Appliqué Crazy

Yesterday, while Jude was sleeping and I had read everything I brought with me to the hospital, I decided to browse through some applique websites.  I found quite a few precious patterns to add to my growing collection of cuteness!

So today, being as excited as I am about them, I decided to display my collection (so far) in case anyone is interested in a top or burp cloth for any holiday or special occasion coming up!  And yes I have already downloaded some for the fall and winter- with a new baby on the way, it's never too early to start on the cute holiday wardrobe ;-)

Appliqué Fonts

Appliqué Patterns

I just can't wait to see Jude and Sweet Pea wearing some of these!  Or, if Sweet Pea is a boy, to see Jude and Sweet Pea in some matching outfits!  I already have plans for matching seersucker Jon Jons with the baseball glove appliquéd on the front of them!!  (Even if Sweet Pea is a girl, I'm sure that she and Jude will be wearing some coordinating outfits ;-)

Let me know if you see anything you like!  I'll be posting these on The Mustard Seed Boutique's Facebook page later on today!


**If you are or will be interested in any LSU or any other team themed appliqués for the upcoming football season, let me know soon because I don't know how much free time I'll have once the baby gets here at the end of July.  I might not be able to make anything the entire month of August!  Right now, I only have a few sports themed appliqués, but I will be adding more if there is enough interest!  

My FIRST Order...

This afternoon, I got to do something so exciting...

I GOT TO DELIVER MY VERY FIRST ORDER FOR THE MUSTARD SEED BOUTIQUE!!

I was contacted by a good friend from the past about making a carrier cover and some burp cloths for her son, and I was so excited and so honored to be able to make some goodies for such a sweet and adorable baby boy named Coleson.

First I made his carrier cover...

These burp cloths to coordinate with the cover...

And these LSU themed burp cloths...

I also learned (with some trial and error from the directions in the manual) how to do appliques.

My friend was so excited about them when I delivered them!  I was too; I couldn't wait for her to see them and Lane was just as excited!

 I'll be posting them to my Facebook page and maybe as examples on my Etsy shop!  

Well.. you made it through another "embroidery" post :-)  Thanks for letting me share. 

Facebook!

After a lot of good feedback on my post yesterday via comments and text messages, I have decided to push forward (with teeny weeny baby steps) and start a little business for my monogramming and handmade gifts!

Now, please be patient with me!  I am just learning how to do all the monogramming stuff with my new machine, so I won't be full swing for a while.  But as I learn, your options grow :-)

I started a brand NEW Facebook Page for my little business, "The Mustard Seed Boutique".  I know I had one before, but I've been having trouble with it and this one is fresh with more of a purpose.  Does that make sense? 

Anyway, you can support and easily "LIKE" my new Page by clicking "Like" in the box under Facebook to your RIGHT! 

Like I mentioned on my first status update on my new page, I have a direct goal for the profits: to help pay Jude's therapeutic preschool.  As Jude's language development increased greatly, so have the fees at the school.  **While we DO NOT worry about the "price tag" of Jude's development, it would be nice to lend my hubby a helping hand in meeting our family's needs and wants.

Now, I do eventually plan on opening a little Etsy shop and getting fun things made like business cards and such. (I am not the design guru, so I'll need to seek a little help.)  But for now, we are starting with Facebook.

Thanks so much for all your sweet comments and all you support!  Please pray for me as the adventure begins- I'm still a little nervous about it! 

Hope y'all have a great Tuesday!
Angel

Baby Gifts

Even though a nasty virus has plagued my house for the past couple of weeks keeping me and my sweet redhead miserable (thank goodness Lane has been spared), I have found some times, mainly nap times, to play with my new embroidery machine.


Shamefully, the first week I had my new machine, it went completely untouched due to being sick.  So last week, I couldn't take it anymore.  I read manuals and sewed and embroidered with a box of Kleenex and a bag of cough drops next to me.  


The first things I've had the opportunity to make were some baby gifts for some of my friends and family who are expecting.  


First, I made some carrier covers...

This is to keep strangers and greeters at Walmart and Target and wherever else you go from touching your baby!  It always amazed me that strangers would reach out and rub Jude's head, pinch his cheeks, and play with his hands.  Strangers still approach Jude and run their hands though his curly red hair.  This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I keep my baby bathed with antibacterial wipes.  I guess that's a characteristic of a NICU mom.


Well this carrier cover will keep baby covered and protected from those "baby touchers" and their germs!  I've made three so far... two for little baby boys on the way and one zebra and hot pink one for a sweet baby girl.  And trust me, Sweet Pea will definitely have at least one made for it too!!


The next gifts I made were burp cloths to coordinate with the carrier covers.

Then I get to personalize them with my new embroidery machine!!! 

I still have a lot to learn about my machine and the software that came with it: stabilizers, thread tension, sizing, editing, etc.. But it's coming.  I also have a lot of projects and ideas planned for it including more baby gifts, a couple of nursing covers, some baby blankets, things for Sweet Pea, things for Jude, some dish towels for a housewarming, some beach towels for the summer, some gifts for a new bride, and some birthday presents for our family and some of Jude's friends!  And, YES, you'll probably have to suffer through a post about each one ;-)


I'm also thinking about opening a little Etsy shop with some of my gifts in it to help make a little extra money and help raise some funds for Jude's preschool at LSU (fees have increased greatly for this upcoming semester- more on that later).  Lane and I have been trying to come up with some cute names for it.  So far we have Lane's idea of "Nap Time Designs",  "Merry Bobbins" which is another one of Lane's ideas and his favorite, and of course "The Mustard Seed Boutique".  It's just being talked about now, but I'm still a little nervous about it.  So feedback is greatly appreciated!


Well that's it for now.  Hope everyone is has a wonderful week!

My New Toy!!

My husband and I have talked about getting me one off and on for a few years.

He was always willing, but I thought it cost too much.

I've shopped around and come close to buying one, but always backed out.  I tend to have a slight fear of commitment.

There always seemed to be a need or want greater when some extra money came in.  A new truck for my husband because his was too dangerous to drive.  New bedroom furniture for us because we were sleeping in the bed my parents bought when I was ten.  A porch and deck on my house because I wanted somewhere to be outside in the shade.  (I love being outside and so does Jude.) And... well I guess you get the picture.

Then, I decided I was ready to go ahead and get one.  BUT, where in the world was I going to put it?  We have a tiny 3 bedroom home (a little less than 1200 square feet), and my extra room is now going to be a nursery, so once again I changed my mind.

Then my sweet husband added cabinets in the dining room for all my crafty stuff, but do I really want to give up my only dining area?  or have my crafty mess of display for everyone?  Uhhh... no.

However, my desire for one just kept growing as did my husband's desire to get me one.

So we did some decision making on space and money, and decided to just go for it.

Last night my husband brought a huge box into the kitchen.

I excitedly opened it up and starting taking out my new...

EMBROIDERY MACHINE!!!

I am just so excited and VERY overwhelmed by it... I've got a lot to learn!

My new machine not only does embroidery work, but sewing, quilting, and appliqueing as well!!!

And I am one happy girl!! 

So to all my readers, family, and friends, prepare yourself for a lot of posts on my adventures in learning about all this new stuff!

Now, this machine is BIG and it takes up A LOT of room.  There is no way it's going to fit in those new cabinets.  But after some realistic thinking, I have decided to forgo Sweet Pea's beautiful dream nursery and let the new baby share a room with Jude.  Some of you are probably gasping in horror right now, but the decision seems so logical for several reasons.  

1)  The baby will sleep in our room until it's no longer getting up in the middle of the night to nurse.

2)  I purchased beautiful crib bedding from Pottery Barn that I'm too attached to it to sell it, but Jude really doesn't need a bumper pad or crib skirt on his toddler bed.

3)  I already have a changing table so I hate to buy another one, but Jude is still using it so they can share.  

4)  This baby is probably a boy and I planned on putting them together at some point anyway.

5)  I get to KEEP my craft room.  And I have extra cabinets ;-)  Now I am actually going to start working on revamping my craft room now instead of a new nursery.  So I'm going to be checking out Tatertots and Jello's craft room showcase here and here.

Now should Sweet Pea turn out to be a girl (I will be so thrilled), I think sharing a room will still be a good idea.  I just might get some new "girlier" bedding.  Hopefully we'll be in a bigger house by the time we need to separate them or another baby comes along.  But if we aren't, we'll figure it out and be just fine.  I mean, Dolly Parton's parent's raised 12 children in a two room house ;-)

On Jude news, he's doing great.  We have been battling some ear and sinus infections for a while, but he seems to finally be on the mend.  School at LSU has ended for the summer but we still have a few weeks of public preschool left.  He's growing and starting to pull up on things and CRAWLING.  He doesn't crawl all the time, but he's shown us he has the ability.  He's definitely keeping things interesting around the house.

On Sweet Pea news, everything is still going great.  I actually go to the doctor tomorrow for my 28 week sonogram to check and make sure the baby is still developing good, so prayers are definitely coveted.  We still don't have any names, and probably won't until the baby gets here- And that's gonna kill me since I have machine now and have to wait to monogram Sweet Pea's stuff.

Well, that's it for now... I've got to get working on learning about my new embroidery machine and redoing my craft room.  Hope everyone has a great day!