From Alpha to Omega

Hi everyone!!

Well with the Christmas rush behind me, I wanted to show you one of my traditional creations. These little sets are Thank You gifts that I make for a local company to send to their customers. I varied the thread colors with this month's order. Later this weekend I will also show you the beautiful special order I have created for a friend. What I love about all of these individual orders is that each project is so very different. What is the same about all of the projects is that I learn something new every day, which is the real blessing!!

Take care and enjoy your evening!

Hugs!
Jen

It was a BEAUTIFUL & BOUNTIFUL day!!! :)

Hi everyone!

Today I was blessed enough to take Curiosity Cottage to the Kent House. The weather was just GORGEOUS!!! I am so amazed each day when I wake up and know that I get to create something fun and exciting when I get home from work. For me life truly did begin at 40 and it just keeps getting better as the years go by!! I look so forward to sharing all of my new orders with you as I get them completed. That is what is so fun about special orders, I can create them for that one special person in mind!!

Gotta run, sewing, sewing, sewing to do!!!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Hugs!
Jen

Bloom where you are planted!

Hi everyone!

This is one of my favorite sayings!! I combined it with this precious floral design because they seemed such a perfect fit. After all, just because we wear aprons to work, doesn't mean we cannot have fun while we are moving our many mountains!!

Hugs!
Jen

What is GREAT about Louisiana???

Hi everyone!

Well this little guy combines all the things that are GREAT about Louisiana - Fleur de lis, crawfish and Mardi Gras!!! This is different from my earlier posts this week and just show what character a fleur de lis can possess!! Like I said on Saturday, Fall and Fleur de lis just go together perfectly!!

Hugs!
Jen

Fall and Fleur de Lis, a PERFECT fit!!

Hi everyone!

I am so excited with the way my Fleur de Lis have turned out!! While the traditional set of Saints towels is always popular, my Fleur de Lis towels with initials are truly elegant!! What is next for Fleur de Lis on the horizon? I am making Fleur de LC aprons and Fleur de Baby items too!!

Yes, and featured with the Saints towels is one of my lace Mardi Gras masks. You will be seeing a lot more of these as well!!

Hugs!
Jen

Mommy & Me

Hi everyone!!

I absolutely LOVE this new gift set!! I chose this little ladybug because she just soooo seemed to go along with the baby's name!! The set not only takes care of baby, but mom too. My "Rest & Relax" pillow is microwaveable and then GREAT for labor pains, tension head aches and when your new bundle of joy has a tummy ache. For this order they asked for a lavender scent, but other scents are also available.

What I love most about my special little orders is that I am able to look at those that will receive the order and customize their gift. I have never had so much joy in my life!!! It is so exciting that at times I think I need someone to pinch me, it is truly an INCREDIBLE dream!!!

Hugs!
Jen

Two is better than one...

Hi everyone!

Well tonight I am posting both an indoor project and an outdoor project. Since I last posted indoor chairs, here is one of my vintage outdoor chairs that I have redone!

And when I haven't been working on outside projects, I've been working on indoor projects! :D This apron is for the Herb Society. Since my new machine can also make lace and INCREDIBLE designs, I've included a lace heart on this apron. It just seemed to fit with the design of the fabric. I also lined this apron, so I just LOVE the feel of the finished product!! This is one project that I would LOVE to keep!! :D

Tomorrow I'll reveal my new "Mommy & Me" gift set!! It is soooooo cute!!! That is what is just so amazing about this new path that I am on; each day is just an INCREDIBLE new adventure!!

Enjoy your Friday evening!!

Hugs!
Jen

Chair face lift

Hi everyone!

In my quest to get all my projects completed before I go back into the classroom, today I tackled these chairs. I have needed to put the new cushions on them for about two years!! I like this fabric because it has a quilt look & a cottage feel all at the same time!!

Tomorrow, outdoor chairs!! :D

Hugs!
Jen

Progress

Hi Everyone!

Curiosity Cottage is not just a place where I sew and create things to sell & give as gifts, it is also a place where I am creating my vision down to the last detail. This includes the outside of my humble little house as well. My 2 1/2 acres, which is mostly wooded also has a little sandy creek. My vision and what I am working so hard for, is to have my yard landscaped with cottage gardens. I am going to rely a lot on the natural plants on my land, but there is still a lot of work to do!! There is nothing quite like the feeling though of going to bed so tired you can barely move and yet knowing you got sooooo many things accomplished!!!

Curiosity Cottage has so blessed my life and my kids' lives!!! We could not be happier!! My son has been so excited about helping me with my projects, I could not help but show him at work today! :D

Hugs!
Jen

Money doesn’t grow on trees...

Hi everyone!

Well I have moved from fabric to paint for this project. My little adopted beagle, Daisy, decided she would clean out my purse for me and shredded a dollar. I could not bring myself to throw the torn up dollar away. SSSSSooooo several months later I came up with this idea!! It was fun and I got to put the dollar back into art, so then it did not quite feel like I was throwing it away!

Have a GREAT Sunday!!

Hugs!
Jen

Children are a gift from God!!

Hi everyone!

Children are truly a gift from God, which makes designing things for them such an honor and a joy!! This baby quilt is one of the most exciting things that I have done. A friend asked me yesterday if I had a pattern; no, I made the three embroidered pieces and then just played with fabric after that until I had a look that I liked...but in this case I just LOVED the outcome!! My precious new baby cousin has fun parents who also love art, so they are also thrilled with there gift!!

Recently I was described as a "fabric artist." I just loved that and so embrace using fabric and mixed media for my creations. Because they are unique it makes each one an exciting new adventure!!!

It is only Saturday, I have the whole weekend to make more fun things!!

See you soon!

Hugs!
Jen

With this ring...

Hi everyone!!

I am so excited to be debuting my new design "With this Ring." It is designed to be used to present an engagement ring to cherish that day, but can then also be used at your wedding for the ring bearer. In addition, it is made in such a way that the pillow can come out of the case and be put in a shadow box. This one was designed with this particular bride-to-be in mind, but can be altered for a promise ring too. All my orders are customized with the colors and fabrics of your choice!!

I cannot wait to see what she thinks and would love your feedback too!!

Hugs!
Jen

Inspiration in its simplest form!!

Some women are dangerous in the mall or a jewelry store...for me it is a fabric store!! After the INCREDIBLE response I received from my custom apron design I have hit the ground running with new creations. Some artists work with paint, for me it is fabric! Though some of my new mixed media will include both. I am also just soooo very blessed to have a lot of creative and artistic friends!! Your ideas and inspiration serve as little God Winks daily to illustrate so clearly that I am on the path that my life was supposed to take all along!!!

So I've included this photo that I call "Inspiration." I'll follow it up with "Inspiration Complete" when I am done!!

Hugs!
Jen

Here I go!!!! :-)

Wow, what EXCITING times!!! I have combined my love for creating things with my computer science skills to produce one really cute apron!! It was a custom order and I cannot wait to make more. Precious pattern!!

My kids are having as much fun in helping me as I am in creating. I cannot wait to share more Curiosity Cottage creations with you all!!!

Hugs!
Jen

Old meets New! :-)

My latest project created the embroidery with digitizing software and then I used a vintage pillow case and other embellishments to make a new mini quilt. It seems to blend in so perfectly with the picture of my Meme. As an artist, my greatest joy comes from mixing old with new to create something totally different and fresh!! Look for more exciting projects to come!!

Hugs!
Jen

Exciting New Edition!!!

Well I have to say, an outdoor market in June in Louisiana makes for quite the sauna experience....BUT, thanks to an AWESOME vendor, Curisotiy Cottage now has a new sign that I can take when I do my shows. What I love about this piece is that it will work for shows, but so fits in with the decor of my little home as well. Some things are just worth braving the heat for!!

Hugs!
Jen

I LOVE my day job!!!

Today campus is buzzing with approximately 200 new freshman. It is such a new and exciting, yet scary time in their lives!! Though I just had the privilege of advising a young man who has been out of school for two years, but has decided to come back so he can major in a degree with a computer science minor and play football. These kids are like my own and it is just so encouraging...this is why I do what I do!! Helping shape young lives and prepare them for the "real" world, while at the same time encouraging them to do that which God intends for them to do...and helping them learn to discover what the purpose is for their lives by looking for God Winks; WOW, I am the most blessed person EVER!!

Hugs!
Jen

I believe in miracles!!!!

It is Wednesday, my favorite day of the week!!! This is because I am so blessed to have an incredible church with AWESOME friends!! On Sunday though I had a discussion with my kids about tithing. One suggested that I try to just do a certain percent if 10% made things too tight, but I said that no, I am to be faithful and obedient, trusting God to take care of our needs. Now you must understand that doing this would mean I did not have money for groceries until payday, but I was so excited about being obedient that I did not let this stop me. SSSSSSooooo this morning when I get up I just had this small voice say "check your mail"....which I sooooo hate to do, so ignored that voice. Well then this afternoon my CPA calls and tells me there is a check coming to "check my mail." ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT...I'll check the mail...and when I do, I had a check from the state for money they owed me last year!!!! :-)

Oh yeah, and that little voice...I knew it was God all along, but sometimes we don't slow down long enough to hear Him. I am sooooo glad that I listened!!!

Hugs!
Jen

Why didn't I think of that??? :-)

Hi everyone!! :-)

It has been so long since I have written and I must say that I have sooooo missed this part of my day!! As I have worked on different projects and new adventures in my life my dear friend Tara says to me last night "these are the things you should be writing about in your blog...the journey that Curiosity Cottage is taking." In my quest to wait until all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place to get back to writing again, what she pointed out is that people like to see how you put the puzzle together, they want to share in the whole process with the writer. :-)

Aren't we as women so like that though, we want to move mountains by ourselves, never considering that our friends may have really great tools and would love to help us!! :-) I still am just so amazed at the community that blogs enable people to develop, it is just wonderful!! In a culture that has become so materialistic, with everyone wanting to climb the corporate ladder, the blog community soooo goes back to how life was many years ago when people helped out their neighbors and took the time to sit and visit for a while. I have always felt that my spirit was that of someone from the 1940s time period and that is why I love the world of blogging because the friendships that people are developing from this new form of technology does so mirror that period of time.

So I'm back, because in my quest to de-stress and simplify my life what I have discovered is that blogging is one of the best forms of stress relief that I have!!

Hugs!
Jen

Wow - God Wink!!!

I am sooooo looking forward to being able to spend time writing...just a few more days until the semester is over and then let the fun begin!!! :D Yesterday I found this AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL book called "Keeping Chickens." The God Wink...Ashley English, the author, also has a blog. Story after story in the magazines I read lately are of women who turn blogs into incredible business ventures. Add to that the friendships they make and the way they exchange ideas and send each other surprises and wow...it is like there are a whole lot of "Jen Clones" out there!!! It is so very uplifting and encouraging!!!

The world of blogging buddies that await me have put a new spring in my step and totally enlightened my heart. Hey, we gals are social creatures by design, so give me some good friends and covnersation with a new project thrown in the mix and I am set for life!!

Off to the ball park!!

Hugs,
Jen

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!!!

So at the end of a VERY stressful week...Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!!! :D Sam had not told me he had bred his rabbits. :D My life has been such a whirlwind of late, I never even saw them...neither did Sam! They are sooooo precious, active and healthy! It was such a positice way to close out the week and so exciting for us all!!

Hugs!
Jen