Friday, February 12, 2010
First Goal Met and an Event
Hi everyone,
Well, I've completed the Funny Gingerbread Men and the set is being emailed to my testers today for them to test stitch. While most of my testers use similar machines, it's always good to have designs tested on other machines than my own, since no two machines stitch the same. Here's the last design in the set and I'm really thrilled with how it came out.
So, that's one goal I set to accomplish before the end of February :) Diane, one of my Yahoo group members, asked if it would be possible to create a set of these designs in redwork. But of course I answered! So, I'm now in the process of redrawing the designs for colorwork and redwork. Colorwork designs are redwork, but giving you the option of using different colors for different parts of the design, if you choose. Here's design #1 so far.
One of the projects I had started a while back but had to take a break from, was the Fairyland quilt I am doing for my two younger grand-daughters. I never took a picture of the first block I finished, but finally did the other day so you could see my progress. I have 7 more blocks to do for the first quilt and then do all the same 8 blocks for the second quilt. Here's how the first block turned out. I'm using some additional scrap fabrics in addition to the main quilt fabrics to give my grand-daughters something different to look at each time they cuddle with their quilts.
As I complete each block, I'll post a picture here so you can see how wonderful these blocks are. The applique designs stitch out so fast and beautifully!
We have an event tomorrow (Saturday, 2/13) at the Will County Fair Atrium in Peotone, Illinois. If you are close to the area and have nothing to do for the afternoon, why not stop over to say hello and enjoy a really fun and educational Pow Wow. Here's a link to read more about the event and get directions - http://www.mascoutin.com/winterbenefitpowwow.php
See you next time!
Shari
Well, I've completed the Funny Gingerbread Men and the set is being emailed to my testers today for them to test stitch. While most of my testers use similar machines, it's always good to have designs tested on other machines than my own, since no two machines stitch the same. Here's the last design in the set and I'm really thrilled with how it came out.
So, that's one goal I set to accomplish before the end of February :) Diane, one of my Yahoo group members, asked if it would be possible to create a set of these designs in redwork. But of course I answered! So, I'm now in the process of redrawing the designs for colorwork and redwork. Colorwork designs are redwork, but giving you the option of using different colors for different parts of the design, if you choose. Here's design #1 so far.
One of the projects I had started a while back but had to take a break from, was the Fairyland quilt I am doing for my two younger grand-daughters. I never took a picture of the first block I finished, but finally did the other day so you could see my progress. I have 7 more blocks to do for the first quilt and then do all the same 8 blocks for the second quilt. Here's how the first block turned out. I'm using some additional scrap fabrics in addition to the main quilt fabrics to give my grand-daughters something different to look at each time they cuddle with their quilts.
As I complete each block, I'll post a picture here so you can see how wonderful these blocks are. The applique designs stitch out so fast and beautifully!
We have an event tomorrow (Saturday, 2/13) at the Will County Fair Atrium in Peotone, Illinois. If you are close to the area and have nothing to do for the afternoon, why not stop over to say hello and enjoy a really fun and educational Pow Wow. Here's a link to read more about the event and get directions - http://www.mascoutin.com/winterbenefitpowwow.php
See you next time!
Shari
Friday, January 29, 2010
A New Year of Challenges and Goals
Greetings everyone!
I have to be the worst blogger in the world :) I read other blogs on a variety of topics, but I just can't seem to post to my own blog on a regular basis. Well, hopefully that will change in this new year. I've challenged myself to post something fun and interesting at least once a week. Oh dear!
There are so many things that are happening around here. I feel some excitement about our possibility of transferring this year in a way I haven't felt before. We are hoping that at least one of the new applications my dear husband has submitted will produce not only an interview, but an offer this year. To that end, we've been putting more "finishing touches" to various rooms in our house because when you are planning to sell, you're always trying to make your home look even more special. We've continued the de-cluttering process until I think there's nothing left to get rid of, but there always is!
During the de-cluttering process, I found some additional raw goods for our still existing first business that we are trying to sell off. Maybe that will happen this year too. One can only hope :) Of course, one of the locations we are hoping for a transfer to would really be a great place to try and sell off the inventory for this business.
I've also challenged myself to complete some projects that have been sitting on the back burner for a while, including a bed quilt and a wall hanging I started some months ago. Plus, I've been setting some new goals for digitizing design sets. One of those sets that I've been working on for a while, the Funny Gingerbread are nearly complete. I have one more design to finish and then send the entire lot to my testers. I'm so happy to be nearly finished with this set. The designs are so cute and can be used to decorate a number of different items.
Well, that's all the news for this week. I'll check back in next week with more news to share with you. In the meantime, have a wonderful week!
Shari
I have to be the worst blogger in the world :) I read other blogs on a variety of topics, but I just can't seem to post to my own blog on a regular basis. Well, hopefully that will change in this new year. I've challenged myself to post something fun and interesting at least once a week. Oh dear!
There are so many things that are happening around here. I feel some excitement about our possibility of transferring this year in a way I haven't felt before. We are hoping that at least one of the new applications my dear husband has submitted will produce not only an interview, but an offer this year. To that end, we've been putting more "finishing touches" to various rooms in our house because when you are planning to sell, you're always trying to make your home look even more special. We've continued the de-cluttering process until I think there's nothing left to get rid of, but there always is!
During the de-cluttering process, I found some additional raw goods for our still existing first business that we are trying to sell off. Maybe that will happen this year too. One can only hope :) Of course, one of the locations we are hoping for a transfer to would really be a great place to try and sell off the inventory for this business.
I've also challenged myself to complete some projects that have been sitting on the back burner for a while, including a bed quilt and a wall hanging I started some months ago. Plus, I've been setting some new goals for digitizing design sets. One of those sets that I've been working on for a while, the Funny Gingerbread are nearly complete. I have one more design to finish and then send the entire lot to my testers. I'm so happy to be nearly finished with this set. The designs are so cute and can be used to decorate a number of different items.
Well, that's all the news for this week. I'll check back in next week with more news to share with you. In the meantime, have a wonderful week!
Shari
Monday, December 14, 2009
Memory Bears, Embroidery and Gourds
Greetings everyone!
The Christmas holiday is now fast approaching and in 12 days, families here will be cheerfully opening packages. I'm getting a late start on my planning and shopping, but once my husband begins his vacation, we'll be adding to the economy!
For those who have ordered Memory Bears as gifts, they are all on their way. I have several orders that will be completed after the holidays, but once these are completed, I won't be making Memory Bears except for charitable donations, such as the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots. This is one cause that is near and dear to my heart.
The great news is I'll be devoting a lot more time to digitizing designs from all the art work I've purchased over the past year. I really miss digitizing new designs and I'm looking forward to it again. I've even created my new Yahoo group for machine embroiderers to promote my designs.
I'll also have some extra time to work on some of the gourd art I love to do. There are several started gourds on my shelf that are waiting to be completed, so I'm looking forward to that as well.
And of course, I'll be adding new gift ideas to the various pages for shoppers who are looking for something unique. They will feature in-stock designs as well as my new designs as they become available.
I'd like to take this time to wish all of you a very happy Holiday season! May you enjoy good health and happiness throughout the season and all the best of everything in 2010!
Shari
The Christmas holiday is now fast approaching and in 12 days, families here will be cheerfully opening packages. I'm getting a late start on my planning and shopping, but once my husband begins his vacation, we'll be adding to the economy!
For those who have ordered Memory Bears as gifts, they are all on their way. I have several orders that will be completed after the holidays, but once these are completed, I won't be making Memory Bears except for charitable donations, such as the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots. This is one cause that is near and dear to my heart.
The great news is I'll be devoting a lot more time to digitizing designs from all the art work I've purchased over the past year. I really miss digitizing new designs and I'm looking forward to it again. I've even created my new Yahoo group for machine embroiderers to promote my designs.
I'll also have some extra time to work on some of the gourd art I love to do. There are several started gourds on my shelf that are waiting to be completed, so I'm looking forward to that as well.
And of course, I'll be adding new gift ideas to the various pages for shoppers who are looking for something unique. They will feature in-stock designs as well as my new designs as they become available.
I'd like to take this time to wish all of you a very happy Holiday season! May you enjoy good health and happiness throughout the season and all the best of everything in 2010!
Shari
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Memory Bears and Site Updates
Greetings everyone,
I haven't posted to the blog for a while because I've been so busy, but I hadn't realized how much time had passed since my last post. Lots of things have been happening and with the holidays fast approaching, the next 6+ weeks will be equally as busy.
One thing you will notice when you visit the site is that the Memory Bears page has been removed. I've been making Memory Bears for 16 years and have enjoyed creating these for families very much. I have orders that will take me through February, but once those bears are all sent home to their families, I won't be taking new orders for a while. This was a difficult decision to make because so many families I have made bears for continue to refer others to me. My bears have always been very special to me, and I am humbled by all the wonderful letters and emails of praise from families who have received them. Unfortunately, because of all the time I spend on orders, other things have had to be pushed to the "back burner". I need to take a bit of a break for now and work on some of these other things I love so I can re-energize myself.
Two pages have been updated with items and I hope you'll take a look when you have some time. The Holidays page has been updated with a cute gift item for those who like to bring a bottle of wine or champagne as a hostess gift, or even as a "Secret Santa" gift. The apron set features an embroidered wine bottle apron and chef hat. The apron can be embroidered with a holiday or other occasion design, or a monogram. The set is priced affordably for even the modest of budgets.
The Kitchen Decor page has also been updated with a new set of towels in a theme for those who like Southwestern pottery. Also, a fun apron design has been added based on a Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson song "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere". The displayed design illustrates the text in a variegated thread color, but the color can be any you prefer. My husband really liked this one and he doesn't normally get too excited about aprons!
My plans in the Spring were to finish off a design set I was working on and have it ready by June. Unfortunately, due to my schedule of orders, that set hasn't been completed yet. I am hopeful that I'll be able to get back to them shortly after the holidays.
We will be out of town for a brief get-away between November 13 and 22, so if you contact me through email, I'll reply as soon as we return. In the meantime, I'd like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday. I know I have a great many things to be thankful for and I feel very blessed.
Take care and God bless you,
Shari
I haven't posted to the blog for a while because I've been so busy, but I hadn't realized how much time had passed since my last post. Lots of things have been happening and with the holidays fast approaching, the next 6+ weeks will be equally as busy.
One thing you will notice when you visit the site is that the Memory Bears page has been removed. I've been making Memory Bears for 16 years and have enjoyed creating these for families very much. I have orders that will take me through February, but once those bears are all sent home to their families, I won't be taking new orders for a while. This was a difficult decision to make because so many families I have made bears for continue to refer others to me. My bears have always been very special to me, and I am humbled by all the wonderful letters and emails of praise from families who have received them. Unfortunately, because of all the time I spend on orders, other things have had to be pushed to the "back burner". I need to take a bit of a break for now and work on some of these other things I love so I can re-energize myself.
Two pages have been updated with items and I hope you'll take a look when you have some time. The Holidays page has been updated with a cute gift item for those who like to bring a bottle of wine or champagne as a hostess gift, or even as a "Secret Santa" gift. The apron set features an embroidered wine bottle apron and chef hat. The apron can be embroidered with a holiday or other occasion design, or a monogram. The set is priced affordably for even the modest of budgets.
The Kitchen Decor page has also been updated with a new set of towels in a theme for those who like Southwestern pottery. Also, a fun apron design has been added based on a Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson song "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere". The displayed design illustrates the text in a variegated thread color, but the color can be any you prefer. My husband really liked this one and he doesn't normally get too excited about aprons!
My plans in the Spring were to finish off a design set I was working on and have it ready by June. Unfortunately, due to my schedule of orders, that set hasn't been completed yet. I am hopeful that I'll be able to get back to them shortly after the holidays.
We will be out of town for a brief get-away between November 13 and 22, so if you contact me through email, I'll reply as soon as we return. In the meantime, I'd like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday. I know I have a great many things to be thankful for and I feel very blessed.
Take care and God bless you,
Shari
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
New Home Decor and Gifts Updates
Is summer really nearly over? It seems to have gone by so quickly. I hope your summer has been enjoyable and that warm sunny weather continues for a while so you can enjoy the outdoors a while longer.
August has been a pretty busy month. We have events that we participate in during August, so I've been busy creating some additional gift items to tempt those that shop in our booth. And of course, there have been new Memory Bears for families added to the site.
I love baskets and am always in the hunt to find new patterns to weave. Two new baskets have been added to the Baskets & Gourds page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/baskets-gourds.html - the Smokey Mountain Storage Basket and the Black and Natural Curly Basket. A couple more new baskets are in the works right now and I'll be adding those when they're completed. Scroll down the page to see something else I'm working on - a moose antler I'm carving that will be incorporated with a pine needle basket. This one will take a little while to complete as carving isn't a process that can be rushed, especially with moose antler!
Also added on the Kitchen Decor page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/kitchen-decor.html are some new towel sets. These make wonderful additions to your kitchen or great holiday gifts. We use good quality cotton that is laundered to reduce further shrinking, then cut and machine finish the edges and embroider. Most towels measure 26" long and 14" wide and really do a great job soaking up the water when hand drying dishes.
Did you know that Christmas is only 3 months away? We are already receiving inquiries for gift items for the holidays, so if you have something in mind, don't wait too long! Machine lace ornaments are wonderful for creating new traditions during the holidays and are the perfect touch to any holiday decor. Maybe you know someone who has just moved into their first home or apartment and is in need of holiday decorations. Why not give them a special gift that can't be found in the same stores everyone else shops? You'll find the lace ornaments on the Holidays page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/holidays.html .
Wishing you a great ending to your summer!
Shari
August has been a pretty busy month. We have events that we participate in during August, so I've been busy creating some additional gift items to tempt those that shop in our booth. And of course, there have been new Memory Bears for families added to the site.
I love baskets and am always in the hunt to find new patterns to weave. Two new baskets have been added to the Baskets & Gourds page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/baskets-gourds.html - the Smokey Mountain Storage Basket and the Black and Natural Curly Basket. A couple more new baskets are in the works right now and I'll be adding those when they're completed. Scroll down the page to see something else I'm working on - a moose antler I'm carving that will be incorporated with a pine needle basket. This one will take a little while to complete as carving isn't a process that can be rushed, especially with moose antler!
Also added on the Kitchen Decor page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/kitchen-decor.html are some new towel sets. These make wonderful additions to your kitchen or great holiday gifts. We use good quality cotton that is laundered to reduce further shrinking, then cut and machine finish the edges and embroider. Most towels measure 26" long and 14" wide and really do a great job soaking up the water when hand drying dishes.
Did you know that Christmas is only 3 months away? We are already receiving inquiries for gift items for the holidays, so if you have something in mind, don't wait too long! Machine lace ornaments are wonderful for creating new traditions during the holidays and are the perfect touch to any holiday decor. Maybe you know someone who has just moved into their first home or apartment and is in need of holiday decorations. Why not give them a special gift that can't be found in the same stores everyone else shops? You'll find the lace ornaments on the Holidays page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/holidays.html .
Wishing you a great ending to your summer!
Shari
Friday, July 24, 2009
New Updates for Memory Bears and Home Decor Pages
Greetings!
It's been so busy around our shop lately that I haven't had a chance to update the web site with some new photos or even post to the blog. I hope your summer finds you enjoying time with your families and taking in the splendor of the great outdoors. It seems that the summer goes by so quickly, especially when our winters seem to extend well into abbreviated spring seasons.
I've uploaded some photos of new Memory Bears I've created for some really terrific families. It's sad to talk with families who've lost someone, but I truly enjoy getting to know these wonderful people and learning about the loved one they've put to rest. My heart and prayers go out to each and every one of you.
There are times, even when it's very busy, that I just need to escape into another hobby or activity I enjoy. Sometimes we need that diversion so we can feel re-energized. A couple of weekends ago, I decided I needed such a diversion and went hunting for my carving tools and the moose antler I had tucked away for a special project. You might say it was calling to me for some attention. And yes, you read that correctly...a moose antler!
For several hours, I enjoyed the hum of my carving tools while the mild breeze helped blow away the dust created from carving on this incredible gift of nature. I have always been fascinated by antler carvings and although I never dreamed I would become a professional, I do love to watch as etchings in the bone become distinguishable objects. Although I do have my heart set on an elaborate carving of some sort someday, for now I'm happy with the realistic feathers and animal tracks I carve into antler.
This particular antler is eventually going to be part of a free form pine needle basket that I've already started. The base of the basket has an inlaid agate in the most beautiful shade of sea/ocean green. Once I got to a certain point with the basket, I needed to set it aside until the antler was completed so that I could determine the continued shaping for the basket. I have no idea how this basket will end up taking shape, but that's the beauty of this craft.
If you'd like to see my progress with the antler, check out the images on the lower part of the page here - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/baskets-gourds.html . As I get further along with the carving, I'll take new pictures and upload them.
In the meantime, take care of yourself and those you love!
Shari
It's been so busy around our shop lately that I haven't had a chance to update the web site with some new photos or even post to the blog. I hope your summer finds you enjoying time with your families and taking in the splendor of the great outdoors. It seems that the summer goes by so quickly, especially when our winters seem to extend well into abbreviated spring seasons.
I've uploaded some photos of new Memory Bears I've created for some really terrific families. It's sad to talk with families who've lost someone, but I truly enjoy getting to know these wonderful people and learning about the loved one they've put to rest. My heart and prayers go out to each and every one of you.
There are times, even when it's very busy, that I just need to escape into another hobby or activity I enjoy. Sometimes we need that diversion so we can feel re-energized. A couple of weekends ago, I decided I needed such a diversion and went hunting for my carving tools and the moose antler I had tucked away for a special project. You might say it was calling to me for some attention. And yes, you read that correctly...a moose antler!
For several hours, I enjoyed the hum of my carving tools while the mild breeze helped blow away the dust created from carving on this incredible gift of nature. I have always been fascinated by antler carvings and although I never dreamed I would become a professional, I do love to watch as etchings in the bone become distinguishable objects. Although I do have my heart set on an elaborate carving of some sort someday, for now I'm happy with the realistic feathers and animal tracks I carve into antler.
This particular antler is eventually going to be part of a free form pine needle basket that I've already started. The base of the basket has an inlaid agate in the most beautiful shade of sea/ocean green. Once I got to a certain point with the basket, I needed to set it aside until the antler was completed so that I could determine the continued shaping for the basket. I have no idea how this basket will end up taking shape, but that's the beauty of this craft.
If you'd like to see my progress with the antler, check out the images on the lower part of the page here - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/baskets-gourds.html . As I get further along with the carving, I'll take new pictures and upload them.
In the meantime, take care of yourself and those you love!
Shari
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