I’ve got a ton of new items in my Etsy store! Please check out all the new items, and more will be added daily.
 
While reading some of my usual blogs I came across Noodlehead’s Gathered Clutch Tutorial. Then recently she created a pattern for people to buy if they want to make the clutches to sell. And you know I couldn’t pass up that opportunity to make these adorable clutches to sell!
I’ve also started selling my items locally at Domestica. Domestica’s goal is to promote the quality and value of handmade/cottage industry craftsmanship; planting the seed of great design that’s kind to the environment, kind to the artist and kind to your pocketbook. Our focus is cool stuff for your home, but we’re just too girly to completely glaze over personal accessories – we have so many favorites, we have to share. I love to go into the cute store and walk around there’s always something new to find, and when I’m in the need for a gift, that’s the first place I hit up!
Spoonflower makes it possible for individuals to design, print and sell their own fabric designs. I have been on the site for awhile, but not until recently had I decided to try my hand at designing something. Then I read about the Apron Design Contest and I knew I had to do it! Check out all the designs I’ve made here.
 Mine was featured in the email, as shown above, but here’s a closer look at it:
Please head on over to Spoonflower’s contest page and vote!
I was in this week’s issue of Juice: check out the full article here! These are just a few of the things that are in the article.
Why you should know her: Bracelin helped organize Des Moines Swap-O-Rama-Rama, a clothing swap and series of do-it-yourself workshops that takes place 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Impromptu Studios, 300 S.W. Fifth St. Find more info at dsmswap.org.
My guilty pleasure is: Designer fabric and vintage metal teeth zippers. Designer fabric is so hard to find in Des Moines, so when I do, I snatch it up and I have a problem of holding onto it until just the right project comes along. My first two yards of Amy Butler fabric I got the summer of 2006, and I still have about a yard of left.
Website I always check: Dana-made-it.com. I love this one because she does lots of reconstruction projects for children’s clothes.
I like to shop local at: KangarooBoo (415 Fifth St., West Des Moines) for toys, Creekside Quilting (9926 Swanson Blvd., Clive) for fabric, Market Day (May 29 at Impromptu Studios) and The Living Room’s Art/Craft Market (117 Fifth St., West Des Moines) for local handmade goods.
Today we were stuck inside all day, so I decided to sew. I finished a custom order of diapers and wet bags, so take a look:
 
Somebody also sent me an email awhile back asking if I could make those reusable bags for snacks and sandwiches that replace baggies, so here’s my try at that. I used the waterproof PUL on the inside and velcro as the closure. I basically just used the leftovers from the custom diapers to make my reusable baggies.
Now I need to get to work on my latest sewing job, of recovering cushions. Yeah, it’s not the most exciting job, but that’s totally cool because I’m getting money doing what I love. Don’t forget to contact me if you have a specific sewing project in mind. I ship all over for custom orders.
I’ve finally finished Kelsey’s website, and I love the final outcome! While going through her photos for her portfolio, I fell in love with the image above. So I decided to use this image and extend the background for her home page. Go ahead and check out her site, and let me know what you think!
Mackenzie turned one July 23rd. Sorry it’s taken so long for me to get her one year pictures up online, but here they are! Click the picture to view them all. Don’t forget to view her party pics here.
I’ve also added new items to my etsy shop, so don’t forget to check that out.
Saturday, August 1st – 11am to 3pm
Des Moines Social Club – 1408 Locust Street, Des Moines
$10 + a bag of clothes at the door
Bring your unwanted clothes and swap them for other people’s stuff. We’ll show you how to modify your finds to make other garments, how to print on them, how to embellish, and a number of other cool things too! We’ll also be having a fashion show made up of local designers that embody the idea of upcycling materials.
Be one of the first 30 in the door and receive a swag bag with assorted handmade goodies from local artists. We’ll also be having a raffle all day to give away items like prints, books, and gift certificates to local shops! Preview these items at our blog: dsmswap.wordpress.com
Advance tickets are available for $8 at Mars Cafe and Vitae Design Collective until Friday, July 31st.
SORR is a non-profit event and all proceeds go to cover costs.
Interested in volunteering? There’s still time to sign up, and you get free admistion + time to enjoy the swap!
For more information visit our website or email us at dsmswap@gmail.com.
California Web Album
Well, the first leg of our trip is almost complete, we leave from San Francisco tomorrow morning for Seattle. We’ll spend just about a week in Seattle before returning home to Des Moines, Iowa. We’ve done so much so far on this trip. Make sure you view our web album, to see all the pictures. I’ll be adding more from other people’s cameras too.
Mackenzie and I are currently in California. Today we saw the redwoods and went to the beach. I haven’t uploaded pictures yet, but I will when we get to Seattle. That’s right, we’re going to Seattle before we head back to Des Moines, Iowa.
Tomorrow we are headed to San Francisco to do some site seeing. We’re going to spend the day with Mackenzie’s Aunt Julye. For the 4th we have plans to attend a huge party and watch a parade.
We head up to Seattle on Tuesday, July 7th, and we can’t wait to see all of our friends and family there. Mackenzie is having so much fun on this trip, and she did so great on the plane rides out here.
Mackenzie had her first ice cream cone today, it was Cotton Candy from Baskin Robins, I had yummy Pistachio Almond. Anyways, I just wanted to share the picture with everyone, because it’s too cute!
Also, today I weighed in at Weight Watchers (I’m trying to get to my pre-Mackenzie size), and I’ve already lost 11 lbs! I’m so excited about it, and it feels good to finally start to fit into some of my “normal” clothes.
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