laci jean

Diaper bag preview for C

2012-01-11T21:01:00.005-05:00

I usually don't use names in my posts but since I want to talk up the-best-photographer-ever, Courtney Vickers, I'll use her name liberally here ;). She is incredible!! I'm sure you can tell just by looking at my blog that I'm obsessed with her work. She's been taking pictures of my kids since they were teeny tiny and each image is so precious to me. Top her talent off with how sweet she is and you have quite a package!!

I was touched to be asked to make a diaper bag for her sister in law's new baby. I hope she finds it useful and cute to schlep all of her new baby gear around with her!

On our trip to San Antonio I found myself with time while I was traveling...TIME is what I usually don't have. I spent that time going between drawing in my sketchbook and playing with embroidery stuff that I got for the jewelry class I was teaching. I fell in love with embroidery and turned the little things that I was making into jewelry pieces (I'll post those another time). Lately I have been painting, very small, on canvas and embroidering around them before turning them into jewelry- serious fun! I used an embroidered piece on this bag's closure.

I'll send you off with Courtney's website (even though it's plastered all over my blog!) for your eye candy this evening....
http://courtneyvickersphotography.com
http://courtneyvickersphoto.blogspot.com

Thanks Courtney! You are wonderful!!!

Love,
holly

Handmade teacher gifts for Christmas ;)

2011-12-26T19:50:00.004-05:00

Mmmmm- my first grade son's teacher is phenomenal. I couldn't be more grateful for her and how much she does for him!! When I thought about a teacher gift I knew I had to make her something special. She carries a pretty cute Vera Bradley bag so I was able to get a little insight on the colors she likes and what her needs would be in a bag by checking out what she already uses ;). I decided on this Bonnie Bag style that I designed for Blossom and Poppy last summer. I hope she gets lots of good use out of it but even if she doesn't, I sure hope she knows how much I adore her!!

Diaper bag for the cutest mom in the universe made with stunning fabric by Iman

2011-12-13T19:12:00.004-05:00

I bought this fabric (designed by Iman, her work is amazing!!) from a Calico Corners store that was going out of business over a year ago. Usually this stuff is so expensive that I would never think about buying it but the going out of business sale was HEAVEN!! I bought as much as my minivan could carry ;).

Naturally, I've been hoarding this fabric because I couldn't bear to use it on just anything. But when a friend of mine needed a new bag for the arrival of her darling little girl (her 4th child!) I was hoping it would be a great fit for her. My own bag is made out of the same line of fabric and it is STURDY so I know it will hold up to 4 kids and it is so unique!

You are so cute "A"! I know you will make this bag look fabulous....as you do everything that you wear!
xoxo,
holly

The Aubrey dress

2011-11-22T23:18:00.002-05:00

We are visiting my sister and brother in my old hometown, San Antonio,Texas and I have a few minutes to catch up on blog posts. My kids are so tired after our long days that bedtime is easy since they pass out in the car. It gives me more time to paint, hang out with my husband and work on the computer at night which is always welcome! These past few days here have been a dream.....I'm definitely not ready to come home.....

Laci has been begging for long dresses so the past few that I have made are well past her knee. I fell head over heels for a top that I bought recently for myself that has three quarter sleeves so I've been playing around with those for her as well. She thinks the sleeves and length make her look more like a "princess" so they have been quite hard to pull off of her. This one is her current favorite and she looks so precious in it that I wanted to share it. I'm working on versions for myself as well ;)- so cute!!!

Ok- tomorrow I'm off for more tamales, margaritas and family! Yum, yum!

xo,
holly

The Autumn Handbag

2011-11-06T20:41:00.002-05:00

Whew! Finally Halloween costumes are over and I can post handbags again!!!

I designed this pattern several months ago for my girlfriend but I don't know if I ever took pictures of it before I gave it to her. Hers was in earthy grey fabric that reminded me so much of her ;).

I made a few things to donate to my school's fall festival as well as a couple of other schools that I donate to. I got in a zone pouring over my fabric and I made this one even though I didn't need to make anything else ;). There is a pocket that snaps closed on the outside as well as pockets on each wall of the inside. I don't know if I can part with this one......I'm crazy in love with it!!

Mr. Mint!!

2011-11-06T20:28:00.002-05:00

SO....my children decided on their own that they all wanted to be Candyland characters and I have to admit that my husband tried to steer our 6 year old away from Mr. Mint over to Lord Licorice ;). But he wasn't about to be swayed! Mr. Mint was sticking. I smoothed my husband over with the work gloves and axe and I am SOOOO glad that it came to fruition because I will always remember these days of his newly toothless grin and the red and white stripes.

I swear this boy gets bigger every time I look at him. He is the sweetest, cutest, Mr. Mint on the planet!!

Princess Frostine costume

2011-11-06T19:52:00.003-05:00

Princess Frostine was a HUGE hit in our house- in fact, I'm pretty much sick of looking at this costume because Laci puts in on every day and waltzes around the house, bossing around her brothers like she is the queen she thinks she is in her mind ;). I'm just happy she liked it!
xoxo-
holly

King Kandy costume from the Candyland game

2011-10-30T22:56:00.004-04:00

For Halloween my kids chose to be Candyland characters. I'm so happy that I got them done in time for all of our Halloween events that started this weekend and that they love dressing up in them (I was worried one of them would change their mind at the last minute!). This King Kandy is for my 2 year old and the look on his face as he pats his "big belly" (I sewed in stuffing) is worth all of the effort I put in ;).

Pink Fairy Costume

2011-10-26T23:11:00.002-04:00

This is the other costume that I made to go with the pink clown costume- they are sisters and they are PRECIOUS!! When their mom emailed me their wish list of details for the costumes I received this list for the fairy..............

1-lots of different color pinks

2-sparkly

3-rainbow belt

:)

I hope she loves it!! These were SO much fun to make-
xo,,
holly

The mermaid costume that I made in it's full glory!! ;)

2011-10-26T22:55:00.004-04:00

Just a little peek at one of the sweetest girls in the world wearing the mermaid costume I made for her complete with the crown that I decorated for her- seriously, with her mermaid doll-----it melts my heart!! :) :) :) Can you get any cuter???

Candy Corn dress

2011-10-26T22:24:00.004-04:00

A new friend of mine from school had a super cute idea to make a candy corn dress so she ordered one for her daughter. As common as they probably are, I have never thought about making one before and I became so enamored with the idea that I made one for my daughter as well and yet another one for my new 1 month old niece ;). Thanks for the idea "A"!!!
xo-
holly

Diaper bag for my little sister....

2011-10-15T19:09:00.004-04:00

I hope you are not sick of this fabric yet since this is the third post with it. I have been saving the last of it to make my little sister a new diaper bag for the arrival of her second child- a baby girl named after me ;) ;) :). My sister lives in Texas so unfortunately I haven't been able to hold baby Holly yet but we leave in November to visit for a week. She was a fabulous 10 lbs 3 ounces and looks strikingly like my sister. My mind is preoccupied with thinking about her often- I cannot wait to finally meet her!! In the meantime, I'm going to keep on sewing for her ;).

xo,

Holly

Clown costume

2011-10-11T22:06:00.004-04:00

This was ordered by one of my favorite students of all time! Her sister ordered a fairy costume that I'll post soon. Their mom was great because when I asked her what the girls "wish list" was she emailed me their lists verbatim- which is ALWAYS the best because then the child knows their input and requests were important! I hope that the final product was what she envisioned in her head. I'm really into her choice of dark pink with black!!

xoxo "S"- you are such a sweet little girl!!

Mermaid Costume with seashell bag for yummy candy!

2011-10-02T19:21:00.004-04:00

I didn't accept many costumes this year- in general my sewing time has shriveled because of my new teaching job at the charter school my 1st grader goes to (fabulous school- we are so happy there!!) but I did take on a few orders and I've been able to throw myself completely into them with very little stress or rush. The experience has been wonderful!!

This is the first mermaid costume I have ever made and I loved every minute of making it.....especially because it was for my BFF, little "M". I've blogged about her several times before. She is precious!

It's a very comfortable dress that has a zipper in the back so it is easy to take on and off. She also requested a seashell bag to carry her candy around so I made it ample enough for lots of trick or treating and made her promise to give me half of her candy.

There is a lot of hand sewn items on this that I added more for love than for money. Much of the seashell bag is hand sewn as well but overall it's a pretty easy bag to make. I'm working on a tutorial for it but I'm sure it will take me months to get it posted. If you are interested in making one of your own send me an email and I'll send you a rough version of the tutorial.

I'll keep my blog posted on the Candyland characters I'm making for my own 3 kids ;)- my 2 year old is King Kandy and I'm going to eat him alive in the costume!

Happy October everybody!

xoxo-

holly

Erika Messenger preview for "J"!

2011-08-01T23:43:00.002-04:00

"J"- I loved making this for you! You are such a sweetheart!!!

Love,

holly

Diaper bag preview for "T"!!!!

2011-08-01T23:39:00.003-04:00

"T"- you were SO much fun to teach with over the summer! I'm thrilled that I got to know you better. I hope your girlfriend loves her bag!

Love-

holly

Owl Diaper Bag preview for "K"

2011-08-01T23:36:00.003-04:00

Super fast posts tonight- I want to get these previews up but have little time to write. Hope all of you are well!!

xoxo,

holly

New cupcake purse added to the shop as well

2011-07-24T21:47:00.002-04:00

If you can't tell- I got a glorious new camera for my birthday/anniversary present and there are no words to describe how much I love it!!!! Even for a photography-challenged girl like myself- this thing takes mighty pretty pictures!!

I finally added a shopping page!

2011-07-24T21:37:00.005-04:00

I am slowly moving away from custom work for a variety of reasons but the main one being that I can't stay up until 2am anymore and ignore my husband and kids while I sew like a maniac ;). I will still make lots of items and take custom order dresses. I will slowly start building and tweaking my shopping page- I added 3 items tonight and you pay through paypal. Always feel free to email me with any questions! Here are the items that I added.....

The Cupcake Purse

2011-07-13T21:49:00.003-04:00

It's a little ridiculous how many purses and bags my 4 year old has but I seem to always come up with another reason that she needs just ONE more!

Because I'm a huge proponent of including her ideas in things that I make for her, I asked what kind of bag she had in mind and "cupcake" is what popped out of her mouth. I have to admit it was a pretty fun idea to design.

She uses this bag for her water bottle and snack on some days and then to pack all of her art supplies to take on the road on other days. It is a good size for her- about 12 inches high and 9 inches wide. The bottom is slightly mitered which gives it a small, flat bottom so it holds books nicely too. The little cherry on top closes with an elastic loop that is easy to close with her tiny fingers. It's also super easy to throw in the wash!

The Cupcake Purse is $35

Summer Tote-preview for "H"

2011-06-26T23:33:00.002-04:00

This is the Summer Tote style that I make for Blossom and Poppy but this particular bag is for "H"!! I drool over these fabrics together- I hope you do as well "H". Thank you so much for everything!!! I really enjoyed seeing you!

These totes can be bought at www.BlossomandPoppy.com

xoxo-

holly

The Julie Wristlet (with convertable messenger strap)

2011-06-26T23:18:00.002-04:00

This is another custom bag from Mary's purse party that I had so much fun making! Julie wanted a wristlet but also needed a messenger strap (genius!!). In order to make sure there wasn't a ton of bulk where the two straps met, I added a loop to the messenger strap that she can slip her wristlet strap through when needed. Then either strap tucks away smoothly!

It was a pleasure meeting you Julie!

xo- holly

The Julie Wristlet is $55

The Tammy Bag

2011-06-20T16:09:00.002-04:00

This is also an Yvette Sling with a few modifications so it's not really a sling anymore. So, lucky for Tammy- she gets a bag named after her ;). Like the Chloe Handbag- it has two straps for larger opening. It also snaps close. The body and the straps have been lengthened and the pockets fall a little lower than the Yvette (still has the hidden cell phone pocket in those front pockets). As well as Chloe's this has a large padded section to hold Tammy's gorgeous camera. Tammy, you were so much fun to talk to!!! I hope you get good use out of your purse!

xo-

holly

The Chloe Handbag

2011-06-20T15:45:00.004-04:00

I had a super fun purse party with Mary (http://www.blossomandpoppy.com/) while she was in town recently. Her family was adorable and I'll be posting quite a few previews for many of the items ordered at the party. This first one is for Chloe- it's an Yvette Sling with modifications made just for Chloe! Chloe is a beautiful, petite teenager and doesn't need a big purse so she had the body of the bag made thinner. I also made it with two straps instead of the sling strap so the opening was a little more accessible. Inside is a padded, cushy, special place for her camera that will hopefully keep it extra safe but easy to get to and not require an extra bag for her to carry.

I loved all of your choices Chloe! I hope you like how it turned out as much as I do!!

xo-

holly

Fourth of July Dress!!

2011-05-31T23:59:00.003-04:00

I looked around to see if I could find any cute outfits for 4th of July but I came up with nothing that I loved....but also completely inspired because I have a zillion ideas for one that I can make (and sell) myself! I get really into holidays and costumes because the rules get blurred!!

As always I worked hand in hand with my 4 year old and we came up with a bustle of ruffles, lots of mixing fabric patterns and a way to incorporate jeweled stars- woo hoo! Laci thinks this is her "4th of July princess" dress and I'm all about letting her bask in her glory. We talked about finding red cowgirl boots but then we decided she will make her own flip flops to match- her creativity rivals my own so I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with.

I will also be posting similar 4th of July tutu skirts ($32), headbands ($12) and I can't wait to post my Flag Bags for boys and girls (that we will take to our local Fourth of July parade to catch candy in- it's one of the highlights of our year because we always go with our close friends and have a blast!!). Stay tuned for those.

Any order that you need completed by the 4th of July must be in to me by June 15th- thanks!

Fourth of July dresses are $56

Preview for "D" The Erika Messenger bag

2011-05-31T23:41:00.003-04:00

This is the back, also lined with pockets!!

Here is a preview for you "D"! Thank you so much for letting me pick!!! I always have a great time when I can "go crazy" ;). I hope it's dark enough to keep it nice and clean with 4 kids at home! You have been fantastic- thanks again!

holly

The Erika Messenger bag is $55

The Mary Sling, exclusively for Blossom and Poppy

2011-05-26T17:24:00.005-04:00

Ok- this is my fine tuned, poured it all into this one design. The outside has two large pockets (where the dips are) and then a panel of front smaller pockets for a crazy amount of functionality! The inside is also lined with pockets and is still thin enough to not feel too bulky. It closes with a snap to ensure all of your items stay nice and snug but is not cumbersome to open.

I really love a curvy shaped purse but it can be tricky to make it the most user friendly. I really feel like this one hits it all! I will also make this bag often with a sling strap but this particular one has classic straps with two handles.

I made this one for a good friend of mine as a gift but the design is made exclusively for Blossom and Poppy! So shoot over to Blossom and Poppy (http://www.blossomandpoppy.com/) to see if there are any in stock or to custom order- just ask for the Mary Sling. While you are there, look at all of the other cute items she offers and make sure you view my buddies and sewing soul mates work (AquaSeventy6 http://www.aquaseventy6.blogspot.com/) that she sells as well!!

xo-

holly

Making fabric out of your children's drawings-

2011-05-26T17:02:00.004-04:00

I've been obsessed with Spoonflower (www.spoonflower.com) since Jen A. sent the link to me about a year ago. It's a site that allows you to upload your image and then they print it as fabric. They offer different ways to repeat the pattern on the fabric and you can play around and customize it from there. The instructions are amazingly detailed and well written and helpful- it's incredible. At $18 a year for cotton (they offer many fabric types) it's also quite a steal.

Since that first realization that I have the option of making my own fabric I've been working on sketches and ideas as often as time allows. But better yet, I realized that I can use my kids drawings as well and THEY can make their own fabric and that got my heart racing.

So after fiddling around with a line tracer program and my 4 year old and I laboring over colors-here is what she came up with! I'll post what we make for her out of it after it's completed. She is fascinated that it will come in the mail just like mommy's fabric does ;).

If I had the money I would do this with every student in my class!! If you are interested in making an item out of your own child's drawings (I thought backpacks would be super cool for boys!) then email me (lacijean@yahoo.com) and I'll tell you how to send me a drawing and I'll take it from there!

Origami flower barettes

2011-05-16T21:05:00.002-04:00

I make these origami flower barrettes to go with items often but I never seem to post them ;). This one was made for the Block Printed Sundress in my last post. I really, really love making these! I have issues with sitting still (ever! I never sit still.) so when my husband drives and I can't sit idle.....I make a zillion of these flowers. I add them to purses and tutu skirts that I make for girls and I make them into hair clips. Pure fun!!

Barrettes are $8

Hand printed fabric summer dress

2011-05-16T20:08:00.003-04:00

While in a fabric store the other day my 6 year old asked me "Mom, why do you love fabric so much?" (he also asked me the other week if God made himself so he has hit me with some whammy questions lately!).

I am constantly intrigued by how my art making evolved. I jump between my worlds of domesticity and my yearning to keep making paintings and how I can merge both of them. I look back through my sketchbooks and I see my obsession, even in college, with pattern and it seems natural that I adore fabric. So my simple answer to him was "Pattern! I love it!"

That being said- I'm craving making my own fabric (unless I'm looking at Anna Maria Horner fabric and then I know there is nothing I could make that rivals the gorgeousness of her fabrics!!). I've been working on designs that I can get printed on www.Spoonflower.com for several months now so I'm hoping to have bags made out of it in the next month or so.

In the meantime I sketched and carved some blocks that I can print on fabric and this dress is one of the first that I have incorporated it in. The dress is silky and light- Laci absolutely loved wearing it. The waist is elastic and it ties on one shoulder like the Brooklyn dress- it is truly perfect for summer!

Xoxo!

holly

Block printed Sundress is $58 and can be made in other color schemes- please email me at lacijean@yahoo.com for a custom order dress form

The Erika Messenger Purse and a preview for "R"!

2011-05-03T23:48:00.002-04:00

Currently this is the same design that I am carrying and it is PERFECT for me. This one has been tweaked a little from my own- it's much smaller, and pleated a little differently, and good heavens there are outside pockets on the front AND the back! Mine is a well refined work horse of a purse and I packed all of it into this smaller version as well. It's a messenger strap, elastic outside pockets for easy grab and store, it's sturdy, structured-simply fabulous.

I made the smaller version right before Christmas for Erika- her sweet sister took tons of care picking adjustments just for her! I always enjoy seeing how much love and thought is put into people custom ordering a bag for a loved one. Erika's was the last purse that I made before I almost fell flat on my face with exhaustion the day before Christmas and I never did get a chance to even take pictures of hers because it was such a rushed time for me. Lucky for me her super cool friend, "R", liked the purse she was wearing and ordered one and now I have pictures!

"R", I got this in the mail for you yesterday- you were so much fun with work with!! Thank you!

xo,

holly

The Erika Messenger is $55

A peek into my studio so I can share my thrift store find!

2011-05-03T23:21:00.004-04:00

Calling it my "studio" is a joke you would get if you know me....because my studio is half of our living room, not a quiet, serene place for me to work. The quality time that my husband and I spend together after the kids are in bed consists of me, sewing away......him, peacefully watching any sport that is on. If I ever moved my "studio" to another location I would lose the only time I get to spend with my husband- so in the living room I will stay!

That being said, space is TIGHT up in here! I feel like I'm in a perpetual state of reorganizing my space to handle my newly made patterns (I can't tell you how excited I am to see how many patterns I have designed over the past years!!), more and more fabrics that I get in and my precious drawings and notes from my kids that absolutely MUST be placed on my walls (there is not much wall left).

So when I walked into the Goodwill the other day and found this glorious Pottery Barn piece that fits perfectly folded fabric so beautifully....I swooned. It's even in perfect condition and cost $12!! Yippee!!

It couldn't possibly hold a fraction of my fabric but I can keep just enough for inspiration and it looks so cute next to one of my paintings they look like they were made for each other ;).

xoxo!
holly

The Laci Shift Dress (knit)

2011-04-30T20:58:00.004-04:00

There are a few goals that I had for myself before the summer hit and here is one of them-

I wanted to design an easy summer dress that I could keep super reasonably priced-($27)

I wanted it to be in knit so it is stretchy and light and breathable for summer-

I wanted it to look kind of dressy AND kind of casual but still feel like a tshirt-

I wanted it to be adorable!!

I can't claim that a shift dress is an ingenious design on may part since it has been a classic style for ages but I jazz it up a bit with the ruffled knit on the bottom. I have a few color combinations that I have been playing with other than this one and I'll post those shortly.

I couldn't resist adding braids to the finishing on this one for my daughter but if you want braided finishes on yours it will cost an extra $8 since handmade, hand sewn braids take an awful lot of time to add.

I can make them in any size but I'll ask for measurements to make sure it fits nicely!

The Gail Messenger Bag (with a pocket for your nook!)

2011-04-30T00:10:00.005-04:00

This isn't a bag that I made to sell (although it is for sale of course! ;))- it's a gift. I'll tell you the story behind it because it's so wonderful!

The first time I met Gail was at the St. Tim's craft show that I did about a year and a half ago. She is a close friend of my youngest son's godmother, Pam. I loooooove Pam!!! Pam and Gail sat with me all day. They chatted, helped me with the kids, kept me company and helped my nervousness- their presence was great.

Gail lives just down the street from me so I've ran into her at the pool and visited with her again at some of Pam's parties.

One night back in January my husband had surprised me with much awaited tickets to George Strait. My taste in music runs the gamut but George is heaven to me. Peaceful. Pure. Reminds me of growing up in San Antonio and reminds me of starting our family. I've been dying to see him for the past few years.

So, finally, we have a date night and we are going to see George. But George came with Reba and Reba sure sang for a long time! The night cost us almost $400 between tickets and our sitter and parking, etc. etc. I thought we would get back in time for my sitter to still drive home before curfew (she is 16 so can't be on the road after a certain time) but I turned out to be WAY off. George wasn't even on stage by the time she needed to head home so I swallowed hard (then swallowed more of my beer) and decided to leave. Money lost but I still got a date with my husband!

Pam was at the concert too and she promptly called Gail (remember that Gail lives on my street). By this time it is close to 11pm. Gail didn't hesitate. She got up, came up to my house, relieved my sweet babysitter and stayed with my children, reading her Nook, while they slept until past one in the morning.

We were able to watch almost the entire performance....sweet, simple and absolutely freaking awesome.

I don't know that many people who would leave their homes late at night to help someone they hardly know! It will always be an example to me!

Gail- I would make you a gazillion purses for how darn sweet it was of you to help us out!!

Gail's messenger bag is 9X9X1. The flap closes with a magnetic snap. Inside is a cozy, padded spot built just for a Nook like Gail's.

$55

Laci Dance Purse

2011-04-21T23:51:00.005-04:00

I hope you didn't skip over these pictures without acknowledging how darn cute my little guy's tummy is poking out of his shirt while he is "working" with mommy. That's good stuff! ;)

I realized as I updated my blog how I only post such a tiny slice of the items that I really make. A big part of what is missing is a huge part of my business- gifts! I'm so thankful to my clients who look to me to make gifts for their friends and loved ones and I hope that part of my business keeps growing.

This purse style is what I made my daughter for her dance class- it fits her tap shoes, ballet shoes, her leotard and tights and enough tiny toys to keep her little brother entertained while he waits for her class to be over.

It has outside pockets on the front and each side and closes with a Velcro flap. It's roughly 12 inches wide and 10 inches high.

We use it as a dance bag but it can certainly be a girl purse for any use or just for play! I sell a ton of them for birthday gifts and if I have time I usually hand make a tag for the birthday girl.

I'll be posting more of my best selling gift items when I can!

Dance purses are $35

xoxo-

holly

The Brooklyn Dress (side tie)

2011-04-19T16:14:00.005-04:00

Mmmmm- Easter just around the corner and my fingers have been dress-making-maniacs.

I don't have much time to write but there are two things that made this order incredibly fun for me....1- when the mom (who is so insanely stylish there is no way to put it into words!) mentioned a dress that only tied on one side, it hit me that I have never thought of that before. I am hooked!! 2- I had the pleasure of making matching ties for her two brothers and I cannot describe the cuteness!!

I'll post again when I get a picture of the entire family. Until then my buddy "J" was a fantastic model!! Thank you "J"!!

xoxo-

holly

Diaper bag with an owl twist! Preview for "P"

2011-04-14T18:02:00.003-04:00

Every time I look at this fabric I adore it more and get sappy thinking about my friend who is moving soon (she bought it for me in New York as the ultimate treat for me!). It's a sturdy, home dec fabric and it makes truly cute bags!

"P" had this diaper bag made for her friend "A" who adopted a baby girl! "P" sent me pictures of the deliriously adorable nursery that "A" put together for her new daughter. I fell in love with it all and really started looking forward to making a bag for her.

"A" loves owls so I made her a (removable) charm to attach to her bag. Usually I put beads on the charms but while I was designing the shape I thought it would be great to have something "baby" friendly that her daughter could play with, squish or whatever she wants. I know all three of my kids grabbed at my purse endlessly. I have visions of me giving them my mascara, keys, checkbook- anything that was not dangerous that would keep them occupied for just a few minutes. So this is all fabric, all soft, all bendable, and all ready for "A"'s new baby to play with if she is so inclined!

"A"- I hope you love all of the joys of being a Mommy!! Even the tough things about it are beautiful!! "P"- I have loved talking to you ;). Thanks for having me make her a special gift!

xo-

holly

Diaper bags are $65

Owl charms are $7

The Meghan Summer Halter dress

2011-04-12T22:56:00.003-04:00

My biggest fan is a beautiful 2 year old with super cute blonde hair and enough personality for 10 people to share. She is AWESOME and her excitement when she gets something from me leaves me grinning all day! I am so inspired by her and I have many things that I have made for her this past year that I can't wait to post. This is her most recent summer purchase- a halter dress that I designed for her that would stand up to our hot, humid, Florida summers, super comfy and still leave her feeling dressed up and special!

I have a good friend whose quilts always take my breath away. Her sense of color and her craftsmanship is out-of-control amazing. She passes my daughter down her scraps to make her own little quilts and own appliques for the clothing that I make her. Needless to say I steal some of the scraps from my daughter because I covet them so much! I mixed them into the top of this halter for an extra punch of glorious summer color- so pretty!!!

The Meghan Halter dress is available in size 2t-8 and costs $40

xo!

holly

Preview for "L"

2011-04-07T23:35:00.004-04:00

I've been meaning to post this preview for a while now while I have been working on another dress for "L"'s younger daughter (finally finished hers tonight!). She has two absolutely beautiful little girls and I had the chance to make them both dresses but with totally different colors and fabrics.

I'll try to post the smaller dress soon! "L", I hope your girls love them and feel great in them!!

xo,

holly

my baby loves to paint

2011-04-07T23:04:00.003-04:00

I just want to quickly share the joy that I get out of my almost 2 year old screaming at me a majority of the day "I Paint!?" "I Paint!?"...it sounds much more like "I pay!! I pay!!" but I know what he is begging me for.

We paint- a LOT. We paint every day, usually more than once a day. I worry that I overdose my kids with art sometimes and then I hear the incessant screaming "I pay!???" and I know there is never enough time for kids to be creative.

I started teaching again these past weeks at my friend Karen's amazing school and when I walked in the first day I heard my kindergarten kids squealing and shouting "Yay!!!" because they were told class with me was about to begin (yes, I am totally bragging that a bunch of 5 and 6 year olds like me!! ;)) and after my ego wore off a little, it hit me how precious the time is that kids have to push boundaries and play with materials and just make "stuff".

There are a ton of wonderful blogs to follow that will inspire you with art activities to do at home with your kids but one of my faves is The Artful Parent- http://www.artfulparent.typepad.com/

If you have a little one- check it out! Be inspired and give your kids ample time and freedom to create. Soon I will post an outstanding quote that talks about how art making transends into other areas of your child's learning.

My next post is back to sewing- thanks for reading my painting rant!

God bless you all!

Natasha tote

2011-02-15T22:03:00.003-05:00

I made this tote back in the summer for a super sweet client,"D" but I never got around to posting it. I'm obsessed with this green and white fois biox (that pretty much means fake wood grain in case you don't know) fabric pattern and "D" had great ideas for the complementary fabrics. As I was going through all of the items that I still need to post, this adorable tote popped out at me and made me hungry for those summer tones and my arms being that tan again!! Mmmmm- pool days!

I have other examples of this tote style here on the blog and I love it the most because of those incredible outside pockets- can't live without them with my lifestyle!

xo-

holly

Preview for S

2011-01-31T00:02:00.004-05:00

This is yet another Yvette New York Sling that I'm in love with!

I get so many different streams of business- many of my orders are from friends of friends, clients that post their purse on Facebook is also a great source of exposure for me but the ones that always touch me (and still surprise me) are calls or emails from people who saw someone in a store or in their daily lives that was wearing a purse that I made so they stop the person and track down my information. I cannot put into words how humbling that is for me!

This is the case with "S" who saw another Yvette sling on my girlfriend Jen A. and called me to order one. It was really fun to come up with fabric combinations for "S" because she has an adventurous color side but also really wanted her purse to be an everyday bag that she can take to work and works with everything. I am a color JUNKIE but this black and white combination struck me when I put it together and really made me take a second look at making some more monochromatic work in the future. The home dec fabric is heavily textured and is so sturdy but super soft- I just love it!

"S", thank you so much! Hope you enjoy it!!

xo-

holly

2011-01-30T23:48:00.003-05:00

I don't post personal stuff too often on my blog but I have a few coming up that are just too good not to share. A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to the first sewing circle event that some fabulous friends of mine and I pulled together and it was pure heaven! Wine, friends and making stuff.....mmmmm...makes me smile just thinking about it.

When I arrived home that night my husband shared this shirt with me. Our now 4 year old daughter (she turns 4 today!) had spent a couple of hours while I was gone "making" Daddy a fantastic shirt. She yanked down a sweater of his out of our closet, climbed up into my accessories bowl and found herself an entire packet of bobby pins and this out-of-control, amazingly cute and clever, bobby-pinned Daddy shirt is what she emerged with.

The creativity our little girl has always astonishes me. I watch how often she is drawing and painting and I would say a good average is 5 hours a day that she spends making stuff (about the same as I do!) I'm so thankful that God has blessed us both with the passion to create and I sure hope that help keeps us close as both of us get older.

Playing dress up with fairy tale classics- Little Bo Peep costume

2011-01-16T23:41:00.005-05:00

My friend Jenn brought up to me a couple of months ago how cool it would be to get dress up clothes that were not always Disney princesses, made of itchy fabric and usually downright tacky...instead inspired by the original fairy tales and classically pretty and fun.I was HOOKED by the idea and have spent the past weeks pouring over fairy tale books, dissecting my daughter's dress up clothing and looking at costume patterns.

I plan on doing several characters (if you have any ideas with one you would like to see please email me!) but Little Bo Peep was always at the top of my list. I noticed how dress up "pants" were lacking in my own daughters dress up arsenal. I also realized that my daughter is completely nuts about wearing aprons when she is playing tea party so I thought Bo Peep was a great place to start!

Everything about the outfit is easy-peasy- the pants are lightweight and elastic so young ladies can get them on and off with no problem. It can easily be washed, it's all cotton and very soft and comfy.

I really want to keep these reasonable because I don't think dress up outfits should cost a fortune ;) and role playing is such a rich experience for children. I also think they will make wonderful and unique birthday gifts (which is what this order is for) so I don't want to price them out of that range. I hope to keep all of them around $35-$45, most of them in the high $30 range.

Little Bo Peep comes with the pants and the full apron- the white shirt underneath is NOT included. Little Bo Peep will be $42.

I hope your birthday friend enjoys this "M"!!! Now I need to find the time to make one for your little "m" because I KNOW she will appreciate it ;). Xoxo- holly

Crossbody and shoulder strap on the Multitasker style

2011-01-11T21:45:00.002-05:00

This bag I actually made over the summer for a client named "M" who wanted both a shoulder strap and a messenger strap. She enlarged the Miss Karen's Multitasker so this is almost but not quite the diaper bag size and the messenger strap is removable. I adored her adventurous sense of color!

The Miss Karen Multitasker with these specifications and size is $58

Miss Karen's Mini-tote

2011-01-11T21:27:00.003-05:00

My friend Karen always inspires me when I'm making purses because she is insanely cute and also crazy organized in a way that makes me want to copy everything she does. This style is wide but thinner so the size seems small but it maximizes space. The entire front is a band of outside pockets (which I am finding are a must have on my own purses!). My intent here is to have a tote-ish purse that you can fit a lot into and stay very organized but not so large that it gets intimidating.

This particular one was made for my friend Julie on her birthday ;)- who I know God put into my life as much for her friendship as for her amazing example to me!!

Miss Karen's Mini-tote is $52

My favorite handle!

2011-01-11T21:06:00.004-05:00

It's probably getting repetitive now me saying that I have a lot to post and very little time to do it. After my semi-break over the holiday (I didn't sew for 3 days in a row!!!) and the end of my teaching art (for now) I realize more than ever how I need to simplify sometimes.....so tonight I'm going to try and get a few more bags posted that I made before Christmas with very little narration from me (gasp!).

This purse is the first style that I made for Autumn (her new one I will post soon)-except this time I added the gorgeous wooden handle that I love so much I want to swallow it whole! The little dips on the front of the bag are pockets....so clever- I got this from an actual pattern so I can't take credit for it.

The Autumn Shoulder Bag is $52

Jana's Barbie Bag

2010-12-27T22:52:00.002-05:00

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!!! ;)

2010-12-21T23:13:00.005-05:00

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

2010-12-06T01:23:00.002-05:00

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

2010-12-02T00:28:00.005-05:00

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

2010-11-26T23:17:00.006-05:00

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)

2010-11-14T21:55:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-11-14T21:48:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-10-30T00:49:00.004-04:00

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!

2010-10-21T00:36:00.005-04:00

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"

2010-10-15T10:49:00.002-04:00

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!!)

2010-10-11T18:58:00.005-04:00

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"!!

2010-10-04T23:46:00.003-04:00

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.....

2010-09-26T21:23:00.006-04:00

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

The Christiane Tote

2010-09-23T22:09:00.003-04:00

Don't have much time to write tonight- my husband has been really sick for the past several days (is FINALLY on the mend) and I have realized that me teaching, sewing, raising three kids and keeping us all functioning is NOT something that I can do on my own for very long! My hubby is SUPER helpful and this has been a little smack in the face that I need to recognize that more ;).

So, as always- I'm playing catch up right now.

My sweetheart of a girlfriend who I could not live without just had her birthday on Tuesday. I remember when I first met her at church a few years back it was just a month or two before her birthday. By the time her birthday came that year I was already glued to her and I love her more every day! God bless her, she STILL carries around that old beat up purse that I made her the first year of our friendship!

Christiane is the friend who will seriously move mountains if you need her- she is comfort personified. When I made this for her I got really sappy thinking about her qualities.....as my 5 year old describes tie dyed Silly Bandz.....this one is really RARE.

I start looking months in advance for fabric when I am making a birthday gift- my jaw hit the ground when I stumbled onto this one because it is SO "Christiane"!! I wanted to do something new for her so I played around with the edging structure, I ruched the handle casing and I braided that gorgeous handle because I knew she would eat it up! Christiane is knock out and is super model tall. Making purses for her is a sewing lover's dream because she makes everything she wears look incredible (yes, I am selfishly using her for advertising as well- I can't help it!) and I certainly wasn't let down when she threw this one over her shoulder. I love you so much honey!!! Happy, happy birthday!

This tote is roomy, sturdy and sleek all in one. I lined Christiane's inside with one large pocket on one side and a line of three smaller pockets on the other side but they can be customized to your needs, as always. Christiane loves a long handle but it can be made shorter or longer as well.

My goodness, I write much longer than I intended- I'm off to sew!

The Christiane Tote is $58

Jen A.'s Toiletry travel bag

2010-09-14T23:43:00.004-04:00

I'm making my sweet friend Jen A. a new purse tonight and it is making me think about how much I like her! I really adore working with her and it got me thinking about her toiletry bag that I made for her ski trip months ago. It lands in a long list of things that I still need to post about/offer for sale but keep getting put off because time is never on my side (hello, my baby just turned 16 months old and it doesn't seem possible that time has gone by that quickly). It's a shame that I haven't posted about this bag before because it is seriously cute!

The bag has 3 zippered pockets for all of your beauty items and rolls up nice and tidy so you can stay organized and stylish while on your trip. I need to make one for myself for my paintbrushes....note to self.

My favorite part about making this bag was when Jen sent me a text message photo of it while on it's travel escapades! I EAT it up when clients share that with me- thank you so much for those of you who have sent me photos before- it makes my day!!

My next project for Jen A.'s travel line is a weekender bag, yummy.......I can't wait to hammer out the details of the design.

I love you Jen! Will send you a preview of your new purse tomorrow- xoxo, holly

Jen A.'s toiletry travel bag is $50

Gifts for sweet baby "C"

2010-09-11T11:29:00.001-04:00

My husband has a good friend of his that he has known since elementary school- his name is "T" and he is married to a very sweet girl named "K". They welcomed their first child, a baby boy named "C" a few weeks ago. I have been working on things for mommy and baby for the past month or so and had a very enjoyable time making it all. I stuffed her bag full of clothes and things that my husband picked out for the baby and this little owl that I made that will match baby C's room.

I head over heels LOVE making things for babies and moms! If a friend of mine has a baby I spend an insane amount of time thinking about all of the things that I can make for him or her. My friend Karen is due with her son soon and I'm ready to throw my other responsibilities to the wind so I can make at least one hundred things for him!

So, if you would like anything made that goes along with a nursery theme or want to stuff a hand made diaper bag with wonderfully cute burp cloths, bibs or a nursing cover that are all made JUST for mommy and baby just let me know! I will offer a discount if you buy an expecting mom more than two items.

Congrats again "T" and "K"- we think about you all of the time!! xo- holly

Diaper bags are $65

Stuffed animals are $25

Preview for "J"!! and gushing about Rainbow's End Quilt Shoppe

2010-09-08T00:12:00.006-04:00

Forgive me for these dark photos- the sky has been grey here all day!

The Yvette New York sling is hot, hot, hot for me right now! I'm super in love with this one- made for "J" who I found out happens to live right next to the owners of my FAVORITE fabric store, Rainbow's End in Dunedin! They just launched a new, stunningly gorgeous website and you can even order online now (http://rainbowsendquiltshoppe.com/). As beautiful as the website is- there is nothing for fabric addicts like walking through their store......so, so pretty, well placed and organized but still totally appealing to creative people who need all of the aesthetic bells and whistles and huge punch of color to get us inspired. I could blog about Rainbows End for a long time- it's amazing! I told "J" that my hubby takes the debit card from me when I visit because once I walk through those doors....I'm done. Please open a store in Tampa Rainbow's End owners!! I promise I will spend my kids college fund in there each month!!

I just got this sling out in the mail to "J" this afternoon (hopefully no one I knew spotted me in the post office because I was not happy with how my kids were behaving ;)) but I wanted to post a preview for her. She has been a great client and was adorable as she decided what fabric to go with. She is getting ready to go on a vacation soon and I hope this sling carries everything for her nicely.

Remember that the sling has a front panel of pockets and a little hidden cell phone pocket inside one of them. You can see all of the specs on the Yvette New York sling post.

Hope you love it "J"!!

Yvette New York Slings are $55

The Sharon shoulder bag

2010-09-06T22:47:00.007-04:00

Sharon is a really special lady who attends the same bible study that I go to. She has a very comforting vibe and I always enjoy being around her. She was in my "group" when I first got pregnant with my youngest (16 months old now- mmmmmm, turning into a toddler no longer a baby.....it goes by too fast). I got pregnant just a few weeks after the year started.

I went from feeling great one day and then about 4 days after I got pregnant I plummeted fast into throw up hell (forgive me for my language but there is no other way to describe it). I still pulled myself off of my floor every Thursday to get to bible study- no doubt more for my children than for me because their children's program rocks (!!) and I had a hard time staying focused since I only wanted to puke the entire time. I went on medicine.....it made me sleepy and I did keep food down but it didn't touch the nausea. I'm telling you all of this because I was a MESS at bible study. If you met me that year, I probably didn't seem like that cool of a person.....boring, miserable, complaining, I have asthma and was wheezing all of the time, falling asleep during the lecture because I was so drugged up on top of being pregnant- pretty much a loser. But Sharon didn't care! She always asked me how I was. Always smiled at me and made me feel good. I could tell she didn't judge me in the slightest even though I was totally not myself......and my heart will be soft for Sharon forever because of that!

I was thrilled when she asked me to make a purse for her and more thrilled when she picked out these great, lively fabrics.

The Sharon shoulder bag is an average size, not bulky but not small. It is very sturdy and closes with a zipper. The reason that I'm so in love with it is because you can mix fabrics like crazy on it to make something really unique!!

Super, super cute- just like Sharon!!

xo,

Holly

Sharon shoulder bag is $52

Lunch box for little lady "K"

2010-08-22T22:57:00.004-04:00

I have a client named "A" who I just love working with!! She has two little girls- a baby girl and an elementary aged daughter named "K". When you have a conversation with "A" you can tell she is head-over-heels NUTS about her children! She sent me the cutest picture ever of her baby who had crawled inside the diaper bag that I made- it was precious and I adored it!!

"A" wanted to get her daughter "K" a special treat for the new school year so handmade lunch box it is!! "K" loves pink, brown and leopard and this lunch bag will compliment her pink leopard backpack that she got from the Justice store......seriously, how cute does that sound? Hopefully "A" will order outfits for me to make her as well because if she carries around a pink leopard backpack in elementary school- she is already my fashion soul mate!

The lunch box is roughly 12 inches wide, 9 inches high and 5 inches across. It is roomy and should fit her lunch beautifully. I made the strap just long enough that if she wants to throw it over her shoulder it will be possible. It is thoroughly lined with thermal lining that will keep colds-cold and hots-hot! I'm anxious to hear how "K" responds when she gets it!

"A"- thanks for being amazing to work with- you are so sweet!!

"K"'s lunch box is $32

A new purse for Miss Jenn!!

2010-08-19T21:07:00.002-04:00

My friend Jenn is my go to girl for most things- she is super empathetic, a wonderful listener and has a great knack for problem solving so when I get stressed I call my mom....or Jenn ;). She has been a huge supporter of my business and has given me the confidence and encouragement to do things that would typically scare the panties off of me (my use of the word panties being somewhat of an inside joke).

My usual birthday present for my close friends is designing a purse for them since it is the only thing that I know how to do (the only bad thing is that most of my friends have birthdays in the summer!!! Goodness gracious! get ready for more mushy friend posts this month). I have been waiting to make this one for Jenn for months now- eyeing down the purse that I made for her last year.....her stuff popping out of it but still totally devoted to using it even though she needed something bigger (is that a good friend or what?). So every time I see her I am taking a mental list of the specifics that her new birthday purse MUST have.

It needed to be bigger but she thinks that she doesn't need a big purse so I made it longer but skinnier so it didn't feel bulky. She needs outside pockets for sure and she needed a way for it to close that would still allow easy access- I thought a zipper would be too cumbersome so I chose this flap. It has inside pockets as well, of course! It has a great length strap that is easy to sling over her shoulder and great for toting stuff around for her two kids (that I love to absolute pieces).

It seriously took me hours of pouring over fabric just to find the right one for her. Her style is more classic than mine but she loves rich, vibrant colors she leans towards structured patterns.......I guess pretty, classic, tailored are words to describe it. I was thrilled with how this combination turned out after nearly frying my brain trying to find the perfect one!

This style of bag is really in between a tote and a purse- super utilitarian but I dare say gorgeous as well.

I love you like crazy Jenn!! You are such a rock in my life. The love that you have for your family, friends and your amazing faith make you a dream girlfriend to all of us who are blessed enough to have you in our lives honey-XOXO!!

Miss Jenn's Tailored Tote is $52

Backpacks for "C" and "K"!!

2010-08-15T22:45:00.004-04:00

2010-08-15T20:48:00.003-04:00

I had a fantastic client named "D" ask me to do a purse party last month. She teaches at an elementary school near me and she has a wonderful sense of style (her mom says she was born to shop ;)) and always looks super cute and pulled together (next to my "I have three young children" look with unwashed hair and random bits of thread covering me at all times, it can be intimidating but always inspiring!). Her teacher friends were very kind and I loved spending a few hours with them!

Two of the girls at the party are in college and ordered backpacks (hallelujah!) in their school colors. Both girls are absolutely adorable, very smart and surely unstoppable! I don't find myself around college kids that often and just loved working with them-thank you "C" and "K"!!

Each pack is lined, has two small pockets on each side, adjustable straps and a large zippered pocket on the front. It zips open on the top as well.

I've gone off the deep end being excited about these so I'm in the process of making at least 7 for my own kids and my friend's kids.....can we say obsessed?? If you see me trotting around with my own backpack soon, listening to Fugazi and wearing blue nail polish, I'm OK.....just feeling a little nostalgic for college!

On that note, my big guy starts Kindergarten this week......where on earth does the time go??

xoxo,

holly

Adult backpacks are $62

Child backpacks are $58

2010-08-14T00:16:00.004-04:00

I love this diaper bag....I loved it from the first second I made it for my sister in law but now that I tweaked it a couple of inches here and there I adore it even more. I have made SO many this summer that it still astonishes me- it is hands down the item that has been the most ordered lately.

I had several beautiful ones made that I took pictures of but when my 15 month old was having a melt down that even surprised me, I had the genius idea to hand him my camera to appease him (I was picking my parents up at the airport so he was in his car seat). I received the camera back in one piece (surprisingly) and it DID calm him down (like I said, genius) but I discovered the next day that my sacred memory card had vanished- poof. My bright idea not so bright after all! All record of my diaper bag sweatshop vanished with the memory card :(.

One of these was made for my sister in law's friend who is expecting her baby I think sometime in August (congratulations!!). She is a graphic designer and had a beautiful website that I was able to pull inspiration from to pick her fabric. The top bag was made for my cousin's wife "M"- who I'm just crazy about and is super adorable!! She has three kids too (I am pretty sure she had 3 kids in 3 years so you know she needs a decent diaper bag!!!) and she has an awesome sense of style so I was super flattered that I was able to make her one.

As always, I can customize the inside pockets just for you although with this bag the outside pockets are so extensive you may not need many more! I actually made one a while back with an inside thermal pocket to keep the baby's bottles warm or the sippy cup cold (this costs more FYI) which I thought was a great idea- thanks "A"!!

Diaper bags cost $65

The Patti Ann Purse

2010-08-06T23:46:00.006-04:00

Mmmmmmm- my sister, I love that girl so much. Through thick and thin she is always my closest friend. Her birthday came and went in July and of course, I wasn't completely done with her gift. I finally sent this one to her this afternoon. I can only hope that she is not sick of getting purses for every occasion!! She is 4 years younger than me, much more composed ;) and is the kindest person on the face of the earth. She lives far away from me and there are certain days that my stomach hurts because I'm missing my nephew's life. The Lord knows I would smother him if I lived near him!!!

My nephew is now a toddler and my sister no longer needs a diaper bag so I brought the size down a bit from what she is used to. She wasn't too concerned with lots of outside pockets and her only request was that it zipped shut- so toddler nephew could be kept out of her stuff ;). There are two tiny pockets on each end of the bag to shove her keys in if she needs to grab them quickly.

Since my sis knows me well- being smothered in paint most of my waking moments- I knew she would be adventurous enough to handle me adding my hand painted fabric to her bag. I snuck it in on the tiny end pockets and I had glorious time working it in her scheme. I hope she remembers how crazy I am about her every time she uses it!!

Patti, I love you so much sweetheart- if I was half the person you are then I would be satisfied!! You are an angel. xoxo-

Holly

The Patti Ann Purse is $48.....if you would flatter me enough to ask me to hand paint fabric for you as well it would be an additional $8.

2010-08-02T20:24:00.008-04:00

I don't have much time to type- we are on a short vacation once again before school starts but alas....this time my sewing machine came with me. I'm just too behind to have a "real" vacation (although honestly I would miss it) and my parents are here so they are spending lots of time with the kids and me being occupied for a bit will hopefully give them better quality time together.

I recently went through an apron obsession after the kid's Aunt D. made them the CUTEST aprons for Christmas and the kids went ga ga over them. Ultimately, I made an apron dress (see the photos on the right side of the blog for the front of the dress.....I will post the back of it soon) and I plan to make many more for my daughter because they are easy, adjustable and gorgeous! In the meantime- watching her make cookies with me in something as precious as this is just as satisfying!!!

I can make them in every size and the great thing about the strap is that it can move from one end to the other- making it completely adjustable for a perfect fit.

More apron posts to come soon.......even something for the little guys!!

An apron like this costs $30

The Yvette New York sling

2010-07-25T18:01:00.010-04:00

Ok- so I have been an awful blogger lately.....I was adding it up and I think I've made close to 40 items since I blogged last. I was already behind on my posts so now I'll be lucky to get a quarter of them up ;)!!

Yvette ( http://yvette-unedited.blogspot.com/) is one of those people that has a plethora of ideas. I remember the first time I heard of Yvette was when Autumn (http://mommyista.blogspot.com/) was out to lunch with her and Yvette had an awesome idea about camera bags (will post about those next) so Autumn texted me about it. I thought it was fantastic and from then on the good advice has kept coming and I cannot get enough of it!! So this is "our" newest creation and I was so excited about it when it was done that I couldn't wait to get her reaction.

Yvette is up with her children and husband in New York for a month and she wanted a bag that would fit her trip perfectly. She wanted a Summer sling but wanted outside pockets so when she was on the subway she could reach for things easily. She also needed it to snap close. These sound like super easy requests but on the Sling both of them took some figuring out. I didn't want to lose the integrity of the slings gorgeous shape so I basically mimicked the front panel (pleats included) and made two spacious outside pockets on the front. The only problem was that the pockets were pretty large and I was worried she would lose her phone in such a big pocket. My solution was to make a little, hidden cell phone pocket inside the outside pocket (tongue twister). See the picture of the inside where the little grey pocket is peeking out.

The inside of the bag is also lined with pockets for Yvette's needs. Please remember that when I make a custom item I LOVE to make pockets that fit your "stuff" perfectly! As far as the snap, it was easy peasy- I just had to make another pleat in the band and I love how it turned out.

If I ever have time to make something for myself THIS is what I am making next. Seriously love, love, love it.

Yvette- as always, thank you for being so terrific! I miss you up in NY! xoxo

The Yvette New York sling is $55.

The Kristin Clutch

2010-06-13T22:38:00.006-04:00

So I met this girl, Kristin, at a local Girls Nite Out event for my girlfriend's chiropractic office (see http://www.aprilechiropractic.com/ for those of you who live in the area and need a chiropractor!!). Kristin makes freaking adorable headbands and I was totally eyeing them down because I wanted one for my daughter. I bought a really cute pink, striped one. It is so cute and well made and my daughter loves it.......the only problem being is that she insists on putting it on herself and she wears it like a sweatband-not a headband- and lest I want her to look like Richard Simmons we get in a fight about how she is supposed to wear it. I actually win this one the majority of the time- surprise! It is always worth the fight because it really is precious on her!! Thanks again Kristin!

So Kristin called me after the event and I loved talking to her. Come to find out she lives in my neighborhood and we could see each other's houses across the golf course- too funny! She had amazing ideas and really wanted a wristlet/wallet/clutch mix that would fit her wallet, keys and phone but still be easy to carry with her. The greatest part is that she adores color and gave me free reign to mix what I felt suited her. That is always music to my ears and seriously- how pretty is this clutch???

I made the clutch interfaced with really tough Peltex- this stuff is tough to sew but it's so sturdy and will protect her things well. It zips close and has a little handle to sling over your wrist. It is not as small as a wallet but definitely not as big as a purse.

The best part about this order is the crazy way that I delivered it to her. She was going on a trip early the next morning and I was just dying to have her use it while she was gone so I told her I would leave it in her mailbox. It was late when I finished it so in my pajamas, after a long night of sewing, well after midnight, I drove over to her house and left it in her mailbox. Wrapped in tissue. Totally unprofessional. It made me feel really strange being in a minivan after midnight with no shoes on, leaving homemade goods in mailboxes!

Better yet, I schlep my husband and kids to the local Publix first thing in the morning because I simply must beat out all of the other weekend couponers and who do I see walking around carrying her brand new clutch?? You gotta love that. Needless to say, Kristin is a gorgeous girl who looks like she walked out of a magazine and that clutch looked damn good at 9am at Publix on her!!!

I promise if you order one I will not drop it off the same way!

Kristin- it has been a pleasure! Thank you!!

These cost $40

Preview for "V"!!

2010-05-29T20:49:00.006-04:00

I don't have much time to write tonight.......our recent vacation to the beach was wonderful beyond words but I am BEHIND on everything else in my life. There is nothing like taking time out to be with my sweet husband and kids though. It hit me that I am a much better Mommy on vacation solely because I don't expect them to pick up after themselves so much. I'm attempting to bring that "laid back vacation Mommy" back to our house for a few days but after one crazy-mopping-bonanza I realize that she is slipping away from me quickly!!

On to "V"s purse! She wanted her Natasha tote a little bit smaller so I took about half an inch off all of the way around and added a button closure. We were discussing color schemes and fabric and she was drawn to black and white. I know there are some gorgeous black and white damasks out there so that got me excited to incorporate and then she looked at me and said

" With fuchsia!!" and my heart skipped a beat. There is nothing like twisting the usual with a little bit of unexpected! More shocking to me- it was a color combination that I had not used before and had not even thought of. That doesn't happen that often!!!

The cherry on top of this order was that she ordered a matching make up bag to go along with it and that always makes me drool a little. Get ready for my wallets that I am working on and should be offering soon!

I'm secretly hoping that "V" hates this purse and the next time you see me I will be walking around wearing it!! In the meantime- "V", it was a pleasure getting to work with you and I really do hope you adore your purse as much as I do!!

The Natasha Tote is $45

My Make-up wristlet bags are $18 but $15 if you order along with a purse

A Natasha Tote for super cute "F"!!

2010-05-18T21:26:00.004-04:00

So, "charms" on my bags are all my current rage right now (see the charm hanging off the above purse on your right). I love the braids- I love adding beads- I love making your purses more individual- love it all.

So imagine my excitement when I was asked to surprise a friend of "A.M."s with a custom purse along with a peace sign charm! The girl loves peace signs and I was hooked. I have just made random design charms so far- actually making "something" or a sign that is indicative of the purse owners personality?!....LOVE IT!!!

The best thing about this order was that I got to catch a quick glimpse of "A.M."'s friend before I made it, her name is "F". She is adorable and has tons of her own style!! I got so excited about making this for her because I could see that she was a little adventurous- which I am too so I always love that!

I was so happy with how it turned out- and was thrilled to find out later that "F" loved it as well.

"A.M." has ordered lots of purses and dresses for her niece from me and she makes drop dead, drool over yourself jewelry so needless to say she is insanely creative. She also has a generous heart and puts TONS of thought into the gifts that she buys. She is such a kind soul and I totally look up to her, respect her and love to eat up her ideas that she gives me!

As always, thanks for the order "A.M." and I hope you enjoy your special purse "F"!!!!

Natasha Totes are $45 and to add a charm is an additional $7.

Yvette's Small Satchel bag!!

2010-05-09T23:07:00.003-04:00

I have been dying to make a purse for Yvette- I love her wit (see her blog at http://yvette-unedited.blogspot.com/) and totally adored talking to her when she was writing an article about my business (see http://www.examiner.com/x-10270-Pasco-County-Parenting-Examiner~y2010m3d5-Artistic-Pasco-mom-creates-a-stir-with-oneofakind-handbags). It really has been a pleasure getting to know her more recently!! I had never exactly "met" her though so I couldn't really surprise her with something.

When we talked about her style she gave me something that I don't usually get......hobo, hippie, not fru-fru, urban, didn't need a large bag (seriously- rarely hear that. It seems like we all always need more space!!) just enough room for her book (she has time to read!! she's a goddess to me already!) so I was completely intrigued and was more than excited to work on it!!!

My style is more similar to hers than "girly" but still not exactly like Yvettes....the hardest and most fun part of my "job" is making MY style mesh with YOUR style and I was more than ready to see what I could come up with.

As you can see, the bag has a long messenger strap that will be ultra-comfy and hands free. This is not a heavy bag that you can fit the world into...it is sleek and functional.

I have been really looking forward to mixing these fabrics for the past several months but I never found a project that totally fit but i felt inclined to take a chance on Yvette- when I walked in to meet her for lunch the day that I gave the purse to her I knew in an instant that my instinct was right!! She was going to knock this purses socks off- she was SO cute and yes, very urban-hippy in an exotic, gorgeous kind of way. I was SUPER happy with how well it "fit" her and I think she feels the same way!

Just a little FYI- I still work from patterns sometimes but more and more often I make my own patterns. This bag is 100% Yvettes! Thank you so much Yvette for the inspiration and your magnetic personality. I hope there are more lunch dates to follow!!

xoxo-

holly

Yvette's Small Satchel bag is $42.

More Natasha orders.....I told you she was addicted :)

2010-05-09T23:00:00.006-04:00

These are more Slings that were ordered for gifts that I somewhat recently finished. I'm LOVING the bright yellow and hot pink fabric from my favorite designer- Anna Maria Horner.

Slings are $45

It's been a while since I posted and I'm in the mood to talk! Natasha, gorgeous trim and adjustable straps!

2010-05-06T21:26:00.008-04:00

I have talked about Natasha before in posts....seeing as she is undeniably addicted to bags and dresses for her daughter I will definitely be posting about her again! I LOVE Natasha. I totally met her through business and I know that sounds kind of weird but I'm crazy about her and how thoughtful she is and how easy she is to talk to- she is my kind of chick!! Here is a quick example of the caliber of person that Natasha is......

-She ordered a purse for her close friend as a gift.

-I wanted to use it as an example at my recent party (can't wait to blog about the party!).

-She happily lets me keep it as an example and comes to the party to support me and pays for it at the party.

-We plan to meet at a mall at a later date to finally supply her with the purse.

-She drives to mall- I drive to mall. All of our kids are with us at the mall.

-I bring all of the purses for the other friend I was meeting at the mall in a giant bright blue Ikea bag.

-Totally forget Natasha's.

-Twice I have jipped her of the "paid in full" purse (and hello- I remembered the other purses but not hers??!!).

-She giggles, I can totally tell she doesn't care at all for her inconvenience because she is just cool like that.

-Has to meet me AGAIN to get the purse. Never once even batted an eye at my craziness, was completely supportive and even brought my daughter gifts at our meetings.

But I hear the friend likes it a lot, and in my eyes, Natasha hangs the moon. (she also has her masters, is a teacher, has a very cool mom that makes cute bows for anyone with daughters out there and a precious 4 year old little girl)

On to her order.....the first bag is one of my most ordered items. It is a very roomy tote and Natasha knew the style of fabrics she was looking for. She was loving the funky gold/bead trim that I have been playing around with recently and I was really happy with how it turned out.There is not that much of this trim left and please remember in the fabric world- fabrics, trims, handles, etc. can come and go faster than you think. The good thing about that is it makes your item extra-special. Anyhow- get the trim while it's hot if any of you want it used in your bag! Since this "bag" doesn't have a name/label yet I am going to get really creative with this one and name it after my rocking friend- The Natasha Tote.

The second bag is my Miss Karen's Multitasker with one huge difference- an adjustable messenger strap. This was a new one for me- messenger strap, no problem- adjustable, not really a problem.....just new to me, so it took me some trial and error to figure out. Now, you can make your strap as long or short as you need depending on the situation. I made another one for Natasha's friend "M" but I am bummed that I didn't take pictures of it. "M" is so seriously cute that I can't stand it and she makes my bag look incredible!!!So, if any of you ladies would like to add Natasha's adjustable strap to a purse for you let me know- I should be able to add it to almost anything. Thank you Natasha for requesting it!

Hmmmmm- I have so much more to post but I'll stop talking for now. Xoxo Natasha- you are a gift girl.

Natasha Totes (the purse on the top of this post) are $45

Miss Karen Multitaskers with an adjustable strap are also $45

My Summer Sling for "A"...

2010-03-23T22:17:00.008-04:00

How I know "A" is like the Kevin Bacon game- she knows friends of mine from 2 different parts of my life and she is also in the INCREDIBLE interfaith bible study that I go to.....or maybe that is just living in New Tampa- don't we all know a friend of a friend who ends up knowing you? Such a small circle out here. I always think of that when I yell at my kids in public- surely SOMEONE who knows me is within earshot and I'll be sticking my foot in my mouth soon enough.

Anyways- "A" has twins so she does need a decent size bag I'm sure. This Summer Sling is just the normal Sling but modified originally for my sweet friend Summer. The "basket" of the sling is simply smaller so you get all the style and ease of the Sling without such a giant space to fill up. It is still very roomy though! The inside space is pretty flexible- for "A" we added an inside zippered pocket on one side and another set of open pockets on the other.

Thank you "A"!! and thank you Summer for being my source of inspiration!! xoxo!

Slings are $45

One group of friends, lovin' the same purse all with their own style-

2010-03-23T21:47:00.012-04:00

This order has been so cute to me- it started with "M", who ordered a Miss Karen's Multitasker (her post was Preview for M!) and then her girlfriend "H" followed up with her own order in a gorgeous Alexander Henry fabric (see the purse on the left) and now we are on to "J" (who this post is for!) in my very, very favorite designer Anna Maria Horner. All three of these girls are incredibly nice and have been a joy to work with!! I'm tickled pink that they all have their very own personalty in one of my purses, especially since this purse was invented by such a great friend of my own (I sure love you Karen!!). It makes me think about how inspiring my friends are and how enriched my life is because of them. I'm sure the three of these women feel the same! I hope you all enjoy- thank you so much!

Miss Karen's multitaskers are $42

2010-03-16T21:00:00.004-04:00

I have to post fast tonight because I have lots of sewing to do but I recently finished my new Laci dress and I wanted to share it. I'm super excited about piecing the fabric strips together so I can get more creative with mixing fabrics (I know not for everybody but soooooo for me!) and the little gathered sleeves- to die for!! I can make it without the tie at the empire waist if requested.

These will cost $50.

Preview for "A"!!

2010-03-16T19:56:00.004-04:00

"A" has TWINS! How do you make a purse good enough for a girl with young twins? I was able to meet with her at KidzClub while our children played and I got a glimpse of the giant backpack full of gear that she carries with her. I was so happy that she picked this style because it has such great outside pockets and I really think it will meet her needs. Can you see how there are two giant pockets on each side of the outside? Plus the big one in the middle and I lined the entire inside with pockets as well. TONS of space. "A" also wanted her bag to be a crossover so she has her hands free when needed (I'm such a fan of the crossover myself- I can carry baby "M", carry toddler "L" too and hold the big guy's hand while STILL having my purse attached to me- I'm sold!). So I made the straps extra long for her and it fits just perfect on your side.

Another great thing about "A" is that I had made a purse very similar to this for myself (but I keep holding onto it for inventory and examples) so I am clearly crazy about these colors and fabrics and you gotta love it when someone is on your style wave length!

I hope you like it "A"!! Thank you!

$42

Jen A's travel line!!!

2010-03-15T11:37:00.008-04:00

I have more ideas than I will ever possibly get to in my lifetime but the GREAT thing about working out someone else's idea is 1- it's not mine so it comes from a different perspective and 2- I actually DO it because someone pays me to :). Jen A. also had the "seriously classic, seriously gorgeous" post purse made all to her specifications and she is my new partner in purse making crime! She gave me such a awesome compliment when she ordered even more bags from me and said "I think I'm addicted!". Loved, loved, loved it!!

Even more exciting is that she got inspired to pick up her knitting that she learned a while back and she MADE me a scarf to say thank you for her bags!!! Reciprocating with handmade items.....hello, can I say heaven for me?? I love her even more by the second!

Onto this actual bag.....she is taking a ski trip and had a list of things that didn't work for her while she was traveling with her young son last time. She knew exactly what she wanted so I got all of the measurements she was wishing for and we poured over fabric together and this is what the final result was. A crossover, hip bag roughly 8 inches tall, 8 inches across and 3 inches wide. There are pockets inside for her phone and small items that she needs to take with her and small pocket outside (but still covered by the flap) to keep her ticket in and her ID. It closes with a big flap and a magnetic snap which will hopefully be very easy to access her essentials in the rush of the airport.

I have been asked many times for specialty bags for travel and I am hoping with Jen's input I will have an entire line of patterns for you to chose from. Stay tuned for the toiletry bag that I am almost finished with as well for Jen- it's so darn cute, I can't wait to see it completed! Since I am entirely UNcreative when it comes to making up names for my bags this whole line will just be Jen. A's travel line and this specific one is her Essential Hip Bag.

I can't wait to work my organic scarf Jen!! Even if it's 70 degrees I am still totally wearing it, I'm not waiting until next winter :).

The cost on this is $45.

A purse for little "S"!!

2010-03-14T23:56:00.005-04:00

I have never met little "S"'s mom but I really, really like her via email. She sent me such a kind text message before my little guy has his eye procedure last week- I was so touched that she even remembered!! It doesn't get any better than that!

So, I was thinking of ways to make little "S"'s purse extra special and I started playing around with my scraps and wire and voila- these little, jangly, flower charms were born! They are totally removable if "S" is not that into them but now I am OBSESSED so if you see them popping up on my little girl items just go along with it and take them off when I'm not around :).

"S"- I hope you love this purse made just for you honey!! You sure have a sweet Mommy!

My little girl purses are $18

Make up bags, a StrollerStrides/Wiregrass event and press!!!

2010-03-10T23:02:00.017-05:00

I never did get around to posting the rest of my Mommyista make-up bags that I made for my awesome friends so here they are!

I am participating in an event at Wiregrass mall in a few weeks for StrollerStrides! Those of you who know me know that I am a work-out-aholic (although I will post at another time how a personal trainer named "S" has taken me out of my comfort zone and I realize I'm not as strong as I think I am!!) so I was thrilled to be asked to be involved and support fitness for us frazzled women with young children. There will be a free class, raffles (I will raffle something and so will my amazing girlfriend Karen at http://www.thereadingcorner.org/ along with many others) and various things for the kiddos to do.

It's Friday, March 26th-here is more info....

TIME: Registration 8:30
Class 9:00 – 10:00
Entertainment and Fun 10:00

LOCATION: The Shops at Wiregrass
Meet at Centercourt in front of Macy’s
28211 Paseo Drive
Wesley Chapel, FL 33543

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.strollerstrides.net/newtampa

I hope that some of you can make it!

Very exciting news for me lately is that I had a little "press"!! I was so humbled and I loved my interviewer- loved her!! Here is the article-

http://www.examiner.com/x-10270-Pasco-County-Parenting-Examiner~y2010m3d5-Artistic-Pasco-mom-creates-a-stir-with-oneofakind-handbags

My last note is my littlest guy has eye surgery tomorrow morning. We are in Orlando tonight because the surgery is very early tomorrow morning. I can't nurse him after midnight tonight so I'm not looking forward to the wee morning hours :). Please keep him in your prayers that he handles it all as well as a 10 month old can!! Thanks!

Mish mash.....

2010-03-10T22:44:00.004-05:00

This is kind of a purse post- kind of not.

I found my daughter the other day going through really old VHS cassettes in a drawer. She (being a part of me) turned the VHS into a purse- who wouldn't think that glossy strip of tape wasn't a perfectly placeD handle for her tiny arm?? Thankfully it wasn't an old video of my childhood. We had an extensive argument following this photo that the VHS definitely was NOT a purse to no avail- she carried it around that way for the remainder of the day......I loose again.

A thing about sweet, wonderful, into-everything, 9 month old babies is that it is very difficult to get anything done with the older children you may have. I pray almost every night that I need to find more balance between baby's needs and my other children's needs....it's exhausting. While playing reading games one long afternoon my 4 year old decided that he had enough (!) of his brother crawling all over his carefully placed writing- after all, Mom was passing out jelly beans for every 3 words spelled!! So he drew a line on his board and wrote "No Mason"....the humor of it all struck me hard. How we all live together....wanting to be together but all needing some space/time/place of our own and none of us getting it :). Life as a family just cracks me up sometimes. The written sign fell on deaf ears and soon "No Masin" was smudged just like all of the other words from being crawled all over but it was so funny to me that I had to document it.

Mommy and me!!!!!

2010-03-03T20:34:00.010-05:00

I have been dying to post these bags! I was so thrilled that "M" asked me to make purses for her and her 2 year old daughter- I just loved making them!! I can't help but think about how excited my daughter gets when she has a purse- let alone one that looks like mine. She keeps all of her "lipsticks" in hers and I hope "little M" stocks her tiny purse full of the things that she adores.

When I was making these my daughter begged me to put this long, beaded fringe on "little M's" so it would be "shaky-shaky". I stalled a little but she continued to beg so I relented. Prying the purse out of my daughter's hands was no small task! Thankfully "little M's" mom was an awesome sport about the "shaky-shaky" fringe and hope it was as big as a hit as it was in my house!

I am still laughing at my daughter's tummy poking out of her jeans as she strikes her pose for these photos.

"M"- thank you for letting me go nuts on your bags! I loved adding trims and making something for the both of you.

Mommy "M's" purse is $42 and Little "M's" is $18

I sure wish that I could fit into this dress!!!

2010-02-28T18:59:00.003-05:00

My girlfriends are incredibly supportive of my work- like I said in my last post this business would all be nothing without them! My dear friend"C" is one that I think may be more passionate that I am about my work. When I tell her I have an event she will move mountains to be there! I don't know anyone as busy as she is but there is not ONE thing that I have done that she has not rearranged her life to be at and support me. I get really shy about selling my stuff too and she is always right there to bolster me up and get me talking about it....or even better, I let her talk for me :). She is amazing and I love, love, LOVE her!!

She has three beautiful, kind hearted children and her one little girl, "J", is an exquisite, little clone of her mother. "J" drew me a picture the very first time I met her (I still have it) and I've been smitten with her ever since. She is wonderful to my children and loves to play "mommy" when she is around my baby- it's hysterical. She's sharp as a tack and I love spending time with her.

When I saw this fabric at the recent quilting expo (heaven!!!) it stopped me in my tracks because I knew it was perfect for "J"'s Easter dress. I'm so excited that I had to post this but as soon as I get pictures of her IN the dress you will see what I mean when I say this dress screams "J"!!

"J" and "C"- you know how much I care about you!! XOXOXO.

My dresses really range between $45 and $70 depending on the type of fabric and how many ruffles are added. One exactly like this, in this fabric, would be $68. Many other fabric choices will be between $55 and $60.

A convertible strap purse for Lara!! Learning something new every day!

2010-02-28T10:47:00.003-05:00

Once again, I get a new request that gives me a little epiphany on what I can do with handbags! When I was going over Lara's "old (pre-Laci Jean)" purse with her and getting her feedback on what she loves and what she would change about it she told me the most important thing was having two different lengths for her straps. One had to be long enough to use as a crossover and then one that she could just yank over her shoulder. Hallelujah! I had never thought about that myself. When it turned out undeniable cute I was even more thrilled!!

The fabric she chose rocks too- I was only going to use it on aprons but it has a great retro-modern thing going on when I used it on this purse.

I was so excited that Lara ordered a bag from me (secretly hoping we could trade services because my kids will love me if they get more KidzClub trips!!!) because I respect her so much for all that she does for her community and local moms. I participated in the KidzClub Holiday Market Night in December TOTALLY at the last minute....I truly was a mini disaster and asked Lara if I could get in on it I think the day before the event. Then I couldn't drop my stuff off at the appropriate time and I even arrived late but not once did she seem annoyed or make me feel unwelcome. She is always warm, helpful and totally supportive. I am sure she understands that running your own business while raising children is like climbing Mount Everest backwards but man, she makes running hers AND helping others at the same time look easy!!

You are a great source of inspiration Lara! Thank you for everything-I truly loved making this for you!!!

Lara's purse is $42 without the crossover handle and $45 with the addition of the extra handle.

Seriously classic- seriously functional- SUPER gorgeous.

2010-02-25T13:45:00.002-05:00

I started this business by gift making- really- I made gifts for my girlfriends and it spiraled into a word of mouth, heaven of a job for me. I can remember several years of praying that I would be able to somehow use my creativity and still be able to stay home with my children and watching my answer unfold is amazing to me!!

The way that I approach each order is as if I am still making a friend a gift.....a little bit of her- a little bit of me- and hopefully something perfect for that person in the end.

This is not a purse that I would have probably put together on my own which makes me love it even more when I look at it- it's absolutely gorgeous!! Whenever I emailed "J" I felt like she was right in my living room because we worked so closely together on every detail. I got so excited about her being involved in the process that I got into taking "in progress" photos of the pieces that I was working on at the time (bear with me if in the next weeks I show how I make one....probably boring to most of you but nonetheless thrilling to me!). Because of "J"'s requests- this bag is 100% hers. The only pattern of it is right here in my little house- clearly, there will be no mass production as long as I have three kids under the age of 5- and I hope that makes it extra special to her! I had a hard time with the lighting so I didn't get good photos of the inside- which has 6 pockets (I think) and a divider down the middle. The outside of the bag is a little decieving as to what this thing has going on in the inside! I definitely have to name this bag after "J" but honestly, my brain is fried right now so my creativity is used up and I have no good ideas for the name. When I come up with one I will update the blog. If anyone has any ideas- feel free to send them to me!

"J"- you were wonderful to work with! I loved your attention to every detail and the energy that you brought into it all. I LOOOOOOVE how beautiful it turned out and it's SO you! Thank you so much and I look forward to picking your brain for more projects :).

Jenn A.'s shoulder bag is $48

Preview for "M"!!

2010-02-17T21:49:00.004-05:00

A purse especially for "M" who was so sweet and undemanding as I fumbled my way through sick kids and sewing these past couple of weeks! This fabric looks AMAZING with this style- how gorgeous is that graphic-trellis thing that is going on in the print?! I'm looking forward to delivering it to her soon. For now, this is your preview! Thank you so much "M"!!!

This is my Miss Karen's Multi-tasker- price is $42.

Oooo- a waterproof purse!! (Carolyn's carry-all)

2010-02-08T19:56:00.002-05:00

If you live at all in the sewing world you will recognize this recently released laminated fabric from Amy Butler- it's gorgeous and the possibilities are endless. It's completely wipeable and water resistant. I'm working on a bib made from it as well that I'll write about shortly.

My great friend, Miss Jenn, had a perfect thought to make a waterproof purse for her mother in law, Carolyn, for her birthday!! One of my favorite qualities about Jenn is that she really does focus when you are having a conversation and she picks gifts based on what she has picked up on in discussions with her. Whenever she asks me to make something for a friend she can recall a laundry list of reasons why that person could use the item. She is so darn sweet.

Carolyn works as a water therapist (I know that's probably not her exact title but you get the gist) and if you met her you would know immediately that she does something nurturing as a job. She is SUPER comforting and kind. Every time she comes to visit I am pregnant or with a newborn and she always lends a hand to help me even though she has her own grandchildren vying for her attention. She is a DREAM of a mother in law and I know that Jenn loves her like crazy. I get excited for Jenn every time I know that she is on her way to visit- they are terrific friends and her grandchildren are bonkers for her!!!

If I remember correctly, Carolyn is quite a successful seamstress herself so I surely hope she thinks I did an OK job :)! Jenn is hoping this will be the perfect tote for her to carry to the poolside while she works and she will not have to worry about it getting ruined. It has ample pockets inside, one large, easily accessed pocket on the outside and would also make a glorious beach bag.

I have to say- most things that I make I really want to keep! This one.....I want to keep it BAD.

Happy birthday Carolyn!! and I love you Jenn!

Oh yah- these will cost $46.

Easter dresses for two of the sweetest little ladies in my life

2010-02-07T23:09:00.003-05:00

Before I talk about the dresses I'll talk about the girls!! The little one, "K" usually spends a lot of time with me and we are good buddies. I love it when she comes to me instead of her mom and her mother gets slightly jealous....is it OK that I like that kind of attention?? I can't help it and I'm totally enamoured with her. My daughter also kicks me to the curb for her mother so I guess it's even.

The older girl ,"A" is also a little angel and doesn't have a nasty bone in her body. That works out great since her and my daughter are incredibly close and they play wonderfully together. "A" shares better than any child that I have ever met in my life and every day since it happened I think about the time we were making cookies together a few weeks ago and she looked up at me and said "I wuv you Miss Holly". It totally warmed my heart. I wuv you too "A"- a LOT!

These little girls are amazing and I'm so blessed to be a part of their lives!!

That all being said- I obviously like to make things for them, so here are my dresses (that work out beautiful for Easter this year!!) that I added a few more touches to so they would be extra special. I just can't stand how cute the ruffles are- the more the merrier!!

You can always add on matching bloomers and purses if you are interested. I only make these for custom orders.

I could look at these photos all day long, they are so darn cute. "A" and "K"- thanks for posing, hope you enjoyed your lollipop!

$62 each.

Make-up bags and more Mommyista.....

2010-02-05T20:27:00.001-05:00

I am having a Mary Kay party soon......which I have never done before. So I had to come up with a way to tempt my girlfriends to come- other than the make up and my company of course!

My solution- handmade makeup bags to fit each of their amazing personalities. I think I had more fun deciding which fabric fits each girl than I even had constructing them. I have to say that I thank God for my friends often and always and I truly love making things for them!!!

The girls from Mommyista asked me to raffle one for their event that just passed this week (it was great!! The speaker is a coupon guru and did a wonderful job. I can't wait to use my newly honed coupon skills this weekend. I think you can find her at I Heart Coupons on Facebook.).

So this is the one that I brought. It can also be a wristlet if you just want to throw a few essentials in it instead of taking your entire bag along with you.

When I finish the bags for the party I will most certainly post them so I can share how adorable they all are. The price is $18 for those of you interested in one.

Miss Karen's Multitasker

2010-02-04T23:08:00.002-05:00

The best thing about this post is that I am not the person in the pictures!! Woo hoo! We live on a golf course and I have to admit that I get really, really embarrassed when the golfers see me posing with the purses using my timer to take pictures of myself- surely it looks strange!! I hate doing it so using my adorable girlfriend as my model this time was heaven.

The worst thing about this post is that we had a freeze and boy, does that grass look brown in the background or what???

On to the purse though.........simply put, it's the diaper bag shrunk down to a very capable size. Still TONS of pockets and storage but much smaller and we didn't do a zipper closure. Miss Karen needs lots of compartments because she would organize the entire United States perfectly if you let her loose on it. My haphazard, throw-everything-in-a-sling-and-i-will-find-it-later system would make her lose her mind. Her idea to shrink the diaper bag was brilliant and I'm really excited about how cute it turned out for her.

Just to recap it's features- there are two elastic pockets on the front, then two more elastic pockets on each side. In addition there are two pockets on the inside. The inside pockets are always flexible according to your need. I can make them bigger, smaller, sectioned off- whatever- just let me know what you are looking to store in there and I can figure out what would work.

I also added a key chain that attaches on this bag because Miss Karen has a 1 and a half year old who enjoys quietly sneaking off with her Mommy's keys and hiding them. At one point she had lost all three sets of keys to her minivan so it sat in the driveway for a few days until she called the local stores she frequents and a set turned up- whew!

Thank you for your constant encouragement Karen!! I love our friendship so much!!!!

These are $42-

A fabric choice that was not by me and I STILL like it!!

2010-01-10T23:25:00.003-05:00

Both of the incredible girls who run the Mommyista (see http://www.themommyista.com/) have previously ordered handbags from me for them and their friends. Nothing gets more more excited than seeing them walk in wearing some thing that I made- I LOVE it!!!

One of them ("A") requested that I make her friend a bag out of fabric that she already had. Normally- this may make me gasp- giving up control and wondering if I like what fabric she chose??? However- knowing "A"'s sense of style and her fellow fabric fetish I knew I was in good hands and here is the outcome. Everyone that has seen it gushes over how cute the fabric is and much to my dismay I can't take credit this time :).

Just a tidbit of info about how sweet "A" is- she had the bag made because she remembers her friend commenting on how great this fabric was and how cute it would be in a purse. Then she met me and quickly afterwards asked if I would make the purse. There is nothing like a friend who is truly listening! Note to my friends- please don't hold me to the same standard!

In my next posts I will show the bags that I am deciding from to have raffled at The Mommyista's next event (Jan. 14th) "Find your inner Fit Chick" at Seasons.

This is my Miss Jenn's Everyday Bag- price is $48.

Sick kids and tons of time to do awesome art projects

2010-01-10T23:03:00.002-05:00

I have several items that I am behind on posting- our entire family has been sick since before Christmas with various illnesses and they just keep coming!!

In a selfish way- I have to say the time at home without being able to leave the house has been WONDERFUL! Especially since it is freezing outside so the only thing my kids can do is play board games, puzzles and art projects with me!

This is a really basic project but it was so beautiful I had to take a picture. Just dye various pasta and teach your little ones along the way about mixing and making colors. After that, we would string for a necklace and created little sculptures by gluing it all together. We were even fascinated by our leftover gorgeous colored pasta when we put it in a bag before it was dry and mold grew on it overnight....it was STILL beautiful!

What cracked me up is after I took a picture my 4 year old grabbed the camera and took his own close up (his pic is on top). He writes books for his reading teacher so he is currently very into taking his own pictures for his books. I was even scolded recently when I got his pics printed out for him because I didn't print the "black ones" that he took- I obviously thought they were mistakes but I was corrected!! It quickly reminded me to let my kids be the judge of what is part of their creative process or not- that's easier said than done sometimes :).

Something for one of the sweetest women that I know!!

2009-12-24T22:26:00.003-05:00

Whew! It's Christmas Eve and we are finally done setting everything up for the morning festivities. Now I have a few minutes to write about making a "Jessica Purse" for my wonderful friend named "M".

The first time that I met "M" she saw me walking into church with a bag of food for a food drive that we were having. Not only did she run over to me to help me carry it and tell me where it needed to go but she was so warm and friendly that I couldn't resist her offer to go to a meeting that got me involved serving on our ministry to the poor (St. Vincent de Paul) and that service has truly changed my life. She NEVER stops giving, stops supporting or stops caring- she has more energy than I do in my pinkie finger- she's incredible!! Oh yeah- and she is beautiful on top of it all.

A week before the St. Tim's show she and her husband came over to our house for a party. I had all of my purses and other items "staged" for planning my booth and I loved getting feedback from my guests. "M's" super sweet husband ("R") pulled me to the side and asked me to make a purse for her that he had seen her eyeing down. He even paid attention to what fabric she liked and will be surprising her with her custom purse for Christmas. How amazing that he was attentive enough to order one JUST for her as a surprise!?? "R"- you are my #2 incredible husband of the year for 2009!!!!- sorry, #1 is taken for my own husband just in case he ever reads my blog!

"R" and "M"- thank you for being such a source of inspiration for me and for your ever flowing kindness!! I cannot wait to hear how you feel about your purse "M".

xoxo-

holly

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!

This is my Jessica bag- they cost $45.