Simply XSBaggage

My Sewing Companions

These two are with me every day as I work in my studio. Meet my sewing companions:

This is Spencer. He's an old guy, but you'd never know it when we take him to the river for a walk. He runs around like a pup, sniffing and exploring to his heart's content. He's an extrovert and thinks that everyone he meets is his best friend. Also, he LIVES for dog bones. Seriously. He has some sort of internal clock that tells him it's 5:30 (dog bone time) and he is relentless in begging for that bone until you give it to him. But, we love him anyways. He's a really good doggy.

 

This is Tanner. He's just a big lump of love. A big scared-y dog. He is content to lay around casually observing everything that goes on in the house. Unless we have company. In that case, he'll run immediately upstairs and hide in our bedroom for as long as the company is here. He's a very gentle, loving dog who's afraid of his own shadow. 

 

On Christmas Eve, Tanner was laying under the coffee table and my hubby reached over him to blow out a candle. Tanner freaked, jumped up, knocking into the table and green candle wax went everywhere, including on Tanner.

You can still see remnants of his little Christmas Eve 'wax-ident' in his fur. hehe.

 

Those are my two sewing companions most days. We also have a cat, Bogey, who graces us with his presence occasionally. But usually just long enough to harass and irritate the dogs. Cats are funny like that. 

Summer Sherbert Dots

Hello bloggy friends! I've been busy at the sewing machine creating some delicious little pouches. I hope you'll hop over and take a look at them in my shop. Perfect for summer!

What's going on in the shop?

Well, I had my last outdoor show a couple of weeks ago. And, I don't have another event on my calendar for a couple of weeks. So I've been spending my time sewing and getting ready for the fall/holiday shows that I'll be participating in, and which, by the way, will be here before I know it! Sometimes I feel like I'm always playing catch-up to get ready for the next 'thing'. Which not only includes 'making' but also being sure that I have enough supplies to get me through the next season. Keeping track of, and ordering in my supplies is a constant juggle. I've already started ordering some of the things I'll need to keep my production going through the Christmas season. Like this ginormous roll of interfacing:

That's 125 yards of interfacing. I feel sorry for the UPS man. He had to haul this and 2 giant boxes of pre-cut interfacing up my (approximately 20) front steps to deliver it to my front door. I felt like I should have at least offered him a protein bar or something.

Anyhoo, as usual, lots of sewing going on here.

And I unloaded all of the inventory from my van that I've been hauling around all summer, and brought it up to the studio so I could really figure out what 'holes' I needed to fill in my inventory. 

I like having it all hung up in my studio again. It's a feeling of accomplishment to see it all together. I made all of this!

I listed this new Bella Bag in the shop today:

I'm hoping to get more new items listed in the next few days.

To go or not to go?

It's Saturday and I'm usually at the Sequim Open Aire Market, setting up my booth for the day, but I made the decision (after watching the weather report) to stay home and work in my studio. 

I'm always torn when making that decision. What if one of my customers comes looking for me there? Or, would I have had a more productive day there, or in my studio? 

The wind here in Port Angeles has been gusting up to 25 mph today, but was it that windy in Sequim? If so, it would have made for kind of a miserable day there, trying to keep my handbags and pouches from blowing everywhere. 

By making the decision not to go I was able to:

1. Spend time with my girlfriend and her granddaughter who I don't get to see enough.

2. Attend a fund-raising breakfast to benefit the local food bank.

3. Finish some new handbags for my winter line. (I'm showing you some sneak-peeks. What do you think?)

All in all, I'm happy with my decision, and the new handbags! 

(I'm thinking I might call these 'Twilight Moon'. What do you think, any ideas?)

Hello 2009

We ushered in 2009 in our typical fashion, we cooked a nice dinner, watched a couple of movies, and then I was in bed by 9:30. yawn. Just about like any other night around here. We've become pretty boring, but I'm actually okay with that these days. 

I worked in the shop on New Year's Day, and made a long list of things that I want to get accomplished in the next few weeks. Time to get organized and re-focus. I'm also working on a list of ideas I have for my business this year. Some will be implemented, others will be scratched off. At this point I'm just brain-storming. 

This morning I felt like I lost my right arm. See this black hole:

Yep. That's where my workhorse usually sits. My big old Pfaff industrial sewing machine that I do 99% of my sewing on. It was in desperate need of a tune-up so I lugged it into the sewing machine repair shop this morning and now I feel like I've lost my best friend! I was told it would be ready for pick up on Monday. MONDAY??! 

I suppose I'll be forced to learn how to use the new-fangled machine that I bought a year ago. Let me tell ya, Monday won't come soon enough for me!

Even Gracie looks lost over this situation:

It's okay, Gracie! Let's go out and see the snow that fell last night! (She loves snow!)

Well, wish me luck getting through the weekend without my favorite sewing machine!

Happy New Year!!

The Winter Light

There's something about the way sun illuminates my home this time of year that I love. The sunrise yesterday was all pink and blue and glowing. 

I sat for a few minutes with my cup of coffee and just enjoyed it in my cozy little home.

Later in the day, I noticed how the afternoon sun made a cool reflection in my attic studio.

The low winter sun sure changes the shadows and contrasts.

Yesterday and today were both frosty mornings here, but rain is predicted for the weekend. 

For local peeps: I'll be at the Olympic Medical Center Auxiliary Arts and Crafts Christmas Show the next two days. It's held at the Vern Burton Community Center,  from 9am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday. Come by, say hi, and mention that you're a blog friend for 10% off your total purchase!

Indie 400

I'm doin' the happy dance today! Ever since I started my little business, with nervousness, anxiety, and sometimes fear, God has continued to bless it (and me!). This morning I hit a milestone that was my year-end goal.

*400* online sales! And it's not even the middle of December yet! I'm really thankful and pretty excited about it. So excited that I ran out and got a latte' to celebrate. And, took one to Dr. K at his office, because he was excited for me, and, he's been super supportive from the beginning.

Now that I'm back in the studio, I'm in a cleaning frenzy. I feel energized and motivated, (obviously the caffeine has kicked in) and very appreciative of my work environment. My little attic studio has served me so well, but it's gotten kind of messy the last few weeks. So I'm going to put some Christmas music on and spend a little time today spiffing her up, and then I'll get right back to filling orders, and packaging shipments that need to go out tomorrow.

Hooray!!

Weekend Headbands

My cold got the better of me and I had to skip the Farmer's Market on Saturday. That was disappointing, but I 1. didn't have the energy and 2. didn't think it would be a good idea to go and infect everyone there.
I'll try again next Saturday, in the meantime I'm drinking LOTS of water and taking my vitamins like a good little patient.

Sunday was a day to get organized. I've got enough custom and wholesale orders to keep me busy all this week and I needed to spend some time thinking about my upcoming shows. I made some big supply orders (bye bye Paypal account, you looked good while you were there). I started a list of the inventory that I want to have on hand for the summer shows, and then I felt a little overwhelmed. And when I feel overwhelmed, I need to SEW!

Headbands are a no-brainer for me. They go together fast and easy, and made for the perfect 'I have a stuffy head and I'm feeling overwhelmed' project yesterday.

By afternoon, not only was my head stuffy but my studio was stuffy (and hot). I needed to get out and get some fresh air. I headed out to Salt Creek beach in the afternoon sun. This is a little inlet there and looks very calm.

But I swear it was blowing a gale! Wind is not my friend. The kayakers were loving it though. A little further out the waves looked huge and frothy. And they were heading out in it.

It's hard to tell in the picture (because I didn't want to get out in the wind-hate it), but trust me, the waves looked Big!

I drove on around the beach, through a tiny town called Joyce, and then around Lake Crescent and back home. About 1 1/2 hours out of the studio, and just what I needed. I'm refreshed and ready to get started on all of my pending orders today!

Button Bobbies and Pocky

There goes my self-diagnosed 'Crafters ADD' again! But isn't it fun to come up with new stuff? I generate so many wonderful fabric scraps and I just hate to throw them out. They're too pretty! But I think I've found a new solution: these little 'Button Bobbies' ponytail holders. Aren't they cute? Wear a ponytail but still look stylish! Love that!

And the Strawberry Pocky? I've been eating really healthy for the last week, really I have. But, okay, I was looking in the cupboard for something, and there it was. I bought it last summer and forgot about it. And I only had 4 pieces, so not as bad as it looks. Really.

Today is my youngest son, Jeff's, Birthday! He's 23 now, and I am so proud of the young man he has become. We're taking him to dinner tonite to celebrate. Those of you who have young kids and think you'll never have any quiet time ever again, well, take it from me you will. Those years of having kids around the house seem now like just a flash in time.

It's meeellllltingggggggggg...

Yesterday I finally ventured out, dug out my car and went to the Post Office to mail out the orders that have been waiting for the snow to let up. Phew! What a relief to get there and back without incident.

I also stopped at the store for some cinnamon flavored coffee creamer. If you love cinnamon, like I do, you have got to try the Coffee Mate Cinnamon Vanilla creamer! Yum! Double Yum!

I have been busy working on orders and ordering more supplies. When I'm choosing and buying fabrics, I never really know what others are going to really like. I buy what I like, and try to make it a good variety. But, I do have, I think, a certain style or look that I am always drawn to. I just always hope and am actually a bit surprised, when others are excited about the choices of fabrics and trims that I have put together.

This is a fabric that I really like, and apparently it appeals to a lot of people. I think it's a perfect handbag fabric! The black, brown, tan and cream work well with everything. At my last Trunk Show, I took orders for four (!) handbags to be made with this fabric.

This is really great, but now I'm a little worried, as I need to find some more of it. yikes! Tomorrow I'll be out on my quest to find this treasure. Wish me luck!

Oh, and I listed this finished bag in my Etsy Store yesterday. Go have a look! If you decide you can't live without it, after you click on the 'Buy Now' button, in the Note To Seller, just mention that you saw it on the blog and I'll send along a Free Matching Key Fob for you! Just for being a blog friend!

Have a happy day!!