Wednesday, February 24, 2010

call me stupid

Call me stupid. I paid seven bucks for a showcase spot on Etsy for my new bags I have been working on. Every spare chance in between a hundred other tasks, chores, work and projects, I've been working on these. For February 25. So I thought. Until I looked at my site today and found the site live. Today. February 24. I wrote it down wrong. (Stupid!!) So my big Etsy showcase is a total of two bags, the light too dark on this dismal rainy day, late in the day at that, to hurry and take photos and list more. So much for good intentions. So I am bummed. Time to break out the ice cream and crawl into bed with the heater on, turn on a DVD. At least I have the Mid Atlantic Quilt festival to look forward to. My friend and I are heading there on Friday, early. Day after tomorrow, oh boy! I am more than excited. Inspiration, fabric, who knows what is there because I have never been to one, but I am totally completely psyched! Oh well, that makes me feel better. And last night we walked with Lucy over two streets and down about seven blocks, just to gaze upon our soon to be new apartment. I pictured myself, my husband and our animals all snuggled warmly into the new place, June 1! Cannot wait! Tomorrow- work. Then the quilt festival! Can you tell I am squealing to myself?

Thursday, February 18, 2010

hope and dream

A quickie post since I just got home from work, haven't eaten and men's ice skating is beginning or in progress. Just finished this bag earlier today but didn't have time to post it. A departure from my wrap around closures, this one I used a large black snap, invisibly reinforced on the opposite side, combined with free motion stitching on the wording, luscious leopard spotted carpetbag fabric on the body of the purse.

I LOVE this waffle weave muslin lining! It feels so good and is nice and sturdy-- hand dyed for vintage appeal.

Reverse side stitching with beautiful variegated threads and batiks. This bag is a bit larger than the other ones-- about 5 x 8". I have a spot reserved for showcase on Etsy coming up next week, so I am not sure if I want to list this now or wait to list multiple items at once on the showcase.

Skating is on! bye bye.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Bakelite Button Wish Pouch

Hello, Valentines!! It's been a day of fabric shopping and working on new stuff. I have a new bag up and listed on http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com. I am starting a new venture in bag making. My new shop within a shop is called "Get Real Purses & Pouches". The button on the front flap is a HUGE vintage bakelite beauty found at a Pennsylvania antique fair last summer. I have several of these and then another stash of huge bakelites in green. The bakelite factor brings the price up, as anyone who is a vintage button fiend will know. =)

This elaborate bag has alot more detail with free motion embroidery and quilting.

Check out my little hand made "Get Real" tags sticking out of the left side. :)

This pouch has alot more detail with free motion embroidery on hand dyed muslin and chiffon...

Fabulous blazing batiks. I can't get enough of them.

Close up of free motion embroidery. Let me tell you, that's not easy on such fine and slippery fabric!

I'm heading out to dinner with my Valentine now....

Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

a quick posting for a new purse

I am off to work in a few minutes but wanted to share this bag I just finished up today and listed on etsy http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com. It is more heavily embellished and a bit more romantic than my previous bags, with the layers of silky fabrics over the flap.

It is about 5" by 7" and opens to approximately 3-4 comfortable inches. All elements are machine or hand sewn.

"dream" is free motion quilting... so much fun!

The main fabric is super soft plush green carpet bag material.

And layers of chiffon, tulle and other luscious fabrics adds interest.
We found an apartment we like, for those of you who know what I'm talking about with our current apartment being not so great, and are moving the end of April/first of May. I am immeasurably happy and relieved. Have a great evening everyone!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

new etsy direction

I'm really excited to introduce a new line of fabric work for sale, inspired by the fabulous array of fabrics where I am employed. This small mixed media quilted bag is the first to grace my etsy site. I have so much fun choosing colors, threads, beads, and themes for these little purses. This one is based on a saying I often employ, usually to my husband and one of his far flung ideas-- get real! The definition of "real" is the focus of the front of this hand pieced and quilted bag. The fabrics are mostly from my favorite company, Moda, and then the rest are hand made and hand dyed in my little studio.

Vintage leather red star button graces the front for the closure...

Measures 6" by 4" and comfortably opens 3" or so to hold many small items to toss in your everyday bag. It is also lovely to use as a pouch for a special piece of jewelry.

Long hand made twisted thread cording wraps around the purse for easy closure and is embellished with strands of copper and lavender bead tassels. Now available on my etsy site http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com. postscript: this bag sold tonight! be on the lookout for more coming very very soon!

Alas, we have had another snow storm in central Virginia. *deep sigh*. Michael & Lucy think it is wonderful. It is very beautiful on the first day when the snow is virtually undisturbed, laying majestically on the trees in our neighborhood.

Still, a well placed snowball goes a long way to vent frustration with digging our car out for the second time in two weeks! This mid air frozen ball was a direct hit on my husband's right leg. Whack!! :D

Our quiet, deserted street.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

lovely swarovski!

Since I am picky and our holiday season was particularly busy with work and short on time, my husband gave me a gift certificate to a Richmond shop that carries a particularly large array of lovely and unusual Swarovski crystal pendants and beads. Slipping and sliding on the ice, I finally found time to make my way over for a long period of browsing earlier this week. 1/2 my certificate nabbed the haul shown above. It was so difficult to pick and choose as these are pieces for myself for a necklace full of stars and moons that will dangle from a dismantled set of beautiful crystal and sterling rosary beads found at an antique show last summer. Michael helped me choose the colors. The centerpiece is the lovely moon crystal, which is clear but for the frosted moon, and casts a spectacular rainbow from whatever set of colors it is set against. The stars were chosen by my husband in yellow and purple. The other loose beads I picked for the sheer rich colors, even though two of them don't really match the rest of the pieces. I'm still thinking about the composition of this one. Given the large center piece, it won't be easy to wear with everything but I am moving in a direction where I am liking some glitz and glamour with jewelry so it feels right just gazing at the lustrous colors and shimmering rainbows of these beauties. Another trip to this shop is coming up soon... I see star earrings, necklaces and so on coming to my etsy site soon when I get the chance!

I am not a super regular blogger under the best of circumstances. Life is what happens when you aren't blogging, and I have had alot of it lately. Other than a large order of etchings that went out last week, I have not made a single piece of jewelry other than for family for Christmas. Ideas abound but time does not. Given our up and down business life since the Great Recession, I have had to find work again. About a month ago, given my increasing interest in fabric art, I started working part time in a local quilting shop. This is a huge learning experience for me, and more work than I would have figured. There is so much to learn, so many manufacturers of fabrics, so many patterns and questions, it makes the head spin around and around and even after a month of working and asking many questions, I still mostly feel stupid at my job. Stupid, but definitely not uninspired. For I have a new love in my life, one that simmered for years but ignited recently... BATIKS! And oh, working in a quilting shop with row after row after row of blazing reds and oranges, cool blues and greens and batik patterns of tantalizing ingenuity, it is all I can do for it not to eat up every paycheck I receive. This, my boss informed me early on, is her evil plan for us all-- to pay her to work for her. :) So far I have been relatively good but it is soooooo hard! The pieced strips above are all batiks, the beginning stage of quilting and sewing up a new large carry all purse. I will post photos when it is completed but I am having so much fun working with these fabrics.

Beautiful pieced batiks close up! Quite obvious my favorite colors and I love to mix and match them with varied patterns, of which there are a million and one... *sigh*

The other news is our big snow storm and another one coming our way Friday. Here are our two buried cars the day after the storm. Note my car is not parked under the large pine tree that dropped a huge limb on the hood in December...