Got Scraps?

I do.

Way more than I know what to do with.

This tote has only my girl colored scraps in it.

It overwhelms me at times.

Not today though. I took a break from

 this pile of key fobs, (96 sewn up and waiting for hardware)

and started cutting scraps into 4" strips.

I then sewed the rows together and it came out looking like this.

 It's the start of a blanket top.

I am at the point where I need to decide which fabric to back it with.

Or if I should frame it in a another print before I back it.

The best part?

I tried to be "smart" when I was cutting the strips so now I have a pile

of 3" strips waiting to be sewn into a blanket top.

Cut once, sew twice.

Deal of the Week

How about a discount to able mabel for this week's Deal of the Week? A discount of 25% for my lovely blog readers. Take a peek at the key fobs.

Looking for a baby gift? Buzz over to the Lovies and Security Blankets section.

Or add a pop of color to your organization with a plastic grocery bag holder.

For the real bargain seekers, check out the Deal of the Week section of the shop.

To receive your discount, you must enter "BLOG012011" at checkout. The 25% will automatically be deducted from your purchase. This code will be good for only one week.

Repeats

Pete and Repeat went down to the lake, Pete fell in....

No, I'm kidding. I'll spare you the rest of the joke.

In the past few months, (or I should say when I started paying closer attention) I have had quite a few repeat customers.

I've noticed a little trend, for lack of a better word, among them. The customer will purchase one small item from my shop, a $5 key fob or $7 bib. Then a week or so later, they'll come back and place a larger order.

It just goes to show how important customer service is no matter how large or small the order, especially when selling online. When a customer can't physically handle an item before they purchase, you have to be even more on top of answering emails, questions and the like. It's easy to get lazy and think "it's just a small item, this customer isn't as important as someone spending $50."

As a seller, I have no idea what type of social networks my customers have. One buyer purchasing a $5 dollar item could be sending a lot of other customers my way via word of mouth. Word of mouth and referrals is also huge when selling online.

Want me to finish that joke? ;)

Gift Ideas from able mabel

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Here are some quick and easy gift ideas from able mabel. A mini key fob makes a great stocking stuffer. Awesome as a zipper pull on backpacks. Works wonderfully for kids who seem to lose track of house keys.

Tired of all those supermarket grocery plastic bags? Hide them in this plastic bag holder and dress up your kitchen at the same time.

How about a darling bib for a darling cherub? (Model is not included. I'm keeping her.) These bibs will fit babies and toddlers from a few months of age up until a few years of age. How slick is that?

A decorative switchplate is an easy way to add pizazz to any room.

Snuggle time gets so much better with a cuddly blanket.

How about an adult size key fob for those of us who can never find their keys? You know who you are! ;)

(My shameless plug is done. Back to my worktable!)