Thursday, March 29, 2012

back at it...

finally having a solid day of crafting today.  i am kinda behind on my balance of cutting and sewing so i did both this morning.  i have a show both days this weekend so i am trying to get started on items to deliver to Wild Card when i visit pittsburgh in april.  this is what i got made so far--eyeglass cases and cell phone cases.
still cutting out more stuff this afternoon for tomorrow morning sewing. here's a preview!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

new supplies

it felt like christmas morning friday when i came home to find both my packages of supplies had arrived!!  for some reason embroidery hoops have been hard to find lately so i had to order them online.  then this company took  f  o  r  e  v  e  r  to ship them to me.  don't think i'll use them again but at least i'm stocked up for a bit.  and i got my zippers from the fabulous etsy seller kandcsupplies who is always speedy :)  now it's time to create!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

day 30 of my 30 day challenge...

they say if you do something for 30 days straight it becomes a habit.  here's hoping creating at least 1 item a day is now a habit for me!

some things i've learned from taking on this challenge....
 *mondays are the hardest day for me.  i usually work and grocery shop and sometimes exercise so there's not alot of time left for crafting.  maybe that's my one day off.
*a migraine can still screw up my whole day=my only FAIL moment where i was sick and didn't get to make something.
*((as much as i love lists)) sometimes having a list seriously stresses me out.  even though i know that's what i NEED to make i really need to throw away the list and let creating be organic.  or else it feels like a job i don't want.
 *my sewing machine is really loud so i can't sew while chris is sleeping.  bummer.

this challenge reminds me of college in a way...  sometimes when it was time for a studio class i didn't feel like going.  well i went anyways and made myself create and then felt like oh yeah, i DO want to be doing this.  we all get lazy, we all get caught up with life but i find if i just walk into my studio most days i am inspired to do SOMETHING.  if my brain isn't feeling particularly creative then maybe i just work on price tags or researching shows.  there's always something related and even though i love my crafting i am after all, trying to make it my business.  ok, i guess it is already a business but i just mean a more successful (i.e. earn more income) business.

i am really rambeling on right now....oh man.  i was wide awake at 4am this morning.  read a little and then said forget it, i'm gonna start sewing the stuff i cut out last night.  i sewed for 7 hours straight.  didn't get dressed, forgot to brush my teeth, didn't eat--just sewed with a mission.  i cranked out 5 handbags this morning and now...well, now i'm crashing and i think i'll take a nap.

these are the bags i got made...
another thing i've learned...i like crafty challenges.  i like challenges in life- i get bored way too easy so this was very, very good.  i think i may do another one soon.  i just need to decide what one it's gonna be.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

day 29. one more day of the 30 day challenge!!!!

concentrating on non fun/crafty things today.  i'm feeling kinda cranky but it has to be done.  car insurance--done.  business taxes prepped.  bank, a bit of cleaning and other responsible items done.  time to work out!  looking forward to a full day of crafting tomorrow!!!!!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

days 27 & 28 of 30 day challenge

made this eyeglass case last night but didn't get to post it...
i cut out these and got them sewn today....
busy replacing the items i sold this weekend so i can be ready for this weekend's show!!
get all the details here:

Monday, March 19, 2012

days 25 & 26

stitched up this embroidery while at Earth Fest this weekend....



i ran out of embroidery hoops so there are not mounted yet...

new version of my tent set up for Earth Fest

Friday, March 16, 2012

day 24...

got some wristlets, small pouches and a coin purse made.  also working on a decoration for the front of my table.  now that i finally have lots of product made i can work on my display to make it better!  change is good....

Thursday, March 15, 2012

day 23=custom order!

e-reader case

other side of e-reader case

cell phone case

new size cross body bag 12.5"h x 11"w

met some very lovely ladies at the Gretna Art Walk on Saturday that wanted some items in specific prints.  luckily i had enough stock of all of them except one interior fabric.  some coincidences of meeting them are: one has the same birthday as me and the other has the same first name as me.  crazy, huh?

Harrison Avenue Market

my tent set up w/ new artwork display


close up of embroidery and collages




i stitched this during the show.  i LOVE being able to craft while selling!!
i also made some fleur de lis pouches before the show but forgot to photograph them.  day 22= super productive!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

days 20 & 21

got these two pouches made on monday.  how cute is this bike fabric?  it was one of my awesome finds at my new favorite quilt store http://www.mesamisquiltshop.com/ that i visited last week.  finally i've found a cute local quilt shop and they happen to love bright colors just like me so it was hard to decide what to buy!!

day 21 has been a FAIL on my 30 day challenge.  i spent the day in bed with a migraine and feeling really, really gross.  it was a stubborn one that did not respond to any meds :(  to sum it up i felt like someone was hitting my head with a baseball bat for 14 hours.  they are the worst feeling ever.  i hoped i would muster the strength to sew just one thing but it just didn't happen.  now i'm wide awake at 3am because i slept all day yesterday.....this can't be good. 

today is a new day and it's a market day!!!!  it's the harrison avenue market that i'm doing for the first time!  stop by and check it out!!  http://harrisonavenuemarketplace.org/market/

Sunday, March 11, 2012

day 19

today i made a coaster set and then cut out fabric for sewing this week....
getting ready for 3 days of shows this week.  also thought of a new idea for my artwork display.  i need something more flexible to fit in my car because i'm not buying a truck anytime soon.  i really hope this idea works!!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

day 18 of 30 day challenge

participated in the Gretna Art Walk this morning!  it went well besides being kinda windy.  my biggest surprises were that i didn't have to set up my tent (YAY) because there was a covered canopy and you were allowed to leave your car in the parking spot behind your assigned space (YAY again!).  met some really nice people, saw an adorable town and sold some stuff.  plus i got some custom orders! 

while i was at the market i worked on some embroidery....i finished the edges off when i got home.

my biggest surprise of the day was when i found out chris was taking a day off!!!!! he helped me load this morning and unload my car when i got home and then we went to lunch.  he says he's going to make dinner but i'm pretty sure he's asleep right now.  that's ok.  i'm just happy he's relaxing and HOME!! <3

Friday, March 9, 2012

day 17

just a coaster set!  worked at my other job today and i'm getting ready to participate in the Gretna Art Walk for the first time tomorrow. time to make dinner now!!!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

day 15 = half way there!!

i got lots made so far today.  i even did several non crafty things like get boring insurance quotes.  we still haven't made our cars officially louisiana.  soon....

i started this embroidery last night and did the finishing touches this morning.
then i started making clutches.  i played around with some different options for zipper pulls.  i did one like this once before and never went back.

i had to show you both sides of that bag because i thought it came out so cute!  
on the next one i did some stitching details and a little piece of rick rack on the zipper.
and on this one i did some beads on ribbon.
 i made another clutch with the most fabulous vintage fabric and 3 sets of coasters.  
yup.  a pretty productive day!
i can't believe that today is half way through this challenge!!!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

days 13 & 14

made this necklace on day 13...
inspired by all those nautical fashions right now.  i think they're so cute but if you're not going on a boat where do you wear them????

anyways, made the remaining 4 necklaces this morning for day 14....
focusing on cutting out fabric the rest of the day.  i have lots of shows coming up and want to have plenty of inventory!! set some BIG goals for myself.  let's see if i can make it happen.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

day 12!

tending to other things today.  things like trimming bamboo in the back yard--NOT fun at all.  now i can barely breathe from my allergies. 
chris has finally taken a day off so we have plans to do something.  i hope it involves the avenue pub or nacho mamas.  just sayin.

got these made and that may be all for today.  after this challenge is over i should not be short on coin purses at all!!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

day 11 of 30 day challenge

my husband told me last night that i don't know how to relax.  that is probably correct.  i find it hard to feel like i should relax when creating means making potential money!  anyways...i'm going to TRY and relax a bit this afternoon.  i got two tote bags made this morning.  guess i was feeling very magenta and green since they are both in those color stories. 

Friday, March 2, 2012

day 10 so far.....

it's only 2:00 but i've been very productive today!  got some errands done including buying some supplies for the two -so far-completed projects.

i have been wanting to try making fabric covered beads for a long time.  i have seen two different tutorials online that i gave a try.  i started out with the more difficult one and jumped ship.  guess i don't have the patience to finish that one today.  made a practice one of the second kind and then gave it a shot with nice fabric.  this necklace is the result.
not sure how i feel about it- i think it's really cute.  just don't know if others will dig em enough to buy them.  any feedback?? 

another project that i tackled is for my tent display.  i have been researching how to display my artwork and embroidery in my tent.  one company seems to have a monopoly and the walls cost $200ish for 1 or $650 for 3 walls.  yikes!  if i knew i was going to use them a thousand times i'd make the investment.  but i don't so i am waiting.  i thought about using window screen ($8 at the hardware store) and wood stretchers (this cost way more than i was thinking here--maybe i'm used to buying the small ones lately?) that cost $27.  i also bought clips for hanging the frame for $2.99.  i already had s hooks and staples on hand.  this is the result.
i think it works for the small pieces and even medium sized embroidery.  what didn't feel right were the square and rectangle collages.  i have one on there but it doesn't feel very secure.  i guess i'm back to the drawing board!  at least this can act as storage in my studio and i probably can use it as a nice backdrop to my table for small pieces.  then there's the whole matter of the wind.  i am securing this at the top to the tent but there's not really a way to keep it from moving on the bottom.  work in progress....

Thursday, March 1, 2012

day 9

day 9 involved working, job interview (shhhhhhh) and getting these 2 coin purses made.  on an interview high right now but it's so nice outside i don't want to be inside.  that's why windows OPEN....
should expand this energy on making dinner but i just don't feel like it.  sometimes i miss the days of eating cereal or a baked potato or even popcorn for dinner.