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. 

Bag Making 101: Learn to sew the bow tie tote

Date: 

Saturday, May 5th

Time:

9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Cost:

$79 

(includes supplies & instruction)

Place: 

Watermelon Wishes Design Studio 

114 W. Washington Street #4 

Middleburg, Virginia 

(bright yellow house, across from the Post Office, second floor) 

This is a group lesson and space is limited. All students must pre-register. Students will need to bring their own sewing machine, thread and scissors. Basic sewing experience is required. Students should be familiar with their machine and know how to thread and wind the machine bobbin. Private lessons are available for those students who have no sewing experience.

To register, visit the studio at 7 W. Washington Street, phone (703) 577-0283 or email orders@watermelonwishes.com. 

Super Cute XL Ultimate Diaper Bag Set in Alexander Henry Juicy Jungle

This bag was so much fun to create and makes me want to take a trip to the zoo! Working with large scale prints, such as the Juicy Jungle featured on the exterior of this custom XL Ultimate Diaper Bag, can sometimes be a challenge. With a little planning, I was able to showcase a different critter at every angle.

Today in the studio: a modified version of the Deluxe Diaper Bag

A custom order from the great state of Texas, the bag pictured is a variation of our ever popular Deluxe Diaper Bag. By request, we omitted the side bottle pockets and added two front exterior pockets. The snap closure was replaced with an oversized button/tab closure for style and a touch of whimsy. Interior elastic bands were also added to hold sippy cups, water bottles and the like. Coordinating accessories included a xl ziptop wet bag, soft chenille changing mat and an ultimate diaper tote with front and rear pockets and a tab closure to match the diaper bag. 

Great for weekend trips or a special occasion

Originally designed for families with more than one child in diapers, our Weekender Tote Bag is ideal for weekend getaways as the name implies and would also make a very stylish labor and delivery bag. Extremely roomy, you can fill it up with all the comforts of home!  

Sidetracked, again.

Pardon the drama, but the vision for my newest design, struck me like a bolt of lightening. Picture me in the studio, early Saturday, diligently working on custom orders. And then BAM! Out of no where, this fabulous idea just pops right into my head. I could see it clear as day. I tried, I really did try to fight the urge. "No, no, no", I said to my inner artist (whom can be easily sidetracked). But, the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't help myself. I just had to stop what I was working on and materialize the concept before it escaped me. The remainder of the day was spent perfecting my newest design, presented here. Super pleased with the outcome, I am so glad I let my creativity take hold. 

New, a modern version of our Market Diaper Tote Bag

Looking for some good clean fun...

For a two and half year old, that is. During the week, our youngest daughter (Isabel) accompanies me to the studio. She is at a great age whereby she enjoys creative activities like coloring, watercolor painting, playdough and the like. I am always on the lookout for age appropriate activities for her (to do in studio) and would love to get your input on toddler friendly craft and game ideas. 

She loves to paint at her picnic table

And play dress up

And spin in my office chair

And help me ship and check the mail

And, thankfully, she still naps (that's when I fit in some "power sewing")

Presenting Bag No. 360 and 361

I carved out some time this weekend to work on my patchwork challenge. Both bags are similar in size to the Ultimate Diaper Bag and feature now hard to find designer fabrics. 

In the studio: Patchwork with ease

A custom order, the diaper bag set pictured was crafted from Jennifer Paganelli's Kimberly Royal fabric. Commonly referred to as "cheater cloth", this type of material offers a patchwork look with ease. 

A glance at the most popular Watermelon Wishes diaper bag styles

Ultimate Diaper Bag

XL Ultimate Diaper Bag

Weekender

Deluxe Diaper Bag

What is your ideal handle drop?

A matter of preference, the handle drop is measured with the bag handle fully extended and is the distance between the center of the handle and the top of the bag.

A drop between 9" and 12" is comfortable for most people. I prefer a shorter drop, around 7", as I like my bag to sit snug on my shoulder. What is your ideal drop?

Heirloom in the making

The moment I opened the package, filled with scraps from the quilt her mother made, I knew this would be a special project. Cut by cut, stitch by stitch, it occurred to me that this is the kind of bag a mother saves forever. 

A treat for herself and a keepsake to mark the birth of her third and "last little one", the XL Ultimate Diaper Bag Set pictured was a custom order for a customer in Iowa and is crafted from Michael Miller's Gypsy Bandana collection.   

Behold: Whitney's vision

A custom order, this bag was envisioned by Whitney, a fabulous customer from the great state of Missouri.

Whitney provided the material and a detailed drawing outlining the placement of each piece of fabric and I fulfilled her wish.

While I've had many favorite bags, this one tops the list with its funky color scheme. I love how the orange and green contrast with the black and white.

So chic! So now! So Whitney!

Bag No. 361: Reversible Hokie Pokie Tote

Bag No. 362: A Mini Park Tote Perhaps

This petite Watermelon Wishes patchwork tote would be perfect for those quick trips to the park---when you only need to bring a snack, the phone and keys.