Man Bag

Mike carries a lot back and forth to work each day. Cables, computer parts, a laptop, gym clothes and the always accumulated garbage. His backpacks get a lot of use and it was obvious he needed a new one when his current backpack was looking quite sorry with rips and coffee stains.

I have for some time been dreaming of making a backpack and this summer was the perfect time to do that. Of course I have a few admires in the business, one being a local artist named Garrett Kautz of Strawfoot. Garrett makes awesome bags and backpacks and I often joke that I wish he was hiring. He is a huge inspiration of mine and was while making Mike's backpack.

The backpack came together well with little complications. It's been in use for two months and holding up! Soon I would like to make another using different colored fabric and leather.  

Zip it

I have finally come up with a zipper design that I am happy with! This zipper has taken some time, but I was put to the challenge after an Etsy customer asked if he could get a specific bag with a zipper, so he kindly gave me a month to do it. I am super happy with the way this bag came together that I now look forward to incorporating more zippers into my bags! Here are a few pictures of the process.

A New Season!

Wow! It's been months.... a full and fun summer sucked the life away from the sewing machine. Having the kids home day after day, and short trips away from home left little time to sew. One thing I did continue to do during summer was visit fabric shops during my travels! One happen to be in Chicago and was huge, oh how I wish it was just down the street, this way I could visit it everyday! So here I am, It's October, I have a pile of fabric, some new ideas, Halloween costumes to make and I am excited to get busy again. 

While visiting family I often walk Contra Loma Regional Park 

Labels, Names & Logos

I chose the name blackcap to represent my bags after the Eurasian blackcap bird. Blackcap rolls pretty well with bags too! Recently my cousin gave me the idea to put a hat on the c in blackcap, so we played around with it a bit and settled on this simplistic label. I'm sure with time this may change and take new shape as I come across new ideas.

Poor Dog Farm

I came across an Artist named Sam Georgieff of Poor Dog Farm from Pennsylvania. Sam does watercolor painting of beautiful landscapes and animals wearing hats and other accessories. What perfect then a bird wearing a black hat! His painting are great. I look forward to enjoying them on the walls of my sewing room. Thanks Sam!

Sam paints under the Etsy shop, Poor Dog Farm named after his Southern Pennsylvania farm and studio. 

A Walk in the Woods

It's a bit drizzly here today, but that didn't stop the kids and I from walking the Henry Cowell Redwood Grove Loop Trail! 

Good times

 We took a short walk in the neighborhood this morning. There is the smell of camp fires in the air.... sweet memories of childhood camping trips!  

Father's Day

 For Father's Day I made Mike a Vanilla Bean Mint ice cream sweeten with honey to pair with one of his favorites, the brownie! Turned out Mike didn't like the ice cream, but everyone else did! The ice cream had a subtle sweetness and a more savory flavor that was very cleansing to the palate.  Loved it!   

Nourished Kitchen recipe

Sometime ago I contemplated buying fabric napkins for everyday use, but was a bit shocked by the price so didn't get any. A few weeks ago I made my own from cotton linen. They absorb well and it feels nice to use something you've made. I hope to make more in the near future and place some in my Etsy shop!

We used our napkins for the first time yesterday during our Father's Day celebration

After dinner we took Mike to the park to get his wiggles out!

Happy Father's Day ~ Michele

Cross body bag

I was glad to spend some time sewing today! It has been a week and I needed to get back to it. I worked on a small cross body bag. I have never owned one and have wished on many occasions I had one; like those trips when you don't want to be weighed down and want free hands, but need your phone and some cash and your pockets just won't do.  

The first bag on the left was WAY too small. The bag on the right was a better size. My brain needed some warming up. 

Putting a snap on. 

On the next bag I am going to try to go a bit more narrow with the flap. 

I like this strap concept, It's fun! 

Becoming a minimalist

I often think about what it means to live minimally.... mindfully. I am already hard wired to function better in a minimal environment were everything has a place. Minimalism is about scaling down your possessions to only those items that give us pleasure and enhance your life. I begin to feel very weighed down when I am living among too much stuff. Or hanging on to something that just doesn't serve a purpose any longer. So, here at our home this week I have been preparing for an up coming flea market at the Felton Presbyterian Church. Our duplicates, unloved, unnecessary items are packed up and ready to go! And I am feeling better! Everyone tolerates their “stuff” differently but when I have too much stuff around I tend to go CRAZY! Now for the harder work.... buy minimally and buy mindfully.   

While reading about this subject I came across Becoming Minimalist and I liked it :) 

Have a wonderful weekend!  

Glad it wasn't a cougar

I grew up and lived in an urban area for more than thirty years and have only been living in the Santa Cruz mountains for just over a year. So, when we have four legged hoofed visitors we still get excited! I shot a few pictures of today’s visitor enjoying an afternoon snack.  

New materials

I have been wanting to use waxed canvas for my bags, so a few months ago I tried to wax a piece of canvas. I melted equal parts bees wax and paraffin wax, painted it on the fabric and then blow dried the wax forever to help it absorb into the fabric.... well lets say it worked, but no way did I want to use it. It smelled like bees wax and was just way to sticky. Finding waxed canvas has been hard and to get it in a small quantity, even harder.

Today I was excited to get a couple packages in the mail! I opened them immediately.

Finally! Waxed canvas, two yards. It feels good and doesn't smell, ya!  

My other package was a few beefier tools to work with new copper rivets. The rivets are used to attach leather straps to the hand bags. I am looking forward to using these copper rivets... they may not be as pretty, but I think I am really going to like how strong they are over the current rivets I use.  

I put the copper rivets to use today. I like the strength, but they do produce a more rustic look. I like the rustic, practical use of these rivets and hope I am not the only one! My first go was a bit difficult so, today I also had a chance to pick up a few new tools in hopes that they will make working with this type of rivet easier.   

New bag pattern

I worked on a new pattern today! Something a bit more purse like. 

I like darts! They are cute :) 

Interior leather pocket

Oh, Zippers....

Finished! I was surprised that the first one came together pretty well. I need to clean up the darts and I may work something else out for the strap. 

Makin' a Scarf

While visiting Hart's Fabric my daughter  thought maybe she could make scarfs and sell them to make some money to buy a hamster. I do love the idea of her making scarfs and hitting the craft fairs with me! So I let her pick some fabric to make a scarf. Scarfs are simple, and I thought it would be easy for her to make.

It was! however, working with silk was difficult. I prefer the 14oz. fabrics I use to make bags and the silk we bought felt like negative oz. fabric to my finger tips. Here she is! 

Papa's Garden

Since I can remember my dad has loved gardening. It's not until now that I recognize and completely understand his love for it. It's his hobby! And it has always gotten bigger and better as the years have gone by. He now has something growing all year long. 

I too enjoy gardening, but he defiantly has me beat. That's okay..... I still like bags and sewing better ;) I captured a few pictures while visiting as I often do. I love seeing his garden in full bloom and having these pictures are such a treasure, it's what brings my dad such joy! Enjoy ~Michele

Let there be! Squash 

Sugar Snap

Dad picking Cherries 

Red Onion

Garlic seedlings 

Cabbage

Pomegranate