silk screening

new pouches

September 18, 2011 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

Here are three versions of my canvas pouches. They are all screen-printed on various weights of canoe canvas with non-toxic inks. The middle ones are lined with polka dot cotton, the top and bottom have finished seams but are unlined. Some of these will make an appearance at the show in TO at the end of the month, others are bound for Etsy. Let me know if you like them!

Today I am making tomato butter and cleaning up the debris in the yard from the four flowering crab trees (long past their best) which we finally parted with this week. Beautiful day to do anything outside! Hope you enjoy it.

pumpkin limoux bag

September 3, 2011 by Birdbrain 3 Comments

This bag is made from a small remnant of beautiful pumpkin leather. This is my favourite size of bag–11.5 x 9.5 x 3″–big enough to hold wallet, phone and other necessities, but small enough to be comfortable. The cross-body strap can be knotted to carry the bag on one shoulder, tucked under your arm. It also has an outside pocket, a must for me, just big enough to carry subway tokens or a couple of keys.

However, my favourite part about this bag is the lining. It is a great orange and lemon remnant from a shop on the market square in Limoux. I’ve screen printed the bird with attitude inside and added a zipper pocket.

All in all, a great everyday bag.

blueberry bag

August 16, 2011 by Birdbrain 6 Comments

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

August 11, 2011 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

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.

fabric and lemon verbena

July 27, 2011 by Birdbrain 1 Comment

Two of my favourite things. We went to an evening market and I bought some fabric from Benin, Africa. It is 100% cotton and has, of, course birds on it! The second photo is of lemon verbena–we had dinner at a local farm and it was growing in the garden. What a scent!

The final photo is from our balcony.

new pouches and wallet

July 12, 2011 by Birdbrain 4 Comments

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.

a brand new bag

May 20, 2011 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

This is the new canvas/ recycled leather tote. At 15″ tall, 16″ across with a wide base, it is made to carry lots of stuff. I wanted a large tote that is strong enough for groceries or art supplies, but still manageable enough to carry for a distance. And with lots of pockets. I think this may be the ticket. I must thank my good friend Melanie for helping me make this wonderful text-fabric.

tote bag #3 with black recycled leather bottom and straps

May 17, 2011 by Birdbrain 1 Comment

Here is the third large tote, this one with black leather. These bags have screen printed pockets both outside and in. They are my current favourites. Large, strong and fun.

of canvas, screens and bags

May 16, 2011 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

I made some new large totes of recycled leather and canvas on the weekend. We sourced some #10 and #6 canvas for canoes and bags last week. I like the strength of this weight of canvas for totes. The family has had a long love affair with canvas, starting with my husband who made his first sail for his ice boat when he was in Grade 12. The canvas came from Eaton’s–mail order to a small Ontario town–and his mother’s sewing machine was never the same.

Below is a fid, a sailor’s tool used in making sails, and I find it perfect for inserting into corners of the bags. This particular fid belonged to Jack Braidwood, a well-known Belleville sailor, and it accompanied him on his sail around the world in the 40’s. I love the smooth beauty of the conical shape–the wood is lignum vitae, one of the strongest woods available.

I also got some screen printing done on the weekend, linings and pockets.

a new bag and an old friend

April 27, 2011 by Birdbrain 3 Comments

This is a new bag made with my screen-printed canvas and a recycled leather jacket. I have drawn four birds which I am using for various projects. This is the spiky bird, a bird with attitude.

The bag has a leather bottom and screen-printed turquoise lining.

And here is my rug Fireworks, begun last year in Jule-Marie Smith’s class at Green Mountain. I am back at it after many months and will soon be designing the border. The finished rug will be 53″x72″ and I am about 2/3 done the middle section. I think the border will be a long project!