Introducing the Swallow Messenger Bag

Okay, so the pattern is still in the works. I have been so busy that I am not quite done with the pattern, but I am so excited about the pattern cover that I thought I would post it now. I have been carrying this messenger bag around with me lately, and I get stopped throughout the day. People keep telling me how much they love this bag. I keep having people offer to pay me for one. I tell them they can buy the pattern and make their own.

Anyway, inspired by my hometown of San Juan Capistrano and the beautiful Heirloom line of fabric by Joel Dewberry, here you have it. I'll post when it is up on etsy and in shops. Now off to market I go tomorrow. I have so much to do!

I'm Back From Orange County

I know I look like a nerdy tourist, but I can't help myself. I LOVE to walk around and take pictures of plants and flowers that are so beautiful and perfect. These things inspire me. I just took a trip down to my home turf. This is an orange that is growing on a tree out in front of the house that I grew up in. So simple. So orange. So yummy.

San Juan Capistrano is where I lived my 18 years before I moved off for college. Swallows are a VERY big deal there. Every March 19th is Swallows day. This is the day when the Swallows are celebrated for their return from Argentina. They come back every year. They never fail us, though they are not always on time.

I spent a lovely afternoon here, on Los Rios street in a very old part of San Juan. They have turned the homes of the Rios Family into cute shops and restaurants.

This lovely, little shop on Los Rios Street, The Nest, is now carrying my headbands (along with 5 other stores in Southern California since I talked them into it this weekend.)

Orange Blossoms 

Hibiscus

One of my very nerdy favorites, Bougainvillea

This is the real reason I came to town. It was my 20 year high school reunion.

Everyone at my high school is blonde. That is what happens when you live near the beach. Just kidding.

These are my very dear friends who were cheerleaders with me. They are beautiful as ever.

It was a party. Everyone looked great. Maybe the people who look ugly stayed home, but I thought people were remarkably beautiful and healthy.

Don't you want a swallow fountain like this?

I spent the morning shooting photos of my upcoming pattern, the swallow messenger is lovely Joel Dewberry Heirloom fabrics. I am as nutty about swallows as the rest of the San Juan Capistrano folks. So I spent some time at the San Juan Mission to get some good shots. (Pattern cover coming to blog soon.) And this mission is beautiful. If you get the chance, visit San Juan Capistrano. you won't be sorry.

When I am not sewing something fun and new or taking care of my very busy home and family, I am busy working on my headband business. It keeps me plenty busy. This is my bread and butter.

 I named my company after my baby, Macy Jayne.

Each year I have a booth at the downtown farmers market in Salt Lake City where I sell my headbands and other fun things. I have been in the farmer's market for 6 seasons now. That is a long time. But the market has been good to me, and I meet so many interesting people there.

And this year, I was on a local TV program, Fresh Living, representing the farmers market and plugging my headbands. Here is a link to the show so you can see how these headbands are unique because they are Reversible, Washable, and Oh-so-comfortable.

http://connect2utah.com/libraries/nxd/media/index.php?data=media_player&v=277317

Several stores sell my headbands as well, including Pine Needles in Gardners Village and on Etsy: http://www.aprilcobbdesigns.etsy.com/

The Sewing Summit 2011

I spent a fabulous day this month at the inaugural year of the Sewing Summit in Downtown Salt Lake City at Little America, with 200ish other sewistas like myself.

I had loads of fun and got loads of stuff in this huge swag bag while I was there: patterns, quilt batting, thread, rulers and measuring tapes, chocolates, fabric, and all sorts of other goodies that sewers treasure.

This might just look like a group of women by some sewing machines, but this is more than that because these ladies are very talented and almost all carrying cute bags that they made themselves. I have never seen so much talent. One lady even had the most adorable Amy Butler fabric rain coat that she made. I covet that raincoat (but not enough to make one myself.)

My cute friend, Erin Singleton, (on the right) worked for over a year with Amy Ellis (on the left) to put this summit together. This summit was for modern sewing blogger folks to come together and meet face to face and learn from and inspire one another. Well, it was done beautifully. The venue was perfect, the attendees were warm and enthusiastic. The teachers were prepared and experienced. The food was really good too. I didn't expect that to be the case. This conference was everything I hoped it would be. I told Jay that it was the first time I have ever been to something like this that I actually enjoyed everything about it. Usually conferences are work-related and boring. But this is a work I love so it was different. Come to the Summit next year. It will not disappoint.

Behold: The Ruffle Duffle

Introducing my most recent pattern. It is rightfully named the Savannah Ruffle Duffle Bag because can't you just see it as the perfect little girl's sleepover bag or dance bag? So fun.

You might notice that the bag is done in Delighted. I sort of designed the bag around the fabric. After using this fabric so much lately, I felt compelled to go to the Delighted party when I was invited.

This bag pattern is currently available at:
Pine Needles at Gardners Village in West Jordan, Utah
New Threads fabric shop (new-threads.com) in England
on my Etsy shop www.aprilcobbdesigns.etsy.com

I was DELIGHTED to attend the launch party for Riley Blake's new line, "Delighted".

This party was just delightful. What a joy to see the creativity that went into this fabric line and the great ideas that became of it. This was a party like none other. Amanda Herring was the designer behind this line, and she just shined last night. Her creative team was very supportive and went above and beyond to make this night special. I wish I would have gotten a photo of the little mini cupcakes that I loved too.

There were a couple of little craft stations too. We made these little bottle cap pin cushions that I can't resist.

A delightful picnic quilt

Amanda decoupaged her guitar. I love it.

I must make some lanterns like this for my house. Savannah's room needs these.

These were the props for the photo booth. Cute, right?

We made these cute dog tags too.

Some sewer friends. Yay!

Candy. Yum. I stocked up.

I love this clever little tote bag with the bunting on it. So simple and so cute!

What a fun and creative group of women! Amanda, the designer is in the middle with the green skirt on (made from her line of fabric.)

A Place To Keep Track of The Fun Stuff I Do

Do you ever sit there at the end of the day and think, "What did I actually accomplish today?" That's when I consider the pile of laundry that, again, I DIDN'T do; the dinner I made that was probably mediocre; how late I was to pick up the kids because I forgot them AGAIN. I don't really regret that I did everything a little less than perfect because there isn't enough time in the day to be perfect at everything.

And then, when I am trying to fall asleep at night (because I almost always have a hard time) I don't worry about all of the things that I did wrong that day or even the things that I will inevitably do wrong the next day. This is the time when my imagination is running WILD. This is when I am dreaming about the project that I am in the middle of or the project that I am about to start. This is when the creativity really happens.

And here I can post the things that I actually did well. Those are usually things that happened in my sewing room. Usually when the baby is napping, the kids are all in bed or at school, or when there is a movie on that has sucked my kids in and allows me the time to create with few interruptions. This is my time. I love my family, and I love that staying home with my children allows me a little more time to create.