Get Out and VOTE!

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Upcoming Shows

Well, we finally have a few things nailed down for the Holiday Season. Check out the 'Upcoming Events' section over to the right to see where you can find us live and in person! Our first market is this very Saturday, Nov. 8th at Mary Lin Elementary in Candler Park (intown Atlanta). Come out to see us! We would love to meet you and show off our latest goodies. Katie has been knitting up a storm and turning out super-cute baby hats and booties. I watched her knit a hat yesterday, and it was adorable! If I had thought about it, I would have snapped an action shot. Next time! As for me, I've been working on crayon rolls galore, and am hoping to actually get at least 2 tutus made for Saturday. No promises, but I'll do my best! If you're interested in a tutu, let me know, and I'll make one up especially for you.

I also have to show off Pookie's Halloween costume, since I'm proud to say it was made entirely by me. :-) I was happy with how it turned out...it was my first-ever attempt at clothing of any sort! Thank goodness for Google, is all I have to say.

Until next time...

What happened to September?

Okay, okay, I know I'm LONG overdue to post, and I apologize sincerely. The last couple of months have been a blur, for some reason! But there is good news: We'll be expecting our second child in April! Hurray! So, that's the main reason I've been absent; I've just been exhausted with this pregnancy. I'm not sure what happened to September, other than I spent a lot of it napping whenever I could.

ANYway, Katie and I are working on our Holiday show stops, and that's the main reason for this post. If you need to see more of our work, for a submitted application, curiosity, whatever, you can simply click here to check out the gallery on Flickr. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

I'll include a few pics here, just for fun, and to prove that I haven't just been sleeping for the last little while. I've been working here and there! :-)

I'm here, really...

I have been so engrossed in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer that I haven't been doing much besides reading these four giant books. They're huge! But I've finally finished all of them, and despite feeling a little empty because of not being able to read more about Edward and Bella, I'll be getting back to work! More monsters, more crayon rolls, more covered button goodness, more everything is on it's way! I promise! If you like the little green monsters/aliens, you'll also love what else I have coming...wait and see!

Attack of the Fuzzy Green Monsters...And Twilight

If you can't handle incredible cuteness, you better stop reading now. I know I've mentioned my newfound love of "in-the-hoop" embroidery projects before, so this will be no surprise: Monsters! Made on my embroidery machine!


I can't decide if they're monsters or aliens, but either way, I think they're simply adorable. So far I've only made them in green, but I just bought some wonderfully purple fuzzy fleece and cannot wait until that fleece turns into monsters. There's also some hot pink faux fur monsters in the works, too. Ah, if I only had more time. The little green guys are up in the shop now.

Speaking of more time, I've recently been spending time doing something I used to do quite often: Reading books. Since marriage, baby, work, and small (tiny) business all came into my life, reading has been saved for vacation time. I almost feel guilty now, when I try and read a book...I feel like I should be doing something else. That was until I finally broke down and bought Twilight. I could not stop reading this book. Then, when I finished that one, I went out the next day and bought the next book in the series, New Moon. I just started this one, and I can't wait until I can pick it up again. I'm already plotting how I can get my work done AND read at the same time. How bad is that? I guess you can officially call me a Twilight Addict.



Oh, and Team Edward all the way. Seriously. How could you NOT fall in love with this fictional vampire?

Things I've Learned About Machine Embroidery

I have to admit I'm still new to machine embroidery. I have an awesome machine that I purchased back in February, but I still haven't figured out all of the ins and outs and what all it can do. I have a great program that I'm also still learning how to use. I absolutely love embroidering and creating things, it's such a great sense of accomplishment when something absolutely adorable comes out of my machine. In all of this, one thing I've learned is the most basic thing that we all learn in Kindergarten:

FOLLOW DIRECTIONS

You would think that it would be a given, especially when you're using a machine that cost a pretty penny...even more so when that pretty penny was your very own.

So, when you're making a super-cute "in-the-hoop" project on your embroidery machine, follow the directions. Don't get ribbons caught in the presser foot. It could be ugly. :-)

They're Back!

When I first started making things, I made fun crayon rolls. A few of them anyway...I never really made very many, but I had planned to make at least a million. Funny how plans change and never really come to fruition! But, at long last, Crayon Rolls are back at Sugar Plum Delights!

I'm making them a little smaller now, because do you really need more than 8 crayons when you're on the go? The process has also been streamlined a bit, so I can crank them out a little quicker, and I love that. They're available with or without personalization, but why not go for it and add a name? These would be excellent party favors for your kids' birthday parties. Each child can have their very own, with their name on it! Have a party theme? Rolls can be made to match! If you have a special request, please email me, and I'll see what I can do.

These three rolls are available now in the shop! I also have another super-cool crayon keeper up my sleeve, but for girls only (sorry guys). I should have that one available within a week or so.

I've been very happily busy with Monogrammed Badge Reels lately, so I haven't had a chance to work on some other new stuff I'm planning, but don't worry, it'll be here soon!

Happy crafting!

Catching Up...

Wow, has it been a week since I've posted? Goodness gracious, sorry to leave you all hanging out there! I've been fairly busy with some custom orders and requests, and have finally finished up most all of it. I think I only have one more thing to complete, then I can take a breather. Whew! And did I take pictures of any of these things to show off to the masses? Of course not! Aside from orders, I've been working on Fall and Holiday craft shows, and figuring out what we might want to consider. I've never been good at planning, and have a tendency to forget things (who me?), so I figure if I get a jump on it and keep the list in the back of my mind, I might be okay.


Imagine this keychain multiplied by 20. That's what's been keeping me (happily) busy! RLAG stands for "Run Like A Girl", a book by Kathy Vick, to be released in 2009.


While I was in the middle of my pile of custom keychains (Thanks Kathy!), my sister-in-law/partner-in-crime Katie has opened up an Etsy shop of her very own, Happy 2 Knit. She's been knitting up a storm, and is really creating some super-cute knitted goodness! You'll find it hard to resist the things in her shop, but make sure you stop by. She will be more than happy to accept custom orders, too.

I think the finger puppets may be my favorite. They're just adorable.

I have a 3-day weekend this weekend, and that is making me very happy. I will, hopefully, finally be able to work on some things I've wanted to do for a while, but just haven't gotten around to yet. Or, I may just stay in my jammies all day and watch silly movies. You just never know what may happen at Sugar Plum Central...

Buttons, Buttons, Buttons...and Ribbon, too

I've gone crazy for covered buttons. Really. I dream about them. I think all day of things I could make with them when I get home. It's official, I'm Button Crazy. The good thing is, I have piles and piles of different size buttons, and I'm pretty sure even more are coming! Yay! So far, as you've seen, I've created the Super-Fun Covered Button Bracelets. I think that might have to be the official name for them. I'm currently waiting on more bracelets to arrive so I can make more of them and offer them at wholesale prices to local shops and boutiques. We're movin' up! I've also made a few Awesome Covered Button Ponytail Holders:Notice anything? This set is made to match the Chocolate and Cream Button Bracelet, also in the shop. These are so easy to make, I can watch TV while making them. What's next in Crazy Button-Land? Headbands, more badge reels, lots more pony-o's, a million more button bracelets, RINGS (that's right, I said rings), and Earrings! And whatever else I might think up.

Another obsession of mine seems to be ribbon. I have a ton of that as well, and collect it like some might collect stamps or matchbooks. I love using it, and have made lots of things with it, including Tag Blankets. Tag Blankets are one of the first things I started making when I first broke out my used sewing machine that I had bought 3 years before I actually used it. I made lots of Tag Blankets, out of adorable flannel fabrics, and they sold well for me, on Etsy and at local craft shows. Recently I received a note from Etsy Admin saying that they had removed my Tag Blanket listings, because they had been contacted by the Taggies company saying that anyone who was selling something similar to their product was in violation of their patent. Now, I love Etsy, and have respect for their policies, so I responded nicely saying I wouldn't post anything resembling a Taggies product again. However, I think Taggies is being ridiculous on this entire issue, and I will never buy any of their products. That's all I'm going to say about this, as it could get ugly. But, I wanted to let you all know why there are no longer Tag Blankets in my shop. If you're interested, please contact me.

Mid Summer Sale Starts Today!

It's the middle of summer...it's hot, it's hot, it's hot. So, what better time to have a sale? Shop from the comfort of your air conditioned home or office (coffee shop?) and check out Sugar Plum Delights' Mid Summer Sale! Save up to $5 on select items now through July 15th!

Don't Miss Out!

Summer Mode

I guess I've been in "Summer Mode" lately...I just haven't been doing too much, it seems! June flew by in an instant, and now here it is, July. I'm sure this month will go just as quickly. I am looking forward to this long July 4th weekend, however. I'm hoping to get caught up with my goodies. My long awaited shipment of fun stuff has still not arrived, but I'm expecting it any day now! In the meantime, I can introduce something new and fun:

Button Bracelets! Isn't it superbly adorable? I just received the supplies yesterday, so I sat right down last night after Pookie's bedtime and made one up. When I ordered the supplies, I didn't realize the buttons were so tiny! But it worked out, and I think it turned out great. What do you think? I'm going to get some more made up as soon as I can, and get them listed in the shop asap. The bracelet measures 7 inches long, and the little buttons are about 1/2 inch in diameter. I'll have to get a pic of it on my wrist, it lays quite nicely!

Who loves Dollar Tree? I know I do..I love to go in there and poke around. I always come out with something. Thanks to a recent tip from my friends at sewforum.com, I found some little cooler lunch bags for, you guessed it, only $1! They're great for embroidering, and perfect for kids..if they get messed up, no biggy, it's only $1 to get another one! So I bought a few of each of the different colors they had - red, green, pink and blue. I finally got around to embroidering one for Pookie, and I think it turned out very nice.

It puckered a little bit, but I can't really expect too much for a buck. Pookie LOVES carrying this thing around. We put her sippy cup in it and took it to Grammy and Pops' this past weekend. I should have jumped on these a bit sooner, as they would have been perfect for kids to take to day camps and VBS and so on. They still might make an appearance in the shop, I haven't fully decided yet.

And last, but certainly not least, I finally produced something I've been wanting to do for a while:

A Fabric Pony-O! The pic here isn't the best, as I did it myself, obviously, but you can still get the idea. It's cute brown and white polka dot fabric with a little white daisy in the middle. These also will be popping up in the shop once I get a few more made (when that elusive shipment comes in). And of course there will be some available that are monogrammed. You knew that one was coming!

Okay, I guess I have been doing a few things here and there, I just feel like I should have more to update! But, as always, stay tuned for more to come! I still have more fun stuff in the works!

Badge Reels, and More Badge Reels

I'm having fun with these, and they seem to be popular! I haven't even put them (aside from the PBR one) in the shop yet because I'm waiting on a large order of blanks. Here are a few I've done recently:

The bottle cap idea came while I was trying to figure out what to do with the TON of beer bottle caps my husband has saved for the past...oh I don't know, at least 5 years. I was working on embroidered badge reels at the time, and kind of had a lightbulb pop up over my head. So, I don't know if there will be much interest, but I think it's fun! It's currently listed in my alter-ego Etsy shop, MooreCrafty. Look for magnets to be making an appearance very soon!


Well we just have to have a UGA badge reel, right? This was a request not only from my friend Sara, but from another coworker as well.

This was a special order from yet another coworker. These girls are loving these things! And I love them. :-)

I know the badge reels don't really fit into the Babies and Kids theme of Sugar Plum Delights, but we're here for mommies and daddies, too. Plus I think they're a lot of fun!

I also had a special order for "Future (insert occupation) " bibs, and I really liked the way they turned out! These will be making an appearance in the shop very soon, just in case anyone else needs them!

So, these things should keep you happy for now. But just know that there are many many more fun things coming soon! I'm just waiting for some shipments to come in...and I can't wait!

Oh wait! I can't believe I almost forgot to mention this! Are you interested in making Embroidered Badge Reels on your own! I've recently published a How-To! "Make Your Own Embroidered Badge Reels", the tutorial, is now available in the shop! The instructions are very simple, there are lots of pictures, and even a source list! And it's cheap! I'll be putting together a "Starter Kit" to go with the tutorial very soon!

Update! Finally!

I decided earlier today that I really needed to update my blog, so this afternoon I started typing. All of a sudden I had written over 800 words, and decided that it was WAY too long to post here, when basically all I was trying to say was that I bought myself a Cuttlebug. It ended up sounding like a column in a magazine, so I thought, what the hay? I'll submit to a magazine or two, and see what happens. You never know.

So, I bought a Cuttlebug! Isn't it cute?

I was looking for a quick and easy way to make nice, professional-looking hangtags for my products when I spotted this little dealie. It can do a lot of things, so I'm very excited about it. I might even try my hand at making cards, I haven't fully decided yet.

Anyway, June has been busy at Sugar Plum Central! I had a lovely vacation that was much needed, and now am back to work. I've been working on a few new things that will be unveiled later this month, hopefully. I'm very excited about them! Orders are coming in left and right for my Monogrammed Initial Key Fobs, and I introduced a new color, Lime Green. Love this one! I think it looks great with the blue thread, but I can do whatever color thread a customer may want.

I've also had orders for my badge reels from people at work. I'm waiting on a shipment of them, so I haven't posted them in the Etsy Shop just yet. But if you're interested, just let me know! Here's a batch I did last week:

They turned out great, even though the picture didn't, and I was told that the recipients loved them! I love hearing that my things make people happy.. :-) In case you can't tell, the pink and blue letters are on a brown background, on black clips.

So that's all for now. I'll try to post a little more regularly, and try to keep things interesting!

Quickie Post!

I just wanted to do a quick post to let you all know that I'm back from vacation! We all had a wonderful time, and I'm very relaxed. I really needed that break! But now I'm ready to get back to work and back into the daily groove. In the meantime, enjoy this lovely photo of the beach at St. Simons Island, where we had the pleasure of staying for the last week..

Isn't it gorgeous? I can't wait to go back. Updates coming soon!

Off to the Beach!

It's official! I'm on vacation, and I can't wait to get to the beach. We'll be heading out of town this evening, and it's not getting here fast enough!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend! I'll be back the week of June 2nd.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy Monday! Thankfully, mine is almost over. I wanted to post a little earlier today, but was distracted by flickr, sewforum, various Yahoo groups...oh yeah, and I did do a little work, too.

The Kirkwood Spring Fling on Saturday was fabulous! The weather was beautiful, although a little windy, but not too hot, and not chilly. It was comfortable! Of course I completely forgot to take pictures of the booth setup, and I'm now kicking myself, as it looked really good! Thanks to all those who came out to see us, we appreciate you!

I debuted a couple of new products on Saturday. One, as was mentioned previously, was the Market Tote. I'm taking orders! Here is the example:

For more information, check it out in the shop. Like I said before, these are so cool! There has been lots of interest. I'm working on getting more colors and a collapsible tote that's easy to store! They'll be a little different, but it's the same principle.

I also made up some UGA Bibs and Burp Cloths. I didn't get a pic of the bib, but here's the burp:

If you're interested in products made with licensed fabric, email me. You won't see these in the Shop.

Sunday was very relaxing at Sugar Plum Central. Just did a little surfing and promotion while Pookie napped, and not much else. It was great! Now if Friday would only come faster.. I'll be on vacation next week, and I can't wait!

Kirkwood Spring Fling! Tomorrow!

Come out and see us! We'll have lots of great stuff available, and there are 90 other vendors to shop with! There will be something for everyone...Great music, great food, fun things for kids, and even a Tour of Historic Homes! Don't miss it! Click on the pic for more information.

Market Totes!

Okay, I am SUPER excited about these things, and I can't wait to get home and embroider one. Introducing, the Market Tote!

I thought I was going to have to wait a month until my order comes in, but today I was lucky enough to find a local source for these puppies. Hurrah! I stocked up on green, pictured above, and will also have red and blue available. And now for the best news, if you're in the Atlanta area, I'll have these at the Kirkwood Festival this weekend! Of course if you want them personalized, you'll have to wait a few days, as I won't have my machine at the festival. If you simply can't wait until Saturday to place your order, email me.

Anyway, here are a few details about the totes: They measure 16.5 in L x 11 in W x 9.5 in H. Includes a zippered top and a zippered pocket on the back. Cover is removable from frame, but not machine washable, unfortunately. Wipe with damp cloth. Three-letter monograms available, or one name.

Yay for exciting lunchtime finds!

Busy, Busy, Busy (again)

It seems like whenever I have a festival or market coming up, the week prior is super-hectic. I do this to myself, as I am an Extreme Procrastinator. Always have been, most likely always will be. There doesn't seeem to be anything I can do about it, and I've learned to live with it. I'm comfortable! So, in my mad rush to get more things finished for Saturday's Kirkwood Spring Fling, I've produced some cool stuff! Or at least I think it's cool. Of course, it is only Wednesday, so that means three more nights of production...more stuff to come!

Yesterday, since it was dead at the day job, I decided to take a half day to work on some goodies. I embroidered a nice pile of key fobs, and just have to add the hardware. Ever wonder what a stack of unfinished key fobs looks like? Here you go:

I was able to do 12 pieces per hooping, so I was super-impressed with myself. Those who do machine embroidery, you know what I'm talking about. :-)

Also did a couple of bibs last night with a new theme. Introducing...Miss Monkey!

Isn't she adorable? More designs featuring Miss Monkey are on the way, and personalization is avaiable on bibs and burps. I haven't mastered t-shirts yet, but I'm working on it. These designs will not be available in the Shop until afer this weekend, but if you simply cannot wait, just email me! And if you're in the Atlanta area, come out and see us at Kirkwood!

I'll try to update again before Saturday with more new stuff.

Promos!

close up.
Originally uploaded by queenvanna creations

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I know I mentioned doing my own clothespin promos in a previous post, but I wanted a lot of them, and I wanted them rather quickly, so I ordered these from QueenVanna Creations! Aren't they fabulous? There was no way I could have produced 100 of these babies in 2 days, which is what she did! Plus hers are 1000 times better than the ones I did, I can tell just from the pics! I can't wait to get them in the mail. So, if you come out and see us at Kirkwood, or make a purchase from our Etsy Shop, you may just get one of these cuties!

The Weekend Wrap Up

I meant to do this yesterday, but it got a little busy at blog central (work). So Tuesdays are okay for weekend updates, right?

Here's what I did on Friday night:

These were done in last minute preparations for the Sketchworks Art Mart that was on Saturday. Look for these items in the shop soon!

So how did it go, you ask? Well the weather did not cooperate, so we didn't get as many people in as we would have liked. We still had fun, though, and we did sell some things to other vendors! And of course we bought some things, too. It was so nice to meet other Etsy sellers and to see their goods in person. Hopefully we'll be able to join in another Sketchworks Art Mart later this fall. (By the way, I think the "Boob Man" bib is my favorite!)

Now we're getting ready for the Kirkwood Spring Fling on May 17th. Be sure to come out and see us! I'll be debuting a couple of new designs, which you will see here first, of course, and all of the things you've seen so far will be there too. Here's a sneak preview of our setup, from the Art Mart:

Hi Katie!

And we might even have cookies again, courtesy of Katie's wonderful hubby (they were so yummy!).

I had been working hard to get lots of stuff made for the Art Mart, so I've been taking a little break the last couple of days. Break's over! Back to the embroidery machine so I have more fun stuff for Kirkwood. Great stuff is coming!

Sketchworks Art Mart This Saturday!

If you're in the Atlanta area, come check us out! More info below:

Come out to the Sketchworks ArtMart, this Saturday, May 3rd, from 11 AM to 5 PM.

Featured artists/crafters include:
-Sewphisticate: Paper goods as well as hand-forged metal accessories
-Graceful Babies, all the way from New York! Clothing and accessories for kids
-LeAnn Christian: Lampwork creations
-Studio Marcy: Glass focals and beads
-Jinkywink: Fun paper goods including invitations and cards
-Sugar Plum Delights: Handmade goodies for babies and kids, including embroidered items and custom tutus
-Knotty Sheep: Jewelry and accessories using the Chinese Knot technique
-Adripat: Knit and crocheted wearables and home goods
-TSI Photography: Beautiful photography
-Frillz, Art-to-Wear: Handmade silver jewelry and more

Get your Mother's Day shopping done all in one place with these wonderful handmade items! There's even a bake sale!

Sketchworks Theatre
3041 North Decatur Road
Scottdale, GA 30079


Also, be sure to check out Etsy.com if you haven't already, for even more handmade items from around the world. Lots of fun stuff!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Most of this past weekend was spent getting ready for the Sketchworks Art Mart on Saturday, and I feel like I was pretty productive. Saturday was not productive, however, in that respect, but it was still a fun day. We went to the Inman Park Festival, and it was great! Bought a cute little dress for Pookie (which I forgot to take pics of) from hipkiddie and a matching hairclip from Poopadoop. I'll be sure to post pics of the model in her new outfit soon. I also got the requisite kettle corn...man I love that stuff. So we walked around and got all worn out, then pretty much napped the rest of the day. That Market is so huge, and there are so many fun things to see. The food prices were ridiculous though: $18 for 3 corn dogs and 2 lemonades. That's almost as bad as Turner Field! Anyway...

I had taken off work on Monday to do a few things, and I was happy with the result. My embroidery machine was working hard almost all day. I finished 2 burp cloths, and 5 or 6 bibs. Of course I didn't take any pics last night or this morning, so I'm waiting for my VP of Marketing & Promotion (aka; my hubby) to take some today while I'm at work. Lots of cute stuff!

**EDIT** Pictures!
Here are the bib designs I was working on yesterday...Aren't they cute?

I was doing a bit of Etsy shopping (Etsy-ing?) last week and stumbled on this fabric, and I had to have it:


It's from Luminous Threads, and she has a ton of wonderful fabrics! I'm loving the Heather Ross stuff right now, so there may be some goldfish and/or bicycle fabric in my future. In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out what to do with my new gnome fabric. Suggestions?