A Little Bib Crazy

I sometimes babysit a friend's 8-month old baby, so I got it in my head to make a few bibs for her. It was SUCH fun picking the cute baby fabrics that I got a LITTLE bit carried away.

I ended up making over 50 bibs. My family members asked me why I was making so many, to which I laughed maniacally and told them that I couldn't seem to stop myself. Is there a local chapter of Bib Makers Anonymous?

So what, so I have a few bibs to sell. Here's a set for little girls.

Or for little boys.

Or if you don't know the baby's gender, here's even a set that's gender neutral. I'm kinda partial to those robots, and of course, the little doggies.

I have them posted here in my Etsy store. They're made of super soft 100% cotton flannel and are lined with a layer of 100% cotton batting, for the utmost in absorption and coverage. The side velcro closure means they're easy to put on and take off--but make sure to close the velcro before putting them in the wash so other things don't get stuck on it.

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A Purse for Me Own Self

I liked the style of the purse I made for my friend Suzi so much that I decided to make one for myself. Even though I make purses all the time, it's actually quite rare for me to keep one.


Although I made it a month ago, right after I made Suzi's,I just haven't taken the time to post about it until now. Bad, bad, bad, bad.

Enough self-flagellation. I love the fabric of my new purse, the convenient adjustable strap, the fact that it closes completely with a zipper, and the crimson ultrasuede edging on the pocket. But having a cell phone pocket on the outside of the purse--THAT is my all-time favorite feature. Also a great place to stuff keys (or a few dog treats for Cabana).

Lots of pockets inside, too. I tried being lazy once and made a purse without interior pockets. After a few days, I ripped it apart so I could add pockets inside. I don't know how you can use a purse without pockets. Where would you stash your lip balm or mints or hygiene products?

Hey hey, if you like this purse, GOOD NEWS! I made TWO, so there's one for sale on my website!

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Suzi's Purse

My friend Suzi has been carrying a purse that I made for her a couple years ago. She uses it daily--and it shows! Kind of like a child's overly-loved stuffed animal, with bits falling off here, frayed and tattered. I said, "Suzi, it's time for a new purse!" She said, "Oh no, I love this fabric so much that I can't stop using this purse."

Since there have to be a few perks to being my friend, I decided to make Suzi a new purse, using the same fabric she loves so much.

It is zippered across the top for "thing containment" and has a big pocket along one of the outer sides. The long webbing strap is adjustable to wear the purse straight or cross-body.

A feature I like best is the hidden cell phone compartment tucked inside the outer pocket, making it easy to find and answer.

There are also pockets inside and a cheerful blue interior. I hope Suzi likes it enough to finally stop using her old worn out purse!

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Sewing Room

I am challenging myself to do a better job at posting on this blog and updating my Facebook page. I've been quite pathetic in the past, I know, but after I make this one excuse, I won't make anymore. Hopefully. But don't quote me on that.

My recent (and forevermore last) excuse is that I've been moving my sewing area into the house. For the past several years, my sewing studio has been in the garage. While I was grateful for the space, it was actually slightly miserable. It was always dirty and messy and dark. In the summer, it was boiling hot. In the winter, freezing cold. I made do with a fan and a space heater, and granted, for most months, since we live in a temperate climate, it wasn't bad. But for a few stretches in January and August, the weather was enough to deter me from getting any sewing done.

We have an extra bedroom in the house that we used as a guest room. Now, I apologize to our relatives who used to have a nice bed (the most comfortable mattress in our whole house) to sleep in when they visited us. But really, how many days a year did the room get used? Maybe 2 weeks maximum. Compared to how much time I spend sewing, it seemed like a change I should have made a long time ago.

I'm SO pleased with my new sewing room. I love having a window! Natural light, sights and sounds from the neighborhood, and even beautiful sunsets! I bought an old TV off Craig's List for $10, and it has been fun to watch TV while sewing (I've been getting hooked on HGTV--I love those decorating and do-it-yourself shows). It took me weeks to get everything sorted, organized and situated, and even though I have more that I can probably do, it's good enough for now. Ahh, I feel so spoiled and blessed and creative whenever I'm sitting in that room.

So now I have no more excuses. I have a great work space, so I need to buckle down and get to work. Laissez les creative juices rouler!

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Various & Sundries in Fairfax

The boutique store Various & Sundries has been selling my Sheekoo items for a couple years now, but recently, they moved to a fabulous new location in Fairfax, CA. The new store is GORGEOUS, with lots of natural light, on a street with tons of other fun shops. And as always, it is filled with unique gifts, most of them handmade by local artisans. Here is Stephanie, the wonderful owner of the shop.

There's a whole area dedicated to baby gifts.

Here's a sampling of clothing and pottery items.

And of course, some of my Cork Collection and fabric items. The inventory on my Sheekoo items is a bit low right now, but my items sell very well there--sometimes, it's a struggle to keep them well stocked!

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New Store in Sonoma - My Girlfriend's Closet

My Sheekoo Cork Collection is now available at a brand new store, just off The Plaza in Sonoma's beautiful downtown. It's an upscale consignment store called My Girlfriend's Closet. (I also designed the store's logo, seen on this fun sign outside.)

Here are a few of my cork items, prominently displayed behind the wrap counter and register.

Even though the store just opened, it already has a great inventory of new and nearly new items. I bought a pair of shoes there for only $24, and I have my eye on a couple of other items I saw there.

Hope you'll stop by!

My Girlfriend's Closet
539 First Street West
Sonoma, CA
707-933-3050

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Bitty Booties and My First Tutorial

I recently made these felt baby booties as a present for my friend's new baby, using Heather Bailey's free pattern.


There are so many free patterns and tutorials online these days--aren't we so fortunate?! I've been wanting to make my own contribution to the resources available out there. So here's my first tutorial on how to make an adjustable dog collar. Cabana is modeling one of her MANY homemade dog collars here.

If you use my tutorial, I'd appreciate any feedback so I can make changes to it as needed. I'd also love to see photos of the collars you make, so please send them to me!

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