Oh baby!

Two posts in a week? Holy moly! See, I really am making an effort here folks. :)

 In other exciting news, along with all of the big changes to my shop, there area also some big changes in my life. Shortly after my birthday, I found out that my husband and I are expecting our first child! It's a girl, and she is due in early December.Please forgive some of these pictures. I was horrendously sick for about the first 6 months, and so despite my best efforts to look like a glowing, radiant, pregnant lady, I look like Ma Gorg from Fraggle Rock.

 

22 weeks

 26 weeks

 28 Weeks

 

30 weeks

 I thought that it was important to have a diaper bag that I could ask my husband to hold for me if I needed to, but that would not be an insult to his manhood. I didn't want to have to hand him something pink and sparkly or whatever, so I made this for us. It is made from one of his old cammie blouses (or shirts, for you civilians out there....). I chopped it up, moved the pockets around to where I needed them, and sewed it back together again. You can't tell from this picture, but the pockets that were on the front of the blouse are now on the sides, so that I can use them to hold things that I need. The inside is lined with black duck cloth, and has lots and lots of pockets. The entire thing is machine washable as well. Word on the street is that babies can be messy. ;) I also really like the idea that this is made from something that my husband actually wore. There are stories in this fabric, along with lots and lots of starch from mamasan. I think it's cool, and hopefully my husband will too. (He is currently deployed, so he hasn't seen it in person yet.)

 I also started, but haven't quite finished, making a baby quilt. Hopefully, once I get it finished up, I'll be able to post some more pictures for you to see.

So, that's my big secret! This does mean that I'll probably be closing my shop early for Christmas, so if you have your eye on something, it's better to order sooner, rather than later. 

Long time no see!

I have been missing, for quite awhile, and for that I apologize. There have been big changes going on behind the scenes during this absence however. First and foremost, I made the decision to re-brand. When I chose the name "A Stone's Throw," I had the idea that I would be making lots of quilts, and with my last name being "Stone," the name fit. However, my business ended up taking a different direction, and the name didn't really fit. A name change, however, does mean losing everything that I have built with A Stone's Throw. I wasn't able to keep my shop hearts, sales information, feedback, or any of those important things, so I've been building these things back up from scratch. On July 4th, I opened J. Stone Accessories, where you will find the same quality handcrafted accessories, but with a new name, and a new look. So, please, stop by and check out the new shop!

NiceGirlNotes- Cute Stuff Sale

Okay, so I am very, very excited to announce that I am going to be participating in the NiceGirlNotes- Cute Stuff Sale this Saturday night from 8pm-10pm EST.

With that said, I've been working like a maniac to prepare. No joke. I'm offering 21 items up for grabs, all at 25% off! Plus, there will be a sweet coupon code that you can use after the sale in my shop and all of the other shops that are participating. I worked for hours and hours and hours cutting fabric, sewing, ironing (I have an insane burn mark on my arm from that....) ignoring my husband (sorry, babe). I even worked as long as I could during the impromptu blackout that we had here last week. (I did eventually run out of things to do without power, and went and had a flashlight barbeque with friends, although it would have been way better with candles from LilacAve instead of military issued flashlights and nerdy headlamps.....). Then my supplies were delayed, and then even more delayed from the blackout. So, I frantically searched all of the local stores to find the stuff I needed, but to no avail. One fabric and craft store claimed to still be without power, and was closed, another didn't have any zippers, another had zippers, but in every color but the ones I needed.... Eventually, I got it all done, and hopefully you guys will love it. If not, there should be plenty of other stuff for you to LOVE. The lineup is fantastic! You can check out the lineup and the details about the sale on the NiceGirlNotes blog!

New!

As promised, I've been working very hard to get some new goodies made, and added to my online shop. I've been slow to add them all to the shop, but here are some pictures....







I've also finished a couple of new pleated hobo purses....
And this is my first with an adjustable strap!

And this one is a solid black one made from linen, with adjustable straps!

Awesome find!

I wanted to share something with you that has nothing to do with sewing, fabric or my shop. Basically, one of the things that I have been struggling with lately is remembering whether or not I've taken my medicine. I literally find myself dumping out my medication and counting it at least 3 times a week lately because I just can't remember if I already took it or not. Silly, right?? Well, people keep suggesting that I get one of those pill boxes with the days of the week and just use that to help me remember. I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it. It makes me feel like if I go and buy one, I suddenly turn from 29 to 89 with that one small purchase. So, I've just continued to struggle. Well, yesterday, I was in Seaport Village with a friend when I stumbled upon the solution!
While in Urban Girl Accessories, my friend found the cutest pill case ever. It's made by Fluff, and I love it. I do get that if you take the pill case out of the fun zippered pouch it's in, it is one of those plain boring pill cases, but that fact that it's hidden just makes me feel better about it.

Updates galore

First things first, my sewing machine has been broken for quite some time now. The good news is that it is being repaired as I type this. The bad news is that it's going to cost both arms to fix. Well, maybe not both arms. It's much, much less expensive to have it repaired than to buy a new one, and, with the amount of abuse I put that thing through, it's actually held up beautifully. I should have it back by the middle of next week, and if things go according to plan, I will have some new things to add to my shop soon. I've been using the time since I dropped it off to work on cutting fabric, and prepping everything, so that all I need to do is sew, sew, sew once I have it back. :) Here's a sneak peek of what I've got ready so far....

The pile on the left is the fabric for 7 new pleated wristlets, and the pile on the right will be turned into 3 new pleated hobo purses. I do hope to get some more fabric cut before the machine returns so that I'll have plenty of new goodies to introduce to my shop. I am going back into the hospital for another surgery at the end of the month, so things will slow down a bit again after that. If you have any requests that you'd like to see, please feel free to let me know!!

HF Community: Monday Meetups

The 2nd and 4th (sometimes 5th) Monday of every month, watch the homefront blog for a few questions that you can take, post and answer on your blogs and then link back to the HOMEFRONT BLOG so that we all can come around and visit.


This adventure is open to everyone! You DO NOT have to be a part of the Homefront Team. We just ask that when you leave your link here, you have a post that pertains to the set of questions.


1. What song is your personal anthem? If you don't have an anthem a favorite song will do.
Not really an anthem, but "Gunpowder and Lead" by Miranda Lambert gives some insight into how I think.

2. What is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
I love, love, love roller coasters. I am, however, terrified on heights, so I spend the entire time I'm in line freaking out about it. My favorite roller coaster ever is at this amusement park in New Hampshire (where I'm from) called Canobie Lake Park. The roller coaster is one of those old wooden ones that creaks and sways and makes the whole experience even more terrifying.

3. What was your favorite restaurant at any of your past/present duty stations?
I don't have a favorite restaurant at a duty station. There is a lot of fast food on base, and I don't eat fast food if I can help it. However, there is a place called Mowi Wowi here that makes some delicious coffee.

4. Where is your favorite place to go for supplies?
I love going to craft shows where I can find fabrics that aren't the same fabrics that everyone carries in the stores. I also love checking out the smaller local shops where the owners remember who you are. That always keeps me coming back.