Create your own baglets

Love to make this pattern I developed years ago.

2 seams only and a neat little bag to hold jewelry, soap, cards, lavender or whatever.

Take minutes to make.

Great to re-cycle. I used old sheets and and fabric scraps for these.

I like the 'boxed' bottom that results from the fold.

Take a 16x6" piece fabric, fold to 8x6", make any size you like really.

Fold is the bottom.

Now fold bottom up 1/2" and press. Top down 1.5" and press.

Sew down each side. Turn and like magic the top is neatly to the inside and the bottom has a bit of room so it can fill and look nice.

make from old quilts, scraps of tea dyed lace and charm squares.

To tie them closed, sometimes I sew around the top for a casing and snip a hole in it and thread ribbon through.

To decorate, do it after folding but before sewing so placement is right.

decorate with patches, transfers, buttons and anything you like.

Art mania

Sounds good does it not?I will go once again. Hope to take pics.

Meanwhile I made an idea book for myself with the theme.

Cut up all kinds of fabric scraps and glued to front and back covers of a dollar store book.

Added a trim to one side and glitter glue to highlight here and there.

Fun and funky, yeah!

Finished the purse.

Closeup of the purse and a another cuff.

more from the ocean

Cuffs using differing techniques.
The cuff on the left is hand dyed wool felt, purple and green.
I created 2 violets, some tendrils and leaves.
It makes a comfy cuff for daywear.
The lace cuff is glitz and bling.
It uses vintage treasures and a sequin motif in the center.
You can see these on my Etsy site.

Spring box

Box I made for a shop. It is large, hatbox size.

Wall art from the Islands, nice and serene.

Ocean art

I am often influenced by the sea.

You can see my Pacific purses in the new Haute Handbags.

Here is one of two La Mer books made recently .

Added my old cove stitchery too.

Trinity from the market

Love the colors of fresh produce like this Trinity used in Creole cooking. Onions, celery and bell peppers. That does it for me.

Chop them up together, I do, and saute in oil.

Make a roux with some flour thrown in and add a can of tomatoes. Some herbs and garlic, chili pepper flakes and cook till brown.

I can add shrimp, local here in the Islands, or maybe serve as is over rice. So healthy too.

Local market

I did my usual trip to the local Farmers market in the park across the street.

This is a sampling of the wonderful fresh tastes to be found here.

The bananas are really 3 different kinds. The large banana in front is a cooking banana or plantain.

The two small bananas in the middle are apple bananas, sweet and dry tasting.

Behind are three ice-cream bananas, the bluish are not yet ripe. They are fruity and smooth to eat. Yum I love them.

Recipes for me are simple, I like the apple bananas on toast in the morning.

The plantain will be cooked and served with curry.

Ice-cream kind, how about bananas foster? With local macadamia ices?

More glasses cases

Just a few more cases completed recently.
These are funky collage with odds and ends on my table. Some overlaid and some under organza.

Made some tags with french flair

I saw lots of french tags made of fabric.
here are some from me.
Very cool added to things you have made and easy to personalize

Charmed!

Daughter B. bought me a bunch of charm squares at a quilt show.

Came with a piece for lining too.Loved the colors so made a bag, her suggestion, hint hint. She has a daughter you know.

Lay the squares on point and lined it flat then sewed the sides by hand.

Bit tricky but idea good for other squares, gives them another look when on point.

I love collecting them and always look for ideas to use them.

OK you would like to see the cabinet where it hangs?

Just cushions

They looked good sitting in the sun with a dolly.

Edwardian Dolly Vardin

She can stand up.

Doll 12" high and light as a feather.

Vintage fabrics, all froth and finesse.

what are these?

we made lots of inchies.

Some were paper collage, some I did were fabric.

OK so far, what to do with them.

I covered a square 4" box, they fit the top nicely, natch!

These I made into ornaments, tassels, dangles, useless whatevers, fun tho.

Require 6 inchies, wire and beads, bit of glue.

another for the glasses

pieced and quilted this one with scraps.

I did find it is fast and easy when made in one piece like a coaster, then folded.

Keeping it simple

Just learnt of the trend, ' KIS. '

Well bit hard for me, I do like to throw everything at my projects to see what sticks.

But I like good technique and clean lines with some elegance. That's just me!

This quilty is for someone to frame.

Made in half an hour, love that.

I always like the idea the Amish use in their quilts, they add some small imperfection.

I also do that but maybe for other reasons.

In this 8x10" fabric piece the broken button is my little bit of imperfection.

See if you can find it.

Class tomorrow

I am teaching a class tomorrow at RSP.

It will be decorating Altoid tins, and making folded boxes for ATC cards.

Here are two samples of the tins.

Both were rusted then decorated, painted rusted elements added, and found objects too.

Both were hit with a heating tool to crinkle and age further.

Inside is vintage wallpaper on one , other has ledger paper stamped and aged.

around my place

Pics from my studio.

I have a small space with every part of it in use. Lots of things around that inspire me.

For her spectacles

First get together outer print fabric, lining print to contrast.

Assorted little bits of lace, ribbon and a motif. Tulle.

Piece of felt and one of thin batting.

Cut out shape from all pieces.

Layer felt under outer fabric, lay on the design with your trims.

Cover with tulle and pin here and there.

Sew with a big running st. all over the trims and tulle by hand.

This should be invisible as possible.

Then add something to the top layer, seed beads are nice or french knot flowers.

Just a few here and there.

Flowers are 4 French knots in a square with one contrasting to the center.

3 strands of embroidery floss to make them stand out.
Construct the case with a bias ruffle added to the top, then RST add the lining and the thin batting. Lace trim nice at top too.

Sew around and leave bottom open.

Turn, trim, press very well and slip st. closed.

Lastly fold right to left and using a secure ladder st. sew side and lower edge.

To present add a pretty bow on the side.

See below picture.

Case to hold glasses

Tomorrow I will post a how-to of this eyeglass case.

It has one of my favourite techniques for layering things under tulle.

The bow is removable but is a nice presentation for a gift for a birthday or for Mothers Day.

A purse it is, on Mindwideopen

Thanks for coming by. I taught a class this weekend so have been away from the Blog.

I made the purse for the challenge, it is 9x10" in size and embroidered and beaded.

I did some collage with fabrics and machine embroidered the prompt word 'Journey'.

The perimeter is overcast by hand and it is lined with a vintage hanky stuffed inside.

That is also part of the design.

paper boats

I am hooked, love paper constructions, re-cycling and boats.

This connection and project between Scotland and my home New Zealand, has me hooked.

Check out the link to participate, such a fun and easy collaboration. I am folding madly myself.

http://www.joannebkaarpaperboats.blogspot.com/