Buttercuppity is a dangerous place

Sunny Sunglasses Case
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

I went in for some fabric for a custom duffle that just got ordered. I came out with fabric for new sunglass cases too. At least this time I had a reason for buying the fabric and I actually used it right away. I have a stack of folded fabric about 2 feet high, all impulse buys. If you can believe it, I sew even more in my head than I do on my machines. Oh, I just found out I am in the Etsy voter this week. If you could vote for my weekend in wine country duffle, I would appreciate it. If anyone has an actual weekend in wine country to give away, I'd like that even better!

She handed me my camera,

Travel Duffle in Alexander Henry
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

I looked down at it. A gigantic M was staring me in the face. She had put my camera on the manual setting! What was she thinking? When she said, I will show you guys how to work with your cameras, I thought no thanks. I am doing fine. Set it on automatic, point, shoot. If the colors or lighting aren't quite right, I can always touch it up in photoshop. To tell you the truth, I was intimidated by that M. I really wanted to just switch it back to auto, but when I looked at the preview screen and compared the auto to the manual and played with the manual settings, I was hooked. This shot was taken inside obviously. On the auto setting, my camera wanted to flash (and ruin the photo.) With the manual settings, I was able to take advantage of the light, even though my subject was seriously backlit. Doing it right to begin with is going to save me a lot of time in post shoot processing too. I only had to crop and resize it. Thank you Lauren! Check out her photography shop on Etsy. She's got 2 Jones Soda bottles to her credit and has just started to offer photo greeting cards - I bought a five pack of kittens. You never know when you might need to say it with a kitten.

In the Midst of Some Lovelies

I see a duffle...

Let them pick

Sweet fabric for clutches
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

This is why I let them pick - I have no clue what women want. The bride tells me her colors are brown and green. I make one clutch thinking - when she sees this she is going to say oooh, that's perfect! The fabric is flying off the shelves at both Buttercuppity and Hawthorne Threads, so that is a good sign, right? Wrong. That is not the one, she says. I give her the link to Hawthorne Threads so she can see the other options in the Timber line which is the only line right now with fantastic greens and browns together in wedding possible fabrics. Here is what she picked. These will be gorgeous as well, but how could I have guessed? I absolutely love making items from my patterns in fabrics chosen by the customer. Their choices have lead me to fantastic features and opportunities I would not have had without them. I am specifially thinking of the bride who ordered 6 duffles at a time - she let me pick the fabrics on that one, but I would not have made a pyramid o duffles without her. I believe this is the highest and best use of Etsy - a place where product designers and their customers meet and create together. Way more effective than a focus group in my opinion. Thank you to all of my customers who are leading me along the way.

Me on my houndstooth picnic quilt

Me on my houndstooth picnic quilt
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

I am keeping this quilt, but I did release the pattern for it. Houndstooth reminds me of shooting stars. Must be why I love it so much. It's perfect for lying outside on a warm Summer night and waiting for the meteor shower. Now it's back to the duffle factory to finish out the week.

New in Town

I got a message last week from Lauren who is new in town. She had just joined Etsy to sell her photography and also joined the Eastern Washington Etsy Street Team to get plugged in to how things work. She was curious about how to make a treasury. Leanna of TeezLoueez gave her all the info she needed, Lauren got her first treasury, and it was featured on Etsy's home page this morning. I wondered why I woke up to so many sales of that particular pattern. Thank you Lauren! She very talented, check out her photography shop here. If you are new to Etsy, please find a team to join. It will help you tremendously.

Quilt Blocks as Flags on canvas

Quilt Blocks as Flags on canvas
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

I've made several of the peace sign pillows, but I wanted to do something different for the PDF sewing pattern version. I included the yin yang symbol for harmony and balance, along with a heart for love. Stuck for a teen or tween gift? Make this. It is the newest pattern in my shop. Carrie over at The Top Stitch has a little bit of the peace sign Hoffman Batik fabric left. You will have to be quick though. I don't know of any other place that has any available. I think she would take an order over the phone for it, since it is not in her online shop. Of course, it would look great in other fabrics too. The yellow is Kona Cotton in Papaya.