BAM Designs

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-06-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

I have been so MIA and still feel like i am running around with my head cut off. I am doing a 4 day show right now plus dealing with some other things so i am making this short today since i have to leave in 45 mins. Man i am exhausted from all the work up till this fair and the hours are late since this is a county fair. I hope all is good with everyone.

I got an email that i am in a blog today- very neat to see so check it out if you get a chance. http://yourstruli.blogspot.com/2009/06/handmade-pick-of-day_28.html

Some more new monkeys

2009-05-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

WOW hard to believe it is already the middle of the week and Mothers Day is on Sunday. I need to get cracking on my mom's gift from her grandkids plus finish those tablecloths for the wedding. I think i can give up sleep for a week- right. JK!

I did get two new monkey designs posted yesterday- i am loving the sock monkeys but the monkey on the vine i just could not resist.

Ok have a fun day and enjoy- i am off and running today.

A new look and some new designs

2009-05-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

So for a while now i have been wanting to redo my shops banner, some of the designs and pictures for my listings. Well for the past week i have been working on new pictures which i have replaced on some of the listing all ready. I have also reworked two designs in my shop- the Retro Music sets top has a new applique design plus the cuffs on the pants have a new hidden seam so you can roll them up without seams.

Today i changed my banner- a nice etsy seller that i have made friends with made my new banner and avatar. She did a fantastic job- i just love it. I bought my product tags that i use for shows from her and she made the banner to match it. She also has an adorable shop on etsy- i have bought some gift tags from her that have gotten rave reviews. You should check out her shop- you will not be disappointed- http://madebyjackie.etsy.com/

I also added two newbies today- finally got two summer dresses listed. The first is a cute Halter style dress made using Michael Miller's China Doll on Cream fabric and the other is a fun Peasant style with Monkeys eating fruit. Two great summer styles and lightweight for those really hot days too. This next week i will be listing more dresses and styles plus a adult appliqued tshirt.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and if you get a chance stop by my shop- let me know what you think of the new banner. :o)

The Weekend is here and Happy May 1st

2009-05-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am so glad it is the weekend- another week gone and done for. Now if the rain would hold off till next week i would be A OK but we all know that will never happen. Oh well the perfect day for the kids to stay inside and build beds using chairs with couch cushions. I have to laugh because Adam was so proud of his creation.

It is hard to believe that is May 1st already- 15 more days till the wedding and i am not stressing yet just can not shake the blahs. I am pretty sure that is not wedding related more life in general related. LOL

Well in celebration of the weekend i am doing a sale- Free shipping on all boy outfits and the girl outfits come with a free matching pair of hair clippies or ponytail holders. Something fun to start May off with.

I am also working on new summer dresses in some fun patterns and designs. I have a bunch of them cut out today now if i can just focus enough to sew all would be good.

Have a happy May 1st and weekend.

Positive and Happy Thoughts

2009-04-29T06:32:00.001-07:00

Breathe in and breathe out- that is what i will do today. Positive and happy thoughts for the day that things will be pick up and get done. LOL we will see how long that lasts today.

I thought i would also show off some of the fun shots of the kids lately. I have been working on getting better pictures but my models (the little ones) have their own ideas half the time. I end up chasing them and trying to get at least one or two good shots of them. At least they are having fun!

Enjoy your tuesday!

Tailspin- Out of control

2009-04-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get that feeling like your out of control and no matter how hard you try to control things it just is not going to happen? That is kinda where i am at right now between the wedding, a very slow shop which i try not to let depress me, dealing with my 4yr old getting tested for learning disabilities and my 12 yr olds ongoing issue with JH plus losing the hard drive on my good computer. Not to mention all the family drama from my fiances side- just too much to deal with some days which is why i have been so MIA. It is hard to focus somedays (i think my boys got the ADD from me) and with a few weeks left i feel like i have lost complete control.

So i am trying to just maintain and catch up on things that i have been trying to deal with for months. I finally redid some pics in my shop and finally finished up a very old promise for a little girl so that it could be mailed. I hate being one of those flakes but lately that is how i felt. I am going to get organized and get things done more timely even if it kills me. LOL Ok rant over- sorry needed to explode for a minute.

In the midst of all this chaos i did finally get a new set made for little boys- it is an applique frog set. It has both a shirt and short with appliqued frogs- a very fun set and the first in a new line of new boy sets. I think the rest will wait till after i get back and hopefully have a more functioning computer. I am working on some fun appliqued book/tote bags for boys plus some summer sets. I am also looking into some matching little journals to go with the bags but we will see. Plus i am working on some more girlie outfits and a few new sock monkey items. Lots of newbies coming out soon- most likely in June but for now enjoy Mr. Hoppy.

Wedding fun and games

2009-03-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

I have been working on wedding details a lot this week since my shop has been a little slow and i have been dealing with a sick 4yr old who now has a nice little cough. Boy when that kid gets sick he sure gets sick! I decided that since i don't have a lot of time and still very unfamiliar with some aspects of sewing that i would go ahead and just buy my dress. I found it on a little boutiques website from New Jersey that was having a really good sample sale- my dress with shipping only cost $114.00- regular price $649.00. I just love it- makes me feel like a princess but is really casual in its own way. It is perfect for a backyard wedding with a garden/cottage theme. It is a strapless that has the option of adding staps on and i just love the corset style top. The beading on the bodice is so nice and inticate. I was able to find some pictures of it on the website where i bought it from so i could show it off.

One of my big projects this weekend was to finish making the invites which i am happy with the way they turned out in the end. I am half way through finishing them up but had to stop when i ran out of paper. Which is really sad since i normally have a ton of it but no more chocolate swirl. Oh well!

Now if i could have just relaxed as much as my little sickie who was enjoying the hamock on our back enclosed patio under a bunch of blanket. He fell asleep while listening to the rain.

Happy Monday!

2009-02-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

It has been crazy busy and everytime i think i am able to keep up with things i get behind again. One of these days i will be organized enough to keep up with my blog, shop and kids. Someday being the key word.

I have been working on wedding details which are really starting to come together and make more sense to me. Hard to plan and detail things when you can not picture how it will look in the end. We decided the colors will be shades of blue like periwinkle and colbalt with some chocolate brown mixed in. It is an outdoor backyard wedding- up at my parents house and we are doing it pretty much 100% on our own.

I still have had time in the midst of all this madness to get a few newbies made for the shop- getting ready for summer/spring already here. Megan is wearing one of my newest which is a cute Owl Pals peasant style top- the fabric is an adorable Owl fabric designed by Keri Schneider for Blank Quilting. The arms of the top are also made using a cute blue stars on brown cotton print from the same designer. Keri Schneider has a ton of adorable prints out but her Owl prints are my fav. The top does come with a pair of matching Beramuda shorts which are made using the blue stars on brown.

I will be adding more new summer/spring sets soon since i have looked very hard for some fun prints this time.

Back to sewing for now but will have more to show soon.

CPSIA Stay

2009-01-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

Well i am excited to say that i read on etsy tonight- there is a 1 yr stay for the CPSIA so more and new designs soon will be added to my shop. I just about cried- ok i did cry when i read that. I was facing the fact that after Feb.10th i would have to close my store or try to work on a different line such as adult items or paper crafting. I just could not get into the idea as much since i really do enjoy making children's items.

In the coming weeks- you will be more sock monkeys, farm animals, monsters and princesses being added to my shop. I have a show in the upcoming week- next Sunday i will be in Downtown Sacramento for the Indie Sacramento show. There are quite a few etsy sellers that do this show which is a once a month event on Saturday. You can find more information about this show here- http://www.indiesacramento.com/

Hope everyone is having a good Friday and enjoy your weekend. I am off for now to sew with a renewed sense of purpose.

CPSIA

2009-01-28T07:33:00.000-08:00

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

Bloggers Unite- CPSIA Blog-IN

2009-01-26T19:19:00.000-08:00

Wednesday January 28th has been declared CPSIA Blog-IN day.

Bloggers everywhere will be blogging about the CPSIA, writing with strength in numbers.

See this thread in the Etsy forums to sign-up for the CPSIA Blog-IN!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6013238

It is so super simple for us to copy/paste informational text and effectively clarify the CPSIA to more of our blog readers.

Wedding Craze

2009-01-05T19:46:00.001-08:00

I do not know if i ever even really mentioned but last Christmas my boyfriend- which sounds funny since we have kids- proposed and we have been planning to get married this May. Well sorta planning but not really since our original plan was to just get married in St. Thomas when we left for our honeymoon. That idea was quickly vetoed by his mom who would really like to see us get married- he is the youngest and last to get married. So now we are in the midst of planning a wedding for May 16, 2009. Yep that is right- we only have a little more than 4 months to plan. Yes i can do this- i can plan a wedding, keep my shop going and run my house with three kids. Does that mean i give up sleeping? LOL

It will be a small garden themed casual wedding up at my parent's house in Placerville. They own like 9 acres which overlook a ravine so pretty setting for a late afternoon/ early evening wedding.

The conversations i have had lately about planning is too funny- "Are the invites ready to go out?" Um nope because i can not get the lists from either mothers as to who they would like added to the invite list. A lot of the wedding we are doing ourselves- the flowers, decorating my parents place for the ceremony and reception, cake. One of my brainest ideas was to make both bridesmaid dresses which are simple dresses, my daugher's flower girl dress and my bride dress. I was going to start working on my sister's bridesmaids dresses but neither want to give me their measurements yet. Yep i am thinking sleep will be the first to go.

A good hint for lighting- we went to Walmart and Target when they put their Christmas 75% off and bought a ton of white lights. We are going to use them in the trees and around the reception area as a nice lighting feature. I think we bought something like 55 boxes of 100 lights which were .60 each. Not bad! We also found some nice red votive candles to use in our homemade party favors which i will have to post pics of when we make them.

I will keep you all up to date on all the fun over the next few months.

My Newest Sock Monkey Item

2009-01-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

Just had to show off my newest sock monkey item- fleece lined hat with a sock monkey appliqued to the front. The Sock monkey face can be made to match any of my scarves in shop along with the colors changed. A fun little hat and i even lined it with colorful sock monkey material too.

More items to come soon including a fun travel set that includes a pillow, oversized blanket and carrying bag plus matching gloves.

Hope everyone is having a nice relaxing Sunday!

Sock Monkeys making a comeback?

2009-01-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

Or have they always been popular and i never noticed? This year for Christmas my two little ones were given Sock Monkeys- store bought- from their grandmother which got us all talking about this topic. I guess my fiance and his brothers each had one when they were little and just loved to play with them. My kids love the ones they got and play or sleep with them. Well i can say from looking at Etsy that they seem to be popular and anyone who knows my shop knows i like them too. I thought i would share some fun etsy finds featuring Sock Monkeys-

Here are a few of my favorites from Elegantsnobbery- i just love her sock monkey prints and the different themes she does. She has expanded her Sock Monkey items from prints to gift cards and even has a pendant. She also has some other fun characters in her shop that are not sock monkeys- http://elegantsnobbery.com/

Another great etsy find and these i highly recommend- Personalized Crayon rolls from Retrorugrats- http://retrorugrats.com/ I have some of these for my kids and they are personalized- they hold big and small crayons plus those color wonder markers fit too. You can tell she pays great attention to detail and they are made really durable too.

I also have some great sock monkey items in shop everything from Blankets to clothing plus more new items to come this next week.

Happy Sock Monkey hunting!

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

I have been a little MIA lately- been a little crazy and just got overwhelmed there that i was wondering if i should give up sleeping. Well i hope everyone had a Happy New Years and like everyone else i made some resolutions/goals too.

Here are mine-
1. Lose weight- need to get rid of the baby fat from the last two kids.

2. Spend more time with the kids and more time for myself too- need those breaks which is why i am devising a schedule for my days to balance work, the house and the family.

3. Get better organized in both my shop and the house- which will also help with the schedule

4. Work on more new ideas- i have a notebook full and would like to see some of them come to life

5. Take a break now and then without feeling guilty- need to work on that one.

So there are a few of mine- what did you resolve to do for the New Years??

Happy New Years and thanks to everyone for a successful and fun year.

Pink Fig Fabric Giveaway

2008-08-11T11:39:00.001-07:00

I am absolutely loving Pink Figs newest patterns and giveaway that she has going on right now. Be sure to check out her blog for details on her newest patterns that are coming out but also get details on her giveaway. She is giving away 4 yards of Heather Bailey's Pop garden material- WOW what an awesome prize.

Have fun and happy reading!

http://www.pinkfig.typepad.com/

http://www.vintagechic.typepad.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5606849

And the winners are.....

2008-07-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

Well i am so excited- my first real raffle contest went really well and it was a lot of fun. To make it fair i had my oldest son pick the names. So instead of just drawing a first place winner i also drew two extras so here is how it went-

Quitecontrary1977 won the free outfit- which she picked a little girl outfit. I also drew two runner ups who can have $10 off any order in my store- Mimmy- Luke515 and Abby from Holycraft. :o)

As a gift for everyone who participated- i will give you 10% off any order- just be sure to wait for a revised invoice.

Sine this was so fun- be sure to check back for next months fun raffle- not sure what it will be yet but i think maybe a great back to school item. :o)

Win one of these outfits for child

2008-07-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be adding some new clothing lines to the store for both boys and girls. There will be some great Back to school items added also so keep an eye out for the next few weeks since i will be adding something new everyday.

"Blog deal- receive 15% off your order today when you add "blog" in notes to seller. Please wait for revised invoice before paying."

Now for the fun- enter for a chance to win one of these outfits just for your child. You can either win a fun boy short set or a cute girly outfit- just let me know which one when you enter. Please note- the design will be the same as the pictures but a different material will be used. I will send you pictures of the material. You can enter by just leaving a comment on the blog starting today- Monday July 14th thru Wednesday July 16th. The winner will be drawn and announced Thursday morning. Be sure when entering that you leave me a way to contact you and Good Luck!

Now for those of you with little boys

2008-07-12T07:08:00.001-07:00

I gave a girl sneak peek a few days ago and as promised here is one for the boys- i will be adding some short sets and pant sets (no picture yet) to my shop. I am also working on more boy items which will be added in the coming weeks. The short sets will consist of shorts made with a fun boyish printed material and a t-shirt that has been appliqued with coordinating characters. The short and pant sets will be available in all toddler sizes, babies and even older boys.

Monday is the grand unveiling of all my newest items- there are more than just the few i have showed off and i am really excited. Also Monday on etsy they start their newest series showing off sellers who create for Children, babies and new moms. Great series and i can not wait to see. I will be in Monday's Handmade Children's showcase on Etsy- my first showcase so i can not wait!

Have a good weekend!

Sneak Peek #1

2008-07-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek at two of the new girl outfits that will be added to the store next week- I have many more designs that will be unveiled but here you go for now...... ;o)

The first set consists of a Cami ruffled top and gaucho pants. The top in the picture is made using Pips and Pals from Alexander Henry with the lining, ruffle and straps made using a solid color red cotton. The gaucho pants are made using a really soft white Terry cloth with an elastic waist. This set will be available from 12 mos up to a 5t plus i am working on expanding the pattern to fit older girls- 6 and up.

The second set consists of a Cami top with gaucho pants- they are just a little longer on Megan so she can grow into them. I just love gaucho pants- so fun! The top, lining and strap on the Cami is made using a baby blue eyelet. The gaucho pants are made using 'Lil Cowgirl' from Michael Miller with an elastic waist band. These will also be available in the same sizes as the other set.

Tomorrow i will give you a sneak peek at a least one of the newest boy items that will be added but i may have two to show off. We will see....

COMING SOON ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

2008-07-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am so very excited! I have decided to revamp my store and i will also be adding some new lines that will include boys too. I think for now i will keep everyone in suspense but may give little hints through out the week. I am really excited because this is something i have really been wanting to do for a long time and finally decided to take the plunge.

I will give a sneak peek next Monday- July 14th- here on my blog. I will also be having a giveaway that day too- details to come soon. The official unveiling in my store will be on Tuesday- July 15th. You won't be disappointed.

Sock Monkeys gone crazy

2008-06-23T17:42:00.001-07:00

I just love sock monkey material- it is so fun to make cute outfits with and other fun items for kids like place mats, blankets, etc. Not one of my best pictures but i just loved the way this one turned out. I am going to be working on a cute patchwork pillowcase and comforter for one of my nephews next. There will be appliqued sock mokeys on some of the blocks- a fun project ahead.

The shorts are made out of Michael Miller red sock monkey material and i was sure to serge the seams plus did an over lock stitch so no worries of ripping seams. The halter top is made out of a real lightweight knit which is perfect for summers around here and the sock monkey i appliquéd to the front. I also did a satin stitch around the appliqué to help stabilize him so he will come out of the wash looking just as cute as he did when he went in. ;o)

I can not wait to work on my next fun outfit for Megan- not sure what material i will use next but i do have an idea. Hope to post some new clothes soon!

Fun Birthday Ideas

2008-06-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

For a fun birthday party idea- make each kid a superhero. For my nephews birthday party my sister wanted to do something fun for the kids but that can be used again after the party- so each kid got their very own superhero cape and utility belt. The capes are personalized for each kid, my son Adam was the Atom bomb and my daughter Megan was Flower Power.

The utility belts have little felt characters that are removable- they are attached using velcro. The belts tie around the kids waist using ribbon. The back of the cape has their superhero logo appliqued to the back and you can add an initial or leave it blank. Also instead of having the capes tie around the neck- arm attachments have been added.

A fun blast for the kids plus it helps wear them out from all the flying around the room they do. :o)

Happy Friday

2008-06-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy creating fun new clothes that i keep forgetting to blog. Here is another fun creation i made for Megan- it is a cute little jumper top made using Alexander Henry's Juicy Jungle and a cute coordinating fabric from the same collection. I really love the material- it is so fun and bright plus the kids just love telling me which animals they can find.

Also here is a fun boy set that i did- Shark Adventure. The shorts are made with a fun cotton camouflage cotton and the shirt has sharks appliquéd which were also machine sewn in place. I got to use the serge stitch on my machine for this set- works great for the kids clothes.

Well now i am off to create more fun kids clothes! Happy Friday!

Finally did it!

2008-06-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Kinda exciting but i finally finished the first of many outfits for Megan. I keep finding all this fun material but just can not find the time to do anything with it. My oldest is out for the summer and the heat is keeping the two little ones inside a lot so that means mom has to be the entertainment. I finally made the time to do it- late nights are the best time to work. It is great when everyone is asleep and the house is quiet.

Megan's little halter top is made with a cute City Girls Print- wish i could remember the name- by Moda- i love the brown and turquoise colors. The gauchos are made with a turquoise shirting knit- light and perfect for the summer heat. I plan to make more soon since i just got some cute new cupcake material and other fun prints in. I am working on a new top right now that i hope to have done soon.