How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Woah, I love thise giveaway site. And I am THINKING of dabbling into clothes. Mostly skirts. So this little card combo is a definite way to help me out. If you don't have Grosgrain on your google reader, there are some pretty funky cool things being dished out there!

Any other tips????? Got there and enter yourselves in! Or wait around and see all the other great giveaways!

Great places, Bad choices

If you know me. You know of my love for bacon. Or if you read this blog semi-occationally you know I love bacon. If you know me, you know the stories of how my dad would cook bacon for me on saturdays, and that beautiful smell came wafftling down the hall to my room to joyously wake me from my slumber...

So I've been hearing about the Bacon Ice Cream at Moo Creamery off Truxtun in Bakersfield.

Last night I convinced Tad to go hit up the Creamery for our first trip over there. What a great place! Everyone was soo nice and the ice cream was so fresh and tasty! We need MORE places like this in town! I love it!

I almost chickened out of trying the bacon ice cream, but Tad convinced me. It is the culmination as a bacon lover to at least give it a try. So we ordered it, but I added another scoop of pumpkin pie just in case. Its a good thing i did.

I came, I tried, and that's about it. I liked the maple ice cream base, but I could never be prepared for the chunks of bacon. Not a good choice. When we asked out bus boy if its a hit, he said, that kids LOVE it. Good, maybe I should have trying this 15 or 20 years ago.

I WILL be back at Moo Creamery - but not for the bacon ice cream! Ha!

Hello? Is this thing on?

SO life has changed!

1. I am teaching Math again!!!! Its hard coming back, I feel like I haven't hit my stride yet... My lessons could be much better... I had such a hard time with classroom management last year, that i feel like I'm being too strict this year.

2. We are house hunting!!!! We just started and I want to buy every house we tour (a grand total of two so far, i told you... we just started) I feel like I'm on that show but without the cameras, and HGTV isn't going to decorate my first dining room.... a girl can dream.

3. I love and miss my etsy shop so much. I still have items listed, but since I am sooo busy with school - Tad has suggested I pare down on my selling and *GASP* sewing. So after I finished a few large custom orders... I'm just going to leave items that I have already made in the shop. (just a few bags, and the jewelry). Sigh.. there's always Christmas... and next year. So i'll still do custom orders - just give me TIME and lots of it.

4. I've been neglecting my blog. I apologize. I'll make time.

5. I am just starting as a co-leader of this brand new Women's Bible Study at Church for young women. Though I adored my Bible study last year BECAUSE of all the different ages, I can already see the need for this group for girls that may be scared off by an older study. Plus, its Beth Moore's study of Daniel. Plus, these girls are fun! I'm excited to see where we'll be after the year long study!

one more step....

I feel like for the last few years, I've been telling myself, Just one More step.

One more thing, one more hoop. one more step.

If i look at it this way, then I don't hyperventilate over the HUGENESS that might be instore for me. My God knows how much of a worry wort I am. And I pretty sure He knows that if I take it one step at a time I'll get though.

If I turn around and look back, I am sooo amazed and what I have done so far!!! I took a huge step in starting a credential program that five years ago I would have baulked at the idea. I taught for a year which has trials of its own. I stayed up too late on weeknites finishing lesson plans and fell asleep at 8 on Friday nights. California changed the requirements and wouldn't allow me to return to teaching. I swallowed my humility and went BACK to subbing after a year of full time teaching. I studied my butt off for my Math CSETS. I PASSED. Student teaching... YIKES, In 2007, if God had given me a looking glass into all that was going to tackle, I think i would have fainted.

And so I just need one more step. I need to finish some more applications and get calling these districts until someone gives me a job.

I am filling out these teaching applications and I am sweating bullets all over them.

I don't know where I am supposed to go, and I don't know where I'll be two months from now. Will I be at my dream district? Will I be logging lots of miles on my civic to teach across town? Will I be subbing again, for another year? Will I be in a low performing school? Whatever, where ever it is, I need to keep in mind its exactly where I need to be. And lately I'm finding peace in that.

Did anyone see the front page of ETSY tonight?

.... I would say about 50% of you know what I'm talking about. And since my viewer-ship is about 16. (if that) Do the Math. 8.

So to the rest of those who are not addicted to Etsy, (YOU SHOULD BE!) Here is a little info:

On etsy, on the front page, the great minds that make ETSY amazing are busy picking awesome items and awesome treasury lists, and just plain awesomeness. My dream is to one day end up on the front page and have all my items sell out in ten minutes flat. BUT until that day I will settle for awesomeness by others.

Behold:

i love bacon.

Done and Dusted

After a few months of planning, talking, sending fabric samples, I am finished with an AWESOME custom clutch order!I have made custom orders before, but this is my first HUGE order, nine clutches all the same for a bride and her bridesmaids!!!!

I'll take you through my journey: first we were solid on the fabrics, i send her photos of the and choices where made, I even mailed her a

few, because its so hard to photograph satins and silks.

Then I start working. How was I to know that I was about a half a yard short of my green/damask fabric???

Not a prob ,I'm at Joanns at least once a week, i have a coupon, its a nice, designer fabric..... The first couple of times, when I am under no rush, i'm thinking - its not on the racks because someone has it to cut, or it hasn't been replaces from a busy JoAnns day....

Then about the third time I enlist some help, and realize ITS NOT IN STOCK!!!!! WHAT, on top of that, its not in the two or three west coast warehouses they search!!!!!

I am dead. Thank goodness I can still order it online. Apparently there is some super secret warehouse where they hide all the fabrics... so i use my 50% coupon, (AMEN)! I waited because I was sure Murphy's Law would rear its head and I'd get an email that tough cookies -

There is no more of this fabric on the face of the ear

th. But nope, it processesed and I got this fabric last monday!

Now I just feel bad. Because this was supposed to be finished at the end of June. Yikes. So i kick it into gear and I've been eating, breathing and dreaming in hot pink faux silk and chartreuse green, that its all I see!!!!! I did a rough calculation and I figure I pinned about 350 time during this project give of take about ten. And probably about 5% of those ended in injury.

I finally finished though, And I love them to death! I wish i could keep them but what would I do with eight hot pink bags?

Happy ETSY-versary !!!

Today marks the one year anniversary of becoming a seller on etsy! HURRAY!!!

I remember I was so excited that I listed two ribbon bookmarks, that were so cute and a few crocheted items.

I checked back a few hours later, and I had sold BOTH of my little bookmarks. "WOAH!!!!

I could make MILLIONS!" I thought to myself. "This etsy thing may just work." I listed a few more creations... and i promptly sold nothing else for 2 months straight. ha.

Things have been really picking up for me around christmas time, and bee focusing on branding my shop and perfecting my crafts. I've improved photos, hired a FANTASTIC graphic designer for my branding, and have really been working on promotions.

ps - LOVE my logo, if you need branding/logo work,

you have to get ahold of Kelly Mitchell! She's the best!!!

I have a long way to go, and though I haven't made millions - I'm sure that I'll keep creating things i love. I have been making enough to promise Tad that all supplies from here on out come from my paypal account. It has been this way since probably February, and i hope to keep it this way!

So this week to celebrate my ETSY-versary, I am offering Free shipping on all purchases over $10!!!!!!

YEEEEEEAH!!!!!!!!!!

Etsy Buy Handmade LoveAlisa