Chill...

What is your favorite way to relax and de-stress? Believe it or not, crafting is mine. I know a lot of people love to exercise to unwind, and once upon a time so did I (unfortunately my body doesn't handle that so well anymore). Others like to have a drink to chill out, and still others like to cook to help them relax. But crafting is where it's at for me. It helps me clear my head. When my mind is racing, or when I'm stuck and trying to figure out how to solve a problem, crafting helps me clear my head and put things in perspective. When I was working as a case manager in New Jersey, I can't tell you how many times I  figured out how to help a client by simply taking my mind off of it for a while and taking some time to reorganize my thoughts. I'm telling you, it works.
When I'm feeling like my whole world is spiraling out of control, crafting grounds me. It's the ultimate form of control for me. I can start when I want. I can stop when I want. I can change the pattern I'm working on. I can choose what colors I want to use. I can choose to work on a different project if I want. I can do what I want with it, when I want with it. And no one can stop me.
Whew... it was nice to actually put that in writing. Anyway, I've been working on a new pattern for a knit mug cozy. Yes, I know I already have 4 mug cozy patterns in the shop, but like I said in my first post, I love to have a variety of options for my items. And this new pattern is so cute! The monogram option really allows everyone to personalize their cozy, and it goes so well with the monogrammed pot holders. Check it out here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/269879905/monogram-coffee-cozies?ref=shop_home_active_1
I'm working on coming up with some more items to add to the shop, and I'll post about it as they come. In the meantime, I will be at a training for my new job tomorrow (yay!). More to come on that as well!

My first blog post!

Being new to this whole blogging thing, I'm going to take it slow. Let me start by telling my story of how I got here in the first place...

I'm from New Jersey. No, I don't identify with the show Jersey Shore. No, I never even watched Jersey Shore. I simply felt that I grew up there, so I didn't need to watch a TV show to know what it was like to live there.

My husband, my daughter and I recently moved to Georgia to follow my husband's career. Being that we moved right before winter, I was honestly happy to escape the upcoming Jersey winter. I love living in the warm weather!

While unpacking, getting settled in to a new community, and trying to find a job, I decided to open up an Etsy shop. It's something I had been thinking about doing for a while, but kind of never got around to it because I was always so busy working. I've been sewing for over 20 years, and have been knitting and crocheting for over 10 years, so I figured why not try to make some money out of my hobbies. And Stitched By Sovs was born!

I love hearing feedback on the stuff I make, and I especially love getting requests for new items. My shop has been open for a couple of months now, and while I've only had one sale, there are hundreds of people checking out my shop every month, which is awesome. I firmly believe that all good things come in time, and I look forward to my business really getting off the ground.

I'm constantly adding new items and improving the items that I'm currently selling, so check back often for news and updates. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter! @stitchedbysovs