Bums!

Bums? whats that got to do with bags?
I went to the Spirit of Christmas at Olympia yeaterday on a reccee to checkout the competition! There was just the best stand there called Twisted Twee.They were so refreshing - there was an awful lot of extremely pretty samey stuff there. Amongst some very funny stuff were some hideous Y fronts with pics of various politicians on the back. The owner (what an adorable woman)explained that the Gordon Brown ones had his mouth fittingly placed to lay over your ******* when worn!!!! good one!
I picked up some interesting promo materials yesterday - I firmly now know what I dont want the business to be so thats great.Its taken me a while!!!
At the bedroom meeting this morning I was finally able to say what direction I wanted to take - yay!The future is now clear - either that or I had given my specs a damned good clean.
I have been prototyping a pattern this weekend for a future kit which will retail through my site. It has to be perfect and the instructions have to make sense so I have been taking photos of every step so that they can be bought and made and finished to a professional standard.I think my teacher instinct is coming out with this! How many times will I write the instructions before I am happy?!!!!
Anyway - no pics this week - I cant reveal yet!!!
Have a wonderful bagalicious week everyone.
Loads of love Janie xxxx

Dddddddddeborah!

Madame Deborah keeps asking me about my bags and where they are! So I thought I'd let you in to a little secret!! Shhhhhhh don't tell anyone else!
Ok here we go..... each bag takes at least three weeks to make - shock horrror! It all begins with a flash of inspiration (you will have to wait and see what I came up with whilst sitting by the villa pool in Corfu recently looking at a plant stand!!)
I then sketch my ideas from all angles, measure up and cut out the pattern pieces using my lovely dot and cross design paper and mocing up a 3D paper version,list the processes needed (and check it about a hundred times so I dont go wrong!!). Next comes the best bit - choosing the fabric and notions to finish it. Once all the pieces are cut out - hey presto!
The biggest problem bag designing? overcoming the temptation to miss out basting etc cos you want to finish the bag and gaze at it adoringly!!!
So Ddddddddddeborah that's why it take so long to see a finished product!!
'Til next time my lovelies......Janie xxxxx

WOW WOW DOFF YOUR CAP TO THESE!

I just had to share these beautiful creations with you by Deidre Hawken that I espied at the recent Textiles show I visited. I was totally bowled over by these hats. Each one takes about three weeks to make and they are all made from textiles. It's really difficult to find a favourite but I think the summer pudding has it! (oh what a surprise I LOVE puddings!). I wasn't the only one who fell in love with them - Deidre was being asked if she would fly to Scandinavia to give a talk about her work whilst we were busy taing photographs.Oh I can only dream of such lovely things!
It's really worth googling Deidre, her work is amazing!
Hope you like the pics they aren't the best quality as they were taken on my blackberry.
lots of love
Jane

hey you!

OMG since my last posting I have been busy busy busy (again!). I have been to a designer masterclass to make sure I stay ahead of the game with my skills. It was fantastic! I learned so may new ways to do things. I got to use lots of new tools too - a spiral clamp is now on my christmas shopping list!!!
I have been sourcing loads of fabrics - as you probably know by now I love vintage fabrics. I love looking for odd pieces - I dont want rolls of the stuff as I want each bag I create to be individual.I am pretty sad you know - I love touching the stuff and envisaging it made in to one of my ideas! HELP - now I have confessed the men in white coats will be after me!
I have been over to the north east coast of Corfu again.Got back yesterday. I have picked up more greek too - in about ten years I should be fluent!!!We stayed in a fab villa full of va va voom with the most awesome views (pics will be on facebook (Janie Cook) very soon!)
Obviously I took my very sexy camera and drawing books etc with me - who needs to pack lots of clothes when there are important arty farty things to pack? well ok - I did take a fair few things with me of the clothing variety and then wore practically the same stuff most of the week!
The scenery out there is awesome and very inspring - I was looking at the mountains over the the bay in Albania - the shapes were awesome - they got me thinking about the finish on a bag I had drawn earlier that morning which I had based around a huge urn full of flowers - I can hear those men in white coats on their way!
By the end of the week I had sketched three very different bags - tomorrow I am cutting the patterns.
also on the list for tomorrow are xmas presents - all being run up by lil old moi in the "studio"!
gotta go now - hope to be back in a couple of days with pics etc.
take care all you gorjuss creatures xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx janie xxxxxxxxxxxx

There's a meeting in the bedroom!

Evening all!
What a frantic weekend! The ghant chart is updated and I have a squillion tasks to do for next weeks meeting. We have been having our weekly meetings in the .............................bedroom! Well we havent got a boardroom and bedroom sounds a bit like boadroom so why the hell not?! I've never been to such chilled meetings - freshly brewed coffee, gluten free toast and marmite, two laptops and all whilst still sat in bed - yay! Long may it continue.
On top of MY task list today was to create a proper workshop. I think I have done really well but I've now got a cracking back ache. (Well I did raise my weights again in the gym yesterday too!). Nothing a pot of tea can't sort out - Rob can I have a cuppa please? I need some picture rail hooks to put up a mood board or two and hang finished scruumy bags for photographing.
Talking of photography do any of you have any great hints about setting up a cheap and easy to put together set to get the most out of my pics?
Rob has been busy doing technical tasks today. I am not a bad techie but he is amazing - what would Ruby Summer do if we didn't have him to guide us? He really is so inspirational. Rob I love you x
I've got some designs draw up this week so from Tuesday I will be running up samples for the week. I can't do it tomorrow as my granddaugter is 3 tomorrow so I'm going to see her.
Hope you like the pics
Janie xxxxxx

Life 2.0!!!

I am soooo chuffed. I have booked on to a design course for October at the Cockpit Studios in Holborn. I cant wait - weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
www.cockpitarts.com/ check out this link

Long time no speak

hello everyone!
I am sooooo sorry that I haven't been on here for a while. I can only apologise.
The last couple of months have been hectic to say the least. I have been to the stunning north east coast of corfu for a much needed spell of R&R and have been busy busy busy sourcing and creating patterns for bags and looking for fabric and trinkets to ensure my bags are true to their and their owners spirit - original.
Corfu as ever was awesome. Plenty of boats, books, walking and all in 48 degrees - yes you did read that correctly! I adore Corfu it feels like a spiritual home to me. I am out there again in October to see the beautiful island in the autumn.My camera is ready to capture the beauty of the empty beaches and verdant scenery. I really hope to get some amazing photographs to use to make calendars for some of this years christmas presents.
I have also been planning my future like crazy! Ruby Summer will become my full time occupation as soon as is feasable. Rob and I have a Gant chart in place to plan the next year so we can take this forward! I am feeling much happier now because I am always better at being my own boss rather than a puppet for others. I have the most amazing partner in Rob and my (now adult) children are so supportive of me and my dreams. Everyday I feel so lucky to have them in my life.
As location is not crucial to the success of Ruby Summer we are going to resume our hunt for a property in the new year. We have talked about this for so long but it seems that now we have a solid plan we can seriously go forward again.
So there's planty of research to be continued, patterns to draw and make samples with and plenty of positivity to grasp for the future.
And on that note - I am off to hit the dining room come studio(!!) to attack the latest sample!!
Onwards and upwards my lovelies
Janie xxxx
ps - can you send me the links to your blogs please so I can get them on here
ps - going to see Muse tonight at Wembley!!