CONTEST - January 2008

Welcome 2008!!! To usher in the new year at Valley Momma.... I've decided to start having monthly contests! The first one of the year starts right now!

Prize:

Winner will receive one stuffed loopy tag ring toy AND also a set of car seat strap covers! The winner will get to pick whatever fabric they want from my fabric stash to make each of them! (and they don't have to be the same!)

sample pics:

How to Enter:

Post a comment to this Blog entry telling me your New Years Resolution for 2008! Please make sure there's a way for me to contact you if you're the winner!!

You can also get entered by making a purchase from my shop! You get one entry for each item purchased... so more items bought equals more entries!

How to Win:

On February 1, 2008 I'll put all the entries into a bowl, hat, whatever and let my 3 year old son draw one name from the lot! I'll then contact the winner and they will have 1 week to get back in touch with me or I'll have to draw another name!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!

-- My new years resolution(s)...

1- Do not buy any new fabric unless I have a specific reason for it! (hahahahaha... I DON'T see this one being kept... I'm a fabric addict for sure.

2- Finally get the baby weight off!!

3- Be nicer to my kids. :) (and my husband, too I suppose... haha)

Happy New Years!

Fabric Stash on Flickr!

I did it! I took pictures of ALL my fabric and posted them in my Flickr account for the shop! That took some time! Over 100 fabrics! Wowsa!! Anyhoo... here's the link... http://www.flickr.com/photos/valleymomma/sets/72157603586600119/

I also added it as a link to the right here on my blog. ---->

Check out the fabrics and then check out my shop and then ORDER SOME STUFF!!!

Out. Time to celebrate New Years Eve Eve. :) hehe

3 new Car Seat Strap Covers...

Here's my latest addition to my car seat strap covers on my Etsy shop!

Michael Miller Pink Disco Dot

Michael Miller Groovy Guitars

Alexander Henry Lite Brite Black and Red

Sew What?

My new shirt my hubby got me for Christmas... I love it... it's too cute and too funny!

craft show prep...

wow. i have a lot of work ahead of me! i believe that i'm gonna be in a craft show here in march... i say "i believe" because i haven't gotten any actual confirmation, other than that the people who run it have cashed my check!! so i'm pretty sure that means i'm in. haha. it's march 15-16 2008 at Augusta Expoland in Fishersville (only a few miles from my house!)...

well, needless to say, i've got loads of sewing to do! i have like zero inventory (i'm a quick sewer when people place orders!)... so i've got to get busy! i wanna have like a million of my car seat strap covers (ok, not a million, but you get the point)... and my loopy ring toys, some mini-diaper wipes bags, crayon pouches (have not seen these anywhere around here and am sure they will sell!) and also some mini toddler pillows. I plan on having some of my bibs and a few burp cloths as well... if i have time to make them!!

today i've managed to add 4 sets of car seat strap covers to my inventory... so that's a start! No new Etsy orders today or yesterday and i'm all caught up with my shipping ones, so I'm free to start sewing for the craft show!

Things I need to do:

1- Take pictures of my fabric stash to post online so customers can see what other fabric choices I have... I've only used like 1/4th of my stash so far, and I've got loads more pretty and funky fabrics to choose from! Also would like to print these out in a binder so I can take custom orders at the craft fair, too!

2- Find a better template for this blog! I don't like this one.

3- SEW more items for my inventory!

4- PROMOTE PROMOTE PROMOTE!

5- Come up with an idea for a contest for January to give away a free item from my shop.

6- Organize my sewing stuff so it's not all over the house. :)

7 - SLEEP. right. yeah. can't do that. Nicole is almost 10 months old and is STILL waking up one or two times a night. GAH. i'm so sleep deprived... zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Project: Baby Ball

Attempting a new project... a ball. Have yet to make one, thought it'd be fun to try. Here's my first attempt...

Doesn't look much like a ball yet, does it?

Two halves done!

Sewing the two halves together... tricky bit!

Empty shell of a ball!

Polyfil just waiting to be stuffed!

Hand sewing the ball closed...

The finished hand sewn side.

Finished ball from the topside...

Finished ball from the side.

----

Although my first attempt seems to be a success, I know I can do better next time around. This one is not as round as I would like it to be. I might try to add loopy tags next time, too. But for now, you may purchase my first attempt on my etsy shop... Since it's my first, I'm not going to ask as much for it as I will when I "perfect" my technique. :) So enjoy the discount. Click here to see my listing on my etsy shop.

Stats:

3 inches in diameter

Fabrics used: Katie Jump Rope for Free Spirit, Poppy for Alexander Henry, and Peas and Carrots for Moda

My "Studio" ... or lack thereof

Ahhh... to have a separate space to sew in...

I do not have this luxury! No extra rooms in this house!

My "studio" is one half of my dining room table. When I sew I must drag the machine over to the table and set it up there. My supplies are scattered between our bedroom, the dining room and the garage. Maybe when the kids are grown and have left the house, I'll get one of their rooms... or better yet, the massive playroom above the garage! :)

Here are some sad little pics of my sewing "studio" ...

My Sewing maching on the dining room table...

My Sweet Sweet "Brother" sewing machine...

Crazy lady who poses with her sewing machine! :)

Some supplies... note my grandmother's 1960's green sewing box! LOVE IT!

FABRIC, FABRIC and MORE FABRIC! I'm an addict... truly I am.

I have some coming today and I ordered even more this morning... gahhhh!

That's a tiny glimpse of behind the scenes of Valley Momma... more to come later!

Initial Entry

Just testing out the blog. Test. Test. Test.

Will be posting more later today during the kiddos naps! Not that anyone is reading this yet... haha!!