St. Thomas

is the Patron Saint of Architects…or it it beaches?  In either case, he’s the guy for me!

I recently spent a week hiding out from my everyday life on the beautiful islands of St. Thomas and St. John in the US Virgin Islands.  (And yes, I brought my beach bag.)  They are supremely gorgeous.  White sandy beaches, blue-blue water and uber friendly natives - this beach girl’s dreams come true.

If you know anything more about St. Thomas, than you know it’s a shopping haven.  Practically duty-free and no taxes, you can get some great deals.  But I made sure to take some time away from the tourist malls and checked out some shops with items produced by local crafters.   Here’s a couple of items you won’t find on Etsy, yet.

I found this cute magnet outside of Iggies at Bolongo Bay.  Wednesday nights are Carnival Nights at Iggies.  Along with a show and all you can eat feast, they feature local artisans displaying and selling their handicrafts.  Being a residential designer, I loved this beachy cottage.  A must-have since I saw the sunset in the “window” just that evening!  It was created on St. Thomas by Bridgette Julius of Kallaloo Cards & Gifts.

At Jans Creations by the Sea, an adorable little window shop in Coral Bay, St. John, I snatched up these  beautiful wire and crystal earrings.   I had so much fun chatting with Jan about the island, and even wore the earrings the next night!   You’ve got to check out her website to see just how cute her shop is!

So now that I am full speed ahead back into my everyday life, I think I’ll still dream about relocating myself and my sewing machine to a tropical paradise like these “smart” St. Thomas and St. John crafters; I’ll just have to keep telling myself that sand and sewing machines don’t mix.

Eco “Beach” Tote

It’s mid-July, and I hope everyone has made it to the beach, or at  least the pool, once this summer!  I personally can’t wait for my next trip to those sandy shores, and to make my trips to the beach a little more crafty, I put a beach twist on Favorite Thing’s Eco Market Tote!

Every year for my birthday, my mother-in-law and I go on a little shopping trip.  This year, we ended up smitten with the fabric selection and wall of bag/purse/tote patterns at Olde City Quilts in Burlington, New Jersey.  Inspired by an upcoming vacation and a sample of the Eco Market Tote in the shop, my mother-in-law and I picked up the pattern and some bright, beachy fabrics to make it out of.  This large tote seemed perfect for a couple big beach towels, and an optional front pocket was a necessity for lotion and a good book.

One evening last month, we had a “girl’s night in” sewing our hearts out and into these awesome bags!  We didn’t initially intend on making matching bags, but we both agreed that the rainbow stripe fabric was screaming, “I want to be a beach tote!”  (Mine’s the one with the blue handles.)

The pattern was simple to follow, and everything went together smoothly.  We used a fusible interfacing on the main bag to make them more sturdy; however, I wish I had done the same for the front pocket.  The magnetic snap that holds it shut is a little too strong between a single piece of fabric.   Luckily, there’s no worries at the beach, and if that bag’s packed and ready to go, there are more important things than worrying about a snap!