WIP Wednesday - End of January

Today is the last day of January, which means that it's official...the year is already flying by!  Somehow I finished up 2 purses last weekend, and they were fast ones, but sometimes I amaze myself!  Now if I could keep up that pace, I might actually sew through all my fabric before I'm 80!  (but I'll have bought more along the way to replace it...Ok, maybe sewn through all the fabric currently in my craft studio!)

"Dragons Wolves a throne to claim Open a book if you're game"

Always Rosie (Swoon Pattern)

My final panel from the Moonbeam run was this amazing "Always".  It reminded me of the concealed carry Rosie so I decided to make a new version with it (not concealed, just pretty!).  The fabric is open for preorder TODAY so make sure to snag some of your favorites! (affiliated links)

Do I still love this purse after all this time?

Magical Charlotte (Swoon Pattern)

The next bag I sewed up from the Moonbeam Color Me Potter strike offs (affiliated link) was one I've owned but never sewn (another one to mark off my list!) the Charlotte by Swoon.  This is a tote bag with minimal pockets (only one!!) but the shape and style to it more than makes up for the lack of pockets!

The colors are so bright and vivid in person, so hard to find the right backdrop to make them pop!

Soot Sprite Diaper Bag - XOXO by Lauren Pattern Testing

Have you checked out XOXO By Lauren's patterns yet? Her Boon Wallet is super cute and fast, and the Brownie wallet is even faster!  I was excited to be chosen to test her new pattern, a mini diaper bag style pattern, the Soot Sprite!  (Bag pattern will release Friday!)

Is the song stuck in your head now? I've been singing it for DAYS.

WIP Wednesday - Panic Is Creeping Closer

Last week I had PLENTY of time to get everything done, but then I hit a time warp and suddenly I have a million things to do in the next week...finish up a pattern test, make 2 more projects to show off some fun new fabric coming, and work on the purse orders starting to stack up!

Custom kitty is shipping out today!

Tatspirational Annette by Swoon

I've been carrying my SuperWhoLock Sydney purse for a year now, and while I still love it, she's starting to show some wear and I'm ready to change up my style for a while.  I need a big purse, with lots of pockets, plus I have a stash of awesome fabric that I really bought for myself (but used my business as an excuse/justification). The search for the 'perfect' purse is never-ending but I think the Annette (affiliated link) is a good resting place!  I could use about a million more pockets on the outside, but I really like the clean look of this one and it's perfect for displaying amazing fabrics!

This side has some of my  favorites, Rapunzel, Lilo and Stitch, and Beauty and the Beast

WIP Wednesday - I Should Be More Frantic, But I'm Not. Not Yet.

I feel like I have a ton of stuff waiting for me, but at the same time, I'm ahead of my schedule so I'm in no rush...I should probably just bust everything out because it will take me longer than I expect...Saying I have 6 purses to sew by the end of the month, which is 2 weeks away isn't causing the usual level of panic...I'm not sure what's wrong with me or what's in my coffee to make me so calm.  Maybe I've reached such a high level of stress that my brain has snapped and I'm ready to paint happy trees and call it a day?  (I'm not a painter, my happy trees look like happy puddles of green sludge)

Preorder coming soon from Moonbeam!  Did you sing it? I totally do every time I look at it...

Floral Wars Carrier's Conquest

I can't even remember when Carrier's Conquest from ChrisW Designs was part of Bag of the Month club, but at the time I was too swamped to make one as a pattern tester.  It's been on my list since then, so I'm glad to finally mark it off!  And bonus, it's pretty awesome!

I need to remember to account for vinyl overlays when I try to fussy cut...

WIP Wednesday - Emphasis on the 'In Progress'

Is it just me, or is 2018 trying to pick up speed and fly by just like last year? I'm not going crazy on a birthday party this year...mainly because I have a sinus infection.  I keep looking for some fun things to make for my son's party, but he only decided last weekend on Mario theme, so that didn't give me a lot of time!  He gets what he gets...which is pretty much whatever I could find on Amazon and shipped fast.

New design for a reading pillow

Cuddly Blankets and Reading Pillows

Now I can finally start sharing the Christmas orders!  The 'new' thing I saw this year in my embroidery groups was reading pillows.  They are pillow covers with a pocket on the front to hold a book and a cute saying and picture.  I was looking for an excuse to make a few, and fortunately a customer fell in love with the idea and decided her girls needed one each!  And they needed matching blankets! Blanket toppers are also pretty new, custom printed minky is amazing!

Does it say 'Star Wars' to you? I thought it might be too subtle ;)

A set worthy of a House Elf!

WIP Wednesday - New Year, Same list!

Ok, not exactly the same, but this is the year I'll get more things crossed off the list!  And then I can add new things!!

Custom fabric from Knitorious and vinyl from Punkbroidery - a match made in Mermaid heaven!

2018 Craft Resolutions and World Domination Plans

Wait, did I say that out loud? I mean...world donut plans..  Yes, donuts.  Mmm, now I want donuts.  

Back to the main topic, I love making plans and lists and especially marking things off the list (have you seen my WIP Wednesdays? That list is kind of insane).  They say that the best resolutions are ones that you create specific plans to meet them (saying 'I want to lose weight' apparently doesn't work) and also keep track of the progress.  I have a few exercise resolutions for this year involving getting on the elliptical every other day for 30 minutes and completing some of my 30- and 60- day workout plans, but so does everyone else I bet. ;)  The fun resolutions are craft related!

1. Organize my craft studio 

• put all fabric on comic book boards (ordered a few hundred more)
• clear out fabric I no longer love (destash groups)
• put together another cubicle (been staring at it for a few months now, still in the box)
• move fabric tubs for fleece and flannel downstairs (rarely seem to use them and that's where they lived in the old house)
• work on getting all my hardware into one area/sorted by size
• hang up pegboard (needs spacers and then holes drilled
• hang up whiteboard (need to find some nails or screws that fit in the built in holes)

2. Sew at least one of my 'never been sewn' patterns every month from my stash

• I have a ton of purse patterns I bought on sale and haven't had a chance to try out yet
•  Even more embroidery patterns in my stash...I should aim for 1 new stitch out every week, along with finishing items to list on the new etsy shop
• As I lose weight, then I'll try some of my clothing patterns...but that will take a bit longer.

3. Finish UFO's/WISP (work in slow progress)

• at least 1 UFO/WIP a month, along with listing on Etsy or gifting
• crochet projects - either finish or frog any I run across in my cleaning

4. Quilts

• Finally make my kids the pokemon quilts I promised them last year (or was it the year before? They still like it, so all good)
• Try the Legendary quilt pattern (I NEED a Bigfoot quilt in my life!)

5. Etsy

• Move all the listings to the new shop:  www.tigerinatornado.etsy.com
• Build up on hand stock through the summer so that when September/October/November rolls around I'm not scrambling to meet orders and do custom orders and make costumes for the kids and do Christmas presents...
• List new items at least 2x per month after the original listings are done (hopefully part of the finish WIPs and trying some of my other patterns!)

Non-craft related:

 Writing:

• Get my book published, either through an agent or self published (deadline of July to find an agent before I start the self published route
• Finish another book (either the second one, or go for something completely different)
• Submit short stories to sci-fi magazines (at least 3) 

Sleep:

• get some

The Podium by ChrisW Designs

I hope you already joined the Bag of the month club, because the first pattern is out!  This is a unique style and relatively fast to make (versus Chris's last year offering of the Factotum and Mini Facto which was totally awesome but SO MANY pieces!!)  You can still join at any time during the club run (now until June 30) and whenever you join, you get all the patterns that have been released up to that point.

I told him not to blink...