{Sewing} Coupon File Organizer Clutch

My second pattern is out and available! The theme of my business is "Practical & Pretty," and this clutch is exactly that.

Originally named the Coupon Clutch, I've realized that it is much more than that. Its new name, Coupon File Organizer Clutch, encompasses the many ways that this clutch can be used! I'm currently using mine to file coupons, loyalty cards & receipts. It's much better than overstuffing my wallet with things I only use every so often!

Coupon File Organizer Clutch PDF Sewing Pattern

Within the pattern, you'll find all the pattern pieces you need as well as templates for 4" x 6" cards so you can file and organize to your heart's content! No need to go out and buy cards, you can use what you have lying around to make your file cards!

You can head over to the shop to see the details such as delivery details, fabric requirements and dimensions!

If you don't sew, I have finished Coupon File Organizers available for purchase!

{Sewing} Something For Me!

Guess what, folks...drumroll, please...I made something for myself. Shocking, I know. I was recently gifted an iPad and really wanted to be able to take it with me wherever I go. I don't really do small bags, so I knew that I needed to design a big bag that would suit my needs. Here's what I came up with:

The pockets on either side of the exterior are the perfect
size and give easy access to a smartphone.

Zippered Top--This is the 1st time I had done this and it was easy!
I got my instructions from Lisa Liam's Bag Making Bible. A row of interior pocketsAnd a zippered pocket that runs the width of the bag...I didn't
have two of the same color zippers and that bugs me to death!And my trio of matching goodies! Tote, Zippered Pouch, iPad Sleeve

The dimensions are roughly 17" tall x 14" wide x 4" deep. It's quite a large bag. The only thing I would change is that I would make the strap adjustable and able to go cross body. It was quite a shoulder breaker carrying all my stuff + my dSLR + iPad, etc.. Fortunately I used those little hardware rectangles, so the strap can easily be changed!

Me being my fancy self, designed the bag design myself. It's not really that fancy, though. It's just a square bag!

{New} Aprons in the Shop!

Not long ago, I received a few new bolts of fabric, so I whipped up some aprons!


Matching Kitchen Apron Set in Flower Shower, also sold separately



Kitchen Apron in Red Paisley

Kitchen Apron in Black & White Damask

Forshee Designs is 1000!!!

I am excited to share that today marks my 1000th day in business! Over the past three or so years, I have come a long way!

~701 Etsy Sales
~732 Etsy Admirers
~100% positive feedback
~2 Items on Etsy's front page
~2 Items featured in Etsy's emails (sent to ALL Etsy users)
~Featured in several blogs & other publications
~Stand alone website launched!

I could not have done any of these things without your encouragement and support! Even the smallest compliment goes a long way! So, thank YOU!

In celebration of this milestone, I am giving you FREE SHIPPING! Just use code FREESHIP in either of my shops (Main Website or Etsy) through midnight. Also, keep your eye on my clearance section and Facebook Fan page. I'll be adding things to that section at 30% off today! They may not stay, though, so get them while they last!

{Time Management} Are You Stealing Your Own Time?

If you had a job working for someone else and you got caught sleeping on the job, they would probably fire you. The reason cited would be theft of time. It sounds harsh, but it's true. You've stolen time from your company. They were paying you to work and you were sleeping!

Rarely will you hear the phrase "I don't have time" come out of my mouth. I have been given 24 hours in each and every day I am alive, and I choose to make the most out of them. There is always time!

The question I ask of myself is if I want to make time for this or that. If I really really want to do something, I will make time.

I get a lot of questions about how I run my business and homeschool. The answer is that I really want to do BOTH things, so I do them. I have never felt constrained by time at all. While my son is doing his seat work, I work. There is NEVER a point in time where I'm not doing SOMETHING. (Right now he's working on math, in case you're curious.)

While I don't get paid with money to homeschool, I do get paid to run my business. If your jobs (homemaker, mother, etc.) don't pay money, try to think about the benefits that you get "paid" from doing whatever it is you're trying to do. How can you use your time more wisely? What are you doing that's "stealing" your own time? (I have some guesses...Pinterest? Facebook, maybe?)

And just for the record, I DO sleep...at least 8 hours a night.

{Sewing} Free Lanyard Tutorial

I really enjoyed writing my first sewing pattern, and I wanted to do another one! The only thing about this one is that it's FREE!

April over at Sewing Novice had an idea that we could work together on a tutorial/interview, which was just the spark I needed to actually sit down to write a tutorial for you. There's nothing like accountability to another person! Head over to April's blog, read my interview and follow her sewing journey!

I have been making these lanyards for a while and they are hot sellers at back to school time. Teachers love them! I also have kits available in my shop with enough materials to make two lanyards! They are $6.50 and that includes shipping!

So..here we go!

What you'll need:
4” of 44/45” wide quilter’s cotton
Metal clasp with a 3/4” opening
Coordinating thread


Step 1: Cut a 3” x 41” strip of fabric:



Step 2: Fold strip in half lengthwise wrong sides together and press a crease down the center:


Step 3: Open the strip and press the edges toward the center crease you just created:


Step 4: Now fold the whole thing again like in the previous step to create something that looks like a strap:


Step 5: Slip the fabric through the metal clasp:



Step 6: Unfold about 3” of each end and pin right sides together, being careful not to twist the strip of fabric. You don’t want a twisted lanyard!


Step 7: Stitch .5” seam, press seam open and trim seam allowance:


Step 8: Refold strip of fabric to encase the seam you just made. This will make a loop and will look like a lanyard!


Step 9: Pin your lanyard every 6 inches or so:


Step 10: Topstitch lengthways 1/8” from the edge of one side of the lanyard, repeating this step on the opposite edge:


Step 11: Find the seam you created in step #7 and pull your metal clasp AWAY from that seam to the opposite side of the fabric loop. Zig zag stitch the two sides of the loop together to hold the clasp in place:


You’re done!

{Homeschool} Fighting Laziness

My impression of the homeschooling mother’s world (judged solely by what I read on blogs) is that everything is peaches & cream. Well, I am a realist and things are rarely peaches & cream. This is a “don’t ask me if I like homeschooling this week because I have the private school application halfway filled out” kind of a week.

Patience evades me when it comes to laziness. Why do something WRONG the first time when you’re just going to be sent back to do it correctly, thereby completing the assignment twice (or sometimes even three times)? This infuriates me because it is such a waste of time. I was not this type of student, and I cannot wrap my brain around why someone would do this. Now, I am not talking about getting a math problem or two wrong. I’m talking about the part where I read the instructions to the boy, the instructions that say WRITE IN COMPLETE SENTECNES, and he comes back with something not even close to ONE subject and ONE verb. He’s in 5th grade, folks, he knows how to write a complete sentence.

Don’t even get me started on the “I can’t find my book” nonsense.

Is there a patience pill somewhere or do I just need to start drinking wine at 9am? What do you do to conquer laziness?