I just spent three days at the Summerfest in Wagoner Ok. It was a great festival full of small town goodness. You could see that the folks take care of their own. People were happy and celebrating the beginning of summer. Everyone that stopped by was cheerful and we had a great time. Even though it was super hot for June at 97 degrees.
I am in the midst of getting kids ready for camp. So I will check back in later. Stewart Photography took all of these pictures for me.
Karen
What a great organization! This is just a shout out for them and what they do!
Please take a look at their site and participate or donate to their organization.
Children in a hospital for any reason for serious illness breaks my heart. If you are a crafter or seller of handmade items, how does your craft help other people? Are you using your talents and gifts from God to help others? Here is my challenge: Find some way in which your talent or gifts helps others as a gift. Let me know what you find out or what you do. There are so many ways that handcrafts are helping people. From scarves for the homeless to quilts for kids to so many things. Comment back and let me know what you do!
talk to you later,
Karen
Here are some links to some craft shows in the Tulsa area. I am hoping to be selling items from Chocolate Dog Studio at these craft fairs and also many items that are not listed in my shop. So there are new items being made every day. I am excited and pleased. The first craft fair is going to be in Wagoner at their Summer Fest.
Here is the list with the links of the other craft fairs.
1. Alliday
Tulsa, OK
late June
www.allidayeveryday.com/
2. South Tulsa Music Festival
Tulsa, OK
late September
www.myspace.com/southtulsamusicfest
3. Indie Emporium
Tulsa, OK
late October/early November
www.indieemporium.com
4. First United Methodist Church Broken Arrow.
November 5
Search online for information.
5. Western Hills Assembly of God craft fair December 5th
Sand Springs, OK
6. There is also the Darnaby Craft fair. It is a fund raiser for Union High School. You can get information on line.
7. Jenks Art on Main in October. Check the Jenks Chamber website for information.
8. The Arf craft show is here: http://www.peaceloveandcrafts.com/
9.
There are a few, I know that there are many more than what I have listed. You can leave a comment if you want to post another craft fair in the Tulsa Area.
I am now set up to accept credit cards and have the tax information all ready. Just need to finish creating and get the display ready to go. I have finished the shop banner and I hope that I am ready to go on this new venture.
Talk to you later,
Karen
Here is a small preview of what I have been spending my time on!
Some of them are available in my Etsy shop. Some aren’t listed yet.
See you later,
Karen
Chocolate dog studio was featured in this blog. It was such a nice surprise when I woke up this morning. I love the thought of shopping local.
Take a look!
http://www.maketulsa.com/2011/04/spring-green/
Thanks so much Make Tulsa!
Karen
I just saw these amazing and awe inspiring easter eggs. Yes, those are embroidered with needle and thread.
I found the original article here :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EMBROIDERED_EGGS_BY_I_FOROSTYUK.jpg
Then I found these ribbon embroidered eggs!
http://www.needlenthread.com/2011/04/ribbon-embroidery-easter-eggs.html
Then I found this cool site that tells you how to make your very own embroidered Easter eggs. There are step by step instructions with photos to help you figure out how to sew on eggs!
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2011/04/sewing-101-embroidered-eggs.html
Hmmm, I wonder if I can whip some up for Saturday’s family Easter lunch. lol :0)
No, not this year!
Have a wonderful Easter,
Karen
Here are a few of my newest favorite items from an Etsy sellers team that I am on.
Most of these ladies have been on etsy for around the same amount of time as I have. I happen to love the colors in this teapot and will be restocking my kitchen with these as soon as the dish duty children in my house break fewer dishes.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/43230738/porcelain-teapot-toile-pinkred-valentine
Wouldn’t these look great at my next tea party! Well, when I have one which will probably be few years. The last tea party I remember was when the girls were little and that has been at least 5 years ago. I think I need to socialize a bit more. I think that they would go with the red ware tea pot though!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61832034/set-of-four-ceramic-bird-tea-bag-jewelry
I also love this…
http://www.etsy.com/listing/72090004/primitive-old-looking-fan-table-runner
Well, tune in next time when I will show you my picks for the entryway! I desperately need to do something to update and make it much more useful! Have a great week and see you next time.
What would you do to update your eating area? Does updating matter to you?
Later,
Karen
Here is the introduction to Chocolate Dog Studios newest product. Poms on a ribbon for wedding and shower decorations. These are fun and classy all at the same time. I can make them in almost any length that you would like. The Poms can be as small as 2 inches in diameter to 4 inches in diameter. They can be made out of cotton, satin, tulle,and taffeta! They can match your bridesmaids dresses or ribbons on your bouquet. You can hang them in the tent, garden, church, use them as table decorations, center pieces or hang them individually from the ceiling! I pack them in a sturdy box so that they do not get crushed and they are ready to go.
I hand cut each circle that goes into the pom and then sew them by hand and fluff them when they are done. They are then threaded onto ribbon, monofilament, string, or yarn.
I can customize these in any way you want, two colors, three colors, rainbow. Cotton fabrics, reclaimed bed linens, white muslin, satin, taffeta, tulle the list is endless. Just send me an e-mail to let me know what you would like. Extra ribbon is available to match should you need it.
Custom orders do take extra time as I may need to order ribbon or fabric. So please plan accordingly.
Can you tell that I am excited about my newest creation? I sure am. What a lovely way to decorate for a wedding, fuss free.
Well, the organizing has deteriorated into cutting and creating… it always does. I did, however accomplish three things.
1. I found fabric I didn’t know I had
2. I cut a bunch up ready to go for some projects.
3. I jump started the creative process.
So I am a bit rejuvenated and ready to get back to work. I have had some awesome buyer requests for custom work and suggestions for new product items. The weather here is dark and gloomy and rather dreary so I am sure that I will get to work in the studio today. I just bought a new tool for my gift tag creating and I can’t wait to share the ins and outs of using it. I do need to work with it a bit more first.
I am excited about the new products so I will create the few custom orders and then get to work on the new products. They are eco-friendly and green and also useful. So that fits in with my shop’s vision statement or theme! It also fits in with my desire to reduce the fabric storage foot print in the studio!
Next week Becklee cottage will be with us again as a guest blogger.
I can’t wait to find out what she will share with us.
Talk to you later,
Karen
I am in the process of reorganizing the studio today. I have had a huge gifting of fabric lately and my previous huge tubs of unsorted fabric organization method wasn’t working at all. So I am making mini bolts for the fabric so that I can see at a glance exactly what I have. The extra fabric has been wonderful but if I am going to be able to use it all then I need to be able to see what I have at a glance. As proved by the customer that wanted an 2 owl cup cozies and I had to go digging through bins and bins of fabric to see that I have exactly no owl fabric left at all.
Here are some of the photos of where I got the idea!
http://www.quiltersclubofamerica.com/forums/t/16077.aspx
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php
It is so easy to see all the print and even almost see how much you have of each kind of fabric. Since I am a use what you have kind of girl and being a little trapped at home (teenage daughter using the car this afternoon) and also being a I’d rather spend my money on fabric or other much more exciting things kind of person, I used old shirt boxes cut down to a semi uniform size! Semi-uniform size means that I am not getting out a ruler and measuring each one out to an exact size. I need to get this done and then move on! :0) If the size is a big deal to you, then use comic book boards which is what they used at craftster.org in the picture above.
Well, enough of a break from organizing, I had better get back to it before I lose my motivation…
Talk to you later,
Karen
How do you organize your craft supplies and especially your fabric? Send me some links to your organization methods as I am still on the hunt for organizing everything else! :0)
