Mindy (pt 3 - sew)

Hey there! Finally, some more images of Mindy's shoulder bag so far! Sorry about the delay there!

Good news is, give me one more day (or less) and I'll be finished!

Which will probably be Sunday because I work all day the next 2 days. Oh well! :)

Here we go!

Above: Here we basically have all of the interior pieces, plus the strap. I have officially decided against the D-rings only because it doesn't exactly go along with what I'm designing. I was kind of excited to use them, but in this case trust me when I say, it would not look good. That happens a lot while designing.. changing your mind halfway through.. it's all good! :)

Clockwise starting top right: bottom panel of interior; interior pocket, pinned & ready to go; strap! (what else would it be?); front/back of interior.

I have the magnetic snaps set & in place! Hopefully I actually attached them low enough so the sewing part doesn't make me "mother f" like last time! (Don't worry, I did.) ;)

Aaaaand here's the exterior of the bag! :) I really love it! I definitely wanted to do something a little different regarding the styling of it. I didn't want it to be "just a square" with a strap. So I experimented a little bit with a subtle ruffle in the front. I really did not want to go overboard with the ruffle, because then it would look too "foofie, foofie" (my word for too much/girlie girl/crazy). Also, you'll see the tracy larish label along the right hand side! ;)

I really love this design. It's simple, yet it has some playfulness with the little ruffle!

Hope you love it!

xo TL

Mindy (pt 2 - cut)

I was going to wait to post this tomorrow, but I felt the need to do it tonight! :)

So here I cut out all the pieces for Mindy's bag. Keep in mind, after sewing, all of the sizes you see here are going to be generously smaller. Also, take note that there are a few extra random pieces. I will go into more detail with those as I get to the sewing!

I want to start sewing now, but it's too late... :)

Check in tomorrow night to see more updates on Mindy's bag! It's going to look fabulous!

xo TL

Mindy (pt 1 - fabric)

Once again, I'm beginning another bag! This time for my coworker, Mindy! I really hope she likes this fabric! It's hard to tell in this image here, but there are a few different colors in this paisley-print fabric! Take a look:

Obviously, the main color here is the black in the background, then there's slate blue/gray, light gray, cream and kind of like a pale rusty-red. I like this fabric a lot! This to me is very autumn.

This bag is going to be a medium-sized shoulder bag. I'll be using a medium-weight interfacing to make it just slightly more sturdy than the rest of the bags I've made in the past. Of course there will be an inside pocket! The enclosure for this bag will be a magnetic snap and I'll be using two D-rings for the strap. Nothing to crazy! I am, however, going to construct & design this bag a little bit differently. You'll have to keep posted to find out! ;)

I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

xo TL

Jamie's Bag (pt 4 - complete)

Hi again! Just wanted to share Jamie's finished bag! I can tell I'm getting better, faster and more conscious of what I'm doing as I'm making each and every bag.

Also, as a bag lover, do you know how hard it is to make all these pretty little things and then not keep them for yourself??

Ha! I'm kidding.

But it's good to know that I absolutely adore every bag that I design and custom make just for you! It's such a good feeling!

Here's the bag!!

Above: SO cute, right? Seems fairly simple (which it was for the most part), but those magnetic snaps are pretty hard to sew around. Yeah, there were some 'mother f's' thrown around, but I sucked it up and said, "Tracy! Calm yourself!" And I did! ;) haha!

Woo, sorry about the glare from my flash there! Here you can see some of the interior and the pocket. Also, take notice of the tracy larish label along the right hand side... :)

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love the pop of red here! As I mentioned in this post, I encourage you to click to enlarge the images so you can really take in the pattern on the exterior fabric. I love it!

Bag Details:

9.5" in length x 17" in width

Straps (2): 19.5"

Inside Pocket: 6.5" in length x 7.5" in width

Magnetic snap enclosure.

Yay! Now, on to my next order! :)

xo TL

Jamie's Bag (pt 3)

Well, she's just about done! Jamie's bag is looking pretty good, if I do say so myself! Take a look...

Above: Here I just completed sewing the inside pocket on and I put the magnetic snaps on each side of the interior fabric.

Both interior fabrics are sewn together and the exterior fabric are sewn together as well. All I have to now is sew the exterior to the interior, while sewing the two straps on! Then voila-- it's finished! Which I am off to do right now! :) This is going to look really cute!

Keep checking here to see the finished bag!

xo TL

I want...

This very pretty waist bag! Isn't it just adorable? :)

I love it!!

Plus you can wear it like normal, over your shoulder...

{Click link at beginning for source.}

I'm actually thinking about coming up with my own waist bag! It would be different and fun! I can't wait to start designing it!

After my 8+ orders are done, of course! ;)

Well, off to work the real job. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

xo TL

oh, hello!

Long time, no see! I must say, I have not been the best blogger this past week. I've been working (at my real job) like a dog! Today was my first day off in a week, so I've been extremely tired and I'm trying hard to keep up with my bags! (No worries, I shall continue Thursday!) :)

Along with relaxing and resting up today, I took some time to think about what it is I love about autumn! Take a look at these lovely things:

1. Gorgeous leaves

2. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes!! (love!)

3. Going pumpkin picking with the hubby! :)

4. Apple Cidar

5. Big, comfy sweaters to keep you nice & warm

6. Pretty little boots! I want these like there's no tomorrow! (not for $500 though!)

A girl can dream, can't she?

{Click on links or images for sources.}

Yep! Can't wait for the official autumn weather to be here! love, love, love! :) Only thing I don't love about autumn, is knowing winter is right around the corner... boo.

Hope you enjoyed my little autumn faves! I will definitely be back Thursday & Friday with more updates on my bags!!

xo TL

Jamie's Shoulder Bag

Hey everyone! So far, I've gotten all the cutting done for Jamie's bag! I also applied the interfacing to the fabric. This is going to be a shoulder bag that has more of a wider(from side to side) and a shorter (from top to bottom), round shape to it.

Measurements before being sewn:

Straps (2): 22" L x 3" W

Main Bag: 15"(top) x 10" L x 17.5" W

Inside Pocket (flat): 7" L x 8" W

*These measurements will decrease slightly after the seam allowance has been taken into account.

Tomorrow I hope to start sewing this baby up! This will be a fairly simple bag to construct, so it shouldn't take too long! :) Can't wait until it's finished!

xo TL

Thank You & Jamie's Fabric

Hello there! First off, I want to say thanks to everyone who wants a tracy larish original bag! It really makes my heart happy! :) It proves to me that I do have people out there that are interested in my work and I have people out there that I know support me. So thanks to all of you! I sincerely appreciate it. :)

Moving on to yet another bag!! This next bag I'm making is for Jamie. I am soo excited about it! I know it'll come out really nice. Jamie is also letting me have full range with this bag! Meaning, with little restriction, I can basically do whatever I please! This will really let my artistic side come out to play! As soon as I saw the exterior printed fabric, I knew I was going to use it for her! I wanted to keep it simple and everyday wearable, but I didn't want to use all black, because then it'll kind of wash it out. So, I decided to do a little pop of color (the dark red you see below). That will be the interior. I'm literally psyched about this bag!

Above: Here are the supplies/materials I got for Jamie's bag. I encourage you to click the image to enlarge... you'll be able to view the exterior fabric a little bit more. Right now, it just looks black. When in reality, there's actually a simple print on it! As previously mentioned above, the dark red will be the interior. The white stuff you see along the right side is the interfacing. I'm using a lightweight interfacing for the bag itself, and then a slightly heavier interfacing for the two straps. For the enclosure, I'm using a magnetic snap. I'm getting started now, so keep posted to see the latest on Jamie's bag!

xo TL

Custom Order Information

Hello there! A lot of people are asking about my bags and how to go about getting one and all that. So, I figured I'd do a post about it to let everyone know! If you're interested in me making you a bag, then listen up! :) (This is pretty lengthy, but I just wanted to be very informative!)

#1 Contact

First things first. E-Mail me @ tlarish9509@live.com. A lot of people ask me on facebook and, while I don't mind so much, it's a little easier to just e-mail me so that way it's more one-on-one. Plus, it's a bit more professional. Trust me, I check my e-mail about 6598745265448798 times per day. So... I will get it. (haha!)

When you e-mail me, all you have to say is something along the lines of, "I'm interested in purchasing a bag from you". From there, we will discuss what exactly it is you want. Please do not hesitate to ask for what YOU want. I will, of course, extend some options or advice to you. For example, "How about a longer strap?" or "What if we use this material?" However, I will do whatever you want. I'm here to make you happy! And ultimately, I'm a lover of all things bag-like! (almost in an obsessive way...) So there won't be any judging here! Again, please do not hesitate to tell me how you feel about something.

#2 Construction

During the process of making your bag, I will usually post images right here on my blog, so you can see how your bag is being constructed. Although, I will say this, if you see something you don't like and you change your mind about color or size or style and I'm already halfway through making it... there will be an additional charge. Or, depending on if I have more orders after you, we will be sticking with the original plan. If you tell me to change something before I have bought anything or done anything, I will grant your wishes. Think long and hard though! I will warn you, I am a fairly fast worker. So act fast if you feel you want something to be changed.

#3 Timing

I will try my best to get the bag done in a smooth and timely fashion. As I just mentioned above, I'm a fairly fast worker. However, I do have another job to attend to. It really depends on when I work and the type of bag it is that you want. Remember, I will be making you a custom made bag... so please be patient. On average, it's taking me roughly a week to a week and a half to complete bags. Also, this is based on a first-come, first-serve basis. I will try my hardest to get to everyone as best as I can, but if I have 3 people request bags, and you're the 4th... expect to be waiting at least a month to receive your order. Good news is, the holiday season is nearing, and bags make great gifts!! :) So start your orders now! I will try with every part of my being to make your bag as swifty as possible! If you have any questions regarding this, please ask when you e-mail me.

#4 Pricing

This also depends on the bag you desire. Ultimately, I will charge for any fabrics used, thread, interfacing, notions (buttons, zippers, hardware...).. etc and my time to make the bag. I require the cost of materials up front. How do I go about that? -I will buy the materials for you. To do this, I will gather all cost information and tell you the price and at that point you can pay me for your materials. **When I purchase the materials for you and you want proof (it's ok, I would too!), I will be more than happy to show you a copy of the receipt of purchase.** After you do pay me for your materials, I will then purchase everything and commence with making your bag!

If for whatever reason I didn't get enough of this or that, I will contact you right away. I will not continue without notifying you first. It wouldn't be fair for me to buy something extra and tell you, "Oh yeah.. by the way...". So don't be worried about any surprises!

As stated above, the cost of materials are due before I purchase your materials and start making your bag. The cost of the time it takes to make your bag is due when your bag is complete and given to you. If you'd like to pay in full all at once, the whole cost will be due before buying your materials and making your bag. The total cost of your bag will be the total of the materials multiplied by two. (For example, my mom bought her materials and it came to $20.00. Times 2, equals $40.) *The cost of materials will vary from person to person, and the bag that they choose will determine that price.*

If you have fabrics of your own that you'd like me to use to make your bag (whether you've had these fabrics for awhile or you just bought it yourself), there will be a starting price of a $20 flat fee and that will be applied for all other costs. (Thread, buttons, zippers, interfacing...etc. It will be the $20 flat fee, still multiplied by 2, to equal the total cost of your bag.) If these other materials, (again- thread, buttons, zippers, interfacing...etc.), happens to equal out to be more than $20, your price will be adjusted accordingly and I will notify you regarding that. 

#5 Design

As I said in #1, I will do whatever your little heart desires! I find that most people will tell me the size they would like and type of bag (shoulder, crossbody, tote..etc) and leave the fabric-picking and styling/designing to me. Some people tell me the color scheme they'd like to go with and trust me to pick out something that goes together. And others tell me I have full range to do whatever I please. Because I am trying to branch out on my own and trying to get my brand out there, I prefer to do everything original (designed by me). It's important to know, these bags will be one-of-a-kind and unique for each person I design and make a bag for. Therefore, no patterns and no copying. If you see a purse you like somewhere, I don't mind being a little inspired by it and making something similar, but I will not do it exact.

As a bag designer, I literally write everything down that I am doing to your bag; measurements, steps, type of fabric and thread(s)...etc. So in the future, if you ever wanted that same bag, but maybe a different color, I will be able to do that for you simply by looking back in my log.

On a side note, I am currently not working with any leathers. I'm sad to report, Bro (my sewing machine), does not like really thick fabrics. So bare in mind, until I get a machine that can handle such fabrics, they are off-limits.

#6 Custom Made Cut-off
As I mentioned to some of you before, I am only making a certain amount of custom made bags. I figure over the next 3 and a half months I will be able to get all of you in there! I would love to be available for the holidays! So by the end of 2010, there will be no more custom made bags. After that, I will need time to build up my inventory for my shop. You will then be able to purchase premade bags there. I may open up a random "custom made block of time" in 2011, where you will be able to order custom only at that point. So keep posted here to be the first to know!

#7 Contests & Deals
There may be a point in time where I decide to do another contest where you can win a free bag! The only way to find out about contests is to follow my blog! You do have to be an actual follower of my blog in order to participate in such events. If you are not a follower, you cannot be a part of it and you will be disqualified. Despite my low number of "actual" followers (15- booo), I am happy to report that the 'tracy larish blog' has reached just over 1,000 blog views since I've started this blog! That was actually way over what I expected! Clearly people are reading my blog, so why not just follow? ;)

To find out about special deals and discounts, I will either be posting them here on my blog... or you can ask about them when you e-mail me! Sometimes there will be, sometimes there won't be. There will always be a nice little deal if you order in a bulk-type fashion. For instance, if someone asks me if they could see all the bags I've made so far, because they may want me to make about 6 or 7 of them as gifts for Christmas, then in that case, I would definitely say, you get one free or I'll take a certain dollar amount off! (Something like that.)

Other Info
*If you're purchasing a bag as a gift for someone and would prefer I did not post images on my blog in fear they might see, just tell me not to! I will post the images after you have given your gift.*
*If you are purchasing a bag as a gift and this person lives out-of-state, I can wrap it nicely, package it and mail it for you. Just ask! With that being said, I will charge extra for shipping costs.*
*Be sure about your purchase. If you've already paid for your materials... then you decide you no longer want a bag... you won't have to pay for my time but, no refund from the materials will be issued. All sales are final.*
*Payment. Obviously, because I'm really just beginning my long journey of a bag designer, in person, I currently only except cash or check. You can make checks payable to me, Tracy Larish. I do also accept PayPal payments to tlarish9509@live.com. You must have an actual PaylPal account to use this option.*
*I tend to get mad easily.. (hahaha jk!), but if you want a bag please be serious about that decision. I would like to not deal with people that say, "I want a bag!", and then as soon as I ask them about it, it's like crickets! If you want a bag, you want a bag. If you don't, then you don't. Simple as that! ;)*
*These bags are custom made for you. Again, all sales are final, no exceptions.*



Thank you so much for spending your whole day reading this! (ha!) I hope this was very helpful in understanding how tracy larish works! It's all pretty straightforward and to the point. If you still have any questions at all, please contact me by e-mail @ tlarish9509@live.com! I really look forward to talking with you and making all your bag dreams come true!! :)

xo TL

Colorful Fishtail

I just got my Free People September catalog in the mail the other day and I was looking through it and saw this! If anyone tells me you don't like this, you're lying! :) I don't know why I love it so much but I think it's fun and it's different! So immediately, I logged onto Free People's BLDG 25 Blog (a blog that I follow religiously) to see if I could find out more information on this colorful 'do. Luckily, it was right there! I am happy to share with you some images from the shoot below. Also, if you head over to the BLDG 25 Blog, you'll see a tutorial video on how to do this yourself. So fun! I have yet to figure out this type of fishtail braid, so if you can do it, you should probably let me know! ;) Check it out!

{Source}

Don't you just love it? It's not overly done or too much, it's just the right amount pop of color! I seriously want to do this at some point. It's good to know that these color pieces are just extensions and can be taken out and put back in whenever! Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did (haha)!

xo TL

**1st Pic: click under image for source.**

**Last 3 images are from the Free People September catalog.**

**I do not, in any way, shape or form, take credit for any of these images.**

Bag Recap

Hello! Figured this was as good a time as any to show off some bags that I have made so far. This ranges from my very first purse to my most recent! Plus, I'll even show you my most current project(s) for autumn! Here we go...

#1

My very first bag! I am so proud of myself with my first bag ever. I did use a pattern for this particular bag considering at this point I really had no idea what I was doing! There are definitely some hits and misses with this bag... However, it will forever be my first! One day, when I'm a huge and famous handbag designer, people will be begging for this bag.. you just wait! ;)

#2

This little beauty is all mine! This style was loosely based on my first bag. I made the bag band straight across instead of curved. I know I don't even have to tell you how much I love this fabric! :) I think I may have to retire this bag until next spring/summer. It's time to make myself an autumn bag!

#3

The third bag here I made in the e-course, Home Ec. It can actually be used as a reusable grocery bag or book bag as well. This bag is very simple and basic, but I had a blast sewing it all up and learning more skills to make myself a better designer.

#4

Number 4... wherever shall I begin? Well, I am madly in love with this bag! I had a "4 Goals Contest" in August and this little number was the prize. To be honest, when I had the idea for this contest, I had absolutely no idea what I was going to make! This bag was 100% completely designed and handmade by yours truly. No patterns here! During the making of this bag, I secretly wanted to call off the whole contest and keep it for myself (haha)! However, I said my goodbyes and now it is with it's rightful owner, (& winner of the contest) Mandy!

#5

Here is my mom's bag! One of the more recent ones. My mom actually picked this purse out of a book that I have. No pattern was used, but there were measurements and I followed them fairly closely. I did make some minor adjustments myself in terms of construction and fabric. I'm psyched that I am confident enough to make my own decisions in the process of making a bag! It makes my heary happy! :)

#6

Mandy's Bag (number 2)! I keep saying she was so happy with the bag she won, that she just came right back for more! Mandy is literally my biggest advertisment! I cannot thank her enough for all of the orders for bags she got me. I love her to pieces! She has yet to receive this, but I'm certain she will love it! This is a crossbody bag that was designed completely by me. No patterns or even guide measurements were involved. Very simple and I plan on making one for myself as well! :)

Autumn 2010 Sneak Peek:

Here are fabrics for two of my upcoming bags that I hope to start this weekend! You probably recognize the printed fabric on the right. Yes, that was used for my moms bag! I figure I could make a cute little wristlet or clutch with the remaining fabric. I'm eager to start these! Keep posted to see what I make of these. :)

I hope you enjoyed looking back at some bags I have made! There will be a bunch more soon!

xo TL

Mandy (pt 3 - Complete!)

Mandy. Check!

I'm happy to reveal Mandy's bag all finished!

Here it is! A nice, very simple, clean look. And very cute, I might add. Exactly what she asked for! Still has to be pressed once more and then it's all hers! :)

Bag details:

9" in length x 7" in width

Strap: 48" in length x 0.5" in width

Inside Pocket: 6" in length x 7" in width

Zipper enclosure.

I truly hope she gets much use out of it! Thank you again, Mandy, for believeing in me enough to let me do this for you. I cannot even express in words how much I appreciate "your business" (haha). So when I see you on Saturday at the Redneck Fest, I'll give you a big ol hug!! :)

xo TL

Mandy (pt 2)

Hey everyone! Just updating you with the latest on Mandy's bag! I was really hoping to finish this completely tonight, but I'm really tired and my sinuses are acting up again! So in the meantime, here's what I did so far!

Above: All my pieces are cut and I ironed on the lightweight interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior fabrics.

The zipper is pinned to the interior fabric.

I pressed and pinned the strap and getting it ready to sew! Also, I'm preparing my label to be sewn onto the bag. (The little white thing in the middle.)

Here I have the zipper completely sewn onto the interior fabric. The exterior fabric is sewn along both sides and has the "tracy larish" label along the right-hand side.

Everything is pretty much attached, aside from the top of the bag where the zipper is, but it's all pinned and ready to sew.

So, all I have to do is make sure the zipper is straight, sew it and it will be complete! :)

However, I cannot rest because I have plently of bags to make and that will definitely keep me busy! Keep posted to see what's next! :)

xo TL

Mandy's Crossbody Bag

I am so unbelievably excited to be working on my second bag for Mandy!! She won a purse from me just a little bit ago in my contest and she wants more! :) This truly makes me so happy! She's a fantastic friend and a great supporter of the tracy larish brand!

Below are a couple images that I took the other day when I got started!

Mandy and I had a discussion on what she wanted her bag to look like; type, size, fabrics, threads, weight of interfacing, enclosure(s), etc. She chose two really nice cotton fabrics; a purple/paisley for the exterior and a light purple for the interior. Cute!

Here, all the pieces are cut and ready to be pinned and sewn together! Mandy said she wanted a small crossbody bag for when she goes to concerts, festivals.. etc. She also wanted something very simple. I will be making the strap to this bag roughly 50" in length so the bag sits comfortably at the hip (strap in image is folded in half). The enclosure for this will be a simple light purple zipper with a cute little pocket inside! Easy enough for me! :)

I should be able to finish the bag by this weekend! (Just in time for the Redneck Fest!) Hope she loves it! :)

xoTL

One Year Ago Today...

...I married my best friend.

Above (left to right): Camping at Gravel Ponds ('08); Watkins Glen- Seneca Lake ('08); New Years ('08-'09); Boston, MA ('09); Hamlin Beach ('10); Zac Brown Concert at Cmac ('10); Christmas ('09)

...to love & to cherish... I do!

First dance: "Save Me From Myself" by Christina Aguilera
What this song means to me:
To me, this song is basically about being your own worst enemy. (aka: Me) And sometimes you let yourself get to you or you bring yourself down with negativity... beating yourself up for no good reason... stressing yourself out at work, school, home...etc. This is where George comes in. He helps to get me back to reality and snap out all of the days pressures and stresses. If I'm having a bad day, he makes me feel better. (He can make me laugh for days!) And no matter how much stuff I put HIM through, he will always be there to catch me if I fall. I could not ask for a better husband. I am so happy and so unbelievably blessed that I found an amazing man. I'll love you forever & always, through thick and through thin.


This was right after the cutting of the cake. (And no, we did not shove it in eachothers faces, because I would've kicked him where the sun don't shine!) I don't know why I love this picture.. we look so darn cute though!!

I don't think we actually posed for this one... I think it just kind of happened and came out perfectly! :)

This is hands-down my favorite picture from our wedding! My cute little flower girl, Danielle, made this picture perfect!

Oh, it feels like it was just yesterday! :)

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to my hubby!

I do not know where'd I'd be without you.

I'm so thankful for all that you've done for me over the last 5 years.

I can only hope we have many, many more years together!

I love you, hubsand!

September 5, 2009

In the Making (pt 4- Complete!)

My mom's bag is complete! :) I'm so excited to share it with you! As I mentioned in one of my prior posts, 'In the Making (pt 2)', this particular bag can be worn a few different ways. I did say 2 different ways before until I realized there was a 3rd!

First, is wearing it as a regular shoulder bag.

Second, carrying it as a handbag (which you can see in the second image below- my fave).

And Third, the primary strap is actually long enough so you can wear it as a crossbody bag like a messenger type deal! Very versatile! :)

Take a look below! Hope you like!

Measurements: 16.75" x 16.75" x 4.75" (Bag itself)

32" x 1.5" (Primary strap)

I absolutely love this handheld look! :)

I hope you have a wonderful Saturday! :)

xo TL

In the Making (pt 3)

Almost done! I think this bag is going to look fabulous! :) Take a look!!

Above: Just got the inside pocket sewn on the interior fabric!

Here each piece is sewn. Now all I have to do is put everything together for it to be complete! :) We have the interior lining, exterior fabric, shoulder strap, bag band (or handheld strap) and 8 "belt loops" for the handheld strap! Hope to finish it today!!

xo TL