Yep still under a rock

Photo copy right ofnothingelegant.etsy.com

I am smitten by this etsy shop. I know lots of people have been using pretty tape, I am slow to the club but I cant get enough of this etsy shop. If money wasnt an issue I would have one of everything from this oh too cute shop. Anyone know of a state side store that has pretty masking tape?

Ah-mazing

I subscribe to Inc., which I think is a great magazine for entrepreneurs, well this month they did an article on the site called Ponoko.com

So am I under a rock, have you all heard about this site yet? It is amazing!!!! I got so excited about the potential and possibility. Now if I could find a few more hours in the day to start creating designs for this site.

What do you think? Customized manufacturing at its best in my humble eyes.

There is a process

I have a process to creating a new bag. I am sure every crafter has a process for anything they create. Today I would like to show how inspiration turns into prototypes which turns into an actual usable pattern.

So here we go:


First I find inspiration, this is normally done for me by going on to Flickr and streaming through the numerous handbag groups I am a member of. There is an infanite source of inspiration on Flickr, you just have to go out and look for it. I also like looking and seeing what people are selling on Etsy, I am bummed that you can no longer look at which items have been looked at the most, this always gave me idea at least which items where grabbing peoples attention. So I found this image on Flickr a few days ago:

Photo found here.

I loved the shape of the purse but the selling point for me was that the handle came up from the body of the purse with no seam line, something I hadnt done before but this bag gave me the drive to try.

So I went about drafting a pattern (sorry no pictures of this) I basically drafted the pattern using concepts I have learned from doing tutorials online and purse patterns that I have bought. If anyone is interested I will show you the silly way I draft my patterns, trust me it isnt very technical in ANY way.

I created two prototypes from this first pattern. I didnt take a photo of the first because it was a disaster, the bag shape was fine, it was the sewing that left me stumped, I searched online everywhere to try and find a tutorial for what I was trying to accomplish to no sucess. For some reason I was having a hard time wrapping around how I was suppose to turn out the bag. So I took out my hand dandy Japanesse craft books. I have a large collection of these thanks to trips I have taken to see Ken's family (San Diego & Hawaii) so I knew there had to be SOMETHING in there that could help me out and lucky for me there was. So prototype 2 was born (prototype #1 had been seam ripped so many times it was a lost cause to finish, poor prototype).

The bag turned out alright, but on a person it was way to skinny in the body. So I went back to the draft board (read my living room floor) and got to work drawing a new pattern. Make the body taller and a little less wide. Which led me to prototype 3 (drum roll please)


Ta-Da! It is a medium/large bag with the shape that I wanted. Plus thanks to the trials I have got a new skill done. Now I just need to crank out 20 or so of these bags in various vintage fabrics. (wish me luck!)


No post of course around here couldnt be without Leila so she volunteered to model while sharing in my joys of sucess.

And what better way to celebrate then an inpromptu picnic on the bedroom floor.

Happy Tuesday everyone, hopefully you made it to the end of this LONG post!!!

Calling all South Central Wisconsin Artists!!!

Many who have read this blog for awhile know some of my history but let me sum it up for you all. I have been sewing for about 2 years now. I have my goods in a few stores within Wisconsin, have an Etsy store, and this blog.

I am now hoping to open up a Co-Op Studio/Gallery in my hometown of Stoughton, WI. I had found one other artist that was hoping to do this as well and we were going forward, unfortunately as of today she has left me high and dry to do this with a friend of hers and they do not want to include another artist in the mix. Also they were not crafter friendly and I am hardly fine art, so that was a sad note for me to land on today. Instead of wallowing I have picked my head up and I am marching on to start working on creating my own dream of a funky, indie-artist friendly studio space with a co-op gallery.

Here is the ultimate dream:
-Have a studio that is available at any time for the artists involved.
-Have open studio time to work around the artists' time.
-To sell our wares so that we can help pay the rent.
-Split cost (rent & utilities) equally among all of the artists.
-Have workshops and craft shows as we see fit and as there is a demand for.
-Someday to possibly take in commission work.

**I should note, I am not doing this Co-Op for the money in any way I am just hoping to create an affordable art studio for other “struggling” artists. Any profit made in my mind is just a bonus. ( I have a full time job to pay my bills as of right now) So those that are looking for this to be a full time open boutique this is not the direction that I want for the Co-Op.**

Now here is where I need you, my readers, to help me out I am in the infancy of getting this off the ground but the biggest road block I am having is finding artists (go figure). Please pass this opportunity out to any artists you think would be interested in this venture. With all of your help I may have an easier time getting this dream off the ground and finding some great like minded artists to join me. Please feel free to email me at artsymomma@gmail.com with any questions or ideas you may have.

(For those not in Wisconsin an idea where Stoughton is, it is 20 minutes south of Madison.)

what I have been up to

I attempted my third craft show this weekend. And like each craft show it gets better than the next. I sold one more thing than the last and while I know I am no where near making a living off my dream I know that I am taking itty bitty baby steps to get there. I am not expecting an over night success nor do I want one.
I feel like the work and patience I need will make success that much sweeter, something I wont take for granted. This show was great for me, I met some other AMAZING artists and hopefully some great new contacts. Really you just have to get out there put your pride aside and have a great time which is what I did.


And the inspiration you get from a craft show is AMAZING especially one with crafters that are like minded it was absolutely amazing.


I just hope that they want me back for the next few show if they continue with I had a great day, snow and all.

Oh and these pincushions? They werent recieved as well as I would hoped, I absoultely love them, they are all made with vintage fabric and linen. They will be listed in my shop in the next few days a few at a time. E-mail me at artsymomma @ gmail.com if you want one before it's been listed. And later this week, a whole lot of tissue cozy love as well as a few totes I made especially for the show that I am in love with but cant keep since really how many totes can one girl have?

Thrilled

I just got the notice that I was accepted into a local Valentine’s Craftacular and BONUS Faythe Levine will be there promoting Handmade Nation. Super excited!

I have a decent amount of stock from my last show but I want to make a few more things and maybe something V-day inspired.

Boy from not a lot of work to a heck of a lot!

So if you are in the Madison, WI area stop by I would love to meet you!

Time for a BIG change

So last night I found this article which then led me to a few blogs that I HAD to read. This has brought me to the change I am purposing for myself this year and hopefully my life. I have too much stuff, stuff I can’t part with because I feel some day I MIGHT use it but have no plans to in the near future. I can already think of one box of stuff that I love but don’t know when or how I will use it.

I can easily admit I shop when I am sad and/or stressed. I justify my purchases and the bags pile up. I forget about things I have until I am in search for something else. I do not want this lifestyle to be brought on to Leila. I am ending it with me. I cant tell you what toys I had growing up besides lots of Barbies; lots of Barbies that I didn’t take care of (painted faces, cut hair, a few even the dog chewed on I am sure) and are now a collection of dust in my parent’s attic. I want Leila to have a few precious things that will last her childhood and that she will pass on to her own children. I want her to take care of her things not to have the attitude, why should I take care of my things I know I can always replace it.

I am overwhelmed by the stuff and I am done. I am not 100% give up shopping but I am being more conscious of my purchases. I am no longer buying a shirt because it was super cheap or wrapping paper that is marked down even though I have 5 rolls already at home that haven’t even been touched. I am vowing that this year (and hopefully the rest of my life) when I buy something new (used) I give something away.

I am amazed at the outrage some people have when people say they are giving up shopping for un-needed items. That this is some how child abuse; to say no to cheap disposable toys. Less is more for me and I stand by that. Leila will not be deprived in any way but I have come to learn she has more fun playing with our everyday item (pots pans and a spoon) than some expensive loud plastic toy.

I am torn however since I want to grow my own handmade business, how can I preach about frivolous spending and then ask people to buy my own items? Here’s how, I am no longer creating for the purpose of just selling. I am creating handmade items that will last a lifetime that will be timeless and hopefully will give a lifetime of enjoyment. I am no longer creating disposable items (in my eyes) and I hope that people see that and understand my intentions. I want to create items that will be considered a handmade heirloom, when I think of that saying I think of well worn quilts. A quilt that has been with a family for the good and bad times, through the everyday moments. That is the type of products I want to make and I am working towards that.

I am one woman, in one small town, with a tiny family but I am ready to make my tiny imprint, my tiny difference. The more people feel compelled to make a difference the bigger of a difference we make as a whole.

I am really hopeful for my generation, there are many people who I know will read this and think I am nuts, and that is fine. I am also happy to say that there will be others who read this, will understand where I am coming from and will be inspired enough to make their own changes.

I think I am in love

I am surrounded by beautiful fabric and I am in love.

I am working on a few twirl skirts for Leila, they should be quick since she is still so tiny and I am hoping as she grows I can continue to make these oh so cute skirts. I am hoping too this will help me with learning to do some patch type work because I really want to dive into quilting soon and I think this may be the transition I need.


I am planning on making three skirts and coordinating peasant tops. If they turn out well I am planning to create a few for Katy's daughter as well since that little girl loves to twirl. According to Katy she absolutely loves to be dizzy which worries her some days. Oh to be two again.

I am thinking that going with bright colors is the best especially with spring fast approaching, even though it is only February all the spring and summer clothes are already out in the store. Its amazing it is below zero and all you see are rows and rows of swimsuits in some of the stores. You have to love big retail.

Besides the super summery fabrics for Leilas soon to be skirts (which by the way took me a good hour to hour and half to pick out. There are so many choices!) I came home to find a box of fabric I had ordered from Fashionable Fabric
They have absolutely GORGEOUS fabric and I have to say this was my first ordered and they are wonderful. Their prices are very competitive and shipping was extremely reasonable. I couldn't be happier, oh and their packaging is so cute! I was blown away and will be ordering from them again soon.

Now to figure out what to do with all of this oh so pretty fabric!

It's in the bag

I recently created a purse for my best friend Katy. She has two little ones and with that comes a lot of baggage (pun completely intended) and she wanted a larger purse when she goes out.

I came up with this as the proto-type but I am not 100% sure about it. We are going to add pockets as well as a closure. I just recently won a few "vintage" purse patterns from e-Bay and I am going to take a look at them.

Otherwise I think a hobo bag would be better for her, looks small but really will hold everything that she needs to take with her when they go out.

I love this purse though it looks like something people would use to take a picnic to the park, and well, looking at it makes me feel warmer especially with our zero degree weather lately.

Great finds at St. Vincent de Paul

I love St. Vincent de Paul (St. Vinny's) I have never been able to leave this thrift store without something in my hands. Today was an actually extra good day and I feel compelled to share the goodies that I found.
I bought this Chinese cd for Ken though I wasnt sure if it was Chinese or Japanese until he confirmed that it was Chinese. We live in a small city of less then 12000 how the heck a Chinese cd got into the doors of St. Vinny's I wont ever know.

I love how Chinese cds are packaged there are always little goodies attached and the packaging is always so pretty and artsy. I love looking through this cd book.


I have a weakness for older craft books this one has a few cute projects to try but the kicker for me to spend my hard earned dollar was this photo:
I can only hope that Leila never looks THAT happy about anything I sew for her. This girl looks utterly miserable which made me laugh out loud when I came across the photo. Who said YEP that is a great photo lets use that one to show how much kids love these projects!


I also found this great planner book that I absolutely love. My favorite part is the appointment listings: who, when, where



I also snag a Martha Stewart book copy write '95, a old school decal with a donkey and flowers, and a baby photo album with some vintage looking babies gracing the cover. For $8 I think it was all a worth wild investment.

Additional decorating to be done

For my workroom that is. As I have noted before I love to collect things and this is my newest thing that I have collected. Old fashion drawings. From what I can tell some of them are original hand drawings and some are hand drawings copied on to other paper. I love these drawings I was only able to get my hands on 6 frames that I plan on painting black this weekend (thank goodness for St. Vincents). I have such a huge stack of photos it was hard to find just 6. I am hoping that by this summer I will be able to have a wall full of these sketches to add as decoration to the sewing room.

This week has been rather disappointing as far as sewing has gone I havent been able to sew anything and have only cut out one purse. Leila has been in a terror of teething lately and is having a hard time taking naps lately. I love her to death but really cant wait for this phase to pass. In the mean time she is crawling up a storm and I am trying to keep two steps ahead of her vacuuming up a storm. If only we could replace the carpet with hardwood floors I would be in heaven.
Here is a fun contest that Kelly has started. I think this would be a great way for me to get into the valentine's day spirit.

Tax time: how to blow my money

Yea! we are getting money back and now comes the fun part. Well actually here comes the dilemma do I do the adult and responsible thing and pay off some bills so that in the long run I will have more money to spend. Or do I do the thing we do every year and spend it frivolously?

Responsible me would do the following:

Pay a portion of Leila's outstanding medical bills
Pay off my smaller credit cards so we have those for emergency only
Pay off the furniture we bought this summer

Frivolous me:

Some sort of steam press
Contract out a website from Arianne
Spend a large chunk at reprodepotfabrics

While frivolous me will justify the purchases to responsible me by stating that these purchases are to help my business.

Stay tuned to see which voice wins in my head...

My second home

I am a bad mother, well not a bad mother just an opportunist I suppose. Leila is 8 months old and about 4 months ago after listening to my husband complain for the last time about my sewing taking over the whole house I decided to take the room that was to designated to Leila (she has always slept in our room even before this) that it would be my sewing room until she is old enough to justify having an entire room to herself. That isnt horrible right? She wont remember a baby room I tell myself and besides I know she wont mind when she gets older because I have vowed to make sure she has a studio/bedroom of her own as she grows.

Though I am now in big trouble since a bigger area for sewing means more stuff *smile* my stash has a mind of its own now and vintage fabric has taken over what once was Leila's room and is now designated as my "craft room"

To make sure I remember who's room this is really for I keep all of Leila's pandas in the room. Before Leila was born we decided not to find out her sex so as a nickname we called her Pan-Pan since I knew I wanted to decorate the baby's room in Pandas but didnt want to call her Panda so the nickname Pan-Pan came about and with the nickname came the abundance of stuffed pandas. They are now the protectors of the fabric until Leila is old enough to call them her own and hug the stuffing out of them.

I just dont know what I will do if we have a second child, we just may have to buy a house since we cant add onto our apartment as much as we wish we could. And I cant image going back to sewing in the living room!

What a great weekend...

Well sort of. I got a lot of sewing done that I absolutely love and Leila was in a good mood most of the weekend so that is always a plus.

I was also able to start sewing my newest line. I have started to create a home decor line it is just at its earliest stages but it is a HUGE step for me!















I am really happy with how these all turned out. I have a few more that I didnt post pictures of but they will all be listed on Etsy soon. So check back often!

Leila got a new hat from Etsy this weekend from a great store called AmigurumiKawaii

Though she doesnt look like a little devil with the hat on (it is still a little big for her) she does look awfully cute!


As to the reason this weekend was a sort of good weekend, I was given some awful news early this morning as well. One of my uncles was just diagnosed with stage 4 skin cancer. I dont know much more than that just that it doesnt look good and to really prepare for the worst. It is a hard blow in his family in general just due to all of the health problems that have recently plagued them. I am really in shock and the numb stage right now sort of at an out of body feeling right now, it is just surreal. I just hope he can be as comfortable as possible in his last few years and do those things he always thought he would do some day but never had the time in the past to do. I wish that for everyone really, live your life and live your dreams this isnt a dress rehearsal you only get one shot.

Custom orders are the best

I love doing custom orders. This last one I did was especially fun because my customer sent her own fabric. I always love to see what people will put together she did a great job and the purse gives off an awesome vintage feeling.

The truly amazing thing about this purse was it was the fastest purse I have put together. I had cut out the fabric last night while Leila was in a good mood.

This afternoon while Leila went down for her nap I started to sew it together, mind you I figured I would get half way done since Leila is famous for 15 minute cat naps. She actually took a decent nap and I was able to get it completely done in one sitting as well as get it photographed AND loaded onto Etsy. I feel so productive, I have been more productive this last week then I have in months.

I am hoping this will be a good weekend to catch up on even more sewing. When I first started sewing only 6 months ago I would never had thought I would be so in love with it and so obsessed. I cant wait to see my progress in even the next 6 months since I have grown by leaps and bounds already.


Leila is also growing in leaps and bounds she is pulling herself up and propping herself up against things and now believes I am the human jungle gym. Though the greatest thing is she has learned to give kisses however they are usually open mouth and she likes to lick our cheeks in the process. My baby girl turned 8 months yesterday my god how time has flown.

I admit I collect clutter

To my husbands dismay really I have always been a person who collects things. Though I have never been a person to just collect one certain thing.

I have an obsession with vintage/antiques and scatter them throughout the house though right now I can only afford smaller things and it basically looks like our house is a 24 hour garage sale.
I like that feeling my husband does not he is a minimalist and while I would love to say I am as well I know that in my heart I could never be one.

Because of my collecting disease eBay is my enemy (well, my best friend my husbands enemy) I am always finding something to float to my mail box to be added to my collection. To me eBay is like the best garage sale EVER. I hardly go on there for actual needed things besides cute outfits for my daughter normally it is just to collect more things that I really dont need.

I know that there could be worse things in life, and my husband was well aware of my habits well before we got married (we lived together for 5 years before we got married) but I know he still thinks that one day *poof* they will disappear.

Poor man, I dont think he will ever learn.

I miss my wedding day

Well actually the planning of it (believe it or not) . Wedding plans are in full swing all around the country ( I read somewhere that the holidays are a big time for proposals) and I have the fever again. Don't get me wrong I loved my wedding and how it turned out but it was rushed and I am counting the years for our 5, 10, 25th anniversary so that we can have a vow renewing (it will be our 25th I am sure since it silly to do it any earlier I suppose) .

I did everything for my wedding by hand or by the hand of someone else who had the skills/knowledge (ie my seamstress who took a $100 eBay find of a dress and added a corset for me to turn it into my dream dress) and I wouldnt have it any other way which is why I am so glad I posted this on my Etsy site. Since I am already married I love that I get to now be part of other women's dream weddings.

I would LOVE to be a wedding planner but I know I dont have the knowledge or the experience yet to make a mark in the market though it is something I may still look into one day to pursue.

Back to the reason of this post *smile* I met a wonderful soon-to-be bride who wanted to get a cost quote and I whipped up an arrangement for her based on our email conversations and the vibe she was going for. I whipped this up while the baby napped. Thankfully my teething baby didnt take only a 15 minute cat nap like she does so often now!

Hopefully the bride likes the arrangement and we can go forward with the order, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Till then doesnt this bouquet scream spring? Funny I can create this with 8 inches of snow out my window! Just like on my wedding day. Maybe I will create a new trend with the 5 year wedding vow renewal....

Artist block BE GONE!

Thanks to my dear, dear sweet husband I had enough time this weekend to do a whole bunch of sewing.

I made two purses today...


I have named this retro tote Doris, after Doris Day I suppose though I dont know why! I have always liked having funky magazine/library totes. I recently found my favorite one at an estate sale and thought that there must be more people in the world who need and what beautiful one of a kind magazine totes. So when I found the black and white fabric I knew EXACTLY what its purpose was! I have a feeling this one may be hard to give up!


I also created a purse that really took over itself when I started sewing it together, it didnt turn out the way I was thinking it would but I still really love the end result and this fabric is so pretty. It is weird to work with fabric that reminds me of spring and summer when I am looking outside to a neighborhood blanketed by snow.