Lemonade Bags

New Blog Alert

2010-05-26T09:33:00.000-05:00

Check it out! I've got a new blog all about sewing and fabric called Mini Mushrooms. This week I'm sharing photos and anecdotes from my trip to the Spring 2010 International Quilt Market and Festival.

This blog has been growing mold for a long time due to my lack of direction. Is it personal, is it business? I haven't decided yet, but for sure I'll keep posting photos of recent work and announce Lemonade Bags-related events. Stay tuned.

Here's a teaser of what's currently for sale at the Textile Center Shop - a handbag made with Echino fabric that's perfect for summer.

2009-07-25T23:33:00.003-05:00

Oh, I should be sleeping. It's late and my baby girl will no doubt be up early tomorrow. The problem is, I got a new laptop and I just can't leave it alone. Our old laptop is an ancient 6 1/2 years old! It took forever to load photos, made creepy creaking noises, and streaming video was absolutely out of the question. Did I mention several keys were missing and the 's' key was always sticking?

I think it's safe to say I'll *finally* be making more blog posts now that I have a faster machine.

Here are a few pics from our annual trip to Oregon to visit my mom.

Sale!!

2009-06-01T21:46:00.005-05:00

Trunk show this Saturday night! I'll have cosmetic bags, reversible cloth napkins for kids (great for the lunch box) and kids' aprons. Custom order welcome. Or, just come over for a beverage and a snack.

3652 Harriet Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55409 US

When: Saturday, June 6, 6:30PM to 9:00PM
Phone: 612-41-8749

Unfinished Business

2009-05-06T10:00:00.005-05:00

Ugh. I think I have crafting ADD. Here's a list of current UNFINISHED projects languishing in my sewing room:

1. Kimono outfit for GC (see previous post)
2. Oh, Fransson! quilt-along. 95% of my blocks are done
3. 20-some boxy zipper pouches just need side seams reinforced
4. Need to make 2 straps for a large tote, then finish it up
5. Another bag is cut, but no sewing done yet
6. I cut out a blouse for myself, but made it too short and trying to decide how to salvage
7. Currently working on a new product - kids' aprons. Prototype is in the works
8. Fabric is washed and ironed and ready to cut a pouch sling

Aaack!!!

Raise your hand if you read blogs for the photos

2009-05-01T06:47:00.005-05:00

Me, me!!! I must admit that I love "reading" blogs - well, ones written by fellow crafty types, anyway - but mostly for the photos. Anybody else? Coming soon - an all photo post of recent projects.

Speaking of photos... I've been trying to capture my daughter's black eyelashes. This is a big deal to me because I come from a long line of eyelash "challenged" people and I'm thrilled that Gwendolyn will not have to be a slave to mascara. So this is the best photo to date. I'm going to work on capturing her brothers' lashes, too, and will post soon. Anybody else obsessed with long, black lashes?

Finally, a shout out to Knittymama for lending me her baby swing. Gwendolyn takes long, delicious naps there which gives me time for luxuries such as SHOWERING, and yes, SEWING! Three cheers for the swing!

Fabric Mania

2009-03-16T06:45:00.007-05:00

Check out this gorgeous new Moda fabric. The line is called Wonderland - designed by MoMo. I found it this weekend and I also scored some wide whale olive/lime green corduroy to match that was 40% off. I'm envisioning GC wearing a cute Japanese-inspired top made from the circle fabric, a corduroy skirt and tights. For the first day of kindergarten, maybe?? Now that I think about it, I should have gotten enough fabric to make a "mommy and me" version. Lordy, what's happening to me?

I went to my favorite local fabric store on Saturday, Treadle Yard Goods, to get half a yard of lime green gingham for a skirt I'm making (for myself!). Nina, a very nice woman who works there, swooped in and grabbed GC. She held her while I shopped and even changed her diaper!! Can you believe it? Talk about service. No wonder it's my favorite store in the whole world. I left with 6 1/2 yards of fabric. Ugh.

Fussy

2009-03-11T15:30:00.004-05:00

First baby clothes project
Originally uploaded by Lemonade Bags

No, not my baby girl, but rather this kimono outfit (see photo). It's not quite done, but close.

Please don't think I'm complaining. My sincerest gratitude to the designer, Tina Givens. Drafting a pattern is no easy task for sure, but ugh! I knew I was in trouble when the directions read: "Sew piece H to piece F", but there was absolutely no piece H!! What the heck?

I ended up making a number of changes to the original pattern and probably should have made more. I omitted the big collar because I imagined my babe trying to latch on to it the whole time. Eventually, I dumped the sewing instructions altogether and just did it my own way. And there's a reason why the front and back of pant legs are not identical. Where is my baby's butt going to go?? Not to mention the rise isn't high enough to make a waist band. Okay, enough griping.

Sewing this outfit has been a good learning experience. I made continuous bias strip for the first time and that was super cool. I also feel more confident making changes to patterns and I have a new appreciation for what goes into drafting a quality pattern. Regardless, the outfit is really cute, no?

2009-03-03T20:17:00.005-06:00

GC is frowning because I've dressed her in blue. The other photo captures Paul on the rebound from illness.

Baby girl is 4 weeks old today. While I'm wickedly tired, I'm also sad that the newborn phase is quickly fleeting. Isn't it funny how the firstborn seems like an infant FOREVER, but subsequent children grow so rapidly it makes your head spin?

My wonderful homebirth midwives came over today to do the well baby check. "GC" weighed in at an amazing 12 pounds 1.6 ounces. That's my girl! It's no wonder my back and shoulders are a little sore.

My boys have been quite sick during the last few days. Alex had strep (caught it from me), days of high fever and then some nasty cough thing. Paul had a radically high fever and some projectile vomiting. Great weekend. Well, it wasn't all bad. I managed to get two patterns traced. Amy Butler's Lounge Pants from In Stitches for me and a kimono outfit by Tina Givens for GC. I'm so excited for both projects and will post photos when finished. Seriously, I've been waiting my WHOLE LIFE to sew clothes for my daughter, just like my mother did for me and her mother did for her.

In other news, I took the plunge and purchased a postal scale today. The last time I sold something on Etsy, I ended up standing in line at the post office for 20 minutes with a 3 yr old and a 2 week old in tow waiting to ship the package. I promised myself, never again! It's so liberating. Yes, it's the little things in life that give me joy...

Important News

2009-02-18T19:53:00.003-06:00

I have two important things to share!

First, a sweet little baby girl joined our family at 2:16 a.m. on February 3, 2009. She weighed an amazing 9 lbs 7 oz. Her big brothers love her so much that they just can't keep their hands off of her (especially her face). I'm still adjusting to life with 3 kids and those long sleepless nights, but at the same time I can't believe how fast it all goes by. How can my baby be 2 weeks old already??

Second piece of news is that my website and e-mail (annik@lemonadebags.com) are down. I just figured it out today. My stupid web host went out of business but didn't bother to share that information with me. I wonder if he bothered to tell any of his other customers??? So, I'll be down for a few days until I find a new web host. You can contact me at miller.annik@gmail.com in the meantime if you're desperate for a new bag or pouch.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-01T12:21:00.002-06:00

Wow, the last month just went by in a whirlwind. Thanks to everyone who attended my trunk show or placed a custom order before Christmas.

I don't know about you, but I'm so relieved 2008 is over and I'm excited about hope and change in 2009. There will definitely be plenty of change around here when our new baby arrives. Only 4 weeks to go until my due date. I'm anxious to find out if this baby is *really* a girl. We keep calling it "she" and working on a list of girl names (but still no concensus). Paul, our 3 yr old, wants to name the baby "Yoke Eggs" - his name for eggs over easy.

We have so much to do to get ready for our new arrival and for some reason I seem to have saved it all until the last minute. There are baby clothes to wash, homebirth supplies to collect (should have been done at least a week ago), rooms to clean/organize, yet what I really want to do right now is knit! I made my 3 yr old a pair of mittens while we were in Nebraska visiting my husband's family for Christmas. Now I've got a hat and a pair of mittens going for myself. Meanwhile, the basement needs to be organized, meals need to be prepared. Ugh! Let's hope those nesting hormones kick in soon, because I feel tired and slow. Couldn't I just hire somebody else to nest for me???

Meanwhile, the sewing machines are collecting a bit of dust. While it's nice to take a break, I'm itching to get back to it.

Here's a photo of the very last Lemonade Bag of 2008 and some family photos from our trip to Lincoln, NE:

Decking then Clearing the Halls

2008-12-14T09:20:00.004-06:00

I'm having a Lemonade Bags trunk show at my house on Saturday, December 20th from 3 to 6 pm. Come and stock up on holiday gifts, have a glass of wine and a few snacks.

I'll have plenty of bags in various sizes, plus cute zipper pouches for sale. There will be a handful of really cheap bags that have been sitting around here for too long or just aren't up to my current standards. Zipper pouches range in price from $13 to $19. Bags range from $15 to $68. Time permitting, I'll also have 100% wool felt Christmas tree ornaments for sale for $6 each.

Drop me an e-mail at annik@lemonadebags.com if you'd like more details, including address.

I'll be posting photos of available items all week.

Sale Starts Tomorrow!

2008-12-04T11:06:00.003-06:00

Hooray! The City of Lakes Waldorf School Holiday Fair starts tomorrow night. This is my last sale of the season (the Sibirica Boutique is also going on this weekend). The fair runs from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday and and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. There are loads of cool activities for the kids on Saturday (like make your own jump rope, dip your owl candle, etc.), plus amazing food.

I've been getting up between 5 and 6 a.m. every morning this week to get through the final push. It occurred to me yesterday that I don't have many BAGS ready for the CLWS sale, so I'm working like a fool to get a few more done. Today I'm putting together a small tote made with a couple of prints from the new Andalucia line by Patty Young by Michael Miller. It's incredibly cute and very Christmas-y. Plus, I've made a ton of zipper pouches/cosmetic cases. They make great stocking stuffers or more modest gifts for friends and co-workers. Check out the works in progress in the photo.

Please come say hello this weekend. Friday night at the Holiday Fair is so fun. It's adults only and they have delicious food and live entertainment. Hope to see you there!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

2008-11-27T20:12:00.003-06:00

Looking for an alternative to "Black Friday" mayhem? Come check out the Sibirica Boutique. I'll have bags, zipper pouches, and 100% wool felt Christmas tree ornaments for sale.

Let the Nesting Begin

2008-11-18T08:10:00.005-06:00

My third child is due in 11 weeks. I think this means I'm officially in my third trimester, right? It's funny how I followed my progress religiously the first time around, and now it's all about going with the flow. No books, no weekly e-mail updates. Perhaps this means this child will be a bit more laid back? My first child is very concerned about rules and schedules, but that could be a first born thing.

There are two obvious signs that I'm in my third trimester. One: heartburn. Two: nesting! Last week I purchased a new (to me) 1-shelf bookcase from Pottery Barn Kids off of Craig's list. It fits perfectly under my bedroom window and next to the bed. It's so nice to have my books and the millions of kids' books neatly organized instead of spread all over the floor, avalanche style. Who knew that a simple book shelf could change my life so radically?? But it does not end there! Oh, no. On Sunday, my husband took the boys to a local skating rink to find out about skating lesson. While they were away, I spent an hour on my hands and knees scrubbing the wool rug in the living room. It looked so good that I decided to take the scrub brush to the navy cotton canvas-covered chair in the room, too. The arms of this chair were DISGUSTING. So bad that every time I walked through the room I could feel a knot forming in my stomach. So bad that I had completely stopped inviting people over for fear that they would see this chair. You see, this is what happens when you don't limit where a 5 year old can eat. Why did it take me so long to figure out the logic behind only eating in the dining room? Now if only my partnern would get on board...

Well, the blue chair still looks very worn and shabby compared to its original state, but at least it isn't filthy anymore! What a relief - no more massive feelings of dirt shame (or fewer, anyway). Now I need to conquer the rest of the house. The dining room chairs are next - I just need to find a miraculous fabric that looks nice and repels every stain imaginable. I love this print called "Veronique" by Alexander Henry, but I fear it will never survive the wrath of messy little boys.

Okay, time to get back to nesting. Laundry awaits.

Holiday Boutique Details!!

2008-11-12T17:37:00.002-06:00

Please click on the image to see event details.

Obsessive Etsy Compulsive Disorder

2008-11-11T19:51:00.003-06:00

So, my friend Hannah Eye has challenged me to an Etsy.com contest. She just created a shop to sell her cool and infinitely entertaining zine and now she wants to see which one of us will sell the most stuff.

In all honesty, Etsy.com is not good for my mental health. I have trouble stocking my "store" because I'm obsessed with taking the perfect photos of my bags. This is easier said than done and I'm never satisfied. I certainly have a new found respect for photographers and photo stylists. The other problem I have with Etsy.com is that I compulsively check how many views my items have gotten. I shouldn't care, right? The important thing is that I actually sell stuff.

Here's the Lemonade Bags Etsy shop. Please don't laugh at my imperfection or my disorder. Thanks a million.

Nokomis Urban Craft Fair

2008-11-06T08:31:00.005-06:00

Please come check out the Nokomis Urban Craft Fair this Saturday! There will be some really cool vendors there - and not just the usual suspects. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is located at the Nokomis Community Center in Minneapolis, MN. Click here for a map.

I'll have an owl bag for sale, as well as a super cute Japanese robots bag, and the pink wildflower bag pictured below. And I'll have lots of zipper pouches for sale. These make great stocking stuffers.

I forgot to mention...

2008-10-31T19:22:00.001-05:00

Small Tote
Originally uploaded by Lemonade Bags

Last week I delivered 9 bags to the Textile Center for their holiday sale. This and the pink wildflowers bag will both be available in the gift shop.

I was driving home from Saint Paul this afternoon (after shopping at Treadle Yard Goods, my favorite fabric store) and decided to stop in at the Textile Center since it's on the way home. It's lovely. Both the gift shop and the gallery space are filled with handmade goodies. Mittens made from recycled sweaters, gorgeous yarns, baby clothes and bibs, felted anything you can imagine. And of course, nine Lemonade Bags!

The holiday sale runs from November 1 through December 30.

Textile Center
3000 University Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Shop Hours are Mon-Thu 10-7, Fri & Sat 10-5

My Holiday Sale Schedule

2008-10-29T19:43:00.000-05:00

Here's my holiday sale schedule. Lemonade Bags make truly unique gifts (for yourself or others!).

Nokomis Urban Craft Fair
Saturday, November 8th - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lake Nokomis Community Center
2401 E. Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis 55417

Holiday Craft Boutique
Friday, November 28t - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 29th - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 30th - 12 p.m to 5 p.m.
Saturday, December 6th - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 7th - 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
996 Oxford Street North
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55103
Refreshments will be served.

City of Lakes Waldorf School Holiday Fair Artisan Market
Friday, December 5th - 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (adults only)
Saturday, December 6th - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2344 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis
See advertisement in November/December 2008 edition of "Mix," the Twin Cities Natural Food Co-ops newspaper.

Please send me an e-mail - annik@lemonadebags.com - if you have questions about the sales listed above or if you're interested in custom work.

Happy Holidays!

2008-09-24T13:17:00.000-05:00

So, today is my birthday. What a great reason to post on my blog! The weather is simply lovely here today in Minneapolis. Warm days in late September are such a treat. In all of my birthday photos from childhood I seem to be wearing skirt, tights and a sweater. Not today. Of course, our weather here is nothing like it was when I was a kid. It used to be cold here, you know. How things change in 37 years (yikes, am I really that old?).

A present arrived in the mail just a few minutes ago (from my husband) and I'm anxious to open it. He's already told me it's a book and that he bought it used, because he knows I like that kind of thing. Perfect timing because I'm literally pages away from finishing Eat, Pray, Love. I have so enjoyed this book - I'm trying to savor the last few pages. Oh, to travel again... Maybe in 18 years, once the last child is grown???

I'm anxiously awaiting an order of many different ribbons - I believe the box will arrive today. I'll post a photo when it arrives. In the meantime, I think I'll take a nap with my 3 year old. Why not? It's my birthday.

I have a blog??

2008-08-28T07:35:00.000-05:00

This is a little eye candy to get you started.

You probably need to start out as a journal writer to be a successful blogger. Let's just say this has never been my strong suit. My mom writes in her journal daily and has for as long as she can remember. As a kid, I was pretty sure she was writing about how annoyed she was with me on any given day. I backed this assertion up by the fact that she would whip out a journal during a fight (during my delightful teenage years) and quote something I had said either months, or even years ago. Needless to say, it drove me nuts! So, like all mature adults, I'm going to blame my mom for my terrible blogging habits. No, not really. Isn't it fun to read blogs, though?

Last night I was hanging out in my sewing room modifying a pants pattern (legs were not wide enough for my taste) while listening to Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention on the radio. I realized two things. First, I really miss Bill Clinton's speeches - yes he's a womanizer (gross) - but the man is a great speaker. Second, I didn't buy enough linen to make my pants, so I'm off to the fabric store again today (my second time this week) to get more. This will be after I take my oldest child to the doctor to determine if he broke his foot. He fell down two stairs the other day and now he can barely move. My dad says he probably bruised it pretty badly.

Back to the pants. I'm making these linen pants with an elastic waist band because none of my other clothes fit. And it gets worse by the week. Why? Well, partly because I eat too many refined carbs, but mostly because I'm 17 weeks pregnant with baby #3! I'm in that funny stage where my old clothes don't fit but maternity pants are too big. I'm sewing for myself now, but I can't wait to start sewing for the new addition to the family.

On the Lemonade Bags front, I've been busy with custom orders lately which is just fine by me. Please keep them coming. Also, I will be doing not one, but two craft shows the weekend of October 11th and 12th. Come see me at Crafted Together in White Bear Lake on Saturday, and or Handmaidens in Minneapolis on Sunday.

Sand in my suitcase

2008-07-29T15:31:00.000-05:00

We recently returned from a lovely family vacation to the Oregon Coast. We stayed in Seaside, but took many trips to charming Cannon Beach, which is just 7 miles down the road. We enjoyed gluten free crab cakes and fried calamari at Cranky Sue's, and the boys went nuts over the toy stores. Oh, and I found my way to Center Diamond in Cannon Beach where I stocked up on some brand spanking new Amy Butler fabric (which had arrived at the store that day!) and some vintage AB fabric printed by Kokka. Small quilt shops are so great because sometimes you find the most amazing stuff that sells out of the larger stores in a heartbeat.

The weather was quite chilly on the coast. High 50's/low 60's felt shocking to our warm weather systems. My mom and I took a trip to the local outlet mall so I could get some warmer clothes. Always on the lookout for fabric, I ended up scoring some amazing wool suiting at the Pendleton outlet. 3 yards for $5!! I felt like a thief.

We drove to Portland one afternoon because I really wanted to buy more Japanese craft magazines (see trip to San Francisco). Portland is also home to a Kinokuniya book store. It took my a while to find the right section - somehow I got stuck in the crochet section - but eventually I found the sewing magazines and added 3 more publications to my collection, including a Nani Iro book.

Feeling Guilty

2008-05-18T12:18:00.000-05:00

So, I realized at the last minute that I had absolutely NOTHING (and I'm not exaggerating) to sell at Johnstock, and therefore, didn't show. I'm very sorry to those of you who were looking for me there yesterday. Hopefully, you found a fabulous handbag concoction from another vendor. You can always check out the selection of Lemonade Bags at the Textile Center gift shop. It's right on University Ave. in Minneapolis near the U of M. Talk about centrally located.

I've been up every morning this week sewing by 6:30 a.m. I'm doing a private sale at the Minneapolis Convention Center on June 3rd. Anything I don't sell there will be added to my sad, neglected Etsy site. I'm committed to keeping my store stocked going forward. This should be easier once my older son goes to kindergarten in the fall and maybe the little one will go to preschool, too.

I'm always in awe of professional crafters. How do they keep up their inventories? How do they find the time to man their table for a full day or two? Selling at craft sales takes real fortitude! The crafters at Johnstock were really keeping it together despite the wild wind.

And while I was in NE Minneapolis yesterday, I checked out the new Crafty Planet store/location. Joy! It's so nice. Scored a couple yards of a new Michael Miller fabric called Zen Blossoms (pictured) for a skirt, or maybe lounge pants, and restocked my Japanese owl fabric stash.

Finally, I was reading about International Quilt Market in Portland, OR this morning on various blogs. Oh, it sounds so fun. I must find a way to get to one of these soon...

Best wishes and happy Spring.

Off to Neverland!

2008-05-10T09:16:00.000-05:00

Well, not exactly. We just returned from a trip to Disney World (in Florida, of course). We had way more fun than I ever anticipated, and boy was I pooped out at the end of each day. Highlights were the "block party" parade at Hollywood Studios, the safari ride at Animal Kingdom, all of Epcot, and last but definitely number one were the fireworks at Magic Kingdom on our first night there. The Big Wheel photo comes from our second hotel called Pop Century (a Disney "value" resort). Had to have a photo since I was a Big Wheel junkie as a kid.

Now that we're home, I'm in full sewing mode as I prepare for Johnstock on May 17th & 18th in NE Minneapolis. I'll be sharing a tent/booth with Andrea of Wild Oatz (diapers and other cool kids' stuff). Then I have a private event on June 1st. Very exciting.

Here's a photo of the medium sized bag I just made for a friend. She picked out a lovely Japanese fabric designed by Junko Onishi. Sadly, it's out of print (sob).

Tardy

2008-04-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

Uh, my last post was 12/4/07?! This little blog is so neglected (not unlike my house plants).

So, we're flirting with the idea of spring here in Minnesota. My husband announced that it's time to put away the mittens and down jackets, but I'm afraid to make the move. Yesterday was glorious, though. Sunny and 68 degrees! How utterly Midwestern of me to be going on about the weather.

The real news is that my oldest son turned 5 on Saturday. Seriously? Like all mothers, I'm wondering where the time went. To celebrate his big day, we had cake and a pinata, oh, and I bought myself a serger! I'm sitting by the window at this very moment waiting for the UPS truck to drive up and deliver my new Juki MO654-DE. Waiting for UPS is essentially the same as the old watched pot never boiling...

I have more updates, including: details on my trip to San Francisco, the amazing Japanese sewing magazines I picked up in Japantown, and some new Lemonade Bag retailers. They will have to wait for now (but on 5 months, I promise) because it's time to make dinner. We're having red lentil dahl. Now if only that serger would arrive!!

Here's a photo of a shorts set I made for some friends' new baby, by the way.

Phew!!

2007-12-04T19:16:00.000-06:00

No Coast is over and I'm still in one piece. A HUGE thank you to all of my friends who were kind enough to visit me at the sale, and even deeper gratitude to all of you who made a purchase. I put my heart and soul into those bags - hopefully it shows! And who knew my shop keeper's apron would be such a hit? The guy who owns Safari restaurant in the Midtown Global Market asked me to make him one in orange and black.

I kept comparing this experience to getting married. You spend months getting ready and then once the event is over you hardly know what to do with yourself. Luckily, I have a big order to work on. I did enjoy one day off, though.

Is Mercury in retrograde, or something? I ask because I'm am out of a bunch of supplies and so are my suppliers. So, I'm scrambling and will have to get creative. For example, I found a new source for organic cotton canvas a few weeks ago when I learned that Organic Cotton Plus was out. The new company's web site said the minimum order was 60 yards of woven fabric. Okay, that's a lot, but I would use it up in time. This week they require a "good fit" form and a minimum of 300 yards per year. Yikes!! How does a person store that in their home? Short answer, they don't... Next issue, I'm out of label making supplies and Brewer Sewing has decided to stop carrying the product. Okay, Luscious Labels to the rescue, right? I guess not. She's closed due to medical issues. Please contact me if you know of another label maker.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T22:27:00.001-05:00

We had a sweet and slightly chilly Halloween. The boys and I started the day by carving a pumpkin that we picked ourselves at Harmony Valley Fa rm in Viroqua, WI. We roasted the seeds with olive oil, sea salt and garlic powder. A nice change from the mountains of candy loaded with artificial colors and flavors. It occurred to me today that one could probably make a fortune developing/selling all-natural, almost-good-for-you Halloween candy. I can't be the only mom concerned about these kinds of things. One of my neighbors was passing out granola bars tonight. Now if I could just come up with a recipe for my own that don't contain soy/canola/peanuts, etc.

So, aside from Halloween preparations, I have been taking care of sick kids, working on business cards/hang tags, and doing my best to sew as many bags as humanly possible for No Coast. I seem to working in phases. The current phase is Japanese prints - mostly from Kokka. Their fabrics are so nice and the colors are delicious! I'll get some photos up as I finish them. For now, here are some pics of the mayhem in my sewing room.

Bags littered everywhere.

This is the tip of the fabric iceberg.

Girls Night Out at Red Ribbon Studio

2007-10-10T19:01:00.000-05:00

Maribeth, the amazing photographer behind Red Ribbon Studio, was kind enough to invite me to her open house/girls night out party to sell my bags. It was cold and windy outside, but warm and inviting in Maribeth's beautiful storefront, ensconced with photos of happy couples on their wedding days. Wine and snacks helped warm the evening up, too. Jessica Warner gave chair massages, and Amy of Armato Design & Press sold her cards, notepads, and super cool CD sleeves she designs and prints with her very own letterpress. Be sure to check her out at No Coast Craft-o-Rama!!

Now it's time to "really get cracking", as my mom would say, in preparation for No Coast. I've been checking the Vendors page compulsively as links are added. Amazing stuff.

Here are photos of the bags I sold last night.

Oh, how I love these owls. This fabric was much thinner than I anticipated, so I used lots of interfacing on this one! More of these will be available at No Coast.

Ah, pumpkin orange! This is a yummy Joel Dewberry print.

The photo doesn't do this bag justice. It looked great on Maribeth! A chic Amy Butler print paired with lovely red ribbon made by Midori.

2007-09-26T22:34:00.000-05:00

Wow, my very own blog. What took me so long? I've been working every spare minute getting ready for No Coast Craft-o-Rama. The event is November 30th & December 1st at the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis (my home away from home). Hooray, I'm so excited to be one of the 100 vendors! I will also be selling bags at the City of Lakes Walorf School Holiday Fair on the same weekend in the school store this year.

Blogging could easily become addictive...