Thinking Spring

Not everybody wanted to pose, but here is a sampling of my latest.

Next week I will be participating in the Think Spring craft show in Lake Geneva. In keeping with the theme of looking ahead to warmer weather I made up a new batch of clothespin bags.

For fun I replaced my usual little tag with a heart on the backside (maybe I was subliminally inspired by Xavier Roberts, the creator of the Cabbage Patch Kids).

In other news, Michelle at Dainty Daisies has decided to close up shop to free up more time to work on her own projects. I picked up my stuff yesterday and I believe the shop will be officially closed at the end of the month.

Let's Get It Started! (But Not Finished)

This is my latest set of bags, a larger version of the "Double Flap Snap". There were 6, but I actually finished one because it was a custom order. The remainder of them need straps & buttons sewn on (I will admit they were taped on for the photos) and threads clipped, which I will get to... eventually.

darn knit {anyway}

I would like to thank the fabulous ladies of darn knit {anyway} for featuring me in their "Meet the Artist" section on their website.

I recently sent them some new items including coffee sleeves, magnets and the cutest little hairpins. If you are in the Stillwater, MN area, stop in and take a look.

New Items for the Shop (Etsy that is)

I just finished two custom "Becky" style bags and it was on to some new stuff for my Etsy shop...

Patchwork magnets - sweet treats, dragonflies and odd little ducks.

Coffee / hot beverage sleeves make your drink a little hotter (visually) while keeping your hands a little cooler.

New Stuff

I've been sewing up a storm in the last few weeks trying to get some new stuff together for my show last Saturday (as well as upcoming shows).

A couple of my new clothespin bags, Vince (upper) and Dubs (lower)

Some new wristlets - once again I cut out forty, but I only assembled what I knew I could get done for last Saturday's show. I do plan on getting the rest done by the end of August...ish.

Two of the five "Double Flap Snap" bags that I finished a couple of weeks ago.

Clothespin Bags

Here's a couple of pictures of my latest project - a new set of clothespin bags.

They will all be ready in the next couple of days to help with the laundry - except for the orange guy on the upper right - he'll just eat your socks :)

On to the next...

I am finally finished with the 13 totes I have been working on. The reason I always end up making more than I really feel like finishing (I did start and finish all 13) is because I start pulling out all these colors that I must use and before I know it I cannot say no to making one for each color.

I am about to go upstairs and work on my next project, which I am looking forward to, well - that is until it is half done, then I will be ready for the next.

Buy & Run

Thank you HomespunHandmaiden for featuring one of my mini wallets in your $10 and under buy & run treasury!

What's In Your Wallet?

This past weekend I attended the Winter Farm Market in downtown Appleton. I changed my setup and really wanted to take a picture, but for some reason I kept putting it off and then I didn't think of it until I had half of my stuff put away at the end - oh well, there's always next time.

Once again I am working on a new batch of wallets - about 30 this time. I am done with all the sewing and just need to finish adding snaps and give them a final press, then I am going to take a short sewing sabatical (and then I might have something else to talk about).

Almost Finished!

I am finally finishing up my wristlets. I think that is the last time I do such a large group for awhile- my lame saying about this project has been, "if one is fun, then forty must be a blast!"

The Farm Market is only two weeks out and I fear that I am not going to get make all the things that I wanted for it. I started cutting out a few purses this week - far less than forty and it went so quick I thought I was forgetting something.

It's a Giveaway!

It was above freezing today so I was motivated to get outside for a walk. There were patches of snow on the sidewalks and in parking lots that were melting and it made me think of spring (I know - it's only January in Wisconsin, but a "nice" day gets a girl looking forward to t-shirts and shorts).

I've also been thinking about how it's been almost a year since I made my first sale on Etsy (as andreainpajamas) and as one thought led to another, I felt inspired to do a giveaway, so I want to give away my Migration Scarf (see pics above) on Feb 19, the 1 year anniversary of my first Etsy sale.

Just leave a comment on this post and make sure you have a link to your e-mail so I can contact you if you win.

Mama's Got a Brand New Bag

Yeah! I finished my set of bags that I had been working on for the past couple of weeks. The red and black and the brown corduroy are on their way to other parts of the country and the birds and the tattoo bag are posted in my shop.

I was also pleased that my new wallet pattern turned out. I was commissioned to made the black and red bag and the buyer wanted a matching wallet, but she needed one larger than my "little wallet". I combined my wallet with a wristlet and tada - a wallet with plenty of room and a place to keep your change and a few other little necessities.

Work In Progress

I am really happy with how these are coming together so I just couldn't wait until they were finished to take a couple of pix. The red and black purse has already been claimed, but the others will soon be available in my Etsy shop.

When finished, they will be similar to the bag below.

Windy Wednesday

Brrrr - it is cold and there is a wind advisory. Yes I am obsessed about the weather, until it starts getting above 50, I think about it too much.

I am working on some new things for my Etsy shop (andreainpajamas.etsy.com). My "big seller" is the SoCal wallet, pictured on the left. It's my favorite style too. I originally tried to make it a "make as you order" item, but the pattern on the fabric is sooooo random, that it is hard to replicate the same look everytime.

I am almost finished with some clothespin bags. They are amusing to look at. I finally got to a point where I am not looking at my Etsy page 80 times a day to see if anybody is looking - I probably only look about 30 times now.

Until next time...