Tell me truly....

Do you prefer pinks and limes or do you prefer blues and limes?
These items would be used for tree skirts and stockings... if it helps in your decisions! :)

Thanks for the opinions!

Mini Wreath Doodles

I snapped these with my cell phone to show you what I am working on today. Quick scribble Doodles of mini-wreaths! 6" in diameter wreaths just like the big ones, only little! Everything is cuter when little!
I always have to sketch it out in color to see how I think they will look before committing to making a wreath in those colors.
I was thinking a pink and lime with the stitched dots white base with pink yarn wrapped around it.
Also a teal and brown but varying shades of green and dark teal blue mixed in all on a while base with white snow. I wanted a very clean line look.
This is what I have so far. I am considering making smaller versions of the Christmastown wreath that is the red and bright green! You can see it HERE
Weee!
What other wreaths do you think would be cute as a mini?

Glitter is the Sign

Yes. It officially has begun!
Crafting for the Holidays is not complete around my house unless one large portion of living area is covered densely in glitter.
(Its permanently in the grout of my dining table from last year)
I organized wreath supplies last night. The pom poms, the yarn, the baubles and buttons, the foam bases and the glittery foliage.....I now have a whole section of my table and carpet that sparkles brilliantly in the dining room light.
There is glitter everywhere. It always amazed me how it sticks to things and multiplies...
Its on the cat.
Its on my husband and I think its in my mouth and lungs.
Vacuuming is in order!

Comfy Squishy Pants and Mini-Wreath

This is me.
This is me on my couch.
I create a lot on my couch. I hand sew nearly everything sitting here.
Its my happy comfy creating nest.
My hair isnt done and I dont have much makeup on....but what better way to have a peek in to my life than see how crazy I look on a regular basis!

I have been tossing around the idea of making smaller wreaths for a while. I'd love to hear your opinions on this.
My large wreaths are averaging $75.00 and are 12" in diameter. The next size down is the 10" in diameter and they are averaging $55.00
You can see them HERE
This little wreath base I am holding is 6" in diameter. Tiny. They would end up still being a $35.00 decoration due to the work involved.
Do you think it a good option for those who cannot spend the other two prices? Do you think it too small /too pricey for what it is? Id love to hear your honest opinions. These small foam wreaths cost nearly as much as my 12" diameter foam bases. Seriously.
This is a hard decision for me as it is so much smaller. One baby critter (owl, bear, bunny, etc) would be able to fit on it. Do you all have uses in your home for something smaller like this?
Please, tell me true! :)
Thanks for your help on this one!

Shopping Cart Mulling

I started posting about this on facebook and thought I have more to say than the allotted amount of space so ill talk about it in my blog..... Hi, by the way. :)

A lot of my miscellany (its a word, I promise. It also could be referred to as haberdashery's) suppliers are online.
I buy from several different companies for things like my pom pom trim, packing materials, ric rac trim, etc.
I always have to stare at my online shopping cart full of supplies. (This also pertains to in stores, however this specific instance it is online). I stare at it hard. Visualizing the product, crunching numbers, costs per yard, cost of material per item, by the foot costs, more number thinking... I do this until I am absolutely sure I am ready.
I, like many others, want to keep costs to a minimum. I don't want to have a bunch of cash tied up in Pom pom trim. I cant take it back to the bank and use it as currency.
Using pom pom trim as currency would be amazing, but that is another topic.
So I don't want a huge outlay of cash tied up in a supply.
However... I also am big on combining shipping as that can tie up a good portion of the cost of things and eat away at your profit margin.
12 bucks to ship a 3 dollar item.... seriously?
It isn't unheard of.
SO, I do try to combine shipping and plan ahead as much as possible.
The caveat of this "mulling over the cart" is that normally online shopping carts time out after a certain amount of time. If you are inactive or change quantities and refresh too many times you get bumped back to an empty cart. Trust me, I know. It nearly happens two or three times every time I put a supply order together.
I just placed two supply orders tonight. Both times the cart refreshed only once.
I was actually kinda proud.
I do find myself with Combined shipping remorse. I had ric rac in and out of my cart about three times. I now wish I had left it in the cart. Ah well, planners cant plan everything.

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone!

Oswald the Walrus Rework

I was playing with some of my designs with which I was content... but not happy.

I had designed a walrus named Oswald last year. I liked how he turned out. Nice and plump. However....something wasnt quite right. It would come to me eventually and so I produced a limited number of him and went on my merry way. Today it struck me like lightening.
His legs. I had designed his legs more like wings instead of flippers. So this is the new improved Oswald. I still will have to make a felt prototype and see how he comes out, but I think this makes me much happier.

Eleanor the Elephant is also getting a small ear and foot rework.
Jeez I sound like a plastic surgeon.... a little nip... a little tuck and TA DA!

A big box of goodies!

I was about to fall asleep on the couch while Kyle was watching one of the Star Wars movies and the doorbell rang.
Oh! I think I'm expecting a package.....

YES! SCORE!
The delivery man brought me my wreath supplies that I ordered!
Wide awake I rip into the package like I am five years old and its Christmas morning (Don't worry, its like that every time I get a package) and discover the million pom poms and wreath bases that I ordered all packed nicely!
This is box #1.... Box #2 had twelve 12" wreath bases in it! AND a ton of packaging paper. Well I totally recycle it so I spent the last 20 minutes pulling all of it out and folding it nicely to be reused in the future.
Yep, I am just as excited about the packaging as I am the contents.

If you want to see the final product that the items in this box make, you can see them HERE

Holiday Mixing Alert!

These are the tree skirt panels that I worked on this weekend! This one will be something along the lines of Candy Coated Christmas. It pairs with the teal and fuchsia ornament fabric that I posted in earlier posts.
I have a lime one that I am working on now that I dont have a name for yet... im thinkin', im thinkin'.
I also am working on more snowflake stitching tonight....the little appliques you see in the sky above the owls. At the same time I am working on a batch of owls. Definitely mixing holidays tonight.
On another note, my mother emailed me today informing me of only 166 more days until Christmas! WOW!
That really puts it in to perspective!
Stay busy out there!

Im out of tubs!

I had a cutting spree last weekend and ended up cutting out a ton of my Pocket Peeper Stockings.
Final product can be seen HERE

I now have fabric cuffs, pom pom trim and ric rac trim all cut out for each and every one of those 100+ beauties.
The two tubs without the tops are full of Pocket Peeper Stockings and Pocket Monster Stockings... all waiting for their turn to be assembled.

And you can also see the half stack of unfinished tree skirts propped up on another tub. They also have trim assigned. The tubs underneath them are full of finished product or other trims.

I have determined three very important things...
I need more red pom pom trim.
I need more tubs.
My hands are tired.


Have a great weekend everyone!

Conga Line

Snapped with my cell phone as usual!

I realized that as I make ornaments I set them all in a row... forming a little production conga line.

It made me smile.
Dun Dun dun dun DUH DAH!

Have you ever found yourself doing something subconsciously that you thought was funny?

Happy Friday!

Goals

Having broke the big news in my previous post, you all can see I have a potentially busy Holiday season coming up. Kyle and I have sat down and hashed out some basic goals for me to try to attain to stay on track.
If you have followed my blog for a while you know I am a big supporter of writing things down and committing to them. So when I post them on my blog it makes me accountable! :)

I have cut out 23 tree skirts so far. I have the critters allotted for them and intend to cut out 25-ish more! Yeesh!

I have cut out 75 pocket peeper stockings in various colors. My goal is to have at least 200 total.
I have cut out 20 Monster stockings bringing the total cut out to 30. I dont plan on cutting out more of those as of yet.

These goals are just for the remainder of the summer. Sprinkling in the ornaments, wall art, wreaths, etc in the "spare time" I will have.

I know these goals are intense but I really think they are attainable....and now they are written down! So hold me to it! :)

Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Ideas Magazine

I cant contain it any longer!

Red Marionette will be featured in this years issue of
Better Homes and Gardens, Christmas Ideas Magazine!

Due out on stands September 21st....which is not too long away!
Look for the pocket peeper stockings!
I am beyond thrilled that I have been given this opportunity and that they found me through Etsy!
A big Thanks to all of you for supporting handmade.

A Very Limited Edition - Pooty Monster

I regret to inform everyone that the pooty monster stocking will be making a very limited introduction into the world.
It doesnt look as wonderful as I want it to.
I will be making just the one unless something comes up and there is a custom request.
I will post some photos of the stitched prototype later.

BUT..... thats why I do prototypes. To learn these things.
Its part of the creative process, some designs make it, some dont.

You can see the Pooty Monster Work in Progress post HERE

Introducing Conrad the Spikey Monster Stocking

I would like to introduce you to Conrad.
He is a Monster Stocking.

No one ever wants to hug him because he looks like he is very sharp and spiky. But he is really very soft and cuddly. I think that would make me frown too.


For those of you not familiar with the monster stockings they keep your presents safe in their belly until you are ready to open them up! So in essence they eat your gifts... typical of Monsters, really.

Conrad is the first of his kind and I would love your opinions on other colors that the Spiky Monster style may look good?
Purples? Greens? Blues?
What do you think?

Super Secret Project - Revealed!

This is the super secret project I was working on!
The very first Red Marionette mobile!

My friend and Etsy Pen Pal, Lisa and her husband recently announced they are expecting! A big Congratulations to them!
So I decided to make them something special.

I couldnt tell or show anyone until Lisa (Savor) got her surprise!
Side Note: Lisa makes and sells amazing soaps that I have been addicted to for nearly two years. I highly encourage to visit her shop!


I snapped a photo before I sent it off to her in my studio. The lime green doesnt quite match as well as her decor!

























(Savors blog with more photos can be seen HERE)

Her nursery design is so beautiful and serene. Then there are the little pops of interest, the photos, the butterflies, the fabrics... Oh and the little owls hanging from the mobile!

I was hoping to have these introduced and ready for sale in my shop by the new year but if you absolutely cannot wait I would consider taking custom orders through the start of the holiday season this year (September).
You can email me at kelli@redmarionette.com if you would like pricing and further information!