Economy meet passion.

Why do I do what I do? I guess in a way the economy has lead me to a passion that I didn't know I had. I have sewn for many years, I have always loved to create, I am the kind of person who has always loved to use unique things or a unique process to get the outcome I desired, but truly always afraid. There are rules to follow right? I have always been a rule follower. I don't know when I began to veer from this thought process, but I did, and it drew out the inner creativity in me. I have gone through various crafting phases, but never before did the passion run as deep as sewing bags, oh I do enjoy sewing and creating other things as well, but with my bags, each one is unique, it is an individual personality all it's own, sometimes it's a mood, sometimes it is a season, or even an occasion. Once in awhile duplicates are rendered, but they to will have some unique quality all their own. So to say the economy drew me in would be the truth, I lost my job, and this is what I knew, but my passion keeps me going!

Use the creativity within yourself to create what you beleive in. If you research more than create, you may find yourself sucked into a whirlwind of ideas created by others that begins to manipulate your inner creative style. Suddenly you become not competition, but competative, and less sought after. Be true to yourself, maybe you have to hit the bottom before you find out who the creative genious is within yourself, and that's okay, but make a comeback by beleiving in yourself.

Butterflies flitting about on a spring day amidst the green grass and pretty posies...When I purchased the Green fabric with the pink butterflies,

the saleslady said she loved the fabric, but just couldn't figure out how to wear it. When I brought the fabric home, I had found some other fabric that I purchased but wasn't sure what to match it with, the result is as I said, a vision of butterflies flitting about.. This bag will bring you right into the summer, it's large enough for the beach. It really is a multi use bag, because it has 11 pockets so it's great for a large handbag or the office, or even a craft bag. Check it out at http://www.beefancee.etsy.com/

New Venture

Follow your passion through new and old ventures. I love making bags, but often have the need to veer off in other directions. I combine my passion for creating bags with new possibilities, this designer look diaper bag for instance. Inspired by my niece who is having a little one any day, and has been wanting me to make her a diaper bag, she has also wanted to buy a new purse, but needs to be budget wise, so with the encouragement of my daughter, and her eye for designer style, I created a diaper bag, that can double as a handbag, the end results, are shown, and my niece absolutely loved it, and that makes me happy.

I say follow that veer, go off and do what your hearts content wants you to do, you will feel better for it. So often I feel like I have many directions to go in, causing me to feel overwhelmed. I will then split myself in like 10, and off they all go, by days end, I will have accomplished nothing that I really set out to do. So, I have a remedy for that. I move furniture. Yesterday for instance, I was not feeling the power of creativity, so I just started moving things around, I re-organized all my crafting supplies, and sewing supplies, and the creativity began flowing almost instantly. I produced 2 bags, I haven't taken the pictures yet, I have to wait for the proper light to filter into my studio, but I am pleased, and content.

I have always moved furniture it has driven my family nuts I'm sure, but when they see the end results, a more energized Mom and Wife, they get it, they understand that is my thing. Some hunt, ride a bike, jog, run or walk. Although I do love to ride bikes, that invigorates me also, but moving furniture is almost like a new lease on life, okay we won't go that far, but creating something new, and maybe unexpected gives me a sense of rejuvenation. Go ahead, venture into your rejuvenation.

Have a great day!

Holiday overload is a Good thing

I start shopping in February (I'm quite often thought of as one of those), it makes sense to me, the sales are amazing! Maybe that isn't your thing, and that's great, we all have a system or a non-system that works for us. I begin my excitement starting in September, I love to decorate for the fall, and the winter, but the excitement begins building once I have put out the first bail of hay, corn stalk or pumpkin. As I am doing the fall thing, the wheels start turning in my head, where do I put the tree this year? How much room for the village? It's all a progression from candy corn sales, to baked Christmas goodies. The day after Thanksgiving is my traditional day to begin my festivities, and believe me, it's full tilt from that point to Christmas day. I still trickle in a bit of shopping, but I LOVE to make my gifts also, and I sell on etsy, www.beefancee.etsy.com so I try to keep my site updated regularly, I like to make gifts for my buyers, to show my appreciation. I am also (one of those) who LOVES to cook, clean (okay that is at the bottom of what I like to do, but I do it), I love to make homemade bread, spend time with my husband, and organize (I'm a fanatic in that area). Okay so it sounds like Suzy homemaker, I'm okay with that. Anyhow, I am creating right up to Christmas eve, then of course you have all the wrapping, that is probably my least favorite to do, only because I have no time and I would love to make my gifts look like the ones you see in the movies, but realistically, I do not have the time nor the money for that. I do collect twine, shoe laces, ribbon, little doodahs to decorate the packages, but not ALL of them get that kind of attention. Then comes the Holiday itself, Christmas day, the excitement of gathering together and sharing in that special day, unwrapping the gifts, and the build up of all the things I made, and how excited I am to give it, and hoping for that smile, and it usually never fails, there is a smile, and a hug, and the gratification of warming the heart of that individual with a piece of your heart.

It is the day after, I wore my robe until 1:00 p.m, I watched T.V, but do not know what I saw. I enjoyed my husbands company, and just lallygagged, it was GREAT! Is it overload and exhaustion? Probably, but it's the best kind I can think of to have!

I am now thinking of ideas on what to make for whom, for the following Christmas, I have 365 days to plan!

Happy Holidays! and may the New Year find you happily, pleasantly, in overload gratification!

A great bag, from a Place Mat

Love to craft, but are short on time, here is a quick and easy idea, use it for a gift giving idea, or, if you cannot find that perfect bag for a specific occasion, create your own one of a kind bag.

Step 1: Find a great looking place mat

Step 2: Fold place mat in half (the long way though)

Step 3:Make 2 pleats, measure from end of place mat, make sure the pleat measures the same distance on each side. You will do this on both sides of the place mat.

Step 3: pin the pleats on each side

Step 4: on right side, sew all the way across the top, I am using gray thread so I am sewing at the very edge where the gray meets the black, but on the gray. Do this on both sides

Step 5: Fold with right sides together, pin side seams.

Step 6: sew side seams together, I am using the same color thread as the outside. If you use black, chances are the thread will show up on the right side and you will see the black, so the gray looks nicer.


Step 7: With the bag still inside out, measure the center of the bag for the handle placement

Step 8: Hand sew in place with the same color thread as the inside of the bag

Step 9: Turn right side out, use something similar to a knitting needle to push the corners out as far as possible, embellish with a rhinestone button, and your done!



Enjoy your new bag!

SAVE THAT SWEATER!!! Make a purse.

Sweater Bag

Step 1: Get a sweater, from your closet or a second hand store, the thicker the better, for durability.

Step 2: Cut just under the arm pits.

Step 3: sew a straight stitch around the 3 sides, leaving top open, the bottom of the sweater, becomes the top of your bag, if the sweater you choose has a tendency to fray, do a finishing stitch on the edge with the zigzag stitch.

Step 4: hold your bag upright (inside out), now bring the side into center, creating this view

Step 5: sew across, about 1" 1.5" in, see seam in picture below, do this on both corners (which will end up being the bottom of your bag?.

Step 6: snip off corner, leaving about 1/4" to 1/2" fabric from the seam, if the sweat frays, zigzag on the edge.

you will have a boxy look, see picture below

Step 7: Find an old belt that looks good with the sweater, again, one you no longer use, or from a second hand store. Cut it into 2 handles.

Step 8: Sew on the inside of bag, see picture below, I sewed it across 2 times for extra durability. I then made a tag out of wool felt, not the flimsy crafting felt, this 100% wool felt, it is very thick, I then attached with a stitchable glue (fabric tac)

Now step back and admire your new purse