I have a really cute giveaway going on over at FabGrandma Reviews right now thru 4/4/2011! If you have a granddaughter age 2-5, you gotta go take a look!
give away
I LOVE A Challenge!
I have been making these wallets for a couple of months now, using a pattern called Koin Keeper from This & That by Sherri K. Falls. I bought it on Etsy, and have good sales from the completed items.

Then, the other day, one of my best customers, Froggi Donna, asked me if I could make her one with the zipper pocket on the outside. Well, I took that as a challenge to see what I could do. And here is what I came up with:



This design also gives three extra card slots, and an open “pocket” on the outside. This one closed with velcro, but I have magnetic snap closures too.
So, what do you think? Is it a “love it” or a “back to the drawing board” solution? What challenge do YOU have for me? For instance, my sister wants a zippered bag to hold her wireless mouse when she travels. I’m just waiting for the measurements for that. I am going to give this purple one away to one of my readers. Just comment, telling me what your challenge for me would be. I’ll pick a winner by random number generator. Remember to leave me an email address where I can get in touch with you if you are the winner. Give away ends November 6, 2010.
Give Away Winner
The give away for the matching zippered pouch and business card wallet had 40 comment entries (44 total comments, but 4 were made by me replying to commenters on the post). The winner is Lily Kwan, comment # 34. I used Random.org to pick the winner. Lily has been notified of her win. Thanks to everyone who came by to enter the give away.
A New Sewing Area, And A Give Away!
Ok, so not so much a new area, but a new table! I have been searching for a new sewing table for over a year. The one I had was a folding plastic table that was waaaaay to big for the space I have. I had to keep the legs folded up on one side, and prop that side on the dresser. Whenever I had to get into my drawer to get socks or underwear, it was a problem. But I put up with it because the only other solution would have been to completely put my sewing machine and other paraphenalia away every night. And THAT would have been a big pain in the butt.
I don’t have many pictures of the old set-up, because it was not such a pretty site. And you should have heard FabGrandpa fussing about it all the time! He really didn’t like it. That table was too wide, it stuck out into the room too far, in addition to taking up most of the dresser. AND, whenever I pressed the foot pedal on the sewing machine, it made the whole table jump up and down, so that it was difficult to sew a straight seam. (Now I am sure you all don’t believe that since I have been making so many pretty things, but trust me, it was a circus.)
Finding a new table was difficult because it had to fit a very small space. The opening is 43″ long X 20″ deep, but there is a folding curtain about 6″ from the sink cabinet. We can’t take the curtain out because if we have company, we have to be able to close off the bathroom area from our bedroom area, unless of course we are VERY cozy with the visitors. So, the search was on. But I found the (almost) perfect table last Saturday at Wal-Mart, and for only $34! It is 36″ wide, so it fits in the space with room to spare. And at 19″ deep, it doesn’t stick out too far into the room. The only thing that would have made it a perfect table would have to have been if it had a couple of drawers. It DOES have shelves, so that can be remedied. I can now be on the search for some baskets or containers that fit the shelves. I’m thinking shoeboxes that I can cover with fabric.
I’ve been so happy with the table that I have been sewing every day since I got it. And, it is solid as a rock, no jumping up and down while I sew, no battle with the machine to keep it from walking off of the table. It is SOOO much more relaxing to just sew and not have to work so much at it. I made that bag in a couple of hours. It is the same pattern I used to make the ones for my daughters for Christmas, but I played around with it some to make it look a little different. I love the fabric, called Naturology. I’m putting this one in my shop for sale–it will be up there tomorrow.
After I finished the tote bag–I made up some of the zipper bags to match it, they are cute, cute, cute!
And then I made some of the business card wallets, too. Someone I know wanted one of those in purple, so I made those, too.
To celebrate my new sewing area, and also to celebrate the opening of MY SHOP, I am giving away these matching little bags–one zipper pouch and one business card wallet in the Naturology green, brown and cream colors. If you want to own it, here is how to win:
1. Look at my little shop, then come back and leave a comment telling me what you like there.
2. For a second entry, tweet about this give away on Twitter, and leave a comment telling me you did.
3. For a third entry, follow my RSS feed, and comment to let me know you did.
I’ll pick a winner at random on March 30. It would be sooner but I am going on vacation for a week–going to see all my grandchildren, and can’t wait!
Check out more handmade items at the I Made It Blog Party