A Very Yellow Weekend

Hi there! So, since you're here you've probably noticed my awesome blog makeover!

Isn't it glorious?

The blog was designed by Annie of the Wattlebird. She is one talented lady.

If you are looking for a new blog design, Annie is the one to contact. She was so easy to work with, and her designs are just so pretty.

Big HUGE thanks, Annie! I love this new look :)

So, everyone go snoop around Wattlebird blog and shop. I'm sure you'll find something amazing.

I have a fun little tutorial scheduled for tomorrow. So come back, ok?

Thrifty Thursday

I would love to hit the thrift stores in my area more often. We have some awesome ones here that I just don't get to visit often enough. But I went today!

... and I scored big time.

Look what I got for less than $14

Two picture frames (8x10's) $1.99 each

...they are a little beat up. I'm thinking about painting them, but I actually kind of like the real look of distressed wood. Thank you thrift store pickers.

I also got this ADORABLE tunic, which I believe is originally from Old Navy. Only $2.99! I can't wait until the weekend, it's supposed to be 80 degrees on Saturday so I can wear it!

This is a cute little bag. It's pretty slouchy, but if I stuff it full of my junk, it looks like a bowling bag. My real intention is to take it apart and maybe salvage the straps and snaps, but I might use it a few times before that. It was $1.99

This clutch is for those times when I feel like gettin' glammed up, which I don't do very often. But for 99 cents, I just might have to find an occasion for sparkles in the near future.

Ok, now for this next one, I'm gonna have to ask that you fight the rage and refrain from choking me. YOU WILL ENVY THIS.

This was the best score of the day, the week, and possibly the pride of all my thrifting scores.

Ready?

Shazam!

This messenger bag caught my eye, and I almost walked away. I don't know what I was thinking. I did a double-take and then I went back and snooped around inside.

There are so many pockets, and it is big enough to hold all of my school stuff. It is just barely too small for my laptop. But I might just have to get a new laptop to go with my fantastic thrifted leather satchel that cost me $2.99

Ignore the mess. Focus on the awesomeness.

So here is my entire treasure trove of thrift store finds. Not a bad Thursday afternoon.

Grand total: $13.94

Hit Me Baby One More Time + A Spoiler

This weekend I went to Vegas. I go there A LOT. When I say a lot, I mean that I went there three times in February. I have a lot of family there, plus it seems to be the place where all the fun is. I went to see George Strait and Reba in concert earlier this month (actually I guess it was last month. Hello, March), and this past weekend I went to celebrate a friend's 21st birthday. She stayed at the Hard Rock hotel, which I have always loved. There is so much cool memorobilia to look at. Here is a picture of me next to Britney's actual Baby One More Time outfit.

I also saw Madonna's cone boob outfit, Michael Jackson's actual glove (it was too sparkly to be captured in a photo), and Kurt Cobain's moonman statue from MTV. That's just in the lobby. If the drinking and gambling hadn't pulled me in, who knows what treasures I could have found.

I dropped off my Feb. swap gift at the post office this morning. March always sneaks up on me every year. Sorry, Marisa, it will be there in a couple days. Now stop reading because the next part of this post includes photos of the gift you will be receiving. Unless of course you want to ruin the suprise, then I guess you can look.

Here are the aprons I made for myself and Marisa:

(SPOILER!!!)

I LOVED making these. I used a tutorial from Amy Karol's book Bend the Rules Sewing. I've made these as gifts before, but I never kept one for myself.

I bought the fabric from Target. It was meant to be a tablecloth, but a 60x80 piece of fabric with pre-hemmed edges is really not going to last long in my house without being cut up. Plus it was on clearance for $4. I still have plenty left, so I might make another apron or some tote bags.

Last night I got an early start on my March swap gift, so hopefully it will get there before April.

To see more info about the Great Create 2011 Craft Swap, check out My House is Vanilla.

Monday on a Tuesday

Today is Tuesday, not Monday. I must remember that.

So this weekend was fun and productive. I didn't get a chance to go fabric shopping, but I did receive an order I placed from fabric.com to get me through the week. Plus my stash is huge as it is and I probably have enough to make anything my heart desires for a whole year.

The VC Handcrafters Etsy meeting went well! I met a bunch of super creative women at all levels of Etsy selling experience. We discussed a lot of helpful topics, and I think having a group with which to talk shop is going to benefit everyone involved!

Then it started raining and I got lazy. It was just too tempting to cozy up with a coffee and get caught up on Jersey Shore.

Sunday was the best. We went over to my parents' house and I brought all of my sewing supplies. I cranked out a bunch of ruffled clutches and coffee cozies. My sister Bari is a great helper.

I also finished my February swap gift. I won't mention what it is, because I want my recipient to be suprised. Well actually I only finished the one I'm giving away, but not the one for me, so I need to keep working.

I just need to take photos and create shop listings for all the items I made this weekend, that's the tedious part.

I took some more photos for Janemade Jewelry, so be sure to check out the new listings.

 Remember that the discount ends Feb. 28, 2011! To get the discount, become a follower of this blog and enter coupon code YELLOW15 at checkout to get 15% off your purchase.

Prepping for a marathon

Yeah right, I'm not prepping for an actual marathon. Psh, last time I checked you have to be in shape for one of those. The marathon I'm planning is a craft marathon of sorts. This upcoming weekend will be my ONLY free weekend in the month of February. My weekdays are filled with school and work, and I don't have time for much else. So this weekend is going to be packed with projects I have been putting off this whole month. Here is what I'm planning on getting done:

Coffee Cozies! I haven't stocked them in my shop since they sold out over the holidays, but I have about 12 cut out and ready to be sewn together.

Ruffled Clutches! This is a new product (of which I have already sold 2 (Thanks Judy!)), and I'm planning on cranking out at least a few. I have made some with buttons, some without. You can view photos of both on my Facebook page. Let me know which ones you like better. Leave a comment here or on Facebook to let me know what you think.

Heidi Bag! I offered to pattern test for Julie of Vibrant Designs, and she sent me this great handbag pattern. I'm not quite finished yet, but I hope to have it completed by the end of the weekend. The pattern will be sold in the Vibrant Designs shop shortly.

Duffel Bag! Ok, so I bought this pattern on Etsy awhile ago, and I have been doing a little bit at a time.



Image via StudioCherie on Etsy

It's a pretty complicated project, made even more complicated by my lack of a serger. I have had to attach a narrow binding to every edge of this bad boy because there is no lining, and I couldn't bring myself to leave the edges raw. I chose the first one to practice on as my own personal duffel bag, but once I get the hang of it, I plan on selling them in my shop. Here are the fabrics I'm using for mine:

See? All the pieces are ready to go, just waiting to be assembled.

Last but not least... I need to make and send my February craft for the Great Create. I'm not gonna say which item from the list I'm making, but here's a hint: It's kind of something I need. That narrows it down quite a bit. But seriously, I'm going insane without this thing and I need it ASAP, so my lucky exchange partner will also be receiving one, whether she needs it or not. I hope she does :)

So my schedule will be like this:

Friday I'm taking Raelene, my crafty partner in crime, to the LA fashion district to go fabric shopping! I've been a couple times but this will be her first. Prepare yourself Rae Rae, it can be overwhelming.

Saturday I'm supposed to meet up with the members of VC Handcrafters, an Etsy team we are trying to get going for people in Ventura County. After the meeting, I have no plans and I'm going to confine myself to my craft room for the whole day.

Sunday I'm going to my parents' house to watch the Daytona 500. Actually my real plans are to eat food and cut out patterns while my dad and boyfriend watch the race.

I hope I can put a dent in my "to sew" pile. I will post an update next week to let you know how I did. Don't forget to check out Facebook and let me know what you think about the ruffled clutches: buttons or no buttons?

Also make sure you take advantage of the Janemade Jewelry reader discount. Become a follower of this blog and enter the code YELLOW15 at checkout and receive 15% off each item from Janemade. Expires Feb. 28, 2011

Thanks for stopping by... Have a crafty weekend!

Janemade Jewelry Reader Discount

Brendan's mother Jane is a wonderfully talented jewelry maker! She sent me a gorgeous amethyst mobile/suncatcher awhile back and I thought that was really pretty. Then she sent me a necklace, and then a bracelet. I knew she should be selling her creations... it would definitely make for a fun little side business, and some extra income.

She still lives in South Africa, and she uses her very precious time on the internet to Skype with her boys, so she asked me if I could set up a shop for her. Of course I agreed.

She is hoping to come visit the U.S. soon, and then she will be running the shop herself.

This past week I've been experimenting with taking photos of the gems in different lights and writing descriptions for the necklaces. So far I have a few listed, but she sent me quite an inventory, so I'm still working on getting everything photographed. Here is a little taste of what you can expect to see at Janemade Jewelry:

These things were so great to photograph! They capture the lighting a little better than the fabric stuff I usually take pictures of.

We are offering free shipping to all U.S. locations, and until February 28th, a 15% discount to readers of this blog! Just follow my blog and enter coupon code YELLOW15 at checkout.

For right now, the only listings available are for pendant necklaces, but I am working on getting bracelets and key charms listed. Please let your friends know about Janemade Jewelry, and about the discount!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Great Create Project List

So, I signed up to take part in the Great Create hosted by melissa on my house is vanilla. It's a fun exchange of crafts, and the best part is that you are encouraged to make TWO of each thing on your list so you keep one and send one! By the end of the year you have 12 (or in my case 11) items that you made for yourself and 12 (or 11) handmade items from other crafty people. I'm very excited about it, so I made up a list of the things I plan on making.

I like to have fun with fonts.

I'm going to be making these in no particular order... Just whatever I feel like making each month. And I'm so excited to see what the other crafters come up with.

Also, I've been asked about my business card holder. I used this tutorial to make it (super simple).

I used the same fabric that is scanned onto my business cards and in my etsy banner. I believe it is Heather Bailey.

The last photo is me flipping this baby open like an FBI badge. Makes me feel important.

I've been pretty busy the last few days; I just got back from Las Vegas where I saw George Strait & Reba in concert (!!!), and I whipped up a few little clutches before I left.

I was kind of inspired by the gathered clutch tutorial from Noodlehead. Instead of a horizontal gather, I made mine vertical, and layered it on top of the print fabric.

We went to the concert for my cousin's birthday, so I gave her the purple/yellow one as a gift.

The other ones are going up in my etsy shop.

I'm off to finish some homework and decide what I should make for my February swap gift!