2015 April
Turning the Page... a New Chapter...
4/24/2015
How many of you struggle with making decisions and when the decision is finally made you are still not sure if it was the right one?? As I told you before, it was a long time coming to decide what to do with the store and it seems like it has been a long time since we made the decision. I woke up Wednesday morning and my first thought was that I would only be open for 4 more days with the Making Ends Meet that I have been part of for the past 25 years.... and it felt REALLY good!
I am not sure what the future holds but I know that we are ready for something new. We will close the store the 25th at 5:00pm and reopen the 15th of May. Sometime in the middle of all that we will try to make some more decisions. The big thing is that I have lots of faith that it will all be ok!
Cindee Moyer was here this weekend and we had a great time.
No one completed their dolls but they sure had fun and left with the ability to finish which is what is important!!
Here are a few photos from the class.... including Nancy Jo taking her chair for a ride down the ramp!! No... apparently it is not just for unruly kids!!
I am now on the downhill slide on preparation for ARW. I REALLY do not like being in front of the computer all day but it seems that is all I have been doing as I try to get room set ups finished for the powers that be. I know we will still be working on finishing doors, making 24 tablecloths and fine tuning all the details. I am looking forward to sharing the week with you through photos!!
I have spent two days with the help of my mom and Walt putting fabrics in embroidery hoops and then painting them with blackboard paint. They are going to be used for worship and I am not quite sure how. ...
Off for a little more boring computer work.....
3 Comments
Mary Beth Shaw - Leslie, you are simple a marvel, everything you have going on! Wow oh wow. Those hoops with black chalkboard paint are going to be something gorgeous, I just feel it!
And I heard you met my friend Claire, what a small world.. Wishing you ALL the best. xo
FranHodges - Dear Leslie, I'm not sure if you remember me as it has been almost 2 years since I took a class from Barbara Schoenff at your store and had a wonderful weekend. As I live a little ways away in Cecilia, KY, and work full time, my initial intentions of continuing to meet with the "doll group" hasn't happened. Nevertheless, I always follow your e-mails, check out new classes and events and wish I was there as I simply adore your unique classes. You can imagine my being shocked when I first read about a "final sale" and somehow couldn't find any more details about a closing. What a relief this morning to hear you will just restructure your creative business to .....??? Well, just knowing you are still there is wonderful and I will plan a visit soon. Best of luck with your new creation, I know it will be awesome as everything I see you do.
Hugs, Fran
Marguerite Harty - So excited to see what unfolds. I truly miss participating at ARW. What ever you do it will be spectacular! Miss seeing you and your smiles.
Home Again, Home Again... jiggity-jog!
4/17/2015
What a wonderful time we had in Delray...lots of hard work (a great big thanks to Jeff and Patty) but also lots of fun talking with folks who were out to see what special artists were around.
I feel that our show was a HUGE success, both in sales and contacts made. Lucy and Leonard found a great retirement home in Boynton Beach and I have a custom order for two more of the bathing beauty chairs to match another home in Delray. I LOVE this one of a kind stuff with the freedom to create!
Jeff bribed Patty and me on the way home... He said if we got up early he would take us to a fun shop in Saluda, NC that we wanted to visit.Random Arts is such a fun shop with great clothes!! Check out my new leggings that I found there!! Love them!! My new motto!! 😊
We arrived home Tuesday afternoon and parked the trailer, and I am slowly trying to unload and get things back in place before I have to repack it for ARW. recreationworkshop.org There's a lot of work to these shows!!
I was anxious to get home since my mom was in Shelbyville waiting for us after her winter jaunts in Arizona and other places out west. And it didn't take long for me to put her to work. I think with all her help we will get the second rug done and actually get to use it in my bedroom! She is always a big help when she comes and is ready to jump into whatever project I have going on whatever day!
♥
Happy Birthday, Maritess!! 😊
Love that cute smile! Maritess has been on staff at the store since last year and as we change direction with the store her job description will change. She will be Judy's right hand lady to help with our website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media stuff.
What takes us a while to figure out comes so simple to her and we are looking forward to seeing what she can do with the social media , but most of all, what she can teach us. Taking care of us will be a full time job for her!
I picked up Cindee Moyer at the airport this morning and we are ready to start our weekend class with this talented doll artist. Watch for photos of the class and its work!!
1 Comment
Ellen Yunker - Leslie, I'm so excited you got to Random Arts!
Jane and her staff are amazing and talented people, as are you, and I can see great things happening in the future. Looking forward to my class next Saturday!
Delray, Here We Come!!!!
4/10/2015
Tunics, tunics and more tunics! I have spent this past week doing all the last minute sewing so that we were ready to go. O.K., to tell the real truth, we had to go before I was ready and some were hand sewn in the car today and there are a few things that still need to be done when we arrive in Delray. I kept coming up with new ideas and had to tell myself "no" so that I could stay on track. I think I have put more leaves and flowers on tunics than I have in my garden! Every shirt that I embellish is a one of a kind. Once I get the tunics finished then I get to spend time with the fun creative part. I used lots of laces, trims, fabrics and buttons to give these shirts their personalities.
Thanks to Jason and Jose we were able to load in between rain showers on Tuesday. I have been so concerned that i do not have enough merchandise with all that has been going on at the store and yet we had to leave behind one chair and ottoman. No matter how much we plan the layout of the booth, it always changes when we get there.
We left at about 6:15 to 6:30 on Wednesday morning and thought we would drive till Jeff got tired. (No matter how hard he tries, driving his jumbo size truck and trailer is not something I want to learn to do.) Besides... if I can't drive it, then he has to come with me.... 😊
So... the problem with driving till he got tired, was that we forgot that this is spring break week. We wanted to stop just far enough down so that we only had a few hours in the morning to drive. ALL hotels were full. Hmmm, I now remember this from last year and hope to remember it for next year! So... we are still driving and will go on to Delray. We should arrive about 12:30 on Thursday morning. This has made for one long day for Jeff and a serious sore butt for me!! Maybe we will get to sleep in tomorrow morning!!
After an early start we got the booth up and running... with time to spare. Here are a few pictures of the finished booth....
Day one down and successful!! Two more fun days and praying the rain goes to California instead of Delray!!
0 Comments
Strangers at Our Doors...
4/3/2015
What a fun week it has been! Friends of mine came to visit from Tennessee and North Carolina this weekend and we had one thing on our mind and that was getting ready for the Annual Recreation Workshop in Montreat, North Carolina.
Our theme for the week will be "Strangers at Our Doors... Extending Radical Hospitality." recreationworkshop.org It was a given that doors would be involved in one way or another..... ours are another! Bright fun and ready to be entry signs, stage decorations and directional arrows 'to and from' daily events. Come join us at the workshop.
Thanks Sonia and Sophie for all the creative help! We have a great start!
Last Saturday was another one of our fun ottoman classes with Bobby Allen.I was sure that I was going to have time to make an ottoman to take to the Delray Art Show...but to no avail! So I made the top with fun black and white and bright flowers and sent the ottoman with Bobby to finish.
I am so ready to see the finished project when he brings it back on Saturday. Stop by and see this fun ottoman and then sign up to make one of your own!!
Lucy and Leonard are back and are making quite a stir!! Most people think they are really fun and would be great on a porch or in the area of a swimming pool.
The one comment that really tickled me was, "Do people really use something like that?" Differences are what makes the world go around. I guess she doesn't get my quirky sense of humor!!
Only 4 more days till we leave for the big art show. I think I have 8 days worth of work to do! I haven't quite figured out what to spend my last bit of time working on.... Here is hoping for productive days and a show with no rain!!
3 Comments
Jayn Lando - I love these projects. Can't wait for ARW!
Diana Baird - Leslie, You are very talented, it is a shame you are connected to "Making Ends Meet". I just left there and will be contacting the BBB soon. The "going out of business" sale is a hoax! ALL fabrics are NOT included as your web site and the sign at the street says. This was a wasted trip to, what used to be my favorite store. You are really not going out of business. But you just lost my business! I was prepared to do some heavy duty shopping today, but instead I am telling all my sewing friends to stay home.
Leslie - Diana, Thank you for the comment about my talent. I am very proud to have been the owner of Making Ends Meet Retail Fabric Store and am still very proud to be associated with Making Ends Meet online store and expanded Studio Classes. My husband and I chose to close the retail portion of Making Ends Meet because it is too hard on me after 25 years to be lifting and tugging the bolts. I go to bed at night with my hips hurting and there is no sense in that. I am ready to expand my creations and figure out how to market them.
The sign in front of the store, postcards we have sent and the website clearly says that the RETAIL FABRIC DIVISION of the store is going out of business. We will be closing the doors for retail sales the 25th of this month. We will start new hours on May 1st for online will call orders and studio classes and other studio creations to be announced as soon as the Retail is done. We are looking forward to changing directions.
We have kept the Online section of the store separate during the sale with a sign posted as such (those things that are on line and are in the process of being put online. We will be expanding this with more inventory and better prices.) If the building sells we will look for another place in Shelbyville to host our classes and creations and will call.
I am sorry about your confusion on what we are doing and I hope this better explains things to you. Leslie
4/24/2015
How many of you struggle with making decisions and when the decision is finally made you are still not sure if it was the right one?? As I told you before, it was a long time coming to decide what to do with the store and it seems like it has been a long time since we made the decision. I woke up Wednesday morning and my first thought was that I would only be open for 4 more days with the Making Ends Meet that I have been part of for the past 25 years.... and it felt REALLY good!
I am not sure what the future holds but I know that we are ready for something new. We will close the store the 25th at 5:00pm and reopen the 15th of May. Sometime in the middle of all that we will try to make some more decisions. The big thing is that I have lots of faith that it will all be ok!
 |
| Cindee Moyer Art-Doll Workshop |
Cindee Moyer was here this weekend and we had a great time.
No one completed their dolls but they sure had fun and left with the ability to finish which is what is important!!
Here are a few photos from the class.... including Nancy Jo taking her chair for a ride down the ramp!! No... apparently it is not just for unruly kids!!
I have spent two days with the help of my mom and Walt putting fabrics in embroidery hoops and then painting them with blackboard paint. They are going to be used for worship and I am not quite sure how. ...
Off for a little more boring computer work.....
3 Comments
Mary Beth Shaw - Leslie, you are simple a marvel, everything you have going on! Wow oh wow. Those hoops with black chalkboard paint are going to be something gorgeous, I just feel it!
And I heard you met my friend Claire, what a small world.. Wishing you ALL the best. xo
FranHodges - Dear Leslie, I'm not sure if you remember me as it has been almost 2 years since I took a class from Barbara Schoenff at your store and had a wonderful weekend. As I live a little ways away in Cecilia, KY, and work full time, my initial intentions of continuing to meet with the "doll group" hasn't happened. Nevertheless, I always follow your e-mails, check out new classes and events and wish I was there as I simply adore your unique classes. You can imagine my being shocked when I first read about a "final sale" and somehow couldn't find any more details about a closing. What a relief this morning to hear you will just restructure your creative business to .....??? Well, just knowing you are still there is wonderful and I will plan a visit soon. Best of luck with your new creation, I know it will be awesome as everything I see you do.
Hugs, Fran
Marguerite Harty - So excited to see what unfolds. I truly miss participating at ARW. What ever you do it will be spectacular! Miss seeing you and your smiles.
Home Again, Home Again... jiggity-jog!
4/17/2015
I feel that our show was a HUGE success, both in sales and contacts made. Lucy and Leonard found a great retirement home in Boynton Beach and I have a custom order for two more of the bathing beauty chairs to match another home in Delray. I LOVE this one of a kind stuff with the freedom to create!
Jeff bribed Patty and me on the way home... He said if we got up early he would take us to a fun shop in Saluda, NC that we wanted to visit.Random Arts is such a fun shop with great clothes!! Check out my new leggings that I found there!! Love them!! My new motto!! 😊
I was anxious to get home since my mom was in Shelbyville waiting for us after her winter jaunts in Arizona and other places out west. And it didn't take long for me to put her to work. I think with all her help we will get the second rug done and actually get to use it in my bedroom! She is always a big help when she comes and is ready to jump into whatever project I have going on whatever day!
♥
Happy Birthday, Maritess!! 😊
Love that cute smile! Maritess has been on staff at the store since last year and as we change direction with the store her job description will change. She will be Judy's right hand lady to help with our website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media stuff.
What takes us a while to figure out comes so simple to her and we are looking forward to seeing what she can do with the social media , but most of all, what she can teach us. Taking care of us will be a full time job for her!
I picked up Cindee Moyer at the airport this morning and we are ready to start our weekend class with this talented doll artist. Watch for photos of the class and its work!!
1 Comment
Ellen Yunker - Leslie, I'm so excited you got to Random Arts!
Jane and her staff are amazing and talented people, as are you, and I can see great things happening in the future. Looking forward to my class next Saturday!
Delray, Here We Come!!!!
4/10/2015
 |
| Linen Tunics going to the Delray Affair |
Thanks to Jason and Jose we were able to load in between rain showers on Tuesday. I have been so concerned that i do not have enough merchandise with all that has been going on at the store and yet we had to leave behind one chair and ottoman. No matter how much we plan the layout of the booth, it always changes when we get there.
We left at about 6:15 to 6:30 on Wednesday morning and thought we would drive till Jeff got tired. (No matter how hard he tries, driving his jumbo size truck and trailer is not something I want to learn to do.) Besides... if I can't drive it, then he has to come with me.... 😊
So... the problem with driving till he got tired, was that we forgot that this is spring break week. We wanted to stop just far enough down so that we only had a few hours in the morning to drive. ALL hotels were full. Hmmm, I now remember this from last year and hope to remember it for next year! So... we are still driving and will go on to Delray. We should arrive about 12:30 on Thursday morning. This has made for one long day for Jeff and a serious sore butt for me!! Maybe we will get to sleep in tomorrow morning!!
After an early start we got the booth up and running... with time to spare. Here are a few pictures of the finished booth....
Day one down and successful!! Two more fun days and praying the rain goes to California instead of Delray!!
0 Comments
Strangers at Our Doors...
4/3/2015
Our theme for the week will be "Strangers at Our Doors... Extending Radical Hospitality." recreationworkshop.org It was a given that doors would be involved in one way or another..... ours are another! Bright fun and ready to be entry signs, stage decorations and directional arrows 'to and from' daily events. Come join us at the workshop.
Thanks Sonia and Sophie for all the creative help! We have a great start!
I am so ready to see the finished project when he brings it back on Saturday. Stop by and see this fun ottoman and then sign up to make one of your own!!
 |
| Leonard & Lucy - Ready for the Beach and Headed to Florida! |
The one comment that really tickled me was, "Do people really use something like that?" Differences are what makes the world go around. I guess she doesn't get my quirky sense of humor!!
Only 4 more days till we leave for the big art show. I think I have 8 days worth of work to do! I haven't quite figured out what to spend my last bit of time working on.... Here is hoping for productive days and a show with no rain!!
3 Comments
Jayn Lando - I love these projects. Can't wait for ARW!
Diana Baird - Leslie, You are very talented, it is a shame you are connected to "Making Ends Meet". I just left there and will be contacting the BBB soon. The "going out of business" sale is a hoax! ALL fabrics are NOT included as your web site and the sign at the street says. This was a wasted trip to, what used to be my favorite store. You are really not going out of business. But you just lost my business! I was prepared to do some heavy duty shopping today, but instead I am telling all my sewing friends to stay home.
Leslie - Diana, Thank you for the comment about my talent. I am very proud to have been the owner of Making Ends Meet Retail Fabric Store and am still very proud to be associated with Making Ends Meet online store and expanded Studio Classes. My husband and I chose to close the retail portion of Making Ends Meet because it is too hard on me after 25 years to be lifting and tugging the bolts. I go to bed at night with my hips hurting and there is no sense in that. I am ready to expand my creations and figure out how to market them.
The sign in front of the store, postcards we have sent and the website clearly says that the RETAIL FABRIC DIVISION of the store is going out of business. We will be closing the doors for retail sales the 25th of this month. We will start new hours on May 1st for online will call orders and studio classes and other studio creations to be announced as soon as the Retail is done. We are looking forward to changing directions.
We have kept the Online section of the store separate during the sale with a sign posted as such (those things that are on line and are in the process of being put online. We will be expanding this with more inventory and better prices.) If the building sells we will look for another place in Shelbyville to host our classes and creations and will call.
I am sorry about your confusion on what we are doing and I hope this better explains things to you. Leslie
Comments
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