Dragon wristlet

Still one of my all time favorite dragon ideas.  I love this saying and have paired it with many different dragons over the years.

This wristlet is perfect to carry my embroidery floss, scissors and the small embroidery/needlepoint projects I'm working on.

This dragon has been my go to for the last few years.  It looks fantastic stitched on any fabric!

Muga Rugas...

I'm still recovering from a year of sick.  Trying hard to let go of the anxiety of missed opportunities, and the disappointment of not being able to go into business for myself as I had planned at the beginning of the year.  I'm trying to reconnect with my love of sewing and creating.

I've been intrigued by all the mug rugs I've seen in quilting and embroidery forums.

I've also been wondering what to do with some of my purchased embroidery designs.

So naturally I put the two together!  The base designs come from http://www.emblibrary.com/.  I've played with them a bit--adding some quilting and resizing in Embird.  The result:

These were a fun project!  They have even inspired me to digitize a number of my own mug rug designs....which will be fun stocking stuffers this year!

ITH bags...

I love to sew bags!  And with my kiddos always asking me to make them something, I thought a great in-the-hoop bag would be easy for THEM to make.  This pattern from
http://www.embroiderygarden.com/shop/  is so simple that my oldest has made a number of them for herself and for her friends!

This was a last minute homecoming bag (so last minute we struggled to find a zipper)

 



This one she made for a friend:

 

 

I've really been getting back into the machine embroidery, and trying to get back to blogging! Stay tuned for more projects! 

The gloves...

My oldest child loves fingerless gloves.  She also loves Dr. Who. 

And I'm a mom who likes to see her children happy.

 

I just couldn't resist making her these!  It's an in-the-hoop machine embroidery design I came up with.  I love to challenge myself to make fun designs my kids will enjoy!  These are a hit with all 4!

setback...but still moving forward

UGH--the health thing!  Living with autoimmune issues can be the pits!  One day up, next day down.  This week I had a bit of a set back--the kind that put me in the ER for a day!  I'm getting better and pushing through, but being there did put some things in perspective.

I love to create!  The finished product makes me happy and has never disappointed recipients (well, maybe that one blanket I didn't quilt because at the last minute I decided to let a friend decide if it was heavy enough or if she wanted it heavier....the baby is not a baby anymore so I guess I'm off the hook!)

I love to hand embroidery, cross stitch and needlepoint--always a great and easy on the go project for me.

I love to machine embroider, and with that create designs.  I've been at it for a long time now and digitizing is something I have fun doing....but selling the designs and dealing with all the headaches that come with that...ugh and double ugh!

Lying in that ER bed just made me realize I've spread myself to thin with all my ideas and projects.  As I looked at everything I've started I decided that developing the digital shop will have to be put on hold for now (and maybe forever).

That doesn't mean I won't put designs out there--oh no, there will be all kinds of free stuff!  It just won't be my focus.

Instead I'll focus on the final products, cleaning up tutorials for this blog, sharing my love of needle, thread and fabric...and just having fun!

Because life is too short, and throws us too many curves--we should love one another and share our crafting love while we can.

Bunny Freebie!

Here we go:  a freebie*:

I've been making the non-in-the-hoop version for a few years now--and yes, they are based off the silhouette of a popular chocolate bunny.  My favorite as a matter of fact....unfortunately due to allergies and autoimmune reaction I can't eat chocolate anymore.** :(

Last year I made them in the hoop for the first time (that is the embroidery machine did most of the work).  When I started stitching them this year again, I reached out to a fellow machine embroidery enthusiast at my church and said "let's make these for our Easter egg hunt!"  She was totally on board and we had a great time stitching stuffing these little cuties!

I love to create!  Making people smile with my creations is such a huge added bonus!

Hope this little cutie brings a smile to your face and your heart!








*free bunny does not contain my church logo!  Feel free to make your own, design it, own it and have fun! :)
**although I have found out I tolerate most of the Theo dark chocolates fairly well. :)

the bows....

I have been mad stitching bunny bows!  For a non-bow person it's been a strange twist.  For a non-bunny person (especially those that invade my garden every year) it's even stranger!

But how could I resist these cuties?

When my girls saw them, they fell in love.  One thing led to another and I started offering them up for sale on my other Facebook page (and soon to be web site), Dolls and Doodles.  Which is brings up another point:  they are not my design.  That in itself is strange because I don't think I've bought many embroidery files from indie designers. These are from Bobbin for Appliques.

Of course everyone in my household has been bow making with me--very sweet and not complaining at all about the little bits of felt everywhere!  I love my family and how supportive they have been as I try to get my business off the ground. 

But it will take a bit of time to train them that mommy can't drop certain projects to work on theirs.

So when my oldest asked for a Tardis bow, I first asked if there was one available.  I mean, I'm cleaning up 12 years worth of digitized designs do I really want to digitize one??  And have I mentioned bows are not my thing??

Oh, and she wants it for Thursday. (aaakkkk!!)

Between the work I HAVE to do, the doctors appointments I CAN NOT miss and the head cold that is still plaguing me (4 weeks and counting).....and no readily available design????

Yeah, I love my kiddos but I just can't do it all.  Still, I tell her to design one and I'll see what I can do.

She totally thought it out, and I'll admit I got a bit excited about trying to make it happen.

I have to give credit to all the internet sites that show how to make felt bows (so many of them!) for helping me figure out the correct shape to digitize to make these!

Of course, if there was a bow to purchase in time, this little project would have waited in line behind all the others.  But it was fun to design with my kiddo, and it will be another great memory for us both!

The idea was that I would sell these as finished products, I didn't think for a moment to offer up the embroidery file for purchase! 

Then my inbox got flooded with requests.

So after a long talk with my daughter we decided to make the embroidery files available for purchase.

She is one happy camper.  Ready to wear her big Tardis bow, show off her mom's work and claim designer status.

Me--I just hope the bows are well received and people have fun with them.  I'm still not a bow girl, but I'm enjoying the fun my kids are having with them.


 

The Next Part of my Journey....

After years of digitizing my own designs...of talking about selling them...dreaming about opening my own little online shop, I've finally stated to take steps towards making my dream a reality!!

I've been digitizing for close to 12 years now.  I've read too many books to name, taken too many classes to sharpen my skill...and stitched out too many tests, toys and t-shirts to think about!  Some I've shared here on the blog, and others I've kept as closely guarded secrets.  

Now I'm about to find out if all the learning/practice/ideas can translate in this SAHM's little business dreams.  

Excited, nervous and scared out of my mind—just some of what I am feeling these days!

As I launch my digital downloads of patterns and machine embroidery on my GeorgiaBE etsy shop, I’m also starting to sell my creations.  I’ve mentioned my dolls before but have never really blogged about them.  Since I was in middle school I’ve been making dolls (before that if we count yarn dolls!), but it’s only been the last five years that I’ve REALLY been making dolls.  Most are from my own patterns, many have evolved over time to include machine embroidery…so Dolls and Doodles is born!  Currently I am only on Facebook (you will be redirected from Dollsanddoodles.com), as I develop the site and the etsy store.

Since my brain surgery in 2009, I’ve been incredibly blessed by the people around me.  That event made me realize how many wonderful people the Lord has placed in my life.  They rallied around me while I recovered, they encouraged me when I shared my creations with them and they blessed me with honesty and support when I shared my business ideas with them. 

I’m still scared as I move forward, but knowing that there is a virtual hug and a real one out there for me makes all the difference in the world!

Thank you all for sticking by me (and my blog)—I hope you’ll enjoy the next part of my journey in life and in the cloud!

No more magnets…

No more magnets on the fridge!

I’ve had this magnetic board from Ikea for a few years. We kept moving it form one storage spot to another until it finally ended up in the kids playroom…along with the hundreds of magnets that once graced my fridge!

Oh sure, some magnets make it back the fridge, but overall they tend to stay here…in the playroom…on the board.

(Makes for a happy mommy who no longer knocks magnets off the fridge, all over her kitchen floor, creating stepping hazards as she rushes to feed four hungry kids at any given hour of the day.)