Bon Jour! Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.
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Don’t forget to visit our catalog at www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.
Well Boudreaux is certainly alive and well this week. He has stitched more than half a million stitches this week and he is purring like a kitten. It must be those shrimp he’s been stitchin’. He stitched out two 10 foot banners for the Cajun Stitchery tent, plus a lot more things. Since the banners require more than embroidery, we moved my sewing machine onto the kitchen table. Oh cher, that machine is about 35 years old and still kickin’.
Speaking of my old Kenmore a/k/a Singer sewing machine, I have a funny story. Several years back, I decided that the sewing machine should be thoroughly cleaned and oiled because it was old. George and I took this machine apart, down to its basic structure. We took plates off from everywhere. We took the belt assembly off, the bottom, the top. We cleaned and dusted it really good. Then we oiled it at every joint that moved. Finally, we put her back together. Then I began sewing. Clanka, clanka, clanka went the machine. It should have been humming. Ooooh, that was one loud sewing machine. We started reading manuals. I got online to figure out the problem. Well, cher, I used 3 in 1 oil and not sewing machine oil. I will tell you that there is definitely a difference. We pulled the sewing machine completely apart, once again, and tried wiping off all of the 3 in 1 oil that we could. We re-oiled with sewing machine oil. That clanka, clanka, clanka went on for a few weeks until the 3 in 1 oil was used up and the sewing machine oil kicked in. I mean to tell you that it was loud. We were embarrassed because we just knew the neighbors could hear it. So, when I would sew, we would shut the windows. We learned a big lesson about the value of sewing machine oil. The machine still purrs like a kitten. That’s one good sewing machine, cher. You know, I’ve never named this machine. I think I will name her Clothilde. While I’m at it, I think I will name the serger, Marie.
You know my goal of using up all of the sewing STUFF by October. Mais cher, I don’t think we are going to reach that goal, no. There was a lapse of control this morning. Now that George has finished the embroidery on the two 10 foot banners, we were discussing how to attach the banners to the tent. I have an “Idea” book (that’s what I call them), that a good friend gave me, filled with sewing projects. One section of the book has a tent and a banner, although their banner is decals. Nevertheless, they attached it with Velcro. I don’t have twenty feet of Velcro. Off to one of my favorite online stores, Cheaptrim. They, of course, had the Velcro and I purchased spools of it. They now require a minimum order. Look out shopping spree, here I come. I ordered Velcro in black, Velcro in white, two different spools of eyelet lace, venise lace, and sequin and beaded lace. Maybe if we do not count this new influx of STUFF, I can continue with my quest to use the other STUFF.
This morning we had a surprise at our Etsy store. A lady bought the red, white and blue set of koozies. George is off to mail them as I type this. These are actually the first koozies that I’ve sold. I don’t know why. I think those koozies are beautiful and functional. However, I have friends that tell me that they don’t fit the beer bottles, or they don’t fit the glasses that they use. They do fit soda and beer cans and they do have a bottom. I’ve made some sleeves for cans but I like something with a bottom to absorb the moisture and not leave a wet spot. Anyway, I may have an idea that makes everyone happy but I haven’t actually digitized it yet. It’s still in my head.
The Etsy store still needs a lot of TLC but I have been working on it this week, as evidenced by the sale this morning. I have sold handkerchiefs, cell phone pouches, totes, and now koozies. The thing that surprisingly didn’t sell was the hand towel with the Muwaa kissing lips. That will be for sale at the upcoming festival. There are some things, like the kissing lips, that are novelty type items and really don’t sell that well. What they do well is bring customers to the store to view the other items. It is not a loss.
I still haven’t finished the ribbon luggage tags. I need to but I don’t like them. In the meantime, the other luggage tags are fun and seem to be a hit. Some people want their names on the luggage tags and others do not, but simply want a design. Everyone seems to agree that they want the tags bright and colorful. I do suggest that when purchasing these luggage tags that you get the same design for each piece of your luggage, with an extra one for your purse. If there is ever a controversy over which piece of luggage belongs to you, you can pull your matching tag from your purse to match with the luggage. Since they have an eyelet for the ribbon or clip, just hang the extra one on your key ring for the duration of the trip. These luggage tags are approximately 3” round and we are charging $5.00 each or $7.00 for personalized tags. I used one the other day as a name tag on a birthday present. It was received well and now my friend has a luggage tag for when she travels.
Mama used to always put a red ribbon tied around the handle to her luggage. Eventually, enough other people realized what a good idea this was, and they began doing it, as well. I remember the last time I picked Mama up from the airport there were several bags on the conveyor belt with red ribbons. Now luggage tags are all en vogue. I’m telling you, my Mama started this trend.
The towels came in. We now have red, green, white, yellow, and hot pink fingertip towels. We also purchased “standard” bath towels. I was disappointed when I first pulled out a bath towel but then noticed a handwritten note on the shipping paper that said, “Towels are machine compressed to save on shipping. Wash and fluff.” I washed and dried one and just as stated, it fluffed. Who would have figured? It is a very nice towel but nothing that I would describe as luxurious. They will make very nice embroidered gifts. In fact, I’m pleased enough with them to embroider one for myself.
George’s wreck is now a thing of the past. The car is fixed and I have a happy husband once again.
The seeds did arrive and our fall garden is planted. We did plant radishes, which we said we would never plant again because we don’t eat them. But they grow from seed to harvest in just 20 days. They have already sprouted. Besides, I read someplace that they are a good bug repellant. Worth a shot!
I mentioned earlier about my girlfriend’s birthday. Her pillowcases were extraordinary. I am so proud of them. When I got home, I wanted to post the pictures. I could swear I took pictures of those pillowcases, but apparently not. I did post a jpg of the embroidery design but it’s not the same. My girlfriend loved her pillowcases. She is our Wednesday night cook and she loves to cook as much as I love to sew. The design was called Bon Appétit and was an Italian chef with a merman tail carrying a plate of steaming food with her last name embroidered to the side with steam coming off the name. It was beautiful.
Christmas is coming and customers are starting to do their Christmas shopping at Cajun Stitchery. Get this out of the way as soon as you can. For all who have businesses out there, remember that we also sell gift baskets.
Always remember that we are just a call or email away at cajunstitchery@yahoo.com or 850-261-2462 and place your order.
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One night, a torrential rain soaked South Louisiana; the
next morning the resulting floodwaters came up about 6 feet
into most of the homes there.
Mrs. Boudreaux was sitting on her roof with her neighbor,
Mrs. Thibodeaux, waiting for help to come.
Mrs. Thibodeaux noticed a lone baseball cap floating near the
house. Then she saw it float far out into the front yard,
then float all the way back to the house; it kept floating
away from the house, then back in.
Her curiosity got the best of her, so she asked Mrs.
Boudreaux, "Do you see that baseball cap floating away from
the house, then back again?"
Mrs. Boudreaux said, "Oh yes, that's my husband. I told him
he was going to mow the lawn today come Hell or high water!"
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French phrase of the week: Il s'a saoulé hier au soir. (He got drunk last night.)
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From: http://www.planetpals.com/eco_craft_ideas.html
Things to do with paper, gift wrap or cardboard:
Use it to cover and protect your schoolbooks
Make your own paper dolls be a fashion designer and design doll clothes
Cover the walls in your dollhouse with gift wrap for wallpaper
Use bags or newspaper particularly colorful comics, for gift wrap....
Use old gift wrap, comics or wallpaper to cover boxes or cans
Use the back side of bags or gift wrap as practice paper for painting or studying the alphabet
Use your practice paintings as gift wrap-they can be colorful and special!
Cut it in squares and use it to make origami
Make a book, or album - paper pages and cardboard cover-use string or ribbon to tie it together
Make homemade paper....we will be posting the recipe for paper soon-you can also get it from the library!
Make paper mache projects-we will be posting the recipe for paper mache soon-you can also get it from the library!
Please let me know if there is something that you would like to see in the weekly email. You may always call me at (850) 261-2462 or email me at cajunstitchery@yahoo.com.
If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list.
C’est tout, mes amis
Peggy Henshall
Cajun Stitchery
(850) 261-2462
cajunstitchery@yahoo.com
P.S. You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.
SALE OF THE WEEK (Good through Thursday, September 23, 2010)
SALE: Heavyweight Blend Long Sleeve Tee with embroidered name or initial = $18.00 plus tax/shipping
Jerzees T's and Fleece - #29LS
Heavyweight Blend Long Sleeve Tee
Colors: birch, black, forest green, maroon, oxford, true navy, red, royal blue, white
5.6 oz. 50% cotton/50% polyester. 1x1 ribbed crew neck collar & cuffs. Cover seaming on front neck. Taped shoulder-to-shoulder. Set-in sleeves. Tubular. Two-needle hemmed bottom.
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