Back in the saddle again!

As you can see, my last post was in June!! Yes, JUNE! I realized that this was the first summer I have not worked in 18 years! To say the least, I really enjoyed it! I spent 2-3 days a week on the golf course and a good part of the rest of the week enjoying my granddaughter Addison. Most of you probably remember that I lost my job in January and decided to start a sewing business online called Cutsie Tootsie Designs. Thanks to my wonderful daughter Jen, my name has gotten out there with her friends and I have had some great successes thus far. However, due to my lack of sewing mojo over the summer, I'm afraid that my site has really suffered with new and exciting products.

Sooooo.....with the cooler weather our area is experiencing, I am feeling the juices flowing again. I have so many great ideas for the fall and some awesome ideas for projects that would be great gifts for Christmas. One project I am working on is an Advent Calendar. For anyone who follows my daughter's blog, she posted the one I made her last year. I will make something similar to that but not quite as large. I also have some adorable coaster sets in the works as well as some photo book covers and water bottler carriers.

Thank you to everyone who has been so patient through my absence but I promise you I will make it up to you. Watch for many new products soon!

My newest sewing project

I have always loved purses that had a clasp on top. Reminds me of when I was little and my aunts used to carry "pocketbooks" that would clasp shut. I came upon a great website from the UK called "U Handbag" and she actually sells the purse frames as well as gives great tutorials on how to make them. I was intrigued so I decided to order a kit from her and try it. Well, let me tell you, I am hooked! They turn out soooo cute. I had some problems getting my order from "across the pond" and waited quite awhile to receive it. Never did receive the first order but the owner Lisa was kind enough to send me another package, which I received without a problem. Her tutorial gave instructions on how to take your own frame measurement and turn it into a clutch. After a first failed attempt at getting the size right for the frame I had, I tried again and I think I got it. I also found a company in the U.S. who sells purse frames so I am happy. Once I get my order from them I can make some cute little clutches to sell in my Etsy shop. The bigger one is 6" wide and is perfect to carry a cell phone, money, credit cards, lipstick, etc. Anything you need for a quick run or to carry to a wedding. The smaller size is more of a change purse size and very cute. I think I will also be ordering some larger frames to make more of a small purse size clutch. This company also sells the frames with holes for attaching a chain and actually making it a purse. So I'm excited to try something new for my etsy shop. Once I get my order and start sewing them up, I will let you know. Until then, take a look at how cute these things are!

Long overdue post!

Wow - where have I been? Better question would be "where does my time go?" I have been so busy that I sometimes wondered how I did anything while I worked and commuted 5 days a week! It's not that I haven't been doing lots of sewing lately - in fact I have done tons! It's just that alot of my sewing has been special orders and requests for things other than the items I sell. This is not a bad thing mind you, it's just that it takes up my time and I don't get new items up on my etsy site.

Since I have been bad about making things for Cutsie Tootsie Designs in the past couple weeks, I decided to keep the momentum going and make something that means alot to me. I made Addie her first quilt! I know - she is already over a year old and I feel bad about that. But I do think she will like it nonetheless. And I want it to be a blankie that gets tattered, torn and taken everywhere. Of course, because I waited so long to make her something, she has already grown attached to her pink velour blankie that she shoves her face into every single night. This one may not be the replacement for that one, but I do hope she spends lots of nights curled up on the couch with Mommy and Daddy watching TV and cuddling her blankie that Grammy Mueller made! I love you Addie!

Next cute purse coming your way!

As usual, I always make a couple samples before I actually put something out on Etsy. This is my latest! It is the CUTEST slouchy bag going and perfect for summer days in a cute floral print pattern. It is unstructured and holds lots of stuff. It has 3 inside pockets so you don't have to dig for your cell phone or small items. When carried on your shoulder it fits perfectly under your arm. Of course, if you prefer longer straps you can request a custom order and I would be happy to make them longer. Do you have a favorite color? I can take requests for that as well. My test person Jen will be carrying one of these for the week as well as myself to see if it "feels" right or if it needs any tweaking. If not, then I will be putting this style up on Etsy very soon. Me likey....I hope you do too!

A Happy Little Customer!

I just had to share this photo of adorable little Kya who just received her Kiddie Take-along in the mail! Doesn't she look like a happy little customer? I hope she enjoys her bag and fills it with lots of fun stuff! And Kya, make sure you keep it away from your big brothers!

If you love these little bags and don't see the color you want, just contact me through my etsy site and I would be happy to work with you. Any ideas are welcome!

A boy bag for the little guy in your life!

It seems like every kiddie takealong I post is for the little girls in our lives. But what about all the little boys who would like a tote bag to carry their little cars and trucks in? This little bag is just as useful for them as it is for the little girls carrying their books and dolls in them. As you can see from the photo above, I made an adorable navy blue pin dot with red check lining for little Isaac. It turned out adorable and from what his Mom Kate says, it's going to be his church bag so that he has with him just enough to occupy him during the service! Perfect idea Kate! I just purchased a couple little car prints recently and thought these would be perfect for little boys. Of course, the busy prints on these make it a bit hard to see any embroidery on them. But I can take any request on these that you would like. How about a cute denim one with a truck lining. Or a cute pin dot or plaid? Should I use the word "cute" when describing a "boy bag?" Could this be like a man bag? I'm not sure. Only thing I'm sure of is that these would be a perfect carry all for the little boy in your life!

Another cute take-along!

These little kiddie take-alongs are the cutest bag going! I just had to make up the froggie one! I guess this means that my little Addison gets another bag to carry around! I just bought some adorable little boy fabric today. One has chunky little cars on it and the other has all sorts of cars, truck and fire engines on it. Very boyish! I will make sure to post one once I get it quilted and made up! So for all of you with little boys out there who like to carry toys along with them, you will love this little one! Way too cute!