WIP Wednesday - April SNOW showers

If April showers bring May flowers, do April snow showers bring May skiers? It was a bit odd to wake up to snow, but not that uncommon for Colorado in April...I've even seen snow in May. We should be getting close to real spring soon, which means I should be spending time in the yard clearing out the dead stuff and maybe even planting flowers! I like the wilderness look, but there is a point where 'wilderness' crosses into 'neglected'...and we're getting close! Since I'm not swamped with orders, I can finally do yard work without feeling like I'm getting behind on important stuff. 

All the recent stuffies! Just need tagged and dropped off at the Sweet Radiance Boutique

WIP Thursday - End of March

I need to stop deciding to blog more, every time I do, life goes sideways and I lose an entire week! And somehow March is almost finished as well... The good news is that I am all caught up on the pattern testing that came in at once, and only have one open order! I'm still working on restocking things for the Sweet Radiance Boutique, hoping to take a trip down soon to drop off new blankets, stuffed animals, and notebooks! I might even switch out some purses on display, to keep it interesting. I'm also getting the spring cleaning urge to deep clean and organize my sewing studio, which I might actually be able to do this year since I don't have a ton of orders making me feel guilty for taking time to work on other things...

FINALLY getting the pieces glued into the tins...and I have matching finger puppets! Now to make more...

Squish Mabel (Swoon)

I don't often make little bags, but this one turned out super cute! This was one of my earlier vinyl purses, and it helped me get over my sewing vinyl intimidation! The Mabel from Swoon is a fast little free pattern

All the fun and colorful animals!

WIP Tuesday - Time to Get Focused

I like having a bunch of orders because I need deadlines and a tiny bit of stress to keep me productive and on track! I only have a few orders right now, which means that in my mind I have PLENTY of time to finish everything...which leads to rushing at the last minute to get orders out and finish up tests. I also want the orders to be interesting...yes, I can make a NCW wallet in just a few days (or hours if I'm in a crunch), but after making over 100 of them, they just aren't that exciting. I'm actually kind of glad I'm down to my last few scraps of the map fabric I use for them, and I can't get any more unless I get lucky in a b/s/t group...although I want to start offering the plague doctor version, to use up that stash of fabric, but that's a little different at least.  

Latest NCW order - NOT a map one!

Clear Character Aneira Pouch - The Styled Magnolia Pattern Testing

I've really enjoyed having a little extra space in my schedule where I can fit in more pattern testing and fabric promotion, especially if it's pushing me out of my comfort zone to use some of my stash! I love how the clear vinyl looks, but for the longest time there were barely any good patterns to use it. The Styled Magnolia is really knocking it out of the park with all their new patterns lately, and the Aneira Pouch is another cute and fast one that can be made with either clear vinyl or regular vinyl! 

I should have put something inside, to make the characters really pop...

WIP Tuesday - Snowy and Cold to Balmy and Beautiful!

I really shouldn't be surprised that February is a bipolar month - cold and full of snow for a few days, then nice and gorgeous the next few days! I'm ready for winter to be over, and only have nice days, but then we hit the 'too hot to move' summer... I do love curling up on the couch with a soft blanket, my dogs, and a book, but I pretty much do that year round. It's just in the winter that the dogs come in covered in snow and try to snuggle with me and those are usually some cold and wet paws and faces! If I'm sewing when they come back inside, they like to run to the sewing room, still wet and cold, and sit on my bare feet. Or, they come in covered in mud and tracking paw prints all over. Thanks, guys. 

My nap buddies

Supernatural Sawyer Satchel Bag - Knitorious Fabric and Cloudsplitter Designs

Messenger bags are one of the most basic style of bags I make, but I still buy different patterns to get the features I want. For the amazing fabric from Knitorious Fabric, I knew I wanted something with straps, or 'manly' looking, not just a basic bag. I found the Sawyer Satchel and it had everything I wanted: cool accent straps, pockets, more pockets, a zipper to close it, and good sized! 

Just hanging out on a ledge