Reusable Grocery Totes

With the approach of the plastic bag ban in our town approaching (officially in June) I have begun making some reusable grocery totes.  Of course, these aren't the plain ones you can buy at the grocery store...these have to have some style!  Currently I am offering four Boston sports teams, the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins, but I do plan to branch out to a few more teams (I have an order in queue for the New York Yankees and New York Giants, and as a Red Sox fan it pains me to make these, but I will do anything for a customer).  I also have some Harry Potter, Star Wars, Looney Tunes, and nautical fabric to turn into stylish bags.  They are the same size and shape as the current plastic bags, but they are lined and much more durable.  Easy to toss in the washing machine to keep them clean and bacteria free!  The price may seem a little steep at first (licensed fabric isn't cheap), but in the long run the bags are worth it!  I use mine all the time and always get compliments on them.  Please take a look at JoatmonCreations.com and let me know what you think and if you have any ideas for patterns please feel free to comment.  I am always happy to take custom orders!

Reusable Grocery Totes in Boston Sports Patterns available at JoatmonCreations.com

What? Am I back (again)??

Well, hello there.  Remember me?  Yeah, it's been a long time.  I see during my last post I was declaring that I was "back in the saddle again"....and that was a little over two years ago.  Please, don't ask me how that has been going because basically I'll have to tell you that I have been bucked off the horse...once again.

I did make a good effort at the beginning of this year, creating a vision board and all.  I lost 11 lbs in 6 months and then my scale broke, which of course meant I didn't have to weigh myself or watch what I ate ever again, right?  So.... here I am feeling a little disappointed in myself as usual, however I do know my m.o. and that typically means I'll get fed up soon enough.  So, once again I'll recommit and I can start going to bed early enough to wake up by 4:30 to hit the old treadmill.

Unfortunately that won't be happening any time over the next month because I've also recommitted myself to my crafting and I've started a new product line.  As if headbands, hair bows, dog collars, and key fobs weren't enough, I've recently rediscovered my die cutting machines (Cricut) and also got a new one for my birthday (Silhouette).  It had been a long time since I made cutouts, and even then it was mostly greeting cards and such.  Now I am working with vinyl and it's like a whole new world has opened up.  I am having a great time designing car window decals or making fun mugs and glasses.  I will be doing my first craft show in a year next Saturday at the Danvers MA YMCA. I am so excited and nervous at the same time.  I'll have my regular products, but now I am adding on this whole other line, so my already jam-packed table will be even more jam-packter (yes, I made that a word).

I guess on the plus side, at least I am not snacking as much in the evening because I cannot wait to get working on my projects.  I have a ton of orders to finish while also bumping up my inventory for the fair.  So, as I am creating new things I am hoping to keep everyone updated on here as well as on my Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

In the meantime, here are a few samples of what I've been working on.  I love the creativity this inspires.  What a great way to express yourself, than by making a unique decal for your car or coffee mug.  Perfect gifts for hard to buy for people as well!  I know I'll be making a few personalized ones for friends this year!!

Until next time......

Stories

I am a crafter, although for some reason I hate that word.  I hand make a number of things, but I just can't bring myself to say that I make "crafts". I feel that people equate that word with Popsicle sticks and macrame.  So, instead I prefer to say that I hand make "novelties and gifts" since typically the items fall into those categories.  Pretty generic enough.  A customer is buying an item which isn't life changing, or an absolute need-to-have, but they are usually convenient items that are fun and functional.  I don't often think of them as much more than that.

But then I hear the stories and that makes all the difference.

When I hear WHY a customer is buying something it turns my ordinary "novelty" into something much more than that.

Recently with the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings interest in my Boston Strong items, particularly headbands, really picked up.  I know that many people were purchasing something because they planned to head into Boston on April 21st to watch in person.  But occasionally someone would include a note with their order and that made all the difference to me.  Those headbands were even more special as I packaged them up.  For example:

"A friend and I volunteered with the blanket distribution team at the Finish Line last year.  We'll be again this year and can't wait to be wearing these snazzy headbands"
She was there.  She witnessed the chaos and tragedy.  And she was heading back there again, undeterred.

"I'm running the marathon in a couple of weeks and I hope to wear this!!"
That.Is.Awesome

"We just walked away from shopping and walked around the corner of the first bomb when we heard the first bomb.  My son finished almost 2 hrs. before."
I have no words for this.



But it is not just the Boston Strong items that bring forth stories.  Just this week I started work on a custom order for a woman who recently lost her grandmother.  She wanted some accessories for her children to wear to the memorial service that represented the grandmother's favorite flower, the daffodil.
I actually felt pressure trying to find a print that would work for this project and I do think I managed to find an ideal selection.  I finished the bow ties last night and posted a picture to my Facebook page.


The customer saw it and commented that they were "perfect".  Knowing the significance behind the request made this project that much more important to me.  Her story made these bow ties more than just a novelty or a craft.  It made my work something more than that.  I suppose now I can say that I make "novelties, gifts and memories."


Thank you for letting me be a part of your story.