Return of the blog?

Well, I can't seem to get any work done.

And I am getting sick of facebook as a mode of communication with family and friends who really care about what we are doing. 

So, I am going to ATTEMPT to blog again. 

Eventually, I will have a few more tabs to keep SewStella a bit separate from our little family adventures...

But here are some shots from our recent vacation to Illinois.  Now to catch people up... we are currently in West Georgia.  It has been pushing 100 and very humid since mid-May.  So, to escape the heat, I packed up the kids and we went to IL.  Growing up in northern IL, I NEVER would have considered it an escape from the hot humid summer... but that was before my sister in law got a pool!

 This is moments before we left... pouring rain... it made the 3 day drive pretty interesting... 

 Stop One: Nashville TN area, hanging with Bertolone Family!

 How else do you handle 4 kids?

 Skipped a few days... but here is Aunt Jessica w Stella (who refused to wear her floaties)

 Christopher just wanted to eat Doritos... who wouldn't???

 Fun at Aunt Katie's: trampoline running...

 screaming 4 wheel rides

 Christopher actually had a blast on 4 wheeler

 Visiting with Grandma Blood

 Got all four kids to sit!!  New Chicagoland residents: the Mahon Family

 Got to visit with my sister for a few extra minutes!

Lucky enough to have Cassandra ride back to GA with us... this is before we took her to airport downtown Atlanta--it was HOT. Well more humid than hot... so it was GROSS. 

And that was about it... Got to see some other friends and family and missed photo ops with them (Kellie, Patience, Jessica!) but next summer I might not always have one child attached at the hip???

Work Block

I have decided I need to stop trying to work during days and allot myself a 2-3 hour block of time about twice per week--I get SO MUCH MORE accomplished...

Today, I finished little nagging projects that are weeks/months behind.  Also I have been diligently working on a stash of tie shirts...

As you can see here, I can coordinate with girls dresses or skirts...


After an evening of sewing, I am POOPED. 

Can't run a sewing business without THIS

Well, well, well.  You might remember when I started this business I bought a new sewing machine.  I bought the Baby Lock Sophia, which sews and embroiders (hoping to learn to use that function one day...).

I had orders on hold waiting to get this new machine... waited almost 6 weeks on back-order.

That was last June. 

And now it is back at the shop...  I don't even know where to start.

Long-story short: she couldn't find any stray threads anywhere and she doesn't think a broken pin/needle could inflict the problem (it stopped working)... she thinks perhaps it needs real surgery and could be a broken gear... and it "might" be covered under warranty because it is less than a year old... as long as it wasn't something I did... leave it here and we will try to get it to you before you move (5 weeks) or we can ship it to you...

Deep sigh.

At least I have a machine on loan... from Steph.  So... I plan to finish up my current orders.  Get a couple samples done for upcoming holidays (July 4th).  Get a couple kids projects done (pants for C).  And then pray that my machine is repairable... and covered under warranty.

What's been going on??

Okay... you might find this hard to believe, but at one time I actually blogged on a regular basis... and had followers... 

I plan to get there again... soon.

How, you ask?

Pre-School!!!

Technically I am jumping ahead a bit... before we get to pre-school we have to move to Georgia and then move again to [destination unknown].

The short version is that my DH is attending a career level school, which is only 5 months long... so we move twice. 

Am I stressed, you ask?

Yes. 

BUT... more stressful is the clicking sound my sewing machine is making.  My [fairly] brand new machine.  I am about 99% sure it is a broken pin... did I attempt to take it apart?  Yes.  Don't tell the repair shop. 

Oh well. 

Regarding business... it has slowed, because I can only handle about one order per week.  The kids are very high energy and low in letting me work.  Nap hours are taken up with household stuff and a few minutes to myself.  So, when I have time, I am still sewing and making dresses for stock...

Plus I am trying to make stuff for house and kids...

Tie Shirts

Since the conception of SewStella, I have always known that I would roll-out something for boys (I am THAT parent who likes to match/coordinate!)... here it is:

TIE SHIRTS

This set was completed for a 3 year old and 2 year old, cousins.

The "tie" is ironed on to HeatBond, ironed on to the shirt, and then reinforced with a zig-zag stitch.

Here is the dress that matches!  This is part of the same set.  The whole order was for two sets of siblings who are cousins.  The first set is 3 year old boy-girl twins, and the cousins are 2 and newborn.  I just cannot wait to see photos of these 4 darlings in my work at Thanksgiving!!!

Etsy!

Okay, I did it!

I posted on Etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/listing/60199091/gobble-gobble-pillowcase-dress-size-s

It was a pain in the rear.  But as Christina over at 2 Little Hooligans tells me... it gets easier. 

I worked on my 'blurb' to copy and paste... I like that.

Then I got to the photos... ugh!  They were too big and I don't have enough of the dresses... so I decided I will have a few to show the style of the dress and then the fabric that is being sold.

And that will do for now. 

Practice makes perfect, right?

"plan"

The serger has increased my productivity.

Being a busy mom has not.  HA!  I LOVE being a mom.  But I REALLY want to get into all my new fabrics--BEFORE the holiday season!!

My plan for the rest of the year is as follows:

1. miss my morning work time to take my DH some camis that he left here.

2. finish all the dresses on my table (20).

3. post holiday samples to facebook

4. Order fabric labels

5. list finished dresses on etsy!!!

6. wonder why I did not order MORE Micheal Miller fabric

7. Nov 1: start Holiday Sale (free shipping on 2 or more dresses--gulp!)

8. Announce that SewStella will be closed for custom orders Thanksgiving-New Years.  (See future post)

9. Sew like crazy to get all the orders done (hoping orders come in!)

10. RELAX over holiday and work on some other projects up my sleeve!