Friday, November 20, 2009

New Design Earth Wise Owl

I finished the Earth Wise Owl Clutch with Handle last night. It's so cute!

This bag was a lot of fun to design. It has a wide, flat bottom so it conveniently stands on its own. There is a smart and environmentally friendly owl made from upcycled materials - wool, buttons, cotton fabric, floss on the front. Earth wise owl is holding our planet on his wing.




There is a vertical handle on the back with lots of topstitching in brown and black threads to resemble tree bark. This handle makes the bag super easy to carry. Just slide your hand all the way through and now it's hands-free.



If you want to see more photos, this bag is listed on Etsy and includes additional design details. What do you think?

Next on the design board is a wristlet bag for teacher! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Sneak Peek at Owl Bag

Owls are a must have this season. I see them on clothes, artwork, jewelry and even Christmas decorations. Maybe during these tough economic times, we'd all like to be a wise owl.

I've been working on a new design for an owl zipper bag. The owl will be made from some cool upcycle fabrics and lots of stitching.


In the studio choosing fabrics. Definitely going with an earth friendly theme for this bag!

We're lucky to have an owl that occasionally perches on a branch of an oak tree in the backyard. This owl is very majestic looking. A great model for my design, but the owl I'm creating is going to be a bit more on the whimsical side.

I'm a little more than halfway finished with the owl.

After completing the owl, I'll start putting the bag together. This one will have a flat bottom so it stands on its own.

I'm also doing a new handle design which I'm excited to show you. Look for it later this week!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

How to Make a Light Box the Easy & Economical Way

This morning was cloudy and foggy in Florida. Nice change from the heat and sunshine, but not so great for the photos I planned to take of my bags.





Outdoor light does wonders for product photography. When Mother Natures doesn't cooperate, a light box is a great alternative. Some fabrics I work with show better on a white background with excellent lighting, but a purchased light box or tent can be quite expensive.

Last week, there was a link in the Etsy Forums for Darren Rowse's Digital Photography School article on How to Make An Inexpensive Light Tent at http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent. Thanks to Darren (via an Etsy Post) for sharing this great information in easy to follow steps with lots of great photos!

I already have the recommended white fabric in my stash, lots of masking tape, glue (please, I have two kids - glue rules!), scissors, ruler and lights. I'm sure a box in my recycled stack will work. I just need to go through the boxes to make sure I have one the right size that will work for my smaller items, such as a wallet, plus have enough room for larger items such as handbags and totes.

I will need to go to the craft store and buy more bristol board or poster board to complete this fun project!

If you're interested in building a light tent from PVC tubes instead of a cardboard box, check out Bill Huber's great version at http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

Enjoy your new Light Box or Tent and take beautiful pictures any time of the day and no matter the weather!