Merry Christmas!!!

 
Its a quiet Christmas for me today.. We will have our dinner and open presents this evening..so I thought I would take the time to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope Santa brought you  many many lovelys!! I got all my sewing of gifts finished and wrapped.. or gave out.. My favorite thing to hear is.. YOU MADE THAT??? lol  My focus this coming new year will be to post at least twice a week! Sew many many more things.....TO SELL!!! My mom and I are wanting to go in together to sell at a craft booth.. I'm also doing some custom orders and one could be promising for continued sells.. I won't give out any clues!! For my planners and Filofax peeps out there I have switched my Holborn Pocket to my Holborn Slim as my wallet.. I have it set up for my new year and love it!!! I can't wait to show the set up off!!!  I still have my Holborn Personal as my everyday planner...need to get busy with a different set up. Its a mess right now..  I will keep this short and sweet and hope you all are spending this wonderful holiday season with loved ones and stay safe out there!!! 

Where are my pens and keys???

Silly title.... lol

I wanted to show off what my Momma made me!!! I was talking about these pencil roll ups I been wanting to make myself and she told me to give her some fabric and she made it for me! I love it! She put a flap on the top...

 I gave her the main outer fabric and she used what she had for contrasting. She is a quilter so she has a eye for color matching.. =0)
See all my pens, markers, pencils and highlighters fit snug and warm!!!

 And then its all folded up! I had rolled it up but the pens made it very bulky and I liked it this way better.. I still have to attach the closure. Might not need one...

  I had a small custom order for some key fobs. I gave one for a friend and she ordered 5 ! lol
Here are the custom colors she wanted...

I'm about to finish my holiday sewing!!! YAY for me! This morning I finished a custom order for a night gown, one cd holder (that goes on a car visor, pics of those to come later!) , 5 key fobs. Last week I made at least 7 dozens cookies!!! They went as gifts, and ate! lol Going to bake some more this Saturday... wow... Have a great week! Are you finished with your shopping??? I have small gifts in my Etsy shop!! LOL 

My layout.. finally.

Yikes! If it wasn't for my friends, I wouldn't know how to blog!!!! haha Seriously though, for some blonde reason I had switched over to google + account and did not know I did that! Having done that, it switched me to a no-reply comment blogger! NO NO NO !!! I have to be a yes-reply comment blogger! I like reading and responding to my comments from email and it was still letting me do that.. but it wouldn't let another blogger respond to me from the comments.I like having people contacting me through the comments. = 0)  I received this link (from another good bloggy friend!!!) to help me get it switched over.. phew.. what a hassle.. but this page HERE will get it all fixed for you.. well you have to do it but it gives you the step by step info to lead your way!!  A special THANK YOU!!! to Jane and Sasha for helping me with this!!!
Now photo time.. As you know I am a big planner/journal/diary/post it/Filofax/paper/pen nut... among other things.. I got my new Filofax set up pretty much now.. It took me a few weeks to find the right weekly layout I liked.. I reverted back to my original ways.. just simple and printed my own.


This is last weeks. I have the weekly page on the left..  the right is my do to lists and notes.  (the pink dots are for Zoey when I have her)

I guess I should of showed you a before photo.. I started putting washi tape on the top.. so cute! 

I add the squares down the middle.. well as straight as I can... put some stamps on it.. I will alternate with stickers too... I don't like how the stamp ink shows through. but by time I write on the pages its not noticeable..

This is this week's. It already looks like a mess and it is just the first of the week!

On my Today tab I put some stickers I ordered from JapanCorner on Etsy HERE. She has some adorable stickers and tab dividers and monthly layouts for personal and pocket size FF!!

I made me a post it with my daily medicine/ vitamins. I still miss some days! But this has helped me mostly.

 Then the notes page is already ready for my week to check off things! I have my little sewing box too! Not too much to do for Christmas.. I'm sure after the holidays it will be full up as I am going to try to stock up my Etsy store (link over there on the sidebar!!!!)  I want to get back to sewing purses again and trying to sell those.

On the bottom of my pages I have been writing what I'm reading for the week. I use to be able to read about 2 books a week. HA.. no time for that anymore..  OK I might as well show you the tabs.. these are my side tabs.. I made them and they do not stick up very far but I know what they are .. so it don't matter to me.. I use my weekly pages the most.. they are first tab.. then I have notes. I write random things there... and my ORDERS tab.. then I have blog/Etsy , books, (keep track of books I want to read) ADDYS, and VET. then a tab that says TOP SECRET.. for my passwords lol I added a sticky tab for that says CHECKOUT. I write down things I want to look up later. or blogs or something.. I do use a monthly page but just for reference to look up a date or something.. I didn't take pic of that...

 I have top tabs as well!!! I had laminated and made my own monthly tabs but decided it looked messy or something.. so I took them out and just stuck a sticky tab on each month. Better.
I have a page for Filo info... ideas for pages or what nots..

 This is my back page.. not too impressive lol I have a zippy pocket from a Day Runner planner I use to use..

 AND........... looky what I bought!!!Filo had these cute things on sale for 11$ each! with free shipping! They are Petal Pockets.. or Pocket Petals?? They are so little and cute!!! I wish I could use a pocket size but I don't think it would work out with me but never know.. maybe???
I bought one for a friend as a gift.. shhhhhhhhhh I don't think she even reads this!!! I thought I would save one back just to .....hmmm well...........just in case............a gift?? or just to look at it from time to time lol
I noticed I go to my FF first thing (after i start the coffee pot) to check what I have going with my day.. I use to check emails and blogs first.. lol

I have also bought a Holborn slim and use it for my checkbook. I have some diary pages and other inserts/dividers for personal and pocket. I might be able to let go if anyone is interested in them!!

So... thats my set up for my Holborn Personal FF.. I love it..Hope you enjoyed and hung in there with me!! 

Will be posting sewing next post!!!

Some sewing.. and purchases for my Filofax's

I got so many things on my list to do I can't decide what to do first! I just stare at the list and end up reading a book! haha I did manage to cut out a project and sew it all in ONE day!  I made this little cuddly robe for my sweet grand daughter !!!

It looks big in this photo but its for a 3 year old and its littler than what it looks.. I used soft fleece and oh it is nice and warm! I'm going to make her a second one to keep at the house, this one goes home with her.. I got to thinking though, her dad moved out of our house and now I will have to make her a third one to stay with her dad... "poor" kid will have so many things and toys in 3 different houses!! haha

I had a custom order for one of my feminine product pouches and I went and just made 3 while I was at it..They are easy to put together and I wanted my customer to choose. I have 2 of these newly listed in my Etsy shop! (the Zebra and Mushroom prints)

On this next project I am not quit finished with but wanted to show you the cuteness!!! I still have to add my buttons for the closures... 

I made these doll house purses for gifts.

I love my polka dots!!! 

 The inside are just as cute!! They fold down to have a little garden path up to the house.. I tried adding a window in my first house and it didn't work out lol so I left the next one alone.. still cute! I am working on a boy version now..

I HAVE to show off my new purchases from JapanCorner . I have been following Sachico's blog for a little while and she makes her own stickers and stamps and more goodies , you have to go check out her stuff!!! She custom made this keyring for my son. (a gift and he doesn't read my blog so I'm safe!)

He has been studying Japanese writing and learning to speak it and I knew I had to get this for him. It says his name , Stephen, (pronounced STEFEN) on one side and on the flip side is Zoey's name, his daughter. 

The writings around the name are names of fish. He will have to look them up his self what they say! lol 

 I also had Sachico make me some adorable stamps! She had these whipped up in no time.I Love them! They are oh so tiny and work very well with my Filofax!  I have started making my own stamps but not so little ones yet.. I'm not that good yet!

 She designed these little mushroom stickers for me!!! Also tiny and cute and they will be used sparingly!
(kinoko means mushroom)
She just designed some monthly FF pages and new dividers! OHHH MY GOSH so cute! go check them out HERE!!!

 Sorry about the glare, I took these at night and with just my lamp.

I will have to do a post on my stamps and stickers being used in side my FF soon.. I'm just set up in it yet and still arranging things how I like. 

The Filofax US site had a sale each day this last week.. a cyber monday sale everyday. I just couldn't hold back.....yes...........I purchased.. lol

not one,, not 2 but..........3..gulp..

HUSH SASHA! lol

I been wanting the Holborn slim in brown and they just happened to have it marked down 30%!!! I wanted to use it for my checkbook, finance planner. And I can carry it with me..

The other two are Petal pockets. They were marked half off! At 11$ each I had to get one and they are cute! But as much as I would to use one of them I got them for gifts.. Oh I'm tempted to go back to get ME one lol should I???? They had free shipping over 10$ too!!!  Isn't it pretty? 

I guess when I get a addiction.. I go all out for it! lol I won't talk about my fabric's I keep. But I'm not as bad as someone I know!!!!!! =0)

I will be getting my Holborn Slim today and will show a post on my set up soon! I have my cut up inserts ready for it already!! 

I'm going to try to finish up some more sewing gifts today...I'm doing better then I was last year!!! 

Have a great weekend!

More Filofax stuff ....LOTS OF PICS!!!

I'm going on no sleep in over 2 days.. maybe a nap here and there .. but not a long good night's rest.. Having our Thanksgiving dinner on Wed , then going to black Friday shopping on Thursday night.. We was out from 6pm on Thursday until 930am Friday.. OH...........my.............gawd.... It was actually not that bad.. just having to wait for certain stores to open. I'm not going to go into details about that as just talking about it makes me more tired...so on with the show here...... I had my new Filofax Holborn for a few weeks now and I'm loving it. It is so soft and love carrying it around.. I been making some tweaks to it and trying to get my own personal setup going. I won't be showing my week pages as I know some do.. but I will show some of my new dividers and things I made for it.   Here is my first page. It looks funky huh?  What in the world????? I like to use post it's ......of course.. I have TONS of these refill pads for a dispenser that the notes peel out staggered.. So I came up with this little do hickey looking thing to dispense the notes. 

 I used a clear report cover and cut it down to my size , put a pretty paper inside it, then I added a strip of washi tape and cut a slit in the middle of the tape. Just big enough to pull a sheet of note out. The pad is stuck down on the pretty piece of paper . Here is a photo trying to show you what I mean..
You can now pull the notes out one at a time.. I don't think it will work on the normal note pads. Just the pads that are made for dispensers, because as you pull one out the next one will pop out behind it.

I will never ever run out of post it notes.. my sister works at a Staples warehouse and they use to have yearly warehouse sales for the employee's and one guest.. I have a Chevy Trailblazor and we had the WHOLE back end STUFFED to the windows of any office or stationary product you can think of!  Next up .. I made myself a "Today" page divider. Did I mention I got a new laminator?  Oh I love using that little thing..  The Today page keeper that comes with your Filofax are just too short.. I needed it to stick way up so I can actually see it. I found some cute paper online to download with different library cards stamped all over it. 

I traced around the Today divider but made it a bit taller on top. I laminated it and slapped a label on it and shaaazam !  Being a book lover and reader this fit perfect for me..  I punched holes in it and slit the holes so that you can pop that little sucker out without opening the binder rings every time.. ( I have pinched my fingers twice so far on those .. owies.) Do you see my week inserts there ?? I made those.. I do not like the weekly inserts at all that come with . So of course I have to make my own .. I like to keep it simple as I will be decorating the pages with stickers, stamps or tape. I made these pages just using Photoscape.  I like the title of my week days bold enough to stand out but not to take over the pages. I slanted them and will write in the day above it in the corner. I have a little box on the top to write in my month and a extra box on bottom for notes. 

 See how you can actually see this tab?

Now here are my new laminated dividers!! I have my month tabs sticking on the top and my other stuff tabbed down the side.

 Just a few pic's of some of the dividers..

 My vet tab gets used alot.. sadly.

 Behind my Vet tab I have my "top secret" tabs.. it holds my passwords. I stole from Sachiko her idea for passwords. I like the idea of seeing the icon of the place I need . Sorry had to cover the good bits..
Speaking of Sachiko, she has a shop called Japan Corner and it is HERE. I ordered  some mushroom stickers and a keychain for my son and she made me a few rubber stamps. I have just started learning to carve my own . I can't wait to receive these!!

Thats about all about that.. I have been sewing some. Most of them are Christmas gifts and can't show you those.. Have a good weekend!!!

Stamping it up

I always loved rubber stamps, the littler and cuter the better .. I bought some erasers and tools probably a couple of years ago to try it out.. I tried it... I messed it .. so I put it away until I saw some on a new blog I'm following.   ( Go HERE to see Sachiko's cuteness!) So.. I dragged it all back out and failed again... lol  I can usually craft just about anything, so this bothered me that I couldn't work this out..One thing I can't do is draw, even my stick people look a little on the thin side.. and one thing you need to know a little bit for stamping is knowing how to draw.  I went to Youtube to check out some pros at carving on the erasers. So I made a simple heart and took my time. I got all excited when it was finished that my heart wasnt broken.. or limp... and it actually was curved!!! Long story short and 3 days later I ended up with these..

There is my little heart and a fat cloud and what was suppose to be a apple looks more like a cherry.. so eh.. whatever ....  I made the little squares for little lists on post it notes.. Which the same blog as above uses her's for.. so I had to steal her idea..  you can see how she uses them HERE , down towards the bottom. All left to do is glue them on a piece of wood to give me something to hold when I use them. Oh.. I ordered me self a new sewing machine and got that today.. I got the Janome model 8077. I sewn something up tonight and love it!!! My Singer machine will go to the shop to get surgery.. and will be used for a backup or something.. Its still a good little machine.. My bobbin winder on it was sticking so back after I would wind a bobbin it would set and whirl when I tried to go back to sewing.. blah... Have a good weekend!
P.S... I received my new Pink Domino Filofax yesterday..hehehe.... shhhh don't tell Sasha 

Tutorial! And something my Momma gave me

This is a small tutorial for a folder for a personal size Filofax =0)
A couple of peeps wanted a tutorial for this little thing so here ya go...
You will need a small plastic folder thingy from Staples, or if you are lucky to find one similar to this one with a plastic snap.. I found mine in the clearance bins for .50cents!

 1. First you will be disassembling it by cutting it up.
(ignore the markings for my holes. We will get to that later)

 2. On the side seams there are folds, just cut down
the middle of the folds on each each and the bottom .

 3. You will have 2 pieces with some ugly sides..

 4. Just trim the ugly parts off along the seams, and you will have 2 pieces like this.

 5. Now take one of your inserts and center it inside
with the long edge up at the top of the folder and you will need to trim the sides and bottom edges off. You can tape the insert inside down so it won't shift around.
( again ignore my holes punched.)

 Now you will have a nice trimmed up folder.

 NOW we can punch holes!!
6.  You can tape the paper down if you like to the folder piece or go for it with out if you have a steady hand. I would advise to use a hand hole puncher. The plastic is sort of tough to punch through, just put some elbow grease into it..

 7. Insert your folder inside your binder and put your papers in between

 Now you have a cute little folder to tuck your paper inserts inside and they won't flop around as you try to get your cash or whatever out.
Let me know if you have any questions about this.

 Ok on to sewing stuffs....
I said my Momma made me something...

I went to her house the other day and she had a few of these pretty pouches laid out.. She told me to pick one..yay!

 I tucked some goodies inside.. my needles, a extra seam ripper ( buy them by groups now. I swear I have a seam ripper bandit inside my sewing room)  and I put my marking pencil refills inside as well.

 Later on I want to sort all my sewing machine needles in size groupings. I have a habit of taking one out and sticking it in my pincushion then forget what size it is.. or if its a good or bad one..

How was your weekend?