Excess Baggage...and my cutie pie

I've been playing with different ideas for my bags, and because some things are better in theory, I don't always initially use my good supplies. This is one of those cases. I didn't want to risk wasting good ribbon, so I used some leftover Halloween ribbon to try this one out.


Up close...


With this one, I toyed with a patchwork style with exposed seams.


And watching the Red Carpet, Sarah Jessica Parker's dress stood out to me. A lot of people hated it, and she ended up on a couple of "worst dressed" lists. I loved it and immediately sketched out an idea based on the bodice.

Open...

Detail under the flap...

And I saved the best for last...my little shadow.

A bit of this and that

I've been crafting but not posting, so I thought I'd catch up today.


Crochet:



Sewing:



Polymer clay: My first attempt was a *little* overdone. Hey, he's a crusty old pirate...literally.


Triangle beads

X's and O's from a beading magazine. This one is black and silver with cobalt and black diamond swarovski crystals.

I made another one with pearls and Pacific Opal swarovskis.

Arm Candy

I finally buckled down and finished a couple of bracelets that I've been working on. I'm happy with the way they turned out. Breeze wants to take them, and The Hub wants me to sell them. *eyeroll* The pics aren't the greatest, so the true color, shine, and detail aren't showing up.

This one is covered with 140 baubles made from black diamond ab faceted round stones attached to a ladder stitch base. Yes, it took forever to make 140 baubles before I could even start the bracelet.

This one has turquoise chips stitched onto a peyote stitch base with a picot edging (a first for me).

Now I have two less WIPs, but a ton more that need to be finished.

Creativity coming out of hibernation

I joined a crochet-along on Ravelry, and this is my January block. I figure I can handle a block a month and end up with an afghan by the end of the year.

And the sewing bug has bit me big time! I found the pattern for a cupcake pincushion in a local quilt shop and thought it was the cutest thing ever. Breeze wanted the first one and opted for the "high calorie" instead of the "low calorie" pattern. This thing is HUGE!! It's like the pincushion that ate Tokyo or something!

See the ruler laying beside it? The base of it is about 3.5" wide, and it gets bigger from there.

Still trying to figure out how to take good pics with my new camera, so this one's kinda fuzzy. Another one of my designs. As soon as I finished it, Kat claimed it as hers. I couldn't argue with that because she *was* the inspiration for it.

And finally, a recon project. I took an old hoodie, removed the zipper and hood, cut the sleeves to 3/4 length, and did some tweaking. A little more dressy than a plain ole grey hoodie, but still comfortable. (That's an apron on my dressmaker under the jacket...not part of the project.)

I have 6 or 7 more things ready to be cut out/made by my sewing machine, in addition to several beading projects waiting their turn.

Susie and a hiding place

Seems like it's been forever since I had the creativity going on something besides remodeling, but it has returned!

First, the hiding place. I had a pin cushion that my longer pins went through and stabbed me every time I looked at it. I found this cute little box somewhere along the way and knew that I'd find a good use for it eventually. I love wooden boxes and seem to collect them whether I have a use in mind at the time or not.

And the solution to two problems at once!

Now for Susie...

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I LOVE handbags. Over the past few months, I've sketched several out with the intention of making all of them when I had some free time. Free time finally happened, and the Susie bag is finished.

The flower petals and leaf are some leftover leather I had laying around begging to be used. I still need to put a snap on it so it'll close. The bag is made from a man's wool suitcoat, and the strap is part of a belt I found at a thrift store.

Hopefully the free time will continue so I can get back to what I love to do. :)

Everything's better with embellishments

I didn't have a fabric that matched the shades of pink in my French Market Bag, so a couple of my knitting friends suggested a knitted/felted flower. I found a freebie pattern online today and whipped this one up. Easy-peasy. Of course, when I was done and had it sewn onto the bag, I thought, "Hmm, maybe some beads." I added silver-lined sz 8 seed beads to the center. NOW I'm groovin' the little bag.

And a closeup...

In the bag

After a long crafting hiatus due to an attempt at a fulltime job, my first week back at home has been SO nice. I'm enjoying the stress-free creativity that has been hibernating.

I worked on this bag for almost a month when I had time, and finally finished it up Saturday. Got it felted, and voila. I'm going to do some embellishing, but at least the bag itself is finished.

The pattern is from Knitty.com Winter '03 issue. French Market Bag

I also knocked out this number for Breeze. It's big enough for a book bag, but doesn't scream "Backpack". We found the fabric at Hancock's up in Charleston. I had it envisioned in my head, so I didn't bother with a pattern. The printed fabric is fashions through the years, and I added three black buttons as an accent and a zipper so she can close it up. I gave the sides and bottom some stability with plastic canvas between the outside and the lining.

I also made a needle case for a girlfriend, but dingbat here forgot to take a pic of it before I gave it to her. I did a beaded dolphin on it with a beaded rope trim. I'll be making myself one later on, so I'll be sure to post it.