Thursday, October 25, 2012

Craft show and a chance to win a coupon for my shop

If you've been paying any attention to my blog or facebook page, you know that next month I will be at a craft fair/holiday boutique. It will be at St. Joseph's Church in Miesville, MN. Please come out and support me! The address is 23955 Nicolai Avenue, Hastings, MN 55033 and the craft fair is between 9 am to 3 pm.

Now, I have decided to do a little promoting for my shop. I need some sales, people. So, I'm posting this on my blog, Facebook and Twitter. The first person to answer this question correctly will receive $5 off any item in my shop. You can redeem online, at Etsy or at the craft show.

Trivia question - What book series prompted me to start crocheting?

Email me the answer or respond to Twitter or Facebook.

If you don't know this one (look at my Etsy shop, hint), don't fret because I will have more trivia questions for you to earn more money off any item in my shop.

Always,
Jen

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

One of my favorite recipes

I shared this today with co-workers, and I thought it only fair that I share it with my few followers. This is a family recipe that has been passed down and is so easy, even I can make it. :)

Chicken Noodle Pork Chops - okay, not the official name, but I think it's a pretty good one.

1 family pack of thinly sliced pork chops
Season-all
Yellow mustard
1 can condensed Chicken Noodle soup

Trim the fat off the pork chops. Sprinkle with season-all and pan sear on both sides. When each pork chop is done, put in a glass baking dish (loaf size) and cover in mustard. Continue until all pork chops are done. Layering the pork chops on top of one another is okay. Pour contents of chicken noodle soup over pork chops. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-60 minutes. When the noodles are crunchy, the pork chops are done. Test it with a meat thermometer if you don't believe me.

I serve with spaetzle, but any starch will work.

Enjoy friends!

Always,

Treasury Tuesday

Wow. I have been very lax in my blog posts. Trying to get better, but I only have half an hour for lunch, and most of the time it is a working lunch as I prep to move to another department.

In about a month, I will be a craft fair in Miesville, MN, so come visit me. I will post more details later.

I decided to participate in this week's scavenger hunt for TeamHandmade on Etsy. What do you think? http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjgzOTY2NXwyNzIwOTA3NzA5/handmade-scavenger-hunt

Handmade Scavenger Hunt

 
Always,
 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Attention Fellow Dance Moms

I feel this has to be written. I am at my son's dance studio three days a week and every time I'm there, I see the same thing, over and over again. And I'm tired of it. I am there to support my son and his girls, not to babysit your children.

1. Be there for your child. Your child is there to dance and have fun, and if they are the same age as my son, they compete. I'm tired of the drop-off parents who drop their kids off and don't stay to watch the class. Yes, they pretty much do the same thing over and over again, but how are you to know if your child is doing good in class or having issues with the steps unless you are there? The instructor is not going to hunt you down. She doesn't have time for that.

Also, stop complaining if your child is not front and center for the routine. Yes, I do have a boy dancer, the only one on his line, but there have been times when he has been buried in the middle of the pack because his footwork isn't as good as some of the girls or he isn't as animated as some of the girls.  Doesn't bother me at all. I know that in order to get him to the front, he has to be better. And competition is not the time to be complaining to the instructor. COME TO CLASS and bring up the issue then. The instructor will give you a very good reason why your child is buried in the back corner of the group.

But most of all, your child will improve greatly if they know you are watching. They will stop screwing around in class if they know they will get reamed for it after class. Trust me, I went through this with my child. I threatened on more than one occasion to pull him from class if he doesn't stop screwing around. He loved dancing so much, he started paying attention and improving. Also, your child wants to do their best in front of you. And if they practice at their best, they will improve and have that dynamic performance at competition that will help earn the line that coveted Platinum award.

Also, if you come in the studio and watch your child, you won't miss important announcements! Stop relying on your child to get you the information. Half the time they forget by the time class is over or the flyer the instructor gives them gets stuffed in the bottom of the dance bag.

2. Leave the non-dancing children at home or find something to keep them occupied that doesn't involve disrupting other parents or dancers. I understand if you are a single parent or your spouse works. But find some other arrangement for your child or WATCH YOUR CHILDREN. I am not a babysitter. I am tired of telling kids to stop running in the studio hallway or screaming at the top of their lungs. It is very distracting for those trying to dance in the classrooms. If your child has a video game system and will sit still during class time if they are glued to it, bring it. Bring books, or coloring books. Sit them down so they are quiet. I don't know how many times my crochet bag is kicked or stepped on because some little rugrat is running around and not paying attention. And don't give me a dirty look if your child falls down and starts crying because they tripped on my bag. My bag is always by my feet so that it won't get tripped on. And walking fast so they don't get yelled at for running has the same consequences. Park their butts on the floor or in a chair with something to keep their brains occupied.

3. Brats. Yes, there are some very good children out there who can take no for an answer, but most children do not. Our studio has a treat bucket to sell healthy treats to raise money for the booster club. Every week, the same little girl begs her mother for a treat from the treat bucket, despite her mother saying that they have plenty of candy and stuff at home. Why don't you bring some, then? If you don't want to buy from the studio, bring your own snacks for your child. I do not enjoy listening to you weakly tell your child no, and they throw a temper tantrum in the middle of the studio. It is uncomfortable for any parent watching.

There is another child at the studio whose mother allows him to climb on the counter and sit on the counter. He keeps inching his way towards the treat bucket, trying to get around his mother, all the time lying and saying he isn't going for the treats. Yes, you are, you little brat, because if she gives you an inch, your grimy little hands are in the bucket.

Parents, be firm with your child.  Tell them no firmly and if they continue to be a brat, take them to the car. Don't force other parents to listen to your brat because you are too busy gossiping with your girlfriends. Again, refer to #2 - have them quiet, or find another arrangement for them.

Now, I'm saying this because I am a dance parent, and I'm also a member of the booster club board who provides these treats. Who knows how much we lose because a child gets sneaky and steals a treat?

4. Please, please don't overschedule your children. I have one dance mom who is always complaining about how hard it is to get her child up and out the door for school. She has dance, she has soccer, she has skiing and volleyball and a ton of homework every night. They don't get to bed until after 9 most nights because of everything.  STOP! Instead of complaining, do something about it. Don't allow her to do so many activities.

Parents today are so worried their child will not get into college that they overschedule them, especially high school or elementary students. Your child does not need to be in every activity. "I don't want her to miss out on anything. We might find something she is really good at." Then drop dance. Or drop an activity she might not be good at. Prioritize your life. Who cares if your child has to get up at 6 instead of 7 in order to catch the bus. If it is that hard, drop them off at school or schedule them for before school care. Or (here's a better idea) send them to bed earlier. My son goes to bed between 8 and 8:30 every night, and that is late. Children need about 10-12 hours of sleep a night. They are growing. Their bodies are susceptible to disease. Keep their immune systems strong by putting them to bed. If their studies suffer, drop an activity so they have that extra time for homework. Yes, my son has 5 dance classes a week. He has asked to join chess club or wrestling in the past. I ask him what is more important, dance or the other activity, if they conflict. He always goes back to dance.

If you overschedule them, they will be mediocre at everything. They won't have the time to concentrate on one thing to get really good. They will be tired. Their schoolwork will suffer. Pick something and stick with it. If you are in competition dance, you are committing your child for the entire year, so they had better be there and had better be at every class/activity they need to be at. Including technique. Technique is not an optional class. Your child needs to be there. Work it out with the studio director if you can't make it for your line's technique class. That's what I had to do with my son. His ballet class counts as his technique class because he has hip hop during his line's technique. It is a sacrifice he has made. And don't come 15 minutes into the class. If you are running from one activity to another and are always late because you have to stop off for food because your child is starving, you should have to make up the class.  No excuses, unless you have cleared it with the instructor ahead of time.  Also, pack a snack. Have them eat in the car. You'll save money and time.

5. Follow the studio's rules. This includes attire. In the beginning of the year, us dance moms are told that the girls need to be wearing leotards and tights to class. Don't have to be full footed tights. You can wear a form fitting tank top or booty shorts with your leo. Always have your hair pulled back. Don't care how ugly it is if you have short hair - pull it back! By the 2nd class, these rules are forgotten. These rules are there to help improve your child. The instructor cannot correct your child if she cannot see the child's body. I have asked the studio director repeatedly what my son should wear to class. We've finally agreed on shorts and a tank top to imitate what the girls wear. Wear the proper footwear. If you don't have your stompers for clog or your ballet shoes (full foot ballet shoes, mind you) for technique, you should have to make up the class. With practice, your child can learn to be responsible for their dance shoes. My son is. He knows what bag he needs on what day for dance. He knows what he is supposed to wear. If he had long hair, it would be pulled back from his face.

It's true. I don't, in general, like other people's children. If they are brats, if they talk back to their parents disrespectfully, if they don't follow instructions - these are my pet peeves. Yes, my child is not perfect. I'd worry if he was. He gets into trouble, but he doesn't ever disrespect me. Every once in awhile a teacher, but I nip that in the bud right away. That's grounds for immediate punishment. I haven't had to spank my child ever in public. I haven't had to spank him at home in a long time. I've laid down the ground rules and I'm not afraid to punish my child. Yes, he gets most things he wants because he has earned them. He does chores. He helps out when I ask him to. We have fun together and I know I can take him out in public and he won't embarrass me. We have a very good relationship and he can talk to me about anything. But I am his parent first. I want him to succeed in life, and to do that, you need to lay the groundwork early and often.

A pet knows the word 'no'. What makes you think a child doesn't understand that word, either? If you say it firmly and loudly, it will startle them from what they were going to do and they stop. Say it to them as young as 1 or 2. Establish yourself as the parent and the rule maker young. Being too young is not an excuse for not disciplining your child.

"I don't want to be a mean mommy."

Please. You are the mom or dad. You have to be mean. It is in the job description. You have to set limitations for your child or you will have a teen runaway or drug addict or a pregnant teenager. Children need limitations. They need to know the rules. Be the mean parent who doesn't let them run with scissors or makes them clean up after themselves. Otherwise your life will be cleaning up after them all the time, even when they are an adult. You will have no time for yourself or your spouse because you will always be cleaning up something.

"I always swore I would not be like my mom."

My mom was a mean mommy. I turned out just fine. If your parents beat you or neglected you, then yes, strive to be a better parent. I'm not talking about the occasional spanking when you broke the rules or soap in the mouth when you swore or talked back, but actual physical abuse. I was able to do everything I wanted, within financial limits. I knew what I was allowed to do and what I wasn't. I didn't go to high school parties. Didn't do drugs. Didn't drink in high school. I'm not a felon. I had a mean mommy and I am just like her.

Yes, I may be a germaphobe at times. I may clean to excess sometimes. My child will go to bed without dessert sometimes because dessert is a priveledge, not a right. I know I don't have an easy road ahead of me with a teenager around the corner. But I do hope that the groundwork I have set for him now will help us both weather the road ahead.

Start now with your children, no matter what age they are. Put your foot down and establish the rules. Change the rules so they know what is expected of them. Children are not automatically going to be angels or turn into functioning adults. They need guideance from their parents and limitations.

That's my soap box speech for the day.

Always,

Jen

Monday, October 15, 2012

Not cross-eyed yet

Though, truthfully, I thought I would be. This weekend was Craft Central. I had 4 dance jackets, 1 sweatshirt and 1 tshirt to rhinestone this weekend. I finished the 3 rush jackets, as those dancers will be going to Branson over MEA weekeend. Good luck, ladies and have fun!  The tshirt is a rush order, but I will get that one done tonight once I get home.  Not cross-eyed from putting the rhinestones on, but Saturday I thought I would be a goner.

Saturday I was working on no-sew blankets, aka tie blankets. The fabric pattern we had chosen was a black and white polka dot. My eyes were swimming by the end. We finished 7 or so blankets. Still have more to do for this batch, but we needed to stop. Some of us were hurting, me included. My feet were hurting from standing up for 4 hours.

Sunday was rhinestone day. Watched me some football and made some jackets very sparkly. Having a tough time concentrating at work, though. But that could be the late bedtime I had. I had to watch the Packers win the game.

So, I was browsing Etsy today, and I am very upset. On the front page was a broken toy up for sale. Seriouly? It was being sold as vintage. I'm not going to post it because I don't want it getting any more hits. This infuriates me just as much as looking for brand new handmade listings and getting my first page of listings filled with alibaba junk. Where is the handmade artistry? I'm not talking about art itself - I've never understood it. I'm talking about people who make handmade cards or baby clothes or honest to goodness handcrafting jewelry. Not taking charms and stringing them together and stamping it handmade. That is not handmade. I'm talking about beaders taking seed beads and creating a patterned bracelet. My mom does this kind of work, but if she were to sell on Etsy, her beautiful designs would be lost in the sea of pre-fabricated charms on cheap necklaces.

Seriously, we need to take a stand to buy handmade this Christmas. Send a message to these resellers on Etsy that we aren't going to take it anymore. I've already taken the first step to distance myself from Etsy by having my own website. I'm hoping that soon I will get sales from it. Yes, my prices look more expensive on my website than on my Etsy site, but that is because I have to include shipping in my prices on my website. Etsy has a separate shipping feature. Or bring all your business to Goodsmiths.com, who only deals in handmade products. I have a ton of games and toys that I have passed down to my son that would be considered vintage and that I could list on Etsy, but I don't. I take pride in my listings. Etsy doesn't want to police its site to make sure the resellers are banned - they want the money from each listing too badly. That's why they are saying they will allow sellers to use pre-fabricated parts. Because there are over a hundred jewelry sellers on Etsy already using them.

Sorry, this pisses me off to no end. I know jewelry sellers who seriously handcraft jewelry and they are getting lost in the mountains of listings from these resellers.

So, to celebrate handmade, here is my Brand New Monday treasury for this week. I wish each of these shops good luck during the holiday season.

Brand New Monday

 
If you haven't already, please check out the new website and let me know what you think. Just click the 'home' tab at the top. Spread the word by re-blogging or sharing on your social media networks.
 
Support Handmade!
 
Always,
 
Jen

Friday, October 12, 2012

The New Website

Hi everyone!

The past week has been very busy. As you can see, I changed a few things on the blog. But first, I'd like to announce the launching of the new website. You can go to http://www.jenstangledthreads.com to get all shop announcements, to shop, and of, course, read the blog. I am keeping the blog on Blogger because it is just easier to do so. But if you click on the Home tab, it takes you directly to the main page.  I hope you like it! Feel free to leave comments for me. And please, if you are a web designer, I could use all the help I can get!

Always,


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Changes, changes.....

I know, I know. I missed Monday's Brand New Treasury. I know how much you all love seeing what new fun things I have found. Well, I did do the treasury. Just didn't post it here. Here is the link if you'd like to take a look: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjgzOTY2NXwyNzIwODQyMDIx/brand-new-monday-christmas?ref=pr_treasury. This week's theme was Christmas. I am looking forward to Christmas this year because I am hoping for orders.

As to why I haven't been posting? Well, I've been working on the website. I have a Weebly site that I am working on that will have it's own domain name. I will connect the blog to it, and it to the blog. Still keeping the blog on Blogger for now, but Weebly is slick. I am having a lot of fun designing it. The prices might seem a little higher on the website, but that's because I'm including shipping and handling. With Etsy and Goodsmiths, I don't have to.

Have I told you that I'm going to be at a craft fair next month? Well, I will also have a booth at an online craft fair (I hope). Once I get paid on Friday, I will be sending in my application for that. Little bit more exposure, which is always good. I'm hoping to have new business cards before the craft fair in Miesville, with the address for the new website.

A lot of things are going on right now. I am very excited. I can't wait until things start to fall into place.

Oh, I almost forgot - I had a sale this weekend. And a repeat customer at that. :) She bought 2 pairs of Flip-Furs in pink with a hot pink fur. So, I will have new pictures to show you soon. They are finished - just drying right now. This weekend I will be rhinestoning some jackets for the dancers who will be in Branson over MEA.

Have a fantastic day.

Always,

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Handmade shop of the Week

So, I belong to this team on Etsy called Handmade. We are trying to put the hand back into handmade and we are all artisans who sell handmade things.

So, we have started promoting a shop of the week. This week's shop is Prayer Monkey (www.etsy.com/shop/PrayerMonkey). So, congrats to Laura, and be sure to stop by her shop and show her some love!  She makes wonderful wire crochet pieces. If I only had the talent.

You can also take a look at the renovations here. I have started to work on the Flip-Fur page, which will have all color combinations and a way to shop for them right here! All prices include shipping, so if it looks a little more expensive, that's why.

Also, you can now find me on http://www.goodsmiths.com. Soon to come: my project list.

Always,

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Ideas, Ideas!!!!

Happy Hump Day, friends! So, I had a wonderfully beautiful idea today at work. I have an old wedding dress. Well, not old, only 10 years old. But, by wedding dress standards, it is old. It is too old to sell to a consignment store. It isn't vintage yet, but it is taking up space in my overcrowded apartment and before that, it was taking up valuable real estate in my storage space. It has to go. But what to do with it?

Well, I'm going to cut it up. I don't need it anymore. Never going to wear it. I don't have a daughter by my ex to give it to. So, I'm going to give it to my mom to cut up into handkerchief size and sew up the edges for me.. Well, the skirt anyways. The skirt is a beautiful satin-type material. Then, I will crochet some beautiful lace edgings and sew them on. Then I'm going to add a few rhinestones. I can't wait to see the finished product.

I've been told I have a gift with lace. Maybe. Don't know. I just follow a pattern. But I love making it. And I was thinking yesterday - what about making a full lace handkerchief with a little rhinestoning? Found some articles on Irish lace, and I'm intrigued. Might need to learn how to do that.

Of course with winter months coming, I'm going to try to make some more shawls, some scarves and fingerless gloves. Maybe some hats. Who knows?

I have project ideas coming out of my head! Seriously, I need to find myself a rich husband who is okay with me not working so I can spend all day crocheting and crafting. And of course, this doesn't begin to cover the ideas I have for rhinestoning. Some of the stuff I've seen out there - just gaudy. I want to bring class and elegance back to rhinestoning.  Give a little girl (or a big girl) a bit of sparkle to brighten up her day. A tshirt for a dance mom (or skating mom) to support her dancer. Sparkly shoes for a high schooler going to prom.

Life is going to get very interesting.

I hope to have some new items to show you all soon. Still working on fixing all the Flip-Furs I have made. Boy, I have a lot. Maybe I can get some of them sold at the craft fair. But, I tell you, I'm not happy with how some of them look with the new flip-flop sole inside. If those ones don't sell, I'm taking them apart and re-doing them with a double strand of yarn. That way the flip-flop doesn't show through the yarn. Oh well. It's all a learning experience, right?

So, I'm very pleased with the new fall lineup on TV. Haven't watched all the new shows I want to yet (I'm only up to Thursday). Dancing with the Stars is going to be wonderful. I'm excited about Glee. Very pleasantly surprised by 666 Park Ave. And I'm not going to get the chance to catch up much this weekend. Making no sew blankets with the booster club on Saturday and yard work and football on Sunday with Mom.

On another plus side - I will come home to clean carpets tonight! I imagine the entire apartment will smell wonderful.

Well, have to get back to work. Have a great rest of the week.

Always,



 



I had to.....I love that picture. Proud of myself for that one.