How's everyone been?

I've been very busy the last few months, not that I'm not always busy, but I guess you could say it's a good thing. There's lots of news regarding Mustard Seed Originals.

First off, allow me to share my newest offering in Create and Decorate magazine HERE

I love the way he turned out. If you don't have a subscription I hear the magazine won't be hitting the shelves until June 15th, but the pattern for this patriotic guy is included and so are 75 other great projects. You'll be glad you purchased it.

They also did a write up on my business on page 54 with several of my designs. Judi did a great job on it. Let me know what you think, will you? It's always nice to get feedback. I'm also selling a new pattern called "Boos Brother" for fall in my ad on page 15. It will be listed under patterns next week on my website so you can get an early start on those fall/halloween designs.

Onto another subject, is it just my imagination, but does it seem that folks aren't blogging much lately? I kind of think most people are doing the facebook thing and the blogs are on the back burner. What's your thinking on this?

TDIPT's June's issue is up for browsing. I've already sold the Parade Watchers but "Saluting the Brave"

is still available along with

"Mr.Moon N Kitty" an early halloween paperclay design, all handformed~no molds used~ design. Of course both are original and one of a kind and closeups can be seen HERE .

That's all for today, be safe and have fun whatever you do

I made an awful mistake of not backing up my email addresses; and consequently when my new (Aug 09)computer (Gateway) crashed I lost all of my mailing list addresses. So if you're one of my customers who were on my mailing list, please email me so I can add you to my new mailing list.

I had heard that Gateway were not that great brand of computer, however, after dealing with Hewlett Packard, I decided that Gateway was probably better than HP. HA!! 1 week after my purchase my new computer crashed...and now again this last week. This time it is sent away for a new hard drive. From what the geeksquad guy says..this happens all the time with computers!! Thank goodness I paid for the blacktie service, because I should expect to get my computer back in 3-4 weeks...without any data being saved because I didn't pay the extra $100.00...money, money, money..didn't I pay enough already???

Onto better news...Did you hear about the giveaway we are having over at TDIPT Mercantile? Check it out HERE Lots of great items to win. I even contributed one of my primitive santie makedos. Also check out our "Fall Into Christmas" booklets filled with all sorts of recipes, tips, and several patterns including one from me of my scarecrows. It is well worth the $6.95. Would make great gifts for the upcoming holidays. All funds go to charities - Miracle Network and ASPCA for animals. So be sure to check it out.

I also have several santie makedos for sale over at Humblearts. Watch for some new holiday designs on Pfatt Marketplace on the 10th and The Primitive Gathering on the 15th.

Tomorrow's going to be a FUN day for me. My dd and I are going to a sewing, craft festival in Pomona, California. It happens 2 times a year and I missed it the last few years. We always go to some thrift shops around that area too. We recently lost our biggest thrift shop last month and are down to just a few littler ones. Bummer!

I'm having a sale off all my Fall, Halloween designs on my website....25% off..with this password "autumn".Click HEREHope to hear from you,till later, keep safe.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Summer is in full force here at the Stevens household. I have been trying to update my website with alot of fall and Christmas designs while it's slow.

Between that, I have been making homemade laundry detergent. If you haven't made any, or tried it, you are missing out! It cleans so much better than storebought and costs so little. It makes everything very soft too. Here's a big ole batch I made the other day. I tripled the recipe so I don't have to make it so often. I store mine in plastic Hawaiian Punch bottles that we go through like water. They hold 1 gallon. In this particular batch I used Zote soap, that's why it's a pretty pink. However, I used Ivory Soap last time and I think I'll stick w/the Ivory. Just personal preference.

How's your pocketbook holding up in all this crazieness with gas prices, food increases, etc etc etc..Alot of folks are losing their homes here in California. Thank goodness we are not one of them. We have alot of taxes on everything here and our gas tax is crazy. However, hubs said that the price is going down. Duh yeah, when people aren't purchasing it. I heard on the news that the gasoline companies made another HUGE profit. I can't believe those jerks actually have the gall to broadcast what profits they are making, all the while taking from the middle class and poor. It's a crime!!

Okay, I'm off my soapbox about that. Can't control it, why worry about it.

On another note, wanted to let you all know that Eric is now on a 30 day leave and is back home in Phoenix visiting with my grandson and his parents. He will then report back to his home base in New York, and await arrival of the rest of his unit and be discharged in November. My daughter said his hand looks pretty bad but that's to be expected. Oh by the way..found out he had a staph infection in the bone of his wrist. Don't know how he got it. So thanks for the prayers and expressions of concern. Please remember to keep all the servicemen and women in your prayers.

Sometimes in my "spare" (which is rare) time on the computer, I like to find new blogs that I wouldn't really search for. Back in November of 2007 I found this blog of a Christian Love Story author named Kristy Dykes. She was a beautiful women inside and out. And although I never knew her personally, I kept up with her blog as best I could. She was diagnosed with brain cancer (the kind that Sen. Kennedy has, I believe)around that time.

Her faith in Jesus Christ was nothing more than simply amazing!! She was such a perfect example of what Christ is like!!! If you ever get a chance, check out her blog. Her husband, Milton, is a pastor at their local church, of course, Kristy was a pastor's wife. He is continuing the blog with memories of their life together. It is a perfect love story in itself.Click Here to readI tried to reduce her picture but it wouldn't take. Sorry so big. But isn't she beautiful?

Now for some upbeat, positive stuff..I have been creating alot of new fall designs like I stated above. Plus all the many primitive co-op websites that I'm on have some awesome designs for sale. Be sure to check them out.

To help ya out click on these links PFATT MARKETPLACE; TDIPT MERCANTILE; THE PRIMITIVE GATHERING; HUMBLE ARTS; and SIMPLY PRIMITIVES Some good eye candy for ya on those places. Be sure to check em all out. Also, like I said, I added some great fall/christmas items on my website, here's a few up for adoption, Let me know if you see anything in the slideshow or on my website you can't resist.

One last thing that I want to share w/you is my trip last Saturday to the Quilt Festival in Long Beach, California. We were so happy to finally have a place to come together and be able to purchase some awesome stuff. Course, being a fabriholic, this was a bad place on my pocketbook to say the least, but I tried to contain myself and promised myself that "I WILL USE THIS FABRIC OR KIT". I am determined, and I have to say that I have successfully completed a kit that I purchased about 2 years ago hehe. That's because I received some injections from my pain management doctor and had to take it easy, so I handstitched the woolen pincushions (applique). The design was by Lisa Bongean from Primitive Gatherings which used to be "Backyard Quilts".

WOOO HOOO YOU FOUND IT>>NOW JUST EMAIL ME AND TELL ME THE TITLE OF THE POST IT'S IN to get another entry in the box. GOOD LUCK-- She has so many awesome designs and they are much better looking that on her website. Check out her site. Awesome stuff!! It's okay to Drool hehe

With that I leave you the task of reading this post. Sorry it's so long. I really have to work on disciplining myself more. Maybe tomorrow :-)