BirdBrain Designs

bags and purses

wendie

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I made this small pouch from a recycled leather skirt.  Some time ago I posted the skirt and Wendie commented that this blue is her favourite colour.  As I was working on the pouch, I was thinking of her, and it wasn’t until afterwards that I realized that it was her ‘big birthday’.  Although we have only met a few times, Wendie is a great blog supporter–which I very much appreciate. So this pouch is named in her honour.

I have more of this leather for a bigger clutch–and has luck would have it, VV had two more blue items, an 80’s jacket and another skirt–so there will be more blue items on the sewing machine soon!

Below are other views, including the interior which is lined with gorgeous gold fabric screen printed with birds–from the market in Limoux.

ps  I will announce the winner of the draw tomorrow.

news and give-away!!

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I have decided to set up at Etsy store to sell my leather and canvas goods. I hope that this will happen early next week.  To celebrate this event, a large step for me, I have decided, following the example of my mentor and friend Arounna, to have a give-away.  Please leave me a comment, telling me which products you would like to see in the Etsy store and I will randomly select a winner next Friday August 26th. You may have to scroll back to look at the canvas and leather totes, pouches and bags to see what I could possibly make for the Etsy site.  The winner will receive this adorable little pouch.

sunshine tote

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I used the last of the catalan fabric to make this tote along with left over pieces of orange and pink leather.  It is such a puzzle fitting the pieces together! It is 16″x16″x5″ with a long adjustable across body strap that can also be made into a carry handle.  I love the colour play of the leather and the stripes.This is the first time that I have used webbing in a handle, and it works well with the leather.

The bag has two exterior pockets and four interior, two large and two small.  A perfect tote!

blueberry bag

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I made a few small bags last week, but this is my first ‘real’ bag since I returned home.  I love the deep teal colour of this bag and the lovely texture of the leather.  It is made from a remnant which was just enough–the exterior pocket and strap are lined with black leather from a pair of pants.  The lining is a great green and white ticking, screen printed with ‘the bird with attitude’. It measures 13″x11″x3″ and the strap is 38″ long so fits nicely across the body, my favourite way to carry a bag. This is my second bag in this style–Carissa–named because she inspired the first of this series,  the grape bag.

some new pouches

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I am inspired by the colours of southern France.

The first set of birdbrain bags are made from a small piece of turquoise canvas I have been saving.  They are trimmed with recycled leather from a pair of leather pants.

The second set of pouches are made from Catalan fabric which I bought in Collioure on the Mediterranean. They are called sunshine fabrics! Each pouch has a small suede pocket inside to match the zipper colour and the one is trimmed in buttery orange leather. I have enough catalan to make three more pouches in varying sizes.  It has a lovely durable weight and does not need lining.  All of these pouches are suitable for carrying your small treasures.

update

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Thank you for your response to my post selling the pouches. They are all gone!

Tomorrow I leave for two weeks in the south of France. I hope to post from there, so please do check once and a while. In the meantime here are a couple of things I have made for the trip.

20110721-092704.jpg< A while ago I got some wool felt from Germany. It is thick and durable and very nice to handle--not to mention that it is red! I made a case for my ipad, camera and ipod. They should be great for travelling!

new pouches and wallet

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I am making new pouches to be for sale soon.  I think I enjoy the linings as much as the screen printed exteriors.  This particular lining fabric has the most wonderful birds and dots of colour.

I have been using my pouch now for several months to store the extras like cords and battery charger for my camera and ipad.  It is perfect.

I also needed a new wallet to take on my holiday.  I had a piece of rejected leather with the cattle brand on it.  Since it was 313, the luckiest of numbers for me, I decided to incorporate it into a wallet.  I had to attach a heart to cover a hole from the brand.  The first photo is truer to the colour.

thinking of france

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I am travelling to France later this month and I needed a new carry-on.  I made this one from upholstery ends and a black leather jacket. I tried to incorporate all the features that I like in a bag so I have a shoulder strap as well as padded handles.  Pockets on the exterior and interior.  Not sure if I have the right shape or size, but the trip will be the test.

drawing and making

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I find if I paint what I am making, as limited as my skills are, it helps me to understand what I am doing. I am not working from a pattern or a prototype, but just a general sense of what the piece should look like and what the leather seems to dictate.  The top is my new carry-on bag, quite a big one.  I combined leather remnants and a black pebbly jacket.  The bottom two, espresso and grape, as I have photographed before.

new bags–grape and espresso

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I started making hooked bags with purchased leather straps and gradually began adding leather to make them lighter and more interesting.  Then I began making my own straps. On the right is a selection of my hooked bags.

I still love the texture and variation of the hooked bag, but have also become smitten with leather. These two bags are made from upholstery remnants and leather jackets.


The grape bag is made from a purple leather bomber jacket as well as a small piece of leather upholstery.  The espresso bag is made entirely from upholstery remnants.

The linings are as enjoyable to make as the bags.  I often use silk screened cotton canvas, but inside the expresso bag is wonderful Waverly fabric.

I have been asked how you go about purchasing one of these bags or the canvas bags which I wrote about earlier.  If you are interested, please leave a comment with your email.