Bari J.

Website Updates...

More goodies to come...Slowly but surely the site is being updated. These are among the first.
An Emily Tote in Golden Garden with a sweetie applique and grosgrain ribbon:

Does this give you a better idea of size??? I'm going to try to have each bag displayed this way.

And the entire brooch page is going to be changed shortly as I have added 4 extra yards of French velvet ribbon to them to make a whopping 10 yards of ribbon used... plus I'm doing them just a little differently. This is the first one that made it on there. I love this shot, if I must say so myself.

PS... Did you notice the blog changes? They're on the site too. I so need to get an assistant to do these updates. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? (You're probably only going to understand that last part if you were a teenager in the 80s... my apologies.)

Work Play

Weekend synopsis:

When there wasn't some of this...

Or some of this...

or this...

There was some of this...

And I loved this...

And I know I promised you some of this...

Michaela Diaper Bag

Named for my best friend, Alison's, daughter. XO, Missy Miss!

And, when are these going to be ready for purchase, you ask???

Don't ask me. I wouldn't know. I'm just teasing you by posting it here... I hope hope to have it ready by Fall.

Gettin' Ready

Just stopping in to say hello. It's that busy time of year with the end of school, and I've been busy busy getting ready for Farm Chicks too... I'm having to stock up on stuff and create new and different goodies to bring along. Today I've been making piles of these...

Hope you are having a nice afternoon. I'm off to do the pm drive kids around thing. Oh the joy!
See you later,
B

Belts by Monday, Promise!

Hi there. Two posts... one day.

Thanks for all the emails about the belts. I promise to have more belts up on my website by monday in many choices! Email me if you want to reserve one. Make sure you tell me what size and color you want and I'll put your name on it. The production line starts tonight!

Color Color and More Color

Just some pics of items going out today. The belts are going to a new store in Massachusetts called La Boutique (will give details as soon as she's open). And the bags are off to LaDiDa in Vista, CA. These girlies are one-of-a-kinds.

New!

Finally! More bags in our Japanese prints ...for now we have just a few of these cuties available, but a slew of these and other designs are being cut and will be on the way in a couple weeks.

 

I wish you all could touch these... the comment I keep getting is that they are "even better in person". I actually saved this on a voice mail from a certain somebody... I have to keep saving it because a not-to-be-named cellular company deletes your voice mails after two weeks. Did you know that? Ticks me off. I listen to that voice mail when I'm feelin' beat... how dare they? ;) Does anyone know how to permanently save voice mail... or better yet... transfer it to the computer? That would be cool, wouldn't it? I think I'll go ask my 12 year old... she's bound to know how.

 

More Studio Fun

Patchwork Cuffs...

I made a bunch of these yesterday. Oh, how I do love that green and orange mix. I thought I'd throw in the blue for good measure. It just seemed to work there somehow. Part of my design process involves throwing stuff into the air and seeing where it lands. ;)

Today I basically took the day off for an applique class over at Quilters Inn. I would describe the typical applique I do as collagey, scrappy... "scraplique" as you've maybe read here before... Today I learned the real thing. I loooooooved it. I learned the freezer paper and starch method. And I bought this fab tool called a stiletto which I probably should have known about already. The whole process of putting it together... oh joy! I have another class next Friday, and I'll show you the results.

Happy Friday.

~b

Save the date: "Farm Chicks" Show

  Ladies, ladies... do I have an adventure for you! This, my friends, is what is commonly known as a "boon-doggle". And if you tell Super Husband, I will stop being your friend. He is only to know that I am off on "Bus-i-ness." Selling my wares, gaining exposure... (at least that's how I sold it to him). Muahahahahahaha.

But, between you and me, I happen to know that a whole gaggle of my Women Take Wing and other bloggy friends (Tammy Gilley for one) are going to be there. And apparently they travel with wine on board... not for the traveling part, silly. For the when we get there and are finished with our very business-like day part.

So, if you thought the Country Living Women Entrepreneurs event sounded like fun... imagine all those ladies out on the farm in Spokane, WA at the Farm Chicks Show.

Join the other chicks and me: June 7 & 8 in Spokane! See The Farm Chicks for more info.

Millie Fleur is H.E.R.E.!!!

Driving over to pick up my shipment, I was actually shaking! Then, after I had her in my clutches, although I wanted to stop at Peets for a latte, I zoomed right on by to get her back to the studio... and in some boxes to ship to peeps.

I'm beyond excited that Millie Fleur has arrived in numbers!

And, don't you just love that brocade ribbon on the back pocket??? I thought it really brought together all the colors. Yum-delish!

 

Stocked!

  The format for my "belts" page has changed over the last week. In the past I showed pictures of the colorways you could pick from. Now the page shows the actual belt in the size you are ordering. No guessing and hoping it looks like the picture. Each is one of a kind, so this page will change often. Right now I have the blues, pinks and melon/tangerine colorways in stock. More coming soon!

Key Fobs Are In!

I've finally got the  key fobs on my site.

More Blog Header Switcharoo

But this time it's not me. How fun! I did this one for Tara Frey over at Bella Cafe.

Velvet Emily totes just in!

They're in my shop! Come and visit them.

I can't decide.

I am possessed by Blog Header Switcharoo Impulse. Can't decide.

I give up.

You choose.

Or... do I like the old one?

Edit:

Or this new version of the old one???

Is this the keeper? I don't know. Therapy might seriously be in order.

Super Tuesday, The Biggest Mess Ever, & A Must-Have Tool... All of which have anything to do with one another.

Super Tuesday:

I feel obliged to say get your rears out there and vote if you are in a Super Tuesday state of the U.S.! I did my civic duty right after kid duty (morning drop off). I left with a big smile on my face, and am wearing my, "I Voted" sticker proudly. For some reason, this election seems really exciting to me... more than in the past.

The Biggest Mess Ever:

That done, I got myself right to work and made this mess... with-in about 30 minutes.

There is another picture of what is on the floor that I was too embarrassed to show you. So, I'll let you imagine.

A Must-Have Tool:

As I was sewing up the creation that was made in this hurricane, I was delighted to use my new Purple Thang (yes, that's really what it's called). I lost the other one so I bought a new one. And when I bought it I said, "I just know I'm going to find that Purple Thang when I get home.". And guess what? I did. Now I have two Purple Thangs which makes me happy because there is one ready and available for backup when I drop the first one behind the desk again.

As a good citizen, I also feel obliged to tell you that Purple Thang is the most wonderful tool ever. It has prevented me from sewing straight through my finger on many occasions. Purple is a most perfect tool for these collage type sewing projects where I have a million little scrappies sticking up all over the place and the free-motion quilting foot does not make a good barrier. Trust me, I know... thank goodness it was only the plastic that came down on my finger becaue that sucker hurt!

You can get a Purple Thang here... I have no affiliation with this website... just sharing. It seems to be a good resource for all sorts of goodies.

New Fabrics Posted and More!

I've finally broken down and officially released the new prints for "Design Your Own" handbags. They are fine Japanese home decor weight fabrics that have of course received our special treatment for the backing. And, here they are in all their glory...

Cherry Blossoms, Hibiscus, Tea Time, Blue Poppy, Sweet Dreams and In Flight

You probably noticed that I released the Millie Fleur for pre-orders. We will be shipping them in about two weeks and already have a bunch of orders from both stores and individuals.

  Millie is a large girl... Although my grannie, Millie, was a little lady. This bag is about 16" across and 12" high with a 20"x 5" round base. It features a drawstring and magnetic closures. There are tons of pockets and it comes with a key fob... which all of our bags will come with very soon.

Another big bag that has been added to the line is the Betty Weekender, named for my mother who was not pleased with a tiny cell phone cover named for her. I've actually removed the cell cover from the line as all of my bags have that outside pocket for your cell. My mom, btw, is also a very little lady at just around five feet so it's funny that the largest bag in the line is named for her... that's for all the love you have, Mom... You had to have a bag big enough. :)

The Betty Weekender is a whopping 20" wide and 14" tall with a 5" wide base. Muchachas... she's B.I.G. big.

Just to give you and idea... if she was a lady her butt would not fit in this big arm chair... She'd have to turn to the side. (I'm thinking I'm so funny right now)... Is that not politically correct? I didn't say fat. I wanted to say fatty, but that just doesn't seem right. I've got a big butt myself. The girls and I were just singing the big butt song last night. I had them cracking up dancing around the kitchen in my pajamas. One of them had said something about my voluptuous tush, and I broke out in song. (Ok, now I'm really laughing at myself). But, wow, I have digressed...  I know I showed you before. My memory hasn't completely broken down, but you didn't really get to see her S.I.Z.E.

So without further adieu, here's The Fabtabulously Large Betty Weekender...

And again here wearing my mother's wedding gown. Or is my mother's gown wearing her? Whatever! She's a beaut! Oh, and she's got on some of Jennifer Pagenelli's Sis Boom Line. Gorgeous, Jennifer! Also, you should know that I am shipping this girl (and a couple others) off to Elizabeth at Daphne's Cottage. You can get this one right away from her. The pages on her site are not yet shopping enabled, so call her. If you call her and it's gone, just go to my "design your own page". We'll get you one a.s.a.p.

   

"Is it real or is it Memorex?"

I have had a growing need for easy access to sparkly stuff. Every once in awhile I go to adorn a bag with a pretty and head to my stash only to find zero that will do. Usually the issue is lack of sparkle. So, I broke down and ordered up some really gorgeous vintage inspired pieces. I actually special ordered them to my specifications. And really, I wasn't expecting much, but when these turned up I was pleasantly surprised. They're super sparkly and very vintagey looking. Wee-hoo! You'll see them dancing on some handbags very soon.

Pop-Down Lists Corrected

Thanks to a very nice customer, it has come to my attention that the fabrics Couture and Nesting were missing from the main fabric choice pop-down menus. When I went to fix it, I noticed Lacey and Autumn Blooms were missing as well.

Bottom line: This has been corrected, and you can now order those fabrics... BTW, they are up to 50% off on select styles.

Gifts from Bari J.

Just a few Bari J. gift suggestions... All under or around $50. Each of the products below will ship the next business day.

~{Don't forget, you must order by the 17th to receive before Christmas.}~

French Velvet Ribbon Brooches. Feature over 6 yards of velvet ribbon and a vintage bauble. We have an array that are pre-made or you can pick up to three velvet colors & design your own (the designer ... moi... then chooses the embellishment). Either way, brooches ship the next business day. $42.

Alison Wristlet... With Applique $52, Without $48.

Versatile Lizzie Pouch... $22.

In regular or wipeable fabrics... All ship next business day. Featured here in Wipeable Blossom.

Quilted Patchwork Belts. Choose from Black and White, Tangerine, Pinks, or Blues. Available in kids sizes too. $34 to $44.

Just in case you thought it was prettier...

I've been getting questions on how my pieces are made and by who lately... Here's the scoop on the two most often asked questions.

One: Are Bari J. products handmade? Yes.

This is how I produce bags at this time:  After being professionally backed for durability, fabrics are sent back to me where the patterns are cut.  By me. All art work, appliques etc. are done personally by me. There are no templates or patterns for appliques. And no one ever helps me with that. After the bags are cut and marked, they are sewn either by me, or it is sent to a local seamstress. I can't do it all by myself, but they are NOT made in a factory. All belts, brooches and aprons are made by me. I had someone help with the ribbons brooches, but that turned out to be a mistake. (don't ask). I may eventually send the pieces to a more formal sewing room, but for the time being, my group of local sewers is working out just fine. We have guidelines for consistency and have set processes for which the bags are made.

Two: Are the fabrics vintage? Fabrics for handbags are vintage inspired. I don't use vintage fabrics on handbags for reasons of durability. I will throw in a vintage fabric here and there on belts and aprons though.

So that's the dealy. It's usually a mess in here. There's always the occasional dog to step over, kids come in and out and it's just not as neat and pretty as I'd want it to be. But despite the mess, the chaos, and the really hard work it is more fun and more fulfilling than I ever dreamed it could be.

Aprons at Bari J.

Aprons are now available in the Bari J. store.

 

Now, that's a big bag!

Holy Moly! I knew it was big, but until I saw the finished girl, I had no idea... but I LIKE it.

Introducing the Betty Weekender...

Newly Listed at Bari J.

Ready-to-Buy wristlets are now available...

Cyber Monday

Just because it's "Cyber Monday"...

Take 15% off all purchases except gift certificates from now until Friday, November 30th.

Use code cybermonday at checkout.

The Alison Wristlet Winner...

is...

Jessica Hood of Funky Finds.

Congrats, Jessica. Tell me where to send it & off it will go Monday morning.

Don't fret if you didn't win. The Alison Wristlet is now available for purchase here.

BTW, the winner was fairly picked by my cookie monster nephew, Jack. Lucky Anna and Emily slept over at Auntie Lara's last night and were not available for picking this morning.

Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving! I'm stuffed!

What's Arrived?

Some of these bags came in and went out last week, but all can be made to order. I always enjoy seeing the design your own handbags. Here's some of what Bari J. customers have come up with lately...

Anna in Midnight

(It had a patent leather bottom and handles.)

Emily in Pink Plaid

Lara in black and white patchwork... (also with a patent leather bottom)

Lydia in black and white patchwork

 

Zoey in Pink Pin Stripe and lacey (This customer requested the pocket on the front.)

Newsletter, bags, ribbon, and a discount code.

****We interrupt our regularly scheduled programing to tell you about some good stuff at Bari J... ***

Goodies Galore...

• The holiday newsletter is out. And there's a new discount code. Use code holidays07 for 10% off from now until December 31, 2007.
• If you didn't get the newsletter, click here. Sign up and tell me you're a blog reader and I'll send you an additional promotion code that can be used separately (i.e. not both at once.)
• I have put a couple new things on the "ready to buy" page. And our messenger in Sky Velvet is back in stock. It makes a great bag for women in business AND a great diaper bag too.
• Additionally, drum-roll (because I've been so slow about it)... the new French Velvet Ribbon Brooch colors are up too.

Beware of Lists

I'm a list person. Not that I get much checked off. I just make lists. This is all part of my futile quest to become organized.

When I make the lists (and this is all the time), I believe I'm going to get through them. I think that this time, once and for all I'll become an organized, efficient person.

The problem is, I have no concept of how long it takes to do stuff. So the lists go on and on. Today is Friday. I am on Wednesday's list. Remember Monday I bought Quickbooks? Thought that little set up would take an hour. It took six. This threw off the whole week. That's what I'm blaming it on anyways.

So today after an hour or so off trying to check off little items from the whole week, I decided I was going to tear up the list. I sat for a minute just staring at it (wasting more time) ... I couldn't do it. So, I buried it in a drawer and did something I actually wanted to do.

This is the beginning of what will go on my "art bag" page. It will be a Zoey Carry All with a patent leather bottom and handles. It was still work, and I think somewhere on The List is "Make Art Bags", but marked with a "C" priority. And there were plenty of "A" priority items that I didn't do yet. None-the-less, it made me very happy.

But I could practically hear that list calling my name from the bottom of the drawer like a big bag of Oreos. And blogging is not on it.

Website Updated

I've just done the happy dance. The website is updated. And, the ready to buy page is refilled and stocked. Hallelujah. More will be coming as we get closer to the holidays. Here's some of what is already listed.

A one of a kind Stephanie Mag Bag... This is the back side... the front has a gathered pocket. Oo-la-la.

Isabelle Messenger in Black and White Patchwork

Isabelle Messenger in Lacey.

Lydia Clutch in Vanilla Velvet

Design Your Own... no problem.

Keeping up a website is constant. Constant changes, updates, revisions and rethinking. It's not easy to see through the eyes of a user either. I recently had a customer who wanted a bird bag, but didn't know what fabric to put it on. She originally wanted the blue velvet, but I can't do an applique on that because the velvet is raised and it would look bumpy so I don't offer it on the website as a main fabric for applique.

She emailed me and told me her dilemma. This bag is the solution we came up with. All of the cords are great mixers. Since I talked to her and several other customers, I also made some changes on the website. You can now pick your contrast fabric as well as the main fabric. And, if you're having trouble picking, or if the fabric you want doesn't seem to be there, or even if you just see an error on the website... you can always contact me.

Yummy velvet continued

Some of my favorites...

Vintage finding and button.

Vintage beaded earring.

Vintage beaded button, finding and bead.

Vintage gray shell button topped with a vintage rhinestone button.

Velvet... yum.

I'm up to my eyeballs in velvet ribbon here. We're (I'm) getting ready to post the new colors which include blues, greens, black, rusts, and hot pink. I've shown some of them before, but no one here (uh, that would be me again.) has gotten around to posting the choices on the ole' website.

I'll post pics of finished brooches at least here in the morning when the light is lovely enough to take pictures.

Tangent: Did I ever tell you that our house has all of one front window and it faces in toward a sort of courtyard-like area? This does not make for easy picture taking. I keep threatening to have a big hole cut into the front door to add light (I'm dreaming of a leaded glass look window). Then I'm moving on to the roof and adding a skylight. I'm not too keen on skylights though because I haven't seen the improvements since the eighties... Did they improve the look of those things yet? Do they still leak? Of course it doesn't matter because someone here keeps putting the kibosh on this little fantasy. I'll mention no names.

Finished Pieces...

I'll have more pics later, but these pieces are ready and will be available through Daphne's Cottage.

I'm truly excited about these bags. I think they are really what I've been working toward these past three years, so they give me incredible satisfaction. The construction is just what I've wanted, and I'm really loving the materials (the black and white one has a patent leather bottom and handles).

My favorite thing about this business is, of course, the creative aspect. There is nothing more fulfilling than creating one of a kind pieces that I can't really figure out how to do twice. I finish one up, and then can't remember just how I did this or that.

Recently several people have been encouraging me to create a "Limited Edition Art Bag" page on my website. The idea will be to make these pieces available in limited editions with each one varying slightly in and of itself (because of the fact that I really don't know how to do "exactly" the same thing in this style more than once. I have no template. Yikes.).  I'm thinking of doing runs of ten or less numbered and signed pieces. How this will be organized on the site is still up in the air, but it's definitely something that is on the way. And something I am really looking forward to.

Okers (short for okeedokee???), so run on over to Daphne's Cottage. Elizabeth is very busy hoarding stuff over there. I'm pretty sure she's keeping a whole bunch for herself. She may challenge you to a sword duo to get one from her, but I figure that's none of my business. She had a hard enough time getting me to fork over the black and white one so I guess all is fair play.

End of Summer Raspberries

This little sweetie tote is on it's way to Daphne's Cottage. You'll have to bug Elizabeth  if you want it right away. If you reach her too late (she just has one... and every one has slight differences ... I bore easily), you can order one like this or in other fabric combos by clicking here.

As Featured: Emily Tote. To order select chocolate brown cord then select raspberry applique. (Pink plaid contrast...request your contrast fabric at checkout in the comment window.)

New Black and White Messenger Bag

Available here.

Ta Da ... Part Two.

That bag front I was working on just came back...

Here's my Weeping Willow Bag... For Daphne's Boutique.

New Stuff... Oh, Goodie!

New Lydia Clutches in my yum-scrumptious velvets. Just listed here.

Gotta' Love Those Vintage Sewing Notions...

I'd been making a load of hangtags out of button cards and such when, BLAMMO! I'm whacked in the head with vintage spools! Not really, just figuratively, of course.

I'm sure a lot of you have seen the issue of Somerset Life with the Spool Messages by Lisa Guerin. Back then I bought a whole load of them because I thought they were cute, and they make a great display. But, hello! "Use 'em as hangtags!" the loopy girl in my head says. She does all the talking and is very demanding, so I was forced to give in. And Voila!... spool hangtags  a-la-Somerset Life and Lisa Guerin.

(This bunch is just the tip of the ice berg...)

Another Isabelle Just Posted...

Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of them all? Hmmm... who do I love today?

Today, it's you pretty, lacey Isabelle..., lucky girl! Shoooosh now. Don't tell the others.

Sweet Izzy pictured in our (my) Lacey fabric with appliqued, mixed media strap adored in vintage lace and appliques from the main fabric. Cha cha fun, da yum! (See there! Every day a new yum, yum phrase made up just for you. You just know I'm laughing at my own jokes.)

PS You can get any of our bags in this fabric ... or any of our fabrics in any of our bags for that matter.

Velvet Fabrics Ready to Order

They're ready to order!

Just click here. Every one of the styles/shapes can be ordered in this new fabric. Most come with patent leather bottoms and handles. Yum!