Ditching the Furniture Store Basic

We purchased a new couch on an impulse around last Thanksgiving...we were in a hurry to meet people for dinner and Ethan was pretty much done with being there and then the salesman told me I had to pick pillow fabric...normally I'd love that but given the circumstances and the fabric choices I was a bit bummed. We picked this tree branch fabric because we like the print, but the material was horrible and when we got it home it just didn't fit. Well I finally got around to the pillows and went with a couple of Chevron fabrics that complement the other colors we have in the room. Funny how such a small change just brings a smile to my face.

Happy Friday Everyone!

It's Back for Round Two

TIME TO DESTASH!!!!!

image from quiltersbuzz.com

I finally have a date pinned down for the Craft Supply and Fabric Swap.....Sunday October 9th 3pm-5pm.

So here's what you need to do if you want to participate....bring in atleast one plastic grocery full bag of craft supplies and/or fabric by October 1st. If you are bringing multiple bags, please call to give me a heads up as I will need to quickly go thru the bags to make sure they are items that people will use. (don't worry almost everything brought last October was useable!)

Just a friendly reminder:

Do Not Include: Dirty, Stained or damaged items, hazardous items etc. Please use your best judgement.

Light refreshments will be served. And just like last year...all leftover items will be donated.

For every bag you bring you will receive a ticket-bring the ticket to the swap to exchange for a bag to fill, you will get a bag for each ticket.

We had some great stuff last time and I can't wait to see what everyone brings this time.

Couple of new arrivals

These just came in this past week...unfortunately you won't be able to see them in person today-as I had to close the store since the Dr confirmed this morning that all 4 of us have strep throat. I don't want to spread it to my customers since I basically touch/cut everything they buy, so I'll be back and ready to go tomorrow when the meds kick in.

Ramping Up Our Bathroom

I'm been on a kick lately to want to keep working on our house...we're on a tight budget though so I'm having to be a bit creative and give items facelifts rather than renovate. Don't worry I won't be talking about all of our crazy and hopefully creative house projects-I'm actually working on a blog debut of Finishing Our Starter House, but I'll let you know when it's ready to go.

Anyways I digress....our downstairs bathroom. It's right off of the kitchen and is the bathroom that our friends and family use. When we moved in it had floral paneling-not wallpaper-paneling....so since we didn't have the budget to tear it down we did the next best thing...we painted it a chocolate brown. It kind of has an embossed look to it I guess. Anyways I'm trying to do one room at a time and since the bathroom is the smallest-it's first. Here's my plan....

Shower Curtain....Zippy by Premier Prints

Window treatment so cover up the wood blind that I got on sale from Target-totally too small but I was too stubborn to take it back....Robert Kaufman Print

Our Mirror...we just have an oval mirror there right now and am trying to decide if I want to find a oval picture frame and spray paint it or find some seashells or sand dollars or some little knick knacky thing and glue them onto a template to create a frame around the mirror. I'm a little worried about dust with option two-our house was built in 1890 and there is just always the presence of dust with a house that old.

Ok so those are my preliminary thoughts-now I've got to get to work and make some progress. Justin is taking the kids for a bit after I'm down with work so I plan on either working on the bathroom or making choc chip zucchini bread(we have two HUGE zucchinis from our CSA).

Also a big apology to anyone that's come in recently and left thinking I was on drugs....well I was on drugs...tons of cold medicine and I swear it made me loopy and nutso-hopefully this cold heads out of our house soon...really I'm not always that crazy :)

Labor Day Sale

I can't own a store and not have a Labor Day Sale now can I-NOPE.

Labor Day Sale

Let ME work for YOU this Labor Day

Enjoy 20% off Selected Premier Prints Rod Pocket Curtain Pairs

HOW YOU ASK....

1. Find the listings on the MadeByDrawstring Etsy Shop for Labor Day Sale Curtains

HERE

2. Pick the fabric from one of the 10 fabrics

3. Buy them

Enjoy your weekend off-I'll be hard at work on the sewing machine.

Offer good Thru Sunday Sept 4th

Branching Out!

So I've always done custom work when asked by customers but I am now excited to announce that I am now offering custom curtains and window treatments via MadeByDrawstring on Etsy. I will be adding more fabrics to the listings in the next few days but almost every fabric I have in the store can be requested for custom curtains. Pricing for 2- 42"x84" Rod Pocket Unlined Panels runs $50-$75. And as an introductory offer you can get 10% off with PROMO CODE "BRANCH".

I am truly excited to start bringing these made items to the shop-I love fabric and I love the way that curtains can totally transform a room. I've had so many people come into my shop and say "I love your fabrics and wish I sewed"....well not you don't have to...I'll do the work for you!

Thank you!

Taking a Break from Business

A few days ago I got it in my head that I wanted to take the kids to feed the ducks-I remembered how I used to go to Greenfield Park when I was a kids and feed them with my parents and paternal grandparents. It was a great memory and lucky for me the biscuits I had made were perfect to feed the ducks. So I packed the kids up and we headed to Humboldt Park. At first when we got to the pond, there were no ducks in sight and I was really bummed...but those ducks know when there's food coming and in no time Ethan was having a blast. I did have to work with him to get him to break the biscuits apart and throw SMALL pieces, but it was so much fun. We went back later on our way to Chill on the Hill to feed them again with Justin.

I also had to throw in a pic of Phin in her bow(yeah it lasted about two whole minutes :)