Design Ideas

Do you have ideas for silk ribbon designs, or seam treatments?

 ...Or just general project that you want to accomplish? Thanks to my muse...my head just overflows with them at times.Usually, when I'm no where near my computer or sewing room! And, sometimes...after I have written them down...I can't locate the paper I wrote them on when I need it!So, I decided that all the odd scraps of paper, steno pads, and note cards just had to go. I needed to get more organized!But what would keep everything I wanted to remember in one place? It needed to be large enough to be usable...but small enough to put in my BOHO bag. Then it would need be "at ready" when sitting and waiting for an appointment (or on the bus/train commute? baseball game? ballet class?)AND, since I can't draw a straight line without a ruler...the pages jut had to be "graph paper" style; BUT not printed so dark that I could not see what I did draw...just barely showing,  a guide to help me draw my "artistic" ideas neatly.

 Plus, an area for notes would be needed! To remind me of what project my sketch goes with; or where I saw this cool seam treatment (so I can give credit for the inspiration, if I ever used the seam)...

 "Could others use this type of sketch book too?" my muse asks.Well, could they? I think so... So, viola! The "My Crazy Ideas Sketch Book" was born.

 It is over 120 pages of grid paper w/note sections...and has some pages at the front with instruction on how to start sketching your own ideas.

 So, if you are looking for a great little sketch book..that YOU are the author of...and you don't want to spend a lot of money on it...I hope you will consider ordering a Sketch Book from ShawklDesigns. These also make great little gifts...and can be used by folks who don't even do Crazy Quilts...any notes can be included...crazy or not! At $8.40 they are priced well enough to get more than one. I have one that is only for CQ Seams...and another for Project Ideas and Motifs.And, if my muse doesn't slow down and take a few naps...I might have an entire "library" of these filled up before long!
 

Elvis Has Left the Building...

Well, almost...

If you're old enough to remember this refrain at the end of every Elvis concert (and if you don't know who Elvis is...then you are entirely too young to be talking to me!)...you'll understand the meaning. The Studio will close it's doors tonight at midnight...all will be finished tomorrow.I'd like to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone for their support to the shoppe, and especially during the clearance sale. We have some things left, not a huge amount, but a few if you want to grab what's left today...and I know, I know...the deals were spectacular!! Wish I could have done that for you longer...but all good things have to come to an end sometime!
 And, today is that ending....

LAST CHANCE SALE!!!

I just finished marking down the clearance prices at ShawklDesignStudio...and this is your last chance to get stuff before it is gone!Thanks to those who are asking "what next"...and here's the scoop! The Studio is run by a software package from Intuit, managed by a company called Homestead. It is cumbersome, slow, and does not have it's own inventory controls...unless I buy an expensive upgrade. So, I've decided not to do that...and after the inventory is sold or donated the Studio will simple not exist.I considered keeping a small inventory...but, that is just money down a rabbit hole because of the monthly fee the software costs.So, anything I decide to make or supplies I want to carry will be on the Etsy site after the Studio closes. There will be things I'll be buying for myself...and if you can't find something elsewhere...please feel free to email me and perhaps I can help you out in your hunt!

Patterns are FINALLY all Loaded!

The Studio now has all of the patterns that I'm getting rid of in my de-cluttering efforts! Some are really great! And all are 50-95% off! There are a variety of quilting patterns, cross-stitch patterns, and some sewing patterns too! Like these...

Next, I'm going to start photographing and measuring fabric! But, not for a few days...cause I need to finish up some Christmas ornaments, a CQ Block, and do some beading! I'll post photos as I work!

Large Rose Clay Bead

I'm still trying to get over all the work for the wedding...feel so tired! More rose beads came in on Saturday, and I've loaded them on the Studio Clearance Page.

Clearance Sale Continues--

Yesterday, I showed you the brooches and pendants I "unearthed" in my storage cabinets. Today, I added some enamel butterfly charms...

Cherub charms...Butterfly charms w/inked wings...

five different slides for button clusters...

 and four more lace motifs.

That's all the time I have to pull more stuff until after the wedding. I'll fill orders as they come in...and then after the 5th, I'll try to upload some of my "slightly loved" books and perhaps the spider bead kits too.
[Note to all you ladies on "fixed income" like myself. If you are waiting until the first of the month to order...please don't. Just email me the stock number, item, price you need...and I'll pull the stock to make sure it won't be gone by the 1st. I fully understand how that is.]

I Must be Nuts!

Why else would I run a huge clearance sale on my web-store at the same time I'm trying to get ready for a wedding! 

 Tonight I constructed a brand-new page of pendants/brooches to add to the web-store...but I won't launch it until tomorrow afternoon. Why? you ask...because I have to go to Hobby Lobby with my niece tomorrow looking for clear snaps and pretty buttons for her wedding gown...which I have to finish THIS WEEK. The wedding is Saturday!! And, I have a limited supply of these pendants...

 ...and brooches. 

 So, if someone buys several...and I'm not here checking the e-mails...I can't update the inventory. And, if I don't update the inventory (has to be done manually) then I could "over-sale" the items...and someone will be unhappy...and I truly don't want that. So, I'll have to wait until tomorrow.And, I have more lace and charms...but I'll post about that tomorrow night...because I have to sew some lace motifs on the wedding gown bodice. Hugs!

Truly Fearless--That's Me!

I've always said that I am "fearless" with it comes to my quilting/stitching. It truly doesn't matter what the technique...give me a book and 15 minutes...and I'll gladly stand in front of a group and explain how to do it. My mind comprehends things like that fast...but don't ask me to add a column of numbers! But, true fearlessness....is showing you what my sewing room looks like right now!Sit down...this is scary!!
First off...this is my craft/sewing table. At any given moment in the day you might find me sitting here stitching, sorting, writing...or whatever. The television is in front of me...on those black cabinets you can barely make our. At present, the table is filled with Studio supplies I've carried in from the office area so I have some surface area to work. This is not TOO bad...

 THIS is horrid! It is my cutting table! I can't find anything!! All the neatly organized trays of scissors/cutters, my pen pencil caddy, my lovely wood boxes w/stencils & tools, and odds and ends from many projects are just piled on it for now. The wedding dress "parts" are hogging my cutting board side...so everything else is just shoved to one side. You can see the dress hanging in front of my book shelf...and the slip is in the window on top of other "stuff" from past projects. The bolts of netting/tulle are behind the sewing machine so I can find them! Truly, I need to get organized and de-clutter...

so, thanks to all who are helping by ordering from the Studio during the huge clearance sale.  I'm working as fast as I can to count charms and lace motifs! AND, yesterday evening I was also thanking the Lord that my little Studio had not ever really required so much work! I could not have taken the pace every day! De-cluttering and down-sizing is SO right for me!! Because you are my BFF's...and I've already scared you senseless...want to see something REALLY fearless???

Crazy Embellishments 50-75% off!!!

I've decided to clear some clutter from my life...one major area is the web-store ...So, the Studio has all of the inventory on sale...clearance priced...50-75% off!!!Please read the sale information on the front page of the Studio.The prices shown are the "old" ones...but the Shopping Cart is set to reflect the clearance price.
I would appreciate your sharing this news with your friends, chat groups, and on your blog.Thanks. And, yes...this is US and International Sales. The only "problem" is that international customers will be invoiced separately for their postage costs, via PayPal...at actual rate before their items are shipped. The Studio software does not calculate international postage. And, I do not add any processing or handling fee to the shipping...just bill you the amount the USPS Post Office tells me it will cost to ship.

Forgive me...

I love to blog about what I stitch...(okay, or about my darlin Aidan)...but, I don't like to blog much about my Studio. However, this past few weeks...I just keep doing that more and more!! But, seriously...I have just this past month added a lot of different things to the shoppe; and I finally got off my be-hind and beaded some more cabochons...so HAD to show you those. And, I found a great wholesaler for the darling types of clay flower beads that I use myself...sparingly!! And, anytime I can get cute little charms...like the ones I showed you just Tuesday...I mean, who wouldn't want to know about those!

 So, here I go again...tooting my Studio's horn (so to speak)...cause I have landed a great supplier for HAND TATTED LACE TRIMS! Now, I use these already...if you check out the photo of the "Queen" above in the Blog Name...you'll see that her 'fence' is actually made of tatted trims. 

 But, I had to get them retail then, and at a pretty penny!...so I was just flabbergasted to find this supplier! I hope to get several more types...but for starts (cause you know I'm on a 'retired' budget now!)...here are three darling little trims to drool over!!One is in-stock and the other two are scheduled to arrive the first of next week!!

And, I added one more color of roses...SALMON!

And, I added acrylic beads...perfect for seams!! 

Especially if you do purses...as these won't break like the glass or crystal might.

(Of course, you know my heart is still with my Swarovski!!! Can't ever get enough of the BLING!!) So, hope you enjoy checking out the new items...and I promise not to post about the Studio again for a little while...cause I just CRAMMED all the new items into this post!! Ha! How clever is that!!

New Charms...

 Just added three more charms to the Studio. The first is a frame. I thought that a pair would be great to use with a silkie...on opposite corners...and then surround the entire image with silk flowers!

This basket would be so nice if painted with fingernail polish or inked! Tie a little bow at the top and it would be all that is needed to fill a little space...or add to a button cluster!

And lastly...this pretty little heart. I see it hanging from the large hand charm...by a ribbon...with a loopy bow above it and couched down with beads. Here's the large hand charm so you can see what I mean...

 What are your ideas?

Cabochons, cabochons, cabochons! Yummy!

The past several days have been spent largely...beading cabochons. 

 Time consuming...but the Studio now has a great stock! And they are all gorgeous! Can you tell I'm trying to get things around here in order...so I can dedicate a large chunk of time this month to sewing lace trim to my niece's wedding gown.

Here is a group photo...and close-ups are in the Studio site of course! Just click on the "CQ Motifs" button...than navigate to the "Cabochons".