Runs on Coffee and Cream

I gave up sewing shortly after Emma turned 1. I was burnt out, prepping for another embryo transfer, and overwhelmed. It was bittersweet because I had been creating for YEARS but I was just so tired. 

A friend had suggested that it was just a different season for me - a season of babies and a lot of firsts that babies come with. And that I might return to sewing again one day. 

Well 2022 had me itching to sew again... 2 years after my second baby was born. For the last couple of years I have been searching for something for 'me'. Something to bring back my spark, make me feel normal or human again, something to excite me. A few hobbies helped guide me through this time but looking at fabric, watching sewing tutorials, and feeling jealous as I saw others selling at craft shows led me to the realization that I wanted to sew again. 

It's been ridiculously hard getting back into sewing since Emma arrived. Between being tired, mentally and physically, having less free time, and feeling drained creatively, it's tough to go into the craft room and create things.

So what got me back into the swing of things? How did I sew and prep for my shows this past Summer?

First, just applying for shows (Fan Expo was paid for last year while I was still pregnant so I had no option to back out) lit a fire under me to get sewing. I didn't want to waste money and I didn't want to miss out on the shows I was signed up for. Graphic-con, Harry Potter charity event, and Fan Expo were shows I wanted to be at.

Second, having an amazing husband who would volunteer to be on baby monitor duty in the evening or during naps so I could put on my headphones and zone out while I sewed was a great help. I had no excuse to not try to get some things done.

Third, just doing it. Did I really want to go sew when Emma finally fell asleep for her afternoon nap? Nope. I wanted to sit on the couch with another cup of coffee and read my emails. But forcing my butt in the craft room and starting on projects actually helped me get my creative juices back. Finishing a pouch that I thought turned out great, or finding adorable scrap fabric I forgot I had made me excited for creating again.

All these pouches are for sale in my Etsy shop!

I've realized that for the next couple of years my sewing habits will never be the same as they were pre-baby. I'll have to head to the craft room only during naps, bedtime, or when Adam can help out. I'm going to be extra tired from now on, and some days I'll have to drag myself towards my sewing machine. But that's ok. I've streamlined the shows I want to sell at. My plan for 2019 is definitely low-key on the craft show front. I want to just create for the fun of it and to keep my Etsy shop updated and to gradually build up stock for the biggest show of every year - Fan Expo!

So my goal for the fall season is to get my Etsy shop completely updated. This never happens because I get too busy but with no more craft shows for a while, this is something I should be able to accomplish during daily nap times.

I updated my shop with 8 new pouches this past week and I have loads more to add. Check out my shop and keep an eye on it over the next little while for more new items!

I hope you have a great weekend! And keep an eye on my shop. I'll be updating it with new hobo bags and totes next week.

xo Jen

My goal for 2017 was to get more organized. I found myself stressed out and scatterbrained in 2016 and I vowed to make a change.

Since I opened up the pages of my new planner I have found myself obsessed with it. I actually enjoy making time to sit down with it and plan out my upcoming week and make to-do lists for the next day. I'm sure it helps that I've loaded myself up with planner stickers and washi tape to make the pages more fun and inviting to look at.


It's only been about two and a half months but I wanted to share some dos and don'ts that I've encountered since starting to use my planner daily:

• use paper clips, bookmarks or other things to draw attention to certain pages. I find it easier to locate important pages with these items; such as my list of books to look up, and my 2017 convention dates. 
• be creative whether it's with stickers, doodles, washi tape, or coloured pens. It will add some fun to your planner which will make you want to keep coming back to it.
• don't use too many stickers. I killed the month of February with heart stickers that I found cheap at Michael's. Well, it left little to no room on certain days. So be aware of the space you leave to write in.
• use the internet as your inspiration for planners. Both pinterest and instagram have some amazing planner ideas and layouts to keep you organized and on track.
• don't judge and compare your own planner to some of the works of art online. Some people have been addicted to planners for years and some just have a natural creative talent to make things look pretty. You are the only one who needs to be happy with your planner!
• find what stickers work best for you. I've found I need checkbox stickers because I make constant to-do lists. Etsy is a great source for all different types of planner stickers.
• don't be afraid to make mistakes. I use pen for most of my planner and I've just started crossing things out if I make a mistake. No one is going to proofread what I write or criticize my errors so who cares?
• have fun and remember the planner is meant to help make life easier!

Found at Michael's.

Look how cute these are! These are from Plannable Designs on Etsy.

Found at Michael's.

Found at Michael's.

I'm addicted, obsessed, and so in love with all the planner stickers out there! I've been making weekly trips to Michael's Craft Store to see what stickers I can pick up with their coupons. Then there's Etsy... there are a ton of sellers that sell planner stickers and they're so cute! I've already made a couple of orders but I wanted to share the ones that top my wish list right now.


1. Sweet Treats Planner Stickers Kit 
2. Gilmore Girls Planner Stickers Kit


3. Cat Lady Planner Stickers
4. Sci-Fi Galaxy Spaceship Stickers
5. Bubble Tea Stickers

There are so many more that I've saved to my favourites on Etsy but I need to take a break and start using the pile of stickers I've acquired over the last month.

What are some of your favourite sticker sources?
xo Jen

My goal in November was to get my Etsy shop updated 100% and I'm almost there! We lose sunlight so early in the day now that it's hard to photograph products but I'm finding some tricks and places in the house that work.

Here's just a snippet of what I've added to my Etsy shop:




Since it's now December there's not much more time to place orders to have them arrive in time for Christmas. If you need a special order or faster shipping, send me an email!

xo Jen

Like a good chunk of the population, I'm so excited for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life on Netflix. I am also part of the population who has to work the day it comes out - Black Friday. But since I received an opening shift and will be off work mid-afternoon I have plans with my couch, pajamas, and lots of coffee while I watch all of the Gilmore Girls episodes.

The spark of excitement for the new episodes has me wanting to start the entire series from the beginning again which I think I might do after Christmas.

But in the meantime I wanted to share these amazing items that allow you to showcase your love for Gilmore Girls...


Clockwise from top right corner:
1. Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
2. Dragonfly Inn
3. Luke's Diner


Clockwise from top right corner:
1. Dragonfly Inn Poster
2. Lorelai's Winter Wonderland Candle
3. Stars Hollow Poster

And also, because I don't believe in spoilers:


Are you excited for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life?
xo Jen

It's November and that means the countdown to Christmas is on! Like so many others, I've started my Christmas shopping. I try hard to get things done in November since December is always a blur and I hate squeezing in shopping during then. I'd rather enjoy what free time I have doing festive things.

So to go with the Christmas shopping flow, I have plans to get my Etsy shop 100% updated over the next week. I started with a batch of pouches this week.

I'll be photographing more items today and will be updating almost daily over the next week so keep an eye on my Etsy shop. And if you see a fabric or style you love but want to change something on it, send me an email and we can set up a custom order.

Happy shopping!
xo Jen

A while back on Instagram I came across an amazing account. It was full of cat pictures and their Etsy shop product pictures. My Cat is People is a great Instagram feed and their Etsy shop has become a favourite of mine. Their pins and shirt designs are so adorable. These are just a few of my favourite items from their Etsy.


My Cat is People Pullover
President Pin
Kitty Boo Boo Buddies Pin
But Furrst Coffee Pin

Cats + coffee = instant love for me. My Cat is People represents me completely. Go give their Instagram and Etsy shop a look!

xo Jen

Fan Expo Canada starts tomorrow! Eeee! This is the largest convention that I sell at every year. It's also the most fun. The convention takes over the entire Metro Toronto Convention Centre for 4 days and it's incredibly busy and chaotic, but also amazing.

My table is in Artist Alley at A351. If you come to the show over the weekend, feel free to come say hi!


August has become so incredibly busy for me while I finish up prep work for this show. I've been sewing like crazy, with both new fabrics and scraps of old fabrics that I had buried in my fabric bins. I'm pretty excited and happy with the stock I have to bring to this year's show.



I have more stock this year than I've ever had for Fan Expo. I wanted to make sure I covered all the big fandom bases this year (especially Pokemon and Harry Potter).

I'll be back next week after my 4-days of Fan Expo fun!
xo Jen

Hello! I just wanted to share a quick post with some Etsy updates today since it's my birthday and I don't plan on sticking around home much today...

I added some new pouches to my Etsy shop this morning. Totes and hobo bags will be added soon too! You can see the new updates here.



In the meantime I'll be sewing my butt off getting ready for Fan Expo (it's 50 days away... eeep!).

Have a good day!
xo Jen

There's no hiding my love for the X-Men universe, even if the movies are not the most amazing. I'll still be seeing the next movie, X-Men: Apocalypse, this weekend and I'm excited to see how the new actors do as some of the characters.


In preparation for the new movie, I made an X-Men wish list. I'm seriously longing for the Mystique dress...


1. Storm T-Shirt
2. Phoenix Hoodie
3. Mystique Dress
4. First Class T-Shirt
5. Jubilee Poster

Will you be seeing the new movie? I'm super curious to see how Apocalypse, Jubilee, Storm, and Angel are portrayed.

xo Jen

Prior to joining as staff for the Geek Girl Pen Pals Club, the technology I used was pretty basic. Of course I was on most of the social media sites and I relied heavily on email, but that was the extent of the sites and apps I used. But then I was introduced to the world of Dropbox, Gmail Drive, Fotor, and Asana. My technology skills have been forever changed. 

Hello! Since my last Etsy update I've been busy taking more pictures and posting new products up on Etsy. Pouches and totes are filled up in my shop!

It's been a while since I did any sewing or craft-related things. I needed to take a small break after getting ready for Toronto ComiCon last month to rest my hand and wrist. But a sunny day last week had me pulling out my camera to take pictures of my leftover stock for Etsy.

I updated my Etsy shop with some new pouches this past weekend and there's still more to add. So keep an eye on my shop.



My next convention won't be until the Summer so I'll be updating Etsy more regularly over the next couple of months. And if you're looking for a custom order, feel free to contact me! Not until the Fall will I be too busy to get any custom orders done.

xo Jen

Happy Pi day! I thought I'd share some of my favourite pie items from Etsy to celebrate.

Pies Before Guys Phone case by BraveMoonman
Pumpkin Pie Earrings by OneElf

How are you celebrating Pi Day? I'm dreaming of the edible kind... pizza, strawberry rhubarb, pumpkin... mmmm.

xo Jen

Normally during this time of the year I'm not sewing much. I'm just packing up Etsy orders. However, this year I decided to sign up for a local Holiday Craft Show - the Sudbury Makers' Market. I'm looking forward to it since I haven't sold at a holiday show in years and I love the festive feeling that surrounds them. But this means I'm busy making some last minute things and re-stocking my kitty kickers.


I still have another 6 Christmas stockings to photograph and add to my shop, as well as a few more tote bags.

On top of all that, it looks like I might be selling my items in a local store here which is super exciting and very stressful since I've never had my products in a store before.

How's November going for you?
xo Jen

With Fan Expo being over, my sewing has slowed down a bit. However, I know Christmas is around the corner so I need to keep my Etsy shop updated and there's the possibility I might do a couple of smaller holiday craft shows too.

I've been slowly adding new items to my Etsy shop. Keep checking in randomly for more new items!


I've also bought some new craft supplies which is always such a lovely feeling. Receiving an envelope stuffed with zippers in all the colours of the rainbow makes me happy. Plus, the new fabric I ordered is too amazing!



Keep checking my Etsy shop and Facebook page for updates!
xo Jen

It blows my mind that Fan Expo Canada is in less than two months.... and I'm feeling the stress and overwhelming urge to sew constantly to prep for it. Eeeek!

On a positive note, I did add some new items in my shop. Check them out!


After this update, I don't think I'll be adding anything new to my Etsy until after Fan Expo. I'll be posting finished products on my Instagram and Facebook if you want to check out my new stock for the convention though.

Thanks in advance for your support over the next two months (the busiest time of the year for me)!
xo Jen

MovieCat - Ghostbusters by Movie Cats
Animal Crossing Leaf Pendant by The Bird The Bee
Cute Boba Tea Pinback Buttons by Beagle Cakes Art
Coffee, Cats, Video Games Poster by The Pink Fox Designs
Arrow Washi Tape by Mailbox Happiness
Kittens Against Cat Calls by Danny Brito

Have you found any items you love on Etsy recently?
xo Jen