Update- Just checking in and what's new!

My goodness!  It's been quite some time since I've blogged here!  Just wanted to give a quick update on what's new.

My husband and I have moved into our new home.  :)  It's great, everything I've been dreaming of since I was a little girl!  And having a room completely dedicated to my sewing it just fabulous.  I will show you all pictures of my studio once it's finished being decorated.

Babbs Boutique is going so well too!  I'm super excited about all the purse I'm getting to make in such great color schemes.  Thank-you to all my customers!

Between my day job, my Etsy store and my new house I haven't had much time at all to just relax.  But I'm taking a moment now to have a cup of tea and write this update.

What's new with Babbs Bridal?  I will be offering some new silk colors and patterns soon.  Also, I'm very excited and proud to carry Gleepart jewelry, my good friend Grace's beautiful ceramic jewelry.  Stay tuned to see what I'll be listing soon!

New Rhinestone accent flowers for the Pleated Clutch Design

Hello!  Like I said in the last post, I've added a new flower for my Pleated Clutch Design.  Hope you like it!  It features five petals and is made from dupioni silk instead of polyester chiffon.  The flower can be made to match a clutch or done in a contrasting color. Instead of the flower being a brooch, I've decided to sew it onto the purse as it is too bulky for a brooch.   I've used a rhinestone accented button in the center as opposed to freshwater pearls.  Of course, the chiffon brooch is still available!  Any thoughts?  Which do you prefer?

Here are some more pictures of the new flower:

~monica

Give Away Winner

I picked a winner!  First of all, thank-you to everyone who entered my little give-away.  All the names were great, it was quite hard to choose a favorite.  I decided to go with: "Perfectly Pleated" by Ms. Teacher.  I think it best describes this new clutch design!  Stay tuned for a new take on the flower that adorns my pleated clutch design...

Enter to Win- My First Give Away

To celebrate my 100th sale (which coincided with my move back to Canada a few weeks ago...), I'm hosting my first ever give away! I need help choosing a name for my newest clutch design.  It can be customized in any color so please keep that in mind.

Here is the clutch, featuring three layers of boxed pleats all in dupioni silk on its front.  The winner will be chosen based on my favorite name and will win this exact clutch.  All you have to do is become a follower of my blog and leave a comment including the name you chose for this clutch.  Don't forget to leave me an e-mail so I can reach you if you win!

One entry per person, contest ends Friday, July 9th at 5:00pm central time.

***this giveaway is now closed.

Inspired by... Gold, Brown and Ivory

Here is my first inspiration board.  I was inspired by three colors: ivory, chocolate and gold.  I've included a new clutch design in these colors on the board as well.  A perfect fall color combination, perhaps?  

Clockwise from top left:


Bridesmaid dress from MoriLee 735 chiffon
Feather Fascinator from PowderBlueBijoux
Clutch from BabbsBridal (Me!)
Vera Wang Dress as featured in Martha Stewart Weddings Fall 2009

Ring from Clare Stoker 

Cake from serendipity cakes
Shoes from Valentino Mena Nappa Slingback
Just Married Sign from Martha Stewart Weddings

New City, New Tags

I'm back!  Back in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  New City doesn't necessarily means new tags but since I was running low...  We're settled here, as best as we can until we move into our new house.  Yes, we bought a house a few days ago.  Our possession date isn't until the 30th of July so we have some time to get a few pieces of furniture and what not.  For the first time in my life I will have a room dedicated to sewing!  I'm so excited about that idea.  Storage, storage, storage!  And a place to display some of my pieces and a desk dedicated to my business, and a separate area just for sewing.  ahhhh!  Plus my husband Andrew will have the whole basement to turn into a music studio/rehearsal space, etc...

Here is a sneak peek of our new house:

I'll definitely share once we actually move in!  Just wanted to let you know we're here safe.  Give away will follow shortly so stay tuned!

~monica

Handmade Wedding Dress

Yay, so I did hit my 100th sale with just over a week before the big move back to Canada.  When I get back and settled in Canada I am going to do a give-away to celebrate, so stay tuned!

I haven't had much time to spend in either of my Etsy stores lately because of all the packing and organizing, but I feel like I have some time to devote to a little blog post.  I haven't blogged much on this blog yet so I might as well start with a little history.

May brings back some sewing memories for me.  Two years ago in May I was a newly engaged woman planning a July wedding with a fiancée away for most of the planning process.  We knew we were going to have a small wedding and decided to do it in my parents backyard.  Since it wasn't going to be too formal of an affair I thought, "why don't I make my own dress?"

A simple statement, but a simple task it was not!  I had barely any sewing experience except for a home economics class in grade 7 and I had made three fold over clutches for fun one summer during university.  But this fact didn't cross my mind.  I ended up altering a dress pattern to a design I had in mind and had a lot of help from my friend Katie, my Aunt Lillian and my mom.  My Husband-to-be's grandmother gave me a few yards of white silk that her husband purchased in China many years ago.  

There were a lot of fitting problems, especially in the bodice and as a last ditch effort to save the dress 1 week before the wedding I cut the bodice off and made my dress into a two piece ensemble.  It was just crazy, super stressful and I kept wondering why I decided to make my own dress.  Thinking back, I know there are a million things I would have done differently having the sewing experience I have now.  But it was special, getting to walk down the aisle in a dress you and your friends and family had a part in the making of.  Making that dress was the beginning of what I hope will be a long and fulfilling career in sewing/designing.  

~monica