Missed out? Don't fret

Wow what a day the market was! An unimagined success was the Tango & James world debut! But if you missed the market (or if you live outside Canberra), then don't fret pet... Tango and James is now on Etsy and here's what's in store...

Sassy colour accessories to style up your good self. Note though, that Etsy prices are listed in US dollars.

Go there and check it out immediately, I hope you likey!

Tango&james: Handmade Market

With 2 weeks to go until the debut of Tango & James at Handmade: Canberra's Upmarket, I been cranking out new styles of handbags, necklets, scarves and brooches, here are some of the latest lovelies ready for market...

Clasp purses in Jaguar spot and lime damask

Pussy bow butterflies and lolly flower clasp purses

"I've Got Fans" and "Some like it Ruff" necklets

Clasp purses in Lemon Tree and Ginger Blossom

Totes in denim and Japanese with French stripes

"I've Got Fans" necklets

and Clasp purse in Red butterflies, and pussy bow lemon tree

Letterhead loving: Aunty Cookie

I've been working like a mad woman making, sewing, gluing bags to prepare for the Handmade Market coming up, but I became completely distracted from my task when my order of Aunty Cookie's Letterhead fabric arrived in my letterbox. I bought 2 panels: a black on white and a white on black and made 6 adorable mini cushions for my office/guest room...

Then with another part, I made this little purse with a frame and some fab ribbon...

LOVE it!!! Aren't they awesome? Great design Shannon Lamden!

Accessorising experiments

With Canberra's first Handmade Market looming closer, I have been getting creative with a few ideas for sassy fashion accessories...

Some Like It Ruff chokers

Fabric scarves

Ribbon button brooches

I hope someone likes them! More ribbon colours and new styles are coming very soon.

Fashion accessory: Ruffing It

In dire need of something to dress up a plain tee, I was quite suddenly inspired to DIY a bit of a ruff this evening. This one is 3 layers of fabric, gathered at the top and joined by a 'choker' band.

Wear it with your sensible business shirt and suit (suddenly missing the daily work dress-ups), or add a little zest to the jeans and t-shirt combo. I likey!

Skirting around: still feeling SJP!

So I've worked out how to wear the SJP DIY re-deaux stripe top 'dressed down' with jeans. But what to wear with it now that I have promised my "blind date" Lady Smaggle that I will be wearing it tomorrow when we meet for the first time at the Canberra Centre's High Tea and fashion show?

With absolutely no funds in the bank, I'll have to make something using only stash materials...

And so, I present the skirt, let's call her Patrizia. (Kinda) named after the Ikea fabric design, I may still need to shorten her just a little. She has a very wide waist band (I'm wearing it with a black belt) and knife pleats at the waist. Very cute with the heels, not too bad considering I used no pattern what-so-ever!

This combination should not be worn by a shy type of person, luckily, I'm not. Look out Lady Smaggle, I don't think you'll miss me in this!

Sex and the City: Fashion Re-deaux

I have been searching (but not very hard let me tell you) for a simple black and white 3/4 sleeve crew neck tshirt to do a little DIY re-deaux of this top as worn by SJP in season 6 of Sex and the City.

So I found it yesterday at Cotton On, 2 for $30, chopped one up into loops (from the hem upward) and gathered the loops and formed them into a rosette and stitched it on to the other.

I think I may go bigger as I have more loops and the appeal of the style is it's scale. But at the current size it can still be worn with a jacket or cardi - it's fun. Hmmmm, what do you think?

And here's me with my frenchy chic new haircut!

New painting... love it?

Inspired by kikki.k's gift card of the same scheme, I needed something huge and dark to complete the playroom. It breaks up an expansive 8 metre white wall and serves to define the play room part of the open plan space (adjacent to the casual dining zone).

Love it? I'm not completely convinced, but it's growing on me! I think the room needs it, and once I can stop STARING at it, I will be able to relax and enjoy it! Hopefully!

But wait there's more...

Item 2 in the experimental 'framed handbag' collection (see I can call it a collection now that there are 2 of them!)... I am experimenting with the pattern and have dramatically changed the shape for this one...

Cutie patootie! anyone likey? anyone reading?! hmmm.

Swap sent and received: Shabby Chic Handbag

A swap I sent to the US was well received... here's what Angelia of Sew Much To Sew blog had to say...

........................................................................

Shabby Chic Handbag Swap!

Lisa of Canberra, Australia (that's me) made me the cutest shabby chic handbag! And I love it!

The swap was to make a handbag useing thrift store type goods... mine is actually finished but I don't want to post it until I know my swap partner has received it. When you join a swap on swap bot you get to see who your sending to and who's sending to you!!!

Lisa says in the card that she pieced together old dresses and scraps to make my bag. It has a vinyl interior and a zipper top... AND she even put a little note book inside covered with textured paper.
A wonderful, unique, handmade, handbag all the way from Australia! How cool is Swap-Bot!
And yes, Lisa, this makes up for my sad swap! lol!

............................................................................

awww, that's awesome Angelia, I love swap-bot too, so glad you love the bag!

Handbag serendipity

The latest booty from my mini spree at the Addicted To Fabric sale has been taunting me for some weeks now. I buy fabric before I know what I will do with it (does anyone else do that?!)

So, some ideas which have been rattling around in my head are clothing: fun skirts, little tops. More cushions : what would I do with MORE cushions? One which has been tempting me strongly is to make a bedspread like these beauties (actually made from scarfs - scarves?) as seen here.

Then a little serendipity happened: first, an invitation to sell at a style-haven Handmade Market got me whirling about what I could sell - could I sell handbags again? a moment later, my until now unused stock-pile of purse frames fell on my head from a shelf above.

Well, why don't I work out how to make a handbag using these gorgeous clip frames? I have about 20 frames, so should have a go - FINALLY! (I've had them for a couple of years - thank you so much Ali for finding them at a salvage yard!!!).

I snooped on the web and found this tutorial which gave me the confidence to try (and the acceptance that glue was involved).
And then (above) this happened, it wasn't hard, and I love the result (plus they match my shoes!).
(OMG, just fit an A4 magazine in it!!!) I'm going to test drive this one around before making more to sell...

...I LOVE them...but I need to know... would you buy one?

A casual ransom letter

The latest Swapbot project to be bundled and spirited away from my desk is a ransome note. Yes you read it correctly (unless you didn't)...

"The mission is to create a funny ransom note. You know how they do it in movies... with words cut out of magazines. Please be creative and have fun with this. Decorate the letter, and please include a 3d element on the page. Check out your partner's page for ideas."

So, my random swap recipient is a professional ghost hunter (uh...yeah) in the US and, I'm surmising, needs to have the hair on the back of her neck in working order... and so it reads:

"Lora, If you ever want to see the hairs on the back of your neck again you must follow our instructions. Any attempt to involve the authorities will bring dire consequences [insert hair glue styling product]. If you fail to comply with our demands, the results will be semi-permanent [insert scary purple hair dye]... your hairdresser has our instructions [image of Edward Scissorhands]"