What Color is Your Tote Bag?

Rainbows and Owls and Lots of Lace!

Oh Deer

 

Some neon and deer print bags for your viewing pleasure. (I found this fabric at Ikea on a recent trip to help a friend pick out curtains.) I have been postering and passing out cards for the upcoming Patchwork Modern Handmade Festival and was inspired to make something extra springy and eye-catching. Just two more weeks to go!

My 'Stache

Cat Fancy

Spring Into Patchwork

I got my acceptance letter today -- I'm officially in the spring Patchwork Modern Handmade Festival at Jack London Square in Oakland on May 12. YAY!!! Last year was a big success and I can't wait to do it all again. Hope to see you there!

Where It All Began

Can you believe it's been a year since I did my first craft show? Crazy! Since my first foray with the Martinez SWAN (Support Women Artists Now!) I've been a busy bee, with a Sonoma school craft fair, the Treasure Island Flea, some fun home events, the Patchwork Indie Arts & Crafts Fair and even a Unitarian church event!

Now it's back to where it all began and I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends and new. Hope you can make it!

P.S. I got a spot inside the Old Train Depot this year, and I'm not sure if that's good or bad because people might not be able to find me, but that's where you should look.

Upcycling My Little Heart Out

Zippity Doo Dah!

Somebody gave me a bunch of free zippers, so despite my resolve not to sew any more zipper bags for a while because I already have SO MANY ... well you can see my dilemma here. On one hand, I don't really need to make any more zipper bags. In fact, one could argue that if I keep making zipper bags we're going to have to get a bigger apartment to store them all. But on the other hand, free zippers!

Oh Baby

My dear friend Shannon is just about to pop (with a baby, not too much cake). For her recent shower, I made this "taggie" heart pillow from some Marimekko scraps and small pieces of ribbon I had lying around. Apparently babies often become fascinated by the tags on blankets and clothes, something about really liking the tactile quality of them, so this should be a fun toy. And it came out really cute, IMHO.

Shiny!

So I showed this bag to my sister, who has historically been the only person to really give me any real criticism, or "honesty" about my bags. She's pointed out a few stinkers, and I appreciate it.

But on this one, I think she's wrong. She was turned off by the reflective quality of the bottom on this one, and says she doesn't like the print in the middle. But I'm standing by it.

This bag is a crazy patchwork marriage of FIVE different upcycled upholstery samples, so yeah, it's going to be a little wackadoodle just by its very nature. But I like it. I think it works. To quote Firefly's Capt. Reynolds, "shiny!"

What say ye?

Random Totes

Totes To Go

 

Roll-up tote bags! Keep one in your purse and you're always prepared for an unexpected shopping trip!

A Craft Fair to Remember

A great day at the Patchwork Indie Arts & Craft Festival. Thanks for the pics, Paula!

Split Personality

A friend described these as reverse mullet runners, you know: Party in the front, business in the back. The one with on the right in particular is very exciting with three wildly different prints together but with a much more sedate gray leaves print for the backing. For the table (or the hostess) with a split personality, I suppose?

Tote-ally Rad

Some more tote bags, all rad IMHO. A rainbow one (natch), plus two scrappy little numbers and an upcycled upholstery bag accented by a denim bottom.

Big News!

You guys, I'm so excited! I've been accepted as a vendor for the Nov. 18 Patchwork Indie Art & Craft Festival at Jack London Square. I'm planning to do a bunch of my rainbow bags, which is my new favorite thing to make, and have Jim do some more iron-on artwork too. It's going to be a great day and I'm going to have lots of fun preparing for it!

Getting Scrappy

Note to Self: Buy More Zippers