How to : Create a Custom Tool Roll

With Father’s day approaching I thought it would be fun to create a sewing tutorial for a custom tool roll. Yes, there are several options to purchase but just because a gift is handmade does not mean it is “cheap”. If anything it is often more expensive in this mass merchant society. Why not practice your sewing skills while creating the perfect one of a kind gift for the tool lover in your life. Most tool rolls off the shelf are not as practical as they could be, slots are either too big or too small and rarely roll up without excessive bulk.

 To save some cash make sure to check out the remnant pieces at your local craft store. The remnant I used was   only $4 for a little under a yard of duck canvas in my man’s favorite color. To make it easier, create a template, layout the material and fold it to create a main pocket. Decide if you want to have the fabric fold over the top as well to secure the tools from falling out when rolled. Snatch the largest tool that will be housed in the roll to make sure that the main pocket is deep enough. If you do not have all the tools make sure to add a little room for the seam allowance/ bulk of the tool, so they will fit in the slots. Use a ruler and a water-soluble marker to sketch out the slots for each tool. Sew along with me in the tutorial below.

Materials: Duck Canvas, Fabric Scissors, Paper + Pen (for notes), Ruler, Water Soluble Marker, Sewing Pins, Rolled Hem Presser Foot, Sewing Machine, Tools (that will go into the roll).

 XOXO Faith

Hold On Review | Plant Based Sustainable Compost Bags 

Currently we are in the era where more and more people are becoming sustainable conscious. From paper straws to plant based alternatives it can be hard to trust in alternatives to the traditional plastic products. Trash bags and sandwich bags are perhaps the most used plastic products in the average household. 

Although there are products that address this issue such as washable bin liners and fabric bags some (meaning me) cannot stomach the idea on washing my trash liner. This is where plant based bags come in to save the day as they are better for the environment than plastic, yet not revolting for the majority to adapt. A simple switch of bags is all it takes to make a difference. This year California has adapted new rules of no longer allowing residences to throw food scraps in the trash bin. Instead they are required to go in the grass compost bin pushing households to switch to more sustainable choices. The only thing that is left up to us is finding products that actually work well and don’t seep all over the house on the way to the bin.

The second plastic go to is the sandwich bag. Did you know it takes over 1,000 years to break down a plastic ziplock bag? Even after the 1,000 years it never truly breaks down either. Hold On’s plant based alternative breaks down in just a couple of weeks rather than years. Yes, there are other options that are “greener” such as fabric bags but often convenience wins over sustainability. A simple switch in brands is easier to convince someone to do than adding a load of reusable bags to the laundry. Plus, getting little ones to keep track of bags at school sounds like a nightmare. Not to mention the fact that the fabric bags often make food stale by lunchtime. Watch the video below to see if this brand of plant based bags works just as well as the plastic options on the market.

Products Used: 

 XOXO Faith

How to: Tag Crochet Items for Small Businesses

Selling handmade items can be extremely daunting especially when it comes to presenting your items to potential buyers. Making the items is the fun part which is why tagging if usually an afterthought. However, it is part of the item that is initially judged before a customer decides whether or not to purchase.  For you, it can make or break a sale. The appearance of a nice tag can create the feeling of a more established brand thus elevating your company to outsiders. A proper tag makes people grasp a better understanding of your brand and can create a sense of trust. 

Today I am sharing with you how I tag my crochet items for a consignment location. Prior to creating tags ask yourself the following questions: Does it encompass my brand? Is the product being hindered in any way? How will the items be displayed? Are there any practical issues I need to address? For my items the owner of the shop requires items to be protected in either a plastic sandwich bag, ziplock, or cellophane bag. The display is on a pegboard so it needs to be able to hang on a hook as well. Possible hindrances include not covering up the product and making sure that it is easy to understand what the item is. To see the complete process watch the video below!

Tools/ Products Used: 

Share with me your tagging ideas down below.

 XOXO Faith

Bob’s Rain Coat | Procreate Time-lapse

In this blistery drizzly season, I thought it would be fun to show the process of creating the latest Bob sticker. For those that do not know already, Bob is my support hippo and the logo for my small business Custom Little Beasties. The plan is to add these stickers to orders for purchase as well as include random ones with purchases. Currently Bob has three outfits: a King, anAstronaut and the Duckie Rain Coat. He really brings me joy so I hope that this little doodle brings a smile to your face as well. In the video below is the speed up process I used in Procreate to create his rainy day look. If you enjoyed this time-lapse drawing, please let me know. Also, what other outfits should I create for Bob ?

DIY Clothing Labels/ Tags | Small Business

After making a couple of items myself sewing and crochet it left me thinking about tagging the things I make. Many tags can be annoying, itchy or add to the overall item. The purpose however is to never forget where the item was purchased. Without tags people inevitably forget where they purchased the item and it can even make an item appear “cheap”. A tag is like a finishing touch which is why after researching them I decided it was time to experiment and create my own.

Years Review Kuru | Best Way to Clean White Shoes

New Years is often referred to as a time to reset: goals, expectations, habits and also to get organized. One part of getting organized is to clean my shoes which is why I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share an update on my KURU shoes. Yes, I did do an initial review but now that it has been about two years I thought it would be helpful to show how they have held up thus far. The reason I am only highlighting the Roam pair is because they have been my go-to pair. Since these are my daily shoes they are also extremely dirty which is why I am showing how/if they can be saved. In other words will they be yard shoes or continued daily wear shoes. Currently they are an eye sore so I am hoping they can be revived to an almost new appearance in the best case scenario.

New Hobbies & Handmade Christmas Gifts

For the holidays I had a lot of content planned and per usual they fell short. I could say I was too busy, however that was not the case. For some reason my mind gets stuck on certain projects and it is hard for me to pivot before they are 100% complete. Bouncing back and fourth has never been a strong suit of mine and is something I need to work on. 

Beginner tailoring | Dog Jacket

The fall weather has finally hit California which means its sweater weather. On dreary days we still take out the pups to walk as long as it is not a major down pour. After getting ready for our first sprinkling walk, my little nephew literally shook off his coat. In other words, he went without as it would have been more of a hinderance than anything else. Once the walk was over I wanted to fix his little jacket since hopefully there will be more dreary walks in this desert this season. 

Poshmark – Mercari Resale Tips & Tricks

Over the past year I have tried my hand at reselling clothes and various items. Currently, I’ve sold over sixty items! As time has progressed so have my strategies of creating quality listings. Below are my top tips for creating listings that leave viewers with all the information they need in order to purchase your items with confidence. One thing I would not recommend wasting your time with is creating a fluffy description. Instead fill the description section with essential information. I have created a cheat sheet list down below of what I recommend putting in the description section. Also use these tips to up your photography skills for flat lays and more. If you would like to see how I edit my photos for listings please let me know. (:

Life Update & Crochet Haul

Since it has been awhile, I thought a life update was well over due. A lot has happened or rather not happened depending on your perspective. Whenever I start to compare my progress to others my age or just in general it can be a real downer since the expectations I’ve put on myself are based on societial guidelines that ,have yet to be met. You can’t be too far ahead or too far behind and it’s a constant battle that is impossible to win. Perhaps everyone feels this way yet from the outside it looks like others have it all figured out. Let me know in the comments if you feel like you’re on track or if you’ve never thought about it? Not sure how you couldn’t think about it as people question when you’ll get married, when you’ll have a kid and the list goes on and on.