BirdBrain Designs

bags and purses

new Keller bag

by Leave a Comment

This Keller bag is made of lovely pebbly leather–supple and strong. It is a great rich mahogany colour and lined with blue and orange cotton from the Kibuye market, Kenya. It has a zipper closing, an exterior zipper pocket and two interior slip pockets. The strap is adjustable and long enough to be worn across body–my favourite way to carry a bag. An ideal everyday bag–the Bondo blue will carry all your essentials.

L 12″ W 12″ D 4″

An update: I am working on the shop and it is progressing. This Keller and other bags will be in the shop and available for purchase shortly. Or email me anytime.

in the studio

by 1 Comment

I have been making some new bags with the wonderful Kenyan fabric as lining. I think this blue and orange dot is my favourite. Some of these bags I am making are orders and others are just inspiration. The one pictured here is close to completion. I am also working on a much-needed revamping of my shop so that you can see what is available and be able to purchase it easily. I hope to have this completed within a few weeks. In the meantime, please just send an email if you are interested in anything you see.

Below is my pile of new books and a couple of articles on Marimekko. I highly recommend the two new books on sketching by Danny Gregory and James Richards; and the top book, by Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer, presents a convincing argument for setting aside old fears and habits and going after our own creative renaissance . As for Marimekko, I have been a big fan of these colourful graphics since the 60’s–you may remember the aprons I made, pictured in this post. The textile museum in Toronto has a Marimekko retrospective on until April 21st and I definitely plan to attend. In the meantime, I have been letting my imagination run wild with the fabrics below.

new Luna and 4 Jan bags

by 1 Comment

One of the best ways for me to process a significant experience is to throw myself into the activity of ‘making’.  I learned last year that a month in Kenya, living alongside the people there — not travelling to and looking at — but living with them, is a marvellous gift. But it is a gift that takes time to process and then from there to take action. I’ve learned that I do my best processing when I am involved in making something. I’ve been sketching from the photos I took while there. I love the elegance of the women as they go about their daily chores and I am trying to capture that in my sketches. And I’ve been in the studio working with some leather and evocative pieces of cotton. For me, the leather and lining of each bag tell a story. The leather has had a former life–and the lining evokes the day, the place and the emotion surrounding its purchase or creation. Heavy freight for a bag you throw your wallet and your lunch in? Yes, maybe. But it is where my mind goes when I am making and how I work the memories and the plans into the texture of my days.

Below is the Bondo Luna bag made from 2 remnants of pebbly chocolate leather and a small piece of the Montreal black biker leather pants. Inside is the cotton fabric bought in the Bondo market. The colours are the colours of Bondo. The bag is 13″x12″x4″ with an adjustable shoulder strap, two interior leather pockets and a zipper closing.

And then I have been making some small shoulder bags out of various pieces of recycled leather. These measure approximately 6″x6″ with a shoulder strap of 43″. They have a pocket both outside and inside and a snap closure.  Update March 4: the turquoise and black bags are sold. 

And again, the lining tells its story…

geometric inspiration

by Leave a Comment

This is an inspiring beaded bag which I found in my favourite second-time-around shop yesterday. I do not have much occasion for evening bags, but if I should ever need one, this is the bag for me.  And what an interesting use of colour, shape and repetition–gives me great ideas for a hooked bag, or even a rug. I have been thinking that after the wedding rug, I might decompress with a big geometric. So this might be the beginning of the thought process.

new large leather tote

by 4 Comments

 

This new Keller travel tote is made to carry all your travel gear. It is 16.5″x 16″ with a 6.5″ bottom, two pockets on the outside and two large ones inside and a metal zipper closing. I like the options of a shoulder strap and handles on a large tote and this tote has an adjustable webbing strap which I ‘borrowed’ from another bag.  In fact this whole bag is a reincarnation–it had another life as  a jacket and pair of Ralph Lauren pants. I have tried to retain as many of the geometric lines of the jacket as I could. The lining is heavy-duty canvas which gives the bag the strength it will need–and of course a couple of birdbrain graphics to make the owner smile.

another hooked bag

by 2 Comments

I was at a meeting last night and re-encountered one of my hoooked bags. I made this bag about two years ago and it sold quickly–before I had even photographed it. It was like meeting an old friend! I took a couple of photos with my phone so that I could remember it–and share it with you.

I am about to begin hooking with the pile of t-shirts for a new project and the designs on this bag have  inspired me. I am amazed how easily I forgot it–just shows how important it is to document our work!

the blues

by Leave a Comment

I have had orders for these several of these small shoulder bags with a pocket on the front. They were originally designed for Jan who works at my bank and likes a small shoulder bag to hold the essentials for her work. They are also great when you are going out and don’t want more than your keys, your cards and your phone. I had some of this luscious blue left so made a few bags up, and still had enough for a pouch which I lined in waterproof basque fabric. I think it worked out well.

the biggest thank you

by 3 Comments

To everyone who came to our show yesterday and made it such a success–a big thank you.  We were overwhelmed by the interest and the support. It takes a couple of days to get over a day like yesterday, but I promise the orders will be in the mail tomorrow, and those that I still have to make, will be ready for Christmas. You make it all worthwhile. Thank You!

2 more totes

by 1 Comment

I made a second black denim tote, this one lined with turquoise screen-printed fabric from Kenya. I think the pattern and the colour of the lining work very well. The leather on the bottom of the tote is recycled from a big coat–very durable. I like the double pocket on the outside and the same inside.

Below is a special order Bird in a Hurry tote in red–again recycled leather, this time a skirt. I put a big pocket on the front and divided it into two small pockets for a cell phone or keys as well as a bigger one in the middle. Inside a zippered pocket. This one is in the post on Monday–the black denim available at the show tomorrow.

my favourite pouches

by 2 Comments

Turquoise is a colour I love–and I was delighted to find some lovely pebbly leather remnants in this great colour. I made about a dozen pouches with various colours of zipper. These pouches are unlined but have a little pocket inside perfect for your bank card or subway pass. I carry my phone and a little cash in one of these when I am on my bike–and also throw it in a larger tote–the colour means I can always locate it. These pouches, along with some in other colours, will be available on Sunday at the show. Below is one in teal and one in a red croc, a little larger.