Hugbinders day!

Straight after work on Friday evening we jumped in the car and drove up to Drayton just outside Norwich for the long awaited Hugbinders day. Organised by a fab group of crafty ladies to raise money for Macmillan cancer care the day was an astounding success!Over 60 books were made and probably just as many cups of tea and coffee were drunk! If you want to see a load of fab pics from the day just go to the hugbinders blog. Debs was verrrrry busy with her camera - when she wasnt wiggling he bum in a downright gorgeous red skirt!

A new kit has been launched today in the Ruby Summer Vintage Inspiration shop on ebay featuring a beautiful modern floral fabic from Amy Butler. There are many more kits on their way. These could be perfect gifts for crafty mums on mothers day or why not make a kit up and gift your mum the finished article - gauranteed she will be very impressed!

My stash of fabric has been growing phenominally recently and I can't wait to share it with you in the new kits. Think florals, skulls and funkiness!!

btw - I will be running in the race for life at battersea in May - if you feel able to sponsor me please find my online sponsorship page at race for life - Jane Cook Ruby Summer. Thank you very much

'Til next time xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Janie xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wowy zowy what a launch!

A couple of weeks ago I launched the Ruby Summer cute coin purse in a stunning Amy Butler big spotty fabric - it sold out in three days! Feedback has been amazing - it's sooooo exciting! There are going to be some rather proud crafters out there mincng around showing these off. Oh yes you can certainly show off - just think you made these yourself and no-one else you know is likely to have one! Gotta say have seen Debs at Altered Minds working on hers - fabuloso!
I have just released a few more in a new Amy Butler Love fabric - it is stunning fabric - so gorj I just want to stroke it!
In the meanwhile I have now recovered from the pesky flu and incumbent infections and am busy working on a new pattern for some divine clutch bags! Oh yeah!
You must go to the Hugbinders blog - go on just five minutes of your time for a really worthwhile cause.
Also for crafty inspiration try googling debs altered mind - really inspirational.
I am starving so really gonna have to feed myself before I fade away (yeah right!)
Happy crafting and have a fab week
J xxxxxx

Check out Ruby Summer on ebay! (shameless plug)

Music you listen to when crafting?

I have been blasting out my tunes this afternoon whilst rummaging through fabrics. Am I the only one who listens to music whilst crafting? Do you have a crafting list set up on your ipod? I haven't because it depends on my mood and jsut how hard I need to concentrate. If I am drawing a new design then I want classical music but if I am sewing it's got to be loud! Classic FM during the Christmas season was bliss!!!
On todays' playslist? Placebo and Muse. Unfortunatley no Jordan Toshiya Smith this afternoon (aka Beast)as he is out.
Happy crafting my lovelies
Janie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ebay shop restocked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ruby Summer Vintage Inspiration shop on ebay has been restocked with plenty more to come!
Check out the item numbers below, the sensible pricing policy and the FREE postage and packaging to mainland UK.

Book bag - 330517479685
Coin Purse Kit - 330517453686
Cosmetic Purse Kit - 330517446957
Book Bag (Vintage Chocolate and roses) - 330517487905
Gutermann HT2 Textile machine washable glue - 330517466055

Keep your eyes peeled for more beautiful goodies!

Love you all
Janie xxxxxx

Ruby Summer goes crackers and musings on the new year!

Well howdy all! I am crackers! Besides the obvious cracker connotations of Christmas I am also busy busy busy with bag design - yay! Talking of Christmas was yours good? Christmas chez RSVI was great charactersied by the words cosy, quiet, familial and FAB. I got a new toy too! Yep, I finally got my embellisher which I've been playing with all day. I know a lot of people use them for felting but me always having to find another angle worked out how to distress fabric with it! I reckon some of the fabric I made today would be excellent for book covers etc.It is really brilliant FUN!
I have designed and made a couple of new totes and a satchel stylee bag this week.The fabrics are sooooo gorj I don't know what to say! Back to the drawing board in the morning to draw up some more ideas.Ooooh and I rustled up a little ipod touch cover out of some of my sample embellisher distressed fabric this evening before Easties started! Oh yeah - Super Woman! Hahahahaha.
It's time to get the game plan for the year written up - there are markets I want to attend, craft shows to have a stall at, textile events to visit and lots of drawing and making to do! Best get the year planner out then!
One thing that has always mystified me is News Years Eve - is it just me or is it an anti-climax? In the interests of research I would love to know what it is you do that makes it so good? I need some inspiration as I wanna be part of the fun!!!!!
Anyway... here's me wishing you the most amazing and peaceful 2011 full of success and love xxxxxxx

Loving the snow!

I am loving the snow! It meant I got back to my workshop earlier than planned today and I have managed to get the new frame purse instructions processed. As always I am relying on the editor (yes, Rob) to check it all through!
I have also been cutting out more Dotty kits tonight. I was trying to work out why they took so long to put together - look at the photo - there is tons of stuff in it all in different pieces! Hey at least the recipients of these yummy kits will know they were put together with a hell of a lot of love!
Back to the snow - how strange is it to get snow in November? No doubt just like where you are it hasn't stopped all day. Debs assures me that the flakes were falling at 1.7 metres per second - can you tell she is an engineer?! I have no idea how fast they were falling but there gazillions of them.Ok well it's time to get back to the cutting table....
Keep crafting my beautiful snow angels!
love janie xxxxxx

Did you know?.................

Men wore bags until the internal pocket was invented? Of course now that they have internal pockets they shove their hands in them and their junk in our bags to lug around!!! Happy Days...
Happy crafting xxxx

Call Me Dotty - Make your own makeup bag!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ruby-Summer-Bag-Making-Kit-Aqua-Black-/330501969944?pt=UK_Crafts_SewingPatterns_EH&hash=item4cf373d818

Ruby Summer kit launched!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is bigger news than anything on X factor or the forthcoming royal nuptials!
The first Ruby Summer kit "Call me Dotty" has been launched - I am sooo excited. After months of planning they are here with lots of other designs to follow!
The first kit makes a divine makeup bag/clutch/pencil case. It has everything you need including very high quality Moda fabric (no cheap poly cottons here!) and fabulous full colour instructions for you to make a really professional looking bag.I loved designing it and choosing the fabrics and I hope you love it as much as I do.
There will be more dotty bags in different colourways and fabric patterns as well as a few more in the current colourway. If you want more than available on ebay please email me via contact@rubysummer.co.uk
I am busy writing pattern instructions this week for cute coin purses so expect them to be available very soon - yay!
I have looked at many selling outlets during my "planning phase" and have decided that ebay is a very safe purchasing environment that allows me to keep my costs down and hence the final selling price down.
To locate this yummy kit please cut and paste the following in your browser: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ruby-Summer-Bag-Making-Kit-Aqua-Black-/330501969944?pt=UK_Crafts_SewingPatterns_EH&hash=item4cf373d818

Once you have made yours up please send me a piccie of your gorgeous creation!

Happy crafting my darlings xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Just a quicky - oo-er missus!

Just a quick posting tonight as I have a much bigger posting to put up in the week - yay!
This week has been not so good - damned viruses etc have laid me low for most of the week. Am feeling a lot better today and have even ventured out into the cold, ooooh I am so brave. My poor darling daughter wrote her car off yesterday. Luckily she is relatively unscathed but emotinally it has really got to her. Kate we love you xxxx
I have been editing and re-editing the "Call Me Dotty" pattern instructions. My editor (okay, Rob) is doing the final checks for me tomorrow. I am pretty certain I am doing more pre-launch checks than NASA when sending a rocket in to space! Guess it is the lawyer in me. (No rude jokes there please!)
Have also been working on the pattern for the new coin purse kit. Nicks and Sparkles already have a version of the finished product but there will be some changes in the gusset area - hahaha.
Will be sending out a bigger post in the week as promised.
Stay crafty................love Janie xx

The bag lady writes.....!

Hello out there how are you all this week? Have your houses stayed standing or more to the point did you when you braved it outside in the biting winds?
Right now I am keeping warm in front of the fire, Rob is still outside in the garden insulating his office and Beast is out with friends. So here I am with a golden opportunity to catch up with you all!
So the bag lady has been busy! Three different really useful zip top bags in different sizes with different finishes. They are fully lined with the most gorj fabrics - I loooooooooooooove them! They aren't too difficult to put together and the "Call me Dotty" bag, an original Ruby Summer pattern, will be available as a kit for all you crafty people very soon.They are a fab sewing project giving you an original accessory with a squillion uses.I have a friend who is sending them out to California as Christmas gifts! I plan to use mine as a clutch and then it will be my new makeup bag after the party season is over. My sister uses her to put her "nursing bits" in and Mum has one that she keeps her meds in within her handbag so she keeps organised. What will you use yours for?
I hope you love the piccies and the minute the kits are launched officially you will be the first to know! I am expecting to follow these with framepurses inthe new year!
Stay warm, stay upright and stay crafty!
Loads of love Janie xxxxx

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!!

It's getting real!

Sorry no photos tonight! I have been mega busy this week with rolls of this and that, handbag hardware and fabric not to mention some rather gorj business cards and lovley parcel labels arriving!I can't hand out the cards yet as I have loose ends to tidy up beofre I can register with the old Inland Revenue! Oh yes and I have some lovley simple fabric labels on order too!
I have been funding this start up with selling lots of my rubber stamps etc on ebay - bidders certainly love the Tim holtz stuff - it gets bids within minutes of being online! Selling off my beloved stamps also means I am gaining more space in the dining room to work at! Rob has built and electrified his "shedquarters" which should see a lot of his dining room "stuff" move out too - gosh we might actually be able to eat in there again!
I have been laying in bed late at night this week mulling over designs in my head - great but why does inspiration strike after midnight?!
I picked up some fabulous great quality lining fabric today - its yummy but you will have to wait to see it!
Debs and Nicks - I have not forgotten your birthdays but I honestly think that I will end up bringing your pressies to AP!! Sorry what a rubbish friend I am!
My name inspiration - the gorgeous Ruby has been poorly this week - she's still not quite better - I hate it when someone I love is ill and I cant help them.
A chance convo this week led me to discover that someone I work with has a lovley building in Wales that they rent out for workshops! Yay! You can imagine the old brain has gone in to overdrive. It would be great to run purse or bag making workshops in a pretty environment.What do you think?
Last week Debs suggested that I look at goddess names for my bags - why are they all called names like Hecate or have names that sound beautiful to the ear but mean something hideous like "death by overdosing on chocolate"?!
Anyway - things to attend to so need to disappear and try and sleep.
I must not think about bags, I must not think about bags, I must not think about bags!!!!!
Have a wonderfully crafty week folks!
J xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Happy birthdays and more glue!

As i sit here overwhelmed with 50 metres of interfacing for the old bags it has been a weekend of celebration for my friends. They say things come in threes and that is certainly true this weekend as Debs, Nicks and Jude all celebrate. Last night we went down to Rustington to Judes party. As ever Jude and Paul are great hosts. I met a lovely lady who also works in education _ Hannah. How fab to be able to discuss distressing and glue with someone!
Today the Rubymeister came over for a few hours and we took her out for supper. I love that girl soooooo much!
Right now Jordy is playing his bass very loudly and goodness me he now needs a whole cabinet set up of amps - yay our neighbours will love us! the orange amps he is after come to a stunning £27500!!! hahaha im afraid he will have to make do with fender or marshall if im paying!
Friday night saw me playing with oil cloth for the first time. It was easier to handle than i expected and i drew up a pattern and made a giant sunglasses case. My sunnies are huge and need more space and protection than the average case sold on the high street. The inside is so padded i could lay my head down on it and sleep soundly right now! i also decided to revisit some lovely fabric i have in jelly roll format by american jane. i sewed three strips together and then embroidered along the seams for added detail. the purse pattern was then overlaid at a jaunty angle(a bit like a rakish parking angle!) to give me an original look.I hope you like it.
Two blogs to have a good look at this week are nicks arty stuff and debs altered mind - go and have a look they are fab and sooooo talented.
have a wonderful week and stay happy crafting xx

Glue Glue GloriousGlue !!!!!!!!!!!

Evening everyone
At last Wimbledon is quietening down - it has been hectic here for the last two weeks with the tennis. The good bit is that Murray did really well and can be proud of himself - unlike the other lot who were playing in south africa recently!
Have had a really busy week - lots of courses here there and everywhere and finally ordering business cards and return address labels for the launch of Ruby Summer. I also finally found a reliable source for glue - yes ok that probably sounds boring to most but I am thrilled!!! I have been drawing some new shapes to try out for purses and have got some great linings for totes and book bags. I need to get really busy now if I ma to be a kitchen table tycoon!!! Decent delivery boxes seem to be eluding me right now and I am just a little fed up of looking at wholeslaers of packaging!
I have been dabbling with the idea of making some purse and handbag kits together to sell - what do you think? I would love your input.
I have decided that I need to name my lines, for example, totes with linings, unlined totes, the purses using the shape showing on the blog and the current clutch bag shape showing on the blog. I don't want to use peoples names or link it in to fabric otherwise the fabric cant change over time. If you have any ideas i would love to know.
Jordy has finished college this week - we went to see him and his band play at the Inn on the Green in Ladbroke Grove/Notting Hill this week.You can find out more about him at myspace - www.myspace.com/jordanepibass - it's worth a look in my humble opinion!In the meantime he has modelled the pink three pocket apron at the top of the blog!
I'm hoping for a lovely sunny successful week this week!
Hope you all stay happy and healthy and keep crafting!
Janie xxxxx