Batiks By Design

My family: Husband-BJ, Son-Logan, Daughter-Andi

Hello everyone! I am Cyndi, and I am still a little new at Batiks by Design. I am the new Administrative Assistant here. I just wanted to introduce myself to everyone. In addition to administrative duties, I will be answering the phone if you call, or filling your orders and shipping them out. I am also here in the shop during regular business hours (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm) if you get a chance to drop in and see our beautiful fabrics in person. I will be glad to help you in any way I can.

Speaking of dropping in at the shop, last week a customer called me to place an order. Unfortunately some of the fabrics she had chosen were gone to the Quilt Show in Pennsylvania with Patti. After talking with her for a few minutes and discussing the options, we decided it would be best if she came by and looked at the fabrics here in the shop. I told her I would pull the fabrics she had chosen and have them ready, but I would not cut them in case she changed her mind. In preparation, I pulled not only the ones she had chosen, but another stack of coordinating fabrics as well. She came by the next day and brought a friend. After seeing the material in person, she did end up changing her mind on a few. She chose what she needed for the project she had had in mind when she called (the background of a quilt) and then ended up choosing more fabrics for birthday projects for people in her life as well. Next, she spotted our scrap bin and had fun filling a gallon size zip-lock bag full of scrap pieces for only $15. She said that it did make a difference seeing the fabrics in person and she was glad she came in. We had fun looking over the fabrics and deciding what to get. I was so glad I could help her, and her friend.

Beautiful colors, quality fabrics.

So bright and cheerful!

So, any time you are in our area, please come by and check out our shop. Pictures on the computer can never compare to how lovely these fabrics are in person. I looked over the website before I came to work here, and I was amazed when I actually saw the fabrics. I am learning more every day, about fabrics, quilting, patterns and more. If you have never worked with Batiks, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. If you have worked with Batiks, I am positive you will be impressed with the quality, selection, and price.

I am looking forward to working with all our customers.  As I am learning, I will be taking you along on the journey. I will keep you updated on my projects, ideas, and anything else going on here. I hope you enjoy the ride and let me know what you think. I can’t wait to hear from you when you get a chance.

In the past, we’ve always looked for a house for a day or two and found exactly what we wanted.  Not this time.  We had been looking for a couple months now, put in a few offers that didn’t work out for one reason or another, and finally found a house that caught both of our imaginations.  It is bigger than we were actually looking for, but I think it will be for the best since my DH is a pack rat and won’t get rid of anything.  It is on 6 acres and has a beautiful fish pond and an old log cabin barn on the property.  It also has an outbuilding that will work for us for a while.  The house is a split level and the kitchen hasn’t been updated since it was built, but that’s half the fun!  I think for now I’ll just paint the cabinets and get new hardware, but we definitely need new counter tops. 

I’ll be putting most of my business on the lower level, which right now has a bedroom, full bath, a bar, and a large room with a pool table.  The pool table will be moved to our new “rec room” in the finished attic and I’ll use the bedroom for my office and the “bonus room” for my fabrics that I need access to.  My fold and roll machine will go in the outbuilding and so will my excess fabrics.  I think it is a very workable solution until we outgrow the area again, but then we have a great place for another outbuilding for the future.

We’ve been trying to get our current house ready to put on the market, which meant getting rid of a lot of the clutter.  We rented a storage unit and have been moving things into it, painting the garage door and trim, and burning the barn little by little.  It’s about half gone.  We keep advertising the free wood and tin, but everyone comes once, takes a few boards and realizes how much work it is to take the thing apart.  The old oak is like rocks and the nails don’t want to move.  So . . . as much as we hate to burn it, we are. 

We pulled out a few of the bushes around the house that died during the draught last summer and I’ve replaced some of them.  I need to get some mulch around them.  I also need to put something in front of the basement window in the front that will provide shade in the summer and sun in the winter.  I’m thinking of dwarf crepe myrtles.  What do you think?  I love the flowers in the summer!

I’ve also been trying to get the new fabrics we received before the Chicago and Paducah shows online and I’m getting there very slowly.  99% of the traditional batiks are on there, most of the Bali fabrics are not.  Maybe I’ll get some time to work on it and finish it this week. 

My new website is also almost ready to go online, so if you think you are at the wrong site the next time you visit, it will probably be the new one.  It will take a week or so for me to transfer all of the new stuff to the new site (maybe that’s why I’m not really motivated to get them on my current site!) and make sure all is working right.  If you find a problem, let us know.  My email is patti@batiksbydesign.com. 

I’m working on finding more of the tablecloth that I used for Moon Glow (to the right) since a lot of quilters have mentioned their interest in haveing the same one.  Ani is having a hard time finding the same thing, but says she has found others that are very pretty.  As highly as I regard Ani, sometimes she doesn’t realize what I need due to the language barrier.  I hope what she has found will work, but I asked her to try looking again, because I know you want THAT particular tablecloth because it works so well in Moon Glow.

To those of you that have served in the military in the past or present, please accept my thank you for what you have done for our country and our freedoms.  Having lived in several other countries, I don’t take my freedom for granted.  Many people live without it every day.

Keep my business and our move in your prayers.

Patti Oakley

Batiks by Design

www.batiksbydesign.com