Been in bed lately.....

Well, I am preggers, prego, pregnant....Yup!! It is our first baby, and completely unexpected. We are beside ourselves with excitement. But, the first trimester was rough, and saturated with morning sickness. I am feeling much better, but geez, growing a baby in your belly sure does make you tired. I had to take a bit of a hiatus from Gracie Designs to take care of myself and the baby. But, I'm getting back in the game, at 19 weeks pregnant. So, check back, as I will be posting much more often!! The hubby and I have decided that naps are good, as we know they won't last long. Doesn't he look comfy??

I'm in Madison...

The ultra-fab folks at MoCo Market in Madison, Wisconsin liked my stuff. Soooo, I have a few items there. She is currently stocking an apron, a mini-wallet, a card case and a coffee cuddler (with the bird on it). Stop in, say hi to Megan, check out all the goodies, and bring me back some Frushi. Yes, Fruit Sushi. I haven't even had it yet and I'm dying to try it!!! She blogs about some cool stuff too!!

Here Comes the Bridesmaids...

My friend Brittany asked me to do some cute bags for her wedding. I adore her fiance. He worked for me for years. She is doing Black and Pink, and she didn't want the usual boring bags. Check them out. I am so thrilled. The ruffles remind me of the tights with ruffles on the bottom that we wore as little girls. I always wore them under my little dresses with the party shoes!! She is going to pass on the traditional white purse and carry one of these herself. I know I would.

My first giveaway!!!

Check out the downtown boutique. They are doing a prize party. You can comment on any of the items over the course of the next week, they will pick a name and you can win. I am giving away a matching coffee and ice cream cuddler set. All the instructions are there. I will be posting links to any other giveaways on my blog.

I would beg, borrow and steal for this dress....

Of course I was skipping around through Etsy, again, and I stumbled upon this dress. I have been having a mini-love affair with it. I look at it almost daily. I must have this dress, and I will. The beautiful thing about it is that if it sells, she will just make another one. So, the saving begins. I have a wedding this summer, and this would look fantastic with some fabulous red shoes that I already have. As you know, we do shop for the shoes first, right?? I knew you would agree. Check out janebonbon on Etsy. You too will love her stuff. The best part of it all is that much of her stuff is made for all sizes.

Hit my 1,000 mark on Etsy!!!!

We all have goals, right? Well, I was crafting for years and it paid for beer in college, Busch Light in returnable bottles. My lovely sister introduced me to Etsy. I listed some earrings and necklaces and decided to play on the sewing machine. I started with headbands, and guess what, people bought them. I modified them. I cleaned them up a bit. I started that darn little bird applique and voila!, I had a shop. I ventured into the cuddlers, card holders, mini-wallets, handbags, and I rarely make jewelry anymore. Well after just over 1 1/2 year selling on my beloved Etsy, I hit the 1,000 sales mark. I am proud, and I should be. Yes, I did a little dance and got a little teary eyed. Over 1,000 people loved my style and creativity and handiwork enough to purchase my items. Yay Me!!!

Inspired

So, I was doing the whole "sell what works" thing, and it was going great. I needed to be creative, so i switched up my photo style, thanks to some great help from SusyJack on Etsy. She did this great article for The Storque and I solicited her advice. She is brilliant. I am tickled with them. Not only that, but the great papers really inspired me to dig deeper into my fabric stash. I started using some different designs, lord knows I have plenty of fabrics that I have not made a thing with yet. I am all about "stick with what works". It truly is the creative process that makes me love crafting. Take a peek around my shop. Tell me what you think, and keep watching for more.

In a new shop.....

If you should be living, visiting, or just hanging out in Manitowoc, Wi, stop by and see Kim!! She is the owner of Persimmons. An adorable little shop that you could get lost in for hours looking at everything from old photos, to vintage fabrics, to cool artwork on the walls. I love the jewelry collection so much, I bought a pendant myself last week. Persimmons is very eclectic, and the shop wears it well.

Shameless self promotion: She is selling some of my goodies there, in case you are a touch and feel person.