all over the place,

all around in the garden, lots of white and green,

and some stuff growing out of my desire to finally create a bag that will fold down into a pouch!

It is now finished, but by that time I was so distracted by the eldest kid being slightly out of control that I never got round to taking a finished shot! Tomorrow maybe : )

We have had a lot of crying and screaming today, I wish I could explain it all away, but sometimes when it doesn’t make any sense to the rest of us, I’m sure it doesn’t make any more sense to him either : (

I’m worried that we are about to enter a slightly more difficult phase with Edward, and I think it is going to be hard on all of us, and for him it will be very tough. One problem is for us is to work out why it is becoming harder, is it just ‘him’ and what Aspergers brings to him, or is it maybe hormonal? He is 10, when do things really start to happen?
The other thing is school, he does seem unhappy, and I am going to have to make an appointment, because I don’t think I can ignore it for any longer. Though saying that, what is going to happen, he can’t go anywhere else, but he needs to have something to look forward to. Maybe we can try and find out if he will get to go to the secondary school of our choice, oh well, tomorrow is another day, and lets see if we can have fewer tears and more smiles : )

somethings I make are a real pleasure, from beginning to end, everything goes smoothly, no grumbles, just nice, and these two bags clearly for me come under that category : )

A few days ago I was asked via an Etsy conversation if I could make a bag for a special occasion based on a jacket that had been bought, I jumped at the chance because it gave me a chance to work with the more muted colour palette I was talking about yesterday.

So I have made two bags, the one she has chosen is the one above, with the three leaves, and the other one will go into the shop very soon, here it is,

I really like both of them, they are across the body bags, and sit on the hip, but have fixed length straps, suitable for someone 5′6″ and up probably : ) It is £12.50 plus £1.60 P&P (UK, international would be a bit more). If you are interested in the one above, please let me know via the comments and I will get back to you.

As I said it has been a pleasure making them, so more bags soon, and probably lots more works in progress too!

Ooo, almost forgot, I will have to be raising my prices on Etsy after the weekend, I was shocked when I checked the converted prices!! So get in there quick because from Monday they will all be going up a little!!

I have recently been having selling problems, ie not selling anything since 1st May. Now I know I have had a shop commission, and I’m currently working on another commission of which you will see a bit in a minute, but…..

But the big thing for me is selling my work directly to the customer, and after a successful April, May has been a big damp squib! So of course this has of course led to many discussions between myself and my beloved : )
Also when making my bag for myself I really discovered that I personally don’t want bright flowers all over everything, and I would like some subtlety, which of course then led us to thinking about my designs. (by the way, thanks for all the feedback on that bag, and the adjustable strap, now thinking about that a bit more!)

Should I really be making designs that I would not personally use? Are my designs too childlike? Am I just being a tad dramatic? : )
So I have decided that I’m going to make some bags, ready for Handm@de, that will be more subtle, and the sort of thing I would use, not just stuff I hope people will buy and like!

So you can expect some brightness next, as I have about 8 half finished bags, but then, maybe a bit more subtle!

The two images I have used are from the commission that I am currently working on, when they are finished I will show you, and one will probably be available to buy in the shop!

Also I’m not going to change the prices just yet in my Etsy shop, even though with the pound getting stronger the true price of my creations has gone down, so get in there quick, before I change my mind!!

I will admit, I do have much more than just a corner, almost a whole room, even though it is the smallest room in the house, but this corner is now pretty much complete : )

John has now put up my magnetic noticeboard, which has been hanging around for years, and my rail and tubs from Ikea, a much more recent purchase!

I have also got two printouts of some of the bags I have created, this is really useful, because I have been able to refer back to designs, see what I’ve really been happy with, what has worked, and what I have loved making!

I also have now almost filled both of my sewing spool racks, just need more bobbins now!

The one thing that I would really like to get now would be a larger cutting mat, I have quite a large one already 17″ x 24″ but one that would cover at least one half front to back of the desk would be great, and so useful.

So that is the corner, other stuff, busy busy in the garden this weekend, cut grass, another 3 hours also dug up large dead shrub, and put in new shrub from my mum, it won’t flower this year, but at least it should have a head start for next year : )

Very tired, been up since 5.25am, so I will bid you farewell…

well I guess that would be a little bold, it is a variation : )

I don’t often make bags as prototypes and then use them myself, I guess because I’m a ’stick in the mud’ and like what I already have, but I wanted to make myself a bag to take to ATP, so I made this new hip bag.

It is lined and padded, including the strap which was really comfy to use, the flap almost completely covers the front of the bag, so I did not add any extra fasteners. I’ve lined it with a lovely fabric from Ikea and taken the influence from that to produce the embroidery on the front.

It worked really well all weekend, felt comfy, and so I’m happy, but would you buy a bag like this? It sits on my hip nicely and I’m 5′ 7″ so would I make a standard one like this, or maybe two lengths? I don’t want to get into adjustable straps because i don’t think I could do the padded strap then.

So any feedback would be gratefully received!

I think you are meant to feel refreshed, yes? I feel quite tired, and a bit wobbly!

This weekend I went to my first music festival! And to make it perfect for me, I was not staying in a tent, tents are not good for my mental state, they bring me out in a cold sweat!

So we went to ATP curated by The Breeders, and it was fab! I was very nervous, on two counts really, the only band I really knew were The Breeders, and would they disappoint me?

No, they did not, they were amazing! I don’t really care that much for female singers, but Kim and Kelley Deal have wonderful voices, and it was a fantastic experience being there, watching and listening a band that seemed to be having so much fun themselves : ) I also went to Kelley’s knitting group, and I now have decided that I will this year learn how to crochet!!

My other fear was seeing loads of bands I had never heard of, or would not like, how wrong I was!

That is Dianogah, who didn’t have a lead guitar, just two basses, an amazing sound!

She, very pretty, is part of the duo who are Blood Red Shoes, like the White Stripes, but the other way round, they sounded really good on the big stage, and I have to say they looked good too!

Above is Shellac, a band who seemed to be much more of a man band, but they are the house band for ATP having played 74 times at the event!! We watched them both nights, and once I got over my initial fear of them, I really enjoyed the second night! Also very funny on stage, the drummer is the human equivalent of Animal!

and lastly,

They performed twice, we missed the first set when they played as their other form, The Bronx, which is hardcore punk : ) We saw them as you could probably tell as a Mariachi band when they are known as Mariachi El Bronx, and they were AMAZING!!

I could have stood there at the front for so much longer, it was great being at the front! Also we had the bonus of having Kim and Kelly Deal joining them for a song!

So a great weekend, and I’m shocked to say that I can’t wait for next year and the chance to go again!

(all photos are copyrighted to my lovely husband John, you can see lots more of his photos of the event here on Flickr!)

you can vote for me on the Dorset Cereals site, and I could win an amazing egg cozy!

You can vote for me here by clicking the image below!

a proper post about my great weekend later : )

maybe too ‘around’ do need to lose a bit of weight, especially that bit that makes me look round!

10 days since my last post, blimey! Well I have been busy, and this is a flying visit, been completing an order, wrangling children, trying to sort out Handm@de, what else, er making bags, well you know the stuff!

This weekend I’m off to my first music festival, yay, or just scared, I know I will be fine, but hopefully an update before that, have fun : )

I’m quite sure I have used that title before, certain in fact, but it is late and my brain is not working properly!

However, I do seem to be surrounded by piles of ’stuff’, including clean clothes and fabric,

This little pile is lovely, nice felt and fabric, and some pretty vintage mother of pearl buttons, what more could you want, well they could be magic turn into bag fronts! Two more to go at the moment, and then I have a bulk order to work on, which when it is closer to the time of them being finished you may see a little bit of them : )

I always have in my head things I’m going to blog about, but at the moment I can’t really remember any of them, except, please go and look at the Handm@de Winchester blog, we are now on our sixth Meet the Maker!

Hope the rest of your weekend goes well, hope to have some new things to show on Monday : )