PeridotLane

{kickin' with kokopelli}

2010-10-08T19:05:00.006-06:00

My friend, K, in Nevada sent me a message a LONG time ago (sorry, girl!) asking me if I could make her a bag with Kokopellis because she has really been into them lately. I immediately said, "Yes!" and then thought, "What is a Kokopelli? Maybe I can't." Hmmmm, so like we do in this time and age I googled "Kokopelli" and learned something new.

"Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player (often with a huge phallus and feathers and antenna-like protrusions on his head), who has been venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States. Like most fertility deities, Kokopelli presides over both childbirth and agriculture. He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music." ~Wikipedia

This little guy wasn't really new to me, but I just didn't realize he was called a Kokopelli. So, if you were wondering . . . now you know!! :) After some craziness finding and ordering the fabric this bag was so fun to make. I love making a bag out of a style of fabric that I have never used before. This is my first Southwestern bag and I thought pretty fitting that I shipped it to the Nevada desert yesterday. Not quite Southwestern, but if a Southwestern bag is going to live anywhere other than the Southwest it should be Nevada. So take a peek at my friend, Kokopelli, and lets hope those fertility vibes didn't stay in my house! ;)

{something new and a zipper to boot}

2010-10-03T16:28:00.007-06:00

Something new to sew! My friend, J, wanted something similar to the Amy Butler Birdie Sling, but, in a smaller purse size AND she wanted a zipper. Yikes! I have always been terrified of zippers and did everything I could to avoid making anything with one. But, not wanting to disappoint my girlfriend I ventured out for such a purse and found a great pattern that would fit the bill. This little sweetheart is "Fiona" by Jenna Lou Designs. It is such a great little purse. Since I had never used the pattern I had to give it a trial run so J's purse wasn't the maiden voyage with this pattern. My first run turned out perfect and the zipper was SO easy. I forgot to take pics of the first purse when she was all crisp and new, but she is now mine! I never have time to sew for myself so I was very happy to keep this for myself. I added a couple pockets to the pattern because what woman doesn't need a couple extra pockets? And yes, one is a cell phone pocket because anybody who knows me knows I rarely make a bag without a cellphone pocket! There is no purpose in life if you don't have a cellphone! ;)

The beautiful purse you see below is the one I made for J. She found the black and red fabric on an online store that I frequently purchase from and then chose the coordinating yoke from my fabric stash via picture texts. The results were perfect, she loves it and THAT makes me happy!!! :)

{one latte = one happy mama}

2010-09-15T20:52:00.006-06:00

Buried alive. Maybe not REALLY buried alive, but do you know that feeling fellow moms? How about you fellow stay-at-home moms trying to run a little business from your home? (I have to confess here that my "little business" may be no more than a means to hoard gorgeous fabric that I want to roll in when it comes home from the store or arrives in the mail, but, please don't tell my husband!) Okay, back to that buried alive feeling. (btw, that latte I mentioned in the blog title . . . wait for it . . .) Between packing lunches, having three kids in three different schools, the gym, the grocery store, Target, Costco, appointments, piano lessons, etc. I have to say "buried alive" may come close to describing my "holy moly" life. On top of all of this I am trying with all my superwoman might to catch up on sewing orders and get a little business feeling back in my little business. Thankfully, most of my orders are from friends, friends of friends and fellow moms and they understand that "sooner or later" is a good timeframe when they place an order. :) I'm getting there and when I get there it will be a grand day because then I get to start playing with some of my new patterns and I'm going to design a couple new bags to add to my "collection". (HeeHee. Collection. Do I have a "collection"? That's a fun little thought!) In the mean time I am going to catch up on my blog with some pics of a few new projects.

Here is where that latte makes it's entrance. One of my happiest places is cozied up to a hot latte from EspressWay, a great local place owned by a friend. They know my order before I even speak it, 16 oz., vanilla bean latte, double shot, 1/2 the flavor. Mmmmm, I can almost smell the espresso now, calling to me and begging me to stop in every chance I get. :) One of my favorite parts of drinking my latte, besides the warm fuzzies it gives me, is slipping my handmade java jacket onto my cup. I know we should "go green" and I really do sometimes AND I recycle my cups, but there is nothing like walking around with a coffee cup with my favorite java jacket that expresses MY style. So yes, it may be a simple pleasure, but in my life of chaos I embrace every simple pleasure I can get my hands on. Everybody should do this more. Find your simple pleasure and run with it. Well, walk with it because running is a bit more chaotic than walking and we are going for less chaos with your simple pleasures. :)

In honor of my "happy mama simple pleasure" I am sharing a couple pics of a few java jackets I have made for friends recently. Enjoy and if you are interested in one please contact me! I'd love to hear from you! They are $8 ea.

{multi-tasking}

2010-06-14T17:06:00.013-06:00

Well, being a mother of three I try to be the queen of multi-tasking. Otherwise, how would I ever get anything done? So beings that multi-taking is always on my mind I was a little intrigued by this pattern when I saw it, Multi-Tasker Tote. I have had this pattern laying around with my growing collection of patterns since the beginning of the year. When a friend said she was going to have to order a new big bag I decided it was a great time to give this baby a test drive. Lucky for her it was right around her birthday! Lucky for her I happened to have some awesome Amy Butler fabric on hand. Lucky for her Anna Maria is an amazing designer. I'm not a great designer when it strays too far from the basics so I greatly appreciate an amazing design job. The great thing is that it sews together pretty quickly so instant gratification of sorts comes into play. So, since I like me some instant gratification I busted out some more Amy Butler Daisy Chain and made my cousin a diaper bag for the upcoming birth of baby #4! Yikes, four kiddos definitely calls for more pockets so I redid the pockets. I added some great pleated pockets big enough for diapers and wipes and then added my favorite little pocket of all time, a cellphone pocket! My favorite, because, I don't believe life would go on if cellphones ceased to exist!

So onto the Anna Maria Multi-Tasker Tote. To me "tote" screams "big enough to carry everything you need for the day, you busy super woman of a mom!" and this tote does not disappoint! The finished bag is 18" wide, 14.5" tall and 4" deep with nice long straps that automatically cinch the bag up a bit when you sling it on your shoulder. It's AWWWWWWWWWWWWESOME! It has four exterior pockets (but, I found if you don't follow the directions correctly it can have two larger exterior pockets and I kind of like that as an option) and I make it with the wonderful pockets I described above.

So, feast your eyes on the Multi-Tasker Tote. Get ready to get many things done at lightening speed when you step out of your house with this bag on your shoulder! I'm pretty sure the universe works like this! :-)

{so chic}

2010-01-29T14:18:00.012-07:00

chic (sheek)

adj. 1. Conforming to the current fashion; stylish

n. 1. The quality of state of being stylish; fashionableness

This is the first word that I thought of when I finished this bag. How can you not like black and hot pink?! When my friend, K, saw another friend carrying her bag that I made several years ago she said she HAD to have one! So I jumped at the chance to create something different from the few bags I have been making almost exclusively for a couple years. When I asked her if she knew what kind of fabric she would like she immediately said black with a hot pink lining. So this is what I came up with. Her reaction was the best one I have ever received when delivering an order. There were OMGs, oohing and aahing and showing it off to the other gym members. :) That is the best compliment I could receive!

So, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to a new bag that I happily refer to as, "Colette" after my girlfriend that received the first bag I made of this style. It has a great A-line shape, but the most fantastic thing about this bag is the sash bow. It can be a fun embellishment on your bag, a belt around your waist or a scarf around your neck or in your hair. How fun is that? It has a coordinating topstitching that adds a little bit of stability and strength. I included my favorite feature of a purse or bag, pockets! Four of them to be exact, one of them being a cell phone pocket.

To add to the shrieks from "K", I included a matching Java Jacket. :) Shop and enjoy your coffee in style. Why would you do it any other way?

I can't tie a pretty bow to save my life!

{old jeans? presto! new skirt!}

2010-01-12T23:40:00.003-07:00

I tried my hand at this nifty little project about a year ago and the results are so much fun! Jeans to a skirt, baby! Do you have an old pair of jeans that you just don't like anymore, but they fit? Try recycling them into something totally different. This isn't really going to be a tutorial because I didn't take near enough pictures to walk you through the steps. This is more of a before, during and after pic. Sometime in the future maybe I will try a tutorial, I've never done that!

This is a skirt I made for my friend, C. She delivered two pair of jeans to me. One for her and one for me to make myself a skirt!! Yay! I still haven't gotten to that project, but what else is new??? lol

So take a peek and see how the before turned into the after. I hope to someday post some pics of little girl skirts from my girl's "tore up knee" jeans. The embroidery is just to cute to just throw them away! Enjoy!

Regular 'ole jeans just waiting to be transformed

Use a seam ripper to rip out the inseam. You actually end up ripping further up toward the zipper so the denim will lie flat.

Ta-Da! Cute skirt! I use the lower section of the pant leg to make the insert so you use a lot of the denim from the jeans. Not a huge amount of waste. This part always seems to be the most troublesome for me. Not being a clothing seamstress I have to take more time to make this right. There is a lot of adjusting the insert when on the model to make it hang just right.

I like leaving the skirts with a raw edge so they fray when washed. Just a fun detail!

{gettin' hip}

2009-12-21T22:17:00.007-07:00

This little lady seems to be the bag of choice this Fall. If you are looking for something smaller and quite convenient {erika} is your girl! She is flat out FUN with fun fabrics that pop with a coordinating top panel, full-size interior pocket, magnetic closure and an adjustable messenger-style strap. She's fully interfaced for shape and stability and has double stitched corners for added strength.

As described, this bag is $35, plus actual shipping. Any changes outside of my basic design may result in a slight price increase. I do my best to ship as inexpensively as possible, but, shipping is usually Priority due to the weight. If available I reuse shipping materials to help save the earth of unnecessary waste. However, I will only use materials in respectable condition.

{yummy fabric}

2009-12-09T21:57:00.004-07:00

A friend from high school caught up with me last week (who I haven't seen since high school!) and asked if I had time to make his wife a bag for Christmas. He said he wanted something unique and thought of my bags. So flattering! So, I told him yes, I would love to! He chose my {gina} purse and said his wife likes "vampy chocolate", but would be happy with anything I put together. So after a little research I don't think I really hit "vampy chocolate" on the head, but I have a feeling that I did okay. I love this fabric and have had it in my stash for a long time just waiting for the right project. I'm not terribly happy with the pics, but sewing is my thing not photography. *smile*

Tina Givens "Treetop Fancy" Line

The coordinating fabric has birds on it. The blue you see are their tails.

{creating again}

2009-11-23T13:50:00.010-07:00

I'm finally finding a little time in my crazy mom schedule to spend time at my sewing machine. Oh, and let me tell you, it feels good! I have a few more orders to finish and then I have plans to work on some new bag styles. I can't wait! I also have a few non-sewing items to add to my PeridotLane blog. I'm so excited!

So while you wait, here are some pics of a couple bags I made for a my friend, E. She came over to pick out fabric for one and ended up ordering two because she couldn't decide on fabric! She chose a "serious" one and a "fun" one. :) Both of these are my "Erika" hipsters. These are so much fun to make and what a great little bag when you don't have much to take with you. But don't let the size fool you! Even though it is my smallest bag it is amazing how many things you can squeeze in it. The adjustable strap is such a nice addition to this bag. You can cinch it up and use it as a purse or leave it long to sling across your body messenger bag style. Either way you are sure to get a lot of use out of this bag.

Click here for a detailed description of this bag along with pricing. Enjoy and please feel free to contact me with any questions . . . peridotlane@yahoo.com.

Amy Butler Lotus and Anna Marie Horner Chocolate Lollipop

{spring calls for fun fabrics!}

2009-05-20T09:19:00.006-06:00

I am so happy to be sewing again. I am catching up on my long "to do" list and it feels SO good. My first order of business was getting a great little hipster ready to ship for, L, a friend of The Maternal Lens blog. L chose gorgeous fabric from Amy Butlers August Fields home dec collection. The quality and weight of this fabric is just delightful. After using it for a holiday order I promptly ordered more. I can't wait to turn out more items from this line. Pure bliss for a fabric lover like me. Thanks, L, for your order!

{life got in the way}

2009-05-14T21:14:00.004-06:00

OMG! I am so behind in my business goings-on. What happened these past two months? I have been going nonstop for the past eight weeks and that has left me with very little time to sew. :( I am missing choosing beautiful fabric, cutting it out and creating beautiful, gorgeous bags and purses. And what about my summer wardrobe. I have dresses, skirts, and haltertops just waiting to see the sunshine. And my girls. Funky fun fabrics waiting to be transformed into funky, fun clothes. There are photoshoots to be scheduled, new blog entries to be made. I need my sewing time back. To those of you that are waiting on me, I apologize. But I am happy to say my final was today, school is done, and I have completed my first semester back in school. I am ready to sew, ready to create, ready for some yummy items to slip out of my sewing machine. I'm back and ready to sew!

{a huge thanks!}

2009-04-04T12:46:00.005-06:00

A huge thank you and internet hug from everybody that wanted to win my java jacket on The Maternal Lens blog. :) They got about 30 love notes (entries) for the free giveaway. Also, thank you to those of you who stopped by to visit my blog. I have received some wonderful words regarding my items and I greatly appreciate it. Please continue to stop by. I hope to have some new pics posted over the next few weeks. I have lots of orders to fill, therefore, lots of work to do. Thanks again to my friends and readers for the great support. Without all of you, there would be no point in me having this blog! Adios and good day!

{free giveaway!}

2009-04-01T16:15:00.010-06:00

Okay, readers and followers you have to check out my dear friend's blog, The Maternal Lens. Every week or so they feature a free giveaway of various sorts of awesomeness. This week the featured giveaway is one of my java jackets!!! You will find all the giveaway details right here! I'm so excited! So get yourself entered and maybe you will be saving the planet of unnecessary waste in style. ;)

Be sure to come back and post a comment if you win! If you don't win come back here to contact me about ordering one. I would be happy to hook you up! :)

{all the credit goes to . . .}

2009-03-11T09:18:00.003-06:00

I have recieved so many compliments on my business card and blog that I felt I should give credit where credit is due. Last year I found a wonderful graphic design shop on Etsy.com, pixelbypixel. She created a beautiful custom design for my business card that has now found it's way onto blog, my labels that I sew into my bags, tags and now a second label and stickers. I will continue to return to her for any graphic design or promo needs that I have. Please visit her by clicking on her ad below. She is so talented and has great promotional items for your business. Thank you, pixelbypixel!

{may i reacquaint you}

2009-02-28T20:43:00.008-07:00

May I reintroduce you to this gem in my sewing jewelry box. This little darling is "Shaine", named after my sister, J. :) This tote is one of my most ordered items. It is a wonderful basic tote with lots of personality thanks to the yummy fabrics that I have the pleasure of working with. This bag is great for any of your bag carrying needs. Mine started as a diaper bag and moved onto such jobs as gym bag, market bag, book bag, yoga bag, piano lesson bag, etc. The list goes on and on! The possibilities are endless!

Shaine is about 15" h x 17"w (at the top) and 4 1/2" deep. It is fully interfaced for strength, shape and stability, has two large interior pockets and closes securely with a magnetic snap. I use only designer fabrics in my adult bags and pride myself on using these high quality materials. All my fabrics are prewashed and pressed.

This bag sells for $42, plus shipping. Any changes outside her basic design may result in a slight price increase. Also, I do my best to ship as inexpensively as possible. If available I do use previously used shipping materials to help save the earth of unnecessary waste. However, I will only use materials that are in respectable condition.

{passport please}

2009-02-28T14:48:00.013-07:00

These three "Erika" Hipsters took a long trip recently. My friend, J, turned her mom onto my little bag here and she ordered three of them! One for herself and two of her friends for a girl's trip to Thailand. My bags have gone international!

This casual bag is one of my favorite accessories, especially for the summer (which will hopefully come sooner than later here in Montana!). It is such an easy little bag to throw on for just the bare essentials. Mine easily carries my wallet, lip gloss, phone, business cards with room to spare for other small odds and ends.

"Erika" is 8" wide x 10" tall x 2" deep. It has a messenger style strap that is 47 1/2" long. For an extra $4, an adjustable strap can be added so the strap can be adjusted to fit your body or to be used as a purse with a shoulder strap. As described (without the adjustable strap) this bag is $29, plus shipping. Any changes outside of my basic design may result in a slight price increase. Also, I do my best to ship as inexpensively as possible. If available I do use previously used shipping materials to help save the earth of unnecessary waste. However, I will only use materials that are in respectable condition.

Pack your bags girls! We're going to Thailand!

Timeless Treasures Modern Love Line, Tina Givens Zazu Line

Tina Givens Zazu Line, Posh by Chez Moi for Moda

How About a Little Bling?

2009-02-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

While making a bag for a friend yesterday I remembered that I was never able to find ribbon to coordinate "perfectly" with this fabric combination. In an effort to add a fun embellishment to the bag I remembered some great vintage pins that I found at a flea market/craft bazaar last year. I just love the uniqueness it adds to the bag. I need to start antiquing and find some more pins. (That will make my husband happy!) What a fun addition to an already fun bag. Just like every girl, every bag needs a little bling!

Again, these awesome pictures are compliments of my friend S of Thousand Words Photography. Please visit her site at: http://www.thousandwordsphotographymt.com. She's amazing!

The Fruits of my Holiday Labor

2009-01-14T23:46:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been awhile since I have updated my blog. I appologize. The holidays were crazy. I totally underestimated the time I would need to complete all of my orders and gifts. A lesson learned from my first holiday season with PeridotLane. I had orders for 33 of my java jackets. Wow, is all I have to say to that. They were a big hit and so much fun to make.

I was also busy filling orders and making gifts for friends and family. Below you will find several of the bags I completed during the holidays. As always, my favorite part of my bags is the fabric. I love, love, love them. In the pics below I think my favorite is, um, well, oh, it's hard to choose . . . the last bag! Oh, I love the colors and the big bold flowers. Maybe leave me a comment and let me know which fabric you enjoy the most.

My Gina bag, great purse size tote. This bag is made with Amy Butler fabric, August Fields home dec weight fabric.

Three little pockets, one is a cell pocket, magnetic closure.

Amy Butler Birdie Sling. I love this bag! You could fit a small child in here. :) This is made with Amy Butler fabric, Slate Morning Glory and Full Moon Dot.

My Shaine Bag. I made the straps a little longer on this one. I think it makes it more of a shoulder-tote than a hand-tote.

Aren't those flowers amazing?

Coffee Anyone?

2008-11-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

In the midst of my crazy, busy life I finally have something other than a bag to bring to my blog. This is my beloved little Java Jacket. These are a great way to go a little green and express your personal style. No more throwing away those boring cardboard jackets you get at the coffee shop.

I use high quality designer fabrics for all my items. The interior fabric coordinates beautifully with the exterior and they have an insulated lining that provides body and heat resistance. My Java Jackets are $8 plus shipping.

Hey, you know what is a great idea? Order one to match your bag! : )

Have Little Girls? I Have Little Girl Bags.

2008-10-17T09:21:00.000-06:00

Here is a sneak peek of two little girls bags I just put together. There is still some fine tuning to be done and I will have descriptions posted soon. I couldn't wait to get these great pics posted and share them with my readers. My friend of ThousandWords Photography took these pictures, as well as the ones with my Hipster post. (You can visit her in my links section.) She is so talented and I'm now afraid to take any pictures of my own! Enjoy!

Introducing My Hip Little Hipster

2008-10-16T20:20:00.003-06:00

"Erika" is my latest design, a cute little hipster. This bag is perfect for carrying just the bare essentials. It carries my wallet, lip gloss, phone, business cards with room to spare for other small odds and ends. I even fit two movies in it the other day that needed to be returned.

"Erika" is 8" wide x 10" tall x 2" deep. She has an adjustable messenger style strap so it can be adjusted to fit your body or to be used as a purse with a shoulder strap. As described this bag is $35, plus shipping. Any changes outside of my basic design may result in a slight price increase. Also, I do my best to ship as inexpensively as possible. If available I do use previously used shipping materials to help save the earth of unnecessary waste. However, I will only use materials that are in respectable condition.

Say Cheese!

2008-09-27T00:15:00.000-06:00

Recently a couple of my projects had the privilege of sitting for a photo shoot with my friend of ThousandWords Photography (check my links section). She is amazing, such raw, natural talent. She photographed my Shaine bag and a beautiful bag I made from Amy Butler's new Birdie Sling pattern. I love this bag. It holds a whole days worth of "stuff" and more! Mine traveled to Virginia with me and provided all the room I needed on the plane and in the airport. Both of these bags were made with Amy Butler fabrics, all so beautiful and amazing quality.

Great Combination

2008-09-26T11:54:00.000-06:00

Here is the first bag ordered off of my blog. I'm so excited! I love the fabric combinations. My customer wanted a black or dark exterior with a fun bold/bright coordinate. I would say lime zebra stripes is fun and bright. I will definitely be making more of this bag. This is my Gina bag, a nice purse size bag that would also hold a couple diapers or wipes for a day trip. A small dog may also fit, if you prefer. : ) The exterior is a Michael Miller Ironwork Scroll and the interior panel and pocket are a fun zebra print by Anna Griffin. For a full description of this bag please scroll down. Thanks for stopping by!

Where I Shop for Fabric

2008-08-10T16:25:00.000-06:00

It isn't very often that I purchase fabric locally. We do have a wonderful quilt shop in town that I can shop at, but with three children sometimes it is far easier to sit down at my computer and have my beautiful fabric delivered to my door.

In my "Favorite Links" section you can now peruse the "aisles" of the online fabric stores I purchase from frequently (I can't purchase from the Amy Butler site, but I can usually find her fabric elsewhere if you find something you like). This is where I send my customers to find fabric for a custom order or to get an idea of what they might want. Some folks like to choose their fabrics, where as others get overwhelmed and leave it up to my little creative mind. Whichever route you may choose I am happy to help you create a bag you will love! If you are interested in a bag contact me at my e-mail (to the right) and we will start creating together. Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. My favorites tend to be the Ebay stores, they have always been so kind and helpful!

Oh, The Fabrics are to Die For

2008-07-22T12:09:00.000-06:00

The best part of my business is definitely the fabric. When I get a box of fabric I just want to lay it out and roll in its yumminess (that's a word isn't it?). Sad I know, but it is my weakness. This was probably the motivator for starting PeridotLane. I needed an excuse to buy all these wonderful fabrics.

Here are a couple fabric combinations that a friend chose for her bags. I love them both, but I think my favorite is the teal & black.

Gina

2008-07-22T11:42:00.003-06:00

When something a little smaller will do the trick, "Gina" might be the one for you.

This is my smaller tote/shoulder bag that is perfect for for an everyday purse. It is about 10 1/4" wide at the bottom, 12 1/2" wide at the top, 10 1/4" high and 4 1/2" deep. The straps are about 22" long and 1 1/2" wide.

It is made of high quality designer cotton (never anything less) and fully interfaced to provide structure and stability. It is lined with a coordinating quality cotton lining. It has a band of printed cotton at the top of the lining and, of course, has pockets. Who doesn't need an extra pocket for a credit card, gift cards, keys or even a handful of M&Ms. Okay you may want to go with something that won't melt, but you get the idea. This particular bag has three pockets: 5x6, one about the size of a credit card and a cell phone pocket.

This bag sells for $32 plus shipping. Any changes outside my basic design may result in a slight price increase. Also, I do my best to ship as inexpensively as possible. If available I do use previously used shipping materials to help save the earth of unnecessary waste. However, I will only use materials that are in respectable condition.

They're Flying off the Shelves

2008-06-15T21:22:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I don't have stocked shelves for them to fly off of, but this is my most popular item and I just about can't keep up with the orders.

This is my "Shaine" bag. It is about 15" h x 17"w (at the top) and 4 1/2" deep. It is fully interfaced with two large interior pockets (sizes may vary). It closes securely with a magnetic snap. I use only designer fabrics in my adult bags and pride myself on using these high quality materials. All my fabrics are prewashed and pressed.

I used this bag as a diaper bag. However, now that I don't really need a diaper bag it is a carryall for everything I might need when leaving the house with my kids.

This bag sells for $42 plus shipping. Any changes outside this basic design may result in a slight price increase. Also, I do my best to ship as inexpensively as possible. If available I do use previously used shipping materials to help save the earth of unnecessary waste. However, I will only use materials that are in respectable condition.