The tote bag goes to...

Thank you all for participating in my giveaway. It was so much fun! As I mentioned yesterday I decided to hand pick the winning entry myself :) I allocated a number to each of your comments in consecutive order (1 through 71), printed them, cut them out, and folded them up. I put all the numbers in my pink polka-dot box. Now, find out who the lucky winner is... I will be contacting the winner by email shortly! And to everyone else - there's always a next time :)

'Lovely Purses' Giveaway!

Hi everybody! From today, 18th October, until Sunday, 25th October you have a chance to win this tote bag - designed and made by me! Everyone is welcome to join. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post including your contact information! The bag measures approximately 30 x 22 x 10 cm (12 x 8.5 x 4 inches), and is made from a rich, dark brown fabric featuring tumbling flowers and leaves and delightful birds! It is fully lined with a dark brown soft linen and includes a zippered pocket. Those handles are real bamboo - not plastic. It closes with a magnetic snap button. I will ship this bag via registered mail to wherever you happen to live, but please be aware that certain countries may levy custom-related taxes/duties, for which I'm not responsible. Meanwhile, I wish you all a pleasant Sunday and good luck!!

We're going on vacation soon!

Well, my doc gave me the green light yesterday. As long as I feel the way I do now, on the meds I'm taking, everything should be fine. He even mentioned reducing the dosage when I get back. So, I have one more week of work and getting everything in order - then we're gone for two weeks! This'll be the longest vacation since our last one eight years ago. I can't wait. I'll be taking along this new shopping tote. It's nice and roomy for all the souvenirs I might pick up here and there :) There was some fabric left, which I used to make a detachable flower brooch. Here it's pinned to the bag... ...or you can make a fashion statement by attaching it to your shirt or jacket lapel! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Pretty kitties

Now this simple tote was one of the first bags I have ever made. I've had that cat panel for ages, and it was originally destined to become a cushion cover, however I changed my mind: with everyone - myself included - leaning on it, I wouldn't be able to see much of those cute kitties, would I? I'm rather partial to fabrics featuring cats ☺, and I have another bag I will show case here as soon as I have made proper photos - made from an interesting gobelin fabric with a whole bunch of lovely cats! Today being the last school day of this year, I can already hear a few moms sighing relief from the daily school runs! Everything is slowing down here, and I also look forward to a much needed break!

Kimono Girl

This bag is a tribute to Asia, where I have lived, worked and made wonderful friends! I was inspired to make this bag by that cute little ribbon you see in the close up. I've had that ribbon stored in a box and recently re-discovered it when I was looking for something else! This tote is pretty large at approx. 14 x 13 inches (not including the handles). I made it a rounded shape to reflect the round floral pattern of the blue fabric, which coincidentally matches the blue of my ribbon exactly. The top part is a whimsical red fabric with an all-over pattern, also inspired by the red fan in the ribbon. The bamboo handles are store-bought. For the interfacing I have used canvas, which makes this bag pretty sturdy. The inside is a creamy cotton featuring two pockets made from the same red fabric as on the top front. Just looking at it takes me back to those fun times I had in Asia...watching the sunset on the beach, taking a stroll in the Japanese Garden, shopping at the market on Saturdays...sigh.

'Tis the season of peace...

What do you do if a 15 year old asks you (no, begs you), to make her a COOL tote bag? The first thing you do is go to the kiosk around the corner and buy a teen-magazine. The next thing is to sit in a café and surreptitiously eye the outfits of passing teenage girls. Take note of the colours and patterns of their pants, the buttons on their bags, their hair accessories. Then quickly go home and sketch the first ideas that spring to mind. This is what I came up with: I don't normally design bags with teenagers in mind, so this was definitely a challenge. The pink peace sign is appliquéd on the front. Hubby sent me an image of the peace sign via email which I then printed out for reference. I'm embarrassed to admit that I wasn't exactly sure which way up it was! I've added two pockets inside for the ubiquitous cell phone and other stuff a teenage girl can't leave home without! The straps are extra wide and padded, as is the entire bag. The inside lining is a sturdy canvas. I hope I got it right?!

Funky Circles

Did I mention I just love circles, dots...polka dots... mini dots...in fact dots in all sizes! Of course, I just had to buy this funky circles fabric - red, pink, brown circles in various sizes on a pale blue background. If you look really closely, the background has an overlay of almost transparent white polka dots. I teamed it up with a solid chocolate brown, medium-weight cotton, and I matched the lining in brown with irregular shaped, all-over dots. You can see it peeking out at the top edge. Simply dotty! The inside features two pockets for keeping your mobile phone and/or wallet and/or mp3 player. Two sturdy, faux-leather handles in brown complete this bag (which is padded for softness and stability). Measurement approx. 29.5 x 23 x 8 cm or 11.5 x 9 x 3.5 inches. I made this bag for an acquiantance who happens to be crazy about dots too!

Tote Bag

I finally finished this custom-made tote bag for M.W. I normally specialize in smaller purses and make up bags, but M wanted something large enough to carry A4-type files and notebooks in. This bag measures approx. 30 cm x 35 cm x 8 cm - the perfect size for anything A4, plus it has two pockets for a wallet and mobile phone on the inside. It can be easily carried over the shoulder; the straps are padded for extra softness and are not too long - which is usually a problem for someone smaller than the 'average' 1.68cm. The top part of this bag is a gorgeous rose fabric in sugar pink and red from the Tilda series. It is stunning and a real eye-catcher. I teamed it with a rich, dark chocolate brown. The lining is a crisp pink and white stripe. As a final touch, I embellished it with a little 'strawberry' button. I will be making something similar in different colour variations soon, but for now I'm focussing on smaller bags...besides I have my translation work to take care of, too, and there just isn't enough time for bigger projects at the moment. More's the pity...