Cajun Corner - Vol. 3, No. 45

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 45 – November 11, 2011

Bon Jour!  Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

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Don’t forget to visit our blog at www.cajunstitchery.blogspot.com, and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.   We are also on Twitter and Facebook. 

Visit our on-line catalogs at:

http://www.imprintit.biz/cgi-bin/cobrand/site.w?location=olc/catalog-home.w&top=catalog&frasmes=no&target=main&sponsor=000699

and www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery.

Veteran’s Day is coming to an end.  The Blue Angels Air Show was right over our house today.  It was a fabulous celebration.  The air show continues tomorrow, as well.

I’m lined up to have a booth at Gallery Night on November 18^th  in downtown Pensacola and at the Perdido Bay Golf Club on November 26^th.  Don’t forget to buy from local small businesses on November 26^th.  It occurred to me this week that the reason people shop at malls is because all of the stores are under one roof.  Just telling people to shop local small businesses is not good enough.  How are people going to find small businesses who work out of their homes, like me?  So, I made a suggestion to our wonderful Women’s Business Luncheon group that we need to find places to gather and have booths on the 26^th.  I really thought the perfect venue would be our Small Business Development Center.  I asked if we would be allowed to set up in their parking lot, which is just on the outskirts of downtown.  I still haven’t received a response.  In the meantime, another member has arranged for us to set up at the Perdido Bay Golf Club from 1-5 p.m.  She set aside a table and chair for Cajun Stitchery.  So, that’s where we are going to be.  If you are in the area, come on over to Perdido Bay Golf Club on Saturday, November 26^th between 1-5 p.m.   Meet some of your local small businesses and do your Christmas shopping.  Of course, it would be nice if there were areas set up all over town to spotlight our local small businesses.

It is getting busy now.  I’ve been working with several friends trying to learn how to make cold calls.  It really all started last weekend.  I was messaging a friend and was still pondering why people loved my merchandise at the craft fair, they touched, they commented, but then would walk away without purchasing anything.  I’m thinking that I am doing something wrong.  So, while we were messaging, she decided that I need to meet a lady who owns a new local small business.  Before the conversation was over I had an appointment for Tuesday.  Tuesday arrived and I did meet with the lady.  I made up a packet of information about Cajun Stitchery and embroidery, including my price list.  I brought one of my catalogs and even created a sample embroidered logo for her to see my work.  I walked in wearing my black fleur de lis scarf with rhinestones.  Another friend happened to be there and she really did all of the work for me.  She told the owner how she orders her embroidery from me and is a completely satisfied customer.  The rest was just chit chat.  Once her logo is done by her graphic designer, she is going to send it to me to have digitized and embroidered on aprons and smocks.  She also wants some scarves made.  We had a very pleasant conversation and have even arranged to meet again next week.  It was a good meeting.

Later, I thanked my friend and was telling her about the meeting when she decided that I needed to come to her office and practice cold calls.   While we sat and chatted I told her that was probably the first cold call that I’ve ever made.  In disbelief she asked how I got business.  I said, “I have a lot of friend and I talked about embroidery a lot.”  In fact, all of my business is via word of mouth.  At this she said that I needed to meet with a friend who is some sort of executive at Circle K.  That was humorous because that night George and I were going to our weekly Scrabble game which included a friend who is an executive at Circle K.  She wants me to put my can wraps on consignment. 

That evening I talked with my friend who said this probably is a good idea.  If I can get this lady to put my can wraps in her local Circle K stores on consignment, then we will be able to see how they sell.  I sent the introductory email to the lady today but so far have not received a response.  So, say a prayer that this works.  In fact, George and I are talking about printing out labels saying, “Made in the USA” to put on the can wraps and everything else that I make.  The nice thing about the can wraps is that they already have their own Can Wrap Rap by 2-Short Cajun Mama.

While I was on my first cold call, the lady showed me The Square.  Right now the only way that I can accept payment via credit cards is through PayPal.  The reason is because the credit card machine cost money, there’s a monthly fee, all in addition to a percentage taken from each credit card swipe.  The Square, however, is a little one inch device that plugs into the top of a smart phone.  It is the credit card swiper.  There is still a percentage charged for each swipe but no bulky machine and no monthly charge.  Now I can accept credit cards at craft fairs, home parties, wherever I am at the time.  I would rather carry a debit or credit card on me than cash.  I assume others feel the same way.  So, George and I have ordered 2 smart phones from AT&T which should arrive on Monday.  We have rearranged our phone package so don’t be alarmed if I’m off line and without phone service on Monday.

My birthday carried over into this week.  I finally had to quit eating completely except for all of the wonderful dinners and wine that I’m receiving.  My Wednesday night ladies were wonderful, as usual.  Our little nurse was still wearing her nurse’s hat from last week.  I received even more birthday presents this week.  As George says, “Looks like this birthday is going to last all month.”  Sure hope so.

Before I forget, I still have the box for non-perishable food for the homeless shelters.  If you are in the area, drop off some non-perishables.  The food drive is going on to December.

I still have some red and white, regular furry Christmas Stockings, approximately 17 inches long.  I will be glad to embroider a name on them for $7.00 each (includes the stocking).  I also made a pattern for a regular Christmas stocking, same size, which is pretty simple.  I’ll make the stocking and add the name for $12.00.  Let me know if you are interested. They are fully lined.  Fabric will change depending on what I have available at the time of the order.

All cell phone holders in our Etsy store are half price ($5.00), so stop by www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com and get some cute cell phone holders as gifts for Christmas.

CHRISTMAS is around the corner.  Get that Christmas shopping done now and enjoy the holidays.

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. 

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Thank you Marshall Larrivere for the following:

Boudreaux opened the morning newspaper and was

dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He

quickly phoned his best friend, Landry.

“Did you see the paper?” asked Boudreaux. “They

say I died!!”

“Yes, I saw it!” replied Landry. “Where ya callin' from?”

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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.

Cajun Corner Vol 1, No 33

Cajun Corner – Vol. 1, No. 33 – JANUARY 8, 2010


Bon Jour! Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

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Don’t forget to visit our blog at http://www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com/ often.

Remember my miraculous tomatoes that were producing tomatoes in December? They are gone. It’s cold. Our yard looks like it went into shock. The temperature this week had and has lows into the 20’s most of the week. My dogs are house dogs and go outside to do their business. This week there has been no smelling the roses when they go out. They are out and then in. Baby, it’s cold outside.

Yesterday would have been Mama’s 92nd birthday. Happy Birthday, Mama. My Aunt Philo will turn 91 later this year.

January 2nd was George’s birthday. We had the neighborhood birthday party at a neighbor’s home. These surprise parties really are no longer surprises. We all know they are coming but it is fun to act surprised. The routine is that everyone arrives a half hour before the birthday boy or girl, to prepare. We were to arrive at 5:30. At 5:00 George called our neighbor and said that he’s watching our other neighbors walk to her house with food in hand. The party was, of course, delightful. The neighbor who had family down from Georgia brought them to the party. By the time they left, they were thinking about buying a house in the neighborhood. It has turned into a great place to live.

We finally posted our New Year’s Resolutions on the blog this week. It is going to be a great year with a lot of diversity and fun.

The Mardi Gras season begins today for me. The Krewe has our den and we move in today. Tomorrow is our King Kake Party at Paradise Inn where we crown our new King and Queen and officially open the Mardi Gras season on the beach. If you can, please come out to Paradise Inn tomorrow at 3 p.m. for the party. Tonight we are all putting our raffle baskets together and getting our decorations out of storage.

This week we embroidered jackets for the Krewe of Junkanoo. Hope I remember to post photographs of those jackets. I am proud of the embroidery, not only because it turned out beautiful, but also because I digitized it. We also embroidered and digitized 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize aprons for their Chili Cook Off. Everything turned out great – except that I forgot to take photographs of the aprons. Maybe one of my Junkanoo friends will do that for me. We are working on more of their jackets today.

As I mentioned last week, we are on etsy.com now. I had made a couple of pair of white fingerless gloves a/k/a arm warmers with cute fish embroidered on them. Those two pair were the first and only items on Etsy so far. I keep making more of those gloves and before I can put them on Etsy, they are gone. This past Wednesday night we had two birthday celebrations at our Wednesday night girls gathering and I gave a pair to each of the ladies. They love them. Who would have known they would be so popular? The gloves are made out of jersey a/k/a t-shirt fabric and very comfortable. The nicest thing is since it is jersey, you can throw it in the washer and dryer.

One of the girls mentioned that we need to have a special name for these fingerless gloves, something that says they are a Cajun Stitchery design. I am definitely open to suggestions. The whole glove thing made me remember a story that Mama used to tell me. When Mama, Philo, Odette, and Lillian were little girls they would go to their grandmother’s house. They called their grandmother Landry, Mom. Several of their uncles were young adults at the time and they had a pool table and would play cards and other things upstairs in the house. They did not want the little girls in there. So, Mom would tell the little girls that they could not go through the door (which actually went into the room with the boys) because Madam Grand Doigt would get them. Please forgive my spelling but translated it meant Mrs. Long Fingers. I think this is such a cute story and can picture those little girls scared of Madam Grand Doigt. Interestingly, I have since heard other Cajuns mention Madam Grand Doigt and apparently that was a pretty common story at the time. The best I can figure is that they used Madam Grand Doigt like we do the Boogie Man will get you. Every time I think of those fingerless gloves, for some reason, I think of Madam Grand Doigt. Maybe we should call them Madam Grand Doigt gloves. What do you think?

This week has been so busy that I don’t know if I’m coming or going. George has been downstairs working on the Junkanoo stuff and I’ve been upstairs working on the fingerless gloves. One thing that I wanted to do this week is visit my favorite store – Fabric Outlet in Cantonment. Yesterday, we did just that. We came home with a garbage bag full of fabric. While traveling to the store, I thought of a much better way to make the gloves. It takes more fabric but less time – and they are fully lined which makes them warmer. Last night I tried out my theory and it’s perfect.

While at Fabric Outlet, I also purchased fabric for table runners. I’m getting ready to do my pretty Mardi Gras table now. I also purchased a bunch of fabric that was a good deal. George laughed. He asked what I was going to do with all of that fabric and I was telling him the jersey would be the fingerless gloves, the satiny fabric would be the runners, and the other fabric was a great deal and I had to have it.
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 day Boudreax and Thibodaux were watching TV. A good commercial about a movie came on and it said, "Coming To A Theatre Near You." Boudreaux looked at Thibodaux and said, "Thib how they know where we live?"

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French phrase of the week: uni (adj.) 1. united. 2. smooth. C'est mieux de danser dessus un plancher qu'est bien uni. (It's better to danse on a floor that is nice and smooth.)

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Many businesses use promotional products that allow people to see what their business is all about. A new idea with these type of products are products that are good for the environment. This includes products that are made from substances that will easily decompose. There are many websites that show all the products that are available that people can use to promote their businesses. (It would also be a good idea to mention to the businesses that you would prefer something eco-friendly to something non-eco-friendly.)

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 new catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

Cajun Stitchery