So I thought it would be fun since on mondays I do the Monday Moodboard, to also do "thrifty finds" post each week (or most weeks).. that kept in theme with the color scheme of our Monday Moodboard. This week was a Garden Popply theme (shown here) . I think normally I will do it earlier in the week, so that ON friday I can show you what I made with the finds.. but this week it's gonna be today!
I love shopping at thrift shopping! I love antique stores (though most are way to pricey for me), I love going to garage sells.. and I love love love second hand stores. Yesterday My husband and I had to take a trip to our local thrift store to drop off 8 boxes of clothes, toys and bedding that we cleaned out my three youngest boys' room last Saturday. (I can't even believe they still have stuff left in their room but they do.. 8 boxes! Crazy!!!). While we ben was dropping off the boxes, I of course had to make my contribution to the establishment and buy something (you can't go away empty handed.. if you are going to donate.. you always have to buy.. isn't that the rule? lol).
This first find is a set of classes I got.. $.25 cent each.. not too shabby . They had 6 of them, I only bought four.. hum.. don't know what I was thinking.
This next find is a totally cool vintage basket.. in gold (yes gold.. its coming back in.. didn't you know?) that I got for $1.00. You might ask if I am going to "restyle" it.. and the answer is nope! I actually seriously love it the dirty gold color.Yum!
The last set of finds were some cool books (some vintage, some I just loved the colors of them). Books are great for alot of things: you can stack them on a shelf, you can use them for height and interest when taking pictures, but the reason I bought them was to use them on my art. LOVE using book sheets as background on my art. The books were $.25 to $1.00 each. I also picked up this dang cute corderouy dress. It might need a project restyle.. not sure, haven't tried it on yet. BUT if it doesn't fit, I thought it would make really cute pillows for my couch! If I do, I will let you know ;). The dress cost me$ .75 cents! SERIOUSLY!! They were having a bargain basement sell, where anything you can fit into a bag, cost you $4.00. I got this dress, 2 suits jackets to make purses out of, a red candy strip dress (I think I will restyle into an apron) and a sweater. $4.00 bucks for all of that! Great deal!
I love the thrifty finds I found this week! I also found some awesome stuff for next weeks Moodboard theme.. oh I can't wait to share!
Well last friday on Project Restyle, when I showed you how to make a bag out of a man's suit coat, (shown here), I also promised you that this week I would giveaway a bag I recently made. It's also perfect for this week because it's bright bold colors.
I made this bag originally for me (hence the gazillion pockets). I measured out my wallet, my phone, my sunglasses case, my lipstick.. you name it, I made a pocket for it.
I also used alot of fun prints on this! Florals, text, zebra, dots..
I love peekaboo prints.. prints that are differnt on one side from the other. The outside of the handles are the green zebra and the inside are a black floral print.
I really love how it turned out!
I used the Amy Butler Birdie Sling pattern for this, and after the bag was finished, it was just bigger than I expected it to be (I even scaled down the pattern by like a third!). I tried using it once and it was just too big for everyday use ( but it would be perfect for traveling or someone taller than 5' 2" tall! lol)! So it has sat, unused hanging up in my studio.. ready for a loving home.
If you would like to have a chance of this purse finding it's way to you.. simply post on today's blog post about what inspires YOU? Can't wait to hear! I will announce a winner Monday!
Happy friday!
I am always inspired by nature...birds, gardens, etc. Also old quaint churches. I am inspired by vintage clothing and jewelry and love getting my hands on old letters...especially love letters from another time. Love all of your ideas and am excited about the mixed media workshop.
Posted by: Barbara Messina | February 12, 2011 at 08:02 PM
This bag is marvelous!!! LOVE all of the pockets and colors
Posted by: Amy | January 18, 2011 at 09:18 PM
love the bag!!
Posted by: Melisa | January 17, 2011 at 09:33 AM
what inspires me? the fact that I am 5'10" and i could pull of this bag!!!!!
you inspire me. seriously. i went over and wrote on the chalkboard "today skirts" as i have a small pile of sweet fabric waiting for me to make skirts for my girlies. they wear them proudly, so i make them happily.
ah! now i need time to play with some bag ideas.
you truly rock!
~j
Posted by: jamie | January 17, 2011 at 06:53 AM
That bag is sooooo cute! I love words as pattern, I love to use old books, music sheets in my crafts. I am inspired by colors and others work online in magazines etc. Thanks for the giveaway!
Hugz
Pam
Posted by: pam allen | January 17, 2011 at 03:07 AM
Oh Christy, I just love that bag. It would be the perfect late birthday gift:) I get inspired by all the fun crafty stuff I see and just pray that one day I'll be able to enjoy doing crafts again. In the past couple months honestly, your collage work has really been inspiring me, I have been loving all the art you've been doing. I was so thankful for your tutorial and I am going to watch it over and over again until I create a collage. That is my number one goal for 2011. Also, Melody's videos she did the past couple weeks have been helping me to get more inspired and motivated. Winning this bag would make me so happy and really inspire me because everytime I looked at it and used it I would think of you and all your beautiful art work!!
Posted by: Dawn B | January 17, 2011 at 12:25 AM
DIG THIS BAG!!!!!!!!!
my kids, hubby, music, friends, amazing creative souls who follow and trust their path....inspire, inspire, inspire!!!
oxoxo
k
Posted by: kolleen | January 16, 2011 at 09:55 PM
Holy cow! That is seriously the CUTEST purse I have ever seen! Great job!!!
Posted by: Laura Sexton | January 16, 2011 at 09:35 PM
beautiful lovely bag. I am inspired by people of great personality, colors, things such as magazines around me. The little details always inspire me..
Posted by: Madeline | January 16, 2011 at 08:03 PM
My son!! Right now he is building an entire replica of a Pacman arcade screen out of clay on our dining room table. Clay is spread out everywhere. I LOVE it!!! Thanks for this great giveaway Christy. The bag is GORGEOUS. :)
Posted by: Jamie K | January 16, 2011 at 02:48 PM
What an ADORABLE bag! So cute! I love all the different patterns and colors! LOVE IT!
I'm inspired by lots of things. It's hard to choose. I think feelings guide me the most. If I see it and the feeling strikes me that it's good, the inspiration grows. I'm definitely inspired by good friends and family members. Working and single mothers amaze me... I'm very inspired by all they endure and accomplish. There's just so much good in the world to inspire us! We just need to be on the lookout for it!
Posted by: Natalie | January 16, 2011 at 01:54 PM
Amazing!!!!! I love everything you come up with!
Posted by: Amy Harrison | January 16, 2011 at 10:18 AM
What a cute bag! Crafty people inspire me! Thanks for a chance to win :)
Posted by: DeVonne LaDue | January 16, 2011 at 08:47 AM
I am inspired by scrapbook papers and embellishments and by the colors of yarn I use when knitting or crocheting.
This bag would be so helpful to me in my needlework projects. I have three going right now and sometimes lose my way. The designs and colors on it made me smile.
Posted by: Karen Tatro | January 16, 2011 at 06:47 AM
WOW! Christy - you are a great inspiration to us all!!! I get inspired by the things around me, looking at ways to use everyday items in a different way. The net is inspiring too, finding all manner of things...have you ever just typed in a word you were thinking about into google?? It is fun to see the results! Keep on inspiring us all Christy - thanks!
Posted by: Mandy C | January 16, 2011 at 12:27 AM
Nature inspires me...so many beautiful creations! A never-ending supply!
The bag is wonderful!
Posted by: Katherine Lee | January 15, 2011 at 11:12 PM
My sister inspires me. She is person with Down Syndrome. You will never find her without markers, paper, scissors and glue in her spare time. She loves to create and she is my number one critic of color choices. She has always been a scrap booking artist but not in the way most of us think. She uses magazine pictures of her favorite country artists and creates color and imagination pages with love for the artist in mind. She really enjoys looking at my scrap designs and sharing that special time with me creating something memorable together...like sisters should.
Posted by: Renee Hicks | January 15, 2011 at 07:23 PM
I love the bag! It sings of my style. You are full of endless surprizes! luv it!
Posted by: Renee Hicks | January 15, 2011 at 07:13 PM
Love the vibrant colors of the bag. Nature and its colors are a lot of my inspiration. This comes thru in my scrapbooking, as well as my home. Oh yeah, and my 2 beautiful grandchildren are also a BIG inspiration.
Posted by: Faith Tankersley | January 15, 2011 at 05:59 PM
This bag is awesome. Love the color, pattern and texture combination. Would love to own this!!
Posted by: sherry | January 15, 2011 at 04:08 PM