Hi and Welcome!

I"m so excited to share with you my creation for today. This Canada Day weekend, I broke into my stash of fabrics from my favourite Canadian fabric retailers.  My favorites include The Needle & Eye , Spool of Thread and A Great Notion, which is temptingly close to home.  As you can see, I have more than my fair share of fabrics on hand in my work-space to pick from! (well i'm only showing you the neat section).

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I'm almost always prepping for a show, so have never taken time to make something special, just for myself.  This weekend, as part of the Canada Day Blog Roll, I decided to treat myself to a "Pretty Floral Divided Tote"  by Sherri, from 
Thread Riding Hood. Click here if you'd love to try this pattern. 

This design caught my eye right away, as it's spacious enough to use as a market bag.  Lots of room for my fresh-baked PIES (this has nothing to do with sewing but I couldn't resist)

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(drooling for a piece of Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, I think I'll bake one today), breads, eggs, carrots, kale, fresh berries...just about any bounty the Canadian summer can send my way!

 It would be great as a general carry-all, too.  I'd love it as a beach bag as well and that would be my next selfish sew and oh I have the right fabrics in mind already! 
 I took inspiration from Sherri's vibrant colour combinations, which were right up my alley. Sherri has a few other patterns and tutorials that I've tried and I have to tell you, they are all pretty well written with easy to follow instructions.

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For my Divided Tote, I chose an outside fabric Posh by Chez Moi which is a bold floral design in soft pastel colours that reflect the breezy feel of summer.   To blend, I used coordinating pink and pale yellow frolicking mushrooms for the inner divider, strap contrast, and outer pocket.  So summery and soft!

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I made a few adaptations to the pattern, using a heavier weight interfacing, as I wanted to give more structure.  This baby has to hold a lot of market treats, so she needs to be strong.  Instead of using basic interfacing, I used heavy weight interfacing on the outer pocket, and heavy interfacing plus Peltex ultra-firm interfacing for the divider and at the bottom.

All told, the bag took me about two and a half blissful hours of quiet stitching while the early July air cooled me down, tempting me to hurry up so I could bring my bag to market to gather my supplies for my pie!

And here's the finished product: locally sourced, Canadian-designed, and beautifully market ready.  This one is definitely a keeper for me!

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I really love the this bag um Big Tote!

If you missed the start of this Blog Hop, here's the line up!

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win lots of amazing prizes!

Thanks for stopping by!

June 24: The Tour Starts HERE at Happy Okapi

June 25: Celine guest posts on Happy Okapi; Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

June 26: Fiona @ Tangled Blossoms Designs; Carla @ Half Dozen Daily

June 27: Sherry @ Thread Riding Hood; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 28: Nicky guest posts on Seam of my Pants

June 29: Daniela @ On the Cutting Floor; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 30: Michelle @ Michelle's Creations

Canada Day--July 1: Ula @ Lulu & Celeste

July 2: Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

July 3: Keshia @ Sand Dollar Design Studio

July 4: Wrap Up @ Happy Okapi

July 6: Give away Winners Announced

Review ~ Swoon Pattern Harriet

If you ask anyone who makes bags, they would all tell you it's a labor of  hard work LOVE!

The creation begins with picking fabrics (the best part for me), then all the cutting and other great details needed to create a beautiful exotic handmade bag/purse. Which is always a great reward at the end.

I stumbled upon Swoon Patterns  almost 2 years ago and this has been the best ride of my life in regards to my Crafting Journey!

The very first bag I sewed was Coraline by Alicia Miller (the creator behind Swoon Patterns). So I know that if I can do it so can you.....

"Coraline" ~ A Swoon Pattern
 made by  Sand Dollar Design Studio 

I am such a die-hard Swoon fan and I know that I am definitely not alone. You can find us all on this Facebook group basking in glory land with each other here - be warned!  ~ the place where all obsessed fans hang out!

Today I am reviewing "HARRIET" from Swoon Patterns (Affiliate Link)

She is described as an Expandable Tote - a midsize bag to transport your day-to-day items and can quickly be converted to a spacious tote by opening the side zippers!

Priced at an affordable $5.95 for the downloadable PDF version and $9.95 for the printed paper version makes this a "MUST HAVE". I particularly love the downloaded PDF versions as I receive them in a blink of an eye after payment.....I'm very impatient when I really want something :-), also patterns pieces can be printed time after time.

Harriet was not a difficult bag to sew especially if you are a seasoned bag maker. It is listed 3/4 on the difficulty scale meaning you should already be somewhat familiar with sewing patterns and common sewing terms. After saying this, let me fill you in on a little secret......Alicia has done such a fantastic job on her patterns that any excited beginner can make her bags ( I know this because I was once in that shoe).

I had such a great time choosing the fabric for this one and I love every detail on this bag.

Harriet measures 12.5" Wide

                              10"  Tall

                       and 4.5" Deep

A great size for carrying all needed items on a day out!

 I went with Tula Pink's Free Fall Fabric in this beautiful Orchid color and accented it with grey Essex Linen. I used gunmetal hardware as I thought it was a perfect subtle match for the fabrics. Check out how easy Rivets work and make your bag look so professional. I also used a magnetic snap for the closure as the pattern called for, but this can be changed to so many other options such as zippers.

I'd say this took me about  5 hours to complete this bag and that includes facebook breaks, cooking, telephone conversation....yes I'm easily distracted especially if it's something to laugh about ~ enjoying life always.

Here is the inside of Harriet with a zippered inside pocket.
Sand Dollar Design Studio

Side Zippers ~ allowing Harriet to transform from a Tote to a Mid-size bag.

Sand Dollar Design Studio

It was an enjoyable sewing quest for me as always. Hop on over and take a look at all the other patterns available on www.swoonpatterns.com.

Have a super fantastic sewing day!

Keshia.

My Studio ~ where all creativity begins!

My Big Fat Craft Studio ~ the place where creativity happens! 

Getting organized and staying organized always seem to be on my list of New Year's Resolutions. Like many creative persons my studio has always been a work in progress. I find it hard at times to keep things organized (then I can't work) and that makes me the type of person who is maybe a little obsessive-compulsive! Ha!

I have so many tools and supplies that I utilize on a daily basis, that I had to find ways to organize them before I go loony crazy!

So today I thought I'd share my creative space and a few ideas to organizing Your space. This space is just the landing at the top of my stairway, meant for an office I guess......but who needs that? I'd say give me a craft room over an office any day!

This is my sewing table

1. PEGBOARD WALL/ PEGBOARD FRAME -

This was definitely a life saver as I accumulated (shhh brought) over 50 cones of thread and didn't have anywhere to store them......light bulb idea.....lol. no really it was a  pinterest idea. Then i went on a search for a huge frame.....which I found at Michael's on sale, and then took it to Home Depot for the measurement of the pegboard, then I had my S T R O N G husband positioned and attached it to the wall for me! Sorry Ladies, I'd love to rent him out, but he has a new long list of "To-Do's" for 2016 from ME!

The pegboard frame can hold about 150 thread spools

2. IKEA BILLY BOOKCASE-

I'm such a sucker for beautiful, creative crafty spaces! I purchased an Ikea Bookshelf with additional shelves to display(a fraction) of my collection of fabric. You CAN NOT go wrong with displaying it all stacked so nice and neat....... ok I'll admit....I still have 6 times as many fabrics to fold, therefore looks like I may need 3 more bookcases............ but pray tell me where in the world would I put it!?

A close up of my folded fabric on the shelf!
(after reading this tutorial from "I Always Pick the Thimble")

3. IKEA EXPEDIT WORKSTATION  -

Ok if ever there was another way to scream how i love this shelf, it would be inserted right here!
This clever piece of furniture is so versatile that it can be used in any section of your house.
 I used it in my crafting space to hold any and everything from my books, to gemstones, to another sew machine and much more! I also attached a desk to it that sometimes substitutes as my cutting table. (beats using my island in the kitchen)Haha

Here is a selection of books I am currently reading and getting my ideas from.

4.JOANN'S BEAD ORGANIZER

I am so not going to show you my 50 containers stacked neatly one on top of the other.....maybe I'm afraid you would label me "a neat hoarder" like my daughter does!
So you today to get a peek at how these containers has helped me to organize my gemstones in color and size.

 This is what it looks like when it's all stored in the correct container!

I stumbled upon this burlap bin adorned with Gypsy like fabric in Pier 1.....well I think it was Pier 1!
At the time of purchasing of course i had NO clue what I would use it for......but here's another light bulb moment for me, why not use it to hold your INTERFACING? Sadly now I need more bins like this (and I'm pretty sure I won't find another)as the interfacings have rolled onto the floor! lol

I am not completely satisfied with my space....still working on it!
Tell me what's missing.................
Well I'm missing COLOR!
Here's examples of what I'll be working on this month and in the near future.
*Covering my chair in Tula Pink fabrics.
*Shelving units on the wall

Mug Rugs and Teabag Holders

Hello there!

It's such a beautiful day to be sitting out on one's back patio, sipping on your favourite morning drink!

~DREAMING~

And NO, that's not what I'm doing! 

I'm happily picking out the next batch of fabrics to make my next MUG RUG!!!!!

I have a new LOVE, a new OBSESSION!!!!

Mug Rugs!

What is a Mug Rug?

It's a mini quilted mat (sometimes called a snack mat) that's bigger than a coaster and smaller than a place mat, making it the perfect size for that craving of a cup of tea (or caramel brûlée latte- my favorite) and a sweet baked treat!

It's the perfect size to be used in small spaces such as a work desk , nightstand or a coffee table with ladies gathered around having a TEA PARTY!!!

I've created this scrappy patchwork mug rug using Leah Duncan's #morningwalk fabrics. 

I love this fabric line.....it has such a soft romantic look.

In addition to this crafty rug mug, I've created a tea bag holder!!!

Yes, ever went to a restaurant and want tea, but to your dismay they don't have any herbal teabags, no caffeine free tea bags..........well now you can carry your own teabags in your purse properly stored away from being crushed amongst  the other contents in your bag.

Scrappy Patchwork Rug Mug and Teabag Holder
created by : Sand Dollar Design Studio

This item will be available in my etsy store on Monday along with a few different designs.

It's about my coffee break time!!!!

Until we meet again, have a "superfantastic ~ crafting" time.

~Happy Sunday~

Keshia!

"Let's save $1,378 by the end of this year with the 52 Week Money Challenge"

Are you are a spender or a saver?

Sadly I admit that I've always been a spender!!!!! But hey, all hope is not lost, as this year I've challenged myself to SAVE!!!!!

Many of you may have heard about the 52 week money challenge already, it's where each week you set aside X amount of monies for the entire year and by the end of the year you should have accumulated $1,378!!!! 

Now I've heard from a few friends who've completed this challenge last year and received mixed reviews from them. The biggest challenge was saving the larger amounts in the last two months which is actually SHOPPING TIME .....so I'm going to shake this up a bit differently.

Found on Pinterest

As you can tell from the chart above the amount gets larger by the week.....I'm not going to follow this!

Oh oh!!!!! Wait let me explain.....I'm still going to end up with $1,378 but I'll use my own technique. So instead of going from small to large increments, I'm going to mix it up a bit! 

Each week I'll chose what amount I want to pay, maybe even paying for 2 weeks at a time. This works for me as I may want to save or spend more in any giving week.

That being said, you should choose which way best suits your financial situation! And if this is not the right challenge for you at this time, you can also join me in the 365 days of pennies challenge. It's the same concept except you are saving a penny instead of a dollar a day!

See chart below.

Found on www.simplifiedsavings.com

I haven't decided what I'll do with my savings. I may take a trip to Paris.... Oh wait, think I'll have to save for two years for that trip......For now, I'll just get started and get to the end of the year....then make that decision.

It's up to you whether you physically save your money in a jar/piggybank (like myself) or save it in a saving account via your bank!

A friend told me about saving cans, the ones where there is a slot to insert your money and the only way to get it out is to cut the can, bottom line.....the can isn't reusable after getting your savings out!!!!

Welcome to Sand Dollar Design

Sand Dollar Design Studio: An Introduction

I'm fascinated by sand dollars, those neatly decorated sea coins, part sand, part shell, with their flowery designs, adorning the ocean floor.  Even after the creature inside the shell has lived out its life, the husk hardens, bleached white by the sun, retaining the ocean's spirit always.  They're almost fairylike.


Sand Dollar Design Studio is a one-woman outfit featuring hand-crafted jewelry, bags, and home decor, all inspired by the beauty of the beaches and seascapes of the Bahamas, my home. 

 Take me on an ocean's wave ride...sailing away.

Stunning hand accessories  that spins the ocean's sound while wearing it.

A Sand Dollar Design Studio Item 

Anyone who knows me know that I'm passionate about the color purple, so not only does this bag combine my favorite color purple with the bright ocean color of Aquamarine, this clutch was the very first bag pattern I created.


My home studio began as a hobby, and morphed into a home business when my accumulation of beads and fabric started getting out of hand: beading books practically breeding on the kitchen table, beads always underfoot, fabric sprawling over the dining area, and patterns stacked three feet high on every chair.  When hobbies start to take over the house, the only choice is to start selling the excess, right?

Even though my first trade show was a sad affair (fifteen tables in a stark white church rec room with fifteen long-faced vendors, no customers, and two or three dusty tumbleweeds rolling by), the creative spirits never left me.  "Stitch, bead, weave," the sand dollar whispers to me.  The sand dollar could just be a plain, flat disk on the ocean floor.  Instead, it bears a delicate design etched into its exterior with care, that takes it from a plain bottom-dwelling cousin of the sea urchin and transforms it into a beachside masterpiece that, for me, symbolizes the islands: beauty that is both detailed and striking.

When I feel something's complete, I like to take a step back, then look again and ask myself, what else can I add to this?  What would give it a wow factor?  What would make it extraordinary?


I invite you to follow me and to stop back in often at Sand Dollar Design Studio for beach-themed beauty featuring warm hues and ocean tones.  Stop in for shared patterns, favourite fabric designers and their new lines, and to follow my amazing creative journey.  See you soon!