BirdBrain Designs

bags and purses

new tote and pouch — www dot!

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I got a chance to do some silk screening with the first of my new designs.  I knew that I liked the bold graphic quality of the chevrons and dots, but was very pleasantly surprised with how it worked into the angles of my pouches and bags. Many thanks to Melanie who translated my line drawings into a computer image that repeats perfectly both horizontally and vertically. I am still working on mastering the big sheets!

This tote is a great size, 13x12x5″. It is lined with moss gray-green 100% cotton with a leather pocket for your phone and has a very sturdy  44 inch leather strap. This tote will easily accommodate your ipad, sketchbook and other essentials.Here is the www dot pattern in a pouch, lined in bright orange 100% cotton with a durable zipper. It measures 8x6x3.5″.

3 gaspé totes

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Cherry, Candy Apple and Bubble Gum. I have been having fun this week with some great leather from my remnant stash. I liked the rough pouches very much and thought the idea would translate well to a tote. Since I am working with small remnant pieces, I had enough for the body of the bag, but not straps–so I worked on the idea of coordinating straps, or in the case of the Candy Apple, some purchased straps that I had on hand from my days of making hooked bags. So here they are–unlined, heavy-duty totes with a pocket on the outside, two pockets inside and a zipper closing. Ready to sling over your arm for a day of shopping or for a weekend jaunt. These bags are one-of-a-kind.  On the sewing table next is one in grass and one in rugged brown…and an ipad case.

Here is the Candy Apple.   (October 14 update: Candy Apple has been purchased!!!)
and the Cherry…and the bubble gum… 

I have been printing labels on the computer with my birdbrain bird for a long time. For a change I decided to use a stamp that my sons gave me a few years ago. It stamps well on leather and I love the shot of colour on the interior of this bubblegum bag. I will also be sewing it on the outside of some new pouches which are in the works. I got a pile of rough leather remnants when I was in Toronto and I am eager to try some new designs–an ipad case for sure.

yarn bombing and more

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Many thanks to Wendie who alerted me that my photos here taken last week in Picton Ontario are examples of yarn bombing or yarn storming. There is a good explanation here along with this great Thank You Tree. And if you want to pursue the idea, there are books written on the subject, Yarn Bombing, Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti and Knit the City. Seems to me this is an elegant and non-destructive way to make a point or just bring joy to a sterile place.  And speaking of thank you, Wendie has a wonderful thanks pillow in her latest post.

Today I was back in the studio. Have begun screen printing my new designs. These are for new canvas totes and bags as well as for lining of the leather bags. I love the graphic quality of these chevrons. This is the first of three new designs.

And…the cherry Gaspé bag is almost finished. I think the size and the leather combine to make a great bag. Pictures on Thursday, I hope. For tomorrow, I am off to Toronto to stock up on zippers, interfacing and screen printing ink–and maybe a leather remnant or two if I see an irresistible colour!

 

new gaspé tote

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I began a new style of tote today. It is a heavy-duty shopper. I have been looking at this beautiful cherry leather remnant for a while. It was just enough for a tote, 13 x 14 x 4″ so I combined it with mahogany leather straps . It is only partially finished, but well enough along for me to tell that I will like it. Inside it has two leather pockets — a 7 inch zippered one, and one just for your phone. And it has a zipper closing. But is unlined, au naturel. I seem to be on a run of unlined ‘rough’ bags–but when the leather is lovely and durable, it works! A great straight-forward, hard-working beautiful bag. I hope to post pictures next week of this and this one finished.

Yesterday we were in Picton where I saw this joyous tribute to fibre and flair in a small park. I looked to see who had left these ‘sculptures’ but there was no hint. But thought I had to share it with you. It is a fitting way to say cherish the weekend — for those of us in Canada, our Thanksgiving weekend. And most important, cherish all those you love.

 

more rough pouches

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The rough pouches have been getting a very good response so I decided to dig into my box of upholstery leather and see what I could come up with.  Each pouch is one-of -a-kind with a zipper closing and an interior leather pocket large enough to hold your cards. The small pouches are ideal for carrying your phone and other essentials, fit easily into a larger bag or work well on their own. The larger pouches can hold a passport and boarding pass. Today’s colours espresso, walnut, mocha and teal.

 

and now a rough tote

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I have been working on a tote made from two leather jackets, both wonderful leather–rugged brown and pebbly black. I have always liked the black, brown combination and it seems to really work here. This tote is a bit oversized, 16″ wide, 13″ high and a 7″ bottom, so it will hold lots of stuff including an ipad, or laptop.

This is just a peek because I haven’t worked it all out. But I think I am really going to like it. Next step, design sturdy straps and think about the lining–lots of pockets for sure.

 

another cobalt clutch

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This leather originated in a bomber jacket, circa 1982. I am calling it cobalt, but it is a bit more on the purple side than earlier clutches. Beautiful. I have been saving this leather which is soft and smooth for some time, but this week decided to make a clutch. This is a very useful size  (6 x 8.5 x 1.5″) as it holds all your essentials, so can stand on its own, or can be stowed in a larger bag. 

Inside is a small pocket which is a good size for your cards and a lining of sunshine yellow cotton print. The wristlet has a detachable clip for those days when you want to use it inside a bigger bag. You can find this pouch in the shop.

tomatoes and 2 more rough pouches

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I love September. Last week I bought yet another half-bushel of tomatoes. They are in a big pile in the kitchen challenging me. So, yesterday I made 12 jars of Tomato Marmalade. I had never heard of it before, never mind made it. My version, found here, had tomatoes, oranges, lemons, sugar and ginger. That’s it. I doubled the recipe–and then read that reaching the gel stage is difficult, especially if you double the amounts. Well…no worries…in an hour and a bit I had a wonderful gooey tomato concoction which is very delicious! I’m imagining it with roast pork. I like the sound of this recipe too–and may try it next.

I also found my way to the sewing machines for a couple more rough pouches. Each one is its own colour match–based on what is in the remnant bin and the zipper drawer. 

I really like this design. It is useful, durable and a wonderful punch of colour.  Below are the three sizes I have made so far. I am working up to making a computer bag and large tote in this style. Stay tuned…

small rough pouches in colour!

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I have long had a romance with turquoise and magenta. I remember a hot mat I wove in Brownies on a box loom my father made for me. It was–turquoise and magenta–and I thought it was beautiful. At a recent workshop we talked a lot about emotional connection to colour–Deanne talked about her mother’s turquoise fridge and the memories it evoked. I think these rich colours evoke the excitement I felt as a little girl when the brown paper packages arrived from my Scottish grandmother containing hand-knitted sweaters in the most beautiful hues. Those packages spoke love to me.

I had a number of small zippers and some small pieces of my favourite leathers. I decided to make some small rough pouches–no lining but a little pocket for subway tokens or other small treasures. And I have fallen for them–the little ones for change and the larger ones to pop in your tote with phone, cash, cards etc. A perfect injection of colour!

new luna bag SOLD

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This bag is a special order for a special rug hooker who lives in Virginia. It is the familiar luna style in beautiful durable pebbly red leather — it is actually a little taller than the standard luna with room for all kinds of cargo. It has two lined pockets on the front, three inside, a zipper closing and a double bottom for extra strength. The strap is adjustable. I have just enough of this leather to make a second bag — wish I had more. Actually I am eyeing up some brown pebbly leather in my stock — and thinking of a new design. Just doodling right now. At any rate — this bag is already in the post!