New Storefront

For the past few days, I've been busy working on the Cradle Moon blog that will replace the worthless Facebook page store format.  My plan is to keep the FB page, just to update anyone who may be following me there.  Your best bet for keeping up with what is new in the store is to just bookmark the store and check it regularly.

Here is how it is set up.  When I add something new, it will likely get its own brief description as a new blog post, putting it front and center.  At that time, I will also add it to one of the active categories in the sidebars.  Right now the categories are quilts, diaper bags, bibs etc, sweaters, and onesies. There will be more categories coming.  The next one is dresses.  After that, I plan to have a special boy category.  Likely there will be a category for smocked items as well.

As items sell, I will make a note of that in the original posts and remove the items from the sidebar.  I'll be keeping some of those photos up in the gallery, which you can find as a tab at the top of the page under the header.  The gallery is to highlight items I've previously sold in order to give people an idea of the kinds of things I make.

I hope this new set-up will be more user friendly and will allow everyone to see what is currently available for sale.  The next big thing is going to be getting a Paypal account set up on that blog.  Right now I'm accepting personal checks, which is working fine.

The custom orders are going to be what really keep me busy, I think.  Right now I have three of those in the wings, all for quilts.  First up is a really exciting, challenging, get this--gender neutral--quilt with a fire engine theme.  Watch me pull that one off!

An extra special thanks goes to Jean Walker for offering to design my header.  She's a graphic artist and a fellow China adoption mom.  Thanks, Jean!!

Now that the store has its own blog, I hope to get busy and get some recipes posted here.  I'll still be showing what's up to with sewing, quilting, the family, etc.  However, I will no longer be posting all the for-sale items.  Hopefully, this blog will return to what I originally intended it for--as place to nurture creative homemaking--and not just a sewing blog.

Love,

Hannah's Pets

A few weeks ago, Tom's cousin Ric wrote me and asked if I would make his granddaughter a quilt.  Hannah is an animal lover with lots of pets, and Ric wanted all of them on the quilt.

Not one to turn down a challenge, I took the offer and began dreaming up Hannah's quilt.  Ric was kind enough to send me lots of photos.  My goal was to interpret the animals in fabric the best I could. While this is not a bed-size quilt, it is fully big enough for a nap!  So Ric suggested we call it a "Napping Quilt."

Ric and his wife Rachel invited Tom and me up to Charlotte for a day of golfing, eating, shopping, eating, relaxing, eating, talking, and eating.  While there, I was able to hand deliver Hannah's quilt to her personally.

Would you like to meet Hannah's pets?

 This is Kimber, the tortoise shell and white kitty.

 Here is Noah, the gray bunny.

Lady, who I met today, is a darling teacup toy poodle.  She has the calmest, sweetest personality of any little poodle I've ever been around.  Have you ever met a poodle that isn't yappy? I had not.  Lady let me hold and cuddle her till I finally had to put her down.  I would have sneaked her out in my pocketbook if I thought I could get have pulled it off. 

 Just as darling, but a little more spunky is Puppy, Lady's brother.

Last, but certainly not least is Lucy, the Jack Russell mix who appeared at their door a year ago, scared to death, and then stayed around to complete the menagerie. 

 Ric wanted Hannah's name on the quilt.  I aimed to please. 

Here's Ric, the proud grandpa, with Hannah.  What a precious little girl.  I just loved getting to know her and her two older sisters.

Love,

Summersault

 

Nope, that’s not a typo.  That’s really the name of these fabrics!  And I think that’s the way it should be spelled, anyway!

This diaper bag, taggy cube, and bib combo is the result of a purchase of fabrics I made to do a custom, twin taggy cube order.  Cutting down twelve of the 6 inch squares to make them baby size left me with 24 gorgeous strips just begging to become a bib.  Combined with some of the brights from my stash, the remaining fabrics were just enough to fashion this diaper bag and another taggy cube.

The fabrics aren’t for the color-cautious among us.  These say “Go bold or go home!”  They are cheerful, playful, bright, young, current, funky, and fun.  Yeah.  That about covers it.  Perfect for any modern mama and baby! 

 Strip quilted bib with touches of ribbon and ric-rac.

 Taggy cube.  Tell me you don't love those dotty ribbons!

 Diaper bag--machine quilted and appliqued with an original Laura Lee design.

 Bag back.

 Lined interior, magnetic closure, and two lined pockets.

Just add diapers, wipes, and the kitchen sink...

A note on my bags...  The construction is durable and made to take the wear.  Abby has used hers exclusively for over a year as a diaper bag and purse since she doesn't want to carry two bags.  Let's just say it's seen some abuse.  And it still looks great!

 Flutterby and flower.

 Summersault three piece set ~$65    SOLD thanks!

Love,

Creativitee

Actually, these are onesies, not tee shirts, but you get my drift. I've been having ball stitching these up, embellished with embroidery, applique, and ruffles.  Well, the girls' have ruffles.  I restrained myself from putting ruffles on the dolphin, boy onesie.  Two of these are custom orders, but the other two are for sale.  And at the rate my brain is moving, there should be quite a few more coming soon. 

These two are for sale.

A little dragonfly is handsewn with blanket stitches; the neckline, shoulders, and sleeves are outline stitched in pink.

There are ruffles on the bum. 

Size 3-6 mo.  $15

This one has a faux button placket.  The fabric is an upcycled 70's vintage pillowcase.  Crisp, cool and breezy for summer.  (I keep my eyes peeled for these when I'm thrifting.  I'm seeing a sundress out of the rest of the fabric.)

The ruffled bum.  Very sweet.  Size 12 mo.  $15

Feel free to let me know if you want either of these or would like to order something similar.  Any applique has to be simple, as it is quite difficult to maneuver the tiny garments under the machine.

I've been busy during spring break.  I have a custom quilt order for a little girl and her baby doll.  That one has been challenging and fun at the same time.  Another custom quilt order came in the other day which I'll be starting soon.  Another challenge, which keeps things from getting boring.

Be watching for lots more items in the store.  I keep saying that, but I mean it...seriously.  Two quilts that are 99% finished.  A diaper bag/bib/taggy cube combo.  A sweet sundress completed, just waiting to be photographed. 

Oh!  You must see the four darling sweaters my dear friend Ellen knitted and mailed down from New York.  Yes, she is that kind of friend.  She wrote and asked me if she could make a few things to donate to the cause.   What do you think I told her?  She does beautiful work.  Each of my children (and my grandbaby) has worn Ellen-knitted sweaters.

Right now I'm rethinking how I want to post the items for sale.  I really don't care at all for the Facebook page option.  It's a pain and it doesn't showcase the items at all.  Etsy gets so many bad reviews by small time sellers that I think it's out of the question.  Any suggestions are welcome.

Here is a sneak peek of the little peach sweater Ellen sent down.  Once I get all the size and yarn details and find a way to photograph them that will do them justice, they'll all be up in the store.  I mean, three of them will.  The fourth one is already sold.

To me.

For my next grandbaby.

Ah, the perks.

Love,