Welcome to Hamtramck

This past weekend we spent a few hours in Hamtramck, MI - the city that we are hoping to settle in and help restore.  We also would like to hire some locals to work for Better Life Bags to help with the economy.

Many of the houses look like those above.  Many are vacant and/or fire damaged.  We are hoping to restore one of these to relieve some of the blight in the neighborhood.

Although, I did come across this beauty while driving around looking for houses for sale.  It's a new construction.  I'm guessing someone tore down an old house and built this in it's place.  Isn't she pretty??

Here are some of the demographics and facts about Hamtramck (for those interested... like my mom).

~ It is known as Michigan's most internationally diverse city.

~ The city has a total area of 2.1 square miles.  It is also the most densely populated city in Michigan.

~ There are 26 native languages spoken by the Hamtramck school children.

~ General Motors has a plant in Hamtramck that is currently manufacturing the new hybrid Volt.

~ Median income = $26,000

 

We will be living in a house owned by some friends of ours until June and will be storing our boxes in their garage.  This house had a fire a few years back and the family who bought it has done a lot of work to restore it.  They do not live there, but make the house available to anyone moving to Hamtramck with the goals of helping the community.

We cleaned and organized the garage last weekend to make room for our boxes coming next week.

(wait until you see what I did with that picture frame behind Little Bug - it's in the kitchen)!!!

It was super exciting to see all the potential furniture that could just use a little TLC!

This desk captured my attention - probably because it is adorned with my favorite color combo... grey and yellow!  Can't wait to restore this one!

And how fun would this be in some bright colors and new hardware?

I tell ya - this garage was a repurposers dream!! 

 And here was an old friend welcoming me with her open arms and presser foot.

Wecome to Hamtramck!

(and be on the lookout for all these furniture repurposing and decorating before and afters!!!)

Meet Maggie.

Meet Maggie.

Maggie is classy, yet sassy with her rounded curves, ruffle detail, and tied handle.


 I'm not sure the other bags know what to do with her yet.

But she seems to be fitting in fine.

Here she is in a few more angles.

I love how fun she is with her sassy ruffle on the outside and her cute tied strap.
She also comes equipped with a generously large zippered pocket on the inside and a magnetic snap.

She's already been really popular!  Probably on her way to becoming Prom Queen. ;)

Anyway...

You can design YOUR own Maggie at my shop with your own fabric choices.

How fun is that?!

The Start to a Good Week...

Nothing beats starting your week with this:

 

 A grande, nonfat, peppermint mocha.

Yum.

Even more tasty when your husband has it ready for you at your bedside when he wakes you up at 7am.

Good husband.

I'm starting a new habit in my life... getting up BEFORE Little Bug wakes up.  He usually wakes up between 8:30 and 9:30.  So, if I get up at 7, that should give me plenty of time to start my day.

Here's what I've done so far:

1. Gotten dressed.

2. Put on makeup (when was the last time I had time to do that?!)

3. Spent some time in God's Word.

4. Photographed the new bag style that will hopefully be revealed today. (When our Facebook Fan Page reaches 250 "likes" I will post pictures and start selling it on Etsy!)

5. And now am finishing up a short blog post.

Whew - it usually takes me ALL day to accomplish those tasks when Little Bug is up.

I'm starting to like this new habit.

... can I call it a habit when I've only done it one day?