Start with Why

As the old year wanes and the new year beckons, I am jotting down a few personal resolutions, but I am also taking stock of my Etsy business, and beginning to formulate goals for 2012.

 

Thankfully, I've had some inspiration and guidance from April at the Blacksburg Belle blog.  http://www.blacksburgbelle.com/2011/12/3-books-thatll-increase-your-success-in-2012/

In her video post, Three Books That Will Increase Your Success in 2012, one of the titles April highly recommended was Simon SInek's book, Start with Why:  How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.  It was published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc. in 2009.  ISBN: 978-1-59184-280-4.  He also has a website:  www.startwithwhy.com. 

 

Now, as a fledgling Etsy entrepreneur, I hardly consider myself a leader, but, in a sense, I am the leader of my little online shop.   To borrow a phrase from Barbara J. Winter, author of Making a Living Without a Job, I'm a "self-bosser." 

 

Sinek observes that most businesses attract customers or clients through manipulations – sale prices, promotions, or other marketing gimmicks and ploys.  Manipulation works – in the short-term.  But it does not inspire loyalty or generate long-term success.

 

Sinek proposes an alternative—to inspire action rather than manipulating people to act.  How to do that?  Well, as the title suggests, you start with WHY you do/make/sell what you do.   He draws a Golden Circle, with WHY in the middle, then HOW, and finally WHAT.   Most people and companies get it backwards.  And I'd have to confess, I am one of those people.   If asked what I do at Pasque Flower Creations, I'd be tempted to answer, "I sew boutique children's clothing and other fun and functional fabric items."   Or I might quip, "I'm turning my stash into cash."  That's WHAT I do.  I might then say that I make these items using high quality designer cotton fabrics, linen and silk.  That's HOW I do what I do.  But WHY?  What is my purpose, cause or belief that caused me to launch this business?  (Making money is not the right answer.)

 

According to Sinek, people don't just buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.  If we do business with those who believe in our WHY, trust emerges and we will have happy loyal customers.   We'll see.  I'm still working on my WHY Statement.  I think it is rooted in a philosophy expressed by my old friend and law school  colleague, Mary McCusker, when she said, "Always buy pretty postage stamps. They don't cost any more than the plain ones."    I do like using pretty stamps.  And recipients like pretty stamps, too.  Same-o for functional items made with fun, colorful, and sometimes whimsical high-quality fabrics.  

I've reworked my Etsy Profile to include a beginning of my "why" statement.  Here it is.  My philosophy: Why settle for ordinary or boring, when there is a colorful, comfortable, or sometimes whimsical alternative at a reasonable price? 

 

P.S.  Here is a link to another great blog about year-end planning from Meylah: http://meylah.com/meylah/8-quick-tips-to-get-your-business-ready-for-next-year

 

Happy New Year!

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

A Miniature Rail Fence Quilt

A few months ago (maybe several), I accepted a Facebook challenge from my artsy cousin Deb the librarian.  I agreed to make something handmade for the first five people who responded to my handmade pay it forward post.  I resolved to get all five projects finished before tax season.  Whew!  I just made it!

 

One of those first responders to the Facebook challenge was my old high school buddy, Pati O'Brien Richardson, who still lives in my home town of Madison, South Dakota.  She works in the public library where my maternal grandmother, Genevieve Quist, served as librarian for many years.   As farm kids, my brother and I looked forward to our weekly trips to town to visit the library.  We were allowed to pick out four books each.  We often played library at home, using books from our pine bookcase and slips of note paper. (This was long before bar coding!)

 

This 12" x 12" miniature quilt was made using a traditional rail fence pattern.  It was one of two class projects in a Marvelous Miniatures class I took at the International Quilt Study & Museum, taught by the multi-talented Dr. Barbara Caron.  I chose fabrics from the Luna Notte collection by Moda.  I had to include a little green for Pati's Irish heritage.  The quilting is minimalist—stitch in the ditch.  I used a very thin batting and single fold binding.   I snapped this photo before sending it to South Dakota.

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

4 Ps from John Jantsch (Duct Tape Marketing )

I know many of my blog followers are fellow Etsians.  If you are like me, you are reviewing your business goals and marketing plans for the new year.   I highly recommend Duct Tape Marketing's  Top 11 Posts of 2011: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2011/12/28/the-greatest-hits-of-the-entire-year.   I really appreciate John Jantsch's down-to-earth approach to marketing .  I loved his book, follow his blog, Friend him on Facebook, and try to follow his advice.

 

I especially enjoyed his post on the 4 Ps of a Fully Alive Business:  Passion, Purpose, Positioning and Personality.   These have replaced the 4 P's taught in business schools in the Mad Men era of the 60s:  product, price, place and promotion. 

 

I'm heading to Sioux Falls, South Dakota today to connect with my brother, sister-in-law, and daughter Allison.  Allison (24) will be flying back to Brooklyn on December 30, where her classroom of 3^rd Graders will be waiting to greet her when they return to school on January 2, 2012.  She is in her first year of a two-year Teach for America fellowship.

 

We have unseasonably mild weather and dry roads, so I'm not even dreading the 4-hour drive, and I am SO looking forward to reconnecting with family.

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

 

A Bundle of Fabrics

I decided to enter A Fabulous Fabric Bundle Competition hosted by Laura at Quokka Quilts and sponsored by The Fat Quarter Shop: www.thefatquartershop.com. 

For more information about the competition, go to: http://quokkaquilts.blogspot.com/2011/12/bloggers-choice-fat-quarter-bundle.html.   I'm expecting to be an "also ran" after looking at some of the other amazing bundles already entered.  But it was a fun exercise, and my first attempt at using Mosaic Maker.

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com 

Mini Mitt

It's shameless commerce Tuesday, and today I am featuring another new item in my shop – microwave oven mitts.  These mini mitts are perfect for grabbing a cup of hot cocoa from the microwave, lifting the lid from a pot, or grabbing the handle of a pan.   These potholders are small:  approximately 7" in length by 5" in width. 

 

A micro mitt is a handy dandy item to have in your kitchen.  It would also be great for someone in a dorm or small apartment.  Pair a mitt with some homemade hot cocoa mix and a cheery mug for a care package for someone away at college or a teacher gift.  Or pair a mitt with some chicken soup as a get well gift for a sick friend. 

 

The micro mitts are made using high quality designer cottons, InsulBright heat resistant batting, and a layer of white cotton flannel.  I used a Keyka Lou Pattern for this item:  Just A Pinch Potholder.  www.keykalou.com or http://www.etsy.com/shop/keykalou.  I substituted a fabric hanging loop for the ribbon loop shown in the pattern.

 

The single mitt shown above was made using a Metro Café print featuring bright flatware on a cream white background.  The print was designed by Louise Cunningham.  Organic Cloud 9 chartreuse polka dot fabric was used for the lining and fabric loop. 

 

The mitt is machine washable.  I have 9 more mitts cut and ready to sew, so watch for new listings in the Kitschy Kitchen Stuff section of my shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=10144150.  You can find the mitt pictured above at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/89237956/micro-oven-mitt-metro-cafe-brights-on

 

I hope you had a Merry Christmas or a happy holiday weekend!  We enjoyed time with grandkids, and I will travel to South Dakota on December 29 to tag up with my youngest daughter before she heads back to Brooklyn.

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

 http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflowercreations

Silk Zip Clutches

On Tuesday I posted a preview of coming attractions.  Today I posted three silk clutches made using silk dupioni fabric remnants and a Keyka Lou Pattern, Zip Clutches: www.etsy.com/shop/keykalou.   The result?  Affordable elegance for New Year's Eve, winter formals, prom or bridesmaid clutches.  

This will be short.  The grandkids are coming over for a Christmas cookie baking session, with lots of frosting and sprinkles. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Merry Christmas!

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Preview of Coming Attractions

It's shameless commerce Tuesday, and rather than bore you with a "rerun" featuring items from my Etsy shop you've already seen, I decided to give you a preview of not-yet-listed coming attractions:  Silk Zipper Clutches.  These clutches would be perfect little evening bags for a New Year's Eve gala, a winter formal, or a wedding.   If you're not the partying type, these lovely silk bags could easily double as a classy makeup pouch.  Priced at just $20.00, with free domestic shipping, you can be chic on the cheap or a diva on a dime.

 

I was able to purchase several silk remnants in purple, deep red, two shades of blue, and bronze.  I've found coordinating natural fiber fabrics to use for linings, and I've purchased coordinating zippers.  I will be making clutches using the Zip Clutch downloadable pattern by Keyka Lou Patterns.  Keyka Lou was one of Etsy's Top 100 sellers, and Michelle's downloadable patterns are fun, functional, and user friendly.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/keykalou.  She also allows you to make items for sale using her patterns as long as you state in your listing that the item was made using a Keyka Lou Pattern. 

 

The zippers are from another of my favorite Etsy sellers, Zipit:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/zipit.  The shop has over 900 listings for high quality zippers in many, many, many colors and lengths, very reasonably priced.  She also includes a cute zipper pull with purchase.   I'm a happy repeat customer!

 

My "prototype" purple silk zipper clutch bag  (7.5" x 4.5" x 2") is at Tastes & Talents consignment shop (and I neglected to take a photo before sending it off—my bad),  But I plan to list some silk clutches on Etsy within the week (on or before Christmas Eve) so they can ship to arrive before New Year's Eve.  I think I'll go with the slightly larger version (9" x 4.75" x 2") for my Etsy listings.

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

 

A Lap Quilt for Uncle Bill

My 80-year-old Uncle Bill (Carl Quist) is now confined to a wheelchair, suffering from a Parkinson's-like degenerative disease.  I  always admired his handsome young sailor pics in my baby book. 

Earlier this month he was inducted into the South Dakota Department of Transportation's Hall of Fame.  He spent his entire legal career working for DOT, securing legal title to the land and rights of way for both Interstate 90 and Interstate 29, which span the width and length of the state, and many other legal issues involving bridges and highways .  He was always active in the State Bar of South Dakota, and received a 50-year service award.  He was president of the Sixth Circuit Bar Association for decades. 

He was the first to sail a sailboat on Lake Oahe,  a fiberglass Flying Scot, and he taught me and my cousins to sail.  We learned quickly that "stand by to come about" meant "Duck!!"  Uncle Bill was a great  outdoorsman.  He loved to hunt and fish, and made annual visits to visit my Uncle Bob in Alaska until his health deteriorated to the point where travel was no longer an option. 

He was also the rock we all leaned on in our family.  My father died of a heart attack when I was 14.  Uncle Bill always looked out for my mom.  (The Winnebago Tribe has a word for the role he played – dega.  Roughly translated, it means "the big guy who looks out for me."   A dega can be a big brother, an uncle, a grandfather, a cousin or a neighbor.)  He remembered the birthdays of all his nieces and nephews, and later, his grand-nieces and grand-nephews.  He attended all our graduations, and always sent birthday cards and Christmas cards with generous cash gifts—a tradition that continues to this day.  He had no children of his own, but like Mr. French in the old TV series Family Affair, underneath a gruff exterior was a very kind heart.  He was the family historian and archivist until my cousin Bill (his namesake) took over those duties a few years ago. 

I'm finishing this lap quilt for his Christmas present this year.  The photo above shows  the work in progress before final pressing and basting.  I'm sure he will appreciate the pheasant in the center of the star (South Dakota's state bird).  My cousin Jeannie, a CNA who provides in-home care for him, warned me that he wouldn't want anything too big or too warm. Most of the fabrics are flannel, so I am planning to use a batik or cotton backing fabric and a thin layer of flannel as the batting.  The quilt will measure 45" square, but he is over six feet tall, so there's a lot of leg and lap to cover, even sitting in a wheel chair. 

The design is adapted from the pattern Dawn's Quilt from Beth Garretson's book, No-Sweat Flannel Quilts: Fast and Fun Designs, published by That Patchwork Place in 2004.  The quilt may not arrive by Christmas, but it will arrive within the 12 days of Christmas grace period, before the eleven lords start leaping!

I need to sign off and keep sewing….

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

AT&T?

It's shameless commerce Tuesday.  Today I'm featuring in AT&T.  Nope.  Not the telecommunications giant.  A color trio:  A=Aqua, T=Turquoise, and T=Teal.

I'm not sure why I've been drawn to that sector of the color wheel lately.  Perhaps it was Traci's blog post a few days ago on All Things Luci Rae.  She redid a fantastic little kitchen table in aqua.  http://allthingslucirae.blogspot.com/2011/12/give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread.html

Or perhaps it is just such a calm and refreshing sort of hue – a nice break from red and green and gold and the glitz and hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  Tranquility.  

Visit the shop widget on the left column of this blog to link to these items, and more. 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

 

 

A Tribute to Mary

I will be away from the blogosphere for a few days as we deal with a family crisis.  My sister-in-law, Mary, was killed in a tragic car accident on Monday night.  She was rear-ended by a drug-crazed driver who tried to flee the scene of the fatal accident.  He has since been arrested, and he is being held on a $600,000.00 bond.   Here is a link to a news article about the accident:  http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20111206/NEWS/111209949/1055&ParentProfile=1045. It also made the TV news, making it even more difficult for her family and students.

Mary had a big, big heart.   Perhaps because she had been motherless, she was like a mother hen to so many children.  One summer, she had seven step-grandchildren in her care full-time.   She was also a fabric lover and quilter.  As I was wrapping presents last night, I came upon a quilt book by Bonnie Hunter that my husband had autographed for Mary when the author visited our local quilt guild earlier this year.  And she was a gardener.  She had a giant green thumb.  She managed to make the patch of Nevada desert outside their home bloom each summer with an incredible garden.   And, of course, she shared the bounty.  She also had a great sense of humor.  She sent some of the funniest emails.

 

Mary was my husband's youngest sister.  She was only five or six years old when their mother died of heart disease.  But she did not let that loss defeat her.  She was a gifted musician (it runs in the family), and spent most of her adult life teaching music.  She was caught up in the bustle of Christmas concerts.  In our last email exchange two days before her death, she was so looking forward to a quiet Christmas vacation. 

This Christmas, she will not be directing a series of concerts, and she'll be sorely missed by her students.  But she'll be hearing the full angel choir in Heaven. 

We miss you, Mary.

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com.shop/pasqueflower

 

It's A Guy Thing -- Gifts for Big Guys

It's shameless commerce Tuesday.  Today I'm featuring items from my Etsy shop that could be appropriate gifts for the big guys on your holiday list.

For the young single dude in his dorm or apartment, how about some durable masculine pillow covers?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75000215/16x16-pillow-cover-mencentric-cotton

 

Know a guy who likes to cook or BBQ or tailgate?  Check out these black and white metro café oven mitts. http://www.etsy.com/listing/86598726/oven-mitts-1-pair-black-and-white-metro

Do you or someone you know have an elderly uncle or grandparent who needs to use a walker?   I just sold the last of my ready to ship walker bags, but I am happy to make custom walker bags, and I have several masculine stripe decorator weight fabrics in stock.  I also have some nuts and bolts novelty fabric.  Sports team fabrics could also be used for a man's walker bag.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/73698420/walker-bag-custom-made-choose-your-theme.  More ready to ship walker bags will be listed in a few days.

The holiday rush is upon us.  Back to the Girl Cave for some serious sewing!

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

 

 

It's A Wrap!

I recently teamed up with Tamy Burnett of Rock Star Yarns to share a space at Tastes & Talents consignment shop at 56^th & Old Cheney Road in Lincoln, NE.  www.tastesandtalents.com. The photo above shows our accessories display.  The vanity was a hand-me-down given to my daughter 20 years ago, now repurposed as a store prop.   I'm not loving the pegboard, but I haven't come up with a workable plan to camouflage it.  I'm open to suggestions!

 

The handbags are my contribution to the space.  I'll deliver another batch later this week, hopefully.  The crocheted beaded bracelets, shawls, wraps, and shrugs are Tamy's work.  I'm especially loving that blue shrug above the vanity.  To see more of Tamy's incredible stuff, visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/rockstaryarns. 

 

This is our first venture into the world of consignment – a learning experience!!   

Yesterday  I hit my all-time record for most Etsy sales in one day (Woo!Hoo!) so I need to sign off and get the pedal to the metal  -- sewing machine pedal, that is – to restock my cyber shelves.

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

 

White Christmas

Today we had six inches of heavy wet snow, which makes even drab little houses look like something out of Currier & Ives.  

There's something magical about snow.  When my son Jeff was little, he saw glistening snow and said, "Look!  Diamonds in the snow!!" 

So perhaps it was the snow that caused me to revise my To Do List after a busy day at the tax office.  I decided to move "write Christmas cards" to the top of the list. 

I could almost hear Bing Crosby crooning, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, with every Christmas card I write."

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Tastes & Talents

Today I'd like you to meet Tonya Schroeder (pictured above).  She is the manager of Tastes & Talents, a unique collection of 76 merchants offering a variety of handmade items and yummy treats.   http://www.facebook.com/tastesandtalents  and tastesandtalents.com. She is also a talented visual artist.  Photos of some of her awesome paintings are posted at:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.180840195326639.45097.100002019800780&type=3.  Pandora's Canvass, pictured above, is one of my favorites.

As of December 3, 2011, I will be teaming up with Tamy Burnett of Rock Star Yarns http://www.etsy.com/people/rockstaryarns.  We will be sharing a 4' x 5' display area featuring handmade fashion accessories in Tonya's consignment shop:  shawls, wraps, scarves, crocheted beaded bracelets, clutches, handbags, and small purses.  

I have never sold on consignment, so this is a new adventure! It will certainly keep me occupied during my furlough as I create new inventory for the consignment shop and my Etsy shop, handle custom orders, and finish up some handmade gifts.  (I did a hand-stitched rolled hem on a hot pink lame Barbie evening gown last night after my evening shift at the tax office--granddaughter gift.) 

We will be setting up our display this weekend.  With 5 days off next week, I hope to add more clutches, pouches and small card holder/purses to our inventory before December 10.  Stay tuned for further developments.

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

  

Bippity Boppity BIBS!

It's shameless commerce Tuesday.  Today I am featuring reversible boutique baby bibs.  That's like getting TWO cute bibs for the price of one! 

 

Cute. Cute. Cute.  You'll notice my favorite little piggy fabric is back, paired with pretty pink and white Carolina Gingham.

And no one will mistake a slightly bald baby girl for a boy if she is wearing one of the pretty pink floral bibs.  Any LSU fans in the crowd?  Check out the purple and gold fleur de lis bib.  Don't worry, I haven't forgotten the boys!  How could I, with 6 grandsons?  More little boy bibs are in production.  See?  All cut out.  New items will be added.  Soon, I hope.  So check back often.

 

These precious but practical bibs are made from high quality designer cottons and Carolina Gingham, with a thin layer of preshrunk white cotton flannel as batting to add softness and shaping.  The bibs have a covered metal snap closure.    Perfect for a baby gift, shower gift, or Christmas gift for a special baby.  And I offer FREE domestic shipping on all orders. 

 

To see more boutique baby bibs, visit this section of my Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=8146356.    Or view the slide show shop widget in the border of this blog.

 

The Christmas rush is on!  I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo (my granddaughter Madeline's favorite movie).  But instead of , "Keep swimming.  Just keep swimming. "  I'm humming, "Keep sewing.  Just keep sewing."  

 

TTFN           

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

 

Light At the End of the Tunnel?

Many of my Etsy friends will relate to the "I Quit My Day Job" success stories that occasionally appear on the Etsy blog. 

 

Well, I didn't quit my day job.  My day job quit me.  I will be furloughed without pay for at least 30 days beginning December 2, 2011. I have already survived a loss of benefits and reduced hours and pay.

 

I am more fortunate than some of my coworkers who have also been furloughed.  I have a seasonal tax job that will keep me employed nearly full-time evenings and weekends from January through mid-April, and I will be able to pick up a few (very few) preseason paid hours at the tax office in December.   I also have my little Etsy shop, which will keep me busy and provide some extra income.

 

I am trying to think of this as an unpaid Christmas vacation – my first since 1976.  I will have some precious time to spend with the grandkids while they are on Christmas break before tax season.  And I will have a windfall of free time which I can easily fill with projects.My lists are always longer than my days.  I will add more items to my Etsy shop and complete some handmade gifts. 

                                                                          

When I went to our Thanksgiving Eve church service last Wednesday night, the gospel lesson was from Matthew 6:25-33.  The timing was perfect.  It is just what I needed to hear this week.  I kept the program insert, and it is tucked in my wallet as a gentle reminder.  Here is an excerpt:

 

Jesus said, "I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? …. Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these." 

Perhaps there still is a light at the end of the tunnel after all.

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflowercreations

Lily of the Valley photo by Jeff on Scripture Zealot Blog

Light at the End of the Tunnel was re-pinned from a Pinterest post.

Thanksgiving Eve: Planes, Trains & Automobiles

One of my favorite old (1987) movies is Planes, Trains & Automobiles, written and directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and John Candy.    It is a funny yet touching saga of two men who encounter incredible transportation obstacles trying to get home for Thanksgiving.  I think most of us have a homing instinct that is especially strong as we approach the holidays. 

 

I'm an empty nester.  Only one of our five children will be home for Thanksgiving, and that makes me a little sad.  Yet I totally understand the demands of the modern workplace and the expense and aggravation of travel.    

 

We will eat the traditional meal, and I will enjoy a 4-day weekend.  The grandsons will watch the Thanksgiving Day parade on TV. The guys will watch football.  Lots and lots of football.  And I will thank God for my many blessings:

 

Family

Friends

Good health

Freedom

A warm home

Food in the frig

A reliable computer

Fabric

...

Whether  you're feasting or watching football (or both), I wish you and yours safe travels and a very Happy Thanksgiving. 

 

I'll close with this quote from the late great Erma Bombeck:

 

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare.  They are consumed in twelve minutes.  Half-times take twelve minutes.  This is not coincidence.  ~Erma Bombeck

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

 

Oven Mitts for Holiday Baking or Gifting

It's shameless commerce Tuesday.   Oven mitts have become a "hot" item in my little Etsy shop lately.  The little piggy oven mitts sold last night, but I am ordering more of that cute, cute fabric designed by Maria Kalinowsky for the Timeless Treasures Green Acres collection.   I'll be posting several more fun oven mitt pairs in the next two weeks in several fabric options – from pretty to cute to retro-inspired to funky.

 

Here is a recent comment from a happy buyer, Megan, who bought a pair of Amy Butler floral mitts with red and pink polka dot lining.  You can visit Megan's adorable shop, Lilac Saloon, at http://www.etsy.com/people/LilacSaloon.  But I digress.  Here's what she said (in two separate Convos):

 

So, I really want to buy these (and am about to!) but I just had to send you a message first. I have this old nasy oven mitt (only one!) that was in a box of kitchen stuff from one of my parents. They gave it to me when I graduated from college, I think. I've been using it forever (5 years maybe?) without even thinking "this is gross and ugly (xmas fabric!!) and I should just buy a new one" until a couple of days ago. The inside feels all torn and gross and I just can't stick my hand in there any longer!!

I have an Etsy shop as well, and so always look on Etsy first when I want to buy something. I just spent 45 minutes looking through ALL the oven mitts on Etsy. I actually sorted them by Highest Price because I want really cute and quality ones (but don't want it to come with an apron, etc, like some of the pricey ones do!). I started to get down into the $20 range and got worried I wouldn't find anything! Then I found YOURS!!!! They are exactly what I had in my mind that I wanted. Normal shape, two mitts that match, a bit girly but not tacky. 

And you seriously ship them for free?! I'm only in the next state over so that's good :)

Ok anyway, just wanted to say thanks for being awesome. And saving my hands from the NASTY mitt I have been mindlessly using for so long.

 

. . .

 

Just got the mitts today! They are beautiful and sooo well made. I love them so much and can't wait to use them!
I attached a photo of my yucky OLD MITT next to the beautiful new ones! What an upgrade :) Thanks again so much.

xoxo
Megan

Megan's photo is shown above.  These mitts are perfect for holiday baking or everyday kitchen patrol.  I use high quality cotton fabrics with heat resistant Insulbrite batting and an extra layer of flannel for softness.  The mitts are fully lined and SO comfortable -- no scratchy exposed seams.  Looking for an affordable Christmas gift, hostess gift, shower gift or housewarming gift?   Just sayin' … .

 

Happy Thanksgiving!  Wishing you safe travel and happy times with your loved ones.

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

 

Strip "Tease"

My local quilt guild has a monthly block exchange.  It's sort of like a quilt block lottery and the price of entry is one quilt block.  The November exchange block was  a diagonal strip-pieced 8.5" square block.  The only guidelines were: 1) No strips wider than two inches; 2) Use Fall colors; and 3)  Block should measure 8.5".

 

And I won 12 blocks!  Now I need to decide what to do with them.  Table topper? Table runner? Pot holders?  Scrappy mini wallets or coin purses?

 

I'm open to any suggestions from my creative blogging buddies!

Now, if I could only win the REAL lottery!

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

 

Tree Skirts and a Sewing Tip

I'm sewing Christmas tree skirts for my two youngest adult children by special request. They picked the Starflake pattern designed by Linda Johnson of Calico Cat Patterns & Designs:  www.thecalicocat.com.   The pattern includes three sizes:  36", 48" and 60" in diameter.  I opted for 48".  Both Jeff and Allison wanted traditional reds and greens.

The Starflake pattern looks deceptively simple.  But there are a LOT of bias edges in those diamonds, parallelograms and pie-shaped edge pieces!!  I used dark green batik to help stabilize the star point units, and the straight-of-grain red strips on the outer border of the center star also helped anchor the adjacent stretchy edges.

After taming the bias, the next challenge was to achieve nice crisp points where the light-colored diamond shapes intersect with reds and greens at odd angles.   I love to sew.  But unsewing?  Not so much!  So I devised a method to minimize wear and tear on my seam ripper and my nerves while joining those tricky fabric intersections.

Here's the tip:  When trying to achieve perfect points at angled fabric intersections, I machine baste the challenging intersection using a long stitch.  I stitch only about one inch, and then check to see if I have a nice point before stitching the entire seam.  That way, if I need to unsew, I only have one inch of large stitches to rip out instead of 16 or more inches of regular length stitches.  It took two or three machine basted attempts on my first star point unit, but by the third unit, my basting was pretty much right on target.  Once a basted intersection passes my inspection, I change my stitch length back to normal, and sew the long seam, sewing over the basting stitches. 

The top of Jeff's tree skirt is pictured above, along with a photo of my machine basting trick (the seam ripper is my pointer in that photo).   This project was back-burnered while I caught up on custom orders the past two weeks.   I still need to machine quilt both tree skirts and bind them.  I hope to get them in the mail and on the way to D.C. and Brooklyn before Thanksgiving.  Wish me luck!

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

 

"Check" Out These Bibs

It's shameless commerce Tuesday.  Today's post features gingham check baby bibs.  I discovered Carolina Gingham by Robert Kaufman while shopping for fabrics for this custom order:http://www.etsy.com/listing/76212729/1-yard-18-carolina-gingham-by-robert at Angela's Fabric and Trim:http://www.etsy.com/shop/angelasfabricandtrim.   You have to feel it to believe it!  It's a 100% cotton, and a bit weightier than regular gingham without being coarse or scratchy or stiff.  Wonderful fabric!  

I used covered metal snap fasteners for the back closure, and added a layer of preshrunk white flannel as a light batting between the bib front and back.  The bibs were made using ModTods Baby Bib pattern: http://www.etsy.com/shop/modtods.

Custom orders have been the mainstay of my Etsy business for the past two months.  So today, rather than promoting a particular product, I'm promoting the fact that I do custom orders.  

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Talkin' Turkey

Here is one of my weekend projects – 22 treat bags made of brown and white gingham with turkey appliqués.  I'll finish gluing all those tiny googly eyes today.    I made my sample for this custom order with natural muslin.  I personally prefer that version.

 

I used our GO! Baby cutter (small leaf die) to make the 154 turkey feathers.  I applied fusible interfacing to the back of my feather fabrics, then removed the paper backing and cut them into

1.5" x 2" rectangles to feed through the cutter three at a time.  I love that they are all so uniform, and I didn't have to trace and cut them all by hand.

Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week already! Our in town daughter-in-law is cooking the turkey this Thanksgiving, and I'm bringing veggies, salad and pies.  Big grocery run this Thursday!  Are you ready for Thanksgiving? 

 

I hope amid the gluttony and football games I will remember to take the time to be truly grateful and count my many blessings.   That's what the holiday is really about, right?

 

Gobble. Gobble.

 

TTFN

LeAnn aka  pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflowr

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com