Kids stuff

I made a little trip to Ohio to visit my middle school buddy.  It was great.  I couldn't help but think of Weeds, with all the little boxes on the hillside.  (Now who's got the song stuck in their head - me.) Having been mostly a city-dweller I went camera crazy and couldn't stop taking pics of greenery and sky and suburbia.  Loving it.  More pics to come.

But first, we went vintage shopping and outlet shopping.  Is it bad that I lusted over this child's backpack?  It kept telling me to Just Do It.  F treated me, and I let it slide being that we are childhood friends anyway.

Outlet shopping yeah!  (B was a good friend and hubby - not sure if he was celebrating a successful day or overjoyed that we were finally leaving :)

Giddy up

One of the main reasons I wanted to add a lil something to the zipper, was to simply have something to hold on to!  No more of that fumbling for the zipper as your (boy)friend whisks through the subway turnstile, wallet and subway card already back in the pocket.  Grrr.

The tassels strand actually took a lot longer than it looks.  Making it from scratch and figuring out how everything connects (while hiding the needed), and beading the threads all amounted to a few hours believe it or not!

It's almost a bit matchy-match for my taste, but I didn't want it to steal the show :)

Layers of layers

I'd started this piece when I saw the Sass & Bide clutch and was reminded of the American Apparel version and a few others.  Here's my take :)...

The layers were layered, and layered some more.  I liked the effect of the raw edges and with it being canvas, it definitely frayed so I let it be!  The bag itself is 16" x 10" x 3", but because of how it's sewn, it's volume is a couple inches smaller (14" x 8" x 1").

I like imperfections, so loose strands don't bother me.  I'm excited to finally use the leather and hopefully that, too, will age over time.

Here are shots of the inside:

Compartments are crucial in a bag, agreed?  So I took the liberty to add a couple (keeping my keys and phone separate for obvious reasons and I'm allergic to metals).  Plus a handy glasses/sunglasses hook with a scrappy piece of leather that just begged to be included.

Since I'm a bit late with this piece, and Tuesday-due-day is just around the corner, my next will be a quickie.  Don't you think the zipper-ring looks a bit lonely??

Hold your horses

Unfortunately I will not finish tonight (which will always sincerely be my goal every Tuesday) but sometimes life's circumstances (bday dinners, friend-visiting dinner, dessert-night/aka-dinner) just doesn't let you.

So this is what I have so far.

Placemat bags

I'm not making placemats, but it sure does look like it.

*

Here are a few things I saw today on lookbook:

Friday i'm in love

American Apparel also has a similar look, which you may have already seen.  Here are a few handlers:

[Via Sass & Bide, and bloggers the fashion fruit, beaux mondes, if you seek style, flingly, fashion squad]