Look What I Made! Volume 5

Here's your sneak peek at a couple of the things I've been sewing like an animal the last few weeks!

BACKSTORY:  I got a snazzy new Ipad2 a couple of months back.  I take it with me to my son's weekly Speech Therapy appointments & had been carrying it in my arm/hand....I DROPPED it--(Ugh!) and thank goodness it wasn't damaged--ummmm yeah--lesson LEARNED!  I needed a padded case not only for protection if I dropped it, but I wanted to tote it hands free (so there was less of a chance of me dropping it!) and I wanted a strap.  I also needed a pocket to put my stylus and charger in...drum roll please....

TA-DAAAAAHHHH, Here she is!

I LOVE it, it is *PERFECT*!  I choose this cute Alexander Henry sewing print to make it in because it reflects me wonderfully!  It's got a zippered closure so it'll stay snug inside and an adjustable strap so I can make it a cross body bag if I want to instead of a shoulder strap~Yippee!!

The pocket on the front has a cute ruffled trim on it~very girly--cause I'm a true Girly Girl--but it also adds a nice design element, dontcha think?  I hand gathered the ruffle...I don't have a gathering foot on my sewing machine and when I try to use the technique with the basting stitches to ruffle, I don't like the results.

It is so super cute and functional, I can't stand it!  I've gotten sooooooooo many compliments on it at the Speech Therapy Office and requests to make some as well!  Here's a pic of the back:

I like Hardware.  I think it really makes a bag of any kind.  So I put on nickel swivel clasps, hoops and grommets.  It just adds an extra lil' somethin-somethin' to the overall look. 
It is soooo nice to put my Ipad2 in this padded sleeve and throw it on my shoulder so I can walk hands free.  The best part about it is sometimes I use it as a crossbody sling when I'm running to the store/Post Office or Gas Station...instead of putting my Ipad2 in it, I throw in my wallet, keys and phone when I'm making quick trips--it's an excellent "grab n go" carry all.

NEXT BACKSTORY:  I have a stack of bills and misc mailers on my desk.  Along with my International Shipping Customs Sleeves (for all you International customers, that is the plastic sleeve your shipping documents/customs forms are in when you get your package!)  I needed something to put them in so it didn't look like a jumbled mess.  Yes, I could have gone to Office Depot or Staples and bought a metal or paper organizer or bin...but I am a *FABRIC* Girl!!  So naturally, I made a Basket out of fabric!  Here it is with all my stuff inside:

Notice a common theme here?  LOL--Yep, the ruffle trim...I have become somewhat addicted to it here lately--it's just so darn cute!!!!  So I am able to keep all the stuff that was messing up my desk nice and neat inside this cute cupcake basket!
NOW--after I made this, I wanted to pick it up and move it and said to myself..."Self, you should have put handles on this basket"....soooo guess what?????

Yep, I made one with handles...Notice the handles are attached with Nickel Stud Rivets (Hardware again, folks--I love it!)  This one in particular is going into my Handmade Shop on Etsy this weekend with a few other ones I made.  I've got some Fabric Baskets with handles, several Ipad2 Sleeves with adjustable straps and a BRAND NEW PURSE DESIGN all going into my Etsy Handmade shop this weekend!  The new purse design is truly a labor of love that I am UBER excited about! 
Stop by my Handmade shop this weekend to see the new purse design!
I'll probably still post a pic of it here on the blog for ya next week as well~soooo excited!
I may start making tutorials here on the blog for some of the quick n' easy projects that I do--who's interested????
Happy Sewing! ☺

Michelle