A Blessed Mess Blog

Oh what a happy ending to this beautiful Saturday!  So, I sat down to make another 2-piece American Girl Doll outfit today and prayed while I started stitching like I do with each creation.  I pray that God will guide my hands and help me make it a quality item and that if somone comes to buy it that they will be blessed by it in some kind of way.  To my surprise I managed to complete it under 2 hours and for me that is incredible !!!  A few hours later I decided to post a pic on Facebook and within 5 minutes I had a friend inquire about it and she went on to make it hers!  She asked about other items I had so I posted pics and amazingly she bought 4 more pieces!  Another friend inquired about the outfit I posted yesterday, and this friend who bought the 5 pieces wants yesterday's outfit is my other friend doesn't!  Words can't express how this makes me feel!  After a dry spell and only a few dollars worth this new year sold it sure gave me h...

Oh my word, I am so excited today!  Why, you ask?  Well, let me just tell you.  As you probably know, I've only been sewing since last year, probably a year in April or so, but the Lord has blessed me with the ability to learn pretty quickly and work even without a pattern most times.  So, the excited part...today I made a cute little American Girl Doll outfit...YES, OUTFIT as in 2 pieces that coordinate!  This is far bigger than my AGD maxi dresses and purse sets, this is BIG people!  The top is a halter top that resembles the maxi dresses, only a top and the pants are white with the ankles in the same material as the top!  That is a FIRST for me!  I actually used 2 materials on the pants!!!!  I topped the little shirt off with a white fabric flower from the same pant material. I hope you're not saying, "okay, what's the big deal and the excitement all about?"  For me, a novice seamstress, a wanna-be pro seamstress, it's just an ac...

Wow!  It's officially less than 2 weeks until I work at the my2sweets booth at the Rhea Lana sale here in Searcy!  I'm scared, but so excited!  This will be my 5th time to have my2sweets at the RL sale and each time has been pretty fun.  I've met lots of people from all over the state and have had the opportunity to just visit with most of them and just get to know them.  I've had sales as small as $1 and much more.  One of my most memorable was last August when a young mom bought 29 of my crocheted headbands for her daughter and a friend who had just had a little girl. Of course I remember her and hope she visits me again this year!  As far as my competition this sale, I have less, but they are very good at what they do.  M's Creative Designs specialize in hairbows with bottle caps, something I definitely don't do, so I really don't consider them direct competition unless they start selling headbands!  And, everyone knows the Bow Lady....

So here it is just shy of 2 weeks before the big Rhea Lana sale here in Searcy.  Boy am I excited AND nervous!!!!  Last night I laid all my current inventory out on the kitchen table to gauge what I had to take with me for the booth.  I was pleasantly surprised to see I had duplicates of most color flowers and bows, but I would love to have 4, maybe 5 of each one day!  But, I can't complain.  I sure have come a looooooong way since that first sale back in 2009!  Today we ventured to Hobby Lobby for me to get some last minute tulle so I can whip out a dozen or so more tutu poofies in a few more colors.  I guess they're my favorite item to make and sell.  They're unique and so whimsical!  I even managed to grab a sweet little roll of cute teal fabric with birds on major clearance to hopefully make an American Girl Doll dress and tote!  Trust me...finding a gem of a fabric deal makes even the most exciting day shopping even more exciting!...

Well, I did it...my2sweets has just joined the world of business...the world of paying taxes...the world of reporting monthly to the government how much (or little, in my case) I make!  This decision came after lots of thoughts, prayers, and soul-searching.  In order to continue vending at the local Rhea Lana's Children's Consignment sale in Searcy I had to make the move to obtain a tax ID thereby registering my2sweets as a real, tax collecting and paying business.  I must admit, I wasn't into it at all at first.  I was pretty sure I'd have to pass because my2sweets is such a small b usiness, but after lots of thought and lots of prayer Travis and I came to the decision that I should at least try it a year which would be 2 RL sales and see how it goes.  Like most small business, my2sweets probably will never turn a legitimite profit when I do my books to the penny and account for all expenses I have and when it comes to that point in time I may have to reevaluat...