All the best!

I'm wising you all the very best in the upcoming year! 

Lots of creativity, a great deal of laugher, finding new friends, 

having fun with old ones.

The opening...

.... of my Exhibit in Hostel Celica went smoothly, perfectly. Thank you all for coming and all of you who couldn't make, here is a peek of what you've missed.

The fantastic trio by Bojan Cvetrežnik, Klemen Bračko and Matija Krečič opened the ExhibitBojan Cvetrežnik 

Following the nice speech by Janko Rožič

A few words from me

And the main thing of the Exhibit- the bags

all photos by Bojan Stepančič (thank you sooooo much)

We had a lovely time. Thanx again for coming. 

The Exhibit will be held until January 7th 2011.

And the winners are...

I promised to annouce the winners today. Here goes. You posted 12 comments, I eliminated comment no. 6, because Cherry c posted two coomments and I didn't think it would be fair toward others.

Did you think I would use Random.org? Think again. I used the old fashion way with a bit of a help. I bet you haven't seen that kind of choosing the winner!

Step one:

Writing down all the numbers that correspod to the comments.

Step two:

Folding the numbers

Step three:

Wrapping the numbers into the newspaper one by one and mixing them.

Are you curious? Be patient, just a bit. Here comes the the final step:

Choosing the winner. Here comes the furry helper. My Irish Setter Flora.

As you can see, Flora was courious as who the winner was, she nearly ate the second bit of paper. I hope the winning numbers are visible.

Congratulations to both winners! To all the rest, best of luck next time.

Have any complains? Send them to my Irish ;)

It's time to celebrate, it' time for another give away!

It's time for some statistics. I don't like statistics that much, but it can be useful from time to time.
Today is exactly 100th day since I've created this blog. In these 100 days I have created a logotip and tags in cooperation with ilustrator Petra Preželj (I just had an idea, all the rest is Petra's work), I visited one Fair, I was a part of sewmamasew's Super Style Bag Swap, I'm in the middle of preparing an Exhibition, made a great deal of bags, did two giveaways and posted 32 blog posts. And now about you: there are 22 followers, you posted 96 comments* and you visited* the blog 970 times, that means 9,7 times a day. Not so bad, right?


I just want to thank you all in a very special way!
Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for following my blog.  Thank you for all your lovely comments.  Thank you for being my friends! I am so grateful for the wonderful people I've met (although most of us have never actually met in real life...) and have been inspired by. 

Since 100 is such a nice round number and it's Christmas time, I have decided to give away some of my stuff. What do I have to offer?


First is this nice red cell phone bag (for a big cell phone like BlackBerry) or a small camera bag. 12,5 cm x 9 cm (when closed) velcro.

Second is a small bag. You can use it for change or as a bag for credit cards. 12 cm x 8 cm, zipper.   

Sorry for horrible photos, bags really look better. 


To enter, just leave a comment on this post and tell me which give away do you perfer. The giveaway closes at 12:00 noon on 21th of December CET and I will choose two winners the day after. Yes, two winners, so try your luck and leave a comment.  


Please make sure I have a way of contacting you, either from an email address in your comment or a link on your profile otherwise I wont't be able to send you your giveway. 


Good luck!


*my comments and visits are not counted.

Don't miss the Exhibition in Hostel Celica

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, December 21th!

I am very pleased to annouce my first Exhibition. It will be opened by Janko Rožič in Hostel Celica in Ljubljana on Tuesday the 21th of December at 8 pm. If you can't make it, don't worry the Exhibition will be held until 7th of January 2011. What can you expect? I made so many bags in the past years it would be imposibe to show them all, so I'll exhibit a little bit of everything. And before I forget: it's a sales Exhibition, so go check it out.

I sure hope we will meet a have a chat or two and a drink or two.

If you like music of the world, you are most welcome in the Hostel at 9 pm, because there will be a Jam session. Free entry! More about events HERE

Giveaways

I love giveaways! I like to give as well as get a giveaway. This time I was lucky and Maja from Čas za kreativnost blog send me this nice package.

and in it 

photo credit from here

Maja, thanx a lot!


If you like giveaways, take a look at sewmamasew's blog It has a lot of giveaway stuff from around the World. Take a look, I'm sure you'll find something for yourself.

It's a dogs life

Yes, our bitch has a dogs life. She has a bed or a blanket or something to sleep on in almost every room, except for the bathroom and kitchen. Her favourite bed is that of Danish Design called Morocco. I bought it years ago (it's been a while since I looked at their home page, I see they have a lot new stuff and an Irish in a Sherpa Fleece Bed is a no go! Someone should tell them an Irish looks the best in sandy colours ;)). The Morocco Snuggle bed is Flora's favourite bed, so it's a bit worn out and I have decided to make a new one. In fact I already made one bed for her, but it's flat and she doesn't like it that much. She likes her bed to be lifted a bit on all the four sides so she can snuggle in. Again I had no sewing pattern I just knew that I want to make one just like the Danish Design. I took an old bed quilt, dressed it in an washable white cotton and quilted it all over so the inside material would stay in it's place when washed. I also wanted the bed to be washable, so I sew a zipper on one side of the exterial fabric. The bed turned out quite big and I didn't have enough material (it was a left over piece), so I combined it with a bit of pink. I'm not at all a pink person, I don't like it, but combined with this sandy, red and olive green it looks just fantastic, wouldn't you agree?

I call this one the winter collection, althought it should be called the spring collection since it has spring colours and pattern. It is much bigger than I've planed, so there's enough place for two dogs. Maybe it would be time for me to get another puppy. Flora would hate me for it withouth a doubt.

I wanted to show you the whole bed, without my bitch, but she just wuldn't go off it. The top part can used indenpendently.

The zipper

The summer collection (the first bed) I made some time ago.

If you've missed other collection I've made for dogs, check it out here.

Cell phone bags, part two

A have been busy this weekend, here is the result. 

Just a word of advice: if you like any, don't think twice, don't even blink, it may not wait for you and you might not get another chance, because I only do one of a kind. They're all unique.

Girly

Green SOLD

Black

Did someone fancy this fabric? GONE AS A GIVEAWAY

Cell phone bags

I the past I made a few bags for carring cell phone. I didn't have any sewing pattern or instrucions I just set down and tried making it. And I complicated a lot. The bag eventualy turned out great, but it was a lot of work. That's why I only made three and those were sold almost immediately. Then one day I saw this easy tutorial for cell phone, iPod or camera bag and it made my life so much easier. Thanx to sewmamasew and a pretty cool life for the tutorial. Try it out, it's really easy and those bags are such a lovely present.

Previous weekend due to bad weather and my bitch being in season (so we couldn't go out and enjoy the snow), I finaly tried this tutorial and made some more. Here are just two of them, the rest three were already sold.

I'll be making more soon, probably this weekend.

And the winner is...

I read all of your comments and just could not decide who the winner should be. So after thinking loooooong an hard I decided to donate fabric to all of you! The only diference will be the quantity, that means the first commentator will be getting the biggest box of fabric, the second commentator a bit smaller box of fabric and so on. But don't worry there's enough fabric for all four of you!

Please contact me at blackbird.bags@gmail.com and let me know your home address. As for you Hrandica I hope you'll be visiting Slovenia soon, because I don't want to send a big box of fabric 800 km far.

Have a nice day and thanx for visiting my blog and all your comments. It means a lot to me.

A gift and a give away

A gift for me and a give away for you :)

When Maja from Studio Domicil told me she has some left over fabric and can take if I want, I had no idea there would be three huge plastic bags and  a carton box! Wau! Haven. It looks like I've been a good girl, Christmas came early this year. The bags contain manly of realy small bits which is ideal for crafting and patchworking. I don't do patchwork, maybe it is about time I start.

What would you use it for? Are you working in the kindergarten or school and could make any use there? Leave a comment, spread a word to your friends. The best comment will be revarded.

Nicholas Fair

On Friday 26th of November betwen 1PM and 6PM you are very welcome to Logatec to a localy fair called Miklavžev sejem (Nicholas Fair). I'll be there as well as many others with all the lovely handmade things.

Welcome! Hope to see you.

Tags

I have just received these beautiful tags, so all my bags shall have a little more personal touch. 

What's new?

Well LIFFe (Ljubljana International Film Festival) is in town so I didn't have time to write blog posts. But whenever I find time, I read other people's blogs. So I found this lovely blog from Retromummy Corrie who's giving away Sweet Broderie fabric. Take a look, write a comment and a blog post and you might be a lucky winner! Maybe I shouldn't tell you, that means less chance for me to win...        

Photo credit here

Remember this stack of fabric?

And now here are these. First the red ones.
This was a very small bit of material (24 cm x 28 cm), so this is a very small handbag, so small I had to use another material for inside of the handel (you can se it on the first photo, if you look very closely). For a lady's night out when all you need is wallet, mobile phone and keys. It's 22cm wide and 21cm high, the handel is 40cm long it also has a zipper on top. And the price? Very favourable, only 24€.

Another small hand bag, also in red. This one is 24cm wide, 25cm high and handel is 46cm long, zipper on top. Price 26€.

Both of them together.

Then the orange ones.
Some like it orange. I love orange, especially with chocholate brown or with the colour of sand. It's a warm colour for those cold winter days.
First a small bag for credit cards or a small change, 14cm x 10cm, zipper, price 6€,

than a bit larger bag. 20cm x 21cm, velcro, price 18€.

And a larger handbag with two pockets in front. 35cm wide, 28cm high, pockets 18cm  x 22,5cm, handel 68cm, zipper, price 30€.

There is still some material left and I have a lot of ideas what to do with it, but I'm working on another project, so this will have to wait a bit. Just a sneak peak at my new project:

The design

The material

Wanna know more? Come back soon. Anytime.

His Majesy the sewing machine

Everyone who sews knows it is importain to have a good sewing machine. The sewing machine can make your sewing projects easier or it can make your day living hell. Somedays I would just love to throw my sewing machine out the window. But then I think "be patient, this machine is an oldie" and it's not mine, it belongs to my mother. She bought it when she got married, nearly 36 years ago. It irriates me when I have just a little bit to sew, but the machine does't want to cooperate. It irritates me even more when I'm in a hurry. Sometimes I think the machine has a mind and a caracter of it's own and it's quite a lot in a bad mood. Maybe it would be time to buy another sewing machine. Maybe if I tell the sewing machine, I'm going to replace it, it would behave itself. What do you think? Which would you recommend?

For the last time...

... Super Style Bag Swap. The bag I received from Petra. It's a shoulder bag with plenty ob pockets (one in front, one on the back, two on each side and another extra in the inside). I promised to show you the bag, so here it is.

Shopping

The best part of making bags must be shopping new fabrics. I do most of my shoppings in Studio Domicil, where they sell outside fabric primarily used for blinds, courtains and sofas from Ka International. They have the best fabric, great colours and patterns, I could just buy it all. Unfortunately I can't afford it, because it is quite expensive, so I am very garteful to the owner Maja who now and then gives me small bits of fabric for free. Very kind and very appreciated!


Look what have I brought home last week. What shall I make? What should I combine with what? Hmmm, decisions, decisions... I can't wait to start cuting, sewing. What would you make?