Downstairs Designs, LLC

07/06/2026

Never a day off! After folks noted my last in progress post didn’t really show it was only half a bag, I decided to share a more complete video of a tester bag I worked on yesterday. Pieces from three different chenille blankets and the base is heavy canvas from a vintage bank bag. Playing more with flexible foam for structure, and still deciding on the end design- possibly a zipper top, maybe a flap with a snap, or just a snap. And should it be a fixed tote with shoulder straps, possibly short handles and a crossbody? Who knows?? I won’t until I sit down to finish it and see where my mood takes me then! 🥰

07/05/2026

Pretty spectacular day spent with family and 70,000 friends yesterday, and what a wild and hilarious show Savannah Bananas The Firefighters Banana Ball put on! Really cool to see them incorporate so many local people and traditions too, including the swarm entrance, the wave for the kiddos across the street, chants, fight song, and honoring local families and people doing amazing things. Such a fun experience to get to be part of and super grateful for family to share it with!

07/04/2026

Test of the horizontal complete, and I don’t know, I kind of love them both! Haven’t yet tested with pockets or anything because I need to figure out a new method of assembly or I will lose my mind trying to make these. I had a pattern I started from but immediately had to make changes to sizing and method because what was there just didn’t work. They was the lining was done was way too complicated and time consuming (I love y’all but I am not hand stitching into a zipper!). The other I tried something I made up and it worked, mostly, but still took too long but the finish was way better. I have another idea to try this morning, and then pick one to refine and practice to see if these are a viable make for markets.

For those of you who have been here a while, you may know this is the anniversary of breaking my back, 22 years ago today. I am always so grateful for the helicopter crew, the emergency room folks, and my amazing surgeon who kept me from losing my ability to walk again. I usually spend these days doing things to celebrate that recovery, and today is extra special because I get to spend it with family at the Savannah Bananas game! I hope you enjoy your day in whatever form that can look like these days, hopefully in joy and hope for brighter days to come! 💛🖤💛🖤

07/03/2026

I really am just so curious to know where these new with tags towels have been stashed away for probably 50 years? I’m not complaining because it’s mine now and I love it! But that is a paper tag from target showing that these were three for a dollar… The caper is perfectly intact not to mention so is the towel! Anyone out there has stashes cute unused towels you wanna purge from your house, you just let me know! 🧡🧡🧡

07/02/2026

07/01/2026

Something new in the works….

I keep seeing posts saying “show the process not the end product!”….do you know how hard it is to show half a bag in any decent way?!?! Well, this is what you get, for now anyway.🧡🧡🧡

06/29/2026

Prepped a batch of solutions so that I can start printing on some of these vintage textiles and incorporate into new bags as well as some of my printed shirts for later markets. But I am also putting together a free workshop at The Free Art Studio in August and need to test papers, exposures, and different brushes to apply on each, so here is the start of that trail and error. 💙🩵💙

06/28/2026

Side quest….attempting to make my first ever piece of clothing from scratch with a pattern, or at least a mock up to see if I can figure it out! Karen Sullivan- Upcycling Advocate box top pattern looks simple enough to figure out I think? I at least got the pattern printed, taped together, then traced a single size to try. Send good vibes please!!!!

06/28/2026

Leaning towers of towels, washed, dried, and ready to be turned into so many fun bags and clothes!! No markets for me until August but I want to build up a huge inventory because I will have two regular Saturday markets and Market After Dark that month, and then the prep for the big fall shows begins too.

06/28/2026