Simply Riveting Winner!!!!

I'll bet you've been dying to find out who won the Simply Riveting Giveaway???  Hmmm???

Well, there were 44 entries on my blog, and 3 extra entries on my facebook page!  So with a total of 47 entries, Random.org chose the number

3

Amy from Increasingly Domestic said

I like Vibrant Designs on FB

Congratulations Amy!! 

For those of you who LOVE Jessica's designs and want to purchase one of her little beauties, she has graciously offered my readers a 15% discount for the next 2 weeks!!  Simply enter the code

Vibrant

at checkout and receive 15% off your entire order.  Head on over today and get your order in!!

Just a though I had, but wouldn't her initial rings and necklaces make great Easter or Mother's Day gifts??  Yeah, I'm seriously considering one for my daughter for Easter...

And just because I laughed my head off....I thought I would share this with you.

One of these guys just walked by my house as I was writing this post...

OH MY!!

I looked them up and they're called Shar-pei's...

Still laughing!!  I don't know but all those wrinkles just cracked me up!



Come back soon for more bags!

 

I recently had CSN stores contact me about doing a giveaway on my blog...After some thought and deliberation I decided I would rather stay within the handmade parameter. So, if any of you make and sell handmade items and would like to do a review/giveaway on my blog, please contact me. Send your shop information and I'll be sure to get back with you! 

One of my most Proud Accomplishments

I love making things...and sharing them with you.  I rarely share the things that I am the most proud of...that mean the most to me, and that I would never give away!!  Tonight, I am going to introduce you to my most recent greatest accomplishment...

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It's been a while since I've posted a photo of this particular handmade item

mainly because I like to protect it from the world we call

the INTERNET!!

Have you figured out what it is?? 

Annelise Elizabeth

You might think she was hugging me...

but no, that's her doggy, received for her first birthday.

Apparently she's a budding photographer...

fine with me!

The doggy I previously mentioned...

rarely leaves her sight.

unless she wants to eat.

In which case, the doggy...and the binky are promptly tossed to the floor!

What makes her absolutely not related to myself, my husband, or my other two children??  This curly, strawberry blond hair!!  The best we can tell....the color goes to her great grandpa and the curls, her grandma.  You might be able to see in the photo...at the top and to the right of her crown...a tiny birthmark that grows WHITE blond hair out of it.  Makes it look like she has highlights on the crown of her head. 

She's mine and I love her.  Stay tuned in the coming weeks to meet my other two munchkins. 

There are three more hours to enter my Simply Riveting Giveaway!! 

Cosmetic Bag-Wallet-Clutch

I promised a tutorial....here it is.  Have you ever wanted to 'box' the bottom of a bag without the slanted sides?  If you start off with a simple rectangle, you will always get the slanted sides.  Here is what you'll be making...

Materials Needed:

1/4yd fabric (this is enough for your lining and outside fabric)

thread

zipper

fusible fleece

heavyweight interfacing (optional)  You do not have to interface your lining.  The fusible fleece is enough. I just like the stability of the bag better this way.

Step 1. Cut your fabric into a trapezoid shape measureing 9 1/4" x 7 3/4" x  5 1/4".  From the 9 1/4" side, cut a 3/4" square from each corner as shown in the photo. 

Special Note:  You can use whatever dimensions you want.  Just make sure that the measurement on top (for me is 7 3/4") is the same as the measurement on the bottom AFTER you cut the squares from the bottom of the trapezoid. 

Step 2. Cut and fuse the fleece to the outside fabric as per the manufacturer's directions. 

Cut and fuse the heavyweight interfacing to the lining fabric as per the manufacturer's directions. 

Step 3.  Attaching the zipper

Lay one of your lining pieces right side up.  Lay the zipper on top, along the short side of the trapezoid, right side up. Lay one of the outside fabric pieces on top right side down.  All three edges should be lined up.  

Pin them together.

Sew them together using a 1/4" seam allowance.  (You can use a zipper foot or a regular foot.  If you use the 1/4" seama allowance, the foot should NOT get in the way of the zipper. 

Pull apart the lining from the outside fabric to reveal the zipper sandwiched inside.

Pull each piece back and away from the zipper, wrong sides together. 

Pin them together along the zipper as shown in the photo.

Topstitch with 1/8" seam allowance.

Place the other lining piece right side up. Place the zipper along the short side of the trapezoid right side up.  Lay the second outside fabric piece right side down, on top of the lining piece, sandwiching the zipper between the two.  Line up the edges.  Pin in place. 

Sew these pieces together using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Pull the pieces apart to reveal something like this.

Be sure the lining and outer fabric pieces are WRONG sides together at this point.  Pin them together along the zipper.

Topstitch down the zipper using 1/8" seam allowance. 

Step 4.  You will kick yourself later if you forget this step which is why it gets it's very own number!!  UNZIP THE ZIPPER!! Do not unzip it all the way.  Leave about an inch between the zipper pull and the other edge as shown in the photo.

Step 5.  Sewing up the bag.

Flip the outside pieces so their right sides are together and the lining pieces so they are right sides together.

That's what I'm doing in these next two photos. 

Pin all the way around both trapezoids.

I like to begin sewing on the bottom of the lining about an inch from one of the squares.  You need to leave a hole in the bottom of the lining for turning later.

Sew along all the sides except the squares.  Leave them open for the moment.

Here's a photo of "leave a hole in the lining." I usually forget this and get to seam rip! :)

Step 6. Boxing the bottom.

Remember those squares at each corner?  Choose one and stick your finger in it to open it up.

Smoosh the bottom seam and the side seam together giving you something like this.  Pin this in place.

Sew this together with 1/4" seam allowance.

Repeat this step for each of the four corners. 

Step 7.  Turn the bag and finish!

Now it's time to turn the bag right side out!!  Reach through the hole in the lining, through the OPEN ZIPPER (see, told you if you forgot, you would kick yourself later), and pull the bag all the way through. 

Stuff the lining inside the bag and make sure you haven't left any holes that you need to go back and touch up.  If all is good, pull the lining out enough the pin the hole closed. 

 I completely forgot to take pictures of this step so I hope my words are clear.  Fold the raw edge of the lining inside the hole and pull taught.  You can press it at this point but don't have to.  Pin this hole together then sew with a tiny seam allowance. 

You want a tiny seam allowance so that you can't see it inside the bag.  Stuff the lining back inside the bag, poke out the corners nicely, zip it up and take some photos!!  Here's my finished product.

See the nice STRAIGHT sides? 

See how you get a nice triangle shape on the sides?  It makes a great cosmetic bag.  You could make these in three different sizes to gift to someone at Christmas, birthday, Mother's Day, etc. 

Sorry, camera wouldn't flash so the inside is rather dark. 

I'd love to see finished products if you try this out!   Any questions?  Let me know and I'll do my best to answer them. Have you seen my other tutorials??  Go take a look.

Also, don't forget to enter this week's giveaway!!  Win a $30 credit to Simply Riveting Etsy Shop!

Keisha's Diaper Bag

I made a new friend recently who was expecting when we met.  Her husband found out about my 'bags' and asked me to make her a diaper bag.  This was supposed to be a secret, but after one too many questions from me, he spilled the beans!  Better she makes those decisions than he trying to guess at them!  So, she and I got together and picked out fabric.  After MUCH internet research and deliberation, here is the final product.  I'm afraid it's not exactly right, but I hope she likes it!

It has a zipper top closure, shoulder handles and an adjustable strap.

(per her request)

zipper top closure...it works out to be a lot like a weekend bag/travel bag.

The outside back has a zipper pocket.

(per her request)

Two outside elastic bottle pockets.  She had a boy, I only have girl bottles at the moment :)

(per her request)

 Inside has a zipper pocket, 2 bottle pockets and 4 slide pockets for clothes and diapers/wipes.  Do you remember the Duo Pocket Changing Pad Tutorial I posted back in January?  Same fabric, yes. Same recipient, yes.  I made that with the intention of it going along with this diaper bag.

 (my Mod Diaper Bag comes with all these pockets except the zipper pocket.  She requested that as well.)

Outside zipper pocket...

So, what do you think?  Is this something I should be selling in my shop?  Should I create a pattern for it?  Would YOU use it?  I have made a few diapers bags!!  You can find them here, here, and here.  (And that's not all...just the few I can remember at the moment!)  This one took me out of my comfort zone, mainly because there was so much to remember.  That's the trouble with designing your own bags.  You have to figure out the steps by yourself!  Ahhhhh!! 

Have you entered this weeks giveaway???  Don't forget!

Also, be sure to come back tomorrow for a simple sewing tutorial! 

Custom Order Buttercup Bag

I love the Buttercup Bag and it also seems to be a favorite of my readers!  The Buttercup Bag Pattern can be obtained for FREE from Rae over at Made by Rae.  She has a few different tutorials and patterns, all of which are exceptionally clear and easy to follow. 

If you are a bag maker who sells your creations, you can also purchase the pattern for the Buttercup Bag which includes a larger version of the original and the license to sell.  Obviously, I purchased that license. :)

See the blue lining peaking out of the top?  The customer wanted a sky blue lining...a nice pop of color!

See the fake flowers in the background?  My Mom purchased that little arrangement for me when I was expecting my 5 1/2 year old son.  He tried coming early (9 weeks) and landed me in the hospital on bedrest for 5 weeks.  Anybody here ever experience magnesium sulfate?  It's a nasty drug but kept my little guy in for an extra 5 weeks!  My wonderful mama got these flowers for me to look at while I was in the hospital.  I'm not one to keep dust collectors, but I can't bring myself to get rid of these :) Can you believe it took me nearly 2 weeks before I realized they weren't real?  I saw triple, yes triple, vision while I was on that drug.  I blame it on that as opposed to my own stupidity! 

The inside has two slide pockets, a zipper pocket, and magnetic snap closure.  (Is there any other way??)  What have you been up to??  Stay tuned for my next post...a new diaper bag style.  Still working on a name for it...

Don't forget to enter this weeks giveaway!! 

Simply Riveting Giveaway!!!

Have you ever heard of Simply Riveting jewelry?  The owner/designer behind Simply Riveting is Jessica.  She has some beautiful pieces like these cute little bird earrings...

 

and these...

and this ring...

and this little beauty...

I'll bet you'd like to meet her...

Hello! My name is Jessica. I live in a small house in southern Kentucky with my husband, my dog Tootie, and cat Cinnamon. We've lived in this house for almost a year now, and I'm still ecstatic to have an entire room devoted to my studio! Besides working, one of my favorite things to do is visit the local thrift store and look for hidden treasures. I'm also trying to be more diligent about taking my dog to the park to walk.

I named my shop SimplyRiveting because of the word play on rivet, even though I only occasionally use rivets! I've been making jewelry for about eight years now, and started selling on Etsy about a year and a half ago. To be honest, I initially became interested in metalwork because of all the tools and I had seen someone hammering away! I still feel really cool when I am hammering or soldering! I have started quite the little collection of hammers, files, and various other hand tools.

I really enjoy the process of creating jewelry. Hand sawing, hammering, filing, soldering, and sanding. I love all of that! It requires a bit of focus and can really clear the mind and be meditative. When I package my jewelry to send out, I daydream about who will wear it and what parts of the world it will go to.

Jessica sent me this gorgeous crimson ring so I could tell you all how beautiful it is...not to mention her pieces are well constructed.  All of Jessica's pieces are handmade sterling silver and well, I love my ring!

Jessica has offered my readers a chance to win a $30 credit to her etsy shop!  I know. There are times I wish I could win my own giveaways but alas...I can't. 

But you can!!!

Here are the ways you can enter:

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Simply Riveting and comment on this post telling me what you would get if you win.

Second and third possible entries:

Comment and let me know that you are either

Be a follower of Vibrant Designs

Like Vibrant Designs of Facebook.

Fourth possible Entry:

Facebook about this giveaway and comment letting me know.

UPDATE:  This giveaway ends @ midnight on Saturday, February 26th 2011.  I will use Random.org to choose a winner!

Don't want to wait to find out if you win?  Jessica is offereing a 15% discount in her etsy shop to all Vibrant Designs followers!  Simply enter in the coupon code VIBRANT at checkout and receive 15% off your entire order.