handmade by moi

Binkies, Bibs and Wipes oh my...

2008-10-30T10:18:00.005+01:00

Well we are counting down the days until the big arrival...this seems to be the longest month EVER! But it does give me some time to finish up last minute projects for the shop.
I have been busy in baby mode making bibs, diaper carriers and binkie holders for the shop. My goal is to have enough stock for Christmas so that when the little one arrives all that I need to do is mailing.
All of these little treats are available at my etsy store, and the great thing is if they don't sell I can use them for my own little bundle of joy!

Little Baby Binky Holders

2008-10-27T08:26:00.005+01:00

It is becoming a little difficult to reach the sewing machine with this belly full of baby, but I still have the need to be creative. So...
I made these little Binky Clips from some Japanese ribbon and cute little buttons. There are circus themes, chick & eggs and strawberry & birds.
These are perfect to clip to bibs or blankies so that you don't lose your baby's pacifier. These can be found at my etsy store. A perfect little stocking stuffer for a momma-to-be. Come wrapped and ready to go!

Le Petit Artiste

2008-09-26T15:39:00.004+02:00

Finally Finished!

I have been playing around with this patter for a while now and I finially just sat my butt down to finish it.

This little artist tote is made from linen and cotton. It opens up so you can store both colouring books and pencils/markers. The pencil/marker area is made has matching colour co-ordinated slots for each coloured pencil/marker.

I think this is perfect for any petit Picasso.

It's now available for purchase in my etsy shop.

More Creations for the Bebe

2008-09-24T17:55:00.005+02:00

Well, the room is almost finished. Just a couple more things to hang and of course a baby to give birth to.

This little quilt/storage wall hanging I made a while ago, I was just waiting for the right time to use it and well...here it is. Each pocket has a letter of the alphabet, and I used a wooden large safety pin to hang it to the wall.

This hand-painted wooden mobile I bought off of Ebay for $11. It inspired me to make a circus theme baby quilt which you can see in the background.Here id our little change table where I am sure many diapers will be changed. The decals on the wall I bought from the dollar store. The great thing about these decals is that they are removable and will not damage the wall. The flower lamp and table itself are both from Ikea, and the great thing is you can take off the change table part and it becomes a dresser.

In this little corner we have some other baby goodies. The crochet doll made by my mother for me as a baby (33 years ago...eeks), her neck is a little weak. I think she is staring to show her age and may need a face lift.
This foam book was made by my sister and her boyfriend. It is all foam and has velcro moving parts. Inside are all the nursery rhymes and songs we used to sing as kids. There is also a CD which comes with the book that you play along with while reading the book. There is a little chime which tells you when to turn the page. I absolutely love it!
So you can see we have been busy, although as I have been told I will not know the meaning of busy until our little bundle of joy has arrived.

We Can't Wait! 2 more months and counting!

The Nesting Has Begun!

2008-09-07T18:57:00.004+02:00

Well, the countdown continues...

As we start to wrap our heads around the fact that we will be joined by a little girl, the nesting has begun.

THE BEFORE

I decided to make this little container to hold all the q-tips, cotton balls, and cotton swabs. I actually bought this inexpensive little wooden box from Ikea and was going to use it to hold needles and pins in the sewing room, but I changed my mind.

THE AFTER

I used some scrapbooking paper, ribbon and some stickers to create this little holder for our new baby girl's change table (which still needs to be built).

Overall, the room is still a bit of a disaster zone. We finally finished the painting (we had to do it twice...argh!) But as soon as it is all organized, I will post some photos for you all.

I hope the ultrasound is correct and it's still a girl...or we will have one confused little boy all in pink!

A Visit to T.O.

2008-08-25T17:15:00.004+02:00

I have just returned from a little vacation in Toronto visiting family and friends. It was pretty short and wish I could have stayed longer.

Both sets of parents organized a wonderful shower for both my husband and I where all our family and friends gathered to socialize and eat (that was one of the main requirements...lots of food for the preggie lady).

Thanks to everyone who attended and for your kind words of encouragement and wonderful swag!

Now that we are back home, it's time to really start cracking on this baby thing. Prenatal classes to attend, a nursery to prepare and baby stuff to sort through. We are both very excited and can't believe how fast the time has flown...November is just a blink away...

Projects - some for moi and some for you

2008-06-25T12:19:00.005+02:00

What have I been up to recently...

Well, I have slowly gotten into baby mode and started to make a cover for the soon-to-be scrapbook for our new arrival. I used a light green linen and embroidered with purple thread:
"Baby, Belly & Us" with of course the year when she will be born...Yes you heard it hear "it's a girl".

I have also started collecting some different fabrics for a quilt I am going to make for our little bundle of joy to be. These two fabrics were the colour inspiration for the quilt. The alphabet fabric will be for the backing and the circus fabric cut into squares for the front.I am also going to play around with these colours and add them as different colour blocks. A very vintage inspired quilt.
Not only have I been busy for myself but I did add a couple of other things to the store. Two new bags. As seen in a previous post, I have a bundle of this orange 1960's bed sheet set, so I figured I would put it to good use.
Made from white crisp linen and the bed sheet with embroiderey and flower ribbon detailing, these two bags are perfect for holding books to read at the park
I also made one in a natural linen with the same detailing as the white bag.

These two totes can be found at my etsy store. More to come soon...

Pommes Madness

2008-06-17T16:22:00.007+02:00

I am now currently on an "apple kick". I bought this cute apple fabric from Namolio (Her shop is filled with lots of great goodies). I was holding off using it because I didn't want to "waste" it. I wanted to make sure whatever I made I would love. I think they turned out pretty good.

The bags are made from a cotton/linen fabric with the apple fabric patchwork. I used some red and white polka dot ribbon. With some red embroidery I embroidered in French "Mon Petit Sac" - which in English means "My Small Bag".

I also made a couple of Pommes Wallets with the same fabric and I used a cute little red button and red and white string to close the wallet.

See how to make both wallets and bags under my Video Tutorial Section.
Both bags and wallets are now available at my etsy store.

Just a couple of goodies...

2008-06-15T20:29:00.003+02:00

Well as promised here are some goodies...some are newly made and some are older and did not make it to the blog until now.

Here is a custom ordered Petit Sac that someone ordered through etsy. She chose the fabric and colour and asked that the bag be dedicated for her mother. I think it turned out pretty good. It's made form linen and cotton with a vintage button for closure.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy making these bags. Definitely more to come.

This was a make-up bag I actually made a while ago and it has been sitting in a box waiting to be posted.
Some French Cafe tea towels, made from some Japanese patchwork. Yes, I did say French with Japanese fabric. Very french red, white and blue.

All products available at www.pikapeeks.etsy.com

The BIG News...

2008-06-13T18:04:00.005+02:00

Well...here it is the big news...

We are preggers!

So now you know. I haven't been so busy with creating as I was trying to overcome the nausea and other good stuff, but I am feeling much much better now and the creating has begun. We moved my sewing room around and now I am organizing all my goodies, so I can get creating. More bon bon bags for sure, and I am thinking of creating some baby stuff as well (for obvious reasons..one for me and one for sale).

About the shirt...

This tank top was given to me by my cousin, she was playing up my business name by using my husbands name instead of "moi" . I found an other use for this shirt, I just added my name with marker and there you have it...

more to come...

I'm Back

2008-05-27T10:18:00.003+02:00

IMG_2137
Originally uploaded by handmadebymoi

Well, first I must apologize it seems like FOREVER since my last post. A lot has happened since our last conversation.

We have moved to Perroy, Switzerland. It took about two weeks for our stuff to arrive so two weeks on an air mattress was just a little uncomfortable.

We finally organized all our paper work for Switzerland...visas, insurance, banking all that fun stuff while trying to cancel all our services in France.

My husband's parents arrived three weeks ago for a visit and we explored parts of Switzerland and France (since it is so close). Switzerland reminds me of Canada a little with it's wide open spaces and lots of greenery.

We have met our neighbors, the wine makers, the cows, the horses and the donkeys. Polly (our doggie) is absolutely loving it here...no more scooters.

I really haven't done much sewing since we have moved and yes SHAME ON ME I know, but I have good reasons (which I will reveal on a later post).

So all in all things are going well.

I am in the middle of changing my store name (and don't worry I haven't forgotten about the contest - winner to be revealed soon) and updating my blogs, still working on the new website soon to be finished.

Another update to follow very soon I promise!!!

Oops!

2008-03-13T12:53:00.001+01:00

One final final thought...

Au Revoir!

My Tribute to the South of France

2008-03-13T12:05:00.011+01:00

(Our Old Home - Blue and Cream Building above)

Well...this is it. The boxes are stacked, all documents have been filled and we are off to embark on a new adventure. I will definitely miss this place. Although the mediterranean had its frustrating moments, overall this has been one of the most rewarding life changing experiences for my husband and I.

As we move into our new home in Perroy, Switzerland (see photo),
I decided to dedicate this post as a reflection of our French Adventures. I have only included some photos of some of the fantastic moments here in France, but to see more go to our flickr site (see right box).

St. TropezMentonNice
Lavender FieldsGorge du Verdon
Tourettes Sur Loup

So there you have it...stay tuned for the new adventures in Switzerland.
p.s. I am still deciding on the new name for the shop...don't worry I have not forgotten!

C'est Fini

2008-03-10T22:30:00.004+01:00

Well, here she is all finished. She is definitely colourful and whimsy and I love her. It was very hard to give her up but I know she was on her way to a good home.
And now I am working on doll number two...all for me!

I will probably have put her on the back burner for a while as we are now in the midst of moving...eeeks!

Still browsing through all the great new names for my store. The contest is coming to a close and one lucky winner will be announced shortly!

Stay tuned...

Almost finished...

2008-03-07T18:35:00.003+01:00

Well, my Jackie doll is almost finished. I call her Jackie because that is the name of the lady I am giving it to. Jackie (the real one) has salt and pepper hair, loves to garden, and has a cat named George. I have finally put a face on her and now I am just playing, adding more and more bojangles (bits and pieces, but bojangles sounds better). I am thinking of making another one (for myself) and then using the doll as an example for my etsy store. The premise would be: you send a photo, tell me all about the person and I will customize and doll for her/him or you.

Still thinking about cost though, as it does take quite a while to finish.

On another note, I finished 25 pouches (another custom order) for a lady in the U.K. She wanted these for her female guests at her wedding. I wanted to send them out before we moved. I am so happy to have finished them.

I have also been checking out all the suggestions for a new name. I must say you people are very creative. it is not an easy name to change since "made by hand in the South of France" has a romantic ring to it, but there are some serious contenders in the running.

Keep them coming!!!

A Work in Progress

2008-03-03T12:42:00.004+01:00

Every time my mom comes to visit, we create, create and create! We are working on a doll for a friend of mine. She has offered her villa to us while she is away in South Africa. So we thought we would make a doll for her that looks like her. Even big girls love to play with dolls.

More photos to come!

It's Official!

2008-02-22T10:08:00.008+01:00

Well, it is official. We are moving AGAIN...
My husband is being relocated to Geneva (Geneve in French with an accent on the E, but I have a North American keyboard) Switzerland.
We both a mixed emotions about this move, we made a list:

Geneva, Switzerland compared to Nice, France

- everything and everyone is on time in Nice, not so much
- high speed trains perfect for travel in Nice, again not so much
- center of Europe (again perfect for travel) but in Nice beautiful travel throughout provence
-chocolate available in both places which is better Swiss or French...they are both pretty damn good
- alps in Switzerland but the sea in Nice
- very international city while in Nice it is very french
- international food available everywhere in Geneva where as in Nice mostly French food (which I will miss)
- weather in Geneva is not as perfect as it is in Nice (the sun is always shining)

well the list goes on and on...

And then there is the question of the shop name...handmadebymoi in the South of France...not so much anymore, that would be false advertising (even though France is only 10 minutes away)

SOOOO...I need your help...

I am keeping the handmade by moi bit. Geneva is in the French part of Switzerland but I wanted to add a little something underneath, not quite sure what? So I thought, why not make it into a little contest.

Leave a comment/suggestion of a name that would suite and if me likey I will send you a "pour un artiste roll with a couple of other goodies :The contest in closes: March 21, 2008

Bonne Chance!

Business Time

2008-02-20T16:44:00.003+01:00

Okay, I know not very crafty, but I watched this on youtube and just couldn't stop laughing. I thought I would share:

ENJOY!

A couple more goodies...

2008-02-16T15:00:00.005+01:00

Here is a custom order made for a lady who owns a shop called Tangerine Dreams. She wanted the bag to be "en francaise" so...voila...although, the word tangerine doesn't exist in French...I made some adjustments.

I had a little bit of this fabric left over so I made a couple of these little pouches to hold make-up, lip balm and other goodies. Even used the last bits of fabric for the buttons (you see that is why you never throw anything away).

Here are a couple of other little pouches, perfect for business cards and loose change. Again, also made from left over bits of fabric I had.

All can be purchased at www.pikapeeks.etsy.com

Look How Cool...

2008-02-12T16:38:00.000+01:00

I am so honoured to be featured in another blog: Vintage Indie

It's a great site that features independent artists (like myself) and showcases some of their work. Here's a little sneak peak...

The Daily Swank - Vintage French

Today's Daily Swanky is so dreamy, I have to admit I want everything from this indie shop. I'm seriously drooling!

Can you say Bon Bon Bag? No, I'm not talking about those little delicious treats that all of us work at home moms spend all day eating.... ha ha. I'm talking about these fabulous handmade Bags from pikapeeks.

Each little bag is filled with delightful treasures of French and vintage items. I have to tell you I think they would make a perfect gift! I'll take one in every color please!

What little girl wouldn't love a Petite Sac? One with her very own favorite colors and her name right on the front! Made from French Linen and cotton patchwork you can have one custom ordered!

Head over to Vintage Indie to see more.

Easter Came Early in Vence

2008-02-08T16:56:00.000+01:00

I have been holding on to these egg cartons for about a year now, and I had this idea to create something with these for easter. The I visited Matabi's esty store adn found this great egg fabric.
I had some vintage ribbon I bought a while ago and some other goodies. I decided to put them all together to create a starter sewing kit.

Included in the kit: 1 felt egg pin cushion with 9 matching pins
1 egg cup linen needle holder
4 safety pins
4 sewing needles (various size)
6 white vintage buttons
1 yard of rick rack
1 yard of white 10 inch cotton vintage ribbon
1 yard of red and white bakers twine
9 heart candies
1 rocket

These cute kits will be available at my etsy store on saturday feb. 9

Video for Mom

2008-02-01T17:37:00.000+01:00

I completely forgot about this video my sisters and I made for my mom's 60th Birthday. I got stuck wearing the wrestlers mask (have to see the video to understand). My mom use to sing this song to us when we were kids, so we just changed the lyrics a little and played it at her 60th birthday in October.

It was great fun to make, especially hanging out with my 2 sisters. Since i have moved to France we don't see a lot of each other, but when we do you can see we get really silly.

Everyone should have sisters to get silly with.

Is it Spring Yet?

2008-01-31T10:20:00.000+01:00

I bought this bed sheet set (includes flat sheet, fitted sheet, pillow cases and duvet cover) for 2 euros at a brocante market. My husband thought I was crazy, worried I was not going to put all that orange on our bed (I think I would have a hard time sleeping way too much orange).
So, I decided to make my own garden tote.
The pattern is from a book by Lotta Jansdotter. I made a couple of adjustments... voila my own garden tote! The bag itself could hold lots of cuttings or fruit/veg depending on what type of garden you have.

We actually do not have a garden right now just a stairway, which I converted into an indoor garden, but the next place we move into will have a garden, so I thought why not start early.

There are lots of pockets for garden tools.

I added this little birdie applique to one of the pockets.

I was thinking of making a couple more (since I have sooo much of this fabric) and perhaps selling a couple on my store..what do you think?

Pay it forward...ready to go...

2008-01-30T16:54:00.001+01:00

PIF

Finally... finished my PIF (pay it forward) gifts and they aready for shipping. Still waiting on one more address...

Just as I was getting ready to send out goodies, I also received this great package from db

Lots of great goodies in black and white and a really cute bag, perfect for a lunch tote.

Just in Time for Valentine's Day

2008-01-20T15:52:00.000+01:00

I bought this great linen heart fabric a while ago from Namolio and I was saving it for just Valentine's Day. So I made a couple of goodies. I really love the texture and the simplicity of the two fabrics together.

The candy sac comes with a bag of conversation hearts and when you are finished up all the candy you can use it for make-up, change or a gift bag for someone else. All available at my store

Happy Early Valentine's Day!!!

More Bon Bon Bags

2008-01-17T14:39:00.001+01:00

Just finished another batch of Bon Bon Bags filled with lots of crafty goodies. In each little bag there are vintage finds from the brocante market here in Vence, France. Lots of goodies perfect for sewing, scrap booking or other crafty projects.

Here's a sneak peek...

All bags can be purchased from my store .

J'adore Paris

2008-01-13T16:29:00.000+01:00

Here it is...my first project(s) for the year 2008. My mother bought me a skirt with a Paris print...it was too big for me and I did not want to throw it out, so I decided to use this fabric to start a new line J'adore Paris.

Using black linen and some buttons, zippers and other little knik-knacksI have made some wallets...

Make-up cases...

and tissue holders. All are available at my etsy shop.

I still have a little bit of fabric left...what else can I make? any suggestions?

Happy Belated New Year!

2008-01-08T11:51:00.001+01:00

Happy Belated New Year to All!

I have returned from Canada after a relaxing holiday with my family. It was a long flight back but I have returned back to France to get back into the swing of things.

Well what's new...

Some of my creations are being sold in Saya (in Antibes) and more info can be found on here and here . A great blog to read through with lots of great info and photos....thanks Maya!

More work for my website needs to be done, and I am also starting to work on some new items for my etsy shop, more bags, new and improved pencil crayon/marker/ crayon roll, bonbon bags, some more little pouches and other goodies (can't give away all my surprises). I will keep you posted!

Well that's all for now...but I will be back soon!

C'est FIni!

2007-12-13T07:28:00.000+01:00

Yahoo!
Finally finished the custom made quilt for Julie.
It has taken me a while due to the many other projects on the go, but I am very happy with the result. It was a lot of fun playing around with different shapes and stitches. I especially love the fat little mouton below made from french knots.

I also embroidered (with machine) both her name and birth date on the quilt. If you look closely, you can see ruffles, buttons and collars from all the various baby clothes I used. Something Julie will now have forever.

Houses, houses everywhere

2007-12-04T18:02:00.000+01:00

A little tote made from recycled jeans and maison fabric. I really do love this fabric and have started sewing a whole ensemble...bag, crayon roll, make-up bag, pencil case...the list goes on and on...

And for something non-related...it's my early spring tissue cover with a petit papillion (butterfly).
Perfect for traveling...esp. when I return back to Toronto...I heard that there is snow there now...EEEKS! I have been spoiled with this South of France sun.

Sew, Sew Tired....

2007-12-03T18:39:00.001+01:00

Well what can I say? Last week was CrAzY!!! I was ill, we had a flood in our bedroom and our Christmas party was cancelled (thank goodness).
So back to normal right?
Normal?
What's normal?
You mean sewing everyday for 9 hours? Eeks!
I have been so busy with Christmas orders for other people, I don't even know what I want for Christmas. What should I ask Santa for? Perhaps he could lend me some of his elves? I could pay them with cookies and milk...any takers?

Anywhooo, I thought I would post some of the other things I have been working on. I have had many requests for the personalized pencil crayon rolls so here are a few...

I have also made a couple fo Maquillage (Make-up) Bags for Saya and my etsy store. Perfect for storing all your feminine trinkets. Well back to the grind...again...cookies...milk...anyone?

Bibs and Hangers For Saya

2007-11-29T08:51:00.001+01:00

I wanted to make some bibs for Saya (the store), but normally I custom make them with the babies names. Because these bibs will be in a store and the names of the babies I will not know, I thought of another idea....patchwork with French sayings, after all we are in France.

And why stop there...lets add some hangers too!

Voila! Comes in Pink, Blue or White hangers!

Artist Roll Addiction

2007-11-28T14:49:00.000+01:00

I just can't stop sewing these little rolls. I get this great satisfaction of seeing all the different colours being sewn together...putting together a little rainbow. I am thinking of expanding my repertoire to crayons and markers...what else can I sew? Paint rolls?This one (above) is reserved for a lady who asked for this particular fabric. She is going to give this to her daughter for Christmas. Thinking about Christmas morning and her daughter opening up her special package (that I made) really gives me the warm and fuzzies. How exciting! So honoured to be a part of that moment!

All of these are available at my shop...and look out for more...

Cough, Cough...

2007-11-27T15:01:00.000+01:00

I must apologize for neglecting you all, as I have been ill with the flu (yes...even here in the South of France you can get a cold). I have decided after a couple of days of doing absolutely nothing that it was time to get up and start sewing. So, with tissue in hand (and nose), I have started to sew again.

I have been frantically sewing for Saya (as you already know) and also have a custom order I am trying to finish before I go back to Canada for the holidays.

It's a custom ordered quilt made from baby clothes. I asked the client to drop off some old baby clothes (t-shirts, dresses, bibs) that I could encorporate into the quilt. A great way to preserve all those special clothes that would normally end up in a box somewhere.

I still have a lot to do as you can see. Some embroidery and applique, but I think it is coming along. Below is a close up of a bib that I cut up and included as a little patch on the quilt.

It's a slow process but I think it will look great when finished...I hope!

Pour un Artiste

2007-11-17T19:56:00.001+01:00

Many artists resided here in the South of France. Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and many more...if only they had the pencil crayon roll (okay not very creative name I know).

This pencil crayon roll holds 12 coloured pencils and is made from linen and cotton. I love the outside fabric ...ABCDEFG... you know the rest...
Perfect for any Petit Picasso.

OOOO the colours....if only I could draw...

Pour Le Nez

2007-11-16T13:57:00.000+01:00

More and more stuff for the shoppe!

Yesterday for my birthday, I received Yet Another package from superbuzzy (their timing was perfect, how did they know?) So, I decided to make these little tissue holders (yes, even on my birthday I am busy sewing...can you say addiction?)

Each of these little guys are made from linen and cotton and have little holiday bells attached, which you can ring if ever you are sick in bed (let's hope that doesn't happen) and need some chicken soup.

They are all wrapped up and ready to go to Antibes and my etsy store...

POur les Vetement

2007-11-15T22:37:00.000+01:00

(picture a little blurry, I know)

Last month I had this weird addiction to fabric with hanging laundry. Don't know why since doing laundry is my least favourite thing to do, but I love the fabric just the same. I had no idea what I was going to do with this laundry patterned fabric...and then I though why not make something for laundry?

So here is a laundry bag that I made with cotton and linen for loads (...and loads) of laundry. I really love the hanging clothes line print, almost inspires me to do my own laundry (well, okay not really).
And this little bag is made from another clothes line print. It's alot smaller then the Linge bag, so it is perfect for storing all your private personals. I love this bag, especially for traveling. Keeps the undies separate.
All these are going to the Saya (in Antibes) and I will also eventually post these goodies on my etsy store as well (for those of you who can't get to the South of France for some shopping).

trois petits arbres

2007-11-14T21:40:00.001+01:00

so So SOOOOOO excited, where do I begin?

I have been so busy sewing up a storm for a shop in Antibe, France called Saya. I have been asked to feature many of my creations there by an awesome gal Maya (hi Maya! if your reading).

We have been throwing ideas back and forth on things to sell for the holidayy season...if only my hands could work as fast as my brain...

So, here are a couple of little ornament trees I made from a tablecloth I purchased last year. Never used the table cloth but I really liked the pattern. So we will see how they do in the store.
I have made lots (and lots) of other things, but I will post gradually...just little sneak peaks for you all.
Cheers!

Tea Please

2007-11-13T14:28:00.001+01:00

Although we are in the South of France, the weather is also staring to shift to winter season. By winter season I mean 17 degrees celsius but still chilly enough to crave a warm cup of tea to make you feel warm and cozy. But who ever makes the teapot feel warm and cozy?

I do...
Thought this fabric would be perfect for my tea cozy, bought ofcourse from one of my fav. shops superbuzzy.
After making my teapot a tea cozy, I figured let's not make the cups feel neglected. So, here are five little coasters I made from the let over scraps of linen and fabric I had kicking around.

I think it is time for a cup...

Pay it Forward!!!!

2007-11-11T12:41:00.000+01:00

Pay it Forward

I was reading Erleperle's blog today and thought I would join in the fun. What a great idea!!!!

Here are the rules:

1. You leave a comment here on my blog and request to join the Pay It Forward exchange.

2.The first three comments who agree to join will receive a handmade gift from moi (a surprise of course) within 365 days.

3.You return the Pay It Forward by making the same promise on your blog. How fun is that!!!

La Meme Fabric

2007-11-05T14:53:00.001+01:00

Since I have recieved many inquiries about this fabric, I decided to make more treats with this pouchette fabric. So, here are a couple of pics of a small little "over the shoulder" mini totes I made with grey linen and embroidery. Each lined with a cotton fabric.

I made two orange embroidery and two pink ones What do you think?
I also had a fair bit of extra linen scraps from all my linen bags, so I decided to make these little change purses. Just the right size for all your little extra change that usually floats on the bottom of your bag.
I know that the theme is not really christmas(y) per say, but I thought butterflies could be appropriate for any time of year. There are green and orange butterflies and the inside is lined with a stripe green fabric.

See etsy shop for details on both products.

Ma Pouchette

2007-10-27T22:08:00.000+02:00

Just got this fabric in the mail and had to use it right away, so I made some little pouches for itsy bitsy stuff. I just love the pattern. All those little purses and pouches...I wish they were all mine!

A friend of mine here in France just had a baby girl named Emma, so I decided to make her a little christmas stocking. I know it's a little early, but I wanted to get started on all the stockings to put on etsy so I figured I could use hers as a prototype.
Me likey!

Wallet Tutorial

2007-10-24T18:26:00.000+02:00

Well, here it is tutorial #3: How to make a tiny Wallet. It has been a long time coming but I finally finished it. It has been about 1 year since the last video. Take a peek, I hope you enjoy!

Why so chilly?

2007-10-23T18:14:00.001+02:00

Brrr...fall is finally falling upon us here in the South of France. So it's time to pull out all the warmer sweaters, drink mulled cider and read by the fire (okay our fire place actually has a television in it, but we can always watch the television fire...not the same though).

I started what I like to call my "Fall Collection" using darker fabric colours and playing around with different textures. I made a couple of Petit Sacs using wool and a heavy linen and velvet print. I love the way these bags feel especially the wool which is very soft and yummy to touch.

Each bag is lined and has a little pocket perfect for keys and a mobile phone.I also made a couple of matching pouches to hold smaller goodies. What do you think?

All of these are available at my etsyshop.

J'habite en France

2007-10-19T17:21:00.000+02:00

Well I have returned back to the Riviera and with soooo much to do.

They have started to put up the Christmas lights here in Vence...Wow christmas already?
Time to start sewing some stockings and other Christmas goodies.

I am attempting to put together a new website, where you can shop directly from the site. And let me tell you I am NOt computer savy, so it is taking me a lot longer than I had anticipated. Trying to get paypal to talk to my website is a lot harder than I thought. Why can't they just say Hello? Arghhhhh

Hopefully, it will be finished before Christmas and yes... I am almost finished the how to video on wallets...it's a slow process... aussi!

Off to sew with my new splints...I look just like the bionic woman (the newer version I think)

Back to the T to the O...

2007-09-29T09:43:00.000+02:00

Seems like I am constantly on a plane and I haven't decided if that's a good thing or not. I am off to Toronto, Canada for my mom's 60th birthday, but she doesn't look a day over 30. I am looking forward to visiting the family and friends and my old pooch Pika-peeks (my blog was named after her).(Look how cute)

I have been pretty busy this week completing last minute orders so I thought I would share.
Here is a bag made for a friend for a friends birthday..complicated explanation?

A custom-order for a girly pooch: Maggie and 6 lavander satchels. All off to the U.S.

And for myself, I decided to make a flying bag (no it does not fly). One that would be big enought to hold all my goodies for the LONG plane ride to Canada. Sincce the bag was "tres grand" I decided to call this bag: my BIG bag (because it is).

It is made from Ikea fabrics: cotton and canvas . Very hefty and sturdy, perfect for all my French homework I will bring with me to Toronto. There is also linen trim for embellishment (can't keep me away from linen) and some buttons on the handles as well.

So, I will not be posting for a while due to my vacation, but I will be checking my blog messages periodically and try to write you back ASAP.

A Bientot,
Tanya

Another Feature

2007-09-26T21:00:00.000+02:00

I was checking through my blog today reading some of you comments (which I absolutely love getting by the way) when I came across an email from kara at designtalk. She has done a feature on her site about my blog (yes...the one you are reading right now) There is a little write-up on some of my creative goodies and my crafty sewing room.

Very exciting, looks like things are slowly coming together...who would of thought that a highschool music teacher could turn into a thriving entrepeneur.

Check out designtalk.homevisions.com It's great site with lots of information on design and decor ideas.

Here is the feature...Very Cool!

Blog Hopping: Craft and Sewing Rooms

It’s sewing and crafts week here at DT! We’ve been scouring the web to bring you some of the prettiest and most inspiring creative spaces out there.

Today’s tour is a jet tour through the blogosphere, to highlight several bloggers’ recent craft room updates.

Starting with Tanya in the South of France, whose handmade by moi blog showcases some of the stylish stitching she is working on overseas. Like this adorable “apple” tote — in French, of course.

Our favorite idea from her sewing room is the lovely cover she tossed over an ergonomic office chair. Comfort + style = many hours of productive sewing. Beautiful!

Three Potato Four Shop

2007-09-25T10:01:00.000+02:00

Handmade "Pomme" Bag $64.00

Hand-sewn tote made in the South of France is ideal for your farmer's market fresh fruits and vegetables or just totin' around on the weekends.

Bag is made from linen and recycled denim with embroidered "pomme" and "apple". Interior lining uses blue and white ticking stripe cotton fabric and includes one large interior pocket for your goodies. Bag measures approx. 11" wide x 16" high.

Handles are made from heavy recycled canvas and measure 36". Choose from three different handle colors:

white handles with red stripe

blue handles with red stripe

yellow handles with red stripe

Yahoo! The Shop is Up!

Remember how last month I talked about making my husband help me sew wallets and bags for a custom order, because I had to wear my roller blade wrist guards and I looked like the bionic woman which made it a little difficult to sew? (wow, that was a long sentence) Well, it was all for not. The shop is up and running, and my bags and wallets are now available for purchase. Very exciting! The shop has many "tres chic" things for sale, but I think the Pomme Bags and Wallets are the best (not that I am bias or anything).

When you get a chance take a peek and visit the shop: www.threepotatofourshop.com

New Baby Jade

2007-09-24T17:00:00.001+02:00

Another custom order! Yipee!

This is an order for a new baby (soon to be welcomed into the world): Jade.
I made two linen bibs with her name embroidered (must admit I used the machine for the names) and added velcro for fastening with pink and blue flowered backing for each.

For the towel (which is store bought), I added a stripe of patchwork along the bottom and of course her name as well.

Hope she likies!

And oh yes...I haven't forgot about the wallet tutorial I promised. It will probably come mid-oct. since I am off again (to Toronto this time) for two and a half weeks. Excited to visit family and friends, but I will definitely miss my Matilda (my sewing machine), and of course Marko (my husband) and Ms. Polly-Anna Pockets.

POur RoOney

2007-09-21T11:50:00.000+02:00

A friend of mine has asked for a doggie mat for her pooch Rooney. She loves the colour green and so I thought this was the perfect mat for her adorable wrinkled-up shar-pei. This will help with all the doggie food bits left on the floor.

I think my pooch Ms. Polly-Anna Pockets needs one with her name on it too...next project!Ms. Polly-Anna Pockets

I'm Back!!!

2007-09-19T20:01:00.000+02:00

Well what can I say...Thailand was amazing! Definitely a feast for all of your senses. The scenery was amazing, as was the food and the people. We took at Thai Cooking Course where we learned how to make my own curry paste (very spicy). We went to an Elephant Nature Reserve where we bathed and fed rescued elephants, hung out on the beach, saw some majestic temples. The list goes on and on. One of my favourite trips ever.

Highly recommend it! You can see more photos here.

Now that I am back, it's back to business. I finally organized my sewing room which has now inspired to get back on the sewing wagon.
I just recently finished a custom order for a dear old friend of mine. She wanted a messenger tote with a birdie pattern so here it is....

I hope she likes it!

Bye Bye for now!

2007-08-20T07:50:00.000+02:00

So you are probably wondering "where the heck have you been?"

Well, I had my first big wholesale order (very exciting), so I was busy sewing up a storm.

Actually.... I started sewing up a storm, but after a while my wrists were beginning to hurt. Any suggestions on how to minimize the stress on your wrists would be great. Right now, even as I type, I am actually wearing my rollerblade guards (don't really rollerblade so these are now being put to good use). I feel like the bionic woman (whatever happened to her, perhaps she is sewing up a storm as well...hum?)

Anyways, to finish the job off I kindly asked my husband to help (notice I said "kindly" he's not a big into sewing...but whose husband is?) Well... we finally finished 20 wallets and 6 bags.
Thank Goodness!So you can see they are all packed and ready to go.
These bags can all be found at a new online store called: Three Potato Four which opens up in the fall.

It is perfect timing, since we are leaving this thursday for Thailand. I can't wait to go. I have heard so many amazing things about Thailand and seen some amazing photos. I know...I know...we are leaving during off season which is good (inexpensive) and bad (rain). Although, many people said it only rains for a short period of time and it also depends on where you are stay, east or west side. Fingers crossed- minimal rain.

Soooo, I am signing off "bye bye for now" and will return in 3 weeks time.

Tanya.

Grey and Yellow...yummy!

2007-08-03T11:50:00.000+02:00

Okay, I changed my mind. This is my favourite bag EVER! I am so happy with the way it turned out. I just love the grey linen, my two new fav. colours grey and yellow.

My new fabric

2007-08-02T17:38:00.000+02:00

In a previous post , I showed you all some of the delicious fabrics I bought.

Well, here is one of the finished products. What you think?

I used some yellow vintage napkins for both the bottom of the bag and the inside pocket, which I bought at our local Brocante Market here in Vence. For closing the bag, I used a vintage grey button also bought from the same market. The handles are made from the same linen with some machine embroidery detailing.
I also added some trim with french writing. I really love the combination of yellow and grey...I think I will have to make more...

Cheers!

2007-08-02T08:19:00.000+02:00

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you (merci) to everyone and their encouraging words. For a while there, I thought I was the only one checking my blog. Now, I really do feel like I am having some success in my work and it is such a wonderful feeling. When I moved here to France, it was very difficult. I had to quit my job as a highschool teacher. I did not know anyone or know how to speak French for that matter, so I thought what could I do to keep myself productive - sewing.

This has been an amazing experience for me - difficult none the less, but I wouldn't change it for the world!

Thanks again for all your support and I love to read all your comments so keep'em coming!

A Beintot,
Tanya

Produce Obsession

2007-08-01T16:20:00.001+02:00

Lately, I have been obsessed with fruit, perhaps because of all the fresh fruit in season here at the market in Vence. Who knows?

So I have made a couple of new items with a Pomme (apple) theme.

Bags and Wallets.

A friend of mine also suggested making some diaper bags, since many of our friends are in the baby making phase of their lives. So, this was my first attempt. It has lots of space for baby things and many pockets both inside and outside. I am pretty happy overall, but I think next time I will add a couple more pockets and continue the fabric strip in the front to go across the whole bag...stay tuned for the updated version.

Made from French linen and cotton, it has of course, a French theme.

Weekend Shopping!!!!!

2007-07-30T19:20:00.000+02:00

This weekend I went on a little shopping spree.

On Saturday, I visited the local fabric shop and bought, bought, bought. Now I really have to sew, sew, sew to make some of that dough back. I absolutely love the linen. The muted colours are just waiting for some punch of colour.

So yummy!

Sunday, Marko and I went to the Vide Greniers (empty attic sale...like a garage sale, but way better) in Bar sur Loup, a little french village just went of where we live. Marko found this wonderful scale for me, just 8 euros...as he likes to say..."deal!"

I love this new toy. The bright yellow base and metal bowl is very 1950's...so vintage.

Like a kid, after opening birthday presents, I played with this toy all night long, weighing everything from our dinner to the produce in our fridge.

Wallet MaDNesS

2007-07-28T08:26:00.001+02:00

I know...I know...I said I was taking a little break from sewing and blogging, but these wallets are so fun to make that I couldn't help myself. Yesterday, between preparing for our guests and cleaning up the flat, I would take a little sneaky sneak to my sewing machine and make a couple of these babies.

Sooo fun to sew, and now that I have the system down...looks like another tutorial on "youtube" is on its way...

Like an Energizer Bunny...I keep sewing and sewing and sewing...

2007-07-25T19:47:00.001+02:00

I have been posting everyday with all my new creations trying to keep you all updated on my daily activities. The next couple of days will be crazy, busy for me (we have guests from Germany on thursday coming for dinner and again on friday and saturday is brocante day...yummy brocante), so I thought I would post all of my doings from the past couple of days in one go.
Firstly, another "Petit Sac". I took a break from these bags for a while (I was little Petit Sacked out and wanted to change things up a bit), but now I am back in the sac mode (tee- hee). I was very excited to see Zenzey (who by the way also makes beautiful bags) left a comment about the tutorial on how to make these bags. Thanks Zenzey!

This bag was made from heavy weight linen and cotton.

Notice the French flag colours and all the French Maisons...

Also, I finished another pouch. This one made from fabric I ordered on ebay france. I was a little worried it wouldn't make it with my broken french. Not too sure what I wrote, but I guess I was understood because my order was complete.
Last, but not least... a Kitty Bag (everyone needs a Kitty bag I think). Made from linen as well (notice the theme). I played around with my sewing machine settings and fancy stitches, and addded some embroidery in brown thread.
The closure is two vintage buttons I picked up here in France at a local Brocante market. I love the colours; brown and blue a great combination!

Pomme Wallets

2007-07-24T16:13:00.000+02:00

Today, I have been working on these new pouches. I had this left over apple fabric but not enough to use on a full bag, so I figured I would cut out the apples (there are pears too, but one fruit at a time please). I appliqued them unto these scraps of linen, and made some little wallets. I am glad I didn't throw away these scraps of fabric...you see... it is important to keep everything...even if it takes over your sewing room.

This one is my favourite
I also made two with white apples

All are available on my etsy shop.

Bags, Bags and more Bags...

2007-07-23T16:17:00.000+02:00

Just finished 2 more "le marche" sacs.

I just love making these bags and for some reason I get such joy converting these large bags into 6 x 6 pockets (maybe too much time spent by my sewing machine).

This one is wrapped and ready to go...on its way to it's new owner in New Mexico

Sur La Plage Part Deux

2007-07-22T18:05:00.001+02:00

Last night as I lay in bed to go to sleep, I started to dream about my beachbag (sad, I know). I thought; what else can I do to make it even more functional?

This morning I woke up and went straight to my machine to make a little matching change purse. Just like the bag its waterproof made out of vinyl and oilcloth.

Then I thought perhaps the bag could fit in there...

and...

Viola!

Sur la plage...

2007-07-22T00:26:00.001+02:00

Yet another creation...this is a beach tote made from oil cloth and vinyl.

Lots of room for all my beach supplies.
Upclose you can see the bag says " la plage" meaning the beach.
I have also embroidered some waves on the bag. So you can carry a little bit of beach where ever you go.

Completely waterproof. I really like this bag because after swimming you can toss all your wet stuff (sand and all) and then hose it down afterward.

I think I will try it out this weekend.

What else can it do?

2007-07-19T13:47:00.000+02:00

I found another use for the wine bag. It can be a vase, you can correspond the flowers to the colour on the bag; rose - pink flowers, rouge - red flowers and blanc - white flowers. The goodies bags can be used for the same thing.

I am always recycling...

Vin Sac

2007-07-18T17:49:00.001+02:00

MERCI BEAUCOUP Visnja! C'est une bonne idee!

My husband came home from a business trip,where he visited his parents and he passed on a message from his mom, Visnja. "Can you make wine bags out of those goodie bags?"

Can I?... I am always up for the challenge.

So, here they are. I am very happy with the way they turned out. Each one is embroidered to the colour of wine. Pretty clever (if I do say so myself).

I made one for Red Wine (notice the empty bottle...)

One for White Wine

And one for Rose Wine (the most popular type of wine here in the South of France).

These bags are a perfect host/hostess gift. They are reusable and definitely a conversation piece. I think these would be a great hit at any dinner party. Vous pensez?

Sorry wine not included.

Le Marche Part Deux

2007-07-17T10:00:00.001+02:00

As you can see I have been pretty busy playing around with Market Bag styles. I think I got it!
This one is made form a heavy weight linen/canvas blend, lined inside with a stripe cotton fabric (in french colours of course) and has one pocket to hold your wallet and cell phone while browsing through the shops. When you don't need the bag it folds into it's own little pocket so you can carry it around in your purse. How cool is that!

The pocket measures about 6 x 6 inches when folded up.It is pretty large, perfect for shopping at your local market (definitely not a Costco bag).You can see here, it can carry a box of cereal, milk, canned goods, box of cookies, bag of chocolate almonds (a must in any diet) and a bottle of wine (again another must for any diet...also very French).

C'est tres practique!

For the Subway

2007-07-16T20:16:00.001+02:00

This little guy was made for holding subway tokens or bus change. I find I am always searching at the bottom of my bag for loose change for the highway toll (we don't have a subway here in Vence) but I wasn't sure how to translate highway toll into French and metro (with the accent on the e) just sounded and looked cooler.

I love the little wooden bead matroushka (I know not french but I couldn't resist).

I made a couple of these change wallets for sale both in blue and red.

Mon Petit Sac - For Michelle

2007-07-15T21:42:00.000+02:00

Another Petit Sac made for my dear friend Michelle. Her and her husband were visiting me here in France for two weeks. We had an amazing time and she wanted a little piece of France to carry around with her in Toronto, Canada.

The print is a little French street scene with a patisserie, cafe and the Eiffel Tower. All the places Michelle visited while vacationing in France.

Inside, the pockets are embroidered with labels so that each item has it's own little home. One pocket for her keys.

And another pocket for her mobile phone and any other extra goodies she might carry around with her.

These bags are available for custom order.

The Market Basket

2007-06-29T13:12:00.002+02:00

Another big thing here in the South of France is the basket. Many people take their market baskets and fill them with fresh produce, baked goods and other market finds.

This basket was made for my French teacher, just to say "Merci Beaucoup" for all her hard work.

A Rainbow of Bon Bon Bags

2007-06-28T15:36:00.001+02:00

A sign of a really good party is the goody bags given at the end. As a child, I used to love digging into those paper/plastic bags searching for all those little treasures. I must admit I still love recieving little goody surprises.

Why are there no goody bags for adults?

Well, now there is! I decided to make my own version of the goody bag filled with lots of little crafty treasures that can be used for many crafty projects. So fun digging through these little bags and seeing what treasures await...

just a preview:

Another Market Bag

2007-06-26T16:11:00.000+02:00

Another market bag here, made from cotton and heavy linen. Lightweight and easy to carry, this bag can fit lots of grocery goodies and can be used over and over again.

Great for the environment!

Mon Petit Sac - Pommes

2007-06-17T15:39:00.002+02:00

Yes...

I have been busy. Not doing all the things I should be doing like studying French, cleaning the house, doing laundry and all the other boring stuff.

I blame it on my sewing machine. It keeeps calling... so here it is; Mon Petit Sac - Pommes to add to the etsy inventory.

I really believe I have an addiction to linen. I just love working with it and then adding little yummy bits of fun fabrics here and there. Soon, I will need to replenish my stash...its called a fabric addiction... I think?

Back into Bags

2007-06-15T22:51:00.002+02:00

I took a little break from sewing bags but now I am back on the bag wagon again (tee hee hee).
Here in France, people carry around their own shopping bags or baskets when they go to the market, so I figured I would create a couple of market bags, help save the trees and the landfills...perhaps the trend will soon follow in North America and everyone will be carrying a Le Marche bag?

Couture

2007-06-09T14:38:00.001+02:00

THE BEFORE
This is an old sewing basket I purchased at a brocante sale in Tourette Sur Loup. It was in really bad shape but I wanted something for all of my small sewing goodies...a little home for them. So with the trusty old glue gun and some left over fabric and trim, I made myself a new little sewing box to hold all my sewing treasures.

THE AFTER

Funky Finds Feature

2007-05-24T18:16:00.000+02:00

I must apologize, it probably seemed like I fell off the face of the planet. Let see...what have I been up to? My mom and aunt were here for about 2 and 1/2 weeks. My mom brought lots of patterns, fabrics and other cool stuff for me to start new projects. We were crazy busy sightseeing and shopping. We spent a fair amount of time at the brocante sales where we found lots of little treasures, antique laces, ribbons and fabrics...I am soo excited to get started on some new projects. Where to begin?

I was also excited to see that my stuff has been featured on a great blog called Funky Finds
How cool is that! It is a great little site which features various artists and their creations. Check it out!

Pour le bebe

2007-05-04T17:49:00.000+02:00

A friend of mine is having a baby girl in May and I wanted to make her something special. I know she is crocheting a blanket in muted lavender colours, so I took my inspiration from that.

So here it is an "all-purpose-carry-all-your-baby-gear" bag. There are four pockets each individually labelled and lots of room for other baby goodies.

I hope she like its!

My New Card

2007-04-20T15:50:00.000+02:00

I decided it was about time to create a business card, so here it is. I printed them on my computer and then used some blue thread for the border. What do you think?

May Coloriffice Swaporama

2007-04-17T09:21:00.000+02:00

Teal, Emerald Green, Violet & Rusty Orange were the colours for this May's Swap. Since I am going to be pretty busy in May, I decided to finish this one early. The colour combinations were a little difficult to find, but I improvsed a little. Above is a little change purse I made from Ikea fabric to put all of my partners "monnaie".

Below are other various goodies, from pencils to stickers to many other goodies. I hope she enjoys her new treats!

"So Good There Gone" Chocolate Brownies

2007-04-15T16:34:00.000+02:00

The easiest chocolate brownies ever. Minimal ingrediants and minimal work but so, so yummy!

What you need:
150g (5 oz) butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of flour
150g of melted chocolate
1/2 - 1 cup of walnuts (optional)
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat your oven to 180c (350F).

Mix butter and sugar in a mixer till the mixture is soft and light.
Add chocolate, eggs and flour and mix.
Spoon mixture into either a square pan or muffin tins.
Bake for approx. 15-20 miutes. Prick with fork while baking. If it comes out clean, remove the brownies from the oven.

To add even more sugar, serve with ice cream.

The Wedding Gift

2007-04-14T13:09:00.000+02:00

Finally finished!
Here is a personalized wedding gift I put together for our friends Monique and Peter.
It contains two personalized towels (with patchwork and embroidery - machine washable of course), a very girlie cosmetic bag filled with girlie things (for the honeymoon) a matching hot water bottle and cover, a little bear softie, two lavender tea bags and a candle with a rock base (not made by me). I put them all in a very French market basket and will wrap with brown paper and raffia.

I hope they like it!

The Jenny and Ninni Bags

2007-04-11T17:39:00.000+02:00

These two little bags were made for two little girls from Norway. I decided to name the bags after the two girls since they are the first to order them (well...actually their mom ordered them). These can be pre-ordered on my website or on my etsy shop.

Both bags are made from linen and cotton and are both machine washable.

I think they are so yummy!

Mon Petit Messenger Bag - SOLD

2007-04-10T09:52:00.000+02:00

Well, I just finished making this little bag and it is already sold. Sooo exciting... my first official sale on Etsy. I am now in full gear, sewing up a storm. My poor machine is really taking a beating (fingers-crossed it doesn't decide to take a French holiday).

happy easter

2007-04-08T11:28:00.000+02:00

I wantd to make some little treats for a friend who is having a baby in May so I made a little puffy bunny and bear perfect for easter. Both are made from polar fleece, very soft and cuddly.
Nice little pillows for a baby head.

A Little Lavande

2007-04-03T17:23:00.000+02:00

There is soooo much lavender here in the South of France and the smell is absolutely amazing. I bought myself a lavender plant in the summer and dried out the flowers and VIOLA...lavender tea bags. Not to be used for tea of course but these little bags can be put in stinky shoes, underneath pillows, hang in a closet or just out on display to make your room smell like Provence.

Dejeuner for Polly

2007-04-01T16:39:00.001+02:00

Polly likes to take her food from her dish and eat it on the rug. I made her a new mat to discourage her from eating her kibble bits on the rug. Seems to be working! See my etsy shop to buy one (of course not this one).

Mouton

2007-03-10T10:37:00.000+01:00

This is a little French Knotted Mouton. I made him just cause he is sooo cute (if I do say so myself) Haven't figured out what I am going to do with this little sheep yet. Perhaps a pillow?

2007-03-08T09:26:00.000+01:00

I am addicted to these damn swaps. Every month there is a colour theme and you send crafting supplies, something homemade and other little treats all other the world and you recieve something back in return. So far I have recieved stuff from Portugal, Finland, Spain and the US. This months theme was green and blue so this little bag filled with goodies that is on it's way to Hungary.

Dish Towel Cushion

2007-03-05T21:26:00.000+01:00

Here is a cushion I made with three different dish towels. I machined and hand-embroidered the detailing on the front. My husband was laughing at me because I was so excited about making the buttons. This was the first time I used the button hole feature on my sewing machine...and I LOVE IT!

Time for lunch.

2007-03-01T16:02:00.000+01:00

Here are some photos of a lunch bag I made from an old curtain. It was really easy to make. It took approximately an hour.
See the "how to" video below.

March Swap Sent

2007-02-27T16:18:00.000+01:00

This months colours are blue and green, very Cote D'Azur if you ask me. This is a photo of what is in store for my partner. I left some items out the picture for so she can be surprised!

Inspirations:

2007-02-24T14:26:00.000+01:00

I bought this magazine and absolutely love it (don't worry mom I bought one for you and it is on its way)!

It's a french magazine that has so many beautiful ideas and projects. I am overwhelmed I want to do all of them but don't know where to start.
Of course the instructions are in French but maybe this is definitely a good way to learn my french.

Polly's New Furniture

2007-02-19T10:32:00.000+01:00

Here is Polly with her new bed...as you can she is loving it. She also has a new name tag, which was sewn on to her original collar (very easy to do).

My First "HOW TO" Video

2007-02-11T08:10:00.000+01:00

Well, here it is, my first "how to" video on how to make "Mon Petit Sac" (my small bag).
I am new to this whole uploading video stuff so it's a bit rough.
I tried to include as much detail as possible, (it's about 10 min.) but if you don't understand something please feel free to email me and let me know what you think.

There are more videos to come...

Mon Petit Sac

2007-01-25T09:15:00.000+01:00

Here are a couple of photos of my latest project. It's a small little linen bag with some patchwork. I have a new machine that can embroider and sew, it wasn't cheap but it is pretty amazing, it has a little computer in it and a robotic arm...(very hi-tech) and I love it. I have been experimenting with different stitches and styles. Oooooh so exciting...

This bag is pretty easy to make and doesn't take very long.

I decided to create a couple of webcasts on how to make some "very french" projects and I am just finishing the first "how to video" on how to make this bag. Once I am done editing, I will post it here and on youtube, for all of you who want to give it a try.

I will eventually try selling a few of these on my etsy store, once I get the account all set up. Things slow moving and I am very excited to see where this leads...

Strawberry Pin Cushions

2007-01-17T10:02:00.000+01:00

Here are some really cute (if I do say so myself) pincushions that I made. I downloaded the pattern off the net and then viola...very easy to make. I am thinking of adding to the fruit family of pin cushions....maybe bananas.

Rescued dresser

2007-01-11T11:42:00.000+01:00

This is a project I completed a while ago, but wanted to include it.
This dresser used to be bright purple and pretty beaten up. It was mine from when I was a wee child. It was then past down to my two other sisters, where it accumulated writings of old boyfriend's phone numbers and really bizarre "art" drawings. I decided to save this poor dresser from the dumpster.

So I sanded, painted and then covered the front of the drawers with wallpaper (anaglyptic wall paper). I wiped the front wallpaper down with a sponge and some brown stain to give it some depth. I also updated the knobs with some iron ones.
Now I have a brand new piece of furniture.

I must apologize...

2007-01-07T18:47:00.000+01:00

I know I have neglected you all, I apologize.
I have been in holidaying in Canada.
Christmas has been extremely, crazy busy, visiting family and friends. I have not posted any crafts lately because most of them were christmas gifts and I know some sneaky sneaks out there that would have liked to have seen their gifts before christmas.
Here is a photo of Santa om a Chicken made for my mother-in-law. I wanted to give her something to add to her chicken/rooster collection.

Inspiration Part Deux

2006-11-09T16:33:00.000+01:00

Remember that window? Well here it is again. I printed the photo from the computer on fabric printer paper and then hand embroidered the flowers and plants. I am almost finished. The question is what shall I make out of it? A Pillow Cover? Frame it? Not really sure. This is a gift for my mom for her birthday (it's okay she already knows).

Our New Baby

2006-11-01T10:21:00.000+01:00

Her name is Polly and she arrived on Sunday Oct. 29. She is 3 years old and cute as a button. She follows me around like a shadow and loves getting hugs and kisses. She keeps me company while Marko is away at work. She loves to sit with me and watch television.
All I can say is ..."how cute"

November Swap

2006-10-30T14:54:00.000+01:00

I decided to join a swap group. It involves people from all over the world, exchanging goodies that reflect a certain theme. This month was cotton candy pink, apple green and burgandy red. This was what I made for my swap buddy; a bag which I filled with craft and candy goodies.