I just started making these fabulous tote bags! I am in love and plan on making even more!

The first one I’m going to show you is my Large Patchwork Poppies Bag. I found the pattern first and then it told me to use charms to make the patchwork section. Well, I had bought the Tina Givens Poppies Collection Charms from www.RagamuffinFabric.etsy.com not too long ago and decided they would be perfect for my first tote bag. I chose a beautiful peachy, pink batik fabric to accent this bag and a simple black fabric for the handles. The entire bag is quilted and the inside is lined with the same batik fabric I used to accent the edge. A pleat in the center of the bag adds a unique touch.

The second bag I finished is my fabulous Sparkling Tulip Batik Bag (which sold the same day I listed it!). This bag I used some fabulous, sparkly (yes, I said SPARKLY!) tulip printed fabric for the front and back panel of the bag (and the inside pockets) and accented it with a fabulous orange and yellow batik fabric (it is GORGEOUS). This bag is perfect for spring/summer/fall/anytime and will without a doubt make everyone at the farmer’s markets envious of you! I also included two pockets on the interior of this bag. One that measures 4 3/4” x 3” that is split into two (perfect size for business cards or credit cards. The second measures 5 1/2” x 6 1/4” with a split in it that makes a perfect pen holder and a cell phone or miscellaneous item pocket. Two small blue ribbons are on the top of the bag that can cinch it together or hang down to add more flavor!

This bag is very sturdy…it is quilted with a layer of batting and white fabric. The inside is lined with the gorgeous batik fabric that accents the front of the bag! And did I mention the tulip fabric SPARKLES!

The other fabulous thing about this bag is that I have the perfect zippered pouch to match: the Tulips in Bloom!

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do…I’m sure there will be more bags coming soon!

Today I am going to introduce you to another fabulous Team etsyBABY shop: Daisy Creek! Enjoy! Tell me a little bit about your background in arts and crafts.

** I have been doing arts and crafts since I can remember! In the town that I grew up in, we had a community organization that provided all sorts of activities for children during the school year, but especially during the summer. My mom always had me signed up for at least 3 or 4 things at a time to keep me busy over the summer and I always picked some sort of class where I could be creative. My need for a creative outlet continued in junior high school with sewing and other home economics classes that led to other classes in high school. Which ended up leading me to get my Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Design and Textiles.

When did you first start creating things?

** I first started creating Barbie clothes with my mom when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I think that my love for sewing steered me towards getting my degree in fashion design.What were the first things you created? and how did your creativity progress from there?

** The first things that I started creating on my own were pajama pants in junior high. Then, in my first college course that I took while still in high school, I started creating my own prom dresses and outfits out of unusual fabrics like ultra suede and velvet. My creativity was in full bloom when I started college and I unfortunately lost some of that there. I think the pressure of projects/assignments/grades really hurt my creative drive and I actually stopped sewing for years after getting my degree.

How did you come up with your shop's name?

**We bought 10 acres and have a little creek that runs near our property. When our daughter was born we would walk down to the creek and back every day. As she got older (and walking on her own), she would always point to the wildflowers and yell "daisy!" (They are my favorite flower, so she heard the word a lot). When I started the business, she would always ask to go to "daisy's creek" and it just seemed like a cute name.

Is this your only business or do you have another job as well?

** After finishing college, I realized that I didn't want to move to a big city and figured that was a prerequisite to becoming a fashion designer. After having taught gymnastics throughout college, I really felt a calling to go into teaching and that is what I pursued. I taught 3rd grade for 3 years in one district and have been teaching kindergarten for 8 years in the district that I currently work. I have loved teaching and it comes very naturally to me and I still have so many things that I would like to accomplish. But, while pregnant, I really started to create things again and started doing scrap booking (traditional and digital) and started sewing after my daughter was about a year old. And after making some Christmas gifts for people, I realized that I totally had the bug!!

Do you still dream about making other things? If so, what?

** Yes, yes, yes! I have so many ideas going on in my mind and things that I'd like to try. I'd love to do a clothing line and be able to market it to stores on the wholesale level. I'd also love to expand the kinds of accessories that I can do. I've always wanted to have my own store one day and I'm hoping that the cards will all fall into place on of these days.

How did you hear about Etsy?

** I was at a birthday party for a friend's daughter and saw the cutest little pinafore/apron and took a peek at the tag (I am an admitted tag peeker and look at the tags of the kids in my class all the time!!). I saw the website and at my first chance went online to check it out. That's where I found this incredible marketplace! I had been making my rhinestone tees as a business for about 4 months and was really nervous to sign up. It took me looking around at what other people had done for about 2 months before I gathered up the nerve to do it. And boy, am I glad that I did!!!

Do you sell your things outside of etsy? ** Yes, I sell in 2 stores locally, one hair and nail salon and online at http://www.daisycreekdesigns.com/

What's your absolute favorite thing in your shop?** That is so hard! I think that my favorite rhinestone tee would have to be the "Nana's Girl" one because it is the first tee that I did (although I have changed the font since then) when I started my business. The phrase is also the reason why I started my business - I had gone into a local boutique with my mom (Nana) and saw that shirt. My mom grabbed one right away for my daughter and after really looking at it, I kept saying to myself, "I can totally do that!" The rest is history!!

What is your favorite thing to make?

**I think that my favorite thing always changes. For me, my favorite thing is always the thing that I am focusing on more than other things. Right now I am doing a lot more sewing and creating new clothing items. I am really having a lot of fun making more "princess" types of things like wands and crowns - I have had a request from a local store for those, so it's been fun trying to find my own vision of those. With everything, I'm trying to find my own way and put my own mark on it so when someone sees it they will know it's one of my designs.

What shops do you admire on etsy?

** Wow! That's the hardest question of all!! When I first started on etsy, I marked a lot of shops as a favorite who made different clothing items because that was a direction that I wanted to take Daisy Creek Designs. Since joining etsybaby, etsymoms and etsykids, I have become more aware of so many more sellers and how amazingly creative and talented they are. It would take pages and pages to answer this question because I admire each of my team members for so many reasons - each one differently!

Any words of advice to others?

** If there is something that you'd like to do or try, to just jump right in and get involved! I was so nervous to join etsy and it's been such a great experience! And as I look back, it is so silly that I waited so long to join a team. I know that joining and being a part of these teams has made my experience on etsy SO much more worthwhile and has taught me so much!

How will the new law by CPSIA affect you and your shop?

** Since doing tees and clothing for younger children is really where I am at creatively, CPSIA would virtually make it impossible for me to continue. Most of what I do are one of a kind or in very small quantities and the enforcement of third party testing would make it impossible for me to continue financially.

I just want to thank Liz for taking the time to complete this interview with me! I just love hearing what inspires and motivates others along their etsy journey. I hope you decide to take a few minutes to browse her lovely store, www.daisycreek.etsy.com!

When I participated in the Team EtsyBABY Spring Fling Challenge I did not realize we were going to have these challenge’s monthly.  When I received the following email I was extremely excited!  Yeah!  Another Challenge!

Dear EtsyBABY members,
It's challenge time!  We want you to tell us a story using your favorite crafting medium!
You may list as many as you want but only 1 entry will be eligible for the poll.  The winner will get official bragging rights.

Here are the following details to participate in the Story Time Challenge:
A.  Design an item to be listed in your shop that tells/interprets an original or classic or modern story.
B.  All Items should be listed by the 1st of April.
C.  Include in the title listing : EtsyBABY Story Time Team Challenge. Write in either the title or the listing body what the name of the book or story is...
D.  Add the following tag to the listing: "EBST"
E.  A poll to vote for your favorite "EtsyBABY Story Time" item will be available on April 4th and will end on April 30th.
     All Etsybaby members can vote just once.
F: The use of licensed materials (ie Disney, Olivia, Dick and Jane) is prohibited
Please take the opportunity to use this for a treasury and to further promote the team and the challenge.

Hmmm…a story huh?  I realized I would have to think about this.  In the meantime I continued to work on further editions to my Spring Flowers Series. 

One night I decided that maybe I would try to put together a purse get I had purchased using a Fabric Central Charm Pack.  Once I started, I realized that the charm pack would make a gorgeous background for a boys quilt (I always have a difficult time making boys’ items…maybe because I have  two girls?).  So, I scratched my purse plan and sewed the charms together for the quilt back.  Then, I hung it up on my design wall.  I walked by it every day for a week and it reminded me I had to come up with something for the Story Time Challenge.  I also used a blue Faux bois fabric from my stash  for the border after reading the Etsy Finds I Wood, Wouldn’t You Storque article.  (and the color was perfect!)

For some reason, at some point, someone brought up corduroy’s to me.  When I heard the word ‘corduroy’ I knew what I was going to do for my entry.  My next step was the library.

On Saturdays they have story time at the Poynette Library and I decided that I would take Cedi to her first.  We got to the library a little early (first I had to get my coffee from Little Blessings) and then I found the book I was looking for.

The inspiration for my project is “Corduroy" by Don Freeman.   I LOVED this book when I was little…and it would be perfect for my newest quilt!

When I got back from the library (and a quick visit to a really nice new quilt shop in Lodi (Village Creek) I sketched  out Corduroy Bear.  I was going to appliqué him onto the quilt.  Once I had my sketch complete I cut out a piece of ‘HeatnBond’ and traced the picture onto that.  When I made this I new one of the best elements to the quilt would be the addition of special ‘feel’ properties I would add to it.  I used a suede fabric that I had to make the base of Corduroy.  

The next thing I did was find a pair of my husband’s old corduroy jeans and I cut out the bear’s overalls from that.  It was perfect…a wonderful combination of suede and corduroy that any baby would love to touch and play with.  Typically I can just iron my appliqué's onto the quilt and the heatnbond will hold it on until I do my last quilting.  I guess I couldn’t get it hot enough or something but the appliqué's were not staying as they usually do.  So, instead of using the appliqué stitching as part of my final quilting I decided to stitch the bear onto just the top layer.  Once he was on securely I added the buttons!  If you know the story of Corduroy you know that he only had one button and felt like no one would choose him because of that.  So I stitched one button onto his overalls (using quilting thread and many layers to create extra security) and one to a random square in in the quilt portraying the ‘lost button’.  I also stitched buttons onto his eyes. 

Once I had ‘Corduroy’ on the quilt as I wanted, I layered batting and a cozy blue flannel together and started to quilt.  I decided to keep it simple and just do random quilting all over the quilt and finished by outlining Corduroy.  I also did a fun stitch all around the border of the quilt (I consider this one of my signature’s for baby quilts). 

I’m excited to hear what everyone thinks of my entry for the April Challenge!