Happy Halloween

Just a quick Happy Halloween! May all your tricking be safe and your treats be yummy. My kids have already played in their costumes. Enjoy the pics!

And what is Halloween without jammin' to some Thriller?

(And if you made your/your kid's/your dog's Halloween costume I would love to see pictures! I couldn't make Aaron's costume as Batman needed muscles. Muscles Mom! I need MUSCLES! What-ever.)

Freezing my bon-bons off

It is freakin' cold outside. I have not been able to get warm since the weather turned a week and a half ago. Not to mention this wind is strong enough to blow Dorothy and her little dog back to Oz. As a native to the wonderful land of Michigan, you'd think I'd be used to this stuff. Usually I embrace the cold - the chance to wear sweatshirts and sweaters, make chili and soups. This year not so much. I feel like an old fart mumbling about my damn joints aching due to the cold. It doesn't help that I am a cheapskate and refuse to turn the furnace up, instead I yell at everyone to put another layer on already! Except I look stupid yelling at myself. And I already have on about 54 1/2 layers on. It's not even winter yet. I am not going to make it through these cold months without turning into my grandma. Someone please stop me if you see my stuffing tissues inside my sleeve. For real, a girl has got to draw the line somewhere.

In other news the only thing truly amusing me right now is watching my kids trying to do the "worm" and my daughter running around driving her "spaceshit".

Spring I need you already!

(but check out this super adorbs jacket pattern I just bought. Adorbs, what am I, a freaking valley girl? WTF?)

Da Truth

I've often been asked on how do I do it all. I work over 40 hrs a week, help raise a herd of kids, stay married, take care of the house and still find time to do all of my sewing/artwork/start a business. Sometimes I even manage to hang out with a friend or two. What are you, Superwoman?

To which I snort and say the only thing super about me is my gas after eating a lot of dairy. Then really you don't want to be near me. At all. I even manage to scare the cat away.

Truth is, to be able to fit in time to do the things I want to do, somethings need to give. Housework being one of them. That's not to say that my house is a disaster or unsanitary, but I certainly don't freak if there are toys sitting around in the family room after the kids have gone to bed. I often leave baskets of folded clean clothes sitting among the toys. At some point, when in the morning I have to run downstairs half undressed to find something to wear, I will contemplate putting the clean clothes away. Or if I need a basket to haul dirty clothes downstairs.  I only truly clean if company is coming over.

It also helps that I have a supportive husband. Sure he doesn't like it when he loses me to my basement studio for weeks at a time, but he understands that my artwork is a part of me and I need it like peanut butter needs jelly. Or like my boobs need a really supportive bra. You get my point.

How do you make to time to be able to do what YOU need for you?

Dear Gmail

Dear Gmail,

I am trying to figure out why Gardner White and Bob Evans keep sending me emails. I mean, I never have shopped at Gardner White and I don't eat at Bob Evans. And for that fact, Gmail, why the hell can't you figure out that this is spam? You do so well at removing all Penis Growth emails. Even if I had wanted to grow a  penis, I can't because you are so successful at hiding those emails from me. And my ever faithful Nigerian Prince, offering me 1 million dollars, has been quiet lately due to your awesome spam removal. And yet, Gardner White and Bob Evans keep sneaking past you. No matter how many times I mark them spam, they keep showing up. Are you trying to tell me that I need to eat pancakes and get a new couch? I mean for reals people. My couch is just fine and my homemade pancakes taste much better anyways.

Let's get this fixed, m'kay?

*For shizzle Gmail, for shizzle.

Sincerely,
Nicole

*Please note that I have not a damn clue what the word shizzle means. It is however, really freaking fun to say.

Fairs - 2 down, one to go

I did a Mom2Mom sale this past weekend and it was brilliant. $25/ table, so my overhead was very little. I sold 7 dresses and 1 skirt. I am beyond thrilled. I was a little worried going in that some people were going to go ape shit over my prices, as they were there for resale items and some people did. It was almost comical looking at their faces, but once people realized that no, I actually made each item myself, then they were completely cool with the price. It was definitely a great experience and I will certainly jump at the chance to do another one. Now I need to regroup a little and figure out my attack plan for my December 2nd show, which will be huge. Sew, sew and more sewing! Enjoy a few out takes of my model. Oh, and new items listed on Etsy in case you wanted to take a peek.

One fair down, 2 to go

Last weekend was my first fair of the year. It wasn't a successful $$ wise as I had hoped, but I did at least cover my booth fee. It was however hugely successful with the amount of feedback I received, which is really what I was hoping for. Everyone loved my dresses, skirts and dolls and commented on the high quality of the items. I did hear a lot of "LOVE your stuff, but I have BOYS." And unfortunately I didn't have any boy clothing items. Thankfully, I listened to the crowd (and the hubby, whose been saying the same dang thing) and will have some boy items for this coming up weekend's Mom2Mom sale, which should kick serious ass. Because HEL-LO, people coming to buy children's clothing and items and I, uh, have just what they are looking for! Amazing! The only thing that could potentially bite me in my hind end would be that people come to these sales to buy gently used items and there is no way I can compete with the used clothing prices. I can just hope that the uniqueness of my items will win them and their pocketbooks over.

Heh, I said pocketbooks. I sound just like my late, dear grandma. Better watch out or next thing you know I will be calling pants slacks and adhere to that no wearing white after Labor Day rule.

Just thought I would share my first try at a boy item. I hand appliqued the shirt. It was certainly different not working with a pattern. I had to switch the gears in my brain to think as if I was drawing with fabric. If that made any sense. Which I usually don't, so good luck with that.

Reminds me of when my son (now 7! Aaaack, when did that happen) used to call guitars "dick-tar". Snort. I am also completely open to suggestions for shirt ideas, so please share if you have any.

Next up, how about a studio tour? And I won't even vacuum beforehand to show you how covered my floor is in fabric and thread. I'd be embarrassed if I didn't think it made the floor more colorful. That and the cat likes to play with all the pieces of thread. Win-win!