I can't get no satisfaction

I started doin my taxes and WOW I underestimated how complicated Self Employment taxes can be when you have no idea what you are doing ......  It doesn't help that I am the least organized person I know......So I will let you know how all of that turns out. I just have to keep telling myself that it will be easier next year....

Does anyone have any tips for staying organized in terms of the business side of things.....? 

I live and breathe sewing, but I could care less for the financial stuff. I would love to trade for everything, but trades don't pay the utlities or for the mortgage on our house.  I suppose I should start with quarterly reports of my income, expenses, and so on. I am so green when it comes to that stuff........One my stitchn bitches (hahaha!) uses a notebook to record how much time she spent on each item. I should def do this.......I mean I have plenty of notebooks, but they are filled with sketches and doodles.

I managed to get my craft on today, in addition to family time, grocery shoppin, bank stop, and the aforementioned tax fun. 

I made these super fun gaucho pants for yours truely it's been almost a year since I stitched myself something. My friend Tom gave me this fabric formerly known as curtains. :D It gave me a chance to work on my woven gaucho pattern.....These feature a drawstring waist and are extra wide leg. I see myself doin some serious hooping in these. 

Bust a move.

I made these pants for the shop. I scored this super funky blue stretch fabric with viney-ness knit into the fabric. These are going to make some mama very happy.  My little Lucia (loo-sha) liked these pants so much, she had to give me a pound during the photoshoot.

Last but not least, my favorite of the lot, olive green polyester stretch wrap pants with gorgeous vintage trim......This is the last of this particular fabric. Get it while you can. I have just enough for a custom applique I am going to offer in the listing once I get them in the shop.  

I bought some vital wheat gluten at the health food store today. I am going to attempt my own seitan. I'm pretty stoked, I just started getting into the good ol'wheat meat. I SO over tofu right now because they do not offer recycling for the containers. I can not in good faith buy it, I mean there are only so many ways to reuse those awkward rectangle containers with no lid. You feel me?  I will be sure to share my process and results. 

Wish me luck and feel free to drop some wheat knowledge on me

your pal, 

Banana

Bring on the Rain Bring on the Phunk

I live in the Tennessee Valley Area. We are surrounded by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. When it rains here the rainclouds get real comfy like and stay here for days. Some people don't care for the rain, but I love it! I love any excuse to stay home and sew. The rain makes my two doggies extra tired, so they leave me to my creating.

I made some eco friendly powdered laundry soap and I thought I would share it with all of you. I have saved lots of moolah doing this as well. I found this original recipe on craftster.org, but with further research this recipe is tried and true and has been used for years! The best part is that I bought all of these ingridents at my local grocery store. All you need is food processor or one of those old fashioned biscuit dough tools. ..............You will need

• 1 cup Borax: 20 mule team
• 1 cup Washing Soda (not baking soda!)
  
• one mild bar of soap (in this batch I used Fels Naptha, but Ivory Soap works well as does a nice castille soap such as Dr.Bronners) chopped up

Blend all of this up until it is pretty "smooth" it should look like this.

To use in washing machine use 1-2 tablespoons dependin on how much of a Garbage Pail Kid you Are.......A lil bit of this works great for great for your unmentionables you handwash in the sink. ;)

In other crafty news I made an awesome vegtarian sanndwich stuffin! Most people have has tuna or chicken salad at some point in their life....even myself. Personaly its been a LONG time since I ate either......

Instead I used garbonza beans/chick peas.....I high reccommend starting with dry beans, they are so much tastier and not to mention easier on your grocery bill. All you have to do is soak them over night, change the water, bring to boil, and then put the lid on lower the heat to medium low and wait about......35 minutes.....


Then simply drain your beans and mash them until your preferred consistency. Add to taste any of the traditional "salad" fixins. I used mayonnaise (the real or vegan stuff will work fine here), dijon mustard, celery, kosher pickle, toasted nuts (i used walnuts), lemon juice or dash of white wine vinager, and salt/pepper. Voila!

Serve on starch of your choice and garnish as you please......
My etsy shop is hutsling and bustling.....I've got several custom orders in the works. Miguel made an awesome tourmaline hat pin....Check it out!
My loving Mate Miguel grows more and more as an artist everyday. It's a beautful thing to watch.......
In the next few days I will be adding the following to my shop.....

one yellow pixie skirt
one butterfly theme pixie skirt
one teenage mutant ninja tutle skirt
one jungle theme skirt
one deady pair of wrap pants
one swingtown blouse

hugs!
Banana