Whimsy by Victoria: May 2009

May 27, 2009

It's finally here...A new look and giveaway!

So if you couldn't tell by my title...I am a little EXCITED! I finally get to show you all my new look for my blog! What do you all think? I know that I am absolutely in LOVE with it! You can tell when I am excited...I start using lots of exclamation's!

I have been working with Traci from Sweet Cheeky Designs for the last couple of months, trying to get the exact idea and look that I have envisioned. Still working out a couple of things on my links at the top, but will have those up and running soon! What an incredible blog designer Traci is! Not only incredible, but lots of patience too! I am the first to admit...I am one picky, perfectionist! So grateful she has lots of patience and she showed me it was just as important to her to make sure I was happy with everything. I am sure she is just a little relieved to have it done and be everything that I wanted! lol.If you are looking for a new look or makeover, she definitely is the one you want! I feel so blessed to have had her work on my blog and have a new friendship as well! Thank you Traci! I love it!

Don't you all just love that about blogging? Not only is a blog a great way to share your inner thoughts and creative ideas with whoever is interested, but along the way you get to meet some wonderful people and have friendships all over the world! Truly amazing!

Speaking of amazing...it is also finally time to reveal my GIVEAWAY!! I wanted to have my first Giveaway to celebrate my new look! I am feeling generous and not only wanted to give one, but two Whimsy items away! I hope you all are going to love the Signature Whimsy bag~The Birdie Bag and the second item a very cute, yummy cupcake pincushion! I have worked very hard to make sure not a detail was forgotten and that you all would love both of these as much as I do!

So....

not to keep you in suspense any longer...

are you ready?

Really ready...

o.k...

here it is....

A bag for any occasion! Shopping, girls luncheon, library,

Church, Diaper Bag or just to be pretty in your home!

Hand stitching, cherry blossoms and dimension

make this unique bag Whimsy by Victoria!

Pinch pleats closed by magnetic closures, or opens for more room.

Dimensions are 14 1/2" Hx5"Dx 17"W the strap is 2"W x22"L

I even made a whimsy key fob! Pockets are made for cell phone (perfect for an Iphone), key's, 2 pen/pencil pockets and 2 bigger pockets on the other side for anything you need holding!

Notice the sweet cherry blossoms on the inside too...

Doesn't this look good enough to eat?!

White butter cream frosting, sweet cherry on top, pretty sprinkles, chocolate cupcake and a cute liner and ribbon! Yummy...even smells like Butter cream too! So pretty in your sewing room or just to add whimsy to any room!

So was it worth the wait? What do you think? I have envisioned this in my head for quite some time now and finally see it come to reality has been such a great feeling! I wanted to bring dimension, natural fabrics and textures (linen and canvas), "Whimsy' of course, beautiful colors and a fun, stylish and durable bag that could be used for so many purposes! This bag will be sold in my Etsy shop by special order and will be limited. Whoever is one of the lucky winners will have the only one I have made...make sure to enter!! The very cute,yummy cupcake pincushion will be sold in my boutique as well and will come in 2 colors, either white or pink.

So here are the details on entering:

1. First because I love to hear from all of you, please leave me a comment on this post! That should be pretty easy, right? I love to hear your thoughts!! That enters you once!

2. Become a follower on my blog here, or if you already are, along with your comment~that makes 2 entries! It makes me happy that you want to follow along on this journey and see what I can share next with you all! Make sure if you follow anonymous and you want to win, after your comment leave a name so I know it is you!

3. If you do both things above and you have a blog, grab my new blog button! Not only is it cute, That means you really do like me...makes my heart warm! That gives you 3 good chances of winning!

4. The last would be to do all 3 and share my giveaway in a post! Wow, thank you! Sharing is great! The more entries the better!

The first name drawn Wins the Birdie bag and the second name will Win the pincushion. I will leave my giveaway open for a week, so starting today May 27Th to June 3rd I will accept entries! Sorry, this Giveaway is for U.S. residents only. Please make sure to give me your info. so I know how to get in contact with you! If you don't have a blog and you comment under anonymous make sure to leave a name on your remark! Thank you all for being so great and am looking forward to sharing so much more with everyone!

Before I go, I thought I would give you an update on one of my previous post's on Before and Afters. Remember the chairs I bought on Craigslist?

Lot's of possibility and a great shape!

Here is the After!

A little red paint and fun plaid fabric...

I think it turned out great! I am hoping to work on the

dresser in the next couple of weeks and show that as well!

Can't wait to see who the lucky winners are in my next post!! It could be lucky you!

May 14, 2009

Talking About Handbags and Purses, Again...

I am linking this post with Julia at Hooked On Houses, where it is Hooked On Fridays! As you can see I am definetly "Hooked On Handbags!" Make sure to stop by and see what many other blog's are hooked on as well! Always something great to see!

In getting ready for my give away and reveal for my new blog look, I decided to share one more post with you before showing you my new look. This post is actually one I did on some of my handbags and purses and thought it would be great to re-post being that I wrote it at the beginnning of my blog. I am so very excited about some of the new things to come! I think you all will love the new "Whimsy" Birdie bag that will be up for the giveaway! I am even thinking that I need to have a second prize just to be generous in my first giveaway! What do you all think? 1st prize the new "Whimsy" bag and 2nd a very cute "cupcake" pin cushion?! Make sure to be following...you don't want to miss out on this post next week! My new blog button will be up for grabs as well! Thank you all for your great comments and support! I feel so blessed to have you all as my friends!

One of the main reasons I started this blog is to share and journal my designs for my new bags, purses and other fun stuff I create and sew for my "coming soon" Etsy Boutique and Virtual Interior Design. I know I would not have thought a year ago, that I would be starting an on line business, much less designing handbags and purses. Don't get me wrong, I am loving this new adventure...I just thought I would be mainly focused on interior decorating. The interesting thing about all of this, is that it has me thinking and reaching outside my comfort zone in so many ways. All of my designs are original from me, I use no patterns other than the templates I make. I am amazed on completion of every design that I envisioned can come to reality by my hands. A very satisfying feeling! I am a self taught seamstress as I have said in my about me. In Design there is a lot of problem solving that has to be done. You have to think about how things will work together, patterns complimenting one another and how colors can create a feeling or mood. I think this is a big reason I enjoy design as well. I like the challenge and having the satisfaction that I figured it out.

In creating some of my bags and purses, I thought, what better way than to design from inspiration of my closest friends and create something that represents their personalitys. I now have my first collection called the "Friendship Collection". Every style is different and I only buy very little of each fabric, so that keep's each bag and purse unique and not over replicated. I can customize to each buyers wants and needs. I think customizing is important. I want each and every person who buys from me to be a 100% happy and satisfied. If you see something you like or have something in mind you want me to design, please feel free to comment or e-mail me. I love hearing input so please feel free to leave a comment! A great way to keep updated on posts and any changes I might make to this blog,you can become a follower. You also can click on my flikr badges to see more photos of my desings in bags,aprons,crayons-2-go and "cupcake" pincushions.
I am excited to open my Etsy and show many new design's and creations with you all! So, enough talking about the bags and purses, let me show you some of the bags I have been creating. Enjoy!

Victoria Signature bag...

A sophisticated medium bag gathered at the sides with eyelets and gross grain ribbon and tied at the end with a bead to coordinate. It's all in the details!

The fabric is a white/blk floral. the lining is a white background with blk. polka dots. Magnetic closure. Dimensions are 6 1/2 ' Hx 11 1/2' Wx 3 1/2' D.

The Erin Bag....
A chic bag that is a must have for every woman!

Done in a chocolate brwn background with a turquoise blue paisley. Plastic canvas insert on the bottom for extra support. Doubled interfacing for durability. Magnetic closure. Dimensions 11 1/2' Hx14' Wx 4' D. Fabric flower is detachable and can be worn as a broach to coordinate with bag.

The Julie Purse...

This fun purse has a flirty ruffle and 3 different coordinating fabrics. Different buttons add whimsy. Can be made to wear on one arm or the strap can be made long to wear over the body to the side. The dimmensions are 10 1/2' Hx 10' W. The height was measured at the highest part on the sides under the ruffle. The strap is 35' long and is a little over an inch wide.

The Mary Bag...

A stylish, little handbag. A beautiful vibrant floral on a blk background cotton fabric. Lined with a sage green and cream honeycomb pattern. Comes with a coordinating fabric flower broach. Magnetic closure and canvas bottom for extra support. Customized pockets.
Dimensions 5'H x 9 1/2" x 3 1/2 handles are 14" L x 1 1/2' W. There is no more of this fabric.

Victoria Bag again...

Done in a cotton fabric with Swirled creams, varying browns and blk. Gathered at the sides with eyelets and gross grain ribbon and tied at the end with a bead to coordinate. Magnetic closure. Dimensions are 6 1/2 ' Hx 11 1/2' Wx 3 1/2' D.

Here are a few more from my "Whimsy" collection.

The Reversible Purse...

Great for everyday, carry all. Give's you two options for your mood or outfit. Can have added zipper pockets for a little more. Pick 2 coordinating fabrics. Price depending upon fabrics picked. Dimensions are 10" H x 14" W The strap is 21" L x 1 1/2 W.

Reversed

The Trendy Bag...

Just as the name says, this bag is a trendy and cute bag, that is hard to resist.
A bold, modern floral fabric. Chocolate brwn background with varying blues, skyblue to turquoise and a little cream. Lined with a smaller diamond patterned flowers in the same colors.

The Trendy Bag in a different fabric...

Happy, whimsy cream flowers on a sage green background fabric. Lined with multi color polka dots in light blue, navy, brick red, tan, light brown and sage green on a cream background.

Still lot's more to come!

Hugs,

~Victoria ~

May 5, 2009

Down Memory Lane...

Wow! Can't believe we are already into May! I am sorry I have been MIA...the days and weeks have blended one into the next. Hopefully you didn't give up on me coming back to share something with you all! :)

There are so many new things that have been going on in my life. I am getting very excited to reveal my new look for my blog...coming in my next post! Make sure to be following, I will also be doing my giveaway with that post on a very cute birdie bag designed by me. As I have been Spring cleaning, I decided to do my look for my blog as well. I have been working with Traci at Sweet Cheeky Designs and she is wonderful! If you need a new look, blog button or even a small change,she is the one to work with! Her blog is one to check out! At first I thought I was going to make only a couple of changes to my blog, but Traci has such great creative ideas, I have now had a makeover! I love it and I hope you will too!!

Speaking of creative...I was given a Kreative Blogger award! So happy! Lou Cinda at Tattered Hydrangeas was so incredibly sweet to think of me and say the nicest things. I am feeling some love!! Thank you Lou Cinda~it means so much! She is an amazing person, so creative and talented as well! Make sure to visit her blog and tell her "hi"!

Of course there are rules in receiving this, so here are 7 other deserving blogs that are so creative as well:

Here are 7 things that I love, too:

I love my Heavenly Father! I feel grateful to have faith and the blessings of the Gospel in my life.
My beautiful family! I love my husband, and children so very much! Extremely grateful for them!
So many wonderful friends, who add so much joy to my life!
The ability to use talent and create so that I can share with others.
I love watching my children learn and grow and become their own unique individuals.
I love to cook and entertain. Getting to see friends and family enjoy something I made with love and spend time talking and laughing with them.
I love the direction my life is going. Striving for goals I have set and trying to accomplish them.

I decided to share in this post with you all something very close to my heart and life...my beautiful daughter Drama Queen. She just attended her first formal dance at her school this weekend. Since she in in the mid-high, they have a dance similar to Prom called M.O.R.P. It was fun to see how excited her and her friends were about attending this. She is not old enough to date and probably never will as long as dad has something to do with it so her friends all met there together. They even had a nice sit down dinner and enjoyed being all dressed up. I wanted to show you all this amazing journey of her life from the beginning of her as a sweet baby to the transformation of the great young lady she has turned into.

I will be here crying as I go through the photos, hope none of them will be blurred!

So proud of her!