My latest "thing" is to make handbags and messenger bags out of recycled items from thrift stores. Specifically, I'm using trenchcoats, leather coats, shirts or skirts and felted wool sweaters.  I stumbled upon a sale at the 11th Ave Value Village on my most recent trip to Seattle and they had a EVERYTHING with a blue tag for 99 cents!  Yikes!  I had to buy a suitcase there just so I had something to carry all of my coat and sweater purchases back to the condo in and, ultimately, onto the plane and home.  

When I was in Vancouver BC last week, I went to a organic clothing store on Granville Island and saw a messenger bag made from a London Fog trenchcoat and 70's leather skirt and the shopkeeper and I started talking about how cool her merchandise is.  I told her I like thrifting and making new items out of them and she encouraged me to start making them and marketing them because it's a really "hot" thing right now that lots of people are asking for.  She inspired me to quit thinking about it and start doing it!!!  I also went into a store with "travel purses" that were made from bits of rugs from some country (I can't believe I can't remember it) and leather.  GORGEOUS.  Useful as the bags were small enough to be easy to carry in a over the head sling style bag, but big enough and with enough pockets for money, id, credit cards and YOUR PASSPORT!  Great idea.

I spoke to a girlfriend in SoCal and she is starting to buy vintage fabric (mostly sheets) and making cloth grocery bags for herself, family and friends.  She said I was her inspiration and that is exciting.

Gotta get back to washing/shrinking all those thrifted item and get to cutting and sewing those bags.