Eureka!

My Eureka Moment!

You know it when a eureka moment happens. Well, I had one and as I looked at Richard we both knew...

We had Peter over for dinner on the weekend and asked him for his iPhone. It's important to have the actually item to model with. Our idea was simple make a fun iPhone holder, the Galstudio way. My first prototype was a sad one. Just a sleeve. Even Peter wasn't moved by it. But, then on his second visit over he liked it. Caressing it he liked the second version the best and even gave us input on how to close it.

My inspiration came from my handmade journal and kept with the design of the gray & black textured strip. I've added a new sexy twist like a corset with reusable bicycle chain links. It's stunning.

Look for it in my Etsy shop in a week or two!

Enjoying my new studio.

New fabric of linen/cotton has graced my work table. I found some beautiful colors and working on a Dutch cap for Hans. Richard is busy naming the new caps and I can tell you they will be fun. There will be 10 new cycling cap designs over the next few weeks. I'm really enjoying my new work area. Now, with Richard on board there's more space to work in.

My work studio grown up!

Before & after.

I love my new work tables!

Efficiency is the key to working well.

I called my old friend Jim to create two working tables to enhance my work area. Jim's in the movie industry as an carpenter and he has the know how to make it happen in a relatively short time. What he created was incredible. He used nice birch at a sale price and he made heavy steel brackets able to hold up the L-shape table. My surger & sewing machine are quite heavy so a speciality made bracket had to be welded for solid support. The 4X6' table top fits over my preexisting round table or can be used with legs on all four corners on itself. I discovered that it's far easier to cut fabric with a 90 degree corner. There's so much wonderful room to stretch out. I suggested the bracket to Jim with NO legs to get in the way. Now, there's storage a plenty down there.

Bring on the production!

Production, production, production!

Great production day involving twenty pouches. Half are already sold. So back to making more.

I'm in the middle of prepping five new cycling caps. And I've already named them next is to make them.

Ready for the big January sale!

The new year just started and I thought it was a good time to do an inventory of my stock. I decided that it was good time to offer free shipping for January. I need to make room for the new models. I now have 49 different cycling caps in my Galstudio store! When I started making cycling caps I would never dream of having so many different models. Now, I am already shopping for the fabric for Spring!

The holiday season was definitely crazy and I could not be happier! I reached a milestone with 100 online customers. To celebrate the occasion I gave a free Piccolo Pouch to the lucky customer and I shared a good bottle of wine with my partner!

A new Moo

Finally, on Friday my new Moo arrived. I definitely should've ordered sooner. I changed the design for most of them! The first 100 mini cards disapeared so fast that I had to use the old homemade cards. I didn't take a chance this time I ordered 200...

My funky Laptop Tube's made especially for your Macbook

Take a look at my newest product!

I have been really busy lately making winter cycling caps and developing this fantastic new product for my Etsy shop. The Idea came from a request from Richard who just receive an early christmas present ... a new macbook! Wow somebody was nice this year!

He wanted to keep his new baby protected, so right away I thought why not make a larger version of the Recycled Piccollo Pouch.

I just love the result. It's water repellent with all that recycled inner tube on the outside. With a heavy zipper to keep his Macbook securely in place and a felt inner lining and a hidden fleece sandwich in between, to give it extra padding.

The best part about these Laptop Tubes is that it gives me a larger surface to unleash my creativity, unlike the Piccolo Pouch where I had to keep the overstitch design really simple.

I see many Laptop Tube's being created in the near future!

Elvis rockin' in the house!

Sewing inner tubes has become a passion of mine. I love working with this found material. Although it's been extremely hard to figure out the right combination to use for the thread, the needle and the tension. I'm enjoying the process of trying to push the limit on my late '70s Singer Fashionmate sewing machine.

I just love the new fabric for the inside pouch. Here is Elvis rockin' (above) and the Canadian inspired moose print below. Notice my newly designed label made from inner tubes.

Wow, Saturday already!

You know this week went too fast, I was going to show you the fantastic Fruit Pie I made last weekend. Well here it is anyway...

Shortbread crust, cream Pâtissière filling, strawberry and black berry glaze with black currant jelly.

This is the first creative step towards making an inner tube pouch...

I just love the process to choose the fabric, zipper and the thread. It's a great way to utilize all those little pieces of fabric too small for anything. I found this old thread in my stash. I really don't know when I bought that!

I want more of this @ $.30 thread!

I've been looking around for awhile now, to find the perfect bobbin holder. It's always too small, too pricey, never holds each bobbin individually. I was frustrated with the unraveling thread while changing bobbin at least twenty times to match the color of my pouch. It's not the best looking but it does the job just fine, no more tangle bobbins! I filled it up so fast I guess I have to make another one.

Cheapest, most efficient bobbin holder made from reclaimed foamcore.

Ta-da! I finished all my new recycled Picollo Pouches.

Orders up!

Twenty caps down, twenty to go...

Welcome to Galstudio Blog!

I'm so excited to launch my new Galstudio blog. My husband has nagged me for months on end to start blogging. So, without further delay here it is!

I'll be sharing some of my creative processes, craft ideas, thoughts, rants & new products developing for sale on my Esty shop.

Like today, I went over to see Tracy (Jett grrl bike studio) to ask her for more tire tubes. And, you know, she gave me some. She's become my official rubber supplier!

I also found a jackpot. I bought over 50 zippers,I don't know exactly what I'll do with it. These are the strong plastic type, I just couldn't resist!

My messy table!