HAPPY APRIL 1st! Here in Ontario we have sun and double digit temperatures, finally. The sap in the maple trees is pouring and it’s time to get out the bikes. HURRAH!
We made a spring change on the blog too. We put a new button on the right side of the page under Navigation: Rug Hooking Gallery. A selection of my rugs was on the blog at some point, but in one of the updates that page was replaced and somehow the gap slipped by. So I have reposted some of them on this special page accessed from the sidebar button. Check them out when you have a minute. I haven’t been working on my latest rug, How We Spend out Days, for some time but I will get back at that this summer.
I’m also back in the studio and inspired–finally! I decided to ‘test drive’ one of my totes, a good thing to do for quality control, to see what it is like to live with and use a design. So I packed up this one and took it to Seattle as a carry-on. I’ve been using it every day since. It’s made from deep brown upholstery remnants and it is both roomy and tough. I can stuff it with all my sketching gear, gym shoes, macbook and other paraphernalia and it handles it well.
So…I had some equally good black upholstery remnants and upcycled men’s leather jacket pieces, not enough for a tote, but enough for a shoulder bag. You can see the start here on the cutting table. I’m considering adding a flash of red to this one, maybe under a pocket flap, or inside the strap tabs.
And to finish off with some colour. This pile of cashmere was on the table–glorious colours. I bought them at a thrift store sale deep in the winter and there they were, through the freezer and washing stages and ready to inspire. 
Your talent is a amazing and how you apply this to different mediums is fascinating and inspiring! Thank you for sharing.
Sheri
Love visiting your website. Your work is lovely!
Your tote turned out beautifully. It’s so useful looking, and beautifully crafted. I really love it. There’s something so satisfying about using scraps to create a thing of beauty. I use to make cloth purses and sell them at a tea shop I worked at. I enjoyed the process so much.
Thank you all for your comments. I’ve been working on the new bag this week and hope to have it on the blog Monday or Tuesday. I am really happy with the leather–just working on the lining now and hoping to put a compartment inside for an ipad.
xine