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All Custom Costumes are Complete.

I actually finished the Jigglypuff a few weeks ago and managed to get it shipped to Australia hopefully in enough time. The latest she should get it is Friday. The earliest would have been yesterday. I really hope it will be sooner rather than later. Anyway, here is the finished costume in all it's puffy glory.Once that was done I went straight to work on the Cheerleader the witch and the Ewok. I finished the witch first of those three.
Then I got the Ewok done in about 30 hours and had them shipped 2-day to Texas. So those should have arrived yesterday as well.
On Sunday my seven foot tall client actually drove down from Wyoming so he could have a final fitting. This was good because though I had the shirt done, I was feeling a bit iffy about the skirt since I didn't have a skirt pattern that large and knew he wasn't going to be shaped like a woman anyway. We got that finished up within an hour and a half or so and had him pose before he drove home with his costume.

It was the most liberating feeling as I walked home with Jake from his office (where we held the fitting) in the cool autumn night. Jake was holding my hand. He doesn't get the chance to do that much anymore. I felt as light as air walking away from my last costume and the fact that I didn't have to ship it was a bonus.

I believe I also mentioned that I was commissioned to do two logos this month as well. Here they are.

So between the costumes and the logos I actually made about $500 this month. Woo-hoo! Maybe my hubby will want to keep me around. :} Especially since all that is probably going toward the mortgage payment this month. Looks like it's time to get some more work!

Delicious Designs for a Sassy Kitchen

So it all started out with me thinking that I needed to post some kitchen rules in my kitchen to remind me of some things I'd like to enforce. But of course, I couldn't just scrawl out any old list on lined paper . . . Oh, no! I had to make it cute and to match my kitchen. My kitchen has a fruit theme so this is what I came up with.
Then of course, after making the initial art of all these citrus fruits in illustrator I decided I should make a whole bunch of designs that go with this fruit theme which induced me to open up a new Cafepress shop called Sassy Kitchen.
Here a few of the designs.

Citrus Eclipse

Citrus Border

Red Watermelon Smile

Pink Watermelon Smile
I'm pretty excited about these new techniques I figured out in illustrator and about the fun bright designs I came up with . . . I'm thinking a whole bunch of different types of berries will be next. We shall see . . .

Costumes Coming out my Ears!

So you know the saying that if you pay your tithing you'll get more blessings than you can even handle? Well it's true.

I had two big yard sales the second and third Saturday in September and I made sure to pay my tithing on my earnings and now my long ignored Etsy shop has had some major attention. I have been commissioned to make four custom costumes for Halloween this year. And I have about Three weeks to do it in. I have to make a Jiggly Puff for a girl in Australia, a XXXL BYU Cheerleader for a seven foot tall man, another Baby Ewok, and a 'Vintage' Witch for a lady with a broken arm, who has to wear a brace and sling. On top of that I was, of course, planning to make costumes for my own family so that adds another four costumes which makes a total of EIGHT costumes that need to be done in the next three weeks. *Phew*

Oh, and I've also been commissioned to design two logos for two different businesses who both want it ASAP.

I've been wanting to get work like this for years so I could feel like I'm helping to support this family while still being able to be at home with my girls. This is really cool and exciting, but I do rather feel like I just had a truck load of blessings dumped on me. Kind of hard to catch it all.

I think I'll be okay though, just no time to waste on frivolities this month. I'm pretty far on the jiggly puff. I want to have it done this weekend since it has the farthest to travel. Here's a little sneak preview of my progress so far. Woah, I totally just had déjà vu while I was uploading that picture. Crazy. I think I had a dream about this moment in my life. Wow . . . Freaky! I guess it's meant to be . . . When I showed Jake my concept for how I was going to do this one he laughed and said that he thinks I've found my calling in life . . . Hmm, maybe. So yeah, anyway . . . Sorry. Random Tangent. I've got to get this one done by tomorrow!

Then It's on to the Cheerleader, the Ewok and the Witch, which I might work on simultaneously. I hope I can have them done soon. My family costumes I'm planning are pretty simple, especially compared to years past, but they will still take some time.

I'm not sure if I'll be on here to update again till after Halloween, but I'll try to make sure I share all the pictures when I'm done.

I must say, I am actually really relieved that no one wanted to pay for me to make them a Strawberry Shortcake costume this year. I think I'm done with her for a while. . . *Big sigh of relief*

Happy New Month!
(I hope!)

P.s. I was just reminded that I'm also supposed to design Baby Shower invites for a lady I visit teach . . . Yay.

~Julie :}