Jana's Barbie Bag

This was one of my favorite items that I made for Christmas- one amazing Grandmother (their family lived in Germany so her grandma name is "Oma") called me and asked me to make a custom bag/purse/carrier- whatever- that her granddaughter could use to carry her Barbies to her house to play with. Seriously- the plastic, standard Barbie case from Target is cool and all......but handmade bag made just for you at 6 years old for your Barbies??? It doesn't get much more thoughtful than that!

I know this little girl very well and I love her to pieces- I also know her style well (and yes, even though she is 6 she still has her own style, trust me!) so picking fabrics for her was great fun for me. For the main fabric I went with my favorite designer, Anna Maria Horner, using her flannel that is insanely soft and yum, yum, yummy! I want to make everything out of it but I'm kind of hoarding it so finally using it in a piece was pretty satisfying.

Inside are 8 elastic pockets to place Barbies in.....a couple of them I made a teeny bit bigger in case there are some Kens in a collection since his shoulders are a touch broader. I used my daughter's Barbie arsenal to get all of the measuring correct! The front of the back has a nice, amply spaced zipper pocket for any of Barbie's shoes or clothes that need to come along. The bag has a flat, oval bottom so it will stand nice and very upright (kind of like luggage) for maximum playtime ease. There is still some space in the middle of the bag for any other accessories (like a Barbie scooter for instance). I made a sling handle for the easiest carrying possible.

Oma- Jana is one luck girl to have you as a grandmother for many more reasons than just your thoughtfulness! What a blessing for her to have you!!!

If any of you want to spoil a little girl in your life the Jana Barbie bag is $48

xoxo-

holly

Preview for Nikki!!! ;)

No- the finger in the top picture is not a mistake! I included it to show you that I'm so desperate for help right now to get all of my items done, packaged, pictured and delivered before Christmas, that my soon to be 4 year old became Mommy's photographer today. Poor thing- I critiqued the heck out of her but she willingly participated and I should have given her more praise because she did a fantastic job ;).

I keep saying that I don't have time to write long (and I really don't have time!) so I'll try to keep this short tonight.

I want to wax poetic about how Nikki is the coolest girl ever (!) and detail for you all of the reasons why I'm head over heels for her but I'll simply tell you that there are only a few people in the world who are like Nikki. Every time I get the chance to see her (she lives about an hour away) I spend the next week thinking about getting a moving truck, changing the kid's school, loading up our home and moving next door to Nikki because I want to be near her so badly!

So long overdue is my "Nikki Purse".....it's medium sized (looks a little deceiving in the picture because it's still roomy inside) and because of the dipped edge it opens nice and wide. One option on this is adding outside pockets which I did on the copper toned purse. I have been working on a "fluted" shape because I just love that curvy, romantic, look but then it is so hard to get into the purse so I scrap the idea. The dipped edge was the solution to the problem and like I said before, when you unsnap the purse it opens up really wide and you can get to everything you need.

Can't wait to see if it works for you Nikki- love you!!!!

xo,

Holly

The Nikki purse is $52

The Apron Dress

I have a crazy obsession with ruffles and apron dresses! Something about the combination of ease, utility and frilly layers is totally enticing to me. Just throw this dress on, tie it up in the back and run around without a care!! Comfy and adorable all in one.

Apron dresses start at $50 and go up to $73- one just like this is $68

Shop and Sip!! next wed. night december 8th

I have such a love for handmade things and well crafted work that my tummy still tingles when I see something awesome. If you want to know what makes my entire body tingle with excitement it's something beautifully made by someone I love- my children, the amazing children in my art class and my insanely creative friends.

So I am super excited to be able to post the invite to Shop and Sip! Hosted by two of the most favorite people in my life- Autumn and Yvette of Aqua76 (http://aquaseventy6.blogspot.com/).

Check out the adorable things that they make!!! Isn't their blog incredibly beautiful too??

Lucky for you I'm part of the party too and I have gorgeous new styles that I have been working on that are finally ready for sale. I feel like I have had a purse making epiphany lately and I'm loving every second of seeing how they come together!

It's local- it's a weeknight- it's girly- it's shopping and they have coffee there!!!....how can you resist??

xoxo-

holly

Yvette's Mini Bag

I promised myself I would blog at least one item a night to try and make a dent into everything that I would love to post but that is not coming to fruition.....so I feel quite accomplished this evening as I'm getting at least this post up! On the contrary, I feel quite a failure as I look around my house and see the endless amount of Christmas decorating that still needs to be done after spending a majority of the day on it. Although now that my two oldest kids are getting to the age where they can help in the decorating this seemingly endless task has also been one of the best days we have had all year.

I started making these mini bags several months ago when Yvette had an awesome idea to make camera bags for a Mommyista (http://www.themommyista.com/) event that featured photographer Courtney Vickers (who did the spectacular work on the right side of my blog!!!I I LOVE her!!!). I guess I didn't realize how many people would be at the event who had "real" cameras- not little point and shoots like my own that I can carry with me incessantly to catch EVERY detail of my children's lives. Needless to say I didn't sell any of the first batch that I made.....so they sat.

Earlier this summer we headed out on vacation and I thought I would take one of the little bags to use for myself when I wanted my camera protected on the beach and voile- this little beauty of a bag found the life it fully deserved!!

I fit my cell phone, my keys, my debit card, any cash that I need and my camera all in this compact case and it fits perfect on my arm- so perfect that I often forget it is there and worry where the heck it is. I throw this in my usual big purse and just grab and go whenever I only need my essentials and not my entire purse. It is heaven! It closes with Velcro- super easy to get open yet stays shut- and has a little front pocket for your license, cards and cash.

Now I sell a ton of these and I always wonder why it took so long for me to figure out how ingenious a little bag like this is!! These are great for Christmas gifts and very affordable too ;).

xo-

Holly

Yvette's Mini-bag is $18

The Marcy Satchel (in laminated fabric)

Ok- THIS bag takes the cake as the hardest bag that I have made as of yet ;). That being said- I was thrilled to have the chance to make it because it taught me a lot and I was super happy when it finally came together.

Marcy is a stunning girl who has her degree in fashion design (gulp) so she is more than handy with a sewing machine (double gulp). She has gone back to school- this time medical school (did I already mention that she is stunning as well?!! How can you be pretty, creative, driven and smart all in one? Not fair!!) and she had a great bag that she carried a CRAZY amount of text books in. She could stuff herself into her bag and it wouldn't be as heavy as those books. She loved her bag but wanted it to be a messenger strap style so it would be easier on her to carry and since she is well versed in fabric designers she already knew she wanted it done in Amy Butler's laminated Love fabric.

So I looked over her bag, took a ton of notes, made some sketches and set off to try to recreate it with her new specifications......all with the nervousness of making something for her when I know darn well that she can sew it herself.

This thing has pockets- lots of them. There is a big snap pocket on the outside and on the inside is a really cool flap that contains a small, zipper pocket and two little pockets for a cell phone or camera for example. There is another large inside pocket on the opposite side of the flap and the bag zips closed. This bag is wonderfully huge!! It is about 15 inches high and 18 inches wide at the top.

I was more than relieved when she was pleased with how it turned out ;). I am so excited that I have this large, wonderful bag to offer now as well!

Thank you Marcy!! Xoxo-

Holly

The Marcy Satchel is $75

The finishing touches on my favorite apron order!

I just wanted to post these aprons finished and all ready to go! I could have made 20 more ;)- LOVED it!!

full apron $34

half apron $27

"P"'s party apron preview!

I have a ton of new work that I'm chomping at the bit to post but I am caught up in the rapture of making these adorable aprons as party favors for little "P"'s 2nd birthday and I need to post a preview for "P"'s mommy so she can see just how cute they are!

I know birthday parties can become run of the mill and to come up with a cute idea for a party is HARD.....but "P"'s mommy is hooking it up for this one! The party is at a paint your own pottery place (clearly with my art background I am already in love with the idea!! Can I come too??!) and every little girl gets her own handmade apron to take home- I'm not trying to pat myself on the back here or anything but can you get a better party favor gift?? "P" gets an extra special apron for being the birthday girl of course ;)- I will post that one when it is finished.

"P"'s mom contacted me and asked if I was able to make the aprons and said that she had already bought the fabric. If you have read my other posts you may know that I have some reservations about using fabric that someone else picks. I don't know why when I live, breathe, sleep and eat fabric so I love almost all of it....I guess I'm just kind of stuck up about me being the best fabric-picker there is! I don't have to tell you since you can see the apron completed that I ADORED her choice of fabrics and I am promptly going to the fabric store tomorrow to buy more of the exact fabric for myself so I can make more of these to sell at the Wiregrass Mistletoe Market in December (more details on that show to come soon).

I hope you like them "J"!

half apron $27

Here kitty, kitty!

I had to put the silly pose of my daughter in this costume because she is such a joker the entire time I take pictures of her......I take 100 and I'm thrilled if I get 4 that are decent.

So, this kitty costume is for little "L". She turns 5 tomorrow ;) and she is a fantastic child!! I was blessed with the opportunity to have her in my summer art program and she blew me away every class. She was incredibly engaged and always pushed her materials as far as she wanted them to go- it was awesome just to stand back and watch her experience what she was making! She wanted to try everything and was like a little scientist trying this and trying that- I can assure you that I loved every second of it!!! She was a joy to have and I'm always after her mother to get her back in my class ;).

At first. "L" wanted to be a mermaid.....then she wanted to be a bat......and she finally settled on a cat that she wanted inspired by her absolutely adorable kitty candy holder/purse thing that is in the bottom picture (I am totally copying that idea for candy bags next year!!). I had an BLAST making it!! I have to admit- making things for a child is more intimidating than for an adult. I'm crossing my fingers that when "L" opens her costume it is everything that she had imagined!!! I know when my own daughter put it on she flicked that cat tail around and around and just repeated "I'm a kitty....I'm a kitty.....I'm a kitty........." .

I'm so tired! Off to bed-

xoxo,

holly

More Yvette slings and a preview for "A"

I am still getting orders for a ton of these slings lately and sadly, still have not had the time to make on for myself :(. Is it normal to be jealous of the person who is getting the item that you are making for them?? The bottom one was for Jen A- who has inspired me to make her own travel line because her ideas are so phenomenal (see the right side of my blog posts for the pieces I've done so far)! I have finally settled on and made the pattern for her weekender bag and I'm hoping to have some time to see it come together soon! Jen let me pick fabric this time and I was nervous!! So glad that she loved it- I miss seeing you more often Jen!

The top sling is for "A". Sweet "A" worked with me through my stint with walking pneumonia and some tough times in our family life these past few weeks.....needless to say when I was almost finished with her purse....just putting the completed lining in- it hit me that I may have made the wrong style! I frantically sent her an email asking what style she had really wanted (totally professional) and thank heavens I made the correct one but.... whew! I promise I am not usually this scatterbrained ;). As for all of you that have dealt with me lately- thank you as well!!! ;) You are very kind "A"- I'm so thrilled with the fabrics that you picked and love how you defined your style sense for me.....I hope it is exactly what you were thinking of!

Xoxo to all of you-

Yvette New York Slings are $55

cute, cute, CUTE clown costume for "C" (holy cow that's a lot of Cs!!)

My poor daughter is SO over me dressing her up in cute outfits only to be told that they are NOT hers and that I need her to frolic around and look happy (!) when I'm taking photos. I bribed her today with a lollipop- works like a charm that bribery thing ;). Can you tell in these photos she is miserable??

My girlfriend's niece is coming for a visit from the Czech Republic (she is 2 1/2). Her parents are on a mission there and they are coming to vacation in the States in late October. Lucky me (because I love "C's" mom!!)- I get to see them around Halloween and I also get the chance to babysit little "C" for an afternoon!! She is totally adorable and I have not seen her in about a year so I am anxious to see how she has grown!

I jumped at the chance to make a costume for her this year and I was secretly thrilled that I had complete liberty ;)- I was able to choose the costume, colors and every other detail. As much as I like making things with every one else's vision included I simply MUST have some orders in there that let me be 100% ME......so working on this was a slice of heaven!

Clowns can be so goofy but I was determined to put the cutest twist that I could think of on this classic, sometimes blah and usually cheesy choice for a costume.

I sure hope that "C's" mom thinks it is as ADORABLE as I do!!! Little "C" is going to rock this costume- cannot wait to see her in it!

Xoxo,

Holly

Clown costume is $55

Just the tutu-skirt is $30

Butterfly costume-I love me some "A"!!

After a very draining, emotional week in our family life I am left with a very short period of time to write. I've had these pictures for about a week now though and I've been dying to get them up.

My language of love is making things for people- "A" happens to be one of my daughter's closest friends and I worship her!! She doesn't have a bad bone in her body and her sweetness is magnetic! I was so excited to make her a Halloween costume so when she was over for a play date one afternoon I immediately snagged her to brainstorm with me on what she wanted to "be". I let her look over my patterns and we laid out all of my fabrics for her to look over and this is the ensemble that we ended up with.

She couldn't make it look any better- adorable with a capital A!!!

The wings are just from the Dollar Tree by the way (alas!)

Tutu skirts are $30

full costume with cape is $45.......I CAN make wings but those would be additional.....or I can embellish some Dollar Tree wings for next to nothing ;).

Witch Costume invented by a 3 year old.....

I try to be a good Mom every day of my life......most of the time I fall short! But the ONE thing that I am always good at (although I wish it was keeping my temper under control) is letting my children be creative. Since creativity is so near and dear to my heart- it is crucial for me to let them to experience that freedom.

That all brings me to Laci's costume for Halloween this year. I let both of my oldest children decide what they want to be and pick everything that goes into it as well as help me tweak patterns for them (we draw it out together). They are fully involved in the project and they love every second of it, except for the waiting since it takes me an eternity to finish anything for them :).

Laci has known since last year that she wanted to be a witch and she has stuck with it. We have been collecting fabric for the much anticipated witch costume as she has been shopping with me at fabric stores roughly three times a week this entire year-she knows her fabric!! Whenever she was absolutely in love with a fabric- we bought it and put it in a special spot. Typically, brown, sparkly gold, black and purple would not be a color choice that I would run with but it was what she wanted and honestly- she has a pretty good eye for color even at 3.

Laci wanted it to be tight (whoa- I'm scared for the teenage years!) and her sleeves to be long and see through.....she also wanted tons and tons and tons of sparkle. She gets very bossy during this process and she barks orders at me like I am her full time seamstress. I already have a laundry list of how exactly her purse that will match to carry her candy in should look!

I have to admit- looking at our finished product that we worked on so hard together seriously makes me melt. She is getting so old so quickly- always vying for attention and there never be enough of me to go around......so, as silly as a Halloween costume is to carve out time for just me and my daughter, it is my heaven on earth!!! And does she look just precious in it or what????!

All of that being said- I will only be able to take a few more Halloween orders because of being so full already. The cost of costumes will range depending on how in depth they are and how much fabric they require. I will give you a quote or you can tell me the range that you can spend and I will work around it from there.

Just FYI

I DO make costumes for boys (will post my own son's costume shortly)-

I DO make costumes for all ages-

I am open to working from a pattern, a picture and custom designing something-

I am 100% open to you asking your child what they want to be and keeping them part of the process like I do for my own ;)- just ask and you shall receive! A costume certainly doesn't have to be a "character" or even "something". My son wanted to be a TV one year with the Backyardigans playing.....I made it but he change his mind the day before Halloween. Laci wanted to use feathers last year but knew nothing else so we made her a mask out of feathers and turned it into a fall fairy kind of thing.....if your daughter loves pink and wants to be something pink then we can create anything from there! Just use their loves as a starting point. Email me with any questions or for ideas.

Xoxo,

Holly