Sleepy Sleepy Day

So here I am waiting patiently for my bright orange leather pants in the mail so I can make some more lovely things from them. I didn't get much sleep last night, Ciaran was once again with us and spent the night tossing and turning, talking, and climbing on top of my head to get comfortable. This morning he has a ton of energy and is also a little on the cranky side which doesn't match up well with my tiredness. Luckily, the neighbors' tabby cat has come to visit and Ciaran is getting a kick out of watching the kitty frolic about on the deck. If I was more awake I would be enjoying the antics more. It is good for a little giggle though for sure. Our cats hate it when the tabby comes to visit and I think the tabby knows that by the way he does his theatrical rolling and pouncing while looking in our window the whole time.

After kitty antics are done, we head downtown to mail off some more goods and search for zippers and ingredients for our big pot of chili. I may also sneak in a trip to the thrift store and the art store for a few little special treats for myself. More wool sweaters, cotton shirts, leather, who knows! The last visit to the thrift store ended up in the purchase of a new toy boat for Ciaran for twenty cents. It was the little boat or a huge rubber lobster. Ciaran picked the boat and I thank him for that. It was way easier to carry home.

Back to Work

So the Design Collective is over, I took the day yesterday to clean-up a little bit and improve some designs and now I am back to work. I have started listing some new wallets and I am making more day by day. I love the color combination in this one the bright raspberry pink with black and pumpkin orange. It stands out! I have decided to make my travel wallets just a smidgen bigger to fit a check book and more cash! I think it will go over well. I just want to design and make things that are pretty and practical. I think I am on the right track.

I am trying a new pouch design in sage green, lavender, and black that I think will look wonderful when done. I am going to be adding two zipper pockets, and a lot more slip pockets to the design to make it super usable. I am excited! I love the process of creating, you never do know what you'll end up with but the learning experience from the process is the key. That to me is worth it. Even if the project doesn't work out and you have to scrap the whole thing, at least you have learned what will or won't work.

Today we head downtown for a few errands. The weather seems to have changed into its more Autumn like appearance. Overcast and colder, with a tease of sun at the very end of the afternoon. I love it, but it definitely bugs a lot of the people around here, they so wanted more of a Summer. I can't say I blame them, but I still like the idea of bundling up in a nice warm sweater, hot cocoa, coffee, and a nice long walk. No more sandals, I guess I have to wear real shoes and socks. Not my favorite thing to do, but, I will give in for the sake of my poor chilly feet.

So back to work I go, hopefully I will have some good sewing karma and some amazing stuff will come out of that. No holding breath or crossing fingers though, it will be what it will be, no flipsy-changos!

I'm Getting Ready For The Show!

My first Design Collective is tomorrow night and I am actually a little nervous about doing it. I have done a few craft shows over the years, mostly the same ones year after year, but this is the first one of it's kind. I really like that the show will be featuring local designers. I look forward to seeing some new faces and reconnecting with some familiar ones.

So I have been preparing for this show and working on a few other side projects, my house is a mess, my son is a wreck, and my Mark is just putting up with it all. Thank goodness for his laid backness. I so appreciate being able to just do my thing and have him not give me grief about it. He and Ciaran will be hanging out tomorrow night while mom enjoys the crowd, has a glass of wine, listens to some live music, and hopefully sells something. (No holding breath or crossing fingers, I know how these shows work) Then the weekend is MINE! Take care everyone!

I'm Finished!

I finished my custom order for my first ever computer bag! I had a great time working on it. So last night I celebrated by cutting out many little snappy wallets and billfolds. I am trying to get as many done as I can in the next few days for my trunk show on Friday.

I am having a hard time deciding what colors to use for the wallets. I tend to want to cut out the more sell-able colors but with the trend in my Etsy shop it seems like anything goes these days. I guess I will just go with the flow and enjoy the process. I can't see working any other way.

I just put a bid in on another green suede jacket and a pair of bright orange pants for my newest collection of wallets. The people at the auction site must think I have some sort of screwed up fashion sense. Although they both would make a lovely and warm fall outfit. I am still trying to find that perfect bright pink leather something or other to turn into something fantabulous. The last ensemble I found was a three piece stripper-ly looking thing that ended up selling for over a hundred dollars. The perfect bright pink leather, but a little out of my price range. I will just keep searching and hope to happen upon some pink leather for a more reasonable price.

Yesterday, Mark, Ciaran, and I went out for ice cream. It was so much fun. I love watching Mark and Ciaran together. They make such a cute couple! They are so alike in every way it's hilarious and scary at the same time. Ciaran lucked out in the daddy department and I think Mark lucked out in the baby department. They make it very easy to love them both.

I need to make a lot of these little snappy wallets by next Friday. That and some more cuffs. I think I may be working through the nights over the next week. That means lots of coffee and no sleep! Eek! I am already sleep deprived from getting up with Ciaran every night this week, poor little guy is still working on some teeth and has been waking up crying every night this week.

Other than that, I am finishing up my latest custom order which I am liking more as I go along. It is very " colorful and funky" according to my mummy. I still have to line it and make the strap but I am digging this new fangled thing I have made.

Today is gorgeous! One of the wonderful things about living up here in the most northern bits of California is the mild weather. The late summer is just awesome. This is when we get to have summer. We get sun and warmth with very little wind and very little fog. It is so amazing to see people out and about with short sleeves and big smiles, just happy to be out in the sun. Summers here are usually foggy, or sunny and windy, then by the end of August the sun is out and everyone is happy. A lovely ending to the season and then it starts to rain.

My Favorite Little Pieces of Advice

Some of my favorite pieces of advice came from working with the kids at the school-age program I ran oh so many years ago. Some of these are from the kids, some from my co-workers but all valuable just the same. Sometimes you don't need big fancy(or ugly)words to get your point across. It is amazing how simple but how relevant to life some of these statements are:

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you have to!"

"There is a difference between being a strong person and just being a bitch."

"You were given two ears and one mouth for a reason."

"Don't go out with your hair wet!"

"Worry about your own underpants!"

"Treat your friends in the same way that you would like to be treated."

The only two words keeping you from doing that are "I can't."

"If he smacks you, and then you turn around and smack him, is that going to solve the problem?"

"They can't chase you if you don't run!"

"A little bit of embarrassment goes a long way."

"Hate is a very strong word, make sure you mean it before you say it."

"Sometimes, your opinion is only important to you."

I had to throw in the one about going out with your hair wet just because that has always cracked me up. My grandma used to scream that at us as we left the house even if it was 90 degrees out. Words to live by I tell you!

The Rush Is On!

I just finished my newest wallet, black leather stripes on embossed red suede with an antique button. I think it is pretty fun, it reminds me of fancy underwear for some reason. I listed this one in my icraft shop. I can't wait to make more!

Tis the season for rushing around and building up my inventory. I am finishing up one last custom order for the meanwhile and then the race is on. I need to get at least a few things finished for my trunk show next week. It should be a blast! A designer's showcase at one of our local galleries called the Accident Gallery in Eureka, CA. I haven't spent much time there so I don't know what to expect of the evening. It sounds like they have a pretty lively and fun little thing going right now which I find refreshing compared to the rest of the art scene in this area.

Mark and Ciaran will be enjoying a all boy's evening while I am peddling my wares at the trunk sale with my mom. Then it is all down hill after that. Along with wallets and bags, I am also making ornaments and a few pieces of jewelry for our next two shows in late November and early December. Boy time flies by. Each year I tell myself that I will be prepared and get a ton done before October 1st, rarely does that happen. It's very good this year because I have been working steadily and my sales have been pretty steady over the last couple of months so I am incredibly happy about that. So, the rush is on and off I go. Hopefully I will come up with some good stuff for this trunk show. The fun has just begun!