In the New Year

It's been over a month since the last time I blogged.  Part of that is due to being busy with the kids, custom orders, and Christmas presents.  We went home to Ohio for Christmas, and I took that time off from work so that I could enjoy myself on Christmas vacation.

Since I've been back, I've been steadily working on custom orders.  Today, I finally got the last item mailed out that was ordered during the Christmas break.  I'm currently working on a dress set to be modeled by a newborn Ella Bean model.  I'm very excited about this, and finishing up the dress this week.  I plan to mail out a diaper cover, head band, and soft soled shoes to complete the set.

I'm also going to be working on two other custom orders starting this week and going into next week.  I might be making a modification to some of my dresses though.  With the CPSIA extension ending next month, I'm reevaluating where I get my buttons.  If I can get certificates for the clay that is used, I will start using Tessa Anne buttons.  She make beautiful handmade buttons that I think will look darling with my dresses.  So, stay tuned to see what modifications I make to comply with the law.

Slowly working my way through.

This week has been busy.  I've spent quite a bit of time cutting out 16 bibs for the Legacies Gift Shop order, and planning the items I'm going to make to stock my store for the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt.  Now, the hunt isn't until May, but last hunt, I had a bazaar to do, an order from the museum, and the hunt all going on at the same time.  So, this hunt I plan to be ahead of the game. 

I also plan on introducing some new items to my stores.  I will soon be stocking soft soled shoes, as well as camo change purses.  The first one will be of ACU of course, but I plan to do other fabrics as well.  I have some diaper outers already cut, and they just need snaps, and to be sewn.  I'll be having my husband help me with the snaps, and the rest of it goes rather quickly from there it would seem.

Well, back to work.

Passing time, and big orders.

Right as I was finishing up a custom order last week, a custom request came in from the Ft. Campbell museum Legacies Gift Shop.  So, this week I'm busy making 16 ACU bibs with Hooah! embroidered on them, as well as 10 diaper covers embroidered with Pee  All I Can Pee.  I hope to have them all done and out the door next week.

I also need to start working on some instock items for my Hyenacart store.  I was able to stock an adorable Easter themed dress in my Etsy store today, and have plans to make a few more things this week to stock in both stores. 

In anticipation of March, I'm also going to be coming up with some clever items for the Creative Mamas "March Madness" themed stocking.  It's all about March, but not necessarily all about sports.  Be sure to stop by and see all the great new items you can buy.

Oh, and here are pictures of the most recent custom order I completed:

Projects in the making.

My Etsy store is up and running and now has several items in it. In the meantime, I've just finished up one, and am working on two custom orders. The first is a dress that I did for a mama who's husband is coming home from deployment soon. She wanted a nice dress for her daughter, and the result turned out rather lovely. I also worked on a bib this week for a family who will be going to the promotion ceremony of a marine. That marine is the lady's brother, and she wanted something Oorah for the occassion. I'll also be working on an appliqued shirt for the older sibling to the one wearing the bib.

In about a week I will be working on a diaper cover for a mama in Canada, but I'll keep the rest of the details hush hush, as it is a surprise for her husband.

I'll stop back in later with more details on the goings on, but for now, I'm keeping busy making things for my wonderful customers. Be sure to stop by either of my shops or my facebook page, and fan me.

Wrapping up customs and getting ready for vacation.

Summer is creeping up (or at least when you have a busy May ahead of you) and I will be wrapping up custom orders next month and getting ready to move and go on vacation. Sound like a lot to do? Sure is. I will be taking the last of my custom orders this coming week, and then will only be doing crocheted custom orders for the rest of May and majority of June. At the end of July I plan on opening back up custom orders for sewing (crocheted custom orders will be avaiable off an on through June and July). We (my husband, two sons and I) will be moving to Ft. Leavenworth, and Crafts by Christina will be relocating there for the 10.5 months that my husband is at ILE. In the meantime, I will still be stocking at Creative Mamas, probably just not as much as usual. When I open back up, I will be working on a few new items that I am currently doing testers for (Mai Tei, and wrap in military fabric themes). So check back frequently to see what new items I will have available, and in the meantime, get ready for the GCDH!

Military Custom Orders

I will be able to take military themed custom orders until 30 May. After that, I will be taking a small break, and will be doing one order every two weeks roughly. On June 16th I will be starting on a much deserved vacation with my husband. It will be the first real vacation we've had together since before the deployment in the fall of 2007. We plan to settle down in our new home middle/end of July. Once we get settled, I will open military customs back up again.

In the meantime, I can do crocheted orders, as those only require yarn and hook, not sewing machine, cutting table, fabric, pins, and patterns. If you would like to place an order, I often have a custom spot stocked at my store Crafts by Christina on www.hyenacart.com/creativemamas. I also have a WAHM listing on www.clothdiapernation.com as well as www.diaperswappers.com, but am more likely to respond quickly on my HC or CDN.