Bigger and Better Leather Flowers

Hi Crafters

I have recently found a template for a larger leather flowers and I am very pleased with the way they have turned out Just made a couple so far as they use a fair amount of leather so they need to retail at £14.95 in my Etsy store. I just love the weathered natural look they have with the extra layers making a fuller flower.

Recycled Tie Bags Sooo!!! Pretty

Hi Everyone

Well as promised, now I have some completed bags made from ties I will show you the finished items. I should point out in fairness, there were 5 made before these that I did not like that much and only fitted a phone or camera in. Whilst the ones I had seen on Pinterest were little purses suitable for evening use, and this is what I was aiming for.

Whilst for all the other bags I have seen on YouTube and Pinterest have patterns, this one I could not even find a pattern to buy as the one or two sites selling them were no longer working. So it was a case of trial and error and making my own patterns, and then tweaking them to get one that looked like the one that had inspired me originally.

The most simple and smallest bag. This is from a silk tie and you can see the brighter colours from the silk, so although small I like this little purse.

Another fairly small bag but a little wider than the first one so will hold a phone, plus hanky, lipstick and some money

This one was made from a polyester tie and I have added one of my chiffon flowers that matches the turquoise squares on the fabric. This is lined with a fine poly/cotton fabric

My favourite so far. It is made from a silk tie and lined with the fabric from inside tie.Although this shows the inside seams ( which I have oversewn) it is tidy enough inside and there is quite a bit of room in the bag, as this was a wider tie, and I have used most of the tie, adding a cord handle .

The last two have provided me with a basic pattern to form more bags. I am not able to provide patterns as there are several adjustments to be made on every new bag made according to the width and length of the original tie.

These bags will be available to buy in my Etsy Store.

Dee

Chiffon flowers

Hi Crafters

In December I bought a mixed lot from ebay as there was something I particularly wanted.
Amongst the papers, stamps and Tim Holtz bits was a pile of chiffon and felt.squares
The felt is very handy to back my leather and fabric flowers but the chiffon sat there for a couple of days with me pondering what to do with it

Back on YouTube and Pinterest I went for inspiration, and found these lovely chiffon flowers.

I had enough in the pack to make about 20 flowers. So far I have made 5 but I will enjoy making the others  to finish off my bags when the colours suit.

The turquoise flowers shown below will go well with some small bags I have made .

Valentine's coming up

I cannot believe this is my first post since November. December was busy with craft sales and Christmas, now it is 2018 and I am trying to get ahead this year with my crafting and so have made a few Valentine cards and gifts

Using my leather remnants I have crafted some hearts and added a charm and key ring and for a pretty  gift. I have also made some fabric shabby chic hearts.

My next make will be some gift boxes and bags to hold my heart shaped cookies. Job done.

Dee

Bags of Bags

Last year I went to a great craft day run by the WI, where you got to select three craft session over the day. In the morning I made a brooch from felt and beads, and some patchwork. In the afternoon I made a bag.
I loved the process and it relit my love of sewing.
It was such a pleasure I treated myself to a new sewing machine and now I am on YouTube and Pinterest checking outnew projects to make with my trusty sewing machine.

The bag I made last year has been commandeered to hold wool, as a friend talked me into taking up my needles in December to knit angels for her church.

I have also made a needle bag to hold my knitting needles.

When suitable I upcycle and recycle fabrics,  And get a real sense of achievement.

So far I have made a storage bucket from trousers, and an evening purse from a tie.
Next An origami bag, and Japanese knot bag
I have bagged a pair of jeans from hubby and ties from a retired friend.

This is the bag made at the workshop
Dee

Analysing sales

I have read lots of good advice for selling at craft shows, on YouTube and tips from etsy on setting up your shop. Whilst my crafting is a hobby, like most avid crafters i sell occasionally to keep the craft room tidy and to reinvest in even more craft items. So I do craft shows and sell on eBay and Etsy. I am always curious as to what and why things sell and (old habits die hard), what sells for a profit.

It was the end of the year, with a little time on my hands and a hankering for some business studies, so I looked at all my sales and did a quick analysis. The results were interesting,
The highest sales were made at craft shows
The best prices were obtained on Etsy
The best profitability was at Wi trading stall

Will this make any difference to my crafting?
Not on its own, but as my craft range changes some of the information will feed into decisions on what crafts to make, or what items to make surplus.

Sales are not as important as the crafting, and this is the reason sales are not high.
I have discovered I like to try all types of crafting.
Card making
Scrapbooks and journals
Fabric flowers
Leather brooches and key rings
And now sewing

Yes for 2018 I am adding sewing to my crafting

So watch out for new makes.
All of which will be selling on Etsy,EBay and local craft shows.