Another lunchbag

I made this bag on Friday for my neice.  It's the same price as the other lunch bags, but I just wanted to show you what a difference the fabric can make.  If you need one for someone in particular, let me know who it's for, what you'd like and I'll search my stash for something suitable. 

This is for a little girl and we wanted something fun.  I love the way it turned out. 

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Insulated lunch bag      $12
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Half Aprons

I couldn't pass up on these cute napkins when I saw them.  I have a soft spot for chickens.  And linen. 

I do realize that it's a rooster, but it's close enough for me.  I have nothing against roosters and they are particularly quiet when in an embroidered format. 

It was an easy thing to turn the nice linen into half aprons.

I have three of them.  One with a green cotton gingham band, one with a burgundy silk band and the one below with a wide blue ribbon.

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Rooster Half Aprons     $12 each

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Post sale

Attending craft sales is new to me.  I like to shop at them, but you don't notice what's really going on at the tables that way.

What really goes on is that all of the vendors just buy from each other.  We all have different talents and abilities and enough knowledge to admire what others can do.  We bought a lot of Christmas presents during the day.  There were not many shoppers so we had plenty of time to roam around. 

That maybe doesn't sound very profitable and it wasn't, but we did get some shopping done and ended up a bit ahead of the game.  And the wise young lady beside us pointed out that that is how community really should work anyway.  I help you and you help me...

I think what I learned about sales is that people want custom things done.  I sold more necklaces than anything else, and most of them were made on the spot.  I spelled someone's name, Beth drew three versions of a cat for a customer to pick and then I twisted it, another girl wanted a specific word.  I don't know if I work well on the spot like that, but it was kind of fun. 

So, the upshot of this is...

If you see something here that you like, but you'd like it different (blue instead of pink, "smile" instead of "hope", etc.), let me know and I'll see what I can do.  At least I won't be stressed out by having you watch over me shoulder while I make it!


I also learned not to haggle.  As it is, crafters don't make much money.  If I can make a lunch bag in an hour, that's about minimum wage.  Why should I let a cheap shopper haggle me down?  It won't happen again!  If I gift you with something because you're a friend or I just want to, that's different.  That's my choice.

Upcoming Christmas Sale

If you live in the area, all of my items (plus some gorgeous concrete leaf sculptures of Rosa's) will be available at a local Christmas Sale.

Dec. 3, 9:00 - 4:00 pm
High Park Community Hall
11032 - 154 Street
Edmonton

Maybe I'll see some friendly faces there!

Book and Journal Covers

I started making these last April when I was stumped as to what to make or buy from my book-lovin' daughter.   She loved her cover.  She now uses it daily for her dictionary at school.  It looks so much better than the icky printed softcover it came with and it makes the much-used book more durable.

This is very much like her cover.   The girls call it "the pigeon" cover.  (fits 5.25" x 7.75")

I like the feel of the soft corderoy, so I used it for all of the covers. 

Unfortunately, there seems to be no standard for book sizes anymore.  My own books are all over the map in terms of size.   This one fits a $1 notebook perfectly.  The book is 6.25" x 8.25". 

Just because I had some cute rickrack that matched (I love rickrack, even the word), this one comes with a built-in bookmark. 

The tulip is probably my favourite one. It's just a touch bigger than the "pidgeon", which holds my most common paperback.  (5.25" x 8") 

The owl cover is best for a fat notebook, the kind my kids love to have scattered all over the house.  It's short and fat, like the owl himself.  (Fits 5" x 7.5")

And this is actually Beth's favourite, besides her dictionary cover.   She's not a terribly girly girl, I'm thinking. (Fits 5.25" x 8")

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Book and Journal Covers       $7

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Crayon Rolls

Aren't these so cute?  I love them. My own children are almost done with crayons, but it's a phase that lasts for years and worth organizing them.  It would make a great stocking stuffer.

I wish I'd done this years ago for ourselves.  I don't know how many times I had to quickly throw a handful of crayons into an ugly Ziploc bag before going to events or just going on car trips.

If the girls were lucky, I managed to grab a few different colors and not just happen on all of the shades of purple with no yellow, green or pink to mix it up a bit.  These crayon rolls stop that from happening, making life easier, kids happier and pictures more colorful.

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Crayon Rolls    $7   (with 12 crayons)
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Oh, and they also fit mini gel pens nicely if you've got older kids.  I'm going to make up a few for my kids for pencil crayons too.  It's been a special request.

And something a bit more manly!

When placing an order, state whether it's for a boy or girl.  I can email fabric choices then.

Birthday idea:  Give them out instead of candy treat bags to your little guests.

Twisted Wire Jewelry - Necklaces

I know I should price things independantly because some things take more time or silver than others.  However, for now, all necklaces are the same price. 
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Twisted Silver Wire Necklaces     $15
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These are the best selling items at the craft fairs so far.  And the most customizable as well.  Let me know if there is a word you'd like me to try.

Beth made me one of these for our anniversary and it was the protype and test piece for this.  I've worn it for over a month, in bed, in the shower, everywhere and although it seems very bendy it's kept it's shape really well.  I love my flower necklace.

This was a custom necklace for a friend who loves the "Live, Laugh, Love" statement on everything.  I thought it would be too large for a necklace, but it turned out well.  Here it is on my 12-year old, done with copper wire as a test.

Twister Wire Jewelry - Bracelets

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Twisted Silver Wire Bracelets    $10

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I'm always more likely to put on a bracelet than earrings.  I'm not sure why. 

These bracelets are made with twisted silver-plated wire, lots of fun to make and pretty to wear. 

They come with or without beads embedded in the twisted shapes and close at the back with a strand of silver chain (more comfortable than twisted silver everywhere) and a small clasp.

If for a child, let me know and I'll make sure it's sized appropriately.

Twisted Wire Jewelry - Earrings

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Twisted Silver Wire Earrings    $8

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These are all silver-plated wire, very light and comfortable. 

I've also had people request specific shapes (like an initial).  That can be done too.  Email me if you are interested.

Insulated Lunch Bag

Last year I bought a new lunch bag for Laura.  I loved the design, but don't like the fabric.  I've been warned that I can't put it in the washing machine without risking it falling apart.  But I NEED to wash it.  Lunch can be messy sometimes.  That didn't sound like a long-term lunch bag.

So I sewed one out of cotton that Beth has used daily since then. 

I love it for it's cleanability, it's sturdiness and the way it collapses totally flat for storage in my over-full cupboard.  Maybe you don't have one of those.   I do. 

Made of cotton, lined with a coordinating cotton (upcycled in this case from a men's shirt), and it has an extra thick layer between the cotton to help insulate and give it a nice weight and structure.

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Insulated Lunch Bag   $12

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Coordinating sandwich bags are also available (3 for $10).

 Also available in cute orange and brown polka dots. 

Reusable Sandwich Bags

These are perhaps my favourite item for sale.  Because of them, I haven't bought Ziploc Bags for almost three years.  I have nothing against Ziploc.  I just hate all of the garbage.

It's certainly not rocket science.  Anyone with a sewing machine and a cereal bag can make them.  But will you?  Some of you will now and I invite you to do so because it's a great item and great for the environment too, but most of you will just think it's a good item and go no further. 

For those people I say, buy them here and try them.

I try to use stash fabrics or upcycle thrift store fabrics.  All fabric is clean cotton though and lined with cereal bag liners.  I've tried a few other things as liners, but this is one I'm confident is food grade and I know that it doesn't tear.  We've used and handwashed three every day for the last year and a half or so.

Each bag is large enough for a sandwich or any manner of snack items.  Simply fold it over or use a bag clip and tuck it into your lunch container.  Your sandwich, chips, crackers will all stay fresh.  I also slip them over blocks of cheese in my fridge. 

To wash, many days you can simply shake out the crumbs.  On mayo days or messy sandwich days, I handwash mine in the dishwater and let it dry inside out.  I have two sets in constant use - one set in lunches and the other set air-drying. 

So there you have it. 

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Reusable Sandwich Bags

Set of 3 =  $10

This is a new thing for me. 

I've decided that I'd offer some of my homemade items for sale via this blog.

 

Here's how I see it working for now. I'll show pictures of what I've got and the prices. I'm not set up to accept PayPal or anything, but I figure that everyone here is likely to be a relative or family friend. I'll trust you to pay if you trust me to deliver. If you're not local, we'll work out the Canada Post fees on top of that.

 

Let me know via email that you want anything (eyeblanchette at hotmail.com) and we'll work out the details. Sounds simple, right? I may go the Etsy route at a later date, but I wanted to see if there is any interest first. Maybe I'll just deplete my Christmas stock and be done with it.

 

It'd perhaps odd to not enter with a longterm plan, or any plan at all really, but there you have it.

 

Welcome to "homemade by ev"!