Save Handmade!

On February 10th, a change comes into effect in the US which will cripple stay at home artisans like myself. And since most of my business is from the US, I am naturally concerned. Basically, toymakers will have to subject their goods to outside tests, costing thousands of dollars, to assure the public that their toys are safe. For someone like myself, this is beyond my reach... I'm sure this applies to lots of folks out there who make wonderful handmade toys. Please help by visiting these blogs:
http://handmadekids.wordpress.com/
http://coolmompicks.com/savehandmade/
Also Etsy has had articles recently on how we can help stop this happening. I am certainly all for making safe toys, and for ensuring that mass-produced toys are safe, but only the large companies can afford the testing. So lets lobby for exemptions for small toy manufacturers!
Thank you for reading.

New and Improved Chip Package...

I LOVE inkjet-printable fabric! I just improved my potato chip package to go with my felt sub sandwich. I think it looks SO much more professional... I am hoping to make more in the way of packages of felt foods so that kids can have them in their pretend shops and kitchens. I feel the need to replace those cardboard and plastic food sets that are everywhere with felt!

New "Subway" Sandwich made from Felt!!

Here it is, the latest in my crazy line of Felt Food Toys! The 6-inch subway which velcros together. Has lettuce, cheese, pastrami and pickles and comes with the plate and a bag of ruffled "potato chips". Lots of fun - I should make one for myself!!

New Toddler Apron in store

Check the cute and bright retro print on this apron! I found a curtain on Ebay a couple of months back and immediately thought of aprons! Again, I have used the Thermoweb Fusible Vinyl (gee I love this stuff!) My models are hamming it up, as usual!

I love treasuries!

I do love being in treasuries, making them up and curating them, commenting on them... Here's one that the ever-talented Mandy from Beadsme created, including my willow pattern skirt. The blues are so pretty, don't you think?

Breakfast Deluxe!

Made this little set for a friend who needed a 4th Birthday gift this weekend. Hope the birthday girl likes it! It has 3 pancakes with syrup and butter, a hash brown, a fried egg, 2 rashers of bacon, a watermelon slice, 3 strawberries, 1 slice of kiwi fruit and 2 slices of banana. And it comes with the tray. I think I will offer this as an option in my Etsy shop, with choices of items.

Diamonds are a girls best friend!

Just finished this summer skirt for my Etsy shop - it's made of some vintage textured cotton that I picked up at the Vintage Clothing and Textile show in Sydney in April, so it's truly one of a kind. I love the orange, white and navy colours too and the pattern is so retro! I'm very proud because it's the first item I've made using my new overlocker. I think it's turned out pretty well...

Thinking about Chemo hats...

My mother in law has breast cancer and has to undergo a series of chemotherapy, so I thought I would make her a hat. She lives in the Blue Mountains and it's just winter here in the Southern Hemisphere, so I needed to make sure it was cozy and warm, but for a sensitive scalp, pure wool would not be suitable because of the itch factor. So, I found this beautiful yarn, 70% wool and 30% soy fibre at Spotlight. The colour is so beautiful, a soft mauve, which is her favourite colour. I crocheted the flower with Caron watercolours cotton and added a pearl button. If she doesn't want the flower on, she can simply button it off again, as there is another button on the underside of the flower. I have enough yarn left for another, so I have listed it in my shop here: Here's a couple of pics as well. Sure hope Jeanette likes it!

Foray into cardmaking...

I got into Sashiko (Japanese quilting) a while back and had these little squares I had embroidered as a sampler. What was I going to do with them? Then I found these cards in the shop and immediately thought of the sampler. The result is some cute cards with a personal touch. What do you think?

New items on Etsy!

Here's a couple of new items I've listed on Etsy:

And I also finished this fantastic bib for a fantastic customer - used the good old ThermoWeb fusible vinyl again!

Today I am featuring some Madeit.com.au sellers here - Thanks ladies, for the kind permission to add you!

Monique at Krumpet offers softies, childrens' wall art and kids clothes made from vintage fabric. They are adorable, do have a look!


Click here for Krumpet's Shop





Busy mum Amy (just had her second baby - congratulations!) at Heartfelt has adorable softies, aprons and girls dresses. Just so beautiful and whimsical too!




Click here for Heartfelt's shop!

Sammyb's shop has adorable soft toys - check out the wonderful taggy cats! Sammyb also sells on Etsy.com. Do have a look - you will fall in love with these cute things!

Click here for sammyb's shop!

Just joined Madeit.com.au too!

This is an Aussie website to sell handmade stuff on, so I have joined with a shop called "The Felt Grocer" and will focus on selling my felt foods here and on Etsy.com. I have no listings as yet, but will soon. I'm working on a pack of tri-colour (traffic light) capsicums (bell peppers for you Statesiders!) and a few other little goodies. Stay tuned tomorrow for a look into the Etsy Artists Lounge...

Sam McLean Designs

Welcome to my blog! I have been selling my handmade things on Etsy for a while now - check them out at http://mclean2612.etsy.com/.

Today I am working on a felt breakfast set for a charity auction, and some samples for kidswear I'm working on with a friend. Who said being a housewife was dull???

Last week, I had a skirt featured on

http://www.cuteable.com/. That was an exciting moment!