Friday, April 23, 2010

Saturday Blog Shoppers

The week goes around quickly, doesn't it? Here we are, another weekend, another Saturday Blog Shoppers spree. Oh the excitement!

I have been making lavendar sachets recently. Another etsian, QueenofAllTrades, is having a home show this weekend, and requested giveaways for her favor-bags, for people who purchased more than $20. I offered my sachets, and she graciously accepted my offer. So of course I forgot all about it, dealing with my injured knee and all, until Monday this week, when I contacted her and she said it was this weekend, and she's in California and I'm in NY, and I needed to make them still...AARRGGHHH!!!

So, I got busy as they say. I used material left over from making my new 20"x20" throw pillows. I was going to staple my business card to each sachet, so I measured and cut out 3"x8" strips, sewed them into pouches, ironed, filled them with an 80% lavendar/20% chamoimile blend, and sewed them shut:












There! Done! I actually did 23 for Queen, and sent them overnight, guaranteed to be delivered no later than 3pm on Saturday, so hopefully in time for lots of her goody bags. So there I was on a roll, you might say. I looked around, and found a piece of this, and made two lovely large sachets, to showcase the embroidery:




I also had a piece of 100% deep red-like-wine silk, with a sewn trellis pattern, and made eight sweet and sexy sachets:





I also had this wonderful soft cotton printed in a tropical theme and made three more sachets. These are completely different than the other two. I made my own bedspread out of this material, a couple of years ago. I will show it to you when I put it back on my bed, for summer. Meanwhile, I'm happy with the sachets:




So, for my SBS sale, there will be no shipping charges on these new sachets!!! Please write something on the notes to seller - SBS, or blog, or something so I know you purchased during our Saturday Blog Shoppers event, and please also go to the other terrific etsians by clicking on the link on the left-hand sidebar.

Thanks for all your comments, for reading and looking, and looking at the other shops too!!!!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

MORE FABRICS!

I have started adding some silks and other patterned fabrics to my store nancysfabricshop. I'm trying to give as good a description of the goods as I can. Sometimes I know exactly what the fiber content is, other times I'm giving my best guess, but I can assure you they are all quality fabrics that will not disappoint.

This is a fabulous Lee Jofa hand-printed piece:




I am also offering this rayon/silk velvet piece with mystic designs:





And lastly, at this time, this is the other newest addition to my fabric selections, a subtle, 100% silk piece:




I have TONS more where these came from. Check back often! I have more amazing silks, brocades, embroideries and patterns that will make you sigh and drool!

Monday, April 12, 2010

MY NEW FABRIC STORE

Hi everyone! I finally did it! I opened my new etsy store nancysfabricshop, where I will be selling material from my extensive fabric collection. I am starting with some Sunbrella , a trademarked heavy cotton canvas indoor/outdoor fabric, which is also pretty colorfast. I mean, any fabric will fade eventually if left in strong sunlight for any length of time, but the Sunbrella goods will not fade so fast. The pieces I am offering are 54" wide and a yard long, give or take, for $15.00 each. They're a little heavy, and I like a tracking number, so the shipping is $10, with or without another purchase.

This is heavy duty fabric, canvas rough, and strong. It's good to make cushions for your patio or deck, for around the pool, or on a boat. They would also make really sturdy totes or bags for crafts or groceries. My pieces are big bold prints that make a dramatic statement:




This pattern also comes in softer, more muted colors:




I also have a blue coral pattern:





and other patterns as well. Please browse my new store to see them all, and come back often. I will be adding more Sunbrella, and some lovely velvets I have, and some gorgeous silk embroideries, and lots of other fabrics for you to use for your own projects!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

MY NEW MOUSE PAD

I had a lovely surprise the other day. Lisa at Visual Journey selected me to win her giveaway! What fun! It was hard to pick just one picture from her gallery of fine art photography, but I finally decided on this one, as a mouse pad:




My first words when I opened the package were "Oh, how pretty!" The image printed very well on the rubber, and the pad itself is thick and stays put while I move my mouse all around. Really good quality, and I love the picture.

Thank you Lisa!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

ANOTHER THRILLING SATURDAY BLOG PARTY

Hi everyone out there in Saturday Bloggers Shopppers!!!! I know I haven't been participating lately, but between putting my old cat down, and spraining my knee, I just didn't feel the love, let alone have the enthusiasm. But enough already, life goes on, my knee is SO much better, and I've had a few sales this month. So this Saturday I'm putting all my pillows on sale. There are more pillows in my spring collection, also:


Please write SBS in notes to buyer, and I will refund 10% of the purchase price. Imagine this beautiful pillow in your home, for only $33!!



And be sure to check out the other great shops from Quilts Galore and More for more great deals!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

BEST SELLER

Who knew when I started making catnip pillows that they would become my best selling item? I was HOPING my bedspreads would be, and I could actually support myself selling my goods on etsy:




But NOOOO. I sold a lot of aprons during the holidays, at shows, but not so much online



It took forever to sell any pillows, and then my brother bought three for a Christmas present to his wife, and I sold 2 more at a show. Meanwhile, I had bought at least a dozen 20"x20" inserts, and they were in a great big box in my kitchen - you have no idea how small my space is - and I just wanted that box out of my life, so I made a whole slew of pillows:



which get a whole lot of views and hearts, but none of them have sold, even on sale (sigh). No, turns out my best selling item is my catnip, which get rave reviews from my customers:

The cats love them! Thanks for beginning their new year with nippy joy ^_^
I will translate from my kitty's reaction to the catnip pillow: "What's this? BLISS!!! I never knew I could be so happy!"


I still have about a dozen available, and will have to make more, I guess, to keep up with the demand!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

CURRENT STATUS

Hello everyone out there in blog land. I'm sorry I haven't blogged recently, and let me tell you why. I fell and sprained my knee - very big ouch. Emergency room, wheelchair, brace, orthopedist, and two weeks later I am walking again, gingerly. And oh yes. they tell me I have arthritis in my right knee. I was warned about growing old. I believe Bette Davis said "growing old ain't for the faint hearted" or something like that. Ah well...life goes on, and I FINALLY feel sharing again.

I've been pretty well cooped up in my apartment for the last two weeks. I can see the building's little garden from my window, but I am mainly experiencing spring right now in my own space, and the lovely thing is my amarylis is in bloom!





I bought the bulb years ago from a very good nursery here in Freeport NY, and it stilll blooms at least once a year. Isn't she pretty?

My sister took me grocery shopping after the orthopedist, and I bought these anemones:



On that table is a picture of me my father took in an old apartment in Detroit, when I was in college, and tall and beautiful and skinny:




OK, OK, I was never TALL tall, although in grade school I was the tallest until 6th grade. Everyone caught up to me in 7th grade, and after that I was among the shortest, and still am. God never let me be 5' tall, just 4'11 3/4". At least I haven't shrunk in my old age.

And years ago my Aunt Sally - remember my Aunt Sally? I did a Christmas show there, invited everyone on the east coast to come, and my blog "Gorgeous Georgina" was taken there. That's Sally's house in the blog. Oh, I did a Thanksgiving blog therre, too, you can read all about it in my older posts, if you're interested. Anyway, years ago my Aunt Sally made a clay piece of Punkin, whom I had to put down a few weeks ago. I have it sitting in the window, in memorial, so I don't miss her so much:





I haven't made anything new in WEEKS, but to help pay all my doctor bills, I am having a 10% off sale on most of my pieces. Please feel free to browse to your heart's content, and I hope you find something you like at http://customdesigns4ubynan.etsy.com. Thank you for reading, looking, and for your purchase!