How it All Begins

This is what a stack of billfolds looks like before I start cutting and gluing.  Each appliqued area is hand drawn out and then cut out by ME!  Then it's all about finding pieces of leather and suede to glue on to compliment the design.  Then interfacing the whole lot of them,  then sewing the appliques, and then putting the whole thing together.  Seems like a lot of work but it goes relatively quickly.  This is how I will be spending my day while I wait for phone calls and such.

New!

 My Newest Creation, a mix of my itty bitty messenger bag and My large envelope wallet.  This is the first of the batch and I get to call it mine:)  Only so I can see if it's something that will work well for what I designed it for.

 A close-up of the applique design this time purple, orange and olive green suede!

 The contrasting front flap interior in purple suede(goes so nicely with this particular shade of teal

 The exterior of the bag

The interior featuring three card pockets, one zipper pocket and two large slide pockets all fully lined in a paisley cotton print.

And there it is:)  I feel so accomplished!  It's just one of many things on the table this week.  Including a stack of billfolds all ready for cutting, gluing, and sewing,  a wristlet that just needs a zipper and a button to feel complete, and, a cuff from the same teal suede that needs some stitching and a handmade button to make it happy(and wearable)  Here's hopin' that this week some work gets done.

I Did It Again

I changed my shopname again!  I am leathery things, formerly known as Oh! Nicaeli, formerly known as nicaeli designs, formerly known as just Nicael.  I just needed a change:)  I can be found at the same old etsy shop with the new name leatherythings.etsy.com.  Same ol' leathery goodness and such with the same ol' lady making all of it.   Now, I am off to the zoo for maintenance and then back to the sewing machine to finish up a few things.

My new pouch design!  Now available in my Etsy shop:)  I decided to try to add some dimension into my work and came up with this.  I love my pearly leather!  This one turned out pretty neat and the next one (in bronze leather) is turning out even nicer.  I think I may play with this idea a little more and re-do some of my older designs.  For now, I'm just happy that I am working.  Feels good to be productive:)

Nope, Got Nothing........

This week has been full of apartment seeking, insomnia, more insomnia, a little bit of sewing, lots of crazy children, information gathering, and stuff like that.  I haven't really had much of a chance to sit down and focus on anything mostly because I am a zombie right now that only wants a nice apartment, closer to town that isn't going to cost an arm and a leg every month.  I know, I know, keep dreaming right?

Fascinating and Terrifying!

Yep, these little guys and gals are.  Well, at least to my little Edolie.  The kids fell in love with ladybugs while we were waiting for the bus on Saturday.  They had two that they were endlessly trying to lure into Ciaran's little green RAM truck.  So on Sunday, we decided to head over to the nursery up the street and buy a container of ladybugs to set free in our yard.  1500 of them.  The kids loved watching them emerge from the container and scurry all over the big bush next to our door.  Then, Edolie saw that they were all over my hands and arms AND all over her and she decided she didn't like them so much.  She only wanted to love and appreciate them from afar.  Today, as she went down for nap, she noticed one of the little critters on her baby's blankie and started screaming and crying "Ladybug!!!! Mama!!!!! Ladybug!!!!! HELP!!!!  So I rescued her by taking the ladybug infested blankie outside and shaking it off onto the bush.  No more scary ladybug.  They are all busy making themselves at home and finding some good little aphids to chow down on.  

Other than that, I just finished up my most recent custom order and it's going on it's way to it's new home tomorrow.  So now, I am working on a few billfolds and a new coin purse design.  So far so good.  I really like the new coin pouch and I have plenty of red leather right now, maybe I'll make a few ladybug inspired pouches:)

A Little Break

 Gecko Eggs!

Beazus' New Pad

I have been working on a new custom order this week and everything got away from me!  So I spent my Friday, Saturday, and Sunday being lazy and working on stuff that just needed to get done.  I got to do some new clothes shopping for the kiddos on Friday so they aren't always wandering around in clothes that are too small for them.  They have all new underwear, socks, and t-shirts!  That was fun.  I got a pair of jeans that actually fit and a frothy coffee drink for myself.  

Saturday was the laziest day.  Just spent the morning trying to wake up and planning out how to re-plant Beazus' vivarium so the plants wouldn't just droop away and die.  So, I did that and enjoyed the afternoon with Mark and the kids downtown.

Today, I replanted the vivarium!  I ended up dropping it once but it survived!  I used the plants that had already been established and added one more!  I will be adding some moss and getting a different hidey cave for Beazus now that the old one doesn't fit very well.  

So there,  not much work was done but it sure was nice to work around the the house a bit.  Now I can get back to my custom orders:)