Camera Strap w/Pocket

I got some fabric a little while back with the intention of making a more fun camera strap, this time with a pocket and today I finally sat down and made it.  I'm not going to lie the pocket is a little tight for the lens cap, but it does fit.  I will have to work on that for the next one, and let this one out a little.  One thing that went better this time: I remembered to take pictures of it before I put it on my camera strap!

my first commissioned piece

I think I may put my three hard-earned degrees to good use and become a professional crafter.

We probably should have moved to Utah County for my new career choice.  I wonder if Austin can do whatever it is he does in Provo?

Speaking of using my education - I got a job teaching yoga at the climbing gym!

This post is going somewhere I promise:  I got up this morning (about an hour and half later than I had planned on getting out of bed) and finished a yoga mat bag that a friend from way back commissioned me to make!  She picked out the colors so this bag is more basic and simple looking than my sister's and I think it turned out really well.

Austin and I are going to work on a new design sometime soon, then I have to make an etsy store...that means I have to come up with a clever name - any ideas?

Camera Strap

Considering the fact that everyone and their brother now has a fancy DSLR camera, and half of those people have the exact same camera as me (the other half have the Canon Rebel), I wanted to make mine stand out from the masses.  This afternoon, I used the tutorial from the Skip to my Lou blog to make this really simple camera strap slipcover.  The bonus? - it's padded too!

P.s. If you were thinking, "that fabric looks familiar"...you're right!  I just used the leftovers from my skirt for the first one :)

Handmade Yoga Bag!

Last summer before I started my teacher training to become a yoga instructor, Austin made me a bag to carry my mat, strap, towel, etc. etc.  It turned out really well and I used it pretty much everyday for the next 6 months and I am still using (although less now) and loving it!

I had to say all that to make sure I gave Austin credit for designing the original bag :)  I followed his original design and made another bag for my sister for her birthday.  And now that she has opened her present I can finally show you the pictures!

For all my fellow yogis out there, let me know if you would be interested in buying one for yourself and I will get to work!

I make a great "house-girlfriend!"

My temp job already ended yesterday (tentatively starting again at the end of the month/beginning of next month), so I had a whole day to do whatever I wanted!  And I took full advantage of it.  First, I woke up and made these Reese's Cup cookies which are definitely going to be added to my list of favorites!  I got the recipe from the Smashed Peas and Carrots blog and just adapted it a little bit since I didn't have all the ingredients.  Basically I used twice as much butter and no shortening.  Also, I didn't really have enough peanut butter cups so I added about half a bag of milk chocolate chips...delicious!

After that, I spent about two hours trying to figure out how to load the thread into my mom's ancient Sears Roebuck sewing machine that I inherited in the move out east.  (Thanks again!)  Then I set to cutting and sewing and generally attempting things that I don't have any experience doing!

...and voila!  I have a cute new skirt that I made all on my own!  And, did you notice, it has pockets!  Can't get any better than that!

If you would like to make your own click here (from Freshly Picked).  I followed her directions pretty much to the T and found it surprisingly easy.  Then when I put it on, it seemed really big and poofy so I ended up taking out about 3 inches in the waist and 9 down at the bottom to make it a little more streamlined.

Plus I did some laundry and dishes all by 3:00 pm!  I had to take the opportunity to pat myself on the back!