Hello! Anyone out there?

Hey Y'all! It's me, Andrea. I hope all is well and your summer is off to a terrific start. There's lots of exciting stuff happening here at Watermelon Wishes and I am looking forward to sharing that with you.

Since it has been a while, let me take a paragraph or two to get you up to speed. As you are aware, there are many forums in which a small business owner can promote their craft: Flickr, Blogger, Watermelon Wishes Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest...and more! You can see how it can become a bit overwhelming to manage so many facets. For the last two years, I have focussed on the Facebook page and Watermelon Wishes website.

In January, I launched a personal blog dedicated to my fabulous customers that focuses on home organization and creativity. The theme for my life in 2014 is organization. A major component of organization is time management. A question I have been pondering for some time, is how do I maximize my online presence without posting duplicate content? Ideally... I would like for each forum I contribute to have it's own purpose.

There is so much wonderful content embedded into this blog that I don't have the heart to pull the plug. So, if it is to exist, I think it should be updated and managed because it bears the company logo. This is where I could REALLY use your help. Please take a minute to tell me what you would like to see here (that I do not already offer in another location):

Watermelon Wishes Website: studio news and new products
Personal Blog: home organization and creativity
Facebook: announcements, sales and new products
Flickr: product portfolio
YouTube: video tutorials
Pinterest: my personal interests
Instagram: a snapshot of my life

Many thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Removable Messenger Strap Tutorial

For this project you will need a 44" or longer strap, 2 o-rings, 1 tri-glide and 2 swivel fobs.

Slide one end of he strap up over and down through the tri-glide so that the center bar is under the strap.

Flip side of the strap.

Turn the strap over and pin down the loose end. Stitch in place.

Slide one fob on the strap and position at the center of the strap.

Feed the other loose end of the strap back through the top of the tri-glide.

Your strap should look like this with the fob at one end and the tri-glide at the other.

Slip the second fob on the loose end of the strap. Fold over the fabric and stitch it down.

Your finished strap can be attached to any bag which you have pre-installed rings. 

I slip the rings through two fabric tabs and secure those tabs to the bag during the construction process. 

Vintage Jewelry Roll Remake

I have a new design to share with you that evolved from a piece which was created by the grandmother of one of my local clients.

Intended to be a jewelry organizer, this particular design could hold a variety of objects, large and small. It is distinctive in that the 4 zippered compartments have varying depths: 2.5", 4.5", 5.5" and 9". The top tab allows the caddy to be hung on a door knob or hook, when open or closed. Compact and sized for travel, this piece is ideal for small spaces, such as dorms. 

Approximate measurements:

[unrolled] 9" x 11" 

[rolled] 4" x 9" 

What types of items would you use this piece to organize?

Original design inspired by a local customers grandmother. 

September Studio Tour and Updates

It's been five months since we occupied our new space. It's a bright happy place and I love going to work --- but, I think I may drive my assistant, Eileen, crazy. She works on Tuesday and Thursday and without exception, when she leaves, I move things large and small, all around the studio.

Round and round, they go.

I might have an illness. I just don't know. I really like to rearrange things. I remember, as a child, frequently moving my bedroom furniture.

This arrangement feels like home. It's cozy and just might stick.

Do you like it?

I do.

In other news...

The older Chapman children go back to school next week and my sweet little Isabel will be spending some more time in the studio. In an effort to strike a balance between home and work, the studio hours are changing a wee bit, beginning Monday, September 10. Barring an unforeseen circumstance, I will be in the shop Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We'll close for an hour mid-day to eat lunch, ship and take a little stroll through town.

Over the years, I have mastered many crafts. Scrapbooking was my first obsession. Then rubber stamping, followed by sewing. I am excited to share a new project with you which incorporates my expansive stamp collection and newfound passion for hand-stitching.

These fabulous panels are going to be crafted into tote bags and will be making their debut later this month.

My handmade soapbox

My affinity for handmade runs wide and deep. 

Northern Virginia, the place where I live, has a different feel than the southern, western and eastern portions of the state. It seems to me, as if life here moves at a very fast pace and all things are tainted by the odor of politics. 

My craft, rooted in tradition, is misplaced in an environment of continuous negotiation and motion. The art of sewing, is best appreciated by those who value time, or aptly, its relationship to the past. 

Our grandmothers sewed because they or their mothers worked in the garment factories that clothed the people of America. Later in life, they continued to sew, even in the absence of such work --- simply because they enjoyed creating. They took pride in making beautiful things for those that they loved. As do I.

In a broad sense, everything is “handmade”. It’s unlikely a robot produced the shirt you are wearing now. A person, or collection of people made that garment. Someone created the design, choose the fabric, threaded the machine, guided the stitches and snipped the loose ends. 

There is value in that process. Absolute value. 

What would you charge to complete the same process? Two dollars? Ten? Of course not! Logically, you would take into consideration the cost of materials and the time it takes you to make. 

After six years, I am what some would categorize as an expert in my craft. I have logged more than 10,000 hours sewing and am very comfortable with the work that I do. My best selling product, the XL Ultimate Diaper Bag, takes on average 4.5 hours to complete and requires just under 5 yards of fabric. 

Good quality cotton material, which can be machine washed, and result in a long wearing product, costs about $12 per yard, including shipping. The hardware which is incorporated into the design, totals $8 and the interfacing, $5. Labor is calculated at $20 per hour. Bear in mind, no one actually makes $20 per hour. We have two part-time employees, pay rent for the studio, insurance and taxes.

Cost to Make

Labor $90

Materials $73

Total $163

Is that reasonable? I think so. 

Yesterday, in the studio, I overheard a mother in a harsh scolding tone say, “I am not going to pay $30 for that bag.” Obviously, she was frustrated. I doubt that it had anything to do with my product, or her daughter’s desire for a new bag; but, more likely, an external factor which neither of us could control. I am compassionate and I get that, I do. 

What happened next, sorta surprised me. I spent the next few hours, thinking about the value of my own purchases, calculating the labor and material costs. Then began to consider the maker, in most cases, whom I did not have the opportunity to meet. Who are they? Do they have children? How many years have they been sewing? How did they learn? What kind of machine do they use? Do they like their job? 

Then there’s me --- a maker out of place --- sitting at my hot pink sewing table, doing what I love most, ready to share my story and listen to yours. 

While, there is tremendous value in everything handmade, greater value, sustaining the term “handmade” can found in the connections which are forged as a direct result of the craft. 

[Stepping down, off my soapbox]

Create a wall of inspiration

I love consignment shops. You just never know what you may find. My late Grandma Bonnie, the ultimate collector, believed wholeheartedly that "one man's trash is another man's treasure." While I don't take my collecting to the extreme, like Grandma *might* have, there is absolutely value in reusing, repurposing and recycling.

One of my favorite thrifty stops, is "The Very Thing Consignments" in Haymarket, Virginia. On a recent visit, I happened upon a sweet book of quotes. Collecting words of wisdom ---to fill my soul and randomly spew at my offspring--- is yet another passion I have.

Inspired by the thoughts inside, I knew this little book should be mine and I knew exactly to do with it.

Admittedly, my daughter, Megan was a wee bit surprised as I began separating the spine from the pages. At least until, I told her she could select her favorite quotes and a colorful frame for each.

Pleased with her work, we used double stick tape and arranged them randomly on an otherwise barren wall; which will forever more be known as "our wall of inspiration".

"Make something good today" and "Work hard and be nice to people" are my favorites. How about you?

The colors of the Caribbean

The airports we traveled through were a "sea" of black and navy bags. Our colorful luggage was sure to catch the eye of many and coordinated beautifully with the colors of the Caribbean. 

Two new Watermelon Wishes designs, the 4 Pocket Tote and Beach Bag, pictured pool side on the deck of the Norwegian Sky. 

Green, pink and yellow, the unofficial colors of the Caribbean. 

A fabulous read, for my fellow entrepreneurs.

Our ship, the Norwegian Sky. 

Nassau, Bahamas 

Nassau, Bahamas

Ashley, shopping for gifts at the Straw Market.

Nassau, Bahamas

Local craftspeople carve the sculptures from wood at the Straw Market in Nassau. 

Me with my newest camera bag design. It really worked well for this trip!

Ashley, with another new backpack design, which also served us very well. 

Festival Place, Nassau 

Overall, this was a fabulous trip, which left me energized and inspired to create!