bags and purses

This tote is made from the same olive waxed canvas as yesterday’s sac–but this time combined with a pinch of hot cayenne.  This is a large durable tote, waxed canvas and leather on the outside and canoe canvas on the interior. It would be a great diaper bag, book tote or travel tote and will be noticed wherever you take it. It has an adjustable strap in olive leather, a double leather bottom with ‘feet’ and high quality hardware including a metal zipper. Inside there is a phone and ipad pocket on the one side and slip/zip pocket on the other. Outside there is a slip pocket with birdbrain appliqué.

Height 15″. width 15″ and depth 5.5″.

Next to leather, my favourite material for bags is waxed canvas–and I love to combine the two. This olive waxed canvas is a 100% cotton fabric, made in the USA,  with a wonderful finish which wipes clean and ages beautifully.  Here it is matched with a cognac leather to make a great everyday bag.

Outside there is a leather slip pocket for your keys and inside four pockets, one large enough for an ipad. It is 14″ high and 14″ wide with a 5″ base and a long adjustable cross-body strap which can be shorted to have the sac fit under your arm.  The bag is completely double stitched for strength and sports heavy duty hardware including a metal zipper. This bag is simple and ruggedly handsome; it is not too big and yet a great bag for carrying all your essentials.

Here is the third in my series of Fall 2014 bucket bags, the Tanager. (The phrase for a group of these birds is a season of tanagers–I find that idea very appealing.)

This is a great everyday bag, sturdy and roomy enough for your daily stuff with lots of pockets. It is lined in a crisp blue and white canvas and has three interior pockets, two canvas slip pockets with bird brain graphics and one leather phone pocket. Outside, there are two generous pockets. There is a double leather base with feet and an adjustable shoulder strap, durable metal zipper and hardware.

Width 12″, height 11.5″, depth 3.5″

This is some of my very favourite leather. It is a rich colour and a great texture, making a bag which will go with everything and still have its own personality. Two large exterior pockets are great for phone or keys and inside there are three slip pockets with birdbrain graphics. Its lining, a khaki brushed denim, is extra durable. The bag has a long adjustable strap for wearing cross-body–my favourite way to wear a bag both for travel and everyday. High quality metal zipper closure for security. Measures width 11.5″, height 11″ and depth 3″. In the shop tomorrow.

This cartoon appeared in the Globe and Mail on Monday. The sketch really captures the wistful feelings I have at summer’s end, even though I am not going back to school, or even to a fixed schedule. The feeling comes with Labour Day.  And then Jian’s piece yesterday with which he began the fall season is an important reminder of  ‘the sombre summer’ many people experienced.

So it’s with all that in my mind that I’ve been working in the studio. It is what I love about studio work; my hands and part of my brain are busy, but I can listen and process while I work. It’s activity that allows, even encourages reflection. I’ve decided to do a series of bags. Usually I make a ‘one-off’, a version of a previous one, maybe, but with enough variation that I am starting afresh each time. I made a blue bucket bag (out of this leather) and I like the proportions so well I decided to make a couple more. I’m varying some of the details, but the proportions are the same. Here is the first, the Blueberry Bucket:

This bag is made from durable pebbly leather, has a front inset zipper pocket, and three slip pockets inside. It is lined in striped red canvas, has metal hardware, including protective feet on the base, and an adjustable strap which can be worn cross-body or over one shoulder.  It measures 10″ high, 13″ wide and is 4″ deep. It will be in the shop tomorrow.

I’ve been back in the studio this week and have two new bags to show you. I’ve tried some new things including a zipper placket and an inset panel. I’m very happy with both bags. The leather is really beautiful and the size works, the first for travel and the second for a good all-round day bag which is large enough to hold your laptop. Both bags will be in the shop tomorrow morning.

First, meet the Junco travel tote, a roomy and serviceable tote in a great slate distressed leather. It has a large zippered pocket on the front and inside an ipad pocket and a double slip pocket with a leather phone pocket tucked behind. It has all the essentials of a great travel tote: carry handles, an adjustable cross-body shoulder strap and a wide double bottom with metal feet to protect the leather when you have to set it down. Great hardware and metal zippers. The lining is a new piece from the market in Bondo, Kenya. The Junco travel tote is 19″ wide, 14″ tall and 7″ deep. The shoulder strap extends to 49″.

And here is the Siskin Day Bag made from a beautiful brown/green pebble leather with metal zipper and hardware. The lining, from the Amsterdam market, is durable and sprinkled with cupcakes. Outside there are two large pockets and inside there is a double leather pocket for phone and keys and a double slip pocket. The shoulder strap is adjustable, extending to 52″ and it has a double leather bottom with metal feet. This bag can easily hold your lap top and other essential papers or you can fill it with sketching or school stuff. The Siskin day bag is 16″ wide, 12.5″ high and 3″ deep.

This is the prototype of the Kimberly Keller bag. On the front it is like the other Kellers, but flip it around and there is a playful punch of colour. Simple on details, it makes its statement with the quality of the leather and of course the colour. (If you click on the image it will expand so that you can see a detailed view.)

Outside there is  a deep zippered pocket on the front and on the back a couple of slip pockets for phone etc. Inside there are lots of options including a birdbrain zippered/slip pocket, a leather ipad pocket and two more small ones. The lining is 100% wax block cotton from the market in Bondo, Kenya. Brushed chrome hardware, adjustable cross-body strap and feet on the bottom finish the details.

Dimensions: width 15″  height 11.5″  depth 5″

Details tomorrow…

The latest Grosvenor tote is ready. It is a simple and elegant tote; its impact comes with its colour. This tote is fully double stitched and has a doubled leather bottom with ‘feet’ to prevent scraping. As with all birdbrain travel totes, this has alternatives–double wide carry handles with riveting detail and an adjustable and removable shoulder strap. The hardware and zippers are good-quality chrome. Outside it has a large zipper pocket and inside four pockets: two are ipad size, one has a zipper for extra security and one is for your phone.

The tote measures 17″wide, 14″ high and 6″ deep. The strap extends to 53″. This is a perfect tote for travel as it fits easily under an airplane seat. But, that said, many of the Grosvenor totes are in almost daily use with ipad, sketching tools and other essentials. Check here to see the pockets and great African wax print lining. This tote is a special order, but I do have enough leather for one more. If you are interested, let me know.

I have been in the studio this week working on a couple of new bags. Above is the work table with the blueberry tote in process. This is the same Grosvenor tote which you have seen here and here, but this time in a rich blueberry pebble leather. It is lined with a beautiful blue/red/green African wax cotton block print. The new modification comes with the inside pockets, each designed to hold your ipad, and all your other travel stuff you need to keep safe. Outside there is a deep zippered pocket, carry handles and a cross-body strap. This is a special order, but I have just enough leather left to make one more.