Not Your Grandma's Baby Blanket

Unless your Grandma is extremely hip.  +wink+ Following closely on the heels of my newly redesigned bibs (flannel, chenille with blingy pearl snaps) I received a request from one of my favorite shops ~ Could you make baby blankets, too?

Baby blankets have been on my project list forever, but I just never seemed to get around to them.  So when this special request came in I decided there must be a market for handmade baby blankets.  Why not give it a whirl?

I made my first blankets today.  I decided to start with the smallest size - what has been called "receiving blankets" in the past and, depending on the size of the baby, may work as swaddling blankets as well. These are the kind you would use to bring a newborn home from the hospital and bundle up in their first few weeks of life.  These are all 30" x 30" double-sided coordinating pre-washed, pre-shrunk flannel.  I am a huge fan of anything polka dot, so plan to make the coordinating flannel always polka dot.

I also plan to make some larger blankets.  They will probably be flannel and chenille or minky dot (a kind of close-cropped very soft chenille).  

They look easy to make, but I was surprised how careful I had to be to measure correctly and sew slowly to be sure everything lined up.  Even then they aren't perfect ~ but I tell myself I hope customers will appreciate the fact that they are handmade and no two will be alike.  I am sure - as with anything - the more I make the easier it will be and the more detail I will enjoy adding.

I've fallen in love with flannel fabrics.  The designs are endless and run the gambit from soft pastels for the more traditional to crazy skulls for the more adventurous.  My tastes in choosing fabrics for my blankets, bibs and burpies (burp cloths) also runs the gambit.  I'm drawn to some of the traditional soft and sweet baby designs and colors.  But I also get a real kick out of the loud and crazy designs and colors you wouldn't expect to see in a baby product.  I am finding that a majority of my customers seem to be young, hipster Mommies and they go for the unusual and unexpected.  But I will carry some traditional fabrics as well.  For you know, the traditional Mommies and Grandmommies.  I love 'em all!  

What fun I have designing new things!  I haven't abandoned my Whee Ones - there will be many coming soon for the next holiday season; but my imagination runs rampant with ideas for new products, new fabrics, new designs.  It keeps my products - and my work days - fresh and fun.

Speaking of ~ since my product line is expanding I'm thinking of doing some subtle changes to my logo, colors, taglines, etc.  Once I've made those decisions, I'll slowly roll out the new image.  
And I just realized - as I often do - I'm making future plans in my head by writing /speaking them as I do it.  My apologies.  Now carry on.  +wink+ 

Long live flannel.

And babies.

Hey Baby (bibs)!

I have played around with baby bibs in the past, but now I've stepped it up a notch and am having a blast!

Flannel comes in so many whimsical and adorable designs ~ they lead my imagination in all sorts of directions!  I've added chenille for the backing to add not only to the functionality (it's thicker and more absorbent), but adds to the texture and the all over design and fashion.

And to set them truly aside from the thousands of baby bibs out there, I always applique something on the front.  That's why I love the flannel designs so much ~ they inspire my appliques.


The crowning touch (almost literally) ~ I have discovered how easy it is to use pearl snaps and they add a touch of class to the bibs.  I had a real lesson when it came to the snaps...  I bought an expensive ($26) tool to attach the snaps.  After a very frustrating experience ~ they wouldn't attach and I ruined several snaps ~ I logged onto Pinterest (my new Google for all things crafty!).  It didn't take long to find a couple of awesome (and easy to understand) tutorials on how to attach snaps.  The real treat?  I found links to a fabric website (I thought I knew them all but I'd never seen this one) with super cheap pearl snaps (in colors no less!) and a little metal tool to attach the snaps.  It cost $2.50, all I needed to add was a hammer!  Easy peasy attaching.  And I've only hit my thumb once with the hammer.  (wink)  Needless to say, I returned the $26 "tool."

So here's hoping my customers will like my new products as much as I do. :) You can find some in my Etsy shop ~ with more to come!

Would You Like to Play a Game?

This morning I realized I was [almost] caught up with orders.  I also realized that I am minutes away from the beginning of my busiest season of the year. And each year before the chaos ensues I always like to take a little time to organize my studio and fabric closet.  I've been told I'm a little OCD about organization, but hey - it comes in handy later when the fur is flying (literally) and I have some vague idea of where to find things.

In organizing my smallest fabric remnants - because I really do use every bit of fabric that I possibly can - it became obvious which solid colors I use most to create my Wee Ones and Liten Venns.


So here's the game:
*Which color do you think I use the most in my work?
And
*Which color do you think I use the least?

(And lest you think the photo will help you - it won't.  *wink*  These are my larger fabric pieces.)

As I write I have no idea how I will score the game, but I'll figure it out. And if someone gets the answers to both questions right - there's a prize.   :)

Game on kids.  You have until  Monday (August 8) at 5:00 pm MDT to leave your answers in the comment section.  Good luck!  :)

Key West Anyone?

I grew up in the Midwest, but am positive that in some previous life I must have been an Island Girl. I have such an affinity for anything tropical or ocean-related. So of course when I decided to make some pillows for my own home, it was a given there would be palm trees and flamingos involved. And the retro feel makes it all the sweeter. I love retro...

With the weather getting warmer, I thought why not invite that tropical breeze into my home? And what better time to experiment with a new style of pillow? I've been wanting to try out envelope pillow covers and decided to try them out on myself first.

Easy peasy. I think I'm going to like this new method. And the really nice thing is the covers are removable and can be washed. A couple more trail runs for the home front and I will be ready to put them in my Etsy shop. :)

So crank up the blender, blast the Jimmy Buffett, throw out the tropical pillows and let's get ready for summer! :)

For the Love of Fabric. And Flamingos. :)

I love fabric.

I can spend hours in a fabric store. (And a chunk of change.) The colors. the patterns. The textures. It makes me dizzy. And oh so happy. I credit my Mom (as usual). She loves fabric, too.

I also love flamingos. I have no idea why. I grew up in the Midwest and live in the West ~ neither of which are exactly flamingo territory. For years I collected them. I had to buy every single flamingo-related thing that crossed my path. Then I went thru a decluttering stage and either packed them away or gave them away. But every once in awhile I just can't resist. So when I came across a slim bolt of this very retro-looking fabric today, I had to have it.

The other day I stood on our upper landing and looked down into our living room. I saw a lot of brown. Brown is a nice background color, but holy moly - we need a punch of color!! Especially coming out of a brown winter and into spring (my tulips will bloom soon!) ~ it's time to bring some life into the house, too. I have a feeling my couch may be sporting some retro flamingo pillows soon... and once I get started, oh boy. The fun is just beginning... :)

Winters are long. Don't you just want to add some color to your life, too? :)

New (Recycled) Ideas ~ New Challenges ~ New Rewards

January and February offered up a few quiet weeks - a good time to clean and organize my studio and fabric closet. In the blur that was November and December, fabric piles grew in corners; boxes were stacked wherever they fell; ribbons normally organized by color were strewn everywhere; patterns were misplaced.

And then there was the matter of the fabric remnants. You know - those pieces of leftover fabric that were too large to toss (I might need that someday!), but too small to really do much with. I was raised by a wonderful, but frugal Mother who taught me to recycle from an early age. Although it wasn't called "recycling" back then; it was more like "don't be wasteful."

So as I looked at all these perfectly good remnants I knew I couldn't throw them out - they don't decompose in a landfill and besides - I paid good money for that fabric! :) So I found 4 large clear storage boxes and organized my remnants by size and color and stacked them in my fabric closet. And wonder of wonders ~~ I am actually using my remnants! I have patterns for smaller animals; but better than that, always mindful to use remnants has spurred me on to creating some original designs. Granted, this is really new territory for me; but I'm finding it not only challenging, but very rewarding. I'm not a sketch artist by any means, but I'm finding I can draw some basic outlines and create some fun little guys. And I keep in mind that they don't have to be perfect (a new concept for me!) -- that a little quirkiness just adds to their personalities.

So stop by ~ and see what's new. Original critters are popping - or should I say hopping - into the shop more each day!

She Was Worth It.

I've always said I really dislike working with chenille because it is so messy ~ it sheds so there is lint everywhere when working with it. (I'd post a pic of the floor of my studio, but it's embarrassing!) Lint in my eyes. Lint in my nose - a lot of sneezing ensues. Lint all over my black knit pants. I know. Don't wear black knit pants when working with pink chenille. Duh.

So I had sworn off chenille until I got two special requests for chenille dogs. A sale is a sale, so I although I left them till the very end of the large order, I forged ahead ~ lint and all. A baby blue chenille dog came to life and then came this little sweet pink one. Too much cuteness. I can't stand it. She's in her gift bag here, waiting to be shipped off.

Once I surrendered to the lint and just ignored it, well, it wasn't so painful after all. Next on tap ~ I'm going to make a chenille puppy (or bunny) for myself! I realized the other day I don't have any of my own animals and these chenille ones just call to me!

Too

Much

Cuteness. :)

Thinking Holiday...

And the holiday frenzy begins... Even though it's a bit of a challenge to picture snow falling, candles glowing, family gathering today as the window above my desk is blowing a warm 80 degree breeze into my studio. *wink*

Yet I am filling a special order for 9 dogs in various holiday-themed fabrics. One down, eight to go... This is the first little guy ~ Nicholas.

Too much fun. :) Puts me in the mood to get my own holiday critters ready for the shop in a couple of weeks!

It's the Little Things...

So why am I smiling? Because yesterday I found Fabric Nirvana. I felt as though I had died and gone to Fabric Heaven ~ seriously.Everyone has their thing.

Something that feeds their passion. In the past few months it's been fabric for me ~ and patterns and little puppy dog eyes and noses.

So it surprised me when ~ in the midst of a handmade revival ~ I started seeing fabric stores near me closing. Why, I would ask the ladies. "Because everything is going online." "Hmmm..., " I would reply, "I do a lot of shopping online, but there is something about fabric that I like to touch to my cheek and see the exact hues."

But I caved and started shopping online for my fabrics. They're ok and the prices are ok; but it still can't compare to actually walking thru a well-stocked fabric store. The thrill was gone.

So yesterday as I was out with my sales hat on (scored a consignment gig which I'm very pleased about!), I found a google map I had put in my Jeep awhile back and forgot about. It was to a fabric store about 15 minutes from my home that I had never visited. So, since I felt like celebrating I thought I would check it out.

Well, yay! Once I finally found it (yes, even with a map I'm directionally-challenged), I walked in and smiled from ear to ear. O. M. G. It was huge! Aisle after aisle after aisle of every kind of fabric you can imagine. All surrounded by rows and rows of craft supplies.

Just one example of why I was so excited ~ every fabric store I've been to is carrying NO Christmas fleece. Guess what? This store has a loooooong row of it! And plans to get more!

Fabric Heaven, indeed. I have a feeling it will be my "Cheers" bar; when I walk in they will all shout, "Cindi!"

Some of Them are Just a Little More Special...

One of my favorite things about sewing is finding awesome fabrics. I know some of the designs and patterns I choose one would not look at and instantly think, "OMG that will make the cutest dog!" But I absolutely love thinking outside the box when it comes to fabrics. The stranger they are - the cuter I think the animal will be. :)

So Buzz (above) the "Coffee Mate" dog turned out so darned cute I can't stop smiling. And Ruby (made of multi-colored autumn leaves fleece) is (if I do say so myself) adorable! Go figure...

Wait till you see what I've got in store for Christmas... :)

Breast Cancer Comfort Friends...

Breast Cancer Awareness Month starts early (and will stay late) in my shop. I have a commitment to finding a cure not just for family members who suffered for many years, but for all those affected. Please check out my “Breast Cancer Comfort” category featuring “Comfort Friends” for anyone who has been touched by breast cancer…

Until the end of October, 20% of each sale will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Comfort Friends will be added on a continual basis, so if you don’t see anyone you want to adopt today, please check back!

Rebecca here is the first friend in the shop. She's a little different in that she is made of cotton flannel, but still very soft and cuddly!

Weeeeeeee!!

This adorable little one was my first baby-tester for freckles and friends (she still sleeps with Dotty - the first teddy bear). I don’t see her often enough; so when I knew I would be seeing her last weekend, I made sure to tuck a Wee One in my bag just for her. I think she liked it. *wink*

I was so pleased to see that “Poppy” was just the right size for her little hands – perfect for walking around and handy for that spontaneous hug whenever she needed it (or vice versus).

But most of all, seeing her so happy made me so happy I smiled all day. In fact I’m still smiling. It is absolutely why I do what I do.

Thank you, dear heart ~ until we meet again.

(images shot with Lensbaby 2.0 plus telephoto adapter - which explains the slight fuzziness.)

The Wee Ones Are Big in Arizona!

First Mimi and Poppy. Then Bella and Daisy. Then Suzy and Penelope. They've all gone to live in the desert with a beautiful, wonderful family.
Thanks oodles and poodles, dear Gracie. :)

The Bunnies are Multiplying!

Last week was a busy and fun week as the “Wee Ones” line seems to have found an audience. So since I’ve been so busy I thought I deserved a treat. I found this cute little vintage bunny pincushion in "that is charming's" shop (my link kept breaking :( sorry!)

And since bunnies seem to be the order of the day(s), it was perfect. I also picked up a darling ceramic planter in the shape of a treadle sewing machine for my Mom’s 91st birthday next month; and received a lovely little thank you gift as well.

Also realized it’s dangerous to go perusing the shops on Etsy too often… Lots of uber cool stuff out there.

Have a fantastic week – half way thru August already. Incredible.

And The Rest of the Story...

Remember the story of the wedding dogs? The wedding they attended (thru the grandchildren) took place yesterday. As the children pack up to return to their homes, dogs in tow, I learned that one dog (an extra little guy) will stay in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for now.

Three will be going to live in Connecticut and the remaining two will take up residency in IRELAND! How cool is that? The product of a simple little crafter in Colorado, the dogs will live out their "lives" in Ireland.

I just love that. :)

The Wee Ones

Thanks to the assistance of a very understanding mister (he took the dog to the park and watered all the flowers and veggies and did the dishes) I spent 11 hours in my studio today, focusing on an idea I became obsessed with ~~ Wee Ones.

So here they are. And here I am with my feet up sipping a glass of chardonnay and watching "Mad Men" ready to eat my salad topped with fresh green onions and tomatoes from the garden.

Life is good. I hope yours is, too!

The Wee Ones Have Arrived!

Well, arrived and gone. Mimi (left) and Poppy (right) were in the shop just minutes before they were snapped up. They will be flying to Tucson on Monday. :)

With the economy slowly coming back (emphasis on slowly) I decided to offer some little animals (emphasis on little - they range in size from 5" - 7" tall) at a lower price point (emphasis on lower). And not only are they priced lower, I can offer cheaper shipping because they're smaller and can fit in an envelope!

They are so much fun to create as each one is partially hand-sewn and the expressions and features are limitless! They're perfect for babies ~ small for little hands and soooo soft. But I think they would also make a perfect "cubicle-mate" for anyone in an office. Or perhaps a little someone to keep you company in your car as you commute. Or as a bedside companion for an elder in a nursing home or a child in the hospital. The possibilities are endless...

So help me welcome the Wee Ones to the world. More will be poppping up in my shop today and in the days to come! And, as always, of course I take special requests!

FYI - check out Etsy's Showcase today, Saturday August 8th, for my featured shop in the Toy Category! New items popping up hourly and we'll be featured until midnight!

http://www.etsy.com/showcase.php?ref=fp_banner_showcase_main
(go to the upper right-hand corner where you see "main" and click on the down arrow; scroll down to toys and you will see "freckles & friends" featured)

Thanks for stopping by!

And The Family is Finally Together!

And they are temporairly living in my Etsy shop. And yes, of course I'm attached to them.

And yes, it feels SO good to be back at work and creating again!

Waiting for Papa

Mama and Baby... Papa will make his appearance [hopefully] in a couple of days! :)

Baby Boo

This little guy is waiting for his Mama and Papa. Who I hope will make an appearance on the scene in the next couple of days!