May 14th, 2012

So finally, after what feels like months of rain, the fabulous folks at Dobege Photography finally managed to get some outdoor pics of my bags!  Typically I needed them as soon as the weather turned and it's not been dry or light for long enough to get them done, but we got there eventually, and well worth the wait I think.

Really pleased with the outdoor shots, the natural light really brings out the colours in the fabrics, and in a weird way I think the bags look more in context than any of the other shots - outside, being held by someone wearing a coat is, I suppose, the exact setting we see handbags in every day, we just don't notice!

Back to some serious sewing tomorrow, expecting a delivery of fabric and cushion pads so I can get this wholesale order completed...I still get excited about fabric deliveries, and you know I really hope I never grow out of that!  Happy Handmade Monday everyone!

www.lucyliz.co.uk

May 10th, 2012

Excited!  With massive thanks to the wondeful folks at Dobege Photography let me show you the new-look Lucy Liz Facebook page!!

I think it looks brilliant, I personally find the new Facebook Timeline to be such a nightmare that my page really wasn't looking too well at all - dreading it being applied to my personal profile - but loving the new look, excellent work!

www.lucyliz.co.uk

May 7th, 2012

Thank you all for the lovely comments on yesterday's blog!  I did make the cotton rack myself, quite enjoyed it actually, reminded me of being back at school doing DT!

Also pleased to share with you all another little magazine snippet, this time featuring one of my Keep Calm totes.  It was in Sew magazine, to be honest I only got it because I knew the bag was in it, but what a great magazine it is, really enjoyed the rest of it so the bag at the end was really a bonus!  Have also uploaded it to my Lucy Liz Press Page .

Hope you've all had a happy and relaxing Bank Holiday Handmade Monday - back to it tomorrow!

May 6th, 2012

I took the executive decision on Friday that for the bank holiday weekend, Lucy Liz would be "closed" to making products, as I need to sort this house out - it's a tip!  And the reason it's a tip is because, despite having an entire sewing room all to myself, the house is still full of my stuff!  I knew things were bad when Andy found felt in the fridge!

Anyway, I've been re-shuffling my room.  It's looking pretty good actually, hoping I'll get it done soon so I can take some pics and show you all. I think it's so interesting to see where creative people work, the things they have around them, the things they don't...perhaps it's the psychologist in me but I like it!

So today I made myself a couple of storage pieces!  The first is a stand for all my spools of ribbon, a dispensor if you like, as they're a constant mess, and the second thing - which I am epically proud of! - is my new cotton reel rack!

It's not quite finished, I massively underestimated how much cotton I have so it needs at least another 3 rows adding to it, but you get th idea!  It mounts up on the wall and all my cotton reels have a proper home - it's ideal!  Andy doesn't find cotton in his meals and the OCD in me gets to organise them!

The perfect product for a happy Handmade Monday !!

April 30th, 2012

First of all, thank you all for the lovely comments on yesterday's blog!  Really was very pleased with the magazine pic, and I'm building up a nice Press page on my website !

After a long day dealing with people who are unhappy with the new Royal Mail pricing structures (myself included!) I came home and sat down to make a lovely little wholesale order I got yesterday for my vintage postage stamp pin cushions...so a rather post-themed day for me!

Now I think about it I can't remember if I shared the pin cushions on here?  If I did I apologise, and if I didn't then here they are!  (And of course, available from my site! ;-) )

I must say I'm so pleased with these and they've proved popular, just hoping it continues!!  I hope you've all had a happy, productive Handmade Monday , speak to you all tomorrow!

April 29th, 2012

Had a nice little surprise today!

A few months ago I had a request for some pics of my bags from Handmade Living magazine.  I sent them off but completely forgot about it, so today I sat down to have a look online to see if I could find if they'd been used or not.  As it goes I didn't find anything, but oddly enough I did find one of my scarves that apparently was used in the January issue!  I had no idea!

I get such a buzz seeing my products in magazines, especially when you're not looking for the thing, it just appears when you turn the page.  I was actually really shocked at how professional the photograph looked!  That was one I did so quite proud of that one!

Just got a lovely little order in too but more on that when it's officially gone through (hate to jinx things!) ...hopefully I can share that one tomorrow for Handmade Monday !

www.lucyliz.co.uk

P.S. - 5 months to go to the wedding!

April 22nd, 2012

Ohhh my goodness, how long has it been since I linked up to Handmade Monday ?!  There is just no excuse....I have been busy though!

Lots been going on here, new products, new photography, new pricing structure, revamped Lucy Liz website...it's all go!  Of course none of it's finished yet, never is, but we're getting there.  Poor Andy gets to the end of the website "to do" list and I present him with another one...what a trooper!

There's lots of new products on there and I'm proud of all of them, especially this bag though!

I was excited even just to receive the fabric and thankfully it translated into a bag even better than I thought it would, such a vivid turquoise it really is a beautiful print "in the flesh"

Best get me to bed - ready to start it all again in the morning!

April 6th, 2012

Popped into Hobbycraft today, and I'm stood looking through Sew Hip magazine and look what I should stumble across...

Lucy Liz at number 4 in their list of Favourite Things, love it!

In other news, sending the biggest birthday wishes to my beautiful Maid of Honour, Helen, hope you've had a wonderful day up in Bonny Scotland! X

March 26th, 2012

My 100th blog post!!  I must admit that when I decided to do a blog-a-day for the year I did think it would be a  lot easier than this, but determined to stick with it!

My site is slowly but surely finding it's way back online, it's just unreal how much their is to do!  I'm not making things easy (for anyone!) by having 4 photos per product but I think it's important to give as much info as I can about a bag, especially as you've already paid for it when you see it for the first time!

Just a couple more bags to add, newspaper print and the skull and roses print, then the purses and totes can go on....only a little list huh?!

March 15th, 2012

Finally, after what feels like a wait of about 6 months, the first of my new products was finished today!  After the frames arrived on Tuesday I set about putting them together but inevitably with a new product there were a few creases that needed ironing out.  Thankfully I seem to have sussed out the problem and fixed it and now I have the beginnings of my new ranges sat ready for photographing!  Such a great feeling, I love this bit when it feels like all the hard work is coming together!

Just been watching Mary Portas and her British knickers....bloody love that woman!  I have so much respect and admiration for what she's trying to achieve, I only hope she can pull it off and do something towards the state of our economy - us British makers need some help!!!

March 13th, 2012

After weeks of frustration, things are finally moving again with my new products!

I was so organised!  I put my order in for the frames I needed for my new bags and purses, made a list of what I'd ordered and proceeded to cut and stitch all of the pieces so they were ready for the frames arriving.  Got all the sewing done and then waited...and waited...and waited....nothing turned up.  Turns out my parcel got stuck in customs for almost 2 weeks! 2 weeks to get a box through an office, unreal!

But they're here now and I'm back and running with it, so hopefully over the next couple of weeks I'll be bombarding you with nothing but new pics of new products!  Good times!

March 12th, 2012

Ohhhh Lord I'm tired!  After a week off having been back to hospital, today was my first day back at my "other job"...I'm exhausted!  You just don't realise how much you don't do when you're off, until you get back to work!  I went back and dived straight into my jobs that needed doing, by half past one I was ready for bed - and all I can think is that I've got to do it all again tomorrow!

Must get a good sleep tonight, tomorrow my box with all my new bags frames is arriving, lots of new sizes and styles that I've not been able to get on with because they held the frames in customs for what's felt like a million years!  Don't care how tired I am tomorrow, I'm making those bags!!

Night night all! X

PS - 3 days to go to guarantee your orders for Mothers Day!  Don't forget! http://folksy.com/shops/LucyLiz?page=1

March 11th, 2012

If Wendy doesn't mind I'm actually going to use this Handmade Monday post to promote someone else that I feel deserves such a mention!

Today Andy and I went to the Vintage Market in Stockport.  We've been meaning to head down there for ages and just never got around to it so today we finally made it.  For those who don't know what it is, it's a monthly event held in the covered Market Hall in the centre of Stockport, it's primarily vintage (the clue's in the title!) but there's also a scattering of in-keeping handmade in there too, some really beautiful things actually, I'd bought something before I'd got to the second stall!

Anyways, one of the reasons for going was to see an old friend of mine that I know from my former life which was spent trackside at the British Touring Car Championship.  Alistair (now of Come Dine With Me fame, if anyone watches that!) was there working with his partner Stuart who is the proud owner of Stuart Thornley Cake Design - you have got to check this guy out!  I had every intention of taking a pic of the beautiful cakes that we bought to show you but they didnt last long enough! 

All of the products are baked entirely from scratch and Stuart has designed just the most beautiful product range, from cupcakes to push-up cakes, cake lollipops...you name it, he can do it, even down to the packaging it's all finished in the most professional way you can imagine.  Brilliant!

On a side note, may I remind you all that it's Mother's Day one week today!  So be sure to get your orders in before Thursday to guarantee delivery for Sunday!!  You can find most things from me over at Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/LucysDesigns?ref=si_shop - or message me via the Lucy Liz page on Facebook.

March 1st, 2012

It's March already!  Where on earth have the last two months gone?!  I think I've worked through and missed them!

Long day of making today but a very good one, lots of bits ready for posting out tomorrow.  Oddly I ended up changing a tote bag design today on the basis that I was too tired to finish it!  I was doing some of the totes with the Queen's head over the Union Flag, I did the head and set it aside to dry (and very nearly dozed off) and when I looked back at it I actually preferred it to the design I'd originally been doing...less is more, and all that!

Must get to bed, we've had a non-stop week so far and it's set to continue tomorrow with a trip home for a family party, and you should never take my family on without sleep!!

February 26th, 2012

Evening all!  Should really be heading to bed, just been looking at the diary and Andy and I have the busiest week ever...we might have an extra day this February but we've filled that too, I think we get to have some sleep some time during next Sunday!

Desperately tried to get as much done as possible before the week started, got a lot done but not nearly as much as I'd have liked.  Did managed to get the Folksy & Etsy shops completely up to date though, so that's something, just got a massive pile of sewing to get through now.  Shouldn't complain, I love to be busy, but sometimes I feel like I could do with a week of February 29th's!!

 

February 25th, 2012

Not one to break with tradition, my other blog posts and pics have been about what I've been up to that day, but today I fear I may have to show you something completely unrelated...we've spent today working on the new site and you're not seeing anything to do with that until it's done!  What I will say is that Andy has worked like a trooper and I'm so so happy with how it's coming along - he's done good!

So I shall give you one of my badges which is about to go on Etsy, because that's all you're allowed to see today!!!

February 20th, 2012

So yesterday I was telling you all that there's some changes coming to Lucy Liz, thank you for all of the messges, nice to know people want you to do well!

But I couldn't let Handmade Monday go by without a product photo, so as promised (about a month ago!) here's one of the coin purses I did.

As yet I'm not sure if these have made the cut for the new site, the new purses I've done are bigger so these might not have a place, though these are very different to the new ones so perhaps there's room for both?!

Will have to wait and see!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/

February 19th, 2012

How on earth is it Sunday night already?  I'm quite sure it was only just Friday afternoon!  Time must fly  when you're having fun, or working like a trooper!

As some of you may have noticed, http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/ is temporarily closed for some spring cleaning.  We're hoping that it won't take too long but it will definitely be worth it as we'll be re-opening the site with lots of new products and a very different strategy for marketing...I'll be honest, what we're doing is a pretty big risk but fingers crossed it'll be worth it!

So today was Day 1 of getting it all started!  Andy spent the day photo editing and exploring new ways to set my site up ( I know exactly what I want, just need to work out if it's possible!), whilst I set about with costings and fabric cutting for the first of the new bags which I love!!  I'm extending my existing range to include some bigger bags which have a much bigger surface area so the fabrics look so much better as you can really see them!

Worringly my To Do list took two sheets of A3 paper and contains 54 things to do, so I should have no problems posting new products for Handmade Monday for a while!!!

February 18th, 2012

Another late one for me!  I keep forgetting to blog during the day, next thing I know it's stupid o'clock and I'm barely awake!

Such a good day today, feeling very organised and full of direction...I'm sure something will happen tomorrow which will send me into a spiral but for now, I know exactly what I'm doing, which can only be a good thing.  Lots done today including getting a couple more totes done, really enjoyed doing these as I'm making them to send up to my friend's shop so there's no rush for them, was nice just to sit back and enjoy doing them!

Back to it tomorrow, so I'd best get a good night's sleep before it all starts again!

February 12th, 2012

Well I must say, Andy has seriously worked for his dinner today!  After sweetening him up with tea and a bacon sandwich he set down to a day of photography and editing...couple of new bags finished and ready to go, coin purses done...he's a star!

So here's introducing one of two new bags, something floral ready for Spring 2012!

This bag isn't my favourite but I'm really pleased I've done it, my favourite bags are actually very dark - bags like New York and Vegas are based on black so it's nice to have something like this one to really brighten up the collection.

The other new bag (which I'll show you all for proper Handmade Monday tomorrow) is one of my favourites yet!!!

Night all!

http://www.lucyliz.co.uk/