Beanblossom

What day is it?

The midweek holiday has me totally confused about what day it actually is. For part of the day, I thought it was Friday and then I thought it was Monday. I am messed up!

But the good news is that I am finally organized! The top of my new (old) cabinet was delivered and I stocked it full of fabric and supplies. I am ready to rock!!!

First task is to create more bags like these for Kraftworks, but try to use as much vintage fabric as possible:

and

Hooray for Friday!! (it's technically here already since it is 12:53 AM). I am going to bed..

Wish List

Things I wish I could find and buy here in Miami:

1. Gocco supplies

A reader emailed me the other day asking about finding Gocco and supplies here in Miami. I don't think there are any! Pearl had a stamp kit last month, but no inks, bulbs or screens.

2. Japanese fabric

It's probably a good thing I cannot buy this in person here. I already have so much from Superbuzzy and a shop in Berkeley (CA) that I need to use first. But it would be nice to have that option!

3. Better quality zippers

Some of the european crafters and designers have much nicer looking zippers on their goods. I've never seen anything other than the cheap ones you can get at JoAnns.

4. Purse Parts

I am actually thinking more about coin purse parts. My japanese magazines have ads for them and there are so many choices!

5. Japanese Craft Books

Of course! One of my favorite reasons to visit SF was to go to Japan Town to get books and magazines at Kinokuniya.

6. A Bigger Better Quilt Shop

I have yet to find a big midwestern-sized quilt shop with high quality fabrics and bolts from all the cool designers like Heather Bailey, Amy Butler, Anne Maria Horner, etc. They are all tiny and have one or two bolts (maybe!) from my favorites. The older women running the shops are nice and sweet, but they don't seem to have much interest in attracting a younger buyer to their stores which I think is a mistake. The sales they are missing out on!!(especially from me!)

7. A Bigger Better Bead Store

In the same strip mall as one of the small quilt stores, is a small bead store. It really doesn't have much variety and the beads were overpriced. They probably get away with it because of lack of competition. There is a cool place in Naples that is a franchise (normally a yuck from me, but this place was nice!). I hope they end up here in Miami soon.

8. Real Wool Felt

The wool felt at JoAnn's is horrible. In Europe, South America and Japan, they have access to REAL colorful felt that comes in different thicknesses.

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I think that's it for now. It's not that I hate Miami for not having any of this stuff, but it would be nice if there was more here! This is a Big Big City!

Crowns!

I decided to release my little secret project earlier than I planned due to unforseeable circumstances.

Follow this link to my Flickr Set:
Crowns!!!!

Mothers Day Commissioned

My friend Katrina, owner of Eclectica here in Miami (you MUST visit her store if you live here!), commissioned me to create two items for her mom and her grandmother for Mother's Day. Katrina was a dear and gave me a selection of fabric she liked for me to choose from, as well as some embellishments.

The first item was the makeup pouch for her mom. It had to fit in her purse. I did a prototype pouch first because it's been awhile since I made pouches like that and I didn't want to test it on her fabric. The prototype was a bit "off" (I'll use Frankenpouch for my own makeup..). I quickly remembered what I was supposed to do to get it how I want it (I never use patterns!). The finished result was perfect!

The Pocket Tissue Holder was for her grandmother. I was given that fabric for the exterior, plus another very nice tropical barkcloth. I decided to go with the blue because I also had a praying hands charm to put on it and I didn't want it to get lost in the busier print.

I will probably do more of that pouch very soon. I have a lot of scraps from my current project that would be perfect for it. I really wish I could find zippers that I see on a lot of the non-US made items I envy by other crafters. The pull is round and the zipper just looks more professional than the ones I get here.

ATC Cards

I was involved in an ATC swap for Glitter. The last time I did ATCs for a swap, it was for one organized by Kathy Cano Murillo aka "Crafty Chica". It turns out, one of mine I made for the swap ended up in her syndicated creative crafts column (Gannett Newspapers). I wish I still had a photo of the ATC and  of course,
I cannot find the link anymore to that article online. *sigh* C'est la vie! I've got more to show now:

I have several more on a different them that i'll share on another day. I hope you enjoy these!