Monday, December 31, 2012

Pink & Black Dainty Purse

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As I was making this tiny treasure, I remembered the pink and black outfit my grandmother made me for one of my barbie dolls.  Pink and black always makes me think of my girlhood...and then I decided I am going to make a pink suit with black accents. 

I like this pink woven cotton, and the ric rac at the top is so sweet and retro looking.  My grandmother used ric rac on a lot of my doll's cloths.

I actually could replicate really easily the pink outfit my grandmother made for my barbie doll...this is going to be fun!!!!!  I'll take you on the adventure and post pictures!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The Call of the Wild - Zebra (part 1)

What is the allure of animal prints anyway?  We not only love to clothe ourselves in them, but see the other ways we've wrapped ourselves in them!




This is a cute little number to put a gift in! http:/www.nashvillewraps.com/basket-supplies/gable-gift-boxes/sku-zebgb.html



Steppin' high with this snazzy stool!  http://www.2littlemonkeys.com/black-zebra-step_8469_p.htm



I so want to buy this for my office computer!  http://www.animalprintessentials.com/products/zebra-print-power-strip

Monday, November 5, 2012

How To Make a Fur Purse (Your first considerations)

I've come up with a list that I think about when I am making a fur purse.  You may be able to come up with more considerations, and feel free to post them in the comments.

1) Where will the fur pieces be sewn on the purse?  If there is an area that will get a lot of wear, I use a coordinating fabric in that location.  This additional fabric can also add interest to your finished piece.  The below photo shows the bottom piece of my bag.





2) Will you be using zipper?  If the fur is going to be near the zipper, I sew an additional non-fur piece above the fur.  In the photo below, I have animal print on either side of the zipper, above the fur.


3) Will the purse be held against the body, like in a cross body bag or shoulder bag? If so, I may use a non-fur piece in the back or the part that will be against the body.  In the case of the bag above, I decided to use fur on the front and back.  This bag hangs low on my hips and I felt this bag style wouldn't look right without fur on both sides.

4) I like interfacing on my bags and even though this bag is a slouch bag, it can stand up because of the interfacing.  Always sew the interfacing on the fur piece, NEVER iron it on as many furs will be damaged from heat.  After you sew it on, cut the interfacing to the seam to reduce bulk.

5)  Especially with medium to long pile fabrics, make sure you cut the fur in the seam allowance as this will reduce bulk.  After you are done with a seam, you can use a needle to pull out any fur that is trapped in the seam.

5)  Zippers can sometimes get lost in all that fur, especially if the fur is a long pile like this is.  I like to use a decorative zipper pull for easy access (see the string of beads on the right).  And it's so pretty!



6)  Here's the finished furry beast!  I love my bag!  Here's a black one I made too.



Sunday, November 4, 2012

Faux Fur Inventory (updated)

An Embarrassment of Riches...that's the polite way of saying I have a fabric store in my sewing room.  My gosh.  I put together my faux furs with some faux pleathers and I think I'll use this on my Etsy site, Faux Fur Frenzy.  I was pretty impressed with how much I have!






Saturday, October 27, 2012

Friday, October 26, 2012

Olive Green Taffeta & Velvet Gift Cone

I just made this beautiful olive green and black flocked taffeta gift cone bag--I especially love the silky black fake fur at the top!    http://www.etsy.com/transaction/61799188?

http://img2.etsystatic.com/000/0/5663000/il_fullxfull.279728206.jpg

I'm a Lucky Duck!

Lucky duck -- wow, that phrase sure dates me :)


Well, I couldn't think of a better way to describe what I feel--my sister sent me this bag she made--using the Carol Joy Fashions colors!  Isn't it beautiful?  There's a pocket on the outside front and back, perfect for holding business cards.  And she had one of my other sisters make a beaded clasp to hold keys. This is the greatest!  Thanks you two!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Thanks Again!

After an hour of yucky photos,  my husband took this purse group photo...isn't it pretty?  It's funny how a simple thing like putting the handles down on purses makes a big difference.  Also, I had a bag hanging above the other bags...it appeared to be floating and it looked ridiculous!  I can't wait to do another one of these closer to Christmas, lots of lace, ornaments, beads, sparklies!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Monday, October 1, 2012

Black, White & Red FAUX FUR!



I luv, luv, luv black, white and red!

My husband (aka photographer) just took these photos of fur bags this afternoon--love these
colors!  Love that animal print on the white bag!  And that black fur is some of the silkiest, softest I've ever touched!

Medium Black Fur Cozy Bag

White Fur with Silver Sequins



Check out these and other syles in my Faux Fur Frenzy Shop!  BUILD A FUR BAG!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

New Red, Black and White Fur Purses Photo Coming!

Enough said, I love black, white and red!

A Romantic Trek in the Park

I had a really great weekend, we visited Floyd Lamb Park and had a picnic, took a walk, nice face to face time.  How romantic!  http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Find/21180.htm.  It was 97 degrees today--still hot but definitely bearable.  We'll go down another 10 degrees next week, yippee!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Sunday, September 16, 2012

We Can Afford It, It Was On Sale!

Alternate title for blog: Don't tell my husband, part two

Look at these great fabrics I just got--and all on sale too! My mind is just a-buzzing with the bags I can make...don't you love animal print fabrics?


Saturday, September 8, 2012

My Husband Does It Again !

I can design and sew bags and purses, but I can't actually name them.

Well, I take that back, if I wanted to name my bags, like, the Fuzzy Pink Bag with a Handy Pouch, or That Shiny Green One, Great for St. Patrick's Day!, then yep, then I would be your girl.

But my husband thinks of pretty cool names for my bags.

Today he came up with name for my new line of bags, he called it the Angle Bag. Don't you think that sort of rhymes? Here they are!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/FauxFurFrenzy?section_id=7159539





Thursday, September 6, 2012

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

I Love My Vinyasa!



This is a picture of what I was supposed to be doing tonight...it didn't look like this though.

http://www.chicagonow.com/twenty-something-yogi/2012/03/top-8-most-awkward-yoga-moments/



I started my vinyasa yoga class this evening, and the operative word is "started". I was awkward and uncoordinated but it felt so gooooood to stretch!

Even though I could barely touch my toes, I needed to stretch so badly that any effort on my part felt great! I love love love my vinyasa!

http://yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/a/vinyasa.htm

Sunday, September 2, 2012

My Favorite !Bling! of all Time (number 5 of 5)


Okay, this is the grand finale, 5 of 5 favorite blings--drumroll, please!

This is what happens when it comes all together, and this bag was definitely meant to be.

All of the bling on this purse, and there's a lot of it, I acquired at different times, and none of it in the conventional ways. I was given the buttons and leather strips (love those buttons!), the feathers I bought at an estate sale, the beads and flower strips at a garage sale. What was cool is that I used practically everything of each of these items and it worked out perfectly.

There's a ton of hand sewing in this bag--the beads, feather boa, each petal tip on the flowers and of course, the buttons...it took hours but it was worth it.

This bag was a show stopper.



My Favorite Bling of All Time #4

My Favorite Bling of All Time #3

My Favorite Bling of All Time #2

My Favorite Bling of All Time #1

Friday, August 31, 2012

The Most Beautiful Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Fkuq5Lf0Q


I can't think of a song that touches me as much as the Hallelujah Song by Leonard Cohen--and there's a lot of music artists that apparently feel the same way--this song has been redone by so many of them!

http://www.bing.com/videos/searchq=halleluia+song+by+leonard+cohen&qpvt=halleluia+song+by+leonard+cohen&FORM=VDRE#x0y0


You may be familiar with Rufus Wainwright's version in the Shrek Movie...and I think it's also really wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB67HO8tkQs

Thursday, August 30, 2012

My Favorite !Bling! of all Time (number 4 of 5)



I think this trim bling is so cool! Not only is it pretty, but I took apart an entire vintage dress to get the colorful trim in the middle of the purse and the gold ball trim that is sewn vertically on the bag.

I think I like this so much because it has so much character...and I love the fact that no one will ever have a purse quite like this.

https://www.etsy.com/transaction/63045058



Favorite blings so far:

My Favorite Bling of All Time #3

My Favorite Bling of All Time #2

My Favorite Bling of All Time #1

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Sunday Brunch !



Yes, folks, these pictures are not from food at a restaurant, this is actually from my home.

These pictures are from Sunday, but looking at them I still salivate at the tasty brunch that my husband made! I am such a lucky girl!

I love my Neti!



No, not Yeti,



I never thought that I'd willingly pour salt water up my nose, but here I am loving it, (well, after it's done I'm loving it, anyway). Check it out if you have chronic sinusitis, allergies, etc., I feel like I can breath again!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neti_pot

Monday, August 27, 2012

My Favorite !Bling! of all Time (number 3 of 5)



This combination fabric and beads was one of the most popular photos and I think we'd ever taken--The colors remind me of a sunset, or a pretty "beach" drink.

And I think it's so cool that I didn't buy the beads and the fabric together, but look how perfect they meld.



My favorite blings so far:


My Favorite Bling of All Time #2

My Favorite Bling of All Time #1

Sunday, August 26, 2012

My Favorite !Bling! of All Time (Number 2 of 5)

This is one of the cutest bags I've ever made and it's that bling thing. I mean, look at it!



I bought this necklace years ago and one day I noticed how well it went with this fabric.

Not only are the beads cute, but there's these wonderful animal cutouts that I sewed on either side of the purse. The other great thing about these beads are they are lightweight, so the purse doesn't fall.

Isn't this the custest?



Previous Favorite blings:

My Favorite Bling of All Time #1

Saturday, August 25, 2012

My favorite !BLING! of all time (Number 1 of 5)

What makes my world turn? How about some really great bling!

I was looking at my bags, and I decided to rate 5 of my all time favorite blings on bags I've made. This wasn't easy, folks, but I think I've come up with an interesting assortment. (Something fun to do on a HOT summer weekend)

So, here is the first of five top blings on bags I've made:



1) Wow, as far as I was concerned, this bling was WOW! It's beautiful on its own, but coupled with the extremely soft, thick faux fur that feels like a plush bunny, this was definely a home run combination. As far as I'm concerned, this bling made this bag go from very nice to truly elegant. What do you think?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/84434679/large-cozy-bag-brown-bunny-craft-fur