Embroidery & Ribbon Fun to Come

I finally finished my Not Mandatory piece...it took forever. Well, it took forever for me to get back to. The stitching itself was not too bad. I think it will become part of a mini messenger type bag. Something wide enough for a sketchbook.


Remember that craft show I had the other weekend? Well, I always go prepared to craft in case of slow times. So I prepped these hoops. Why so many? Well, I just never know what I may be in the mood to work on :) I am aiming to have at least one done a week. That should be doable, right? I know you can't see all the designs clearly (if at all) but there is a fairy baby, roses, brain, zepplin & another image from Serenity (the fruity oaty bar girls).

And from my vacation up north, the cool ribbon I found. What am I going to do with it? Not 100% sure, but some of it will be part of a clutch in October for breast cancer awareness.

More Monsters Invade

I have scanned all the monster sketches to prep for pattern drafting...I think there are about 12. But I couldn't resist playing more until then. So I made 2 more keychain guys based on the sketches. The proportions aren't quite right since I was just eyeballing it, but they're cute anyway...right? My youngest thinks they're fun - it's ok to base stuff on a 4 year old's opinion - right?


This next guy may look familiar to some of you. He is my 3rd flying piggie. I worked out some of the assembly kinks and used a darker pink so it's less see through. Plus, I skipped the white fur trim & used felt instead - much easier on the fingers...and my shirt.


I have 4 more cut and ready to go. The yellow & maroon ones are based on some I saw while browsing Etsy - I couldn't tell you who because it was just an image that stuck. Those guys will be staying home with us or head off to my niece & nephew.

I have finished this maroon one since these were taken, but have not taken a pic yet...which is okay, he didn't turn out so great. The circles & the body colors didn't look right once put together. But again, my 4 year old loves him :)


You can't tell from this pic, but this one is rather large. The head is almost as big as my arms when circled together. I hope I have enough fluff to fill him :P

This last one started as a bear. Yup, a bear. The head of this guy was a belly. I had it laid out on the table with some other color strips to use for eyes & stuff, but when I looked down at it, I saw this octopus type guy. My oldest dubbed him Troctopus (tri-octopus)...since only 3 legs/arms/appendages. I have already got him going. I hope to show him early next week.

Where are my bags you ask? They are there. And I need to get going on them. But sometimes, changing up what you create can help get the inspiration & motivation back for what you do regularly. A recent custom order for lots of fun matchy things helps too . I love it when the customer helps "design" the bags :)

Wordless Wednesday (well, almost)

hand embroidered by me...design by Urban Threads

Loving the Monsters

Okay, I am on a new kick...stuffies. I have made some before, mostly felt ones. But now that I am in a stuffie swap on Craftster, I am making more. More than I needed to. And I have sketches for even more...almost an army.

This guy here was so fun to make. And he was kind of freehand based off one of my sketches. He looks nothing like the sketch. But I love him. Plans to make another are already in my mind, but, well, um, I forgot to copy the pattern. But I am still going to try.


After the blue guy was done, I wanted to make my 3 Eyed guy. My mind was envisioning a larger monster, but something said "keychain" to me. SO I made a teeny one. Loved him so much, I plan to make many more. Which shop they will go in? Not sure yet. They are an accessory, so the bag shop would work..b.ut the Too shop is a mish mash where monsters may feel more at home.

And that army...here are 3 WIPs ready to roll. And the sketch book has about 12 more. I plan to alternate X number of bags, then that number of monsters. I don't want to get too "stuck" on one.

Oh yeah...if you are wondering which one is for the stuffie swap - none of these. I won't post pics until my partner receives...no spoilers in case she peeks over here :)

Treasury Thanks to Brown Joey

Big thanks to Brown Joey for including my Green Marimekko Mollie Clutch in this treasury!
edit: and it just sold! So thanks twice! It's my first treasury sale - woo hoo!

I got to spend my last 2 craft shows as her neighbor, so I am going to share some of her goodies that I got to look at for days with you...

More New Stuff

I may not have done much in the way of crafting since I got back from my vacation, but I did have some pics of new stuff I made just before I left...

This red one was fun. The ribbon was very randomly placed. I was not sure what to do where they crossed, so I made my first ribbon bloom type thingy. And the handle...it's from the ribbon section, but quite sturdy.

This clutch was made from a fabric that was originally a choice for one of my bridesmaids...it didn't go with the others though - too "shiny". It was almost a test of sorts for me because I have not used this silky type of material for a bag yet, at least not this large. I do have a leopard bag that is the same material, but much tinier.

Craft Show, Wind & Rain

I had my first 2 day craft show this past weekend. I was worried about getting the tent filled up enough & looking put together. Luckily, I was able to get some ideas for props during my vacation the week before.

We were Up North until the Thursday before the show. That Wednesday, there was a pretty big craft show just down the road a ways from the resort. I knew I wanted a coat rack type of display, but I wanted something for the wall area. There was a woman who had some lattice work suspended from the tent bars and she had clipped her items to it. I also some about 3 booths with some shutters (minus some or most of the slats) set up with planks like shelves. I was not able to find shutters in the one day I had back home to shop around for props. But I did find a trellis that I used for "walls".

I wish I had some pictures of my tent...they are stuck in my camera until I can find the right cord to download them into the computer. I brought along my little point & shoot, but it did not have a flash drive...internal memory only. Oh well, I'll post them later.

The show went well, albeit windy. My tent kept scooting over with the larger gusts. ***much thanks go out to my neighbor, Urban Vintage Girl, for helping me re scoot it back into place***

The second day I had some weights...but that was no help with the downpour. Just minutes before take down, there was a giant gust of wind followed by a sheet of rain...big, hard, heavy, and very very very full, rain. Everything got drenched in just one brief moment. Literally...it was only about 3 minutes before everything was soaked. Luckily there were some women hiding under my tent that helped yank all the bags off the wall & toss them onto the table. Thank you ladies!

Back home, I laid everything out on my tables & racks to dry. I only had 2 bags that got soiled. The ink from the price tags ran...but it is only a tiny spot & the color matches the bag...so I may still sell it at a discount. My son couldn't even find the marks until I pointed them out. I'll show you some pics for some opinions later this week or weekend.

Now...onto the days post-show.

I spent Monday night and part of Tuesday in the hospital. All the big bad was ruled out and the cause is still unknown. And I am feeling better, but will be taking it easy for a little while. So I will not be around so much for the next couple weeks. Neither will I be sewing a whole lot. I have a couple swaps I am participating in that I will be doing and a few small projects to work on. But I will not be pushing myself to get lots sewn like I had originally planned.

So have a great rest of the summer - I'll still pop in a post here & there - see you more regularly in the fall.

oh...and I did sell more than I have before - woo hoo!!! Still considered not much by many crafters I am sure, but as a newbie to in person selling - I was pleased.

Treasury: Summer Camp

Woo hoo!!! Another treasury...thanks to Crown Bindery :)
She makes these cool binders, bookmarks, luggage tags and journals...

Stuff I Made and More Stuff to Make Stuff

Before I start...I am having a Christmas in July sale in both my ArtFire and Etsy shops until next Friday the 24th...15% off all non-clearance items.
Next weekend I will be at a two day art show in Redford. It will be my first 2 day event - hope I can stay awake. So if you live in Metro Detroit - come on by and say hi :) You can read more about the show here.

Okay, got the promo out of the way :) Secondly - I will be "on blog vacation" after this Saturday (but may not post again before that time)...so I'll see you later this month.

Now for the real start of the post:
I say stuff in the title because one, I don't want to list it and two, I don't always know what I will be making with it until it is done :)
The first is a Pink Floral print handbag (one of my Janet bags). I love the handle on this one - it's real fluffy.





And I made a matching zippered pouch ...none of these are ironed yet, or even have that last opening inside sewn shit yet...but the sun was out so I nabbed some pics while I could.

And a few more zippered pouches. I am trying to make sure to have a matching accessory, whether a keyring, pouch or whatever, for every bag.


I am also making some headbands. My cousin is a runner & has very long hair. She found some headbands that do not slip out, but they were rather pricey. So I offered to make her some. These are the first four. Two of them have a velvet underside, which is the type that is great for no slip. The other two have ultrasuede. I am going to have her try them out to test the slippiness. I know I love using that stuff for the underside of straps on bags for the non-slip quality...but not sure how it'll work with the hair.


And I have some more "test strips" cut for some more headbands. I also have 3 there on the left that are some really cool ribbon...I will make these last, when I have the headband assembly more down pat. I have been having trouble finding the right needle & tension combo...and have lots of scrapped tries in the garbage to prove it.

And lastly - some more fabric. My youngest picked out the Firetruck fabric when we were at the store. I asked him what he wanted me to make with it. He said he didn't know, he just liked it for something. And since it sounded so much like myself - I bought it. I think some of it will become a Lego pouch.
The skull prints, well, I just love skull prints. I am trying to work in more fun and/or kitcshy (how the heck do you spell that anyway?) fabrics and styles into my line. There are lots of embroidery & painting sketches I have done with that in mind...can't wait until I can get going on them.


Oops...I was wrong - I have this fabric too, from a swap on Craftster. If you are a fabriholic too, feel free to come on over & check it out. if you are not a member yet but want to do some swaps, join now & build up the posts so you have enough to play along during the next round.

Treasury Surprise

I found myself in a treasury this morning! This one is for my CAB Team on Etsy - we have opened a shop where team members donate the proceeds of their bags to a given cause - it is currently for Herobox.org

Big thanks to Bags and Buds for curating this treasury. I just had to show off one of her key wristlets which spotlights her shops namesake so well...

Things done, Things to-do & Things to do them with...

I realized yesterday when I posted my Wordless Wednesday, that it has been a week since I last posted here. I would like to say that it was because I have been so busy sewing and creating...but it is not. I have done a few things, but most of my time is full of family stuff...mostly 4 year old stuff. At least it's all fun, as it should be in the summertime.

I have edited some pics that I will, hopefully, be listing later today (after the zoo). And I do have 5 bags and 8 headbands cut & ready to be sewn. I think I have hit a point of overload...too many ideas of what I want to do & a sense of "where the heck do I even start" has settled in. So, I will start by showing off some newer (photo 'd) creations, some fabrics I recently received, and some goodies from Rockerchic.




.....And the fabrics.....what am I going to do with them? I am not 100% sure yet. The sushi fabric will be the lining of a Buffy bag (with the "I'm in my sushi pj's" quote somehow). The cupcakes and chickens may become part of a market tote. I do plan on making some quilts soon, which all of my recent fabrics may soon find themselves a part of. The quilting fabric tends to have the most fun designs. It's too bad the same ones aren't used with the sturdier home deco fabrics. Oh well...just gives me more stuff to make :)

...from Fabric Hound...

...from Lucky Kaeru Fabrics on Etsy...

...and last, but certainly not least...Rockerchic's bracelet & surprise necklace...Awesome stuff! Thanks so much....

Wordless Wednesday

4th of July Special

Okay - I think the graphics speak for themselves...now on to some stuff I have done recently.

Well, the first is the graphics above, along with my new Tilt Too banner:


Sewn stuff:

This first one is listed on my Carried Away Bags team shop on Etsy...
all proceeds will be going to the Herobox charity

And last...my ad for the Artisan Directory. It took lots of image size tweaking
- and thanks to Huck, I finally got it right! Thanks Huck!

Wordless Wednesday