night owl designs

Not sure I should be saying anything but...

2008-12-07T22:31:00.000-08:00

I just received an email from an online quilting store where I buy some of my fabric. The owner has a dilemma. Westminster/Free Spirit Fabrics, who produce quilting fabrics from wonderful designers such as Amy Butler and Joel Dewberry, has sent out a mandate to sellers of their fabrics - sell it for $9.50 per yard or you can't sell it at all. Their reasoning? They want to maintain the "integrity" of their brands.

Now, I don't know about you, but I will no longer be buying their fabrics if that is the going rate. I can buy Moda, Michael Miller, etc. at $7 - $8/yard and I feel their fabric is just as good quality as W/FS. Free market is free market to me. Now, I realize that it is their right to mandate this, but do they really think it is a good idea, in a bad economy, to start requiring that folks charge more for their products? I am still kind of stunned by this notice, so don't mind me.

BTW, I just found out from Tracy and Liz of http://tracyandlizsblog.blogspot.com that I am the lucky winner of one Amy Butler Anna Tunic pattern - YEAH! Go visit their blog for some great ideas and tutorials.

I have loved that pattern for quite some time and am so excited to win it. Thanks so much Tracy and Liz! I will try to post a picture of a creation made with the pattern.

I am going to work on my Christmas cards this week, I will be posting pics soon. I am trying for the first time to make my own - a combination of fabric, plain paper, buttons and patterned paper (and maybe some glitter!). Well, if it goes well I will post pics! ;-)

2 posts in one day...

2008-12-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I have been inspired by the wonderfully generous giveaways I have been seeing across the craft blogs so...I will be joining in on the fun. If anyone, yes anyone, actually comments, I will give away goods. I have 5 pairs of earrings available (ready for gifting even) and one handbag. I will give it until the end of NEXT week and see if anyone shows up for the freebies.

Here's a really bad photo of a cute pair of earrings - just an example of what I make:

Good luck to any who post!

Wow!

2008-12-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe it has been nearly a year since I've posted. No time better than the present to get back to it (or in my case, get it started). I have been busy with work, shows, Thanksgiving (sick over the holiday of course) and crafting for Christmas. Here's a little of what I've been doing this year:

Baa, baa, blue sheep anyone?

Or is that baa, baa, pink sheep?

I have been working at new bag designs, including adding a flap to my tote bags.

My goal for the new year is to sell a pattern on etsy for this bag. I have 2 weeks off at Christmas and will be challenging myself to nail it down and get it posted. I have been selling Portabello Pixie patterns this year and will soon be restocking the shop. I will be attending Quilt Market in the spring, as it is in my home state of PA. It gives me an excuse to head to western PA, see more of my state. I have only been out to Pittsburgh once and look forward to returning. I am so excited to get a chance to meet all the wonderful designers whose designs eat up my disposable income! ;-)

Well, I have to get back to work and filling orders - have a great "Giveaway Day"!

how time flies...

2008-01-17T15:12:00.001-08:00

seems like just yesterday i was posting my first post, it has been a week already. well the best laid plans and all. unfortunately my camera broke, so no photos and i have been busy at work and haven't been able to do the crafts i was planning.

i took my nieces shopping and to their tennis lesson saturday (a promise is a promise!) so that day was lost for diying. i did manage to do a little fabric and yarn shopping while we were out. living an hour away from shopping always has me making the most of the trips. i visited a nice quilt shop in vestal, grandmother's thimble. they had some prints that i have been longing to see in person. they were just as adorable in person as i thought so of course i had to purchase them.
i also picked up some beautiful merino wool yarn to make a hat i love. it is a gorgeous brown with some orange running through it. i found a wonderful pattern over at knitty called piggle. it is a lace rib hat with holes for pigtails! i just love the photo, i couldn't not make it once i saw that mug!

i have a "repair" job to do on one of my bags that i am dreading. it's not really a repair, but a request for an additional pocket on a special order xmas bag. the recipient of the bag wanted an another pocket so i will gladly do it. i just am not looking forward to undoing what's is all done, but c'est la vie! your wish is my command, or as westley says, "as you wish" (i love that movie!).

i found a great little shop on the web through one of my many favorite blogs (can't remember which one!). it is called nut and bee. the sketchbook sweeties are so cute, i personally love the august sweetie "mallow roastin' mallow". these are great and can be purchased as prints and some of them are available on paper, etc. the artist that creates them is from new zealand. enjoy the adorables!

testing, testing...

2008-01-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

i feel like i've just walked up to the microphone in a public speaking class & i am trying to clear my throat. i was always nervous speaking to the class & find myself somewhat nervous here. thankfully though, my face isn't bright red (at least i don't think it is!). i love to write, but have never been much of a sharer of my writings. i have journals full of my personal musings, but i never put my hand up during class to read what i had written. so, as my new year's resolution, i have resolved to "put myself out there". whew!

so now that we're past that, let me introduce myself a little. i am a 34 year old diyer that, as the name describes, stays up way too late diying (is that even a word?). many nights i have heard the clock chime 2 or 3 times while i am crafting away. i just get caught up and can't walk away. i am the same way with books.

what diying do i like to do you ask (let me keep up the pretense that there are thousands of you out there hanging on my every word, a girl can dream, huh)? i think i heard that question from the 12th row. well, i love to sew and i am finding a renewed interest in knitting, although my knitting skills are still on the scarf level. i am trying to improve, believe me. the cold weather makes me want to dig into my yarn stash. when it comes to sewing, i enjoy making bags and other accessories as well as my latest obsession - baby gifts. from baby quilts to bibs, i find these pieces flying off my sewing machine lately.

another reason for my decision to start a blog was to improve my picture taking skills. i am a bad photographer. one only has to take a peek at my flickr page to see the evidence. i avoid taking photos almost as much as i avoid being photographed. so, another part of my resolution is to start taking & sharing more photos. under the old adage from my coaches - practice makes perfect (or not), i am going to try to take pictures every day. bear with me, some of them will be totally irrelevant and some of them will be from my new camera phone, which i am still trying to figure out. some will be high quality, some low quality. some of my creations, some of my surroundings. some of...okay, i am sure you get the picture (no pun intended), i will be taking pictures.

i am closing it out for the day. i have to run to the fabric store & also pick up supper. hopefully i will be back tomorrow and maybe even have some photos!