An Update from the Past... An Exciting Glimpse into the Future!

Hello Readers!

I am finally back to blogging! My business has seemingly been on hold for awhile; my husband and I bought a house, got moved in, then the holidays came! We made it through those, but I became very busy this year teaching my usual piano students, plus I added sewing lessons! I have adored teaching my 10 students how to sew! Now that summer is here, I'm getting back on my own sewing machine, and I'm thrilled to be creating again! I didn't realize how much I missed that.

Now that we have our own house, (YAY!!!!) I finally have a whole room dedicated to sewing, crafting, and creating! My sweet little brother custom made me counter workspace and storage; the benefit of my dad owning a woodworking shop! I'm now finally getting to decorating the room and adding all the fun stuff! I will be posting pictures of my workspace as I complete it. I hope my ideas will inspire some of you to make your workspace more efficient and beautiful!

I have also recently discovered my love for tutorials! Though my tutorials will probably pale in comparison to some of the awesome bogs I follow, I hope they will be a help to you! As always, feel free to comment, insert ideas, or ask questions! I look forward to sharing with my readers again!

My entire Etsy shop is about to undergo a serious reconstruction; new banner, items for sale.. the whole enchilada! Keep checking in to get updates and see the changes!

Color Inspiring Pets!

I am so excited because last night my husband and I got our first pets! We brought home two beautiful Betta fish! I am very excited to have a pet again, plus now I have company while my husband is gone all day at work! I was trying to capture their amazing colors on the pictures, but it wasn't working very well!

We got a male that has gorgeous turquoise, emerald, and red colors, and a female with orange, bronze, and red colors with fins that have indigo tips! I'm all about color, so I had to have the prettiest, most colorful fish in the store! I'm having a hard time choosing names, because I want names that are descriptive of their beautiful colors. I would love any suggestions! These are my first Betta fish, so hopefully I will be able to keep them happy and healthy for a long time!

Celebrating Independence Day!!

This Fourth of July was one I really looked forward to, since it was the first one with my husband!! Since my husband had Friday and Saturday off work, we decided to drive an hour and a half north and get out of the intense Phoenix heat! (unfortunately our plan didn't really work, because it was still hot!) Since this trip was rather last minute, and the Prescott area is a very popular getaway on the 4th weekend, we couldn't find a hotel! I decided to give my husband one of his wishes, and volunteered to make the weekend our first camping trip! I had never gone camping before, so this experience kind of scared me! We camped at a lake and it was a blast! We spent the entire day on the lake fishing, canoeing, and trying to out-run random thunderstorms! The day was fun even though we didn't catch any fish, had to hide among rocks when a storm picked up, and I got seriously sunburned! I'm sure we will have plenty of stories to tell our kids someday from our first camping trip! We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and had a great time together!

Saturday morning our friends drove up and we went kayaking, which was another fun experience since I was the only one who had kayaked before! After loading up the campsite, we headed into downtown Prescott where there was a large arts and crafts show. This, of course, was the part of the weekend I was looking forward to! We walked around the craft show and antique shops for a few hours, and I got so inspired to go home and sew again! It was definitely the creative inspiration I needed! We walked until we couldn't anymore, then drove back to Phoenix and had dinner with our friends. A beautiful fireworks show ended our first Fourth of July together! A camping trip for my husband, craft show for me, and spending time together and with our best friends made for a great weekend! Now back to the sewing machine....

Purple Monogrammed Cosmetic Bag

This was one of my recent custom orders. I have actually made several of these, in different fabrics and with different letters. This cosmetic bag was custom made for a woman's mother-in-law that loves anything purple! I chose a lovely lilac fabric with a subtle floral print, and contrasted it with a dark purple fabric that has a slight tye-dye look. The lining of the bag is a lilac cotton. A matching zipper tops the bag off and keeps everything securely inside. These personalized cosmetic bags make a special and unique gift for any girl, including yourself!

Seeing Black and White

I haven't posted a blog in a few days because I have been working a rather unique project. Our church is having VBS this summer with a Nascar/racing theme, so I am making a huge black and white checkered flag right now. I have to sew together around 166 black and white squares! Hopefully I will get it finished before the weekend so I can get back to more interesting, creative things!

The most recent fun thing I made was a camera case for my mom. She left with my dad and little brother on vacation yesterday, and took the case with her before I could get pictures taken. I will post pictures of the case as soon as she gets home on Monday. I had a lot of fun with different colored threads and stitching designs on this project, and I'm looking forward to sharing it!

I have a few other custom orders that I've done that I will post on here as soon as possible! For now, I need to check my laundry and go sew more squares together... This flag has definately made me appreciate working with cute, colorful fabric!

Flower Power Diaper Bag

This fun, retro floral diaper bag definately gives a whole new meaning to "a baby with style!"

Made from a fun aqua blue, yellow, and brown color schemed floral fabric, this diaper bag is sure to pop! Coordinating yellow with aqua blue circle themed fabric for the handles, edge of exterior pockets, and closure flap add visual interest. This diaper bag combines style with function. The exterior of the bag features a pocket on each side - a gathered pocket with elastic top, and a flat pocket perfect for diapers or wipes. The front has a small pocket between the straps that is perfect for mom to drop her keys or cell phone into when her hands are tied up handling baby and a thousand other things moms have to juggle at once! The handles are wide and padded for comfort. The bag features an open-top design that is very convenient to be able to drop things into when your hands are full. A strap with a magnetic snap closes the bag. The entire diaper bag is interfaced with a soft fleece to give it a soft, plush baby look, while adding to the durability. The lining of this diaper bag is a pretty aqua blue fabric that has tiny chocolate brown dots. It coordinates perfectly with the outside fabric! The lining has a long pocket on one side that is gathered with an elastic top to keep things organized.

This cute diaper bag is perfect for any baby girl and mom who want to have a style that is all their own!

The Color and Print Controversy

When it comes to choosing a handbag, I tend to determine what bag to carry based on each outfit. In this post, I want to encourage you to look at choosing a handbag with a whole new perspective! Many people look at a colorful, printed bag and think, "What would I wear with that?" There are endless outfits that you can carry a printed bag with. If you're a little scared of diving into big florals and bright stripes when you normally carry a plain black purse, start off with a more subtle print or color. For a subtle look, try this: Pair a solid top with a solid or subtle printed pant or skirt. Add a pair of adorable flats or pumps and you have a classy, chic look. Now, to add a punch of color, add a colorful floral or stripe bag. Suddenly your classy, but simple look is transformed just by adding a colorful or printed bag that makes your entire outfit pop! With so many modern prints popular today, you can defiantly pull off a printed purse with a printed top, if they compliment each other. There are endless options in printed bags, from subtle prints, to classy damasks that work great for a professional look, to fun summery prints that go perfect with a cute skirt and sandals. So this summer, I urge you, enjoy the season! Don't be afraid of colorful or printed bags; they do match so many outfits! Play around with different color and print combinations. The possibilities truly are endless...