I am chocolate ice. My little bottom is icy blue suede and my silky top has meandering embroidered ice blue squiggles. I am an all about town size about 18"w x12"tall, Moon Bag size. My half moon shaped top automatically snaps closed for safety when you have me on your arm.
I am the perfect fall bag. So, perfect in fact my mommy almost does not want to let me go.
Alas, if I am destined to come to your place, just email. pslowey@indy.rr.com
Smoky Teal
Teal is not a color I thought I would ever swoon for. But this bag in all it's rich chocolate brown chenille softness with the hint of smoky teal makes me swoon. It is headed of to a dear friend, but I love this material so much I'd love to make it up for someone else. It is 17" wide and 13 1/2" tall with 23" handles. It is heavily interfaced and will stand up on it's own. It also features a gorgeous horizontal bone button and an inside magnetic snap for safety while carrying.
The trims that set it off are a silky green ribbon and light brown fancy brocade trim that is sewn along the top of the bag. Oh, be still my heart.
Let me know if I can make you a smoky teal.
Late Summer Creamscicle
This bag can only be described as an orange juice tribute to Liz Claiborne, who passed away recently by the way. Did you know that bit 'o trivia? It is her material after all.
The inside is lined with more silky orange check and the two fabrics are set off with a brown polka dot ribbon. It is held together at the top with a hand covered orange material button! So pretty. It is summer elegance at it's best.
Miss Summer Creamsicle is 16" wide and 15" tall. She has a large inside pocket.
Friday night's "How To Make A Funky Tote Bag" was a success. Six ladies arrived with material, beading, interfacing, and trim in hand. They schleped their sewing machines in from the warm summer's night and plopped them right down on a craft table and appeared eager to get to work. 
Everyone had different levels of experience and a few were able to burn through my tutorial. A few more hadn't used a sewing machine since the 10th grade and had only bygone memories of failed skirt projects from Home Economics classes in the mid 1980's.
Six hours later, yes six hours, everyone left with a completed tote bag. I was thrilled to see the fabrics chosen, gave me some good ideas for future projects. I was merely there to advise and guide when questions arose, they really did the entire project all by themselves.
Boy was I tired at midnight as the last tote bag danced off into the star lit sky. So tired and keyed up all at the same time, couldn't even fall asleep until 2am. Ugh..... The Muffin Man thinks me insane to teach a class for 6 hours straight.
But, alas. It was good experience for me. I enjoyed each and every lady and their projects too. Would I do it again? Ugh, maybe with a tweak or two.
I was perusing one of my favorite fabric shops a few weeks ago and stumbled on the prettiest black and white summer weight material. I loved it but simply couldn't justify buying it since I am now buying fall materials for bags the esty shop,
two purse parties coming up in August and September and the possibility of me convincing some local shop owners to let me consign a few bags here and there.
I walked away without the lovely black and white material. Sniff Sniff.
Then I got an email a few days later from a lady wanting two coordinating black and white tote bags. Would I have any ideas for a black and white combo? Check would be coming forthwith.
Uh, yes. I have just the black and white combo in mind. I skipped all the way back to the store for the lovely coordinating black and white.
And here they are. All done and ready to be packaged up for their flight to Arizona.
I am in the middle of another smaller purse sized bag with black fuzzies at the top made out of the same material. It's not sold yet, I'm just making it up for fun. I will post it's picture soon. Let me know if you'd like it and it's yours. Otherwise I pop it on esty and see what happens.
Peace, love and happiness. This little dress and handbag for an almost 2 year old were so fun to make.
I found the batik material in a matching yellow, blue and red combination.
The little girl's mom asked for a peace sign and flowers. Of course this dress has flower power since it has more flowers appliqued on the back.
Hopefully the little hippie gal will swing the bag over her shoulder and flip the stereo to the Grateful Dead while dancing to Truckin' in her living room.
Peace to all the people and do no harm while applique'ing on tye-dye.
In my younger days, when I was a gainfully employed member of this household I worked teaching adults to use computer software for several years. I loved it. The biggest and bluest of corporations paid me better than decent money to sit around with some darling co-workers and devise really great ways to entertain clients and thinly disguise my work as actually teaching them something they could use and would be happy to pay $200 an hour for. They also paid my way to globe trot a bit, which at the time I considered a huge perk of the job...Spain, Vancouver and Sydney, AUS? Sure sign me up. I only got a wee bit surly when I had to hit Rock Island, IL for a few weeks after seeing Germany. Even though I only got wind of two German airports which were less than a ride at the State Fair, Rock Island was shall we say....Rock Island.
While at the pool a few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a neighbor who lives in the next carefully planned suburban development down the way. She told me she loved my bags "good ego stroke there" and would I ever consider teaching a class? Just a short class on how to make one of my basic tote bags.
Ok, I jumped at the chance, even agreeing to a ridiculously low tutorial fee. Some of you may be thinking, "Look deary, if you tell them the closely kept double secret they will be making their own damn bags and will buy nothing from you. Nincompoop." I know, I know. I've mentioned my class to a few friends and have been nicely reprimanded. However, and this is a huge however, I like to teach. I'm even fairly good at it. Cough. I also like the opportunity to polish, or rather dust off an old skill.
In addition, this whole Perrin runs a business business is going rather well as I make a concerned effort to work from my heart. I use my creativity freely and trust the Universe has plans for my nimble fingers and meager mind. Or is it the other way around with the fingers and mind? I gotta say I never worked like this in my previous job. I pushed and cajoled my way into more money and more power. And low and behold my body practically broke from the stress. I seriously want to give this "it's all good and do what you love the money will come" mentality a chance. Yes, I also understand it is pretty darn easy for me when the Muffin Man is taking care of that pesky little thing called the mortgage but I'm trying spirit filled existence nonetheless.
So, the class is July 20th and there are 8 people signed up to learn how to make a bag. 8 whole people, people. I have to admit I'm a wee bit excited. I whipped up a written tutorial, just like the instructional design olden days. It has a pink border, ha!
I'm off to photograph pictures to insert in the tutorial. Whee.
