Etta was so proud to finally have a collar named after her. And I love her in pink.Etsy was acing strange again today, it’s search function got stuck and I don’t even know when our first limited edition collar appeared. Needless to say, we didn’t sell it. But there is always tomorrow right?
I messed up on the first prototype and tried to remove the embroidery thread only to find out that even cut from both sides, this thread didn't want to come out! This totally annoyed me because I spent 20 minutes furiously pulling each strand out, but made me really happy since I am now assured that even a rough playing dog will not be able to destroy the embroidery.
I can't wait to show the photos of Etta modeling one, it looks way hip on!
Oh and this one is called the "Elenore" since it reminds me a lot of Lesilie's doggie. Here is a picture of her in case you forgot what she looks like:
Goofy lady!
Check out Simple Finds today!! Christie did a spectacular review on Mimi Green and there is a giveaway going on — leave a comment on the Simple Finds post telling her what kind of dog you have and what your fav Mimi collar is to enter to win a collar for your pup!
In celebration of Amy Butler’s new book, Little Stitches for Little Ones, I thought I’d take us back to 2006 and reminisce about her very fantastic book, In Stitches.
I could tell that I was getting old this year when all I really wanted for my birthday was Amy’s In Stitches and Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules Sewing. There were birthdays, pretty recent ones I am ashamed to admit, where all I wanted was a hookah to smoke really gross, sticky, Indian tabacco with my friends. Other recent ones I can’t really remember very well but I do remeber looking at the inside of a toilet a good part of the night.
Don’t get me wrong, getting old isn’t a bad thing for me– it was actually very exciting. I felt like a woman finally this past year and my hobbies were reflecting that. So anyway, here I am trying to explain to my husband what sewing books to buy me and he’s looking at me like I am telling him which tampons to get at the grocery store for me. “Jewelry, I want jewelry, ” I say and he can understand those requests, very well I am happy to say. I had to find someone else to buy me some Amy B. I email the links you see above to my sisters and mother. Unfortunately this threw them for a loop too. I ended up with a Amazon gift card from one sister telling me to order it for myself and a very irritated mother who told me that it is unlady like to tell people what to buy you if they aren’t asking.
Okay, fine. I think I would have had better luck asking for the hookah. So in a last ditch effort to get my hands on In Stitches, I have my infant son order the book for me. I gave him my credit card number of course and typed in Barnes and Noble’s web address for him, but that isn’t the point. I was sure that little Auggie wanted to get these books for me as a present, he’d been hearing me complain about wanting them for long enough
The day the two books arrived I was ecstatic!
I mean, look at these stunning photos, these vibrant colors! I couldn’t put it down. Keep in mind that Mimi Green and Augustine had both just been born. I really didn’t have free time for Amy, but I was willing to loose sleep over it, for a few days anyway.
I did buy the vintage sheet Amy recommends for making her PJ pants. I bought Michael Miller fabric to make a quilt. I had super good intentions, I swear I did.
Although none of Amy’s patterns ever made it to my sewing machine I have no regrets. Amy’s book is nothing like the exercise equipment I bought that has now turned into another place to hang my clothes. Although not used for what it was intended for, I am in love with In Stitches. This book is the book I’d want to be if I were a book. The gorgous colors, the stunning photography! Colin McGuire outdid himself with the photos, I so hope that he shoot Little Stitches for Little Ones. The reason I don’t know for sure– Amy is only selling this on her website. It won’t be on booksellers shelves till early September.
That’s okay with me, I am still in my honeymoon with In Stitches anyway. There are truly few things that are better than an overcast day, a fine cup of espresso, and cuddling up on my big couch with this book. The pages are thick and matte. Bound by wire, you and your imagination can easily flip through and have the book lay flat (great for laying it on your sewing table — I’m told anyway. he he.) The lifestyle that this book portrays is one that I aspire to. It’s like everyday is a Sunday afternoon in a really hip, cool, stylish world. All you need are your comfy PJ’s, a big pillow to snuggle with and you are fabulous. As simple as that Ms. Butler is.
Today though i am making a promice to you and to myslef. I am going to pre-order Little Stitches for Little Ones and the day it gets here I am going to make something from it. Even if I have to rearrange the sun and the moon so I can have extra hours in my crazy day, I will do it. This time it won’t seem too selfish to me. Auggie really wants an Amy Butler kimono and new crib set, he told me so;)
I had so much fun at my first craft show. My grandpa made me a super cool display, my table looked pretty good for my first time, and the other artists were really sweet and nice to meet. 
It was Noah’s idea to bring his puppy;) She was wearing a Mimi Green collar of course. 
My mom and sister stayed with me all day and Dan brought the kids, including Cessie, down for a bit. But I have to say that it was exhausting. I did learn a few things that may help anyone who wants to do a show.
Craft Show Tip #1 — Dress in layers. I would have been doing a bit better in the morning if I had brought a jacket and a bit better in the afternoon if I had worn shorts. Yes, it is still cold here in NM in the morning time – can’t wait till we are over that!
Tip #2 Have a game plan about what you are going to say about your product. I didn’t think too much about that, and I am sure that even if I had it would have needed to be tweaked in practice, but at least I would have had somewhere to start. I may have sold more if I had "sold" my collars and leashes better.
Tip #3 Make sure to network with the other vendors. I met a lot of really cool women that I hope to work with again– plus now they have my info which is key. Sometimes it is about who you know.
Tip #4 Go in without expectations. Just like anything else in life, if you don’t expect things to happen you won’t get disappointed if they don’t. I wasn’t sure how it would go, which I was glad about later when I realized that I had a massive show/sewing hangover of sorts. I was so tired, I am still getting over it!
Tip #5 Have a colorful display. I looked at craft displays on Flickr before the show and got some great ideas. The more attention you can draw to you the better– this really means color and multi level views. If your display is flat you might find that your sales are too. And you can quote me on that one;) 
Yes, this is me avoiding getting ready for tomorrow’s show. And it’s not because I am lazy, it is because I am so TIRED! Yesterday i whipped up 8 leashes, 3 collars, mailed orders and took care of a teething baby who is really hurting bad. Poor Auggie. Today I need to go to the bank to get change, go to the post office to mail packages to Canada, and fax my letter of driver improvement school completion to Albuquerque Metro Court (don’t ask;) That is all before I complete my goal of making 15 more collars today and painting my leash stand, green of course.
So I better run, but I will leave you with this: This odd couple has finally bonded, look how cute they were this morning sunbathing together. As soon as this madness is over the first project on hand is making Miss Etta a new bed 😉
It’s been a smashing month for Mimi Green! There have been lots of developments since our birth on the interwebs.
Lori Marie at Pretty Little Things featured her French Bulldog Matilda wearing a Mimi Collar. It is adorned with one of Lori’s beautiful flower pins that she sells in her wonderful shop 
An article that I wrote with two other Etsy sellers was featured on Etsy this week. It is about the Dog Mafia
The Dog Mafia is a team that I recently joined– all Etsy sellers who love dogs, donate to dog charities, and support one another in our efforts to make the world a more dog friendly place.
Then Yesterday I got an email from Erin who featured Mimi dog collars on her blog.
It still makes me super excited to see my work on the web!
I have met so many nice people, sold lots of hip collars and leashes, and I get to do what I love.
Things are good on this front;)
Saturday is my first show at Cup O’ Joe in Albuquerque. It is a super cute coffee house and only about 10 of us will be selling our goods there. It is perfect for a first show– not so scary when it is a small event.
I will post lots of pictures from there, but try to come out if you can!
And thank you to everyone who made my first month full of sunshine.
Grand opening!!! Mimi Green Fabrics is now open for business!
www.ShopMimiGreenFabrics.etsy.com
In honor of how excited I am that this shop is opening, I am offering free shipping.
I just had the idea for this today. I figure that I order all of this fabric 15 yards at a time– way more than I need just for myself. And how did I get to this point? Out of frustration really. Amy Butler fabric isn’t sold ANYWHERE in Albuquerque. I got to thinking how I must not be the only one out there who has no access to her beautiful prints, so Mimi Green Fabrics was born. And I decided not to draw out the maturation of this shop, like I have with Mimi Green. I hope it can be of use to some of you out there!
I am so excited to get to share this with everyone. I can’t tell you how close I am to being able to stay home with Auggie and Noah, and really, there is no better way to get to do that except for this.
And I promise, by this time next week Mimi Green will be up and running also so you can see what I have been making with all this gorgeous fabric!
CONTACT US!
