A little recap. My one year in the bloggy world.

Sometimes I shared the not so pretty in my life.
(Do you know what Lake Stink is?)

And often I shared what I was in love with.

I started Apricot A Lot, designing custom bags and totes!

I started my not-every-Sunday-posting called Church Chat.
Read them all here.

I moved two states away.

But not before having a GarBage Sale.

Sometimes a Recipe.

Salmon Recipe (maple-y/mustard-y/jalepeno-y yummy-ness)

I started a series of posts about my childhood here's the first one.
(That's the only one I did...it's coming, I promise!)

I was syndicated once, Namiste.
(See the article over at the Title Nine.com Blog)

Oh yeah.. I started a little thing called #GNO over on Twitter? Heard of it?

And that little thing has turned into a full-fledged teenager complete with gangly-ness and zits sometimes (don't ask about the new website that STILL isn't complete!) We call the whole thing 'Mom It Forward' have a look! Hope to see you on Tuesday nights for #GNO, where we do Girl's Night Out, Twitter style...!


Thanks for joining me. I am better because of you.

Inspired By Melanie

I had request for a black bag with brown accents? And I wasn't too sure... until later I had a request for a black bag with tan accents... and then I realized they were asking for TAUPE?

And my little design brain went a little crazy... what if I could find a small print taupe colored fabric to go with the black ohhh how yummy.... How about damask?

Xtra Large Bucket Bottom Tote with Matching Toddler Pod.

Thanks Melanie, you did good.

Look what I did...

You have to imagine at the next pot luck function, some sort of uber yummy goodies, transported in my new uber cool 'warming' bowl with matching lid and spoon!

I know. I'm such a geek. But THIS has been my dream. To make Jello from a mold...

How cute is this? Do I love orange? Yes. Do I love NOT using Ziplocks for kid lunches? Yes!

Wanna take a stab at WHAT all THIS is?

I'll just tell ya..
I got a wild hair a few weeks back, when a friend mentioned how much she loved one of the bags I had made. (She even sorta kinda matched her blog to the fabric of that bag...!)

I thought to myself...
How 'bout a trade?
New idea to me anyway?

And even though it took me a while to get caught up enough to get her that bag...
YES. All those items above?
TUPPERWARE!
Who knew it was so cool these days?
They were like little prizes for 'trading' something a lot like this:

Even better? She's hosting a giveaway....go see...!

Us Mom-Prenuers

Tip Junkie has a list.
And I mean ONE BIG LIST.
Of Mom-Prenuers.
Moms who make cool stuff.
(I know a little bit about that....)

If you feel the need to spend some time shopping...
Check out your family friendly created by a mom kind of shop.

Here's a few I like:

EmmieCakes ~Deliciously Yummy Crafts

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LeeLouBlogs ~I'm sure you already know about her magic....

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PlumPearAppleDesigns ~I love her capes. You will too!

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Vintage Body Spa ~ One Word...Ahhhh. SO on my list this year.

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Cutie Booty Cakes ~How cute are these?!

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From Picture to Portrait ~ You need to see this to believe it...

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Do I want you to visit my shop?
Well yes.
But only if you WANT to....!

Apricot A Lot!

The Design Process-Shmocess

It started out as a conversation.

A conversation with one of my new twitter friends and online buddy: Carole. Of Hippostoes Fame! See her fun new clothing line! And her great blog of course! Back to that design conversation....

Something like: Can we use that cool Giraffe fabric with something red?
I'd love to have a great bag for me, could it double as a diaper bag?

Great! Carissa said "you just tell me how we should put it together".

Carole: Um...no I don't like the toile so much.
How about that stripe I saw on the site?

Carole: Oh? Now I'm not sure about the stripes AND the Paisley?

Carole: No. The stripes and solid isn't it either?

Carole: Hmmm. Maybe? Can we still have the stripes someWHERE?
On the straps or something?

Carissa said no to the stripes on the OUTside of the straps.
(She can be so mean.)
How about on the lining of the straps, instead?

And Voila. A new mom bag, (can be used as a diaper bag--or NOT!)
Here it is right after it was all cut out...

And because I can't leave well enough alone?
I made her a matching Toddler Pod.
You know.
For the times when you don't want to take the whole bag out to change the diaper?
Like during church? Or going to Target?
It easily holds a couple diapers and those bagged packages of wipes and a sippy cup!
I added a wrist strap. And a key fob.

Now for another Design Story...

Shhhh...

I am getting custom artwork for Apricot A Lot! Yay!

Would you just soooo love to have a real artist doing real custom design work for you?
Not just importing pictures and graphics from photobucket? But the real deal?
As in NO ONE else will have the same image at the top of THEIR blog!

Here's a preview of my new Logo!

Go ahead drool a little...careful of your keyboard though.

Now go see more of Gretchen's work:

(I've heard her called the French Mary Englebreit---
I call her friend.
If you like little Fairies...check these out!)

www.gretchenjakubfabre.com

www.chichiboulie.etsy.com

www.boulieblog.com

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Am In Love With The UPS Man

Four! Four lovely brown boxes were on my front step waiting for me to bring them in and open them, and love them.

The UPS man is the love of my life at these times.

In box numbers one and two:

FABRIC! Wonderful toiles. RED and BLACK. A turquoise stripe. Oh yeah.
AND! And? The top three? NEW from my most like to stalk designer? Sandi Henderson's new Farmer's Market line...ooooh...I li-ike.

And oh my gosh what's in that third giganto box? Oh goodie another box inside the big box...
It's...it's...MY NEW SEWING machine!

I told myself once I made enough money from my bags, (no not 'profits'--ha, ha, ha,ha), just actually made enough from sales--I would buy a new (real) machine!
That day has come.

Here it is. No bells and whistles. Not pretty. Not digital.
Not fancy.
Just Seriously Heavy Duty.

You like?
Sorry.
Already sold it. But there's more....!

Upside down...but you get the picture?

And sideways. For my friend Carole Hippostoes!

You didn't even ask what was in the fourth box?

Play along at Angie's Blog!


{Answer revealed in the comments.....}

Famous Stalking....again.

Photo by: doraemon

Wow. I so totally did not mean to. It just happened I swear? I can't even remember all the steps that got me there?

Where?

There.

I think I was on Twitter, minding my own business (well that's the opposite of what you do on Twitter isn't it?) Anyway, I saw a tweet from someone I follow replying to someone I didn't 'know'. So I clicked on their profile page, and then on their website, and could see they were as into the fabric world as I was.

You don't care about all that.

One or two clicks later....Guess who's blog I found. Guess, Dang it!

You give up? Well I linked to her above. You missed the link? Here it is again....

Did you go there? Do you think I am so cool yet?

YES it's SANDI HENDERSON! THE Sandi Henderson. Oh no, do NOT tell me you don't know who she is?

She is one uber awesome ultra cool fabric designer. For Micheal Miller.... Is any of this computing?

Oh forget it. She designed this from her Ginger Blossom collection.

And this.

And do you know which one of my children I would auction off for a few yards of her new stuff?

This is from her just released line 'Farmers Market'.
Do you know how much I LOVE orange? I do.

And do you know how much my bags love stripes for their little handles?
They do.Can you just see the AMAZING little tote I could make with these 3 fabrics?

And just for a minute...imagine with me...

Does EVERY teacher you know out there need something? Anything? Made out of this? Daisy? Are you out there? JiggetyJig? Kellan? Where are all my teacher friends? Hmm? A headband? A little tote perfect for pens and a quick summer read? A large tote to jam schoolwork to be graded later? Or the bag Sandi just made?


Wanna know the best part of this little fairytale? I was brave enough to comment on her blog. I was. And then? Oh bliss. She emailed me back about my comment. ME! Here is her email in it's entirety. As long as we are doing the famous stalking, let's do it right, okay?

"You're so funny! Please comment more-you seem very fun. :) "Miss Famous Designer" LOL! I don't think about it too much. :)"

Sandi

Oh my crap. Is she so cute? All real with the smiley faces and all? Um, did she just ask me to comment more? I fainted...twice.


Responses to yesterday's MEME:
Jamie, Jyl, Shannnon and Angie You were right, it was the second MEME. And to Jyl, blue cheese? Ick. Kellan, you're right, no way on the piercings, but yup...there are 10 of us! I could so totally write a kickin' book about all the good&crazy there, in fact they're the inspiration for my blog title. If you haven't...read Linda's comment, hilarious. No rock guitars for me, and tangerine Townie? WhatThe? And Kaye, your confusion is cracking me up. Jocasta keeps trying to torment me.