Cajun Corner - Vol. 4, No. 40

 

Cajun Corner – Vol. 4, No. 40 – October 20, 2012

 

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

 

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit us at www.cajunstitchery.com, www.flickr.com/photos/cajunstitchery, 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.

About six months ago one of my cousins moved to Pensacola.  We have been trying to get together ever since she moved here.  It is always one thing or another preventing us from meeting face-to-face.  Finally, this week we met.  Her daughter, my 3^rd cousin, is going to be a flower girl in a wedding today and her dress needed to be altered.  They came over on Wednesday and we finally got to meet each other.  I must say that I was captivated by five year old Claire who was inquisitive and into everything and could charm the socks off of you, as she did me.  They returned on Friday to pick up Claire’s now altered dress and she proceeded to charm George. 

Claire was quite taken with the mermaids at the house and I told her that once a year, on Mardi Gras, I turn into a mermaid.  She is no dummy and questioned the possibility:  “So, do you have powers?” she inquired.  “Yes, I do,” was my answer.  “Show me,” she said.  Her mother piped in and told her that when you have powers you only use them when necessary and you never abuse your powers.  I explained that I only have powers once a year on Mardi Gras.  She walked around and played, then came back and asked why I had so many mermaids hanging on my walls.  Her mother came back with an absolutely fabulous explanation by saying, “You know how we have pictures of our family at our house?  These mermaids are her family.”  That seemed to satisfy little Claire who is now waiting for Mardi Gras so she can see my powers.

Cajun Stitchery made some new purchases lately.  The first one is called Peggy’s Eraser.  It is almost identical to an electric razor but used to remove embroidery stitches.  We had purchased a regular electric razor but decided that it doesn’t remove stitches as well as one made for that function.  Besides, Peggy should have one named Peggy’s Eraser.  It just seems right.  Peggy’s Eraser has not arrived yet but should in the next week or two.

The other recent purchase that we are waiting to receive in the mail is a 6”x12” hoop for Clothilde.  Boudreaux has all shapes and sizes of hoops but poor Clothilde has some very large hoops and only two sizes of smaller ones.  A few months back we purchased fast frames for Clothilde.  Now we can embroider those market baskets, totes and various object that are hard to hoop.  The new hoop is adjustable.  It can be 6x12 or 12x6.  There are several reasons that this is a good idea.  One is that used as a 6x12 hoop, we can hoop pant legs and sleeves.  That opens up some really cool embroidery ideas and possibilities.  As a 12x6 hoop, it gives more stability to smaller designs and monograms.

We had our first fire of the season in our chiminea this week and are planning more as the weather permits.  In fact, tonight might be perfect.

Another recent purchase was a solar smart phone charger.  You know I love alternative energy things.  It arrived and not only charges the smart phone but also can be used as a LED light.  That is pretty cool to have in my purse when I’m out at night.  I haven’t tried charging the phone with it yet.  They say that it does take some time to charge via the solar charger but I’m pretty impressed with it.  I know they have solar chargers for laptops.  Maybe I’ll save up my pennies and buy one of those next.

Last night was our krewe’s monthly meeting.  Our meetings are held at a different krewe member’s home each month.  This month the décor was Halloween and the house was decorated quite cute.  It turns out that our hostess is another Pinterest addict.  She turned so many of those cute ideas on Pinterest into reality. 

Speaking of Pinterest, I found an item on Pinterest that said to take a bottle of vinegar, poke holes in the top, and put it in the toilet tank.  The vinegar is a non-toxic way of cleaning the toilet bowl and with the extra mass in the tank, you save on water.  We tried it.  It took a few days for the ring around the bowl to start fading but it does seem to be keeping the bowl clean. 

Don’t forget to get your Christmas shopping done early.

Have a wonderful week.

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. 

No time to read Cajun Corner?  Visit our blog at www.cajunstitchery.blogspot.com and click the Odiogo button to hear the computer read the blog.

SURVEY:

What type of item category would you like to see most at Cajun Stitchery?

a.                   apparel

b.                  home décor

c.                   beach

d.                  gift ideas

e.                   trending

f.                   other (please explain)

What type of designs would you like to see most at Cajun Stitchery?

a.                   Cartoon

b.                  Children

c.                   holiday

d.                  heirloom

e.                   sayings

f.                   monograms

g.                  other (please explain)

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. 3, No. 47

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 47 – November 26, 2011

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

ΘΘΘΘΘ

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.

Hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving.

We spent Thanksgiving Day with friends.  It was the usual fair of eating until you could barely breathe, took a walk, and then we played an enticing game of Scrabble.  It really was a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We have so much for which to be thankful.

We are still learning our smart phones and still having issues with our U-verse.  Earlier this week the internet went down, again.  This time they sent a repairman who seems to think the problem is in the AT&T wires and not our home wiring.  The internet came up again and we were happy.  It went down again today requiring us to call, again.  We are back on the internet now.  It comes and goes.  I sure wish they would fix the problem.

Today I received The Square.  The Square is the entire reason we got the smart phones and the U-verse in the first place.  The Square allows Cajun Stitchery to accept credit cards.  I must have Wi-Fi available so it should work at the house.  I’m going to the Perdido Bay Golf Club this afternoon where we will have a booth with other local small businesses.  I sure hope we can get Wi-Fi there so I can accept credit cards. 

Buy from local small businesses day is a great idea.  There has been a lot of publicity.  I’m thinking that most shoppers want to buy from local small businesses but the prices that many small businesses have to charge is more than people pay at the Wal-Mart type businesses.  In addition to that, it is the day after Black Friday when shoppers are really hyped about getting bargains.  Cajun Stitchery has drastically reduced the price on many of our items that we will be selling today.  We are also looking into various machines that will help us produce a better product and be able to reduce prices at the same time.  The problem, of course, is that the machines cost a lot of money that we would have to recoup.

The boring needles came in.  I’m a little nervous about using them and I’m waiting for my friend to try her’s first.  I read as much literature as I could find on them, including watching some videos.  It just appears that an attachment is necessary.  I contacted the manufacturer of our machine but they never returned my call.

If anyone is interested in bath robes, let me know.  I’m getting ready to place an order for some waffle weave robes, 48” long, hotel quality, one size fits all.  They are going to cost about $50 each, plus shipping.  Of course, the more I purchase, the lower the shipping rate.

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. 

===============================================================

Thank you Marshall Larrivere for the following:

Walking into the bar, Boudreaux said to Charlie

the bartender, “Pour me a stiff one - just had another fight with the

little wife.”

“Oh yeah?” said Charlie, “And how did this one end?”

“When it was over,” Boudreaux replied, “She came

to me on her hands and knees.”

“Really,” said Charles, “Now that's a switch!?

What did she say?”

She said, “Come out from under the bed, you little

coward.”

=================================================================

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. 3, No. 46

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 46 – November 18, 2011

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

ΘΘΘΘΘ

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.

This week has been spent with a new internet Wi-Fi system and new smart phones.  All of which I’ve been tempted to throw out the window at least a couple of times this week.  It all began when my friend showed me The Square.  The Square is a little one inch square, plug-in mechanism to enable me to accept credit card payments.  It plugs into the top of a smart phone.  The phone has The Square App (program) and voila, I can accept credit cards.  But you do have to have a smart phone.  I can accept credit cards via PayPal but not all of my business is over the internet.  Customers come to my house, or I go to them, occasionally.  There is always the issue of craft fairs and the like.  I rarely carry cash on me and expect others are the same.  With The Square I just need to have a Wi-Fi connection and I can sell my wares on the go.  I’ve never had the credit card machine because there is a monthly fee, a fee for the machine, and a fee per transaction.  It is expensive.  I’ve noticed in the past year or two more and more businesses, especially the government, accepts credit cards or debit cards but they charge you a fee to use credit.  That is because of the fees charged to them.  The Square is absolutely free and there is no monthly fee, only a small per transaction fee, similar to PayPal.  I expect people will start seeing The Square often because it is just such a good deal all the way around.

The first thing was to get the smart phone.  George and I still had the little Razor cell phones and our old Cingular phone plan which was grandfathered into our AT&T bill when AT&T consumed Cingular.  Other than our cell phones, we still had our land line and our DSL for our computers.  I held off getting rid of the land line for a long time.  After Ivan hit in 2004, our cell phones didn’t work because all of the air waves were over loaded with all of the calls, but our trusty land line worked like a charm and I was able to call FEMA and our insurance company as the hurricane was passing by.  It was time now to get rid of the land line.  It has been seven years since Ivan and I’m sure the over loaded air wave issues have been remedied with all of the new technology.  So, we called AT&T and got rid of everything we had and put in a new U-verse internet system and smart phones. 

As the days went by waiting for the new hardware, we worried about what problems we would have setting everything up ourselves.  We read the AT&T tutorials.  When we first had the DSL installed, I ended up in tears talking with the AT&T tech that was helping us.  It was pure exhaustion.  This time I went ahead and called the AT&T tech before we even got the equipment trying to troubleshoot the “what ifs”.  Finally, the U-verse arrived.  We couldn’t install until Monday when a real, live person came to the house to do something with our wiring.  As he left, he told us that we were ready to install the U-verse and to go ahead.  He left.  We installed.  It worked.  Unbelievable!  We received the smart phones the same day and the box had a message to fully charge the battery before turning on the phone.  We plugged them in.  Then we needed to transfer our phone numbers from our old SIM card to the new one.  Well, how do you do that?  One way was to get online and read the tutorial.  At that time, we did not have internet yet.  The other way showed us a step-by-step set of instructions.  We followed each step.  We got to a point where it asked if we wanted to “override”.  We didn’t know if we did or not but it looked like a good thing to do, so we did.  Oops.  We wiped out our numbers.  So, if I had your number, I don’t anymore.  Please call and give me your number – or email me.

We finally got the smart phones working.  Not sure they are as smart as they claim to be though.  The first thing we decided is that we needed to know how to place a call and receive a call.  Amazingly, that was a monumental task.  Once we figured out how to place a call to the other one, then we couldn’t figure out how to answer the call before it went to voice mail.  And God only know how to locate voice mail.  Luckily, that evening we were meeting with neighbors and everyone had to see the phone.  I received so much instruction on that phone and it was all going in one ear and out the other.  The more we played with the phones, the more we began learning.  We still have a long way to go but we can place a call, answer a call, find voice mail, and insert contacts from numbers that call us.  We can even get online via the smart phone.  Hooray!

Then on Tuesday our computers showed a page that said our Wi-Fi was not working and that we need to put a filter on whatever is on our phone line such as a fax machine or security system.  Hmmmm.  The only thing on our phone line now is the Wi-Fi that is not working.  The page on the computer suggested going to other websites.  Hellooo, the computer is not working.  We cannot get online to go to any websites.  We called AT&T.  These calls to AT&T are a minimum of an hour and sometimes 3 hours.  We had to take George’s laptop upstairs and physically connect it to the U-verse box and type in a bunch of numbers and, I guess, reset the whole thing.  “Mr. and Mrs. Henshall,” said the tech, “you should be good to go now.”  Indeed, we were back online.  Until Thursday, when we got the same page on both computers and we were, once again, down.  Try as we may, we couldn’t get back online.  So, we called AT&T, again.  They got us back online.  “Mr. and Mrs. Henshall,” said the tech, “you should be good to go now.  Do you have any other questions?”  At this point, I said, “I just need to know if we are going to have to call AT&T once every day or two in order to get back online.  If that is the case, I need to include you on my calendar of things to do.”  By this time, George began overriding me and telling the gentleman, “Thank you for all of your help.”

Yes, we have lightning speed Wi-Fi internet now – that comes and goes – and smart phones that are so smart we cannot always figure them out.  For instance, when I open up the phone, there are several icons to press for whatever I want to do, such as, contact, phone, email, apps, browser, market, and other things.  A friend of mine put a “gallery” on that page so I could see my photos.  Did I mention the phone takes pictures?  Well, now in addition to the “gallery” there is a “mini diary”.  Where did that come from and why?  I think the phone wants me to keep a diary.  I’m thinking that phone is so smart that it just wants to know all of my personal stuff and laugh at me.  No way am I keeping a diary on that phone.  It’s probably the AT&T tech that I wised off to that wants me to keep a diary.  Uh-uh, buddy.  You are not going to see my personal stuff.

Alas, I did order The Square.  The only reason we put up with AT&T this week was to get The Square.  I now have an app on the smart phone that is awaiting The Square.  I guess it will be arriving in the next week or two and I will finally be able to accept credit cards.

My embroidery tech friend who lives in Orlando called me the other day.  She found the boring needles and is sending me two of them.  Each of these needles costs $25.  That’s right folks, $25 per needle, and that is discounted because she bought a bulk package of 10 needles.  These needles bore holes in fabric for cutwork or eyelets.  This should not only automatically cut the eyelets out of my can wraps, but make the eyelets much neater and prettier.  When I get the needles, I need to learn how to use them.  Boudreaux does have a boring needle setting.  I just need to learn how to use it.  I’m very excited about this.  In fact, I don’t think a lot of embroiderers use boring needles.

All of the AT&T interaction backed me up in my work significantly.  I had planned, and paid for, a spot at Gallery Night.  I needed to make Christmas stockings to sell and have been working on them all week.  I was only able to make 5 or 6 stockings between everything else this week.  Also, I created a new can wrap.  This one has a pocket.  Then came the can wraps with initials.  In the meantime, I was filling various orders.  Since I didn’t make Gallery Night, all of this is for sale.  The stockings are $15.00 each, fully lined in red with “Merry Christmas” embroidered on the cuff.  You are not going to find Christmas stockings like this anywhere else.  The can wraps, of course, are $7.00 each.  So, pretend that we are at Gallery Night and let’s start shopping:>)

I’m lined up to have a booth Perdido Bay Golf Club on November 26^th.  Don’t forget to buy from local small businesses on November 26^th.  It would be nice if there were areas set up all over town to spotlight our local small businesses.

Yes, we are still celebrating my birthday this week.

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.  Now I’m going to have to design a smart phone holder.

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. 

===============================================================

Thank you Marshall Larrivere for the following:

A Parish priest is driving down to New Orleans

from Alexandria and gets stopped for speeding . The state trooper

smells alcohol on the priest's breath and then sees an empty wine

bottle on the floor of the car.

He says, “Sir, have you been drinking?”

“Just water,” says the priest.

The trooper says, “Then why do I smell wine?”

The priest looks at the bottle and says, “Good Lord!

He's done it again!”

=================================================================

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. 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.

ΘΘΘΘΘ

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. 

===============================================================

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?”

=================================================================

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.