What I've Been Up To

Quilt Market wrapped up and Bead and Button preparations began. Whew, not to mention that we had the end of the school year in the middle of that too. It's been slightly crazy around here.

Orders are wrapping up from Quilt Market and I am shipping a whole bunch on Tuesday. Wahoo and thank you Quilt Shops!

Yesterday I spent all day glazing beads. What? It is a holiday weekend? Not for me....

Beads are ready for Inspiration Kits for the show. Just need to get my beads out of the kiln to go with them.

I will keep you posted as the week goes on, there is still so much to do! I am super excited about some new items I will be offering, first at the show an then online. I think a sneak peek will be in order.

Have a great day,

2011 Spring Quilt Market

As promised here are some of my photos from Quilt Market this past weekend..... enjoy

Notice my produce boxes, that's what I went dumpster diving for.

Renaissance Ribbons

A quilt I loved

My buttons at E.E. Schenck

Beach Garden Quilts booth, hey those are my buttons on the quilt! The quilt is called The Button Collector.

Some other super cute booths...

What a market....whew, I'll be back in six months for another.
Happy Friday!

Quilt Market

Whew! I'm back. I took the red eye and got in at 6:30 AM on Monday. I slept all day. Yesterday I cleaned both studios. My home studio was covered in fabric and my away studio was just a plain mess. I am feeling better now that they are clean. I took a bunch of photos but left my camera at the studio. I will post them soon.

It was a fantastic show, got to see lots of friends and meet shop owners. Lot's of fun! I am back in my (clean) studio and working away on Bead and Button Show preparations. Only three weeks away....why do these shows have to be so close together?

Talk to you soon,
Jennifer

Etsy Cleanout

Etsy Jangles

Happy Monday!

My Etsy shop is driving me crazy! I am getting ready to do a big cleanout. I thought before I did it myself I thought I would give you a chance to clean it out. I am offering a 30 percent discount starting today and running through 9:00 AM Wednesday morning. Use the coupon clean30 at checkout to receive the discount. I won't be adding anything new over the next few days so if there's something you've had your eye on, nows the time to snatch it up.

Have a great day!
Jennifer

Bench Building

Hey, Hey, Remember yesterdays new bench? It was so easy to build I thought I would pass along some photos. I didn't follow any specific directions so I can't give you exact measurements for cutting wood. I have spent a lot of money getting the store ready and I needed to make the outside look good on a budget. I had made a lot of wood saw horses for tables when setting up the store and we had a pile of left over 2 x 4's in the garage. The best part was they were all about the same length.

Here's my pile...
I found four all the same height and perfect for the legs. I set them aside. I then found four more that would make a rectangle the size for a bench seat. I nailed them together.

Next, I nailed the four legs into the corners of the rectangle. Looking like a bench already eh?

Then I needed to go to the hardware store. I couldn't put together enough of my scraps for a seat top. I bout 3 1x4"s. It cost me 6.00.
I measured how long I needed them to be and cut them to size.

Back to hammering...the seat slats were nailed on.

The only step left was the paint....

I knocked this bench out in less than an hour and I still had wood left. I needed a shelf for my new fabric. I put this shelf together. I had to spend 12.00 on the long piece of wood on top. I had a couple feet left so I built a mini shelf with it.

Painted it white....
There it is in the store....
I think in the end I had a couple 6 inch 2x4's in the garage and I cleared everything out. It fun to be creative to use up all the wood we had. My next building project is going to be a long farmhouse table for our back porch. I am going to build it just like I built the bench, but bigger. I cannot wait!

Happy Weekend,

Store Photos

I told you earlier in the week that Polka Dot Garden was in stock. At the time I promised more photos and here they are....


I have been doing lots of rearranging and building. Here is the front of the store last week. I have my sign and then I painted a big ol red open sign. That's to let people know I am at the gallery. I found found my business is too crazy to hold "regular hours". So when the sign is out you know I'm there. I am usually in around 8:00 and it's amazing how many early morning customers I get. I think it's because I am near a coffee shop and bakery.

So back to the store front, got a little off track there.... it's a bit boring and I wanted to spiff it up some.

I made some bunting from the new fabric ...


And I made this bench...

I am working on some big flowers that will eventually get "planted" out front as well. But there are too many other things on the list right now...

I am super excited to be headed to a bead show today. This is a wholesale show where I will be searching for all those cool beads to go in my kits and in the Etsy shop with my work. In years past I have come home with quite the loot, I am hoping to do the same today. I can't bring my camera into the show but I will definitely take photos of what I got.

Have a great day!

Drops in Stock

Remember these? I just added some stock to the Etsy shop. And if you don't remember these then here is a link to the earrings where they were featured.

Speaking of featured, I just got my copy of the 2011 Beads Buyers Guide and I have beads in the guide. It's on news stands now.

Hope y'all are great out there....I am in crazy sewing mode this morning for Quilt Market that's next week! Yikes. I am also in the middle of designing new kits and projects for Bead and Button which is also way too soon. Yikes again! So I have got to get back to the sewing machine right now....talk to you soon,

Cultural Arts Night

Hi all...

Last night at the elementary school was Cultural Arts Night. It's one of my favorite nights of the year because we celebrate the arts. Yay! I was demonstrating bead and button making.

Debora from Dragonfly Quilt Shop was showing quilt making. Recognize that quilt on her lap? She's helping me out with my sewing for market. Thanks Debora!

The students made art and they were framed. Parents could buy the art as a fundraiser for the Art Department.

And while shoppers were browsing students were playing piano.

There was also an instrument petting zoo, pizza, face painting, and dancing going on as well. I think it was a good time had by all.

Fabric is in the Store

Hi! Just a super quick post, I am running out the door for an appointment, but I couldn't let this one wait.... My fabric has arrived at my store. All 23 bolts.... Lots of locals have asked when it would be here so come on in, we'll be here all week.

More pictures to come....

Have a great day,