My New Bag

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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.