Fab Fabric

Allegro Fabrics is pleased to announce that they have some of the best designer Christmas fabrics in stock. From Michael Miller, MODA, and Mary Englebreit! A wide selection of beautiful colors, traditional and whimsical prints mixed and matched for clothing and home decorating.
(Pictured is a beautiful set by Baby*Threadz from the Michael Miller Collection,
submitted by Allegro Fabrics)

Allegro Fabrics

Introducing GiggleBerry Creations!

Giggleberry Creations is a very talented designer with a shop on etsy. Her specialty design are adorable fabric flag banners which are just perfect for your little one's nursery, bedroom, cubby house or party.

This one caught Designer Y's eye,
who doesn't love a sock monkey?



How adorable is this one?


The possibilities for decorating are simply endless.....
you can match them to your existing decor or use them
to make your market stall stand out from the rest at your next craft show or street fair!

Designer Y loves the minis and
thinks they'd be ideal for holiday decorating!


What a creative concept!
LOOOOVE them!!

Click
HERE to go to Giggleberry Creations

Do you have a creative or unique product
you want to tell the world about?

Email:
DesignerY@live.com
for consideration

Worth it's weight in gold......

Click right here to see why
Designer Y thinks this one is AMAZING!




From Servane Barrau Designs

A Caroling We Go...

Avalon boutique is launching for
the holidays with their
"A Caroling We Go" theme

Click the banner to see all their listings

From*My*Angel*To*Yours

Is offering this Euro Christmas set, you can't get much cuter than this one!
Wowza!



While you're there, take a look at the other beautiful items in her ebay store

My Angel To Yours Store

She's a proud member of Gallerybay design group

Click here to check out all of Gallerybay's listings (66 at last count!)

HURRRRRRY!!

Isn't this the cutest little jacket, ever?

HURRY, it's ending TODAY!!




Designer Y is just in love with it, and you can NOT beat the price...$19.99! WOW!

Feeling Witchy?

Click on the picture to go to the witchiest costume from nothing*but*girls!
Sooo cute!

Can you go wrong

At a
$1.98??
check out this clearance

More than a painted tote

YOU have to check out this absolutely adorable little suitcase
Painted by "SwirlsandTwirls"
especially the little mirror inside Too cute for words!!

Listing with VendeMia

For the
"Scents of the Seasons"
I can smell it
the sweet scent of Christmas candy

Love the bright colors for Christmas

You can find this lovely set here!

Raise your hand if you love.........

RUFFLES!

This is classic elegance!
Designer Y thinks it's a feast for the eyes!

This one is from the very talented Rhonda of Hipchick




Hipchick is a member of WisteriaLane

How far over the top do you like it?

Designer Y spies with her little eyes shut....



This is one to watch girls!

Hurry! Ending soon!

This Minnie set is ending soon!
click the picture to take a closer look!





It can also be made in pink!

B is for Bailey!

It's the beginning of a new week and we're movin' along!
Each Monday we will be featuring a new letter filled to the brim with
handmade items on ebay and etsy alike.

Today we are on the letter B...
and what better way to celebrate the letter B, than B is For Bailey?!
(As in the textile designer, that everyone LOOOOVES...Heather Bailey)!

Designer Y spies with her little eye,
some GORGEOUS handmade goodness
created from a few different lines of
Ms. Bailey's sumptuous fabrics!

Etsy Buy Handmade designery

You can find these Bailey related beauties on Ebay...

A fabric covered scrapbook,
click on the picture to go to the auction:




It's a pop garden holiday! From HoneyBKids~



What a great baby sling in the fresh cut fabrics!
It's by walklinz,
click to take a peek:

---

Recipe for Bailey's Cream Bars (YUM!!)
Bailey's Irish Cream Bars
Makes 32 squares

For Cake:
1 pkg Moist Deluxe yellow cake mix
3 eggs
2/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1/3 cup oil

For Swirl:
1 can cream cheese frosting (Vanilla Creamy)
1 pkg white chocolate chips
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a jelly roll pan (about 15x10x1-inch). Mix cake mix with eggs, Irish Cream and oil. Set aside 1/2 cup of prepared cake batter for swirl. Pour cake batter into prepared pan.

In a small bowl, blend all swirl ingredients. Drop large spoonfuls of this mixture over the cake batter. Swirl with a fork to make a marble effect. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Re

Charity Auctions for The American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is mobilizing to help people affected by Hurricane Ike.

(From their site):
WASHINGTON, Saturday, September 13, 2008 — American Red Cross workers are providing shelter, food and emotional support for tens of thousands affected by Hurricane Ike. From Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Houston, Texas, the Red Cross is there, on the ground, providing relief.

Last night, as Hurricane Ike came ashore, the Red Cross sheltered more than 20,000 people across four states, providing cots, blankets, toiletries and emotional support.

The Red Cross has over 1 million shelf stable meals available for distribution post landfall. There are 25-30 kitchens ready to be put in place, as soon as it is determined safe, with the capability to serve up to 500,000 meals per day. These kitchens will be located in areas close to the impacted areas where fixed and mobile feeding operations will start. Over 120 mobile feed trucks are poised to assist in the delivery of food, water and bulk supplies to people who are returning to their homes.

Although search and rescue is a mission for Federal, state and local governments, the Red Cross is ready to accept those rescued into our evacuation shelters. The Red Cross has moved additional units of blood into Northern Texas to address possible medical needs resulting from the catastrophic storm.

Evacuees are encouraged to register on Safe and Well (disastersafe.redcross.org), the Web site that allows people directly affected by a disaster to let their loved ones know that they are okay. Safe and Well is also accessible through the American Red Cross public Web site, www.redcross.org. For those without internet access, you can register yourself and your family by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). Follow the prompts for disaster information.

As the Red Cross continues helping individuals and families battered by the 2008 storms and hurricanes, a national fundraising campaign has been launched to raise an initial $100 million to fill a Disaster Relief Fund depleted after an active year of disasters. The Disaster Relief Fund allows the Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to help victims of disasters meet their immediate needs for food, shelter, counseling and other critical services.
You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. You can log-on to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

There are also a number of charity auctions on ebay right now benefiting the American Red Cross. Click here to search, shop & help support what the American Red Cross does:

American Red Cross Auctions on Ebay

(These are official mission fish/ebay giving works sanctioned auctions)

I can't be the only one.......

I can't be the only one that is in love, lust and everything else that starts with "L"

with Heather Bailey's Pop Garden & bijoux line??

Time to gets some YUMMY pop garden in your life



This is just the most flamboyant and FUN line of fabric from
Heather Bailey so far
(in Designer Y's lil' ol' humble opinion)

Check out what's new with Heather Bailey on her BLOG
I'm loving it!

So what are you making with it?
Show us! Post a picture in comments!

Holy Schmolies

This is one gorgeous gown!


Click on the picture to be taken to this amazing frock
from Richelle*Leanne, AnthologyInc, Member.
She calls it "Christmas rose",
Designer Y calls it stunning!

Another Apple

Sweet Apples from Bridgetandco

Christmas Traditions

Check out these festive sets from
The Gumdrop*shop
click here

Speaking of Apples..........

While we are on the topic of apples.....

Here is a wonderful tutorial on how to make an apple pincushion
on a charming blog called UK girl in US.

She makes it extremely easy to follow
and I love the finished product!

Click on the picture to
go to the tutorial now:

A is for Apple

Once a week Designer Y is going to present a different showcase with a theme of A-Z. This is our first week so we will begin with "A is for Apple"

On Ebay from Anneke*Panneke



From mylittlefairytales on ebay








*enchanted*threads is offering this sweet apple set with a euro flair
(on ebay)

---

Some Yummy Apple Recipes:





Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake

Yield: One 10-inch cheesecake

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup un-sifted flour
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle® Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
3 eggs
1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 medium all-purpose apples, cored and sliced
Cinnamon Apple Glaze

Preheat oven to 300 F. In small mixer bowl, beat 1/2 cup margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add flour, oats, nuts and cinnamon; mix well. Press firmly on bottom and halfway up side of 10-inch cheesecake pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in Eagle Brand until smooth. Add eggs and juice concentrate; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 45 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool.

In large skillet, cook apples in remaining 1 tablespoon margarine until tender-crisp. Arrange on top of cheesecake; drizzle with Cinnamon Apple Glaze. Chill. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cinnamon Apple Glaze:
In small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; mix well. Over low heat, cook and stir until thickened. (Makes about 1/4 cup.)

Apple Spice Drink

Categories: Beverages, Christmas
Yield: 6 Servings

3 teaspoon grated orange peel
3 cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 teaspoon whole cloves
1 whole nutmeg, crushed
3 c Apple juice
6 Cinnamon sticks

Combine orange peel, 3 crushed cinnamon sticks, cloves and nutmeg in a small bowl. Tie dry ingredients in a double thickness of cheesecloth to make a sachet, or secure in a large tea-straining ball. In a medium pan, simmer apple juice with spices for at least 20 minutes.
Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick.

Winners Choice

SmockingLisa708 says:
"This auction is for your choice of one pair of overalls OR one peasant top and applique jeans. I will recreate one of these sets for the winning bidder in the size and style you choose (6mo-7/8) at the auction close. These cute sets are loaded with custom appliques and embellishments!"

Witchy Poo

polkadotsandpigtails is offering this cute knit halloween set on ebay, she will make it custom for the winner
in sizes 12m-7yrs!

Nothing says California more than...

Feliz and Mendicino, a winning combination!
Super cute! (by sweet*girl*boutique)

The Things kids do....

Designer Y is NOT attempting to endorse any candidate on the DM blog, however,
as a Mom I thought this was funny & so typical of the things kids do when you want them to be on their very best behavior.

I think it's gross in a way, but...LOL...how many of us moms haven't in a pinch, done something similar to our kids?

I found it cute that big sister Piper is just trying to make everything "perfect" because she knows how important an occasion it was.

Kids are so sweet.

Aren't they?

Coming down the pike

Coming this fall to an auction near you..........

Payment changes coming to Ebay:

Sellers will no longer be allowed to accept any forms of paper payment (i.e., money orders/cashier's checks/personal checks). All payments must be made electronically.
Here's what ebay has to say:

Beginning late October 2008, all items listed on eBay.com must be paid for using one of the following approved payment options:

• Direct credit or debit card payment via a merchant credit card account
• PayPal
• ProPay
• Payment on pick-up

Paper payment methods such as checks and money orders will no longer be accepted on eBay.com.

By January 2009, all approved electronic payment methods will be integrated into eBay checkout. For example, buyers will be able to enter their credit card number directly into eBay checkout, and the payment will be routed to the seller's Internet merchant account or to their PayPal account.

Please note that the new payments policy will not apply to the vehicles categories in Motors, capital equipment categories in Business & Industrial, Mature Audiences and Real Estate.

What do our readers think?

September News from Designing Minds

It's a new month and we've got some exciting things happening on the blog.
Here's the scoop:

1. We have 2 prize donors for our photography contest!

Yay!
Clutterbags and Flourishes have both agreed to
donate a prize for the Designing Minds Kids Photo Contest.
All entries must be received by 9/15, see the related post below for contest details.

2. We have been growing our readership by leaps and bounds, the designing minds blog is averaging about 160 page views per day, usually more, so if you've thought about advertising, and just weren't sure about spending the $10-$20 per month, now is a really good time to try it. You can purchase one month of advertising at a time to see how it goes, so there is no long term commitment. We've gathered some cool demographic stats to help our advertisers reach their target market better and we'd be happy to forward the information to anyone interested in advertising.

Isn't it time to get seen?


3. We know that the custom boutique world isn't just ebay anymore (as it once was) We are committed to representing and helping promote independent designers and artisans that sell all types of handmade products on many venues: ebay, etsy, dawanda, lovli, and their own galleries/boutiques or websites. We love to hear from our readers about their business accomplishments, sales, contests and promotions so please send your information in and we will get it on the blog for you! Send it to: DesignerY@live.com

4. We are offering free product reviews for indie designers, send us your item, we will write up a story about it and promote you on the blog. We are currently seeking Holiday items,
if you have a product you would like featured,
please email designer y for the detals (email above).
We'd love to help you get the word out on your unique product
and let people know what makes it so great!

"Read all about it!"

How are we doing?

Do you enjoy the new focus of the Designing Minds Blog?

Are you a new reader or a veteran mind?

What would you like to see more of on the blog?

Feeling passionate about purple!

Designer Y is in a purple mood today,
not to be confused with a blue mood, of course!

Purple is so fun,
it's spontaneous and exciting and unexpected
and with Halloween right around the corner,
it has become one of the unofficial colors of the haunting season as well.

Here are some things that Y has spied with her little purple loving eye...
(click on the pics to take a closer look at the auctions)

kidschoiceboutique has this sweet purple mouse set
on ebay this week:



GoosieGirl_Boutique is offering this purple fairy princess set



fuzzy*kisses has this "BOO" purple fur cuff tee offered,



ringaroundtherosiesboutique has got these
cozy furry socks in purple too!

Miss Mouse!

There are so many cute Minnie Mouse themed sets out there to make your fall trip to Disney just perfect!
This is such a cute one from dolliedimplesboutique



To search Custom Boutique Minnie, Click

HERE

I think there's a boutique/handmade set for everyone there's such a wide variety available!

Need HTML or CSS help?

For those new to the computer world, or the boutique/handmade world and want to spice up their auctions on ebay, or make their blogs look cool, here's some help!


Top 10 HTML questions answered


HTML Tutorials at 3 Schools


CSS practiceboard & tutorials at 3 schools

Just call designer Y a computer geek