Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Guest Post: My Mother & a GIVEAWAY!

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful husband!!
Cake made by Kerry for his birthday last year
Today's post is brought to you by my mother. Her last guest post about her troubles finding a mother-of-the-bride dress was wildly popular, and she's back now to talk about making the bags for my bridesmaids gifts! Take it away mom!

Sewing is as much about creativity as it is an expression of love for me. While sewing I am concentrating meditatively on my creation while at the same time reminiscing about the person I am sewing for. So when Laura asked me to make tote bags for the bridal party it was a labor of love. Most of these girls I have known since they were toddlers and teens and therefore, there are many memories stitched into those bags.

The actual process was an adventure. First, we needed to decide the style of the bags which led to a two hour drawing and coloring session with Laura.
Next we went to Joanne Fabrics and Crafts to "audition" fabrics for the totes. That was at least another two hours of comparing and contrasting color and pattern choices. We finally settled on three fabrics; a solid green, a striped green, beige, and brown, and a paisley brown and green (My favorite). Once all of that was figured out it was time to begin construction.
I decided the easiest thing to do was to make a patterns of each section of the tote out of interfacing. Then I would place the pattern on the fabric, place my rotary square on top of it carefully lining up the edges and squaring the corners. Then I’d swipe the edges of the rotary ruler with my rotary cutter making straight, clean cuts like magic (the rotary cutter is the best invention in the world!).
I used an iron on interfacing on the lining of each bag. I ironed the interfacing onto the lining of my first bag and the heat from the iron damaged the fabric! UGGHHH! But this is sometimes my favorite part of sewing. My favorite saying in sewing is “There are no mistakes only opportunities to embellish.” So rather than waste the fabric I salvaged most of it and turned it into an outside pocket for the bag. Once I got that first tote done I took a picture of it on my phone and sent it to "The Boss" for approval.
She liked it and I was on a roll from that point on. Making seven identical totes would have been too boring for me so while each bag is similar in design they are also individualized for each girl.
(Here's mom with all the bags ready to go!)
While making these bags I came across a tutorial on Noodlehead for a lined make up bag and decided that would be fun for each girl at the Bridal Shower as a little teaser to the bigger bags they would eventually be getting.
That meant another seven bags (plus one for a give away on Laura’s blog) and then I also decided to make one for each of my sister’s three daughters. I am really addicted to these bags!  They go together pretty quickly and easily and they make a really nice gift.


Now on to my favorite giveaway I've done so far!! My mom has made one extra Bag for one Saying "I Do" Reader!! (Thanks Mom!)

To Enter:
1. Leave me a comment below why you would like this bag AND/OR leaving a comment trying to convince my mom to open her own Etsy Shop and sell these bags! (I mean come on, RIGHT?!)

Extra Entries: 
2. Follow my blog, and leave me a comment saying you do.
3. Follow me on twitter @Lwoodsny and leave me a comment saying you do.
4. Tweet about this giveaway mentioning @Lwoodsny in your tweet, and leave me a comment saying so.

Contest will end next Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 12:00 MIDNIGHT, and the winner will be announced on Friday, September 2nd! Good Luck!

48 comments:

Mom said...

Wish Mr. CHristopher a happy birthday for me. I wish I could be Oprah and start jumping up and down, screaming,"You get a bag! And you get a bag! And you get a bag! The whole audience GETS A BAG!!" Another thing on my bucket list that just won't be happening. But one lucky winner will get a bag! Good luck to all of you.

Jessica said...

Oooh those bags look great! I'm looking for more of a totebag thing for grad school and they're so cute! Yup... me wants!

Jessica said...

And I follow your blog :)

amanda @ twoninenine&ever after said...

Mom - Can I just say not only do I LOVE your bags, but I love reading your blog comments after each of Laura's blogs :) SO great to see the Mom-of-the-Bride point of view!!

DEFINITELY start a shop selling your bags, they are gorgeous! I would most definitely order some make up bags for my bridesmaids next year if you do!!! (perfect addition to the gifts I have planned)

Annnnd well, how can I put a comment about why I would want to win the bag, when the bag alone says it all :)

Good luck to everyone!

amanda @ twoninenine&ever after said...

PS. Now following your twitter :)

Heather said...

Happy birthday to Chris! These bags are FABULOUS, and your mom should 100 percent start selling them! If I had her talent and skill, I know I definitely would. I would love to win this bag to replace some of the cheap "wedding fair" style totes I normally use.

Heather said...

I follow your blog!

Heather said...

Just tweeted and posted to my FB page!

Kate V said...

Mama 0 - Please PLEASE open an etsy shop! This bag is too beautiful not to be made again and again! I want one! Consider this my official entry.

And for extra credit: I follow LWoodsNY on twitter and retweeted the contest. Pick me! I have a lot of Fall outfits that I want to rock this with :)

Laura said...

I LOVE the mix of patterns! So cute!

And your momma should TOTALLY open an etsy shop - I'm trying to get my mom to open one, too! They have unlimited opportunities being creative AND being able to sew!

Laura said...

I'm a follower of your blog! :)

Laura said...

I now follow you on Twitter - I don't know how I wasn't before!

Kate V said...

Just realized that everyone is leaving separate comments, so I'll be a follower of the rules:

I follow your face on Twitter. (LWoodsNY)

Kate V said...

I tweeted about the bag - @Vereb

Sorr about the bag...

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday Chris! And Mom... come on lady! That's some serious sewing talent happening right there!! You designed your OWN patterns!! Most people can't just do that!!! Yep, etsy shop it is. I would totally shop there! :) That said, definitely need that tote!!!!

Unknown said...

Loyal blog follower! Of course!!!

Unknown said...

I follow you on twitter! @kassarie

Unknown said...

I shared to twitter! @Kassarie

Dancy said...

First of all, how did I NOT know you're on Twitter??? Ohmigosh - well that's remedied & I'm now following you & I've been a follower of your blog forever, so I dunno if that already counts? LOL

And re: your Mom -- in all honesty I really DID think "why doesn't she sell these on Etsy" while I was reading this post. These are really awesome bags & if your Mom enjoys it so much (Hi, she took it upon herself to make additional bags for the shower and then made more for fam.- haha, so cute how excited she is!) why not continue doing what you love AND make some extra money on the side with it?? I can't sew a button back onto a shirt, otherwise I'd love to make stuff like this!

Dancy said...

whoah - do I LOSE points for my comment being too long? LOL ;) Sorry.

Dancy said...

PS I tweeted to you too but I think my tweets are protected to add me "Dancyny"

Megan said...

I would love this tote bag, because well lets face it, I am a girl and I am obsessed with bags! Your mom should definitely open her own shop on Etsy! I am actually looking for tote bags/matching make up bags at a reasonable price as gifts for my attendants. If they were hand made by your Mom, I would feel so much better about buying them off of Etsy!

Megan said...

I follow your blog!

Megan said...

I follow you on twitter!

Megan said...

I tweeted about your giveaway! http://twitter.com/#!/mdvervaecke/status/106412622659854336

HiLLjO said...

That is amazing!!! OMG she should totally open a shop.

soon to be mrs. h said...

I LOVE these bags and they are the perfect color for our wedding. I think that your mom MUSTopen a shop sos that the non-crafty type can have bags to give their girls. My girls are getting homemade things cause my mom are quilters and crafters...

Kara McGann said...

Happy Birthday to Chris. This bag would have been great to carry all my books around at Wagner. This is an awesome bag and YES, your mom needs to open an Etsy shop.

Kara McGann said...

I follow your blog!

Sara said...

those tote bags are beautiful!!!

The Vintage Modern Bride said...

i neeeed this bag! first off, the tutorial was great :) i wish i knew how to sew (and/or) was crafty! you should definitely open an etsy shop. ps, i love that you called laura "the boss". i died laughing!

The Vintage Modern Bride said...

i follow you! :)

The Vintage Modern Bride said...

of course i follow you on twitter :) i love reading your tweets!

The Vintage Modern Bride said...

http://twitter.com/#!/mathewsbambina/status/106548228169809921 tweeted!

The Vintage Modern Bride said...

oh btw, this isnt another entry, but i feel like your mom needs to follow my blog hahaha. i love seeing her comments at the end of your posts every day :)

Kristina said...

Yay, these are beautiful. Go momma!!! I'm following

Kristina said...

Follower on twitter! @kj2380

Kristina said...

Retweeted too @kj2380

Tiff For Tat said...

I Just read your moms post about wanting to be like Oprah, could she be anymore cuter??

I love the makeup bag, and just so happens Im in need of a new one..lol. WOW moms got talent, those are all adorable!!!

Tiff For Tat said...

I am a follower of your amazing blog! Oh and Happy B-day to the hubbs!

Tiff For Tat said...

I now follow you on twitter!

amanda @ twoninenine&ever after said...

Oh, and I already follow your awesome blog :)

Laura said...

Go Mom!

amanda @ twoninenine&ever after said...

Tweeted about this great giveaway! Check it out - @07Dreamer :)

Karen said...

I love these bags, and they are all the more special because your Mom made them! I always need tote bags for the gym, for work - and this would be a lovely addition! Even if I don't win, your Mom did a fantastic job!

Karen said...

And I follow your blog! :)

Amber said...

Can I just borrow your mom? Seriously your mom should make her own shop, they are so cute and its so sweet of your mom to make them!

Amber said...

I actually stumbled upon your blog today, and I am a new follower!