Lots of Holiday Gifts Complete!

I recently finished a whole plethora of bags that friends and acquaintences are giving as holiday gifts - here are a few pictures:

Purses for Princesses!

A neighbor friend approached me at the boutique a couple weeks back to ask if I ever made purses for little girls.... something smaller in size.  I hadn't but realized it would be super easy to shrink my pattern down smaller for little hands.  Sherry purchased some fabric and brought it by and I ended up completing three purses for her nieces ages 2, 5 and 9.  They turned out great!  What do you think?  Any little girls in your household who would love a little purse to carry around their dolls in?

This super cute Tinkerbell bag is for the 2 year old - she's all about princesses!

This pink bag has a great floral print and a chocolate/pink stripe interior.  I had fun adding pink button details scattered across the bag also.

This bag with the light blue and brown swirl print with stripe interior is for the nine year old.  I figured she would want her bag to be a bit more 'grown up' so I made it to be more like the other purses I make - the simple button closure and button detail on the back add something special

More and more purses complete!

I've had a busy week of sewing - in between coughing attacks.... anyone else have a lingering cough from a cold that JUST WON'T GO AWAY?!  That's where I am.  Anyhow - I've tried not to let it hold me back in terms of what sewing I'm working on for friends/family and their holiday gifts; I've done a fairly good job!  Recently I completed two more purses for my friend Liz who ordered bags for all the ladies in her family - five people strong!  Here are the two most recent ones I've finished:

These GORGEOUS fabrics are part of Amy Butler's new line called "Love"

This bag has a more traditional feel... perfect for Liz's Mom

A Fishy Diaper Bag

I just finished and got in the mail a super diaper bag for our good friend Ali.  She picked the fabrics herself on a great website called www.hawthornethreads.com.  It's my NEW favorite place to order fabrics from - check it out!  The bag itself is for Ali's cousin who is due this month... I hope she loves it! 

The bag features fabrics called Red Letter Day by Lizzy House for Andover Fabrics and Luli Sanchez for Timeless Treasures - a great goldfish print! 

A Great Baby Gift Idea!!!

I just HAD to share the COOLEST gift that we recently recieved from my brother Luke.  He lives in the Bay Area and works at a bronze foundry there.  He gave me a 'coupon' when my daughter was born for 'a pair of baby shoes bronzed' and he just sent them to us last week.  I am incredibly impressed and wanted to pass on that he is available to do others if you need a baby gift!!!  You can email Luke at pillararts@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Check them out and remember, I'm not a good photographer so these pictures do NOT do them justice!! 

Holiday Boutique - Such Fun!

Well my first holiday/craft show has come and gone!  The local Holiday Boutique put on by the OSC of Whidbey Island was yesterday and seemed incredibly successful!  I had a great time displaying my purses, handbags and diaper bags and LOVED all the amazing feedback I recieved from people as they passed by my booth.  My husband did such a great job building my display - we used pegboard and 2X4's to create a heightened display and then I hung bags from hooks on the display.  It worked FANTASTIC!  I was so pleased with being able to show off my bags at their best instead of just laying/draping them on my table.  Thanks hubby!  I also had great support from my Mom - not only did she sew the great mesh bags you'll see below but she also sewed the adorable apron I was wearing!  Thanks Mom!

 at my booth prior to the start of the show

I set a very high goal for this show - I'd hoped to sell all the bags I had with me and although that didn't happen, I do feel like I recieved lots of great feedback and handed out a ton of business cards - it was a great way to get my name out there!  I hope that if you grabbed one of my cards and ended up here on my blog you enjoy what you see!  I am going to post pictures of all the bags that I brought back home with me - if any of these caught your eye and you're still interested in purchasing one - please feel free to email me at pursewna@gmail.com.  OR - if you're interested in a custom purse/handbag/diaper bag and would like to discuss design options and colors - please contact me as well!  I look forward to speaking to any/all of you!

Thanks to the OSC for a great job of organizing the event and to all the other vendors and those who had advice for me as I start this business venture - you're wonderful! 

Avocado Squiggle Bag $35.00

Chocolate Floral Patchwork Small $20.00

Apple Seed Bag $25.00

Avocado Squiggle Bag Small $25.00

Chocolate Floral Tote $35.00

Floral Bag with Buttons - Large $30.00

Teal Paisley Diaper/Gym Bag $55.00

Pink Mesh Bag $18.00*

Neon Green Mesh Bag $18.00*

Brown Mesh Bag $18.00*

*Someone at the boutique pointed out that these mesh bags would make FABULOUS swimming bags or beach bags.  Wet towels/suits will dry out easily and sand would just pass through - easy to wash too!!!

Another Great Bag

Just wanted to post a few quick pictures of one of the latest bags I've sewn.  It is the same style as the flight and script bag in an earlier post but with different fabrics.  My great friend Liz has placed an order with me for 5 bags!!  She's giving them as Christmas gifts which is awesome.  I have some fantastic fabrics that I've gotten and will be using these to make her bags.  This bag will be going possibly to her mother or mother-in-law!  (I hope they don't look at this blog cause the secret's out of the bag!  No pun intended...)

Whimsy Bag

Close Up Detail of Whimsy Bag

A Look at the Interior Fabric

Inventory for Holiday Boutique

I have been working SO hard to sew my little hands off and get a good supply of purses done for the upcoming Holiday Boutique.  I'll be showing on November 21st here in Oak Harbor.  (Come out and show your support - the Boutique will be at Living Word Church (490 NW Crosby Rd) from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM!!!) 

I am thrilled to say I currently have 20 purses finished... I'm hoping to get 4-5 more purses done but we're heading on vacation tomorrow so my trusty Bernina gets a break.  Here is a small selection of what I will be offering at the Boutique!