Flare vs. Flair

Yippee! I've moved out of the prototype stage to the production stage for my new handbag! Here they are...the first three from The Flare Clutch line:



I've gone back and forth in my geeky English Major way between calling it the Flare or Flair Clutch. I decided on "Flare" since it is more physically descriptive but I'll call in "Flair" in my head for my own amusement.

I'm excited about the pockets in this bag. There are two exterior pockets accessed from the same zipper that can hold lipstick, credit cards or slim flip phones. Inside is a slip pocket that is sized to fit cash.



I'm hoping to start carrying them in my shop this weekend!

The Brains of Others

I've been buzzing around my studio finishing up some custom orders. I love how custom orders stretch my brain. Other people have ideas about fabrics that I mentally tagged for something else and, voilà, there is something new and unexpected! Here are some nifty ideas from the brains of others.

First, a fused shopping tote for my friend, Steph. This bag was inspired by the "One Small Change" series on Steph's blog. I used the Fusing Plastic Bags Tutorial from the Etsy Labs Blog. I was so excited to find bags with trees for the exterior!


Next is a Handbag/Passport Wallet in Spumoni that I sent off yesterday. It's so fun to see fabrics that I envisioned in a smaller medium get to spread out and be grand.

Do you have any nifty ideas from the brains of others?

MAUVEalicious Treasury

Yay, I'm in another Etsy treasury! As always, I'm so pleased to have one of my bags amongst such prettiness. Thanks again, bellarosebyliz!

And isn't "mauve" a fun word? To satisfy my idle curiosity, here is what wikipedia told me about the derivation of "mauve":

"Mauve was first named in 1856. Chemist William Henry Perkin, then eighteen, was attempting to create artificial quinine. An unexpected residue caught his eye, which turned out to be the first aniline dye—specifically, mauveine, sometimes called aniline purple. Perkin was so successful in recommending his discovery to the dyestuffs industry that his biography by Simon Garfield is titled Mauve."

Now you have a little nugget of knowledge to use next time you play "Trivial Pursuit"!

Before and After

Over the past few days, I've been struck by the truth of the oft-repeated mantra of Etsy sellers: "It's all about the photos."

Some of the very first things I listed on Etsy expired and I decided to reshoot them before relisting them. While I'm no whiz at photography or computer graphics, I think my skills have improved.

Before:

After:

It's the same card holder taken with the same camera, just better lighting, composition and Photoshopping. This little holder languished in my shop for 7 months with the "Before" photos and then sold in a little over a week with the "After" photos.

What Etsy truisms have you found to be...well..true?

I'm Not Worthy

As I've mentioned before, I love when one of my things gets selected for an Etsy Treasury. Today I found the little gold star next to a treasury by bellarosebyliz that literally made me say "Wow" in that whistling way I usually reserve for well-made handbags or impossibly cute shoes.


I'm amazed that my little wristlet is in the company of such lovely works of art. Some of my favorite bloggers are in this treasury, too! stephaniegibson, who created the Long Peach Necklace has a very fun blog, Adornments and Distractions. And I've long admired both gemmafactrix's Walking Spanish Earrings and her blog, Love, Gemma.

Aren't Etsy Treasuries the best?

ps This treasury made the Etsy's Front Page!

Happy May Day!

I’ve always loved May Day. First, it reminds me of my childhood, when my mother, sister and I would make little baskets of flowers to leave on the front steps of our favorite neighbors. I also love May Day because some say that in ancient Greece, they celebrated the goddess Maia (hey, that’s me!) on May 1. My parents thought they made up my name when they gave it to me, but I’m fine with being named after a Pleiades. I didn’t have time to make up any little bouquets with my daughters this year so all I can offer in celebration is a new wristlet wallet that has lots of pretty flowers. Any suggestions for a name for it?

A trio of new bags

I've been fiddling around with a sling bag design for a while. I have thankfully graduated from a mini-van sized diaper bag to a more compact 4-door sedan sized bag. I like this design because I can sling it over my shoulder if I need to be hands-free or especially mobile when chasing after kids. Here are my first three bags for public consumption:



It's also great fun to work with large scale prints! Wallets call for more dainty and delicately scaled fabrics but these bags can handle broader strokes and brighter colors. They'll be available in my etsy shop in the next week.

Warm and happy heart

Today I found another little gold star in the Etsy Treasury! Even sweeter, though, is the title: "Etsy Friends." The cockles of my heart are all warm and cozy. madeinlowell created the treasury. She is a wonderful polymer clay artist and hilarious individual. I made her acquaintance in an Etsy forum thread about poetry devoted to a mysterious Bow Tie Kid in her second grade class. Check out her Mill Girl blog!

The siren call of a fabric store

I have a very difficult time driving by a fabric store without stopping. Some of my all-time fabric stores are Pacific Fabrics, a locally owned Seattle chain. Not only do they have a terrific array of fabrics and yarns, they also have lots of fun and useful classes. I took an upholstery course and transformed two chairs from scary 70s to retro 40s (I also got to use an electric staple gun which is always an empowering experience).

My latest visit to Pac Fabric garnered me some pretty fabrics that resulted in this:

The color combinations on the diamond fabric are so crisp and fresh. And I like the old-fashioned quality of the calico lining.

Where do you like to shop?

I love a little gold star

I have ever since elementary school. That little bit of shiny external validation always makes me smile. Instead of checking my homework for little bits of foil, I now look at the Etsy treasuries for little gold stars. And yesterday I found one! Thanks for including me, Avision!

Seller Shoutout: Hollyhawk

Photo from hollyhawk's etsy shop

Here is one of my favorite purchases from Etsy: hollyhawk's Floret leather cuff in plum. I love the color, the print and the width. It is impeccably crafted. Wearing it makes me feel girly and hip for which I'm eternally grateful, since my latest look is careworn and haphazard. Thanks Holly!

ps. I just discovered Holly's blog!

Hello, sad and neglected blog

I never did make a Brown Bohemian handbag for myself, although I did make quite a few around the holidays for other people! Now it's time for Spring and I just finished a custom order handbag that tickles me with its Spring-y-ness.

Originally uploaded by glassbeach

This is one of my favorite fabrics. I love the retro quality and the polka dots. I've made wallets with this fabric but I think the scale is well suited for a larger handbag. I think I'll have to make some more.

Welcome to my adventures wrestling with fabric and interfacing!

I've been sewing and crafting since I was five but my crafting obsession has reached a new high since I've recently started to sell my final products on Etsy. Here is one of my latest projects:

Originally uploaded by glassbeach



I am so pleased with the contrast between the manly corduroy and the girly sparkles. I think I may have to make another bag just for me!