bags and purses

a new silver pebble bag

May 21, 2014 by Birdbrain 3 Comments

The most recent tote is all packaged up and on its way. The new owner tells me it is a birthday present to herself! What a great idea. I’ll be making more of these totes in the coming weeks. I like the combination of waxed canvas and leather with the heavy canoe canvas inside. Next maybe khaki and burgundy.

And here is a new Missouri Silver Pebble bag–this one a little wider and taller than the original. I really like this leather. It has a great heft to it and a lovely sheen. And it is a neutral bag without being drab. This one is a special order and there is one more of the same dimensions in the studio, soon to be in the shop. And then there is enough leather left for a Friday pouch. The exterior pocket fastens with a magnetic closure and there is a leather pocket for your phone inside. The cobalt, green and brown wax cotton lining is a nice surprise inside.

holiday monday

May 19, 2014 by Birdbrain Leave a Comment

I sat on the shore of Lake Ontario in the welcome sunshine today for this sketch. There was lots of gardening and studio work to be done at home, plus the finishing touches on my Kenya talk, but I loved settling into the calm and relative isolation of the shoreline, a calm interrupted only by birdsong and a flashing glimpse of one lone fox emerging for seconds in the green undergrowth. Wish I could have sketched him! Nonetheless, it was a perfect holiday afternoon.

Otherwise I have been working on a couple of small silver pebble shoulder bags, a little bigger than the one in this post. Below is a glimpse of them in process as well as the two pieces of Kenyan wax cotton for the lining. These bags have a large pocket on the outside which has a magnetic closure and a leather phone pocket on the inside. The shoulder straps are on the sewing table now.

And I am coming to the end of Americanah, a big riveting yet uncomfortable novel and the the best I have read this year. We follow the two main characters from Nigeria to the US and/or Britain and along with their journeys come unsettling questions about race, gender and so many of the easy assumptions we rest on. I’m betting this book will win the Bailey Prize this year. There is a full review here from New York Magazine.

a new tote and a repair

May 17, 2014 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

I made a couple of totes in leather and waxed canvas last year and they flew out of the shop. Recently, I was able to get some black antique waxed canvas (with the Eddie Bauer designation still on the bolt), so I wanted to make a few more of these durable totes. This one is trimmed in caramel leather, has a caramel leather adjustable shoulder strap and is lined in rugged canoe cotton. It is large, 15.5″x14″x6″, has three outer pockets and four inside. Pictured above is the ipad pocket and a leather pocket tucked in behind. This is a great working or travel tote, or even diaper bag, large enough to carry all you need.

You can see this tote in the shop by hitting the on-line store button in the sidebar on the right hand side of the post.

Below is Carissa’s well-loved and well-used tote/diaper bag. This bag has been in constant use for a year and a half, crammed full of all the things a baby needs. Finally, one of the straps gave away and the bag came in for repair. Pictured below is the repaired strap, ready to be back in full use tomorrow. I’m including this, just to remind everyone, that all bags made in the birdbrain shop are guaranteed.

signs of spring in the studio

April 23, 2014 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

These two little pouches will be in the shop later today. Made of the softest bubblegum pink leather, they are lined with a polished cotton from the Bondo market in Kenya. The open one in front has a leather pocket inside for cards or cash and a high-grade European metal zipper. (I have just a few of these zippers and am using them sparingly.) The one behind has a pink metal zipper and no pocket. These are great little pouches to slip into a big bag to keep your essentials at hand.

One of the very nicest things abut blog writing is the people you meet on line. One such is my friend, Missouri. She is a customer, a commenter and an inspiration. She wrote recently wondering about a crossover shoulder bag for spring–“small but functional in a lighter neutral”. I went through my boxes and found a piece of silver pebbly leather with a nice weight and texture, a piece I had been saving for the right project. After a few sketches, I came up with the Missouri, 8.5 inches wide, 7.5 inches tall and 3 inches deep–small and functional. I like the size of the front pocket with the curving stitching, and especially its magnetic closure. All in all, a great spring bag! This too will be in the shop tonight.

the melon pouch

April 17, 2014 by Birdbrain 1 Comment

This leather is a wonderful colour for spring so I was happy to see that there was enough leather to make both the bag in the previous post and this pouch. Measuring 9.5″x5″, it fits easily into the larger bag, but is also a good size to carry on its own with the handy detachable wrist strap. It has a durable metal zipper and a double leather pocket inside for tickets or cars and cash. And it is lined with the same great African wax cotton as is in the larger bag. In the shop today.

the melon slouch

April 15, 2014 by Birdbrain Leave a Comment

Here is the new bag made from the jacket pictured in the last post. It is a great colour and a great leather which I have reinforced and double stitched for this its second life. It has the features I consider essential for a day bag. Inside it is lined with wonderful African fabric and has two sets of leather pockets–slip and zip on the one side and on the other, a divided pocket which nicely houses your phone and passport. Outside it also has a big useful pocket and an adjustable leather strap. This bag will be in the shop tomorrow, along with a matching pouch–great to throw inside or carry on its own.

melon slouch 1

sketching and another new bag

April 13, 2014 by Birdbrain Leave a Comment

Here area couple of my sketches from this week from my two favourite local cafés. The first one is from L’Auberge de France, a local french bistro and bakery and a gem in an otherwise very sad downtown core. L’Auberge has the very best cappuccino and is always full of bustling activity. And what I like is they serve their café in beautiful sketchworthy cups!

I am loving the online course because I get to see sketches done this week around the world. People are very generous about sharing and about making encouraging comments on the work of others. I am learning so much. We are actually into week two, taught by the adorable Koosje Koene from Amsterdam, who encouraged us to get outside to sketch. I am about to do this afternoon, because the sun is shining here in Eastern Ontario, despite the forecast for rain. The lessons each week consist of several videos and demonstrations. I’ve watched some of this week’s–but am saving the last few until tomorrow because I know Koosje is going to ask me to use coloured pencils, something I have not done since my last set of Laurentians in grade 6! I’ll keep you posted on how it goes…

And I also wanted to mention the shop. It was open briefly with the new bag of the last post. But that bag, Keller 14, sold in a few hours and is on its way to Massachusetts. A very nice welcome back into the world of ‘making’. So the shop is empty again. But I do have a new bag on the studio table. It is a great coral colour and is made from the jacket pictured below on the left. It is well on its way and I hope to post a picture of it tomorrow. But meanwhile, I am on my way outside to enjoy the sun. Hope you are too!

a new leather bag

April 10, 2014 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

This is my first bag of 2014 and made of one of the nicest pieces of leather I have ever used. Actually there are a few pieces of leather in this bag, upholstery remnants and pieces of men’s jackets–that’s where the challenge comes in–but they are all of the same top quality. It is a handsome durable bag which will work hard for many years.

It has two outside pockets, both secure. One has a zipper and the other a magnetic closure. Inside it is big on personality. Lined with the Amsterdam squares, it has a pair of fuchsia leather pockets which will hold your phone, passport or other valuables as well as an orange waxed canvas slip pocket large enough for an ipad.

This bag would be great for travel. It can be worn cross-body or the strap can be shortened so you can tuck the bag under your arm. It is large enough to hold all your essentials, including tablet as I said, but a good size to carry easily.

Dimensions: W: 13″ H: 11,”D: 5″ Strap extends to 47″

Will be in the shop by the end of the week.

last turquoise Keller and upcoming sale

January 9, 2014 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

I had just enough of this lovely turquoise leather to make a final Keller bag. The last one went to Chicago and I was very pleased to read this comment about it. I have been running the online store for 10 months now and I have learned lots and met some super people. I will be closing it for a month beginning January 21 because, as you know, I will be in Kenya. There are a few things in it now and I will be adding more for Monday when I will be having the first online sale. I hope you will check it out Monday afternoon for some great bargains. This Keller will be available on Monday too.

the rugged grosvenor travel tote

January 3, 2014 by Birdbrain Leave a Comment

This is the last bag of 2013, a rugged, durable tote which can easily accommodate your laptop and all other essentials. It is also big enough to serve as a great overnight bag–or, as I have seen with one of my totes, a very serviceable diaper bag! It is made from a remnant piece of upholstery leather with a double leather base. And although it is new leather, it has some character marks where it was folded and creased. It has two carry options: an adjustable shoulder strap which can be removed as well as a set of handles. On the front is a large zipper pocket and on the back a funky phone pocket. Inside it has a taupe canvas lining with three pockets and lots of room. Overall size: 17″wide, 15″ tall and 5″ deep.