first show results

I made a profit today!

Last year at my first show of the season, I only made $1. So comparatively, the results of this first show are stellar! :) I didnt sell all my product by any means, but a little success should be celebrated right?

Thank you everyone for your encouragement, support, and feedback. Its all very much appreciated! Here are some pics from the show:






Come see me at one of these upcoming shows!:
Nov. 13th - Tallmadge Alliance Church, Tallmadge, OH
Nov. 20th - Candy Cane Junction Show, Akron, OH
Dec. 4th - Woodridge High School Bazaar, Peninsula, OH



Didnt get to use the credit card app yet, but there are still 3 to go!!!

busy busy busy!

Upcoming Shows:

Nov. 6th - Stow United Methodist Church in Stow, OH
Nov. 13th - Tallmadge Alliance Church, Tallmadge, OH
Nov. 20th - Candy Cane Junction Show, Akron, OH
Dec. 4th - Woodridge High School Bazaar, Peninsula, OH (HS Alma mater!)

I'm pumped!!!!! Stop by and say hey....

OH and also HUGE news: I can now accept ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS at my show, thanks to my iphone and the NEW SQUARE DEVICE, its all instant, with a receipt emailed right to you!

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I've been getting ready for craft show season, and sewing so much I'm afraid my sewing machine might explode and start smoking or something!

Items recently sewn/made:
Cloth boxes/bins
Cloth fold-over bags
Crochet pouches
Pillows, pillows, and more pillows
Crocheted scarves/hats
Up-cycled necklaces (new hardware, antique pendents)

I'll post pics sometime when I'm not needing to go to sleep before working a 14 hr day... :)

cake baking

I made my first wedding cake this summer. I've never gone to school for baking or anything, but I watch Ace of Cakes religiously, and am pretty good at looking at something, and re-creating it, so I thought I would give it a try!

Here is the creating process in pictures:

Thin coating of buttercream frosting.

Next, rolling out the fondant.

One with fondant, one without.

One with fondant, one without.

Covered in fondant, wrapped, and ready for transport!

Final result:


What do you think? Not bad for a first try I'd say!

I want to write a book. I have wanted to for years, but I have so many ideas for so many different kinds of books, that its hard to organize my thoughts, and I don't have a clue on how to begin.

I really enjoy reading the "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" on the Pioneer Woman website, so maybe that's a good way to begin. To write little vignettes, or chapters in the beginning. Then allow things to grow. But the voices of my high school English teachers says to write an outline, and character analysis's, and the intro and conclusion paragraph first.

What to do! What to do!

So, help me! Any suggestion, ideas, words of wisdom? I'll take it all.

a love for blogging...

I love blogging. I promise, I really do. You may then ask "Why have you not blogged for quite sometime?". My answer would be "part laziness, part working 2-3 jobs at any one time can be a bit time consuming". :)

Finally now, life has slowed down a bit, and I long to continue blogging. Thank you to those who keep coming back and reading, I appreciate it! :)

Here is my summer in pictures:



My mother's favorite gift for her 50th bday

Grad Cake for a co-worker

Bday cake for a 4 year old who couldn't decide what theme he wanted

Flower basket, ring pillow, flower decor for wedding I planned

Lake Erie, Put-n-Bay on South Bass Island

Put-n-Bay Lighthouse Tower

Centerpieces for July wedding I did

English Garden at Stan Hywett

Lauryn and Kurt on their wedding day :)

Flower in English Garden

Birchwood Alley at Stan Hywett

Docking area in Put-n-Bay

Fountain by terrace at Stan Hywett

Simple, Summer Wedding

Here are some ideas for things in a wedding I am planning for this summer...
fun, simple, earthy, unique!

Cant get enough of it!

Getting Things Done!

Today I did:
Research with Allison on B&B's
Sewed a little hand clutch
Got all the fabric cut for 2 bags (with the help of Al)
Set 3 dates to be at the Heartville Fleamarket
Cleaned out and re-organized my closet
Vacuumed
Cleaned up everything from the cake making adventure last weekend
Threw out bunches of trash, and recycled plastic bags
Drank LOTS of diet coke!

Feeling good.... nothing beats the feeling of a clean, organized space!

Pic of the cake I made this weekend:

currents:

Just finished: Blink by Malcom Gladwell... SO thought provoking and entertaining! A must read for everyone!

Just started: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks... so, its a Sparks book... I think that says it all!

Listening to: Bethesda (of course... what kind of manager would I be if I didnt know all their songs!) Listen to them HERE

Watching: Modern Family. Each week gets funnier and funnier!

Creative Picture

Fount a great picture today while browsing photographers in the Akron area. This one is from Visualizations Photography, located on Portage Trail in Cuyahoga Falls. I have seen there work ever since high school, and have been repeatedly impressed with it!

You could also do a wedding twist to it... would be so creative!

currents:

Reading: Prairie Tales, by Melissa Gilbert.... cant put it down!

Watching: The Proposal... cant go wrong with Sandra!

Sewing: Laptop bag for Allison, and "Business Suit Quilt" (more on that to come later!)

Flowers and Pillows

Some gorgeous flowers from my boyfriend:



Some vintage lace applique and/or vintage fabric, re-purposed into pillows:







Its fun to see what can be made from things that already exist!

crafts and grandparents

my dad made some digital copies of pictures of my grandparents. i dont know why we didnt do this earlier, but here is one of my favorites..... they started dating, got engaged, and were married all in one month. they have been married for 50 years. old navy sweethearts :)

and here is a shabby chic pillow i recently made, i really liked crocheting the little circles. easy and quick!







over and out.

Modern Family

Watch it. You'll love it.

Realization:

I've been listening to music more that usual lately. And as I was listening to Switchfoot's "Only Hope", it occurred to me that not only have I been listening to more music, but I am back to listening to love songs.

LOVE songs for crying out loud!!!!! I havent listened to that 'genre' of music for longer than I can remember.... I think I had given up hope on love, and romance, and future. But due to a recent turn of events, my subconscious has willed me to listen to some of my old favorites:


Addicted: Kelly Clarkson
Tim McGraw: Taylor Swift
I Can't Stop Loving you: Keith Urban
Just Might: Sugarland
Never Saw Blue Like That: Shawn Colvin
This Every Day Love: Rascal Flatts
Turn Me On: Nora Jones
Come Away With Me: Nora Jones
and of course, I Promise You (With Everything I Am): Backstreet Boys



Sidenote: it also struck me the other day: Chivalry is NOT dead. Not even close.

Contently,
Abby

These are a few of my favorite things:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries (especially when made by that someone special)

While You Were Sleeping

Sandra Bullock

Reading

Jane Austen

Antiquing

Planning Weddings

Bethesda (http://www.myspace.com/bethesdaband)

My Family

My Friends

Going on dates

Movies and TV

Creating things with my hands

Laughing (a lot)

My Grandma

GOOGLE

Singing

Scarves

:::When the dog barks, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel, so bad:::

New Things!

Crocheted Cowl with Vintage Buttons
(made for Bridget's mom)




Vintage Crocheted Pillow Cover w/ zipper back



Vintage Clutch, Gold Clasp
(gold interior below)





Vintage Show Girl Feather Headband


fun stuffffff!