Wristlets!

Yay! I wanted to get at least a few wristlets together to see what the final look would be, and I accomplished at least that much. I used a couple of found images that seemed condusive to a wristlet shape and printed them on the front side and then the back is a fun patterned fabric. This picture has an effect applied to it from rollip.com - the effects make everything look just a bit cooler (I think these wristlets are cool as is, but the effect turns them up to an 11).

Everybody I know will be getting t-shirts...

because I bought a bunch of t-shirts so I could play with my Yudu screenprinter.

Here are a couple of my new designs:

A homage to Wisconsin's (or at least my) beverage of choice - I am going to make a few adjustments to the artwork then make the "guy" version

This is my "affirma-tee". The idea has been rolling around my head for some time and I was happy to finally do it. If you are wondering whey the message is backwards it's because I want the wearer to be reminded that they deserve more every time they look in the mirror (okay, I'm easily amused)

A fan of Mauk asked me to make her a new purse. Her parameters were owls, pockets and purple. It was a good excuse to come up with a new design - this one's called the Tracie POP! (POP is for plenty of pockets as there are 2 pockets on each side of the outside, 2 more divided pockets on the inside, plus there is a divider in the purse that is actually a zippered pocket).

For the Birds

I have been saying that I am going to buy one of these birdhouses for the last year and I finally went and bought one on Saturday at the Downtown Appleton Farm Market. They are made by a father & son team who unfortunately do not have a web site, but believe me they had so many whimsical houses, that it was hard to make a decision. I only wish my house was this cute.

I have been meaning to make a gadget / phone pouch (substitute a cooler word than pouch and tell me what it is, because I don't know about "pouch", other than it is technically an accurate description). Anyway - here they are and I made sure that in addition to my little phone, they would fit an iPhone as well as the htc phones.

I was inspired to include the little strap by a friend of mine that told me that her phone fell out of her pocket while biking. Now she can just hang the "pouch" over her handlebars and no worries - in fact I even kept one for myself (a rare occurrence) and took my cell with me on my bike ride (an even more rare occurrence) and was pleased with how it was functional, yet not in the way.

Bag Lady

The past few weeks I have been working on some bags for my upcoming shows this summer.

A couple of Becky Bags (above)

The yet unnamed smaller version of the Lazy Day Tote (above)

The Beginning of Spring Marks the End of an Era

Okay, so maybe my title is a little dramatic, but after canceling my cell phone plan about 9 years ago, I decided to get a new one - so now I have caught up in technology to my 12 year old niece :)

I finished up a new batch of Heidis (see photos below) that I am really excited about. Last month I made a custom one that turned out really cute and since it is one of my more unique styles, I decided to do a small batch for my upcoming shows.

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.

A New Design

A request for a bag gave me an excuse to try out a new design. It is not named, nor did I even give it a working title. I gave that responsibility to it's new owner as she is the first to receive this style of bag.

This little number measures 9" tall x 10" wide x 2" deep. It has about a 20" strap and a split pocket as well as a zippered pocket on the inside. It is kept closed with a magnetic snap at the top.

Speaking of getting things done, check out these samplings of mini wallets and wallets I finally finished up (a selection will be available in my Etsy shop)...

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.

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.

Show Prep

This weekend I am participating in my first outdoor show. In addition to wrapping up a couple of projects, I have been working on my setup. In order to do so I brought my tables and shelves into the sewing room, so now not only is there fabric everywhere, it's really hard to move around too.

I thought I found a setup that I like, but I hesitate to put my tables away just yet in case I think of a different arrangement. I don't think I have put so much effort into a project since college.

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.

Out of the Way

Lindsay helped my husband unpack and assemble the new desk.

When I started getting into sewing I would make something (as in 1 thing) now and again, and since our house is small, I would set up in the dining room and clean up when the project was finished. As the projects and time sewing has increased, so did the amount of fabric, cutting implements and necessary cutting spaces, which then overflowed into the living room.

We finally decided to get a new desk and keep the computer contained to a little area of the dining room (where it will not shed treads or drop pins) and move my stuff upstairs to the now former computer room.

It is soooooooooooooooo relaxing to hang out in the living room without my projects looking at me and asking why they are not being worked on. Plus - I don't have to try to find a spot to put everything when company comes over.

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).