Meet the jeni ro spokesbaby!

Miss Elena Lynn!  Since I make a lot of baby blankets and sell them in my shop, I really wanted to be able to show my blankets in use with a sweet baby all cuddled up in it!  I have gotten some great photos from happy customers but I wanted to be able to show off the blankets currently for sale. 

Since my youngest is no longer a baby (sniff sniff) I have been able to borrow my good friend's newest addition.  Elena is only 2 weeks old and the tiniest of things!  We did a quick photo shoot this week and got a few pictures, not as many as I hoped for but it was fun practice.  She decided she wanted to be awake that morning/afternoon so we didn't get any of the sleeping baby pictures - maybe next time!

So grateful to my friend for sharing her pretty little angel!!  I think its kind of fun to say I have a spokesbaby!  hehe  So excited for future photo shoots with this precious one!

Miss Elena modeling my newest shop addition - the owl hat!

 

Cutie baby!!

 

Love this one!!  Baby feet are awesome!

 

All cozy in one of my favorite blankets in the shop!

 

Enjoying another cozy blanket!

Critters everywhere!!

My goal of posting on this blog at least 2x a week has already been blown!  Last week was mid winter break for our school district (so no preschool) and my husband was out of town for business - so we packed up and headed to my parent's house for the week.  Awesome family time but not too much else. 

What has been occupying our time this week? This sweet critter!

Yes we got a cat!  I actually can hardly believe it.  My daughter is crazy for the kitties and we had been promising her that we would get one.  Well last weekend we set out on kitty quest and after visiting 4 different shelters - we ended back up at the first shelter the next day and found this cutie.  The picture doesn't do her coloring justice - she is a orange and gray calico - very cool color combo.  She is adjusting to life with us but seems to be doing great!

And speaking of critters - I finished up a new batch of my ribbon critters and matching blankets and finally got them all up in my shop! I wanted to share my process for creating the ribbon critters - (funny story - I am calling them ribbon critters because the Taggie blanket people actually sent me a cease and desist letter when I called them Taggy Critters in my shop - yeah seriously! - a bit ridiculous I think, thus you will never see me buying another "Taggie" product again - but that's just me).

I generally try to match the critter with the blanket fabric I am using and as I design more and more, my confidence is growing (a bit).  In this example I found the cutest bird flannel for one of my new Cuddle and Urp blankets (I am not linking to the bird blanket, because it just sold today!). 

So I just grab a piece of paper and a pencil and sketch a shape of a bird that resembles the birds on the fabric. 

Making sure the sketch isn't too big for the piece of fabric I have and I am happy with how it looks on paper, I cut it out of the fabric, add the ribbons and details....

and sew it up!  And sometimes just HOPE it turns out cute - which most of the time they do!  I think this guy turned out extra cute and I really want to make some more! (especially since this one just sold - Yay!)

Here is a shot of all my cute critters currently available in the shop!  Check them out - I know you want one! (for the baby in your life right?  wink wink!)  =)

Minky Blankets - Sewing tip!

I am trying to hit the sewing machine as much as I can, so I can build my inventory and choices in the shop. 

Last weekend, I worked all day on Saturday while my husband was in charge of the kids.  That morning after breakfast I said goodbye to my daughter and told her I was going to work - she said "You are going downstairs!" all sassy like.  Miss O, the smarty pants, was right - my "studio" or rather my sewing corner is downstairs in our daylight basement.  I do long for a real studio with a door that closes, but alas I work with what I have, which really isn't too bad!

So my focus for that sewing day was to sew up a stack of minky blankets I had already cut out.  I would say the day was rather productive!

When I first started making these blankets - check them out in the shop - I was worried about the slippage potential.  The fabric is so soft and cozy but very slippery when you try to sew two pieces together!! 

First Tip:  After reading up on it - I agree strongly with the people of the internet that using a walking foot is a must!  This is a walking foot if you were curious.  They are used when quilting (the stitching that runs through the entire blanket) a quilt - but since they have grippers (feed dogs) in the foot they are great for minky since it keeps the 2 fabrics together as it goes through the machine - sorry a lot of information for non-sewers, but if you really want to get into sewing blankets, its worth the investment (not too much $).

Second Tip:  Pin, Pin, Pin!!  So when I first started my blankets looked like this.

Seriously a pin every inch or so!

 

Then my Mom and I went to Sew Expo last year and found Wonder Clips - Ahhhh!!!  These things are amazing!  Pins with out the pin!  I think I used to stick myself at least once a blanket with the all pin version.  We bought a 50 pack and split it - so since I didn't have quite enough to cover the entire blanket - my blankets looked like this!

Clip, Pin, Clip, Pin......

 

So when I decided to sell the blankets in the shop (after raves from people I have given them to as gifts) I bought myself some more clips and walah!!

All Clips!!





They actually make the "pinning" and sewing process pretty quick now - which is good for the productivity!  Here are some close ups of the newest blankets in the shop!  I am in love with the zebra combos!!  And a new blanket - flannel and minky - my sister dubbed it the "Urp and Cuddle", love the animal superheros!  Check them out!