Apron Strings...

New!!! Flirty Fluff Aprons

2011-03-31T20:20:00.006-04:00

I am sooooo excited!!

I've been working on the design for this apron for a while now. I think I got it where I like it now!

They are available in my shop... more will be listed as soon as I make them!

http://prettylittlepearl.etsy.com

A day at the Beach...

2011-03-18T10:16:00.010-04:00

This was probably our last beach trip for a while with moving and everything getting crazy around here. We certainly will miss it!

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

More Coupon Shopping :)

2011-03-14T15:55:00.004-04:00

Harris Teeter 3/14 with Double Coupons

Total Before Savings: $124.56
Total OOP: $51.56

...Full Break Down:
2 Frosted Cheerios: $1.43 ea.
2 Cookie Mix: $1 ea.
2 Smart Balance PB: $1.49 ea.
2 Honey Mustard: $.49 ea.
2 Salad Kits: $1.29 ea.
HT Apple Juice: $1.77 ea.
3 Muir Glen Tomato Paste: $.05 ea.
2 Italian Lettuce: $1.70 ea.
Organic Bananas: $2.13
Bread: $1.99
4 Waffles: $1.50 ea
4 Minute Rice: $1.25 ea.
2 GG Veg: $.78 ea.
2 OJ: $1.47 ea.
4 Kraft Shredded Cheese: $1.20 ea.
1 Sour Cream: $1.09
1 Yoplait Yogurt: $1
Organic, cage free Eggs: $3.79
Milk, gallon: $2.47

I could have done better on some things, but these were things we needed and I'll go back for more tomorrow :)

Harris Teeter Coupon Shopping 2/20

2011-02-25T14:40:00.005-05:00

Our Harris Teeter was doing Super Double Coupons this week. They will double any manufacturer's coupon up to $1.98!

Here's what we got:
10 boxes of Pasta
9 Hamburger Helper
6 Box potatoes
5 Pizza Rolls
6 Frozen Veg
10 Rfridg. Biscuits
2 BBQ Sauce
2 Salad Dressing
1 Oreos
2 Lunch Meat
2 PB
1 Milk
1 Mr Clean
1 Dawn dish soap

Total Before Coupons: $148.07
Total OOP: $47.46!!!

I saved 68%!!
Ok... I'm addicted now!

Dabbling in Kids Clothes...

2011-01-26T08:59:00.007-05:00

I've been quite busy lately, and its a very good thing!

I opened my shop back up and sales are rolling along at a steady pace.

A friend and I are working on designing a line of kids clothes. This is something that I feel strongly about.

My daughter is 3. Do you have a hard time finding appropriate clothing for your daughter?? I do! It seems like all the clothes out there are getting way too grown up for her. I feel like between the media and entertainment industries, they are all pushing out children to grown up too fast and I'm not a fan of that at all. You definitely will not catch Layla wearing something that says "I'm the Boss" or has "sweet" written on the backside of the pants. They them be kids, for crying out loud!

Not only that, but the clothes are junk! You wash them once or twice and they are ruined. With people being more careful with their money, its time to spend our money wisely. I would rather pay double for a dress for Layla that I know will last, them waste my money on something I will just throw away.

How do you feel about this??

We are still working on picking the fabrics and tweaking the designs but hope to make them available soon!

Snow day...

2011-01-10T21:53:00.004-05:00

Today we had a bit of winter weather... it was gorgeous outside..

The birds liked it too :)

Tomorrow I will be making a new Tutorial! Yay! How make an apron out of a vintage pillowcase. Stay tuned for that!

Pic Picks...Craft Room Organization

2011-01-09T18:16:00.009-05:00

Just some gorgeous ideas from BHG for organizing your craft room...

Stop the Madness!

2011-01-07T22:20:00.004-05:00

Oh yes... we have madness sometimes in this house!

Between Bryan working super long hours and Layla being, well, being a kid, it gets a little hectic around here.

Not to mention the fact that I run my business and the washing machine at the same time.

Luckily, I have a little knack for organizing things. I love it! Put me in the Container Store or Ikea and you wont get me back, I promise!

But, I feel like between all these things, there always seems to be a lot running through my head. So, here I am. Writing (typing) it all down. I hopes that maybe I can be more sane and keep things a little more organized around here.

That being said, I've decided to run with this organizing thing and make up some worksheets.

I've made a few so far and have lots of ideas for more. Available in my Etsy shop now :)

PrettyLittePearl

What do you feel like YOU need in order to be organized at home and in business??

Couponing

2011-01-06T12:07:00.007-05:00

Another of my resolutions this year is to save money. Things always seem to be a little tight around here. When I start classes in a couple weeks, I wont be able to push my aprons and sewing as much, thus, we lose our "second income".

So with that said, I've started studying coupon stacking. It's amazing what you can get with a little brain power, organization and a handful of coupons.

Here's what I got on my first 2 trips with my coupons :)

At CVS... all of this for $7.15!

Harris Teeter is doing Super Double Coupons now through 1/11! That means, any coupon you have up to $1.98 face value, they will double it! (except coupons that say you cannot double them)

So, with my plan and super huge binder in hand, off we went!

Today damage :)

Total before savings: $47.41

Total OOP: $13.19

Thats a savings of 74%!!!

Here's a little breakdown of the prices and coupons I used...

Lysol wipes: HT 2/$4

+$1/2 Coupon (DB $2/2) = $1 each

Ziplock Big Bags: HT $1.94

+$1/1 Coupon (DB $2/1) = FREE

Muellers Pasta: HT 2/$3.00

+$1/2 Coupon (DB $2/2) = .50c each

Healthy Choice Soup: HT 2/$4

+$1/2 Coupon (DB $2/2) = $1 each

Chef Canned Pasta: HT $1 each

+.35c/3 (DB .70/3) = .77c each

Not the best Ive seen, but this is only my second trip doing this. Still, its better than paying full price and these are things that we will use. So, its all good here!

I also had planned on getting Ziplock containers, but they were sold out. So I'll be going back tomorrow :)

Stay tuned for more of my coupon shopping!

-Gretchen

It was a very good year...

2011-01-05T23:16:00.004-05:00

One of my Resolutions this year is to keep up with my blog. I am working on lots of new things and I'm excited to share them with you all!

Here's what I've been up to in the last year...

Stay tuned to see all the new things to come!

-Gretchen

MilSpouse Blog Hop!

2010-05-01T13:53:00.001-04:00

I'm having tons of fun looking through all these lovely blogs! So decided to join in!

Here's the link if you want to join in too!

MilSpouse Blog Hop

My Bio:

My name is Gretchen. Hubby and I have been together for since we were 16! We've been married for 4 years. We have a lovely 3-yr-old daughter named Layla.

We are stationed at Ft. Bragg in NC. Hubby is currently on his 2nd tour in Afghanistan and Layla and I are holding down the fort here at home! When he returns from overseas, we have orders to move to Ft Benning which is much closer to home for us so we are super excited!

I love to blog. As we all know, military life is crazy busy but I love to share my life with others. On my blog, you will find crafty stuff, garden stuff, mommy stuff, deployment stuff and stuff about my small sewing business that I have been running for about a year now! That's alot of stuff!

I hope you find something for yourself here. Something to inspire, uplift or comfort you.

God knows we all need a little bit of that!

Thanks for checking out my blog! I look forward to chatting with you all!

Aches and Pains...

2010-05-01T08:42:00.001-04:00

About a year ago, a very good friend of mine and I traded crafty things.

I made her an apron, she made me a heating pack. I'm beginning to think I got the better end of the deal! That apron was one of the first I had made, and probably not the cutest. But this heating pad has been a life saver for me! I get knee and back pain when I sew too much, so I pop that baby in the micro for a couple minutes and get instant relief! Love it!

Hop over to her shop, cuddlemeclose01, where her heating pads are way cuter than the one I got a year ago. I think I'm going to buy another one! I cannot say enough about these things! They have saved my back 3 days in a row!

Oh yeah... check out her other shop too! She has super gorgeous nest rings, great for Mother's day!

I hope youre having a wonderful weekend!

Some Pretty things...

2010-04-30T14:14:00.000-04:00

Ive been running like crazy lately, but I wanted to show you all whats going on around here... in pictures...Enjoy!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Domestic Abilities

2010-04-26T22:56:00.000-04:00

My uncle, who is a well trained party-goer still at his age, has recently accused me of "losing my spark". By "spark" he means, I've lost my ability to have a good time, get drunk, sing too loud and cut loose.

To be perfectly honest, I never really did any of that crazy stuff. Maybe on very special occasions.

Point being, he says we (my sister and I) are "Domesticated" now.... well honey... if domesticated is this cute... I'll take it!

Here are some new aprons Ive made. Domestic-yes. Boring- heck no!

Hope you had a lovely Monday!

Giveaway Winners!

2010-04-25T09:57:00.001-04:00

Thank you to everyone who participated!

I loved reading all your comments about what you learned from the film. I'm really glad it is making an impact in some lifes!

Without further ado...

Recieving a Sample Pack from Clearwater Naturals :

Elena, Julie and Risya!!

The winner of the Large Laundry Powder is...

Hannah!

Congrats ladies!

I will be emailing you all shortly for your addresses! Thanks for playing along!

Funniest thing Ever!!

2010-04-23T21:52:00.000-04:00

I borrowed this from AMuddyPaw

It will totally make your day!

Rainy Day Business

2010-04-23T09:50:00.000-04:00

Lately, its been rainy and yucky here. I'm not complaining, April showers bring May flowers!

But after the laundry is done, house is clean, and the garden cannot be tended, I find myself twiddling my thumbs.

When I moved back to NC about 2 months ago, I got soooooo busy that I had no time for sewing. I had gotten out of my groove so far that I had no desire to get back to it right away. But the other day, the sewing bug bit me again.

When Im in the garden, I'm constantly trying to track down my tools, so I wanted a way to keep them all right at my finger tips. Enter: the gardening apron...

That "sewing bite" didnt hurt at all! Actually, it felt pretty good to be making things again!

So I made some more!

I have a couple more that I havent had a chance to photograph yet. I realize that I desperately need a dress form to make the photos look good. So today, after my chores are done, I'm going to Hobby Lobby to see if they have something I can use.

Today is, after all, a rainy day business day!

What do you all do to get through those rainy days??

Your Trash, My treasure

2010-04-21T16:35:00.003-04:00

Saturday morning, before hitting the Farmer's Market, Layla and I drove around the historic Haymount District here in Fayetteville. We had a mission, find some nifty stuff at yard sales in the "good side of town". There were lots of yard sales, but we only stopped at one.

I bought these two stools, $3 a piece. Oh yeah! I had it in my head already to repaint and re-upholster them. I'm going to give you a quick run down on what to do in case you come across something you can fix up for

yourself!

1. Give the furniture a quick wipe down.

Mine were pretty dusty and had a few cob webs on them.

2. Remove the tops and set aside.

3. Spray paint the wood.

I used primer first, then applied a gloss indoor/outdoor paint.

4. While your paint is drying, remove the old upholstery from the seats.

Here's what the inside of my batting looked like... Straw!

5. Recover the Seats with a couple layers of batting, then the fabric.

To do this, simply lay the wood on top of the batting, with fabric underneath.

Then pull the fabric tight over the back of the wood and staple into place.

Note: After seeing the inside of the old batting, I was thinking about how old it could possibly be.

Then I thought how old they might be when someone decides to redo what I have done,

years down the road. So I added a little "time capsule" under the batting.

I also added a layer of clear vinyl to one of the seats, so it can go outside.

6. After the spray paint is dry, replace the seats and youre all done!

Enjoy!

Laundry Soap Giveaway!!!

2010-04-20T20:16:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone!

Food, Inc is on TV tomorrow night!!! This documentary has totally changed the way I look at our food and where it comes from. It has been my inspiration to start my veggie garden and make all my products for

Clearwater Naturals!

To see what station it is playing on in your area, visit PBS TV Schedule Enter your zip to find your channel!

In Honor of this (and a little last minute), I am having a GIVEAWAY!

Winner will receive a Large All-Natural Laundry Powder from my shop.

You can even pick your own scent!

I will also send out Samples of the Laundry Powder to 3 entries!

How to enter: Simply tell me something you liked, disliked or learned from the documentary.

If you havent seen the movie, tell me your plans for Earth Day.

You may also gain an entry for forwarding this on via twitter, facebook or something else of your choice (leave a link).

Please remember to leave your email address in the comment so I can contact you if you win!

Giveaway will end and winners will be drawn via random.org on

Saturday April 24th at Midnight EST.

COMMENTS CLOSED!!! WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY!

Good luck Everyone!

How to Make a Container Fountain for Under $50!

2010-04-20T15:38:00.001-04:00

I saw the idea for this in a magazine and want to share with you how I did it. Its super easy and makes a soothing trickle sound when turned on. I bought all my supplies at Home Depot, so I will show you their prices (military gets 10% off too!) Here goes!

You will need:

A Large Pot- $24.98 (you can find cheaper, but I like this pot)

A Small Fountain Pump- $17.94

Pea Stones- $3.38

Decorative Pond Stones (optional)- $1.89

Total: $48.19

Here's What you do:

1. Rinse pot and pebbles. I put the pebbles in the pot and rinsed them until the water ran clear.

2. Follow set-up instructions for your fountain pump. Once you have it all together, set them pump inside the pot on top of the rocks. You can also bury the pump with rocks.

3. Fill the pot with water and Plug in your pump. Note: Always arrange a Drip Loop on the power cord. This means that the cord needs to hang lower than the outlet when plugged in. Otherwise, the water will run into the outlet and you will probably get electricuted (please dont call me when that happens... I wont answer :)

I run my pump all day and unplug it at night. At first, my pump made a loud noise, but after a day of running it, the noise went away.

Now close your eyes and imagine you are somewhere far away! What an easy and cheap way to relax!

You think I can't do this???

2010-04-19T22:22:00.000-04:00

Turns out I can!

Just because you dont ahve a man to do the work for you, doesnt mean it will never get done!

Case in point, This Gazebo. Yes... its probably about 10 feet tall, 10 feet wide, but I put it together. All by myself. Dont ask me how, Im just suprised I didnt break something! The furniture under it is new too... I put that together, all by myself. The problem is that I put it together on top of the deck, and now I cant move it. So you walk off of the raised deck right into the gazebo. Kinda cool, not sure if I like it there yet.

Onions coming up nicely. They grew all on their own while I was out of town. There are potatoes behind them coming up well too!

Some Yellow Squash I planted from seedlings. Yummy!

Keeping the pine seed/worm/thingys out of the garden is a daily task. They are all over the place!

Gardening is exhausting! But ohhh so rewarding!

I also made a container fountain for the deck. Tomorrow I will show you how I did it... for under $50!

Until then... Have a wonderful day!

Natural things

2010-03-26T18:10:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos of what Ive been up to lately...

Playing outside... The weather is gorgeous!

Dinos in the garden! So thats who dug up all my potatoes!

Picking Dandies and drying them for later use.

Making Kelp Cold cream. I seriously love this recipe and love how it makes my skin feel.

Making more tonight.

Hope everyone had a good week!

The weekend is here!

-Gretchen

Life!

2010-03-21T11:41:00.000-04:00

My seeds are sprouting! Yay!

I planted these seeds about a week ago. They are almost ready to go in the ground. I started them indoors to give them a chance to grow strong before I put them outside.

Sprouting: broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, peas, sunflowers and tomatoes. I also have basil, chives and rosemary in these fiber pots, but they arent sprouting yet.

Today looks like rain. Im going to prepare the soil for the beds today and hopefully it will get a good drink before I put the seedlings in a few days from now.

The rest of the day will be spent indoors. Im working on some all natural beauty and household cleaning products. After all of my reading, I realized that practically everything we use, from shampoo to laundry soap, has nasty chemicals in them and I dont want to use them anymore. Just last night, I looked at the back of my foaming anti-bacterial hand soap... it contains Triclosan! Yup.... not good at all.

I have made some Laundry soap and it works great, not to mention being soooo much cheaper than regular laundry detergent. It seems to me that most people think that "green" products dont work as well as natural... But Im finding just the opposite! My hemp body wash leaves my skin (and Layla's) feeling smooth and soft and it smells great. Not to mention the obvious lack of harsh chemicals and all that bad stuff.

Ive started a new Etsy shop to share my formulations with anyone who wants them. Have a look! Its good for you! Clearwater Naturals

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

-Gretchen

Setting up the Raised Garden Beds

2010-03-16T23:54:00.001-04:00

Monday, I layed the groundwork for my garden.

Im having trouble with my card reader so Ive adding stock pictures until I can fix it.. or find my camera cord... sorry!

I started by going to Lowes to get the boards to make a raised bed. As I was wandering around the garden center, I stumbled on some raised bed "kits". They consist of 4 planks the set into each other to make a 4'x4' frame for the beds. One 4x4 section can be broken down into 16 one foot sections, so I bought 2 of the bed kits. They cost $69 each. A little on the pricey side but you could always just buy the boards and build them yourself. Being that I have no man to do the hard work for me at the moment.. I chose the easy way out.

Wait did I say easy?? Not all of it. Good thing I took the truck to Lowes because I ended up getting 8 bags of Organic Compost and 6 bags of Organic Soil. These are not light! After digging out the ground (my backyard is very slanted) to set the bed frames.. it was all I could muster to get the compost bags out of the truck, one by one, and into the beds.

Oh how I wish Bryan was here to do the heavy lifting! But, hey, maybe I'll lose some weight doing this. Heavy lifting, walking with the weight, digging in the dirt... fresh air...

Its been a little chilly here lately so I am waiting for a sunny day to add the soil to the beds and test the soil. More on that later.

I'm also starting my seeds inside to make sure they are strong before I put them in the ground. I've seen conflicting opinions on whether I should have started them earlier or not, but this is a "live and learn" experience for me. More on that later as well.

Also more on my trip to the shamefully lacking farmers market here in town and oiur surprising stocked Wal-mart trip.... later. I am learning alot very quickly so I need to spread things out to give you something to read!

A New Project... for a Good Reason!

2010-03-15T11:13:00.001-04:00

I've been at the point in my life where I just knew something big was about to happen. I didnt know what it was, but I knew it was coming.

I've always known that most of the foods we eat are just terrible for our health. I've known that the meat is unclean, the fruits and veggies are tainted with pesticides and harmful chemicals. But it wasn't until a few days ago that I made the decision to do something about it for my family. I watched the documentary, Food Inc., and it really opened my eyes. Knowing the food is bad is not as real as seeing and seeing the way you need to go from there.

I havent bought meat in a long time as it is. With the exception when Bryan was home on leave. I just dont like meat. Every once in a while I want a good steak, but other than that, it doesnt appetize me at all. Trust me. I am in no way one of those people who are all about animal rights and what-not. I believe that God put certain animals on this Earth the provide food for His children. But His children have ruined that source for the most part, and until I can find wholesome, clean meat... We just wont use it. Period. No chicken nuggets, no burgers, no sloppy joes... its just not worth putting the chemicals into our bodies!

The things that we do eat, I will be buying as much Organic as I possibly can. For certain; milk, eggs, bread, cheese, fruits and veggies. I know that this will be quite a change from our normal, junk food life. But it is neccesary! This is a commitment to the health of my familiy, mostly Layla as she is the most vulnerable to the garbage in what she eats.

This blog is changing its direction. It will serve as a journal to track my progress on all things organic and green. I will also do my best to help you do the same with fun, easy ways to make your life more healthy. Anything new that I learn, I will share here. Certainly, my blgo will be flooded with information that I find!!

Im Excited!!! Are you? Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have. I would be happy to help you find the answer, and learn for myself along the way. I will still be posting family life things and happenings at Prettylittlepearl, so stick around for that too.

Here are some links to the books Ive been reading to help you see what I now see...

Do One Green Thing - A great book with easy , clean instructions on what to buy and what not to buy when it comes to green living. I carry this book in my purse!

The Omnivore's Dilemma - In depth research on where our food comes from.

I'm sure there will be more books... but these are what Im working on at the moment.

Thanks for sticking around. I hope this blog will help us all live greener, healthier lives. If not for ourselves, for our children!

-Gretchen

Im in a Band!

2010-01-10T21:06:00.003-05:00

Well, not really...

These are my results from a super awesome game they are playing over at http://shrimpsaladcircus.blogspot.com/.... Hop on over and play along!

2009 Was a good year...

2009-12-31T09:27:00.011-05:00

January: Snow on Inauguration Day

February: Sweet Tu-Tu for Valentines Day
March: Weekend at Shell Island

April: Layla turned 2 years old

May: Quality family time

June: Vacation in Tampa

July: The 4th at Fernandina Beach
August: Bryan deployed to Afghanistan
September: Last days of Summer in NC
October: I found Picnik...

November: Honeymoon Island with Noni

December: Our Darling Gee-Gee, we will see you again!

This year has been full of ups and downs for us. Layla has grown out of her baby stage into a beautiful, spunky little girl. Bryan spent half the year in a foreign country. I opened my wings and started my etsy business. We lived, loved and learned. Here's to another wonderful year with many great things to come!

I wish you blessing and luck in the new year!

Sneak Peak!

2009-12-31T00:06:00.003-05:00

This little beauties will be in the shop on Friday when I re-open! Get excited!

Its been a long few weeks around here... and the next few promise to be much longer...

But Im still here! And working on getting back on track! Thanks for sticking around!

-Gretchen

www.prettylittlepearl.etsy.com

A New Venture

2009-11-21T23:27:00.003-05:00

I have no idea how mnay days its been since Bryan left by the way....

I've been making Layla dresses for a while now. Sometimes she will wear them. Sometimes she refuses. It all stemmed from wanting her to wear cute things, but not wanting to pay $50 for something she will outgrow in a month.

So here is her Thanksgiving Day dress. I tried a different pattern this time. It came out pretty well I think!

And Im thinking about adding them to my shop... Maybe a couple Christmas dresses for right now to see how they do. I will make them available in sizes 6months-4T.

Im also making my nephew a quilted jacket for Christmas... More on that later!

Hope everyone is doing well!

-Gretchen

Seek and you shall find...

2009-11-04T19:22:00.004-05:00

Last night, I was helping my mom redecorate the shop part of her B&B/resturant/gift shop. I started digging around under an antique buffet and found these little lovelies.

Apparently they were bought for my nephew as a gift and no one liked them! Are they crazy! I love the look of Jadeite and to find something similar in this awesome blue color is just insane! After some research, I found out that they are Delphite with cherry blossom design. It seems they were designed to be kids cups between 1930 and 1939... but I'll have to look into it some more.

How neat! Just goes to show, you can find the coolest things in the weirdest places....

Works well under Pressure

2009-10-24T22:59:00.006-04:00

So I got an IM today from a photographer friend of the family's saying that she will be taking pictures of me and Layla and Calen and Mason. And I need to have Layla's Halloween costume.

Well, anyone who knows me knows that I loooove to procrastinate... so I dont have her costume yet. But I did get a wild hair and made her two dresses for the shoot. And they came out pretty nice if I do say so (with some silliness in between)...

I would normally protest having my picture taken but Ive come to realize that this is LIFE! I would be more upset if I had no pictures at all.

Plus... on Wednesday I started going to the gym every day for at least an hour and eating nothing but SpecialK, SlimFast and veggies... Guess what....

I've lost 3 pounds so far!!! If I keep going at this rate, I will be down alot by Christmas! And to my goal weight by the time Bryan gets home on R&R!! Yippee!

I hope you are all having a lovely week... and get inspired to DO SOMETHING!

Giveaway Winners!!!!

2009-10-11T20:20:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone!

I'm so sorry I'm a little late getting the winners posted... being without internet while moving has proved more difficult than I imagined... But an end to the wait!!!

I used random.org to generate the winners!!! Each will get to pick a Grace Clutch or Wallet Clutch from my shop prettylittlepearl.etsy.com!!!!! For free!! Winners have till Friday night to claim their prize or I will pick new winners.

The winners are.....CHERRY BLOSSOMS and JEX!!!!

Congratulations!!!!

Winners: Please contact me either via email at gstaley27@yahoo.com or through my etsy shop with your choice of a Grace Clutch or Wallet Clutch and your mailing address!

To all the rest of you lovelies.... Thank you so much for joining me in the fun! I've learned alot about what you are looking for and look forward to getting some new things made!!!!

Stick around for future giveaways, advance notice of sales in my shop and my crazy life!

Thanks again... from the bottom of my heart... I appreciate it!

-Gretchen

Survey and a GIVEAWAY!!

2009-09-26T09:39:00.004-04:00

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!!!!

In honor of my shop hitting 100 sales this week and the coming Holiday season... I'm having a giveaway!!! 2..yes..2 lucky people will win their choice of any Grace Clutch or any Wallet clutch from my shop!

OK entries are as follows:

3 Entires- Take my survey to help me find out what you are shopping for this Holiday Season! Its fun and only takes a minute!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=LxrmuBoovVcu7_2bPZ6qleQw_3d_3d

2 Entries- Go to my shop and tell me 1 good thing and one bad thing about my shop.
http://www.prettylittlepearl.etsy.com/

1 Entry- Follow me on Twitter

http://twitter.com/GretchenHope27

1 Entry- Tweet this giveaway (leave the link)
1 Entry- Blog about this giveaway (leave the link)
1 Entry- Suscribe via Rss to my blog
1 Entry- Post this giveaway to another Social networking site of your choice! (leave the link)

Please leave a seperate comment for each of your entries! Giveaway runs now until October 10th. I will draw a winner on October 11th at 11am EST and Post the winners here! Winners will have 72 hours to claim thier prizes or they will go to someone else.

Have fun and GOOD LUCK!!!
-Gretchen

Kids... Cover your ears...23

2009-09-23T21:17:00.003-04:00

Im sorry... I saw this one someones blog and couldnt help myself... I had to share! I'm seriously about to pee myself from laughing so hard!! But... no its really not funny... but maybe it is! You decide!

19 Back to my girlhood

2009-09-19T10:07:00.003-04:00

When I was little, my sister and I used to sit around for hours braiding and knotting little friendship bracelets. My mother would french braid our hair before a long, lovely day at the beach.

Now, embroidery floss is no longer for friendship bracelets, but for embroidery. I've learned how to french braid my own hair and my daughters after her bath. Funny how things change when you "grow up".

So how about some "grown up" Braiding? I came across a tutorial for this necklace this morning and thought I just had to give it a try. It came out well. I think I will try making one thinner and longer. I know some people LOVE the chunky jewelry thing. I never jumped in on that.

Anyways, all you do is cut 3 long peices of jersey fabric and braid them together! Give it a go!

http://www.oolamoola.co.uk/diy-tutorial-of-the-week-make-your-own-statement-neck-piece

13-17 My creative space is moving to GA!

2009-09-17T07:33:00.003-04:00

A couple months ago, I had decided to stay here in NC while Bryan was gone. No point in spending all that money to go home and turn around to do it again in a year right??

Well, apparently, I was trying to have bigger britches than I actually have. So Im going home.

Its a last minute decision so I have alot to do. Finding a place to live, pakcing boxes, setting up utilities, cleaning... ahhhhhh... all of that on top of getting my shop ready for Christmas. Oh joy!

So Just wanted to let you all know that Im trying to keep up with my blog. I will continue to try. Wish me luck!

12 New

2009-09-12T22:39:00.005-04:00

Why is it that when I want something... I can never find exactly the right thing.

I was looking for a clutch that would hold all my things. Small, to carry around easily and put inside a bigger bag if needed. And big enough to hold the cards, cash phone and keys.

Why get someone else to make what I want when I can do it myself? Good question.

This is the answer.

I made myself one.. and some to go around. And I think I will give one away when I hit 100 sales on Etsy... very close!

7-11 Rearranging

2009-09-11T18:28:00.007-04:00

Do you remember what its like to have your own room?? Its lovely!

I figured that I have a year to make things they way I want them. When Bryan gets home, we can decide if it should stay this way.

So I switched the Master Bedroom and the Office around. Our bed and Bryans dresser is now in the 3rd bedroom (where the office used to be).

I decorated pretty girly. When I have a man to take care of, I dont want it to be too fru-fru.

And I put all the office furniture in the master bedroom.

Theres more space here for me to work. I can consolidate all the "work" stuff to this room... including laundry.

And now we have a pseudo guest room again! yay!

Am I boring all of you with my constant rearranging??? Well, it should stay like this for a bit. Should...

Shop talk: I'm working on a design for a new clutch wallet. Tweaking and making a few to show you tomorrow.

Free shipping this weekend too!!

4..5..6 Strength and Courage

2009-09-06T22:57:00.002-04:00

Ive been very busy the past few days. But I have learned alot.

1. A power of attorney will not allow you to cash savings bonds in your husbands name.

2. Don't wait so long to make the call.

3. Washable Crayons are a MUST! Especially when they are used to "decorate" the beige sofa.

4. Having a Sale does not guarantee sales.

5. I need to start stocking up for the Holiday season.

6. I have it in me to create.. I need to have the courage to be myself.

7. My mood is dependant upon how many days since I've heard from him.

8. Layla wipes off my kisses when Im not looking.

9. God always pulls us through... sometimes He just waits till the last minute so you know its Him.

10. This song is beautiful, heart breaking, moving and my new favorite. Listen to it.

Full of Grace-Sarah Mclauhlan

3- Glutton for Punishment

2009-09-04T08:05:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, I stupidly agreed to watch my friends kids. She's a single mom and is working as much as she can to pay her bills. She just lost her babysitter so I figured I would help her in a pinch. We have been friends for a long time now. I have watched her kids many times. Each time, I end up wondering why Im not prompty escorted to the looney bin! She has a five year old son and a two year old daughter.

Well, the girls didnt have a nap yesterday so that was the makings for disaster. They fought over toys, cried, screamed, whined for juice/snack/anything and cried some more. They made my house look like a tornado touched down, and I cleaned before they came!

On the other hand, if she needed me to do it again, I know I would. Im just a glutton for punishment.

In good news, I was featured in Etsy Finds Weekend Deals again!
Unfortunately, I dont have any more of the fabric for the bag they featured, and it sold out. So I lost my place in the gift guides. But Im still in the Storque.

Check it out here http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-extra-hot-labor-day-sales-5088/

After I lost my spot, my sales came to a screeching halt. But I did have about 8 sales and a custom order request. So thats pretty dang good! And Ive been on the front page several times this week... as pictured.

Well Im off to finish the bags I need to get out today, wrap them for shipping and make a little trip to Joann.

Have a GREAT DAY!

2 Total Revamp...

2009-09-02T23:12:00.004-04:00

I've recently had many people tell me I should raise my prices. hmmm... got me thinking.

I've been wanting to upgrade my packaging. Before they were pretty but kind of plain.
So I made a bunch of new tags. Stamped them by hand. Got some gorgeous ribbons.

Stamped my mailers...

and ended up with this.... I like it better.

Notice anything different about the bags??? Look closely....

Labels!!!! yay!

So that being said... I think I will raise my prices to $26 tomorrow... and see how it does. I will be having a 20% Off sale this weekend so we shall see!

Off to bed! Have a great night!

1

2009-09-01T22:22:00.003-04:00

Well.. Last night went better than expected. No boohooing for me. I'm just trying to stay busy and not think about things. Theres no use in sinking into a deep dark hole over something you can do nothing about.

So I had many phone calls today: Mom, Stef, Stef and Andrea, Calen, Andrea again, Cindy. Guess I'll have to call Noni tomorrow.. She's probably waiting with baited breath.

And I started moving Bryans stuff to the closet. I cant bring myself to Put his clothes away just yet... maybe a few more days.

Not much to write about today... its just trying to sink in I think. Layla asked where Daddy was today. How do I explain this to a toddler??

This weeks projects:

1: Potty Training!!! (that should keep me busy)

2: Working on some new clutches... my shops looking a little bare.

Off to bed...Goodnight

-Gretchen

The wait...

2009-08-31T15:38:00.004-04:00

I'll leave you with one of the good photos we took the other day... while I go get dressed to have dinner at Boston Market. That's what he wants... sorta a last meal kinda thing. So I indulge.

Today is not technically day one yet... Hopefully I wont be a complete bawl bag like my mom is already. She just emailed me a letter... I'll wait till later to read it... Not that brave right now.

Well... see ya'll later... Off to start the walk towards the inevitable.

-Gretchen

My Creative Space...

2009-08-27T11:45:00.005-04:00

My Space is being a little neglected today. I do have a couple custom oreders to fill but Im waiting till I finish cleaning first.

This is where I keep the things that make me happy or that need attention. It is my antique birds eye maple baby dresser! I love it! On top is a copy of one of the most gorgeous Marie mags Ive seen, and a couple vintage tea cups to match. An ACU bag that I made for my self that I need to remind hubby to get me some patches for, a bag that I need to put away and a cactus garden that probably needs a smidge of water. Oh yeah, those dangly blue things are some awesome Twisty Tee's from theriveriseverywhere on Etsy. I love them! And of course... the pile of lovely fabric just waiting to be cut up and turned into something fabulous!

But all these things need to wait.. just until later.... Either I have lost my sanity or I'm having a brief earth shaking change in my life.

The Catalyst....

If you are a mom... Im sure you know what this is. If youre not... let me explain. This is our lifeline... the sanity keeper... the very thing that keeps prying toddlers out of chemical cabinets and in this case, my pantry. Well, the stupid thing broke last night!

So, Im in the process of finding the other latch I know I have somewhere and the kids start getting into the TV stand and pulling out all the DVDs and Wii remotes... OH hell no! So I abandon the latch for a different cabinet lock for the TV stand. As I'm on the floor screwing the locks to keep them out of the DVDS, it becomes Iced Oatmeal Cookie Free-For-All in the pantry! AHHHHH!!

So I've decided to have a makeover. If I havent used it since Christmas.. its gone. Clothes, linens, toys, kitchen items.. you name it. I want nice things. And I want a nice home. But I can have it with all the clutter and stuff I hold onto... Im done! I gave a friend and big bag of sheets and they will be buying our Futon for $50 tomorrow. Thank God I can get that thing out of my living room!

Anyone have the urge to clean??? Slough off the excess? Exfoliate your life? Let me know! We can do it together!

Back to work! Good luck everyone!

-Gretchen

Hold on out there!

2009-08-12T09:56:00.002-04:00

I know my blog has been leaving much to be desired...

Its due in part to me working my butt off on listing new items in my shop...

And in part to Bryan getting ready to leave. It seems that the stress of the situation is getting out of hand. He's lost 10 pounds, I found it. He doesnt have time to eat, I eat constantly. My "monthly thing" decided to take a 2 month vacation, which only adds to it! yikes!

Anyways, his family is coming up on the 20th and I start watching Anthony again from 630am to 1230 on the 17th. So this next week promises to be more hectic. And of course, I know the day Bryan's flight leaves, but due to OPSEC, I cannot post it here. Just know that it is soon.

Amidst all this, I have decided that, starting the day he leaves, I will blog everyday. Kinda like a year in the life thing... Even if some days its a post just to say," hey Im alive" I will do it. Sound like fun?

Well, heres to today and getting some work done, hopefully!

Have a great day!

-Gretchen

Heres my room key...

2009-07-30T19:22:00.005-04:00

So I told you all I was redecorating my bedroom.. Heres the before...

What a mess!!!
Here are the after pictures...

The bed set is from Target. I got it last year right before Bryan got home from Afghanistan. It seems a little weird that I put it back on right before hes about to leave again. Oh the irony.

Anyways, I think the set is on sale at Target right now. Of course the deco pillows and sheets are extra, but its a cool set. Oh yeah, those are black velvet curtains... yummy!

Thats all for now... Have a great day!

-Gretchen

I told you...

2009-07-29T14:44:00.002-04:00

I would tell you what I was working on and here it is! Custom Hand embroidered Christmas ornaments! yay! Im making a bunch to sell and If I dont sell them, I can use them for my own purposes! Fun stuff.

Yesterday, I rearranged and redecorated our bedroom. It took me several hours but I didnt buy anything new. I only used what I had here. It forces you to be creative, like using a scarf as a table runner. I will post pictures later today after I go straighten it up. Why is it that after all that hard work and a pulled glute... it gets messy the second hubby gets home??? Sometimes I feel like a hamster in a wheel... Running and running but never getting anywhere!

Have a great day everyone!
-Gretchen

Works in Progress....

2009-07-28T09:23:00.005-04:00

I know, I know. I've been out of it for a while. With everything thats been going on and Bryan's impending deployment, I havent had much time to blog. Sorry bout that!

I think I could open a little shop in my apartment! Look at all these goodies... why do I still have them? Nobody knows. My sales have picked back up a little. Last week was a good week for me and this week started off well. Hopefully that will continue.

What am I working on now? Besides Grace clutches? Take a look... here's youre hint

I'll tell you what it is tomorrow. Something along the lines of Christmas! Yippee!!!!

And heres one of my newest bags! I love the fabric!

I'm having a hard time listing some of my newest clutches... I want to keep them all!

Well, I guess I have to go to Joann for some more interfacing... and maybe get some bread!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

-Gretchen

Pictures from our vacay

2009-07-05T20:18:00.013-04:00

We shot some good pictures! Enjoy while I get my suitcases unpacked.

Layla and Daddy in the pool.

Grandpa teaching Layla how to say "Go Gators!"

May-may and Auntie Getchie in the pool.

Lolli and her "Mena" in the pool.

May-May and His mommy (my sister, Calen)

Mason Dean a.k.a. May-may, macy, pookie, m-dog, screaming baby...

Lolli Picking her chair for the fireworks.

Lolli and I trying not to get too wet.

Uncle Scott trying to catch a fish.

Calen, Mason, Layla and Dee-Dee (my mom)

A view from the beach. Gorgeous!

My Vacay Present to Me!

2009-06-19T21:16:00.005-04:00

Yeah Its a little selfish of me...

Bryan had Layla for most of the day so I could get packed and clean. When I was done with my work, I got started on this bag.

Its funny how silence and room for thought inspires me. I could actually create something!! From scratch, might I add. No pattern.. no copying someone elses design. I just went with it!

Its t-minus 8 hours till we leave... I guess I should get some rest for the 12 hour drive we have coming. I will be blogging and checking in so fear not!

Have a Good Night!

And the winners are....

2009-06-19T00:11:00.005-04:00

^^^The winner of the Grace Foldover Clutch in Violet Garden is number 11... Catherine!!!^^^

^^^The winner of the Yo-Yo clutch is number 42... Little-Miss-Detroit!!^^^

^^^The winner of the Tree Zip Pouch is number 14... JojoBeans!!!^^^

Congrats to the winners!! If you have not done so already, please e-mail me (gstaley27@yahoo.com) your address and they will be in the mail today!

I assigned each entry a number and then generated winners using random.org!

Thank you everyone for playing! I really appreciate it! It was tons of fun!!! Maybe I will do another one next month! Oh the suspense!
Have a great day!!!
-Gretchen

Busy Busy Busy!

2009-06-18T09:52:00.005-04:00

My plate is so full right now!

We are packing up the car and leaving for Tampa on Saturday. We will be gone for 2 weeks between Bryan's parents house and My parents house. It promises to be exhausting and fun at the same time! We have beach plans, boating plans, shopping plans, and party plans. Just trying to squeeze everything in before Bryan leaves in August.

^^^^My first trip to FT Bragg^^^^

We had an FRG (family Readiness Group) Meeting last night. This group provides information and support on a family level for soldiers and thier families. It was a little sad looking at the maps of where the are going. Talking about having POA's ready to go and why we sholdn't put "Half my heart is in Afghanistan" stickers on our cars. Due to OPSEC (Operation Security) I can't go into too much depth on my blog about all this, but just know that this deployment is coming up fast.

^^^^Right after we got married. ^^^^

On one hand, deployment will makes things easier. He will get paid more so we wont have to worry about our bills and we can save about $15k. On the other hand, it scarey. This time is different. Sometimes when the fear strikes me, I think about how he might not come home this time. How I would be able to let Layla know how wonderful her Daddy was, and go on with my life. Bryan has been my life since I was 16. I dont even know who I am without him. He's already in "mental lockdown mode" as we call it. He's focused on what he has to do and its kinda like talking to a rock.

^^^^ Bryan overseas last time^^^^

I have to stop writing about it... its making me upset. Please pray for him, if you would.

On a lighter, maybe heavier note... I have 5 loads of Laundry to fold today! AhHH! And I need to get the house cleaned, start packing, make some more bags to list while I'm gone. And.... The Giveaway ends tonight!!! I'm excited for that! All of you have left such lovely comments! Thank you!

OK then, guess I should get my butt in gear! Have a great day and check back tomorrow to find out who wins the giveaway!

-Gretchen

Taking Inventory...

2009-06-15T20:29:00.008-04:00

After finishing a few bags today, I decided to line everything up and see what we have...

Pretty cool huh?

And then I decided to fold and organize my fabric stash...oh joy!

See anything you like??

Seriously, I have no clue how I got all this fabric... let alone what to do with it all. I'm thinking of making some pillow covers.. maybe....some more wallets...of phone cozy's...or???

We shall see...

This week is going to be quite hectic for us. We have tons to get done and with Bryan going to the promotion board this week, he's not much of a help. I have to get everything done and pack for out trip. 2 weeks in the sun in FL! yay! Don't get jealous just yet. We're staying with Bryan's parents... they have a dog who is out to get Layla...and they drink...alot...and they smoke in the house... bleck! So, you see, there is a flip side to everything.

Wish me luck!

Have a great day!

-Gretchen

Giveaway is Now closed!! Stay tuned for the winners!

2009-06-12T14:30:00.005-04:00

I'm Having a Giveaway! Isn't it exciting? Here's what you can win!

I will be using random.org to pick 3 winners! The first will win the about pictured Grace Clutch purse in Violet Garden.

The second winner will receive the above pictured Yoyo Wristlet!

The Third winner will receive the above pictured Tree Zipper Pouch!

These are items from my shop! To see more information about them please visit http://www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com/

Here's how to enter!

One entry will be given for each of the following:

-Follow my blog

-Go to my shop and look around. Come back here and let me know what you like! Please leave the link in your comment.

Bonus entries for the following!

-One entry for blogging about my giveaway.

-One entry for Twittering about my giveaway.

-Five entries for purchasing something from my Etsy shop.

Please do not forget to leave the link for any of your entries and your e-mail address so I can let you know if you have won!

The Giveaway will end on Thursday, June 18th at 11:59pm EST. I will use random.org to pick the winners and post them on my blog on Friday, June 19th at 11am EST!

Good Luck to everyone and I look for ward to all the fun!

Have a great day!

-Gretchen

Lost in a Sea of Fabric!

2009-06-10T13:27:00.005-04:00

Someone HELP ME!

There are so many beautiful fabrics out there... I can't choose!

Anyone have a suggestion?? A favorite??

Even if its not one I have pictured... I would like to hear!

The Anatomy of our Feet!

2009-06-09T21:09:00.006-04:00

I really am not a big fan of feet. But these just make me laugh out loud.

Layla went diving in the unwanted sock basket and found two that match (or so she thinks)!!! I swear I didn't put them on her, she did that all herself, my little fashion diva!

That's the bottom of Bryan's foot. Do Men's socks have pink writing on them??? I don't think so! He said he likes the way they fit better. So the purchase from the women's sock isle was intentional. I hope no one saw him! The fact that we have a need for "DRY" socks makes me want to gag! uhhh....

And more Layla... I sneaky suspicion that her Daddy taught her that funny face. He's trying to ruin my perfectly sweet little girl! This man needs a son...bad...dont get any ideas (Andrea).

Shop Talk: I sold the Toddler Memory book that I worked on forever today. $60!!! yay! Its bittersweet. But now I can go buy fabric! I've gotten more items listed. Some more bags and a cool wallet. I've been gathering feedback in chatrooms today and they are a hit! One woman wants me to make her a bunch for her bridesmaids! I won't hold my breath, but here's to looking up to something better! I'll be listing another wallet tonight so check it out!

www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com

Well, gotta get this kid in bed and my self bathed. Wouldn't want to have anything to do with DRY socks!!!

Have a good night!

Gretchen

New bags!!

2009-06-06T14:54:00.005-04:00

I seriously love these guys! They are so fun to make and come out great!

I will be making more in the next few days so check out my shop to see them.http://www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com/

I made myself a bag too!

I'm pretty sure these would sell well too, but they need alot of fabric and interfacing so it will have to wait until I get a steady sales flow. Maybe I will make them available for custom orders.

In other news, things here have settled down. The motorcycle is still up in the air and I'm trying not to think about it. We were supposed to hard-core potty train this weekend but Bryan has CQ so thats not gonna happen. Potty training is really time consuming so it will just have to wait till we are both home to trade off sitting by the potty for half an hour at a time.

We leave for Tampa in 13 days and I'm so excited! I also found out that everyone is chipping in to send me and Bryan to the beach alone for a couple days! Yay!!!! Kinda a "pre-deployment" present. Can't wait for that either! I miss the beach!

We'll I'm off to make cookies to bring to Wes and Ashley's tonight and get dressed so I can hit Joann before we go. I need more snaps!

Have a great weekend!

-Gretchen

My treasury made FRONT PAGE!!!

2009-06-04T19:56:00.003-04:00

Yup! I made that treasury... all by myself!

I totally missed it and I'm really upset about that! Bummer! My aim is not really to make front page but I'm glad it got my team some promo! I just like making the treasuries!

Super excited! Have a look at the full treasury http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=62835 or search etsy for "aceteam" to see some of the other great items from the ACETEAM!

My shops www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com and www.prettylittlepearl.etsy.com

Just got some new patterns today so be on the lookout for new items!!!

Have a great night!

-Gretchen

OH the things I should be doing...

2009-06-02T16:48:00.005-04:00

I should be...
-cleaning the house
-working on this idea I have... I know it will work...just being lazy
-using up the 4 yards of rope I bought.
-using up all my supplies, as a matter of fact
-working on my art journal
-re-doing some pictures

But I'm not doing any of these things. Instead, I am...
-blogging (hopefully you appreciate it)
-waiting for Layla to get up from her nap
-waiting for my camera battery to charge
-hurry up and wait!

Check it out! I'm running a Promo this month at http://www.prettylittlepearl.etsy.com/

I think I'm going to throw together a picnic dinner and take it out to the pool. Could be fun. Its way too hot to even think about cooking. Hope you all stay cool and have a great evening!

p.s. "do whatever you want" does not mean "Buy a motorcycle" I case anyone was wondering.

More on that when I cool down.

Maybe I should play the lottery??

2009-06-01T18:38:00.003-04:00

I swear... I never win anything by chance. But this is the SECOND time in a week that I have won a giveaway online! This time it was a lovely assortment of felt plushies from ThreeFive18!!

Layla is going to love these little guys! I can't wait to get them!

Both giveaways that I won, all I did was comment on the blog, twitter about it and write up a little blog post about the giveaway. Not that hard, I think. Check out other wonderful items from these amazing etsians at www.threefive18.etsy.com and www.alloverart.etsy.com

And hey, maybe enter a giveaway once in a while... you just might win!

Off to the grocery store... Have a great evening!

-Gretchen

ThreeFive18 Giveaway!!

2009-05-27T16:01:00.003-04:00

The lucky winner will get everything pictured!
Two donuts, toast plushy, banana, two orange slices, two strawberries and a
plushy toast pin.

All you have to do is jump over to www.threefive18.blogspot.com and

1. Leave a comment

2. Twitter about th giveaway

3. Blog about the giveaway.

Each will get you 1 entry

Giveaway ends May31st at 5pm EST!

After that, check out her etsy shop www.threefive18.etsy.com

Picture Taking.

2009-05-27T10:11:00.005-04:00

Anyone who takes their own pictures for etsy listings will tell you, it's not easy. Things inevitably come out blurry or with the wrong tint. Its just NUTS!

I have to say... above is one of the first pictures of beads I took... I think I'm getting better at it. See Below...

Some are still a little blurry up front, but not bad. Theres only so much I can do and unless I can sell something, I dont see a digital SLR in my future. ::tear:: Why am I taking pictures of beads anyways??? http://www.prettylittlepearl.etsy.com/

I love these Wristlets!!! Love the fabric, love the yoyo, love the button! So easy for just going out for a little bit. I really dont have the extra hands to carry a huge purse and whatnot. I need to hold Layla's hand down the stairs still! I will be listing more today once I get them made. I'm waiting until about 8pm though.. I feel there is more etsy traffic then.

Check them out! http://www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com/

Well, off to the races! Have a Great Day!!!

-Gretchen

New stuff...

2009-05-25T13:53:00.003-04:00

Sorry I havent posted in a few days. After a long debate process, we decided to get a new computer. Bryan will be going overseas soon and his laptop is toast. Since Desktop computers are sooooo cheap right now, we decided to get a desktop for me and he would take my laptop with him. Works for me. I get the new computer... and its pretty. I'm still trying to figure everything out, which is why there is now picture with this post. Sorry guys!

In other news, I won the Allover Art May giveaway!!!! Yeehaww!!! I seriously never win anything. Not by chance at least. I win arguements, but that's skill. So I will be getting my cool new necklace in the mail soon!!! Thanks Ruth!!! Check out her blog to stay tuned for the next blog giveaway! http://www.alloverart-nc.blogspot.com/

I'll be back soon with more new stuff... and pictures!

Have a great day!
-Gretchen

Awesome Giveaway From Allover Art!

2009-05-19T12:49:00.005-04:00

Ruth from Allover Art is running an Awesome Giveaway this month! It runs from Saturday May 16th to Saturday May 23rd and 11.59pm EST! One lucky person will recieve the above pictured "I heart Handmade" Pendant with the cord too!

Ruth makes handpainted fine art pendants. She paints everything from flowers to birds and even has special Etsy wearable art! Cool beans! Below are some examples of her work.

Jump on over to her blog www.alloverart-nc.blogspot.com to find out how you can enter! Also check out her shop! www.alloverart.etsy.com

Have a great day!

-Gretchen

Toddler Memory book! Yay!

2009-05-19T12:16:00.009-04:00

So here it is... It took me awhile. I had to set up and design the pages in Microsoft Office. Then Print all the pages, making sure they lined up right (with a few oopsies). I didnt have a three hole punch so I did them all by hand with the the one hole punch I broke on grungeboard. That was not fun. Needless to say, I bought a three hole punch last night. Then I decorated, made a cover and put it all together.

The book covers from 18months to 5 years. I fugure, after 5, they should have a school album or something. Each year has entries for Birthday, playtime, favorite things, memories. Each year, I did a different "specialty page". For example, two year old gets a "potty training" and "terrible twos" section. Four years get a "things to accomplish before I turn Five" Checklist with things like playing in the mud and Escaping from the crib. The basics for every year are the same, but I switched it up a little for interest.

Total items used:

1 ream of multicolored cardstock.

1 stack of scrapbooking cardstock.

5 sheets of stickers.

1 book of rub-ons

1 KIA hole punch

All of my adhesive tabs

1 exact-o knife blade

1 three ring binder.

Fabric & thread.
1-12pack of Pepsi

1 bag of string cheese (thown to Layla over the baby gate)

and 1 big ugly blister from the corner rounder.

How does it look?? Hopefully good! Tell me the truth. Im a big girl! I need a fresh perspective, please!! The book is 20+ pages so I couldnt get them all on here. Sorry!

A New Adventure

2009-05-16T09:02:00.004-04:00

When I was pregnant with my now 2-tear-old daughter Layla, I wanted a prenancy journal. Nothing fancy. Just somewhere to keep all of my belly pictures and write down what was going on in ym pregnancy life. I could never find exactly what I was looking for without it being cheesey. I never kept track of my pregnancy or kept up with the pictures. I regret it to this day. But it has given me the idea to make the journals.

This one took me three days to finish and I loved every minute of it. I remembered that I really do like scrapbooking. I may actually be able to make money doing what I love, instead of catering to what I think people on etsy want. I listed the book on Etsy yesterday and have 1o hits so far. Not alot, but itll get there, I hope. You can see more pictures of it at http://www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com/

Now I'm onto making a toddler memory book for Layla. I realized that life doesnt end after that First Birthday party where most baby books end. I want some thing to record all the silly things she does (like locking us out of the house on the balcony) and how she grows. I initially was going to hand stamp all of the wording on all of the pages, but I've decided to print the wording onto cardstock and embellish from there. Printed pages arent personal, but I will make it personal with the decorations. I am going to put everything in a 3-ring binder and cover the binder with fabric and what-not. I'll let you know how it turns out!!

In other news, its the weekend. Bryan has a 4-day weekend although I wish he didnt! He acts like such a baby sometimes. Doing stupid stuff to get attention and when things dont go his way, I take a hit on my house-keeping skills. Sorry, I'm working to find myself in life and find what I'm here to do. Pardon me if I didnt vacuum today...uhhhh.

Hope you are off to a good start on your weekend. I've got some work to do...

Have a great day!!

-Gretchen

The only thing the Army ever gave me for free...

2009-05-15T15:42:00.003-04:00

I've been talking for weeks about getting another work table for my scrapbooking but we really dont have the money for all that right now. So I'm stuck working on the floor.

Last night, after running back and forth through post taking Bryan needless items, I finally get home and get my shoes off, and I get a picture message. Bryan found a desk in one of the conference rooms at work that they were just going to throw in the dumpster!! He said he grabbed it and I would have it when he got home.

This morning, he comes dragging butt into the house, after being up all night, with no desk! He said somone snagged it before he could get it into the truck. And they took the Girl scout cookies that were in it too!!! Bummer!! I was really upset... almost in tears. I had rearranged my studio to fit the desk and cleaned up, all ready for the new addition! No Desk! *sigh*

So, heartbroken, I pick myself up and head to the grocery store with Layla, (some guy tells me I am beautiful in the frozen isle...*rolls eyes*). I get back from the store, unload everything put it all away, and drag myself to the office to re-rearrange. The door is locked... hummm....I break a nail trying to get in and low and behold, there sits my desk!! yay!!!

Bryan said he forgot it and went back this morning for it. Poor thing! He's been up all night long and went all the way back to work for the desk for me. AND hauled it up the stairs by himself! I love this man!!! Now I dont have to break my back sitting on the floor to work! And there were two boxes of Thin Mints in the drawer! Yippee!!!!

The desk is a piece of work, really. People have written in the drawers, its dirty and scratched. On the other hand, I think one day it will make for a great story. An heirloom maybe. Kinda like when Bryan's Grandparents brought back an antique china hutch from Germany when Grandpa was in the Airforce. It will be a peice of our history, it had once belonged to the United States Army and now it belongs to me!

I uploaded my labor of love to etsy today... we will see how it turns out!

www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com

Have a great day everyone!!

What's Gretchen Working on now???

2009-05-11T08:24:00.007-04:00

Anyone who knows me, sees that I dabble in just about anything crafty. Sewing, knitting, scrapboooking, jewelry-making. You name it I can, and most likely will, do it.

I get my ideas when I'm laying in bed at night. Thats why I keep a notebook next to the bed. I've found myself almost falling out of bed to get it in a hurry quite often lately. Here's something I had the idea for and just go finished.

I know, it looks a little rough around the edges. But I came up with it, planned the design, measured, measured some more. I cut the fabric, realized it was wrong, sewed the fabric, ripped some seams, broke some needles, and got it done!!

It's a bag. It's an organizer. It's the be all end all for art journalers. I can carry credit cards, notebooks, sketchbooks, planners, receipts colored pencils, markers, oh the list goes on and on. I made it so that I would be able to carry my sketchbook/ideabook everywhere, to be ready when inspiration strikes.

I'm not crazy about the colors, but its only a prototype. I may try again once I get over the frustration of this one. I like the trees though!!

Other things I'm working on: felt play food for Layla and Anthony. I make them with recycled post-consumer felt and hand sew everything. I just didnt like how it came out when I used the machine. I made 2 fabric covered wood bead bracelets yesterday... Maybe I should work on that some more. I also had an idea for something last night. I've been thinking long and hard about what I can make alot of, is fairly easy to make, and I can give each one its own personality. Maybe this will be it... I'll let you know after I get one made.

It's a rainy day here and I'm off to package up some things and maybe get some of this lingering MK skincare off my hands. See ya'll soon!!! Have a great day!

xoxo-Gretchen

My Rights as a Mother and a Woman!!

2009-05-05T17:07:00.002-04:00

I read a post the other day, can't remember where it was, but the woman listed her Motherly rights. It so intrigued me that I had to write my own.

I have a right....

to watch something on TV besides noggin.
to look in the mirror and not see splattered toothpaste
to look through a window and not see fingerprints
to watch tv without looking through crayon marks
to see the carpet on my floor and not an endless writhing mass of toys, teddy grahams half eaten string cheese
to use the restroom with the door shut and no one coming in
to take a shower alone
to get out of the shower without being harrassed
to be free from cooking one night a week. No take-out. Just someone else cooking
to have an hour of "Me Time" in the evening
to shut my studio door and not be bothered
to have someone else put the laundry away
to sleep in or take a nap on Sunday
to put on make-up without the "Why are you getting all dolled up?" commentary
to buy something I've worked for without guilt
to have a glass of wine and a hot bath without wondering who's watching the baby
to go to the gracery store alone.
to have clothes that fit me now. Not when I was pregnant or when I was 17
to not have to look amazing every second of every day
to not be constantly bombarded with photos of what I should look like at 22
to be content with the fact that I am not graduating college this month, but I have a beautiful daughter and my own home.
to buy organic, healthy foods without paying extra
to have my couch cleaned and it not be gooped up the very next day
to keep a journal and have it not be read by prying eyes
to express myself without fear of rejection
to create without fear of failure.

Too much to ask?? Maybe in a perfect world...

Mother's Day Whoooohaaa!

2009-05-04T19:40:00.004-04:00

Wow! This weekend we had tons to get done! Mother's day gifts, baby shower gifts, packaging, cleaning, the whole shebang. Thankfully, We got everything done and shipped today!! Yay!! All of this resulted in 6 sales today!! I can't believe it!

One of my sales was a little weird though. I made a custom ring for a woman I met in an Etsy chatroom. I listed it and sent her a convo telling her it was ready. At the same time, I was in a chatroom and a girl *whispers* to me that she bought one of my items! "Awesome" I say and head over to my etsy to see what it was.

Get this. She bought the ring reserved for someone else!! Now, I realize that some people are new to Etsy and dont really know what they are doing, but come on. It said reserved for SPOOLOFPLENTY in the title! Seriously. So I made another ring and relisted the item. The intended has not bought it yet...

I told Bryan that he had to make his mom's Mother's day gift. He did. It took him 3 days to make a necklace and earrings. Talk about time is money! It came out really well though, and now he's bugging me to make more. At least my jewelry supplies arent going to waste!

I think I'm talking to myself here... we'll find out!

xo Gretchen

Cutesie Box Bag Tutorial!!!

2009-05-01T16:35:00.022-04:00

I came across these bags on Etsy and just had to figure out how to make them. Knowing what I know about making bags, I set off on a trip that would take me awhile,but I figured it out. Now I will show you! Hopefully you end up with a cutesie little bag for yourself... Here Goes!!!

Tools: Sewing Machine

Zipper Foot (I didn't use one)

Measuring Tape

Iron

Scissors or Rotary Cutter

Materials: 2 contrasting Fat quarters of whatever you like!

Matching Thread

Scrap Fusable Interfacing

7 in. zipper ( I used a 9 in zipper. My bag came out longer. You decide)

Cut: Outer fabric 15x11 in.

Lining Fabric 15x11 in.

10x5 in. for handle

5x4 in. for pull tab

Interfacing 1x9 in for handle

1x4 in. for pull tab

Make ready your materials!

1. Cut and Iron all peices for bag.

2. Fuse interfacing to handle and tab. Make this a little offset to one side. This will make folding the handle and tab before sewing easier.

3. While at your ironing board, let's make the handles. Start by folding one long end of the handle in 1 inch. Press! Then fold the other end 1/2 inch. Press. Fold again 1 in. Press again. The two edges should overlap. Repeat for Pull Tab.

4. Sew a line down the middle and each side of the handle and pull tab. This will

stabalize the handles. In the end, you should have this....

Assemble Bag

1. Layer fabrics as follows: Lining facing up, zipper facing up and outer fabric facing down. Line up the faw edges of the fabrics and zipper and pin. Zipper Sandwich!!!!

2. Stitch down the edge (1/4" from the edge) of your sandwich with your zipper foot. Please do not get too close to the zipper. The fabric will get caught in the zipper and we all know how that feels on skin! Don't forget to back-stitch the ends!

3. Turn right side out. Press the edges next to the zipper and topstitch that edge.

Hard Part

1. Make a loop with outer fabric, face to face, match with other raw edge of zipper. Do the same with lining fabric. Match all raw edges making a zipper sandwich again. Lining and outer fabric will be separate loops (like Bunny ears!). Bottom of loops should match up. Trim at the top if neccessary.

2. Stitch the same as you did with the other zipper edge. If you are confused with this step, just play with the fabric and think logically about how the bag should look.

3. Unzip bag all the way. Iron and top stitch again. This may take some finessing. Just GO SLOW and stitch carefully. End up with this...

Pull Tab:

1. Turn bag inside out and zip bag up. Lay flat and trim ends of fabric to match ends of the zipper.

2. Make sure the bag is flat and the zipper is centered on the bag.

3. Fold pull tab in half. Place between the edges of the bag at the bottom (opposite end of zipper pull). Loop should be inside the bag with raw edges meeting raw edges of the bag.

4. Stitch along bottom of bag, back-stitching over the tab to make it strong.

5. UNZIP BAG!!!! If you dont, you better find a seam ripper, this is gonna be good! Now that you have unzipped the bag, you can run a stitch along the top of the bag too. Dont forget to back-stitch!

6. Turn bag rightside out. You could stop here if you just want a lined pouch. Follow along if you want the whole shibang! It should look like this...

Making the box!

1. Turn bag inside out again. Press edges.

2. On a corner at the bottom of the bag, fold to match the seam and the pressed edge. Measure 2.5 inches across the edge. Mark your line and stitch on that line. Try to keep the line as perpendicular to the seam as possible. This will make for a more squared bag.

3. Repeat on other bottom corner.

4. On the top corners you will be adding the handle. Before sewing the corner, add the handle FROM THE INSIDE of the bag. This will put them on the outside when you are finished. Sew the corners just as you did the others, back-stitching over the handle to make it strong.

5. Cut the excess fabric off the corners between the tip and the seam about 1/4 in out.

6. Turn bag right side out and PRESTO!!! You have a cutesie bag!!!! Ready to hold your goodies and go anywhere!

I hope this has helped you make a really neat bag. If you have any questions, please ask! I will be more than happy to help! Have fun!!!

Theorhetical Thursday!

2009-04-30T12:55:00.001-04:00

Today is a work day for me so I need to get to it.

Here's the question. Think about it. Leave me a comment if youre brave.

What would you do TODAY if you knew you wouldn't fail??

The Bag that kicked my BUTT!!

2009-04-29T13:08:00.006-04:00

All together, I broke 4 machine needles, ripped 3 seams, smelled my motor burning constantly and stabbed myself with pins...ummm...too many to count. Pouted. Growled. Slammed my head on the table. Let's just say, I'm never lining a bag with fleece EVER AGAIN!!!!! It came out really nicely though!

And here are some bags that didnt kick my butt...

This one is big enough for diapers and wipes. Lunch. Wallet, phone, keys, sunglasses.
Fully Lined too!! Strap fits nicely over the crook of my arm.

My intention was to make cubes. But I like the way they came out. I like making them too. It was a little confusing at first, but I got it. Actually quite enjoyable!

After all that, my iron decided to take a crap on me. So I'll be going to Target today to get a new one (and Diapers). I would go to Wally World, but I feel the going to Target is a much more pleasant experience. I dont need anymore garbage today.

My time with Russian Nesting Dolls

2009-04-27T17:28:00.007-04:00

When I was in Ga, we went to Hobby Lobby looking for an unfinished doll-house for Layla's Birthday. We couldn't find what we wanted, so I got something else. Looking back I was upset about the doll house, now I know God must have saved me from years of work just put the thing up so she wouldn't break it. Useless I see now.

What I got was a set of Russian Nesting Dolls. Maybe they aren't Russian since they arent painted, maybe they are mine! I'm working on them a little bit today. The day after I got them, Layla was playing with Bryan's Dads 100 year old set of nesting houses. She normally wouldnt get to play with them but she was hooked. I'm glad I got them. Nothing to break. Hopefully they come out well.

After 3 coats of white paint, two coats over the design 2 coats of glitter and 3 coats for Mod Podge, I see I will not be finishing them today. Bryan said something about me selling them. The only way I would feel that I was getting my times worth would be to sell them for $100. I dont know anyone who would buy them for that.

I decided to up the ante a little. In my family we have five generations of first born daughters. Think about that for a sec. My Great-Grandma (Gee-Gee) is a first born daughter. Her first born was my Grandma (Noni). Noni's first born was my Mom. I am my mom's first born and Layla is my first born. IN every generation, the first born child was a girl and direct lineage with Layla. There are five nesting dolls in the set. So I am making one to represent each of the five generations. Here's the first one, my Gee-Gee.

Silver Glittery hair and all. Can't follow??? Just consider that my daughter's Great-Great Grandmother is still alive. That's a miracle in of itself!

In other news, I made a slew of vintage-style button earrings. I caught Layla dumping out the button jar. Just like me and my sister used to do at Noni's when we were little. Ignore the state of my studio/office. We just finished rearranging to find that my sister and her son will be staying with us for a while. Time to re-re-arrange....hehe.

Time for chicken and dumplins!!! Have a great day!

Butterflies in my head...

2009-04-23T09:14:00.007-04:00

I've got alot of things bouncing around in there. Plans, ideas, goals.

First of all, my Easter trip was terrible. I wish I had stayed home. We had a picnic with all of my family on Easter. It was hot and the kids were cranky and we really didnt get to spend much time together. We didnt even do an egg hunt! On top of that, my step-dad smashed Layla's $40 custom birthday cake with a gallon jug of sweet tea! OH the disfunction! I love my family, but you never know how "on the outside" you get when you dont live at home anymore.

Which leads me to my next point, I'm seriously considering not moving to GA when Bryan leaves. What's the point?? My mom works all the time. She wouldn't even stop to join us foro Layla's birthday party. Calen needs to work so all I would be doing there is watching the baby while she works. Same thing I do here, in a round about way. Only difference is that I dont have to waste money to move here. I can stay where I'm settled. I love my apartment, its very in tune with my chi and has a great sitting position. If they want to visit, they will have to take time out to come here. I can't waste a year waiting on them to stop working! UH!

Sorry about that venting, girls! I hate when my plans go up in smoke.

On to ideas! The fun part! I've been working on some zippered pouches to list. I got some really great fabric on sale so I guess thats what inspired me. My sister wants me to make her a bags to hide her money in. (Great, hiding money from her dumb-dumb fiance) Anyways, I dont like him very much so I'm thinking I will make her a pouch with a secret pocket. Problem is, I'm having trouble figuring out how to add a pocket that will be completely invisable to a man (boy). If you have any ideas, I'd love the help.

When I was little and we would visit my Noni, she would pull out a huge jar of buttons and we would seperate them by color and size. Now I collect buttons here and there and have decided to put them to use. I'm going to try to make fabric covered button earrings with my new fabric.

tricky.....

Goals, I'm working on listing one new item on Etsy everyday till the end of the month. Using only supplies I have. I'm running out of fun money, and Bryan is complaning we never go out. He wants to ride go-carts and got to movies and out to dinner. Get as much in before is has to leave in August for Afghanistan again. SO, the more I make, the more I sell, hopefully. I'm trying. No more money spending until I get something sold!

Well then, Layla needs to get out of bed and get on the potty....sigh... she's growing up too fast! On to pulls ups and princess underwear and soon, a big girl bed... someone pray for me!

Oh the suspense!!!

2009-04-07T13:56:00.003-04:00

I cannot rip myself away from this dang computer today! Goodness!!

Things I AM doing:

1. waiting for the reveal of the winners of the ACETeam Scavanger hunt

2. Researching to see if I should sell my jewelry supplies... I'm bored with it.

3. Counting flowers on the wall... actually not but I feel like it.

Things I SHOULD BE doing:

1. Cleaning.

2. packing for the trip.

3. doing something with this awesome fabric I picked up. Uhh... I'm a sucker for fabric.

4. taking out the garbage

5. anything besides what I am currently doing.

I am such a procrastinator! Dont be decieved. I made this pendant days ago. If only I could take my sewing machine with me. Maybe Id be more likely to start something now.

In other news, Layla's sick....again!

The patch didnt work. Just made me itch real bad.

I made another sale on etsy!

2 days until I leave for GA! woot!

Get down with your bad self and visit my esty while youre at it.

whitehopedesigns.etsy.com

The lazy monster creeps...

2009-04-06T16:29:00.004-04:00

Oh... I'm really bored. Bryan has been gone for over a week now. All I have to keep busy is 2 toddlers and a messy house. I have tons of crafty ideas rolling around in my head, but none under the needle. I need to finish laundry and get packed for Thursday, but my brain is stagnant. At least my the bronchitis is gone. Poor Layla. I know she has to be just as tired of being inside as I am.

I've been working here and there on her birthday present (pictured above). I finished a couple dolls, but nothing I want her to keep forever. I will put the others on etsy and hopefully someone will love them.

Looking forward to the warmth and humidity of Tampa. A pool would be nice too, maybe a tan.

Sicky Sicky Sicky

2009-03-28T09:51:00.004-04:00

I'm sick again!!! It seems like every month I get this nasty bug! Oh well. I did get some work finished. Now if only I could find my camera charger... I could get the new stuff up. Looks like a long rainy day for me!

Sneak Peak

2009-03-26T13:25:00.004-04:00

So I'm currently working on a few new things for my etsy.com store. Next to be added are glass tile pendants. I've seen some people make them with Scrabble tiles but I feel glass looks better and feels better. I know this is a terrible picture, you'll just have to see the finished product when I list them!

Check out my Etsy store White Hope Designs at www.whitehopedesigns.etsy.com

I need some input so any advice will be helpful. What are your thoughts on my blog or my store?? C'mon! I've got my "big girl panties" on today! I can take it. Leave me a comment!

Off to Open an Etsy Store!!

2009-03-25T09:13:00.005-04:00

Hallelujah!!!

After months of trying to figure out a name for my store, I finally figured it out! NOOO... I'm not telling yet! You'll have to check back when I open to see the name. But I'll give you a little preview of what I'll be selling!

I've heard that the jewelry market on Etsy is saturated, but I'll run the risk. The more stuff I sell, the more I can make. That's where the fun is right?? I love making jewelry and aprons and such, but I have to sell them to make more. So the cycle begins!

OH, going to a tattoo parlor today! Evolution Ink! I post my jewelry on Craigslist.org and generate some good business that way. A woman ordered two of the bracelets shown above from me and asked if I could deliver them to her husband at work. Turns out he owns the best tattoo place here in Fayetteville. Bryan's excited, hoping I can "get in good" with them and get him a discount for the tattoo he's wanted forever. I think I'll stay away from the needles this time. I tend to pass out.

Layla's awake so it's goodbye queit time and of to the races. Have a wonderful day!!!

Calamity Kim's Apron Celebration Giveaway!!

2009-03-24T21:17:00.002-04:00

I love reading this girls blog. I have it attached to my yahoo homepage so I can check out her new stuff everyday. This giveaway is very exciting. I bought the Apronology mag from Joann to get some ideas. I have to say, hers was one of the few I actually liked. Anyways, she's giving away a crazy amount of goodies!! Check it out and enter to win!! Spread the love!

http://calamitykim.typepad.com/calamity_kim/2009/03/calamity-kims-apron-celebration-giveaway.html

Weekend Vacay at Shell Island

2009-03-09T13:39:00.002-04:00

A moment of spontaneous combustion. I booked a hotel room for the weekend in Wrightsville Beach at an insanely low winter rate. Of course, we couldn't go more than 100 miles away... opps it was something like 129 miles. Dont tell the Army.

I've been aching for the beach ever since the first hint of spring. We used to be able to get to the beach year round in less than an hour, now it takes us at least 2. We are self-confessed beach bums and we love it!

Layla was having a little issue with the sand. She wouldn't move off the blanket. Not like she's never seen sand before. I had her at the beach when she was 5 months old, for srying out loud. Maybe it was a shell... I dont know. Eventually she got over it and was running like a mad woman through the puddles on the sand bar!

All in all, it was a good weekend and it went by way to fast. The ride home was a quiet one. Everyone slept (besides me) with the warm air blowing through the windows. I can't wait for white sandy beaches in Florida this summer!

For starters....Aprons!

2009-01-14T11:16:00.011-05:00

One of the things I've started doing for myself recently is sewing. My mom bought me a sewing machine about 4 years ago and it just sat. We passed it back and forth a couple times to make cutains and what-not but I never really found something I liked to do. I tried to make purses once, but they turned out lacking.

This time, I started making aprons. The first one I made was a little funny, but cut me some slack here. No one ever officially taught me how to use a sewing machine.

In my opinion, the second one came out a lot better. What do ya'll think??

My little photogenic sweetheart...

2009-01-13T21:08:00.007-05:00

While visiting my mother in Tifton, Ga this past week, a photographer named Hope Baldwin offered to take my daughter, Layla Grace's, picture. I dont know how I made such a beautiful child. Here are some of my favorites...

For some reason, Tifton feels like home to me. I lived there for the first year of Layla's life while my husband was deployed. It may be the nice people... or the hometown feeling. More on Tifton when I shout the Lankford later.