.buttercup bags.

.buttercup bags.  Last week I purchased a licence to sell version of Rae Hoekstra's buttercup bag.  I love making these bags as they don't take too much time and are adorable.  I made my first one to sell this week and it is now posted in the shop.  I didn't have enough fabric for a full out handle so I made it into a clutch, and I love it.  .buttercup bags.

PS: You have until Monday, May 31st to sign up for the summer loving swap.

.summer loving swap.

.summer loving swap.  I sent an email to everyone I know who signed up.  If you signed up and did not receive an email from me, please email me so I can add you to my list.  To read more about our summer swap go here.  You have until Monday May 31st to sign up! Also, I know some of you had trouble with the button I made.  Since I am by no means a computer genius I would just save the button as a picture and link it back to my site or the summer loving swap post (that's what I always do for links and they work... can't help much more then that, sorry).  .summer loving swap.

.sew mama sew - giveaway review.

.giveaway review.  I love the giveaways hosted by sew mama sew & look forward to them twice a year.  I think it's a great chance to explore new blogs and find incredible shops.  This time around I wasn't quite up to par as I was last time, but I also have far more going on in my life.  I found that many people were in the same boat as me trying desperately to pull something together in the nick of time.

Sorry if I hurt your feelings here, but I discovered a couple new trends that I do not like.  First a couple people gave away bags of scraps... I am not opposed as you can create beautiful things with scraps, but add something too the giveaway people!  I also saw that these are in... really, is it just me or are these themselves just scraps making the whole thing garbage (I'm just sayin...).

On the flip side there are also many, many, wonderful blogs out there are are beyond beautiful and full of inspiration.  This cutie pie is in love with quilting and just got back from Quilt Market, very awesome indeed.  She also went to Quilt Market, so jealous.  Her shop is so adorable.  This mama of six, SIX, has a lovely fabric shop & quilting skills to die for. And I adore her style.

I also won a couple of giveaways!  I won a lovely set of fat quarters from Crafty Jennifer.  I recieved them today and already have ideas brewing away.  I also won two sets of bags from the Green Bag Lady - they are all going to my sisters & I am excited to tell them they won. :)  All in all it was a good round of giveaways, next time I will be more prepared and have a wonderful homemade prize for my winner. .giveaway review.

.mini van... this has nothing to do with crafts.

.mini van.  So a couple weeks ago we crossed the point of no return.  We got a mini van.  First let me say I never, EVER, thought I would own a mini van and if I ever did (yeah right) I would swear to hate it forever.  Then we had Lydia and realized our car was not going to be big enough as she grew - a KIA with a kid... I mean I love you Kiki (car's name) but your just not big enough, especially for two.  We had been looking at SUV's because we never thought we were the mini van type - but there is no, I mean NO trunk space (how are you suppose to travel?).  Therefore, a mini van was a practical realization Aaron and I agreed upon.  And now that I have Chopper (van's name - after hitting a plywood board) I am in love with another man :).  He has so much room I could live out of him, and having a vehicle with air conditioning is beyond a blessing.  Anyhow, just thought that since I'm now a proud owner of a mini van I would post a little video to go with it.  For the record we bought a Honda Odyssey, but these Toyota commercials are pure comical & I love them almost as much as our Chopper. .mini van.

.business cards.

.business cards.  Since I switched over to 1000 markets, I decided I should probably make new business cards.  Last time around, my sister and I ordered some from vista print - you only have to pay for shipping if you choose some of their basic designs.  This time I wanted to make my own.  I wanted them to be simple, yet stand out.  Before I show you my finished product, I have a few others I found browsing for ideas (by the way if you have a few hours to kill - type business cards into google or flickr... there are hundreds of great ones out there). I hope you liked what I created, there are so many business cards out there are are really inspiring .business cards.

.the unique.

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.the beautiful.

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.the ones with fabric art.

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.my new cards. .enjoy.

 

 

.giveaway package & winner.

.giveaway package & winner.  I finally got a photo of the sew mama sew giveaway basket I put together (shown above).  The winner of my giveaway is receiving: the adorable owl I made from a used sweater, one package of purple double folded bias tape (3 yards), one apple pincushion pattern by craftapalooza, two fat quarters, and two Heidi Grace designed rub-ons for scrap booking.
All of these lovely products will be sent to Shana from Blaze 'n' Crochet. Who was lucky number 7. Please visit her blog and wish her a big CONGRATULATIONS! .giveaway package & winner.

Please don't forget you have until May 31st to sign up for the summer loving fat quarter swap. Details can be found here.

.shop update.

For the giveaway please go here or scroll down one post.

.shop update. Just wanted to let everyone know that I finally got around to taking some decent pictures of the duffle bag I made.  It is now listed in my 1000 markets shop.  Hopefully I will be able to finish the other duffle sometime within the next week. .shop update.

.sew mama sew. -Giveaway Ended.

GIVEAWAY ENDED- COMMENTS CLOSED

Hi guests from Sew Mama Sew! I hope you are all enjoying this round of giveaways.  This year I have a lovely little owl to giveaway.  He is made out of an old sweater & designed by me.  I will also be going to the fabric store, I found last week, to pick up a fat quarter or two for the winner.  I will probably have some other items as well, but you will just have to check back in to see what they are.  The cute little owl is in the picture below & the other items will be posted as this week progresses and I have time to post them.  I promise you will not be disappointed by anything!

So here are the rules:
1. Leave a comment telling my something random about yourself.
2. For another entry, visit either of my shops, I am transitioning to a 1000 markets shop but still have a couple items in my etsy shop.  Tell me what one item is your favorite and leave a comment.
3. You can get an additional entry for signing up for my summer loving fat quarter swap.  Details here. Leave a comment letting me know.
4. You can get another entry if you are a follower or become one. Leave a comment letting me know.
5. Please leave your email in the comment, I will not track you down.
6. This giveaway is open to people only living in the United States.  Sorry international guest. 
7. I will be closing the giveaway Friday May 21st at Noon. Random winner selected soon after.

Now sign up and have fun!  Below are links to the lists of other awesome giveaways:
Handcrafted Items
Sewing & Knitting Supplies and Materials
Handcrafted Items & Supplies

.have you ever.

.have you ever. This week I have been working on the brown bag I posted about here.  I ran into trouble on Tuesday night when I realized I didn't cut enough fabric.  It wouldn't have been a big deal except I made the scraps into this pillow.  So Wednesday I scrambled to find a fabric store close enough to us that sells Amy Butler fabric.  I am thanking the Lord there was one really close, like five minutes away from my play date, and I am also thankful that they had the design I needed.  Have you ever done that, or am I alone on this one?  Next time I will double and triple check I have all that I need before I decide to go and make somthing with the leftovers.  Since then I have finished the bag and will be putting it up in the shop sometime next week.  I need to take some more photos of it first.  .have you ever.

little things to note:
*Today Lisa Leonard is having a giveaway on her blog.  Her items are so lovely, anyone would be lucky to win.
*Monday is the start of sew-mama-sews Mayday-giveaway.  Check their blog early for a complete list of bloggity blog giveaways.  It should be fun, I always love the tour and the giveaways are an extra treat.
*If you haven't signed up, sign up for my summer loving swap - details here.

.summer loving fat quarter swap.

.summer loving fat quarter swap.  I love online swap's, although I have only participated in a couple it's so nice to recieve a lovely package in the mail, rip it open, and discover a new treasure.  This summer I have decided to host a fat quarter plus swap.  If this sounds fun to you, the rules and sign up information is below, you have until May 31st to sign up.  .summer loving fat quarter swap.

Rules:
1. You will be required to send out one fat quarter.  Please make it a nice one, one you would LOVE to recieve yourself.
2. Here is the plus part.  You will be required to send a little something extra.  Get to know your parter, find out what they like and go from there.  This is a summer swap so get creative sending out a little summer sunshine.  It can be awesome buttons, extra fabric, a pretty necklace, some koolaid, whatever. If you own a small shop it can be something little from there. Please keep this extra gift around $10.00 just to keep it fair for everyone participating.
3. You must send out your package no later then June 21st. 
4. You will need to let me know when you recieve your package, hopefully by June 28th .  If you have a blog, you can post about it and send me the link.  If you do not have a blog or website, you can still participate.
5. You need to be a U.S. resident to participate.  In the future I might host international swaps, but right now it is for U.S.A. citizens only.

To Sign Up.
1. Email me at simply.simon.sisters@gmail.com with the following information.
      *Your name
      *Your email
      *Your address
      *Your blog URL if you have one, if not you can still participate.

Extra Info.
1. You have until May 31st to sign up.
2. I will be assigning partners and mailing out swap information by Friday, June 4th.
3. Packages must be sent out no later than June 21st (the official start of summer).
4. You need to let me know you recieved your package by June 28th. 
5. If you sign up and do not follow through you will not be able to participate in any .simply.simon. swap's in the future.  I will be checking in to make sure everyone recieves a lovely package. I have participated in a couple swaps where my partner "forgot" to send the item or did not follow through on all the rules.  This is for the best for everyone, so please be truthful on fulfilling your obligations.

If you would like to spread the word, please take the following button and link back here.  Thanks.

.shop update.

.shop update. I just updated the shop & wanted everyone to know!  In there are four new burp cloth sets and a new book journal.  Five items & one happy seller.  Go check for yourself at my new shop.  Remember that you can still buy some items at my old shop until the listings expire my etsy store will be open.  .shop update.

.distracted.

.distracted.  This week I have gotten off task. Distracted by the beautiful book I received as an early Birthday/Mothers Day gift.  I know that both are not until next week, but when I know it's a sewing book that I can use... it's mine as soon as the mail man leaves it in the box.  This year Aaron & Lydia got me the Handmade Beginnings the new book by Anna Maria Horner.  So naturally I stopped what I was working on and began a new project.  The better half of the past couple days have been spent piecing together scraps to make the Scrappy Nap Pillow. And it truly is adorable. The colors I decided upon were a mixture of pink and brown, many of the scraps are Amy Butler.   .this is a good distraction.

.in the making.

.in the making.  A couple months ago I purchased a duffle bag pattern from Studio Cherie, which also came with a licence to sell.  I bought it mostly because I did not have a pretty bag.  But, also because I figured it couldn't be that hard.  Since then I have made mine (pictured above) and I love, love, love it. 

Right now I am in the process of making two more to sell at my new shop.  I like to cut all my fabric ahead of any sewing.  Then I can just sew away and do the fun stuff instead of having to stop and cut.  Today I finally finished cutting out enough for both bags and get to start quilting the main section of the bag, yay.  Hope you are enjoying whatever your working on. -dez .in the making.

.journal review.

Caren from The Attic Sudio, blog, has given my journals a great review! Each week she does a review on something that makes her happy & today she did hers on journals. I am uber excited that she loves my journals and uses them so often. Here is a quote from her review, "I adore what she does with these old books. My Lucille journal is truly a treasure of mine". Please go and check it out at: The Attic Studio . Thanks Caren!!!

PS: rumor has it that she is also having a coffee mug giveaway that is open until 5/7/2010, hurry on over and sign up!

.there is no excuse, but.

.there is no excuse, but.... I am giving you some anyways.  Sorry I have been awall for the past few months.  Things around our house have been out-of-control.  We are busy, and sick, and busy, and always on the go. 

Excuse one:  I have a one year old... I don't think this needs any explanation but here it is.  She is the kind of one year old that constantly needs attention, and the kind that likes to be held.  The kind where you can't just put her on the floor to play, you actually need to play with her.  Thats the kind we have & I love her.

Excuse two: We have been sick, first me, then Lydia, then me again.  Now we are finally in the clear - YAY!

Excuse three: We have moved, we are still unpacking and situating ourselves over here in Sussex.  Even though we have only been here about a week I love it, and am so glad we decided to upgrade.  I have also moved my shop from Etsy to 1000 markets, the new shop address is: http://www.1000markets.com/users/simplysimon

Excuse four: I am pregnant! So on top of being sick, I am also tierd.  We are very excited for baby number 2!  He or She will grace us with their presance around mid-to late- September.

So... those are my excuses for being absent.  Hope you in the blogging world are doing alright, being creative, and enjoying life.