the california museum

This is where you will find me today!

time to pack

This is the bag that I finished yesterday!  I am so in love with it.  I bought this sewing themed fabric and had no idea what I was going to make with it.  But knew that I couldn't let it pass me by!  And I'm so glad that I didn't!



I did add somethings to the pattern.  It needed a little closure.  And as an afterthought I added a pink elastic (love that little scrap of fabric!) and a fabulous button stack.  I also made the inside pocket into 3 pockets, not two.  I like to have my phone in one pocket and my little camera in another.  And then my business cards in the third.  All seperated so they don't get scratched our messed up.



In the midst of this sewing frenzy, I did manage to sneek this doll bed into my house.  And  then out in the backyard to take a picture for you.  Can't you see why I couldn't walk away from it!  Now it's time to clean in up and sew up some coziness!

Do you know that I made this bag for you?  Come and see it and me! this Saturday at The California Museum....please!

finishing up

I had fun yesterday finishing this little girls apron.  It is made from a little white curtain that I found thrifting.  The rows of white ruffles were already there.  It is big enough to make two aprons from.  Lucky me!



Since the ruffle edges were unfinished, I left some of the other pieces raw too.  I like this look a lot, especially the flower.  I guess this is the shabby chic look!



The fabric is just the opposite of shabby.  It is by the wonderful Heather Bailey.  I love each little piece of fabric in her collection.  So fresh and so vintage.  I really like how the flowers seem to be outlined in another color.  It makes them pop out even more!



Yesterday I also had about an hour to myself, so I swung  by my local thrift.  I found an adorable doll bed!  It is still in my car... I'm afraid to bring it in the house and hear what my hub will say. "Another doll bed!  We have no storage room left!"  I just couldn't walk away from it.  Soo... at my next show in April, I will have a doll bed all outfitted with a matress, quilt, pillow, and a row of paper dolls!  I really like making these and I hope to be better about getting them made up, because they come out so cute!  Can you tell I'm proud of my work :)

busy crazy

Or is it crazy busy?  I  had one of those mornings.  I couldn't find my camera to take blog pic's for you.  Had to mail off my swag to the post office.  And then package up and drop off a silent auction donation for my daughter's school.  All I can say is, at least it wasn't Claire's morning!

I did find my camera.  It was in my work room on a fabric covered (strewn) chair.  Yes, it's a very messy room right now.  I don't know if I'm coming or going.  So if you know me, my whole house is a mess!  Please don't do a pop in...

The great part of this is that I do love the crazy business (that's busy) that comes before I do a show.  I try to get so much last minute bits of sewing done.  Trying to make the items that sell, and making new items that I have been waiting to make.



That is when you get super cute hand tied doll quilts.  That go with the super cute handmade dolls.  Perfect for when your girl (or you!) is ready to tuck in her baby and then get herself in bed.  Nice and cozy. Maybe your girl will want a blanket that matches her dolls blanket.... hmmm, I see another sewing project coming on!



See you Saturday!

p.s. the first pic is of a little unlined bag I just made for the first time.  I love the little bunny tag!  I hope to have two more new purses or bags sewn up soon....

saturday

This is going to be such a fun day!  I have never been to the new California Museum.  And I am so excited to be there this coming Saturday.  Especially with the girls from Indie Sacramento.  Visit their blog for the low down on some pretty great vendors. They know how to put on a show!

I am sewing up new items everyday getting ready.  And I am a crazy girl trying to balance my life this week!  Making new apron's, bags, children's tops, quilts, and vintage tea towels.  I'll be a good katie jean girl and share pic's with you leading up to this big day.

This morning I finally placed an order to have the Tea Towel Challenge book available this Saturday for you as well.  And what would a craft show be without free stuff,  Indie Sac always has fantastic swag!  Come to California and see me for a fun day, Indie Sac style.

i know

You must be dying to see my new labels!  These are some cute ones that I found through Babyology.  And are from Australia.  They were a bit much, but I just fell in love with their color choices and they had the perfect font for me, and I could do my name in lower case.  It was just what I wanted!  They are also iron on, not sew on like my old ones.  Change is always good right :)



This next little label, I had to show you as well. See the blue label with the brown dot.  The bird looks like it's havin' a little drinkie!



The birdie with the pink heart glasses make me think of Pepto Girl and her new logo!  Just thinking of you Amy!

And here is what I really want to show you!  My newest item, baby booties.  Aren't they cute!  I think they are adorable and irresistible.  They match the little bags on the shelf below.



The booties are $12.00 each, but if you buy the matching bag, they are $10.00 each.  Such a deal, and available this Saturday at Indie Sacramento and on Sunday at Art, Paperie, and Pleasantries (in Pleasanton).  See you!

the first

Indie Sacramento is such a great show that I wish I could attend it, not just vend it.  That way I could shop at my liesure and not have to hurry back to my booth!  And when I shop, I have to look at every little thing.   Just ask my friends.  I take too long for some of them.  That's why I often shop alone.  Not too many have the patience for me, as I look and look, and look.

Well I am a vendor at Indie Sac.  And to get ready for it, we are all asked to get together little bags of swag.  It's just a little free thing for attendees to receive that will promote our business.  In the past I have done book markers, lemon drops, gift tags, and magnets.



This time I did little square scraps of vintage fabrics.  I participated in a scrap fabric swap last summer, that was hosted by Melly and Me.  We were making log cabin squares, all from our fabric scraps.  I traded with someone in Australia and these little squares are just a part of what I got.  And now they are being passed on!



You can see the wide variety of cute little prints.  There are also some solids mixed in there too.



My girl helped me sort and stack one morning.  It was a great way for us to practice counting.  Well, she actually needs the practice more than I do.  She is 4 and can count up to 23!

So, if you are one of the first 150 to come to Fremont Park this Saturday, one of these little bags of scrappy goodness could be yours!  OOOh! AAh!  Or, one of these many other little goodies.  Check it out!  And see you there :)

may market

IndieSacramento's May Market is THIS Saturday! There are some fun new activities, check it out:

* FREE swag bags to the first 150 patrons (near the corner of 16th & P)!
* FREE Admission!
* Shop for hip, handmade goods, clothing, and accessories!
* Over 70 vendors!
* Enjoy live entertainment!
* Plan a picnic lunch with the family or eat on the grid!
* Get a haircut, help a cause. Cuts for a Cause by Deeda Salon!
* Stop by the SN&R and MidtownGrid booths for prizes and fun!
* Adopt a pet at the Homeward Bound / Helen's Animal Rescue booth!
* FREE crafts for the kids!
* Attend IndieSacramento's Craft University for craft classes & demos!

May Market Schedule

Come by the Craft University booth before class times for pre sign-ups or just show up at class time. *The number of students may be limited.

	10:30-11am	"Funky Fabric Flower" pin back broach: Create a funky broach with Yoli of Sacred Yoli. This is a great gift for Mom or yourself! Materials will be provided. Class Fee: $5
	11-11:30am	Repurposing Vintage Pillowcases: Katie Trott of katie jean will be showing you how to take your beautiful collection of vintage linens and reuse them in a fun new way, by making colorful coasters. Katie and her coasters are in the newly published book, Craft Challenge: Dozens of Ways to Repurpose a Pillowcase. This is a free class, with DIY kits available for $5.
	12-12:30pm	Screen Printing 101: Print your own IndieSacramento tote! An opportunity to gain an introductory understanding of the silkscreen process. In our brief half hour session, weather permitting, I will show you how to expose a screen in the sun, teach you about heat setting and screen printing inks for textiles, and of course you will learn how to pull an image onto your very own tote. Class taught by Barbara Jean of the dirtpuff collective. Class Fee: $5 *You may bring a t-shirt or tote to print on if you wish.
	12:30-1pm	Yarn Spinning Demo: Learn the art of spinning your own yarn with Jenn from Rosebud Designs. FREE
	1:30-2pm	Make a toy for your best friend: Learn how to make your own dog toy out of colorful fleece. Class will be taught by Stacey of Pillsplace and Bouton Blue. Materials will be provided. Class Fee: $5
	2-2:30pm	Needle Felting Demo: Come and learn about the delicate art of needle felting. In addition to learning about needles and wool, you will learn how you can make your very own fuzzy little sculptures. Class taught by Barbara Jean of the dirtpuff collective.

May 2, 2009, 10am-3pm
Fremont Park
1515 Q Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Visit the website for more info: www.indiesacramento.com

and a good time was had by all

Thanks to those of you who came to see me on Saturday and Indie Sac!  It was such a treat to see friends that I have made from past craft fairs, and I even got to see a few of my flickr friends :)  I'm such a lucky girl.  And I was totally feeling the love for all things katie jean on Saturday.

Remember the photo I showed you of some super cute Japanese fabric?  I made a size 1T pants out of it and they were the first thing to sell!  Cori got them before I had even set up.

[caption id="attachment_826" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="cori crooks"][/caption]

The funny thing about doing these kind of shows, is that you do end up buying from the surrounding vendors.  So you make a little money and spend a little money!  But I tell people that you see so many cool things handmade here that you normally wouldn't see anyplace else.  And often they are one of a kind, so if you love it, you better get it!

And yes, I did buy Cori's book Sweet Charlotte's seventh mistake.  It looks like a scrap book.  I love the "feel" of the book like it was made by a crafter.  It is a poignant look into the personal life of a little girl growing up and finding her true worth and place in the world.  If you get a chance, buy Cori's book.  You will fall in love with this memoir and get trapped inside it's pages.

[caption id="attachment_828" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="donna of the donut lounge"][/caption]

I didn't see any donut's at donna's, but I did get a card from her for my sweetie.  A little Valentine for him.  This is sooo much better than Hallmark!  I do love all of her sushi inspired trinkets.

[caption id="attachment_829" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="little peanut"][/caption]

I bought one of these little crayon books from Michelle of Little Peanut, funky goodies for little goobers.  It is a great size and fits pretty well into my purse.  It has crayons and a pad of paper in it.  Perfect for me to whip out at a moment's notice of boredom!  I was actually thinking of church when my 3 can't keep their hands and feet away from each other!

[caption id="attachment_831" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="chicken pants"][/caption]

This is Claire of Chicken Pants fame.  AKA my Indie Sac neighbor.  I wanted to hold each little chick, they are so cute and soft.  They are also funky little chicks, and are again one of the cool things that can be found at this event.

[caption id="attachment_832" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="pepto girl"][/caption]

This is Amy of Pepto Girl.  She makes the cutest, kitchyest, colorfulest little accessories.  Like my adjectives??  Plus she is my web designer (to be updated soon).  So, I love her!

Happy Valentine's Day all of you crafty chicas!  Thanks for a fun day.  And thank you to all who came up for a chat, and a day of shopping.  It really did mean so much to me to see so many familiar faces, and to see some familiar names to put with those faces!

a peak

I wanted to entice you once more with some photos of me (my stuff actually) getting ready for Indie Sacramento.  So hopefully this will do the trick for you!

A stack of finished pants and skirts.  I made up some new tags, using vintage valentines.

I made these up just yesterday using some crafty paper, scissors, and stickers.  My girl had a lot of fun helping me out!

Amy Butler fabric and vintage trim go perfectly together.

I did not want to cut into this super cute Japanese fabric!  But this vintage trim was just the right color.

So, come by and see me tomorrow.  I promise you will have a great day!  And it is supposed to be sunny out too!

g&g for feb

Here are some of the pictures that I promised you. These are my glitter and grunge updates for the month. And... they will also be at the Indie Sacramento event that I will be at this Saturday.

So I got the skirts made using all new fabrics. This is so much fun! Getting to dig through my stash and see what goes with what. It is always a pleasant surprise.

[caption id="attachment_806" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="paperdoll skirt size 1T"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_807" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="katie jump skirt size 2T"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_808" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="delphinium skirt size 3T"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_809" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="daisy chain skirt size 4T"][/caption]

Now I am off to work on some pants.  I thought they would all be for boys.  But, no.  Too funny, I had some fabric all picked out but once I got the pattern already, I just wasn't feelin' it.  So, they are all (four pairs) made for girls!  Each one is soo cute!  I hope you think so too :)

getting ready

I am busy getting ready for the monthly Indie Sacramento event.  And February 7th is coming up soon for me!  I went by my local paper shop over the weekend and fell in love with all of the Valentine papers.  It didn't help that I had my girl with me, who wanted me to buy everything that was pink and glittery!  Of course I spent too much.  My paper stash is growing!  I do save every little piece.  And it felt so good to use my new crafty scissors!



I made a new katie jean banner for my craft fair table.  I don't think this will be the last one of these that I make!  I want to add my paper doll girl on here some how too.



I am also making some little girl skirts.  I'm thinking spring here, Easter.  Which isn't so hard lately with 65 plus degrees days here in N. Cal.  I also hope to get some fun pants made for little boys.  And a lot of onesies for baby!



This really is a fun day.  And there are so many talented crafters.  I hope you'll come and do some of your shopping for all of the lover's on your list!  See you there!

get out

This great shopping event is today!  Over 30 vendors will be there, together with swag (some good free stuff) hot cocoa and coffee.  It is a beautiful sunny day in Sacramento, so you really should get out!

And for February, a new location!  This one looks like fun too!  I hope to see you there :)

the girls

I had such a great time at Indie Sac.  Thanks to all of the girls (aka Amy, Lauren, Tamie, and Stacey) who helped make this such a successful day for all involved, the vendors and the shoppers.   It was a cold and foggy day, but that did stop anyone from coming out to support all of this handmade goodness and to support shopping local. Over 700 plus people attended!  And over a barrel of food for the Sac Food Bank was collected!   I even picked up a few cool gifts myself.  And made a crafty trade.  Such a fun thing to do!

http://www.flickr.com/groups/indiesacramento/pool/show/

Click above to check out all of the great photos.  And if you weren't able to make it... here are some of the cool crafters that I met.  I'm sure you will love them as much as I did!

Cori Crooks, Artist and writer

Nancy at Queen Puff Puff

Julie of Zuiliblu

Nicole of blue bicicicletta

Rain, jewelry designer

Tram Truong, photographer

free stuff

Are you looking for a good time?  Do you have a lot of holiday shopping to do?  This Saturday is Indie Sacramento!  Just the perfect place for you to be.  It is only $1.00 for admission with a canned or boxed food.  And kids under 12 are free.  And the fun continues!

Horse drawn carriage rides

Live music and choral singers

Free swag bags to the first 200 patrons

Craft activities for kids

Door prizes and more!

When:  Saturday, December 6, 2008

10 am - 6 pm

Where:  2409 J Street

Midtown Sacramento

p.s. to see more free stuff (swag) and raffle prizes visit the Indie Sac blog!