I'm still planning to put together my thoughts on the experience, but here's a video from Jen Grey that shows where I was last week. I'm in the video (look for the red capris around 1:30-2:00) and my partner in crime is the lady in short overalls walking through the dining hall later in the movie. Thank you, Jen, for capturing the experience so wonderfully and sharing it with us all!
Showing posts with label Lazy Mama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lazy Mama. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Look! Free press for Lazy Mama!
http://www.parenting.com/activity-parties-gallery/Activities-Parties/Click-to-Buy-Homemade-Halloween-Costumes/16/
Mermaid costumes ... get one before some strangers at parenting.com snatch them all up!
Friday, January 23, 2009
What a difference a buttonhole makes
Ack! The cuteness of legwarmers turned into armwarmers by making a thumbhole on the side! Thanks to Happy Girl for the modeling ... her nails are much nicer looking than mine, and let's not discuss what those stripes would have looked like on my, um, muscular forearms.Monday, December 15, 2008
Lazy Mama Designs going out of business?
Okay, so if you're at all crafty you have probably heard about this, but it could stand to be repeated here because it WILL impact my business.
The government has recently passed a rather poorly-thought-out law,
the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, which goes into effect February 10 2009. On the surface, it sounds good, requiring additional testing of children's toys and equipment to reduce exposure to lead and other harmful substances. Great! I'm all in favor of not poisoning our children.
The problem is, this applies to EVERY toy and children's item, not just those manufactured by large companies or places with histories of problems in the past. And the testing has to be done by an official third-party testing facility, which can charge hundreds of dollars for one test.
So, for example, the tummy time quilts I make to sell on etsy for $18-50 would have to be sent away for testing to make sure the materials and design are safe for kids. Every quilt is made of a unique blend of fabrics and a unique design, so testing one quilt won't apply to all of them. And pretty much every etsy artist who makes things for kids faces the same problem, unless they are large enough that they are mass-producing items (which includes maybe half a dozen etsy folks ... the rest of us make very limited runs of whatever we make). We're stay-at-home moms, crafty parents, owners of small businesses, people who just like to make little stuffed animals. And we're pissed.
Come February, we're going to have to make a choice - quit selling children's items, or be non-compliant and risk major fines and legal entanglements. Personally, I plan to quit selling kids stuff - the most profitable and popular part of my product line - rather than risk getting caught. And I know a lot of etsy folks feel the same way. So next Christmas, good luck finding handmade children's items that don't cost an arm and a leg ...
Unless we can modify the law. If you'd like to learn more about the topic and find a list of ways you can support artists who would be put out of business by CPSIA, pop on over to the round-up on Cool Mom Picks. Write your congressman and senator, contact the folks at the CPSC, sign the online petition, add the button to your blog.
Please take the time to look into the issue and add your voice of support, if you can. Thanks!
The government has recently passed a rather poorly-thought-out law,
the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, which goes into effect February 10 2009. On the surface, it sounds good, requiring additional testing of children's toys and equipment to reduce exposure to lead and other harmful substances. Great! I'm all in favor of not poisoning our children.
The problem is, this applies to EVERY toy and children's item, not just those manufactured by large companies or places with histories of problems in the past. And the testing has to be done by an official third-party testing facility, which can charge hundreds of dollars for one test.
So, for example, the tummy time quilts I make to sell on etsy for $18-50 would have to be sent away for testing to make sure the materials and design are safe for kids. Every quilt is made of a unique blend of fabrics and a unique design, so testing one quilt won't apply to all of them. And pretty much every etsy artist who makes things for kids faces the same problem, unless they are large enough that they are mass-producing items (which includes maybe half a dozen etsy folks ... the rest of us make very limited runs of whatever we make). We're stay-at-home moms, crafty parents, owners of small businesses, people who just like to make little stuffed animals. And we're pissed.
Come February, we're going to have to make a choice - quit selling children's items, or be non-compliant and risk major fines and legal entanglements. Personally, I plan to quit selling kids stuff - the most profitable and popular part of my product line - rather than risk getting caught. And I know a lot of etsy folks feel the same way. So next Christmas, good luck finding handmade children's items that don't cost an arm and a leg ...
Unless we can modify the law. If you'd like to learn more about the topic and find a list of ways you can support artists who would be put out of business by CPSIA, pop on over to the round-up on Cool Mom Picks. Write your congressman and senator, contact the folks at the CPSC, sign the online petition, add the button to your blog.
Please take the time to look into the issue and add your voice of support, if you can. Thanks!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Pimpin' my homies
The Cleveland Handmade etsy team has an orange-and-black challenge going, with voting continuing until Sunday, October 26, so stop by the site and pick your favorite. Sign up for the mailing list at the same time, and you're entered to win a gift certificate good at any of the participating shops. Just in time for holiday shopping!
Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, I do have an entry - the Halloween Hexagons quilt. Go forth and vote for me!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Damn, I miss naps
Liza is napping for the first time this week.
Thank you, Higher Power, for giving me 90 minutes of solitary splendor. It's a nice change from the kid's daily afternoon meltdown followed by giddiness followed by inability to listen to even the most basic directions. Apparently sleep is necessary for basic rules of public conduct to apply, things like, "Don't throw the seat cushions from the restaurant's patio chairs over the railing and into the gigantic river gorge it juts over." Yeah, that was a great dinner, let me tell you.
Anyhoo, I have a ton of stuff to catch up on, and with the ongoing lack of naps around here and some Lazy Mama projects that are increasingly time-constrained, it may be all quiet on the Mind Flush front for a few days. I'm (probably) not dead or institutionalized, just busy.
Thank you, Higher Power, for giving me 90 minutes of solitary splendor. It's a nice change from the kid's daily afternoon meltdown followed by giddiness followed by inability to listen to even the most basic directions. Apparently sleep is necessary for basic rules of public conduct to apply, things like, "Don't throw the seat cushions from the restaurant's patio chairs over the railing and into the gigantic river gorge it juts over." Yeah, that was a great dinner, let me tell you.
Anyhoo, I have a ton of stuff to catch up on, and with the ongoing lack of naps around here and some Lazy Mama projects that are increasingly time-constrained, it may be all quiet on the Mind Flush front for a few days. I'm (probably) not dead or institutionalized, just busy.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Fun at the lake
Went up to Lake Erie today for a photo shoot for my newest etsy merchandise, the mermaid tail and tiara costume set. It was windy, but I think things turned out pretty well. What do you think?
Not bad for someone whose modeling fee is an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen on the way home. She takes direction well, at least when she's well-rested and properly bribed. Thank god.
Not bad for someone whose modeling fee is an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen on the way home. She takes direction well, at least when she's well-rested and properly bribed. Thank god.
Monday, August 11, 2008
New free pattern available
The hat pattern is now up on my blog for Lazy Mama Designs. You can find it here:
http://lazymamadesigns.blogspot.com/2008/08/free-pattern-lazy-lids.html
Go forth and make many, many hats. Just because YOU live in Texas doesn't mean that all of your relatives do, after all :)
http://lazymamadesigns.blogspot.com/2008/08/free-pattern-lazy-lids.html
Go forth and make many, many hats. Just because YOU live in Texas doesn't mean that all of your relatives do, after all :)
Monday, June 23, 2008
My favorite new toy
While I really, really like the mis-constructed Happy Meal toy, I'm really referring to my new photo light box, which I finally got around to trying today. Geez, what a difference good lighting and a white background makes! Even the dumb toy looks good, not to mention things that are actually awesome to begin with, like the scarf I just finished ...
And that's with absolutely no editing other than a crop. Huzzah for not having to monkey with the color on every single freakin' product photo for my business!Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Sand Art for Small People
New kid craft project up on my other site: http://lazymamadesigns.blogspot.com/2008/06/sand-art-for-small-people.html
Hurry and buy some sand from the $1 rack at Target while they still have it - it's a good deal!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Come, learn from me!
I'm now in the official online catalog:http://www.datasponsor.com/boaf/classes.htm
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Class - MoYo Throw, June 22 and 29 2008
The lovely folks at Birds of a Feather in Avon, Ohio, have graciously invited me to teach a class based on my MoYo Throw pattern. The MoYo Throw features yo-yos that are almost 5" across, made from fabric from the Benartex line "Gilded Opulence." I am in love with that line, and I think you will be too when you see it in real life.
I'll be covering the whole quilt from start to finish - the only out-of-class work will be the initial cutting and maybe some of the hand-gathering on the yo-yos. It should be a lot of fun, and the quilts should be showstoppers when we're done.
Liz is selling kits for the project in two different color ways - one lime/fuschia like my sample, the other a more muted one based on the red/gold colorway for the yo-yos. Kits are available either as part of the class, or separately if you don't feel like being social while you work on the project. I understand. Just remember, though - where I go, chocolate follows, so you might want to think about that class after all :)
Anyhow, if you're in the area and interested, I'll be teaching the 2-session class on June 22 and June 29 from 1-3pm each day. Contact Birds of a Feather at 440-934-2374 to register or to order a kit.
Hope to see you there!
I'll be covering the whole quilt from start to finish - the only out-of-class work will be the initial cutting and maybe some of the hand-gathering on the yo-yos. It should be a lot of fun, and the quilts should be showstoppers when we're done.
Liz is selling kits for the project in two different color ways - one lime/fuschia like my sample, the other a more muted one based on the red/gold colorway for the yo-yos. Kits are available either as part of the class, or separately if you don't feel like being social while you work on the project. I understand. Just remember, though - where I go, chocolate follows, so you might want to think about that class after all :)
Anyhow, if you're in the area and interested, I'll be teaching the 2-session class on June 22 and June 29 from 1-3pm each day. Contact Birds of a Feather at 440-934-2374 to register or to order a kit.
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Come meet Lazy Mama!
When: Saturday, April 12th, 10am to 5pm
Where: Birds of a Feather, 36840 Detroit Rd., Avon, Ohio 44011
Why: I'm going to be showing off my new ruffled yo-yo technique, as featured in the shop's April Block of the Month design. I'll also have a trunk show featuring samples of all of my patterns for sale in the shop, as well as some goodies to share with my adoring public.
Have a question about one of my projects? Hesitant to buy a pattern when you've never seen a sample in person? Curious about whether I really am as drop-dead gorgeous as you imagine? Stop by and mention that you read the blog and I'll have a little something for you!
Where: Birds of a Feather, 36840 Detroit Rd., Avon, Ohio 44011
Why: I'm going to be showing off my new ruffled yo-yo technique, as featured in the shop's April Block of the Month design. I'll also have a trunk show featuring samples of all of my patterns for sale in the shop, as well as some goodies to share with my adoring public.
Have a question about one of my projects? Hesitant to buy a pattern when you've never seen a sample in person? Curious about whether I really am as drop-dead gorgeous as you imagine? Stop by and mention that you read the blog and I'll have a little something for you!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Sorry, but this is just pretty
Super-secret project under development at Lazy Mama HQ. Codename: YoMama.Trust me, if you happen to know that those round things are called "yoyos," it's hilarious.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Exactly
http://letajoy.com/2008/02/04/back-in-the-saddle-again/
Thanks, Leta, for putting so eloquently what I’ve been thinking subconsciously for almost three years now. Now I know why I’m so driven to do my Lazy Mama work - it’s something beyond the snot and chicken nuggets and Bristle Blocks that fill up the rest of my life.
Thanks, Leta, for putting so eloquently what I’ve been thinking subconsciously for almost three years now. Now I know why I’m so driven to do my Lazy Mama work - it’s something beyond the snot and chicken nuggets and Bristle Blocks that fill up the rest of my life.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Pleased with myself
Looky! New SWAK blankets up in the shop, including one made from fabric I love so much I'm tempted to pull the listing so I can keep it and snuggle with it myself!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
New patterns in the shop
Now available in my etsy shop: the first new patterns of 2008!
I proudly present the Heart Happy Wall Hanging:
And the Genki Ginkgo Table Runner:
Click on either name to go to the page in the shop where the pattern can be purchased. Hooray for getting things done faster than expected!
Click on either name to go to the page in the shop where the pattern can be purchased. Hooray for getting things done faster than expected!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Lazy Mama pattern used for a class in Delaware!
So, you want to make a Simple Snowflakes Table Runner, but you think you need a little hand-holding?
Why not drop by the Quilter's Hive in Newark, DE, on January 28th to take the class based on my pattern? Call 302-737-5699 to register.
(Thanks to my father's woodworking friend for seeing this - I never would have noticed it on my own. New Year's Resolution #342 - get on the mailing lists for all of my customers' shops.)
Why not drop by the Quilter's Hive in Newark, DE, on January 28th to take the class based on my pattern? Call 302-737-5699 to register.
(Thanks to my father's woodworking friend for seeing this - I never would have noticed it on my own. New Year's Resolution #342 - get on the mailing lists for all of my customers' shops.)
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