Ode to the Fashion Masters

I wrote in February how the designers were bringing in the navy nautical theme with a vengeance. Ok, I didn’t say ‘vengeance,’ but it really was (and still is) slightly violent. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still riding the nautical train, as evident in my last few postings. But, designers are prepping their fall lines, and I’m seeing a lot of shine, shimmery golds and some rich purples. I’m much more a fan of grey and blacks, vs gold, tan and browns. But pair it properly with a jewel tone and I’m all in.

Here’s some highlights of the Coming fall;

1. I’ll start with a designer dear to my heart, Jimmy.. aka; Jimmy Choo. Check out his ‘Darcy’ shoe, how can you dislike a shoe named ‘Darcy’... I get Pride and Prejudice quotes just flying around in my head.

2. Calvin Klein kept his Fall 2010 line fairly neutral with some glossy fabrics, lots of black, and some shimmery grey and ivory.

3. The Fendi line show’s a lot of black with pops of mustard yellow and olives (which is very beautiful). But there’s still the shine and shimmer of some purple finding it’s way in there.

4. Chanel has a fresh and different perspective on the trend, with it’s line that debuted on the 6th of July. I can’t say I’m dyeing to have the purple dress with diamond pattern, but I would wear the gold outfit with pride.

5. Versace’s Men’s SS11 show has given us a lot of metallic grey and pumped in some deep purples, so deep without a further glance you’d pass them off as black. The Women’s show had models strutting down a metallic blue/purple catwalk wearing metallic purple mini’s. In my opinion, no one did this upcoming season better than Versace.

In general, these designers and others used neutral jumping off points, a lot of shiny blacks, camel, and some grey. But, accents were very purple and deep, with hits of Gold and anything shiny to add glimmer as we head into the winter months.

I’ve curated a treasury motivated by these color trends, leaning mostly on the dark metallic black and purple with pops of gold and mustard. Check it out here;

In light of this, and inspired by it, I’m looking forward to pulling out my beautiful velvety purple fabric and I’ve some gold threaded lining material I’ve been hesitating to use. Now may be the time.

Henry

Blogger and Safari give me anxiety. I HATE that I cannot resize the photos in the post editor. I may go a little nutty today, it's too warm and the Monster is learning to climb onto the ottoman to get himself onto higher furniture. I just turned around and found him up in our occasional chair with my beautiful bombay keepsake photo box in both hands, dangling over the side. I need the humidity to go down so that I'll be move even tempered and maybe grow some patience. I love that he's so adventurous but I'm tired of endlessly saying 'no no.'

On the lighter side, I've finally chosen the perfect button for this nautical inspired navy weekend bag. I chose a shell button to keep the nautical feeling unified.

I've named this bag for my late grandfather Henry who had a profession as a boat builder. I have saltwater in my blood.

The interior fabric is a really beautiful medium weight cotton with creamy white and dusty red (without looking pink) stripes. It has an almost weathered look. I've plans to list this in the shop soon, and hope to make the same fabric combination in a few of my different styles.

I am a Mac

I’m new at this.

They say “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Am I really becoming an old dog?

I was a PC, now I am a Mac. I’m a junior mac with a lot of learning ahead of me. I have made a few postings here since I’ve apparently changed technology species, but I’m finding my usual tech savvy is completely escaping me and I’m like a diapered child fumbling around this machine begging it to show me ‘the way.’

I like knowing what I’m doing, when I was ‘younger’ I had time to play with new technology and make mistakes figuring it out. Now, it seems my time is much more precious, like every moment attempting to understand iphoto, finder, and gimp is moment’s lost to frustration and agitation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m willing to find out, I just wish I could have learned this new system before I had a screaming 1 year old (who is cutting his fourth tooth and very unhappy about it) and felt a pressing urge to succeed in my shop and hopefully add to our income.

Just thinking about this venture tires me.

Oh well, Mac, regardless if our relationship is a little rocky, I’m willing to make it work. Even if it means sitting in bed together watching youtube tutorials about gimp, and mac command shortcuts.

I mentioned in a previous post about how I can’t possibly invest in MORE fabric, here’s a shot of one storage area for my fabrics. My beautiful stunning colorful lovely fabrics.

In this photo (besides fabric) is;

1. A tote bag full of fabric scraps too small for my bag patterns, but some of it’s perfect for coasters, cards, pin cushions, quilting patches, etc. I can’t bear to let go of it. Some of it are remnants of fabrics I used down to the last small trimmings and don’t want to part with.
2. Some packaging supplies, easily within reach.
3. Colored Pencils ready for when creativity strikes and I need to sketch out a new design, or doodle something random.
4. My trusty ‘kitchen’ scale for double checking shipping weights.
5. A photo of a friend and I having a fantastic time camping, so that I won’t forget to have fun.

(Please forgive the drab wall color and boarder peaking around the edges of the photo. We are renting the house we live in, and don’t exactly have the freedom to paint).

I also have a small shelf with fabric, and two large rubbermaid bins with fabric I’m repurposing, as well as another bin holding larger bolts of fabric. I have a problem, I am aware. Here’s my excuse, I’ve often gone to a store, bought a mere meter of a fabric I loved, used it all and searched for a year to find more. So, now when I find a fabric I love, at a killer price, I buy lots.

Now I must punish myself for my indulgence and use what I have already indulged in. It shouldn't be hard to do, I LOVE the fabrics I have.

1st Birthday

My baby is now a toddler. I'm stunned at how this year has seemed to creep by at times and yet somehow it has also passed me so quickly. We had a stiffling hot day in a house without air conditioning, but we enjoyed it anyway. The man of the day;

Newness

I'm in the throes of 1st Birthday Preparations. I really need to re-movtivate myself to finish off this day with productivity of pumping out some 50 cupcakes. I don't think I have what it takes to do it.

A friend of mine asked for a small-ish formal-ish grey-ish handbag that she can wear with most any colour. She's attending a number of weddings lately, and something that's versatile for a 'formal' setting was needed. I've been wanting to get a 'clutch' style bag into my shop but also wanted it to have my aesthetic without following my current trend too closely. I have this love for fabric, and texture, and manipulating both in a way that makes your hands spontaneously reach out to inspect it. I don't know how much of my passion I have managed to satisfy with this new creation, but I am happy with how it has turned out.

This bag is about 9" wide and 5" deep, the handle is a simple 17".

I think it's one of the most soft, textured but delicately pretty things I've made.

Let me know how you feel about this new bag, would this style make an 'okay' addition to the shop?

Dreaming in Color

Thanks to Skinnerstudio for featuring me in this beautiful treasury! 'Dreaming in Color!'
The colors are so beautiful and refreshing. I love this composition, and I'm proud to have been included with so many stunning objects!

Because he's so handsome, here is my little man playing earlier this week in the yard.

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday!

Lush

This is one of the bags I had been using the white and orange stripped fabric for. It’s a Nautical feeling Beach-Weekend bag that I put together for a friend and made mention of in my previous post.

This bag is actually wider than the typical weekend bag listed in my shop; the opening is actually 15” instead of the standard 13.” The base is the same, but I really love the shape that the 15” opening gives this bag. My friend really wanted a beach bag, and I thought the extra 2 inches would be useful for stuffing in towels, water bottles, flip flops, sun screen, and all the other beach random necessities.

Here are the Weekend bags I currently have available; Classic Black, Sabrina, and Selah. If you're interested in a custom Beach-Weekend bag check out my etsy shop and send me a convo (if you know me personally feel free to email me or contact me via Facebook).

It's my son's 1st Birthday next week, I should go throw myself into the preparations.

Check out some awesome kid's items that I absolutely LOVE on Etsy;

Treasures Under $20

I often tag my Pixie-Mini's as 'Under 20' because I LOVE to shop for a bargain! And the thought of getting something for $20 thrills me. I thought I'd throw together some of my favorites that are under $20 into a treasury to share with you. Here they are,

I also have a special affinity for red. Check out the individual items here; Treasures Under $20

Another treasures for $20, I finished this guy today, sold him and re-listed his brother. "Bogart Bag"

This is the fabric combination that I was rambling about yesterday. I'm thrilled with him, and the larger counterpart in the form of a Weekend bag that I'm finishing up for a friend. I hope she loves it, if she doesn't, I'll be happy to give him a home.

I'm also featured in a new treasury! 'Modern' items, titled; Modern COOL!

Allied

I fell in love with this bag, I could only make two. Both are sold. It's amazingly rewarding selling something you feel really good about having made. I wish I had more of the orange cotton lining so I could make more. I have to really use the fabric I have and not buy any more for a while. Maybe I should take a few photos of my fabrics, just to show the immensity of my problem. Is there a group for recovering Fabric-Aholics?

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on a very beautiful navy bag, with white and orange stripes, it has a very cute nautical feel. Almost reminds me of Audry Hepburn in Sabrina sailing with Humphrey Bogart. I'll post photos soon.