It's Craft Show Time

Thread and little fabric snips are tracked throughout the house this time of year. My sewing machine makes a permanent home at the end of the dining room table where the light from the sliding door is just better on my eyes. Our family room is filled with display racks and projects waiting for my attention. To say the least, the house is in a bit of a mess, but I'm having a good time.

Last weekend I did the first craft show of the season with a niece. We had a great day and did pretty well. It's always fun to meet new people, especially when they offer great ideas and tips on our crafting and display.  It is great to come away from a craft show with new ideas and inspiration.

This year I have developed a design for Car Trash Bags and have had them at The Red Dresser - An Eclectic Boutique where they have been selling pretty well. I also featured them at the craft show last weekend and am busy making more for the next show and to keep the downtown shop well supplied.
 

 

 

These "Car Trash Bags" are vinyl lined and are sized so that a paper lunch sack can be used to line them.  They will hang from a console shifter, a knob, or an arm rest in your car.  If that doesn't work you can use one of the 3M/Command hooks like I did - I placed the hook on the dashboard of my car so that the trash bag hangs just to the passenger side of the center of the car - works perfect for me.  With the 3M/Command hook system you could even attach one behind the seats where the kids could easily reach a place to toss their trash.

These are only six of the designs - more are coming.  The most popular one is out of owl fabric that I had run out of, but I have just received a new shipment and the owl bags are cut out and waiting on the table for me.  I had great requests for other designs, so you'll be seeing some leopard prints, sports team, camouflage, some lighthouse prints and more... I'll post as I get them made.

I had an assortment of other things at the craft show, as well. The first thing that sold was a fabric stuffed pumpkin. I made them because I needed a great decoration to go on the table runners that I made...

I love "Miss Mustard Seed" and all of her great ideas.  She uses new painter's drop cloths for making slip covers for furniture and all kinds of things.  She has great tutorials about how to wash and prep the drop cloth so that it's ready to work with.  Check out her website:  www.missmustardseed.com.

I had purchased a drop cloth to use as a drop cloth, but then decided that old sheets would work for what I wanted and I transformed the newly purchased drop cloth into other things.  Check out the seat on the window bench that I made for my niece in an earlier post: A New Window Seat

I had washed that drop cloth with lots of bleach (a couple of cups) and put it through three wash cycles and a couple of rinse cycles.  I then threw that big (9'x12') drop cloth in the dryer expecting it to come out all crumpled and wrinkled - it didn't!!!!  It came out great and for the price it is great fabric!

So I had the rest of the drop cloth left from the window seat project so used it up making "Table Runners" - I lined them with muslin.  They are 72" plus the ruffle on each end - some with a single ruffle and some with a double.

 

 

One of the "Table Runners: with some pumpkins on top.

Here are the pumpkins.

 

The "Table Runners" will transition well from Thanksgiving to Christmas with just a change of decorations on top.  Maybe there will be one left for me to use in my own home (I never seem to have anything on display at my own home that I make - I make them to sell).

I made a "Padded iPad Case" for my niece and she traveled to Italy and back with her iPad safely inside, and loved it.  I didn't like the pattern or padding that it called for, so I used it as inspiration to run with my own design - so if you need a "Padded iPad Case", I have a few made up.

 

It's a padded case with a Velcro closure, has a pocket for a pad of paper, etc.

(that's the great selling owl fabric I used in the "Car Trash Bags")

 

Several fabric options to choose from.

 

I like to sew but sometimes need a change, so I also like painting furniture and re-purposing things.

I made "Dry Erase Boards" for the craft show by painting picture frames with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I love her paint because you don't have to prime or prep - you can just start painting and then finish it off with a coat of wax.  She carries clear and dark wax in her line.

I used scrapbook paper in the frames for the background - even used some fusible web on the back of some owl scrap fabric and ironed the owl onto the paper.  Once the paper is behind the glass you can write on the glass with a dry-erase marker.  They can sit on the counter, hang on the wall... I always jot things I want to remember on my bathroom mirror with a dry-erase marker.  Now I think I'll design a "Dry Erase Board" for the areas of the house that I often find myself without something to write on.

I have several designs to choose from.

 

I also have made "Checkerboards" and "Chalkboards" so had them at the craft show, as well.  The "Chalkboards" I made by re-purposing old cupboard doors and drawer fronts from a kitchen remodel.  Again, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is wonderful - three coats and it can be used as chalkboard paint, but I used the can of chalkboard paint that you find in the home improvement stores for the part that you write on - I did use her paint on all of the frames around the chalkboards, though.

 

 

 

I'm thinking that I need to promote these "Checkerboards" as some "unplugged" fun - get those kids away from the electronics for a simple game of checkers and start a new family game (new to the younger crowd, anyway).

So that's my life these days until December, anyway.  For now you'll find me (along with my everyday duties) sewing, painting, crafting, and getting ready for the next craft show - that would be on November 10 at the TC Christian School in our area, then on November 17 at Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church, and I'm still looking into an early December show.  I need to leave time after that to make a meaningful Christmas for my family, which includes cleaning up my crafting messes, getting beds made, presents wrapped, and the sweet smell of Christmas goodies coming from the oven.

If you're in my area, stop by one of the craft shows to see me or stop by Red Dresser - An Eclectic Boutique to check out the "Car Trash Bags".

The Red Dresser's Hens & Friends Barn Sale

What a wonderful weekend and the perfect setting for a sale - beautiful yard filled with canopy tents, each filled with fun things to sell. An old, red barn in the middle of the yard that housed many more little nooks and crannies of unique - and antique - things to sell. Fun stuff. Fun event.

This was my first outdoor sale and I think God had truly blessed my weekend. The event was a short walk from my house which made getting there pretty easy. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. It was great to see people excited about their new treasures and being inspired to create something themselves with some Annie Sloan paint that was sold there. Fellowship with my helpful granddaughter, daughter and niece made it pretty special, too - my hubby was very helpful, too, and even our son was able to lend a helping hand.

You just never know what will sell, and even though I had to bring some stuff back home I did pretty well. I went there with an assortment of things and sold an assortment of things, but people are really into the old furniture stuff right now - wood grain furniture not so much, but painted old furniture - that's where the interest is. They either want the pieces that someone has put a nice coat of paint on or they want an old piece of furniture that they can paint themselves - making something old look fresh and new with lots of character.

Here are some pictures of the great weekend...

 

 

The Americana corner - handcrafted checkerboards, water bottle holders, baby t-shirts, an apron...

Red, white & blue stuff.

 

Garage sale finds painted with Annie Sloan Paint.

 

Old cupboard doors that I saved from our kitchen remodeland painted for the sale - the raised centers became chalkboards.

They were a popular item and fun for us to write little messages onso folks would know that they were actually chalkboards.

Lily (the vintage dress form) is wearing one of the aprons that I made.

My helpers (Tiffani & Lori) had fun putting aprons on and walking around with them on to try to make a sale for me.

I spent today in one of the Cherry Aprons - I don't usually wear an apron, but think I'm going to start.

It was fun to wear and it really would keep me from getting stuff splattered all over my clothes while cooking.

 

Chalkboards were selling well the first evening so I had to fill in the gaps today with checkerboards.

 

The Barn Sale Special was the Hamper Liners with the wastebasket that they fit in - small hampers that work well for kids. The first ones I made were for our new grandbaby. We've discovered that they're great for fabric scraps in this grandma's

sewing room, good for stuffed animals that need a place to hang out other than the floor, and for the basic laundry hamper where there's not a whole lot of room for a big one. There are lots of fabrics tops to choose from.

 

A couple of my helpers. :)

 

A vintage stroller that's been in the rafters of our garage for years.

It didn't sell at the Barn Sale but it did makefor some fun pictures of our grandbaby, Emma.

 

 

This is me, Marge. For those of you that know me but haven't seen me in a while, YES, I quit coloring my hair.

It is not gray or silver, but WHITE. I'm ok with that.

I no longer have to worry about the wind blowing my hair and someone seeing my roots.

I'm happy having my grandma's white hair.

It's doesn't make me any older but it has simplified my life, and sofar everyone seems to recognize me. :)

 

Again, it was a great weekend and a fun event to be a part of.  Let me know if you see anything in the pictures that you're interested in - NO, the grandbaby is not for sale.  :)

More Photos...

I needed a break from my sewing room so thought I'd work on organizing some  pictures and trying to post a few.   Here goes... I was going to say "here goes nothing" but I'm hoping it turns out to be "something... here goes something..."

Here are some of the tote bags and diaper pouches on display at the last craft show that I did.

This is a shot of some of the diaper pouches.

Here are some of the tote bags.

Now for the fun, little "Scrappy Bags."

"Cross my Heart" pins ( I need to take some individual pictures as there are several designs).

"A Piece of the Past" baby blanket with a vintage hankie stitched in the center of a vintage tablecloth - there is pink fabric behind the tablecloth so the color will show through the cut work in the design.  It is also backed in pink.

...and another...

This one is a 36x36 vintage tablecloth with blue behind it to show through the cut work in the design.

This one is four vintage napkins stitched onto a pink background.

(I know these are hard to see in the photos)

I almost forgot....to the right of the heart pins are bundles of Burp Cloths - a bundle of three that have

fabric stitched down the center of prefolded diapers to dress them up a bit.  The fabrics coordinate with the Hamper Liners, as well as some of the tote bags and diaper pouches.

There's a sampling of some of the things that I have been working on.  I'll post my new designs as I get to them.  I'm thinking I need a little time to clean and organize before the next crafting run...I have this funny thing of little pieces of thread finding their way throughout the house.  It may be time to do some vacuuming.  

I've been working on organizing my small sewing room so that it will be easier to work in.  I'm signing up for a May 5th craft show in our area, though, so I won't be putting the crafting on hold for long.  I'm thinking there are some mom's that will be needing a pretty flower pin for Mother's Day, maybe some fun things for the 4th of July... The gears just keep turning, so I just need to hurry and get things cleaned up and organized so I can PLAY!!!



What do you make?

While I try to figure out this whole blog thing, I think I should post some pictures as I've had several people asking, "What do you make?".  I also had a call from my hubby today asking if I had pictures on my blog that he could show a gal at work - nope, not yet.  I guess I should fix that.

My GOAL (remember, my last post was about setting goals) is to start posting items with prices under a separate tab - just haven't quite figured that out, yet (remember, I said that I'm not very techy).

My sewing/crafting started with the Memory Blankets and then went on to me looking for a laundry hamper for our new grand baby.  I couldn't find anything cute in the stores and if I found anything at all they were priced out of my range.  That's when I created  "Hamper Liners" that fit a tall kitchen wastebasket - perfect size for a little one's laundry hamper, toy basket, or a cute hamper to fit any smaller space.  I actually made two for baby Emma and included little handmade vouchers so that her mama could redeem them for laundry service via this grandma for a few times after she was home with the new baby - slip one "Hamper Liner" out with the dirty laundry and slip another one in the wastebasket to start all over, again.

I've been selling a "Hamper Liner" for $15 and at craft shows have run a show special of $20 with the wastebasket - I got a good deal on a stack of wastebaskets at Meijer a while back, and believe me $20 is a great deal on a cute hamper - trust me, I've shopped many stores before Emma was born.

Here's a sampling of Hamper Liners I have made.  I'd also be happy to make one with your fabric choice.

I will post pictures of some other things a little later, but for now here's a description of some of them...

Most recently I've been making tote bags and diaper pouches.  The tote bags can be used for a small diaper bag, a purse, or just a tote bag to throw some things in and head out the door.  The diaper pouches are designed so that you can tuck it in your larger diaper bag and then pull it out when you have to head in somewhere to change the baby.  They hold two or three diapers and a travel size pack of baby wipes.  I'm selling the "Pack-n-Go" tote bags for $20 (they are about 13x13) and a "Diaper Pouch" for $6.50 (is 6x9).

You know, it's not so much about the diaper bag fitting your boy or girl baby - it's more that it's something mom wouldn't mind carrying.   I would always be willing to make a baby themed set for someone, but I like that I've created this line more with mom in mind.

Beside the baby things, I've made some little bags that I've named "Scrappy Bags" because I wanted to find a way to use my little scraps from other projects.  Our almost 10 year old granddaughter loves hers.  It is perfect for a little pad of paper & a pen, her CD's fit in it, and she says it's the perfect size for her DS.  I've sewn them together leaving the raw edges exposed.  They are embellished with a fabric flower and I've been selling them for $7.50.

"Cross My Heart" pins were created with Valentine's Day in mind but I'm liking the idea of them for year round.   They have a cross charm sewn onto a pretty heart with a pin back attached.  They can be worn on your lapel or you could hang them from a pretty ribbon in a special place.  I've attached them to a card so you could add a message on the inside, "Crossing my heart and praying for you", "I cross my heart and promise I will always love you"... you get the idea.   I sold them for $3.50 at the last craft show.

"A Piece from the Past" are things that I've made that include some vintage element.  I've found that linen napkins, doilies, hankies, and small tablecloths work great in creating a special occasion baby blanket.  The prices vary depending on what I have to pay for the vintage part.   I've found that many people have these things tucked away in boxes or dresser drawers and are excited to have them find a new purpose where they can be seen.  I'm always looking for pieces so if you have some pieces you would part with, I'd be happy to talk price.  Also, if you have a special piece you'd like turned into something for your own family, I'd be happy to talk to you about doing that, too.

What's next... I'm really liking the whole recycle/repurposing thing so am coming up with some ideas to run with.  I think you'll start seeing some cute envelope purses made out of vintage linens and dresses.  Those little "Scrappy Bags" would be cute using old jeans and such for the main element.  Flower pins are all the go right now, so I'm thinking a little vintage flare for some of those would be great, too.

For now, I'm headed back to my sewing room to finish creating Tiffani's cheerleader's bag that will hold her shoes, clothes, and pom poms.  I have it started with an old pair of my jeans and some patriotic fabric - some good red, white, and blue will go well with her red pom poms.   I'll take a picture when I'm done and will post it along with pictures of the things I've mentioned above.

I hope this gives you a little glimpse inside my "Simply by Marge" world.