Frosting to die for ............. yummmmmmmmmm

This is the most amazing frosting I have ever had.  If you love chocolate the way I do then this is a must have recipe, and the best part is .................... no not low calorie (I'm sure its full of calories) the best part is that it is so easy to make. I found this recipe at allrecipes .  I used it on my daughters birthday cake a few days ago, and it was amazing.  So, today I used it on sugar cookies:

Its just like a dollup of fudge on a crisp sugar cookie.  It is amazing! 
I am getting ready to list some of my purses on Artfire again.  Not all of them, just one page worth (my favorites).  This will happen sometime this coming week.  I'm hoping it will make my Artfire studio look nicer and much easier to navigate, page 1 will be purses, page 2 will be beading supplies, and page 3 & 4 will be my beaded jewelry. I'm working on taking new and better pics before I list the purses.  I'm having a clearance sale at my artfire studio right now, 33% off all beaded jewelry and supplies.  That will end when I start listing my purses this coming week. 
If anyone tries the recipe let me know what you think.

~ Disillusioned ~

I'm making changes in my Artfire studio and my Etsy shop .  I'm making changes because I have become disillusioned with artfire.  Until about a month ago I loved artfire, I thought I would make it there.  Now I just don't want to be there.  I am selling off all my beaded jewelry at clearance prices so that I can concentrate on my purses, bags, and things that are sewn.  I feel so scattered lately, I have projects going, housework that needs to be done, broke down cars.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not quitting this, I'm just trying to get focused on my main goal with selling my handmade items.  Designing, making and selling my purses is my main goal.  I'm lucky I have the full support of my husband.  So for now my Artfire studio is going to be my beaded jewelry and all the excess beading supplies clearance place.  My plan at this moment is to be done with all the beading and beaded jewelry thing by the middle of  September of this year.  My Etsy shop will be my purses, bags, hand sewn items such as mouse pads, and some of my favorite pieces of beaded jewelry I have made. 

Fun Summer Flip Flops

This is my newest wristlet, it still needs some work.  I need to make the handle, a purse charm, hand sew the lining closed.  I like this one alot, it feels so summery.  

Market Bags, Reusable Grocery Tote, Fabric Shopping Bags

I have never seen one of these flowers in this yummy butter yellow color, I love these colors together, yellow & pink, so very spring.  I found this lovely flower on saturday morning on the banister waiting for me to see it.  I've had this plant 2 or 3 years and this is the first time its bloomed since I've had it.


Here is something I made for myself, its a market bag, grocery tote, reusable grocery bag.  I made it using a pretty ladybug and flowers cotton fabric, I love the ladybugs.  I wanted to make some purses with this fabric, but I'm not going to be able to because on the edge of the fabric it said License is required for any use beyond individual consumption.  That makes me a bit nervous so I will only make things for myself or gifts for friends & family with this fabric.  So, lucky for me I love the ladybugs, I made me this grocery tote, I'll make a few mousepads one for me and a couple to pass out for gifts when needed, and maybe to line a purse for myself.  It will not go to waste.

So I'll use it this weekend when I go shopping, that will be the true test to see if I made it strong enough for groceries.  I took alot of pictures while making it so if it turns out to be a good market bag I'll put up instructions to make them.
Heres a sneak peek at what I'm working on now:

Cute summer flip flop sandals will make a cute little charmer wristlet. Time to get ready summer is around the corner.

Purses Bags Totes and Beaded Jewelry All on Sale at my Artfire Studio

I am having a mothers day sale this weekend ( now till the end of 5-9-2010 pacific time) at my Artfire studio. 
BONUS: extra 5% off to the first customer (extra 5% off will be credited back to you).  Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Mothers Day to all the moms.

Happy Mothers Day Mom, I Love You.

How About my Pool of Flowers Purse

Its coming along, when I get going on a new bag sometimes my day gets away from me, so I'll keep this brief so I can get to the housework that awaits me.

some pleating on the lining and the outside body of the purse.

fitting pieces together to make sure they fit.

The part I dislike the most.... putting this bottom piece in, I always get poked alot.

And this is where I stop sewing for the day ...

Its starting to look like a purse. 

Starting ~ Turquoise Floral Purse ~ Summer is on its way

Isn't this so pretty.  I've had this bag cut out but didn't quite have a vision until now.  It reminds me of a beautiful swimming pool with lovely flowers floating on the top.  Summertime, I think that will be in the name for this bag when its finished.

I am going to have an adjustable strap on this purse.  This will be my first adjustable strap on a purse, and if it comes out right, I will do more.  I know that I like adjustable shoulder straps.

This is the lining for this purse, and it will have 1 inside pocket that I trimmed with turquoise satin ribbon. 
Did you notice the pink ribbon mousepad that I sold ... well, it turns out its being added in a basket to be raffled at a relay for life, I was so thrilled to be included.  I hope the winner likes it. 
Back to work.  Its such a beautiful day that I would rather do some sewing, but no work is waiting.

Ruffled and Bows Purse ~ Triple Smiling Ruffles

The red and gray purse That I'm in the process of transforming is coming along nicely.  I've sewn on the third ruffle and I've  restitched the first and second row.  I need to restitch the last row and I'll be ready to list it in my etsy shop .

I finally finished my newest purse I call it ruffled and bows purse, it is soft cream ultra suede and its lined and accented with a pretty brick orange cotton poly blend.

This is my ruffled and bows purse in the beginning. 
Here it is waiting for that one special person:

small cream ultra suede purse ruffled and bows.

Small Cream Ultra Suede Purse Ruffled and Bows.small cream ultra suede purse ruffled and bows

Transforming ~ Hawaiian Floral Bag

I haven't posted anything in a while.  I'm trying to get an idea for how I'm doing this (this blog) and it just bores me to tears.  This is what I've come up with to try, every 2 or 3 days I will make a brief post (if I have a good topic it will be longer) and pics of the current project.  Now I have to say this, I am not a photographer and   I am not a writer.  So, if my pictures are a little blurry or I make a lot of grammatical errors I'm sorry, just look at my work.  I know how to sew, I am creative, I love to create, and I like to sell my pieces to people who will love them for years to come (I hope at least).  So this is what I've been creating lately.  I have taken another one of my purses that is all ready made and I am tranforming it into something better.

This is my Hawaiian floral bag / purse / tote (I made this bag last year and I have had it up for sale at my Artfire studio ) as it was:

 I am adding ruffles to it.

Those ar the strips that will be turned into nice flirty ruffles.

and here I am working on hand sewing the second row of ruffles

so, I will finish sewing this row on and then make one more ruffle and hand sew it on.  Then I will handsew each ruffle one more time, this will help so it doesn't pull off.  I always try my best to make sure my purses and sewn items are sewn securely so that they don't fall apart. My purses are made to last.  Back to work.

Recycled Denim Jeans ~ Transformation ~ Cool Fun Denim Purses & Totes

As I was getting ready to take new pics of my recycled denim bags I realized I have quite a few of my bags and purses that started as something else.  This set I added to my Etsy shop today was made with some jeans that still had life in them. 
This first one is my bright & colorful jeans bag.

Purse Recycled Denim Jeans and Colorful, Bright Floral Lining
The following purse was made with an olive green pair of jeans.

Tote Bag Recycled Denim Olive Green, Yellow, Pink Purse
This next one was made with a light blue pair of jeans & a pretty pink ribbon fabric.

Purse Pink Ribbon Blue Recycled DenimTote Breast Cancer Awareness
And this is my final purse using recycled denim.

Purse Tan Recycled Denim and Americana Tote

Colorful Kitties Flap Wristlet ~ Bright Colors Cats Purse Charm Pockets

I've been working on a new purse, its made with the corduroy kitty fabric.  It is a wristlet similar to the other little charmers except I am putting a flap on it and a couple of magnetic closures.

Its cute, but I'm having difficulties with the closure, I'm using a magnetic closure on this bag but I don't want the magnetic closure to show, at least not on the front of the purse. The way it is now there is 1 layer of fabric between each piece of the closure.  That means to close there will be 2 layers of fabric between the magnets and although it sticks its not secure enough that I would feel confident that it wouldn't pop open.  I know, I know I will have to fix it, the closure will show on the under side of the flap but not on the front of the purse.  I hate the thought of doing that because it means a lot of ripping out to get to the inside of the flap and take out the closures and put them where I want them and then putting the purse back together again.  But I think it would be secure with only 1 layer of fabric. 
Ive been trying to get my etsy shop up to speed, its coming along. I did a few listings today and I added some links to other items, not sure if that was a good idea or not but we'll see. 
 kathisewnsew Etsy shop

This is Citrus Candy Bracelet by kathisewnsew Its listed for sale in my Etsy shop.

Well time to get back to the chores of the day. 

Bracelets with Vintage Buttons

Romantic Bracelet with Vintage Button

Bracelet with Vintage Button & Pink Turquoise

Bracelet with Vintage Button and Snowflake Obsidion & Coral

Enjoy this beautiful spring day.