Stories From A Mature Entrepeneur

Back to work. Etsy store weekly listings.

2012-01-21T03:31:00.000-08:00

This is the collection for this week. Hopefully I can get my eight items to list on my store from them. My goal is eight items listed a week. One a day plus a bonus. So far this year I am reaching my goal. Sold nine items this week so if I can do more I will. Stay tuned to butterflyplace.etsy.com.

Flowers for Winter

2012-01-21T03:23:00.000-08:00

First try ever at forcing an Amaryllis bulb. It's 28 inches tall and reaching for the light. It needed a little help but it flowered nicely and has given us some color for this January. This has been so much fun to do and too easy. If I can do it anyone can. I was told that you can cut the flower stem off in July, take the bulb out of the soil, put it in a dark closet with the leaves and take it out at the end of October to start again for the holidays. I'm going to try.

Next listing. First for 2012

2012-01-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to take pictures to edit so that I can list this next group of items on my etsy store. Need to stay disciplined and on goal for 2012.

2011 rough year, but I still have items to list on Etsy.

2011-12-27T12:44:00.000-08:00

I can see that the next few months at work are going to be hard. They are already asking people to cut hours for the next two months. Like I have many now. So as hard as this year has been and next year will be, I still have plenty to list on Etsy to ensure that I can eat and put gas in the truck for work. After selling many possessions and finding new homes for stuff that I can't keep any more I will work on boxes marked inventory and this load is part of what I've found. At least twelve listings here. My goal is eight a week. That will be one a day plus a bonus. I'm empowered and know that I can do it and make my store work for the basics I need. Here's to 2012.

New Beginnings

2011-10-29T03:04:00.000-07:00

To every new start comes major changes and in the last several months it seems as though there have been just too many changes. As things begin to settle down and healing begins the need for still another change was there. What would it be? Well here he is, the devil himself, Diablo. A pet with it's own portable home. A Betta fish. He's been here for less than twenty four hours and has startled me twice. Sneaky little guy. Who would have thought that one little fish could be so entertaining and bring good feelings to this humble abode. Meet Diablo. May Diablo be the settling touch my life so badly needs.

Robbins Make My Home Theirs Too. Part Two

2011-07-24T01:57:00.000-07:00

The heat has been unbearable this summer, but we have air conditioning. What do these baby Robbin's have? This has been exciting and interesting to have happen in plain sight this summer, but I'm worried. I fill the bird bath a couple times a day, but the water has just been evaporating faster than the birds can get to it. Mama robin is doing an excellent job with her three young ones. They look half dead, but when she comes with food (papa too) they perk up and fight over the gift. Hopefully they will survive. Nature will take care of them. Water is what I can provide.

It's time to stop and smell the flowers.

2011-06-29T12:36:00.001-07:00

How can anyone not stop to look at the miracle of a flower? They are bright with color and just spread happiness. I could just spend hours looking at flowers and wonder of the life they live, the purposes they serve and the pleasure they bring. Enjoy for a few minutes some of ours.

The Finished Chair

2011-06-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Okay so the ninety nine cent chair is now worth so much more, but even the expense of fixing something up in exchange for comfort is worth the time spent and the price of paint. It took my daughter time to recover from her surgery, but once she felt up to spray painting she was right back at it finishing another project. Here it is. The chair is done and ready for use. We are both pleased with the result.
Don't ever be afraid to use vinyl paint and auto chrome paint. The results are amazing. They were new to both of us even though spray paint is one of our favorite things to work with. We highly recommend them. If you see that vinyl chair or vinyl anything and think it would look good upcycled then by all means give it a try. What can it hurt?

Spring Flowers

2011-06-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

I love when the air is fresh come spring and the flowers finally decide to blossom. After this long and wet winter and spring the Iris' in my garden have bloomed. I have watched these grow year after year for the past six springs and for some reason this year they are special to me. Maybe the stress of getting the garden to mature is off or maybe that I am settled enough to enjoy them. Whatever it is I wanted to share them. I hope you enjoy them as well.

Featured Etsy Item on Australian Haberdashery Blog

2011-05-28T01:08:00.000-07:00

Once again I have an item featured in an international blog. It continues to amaze me this power of the Internet. This particular blogger has featured one of my retro vintage trims . The blog is called The Haby Goddess.

Vintage Retro Trim $12.00

For someone who is still learning about international business I find that some days are like Christmas or a Birthday where you receive gifts but in this case the gift is not the sale of the item just the simple item being seen world wide. I will adjust to the new world. It's actually becoming quite fun and I have something to talk with my grandchildren about. I can keep up. Okay I can keep up a bit. Thanks for looking and I have added this blog to my list of favorite blogs so have fun surfing.

To Be Continued...Thrifted Chair Part Three

2011-05-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

After the final coat of vinyl paint was added and left to dry the butterfly decals were applied and we now have the back of the seat and seat finished. We may add butterflies to the back of the back because there are a few remaining. I'm enjoying watching the progress of this chair. Next it's on to the chrome body and making that shine and putting it back together. I hope your enjoying this work in progress. True recycling at it's best.

Getting back to nature.

2011-05-22T02:08:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday morning early and I'm working as usual. I'm taking a break to do some blogging. I decided this week to take some pictures of the wonderful nature around my yard. It's been so rainy and miserable that yard work has had to wait. I put in more daffodil bulbs this past fall that have already come and gone and I was given some Iris to put in and they are just starting to flower. I will get pictures of them as soon as they do. They are small and young yet and I hope to get to watch them mature. With all the wet weather the mushrooms have been plentiful and the grass has gotten high around them. The birds have been playful and I can't tell you how much fruit will be on the trees this summer. It's going to burst with excitement. I have to stop every now and again during any of my days to enjoy the natural life. It feels such a part of me and I never seem to get enough. I'd like my lawn to be perfect, but it will never be and I've settled just to keep up with what grows. It's all part of the great scheme of things. So here's to nature. Without it we can't exist. I'm so grateful to be able to enjoy it.

Robins Make My Home Theirs Too

2011-05-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of weeks we have been watching a pair of Robins take over our back yard. Last spring we knew they were nesting in the hedges, but this year they are out in the wide open at eye level for us to watch. This fascinates me to watch nature take it's course. I've tried to make my back yard welcoming to wildlife and birds and I've seen all sorts of animals in the yard. I've had skunks, possum, rabbits, deer, and raccoons to mention a few. I like the large variety of birds the most and when the cherry tree and pear tree are full we need air traffic control in the back yard. The squirrels and birds will make more noise while I'm trying to retrieve the fruit but believe me they get more than I do. So I thought that I would share this miracle of nature and try to watch and see if there will be chicks soon. We won't disturb it to see if there are any eggs in it. They deserve their spot.

To Be Continued...Thrifted Chair Part Two

2011-05-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

I didn't think that I'd get to the new pictures until this weekend, but as usual I get more done than I expect in a day. I am a bit tired today, but I think the weather has something to do with it. Nothing but clouds and rain. We saw some sun, but it's in and out. Today is my day off and I decided to keep working, but to pace at a more human rate. Done mostly little stuff today, but it all adds up to big stuff at the end of the day. So now it's time to show you the progress we are making on the 99 cent chair. It still has a way to go before completion, but we can visualize how it will look when it is done. I hope you can see it too. The improvements are slow, but any job worth doing is worth doing well. We will be repainting the chrome body, the vinyl is going to be white and the arms will be white and we found butterfly vinyl to decorate it. It will look wonderful in our computer room. I can't wait to actually see it done, but I can see what it will look like in my mind now.

To Be Continued...Thrifted Chair

2011-05-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

I've been so very busy building my on line store that I haven't taken the time to blog. That extra income is helping so much right now. Any how on one of our thrift trips a while back my daughter needed to sit down for a while. She'd been having back problems and it was getting to her. This chair is the result of her needing to have a seat. It was very comfortable she said and had me try it. Spending hours on the computer working is hard on your you know what and we decided to take it. Of course the price was just right too. As you can see from the pictures it was quite marked down. The progression of mark downs only meant to us that no one even tried to sit in it. It was a bit soiled so maybe that's the reason. So for ninety nine cents we purchased a new office chair knowing that we could upcycle it with vinyl paint and maybe some decorations. It is currently in pieces in the garage being worked on. It is showing great progress and we found the most wonderful vinyl butterflies to apply to it. We'll keep you in suspense for a bit longer. I will take some pictures of the progress and blog again over the weekend.

Thrifting on the way from one job to another.

2011-03-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

Okay so the thrift store was on the way from one job to another and I couldn't resist. Being the middle of the week and not expecting to find anything I took a chance and found two vintage aprons. At first I thought these were homemade, but upon second glance I noticed a portion of a tag that had been cut out of one and realized they were manufactured. I checked them out and they were new and just a bit dusty from sitting in some one's kitchen. I cleaned them up and ironed them and they are now listed on my store for resale.

One is a vintage yellow apron that buttons and ties in the back. It is a floral print and has two large pockets in the front. It is trimmed in green bias tape. The second is a vintage blue floral full apron that slips over your head and ties in the back. I found both of these apron styles listed for sale on the Internet and am happy to have found them to add to my store.

Sewing is my passion.

2011-03-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

While I'm busy building my etsy store and doing the job search and working part time I am teaching myself to do what I love so that I can make it through each day. Sewing is my passion and I'm trying to keep one project going at a time and taking it to the finish line. The past three days I have worked to complete another childs red half apron. I think I'm in love with this vintage 1950's pattern. It also helps to have used a vintage piece of red fabric. I have another one cut out in a vintage Christmas fabric and will start work on that one tomorrow. I wanted to get this on my blog so that I can continue to share with my friends and followers what I have been up too. For now I am just moving along and growing. Soon I will be able to do this full time. That's my goal any way. Wish me luck everyone and show me what you've been up to.

February Success, March Madness

2011-03-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

To keep myself from slipping into a deep depression about not being able to keep up with my bills and stressing just about everything, my daughter pointed out that everything I need to succeed was right in front of me. She is so right. I have so much that I can do to build an online store to support myself that it really isn't funny. I have two rooms overflowing with fabric to just sell or make something out of and it's about time that I woke up and saw this. Thanks to the universe for waking me up in this time of great stress and thank you Lisa. She's been telling me this for some time. Time to listen to wise daughters and son.

I got started with this project of an online store several years ago, but never took it where it had to go. After the first of the year and a couple of end of year sales I decided to get it going again. As of today I have listed my two hundredth item on the store and am getting good attention to it. The domino affect is amazing and it's with this action that one could say that it can happen over night. Not without many hours of work and dedication though. I spend every extra minute working on this business. In the morning before work, when I get home from work, in between projects, cooking, cleaning and anything else that pops up. I spend extra time checking out estate sales and thrift stores to find the fabric for resale that I think will sell. There is also the time needed to research what is selling and what is not. Oh and don't forget the time learning to calculate postage and going to the Post Office.

To shorten this story some it started out slow in January while I learned, but I made a few more dollars in February. Not bad for a short month and a new store. I only hope that the mad hours that I am putting into this store will continue on this prosperous path. Here's to March Madness. I also had the blessing of a few dollars come to me and this being the gift that it was I decided to invest in my stash and the pictures speak a thousand words.

Back to Sewing for February.

2011-02-17T01:46:00.000-08:00

I have this never ending desire to be in the sewing room, but lately it's been nearly impossible with all the work building my etsy store and selling on eBay. This desire was so high that I forced myself to do something, so I took out all of the red Valentines day fabric I could find and started sewing a little bit at a time. My first project was a baby bib of red hearts on white background. That was fun and quick. My enthusiasm was there, but the time was not, so I took a few minutes every day to do something more. I started an apron. Valentine's kisses. I used a vintage pattern and had fun even though it took me two days back and forth to the sewing room. I got it finished and took pictures and listed it on etsy. Then I made two oven mitts and two potholders with the remaining fabric, vowing not to put the fabric back in a tub. To continue with my passion for aprons, I made another from the same vintage pattern, but in a bold red and black and yellow heart print. It too got finished and listed on etsy. I have a child's apron cut out and ready to work on and although it's past Valentine,s day I won't be happy until I've used as much of the fabric as I can. I will sell the scraps at the end of the month so that nothing goes to waste. I hope you enjoy looking at my finished products. I had fun knowing that I could get back to sewing and not just work on the on line business. Visit me at butterflyplace.etsy.com for all of my selling adventures.

Spread Love Through Thrift.

2011-01-23T05:16:00.000-08:00

We're coming up on the most loving day of the year, Valentines Day, when love reigns for what we think is just a few hours. Take that feeling and make it live with you all year every day. Care about each other no matter what. Love is every where all the time.

These kissing angels were found over the holiday season at a thrift store. They are about ten inches tall and the pair was purchased for just one dollar. It was 50% off day. Angels are filling my home to remind me that love is all around. I hope we can all spread some.

Upcycled Candles From Other People's Junk

2011-01-12T08:12:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how to decorate cheap with candles. I've been successfully doing this for years with other people's junk that I upcycle. This is the in thing to do today. Glad it's become popular. These are two reclaimed Ball canning jars that can be hung with their own bail wires or set on the table.

These now white wall sconces started out as two goth black candle holders that with a quick spray painting in white made them two totally different holders. New life for less than five dollars. While out rummaging through another sale I found a number of tulip candle holders for fifty cents each and decided that these two pink ones would make these sconces perfect for my bedroom. I quickly attached them with E600 glue for a simple finish. Two wall sconces for just under six dollars.

One thing I like to do is go to the final day of church sales. This is the time that you can fill a bag for less than five dollars and what fits is yours for that price. I found these old metal objects that I am thinking are hand rail holders. Technical name I do not know, but my daughter and I used them in two different ways. She mounted hers to wood plaques that she purchased and I mounted mine to stained scrap wood. I attached votive glass and she just set the candle on the metal. Tastes differ, but for the seven wall sconces the price was well under $15. Can't beat that.

Santa is my favorite.

2011-01-06T11:52:00.001-08:00

Santa is my favorite holiday character, but put him on an apron driving a train and it's just plain cute. I found this apron (of course an apron) at a thrift store just after Christmas this past year on one of our out of town thrift excursions and couldn't resist. It just seemed so playful and colorful and of course vintage. With a little tender love and care Santa is ready for use and is now listed for sale on butterflyplace.etsy.com. Santa is actually a large pocket on this apron. Even better to be useful and not just decorative.

Check this out! I was featured on Apron-iCity!

2011-01-05T15:52:00.000-08:00

How excited was I to learn today that I had been featured on the Apron-iCity website. She feature my post on the Embroidered Aprons back in December. If you have a chance check out the website, for all things apron related. What a great day!

Happy New Year and a prosperous year full of thrifting.

2011-01-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

I found a few new thrift items through the holiday week, but I'm saving them for a bit. I am listing items for sale on my etsy store, butterflyplace.etsy.com. Feel free to look and shop. I enjoy sitting out in the patio enclosure on those mild summer nights and I have even done some quilting at the large table out there. There isn't a lot of light so I am always trying to make what light I have work better for me. There is a very large picture window that connects to the family room, but light does not come through that window. While on one of my expeditions to the thrift stores I found this wicker mirror that needed to be repaired. It was less than four dollars and with about a days worth of repair and some new paint it looked fabulous. I hung it in the window and have been enjoying more natural light and the way it made the window look smaller so much that I can't wait for summer to come around again.

Winter Wonderland Thrift

2010-12-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

With the holidays approaching faster than I could manage I decided not to do as much Christmas decorating this year and I jumped right into my January mode. Any one who really knows me knows that I decorate fresh for every month and January is blue and white snowflake theme.

Continuing on the thrift part of this blog I thought that I would blog my blue and white winter themed trays that I use on the kitchen wall to make it feel icy. These were part of a set of four, but at the thrift store there was not a complete set and the other seasonal trays of the set didn't appeal to me as well. I knew I would use these for sure. So I got wall plate hangers and here they are.

Vintage Pink Thrift Store Ornaments

2010-12-20T12:41:00.000-08:00

It has always been a way of life for me to shop at thrift stores. Even when I travel out of town I try to find them. This find however was from a local thrift store. In an attempt to keep Christmas costs to a minimum, but at the same time be different than everyone else I chose a very cheap white Christmas tree that came complete with pastel lights. Well it seemed like we would have to put up with this frightful tree until....... I found some discounted ribbon, imitation poinsettia flowers of dark maroon and pink to match the ribbon and some off beat glittery who knows what and put it on the tree. Not perfect, but much better than I thought. It would do and fit the budget.

After the tree was up and we were ready to enjoy the holiday season my eldest daughter and I decided to visit some local thrift stores. As usual she went one way and I went the other. I got to a Christmas display and to my surprise was a box of vintage pink Christmas ornaments. Only twelve, but if applied to the front of the tree only she and I would know. Continuing on through the store I met up with my daughter who was so excited to show me that she had found two more boxes of the same ornaments and when I showed her my find we couldn't stop laughing. One box was minus three ornaments, but that was fine by us. Now we put the tree up either in the family room or in a Victorian decorated bedroom and just enjoy our economical and different Christmas tree.

Vintage Holiday Thrift

2010-12-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just happen to look on the top of a shelf at a thrift store and find a vintage holiday treasure. Mine was this box of unused vintage 40's or 50's Norcross Inc. children's Christmas cards. Are you old enough to remember the red velvet on cards? Well these are that kind of card and they just are so cute. I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them. The box was in mint condition and although there were originally 16 cards in the box there are only 10 now. I hope you find the pictures as cute and innocent as I did. Times surely have changed.

Apron Sewing Thrift

2010-12-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

The trend today has gone back to giving things a new use or just using what is already available. I have lived this life for as long as I can remember and when I look around my house I see that most of what I have in it has been renewed.

I was going to start a new blog with my up cycled items listed on it to show what I have done to use old things or bring new things back to life, but this is what the Craft Zone has literally become. Most of the fabric I own and items in the studio are what other people have not used and given or I have purchased so I decided to just keep everything to one blog. I am trying to create a network of blogs and blog friends so feel free to share my blog with your friends and maybe get an idea or two of your own.

Some years ago I was given (yes, given) boxes of sewing materials from an estate. So much that a lot was donated, made into something new for charities, put to use or became something special to me. In the boxes were two hand embroidered apron fronts. The condition of these aprons was excellent so I went to work to make them come alive. I added neck and back ties and lined them and they have hung in all of my kitchens for as long as I can remember. Textile crafts are my love, but I also enjoy being in my kitchen. Aprons are something that combines both of my loves.

Autumn Thrift

2010-12-12T14:07:00.001-08:00

I have seen so many people who have blogged about their thrift habits that I thought that through the year as I see my thrift store items and up cycled items used in my home that I would start to post them on my blog. I have so many that I could build a blog just for this purpose, but I will keep them short and do them on the Craft Zone.
These pictures of Thanksgiving blessings was a Hallmark punch out book. I found it at the thrift store (1.49) and just fell in love with the pictures. I didn't want to punch them out so I removed the rusty staples, found some autumn colored paper and some matching frames at a yard sale and put them to use in my autumn decorating. This was several years ago and I can't tell you how much they put me in the mood for turkey and pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving.

Dolly is finished.

2010-12-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say that Dolly is finished and returned to her owner. I had so much fun working on it and making it a completed quilt. I know this will be loved and I know my love went into making it, and will always fill another heart with joy.

Dolly is rescued.

2010-11-28T12:47:00.000-08:00

For the past few weeks I have been spending a little time here and there restoring a quilt rescued from a church sale by a co worker. I have jokingly named her Dolly. This is because she reminds me of the kind of quilt that Dolly Parton would have had as a child in her cabin. Dolly tells of how her siblings slept together in one bed and under home made quilts made of scraps and this quilt fits that description perfectly.

I am not the first person to try and restore this quilt. My co worker was giving it a great effort and as I was working I saw evidence of someone else trying to repair it. The fabrics in this quilt are very delicate at this point, almost to the point of being shop worn. Some are of such a lose weave that they unravel with the slightest touch. If you look the only way I could mark seams that needed repair was with painters tape, but as I worked more and more seams needed securing. I have worked hard not to make this my Pandora's box and I believe I have been quite successful. I have begun to tie it and make it a quilt with that rural country scrap look. I know it will be loved. This is going to be a Christmas gift and I am going to feel good about someone loving it.

10% Off at butterflyplace.etsy.com

2010-11-23T15:25:00.000-08:00

November 25 through November 29 save 10% off all merchandise at butterflyplace.etsy.com.

Rescued Love

2010-11-17T06:47:00.000-08:00

In my adventures to local thrift stores I have been blessed to find many items that I can up cycle into something new, but on a couple of my last outings I found items that I felt needed to be rescued. I guess it's mostly because I know the work that went into these items and some how can't fathom why they ended up in a thrift store, but some where out there they were loved once and are now loved again.

The valentine themed afghan is done in a crochet stitch (I know how to do this with a long hooked needle, but I don't know the exact name of the stitch) and made of the softest yarns. I just wanted to hug it because I know it was meant to send love. It is four foot square and just enough to cover on a cold February evening. I rescued this for the small price of $4.99. It will make a great addition to my holiday decorations.

The quilt of red white and blue is a bit faded, but is about twin size. It is a log cabin quilt pattern and I know the time that was spent making this quilt. It is tied and this method gives it that primitive look. I also rescued this for the small price of $4.99 and it will also make a great addition to my holiday decorating.

For those of you who know me well know that I decorate every month with a different theme if the time is there to do it. I enjoy life to the fullest and up cycled and rescued items make the love all the better.

Getting down to business. New listings on Etsy.

2010-11-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

As promised to myself I am getting down to business. I have rebuilt my Etsy store and have added some of the new items that I have been creating. These new Boho (Bohemian style) bags have been easy and so much fun to make. They show a lot of promise. I am having a great time making and creating.

Messy Craft Room

2010-11-09T13:32:00.001-08:00

Okay so I didn't wait until tomorrow to post the pictures of my messy craft room. A lot of crafting and work has been going on here. It's time to get serious about being creative. No matter how tired I am I need to get my act together. I intend to be back tomorrow.

Where oh where have I been?

2010-11-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

Okay so not blogging has become a bad thing and I think I am back. It's not like I haven't been busy.

It was a bountiful summer and fall for fruits and vegetables and even though this is a craft blog preserving food is a craft. Many hours were spent on my days off making jams and baking and making sure the food did not go to waste. The picture of the full pantry is mind boggling to say the least. I have given plenty of it to others also. Believe it or not the universe has replaced with empty jars one for one every jar that I have given away. Thanks to estate sales and good eyes I will be ready if more comes next year. So for all of those blessings of food that were given I have been blessed to be able to share and enjoy as well.

Another project was the road side dresser. This story can be followed on the blog TheThriftGift.blogspot.com. Working a little bit at a time on Sundays and after work this beat up old dresser was transformed into a utility piece for the sun room. It is the perfect height for using my electric grill and I couldn't be happier with the results. It makes a wonderful addition and was quite the craft project. I hope you take the time to look. You will find a link to The Thrift Gift under blogs that I follow.

I got a lot of gardening done this year and can't wait to see how things turn out in the spring with all the new perennials. I gave away plants and received new ones plus used coupons to get new plants at work. I did a lot of recycling and crafty things there also. There was so much stuff in this yard and once it was all in one place it all fell into it's own new home.

I have a lot of good intentions for the following days and weeks so I hope you all will keep in touch with me and follow my blog. Until we share time again have a great day and stay well.

Scrap Quilt

2010-03-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

This scrap quilt was started by a friend at our Valentine's day fun day. So many strips became so many blocks and finally a quilt of beauty. This has been exciting to see go together and we can't wait for the finished product. The owner of this quilt is diving head on into her nursing exams and I know as soon as she can it will be complete and we wish her luck on passing her state exams and becoming the wonderful RN that we know she can be.

Stamping Up Fun Day April 25, 2010

2010-03-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

To all of you who know about our crazy fun days and to those of you who haven't attended one yet let me tell you about the next one.
I will be hosting a Stamping Up party and when I say party I mean party. This event as usual is free and there is absolutely no obligation to purchase anything. The demonstrator will be teaching us how to use rubber stamps to make greeting cards. All materials will be provided and all that you have to do is bring your sense of humor and gift of gab. The date for this event is Sunday April 25, 2010 and there are no reservations required although I would like to know if you are coming to make sure I have enough seats. You may contact me for further information at this blog site. Please feel free to bring a friend and have a fun afternoon with us.
As for party, most of the time we have so much fun and food that it turns into a great party. Catching up with fellow crafters and doing fun things together is was has inspired us to do many of the projects that you see on this blog and we all agree to share our knowledge with each other.
I hope to see a lot of you there. It will be a great afternoon and I wouldn't want you to miss it.

Little accomplishments are the most rewarding.

2010-03-03T14:01:00.000-08:00

I have promised myself to spend as much time as I can working on building my Etsy store. I have finished a few more items and listed them, but my mind is forever working ten steps ahead of what I'm working on. True crafter I think.

I finished this darling child's apron today on my day off and couldn't wait to show it off. Its made from a vintage 1951 pattern and the Hello Kitty is also vintage. Adding the eyelet lace finished it and with a little updated altering I was able to make it in a couple of hours. The first one is always the hardest.

You can see my other accomplishments on my Etsy store at Butterflyplace.etsy.com. Enjoy!

New Listings on Etsy

2010-02-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

I am having the most wonderful time of my life sewing for fun and to earn a few dollars to support my habit. I made my first tea cozy for a friend and now it's become addictive. I just listed two sets on my Etsy store and have designs for more. I have this abundance of fabric just waiting to be used. I cannot wait to see what my imagination can inspire me to achieve. This is what friendships have done for me and I know I'm smiling more and looking forward to what 2010 has in store. I'm welcoming the universe into my life.

I have been diligently working on my Damn it Dolls also. I have ten ready for hair and five more to put together. I hope to be listing them this weekend. They are standing in a box staring at me so I need to get them finished.

I've also accumulated more fabric for my fun projects and have been ironing it and putting it away in my stash. One step at a time and remain patient. I can do anything.

February Fun

2010-02-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

February Fun day is exactly that. On cold winter days there isn't anything better to do than to spend time with family, friends and comfort food and that's exactly what we did. Laughed and supported each other, created and criticized, and indulged in warm food. Eleven hours of pure madness and fabric everywhere, but some of the creations were absolutely fabulous.

I have posted a few of the pictures here, but you can see more on face book. Become my friend and share all of the excitement. And for those of you who are curious, yes the devil was at our event also. She was exposing her horns.

Finally a picture of the Christmas Tree

2010-01-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

Okay it's taken long enough, but today I figured it out and got the picture from the disk to the HP image zone. Still somewhat baffled by the computer, but I'm learning more and more each day. I spent some time today listing more items on my Etsy store so feel free to visit.

The Christmas tree was a Canaan fir and smelled just wonderful. It lasted a month and brought great pleasure to us during the holiday and into the new year. I finally got to display all of the homemade fabric ornaments I had been working on and included mostly Santa ornaments to go along with them. I hope you enjoy seeing it. It's a memory that will last forever.

Fabric Origami Christmas

2010-01-13T11:26:00.000-08:00

It was decided to have a real Christmas tree this year and I chose to adorn it with mostly home made fabric Christmas ornaments. I did some fabric origami, folded fabric quilting, and used odds and ends of things given to create a beautiful tree. We got a Canaan Fir and the aroma was wonderful. We combined the ornaments with simple white lights and we enjoyed it's company for a month. Just some simple scraps and a little bit of time can make anything into something.

I also made new Christmas stockings and decorated them with fabric origami. If you ever need something fun to do try this method of fabric folding. It was relaxing for me.

Jr. Chef

2010-01-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

Look at our new Jr. Chef. At age seven Josh is discovering cooking. What would any seven year old do without an apron, oven mitts and a chef's hat. I think the transformer pattern worked because Josh was ready willing and able to eat brownies, cookies and Christmas ham. Sewing is so much fun and the gifts are so much more personal.

Rediscovering Aprons

2009-08-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

It seems that one of the most popular items people want to make today is an apron. Mostly fancy ones that are retro in style, but if you're going to actually use them a simple apron works wonders. Here's my latest creation and there are two of them. A his and a hers. I made them for some special friends. I hope everyone is having as much fun sewing aprons as I am.

Keep smiling.

2009-08-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say hello to everyone and keep smiling. Life is and always will be great no matter what we have to deal with. Do a little crafting, cooking or just spend some time with a friend and the world is your happy place. SMILE!

My name is Mariosal.

2009-07-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

Hello. My name is Mariosal. I'm a new creation from the Craft Zone. I'm part of a round robin altered doll project that is underway to create a doll and story so that our imaginations can fly. This has been great fun for Elaine because she didn't think that she could be so creative. It's been more than she ever expected and her creative juices have just been flowing. The story she has created for my journey into this round robin will make her and her friends laugh and she's left me open for the adventure of a lifetime.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13 CRAFT ZONE SWAP

2009-07-31T04:39:00.000-07:00

This is the date and I can't wait. I have invited more new people and I hope it will be as much fun as the past swaps. Bring whatever you don't want any more and take what you think you can use. It's time to move on to new projects and maybe you'll find that treasure to do the projects you always wanted to.
This is an early fall Sunday and it will run from 1-5 pm and most of you know that we usually go a little longer.
Refreshments will be available with time to gab and craft or just exchange ideas. I hope to see you all there for the third annual Craft Zone Swap.

The Craft Zone Swap

2009-07-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

Once again its time to clean house. Do you have craft stuff that you no longer use? Maybe someone else has something that you need. Start cleaning now and bring your bags, boxes, baskets, whatever filled with what you don't need any more and swap it for something that you do. All things crafty welcome. Some suggestions: craft magazines, sewing items, yarn, paper, stickers, wood shapes, rubber stamps or whatever you have. I'm sure you have things to clean out that are not ready for the trash. Everything can be given new life and we need to save the landfills for stuff that's really trash. This is a free fun afternoon and light snacks and beverages will be served. We look forward to seeing you and if you would like to bring friends please do. Everyone is welcome.

Black and White

2009-06-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Black and white kitchen attire. That was the gift for my nieces wedding which was beautiful. Her colors are black and hot pink, but her new home will have black, white and gray tones. Staying with this color pallet I decided to make them something they could use every day. For the groom I chose an all black barbecue apron. Simple, practical and not embarrassing to wear. For the bride a favorite apron with a beautiful flounce which will meet her very feminine side while working in her new kitchen. To finish the gift I made a quilted table topper that was a project at the American Sewing Guild meeting, a pair of solid black oven mitts and a pair of pot holders made from the remaining fabrics. A white glass two tiered serving tray completed the gift. I had fun making this personal gift and I know this couple will appreciate them.

Staying Busy?

2009-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

With all the warm weather that we've had up until today it's been hard to want to stay busy. It's been a challenge to be disciplined, but I keep going. As a result I have been using some of my creative spirit to refashion items into something new. My mind keeps thinking of things to do with all the stuff that I have around, but to put them in a separate pile would probably fill a room. I do a few and stack a few and it's working out that I am at least completing some tasks and at the same time having fun doing it. I guess in the long run it's fun we should be having isn't it? What's the sense in doing something if we're not having fun? At the same time there's so much stuff in the world that we can't throw it all away can we?

So here are three of the latest projects that my mind and hands created. I hope you can have fun too doing something creative with something that you already have and you can see more creations at butterflyplace.etsy.com. See you there!

Keep in touch and happy spring to everyone.

Damn It Doll

2009-02-24T10:25:00.000-08:00

At the last play day the discussion of stress dolls came up, and we had all had some type at our disposal at one time or another in our lives. I remembered that I did have something in the form of a pattern for one, but of course with all the stuff in the Craft Zone where could it be? Well the organized person that I am, had put it with my patterns. If this isn't original I don't know what is and it only took half an hour of searching everywhere but with the patterns to figure this out. Was this a senior moment or what? We took the pattern that we had and altered it to come up with the above doll and I gave it to Jill because she seemed to be most interested in it. She said that her mother had just made herself a new one and found the information on line. Well the doll has gone with Jill to Arizona and from what I hear is a big hit. Pardon the pun. We sure hope it's getting her through the rough moments that she is dealing with and it doesn't get too worn out with use.

The following is the poem that goes with this doll:

When you think you want to climb the walls

Or jump right up and shout

Here's a little "Damn it Doll"

You cannot live without

Just grasp it firmly by the legs

And find a place to slam it

Then as you whack it's stuffing out

Yell "Damn it, Damn it, Damn it"

Midwinter Play Day

2009-02-17T06:57:00.001-08:00

What better way to cure the winter blues than to have a play day. It was a blast. Five of us got together to laugh, enjoy some lunch, sew, create and just spill our souls with friends. I couldn't have had a better time. We will be doing this more often I promise.

Since this meeting some of us have been together again over coffee and a light sandwich and done some more laughing and have promised to stay in touch more often and take more time to be creative.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Jill whose son has been in a terrible vehicle accident and it has taken her to Arizona to be by his side. She is remaining positive and we have good vibes that he will be okay. With all that life has to throw at us it is important to take care of one another and remember that without friends some of us could not make it. We owe a lot to each other. May the fun continue despite our difficulties and may we all offer help when it is needed.

Latest Creation

2009-01-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Who says that waiting for the cable guy has to be boring. He was due to arrive between eight a.m. and noon. What is a person to do? Well I started working on a new bag. Just for me too. Unheard of to say the least, but I did it. I started early and kept going until the cable guy arrived. This was about eleven. By this time I was about one third of the way done. While this poor soul, (Keith by name), was out in the bitter cold wiring the house from the pole with his companion cable guy, I kept going and by the time they were ready to come in and hook up the TV it was after one and I had quite a bit more done. I had it pretty much sewn and pinned together by this time and was almost ready to finish the job. When Keith finished getting the cable in and I had signed off on the job there was time for a quick bite to eat and it was off to the sewing machine because by now I was hooked and wanted it finished. I worked along for about another hour when the phone rang and it was the cable company. They needed to inspect the mornings work and review with me a few questions, but this couldn't be done over the phone they needed to ask me personally and check the hook-up to the TV. Well my hands were sore anyway and I needed a break and fifteen minutes later I was going over my experience with the cable company for 45 minutes. It is now 3:50 in the afternoon and I'm torn between finishing the bag and preparing dinner because Lisa would be home in a little more than an hour. My choice was to finish the bag and I did. I prepared dinner later.

So now let me tell you about the latest creation. Jill will recognize this fabric right away. It is an upholstery fabric. Quite thick too that has been bonded with a knit on the back. I lined it with a coordinating gabardine and included three pockets inside. I added a tab with a hook to attach my keys and this way I won't be searching for them on the bottom of the bag. I made a smaller bag with a zipper for my medications and personal care items out of the same fabric to keep order in the bag. I used a magnetic fastener to keep the flap closed and added a butterfly pin for embellishment. This pattern is the one I have used in the past with the exception of the longer strap. As I am getting older the over the shoulder bag has bothered my arm and I was getting to the point where I would feel vulnerable and feared someone pulling my bag off of my shoulder. The messenger style has freed up my hands and taken the stress off of my body. Okay I admit I am getting older, but it was such a simple solution. This was a very difficult fabric to work with because of it's thickness and turning the handle was the hardest part. My hands ached for a day.

So next time you need to wait for the cable guy and need a project why not make a new bag for yourself. I had more fun organizing myself and figuring out what to put in and take out of my purse and now I can even keep my coupons with me. This makes it all worth while.

What's going on?

2009-01-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well haven't I been away for a while? So much is happening and so much more will. Most stories to long to tell and better left untold. It's a new year and a new time and with today's economic situations what can be said. I have been taking all of the positives in life and throwing them into the Craft Zone.

Being one of those persons without a "job" isn't easy, but it's not the end either. It's another door opening and it's what I want to do any way. I am learning more about business every day and learning to get it more organized, although you'll see by the updated pictures that this doesn't look like it's happening. The organization is coming with the bookkeeping and filing and controlling the business end of the Craft Zone. I have installed new bookkeeping software and created the spreadsheets needed for 2009 and feel at least like I can perform end of month duties on time. I'll just have to stay disciplined and it will all happen.

As for the physical side of the Craft Zone, you'll see that the fabric and projects keeps rolling in and I have purchased brand new machines. Six in all, but one was given to a supporting member for her dedication to me. These are inexpensive but good machines that should stand up for a while as I take the Craft Zone to the next level. Advertising is the next step and so far I am relying on word of mouth and any where I can post an ad for free. The budget is not quite set for anything more at this time, but time will change that too.

So as all of the business and physical aspects of the Craft Zone develop there is still one part that needs work. This is the scheduling of events. I have been trying to come up with new events and I hope to add one to this years calendar. We are working on a date for the third annual swap and as soon as we can we will print the fliers for this event and give everyone time to prepare. The other event we are thinking about is the Linus project. We have been doing this on a personal level. This project creates blankets for needy children and children in hospital situations. As we all know there are many in need and we can all do some small part to help, so I'm looking forward to scheduling this sort of event maybe twice this year. There are several other ideas, but so far they are all in the planning stages.

Well enjoy the updated pictures and feel free to pass this site on to all of your friends. Who knows who will come to our next play day. See you soon. I promise

The Quilt is in Lake View

2008-08-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Okay it took some time, but it is finished and on my granddaughter's bed. She loved it and said it almost touches the floor. It turned out better than I thought, but after hours on the floor putting the layers together I managed to get it to her one week after her 13th birthday. It was so big and fluffy and I fell in love with it too. Lisa has named it Juicy Fruit because of all the colors involved. It will brighten her room for sure and make her feel like a special person.

I have also found temp work while I look for permanent employment. I've heard there aren't any jobs out there, but I've had little problems coming up with something. Not what I want to do permanently yet, but at least it's an income and I have my business moving too. My spirits have never been higher and I can see all possibilities. Never stop dreaming. The universe has many directions for us to follow.

I can't believe that summer is almost over for the kids. Besides a bad case of Bronchitis summer has been wonderful, but I know that my favorite time of year is here because of all the pears that are in containers on the deck. Lisa and I managed to pick about two bushel's this weekend and now we will have to find them a home. Too many for the two of us. I can smell the pie now and the air has felt like fall the past two days. So here's to the last days of summer and everyone please have a safe and wonderful Labor Day weekend.

Better Late Than Never

2008-08-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

Okay so it's been a few months. I'm not very good at keeping up, but now that I am not working, I'll see what I can do. I had a wonderful trip to Florida with my daughter and her family. I can't wait to do Disney World again, but this time walking through everything. It was hot and humid, but I loved every ride I went on with them and even the days driving. I am scrap booking the event in the form of a story book for myself, but I can't wait to see the kids reaction to my format.

We had a great swap this past weekend. It's amazing how much fun just trading stuff and gabbing is. I have to admit that I wasn't prepared for it at all, but I pushed to empty out and I hope everyone got something that they could use. It's a dandy way to recycle and keep things out of landfills. I think more people should try it.

My wall of fabric has grown some more. I have added another shelf, but if you see bare spots don't worry I have plenty to fill it up, I just have to do it. Maybe tomorrow. As you can see I have been busy this week. My grandaughter will be thirteen Saturday (time flies) and I am making her a quilt and as I was told it would go together quick. I got it to this point in a few days. Not without issues though. I won't have it done for her exact birthday, but I have promised that I will have it to her in the next couple of weeks. I guess if I keep with it I can keep my promise. I just hope she can sleep in a room full of so many bright colors.

So the Craft Zone goes on. The lessons continue and I am hoping that by fall the number of students will increase. I have more leads on special needs woman and am working to get them here.

Not much else is new, but for all of you who viewed the pears in the refrigerator from years past, it's almost that time again and I'm not excited at all. I may be calling on you to come and get a bag full. These are the things that keep me from updating my blog, but I will improve. I have more time on my hands now.

Spring Is Almost Here?

2008-03-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

Well we would like to think so, but today has not been one of those hopeful days. It's been a great day however to work on the spring cleaning and organizing. It's been amazing to me how much comes my way. The Craft Zone has been busy and everything has been thrown into the store room and I had to get to the bags and boxes and get it straightened out. I invested in two new shelves and put all of the fabric that was all over neatly on them. I only have one tub left to put away and I need one more shelf to accomplish this. I cleaned the closet and put overflow supplies away in there. It's taken most of two days, but the inventory is at least where I can see it now and within reach for projects.

The research for advertising is moving along and keeps me busy when I don't have students or working my full time job. I hope to have some kind of advertising in place by July 1, 2008 which is the second anniversary of the Craft Zone. It seems like only yesterday that I was painting walls and unpacking boxes with supplies to put in place. Wow how I have grown. One day at a time and a positive attitude will do wonders for someone who wishes big dreams.

I am working on scheduling the second craft and sewing swap soon. The date will be posted soon and the fliers will be heading out in the mail. We're looking for a spring swap this year in hopes that many of you will do some cleaning. So I hope that you all can change that cabin fever mood into spring cleaning and start preparing for the next swap. Hope to see you all then and I sure hope this weather clears out soon.

Sew this is now.

2007-10-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

I know it's been too long, but actually I have been busy making my studio grow. We have expanded to cover some craft classes and scrapbooking events, but the sewing, knitting and crocheting are still number one. Over the past few months we have added new shelving, equipment, and supplies. As you can see it's expanded to the point where storage is becoming an issue. Excess supplies are being stored in an extra bedroom/office and taken out as needed. I would like to say that we are proud to be keeping true to the fact that Craft Zone is still recycling and reusing what others need to get rid of, although I am taking full advantage of sales and coupons to build my inventory and equipment.

I have also taken time to go to craft events and crops to see what the craft industry is doing and to tell you the truth my head is spinning with everything new. I have done a lot of personal growing at the same time my company is. I have many ideas for the future of the Craft Zone. I have spent many hours researching and working on a business plan and learning as much as I can, and am getting ready to learn about the advertising industry to start placing ads. All of this keeps me very busy, but I wouldn't change anything at this point.

To all of my friends that I haven't seen in a while I hope that you can understand the work load and maybe come and spend some time playing with us at the Craft Zone. I could use some time to slow down and see what it has become and enjoy your company. To those interested in any use of the space including lessons and rental, feel free to contact me and we will make arrangements.

I hope the holiday season brings good cheer to all and I promise to be more diligent at keeping my blog updated.

Elaine

Fabric arrival

2007-05-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Once again I've obtained another supply of fabric for the Craft Zone. There's quite a combination of fabric including some wool, cottons, posh, and flannel. I have my friends Michelle and Jim to thank for saving it for me. I've already sorted it and moved things on to Craft Bits and Pieces as a donation. It feels good to share the wealth with such a great organization and to have the resource available to me for the odds and ends things that the Craft Zone needs. Last visit landed us a paper cutter. It works well and will come in handy for all the paper crafts we do and for office use. Thanks for checking in on the Craft Zone blog. Hope to see you soon.

Hello Spring

2007-04-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. I hope you're enjoying the blog. It looks like Spring has sprung. I hope you contact us at the Craft Zone to have some fun.

Carrots

2007-04-04T12:03:00.000-07:00

What are rabbits supposed to eat more of than humans? Carrots of course. This fun table runner was spotted in a popular quilting magazine. It's a busy but simple afternoon project including making your own bias tape and hand stitching. I found it very relaxing and the result was great. We are working on ideas to take this simple sewing process to the next step. Our imaginations began running wild. We even created ideas for the left over pieces. Can you see the future use of this process in your home decorating?

Craft Zone; and "sew we grow"

2007-04-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Craft Zone is a comfortable in home studio available to anyone interested in learning or upgrading a textile craft. Our main purpose is to keep up with the renewal of sewing, knitting and crocheting as a life skill. Whether or not you want to learn as a beginner or just have a place to relax and renew your skills, the Craft Zone is the place to be.

At the Craft Zone you will find that our emphasis is on finding new life in old things. We are more apt to have older machines, retro fabric and old fashioned events to duplicate the earlier times when women would socialize while working on projects. Events such as quilting bees, sitting on the front porch knitting or just sipping lemonade, or crocheting and watching the children.

Everything old is new again. To sew a retro tote bag, crochet an afghan or use retro fabrics and clothes to build a quilt, you will find it easy today to find vintage items to include in new projects. We at the Craft Zone believe that not filling land fills will help our environment and leave mother earth with a cleaner place to raise future generations. One man's junk is another man's treasure? You bet it is. To keep things from entering land fills we have created swaps so that we can exchange materials and other items for someone else to use. Of course this is crafting supplies. We don't do garage sale items because of course there are places to take those reusable items. What we have remaining from our swaps is freecycled or donated to our favorite locations.

New to the Craft Zone this summer will be a space in the garage for those projects that include heavy glues and paints. Hopefully a large work space will be built for this task. All materials are available and within the next month we'll see some progress. I believe that I've even lined up the help needed to accomplish this task.

It has always been our passion at the Craft Zone to inspire creativity and fun. It is also our passion to have space available to those who don't have it, to work on fun projects. As stated before we recycle and reuse many items. Donations are welcome although the majority of supplies are purchased at second hand and thrift stores. Sometimes it overwhelms us at the items we find that people don't want any more. We do however stay within a budget, but if we have something you would like to work with you are more than welcome to use what we have available. Fees are kept at a minimum and we have discovered that the fees include fun and socializing which are priceless.

As you can see by some of my earlier blogs that we have students and clients of all ages. We look forward to spending time with everyone, so give us a call and we'll have fun being creative together.

January Update

2007-01-28T07:36:00.000-08:00

Welcome to what's new at the Craft Zone. Some of my student's have been very busy learning how to make tote bags and purses. One of the more unusual bags is this karate conceived bag which is so called because of the karate belt strap. Nannette, the owner and designer has decided to advance her designs as she advances her sewing skills. There will be more bags to come for sure because she is constantly trying new things and the next karate bag is in the works. Yes she is very much into karate.

I took a spin out to Craft bits and pieces to drop off some donations and did a little shopping. I purchased a few items to use at the Craft Zone and of course a few extras. It was slow out there, but the weather has kept people away and now that we've begun to get some snow, maybe the skiing has too.

Don't forget that if you're looking for a warm place to learn something new you can always contact us and make arrangements for lessons at the Craft Zone. Ask for Elaine and she will be happy to help you out.

Well we're off to a banner year and hopefully we can teach more people new things. I hope to see you all soon. Stay warm and take care until next time.

End of year update and you can too.

2007-01-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New year and show you what the Craft Zone looked like at the end of 2006. It was a struggle, but we have it moving along at quite a pace and I believe that it will continue. Thanks to help from my friends I have achieved what I consider the most important goal of my life. A business of my own. I have nothing but positive vibes about this and although I am worn thin I know it is growing steadily and 2007 will be less stressful now that it is physically near completion. I hope everyone who has helped enjoys this update.

You can do it too. I was looking through a popular country catalog before Christmas and saw a granny square afghan listed for $95 plus tax and shipping and couldn't believe my eyes. I set out to do it for the most reasonable price that I could and believe it or not I did it for under six dollars. I got remnants of yarn from freecycle and Crafts Bits and Pieces in Fairport and combined them with what I had and sure enough I only needed to purchase one skein fo white yarn to complete the project. Sure I had to make it myself, but you can too and I will teach you. Please contact me if you are interested. It's not as hard as it looks.
P.S.
Ginger girl was the sewing project for the holidays. She had sewn on buttons, some embellishments and it was a great lesson in sewing around curves. The kids enjoyed the project and we are beginning to see much improvement in their hand stitching skills and machine stitching skills. You're never too old to have fun.

About the Craft Zone (double click flyer to enlarge)

2006-09-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting the Craft Zone Blog

Welcome to the Craft Zone

2006-09-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Craft Zone Blog.