Best yet

I'm not sure if I will be putting this skirt on the site or not, but I wanted to talk about it here because with all the sewing I've been doing my skills are actually improving. Thats not something I noticed until I tried this new skirt. I have been wearing my first skirt ever made for while a while. The first one I did was my purple butterfly skirt. The hem line isn't what I like anymore, I like a wider one. The waist line isn't what I do anymore and the applque was the very first I've ever done. I do it completly differently. I've worn that skirt so many times and washed it so many times that I just had to remake it for myself. I didn't want to go with the exact same skirt, so I went with something different.
I had attempted the patchwork before and the back side shreaded when washed, so this time I put a muslin backing on it. Something I've never done before. I'm so happy with how it turned out. It was a complete joy to just sit at my sewing machine and watch this beautiful skirt come together. It was alot more work than my normal stuff, but it just really came together. Again I'm not sure if I'm going to put it on the site or not, but its a sign of growth. For sure. Oh...right, I suppose you'd want to see eh?

New diaper bag pattern

I really liked the size of my diaper bag, but there was just something not quite right with it (in my opinion) I don't like to make things that I wouldn't use myself, so I played with it a little and added side panals. Voila!! Suddenly there's so much more room! I'm in love with it now. Totally perfect. Before it just had a front and back panal, that was it. Now with the side panals its just right. Even though the sides are only about an inch or so wide, so its still not huge or cumbersome, just that little bit was all it needed. I can carry my snugglebug carrier, a drink for me, my wallet, a sippy cup and diapers and wipes and still have a bit of room left! I'm amazed and very proud. I also am adding this new material to the site as an option. Check it out!

Peace Mat

I'm very excited about this new addition. Its a departure from clothing which was a nice break. One of my friends told me about this idea, and I'm just sure she told me about it so I'd design one! Well here it is, The Peace Mat! Its a step before the time out. Soft, comfortable and bright it speaks of personal space. A place to rest before getting in trouble. A place to read a book, play with a puzzle and have quiet time. I also use it to teach about personal space. The five year old that I nanny for has been an AP(attachment parenting style) child for as long as he can remember and so we find that when he aproaches strangers he doesn't respect their boundrys. We can teach him about those boundrys by the clearly definded lines on this mat. He enjoys tracing his fingers over the words and often uses it like a blanket. There's nothing shocking or scary or sad about this mat. It can be used as far as the adults imagination can stretch! I've gotten rave reviews from friends on this one and I'm very happy with how it turned out. Couldn't look better!

Here's a close up of the wording. I used this really cool looking blue batik material that I cut the letters out of and a rainbow thread to embroder around the edges. Looks so cool. Its up on the site now and I even got a picture of one of the kids reading on it on the site. So cute. He was glad to participate!

working on some new ideas

I can't believe I'm already working on winter stuff already! Funny part is its 114 degrees here in Phoenix AZ. I don't think I'd ever need under clothes in this enviroment, but I shall make them for my non-AZ customers. I'm really excited about them too. I'm in the process of designing a petticoat and bloomers. I can't wait to get them done! Even in this heat I still think I'd wear the petticoat in the winter time. I think a light cotton material for my climate, and flannel for colder climates would be the way to go. I can just imagine adorable little bloomers showing just under a knee length skirt. Too cute.
I've also been busy busy on the website. I finally got some work done on the instruction page. Looks much better now! We have to take it little by little. I'm trying to get step by step pictures taken with my Bug in the carrier in each of the holds, so I can get instructions up. Problem is once he's in the SnuggleBug he doesn't want to be put down! So I've got the pictures for the front hold, and thats good enough for today.
Also finally got enough work done to start a gallery. I'm very proud of that for sure. It was one of my goals and I'm glad at how quickly I got it up! Its not much just yet, but its a start for sure. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but thats it for now.

Ok so I mispoke..

So I mispoke in my last entry. This skirt is my current favorite! A new friend of mine (check out her link on the links page of my website.) let me in on a "trick of the trade" and as a result my appliques are looking much much better. I did a dance all around the house after trying it out. This is my first ankle length skirt and I didn't think I was going to care much for it, because often I find skirts this length to be too tight around my legs when I try to run or dance or step long and large but I got lucky and made my hem line big enough on this skirt. Don't worry, I took notes so all ankle lengths will be nice and roomy.

I'm also working on a completly new design of skirt. I can't wait to post it. I really really hope it turns out as wonderfully as what I'm picturing in my mind.

I tried to make a shirt today. To no success. Thats ok though! I didn't really expect success. This was a trial. I'm working on creating a hippie apron style shirt. I'm finding it difficult because I want to make it for women who are well endowed in the boosom. The apron shirts and dresses I've always seen have flat chests to them. I and so many like me aren't flat. The shirts are beautiful but uncomfortable. So I'm trying to alter that and when I do I will be so glad! I've almost got it. Just you wait and see. They're going to be great.

A few days ago I finished this awesome little crayon bag! I made it origionally for children and when I was at the fabric store I was talking with the woman behind the counter (we're friends, I'm there too often for them NOT to know me!) and she was asking me what all I was making. She got very excited when I explained this bag to her. She said she wanted me to bring it in for her to see when I was done so she could buy some for her grandkids. No problem! The fabric store is about five blocks away from my house!! (Dangerous I know....) So the next day I was done with it and needed some thread for the moon skirt I was working on. I headed up to the fabric store with my wallet in this bag along with the two coloring books and the crayons all put away just like this bag was intented for. She wasn't there darn it all, but everyone else at the store thought it was so cute. I had some other errands to run as well so when I was at the check out counter of the petstore I found myself with alot of compliments. I guess mabye I had marketed this to the wrong crowd!! Looks like it might sell better to the teen/early twenty crowd. Hmmmm there's a thought. I've been giving out my buisness card at every turn, but my dear friends in one of my other communitys have been the biggest support so far. Its so great that they like my wares. Love them. Hopefully intrest will spread as people start to wear my stuff. Here's hoping!
I also did some website work today. Nothing major. Though with the editor working like it does it takes much longer than needed. Oh well. I like the way its working and looking. I streamlined the skirts page even more. I think I might just be able to leave it alone for a while! I've got so many skirts on there that I had to start a whole new page. It brings me much joy and happiness to be able to sew and make beautiful things.

new skirts

Today was my birthday and I had a great day! I got a gift card to go shopping at my favorite shop.....the FABRIC shop! I got one of the new styles of skirts done today. I've got the material to get some of the others done and I'm so excited about how its looking. I really think they'll be my new favorites. No doubt about it.
I just love how its in the corner, just coming up. Came out better than I could have imagined. Both the yellow of the sun and the orange are "flame" style materials. So it looks awesome together. I've also got a new bag on the way. I've got the material for that as well. It will be done soon and of course I shall post pictures! Its a bag for children. It fits coloring books perfectly inside and crayons in a front pocket. I'm very excited! Should be incredibly cute.

shoping cart

Today someone showed me a few really handy things. Some of you may roll your eyes at this, however its a great achievement for me. I created a paypal cart so that people can purchase more than one thing at a time! The way I had it before just wasn't suitable. I had it set up so that people could email me with multi item orders and I felt that it really wasn't professional at all. I like this so much more.
My order of tags showed up today as well. So now I can tag my items so that it has my name on them. The tags say:
"Hand Made
With care by
snugglebugcarriers"
They look great. I'm so proud. I did some other work to the website and its really coming along. Its more streamline and loads faster. I've been asking around for critiques and the people I've asked have been so extremly helpful. Thats how I found this blog, the shopping cart and many other website changes.