So much to do.... so little time !!!!!

I know it's been a while since I've blogged!!! OMG!! over a month!! "aye ya!" (jun hai!). Well let me update you on what I have been up to and what is going on in my life with CUPCAKE. :D

Firstly, I have re-invented my workroom/sewing room once again. Having one table is never enough for me :P so I trenched out to Ikea and bought a computer desk for $29.00 and a shelf for $70.00. (to zoom into the pictures just click on it). So below is 2 pictures, not one, I know it it looks deceiving (as if I could afford 2 sewing machine!!!) .

Okay, so picture to the left: you can see the $29.00 Computer desk from Ikea, that's where I do my Sewing. and the white table and chair is where I cut, craft and design my items.
Picture on the right: I've had my maniquine for a long time so that's not new to my study/sewing room. but the white shelf is new and as you can see it's filled with my fabrics! Ontop of the shelf: to the left you can see my mini light box. I call that my "Photo Studio". That's where I take my photos of my items. and at the other end of the self is my big jar of buttons!!! whoo hoo!!! you could never have enough buttons! So there you go, this is one of the huge changes/things I've been up to.

Now, items that I've been working on.... there are so many (view below)!!! I've found myself bouncing from paper project to fabric project or combine them both...and because of my first mini craft show... i'm starting to feel overwhlmed in producing items to sell not to mention I've recieved a custom order for my pouchette!!! But I think i have it under control... maybe check back with me a week before the show and we'll see how I am!. I know at the beginning there's a lot to do and prepare for the show, but I think the more you do and the more you put yourself out there, there will be a balance. that's what I believe.

1. Marshmallow pouch. 2. Mini Matchbooks 3. Baby felt booties

4. mini fabric hard cover notepad 5. Wristlet pouch 6. cardholder

Dilemma Solved! The Emma Bag is HERE!

So finally, I've solved my dilemma(Dec 15 2008 post) that I've made a bag that i don't want to part with. I just made another one to sell. However this time around, I've changed it and added a few things to it. So it's better then the first one!!! Let me introduce to you the Emma Cupcake Tote (bag/Purse....). You could find in in my Etsy store.

♥ HAPPY NEW YEAR ♥

LOVE PEACE JOY!

Cupcake Pouchette

Busy working on some pouchette over the holidays. Check them out! Super Cute! They are 3.5" tall by 5" wide, Perfect for travel makeup bag, iphone, businesscard holders. etc.

1. Purrrfect autumn walk. 2. Polkadot cupcake 3. Sweet chic pink 4. mod flower power 5. elegant white 6. peekaboo tulip.

You could find these in my esty store.

Happy NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Happy new year everyone ♥. For the year 2009, it's time for Cupcake to spread it's wings and venture out to events and craft shows. It's always a scary procedure for first timers like me . . . but it's good to know that I am not the only one out there that is worried about their products being juried. I went through many application and read through many requirements of what to submit and what to do . . . it does all sound scary, because of the what if factor, but as I always say, it doesn't hurt trying. You'll never know if you don't try. My aunt has been a veteran of craft shows for over 3 years now, and over the holidays we chatted a bit, so that I could get a good feel about these craft shows. She tells me that there are really 2 ways to approach this. If you want to start, you could start small.... maybe doing small trade shows, to see if your product will do good, to justify if you have a really good product on hand. That's what my aunt did for her product line, but she tells me that path was not the best way to go if you have a family and 3 children to take care of. For example, is it really worth it to spend $250 a day sitting at a booth and promo your product out at small fairs and not spend the day with your kids? so then she tells me, path number 2. you must BELIEVE in your product, if you go might as well go BIG! if you get turned down from events doesn't mean that your product sucks, it's usually either because, they have many of the same items entered.... and take the no as a challenge, change it up a bit, tweek it, or just try again next year. Don't let a single no or the fear of applying stop you. There may be times where you do a show for more then 3 years and and 4 time around they could reject you, some reasons could be... change of people in the juries or maybe they are changing up their policy, you never know. So, don't be shy, just do it, get your products out there, what do you have to lose? it never hurt to try.

I ♥ weekends :)

Oh how I heart weekends.. they are the highlight of my week, where I get to go shop for fabrics and sew sew sew!!!! So I've mostly hit all the fabricland locaiton in the GTA and have check out each locations and their sales, my fav location would be the one on Yonge and Steels. So far they have the most selection of fabrics and prints. Seeing that I have visited a lot of fabricland, I started to question....are there any other fabric store other then fabricland and the ones downtown??? so I googled " quilt store toronto" and load and behold... to my surprise there are quite a few, and alot of them have websites and online stores! ! ! Knowing this I dashed out of the house and went to my first ever quilt shop, the Sew-Sister Quilt Shop. let me tell you, I felt like a kid in a candy store, everytime I look at a print, ideas starts flooding into my head... there were so many different beautiful prints and selections!!! Also super well organized and clean!!! I spent a good hour in there going through all of their selections, from fat quarters to their japanese fabrics!!! Below is only a few selections I've picked out and will post future creations from it so keep checking back.

This asian print was also bought at Sew-Sister Quilt shop, and have made a little pouch out of it. If you like it, check out my esty shop, it's listed under samples. link is on the left side of the blog. Not only did I have time to sew up a cute pouch but also had a bit of time to sew up an arm candy. I've embroidered the Cupcake crest earlier this week but didn't have time to start on it...I'm usually a type of person that once I start something/project, I must finish it on the same day/night... I don't like to go back to it from time to time to work on it. So I started this bag at 9pm had to cut out all the pattern ( 3 pcs shell, 3 pcs lining, and 3 piece heavy felt) and didn't finish till 12:30 am. It turned out great! super super adorable and coutureable!!!

I kinda wanna keep this one to myself and not sell it :( the dilemma again!

Cupc♥ke First Pouchette

So I went through my collection of fabrics, ribbons and trims and picked out 3 items that may work as a little pouch. I wanted to make a tote but figure this "Sugar plum" theme looks better as a pouchette. However one catch, I never ever have sewen up a pouch!!! let a lone a pouch with linning! So a few hours later, Viola!! Cupc♥ke's first pouchette!

It's a bit raw but will need some tweeking forsure.... was not very well thought out for the zipper and handel part... I should of sewen it inbetween the linning and shell. I have also printed Cupcake label into the linning and added 2 rhinestones to give it the extra bling. :) If this was to list on esty, I would sell it as a sample... for it is a sample however it's the first pouch I've ever made for my brand and hate to part with it.... the delima :(....

Cupcake Long Johns for Dogs!!!

Have been busy away sewing Cupcake new creation long johns for puppies. I have made a few before and gived them away to friends as gifts. I have made 2 and will be listed in my etsy shop (xoxocupcake.etsy.com). The red one is the "Cabin" line and the grey one is our "waffle" line. Model by my adorable Obi

My New Workspace

For the past few weeks I've been working in my dinning room on my dinning room table. however my dinning room is located above my garage and the room is always freezing, no matter how high I turn my theromstat, it stays cold!!! So I've finally decided that I need more room and a space of my own. So I moved everything upstairs into one of the bedrooms and used the window nook as my work space and a table for my fabrics.

However compare to other sewing rooms viewed below.... it seems like my upgrad is not even an upgrade! How I will kill for an organized, spacious fun room for just me and my sewing :( *Sigh* something like this . . . . perhaps.
(picture viewed here from hgtv.com Mission: Organization : Episode MSO-1108 )

xoxocupcake.etsy.com

Finally decided to open up an accoun and add my creations to Esty.com to sell rather then ebay. I think esty suits my needs more then ebay. Not to mention the fees at Esty are more my level then ebay. Come visit my shop at xoxocupcake.etsy.com ! kindda having trouble with the banner.... might need to use photoshop instead of corel draw.... arg.