And The Winner Is...

The contest winner is my good friend, Amy Cheshire DePew.  She has won a set of 4 napkins with the napkin friendly design of her choice.  She has already chosen red napkins with the name "Ballew" on them.  Amy's contest entry idea was for Cajun Stitchery to have a contest a week giving away weekly embroidery prizes.

So, let's have a contest.  Since Cajun Corner comes out each Friday, let's make this contest due this coming Friday.  Thereafter, the contest will be Friday to Friday.  Paradise Inn or Paradise Bar and Grill on Pensacola Beach will be having a huge birthday party this coming Friday night.  The first person to tell me the name of one of the honored birthday ladies who is turning 50 years old wins a set for 4 napkins with the embroidery friendly design of your choice on them.

A neighbor came by the house yesterday.  She had been to the Pensacola Visitor Center down by the new fishing pier.  While at the Visitor Center she purchased some really cool beach mats.  The beach mats' manufacturer is a company called Toppers and we have purchased their items before.  If you recall the beach bag with the zippered cooler in the bottom that was the rage last year.  That was from Toppers.  They have really neat stuff.  I looked all over the internet to find these beach mats and have been unsuccessful so far.  However, at the Visitor Center you can purchase them for $2.50.  They are vinyl with an inflatable pillow.  They fold onto themselves for easy carrying.  The pocket is non-woven.  It's the same kind of recycled fabric used in the Wal-Mart bags.  The reverse side of the pocket is blank and I can embroider on it.  She is expecting company from out-of-state in a few weeks and I have embroidered their names on the mat pockets.  So, let me encourage everyone to drop by the Visitor Center and pick up one of these really cool mats for $2.50.  Bring it over to Cajun Stitchery and for $5, we'll embroider your name on it.  Here are photographs of the mats.  She got a red one and a blue one.  I don't know if they have other colors or not.  Look at the size of these mats.  They are nice and big.  You could even spread one of these out and have a picnic on the beach.  Then blow up the pillow and lay down for awhile and get a tan.  Stick a book or whatever in the pocket and you are ready for a fun day at the beach.

I have some other photographs that I cannot show because they are birthday presents that have not been given yet.  One lady brought over two very delicate, lady's handkerchiefs.  Frankly, I was a bit concerned embroidering on such delicate, airy fabric.  They turned out beautiful and surprizingly were not difficult to embroider on at all.

The neighbors who received the set of four napkins with the colorful southwestern lizards were so surprised and thrilled that they didn't stop talking about the napkins all evening.  Since the purpose of going to their home was to have dinner, we, of course, used the new napkins.  I, of course, spilled a drop of red wine on my napkins.  That really shouldn't be hard to get out with some Resolve or other spot cleaner. 

George and I have also decided that on appropriate items, bigger than our paper bags, we will be using cloth bags, recycled when we can.  The new look will have our logo embroidered on it.  Right now we are using the remainder of the little bags that we sold last fall.  We will probably end up with a canvas or recycled fabric type of bag.  Look out Jareds and Tiffany, when you get a gift in a bag with the Cajun Stitchery logo on it, you will know that you are receiving high quality embroidery goods.

We have also decided that talk it cheap and we need to put up or shut up.  Cajun Stitchery cares about its community and we have decided that 10% of every purchase will go to a local charity.  The check will be delivered monthly.  Each month we will chose a charity of the month.  Everyone is welcome to make suggestions as to which charity will receive the monthly donation.  Who knows, we may even have contests for each month's charity.

C'est toute mon amis