Thursday, March 19, 2009

Spring

Last weekend I had the joy of losing myself in a project. And here it is. Seeing as tomorrow is the official start of spring, this seems like a lovely way to celebrate.

And because of people's generosity with their button collections, I no longer feel the need to hoard the ones that make my heart go pitter patter. I simply sew them on with wild abandon and send them out to live a second or third life of wonder.

I love this inside piece- a gift from Kim Z, and one that I've waited for the perfect oppurtunity to use. It's perfect with a piece from mrs Rickert- the sort of crush velveteen green.
The side panel pockets are ones that I find I don't use much myself, so I've taken to making these two pockets just beneath the flap. They work well for cell phones, keys, and the like.

Looks like spring, doesn't it? Especially with some of the last bits of that wonderful green chennille.

The inside was just as much fun to put together. That really nifty square bit of seeming incompatable green pieces came from a curtain that I discovered at the local charity shop. ;)

And I never seem to get enough of those fabulous 1970's flowers. In fact, I just picked up a queen size at the thrify gift on Tuesday. Lots of fun spring pieces still to come...

I really enjoyed planting this tree on a delicate hanky with tatting along the edge. Such a juxtaposition of art forms. The delicate, highly detailed work of the tat embroiding alongside the goofy tree and loud fun-loving buttons.


Just look at those delicious fabrics.

The orange side of the handle is a beach wrap, I believe. A lovely, bright, airy piece of fabric.

That lilac button? A Christmas gift from my wonderfully artistic daughter Jane. She is so very thoughtful.

And that? A gift from my inspired, inspiring friend Lory. She made it using plastic from a strawberry container which apparently works the same as that shrinky dink stuff that you pay a fortune for at Michaels. Isn't that the sweetest thing? I must have been in a very joyful, generous mood on Saturday, putting all that fantastic stuff on one bag!


Yup. I may be crazy. And tortured. But I find incredible pockets of joy.
So do we/are we all, is what I like to imagine.
This bag was sheer joy to create. And I like to look at it and believe in hope and a future. It reminds me of a creative God. Good people. Hope for spring in all the seasons of our lives.
I'm willing to start bids on today's bag at $35, just to make us all even happier. I'll keep it up until tomorrow morning at 7:00 am, cst. remember that if you like the bag, and you're up at midnight or so, don't hesitate to leave a bid. So far, no one actually gets up in the wee hours to bid these babies up....
Happy Spring.

23 comments:

Karla said...

Are you kidding me?? What a whimsical piece of loveliness!!

Ariel Gordon said...

Lovely!

momofmany said...

Just what I need to put some spring into my step!! $75

Kelli Moore said...

I'll start the $35. :) You're right, Joyce. It just seems happy. It's like the kind of bag that you just can't look at and not smile.

Melissa said...

What are the chances that your friend Lory might share her wisdom about strawberry container shrink art? (PS - Super cute button tree!)

Anonymous said...

This bag is awesome! It reminds me of the new Easter dresses my sisters and I got every spring. Good job!

PamJ said...

This is the perfect bag to get spring going! Love it Joyce.

gophercheeks said...

Hahaha.... you said shrinky dink!!!!!
Hahahaha




I feel happier after just seeing this beautiful bag!! If I wouldn't have scooped up 'Birdie' earlier this week I would stay up late tonight to go for this one. Looks like momofmany really needs this bag!
Thanks for the cheery start to spring.

jb said...

this bag is so so lovely. :) those buttons are fab!!

Anonymous said...

Really cute bag. I don't think I read the size - sorry if I missed it.

Looks sort of medium'ish to me (medium'ish is a size, isn't it?).

Karen T.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE that button tree.

Betty said...

So pretty. Definitely a spring bag.

Melissa said...

I love this one :) One of these days I am going to bid and win one of these bags! I am also interested in the shrinky-dink secret.

svea said...

ooo i love this one, i love spring and I love my friend Joyce =)spring is almost here, just a few more hours yippeeeee, now if only the weather will cooperate perfectly with us,

joyce said...

I am a moron. I have made assumptions before and been wrong, and I've just done it again! Greetings, Melissa #1 and Melissa #2 , who I both times thought was Melissa #3 who I happen to know...

good grief. How silly of me!

the plastic art as I remember it... (Lory if you log on, please tell us the proper way)
You can use recyclables #7 plastic, I believe. The type of clear container that strawberries or croissants would come in. You rough it up with sand paper, then use fine tip markers to do your drawing. if you want it to have holes later, ie button holes, then use a hole punch in the appropriate spaces. Bake your designs on a baking sheet at low heat and watch it shrink! if it curls, I remember Lory using a utensil to encourage it to lie back down. That may be inadequate info... let's hope Lory logs on! I'll send her an e-mail and write it up as a post when I get a minute.

It makes pretty cool stuff for very little money.

Anonymous said...

Hi... what a wonderful 'spring' tree... honestly Joyce, I know shrinky dink, but I think one of the kids made the butterfly... ?
but, i do forget more than I remember.
Shrinky dink. it was a stumble discovery. it is number 6 plastic. in the triangle. H. and I have experimented with other numbers, and they do not work.
you can buy at Michael's and of course they have lots of choices... colors... printer friendly etc.... H. won't use - b/c it loses the eco appeal!
sand it. draw/write on it. bake at ? I think it said 250, but we went with 325 F. faster was better. hole punch before baking.
the shrink is alarming... but the recovery is ~fun to watch... ie. curls outside first.
as you know... hole punch for charm... or button etc.
and oh I could go on..
equally free and fun... fusing plastic. 'free fabric'
love love the tree.
(and the bird branch...
smiling for 'spring'
Boler B.

Anonymous said...

Wow Joyce this must be one of the ones you were telling me about. I can't believe you posted it.
I want it so bad but am presently holding a beauty that I only get to hold for another week. Is it really bad that I've put all of my stuff into it just for a little while? Carrie will love it, thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

$85

mmichele said...

That's the way, AP!

lettuce said...

this is really gorgeous Joyce - you get better and better

:-)

momofmany said...

100$

joyce said...

hey mom of! You got it. Bright and early bird gets the tree.

e-mail me (re-joyce@mts.net) and let me know where you are.

Roo said...

WOW!!!!!! THIS IS AMAZING!!! love love love.