Sooo, i didn't get to make a bag yesterday. My crazy sleep schedule caught up with me and made me all sorts of achey and i just felt out of it all day. I did manage to take pictures of the new bags for Etsy, so at least i was productive in a different way.

On the subject of photographing my items for Etsy, I never really know how to stage my bags so that they'll look they're best. If i had it my way, i'd have actual "models" to style so i could show what kind of girl i picture using each bag. Yesterday, i took some photos and played around with things, and i actually like the way everything turned out. I'm a little concerned that the plain background might be perceived as a little cold and impersonal, but if i can't stage things exactly how i want them, then i'd rather have the background be nondescript.

Here are two Before & Afters:





In other news, i purchased 4 new fabrics today.
Here's the bestest:



It looks so much better in person and it's a nice, sturdy, silk-like fabric so it has a sheen to it. When i went to pay, the young check out girl remarked about how great the fabric was, and i agreed and told her that i purchased everything they had left...several yards, though i'm not exactly sure how much. I get all panicky and hoardy like that sometimes when i find fabric that i really love. She was super disappointed because she was planning on making a bag out of it, and i really didn't know what to tell her so I just kept apologizing. She even complained to the customers behind me! If i was her i would've stashed it where no one could find it. Ahhh, whatevs.

Vacation is next week, so the bag making is definetly on hold for about a week. I checked the 10 Day forecast for Las Vegas and i'm already dreading this vacation! Upwards of 100 degrees? So gross. Luckily, we're also headed to San Francisco where the whether will supposedly in the 60s.

So, starting this week, my goal is to make at least ONE large bag a day (aside from other smaller projects). I don't know if that's really such a difficult goal for other bag makers, but i tend not to like working in a "production line" manner when it comes to my larger bags.



So far, I've accomplished what i've set out to do, though it's only Wednesday. Plus, my sleep schedule is already so out of whack that i might end up paying for it by Friday.

In other news, my tiny craft space is in desperate need of rearranging and i really want some wall-mounted shelves, plus a separate space for non-sewing activities. I've already found some prints on Etsy that i'd like to have once this room is completely done, but that involves money and that's something i don't have much of right now! Boo.

On the subject of Etsy...Ry is now a member and is working on some art for his new shop! I'm so excited! I saw some sketches that he worked on the other day and I can't wait to see how everything turns out. After working on that silly Zombie portrait of us, i sort of want to get back into drawing and making art, and maybe one day, sell some originals and prints in my shop. For the time being, i'll just concentrate on my sewing and jewelry.

Distractions Rule.

So, instead of trying to make more stuff for the flea market on Saturday, i made myself a stenciled Etsy tote bag. I've stenciled before so it wasn't anything new, but never on fabric. I used regular black spray paint, but have no idea how that'll hold up. I may invest in some of the fabric stuff, but i've tried that once before and it seemed to get clogged rather easily.

Soooo, here's the stencil and finished bag: