polka dot elephant

Pretty in Pink Fundraiser

2011-10-28T12:04:00.001-04:00

My day job did a fundraiser with Pretty in Pink last weekend -Pretty in Pink Foundation is an organization that helps pay for breast cancer treatment.So I made a bag and some bookmarks (all in pink, of course) to be auctioned off.

I was inspired by this to do a line of products for breast and ovarian cancer - bags and book marks in pink and teal - on my etsy site and plan to donate 80% of the proceeds to FORCE a national non-profit organization that helps support, instruct, and research breast and ovarian cancer. I am really excited about this and can't wait to get started!

Rachel's Diaper Bag

2011-09-28T13:34:00.009-04:00

My friend Rachel just had her second daughter, Paige, and really wanted a new diaper bag. She wanted a messenger bag in grey (so it would match everything) and teal, with a cool applique and left it up to me to do the rest. I love having that kind of creative freedom to come up with something that just shouts that person to me. And I think this bag calls out Rachel's name!

I am absolutely in love with how the tree came out - the corduroy was an inspired choice if I do say so myself.

I used two coordinating fabrics for the lining, which I think turned out pretty cool - but the color came out kind of weird and under water looking in the photos. I tried in all kinds of light, inside and outside and this is the best I ever got. But trust me it looked great.

I, of course, also had to throw in a few extra things for her, so I made her a coordinating wristlet for quick diaper changes.

And I couldn't leave out a present for Grace (3 year olds deserve presents when they become big sisters) so I made her a coloring wallet out of fabric that I know her mom had been coveting.

Primary Apron

2011-09-18T10:41:00.031-04:00

My friend Catherine loved the apron I made her so much, that she commissioned me to make her another one. This one is for singing time with the Primary kids at church. You see she wanted an apron with a lot of pockets so that she could put a picture about a song in each pocket and then the kids could reach in a pocket, pull out a picture, and guess which song they'd sing next from the picture. Fun, huh?

So I thought since it's for primary, I should do it in the primary colors - red, yellow, and blue. I found this great yellow polka dot fabric, used red rick-rack, and trimmed it all in blue. I slightly modified the pattern I had so that it would have 12 pockets, including 2 little red heart pockets. And I pretty much love it!

Daron and Elisa's bags

2011-08-03T13:44:00.004-04:00

Since my friends Daron and Elisa waited so long for their precious son Jack I decided they both deserved a diaper bag. Elisa loves Hello Kitty and so I searched for a long time to find Hello Kitty fabric that wasn't too childish. And when I saw this I just fell in love with it and knew it was for her. (I actually bought it a few years ago in anticipation of this event!) I had some fun with this one and made 3 optional pins for the outside of the bag - so she can change it based on her mood. And I made a little matching wristlet perfect for holding wipes and a few diapers for a quick change.

Daron on the other hand needed a manly diaper bag. And since I know for a fact that he seriously considered giving Jack the middle name Tiberius - after James Tiberius Kirk of course- I knew that he needed to receive my first Kirk bag. Which I think is pretty cool, cause it functions as a diaper bag or a laptop bag. (Phaser not included.)

Sneak Peak

2011-07-20T15:28:00.001-04:00

This a little teaser to show you what I've been working on. Enjoy!

Lily's Birthday

2011-07-19T13:58:00.008-04:00

For Lily's 3rd birthday I knew I had make another set of matching pillowcase dresses for her and Claire. Especially since the one's I made last year were my first ever attempt at making clothing, so I knew I could do a better job.

I also wanted to try doing some smocking so I made an adorable smocked top, complete with a little heart pocket and a matching skirt for her too.

And though my first attempt at smocking is by no means perfect, I think I did a decent job and am looking forward to doing some more. (Practice makes perfect.) One day maybe I'll even be good enough to do some tight smocking with embroidery on top? One can always dream...

John & Meaghan's Wedding Present

2011-06-09T17:43:00.000-04:00

I decided to make his and hers aprons with matching kitchen towels for my brother-in-law's wedding present. I wanted to do something that had a vintage look and I fell in love with this color combination! I think these fabrics look so weathered and cool together - in that you wouldn't automatically put them together but somehow it really works way. I did a retro-inspired gathered apron with a scalloped edge in this lovely beige and olive green floral fabric with grey trim for Meaghan, and a solid grey canvas apron with a towel attached at the waist for convenient hand wiping while cooking (and also so that I could add some of the floral fabric for matching) for John. I also included a recipe book with some of my favorite recipes to finish off the gift - I think it all turned out great, and I hope they like it too.

Catherine's Retro Apron

2011-04-22T18:18:00.001-04:00

My friend Catherine just bought her 1st home - so I had to make her an apron for a housewarming present. She loves purple and pink and when I saw this fun mod fabric it immediately made me think of her. I got an apron like this when I got married and I adore it! So I decided to copy the pattern and I think it turned out great. I'm kind of addicted to retro aprons right now and just got a book of patterns for future apron making, so don't be surprised if you get an apron for your next present.

More Bubble Skirts

2011-03-23T09:22:00.004-04:00

For Claire's 1st birthday I made her (and her sister Lily) matching bubble skirts. I loved this fabric when I saw it and immediately thought of Susy and her girls. And I think that little girls wearing bubble skirts are stinking adorable!

Abby's Outfit

2011-03-03T08:45:00.002-05:00

For Abby's 2nd birthday I had to make her a little outfit. (I've become addicted to making kid's clothes!) I fell in love with the pattern for this little sleeveless top, and then used an old pair of my jeans to make a little denim skirt to match. (Could you just die over the frogs in mason jars on the accent fabric? It kills me!)

Bubble Skirts

2011-02-22T22:30:00.002-05:00

I found this great pattern for bubble skirts and knew I had to make some for my sister Laura's girls Sophia, Holly and Lucy. I wanted them to go but not match (you know, like sisters). The girls loved them and had a hilarious modelling session with them. The divas!

Susy's Hip Bag

2011-01-28T11:58:00.001-05:00

My sister Susy ran the Disney Marathon this year - but in preparation she had a hard time finding a good hip bag (aka fanny pack) that was comfy and functional. So I decided to take on the challenge. But in addition to being comfy and functional, I wanted it to be sleek and feminine as well.

Heather's Diaper Bag

2010-12-11T11:30:00.003-05:00

So my friend Heather just had her 3rd baby and I decided she needed a new diaper bag. (Besides it's been a few years since she had a baby, so always good to get a few new things with each new baby.) I got this Valorie Wells blue rose fabric months ago cause it was screaming Heather's name and I've just been waiting to make something for her with it. I did a funky mismatched zig-zag fabric for the lining and the whole thing combined is just so her!

Mark's Dice Bag

2010-09-27T20:45:00.000-04:00

So I have to brag on my husband's geekery for a little bit here. He really wanted to learn how to make chainmaille - more specifically a dice bag for playing D&D. So we ordered him some steel jump rings and using my jewelry making tools - voila! - he made himself a chainmaille dice bag. (I'm so proud.)

Pillowcase Dresses

2010-07-24T14:45:00.002-04:00

My sister Susy asked for pillowcase dresses for her daughters in black and white with yellow accents. And since it was Lily's 2nd birthday - ask and ye shall receive. I think they turned out pretty cute for my first attempt at clothes. (And a matching apron for Susy to boot...)

Susy's Diaper Bag

2010-04-19T20:45:00.005-04:00

Another Abby bag- this one for my sister Susy. She had her 2nd girl and is loving owls right now, so I did an owl applique to represent Susy and her girls Lily and Claire. I'm loving the orange lining fabric and think the whole bag turned out pretty adorable. (Though I tried something new by lining the inside with plastic as well - and I'm not sure I'm going to be doing that again...)

My New Bag

2010-02-17T19:35:00.005-05:00

I found this amazing fabric at Elegant Stitches and I just could not resist it! It was calling my name - so naturally I answered. I did my own modified version of Amy Butler's Birdie bag and added a felt flower accent, the lining is red with small black polka dots with a few pockets in the exterior fabric, and I love, love, love how it turned out.

Petal Aprons

2009-12-22T09:01:00.002-05:00

I decided it would be fun to do the petal apron in all black and white with a pop of color at the waist and bottom. So I made several for Christmas presents - choosing the person's favorite color for the accent. I think they turned out really cute and retro.

Jan's Apron

2009-12-08T16:38:00.010-05:00

For my mother-in-law's birthday I made her an apron. I think it turned out really adorable and very retro and French.

In fact think I may have to make a few more of these for Christmas presents and to sell in my etsy shop too... Sadly though because of a bizarre allergic reaction on my thumb, I haven't been able to do any sewing! I have all this great fabric just sitting in my house calling my name and I can't do anything with it. Very frustrating. Hopefully by this weekend it will be back to normal enough that I can get some projects done.

Eva's Bag

2009-10-26T16:07:00.014-04:00

So my friend Eva of Moonchild Photography and I did a little trading of services a few weeks ago. She came by and took some photos of me and Mark and I made her a Holly bag. We had a lot of fun and Mark and I didn't even feel like we were in a photo shoot. She was all sneaky taking super silent, no flash photos -genius! I'm excited to see the results.

So I love the lining fabric on this bag!! I think it looks like sexy retro fishnet stockings. In fact I love it so much that I bought the same fabric in a pale teal and olive green to make a new Lily bag, since I've sold all the ones I had on etsy. (Which might I add is super exciting!)

We're working on another trade now - I'm getting a framed copy of Crooked Pier and she's getting a Betty bag - which is a new style yet to be unveiled... It's all very fun and exciting - I love the trading with my friends!

I Am Not Here To Play

2009-10-09T11:09:00.007-04:00

My sister Laura and her family came into town last week and so while they were here I made some little drawstring bags for Holly and Sophia. After seeing the bags I've been making for everyone Sophia insisted that I make a bag for her. So I told her that we could go to the fabric store together and she could pick out her own fabric. Naturally upon hearing all of this Holly wanted a bag too. So we all went to Elegant Stitches and Laura showed the girls the little play area so they could play while we looked at fabric to which Sophia said, "No Mom! I am not here to play. I am here to pick out fabric for my bag." Hilarious - that girl was on a mission. Anyway they both picked out some really cute fabric and they enjoyed "helping" me sew their bags. And I think they turned out really adorable. I just LOVE the fabric, and since I have some extra I think I'm going to make a little bag for Lily too.

Amanda's Bag

2009-09-26T11:04:00.008-04:00

My sister-in-law Amanda loves Harry Potter. And since I made a Star Trek bag for her husband I naturally had to make a Harry Potter bag for her. And since she loves Gryffindor I did the bag in a red and gold stripe with a Hogwarts patch on the flap and the lining fabric is actually HP fabric and has all the house crests on it. I think it turned out pretty great, complete with a wand pocket under the flap. Cause if you're going to make a Harry Potter bag, it has to have a wand pocket. Especially when the person you're making said bag for has a wand. (You shouldn't be surprised - I told you she loves Harry Potter!)

International Trendsetter?

2009-09-23T17:15:00.005-04:00

Well it's been exciting in the world of etsy - I've already had 4 sales and 1 custom order through my store and it's only been a few weeks. And I even got a mention from Rachel on her blog about the Lily bag she ordered. It was my first 'official' sale and it was very cool to get my first order from the UK - it made me feel, as my sister Laura put it, like an international trendsetter!

I've gotten a few ideas about some geek-chic paper bookmarks and 1920s-esque headbands and am looking forward to getting to work on those this weekend.

Lilies of the Hudson Valley Bookmarks

2009-09-22T17:30:00.002-04:00

The Lilies of the Hudson Valley Book club requested some lily bookmarks for this Christmas. They didn't specify colors or anything they just asked for 5 bookmarks with lily charms. So I thought it would be neat if each bookmark was inspired by a different type of lily. So I made a Stargazer Lily, Tiger Lily, Lily of the Valley, Turk's Cap Lily, and Rosella's Dream Lily and I hope the Lilies of the Hudson Valley enjoy them as much as I do!

Beth's Bag

2009-09-11T16:42:00.007-04:00

Beth picked out her own fabric from Elegant Stitches (love that store!) for an Isabelle bag. I think it's lovely - and especially love the contrasting colors with the orange thread on the aqua fabric. It's pretty cool because I don't think I would have bought these fabrics, so I love when someone else picks something you wouldn't have thought of... it stretches your creativity a little that way. Anyway the point is I think it's adorable!

The Abby Bag

2009-08-30T19:45:00.004-04:00

Abby is a friendly, easy-going girl. She’s a girly girl but can hang with the boys watching Top Gear and Star Trek. She’s smart and inquisitive – she wants to know how things work and picks up new things pretty quickly. She is kind of picky and opinionated – but we like to call that discerning taste. She doesn’t like slick talking southern politicians, so don’t be surprised if she gets a little cranky when W pops up on TV.

The Ryan Bag

2009-08-28T13:20:00.004-04:00

Ryan is the ultimate girl next door. She is warm and friendly, a bit of a tomboy, and kind of sexy. She loves skinny jeans, lip gloss and her blue Chuck Taylors. She likes to sit back and observe her environment before she becomes a part of it. She is naturally talented – easily switching hats between swimmer, dancer, musician and artist. She is very sincere and earnest and can’t stand fakes or liars. She loves her friends and is passionately dedicated to them. But she doesn’t like country music and thinks guys wearing Capri pants are just gross.

The Isabelle Bag

2009-08-28T13:15:00.005-04:00

Isabelle is enthusiastic. In fact enthusiastic might be an understatement. She is very self-reliant; she can do it all, all by herself. She is creative and loves to draw, paint, sculpt, and create. Her heart is pure - she is slow to take offense and quick to forgive. Her kindness extends to all living things, not just people. She is passionate about animals, especially her dog Fluffy. She even saves ants from the house and releases them back into the wild.

The Holly Bag

2009-08-27T10:34:00.008-04:00

Holly loves to love. She a big flirt and just wants someone to hug and kiss her. She's very caring and sweet and with those blue eyes, the boys don’t stand a chance. Plus she knows how to bat them just right to get anything she wants. She’s a bookworm and can be shy, but don’t let her quiet side fool you – this girl can be feisty with the best of them. And if she ever makes you mad, don’t worry it won’t last; she’ll do just about anything to make you laugh and forget all about it.

The Lucy Bag

2009-08-27T10:34:00.007-04:00

Lucy is an explorer. She likes adventure and is always looking for something new and exciting. She’s even adventurous with her food – she loves food and will eat almost anything at least once. She’s a total foodie. She's very social and has been known to get pretty chatty and noisy on occasion. But she’s so sweet and playful that everyone loves her all the more for it. In fact she already has more than one boy wrapped around her little finger.

The Sophia Bag

2009-08-26T11:33:00.004-04:00

Sophia is such a girl – she loves all things feminine, delicate and lovely. She loves to dance and sing, and will happily spend the afternoon twirling and singing about flowers and butterflies. She is very outgoing and social and knows no strangers. She loves to be in charge and can be a bit bossy, but we like to call that fiery passion. And don’t worry about her temper, when it rears its ugly head, it is easily tamed with sweets.

The Lily Bag

2009-08-26T11:32:00.005-04:00

Lily is an enigma. She is saucy and sweet. She is very social and enters a room like Miss America – smiling, waving and saying 'hi' to everyone. She is also extremely independent and feisty, yet at the same time sympathetic and maternal, wanting to take care of everyone. She loves to laugh and if something is funny enough she will laugh riotously! She doesn’t like to be left behind, so the easiest way to rectify that is to just take her everywhere you go.

Deanna's Bag

2009-08-11T09:30:00.006-04:00

Another Abby diaper bag. I have always loved Asian art and so naturally couldn't resist this fabric. Plus I think I was reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan when I bought it - so there's that too.

My Bags

2009-08-10T22:09:00.004-04:00

Well you know I couldn't very well be making all these bags and not make one for myself! So I made two -an Isabelle bag which is red (of course) and fun and mod.

And also a Holly bag - and can I just say that I had to control myself not to drop on the floor and have a makeout session with this fabric right in the store. And the button - don't even get me started on the button...

Heather's Bag

2009-08-08T16:31:00.004-04:00

Another Isabelle bag. This fabric is called Daydream Believer which is just too perfect for Heather.

Laura's Bag

2009-08-07T15:32:00.005-04:00

Another Abby diaper bag. Laura said she wanted bright colors, so I delivered. Plus I adore the owls in this bag - I have a bit of a bird obsession these days so I couldn't resist this fabric.

Betty's Bag

2009-08-03T13:29:00.004-04:00

The Isabelle bag for my mom - I am in LOVE with this Michael Miller Eiffel Tower fabric!

Mary Evelyn's Bag

2009-08-03T12:22:00.004-04:00

Another adorable Holly bag.

Rachel's Bag

2009-07-30T21:21:00.004-04:00

This is the Holly bag - and I think it's the most adorable hand bag.

Jenny's Diaper Bag

2009-07-29T13:10:00.004-04:00

My boss Jenny is due in November, so of course I had to make her an Abby diaper bag too. She's a dog lover, so I did a cute little dog applique on the flap and think it's pretty adorable. I also made a few matching burp cloths and paci clips.

John's Red Shirt Star Trek Bag

2009-07-27T12:00:00.005-04:00

Well it all started with wanting to make a diaper bag for my brother John. Not just any bag, but a diaper bag that a man would proudly carry... And I think it's a pretty great bag, if I do say so myself.