Fabric Finds! :)

Well, I've recently begun searching for fabric while at thrift stores.  Generally, I would have been opposed to it, but then I began to realize that sturdy fabric that looked like new could be washed a couple times and be fine!  So, here are a few of the things I found! (Please pardon the ridiculous amount of wrinkles shown in the following images.  I was being lazy and just wanted to get the pictures taken without taking the time to iron first...sorry!)


I plan to dismantle this corduroy blazer sometime in the future!  I think it ended up being around $7 (??) at the Salvation Army...but considering the amount of useful fabric on this piece...that's a great price (to me at least).  Much cheaper than I'd be able to find a yard of corduroy for at a fabric store.  Besides, half the fun is ripping something apart, right?? :)

     

This was a pajama set I found and fell in love with immediately!  When I saw the pattern I knew I had to have them to make a pillow of some kind...SO EXCITED about this piece!  The smaller picture beneath is a closer view so you can see the pattern...and it's wrinkle free! (Salvation Army for a couple bucks!)

Here are some of the flat sheets and fitted sheets I was able to find.  For just a couple bucks apiece, you have YARDS and YARDS of fabric...you get much more fabric for your money than you would at a fabric store...it's fantastic!!  They were found at Salvation Army and Good Will...then washed twice in a row (seriously).

  

Well, this wasn't that exciting of a post, but hey...being amazing takes hard work and time, give me a break! :)  I hope to have some images from my recent engagement session and practice session before too long, but no promises!!  I'm leaving to work at Hume Lake Christian Camp for the summer today (June 2nd, 2011),  so I might not be able to post as much as I'd like to.  I'm taking my sewing machine and fabric with me to keep HandmadeJEMs alive and I'll have internet, so...you should still hear from me periodically about my new projects while at camp and my many, many adventures! :)  Stay tuned!!! 

First Hand, Second Hand...

  The time has finally come to show you some of my first and second hand finds and I'm so excited!


     My bedside table was looking a little sparse with only a lamp (Target) and a turquoise bird (Urban Home), so I set out to find some fun accessories!  My first find: air plants.  Air plants don't need dirt to grow (thus the name...) and you only need to run them under water every few days!  (I'm ALL ABOUT low maintenance. :) )  I was thrilled about them, but then realized I had no way of displaying them in my room...obviously just sitting them on my bedside table wouldn't be very attractive. I found some great glass containers and wahlah!  (I, admittedly, know little about getting the best deals on second hand items...so, all you experienced thrift store shoppers and garage salers will just have to bear with me!)  Well, here are the air plants and one succulent plant in their new "homes":


     This round vase was about $2.50 at the Salvation Army and the rocks are from my backyard!  I love the desert look...very fitting for southern California geography and climate.

     

     I found this tall jar/vase at the Goodwill for around $3.00  I filled it with white decorative rock my mom had left over in her third grade classroom.

     I found this little teal vase at a Salvation Army in downtown Pasadena for around $.25...it has little air bubbles all over it which adds great character and texture!

                         

     This next find is my absolute favorite so far!  I have always loved these insulators and recently went on a hunt for some of my own.  I found a website where they're sold...(apparently there's a whole network of people who collect them in from different countries and varied sizes and shapes!)  Some can be pretty expense, but I found this little pair for $6.00 (S&H not included).  Then I added a few decorative rocks and this piece was complete!

Combining these pieces with the turquoise bird the beside table was complete:

    

     I originally had three fake succulents in these little pots, but after a trip to downtown L.A. I replaced them with live ones for only $.89 each! (The succulent shown above was also found in L.A. for the same price.)

Their new home on the dresser...   Also - (Flowers: Urban Home;  lotus flower candle holder: Kohl's.)

     This next item is inspired by some of my best friends, Tasha and Eric, who showed me this fun project! I found this ceramic vase at The Salvation Army for about $3.00.  Once you have the container you want to use, buy a cheap candle from the Dollar Store (one with a scent you like, of course), melt it down on the stove (take the wick out once you can), and pour the hot wax into your container.  Using a chopstick laid across the top, hang the wick as straight as you can over the center of the candle, and set it aside until it hardens up again!  I already had a Bath & Bodyworks candle in my room which perfectly (and conveniently...) fit in the container without having to melt it down, but next time...next time.  It's great because you'll never have to find the right size candle to fit your container anymore and helps your space look finished.

                          

     This last item is a hand-me-down clothes hamper from Tasha.  I'm contemplating making it black, but want to avoid cheesiness/tackiness...I'll possibly use the last of the 2-1 spray paint, but not sure.

     I have much, much more to show you, but that'll have to be at another time, so...check back soon for posts on my thrift store fabric finds and recent photography adventures! :)

Finally!!!

Has it taken me FOREVER to post this? Yes. Am I wordy? Yes.  Am I thorough? Yes.  Regardless...enjoy! :)

So, in one of my firsts posts I mentioned that I got into pillow-making while decorating my room at home.  Well, many of you heard about the redecorating as it was going on, but never saw the finished product.  I'm  really sad I don't have "before" pictures for you, for which I deeply apologize, but really...you should just be thankful I'm FINALLY getting around to posting pictures of it at all, right?! :)

the top of my dresser

     Originally, I was trying to go for more of an eclectic countryish style, but...while the over all style of the room turned out a little different than I'd planned, the eclecticism (is that even a word?) came through the locations of my purchases! I had things from Target, Home Goods, Downtown L.A., Goodwill, Salvation Army, Craig's List, Kohl's, Sears, JCPenny, Hong Kong (I know, makes me sound "soooooo cool" when I say that I have something from Hong Kong, huh?? haha) and a few other places.  I couldn't believe it!

     The bed was one my brother and sister-in-law gave to my parents when they upgraded.  It's been a huge blessing to have when my siblings spend the night over the holidays!!  The bed posts were originally a finished natural oak coupled with the metalwork you see....I sanded the posts a little bit by hand so the paint would hold better.  I spray painted them (yes, you heard me right...spray paint) with a 2-1 paint that covered them beautifully in a matte finish.  (side note: I unscrewed the heads of the posts and stuck them into the lid of a cardboard box and sprayed them that way. :)

     My bedside table is one of my favorite pieces in the room.  I found this Ethan Allen end table on Craig's List for around $80 and talked the woman down to $55...when I bought it, it was the natural wood (which I felt horrible about painting, but...I wanted a matching set so...).  With a little sanding, a fresh coat of paint, and a new drawer pull it looked like a whole different piece!  I'll be doing another blog post on a few of the accessory pieces you see around the room so check back in later for an "accessory close-up". :)

     Ok, ok...before any of you go into shock at the number of picture frames, may I remind you that I also dabble in photography.  Ironically...many of the frames are empty (while it doesn't appear so, my photography is doing quite well lately...I just have yet to print out images and fill the frames!).  Again, the pillows on the bed are from a bunch of different places...

     The dresser is a hand-me-down that my siblings and I have shared for years!  Just before it became an addition to my room, it was white with red and white checked drawer pulls...classy, huh? :)  Well, I did the usual sanding and painting that I did on the other pieces in the room then changed out the drawer pulls to match the bedside table!  The curtains and curtain rod were from Target and Walmart respectively (the rod is a simple extendable one with an "L" bracket attachment while the curtains are a light gray with silver grommets).

     I used Martha Steward and Behr (I believe) paint from Home Depot.  Now, I know many of you are probably wondering how I used two different paint brands together and where? because the walls all look like they're the same color.  Well, first of all...a previous employer of mine had the MS color in her living room and I fell in love.  I got the information about it from here then I literally walked around the paint section holding up my paint card with MS's "Hosta" and tried to find a lighter shade that I liked (never mind that I could have just had them add white to the paint...that would have been too easy. :) ).  Well, the picture/window walls are the MS paint and the closet/dresser walls the lighter color.

Also, please notice the "W" on the wall next to the door for "Walter"...that's all, just notice its existence. pleaseandthankyou.

     Well, that's an official tour of my newly redecorated (though now, it's been nearly a year) bedroom!  It's definitely more contemporaryish, but I've fallen in love with the end product, so...I can't complain. :)

New Items for Sale!!

Well, I guess I assumed too highly of myself...I didn't put out a new post as promised, BUT...I will tell you that I have two new items up for sale in my shop.  Check them out! (just click on the icon for my shop in the column to the right)  Also, I finally got around to taking pictures of some of my thrift store finds and plan on posting them sometime this week...if I can get my act together, right??  :)

I took a trip from Wednesday to Sunday of this last week with a friend of mine where we trekked up to the Central Valley and stayed with her parents in a little town called Ceres, CA.  We spent much of the week planning and prepping for a baby shower my friend was throwing for her sister. We had a blast spending time together, cleaning up the house and yard, buying food, putting together decorations, wrapping gifts, picnics and naps in the yard, and walks in their neighbor's orchard.  It was so much fun, but I have to admit...it's been an extremely long time since I've been that tired (yes, even when I was in college!).  :)  All that to say, there will also be shower pictures coming your way!!

I leave on the 2nd of June to work at Hume Lake for the summer, so...I have until then to keep you all caught up with my adventures!  Lord-willing, HandmadeJEMs will be traveling with me, so...don't worry! :)

Well, until later...

NEWS, NEWS, NEWS!!!

Friends, I have been gone FAR too long, but I have so many things to share with you about HandmadeJEMs, all my crafting/decorating, and photography projects!!  In the last two weeks I've made some great thrift store finds, new pillow projects, and I had the privilege of shooting one of my good friend's engagement photos!  I'm still in the throws of a pretty busy week so I can't share all these things with you just yet, but I wanted to wet your appetite for the incredible (hopefully) things to come.  I can't wait to share them all with you!  Though my blog has been silent for a couple weeks, I'm hoping the wait will be well worth it when you see what I have to share next week! :)

The Kindness of the Lord!

Can I just begin by telling you that I serve an incredible God??  I fail to live up to the standard of holiness that God calls me to in His word EVERY day, yet I have a God who loves me in spite of that!  As if His loving me wasn't enough, He goes above and beyond just to show me that He loves me and that He cares about what I'm doing!

Well, the last few days have been filled with an overwhelming sense of blessing!  I WON the contest I entered my pillow in!  You can see the feature on me at: www.thehandmadegiftguide.com (or just click on their button to the right...)  I had SO many friends who took the time to go vote for me...126 votes, which allowed me to win by 14 votes!!  You have NO idea how truly thankful I am...none of those votes were mine, but rather the result of friends showering love and support on me.  See how kind the Lord is??

Today was another example of God's provision and kindness toward me with this HandmadeJEMs endeavor.  My friend, Julie, owner of ruby love designs: www.etsy.com/shop/rubylovedesigns along with a few other people encouraged me to go get my business and wholesale licenses, so...today I made the trek!  I was just blown away by the amount of people who were willing to help me and point me in the right direction while I was down there: the registrar recorder staff offering to show me what forms I needed, the authorized solicitors outside teaching me how to get my DBA published as well as giving me directions to an address I needed, and the staff at the Board of Equalization being friendly and helpful.  I was without a cell phone (I'd foolishly forgotten mine in Pasadena this weekend), but I wasn't without the Lord!!  He took care of me and guided me through the whole process...He was even evident in my drive home around 4:30/45 on the 405 with virtually NO traffic!!

May I always remember today (well...the last few months really) as an ebenezer; a testament of God's faithfulness and kindness to me!  If ever I'm facing trials and struggling to remember the goodness and sovereignty of the Lord may I REMEMBER THESE DAYS! Praise the Lord!

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

I've entered one of my pillows into a contest on   http://www.thehandmadegiftguide.com/p/vote.html

PLEASE GO VOTE FOR ME!! I'm #85 (vote by clicking on the #/words above my item).  If I win I'll be featured on the blog and given FREE advertising space for the next contest...when is anything EVER free?!?  PLEASE help me by going and voting.  The "polls" close tomorrow night at 11:59pm (the 10th).  Tell all your friends too and have them vote!

Thanks, friends!!

Ideas...

I thought it'd be fun to show you a few of the projects I've been working on over the last few months in hopes of expanding my HandmadeJEMs inventory. There are many more ideas I'm itching to pursue, but here are three I've been considering so far...

I received "Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts" as a birthday present this year {I can't get enough of it, and am determined to try every project - possibly turning it into my own version of "Julie & Julia"??}. So, all the credit for this first item goes to Martha and her staff.  Anyway, as I was perusing the various projects, I came across "Menswear Mice" and fell in love instantly.  I didn't have the suit material she called for, but I did have fabric remnants from my pillows.  Now, I just have to think about how I'm going to significantly alter this design so I can put my own name on it and sell it!  Should be fun...

Another product I'm hoping to include: monogrammed bibs.  I made this particular bib for a little boy whose first and last names both began with the letter "M".  I love the diversity of it: a bright, playful dinosaur print paired with a classy, light blue pinstripe...you know, for all those nights out with mom and dad at upscale restaurants. ;)

I'm also considering selling headbands someday.  There are other styles I want to work on as well, but here are the ones I've made so far:

I'm excited about the opportunities these products could bring, but until then...I'll continue in the hope that, Lord-willing, the future of HandmadeJEMs is bright!!

The Journey...

         Looking back at all the work it takes to get a business up and running (regardless of the size) is exhausting!  I really can't fathom how people are able to form multi-million dollar companies...they must have an incredible network of supporters, people who believe in what they're trying to achieve, and...more than twenty-four hours in a day to work with!  I guess I shouldn't be surprised because I've already seen an overwhelming response from my own friends and family with this whole etsy venture, but...I am.  Maybe that's why I never wanted to be a small business owner: I was afraid of all the hard work it would take and I was afraid I'd have to do it on my own.  I'm thrilled to find out I'm wrong about the second fear.

         The journey so far has been a mixed bag of emotions, but I'm thankful for all of it!  Here's the short version (hopefully) of what it took to get where I am with HandmadeJEMs today...

         The first step was going into downtown L.A. with my friend, Tasha, and her two beautiful children, Yaelle and Elias, to get a healthy amount of fabric.  This endeavor was never going to get off the ground with me making one pillow at a time and I figured this would be the cheapest and best way to get started.  One word: ZOO. That is the only way to describe downtown L.A.  I would have been so incredibly lost without Tasha.  She knew exactly where to go and how to get there.  We made a beeline for Michael Levine and I fell on the fabric like a kid set loose in a candy store.  So many styles and colors...I hardly knew where to start.  My biggest fear was creating a product that no one would buy, and I figured my fabric choices would determine the outcome.  Thankfully, I was with a friend, and that friend was more than willing to walk around and point out fabrics she liked and thought would be cute.  Taking her recommendations and pairing them with some fabrics I liked, I was set!  Let me tell you, I have NEVER walked up to a cutting counter with that many bolts of fabric in my life.  Being a recent college graduate, unloading that amount of cash on a dream was a little overwhelming.  I may as well have been handing over my car too...oh wait, I don't even have one of those!!  Now I was committed...the fabric was cut. I couldn't change my mind and I HAD to follow through.

         The second step actually making the pillows.  It began with a mess of sorting fabric, making stencils, and cutting out the individual pieces for each pillow. Once the pieces were ready, I started in on the hand-sewn applique process for each owl.  I used cotton for most of the owl breasts so that had to be pinned and hemmed.  I pinned everything then combined the hemming and attaching steps to save time and because it would look better that way.  I made it through the bulk of hand-sewing (eyes, beak, breast, and pocket) and  had a stack of eight owl pillows ready to be sewn shut and stuffed.  

          It was at this point that I started thinking about how to label my product in some way.  At first I just figured that I'd make some sort of business card deal and loop it around the handle of the gift bag I sent the pillow in, but then I realized that many people just throw those away.  I knew that without a label actually attached to my pillows, people would forget the name of my shop and not be sure where they found it.  So, I started searching for labels and found this great shop on etsy...check it out! I got the owl design on a light gray with black writing and the reverse side says "HandmadeJEMs"  http://www.etsy.com/shop/greenbeansnstrings

  I was really excited to find something I could sew right into the seam and it'd be a permanent advertisement!  After getting my tiny little package of sixty labels in the mail I set to work sewing my pillows shut on my Grandmother's fold down Singer.  

        The end was in sight and I couldn't be more excited at the prospect of my items being put up for sale!  It was time to stuff these bad boys, so...I made a trip to Joanne's for some much needed polyester fiberfil.  I felt SO strange walking up to the register with six thirty-two ounce bags of stuffing, but I had to remember...I was past the point of no return and this was most definitely a needed step in the art of pillow-making.  I don't tend to think of myself as a socially awkward person, but in that moment I'm sure I was...I was so incredibly self-conscious and I felt a need to fill the time between handing her bags of fiberfil and walking out to my car with cheesy jokes and random comments about my project. Oh brother!  Well, everyone made it out alive and the fiberfil was purchased...I was ready to go!

        I stuffed and sewed shut each pillow and started sitting them around my family room.  In a few days, there were owls watching me with their big eyes EVERYWHERE...well, at least it felt like it.  I was excited to post them on etsy, but I knew that I needed more than just owl-shaped pillows to make this etsy shop something worthy of being visited.  I started sorting through the scraps and bits of leftover fabric, trying to figure out how many pillows I could make out of it all.  I wasn't even entirely sure the scrap pillows would be big enough to make them worth it, but I finally decided on nine different designs and went with it.  I started realizing I enjoyed designing and making these types of pillows a whole lot more...I was also excited by the fact that I was widening my demographic by making more than just owl-shaped pillows.  Some had ruffles, some had flowers, some had stripes, some were tufted, and some were patchwork...so much fun!
         Once every pillow was made, had a label attached, sewed shut, stuffed, and closed off...I had seventeen items to sell in my shop on etsy!  This was a day I thought would NEVER come.  Part of posting items on etsy is writing a description for each item and listing the fabrics used.  Well, I am fabric challenged, but thankfully my friend, Brigitte, is a master at this and help me identify the various fabrics I'd used. Then I had to deal with the money aspect of my shop (something I'm also horrible at)...thankfully my friend, Meghan, came to my rescue and answered my questions.  Altogether it took almost a whole day to come up with a description for each item that was alluring enough, figure out the pricing, figuring out shipping options, and uploading pictures, but it was SO worth it to see my items being added to my shop!
        It's been three and a half days since my shop opened: I've sold one pillow and there have been over one hundred and seventy views on another one! :)  I'm super excited, but...I'm beginning to realize that I'm going to need to do advertising of some sort and I'm not quite positive what the best way of going about that looks like.  I guess that just means I'll have another adventure to blog about soon...

           But for now, here are some images of my first seventeen items to go up on etsy! (visit www.etsy.com/shop/handmadejems if you see something you like and want to buy it!!!)