{*New Stuff!*}

The shop is fully stocked with new cotton backed pads and pad bags!!!

Two of the pad bags ship priority for free! Woot!!! And if you purchase pads AND a bag, I'll refund your pad shipping! EXTRA WOOT!

I've gotten a lot of questions about the shop and I can't figure out how to reply to comments directly, it keeps saying email addresses are invalid...boo!!!

I know its lame to open the shop and have to click through each listing to see whats sold out or in stock. I *always* move the listings that have sold down to the bottom. I don't delete them until after they've been shipped and received. So when you visit the shop, the first listings are the in stock and ready to purchase items! Yay!!!

Speaking of GROWING pains, how about a LACK of growing thats causing me pain?! This is my dear Ishbel. It's growing and it's paused. I'm on the very first row of the lace, I have the correct amount of 173 sts going into it, but each time I get to "to 8 sts before centre stitch", I get messed up. You see, the last little bit, the sl1, k2tog, psso? Yes, well I only have TWO stitches before that 8 stitches when I clearly need THREE! I've frogged the same row 6 times!!! Thankfully this yarn is amazing and can handle it just fine, but I hate being lost on knitting.

Another pretty yarn photo to make the pain go away:

Tomorrow is quilting! WOOT! So excited!!! I'm not 100% sold on the color I chose for sashing, so I'm letting the quilt top just marinate for a bit. I'm going to bring my huge pile of scraps and work on cutting some coins, plus I'm going to see what my options are for accucutting and hopefully cut Momo Wonderland into a quilt! WOOTxten!

Also, some of you might know this, but you might not! I've struggled with my weight my whole entire life, I go from thin to heavy and back and forth. I gained 60+ lbs in 3 years of losing both my grandparents and my stepfather and basically eating my pain away. Eek. That's very hard to even type!!! Well, I joined Weight Watchers on the first of the year and I've almost lost 15 lbs!!! I'm really excited, but it sure is hard!!! I keep snapping photos of myself in my mirror, I *never* let my photo be taken, but today after working out, I'm noticing a difference in my face, so I'm being brave and admitting my food/self esteem issues!!!

It's so odd to look at photos of myself! So I'm working towards better self esteem and better health!!! It's hard to do for sure, my friend Danielle is a *huge* inspiration to me, she's an all around amazing person and has been so encouraging to me!!! She's doing an MS walk and her story and inspiration for doing it is awesome! Check it out here!

It's now April 1st and I'm working on more and more goals. I want to do Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred! Sheesh! I can only get like 8 minutes into it and I feel like my lungs are going to burst, so my goal this month is to get through the entire 20 minute work out. I need to be more active!!! Also, did anyone else go into wii fit today and notice its prank?!! How hilarious is that?!?!

Have you worked on any of your New Years Goals? Have they stuck? Or did some of them fall apart?

{*New & A Give Away*}

I'm going to try very hard not to be too wordy tonight! I'm going to address shop changes, FAQs, custom orders and more "shop talk" on Wednesday. I did get a chunk of orders done this weekend, but my serger needs a quick visit to the shop tomorrow. In more good news, if you are a frequent modernacorn pad buyer, I'm now including coupons for FREE SHIPPING in your orders as my way of saying THANK YOU!!!!!

SO! On to more good stuff!!!!

Firstly, I've made some fantastic new pads. And I've stocked the shop full of them!!! Get them while you can!!!

These pads are simply *fantastic*xten! Instead of being backed with antipill fleece, they are backed with super high quality (Amy Butler, Moda, Kona) quilters 100% cotton! Woo hoo!

What does this mean?

This means the pad is more breathable, making it a great choice for upcoming spring and summers warm days! They are EXTREMELY thin, great for wearing under your favorite shorts and skirts! They can even be ironed as long as you avoid the snaps!!! Sweeeeeet! Also, if you want too, you can wear the solid cotton side up against the skin or the cute patterned fabric! The choice is totally yours! YEEEEESSSS!!!! *jumps up and down!!!*

::Enter some Frank Period Talk::

Anti-pill fleeces main purpose in a cloth menstrual pad is its moisture resistant properties, which are great if you need to wear a pad for an extended amount of time, it'll help protect you if you can't get to the bathroom to change it. However, it also doesn't breathe, causing some women to sweat (myself included). Plus it makes a thicker pad...BOOO!!!!

Enter 100% cotton! WOO HOO! With 100% cotton backed pads, you mainly just have to "know your flow" and your own schedule, if you change your pad often, you won't have a problem with these pads. If you tend to go several hours without changing, they might not be for you, unless you have a lighter flow. I tend to change my pad each time I use to the bathroom and had no problems with cotton backing, I even made some overnight pads with cotton, no problem either, I believe I slept 8 hours that night, lol. If your concerned about leaking, but really want to try these, I suggest the same thing I do to cloth newbies, wear the pad around the house to get a feel for it!! The shape and core (absorbent part of the pad)  are still the same, one layer of organic 100% cotton fleece, two layers of bamboo fleece! I think your realllllly going to like these and become hooked on cotton!!!!

As an incentive to try them and to kick off a new product....

I'm giving two pads away!!!

YAYYYY!!!!! All you have to do is comment to this post and this post only by NOON PST Wednesday March 25th! At that point, I'm going to use random.org to generate two winners using their website! YAY!!!! At some point Wednesday night I'm going to post with the winners names and you'll have to email me your names, if the people don't email me, then I'll draw numbers again!!! Which pad you win is a total surprise, but it will be either Heather Ross Mendocino or Tina Givens Treetop Fancy!!!! Either pad is GORGEOUS and hey, it's FREE! International folks are more than welcome to join as well! The more people who comment, the merrier and there is more of a chance for more giveaways!

The catch?

You have to tell me your FAVORITE or INFAMOUS PMS CRAVING!!!!! For me? It's anything sweet and salty. Chocolate covered pretzels? I'm THERE!

***Contest CLOSED!!! I'll be announcing the winners later tonight!!! Thanks so so so much for playing along!!!! Check back to see if you've won!!!***

{*Shop Update*}

The Shop Has Been Updated!!!

I totally have spring fever and made some really pretty spring like pads!!! I used some garden themed fabrics and just had a blast sewing!!!!

I'll have liners listed this weekend, tomorrow I'm washing and shrinking more bamboo and a bunch of new fabrics :) I'll gladly combine shipping if you'd like me to hold off until I list more stuff, just leave it in the message to seller or send me an email :):)

If you have spring/cabin fever these pads will hopefully provide cute eye candy to cheer you up!!!

xoxo

edited to add: in the odd chance that the pad you've purchased oversells, I'll send you a message asap with your choice of either a refund or I'll sew you another from the fabric :)

{*Stash Interview*}

Good Afternoon & Happy Thursday!!!

First, I'd like to give a very big thank you to sewmamasew for mentioning my little doll quilt. I've actually changed two squares on it since then and have cut the sashing! Now I'm extra motivated to finish it!

During the month of February they've been interviewing various crafty ladies about their fabric stashes and it's been so much fun to read along. I recently (earlier in the week) switched up my sewing area so I thought I'd play along, even though it's March ;)

What do you usually sew?

I sew reusable cloth menstrual pads! The idea is hard to wrap your head around at first, but it's great for you and the enviroment, plus I love to buy rad fabrics!

When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy?

I'm strictly a fat quarter kinda girl! I can't buy large cuts of fabric because I simply don't use all that much! I also share a very tiny two room home with my fiance, Mr.McPorkchop, and as it is, my business takes over our space big time! It bums me out when fabric shops aren't fat quarter friendly, but the ones who are know that I shop from them 2-3 times every few weeks! I do buy a lot of Japanese prints in half yards because I've started making pouches from them, plus once you can't find a print, it's gone forever!!!!

Do you buy on impulse or do you go out looking for something you need?

I only buy fabric for my shop, I've only bought fabric three times for myself, twice was something I needed, fabric for my birdie sling and fabric for my frenchie bag, the third time was my biggest fabric investment and most prized piece of fabric ever. When I shop for my business, I buy new collections, I buy stuff that I genuinely like, not stuff that "I think will sell", because I don't want to sew with it if I don't love it! Every little fabric I buy for my shop I buy because I adore something about it, the color, the print, the designer...something!

Are you a pre-washer? If you are, do you wash your fabric before you need it, or only when you’re ready to use it?

Yup! Since my fabrics go on an intimate part of the body, I prewash all my fabrics twice using ecover delicate wash, just to remove any excess sizing, make sure it's 100% shrunk. I wash it asap because I can't wait to get my greedy little hands sewing with it!

Do you iron it?

Oh yes! My iron is one of my most prized possessions actually, and I know how weird that sounds! My mom & stepfather gave it to me as a Christmas gift the day before he passed away. When I opened it he said "well, I had to get you this one, it shuts off automatically", haha because clearly, I get wrapped up in a project and you know...forget about things. Like hot irons. :)

How do you sort it?

Color Chronologically!!!!

Do you have any special folding techniques?

Nope! Just nice and neatly!

How do you store your fabric?

This shelf! Plus I have three rubbermaid clear small bins that hold my home decor weight fabrics and half yards of fabrics. I keep my bolts of bamboo and cotton fleece next to my sewing desk. Anti-pill fleece is in a giant soft squishy pile at the edge of my desk as well in a big basket!

What tips do you have for building up a well-rounded stash?

I think it's just a matter of buying what suits your personality!

When do you say enough is enough?

When it won't fit on my shelf!!! I'm on a no-half-yards-of-fabric-diet right now!!!!

What are some of your favorite stash-busting projects?

Well, I really really am into quilts right now so I've been saving my scraps and cutting them into pieces! I also like adding fabric tags to things, typing on fabric, gluing fabric to things...

Do you have a current favorite print in your stash? Let’s see it!

Oh man. Ok. This is my favorite, most expensive, most most most FAVORITE (Can I say that again?) print ever! It's a yard of Liberty of London, Tana Lawn. I bought it from a fabric shop in the UK and I just die when I look at it. I'm not sure I'll ever sew with it, I've dreamed of making a skirt with it, but it's only a yard of fabric. It lives in my hutch with my yarn and I only take it out on special occassions, crazy right?! I know!

What’s your definition of the perfect stash?

I'm led to believe that the perfect stash simply must belong to Martha Stewart. I'm pretty sure I've seen bits and pieces of it in her magazine, but come on, she's gotta be rolling in some phenom fabrics!!!!!

I'll share these new fat quarters with you that I just got today!

I love them!

Ok! That's all for today! I'm answering questions about custom orders, packaging orders and working on some stuff today! I might sneak some pads into the shop later tonight!

Have a fantastic Thursday everyone!!!! I'm going to maybe try to make some pineapple shrimp with jasmine rice tonight! eeep!!!

xoxox

{*Crazy right???*}

The past two days have been *crazy*!!!!

Things are finally starting to break up sinus wise, thankfully, because I seriously was ready to scream! Lots and lots of steaming my face with eucalyptus oil!

So I woke up yesterday and was intent on being super productive and totally was! I got 6, yup, 6 custom orders of over 4 pads in EACH order done and shipped, they came out so so so nice! I got to back two of the orders in organic cotton instead of antipill fleece and I just adore how thin they are! I had an amazing sewing day. Mr.McPorkchop and I went to the beach and watched the storm blow in and played with my camera a bit. It was just shaping up to be an amazing day...but before that, I stayed up super late the night before working on this little pouch!

Am I the only one who is addicted to charming little pouches?!  It took me so so so so long to come up with a good pattern, one with gussets, no visible seams, something simple, but really really nice. I never took sewing classes, so everything I design is self taught, I found some great tutorials, but nothing really struck me, so I spent an entire night sewing, resewing, building, unbuilding, just to come up with a simple pouch! LOL! Thank goodness for .99 cent muslin right?!

I used vintage bed linens, organic cotton, japanese neighborhood fabric for the tag, organic cotton ricrac on the zipper, two vintage laces and the softest velvet EVER! Boy am I pleased with the results and I have a few others cut and ready to be sewn! I also found the best interfacing and I'm really happy with it!

I've added this new little pouch to my shop! I'm going to be adding some new pads and sets of wipes this week too so check back or rss the shop!

SO! Back to my day..the bad news? My amazing day was cut short by, get ready for this, an allergic reaction to *something* so bad that I got to spend my evening in urgent care! Charming right? I had what looked like a really really bad sunburn from my neck down. Not fun. My skin literally felt like it was on fire, I was sweating! Ewwww!!! Today it just looks like red little bumps, which is a lot better. I'm taking steroids for three days, yuck! They say to take them with food or milk, I'm having them with pudding ;) Because you know, pudding is both ;)

Okok, I'm going back to sewing!!! I hope everyone is having a great week so far! I also have 60+ etsy convos that I'm trying with Mr.McPorkchops help to reply too, if you need something urgently, it might be best to email me directly, modernacorn@gmail.com

xoxox