Downstairs Designs, LLC

Playing around with new shapes and ideas for the fall lineup of Harris Tweed goodies. This was like a wider version of the little puff purse, the front is actually a slip pocket big enough for your phone and then roomy inside. But….it just doesn’t work for me. Too jarring with the straight line of the top compared to the rounded corners, and I just don’t love the canvas solid either. I think I’m turning into a tweed purist, like the whole bag has to be wool. With the exception of my Harris handbags, I will forever love the waxed canvas bottoms. 🥰 So, back to the drawing board!

Spotted! What a gorgeous day we had yesterday, so lucky we only had a few sprinkles and then dry the rest of the morning. As always I love seeing everything you have purchased and use daily!! Two fun shout outs- the Harris Tweed pouch was one of the very first I ever made- I know this because I was hoarding labels at the time and this cutie didn’t have one but has been loved anyway. And that cream tote with the large flowers? Has to be at least eight years old because it wasn’t labeled and was in my pre-interfacing days when I only used heavy duty fabrics for totes for the structure- and the best part is I don’t think they even knew it was one of mine when then stopped by the booth but after chatting realized the connection! And those last two backpacks were modeled by their new owners, off to enjoy being useful!

Thank you all for stopping by, saying hello, bringing smiles and sweet memories, and all around good vibes- I have just the best customers ever! And I can’t believe I only have two farmers markets left, how did it fly by so quickly? I will be at both August markets, then over in East Moline for at the end of August, then I get a few weeks to go into mega production mode for in September. Watch for loads of tweeds and flannels and maybe even some vintage quilts too!

So happy, I have actual beans!! I thought for sure they would not come back after being chomped on but lo and behold, I have a handful for dinner tonight. I also now have 33 cucumbers sitting around, and these first tomatoes. I am not sure which type these are, and I probably could have left them going a while still but I was too excited to pick stuff. 🤣 Also super happy that my roma plants have babies after being eaten clean, and my poor diseased pepper plants have a few jalapeños too, so fried salsa should be on the menu soon!

Squeezed in a few wristlet wallets tonight and snapped a quick pic before total darkness falls. These, along with all the new makes, will be at market tomorrow! 7:30 until noon, in front of Waypoint facing the park. Last one until August!

If you can see this, hi!! I know my reach is being throttled because of my story posts and the fact that the “fact checking” keeps flagging valid and true posts as false (what you’d expect from a fact checker with an agenda). Anyway, I appreciate you are here even if you don’t see many posts these days. 🥰

A few more finishes for market- Hipsters and a bunch of pinch pouches in the cutest prints ever I think! See you tomorrow in CR from 7:30-noon!

Quick pic of some finishes to kick off the week! I spent the past week and most of the weekend prepping a zillion parts- a dozen slings, half dozen backpacks, 10 totes, 20 wallets, 30 Hipsters, and a couple dozen pinch pouches. I know I won’t finish it all before Saturday, but I’m hoping to get a fair amount completed for market 🤞🤞🤞

Yesterday’s quick pickle attempt was a success! Learned a lot and will try things a little differently next time- good thing I have no shortage of cucumbers yet! But I don’t quite understand why they are so sweet…the method called for salting the spears for an hour, then cooking in regular vinegar, garlic, dill, and peppercorns, no sugar in sight. They aren’t bad by any means, but definitely not as savory as I prefer. Any experienced folks out there know what’s up or suggestions to a better method? I am not going to try canning yet, so quick is my go to. I will add much more garlic and fresher peppercorns next time (I think mine were like five years old) and maybe try different vinegars too?

I guess I missed a few yesterday when I picked a dozen and thought I got them all….first attempt at quick double dill pickles in progress, with that fresh dill also from the garden, wish me luck!

Finally took a moment to harvest the herbs that were going crazy, and then found so many cucumbers that must have tripled in size while I was at work today because I swear they were not there yesterday!! Cannot wait for some tomatoes to grow back after the deer has their snacks, fingers crossed the new fencing works.

In sad news, it seems the disease that took all my pepper plants has jumped on my big bed of zinnias- all their bottom leaves have started rusting now. I am not sure what to do, some said to let the peppers keep going and while they do have new flowers and grow taller not a single one has any fruit growing. This is like 12 bell pepper plants, 6 jalapeños, and two very tall poblanos that produced a single pepper before the blight began. And do chipmunks eat green beans? Those plants are looking beautiful and I have had a fence around them for weeks, yet not a single bean in eight plants. At such a loss this year, but guess I was due after three great years without any big issues. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Spotted! And I know I am a broken record every time, but really I am just so delighted to see how well loved and long used everything is! The last two are folks with their new bags just because I wanted to document the cuteness! Yesterday was just such a spectacular day, with some of the best favorite visitors to the booth 🥰, and so many new faces too! I thought I would have enough made to last through this market and next, but slings, all types of wallets, hipsters and backpacks are nearly gone again. 🥳 Guess that means I need to get to work starting today, which is no problem whatsoever because I am soooooo excited for more new fabrics I get to use! Thank you all again for the support and hugs and just overall kindness and smiles each time, my heart is so full (even if my body is super annoyed with the pains!).

Convertible backpack restock for market tomorrow morning, and fair warning- come early as you can for the best selection as I think these may go quickly!

Big squares vs little squares, which do you like best? The lovely folks at have just the best Harris Tweed color combos ever, and I was thrilled when I was able to snap up the small version a few months ago. And then even though I am trying very very hard to use my stash this year, how could I resist when they unveiled this bigger version? While I am in zero hurry for summer to end any time soon, I do have the consolation that when it does, it will be time to play will all the wool again!

Also, noticing that I am being shown to fewer and fewer people again, and think I know why. Apparently IG is resetting the default to “see less political posts” every time it closes, so even if you have changed that setting before you may have been switched without warning. I usually keep political stuff to the stories but that seems to be enough to keep me from being shown to people who follow me. So if you want to keep seeing me, leave comments, like posts, or mark as a favorite to see all new posts. And if you don’t, that’s totally ok too!

A little early success, although I accidentally left those bottom two on the plant far too long because I mixed up where the smalls for pickles vs straight eights were planted, but I’m sure they will still be tasty!

But I need advice….I’m so sad because the two things I really wanted this year and planted tons of extras were sweet peas and peppers. Deer ate all the peas but I replanted and built fences so they might survive. But all of my pepper plants, green bell peppers big Bertha red peppers and jalapeño peppers in three different beds all appear to have a bacterial infection. Brown spots, looking rusty on most of the leaves, and in the last heavy rain half their leaves were knocked to the ground. They are still growing but very few of them have flowers and none of them have any fruits yet. Is there any point to trying to treat this or save them? Or should I pull them now so it doesn’t spread too tomatoes or anything else?

banded flat-rock scorpion that i articulated and framed myself ! story sale happening now with some similar pieces. everything is on a sliding scale this time around to make things a little more accessible:))

Just popping in to say hello with a few new pinch pouches! These, just like backpacks and slings bags, pretty much sold out at my last market (thank you!) so I am still in the midst of a huge restock but not much else has been finished to completion. But just you wait…

A little photo evidence of what the garden was getting up to before this storm rolled in…not holding out much hope things will still be standing after these winds die down. News just said we had 70-80 mph winds already! But cucumbers were popping up all along the trellis, heirloom cherry tomatoes, first poblano, some grape tomatoes, a little zinnia opening…and as I type this the sirens just went off for a new tornado warning…stay safe folks!

277 zippers arrived, inventoried, and sorted…and this was me being restrained and not over-ordering 🤣 Guess I better get to making now!

Why yes, I am a six year old in an adult body who discovered late last night that their favorite ice cream of all time opened a store within 20 miles of their house who then was required to drive over first thing this morning and have some for breakfast…🥳🥳🥳

Pink bubblegum, oh how I’ve missed you!! There has not been a near me in over a decade at least, they all closed up. And then when Dunkin started popping up I kept waiting for a combo store but no one brought the ice cream. I think the last time I had any was in 2021 in Evergreen, CO when we celebrated The Teen™️ and their graduation. But yesterday I had to visit the “burbs” for the day job and discovered a big NOW OPEN sign on this newly built treasure! One bite this morning and the pure joy of childhood came rushing back. Some days it is the smallest of things that make you delightfully happy, I hope you find something like that today too!

Spotted, and not even all of them!! I was absolutely blown away yesterday by the amount of returning sweet customers sporting their favorites! Backpacks in use for years, Thinserts well loved, wristlet wallets full to the brim, pouches and slings too! Some favorite families who each pulled out something of mine one after the other. 😊 And this wasn’t even all- I spotted a Harris Tweed crossbody walking in the park, a couple market totes I didn’t get a pic of, the lower right spotted was actually spotted by the sweetest dear customer with the polka dot tote elsewhere at the market and she snapped the pic for me, and then I had to do a collection shot of three bookshelf pieces in one photo because she uses them all at the same time! And then on top of that to have someone sharing my info while using their sling three states away and sending folks to my pages here? Just, wow! I appreciate you all more than you will ever know, and have given me such energy to create more and more! I will have three weeks before the next market, so watch for a HUGE amount of new things coming your way!! Thank you all so much!! 🥰

Whoever you were in Kansas City, thank you for passing my info along and I’m so glad you enjoy your bag! 🥰🥰🥰

Last little update to share before market tomorrow, a mini batch of Thinserts in both sizes. These along with the new wristlet wallets will be at farmer’s market tomorrow 7:30-noon! See you soon!

Just had to capture these colors, wish they could stay this way all year!

Hello Friday, and who is ready for tomorrow’s market? I know I am, and looking forward to not being soaked in the rain all day! Keep in mind this is the last one until July, so stop out before noon if you can.

By request I made up a batch of these wristlet wallets, and might be able to squeeze a couple more in tonight. They do all have detachable straps that come with them, just not shown. Plus, of course, all the usual slings, backpacks, hipster, totes and much more- see you soon!

Monday morning makes! I’ve had a bunch of requests lately to bring back these wristlet wallets as well as the mini version. I prepped a bunch of each, and sewed up these two this morning with plans for more, but discovered I had run out of some of the needed hardware to complete any more today. Hopefully I will get those pieces restocked so I can have a full selection for you at market this weekend!

Some stills of the booth and the bottom three were well loved spotteds on some favorite collectors who all came for more Slings 🥰 But I promise there is loads of options left, so be sure to come out today from 9-3! My favorite human .ic will be there with their stunning jewelry, and many more will be there along with food and drink verbose too! Main Amana in the Amana RV park area in the Morton building.

Quick pic of a few more Market Totes I just finished up, all coming along to .flourish.market shortly! Doors open this afternoon at 3, and early bird hours tonight until 8. Tomorrow we will be open 9-3 and .ic will be there tomorrow too!!

Today is a show day, so of course I’m still making even more fun things to bring along! Fresh batch of Hipsters and more Sling Bag F***y Packs to pick from! New Dog Park bolts arrived this week, so I was able to squeeze in a couple but there will be much more to come. Hoping to finish up some new totes, including push pops and more of the vines and green flowers, and maybe a couple more crossbody bags. Then I will load up and head to the Amanas for .flourish.market , where we will have the early bird hours today from 3-8, and then tomorrow 9-3. Food trucks, music, and many local makers and businesses along with gorgeous weather makes for an epic weekend, hope to see you there!!

Oh my goodness, these may be my most favorite yet! I love getting special prints on demand, but personally I cannot stand the texture and drape of the cottons or twills. Topstitching looks weird, it sounds awful when sewing, and it is touch to press because the ink feels like it is sticky. And I have asked others about it, and it seems to be a personal problem, so I keep making with them because I love the designs. But sent me an email saying they were now printing on Essex linen, a personal favorite of mine, so I took a leap and ordered some prints. And holy cow they are soooooooo good!! No stiffness from the printing, the hand is beautiful, and they sew up a dream!! Colors are slightly less saturated which is to be expected, but still stunning in my eyes. Happy dance over here, and these cuties will join the others Friday and Saturday at .flourish.market!!

Thank you so much for all the love and comments on yesterday’s new bag!! Since everyone who commented said to go for the contrast, I made up a couple more this morning before the day job! You can find these plus oodles more Friday and Saturday at .flourish.market in the Amanas!!