Being a Maker

 I hadn't done any bag making for awhile, focusing more on Mail Art and knitting, but during the chilly be-in-the-house-all day weather, I decided to sew.

I have lots of vintage linen dish towels with the plan to make them into little bags.

Here's what the most recent ones look like.

 I have to find some BIG colorful buttons for them.

A Maker has to make, anything, something, always. I first heard the term Maker at a ceramics gallery in London in 2011. The woman explained that it's the term that is being used now for crafts people. I loved it. It's so encompassing. When I returned home, I had a new rubber stamp made - Maker in Residence USA, replacing my Artist in Residence stamp. I'm hearing this word a lot now and am happy that it's become THE word. Maybe you'll use it, if you don't already, to describe yourself.

My sister had sent me a souvenir towel from a trip she'd made to Spain many years ago. I was able to make 3 bags from the towel, one of which went to her. This one from the center area with the figures is the one I sent her.

Here are the other two bags plus a few of my purses for change made from a vintage linen napkin. I gave my Spanish teacher friend the one that "says" ESP (on the front) and AÑA (on the reverse.) This was the only way to get the design on the bag and it makes me laugh.  My friend liked it very much.

Here's Bizoo, He love sleeping on the radiator in my studio, tucking himself under the shelf. The little figure behind him is watching him!

I have to share our grand girl with you. She looks older than her 11 months, with the fluffy jacket we got for her, and which she likes a lot. She's holding her "baby head" which was a piece of Mail Art that I received from someone. It's laminated and was sent through the mail just like that - Zinn even likes the reverse with the postage stamps on it. She says Baby very clearly. Bay-bee! Okay, so we're smitten.