The perfect bag

  I can't ever find a handbag I like, you know they are too small, too big, too soft, too hard, too....well just too wrong!  The same applies for a school bag and since I am going back to school in August I needed something to carry my laptop and any over priced books that they are going to make me buy just so I can carry them to and from class but never use.

So, I decided it would be a good idea to make one.  *sigh*  I should have a little alarm in my head that says "no..buy one, it will be cheaper in the long run.  Make do with the imperfect  (insert any item here) in the store.  Don't waste your time!"  Alas, I have no such alarm BUT; and this is a great 'but' this time,  I took a long time planning this project.  First I got out my handy dandy graph paper, a ruler and a pencil.  I measured my laptop, a file folder and estimated how thick text books would be.  I made my calculations and I drew rectangles and erased and planned and added seam allowances, then realized that I had it wrong and calculated again.

OK, so I had that part down, now I used my wonderful laptop, that I can draw straight onto the screen to plan out the construction.  As I wrote the steps it became clear I had forgotten things and I was able to go back and rearrange my steps.  Writing the directions step by step really helped me to see each piece and where it would go.  I never do this step, I just go blindly into a project and usually end up ripping out seams and cutting again.

Next I bought fabric, heavy duck.  I was excited to find a piece of patterned that kind of matched in the remnant bin. And there they sat for a week.  I was afraid to cut, I was afraid I would mess up and ruin the bag.  Now this is not something new to me, but in the last few years I have gotten over it a lot.  I figure there is no point in keeping that beautiful fabric, yarn, glass stored in neat bins never to see the light of day.  Use it!  Take a chance!  So here I was dithering about some cotton duck.

Finally I cut into it, made my pieces, pinned the lables to each so I knew what went where.  Then again I let it sit, scared to mess up sewing into it.  Finally I pressed the parts that needed it and bit the bullet.

Things are never as bad as you think they will be.  It all went together really well.  I even added an inner pocket for the power cord, since I had some left over material.

I didn't have to unpick one seam.  So, is it finished?  No.  I need to add a strap and I didn't quite have enough for that.  So I will go back to the store and get an eighth of a yard or some strapping stuff.

So here it is...







Of course there is no way to know if this is going to be the perfect bag.  Actually I already know one problem I am going to have with it.  But I hope it works for me to go bad and forth to classes.  I can always plan another one.  "NO!  Go to the store, buy one!"

My random art

Yesterday I talked about my art. Well I scanned some images today of my sketches. I have been trolling web sites all week looking at moleskine art, something I didn't even know existed until until I stumbled upon it looking for altered art. I knew that people did sketches and notes in them, I wasn't aware that it is a whole movement sort of thing. Anyway I had my moleskine and decided that I should work on it more.
I have found websites that helped me improve this art form. I am sorry that I didn't keep track of them. I will in the future to share with you.


So this is a page I did while waiting in the doctors office. Enjoy Life. It was fun, but hard for me to be random. I like things uniform and balanced. The Life page turned out so much better than the Enjoy page. It is a learning process.
The skull page was so much fun for me. I want to create art that is bold and dramatic. I have trouble with things that aren't cutesy. I haven't finished it, I will go back later.
The leaf page, is a stamp I cut from a Pentel Hi-polymer eraser. I cut 3 that night and they are so much fun. I bought 2 more packs of three yesterday to make some more.


This is a page from an old journal, Around June 22th 2007. So journal art is not new to me, I just had no idea I was doing it. The sketches, doodles whatever you want to call them, were done at work. I was always scribbling something at work. Not a good thing really.

From my first real altered book. I say real, because I had made another before this, but it was made with lack of skill and I still don't know what I am going to do with it. Anyway, this is the last page in this book and it is about my Dear Nanny Thersa (Mum's Mum). She was such a wonderful person. I made the picture by inkjet transfer and colored it with chalks. My Mum had given me some pictures when she was here last (has it really been 2 years already).



And one of the other pages, this book is mostly about me and my thoughts. This page was done around the beginning of last year. There is some found poetry on the flame side.

Sleeping late
waiting
no sign of breakfast
stayed alone
slowly
waiting
the storm.

I have lots more art mediums to share. Oh gosh lots. I just have to dig them out and take pictures.

Newness

Well, this is rather like a new notebook. The whole thing is blank and you don't want to ruin the first page. I am a bit particular about it. I want to start at the beginning and work to the end, but I have been thinking lately it might be better to start in the middle.
Starting in the middle would be much easier. You could already see the direction you are heading for and divert any mistakes. Much of life is like this, but mostly I am that way with my art. I have thousands of dollars of art equipment and supplies, and I often leave them unused rather than ruin them. Sometimes it could be a few dollars worth of paper, ribbon or fabric. Lately I have been moving out of my comfort zone and just using what I have. I don't have to show anyone if I don't want to, but it is doing no good to let it sit around and dry out, collect dust or (as my things are apt to do ) get lost. I would never start a book in the middle!
So here I am, starting this continuous stream of consciousness. Thinking that some may read my random thoughts and feelings. Now there is a scary thought! I guess I should start with things about me, not too much, just enough to start.
I am married with three children. I will reference the family here. They are part of me, I cannot ignore that fact. I have 2 dogs, 2 rats and a turtle. They will also be mentioned from time to time.
As I stated earlier I am an artist. I am uncomfortable with the label, but it is what I do, what I am, I could stop creating as easily as I stop breathing. The only problem is I tend to jump from medium to medium often and quickly. I will talk a lot about that here.
I am passionate about things I believe in. I love to have fun. My internal dialogue is complex. My skin is dry. (see I told you..random). I cherish my alone time. I dislike intolerance, but feel that makes me intolerant. I worry too much. I would like to think that some how, some way I am making a difference to someone, somewhere.