supposed to last a couple of days.  Not even getting in the pluses this week.  Yuck - I am sooo ready for the spring.  This winter is dragging too long.

Today I will show you a couple more thank you notecards I did.  I used Old Olive and Lovely Lilac. The punch is an old one from SU but has always been a favorite of mine. I added some stickles to the flourish on the butterfly too.  Really simple huh?

This is one of my favorites.  I love this quilt stamp set from SU!. I even colored it to match the colors I am using on my quilt now.  Chocolate chip background and the kiwi green are really close.  The orange I used on  my quilt is more burnt orange than this and same with the turquoise I used is much deeper and richer than this color.  

Once I get caught up on my quilt squares I will share them with you.  They are all done in the hoop and embroidered.  It is a 10 month class and once all the squares are all done, we put it together. It is going to look so awesome.  This is what the one in the quilt shop looks like, it's by Hoopsisters and called TNT.  Donna, our teacher, is the one that did this.  She has so much talent.  I love her colors she chose. Now if you can picture mine with chocolate background and the other colors are mixed in. I will show you some of my squares soon. The new one I start on Saturday is called Goose Tracks and has much more embroidery.  I chose spring colors for it.  You really need to see them up close to appreciate the detail. Both classes are being taken at Linda's Quilt Shoppe.

 

This is Goose Tracks - the one I will be starting but different colors:

Well, with that being said, I better go get on my homework.  Lots to stitch before Saturday:)

Stay warm.........

 

 

Notecards of Thanks

 

 I have been busy making notecards, just like the title states LOL.  I like to send out notecards with my packages to my customers from Etsy when they purchase a product.  An extra thank you for their business.  And since I am getting ready to load my Etsy store, I figured I'd better get some done.

The first one I want to share is fairly straight forward.  The notecards measure 3x3½".  I used Melon Mambo from SU! and embossed the white layer with my Swiss Dots folder.  I got the crocheted flowers at a local fabric store and put a little gingham behind it.  The sentiment is Watercolor Trio from SU! as well.  Punched out with my oval punch and layered on my scallop oval punch and then pop dots to adhere it. Also, three little pearls were added to the top side.

This next one is using So Saffron and Old Olive.  Not sure why the color of the cardstock on the right side looks washed or darker.  The flower stamp is also from Watercolor Trio and the sentiment is from Silhouette Sentiments (Hostess set) from SU!  I wrapped white satin ribbon around opposite corners and stuck a couple of pearls on the top. The sentiment is punched out with a 3/4" punch and layered on a flower punch from SU! (sorry can't remember the name). Also popped up.  I added stickles to the flower centers for a little bling.

So that's it for today.  If you come back tomorrow, I have a couple more to share with you.  These are fun to do and quick - well, most of the time.  Trying to work with a much smaller area isn't always easy since you don't need as much.  

Enjoy your day and go do some crafting today!

'Tater Bakers

That's right - these are 'Tater Bakers.  I made up a bunch of these for the last craft fair and didn't get a chance to show you.  

You can use these for Corn on the Cob, baked potatoes, tortillas and I think, even buns.  Just pop the potatoes in, set the microwave according to the directions, and they come out really tender and fluffy in just minutes..

Here is a closeup of a couple of the different ones. This one is bright and cheery.

 

 

I love this print ~

 

(not sure why so dark)

I wanted to get a closeup of the embroidery/applique so you can see it. 

They sold pretty good at the craft fair.  If you are interested, just send me an email to rarinstamp@shaw.ca. They have the directions as well included so you can start using it right away:)  The rooster one is sold ~ top picture, bottom centre.  I wanted to show  you the different prints I have right now. I will be definitely doing some more of these so watch here or my Etsy store which should be loaded very soon.

Thanks for stopping by today

Tropical tote complete

Hello friends

Hope everyone has been enjoying their Easter weekend.  We went for a day trip to Castlegar on Saturday.  It was awesome and so relaxing.  Until we hit a blizzard/white out in the Crowsnest Pass.  We literally hit all four seasons on this drive.  There was hail, sleet, snow, whiteout conditions, rain and sunshine.  There was deer all over the place.  You really have to watch for them running across the highway.  A guy in front of us had to break so he wouldn't hit a deer and when we passed him, he was pulled over on the side of the road.  When we looked back, his side bumper was dented..........apparently he didn't break in time and hit one.  I hate seeing that.  It was the worst part of the trip for me.  We saw some beautiful country though and boy the people down there are sooo friendly.  And of course I forgot my camera....I was bummed.
So I have been trying to create this slide show for you to see my latest tote.  I figured it would've been easier than posting all thirteen photos.  I couldn't get them to load properly.  I finally tried again today and got them all loaded.................all but one.  The only one that didn't show was the bottom of the tote done in chocolate leather.  Make sure you check out the added handy pocket on the one side of the tote.  And you will see my new logo too.  Feel free to leave a comment - I would love to hear what you think.  This is my favorite so far.
This tote was made for a good friend of mine and our daughters are best friends.  She is a travel agent and wanted a tote so that she could bring her work home whenever necessary, as well as her laptop.  I had picked up the fabric for myself a while back and you all know how much I love tropical theme.  Whether it be decor, color, fabric, clothing - doesn't matter.  I love it all!!  Colleen had seen my fabric and said she had to have a tote made of the same fabrics.  Problem was it was selling out fast so we went to pick it up.  She chose four different co-ordinating fabrics and chose where she wanted each to go.  Neither one of us knew what it would look like until it was complete.  That's half the fun - designing it.  Her monogram is on the front side pocket.  Although it is hard to see, we like it.  We both agreed it should have been put on the chocolate cotton fabric instead but it still looks great in real.  I also added a handy pocket for her on the side of the tote.  Very handy for a busy business women who has to travel on occasion.  And don't forget to check out my new logo.  All the colors I used are in the co-ordinating fabrics.  Colleen loved it too!!!  It turned out so perfect.
So check out the link. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
A huge thanks to Colleen for her patience.  I am so happy she loved it as much as I do:)  Hugs girlfriend.

Here is the slideshow link for you to see:

http://www.kodakgallery.ca/ShareLanding.action?c=c6o1lo4.6dr3xn5w&x=0&y=sp9ytk&localeid=en_CA

I'm hoping to get some spare time after the craft fair to get some of these totes made up for my Etsy store.  I really want to try one in a baby theme for a diaper bag.  I think it would be absolutely perfect and so much room to use as an overnight bag too for baby.  How about a beach theme for going to the beach with all your crafty stuff like magazines, stamped images and coloring tools?  I've done it:)  Even use it for a retreat.  If you are interested in a tote, feel free to email me for more info.
Off to do some more crafts for the craft fair.  It'll be here in just over 3 weeks!