Closed ebay store again -

Been busy this month sewing a few dragons for Andrea, getting taxes done, working on tatting, fighting a cold, and reading a lot. The rabbit pattern got lost in the amount of stuff I was doing. I still have to do 2 more pattern pages, go over the directions for mistakes, and order cover pictures. Missed the Easter season again with this pattern.

Today I closed my ebay store again. I was planning on closing it for the spring and summer like I did last year but with the increases in fees I'm not sure I'll be reopening it. You can still contact me there by sending me a message and I'll keep my ME page up.

Last week I opened a store at http://www.artfire,com/. I now have to start filling it. Interesting site and I hope they get enough traffic so I can sell there. I'll add a link here when the store is up and running.

I'm also a member at indiepublic and cloth doll artistry. When I get some info up at those sites I'll add the links.

Started working again on a pattern I started back in Feb. for a gift bag doll. She was set aside because I just can't decide on how to dress her. This week I plan on sorting her hair. I figure if I can do just one thing a week I might actually be able to get her done.

Last week I ordered the most beautiful dyed thread from yarnplayer's store at etsy. Her threads are so gorgeous I had a hard time deciding on what to buy. She has inspired me to have a go at dying thread. I have some old balls that were given to me and are dirty. I thought I could wind skeins, then wash then, and then try dying them. That's a job for warmer weather though. I have dyed threads with natural dyes but now I want to try the Procion dye.

Hope you all have a great Easter weekend!

I'm back with a pic of my newest pattern

I know it's been awhile since my last post but I really needed to deal with the feelings I was having. I'm still not going to set the blog up for comments. I can't handle them and the upset they can cause me. This explains why I don't often submit patterns or articles to magazines, I can't take rejection.

Now for the picture at the top of the post. These cute rabbits are my latest pattern. The directions are done and pictures are all taken, including the cover picture, but I still need to work on the patterns you cut out. I have them all drawn and scanned but I need to clean them up using Paint Shop Pro. They were supposed to be done by now but with life interupting they got set aside while I dealt with problems around here. I have a sick dog.

Another quick note. I'll be closing the ebay store at the end of the month. Ebay has raised rates and fees yet again especially for the small sellers. I really don't think they want us around any more. I may sell some things at auction and of course will be keeping the etsy store open. I'll let you know if I'll be re-opening the store in the fall.

Becareful of what you post!

Hi Everyone or at least the few people who read my blog. I've decided I'm going to shut down comments in the next few days. I'm finding it too stressful since I don't blog very often. Sometimes weeks will go by before I come here, other times I just forget about them, and I don't want to upset anyone by making them think I'm ignoring them.

Because of all the problems I have with panic attacks and agoraphobia, the less stress in my life the better. My safe "cocoon" isn't feeling so safe to me right now because I upset someone whose work I greatly admire. I didn't think I would hurt anyone with my "moan" but it did and I'm beyond sorry. To avoid upsetting anyone else I've deleted that part of the original post.

I never want to hurt or upset anyone with my ramblings. There's too much meaness in the world so I try to be nice whether it's in the real world or online.

When I started this blog I decided it would only be about the business and not about my opinions or anything personal. Over time I've broke that rule but I think it's time for me to go back to it again. The only time I'll be moaning now is about myself.

I admit I'm neurotic and tend to fixate over things. That's why I was up almost all night brooding over all this and writing pages and pages to help me deal with all the sad and panicy feelings I'm having. So excuss me while I drop off the face of the earth for a while and pull my cocoon tightly around me until I can let go of the pain I'm feeling over the hurt feelings I've caused................

Another Pattern in Soft Dolls & Animals!

Last week I got an email from Kelly at Soft Dolls & Animals saying they would be interested in printing the pattern for the bears in the picture. I'm so happy!!!!!!! They are just a basic bear pattern but are decorated with made and purchased flowers.

I usually decorate bears with silk ribbon embroidery, in fact I even won first and second place in a big national contest for designers with 2 different bears that I embroidered a while ago. Better Homes and Gardens was one of the sponsors and bought the rights to the patterns but I'm not sure if they ever used them in any of their publications. Most mags I've dealt with send out free issues of the one your in but not all do. I had sent a tatted bracelet pattern to workbasket magazine. Turns out they printed it and never paid me. Worse yet they lost the bracelets and still didn't pay me. I have never sent anything to them again. At least BH&G did pay.

I'm still tatting and working on new patterns. I actually have 4 going right now. I put aside the winter fairy I was working on and got out the rabbits I started last year. I also just cut out fabric for a bag doll. Lena, my witch pattern, was supposed to be a bag doll but as I made her I really went off design. Today I got out the patterns and fabric I had ready for a new fairy and frog pattern. Then of course are the fall tatting patterns. Forgot to add those to the total. I sewed 2 to tote bags but still have to finish the other 3 designs. Since they aren't sewn I'm slow on doing them but the designs are pretty much worked out. Guess I need a few days without interruptions, yeah like that will happen :)