Author: Karen Stewart

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A New Sign

This weekend I am working on packaging. It is the little things that count. Packaging, finishing work and tagging all speak for about the quality of your work. All the work that you put into your items should speak through your packaging and style of your booth. So, my booth has been getting an overhaul, I used to have green and white polka dot table covers and a fabric banner for the shop sign. So, it was time for a change. This is a much better sign than the one I had before, though it was good. It is easier to read from a distance and will stand out in a crowded marketplace.

A New Sign

It feels like things are starting to come together. There is a ton of work to do.  I still need to make table covers for the show and they need to look good. I have been searching out ideas via Pinterest and have quite a few ideas for good table covers. There are several with pockets on the back for calculators and small things. That is the style I am thinking about but I’m just not sure what I will end up with.

The trees here are lovely in their orange and red leaves. The oak tree in the yard is dropping all its acorns. The squirrels are trying to evade the dogs in the yard. They seize the minutes when the dogs are in the house to scrounge as many as they can. There is a nip in the air that promises colder weather in the future. Winter seems to have held off longer than normal this year. Friends and family were still getting harvest from their gardens this weekend, but the end is in sight. My rose bush is still blooming and I need to trim it back and harvest the sage and basil. We are busy on fall home improvement projects like caulking and getting the house ready for the winter. I hope that you are enjoying glorious autumn weather at your house.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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14 days left and two full weekends!

It is Friday and I have 14 days left and two full weekends. I am spending one day with my family, one day at Church and taking a date night as well. I was getting worried about getting everything done until I completed my inventory. I do have my back up help lined up for the show so that is a great thing.

I still have tons to do and today my focus is on boot cuffs and getting supplies for packaging. The image of what we buy is so much wrapped up in the packaging and styling. Things that look average somehow change their image with labels, tags and packaging. How can you tell the difference between a scarf, boot cuff, and infinity scarf when they are all set out on a table? This is what I am trying to solve.

14 days left and two full weekends!These are a couple of pairs of boot cuffs in process.

Sitting here in my living room and looking at the trees outside my windows. There are about 20 trees out there but what do I see the red, yellow and orange trees. That is what I want for my products a chance to stand out from the crowd. Tags and labels help but packaging can also make a huge difference. I have been to craft shows where all the knit stuff blends in together. It is hard to figure out what each piece is. Packaging and labelling is the way for me to solve that issue. It will also keep everything from look messy.

Talk to you later,

Karen

You can find my items on Etsy here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateDogStudio

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolatesBabyShop

on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/handmade/chocolate-dog-studio

and at The Affair of the Heart in Tulsa on November 20-22

I am also found on Instagram  here https://instagram.com/chocodogstudio/

but right now you can find me at home churning out lovely items for you and your family!

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The Craft Show Countdown

The To Do list for November is big, huge, and overwhelming as I am in the middle of the craft show countdown. I have very few creating days left before the big show and I am writing things on my list as fast as I can and I can and trying to mark them off just as quickly. I can’t keep up with this list too. It is just happening too fast. Throw in homeschooling, home maker duties, parenting and spending time with Dale, the kids and my Mom and life is WAY to busy. I wouldn’t have it any other way and I am sleeping all night long (read that as worn completely out!)

The Craft Show Countdown

Here is the studio a week or so ago. I actually have cleaned it up last week and it looks pretty similar to this again. As soon as items are finished and tagged it moves upstairs. I do have about 40 projects in different states of completion that I need to just finish up.

The Craft Show Countdown

I am working on scrap ornaments and quilted bibs in the photo above and it tends to get really messy when I am working with little bits of fabric.

You can tell that I am sewing and working diligently. The list was at this point at 2 pm yesterday when I stopped to run to Lowe’s for home repair items. I got back to it later and was able to mark a few more things off my list.

The Craft Show Countdown

 

Yarntopia is also getting much slimmer these days. So, I can tell that I am making progress on using my supplies. I do wonder if it is actually smaller or does it just look that way since some of the yarn is in different project bags.

It is 16 days to the craft show and I am in officially freak out mode. I would also call it a creative frenzy, I think hubs would call it chaos. Today I paint the displays to make sure that everything looks fresh and clean!

The Craft Show Countdown

I’m almost finished but the paint is still wet and it looks like it might rain. It seems I take three steps forward and then two steps back.

Everyday has several jobs and life keeps happening so for today I am going to work on doing the important not the urgent. Taking time out for family and life is so much more important than prepping for a craft show. I keep reminding myself… over and over… again… Family comes first, family comes first, family comes first.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

 

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What Did I get done in October

 

Last month I listed everything I got done day by day for the Christmas selling season and in preparation for the craft show. It helped me keep track of how I was doing and how much I had left. I always feel that I am not doing enough. This will be like a food diary; a true picture of how much I was getting done to prepare. I still have my to do list for the month.

  1. Make Menu and Grocery list
  2. sew buttons on cup cozies 
  3. Stiffen  all crochet ornaments
  4. cut out Tardis baby bibs
  5. cut out flannel baby bibs
  6. sew flannel baby bibs
  7. sew 37 cup cozies now cut out 
  8. Sew Tardis baby bibs
  9. add ribbons to all ornaments
  10. Crochet 4  men’s hats
  11. Crochet 2 Women’s rose hats
  12. Crochet 5 Granny Stripe Scarves
  13. Crochet 5 Granny Square Scarves
  14. Crochet stars
  15. Crochet hearts
  16. Sew 10 superhero capes
  17. Sew 10 aprons
  18. Cut out 8  aprons
  19. Organize my side of the maker space
  20. Sew 6 flannel baby blankets for crochet trim
  21. Sew pillow cases for crochet trim
  22. sew 3 craft show aprons
  23. Sew 20 burp cloths   I’ve currently sewn 16
  24. finish owl hats that need eyes, wings and beaks
  25. Sew tags on all the scarves and hats
  26. Anything else I can think of!

Oct 1.  Thursday

  • Sewed, topstitched and buttoned 57 cup cozies
  • Sewed eyes on Minion 6 minion hats, and 1 ninja turtle hat
  • Did the hand work on 7 heart ornaments

Oct. 2.  Friday

  • 20 minutes posting on Hootsuite

October 3 Saturday

  • Posted on Hootsuite

October 4 Sunday

  • took the day off and made cake!
  • listed 3 items on Handmade@Amazon

October 5 Monday

  • Listed 24 items on Handmade @Amazon
  • sewed patchwork bibs yellow 6 they are ready for batting and backing!
  • shipped order
  • dropped off hat…

Tuesday

  • sewed 10 patchwork bibs  (lots of work but they are really cute.)

Wed.

  • Crocheted 2 hats 1 teal and 1 copper

Thursday

  • Cut threads and finished quilting on patchwork baby bibs
  • Sold two adult blankets and 1 baby blanket

Friday

  • listed 10 baby blankets on Amazon/handmade

Saturday! Tons done today.

  • Figured out the craft show display
  • started painting some of the craft show display pieces
  • watched more of the Influence/Impact summit.
  • we have watched about 10 of the interviews so far and the knowledge we have gleaned is incredible. I love the fact that it is free!

Sunday

  • Cut and pin Burp clothes
  • watch Influence and Impact Symposium
  • Crochet head band
  • work on crochet triangle scarf/shawl

Monday October 12 Columbus Day

  • Iron and sew burp cloths
  • I put the tags on and cut the threads
  • Finished three blanket scarves
  • watched Dave Ramsey on Influence and Impact
  • Started crocheting a hat
  • wove in the ends on the teal hat

And THEN the week happened….

Saturday and Sunday

  • worked on displays and floor plan for the craft fair.
  • Spent time with family and enjoyed the weekend.
  • Date night on Friday night and went to the Vintage Market Fair, twice! Once on Friday and once on Saturday.
  • I had breakfast with friends, lunch with my Daughter in law and Dinner with Dale. When I told him I had eaten every meal out. He said not to get used to it,  but we had a great date night.

It is now Monday again, the 19 of October!  :0)

  • 3 headbands finished
  • 1 scarfy shawl or shawly scarf
  • 1 sweater/poncho in reds/pinks/brown
  • crocheted/finished three hats, black/white, red/white, black/white, rust,
  • finished one owl hat

Tuesday October 20

  • Crocheted three hats
  • sewed tags on 30+ hats
  • took inventory of hats completed and tagged 67 hats total

Wednesday

  • wrote blog post
  • working on crochet hats
  • posted on hoot suite

Thursday October

  • Tagged and inventoried hats
  • put belly bands on cup cozies
  • sewed 10+ coffee press cozies
  • sewed hot pads

What Did I get done in OctoberThe guinea hens stopped by our house this morning.

Friday

Dale picked up d rings for me… they were the wrong size

Saturday October 24

  • cut out 10+ aprons and linings
  • Sewed 2 aprons
  • sewed 4 pot holders
  • cut apron straps
  • sewed buttons on 8 coffee press cozies

Sunday October 25

  • Did absolutely nothing for the business.
  • Switched all the kids beds around in Preparation for Thanksgiving.
  • Cleaned and vacuum the guest room and closet.

Monday October 26

We are getting close to the end of this month. I am doing a bad job of documenting my work. I am getting loads of sewing and business things done.

  • I got Square up and running again on my phone. It allows me to accept credit cards
  • cut out linings for aprons
  • cut out baby bibs
  • sewed 14 baby bibs
  • Set up Hootsuite for the week
  • sewed buttons on 3 coffee press cozies
  • received the order for d rings…. they were the wrong size
  • ordered more d rings online
  • crocheted one baby bow tie

Tuesday

  • top stitched 14 baby bibs
  • cut out baby bibs
  • sewed bow tie baby bibs
  • added snaps to baby bibs
  • Total number of bibs finished today (
  • cut out capes (
  • crocheted man’s hat

What Did I get done in October

Wednesday

  • sew capes
  • sew aprons
  • cut out superhero capes

Thursday

  • Finished 12 capes with tags
  • Sew ties on aprons
  • Take a huge long nap followed by going to bed early and sleeping all night!

Friday the 30th of October

  • sew aprons
  • iron aprons
  • Compassion village
  • family game night with homemade pizza! The pizza was great and we started a new game. It was hugely funny or we were being silly.

What Did I get done in October

October 31st

Here we are right at the end of the month. I did get more done than I thought I did. I am starting a new list for November and I will get that posted soon.

Talk to you  later,

Karen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tutorial: How to Sew Bias Tape

I have found a secret for sewing bias tape to make ties or loops. I was sewing pot holders and I need to be able to sew the hanging loop. I usually use ribbon but I have a ton of bias tape. Both my Mom and my Mother in Law had tons of bias tape and I inherited it. I usually use wide double fold bias tape but this stash bias tape is really skinny. Here is my tutorial on how to sew bias tape.

You need one of these pressure feet for your sewing machine.

 

Tutorial: How to Sew Bias Tape

Here is the edge stitch pressure foot or the stitch in the ditch foot. Put the bias tape in past the feed dog so that it will be starting about an inch in on the bias tape. Adjust the needle until you get the stitching right where you want it.

 

Tutorial: How to Sew Bias Tape

I hold the bias tape down and do not pin. You can sew rather slowly and do a good job. Stopping for pins is a pain and makes your sewing a bit more jagged. I advise practicing on scrap bias tape.

Tutorial: How to Sew Bias Tape

I always sew the open edge first.

Tutorial: How to Sew Bias Tape

It is much better than I usually do sewing without this pressure foot.

Tutorial: How to Sew Bias Tape

Here are both sides sewn. You can see at the top of the photo that if you don’t pay attention the sewing can still get wonky. So, pay attention… the pressure foot isn’t a magic wand for perfect edge stitching but it does help a huge amount.

It has been a wild morning as we found our dogs roaming the neighborhood. After a mad dash for shoes, a quick trip in the car, they are finally both home. It gets the adrenaline running in an unpleasant way. We are all now WIDE awake and a tad bit grouchy. The dogs are happy as they have had an early morning run and breakfast!

 

Talk to you later,

Karen

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Being Boss

  • Sometimes being self motivated and your own boss is an issue. This week I am doing a good job of being boss. I feel the craft show looming down on me. I am so worried that I won’t have enough stock that I feel like I am working overtime. Taking time off to play or be social is truly hard for me, so I tend to work all the time. Then I face burn out.

If I look at my work as play then my attitude is much better. So, this week while playing. I finished up these colorful and fun hats. I love them.

Being Boss

I sent my daughter in to yarntopolis (my yarn storage) to pick another color for the same style hat and she picked light blue. They are so much fun to crochet. The colors change all of the time and that makes it quick work. I have also been busy hand sewing the  tags on a bunch of the crocheted items.

Today, I am cleaning in the makerspace and getting the next round of sewing organized. I am waiting on some supplies but I will sew pot holders and coffee press cozies today. I also need to do cut capes out so I can get them sewn. All this planning is overwhelming but I am using my Kanban board as a reminder of what needs to be done, what is in process and what remains.

Talk to you later,

Karen

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Crochet Service Projects

Crochet Service projects are a great way to help others and it is the season to think of others. If you are unable to get out, you crochet or knit then there are many things you make to help others.

Here is my list, it isn’t everything that is out there in the crochet or knitting universe but it will get you started.

You can also check the Crochet Guild of America for their list of crochet for charity. http://www.crochet.org/

Crochet Service Projects

If these don’t have a chapter or donation center in your area, I am sure that there are local charities that will be glad for you to help. The local homeless shelters will be happy to accept scarves and hats for their donations. Women’s shelters will often accept donations of slippers, hats, and blankets. Local hospitals may accept premie hats, and blankets. You do need to be sure and contact them before you start. They may have rules on what they can accept or the type of yarns used. Our local women’s shelter will only accept donations of blankets if they have enough for everyone currently in the shelter. Be wise and make sure that they can actually use what you are wanting to create.

Crochet Service Projects

There are so many different ways that your stitching can warm and comfort others. Don’t get discouraged thinking that you can’t help others. Blankets and yarn items have been used for comfort for years. Keep up the good work!

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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Amazon/Handmade & Influence/Impact Summit

It has been four days since I have written anything. It has been an incredible week. Last week was the start of Amazon/handmade and the beginning of Michael Hyatts: Influence and Impact Summit. I have to be truthful, hour long speakers on business topics didn’t interest me at all, my husband on the other hand loves them. He is a life long learner. I recognised several of the big name authors he has been reading and I knew he would enjoy the Summit. I am a reader as I can usually read faster than most people talk. I tend to get bored easily and then I doodle on my note taking pages.

Amazon/Handmade & Influence/Impact Summit

The big deal is that Dale loves this kind of learning. It is His THING. I’m trying to do more things with him that he loves. (The artist and engineer are a little at odds when we try to find things to do together as a couple.)  So, we did this together. Three hours of tv a night (because we put it on the tv) of educational type learning. I took more than half a composition book of notes. I take notes to keep the brain engaged and concentrating.

Amazon/Handmade & Influence/Impact Summit

Well, Amazon sales started popping the day the store opened. I had four big afghan sales in the first four days, and a custom order! The orders are slower now and I am pretty sure that Grand Openings run that way. I am still really happy. It is a good thing and I will probably run both stores with slightly different items for balance. So, between Handmade at Amazon and the Influence and Impact Summit my business has been recharged, not to mention the ton of creating I am doing right now for the Affair of the Heart craft show here in Tulsa in November! Not to mention that I am finally done with physical therapy. The toughest exercise that has done great things for my knee. I am feeling better than I have in years.

Talk to you later,

Karen

The photos are of items that will be for sale at The Affair of the Heart!

Oh, the Amazon/handmade shop is here: Amazon.com/handmade/chocolate-dog-studio

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The Ruby red Afghan

Here is the ta dah of the Ruby red afghan. I  have had it finished for ages but it lacked photos for the ta dah. It is a very easy afghan and the pattern will be released on Etsy and Craftsy soon! I can’t wait to show you how beautiful it is.
 Ruby Red Afghan

It is lovely straight stripes of beautiful wool.  Lovely Ruby Red!

Ruby Red AfghanIt looks like I crocheted different stripes of color all across the afghan.

 

Ruby Red Afghan

The true beauty of this blanket is impossible to photograph. It just glows in deep reds, teals and browns.  The border is this fun bobbly border.

Ruby Red Afghan

I finished Ruby Red off with a lovely Chocolate Dog Studio tag. I have been working on these blankets for months and it feels to good to finally have them in the shop. I am working on opening a Handmade at Amazon shop as well. I will let you know when it is up and running!

I have been working hard on various items for the shop and I am slowly getting them posted. It was a difficult summer between surgery, recovery and moving nearly every stick of furniture in the house. I am also working on some  photos of the studio so that I can show off my new sewing space. The Fall buying season is almost upon us and I feel snowed under. The best thing I can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Chocolate Dog Studio and Chocolate’s Baby Shop will be at the Affair of the Heart in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Nov. 20-22! You can check out their website here for more information. I can’t wait to see you all in person! I’m sewing and crocheting a ton of new items for it from both shops and trying hard to keep them a secret. IF you follow me on Instagram you can have a sneak peek!

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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Influence & Impact 1st night

I have been watching the Influence & Impact senimar series by Michael Hyatt.  There are some big name bloggers, speakers and business people speaking in this series. If you watch it this week you can watch it for free. I was reminded a bunch of being in college. Except that my classmates were the family. They all popped in and out from time to time. My husband and I while we were in college together never had a class together. Engineering and Interior Design just never have classes together, or at least then we didn’t.

I have been learning so much and while it is good. I am in information overload. I did take copious notes and sketched while I was listening. It keeps me seated and engaged. After watching the first three speakers, Dale and I had some discussion. There was a ton of conversation about WHY are you blogging and creating. WHY do you do what you do? It is the building block of all businesses. Here is a list of what I like to do and it might help me figure out a more specific WHY. I have felt like I am blogging into a vacuum for years now. I need all the help I can get.

  • I like creating things.
  • I like creating a wide variety of things.
  • I dislike creating the exact same thing over and over, forever.
  • I am really good at working with color and design.
  • I enjoy being creative with little bits of leftover supplies (like our Grandmothers and great Grandmothers).
  • I enjoy repurposing or reusing items for a completely different purpose.

Influence & Impact 1st night

These hearts are made from selvages and most people throw the edges of the fabric in the trash.

 

Influence & Impact 1st night

These bibs are made from my scrap boxes. I sewed coordinating fabrics together to make them. So, I enjoy making things out of nothing… for the most part. There are times when it is nice to get new skeins of yarn or fabric and make something totally matching, like this quilt.

Influence & Impact 1st night

I learned so much last night watching that it is hard to narrow it down to bullet points, but recapping what I learned last night here are the bullet points for me:

  • You have a gift
  • It is different from anyone else’s
  • You have something to say that is unique
  • You need to have people help you. Then they are using their gift and you are using yours and everyone is happier.
  • Persevere throughout the whole process.
  • Frankly… work is just that WORK, but it is rewarding in its own way. To succeed at anything you put in a lot of work, but it is rewarding if you love what you do.
  • Life is challenging anyway you do it so you might as well do what you have a passion for.
  • Listen when criticism is good and it helps you grow and don’t listen when it isn’t.
  • Everyone is afraid and has fears…get over it.

There you go.

Three hours in a nutshell. That is what I remember today from what I watched last night. I hope to get a chance to watch more today.

Talk to you later,

Karen

P.S. Here is the link to the Influence and Impact Seminar.