From the bench

A sweet little belt bag. It feels good to work again. Also, I felt pretty clever when I figured out this "make do" maker's mark.

Mini Mandala!

I just posted this in the ol' etsy shop, and realized I hadn't shown you guys yet! This purse was inspired by the paper I wrote for teacher training on mandalas.  Using them as a meditative tool to help yourself focus, meditate more thoroughly and feel better in general. This bag was one of my many experiments into mandala mediums, it was such a joy to create. Letting the tools "pick themselves" as I worked my way around the circle.  I didn't measure anything out as I tooled, letting my eye guess the distance between hammer strikes. I love how it turned out, and am excited to learn who it belongs to.

I love this shape, and will be revisiting it again soon I think... 

I have also explored stitching in leather.  I'm in love.

Alchemy

I'm in Asheville this weekend, for our fourth (!) installment of yoga teacher training. I've brought this rugged, old wool to keep me company in the evening. I know I'll be felting this, so I'm just knitting squarish panels on big needles.  Nice and easy, perfect for after getting my brain filled with new, wonderful things.

The plan is to incorporate these Canadian beauties with leather to make a bag of some sort.  I'm not sure at all what it will look like, but I'm sure it'll be a fun bag to make! My aunt gave me the yarn years ago from her stash, and I'm happy to finally use some of it again.  It became a felted, all wool bag a few years ago, but I still have a few skeins to work through.

xo!

Meet the Manatee

This purse was a super special order for one awesome girl! Its safe to say this was the most fun project I had all year! 

Also, I sang Mr. Manatee this song every day I worked on him.

Introducing the Grand Envelope Clutch

I want to make more of these. 

Sorry for the crappy photo quality, we would've gone back outside, but I had to be quick so as not to be late for yoga!

Fits her well, if I don't say so myself!

A simple bag

That turned into my working meditation for the month. I found myself in full artist-hermit mode the past few weeks, working only on this dear project... Even as others that needed to be worked on stared patiently from their side of my work bench.

And now... she is finished. Riveted, sewn, tooled, painted, buckled, primrosed and loved.

The words are "Let us go then, you and I..." from T. S. Elliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. I've always loved this poem, and then one of my brothers studied and memorized it.  Hearing his voice (I'm quite chuffed that he's my brother- quite clever that one - though they all are, my siblings) recite the words, I loved it even more. It seemed fitting, to put this line on a bag that will travel with me. I will go with it and chase the fog in the cities, the mist in the mountains, and feel the breeze carry sweet scents.

Working

I'm making something so soul-happy, I can hardly believe it. It's a bag. I've made them before, but this one... this one is leather. The dark, chocolate-purple body is lined with the happiest of fabrics (to be photographed soon, promise) It will be riveted together with nickle colored rivets with the help of my pretty red rivet press.  

The flap is tooled leather. It has my primroses on it... I love it already.

I just need to finish the flap, and choose a buckle and hardware for the strap... and then rivet-mania and boomkaboom, I will have a monstrously wonderful way to carry my things.