The Sewing Mom

I spent most of last week with my sister in Kentucky. We’ve both been sewing like mad, along with our other sister, to prepare for our coming out sale scheduled for July. As the dates get closer, we find ourselves thinking of things we need to do to be prepared besides the actual sewing and creating our goods.

We have to bring our attention around to marketing ourselves, both at the sale and afterwards. I’m hoping we do well at the sale itself and then have follow up sales. I’ve had business cards made that I will pass out and have inserted into every item I do sell so buyers will know how to get in touch with me. My sister and I also have fabric labels that we sew into our crafted items to identify where they come from.

As for our booth itself, we’ve been talking about signage for it. We’d like to have a banner to hang as well as maybe some table placards. Since I’m going to be driving out in our big van, I’ve even been considering magnetic signs to place on the outside of the van. Everything we do can be customized and so can our advertising campaigns, especially if we use VistaPrint.  I ordered my business cards from them and also my return address labels.  I’m looking at what other printing needs they can do for me.

I’m getting excited and nervous at the same time. I want everything to go well and I want it to be a great start to our sales.

I woke this morning with a terrible sinus headache and thought I wasn’t going to make it through the day.  I had so much to get done today.

I began my taking an allergy pill, followed doing some volunteer work at my daughter’s school.  I came home to do more catching up on email and personal business, during which, I downed 3 large cups of coffee.  My noon I had decided that my head wasn’t going to stop hurting to I needed some sewing therapy.

I opted to start something new, a bag I had purchased the material for a few weeks ago.  This one is different than any of the others I’ve made, I even had to use a pattern to cut it out, something I’m not used to doing.  In fact, when I cut it out, I was so confused that I wound up cutting out enough fabric to actually make two bags!  I’ll have to keep you posted on my progress.  I believe I’m now half way done with the first one.

I had to stop my progress this afternoon to run errands and spend time with my daughter.  I should be able to get back to it tomorrow.   Hopefully I won’t have to deal with my headache and can concentrate better.

I am really looking forward to heading back up north this coming July. I am currently in the process of planning my road trip and it includes going to Indiana to visit my mom and sister. I haven’t been up there in over a year and haven’t seen my mom’s house in almost two years. I can’t wait to see all the changes she’s made.

My mom bought her house a few years back and the house had a nice screen enclosed outdoor patio. The screens were great for the obvious reason of keeping the bugs and giant Indiana mosquitoes away. My mom began placing furniture out there, but the problem arose when she realized that the harsh Indiana winters could still get to anything she put out there. Also, whenever it rained, the wind could blow and things could get wet.

So, she began the upgrade process. She had the framing strengthened and windows installed. She also recently got small heaters that would help keep the dampness out. I believe she also added some decorative shelving that goes all the way around the room.

Somehow, quite by chance, while all of this was going on, a decorating theme was taking shape. Bird houses were appearing in the items that were being placed in the new “room”. Last summer, mom even bought a lamp that had a birdhouse as its base. We began calling her new “room” the Bird Room. I can’t wait to see it!

Mom used to own cockatiels and I know she misses them. She had to find new owners for her birds when she moved from Washington to Indiana, she was afraid the move would be too hard on them. I think she would consider getting a new cockatiel for her new bird room. I was checking out bird cages at YCA Cages and there are so many to choose from. Surely we can find one to match her new decor! Maybe then we could even sew a cage cover to coordinate with the theme!

I think it’s neat that she’s been able to do this room of hers, I can tell she really likes it and will really enjoy it now that it’s almost finished. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing it this summer. I can probably even set up my sewing machine out there and work on projects while visiting!

Even though I’ve been gone, I did actually get some sewing done!  I don’t have a picture of my completed project, I’ll have to have my sister take one. 

My sister created a pattern for making fun pillowcases so I just had to try it out while I was there.  It’s very simple, although, I was having trouble measuring the fabric the day I did it, so it took me longer than it should have!  I think I should have drank more coffee before I started.

I also used her new embroidery sewing machine on the edge of the pillowcase and a pretty decorative stitch that her machine has.  It was a lot of fun.  Because the fabric I used came from her stash, I left the completed pillow case with her and forgot to take a picture.  I’ll get her to take one for me.

Hope everyone had a great week!