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July 19, 2008

Saturday Bag Eye Candy

Some of your gorgeous baggy goodness to sneak a peek at instead of doing the house work (or any other kind of work for that matter)...

From the U-Handbag Tutorials pool...

Mosaic270947

1. lime green, 2. bag, 3. Leaf basket shaped bag, 4. Pleated purse, 5. mother's day, 6. totebag, 7. Snap purse and mirror, 8. Hex, 9. mini purse w reel



And from the U-Handbag All Bags Pool...

Mosaic9188908

1. Vintage Beach Slouchy Tote, 2. Poppy Wristlet, 3. Custom diaper bag, 4. Red Bandana w/ beads & piping, 5. Kid's Meadow Tote Bag, 6. Feiticeiro de Oz, 7. Vintage Tablecloth Purse, 8. pretty felted wool handbag, 9. P4010006_03


Yummy aren't they? Thank for putting your lovely bags into the pools everyone. You are some seriously talented bag ladies!   I've gone back to doing Bag Eye Candy every week so please keep your baggy pics coming.  Ta!

July 18, 2008

Sewing World Bag Oct 08. Wavy Top Bucket Bag

Aw thanks everyone for your really kind words of support now that Al has skipped the country. I'd treat you to coffee and cakes if I could (now that would an amazing afternoon); would we find a cake shop large enough to fit us all in?

I was burning the midnight oil last night so I could finish this month's Sewing World Magazine bag. The theme for October is ''Support of Breast Cancer charities and the colour pink'. So in keeping with the theme I designed this curvy top bucket bag in linen and needle cord. I was stumped for bag names this month so 'Wavy Top' will just have to do I'm afraid.

Before you read on (if you don't mind) could you please pop over to The Breast Cancer Site, and just click on the big pink button. It's very quick, there's no forms etc. you just click on the button and in doing so you are getting the sponsors of that site to pay out for free mammograms to help women in need. Ta!


Sorry about posting loads of pics; it's for when I sell the bag at a later stage. 50% of the sale of this bag will go to Breast Cancer Care.

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I like the look of curvy top edge, but oh boy it was muuuuuch easier to draw then it was to sew. I swore my silly head off when sewing the tighter corners. So I have had to adjust the pattern make the curves more sewing machine friendly. I don't want anyone turning to drink because of one of my bag designs!


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Side view. I have used linen, some left over needle cord apple fabric for the front pocket and these Chocolate Drop Beaded handles. The bag has been interfaced with an ultra firm stand-up-by-itself interfacing called Flexi Firm.


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Bottom view. Nice and flat with bag feet.


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Inside view. Toffee coloured striped lining and magnetic snap closure.


Tomorrow is Bag Eye Candy Day so get your lovely baggy pics into the U-Handbag All Bags Pool and the U-Handbag Tutorials pool if you fancy a chance of your handi work being proudly shown off on this blog :)


July 15, 2008

Bye bye Baby

Haven't been blogging in a while because Al is leaving to study in Somerset Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa for 5 weeks and then for a further 5 weeks he's off to another hospital in Thailand Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot on the Burmese Border.  So for the last few days we have been doing nice coupley things before he jets off later today. 

Al is going to be away for 10 whole weeks!  We haven't ever been apart for more than 2 weeks in all of the 9 odd years that we've been a couple...ho hum!  So whilst I'm really happy that he will get some brilliant hospital experience I'm going to be a bit glumsville without him; hugging me like a bear, making me laugh, reaching all of them high shelves, and lifting heavy stuff.  Still - I guess I can watch any chick-flick that I want, I'm sure to lose a few pounds as I won't be eating those nice coupley dinners, and I can let the housework slide (Al is very domesticated and house proud). 

Waaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!  Him not being around is going to be as strange as these...

Wine
I saw these in my local supermarket.  'Ready poured, just peel away the lid and glug' plastic glasses of wine.  What ever next??

July 10, 2008

Thurday Bag Eye candy

Some of your gorgeous baggy goodness to sneak a peek at while the boss/kids/etc. aren't looking...


From the U-Handbag Tutorials pool...

Mosaic6483938
1. B&W Bag, 2. IMG_0370, 3. sushibagtwo, 4. Snap purse and mirror, 5. farmers market shopper, 6. Hex, 7. velvet gucci2, 8. porta moedas purse coine, 9. pinkbagone

.

And from the U-Handbag All Bags Pool...

Mosaic2331651

1. Perfect Pressed Flowers Bag, 2. Dora Bag Volare oh oh!!!, 3. Push phone pouch -red, 4. zaza charmer tote redux, 5. Marigold, 6. greenwithpoppies5, 7. Sassy Sketchbook Tote, 8. kumatryoshka bag, 9. PansyPurses


Yummy aren't they? Thank for putting your lovely bags into the pools everyone. You are some seriously talented bag ladies!   I'll be going back to doing a Bag Eye Candy every week so please keep your baggy pics coming.  Ta!

July 09, 2008

Salad days by the sea

Golly that was one nail biting Wimbledon mens final!  I'm too lazy to do sport so there'd be even less point in me watching it, but that tennis game had me in bits!  I'm chuffed for Rafa - he seems like such a nice young man (with such nice arms...mmm).

Last Thursday Al finished his 4th year in med school (1 more year to go; jeez it's a loooong slog) and Paul (Al's brother) came over for a short visit on his way home to Dublin.   So we have all been having fun trying to stay out of the rain and Al has been reacquainting himself with the joys of long lie-ins and eating breakfast at lunchtime. 

Last weekend we visited some friends who live in Brighton.  Each time we pop down to Brighton we look dreamily in the estate agents windows and fantasize about living by the sea...

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Time for a spot of lunch.  Vicky is picking some salad from her veggie patch.  The resulting salad is sooo  flavoursome.  Paul (Al's brother) is certainly impressed with the home grown groceries.


Vic & Mick (yes that is really their names) have a lovely garden and home - much of which they have fixed up themselves (the bathroom, flooring, kitchen, you name it).  In contrast Al & I are a bit rubbish at DIY (beyond decorating) and we're not too hot at gardening either.  Still, I quite like the idea of growing my own veggies...not that committing myself to anything by saying that...


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Too early to pick this tasty looking specimen (courgette/zuchinni) shame!  Perhaps we'll pop over for another visit in a few weeks time - heh!


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Such a great idea to plop a sink in one of your flowerbeds.  I love the clock too.


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He always makes a daft face as soon as the camera is pointed at him (and so does Al). 


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Desert was deeelicous homemade summer pudding.  Sprout the cat just so happens to love summer pudding - handy eh?


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This is Beans the cat.  Bean & Sprout are lovely, lolloppy, and friendly cat brothers.


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I bet they all know how cute they are and I bet they love to mug up to a camera just as much as we do.


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And now a nice dusk-lit stroll on Brighton beach to walk off a late lunch and to make room for dinner.  Ah...life is good.


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Brighton Pier


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And the "Mr & Mrs shoe shot".  We always take pics of our feet/shoes whenever we're on a beach, as you can see Brighton beach isn't very sandy.  If you're interested my shoes are by Simple and they are made from hemp and completely recycled materials.  They are well made, sooooo comfy, and really breathable (or in other words completely un-whiffy, which is kinda handy don'tcha think?)

July 03, 2008

And the winners of the Amy Butler Sewing Pattern Contest (May 08) are...

Poor Andy getting beaten into submission by Rafa...(who has rather yummy man arms...mmm...man arms)... ahem.

Thanks to everyone who entered. This month's Amy Butler monthly contest was more about clothes.  It was so nice to see more clothing being modeled by the likes of you lovely ladies (and a rather handsome Mark).  So the winners of May's Amy Butler sewing contest are:


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Just gorgeous (I want that fabric!) perfectly fitting Anna Tunic by Creative Reveries.


Lotus
Very pretty Lotus Tunic.  I love her fabric choices. By Kimmersk9.



Barecelona
Delicious Barcelona Skirt with matching bag.  In fact her whole outfit is just adorable.  By Orchid22.


Well done Ladies!  Please get back to me with your choice of Amy Butler pattern and your postal address and I'll send you your pattern. 


Thanks to everyone else who entered, sorry you didn't get lucky this time.  You could always try your luck in next month's contest!
Next month's contest is about striking a pose with your Amy B. item.  Oh! I can't wait to see your entries :)

July 01, 2008

Put your Sewing Machine in the spotlight

You and your sewing machine have probably been through a lot swearing sewing together I know my Janome 3500 and I have.  It's nice to read about other folks experiences of their machines.  I was contacted by Krista to review my good lady workhorse for one of her blogs.  It looks like a great blogging cause.  Krista has two sewing machine review blogs one for the trusty old timers and one for the newer upstarts.


Heels and machine
Read my review of my Janome 3500 here.  My fave heels of all time are also in this old pic because I wanted a photograph of 2 objects that make me really happy (and they still do).


Krista is looking for reviews of YOUR sewing machines.  You just have to fill in a quick and easy questionnaire and take a nice pic of your sewing machine.  Pop over to Krista's blogs and drop her an email to join in.  I'm looking forward to being nosey and checking out your maaaachiiines!

...and the winner of the £50 ($100) U-Handbag giveaway is....

So sorry for being late (as per usual) to announce the winner of this draw.  Believe me, I don't do it on purpose (for effect, like daft competition TV shows do these days - I miss The Apprentice sooo much!)

UHA contest
Up for grabs was a £50 ($100) trolley dash around my shop.


So, there were 169 entries and the Random Number Generator stopped on the number 41,

So will Christine who wrote:

"Wow happy birthday to you and wishing many more years of happiness and success:)

I was just thinking yesterday how much I love your blog and how much I appreciate you being such a generous person and sharing some of your patterns and many of your clever tips. It's great to see someone "who's made it" but still is generous in spirit and knowledge/experience sharing. I'm glad you haven't become "stingy";) on the way.

Anyway, I would have loved joining your bag making course I had been living in the same country as you (consider expanding to Norway, will you?:)

If I was going to your bag making course; I think I would have wanted to learn how to make an across the shoulder/chest messenger type bag. One that is cleverly organized and...pretty:) I always drag tonnes of stuff in my bag to work: crime novel, private sketchbook, work sketchbook, moleskin, a snack, a scarf, some work in progress knitting or embroidery project...and the list goes on:) With 2hours to work that includes: a bike ride, a long train journey and a shorter bus journey; I need plenty of stuff and a nice comfortable/safe(thinking of busy hands in busy places)/pretty bag to pack it all in:) Yes, so that is the bag I would have liked to be making, a bag I think you would/could design perfectly:)

My second choice I think would be a well-organized week-end type bag with a retro feeling which would be almost too pretty to use but so intrinsically associated with vacation and bliss that even looking at it would make one's mind thrift off to exotic (and homely) places:)

All my very best,
Christina"


Congratulations!  Please get in touch with me so you can have your 'trolley dash'.


I'm sorry to all of of you who didn't get lucky this time. Thanks to everyone who took part and for your kind birthday wishes.  Your comments have been so helpful in helping me plan for the upcoming workshops and they will no doubt come in very useful when I get U-Handblogger's block  OXO!

Hi & welcome!

  • lisa.lam[at]u-handbag[dot]com
  • It's nice of you to drop in for a read of my Bag Making blog.
  • My name is Lisa, and I am the proud and happy owner of U-Handbag; an online shop for all bag making fanatics (and fanatics to be!).

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Purse & Bag Tutorials

  • How to use Metal Rivets
  • Backpack Bag
  • Easy Ironing Board Cover
  • Purse Twist Turn Locks
  • Hex Open Bag Frame (aka) Knitting & Craft Tote Bag
  • Pretty Piping & Chevron Stripe Shoulder Bag
  • Sewing Piping onto Bags
  • Groceries Bag with Curved Gussset
  • Rather Cheeky Wristlet Clutch
  • Silk Pleated & Darted Purse
  • Zippered Pocket in Bag Lining
  • Zippered Pouch with Pocket
  • Flex Frame Coin Purse
  • Glasses Case (curved frame)
  • Clutch Purse (straight frame)
  • Pleated Pouch of Apples

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