New Small Purses

I simply love ALL of the new small purses I added to my website yesterday!
Recently I bought loads of super colourful materials. I’m so excited about them all and have loads of larger bags planned, like messenger and shoulder bags, but I’m still waiting for my sewing machine.  At the minute I’m still using a friend’s and don’t want to sew anything too think, as to not break her’s as well.  I hope to get my machine back soon though, to make all these funky bags!  I’ve even been thinking about getting  a proper industrial machine as it would sew much better and quicker. But I just don’t know where to start, they are so expensive and there are so many different types. Oh well, I’ll keep you posted about all that.

             

So, do you have a favourite? I wouldn’t be able to pick just the one to be honest. Let me know which you like the best!

Cute New Small Purses

My sewing machinehas gone on strike again! So I’ve borrowed one from a friend, but I’m being very careful with it. I don’t want to break that one too. Which means that I can’t really work on anything but small purses.  It’s not a bad thing to be honest as I only had about 3 left on my site.

I particularly like these two, these are now available on my Dawanda Shop. I’ve got many more planned. I hope to add these to my own site tomorrow. And of course add some pictures here as usual. So be sure to pop in again to see all the new stuff!

Frankfurt from a different perspective

The weather on Sunday was beautiful, so we decided to go out with the new camera and discover Frankfurt through its lens.  And what a wonderful day we had.   You really see things differently through a camera lens. You notice all sorts of details and patterns you never saw before. We had walked this same way many times before but yesterday everything looked much more vivid. 

Here are some of my favourite pictures, hope you like them.

 

We really did discover Frankfurt from a different perspective.

 

New Make Up Bags

Loads of cute, new, little make up bags.  These are not only pretty but also very practical as they all have a plastic lining so if something should spill it wont ruin the bag and you can easily wash it out.  All of these are one-of-a-kinds just like the larger bags. 

  

See anything you like? I hope so, all of these plus many more are available on my website. So why not check it out

Better Pictures

One of my main goals for this year is to improve my pictures on my site and blog.  My husband was very sweet and got me a new camera for Christmas; a proper SLR one. I’m very impressed with it (and with my husband to be honest ). I feels like much better quality than the little point and shoot camera I have been using so far.  Still though it’s not only about the camera but also about the lighting.  It can make such a big difference, it’s incredible. Who would have thought!

Over the last few days I’ve tried lots of new techniques; such as changing the lighting and using a tripod. I think that there has already been a slight improvement in the pictures though I still have A LOT to learn.  At the minute it seems that my best pictures are taken during the day when it’s sunny, so as to not use the flash.  From reading up on blogs and looking at a few short videos on YouTube I’ve realised that I need to diffuse the light, which is why I have hung that thin paper in the window in the picture below.  This little detail has already made a big difference. 

It seems though as practice is the answer.  So hopefully my pictures will continue to improve until they are perfect, or if not perfect, at least better and a little more professional looking.

Some people have been practicing much longer than I have and I would like to share with you one of the most beautiful blogs I came across.  You should definitely take a couple of minutes to look at her work, but I suggest eating before hand or else it is pure torture in a good way. Cannelle et Vanille. I actually contacted her and asked about her pictures and she took the time to answer me, which I thought was very nice.  Anyway, I’m waffling on and on as usual. She suggested I read a blog entry a friend of hers had written, I thought that if you are also trying to improve your pictures that you might also be interested in reading it: Tips on Photography. Ok so it’s about food but it is still interesting.

I also very much liked this guy: Prophotolife he has lots of short videos on YouTube that are actually understandable. And not too difficult to reproduce as he’s not trying to sell you a hundred and one products.  He also has his own website.

Anyway, I hope that this might help you too.

Same, same but different

Two new shoulder bags using the same materials, yet completly different.
The materials: 

• dark grey cotton
• grey cotton with black berries
• black ribbon
• black velcro
• black strap
• black tread

The Bags:

 

 

So which is your favourite the left or the right hand one? Hard to say…  I like both equally. I just love the grey material with the berries. It’s very funky!  oh, by the way this are on my website already

New SALE Category

I’m happy to say that one of the biggest points on my ‘To do’ list I mentioned last week can now be crossed off.  I have created a new category on my Website offering many bags at discounted prices.  The reason why they are on sale is because I have since changed the patterns and these are the last ones left in these styles.

For example the two messenger bags have denim straps rather than black polyester ones, which I think looks better but this means that they are non-adjustable.

Another example are the make up bags.  The two on sale are both sooooo cute but again I now make them differently.  This is your chance to get a one-of-a-kind ALEX original handbag at a cheap, cheap price!  Hopefully you find something you like.

In the SALE you will also find a super nice shoulder bag, a triangular bag and some funky totes or shopping bags. So have fun shopping!

I’m Back!

Happy New Year everyone!

I am back!  Well, I have physically been back since Monday morning, but I am really struggling to get back into the swing of things.  It felt soooo great to have a couple of weeks off, especially after the long hours I had put in through all of December.  I hope you all had a nice holiday season as well.  But now it’s so hard to get back into it.  Don’t get me wrong I love running my business and making bags and telling you all about it.  But it felt nice to not feel like I HAD to do anything for the last couple of weeks.  To just relax and not think about anything; to not stress about getting this or that done.  I guess there are many advantages to working for yourself but the biggest disadvantage is that there is no one around to put pressure on you to do anything.  That is normally the advantage of it but you have to be very disciplined or else you would never get anything done.  On top of all that my husband is still on holiday!  It’s so hard to say, “you just relax and have a good time and I’ll be in my workshop working.”  I would much prefer hang around with him instead. Oh well, he’s gone off to visit his parents now so it will make it easier to get back to things.

The plan is to finish off all my paper work for 2008 and then I’ll start working on the new year.  I’m thinking of making a proper ‘to do’ list and a ‘goal’ list for this new year.  I hope that will motive me and get me more into work-mode.

I hope you will visit my blog often during 2009, to read about what it’s like running your own small business often, plus see pictures of the new bags, fairs and happy customers.  Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions too, I always appreciate them.