• Let the article reading begin! •

If you follow me on Instagram then you've probably seen photos of Gerty ( my sewing machine) and many cups of coffee. These two are essential to my creative process and to operating heavy machinery. Is a sewing machine considered heavy machinery? I always picture a tractor but nonetheless, you don't want to sew through your finger. I've done that once and it was not fun.

Being self-employed doesn't mean I can just lounge around and expect money to climb into my pocket. I do have a schedule and tasks to follow. There is some lounging involved and also a variety of comfy clothes but regardless I have to make something to sell something. Therefore, coffee is an essential part to getting the wheels in motion. I've always considered myself a morning person but coffee in the morning just helps structure the day. Coffee, shower, work. Without it I'd be twirling, forever twirling! 

Gerty, for those new to Sour, is my Style-O-Matic Singer sewing machine and luckily she needs no coffee to get going. She was given to me by my late grand-mother and is the first sewing machine I ever used. First and best! If you are considering buying a sewing machine, get one with metal parts. These new ones will break in 1 year as I learned many times. Gerty was born in the 1960s and has been repaired 3 times in her life. I do not go easy on my machines so this proves she is a tough broad. 

- Kasey

Working with reused & Recycled

I’m fairly certain that my choice to use recycled materials, whether it be fabric or buttons or zippers, stems from those moments spent with my beloved grand-mother. For one, it’s economical to buy secondhand materials and also environmentally friendly. Mostly, I love to work with odd prints and color combos! You can’t necessarily find those at your big fabric stores.

Using recycled and reused fabrics in my bags can be challenging. You can’t always find the colors you want or type of fabrics that work best. You basically get what you get and hope people are into it. Sometimes, on the rare occasion, you hit the mother load of fabrics and yell JACKPOT!

- Kasey

This fascination with taking something that’s been rejected or discarded and then making something new from it started at a very young age.

As a young girl, I was babysat by my grand-mother when my parents were at work. My grand-mother was a crafty woman who taught me how to sew and knit. She encouraged that part of myself and kept me a drawer at the bottom of a cabinet. It was all mine and no one else could touch it. This drawer was filled with scrap pieces of fabric and most importantly, masking tape. Why masking tape? My grand-mother wouldn’t let me use needles until I was older. Mostly because I wasn’t responsible with them and grand-pa got a few in his foot walking over the shag rug in the living room. I remember making a doll stuffed with fabric and wrapped in a thick layer of masking tape. A thing of beauty! A masterpiece!  Soon enough, I was no longer allowed to have that because I used so much masking tape. Apparently these things cost money! Something I didn’t really think about as a kid.

So you want to apply to craft markets? Can’t decide which is best? Here are a few guidelines to follow based on my experience with craft markets or events. For the most part, I gained this knowledge through many failed events. It’s crushing to attend an event with high hopes only to leave having made no money. People browse your table but don’t buy anything. They may even compliment your work. My favorite is that they don’t even stop at your table. That may have something to do with the persons taste or your table setup. Let’s save that for another article. What I’d like to discuss is picking events or markets that suit your business.

Location:

Whether you drive or take public transportation. Travelling to an event needs to be included in your cost. If the event is too far or out of the way, I generally don’t apply. I have applied to a few that were far to travel but these events offered something special or a lower table cost which I’ll get to later in this article. Just remember that your gas and bus fare count against your profits for the day (s) of your event. Also, if the location is out of the way and customers can’t reach you then that also affects your profits.

Amount of visitors:

I always investigate events that approach me or ones I’m interested in before applying. Are they established? Is this their 1st year hosting a market? If this is their 2nd time hosting a market, then you can always check out how their last event went. You can also check with Facebook groups dedicated to artisans and ask around. If this event can’t drive people into their market, then you won’t be able to pay for your table. The event should be advertising on the web, television and radio. They need to get the word out. Expecting their vendors to drive all the business is a bit silly.  

Cost of your space:

This is what I look at most, cost! How much will it cost me to set up at this event? Is the cost of the space worth the event? If this is an established event, like an Etsy event, the table costs are higher because more goes into the planning than smaller events. This doesn’t guarantee you’ll sell enough to cover the cost of your event though. They won’t be selling your products for you. They are just selling you the opportunity for you to sell your products. This is why investigating the events, seeing who attends  and how much it’ll cost you is very important. Smaller events can be good if they can draw in the right crowd. Sometimes they are more lenient with table costs if the event wasn’t a hit.  Make sure the cost of the space is also in your budget. Don’t bankrupt yourself and let everything ride on one event. That’s a gamble you don’t want to take.

Target Market:

This is probably one thing I struggle with a lot and maybe most of you do too. Who is your target market? You can’t say everyone! It’s a lie! There’s one type of person that buys your products and you need to sell specifically to them. When people aren’t your target market, they won’t even stop to look at your products. Figure out who buys your things and how you can better market to them. Set up your table to appeal to them. If your event is located in an area that appeals to new moms and you sell baby items, then you should do well. In my experience, new moms or moms to be do not buy tote bags. Price point is also key! If you are attending an event that’s a sidewalk sale, expect a few old ladies in electric scooters to make bugged eyed shocked looks at your prices. They are not your target market. For sidewalk sales, it’s always good to have a couple smaller price point items. People are looking for bargains at these events. Those who appreciate handmade goods want to support you but they may not have the budget for pricier items. That’s why having lower price point items comes in handy. Also, a smile is much more inviting then a frown. Customers don’t approach a grumpy Gus!

Organizers:

As I mentioned before, advertising and marketing are important for events to draw customers in. Organizers should also be creating a fun environment for the vendors. You don’t want a scornful vendor on your hands, we all talk to each other! If an organizer sets up the space but there’s no atmosphere, generally this doesn’t appeal to potential customers and makes vendors unhappy. You want to choose a market that will be fun, one that the time will fly by and give you opportunities to network with other vendors. Good music is key! Perhaps not blasting, vendors need to talk a lot during events and screaming over your crochet mittens is not becoming. Having food and coffee on hand is also essential. Customers will take their time if they can snack and slow down the pace of the crowd. If the organizers chose a venue that is large enough for all it’s vendors in an accessible location then all should go pretty okay. For the most part, a good organizer wants their event and vendors to be successful.


I hope some of these tips are helpful to you when choosing your next event. Applying to an event doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll accept you. Be ready for some rejection. Some events cater to a particular kind of look or individual and your products may not meet their standards. That doesn’t mean they aren’t any good though. Good luck out there! Stay strong!

-Kasey


Secret coupon code: 81ruos ( it's backwards! Put it in the right order to save 20% on your purchase. Coupon is good until Friday January 19th 2018 in my Etsy shop!  www.sourbagsandtotes.etsy.com )

 

If you are an artisan or artist, then maybe you’ve recieved those looks or comments from family and friends. The kind that imply you don’t actually do any work or that your business isn’t a real job. Yet you feel you work harder than most, make less money and don’t really ever clock out.  There may also be looks because you are on your phone a lot and yet that’s also you at work. In this article, I’d like to address this false perception and point out how much goes into this “non-job”.

I find it really disheartening when people, more often friends and family, assume I just lounge around at home all day watching Netflix and maybe work on sewing a bag. That my time is flexible and that I’m not busy. Unless magical fairies are the ones making the bags, I’m not sure where they assume I’m not busy.  I have to motivate myself everyday to work. I do create my own schedule but I can’t just constantly be taking breaks. I don’t get an hourly wage or lunch break and if I don’t create something that will sell, I don’t get paid. I think people believe that a “real” job is something you go to, spend 8 hours there and then go home. I don’t get time off. In fact, I’m working right now!

I work when I have enough light to see what I’m sewing and the rest of the time is spent managing social media, planning new bags and marketing my business. I do this everyday. Perhaps I make it look easy but it takes a lot of creative energy to keep people interested in what I do on top of navigating algorithms designed to put my small business on everyone’s back burner.

I work alone. I don’t have a team. I sew. I advertise. I create content. I sell. I update. I photograph. I build. I wear all the hats.

Please do not assume that I don’t work. This is not my hobby. I enjoy some of what I do just like anyone else with a job. It’s a job. I work at it. Yes, I’m passionate but I’m mostly perseverant.

-Kasey

 

They say whistle while you work, well I watch Netflix while I work and more specifically TV shows. The shows can’t be too distracting or too dull. I need a very specific type of TV show and I’m going to share with you some of my favorites that I find are the best to watch while working.

Now since I sew, my attention can’t be locked on to the TV screen. That’s how you sew through your finger! The shows I most enjoy are the ones you can follow along with without looking at the screen, contains more than 1 season and also has a decent amount of music in it. Ominous background music just makes me wonder what’s going on and then my production line slows down. I found DARK to be one of those shows that needs my full attention and therefore is not very good to have on while working. I’m still not sure what happened in that show!  Also, a show like Shameless can be very distracting. If you’ve seen it than you know why.

First on my TO WATCH WHILE WORKING list is:

1. Supernatural
For those who know me well this is not a surprise. I’ve watched the entire series (12 seasons on Netflix so far) about 8 times. I may have lost count. Supernatural isn’t for everyone but I enjoy the format and content. It has humor, sometimes emotional scenes and has great music in the earlier episodes if you are into Classic Rock or Hard Rock. I can listen to the episodes without having to look up every 2 seconds and now that I’ve seen it so often it’s become even better to watch while working. It’s familiar and comfortable. When nothing else is on or I’m feeling creatively stumped, I turn on Supernatural. Sam and Dean to the rescue!

2. Suits
There’s something about their theme song that always makes me sing along to even though I do not know what they are saying. What are the words to the Suits theme song? Suits is an intriguing enough show that you can follow along with while staring at a sewing machine. Most of it is just dialogue and lawyering anyways. It also has great music occasionally and a minimal amount of distracting sex scenes.

3. White Collar

I’ve watched this show a few times over as well. Perhaps not as much as Supernatural. I really enjoy cop shows and this one is fun and silly at times. Having been a fan of Saved By The Bell as a kid, seeing Kelly Kapowski in a different role is great! The CG in this show is pretty comical though. If ever they are in a different part of the world or even a fancy restaurant with an outdoor view, it looks so fake. Makes me laugh every time! Overall, it’s a good show with fashion, art theft and lots of wine.

4.  Agatha Christie’s Poirot

This show is a long running series of mystery solving. I love Agatha Christie books and I don’t read often but I have read many of hers. This show, based on her novels, has an incredibly 80s pastel and geometric shaped opening sequence with some sweet sax playing in the background.  I enjoy a good mystery show and this one is up there with Murder She Wrote ( we all know Jessica Fletcher killed them all). Cheesy at times but very entertaining. Great to have on in the background and the mustache is only a minor distraction.

5.  Jane the Virgin

I know! It’s totally different from all the other shows and sometimes I need to take a break from my regular shows. I was actually surprised by how fun this show is. At first I didn’t like it but after a while and keeping in mind it’s making fun of soap operas (telenovelas), it grew on me.  It’s a silly show with lots of drama and evil twins. It doesn’t have as much music as some of the other ones but the ridiculousness of their storylines makes up for it. This is also not a show everyone will enjoy but once and a while it’s nice to break away.

I’ve only listed 5 shows here because I’d be here for weeks writing out all the shows I’ve binge watched while working. I wanted to give you a taste of what I enjoy watching. I’ve also taken this time with Netflix to watch shows I never got to see as a kid. Like Angel, Gilmore Girls and Charmed. My TV antenna couldn’t pick up those channels. That’s right kids! ANTENNA! Aww 90s TV! It was mostly nipples anyways. If you don’t get the reference, may I suggest you watch Charmed or even Friends.  I’m sure I’ll think of more awesome shows to work to after I post this. There’s just so many! I also have a list of shows I’ll never watch but I’ll save that for another day.

-Kasey

In all honesty, I’m writing about creative blocks because I did not know what to write for my next article. So why not write about the thing that happens to a lot of creative people. Creative blocks are the worst. The motivation is there and you’re all geared up to have a full productive day but you just don’t know what to make. It’s a frustrating feeling. How do you get out from under that mental block? The following are a few tricks that work for me.

1. Ignore the block:
Sometimes powering through and making something that you’re not totally happy with will spark a better idea. Then there’s always the frustration of starting all over but you’re generally happier with the end result the second time.

2. Listen to music
I do watch a lot of TV when I create and it generally helps me focus. (see my previous article on shows that aren’t too distracting to watch) On occasion, TV or Netflix just isn’t getting me in the right frame of mind to create but music does or at least shuts my brain down long enough for it to reboot with some ideas. 

3. Leaving your creative space
Going out for a short walk or running an errand can clear your mind long enough to get past the creative block. Sometimes visiting places where I pick up supplies can spark some ideas. Then I get home, have a nice cup of coffee and get to work!

4. Pinterest!
WE ALL USE IT! Everything creative is just a click away. For me, looking at street fashions and bag designs inspires me to create my own version in my own style. Also, looking at styles that influence me like grunge or bohemian styles. Creating a board on Pinterest to hold what inspires you could also save you some time when you get your next creative block.

5. Relax
We all get creative blocks. Don’t freak out if you get stuck in one. Find what works for you and go with that. Take a deep breath and just know you are not alone. Take time for yourself and recharge your batteries. Sometimes the solution is as easy as making a cup of tea and sitting with your thoughts for a minute. Nowadays, we are all glued to our phones but maybe try staring out the window once and a while to disconnect a little.

Hope these tips help if ever you are stuck in a block. This certainly helped me get over mine.

-Kasey

Pairing colors & Fabrics

I’ve been told once or twice that they love the colors and fabrics I pair up on my bags and there really isn’t any trick on how I do this.

My process for creating a bag is the following, I dump mounds of fabric from my bins and I just start pulling out from the heap  different colors and textures to see if they match up. I may just have an eye for it. I do love pairing more contrasting colors that I feel is influenced by grunge fashion, something I was heavily into it as a youth in the 1990s. Even though I was really only mirroring my older, cooler sister!  So this is why I love to use corduroys, denims and neutral tones with bright colors. The use of bright colors comes from my love for Janis Joplin and the bohemian / hippie fashion of her generation. My eye is always drawn to funky prints and bright colors when I’m hunting for secondhand fabrics.

There are certain colors I’m not keen on using because they just don’t pair well with the aesthetic of Sour. One of those colors would be bubblegum pink!  Although, I have made pink bags but it is not my favorite. Some people love pink and so I make bags for them!

I try to make a little something for everyone but I feel most inspired when I get to play with colors and textures. There’s just an instinct I’ve developed over the years about which colors and fabrics would work best for a certain style of bags.

Some fabrics just speak to me. “Make me into a shoulder bag” it would whisper and I would whisper back “ Okay!” I then take scissors out and start cutting my bag pieces. I don’t have set patterns for most of my bags. I just do what the fabric says and that sounds crazier than it is!

“What’s that, fabric? Wrap up this article and get to creating some more bags? Well alright then!”

-Kasey

My choice of colors and textures can be a little much for some, occasionally I’ll tone it down and make monochrome colored bags. Of course this all depends on the fabrics I currently have in stock.

Black is quite rare to find secondhand and black fabric is what everyone goes bananas for! Like rip their hair out bananas! Okay, maybe they aren’t that intense about it but you get my point.  

The Birth of a Sour Bag

I get asked quite often: Where does the name Sour Bags & Totes come from?  How did I come up with it? Or even how to pronounce Sour, but that’s just language barriers. Well, the time has come for everyone to know the boring story of how Sour came to be! At least I think it’s dull. It’s not some inspirational tale of a small town girl dreaming of bigger things. Well it kind of is but not in the fairy tale sort of way.

It all started with a magazine I used to publish back in 2003-2004. After CEGEP (that’s College or pre-university for everyone outside of Quebec) I did what anyone not moving onto University would do, I moved back home with my parents. I grew up in the middle of nowhere on a farm and when I got back from CEGEP I began working at a local bakery. While the job was fine and the people were great, I needed a bit more to feed my creative monster. I decided to start self-publishing a magazine. One which I produced with dial up internet and a very low tech Windows Publisher program. I had friends pitch in articles, art or on occasion a comic and I filled in everything else. I think 8 Ball Horoscopes were my favorite. With the help of my good friend Emily ( from Tomorrow Never Knows) , I named it Sour Josephine. That name was inspired by a band named Coheed & Cambria which had a song  with the lyrics Sweet Josephine in it ( Devil in Jersey City). I really liked this song but didn’t want to copy it so Emily suggested I change the Sweet to Sour. I thought it was very fitting.

In 2005, I moved back to Montreal and eventually got a job at Chapters (a Canadian book store giant) in 2007. Now, for those who are familiar with me, I don’t read often but I was great at suggesting self-help novels. After a fascinating week of retail, meeting new and interesting smelling people, I would sew for myself. I began making bags for myself with the sewing machine my grand-mother gave me. I named that sewing machine Gerty! My grand-mother had apparently bought it in the 1960s from a door to door Singer salesman. Best sewing machine I ever owned and I remember my grand-mother saying she regretted giving it to me because she also loved that machine!  Okay let’s get back on track! So I’m making my own tote bags and taking them to work at Chapters. My manager at the time noticed my handmade bag and encouraged me to open a shop on Etsy. Back then, Etsy wasn’t known in Quebec but I took the risk and opened my shop! I named it Sour Bags & Totes, keeping the Sour going even if it wasn’t in magazine form anymore. The quality of my bags and sewing weren’t perfected at this point and it’s crazy to see the evolution of my art.

I’ve learned so much over the years and this now includes zippers. Something I was very firmly against but now am enjoying. I just needed to find a tutorial my brain could comprehend and the rest is history.
I work on or make bags nearly everyday now. It can be infuriating at times but there’s joy with working on something from start to finish and seeing it find a home with a happy customer.

-Kasey

The World of Consignment

Consignment is a bittersweet sort of thing in my book. I recently took a step back from it and thought it would be an
interesting topic to write about. 

Consignment is tricky and it can leave you very frustrated but remember to choose the boutiques you feel work best for your products.  If ever it’s not working out, communicate politely with the owners or take your items back. Don’t burn any bridges, unless completely necessary, because you may still want to shop there! I don’t regret my time in consignment. I was able to reach some new customers and make new connections because of it. Networking is important!

-Kasey
 

Sewist Not Seamstress

Engaging with humor

Two ducks walk into a bar...

Well maybe not that kind of humor. It can be challenging at times to stand out from other Instagram or Facebook accounts. How do you get people to connect with your feed? I like to think humor is the key but also being a genuine person and staying true to who you are. All depending how you want your brand portrayed or who your target market may be. I feel people respond better to a no B.S approach. I’ve always lived by the words of Popeye: “I am what I am and that’s all that I am!” (I’m Popeye the Sailor man)  Toot! Toot!

So how does one figure out where humor fits in?
I use it in announcements, articles and posts about upcoming events. Basically, whenever I am talking directly to my audience. For example, when I announce I’ve made a bag I use old timey expressions of joy. GADZOOKS! HUZZAH! And my personal favorite: JINKIES! (Fun fact: I love Scooby Doo!) I want them to smile when they see my post. I want them to connect with it, not just be some forgettable thing that they’ll swipe away from. Humor can also mean making a funny face or sharing a funny event in your life that’s somewhat pertinent to what you do.

A lot of my articles portray my personality pretty well. For those who know me, you can probably hear my little voice reading this to you right now! And also NOW! I think it’s important for your followers or readers to connect with what’s being said as well as the person saying it. Everyone loves to laugh, unless you’re dead inside.

Constantly posting photos of your work can get dull for followers. You need to switch it up and have a little fun. Show your personality in what you post. Not everything can be knitting or bags or pictures of your cat but when you alternate and add just a pinch of humor, you’re reaching out to a whole other dimension of potential buyers. If people like you, connect with you they are more likely to buy from you. Even more likely to support you in the long term and gosh golly that’s just good stuff!

This article idea came from me having no idea what to write (this usually happens to me every Wednesday) and as a joke I wrote to talk about farts. Humor helped me write about humor. YAY!

-Kasey

Oh, The Places Your Bags Will Go!

I’m always wondering what kind of crazy shenanigans my bags will be up to once I ship them out to their owners. What kind of look those buyers will have on their face once seeing their new Sour bag in person. Will they be over joyed?  Most often they are!  Or will they not have read the description thoroughly and be underwhelmed. Which is a fear I have every time someone purchases a bag from me.

For this particular article I wanted to place focus on the people that send me photos of their bags in the wild or some that were spotted in the wild and sent to me! It brings me so much happiness to see one of my bags being used!

Sometimes I’ll even get messages about a Sour sighting and I’ll ask the person to describe the bag and on occasion it’s an older model or a design I know longer make. It’s always a shock to me that they are still holding together. You see folks, my sewing skills and the quality of my bags have improved quite a bit over the years. Yet, those old bags are still well loved after all this time! I guess that says something pretty awesome about Sour bags.

-Kasey  

In the wilderness, in the dense jungle of humans and man made conditions, bags may not appear as they have in my Etsy shop photos. Some are grungy and well loved others are fresh out of the packaging and I’m okay with either.  

If you have any pictures of your Sour bag(s) or of someone else, send them my way!  Be sure to be stealthy as not to spook the Sour bag. It's still adapting to life on the outside. 

E-mail me your photos! 
sourbagsandtotes@gmail.com

A few Good Shops

For those who have Etsy shops or run a local business in Montreal, Sour Bags & Totes may sound familiar but we’ve never met. I’m that constant “like” on your Instagram posts. I’m the one sharing and supporting. I do this because I’m picking up what you’re putting down. In short, I like your business or what it represents. I thought it would be nice to share with my oodles of followers some of my favorite shops! If I follow you and didn’t mention you, do not fret! You are still loved!

Best way to go about this list would be in categories. Let the fun begin!

Jewelry

Bricos: A great little Etsy shop with a variety of styles and trends. I have many pieces of hers that I love dearly and I may be bias in choosing this shop because my fabric scraps are given to her to make earrings. They are awesome!
Tiny Lumber:  A shop that is definitely adding whimsy back into the world with the cutest handmade wood earrings and necklaces! I have a soft sport for tiny heart earrings but I’m also digging their honeycomb necklace!
The Birch Trail: Our Montreal Etsy captain does some good work! I adore her porcupine quill in resin jewelry line.  This shop is also a huge advocate for Indigenous groups.  I really love all that she is doing to keep the conversation going and bring change for Indigenous men and women. Please take the time to read her 41daysofhealing .
Creations Lilipop: The shop is so adorable and geeky! A little something for all ages whether you are a little or big kid! Not a huge nerd? No problem! She has something for you too!

Cards / Paper crafts

Cards / Paper crafts:
Aglomera: This shop isn’t necessarily specific to paper crafts but I’ve always loved their card and post card designs! They also have a huge selection on Society 6 and Redbubble! A little something for all ages and styles!
Scrinkl: Oh my Jeebus! A very impressive shop! I follow her on Instagram and she does these stop motion animations that are mind blowing! She also has some very cute things in her Etsy shop. Go take a look!
Made in Happy: This shop makes me laugh out loud! She comes up with the best puns! BITCH PEAS! That’s just one of my favorites! She has an enormous variety of cards to choose from and her art style is simple and gorgeous! You should see her Donald Trump!

Kids

Peg and Pin: This shop creates custom wooden peg people and it couldn’t get cuter than that. She has incredible accuracy when it comes to painting her peg people! Also, I have a great love for simple toys. Let the kids fill in the blanks with their imaginations!
Creations Mirepoix: This shop creates little monsters for your little monsters! Her designs seem to come straight out of the imagination of a child which is very awesome and I feel connects with kids better than a store bought stuffed animal! Her catfish is a favorite of mine!
Banka Creations: This shop makes the prettiest clothed dolls! Everything on the dolls are created with so much attention to detail. It kind of takes me back to when I used to make Teddy Bears. Exceptionally made! Not only is it a toy but also a collectible (in my opinion).
Couleur-moi: This shop lets you fill in the blanks! The clothes are actually designed for kids to color on! No longer will you need to worry about marker on your dress, it’s meant to go there! This also creates a family activity! I really love this idea! And if you use washable markers you can start over after every wash! How fun!

All About that trend

So you've been rejected...

Rejection is never easy to swallow or easy to sparrow. Just a little bird humor to get going. Anyhow, rejection is tough. What I’m talking about in this article is mostly rejection from craft shows. So if Todd sent back that note in class and responded “No” to the “Do you like like me?”, this isn’t the article for you.

Surprise! Even I’ve been rejected from craft shows! I think most of us have all been through it. It gets easier after a dozen or so but there’s always that initial sting. You’ve put so much work, the best you can do, into your business to get it ready to apply. You send out that application with fingers and toes crossed. Then you start seeing fellow artisans getting accepted and you haven’t heard back yet. A sinking feeling starts setting into your gut.  BAM! You get the email saying you’re just not good enough. Well, at least that’s how you see it. It reads a bit differently though. Trust me, I’ve been pretty upset by some rejection letters and others not that much. I myself have never sent out angry e-mails to the organizers because you DO NOT want to burn those bridges. Unless you plan to never take part in those shows ever and even then, people talk. I’ve heard of people really laying into the organizers of these events. I feel that just shows their true colors and how unprepared they are to run a small business.

How should you deal with a rejection? Take a deep breath, it’s not personal. You can politely e-mail the organizers and ask for feedback. You may not like what they have to say but it’ll be constructive criticism. You can take a look at your product photos or online presence because these are taken into consideration when making a decision to have you in their show. I’ve come a little way on both those categories and could improve even further.

Another way to deal with rejection is to create your own opportunities. After a few rejections, I decided to host my own Pop Up Shop with a few other artisans, some of which I know rarely get the chance to be in big shows like Etsy or Puces Pop (Montreal). It was a lot of work and I had help but it was an experience I mostly enjoyed. If anything it showed me how hard it is to organize these events.

There’s no reason to harass organizers if you’ve been rejected. Show them you can do better by actually doing better and improving your business. Put that anger towards proving to them they made a horrible mistake passing on you. Then when you apply next time, you’ll have better odds!

-Kasey

P.S Check out my previous article on how to pick the right event for you! 
Click here for that article! 

The loneliness of working from home

When weekend rolls around, I’m not motivated to do anything or go anywhere. Which is odd because you’d think I’d be starving to see friends and get out. (Granted, I can be a hermit) Then it gets to the point where friends assume you don’t want to hang out. Voila! The loneliness has returned and people stop calling. Of course these feelings of loneliness aren’t necessarily things I talk about so some people are in the dark of how completely down I really can be.

I spent weeks trying to find a topic to write about for my next article and nothing really struck a chord with me but this particular subject needed a little light. I’m all alone at my job. The days can be frustrating, lonely and this is something I struggle to correct. The balance is off and trying to find that center again is difficult but I’m trying and working towards a better work environment. Thank you for putting up with my little rant or vent or what have you. It helps.

-Kasey

Transparency

Oh hello! It’s been a while! Well I finally have something to write about that I hope is worth reading. You must all know by now that I work with recycled / reused fabrics and because of this I don’t always get the best secondhand quality. I do my best to pick the best secondhand fabrics for my bags but sometimes a few slip through the cracks. In this case, a few denims that tend to bleed when they are wet. Let me set the scene!

Picture it! Montreal last week! I had just finished making a beautiful black denim backpack only to realize that the dye in the denim bleeds when it’s wet and could rub off onto light colored clothes. This would be bad if you got caught in the rain or washed the bag (this particular backpack had black and white pinstripe accent panel which was no longer a bright white after a wash). I tried the whole washing it in vinegar thing but I didn’t feel right selling it to someone. Even after the vinegar bath, it still bled. I scrapped the whole bag, salvaged what I could of the hardware and straps.

How do you solve a problem like Etsy fees?

Recently, Etsy decided to raise its fees from 3.5% to 5% and this now also applies to your shipping costs. It’s a real jerk move. But one must remember that they need to make money too, just way more than us little fellas.

Anyhow, jerks are gonna jerk! Here’s my issue, do I leave Etsy and upgrade my Squarespace site to be a shop? I don’t want to be impulsive on this. I’m kind of prone to make quick decisions and then I am  left with dealing with my mistakes. Yes, it’s all a learning process but this is something that’s close to me. Sour is my baby!  11 years I’ve been on Etsy and only in the past 3-4 years has it been full time. I don’t want to lose what I’ve built already.

The downside to expanding my Squarespace is that I will have to drive all traffic to the shop myself. That’s pretty much what I do with Etsy anyways now because the site is oversaturated with makers and we are all yelling “Hey! Look over here at this stuff!” Some yell louder than others and have money to throw around.
 

The downside to staying with Etsy, they are building something I don’t like. No coincidence that after they announced the raise in fees that their stocks sky rocketed. They are buttering Etsy up for what I can only assume is going to be a buyout. Perhaps become another eBay or Amazon.

Upsides? Sure, there must be some in there somewhere. Squarespace is a yearly fee with great tools and customer service.  I can design it the way I like and won’t have to pay fees for existing other than the obvious transaction fees that PayPal and Squarespace collect. Although, there wouldn’t be 0.20$ fee taken every time I add an item to my shop. As for Etsy, upsides are that I’m already established there. It’s comfortable and I know my way around. But for the most part I don’t think Sour necessarily needs it to sell. 

So many questions and discussions to be had on the future of Sour and where it may go.

Stay tuned!

-Kasey

The Return of a part-time bag maker

It wasn't an easy decision to make, but when life forces your hand and you take a hard look at the lack of dollars in your bank account you just have to give in. This is something I've recently had to do. I took a long break from sewing to re-assess things in my life because things were changing. My husband and I bought a house and I could no longer coast on my good looks alone. I had to start pitching in and bag sales weren't enough to pay the bills. Therefore, a tough choice was made. Sour would now be a part-time when I had free time kind of business.  You've probably noticed a lack of production or online presence here and there. I've certainly neglected to write a new article in a while. So here's what's new and also what to expect from Sour.  

Gerty and I will on occasion be making new bags and this means you'll be lucky to get 2 in the same week. I'll do what I can to streamline production and have bags ready to sew on days off. Although, no promises can really be made. I'll more than likely be posting less but how many photos of morning coffees do you need? Posting less may actually help me be seen more often due to our wacky algorithms. So that could be a positive thing. Another thing, I'm not likely to participate in big markets like the Etsy events. This being because there's just no time or money anymore to prepare for them. You'll just have to shop the old fashion way, online! 

I'm never going to stop making Sour bags, so do not worry! And for the time being I won't be leaving Etsy, also because of lack of time and money. Etsy is the lazy way of selling bags compared to monitoring a website and all that jazz.  So there's something that won't be changing! 

In conclusion, I have a job that pays an hourly minimum wage salary and I'm okay with that. I'm happy to have a somewhat stable income and the work is relatively painless. I do miss having my own schedule and taking breaks whenever I please, but the security that comes with having a paycheck is relieving me of a stress that had been building over the years as a full time Sour employee. Keep checking in, follow me on all the things. I'm still here and I'm still making awesome bags! 

-Kasey 

Back To Bags

I tried and feel I have failed to balance my business with a side job. It was to be a side job but the hours were so erratic and offered no consistency. This made it difficult to plan anything. Everyone kept telling me " Well that's retail!" and all I kept asking myself was did it really need to be like that at all? Either way, it didn't work out for me so now I'm back to bags. My comfort zone! It's what I enjoy but it'll take twenty times the hustle to produce a paycheck like I saw with a day job ( which also had several overnights. Overnights are great if you love sleep deprivation!)

While I wait to find a side job I will enjoy enough and one that can offer a consistent schedule, I'll be doing a lot more sewing. It's hard work wearing all the hats in a business and most people will never know or understand exactly how much work actually goes into it.

Goodbye Etsy

As you may have noticed, I have left Etsy. ♫ " Goodbye Etsy page, though I never really knew you at all..." ♫ I spent 12 years building my Etsy shop and in the past years with fee increases as well as newer fees, I felt it was time to step away. Was it the best choice? I don't know. I do know that I wasn't keen on them taking a fee on my shipping costs ( they don't take any part in helping me ship items) and forcing my Paypal account to join Etsy payments ( a clear attempt to collect fees on that).

I'm a small business, I don't have an endless supply of cash for these fees to not affect me. So after leaving my retail job, I felt I was on a roll for change and decided to open a shop on my website. The struggle with having this shoppable website, instead of an Etsy shop, is driving traffic to it. I don't have the same visibility anymore. I find that a bit difficult right now but it's something I'm going to work on. I plan to give this a real shot. I mean, I'm already saving 20 cents every time I post a new bag on the website instead of Etsy. I'll be rich in no time! Right? Right? Maybe not but every little bit counts! Wish me luck!

- Kasey

Sewing and Horror Movies

There are currently 232 Horror movies on Netflix ( according to google) and I have seen most of them. I mean I've been through most movies and TV series on Netflix, it's what I watch when I work on bags. I understand horror movies aren't for everyone, some of you enjoy Downton Abbey, but I find I work best whilst watching bad slasher / thriller/ horror movies. Does this make me a strange duck, yes it does! Will I be able to survive a horror movie, for sure!

I spend a lot of the day alone sewing bags and it's not uncommon that I will comment aloud to my computer screen while it plays some terrible movie. The " why are you going in there?" or the " just shoot him and get out!" are usually my go to comments. These movies always seem to have the same formula and it frustrates me. So here is a list of movies I loved to hate! Please note that I'm only watching English speaking movies because reading subtitles and sewing are a skill I have yet to develop.

First up is the most recent horror movie I watched, The Strangers Prey At Night. It was pretty captivating, mostly because they had " Based on true events" at the beginning. All through the movie I was saying to myself " Well one of these guys has to live to tell the tale" because otherwise how would they have been able to make this movie. I'm not just a pretty face, I'm smart too! But after very little research, the writer-director was inspired by the Manson family Tate murders, the Keddie Cabin Murders and break-ins that occurred in his neighborhood when he was a kid. So can anything be " Based on true events"? This movie is the sequel to a movie I have not seen called The Strangers. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess his next movie will be The Strangers like to go to Bingo. Regardless of all this, the movie was a decent slasher. It's what you expect from these kinds of movies. No reason why the killers are after them, more blood than a body has and good guys talking way to much when they should be shooting. I rate it 8/10. I deducted 2 points, one for them having the bad guy cornered and not shooting and the other is that this based on true events was kind of a lie.

Up next, The Open House. I've seen this movie twice and usually if I watch something more than once it's because it has a good balance. I really do like this actor (as a friend). He was in a Supernatural episode with a similar plot (someone living in the walls to someone...( spoilers!)) to this movie. I can't say there were any moments that I was disappointed by but maybe the last scene was kind of unnecessary unless they were planning to make more of these. The last scene gave me that late 90s vibe of slasher movies where they would leave it open ended. Then you're left with that " Oh that scamp! He's at it again!" It's got some good twists and I built these theories that turned out were completely wrong but would have made this movie even cooler. Anyhow, this is a pretty tame horror movie but still a good one. I rate 8/10

And lastly, because I need to end this article at some point, The Basement. Just noticed that the titles of horror movies almost always start with THE. Okay, so The Basement was different. That does not mean it was good. I mean it does keep you guessing until the end but the acting was just for lack of better word, poop. It did have a former OC cast member, I remember her being better at acting. Clearly I was wrong! The description of the movie is so misleading. The movie itself kind of goes nowhere. Why was this movie made? I'm pretty sure I watched it because I was running out of options. There's nothing really great about this movie other than the reveal at the end which took them forever to get to. I really can't say more on this one. I rate it 2/10

They can't all be winners ( I do go looking for the really bad ones though) and I can't rate all 232 of them but for the most part they do their job of being background noise.

-Kasey

Next, The Super. That's right, Val Kilmer is back! Madmartigan! I was hoping it would have been a better movie. It had twists, red herrings (not the fish...although they may as well had thrown a few in there for kicks) and then it kind of felt like they just gave up on the writing at the end. This was I guess a satanic horror/ thriller. Not much to say on this movie without giving away everything that made it something. This is a movie to have on in the background, leave the room or the house and come back for the last 10 minutes. The important thing to remember is that Val Kilmer is in it and he plays a creepy man. I rate it 3/10.

Next up, The Silence. A clear knock off of A Quiet Place. Still fun to watch but these people could not be quiet. First off, the news tells you these monsters are attracted to noise and to stay home. They immediately pack up and bring THEIR DOG!!! Dogs bark guys, they can't help it. Mistake number one. At this point in the movie I'm shushing them and saying " Ya shouldn't have brought the dog!" Then they are just talking loudly even though they all know sign language. Please make note that if you are ever in a situation where a cult comes to your home to take your fertile women but end up leaving, you know they are coming back later! Hey! How about you all sleep in the same room, you know... to survive! Oh man, writing this paragraph is frustrating me as much as watching this movie. My note on this movie is literally " SHUT UP!" Hahaha! Besides all this, it was an entertaining movie but they are losing 3 points because they were dummies and the end was weird. I rate 7/10

Here are a few reviews from my Etsy shop! Click here to read all 344 reviews!

Have you purchased a Sour bag and would like to leave a review? E-Mail me at sourbagsandtotes@gmail.com

Sewing and Horror Movies: part 2

As the spooky season begins, the trees shed their leaves and coat the ground with their discarded flesh... Too much? Maybe a little too heavy on the scary visuals. Nonetheless, it's October and I have watched many horror / thriller movies on Netflix. I've pretty well made my way through their long list and now have a few more to review. Not all of these movies are worth watching and I hope to save your eyeballs from having to see them.

First on the list in this edition of " Kasey watches a lot of Netflix while she sews" is American Poltergeist 2. My first note on this movie is " Who the hell wrote this movie?" So already they are off to a good start. The acting is horrible and not in a funny enjoyable way. The dialogue feels very unnatural and I'm pretty sure they recorded it separately. As though someone off camera was holding the script and the actors just read things out loud. There's definitely some weird editing in this movie. I basically couldn't even watch the whole thing. It was THAT BAD and I've seen some bad movies. I can't remember if I've seen the first one in this series, if I did then I must have blocked it out of my mind. I rate this hunk of junk 2/10. It's worth watching just to see the weird dialogue and editing.

Up next, Friend Request. I thought this would be a horrible movie but it was kind of enjoyable. There are more horror movies coming out now that incorporate technology and social media. Which is basically to reach out to a new generation. I don't remember there being a movie where pagers somehow kill people though. Have I revealed my ancientness yet? Anyhow, Friend Request is basically a Facebook horror movie about a sad girl that wants to make friends and a popular girl that has way too many. It's even got hackers! I mean, you can probably fill in the blanks from there. Put this movie on in the background, not sure it's worth sitting down for. Just hover over a chair to watch this, don't commit to sitting until you're sure you want to watch an hour and thirty two minutes of trying to delete a Facebook profile. I rate this new age spookums 5/10. It was a mildly entertaining horror movie for tweens.

Next on the list, I Spit On Your Grave 1 & 2. OH BOY! A double review! Here's what I have to say about rape/revenge movies: Why? Why do they think the movie is better if the rape scenes are a third of the movie. I get that it's a genre but it's totally unnecessary for a rape scene to go on forever. We get the point in like a minute. The first movie was very rape heavy and the revenge portion was a little too Rube Goldberg machine. There's no way this lady who was violently raped, hiding in the woods for months and living on rat meat would be able to gather all the supplies needed to build her torture room. So that's the first movie in the series. Then they made a second one with a girl who looks nearly identical to the first actress. Different location, different plot but nonetheless the same movie. I'm wondering if the director of I Spit On Your Grave 2 read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and thought " I can make this worse!" Honestly, this genre of movie isn't my favorite. I understand the prolonged rape scenes are meant to make the viewer uncomfortable, I just don't see the point of having them that long. A lot can be said in a movie without having to show it.

I skipped over a lot in the second movie and I missed nothing in the plot. I rate this movie 2/10 for both.

Lastly, Delirium. Eric Foreman is crazy! It's hard to disconnect the actor from the character he played on That 70s Show but when you do... you can't. He will forever be that guy! So Topher Grace is in a spooky movie. I did really like his character in American Ultra but we're not talking about that one today. Anyways, I've watched Delirium twice now. I needed a refresher so that I could write a review. I liked the movie but it could have been so much more. They slowly piece this story with home videos, creepy two way mirrors in the house and a sprinkle of other characters. Basically, if they were to remake Risky Business with Tom Cruise now, it would be this movie. Crazy dude in a mansion that thinks he's seeing things and there's a love interest. Of course there would be! And no it's not Donna! Oh and somewhere in this creepy mansion there's a vault with money. The rest is for you to watch. Despite the weird roundabout plot line that eventually gets a bit more focused at the end it was a decent watch. I rate it 5/10 It's watchable but you'll never unsee Eric Foreman.

And that concludes round 2 of my horror movie reviews. Hope you enjoyed reading it!

-Kasey

NEW YEAR,
NEW SOMETHING SOMETHING

I'm kind of upset that I'll never live to see the year 2525 because I really liked that show Cleopatra 2525 when I was younger. Anyone know what I'm talking about? I mean when an exotic dancer is cryogenically frozen in the year 2001 then is accidentally thawed out in 2525, adventures are inevitable! The theme song is still stuck in my head!

Anyhow, the point of this article is to talk a little about the new something somethings I've been making recently. Some of you were skeptical it was too much of a stretch from bag making but it all worked out! The following account is based on a true story. Cue the fog machine!

The year was 2020, a young vivacious woman paced her workshop
thinking of what to make next. What would please people? What would draw them in? Thunder cracked beyond the windows that shielded her from the outside world. She sat a moment in her brown leather wing back chair, her palms pressed firmly against her head and cried out "I shall make button covered earrings!”. Wolves howled in the background as she began cutting scraps of fabric. Leftover pieces from bags she had made flew wildly in the air, from her cutting station, as she created the vision in her mind. Lightning momentarily illuminated her workshop as she brought life to a new project. She told herself this was a great way to make use of every little piece of fabric.Would the people like it? Would they wear them? All questions she pondered but chances were taken and she is now posting them on her Instagram. Bada bing, Bada Boom! Big Bada Boom!

So that's pretty much how it went down. Clearly, I'm the vivacious woman! I have so many little bits of fabric left from cutting bags that this seemed like the best use for them! I think they are pretty cute and a lot of you have commented lovely things about them as well. It's important to try new things as a business. Freshen things up every 13 years or so ( I started Sour in 2007)! Always be thinking and using that noggin' to develop new functional ideas.

-Kasey

Top 5 Shows to Binge:

Pandemic Edition

In these trying times of doing nothing and seeing no one, I bring you a review of some of my favorite shows to binge. Now, I tried to give some variety to the selection because generally it would all be crime/buddy cop/murder shows. So here is the list, folks! My top 5 binge worthy TV series on Netflix for whichever mood you may be in.

1. On My Block
I had seen this show, or it's photo, on Netflix for a while and it never really interested me. I thought to myself " Oh! It's another gang drama bla bla bla... So serious..." But after running low on shows to watch, I gave it a shot. Why not try one episode and get a feel for what the show is about. The show is basically a modern day Goonies / Veronica Mars set in a inner city neighborhood of L.A and it is AWESOME! I actually laughed out loud and the show was good enough for me to be distracted from my sewing. That's saying a lot because usually I put shows on that I can ignore or don't have to physically watch to keep track of. Lots of action, drama, jokes, teen angst and mystery! It was a wonderful discovery even though season 3 sort of felt meh but having a hot guy in the show helps. If you're looking for a show with a hot guy and kids solving mysteries, I recommend this one! I rate this show a 4/5

2. Life In Pieces
The cast of this show is top notch! James Brolin... Colin Hanks... the mom from Lost Boys! So many great people! I loved this show because each episode had roughly 3 short stories in it and you could watch the episodes out of order and still be able to know what's happening. The writing is silly and fun. Although, I'm pretty sure I cried at some of the episodes, the show sometimes touches on some heavier content like miscarriages but they do it in such a tender way. The youngest daughter/ grand-daughter has to be my favorite character in the bunch. I think it's because I identify with her personality. I would recommend this as a winding down sort of show. If you're feeling stressed and need something to just make you giggle, this would be the show. It's a glass of wine and feet up sort of show. I rate this show 5/5

3. The End of the Fxxxing World
This is a British show and it is flipping the best! Not only is the music in the show perfection, so is the story line. It's a bit on the darker side and I know a few of you wouldn't be keen on the content but this is so my cup of tea. Pinky out! Oddball characters, out of control adventures, teenage whatnot’s figuring out their existence, murder and a great soundtrack. This is the show in a nutshell. I don't wanna give more away on this show but it was definitely one I did not want to stop watching. It's a show where you see the late hour on your clock and think " Bah! Maybe one more!" There really isn't a season that disappointed me. Consistently good! I'm not sure what kind of mood you'd have to be in to watch this but it's definitely a show that you just get absorbed into. I rate this show 5/5

4. Locke & Key
Oh, Joe Hill! Your Stephen King is showing! I know, I know he wrote it with Gabriel Rodríguez but still the vibe is there! For those who aren't following up until this point, Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. He writes under a pen name so that he isn't riding on coat tails, I guess. Anyhow, the show is great! I really enjoyed it even though I figured out the twist ( Yes! There's a twist!) far before the end but my brain is just trained for that kind of thing. I love to solve a mysteries! Pretty sure I missed my calling as a modern day Nancy Drew. The show can be spooky with a few jump scares but to me it felt so whimsical. The house alone is something to watch this show for and will make you wish you had magic keys. For those who are scaredy cats, I'd recommend watching this show on a Saturday afternoon and for the less afraid, watch it at night with all the lights out. If you prefer books to TV shows, Locke & Key was a graphic novel before it was a TV series! This show made me want to write stories again. It flipped a switch in my brain that was dusty and hadn't been touched since I was 20 something. I rate this show 4/5 (It lost points because they hinted so much at the twist, so unless you aren't listening...)

5. Wynonna Earp
A little Canadian content coming your way! I do love a Canadian made show. There's just something very different in the writing and filming that stands out. Oh, Canada! Now, why did I choose Wynonna Earp over Schitts Creek you may ask? While I do love Schitts Creek, I enjoy a western more. Even though this western is set in modern times with supernatural creatures that can only be killed by the descendant of Wyatt Earp! I mean, come on! This checks all my boxes! Also, Tim Rozon is in it and he was also in Schitts Creek! Canadian casting, baby! This show is fun with shoot 'em ups, supernatural bad guys and an attractive Doc Holliday. Even though I absolutely remember enjoying this show, I couldn't tell you now what the episodes were about other then " Oh and then Doc Holliday was there!" and " Some Supernatural guys are trying to get Wynonna" So for that I have no choice but to give the show 3/5 but I would re-watch this show a dozen times. Just as I have watched Supernatural over 15 times.

Enjoy! Stay safe and wash your hands! Social distancing doesn’t mean hanging out with people at a beach or next door. Be smart.

Holiday Horror Movies

Well, it's that special time of the year where we gather with our families around a nice meal and open gifts around a murdered tree... Oh wait! Is this the year 2020? Well gosh golly those plans have gone down the drain! So while we hope for a better 2021, here is a review of a few holiday horror movies I found on Amazon ( the devil ) Prime.

P2 ( 2007 )

Do you have an irritational fear of parking garages and carrying a flip phone beyond 2006? Well this movie is just right to scare your socks off! This movie was odd but also a PSA on sexual harassment in the work place? A parking lot attendant is obsessed with an office worker who was kind to him and wants her to join him for a creepy Christmas dinner. She declines and then the horror begins! There was also a lot of running back and forth in parking structures, flooding elevators, very little overnight staff, dumb cops and a dog who didn't deserve to be caught in the middle of this mess. He didn't know his owner was a psychopath. Honestly, this movie was barely holiday related other than the fact that she was going to a family holiday gathering and they couldn't tell by her voice that something was wrong. Drives me nuts! In the end this movie is a 6/10. Passable.

Jack Frost (1997 )

Before you get excited, not THAT Jack Frost. There's no Michael Keaton in this movie. Jack Frost is the story of "the worlds most pissed off snow cone" and also a genetically modified escaped prisoner. This Small town wasn't ready for the hell that was about to snow down on them! Most accurate scene was when two teens are looking to hook up but have to remove several layers of clothes in order to do so. We are talking long underwear, folks! Realism! Like a killer snowman birthed from genetic liquids and snow! Oh, but the snow is super fake looking and a girl, played by a young Shannon Elizabeth, is killed by a snow man's carrot penis. The movie is ridiculous but also entertaining in the campy B rated sort of way. 7/10 just cause it knows what it is.

Dead By Christmas (2018)

Spoilers in the title! This was a really very terrible bad awful movie. It's budget was 25k ( I had to look it up! ) which they spent all on Yankee candles for the set. Every scene had candles in it. This college project (?) was for sure filmed on their phones. Bad audio with EXTREME closeups on people's faces. I honestly don't need to see the layers of makeup. So, the story is about a bunch of orphans returning home for the holidays and then I skipped a head a bunch because it was painful to watch and listen to. I should also mention the acting was bad. Very truly bad. If you can sit through the whole thing, you are a champ! 1/10 I wish I could unknow this movie.

Closing time

Jeebus! It’s been 2 year since my last article?


Well folks, the moment is almost upon us. I will be closing my shop temporarily at the end of September 2022. I started Sour in 2007 and right now it seems odd to not be making bags every day. It’s not a goodbye but more a “ Well, I’ll see ya!” and yet it still chokes me up to talk about it. I have good reasons to be shutting down. I’m currently 27 weeks pregnant, something I wasn’t sure would happen after my miscarriage last year. It’s been emotional and I shed tears just typing this out. I blame it mostly on hormones but also I’m not as tough as I look. So I’m going to be a mom and I need to focus on that. Sewing every day and creating every day is demanding, especially when you feel you’re always running up hill.( I will not be inserting THAT Kate Bush song. The internet has ruined it for me forever) Social media has made it much more challenging to be noticed and I can’t deal with that and a poopy diaper.

Motherhood will be my new full time job and I do hope to return to bag making once I get settled into having the little one around 24\7 and finding my bearings as a parent. I want to return in the Spring of 2023, but I can’t promise anything. We’ll see how things go.

Thank you for all your support, in whatever form you’ve given it. I’m sorry you’ve had no new bags to look at lately and had to suffer through the same old same old. I get it! Views aren’t everything, right? I just hope you’re still around when I get back.

Keep a spot for Sour in your hearts and I’ll try to pop in every so often to update you on how I’m doing.

Who knew this crazy lady would be a mom!

A Few Horror Movies 2022

The veil between worlds is thinning as Halloween approaches and that means I’ve got some horror movies to complain about!

Since shutting down my shop and focusing on growing this baby, I’ve had some time to watch terrible and passable horror movies. Now, my standards are not very high and some peoples acting/writing/producing skills are the same. Let's kick things off with:

The Hunting Grounds (2017)

After the tragic death of his mom, a young man and his father are forced to move to a hunting cabin/shanty in the woods. A building made of particle board and plywood. A real fancy shanty with windows. When they arrive, the place has been trashed…I guess. They chalk it up to backwoods hoodlums, as one does and go about their lives. The father then invites his brother in law ( a guy that owns a bunch of gyms but seems to be sporting some lean muscles) and a deranged hunting buddy. But wait, murderous Sasquatches show up? They are technically just defending their territory and keeping people hostage in a cave but this ain’t no Harry and the Hendersons! Here’s my issue with the ‘Squatches: they are strong enough to knock over a tree and heavy enough to squash a man’s head with their foot but not so heavy that when they are standing on a shanty roof it doesn’t collapse? I want my ‘Squatch lore to be consistent. Also, for a bunch of hunters, they can’t seem to aim and hit a giant beast man that’s 2 feet in front of them standing in an open window. In the end this movie was meh and I give it a 3/10.

Goodnight Mommy ( 2022)

A bit better cast wise with a big name like Naomi Watts taking the lead. Prime really wanted me to watch this one and made a tantalizing trailer. My whole family watched it and we discussed the details of this movie at length. It’s the kind of movie that leaves you wondering. No closure! It’s a remake of a German movie ( which seems 50 times more horrific than the American version) There’s so many twists in this movie that I can’t really give a synopsis but I do want to address one thing. If you are a father dropping your kids off at their mom’s and she is not outside to greet them, why aren’t you walking the kids to the door? Even if you had spoken earlier, why not drop them off and make sure she’s home. That was my biggest takeaway from the movie. I still have a lot of questions about the story in this movie and really wished they had wrapped it up neatly at the end. I have to say it wasn’t the worst movie. I’m still left with so many unanswered questions like why was there rotten food in the mom’s room? If you watch it, please let me know. My family has a lot of crazy theories. 7/10

Forget Me Not (2009)

Do children playing games in a cemetery late at night terrify you? I’m not talking about Clue or anything but some weird hide and seek game. I think this may be the second movie I’ve seen where kids play this game OR I’ve watched this movie twice and didn’t notice. So this movie is a haunt/horror movie. Teens teening about, grinding on whoever (dang youths!), unrequited love and then friends vanishing but no one remembers they even existed to begin with. A classic Saturday night! I remember the end of this being “ SERIOUSLY?” Big takeaway from this one is that Bella Thorne ( an actress I don’t generally enjoy watching and hope her character is killed off quickly) was but a wee little one in this movie! Other than that, the movie is okay. Could have maybe used a few murderous Sasquatches but we can’t always get what we want! 4/10

And that’s all I got folks! Hope you enjoyed the read!

 Motherhood

Well, where to begin? It’s hard. I’ve been a mom for 1 year now and I can’t say it’s gotten easier. Every chapter and development has come with new challenges. Emotional as well as physical.

My pregnancy was fairly smooth compared to other moms. I had some nausea, no vomiting, slight heartburn and an occasional sciatic pain in my leg. Other than that, easy peasy. Then my water broke right before I was about to get into bed. And so the adventure began! I was induced which is SO MUCH FUN! Got an epidural ( can I just always have that?) and then pushed for 2 hours. Baby wasn’t ready to leave so the doctor gave me options. Tools or C-Section. I told the doctor to cut me open, tools just sounded “rippy”. Sorry to all the men reading this, pooping a baby out is graphic. Once the baby was out, we began our journey into parenthood. We got lucky and had a healthy baby, but one that wouldn’t latch no matter how many nurses came to squeeze, move or wrangle my breasts. We finally got home and then it hit really hard, we were on our own now. We have a ton of family support but now we are the ones driving the bus. We are responsible for this little fart.

Emotionally, I was always ( am always) kind of on the edge of being overwhelmed, crying or being extremely annoyed with my husband. I love him and he tries but sometimes… Anyhow. Now, what would become of Sour in all this. Something that I’ve been doing since 2007 and is my creative outlet. The time I have for me and my brain to just shut down and create. Where does that fall in all this? I still don’t know. If I’m lucky, I’ll get some time during naps to prep or sew something real quick. Maybe a day on the weekend when family isn’t visiting. But generally, I’m catching up on laundry, dishes…house chores. They eat up all the time in between baby time.

How does one find a balance? I’m not keen on sticking her in  daycare. I can watch my own kid and I want this time with her when she’s young to bond and watch her grow.  Insert Aerosmith song “ And I don’t wanna miss a thing”. I just haven’t found the balance. I need Sour to maintain a certain level of sanity but I always have to be a mom. I know a lot of people have helpful suggestions that they like to tell me. But I’ve always been one to follow my gut and the few times I haven’t, well things went to shit. Perhaps I’m stubborn, and that’s not always a bad thing. Our experiences in this life should be our own and what we choose for ourselves, right?

So I’m finding things a little rough right now. Trying to find the balance of who I am and who I need to be for my child. A kid changes everything. I definitely feel like the vessel and not a person after having a kid. My importance in this world feels less than before but I don’t regret my child. So again, a balance needs to happen. Maybe one day I’ll figure it out. In the meantime, I’ll just do my best.