Opps

Well I've been playing with my blog backgrounds (getting ready for a New Year face-lift) and I seem to have killed my formatting completely!

Finishing Touches

Well my poor sewing machine has been flat out in preparation for the Handmade Expo Markets THIS Saturday, 18 December at the Ipswich Turf Club, Brisbane Road, Bundamba, from 8am - 2pm!

I'm just finishing up the last few items and my spiffy new "sign" to hopefully hang on my market stall!

I'll have my camera straps + some of the vinyl carry bags, aprons, novelty ties plus some other little items that might just be the Christmas gift you've been looking for!!!

I'm excited, nervous, exhausted and excited about having my first market stall! Please say hello if you come along!

Off to Market we go ....

How exciting - Made.X.Manda is going to the last Handmade Expo Market for the year on 18th December 2010 at the Ipswich Turf Club (Brisbane Road, Bundamba) from 8am to 2pm.

I'm very nervous AND excited at the same time to be having a go at selling my straps, ties, aprons, bags and tiny purses IN REAL LIFE!

Hope you can make it (MARK it in your calendar NOW) - lots of fabulous stalls (including the wonderful Chelly Bean Designs) to buy up those last minute Christmas pressies! Come early if you want to buy yummy cupcakes (they sell out quick don't they Gypsy??!!) and apparently the macaroons are to die for too!

New Straps

What a wonderful weekend I had - scrapping AND sewing on the Gold Coast with the beautiful ladies from Scrap Chat!

As well as sewing up a large Christmas order of bags & purses, I managed to whip up TWO new camera straps - I have 2 "Pirate Girl" straps still available (sold TWO as I made them on the weekend!!!) AND only 1 "Red, Hens on Black" strap!

Please EMAIL me at madexmanda@hotmail.com if you'd like either strap.

I'm about to make the big move over to one of the online craft selling sites (Made It or Etsy - still not sure which one). This will hopefully make it easier to view my stock and pay online.

Have a great week!

October already??!!!

Made.X.Manda has been chuffing along ... although I must admit I've been slack in updating the blog! If you're on Face Book I certainly update my Made.X.Manda page there much more frequently - click on the link in the side bar to "like" on Face Book!

I was recently asked to make some black 'bistro' aprons for a scrummy cake shop opening in Dalby (Qld) Katty's Cakes!

I liked them so much I decided to make a few to sell as well. They are by order only and usually only one of a kind is made. If you are interested, please email me at madexmanda@hotmail.com for details. (Great Christmas presents!!)

I'm looking forward to a weekend away with my scrapping friends next weekend but plan to do a heap of sewing while away too - so watch this space (or the FaceBook page) for goodies I might whip up then.

I'll also be at Kaisercraft Robina on Saturday 23 October for a Breast Cancer fundraiser with 20% of all Made.X.Manda sales going to the fundraising kitty!

Hot Stuff

One for the blokes - a "hot" strap plus one for the music lovers/teachers ... Hope you like them!

More Pizza Box Bags

Plastic covered fabric by Ikea - not as heavy duty as the mexican oil cloth but they have made up quite nicely! I'll look forward to feedback from my first customers of these bags.

Something Different...

I'm thinking Christmas already!!!! My daughters have had mainly male school teachers over their primary school years and I always struggle for a Christmas/Thank you gift for them (besides the usual chocolate!!). While fabric shopping my youngest spotted this green 'school' fabric and we decided to make a tie for her teacher this year! Quite happy with how it turned out!

If you'd like to pre-order one in this fabric (or available to view soon "christmas" or "music" fabrics) - please email me at madexmanda@hotmail.com - and they'll be available in October for purchase ($20 + postage).

Pizza Box Bags

Those scrappers amongst you will understand why I'm using the "pizza box" as a measure from these vinyl/mexician oilcloth carry bags...a standard pizza box will fit our beloved 12 x 12 inch papers! Always a struggle for scrapbookers is the search for the perfect ways to transport our scrapbooking goodies when we get together to scrap (a crop!).

These bags will fit either ONE or TWO standard pizza boxes so you can take your papers/kits to your next crop and look stylish at the same time! The one pizza box size is $25 + postage while the larger two pizza box size is $30 + postage. These bags are unlined with no pockets.

Red & White Spots

Black Eden with red trim

Red Eden with black trim

Naked Floral (clear) vinyl or Naked Cupcake (clear) vinyl (not shown)

Unfortunately, as they are made from vinyl/mexician oilcloth, I am unable to make matching camera straps to these particular bags - the vinyl as a camera strap would be a bit to kinky me thinks (as well as being very sweaty!!). I am happy to try and find a fabric that is similar to match your bag!

Interested, please email me at scrapmanda@hotmail.com for more details.

More Straps

The recent Scrapbook and Papercraft Expo in Brisbane was a wonderful chance to catch up with lots of wonderful crafters AND for me to give out my Made.X.Manda business cards. I still have a number of straps available (see below) if you are interested - please email me. Thanks to everyone at the expo that showed an interest in my straps and bags ;) Thanks to Mel, Sara & Drea from Point Shoot Play for letting me hang out in your classroom!



A few more "male" straps are available that I have referred to previously ...

Check out the Made.X.Manda Facebook page - next time you're in Facebook.

Carry Bags Available

Those scrapbookers out there know the hassles of finding carry bags that fit our beloved 12 x 12 inch papers. These unlined carry bags will solve your cropping problems - made to fit one or two pizza boxes - these mexican oil cloth bags (black eden print and red eden print) are perfect to take to your next crop.

The one-box size is $25 + postage. Photo is for sizing only - this one already sold!


The two-box size is $30 + postage. Photo is for sizing only - this one already sold!


Also available currently - these A4 sized bags for $20 plus postage. Perfect for taking your magazine/book/lunch to work OR those extra scrapbooking supplies to your next crop.

Email - scrapmanda@hotmail.com to purchase or make a special request.

On display soon...

Anyone would think I'd disappeared but life keeps getting in the way of my crafts!!!

As Queen's Birthday weekend approaches I'm frantically sewing up a storm in readiness for the Scrapbook Papercraft Expo Convention at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Some of my goodies will be "on display" with the wonderful ladies at Point Shoot Play in Classroom 9 - be sure to check out the 'exclusive' Arcadia by Sanae for Moda Fabrics - one off straps.

Why not book into one (or all 3) of the three great classes the Point Shoot Play tutors (Mel, Sara, Andrea & Fiona) are offering over the 3 day weekend - check them out via the convention website.

I'll be there over the weekend - if you want to chat about any special strap orders you might have! Hope to see you there!

New Goodies

The first of the new "male" straps (that's straps not stripers) have been completed (this one a special order for a good friend planning on giving it to a male relative from overseas!)...more to follow soon!

And for Jan ... some red straps to consider ... (any combo of these is possible too!)

Another red option can be found in this previous post - http://madexmanda.blogspot.com/2010/02/whats-black-white-red-all-over.html

Found some fabric you'd love made into a strap for you ... just drop me an email & I'll give you the specifications of fabric required and price to make it up for you!

Finally , a new & improved handy bag - in navy, red & cream - with rooster print! Now includes coordinating fabric cover stabliser in base of bag. Made from flock-lined vinyl, it is 37cm high (17cm handle), 28cm wide and 14cm deep - a very handy size! Other design all sold out at this stage. Updated price - just $20 plus postage!

Email to order or for more details ... scrapmanda@hotmail.com

New Straps are coming...

Whipping up some new "male" SLR straps - so watch this space!

Don't forget if you have a request (particular fabric colour/style) please let me know & I'll do my best to source just the right fabric to suit your style!

Left a few of my new Made.X.Manda business cards at Harvey Norman at Cleveland recently ... sold my first bag via them today ... the lovely Crystal in the photo developing centre is my first HN referred customer ;)

Bargain Price for Selected Straps

Be sure to check out the Trash 'N' Treasure section of the Scap Chat Craft Exchange (free online auction site) this weekend (starting at 4am Saturday morning!!!) for a selection of my camera straps on special - with NO POSTAGE costs THIS WEEKEND only - and ONLY through the Scrap Chat Craft Exchange auction site!

Visit http://scrapchat.net.au/auction/browse.php?id=268 and head to the Non-Craft items section for a limited selection of straps on offer ONLY.

Then check out all the other lovely items for sale over the weekend!

They use a BUY NOW feature - rather than auction - so the prices are already set!

I've also got a 23cm silver charm bracelet (Chamilia) for sale too ;)

Have a great time...

Just wanted to wish Leanne Stamatellos a fabulous trip to the US next week! Leanne is heading off to Las Vegas to WPPI which is an amazing photographic conference. Approximately 12 000 photographers from around the world are expected to fly in to be taught by some of the leading photographers in the world. Have an awesome time Leanne!!!

Leanne's also taking with her a Made.X.Manda strap (her birthday pressy from Chelle)! Love that another of my straps is heading OS!

Thanks too to Nic Finlayson who recently purchased a custom made strap (red & white spots on black) and promoted Made.X.Manda via her blog and Facebook! Thanks Nic!

Time to get Funky!

Love this nice bright & fun (funky?) fabric I'd purchased for a special request for a wristband strap - but think it makes a cool camera strap too!

I've had some nice comments about my "handy" bag and have an order already to fill! Carry my red "seconds" one around with me and it often gets noticed! The lovely lady serving me at Coles on Thursday night even got my blog address so she could check them out! {{Hi}} lovely Coles lady if you stop by!

Some exciting news for Made.X.Manda for later in the year --- but can't spoilt the surprise just yet! Watch this space ;)

What's Black & White & Red All Over?

What's black and white and red all over??? Two of my new straps of course :) Plus another new one - that's been bugging me! Sorry - not funny I know! Watch out later in the week for another new funky strap I'm just finishing off!

Handy Bag

I travel 50 minutes each way on the train each day to work ... my handbag doesn't always fit my lunch and the book I'm reading at the time so I'm always on the look out for another small-ish carry bag - that will fit my lunch box, fruit, water & my novel! I found the solution ... and I've made the perfect "handy" bag!

Made from flock-lined vinyl, it is 37cm high (17cm handle), 28cm wide and 14cm deep - a very handy size!


This was my first trial run (above) - which I'll be happy to keep myself - but had to adjust the measurements slightly to come up with the version (below) I'd be happy to sell.


At the moment I have three choices - the red & white floral, the blue/pink tea party AND a blue/red/cream country rooster (which I haven't made up yet).

The 'handy' bag is $15 + postage.

If you would like a 'handy' bag - please email me.

Wrist Strap Orders

Excited to have my first wrist strap orders made and ready to send out! Hope the little girl getting the lady bug strap for her gaming console likes it!

SLR camera straps available in both these fabrics as well!

Don't have an SLR camera...

I've had a few people asking me if I had straps suitable for other cameras - other than the SLR type camera. So I'm pleased to introduce neck straps AND wrist straps that will attach to cameras, mobile phones, handheld game consoles etc...using a nylon mobile phone strap.

Specifications for these items are:

Neck Strap - padded cotton fabric, 46cm long and 30mm wide including an 18mm keyring with a 45mm black nylon mobile phone strap attached with a 7mm jumpring. Price - $15 + postage. MADE TO ORDER.

Wrist Strap - padded cotton fabric, 19cm long and 20mm wide including an 18mm keyring with a 45mm black nylon mobile phone strap attached with a 7mm jumpring. Price - $10 + postage. MADE TO ORDER.



Please email me (scrapmanda@hotmail.com) if you are interested in placing an order for one of these straps.

Cupcake anyone?

Couldn't resist this fabric when I saw it recently ... hope you like it too!

You'll notice I've updated the information in my "Camera Strap Details" section (on the left) - following feedback the SLR camera straps are now slightly shorter. I'm also using a fabric glue AND super strong thread in attaching the strap ends to the fabric component of the strap!

Keep an eye on my blog over the next few days with some new and exciting product to be released very soon (hint...for those of us who DON'T have SLR cameras!!).