It's scary and so exciting at the same time. My creations will be in the GBK Productions Gift Lounge at THE PRIME TIME EMMYS!! It's all fun and games thinking about it but it is so totally different sitting down and doing it. GBK Productions is top shelf, the A list will be invited there. Think about it for a minute, THE Gift Lounge of the year. Celebrities, Fashion Editors, walking around looking at my stuff?
The Artisan Group have put their faith in me, they trust me to create something wonderful for this event. Believe me they put no pressure on anyone in the group, I am doing this to myself. Valerie and Nikki (the founders of the group) are both wonderful, supportive women. Well, everyone in The Artisan Group are wonderful and supportive!! I can't find enough words to explain to you how happy I am to be part of this amazing group. I am so excited to be given this platform to hopefully create some buzz about my creations but also The Artisan Group and all the members.
You all know how picky I am about things I make. Well, multiply that by about one million and that's how picky I'm being. I've never considered myself an anal person until now. Well maybe not anal but extra picky for sure.
This week I've gone through three different design ideas. Yes, that's what I said three different designs. First I thought nice little Padded Zipper travel bags with a matching coin purse would be something useful. I'm making things for the Press Bags, I'm sure the Press that will be attending travel a lot right? So I made some Padded Zipper Bags with box bottoms, matching coin purses with a handy dandy vinyl window. Here's a picture of some of them.
Practical but no dazzle. Some dazzle is what I want, so back my sewing room I went. Blue Brocade with gold metallic threads, satin band and bow accented with Swarovski Crystals sounded good.
After I got it done, all I could think of was a Prom Purse. Still not even close to what I want to send to such an important event. This is a nice design but not the classic, elegant, tasteful, design I know I am perfectly capable of making.
Whatever I make will be given to the Press, it has to grab their attention. I want press for The Artisan Group, for all Artisans who put their heart, soul and creative talents into everything they make. Artisans don't have a huge advertising budget. There is no Ad Agency creating TV commercials and magazine layouts promoting our brand to consumers. We survive by word of mouth. This is our chance to get more mouths working for us!!So where did I turn? Lace is very much in fashion this year. I slept on it until about 2am. Yes, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about what I will make. Okay so I'm anal, I'm a big girl I can admit it. Not a problem.
From two in the morning until my eyes crossed about 10am, I was in my sewing room. I'm way too old to go very far on three hours sleep but I had a design crashing around in my head that just had to find it's way out. This is what I have come up with so far and now I'm happy. The final design finally is taking shape. This picture is the very beginning of the Clutch Bags so bear with me.These Clutch Purses are going to be about eight inches wide and five inches tall with a one inch box bottom. I'm making them out of Micro Suede, I love the soft feel of that fabric. The lace is imported from Germany since I have never found any lace made in the US. sigh.
They will have a low profile magnetic snap closure so I'm thinking a beautiful multi pearl button for decoration on the front flap, and Swarovski Crystals kind of scattered around the lace to add just a subtle touch of sparkle. I did get some of the outer body fabic sewn together and now when I look at them I can picture the finished design in my head.
After I get the outer body sewn up I can start stressing about the lining fabric and what the inner pocket should be like? Swivel clip to clip a key ring to? Matching coin purse type thing with a pocket to hold credit card and drivers license? Or maybe a quilted suede Key Fob. Should they have detachable chain straps? So many things to work out.