The Sewing Mom

It’s my favorite day of the week. I’m torn today between heading down south for a quilt show (that would cost gas money and an entrance fee) or staying home and making a new tote bag. I’d really like to just stay out in our pool and have margaritas delivered pool side, but since I don’t have a cabana boy to provide that service, I’m not sure what I’m going to do today!

One thing I do know is that it’s time for my favorite meme, Four Foods on Friday. If you would like to participate, head over to Fun, Crafts and Recipes to leave Valmg a comment under this weeks questions.

Without further ado, here are this weeks questions and my answers.

1. What is one food that is grown, produced or made near where you live. It’s funny that this is a question this week. As we were driving to my daughter’s softball practice last night, I commented how it seems so odd to see fields of planted corn here in North Texas, especially after living in Illinois, one of this country’s primary corn growing states.

2. What is one food from another location that you haven’t had anything like anywhere else. Many years ago, I traveled with my family to Switzerland and I’ve always remembered the wonderful pastries from the local bakeries. Many of them were filled with the most delicious Bavarian cream I’ve ever had.

3. What is your favorite food from somewhere else? One of my absolute favorites is the clam chowder from a restaurant in Seattle. It is absolutely the best I’ve had anywhere, very rich and creamy.

4. Share a family, ethnic or international recipe. The one thing that I think of whenever my mom comes to visit is her beef stew. I’ve tried to duplicate it, but it doesn’t come out the same. Mine is quite good, we had it last night in fact, but my mom’s is true comfort food and I enjoy it so much more when she makes it. Now, I could share the recipe with you, but it’s top secret and then I’d have to kill you!

Tags: Four Foods on Friday, meme

I am quickly coming up on the one year anniversary of this blog. In that time, this is only the second theme that I have used, I really fell in love with it because, while it’s not necessarily sewing related, it is my favorite flower, tulips.

Choosing your blog’s theme is sort of like buying a car, it says a lot about your personality or, in the case of a blog, it can tell a reader a lot about what your blog is about. Bright and cheery, business serious, dark and foreboding? They all let a reader know what to expect and can tell something about you, the author of the blog.

Every now and then I like to take a look at what new wordpress templates are available for my blog. There are so many free themes available for Wordpress blogs, it’s fun to look around sometimes. I haven’t a new theme for this site yet, but I did find an awfully cute theme, Tick, Tock, Tack that I will keep in mind for next Spring.

If you’re looking for a new free theme, be sure to check out www.topwpthemes.com. One of these days, I’m going to find that perfect sewing theme and that’s when I’ll make a change, probably not before then.

Tags: wordpress templates, www.topwpthemes.com

I am very interested in internet marketing as a means for me to sell my handmade products. Having this blog and being able to post pictures of what I make in addition to the “for sale” widgets I use has opened up a whole new world to me and my small sewing operation that I would never have had otherwise. Through my site I’ve been able to sell to people around the world, including the United Kingdom and Malaysia.

Whenever someone contacts me with an interest in buying something I’ve made, I’m very interested to find out how they found my site. I’m interested in finding out what search engine marketing services can do for me and my small business. GDMI in particular, would help me understand the search engine marketability of my website. Are there terms and keywords I need to be using, is my layout working (there are all types of opinions on this). They would then be able to help me increase the visibility of my site for the search engines. I’d like to know what keywords shoppers are typing in when looking for a fabric bag. I could then make sure I’m using those in order to have them find my site.

In addition to getting my site into the top rankings of search engines (or at least, higher than it is now), GDMI would help me decide what type of advertising could work for me. After implementing their suggestions, GDMI then monitors my site to see if what I’m doing is effective or not.

Selling my products via my website is much more efficient and less costly than having to go and work craft shows. It’s important that I work on my internet marketing strategies.

What do you to to make sure your site is marketed in a positive way?

Tags: search engine marketing services

I hit up the fabric store and hobby store today.  The fabric store was having a huge sale and I was able to thread and interfacing all at 1/2 price.  I also had coupons that I was able to use on zippers and trim, so I am stocked up and ready.

My plan, as soon as I get off of this computer is to cut out and sew together 3 zippered bags.  Tomorrow I’m hoping to make a new tote bag that will be large enough to use for just about anything, including going to the gym, grocery shopping or the beach.

I have to drop EC cards too.  I just checked and I’ve had about 260 dropped on me today and it’s not even dinner time!  I’ve got some serious catch up to do!

Tags: sewing supplies

I am quite honored to have received the Arte y Pico Award from Carol who’s Down Syndrome blog is dedicated to her daughter Shannon. She blogs about what it’s like to be the mom of a Down Syndrome.The Arte y Pico Award was created to be given to bloggers who inspire others with their creative energy and talent whether it’s writing or artwork in all types of media (including sewing). When you receive this award it is considered a “special honor”. Once you have received this award, you are to pass it on to at least 5 others.
Please read more info on this wonderful award , visit: Arte y Pico.

I am honored that Carol has chosen me as a recipient of this award and enjoys the fabric purses I post about. Thank you Carol!

I am also going to choose 5 bloggers to pass this award on to and this is no easy choice because I am inspired by so many for so many different reasons.

First, I choose Winding Threads one of my favorite quilters and fellow fabric bag maker. She just got a brand new sewing machine too that I’m sure any sewer would like to have. Be sure to check it out.
Next I have to choose Kater-Bug Cakes. Robyn has created some of the most beautiful and some of the most fun cakes for special occasions I’ve ever seen. Her cakes are truly inspiring and a must see by an aspiring baker.
I also want to award an inspiring knitter at Cass Knits who is also responsible for the Online Craft Club, inspiring for any crafty blogger.
For photography, I pass this award on to Robin at Robin’s Woods who posts some of the most beautiful photographs that she takes in the Pacific Northwest.
And finally, I award this to someone who inspires me not only as a mom, but as a fellow blogger, Elizabeth at Table For Five inspires me with her knowledge of blogging and the fact that she’ll go out of her way to help others.

I want to say that it was not easy to narrow down my choices because I have so many crafty friends who create beautiful things and so many fellow bloggers who have stepped up to help those of us who don’t know so much. If I’ve not passed this award on to you, I apologize, I could only pick 5 and it was the hardest thing I’ve done. Know that in my heart, you are all deserving of this award!

Tags: blogging, blogging award

A blogging friend of mine is planning and preparing to walk in the 2008 Dallas Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk and I want to support her. In her quest, she and her sister, who is walking with her, are trying to raise $6,000 to help fund breast cancer research and treatments. In an attempt to garner donation support, they are hosting a contest and the prize is a pink iPod Nano.To enter the contest, click here to leave a comment on their 3-Day blog and earn 1 entry. If you write a post on your own blog and link to their contest, you can earn more entries. And finally, if you make a donation you will earn 50 entries into the contest! That’s right, I said 50.This is a phenomenal cause. Chances are that you know someone who has been affected by breast cancer, I know I do. We need to support the research and fight this disease.

Tags: breast cancer, Dallas Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, ipod nano

This is an interesting meme and Mrs. Mecomber tagged me to do it. I think it looks more complicated than it is, so let’s see if we can spell Sewing Mom in Japanese!

Arikumeikitoji Rinmorin = Sewing Mom

That’s pretty cool if you ask me!

Now, to pass this fun meme along, I tag:

Greg - Speaker G
Tina - Housewife Hiccups
Valmg - Fun, Crafts and Recipes

Tags: meme

During the recent EC outage, many of us were quite bored and didn’t quite know what to do with ourselves. I found myself tagged by one of my new found blogging friends who I met via Entrecard and am happy, even though the outage is over, to now do this meme. Thanks for the tag from Cindi at Moomette’s Mama Mentor Blog.

First, here are the rules:

1. link the person(s) who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

I’ve all ready taken care of #’s 1 and 2, so let’s move on to 6 unspectacular quirks of mine. This would probably be easier if my husband were home so I could just ask him. Of course, maybe I wouldn’t want to know what he thinks are my quirks! Let me see, I’ll just have to come up with these on my own.

1. I love quiet. I enjoy sitting outside and just listening to the breeze (or here in Dallas, the WIND), the birds and simple sounds. It drives me nuts when my husband will suddenly turn on the outdoor speakers and blast me with music, even though he thinks I want the entertainment. I really just want the peace and quiet.
2. I can’t sit and watch t.v. without my hands being busy. I used to sit and cross-stitch while watching t.v., now I sit with my laptop.
3. I hate crowds. Guess that’s why I am not a fan of going to amusement parks. I force myself to go about once a year for my daughter, but I can’t stand it. I don’t like standing in long, crowded lines and many times feel panic attacks coming on when feel like I’m enclosed by all the people. I’ve learned to do deep breathing activities to help keep myself calm.
4. I REFUSE to pay over $40 for any item of clothing. I think it’s insane. I do make an exception if it’s a special occasion item such as a dress for a wedding (like the one I wore to my step-daughter’s wedding) or shoes. My limit on shoes though is $60. I do usually buy quality shoes because I’ve had foot problems in the past, along with surgery on both feet, so I like good shoes.
5. I have a tendency to forget to eat, especially in the mornings. I just get busy doing things and, even though I’m hungry, before I know it, it’s time for lunch. I don’t intentionally skip breakfast, it just sort of happens. It’s sort of like right now, I’m hungry, but I want to finish this post, then I’ll eat. Well, that is unless something else comes up! Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have my coffee, in fact, I usually have at least 2, very large cups every morning.
6. I don’t like white vehicles. Yes, I do own one, but that was not my choice and I’ve complained about it the entire 8 years that we’ve owned that big white van (nickednamed Van-na White). Maybe my husband finally got the hint because for the past year he has been driving it to work.

I am tagging 6 bloggers and fellow EC droppers:

Ellen - All In A Day
Mommie - Mommie’s Home.net
Kelly - Aerten Art
Chilly - On The Bricks
MaryLou - Time2cre8
Kim - Life With Kim

And now, for the final step, I am off to comment on all of the above blogs to let them know they’ve been tagged!

Tags: entrecard, meme, quirks

Apparently, the server outage at Entrecard that began sometime yesterday afternoon, has turned into something quite major and we’re not clear as to when the problem will be fixed. If you attempt to bring up the Entrecard home page, you will more than likely get this message.

“Outage

There was a fire at our datacenter resulting in the failure of some of our systems, our database server appears to be offline still, we’re working on it and we’re really sorry about the issues at this time. more information arriving shortly.
Served from s02″

That sounds pretty severe to me, but I sure do hope they’re able to get it fixed soon.  Those of us with EC addictions (and there are many of us) may go into withdrawals if not able to drop our days worth of cards.

Tags: entrecard

In case you haven’t heard, my blogging friend Valmg is giving away 250 Entrecard credits on her site Computer Chit Chat. If you’re addicted to EC like I am, it would be great to win 250 credits! The contest ends May 31, 2008.

Head on over to her site, leave her a comment and drop your card. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the winner.

Tags: contest, entrecard