Upcycled denim and things on Sale

As you know I love to find old things and made things from them, 'Upcycling' so very large sized old jeans from op-shops are something I can do a lot with!  These purses are made using this refashioned denim to create a larger sized zipped purse with a wrist strap.  They are approx 18 x 17cm some are 18 x 15 and they fit phone,keys, money, makeup, etc quite a bit will fit in them.  These new ones are only $19.95 and I've just listed them on my online shop here along with lots of other purses that are ALL on sale!

Envirosax - I also have Envirosax 5 packs on sale.  There are normally $40 but are now $34.95 for 5 bags great value and you can see there here.

I am about to embark on a new earring making project and yes it will be using scrap pieces of fabric. I hate to throw out nice bits of fabric so have collected a nice bag of little pieces of some gorgeous fabrics.  These will soon appear in the form of glamourous resin earrings and glass pendants.  If I ever get a break from my uni work I will be starting them as soon as I can.  

Here in Tannum Sands we just had our first BAM (Beach Art Music) festival event.  It's going to be a monthly event and it was fantastic.  There were hundreds of people, great music, food stalls and lots of arts stalls, a great atmosphere and a fun time was had by all.  It's about time we had something like this and thanks to the small group of people who organised this, what a great job they did.  Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera so photos will come next time...  

I had to share these pics with you too.  Some photos of clothes made by Ali Bird.  Ali is in the Pod Collective shop too and Iove her clothes, I think I have have 8 of her skirts and my daughter is also a fan and has lots of her clothes.  I love this dress (above) and if it's still there next time I'm in I might just have to get it.  

I also love these dresses - there are quite a few sizes too.  Ali's work is so original and unique, it's a nice change from all the mass produced stuff that is everywhere!!

Linen purse

I've been dying to use some linen and the Japanese wooden buttons I bought so made this today and put in my online shop...

The Poky Little Puppy

How can you not love the 'Poky Little Puppy'? Well I do and so does someone else I know (and her mum). This is her 16th birthday present. It's a purse and it's made from a page and a bit from an old Poky Little Puppy Golden book - covered in PVC inside and out and it fastens with a strip of velcro. Now my next project is a shopping tote made from the other pages... better start that right now! I am having such fun today!!

Headband and purse sets for girls

I love these sets - matching fabric headbands with coin purse. The purses are denim on the reverse side and I have lots of sets just about finished. The sets all come with a matching gift card made from recycled cardboard - ready packaged for gift giving. At only $24.95 they are a great birthday or Christmas gift. They will soon be on my online shop, in the Pod Collective shop and at millarubydesigns.com.au over in W.A.

Purses in Greens

here is a little selection of purses I just made in greens - I love the tree fabric, it's Japanese and I also love the owl fabric. Some of these are for sets with matching headbands and some of these sets are off to Perth to MillaRuby Designs who will have them on her site and also at the Mathilda Markets!

New Clutch purses

I tried out my usual zippered clutch purse in some 'evening' style fabrics for something different. These are embroidered black velvet on one side and these purses have wadding to give them a more luxurious feel. One is a pink and black retro circles design and the other is pure silk from South Sulawesi, Indonesia. I bought a big piece of it in 1993 when I went to visit my foster child. There was an amazing shop called Aneka Sutra, or somethng like that, and it had floor to ceiling shelves of silk fabric, amazing, wish I could go there again, but it's not the sort of place you just pop over to easily! These purses are in the Pod Collective Shop at Boyne Island

Felt and Wool

back of purse

front of purse

Lately I've had a bit of an obsession with 100% hand dyed wool and wool felt. The hand dyed wool is available from Gladstone Fabrics and is amazingly soft and beautiful with a huge range of gorgeous colours. I've been making some ipod and mobile phone purses with felt and embellishing with felt, buttons and wool fabric.

Soon I will have some very groovy badges, I will be selling mobile phone purses that come with your choice of badge (from the Pod Collective Market Place shop).

This week has been a very creative one for me, making new things and planning new products, and in anticipation of my online shop which should be up and running fairly soon, just working on the design now.

I also made another purse/wallet from a book 'The Poky Little Puppy'. My friend Jacqui was telling me about her fave page in the book so I was lucky to find a copy of the book at Bindaree, our local op shop for the bargain price of 10c! We seriously have the best op shop ever here!

The best things about this week have been spending Tuesday morning at Gladstone Marina with all the Prep kids. Having lunch with two lovely ladies at Chattin Cafe but wishing another lovely lady could have been there too. I've been enjoying the beautiful weather we have been having at the moment, perfect to sit on the front porch with a coffee or a green tea (and trying not to have the cake too) in the sun (and avoiding the magpie that is a bit too friendly and wants whatever I have got on my plate).

Here a some rough photos of some of my felt and wool purses and a couple of previews of some of the badge designs I'm getting made.

New clutch purses

I've just done a small batch of black zippered clutch purses and here are 4 of them.... these are $17.50 each and will fit your keys, phone and some change, or use them as a glasses case. The zips are 18cm long and they have a handle that will fit over your wrist. .