polkadotbug

Mmmm...fruit...

Tonight my output was this fruit tart.  We are going to celebrate my dear friend Meriem's birthday tomorrow at lunch time and she is a huge fan of fruit tarts.  I don't think she really reads my blog often so if she is reading this she will know what she is getting instead of a birthday cake.   Happy Birthday Meriem!

I wish that I didn't like to make the tart because it's easy to see all the beautiful fresh fruit and think that it's not so bad for you.  Wrong!  I am trying to "watch my diet" so I had to slap myself in the hand every time I felt the inclination to lick the custard spatula. 

Now I am beat and going to cozy up in bed.  Tomorrow is another day.

Unfortunately Unproductive

 

I haven't made anything new in the past few days so I thought I'd post about the last dress I made.  I wanted to have a few new ones for the May Indie Market.  Of course I had to go with the Freshcut because I love it so much.  I made it into a little set with a matching purse.  Needless to say, it didn't sell.  Now it is hanging around with a bin full of other things I've made waiting for a place to be sold.

I LOVE the little bag.  I like the idea of a set of some sort.  I think that if a little girl is too big for a bonnet to match the dress, then she should have a purse!

I haven't been crafting much of anything lately, outside of Honey Bear of course.  What I have accomplished is catching up on some Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives that I have on the DVR.  I have to say that I am enjoying myself, but my mission was to make a bunch of things and head to some local shops.  I swear I am going to do that soon.

Tonight I'm going to fire up my mother's day gift - a shiny, new serger.  Not quite sure what I'm doing with it yet, but it's going to be fun!  Currently the only thing I know how to do is thread it (which is a step in the right direction).  I did actually go in to be taught how to do that.  Any advice from experienced serging folks out there? 

Meet Honey Bear

Yay!  We used up some of my scraps!  It really didn't make a dent in the pile of fabric scraps, but I do feel better knowing some of it was used.  Not only did the leftovers get turned into something, but something that made Molly very happy.  It was such a great little project for the two of us.  I definitely had other projects topping my list of things to do, but this was worth it. This idea all started because of Chickie Poo.   He was purchased from Jeffrey Vincent at the Buffalo Indie Market.  She loves her Chickie Poo and decided that she wanted me to make him a buddy.  So she went swimming in my sea of scraps and chose the patterns she wanted to construct a friend with.  After a couple hours of excitement we had Honey Bear.  I'm not quite sure why Molly decided it was a bear, but we're gonna go with it.

Molly was so excited about the whole process and the final product.  I was really surprised seeing as she really isn't too excited about Mommy made products.  I guess it's because she took part in the construction and made the major choices.  I just did the dirty work.  It was a very fun process but I am definitely no expert in stuffed animal construction.  Yet another department I need to work on! 

Honey Bear is sleeping peacefully next to Molly tonight.

So...what do you guys do with your scraps?!?!?

The Sewing Machine Will Rest

I am so excited for tomorrow! I am having a girls day/night with my girl Julia!  We are meeting in Syracuse and having a day of relaxing. Did I say relaxing?  I meant SHOPPING!!!!  Julia is a stay at home mom of two young ones and definitely needs a day off.  I'm not quite sure we will know what to do with ourselves!  My plan is that we shop till we can't walk anymore, and then go out!  I think we can both stand a drink or two.  Maybe we will reminisce about our good ole college days where we both met our future husbands.  We did an excellent job finding 2 great men at a college of 3:1 girls to guys.  Thanks Martin and Andrew for staying home with the kids so we can do this!!  I can't imagine uninterrupted sleep, or waking up when I want and not because I am being summoned.  Crazy!

Needless to say there has been no crafting going on the past week and there definitely won't be any this weekend.  I need to get in gear next week and start making some more goods.  I have a few custom orders to fill and then I need to get some stuff made to bring to some local shops.  I'm not thinking about that now though.  I am thinking about which stores I'd like to hit first!

Right now I have to go pack a bag so I can hop in the car in the morning!  I get to listen to whatever I want on the radio, or silence if I want.  Woohoo!  I am so excited. Lets just hope I don't cry when I lay down to sleep in the hotel room tomorrow night.  :)

Along with the shopping theme, I thought I'd throw in a pic of Molly shopping at the mini Wegman's at the Museum of Play in Rochester. So fun!

relief!

Well my 30 seconds of fame is over.  Thank goodness.  I truly had a stomachache every time I thought about seeing my own mug on television. It wasn't too bad and I only sounded somewhat dumb and not completely dumb. I was so worried because I would think of they day Lindsay was here interviewing me and I remember talking but had no idea what I was saying.  I hate cameras.  It's like a deer in headlights (very bright headlights). Thanks to Caren for calling me directly after it aired laughing hysterically.  My own husband burst out laughing the instant my face appeared on the tv.  Don't worry folks, it's not like I have a complex or anything! 

You did a great job Josie and your blog is fabulous!  Your lovely accent made you sound one hundred times better than me!  That and the fact that you make amazing things.  I am so happy to be considered one of the local blogging crafters with you!  Perhaps you will teach me how to make a quilt? :) 

Thanks to Vicki for recommending my blog.  Hollyhocks (a fantastic blog) has brought me lots of traffic since you have added me as a favorite.

I thought that I should add a picture of something that I made to this post for anyone who is here for the first time.  This is a bonnet/bib combo in Heather Bailey's Freshcut fabric.  I am in love with this stuff.  This one was made as a gift set for a baby shower.

Thanks for checking out my little place on the web.   

Hooray!

Phew.  I am so relieved!  The Indie Market is over and now I can relax for a bit.  No deadlines for a while.  This market was definitely not as busy at the first.  I hope that means that everyone was spending time with their moms, just not at the Pearl Street Brewery!  In terms of sales, the day started out slow for me but got better in the afternoon.  I sold almost all of my new bags.  That makes me feel better about stressing over getting them made!  I also had a very yummy oatmeal stout (with a hint of chocolate). Can't forget the chocolate part, right Caren?  It was my Mother's Day treat.  That and the other few things I bought for myself that probably added up to what profit I made!  That's the bad part of being at an event like that.  I rationalize with the theory that I have to support the other artists, right?  We had a good time, met more people, and got a bunch of compliments so I'd say it went well even if we didn't sell a ton.  Thank you again to everyone who was there to support polkadotbug and to those who purchased something.  I hope you enjoy your new things!  Cheers to all the moms out there.  I hope you had a special day, or at least got a nice gift.  :)  I got a fabulous one and need to make an appointment now to go and learn how to use it.  More on that later! 

 

Still Chuggin Along

This is one of the newest bags I have made.  It's amazing how just the fabric alone can make just about any bag look so nice.  I really enjoy this one.  Too bad I have to bring it to the Market.  Maybe no one will buy it and I can keep it for myself!

 

Another new one and a new style I tried.  I like it too, but not as much as the first.  I think I just prefer the bigger bags.  How great are the sunflowers?  They are from Molly and Andrew.  Almost every time they go to Wegmans they come back with flowers for me!  I know, not only does he buy me flowers, but he also does the majority of the grocery shopping!  And, did I mention how great he cooks?  I have it made.  Seriously.

Ok, just a short post today.  I have a long list of things to get done that isn't getting much shorter.  It is also early in the morning and Abby is next to me throwing toys on the computer.  I just wanted to get it out there that I am getting a couple things done!  Today I have my two girls and my sister Angela's 3 year old son too.  Mom (aka nanny) is on a 2 week vacation so we have to take turns staying home from work and watching the kids. Yikes!  I am so thankful for mom!  I just wish she would get home soon.  :)  I don't think I will be getting much done today...

 

Tons of Tutus (Tying Tulle Tonight)

Yet another Tina project for the market, if you can't tell.  I don't typically sit around tying tons of tulle knots just for fun.  The tutus are so easy to put together and turn out so cute.  It's great to see them all together when I finish.  Every newest one becomes my favorite. 

I was really surprised at the amount of tutus I sold at the last market.  I know they are cute, but I didn't think they would sell like they did.  I planned on having a lot more for this one, but my time is running short.  Andrew even helped with these tutus.  He cut the lengths of tulle while I pieced them together.  He thought he would attempt to put one together, but apparently it's difficult for large fingers to tie delicate knots of tulle.  Thank you Andrew! 

Just like a baby girl needs a bonnet, a young girl needs a tutu.  How's that for a sales pitch?  It just makes them feel so fancy.  I love how when Molly puts one on she immediately does a little dance.  The first tutu I sold was for a little girl on her second birthday and I was told she slept in it that night!  How cute is that!?  That's the greatest feeling, knowing that something you did made someone else really happy.  Oh the joys!   

Four Quilted Bags

The race is on for the next Indie Market.  I am starting to produce as many sewn items as one can prepare in a very brief period of time.  Of course that's in between bottles, crying, tantrums, and anything else you can expect (and not expect) from an 8 month old and 4 year old.  Sigh...

Here you can see the start of my bag train.  These are my new favorites, with their quilted linings.  I sure hope the train can get longer by next weekend!  I also have plans for reversible dresses, reversible pants, more bonnets, bibs, tutus....blah blah blah..... Enough complaining already.   Just get to work! 

My problem is that I am not organized enough.  I have stacks of wonderful fabric everywhere that I want to turn into something, but it will never happen by next weekend.  I also have ideas of all these things I want to make which also will not happen in time.  Lists!!  I need to make lists.  I have heard this from more than one person (hi Julia!!), but I just can't seem to find the time to make a list.  :)  Or I just feel better when my disorganized thoughts are bouncing all over inside of my crazy head.  It's just what I am used to.  It will all come together somehow and I will hopefully have a nice display of some of my creations for the market.

Right now my tired body is going to get some much needed rest.