Just dropping in to say...

HI!

Over here it is still snowing and it seems we're endlessly shoveling! Visits to friends and family have become quite an adventure with slippery roads to navigate...glad to be back home.
Anyway, I hope you all survived the main event, had a fabulous time and received all you wished for :)

Three days of festivities and feasting -- and I find I seriously need to wind down tonight!
So, I've been browsing Etsy. And browsing and browsing. It's addictive, something Lisa pointed out to me straight away ;-)
I love interactive sites. I love the idea of treasuries. I've certainly heard a lot about them, I've read about them and I've seen and admired them on a number of blogs and now, to my astonishment and delight, I've been featured in one of them!

The talented jewelry artist Anna of Anna's Adornments who resides in Sweden curated this lovely treasury called Valentine Dreams. Love that title! She wrote that my Darla Rose sleep mask inspired her to create this beautiful treasury. That is so sweet of her and I feel honoured to be included, especially since I'm a total newbie on Etsy! Anna's fabulous jewelry can be admired in her shop here. I especially like her dainty bracelets that come in a wide range of colours. So pretty!

enjoy the rest of your holiday! Until next time!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from our home to yours...

Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noel! Vrolijk Kerstfeest! God Jul! Buon Natale! Feliz Navidad!

I wish you a joyous holiday season and a serene, balanced and loving New Year!
I'm taking time out to visit friends and extended family so posting on my blog will be sporadic in the next two weeks, but I very much look forward to another year of interacting with you, dear blog readers and friends, tons of fun and a giveaway or two! 

take care,

She's here :)

...the store mannequin is! I wrote about it here. I got her for a good price off ebay, but I wasn't sure she'd get here before Christmas, because it's total snow chaos outside and lots of roads have been closed off due to ice!
She came in several pieces (I know, gross), however once I assembled her I was amazed at how a hunk of plastic could weigh that much, even without the pedestal she came with. Manoeuvering her around plus getting her dressed/undressed will definitely require a second pair of hands.
Of all the mannequins available I chose her for several reasons:
 1. her stance was just right for showing off pants
2. she's not as 'Barbie' thin - again great for showing off my larger sized pj's
3. she's got a reasonably 'natural' face; her features don't look 'painted on' (I know her face isn't relevant to showing my pajamas, but I will be looking at her every day...)
4. she doesn't take up much space


The pajama pants at left are called China Rose - large roses in red and pink on a pale blue background - yummy. These are a size M, would fit a US size 8/10. As soon as I have all the required photos I will be listing my wares in my new Etsy shop . I have seen that many sellers just put 'small, medium or large' in the description, but I find that this is too little information, so I will be adding waist/hip, length and rise measurements as well. That way buyers can compare these with one of their own basic pants before purchasing.

The only down side to my mannequin was that she came hairless. Poor thing. So I had to purchase a wig. I got one for about USD 20,- that didn't look too tacky. After some combing and styling it looks okay, I think. It's just for my benefit, really. The photos of the pj top won't show her head and just the lower part of her hair. Anyway, the main thing is that she fulfills her purpose and makes my pajammies look good :)
I fully realize she'll be the target of any male visitors to my house...and I can already hear the tongue-in-cheek remarks. So predictable!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you're done with all of your holiday shopping by now!

Let's Party!

I have created a kisslock frame purse specifically with special occasions in mind - be it the upcoming New Year's Eve party, a cocktail party or a visit to the opera house - this bag will fit the bill perfectly! It's made with dupioni silk in understated black and suprises with a bright fuchsia interior. The icing on the cake is the handmade Kanzashi flower - admittedly a fiddly job using slippery silk - attached to the front and embellished with a rhinestone. This purse is an exclusive.

p.s. I fixed the wonky sidebar title and colours. phew, what next?

I love surprise gifts...

...don't you?

I couldn't believe my eyes when I received a package all the way from Malaysia from lovely, kind-hearted, generous and funny Anny! I opened up the package and found these goodies inside:

GORGEOUS Batik Fabric. I love the beautiful floral design! Just think...Anny went to the shops and specially selected this fabric/pattern with me in mind. Isn't that just the sweetest thing to do? This is definitely going to be made into something very special. I love it, Anny! Thank you so much!
Ever thoughtful she also included this cute pair of chopsticks for me and hubby :)

And not to be forgotten -- an adorable little 'catnip fish' for Sammy.  
Here he is 'inspecting' his new toy and...

it's love at first sight  :)

Sammy really loves his little fish and sends many purrs, headbutts and nosetaps your way, Anny! These are beautiful gifts and I appreciate them all! Anny, your wonderful surprise made my day! Thank you!
Do check out Anny's blog where you'll meet:                                 

Piper & Dommy, two of the cuddliest and cutest dogs I've come across in the blog-world. I very much enjoy reading about their everyday adventures and so will you!

Thank you so very much, Anny! Blog-friends are the best :)

PeriDot by Duni is shaping up!

Okay, a couple of you clever Etsians have already figured out that I'm about to open up my very first shop on Etsy. I've only just registered and filled in the policies & bio, so don't go looking -- there's nothing listed yet!
Apart from sewing like crazy, I've been thinking about the concept of my new shop and how I'd like to present my wares. Along with the pajamas I introduced to you here I will be offering my popular sleep masks as well as cosmetic pouches. I figured they go together well...sort of like a shop for all things *bed, bath & beauty*!
Another thing that will need serious consideration is how to display the pajama set and bottoms, because I obviously can't/don't want to model all of the sizes. Hiring a professional model is beyond my budget, and unfortunately the model friends I knew from when I used to work in the fashion industry have since moved on, married, started a family. So, the only logical thing to do imho is buy a store mannequin within my budget. I've been asking around and searched the internet. One thing's for sure -- I do not want a faceless one, nor a bald one, much less a headless one! The hubby doesn't want a 'dumb' one, whatever that means, and we both don't want a scary one! You'd be amazed at the scary-looking mannequins out there! Haha. I welcome any suggestions or better ideas on how to display clothing (other than on a person). I'm really excited about this new venture, and I must say that I really like the look and feel of Etsy. Just so you know I do remember all your kind comments and suggestions from when I asked about Etsy last time. I'm also looking into joining teams and have earmarked the Etsy Germany Street Team!
Meanwhile I've sold two of my designer bags, and I will need to replenish soon. I do have two new bags in the making - a silk clutch and a handbag made from OOAK screen-printed fabric - can't wait to show you!

take care, until next time!

Snow!!!

Snowstorms everywhere.
We've never had this much snow in our area before. It's even worse in the south-west and east. Hundreds of accidents have been reported so far and people are stranded at train stations and airports. Even Frankfurt Int'l Airport had to close for a day...and I'm desperately waiting for a parcel of fabrics from overseas. Well, all I can do is wait and hope it isn't damaged during transport. I for one am really glad I got all my gifts and cards sent out well ahead of time.

Here is the wreath I made. I've kept it very simple with just a few shiny and matte baubles, a delicate bead and gold star wire garland, a few dried berries and festive ribbon. I keep the fir branches looking and smelling fresh by spraying with mineral water every two days or so. You may have noticed that all four candles have been lit already, even though it isn't Christmas yet  (we celebrate on the 24th). Well, that's just me - I like them burning down all at the same time. Everyone else of course lights them one by one every consecutive Advent Sunday until Christmas!

Oh, and I've been featured on Showcase Sisters! Thank you Cheryl and Sheila. Do check out their blog chock-full of handy tips, decorating ideas, giveaways and reviews.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you're all keeping warm, unless of course you live in a sunny place: in that case, send over some sunshine pleeeeeaase!

Handmade Xmas Stockings

Hi there!

with St. Nicholas Day only three days away I made some festive stockings for a change (traditionally kids put out their shoes, but we don't have any - kids, that is)! So I made these for us grown-ups, because I quite like this tradition of giving small gifts and have decided to uphold it. It's so much fun and between you and me I'm actually more excited about this day than Christmas! I have fond memories of me as a child waking up early on the 6th, quietly sneaking to the door and then - surprise - finding my shoe miraculously filled with yummy sweets and chocolates!
These days, with our food-allergies and various intolerances, our stocking fillers won't be sweets of any kind... but rather goodies of another sort, handmade and most definitely useful. Oh, what fun!!!

Introducing: PeriDot by Duni

I'm finally able to show you the completed PJ ensemble I designed and made. To differentiate from my bags I created a new label for this new line in sleep wear. I came up with "PeriDot by Duni". Peridot is my birthstone and its light green colour is fresh and energizing, representing new ideas and a 'fresh start'. In Germany, green is the colour of hope.

On a personal matter I am making a fresh start by taking active measures to improve my immune system. I am fervently hoping to get my health back on track, so that I can implement all those ideas that are swirling around in my head! Much as I'd like to sew all day, every day - there are times when I feel so weak that even simple chores are too much. Thankfully, the good days outweigh the not-so-good! But let's not digress...

The fabrics I source for the sleep wear are all fine 100% cottons from USA (Dena Designs) or Germany (Hilco). I pre-wash them to prevent shrinkage in subsequent washes. They are also colour-fast. The cottons have a tight weave and are very light - perfect for sleep wear or lounging around the house.

The pajama bottoms in Darla Rose are straight-legged and hemmed with a contrasting fabric for a crisp finish. They can be worn with a simple white T-shirt for a casual weekend look. They have a comfy elasticated waistband.
The one on the left is a size S, with an outer leg length of approx. 98 cm (38.5 ") measured from a high hip (that is where your hip bone is). Now, since I'm XS, I pulled these pants up a bit just for demonstration purposes!
Below is the matching pajama top in size S (also slightly too big for me). The top has a low V-neck, a gathered bust and a flattering A-line shape that comes in useful for hiding that extra portion of Häagen-Dazs ice cream you had for dessert which somehow went straight to your hips ;-)
I wasn't entirely sure about the butterfly sleeves. What do you think? Would you rather have a top with straps instead? Or how about cap sleeves? Do let me know!

The top has no uncomfortable closures and simply slips on over your head. It is elasticated in the back to give it shape and to help with putting it on easily. This size S is a German size 34/36, a loose-fit US size 4 or a more snug fit for a US size 6. It falls over the hips. All inside seams on both pants and top are neatly serged.
Click on the photos to enlarge. I am offering Darla Rose and Dahlia Blue as a set in size S or M. These will be exclusively available in my Facebook eCommerce Shop. Or you can contact me here through my blog. The price for this set is Euro 72,-, (approx. USD 95,- plus shipping). The sets are limited, but I will be making a number of pajama bottoms in various patterns for Euro 39,- , (approx. USD 51,- plus shipping).

Now for the sizing:

Pajama bottoms - elastic waistband will provide some 'give'

S = German size 34/36 = approx. US size 4/6
M = German size 38/40 = approx. US size 8/10
L = German size 42/44 = approx. US size 12/14

back view - this is S, slightly too big for me


I will offer the pajama sets in sizes S and M only.  I won't be accepting made to measure, because for a perfect fit I would need to take your full body measurements and you would have to come all the way over here (or me to you) for subsequent fittings! And that is going to be one heck of an expensive pajama :-p
I have done my homework and checked what other sellers on Etsy and Dawanda are doing and most of them are offering S-M-L sizes, size M being the most popular. I am glad to note there are not that many that sell feminine sleep wear; it's more boxer shorts with cartoons on them or PJ's for kids.

Well, that wraps my "PeriDot by Duni" post. Looking forward to your feedback and comments and have a great day!

 

Brrr...frosty

The first layer of snow fell during the night. Usually I wake with the birds, but it was so silent this morning that I overslept. Currently it's a frosty -4°C (about 20°F). I was planning to visit our local Christmas Market later today to soak in a bit of Christmassy cheer. Okay, there are only a handful of huts, but I might as well make the most of what we've got here since I'm not sure if I'll  be able to visit the Xmas market in the big city this year.
Do you know what I really dislike about this season? All those layers of clothes and the amount of time it takes to put them on!

PJ's in the making

Ever since I announced I was going to be making sleep wear, people have asked me tons of questions about them. Like, when are they finished? How much will they cost? How can they buy them? And what about sizing?
Okay, just so you know, I'm making them from scratch. I first needed to actually design the pyjama (pajama?) set that I had envisioned...I tweaked the design on the first set of pants I made, but now I'm totally satisfied with the shape, the drape and overall look of them. Plus, they are so comfy!
Next I sketched, drafted and made the top. It turned out as feminine and flirty as I had wanted, but the butterfly wings and elasticated back make it quite time-consuming to sew. I will show you the set I made as soon as the days brighten a little. (It is only 2:00 p.m. and I already had to turn on the light.)
The above photo shows the fabrics I have chosen for my PJ's. There are two colourways and patterns. A gorgeous pink/red rose print and an equally gorgeous blue floral/butterfly print. I will be offering these in sizes S-M-L. More about sizing and fitting in a later post.

Before I forget, I will choose the winner of my Facebook giveaway this evening and announce him/her on my Facebook Page. Not a fan yet? What are you waiting for! You still have a chance to win!

To all my friends, cherished customers and family members in the U.S.: Happy Thanksgiving!

Special Thanksgiving Giveaway, Snow and Sammy!

A week from today we are already celebrating the 1st Advent and I have just finished sorting the decorations that are to go on my wreath. Finn & Hannah, handcrafted dolls, were dusted off to make their annual appearance on a shelf and I'm almost done with my Christmas gifts - all of them handmade this year!

Meanwhile it is getting c-c-cold with snow predicted on Thursday. Speaking of Thursday, head on over to my Facebook Fan Page. There's a special Thanksgiving Prize to be won! Handmade by me of course! See the widget on the right side of my blog. You can win a cosmetic bag and sleep mask set. All you need to do is become a fan and 'like' my page. One winner will be chosen on Thursday 25th!

In other news I've had a bit of a scare when I couldn't find Sammy anywhere this morning. It all started harmlessly when I let him out on to the terrace as usual. The terrace is enclosed and there is no way Sammy could disappear from there. So after a while I called him back inside and usually he answers back (it sounds like 'kakakak'). It's hilarious! But on this occasion nothing. So I went outside...no Sammy. NO Sammy. NO SAMMY.
And then I remembered that we had pushed the outdoor chairs and table all to one side due to the recent storms and something told me he must have climbed up and over onto the other side (the big outdoors)...and wouldn't you know I spotted two shiny green eyes staring out at me from inside this big bush. With a lot of cajoling and promises of yummy treats I finally got him out from there and carried him back to safety! I don't know who was more scared - me or Sammy!
One thing is for sure - I'm going to keep a close eye on him whenever he's out there from now on!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Travel Bag in Bermuda

Hi everybody and a big hello to my new followers :)

you might remember this bag in a pink/green colourway. After 'testing' this bag - yes, I always make sure the bags I create perform, that is they fulfill their purpose - and this travel bag/weekender with its whopping six pockets does the job perfectly! I was so pleased I made another one. I used the same designer fabric, a gorgeous cotton sateen (satin finish) in a pale blue/linden green colourway on a mellow toffee background. As usual the photo does not do justice to the colours on this bag.
As for pricing this bag...well, thinking about the amount of work that goes into making one of these, plus the fact that I use high-quality designer fabrics which I pre-wash and iron before cutting and the fact that it really is OOAK I feel justified charging what I do.
I was browsing the travel bag section on Dawanda to see what other handbag makers were charging and I came across a felted bag that was priced at Euro 1.500!!! The artist used white felt for her bag and it was lined with a cheap polyester. Not sure what it was doing in the travel bag section, but I feel quite comfortable with my price now :)
Did I mention that this bag has a removable bottom insert? Remove it and the bottom becomes roomier (is that a word?), therefore providing extra space for that last minute must-have souvenir...

Have a fabulous day!

Holiday Decorations

When I got up this morning I was greeted by this eerie grey fog outside our window and I thought to myself: "nope, I am definitely NOT a winter person". Is it any wonder then, that my bag creations tend to be bright and colourful? I need colour in my life. Orange cheers me up and red makes me smile. So when the days get darker outside, our home gets more colourful inside! I tend to go for traditional colours in my holiday decorations; red, green, a bit of gold. These just work best with our interior, which is kept in neutrals. Decorations need not be elaborate and I make most of them myself. I will be making a Christmas wreath and a few other decorations in the coming weeks. Be sure to check back for pics - and you're welcome to copy!  

Cocooning

As predicted the weather has gone from bad to worse. Last night's storm kept me awake most of the night and I just might go back to bed! Brrrr. I'm certainly not going outside today. Sammy seems to have the right idea...

What are your plans for today?

Travel Bag in Rainforest

Despite the unpleasant and chilly weather I ventured outside to take pics of the a travel bag/weekender. Well the weather man said it was going to get even worse in the next few days. Pity they didn't turn out that well, but I couldn't bear standing in the cold wind for much longer!
The entire bag is made from a home dec cotton with a satin finish. That means it has a tight weave and is soft to the touch. It has a spacious interior with three slip pockets plus a convenient zip pocket on the inside and two pockets on the outside. It is lined with this adorable pink polka dot cotton-linen fabric. Wish you could see it in person...the colours are luscious! For more details and photos visit my website! I'm going to make myself a nice cup of tea now...

A sight to behold...

"No, Sammy. Don't even think about it."

Hope everyone's keeping cozy on this cold and rainy (well, over here it is) Saturday!

Autumn

yellow.orange. rain. hot chocolate. falling leaves. scarf. reading. wind. woolly socks. baking. fleece. home.

I captured the tree in front of the bedroom window in all its autumnal glory. The leaves are falling rapidly and soon the branches will be bare and the other houses behind the tree at the far end of our garden will be revealed.

It has been raining of late. Here is a short video of Sammy on the balcony 'attacking' the raindrops :)

Mondays...

...are pretty much like Sundays around here. I woke up Mommy really early and reminded her it was time for breakfast. After that I nipped outside to get some fresh air, but it was sooo cold that I rushed straight back inside! When I saw that Mommy was settling in front of the computer to work, I immediately blocked the keyboard =^..^=  But then Mommy presented me with my favourite toy (a mouse with a fuzzy ball attached to it) and I got distracted and ended up back in the living room. Oh well, it doesn't matter - it was time for a nap anyway and the tiles are so nice and warm from the floor heating...

hope your day is as comfortable as mine!

Sammy

New directions and new doctor!

I have been dawdling the last couple of days...not doing much of anything, really. This is so unlike me!
I am taking an unusually long time to recover and I've already prepared a whole list of questions for my doctor when I have my check up early next week. I changed my doctor, btw. I was getting increasingly annoyed by my old doctor's attitude. I have been very patient so far, but there comes a point where certain things just can't be tolerated anymore! The new doctor is a young(ish) woman and I hope we will get along!

Meanwhile I've been thinking.
I was browsing through my old sketchbooks and came upon some ideas I had for lounge wear/home wear/pyjamas. I got excited all over again and so I sat down and developed the pattern - for pyjama bottoms first, because they're the easiest. Here's a sneak peek at the pair I made with some pretty fabric I had in my stash. There is an endless variety of embellishments that could be added. I settled on a ribbon at the waist and a bit of lace trim at the bottom.

I'm still developing the pattern for the homewear top. I want it to be loose-fitting yet feminine and flirty. I will post the ensemble here on my blog once it is finished. That may take some time though...

Thank you for stopping by and wishing everyone a relaxing weekend!

Reversible Fabric Coasters - TUTORIAL

I haven't done a tutorial in quite some time, so here's a fun and easy one that even sewing newbies can handle! Make sets of four, six or twelve - it's up to you. These make wonderful housewarming gifts or stocking fillers. I'm making some for gifts on St. Nikolaus Day. You can make them as plain or colourful as you like! I chose a selection of fabrics from Moda's Fandango collection in aqua.

In this tutorial I have made a set of four. You will need:

8 x 11 cm (approx. 4.5") squares of cotton or thin linen fabric
4 x 11 cm (approx. 4.5") squares of medium fusible interfacing
matching sewing machine thread
fabric scissors
ruler
soluble fabric marker pen
pins

Step one

cut the fabric into the required amount of squares

Step two

on a medium cotton setting, iron on the interfacing onto the wrong side of half of the fabric squares. Take the remaining half and place them right sides together, matching up all four edges and pin. Using a narrow seam (0.5 cm) sew along the four edges leaving a 5 cm (approx. 2") opening on one side. Be sure to backstitch the beginning and end.

Step three

clip the corners and carefully turn the coasters right side out. Push out the corners with a blunt pencil or chopstick. Iron flat.

Topstitch along the edge using a small zig-zag stitch, thereby closing the open seam. Backstitch and snip off the remaining thread. Voilà! Finished!

reverse side

Purse & Travel Bag SET in 'cinnamon spice'

The big bag project is now finally finished. What I actually had in mind was to take a photo of these in a train station setting, but I just wasn't feeling up to it. With a little imagination on your part I'm sure you 'get' the mood that I was going for...
Anyway, I'm pretty proud of this bag set. As with all my bags, I never really know how they turn out, because from sketch to finished product I usually make a number of adjustments. This set, however, has turned out even better than originally drafted!
The bags are made from home deco designer cottons with a satin finish. That means they are not only durable, they are also smooth to the touch. The travel bag is the perfect carry-on: 6 pockets, one of them zippered, fully-lined and stabilized with interfacing plus a removable stiff bottom, opens/closes with a sturdy zipper. By attaching the shoulder strap you get a hands-free option - great when browsing the duty free shop on your way to your next destination! The matching purse has a mobile phone pocket as well as a slip pocket for cosmetics, tickets and other essentials. Oh, and aren't the colours yummy? Mellow chocolate brown with spicy cinnamon and cream - perfectly autumnal! For details please visit my website here.

Thank you for stopping by and wishing you a beautiful day!

Chestnuts

 picked from the woods...we like them roasted.

while Sammy likes to play soccer with them on the tiles! Fun!

Coming back to life...

...slowly.

I am finding it incredibly difficult to get back into the swing of things after my surgery. I really miss you guys! I'm currently handling the backlog of emails and translation-related stuff. Meanwhile my big bag project sits half-finished on my sewing table. Uggh. I hate unfinished stuff! There's also a pile of fabric that needs pre-washing. Now, if only I were motivated enough to switch on the washing machine!
...speaking of fabric, while in the recovery room after surgery, the male nurse later told me I was mumbling something incoherent about fabrics. haha. I guess they really are at the forefront of my mind!

One thing that cheered me up immensely when I was released from hospital was the arrival of my much awaited new ring, handmade by Nancy, art teacher and artist extraordinaire. She also happens to be one of my dearest blog friends :)
The ring is made from white cardstock, curled into a unique design and sealed in resin. The setting is silver plated. It really is one-of-a-kind and I love showing it off!

Hope to be back to regular blogging soon. Miss you!

Laundry day.

Hello

Thankfully I'm back home. Thankfully there were no complications during surgery. I'm still a bit shaky and weak and unbelievably tired and anxious, because I haven't heard back from the doctors yet as to the final result. You see, this will determine whether I go back for another operation or not...

Having said that, I'd like to express my ♥ heartfelt thanks ♥ to everyone who left such lovely comments and well wishes on my previous post. They mean a lot to me and I'm so grateful for your support and friendship.

Not sure when I will get back to full-time blogging, but I'll try. In the meantime I hope everyone is doing great and I wish you all a wonderful week!

Blog...interrupted

Hello friends,

just to let you know that I won't be blogging for a while, since I need to have (unexpected) surgery done. So, it's off to the hospital next week. Wish me luck.

bye-bye for now, take care...

Cupcakes anyone?

When I purchased this adorable cupcake fabric I knew I was going to be making an apron with it, but I hadn't quite decided which style. This vibrant print is quite busy, so I wanted to counterbalance that with a simple shape. I made a few sketches, did the math, then drafted the pattern. What I really like about this pattern is that it can be altered easily - longer, shorter, ruffled at the bottom, pockets - depending on the design and scale of the print.
I made the waist and neck ties from a cute polka-dotted fabric in raspberry that picks up the deep pink on the main fabric. It is fully lined in cream because I felt it was a bit sheer. The apron feels more substantial now.

Weatherwise we are experiencing cool and rainy days and this, unfortunately, is reflected in the quality of my photos, so please excuse the grey-ish tinge. At least when I'm wearing this I'll brighten up the kitchen with a bit of colour!    

Slimline Eye glass Case

I always follow up big projects with smaller ones - partly to avoid overstraining my eyes (being myopic and all) - and also because it's satisfying to see something completed in a relatively short time!
These slimline eye glass cases are made with mix-and-match designer fabrics and have an easy button flap closure. They are lightly padded and measure about 20 x 9 cm. These are suitable for regular eye or sunglasses, not the oversized ones. I will be listing them in my giftshop soon. They retail at Euro 10,-

Lotus Pond

A couple of days after I showcased the Modern Hippie  carry all on my blog, I received a message from a nice lady requesting a bag such as this, but in a different colourway. Being partial to Amy Butler's fabrics, she wanted something flowery, but not too girly. After sending her a few samples she decided on a fabric from an older collection - Lotus Pond Ivory. I combined this green/gray/cream printed fabric with a solid jade green. As per her request I included a zippered interior pocket, two lined pockets, a long removable strap to wear the bag cross-over style plus a shorter version to slip the bag over the shoulder. Again, the band around the top part pulls out to become two short handles. I think the two fabrics together look great and this truly is one very versatile bag!

The bag making Bible

I've had my eye on Lisa Lam's craft book ever since I read about it on her popular U-handblog, and no sooner was it published I had to buy it!
I leafed through it yesterday. There are only eight bag-projects in this book, and although the author purports her instructions to be clear and easy-to-follow, I feel that beginning sewists (the term used in this book) who have never, ever made a bag before will be rather overwhelmed by the sheer mass of information. Indeed, this is a tome on all manner of bag construction techniques - from inserting the dreaded zippers to various pocket solutions. Special topics cover attaching all sorts of hardware, types of interfacing/interlining to use, making bag handles and embellishing. There is a sweet foreword by bag-making queen Amy Butler, and many of the bags shown are made with Amy Butler home decor fabrics. They are gorgeous, of course. I recommend this book to people who have made a bag or two before and are familiar with the basic construction of a bag. This book will take you a level up in bag making, plus it provides detailed information on professional finishing. The photographer did a great job by showing the bags inside and out and Lisa has kept the tone of the book light by injecting her special brand of humor.
A nice addition to my collection of crafting books!

Easy like Sunday morning...

A fresh chocolate muffin, a cup of steaming dolce gusto (decaf) and a glossy magazine...personally, I couldn't ask for a better way to start the day!

Happy Sunday everybody!!!

Website update 2

Thank you for your helpful comments regarding my new website! I have already heeded and applied some of your advice. Unfortunately, I cannot change the sizing of the template - it seems to be 'fixed' - and I'm aware that the main panel looks a bit narrow on a wide screen computer. Also, it is absolutely not mandatory for you to rate/review my products...but is much appreciated by anyone who does make that extra bit of effort!
Anyway, as I mentioned, it's an ongoing process and I still have a bit of tweaking to do here and there. Bear with me! Eventually I hope to be actually selling my products from this site in the near future and maybe take it to the next level...and I already know who to approach then ;-)

until next time,

Welcome to the World of Dunibagz ♥

Hi everybody!

before I introduce you to my new website, I'd like express my admiration to all professional people who build websites/online shopping sites for a living. Wow, once is absolutely enough for me! And a word of advice to any non-professionals (like me) contemplating building one: plan months and months ahead! It is an ongoing process!
When I started out in January of this year I naively thought I could fix one up in a jiffy, much like a blog really. Well, I know better now. I probably should have started working on a product line before setting up a site, instead of the other way around.

Anyway, on to the important news...

I would very much appreciate if you could spare some time to take a look at my new site! Feel free to comment/advise/critique or give me a couple of pointers. I'm still learning, after all. As mentioned in my previous post, there is the option of rating and reviewing the products (note: some products sold already), but you will need to log in to do this. I know it's a pain, and believe me I fiddled around with that quite a bit, but the shop section won't allow that to be removed. Oh well.

So, I have a special prize for one lucky person who makes the effort to actually log in* to the shop section and rates/reviews any of my products! The prize will be a beautiful, handmade clutch similar to this one, and will be revealed on my Facebook Fan Page. One review = one entry. Chances are good, since I doubt a lot of people will make that extra bit of effort...Winner to be handpicked by me this Saturday, 4th September.

Thanks!!!

* your log in details will be removed once this special giveaway is over

Modern Hippie

I came up with a two-in-one design for this large carry-all featuring the funky Vintage 70s fabric I mentioned here. In the above photo the bag is shown in its hand-held version - the band around the top part can be pulled out and upward to from two short handles, resulting in a drawstring-like tote. I probably should have pulled out some more to demonstrate, but I only had time for a few quick snap-shots before the next onslaught of rain!

This bag is one of the largest I've ever made. I used up most of the Vintage fabric for the lower part and combined it with a honey beige cotton twill. It is fully lined with three deep pockets on the inside and closes with a large magnetic snap button.It has a very wide bottom which is not visible in the photos.
Attach the shoulder strap to the brass D-rings and it becomes a spacious carry-all - perfect for a weekend away, beach days or yoga class. This bag is fun and functional and will surely stand out wherever you go!

Lately the mornings here are quite nippy, and it barely warms up during the day. I guess it's goodbye summer, hello autumn. Maybe it's a little early, but I'm already thinking hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, fleece blankets and wooly scarves. And of course I'm thinking about sewing stuff for Oktoberfest and Christmas - all manner of holiday-themed fabrics are available in the stores already!
But right this moment I'm enjoying looking at my newest bag creation...I just LOVE this Vintage fabric, it's so cheery! It's so special I'm not sure if I want to put this one up for sale. I'll think about it while I'm hanging on to the last trace of summer...

Up and Away

Balloons, including this one with the elephant, were floating over our house the other day.

A few years ago we went up in one of these; a popular thing to do in our area. It was a lovely ride, but most memorable was the landing. You see, unfortunately our balloon landed in a farmer's field... the basket got dragged through the crops, then flipped over with me and hubby ending up eating dirt! The farmer was none too pleased either, but we managed to appease him with a crate of beer!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

A year older...and wiser? Hm.

I woke up very early this morning - not because it's my birthday - but because it rained so heavily and the downpour was incredibly loud on our roof tiles! Despite the cold and wet weather my day started off cheery with two sales. Yay! Dawanda, my selling venue, sent me this little birthday ditty that I thought was kinda cute:

We hope you have a wonderful day,
With plenty of time to laugh and play.
In the year to come, we hope you'll stop by,
Our little site, to sell or to buy
Items as unique and lovely as you
Specially handcrafted, made with love too!

 

I decided to take the afternoon off (the privilege of the self-employed), and I wouldn't have gotten any decent work done anyway, because the phone was ringing non-stop today :)
I received a bunch of birthday cards from friends near and far - I love cards - and so many birthday wishes on Facebook and via email, it's overwhelming. That really made my day extra special. A BIG THANKS to you all - you know who you are!
To answer the question in the title of this post. Well, I always set out to learn as much as possible every day, and with my soon-to-be-online website and all, I do believe I have acquired some specialized knowledge in the past year of which I am quite proud :)
I'll close this post with a pic of me, right before my mad dash to the local bakery to pick up my cake. I was dripping wet when I came back. The cake survived.

More on that custom-made ring I'm wearing in a future post!

HUGS

Day trip

The historic city of Münster - commonly known as 'bike city' - is always worth a visit, if only for the famous bakery (more about that below). Riding a bike is the preferred method of transport here; even the tourists hire them to get around! Indeed, there are double as many bikes as residents, and on any given day there are more than 100.000 bikes 'in action'.

Old part of the city with its cobble stone roads and impressive cathedral in back

Aristocratic estate in the city center...imagine living here :)

old fashioned café 

having lunch at an outdoor restaurant, sporting new hairstyle; VitaMalz is a popular malt beer

and this is what we brought back home with us: a big bag full of scrumptious bread from Bäckerei Pohlmeyer

we got delicious dried prune bread, crunchy nut-and-seed bread and soft and doughy tomato ciabatta. Yum!!!

Happy Weekend!