What's Good For The Goose Isn't Good For The Golfer: - KHQ Right Now - News and Weather for Spokane and North Idaho |

This is the golf course where I currently am working. My boss has a chocolate brown and white border collie, named Nelson, who comes to work with him everyday and chases away the geese on the course. He has had a lot of media coverage lately...and it is well deserved! I love working for Manito Golf and Country Club and am very much going to miss it. I wish everyone could experience a job so enjoyable and satisfying as I had with Manito. Thought I'd share a little piece of "my world".

What's Good For The Goose Isn't Good For The Golfer: - KHQ Right Now - News and Weather for Spokane and North Idaho

It's Been Awhile...

Hello! It's been quite awhile since I last posted. Been busy pushing my Etsy store on Twitter and Facebook. And, oh yeah, goin through a divorce right now. Almost forgot about that ;) Life has changed completely since I last blogged. Literally been turned upside down. And now I'm trying to keep my little family going, trying to sustain my life and my kids' lives, and make a living and a new life for myself.

It began last winter when my husband informed me that he was "done" with the marriage. No amount of counseling, coaxing, love, anger, listening or shouting could save us. Unfortunately, I am still very much in love with him and am missing him terribly, but have realized it does no one any good to linger in the thoughts of what could have been. I have moved forward, moved out, and started over yet again! (This is the third time, and I'm tired).

I have really been pushing my sewing and have since gotten some of my burp cloths and snap blankets in a local brick and mortar store called Abigail's Closet here in Spokane. I also received an email this morning from one of my most loyal customer's in New York City who has a friend from Japan who might be interested in stocking some of my etsy things (www.mamasbabylove.etsy.com) in her new brick and mortar store and online! I am so excited. I spend each and every day wondering how I am going to pay the bills as my 2 day a week job as arborist at Manito Golf and Country Club is only enough to pay the mortgage, not everything else.

Yesterday was a fantastic day! I sewed a sling/snap blanket matching set and pruned 4 fruit trees and made $150 for the day. If I could only do that full time.....

I am going to make every effort to keep blogging, as it is a bit like therapy and my life has the amount of drama in it right now to write soap opera with!!!!

Be back in a bit :)

Satin Brocade Diaper Bag

So I found this fantastic pattern for a diaper bag. It is called Hip Mama Diaper Bag and the address is http://amingledyarn.wordpress.com/gallery/tutorial-hip-mama-diaper-bag/ . The instructions were easy to follow and this was my first attempt at this bag. I am so pleased with how it turned out. I used satin brocade dragonfly fabric from Joann's and the liner is a PUL red fabric that I purchased online. I also used the same PUL for my baby's cloth diapers. The bag has two side pockets with velcro closures, a large pocket on the front with velcro, a zippered pocket on the back and several pockets inside the bag. I LOVE this bag! The only thing with the brocade satin is that it starts to fray and catches on anything sharp or rough. I would have used it again though, just because it is so beautiful.

The Year of Gardening on a very tight budget...My Garden

So, this is my garden. It is full of things that have either volunteered from last year, perennials, or plants I grew from seed. Since I am not working full time anymore, money has gotten really tight so I couldn't do the flowers like I normally like to do this year. I got the idea to just grow seed starts for my flowers. I found out real quick what starts EASILY and what does not. I tried petunias and they took forever to germinate. I tried sunflowers and they were like a weed. Pansies did nothing, I was very surprised. I sprouted gourds and they went crazy, and the marigolds were a no-brainer. Zinnias also did great until one cool frosty spring morning zapped them.

After awhile of getting frustrated with that, I discovered I had a million and one (maybe I exaggerate a tad bit) cosmos growing from where they were planted last year. So I began to dig them up...and move them to the backyard, the front yard, the side yard, pretty much everywhere I could find an empty spot. I did this in early spring thinking I better move them while they were seedlings and the weather was still cool.. well, since then I have moved them at 18" and 80 degree heat. Oh, they wilt a bit for a day or so, but I drench them and they pop right back and go crazy!

Then I discovered that all the sunflower volunteers that were growing underneath the bird feeder would make great starts! So, off they went around the yard. Some of them are now about 4' tall and blooming. They look so cool along the brick exterior of our fireplace and really give my 12" deep flower bed between the driveway and the house some height and life.

I really have a weakness for ornamental grasses so I bought some blue fescue seeds and sprouted them. I almost gave up on them because they took forrrrrrrever to germinate. But finally they went. They are still small, but I haven't planted them out yet and I know as soon as I do they will take off, too. The other grass I have is a ribbon grass. I had one in the front yard bed that has taken over, so I dug up the shoots and spotted them here and there around the yard. They just sit there for now, but I know next year they will become big beautiful clumps like in the front. It is a wonderful grass for part shade because of the white variegation, it really lights things up. And my Carex 'Ice Dance' is gorgeous and growing like crazy from last year. I was weeding around them this year and realized there were little "babies" growing around them, so I dug those up and moved them into pots....gave them away. Hey, free plants are a very great thing!

So, I wish I had pictures to post with this blog tonight. We are getting a new camera any day and I want to try it out so when I get it I will post some pics of all my lovelies!

My Baby's Play Mat

I just finished this play mat for my son..didn't want to pay 50 or 60 dollars for one, so I decided to try my hand at making one. The cool thing is that its custom, I used fabrics that I already have made his blankets, sling, lovey and other things from so it all ties in together. I used two layers of batting in between microsuede on the bottom and super soft cuddly fabrics for him to lay on.
I added three pockets so he can find his toys "tucked" in, and put little short straps with snaps on each pocket to attach the toys. That way when I pick up the mat, all the toys stay put! I also added a "ring/handle" of super soft furry black fabric that is stitched onto the blanket, he loves to grab on to it. Fabric scraps were used for the binding, although it has many imperfections. Still struggling with binding and getting it right. All in all, it came out nice. Oh, and I added a strap with a snap on the back so I can roll it up and secure it when I'm done with it.

I sold some items!!!

I am so excited, here yesterday I was just saying how slow Etsy has been. Then yesterday evening I sold my Michael Miller Tattoo Parlour apron on Etsy to someone in Florida!! Then I sold another one locally! How funny, so I spent the evening sewing more tattoo aprons! I also have someone interested in my trash bags. It sounds like she wants one for her car and a bigger one for her child's dirty diapers...great idea, why didn't I think of that! Someone else wants me to make a layette, and I just finished a red and white hawaiian print pouch sling lined with striped minky white fabric for my friend. I'll post a pic of that cuz it turned out really cool, the minky feels so soft on your skin, I tried it out last night with my four month old son and he loved it. Well, on to more sewing and promoting my MamasBabyLove!

Sewing

So my shop on Etsy hasn't really started to take off yet. I only have sold two items, but I have hope that things will pick up.. I have all these ideas to sew and create but don't seem to get them all done. And oddly, when I DO have the time it's like I go into mental block and don't know where to start! Anyone else have that problem??? I really want to be able to make and sell my items, maybe Etsy isn't the right way to go. All I have is time. I can sit it out and wait and see what happens. I want to add more aprons to my Etsy store, as well as a Sweet Swaddle Sac for baby girls. One that is a pink and yellow satin brocade flower pattern with a pink and yellow tie dye minky lining. I think that would be so sweet! Love pink and yellow for baby girl colors, although pink and brown is the hot trend right now.

Also, I want to add my little fabric baby grab balls with tags to my store. My son likes his because it's easy to grab on to...and a great way to use up all the soft fabric scraps I have!
Well, more later!