SALE!

All cup sleeves are $2 off in Chocolate Dog Studio!

Stop by and say hi!

Karen Stewart

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateDogStudio

 







 

Goals...

I received a wonderful package in the mail last week when my Mom was visiting. I restrained myself and only opened the packages to make sure that the order was right. I set goals for myself to help me finish my projects. I received my yarn that I had mail ordered and I was right it is softer and brighter than what is available locally. I bravely pushed it back into the bag and set it aside. I have two other fish to fry before I can start on the new yarn. It is calling to me. =0) I have two afghans started the zig zag, chevrony  ripple and another diagonal afghan. I am making myself finish both before starting on the new yarn. Mom was visiting so I just spent about 7 days not really creating anything and I think I am refreshed and ready to begin again.



This post was supposed to be about setting goals. So these are my goals for June. I always use bullet points as it helps me realize that these goals aren't in any certain order. I have a bunch of sewing to do as our oldest son is coming in July and he takes the majority of my www.ChocolateDogStudio.com photographs. I bribed him to come (not that he didn't want to come anyway.) but I mentioned that I had some work for him and would pay his gas for the trip. It helps if there is a bunch for him to do.

Business goals:

• Finish three afghans


• Start three more


• Sew 50+ cup cozies in new styles


• Sew the 30+ new items I need him to photograph


• Make the new Christmas items....


• Blog more consistently


• Write a business plan

Family goals:

• Take two summery day trips every week


• Make some meals for the freezer for THOSE days when I just really need them


• Help K get her things ready for College....


• Take T for driving practice


• Exercise


• Make the kitchen a better place to be, using things I already have. (It seems small and I really have to work at loving being in there.)


• Make the curtains in the living fit the windows better and the hems the same length (I threw these curtains up when I realized that the bamboo shades are see through at night with the lights on.) 

Rather lofty goals aren't they. I also have some personal ones that I have not added to this list.

Personal goals:

• Work through my Bible study that I stopped this Spring.


• Have us sit at the table for dinners 5 nights a week.


• Keep my kitchen and laundry caught up and ready for action.


• Have some friends over for dinner...or coffee or dessert or something.


• Read some books about homeschooling


• Attend the home school curriculum sale this weekend.


• Help with the Youth at church at least 2 times a month.

Wow, I had better stop before I organize the world....lol.

Do you have goals for your summer or do you just let it happen? Can you share two of your goals for June? I would love to know that I am not alone. Summer seems busier than the school year.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

 

 

Mug Cozy Pattern...

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Friends are great. I have a long time friend, Dawn. We have known each other since high school. She has encouraged, and listened and put up with me for a long, long time. She also teaches sewing, quilting and worked for some big names in the sewing and fabric industries. Not too long ago she encouraged me to sell patterns of my mug and coffee cozies.  She even offered to help me edit the instructions. She did and I finished up with some photos on the instructions. Chocolate Dog Studio now has its first pattern for sale. I am so excited to be able to offer this pattern to you. You can now make your own mug cozies!

Dawn, Thank you for all of your help and encouragement.

Karen

 

Something New out of Something Old

A couple of months back an internet friend sent me some lovely doilies and vintage napkins. They had seen some wear and weren't quite suitable to sell as doilies. So my friend Renee from http://www.wakeuptheangel.etsy.com sent them to me. As I washed and pressed them, I thought of all of the lovely things I could make. They ended up sitting on my work table for several weeks while I decided the best use for them. Here they are waiting on me to think up some lovely cozy use for them.



Here are a few of the finished cozies, ready to go into the shop this week.







The fabric for these two beauties is up-cycled and fussy cut to make the most of the stripes. There is a lot of work that goes into each of these cozies to make sure that I make the most of the vintage linens and doilies. The doilies had some holes and were not fit for their usual purpose. I can't wait to show you some of the other new cozies. I have some more modern looking quilted cozies and then some more up-cycled cozies.

I know it has been awhile since I last posted, but we had a senior graduating from High School and it was taking my full concentration. Then there was a mini-vacation to see family. We are now back home and just dealing with life which will be full of acclimating a dog back into our house, a wisdom tooth extraction, grocery shopping and the beginning of Summer! The kids on our street were playing outside last night as we drove home and it was a huge reminder of how quickly they grow and how little time I have left with the two still in school.

Karen

Spring Sale at Chocolate Dog Studio

It is time for my Spring Sale.

Check out the shop, fill your shopping basket and then type in this coupon code: Spring30 for 30% off anything in my shop!



See you later!

Karen

New Cup Cozies

After getting together with my photographer over the Thanksgiving Weekend I have new listings in the Http://www.chocolatedogstudio.etsy.com shop. Woohoo, I am excited and made up a bunch of new ones that I think appeal more to the guys in your life. So here they are!

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Which one do you like best?

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

A little of the New!

Here are some photos of items in process and then some finished goodies.



 

 

 

Here is the almost finished product.



 

Glass and glitter makes for a hard photo to shoot!

Some new cozy fabric:



 

 

Some new coasters:



I have a whole bunch of new Christmas gift tags, but they are already packaged up and ready to go. Don't let me forget the vintage tea towel aprons that are hanging up! My greatest fear is that I will forget something vital like the tins full of gift tags and Christmas paper flowers for gift wrapping or the post it note holders...

See you later,

Karen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oklahoma State Cowboys day!

In Honor of the OSU Cowboys doing so well this season I am offering my cowboy cup cozies for sale $6 off. This offer is only available on my Facebook pages. So take a look and order. There are only five available.

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Oh, I also have these if you want one of these for the same price. I also have five of these!

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Remember check out the facebook page to order these. They are also $6 ea.

GO POKES!

talk to you later!

Karen

Heartsy.me Feature

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ChocolateDogStudio is featured on Heartsy.me with an incredible 68% savings. Come on by and shop for Christmas, birthdays or just any reason at all! I have never priced my items this low before!  http://heartsy.me/shops/6433-chocolate-dog-studio

 

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Some new just listed and one re-listed cup cozy design.

Talk to you later!

Karen