This is SO Cool!

I have found something that could potentially change the way I create with fabric. I was so excited yesterday when I stumbled upon this that I immediately called everyone I know who would also think this is SO cool. Okay, that list is short and includes only my sister and my mother-in-law, but still, they agreed that it is super cool - maybe not in the life-changing way I was suggesting while I was jumping up and down in my kitchen, but still cool.


My discovery is morecloth.com and it was created by Catherine who is, among other things, a fabric designer. She's a true artist with respect to the scientific way she evaluates and critiques color combinations and textures. Her obsession with fabrics led her to develop this uber-clever site that actually helps you search for fabric colors and patterns that complement each other. Not only that, but if you see fabric swatches that you can't live without, you just click on the swatch and you're taken directly to an Etsy shop where you can purchase that piece of fabric!

This site will save me countless hours of time searching for the perfect fabrics to use in my bags. If you are a crafter forever in search of the perfect swatch, this is your lucky day!

New Bags for My Shop

I'm breathing some new life into Sunshine Handbags on Etsy!

I've re-styled the Sara Handbag a little bit, making it ever so slightly bigger and I added some cute details to the handles. I really love it and am so excited to make some more. I'd like to add one more bag to my line this season, something with a drawstring, but I haven't perfected the design yet. I also have a new Katie bag which features an outside cellphone pocket...I hope to get one added to the shop soon. The Dilly tote might also get a fashion makeover soon. I LOVE the flap on that bag but it hasn't been a big seller so I will find a way to keep the flap and change the rest.

I've decided to phase out the Venetia and Andi bags from the lineup. These styles are really just larger versions of the Sara and I think the structure of the bag has been sacrificed by going larger, so my goal is to come up with an entirely different shape/style oversized bag, possibly by this summer. Hmmmm, maybe it will be a beach bag....

Please keep your eye on my shop for new additions. I hope to keep on pace with at least 3 new bags each week, maybe more depending on how smoothly the rest of my life is running at any given moment!

Resolution #1

Today is another in a string of lazy days. I feel I deserve nothing less after the crazy holidays. I am slowly moving toward something like motivation, I might join the 5000 other people who Steve promises will be at the club today. Evan yelled up from the basement that the next Rock Band song goes out to mom...it was Queen's "fat-bottomed girls". Yes, I will definitely go to the club today. Maybe twice.

I've been paging through some of my favorite creative blogs today, catching up on old news and I'm feeling very humbled. There is so much beautiful creative energy buzzing around out there. I'm just in awe of the freshness of other's ideas. My own work feels very stale and (no surprise, really) very linear. That's me, "linear girl". Thinking "outside of the box" just isn't my strong point, I can't even think outside of the corner of the inside of the box.

Therefore, my first official resolution of the year (I say "official" because I was talking smack last night about how I was going to get my bod bikini-ready for the beach, but I didn't actually write that one down, so it's not OFFICIAL) is to get wild and crazy with my bag designs. I'm going to mix it up, add some, and I hate this word because it's so overused, whimsy! I'm never afraid of color, but I need to do more with style, texture, dimension and flair. I have yet to really develop a signature feature and I have 363 days to find it.

Yes! I'm going to fill my Etsy shop to the brim and I'm kicking this silly hobby of mine into overdrive.

If I can still operate my arms when I get back from the club, I'll get to work.

Starting Out the New Year Yummy!!

Slept in a bit this morning and woke up to this....



Oh, how I love my family! Delicious Ebelskivers (it's a danish pancake), crisp bacon, cool juicy fruit, a vanilla latte and mimosa.

I hope you all have a wonderful 2010!

Evan Said All He Wanted Was A White Christmas...

Be careful what you ask for! No spoons under the pillow or backwards jammies required last night, as they cancelled school before they even went to bed. I've never seen that happen in my life time and I've always lived in snow country.

Steve got to put his new baby to work this morning bright and early. Ok, I agree, it WAS a good idea to buy the big snow blower. There's no way in hell I'm shoveling us out of this! The heavy, wet snow is dragging all my bushes to the ground and threatening many large branches of our trees. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed later today when the 50 mph winds arrive...at least we still have power (knock on wood). Maybe we can get out and make a cool snowman before the temps plummet.

Today we'll be hunkered down in the house, I'll be sewing sewing sewing and making a few batches of Chex Mix. YUM! Perfect snacking for a day like today. The kids will be climbing the walls because our satellite is out - no TV for them. Maybe a marathon monopoly game later today?

Stay warm and safe and enjoy the view!

It's Comin' on Christmas

I'm feeling very merry this year.

I must explain that historically I dread this coming holiday. I stress about giving my family the "perfect" Christmas, starting with finding just-right gifts for everyone on my list and making sure my kids have exactly the same number of presents under the tree. I spend an unhealthy amount of time wishing I could wrap my gifts in color coordinating paper with clever cut-out tags a la Martha Stewart, but by the time I finally start wrapping I'm pretty much too tired to care if I have to resort to using birthday wrapping and a name scrawled in blue sharpie. I can easily wear myself out planning perfect holiday meals, even when in recent years I have had only my small family to cook for on our quiet christmas eve and morning. And don't even get me started with the stress of getting the house decorated inside and out, including making sure the members of my lighted deer herd all have working bulbs and both trees have the proper ornaments.

But this year is somehow different. I am scaling back the number of gifts I'm giving to relatives and have begged them to do the same for me. The house is decorated inside and out and while I still have to haul the empty boxes to the basement, it looks very holiday-ish around here and I have yet to break a sweat. My packages will be on their way to Colorado well before the last minute and (you might have to sit down for this one) I am working on my christmas cards, something I haven't done in at least ten years. My Illinois family is breaking tradition by having a gathering the weekend before Christmas, at MY house, and I'm feeling very calm, capable and ready, even though I have no idea yet what I'll be cooking.

I can find no other explanation for this jolly state of mind except to say that I'm simply happy. I am looking forward to the snow, joyful times spent with my friends and family and I know in my heart I could not ask for more than what I have with me right now.

I wish the same for you, my friends!