Lots Happening in November, and it's Just Started!

Been a busy month! Finished, (but not started) each of these Quilts of Valor, and got them in the mail. When I make a QOV, I tend to make two similar quilts at the same time. They take lots of time and material, but I think that they are worth both.

The first pattern is the pattern I am teaching at Little Thimble Craft Studio. If you want to learn, or just quilt with me, sign up for a class!

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  American Chain (Irish Chain Pattern)

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  America the Beautiful (traditional pattern)

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  American Stars (traditional pattern)

I have also been experimenting, again, using Facebook Ads, this time for my quilting classes. See Denise Made It on facebook and my events page for more information.

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  Boosting a Post - I have no proof it's working...

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  An Event Ad

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  An Ad - supposedly they work better than boosts

Fingers crossed it works!

October Update

Dresden Blade patterned tree skirt - just one of many designs!

Here it is, Friday the 13th. I have been busy! Making tree skirts for the upcoming holidays, and a quilt for an upcoming baby. I have also spent a lot of time on my 'instruction' page, How I Made That, so that anyone wanting to, could make these same or similar items.

Pinwheel New Baby Quilt

Detail of pinwheel quilt

September Update

I have been busy, what with looking for a job, I started teaching a quilting class. Not enough to live on, but something to do.

I have been working on websites, including mine, but on the quilting side of it. Go see what's going on How I made that, or any of the other pages on DeniseMadeIt.com.

This quilt, bigger than a throw, just shorter than a full twin-sized quilt, is a special project. It's a donation quilt, going to Inclusive Indiana Foundation. They are working to build a park in Indianapolis for folks of all abilities. You can go to their fundraiser, and purchase this homemade / handmade quilt and matching pillow for your home and holiday decorations. It's a $350 value, and it's going to someone, why not you? If you aren't close to Indianapolis, and want to make one of your own, the instructions are here!

August Update

It's been a busy spring and summer! I "vacationed", spending weeks visiting family in other states. I went on an Alaskan Cruise, and traveled by train from Seattle to Sacramento, to Chicago, to Washington and then down the coast to Orlando. I lost a dog, built a web site, worked on a business email project, rebuilt this website completely, made and delivered two quilts, and am working on several others.

Disney-themed Pocket Bag

A Queen-sized quilt using a familiar pattern

Quilt started, one that waits

Early in the year, I was advised that simply purchasing fabric that represents licensed content did not mean that I could use that fabric in another product that I was selling. While this made sense to me from the viewpoint of the original owner of the content, it didn't make sense to me from a consumer standpoint, as I personally made no agreement with the content owner in how I would use the the fabric I purchased. 

I recently learned that the Supreme Court appears to agree with the consumer view. While there will be more lawsuits, I am sure, to really define this decision in full, I think it means I can go back to selling my products! I have resurrected my etsy site, and will be getting more of the products I have made out there to be sold. 

The Gift - away

Disney-themed, big pocketed, carry-on bag

Last weekend, I gifted away a bag that I had made, to a lucky person who liked and shared my Facebook page.

I think I will try that again, to see if it helps drive more traffic, and hopefully more purchasers, to my sites.

That's three big pockets, under that fun Disney-themed film strip. Lots of room for tablets, glasses, magazines, well, you name it! Plus enough room inside for several days clothes and toiletries!

Wine Bags are Fun!

In the spirit of trying everything, I am now building out a 'shop' on Facebook. The transactions will still take place on Etsy, but my content will be found on Facebook as well, on my DeniseMadeIt page.

Wine bag and purse or a double bottle bag.

If Your Not Earning, Maybe You're Learning...

Two weeks have now passed since I placed my first Google Ad. I used their suggested Key Words, because they made a lot of sense, and added some of my own. At one week, I trimmed the Key Words up, keeping the words that appeared to resonate the most in searches.

Because I have such a limited inventory, I kept the buy small. I generated 92 clicks to this site, which as you have noticed is NOT an e-commerce site, but no one clicked through and purchased a bag. So, now I must change up the buy, add a bit more to it, and send them to my Etsy shop, to see if that makes a difference.

It's the kind of bag that everyone needs at least one of, this one was gifted!

During the same time, I wrote to a local Farmer's Market, and heard back that they don't have space for me right now, but they will keep my application on file... I am currently writing to other local farmers markets, to see if they have space.

New Horizons!

My alarm clock has been turned off for a while. That in and of itself is a wonderful thing. The fact that the dogs and the cat all have the time burned into their memories, and do their best to get me up in time is not so great, but that will change in time.

Having the alarm turned off does not mean I do not have a regime, I do, it's just on my time - not some corporate idea of time. I can work early or late or both. I can spending time sewing, or researching, or thinking.

Thinking is something I have missed. It's something that we frequently relegate to while a system or program is slowly working. Or while sitting in a droning meeting, while staring purposefully at the speaker... It's lovely to be thinking again.

And reading. While working and then, well, working on my stuff in the evenings, there wasn't time for reading. No escape from work. It's lovely to have time for reading again. Quilting books and escapist stuff and deeper, thinking stuff.

And designing. New kinds of bags, new kinds of non-bags. Watch this space as I begin working out the details of my new products!!

It's not a new product, but such a pretty one!

New Beginnings and Old Clutter

Well, I quit my job. I made the decision back around Thanksgiving, as I told you earlier, but I had some vacation time saved up, so I had to take that first. It ran out at the end of 2016. So, after the holidays, Wednesday the 4th was my "official" last day.

Just so we are clear, no one, or very few people, leave a job where they are happy and fulfilled, especially if they are not independently wealthy, and are not retirement age. Unfortunately, lots of people stay in jobs where they are not happy or fulfilled. I did, for longer than I should have. But, I did it, I quit a job that paid for me to live. I may regret it later, missing the people or the money. But I did it. I have enough saved to get through about 3 months, and then, if I haven't got this business off the ground, I will have to get a job.

Today, I am emptying the boxes of 'stuff', and memories, I accumulated in my office. Holiday decorations, a filtered pitcher, photos and lots of other bits and pieces.

One thing, the cup "to get the team off water bottles", reminds me that I did make a difference. Back in the late 90's, the team, though small, was going through bottled water like it was nothing. There was no local recycling at our building, so I was carting 6 big trash bags a week to a place where there was recycling. My choice to do it. With lots of cajoling and work, I got the team to go to filtered water, and got everyone a cup, that could be kept in our freezer, allowing cold water for much of the day. That's an achievement I am proud of.

Office Decorations and that cup that made a difference

Well, back to the boxes...