Made with Moxie: May 2012

May 26, 2012

Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Winner!

Woot! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Calikisses, lucky #59, is the winner of my Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway! Congrats! You will have an email from me shortly and I will send your Noodlehead clutch to you. :)
Thank you so much to everyone who entered and especially those of you that became followers! I loved reading all your comments.

If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check out my Memorial Day weekend Super Silly Sale~

Have a great weekend!

May 25, 2012

Super silly Memorial Day Sale! Woot!

I'd been saving up stock on things I made in anticipation of doing a show this summer, but it turns out I am not going to have the time. So I have all this inventory that I am going to list on Etsy. Before I do, I thought I'd post it here at super silly pricing, as a thank you for adding me to your blog readers. When you see an item that you like, please comment on this post with what you want (and your email address if you are a no-reply blogger). I will then email you an invoice through Paypal with your total. Heck, if things move fast enough I will have these things to the post office and on their way to you before the weekend is out. The shipping cost is a flat $3.00 rate. These prices are only good through Monday, May 28 11:59pm EST. Happy shopping!

Phineas: Sock Monkey - body aprox 10 inches tall. Regularly $15. For you? $10

Boutique Burp Cloth Set of 2 - 2x6x2 ply, measures 9.5" x 13". Regularly $8. SOLD

Moxie Skull Cap - size 6 months, cotton and poly yarns, wool felt & Denyse Schmidt fabric. Regularly $22. For you? $15

Nightlights: white hearts, Hello Kitty, black hearts Regularly $10. For you? $7 each

Nightlights: Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, C3PO Regularly $10. For you? $7 each

Nightlights: Superman comic, Little monkey, Big Bird Regularly $10. For you? $7 each

Nightlights: Night owl, SOLD, Night owl Regularly $10. For you? $7 each

Carry All Clutch: SOLD, Blue, Multi aprox 6.5" long and 3" tall, fits iPhone/Droid/Smartphone. Regularly $18. For you? $12 each

Carry All Clutch: Citrus, Floral, Stars and Stripes aprox 6.5" long and 3" tall, fits iPhone/Droid/Smartphone. Regularly $18. For you? $12 each

Carry All Clutch: B&W Skulls Aprox 6.5" long and 3" tall, fits iPhone/Droid/Smartphone. Regularly $18. For you? $12 (only 1 left!)

Retro Ruffled Apron: Daughter size Aprox 16 inches long by 18 inches wide with generous ties. Will fit most all children. Two identical ones available. Regularly $20. For you? $12 each

Retro Ruffled Apron: Mother size Aprox 18 inches long by 20 inches wide with generous ties. Will fit most all women, including plus sizes. Design prototype: has bobbin thread that 'spit up' on the back side of apron. Is not visible when wearing. Does not affect apron function. Regularly $22. For you? $14

Thank you for being a follower of Made with Moxie! Have a fun weekend!

May 23, 2012

Do you want to win???

Check your Blogger Profile now! You may be a "no-reply blogger and not even realize it!

Usually, when you leave a comment on someone's blog, that person is sent an email with your comment. Google/Blogger makes is so all I have to do is reply to that email and it is sent directly to you through your email. However, if you are a "no-reply" blogger, I get an email with your comment, but because your profile is set up to not share your email address, I can never email you back. Which is super important if, say, you win my contest or I want to tell you thank you.

Here is how to fix it:
Go to Blogger.com and log into your dashboard. In the upper right hand corner there is a drop down menu with your user name. In that menu, click on "Blogger profile." This will open a new tab.

In the top right hand corner of that screen, click "Edit Profile." Check the box next to "Show my email address." I know; it sounds scary. It sounds like the equivalent of "Show my back account number" or "Show that picture of me that night I got so drunk I flashed the whole bar." Trust me. It isn't. it doesn't even post your email address on your Blogger profile. It just makes it so people can click "Email me" and send you messages. Like to tell you that you won my giveaway.

Now go! Check your blogger profile and fix your email settings. You may think it's not you, but it is. My own mother and husband were "no-reply" bloggers! As well as cousins, high school friends, secret mommy group friends, etc.
The internet is not as scary as you thought. :)

The Big Girl Bed

Luckily, in all of her two years, my daughter has never tried to escape from her crib. She was content to play in there for hours. I never knew exactly how long Jane would nap because upon waking she would play or read until I finally went to get her. And that meant much more crafting time, so why rock the boat? Unfortunately, her little brother, Jimmy is an escape artist. Within a few months he could clear the edge of his cradle meaning it was time for him to take over the crib. My first baby was going to need a Big Girl Bed.


Twin bed frames and head boards are stupidly expensive and/or pieces of crap. I wanted a bed my kids could jump and play in without spending $750 at Pottery Barn Kids. I love my kids, but $750 can buy a lot of fabric, shoes and bags. Heck, if we're burning that kind of money I'll take a new sewing machine!


Instead, I found Ana White's blog and downloaded the free plans for her Simple Twin Bed. For less than $100 in lumber, supplies and paint, Jane's Big Girl Bed was born. Special thanks to my husband and father for helping me build it. Using power tool isn't easy with a two year old and an infant. Plus, everyone wanted to help build the princess's bed.


Warning if you are going to build your own bed or anything else from Ana's blog: read through the directions first. Ana is a homemaker and a DIYer, not a carpenter or an engineer. Her methods of making aren't "by the book." You may not be bothered by this, but your woodworker husband or jack-of-all-trades dad may be. They may re-engineer things. In any case, the bed is together (finally) and it is awesome, and her royal highness loves it.


The toy box at the foot of Jane's bed was built for her by my father. It is an exact replica of the wood chest that was my childhood toy box as well as my father's when he was a kid. Once I was older, my dad took mine ours apart to refinish it and lined it with cedar for me. He and my mother made this one for Jane's first birthday.


Next up: curtains for Jane's room.


The Big Girl Bed:
Bed design: Ana White's Simple Bed
Lumber: Pine from Home Depot (never Lowes; they don't like gay people and I'm not cool with that.)
Paint: Behr Caribe, as chosen by the Big Girl herself.


If you are looking for the Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway, it is right here.

Attention fellow bloggers
I must say something about all the bloggers posting about how so many entrants are no-reply bloggers and they don't know it so we can't contact them thus they can't win. Yes, it is sad and frustrating. But as long as we're getting up on soap boxes here, I would like to say for the record: I am not a robot! And robots don't care to spam your giveaway or blog. Robots don't care about winning your Mendochino fabrics or learning how you make your super cute zippy pouches. But I do! Most all of our blogs aren't even big enough for anyone to want to spam them. So please, remove your comment captchas. They drive me nuts and I can not be the only one. I've not left comments blogs or entered giveaways because of captchas.

Here is a great tutorial on how to remove your comment captcha.

May 20, 2012

Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway! CLOSED

This contest is closed.

Howdy there! I'm Jill and welcome to Made with Moxie. Today I am offering one of my custom Noodlehead clutches as part of the Sew, Mama, Sew: Giveaway Week.
While the giveaways are what ya'll are here for, I've got to tell you that I added lots of new blogs to my Google Reader during the last SMS giveaway. And now, five months later, I have gained new friends, new skills, and participated in new swaps and events.Yeah, I got a little huggy on you there. Did you see the rainbow as that unicorn ran by?
The three ways to enter to win my Noodlehead clutch bag:
  1. Leave a comment on this blog post. Tell me what makes you smile.
  2. Decide my blog is awesome sauce. Follow my blog. Leave a comment telling me you did this. Current followers please enter too!
  3. Visit my Etsy shop. Leave me a comment and tell me which item is your favorite.

The winner will be drawn Friday, May 25th at 5pm EST. International entries are welcome! (Who doesn't love airmail?) If you are a no-reply blogger, leave me your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.
The clutch measures 7 inches tall and 11 inches wide . It has a lined zippered pocket inside, four slots for cards and 2 deeper slots for phone/chapstick/other stuff. It is large enough to stash a wipes case and a diaper or two, or carry your Kindle, or even use it as a project bag. I also did some jazzy little hand stitchy goodness on the flap.
So, stick around and become a follower. You will see the things I make with Moxie, learn new things and in the very least you will laugh. A lot.

Welcome to Made with Moxie! And good luck!        

May 15, 2012

Mother's Day, mug rugs and monkeys

Everyone in our house is feeling much better now. Thank you all for your kind words. It felt good to have you say you liked reading my blog because I was real. Despite my daily attempts to be a supermom, I am not. Why edit out the screaming toddlers and vomiting infants. Someone should get a good laugh out of it, right?

Now that Mother's Day has passed I can show you what I made for my mother and mother-in-law; the two women who have everything, need nothing and who are so crafty they could make everything themselves. Which makes them the hardest persons to get gifts for; unless you count the dads who give you zero ideas whatsoever. Seriously all the mothers ask for are grandbabies, pictures of grandbabies and visits from grandbabies. Instead I made them one of these.
The colors are twigging out, I know, but I can't fix it, and they're already gone so no retakes.
Each hand got traced (or in Jimmy's case stamped because I challenge you to trace an 8 month old's hand) on to the paper side of Heat'n Bongd Lite. Each person got a fabric of their own 'personality' and was then machine appliqued to mid-weight denim. I hand stitched our last name with embroidery thread along with the year to record when our little ones hands were this small.
The cover has a snap and envelope closure so they can be washed since they were going to homes with pets. I also made the custom piping. I'm please to report both mothers loved their pillows. Which only ups the ante for next year. And I'm not making anymore grandbabies.

These past few days I have sewn some random little things. Since kids were still on the mend and the house trashed from the week before there was very little time to sew, but I still had to make something to keep from going mad.
I took two of the test squares from my Modern Mini Quilt and made them into a mug rug. For those who don't know, a mug rug is smaller than a placemat and larger than a coaster; like just the right size for a cup of coffee and a bagel. It seems like a silly thing. I think crafters made it up so they could just make incredibly tiny quilts.I don't have the proper stuff to make it heat resistant so it shouldn't be a hot pad. Luckily, it perfectly fits on this table in my sunroom. So, a mug rug it is.

I also made Bruce. He belongs to Jimmy now.
When Jane was born I made her my first sock monkey. Now when I go to Target I buy knee socks when they are on sale and would make super awesome monkeys. The pile of monkey socks has been calling my name for a while now so I pulled out four pairs this week. They are so simple to make, easy on the stress level and something I can make with an infant asleep on my lap.

Bruce has a mustache. Ron Swanson would be proud.

And ha, ha! I got beans and peas to grow. I actually think the first round were eaten. Hopefully this round will stay once I transplant them.


The final order of business is prepping for the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day. I need your help for my giveaway. Would you rather win a Noodlehead envelop clutch or aMother Daughter vintage ruffled apron set?

May 10, 2012

Menadering the Mind

  • All I can handle are bullet points today. My kids have been sick all week and I haven't slept since last weekend. Truthfully I really haven't slept since 2008, but I was warned.
  • The Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap is full. Two rounds! I can't believe it. Thank you to Rachael for sending the link to Denyse Schmidt so she posted it on her Facebook page. I'll be honest. I was worried about filling up one.
  • I haven't sewn a damn fun thing in a week. I did make the kids new pants from tshirts in the 'donate' basket. I just can't see spending $10 on a pair of solid leggings of pants for J&J. I'm a cheap bastard like that. 
  • My weight loss diet has been going well. That is until Day Three of sick kids when I was puked on numerous times and said eff this and we ate a sausage pizza and cheesy jalapeno bread. After weeks of eating like an accidental, unintentional, almost vegetarian, that dinner killed me. Lesson learned.
  • Today I signed up for Rachel at Stitched in color's ::Handstitched:: classes. I don't know who I am fooling in thinking I have spare time. Will I ever stop trying to fit 15 pounds of shit in a 10 pound bag? (Where is the fun in that?)
  • None of the beans and pea I planted in our garden came up. Hi, school children can grow beans with paper towels and water. I'm so insulted. But I did buy more. And I am starting them inside this time; the grade school way.
  • Drive through Starbucks are a dangerous thing. It was a skinny carmel latte sort of a day. Heck, I need the caffeine and it was like a celebration for the face that I actually got all my orders done, packed and  shipped out.
  • I hate that my kiddos are sick, but I love that it means that all they want to do is snuggle me. Until I have to pee. And my legs have fallen asleep. 
  • I can't wait to post about the Mother's Day presents that I made, but that will have to wait until next week. Here are the cards:

May 4, 2012

May the fourth be with you!

We're a family of nerds and we love it!

If you're looking for the Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap it is right here.

May 3, 2012

Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap

Hi. My name is Jill and I am a fabric addict. I'm in good company, right?

Denyse Schmidt is the latest fabric designer I've been needing a fix of. She designs such lovely prints inspired by heirloom prints and gives them a modern spin. They're perfect for just about every sewing project under the sun. What a better way to feed my addiction than to host a Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap.

Here's how it works:
1. We are swapping 5" charm squares. You will purchase 1 yard of fabric and cut it into 5" charm squares. 1 yard = 56 charms. (I recommend buying 1.25 yards- never hurts to have a little extra in case you make a cutting mistake.)

2. Choose a fabric that has a small print suitable for an 5" charms. Scale of the print is very important as smaller works better in this case.

3. Fabric must be Denyse Schmidt designer label, 100% cotton, quilt shop quality fabric. Older DS patterns are acceptable too! If you aren't sure, check here.

4. Fabric must be new and unwashed and must come from a smoke free environment.

5. Before sending your fabric to me, cut your fabric into 5" x 5" charm squares.

Press your fabric before cutting. You may want to purchase a slight overage in case you make mistakes cutting your charms. 1 yard = 56 charm squares (5" x 5".) Plus, what fabric addict doesn't buy more than they need?

Here's a great tutorial on how to cut fabric into charms by Elizabeth Hartman.

6. Put your fabric in a ziplock bag and include a 3x5 index card with your name and email address.

7. In your envelope please include:
  • the charms in ziplock
  • the index card
  • a PREPAID SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE for me to mail your charms back to you! This is very important! If you do not send a SASE with your charms, I won't be able to mail them back to you. To figure the postage cost, have the postmaster weigh your SASE along with the charms and purchase enough postage to cover the cost. Then put that postage on the SASE and place it inside your package along with your charms.

8. Finally, upload a picture of your chosen fabric ASAP to the Made with Moxie: Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap Round TWO Flickr group. This is really important so we don't have any duplicates! Also, include all pertinent info about your fabric (designer, name, color, shop) so everyone can have access to order more if they want.
If you want to you may sign up for two spots in the swap, but remember you must sent two different yards of DS fabric.

Within the Flickr group, feel free to share ideas on projects, quilt layouts, and plans for your Denyse Schmidt charms.

This swap will be open to 55 others (56 including me) and will also have some alternates just in case. International swappers allowed! Please make sure your fabric is to me by the deadline. I realize you can't send a pre-paid envelope. I will email you what the shipping will be to return your charms to you when it is time.

Deadlines:
Your charms need to be in my hands by June 15! I will email everyone my mailing address once the spots are all filled.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at thatmoxiegirl@gmail.com.

Are you psyched? I am! Just fill out the form below to register. I will email all the participants once the slots are filled.

After you sign up, grab a button for your blog, pop on over to the Made with Moxie: Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap Round TWO group and join us!


Round One & Two sign ups now full. Great places to find Denyse Schmidt fabrics:
Etsy shops
Joann's
The Intrepid Thread
Fat Quarter Shop

Thank you to Jennifer from Ellison Lane Quilts for her tutorial on how to set up a fabric swap!