The News from my Corner Office

Hello Blogosphere!
I have been a busy little bee buzzing around fixing,cleaning,working,cutting,scrapping,cleaning,drinking coffee,staying up way too late,thrifting,painting,creating,duplicating,rejuvenating,recreating and trying to stay sane!
I am Danielle,25 year old addict to: Pyrex,Sewing,Cleaning,Cooking,Creating,Drinking Coffee,Buying too much stuff from Etsy,Trying to keep up with herself, Married Girl looking to share a bit of her life with the bloggy world!
I have high hopes that someday i'll make it past 2 followers!
I enjoy writting thus, If  I only have 2 followers whatever! As long as  I get to write and act like people really do read my blog!
So here it goes!
I have been wicked busy! Seriously..busy! This month has been busy for me at work. I work at an Assisted Living Home(s) here in the town I live in. I work in the Activities Department-yeah,I get paid to have fun. Sometimes..its stressful and just overwhelming because I, I have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and I have been very much this way since who knows how long but.."Diagnosed" at age 15. Yay! Go me!
So..this is what i've been up to in photos..

Starbucks (I loath Starbucks) has there Fall drinks back! I went in the Day after I found out..To grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte..MY FAV! I am a fall girl! I love the fall! The leaves change,the weather is cooler and the sweaters come on-I love sweaters!- I love the Black and white photo. Don't you? My husband came across a deal on LivingSocial.com for a "Buy $5.00 Ecard get $10" so..he bought one and I bought one! wahoo! I was cruisin' that day! This bad boy was drank up by 10AM (I savor my drinks!) and after work I got an Iced Chia Latte..-to die for- Sometimes my husband just dosn't know when to not encourage my habits!

I have been going thrifting nearly everyday-ya-lots of gas "wasted" to find Fall clothes-because i'd rather spend $40 on compleatly wearable attire-that most likely no one else has anymore-for 5 outfits than $200 ..see where i'm going? I am a semi-penny-pincher. and working where I do-things get trashed easily from running around in them. I snagged this HUGE bag of zippers and belt making kits for $5.99 at GoodWill... let me tell ya...There are about 40 zippers-all new-and in wicked awsome colors...sure beats spending big bucks for one when im in a pinch-I normally buy mine from Zip It Zippers but,I couldn't resist the Vintage fun in a bag!

I use to have a Zebra Print car I named "Spunker" he was an Art Car. Ever see an art car before? not so traditional to see on the road. But,there is a HUGE group of people that create art out of cars and well,I had one! He was multicolored and wicked awesome! I painted the interior all kinds of neon colors. I was a nanny at the time and the kids thought I was the coolest person in the world! (miss them :( ) I had bought him from the artist for $200 he was a Toyota Corolla wagon-the coolest cat around! or...is it Zebra? Anyways..I saw these flats and had to have them! I miss my car!

The fluffy cotton tail is Gypsee.. Shes approx. 6 years old. Shes a mutt .. Dwarf,America,Lop Mix. House Trained fluffy ball of love. I like to think shes admiring my pyrex here.. but I think she's just up to no good- that is her normal MO.

This is where i'm currently sitting while blogging this :) This is our Dining Room of our Apartment home. We don't use the dining room..well didn't because we all worked different hours. So, this became my small (15x15 ft) studio/sewing room/where I am normally found. Room. It looks cluttered and a mess but really,it isn't. I am a very organized person (95% of the time) and because the space is limited and I think the boys (my husband and brother) would be upset with me if I moved into the living room :) which,is 3 times larger than this area... just sayin'....hrm...

This is my "office" part of my corner. Where my pink laptop (Bertha) and my cutting mat are located. This was my first table in this corner of mine. My husband found it off Craigslist and when we drove out to go get it in a rich part of where we live..The nice business man said "its a great table,I don't want to dent it" as we were stuffing it into the back of my Subaru Impreza Sport wagon (yes! it DOES fit! I have hauled a lot more than a desk in it! don't underestimate Subaru's! )  My reply was "oh,im going to use it to cut fabric on,get paint all over it and probably destroy it in a year anyways its okay! " in my cheery bubbly self attitude. The look on his face=speechless! My hubby bought it for $50.00 its VERY sturdy. and has a shelf under it.
A huge tree stands at the back of our apartment-we live on the 2nd story.

 

This is the corner to my current left. Its small. It houses my shelf with only about a quarter of my Berry Doll Figurine Collection and a pyrex bowl (crazy daisy) full of thread. A couple jars of zippers,my OttLite,my fav collage ;-) Measuring tools,a bunny mesh "basket" that i've hung on the wall with some of my vintage wooden spools,misc. notions and a couple books. 

So,under all the stuff..was our dining room table. From Ikea..it folds out to a much larger table to seat 4 people. .... it now stands to hold fabric bins,a few of my MANY Ball jars filled with notions,stamp cabinet, and a few rolls of interfacing. under the table is Some of my Etsy Items 

Behind the bunting curtain held on by a small curtain rod, is a book shelf that houses some etsy items,fabric,notions,scrap booking papers for my Recipe and Photo Boxes on Etsy

I am pretty proud of my dining room art/sewing studio! It isn't magnificent but,I know its mine and I can pull the curtain shut and be "shut out" of the boys in the living room poking fun at old lady me at my sewing machine!

And this is me! in my PROUD TO SAY! Second Hand cardigan! I scored for $5.99 at Goodwill while I was out on one of my Looking for fall clothes runs! I love buying 2nd hand. It is not only helping re-purpose,help those that need jobs,makes me save money,but I can gladly pay $5.99 and NOT feel the guilt if I had bought this sweater at full price and Lane Bryant for nearly $40! see what I mean?! This day I was feeling "Sassy" as I like to say. I had even curled my hair. Which is VERY time consuming because its thick.

My husband found this jar at Goodwill. It is a wire jar. the unique part of it-its a misprint and was made somewhere around 1915 it is "Made in Canada Perfect Seae" see the error? it is blue and it is a large jar and a #6! it was $3.99 ...another reason I love 2nd hand..and its funny my husband encourages my niches! I don't know what i'm going to put in this one but,eventually i'll have a purpose for it.

So far, September has been good to me. I am learning a lot about myself that I had forgotten threw the years and rediscovering who I am. i'm trying my best to make this month so much better than the last because August was HELL! ....
I know i've left a lot out in this bloggy but, I have been DYING to write SOMTHING the past couple weeks. and I love to share! so there we go! TTFN

This weekends schinanigan

A garage sale........ but not "junk" ...I will have a table of nearly everything in my Etsy shop PLUS some things that I do not have listed.
I have high hopes to come home with very little things to relist on Etsy after closing for the weekend.
Visit Here, shop closes Friday Night I have made up a bunch of reusable zip up snack bags. I plan to make a bunch of sandwich bags also! These are fun to make, I org. made them for myself for my lunches because i'm trying to be as Eco-friendly as possible and I really do dislike plastic bags! They are machine washable and reusable, and most of all..HANDMADE! WAHOO!
I made a bunch of new tissue cozys,recipe boxes,photo boxes,kindle cases,handbags, and I am bringing some up cycled goods.. so..we shall see.

I think I have high hopes for my sales. I'd like to be able to at least get my shops name out there a little bit more! it is always lovely to sell an item. I love the shipping process except, going to the post office :)
so...thats that....

Did you know quilting is a cult ?...

I had a revelation..as I was walking out of a thrift store after making a fantastic score on a piece of vintage Pyrex ----------------->
1.)  I didn't know there was a large and VAST group of folks out there that LOVE Pyrex as much as I do! I have been collecting the stuff since I was 22 here and there... I didn't relize how amazing the stuff is..I loved it for its wide variety of prints,colors,sizes,shapes and usefulness.. Pyrex is not just for cooking... its a "Shelf statement" or "Trend setting" .My hubbers, brother and I ran all over Portland,Oregon to thrift stores because I was looking for a few items for an up and coming "Spirit" week at work. I just happened to stumble upon that ---------------------------------------------->

2) I pay so much attention and detail to others blogs and photos that I forget just how creative and artistic I am. The fact that I spend at least 1 hour a day reading blogs,browsing flicker and keeping up with others creativities and contests I pick up "habits" and one of them-which has already been a habit from the past that I haven't really had come to surface until recently.. has drug me into a CULT! &&& Laughing at self!!! &&& --------------------------------------------

3) Others-Fabric trends and ideas- sparks ideas and trends within my own studio and fabric is deff. like a pair of cute shoes or nail color... so, I see an awsome quilt, pops of colors and I see patterns in the trends..this drags me in... recently... I began to partake in a few contests/sew alongs/ fun things online via other bloggers pages and ...Purse Palooza has sucked me in! I've made 4 bags for myself and then my best friend decided she wanted one too so... we headed to the fabric store and she fell in love with Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt and the fabric store only had these prints left but..she was in awwww..

<----------rough peiced need to seam rip

I will have better photos to come once i'm actually done. I took the night off after running around Portland which was also after working a full day at work. The bag has a large outer pocket on the front, a large zipper pocked on the bag for the full height and width of the bag. A pocket in the interior one for a pen, one for her IPhone and one for...gum? :)  The bag is a good size and made from the same pattern as all of my other bags I have made for Purse Palooza. 

..................................Thus quilting is a cult..its an addiction..with a fab. group of people of all kinds ..... truely.. The BEST cult EVER! 

With that said....................................................Have a fantastic night! 

Another one bites the dust!

4th bag for Purse Palooza and im IN LOVE with my newest bag..I know I said that about the last too but..hey! whatever! I found the main fabric at Craft Warehouse-they have some amazing deals on clearance fat folds and I was just walking by- no intention of buying this fabric-but..I couldn't live without it! something about it was just calling me .. This is my OWN pattern! I designed it myself- I have a photographic memory and at times of restlessness while laying in bed I think of the oddest things and this-was one- I began drawing my pattern,what I wanted it to look like, so I could visualize it and the next day I steam pressed some cut out wax paper and started cutting away! my first bag was a little tricky because I forgot a key element-make the back panel longer so the folded over parts to make the zipper wouldn't shorten the bag. I forgot to sew down a flap over the backside zipper and didn't use the right kind of interfacing-I had in all intentions to make a light weight bag anyways because I have shoulder pain now and then from a past work related injury. - I don't suggest tearing a muscle- its the most excruciating pain I've ever experienced- im not yet a mom so, I don't know what child birth is like.

Back on my subject- so, this is my 3rd version of my pattern, I shortned the front pocket, added an elastic loop and button closure to keep goodies in the pocket secure(er) and didn't add an inner zipper pocket-because I didn't need it. I didn't add bias tape or any frills on the backside where the turquoise zipper is located- because I didn't want this bag frilly- just simple and bright! and that it is! I used Michael miller ta-dot (mustard) orange for the lining of the outside pocket, some patchwork on the adjustable strap and the outer flap. I used another dot (Michael miller too I think) in almost a coral for patchwork on the straps and the flap. I used a Riley Blake green button on the front of the bag-I wanted a "goddy" large statement button to be featured on the front to add more of a "POP" to the bag..did you know the Riley Blake is the husband and wife teams names of there children? Riley and Blake..had no idea- quilters/sewers are seriously the coolest group of people EVER! ;-) (I know im awesome! ) I used a really thick interfacing (fused) to ALL pieces of this bag except the two interior. Talk about pain in the arse to turn the bag right side out! I used fushia bias tape for the pink detailing and machined bias tape to the inner folds of the fabric to add a more finished look. I used a Kona cotton for the interior layers (light blue) I used fused fleece for the lining of my adjustable strap. I cut out peices of the main fabric to applique to the inner flap of the bag and to the inner pocket. And of course I used a turquoise Zip It Zipper!  Hope I didn't leave anything out!

^^^^The first version-inner-see how "flimsy" it looks?




-------------------> the backside, the zipper is hiding under that lace. 



And for some reason or another, I don't have photos of the front and right now, my feet hurt too bad to go take another photo :) .............so there we have it!

.......Next project- This weeks project for the Zakka Style Sew Along!

Whats going on in the world of my crafty space....new additions to the space!

What a lovely day I had with my other mum today!
I picked her up at 9am and we headed to Jim and Pattys in Portland,Oregon,
My favorite drink there is the soviet mocha-NUMM! made with sour cream-don't knock it until you've tried it ya'll! Jim and Pattys is the org. Coffee People. After the buy out of Starbucks (boo!) Coffee people no longer....was Coffee People- total bummer! I hadn't lived in Oregon for very long at the time they had released the information that they were going to be selling out and no longer be around... so sad *insert hypothetical tear here* ...................Then about a year ago..my husband was crusing the web and saw somthing about "Jim and Pattys, The Org. Coffee People" ..when I saw the photo..BINGO! it was them!!! they had a cafe! I was totally stoked- few days later we drove to get our paws on the goods....and.....its like it should be..all over again... without the drive threw-the treats are still amazing and the coffee still so delish.......... okay...so i'm done rambeling!
So, after we had left Jim & Pattys we jolted to IKEA... because..how can you not LOVE IKEA!
I had been pondering how to "cut off" my sewing/craft corner (AKA- use to be our dining room that was never used in our apartment) from the rest of the place...I needed a little space to allow my creativity to flow and our bedroom with a King Sized bed wasn't working so, I did a little research. I began to think I would buy a sound board- to block out the noise- a fake wall to bolt to the ceiling, cubical walls to add a little privacy. Then it donned on me! IKEA! they had the answer!! The key to my "issue"......
A wire "rod" that you hook to the wall or ceiling by two brackets that bend and voila! The only problem was- I wasn't sure how i'd do it. So today, I took the leap. Invested the $12 somthing on the wire rod and another $15 on the curtains to boot... a large savings over the "screen" I would have ended up with that is really..not private at all-and would become a chew toy for my house bunny. We had also browsed- I ended up with a rod and 3 hanging thingy majigs and a $10 as-is rug that matches a fellow grey rug we have from IKEA also-which i'm going to move into my craft area and put the old grey rug back into the living room- The red plays off our red couch too much-clashes!

This is one corner of my area-see the curtain peeking by? Jar full of thread spools ..and of course the cup that reminds me.... :) The new rack with pink "buckets" newly installed today-very clever...those IKEA Designers!

The print of my new curtains- Black and White- Birds sit upon the branches

Messy Yet organized..those blue boxes sitting on the floor have TONS of notion goodness-vintage and other misc. Still trying to figure out a wall for those! and of course, my mess-need to be folded bins of fabric!

A small opening for the walkway to the living room

Kind of a mess still. This is my cutting and computer desk-I working in a small space

I just whipped this up really quick tonight as the boys were watching a movie. I just measured and cut, thats how I like to do things! The linen was a vintage table cloth that had gotten ruined by company so, rather than tossing it I cut it up for a sewing machine cover! The bias tape is vintage- JC Penny & Co.. The floral fabric was a steal at Fabric Depot (Approx $3.00 a yard!) I thought it was wicked cute! The cotton lace was $.25 cents a yard!!!! I bought almost all they had!

Another part of my mess! The chair under my photo box was my Grandfathers, the table is at my aunts..im waiting to go get it once I have space, for now the chair is all I could take :) It use to have mates but age takes its toll. The set im sure is over 50 years old. All those purses hanging on my poor mani are bags ive made for either The Zakka Style SAL or for Purse Polooza :) poor Mani is getting weighed down..Those resin dolls hidden in various places of my craft area are- Berries & Co- I collect them

.............my mess..............
Anyways..just wanted to share!

Zakka Week 9 Stem Messenger Bag

Well, this weeks Sew along project for the Zakka Style Sew along find all the good info at LRStitched Bloggy was a little challenging for me! Zakka apparently, is all about linen and a lot of good things. Well, im kind of bored with linen only because the stuff gets me so fired up about how annoying it frays and does not do what you want it to unless you starch the bageezes out of it..I decided because Oregon is very wet most of the year and i'm not so tender with my bags..I wanted to make something a little more "sustainable" for my use and torcher it will receive by my busy life style.. So..I went with a Marine Synthetic materiel made from recycled goodness... and ..to my shock! it did not break a single needle!! On the standard machine I use! ..I was so very pleased with that.. but the stuff is hard to sew without it moving and deciding it'd rather head east than west... So.. with a lot of fuss I accomplished the project its a little kaddywhompus in spots but..it is what it is and I made it. I use to be very fond of making handbags when I was younger and I guess I got a bit bored. I will however be taking part in the  Purse Polooza this year and im pretty excited about that, Ive got my materials and my design drawn up and hopefully I can get it done in  a weekend! It is a great feeling accomplished.

So, I knew so little about any kind of spray adhesive for quilting (fabric) and after week 8's Zakka project I am in love... it worked so very well on the vynel! I was stoked! sorry for the junky photo but. The brand I used is "Spray n Bond" basting adhesive. I picked it up at the local Joann and it was normally $14.99 but had a coupon...YAY! (thanks hubby ;-) and its WELL worth it! I don't know what brand you'd use but this stuff is just as good ..I think? I hear the 505 spray is da-bomb.. anyways... I Sprayed the appliques with this goodness and they stuck while and had sewn them down. Goodie Goodie gumdrops! I had only purchased 1/2 a yard of the vynel because the stuff is SPENDY so I thought i was coming up short. I ended up cutting the peice for the flap at the very end of the madness and so to make up for the inch I was off on I used some left over scraps to make a ruffle............................

 

I had used pinking shears to cut the leafs so the edges will hopefully not fray. As for the ruffle, I came up short on that too (oh golly!) so I cut that fabric in half and carefully had sewn it  to the flap and TADA! 

The outcome is pretty darn tootin' cute....if I do say so myself................

 The strap is peiced toeather with the polka dotted print and the floral print because the vynel was waay to hard to turn it inside out.. The interior is red on the interior flap, and the bag part is orange. The outside wrap around pocket is polka dotted.

you can't iron the vynel or it will melt so the flap is a little kaddywhompus... whew! one project down for the week........................
Have a great day!

Wooty Woot.......woot....!!!! FABRIC AHOY!

I was totally stoked to get a brown box in the mail this evening........

WOOOT WOOOOOOOT!! haul aboard the happy train!
 I received my goodies from Fat Quarter Shop today and I was totally excited. I had impatiently been waiting for the arrival of these delisious cotton bits to arrive all day today! what a pleasent surprise when I had gotten home, As my husband waived it infront of my face like it was a giant sized coffee beverage..... yulp...this goodie box topped that a few times over! ....
The package dosent look like much but, there are a few layers hiding that you can not see. I ordered my full $75.00 worth of fabric from my gift certificate that I had won from the Zakka style Sew Along Click her to be directed to join in! you need the book Zakka Style... more infor here!    Anyhootie...

Happy Friday! im going to get started on the next project for Week 7.... "Zakka Block Quilt" Created by Leslie Good .............................................

Promising yet not eventful

Today was interesting.
I woke up at my normal "Day off time" of 9am and the hubby and I got out the door at about 10:15Am to run errands. I had wanted to complete a few projects today and get maybe a few things in my shop that are new. Since taking a long break from my Etsy shop SpunkyChildDesign I pondered at either shutting it down completely because it was taking up all the free time I had after working an already full time job, or just taking a long break. So in the end, the long break and a 10 day vacation from work really helped. So for the first few items I had created since my nearly 2 months from my Etsy shop I listed them and then sold 4 items within those 48 hours which was and always is, thrilling.
Today I thought I wanted to make a few clutches- I fly by the seat of my pants normally when I create things that are from my imagination and not from someone elses pattern that ive been able to recreate with there permission and all rights given to them in my Etsy listings. I decided I would just start on something for my mother for her Mothers Day gift, which I cut and got things together and then decided not to start on it yet until I had more energy.
So, 2 sugar free Rockstars later its almost Monday and...well....
this is what i've done today............

I have been accumulating a lot of scraps since I started sewing again about 6 months ago and I have been wanting to make something out of them. I had began to make a lap quilt and then stopped doing that because it was just awkward and kind of annoying. So, I first cut out 3x3 squares and sewn them togeather then cut them again in 1 1/2 inch rectangles and these little pretties were born. I even ran to the Dollar Tree to get a pretty mug :) I am now thinking with the rest of my scraps and maybe even more, I will make a few of these and put them in my Etsy shop for fun! Because...who needs a pile of these laying around? I already have one I made myself during 2nd week of the Zakka Sew Along!

Good night!

Zakka Zakka Zakka!

After beginning the Zakka Sew Along with the Zakka Style Book Compiled by Rashida Coleman-Hale 24 projects stitched with ease to give,use & enjoy.... I am addicted! So many fun projects! 

 I had a lot of fun sewing this Zig Zag Tote for week 1. Week 1 came during Easter and well, many folks enjoy the holidays with there families and I was over a hundred miles away from home to completed the tote in time for the link up. I finished it the next day and this was my outcome. The zig zag doesn't have pointed peaks like they should but, I think my color variations and the fact I used a colored linen was fun!

 The house pouch to the right was really fun too! I used a (hard to see in the photo) cotton fabric that looks lacy and femanine for the roof. I followed the directions fairly close other than adding long stems and leafes to the flowers and adding a welcome wooden door sign that says "Welcome The Raichels" to make this house more personal! The interior is light blue with a white floral pattern. I used a lighter than "normal" linen for the main body of this pouch. I think I will take this lovely with me when we go on trips for my sewing goodies!

The Zakka Pincushion was week 3's project. 

I followed the directions again fairly close, adding my own flair to the project. The pin cushion on the left didn't turn out as I had wanted to. So, I made a second. The pin cushion on the right I think came out very sweet. I pieced together 1 inch squares to add a little quilt action to it, something that i've very new at still! I have not made a large quilt, I think the biggest quilt I've made was my mug rug! :)

For week 4 the above photo is of my version of the sewing kit. I used an almost duck canvas for the exterior and a summertime print for the interior. I hand stamped pink flowers on the exterior and two black flowers on the interior. This was a fun project, fairly simple to create and something i'll use on the go! I normally take sewing projects with me to work if I know my lunch time will be boring.  For week 5 i'm done I just need to perfect it a little and then i'll be posting that boogar tomarrow for the link up :)!

Now, for the rest of the day.....................

Yesterday I had been browsing threw a Craft Warehouse ad (my fav. close by store for fabric) from the paper and saw a new book.... I <3 Patchwork, 21 irresistible zakka projects to sew by Rashida Coleman-hale. It was on sale! I had to snatch one up! I phoned craft warehouse, spoke to a woman in the quilting department and found out they didn't have any! :( I was bummed! So, the lovely sweet lady, as they always are! said "we will give you a call when we find one or it comes in, it looks like we only have 2! just somewhere!" so within an hour I received a phone call... "we found you a book!" I was so excited "I said, "oh thank you so much for calling me back! I am excited, I will come get it right after work" which...I did..... 

This book is very cute! the projects just as sweet as the compiled Zakka Style book... I highly suggest it! 

Maybe there will be a sew-along for this one too??? 

Happy Sewing!

Etsy, you have consumed me once again!

I have a shop on Etsy dedicated to a variety of items. I enjoy to sew,paint,decoupage,knit,crochet, and collect vintage goodies to share with others. My Etsy Shop is SpunkyChildDesign if anyone would like to check it out. I know I don't have many followers but hey, you never know who is going to stumble upon your bloggie!

Today I have created a new Recipe Box. I first started my Etsy shop with many Recipe boxes and Photo boxes because that at the time, was my thrill. I am working on a second new box to put in my Etsy shop that is too cute! almost too cute to sell but..my intent was to make it for my shop so, i'll go ahead to pout when its gone to a new home.
My Etsy has been open for a little over a year now. I had opened it to dedicate myself to a hobby. To keep my mind off other events in my life and the stress of the day to day that some people have. So, from boxes came crochet things like hats and scarves. I told my husband because I buy the crafting supplies and enjoy creating things, I didn't want a stockpile of "stuff" sitting around our small apartment. My best friend was actually the person to tell me "you should start an Etsy shop!" .... so to her we applaud.
I shortly discoverd that having an Etsy shop in the sea of millions of people was very hard. I researched a bit and discovred that my boxes were pretty unique compared to the others that were up for grabs in other shops. Talented artists stock Etsy with such a vibrancy that its hard to compete with others. I continued to build on my available items in my shop and discovered that if I had more than 30 items, I was getting more hits. Now aday's I try to keep approx 80 items available for the sake of having a stocked store for folks to discover new finds and gifts.
I get a real thrill out of selling something handmade to someone, Ive shipped things all over the United States and as far as New Finland which, was really exciting. I've sold "props" to a certain someone to be featured in a Movie... that was VERY exciting.
Simple things catch me and lift my spirits up. Like many crafters you hit a wall.
I discovered Heartsy.me (whom is now closed due to I don't know why) that would feature my shop, sell vouchers and i'd basically be wiped clean in my shop. I found out that the first time around, I was getting hosed. Good for the folks that had gotten such an amazing deal on pretties but oh dear...for me..not so well.. I was loosing profits and I felt really bummed. I kept on trucking on, all a learning experience. A few months later I sold vouchers again on Heartsy. This time coming out on the positive side.
I dedicated all my time and effort after coming home from an already full time job to create things for my Etsy shop. I was not getting a "day off" for weeks and weeks if not months. I was consumed. Etsy had me by the hair and it was not letting go....

I took a month off from creating any new products for my Etsy shop. About a year ago we moved into our new Apartment home in a better neighborhood and closer to work for my Husband and I. Our dining room was going untouched and not being used. We have a 2 bedroom apartment home, my window in the dining room faces a very large pine tree (I think) My husband bought me my first table from Craigslist. As we are young and putting him threw college money is tight so we had to make due. $50 bought me the table that is home to my cutting mat and laptop. Our kitchen table in the far right corner now houses storage space under for my ready to ship items and storage on top for fabrics and other supplies. I use Antique Ball Wire jars to store spools of thread,Velcro,ribbon,bobbles and bits. I found a box of about 12 blue jars from the early 1940's if not sooner at a second hand store-I was thrilled and grinning ear to ear feeling as if I just hit the mother goose! The next piece of furniture to the right of the corner table is an ugly shelf my husband homed that was going to the dump..Hey..another persons junk is another s treasure! I found other pieces of shelving at second hand stores for super duper cheap-im uniquely fantastic and bargain shopping ;-) and during my break from Etsy I made drapes for my kitchen table and attached a curtain rod to my ugly book shelf and then had sewn bunting to the bottom for an added color pop. This space is special to me.
After a long break from Etsy i'm back, in almost full action.
Im still learning to blog so please, bare with me. I really enjoy  writing. This also feeds my desire to share :)