Interesting Find of the Week - Letters from Italia

I have been thinking about Italia again and yesterday as I was browsing the Etsy site I found this wonderful shop, Rosies Armoire.  Her shop is filled with these wonderful hand painted wristlets and home accessories that were inspired by vintage letters and postcards.  These lovelies have me dreaming of Italia and this week's interesting find:

Letter from Italy Purse

From Italy with Love Purse- Aqua

Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen - hmmills - Eco-friendly messenger bags

Interesting Find of the Week - For the Record

Years and years ago a friend and I walked into a music store. At the time, she had not yet converted to the CD phenomenon and we were on a quest to find a particular album, but all all we could find were CDs. When we approached the store associate (who appeared to still be in high school) his response to our question was, "Ma'am you can find the vinyl downstairs" Oh boy, did I feel old, even though I was only 22 at the time...and with that, here's this week's interesting find:

Bad Company Record Album Purse from The Big Oh's Shop:

Or about this Record Purse "Under A Blood Red Sky" from Lia and Emily Designs' Shop

Until next week...Happy Sewing!

Helen http://www.hmmills.com

Interesting Find of the Week -

Living in Florida and previously providing coverage in the Cocoa Beach/Titusville area as part of my day job responsibilities, it is with sadness that I watched the end of the Space Shuttle Program once the Shuttle return to earth last Thursday morning.


So this week I pay homage to one type of aerospace technology that had made it into our everyday lives...Carbon Fiber...

Carbon Fiber Portfolio from RAGGEDedge Gear's shop: 

According to the product description, "Carbon fiber is well known for its high tensile strength. Its often touted as being stronger then steel at a fraction of the weight. It was originally introduced to the world for use in the aerospace industry, but has since been adapted by many other industries (now most well known in the automotive sector)..."

Until next week Happy Sewing!
Helen of HMMills - Handcrafted messenger bags, bags for men, clutches, satchels, hobos, totes, purses, canvas bags, laptop bags and school bags. Created in fabulous eco-friendly fabrics such as hemp, canvas and bright cottons.

Interesting Find of the Week - Coffee in Bed

This post is late because I am still in bed, drinking coffee and watching the CBS News Sunday Morning. All days should start this way. Dreaming of coffee and searching through Etsy this morning I found the following interesting find(s) of the week. 

How about a messenger bag made from a recycled coffee sack from White Apple Threads Shop:

BENTLEY Messenger Bag 

She also carries this theme of recycled coffee sacks and creates bridesmaid gifts:

6 Custom Wedding Totes - Handmade from Recycled Coffee Sacks

Very cool...
Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Holiday Merchandising?

Happy pre 4th of July and to our neighbors to the North, a belated Happy Canada Day!

This weekend includes two national holidays and I was wondering how many of us took note of the Etsy July Merchandising Desk post and marketed holiday related items in their shops?  I did not, did you?  While I was a slacker, I found others that were not:

ALFRESCO PINK MESSENGER American Flag

Vintage Gun Shot Bags Messenger Cross Body Purse

Oh Canada: Messenger, Laptop, iPad Bag

Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - BIrd!

Well Summer is here and it's time to pull out the sundress or maxi dress if you prefer..

It also is the start of the search for summer accessories...How about a Leather Sparrow Clutch Bag from Boundoor's Shop?

Until Next Week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Bags for Dad

Happy Father's Day!

I found this wonderful Etsy Shop, LUSCIOUS LEATHER NYC that has a wonderful collection of leather bags.  The owner, describes herself as a self-taught leather smith and she has fabulous leather creations... wonderful gifts for Dad.

Wish I had the courage to sew with leather...


Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

This Week's Interesting Find: Memorial Day Weekend Gardening

I love Memorial Day Weekend...for me it means the start of summer, pool time and gardening. It's during this first 3-day weekend of the year that I start tending to my landscaping and I found this wonderful shop, Bravura with lovely garden bucket bags made of leather and canvas:

...and to keep true to our Bag Maker mantra, a Garden Bucket Purse is also available:

Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Finger Wallets

I worked for a public company in their very large Corporate Campus.  We have a dining room  and since I was tired of carrying my wallet, I usually just grab some cash or just my debit card...bad I know...

Being a sewer you think I would just make a tiny wallet but that's too boring...

How about a Leather Finger Wallet from Smadar Shop which you can carry on your finger?  It has a zipper so you don't lose any of your change and since it's leather its easy to clean if you spill liquids on it...

 
 
She has them in several colors as well and also a bigger size but still small to carry on one finger.  As this larger one in tan: 

The LeatherTH Shop also sells little leather pouches that are held with your finger and also include a zipper, such as the Bella Mini finger Leather Pouch: 

Until next week Happy Sewing!
Helen

HM Mills

Happy Mother's Day

Good Morning and Happy Mother's Day!
....on this day, a little token gift for Mom...

A Mini Purse Necklace from Kiko Attic's Shop

Browse the shop as she has several lovely mini purse necklace designs...
Enjoy the Day!

Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Check Please

Well Earth Day came and went this week.  The building I work in was certified as a "Green" building  last year so there were tons of festivities to celebrate Earth Day. Organic has been on my mind for the last few months as my fabric supplier discontinued my favorite grey organic fabric and my supply is almost depleted.  Since then I have been  on the hunt for a new supplier of organic fabric and I came across this on Etsy:

 From Dreams Come True's Shop - is a Beige Cotton/Linen Panel called Fabric 649 - 'Korean Order' The Receipts of my Shopping Day with brown ink...

Until next week, Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - The 70s Revisited

Perhaps I am dating myself, but it's hard to believe that the 1970 was 41 years ago.  It's also hard to believe that today is the anniversary of Apollo 13 successfully returning to earth..."Houston we have a problem." So as I reflect upon the 70s, here's a few things to help you reminisce..

Do you remember these...but how about as an accessory?  From Nature Hike's Shop, Zip it - Cassette Tape Wallet

From Quiet Doings:

 A Slim Cassette Wallet.  It is made of brown canvas with an
original cassette tape design silk screened by hand and then sewn.


 Or about this cute pouch as described by the seller, Ity bity Bags - Vintage Camera Series-Instamatic Pouch

Do you remember the last time you dialed one of these? An old telephone iPhone leather case by bRainbow Shop:

Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Leather Straps

Now that I brought an industrial sewing machine, my mind has been contemplating the idea of incorporating leather into my bags.  I don't know if I am readying to buy leather cowhide to make an entire bag but I was thinking about starting with small steps such as leather handles...

I browsed through some of the Etsy supplies and found these pre-made straps:


Leather Star Shop's has these adorable Strawberry Pink Leather Handles that would be great on a little girl's handbag...

    
Karen's Fabric Shop has these cute Bow Tie Leather Bag Strap: 

 

And if you are so daring to cut and create your own, there are suppliers that sell leather: 

Unique Shiny has a several Yards of Vintage Style Leather in her shop.

Or how about some leather cowhide remnants from Shelly Supply Shop.  She actually has several leather items to choose from...

Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Upcycle/Recycled Fabric & Bags

The Challenge #2 deadline is creeping upon us Carried Away Team Members...it's the last month to submit your Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Repurposed Bags.  So while you are working on your item, I thought I would look around and see what other creative bag members are doing....

Gottahav Messenger Bag, UpCycled Military Canvas - SyringaSpring's Shop

Messenger Bag, Repurposed Fabrics - Remainewicked's Shop

Until next week...Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Take Note!

I was doodling in my notebook of ideas the other day.  I was looking at a bag I had drawn and was trying to imagine what fabric I would use but the notepaper lines kept getting in the way.  So just for kicks, I did a search on Etsy and look what I found...

From downstairs Designs' Shop:
A Read More Books Kindle cover...

Or how about this one from Quiet Doings' Shop:  A wallet/checkbook where she has sewn in the notepaper designs on vinyl...

How about a personalized zipper pouch with a sewn in notepaper design from MontclairMade
Shop?

Red Rabbit Shop has a few zipper pouches, she too has sewn in a notepaper design...I like the airplane doodle...

Until next week..Doodle on and Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Welcome Spring!

Ah, it's March 20, 2011 - the first day of Spring. When I lived up North, it was my favorite season as it meant that we were just a few weeks from seeing blooming flowers. The one thing about living in South Florida is that you do missed seeing pretty delicate flowers coming from the ground.  Well I have been thinking about flowers so much, I thought I would share some dainty fabric flowers from our fellow Etsians as this week's Interesting Find: 


From LiDDesigns Supplies Shop:

 Her roses are perfect, according to the description, "Each petal has been sized (stiffened), hand cut, then molded using special heat tools to form the individual curves and folds replicating real natural petals."

Just gorgeous!


From Bizim Supplies' Shop:

She has a collection of pretty little ribbon flowers and few larger zipper flowers.

From bidesign's Shop:  Lots of Organza flowers, but I love her Satin Lotus and Pale Pink Stain flowers...

Until next week...Happy Spring!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Stamped Fabric

Did you catch Wendy's tutorial last Friday?   If you didn't go back and check them out as the focus was on fabric painting and stamping.  It has me thinking about hand-stamping and painting fabric...How about you? 
This week's interesting finds...

How about a hand-stamped pouch to cover your passport and boarding passes?

Travel Pouch - In A Nut Shell Store

Do you love Chinese Symbols and Seals?

Then visit Balaimu's Shop.  She has a collection of pencil cases and cute coin purses that have also been hand-stamped with symbols, such as her Canvas Coin Purse - Happiness. She also sells the stamp seals in her shop...this one is called Double Happiness.

Goddess Linen Zip Bag Pouch

And finally, another artist that uses handmade stamps as in  this linen zip pouch from Crazy Jeep Honey's Shop.

Until next week, Happy Sewing!
Helen

Interesting Find of the Week - Zippers

This week I took a day off to shop in the textile area in Miami.  I finally had the chance to visit a Notions/Zipper Manufacturer.  With their warehouse in the back, they have a little front office where you can pick up orders. The great thing about this place is they also have bins of leftovers or forgotten orders.  Each bin probably holds over 1000 zippers, just thrown together.  It's probably not practical, but who can pass up digging in a bin of zippers? 

So what are some creative people on Etsy doing with zippers?  This week's interesting find...

The BOND Girl Bag - BigTree1's Shop

Zipper Bag Number 2 - ElizbethWren's Shop

Water-Resistant Nylon Bag - Tippythai's Shop

Wallet Bag - ButtonWoodBags' Shop

Until next week, Happy Sewing!
Helen