I Stole Three Pillows!

I had only stolen one thing in my entire life, up until this week.  Actually, I only half stole this particular item.  That does not make sense, but it will.  Let's take a walk down memory lane shall we?  I was eleven years old and in 6th grade, it was 1985.  I was living through the worst year of my entire life.  Trust me, that statement is NOT and exaggeration.  Anyway, under pressure and duress, plus influence from an accomplice I took something that did not belong to me!

It was like all days in 6th grade, a horrible one.  I went to school hating my life.  Hating that I was a teacher's kid.  Hating that I had curly hair.  Hating that I was a dork.  Yet, feeling fortunate that I had about three friends.  As usual, I brought my lunch from home.  At lunch time, I retrieved my lunch from my locker and stood my dorky self in the milk line.  With my chocolate milk in hand, I reached into my pocket for my quarter and realized I forgot my milk money.  Of course none of my friends had an extra quarter.  What to do?  Then, the person in front of me (Yes, I remember his name but I will not disclose for the sake of his privacy) says, "Just take a milk."  Shocked, I said, "No way!"  He says, "Put your hand in the box like you are putting you money in, jiggle the coins a bit, and take the milk."  Palms sweaty, heart racing, pressure building, not to mention that my mouth was parched; I caved.  I committed one of the worst crimes Sugarbush Elementary School has ever seen.  I stole a carton of chocolate milk.  I sat at my table and drank my milk feeling like a thirst quenched monster.  I got away with my crime and felt like even more of a loser than I already was.

For a couple days I could not sleep.  I felt guilty.  I was so worried about being caught and expelled.  So, I did what any guilt ridden, geeky 6th grader would do:  I wrote a confession and placed it under my parent's pillow before I went to bed.  I figured they would read the note while I was sleeping and figure out what the heck to do me with my while I was pretending to sleep.  So, do you think I was grounded?  Was I forced to write an apology to the school?  Nope, my parents said, "Don't worry about.  When you go to school today just put two quarters in the milk box."  I went to school, got in the milk line, took one milk, and put two quarters in the box.  My life of thieving had come to end, until the other day.  

18 x 18 Pillow that became a raffle prize.

I have a warehouse of pillow in my house.  Thanks to consistent sales, the supply is going down.  But, there are still quite a few pillows in the warehouse.  I also have a lot of fabric left over from pillows I have made, gifts of fabric, and new fabric waiting to be made into something wonderful.  Well, this fall I decided to play around and make a few 18 x 18 pillows.  While I really liked the size and fabric, I realized that these pillows would be a pain to ship.  I stuffed one, donated it as a raffle prize when I did the Candy Cane Lane Craft Show, and stored the unstuffed pillows in my fabric trunk.  On Monday, I made a pillow cover with the left over red, blue, and gold fabric and was inspecting the cover while sitting on my couch.  My husband and I realized that fabric coordinated with our living room.  Notice I said coordinated because nothing in our house actually matches.  The next morning, the girls and I stuffed the three empty pillows, sewed them up, deactivated the Etsy listing, and placed them on my couch.  Voila!  I have new throw pillows.  But, I shoplifted them from myself.  Is this morally wrong?  It is not like I got any sort of tax break for this pillow.  I made them before I created my company.  So, I guess I just stole from my future sales.  But, while I may have stole from 715 Pillows, I also did my aging couch a huge favor!

As a mother of  four sticky hands and two sticky faces,  a two year old and five year old, my children are constantly depositing unwanted messes around my house.  Therefore, while a couch is on my short list of big purchases, I am going to attempt to hold off for about two more years.  In the meantime, my couch is twelve years old.  Go Macy's!!!  Which means the throw pillows that came with the couch are twelve years old.  

Can you guess which is the new pillow?

My living room!

I made the big colorful pillow.  The small red pillow was purchased from Target.

I put two pillows on the couch and one on the chair.  I think it ties the room together nicely.  I am happy and I don't feel guilty for stealing from my own company.  It is not like I did not pay for the fabric and make the pillows, right?  Right!  To make amends for my crime, I am going to hold a contest on Friday to give away one of my new pillow covers.  So, in the meantime, click on this link and "like" 715 Pillows Facebook page.  You will have to like the page to enter the contest and get a free pillow cover.  Like me, like me, like me.  You don't want me to feel like that insecure sixth grader you just read about, right?

Workers Compensation: The Dangers of Sewing!

This post contains images of an actual incident that resulted in a wound.  Images may be disturbing to those who have a fear of sewing needles.  

Quite often, domestic arts are stigmatized...by me.  I am well educated and live in a time when women can have it all.  So why can't I?  It was 100% my choice to stay home when Mimi was born.  I knew I could not have it all.  I knew I would be a stressed out, cranky mess.  And, I knew I wanted to play with my kids full time for a couple years.  But on some levels I struggle because I really don't want to be a homemaker or housewife.  Ugh!  Horrible!  I want to be modern, not old fashioned.  But am I modern?  I stay home with my kids, I bake, and I sew and sound old fashioned.  Okay, here is where I am modern:  I drive a sub compact car and get excellent gas millage.  So, being the modern mom that I am, it always rankles me when I have made a plate of cookies and someone says to me, "Well, aren't you Susie Homemaker today!"  While I know that this is not a put down, I hate it.  I am not trying to be Susie Homemaker, I just thought my guests might want a snack.  And guess what, I like to have a fresh baked snack, too.  But, let me end my diatribe because I want to let you in on a little secret, domestic work is challenging.  Domestic work and parenting are physically and mentally challenging jobs.  No to mention, domestic arts, such as sewing are also dangerous.  Yes, dangerous!!!

I stay-at-home but am a Rosie on the inside!

I NEVER look like this when cleaning the house! 

First, I am sure everyone who is reading this blog has cleaned their house or cooked.  Maybe you haven't done a lot of sewing, but you have done plenty of other things.  A few years ago, while making lunch, I fell on a toy that was laying in the middle of the kitchen and busted my finger.  I tried to catch myself with the wall, finger first.  Dumb instinct.  The sucker swelled up and hurt for months.  Then, while making dinner for my mom whom was recovering from bunion surgery, I, um, there is no delicate way to put this, I singed my bosom.  Ugh, that was scary!  So, if I can get hurt cooking, you bet I can get hurt sewing.

I have completed all the necessary paperwork to be an official company.  The last thing I want is to be busted for income tax evasion.  But, I am still worried I have missed a couple steps and I am doing something wrong.   I own the name 715 Pillows for the next five years, according to Oakland County.  I have a federal tax id number and my Michigan sales tax license.  Pretty darn official.  So, when I hurt myself on the job, can I get Worker's Comp.  Nope!  I am a sole proprietor and I don't think I can could get a needle injury covered anyway.

Since I have started this little venture, I have poked myself a few times in the finger with needles and pins.  Once I stuck a pin under my finger nail.  OUCH!!!!!  But the worst injury incurred while sewing was caught on camera by husband.  I was sitting on my floor cutting and pinning a pillow when I inadvertently placed my foot on top of the pinned fabric and stuck a very long pin into my heal.  OMG!!!! PAIN!!!!  I think the pin actually hit bone.  But believe it or not, for such a serious wound, blood was not drawn.  So strange - does this mean I need a pedicure?  While I was pulling the pin out (very strange sight) and crying out in pain, Kevin grabbed the camera and recorded the following images for posterity.

Just after pin extraction.  

Massaging the wound.

Why am I sitting like that?  

I am happy to report that no lasting injuries were incurred.  While it is true that time wounds all heals, it is equally true that time heals all wounds.  So, here is to all the women out there who have wounded themselves in the home, you have my respect and sympathy.  And remember, 715 Pillows products are for sale on Etsy.  Have a safe day!

Apple and Pears: Not Just For Eating!

I enjoy fruit.  Fruit is pretty.  Fruit is healthy.  Fruit is tasty.  I eat a lot of fruit.

Here are some fun facts about apples (I found these facts on this website and this website.)

1.  Apples are a member of the rose family.
2.  It takes energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.
3.  Apples are Michigan's largest and most valuable fruit crop.
4.  Michigan is the 3rd largest apple producing state.
5.  Apple pies are delicious.  (Okay, this is my own opinion.)

Here are some fun fact about pears ( I found these facts on this website.)

1.  Pear are a member of the rose family.
2.  Pear trees can live for 100 years.
3.  It is believed pears were used as food during the Stone Age.
4.  There are more than 3,000 varieties of pears.
5.  A pear pie sounds disgusting to me, but a nice crunchy pear snack sounds delicious.  (Once again this is the opinion of the writer.)

So, I like fruit and the benefits of fruit.  But can fruit be fashionable?  Carmen Miranda thought so.  And if fruit was fashionable for Carmen Miranda, then by golly it is fashionable enough for me!

Click here for information on Carmen Miranda

I am not going to wear fruit on my head.  I don't wear Fruit of the Loom undies.  But as you know, I did purchase fruity fabric to make a little bag.  Well, I finished the fruit inspired bag and I think it is somewhat retro looking and is going to be a fun little accessory for summer.

Getting started:  I spread out all my material and cut out all my pieces.  I used the fruit for the actual bag and sort of a teal color for a contrast lining.  While I attempted to do this alone, Mimi the Pin Master and Violet the Snuggler came up to help and observe.  Therefore the process took a bit longer than I initially planned.

So pretty...

Mimi handed me the pins.

I cut!

 

We all worked together!

Who says you can't sew and still be close.

After I cut out all my fabric, I made my way over to my mom's house.  She got me started and assigned some homework.  While most of the project was done with my mom's supervision, I did so the majority of the work.  She helped my some tricky parts but I think I could make another bag on my own.

Mom's machine.

Mom ironing a seam - Kevin stalking us with the camera.

Once I really got going on this project, I did not take too many pictures.  It was fun and addicting to watch my bag turn into a bag.  When I put the lining in and pulled the bag right side out, I swear it was like magic.  I was really distrustful of the directions and my mom because the process is so strange.  But, it worked.  I have a finished product that I want to use and will use.  Unlike my pajama pants which ended up in the garbage after about month because I felt way too frumpy wearing them.

Vi needed to be in the picture!  

I think it is lovely and can't wait to use this functional, yet very cute bag!

After completed this bag, I got lots of ideas for doing it again.  I could use contrast fabric on the side, bottom, strap, pocket.  Okay, that is sound a little too patchworky.  But my point is that I can play around a experiment with fabrics.  I could put a pocket inside the bag.  I could make it smaller or larger.  I can make tote bags.  Kind of fun.  So, what do you think?  Should I try sell to sell them at my May craft show?    

Yikes! I Have Encountered My First Dissatisfied Customer!

Worry dolls from Guatemala.  

School, work, and life in general has always stressed me out.  When I was a kid, my parents bought me a set of worry dolls.  I got a small wood box with about six small dolls inside.  Supposedly, if I put a doll for each worry under my pillow, when I woke about in the morning the worry would be gone.  These worry dolls did not work for a couple reasons:  1.  Six dolls did not cover all my worries.  2.  New worries surfaced by the minute.  At night, I would have nightmares over math.  I could not stop the math problems in my head and it did not help that the answer was always wrong.  I have always wanted to succeed at work, but I am human and screwed up from time to time.  Once, when I was working for Congressman Bonior, I answered the phone and it was Dick Gephardt, the House Majority Leader on the other end.  I was so nervous that it was the Majority Leader on the phone that when I put the receiver down to tell Congressman Bonior he had a call, I forgot to press the hold button.  Fortunately, everyone had a few laughs and it was no big deal.  But, I initially thought I was going to have a heart attack at the age of 22.  My personal life has been known to have messy streaks -- I can embarrass and make a fool of myself daily.  This can be endearing to some and annoying to others.  This is just who I am.  When Mimi was born, I decided to quit my full-time job to full-time job to become a stay-at-home mom.  I have had some part time jobs in the past five years to keep my brain fresh.  But since leaving the full-time workforce, my stress level has decreased in many ways.  I sleep a little bit better and I am a lot happier.  But, then, this pillow thing started.

While I have to say it has been fun and exciting trying to get this pillow experiment off the ground, it has also been stressful. I am kind of putting myself out there.  I write this blog to share my experiences with the entire cyber world, literally.  I sew pillows.  I make something.  I want people to like what I make.  I don't have thick skin.  So here is where today's story starts...

My rejected pillow!  Sadness : (

I got an order for a pillow right around Valentine's Day.  As usual, I am thrilled with any and all orders, and I immediately shipped the pillow.  It arrived to the buyer on February 17th.  We left for vacation on the February 20th.  By the time we left, I figured that since I have not heard anything, everyone was satisfied.  Yes, I am nervous every single time I ship an order.  I did not check my e-mail until a rainy morning on February 23rd.  Yikes!  The buyer sent me a message on February 22nd that she did not like the size of the pillow, that the hand-sewn seam did not meet her expectations, and that she wanted a full refund.  I was a little shocked because I give the pillows a good inspection and everything was in good shape when shipped.  Of course, I told her I would give her a refund when I got the pillow back.  I also offered her 20% off of a future order.  I really want to make things right.  I also worried and stewed over this for a couple days.  When I received the pillow back at home yesterday, the bag was split open and the pillow was a bit dirty.  This worries me -- was the bag also split when she received the pillow?  The seam looked like it got caught on something and was cut.  Did this happen in shipping?  In use?  I guess I'll never know.  But, I do need to take another look into shipping options to ensure that pillows I mail out to customers arrive in the same condition as when they leave my home.  Issues may occur in shipping, but I want to minimize the frequency of those issues.  This was my first return and it sucks!!!  I tried to make myself feel better thinking about all the things I order online that either did not fit or I did not like.  It happens.  That is life.   And, when I think about the fact that I have sold about 40 pillows and have received only one complaint, I feel quite a bit better.  

I am really hoping this is not regularly occurring in the shipping process.

Once I finish my transition to sewing pillow covers (and selling them with or without the pillow inserts), I won't have to worry about hand-sewn seams since all seams will be sewn with the help of my sewing machine.  But, I am sure I will find something else to worry about.  :)  Yes, I am always an optimist.  And, guess what?  I have almost perfected sewing pillow covers.  I am really excited to start using my new fancy fabrics instead of testing scraps.  There are always fun and exciting things on the horizon.  Personal taste and style may not always be a fit for what I sew.  I am human and I sometimes mess up; but, I am optimistic that selling pillow covers will be better for both me and 715 Pillows' customers.  This customer reminded me that there is always room for improvement, and there will most likely be another time to say "I am sorry." 

Research and Development: Halted Due to a Plague!

Back in January, I had a posted a post that boasted my plans for research and development.  I posted this on January 22nd.  I believe somewhere around January 23rd my children started to cough, their noses started to run, and I was preparing to meet my husband in Las Vegas for a weekend getaway.  Well, as luck would have it, the week that Kevin was gone and I was planning sewing in the wee hours of the morning, my children felt too icky to sleep.  Who can blame them?  A persistent cough will keep any human awake.  Needless to say, I did not sew that week.  Sewing with interruptions at fifteen minute intervals and sleep deprivation is not worth doing.  I once tried to sew after drinking one glass of wine - just one glass - and failed miserably.  We may have been fairly healthy from September to the beginning of January but don't worry, we have paid for it the past couple weeks.

All of this fabulous fabric is in my house uncut and unused.  So sad! 

However, the week after mid-winter break is a new week.  

We are used to various plagues in our house.  Head colds, ear infections, stomach bugs, pink eye, Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, Fifth's Disease, well you get the idea.  We get sick a lot!  We rack up huge medical bills with co-pays and prescriptions.  We usually exhaust our Flexible Medical Spending account by April.  Jealous?  Didn't think so.  Anyway, the day before I flew to Vegas, I took the girls in to get their cough checked out.  When I came home, I had to take Violet to the doctor for an ear infection.  Probably isn't much of a surprise, Kevin and I have been suffering from cold for about two weeks now.  We think the cold is going away and BAM, it comes back!  Yeah, yeah, woe is me!

I guess the good think about being self employed is that when the plague does attack our home without plans to vacate, I have the option to lay low a bit.  However, by taking this option I also opt out of not getting paid.  Luckily, I  have sold about seven pillows since the beginning on the year.  But, I was kind of hoping to have done more research on craft shows, learn how to make pillowcase dresses, make my bag, and have completed lots and lots of pillow covers.

Here is what I have done:  I have bought a rotary cutter and mat, I have experimented with cutting on the mat, and continuing my quest to learn how to make pillow covers.  My pillow covers are improving.  I need to order a 16 x 16 insert, I think the envelope closures need to be centered in the back, and a button might be a nice touch.  Still a ways away from selling covers but getting closer.

Trying to get a clean line on the edge of the fabric.

Measuring

Front of the pillow cover made with the rotary cutter and mat.

Back of the pillow made with the rotary cutter and mat.

To sum up:  I am still hanging around and sewing a little bit.  If you were expecting a spring fashion show of pillowcase dresses, I am fearful of meeting an Easter deadline - could happen, but give me about two weeks to know for sure.  Also, I am not giving up on 715 Pillows - head colds can't last forever!

Creating a Mimi-Me: Changing the World One Sewing Machine at a Time!

I basically understand how genetics work.  I understand how traits are passed down from generation to generation.  I also love the theory of nature versus nurture.  I love watching my own children physically change along side their personalities.  My kids are not mini-mes of me.  Mimi is tall, slender, small boned, with straight hair.  Violet (currently) has straight blond hair which used to be curly, is tall, and  is built more like me - meaning we are a built more like German peasants.  Violet, like her mom, will be a fantastic kick boxer someday.   Given that they do have some rights to privacy, I am not going to divulge all the secrets to their personality, but Mimi is a heck of a lot like her mom.  She has inherited personality traits from me that are just plain spooky!

Violet when she still had curly hair!

Mimi hanging out with the tulips!

When I started sewing, my girls were really excited, particularly Mimi.  They still really enjoy watching me sew and really want me to sew them their pillowcase dresses.  Mimi, my crafty girl, wants to learn how to sew.  Her career aspirations are to work with me forever making pillows.  Well, if we are going to make this a true family business then I guess I need to teach Mimi how to sew.  Mimi is five and I had been thinking that sometime next year would be a good time to teach her some of the sewing basics.  Yesterday, I got the perfect gift and perfect bargain, for a perfectly wonderful future six year old.  (Her birthday is in November so this gift will be hiding in my closet for a long time!)

Pretty much everyone who knows me knows I love a good bargain.  Not only do I love a good bargain, I am really good at finding good bargains.  Since last year's famous trip to Boston, I had been coveting the Mad Men line of dresses and Banana Republic.  With my laid off status, there was no way I was spending $150 on a dress.  But, I waited and I waited and I now have two of them and spent a total of $33 on both.  715 Awesome Shopping Deals, anyone?  Back to the point of this post; Mimi and sewing.  Earlier this week, my mom gave me a $5 coupon to Kohls and I also had a 15% off coupon.  I needed a couple things so I packed up the girls on Friday to do a little shopping.

Good behavior at a store is always rewarded with trip to the toy department, not to buy, but to look.  Yes, I am a mean mom.  While "looking" I found a shelf with toys marked 60% off.  Then my eyes met a glorious box that screamed, "Figure out a way to buy me without Mimi seeing me."  That's right, I found a small sewing machine for ages 6 and up.  It was originally $40 marked down to about $11 and I got it for $7.  Holy smokes!!!!  She is going to be one excited six year old.  It is small for small hands, it is portable, and it actually sews.  How cool is that?!!?!?!  I got a hand held basket, placed the sewing machine in, and stuffed coats on top.  When it was time to pay, the girls were send over to the Kohls Cares for Kids display.  Success!  Mimi never saw the machine!

Every so often, I get gift giving right.  I think this is one of those moments. 

Mimi and I are similar and different in many ways.  I would never expect her to like everything I like.  She is much more of a girly girl than I every have been.  I like to get dirty and play in mud.  Mimi prefers to be clean.  No problem.  But, we both want to learn how to sew.  We can share this desire to learn with each other, and with my mom because as I have said before, she is a sewing guru.  Even if Mimi does not become a life long sewer seamstress, sewing will help her learn many skills such as: math, measuring, exactness, creativity, and how to hang out with mom.

Mother Knows Best!

Right now, my two little girls are very much enthralled with the movie "Tangled."  There is action, adventure, long hair, and a little love.  Rapunzel is not a dippy princess looking for Prince Charming, but an inquisitive girl locked in a tower by a "mean mommy" who only wants to see the floating lights.  It has a snappy soundtrack and a catchy little ditty called, "Mother Knows Best."  This is a link to the song - I am warning you it will be in your head, FOREVER!!!!  My kids love this song and sing it to me a lot when we are eating breakfast.  I don't think they have quite absorbed that the lyrics are kind of mean as the song is sung by the "mean mommy."  But, who am I to argue when my kids tell me that I know best, right?  Well, in a lot of ways mothers really do know best and my mother knows best when it comes to sewing.

"Tangled" fans!  

For about a month or so, I have been less than productive when it comes to working the old sewing machine.  I took some time off around in December.  Then January hit with along with cold season, a small Vegas vacation, and productivity went down, again.  I bought lots of materials and had good intentions but then I started reading directions and decided that my congested head just was not up to the challenge.

Vegas!!!!

This week, I was feeling healthier and sleep schedules started to return to normal.  I broke out the sewing once again.  My mom is going to come over and give me another sewing lesson sometime very soon.  But, I wanted to see if I could figure something out on my own.

I broke out the directions on how to make an envelope pillow which were written in a sewing language I don't understand.  Directions are also written in French but lets face it, I never performed all that well in my French classes.  So, I gave the directions to Kevin.  Kevin kind of understood and we decided to forget the directions.  I cut out the big square for the front and two halves for the back, envelope.  My measuring was a little off - my mom always tells me that if it is off I should start over again.  Yeah, I did not follow those directions. (Mother knows best!)  In the end, my "envelope" opening should have been a little wider and my insert smaller.  I ordered a 17 x 17 insert so that the pillow would be fuller.  Here are the pictures:  

Not bad from the front...

...back needs some tweaking.

I am actually pleased that I did this on my own, with little help.  I think that once I get the measurements down, these pillow covers will look pretty good.  Now, I need to get my mom over to give me advice on all the other projects that I want to do in the next month.  I need advice on supplies, materials, how to, and even tweaking these pillows if I don't get to it before she gives me my lesson.

The moral of this little post: if at first you don't succeed, try again.  So, I will be trying again.  Tonight!