Introducing Melody: The Expandable Tote

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For anyone who has followed or read my blog, you know I have a thing for Swoon Sewing Patterns! Okay, maybe more than a thing, maybe a borderline obsession! ;) LOL I have had the privilege of testing Swoon patterns for over a year now, and you might think that eventually the patterns would become routine or you know, less surprising and impressive. After all, how many amazing designs can one person continue to create? Wouldn't they run out of ideas eventually??? Perhaps, this is true for some pattern designers, but it definitely isn't the case with Swoon!

Once again, the lovely Alicia has wowed me! It is my privilege to present to you Miss Melody: The Expandable Tote!

Isn't Miss Melody a classy, sweet girl? She has definitely won the affections of her Swoon testers! (Pssstt a little bird told me there are some lovely pictures at the end of this post of some other Swoon testers' Melody's!)

And why not!?!?! This girl has some special features that make her unique, beautiful, and functional. As said above, Melody is an expandable tote, which explains the need for her side magnetic snaps! Not only do they allow the bag to expand or close with a simple, quick snap, but when closed, I think they had an extra special dimensional touch! Also take note of her side seam stripes! Love this feature! Talk about adding a fun pop of color!

Another special touch: The SNAP TAB! Love this functional touch!

As you can tell, Melody also has her own unique style of handles, which I loved making! Vinyl tubing is an optional touch for the handles, which will give them more dimension. I didn't have any on hand, but the beautiful thing is that I can still add them! :) I also love the o-rings! Hardware just adds a special touch to any bag I think.

 
Melody also has a mediumish size interior pocket, perfect for holding your phone, keys, lip gloss, and some cash or a small wallet. (Please excuse her wrinkles! She is still a little rumpled from her turning!)

So my final verdict??? PERFECTLY SWEET! Melody is an easy sew for experienced baggers and a safe project for even the inexperienced bagger to approach! Regardless, it is a project with beautiful results! She is just the right size for toting around the essentials and adding some jazz to your style! :) Stylish, functional, and perfect like all things Swoon! Make sure to be watching for her release on the Swoon website! I think I heard a rumor that she will be released sometime this week, like maybe FRIDAY! Just in time to whip out say one or two or ten for Christmas presents!!! :) While you eagerly await her release, check out these other beautiful Melody's by some very talented Swoon testers! They are sure to inspire you!

This Blue-Eyed Beauty was made by Sincerely Jen!

This Alice Wonder was made by Heather of Squatch!

This Featherlicious Delight was made by Sandra of Sew Sandra!

This Pop of Elegance was made by Trish of Lemon Drop Creations

This Budding Blossom was made by Amy of Silly Sea Turtle!

This Suave Suede was made by Sheri of Sassypants Satchels!

And last, but definitely not least, is this Floral Gem made by Amanda of In Stitches!

If these lovely Melodies don't inspire you, then I am afraid nothing will! ;) But I know that won't be the case! :)

Bracelets Are In The Shop and Giveaway Announcement

Bracelets hit the shop Wednesday, and to celebrate, I am hosting a giveaway on the facebook page. Two lucky winners will receive a free bracelet of their choice from the shop! Enter here today! Just look at these pretties!!! You know you want one. :)

Long Time No Blog

Oh boy! I have been so negligent with you my dear blog! It was one crazy long and busy summer, as my husband and I bought our first house and completely remodeled it ourselves (pictures to come one of these days)! There are still some things to finish but the inside is practically brand new and we are loving it. We have been living there for almost two months; however, as soon as we moved in, I started my final two grad courses for my program, so I have done little organizing and unpacking....simply the essentials. Currently, I am in the final week of school and as soon as I am done, I will be tackling one box at a time. Of course, my first priority will be getting my sewing room completely unpacked. :)

Also, with the completion of our big summer project and the end of grad school for me, I am looking forward to devoting more time to sewing, blogging, and my little shop. I am in the process of creating a new addition to the shop: BRACELETS!!! :) I shared these pics on my facebook page over a week ago, but I will share them here as well.

Don't you love the simple, sweet look?

I am so into the nautical theme!

If all goes well (meaning I put the pedal to the metal and get my final assignments finished and submitted), I hope to have these lovely ladies up and listed in the shop this coming weekend. So be on the look out! :)

Well time to get back to writing my final grad paper! Happy Sewing all!

The Secret Mess of Bags and Life

Today, I was thinking about sewing, as I often do, but instead of my normal sewing thoughts (what project can I make next? which fabric should I choose? when can I justify my next Girl Charlee order?), I was thinking about the sewing process, particularly the inside of the bags I have sewn. Don't ask me how I got on that thought! I have no idea. But this led me to thinking about how hidden between the beautiful finished lining and exterior of a bag is a mess.....a mess of white interfacing, thread pieces, seam allowances,

stitching lines, zipper tape, and the wrong side of a zipper pocket.

No one but the sewer usually sees this concealed mess. Mostly everyone else just sees the finished product, all neat and tidy, picture perfect!

But this unseen, unsung mess is what gives the outward picture its perfect form and beauty. Without it, the final product would not be there. This is kind of like people and life. So many people just see the outward, put-together person, and not the inner, tangled threads that have shaped and formed that visible persona. Often times, we don't take the time, think about, or even care to know what lies behind the surface, but perhaps if we could see, we would appreciate the outer all the more.

Who would have guessed that thoughts of sewing and bags could be so philosophical!?!? ;)

*Bag pictured is the Stella Weekender by Swoon Sewing Patterns (affiliate link)!

Celebrating 150 Likes!

Today, I am celebrating 150+ fans on Accents by MeMe Mae's facebook page! Yippee! Thank you all for your support!

Anyways, I promised a giveaway for 150 likes and here it is. Two winners will each receive one of these Golden Summer Hair Tie Sets. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter the giveaway. You can earn up to three entries. Be sure to sign in so your entries count. Giveaway ends June 24 and I will announce the winners the following day. Good luck everyone! :)

Open to US Residents only!

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Review and Giveaway hosted by Ali Cat & Co.

Ali Cat & Co. wrote a wonderful review of several MeMe Mae products and in celebration, she is hosting a giveaway on her blog. Three winners will receive one of my handmade items currently listed in my shop. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this giveaway (or the adorable pictures of Ali Cat & Co. sporting some MeMe Mae accents)! Good luck to everyone! :)

Introducing Sophia: The Beach Tote

Hello again blogging world! I know it has been forever! But at last, I am back with my latest project to share. And of course, it is only fitting that it is a Swoon bag! Let me introduce to you the soon to be released Sophia Beach Tote!

Isn't she a beauty??? I am in love already!

One of the coolest things about Sophia is her handles. I have never made handles like this, but today I became a huge fan of them. The handles are one long piece that wrap around the bag and are held in place with loops and button holes. So guess what that means???

They adjust to fit and hold your beach towel! Isn't that the coolest thing????

Of course, Sophia has enough room to hold your towel on the inside as well, along with everything else you might need on a beach trip or day at the lake.

Make sure you bring some hydration, a good book (or your nook/kindle/e-reader), sun glasses, sandals, and of course, sunscreen. Oh and maybe even a hat or a MeMe Mae cinched turban to keep that hair in place if the ocean breeze gets a little crazy. ;)

So let's get down to the specs of Sophia. As already mentioned, she has adjustable handles, which can hold a towel or even two. Sophia is massive, so she does require a rather generous amount of fabric. She has tons of room for everything you could possibly need for a day in the sun. She is even big enough for a weekend getaway! Honestly, Sophia is very versatile and should not be restricted to a beach tote alone! She has two pockets. The interior zipper pocket is perfect for keeping those valuables secure.

The exterior patch pocket is perfect for those things you want quick access to, such as your cell phone or sunglasses. This pocket has a magnetic snap closure.

The whole bag is also kept closed with a magnetic snap. Oh, and I spy one of my new labels. This is the second time I have gotten to use them.

As usual, the pattern is clear and easy to follow, with excellent instructions and visuals. I would rate this as an intermediate pattern, perfect for someone who has some bag making skills and experience with buttonholes, which really are easier than they sound. If you are a daring beginner, then I think you would be able to tackle Sophia because the directions really are so detailed.

Isn't she lovely??? Don't be jealous! Sophia is set to be released Friday, and then you can make one for yourself. If you need some inspiration, go to Swoon's facebook page and check out some of the other versions of Sophia made by some very talented Swoon testers. Or if you don't sew, Diedelbug Handmade makes beautiful Swoon bags and I am sure Sophia will be available in her shop soon.

*This blog post contains affiliate links.

Blanche the Barrel Bag

Yay for the newest Swoon Pattern release: Blanche, the Barrel Bag! She is bold and beautiful and I can't wait to make her. Head on over to Swoon today and purchase her! :)

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The Restful Reader Book Sling by Diedelbug Handmade

So before I got all crazy busy with opening up the etsy shop, I had the privilege of testing Diedelbug's second pattern, the Restful Reader Book Sling! Take a look at the finished product:

Adorable, isn't it??? If you couldn't tell, the Restful Reader is a book holder that is actually designed to go on a headboard/foot board of a crib or bed. Makes nighttime reading a piece of cake, since you won't have to spend time trying to find those missing books. Even older kids would enjoy having one of these on their beds. It would be a great place to store a diary, ear phones, mp3 player, remote control, flashlight, and the list goes on.

You can either use snaps or Velcro for the straps. I used Velcro, as you can see in this closeup. Also, piping is optional but it does add such a nice touch. :)

As I said, this was designed to hang on beds, but as you can see, mine is hanging from a gate (the gate that goes around Nana and Papa's stove when the little nieces are there). It gets lots of use and my nieces just love the pink frog print. I thought it fitting for two princesses.

Anyways, the pattern is great! Well-written, super easy to follow! And just seriously, the coolest idea ever!

Be sure to visit Diedelbug Handmade's facebook page. Also, you can purchase this pattern at craftsy.com, along with Diedelbug's other two patterns. Oh yes, she even has a backpack pattern that I can't wait to make!!! :)

Happy Sewing!

Swoon Pattern Sale: Don't miss out!

Swoon Patterns is having an amazing sale on their already amazingly low priced patterns! Obviously, I am a big Swoon fan, so maybe I am biased! ;) No I am not! They are the best bag patterns around! If you disagree, I challenge you to show me better. :) Anyways, hurry on over to Swoon Patterns and get 30% off your entire order!

Happy Sewing/Shopping!

*This blog post contains affiliate links. 

Welcome Wednesday: Grand Opening for Accents by MeMe Mae

Today is the day! Accents by MeMe Mae is finally open!!! Yay!!! I was going to wait until Friday, but a good friend inspired me to open today! And why not??? It's the middle of the work week and everyone needs something to brighten their day! So we have Welcome Wednesday!!! :)

In honor of the grand opening, I have two exciting announcements! First, all scarves will be listed at the introductory sale price of $18.50 for TWO weeks! Second, I am hosting a giveaway! The first place prize: one free infinity scarf of winner's choice from the shop! The second place prize: Buy 1 Infinity Scarf Get 1 Infinity Scarf free! Third place prize: Free shipping on first order. Winner of the first prize will be mailed their chosen scarf within 1-2 weeks after they choose the scarf they want (remember scarves are made to order items; however, I will often finish them in a shorter time). Winner of the second prize will receive their prize when they purchase their first scarf (must be redeemed within a year). Upon purchasing a scarf, the winner will leave a note stating their choice of free scarf when completing checkout. Winner of the third prize will be emailed a coupon code for free shipping, which can only be redeemed once and must be redeemed within a year. Also, giveaway is open to US citizens only! So sorry! In the future, I hope and plan to ship internationally. Oh and the giveaway will run for one week!

About the shop, there are currently 14 listings and each state that only 1 item is available. This is for inventory purposes. Currently, I have enough stock to make 2-3 scarves of most of the prints. I plan to add more prints in the very near future and just made a recent purchase. I love suggestions, so if you have a favorite color or style send me a message and I will be on the lookout for something like it!

Well I think that about sums it all up! If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message on my facebook page. Also, any husbands out there, don't be afraid to participate in the giveaway! I am sure your wives would love it! After all, it will increase their chances of winning! :) Happy Grand Opening everyone!


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Business Cards and Tags Have Arrived!!!!

My business cards and tags are here! And I LOVE them!!!!

What do you think? Pretty amazing I know! They had to have their own little photo shoot! :)

By the way, I had them printed through Staples.com and I think they did an excellent job. The paper quality is amazing! And you couldn't beat the price or the free shipping!

Well another step closer to opening up shop!!! Yay!!!! Oh and these lovely business cards were of course designed by One 89 Art & Design! Check out more of her work on facebook!

Etsy shop in the making and new logo

Well I think this is the first post I am mentioning this in, but I have been working on opening my etsy shop for the past couple of months. A large part of this process has been creating my logo. A wonderful pal from college has been working on designing it for me and she has done an amazing job! Go visit my facebook page Accents by Meme Mae and check it out!

Anyways, more about my shop! Accents will obviously be my theme. Primarily, I will be sell infinity scarves. I will also sell some clutches and some bags in the future. It is my hope to add a splash of color to my customers' lives with my handmade accents. Anyways, I will keep you posted on the progress and be sure to announce the grand opening!

Happy Sewing 

Swoon Pattern Review of Eloise

Back in January, I announced the release of Eloise, Swoon's first wallet pattern, in this post and shared a pic of a halfway completed Eloise. I must confess I still have not finished that Eloise! Haha I am the worst for starting a project, setting it aside, and promising to come back to it.....I rarely finish such projects, because I always want to start from the beginning! I have, however, finally made an Eloise! Last month, the lovely Brianne from Ali Cat & Co. hosted an Eloise sew-a-long and I was inspired to finally make Eloise from start to finish. Thanks to Brianne's wonderful daily breakdown of the project, I tackled the project with determination and finished it during a very busy week. Here are some pics of my completed Eloise, along with my review of the pattern.

Front view (trifold flap)

I love the floral print I chose! And I think the purple polka-dots compliment it well! A great thing about Eloise is you can use a fat quarter for the exterior fabric! I always love projects that use fat quarters!

Back view

I am in the process of getting my own logo and new labels, but since I still have so many of my old ones I still use them for my personal projects. And a label just adds such a professional touch!

As you can tell from the above pics, Eloise is a zip around wallet that has a trifold compartment attached to one side. You can actually make the trifold by itself for a smaller wallet or you can leave off the trifold compartment, especially if you do not have a lot of cards. The complete Eloise has so many card slots; 18 total, I believe. See for yourself!

Card slots in trifold compartment (ten total, two not being used)

The trifold compartment has ten card slots and a bill slot. This is a great place to store your frequently used cards. Trifold is secured with a magnetic snap.

Inside the main compartment, are eight more card compartments, four on each side. There are also two bill slots, one on each side behind the card slots. Right in the center is a great zipper pouch, perfect for holding your cell phone and keys! Things you definitely don't want to loose!

Honestly, with all this room, you may choose not to carry around a bag! But if you do, you can now make an Eloise to match each of your Swoon bags! :)

Supplies needed for Eloise include the following: one fat quarter of quilting cotton for exterior, one yard of quilting cotton for lining fabric, 1/4 yard of double sided fusible peltex (this is wicked stuff!), 1/2 yard of craftfuse, one magnetic snap, one 18inch #5 zipper (you can purchase these at Wawak.com), and one regular 8 inch zipper.

Eloise is definitely NOT a beginner pattern, but it can be accomplished by the determined, patient sewer! The pattern provides clear instructions and excellent visuals. And if you need more help, I encourage you to visit Ali Cat & Co.'s blog and follow the daily sew-a-long instructions, which are still available. Along with breaking the project down into very manageable steps, Brianne provides some excellent pics and videos to guide you. I encourage you to check them out. And join the wonderful Swoon Patterns Group on facebook where you can get more help and encouragement for all your Swoon Sewing and where you can meet other obsessed Swoonies! ;) Hurry on over and purchase Eloise today!

Happy Sewing!

*This blog post contains affiliate links.

Welcome to the Newest Swoon Pattern: India Hobo Bag

I am so excited to share with you the newest Swoon Pattern that has just been released today!!! I know I love them all, but the India Hobo Bag is now my favorite bag! Check out my own special India!

Is she not dreamy?????? I keep staring at her and can't seem to leave the house without her, even if I don't need a bag!

Doesn't she just hang so nicely??? The strap width and length is perfect! Leave it long and wear it crossbody style or tie a knot and throw it over your shoulder and wear it shorty style!

I normally do not fuss over my cutting but for India, I took my time and made sure I  cut the fabric so the bird would be front and center! I was very pleased with how it turned out! By the way, both the interior and exterior fabric are Premier Prints and home decor fabric. Both were purchased online through fabric.com.

 Anyways, enough showing her off! Let's get to the pattern specifics! The India Hobo bag pattern comes with two size options! (The size option shown here is the larger one) The specific dimensions of each size are listed on the pattern. This is a fairly easy sew. Not as easy or quick as Coraline by any means, but I think she may be slightly easier than Eleanor. If you are familiar with Swoon Patterns, you will recognize those patterns. If not, check them out! They are great too! But back to India. She will probably take you around three hours to cut and sew, maybe more, maybe less depending on your skill level. The only supplies required are fabric, interfacing, and two 7" zippers. There is no hardware. You can use either home decor or quilting cotton fabric. As I said, I used home decor for both fabrics and I did not use interfacing, since this was duck cloth, a much thicker fabric. I love the thickness of it and yet it slouches just perfectly. Some people still prefer to use interfacing even with the home decor fabric, so follow your preference.

As to her style, India is completely reversible, so you can get two looks in one bag! There are two zipper pockets, one on the outside and one on the inside. The outside zip pocket is perfect for you cell phone and keys; things you want easy access too but don't want to slip out!

There are also two slip pockets, again one on the outside and the other on the inside, both right below the zipper pockets. These are excellent for holding your e-reader or sunglasses perhaps! Your wallet can go inside the bag or safely tuck it in the interior zipper pocket!  Obviously, you have plenty of storing options with this bag!

This bag is truly amazing and a must have! Every time I throw it on, it reminds me that spring and summer are nearing! Why??? Maybe it is because the sun has been shinning this week and I have filled India with my sunglasses and nook and headed out to read in the sun! Or maybe it is just because looking at this bag brightens my day! haha

Well what are you waiting for?? Go check out the India Hobo Bag out at Swoon Sewing Patterns today! Happy Sewing!

*This blog post contains affiliate links.

A FREE Swoon Pattern!!!

Super exciting announcement for any of you cardigan fans out there! The Swoon Scarf Neck Cardigan pattern (both sizes-women and girls!!) is now FREE!!!! How exciting is that!!!! If you have followed my blog at all you will know how much I LOVE this pattern! I made like three of the women's size and then one of the girls' size!  Remember I shared them here, here, here, and here!!!

Of course, you may not feel like looking back at all those posts, so I will just share some pics here, as well.

Cardigan One

 

Cardigan Two

Cardigan Three

Girl's Version

This cardigan is so comfy and you can make it casual or dressy or whatever you want! Have fun with it! And if you have a little girl, make some mommy and me matching ones! Go get your Scarf Neck Cardigan (Women) and Scarf Neck Cardigan (Girls) today!!! What do you have to loose? It's FREE!!! :) Oh and if you want to add cuffs to the sleeves like I did in pic number three, I shared some short directions here.

*This blog post includes affiliate links.