boodlebags

I need new fabric.

2011-02-23T12:28:00.001-08:00

Yep, I need new fabric. I'm nearly done with taking inventory...okay, I shoulda been done by now, but between procrastinating and actual valid interference from life, I got about 2/3 done and stopped. Anyway, I'm going to finish it this week, which is good, because I don't get to order anything new until I do, and some of my prints are completely out. The big question is do I reorder more of the same, or try something new?

The Blue Buttercups fabric, which is my favorite, has been out for awhile. Sadly, it has been discontinued by the manufacturer, and unless I order 500 yards of the stuff, it's gone for good. I can't even STORE 500 yards, never mind wanting to tie up that much money in one single fabric print!

I'm also out of the Pink Dandelions - a bright, fun print, but a bit of a slow mover. I'm surprised, as it's really a sweet print, and the hot pink is, well, HOT! I'd like to find a similar print to replace it, but haven't had much luck so far.

My usual source has disappointed so far this season - their new prints are either boring, ugly, or too juvenile...and considering that I make diaper bags, that's saying something! I've got some swatches on order, but my hopes are not high right now.

Unfortunately, many fabric manufacturers won't deal with small businesses like me - most minimums are prohibitive! I'm limited as well by the size and weight of fabric I need (gotta be 57" wide, and heavy like twill or canvas). Most of the other companies that I could possibly buy from make their stuff too small, or on quilting-weight cotton, which is too light. Dang!

I'm thinking about something like Spoonflower, an excellent little company that allows artists to design and print their own fabrics. But their goods are expensive - about 7 times the price I pay right now! And even with their 20% bulk discount, the cost would be too much - I wouldn't be able to sell my bags for a price that anyone would want to pay! I've found a number of similar companies, but most of them seem to be in the same price range, or even higher - yikes!!

Of course, I'd really like to design my own fabrics, and I could certainly sell them in my Etsy fabric shop (VN Rose Fabrics) in addition to making bags...but would people pay for it?

So, what to do??

Sip and Shop with your Sweetie

2011-02-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is fast-approaching - have you gotten something special for your special someone? Flying solo but still wanting to treat yourself right? Well, if you're in the Snohomish/Mill Creek/SE Everett area, have I got an event for you! Boodlebags will be co-hosting a "Sip & Shop with Your Sweetie" party at Adore Salon & Spa on Sunday, 2/13 from 6pm - 9pm. Sip wine, nibble on nosh, and shop for the perfect gift in a beautiful setting! Other participating vendors include Fired Glass Jewelry, Esoterica Candles, and Juice Plus.

I've been a client of Adore Salon & Spa for over a year, and I love 'em! Jenifer Groh, the owner of Adore, will be offering free product samples, as well as specials on salon and spa gift certificates.

I'm a huge fan of Fired Glass, and own a few of Terri's gorgeous, hand-crafted pieces. They're colorful, luminous, and fun to wear - I always get lots of compliments!

Sherry of Esoterica makes lovely, fragrant soy candles, as well as lotions and bath salts. Regular paraffin candles are made from petroleum; they're toxic, and can aggravate respiratory conditions. These handcrafted candles are the answer - made with pure soy wax and essential oils, they're non-toxic, burn clean, and smell nicer.

Juice Plus is a daily staple in our household! My kids and I love the delicious fruit and veggie gummy supplements. They offer a variety of whole food supplements that can help you to eat right...even when you don't. Trish will be happy to help you find the right product to improve you and your family's nutrition!

We do hope you'll join us - it'll be a fun party!

The Radster Lives

2011-01-31T20:30:00.000-08:00

Finally, my newest design can be revealed! A top-secret project, the prototype was to be a surprise gift for the husband of a very dear friend, and the photos couldn't be released until the package was received. At last, the Radster lives!
(I'm feeling very Dr. Frankenstein here...) Now,
the prototype was actually custom-designed as a laptop bag, but the exterior is identical to the new diaper bag design. I realize that a few of you have already heard about this bag, but for those of you to whom this is new, here's the scoop:

"The Radster joins the Xander bag in my new line of diaper bags designed with dads in mind! Made of durable, waterproof cordura nylon, this bag is one tough customer! Dark gray with black trim, the bag has green (or orange) glitter vinyl eyes, and a toothy grimace - perfect for parents with an edgy, fun fashion sense! The Radster has all the same great features as the Miranda II, including the snap-out washable lining and backpack straps. Also a great laptop bag for computers 15" and smaller." And there you have it.

Special thanks to Mary Platz of Platz Photography for her beautiful work!

7 years ago today

2011-01-27T20:46:00.000-08:00

My son turned 7 today. Wow. Where on earth did the time go?? Seven years ago today, I was hitting the 18 hr mark in my labor, when the doctor came in and said "Well, he has a giant head, and he's stuck. We can cut you open now, or we can let you push for another 2 hrs and then cut you open..." So much for my planned natural birth! Even so, we got the grand prize, and it has been a beautiful, joyful ride.

The birth of my children actually led to the work I'm doing today! Prior to motherhood, I was an artist - a painter and print maker featured in Seattle's top galleries. Well, Xander's arrival brought that to a screeching halt - too toxic! Three years later, I was ready to go back to it. Chris and I had tried to get pregnant a second time with no luck, and at 39 years old, menopause had started (yikes!!). Well, that was my cue to go back on birth control and hit the studio! I spent a bunch of money upgrading my studio's power so I could have lights AND heat at the same time, and had purchased cork tiles for the floor. The day the cork tiles came, I uncrated them and got sick from the fumes - turns out I was pregnant again!

With Miranda's birth came a mix of elation and depression. I loved my children, and was delighted to have a beautiful, healthy baby girl, but oh, I missed my art terribly! And then came the bolt from the heavens, in the form of Renee!

Renee showed me some darling tote bags she had made, and I was smitten. I eventually asked if I could help her start a business, and Boodlebags was born. To have a safe, non-toxic creative outlet saved my life! I felt like myself again, and I've been enjoying the ride ever since.

I should note here that my husband has been so amazingly supportive of me in all my endeavors, and I could not have done any of this without him! His faith in me has never wavered (at least, not that he would admit), and he has been my biggest cheerleader and helper. All wives should be so lucky!!! And as the father of my children, I can say that all children should be so lucky to have such a loving and devoted Daddy!

For the beautiful souls who have changed my life in such amazing ways, I am truly thankful.

2011-01-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

The following is a re-posting from my shadow/duplicate blog (see previous "defective brain" post).

Happy New Year! Well, 2011 is starting off with a bang, to be sure! First, I’m back in the saddle again, and sewing up a storm. Good thing, because I opened the year with two new wholesale/ consignment accounts, and they cleaned me out of new inventory. Also, I’ve just re-launched my Etsy store, and it’s going great guns! And finally, Renee is back – yay!

Yes, it’s true – I’m sewing again. My doctor still tells me I shouldn’t, but I just can’t stay away! I’m so glad to be back at it, but I’m trying to be careful and rest my hands often, so hopefully I’ll not overdo it and reinjure myself. Tracy is still doing cutting and tracing for me, and Jennifer and Paula still help with the sewing, as I just can’t sew fast enough to keep up with demand! I’ve also moved my sewing area from the garage studio (so c-c-cold!!) into the office/bonus room upstairs. I must say, it’s way more comfortable, at least in the winter! It’s also not so crowded. I miss working in the same space with my helpers, but it’s worth the trade-off.

On the retail front, you can now find Boodlebags at Me-n-Mom’s (soon to be Hopscotch Kids) in Lynnwood, and Swanky Babies in Kennewick! Both are boutiques featuring gently used consignment as well as new, higher-end products. I’m delighted to see my products in such great stores.

My very first retail outlet was on Etsy, three years ago. I never did much with the store and let it slide. Well, with the encouragement and help from Angela Inman of Sweet Bobbins (an Etsy superstar!) I’ve re-opened the store! In addition to selling my bags, I have also opened another Etsy store for just my fabrics! I’ll do a new post for the grand re-opening, so check back to score your coupon code.

What’s this about Renee being back?! Well, okay – she’s not BACK back, but she’s helping out again with the social networking, research, newsletters, and all that other important stuff she’s so amazingly good at. Much to my relief, as I kinda SUCK at all that! In fact, she’ll probably be blogging a bit, too. So, give it up for Renee, folks!!

Defective Brain

2011-01-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

I'd like a new brain now, please. One that works, if you don't mind. Yes, a truly functional brain - that'd be swell. Thanks.

See, my day started off by my not being able to find an address. It was rather important that I find that address, as it was for a package that I REALLY needed to ship. Couldn't find it, even though it had been together with the package contents just the day before. So, I called the intended recipient to get the address again...yes, that was embarrassing.

Later that afternoon I sealed up the package and got ready to head out to the post office with my son. Couldn't find my wallet. Xander and package waiting patiently in car, I'm frantically searching, when I had a sudden flash of insight. It wasn't a nice flash. I walked out to the car with a box knife and carefully cut open the box, pulled out the bag inside, and with a sigh, fished my wallet out of the bag. Why, you may well ask, was my wallet inside that bag? Well, since I had this new bag in my possession for a while longer than I had planned, and as it was a smokin' new prototype of which I'm extremely proud, I thought I'd carry it around to my usual haunts and show it off before sending it to its new home!

Xander watched as I carefully sealed the box again, thinking it was very funny that Mommy tried to mail her wallet to Portland. In addition to that package, I had another package, plus a bunch of bags and packaging materials that I intended to weigh so I can better calculate shipping charges on my website. At the post office, Xander kept up a noisy running patter that I had to keep shushing, grabbing for the boxes to mail before I was ready, and generally distracting me as I was using the self-service kiosk.

Next stop, Miranda's daycare. I had her bag with sheet and blanket which both Chris & I had forgotten to take on Monday. I carried the bag into the school with me, intending to put it into her cubby before signing out. Was nearly all the way to our next stop, when I looked over at the passenger seat and realized that I had brought the bag back out to the car. I groaned, but continued on to our next stop.

Got all the way through the self-check line at Fred Meyer when I realized that my wallet wasn't in my purse. Asked the very nice cashier to hold my purchases for me while we ran out to the car to get my wallet which I thought had fallen out of my purse. It wasn't there. Another unpleasant flash. Panicked, I bundled the kids into the car, and dashed back to the post office. Oh, the other thing I had to do at F.M. was GET GAS - I was down to like 3 miles to empty. Called my husband on the way and explained that he might have to come get us in Mill Creek, as I may be without my wallet and without enough gas to get home.

The post office was closed, and the clerks were doing a fine job of ignoring my banging at the glass door with my key and shouting. Finally, one deigned to acknowledge my presence, and was about to send me away, when the night janitor stopped him and said he had picked up my wallet. Bless him and his star-emblazoned, gold capped tooth!!!

Wallet in hand once again, we headed back to Fred Meyer with mere fumes in the tank. We found the sidelined groceries, completed our purchases, and got to the gas station with "0" showing on the "distance to empty" display.

Finally, I went to post to my blog, which for some reason I had been having trouble getting into earlier. Had to contact former partner, Renee, to reset the password, as she had set it up originally. Couldn't figure it out, though - I had posted over Thanksgiving, and had accessed it with my own email, but suddenly it appeared to be under her email. Odd. Well, we got that cleared up on Monday and I did a new post, but the blog graphic looked different. huh. Renee must've gone in and changed it! She's back and doing some stuff for me, so that didn't strike me as too strange, but I tried to look at old postings and couldn't find them. Curiouser and curiouser! When I went back to it this evening, I couldn't find my most recent post - WHAT??? I finally realized that I have TWO blogs! Gads.

So, I'd really like a new brain. Soon, before someone gets hurt.

Happy Holidays!

2010-11-30T16:28:00.001-08:00

Well, my family & I have been in beautiful NC for the last 2 weeks with my husband's parents for a much-needed vacation. The weather (up until yesterday) was glorious, we've enjoyed getting out and about, and the kiddos have had fun with cousins and grandparents. Thanksgiving was fun with the family, we're rested, and ready to go home tomorrow.

And when we get home, I'll be hitting the ground running! Did I say I was done with the show season for the year?? I lied! I'll be doing the Snohomish Holiday Market every Fri-Sun in downtown Snohomish until 12/19. Hope to see y'all there! If I'm not there in person, you'll probably meet my lovely assistant, Tracy.

Also in the news, a BRAND NEW BAG!! Yep, meet the Xander Bag, Miranda's big brother. Available in dark gray ballistic nylon, this is a great looking bag with the same features as the Miranda II, but with masculine appeal. Sleek lines and a single stripe of silver reflective tape add a bold touch, and safety, too! Once again, a lousy photo, but a great-looking bag (and yes, that is my leopard-print ottoman it's sitting on...).

The next chapter

2010-10-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hey, look! I finally have a photo of the new Miranda II diaper bag! It's not the best image, but you get the idea. I'll soon have the rest of the bags photographed, as I now have some inventory to spare!

Well, here I am blogging from the very damp, but still fun Harvest Celebration at Bothell Country Village. The ground is too wet to risk an electrical connection, so I'm not sewing today. Bummed about that, but still loving the sights (kids in costume!), sounds (live music!), and smells (fresh kettle korn!)

So much has happened since my last posting! I always think I'll be able to update bi-weekly, but then life steps in with other plans...

First, the big news: Boodlebags has gone wholesale! I just sent my stuff to my first trade show, and the response was overwhelmingly positive! I got two good orders, plus lots of interested buyers want me to follow up with them after they return from the BIG west coast show this week. Also, just a couple of weeks prior to the trade show, I got a sweet order from a store in Florida! Look for my bags at Bootyland in Seattle, Mimi & Marc in Portland, and the St. Augustine Paper Company (just opened a storefront) in St. Augustine, FL. Also, Happy Delusions in Renton, and Lulu in Chelan, WA.

So, with all that new demand for my products has come the need to increase production. I've hired new helpers - welcome to Jen, Paula, and Lynne! They join veterans Tracy & Jennifer as part of "Team Boodlebags," and are doing a bang-up job! I also wish to acknowledge Mia, a delightful gal who was only with us for a short time, but whose great work and sparkling personality are missed. Good luck in Texas, kiddo!

Well, with all this new help, my studio is now a "hive of industry", and I am quickly being rendered obsolete! Jen & Tracy are my in-studio team, and do all my cutting and tracing. They also keep the place clean and organized! Jennifer, Paula, and Lynne are my sewers, and they work from home, bringing me bins full of beautiful bags every week. Yay!

I am looking forward to removing myself completely from the production cycle very soon. Doctor's orders - no more sewing for awhile! Hands are a mess from fingertips to elbows, and the pain is pretty much constant. Just started hand therapy, will probably be at it for about a year before I'm in decent shape again. Of course, I had always intended to pull back and let others do the sewing, but I didn't expect to need to do it so soon!

Hey! The sun just came out! Woohoo! Hopefully it'll dry us all out and bring out more people.

In other news, my winter show season is pretty much over. I may try to do a couple of last-minute shows, but I didn't get in to the Urban Craft Uprising this time around. Boo! I'm disappointed, I must say - it was my best show last year, and the most fun, too. I do understand that they like to rotate their artists so as not to get stagnant, but still...darn! Oh well, I'll definitely apply next year - still my fave show.

So that's it for craft shows, but I'm now looking to expand into home parties! That's right, you, too can host a Boodlebags purse party in your home, earn a hostess gift, and get discounted products! I've been working with a couple of gals who do home parties for other products, and we're hoping to be ready to go in November. I'm hoping to host my first party at Adore Salon & Spa - should be a fantastic time! I'll keep y'all posted, I promise.

Seasons are a'changin'!

2010-08-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Well, summer is nearly over...and weatherwise, it made a pretty poor showing. Even so, Boodlebags has had a terrific summer show season! But, fall is on the way, and soon comes the holiday show season.

I'm looking forward to the Urban Craft Uprising in early December (which I expect I'll be in, not confirmed yet). It's my favorite show of the year - not just because it's a moneymaker, but because it's so much fun! There are so many amazingly cool artists, and the art is so awesome! I always find way too many things I can't live without, and I can't recommend this show enough to anybody looking for unique, well-made, edgy hand-craft.

I'm also going to be in my first TRADE SHOW in October!! This is hugely exciting, and represents a major turning point for Boodlebags. For those who don't know, trade shows are not open to the public - they are for buyers to go and order merchandise for their stores. I'll be at the NW Baby & Kids Show, which, as the name suggests, is baby and kid-specific. All the area kid stores, from small boutiques to Nordstrom send their buyers there to scout out the newest trends from Northwest designers and manufacturers. This is the big time, kids!!

I'm also looking into doing home parties this holiday season. I'm talking to some home party specialists to see about having them promote Boodlebags. Sounds like fun, right? Moms-to-be will enjoy ordering diaper bags and changing kits; the new purse designs will appeal to the no-babies crowd. A little nosh, perhaps some wine, and stylish, fun Boodlebags - that's a party!

In order to do either of these new ventures, however, I'll have to make a lot more bags! And to that end, I am currently working to expand my production. I'm interviewing new in-studio assistants and contract stitchers tomorrow, as well as a really cool contract sewing shop in PDX. Keep your fingers crossed that I can find qualified helpers who will stay with me for a while!

The other reason that I need to find more helpers or a contract sewing shop is that I just can't make the bags anymore. My hands hurt. All the time. This last bunch of orders has nearly done me in - I'm having to stop and ice frequently, it's really slowing me down, and it's just too much stress on my hands. I still want to be able to design and prototype, but there's no way I can continue to be a primary sewer. And frankly, I never wanted to be! I got into this with the idea that someday the bags would be made by other folks, and I would just get to do the fun part of designing.

While we're on the subject of manufacturing, I'd like to say a few words about one of my pet causes: preserving and creating AMERICAN JOBS. And I'm not talking about anti-immigrant horse hooey. Anybody who comes here to live should be able to work. No, I'm speaking simply of keeping jobs here and creating new jobs instead of sending them overseas!

Boodlebags will always be made in America, and I buy as many American-made components for my bags as I can. Sadly, some items simply are not manufactured in the US anymore, and are only imported. I employ local people to sew my bags, and I plan to keep higher-volume manufacturing as close to home as possible. If not Washington State, then at least someplace I can drive to.

The point of my little rant? To encourage all of you to think about HOW you buy. Consider not only the quality of the goods, but also how and by whom they were made. Are your purchases supporting your local economy? Are they reflecting your principles? This isn't a call to boycott or anything extreme; sometimes convenience and price do trump our ideals, and it is increasingly difficult to find American-made products. I ask only that you be mindful of how your spending choices impact your local economy in the long-run. Every little drop in the bucket makes a difference.

Summer is here!

2010-06-30T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yes indeed, summer is finally here. And so, finally, are my new fabrics! After numerous delays, the new laminated canvases are here and they're gorgeous! And they're inspiring me to design new bags.

First up is the "Miranda II", the new-and-improved version of my original diaper bag. The basic silhouette is the same, but with a few key differences. First, the exterior of the bag is now WIPE CLEAN-able, thanks to the phthalate-free vinyl laminate. Also new are the adjustable, non-slip padded shoulder strap, and adjustable backpack straps! Both are removable, and the backpack straps also double as stroller straps. The other major feature is the snap-out WASHABLE lining! I'll be selling spare linings separately so moms don't have to be without their diaper bags when the lining needs to be washed. I'm very excited about this new design - the response has been terrific! I don't have any photos yet; my prototype is in a fabric that's not from my line, and I don't want to generate any inquiries (or disappointments) about a fabric that isn't available for sale. Photos soon, I promise!

Next up, the "Sacha" bag - my first small purse! Named for a very dear friend, "Sacha" is a clean-lined, shapely little number. I finished this bag today, and I'm very pleased with it. This prototype has a velcro closure, but I'll probably do a magnetic snap instead. The photo really doesn't do it justice - I'm a crappy photographer. The fabric, "Breeze", is a refreshing turquoise/teal print on natural linen - perfect for summer! The shape isn't square, it's trapezoidal. The angled sides are nicely balanced by the curve of the flap closure. I love the shape so much that I'm planning to do a dressy version in dupioni silk with a rosette for the holidays!

I'm also working on a wallet and a couple more purses. The wallet and one of the other purses are nearly done, just need a few tweaks. I've so enjoyed designing these new bags! It's my favorite part of the job - making mistakes, learning new techniques, solving problems, and of course, pulling that perfect prototype off the machine and saying, "oh yeah - that's IT!"

In other news, I just got my bags into a fabulous, funky consignment store in Renton called "Happy Delusions." I'm so thrilled! It's in a terrific little area of antique shops and eateries. The owner is delightful (well she must be - she likes my stuff, right?); an artist herself, she features mainly independently crafted products by local artists. For Etsy fans, it's like an EtsyRAIN store! She also recommended a number of other places for me to look into that might carry my stuff - indie baby boutiques and the like. Very cool! Now, she's not carrying my new designs yet - she likes the older styles, which is just fine by me. It's a good venue for them, and I think they'll do really well!

On the horizon, I've got three big shows coming up in July. On the 10th & 11th, I'll be at the Urban Craft Uprising at the Seattle Center. The UCU holiday show last December was my best show to date, and I'm really looking forward to this one! There will be so many amazing artists and it is just a super-fun environment to be in. Don't miss it! On the 17th & 18th, it's the Mill Creek Festival in the heart of Mill Creek. A family-friendly show with plenty to see and do, there's even a big section for pets featuring a doggie dunk tank and lots of pet-friendly vendors! Finally, the BIG ONE - the Bellevue Art Museum Fair on the 23rd-25th. This is a venerable juried show with exceptionally fine artists and artisans. I was honored to have been invited to submit, and thrilled to have been accepted!

And on that note, I've got a lot of bags to build, so back to work!

First Show of the Season - Woohoo!!

2010-04-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

Spring is here, tra-la, and the craft show season begins. I'm so excited to be joining the EtsyRAIN team for their spring craft show at the Seattle Center's Intiman Theatre! Come on down Saturday, May 8 from 11 am to 5 pm; what better way to spend a spring day? It's the day before Mother's Day, so don't forget a fabulous handmade gift for Mom! There will be booths indoors and out; I'll be outside with a view of the fountain...just hope the weather holds...but rain or shine, I'll be there, and I hope to see lots of you there, too! Check out the link for more details and to see who else will be exhibiting their fine wares:

Mother's Day Sale!

2010-04-26T23:27:00.000-07:00

Chances are that if you're reading this blog you are either a new mom or you know someone who is. Well, have we got a deal for you! Announcing our Mother's Day SALE going on right now through May 16. Go to www.boodlebags.com, order one or more of my fun, functional, hand-crafted, machine-washable products; enter coupon code ILOVEMOM15 at checkout and receive 15% off your entire order! Because we love YOU, Mom.

New Assistants! New Fabrics! New-and-improved Boodlebags!

2010-04-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well! Spring is in the air, and things are getting exciting here at Boodlebags - I just hired 3 new assistants today! Once we've all gotten settled, I'll introduce them.

I'm also getting ready to place my final orders for new fabrics, hardware, etc. Finally! It has take months of grueling research, countless samples, and much nail-biting, but I believe I have finally found vendors I can work with. Whew!

I'm so excited about the new fabrics - oh! such great prints! I do wish I could have my own fabrics printed, as I tire of seeing my prints on other peoples' bags. Sadly, it is prohibitively expensive right now, but I hope to be able to do so next year. Fingers crossed, y'all!

Anyway, once I order my fabrics, they'll be shipped out to another company to be laminated with urethane (a friendlier alternative to vinyl), then back to me. And then the work begins!! I'll be scrambling to get new bags ready to be photographed so I can post the new stuff on the new website and have my GRAND OPENING SALE!!

A Most Overdue Update

2010-03-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

Wow - a most overdue update! So much has happened since my last posting. Well, let's just jump right in, shall we?

First, Renee left the partnership last Spring so she could spend more time with her family and pursue other interests. She did continue to help me out at shows and in-studio until the end of the summer, for which I am grateful! Renee's steady presence, outstanding color and design sense, and unmatched research skills are sorely missed. She was also responsible for most of the blog posts, and I can only hope to do half as good a job. As the sole owner, I now have far more to juggle, but I will try to update the blog at least monthly, if not bi-weekly.

Our/my first full season went extremely well, and ended on a high note at the Urban Craft Uprising Holiday Show in December - my best ever! I so enjoyed all the festivals and the farmers' markets, and I'm looking forward to the new season. I'm adding a few more shows to this year's lineup, which I'll post as I have more info.

More recently, I've been overhauling the current line, designing new bags, getting bids from new vendors, selecting new fabrics, researching hardware,...ooooh, my head. The good news is that the current line is better than ever, and the entire product line should be stellar! I'm so excited about the new fabrics - they'll be coated with urethane or acrylic, which will make them waterproof, wipe-clean, but still machine washable.

Other notable improvements include an adjustable, padded, removable shoulder strap on the Miranda Bag, as well as removable backpack straps, and an improved cell phone/pen pocket. The Baby Boodle will have a larger pad and be able to accommodate cloth diapers and larger wipes cases. The lining fabric will be a thicker, softer, water-resistant fleece. …and so much more!

New additions to the product line will include at least one small(er) purse, which I am SO looking forward to! My youngest is finally done with diapers, and I now get to carry a smaller bag – sweet. I also plan to add another diaper bag, a smaller messenger-style bag, a wallet, and an envelope-style clutch. Quick! To the studio, Batman!

In other news, I now have a beautiful new website! Same address, better view... And I owe it all to my friend and ace web designer, Joseph Gray of Grauwald Creative. Check out his awesome website and art! The new site is live, but still needs to be updated with new fabrics, photos, products, etc. I'll announce the official grand opening (and sale!) when it's finally done. Stay tuned!

Boodlebags in DailyCandy!!

2009-06-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, check out our product review in DailyCandy Kids! They featured our "Baby Boodle" changing kit - very cool!

In other news, we participated in our first big arts/craft show, LiveARTS Bothell. It was a very good show - the weather was lovely, and customer response and sales were great! Our booth was close to the outdoor amphitheater so we were able to see as well as hear the live music, most of which was outstanding. We even got to see a karate demonstration by Evergreen Karate, the dojo that both of our sons attend - fun! There were lots of other high-quality artist, and we were pleased to be a part of it. We hope to participate next year, too.

June & July Shows

2009-06-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

June and July are shaping up to be very busy months for boodlebags! This week (6/26-28) we have shows Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday finds us at our last Bothell Farmer's Market until September (or possibly late August). Located at the charming Country Village in Bothell, this is a fun, low-key market featuring lots of great crafters, local produce, and oh! the flowers! Saturday and Sunday will be the LiveARTS Bothell festival located at Bothell Landing, a delightful park along the Sammamish River. In addition to this large arts festival, the park offers walking/biking trails, a children's play structure, and an outdoor amphitheatre. We hope to see some of our friends and fans out there!

We're taking a couple of weeks off in July to rest and prepare for the Mill Creek Festival (7/18, 19) which should be tons of fun! This is truly a family event - there's even a special section just for pets! There is always live music and plenty to see, do, and eat. Come out and say hi!

They like us, they really like us!

2009-05-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

We got mentioned in a celebrity teen blog : check it out...http://celebrityteenblog.com/?p=358
Kinda cool, huh? Angela has been working with a PR company in LA to get our wristlets into the hands of teen celebrities. It seems to be paying off...

Great Etsy Show

2009-05-12T11:24:00.001-07:00

We had a great time at the EtsyRain show this weekend in Seattle. Our changing pads were our best seller. Its always great to get first hand reactions to our bags, we love the feedback and compliments! We only have a few weeks until we start our summer farmers market sales. We are still working on building our inventory but we are selling them almost as quickly as we make them. That's awesome!

I'm off to get more fabric cut...listening to Elvis Costello...

EtsyRain show this weekend!

2009-05-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

Please stop by our booth tomorrow at the EtsyRain craft show. We have lots of fun bags to check out. Hope to see you there!

busy, busy, busy

2009-04-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Things are moving right along! Our wristlets seem to be our best seller, they are selling like crazy! I have 20 more ready for sewing.
Our website is up and going strong. We would love your comments and suggestions on how to make it better. Tell us your thoughts...

Tax Day!

2009-04-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Tax Day! AND Happy Birthday Marion! Our good friend from Kangashop. Check out her designs at www.kangashop.etsy.com . She makes awesome, quality kid clothes.

Our website is having a Mothers' Day Sale from now until Sunday, May 10th. We will take 15% off of your order at www.boodlebags.com . Just enter the promo code: iheartmom Our wristlets are the perfect gift for the special women in your life (mom, grandmom, & aunt)

English Toffee Latte and chocolate bunny

2009-04-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

Life doesn't get any better than this! I am waiting on the eggs to cool off before we dye them. I am playing catch-up on work stuff. I just got back from a family vacation to Lake Chelan, it was awesome. I was out of work with bronchitis the week before so I have lots of stuff to catch up on. I plan to be a fabric cutting machine the next few days. Our inventory is growing nicely and we can't wait until we have our regular craft shows this summer!

Spring is here!

2009-04-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

Well, look who finally decided to show up - the sun! After the winter we've had and this delayed start to spring, I don't feel guilty about playing hooky for the next couple of days. Renee is on a much-needed vacation with her boys, and the timing couldn't be better. I did my first show solo yesterday - I Heart Rummage at Chop Suey on Capital Hill. All I can say is I hope we do better next time! At least we paid for the booth. On the plus side, I had lots of time to sketch, and hope to be previewing a couple of new designs at our next show! I'll be optimistic and speculate that it was due to the glorious weather that the denizens of the Hill opted to be outside rather than inside a dark, smelly night club... Nobody else did well, either, but regular vendors say that the venue is usually a good one, so we'll try again next month. Hope to see you all out there in May!

Another great review!

2009-03-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

We are excited that our bags are making a name for themselves. We just got another great review from AListBaby check it out: http://alistbaby.net/2009/03/alistbaby-find-boodlebags/

Back in the groove

2009-03-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

At last! I am feeling better. I had been sick most of the week and now have lots to catch up on. Our website is doing great! Orders are coming in thanks to an article at NWsource. A great write up by Sheryl Wiser. Angela and I are working hard on building our momentum. We have lots of ideas and goals, can't wait to get there...Our next show is Sunday, April 5th at the I heart rummage sale at Chop Suey in Seattle, we hope to see you there!

2009-03-19T00:46:00.000-07:00

Boodlebags is in the news! Check out our press debut here: boodlebags article
We've had a busy month getting "ready for our close-up, Mr. DeMille", and today was a mad scramble! Poor Renee is sick and miserable, but she still had to put up with constant bugging from me all day long, AND we had to place 3 new orders for supplies. Did I mention we were busy? Chris and our web designer, Joseph, have been working all day putting the final polish on the website, and I've been looking over their shoulders and jabbing my finger at the screen saying, "no, no - put THIS thingy over THERE!" I'm sure they appreciated my input... For my own part, I've had to cut the new changing kits for our seamstresses, who are starting to make great headway! I think we'll introduce them soon. Anyway, my hands are swollen from all the cutting, and I'm wiped out!

This is my first post to our blog; Renee usually does it, and she's much better at it than I am, BUT I just couldn't leave her "i've got the ickies" post as the first thing that new people would see when they came over from the article and website! :-)

I've got the ickies!

2009-03-18T14:02:00.001-07:00

I have managed to catch whatever has been going around and have not been very productive. I am getting some supply orders placed and finishing up our first newsletter. I am trying to muster up as much energy as possible to pick Caid up from school and head to the grocery store. Tonight will be another night of going to bed at 8!

Check out our facebook fan page by clicking boodlebags facebook fan page We would love to have you!

getting things in order

2009-03-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am taking it easy today while working on a boodlebag newletter to send to previous customers. Chris (our business manager) is busting his booty getting our fabric swatches scanned and put in a PDF format for the website. We hope to have that up by Friday. Our calendar of events is filling up quickly, I heart rummage, Mill Creek Festival , Bothell Farmers Market and hopefully Live Arts Bothell. Exciting stuff on the way...

Excitement in the air...

2009-03-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

Things are coming along quite nicely! Our wristlet production has begun and we can't wait until we actually have inventory! We are working with local seamstresses to make it possible. Angela is working on a new exterior pocket for the diaper bags, once that is complete we will start production on those.

Our Boodlebags fan page is now up on facebook. We would love to see you there!

Our photos are here!

2009-03-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

We got our pics from the photographer today and they look great! This is one of our new fabrics. Tell us what you think. I love the color combination on this one.

Our facebook fan page is up, we will be removing the boodlebag group page soon so be sure the switch over to the new page.

Old Pics

2009-03-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

I have been scanning old pics for my facebook page and came across this great photo. It was my first sewing machine. I got it when I was 6.

Awesome!

oh no! Snow!

2009-03-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

Here we go again with the snow. Oh Pickles! A snowy dreary Monday...but the weekend was great. Angela completed a prototype of a new bag style and the exterior pockets are awesome. The website is up but very bare bones, we need to add more pics and wording. Same with Etsy. We are gathering testimonials so if you have one of our bags, we would love your testimonial for our website. Better get busy sewing....tata!

up to my ears!

2009-03-05T17:44:00.001-08:00

I have been working on wristlets this week, trying to get them prepped for the seamstresses. This is the first time that we have tried to make them in a "production" style. It will feel great to finally get inventory built. Next week I will start on changing pads. I am trying to free up Angela so she can focus on a couple of custom designs and patterns for a client.

i am excited about heading to the fabric show tomorrow. I am hoping that they have a better selection of eco-friendly fabrics than the last time. It will be more of a fact-finding trip than a shopping trip. Angela just ordered more fabrics and we really need to use up our giant fabric stashes.

kick butt parking job

2009-03-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

Angela has excellent parallel parking skills. I just need to take a picture to document it for the world to see. Pretty impressive huh?

Busy days!

2009-03-01T18:04:00.001-08:00

We went to the sewing expo friday and saw lots of great products and fabrics. It's a bit overwhelming but so much fun to see what others are doing and products available. I had to stop and touch everything. We are going to a fabric show this Friday and are hoping that manufacturers have more eco-friendly fabrics and more home-dec weights available.
I have been cutting out wristlet pieces from fabric scraps and it feels good to not have the scraps wasted. Yeah me! I am looking forward to working on color combinations instead of taxes, show applications and all the other business stuff. I have plans to kick butt this week and check off items on my business to-do list. I better get busy!

goods things on the way!

2009-02-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

Things are coming together with the business. We are sending out applications for spring and summer craft fairs and farmers markets. We have 2 field trips coming up, Sewing Expo this week and fabric show next week.

We are interviewing local seamstresses for their help on production so Angela and I can be free to work on new designs. I have a stack of diaper bags cut, primed and ready to go. We have alot of inventory to build before late spring.

I've seen the light!

2009-02-19T13:50:00.000-08:00

I have been browsing other websites and blogs this morning trying to see what features and designs I like to incorporate in our upcoming website. I actually feel like the business has a direction, a goal! I had an aha! moment! Angela and I have some meeting scheduled tomorrow but I am hoping for some downtime to discuss it all (over coffee of course).

I love AHA! moments! I get them so seldomly but I love it when I do!

Mid-winter break

2009-02-18T16:07:00.000-08:00

It seems like just yesterday that Caid was out of school for winter break and here we are again with another week out of school. I never got that many off days when I was a kid! It is so hard to stay focused on business stuff when he is here. I am taking a break for a couple of days to spend with him and work out in the yard. We actually are getting a bit of sunshine and I love it!

On Friday Angela and I are meeting with a website guru and touring a sewing manufacturer. I am very excited! We are working on writing down our ideas for the website and the features we want. I will let you know how it goes...

Friday the 13th

2009-02-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

I love friday the 13th and always have. Most people are expecting the worst on this day but I have always found it to be full of good surprises. Today was no exception. Angela and I went to a meet-up group that we found online for small business coaching and it was awesome! We made new connections AND had great coffee!

We are looking forward to many more! We also have a couple of leads on local sewing shops that we hope to meet with and discuss getting our products made locally. Very exciting!

boodlebag collection

2009-02-12T12:28:00.001-08:00

oh yeah! I figured out how to post pics!

Here are some of the bags that we make. Production is slow at the moment as we are working on new bag designs and revisions to our current styles. We are searching for new fabrics in hopes of finding eco-friendly and with colorful designs. It's very hard to find both.

Our goal is to eventually design and produce our own fabrics that would be exclusive to our bags. There are so many things we want to conquer! I easily lose focus with so many things we want for the business. I have been meditating in hopes that it will help but when you are a mom, wife, friend and business owner it is hard to relax.

I love browsing blogs by other mom/ creative business owners. I always find them so inspiring! So many great artists pursuing their dreams. I shall continue to pursue mine after I break for lunch...

design changes

2009-02-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

I'm (Renee) taking a break from sewing the newly designed changing pad. We are trying a velcro closure instead of the button closure. I'm not sure if I will love it but I won't know unless I try it. We have also made the wings longer and added more depth to the pocket. I will post a pic when I am done.
After I catch up on these, I am hoping to play around with some handbag patterns to come up with a fun one for myself. The irony is that we make bags but I do not carry one myself. We sell them as fast as we make them which is great. I just need to sew faster so I can have one. :-)

and so it begins...

2009-02-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hello world!

Welcome to the boodlebags blog! We are 2 mothers that have come together over our love of coffee, bags and all things cute. We are Renee and Angela, stay-home moms and artists that were looking for a creative outlet when the idea of sewing bags came about over coffee. Less than a year into our idea, we are still excited about growing our business. This blog will take you along as we explore new ideas and opportunities, the frustrations that we have and glimpes into our "mommy" lives.

Currently, we are working on getting a website up. I (Renee) thought I could easily set it up with the many webstore applications that are available these days. What was I thinking! I am determined to keep at it and let you know when it is available.

I will keep this short this evening as I have fabric waiting patiently to be cut...

Type to you later!