Butt Floss

Literally. Somehow my dog got into dental floss (I'm pretty sure my son was involved) and ate it. How do I know this? It comes out the other end eventually. Yep, yesterday my dog had an extended tail. First we thought he just sat on some floss but no, it was in there. Gross. Definately no pictures of that! He's fine now, poor thing.

Oh, and I've been geting compliments on the bag I'm using for myself. My cards came in and I've been giving one to everyone I know. Hopefully these folks will come to the Oktoberfest and buy or order something! Also some of my online friends are requesting bags too! I'm so psyched thinking my bags could be carried in different states! It seems folks like the black and white bag a lot. Many have told me it's their favorite. Figures, it's the one that was a pain trying to get around the machine because the handles don't bend, AND the fabric makes me googley-eyed when I sew on it. It's like an optical illusion, sometimes I see all circles, sometimes all diamonds, and sometimes I see what look like flower pedals. BUT, I hear the people and they want more, so I'll be making a few more like that. I may change up the interior though and the button was one of a kind (it was in my button collection so it must have been an extra to some article of clothing I used to own.) but I'm sure I can find something similar out there!

Finally done with this one.

Gosh, this seemed to take forever! But it's done! It is HUGE, the biggest I've ever done. Whew! Now I know why the designers charge the big bucks! And if it looks similar to a certain designers trademark bag, well it's not. Mine isn't quilted and, mine uses nicer interfacing, and smaller stitch length (for better strength). Also with my bag you can't see where the outer zippered pocket is from the inside. BUT, besides that they are very similar.

Here it is:

Open pocket:


Close up of button:


Zippered pocket:


Inside zippered pocket:


Inside open pockets:


Key clip:

Bigger and better

I made another drawstring bag with the black fabric. This time I increased the dimensions by an inch each way and added a removable cardboard bottom. I can't decide which bag to keep though. I *should* keep the pink and cinnamon one because it doesn't have the removable base and a buyer would probably like that feature, but the black one looks so elegant! I wish I could keep both! I think I'll keep the pink one and after the craft show if I've made enough profit I'll make myself a black bag too. Here it is:

Front:


Side:


Inside (which I need to iron, to sew down the bottom for insert I had it all scrunched up and it got a tad wrinkly):


On sholder:


Over shoulder:

Another clutch

I just finished this one today. It's not my favorite but I wanted to try it. I made it with leftover fabric I had in my stash, so it really didn't cost anything much.

Here it is:

I'm in business!

Oh my gosh, I just ordered business cards! I figured I'd try to make as many different handbags as possible and then take orders at the Oktoberfest. I'll sell the ones I make too but it would be nice to take orders for Christmas, that would bring in more $$ and allow me to work at a more relaxed pace. Right now knowing it's only a month away has me feeling rushed! I can't believe I am getting business cards. I guess I'll be giving them to all the people I have already made bags for too and asking them to keep some in their bag to give to people who compliment on the bag. Oh, and I used my name for the business. I was toying with names that had to do with purses, but hubby told me that I shouldn't limit myself, that I may be doing purses now, but maybe next year I'll want to do something else. And he pointed out that most desingers just use their name (ie Vera Bradley, Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, and (Alyson) Clair, just to name a few).

This week I took a smocking course (ha, originally I had written smoking! Yuck! No thanks!). I'm learing how to do English Smocking so I don't have to spend an ungodly amount on cute dresses for baby girl. It's very relaxing to do actually. I just wish I had more time to do it!

And here's the latest one I finished. I really do want to keep this one, but I also bought the same material in black, so I may make another one and see which I like best. It's a drawstring purse, but I'd use it as a mini diaper bag and purse. Right now I use my Vera Bradley tote "The Vera" and it's just too big and inevitability gets more stuff put in it than need be. And I've yet to make myself a bag believe it or not! I guess I usually end up last on my priority list. Well, I WILL be keeping one of these bags, I'll just have to see how the black one comes out. They are both Amy Butler fabrics. I looked around at all my fabrics and realized I am obsessed with circles/dots. Almost every bag has them. Weird.

Here's bag closed, tied in front:


Closed bows on sides:




Open tied on sides


Inside open pockets:


Inside zipped pocket:


And a new feature, a swivel key clip:

New teeth SUCK

Baby girl has 4 new teeth coming in, poor thing. After months of sleeping through the night, now she is up again or can't get settled to begin with. Unless of course she is sleeping like this:


Oh well, the teeth have to come in sometime soon, right? Let's hope so!

Mod Squad

Here's #3. I wanted to do a small mod bag. I like how it came out, but it was the hardest to make so far because of how tight the space was with the handles. I think I prefer making the bigger bags because there is more room to sew. I am a bit of a claustrophobic sewer I guess! I also bought more material yesterday. I'll post pics when I can of that. Anyhow, here's today's work:

Working woman

I think I mentioned before that I will be selling bags at my church's Oktoberfest celebration. Well, I've started working and so far I've got 2 done, and I have a couple more special orders too! Who knew so many people would like these? It's funny though because after I make each one I think, "Ooh, I really like this one, I hope it doesn't sell so I can keep it!" I have to stop thinking like that or I'll have 20 purses but no $$! They are like little creations though, and it will be hard to part with them knowing they will be going to strangers! Anyhow, here's the 2 so far:

The purse/clutch. This one I added a removable chain so it can be a purse or a clutch. I liked the traditional flower garden but wanted to give it a modern touch so added the geometric prints as accent and lining. I also love the little bee button too!:





Next is the larger "carry-on-carry-all" bag. I made it a size that will accomodate some magazines, or a book or two. It's perfect for a carry on bag for a flight. It has two open inner pockets to hold things you may want to grab easily, and a larger 5x7 zippered pocket to hold thigs you don't want to fall out like money or credit cards and make-up items. I'll be making a matching make-up bag/wristlet and credit card wallet that can fit inside too.

Birthday present!

No, not for me! I still have a few months to go. One of my best gal pals had a B-day on the 1st and today we got together for lunch. I made her a purse. She wasn't too surprised since I had asked her last week what her favorite color was, but happy to have it nonetheless. It's a new design I've been tinkering with based on some designs I've seen around. It's kind of a combo hobo bag and granny bag. The Hobo-granny? Poor granny, reduced to being a hobo. Anyhow, here's some pictures. I didn't get to take any at home because I was working on the bag up to the last minute and forgot, but I did get some outside the restaurant. And I cropped my friend out because she wanted it that way, I'm not trying to be mysterious or anything! (Who is that woman? The world may never know.)

Oh, and here's somehting cool. My aunt and uncle came to visit this weekend (it was fun seeing you guys!) and got my son a little Disney Cars digital camera. Now, as if the camera wasn't cool enough, the software that it came with is SO SUPER COOL! It lets you add Disney characters into the pictures! I'd have used some of his but he's still mastering photography,(many blurred picutes, floor pictures and thumb pictures). I went back and used some old pictures and played around and came up with these:

I got mail! New stuff new stuff!

Can ya tell I was excited? Jumping up and down! I got a package in the mail today!! First off I LOVE getting mail that's not junk mail, but packages are like mail to the infinte power (there's my mathgeekiness popping out, sorry). AND...to one up just being a package (yes, you could send me an empty box and I'd be thrilled just that someone is thinking of little 'ol me), it contained cool stuff! All kinds of fun fabrics to play with and the best part...a top made by a designer! Ooo la la! I consider her a friend, but she also happens to be dating my brother (one of the wiser decisions he's ever made was to date her, she's way cool- and I'm not just saying that because I know you'll read this either!). I drooled over her line and mentioned I liked this top and here it is in my hot little hands! Hmm, I know my page says I'm not crazy, but I just might be crazy for this top! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just had to try it on and take a pic! I tried my best "model" pose (ha, ha, ha, ha, ha) to try and do the top justice. However, my dang camera keeps giving me slightly blurred pictures! URGGG! How is that possible when using a timer (hubby was out with a buddy)?!? I had the camera on my mantle, it wasn't moving! I don't get it, but here's the picture anyhow (I'm holding the tag)! Oh, and I had to add a shot of my cute shoes that didn't make the picture, I think they go well with the top. And here's a link to pictures of the whole line, being worn by a REAL model, and taken by a more professional photographer than I'll ever be! To see her fall line go to the August posts, some good drool-worthy apparel!

Make me cozy, cookies and spoons

My husband's quilt is finally done! So now I can comply when he says "Make me cozy". That's a phrase that my 4 year-old initiated whenever he wants to be tucked in or snuggle under a blanket. And eventually we started saying it too, amazing how 'kidspeak' wriggles it's way into a parent's vocabulary!



So here's the finshed blankie:





Next up are some pictures of the kids. Baby girl LOVES cookies, so the other day we made some and then ate them.



See this cookie... it's not yours and it won't be around much longer:





Warm cookies make me SO HAPPY:





And for laughs, big boy learned a new trick: