I have been working on stocking up shop this fall and winter while I take a little time off from sewing to welcome my newest little one into the world. I feel really good about my progress now but I am getting a bit nervous about being prepared for my first and only craft show this year. So I am spending my days cutting and sewing and gathering supplies. I hope it all works out:)
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Added by Nicael on August 11, 2009 at 4:37pm —
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I have been working on a few different ideas for cuffs over the last couple of days. This one is an older one that I had forgotten to list. I love the color combo, although it's a strange one, somehow it works for me. I am putting the finishing touches on a couple more, hopefully to b…
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Added by Nicael on April 16, 2009 at 7:13pm —
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After a long illness, I am now ready to jump back in and make some new items. I can't wait to get creative and busy. There is nothing like not being able to do anything at all to help with motivation. Now I am motivated, recharged, and ready to work! I can't wait to show off some of my new pieces:)
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Added by Nicael on April 10, 2009 at 2:02pm —
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I have been taking care of our ailing cat Humbug over the last week s…
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Added by Nicael on January 29, 2009 at 4:22pm —
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I really love making my leather cuffs. This year I decided to go with a simpler applique version with out beading to show off at my holiday shows. I got a lot of compliments over all, but, during my last craft show, my leather cuffs were often mistaken as bookmarks. A lot of shoppers…
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Added by Nicael on January 5, 2009 at 7:59pm —
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I finished up the last of my two holiday gift fairs this past Sunday. I am so glad to be done but I do kind of miss the interaction with people. Now I have to make excuses to leave the house. Luckily my son keeps me going. We took Monday and Tuesday off of work to just lay low and enjoy the sunshine. I managed to sneak in a visit to our local thrift store and a haircut inbetween visits to the farm down the street and the park. Now the rest of the week is dedicated to finishing up a few more wall…
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Added by Nicael on December 10, 2008 at 12:13am —
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So I finished up the first of my two holiday shows last weekend. All was well, I had done this particular show for a few years and really enjoyed it, this year was just as fun and I made more sales than I thought I would. Next up is the big show. The biggest and most popular in Humboldt County and I am nervous! I was fine until this weekend when I hurt my wrist to the point that all of the ornaments I have waiting to be finished for the big show have to wait until I heal. So no new ornaments thi…
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Added by Nicael on December 2, 2008 at 3:34pm —
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I am carefully keeping watch over a little egg that my tortoise Imogene laid the other day. It is very inspiring, we are not sure if it is actually fertile or not but the early signs seem to be there. So I have taken to sitting next to the little shelled wonder while I glue appliques and trim threads. Hopefully, with lots of love and care we will have a new little tortoise wandering around in a couple of months. Meanwhile I am busily getting ready for my two holiday gift fairs and the holidays t…
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Added by Nicael on November 20, 2008 at 3:30pm —
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I have learned a lot this mon
th. I have experienced a lot of firsts through the last couple of weeks. My first cancelled sale, my first lost package, and my first sewing machine emergency(resulting in a brand new machine) and my first Halloween costume on my new and very powerful machine! (This is it below in my very messy work space).
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Added by Nicael on October 30, 2008 at 6:19pm —
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This is my newest piece. I finally came up with a different color combination for this deep red that I have had a troubling time with. It is a really deep red with a little bit of a wine tone to it. The only colors I could see complimenting it were my usual blue, green, p
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Added by Nicael on October 8, 2008 at 5:16pm —
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The first of my new and improved pouches! I decided to go with a messenger bag feel and added a flap with a snap closure. I also have added a a lot of pockets on the inside including a zipper pocket and card pockets, and a slide pocket on the
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Added by Nicael on October 3, 2008 at 4:42pm —
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After three years of trying, my mom and I just got into one of the biggest and most popular holiday gift shows in our area! I am so excited and overwhelmed at the same time. I must truly bust my butt now.....no delaying!
This particular show is one of the biggest and also one of the most visited in our area, so the wheels are spinning now on everything from how much of each item I should have, to item display, to booth design, to costume(yes, we have to dress in costume for the event. Shoul…
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Added by Nicael on September 24, 2008 at 2:54pm —
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I have been working on some design improvements to a few of my wallet designs and so far I am feeling pretty good about where everything is going. I have decided to try and add a zipper compartment to my billfold wallets, and pouches, and make my Travel wallets a wee bit bigger and with more card pockets. Not a huge change but enough to make some new patterns. I sold one of my new wallets and I am working on a few others to list later this weekend. I hope they go over well. I am also trying a ne…
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Added by Nicael on September 20, 2008 at 2:56pm —
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I just participated in our first local Design Collective at the Accident Gallery in Eureka, CA. It was a great time. I made a sale which was great! I have given up on using our local shows that aren't associated with the holidays as a way to make sales, I use them more as an opportunity to network…
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Added by Nicael on September 15, 2008 at 1:09pm —
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I had a rush cutom order to get done and I actually finished on time sinus headache and everything! While I was finishing up the last of
these pouches, I started thinking about ways to improve my design for
easier construction. My sewing machine is being a troo…
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Added by Nicael on August 27, 2008 at 2:52pm —
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I just purchased a set of paints for my leather work that I am really loving right now. They are irridescent green, blue, and red. They only add a little shimmer of color to the leather which looks so awesome! The wallet below is an example, it looks a very pale minty green and then the light hits it and it has this shimmery golden color to it. It is so Purty! I can't wait to make a few items with these colors in them. I have a couple cuffs ready to go but I need to finish up a few custom orders…
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Added by Nicael on August 25, 2008 at 1:58pm —
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Here is my newest custom order. I am pretty happy with it. it took a lot of problem solving to figure out how to place the zipper and the inside pockets but I think I pulled it off. I have gotten a lot of custom orders over the last couple of weeks from some wonderful bu
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Added by Nicael on August 14, 2008 at 5:27pm —
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I am being attacked by leather scraps! No matter how fast I sew, the pile keeps growing and growing and growing! I love the fact that I have a lot to work with but I have no room for it. I need a whole other room just for my growing collection of supplies. Then Mark would need a whole other room for his guitars and bikes, Ciaran would need his own room for his toys and recycleables, and the cats would each need their own room.....just because. I guess I need a palace then! I won't be complaining…
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Added by Nicael on August 8, 2008 at 6:37pm —
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Now that I am getting more comfortable putting snaps and zippers into my wallets. My whole design spectrum is expanding. I just made my first slash pocket in a wallet this past week. I just don't want to get so carried away that I can't keep up with all my regular designs. I am glad to be expanding my knowledge of leather work for sure. I feel a lot more comfortable experimenting than I was when I first started. As long as I can reign in all of my interests and be reasonable with my goals I thin…
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Added by Nicael on August 1, 2008 at 1:18pm —
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I scored the other day! I ended up with a lilac colored suede jacket for twenty-five cents at one of our local thrift stores. Today I am off again to see what else I can find. I am still on the quest for leather, suede, and wool sweaters for various projects I have going on in my head. I am having so much fun! I need to remember to kiss my sewing machine so it knows how much I appreciate it. I don't know what I will do with the suede but it sure is pretty and soft! It looks great with the lime g…
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Added by Nicael on July 24, 2008 at 4:12pm —
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