Monthly Archives: September 2015

Bunny Brain

Do you ever get into about 20 little projects at once?  I know that you do!  If you’re reading this you probably sew, and UFOs are a very real thing because everyone gets distracted!

I am sewing up a storm (again) for (another) craft fair in October in Murfreesboro, TN and my brain is doing something that I’ve deemed “bunny brain” where I start one thing, hop to something else, go back, hop again, hop hop, hopping all over.  Maybe it’s ADD.  My brain just likes when I am doing a lot, because it’s noisy up there, and to be noisy outside as well as inside makes things seem normal.  Sadly it isn’t always very productive.  So I decided, I’m probably not the only one and I thought I would share with you some tips that I use to cage the bunny, so to speak.  (My god I hope that isn’t code for something)

Bunny Brain Tips

  • Planner

My planner is a real godsend.  My planner isn’t always cuted up and adorable, (but then sometimes it is!!!) I just need to take a little time each week and write everything down.  Actually writing it down, not just typing things up on a Google calendar, which I also use, actually helps make things STICK in my head.  It also helps me to generally have a plan.  Not a 8:05 pour coffee 8:07 sit down and do whatever, but a “alright today I want to sew, clean and go to the grocery store”, then block out times to get things done.

  • Lists

This goes hand in hand with my planner, because this is typically where my lists go.  Lists help me put tasks into steps.  They also help me keep track of what I want to get done, how far along I’ve come, and when I finished things.

  • Goals

I found the best way to start (and finish!) a project is to first make goals.  When I got my planner, I decided I was going to set monthly goals for myself.  They’re really vague, like finish a project, declutter, but even these are little goals.  With goals, one little goal leads to a larger goal and so on.  So decluttering for me started as thinning out my clothes.  I have a lot of clothes and I don’t wear a lot of them.  I started thinning them out, then it led to thinning out my nail polish (Hi, my name is Ashley and I have a nail polish addiction) then thinning out the junk I had in my jewelry  box.  You see where I’m going?

  • Reflection

I (should more than I do) take time to look back at my lists and notes to myself in my planner and it helps me to see that I can finish projects and accomplish goals that I set for myself, and it helps me continue to finish projects.  The sense of accomplishment that I get from looking back really helps me to strive for more.

  • MAKE Time

Something I think everyone can agree on is that sometimes “there just aren’t enough hours in the day” trust me- I’m trying to instil a gym routine, I know.  Sometimes, if you really want to get something done, you have to make time.  You have to wake up a little earlier, schedule out some time, and DON’T PUT IT OFF.  I’m entirely guilty of that, but the less you do it, the easier the habit is to break.

Anyhow, those are my tips on keeping your brain in check. 🙂  In sewing news, I finished up the nautical baby quilt that I’ve been working on!

I quilted with some “organic waves” that I did using my walking foot, and I machine bound it, didn’t like it, took it all off and hand bound it.  I have never done hand binding before, and it was actually very fun!  (it fulfilled my monthly goal of “try something new”) I can’t sit and cross stitch or needle point while watching tv, but I CAN hand bind!  And, well, I have a tv obsession.  (If you are one of those who has “gone off of cable” you’re a better person than I will ever be!)  I’m also working on my Michael Miller Fabric challenge, but it’s still sitting on the design wall, waiting for its turn.  I hope you’re all having a great Fall so far!!!

Until next time, happy sewing!

Going to Market

Hi Everyone!

This blog post is brought to you by the letter M!  M–makers, masterminds, markets and Melinda!!  Yep, that’s right, its me, Melinda, the newest half of CFS.

   Melinda

I’ll be sure to slap a bio up in a little bit but I wanted to fill you all in on the fun (and exhausting) weekend that Ashley and I had peddling our wares at Handmade Nashville this past weekend.

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It’s mid-September here in middle Tennessee and that means that autumn is quickly upon us.  School zones are jamming up traffic in the morning, pumpkin spice everything is back in stores, leaves are changing colors, and in Pleasant View (the tiny town where we live) the crisp air smells of tobacco being smoked and prepped.  All these things mean my favorite season is finally here!  Autumn in Tennessee really is just about as comfy and cozy as anything else I could ever think of.  The changing season also meant an awesome weather day for us at Handmade Nashville.  Sweaters and scarves and crafts–oh my!

Ashley took CFS to Handmade Nashville at Curvy Yoga in July, but this was the first opportunity we’ve had to bring our collective works together and set up for an event.  The foot traffic was a little underwhelming, possibly because there was more than one cultural/heritage festival going on in town the same day, but we had enough customers to keep us entertained and we also had a chance to mix and mingle with the other vendors.  Of particular note were two tiny tot bowtie sales men that were there helping out their mom.  I’m a sucker for little boys dressed in cardigans with elbow patches and loafers–especially when they also dance to “Billie Jean.”  Here are some pictures from our booth:

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Despite the small trickle of people through the venue, we did well at the fair and got some positive responses back later in the week with information on other fairs that we may decide to jump in on later in the year.  One big one that we’re SUPER excited about is hosted by the Nashville Scene at the Farmer’s Market on Rosa Parks Blvd near downtown.  Crafts and Drafts is scheduled to be held on November 7th and will showcase tons of local talent both in the handmade crafting community and the adult beverage community.  Anyone who is local to us should definitely put it on their calendars!  It will be a great place for you to support small businesses, shop for the holidays, day drink or just come say hi to us–no negatives there =^)

So that’s what’s been up with us this week.  Coming down from our craft fair high only to be accepted for Crafts and Drafts, so planning will kick into HIGH gear for that immediately.  On a personal note, I did a little exploring today as I am taking advantage of my last couple days of freedom.  This coming Monday, I have to have a spinal fusion surgery (I KNOW! I’m not even that old!).  I’ll be very restricted for my first 3 weeks post-op, so I took a small adventure today to check out a local quilt shop and an estate sale that I had a hunch might have old-lady sewing paraphernalia.  My hunch proved right on the estate sale.  I scored some really dope vintage fabrics and notions.  Most of the notions are from the 50’s and 60’s and are still in the original cellophane!!!  I hoarded them all, of course.  Now I must make some kind of shadow box to feature these amazing baubles because they are FAR too cool to sit in a box for another 50 years.

xmas vintage unnamed33chicken The quilt shop was adorable.  The Fabric Shop in Springfield, TN is located right downtown in their historic square across from the old courthouse building.  The selection isn’t huge, but the prices are reasonable and I was surprised by some of the novelty prints that they had in stock.  It looked as though they might even offer classes in the back of the space.  It was definitely worth the trip up, and I got some cute prints for some hoops for Crafts and Drafts and also some fabric I need for the Schnitzel and Boo Mini Quilt Swap that I’ve signed up for.  I’ll definitely go back to have another look the next time I’m in Springfield, especially if they keep those novelty prints in fun rotations!  Plus, Ashley didn’t get to go with me–gots to take care of my girl!!

Well that’s about it for now.  Tomorrow is guild meeting.  Ashley is going (my crippled state can’t handle that much excitement) and then we have time set aside to plan our little hearts out.  You’ll be seeing more from me, especially as I recover from surgery.  I may just pop in with a funny picture or joke–I’m just that kind of gal.

TTFN!  Go make something fun!

National Sewing Month!

Oh September, where to I begin?

I know I have been sort of absent lately.  Things seem to have gone into hypermode before I went on vacation last week, and my poor brain really can’t handle it.  I have not been able to sew as much as I’d like, which hello, annoying much?  It isn’t really any one thing’s fault.  I am taking some steps in the right direction to get my sew-jo back.  I’ve started upping my gym time, which always gives me a boost, and I’m making more lists.  WHO DOESN’T BENEFIT FROM A LIST?!  I’m also trying to make myself get more sleep.  A happy sleeper is a happy maker….I’m sure someone has said something along those lines before, right?! 😀

So I’d love to share with you all my pictures from going to the beach last week, but my phone decided to take a trip into the toilet and die within minutes of said trip on Monday.  So all of my pictures are gone. 😥  And yes, I JUST got that phone maybe 2 – 3 weeks ago??  It’s alright, I just went to Verizon and got another phone, and it’s already growing on me.  I will tell you that we had such a fantastic time!  Searching for sand crabs, jellyfish encounters, and any anniversary trip with my man is always a fun time.  He even got me a tiny pearl from an oyster! ❤

On my personal sewing agenda I have 3 projects in the works:

  • Finish Nautical Baby Quilt
  • Michael Miller Fabric Challenge
  • Needle point

The baby quilt really does not have much to go, I just need to cut the backing, baste, quilt and bind.  I may actually finish most of that up this weekend.  Hopefully.  I don’t know, it’s football weekend, but it is also Labor Day weekend…the weekend is long and young.

My Michael Miller Fabric Challenge actually does have a deadline in November.  I have all of my EPP hexies basted, I just need to attach them, and figure out my “tails”.  https://instagram.com/p/6i1w5qj9ag/

Needle point, well, is just so fun.  Melinda and I have been working on a whole lot of them to sell at the upcoming craft fair in Nashville this month.

Speaking of the upcoming craft fair!  September 12 from 3-8pm we’ll be at the Handmade Nashville pop up at Curvy Yoga! Come by and say hi! Anyway, that’s about it for me!
Until next time! Happy sewing!

Developments!

So, these past few weeks there have been some happenings in the works!  A few months ago I met the coolest girl on Instagram, and we now happen to live in the same little town.  Her name is Melinda, and we’re discovering that we’re sort of soul twins.  We’re teaming up and soon (time is a flat circle) we’re going to expand Cute Fluffin Stitch to also include fabric and other sewy things!

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One thing that we’re wanting to do is get a line of “sassy needle points” which we learned how to do at Homeroom 101 at OMG (Old Made Good) in Nashville a few weeks ago.  Both of us kind of love doing it now.  I’ve made a little set of two hoops for my love of the song Tom Ford by Jay Z.  Melinda’s actually made a few of them for people she knows as well and it’s crazy addicting.  We’re going to have these for sale at the Handmade Nashville pop up we’re doing in September!  You can even come by and order a custom one!  We’re not afraid to stitch what you want.

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Do you see fear in there?! I didn’t think so.

Anyhow, I just wanted to give you guys a big heads up and welcome Melinda to Cute Fluffin Stitch!