Designer Labels

new bags.

I have been cutting and sewing away. I will be adding new bags to the shop each week.

The interns and I painting.

Turning this into something. Not sure what yet?????

Sample Sale!

Hey there! 

I have two boxes stuffed full of handbags and sweatshirts and they all need new homes asap! Prices start at $10 so now is a great time to stock up on some one of a kind pieces that will not be me remade.

CHECK IT OUT!!!

Giving New Life to Past Purchases- Working with Recycled Leather

New bags, tiny shoes and looking for new ways to work with what we already have. It's become so natural for us to always want something new, forgetting the trail of garbage our disposable life creates. Making something brand new out of something 'old' or 'used' is so much fun. It's the kind of challenge I can really feel good about. www.chachalifestyle.com

Sketches & New Bags

Starting to add new bags to the shop today. It's often a big process for me because I take it way to seriously and probably add 10 hours to what should be a simple job. So to make it fun for me I will be slowly adding them to the shop all day today and tomorrow. Be sure to check in every now and then to see what has been added. Off to take pictures now!

Drawing, Sewing & Sunsets

 

Today in Pictures

Well, Hello There.

I spent many evenings walking these beautiful valleys throughout May. Green became my favorite colour.

I passed! I can officially teach yoga, give me a call anytime. Purna was the first friend I made at the Ashram. She lives in the garden, enjoys long walks and trying to scare the local cats. We were tight.

This is Steve, the resident goat. JK. His name is not Steve and I am pretty sure he is a she. But Steve just suits him/her.

A perk of my new job at the Veggie place and my favorite topic- Food.

I was gone. Now I am back.

In the lat year and a half I have been searching for things a little beyond my sewing machine. I LOVE creating and always will, but I felt something was lacking. So I started to look for places outside of my studio that I could help. I love the excitement of small business and felt I had some experience in this area that I could contribute to another company. First I started working with a Mens clothing company and did so part time for about a year. It was interesting, I learned some things, they learned some things but at the end of day it for the most part was me creating ads and marketing strategies which were all driven by sales, sales, sales!  I wanted to find something a little deeper, so we politely parted ways.

Time went on, I continued to sew and searched for a new place I could help. I decide to volunteer. I thought maybe a new "job" would find me this way. I started with what I love-food. I became a part time cook at my local hospice and became an un paid employee at an organic veggie delivery place. This was a new company that was working to get healthy food into as many homes as possible. Both were a great fit. It allowed me to step out of my comfy sewing comfort zone and explore other passions I have. But at the end of the day, I am not a rich lady and as much as I would love to volunteer my life away, I need cash pay my bills. Luckily, my wish to work with another start up company was granted and I was hired part time by the Veggie place to help with all kinds of random stuff that a new business requires. It has been a great fit and its a job I can feel really good about.

So up until now, I have CHA CHA, Veggie place job and my volunteer chef (using this term loosely). I am diversifying and I am definitely not bored. But I want to add one more element to the mix. Yoga.
I have been practicing on and off since I was a teenager and in the last few years have really grown a deep appreciation and understanding of its benefits that are far beyond physical. So I decide to become a Yoga teacher. I want to be able share this amazing practice with others.  On May 1st I flew to California where I stayed in an ashram for 31 days and completed my Teacher Training Certificate at the Sivananda Yoga farm in Grass Valley. It was intense, difficult, fun, exciting and definitely out of my comfort zone. I am happy to say that I passed and I am currently using friends and family as guinea pigs as I get this teaching thing down.

So thats it,  that is where I have been and what I have been doing for the last 18 months or so. I am excited to be back in my sewing room, listening to library books on cd and watching ridiculous amounts of Netflix documentaries while I sew up a storm. I look forward to sharing progress pictures with you over the next two weeks. I will try to be more social media savvy and post pics on my Instagram and Twitter accounts.

I am always surprised by the amount of emails and messages I get from customers wanting to know where I am and when new bags will be available. I am just one small women in the crazy world of online retail and I am SO SO grateful for the love and support you all show me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Lori Cha Cha

Cleaning up for Spring with 40% off

I am getting ready to launch a brand new line of Cha Cha handbags on June 14th. This new line will different then anything I have done before and I am really looking forward to it.
To make room for my new little creations I am have a sale.
40% off all bags when you use code 40 at checkout at chachalifestyle.com

Before & After- Distressed Leather is the Best

I was excited to stumble upon this leather. It is rare to find a distressed leather jacket. This one had been broke in perfectly. I was only able to get one bag out of it but I have a little bit left that I am hoping to make a clutch with . Check out the SHOP for more pictures.

Winter Food- Roast Carrot & Fennel Soup

Soup is my go to winter food. It is easy to make, keeps you warm and most importantly it fills you up in the healthiest way. I made this Roast Carrot & Fennel Soup on my lunch break today.

Ingredients: Measuring is over rated, I just throw in what I have.

- carrots
- fennel
- garlic
- veggie stock
- salt
- pepper
- chilli fakes

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place carrots, fennel and onion on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 20 min, then add garlic cloves and roast for another 20 min or until vegetable are soft.

2. Remove the papery skin from the garlic and throw everything into a pot with vegetable stock. Add some salt, pepper and chilli flakes for a little warmth. Bring to a boil then blend until completely smooth.

3. Save the tops of the fennel plants to chop up and add right before you serve for a little extra fennel flavour.

Before & After- How many handbags can you get out of one jacket?

The answer is usually two. Working with a waist length leather jacket I was able to make 2 slouchy shoulder bags and one leather Bear. I have been trying to figure out what to do with all the scraps and bits and pieces I have been hoarding for the last 7 years. I have always held onto the bins of scraps because I feel like one day I will find them a purpose. The scrap experiments usually go to Winston who then carries them around the house.

More Pictures of the Two Tone Slouchy Shoulder Bag
More Pictures of the Brown Slouchy Shoulder Bag

Before & After- Slouchy Tote in Chesnut Brown

I could not sleep this morning. So instead of staring at the ceiling, I got out of bed at 3am, ate a mango and made this lady.  The jacket was older but well taken care of so the leather is soft with very few scuff marks.
Say hello to your new BFF.

Fold Over Clutch in Faux Leather & Real Canvas

Clutches do not need to be made of leather in order to be luxurious! This oversized, fold over clutch is made from repurposed faux leather. It used to be a VERY long jacket. Think Wesley Snipes in the movie Blade. It was time for an UPDATE.