In between working on my weekly sketchbook pages of animal art illustrations, and trying to create something everyday, I’m also having fun practicing hand lettering combined with watercolor wreaths. I turned these watercolor postcard paintings into new notecards in my Etsy shop.
Drawing all the time makes me happy, so Practice Practice Practice has been my motto this year. It’s also great to be able to add new products to my etsy shop based on my drawings and watercolor paintings.
Terri
I'm so excited to finally be ready to show you my newest and most favorite products - custom sketchbook slipcovers and zippered pouch sets!
I am offering them in three combinations of sets from my shop.
Set 1 includes the small sketchbook, measuring 3.5 inches wide by 5.5 inches tall, and fits perfectly inside the medium zippered pouch, which is 9 inches wide by 5.5 inches tall. That way, you can carry your favorite drawing tools with your sketchbook.
Set 2 includes the medium sketchbook slipcover, measuring 5.5 inches wide by 8.5 inches tall, and has a velcro strip on the back to attach the small zippered pouch, measuring 7 inches wide by 4 inches tall.
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The idea here is that this small pouch attaches to the sketchbook slipcover so you can carry your favorite pens and pencils when you’re out and about.
All the sketchbook slipcovers have a double elastic loop, one attached to the front of the cover and the other attached to the back cover. When you slide the pencil through both loops, it keeps the slipcover closed.
Set 3 is the mother-load with all five pieces!
The large zippered pouch is 12 inches wide by 7 inches tall, and all these goodies fit inside. It’s a stylish way to carry your sketchbook and drawing tools.
The pencils and my handmade sketchbooks are included. The best part – these slipcovers are all reusable! When you fill up one sketchbook, replace it with another.
I am listing these as custom orders so you can pick and choose your own colors.
Ever since enrolling in art school, I have wanted to find a way to combine my passion for sewing and my new love for drawing and illustration. This is a fun start! Stop by to check out my new goodies!
Amy at Amy’s Creative Side is having a group giveaway this week with goodies from her sponsors.
My shop advertises on Amy’s site, so I included a toile makeup bag in Amy’s giveaway bag.
If you want a chance to win this bag or any of the patterns, fabric or kit from the rest of her sponsors, go to Amy’s post and leave her a comment.
She will select a winner on Monday, February 14.
Good luck, friends!
I recently ordered a bag of scraps, and found inspiration from these small pieces of cotton velveteen.
They led to a 9-patch of various velveteen scraps.
That led to this patchwork set on point on a piece of black and grey suiting fabric. Then I framed it by hand sewing a chain around it.
That led to quilting lines around that center, making it really pop off my canvas. Naturally, I had to frame it with a contrasting piping.
That led to a new one-of-a-king bag!
It’s a square bag measuring 11 inches all the way around, has contrasting burgundy piping and zipper, and two big pockets on the inside, one with a zipper closure and one open.
I used luscious voile fabric for the lining, which I really love working with. It’s the softest and smoothest fabric to work with.
(more photos and deets here)
I’m not sure how the idea for this bag came from some simple velveteen scraps, but it was fun to keep pushing, trying something different at each step and experimenting along the way. I like the sophisticated look of this design, so I will definitely try this again with new colors.
I managed to keep quite busy over the semester break making several custom orders for my shop. What a relief to have them officially completed and in the mail!
I received a custom order from a customer to make a set of patchwork chair pads for her daughter’s room.
She wanted fabrics from Amy Butler’s Love collection to coordinate with the rest of her decor. I really loved working with these fabrics, both the quilting cotton and home dec weight. I especially loved the home dec fabrics – they have such a soft and fabulously supple feel.
She wanted wide, long ribbon ties so she could have big bows at the backs of the chairs. She also wanted these cushions to be thick, so I used the thickest padding I could find that my sewing machine could handle. It was like sewing through a pillow!
The fun part about this project was imagining what these pads would look like on those little chairs. When we were kids, we had the infamous kids’ table. But ours was painted a bright lime green color, which we loved! It was fun to put together puzzles or have a tea party at that table. This project really made me feel nostalgic!
When I gave you a preview of some new products I made for my shop, my friend Michelle requested a twin version of my star bling handbag.
I made a few improvements to Michelle’s version, such as longer straps (from 22 inches to 30 inches) and moved up the ribbons on the corner so they aren’t so close to the dart.
Michelle asked for a small coin purse to go with her new bag, so I whipped up this little experiment.
How fun knowing we will have twin purses. How fun knowing someone in another country actually wanted to carry a bag just like mine. Silly girls!
My cousin Linda requested a similar bag, but without the bling, and in a size that would fit her MacBook Air computer. For a request for a specific size, I like make a mock-up in cardboard to make sure the dimensions will work for the client’s specifications.
From that same preview, I received a request from Cindy to make her an artist tote.
Her only specification was an orange lining. How fun to use this fabulous print from the fabulous Innocent Crush collection as my inspiration. Then I pulled warm, fun colors from my stash to create the crazy patch block for the front.
I also used the coolest heather grey suiting fabric for the back, gusset and strap.
I enjoy custom orders because they are challenging to work on, but I always worry about satisfying the customer’s expectations. Hope these goodies are well loved!
It’s great to have a blog to be able to look back on how I spent the past year. Here are my highlights from 2010. (note: I’m choosing to ignore the low points!) I finished a couple quilts.
I started a couple more quilts. 
(my chocolate lollipop Road to Spring quilt top)
(my Pop Garden quilt top)
I joined my first quilting bee. 
I went on my first quilting retreat. Had the time of my life!
I shared a few tutorials. 
I made lots of great new friendships this year that I cherish, so I hope we continue to stay connected. 
We did a little travel to Las Vegas and New York City.
(Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas!)
I went to a few rock concerts. 
I experimented with lots and lots of new bag designs. 
I shared a series of Best Practices. 
We enjoyed our gardens. 
We enjoyed the farmers market. 
I spent some time at my parents’ cottage. 
I organized a Christmas in July ornament exchange. 
I am happy my etsy shop was more active. (By the way, did you know I started advertising on a couple blogs? I looking for a couple more to try.) 
I made lots of custom orders, which are always fun to do. They are challenging and so fulfilling! (still have a couple more to finish) 
I entered my first craft show. 
I squeezed in a little hiking and a little skiing.
(trail at Peninsula State Park)
(riding the chair lift at Tyrol Basin)
I lost a total of 22 pounds! 
I quit my corporate job! Scary and freeing in the same breath! 
I went back to school! So far, I’ve taken a design class, a drawing class and a computer graphics class. 
Looking back at the amazing variety I experienced this past year makes me feel like one lucky girl! I am excited to continue to move forward, so cheers to a Happy New Year!
I haven’t had time to sit at my sewing machine for two weeks, yet I have been holding back on you! I finally finished adding some new one-of-a-kind bags to my shop, so now they can all be found in the New Products section.
Some are meant to be functional and practical, like these Artist Totes below. (my sister has already claimed the one with the blue lining)
Others are fun because they are impractical, like these patchwork party clutches below! (Update: I sold the one in the middle at my craft show, but I can always make another if someone has a custom request.)
Some of these new patchwork handbags could be carried for daytime running around (pink and grey version listed here and maroon and grey version listed here) or
They could complement a trendier look for a girls’ night out. (Update: I sold the middle wristlet below at my craft show, but I plan to make another since I really love that city scape print.)
I have been wanting to try a new messenger bag/laptop bag with a flap in a more modern romance look. Check out the link to that laptop bag – it has the coolest newsprint fabric inside the flap! (Note: I also made myself a funky new handbag, shown below, out of plaid suiting with lace, sequin and stud accents.)
I am happy to offer all of these styles as custom designs, in addition to what I patch and piece together based on my own inspirations. I provided more details in the descriptions in my shop, if you’re interested in more specifics.
Sorry for the bag overload today! I’m super excited about all these one-of-a-kind designs. I’m hoping to develop most of these patterns into a collection, so this is a preview of a regular series of goodies to come. Thanks for hanging out with me today!
Who doesn’t love rick rack?! (humor me if you don’t love it!)
How cool to see my Charming Yellow Makeup Bag included in this Rick Rack Treasury?! (third row down, first item)
Don’t know what a Treasury is? A Treasury is a member-curated shopping gallery comprised of 16 items chosen by the curator, items selected based on a theme or whatever the curator likes. Any Etsy shop owner can create a Treasury. It’s not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share cool things for sale on Etsy. I have an idea for a theme, so I really want to curate a Treasury one of these days.
Go check out all the other rick rack goodies too!
Terri's Notebook 
