It's Like Christmas!

We received a fabulous package today from a Mr. Paddy Hartley, and we couldn't be more thrilled. Paddy makes wallets, and he sells them on Etsy. I have to say, that I am really astounded by how perfect they are. They're smooth, and the craftsmanship is tight and perfect. Paddy does a stellar job, and y'all should check his shop out.

He'll also be in New York soon, speaking about Project Facade . Paddy's like totally famous, and you should check him out while you still can.

madebypaddy.etsy.com
madebypaddy.com

Hits and Misses

These bags represent what we've done since yesterday. I also had some really thick leather, and I made two wallets from it. I like them well enough, but the leather was so thick, it caused the machine to skip stitches on the corners, so I won't be listing them anywhere. I've decided that I won't sew that leather anymore on the machine. It seduces me every time I go to buy purse hardware, and I must remember what an asshole it is.

I'm starting some Halloween planning. I love Halloween.

Camel Toe Shall Be My Own

Inspired by Sailor Jerry's bizarre and prolific use of camel toe in his tattoo flash, Randi hand painted and constructed this fine specimen. It's also a nod to our home town, Newark, Ohio. The ladies there feather their hair with combs stuck in the back pockets of camel toe jeans, and they apologize to no one. This one's for you.

Linen: Good for the Soul

I've spent a couple days working this design out, and I'm pretty happy with it. I am especially fond of the boxed/patch pocket treatment, and I think this particular design element has endless possibilities. The front pockets snap, the side ones zip, and are just big enough for my cell phone. I added a zippered pocket in the lining, but I set it higher, and designed it so it created another pocket that things can just slide into. I had my JoAnn's ad in mind here. This bag is mine. It's a prototype also.

I also sent in my 500 Handbags entry last week. I've been nagging Randi like an old lady to get hers sent, because she hasn't done it yet.

I think I might become a Shintoist. They seem to have their shit straight.

Mammal

This is so fucked up and awesome. We love this one. Right now, we have a few bags in the works that may or may not get us kicked off of Etsy. Usually, when the ideas make us laugh so hard we can't breathe, we know we have to make them.

Start

Randi made this little gem. It's inspired by the Super Mario world, and the pockets on the front are seriously groundbreaking. She's all up in your ass with this one. Check our Flickr for more photographs.


I made these. They were done last night, but I wanted to wash them to make them shrink before I stuffed them. I put the buttons in today. I also painted my garage doors, and built a new place to take photographs. I used some MDF and bead board I had hanging around, and I painted it a very light blue. I love the concept, and it works really well, but we'll see how the color works out. I would have liked to have brighter light, but it was later when I took these. I'm greasy and have paint in my hair.

White Trash Third Nipple

Randi made this. It's a cat belly. It's also a purse. The teats, or nipples, are made from pink Ultrasuede. It's a little obscene and very funny. She had the idea to make something like this with three nipples and call it "White Trash Third Nipple". It seems like we have a lot of white-trash friends who have third nipples. I don't know what that's about.

This purse was a custom order. I love the way it turned out. I have another purse cut out and started, as well as a couple throw pillows. I might keep them all, I don't know.

Golden Bugs

Randi has started her Golden Bug series. Using a side quest from The Legend Of Zelda as inspiration, she’s handcrafting golden bugs and reinterpreting them in handbags. This is the second installment, and I think the little bug compartment is perfect, almost ethereal.

I’ve been working on exciting projects as well, but I can’t quite talk about them yet, and frankly it’s taking me down. I’m excited, and I can’t keep secrets.

We also went to the Rose Festival today. I took quite a few photographs, and I plan to use them for some projects.

Radish Spirits, Squeeze Frames

RED! I made two of these yesterday. I love the red the most. I also got a purse-hardware shipment which included some fantastic little squeeze frames. I've been making little radish spirit purses, but I've had to hold back a little, because it would be easy to fill my shop with them. I also made salamander sleeping pants for my husband. You'll just have to imagine them for right now.

It's summer finally, my kids swim all day and I sew, and then we all eat things like barbecued chicken off the grill. I'm having a pretty good time.

My Chair Is Done

I just finished this about 20 minutes ago. My house is a mess because this is all I did today. I still need to glue gimp (trim) around the arms, but I didn't have any that matched right now.

Kicking Asses, Taking Names

This is the progress I've made on my chair. I finished all the frame work, I stained and polyurethaned the feet, and I put the springs in. Today I made the attached cushion for the seat. It's filled with loose foam. There is no padding on the frame yet, so that's why it looks weird. Plus none of it is stapled down yet. I think I'm going to tuft the seat to keep the foam from migrating. The back cushion is for tomorrow, and it will definitely be tufted.

I made this little gal yesterday. It's linen, ticking and 1940's era reproduction prints left over from a couple quilts I made for my kids. I'm keeping the reason I made it under my hat for awhile.

Soap is a Salt

Randi made this to take on her student-teaching adventures. It's a leg with an astro-turf top. I'm pretty sure the red brocade was left over from a Halloween costume I made. Maybe not, I can't remember.

I have been planting things, and making a lot of soap. I planted 40 Impatiens (all started from seed), two days ago. I woke up to a jerk squirrel tossing them about like his own personal snacks. I replanted what he didn't eat, and now I'm short 12 plants. I started those fucking plants in March godammit.

Plans, Executed

I made these yesterday. Sometimes I see an image of something, or read about it, and get a great deal of satisfaction from making it real. It's the closest I've ever come to magic, or experiencing another dimension. I think that's why I like to make things. It makes me feel like a super-hero, like I can manipulate my surroundings.