Summer!

Well summer has finally arrived and it seems to have finally brought some sun! Here in PA we have had rain for the past month! It starts to get you down in the dumps.

Things here have been busy. My show on the 19th was a huge success and I met the nicest woman from Good Housekeeping magazine who loves my bags and is interested in my fall line and what I will have for the holidays.

This week I will work on several custom orders from the show and then I will be starting my fall designs. I have some new shapes I want to try out and some gorgeous fabrics I can't wait to work with! I want them ready for the Philly Designer Market Show on the 18th of July.

I also have to work on some more wedding bags to get to Kori from Wedding Daze Boutique in Easton. Work, Work, Work... It's great to be busy!

Woo Hoo!

Just was contacted from the owner of the bridal boutique and she loves my work and wants to display it in her shop. She also wants to put all my information on her website which is fine with me!

I also have to contact another business owner who wants to carry my bags, as well as start working on two large shows in June and July. I need help!!! I am a little nervous and starting to freak out a bit but I am so excited at the posibilities!

I am also now on facebook so come be my friend! I still have no idea what to do there but I am learning!

Off to start sewing!!!

New Opportunity?

Yesterday I attended a bridal shower for my friends daughter. I had made her bridal purse as well as the money bag which I had posted here about a couple of weeks ago. The shower was lovely and afterword my bff and I walked around downtown Easton to look at some of the new shops.

A brand new bridal boutique has opened up and we went in. The store is so pretty and the dresses were gorgeous. Wedding Daze Boutique is owned by Kori Muntean and she is a professional bridal consultant. Wedding Daze not only carries bridal dresses, but they also take care of every aspect of the planning from invites, to flowers, to catering, location, and photography. The website is gorgeous so be sure to check it out http://inaweddingdaze.com/ .

While we were talking to her, my bff, who is a consummate sales person, casually asks if she carries handbags, Kory said she didn't so I told her I was a handbag designer. She asked for my card and said she knew of no one who does that kind of work and if I wanted to bring a few to show her she would love to see them.

Although I am excited at another opportunity, I am scared. I am my own worse critic. Things have to be perfect and when they aren't, I am not happy. Although everyone thought my bridal purse turned out beautiful, all I could see were the small bumps from the interfacing, and the way the silk draped a little weird on the front flap.

I need to find a way to interface these wedding bags without the interfacing texture showing through. I also worry that I won't be able to keep up with all the work that is coming my way. With all the custom orders, the store in New Hope wanting more, a home show in June and the Philly Market in July, as well as a store in Avon NJ wanting some clutches to wholesale from me, I am getting panicked that I am only one woman!

So my question to all you talented artists out there: Does anyone know how I could interface a clutch to keep its shape without the lumps? I want to use more delicate, wedding fabrics, but without the worries of them being transparent. Also, how did you keep up with your growth spurts?

Answer on!

Wedding Purse

One of my friend's daughter is getting married on 6/20. Her shower is on May 16 and I made her the purse and the gift bag to match her dress. Her dress is beautiful, in ivory and champagne so I made the bag in the champagne and lined it with ivory taffeta. Her bridesmaids are wearing terra cotta so I added the little terra cotta rose buds to bring in the color.

I had some challenges because the silk I worked with was thin and when interfaced, it did not look smooth over the interfacing. I ended up having to double line it and it helped a lot, but it still pulls a bit when snapped closed. After three attempts and wasted materials, I stopped trying for it to be perfect.

I hope she likes it and I hope years from now she will look back with happy memories of her special day!