Helping Women – getting inspiration back ten-fold
I am honored to get asked to sponsor different kinds of seminars, sewing circles, blog hops, and sewing retreats. I have found that I often get inspired by the wonderful work that the women come up with. Recently, Elaine of Dashasel Sews and Emily of Mommy’s Nap Time (LOVE the name! Why didn’t I think of that?) hosted their first pouch hop called the Happy Little Pouch Hop. I’ve been very impressed by the creativity and variety of pouches that the participants have come up with. Here’s a sample of a few. Click on it to get to the Flickr blog hop photos.
Look at the variety and the fabrics! Love that little fish pouch!!!
And here are some clutches made by some crafty and artistic women.
This clutch is made by Elaine. A little bee brooch would be brillant!
This coin clutch is made by Darci Bee
I absolutely LOVE this little coin clutch. Diane did a superb design!
Diane’s second creation – a colorful mosaic!
This is one of Diane’s newer clutch designs.
Elaine’s colorful clutch! Would be great with color-block A-line dress!
Elaine’s Oh Deer Pouch #1.
I absolutely love Elaine’s Oh Deer pouch #2. How darling is this??
So hop over to Elaine’s blog and check out her amazing work. You can also see Emily’s finished quilts at her blog, too. Both amazing women. I hope you get inspired by all these fabrics and designs!
~Winn
How to sell your clutches with an in-home crafts fair.
I get all sorts of emails from my wonderful and loyal customers, and sometimes there is great information that I think other customers can benefit from. Like Erin who offered her great tips about selling at arts and crafts fairs so that others could benefit from, Susan of Lulu Caswell has graciously offered some tips for you to have success selling clutches at your in-home crafts fair.
With two years of selling her clutches at her house, Susan has wonderful helpful tips. In fact, she sells the majority of her clutches off the Net! Here are some tips:
1. Invite other craftsters to display their goods in your home. More will come when you have a house party for handmade clutches, jewelry, and quilts (for examples) than just clutches alone. Susan sold nearly $1000 in clutches on one Sunday from 12-4pm! With this, she was able to pay off her husband’s tuition for one month. GO Susan!!!
2. Promote amongst your friends via your social networks of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc… Be sure to ask them to come (don’t be shy!) and to share the post with their friends. How about “Hey, I would love for you to come. I would really appreciate your support and would love to see you and catch up over some munchies while you check out all the goodies! If you cannot come, I would appreciate your support by sharing this post on your Wall with your friends.”
3. Go on to Etsy and solicit other local craftsters/artisans to display their goods at your in-home crafts fair. Susan didn’t know most of them, but that didn’t deter her from asking them to participate in her second year. She had 6 other vendors join her at her home and about 40-50 guests who came, even some customers from the previous year. These things build so hopefully she will have even more attend next year.
4. To get more foot traffic and eyes, create a flyer and post them at local churches, at the kids’ schools, and at the local community hall. Ask the other vendors to do their share of posting the flyers and promoting the event to their network of friends.
5. For a smaller, intimate affair, do an evening show with just your clutches and serve wine and cheese. Email it to ALL your girlfriends and ask them to pass the email to a girlfriend and to bring a girlfriend!
Selling your clutches at your home is just another avenue for you. It is one that costs very little (take out that folding table and throw a nice sheet to cover as table linen!) yet is one that will allow customers to get to know you. People buy from people, and this direct selling has worked for the biggest companies like Avon, Mary Kay, and Lia Sophia.
Take a look at some of the pictures from her last in-home craft fair.
Susan’s sumptuous table of clutches. Look at all the variety of colors and textures!
This paper maker did really well.
This craft fair was held before the holidays. These would make great gifts for a little girl!
The woodworker also sold really well!
I can smell these scents through my screen!
The woodworker, the baker, and the candlestick maker? 
The baker brought her goodies, too!
I want to thank Susan for her generosity in sharing these tips with her fellow clutch makers. If you are a fellow artisan in the Fall River, MA area, be sure to contact Susan at her shop to plan the next in-home craft fair. You’ll be glad you did!
Dupioni Silk clutches
For handcrafted clutches with exquisite dupioni silk in vibrant colors, look no further than Karina’s shop SimplyClutch. Karina lives in my one of my favorite places on Earth, San Diego! My most favorite place in San Diego is the Torrey Pine GliderPort. I love sitting at the outdoor cafe having lunch and watching the hang gliders. If you are not in San Diego any time soon, no worries since Karina has an online shop on Etsy.
I love this bright pop of color!
The dupioni silk clutches come in many colors!
All are made with beautiful eye-catching silk lining.
Karina also makes bridal clutches. Looking for something blue?
I simply love Karina’s careful work from using the best silks, to offering embroidery, to hand-sewing the silk flowers. Her work is top notch! Stop by her shop and take a look!
Opulent Clutches
Opulence accurate describes the gorgeous clutches made by Barbara at Clutch Chic. Known for her wedding clutches, Barbara has a wide selection of holiday and wedding clutches for the winter bride. She even does custom requests for everything including the outer silk fabric, the inner lining, and even the purse frame! That makes your gift a truly One-Of-A-Kind gift. She even mails up to 4 swatches for free!
This is one of several opulent clutches that are limited editions.
Classic red clutch with beading for extra pizzazz.
My friends could have totally used this for the Scottish Ball this year!
How awesome is this clutch? Twinkling lights hand-sewn using Swarovski crystals!
She has many more in her shop. No clutch is the same. I hope you will find something of delight for your holiday gift-giving or winter wedding!
Elegant Clutches
I’ve been reading stories about brides getting married on 12/12/12, and my dear friend Yvonne is one them! And that reminded me of the elegant clutches made by Cynthia at Belle Jou Jou. Her massive collection is just chockful of clutches made with sumptuous materials like lace, satin, silk and brocade.
Gorgeous bride with her equally gorgeous clutch by Cynthia!
But it’s just not bridal clutches. Belle Jou Jou has over 7 pages of clutches at the shop so the selection is quite good for the picking.
This hand-crated floral piece on this clutch really takes the clutch from classic to divine!
This delicate lace clutch would be ideal with your LBD at the holiday party!
All of Cynthia’s clutches are made with beautiful inner material such as this beauty, here.
Go check Cynthia’s clutches out! I hope you find that perfect gift for the loved one on your list!
Fabulous Fabric Clutches
That’s the actual description of Catherine’s shop, FabByCab, home to a variety of handmade clutches. I like Catherine’s roomy clutches and sumptuous linings. Her linen clutch wristlets are exemplary little pieces of art.
Who doesn’t like this little birdie?
Got an empress on your Christmas list? This inner lining is a perfect complement. Just beautiful!
This OOAK clutch features Windsor Castle. Any Kate fans out there?
Lastly, Catherine just debuted many fabulous plaid clutches that are just in time for the holidays and the winter season. You don’t have to a Scotsman to love these plaids! They go well with jeans, red/grey/black sweater and black winter boots!
One of the many plaid clutches new to Catherine’s shop.
Go check Catherine’s shop out! She’s got many ready to ship to you for holiday gift-giving!
Clutches with hand-finished OOAK fabric
Ok, so you want a truly unique gift for the holidays? As part of my series to bring you the best collection of clutches, today I am highlighting two women who not only make their own clutches, but also hand finish the fabric with their own unique finishes.
Jan, of Jan and Paul Creations, is known for her butterflies on her clutches, pillows and scarves. These are not ordinary pictures of butterflies though. The ones on her fabric are enhanced digital prints from original photos that her husband, Paul, has photographed. Customers absolutely love her original creations!
This reminds me of the blue Morpho butterfly. Gorgeous iridescent blue on this original hand-made clutch and fabric.
This is made with golden thread using four different layers to achieve this magnificent sheen.
The next clutch seller that I would like you to meet is Delores of Lella Rae. The work that she puts into her clutches are simply mind-numbing. She has clutches made from fabric that is hand-dyed, hand cross-stitched, and hand-embroidered. My fingers and wrists are numb just thinking of the work that she lovingly puts into her clutches!
My friend Kelley, a dragonfly fanatic, would absolutely love this clutch! Look at the delicate hand-beading and lace work!
Have a music lover, pianist, or piano teacher in your life? This would be the perfect gift for that lucky person on your Christmas list!
There are many more clutches at both of their shops! If you would like to see Jan’s and Delores’s selection of clutches available for sale, simply click on the pictures to get to their respective shops.
Luxurious clutches
Got someone on your holiday list that you really want to WOW them? I would like to highlight two amazing craftswomen who make clutches and bags from scratch by hand, much in the tradition of Hermes. Randi of HoldFasthandbags, and Laurel of DalleMieMani work with materials that are beautiful, long-lasting, and that takes a lot of skill to work with. Their craftsmanship just puts me to shame, and I’m not at all embarrassed to admit that!
When I first saw Randi’s post and picture of her workstation, the way she crafts her eponymous bags at HoldFasthandbags brought to mind the workshops of Hermes. Artisans there also make one bag from start to finish. Much like Hermes, Randi doesn’t have a production line. She designs them, sources her materials, and makes each one by herself start to finish. You might not have the budget for the Hermes bag — I personally don’t know of anyone who does, and Oprah does not count as a personal connection — but you might have a budget for a HoldFasthandbag bag or a Laurel Dasso Leathers clutch.
Randi’s workshop:
Parts of a bag by Randi of HoldFasthandbags.
Parts and pieces of a bag from Hermes. Photo by John Dascoulias.
Retro Rockabilly clutch handbag.
Perfect clutch for winter! Pair with your best brown riding boots to amp up your outfit.
Another example of great craftsmanship. The lining is perfectly well-crafted. Not a wrinkled stitch in sight!
The second craftswoman that you should check out is Laurel over at her DalleMieMani shop. As the sole person behind Laurel Dasso Leathers, Laurel’s work with this material is exemplary. Laurel’s exquisite leathers remind me of the leathers of the Hermes bags, too. She has quite the pick of the lot as she sources the leather herself and works with the best ones! Laurel also has a sale until Thanksgiving Day (November 22nd). To receive 15% off your order, use the coupon code HAPPYTHANKSGIVING at checkout.
Check on this picture to see more behind the scenes at Hermes and their leather artisans.
This luscious black leather clutch handbag is an instant classic.
This is made from tan cognac brown calfskin. Scarf not included!
And the piece de resistance is this gorgeous, gorgeous one of a kind clutch handbag with a long shoulder strap.
Didn’t I tell you all the best women use my fine frames? Just kidding, but I am so honored that these artisans continue to work with me for their purse frame and glue needs. Please check out their shops for these clutches and many other wallets and bags. You will love shopping there!
Your Clutch handbag collection in Reds and Greys
Who wouldn’t want this collection of beautiful clutches? Well, to get it, you’d have to shop at all five stores from these great women! Click on the photos to go directly to their shops.
This first clutch is made by Malaika over at HMDDesigns. Just like Jenn, Malaika has a new opportunity that is a blessing for her and her family. After home-schooling her kids for 8 years, Malaika has found a new career that gives her and her family much-needed healthcare benefits! I am very excited for Malaika in her new job, but I will miss her designs. In addition to making clutches, Malaika’s shop also has these brilliant mustache wallets. Just in time for Movember!
Red wool plaid clutch handbag. Perfect for the season!
This second clutch is handmade by Nancy at NancyEllenStudios. Nancy and her sewing machine can crank out some amazing and varied arts and crafts. Check out her other clutches and bags, but also browse for the snowman soft cuddly toy! Really good work!
Red and white chevron clutch. Love the embellishment!
Another well done handmade clutch is the gray chevron clutch made by Sarah at BobLovesEleanor. Sarah has lots of other cluches, bags, and totes. Check out her bright Spring Street reversible Bin Bucket!
Gray chevron clutch in the most popular size – 8 inches.
How cute is this Eiffel tower clutch in white and dark shades of gray? I love its roominess. Made by Stacey at BagsByStacey, there are also many other clutches, bags, and wristlets for your Christmas list.
Gray and white Eiffel Tower wallet clutch.
Speaking of Eiffel Tower, a place that my daughter has wanted to go since she was three years old, here’s another clutch featuring it. For you Francophiles, this is a perfect holiday gift! It’s made by Mona at Mona’s Box & Bags. She also has some chevron makeup clutches and lots of other bags at her shop. Mona will have a sale from Nov. 23 – 30th for 20% OFF. Use the code BLACKFRIDAY2012 at her shop.
The French Vacation clutch featuring the Eiffel Tower. No need to spend a bundle when you can have this!
I will be curating and promoting some more clutches, shops and the amazing women who make these by hand. No robots are used in the production of them 
. I hope you will peruse these shops and find that perfect gift for some lucky person on our list!
20% OFF total purchase – It’s on!
Thank you everyone, for your congratulations. This is a gentle reminder that our sale has just begun for our once-a-year biggest sale as a thank you to our customers. The sale ends on Nov. 11 , 2012 at midnight EST so please plan your purchases well. Get your needs now during this sale to make your clutches for Christmas(!) offerings. OMG, I heard Christmas music one week after Halloween at a DVD shop in Ho Chi Minh City! Many Western traditions and culture have permeated the far reaches of the Earth. I just can’t believe they had Christmas music before Thanksgiving already – in Viet Nam, no less!
http://purseframesoutlet.etsy.com
http://whilebabynaps.com **Thy will refund 20% OFF total purchase + any excess shipping at time of shipping at my online shop.**
Our other sister is in town to help Thy out with the orders and so far, all orders have gone out within 24 hours! Thank you for all the emails and notes that you’ve written in Note to Seller. I think I’ve replied and thanked each one who wrote personally, but I didn’t want to go without saying thanks, again, here as well. If I missed you, things are a little cray-cray around here — in a WONDERFUL and BLESSED way — but we are doing everything to get all orders out timely so you can get to the business of sewing and making!
Y is here helping with your orders …
Not helping with your orders? These 2! But they sure look cute!
About
I am the #1 US seller of purse frames and I’ve been incorporated since 2001. This blog is mainly aimed at my audience of clutch handbag makers. I have a very small niche that is comprised of 99.9% women. I am loyal and promote handbag makers who are loyal to me by using my fine purse frames. When they are successful, then I am successful.
The two businesses that I own are:
*purse supplies, Gutermann glue, and DIY clutch kits at whilebabynaps.etsy.com, whilebabynaps.com
*up-cycled purse supplies PurseFramesOutlet.etsy.com
To find clutches made using my fine metal purse frames, LOOK to see “Trademarks of WhileBabyNaps.Etsy.com and Khuong LLC” and you’ll know the clutches are made using the finest metal purse frames that are tested for lead and that have a protective coating to lengthen the life of the clutch. You can go to any of the sellers on the Sellers page.
****NOTE: If you want someone to make a clutch for you, please contact any of my sellers and inquire. They will gladly make custom orders!****
Interested in reaching my audience? Advertise. Contact me here.
Thank you for stopping by for a look.
Cheers,
Winn Khuong
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