Seaglass button bags

It's exciting when you get a lovely parcel in the post and it has seaglass buttons in!

So finally I have collaberated with Jo from.Tideline Treasure 

Jo makes beautiful seaglass and silver jewellery. I love following her and seeing her makes. 

Below are a few behind the scene photos from sketching to making a few new button bags. 

A trio of green seaglass buttons. Used as decoration combined with machine embroidered flowers. 

I wanted to make something that used the buttons in a functional way and also 

as a way of decoration. 

Tote bag with large front pocket with seaglass button fastening. 

What do you think? Aren't the seaglass buttons sweet? It gives another nod to the sea inspired making. 

Oh to be by the sea! 

Behind the scenes

S K E T C H B O O K
I am trying to use my sketch book more frequently. Whether it's somewhere I've been or just an idea I need to not forget. Or sometimes it's just me being creative.
Here is watercolour and flowers which I incorporate in my designs. I have loved painting with watercolours since I was at school, but just don't seem to use them much.

 Here is the finished bag. That started from a watercolour painting.

Another example of sketches turned into sewn pictures. I love teasels and other plants that over look the sea. 

So why not make a bag from it?!

Here is one of the final bags. I love the simple sea, with linen and delicate machine embroidered flowers. 

What do you think? 

Succulent inspired...

Succulents are all the rage at the moment, have you noticed?! As they are easy to care for and add a bit off greenery to the room. 

So with that in mind I thought I would make my own succulents, on bags of course! 

I used hessian for thd background fabric. As I like the loik it gives and thought that would suit the succulents. I cut out the succulents from felt and added a fun colourful plant pot.

I think they have turned out well. Which is your favourite succulent?

Instagram

Are you on Instagram? Do you use it for personal or business? Do you know how to use it? Does it get you sales?

So many questions and it can be a mine field if you don't know how it works.

So with all these questions I thought I would share abit of my Instagram experience with you. I am by no means a pro, I have only been on it just over a year, but I have grown to over 2,000 followers and had lots of sales.

This is me, Hannah living by the sea in Cornwall. I sew bags, cushions and other gifts inspired by the Cornish countryside. 

My instagram account is a business account. I post 2-4 times a day. I mix up my posts to include a photo of a recent Cornish view (my inspiration), one of my bags or a work in progress. I keep it very business focussed, so I don't include what I have for my dinner. I find being focused really helpful as it helps me know what to include of not. 

A few things to think about when using Instagrsm for your business:

Photography

This is a big one. Instagram is visual. So every photo/post has to be visually pleasing. If you're not confident with your photos or your camera/ phone, now is the time to learn. Maybe you don't want to hear that, but there is always the opportunity to take a better photo, using different props or backgrounds. 

Be Thinking about background, lighting, styling, focus and editing. 

Is your item the star of the show? Do you like the photo you have taken? Will it appeal to others? If the answer is no, go back to it, change things around, and try again. 

Theme

Having a focus whether its nursery accessories, jewellery, flourists or cake baker. Ask yourself what your influence is? Or what inspires you? Is it a colour combination? A certain style? vintage, traditional for example. If you dont know what your theme is, ask the people around you, if they see something consistant in what you photograph. If you feel you don't have a theme, take time to think about it. Then every thing you do can focus around that. So for example, nursery accessories, go for a style. Is it bright and straight lines or soft muted tones and soft textures. Find props that would work with your theme. 

This can then filter into the rest of your business. So make sure you like your theme. This is your focus and selling point. Keeping it consistant creates a lifestyle. Creating a lifestyle enables your audience an entry into what you are selling. You are selling something that people want, vidually explain to them that they want it ( without saying that) 

Do some research. What do other people base there products on? Whats their photography like? Is it very dark? Minimalist? Is it busy?

There is lots to think about here, but so worth getting thd scene right for your products. 

Pod

This is an instagram way of helping other instagramers be seen. Some people swear by it. But instagram, like other social media changes. At the moment being apart of a pod is still proving to be beneficial. 

So what is a pod? 

You join a pod on instagram and the deal is each time on the pod members posts a photo, they link it to the pod. Everyone in the pod then goes and likes and comments on that post. The idea that the more activity (comments) the longer that post stays visible in the feed. So the post gets more likes as its seen more because of the amount of comments. 

If you want to be in a pod ask around, or ask a few others to join in. 

Hashtags

Well, yes we all know hashtags are the things that link a photo to the world.  You can add upto 30 hashtags at one time. 

Don't just choose a word 'jewellery' go and do a search and find out what hashtags already exist and that work slong side your theme. When someone uses that hashtag you want your post to be seen. 

Variety

I try and keep my instagram feed interesting, fresh; within my theme of course, not just the same old stuff. Everything I post is to do with my theme and product. So if its a beautiful sea scape, it invludes the colours I use in my sewing, its my inspiration, but also because its vety much apart of what I make. 

Other pictures you could take are, behind the 

I hope this has been helpful. Please get in touch if you hsve any questions or if you want me to explain anything in more detail. 

Oyster catcher

I love sewing oyster catchers. The bright orange long beak and legs look great with machine embroidery.

My supplies

A work in progress

They look great on a linen background. They are simple and elegant. I hope you like them .

Check out my shop here if you would like to see more. 

Cornish harbours and cottages

Mevagissey, Mousehole, Port Issac and Polperro to name a few traditional Cornish harbours and fishing villages in Cornwall. Filled with quaint cottages, small alleys and fishing boats by the sea. They are so picturesque and beautiful.

Here are a few snaps from a recent trip to Mevagissey. 

Surrounded by these sweet cottages and fishing boats I was inspired! I had to make mg own little cottages by the sea. I made my own scene into a cushion. I am really pleased with how it turned out. 

So I made some more! 

 And I didn't stop there! I loved adding in all thd little details.

So I turned these ones bags. 

Trevose head bag

I love taking photos of the local scenery. Or being somewhere and thinking that I would love to make it into a bag.

This is Trevose Head on the north coast of Cornwall.

This week I finished making this Trevose bag. Inspired by our adventures there a while back, when we saw seals swimming just infront of the lighthouse. Isn't that exciting?! 

Here it is. Simple and made with beautiful fabrics, including pink floral sky, green cord and blue stripe linen. I love mixing up fabrics, colours and textures in my fabrics to create a fabric landscape.