It's Done!!

As you know I've been making two little Easter dresses for my California granddaughters.

The pattern I picked out - YES.... it was ME who chose it...was just adorable.  I mean the flounce in the front just screamed Natalie Bryna Levinson - oh so sassy.

I wanted both of the girls to have the same dress.  I wanted them to pick their favorite color though. So Miss Natalie's is Lime Green and Miss Piper's is HOT Pink.

I really really really thought (or maybe I just prayed) that the second dress would be a bit easier.  You know I would at least have done it already and I would have learned a thing or two.  NO WAY. For some reason the second dress (hot pink) was made of a fabric that must have been left over from making sails on a boat.  I mean the weave was so tight that each time my sewing machine needle pursed it, it almost "popped".  Then there was the fact that since it was princess styled there were three pieces to the front, four to the back and THEN it had to be lined with just as many pieces AGAIN.

Well...I finished.....at 3am on Wednesday morning.  I mailed it later in the same day to get it to San Carlos by Friday so that my daughter could hem it.  I had already hemmed the lining (or slip) part.

It was so hard to "stuff" that dress into a box and put it in the hands of the USPS.

Here is the picture I took just before packaging it up:

The only thing  missing is the rose that will be sewn on the top of the flounce by Piper's Mom.

..........now I have to clean the garage...no more excuses.  Yuck.

Ths SUN is Out and I'm Ready to ROLL!

Yes. Yes. The SUN is shining. It is going to be in the 60's today in Connecticut. I can hardly believe it!!

I'm just taking a moment or two to let you know what I am making today for my California granddaughters...

So instead of crocheting the main part..I am using fabric to match their dresses :

This is Nattie's Dress

and then crocheting the doilie to contrast.  I love to crochet. In this project I get to both sew and crochet...it's a two-fer!

Yep..here they are in all their adorableness.

Natalie and Piper

I so wish I lived next door, or down the street or even in the SAME state!!!

OK now I have to get busy...can't just stay and visit today!

Until next time...

PS. The pattern for the purse is from http://thegreendragonfly.wordpress.com/‎ 

House-Wifey Stuff Today - Yuck!

I don't know about you but I can only stand the kitchen floor looking sad for just so long...then it's hands and knees time...and today was that time. Then it was on to the tile floors of the hallway and power room.

Then there was dusting. The Hub bought me a brand new real feather duster last night - by my request. It is so pretty I hated to use it.  But use it I did. I attached a yardstick to it with a little tape and I went around EVERY ceiling in the downstairs...cob webs beware!

In addition to the above it was time to get cracking on Piper's
Easter Dress.

Miss Piper...
 isn't she darling?





I've already finished Natalie's:

I'll tell you right now...it was a BEAR. Three sections to the front, four sections to the back...and then the same for the LINING! That is a lot of serging.... but in the end...Adorable.

That's it for today...I'm bushed and ready for a good movie and a little crochet.

Until next time....

Women-Owned Business Day - May 1

So...another day of Marketing.

Are you aware of Women-Owned Business Day?

It is scheduled for May 1.

I'm so hoping that if in fact you are: 1. a woman; and 2. a business owner  you will take the time to familiarize yourself with this GREAT EVENT and take part.

It is important.

So...here's the scoop: http://www.urbangirl.com/women

Shucks...The LIVE Video Broadcast Was Cancelled

Postponed really due to the illness of theCraftStar's CEO Bethan Davies...sure hope she's feeling better soon.

So today I am back to work...well almost. I didn't sleep very well last night. It was the second night in a row that the UCONN Basketball teams played and WON the NCAA Championship. Yep..that's right two nights of intense basketball games. With both the men's and the women's teams winning UCONN is now referred to as TWOConn!   It was really hard for me to settle down and sleep afterward. Today I am pretty exhausted. Thrilled, proud, but exhausted never-the-less.

To top it all off my home needs Spring Cleaning with a capital S and a capital C.  It has become way too difficult to ignore it one day longer. Cleaning and organizing must come before I can get back in the workshop.

Found this on Facebook today. What do you think. Is it accurate in "your world"?  It would be interesting to me to hear from you....

Onward to a New World

I have to admit it right at the start...I haven't been able to post since July of 2013.  Very quickly I will relate why...My husband, Rick, had his second seven hour surgery to remove the remains of his sternum eight days after my last post. Why? Because he contracted MRSA in the hospital during his three way by-pass surgery in March.

I thought "Oh terrific. We are on the right track now". Wrong. The next phase of this medical story continued with the "episodes" which then followed until January of 2014 where he would lose complete consciousness and I would have to "bring him back". I lived in constant fear that I would fail and not be able to revive him. Shaking became a daily state for me...waiting for another episode to strike. I literally never left him alone.   Luckily for both of us wearing a portable heart monitor picked up the fact that his "new top of the heart" wasn't communicating well with the bottom of his heart. The only way to get them back into a conversation was to implant a pacemaker....so yes folks it was a very difficult year.

I used to kind of roll my eyes whenever a Senior was telling the story of their latest Medical situation.
Now I find myself being that Senior...and telling my own story.  Forgive me if you can.

On to the REAL reason for this blog post...

I found the CraftStar when it was in it's infancy. Bethan Davis was posting on Facebook about her new "dream format" for sellers of crafts online.  I was fascinated. Why? Simply because I could tell immediately that the CraftStar was going to be completely different from my current (which will not be mentioned here) sales site.  First and foremost Bethan made herself totally approachable. I was amazed whenever I would write and ask questions that within the SAME day I received an answer.  Bethan had me at "Hello Linda".

I immediately tried to open a shop.  It was so difficult.  I nearly gave up. Then the programmers started to really get things right and I started posting...it was Halloween and thus most of my items were for that holiday.

Every time I had a question I was referred to Rhonda Green.  Who is Rhonda? She is a wizard from Pickens, South Carolina who "schooled" me in all things Google+.  She opened my world to a fabulous place on the web which was wide open and growing like wild fire.  The CraftStar is all about Google+.

After I spoke with Rhonda I started posting more and more items to my "shop" called Warmth:
                     http://www.warmth.thecraftstar.com

Approximately two weeks ago Rhonda sent me an email and asked if I'd like to do a LIVE Easter Show on the CraftStar.   A LIVE show?  I had NO idea what it entailed but suddenly I was hearing myself say "SURE!".  She asked for the mice I would like to feature and for a coupon code (20%).
I sent them to her.  Next I started going to Google+ each and every day like I used to go to my favorite team page on my "other site".  I watched the Live broadcast on April 1st over and over and over again.
Bethan was so personal, so interested in "her" crafters and so enthusiastic about their items. I fell head over heals in gratitude.  Anyone working and crafting at home, day after day, week after week needs someone to be enthusiastic about the labor of their hands. After 31+ years of making mice I needed someone to be welcoming and enthusiastic.   Sometimes a complement means as much as a sale.  It keeps a crafter/artisan focused and it makes them seek to become better and better at whatever they create and offer the public. The CraftStar makes that kind of interaction possible on a daily basis.

For me it is kind of like having Grandchildren...people can tell you how marvelous it is but you have to EXPERIENCE to believe them.

So...tonight I go LIVE.  It is a new adventure for me.  Way back when, in 1995 QVC I was selected to be in the 50/50 Tour when it came to Connecticut. They filmed each of us (12 Artisans) on the lawn of the Capitol in Hartford.  If I can do that I can do this....

Wish me luck...and oh by the way....give the CraftStar a new look.  It is the future. I believe that.

Linda
the Mousemaker

SAGE Fine Gifts and Yarns - Falmouth, Massachusetts

When I'm on vacation I always love to visit yarn shops. This year I had many to choose from.  I knew I was only going to be able to visit one. I decided to "visit" them on Facebook first.  I am so happy I did.  I found one Facebook page that I just loved. It was so well done.  It was so welcoming.  The name of the shop is SAGE Yarns.  It is located in Falmouth, MA. What a gorgeous little Cape town...I mean the shops all lined up on Main Street would make a husband run in the opposite direction.  I thought how lovely it would be to visit again with a carload of girlfriends!!!

In order to be able to visit the shop we had to travel 25 minutes South of the Bourne Bridge (our route home).  Can't say there weren't grumbles from the driver...but I'd not "shopped" at all during our vacation and I really wanted to visit the shop that was so inviting on Facebook.

Sage Yarns is at 263 Main Street in Falmouth.  It is right across the street from Falmouth's beautiful town green. The little tourist Cape town was teeming with visitors.

Sage is not the largest yarn shop I have ever visited but it is just as welcoming in person as it was on Facebook.  The displays are marvelous with lots of samples to tempt it's customers. Berroco is probably the largest supplier...and why not the company is just a hop, skip and jump away in Uxbridge, MA.  Berroco also has Norah Gaughan.  I have to admit that she is my favorite designer!  

The owner of Sage was busy giving several women a knitting lesson. She stood nearby as her students learned several cast-ons. As a knit teacher it was a joy to listen to her deliver her instructions in a clear, calm, encouraging way.  Her students were enjoying being taught.

I wanted to make the beautiful Gap-tastic Cowl by Jen Geigley (Free on Ravelry). I was hoping for Cascade 128 which is a bulky weight yarn that I thought would be in my price range.  Although SAGE Yarns did not have it they did have several other bulky weight yarns.

While looking at the bulky weight yarn I spotted a really pretty yarn by Plymouth Yarn Co called Gina that I just loved.  The scarf sample in the front picture window was made of it...in the exact color combination I loved.  That was it for me.  I knew my husband was anxious to "get on home" so to the register I went with my four ball of Gina.

The gal who helped me at SAGE Yarns was a delight.  She was patient, knowledgable and very cordial.

While I waited to be rung up several local children came in. One thought I worked there - I seem to get that alot! - and asked me if I could direct him to "where Waldo was".  I just loved that...it seems they were having a contest in town which had the children go into local shops and try to find where Waldo was hiding. Then they listed it on their contest form.  Sweet I thought.

I was able to take a quick picture of the lovely owner of SAGE Yarns. Of course I left home withOUT my trusty digital camera and so I had to take it with my new IPhone. Now I just have to figure out how to get it off there and onto this computer to include it....

One more thing before I go...a truly wonderful knit shop is always there for it's customers...it is always encouraging and teaching it's customers to be better and happier knitters.  I would encourage you to read SAGE's blog.  Here is my favorite post:

http://sageyarn.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/fo-seedling-pinkie-blankie

You will learn something very special if you visit this blog...and you will be very very happy if you visit SAGE Fine Gifts and Yarns....I promise...and I don't do that very often.