Contest Winner

We have a winner in our "Give My Hamster a Voice" contest! It was hard to chose, but Genevieve is a HUGE Def Leppard fan so in the end we decided on ButterflyDesign1's quote "Pour some sugar on me..."

Thanks to you all who participated. Just for fun, I thought I'd tell you how the decision process played out. I chose the top three answers, then my 12 year old daughter, the actual hamster owner picked the final winner.

Our top three answers were:

1. Pour some sugar on me...
2. One hamster or two? - by Lissa
3. I is not a sugarcube! - by AmyJosCreations 10 year old daughter

As promised, our winner will be receiving a $25 gift certificate from The Recycled Jeans Company. Thank you all again so much for participating. We'll have another fun and exciting contest coming up soon, so stay tuned.

Amy

New Contest - Give My Hamster a Voice

Anyone can see this is a witty hamster. If only she could speak, there would already be something funny and/or profound in that bubble. Since she can't, I'm asking for your help. Tell me what YOU think she's saying. The person with the best answer (as chosen by me) will win a $25 gift certificate from the Recycled Jeans Company. Entries will be accepted from November 1 - 30th. I'll announce the winner on December 1st.

Please... no profanity. Although my hamster does have a political affiliation, she doesn't wish to make it public, nor does she wish to offend any of the misguided souls who don't agree with her, so no political statements either.

Don't forget to include an email address or Etsy shop where you can be reached if you're the winner.

The winning entry will become the property of The Recycled Jeans Company and may be used in future products and/or advertising. No further compensation will be paid.

Boo-ti-ful Halloween Treats!

Hot off the sewing machine... Rummaging through my stash I found several super-cool Halloween prints that got my creative juices flowing. Combining these with a few new cottons, I created what I think you'll agree is a whacky, wonderful line of Halloween goodies. I've just listed several trick or treat bags, which are actually my travel pillowcases done up in spooktacular style. They'll make great loot bags now and can be used as pillowcases or laundry bags later. I also have drink cozies, and a scrappy little mini tote, so hop on over to my store to check them out.

BTW, if you're a fan of the kitty cat fabric, I have more drink cozies and mini wallets coming soon in that pattern, and I have lots more of the Flintstones fabric if you have any special requests.

Etsy Treasury

For those unfamiliar with Etsy, members are allowed to curate a collection of 12 photographs of fellow Etsians' work. Each list is added to the treasury for 2 or 3 days. Many of the lists are stunning pieces of art in and of themselves. Here are my latest efforts.

Milkshakes - To Drink or Not to Drink

BLATANT ADVERTISEMENT! Ya’ know what… it’s not PC to drink milkshakes anymore, especially when you’ve got an ass like mine. I know I need to lose a few pounds, but I shouldn’t feel like I’m going to get arrested for having a little dairy treat every now and then, know what I mean! With the current climate of hyper-health consciousness, I feel slightly guilty every time I walk away from the Baskin Robbins counter. So I’ve hit upon the perfect solution! I cover up my occasional snack with a coffee cozy from The Recycled Jeans Company, fooling the masses into believing I’m having a frappuccino. And that’s great because coffee is totally cool – even the blended frozen ones you suck through a straw – which, I mean, come on – really aren’t that different from a milkshake now are they?


So, if you too have a milkshake habit you can’t kick, don’t fight it. Just get yourself a full-sized drink cozy from The Recycled Jeans Company. As an added bonus, the cozy keeps your hands warm without melting your shake. When you think about it, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain – including a couple of pounds. But that’s YOUR business.

I'm a Dorcas

I love to sew. I love everything about it, from designing the project, to choosing the colors and fabrics, to putting it all together. But one of the things I love best is the silent time I have to myself to sit and think.

Sometimes my thoughts are of such mundane things as what to cook for dinner or how the light bulb in the hallway needs to be changed. Often, I plan my next sewing project. Occasionally my thoughts ramble down one random path after another until I get so lost in my head I can barely find my way out of my studio at the end of the day. But, once in a very rare while my cognitive process leads me in a more edifying direction. Yesterday I was mulling over a Bible passage I stumbled across about a year ago...

The story concerns a woman named Dorcas, a disciple "who was always doing good and helping the poor." Acts 9:36 By the time we meet her, the poor woman has become sick and died. As it so happened, Peter was in a neighboring town at the time and was summoned at once. Upon his arrival, "all the widows stood around him crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them." Acts 9:39 Can you feel the love, the pride, the grief in that one sentence?

There were several things about this short passage that resonated with me:

1. Dorcas loved the people around her
2. She showed her love by sewing for them
3. They accepted her gifts for what they were - an expression of her affection
4. They had an abiding love for Dorcas in return

Although I'm not always "doing good and helping the poor," I felt such a kinship with Dorcas at that moment I too mourned her passing. It made me think of my own grandmother who sewed a mountain of clothes for me throughout my childhood, and of my husband's grandmother who pieced the most beautiful quilt tops. I considered the love that must have gone into each and every stitch and I was humbled and honored. And I felt a sharp pang of longing to see them just one more time.

Further, it gave greater meaning and purpose to my craft. My sewing IS more than an artistic endeavor. It's an expression of my love for my family and friends. My hope is that they will feel that affection on some level, and that my stitching will create a legacy of love that will outlast me.

Your craft may not be sewing. And you might not be a Christian. But as an artist who is also a mother or daughter, sister or friend, I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about. When you create whatever you create, you're creating more than a tangible item. You're crafting love. You can read the entire short story of Dorcas in Acts 9:36-43. By the way, the story does have a happy ending.

If you're a Dorcas too, I'd like to hear how you became one and why. If you'll send me an email I'll share your story in a new monthly feature. And for my Etsy friends, leave a comment and I'll include you in my next treasury.

From the Scrap Basket

So, we recently moved into a house after living in our motorhome for a year. Upon receiving our household goods, I was shocked and dismayed to see the amount of fabric I not only had in storage, but also had accumulated over the past year. Piles and piles and piles of material. I'll NEVER use it all, not even if I sew 8 hours a day, every day until I reach 93 and a half years of age. Maybe, just possibly, if I live to 93 and three quarters...

I have three distinct categories:

1. yard goods
2. recycled clothing
3. scraps

My plan of action to tame this beast is:

1. pillowcase/laundry bags with the yard goods and
2. these adorable totes and mini totes with the scraps.

You can expect to see lots more of these products in my Etsy shop, http://www.recycledjeans.etsy.com/, in the next few weeks. If not, call 911. It means I've been buried alive under a mountain of cotton.

I know I'm not the only fabric-aholic out there. How big is your stash and what do you plan to do with it? Show us your pics...