Crayon Rolls, Key Fobs, and Lunch Totes, Oh My!

Wow. It’s December. Christmas time. The most wonderful time of the year. I seriously don’t know what happened to the last 3 months! Well, I shouldn’t really say that; I do know what happened to the last 3 months. I have been super-duper busy! And that’s definitely a good thing.
So, what have I been working on, you ask? First, lunch totes. Moms are discovering that personalized lunch bags make excellent party favors. I had two large orders of them that were used as favor bags, with lots of goodies stuffed inside for the party guests. Ages have ranged from 1 to 10, and then some! I introduce more designs whenever I can, and of course I’m always open to suggestions. The most popular designs have been the train (new!) for boys, and daisies for girls. I’ve started using a new kind of bag as well. They’re the same size as the bags I offered before, only now I have more colors (yay!) and there’s a pocket on the front of the bag. So cute!

What else have I been working on? Key fobs, key fobs, and more key fobs. I’m still working to complete a very, very large order (for me) of personalized key fobs, both wristlet size with a full name, and a mini-size with one initial. Key fobs are one of my favorite things; I just think they’re so much fun. Everyone should have one (hint hint). I was also very excited to make a new discovery when I was searching for a new webbing supplier. Glitter! I’m now offering Glitter Key Fobs, in either size, in pink, blue, silver, and gold. I haven’t even had time to get these up in the shop yet, but look for them soon. If you just can’t wait for them to appear in the shop, shoot me an email!

And last, but certainly not least, crayon rolls! I had a special order for Christmas crayon rolls, and we decided to use Riley Blake’s ‘Be Merry’ Fabrics. They are so freaking adorable! With it now being so close to Christmas and with me being so swamped, I don’t think we’ll see these in the shop. But you never know…

So that’s what’s been going on. The shop is looking kind of bare at the moment, since I’ve been so busy, but if you’re looking for something, just let me know!

DEADLINES: For custom/personalized items, the last day to order for guranteed Christmas delivery is this Friday, December 11. For non-personalized items, the last day to order for guaranteed Christmas delivery is Wednesday December 16. If you don’t have a deadline, order away!

CURRENT TURNAROUND TIME is 7-10 business days. Please be patient! I appreciate your business, and thanks for reading.

Trick or Treat!

October is almost here, and that means it's time for Halloween! Autumn is my favorite season, and I love Halloween: the candy, the costumes, the smell of candy apples.. Halloween wouldn't be the same if it wasn't in the fall, in my opinion. I'm still trying to decide what costumes my kids should wear this year. This is the first year I'll have two little ones to dress up, so I want it to be good! I don't know yet if I'll be making something or not. Last year my daughter was Little Red Riding Hood in an outfit made by me, and the year before that she was a bumblee, also constructed by me. Do I have to keep making her costumes now that I've done it two years in a row? We'll see what we come up with...

I do know one thing, my daughter is set for a Trick or Treating bag! Every kid needs an awesome bag/bucket/receptacle for all of the goodies and treats they'll be getting! I personally think that all kids should have something with at least their initial on it, especially if they have siblings. I remember many fights with my brother when I was a kid over whose plastic pumpkin was whose. Of course I have a solution!

Avoid the fights, the bickering, the whining with these emboidered treat bags! Available with either just an initial, or the initial and name of your child as well as the super-cute ghost, and topped off with ribbon! These bags are really sturdy (think reusable grocery bags) so they'll last for Halloweens to come, and hold lots of loot. For more information, check them out in my shop.

October also means that my coworkers will be spending more time hanging out at my desk; every October I keep a treat basket on my desk stocked to the brim. Candy = happy workers.

Happy Fall Y'all!

Holy Lunch Bags, Bat Man!

Has it really been over a month since I've blogged? There goes my mid-year resolution to blog regularly. Since you've last tuned in, I've been a busy girl. I had a large order of lunch bags to embroider (34 total, whew!), and I'm finally completely finished with them. Talk about a sigh of relief. So now it's time for clean-up, and to get ready for the holidays.


I keep thinking of fun things to make, and hopefully I'll be able to make them all soon!

Weekend Wrap-Up: Robots and Princesses Oh My!

I actually had a pretty productive weekend, and that makes me happy. A friend of mine is having a Wall-E birthday party for her soon-to-be 4 year old, and that got me to thinking about robots. I already have the adorable Michael Miller "Robots" fabric that turns into such cool crayon rolls, but what other robot-type things could I do? So I did a little research while Daddy had the kids on Sunday, and this is what I came up with:

Aren't they fun? I fell in love with them as soon as I saw the design (thanks Embroidery Library!). I only had a chance to make two of them, but there are 6 of them in the set. I can't wait to make a small army! They measure about 4 inches tall, so I'm thinking they would be awesome party favors. I promised a set to a friend of mine who is having a baby boy; the nursery theme is space and robots. Perfect! Anyway, I just had to gush a little bit. They'll be doing the robot into the shop soon!

I also decided that it was time for a new Princess bib design. Again, did a little research, and this is what I found:

I think it's way cuter than the previous design; a little more modern, maybe? This bib is in the shop now. Personalization is available!

So that's what I've been working on. I just had a large order for personalized lunch totes which I'm very excited about, so that will be keeping me busy over the next few weeks. But don't worry, I also have some other ideas I'll be working on. I'm also trying to get the super-cute monster pillows up in the shop soon, as well as the tissue cases. Maybe a few other things? Who knows!

New! Zippered Tissue Cases

If anyone has been keeping up, you'll know that I love "in-the-hoop" embroidery projects. "In-the-Hoop" projects, for those unfamiliar with machine embroidery, means that the design is sewn completely (or almost) by the machine. I love this. Anything that I can do quicker and easier I totally go for. So, when I saw this design by GG Designs Embroidery, I got it immediately. I finally had a chance to stitch it out this morning, and voila! Love!

I can see making tons of these things, they're so useful. Not only are they great for tissues, but you can put in makeup, cell phones (it's a bit snug for an iPhone), iPods, personal items....anything!

Guess what my kids' daycare teachers are getting for Christmas?

I only have one made up so far, but plan on doing many more and having them available in the shop. If you just can't wait and need one immediately, just let me know.

Mini Market Totes!

Get them while they're hot! I'm taking orders for the mini version of the hugely popular Market Totes! They do not have lids so it's incredibly handy to just toss stuff in there. My daughter used one as an Easter basket this year, and she loved it. She still carries it around with toys and who knows what else in there. I'm sure there are goldfish crackers stuffed in the inside zipper pocket.

For Halloween this year, I'm going to personalize a black one for her to use while trick-or-treating. How cute would that be? I'll have to play with designs, but I'm thinking of adding a pumpkin or a witch along with her name.

This is a slightly different style than what's pictured above, but still basically the same. They collapse flat for easy storage when not in use.

Colors available are: Black, brown, light pink, hot pink, royal blue, red, yellow, Kelly green, purple, royal purple (think LSU purple), orange, turquoise, lime, and navy

Please let me know as soon as possible if you're interested! They're going fast!

The price on the mini's is $15. Personalization included! Larger totes are also available; just email me for more info!

Coming Soon!

We'll be back soon, I promise! The last 6 months have flown by and lots has happened, but we're gearing up to get the shop open again ASAP! There will be new crayon rolls, new totes, keychains, bibs and burps, and lots of other fun stuff! Something new that's a personal favorite is...Monster Pillows!

These are the cutest things, and kids just love them. They can even be personalized, if you wish! I'm also working on Crayon Roll Party Packs, Birthday Party Packs, and Craft Kits of various sorts.

So, stay tuned, and be on the lookout for our Grand Re-Opening, happening soon! There may even be a sale...you never know!

Here's what I have been working on while the shop has been closed:

My little man, born April 16. Gush!

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...

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!

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!

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.

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!