Library Tote

The Ruby Swirl Library Tote is in my etsy shop now.  The panel is the swirl textile range from Hollabee.  I have had this fabric in my stash for the longest time. It is so pretty that it took me ages to make a decision as to what I wanted to do with it.  I am really please with how it came together.  I still have plenty left.  It has such a lovely texture that I would love to make a bag with pleats in it.  So stay tuned in about a years time I should have made a decision.  

On another wee note I read a very silly article this week stating that plastic bags are better for us than reusable bags because of the germ factor.  Hmmm a bit of clutching at straws I think.  I was so cross I just skimmed over the article.  Ok so on that note, buy a shopping bag you can wash and hang out in the sun on a regular basis.  Germ factor all fixed.  

Full Steam Ahead

Hooray, a week of crafting has been had.  Well little snatches of crafty time may be a better description.  Above is a new purse made with the seeds range by Hollabee from Ink & Spindle.  I love this colour way and the fabric texture stood up really nicely with some interfacing and the structure of the purse.  

Above is a new bag I made for me.  I wanted a bigger bag to take to the BrisStyle Markets as I have a feeling I may make a few purchases.  I also needed a new bag to take to work on the train to fit my lunch, a jumper, book and all the other essential crapola.  I was over lugging two bags with me, so this was my solution.  I used the seeds range again from Hollabee.  I adore the charcoal colour way and it goes so well with the black denim.  

Ok, so I may have been a little slower then usual on the crafting front but I did go and source myself a new sewing table.  It is huge 1.5 m square, so there is plenty of room for us all to sit and create.  More often then not most the chairs and stools in the house find there way to position around it.  I picked it up at a seconds store and because it has a crack 1/3 of the way down, the table didn't cost much at all.  But I don't mind about the crack.  Some things that are a little broken turn out to be our most treasured.  I'm thinking about just gluing a tape measure along the crack to cover it up, hmmm what do you think?   So with the new table, the dining table is now free.  I thought this would mean more space for actual meals but I was wrong.  The sewing machine might now how its own space but the dining room table is now just space for more crafting.  Oh well, more inside picnics and eating at the bench to come.  

Have a lovely weekend all!  

Treasures in the Mail

I got home from work last night to very excitedly find this beautiful pendant from the very talented Eliza from ElvenHair waiting for me in the mail.  It was all specially wrapped up.  I love the colours in the wood.  Eliza is raising funds for her very sweet medical assistant dog Gem who needs an operation on her leg.  So it is well worth the effort to buy some lovely wooden treasures and support such a wonderful couple.    

It has been poring rain here today so I've had the time to finish of this bag for a lovely BrisStyle girl.  It has been a lovely day of cubbies, pancakes, pizza and sewing.  Life would be a dream if everyday could be so sweet.  

The Upside of Insomnia

Ok can someone please reset my body clock.  I have the most awful habit of waking at 3 to 4 am at the moment.  I am terrible at getting back to sleep, it takes me hours and by that time I have to get up and start the day anyway.  There are a few upsides though.  I like the darkness and quite of the house.  A coffee in peace, while reading emails and checking out blog happenings.  Also time to cut out patterns and fuse interfacing.  

After the Stitches and Craft show I have had a surge of inspiration.  I have done very little bag sewing this year but the Fretwork fabric by Brisbane boutique textile designer Thea & Sami was just needing to be turned into a messenger bag.  I had this one all cut out and ready to go by 6 am yesterday morning.  I love red and denim - I guess I have said that before though.  I am so very happy with how this turned out.  This bag was popped into my etsy shop this morning.  

Sewfest

Yesterday was a full day of sewing.  I made six purses and one laptop bag.  The purse above with the red print (Pippijoe fabric)  and the aqua blue bird purse (Lara Cameron fabric) are for my sister for her birthday.  Mum and I are taking her out for lunch today.  I am so looking forward to a lazy lunch with lots of yummy food and a good giggle and a much needed catch up.   My brother in law has kindly offered to wrangle my children and my niece and nephew so we can really have a grown up lunch.  Yay!  

On another sewing note, a friend of mine has three girls as well who are all early teens.  We share a lot of babysitting and always seem to be swapping kids back and forth but somehow it always seems to work.  Her middle daughter who is 13 wanted to come over to my place and learn to make a bag on Thursday afternoon.  Now this was the first afternoon of the holidays.  I have to say I was pretty chuffed that she wanted to hang out with me and sew on her first afternoon of holiday freedom.  Her two sisters were jibbing her that she wouldn't be able to make a bag as she is more sporty than crafty.  Well she did a beautiful job.  We kept it really simple, no pockets or clips or flaps but she made it all except the handle.  A  dark denim with a pretty pink stripe inside.  It was so nice to see how happy she was to have something cute, unique and funky to use that she can can say she made herself.  It is also nice to see handmade being cool in the teen age group.   

(photo from etsy listing)

In truth all this sewing has just been a way to curtail my strong desire to pop on over to another BrisStyle shop - Wheres Beckybean to buy the Macchioto Shoulder Bag.  I'm loving these bags made with recycled coffee sacks from Merlo coffee in Brisbane.  The colours, the style, well really everything.  

On another great BrisStyle note it is lovely to be able to go and hang out at the very fab new blog of Ruby 2 Go Go.  This blog will sure to be a fave among many a crafty blog reader.  

Happy Easter to all, may it be full of lots of chocolate and hot cross buns.  

Grateful Day 10

Grateful for the challenge of making something new and making someone happy. Wish I'd had a nappy bag like this. This person deserves so much happiness and I hope this year turns out to be all that she hopes for.

Requests

I love getting custom requests through etsy. The bag above is a library tote that I finished yesterday for a very loyal and super lovely customer. I love working with this customer so much. She is always so polite, kind and supportive. She knows what she likes but leaves me enough creative freedom to work with. The design for the bag above is one that she essentially came up with herself. I am really happy with how it came together.

I have another request that I am working on at the moment but it is a new design and a little bit of secret squirrel business. All I can say that this request has been very special and fingers crossed that it turns out to be just what has been dreamt of.

Doll Love

Market Tote

Messenger Bag

I adore the Matryoshka Dolls fabric by Kokka. These are two bags I have made over the last few days with some new fabric from Kelani Fabric. Matryoshka Dolls fascinated me as a small child (they still do to be honest).

New Addition

This newbiee (the bag not my wee poppet) found in my etsy shop. Just right to take the essential toys for the day. I just have to make sure the little moo and ted don't hang on to it.

Today I.....

Turned this.....

Into this. Yep, it was time for another one. I have sold my last two in my little etsy shop, so it was time to add another. I hope this one too finds a happy home.

Letting go

My Messenger for Mary bag sold has found a new home. I am all happy and sad at the same time. I loved the way this bag came together - a little baby almost. I am sure it will be well cared for with its new owner.

Oh well I shouldn't be too sad as I made one for myself too!

Well I'm off to make doll's nappies for baby Annabell.

Messenger For Mary

This sweet little cat purse has a home currently in my etsy store. Pippijoe's fabric is much to lovely to be relegated to the scrap bag, so I fused a cut out of one of her designs onto a denim purse.

This purse makes me giggle a little as last weekend at my Mum's there was a rather large cat stuck up a tall gum tree that the fire brigade couldn't rescue so the RSPCA had to come and get it down. The poor love. Every time I look at the print it reminds me of it. Why do cats do crazy
things like that?

Above is a picture of the latest bag I have made. It is a very simple denim messenger bag, but with the delightful Pippijoe orchard fabric on the flap it came up a treat. The off white of the flap with the rich red ink on the denim looks so lovely. I liked it so much I was a little naughty and made one for myself.

Yesterday's bags

Miss Cait's gym addicted bag.

These are the bags from yesterday's efforts. Unfortunately it is pooring rain today and I had to use the flash to take the photos. (I hate taking photos with flash). Oh well serves me right for bragging about our beautiful winters. Off to the beach today - yay! Even in the rain it shall be grand.

Monday Musings

The weeks roll around so fast. The girls have had a sleepover at Nanny & Pops for the first time in forever, which has allowed me to spend some quality time at the sewing machine. I have to say though that it is a little lonely sewing all on my own. I kind of miss the dive the girls make for the scraps and the interuptions to sew a seam here and a seam there to make their much loved cloth dolls an endless stream of clothes. Their imaginations amaze me with the designs and colour combinations they choose. To look at them I often think that there is no way they can work together but somehow in the girl's uninhibited way they make it work. It is lovely seeing them get excited about colour, texture and design. I just hope that they are able to keep their creativeness into adulthood and the pressures of conformity don't dull their drive to make and explore through trial and error.

So all on my own I managed to make a sling bag made with a beautiful green background and white flowers, which I then lined with a pink gingham. It turned out very bright and cheery. I also made a small purse to match. I also made my eldest daughter a new bag for gymnastics. It is a very simple drawstring type bag made out of calico but it turned out very funky. I used a heat bond iron on adhesive and cut out in red gingham "I heart gym" which I then placed on the front. I hope she likes it when she gets home. I always seem to worry more about what the girls think than anyone else. I shall post some photos with my next blog post.

We're off up to the Sunshine Coast tomorrow to our favourite beach - Kings Beach. I can't wait. I just hope the rain holds off long enough to get some decent walks in and some exploring in the rock pools.

Wonderful Winter

Winter in Brisbane is gorgeous. The days are warm but with a touch of freshness to the air. Perfect for trips to the park. The girls are all on school holidays so there isn't a lot of sewing to be done but lots of time to spend in the park as you can see from the picture above of my two little ones.

I'm starting to get all my bags and purses ready to try and sell on Etsy. Very exciting. I'm lucky to have three harsh critics on my side!

The Handmade Welcome Mat

Welcome to my place. Pull up a comfy chair, a rug (yes, it is winter here) and a sweet, hot cuppa. I hope you enjoy your time in my little blue house.

I love to sew and make bags. I love all the original and very beautiful textiles that are available(some of them much to lovely to take scissors to). We are very lucky to live in an age that allows me to access such talent through the Internet. I am often in awe of the beauty some people are able to produce.

I often wonder what my very talented and creative grandmothers and great grandmothers would of created with the plethora of resources we have in this day and age. My Mum tells me the story of her Grandmother at the end of World War Two, making them handcrafted dolls from a mould with sawdust and glue mixed together that she then hand painted. My own Grandmother was very excited when she got her first sewing machine - that was top of the range for the time that could do a zig zag stitch. I wonder what she would think of the sewing machines that we now have access to. The clothes she produced were amazing and finished with such precision.

I hope you enjoy your time here and share in my journey with my three girls and my handmade bag creations.