New Years, and all that jazz...

In case you hadn't noticed, I took a little bit of a blog break. Both writing and reading.

I tend to get overwhelmed during the holidays. I'm busy, you're busy... we don't have to explain these things to each other. 

It's almost the new year, and we are all trying to reinvent ourselves, and make changes to be better people and all that, so I've got to focus a lot more on my writing. I'm starting school again in a few weeks, and since it will be my last semester, I'm going to have to make it a priority. 

Even if that means I don't update the blog as often, I promise that when I do, the content will be worthwhile. 

In the meantime, here's a little somethin' somethin' to keep you satisfied...

All this and more can be found here.

You're Welcome :)

More from Purse Week

Hi again! I'm really excited that I finished this purse in time to submit it for Purse Week! I slaved away all day, and this is what I've come up with.

...I know... I'm still all about the yellow and gray. I'll never get over it.

This is by far the most detailed bag I've ever made.  I used the flower motif from the print on the inside and embroidered it on the outside pocket.

That took quite a while. But time passes quickly when you've got the "Disney Song and Story" channel on Pandora. Seriously, it's like A Whole New World. Literally.

Anyway, I'm in love with the inside fabric. I got a tablecloth and a bunch of cloth napkins on clearance from Target awhile back, and I can't stop using them! It's from the Dwell collection, and I hope I can find more online because I'm almost out.

This zipper was pretty time-consuming... not just installing it, but figuring out the logistics of how it would work. I made a few sketches, measured endlessly, and finally made it happen. And now that I have it all figured out, they will be a breeze in the future!

I also lined the front pockets with the Dwell fabric. They are nice and big for all my junk.

Alright, I'm heading over to enter this puppy in the Flickr Group. Wish me luck...

Hope you have a nice weekend. I'll be breaking in my new bag!

:)

Purse Week 2011

Hello there,

I thought I would pop in for a minute to share the new bag that I made for Purse Week 2011 over at A Lemon Squeezy Home. I participated last year, but didn't win. It was fun though... I love making bags.

This year there are some pretty sweet prizes, so I'm going at the competition hard.

Here's what I made...

I designed this messenger to be large enough to fit my latptop into, and made it extra padded and structured to keep my baby safe (this laptop is my baby, folks). I love the brown linen and the adjustable strap.

The inside is my favorite...

It has large roomy pockets that fit my laptop charger, my wallet, keys, phone, sunglasses... everything. AND This Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush print on the inside is like {insert angels singing}...

I totally love this bag, and I hope the judges love it too!

I have another purse in the works, but the deadline is tomorrow, so I'm not sure I'll finish in time.

I'll keep you updated :) 

If you're interested, go check out the Purse Week Flickr Pool to see the other entries :)

New Things

I know I have been mentioning--and in some cases-- shamelessly plugging my new shop Long Live. But I want to also let you know that my original accessory shop, Fancy Funky Fresh is still open and thriving. I'm continuing to come up with new products and designs for both shops. 

My goal is to have Fancy Funky Fresh be a place for cute, quirky, bright accessories that demand to be the center of attention, while giving me the opportunity to work with my favorite designer cotton fabrics. And at the same time also have Long Live, where I market a line of bags that is chic and low key, and can be paired with any outfit or accessory.

Having two shops is not as difficult as I thought it would be... it's just more important to keep myself organized and budget my time well.

So, that is just a little bit about my etsy shops, and why there are two, and what my goals are for each of them.

I also wanted to take this opportunity (since you're already here) to show you two new products now being offered at Fancy Funky Fresh.

First up are these quilted coaster sets:

I love these because every time guests come over, they always ask about them. They are so different from standard coasters that they become a conversation starter. Plus I can make them in just about any fabric (custom orders, y'all).

My second new product is a wallet... Not just a regular wallet but a cute petite little thing with big time storage. Designing this was not easy... I had an idea in my head, I just didn't know how to get it to work. I must have made like five prototypes. Totally worth it though. This is my new petite wallet:

It can hold just as much stuff as my larger Carry-It wallets, but it is more compact and fits into those tiny crossbody satchels that are everywhere these days.

Ok, so now you know what's up, and I hope to see some of you at the Cute Stuff Sale on Saturday the 17th, where you may or may not be able to purchase these pretty little things at a discounted price.

At it again

Well, I'm at it again! I joined up with NiceGirlNotes and a bunch of other great Etsy shop owners for another Cute Stuff Sale.

The sale takes place on the NiceGirlNotes Facebook page, and gives you an opportunity to get great deals on handmade stuff! All the items are at least 25% off, so it's great for gift buying (it's never too early for Christmas shopping, right?), or for treating yourself to something you wouldn't normally buy at full price. 

So go "like" NiceGirlNotes on Facebook, and check out this page for all the info you need. While you're there, snoop around and see how freakin' funny Roo is. She is the writer of the blog, and the woman behind the magic of the Cute Stuff Sale, and I want to be best friends with her.

Anyway, the sale is this Saturday the 17th, so this week I'm going to post a couple of sneak peeks of what I'll be offering! Soc check back soon :)

Grand Opening

Well, September 1st is finally here...

My new Etsy shop opened today!!

Introducing my newest project, Long Live Handmade.

I linked to it on Facebook, and all of my wonderful friends have been showing their support. Many of them even shared the link with their friends, and so far today my Etsy site has had over 100 views. Wowza! 

Here are some of the items I have listed... 

This is the Foldover Bag. It converts from a tote to a messenger to a shoulder bag. Making up the pattern was a labor of love, but this is the bag that my friends and family have shown the most interest in. I already have requests for custom orders! I made a product video for this bag, and even though I think it's embarrassing, I put it on Facebook and the Long Live Handmade blog.

I guess I can share it here too.

 This is the Large Pocket Tote. It is a very simple tote with a big ole pocket on the outside. Ideally this would be a school bag or a tote to take to the library or bookstore. I'm obsessed with corduroy right now.

This is the Foldover Clutch... It's similar to the Foldover Bag but small enough to take on a night out. There is a detachable wristlet too!

The list is short for right now, but I'm working on new designs and translating them from paper to a real thing is sometimes daunting. But soon I will have some time to really get crackin' on this stuff.

For the grand opening sale, I'm offering 20% off. Just enter this code at checkout:

GRANDOPEN2011

A more sophisticated me

I'm 23 years old.

I'm 10 units away from my bachelor's degree.

I live away from home.

I have a dog.

I'm a grown up.

I have no idea when that last thing happened, but whether I like it or not, it's the truth. I made some promises to myself that I was going to start making a few changes. Most of these promises stemmed from the new beginning, which I posted about recently.

I'm taking on a lot of new responsibilities on unfamiliar ground, and risk-taking is now something I'm doing daily. 

So why do I still roll out of bed every morning and throw on a tshirt and jeans? Because it's easy, it's familiar, and it's safe. Part of having a successful business is being mindful of how others perceive you... and haphazardly pulling on too-casual clothing is no longer going to cut it if I want to be happy with myself and say honestly that I'm trying my best.

Very recently I started filling in my eyebrows and wearing lip stain (not lipstick people, I'm nowhere near ready for that). I also started waking up early enough to apply it in front of my bathroom mirror and not while sitting at a red light on the way to work. It's going well so far.

But I'd still like to step it up a bit in terms of my appearance. I'm talking about outfit planning, accessorizing, and wearing my hair in styles other than a ponytail.

You can check out my entire style pinboard in Pinterest, but here are a few of my favorite items and outfits that I use to get inspired...

Source: polyvore.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: None via Amy on Pinterest

Source: alternativeoutfitters.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: None via Amy on Pinterest

Source: us.topshop.com via Amy on Pinterest

Well, we will just have to see where this goes. Baby steps folks.