Sweet Fabric:
buy handmade

This bag was made as a long overdue birthday gift for a very special friend. She's been waiting patiently & I'm finally ready to gift it.

You might remember the fabric. Selvedge notes: Robert Kaufman(?) Screen Print 3855 Boomerang Beat. One of my best op shop finds ever!

All components of this bag were purchased from various op shops. The embroidery floss came from my stash.

I know I've banged on before about how much pleasure this sort of crafting gives me, but honestly it's true.

I really want to keep this for myself - she's going to have a fight on her hands.

PS: Yesterday's post was supposed to say that my gorgeous sister made an entire pillowcase wardrobe for her sweet as anything little girl. I was also going to say how proud I was of her & how thrilled I was to have given her a hand...

Sorry about the total abandonment of the post...sometimes the heart wins.

Edited to add:

A few people asked about the how. I'm really sorry but I'm not ready to share my process. It's very much a work in progress & a pretty organic sort of construction. There's no pattern cut. I just get all the materials together & go for it. Maybe one day, but not yet. I hope that's OK.

The original was inspired by a bag made entirely of leather strapping by Danny Seo (which I've tried to find via Google & can't), as well as these tooled leather bags which my mum had in the 70s.

I will leave you with a quote from my hero found via his interview with Victoria Everman.

"The simple truth is that I think of what I want, then use what I've got on hand to make it".
Justin "Scrappers" Morrison

I've thought about this daily since I read the interview.

Elsie found the Danny Seo bag. Thank you Elsie.

for a girlfriend's new baby.

It is a music box. Our babes were given pewter ones when they were born & they are truly treasured. Each now holds the dried petals from the roses given to me by the date on the day they were born.

It's what I began the other day & I'm very happy with my girl meets boy crafting effort on this one.

I used the drill, the sewing machine, a bit of embroidery & some strong (& good smelling adhesive) The only new item I purchased was the music maker - it plays "rock a bye baby".

I'm looking forward to the first Brown Owls meeting tonight only a few more hours - yipee!

and this is one I'm a bit obsessed with. I just can't stop looking at it. Now I've got to find the perfect frame.

I went on a clicketty trip from Design for Mankind & landed in Matte Stephens etsy shop. There was no way I could click on without this gorgeous print.

I've been buying straight from the maker/artist/crafter lately & Pip is right buy handmade - it's better. I feel really good about my purchases & you always get a lovely little hand written note on the receipt - what's not to love about that?

If you would like to read more about Matte this interview is fabulous & just check out Matte's ranch. I'm his new number 1 fan.