Recycled Banner Tote bag

After the Self Portrait Show at Two Twelve Art Center, I received the portion of the used publicity banner bearing my self portrait.

So I created a tote bag!

Using old colored canvas material I had on hand, I created the tote based on the size of my banner piece and some borders.  then I created a log cabin block to the same dimensions for the back side.

I also tried my hand at my first log cabin block.

  The extent of my previous tote-making has been out of recycled dog food bags and bird seed bags.  Pretty basic as you can see.

However, there are some really good tutorials online.  I recommend this one. 
These are the instructions I used and can be made to any size.  Happy creating!

Another Short Story Bracelet

In honor of Oxford Bound Bakery, I've created one of my short story bracelets especially for Shelby (Alexandra) to inspire her during all the hard work she is about to embrace! I call it, "England was calling her home".

What's really fun about these handmade, grunge-style, mini art pieces is that they are collages made from dog food bags and other upcycled materials; including labels from bags of oranges, old unappreciated art pieces, bits of leftover beads and lace...you get the idea.

I have quite a few started for various members of my family.  Each is unique to the intended individual, as the short story must be something significant to their life in 4-6 words.  I made one for myself called, "I am my daddy's girl".  It is still in the flat stage which is what I refer to them before stitching, beading, padding, and embellishing.

Shelby has requested some general short story bracelets to sell at the market.  Although they shall be a bit less personal, read: less meaningful, they are cute and quirky and hopefully as interesting to potential shoppers as they are to me!

Bracelet blanks.  Here you can get a better idea of the recycled bits; from dogfood bags, calendar pages, dictionary pages, and slide transparencies to name a few.

Here are three blanks that I turned into collage bracelets.