Collaborating with Saffron Craig

Hiya,

I can't believe its May already...this year is flying by, and this is the month for birthdays! My Dad, Mum, Brother, Daughter, Sister in Law, and I all are born in May...busy busy....

But thats not what i'm actually going to talk about today. I'm very excited because I have finished all the bags for the collaboration with Saffron Craig, and now I can proudly say they are up on her website http://www.saffroncraig.com/.. I made some of my standard bags, a tote, Porkiepie satchel and a Yorkiepie satchel, but with Saffron's fabrics they look absolutely gorgeous!! I also made a Hobo shoulder bag with her Birds in Leaves - Black and a Market Bag in her Aqua Elk Landscape. I'm very happy with how these turned out and even happier that Saffron loves her bags! I will look to releasing the Hobo in September and the Market Bag early August. As you know I love using one print, so it was out of my comfort zone for me to use the panels for the Birds in Leaves Tote, but i'm happy with the outcome, so I will definately look at making this design again.

I will load up some pics that Saffron has kindly given to me, she has done a terrific job of the pictures on her website..

Also check out her blog..for my first (and possibly only..lol.) interview! Saffrons's Blog

Ok I must get going as I have Poppyseed Markets in two weeks I have to sew like the wind!!!

Selkie xo

Full Steam Ahead

Sorry guys for being so slack on posting! I've been busy, busy, busy...I finished up at work on the 30th March...woohoo, and have been making custom orders ever since!! I also bought a steam iron press, which has been a godsend speeding up the process of interfacing my bags!

At the moment I'm working on a collaboration project which i'm very excited about. I'm making 6 bags and a purse for this, and I can't wait to have it finished and see the results...hopefully I can show you the end product before the month is out! I'll leave it at that and then it will be a surprise at the end!

Otherwise, i've set up my madeit shop, and have two markets booked. Poppyseed Markets on the 16th May and Billycart Markets on the 26th June. I'm very excited about these and being able to meet people face to face and find out what they think of my designs.

Speaking of designs, once I finish the collaboration project, I'm going to be working on my designs for a makeup bag, and also a hairclip travel bag, as well as building up a market stash. I know when I was on the holidays, I would have loved a hairclip organiser. I'll also be working on a few other ideas, with more of a domestic goddess feel, I've had these ideas for ages, just have to work them out!

Ciao for now,
Selkie

Craft Expo and Other Fabric Finds!

Hiya,

I'm on the countdown still, two weeks to go till i'm working on Selkie Smith Creations full time! So i've been busy making bags and going to work 4 days a week.. All is well though, and I'm very happy with the bag i'm currently making. I'm using Alexander Henry's Inked Girls in Multi. I really happy with the placement. Hopefully the owner of this bag will be pleased too.

Anywhoo what i actually came to write about was the Craft Expo that I went to with the lovely Laura on Saturday. I didn't expect to come away with anything, as I knew it was not the same as the stitches and craft show, but yes, I ended up buying some fabric, a bit more to add to my Japanese Fabric stock, some great Michael Miller Metallic Dot Fabric (at a steal..will make super purse linings and exteriors) a great book, and some "power scissors"... The one thing I dislike about sewing is the cutting. I'm left handed and even though I possess a pair of left handed scissors and a rotary cutter I can still butcher the fabric. Anywhoo I love my power scissors because they can cut through interfacing like butter. Eight Layers of fabric apparently... so all in a bit of a spend up yet again!

Then on Sunday I popped into one of my local fabric shops, just to take a squizz (i usually buy my fabric online) and was super suprised that the shop (Fred the Needle) has some fantastic bolts of Michael Miller Retro Fabrics, which I haven't seen online. I love all retro and especially the Domestic 50's looking prints. I'm particularly stoked to find "How to keep a Husband" as now I have both that and "How to get a Husband"...lol.. Still thinking about what i'm going to use that fabric for..

Ok, I probably bored you all silly by now. So i'll sign off, and have taken pics of my new finds! oh and the bag.

xo

Selkie's Back and a giveaway is on the cards

Hello,

I'm back from my very rainy holiday, and am really glad that its a bit cooler now down this way. I hate muggy weather!!! I'm counting down the days till I work on my Selkie Smith Creations full time..woohoo!!!

I was very happy to see that my fanbase continues to grow on facebook and to thank my fans, I feel like having a giveaway.

A bit of background on the prize, when I started buying fabric for this adventure, I didn't know what a yard was in length let alone a Fat Quarter...(quarter yard).... and so I bought a few FQ's not realising what i was really after... for my bags I needed yards...

.... so i'm going to giveaway a couple of FQ sets. Both Amy Butler, pics of the fabric are on the sidebar.



xox

Selkie's on Holidays

Yes, this week we are up on the usually sunny, but at the moment torrential rainy Gold Coast. Went to Bangalow today, I love it so cute, and saw some lovely handmade items. Tomorrow we are off to Mt Tambourine when I might add a new Matryoska Doll to my collection and get a little one for Miss C as she is always wanting to play with mine and I think my sets are too small for her.

Fabric wise I have recently purchased the Willow Range by Alexander Henry. Omigod it is so gorgeous I love, love, love it. I've also put in an order for the Michael Miller Hedgehog and the Big E...so I can't wait to get that.

But in more important news I got the phone call today, officially I am being made redundant on the 31st March. Woohoo!! That means Selkie Smith will be my be and end all...Yay!!!

Last thing, I claimed the Pet Deer Porkiepie for myself, and it's having a great road test up here. Performing very well.

Ok thats about it,
xox

Porkiepie joins the Selkie Smith Family

Hiya,

Over the last week I have been making satchels, a few yorkiepies and then I decided to make a bigger one which i named a Porkiepie. I'm really pleased with it turned out, and have plans to make many of them in a host of different fabrics. Their size makes them great for a mini nappy bag, that will fit over the back of a pram or stroller.

Other than that I have had a few orders for Large Tote bags. The new machine makes a breeze out of sewing them. I'm so pleased about buying it. I've yet to try the embroidery function, but I will get around to it. I'm trying to also make a large make up bag for a custom order. I had great feedback from my facebook page on what ladies would like from their make up bag. Anywhoo..on wednesday I had a date with some heatnbond(vinyl) and some lining fabric, and I don't think it will turn into a long lasting relationship...lol... I felt like i was back at school applying Contact to my school books, bubbles everywhere. Since then I've decided my makeup bags will be fully machine washable.

In other news I will be working full time on Selkie Smith from April...yeehah!!!!! Very excited about that. I can't wait to start immersing myself completely in the business and doing some markets and hopefully listing on madeit. I found a great Wooden tree coat rack this week which will be great for hanging my bags from. I know i'm going to love the markets, will enjoy the instant feedback and also i'm going to do them with one of my best friends Laura from Sunny Side Up!!

Ok little Miss C is whinging in my ear, so must cut this post short. We will be on holidays for the first week of March, so I will post again in a couple of weeks.

Selkie xox

My New Toy -Selkie Mk II

Hello,

Long time no speak, have been very busy, with working at my day job...don't ask! and sewing.

But I have got a great new toy! My new sewing machine! My other one was my first one and a bit of a beginners model, so I needed something which has a few time saving features, ie: an automatic needle threader and the like, plus I wanted something that could do embroidery, which this little baby does. I have a little idea in the pipeline that needs a touch of embroidery to make it pop! More details on this later, when I have worked on it a little more!

So now i'm just getting used to my new toy. I'm hoping we will be together for many years of happy sewing!!

Other than that, i'm busy doing orders (we had a draw this week of a few items on my facebook fanpage), working at the coalface (day job) and of course I have a 3 1/2 year old to run after.

Did I tell you I can't wait till I can concentrate on Selkie Smith full time....just had to say it. Quite cathartic. Ok back to reading the encyclopedia that is my new sewing manual!

Selkie xo