A finished belt

A beautiful custom order for an inspiring woman.  A woven belt, full of swirls and shades of brown.

I only wish my photos were better, I was too excited to send it off to her, so I didn't have enough time to re-shoot. 

More info on my woven-wrap belts here

I must...

Take more photos of these new beauties.

It's been a while

I've thought a lot about this space. I've missed writing and sharing, but life does tend to re-prioritize things for you, doesn't it?

This is one part of what has been keeping me from the computer. Another Grand Envelope Clutch, for my friend Tami. She chose purple flowers, and a lovely quote to add to the edges as well. I love working for friends.

I can hear an owl hooting outside.

Well well

A shop update! How about that?!?

A little one's better than nothing at all!

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.

One for you...

This is my newest concept... Bringing dimension to leather, layering pieces, riveting up a storm... I love rivets. 

It is not finished yet, but I wanted to share an almost done piece.  I usually imagine the layout of things in my head, rarely drawing things past what I'll need to trace onto the leather... It leads to some pretty interesting mistakes and surprising successes.  So far, this piece has been the latter. I think it needs a few more rivets, the leaves poke out a bit too much for my taste when it's wrapped around a wrist... There's no such thing as too many rivets, right??

Two for me...

Here are two of my most favorite pieces yet.  I'm making similar things for you out there right now, but these, as the first realizations of the ideas, are mine.  I usually keep the first in a series... That way I can always look back at where I started from, and see where I've come to.

I save things, always have.  I still have paintings from preschool in Connecticut tucked away in my mom's house.  Swaths of color, many with a small fuzzy bunny sticker popped on it. A title on the back, dictated by my little self, Mom's handwriting, which is cropping up in my own style more and more these days... Do you see your parents' handwriting in your own? Depending on the day, I usually pen notes in a strange combination of both of my parent's style. It's interesting, considering they look NOTHING alike!

wow. tangent!  

 On to the goodies...

  

I need to find more stones that are big enough for this... I also need to relearn how to bezel set stones. 

 Full of strength. This is the honkin'est piece of jewelry I have ever made. I love it.

Have a wonderful, tea filled, happy Sunday!