the chocolate zebra

Girl Gift Sets

2012-02-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

These gift sets are so fun to put together, especially when I'm given a color scheme or nursery photos to work with. I think this raspberry, pale pink and taupe is sweet.

I've recently added some new fonts to my collection, and it's getting harder to choose which ones to use.

This set for Audrey matches her bedding, and I love how non-traditional and chic it is for a little girl. The pairing of pale blue, gray and yellow with a punch of cranberry is so sophisticated. And look, somebody already placed their Easter onesie order. The minky chocolate bunny is back!

Monogrammed Beach Towels

2012-02-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

A group of four fun girlfriends are going on a cruise together this month (so jealous!) and one of them ordered these monogrammed beach towels as a surprise gift for the other 3. Have fun, ladies!

I'm wrapping up a large sewing project for something unrelated to The Chocolate Zebra and preparing for Valentine's Day around here. My pending orders list is pretty lengthy, and my goal is to complete everything and close up shop for a little while during spring break. If you need something mid-March or early April place your order now to ensure you'll have it in time.

Birthday Shirt

2012-02-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

Every birthday girl needs a special shirt to celebrate her big day! This is for an especially sassy and fun little girl who requested a "number 6" shirt. Happy Birthday, Miss K!

Baby Gift Sets

2012-02-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

These gift sets were all for the same customer! Can you tell what stage of life she and her peers are in? She took great care in selecting the pieces and specific themes and styles for each recipient. Such a sweet and thoughtful friend. My new favorite design is the burp cloth with the initial layered over the circle background so you might be seeing it a lot more.

I'm recovering from the Super Bowl party we hosted and a general chaotic weekend. My laundry room is in dire need of attention but I'm trying to avoid it at all costs so I'm sewing away in my pajamas while having a movie-watching marathon on my Kindle. Happy Monday, everybody!

First Birthday Set

2012-02-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

How cute is the name Cora Leigh? Her mom is planning a first birthday party for her using the colors red, pink and yellow, and needed a special birthday set for her. The tutu is perfect for adorable party pictures and for letting everyone know exactly who the birthday girl is, and then can be whisked off when it's time for cake and crawling around to visit with the birthday guests.

On a different note, when did postage prices go up? I was at the post office earlier this week, and OUCH! I'm used to paying about the same for each item I ship, and it was significantly higher this time. Unfortunately, this means I'll have to increase my shipping charges as well. The pillows cost me much more to ship than anything else because they are big but light, and the postal service doesn't like having to transport air in a box, I think. I've asked for suggestions from postal clerks to lower the shipping price, but no one can come up with anything other than cramming the pillow in a too-small package. No thanks! If you gasp the next time you see a shipping charge from me, I apologize. I think it's too much too.

Brother Shirts

2012-01-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

This set of coordinating brother shirts is for a loyal customer who is expecting her 3rd boy in a few weeks. She's going to have her hands full, but she will enjoy the privilege of being the queen of the castle. Blessings to you and your newest baby boy, Amy!

Baby Gift Sets

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned previously, I've been getting lots of orders for baby gift sets. I especially like to coordinate the set with the bedding or nursery theme, and I love it when customers send me photos of the nursery before I start sewing. Of course, bibs and burp cloths don't have to match the baby's nursery but it does show that you've put some thought into personalizing the gift and know that the mom will love the color scheme since she probably agonized over it before choosing it like I did with my babies!

Pricing depends on the items you choose, and you can mix and match anything.

I am shipping several large, heavy packages today. It's going to be interesting getting them in the door at the post office. Let's hope there's a good Samaritan waiting around nearby!

Name Pillows

2012-01-23T21:07:00.000-08:00

The name pillows have been my best selling item for a couple of years now, and I still love them for their uniqueness and personality. However, I'm ready to expand my pillow repertoire and offer something a little different and a little more grown up. Don't worry, the original will still be available as well, but you'll have more design choices to choose from in the future. I'm still experimenting and I don't have a lot of time to sew on anything other than pending orders right now, but I really hope to be able to post some new pillow styles soon. Of course, as soon as I say something like that it never happens, but this time I plan to actually follow through.
I've been sitting at 99 followers now for a little while and would love to see that counter tick over to 3 digits. Anyone want to be the lucky 100th follower? Please?

**update - Thank you so much, Kim, for being my 100th follower! That makes me very happy!

Birthday Dress and Bloomers

2012-01-20T07:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't done a custom birthday set in a while so it was fun to pull this pattern back out and sew it up. The customer requested the hot pink houndstooth, and I love how bright and preppy it is! The fabric is actually a flannel, so the winter birthday girl will be warm and cozy for her special first birthday. I tried a new way to make the bows (thanks, Pinterest!) and I'll never make bows any other way. Having 3 girls, I've tried to make my own hairbows before, but just couldn't quite get it without them looking homemade. The tutorial I found is fool-proof and makes big, perfect bows every time. It does require a needle and thread, but I think even a beginner can manage it.
It's been crazy busy around here! Orders are pouring in, and I'm trying to keep up without completely neglecting my family. We just marked a big "to-do" off our list with Ava's spelling bee yesterday. Is there anything more nerve-wracking than watching your child stand alone on a stage and attempt to spell perfectly in front of hundreds of her peers? I almost couldn't take it, but Miss Ice-in-her-veins did beautifully. She was eliminated with "intrigue" but ended in the top 14, so we are all very proud of her. The winner was actually a 5th-grader who beat out all the 6th, 7th and 8th graders! I love it when the underdog wins.
I suspect that I may be having e-mail issues again with my Chocolate Zebra account, so if you've emailed me and haven't heard back, please leave a comment on the blog letting me know you're having trouble reaching me.
Have a great weekend!

Checking In

2012-01-16T08:54:00.000-08:00

I know I've been kind of scarce on the blog lately. I'm working on several multi-item gift sets that take longer to put together, plus we're transitioning our play room to a grown-up media room (yes, it makes me a little sad) so things have been busy around here. I'll be back soon!

New Year, New Designs

2012-01-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

With the beginning of this new year, I'm wanting to add some new designs and products to The Chocolate Zebra. I'll still have most of my current items to offer, but will hopefully have some newer, fresher designs as well. As my own girls grow and mature, I'm always looking to have some things that they would enjoy as well, since they are the reason I began this little venture in the first place. It's grown more than I ever hoped or dreamed, and I find myself actually need to remember some of those principles I learned earning my business degree many, MANY years ago! I appreciate my wonderful customers so much, especially those of you who keep coming back for repeat business. I hope 2012 is a blessed year for all of you as well!

Personalized Towels

2012-01-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

The photography is definitely lacking in these pictures, but I was running out the door to my second of three Christmas parties of the day and needed to get the towels packaged up in a hurry. The Elmo hooded towel was popular for Christmas, and the towel wraps were a hit for tween girls. My favorite is the brown houndstooth initial towel with the red name stitched across it. Perfect for an older boy with a little bit of sophistication.

Boy and Girl Twin Set

2012-01-01T23:16:00.000-08:00

I've done several twin sets before, but this was the first boy/girl set I've done. Those onesies are TINY, and I think their names are adorable (and practical) across the front. I went with unisex burp cloths, so mom can just grab one to use without having to make sure it's for the right twin.

The Christmas Wrap-up

2011-12-31T08:58:00.000-08:00

We had an amazing Christmas full of family, fun and precious memories. My favorite part is always Christmas Eve, when the girls are so giddy with anticipation that they can't stand it. They were all in bed by 8:30 so "morning would come faster".

They got the show on the road by reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" on their own.

Everything is ready to go!

My Christmas card trees. This was a fun new addition this year, and we enjoyed adding the cards to them each day and "browsing" them every time we went upstairs. See those Christmas presents under the trees? They were for my family, and I remembered them about 30 miles outside of town on Christmas Day, resulting in a speedy return home and a later arrival to my parents' house for Christmas dinner than anticipated. Frustrating.

Our gift from Tatum, lovingly wrapped herself. I don't know why I'm "Jere" but Tye is "Dad". It was a handcrafted photo wreath ornament, exactly what you hope to get from your kindergartner for Christmas. Priceless.

Gentry's big "ta-da" gift was an acoustic guitar.

Anybody know how to play one of these things? Tye can do a rousing rendition of "This Land is Your Land" but that's all we've got.

Tatum is in a Toy Story phase. She got Bullseye from us and Buzz from my parents to complete her collection of characters.

Yep, Ava got a phone. As a rule, I don't think 5th graders need their own cell phone, but there have been several times her after-school plans have changed at the last minute, and I need to be able to know exactly where she is, so it's really for me to be able to communicate with/stalk her. She was ecstatic because she knew chances were slim that she would get one. The girl can already text like a pro.

Look at their faces! This was when they unwrapped the ping pong paddles and put it together that the gift was really a ping pong table out in the garage. Tatum was a little slow on the uptake at this point, but she figured it out soon enough.

Walking into the garage to see their ping pong table set up. Tye was up LATE the night before putting it together with no small amount of frustration, but their reactions were totally worth it.

The aftermath.

One of Gentry's gifts was a coupon to get her ears pierced. She didn't rest until she was at the mall the day after Christmas, sitting in that piercing chair.

Done! She did great.

Christmas decorations are taken down and stored, my house looks barren but clean, and I'm about to do a big purge of the playroom. I'm working on some orders that were placed before Christmas for January delivery, but I won't open up for new orders for another week or so. Everyone have a safe New Year's Eve and a blessed 2012!

Coming Soon

2011-12-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

I'm still undoing Christmas decor and taming the laundry beast but I'll be back soon with a Christmas wrap-up post and some finished items. I think my Chocolate Zebra email is being persnickety, so if you've contacted me in the last couple of weeks and haven't received a reply, please know I'm not choosing to ignore you. Hopefully the issue will be resolved soon and I'll be in touch ASAP.
If you placed an order before Christmas for the month of January, I promise I'm working on it! I'm not taking orders just yet but you can email me if you need something after the first of the year.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T19:37:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Making Christmas Memories

2011-12-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

Since many of the items I need to post are for Christmas presents, I won't post them until after the 25th. Instead, you get to see more of our Christmas merriment. We've heard every Christmas song at least a dozen times (playing our annual radio roulette game in the car), driven around to see Christmas lights (a family favorite), enjoyed our traditional 12 Days of Christmas stocking gifts from Dad (I got especially spoiled this year!) and had our favorite homemade meal of the entire year, Cioppino, at Tye's parents' house. We made lots of Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks to deliver to friends and community helpers. They were very easy and kid-friendly -- a candy cane, a marshmallow, some melted chocolate and sprinkles. Yummy too!

I had 3 school Christmas parties to attend this year, but they were all at different times, so no running back and forth between siblings' classrooms! I can't get enough of these sweet kindergarteners. It's been a magical year with lots of new friends and the most fabulous teacher you could hope for. It makes me sad that we're already halfway done.

The 4th graders played some challenging games, like a relay race carrying a cotton ball with a straw. Made my lips hurt!

The 5th graders went all out with Minute to Win It type games, and more junk food than I've ever seen on public school property. They were in heaven!

We surprised the girls with tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet, and they all were ecstatic. We took them a couple of times when they were younger, but this was the first year they really got into the story and the music was familiar to them. Gentry, especially, sat on the edge of her seat from beginning to end. Tatum had only seen the Barbie Nutcracker movie and told us, "It's just like the Barbie movie!" Poor, uncultured child.

Ava posing with our nutcracker.

Gentry, doing her best Clara impersonation.

Tatum, having no idea why she's holding this wooden man but doing it because both of her sisters did.

Our seats were on the last row of the theater. THE last row. I mean, the wall was the only thing behind us. We told the girls, "It's so much better seeing the whole stage this way than having to crane your neck up when you sit close." Ha!

Everyone got a Clara ornament (but not all the same!) to put on the tree when we got home.

Ava had to make sure her Clara and the nutcracker ornament got to hang out together.

My heart is also with those families struggling at this time of year, trying to make it a special time for their kids, but just not feeling it because of the recent loss of a loved one or a serious health crisis. It has to be so hard, seeing the world celebrating all around you and feeling like no one sees the pain you wake up with and carry around every day. May you know the peace of Christ more in the next few days than ever before, and feel the joy that this season brings. God bless you all!

Some Final Christmas Items

2011-12-22T08:28:00.000-08:00

It's too late to order for Christmas but I want to post these products to record them for next year. Isn't this reindeer initial shirt the cutest? Love her pink minky nose!
These dish towels were a hit for family gift exchanges and teacher gifts. Who would be interested in dish towels year round? Let me know what you think.

For teacher gifts this year, I went with monogrammed throws. I found the softest, plushest throws for a steal at a discount store and bought them out. My girls gave some to their friends and then had to have some for themselves too, of course. They've slept with them, brought them along for our traditional looking at Christmas lights, and snuggled in them for movie-watching. It is definitely the Year of the Throw around here.

We're finally at the point where I breathe a sigh of relief that the madness is over and I can sit back and enjoy the festivities. There are a few more gifts that need wrapping and I still need to find something for my Dad, but he's easy to please so I'm not stressing about it. Christmas cards have been sent, but not without much gnashing of teeth over it. Seriously, I thought someone was playing a joke on me with how many things went wrong with them. In the end, nothing matters but Jesus Christ, the fact that He lived, died and was raised again, and the hope that we have because of Him. That truly means more to me this year than usual, and it's helping me to keep things in perpective.

North Pole Breakfast

2011-12-19T13:30:00.000-08:00

A couple of Saturday mornings ago I planned a special North Pole Breakfast for the girls to show my appreciation for their picking up the slack while I finished up orders, prepared teachers gifts and just endured general Christmas hectic-ness. They were very helpful and (a little) more magnanimous with each other than usual. The North Pole Breakfast consisted of lots and lots of sugar, of course - powdered donuts, candy canes, pink snowballs, Oreos with red filling, Rudolph pancakes and milk in real glass bottles. I also presented them with their traditional matching Christmas pajamas and a unique ornament for each of them that represented them in a special way. I made a sign at the top of the stairs that read, "A surprise awaits downstairs. Don't come down until I call for you." Gentry woke up and saw it, went back to sleep, and then thought it was a dream when she woke again later, so I had to go get all 3 of them when I was ready.

Their sleepy faces and surprised reactions were priceless.

Tatum went for the goods immediately.

Gentry's first question when she saw the table was, "Do you want us to put the pajamas on now so we'll be matching in all the pictures?" Why, of course, my sweet brain-washed child!

Ava has a thing for owls. Can you tell?

Tatum's Rudolph pancake.

"Magic" milk that turns candy cane pink.

Ava got creative and made a Santa pancake.

Tatum didn't want to hang her puppy ornament on the tree. He needed to be played with first.

Giving her dog a train ride around the Christmas tree.

My precious matching girlies.

This made me a little teary-eyed. I'm so thankful for my 3 Christmas blessings!

Birthday Onesie and Tutu

2011-12-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

This fun onesie and tutu set was ordered for a precious little girl for her special day. Her birthday is in December so her mom chose a pink, red and lime green color palette. Happy 1st birthday, sweet Addison!

Name Pillows

2011-12-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

These fun pillows are waiting under the Christmas tree for a brother and sister somewhere.

Hot Pink and Gray Houndstooth

2011-12-14T14:20:00.000-08:00

Name Pillows

2011-12-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

I know I promised to post teacher gifts next but they're not all finished yet, so you get to see some name pillows I've recently sent off to their new owners. Some of these photos were taken at 2 a.m. and I didn't feel like getting fancy with the backdrop, so I stuck them on the couch and snapped a picture.The post office lines are getting longer and the postal employees are getting grouchier, so I'm glad my shipping orders are almost done. I tried purchasing my Christmas stamps yesterday and they were sold out, with no plans to replenish them. What?! It's only the 13th! My choice was to go with New Year's stamps or launch a wild goose chase in search of more Christmas stamps. At the rate my Christmas card process is going, we may be sending out a New Year's card anyway.
My little shop is officially closed for the holidays until after the first of the year. If you want to place an order, please feel free to email me and I'll respond as soon as I get back. I'll still keep posting products to keep a record of them on the blog, as well as a few personal posts about what we've been doing to celebrate this festive season.

Final Countdown

2011-12-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

17 days to go.

Here are a few more Christmas-related items I've completed. There are LOTS more, so even though I won't be taking orders after tomorrow, I'll continue posting as I finish them. Next up is hopefully teacher gifts. I don't think any of our teachers read my blog, so I think I'm safe.

I'm trying not to have a panic attack about our Christmas cards. It's the only nice family picture we take all year long, so it's a big deal to me, and it's the only correspondence we have with many dear friends. At this time last year our cards were printed, addressed and probably even in the mail. I don't even know what we're doing this year. Our first attempt at a family photo was a huge fail. Getting four heads of long hair ready for pictures is a daunting task, not to mention the tedious outfit coordination, hopeful weather cooperation and careful site selection. A couple of weeks ago we primped, dressed, traveled to the location, and posed. After 4 clicks, I knew it wasn't going to work due to the freezing cold winds, missing tripod screw and faulty camera remote. I got to practice several of the more challenging fruits of the spirit on the long drive back home. This is one of the test shots that I actually love, except for all the hair in the face and the big shadow over Ava. The girls (and my long-suffering husband) tried so hard to make it work, but it just wasn't meant to be.

One thing I'm not going to panic about is Christmas shopping. We're not doing a lot this year and I'm making a lot myself. I'm shopping etsy.com and trying to buy child- and slave-labor free (it's harder than you think) as much as possible. A blog post I read this morning here was especially convicting. My kids have so much already, haven't really asked for much, and I know my own tendency to overdo it in the name of Christmas merry-making. It's more fun, anyway, to help others in need, unless you were with me yesterday in T*rget while my girls were shopping for their Angel Tree kids, and it escalated into a huge disagreement about who got what shirt for which girl. *sigh* We're still working on it.

Santa Shirts

2011-12-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

This was the last year we'll do Santa pictures with all 3 girls. I milked it for as long as I could, but it's time. They know he's not real, but it's just for me and my memory-making. This Santa was very pleasant, and had a separate conversation with each of them. It almost made the price-gouging for the 5x7 photo worth it.

I'm still taking orders through Friday, and then I'm closing up shop until after the New Year. Have a blessed week!

Christmas Dish Towels

2011-12-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

These festive dish towels were a huge hit this year. It makes me think I need to add a line of dish towels to my year-round repertoire.

More Christmas Shirts

2011-12-02T14:24:00.000-08:00

Santa Initial tees - $20

Christmas Shirts

2011-12-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

These are the first of the Christmas shirt designs I've done. I'm stitching out a couple more today so I'll add them as they are completed. I love the peppermint stripe and lime green together and have even used it in my holiday decor this year too. Yes, I know it's already December 2nd and I'm just now posting these. I'm trying not to look at my phone app that tells me how many days left until Christmas. I already know it's NOT ENOUGH!

Christmas scroll frame shirt - $20

Some Bibs and Burps

2011-11-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry about that extended hiatus. Between catching up on orders and some intermittent Christmas decorating, I had TWO rounds of the worst cold I've had in a long time. No one else was lucky enough to catch it in my family, so I guess I reinfected myself. I plan to sterilize my toothbrush, cell phone and every other surface I came in contact with so I won't have round 3 as well.

I'm taking orders on a tentative basis, which just means that I'm accepting orders until I get overwhelmed and decide I can't take anymore (in more ways than one) and have to shut it down. I have some Christmas t-shirt designs available but since we're so close to the holidays already, those will be offered for a very short time. I'll try to post them later today.

I'm a staunch believer in giving Thanksgiving it's due attention and not dragging out a single Christmas decoration until the day after Thanksgiving, so now it's all Christmas, all the time and I'm loving it. I need about 4 more hours in every day, though, to get it all done. My embroidery machine received a clean bill of health and is humming along nicely. I'm almost finished with all the trunk show orders, so if you haven't heard from me yet, expect an email in the next few days regarding your order.

Hooded Towels and Wraps

2011-11-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

Initial shower wrap - $25

Monogram shower wrap - $25

Peace hooded towel - ready to ship

Crown hooded towel - ready to ship

Hello Kitty hooded towel

Elmo hooded towel

Snowman hooded towel - ready to ship

Mickey hooded towel - ready to ship

Monster hooded towel

Baseball hooded towel - ready to ship

Reindeer hooded towel - ready to ship

Owl hooded towel

So I don't know what is going on with Blogger that I can't turn these pictures right side up. The hooded towels were a hit at the trunk show, as well as the new shower wraps. With my own girls getting older, I'm trying to "grow" some of my items to accommodate them, and these wraps work well for them now. They are a full-sized bath towel, so they will fit anywhere from a "tween" to an adult. The Elmo hooded towels were an even bigger hit, so let me know if you need one under your Christmas tree.

It's not sounding like good news from the embroidery machine technician, but I'm choosing to not have a full-blown panic attack with all my pending orders looming over my head and a very hard deadline quickly approaching. Hopefully when I return from Thanksgiving everything will be back in working order and I can hit the ground running. **fingers crossed**

Have a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Little Boy Bow Ties

2011-11-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

How cute are these?! My inspiration for making them was seeing a little kindergarten person on picture day all spiffied up wearing the most adorable bow tie. I could have just eaten him up! They're not adjustable (velcro fastener) so it might be helpful to know the neck measurement of your little guy before ordering one.

Bow Ties - $15

Bibs

2011-11-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

These non-personalized bibs also sold well, especially the tie bibs. My favorite is the gray and white polka dot bib with the orange bow tie. Love those colors together! A few of these are still left, so let me know if I need to send one on its way to you.

Holiday Trunk Show

2011-11-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

**ready to ship**

Christmas burp cloth

**ready to ship**

The holiday trunk show was so much fun, and the turnout was much better than expected! Thank you, Kelly, for organizing everything, spreading the word and for allowing all those people to roam through your house!

These are a few of the items I made, with more posts to come. The Christmas dish towels sold better than I expected, especially the red and leopard with the green ball fringe. I have a few other designs ready to ship so let me know if you need one and I'll get you an invoice ASAP. If you placed an order with me at the show, I'm working on them now. My embroidery machine, of course, has decided now is a good time to revolt and stop working, but the nice man at the shop promises me he can have her up and running in "5 or 10 minutes". Please, PLEASE be right! Remember, I'm only taking orders for a short time before I close for the Christmas holidays, so please order quickly.

Christmas dish towels - $10 (ball fringe is $2 extra)
Christmas aprons (child sized) - $15

Turkey Shirts

2011-11-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

Here are the last of the turkey shirts. I don't know why this one won't let me turn it, but I don't have time to mess with it, so you get to see it sideways.

A friend of mine had the brilliant idea of monogramming "thankful" on her 3 girls' shirts instead of their names, so they can be handed down and reworn. I totally copied her.

Gray Houndstooth Baby Girl Set

2011-11-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

I'm sewing like the wind in preparation for the Trunk Show this week. I've added several new items that I'm excited to show you soon. There will be a short window for me to take Christmas orders before I close up shop again to enjoy the holidays with my family. I've learned that I have a hard time saying no to my sweet customers, and I've regretted it in the weeks leading up to Christmas when I'm a complete stress ball and no one is having any fun at my house because of it. I will take orders until December 10, so as soon as I post my Christmas items later this week, get your order in quickly so you'll have your item in plenty of time for the holidays.

For those of you in my area, you don't want to miss this Christmas shopping opportunity on Thursday evening. Check out the fun vendors at http://www.holidaytrunkshow.blogspot.com/ and come with your checkbook, ready to find all your gifts in one place. I'd love to see you there!

Baby Boy Sets

2011-11-08T14:20:00.000-08:00

I've been doing lots of baby boy sets lately, so I've been experimenting with some different applique designs and fabric combinations. What do you think of these?

Just as a reminder, I'm not taking orders right now until I catch up and recover from the Holiday Trunk Show next week. If you're in my area and are interested in coming, email me and I'll send you the information. There will be lots of vendors with many fun products to browse, so come ready to do some holiday shopping. I'd love to see you there!

Baby Sets and a Pause

2011-11-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to get that familiar tickle of panic when I look at my order list and see rapidly approaching deadlines. I need to wrap up my pending orders and finish all my items for the Holiday Trunk Show next week, so I need to suspend taking new orders at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, November 5. If you've emailed me about an order already, you're in the line-up. Depending on the number of custom orders I receive at the trunk show, I may need to stay on hold for a little while until I can swim up for air, but I hope to be back soon for some fun new Christmas designs. Thank you!

A Halloween Wrap-up

2011-10-31T22:32:00.000-07:00

Here's one more shirt I don't think I posted yet. It's a remake of last year's candy corn shirt so we could get another year's wear out of the striped tights.

And the obligatory pumpkin patch photo with my 3 little pumpkins. It was a last-minute decision to go and we grabbed whatever pumpkin-related shirts were in their closets, so they've seen better days.

This year for trick-or-treating we had a queen (not a princess, thank you very much), a 20's flapper and a clown. I didn't make any of these costumes but 2 of the 3 were sewn by my mom and/or her sister, who are both amazing seamstresses. My contribution was the accessories and applying the clown's makeup. Thank you, Mom and Aunt MN!

October was crazy busy so I'm hoping November is a little less stressful. I'm gearing up for a Holiday Trunk Show in a couple of weeks so I'll be trying to catch up on orders and get some new sample items done as well. I'll probably cut off new orders soon while I get caught up, so if you need turkey shirts for Thanksgiving, let me know ASAP. Happy November!

Turkey Shirts

2011-10-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

I know it's not even Halloween yet, but Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. I fell in love with these turkey applique designs last November and have been waiting all year to use them! How cute are these little turkeys? The adorable ribbon turkey has a matching hair clip for an extra $5, and the "Gobble Alphabet" can be designed with any fabric you choose. Name or other personalization is included.

Turkey shirt - $20
Hair clip - $5

We Had a Hoot!

2011-10-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

Woo-HOO!!

The party was a success! It was a lot of work before, during, and after, but I would do it all over again to see the excitement on my little girl's face. She had a Night Owl Pajama Party, and I ordered a lot of the printables and patterns from here. Tye helped me create the headboard and footboard for the table to turn it into a huge whimsical bed. I don't think I've ever loved him more than when I watched him painstakingly trace and cut out a pillow sham onto cardboard using the projector he brought home from work for just that purpose. Adorable. He also persistently tracked down the huge sheets of cardboard for me without understanding just exactly what I was going to do with them.

We went with several breakfast-type foods, such as mini-donuts, blueberry muffins, pigs-in-blankets, mini-waffles, fruit and chocolate/strawberry milk. Tatum's special request was cheese balls. She couldn't stay away from them after they made it to the table.

I ordered these little felt owls from etsy also, and glued clips to the back for the girls to wear in their hair. See the sprinkles and chocolate on the glass rims?

Tatum was giddy with anticipation waiting for guests to arrive! Everyone wore pajamas, and I'm sure I made quite the first impression in my jammies with several parents whom I had not met before.

These little guys were my constant companions the last week leading up to the party. We spent several late nights together getting them ready to meet their new owners. They each have unique personalities, and came with a little poem describing him or her, as well as an adoption certificate for each little girl to fill out with her new owl friend's name. I grew rather attached to my little owl creations, but was happy to see them go home to their new families. I had hidden glow-in-the-dark stars with numbers on them around the house. Everyone hunted for the stars in the dark and was matched to the owl with the corresponding number that they found. The owl pillows were a big hit with the girls and they all put serious thought into what they would name them.

Snuggle Owl

Wise Owl

Crafty Owl

Sweet Tooth Owl

Dancing Owl

Snowy Owl

Dress-up Owl

Dream Owl

Giggle Owl

This one came with a joke: Knock, knock. Who's there? Owls. Owls who? That's right, owls hoo!! Tatum thought this was hysterical.

Princess Owl

Garden Owl

Sunshine Owl

Musical Owl

Baby Owl (my first attempt that I decided was too small, but we kept it anyway as an extra).

Check out the amazing high-rise fort Tye constructed! It had a separate wing and sparkling pink lights. We laid down lots of sleeping bags and blankets, and threw tons of pillows in for a fun lounging area.

The girls played Freeze Dance in the dark and Pass the Flashlight (think Hot Potato in the dark with a flashlight). I also had bought a little owl craft for them to do but it completely slipped my mind during the party and no one missed it. Everyone got a goodie bag with an owl cookie from here. They arrived in the mail packaged so securely that not a single speck of sugar was displaced. I'll definitely use her again in the future.

A custom sticker placed on the back thanked for the party-goer for coming.

I didn't include any photos of the attendees in order to protect their privacy, but it was cuh-RAZY loud! 5- and 6-year-old girls have mastered that ear-piercing scream that makes you stop whatever you're doing and cringe. It was sheer pandemonium for 2 1/2 hours but lots of fun was had. After the party ended, we had to tear down everything and clean from top to bottom as fast as possible to prepare for a friend coming in from out of town to go to the World Series baseball game with Tye the next day. Whew! It was tiring, and we ALL took naps the following day, but I loved every minute of it. Happy 6th Birthday, sweet girl!

Baby Gift Sets

2011-10-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

I've been doing lots of baby gift sets recently. I enjoy putting together the fabric combinations to create a fun set, but they do take longer to complete, so my turnaround time has gotten a little longer. Also, this week I've been in full birthday party mode preparing for my favorite 6-year-old's Night Owl Pajama Party tomorrow evening. Per my usual tradition, I bit off way more than I can chew with this party and have enlisted the whole family to pitch in and help. Tye held off the eye rolls until I mentioned the melted-chocolate-and-sprinkles-rimmed glasses for the chocolate milk, and then he couldn't contain himself any longer. But I'm standing my ground. There will be chocolate and sprinkles on the rims of the glasses if it kills me. Recap coming next week.

Boy Gift Set

2011-10-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

A Day in the Life of a Soccer Mom

2011-10-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a personal post on our little family in a while, and I know at least my mom will care, so I thought I would catch you up a little on what we've been doing. In a word, SOCCER. My 2 older girls are playing right now and are on the same team. That does make my life significantly easier than if they were on separate ones, but it's still a logistical nightmare sometimes. Practices, game schedules, uniforms, shin guards (aka the bane of my existence), goalie training, soccer balls, water bottles... There's a lot of stuff that goes with it.
The all-important shin guard check makes the last minute scrambling at home to find every last one of them seem worth it.

Gentry is impressive at defense. She shows determination and confidence on the field I never knew she possessed.

There goes number 17 with her pony tails flying!

My meek and mild-mannered middle child turns into somebody else when the whistle blows. She makes it her job to tell everyone where to be and what they should or shouldn't be doing, something she would never dare attempt in any other setting.

While Gentry is tearing it up on the field, Ava is doing this.

And this.

And this.
She takes playing goalie VERY seriously and is personally offended when a ball makes it past her into the net. The most stressful moments of my whole week are when the opposing team has the ball close to her goal box and it's up to my baby girl to keep them from scoring or suffer the disdain of her teammates (and their parents). Of course, her dad is standing on the sideline immediately to her left, "enthusiastically" giving her tips about each play. It's not for the faint of heart. I won't even mention how close she's come to being kicked in the teeth while she's diving for a save. **shudder**

Checking out the horses going by. Yes, horses.
At the half, Ava takes off the purple goalkeeper jersey and hands it to her sister, and they switch positions. Then I pray for my other baby girl to stop all the balls that come at her and not get a cleat in the forehead, and I cheer for Ava to run harder and turn the ball and "Get IN there!". Finally the last whistle blows, I breathe a huge sigh of relief and my blood pressure returns to normal.

And, of course, when it's all over and we've celebrated our win (or not) we go home and...

do chores!!

Just another day in the glamorous life of a soccer mom.

Personalized Shirts

2011-10-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about this little business I have is creating one-of-a-kind items that no one else has. These plain white shirts are a dime a dozen until that name or special phrase is added that makes them unique. Is there a more momentous occasion than a first birthday, with the party hats, smash cake and bewildered expression worn by the guest of honor? Or the long-anticipated family trip to Disney World to meet the object of every little girl's adoration? After the event is long forgotten, the personalized shirt is a souvenir that can be tucked into the memory box for safekeeping. What occasion would you like to celebrate with a custom shirt?

I just got the Disney font and it looks great on a white or black tee. I also have the coordinating mouse ears applique for all you lucky people planning a trip to DW soon.

Big Brother Shirts

2011-10-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

This mom wanted big brother shirts for her boys to wear on the big day when their sister arrived. She requested fabric with some pink in it, and it was a challenge to find something that wasn't too girly for these little men, but I think the geometric print has just the right touch of hot pink paired with blue, green and brown. The ties are on the front with "big bro" on the back.

Double-sided big bro shirts - $25

Whimsical Bird Design

2011-10-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

How cute is this bird with the little stick legs? I think it's my new favorite applique design.

Some New Items

2011-10-06T06:49:00.000-07:00

This fun Halloween shirt is a remake of this one I made for Tatum last year. It's machine appliqued with the option of a name under the candy corn design. It's a great choice if you're not into the spooky side of Halloween like me and looks cute paired with orange and yellow striped tights.

Here's another redesign of an old favorite. I'm loving this 3-initial monogram applique. It works on a square pillow, on a white tee for a little girly or as a spirit shirt for school or your favorite college.

How hilarious is this? It was a special request by a customer expecting a baby girl soon. She had seen this idea somewhere else and wanted to recreate it. It's a maternity shirt that pokes fun at her oversized belly and announces her sweet baby's name at the same time. I giggled as I made it.

I have a ton of photos to post so check back throughout the day for new items. Halloween is fast approaching, so order now if you need a fun pumpkin or candy corn shirt for your little person.

Pink and Green Girly Set

2011-10-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

I'm getting lots of orders for baby gift sets, which I love putting together, but they take a little longer to complete. My current turnaround time is about 3 weeks, so if you have your eye on a cute pumpkin or candy corn shirt for Halloween, please order ASAP so you'll have it in plenty of time. I have a few more Halloween designs coming as well. It's officially October, and between 2 girlies' birthday celebrations this month, a very busy soccer season and keeping my household in some kind of order, my plate is overflowing!

Pink, Green and Brown

2011-09-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

Boy Bib and Burp Sets

2011-09-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted very much this week but I have been cranking out lots of new stuff, so hopefully I'll get them on here soon. The good news is that I have my bigger embroidery machine back from the repair shop. The bad news is that the problem it was having is a weakness with that model and it's not really fixable. Perfect. At least the technician shared my total frustration with it. As he was explaining the issue to me, his friend came up to the counter and said to me, "I heard words come out of his mouth while he was working on that machine I've never heard him say before. He was really upset." Now I feel responsible for the delinquency of the nice repairman too. I hope he and my machine never have to cross paths again.

It's the first day of Fall!! I plan to pull out my pumpkins and fall decor this weekend and decorate the house for my favorite season. I also hope to enjoy my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the year. The eternal summer of 2011 is finally over.

Baby Boy Gift Set

2011-09-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

This gift set was a little intimidating to work on. The customer ordered it for her very first grandbaby and I wanted it to be extra special for her. I'm so honored she asked me to create some personalized items for her sweet Rylan. Enjoy grandmotherhood, Judy!

The Cutest Robot You've Ever Seen

2011-09-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

I love this little guy, with his springy arms and legs and adorable underbite! He doesn't have a home yet, so if you're interested in this onesie (size 3-6 months) let me know by commenting on this post or emailing me and I'll send him on his way to you. Robot onesie - $15

Pumpkins

2011-09-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

I wish I were posting these pictures while sipping a Pumpkin Spice Latte, wearing a fleece sweatshirt and enjoying a chilly nip in the air. Instead, it looks like today we're going to officially break the record for most triple-degree days this summer (sigh...). I think fall will arrive someday, though, so I'm showcasing some new pumpkin designs I have. Each design comes in 2 sizes so they can be applied to a onesie or to a larger t-shirt. I also have a fun candy corn applique I had planned to debut as well, but my primary embroidery machine is still MIA. It doesn't sound good.

Orders are starting to pile up again, so my turnaround time is a little longer, around 2 1/2 to 3 weeks, unless I've told you otherwise. I also have several emails I need to respond to, so hopefully I'll get to those today.

Come on, Mr Sewing Machine Technician, please call me!

Gray and Pink Burp Set

2011-09-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

I like the eclectic mix of these fabrics together. Modern and fun but still feminine. I have a new thing for gray and pink. I love gray in a baby girl's room paired with pastel pink, as a sweater to throw on with almost any other color, or as an unexpected patterned wallpaper in a pantry. Can you tell I've been browsing Pinterest? Head on over there if you've got about 7 or 8 hours to kill.

We moved our old computer upstairs and replaced it with a new one in the office. It's been a logistical challenge to get to all my photos and embroidery files since they're all upstairs. I'm dreading having to track down the software and downloaded programs to transfer them to the new computer, but I'm sure it will be worth it when they're all in one place. On top of that, my embroidery machine that the optimistic service man promised would be ready in "4 or 5 days" is still being held hostage at the repair shop 3 WEEKS later. I've already called twice and been told rather brusquely, "We'll get to it as fast as we can, hon" so I hate to pull out my mean voice and express my frustration. My old machine serves as a backup, but I'm limited in the designs I can use with it. Surely today I'll get the call...

I'm loving these cooler temps! I'm tempted to go ahead and pull out my fall decor and start burning my favorite Spiced Pumpkin candle. Is it too early?

Y'all have a great weekend!

We're Getting Organized

2011-09-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

** I fixed the link that wasn't working. Sorry for the confusion (and thanks, Holly!).

Something about starting a new school year has put me into an organizational frenzy. I am purging drawers and closets, buying cute color-coordinated baskets and labeling everything within reach. One of my favorite blogs to peruse for inspiration is this one, although I'm a little too realistic to ever achieve her level of organizational nirvana. On Saturday we took a family field trip to IKEA. The last time we ventured into that behemoth of a store I left with nothing but the beginnings of a panic attack. Way too much stuff to look at! This time, I went in armed with my dog-eared IKEA catalog, a list of wanted/needed items and a gift card. Much more manageable. I was able to quickly find my first few items and enjoy browsing in earnest. When the inevitable grumblings from the 3 less-than-enthusiastic shoppers in our party began, Tye very graciously whisked them away to enjoy lunch off-property and I finished up my shopping. They came back just in time to help me with the heavy lifting and we were done! Almost everything I found was for my craft/sewing room and I love the new tidiness and organization it provides! It's not quite show-ready, but it's getting close.

The pantry was the next area to see some rearranging and editing. All those labels facing the same way make me happy but a little paranoid (ever see Sleeping with the Enemy?). The clear plastic containers make it much easier to see when we're running low on an item so I can restock. We're big cereal eaters around here, so those pourable containers are more kid-friendly than the cereal boxes and sacks that we usually contend with.

Ava is my little neat freak. Seriously, she didn't sleep in her room last night because we are in the middle of rearranging/cleaning it out and she couldn't sleep with it all "chaotic" like that. When she saw my pantry project her little heart leaped with joy! She saw some room for improvement, however, and decided to step in. Those cereal canisters needed to be labeled, we agreed (I had already printed some from here), but if we purchase a different cereal than what is labeled, that just messes up the system, and it's wasteful to keep making new adhesive labels each time. What to do? She promptly pulled the old cereal boxes out of the trash, clipped off the logo, and made her own recycled labeling system. Now we can all sleep at night.

I know this post has nothing to do with anything, but now you know why I didn't get much sewing done over the Labor Day weekend. Have a great week!

Burp Cloths

2011-09-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

Spirit Shirt

2011-09-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hot Pink, Lime and Black Gift Set

2011-08-31T19:31:00.000-07:00

Personalized Shirts

2011-08-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some more new applique designs. This first one is for a race car-themed birthday party. Happy Birthday, Eli!

The football design works great for your littlest football fan or on a spirit shirt for mom with your school name or mascot. It's a fun way to promote your hometown team. I know our family is going to be sitting on some high school bleachers every Friday night this fall.

This is how you announce your special day when you're 5:

Boy Burp Cloths

2011-08-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

I've added several new embroidery designs to my library recently and have enjoyed trying them out. I especially like the fun, not-too-scary pirate ship. Any of these designs can be added to a onesie or t-shirt too.

Name Pillows

2011-08-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

I just found lots of product photos from June that I never posted before I closed for the summer. These are several pillows I completed, including a set for 3 brothers who share a room. Bless that poor mom's heart.

The First Day

2011-08-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

The day I thought I had dreaded since knowing that Tatum was my last and would one day walk through the door of a kindergarten classroom has come and gone. And I didn't shed a tear. It's actually kind of ... nice. Of course, I'm only about 48 hours into this whole new phase of my life, but so far, so good.

We have many traditions we celebrate before school starts that help to build excitement for the new year (and soften the blow of summer ending). Here's what we do:

The girls don't really enjoy school clothes shopping but like to try them on at home, so last year we established "The First Outfit Fashion Show". I lay out all their new clothes with matching accessories, they decide which ones they want to model for Tye and I, and we have a fun fashion show. I get to see how the clothes fit on them and we help them decide their best look for the first day of school. Dad's opinion carries a lot of weight.

Next, we make the traditional snickerdoodles for teacher gifts and for a snack after they get home on the first day when I make them recount their entire day to me from beginning to end. It eases the torture a little bit. Then we go up to their school (this year we had 2 campuses to visit!) and say a prayer together, asking for blessings throughout the year and praying for protection while they are away from home. We've done this since Ava started 6 years ago, and it just gives me a greater sense of peace watching them walk into school each morning. God has been so faithful in granting our requests each year, and we won't ever skip this important tradition. Finally, I buy a charm for each school-goer that represents their grade and I present it to her when she comes home. It got a lot more expensive this year with all 3, but one day they will hopefully have a bracelet full of charms that they will remember and cherish. This year's selections held specific meanings for each recipient and were:
http://secure.jamesavery.com/jewelry/search/product/CM-1032/Little-Schoolhouse-Charm/
http://secure.jamesavery.com/jewelry/search/product/C-1160/%22All-Things-Are-Possible%22-Scroll/
http://secure.jamesavery.com/jewelry/search/product/CM-3015/School-Books-Charm/

Tatum was ecstatic on the first day of school. She was up at the crack of dawn, raring to go. At breakfast, her teeth were chattering she was so excited. There were a few moments of hesitation here and there, but when I finally left her in the care of her awesome, fun kinder teacher, she was sitting at her table coloring her Snow White picture like it was her job.

Gentry has grown and matured overnight, it seems! She stands almost eye to eye with me and walks around in my shoes at home (which are still thankfully a couple of sizes too big for her). She is so sweet with Tatum and takes her role as big sister very seriously at school. Yesterday I surprised them at pick-up time and met them to walk home together. Gentry was already holding Tatum's hand when they came out of the doors. Tatum saw me and her face fell, then she whispered something to her sister, who told me, "Um, she said she wants to walk home with just me. We'll meet you there." Okay, then. I took the shortcut home and waited for them to arrive. I think they'll do just fine.

I've had a harder time with this one. My big 5th grader. I vividly recall her first day of kindergarten, what I picked out for her to wear, where she sat and how we were all so glad to see her when she got home. Now she's taking another big step farther away from me. She's at a new school with a different academic approach, more technology, harder classes with kids whose parents I don't know. This child loves school like no other so I know she will do great, but for me, it's taking some adjusting, and I'm not just talking about the insane car pick-up line!

This next picture is a little misleading because they don't all go to the same school anymore, but I couldn't resist a photo of all 3 as we walked Tatum to her class. The older girls both subconsciously flanked her to escort her through the halls they know so well, pointing out every room and teacher we passed.

They made lots of these fun "Rolo pencils" for some of their favorite teachers/staff. My favorite part: they could put them together themselves!

It blew my mind a little bit to find out that one of Ava's teachers was a male. The possibility had never crossed my mind, and all of my teacher gifts are always for women! I had already made the gifts, complete with ribbon, when we discovered "she" was a "he" so we removed the ribbon, added the name, and Voila! A guy teacher gift!

My little sous chefs making the First Day snickerdoodles.

And finally, the traditional kindergarten signing of the school photo frame. Ava and Gentry both signed theirs before their kinder year, and Tatum's has stood blank for several years, waiting for her turn. As you can tell, penmanship is not her strong suit, and she insists on underlining everything, but it's legible.

Happy New School Year, everyone! I'm off to sew, uninterrupted, in my quiet house!

Pink, Brown and Green Pillow

2011-08-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

I just completed 2 different custom pillows, both requested to match this Pottery Barn bedding. You know I'm a fan of pink, green and brown. A new favorite, though, is pink and gray, so get ready to see lots of it in upcoming posts.

Spirit Shirt

2011-08-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten Rocks

2011-08-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

I can't talk about this rationally yet. One of these shirts may or may not be for someone who lives in my house. How is it possible?

Pale Pink Baby Girl Set

2011-08-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Sweet and feminine. I especially love the 3-initial monogram.

I'm accumulating orders already and trying to assemble some fall/Halloween sample items as well. It's made for some VERY late but productive nights. I made a tactical error last night by listening to a Stephen King audiotape while I was working until around 2 a.m. I knew I couldn't sleep a wink after that tale of terror so I watched Youtube videos of surprise military homecomings until 3 and went right to sleep with a smile on my face. Those get me every time.

Pink and Brown Pom-Pom Pillow

2011-08-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

I added a little extra something to this pillow. The customer requested ball fringe around the edges and I think it adds a fun touch of whimsy, don't you think?

Pillow with ball fringe - $30

Baby Boy Set

2011-08-10T14:22:00.000-07:00

No ruffles or bows on this one. It says "all boy" and I love the simplicity of the onesie.

Monogram Onesie

2011-08-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

This set was for a sweet friend who just had a precious baby girl after 2 little boys. I know she will love dressing her in lots of pink with big bows and frilly ruffles, and those big brothers will definitely take good care of their baby sister!

Summer Vacation Part II

2011-08-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

It turns out I didn't take as many photographs of our summer activities as I thought, and the ones I did are not that blog-worthy, but I'll share a few just to make the narrative a little less boring.

We started our Texas tour with a stop at the home of Blue Bell Ice Cream in Brenham. The company was nice enough to send a truck to escort us all the way in to the factory.

After a brief and educational tour of the packaging process we enjoyed a free scoop of Blue Bell's finest flavors. I never depart from my trusty Dutch Chocolate, the girls enjoyed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Dessert Trio, and Tye discovered a new favorite, Southern Blackberry Cobbler.

This, people, is a car packing genius. Tye has honed the car-loading process to a fine art. We bring our suitcases, bags, hanging clothes, etc., park them at the back of the car and stand back to watch the magic happen. We're not allowed to touch the bags once they are placed into the vehicle because of the precision involved in the stacking, wedging and balancing of the items, but you can't fit a quarter between them because of the efficiency with which he packs. Okay, moving on to Houston.

We spent many hours at the Johnson Space Center learning all about the NASA Space program. It was a little deflating because of the recent closing of the shuttle program but we were emcouraged to hear about the future plans for deep space exploration and opportunities for commercial space travel.

It was reassuring to confirm that I didn't miss my life's calling as an astronaut. Those poor souls have to cram themselves into claustrophobia-inducing spaces for hours at a time and subject their bodies to brutal conditions, with no guarantees that they will ever breathe the fresh air of earth again. It almost made me hyperventilate just thinking about it. Of course, some of them did make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of space travel advancement, God bless them.

Touching a moon rock (trying not to think of all the grubby little hands that have touched it before my precious children's).

We eventually made it to our final destination of San Antonio. We stayed here as our home base while sight seeing in San Antonio, but honestly, I could have stayed at the resort and never left. If you're ever looking for a fun, family-friendly, all-inclusive summer getaway location, this is it. Tye and I took an anniversary trip here back in May for a grown-up weekend with golfing and spa treatments, and knew that our kids would love the kid-friendly environment too. Every evening you can make S'mores at the beach area and float the lazy river until midnight. The girls' marshmallow cooking preferences ranged from barely warm to burned to a blackened crisp. Blech.

Of course, what's a trip to SA without a stop at the Alamo? I had never been before and, as a proud born-and-bred Texan, it's always been a source of guilt for me. It was...different than I expected. I appreciated the reverent atmosphere inside (men must remove hats, no photos, no touching the walls) but that was cheapened a little by the gift shop immediately outside where you are encouraged to buy everything from a fake coonskin cap to a stuffed teddy bear donning a shirt that reads "Remember the Alamo!". I was disappointed in the commercialism, I guess. My little history buffs still enjoyed it.

Then we made our way to the Riverwalk to enjoy a meandering riverboat ride and hear some San Antonio fun facts. Did you know the historic Fairmount Hotel set a Guinness world record when it was moved by crane six blocks from its original location in 1985 and reopened in its current location? Me neither.

See, I was there too. When this picture was taken, it was a balmy 104 degrees and the water was blindingly bright. We scrounged and found a couple of extra sunglasses in my bag, much to Ava and Gentry's relief. Poor Tatum had to squint for 45 minutes. We waited a tad too long to eat lunch and it really was just HOT, so our fun meter dipped significantly at this point, but it rallied again after some authentic Mexican food and a respite in good old A/C.

Awkward photo transition:

The resort offered fun kids activities each evening on the main lawn, and this night it was "Zoomagination". An animal rescue organization presented several unusual and exotic animals for the kids to see up close. They brought out this cuddly arachnid, a sloth, talking parrot, porcupine, hedgehog, Bearded Dragon lizard, Blue-tongued Skink and a couple of nasty giant cockroaches. Each of these animals had been someone's pet at some point and had lost favor with their owner for whatever reason. Really?! Who thinks a nocturnal hedgehog will make a good furry pet for their kid?

Our last full day was spent at SeaWorld and I didn't take my big camera because you get DRENCHED at SeaWorld. Highlights of our day were seeing the Shamu show (and getting drenched), Ava and me riding The Great White roller coaster together (our new favorite) and feeding the dolphins. Gentry loves dolphins, so this was pretty much the highlight of her little life so far. I took a video with my phone and I've watched it over and over just to see the sheer delight on her face. If my phone weren't smarter than me I might be able to post it here too.

And, before the final trek home, we stopped at Lulu's for one of their famous giant cinnamon rolls. It's 3 lbs of goodness on a plate. Now we're all fasting for a week to make up for it. I apologize for the armpit hair in the background. I had to eat breakfast while looking at it too.

That's a brief look at our Texas Tour 2011. Now it's back to work in my newly organized sewing room with a recently serviced machine and a fresh perspective!

I'm Back!

2011-08-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

We've had an amazing summer and are savoring the last couple of weeks before school starts again. We just returned from our most recent vacation and I'm winning the laundry battle so far. The heat is absolutely oppressive, and I think it's even to blame for our internet being spotty, which is why I haven't updated my blog before now. Sorry for the long absence -- do I even have any followers out there anymore?! Hopefully I'll have service long enough tomorrow to sit down and get something new posted.

The orders are already coming in, and I'm ready to get back to work! See you soon!

A Fresh Look

2011-07-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

What do you think of the new design? I love the open, fresh feel of it. The blog navigates a little differently than before, so take a minute to browse and see if you can find your way around. I won't offer my full line of products when I return, so you won't see some of the items I've made in the past. I'm trying to streamline and improve my turnaround time, so hopefully that will help.

We've been BUSY! I had hoped to post more frequently throughout the summer to give you something different to look at when you stop by, but I haven't had much time to sit down at the computer. Here are a few pics of what we've been up to since June.

Fort Worth Science and History Museum. They never outgrow the pretend grocery scanner in the Children's Museum.

The Civil War Museum. I loved this one. Lots of authentic memorabilia and touching personal accounts of the war from both sides. The girls enjoyed the scavenger hunt that encouraged them to read the inscriptions to find the answer to clues, resulting in a sweet treat from the old-fashioned candy store at the entrance.

Women's and girls' fashions from the Civil War era.

My big (middle) girl celebrated her 9th birthday.

Father's Day

We're knocking out our "Summer Fun To-Do List". Several more items have been crossed off since this picture was taken.

Remember the Craig's List furniture redo challenge? The whole family is enjoying taking part. I'm pleased (and relieved) to say that this hutch is now in Tatum's room holding her special keepsakes and baby items, sporting a fresh coat of Ballet Slipper pink paint. "After" pictures to come. Now, on to the matching dresser...

This was the funnest craft project ever. Ava made her butterflies fly off the canvas.

Tatum lost her FIFTH tooth!

We're still in the thick of summer activities, and we'll be gone off and on for the next few weeks, but I wanted to check and let you know I'm still here! I hope you're all having a safe and blessed summer.

Bibs and Burp Cloths

2011-06-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of sets I completed a few weeks ago. I'm finishing up my last order before I send my machines in for a tune-up and take a much needed break. Just a reminder that I won't be taking orders this summer, but will be back up and running sometime in August, depending on how the craziness of back-to-school goes. Keep checking back for a whole new look and some restructuring for The Chocolate Zebra!

Chocolate Cupcake with Sprinkles

2011-06-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

This color combination makes me think of a chocolate cupcake with sprinkles. The fun colorful pastel dots against the brown background make a nice contrast to the pale pink monogramming. Very sweet and feminine.

Towels

2011-06-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

What gets wetter the more it dries? Hooded towel, monogrammed beach towel, applique name towel...

Sorry, the heat is draining my originality.

Bibs and Burps

2011-06-08T21:09:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the uncouth title, but that's what I call burp cloths in my shorthand on my dry erase board. I'm STILL madly churning out orders even though I'm "closed". I had several large orders that were placed a few weeks ago and I'm embarrassed at how long it's taking me to get them finished. I may or may not have actually told my children, "Pretend I'm not here" at some point today. That goes against everything I value in being a SAHM, but I was desperate to make some headway. They have been very understanding and make the daily trudge to the post office with me without complaint (so far). Hopefully I'll get everything finished up this weekend and we can concentrate on actually having fun. We did make it to the pool today for the first time, so I'm not a total slacker mom.

My Big Girls

2011-06-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

Gentry - 1st day of 3rd grade
Gentry - last day of 3rd grade

Ava - 1st day of 4th grade

Ava - last day of 4th grade

Ava finished elementary school on Friday. She moves to 5th grade, which is intermediate school in our area. To say I'm proud of my oldest girl is an understatement. She has surpassed our expectations in every way since she was born. At the age of 2, she was playing with colored pencils and when I turned to see what she was doing, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I saw she had laid out the pencils to spell her name. Then she picked up a pen and wrote it. I hadn't taught her to do that. She read chapter books at 4, and ever since has had a voracious appetite for reading. She is brilliant, kind-hearted and honest to a fault. She loves learning and accepts any challenge with enthusiasm. Ava, I can't wait to see what God has in store for you in this next adventure! God bless you!

Gentry is my sweetheart. She is so tender-hearted and sensitive, and can't stand to see other people hurting. She is always seeking new ways to help others, whether donating her own money to help orphans in Ghana or giving up her birthday to raise funds for charity:water (www.mycharitywater.org/gentrylamberth). She also excels in the classroom and is a loyal friend. She enjoys the "best of both worlds" by being both an older and younger sister, and loves playing and spending time with Tatum, who adores her. She is looking forward to being Big Girl on Campus next year in 4th grade and also watching out for her kindergarten sister. We love you, Gentry, and know you will make a big difference in this world for God's kingdom!

I don't mean to paint a perfectly rosy picture of our family. We still disagree and my kids argue and whine. Don't even get me started on the chaos of our garage where they store their shoes and refuse to keep them in neat pairs so we have to frantically search for a match every time we leave the house (!). But each milestone they reach makes me wax nostalgic and appreciate their unique personalities and traits, and thank God for giving me my precious girls for a short time.

Welcome, Summer!!

Initial Shirts

2011-05-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

This is a fun larger design for t-shirts and onesies. It's a stacked name over the initial with a choice of 2 coordinating fabrics.

Ordering is now closed for the next 4-6 weeks. If you've placed an order already, I'm working on it and plan to have everything shipped by the end of next week. Hopefully I'll come back with a little fresher blog design, new product ideas and sewing/embroidery machines that are in peak condition. Please keep checking back throughout the summer for updates and new product posts, and maybe even a personal post or two for those of you interested in my little family.

Have a fun, safe and blessed summer!

Monogrammed Beach Towels

2011-05-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

I've recently expanded my embroidery font repertoire to include some larger, more substantial fonts. They work well on beach towels and larger sized items where you really want the name to stand out. These make great graduation and teacher gifts, and I'll be sending some with my older kids to camp this summer to make sure their towels don't find themselves in the lost and found box.

The boys' names are in University font, Annah and Jennifer are in Giggles, and Mandy is in Boingo. The beach towels come in 2 different sizes. The regular bath sized beach towels (the striped ones shown) are $15, monogram included, and the larger bath sheets (polka dots) are $25. Styles subject to availability.

Birthday Shirt

2011-05-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

Another fun barnyard-themed birthday shirt for a special little man's first birthday.

I just got back from a fabulous weekend getaway with my man, celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary. It was refreshing to have uninterrupted conversation about grown-up things and remember why we liked each other in the first place. We loved every moment of it, but reality slapped me in the face as I returned home to a child with strep AND pink eye, the obligatory mountain of laundry and a 4th grade project about Neil Armstrong, complete with astronaut costume, due on Friday (really, with 2 weeks left of school?!). Today was worth at least 3 Mondays all put together.

I'm still taking orders until the 31st, so keep them coming!

A Twist of Lime

2011-05-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

Elisabeth's nursery is decorated in a fun mix of citrus colors - yellow, orange and lime green. So fresh and cool. It's not your traditional girl color palette, yet it's still feminine. It was a challenge to fit her substantial name across that teeny backside but I managed it. Those newborn onesies are really just too much cuteness.

I'll be out of pocket this weekend but will be checking email. My final date to receive orders before I close up shop is May 31. I'm still not sure how long I'll be closed but I'll let you know before I go. Have a great weekend!

A Gushy Mom Post

2011-05-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Because this is my blog and it's morphed into a sometime personal journal of our lives as well, I have to include the inevitable "My baby is growing up" post. Tatum graduated from preschool last night and I've been in an emotional funk ever since. I'm not technically sad about it, because she is oh-so-ready to get to kindergarten and I know she will excel there, but I can feel that things have changed. The house will be too quiet next fall, I will face another overflowing backpack of wrinkled yet keepsake-worthy papers every day and I will (get to) roam the aisles of Target all by myself. Hmm, so maybe it won't be all bad. I remember taking the above photo with 3-month-old Tatum like it was yesterday and, knowing that she was our last, intentionally trying to appreciate and savor each milestone with her. I think I have done that, but I feel the separation a little more acutely because of it. God bless you, my sweet girl. You are so loved.

Don't worry, I won't play favorites. You can expect an "I can't believe I have a 4th- and 5th grader!" post coming up in a few weeks too.

Diaper Wipes Clutch and Paci Clip

2011-05-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

This is a little different take on the diaper wipes case. It's a clutch with enough room for a wipes case, several diapers and diaper rash ointment. It has a ribbon tie closure. The pacifier clip sports an initial button and coordinating ribbon.

Diaper wipes case - $10
Paci clip - $6

Just a reminder that I'll be closing shop around June 1, so be sure to get your orders in before then. I'll be posting some new items in the meantime (graduation gifts, anyone?) so keep checking back.

Pillows and Some Housekeeping

2011-05-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of the backdrop yet? I'll try to be a little more inventive, but honestly, by the time the items are finished I just want to get them packaged up and shipped off without having to be all artistic and creative in the photographic process. How does The Pioneer Woman do it?!

I have a pretty full waiting list right now, but I plan to work a little overtime this week to get caught up before the school year ends in 3 weeks. I am taking an extended vacation from The Chocolate Zebra during the summer so I can get my machines serviced, organize the disaster that is my sewing studio, and work on some home improvement projects. If you know you're going to need something during that time frame, get your order in now so I can ensure it will be completed before I leave in early June. The dates are still flexible but I'll make sure and give you notice before I shut down altogether.

I am a recent Craig's List addict and Tye is alarmed at the large pieces of furniture sitting in our garage waiting to be transformed into their "true beauty". You can spray paint wood, right? Maybe I'll post a before and after to keep y'all interested while I'm taking a break. It's definitely going to be interesting.

Have a blessed Monday!

Hooded Towels and a Gift Set

2011-05-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

You just can't go wrong with a hooded towel for a baby gift. They can be used right away and last forever. They work great at the pool too to shield baby's little head from the sun. Pair it with a bib and burp cloth set and it makes for a classic personalized gift set.

Hooded towel - $25

Towel with bib/burp set - $45

1st Birthday

2011-05-11T07:34:00.001-07:00

These personalized onesies are for a special little girl about to celebrate her very first birthday. Her party's theme is "I will BEE one", with yellow and black decor and little bees buzzing around. Adorable, right? As much as I would love to steal the idea for one of my girls, it just doesn't have the same cute factor when it's "I will BEE eleven".

Zebra Clipboard

2011-05-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

I thought I had posted this one earlier but I guess it was hiding in my photo folder. This was a gift for a super fun student teacher that Gentry had this semester. Good luck and congratulations, Ms. Curry!

Pink and Black

2011-05-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

I'm recovering from some extreme frustration with my embroidery machine. That thing has a mind of its own. Usually I can tinker with it until it gets back on track, but this week I had to break down and load it up for a trip to the service technician. He was very kind and fixed it up for me on the spot (free of charge!) so we're back up and running again. Turns out the problem I also had with the auto threader that has never worked was actually... um... operator error. So I'm working overtime trying to make up for the down time, but I hope to be caught up this weekend.

Happy Friday!

Personalized Towels and an Oops

2011-05-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

Every day that it is at least 75 degrees outside Tatum asks me, "Can we go swimming today?" She is so ready for summer and all things pool-related.

These are some of the custom towels I've finished recently. The patterned ones are the full-sized beach towels that cover my kids like a blanket - very thick and plush. See that cute Maggie one? It has the dubious distinction of being my first typo. It's not for a Maggie. It's for a Maddie. I saw the order form with the correct name printed out and then my brain took a vacation. I didn't notice the mistake until AFTER I delivered it to the customer. My worst nightmare. I caught it myself and couldn't rectify it fast enough for Maddie's sweet and understanding mom. So a new towel is being crafted ASAP and now there is a very fun "Maggie" towel available to the first taker.

**Update** The Maggie towel has found a home! Thanks Jenn!

Personalized beach towel - $25 **subject to availability

Personalized bath towel - $20

Cheer Mom Shirt

2011-04-29T12:15:00.001-07:00

These shirts are for a couple of very proud moms whose daughters just made cheerleader for next year. The front says Cheer Mom and the back shows their mascot. Go Bobcats!

Boy Burps

2011-04-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

No offense intended in my title. Our household proves that burping is not limited to the masculine gender.

Still loving the funky, chunky letters on the burp cloth. And brown, orange and turquoise together.

Twin Name Pillows

2011-04-25T15:43:00.000-07:00

This set of pillows is for twins, a boy and a girl. Their mom was super fun and utilized a monkey theme for their shared nursery. The bedding is the same, except Cooper's has some blues in it while Kennedy's has a touch of pink. Adorable!

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

** Disclaimer - This post contains no pictures of anything I've made or monogrammed. Just some pics of my cute kids!

This one loaded out of order. This was the lawn before the kids were let loose. It's only about half of the eggs we "hid".

We had a very meaningful, fun and family-filled Easter Sunday. The girls woke early to tear into their Easter buckets and then get ready for church in their completely store-bought, non-matching outfits. After stressing way too much about what to dress/coordinate them in, I let go of all my deep-seated church attire notions and just let the day be about what it should be - the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (We still have fun with the Easter bunny stuff {for my 2 EB believers} but my kids know what the real reason for the celebration is). After an inspirational church service we went over to my in-laws' house for a delicious prime rib dinner and annual egg hunt for all the cousins. There were a LOT of eggs to be hidden. After trying to be sly and hide the first few, we realized the futility of that and just threw them everywhere. The kids had a blast and then enjoyed the first swim of the year in the slightly heated pool.

Today I'm catching up on orders while keeping an eye on the weather radar. There are some crazy storms happening all around us today!

Chocolate Bunnies

2011-04-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

The chocolate bunny shirts/onesies were a big hit this Easter. They were so fun to put together and Tatum was excited to wear hers to preschool this morning for the big Easter egg hunt. The little onesie for Maggie is a size newborn and is TINY. It's about the cutest thing I've ever made. When I finished it, I took it out to my girls to show them and they all said, "Awww!" simultaneously. Way too much cuteness.

Do you like my new backdrop? It's not real wood, it's photo paper. I wouldn't dare put those precious babies' onesies on old wood and peeling paint! My photography is definitely the weakest link in this whole blog posting thing, so I'm trying to get a little fancier. Too bad it doesn't actually improve my skills any.

Happy Thursday!

A Heart for Africa

2011-04-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before I have a heart for missions, especially in Africa. A friend of mine recently told me about a young couple that are working in the mission field in a remote part of Kenya, and are expecting their first baby. Unlike many expectant missionary moms who choose to return home to the States to deliver, this one will have her baby there, in a less-than-ideal medical setting without the modern conveniences and potentially life-saving equipment that American hospitals offer (can you say EPIDURAL?!). Bless her heart! A very generous small group at a nearby church decided to help them prepare for their new arrival and asked me to create some fun, personalized items for their sweet little Annabelle. God bless you and protect you as you seek to answer His call and spread God's word in that amazing place.

Baby Boy Neutrals

2011-04-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

If this onesie looks khaki in color, it's actually not due to my poor photographic skills. It really is a light khaki color.

This fun set for baby Kayden was requested to be in khakis and tans to match his nursery. I really like the simplicity of the monochromatic color scheme.

Name Pillow

2011-04-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Here's another name pillow I completed recently. This one was for a fun couple expecting their first baby, and they are very excited! Both mom and dad selected the fabrics to be used in his pillow, and wanted it to be just perfect for their little man. Baby Jaxx is going to be one loved baby boy. God bless your new little family.

Boy Burp Cloths

2011-04-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Lake Shirt

2011-04-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

This very lucky little girl's family just bought a lake house, so they will be spending a lot of time there this summer. So jealous. I want one that says "Beach Girl" and has the house to go with it. Y'all have fun, Amy!

Pink and Green Burp Cloth Set

2011-04-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

Love the "J" initial, of course. I'm surprised I don't do more J names, but I definitely love this one.