angelina fong designs

The Wonderful World of Sushi

2011-06-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

My Makimoto Zip Pouch has been featured in this adorably fun treasury of all things sushi! Love it!

Custom Order Makeup Brush Roll

2011-05-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a custom order makeup brush roll I finished this week for a customer. She has an awesome makeup brush collection-- 30 in all! I must admit, I had a bit of brush envy when I saw the pics of all her brushes. I'm still slowly building up my own collection.

I modified my current brush roll design to accommodate the various sizes of this customer's brush collection and was quite happy with how it turned out. The customer was extremely excited when I sent her the photos before shipping out the item. I hope she loves it as much in person!

New Kindle sleeves for my fellow readers

2011-05-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

My brother made fun of me when I got my Kindle this past Christmas. He said: "Man, never seen someone so excited to read before!" Clearly, reading books is not one of his favorite past times. But I must say I do love my Kindle and the endless possibilities this little device opens up to me for in terms of what I have to read right at my finger tips at all times! Currently, I'm reading "Sense and Sensibility" (classic!) and "Bossypants" by Tina Fey (hilarious!).

And with that, I just thought I'd share a few new Kindle sleeves I recently added to my shop. Above here you have the new Peony Sleeve.

And this one here is the new Hanna Kindle Sleeve (a new old fabric that I decided to bring back).

What are you currently reading on your Kindle?

Modern Mouse Craft Night: DIY Monogrammed Tote Bag

2011-05-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun at last night's Modern Mouse Craft Night. The adorable Christina walked us through how to jazz up and personalize a simple canvas tote bag with a doily, some fabric paint and letter stencil.

I am quite pleased with how my bag turned out-- what do you think?

New Sofia Zip Pouch & Makeup Brush Roll

2011-05-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Another something new that I just added to the shop: the Sofia Zip Pouch & matching Makeup Brush Roll.

My favorite part about this fabric are all the colorful blooming embroidered flowers.

And I included a coordinating bright purple for the inside lining of the zip pouch.

I actually found this fabric at the bottom of one of my fabric bins. I've had it for a while, but totally forgot about it. Don't you just love when things like that happen?

An iPod Sleeve That's Good for the Environment

2011-05-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

A new addition to my shop: the Kayla iPod Sleeve made from 50% re-purposed materials. Believe it or not, the embroidered flower fabric you see here spent its former life living as a pair of culottes. The culottes have been spared from an eternity spent as landfill and can now live out the rest of its days as a cute and practical iPod sleeve!

Fits your iPod Touch and iPhone 3G/3Gs snuggly to protect it from any nicks, stratches and is well-padded in case of those dreaded drops. Click here for more details.

Big Bad Baby Blanket in mint

2011-05-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

I just gave this baby blanket to a friend of mine yesterday. He and his wife are expecting their first child next week!

I knit this blanket using the big bad baby blanket pattern from Stitch 'n Bitch.

This was the second time I knit this for a baby present. I particularly like that there are so many different textures that come through in this relatively simple pattern.

I only had Christmas and wedding wrapping paper in the house so I decided to opt for the more neutral wedding wrap and added cutesy baby graphics to dress it up. I received an email from my friend this morning saying that he and his wife love the blanket!

Fixed! Aaaand... we're back in business!

2011-05-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

So....good news: The replacement part for my sewing machine came in the mail today!

Now I just have to install it and pray to the Singer gods that the new part does the trick.

Here's me crossing my fingers that all goes well....

And the test was a success! All stitches look as they should, tension on both sides were perfect. Yay!

Fabric Flowers in Bloom

2011-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

I made these flowers from re-purposed fabric I received from my last FabMo visit (which was actually quite a while ago). You can pretty much use any fabric for this-- one that doesn't fray or ravel too much is ideal. I used this great step by step tutorial to get started. After I made the first one (the green flower above), I pretty much got the hang of it. Very easy to do!

I'm still trying to think of ways I can incorporate these flowers into my designs. I thought that a colorful flower might add a nice feminine touch to a clutch. The one pictured above is one I made a while back from repurposed upholstery fabric.

And look how much cuter it is now with the flower! What do you think?

Can't stop sneezing!

2011-05-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Pollen is definitely not my friend! And the heavy winds we've had in the Bay Area over the past week have not been helping. I've been sneezing like crazy, had itchy, watery eyes and am starting to forget what it's like to breathe normally through my nose.

Figuring I'm probably not the only allergy-sufferer out there, I decided to add a few new designs to my Travel Tissue Collection (luckily I did this before my machine went totally kaput). Here are a few of them:

Ohana Travel Tissue Holder

Dani Travel Tissue Holder

Reyna Travel Tissue Holder

You can see the full Travel Tissue Holder collection here.

Crochet Flower Granny Squares

2011-04-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

Since my sewing machine is still out of commission, I thought I'd take this break to share with you some flower granny squares I started experimenting with.

I initially thought to do this as a way to use up leftover yarn that I've accumulated over the years.

So far, I think this mint green and creme combo is my favorite and I just so happen to have the most of these colors. I'm going to continue making squares until I run out of yarn and hopefully it will be enough to make a small baby blanket or maybe a pillow. We'll see!

Broken

2011-04-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

This is what my sewing table currently looks like. My sewing machine decided to stop working correctly last night-- the bobbin tension suddenly was non-existent causing the stitches to get all funky. I spent some time fiddling with it, rethreading the machine a few times, cleaning out some of the lint, but still had no luck. Finally I had to take the bobbin area apart.

I always hate taking machinery apart because I fear:

1. I won't be able to put it back together or

2. I'll break something and won't be able to put it back together.

Well, 3 happened and I ended up dropping the tiniest screw I've ever seen in my life which controls the bobbin thread tension and it seems to have vanished into thin air!!! You can see from the above photo that this screw fits into the tiny little hole in the center of that red circle. I searched for over an hour and could NOT find it for the life of me. Now I am sad.

I've ordered a replacement bobbin case online (assuming that this case will contain the missing screw that I need). I just hope that fixes it! I really don't want to buy a new machine.....

Experimenting with envelope pouches and snaps

2011-04-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to experiment with snaps for a while and decided to try making an envelope pouch for this first try. This is what I ended up with.

The snap was pretty easy to attach which was cool.

I had originally intended for the pouch to be large enough to fit a few credit cards, but it came out a tiny bit too small for that. The finished product is only 3.75"L x 4"w, but may be good for use as a jewelry pouch. I'll have to give this another go-round to get the sizing correct.

A little something for the knitting enthusiast

2011-04-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

Just added the Miya Knitting Needle Organizer Roll to my shop. It's a perfect gift for the knitting enthusiast (even if that enthusiast is you)!

The organizer is 22.5" wide with 26 pockets of varying widths to fit all your straight needles, circulars and even crochet hooks.

See more Knitting Needle Organizers here.

And don't forget, use promo code: FREESHIPAPRIL2011 for free shipping on all purchases now through 4/30!

New Mari Travel Tissue Holder

2011-04-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share my latest Mari Travel Tissue Holder. Isn't it lovely with its lavender cherry blossoms?

DIY: How to Make a Zip Pouch Tutorial

2011-04-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Now that we've gone over how to install a zipper in the DIY: How to Install a Zipper Tutorial, I thought we'd take it a step further and show you how to create a zip pouch. For this tutorial, we'll be creating a 4.5"wide x 5"long zip pouch, but you can follow the same steps to create any size pouch you'd like.

Materials:
- Two 6"x5.5" pieces of fabric that will be for the outside of the pouch.
- Two 6"x5.5" pieces of fabric that will be for the inside lining.
- One 6" zipper. (Again, remember that the zipper should be at least the same length as your fabric or longer).

1. We'll start with the right side. Place one of the lining panels right side up and line the right side of the zipper along the right edge of the fabric.

2. Place the outside fabric face down on top of the zipper along the right edge of the lining and zipper. Pin all 3 pieces together.

3. With your zipper foot attached, stitch the 3 pieces together (lining, zipper, outside) 1/4" from the right edge.

4. Open up the lining panel, keeping the outside fabric panel face down over the top of the zipper.

5. Stitch the outside fabric panel to the zipper once again, this time as close to the zipper teeth as possible.

6. Your completed right side will look something like this from the front.

And here's how it will look from the back.

7. Repeat steps 1 & 2 on the left side, pinning the lining and outside piece to the zipper.

8. Again, stitch all 3 pieces together 1/4" from the left side edge.

9. Open up the lining and stitch the outside piece to the left side of the zipper as close to the zipper teeth as possible, just as you did on the right side.

10. You've now successfully stitched both outside and both lining pieces of fabric to the zipper.

11. Open the zipper about halfway down.

12. Open up all pieces so that the two outside panels are facing each other and the two lining panels are facing each other.

13. Pin these pieces together with the right side facing inwards.

14. Stitch both the left and right sides of the pieces 1/2" from the edge. Also stich along the bottom of the outside panels and only halfway across the bottom of the lining pieces so that there remains an opening to flip the entire piece right-side out.

15. Your pouch should look a bit like an inside out pillow case at this point.

16. Flip your pouch so that everything is right-side out and pull the lining out so that we can now stitch the bottom of it up.

17. Stitch up the bottom of the lining as close to the edge as possible.

18. Your inside lining will look a bit like this once stitched up.

19. Push the lining inside the pouch.

20. And there you have it! Your completed zip pouch!

DIY: How to Install a Zipper Tutorial

2011-04-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Installing a zipper can be a bit intimidating at first, but once you get a few under your belt, you'll see that it's quite easy.

For this tutorial, I'm using a 6" all-purpose zipper and 2 pieces of fabric 6"wide x 5.5"long. You always want to select a zipper that is at least the same length or longer than the fabric you will be sewing it into. (You can always cut off any excess zipper once it's sewn in).

1. With the zipper right-side up, pin the left side fabric face down along the left edge.

2. Be sure to attach your zipper foot to your sewing machine. And I usually like to use a standard stitch size (that would be "3" on my Singer machine).

3. Stitch along the edge as close to the zipper teeth as possible without actually stitching onto the teeth.

4. The completed left side will look something like this once stitched in.

5. On to the right side, pin the fabric panel face down along the right edge of the zipper.

6. Again, stitch the fabric as close to the zipper teeth as possible.

7. And wah-la! You have now successfully installed a zipper!

Want to take it one step further? Come back later this week for my tutorial on how to create a zip pouch! Stay tuned.....

Featured in the Greens of Spring Treasury!

2011-04-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

I must be on a lucky treasury streak-- my new Pixi Makeup Brush Roll has just been featured in this fun Spring treasury full of greens! So pretty!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas Treasury

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

My Pixi Zip Pouch has been featured in this beautiful Mother's Day and Spring treasury by MaryAnny143! Mother's Day is on May 8th and it's coming up fast. Check out this treasury for some great gift ideas for mom this year!

New Janie Zip Pouch

2011-04-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at the Janie Zip Pouch - the newest addition to my zip pouch collection.

It's perfect for carrying your cell phone, keys, lipstick, iPod, pens and all those other accessories that always seem to get lost at the bottom of your purse or bag. More about the Janie Zip Pouch here.

New Pixi Zip Pouch

2011-04-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at my latest Pixi Zip Pouch-- hot off the sewing machine! Doesn't it just make you think "Spring" with the contrasting green and pink colors?

My favorite part is the coordinating pink polka dot lining inside!

And of course, this zip pouch is roomy enough for all your makeup, keys, phones, and more!

It's good to be the bride(smaid)

2011-04-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

In browsing through Etsy for unique gift ideas for my bridesmaids, I was quite impressed with the selection I found! Thought I'd share a few of my favs:

Custom Etched Round Flask by Jack Glass Studios

Jubilee Personalized Stationary Set by Silhouette Blue

Design-Your-Own Silk Pleated Clutches by Babbs Boutique

Now with great gifts like these, who wouldn't want to be a bridesmaid?

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And don't forget to visit AFD for additional unique bridesmaid gift ideas! We're offering FREE SHIPPING throughout the month of April with code: FREESHIPAPRIL2011
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Free Shipping All April Long!

2011-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and for many folks, that may mean a bit of Spring cleaning is in order. But if you're anything like me, Spring also means I just got my tax return and now it's time to go shopping! Much more fun than cleaning-- don't you agree?

In the spirit of Spring shopping, Angelina Fong Designs is offering an exclusive deal to all our followers:

FREE SHIPPING* on all purchases made in the month of April with promo code: FREESHIPAPRIL2011

Who doesn't love free shipping? Seriously?

Start shopping!

*Sorry to all our international friends out there, this free shipping promo is for U.S. residents only.

How to Make Money Using Etsy-- Any good?

2011-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just came across this book: How to Make Money Using Etsy by Timothy Adam and found myself quite curious about it. I wonder if he has any helpful tips or suggestions to offer. Have you heard anything about this book? Is it worth a read?

What inspires you?

2011-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

It was nice to actually see the sun and blue skies today after what seems to have been non-stop rainy weather for weeks! The weather lady says warmer temps are in our future which makes me very happy.

I find Spring weather to be a great source of inspiration in my designs and in the fabrics I choose (in case you haven't noticed). I'm always drawn to bright colors and varying textures, blooming flowers and sunny shades. With the changing of the seasons, I feel some new sources of inspiration coming on soon!

What inspires you?

Hot for Handbags

2011-03-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

I admit it-- I have a weakness for handbags and I'm always drooling over the beautiful bags I find on Etsy. Check out my top picks here in this Hot for Handbags treasury! I thought these were just too good not to share. Let me know what you think! Which one is your fav?

AFD now available at Modern Mouse Online!

2011-03-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

I was pretty excited yesterday to find out that AFD has been included in the new Modern Mouse online store!

I'm always super impressed and blown away by the wide array of unique gifts at Modern Mouse. Now these items are available to everyone-- even if you're not a Bay Area local! Be sure to check out the Modern Mouse shop the next time you're shopping for that perfect gift for him, her and home!

New Janie iPod Case

2011-03-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the aqua theme from Monday's post, here's a new iPod case I just made in this adorable aqua Janie print.

Fits any iPod Touch, iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS snuggly. Now available in my shop! http://www.etsy.com/listing/69116092/janie-ipod-case

Cool, Calm & Collected - Etsy Treasury for Relaxtion

2011-02-27T22:22:00.000-08:00

Life has been quite hectic and stressful for me over the past few weeks and I wanted to take a much-needed break to create a beautiful treasury to calm my nerves and help me relax. Take a moment to chill with me and enjoy this soothing treasury in aqua.

The Official AFD Website is Here!

2011-02-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to announce that the official Angelina Fong Designs website is now up!

This is something I've been wanting to do for a while now, but never thought I could actually do myself. The idea of building a website is super intimidating! Well, as they say, never say never. With some help and guidance from my wonderful fiance and brother, 2 months' worth of work and a lot of patience, I finally have a finished product to show for it! And I must say it feels good!

Check it out and let me know what you think!

It's a Hoot Nursery Pillows

2011-02-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Another custom order reveal: This is a set of pillows I made for a friend of mine who will be welcoming her second baby girl in May! (Congrats Anissa!) The nursery has been designed around these adorable It's a Hoot by MoMo prints. So cute!

(front)

Each pillow features contrasting front & back side prints in complementary colors.

(back)

(front)

(back)

I just love all the bold colors and prints in the It's a Hoot Collection and will likely start to incorporate more of these fabrics in my current collection.

iPod Cases are Here!

2011-02-17T20:49:00.000-08:00

Here’s a sneak peek at my newest product– iPod Covers! A great way to keep your iPod Touch, iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS free from knicks, scratches and protected from that dreaded accidental drop!

Each cover measures 3 1/8″x 5″ and is enforced with extra padding to protect your beloved iPod with a super snug fit!

Pick one up today!

Custom Order Makeup Brush Organizer

2011-02-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've shared any new designs with you and this weekend I was finally able to take some photos of new goodies to share! This is a custom order Kyoto Makeup Brush Organizer that I made last week for a customer. Here I've combined the look and feel of my Knitting Needle Organizers with the compactness of my Makeup Brush Organizers.

Rather than the 2 rows of pockets, this customer requested to have a single row of 15 pockets for all her makeup brushes. The sizing on this one came out to be 18" wide x 11" tall. I really loved the way this order came out and have been contemplating adding this size to my makeup brush organizer collection.

What do you think?

New Travel Tissue Holders Now Available!

2011-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone around me seems to be sick these days. There have been some nasty bugs going around this year which has prompted me to add new Travel Tissue Holders to my collection. Hey, if you have to carry tissue around with you, why not do it stylishly?

Pictured above: Shobi Travel Tissue Holder

Peony Travel Tissue Holder

Ella Travel Tissue Holder

And now back in stock, the Tadashi Travel Tissue Holder.

All tissue holders are now available in my shop for only $5!

All fabrics on sale at Joann's!

2011-01-12T23:31:00.001-08:00

Yep, you read it right! Every yard of fabric is currently on sale at Joann.com.

I just thought I'd share the news for any fellow fabric enthusiasts out there. I jumped on this sale this afternoon and ordered 2 bolts myself. It's funny, I never thought I'd buy fabric by the bolt, but there are certain things like flannel and muslin that I go through so quickly, it just makes more sense.

PLUS you can also get FREE SHIPPING on any orders over $40 with promo code: ECS15

Have fun shopping!

The blushing salmon treasury

2011-01-11T13:44:00.001-08:00

My Peony Makeup Brush Organizer Roll has been featured in this beautiful "Blushing Salmon" treasury. Check it out!

And on a semi unrelated topic, the salmon color just suddenly reminded me of that episode of "Friends" with Ross' salmon shirt that everyone referred to as pink! LOL.

Fun art calendars for 2011

2011-01-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

For the new year, I've added a few fun personal touches to my cube at work. I think these are great art pieces that also happen to function as 2011 calendars! Pictured above is my Tomoko Maruyama CD calendar. I am such a huge fan of her work!
The entire calendar features her Colors of San Francisco illustrations. So cute! And as if a person needed more than 1 calendar in her cube, I also put up this adorable Lotta Jansdotter 2011 wall hanging/calendar. I love it and all of Lotta's work. Thank you Shar for picking one of these up for me at Lotta's Brooklyn studio!

Kindle Cover - Prototype #2

2010-12-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

I made a second attempt today to sew a cover for my new Kindle. I am much more pleased with the way this one turned out, as opposed to prototype #1 that I made on Monday.

I adjusted the size a bit, leaving a little more room at the top and used a different combination of materials for the inside padding, giving the sleeve better structure and protection. I also straightened up the lines a bit to give the sleeve an overall cleaner look.

I still think there is room for improvement on the design and in my technique for constructing the sleeve. That will come with more trial and error. What do you think so far?

New Shobi Knitting Needle Organizer Roll

2010-12-29T11:47:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share some photos of the new Shobi Knitting Needle Organizer Roll that I just added to my shop.

These Knitting Needle Organizer Rolls are a great stylish way to organize all your knitting needles, crochet hooks, paint brushes, crafting tools, accessories and more!

Not only am I quite pleased with the way this turned out in the Shobi fabric, but I somehow managed to capture just the right amount of light in these photos. If only I could be this lucky all the time!

My new Kindle needs a cover

2010-12-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

The best thing that Santa brought me this year was a brand new Kindle! I know this probably sounds super nerdy, but I love this thing so much-- I'm totally hooked! The screen is so clear, no glare whatsoever and it's very light-weight. Perfect for stowing in my purse and bringing with me everywhere I go. And since I do plan to bring this thing with me everywhere, I want to be sure to protect it from any scratches or dings.
I quickly threw together this Kindle sleeve last night. It's still pretty rough-- I need to adjust the sizing a bit and play around with the best material to use for padding the inside, but for now, it serves its purpose. I'm also debating on whether or not there should be some sort of flap or closure at the top or if a simple sleeve would better suit most people's needs. I need to work on perfecting the design before I start selling them, but stay tuned! I'll have more prototypes to share in the upcoming weeks!

The Gift of Giving

2010-12-21T08:11:00.000-08:00

I just sold my last Kamiko Knitting Needle Organizer Roll this morning and no, I'm not trying to brag. There was something special about this sale that made it stick out in my mind. The customer was a guy! While this may not seem that unusual to you, it stuck out to me because well, about 99.9% of my customers are women. Now although I have no idea for sure, I'd like to think that this is a customer who is purchasing the Organizer Roll for his wife, girlfriend or sister-- which in my mind, makes this an extremely special and thoughtful gift! Awww.... what a great guy!

Holiday Shipping Savior

2010-12-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

I'm so very grateful for PayPal's shipping label functionality. Because of this one small feature, (and the $20 postal scale I invested in a year ago), I have been able to avoid the looooooooong lines at the post office for the past 2 weeks as I ship out all my orders. And what I totally don't understand is why today of all days, the busiest shipping day of the year, does my post office only have 1 worker up front? Doesn't make any sense. Thank goodness I was able to bypass all that mess and only had to drop off one of my conveniently pre-paid packages! PayPal is my holiday shipping savior!

Have you done all your Holiday shipping yet?

Kind words that made my day

2010-12-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning to find the sweetest email in my inbox from a customer who had recently purchased several travel tissue holders. It totally made my day that this person took the time to write me an email and had such nice things to say. Just had to share with you:

Hi Angelina
I wanted you to know that I already received my package from you! Wow..that was fast !!
The travel tissue holders are beautiful and clearly made w love.. I wasn't sure if they'd be the right size since the others posted larger sizes...but, I loved the fabrics you're
using..so I took a chance...and they're perfect :)
I am so delighted to give these as gifts.

Thank you

And if you haven't had a chance to respond yet, would love your input about makeup brushes from my previous post.

Let's talk makeup brushes

2010-12-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

How many makeup brushes do you own?

The question came up this past weekend in a conversation with my friend Miyon. She was raving about how much she uses my makeup brush organizer roll when traveling. However, while we were in Scotland for Miyon's wedding in August, I noticed that her organizer roll was actually bursting at the seams. She owns about 3 times more brushes than I do and somehow manages to fit them all in the organizer!You can see my entire collection of brushes at the very top of this post (well, I may have about 2-3 additionals not pictured). It is quite small by comparison.

So that got me thinking.... how many makeup brushes does the average girl own and bring with her while traveling? Perhaps I may need to add a new size alternative to my makeup brush organizer rolls.

Would love your input!

The Girl on the Go Gift Guide

2010-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Need some holiday gift ideas on what to get that girl in your life who always seems to be on the go? Check out this Girl on the Go Gift Guide that I just put together to give you some inspiration!

Don't Forget Your Umbrella

2010-12-09T10:55:00.001-08:00

Love the theme of this "Don't Forget Your Umbrella" treasury. It's so fitting for the cold, wet weather we've been having lately. Thanks to IntoTheLight for including my Kyoto Travel Tissue Holder in this adorable collection of goodies!

Treat Everyday Like Christmas

2010-12-07T13:58:00.001-08:00

I just put together this "Treat Everyday Like Christmas" Treasury filled with lots of adorably fun & festive holiday items by fellow Etsy artists! Enjoy!

New designs now in stock

2010-12-05T14:16:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share some of the new designs I've recently added to my shop. Pictured above are new items available in the Lilah print: zip pouch, kimono organizer roll and travel tissue holder.
Here are new zip pouches and kimono organizer rolls in the Peony print that I just introduced last week.
One of my new set of favs: kimono organizer roll and zip pouch in the Ella print.
And for the first time, both zip pouches and kimono organizer rolls are available in the fun & retro Chloe print!

I'd like to thank everyone for their kind words, input and suggestions from my post last week about changes taking places at AFD. This is definitely an on-going work in progress to revamp my business and add new designs so feel free to keep any thoughts you may have coming my way! I'm open to new ideas!

Time for a change -- your thoughts welcome!

2010-12-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling like my business has been in need of a revamping of sorts for a while now, but wasn't sure which direction to take it in. I guess this really stems from the fact that I didn't a have a clear definition of what my product line was when I first started AFD (faux pas #1 for starting a new business, I know). I sort of just included all things that I make-- a bit all over the place.

But now, 1 year and 8 months later, it's pretty clear to me which products sell and which totally don't. While my decorative pillows and art work have, for the most part, taken up permanent residency on my website, my most popular products are what one customer referred to as "grab and go's"-- the zip pouches, kimono organizer rolls and travel tissue holders.

So with that, I've decided that my new focus will be on handmade accessories that help keep you stylish and organized while on the go. I'm currently testing out this new tagline:

"handmade accessories for life on the go"

What do you think? Too wordy? Does it fully capture what I'm trying to do here? Does it not capture my new focus at all? I'm open to suggestions. = )

I'm now also trying to think of new products to add to this "life on the go" product line. I've received suggestions for laptop sleeves and iPad cases. What do you think? What accessories would you like to see? I'd love your input!

Aaah-choo! New Travel Tissue Holders

2010-12-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

With all the colds going around recently, I thought it was time to start introducing new Travel Tissue Holders to my shop. Check out this Peony Travel Tissue Holder made from one of my new fabrics!

And here's a new Miyabi Travel Tissue Holder- another one of my personal favs. I actually carry one in this pattern in my purse at all times, along with a matching purse organizer and zip pouch all made in the Miyabi print. I'm not only the designer, I'm also a client!

Prep'n for the Holidays

2010-11-29T21:35:00.001-08:00

With the very little spare time I've had in recent weeks, I've been trying to squeeze in some new inventory in preparation for holiday sales. It just so happens that I've had to put in longer hours at my day job, which leaves only a small window of time for sewing after work and before it gets too late into the night. You see, I live in an apartment with neighbors below me. I try to make a point to stop sewing by no later than 9pm so as not to disturb the family downstairs.
I've actually got quite a bit of new fabric with fun new designs and colors that I'm slowly starting to integrate into my current inventory. These are just a few of the new kimono organizer rolls and zip pouches I have. I just finished another photo shoot of some of these new designs and will be posting them to my Etsy shop this week!
This is a batch of new inventory I put together for a restock at Modern Mouse. They just celebrated their 1 year anniversary, by the way! If you haven't gone down to Alameda to check out the store, you must! It's a great place to find one-of-a-kind gifts for this holiday season (of course, including many designs from yours truly)!

Save 20% - Cyber Monday Markdowns!

2010-11-28T18:52:00.001-08:00

In case you didn't get a chance to shop online this past Friday, AFD is happy to announce that we will be offering 20% off all our inventory tomorrow for Cyber Monday! Just enter in coupon code: CYBERMONDAY2010 at checkout and get ready to save!

Shop now!

Black Friday Savings - Save 15% our entire stock!

2010-11-23T15:05:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how excited I am about Etsy's new COUPON CODE feature! Finally I can offer my customers a simple, easy way to save!

And with that, Angelina Fong Designs will be offering 15% off our entire stock on Black Friday, October 26th! Simply enter coupon code: BLACKFRIDAY2010 in the "Shop Coupon Code" box at checkout and receive 15% off any item!

Gift Ideas for hip in-laws treasury!

2010-11-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

Check out this awesome treasury composed of all items from SF Etsy Team members! And my Vivianna Zip Pouch is featured amongst this selection of goodies. Yay! Don't you just love the title too? Just another reminder that the holidays are upon us and it's time to get those wheels cranking and think of gift ideas for all your loved ones!

Gap Give and Get is Here! Save 30% and Help a Non-Profit!

2010-11-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

Give and Get is Here!

Enjoy 30% off from November 11-14 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy plus Gap, Inc. will make a 5% donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Click here for your personal 30% off coupon!

So this post really has nothing to do with AFD or designing, but the holidays are near and I just thought I'd pass on the savings! Plus, your savings will all go towards a good cause!

Time to get your knit on!

2010-11-01T22:24:00.001-07:00

Cold weather always makes me want to curl up on the couch and begin a new knitting project. In fact, I've already started knitting a new pair of socks that I'll be giving away as a Christmas present this year! In the spirit of knitting, thought I'd share a few new Kimono Knitting Needle Organizers that I recently added to my shop!

This Toshiko design is a new pattern I've recently added to my collection.

And of course, the Kyoto print is always a customer favorite.

Each of the large Kimono Organizers are specially designed with 26 pockets of varying widths, perfect for fitting all your crochet hooks, straight, circular and double pointed knitting needles!

Photo Shoot Time

2010-10-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

One of the most obvious things that a lot of people don't think about when they start an online business is how important the photos are. I know I sure didn't when I started AFD over a year ago. But by upgrading my camera, learning how to use props and play with lighting, I've come to be quite pleased with the quality of my photos. Just a few tips I've learned along the way the I'd like to share:

A lot of my photo sessions often look like a hot mess-- a hot mess of props and products all over the place. But I assure you, there is a method to my madness and everything has a particular purpose.

(*Tadashi Kimono Organizer & Zip Pouch pictured above)

Use of different backdrops and composition make such an enormous difference in a photo-- adding elements of texture, warmth and depth to your photo.

(*Mari Zip Pouch pictured above)

Props used to display suggested uses can often make the difference between a sale or no sale to potential customers.

(*Chloe Drawstring Bag pictured above)

It's important to include a variety of photos from different angles to help give customers an idea of the size, shape and depth of your products.

Finally some new inventory!

2010-10-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time coming, but I'm slowly getting back to AFD and finally started adding new designs to my shop! Check out the new Mari Zip Pouch and matching Kimono Organizer Roll pictured above.

This Toshiko Zip Pouch features one of my new favorite prints! The matching Kimono Organizer Roll is coming soon!

And... I've finally added Drawstring Bags to my shop! Previously only available at Nine Rubies in San Mateo, you can now purchase your own online. These bags are great for so many uses. I've used mine for everything from yarn and knitting bags to travel bags for packing my shoes and delicates to toting around books and snacks!

Anyone up for some sushi?

2010-10-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

My Makimoto Coasters have been featured in this totally adorable "Let's have some sushi" treasury! I'm continually amazed by how much cute sushi stuff there is on Etsy!

Calling all local artists in the SF Area - help support a great cause!

2010-10-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is part of an awesome non-profit organization, Maculele Brazilian Arts Institute in San Francisco. The organization focuses on establishing youth social programs by providing underprivileged children with free capoeira classes, an Afro-Brazilian martial arts disguised with dance and music. Originally based in Miami, FL, Maculele has now extended its services to the SF Bay Area.

The Maculele Capoeira Group will be putting on an exciting Fashion & Art Show- Saturday, November 20th and invites you to come out to showcase your designs! Table fees are only $25. All proceeds from the event will go towards building an academy for the Maculele Capoeira Group in San Francisco!

Where: Guerrero Gallery
2700 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

When: November 20, 2010, Saturday, 3-9pm

Featuring: Local artists, designers & vendors

Tabling Fee: $25

Deadline to sign up is Wednesday, October 20th.

For more info on how you can be involved with this wonderful event for a great cause, please contact: Shamaila Akhtar (shamaila.akhtar@gmail.com) or Joshua Broadhead (305-972-0179).

Colorful Asia

2010-10-02T19:58:00.001-07:00

My Kaiko Pillow Cover has been featured in this beautiful treasury capturing all the vibrant colors in Asian art. This has to be one of the best treasuries I've seen put together to-date. And I never knew that people sold spices on Etsy until now! Thanks DaintyDreams for the inclusion!

Back to business.... sort of....

2010-09-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

I decided it was time I got back to sewing.

I finished 3 whole zip pouches....

And then my last 2 needles broke... one right after the other. = ( Guess I wasn't meant to sew tonight.

Treasury Surprises

2010-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

I know I've been gone for a bit-- I have been traveling around Europe for the past few weeks, but now I'm back! I just put my Etsy shop back online this morning and to my surprise, my Tadashi Zip Pouch has already been included in a beautiful treasury! Please be sure to check it out!

Custom Order Reveal

2010-07-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the delay, but I was finally able to take pics of the custom order I've been working on with one of the adorable fabric buttons I showed you a few weeks ago!And here it is: A custom ring bearer pillow I created for friends of mine who will be walking down the aisle this Fall! I was really touched that they thought of me to design this for their special day and even more excited that they chose to do a fun print fabric and vibrant colors vs the traditional white pillows you usually see.

Cute as a Button

2010-07-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

I just got these awesome fabric-covered buttons from Blue Manatee Buttons and love them! I'm extremely pleased with the quality of the buttons and very impressed by Blue Manatee's great service. My order shipped the very next day and they even gave me an extra little fabric button for free (the small one pictured above)! Thanks Blue Manatee!

I'm going to be using these buttons in an upcoming project I'm working on. Stay tuned to see!

New Gems Available at Nine Rubies

2010-07-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

I made another delivery to Nine Rubies Knitting today to restock my AFD inventory there. I'm really excited that my items are selling so well there!In addition to my Kimono Knitting Needle Organizer Rolls, I also made a batch of new drawstring bags for the store in a variety of new fabrics.

Nine Rubies

28 E. 3rd Avenue #100

San Mateo, CA

Sonata in Burgundy Major

2010-07-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

My friends Tina and Rey asked me to create artwork for their new house. The first piece would be for their dining room and their only request was that it be 30"x40", in shades of red, and be food-themed. I wanted it to be special and meaningful to both of them. I decided to incorporate their favorite foods.

I delivered this painting to Tina and Rey on Saturday and also got to see their newborn baby! They loved the painting and Rey said he'd hang it up first thing the next day! Yay!

Etsy Storque Feature and the Youngest Etsy Seller!

2010-06-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

Check out this great Etsy Storque article featuring Maya of Maya's Ideas-- one of the youngest and most adorable little Etsy sellers! What a talented girl and quite an inspiration!

Aaaaand... Maya was sweet enough to pick my Kyoto Kimono Organizer to be included in her feature! I'm so honored! Thanks Maya!

Kind Words and Front Page Fun!

2010-06-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

I got this really sweet convo from a stranger today and it totally made my day! I didn't even know that I made it onto the front page of Etsy! How funny is that? I really appreciated this stranger's kind words though and the fact that he or she took time out of their day to send me a compliment. Thank you unknown stranger!

Bittersweet Good-byes: Kind of Blue

2010-06-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

I shipped off my Kind of Blue to its new home yesterday. It's surprising to me at times how much of a relationship I often form with pieces I create. Parting with them can sometimes be bittersweet.
With its name borrowed from one of my all-time favorite albums by jazz great, Miles Davis, this is a piece that holds a lot of meaning for me. One of the things that I believe truly makes up the genius that is Miles Davis is that his music is simultaneously composed of structure, improvisation and movement; layered with textures and tones. This piece is my tangible interpretation of this album-- my attempt to lend to paint and canvas what Miles Davis' music lends so beautifully to the ear.

Another Modern Mouse Delivery

2010-05-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

I stopped by Modern Mouse this afternoon to make another delivery of my small Kimono Organizer Rolls. Eleen emailed me last week to let me know that they had almost completely sold out at her store and as you can see from the above picture, she was right! Only 2 left!

I also got to see my zip pouches on display for the first time at Modern Mouse. Totally cute with the little crochet stuffed animals!

Since I was planning to take a trip to Modern Mouse this weekend, I knew it would be the perfect place to shop for a birthday gift for one of my good friends. She is terribly hard to shop for because she truly is the girl who has everything! But Modern Mouse came to my rescue! I was able to put together the perfect combination of unique, handmade items and Eleen hand- wrapped them in this adorable complimentary gift bag! What more could you ask for!?

I Do!

2010-05-12T22:43:00.000-07:00

I just finished this custom order ring bearer pillow for a coworker of mine. He and the future Mrs. will be tying the knot in a few weeks.

Measuring 8"x8", this pillow is made from a combination of delicate dupioni silk and beautifully embroidered silk brocade.

I personalized the back of the pillow by embroidering the bride and groom's initials.

I'm really pleased with the way the pillow turned out! The flower detail is my favorite part.

Congratulations Du and Jean!

DIY: Earring Organizer

2010-05-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

I finally had time to make this DIY earring organizer. It was a super easy project and relatively inexpensive to make!

Supplies:

wooden picture frame (of desired size)

plastic canvas grid (of desired color)

glue gun

ribbon

fabric (cut to size of the picture frame)

stapler or staple gun

1. Cut plastic canvas grid so that it fits snuggly inside the back side of the wooden frame and glue into place.

2. Cut your fabric to the size of your frame. Pull the fabric taut and staple into the back perimeter of the frame.

3. Choose a heavy duty piece of ribbon and cut to desired length.

4. Staple the ribbon to the back of the frame.

5. Hang earrings through the holes in the plastic grid and wa-lah! Complete!

Here is my earring organizer in its new home in my walk-in closet. It felt so great to de-clutter the top of my dresser of the previously tangled mess of earrings. This is going to save me so much time getting ready in the morning!

I've been included in a treasury!

2010-05-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

I've been featured in a great treasury by Satsumabug entitled: "World Traveler!" Check it out here!

New Modern Mouse Goodies!

2010-04-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Inventory seems to be the theme of the week. These are pics of my latest delivery to Modern Mouse! I'm so excited that they are now carrying my Zip Pouches along with the Kimono Organizer Rolls (large and small)!
As you can see, I've included a few of my new fabric prints! More to come on these as I add them to my Etsy shop.

A-sewin' and a-groovin'

2010-04-27T21:38:00.001-07:00

I've been working on adding new inventory to my Etsy shop this evening while groovin' to the tunes of Idol and Glee. I must admit, the productivity slowed down significantly when it came time for Glee. Each time they break out into song, I just have to stop to watch. Their amazing performances always give me goosebumps. This is definitely my new favorite and it must be said: how HOT is Mr. Shuester?!

Oh.... but back to the inventory, here's a sneak peek at some of the new fabrics I'm working with. I'm pretty excited about my new finds and can't wait to see how these will look as zip pouches and kimono organizer rolls! For me, that's the most exciting part of the process-- the final transformation from fabric to finished product. What do you think?

Nine Rubies Exclusive - Drawstring Bags!

2010-04-24T21:30:00.001-07:00

Introducing a Nine Rubies exclusive product - drawstring bags! I created these drawstring bags exclusively for Nine Rubies as Knitting Bags and delivered the batch you see above on Friday morning.

Measuring 12"w x 14"w and fully lined, these are perfect for knitting projects on the go!

But even more than just for knitting, these drawstring bags have an endless number of uses. They've come in really handy for me while traveling! The size is perfect for packing shoes, lingerie, toiletries & more!

What are your thoughts? Should I start making these drawstring bags available in my Etsy shop?

Kyoto Goodness For the Knitters Out There

2010-04-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

My Kyoto Kimono Organizer Roll in large is now available online in my shop! This isn't exactly a "new" design, but has previously only been available in stores at Modern Mouse and Nine Rubies. This size is perfect for organizing all your knitting needles (straights, circulars & dpns), crochet hooks, paint brushes and other crafting tools!

Not a knitter? Maybe you just know one. It's not too early to start thinking about Mother's Day gifts!

Happy Anniversary!

2010-04-05T12:04:00.001-07:00

This past weekend marked the 1 year anniversary of AFD! It's pretty crazy to think that an entire year has gone by since I decided to take the leap and turn my designs into a business. All in all, I must say that I'm very pleased with the progress that I've made in my first year and everything I've learned as a new business owner. As weird as this may sound, I celebrated by giving myself the weekend off from working and it felt great! (okay ... so I ended up working a little bit, but I spent most of the weekend relaxing!)

Let's Talk Ergonomics

2010-03-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

Lately , I've been experiencing pains in my lower back and right wrist that I think can only be attributed to the long hours I've been spending at night sewing. Having spent my entire professional career working in an office environment, I've heard a lot about the proper ergonomics of one's office work station. However, no one has ever talked to me about the proper ergonomics of a sewing station.

So I decided to do a little research on the subject and came across this great online tool from OSHA.

OSHA Ergonomic Solutions: Sewing eTool

Anyone who sews should check it out. It lists out all the potential hazards of spending long hours sewing and/or cutting fabric as well as solutions that can help eliminate potential injuries.

One obvious element that I didn't think of is the chair. Now I don't have a few hundred dollars to spend on a proper ergonomic sewing chair like these. But what I did do was switch out the extra dining table chair I had been using with an adjustable desk chair. This helped alleviate my lower back pain almost immediately! I still need to figure out how to alleviate my wrist pains. Ergh....

But if you spend long periods of time at any craft, I encourage you to take a step back and really evaluate your work space and posture. These little precautions now can help prevent any long term injuries in the future. The last thing any of us needs is a serious injury that prevents us from doing what we love!

Limited Edition Designs

2010-03-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Just added these new lovelies to my shop this morning: Kamiko Zip Pouch & Kimono Organizer Roll. I think these 2 together would make such a pretty travel set! I am in love with this fabric and unfortunately, haven't been able to find any more of it. So each design I have in the Kamiko print is going to be a limited edition.

Now available at Nine Rubies!

2010-03-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to announce that my large Kimono Organizer Rolls are now available at Nine Rubies in San Mateo!

If you knit or crochet and haven't visited this store yet, you must. It is by far one of the most beautiful, elegant yarn stores I've ever been to-- filled with a vast array of yarn, knitting supplies and books! They even have knitting classes!

Nine Rubies is located in the heart of downtown San Mateo at:
28 E 3rd Avenue #100
San Mateo, CA 94401

A special thanks to Saloni of Nine Rubies for the kind mentions on Facebook and Ravelry!

Featured on Modern Mouse!

2010-03-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy with orders this week that I failed to even mention that I've been featured on the Modern Mouse website! Thanks Eleen for the Artist Profile feature! See the full article here.

And I actually just finished another large order of my small Kimono Organizer Rolls for Modern Mouse which I delivered this afternoon. Business has been going well over there, which is always exciting news! My large Kimono Organizers have almost completely sold out since last week!On a separate note, there's a great article about Modern Mouse in the March-April issue of Alameda Magazine! Check out the online version here.

Kill em with kindness

2010-03-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've been going to the post office at least 1-2 times a week to ship orders lately and I see the same 3 workers every time. Two of the workers are pretty nice, but there is 1 lady there that is really mean looking and rude. (If you recall, she's the one who had me running around in circles when I got my P.O. Box). But despite the scary looks and disgruntled postal worker attitude she gives me, I'm always polite to her with my hellos, pleases and thank-yous. It's almost as if I try extra hard to be nice just because she's not. Plus, she's really old and I was always taught to be respectful of my elders.

I think I'm starting to wear her down though. Today when I went in to drop off a package, she smiled at me, said thank you and told me to have a nice day! Score!

What do you do when confronted by rudeness?

Further down the assembly line

2010-03-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

So I'm a little behind schedule since I had an unexpected business dinner come up for work last night. On top of that, I woke up at 3am this morning and could not fall back asleep for the life of me. Let me just tell you, lying wide awake between 3am and 6am is the worst.

But despite being a walking zombie all day, I've had a pretty productive evening. The bulk of the assembly is just about done and the end of the line is very near. Next, I just need to iron all the Kimono Organizer Rolls, do some finishing stitching, and tag these babies for Modern Mouse.

Since it's been a long day and I'm almost done, I thought I'd treat myself to a nice glass of wine. Yep, wine is also an important part of the assembly line-- it's usually a glass of red, but tonight, I opted for white. = )

One Woman Assembly Line

2010-03-08T19:00:00.001-08:00

I find that when I have large orders, like the one I'm working on for Modern Mouse, the assembly line method is the most efficient. Even though assembly lines usually consist of more than 1 person, well, I'm working with what I've got. = )I usually spend a day or so just measuring and cutting all my fabric pieces for all of the items I'll be making at once-- in this case, the 10 Kimono Organize Rolls I'll be bringing to Modern Mouse. I used to only cut for one item a time, but I found that this really slowed down my whole process with large orders. Once all the pieces are cut out, I focus on sewing one part of the item at a time until all 10 are done. Then, I move on to the next part of the item ....
So right now, I'm in the midst of working on the inside of all my Kimono Organizer Rolls with "Friends" on the TV in the background. Stay tuned for more pics as I progress down my assembly line....

Fabric Finds Fail & Other News

2010-03-07T21:55:00.000-08:00

I went out to Alameda on Saturday to buy more of the Miyabi & Kamiko prints I had found in a store there, only to find they were sold out! When I asked the woman cutting fabric if they'd be getting any more in, she told me it was not likely. Fail! I really need to learn my lesson and buy more yardage up front when I find a print I really like. This isn't the first time this has happened to me.

But, all was not lost. Since I was in the area, I stopped by Modern Mouse to say hi to the owner, Eleen. Turns out, my Kimono Organizer Rolls have been pretty big sellers there! The small size for makeup brushes are almost all gone. So that means I'll be pretty busy this week making a new order for the store. Not too shabby. My only wish is that the weekend wasn't over and I had more time to work on these before heading back to work tomorrow. I wonder if people would notice if I started cutting fabric at my desk. Probably.

Giveaway Winner Announced!

2010-03-05T06:00:00.001-08:00

And now for the moment you've been waiting for all week....

....drumroll please.........

The winner of this lovely Tara Zip Pouch is Emilyn Ramos!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Emilyn!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Tara Zip Pouch Giveaway! There's plenty more giveaway goodness coming soon. Sign up here and be the first to hear about all future giveaways, promotions and latest designs from AFD!

Some shady business going on

2010-03-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been contacted by someone, through Etsy or elsewhere, asking suspicious questions about your work? A little over a month ago, I got this in my inbox:

A polite inquiry, but shady nonetheless. My initial thoughts were: Why would I do that-- so you can claim my work as your own?I tried to run through all the possible reasons someone would request not to have my label on this organizer. It couldn't be for aesthetic reasons-- the label is on the inside of the organizer. It couldn't be that the label hindered usage-- the placement doesn't interfere with use at all.
Some may argue-- why not just leave the label off? A sale is a sale. But it's really the principle of it all. I mean you don't go into Louis Vuitton and ask that they remove all labels and logos off their handbags do you? Okay, I'm not designing any Louis Vuittons over here, but it's still my work, my art, my ideas. I'm going to put my signature on it! I mean let's be real here, selling my work for $10, $20 a pop, I'm not going to become a millionaire any time soon. If I was in it for the money, I'd probably have started a different type of side business--- one that was slightly more lucrative and didn't take up all my free time.

So I politely responded with:

I thought that was the end of that when about a week later, I received this:

Hmmm the nerve of this girl! Now it's even more obvious she is trying to purchase for resale-- most likely resell it as her own work. I was tempted to just delete the message and be done with this girl for good. But in an effort to provide excellent customer service, I kindly responded with:
And since then, I haven't heard any more from her. Some of you may think that I was jumping to conclusions and maybe others of you would have just left the label off. But my gut instincts told me not to do it. You have to be weary of your surroundings-- there are some shady people out there who conduct shady business. Trust your instincts. We all work hard on our art. Protect what's yours.

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GIVEAWAY REMINDER

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There are just 3 days left to enter to win this Tara Zip Pouch!

Enter to win here.

I'm featured in a treasury!

2010-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

My Patrica Dreams pillow has been featured in the Etsy Artists of Color street team treasury!

Funny little story about the Patrica Dreams pillow: I really do know how to spell Patricia. The 2nd "i" was left out intentionally. I originally designed this pillow for my friend, Patricia, who I used to work with in LA. The person who programmed the phones in our office actually misspelled her name as: P-A-T-R-I-C-A (no 2nd "i") and whenever her caller ID came up on the phones, we'd say "Oh, it's Pa-TRICK-a calling!" So as a little inside joke that I knew Patricia would appreciate, I named this pillow the Patrica Dreams. = )

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GIVEAWAY REMINDER

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Don't forget to check out my giveaway! Click here for details on how you can enter to win!

Custom Order Goodness

2010-02-28T08:39:00.001-08:00

This Akane Kimono Organizer Roll was a custom order for the sweetest gal in Oregon. She contacted me several months ago inquiring about an order, but kept having to put it off due to unforeseen circumstances.

It was really cute-- at one point she told me she had put this Kimono Organizer on her "wish list" and asked her husband to get it for her for her birthday! Finally, everything worked out and she contacted me again in early February saying "I'm ready!"

I was really pleased with the way this came out and fortunately, so was she! Check out the feedback she left on my Etsy page:

"This organizer completely surpassed my expectations. It is so luxurious and fancy. I LOVE IT!!!"

I've since made another Akane Kimono Organizer Roll-- now available in my shop!

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GIVEAWAY REMINDER!!!

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There's still time to enter my latest giveaway! If you haven't

signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to enter to win this Tara Zip Pouch!

Giveaway Time!

2010-02-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

It's giveaway time again and now you have a chance to win the Tara Zip Pouch you see pictured above!

I'll be accepting entries from now through Thursday, 3/4. The lucky winner will be announced here on Friday, 3/5!

Click here to enter to win!

For additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway, then come back and leave a comment with the link.

2. Tweet about this giveaway with "@AFDesigns" in your message.

3. Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page, then come back and leave a comment with the link to your page.

4. Follow this blog!

Adventures of a PO Box unattainable

2010-02-25T09:21:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you a little story about me and this itty bitty 3" x 5.5" box that had me running around in circles yesterday. Or maybe it wasn't the box that was the real source of my frustration, but rather, the Post Office.

I'd been toying with the idea of buying a PO Box for a while now-- thinking it'd be a good alternative to my actual home address for use on return addresses, published mailing addresses, etc. for my business.

Tuesday afternoon:

I decide to go online to see what's involved in obtaining a PO Box and how much it costs. Hmm... it's $92 a year (well I could write this off as an expense).... Oh! I can do it online. Score! I fill out the form, submit my payment, print out my application. I gather the 2 forms of ID that the website said I needed and plan to head to the post office first thing Wednesday morning to get the keys.

Wednesday morning:

Long line at the post office. Same 2 ladies working behind the counter that I see every week.
It's finally my turn. The woman helping me is actually the same one that suggested I buy a PO Box months ago. I hand her my filled out form and my 2 forms of ID. Bam! I'm so prepared! She looks it over for what seems like forever-- going over the form, box by box, cross checking the info with my ID.

After an eternity passes by, she looks up at me and tells me that I need to show her paperwork proving I'm a business. Are you kidding me??! The USPS website said nothing about additional paperwork regarding my business! I come in here every week. You KNOW I have a business. You're the one that told me to get a PO Box! UGH!!!

DENIED!

At this point, I'm running late for work. I head to the office and plan to try again another day.

Wednesday afternoon:

One of my afternoon meetings gets cancelled. I head home for lunch, find my DBA paperwork and head back to the post office. It's the SAME WOMAN BEHIND THE COUNTER! OMG. By now I'm feeling as if I'm in a bad episode of Seinfeld or something. She looks up at me, smiles evilly and says "Oh, you're back." OF COURSE I'm back! I already paid for this damn PO Box and I JUST WANT TO GET MY KEYS!!!

I hand everything over. She starts all over again. The line behind me grows longer and longer. It feels as if the minutes are turning into days. Seriously, how long does it take to look over an application? Just at the point where I begin to feel my hair grow gray, she looks up and says "Okay!" and hands me all my stuff back.

She then goes over to the computer to try to figure out how to assign me a box. She doesn't know. She asks the guy across the office. He mumbles something. Another eternity goes by. She fiddles around on the computer some more. Heads to the back of the post office. I'm still.... standing..... at....the... counter............

Finally the woman emerges once again with 2 shiny gold keys and tells me: "You have number 8132. Please try the keys and let us know if you have any problems with the box."

Oh no.... I think...with just my luck, these damn keys aren't going to fit!

I head over to the long aisle of PO boxes...... 6023......7149.......8006..... 8132! I take out one of the gold keys, insert it in the keyhole....... and it opens! Hallelujah! Someone finally decided to cut me a break! I take out the 2nd key, it works!

Wow. I can't believe everything I had to go through just for a measly little box. It shouldn't be this difficult. Really.

Some quilting I can get down with!

2010-02-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

I was thinking just yesterday about how my friends used to make fun of me for crocheting and knitting in college. They thought it was strange that a girl in her early 20s was doing something typically reserved for grandmas. It was a pretty common sight to see me crocheting in the living room before getting ready to go to a party on a Friday night. Despite the taunts and teasing, I didn't give up my craft. And then all of a sudden, within the last few years, knitting and crocheting somehow became "cool" and "trendy!" Now everyone's doing it!

That got me thinking: what about quilting? Quilting has traditionally been thought of as another grandma-type activity. Will this too become trendy? Then I came across this article by The Modern Quilt Guild.
In this article, Jacquie Gering defines the modern quilter as someone who "will incorporate the parts of traditional quilting that works for him or her and the parts that don't will be molded into something that does." In other words, modern quilters of today essentially incorporate pieces from the past 200 years with new patterns and techniques of the present, resulting in work that Gering calls "urgent and meaningful to us now."

Here's a great example from the article of past vs. present. This first picture is of the traditional Log Cabin pattern circa 1810-1830. And here's a modern take on the Log Cabin pattern! The quilt pictured up at the top of this posting is one of my favorites from this group. Now this is some quilting I can get down with!

Check out the article for more examples of past vs. present. These modern quilters definitely add a "cool" factor to quilting. I may have to give it a try!

Fun, Functional & Eco-Friendly!

2010-02-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

These new Makimoto Coasters are made from 50% re-purposed designer upholstery fabric. This fabric would have otherwise been thrown out by furniture designers to become landfill. Instead, it has been turned into fun & functional home decor! How great is that?!

This set would make a whimsical gift, perfect for any sushi lover-- even if that sushi lover is yourself!

The Kamiko Debut

2010-02-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've just added this new Kamiko Kimono Organizer Roll to my shop. I heart this fabric sooo much!

This one is in the large size-- perfect for fitting all your knitting needles, crochet hooks, and other crafting tools.

I plan to add zip pouches and small Kimono Organizers in this Kamiko print very soon.

Be sure to come back and check it out!

Always a bridesmaid....

2010-02-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Okay so that saying doesn't really apply to me. I've actually never been a bridesmaid-- this summer will be my first time. But a lot of my friends have been getting married lately (I guess we're "at that age now") and several of them have mentioned that my zip pouches & kimono organizers would make great bridesmaid gifts!

These are zip pouches I finished recently for a friend of mine who will be getting married this May! She picked the prints she felt matched her bridesmaids' personalities best and will be including them as part of her bridesmaid gifts. How fun!

I made it onto Lookshelves.com!

2010-02-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

I made it onto Lookshelves.com today! If you haven't seen this website before, you have to check it out-- it's especially great if you are a lover of books like me! You get to take a peek into the literary world of people around the globe. Check out my feature here!

DIY: Placemat Cutlery Holder

2010-02-18T11:02:00.001-08:00

Here's a super cute idea that I found on ApartmentTherapy.com. (Note: I didn't make this one.) It'd be great for bringing utensils with you on the go, on picnics or even as a fun little idea for a dinner party!

See the full tutorial here.

The Not-So-Fun Stuff

2010-02-17T13:35:00.000-08:00

We all know the dreaded tax season is here and I'm usually pretty good about getting mine done early. But this year, because it will be my first time filing as a business owner, I've been putting it off. I'm really bad with the book-keeping side of running a business-- all that time sorting receipts and data entry could be spent making things! lol But I definitely need to just suck it up, set aside some time to get everything in order and file my taxes. I have faith that Turbo Tax will help guide me through it all.

Do you have any tips or recommendations to share on filing taxes as a sole proprietorship?