things lately

Fall left us pretty quickly here in the Midwest and even though it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, it looks like winter has arrived. The hectic holiday season is right around the corner… and thanks to a much-needed break from Etsy and sewing totes, I’m happy to say that I’m ready for it.

Between July and October, I had a steady stream of tote orders coming in… and for the first time since opening shop, I can say that I had a real streak going. It felt great to be a sewing and sending out so many totes, but I have to be honest… I felt very restricted creatively and by the time that last tote was sewn, I knew I needed stop so that I could make time to work on other projects. So I closed up shop right before Halloween with the intent to open it back up (with new products) right before Thanksgiving.

My creative time is pretty limited during the day and I had great big plans for those four weeks. I knew that my “creative” time would be divided between actually creating physical items and creating a cleaner, more organized, and more enjoyable home… so the first week was spent taking care of  our home. =)

The following three weeks were spent creating real physical items. I knit, I crocheted, I designed and cross stitched… in short, I stayed away from my sewing machine(s) even though that was not part of the plan. I spent my creative time divided between working on personal projects and projects for the shop. It was like the dam that had blocked the stream of creativity from running through me had been broken and I couldn’t stop the ideas from flowing. I’m actually excited to be making fun (and at times useful) things again… and I can’t wait to introduce them all to you.

During my time away from the shop, I also came to realize that, in the deepest depths of my heart and soul, I am a maker. It’s something that, if I’m truly honest with myself, I’ve known for a very long time. I need to make things, whether they be tote bags, hats, scarves, decorative items, or little people who look a lot like my husband. *wink*

I am a maker, but I don’t like to be stuck to making just one thing. I think that is why I started working on crocheted toy patterns and made Ellie. It’s also why I have a diverse collection of both finished and unfinished projects in various crafting mediums here at home. I am a maker and need to make, but I get bored if all I’m doing is making the same thing over and over again. And so….

Be prepared to see some changes in the shop. I’ve opened it back up and although there aren’t any new products listed yet, I am taking tote orders again. Behind the scenes, I’m working hard on a new, very different product collection, that will be released very soon. I’m so very excited about it! It is the craft that, over the 25+ years, I keep coming back to… the one that I feel started my love of handmade and started this crafting journey of mine.

I hope you all are staying warm in your part of the world!