... and the BIG 4 - 0!

Six Months...

Three Years...

Yup, it's hard to believe, but it's been three big years already....

Paper & Fabric Play

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Smocked & Ruffled

Winter Friends

Learning German Traditions

Missing Home... Morning, Noon & Night

No Small Thing

It really is no small thing to economize. In business, one must continually analyze, refine, and re-evaluate what is working, what is not, what costs the most time and money, and focus on what brings the most profit. It should go without saying that cutting those areas out that are not profitable makes a lot of good business sense, but on a personal level it is not so cut and dry.

When I started my blog, I started it for many different reasons... keeping in touch with family and friends, getting in contact with the German crafters community, and simply having a creative outlet. I've always enjoyed writing and I feel that often I can express myself much clearer with the written word. Perhaps it is that one really has the opportunity to carefully select what is desired to be said. But all those reasons aside, blogging costs time... and name me one person who would not like more of that and I'll give you a millions bucks! Sometimes I marvel at those who can spend four hours a day on Facebook or the busy mother of six children who has time to create, sew, design fabric & patterns, embroider, and post fabulously fantastic photos of even more fantastic projects. (Seriously, I heard recently that the average FB user spends four hours a day online, and if you're in the creative world you've definitely heard of the fabo AMH and marvel at her as well.)

Over the past year I have somewhat lost my direction of why I was blogging, where I wanted to go with it, or what I wanted to achieve. Adding our new guy has caused me to devote my time elsewhere, and I've asked myself so often if this is something that needs to have less focus, or even focus at all?... I am still re-evaluating and refining. I can't say that blogging has been of no profit to me...no, in fact I have accomplished what I set out to do... and not to mention that I have "met" some really great people along the way.

Since I'm not ready to call it quits, I thought that I would perhaps find a less time-consuming way to express myself other than with words... and don't pictures say a thousand of them?

So, let me first send out a big "thanks" to the 158 of you who have decided to stick it out with me until I found the time and inspiration to share with you a little corner of my world. In the next weeks I will simply be sharing photos, then perhaps the words can be yours... would love to hear what story they tell you.

The "P" Word

So, I have often heard that the "P" word can be the downfall of a blog...

I would think that it is beyond obvious that I've had just a few things that have kept me very busy and away from blogging these days. The truth of the matter is that I have not even logged onto my own blog in days, maybe even weeks, not even to check out my favorite "must read" blogs. Somehow I've not found the time or even had the desire.

It's not as if there hasn't been enough going on around me to blog about, no, no... in fact there has been almost too much going on. So, should I fill you in on what you've missed?...

• Our first month as life as four... it really hit me when I did a Skype call with my parents recently where you can see a small image of yourself in the corner... and there we were together, the four of us. Hmmm.

• The second visit to the hospital with our big guy... and a second time coming home with stitches, which leaves me only with the realization that boys really are a whole different category than girls.

• Our first major e-mail newsletter in October with SWD...

• November 17th was a big day for me... we celebrated our annual Thanksgiving in Germany for the 4th year, it was my grandmother's 86^th birthday, my cousin and his wife had their first baby, and I celebrated an anniversary of sorts myself... 6 years in Germany!

• I did a small show... nothing big, just a small table set up combined with a weekend visit with the in-laws. Which meant a little bit of sewing time for me... I just love it when the hum of the sewing machine puts the little one to sleep.

• The little guy's first smiles and first attempts at talking. Listening to the big guy asking Papa for help in German, and then turning to me and asking me the same thing in English.

• I made my very first Advent calendar for the big guy... an owl a day keeps the doctor away... or something like that.

• Nibbling on my newfound favorite Christmas cookies…a simple, sweet, thin and crispy cookie. Lingering with a hot cup of tea on the side, snuggling the little one to sleep while enjoying the snow and the birds fluttering in and out for their own tasty treat.

But more than anything, I have been enjoying the changes that adding a new life brings. And right now I so want to enjoy it and not let those moments pass me by. So, a "pause" (which I have kind of already done) should be of no surprise. I'm not ready to quit, but ready to re-tank, ready to be re-inspired and ready to enjoy this still and reflective season with my family. I could imagine that the first of the year will bring new inspiration for me, and I hope that you all will take the time to slow down and enjoy the silence in your own life more than ever before.

Versandkostenfrei* - jetzt bis 11. November!

Unsere Regale sind prall gefüllt mit den neuen Stoffkollektionen des Herbstes! Um das gebührend zu feiern, könnt Ihr diese tollen Neuheiten (und auch alles andere) von jetzt an bis zum 11. November 2012 innerhalb Deutschlands versandkostenfrei bei uns bestellen.

Wählt bei der Bestellung einfach „Versandkostenfrei“ aus und gebt im Kommentarfeld folgenden Code ein: SWDfree. Bei Bestellungen über 75 Euro erhaltet Ihr außerdem noch einen farblich passenden Fat Quarter (unserer Wahl) oder ein „Notes Journal“ Schnittmuster-Notizbuch für Eure Nähprojekte (solange der Vorrat reicht). Gebt einfach an, welches Extra Ihr gerne haben möchtet.

*Bei Versand innerhalb Deutschlands!

Sometimes between spliting time between our newborn "snuggle-bug" and his active whirlwind big brother, I do get a chance to sneak away and do something creative. It doesn't happen often right now, my time is extremely limited, and I think that if I am able to sew five strips of fabric together that it was a really good day. My projects are small, and seem to take an eternity until they are finished, but for now I am happy for those few moments that I do get.

What is inspiring me these days is a project using paper, fabric and buttons. (Oh, how I love buttons!) Usually when I use any of my beloved buttons, it is hard for me to let them go. Yes, I admit it... I am a hoarder. I like to keep those special buttons because they are... well, special. So, I decided to scan them in instead... and thus no tearful partings with any of my beloved notions. Do you like to hold onto things too instead of using them?

Entdecker Rabatt - 15%

Before our newest edition came along, I had a very, very long list of things that I wanted to accomplish before our world got turned upside down... and now I get to share with you something that I was finally able to check off the list! It's been in the back of my mind now for quite some time to open a second Dawanda shop, separate from the fabrics we sell, with the things that I have made. So, without further adieu... just a sneak peek of our Still Water Designs Accessories shop:

A lot what I have listed, you may have already seen in some form or another here, but now I've sorted things into "collections"... either by colors or fabrics. I was able to whip up a few things before my September due date, and here a just a few things you'll find in my shop:

I've added my jewelry items in addition to my sewn items, and I have to say that getting back into this detailed handiwork is something that I find very relaxing. Sometimes it's hard juggling back and forth between two passions, but if there is one thing that can tempt me to leave my sewing machine, it's making jewelry.


So, with all that being said, now is the perfect time for Dawanda to run a "Entdecker Rabatt" (Discovery Sale). Essentially 15% is being offered to "first-time-buyers", and since the shop is just opened, you can all be a "first". The sale starts today, October 15th, and runs through October 21st, 2012.

Long Overdue Introduction

I suppose it is time to introduce you to the reason for my silence. Another sweet and precious boy with a full head of hair... just like his brother. I've been recovering slowly and have taken the time to ease into our new life status... so, let me intoduce you to:

Samuel Elias Richter

September 12, 2012

Now is the time that we are getting to know our new little guy, and he is gettting to know us.

... and you know what? I think we've decided to keep him ; )

Enjoy the Silence

Stillness and Quiet. And I think it is obvious why... our lives are now changed and we are enjoying that small window of time where life moves so, so slowly. Taking time to really soak in and enjoy the "forced rest"... the calm after the storm. We made it through, and we are FOUR!

Enjoy the Silence.

Not Just and Overnight Guest

Are you like me?... every time company comes there is a whirlwind of action going on - cleaning, straightening, checking one more thing off the "I'll get around to it list" just before the overnight guests arrive?

As I've already told you, we have a very special guest on the way. But the difference is that this guest plans to stay for quite a while. Even though it feels a little like getting ready for weekend company, things really have been about shifting and making room for new things, and finding homes for those things that piled up way too long until a new home could be found for them.

I'm doing things... lots of things. I'm busy. I'm marking things off my list that have been neglected for far too long. Yep, I'm nesting. The nest is close to being ready, and the date of "ready or not, here I come" is right before my door. Question is, can you ever really be ready?

I suppose it is like when your overnight guests finally arrive... you then notice that big speck of dust in the corner, something that is not in its place, and that whatcha-ma-call-it that didn't get cleaned properly. And then there is usually that the reminder to yourself, that your guests often do not see those things anyway, and if they do somehow they are able to have fun and enjoy the moments in spite of those things.

... It's definitely a process, but I am learning that it's actually O.K. if everything is not just how I like it. I could imagine that our new little guy won't even notice. Hmmm... what a concept!

Where it All Began

A simple sketch.

That's where it all began... really. And I guess the encouragement of a good friend. I never really set out to design my own ribbons, and truth be told, I'm not even one of those self-described "always used to doodle on everything I could get my hands on" kind of girl. It's my dad who I consider the artist of the family. I am the one who creates things using other things.

... but like I said, I started with just a simple sketch. One doodle became two, and two doubled, and somehow I ended up with a basic sketch. It seems that I like to draw on graph paper, although not because I am following the lines or trying to keep things in scale. I just like it.

I would have to say that the sketch was the easiest part of the whole process. It's the color and the small, but super significant details that take the creative process in a whole other direction. So once the basic sketch was done, it was sent to the manufacturer where they digitalized my drawing and filled in the colors that I had used. We picked Pantone colors and they matched the colors to their thread colors. Then we got a rough draft of how the ribbons would look in the colors that we chose.

... and that was just the first step.

I'm planning a follow-up post to share the next steps... a very long and drawn out process when you are just chomping at the bit to get the final product in your hands. But I guess that is why they say that good things come to those who wait. (and wait, and wait....)