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Thursday, December 30, 2010

and things are starting to happen...


Nothing like having all of your house  hold goods dropped off at once, over the holidays, and being left to put it all together with four little ones in tow. I am so grateful though, I learned quite a few things over the course of the last move, so next time I will be a lot more prepared. Things are moving along nicely. I cannot even begin to get into full time sewing again, until everything else in our house is in order, and with a large renovation to our home coming up, that may take some time. I am still learning and growing as an artist however. I seriously love what I do, and even when I have time to chill, it is somehow related to sewing or my business. I sew because I love it, and that is my driving force. Once I sat at my machine again, and started to piece things together, I was able to take a deep breath...It is that relaxing to me.

I sold a skirt to Germany during my vacation mode, and as I sat down to make it last night, I realized that my customer was a size I cannot accommodate presently.  I apologized and sent her a full refund. She sent me a message today telling me that she loves the skirt so much that she still wants to order it,  (in the largest size that I make). Even if that means losing weight to wear it. How awesome is that? Something in my store might be "that clothing" that someone works out and gets into shape to fit into...

Coming from someone who works out regularly, and wanted to be a personal trainer at one point in her life. I find that absolutely amazing....

Here is the skirt that she ordered...it is a reversibly wrap skirt...




                                                  Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Handy as a pocket

This is what my dad told me when seeing all of the navy wife skills I have acquired over the years. Seriously though, it feels so good to start being productive again in my home, and business. Finished constructing my first winter garment last night and got it listed today. This dress is soooo cozy, and cute...I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love...






So what do you think?

Friday, December 24, 2010

plugged in...

After receiving our household goods 4 days ago, I have been cleaning, organising, breaking down boxes, cleaning, organizing, breaking down boxes. I wanted to get everything in order before I started sewing again. I am not completely set up, I think by next week the house will be completely in order. Our upstairs conversion in going to start the first of the year, and should be done by February. My sewing room will be upstairs. In the meantime, I my sewing space will be at the end of my bedroom...

impromptu sewing room on the end of my bedroom, until my sewing room is complete...

Fleece fabric that will be be in my winter collection...

more fleece fabric.

That is all for now.  My Father, Sister, and her two sons are going to be coming to Our region tomorrow, and I cannot wait to see my beautiful family. We are so blessed.

Merry Christmas, I hope that you are richly blessed!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

a prep for life...

so, we have no household goods yet, so we are not living real life yet, or maybe we are. I guess this is our real life, though I am counting down the days until I can set up my house with all of my furniture. Things have been less hectic since arriving to South Carolina, but it is still rough without our things. If it was going to be too much longer without furniture, I would order furniture from rent a center. At this point it will be coming in 2 days. I am taking advantage of the empty house by painting my walls. I have painted my laundry room yellow, my girls room purple...
This is the new bed we got for the girls room, I like the purple and white...
painting my walls red..

I am also prepping for Sweet Home Boutique
case of top quality thread...

Size small dress form ,that is way bigger than me..


I am also reading up on this lovely book...It not only has patterns, but is also the sewing history of women in the US

Happy Saturday!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

hands, feet, and a son named Akiko...

First, I would like to mention that we have a new son, he is 45 and his name is Akiko. Okay, not really. I noticed on our bank account we had another child listed by the name of Akiko. Finding this odd, I contacted our bank, and they apologized for the mix-up. They did say it would be rather inconceivable for us to have son by that age because we are 27, and 29.  Fortunately, the said party did not have access to any of our account information. Still, I would like to say hola, Akiko. Welcome to the family!

On the note of feet, I got some work done to mine today...
 
White plumeria flowers on my toes....represent...


You might remember my visit to the doctor in this post regarding purple toes..
http://sweethome-rachel.blogspot.com/2010/11/taking-it-easy.html

Well, they were going to call me if anything looked fishy on my blood work, and I never heard anything from them. I am assuming I am healthy, but the problem is, I am still having circulation issues with my feet. That is why I fought my way through mall traffic during Christmas season to get this...

Peppermint essential oil. I have used this stuff for years.  After my foot massage and pedicure, I put some of this on the archs of my feet. I do this when the circulation in my body feels sluggish, anywhere, I always apply peppermint oil to that spot, and it has always remedied the situation.

DISCLAIMER:::I am not a doctor, this advice was given to me  by my intuition...Do not try this at home unless you are way super awesome ::

I assume a healthy diet of pedicures and peppermint oil will get my blood flow back to normal....I don't know, I could be wrong.


I also got my hands done, I would go into why  my hands don't match my toes, but it is a long story...



Another thing that always puts a skip to my step, and a dimple in my cheek are these trusty things...

fancy knee socks---a day spent lounging around in these bad boys ensures a life that will be a blessing to many.


Happy Saturday!!




Thursday, December 2, 2010

Pepsi....

Pepsi, you are my friend, and you are my foe. I love to hate you, and I hate to love you, but alas I do. There is something about a a cold glass of  Pepsi that takes the edge off...
Yes, I know it is 180 empty calories of caramelized corn syrup per 8oz glass, but still, I love you still.

I have wrestled with your carbonated comfort for years. I have gone months without seeing your face, but I always go back. Your fuzzy fizz brings back childhood memories, of a refreshing luxury. I grew up on you, you are have been a staple in our family tree for generations...

So Pepsi, three cheers to you, I thank you for what you have meant to me. Though my devotion is true, I hope my children never befriend you. At this point they have never tasted your bubbles, and I really hope they never will!

but still, I love you still...

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

long time no blog...

I have not blogged for several days now, but my heart is swelling with ideas, so I have to share...

I feel like as a military wife, we are sometimes asked to do the impossible. For instance, preparing to move overseas with four children 4 and under....by yourself. We are now in a hotel, and officially checked out of our house here. I am basically spending my time from running around taking care of business in various venues, to laying in my bed with my head in a pillow 'power napping".

In my daily grind with my little troop of cuties I hear several things from random strangers that I would like to share with you...

*your amazing
*you look like a teenager (I really like that one)
*how do you stay sane?
*do you have 2 sets of twins? (no)
*how do you do it?
*you are doing great?
*how do you stay so thin?
*WoW
*you sure have your hands full
*oh my...
*Are theses ALL yours?
*your children are so cute
*You should write a book?

I get a lot of looks to mainly smiles, but also a lot of deer in the headlights mouth hanging open type of thing...

Sure, I would like to have help, I would like to have a mother who made herself available to me, but that is not the case. I am not bitter about it, I accept that is my lot in life. I have many other blessings to make up for what I lack in that department.

I appreciate all of the positive feedback people give me when I am out. I am surely a busy woman, but this is life that I have chose, and I would not change a thing. Even when I am asked to do the impossible...

On the note of Sweet Home Boutique...

I am antsy to get settled again, and be able to start it back up.
I have several things to do at our new home before I will be able to sell again. We are supposed to get our furniture on the 16th of December, with of course, my husband not being there to help. He will be there for a few days and then will be deploying...again for six months.
I want to paint my house when we get there, I was thinking chocolate vanilla and strawberry, but now I leaning toward only chocolate for the general living areas, and the master bedroom. I am not sure about the children's rooms.
Our builder is there now putting a privacy fence up in the backyard. One things I am nervous about is snakes in South Carolina. There are several poisonous ones. I have not had to worry about the whole time in Hawaii because there are no snakes here (really, isn't that awesome). My son is really excited to see cockroaches there, though they will not compare to the size of the Hawaiian type.
I have decided that I am going to be getting a minivan when we get there, and our builder is going to also be starting our addition that I am really excited about.
I have ordered a large case of Gutterman thread (over 200 spools) for my business, and am getting to ready to order my first dress form. I was going to buy a super awesome pair of Nike's today, but decided that I would use that money instead to buy my dress form..I am thinking more in a producer than consumer mindset now.
So, we are leaving Hawaii in 4 days. I am beyond excited to be moving back to our house in our lovely small town in SC. We can walk to the train station, the library, the grocery store. It is truly a lovely small town. I am not that sad to leave Hawaii, if  I could summarize our time here in a word it would be "stress". It is very beautiful here, but it is not home, and too far from it, to ever consider coming back. As I was walking out of our house on Aloha yesterday for the last time it was a bit sad. My heart started to get a little heavy. We did have some lovely memories there, and it was our home for almost three years.
I know that God has bigger and better things in store for us as we venture into this new season of life, and I am so excited to begin.



                                                                Happy Wednesday!