Excess Baggage

Binding Attachment & Poppie Schools Me on the Basics

2012-02-17T11:15:00.001-05:00

I've been sewing for a most of my life...over 20 years now. You would think I was "in the know".

Not really.

Poppie getting his old industrial machine ready for me to sew a stack of belts.

Just recently, my 85 year old Poppie was teaching me how to operate my Grammy's old portable sewing machine (which he has given me...yes!!) and taught me things like presser foot pressure adjustment. I had not heard of this but I should know it according to look he gave me. He knows the ins and outs of sewing machines from his days repairing industrial sewing machines at the awning manufacturer that he worked for in Detroit for 57 years. FIFTY-SEVEN YEARS. Boggles my mind. Anywho, then he saw me struggling to thread the needle (he makes me nervous) and laughed at me when I wet the tip of the thread. He laughed at me! "You wet the needle, Barb...not the thread!" he said and laughed again. Man! Turns out I don't even know the tricks on threading a needle!

Classic.

Since I am so out of the "know" imagine my excitement every time I discover a new presser foot or attachment that does some great thing. Things that have probably been around for years and years but I'm just getting to. I have a ruffler foot already that I love but don't really find opportunity use. My most recent purchase are these binding attachments. They double fold a strip fabric for a finished edge and sew it all together at one time. Genius!

I bought three different sizes. The following pics are using the 1.25" size.

Here is the 1.25" stripe of fabric to feed into the attachment.

A side view of the fabric and attachment. A view of my coffee. :)

Another side view with the fabric pulled all the way through.

In place on the machine. I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of the other fabric feeding through. Basically it just rides along the left side and catches between the now folded binding.

This was my first run...no so good with the wrinkles. I adjusted something...I have no idea what. (Later I learned that I could have adjusted the presser foot pressure.)

It finally came out much better!

My goal was to make a fun apron with binding edges. I do like it but I have NOT mastered running the scalloped overlay through the binding attachment. It is not my friend...for now anyway.

Another view of the apron (upper pocket) I used a zig-zag stitch.

I have a few of these half aprons (all different prints) at Yellow Door right now and three here in my studio that I'll have at spring shows. Not sure if this design will last. It all depends if I can conquer those scallops.

I'm off to practice threading a needle!

"Unnamed" Crafty Steph

2012-02-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a name comes to me on these Crafty Steph bags and sometimes not. This time...not. But I love it just the same. Here are a few pics of the latest one-of-a-kind Crafty Steph...

Turning Ten

2012-02-14T06:20:00.000-05:00

Everett is turning ten tomorrow. I remember turning ten myself over a billion years ago. :) I remember saying, "Double digits baby!" And laughing hysterically like I was really something. Ev is so excited for his birthday too and has been planting gift ideas and strong suggestions in my ear for weeks. It's difficult to believe that he is "double digits baby"! Seems like yesterday we brought him home from the hospital or watched him take his first steps.

My-oh-my does time fly but it hasn't changed my Everett too much. He is still my go-to guy for a good laugh about the most trivial things. He has the greatest sense of humor and can be the goofiest goofball ever. No, really. Husband gets a concerned, borderline panicked look on his face when Ev gets crazy. I laugh and say, "He'll be OK." trying to sound reassuring "I was totally like that when I was his age." (This is very much a true statement and my mom has video to prove it! I was just so super goofy.) I love it that he can have hours of fun with a Q-tip, a scrap of paper and his fully loaded arsenal of sound effects. His imagination runs wild and before long he's overcome a worthy opponent and all order is restored in the world.

Funny thing is...he's also my go-to guy for a serious conversation about life, dreams, and goals that seem just out of reach. He has a way of encouraging me and others to keep on keeping on. Seems odd that he could rule both ends of the spectrum...but he does!

He's one of a kind and I'm so glad he's ours!! I'm excited to be apart of his next ten years! Wishing Ev a very happy tenth birthday!!!

Back in the Saddle

2012-02-12T15:59:00.000-05:00

We arrived late to the show yesterday by any artist's standards. This was obvious by the friendly jeers I received as I entered my booth space from my neighbor, Patti. Who is amazing-by the way. I laughed. What? We had like five minutes until show time. And we set up the night before. Ha! We were so late and I knew it! Mom and I scrambled around finishing our last minute pricing and organizing. We explained that we were getting our wings back after our one year hiatus. It was silly, really, but we had to stop for coffee on our way in. Duh! :)

We were so out of it that we didn't know who should stand where or even how to work the calculator. Oh my goodness! For one sale, Mom ran the numbers twice and both times I owed the customer $8.07 plus a device case. Haha! We laughed and I took over the calculator. Too much! It was as if it was our very first show or something. Needless to say, we had a lot of fun! Thanks to all who were patient with our crazy antics.

I do love the Crafters' Clearance show. So many familiar faces and lots of good deals to be had. Personally, I picked up a t-shirt from ellembee. It's yellow and grey. Love it!

I was very happy with our new set-up. Back to the old-school table top thing. This is a pic I took during set-up...hence Laurie Lou behind the table and totally unaware. I collected some old suitcases from my mom and Poppie, re-lined them with some fun fabric and stacked zipper pouches, devices cases and other small items inside. Then, when it's time to leave, you close the top and hit the road! I love an easy take down. I decided to try a table top display as the thought of lugging around those crazy metal grid wall sections stressed me out. I'm glad we did this too since Saturday was super cold and windy.

Thanks so everyone who braved the cold and came to see us! We had a great time laughing and remembering why we do what we do.

It's good to be back!

Spring 2012 Show Update

2012-02-08T08:53:00.000-05:00

Crafters' Clearance
February 11, 2012
10a to 4p
HFII High School
Sterling Heights, MI
www.craftersclearance.com

Sterling Heights High School Band Vendor and Pasta Dinner Fundraiser
February 28, 2012
6p to 9p
Sterling Heights High School
8900 15 Mile Road
Sterling Heights
(there is no charge to attend the Vendor Show)

Saline Spring
March 24, 2012
8a to 3:30p
Saline Middle School
7190 N. Maple
Saline, MI
www.salineshows.com

New Bag | Donna

2012-02-03T08:06:00.000-05:00

My Grammy's most prized possessions are kept safely in her purse which she places deliberately in the crook of her elbow then folds her arm to her chest and holds that arm tightly in place with her opposite hand. Her bag is safe an secure and so are all of her treasures. So when I set out to make a shorter, more rounded handle...I immediately thought of her.
And so I give you..."Donna"

"Donna" features a zipper closure (to keep those treasures safe) and three interior pockets (two standard and one pen size), pleated and top stitch detailing and applique circles with hand embroidery stitching. The handles are soft yet sturdy and sewn to the outer shell with lots of reinforcement.

This bag was a joy to create. And I love that it reminded my of Grammy and proudly wears her name! So far, the bags pictured are the only ones I've made. I will be making more soon!

Ribbon Memo Board

2012-01-11T10:05:00.001-05:00

I feel like I'm about eight years late making one of these French Ribbon Memo Boards. Not sure why it didn't occur to be earlier that one of these would be a good addition to the studio. But one day I was looking at the wall space between my longest upper cabinets (see below) and thought of it.

Ah well, better late than never.

A quick search for instructions and I was off to pick up the necessary painters canvas and fabric. As if I didn't have any to choose from here...right? :) I used a manual stapler to attach the fabric and batting to the wooden frame of the canvas all the way around.

Laid out my grey ribbon in one direction. I didn't measure. I eyeballed it, committed to my estimation and stapled it down. I should have measured. Anywho....

Eyeballed the other ribbon direction and stapled.

Visited the button dish and picked out some colorful buttons to add to the ribbon intersections. I glued these down first then hand-sewed some decorative stitches around them.

The size canvas I picked out was perfect to fill the wall space. And now I am somewhat more current in the memo board department. Whew!

the project: fireplace

2012-01-09T08:24:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I've posted a project: home update.

Most recently, we gave the fireplace a facelift and built a mantel. It was our goal to have it done in time for Christmas and we did! Barely :)

Here are the pictures. Sorry for the poor quality...I took them on my phone as we went along.

The beginning

a rented hammer drill that saved the day breaking out the hearth tile

I let husband run that thing...I held the shopvac with extreme accuracy instead

how many bucket of mortar and grout did I mix??

the first coat of thinset over the brick to give the tile a smooth surface to adhere to

first row of tile...already an improvement

after almost 8 hours of tiling the sides were complete

dry fitting the granite tile hearth

figuring out to build a mantel

still figuring it out but making progress

Success! One more coat of paint went on after this pic was taken.

15% off sale

2011-10-20T11:37:00.000-04:00

This Saturday,

October 22, 2011

I will be offering 15% off in my Etsy store!!

Just use coupon code OCT22SALE during checkout.

Newly listed items include cosmetic bags, wristlet key rings, "Leah" purses, "Shannon" purses and reversible aprons.

Happy Birthday Yellow Door!

2011-10-10T11:50:00.000-04:00

Save the date kids...Yellow Door is turning one!

October 22, 2011
10a to 6p

Artists will be offering 15% off! (some exclusions)
and there will be other festivities and goodies during the celebration!

I will also be releasing a coupon code good on October 22 for 15% off anything in my Etsy shop (custom orders excluded).

Yay for sales!!!

backyard football | with the T-Man

2011-10-07T13:41:00.000-04:00

I was staring at my fabric wall waiting for inspiration. Truthfully, I was trying to talk myself into starting a batch of wine totes but I wasn't "feeling it" so I was resisting. That sounds silly but really it's a regular occurrence. Thankfully, I was distracted by some murmuring and what sounded like distant cheering outside my studio window. Naturally I investigated the noises.

This is my normal view of the backyard from the studio. (Look at all those crazy trees! And we've cleaned up a ton already. So much to be done...but that's another story.)

Then I saw him. The T-Man (his self appointed nickname). He was hard at work...even put on his cleats. I grabbed my camera and snuck some pics as he was running to score the touchdowns.

Recovering the ball.

Making the play.

Punting.

Catching.

Purposely fumbling in order to make the game saving recovery.

Commentating every down, every move. Always the hero...always the best.

I came clean and explained my impromptu surprise photo shoot.

His reply..."Did you get my good side Mom?"

You know it, T-Man!!

in the studio

2011-10-06T13:55:00.004-04:00

for fun I went free-style and ended up with this little ditty.

so glad it has already found a loving home! :)

still wanted to share a few pics...

two necklaces | one sweet girlie

2011-10-03T21:30:00.000-04:00

after having gotten dressed this morning (where i had layered two necklaces that i haven't worn in a while) i emerged from my room and caught my girlie's eye. she gasped, "your necklaces! you are so pretty, mommy!" she jumped off her chair and ran to hug my waist, "you are so pretty, mommy! i love your outfit!" she took a step back and gave me another visual "once over"...smiling. i felt myself smiling and thanked her.

this morning, i was infused with a boost of confidence from my five-year-old and stood up a little straighter for the rest of the day. i hope i can impress her the same and as easily in ten years. unlikely. so, for now, i'm going to pick up a few new necklaces...

A bit since April...

2011-09-30T08:10:00.000-04:00

There was baseball.

and patchwork totes.

Cosmetic bags made a come back.

Addy's room finally started coming together with bedding, wallpaper and chandelier.

And she likes it!

We cut down about 14 trees in our backyard. Mostly weed trees that have been neglected over the years. We also had a few dead ones. And one that harbored boxelder bugs that tried to invade...yuck. This was our third and largest stack for the chipper.

Yellow Door booth got another makeover.

Including a new display for matching adult and child aprons.

The kitchen backsplash went in after we found the tile discounted and discontinued.

Tristan and Addy had a high fashion vintage photoshoot. This was one of his outfits...so adorable!

The game room was taken over by school a bit. We purchased all the kiddos matching work stations. It has been such a blessing!

New This Week

2011-04-28T17:18:00.004-04:00

Here are a few pieces I've been working on this week.
Super bright & happy Messenger here.
Large Shannon with Rings...love this fabric combination.
I've had my eye on this orange paisley for a while. So glad I finally picked some up.
Tote and two Messengers.

Have a few other pieces in the works right now including a Convertible Apron in browns/orange. Yay!

Back to work!

2011-04-11T09:16:00.021-04:00

These past weeks I've been working in my new home studio! Yay!

It's set-up a lot like the studio in the store front in Shelby Township.

But I was able to squeeze in my chairs from two places ago that had been hiding in my bedroom at the live/work. And, of course, the storage cabinets are in the corner housing all the fabric scraps, abandoned projects and hardware.

My cutting table is situated under the only window in the room. It looks out into the backyard so I can keep an eye on the baseball games (and coinciding arguments) that the kids play all summer. I can also hear the objections from the four small doggies next door who are not baseball fans from what I've witnessed thus far. Hoping they grow to like or at least tolerate the game in the coming months.

Anyway, I was able to complete a few orders for some VERY patient customers. Thank you...you know who you are. :) Also I've been working on some new product for inventory.

[messenger bag in the works]

[convertible apron]

[messenger bag]

[lavender sachets in the works]

I'm looking forward to cutting into this stack of fabric. Very inspired by some of these prints.

I've also been playing around with pocket applique.

[Another messenger bag with a pretty pocket is currently at Yellow Door...which leads me to my next paragraph.]

Yesterday, I added a few items to the Yellow Door booth in Berkley. Including new Messenger Bags and two Half Aprons. Last week I added a Craft Apron, Zipper Pouches and new Key FOBS.

[Yellow Door booth...sorry it's a little blurry...too much coffee I guess:) ]

IN OTHER NEWS:

I wallpapered my new studio closet. Isn't this cute paper?

I just couldn't stand the thought of repairing these walls So I did the lazy thing and covered it all up with wallpaper. Good to have it off the list.

Baseball for two boys started a couple of weeks ago. My oldest is beginning his first year in the majors and my 7 year old is beginning his first year in pitching machine. And we begin the never ending taxi service to and from practices five times a week. The younger two are excited for baseball season because it usually means they get to play at school parks five times a week.

IN SHOW NEWS:

We'll be back!

Berkley Art Bash

June 11, 2011

10a to 6p

Will update as more shows are added to my calender.

The Project: bathroom

2011-04-11T08:58:00.010-04:00

As promised here are a few pics of the bathroom reno. We still have work to complete in there. Mainly a built in shelving thingy that used to be a window before the addition was built. A visit to IKEA, I'm confident, will solve storage/finishing issues with that project.

We bought this beauty.

We tore it up!

There was plumbing and electrical and drywall and taping and lots of mud.Tile going up in the tub/shower.And on the floor.With bath fixtures.And finally some lighting, vanity and medicine cabinet.

There it is. No decorating plan for the bath yet. But it's just a matter of time :)

The Project: update

2011-03-23T14:07:00.023-04:00

I CANNOT believe that it has almost been a month since my last post!

We had to pour on the gas on the renovation in this month as our move out date of 3-31 was imminent and quickly approaching. This meant that the kids and I have woke up, got dressed, piled in the van and headed to the new house everyday. All day. Then back to the live/work just in time for bed and past normal bedtimes for the younger two. We are exhausted.

But it's come together! Yesterday, we had the final two city inspectors come through and they issued our temporary occupancy. Which means that we are free to move in but still have work to do (mainly to the exterior) before they will close our file completely. That was a huge weight off! Also, I was able to dink around enough to make all the necessary repairs for the insurance company. So, although I haven't gotten final word, I think we are also insurable! Yay!

So...pictures! Here are a few from my phone. I have more on my camera but it's currently stowed away in a kitchen cabinet and Mr. Koenke is here staining the wood floors (Hooray!) and I'm too much of a scaredy cat to ask if I can tip toe over there. So, in the mean time...

Carpet in the Game Room! Since this pic, we've finished painting where the leak resurfaced...rawr. And installed new trim around the lights as well as lenses.

A long way from how we bought it!

New front door. Many thanks to Kalin's brother who came over to help hang it. We are so grateful for his help!

The old front door.

New studio floor and paint. I stuck with the same paint color as I've had for the live/work space as well as my previous home studio. I love it! It's called Rice Paddy. The floor is a hi-gloss grey laminate floating floor from IKEA. It's sparkly and shiny right now but I know it will soon be dinged with scissors dropping and scuffed by kids being themselves. Such is life. :)

How the studio started.

This is a pic of the hardwood floor being installed. We had them extended into the kitchen from the dining room. I'm so glad we did!

All installed in the rough.

Then the cabinets went in.

And countertops. We went with the inexpensive light grey formica.

Added the sink with the "to-be" backsplash tile propped for a visual.

Like I mentioned above, as I write this, the floors are being stained. They were so filthy (see above pic) I cannot tell you! Mr. Koenke said he had to rough sand them three times when usually he only rough sands once. Ack! This house was really something.

But the raw wood was beautiful even though it had pet stains from the previous owners that couldn't be sanded out.

The stain looks so good!

Dare we revisit the kitchen?

The bathroom was tiled, grouted, plumbed and caulked. Probably the biggest change is the bathroom. I'll post pics soon. I think those are on my camera.

Thanks for hanging in there for all my house renovation posts!

Art Fair Fever Event

2011-02-28T09:40:00.006-05:00

Saturday, March 5th, 10a to 6p

@ Yellow Door Art Market in Berkley

I was there on Wednesday restocking my booth and saw many other artists doing the same!

Stop in and check out some new work and some newly added artists! It will surely be a super fun day!

The Project: addy's room paint & plan

2011-02-28T09:20:00.009-05:00

Addy's room at closing...

She is excited to get a new room and announced that she wanted one wall pink, one purple, one white and one beige. Wha?

While I do appreciate her enthusiasm, I did have to intervene and develop a Plan B, if you will. Here it is.

I want to do a grey damask wallpaper on the window wall only.This one is from Lowes.

The other three walls are painted "Vaguely Mauve" kind of like this.

I ordered her bedding from Overstock.com. It's a bed-in-a-bag by Perry Ellis called Asian Lily in Plum

After we move in, I plan on finishing with this little chandelier from Home Depot It may take a while for this though as a chandelier in a five year old's room definitely fits in the "want" category.

So far the room has been painted by my painter man and husband :)
Kalin and Addy snuggling after a long weekend of late nights. We all had a hard time getting moving this day.

The Project: kitchen wall cabinets

2011-02-28T09:10:00.004-05:00

A reminder of the beginning...

Today...

With help from this guy...
Who used his birthday money to buy the kids' tool set from Lowes. He also bought Derby Car kits for himself and his siblings. What a guy. He installed many cover plates for us.
Next, for the kitchen, is hardwood floor installation. Then we can put our base cabinets in. We're down to the last four weeks of this reno before the owner of our rental closes on the SALE of the live/work. No possible one or two week rental extensions as we had originally hoped for and comforted ourselves with. Augh!

The Project: color & roof repair

2011-02-21T12:02:00.010-05:00

This past week there was a lot of staring at my color book. Talking to it, protecting it from the kids messing up my perfectly fanned cards and carrying it around to place it in different lights. I even laid out the plan for my kids and tried to explain that we must establish a proper flow. They looked at me blankly and walked away. With the exception of Tristan. I think he gets it. Yes!

Here's where I've landed for the time...
Some rooms will have two colors as one or two walls will be accent walls. The game room will have a wide horizontal stripe (I think). Looking at it right now, it looks like a lot of color for a small house and it doesn't even include colors for my studio. Yikes! I may have to revisit this.

We also took advantage of the "warmer" days to get some roof repair done. I mentioned about the hole in the game room here. If you will remember we had this opening through the roof.We gathered our supplies and up we went to re-tar and re-shingle the roof around that area. Something I know nothing about. But years of my husband watching This Old House does sometimes pay off and I should consider relenting on my poking fun at him for it.

Noted.

Usually during a project, I'm right in there with Kalin. Side by side, working and chatting, bouncing ideas off one another.

NOT ON A ROOF. I don't do heights. Nope.

But Kalin said I should come up there and face my fears. So I did but I was no help. Thank God for Seth. He was a natural.

He even stood up and walked around. (I do the crab crawl.)

Most of the time I sat in the vertical fetal position and yelled "Be Quiet!" as if that would help anything. I insisted Seth stay at least 4 shingle rows from the edge. He ignored my safety warnings and gave me that "Geez Mom!" look. Then pretended to lose his balance which made me scream. They laughed at me a lot. I did manage to wiggle out my phone to take a picture of them working.
And one of my state of panic.
At one point I texted my mom to tell her about the serious situation at hand. But I forgot to mention that..

A) I decided to close the studio early to work on the house...she thought my plan was to sew for the day.
B) That Kalin was with me on the roof...she assumed that I was alone.
C) That it was almost time to get down...just so happens Kalin got me off the roof just after I sent the initial text. Which as you can see may have caused a bit of "motherly panic" for her and I think did as she throughly explained during a phone conversation immediately following. Whoops.

We also got the roof vent installed for the bathroom fan. During this project, the guys left me alone on the roof for minutes on end. Which was not fun. Plus, it was a super windy day. I couldn't bring myself to take any pictures during that time. I do apologize.

I'm glad it's over.

Well, I think it's over. We'll see as the snow starts to melt if our (ahemmm "their") handywork will hold up. I think it will.

The Project: priming

2011-02-15T13:53:00.016-05:00

This house had walls with "stuff" literally dripping off them. Dripping. Gross.

We sanded the paint down.
Bleached the walls.
Mudded all the cracks, holes and damaged areas.
Sanded again. Oh...the sanding!

My parents primed the hallway on Saturday and suddenly there was new life in these walls.

This is my Poppie. He's 84. He is a worker bee. He's been showing up to the house from time to time asking to help. He wants to help so badly. He can hardly hear us. He can see out of only one eye. There's not a lot for him to do. But he knew we were sanding walls. So he grabbed a chair and jumped right in.

The dining room before...

A couple of views of the dining room after...with blue ceiling {love} and one coat of primer...there may be hope for this room too.

Don't go falling in love with my Fourth of July vinyl tablecloth window treatments. Those are custom! Also note the green "Approved" stickers from the inspectors. Yay!

Day three of the weekend shift...I had enough!

Back at it this weekend. Hopefully will get some color on the kitchen and dining room. Here's what I'm planning...the light blue on the left is the ceiling...the darker bottom color is for the dining room...the top grey color for the kitchen.

A Valentine's Day Dirty Van

2011-02-15T13:38:00.005-05:00

I have a minivan.

It's usually pretty trashed in the winter.

Right now the back is filled with tools and supplies that we take back and forth to the reno house.

This is my third boy.

His name is Tristan but I call him Mookie-pants.

He whispered in my ear on Sunday and asked if I would be his Valentine.

I accepted. Smiling.

It was Valentine's Day yesterday.

I closed the store and spent the whole day at the reno house mudding and sanding. I was a mess.

We left the house last night at 9p after the kids loaded up the tools for me.

Got in my dirty van and started to pull out of the driveway.

Glanced in the rear view mirror...

"Mookie, did you write 'I love you mom' on the dirty back window?"

"Yes."

Forgot about the drywall dust between my toes and itching my head.

Forgot about my very sore shoulder and aching back.

Smiled. "Thank you."

Not in a hurry to wash my Valentine's Day Van.

The Project: tub and drywall install

2011-02-08T13:19:00.012-05:00

*Sorry for the poor quality of these pics.*

We have a tub!

And drywall on the bathroom ceiling. (Needing lots of mud and tape to patch it but at least it's up!)

When we bought the house, there was a huge hole in the roof where a wood burning stove was taken out. Thus exposing the interior to weather. Hello!
We patched the hole right away but it is still leaking as the snow melts on the roof. This past weekend we removed all of the damaged drywall. Before the dust settled I snapped a pic of what we're left with.

We are hoping for a few sunny/semi-warm days so we can patch the roof properly and get this room drywalled.

In the mean time...the kitchen is primed and ready for paint. I did get to pick out paint colors which is always a treat! This is our plan for the kitchen so far. Most of these items are from Home Depot.
[White cabinets, "Austere Grey" wall color, red-ish hardwood floor, brushed nickel lighting, tile backsplash.]

One day it will all come together...for now I'll be covered in drywall dust :)

The Newest Crafty Steph

2011-02-02T10:51:00.009-05:00

Just in time for Valentines Day...

The Project: kitchen drywall

2011-01-31T14:08:00.013-05:00

Me...covered in white drywall dust, rocking a sweet ponytail with wispy flyaways that won't be tamed...looking off into the distance after having just helped husband hang that drywall in the background, thinking of fabric or Starbucks...I'm not sure which but clearly I lacked any shred of excitement to hang the remaining pieces.

But we did. And taped a little too.
Our motto: It's OK, that part will be covered by cabinets. Our motto keeps this project well within our skill set. Very well within.
And here they sit, those mistake hiding, wavy wall covering cabinets. Waiting patiently to mask the DIY efforts of husband and myself. :)

The Project: mini kitchen demo & wiring

2011-01-25T14:06:00.011-05:00

It hadn't seen a lot of love. (First pics of kitchen at closing.) Yipes.

It may have felt more neglected when we rolled in one day and took out all the cupboards and built-ins.

And it probably cringed some more when we took the Sawzall to the walls.

To make way for running new wire for lighting and outlets. (All GFCI outlets, by the way, because that's code...just in case you were wondering...and I'm sure you weren't. haha)

We failed our first electrical inspection. And there was sadness. We learned from our mistakes and called our inspector back out. I even made some handy notes explaining out intention for these random boxes.

And we passed!

We can now close up the kitchen walls and prep for paint, cabinets and flooring. Yay!

The Project: bathroom demolition

2011-01-24T10:49:00.010-05:00

This was the bathroom upon closing. Be aware it is gross.

Then it met my demo crew. Laure-Lou led the charge.

A shell of it's former self. Awaiting inspector approval.

Who knew the shower valve had to meet ASSE minimum standards?

Who knew that?

I surely didn't when I bought our new shower valve. And now we wait on paperwork from the manufacturer with fingers crossed that it meets these guidelines. If not, we're firing up the torches and soldering more copper to replace the valve with the proper rated kind.

Never thought I'd care so much about plumbing standards and hope it's something I can forget very soon. :)

UPDATE: We're firing up the torches.

New Beginnings

2011-01-11T19:06:00.015-05:00

Darn those iPhone apps. They get me in trouble.

I often browse the web and mess with my phone while the husband watches another football game or some investigative drama on TV. That night was no different.

I have this weird thing about looking at real estate listings so imagine my excitement when I saw that Realtor.com had an App. I downloaded it immediately and began doing random searches...what are the live/works going for right now? how about houses in our old neighborhood? how about our very first neighborhood from 7 years ago?

And then it happened.

I saw a listing for a foreclosure that was almost 1500 sq feet, with a foreclosure price tag, on a lot that was 233 feet deep.

Here's where I messed up.

"Hey Kalin", I interrupted his show, "look at this house."

He glanced at the listing and raised that one eyebrow at me.

I knew it was over.

We did the drive by.

I saw reality.

He saw this.
The normal conversations commenced...What-if this and What-if that. This could really change some things for the better.

We walked through with an agent on a Saturday.

Put in an offer on Monday morning.

It was accepted on Thursday.

And I was like, "Whoops."

Because I've gotten used to having this.

*heavy sigh*

And that's how it happened.

This past year has been a gift to me from my very supportive, patient husband. We moved to the live/work condo so that I could live out a little dream of owning a studio and living above it. It's not his ideal living situation but, like I said, he's a patient man. We had planned on sticking around for a couple more years but then I found that crazy App. While I'll miss the live/work and our friends here, I know it's the right choice for our family to move on.

The house, as you can imagine, being a foreclosure is in rough, rough shape. It will take us until March to fix it up to the point that we can move in. So my time has to be divided between studio and renovation.

You'll notice in the future that the studio will only be open three or four days a week. I do apologize for this inconvenience. And come March or April, my little store will be closed as I'll be moving all operations into my new home-based studio in the new place. But until then, I'm committed to offering as many "Open" hours as I can and will be sewing, creating and filling orders. I do plan to maintain a booth space at the Yellow Door Art Market in Berkley and am also planning on displaying many more designs there this year. I will also continue to do local art shows throughout the year.

Life changes again.

I'm thankful to be along of the ride.

Another chapter, another fresh start.

But I really should be more careful with those Apps.

One Year Later

2010-11-05T16:15:00.017-04:00

Last year over Halloween weekend mom and I took the kids down to Clarksville, Tennessee to show them around where my mom grew up. One year later we went back. We had a great time. Here are a few quick pics.
Mom and the kids walking on her dad's family farm.We had beautiful weather!Posing for her mommy!Headed back toward the house.Of years gone by.More posing.With grandma near the Cumberland River.The 10 year old couldn't take it anymore.Admiring the river. The 10 year old still laying around. Haha
How we travel...heads in the DS. Haha.

Custom Work: Diaper Bag

2010-10-15T12:21:00.010-04:00

My friend had a super sweet baby boy a few weeks ago. I had the pleasure (ehmmm...stress...haha) of creating a surprise diaper bag for her. I knew she liked Amy Butler prints, I also knew that she didn't have to have a "boy themed" diaper bag. I searched through some prints on Etsy and finally settled upon a collection put together by HB Fabrics. I was excited to have the blue for the boy, and the red and grey to match her stroller.

And then the sketches began.What a mess eh?

I worked for about seven hours on this bag. I wish I had some pictures to illustrate the timeline. But I was so focused on the task that I didn't even think of it. However, I do have a few end results photos to share.
Closes with a single buckle in bottom right corner attached to red polka dot belt woven through the main flap fabric.Close-up of buckle closure.
Showing flap open...two pockets large enough for diaper/wipe case. Also has a hook for keys.
Interior with four pockets and elastic for bottle/cup. Zipper closure.
Showing back of bag...features a large zipper pocket.
Single adjustable strap for carrying across the body or on the shoulder.

While this bag was probably the most involved piece I've ever made...I am honored to have done it and glad she liked it. I hope it serves her and her sweet baby well.

Custom Work Pics

2010-08-10T08:24:00.010-04:00

For as spastic as I was last week, this week I'm staying much more focused...I think. :) I've been finishing up a few custom orders.
A backpack from the new MoMo fabric.
A Crafty Steph bag (still finishing up the matching laptop sleeve).
A custom walker bag for a young lady returning to school but still relying on her walker to get around. We're finishing the fitting tomorrow so it's still pinned and whatnot.

Here are a couple of other custom orders from last month...A sleeve for a Kindle.
A small zipper close bag.
An Evie Tote intended for a diaper bag for a little one in AZ.

I'm back to work on inventory now in preparation for Shelby Art Fair this weekend. I'm hoping to get some Shannon bags and Evie messengers done in time for the show. Good thing Mom will be here today to help!

Naturally Side-Tracked

2010-08-03T13:30:00.010-04:00

I walked into the studio today and was greeted with a bit of a mess. Wow. I knew I had my work cut out for me. I've known for a while that I'm behind on sorting, filing, updating the books and organizing storage and supplies. Ugh. Instead, I remembered that I wanted to purchase a business card holder for the studio to hold cards of other businesses in this Live/Work community. I've been "displaying" here. Hmmmm, not visible at all.So, I freshened up my coffee and settled in to shop on Etsy for one. Because I'm impatient, I did one search, didn't see anything that caught my eye and was like, "Oh, I'll make one."

I was pretty sure I had some vinyl somewhere that could be the card pocket. I couldn't find any in the supply cupboard so I looked under the cutting table...no dice. I was redesigning it in my head because I must not have any vinyl then went back to the supply cupboard to look for something else and there it was. Front and center. I love that.

Layered some Amy Butler fabric, canvas and clear vinyl and stitched it up. Turn, press, measure for pockets and sew again. Found some ribbon from about 5 years ago to sew on the top as the hanger. And voila.I cut slits in the vinyl the width of a card.Now to hang it. I was pretty sure that Kalin had some of those circle head screws in his tool cabinet somewhere and I could thread the ribbon through that. So I was on the hunt. During my search, I found the lighter for the grill. We've been looking for that. (Made the mental note of it's location.) Found the circley screw and then broke the plastic drawer cabinet that was housing said screw as I returned it to the tool chest. Whoops. I apologized to the plastic drawers, said aloud to myself, "You're in trouble." and moved on.

I decided to hang it to the left of the studio door over the light switch. I only have a couple of cards but am on a mission to get more as I now have an appropriate place to display them.

I'd like to say that after my little project I got straight to work to clean up the studio. Instead, I poured myself another cup of coffee and searched for a new bike for Addy and a new computer monitor for Seth on craigslist and called on a couple of good possibilities. I also bought a book on Barnes and Noble. "Oh snap!", I thought, "I have two Pick of the Week cards from Starbucks." Naturally I got those downloaded from iTunes.

Then it occurred to me that my mom was coming to work early today so I could take Seth to the eye doctor so I snapped out of it to carve her out a place to work.

Then I blogged. :)

Momo is in the House!

2010-07-27T14:25:00.013-04:00

I mentioned on Facebook that I was ordering 11 bolts of fabric from Moda. I love, love, love one of their designers in particular, MoMo, and have been wanting to get my hands on some yardage since I discovered her last year. Finally, the time has come! The UPS guy (AKA the "Fabric Fairy") dropped this off today in the studio. *eeeeeeeee* I can hardly believe that I stopped to pick up the camera to get a picture before tearing it open.Ahhhhh...here they are all lined up.We have butterflies in tangerine, lime, chocolate and red.Some large dots and floral.More floral in yellow, sky and tangerine.And the main print that pulls it all together...oh man.All lined up...
The fabric wall. I'm offering yardage of my fabric collection for $7.75 in the studio as well as my fabric store on etsy "Fabric Shmabric". I'll be listing the MoMo fabrics online sometime next week after vacation.

At the Shows

2010-07-26T10:31:00.009-04:00

I am about half way through my summer show season and so far it's been pretty awesome. This year, more than any other, I've seen "vintage" Excess Baggage (haha) roaming through shows. I'm always so excited to see how our bags have held up for our customers. This is one of the Toni bags that came through during Lavender Festival this month. I haven't made a Toni in sooooo long. It was a real treat.

People have also been willing to share how our work is holding up out in the world. Although I always get nervous when approached with the question, "Did you make a bag that looks like this?" For fear that something has broken or I've let them down. I make myself own the unknown and have gotten to hear lots of fun stories. Always, a big thank you to those who stop in and say, "Hello." I love hearing testimony from new customers and established. It never ever gets old. I wish I had the nerve to ask for pictures of our past work. Maybe one day.

From here we are showing at Shelby Art on August 14th and 15. Then Traverse City on August 21st. Last year was our first time participating in both of these events and I'm really excited to be going back.

Our immediate future holds a mini vacation for the kids and I. I'm taking some time off this week to hang out with them for awhile. So the studio will be open
Today, Monday the 26th from 11a to 4p and
tomorrow, Tuesday the 27th from 11a to 7p.
Then closed Wednesday the 28th through Monday the 2nd.

Any online orders placed after Tuesday will ship on Monday the 2nd and I'll be back open in the Studio on Tuesday, August 3rd.

Where I Am This Summer

2010-06-03T09:21:00.012-04:00

Most of the time you can find me here. Doing the sewing thing.
Many nights I'm cheering and being a nervous mom from the sidelines here.Or here.Every other weekend or so I'm with this lady selling baggageEvenings and precious date nights are spent with this guy.Every morning you can find me teaching math to the blonde boy.And who knows what the girly has me doing at any moment of the day. But it usually has something to do with her being Hannah Montana.It looks like that about sums up what my summer will look like. I'll spare you the riveting pictures of grocery stores, bank and the occasional necessary Starbucks runs sprinkled throughout. :)

The Grand Prize prize announcement!!

2010-04-17T20:57:00.006-04:00

This is a heads-up of the final, grand prize for our 7DaysOfGiveAways. Since you can only enter in-store on April 20th during our Grand Opening hours, I thought it would only be fair to let you know what is up for grabs.

[Drum roll please}

A new, one of a kind, Steph Bag (sorry about the poor pic quality...I'll post better ones soon)I just finished a black Steph Bag with a one-of-a-kind freehand embroidered applique. This bag can accommodate a laptop up to 15” wide, has 4 pockets, adjustable strap and double magnetic closure. This piece also has some custom embroidery on the pockets. I’m excited about this design. It’s been in my sketch book for almost a year now. It’s so exciting to see it come to life. :) So...here are the rules to enter...

No purchase is necessary. To enter just stop by the studio on April 20th, 2010 during our Grand Opening from 11a to 7pm and fill out an entry form. The winner will be randomly chosen at the end of the day and notified immediately. You need not be present to win. I will cover shipping if necessary or the winner can pick it up at their convenience.

14137 Lakeside Blvd N
Shelby Township, MI 48315

North of Hall (M-59) between Schoenherr and Hayes.

Seven Days of Give-Aways - Day Two

2010-04-14T20:19:00.008-04:00

The celebration of our Grand Opening continues with Day Two of our Seven Day Give-Away.

Up For Grabs: Travel Jewelry Case - This is our newest item. It has three zipper pouches and one strap to hang necklaces or bracelets. It folds into thirds and is secured with an elastic belt.

To Enter:
Comment on this Blog (this will be your entry)

To Win:
A winner will be randomly drawn on April 20th.

Find out if it was you!!
Check back here on April 20th (our Grand Opening Day). I’ll be posting and announcing winners throughout that day.

Seven Days of Give-Aways

2010-04-12T13:32:00.008-04:00

I am so excited to about the upcoming Grand Opening of our new studio on...

Tuesday, April 20, 2010!!! 11am to 7pm at

14137 Lakeside Blvd N
Shelby Township, MI 48315

As part of our Grand Opening celebration I will be announcing seven days of giveaways beginning Wednesday, April 14.

Here's how it should go down...

The Announcement:
Everyday I will announce the item(s) up for grabs. I'll announce on different venues. Some days it will be Twitter, some days will be Facebook, some days will be this blog and some days it will be on all the venues.

To Enter:
On Twitter you can tweet to @HandmadeBaggage or RT the announcement (this will be your entry)
On the blog or Facebook you can comment on the posting (this will be your entry)
The final give-away will be on opening day and you will have to be present in-store to enter on the 20th.
One entry per person.

To win:
All winners will be announced on Grand Opening Day (April 20th). You need not be present. I'll be randomly drawing names/comments on the 20th and making the winner announcements throughout that day. I'll cover shipping costs, if necessary. Or you can pick-up your winnings at your convenience.

So, Twitter friends, be on the look out Wednesday (the 14th) on Twitter for the first giveaway announcement. There will be bags, aprons and more up for grabs!

I hope this will be fun for everyone...I know it is for me!!

Exciting News!

2010-03-17T09:53:00.004-04:00

It’s been a very eventful year and it’s only mid-March!

We are very blessed to report that we have sold our home in Clinton Township and are moving just a few miles down the road to Shelby Township. Many of you know that for most of 2009 we thought we’d be relocating to Arizona for a major career change. But life doesn’t always go as planned. It’s like that sometimes, yes?

Our new home comes with a bonus...a studio and retail shop for Excess Baggage! We will be moving into a Live/Work community where we can live above our studio/shop. In April we will be celebrating our Grand Opening of our new studio and shop located at
14137 Lakeside Blvd N in Shelby Township.

We will still be participating in local art and craft shows as well as maintaining our online store. I am still working out details such as shop hours and policies. But I am so super excited about this new adventure and just wanted to share it with you. I will forward over more information as we get established and set our Grand Opening date.

In the mean time, I have a house and studio to
pack, move and reset-up!

Thankful to you for your support and encouragement,
Barb

Around the Studio

2010-03-05T16:09:00.009-05:00

Just a few images I took of life in studio lately...

A place for Girlie to play.

A bouquet of Key FOBs.

A new centerpiece that I got on clearance. Yay!

Lavender and Lime. Love.

A mountain of thread.

New product attempt: checkbook cover

Creative Calm

2010-03-05T15:33:00.009-05:00

In the midst of life happening...I'm thankful for the time I can squeeze in to create. To just let my mind wander and stop worrying, planning and what-if-ing myself to death. Around the studio, these days, it's peaceful. No shows to race around and prepare for. Mom and I were even able to destash and organize all the cupboards, bins and boxes that help scraps and supplies. It was quite a feat and it feels good to have it done. Some of those scraps went to use today when I created another crazy apron. This time I made a crafter/utility/project apron with deep pockets for supplies. For some reason I'm in this vein of print coordination (or un-coordination depending on who you ask). This project was no exception. My favorite part has to be this little fabric pinwheel that I added for embellishment. Along these same lines I made the second convertible apron. So fun!
This apron is easily one of my favorite pieces. I'm excited to display it this show season! One of the best projects I completed this week was this camo backpack for my little kindergartner boy, Tristan. He's been begging for a backpack forever and this downtime has allowed me to concentrate on this project for him. He has wore it everywhere! He loves to pack up his little GI Joe laptop...you know just in case he needs to practice spelling. :)

Wishing you a lovely weekend! It's sunny in Michigan today and I'm so soaking it in!

Life Happens

2010-02-23T09:47:00.004-05:00

Wanted to take a minute to apologize for not being visible or posting in awhile. Life behind Excess Baggage has produced some baggage of it's own that needs tending. So while I am still here, I'm not posting as much as I would like. Hopefully, the smoke will clear in a couple of months and I will be back on track. For those of you who have placed orders with me, rest assured I am still working and will have them for you. Production and creation has slowed but not halted. :)

In the mean time, I wanted you all to be assured that I value your support and patronage more that I can convey on a blog. When I say that I love what I do...I really do mean it and you make it possible. I am very grateful!!

Oh and I do have a rough show schedule for 2010. Yay!!

Downtown Mt. Clemens
May 7-8

Tawas City (confirmed)
May 29-30

Berkley Art Bash
June 12

Lathrup Village
June 26-27

Clarkston
July 3

Troy
July 7

Plymouth Art in the Park
July 9, 10, 11

Lavender Festival (confirmed)
July 16-17
Wolcott Farms

Shelby Art
August 7-8

Traverse City
August 21

Tawas City (confirmed)
September 4-5

Lac. Ste Claire
September 18-19

Chapel Hill Art Show
October 2

Great Lake Art
Novi
October 2010

Salt Box Specialities
November 12-13

Eisenhower
November 2010

St Nick’s Warehouse
November 27-28

Clinton Township
December 4, 11, 18

Another Apron Style Attempt

2010-02-09T21:12:00.007-05:00

The last time I tried to make a new apron design it really didn't go so well. So, I put it away and planned to pick it back up another time. I guess today was that time. :) This apron has a removable bib (top) section allowing it to be used as a half apron. The sections are held together with five fabric covered buttons.The overlay fabric on the skirt is sewn to allow for two large side pockets.All in all I think it is a fun design. Not sure if it will make it into main production for 2010. I have a few issues to iron out with it but I had so much fun making it. I'm hoping it will!On a side note, I just want to thank everyone who stopped by to see us last weekend at the Crafter's Clearance. We had a GREAT show! I've been scheduling and applying to other area shows for Spring/Summer and will post a show schedule soon.

Website Refill

2010-01-22T15:57:00.004-05:00

Had a chance to load a few items on the website today. I still have a lot more to accomplish but I was able to get some totes and messenger bags listed on the Shop Online pages.Hoping to get some new aprons and laptop sleeves up this weekend. But for now, I'm turning my attention to making something for dinner, buying one of the boys yet another pair of shoes and enjoying movie date night with muah man! Have a great weekend!

Black Bean and Salsa Soup Recipe

2010-01-06T09:03:00.004-05:00

I don't pretend to be some great master of the kitchen. I'm happy to have kids that are full from a meal that didn't induce complaining or screwed up faces. I consider it a bonus if the meal was also easy and somewhat inexpensive. I stumbled upon this recipe about a year ago and surprisingly the whole family likes it. It's a perfect soup for winter. I usually make 4 recipes of it for our family of 6 and we don't use the green onions. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Salsa Soup
"Black beans, salsa, veggie broth and cumin are tossed into the blender. Transfer to a pot and heat until warm and bubbly. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of green onion."

Ingredients:
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chunky salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

Directions:
1.) In an electric food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth.
2.) Heat the bean mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated.
3.) Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls, and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sour cream 1/2 tablespoon of green onion.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-21T14:19:00.001-05:00

From our family to you and yours!
Merry Christmas!
Love - Kalin & Barb, Seth, Everett, Tristan and Addy Witt

Holiday Open House

2009-12-11T05:59:00.006-05:00

It's that time again! Our annual Holiday Open House is this Saturday the 12th and next Saturday the 19th from 10am to 5pm. You are welcome to stop in and shop, eat cookies and drink coffee :) Kids and friends are also very welcome!

All cash and carry purchases will be 20% off and I will be taking custom orders.

We'll be here sewing all day so drop in if you get a chance! Merry Christmas!

39028 Cadbrough Dr
Clinton Twp., MI 48038

(off of 17 Mile between Garfield and Hayes)

Holiday Flyer

2009-11-25T06:12:00.003-05:00

(Sorry this is so small...if you click on it, it will open larger in another window.)

Everett Update

2009-11-16T20:49:00.006-05:00

Many thanks for all the kind words and support during Everett's recent surgery. I am so happy to report that he is feeling much better and is finally back to his normal (silly) self. And not a moment too soon! I didn't realize how I would miss his crazy humor until he was a somber, quiet little boy resting and healing. These pictures of him are pretty old. But they reflect his personality quite well and are, therefore, some of my favorites. So glad he's back!

Site Update

2009-11-16T20:38:00.004-05:00

This evening I've put some much needed time into the shopping section of the main Excess Baggage website. So far, I've added some aprons and accessory gift sets. Hopefully, I can scratch up some more time to list additional items soon in time for Holiday Shopping.

Off to Clarkston and Royal Oak this week :) So I must get back to sewing the next couple of days!!

November Shows

2009-11-10T08:22:00.003-05:00

Gearing up for a jam packed show schedule this month. Here is a quick summary of the schedule...

Salt Box Specialities
@YWCA
839 S. Crooks
Clawson
at Normandy, North of Kimball High

Friday the 13th 4p to 9p
Saturday the 14th 9a to 4p
Admission is $2 (portion of proceeds to go for special projects at the YWCA)

Clarkston Co-Op Preschool
The Merry Marketplace
@the Methodist Church
6600 Waldon
Clarkston

Thursday the 19th 9a to 1p
Friday the 20th 9a to 1p

Royal Oak High School
Holiday Arts and Crafts Show
1500 Lexington Road
Royal Oak
North of 13 Mile, East of Crooks

Saturday the 21st 10a to 4p

St. Nick's Warehouse
Henry Ford II High School
11911 Clinton River Road
Sterling Heights
www.stnickswarehouse.com

Saturday the 28th 9a to 5p
Sunday the 29th 10a to 3p
Admission is $2 at the door

Please stop in to say, "Hello" if you are in the area! Looking forward to seeing you!

Just Breathe

2009-11-06T15:50:00.007-05:00

It's been a long time (if ever) that my 7 year old has been able to breathe through his nose. This week we were finally we able to get him all fixed up by having his adenoids and tonsils removed. He was nervous, we were more nervous. He was his normal silly self waiting in the Pre-Op room and posed with Kalin for a snapshot or two. (Um...those teeth of his are next on the "Everett Fix-It" list...just sayin'.)
The waiting process was horrible! The doc finally came out and explained that Everett's tonsils were HUGE and that his adenoids were blocking fully 50% of his airway behind his nose.

Kalin and I were so impatient and eager to get back to see him. And were finally allowed back to comfort him. His eyes were a little panicked and told us later that he was super scared and afraid he'd lost his voice forever. Poor guy! We are only in day two of the recovery process. He is really hurting and not talking at all. And I don't blame him! Ouch!

We are looking forward to hearing him laugh and be silly again soon. For now, we're thrilled to see him breathe freely!!

Down Home

2009-11-04T09:10:00.009-05:00

My mom and I took the kids down to Tennessee for a long weekend. This trip was planned because Mom has written a book for them all about her childhood. My four children are the main characters who travel back in time and meet her when she was three years old. The five of them have adventures, then they go on to meet more of her family. All the while trying to figure out how to get back home. It is really cute and my kids LOVE it! So, we decided to take them down and show them in real life.

Mom grew up in...wait for it...Boogersville, TN (Now Cunningham, TN) just outside of Clarksville, TN. They were struggling farmers and endured all the obstacles that accompany that life. Here are a few pics of the old farm... My Great-Grandmother's Farm HouseThe kids with Aunt ModeneSeth in the tree my mom used to climbThis needs no explanation...Great-Grandmother's stove (Oh what I'd give...)
We had a really great time. Lots of laughs and stories and walks down memory lane. The kids are ready to back and run on the hills of the farm (they were unable to due to rain the day before). Hopefully, we will get the chance to one day.

Evening on the Trails

2009-10-27T10:58:00.010-04:00

We took an impromptu walk through some trails close to home with the hope of getting a few good pics of the kids with the fall colors. No dice. It was very brown on these trails. Kind of a bummer but we enjoyed finding things to throw in the water, looking for fun leaves and squeezing into small hiding spots so mom could get yet another picture. And then I looked down and saw this one red leaf among the crunchy brown-ness...it would have to do as the fall color I was after.I then, quickly returned to making the kids hold hands trying to get a cute pic. They moaned and groaned and only performed once...this was as good as it was going to get.

Preparing for Saginaw

2009-10-08T11:13:00.007-04:00

This Saturday, November 10th, we'll be in Saginaw at the Fold Art and Craft Show. It's at Saginaw Valley State University from 10am to 4pm. So today I'm trying...Trying...TRYING...to stay on task and get through some of these Shannon bags. My kids told me that they are planning an all day movie and game event in the basement for the entire day. So I'm hoping they can get a long and at least give me the afternoon to dig in. If by some weird chance I get a lot done, I'll tackle this mess. I think there is a bunch of aprons under there...somewhere. A big thanks to my dad who worked all day yesterday and got some a gazilaon bag handles. Look at all that! Yipes! A tad overwhelmed, but I'm off...where's my coffee??

and Sometimes in the Rain

2009-10-05T13:30:00.012-04:00

For years we've gone apple picking at Blakes Apple Orchard with my mom. It's a tradition she began when my brother and I were in school and it's carried over as a tradition with my kids. We went this past Friday...in the rain.We were undeterred by the weather. We faced it head on with umbrellas in hand. It was crazy cold and windy too. But no matter. This is a tradition man!

We picked only one bag instead of our usual three or four and opted to "nevermind" the raspberries. It was a struggle to squeeze in between branches to pick. But alas we were victorious.
Onto the store to buy donuts, cider, veggies and bags of apples already picked!

The Apron Giveaway Winner

2009-09-28T12:41:00.003-04:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the Apron Giveaway! Our winner is Heidi (one of our Facebook entries). I do plan on offering a few more giveaways before the end of the year so be sure to check back. Hope your week is off to a great start!

Apron Giveaway!!

2009-09-22T11:28:00.007-04:00

This is my first ever Apron Giveaway!! Up for grabs is is fully reversible full apron!Made of two high quality designs by Patty Young for Michael Miller Fabrics from her Mezzanines collection...One side is Gothic Flower in Leaf and the other is Clover Dot in Turquoise
Just comment on this blog post (or on the Facebook Fan Page) and on Monday, September 28, 2009 at noon I'll randomly pic a post number and blog the winner here.

Feel free to pass the word! Good luck!

On My Day Off

2009-09-19T18:11:00.005-04:00

I began this morning thankful for a day off from having to set-up a show somewhere and thinking I would do nothing but laze around the house and eat snacks. Then I started sketching out new designs for the Steph Bags. Then I started sketching new apron designs. Then I had to try and make one. Here she is...the first attempt at a new apron.

Pros...
~ welt pockets...love these
~ v-neck line...just for something different
~ dressy-er design
~ not reversible (saves fabric)
~ better for my petite customers

Cons...
~ I didn't write down anything I did to make it
~ the top needs to be totally reworked
~ not reversible (kinda what I do)
~ those gathers need to be tamed

I think I'm on the right track though so I'll be working on it!

New Listings on Etsy

2009-09-18T15:17:00.005-04:00

I have a couple weeks off of shows so I've been slowly listing some bags in my Etsy store. It's been my goal this fall to try to keep it stocked for holiday shopping. So I'm trying to get into the habit of listing early before I get back into a crazy show schedule. Here are a couple that are newly added.

The Fabric Fairy

2009-09-15T15:05:00.011-04:00

I don't think my UPS man would love knowing that I affectionately refer to him, from time to time, as the Fabric Fairy. I don't think he would like that. Even so, The Fabric Fairy came to visit today and left me seven wonderful bolts of fabric. All of which I have listed in my fabric store on Etsy, "Fabric Shmabric". In additional to selling yardage I also plan on cutting into these to make aprons and bags in the next couple of weeks.

Scissors in hand...where to begin...

Oh, hi! Ummmm this is my blog right?

2009-09-09T11:37:00.005-04:00

Sorry to have not posted in the last couple of weeks. It's been a whirlwind around here.

Glad to report that our Labor Day weekend show in Tawas was a HUGE success. Holy busy! There were people on the streets almost all day. I was so relieved as the big Harrisville Craft Show was the same weekend and I was a tad worried that traffic would be down. Mom and I were so tired on Saturday because we had to leave my house at 4am in order to be there in time to set-up by 9:30a. We slept very well and were all recharged for another day in the booth on Sunday. People were once again so friendly which is always an extra treat.

This week homeschool started and we've been getting done very early (by 9:30a) so far. Works out great for me because my stock is like non-existent and I need to get ready for a one-day-er in Grand Rapids this weekend. Whew!

On a very happy note...I've ordered MORE FABRIC from Michael Miller that is due in early next month. Yay! I'm also in the process of setting up an account with Moda so I can get my hands on some of that yummy MoMo fabric that you know I love. Which reminds me...I've set up a fabric store on etsy called Fabric Shmabric so if you see something you like but just want the fabric for another project you can order yardage from me there.

Ok off to make lunch for the crew and then back to work. I have a stack of 16 aprons to finish... ;)

Night Out with the Boys

2009-08-25T07:26:00.016-04:00

Kalin and I took these two knuckle-heads out for a night on the town. We started with a surprise trip to the movie to see "Shorts". They loved it! We told them we were going somewhere else but it was a surprise. We are so proud of ourselves for being sneaky aren't we?
Stare Off! They were reading business signs to try and guess where we were going. Then we pulled in......the sky opened and the angels sang..."Ahhhhhh" There was shock......and excitement... These boys have been waiting a long time to visit Dave and Busters having heard tales of the endless collection of video games and its far superiority to Chuck E Cheese. We had arrived and began the dramatic walk down the hallway to the game room. And I began my attempt at "Most Annoying Mom with a Camera" performance. Which, by the way, I was informed I did quite well. Thank you very much.

The boys were so happy...and maybe a tad overwhelmed! I thought it would be fun for Kalin and I to stand back and watch them play every game they could get to. Then I look over to see this... Hey! What did I expect really. Kalin even asked me at one point if I wanted to play Rambo with him. I was like, "What?" Anyway, they were very happy...
Then we ate a very late dinner and I took more pictures...
Round about this time Kalin had become visibly disgusted with my picture taking. So I handed the camera to Seth.
So glad we got to spend some time with these guys. We all had a lot of fun!

Feed an Allergy, Starve a Cold...right?

2009-08-24T08:17:00.006-04:00

This past weekend mom and I were in Downtown Mount Clemens. Sadly, it was the same weekend as the Air Show at the nearby air base. So the crowds were waaaay down. The trouble with me sitting all day with nothing really productive to do is that I eat. A lot. As an added bonus my allergies were in full effect on Saturday so I was constantly sneezing and grabbing tissues. Ugh. At one desperate point in the day my two issues (we'll call them) came together as I asked the ice cream man if his Peanut Butter Fudge ice cream would block the allergens that were so ruining my day. He assured me they would so I got a huge waffle cone filled with the peanut buttery goodness, returned to my mother and explained the importance of eating this ice cream. She chuckled and turned away probably wondering how she raised such a moron. I ate and ate. And I didn't regret one morsel not even after I popped the last piece of crunchy waffle cone in the mouth...and sneezed.

Afternoon from 3 feet

2009-08-24T07:45:00.012-04:00

Sometimes your sweet baby girly gets ahold of your camera while your cutting aprons. Sometimes she takes a ton of pictures and lets you get a glimpse of the world from her eyes. Here are a couple pieces of her photo diary from last Friday afternoon...

Mom is busy working...

My sweet ride...

My crib...

SHOES!!!!

Daddy's stuff...

Some of mommy's thread that I always knock over...

Two lamps that my mommy insists she is going to paint and make pretty but never does...

And me...

In My Dreams...

2009-08-18T07:37:00.007-04:00

Sometimes I dream about bags. Not only do I dream about the finished product but also of how I'm going to cut fabric and how I'm going to sew it together. It's crazy and it doesn't happen as much as it used to. Last week it happened. I was totally obsessing about a new bag design and I just had to get it out of me. Here it is. A play on my Steph Laptop Messenger type bag. This is the perfect size for back to school or lugging around a laptop. There are size interior pockets, belting around the body for extra strength and an adjustable wide strap. It was so fun to make that I made another :) Here they are together at my show in Traverse City. As always, I'm hoping to make a few more this week and to keep a small stock of them especially for the holiday season.

We're showing in Downtown Mt. Clemens this weekend so if you're in the area, stop in and say hello!

Storm Damage part 2

2009-08-17T09:08:00.009-04:00

Well another storm blew through here a little over a week ago. You may remember the first round of storm damage to the Willow in June . Our poor giant Willow tree was once again brutalized by high winds. This time however, it suffered the loss of larger branches and also hit the shed. Here are a few pics of the damage.

A few days after the storm Kalin fired up his chain saw and cut most of it up and the boys piled it in the backyard. While Kalin was at work one day, I helped the boys clear the backyard of the big branches and re-stack them at the end of the driveway for the chipper. There were still two large piles of smaller branches in the backyard though. Then, like magic, I came home from my show in Traverse City to a fully cleaned up backyard and tons of yard bags filled with the smaller branches. And now the Willow has but one large canopy that is just big enough to shade the trampoline. The shed is still in need of repair but thankfully its minimal and Kalin is set to tackle it this week. Once again we're thankful no one was hurt. Hopefully this will be the last big storm as the Willow cannot endure another big hit. Poor thing.

Downtown Traverse City with Kate

2009-08-17T08:32:00.012-04:00

I was very lucky to be accompanied by my friend Kate to a show in Traverse City this past weekend. She is some of the best free labor I have ever employed :) We started the day knowing it was going to be a hot one. Here we are at 6:30am getting ready to leave. Kate lives about an hour outside of Traverse City so she drove us in. I felt very safe with Kate behind the wheel and the merchandise in the back only suffered minimal shifting. If you know me, you know my van is a beast and has crazy pick-up and it takes a while for the average driver to adjust to this power. Ha! It was a super hot day without a cloud in the sky. The crowd was constant for most of the day. They were very friendly and encouraging. When we got a chance to sit down during the lunch lull, Kate provided me with a quick fashion show. Here she is modeling the newest design. I made a couple of these bags last week and I just love them. I cannot wait to make more. I think they will make a great school bag or laptop bag. This particular one was purchased by a high-school student. She was so cute about it and I was soooo excited to see it go to her.

After take down we were crazy hot and decided to seek out some A/C, onion rings and some pub food. We ended up at the Mackinaw Brewing Company. The onion rings were AWESOME and with a bit of shame we did finish the entire basket while deciding to ignore the grease that had collected at the bottom. They were worth every bit of shame.

Afterwards we took a walk across the street to look at Lake Michigan. So beautiful. And to cool off for a few minutes. I had an awesome time with my friend and Excess Baggage had a great weekend in Traverse City. Thanks to everyone who stopped in to chat. I hope you enjoyed the show and the beautiful weather.

Summer

2009-07-29T09:05:00.004-04:00

Snap Shots of Summer Fun!

How to Cut 18 Aprons in 1/2 hour

2009-07-13T08:31:00.005-04:00

One of my biggest challenges is trimming time off of every step I can in the sewing process. These are the steps for saving time on cutting aprons...

First you must have a cute girly helper. Also please excuse my garage.Then lay out all your fabric nice and straight. Avoid the oil spots that your van carelessly leaves behind.This stack ended up being about 2 inches tall. Trace your pattern.Finally, employ the beast electric motor cutter to slice through like butter.Whoo-hoooo!This cutter is literally one of the best equipment investments I've made. It makes me happy. I should name it or something.

Troy Garden Boutique

2009-07-12T09:33:00.011-04:00

Love this show situated in a little museum village in Troy. They have restored quite a few buildings for walk through including a chapel a couple of residences a print shop, general store, school house and a town hall (where my tables were set up) Most of the vendors were set up outside in the courtyard along with a plant sale that the Troy Garden Club organized. They also keep beautiful gardens on the grounds.

All in all I had a relaxing day and met many wonderful ladies. Looking forward to seeing many of them again this weekend at the Lavender Festival in Ray Township. :)

When the kids come to help

2009-07-06T08:38:00.006-04:00

Had a show in Clarkston on July 4th. It was a six hour one-day-er that turned out to be a success. Kalin stayed home with the kids with a plan to bring them up a little before 5pm (show end) walk them around and then help me tear down. Well, Kalin got a bit restless at the house and decided to come out at 2:30p instead. A mere two and a half hours left in the show. Oh man. So we crammed into the small storage space I had behind my display and made the best of it. Luckily the Michigan author that writes children's books that Seth enjoys was set up right across from me. So he was set. These three, on the other hand, were not.Everett continued to climb on the dolly and shake the grid wall. It must have been the enemy...I don't know. Addy and Tristan kept going through my stuff and packing it up in bags for some reason. All it all it was a good day. Stressful but good. :)

Getting ready today for a show in Troy tomorrow. Its the Troy Garden Walk Boutique at the Troy Historical Museum. A very quiet easy-going show and I'm looking forward to it. And if Kalin wants to bring the kids to the show wicked early then it won't be so quiet and thats OK too. :)

June Rewind...the lost pics

2009-07-06T08:06:00.008-04:00

At the Berkley Art Bash my camera batteries went dead. *Nuts* And I neglected to recharge and load the pics until now. I was so surprised to see this one booth shot that turned out kinda OK. I think I'll start using it in show apps.
A couple more booth shots...
Then Mom and I decided that it would be a good idea to take our picture with the cardboard stand-up across the way just outside the new gym. So here she is. We are titling this pic "Bulking Up in Berkley"Where is my picture you ask? Well, I did pose and thats exactly when the batteries died. Darn. :)

Storm Damage

2009-06-29T10:05:00.011-04:00

A crazy storm blew through this past Thursday. I haven't seen winds that strong in many years. Unfortunately we have a large willow tree in our backyard that doesn't stand up to high winds. And so we had a mess that took all day Friday to clean up...well...really just relocate to our driveway until the chipper comes later this week.The neighbors also had some damage but thankfully no one was hurt.

Nature Center Outing

2009-06-18T08:45:00.009-04:00

Yesterday we met some friends at the Nature Center for a little free outing for the kids. The City of Sterling Heights has a very nice facility with hands-on learning activities and a small theatre. They have all the things that mommies love like snakes...that tickle...samples of animal scat...that you can get up close and personal with when you use one of their magnifying glasses.The kids had a great time especially when we let them play in the rain in the park and woods behind the Center. They were a mess but it was worth it! I'll gladly leave the snakes and poo samples at the Nature Center. I have my own animal to bring home and tame...

Gilly and Doug Got Married!

2009-06-15T10:11:00.010-04:00

Well we made it! Made it through hosting the bachelorette party, an art show for Excess Baggage, wedding rehearsal with our ring bearer and flower girl, got them down the aisle on the big day and didn't destroy anything at the reception. I'm declaring it all a success! Congratulations to Doug and Gillian! It was a beautiful day!

Berkley Art Bash

2009-06-11T08:04:00.004-04:00

This Saturday will be our fifth year participating in the Berkley Art Bash. I always look forward to this show! It is very well run and the public is super friendly. I'm in spot #1 again...woot woot! Hoping the weather report continues to be warm and sunny! Stop in if you're looking for something to do this Saturday. There are activities for the kids, great food and entertainment all day. Looking forward to seeing you!

Website Overhaul

2009-06-08T08:37:00.006-04:00

Working on putting the finishing touches on my new website. I'm really excited about it! I've loaded new pictures for the Gallery, revamped the About page and basically just cleaned it up. Pop over if you have a minute and check it out.

This is going to be a crazy week! I'm sewing every day for a show in Berkley on Saturday and we have a wedding that my kids are in on Sunday. And I'm hosting the bachelorette party on Friday. Glad to do it though. I'm super excited for our friends Doug and Gill! I'll post pics next week!

Pancake Breakfast

2009-06-06T09:42:00.004-04:00

Its so nice having a girlie who loves to stir...

when old supplies run out...make a new bag

2009-06-06T09:35:00.004-04:00

Well my roll of bag stabilizer finally ran out this week. Ugh. So into the scrap pile I dove and managed to find enough to make a few small bags. These little babies have been requested more than a few times by shoppers so I'm hoping they will sell this coming weekend. The straps are super long so you can wear it across the body, zipper close with one interior pocket. Perfect for well...art/craft shows I guess :)

Enjoy the weekend! Its a beautiful day here in southeast Michigan!

crab grass vs crabby boys

2009-06-03T19:41:00.005-04:00

sometimes boys have to work...and pull weedsbut they don't like itand they don't like their mom taking pictures of it either They got it done though and celebrated with some candy. :)

Photo Op

2009-06-03T08:28:00.006-04:00

When I list a bag on etsy or artfire I naturally have to take the pics myself. Recently, I've been experimenting with the timer on the camera to take a pic of myself wearing a bag to give an idea of size etc. Seemed to work out pretty well the first time.
But yesterday Addy caught me snapping pics...and well...you know how girlies are... (ahemm um please excuse that crazy hair...apparently girlies also like to do their own.)

11 Years Ago Today

2009-05-30T14:47:00.005-04:00

May 30, 1998...11 years ago...

...blessed with four babies...

...bring us to today...

so thankful to be married to my best friend!

Art Fire and a Fabric Addict

2009-05-27T14:27:00.004-04:00

I came across Artfire.com today and decided to give it a whirl. I liked the idea of being able to list items without fees, even if it is a limited amount. There is a per month seller program that gives you a ton more features and marketing options. But I thought I'd start slow and not jump in with both feet. So check it out if you have a minute!

Today I also was able to go through the dreaded fabric cupboard and "organize' my scraps and older fabric. I have NO IDEA what to do with some of it. Apparently I've never met a fabric sale I didn't like. Nor have I ever heard the little voice in my head say, "No, Barb don't buy that. You don't need it." And when I do cut into it, I can't throw the scraps away. I was finding the tiniest little pieces stuck in Ziploc bags and folded back in corners. Goodness sake. Then I think about my ranting and raving about the new MoMo fabric that I just HAD to have. Before that (and always really) is Amy Butler collections and before that I ordered bolts and bolts of Michael Miller and sprinkled throughout is Alexander Henry. Seriously. I'm ready to admit that I have a problem but I'm also not going to do anything about it!

Anyway, back to the older stuff...there's nothing wrong with most of it but I know I won't use it. Funny how much tastes can change in a couple of years. Anyway, the best I could come up with for now is to list it on craiglist for $1 per yard or $100 takes it all. And there's a lot!

I happened upon the only quilted fabric I've ever purchased for Excess Baggage during my cupboard clean-out. So I made ten eyeglass cases to appease the masses who've been asking at the last couple of shows. Quilted fabric is perfect for those and I am glad to finally use it up!

Now off to list another apron on artfire I guess and then decide what's for dinner. Ugh...dinner.

The Show Report: Rochester

2009-05-26T07:58:00.005-04:00

The Rochester Heritage Festival was in one of the nicest parks I've set-up in yet. Tents were aligned along a beautiful creek and the pathways in the park. They had event for kids, a classic car show, duck races in the creek and a parade. Saturday was our best day with lots of apron sales. The new MoMo aprons went fast which makes me happy. Happy and nervous that I wouldn't have enough stock to please the new patrons that were bound to want MoMo aprons on Sunday. So I came home and cut 5 new aprons and began sewing them together. Kalin cut me off at 11p to get some sleep. I was up at 5a determined to finish them for the show that began at 10a. Well, I completed three, was late to the show and didn't sell any of them. Haha That will teach me! It's all good though. Berkley is our next show so now I'm ahead of the apron game a little.

I crashed on Sunday night and thankfully we didn't have any plans for Memorial Day so we slept in and generally lazed around. Back to reality today. The kids are up and apparently they're hungry. Enjoy your day!

New Product in the Works

2009-05-20T21:03:00.008-04:00

I have been thinking about a new product to add to our line for about a year now. It kind of got pushed to the back of my mind during the school year. I'm pretty easily distracted during those months. This week I remembered the laptop sleeve and put together a pattern. I decided to use more of the new fabric *surprise surprise*. Anyway, after fumbling through piecing one together, I thought I just about had it so I made three more. Ta-Da!
I totally messed up the fourth one (go figure) so I decided not to pick out yet another seam to fix it and just keep it for myself. My goal is to make a few more and make them available at the Berkley Art Bash in June.

Basic Features
~ A layer of batting for protection.
~ Totally lined and reinforced at seams
~ Closes with velcro so there is no chance of metal scratches
~ Fits the newer Macs as well as a five year old thicker VAIO

One a side note, Addy is better today. Made a complete 180 yesterday just before lunch. Sometimes those kiddos can throw you for a loop with their three hour stomach bugs. It's weird. But I'm glad she feels good and that I was able to complete my project after all!

Iron on Granny :)

2009-05-20T20:49:00.011-04:00

My grandma is here to visit from Arizona for a few weeks. My grandma likes, actually likes, to iron. Well, lucky for her, her granddaughter has a sewing business that requires a lot of ironing. Sooooo....grandma had the joy of ironing some aprons from the new MoMo fabric that I've been so excited about. Isn't it cute? And since my mom was here as well we were able to get a tote done for inventory. Whoo-hoo. I love having a crew!
Today is the big "day before a show" rush. Sorting, packing, pricing, organizing paper work and praying that my super friendly UPS man brings my new tent sides today because it's supposed to storm tomorrow. And no sides = soggy bags = bad for Barb. So I'm off...

Custom Laptop Bag Order COMPLETE!

2009-05-19T13:25:00.009-04:00

Yesterday I completed this custom "Steph" laptop/messenger bag. I really love the fabric that the customer picked . Couldn't have done better myself. :)
It has a laptop sleeve pocket with a button closure, three additional pockets and one pen pocket. The body of the bag is made of a marine vinyl and reinforced with belts to help support the weight of the contents. The flap has a layer of reinforcing material, the handle has two layers of this stabilizer as does the belting on the body.
Maybe one day I'll get around to stocking a couple of these for shows. We'll see.

Today my little Addy is a sick girly. Poor baby. So while I was going to be working on a new product design. I think I'll find myself mostly on couch cuddling with her. Which is perfectly OK with me! Happy Wednesday to ya!

Show This Weekend!!

2009-05-18T08:25:00.004-04:00

Getting ready for a two day show in Rochester this weekend. We will be at the Rochester Heritage Festival. This is the first time I've done this show so I'm excited for all the new possibilities.Part of the prep is finishing up a batch of nine aprons to replenish what sold over Mother's Day weekend. I have some new fabric coming in soon for another apron batch. More on that later!

And so I'm off to hopefully finish these bad boys today. Happy Monday to ya!

New Apron Fabric so excited

2009-05-17T21:24:00.007-04:00

Last week I was shopping for new fabric for our reversible aprons. I happened upon a new designer MoMo and the collection Wonderland that was inspired by the movie Alice in Wonderland. The first of them arrived today. I ripped open the package and took pictures right away so please excuse my creases. I love it! I couldn't help myself from ordering six of the designs.
So excited to get the rest of the order this week. I also picked up two prints from Joel Dewberry. I'm hoping to have a couple of aprons completed for the Rochester Heritage Festival this weekend.

Vintage Mysteries and Poppie's Basement

2009-05-17T09:30:00.008-04:00

Recently I've been helping my Grandpa (Poppie) clean out his basement a little. My Grandma had a fond fascination with ordering "things" for many, many years. My Poppie is a patient man who now is taking care of my Grandma as her memory has been declining as a condition that looks a lot like Alzheimer's is progressing. Now 83, my Poppie, who is mostly blind and conducts his tasks by 50% touch, is eager to declutter his basement, garage and closets. Most of the "stuff" is trinketry that he donates to my garage sales, some is trivial like the the bag of drift wood or these creepy faces carved out of wood. A lot of it makes me laugh as I consider the thought process and aspirations she had when she ordered a copy of "Styles for Writing A Brief Rhetoric" by Gerald Levin a guide to writing from 1972. My grandma has never been a writer but that day, I assume she was determined to be. And truth be told, I probably would have bought the book myself. Why? Because I like the cover.The amount of books that she has ordered over the years is astounding. All types of all ages...books books books. I called my mom last night to share a snicker as I described some of the titles I was finding as I sifted through boxes of books in my garage. It occurred to me, and I told mom this, that our book obsession is apparently in the blood. I have a very small collection of random books. One on landscaping that I just had to have because I was going to revamp my entire lot into a park-like oasis. Yeah...well...whatever. My mom loves the thought of having books. She's actually reads hers though. The major book theme in Poppie's basement is Mysteries. My grandma bought bought bought Mystery books. The covers are not creased, the pages are not bent or furled. They lie neatly stacked in antique chests, on book cases, in boxes stacked in closets and piled in grocery bags in drawers. She is very, did I say very, possessive of those Mystery books that she has never read and will never read. But I'm sure she still has the full intention of reading each and every one in her mind. My Poppie is a patient man...the Mystery novels are off limits. So we leave those lie for her to visit as it is one of the few things she remembers. Sweet grammy.
We happened upon a box labeled "sheets" and began to unpack it to find all kinds of vintage handiwork that was the work of my great grandma and great-great grandma. Beautiful hand embroidered table cloths with matching napkins. Vintage table cloths. And wait for it...a handmade bag with wooden handles. Yay! And so in my possession is a little of my families' past complete with musty basement smell.

And my Poppie is happy to have a little less random stuff alongside the stacks of Mystery novels that are there for a very loving purpose.

Mother's Day Weekend in the Clem

2009-05-15T09:47:00.005-04:00

I was so excited to set-up the tent and kick-off the outdoor show season last weekend in Mt. Clemens. It was the first time we used the grid wall outside. I think it turned out really nice though. The weather was crazy windy on Saturday so we spent a lot of the day holding on to the tent. Those are always super tense days but we got through it!

Looking forward to May 23-24 when we'll be in Rochester at their Heritage Festival. I have to get some tent sides before then though because mine are officially broken. Nuts!

Introducing Shannon

2009-04-13T18:27:00.008-04:00

Our new bag design for 2009 is Shannon. It is pleated bag (on front and back). So far I've made two sizes each with zipper closures. I'm carrying one right now and really like it. Although I think I should have made the smaller size for myself because the larger size is super roomy and I don't have the 'stuff' to fill it.

Here are a couple of pics of some I have in stock right now.

Trying to stock up for two shows in May. I just added a show in Rochester on May 23 and 24. Crafts Along the Creek is part of the Rochester Heritage Festival. And as usual I'll be in Mt. Clemens the weekend of Mothers Day! Looking forward to seeing you!

Sale on Child's Size Full Aprons

2009-04-09T14:04:00.007-04:00

I've put my child sized aprons on sale in my Etsy Store. They are normally $25...on sale now for $18.00. Even the child's sizes are fully reversible with pockets on both side and the neck is adjustable with d-rings. Each listing has the apron measurements. These are already made and ready to ship!

Introducing Loula Mae Baggett

2009-04-03T09:33:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I blog about my bags, sometime about my kids...today I blog about Loula Baggett. You see, she's a special lady from a place called Boogersville, TN who holds a dear place in my heart because she's MY MOTHER. Help us all, my mom has a 'character' who she pulls out on special occasions for parties and other social events. This was recorded to air at a ladies night out recently and posted on YouTube so I thought I'd pass it on and get Loula Mae some airtime. Here Loula demonstrates the proper ladies room etiquette as passed down from her mother. Enjoy. :)

PS My mom really is from Boogersville, TN...mercy.

A lot can change in a months time...I tell ya!

2009-04-01T18:50:00.005-04:00

We had a great day at the Crafter's Clearance Show! Met lots of new people both customers and other artists. It is a very well run show. Many thanks to those who stopped in!!

Since then we've been navigating some personal business that has taken me away from sewing and shows and blogging. The crazy economy has finally trickled down to us as my husband works for an automotive supplier. In the end, we had to put our house up for sale. Thankfully he still has a job but due to hour cut backs etc. we knew it was time to do the right thing even in this market. That meant I had to clean up all the small business 'stuff' and take down my cabinets and office cupboards to turn my office and sewing room back into a living and dining room. Ugh! What a job! Now to sew I have to drag all my machines and 'stuff' out and put it all away when I'm done. You know, to keep the place neat and tidy for all the anxious buyers knocking down the door. Haha!

In addition to that, my mom, aka 'free labor' (as she refers to herself), was in need of a heart procedure. She came through everything fine and is now on the long road to full recovery. So, needless to say I've lost my biggest helper. I miss our bi-weekly sewing dates but know it's best that she take it easy for a couple of months. She'll probably be back sometime this summer. Hi mom!

Well now, hopefully all the big stuff is behind me for a while and I can get on with the business of sewing and shows. I've been working on the show line-up for the year and am excited to be going back to familiar venues and also venturing out to new places including Grand Rapids and Traverse City. Until then, I need to beef up the Etsy store and stock up on tote bags because I'm just about out.

And now I'm off to clean up the mess I made today while making this bag set (listed on Etsy)

I'll take pics of the new "Shannon" bag design and new item for 2009 and post them soon!

Evie Bag Sale on February 7th

2009-01-28T14:30:00.005-05:00

I've been working on a bunch of Evie Handbags in order to offer a sweet 30% off sale at Crafter's Clearance on February 7th at Henry Ford II. Here's a little sneak peek...

I've updated the show schedule on the main website as well. So if you get a chance, consdier stopping in to see us. :)

Slow and Steady the Aprons are Ready

2009-01-14T09:45:00.006-05:00

I'm working through the pile of aprons in various stages of the assembly process. I completed three yesterday and listed two (one is a double) in my etsy store. I'm hoping the complete the other eight by tomorrow and get them listed. My new favorite print is the Michael Miller Zephyr in Putty. I love it!!