gorgeous buttons

in my quest to produce knitted accessories that have texture and versatility,  i am always searching for perfect buttons and fasteners. 
i wanted to spotlight the buttons that I source from etsy seller: a remark you made

these buttons are hand crafted from a tree branch of a fallen maple tree in hopes of giving it a second chance at life.  they are absolutely stunning!  the marbling and neutral colors give wood an expensive look. you can find them on my londonderry scarf which doubles as a wrap and as an option for my manchester circle scarf.  one button on each piece is hand stamped with the bungaloe logo.

i got a TRI POD!!!

finally! now that i have been knitting up cowls and scarves i realized that my arm is only so long.  i feel really dumb taking pics by myself when i am outside and my neighbors are probably looking at me like i am nuts, but that's all part of the fun of running your own online store i guess.  oh and here are new items from my shop!

i'm so excited...and i just can't hide it

fresh off my fingers is bungaloe's newest design: meander - a chunky cable knit cowl.  i named it that because the cable patterns remind me of a meandering river: twisty and turny and soothing.  in the front is a cable pattern and around the back and sides it is a seed stitch.  the way this cowl lays is almost like a necklace, a really chunky, warm cozy necklace.  i love the way it came out. 
get one if you like at my etsy store.  you can find a color chart there if you would like to order this piece in another color.

delicioustown

i LOVE stuffed mushrooms.  i am a grazer. by that i mean that i really love to open the fridge and eat little bites all day.  i have to stock good food in my fridge so i don't end up with a mack truck on my belly.  and cut up veggies does not do it for me most of the time. 'oh yeah just snack on carrots and celery and peppers' BORING.  so i decided to start making healthy appetizers that i could just reach in the fridge and mow on without cooking.

here is my healthier spin on stuffed mushrooms, in lieu of traditional  bread crumbs they are stuffed with zucchini, almond meal and ezekiel bread crumbs.  with this recipe as a base you can do anything from here.  add crab, top with mozzerella if you don't care about calories.......

{ezekiel bread is a flourless bread made from sprouted grains}

one package of white button mushrooms or baby bellas
olive oil
2-3 cloves of chopped fresh garlic
2-3 tbsp of chopped onion
1 small or half of a large zucchini
1/2 - 3/4 cup of almond meal
1 broken up slice of ezekiel bread you can omit this for a total grain free version
salt or optional parmesan cheese
{i prefer locatelli over everything!} - the cheese is salty, use one or the other

set oven for bake at 350.  clean mushrooms out to accommodate stuffing, spray a little olive oil in a casserole dish and on the outsides of the mushrooms {get a misto it's the best} set aside.  on a med/low heat pour 3-4 tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan, add chopped zucchini & onions, cook until soft, add the almond meal, bread and garlic.  at this point you can add more almond meal if you'd like it to be more crummy of a stuffing.  cook until the almond meal and breadcrumbs start getting toasty.  turn off heat and add parm cheese to taste {or salt}.  stuff the mushrooms with the delicious mixture, any leftover just sprinkle in the dish around the mushrooms - it won't go to waste trust me!  bake until mushrooms are cooked.  i can't remember how long but they will be brown and mushy and juicy.

loving seed stitch

bibiana is a massive sized beret featuring my much loved seed stitch and a button detail.  this hat will be the perfect addition to your wardrobe for the upcoming fall/winter season.

a perfect winter hat - choose your color

bungaloe's slouchy side button hat can be made in any of these 6 colors! let's get ready for winter!

introducing knitted hats!

i'm super duper excited to introduce knitted hats to the bungaloe store!  i can't say enough how much i also love to knit. it's so calming and grounding.  i look at knitted goods and i automatically get warm & fuzzy both physically and mentally.  i will be looking for new yarn colors and buttons so stay tuned.
to read more about my design please visit my etsy store.

where have i been?

i took a hiatus from bungaloe to GET MARRIED!!  talk about a diy wedding! the reception was on the beach, we rented a HUGE tent, John made the floor, i designed the invites, my family helped me make the favors, there were handwritten signs, i could go on & on.  I'll post more pics soon.

In the month leading up to the wedding, I was crazy busy with all the little details that come up especially when you decide not to have a reception in a hall and you have to put lots of the wedding together yourself.  i also started re-evaluating bungaloe and what i want bungaloe to be. and what i want to be when i "grow up".  i'm still working on that. 

but in the days after the wedding we had some very autumn-like weather and it planted a knitting bug in me.  last winter i designed a slouchy hat that i love.  I designed it because i couldn't find exactly what i wanted in a hat anywhere else.  my mom taught me to knit several years ago and i always looked to knitting as a very relaxing and grounding hobby.  but i love the design i came up with and i decided to add it to my bungaloe store.  with fall coming i think it's a good idea.  maybe bungaloe will turn into a full accessories shop someday.

here come the sun!

I am jumping out of my shoes with excitement!!! bungaloe handbags can be found on poppytalk's here comes the sun market.  it's a summer themed virtual market that is sure to please because i am surrounded by many talented artists.

the broome street clutch has a big sister

i'm sure you are so tired of me posting about new bags, new designs, new colors and all this business.  but i can't help myself, i want to share my happiness in making new things....
the broome street clutch has a big sister now! i think you would love to have a sleek, medium sized hobo that can certainly accompany you during anytime of day while you wear many many different outfits.  it's not too big, not to small, it's got restrained hardware, it's not too flashy, it's got a quiet something going on.  it's in my shop!

WhoooooHoooooo!

I have been featured on Handbag Designer 101 as "Designer of the Day!"
take a look here.

introducing a new color TEAL!!! metallic too

oh man, is this color amazing or what? i've got the super pleated tote and the woven clutch in teal.  new in my shop!  the super pleated tote is a great size for everyday use: work, shopping, lunching etc.

the clutch is a little smaller and converts from a clutch to a shoulder bag, part of the woven collection.

 

broome street clutch in bronze

loving this color! i keep saying it's a fancy neutral and it is.  now the broome street clutch has put on some bronzer for the summer.  use this large envelope-style clutch for everyday, special fun time days - and nights! whoooo hooooo!  also, if you already have your essentials in it from the night before, toss it in your larger work bag the next morning, don't waste time transferring things!! it's a great insert for large bags to keep organized.  it closes with a snap and has two inner pockets with magnetic closures.
for more details please visit my shop.

did someone say....ADJUSTABLE STRAP?!

this is very very exciting for me. have you ever had a clutch and wished it was a shoulder bag or vice versa?  let's face it, girls are incredibly indecisive.  now you can have your cake and eat it too, because most girls can look at cake and not eat it for fear of gaining a few lbs.  or you could liken this bag's versatility to superman.  by day he is an intelligent, good looking writer and by night he is an ultra sexy world saving hero of a man.  this bag is not world saving or an intelligent writer but it IS just as versatile.

the point of this long winded story is that you can now have the super pleated clutch with an adjustable strap that allows you to carry a clutch, wristlet or shoulder bag, plus if you think the strap is too long, just knot up the middle, it also adds another element of design - and it comes in this amazingly fabulous metallic bronze eco-conscience non-pvc faux leather material! and as always it is handmade!

drop by my shop and get yours!

after the decision was made....

i decided to order the bronze metallic fabric.  i felt like it was fun neutral, you could wear this color with many many outfits, and even though the bronze made me think of summer, i think you could carry a bronze bag well into the other seasons.
so here is a prototype of my new line of bags and clutches:

the weaved ones!
i love texture, my goal is that my designs reflect my love of texture in many shapes and forms.  i already have a line of pleated bags and clutches in my arsenal so now it's time to add another texture to bungaloe: weaving.  it's a very special, eye catching kind of texture.  i've made it in a random pattern to give weaving my spin, the metallic faux leather helps to enhance the texture.

this bag is a very large hobo, it's super slouchy and shiny.
-approx 18" wide x 13" high
-organic canvas lining
-magnetic snap closure
-2 inner pockets
-made from eco-friendly faux leather: non-pvc and biodegradable

i'm taking orders if anyone is interested!

decisions decisions decisions

with summer coming i would really like to get some new material for my handbags in the shop.  here are some samples of colors i'm considering: metallic purple, light kiwi and metallic bronze.  this material is made from eco-friendly, biodegradable faux leather.

which one do you like?

i also will be revamping some of my current designs as well as adding new designs like smaller clutches, adding straps to my clutches and so on.  i have A LOT of thinking and designing to do.

be eco conscience, SHOP cosa verde!

i am very very excited!!  you can now find my eco conscience accessories on the cosa verde site!  i am so flattered to be surrounded by such gorgeous eco talent! THANK YOU cosa verde! see my store here.

it's very important to me that bungaloe be as eco as possible while still being fashionable and reflect the style and designs i like.  i didn't want to sacrifice my aesthetic to fit into the mold of what society thinks an eco-friendly person is, acts or should dress like.  my designs are modern & edgy far - from granola (but there is nothing wrong with that!).  although my parents are hippies at heart my mom always dresses fashionable and my dad always cut his hair.  so it's important to me to stay true to myself.

my parents raised my brother and i to be conscience of the earth, waste, chemicals, eating healthy and so on.  i knew that transfats and preservatives were bad for you almost at birth, my parents found trader joe's like 15 years ago, we composted, recycled, mc donalds was a once in a year thing and lucky charms cereals and the like were a curse word.   so when thinking about starting an accessories line there was no doubt i wanted to try my best to love the earth while making fashion. bungaloe handbags are made from reclaiming leather, my faux leather is eco-friendly, biodegrades and pvc free and my linings are made from organic cotton.

super pleated totebag in cream!!!!!

it's super, it's pleated...........it's cream

new in my shop...

just finished the SUPER PLEATED tote bag in moss fleather.  the big sister to the super pleated clutch.
roomy enough to tag along with you everywhere but not so big it looks like you are going away for 12 weeks.  carry it to work, use it to hold knitting projects, it's great for everyday.  the pleating gives the material a certain creamy-ness.

the handles are triple stitched and attached with rivets, the inside has one slip pocket and one magnetic closure pocket, the whole bag closes with a magnetic snap.  i made myself one of these - i have been using it for a couple months and i just love the simple complication of this design, the pleating gives it movement & interest but it's kind of understated too.  that is for the most part how i like to design my bags.

delicioustown

it's recipe time!  i am half italian, half polish and trying to eat healthier.  so here is a recipe for a healthy, hearty tomato sauce, i added cannellini beans to make it a little more "meaty" without the meat.  i am trying to have more meals without meat and white starches right now so i also put the sauce on top of baby spinach.  you can leave out the beans, and zucchini for my traditional tomato sauce and serve over pasta too.

you may have run into some italians who claim their mom or they make the best tomato sauce or gravy (if there is meat in it) ever and everyone else's sucks.  i learned early on that this is not a battle worth fighting, i am not one of those italians.  i enjoy all types of sauces for what they are and i love my sauce in quiet contentment.  maybe you will too.

you need:
1 lg can whole peeled tomatoes (has to be whole peeled to be my sauce, it's my fav way to make sauce)
olive oil
1 small yellow onion or 1/2 big one
3-4 cloves of fresh garlic
salt
pepper
dried oregano
1 zucchini
1 can of cannellini beans
baby spinach

put about 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sautee pan over a med low heat.  while it gets warm, chop up your onions and zucchini and add to the pan, if it sizzles too much lower heat you don't want the onions to brown you want them to sweat.  chop up garlic wait for the onions get transparent, add salt, pepper and dried oregano to taste - i like about a tablespoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  toss in the garlic, now take the tomatoes and you can toss the whole can into
a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands keep all the juice in the bowl to or you can pull out each tomato from the can and cut them up, again, keep the juice.
toss all of that in - fill the can halfway with water and put that in too.  put the flame on low cook down for about 20 min.  see how thick it is, depends on how you like it you can cook it down more.  taste for seasonings and add more salt, pepper or oregano if you like, add about two cups of beans depending on how "beany" you want it.  turn off the heat after you warm the beans for a couple minutes.  spoon over baby spinach and some whole grain toast.

it's so filling and fresh tasting!!!

YAY!!!!

i ordered some eco-friendly faux leather last week and it finally came in!! so i promptly made a super pleated clutch and a broome street clutch! 

these are cool because they have pockets on the inside.  the broome street clutch has 3 pockets and 2 have magnetic closures, the superpleated clutch has 2 regular pockets.  they are made with faux leather that is biodegradeable and made without VOC's they are really neat-o, super big and super fun....

SO EXCITING!!!

you can now find my shop on the very awesome site PAPER N STITCH!!  it's a gorgeous online exhibition space where you can find talented artists, designers and handmade goods. take a look!

PAPER N STITCH

wish list

i hate clutter you would never know it by looking around my house.  things prevent me for being able to organize my stuff, mostly funds.  i need funds to buy the storage objects and those purchases fall way low on the priority list.  today i thought i'd pretend i could buy some things to start getting the house organized in style.  i love vintage, and mixing vintage with simple modern decor so that the style of the vintage object can shine.  here are some things i would use for storage:

ooooh the things i could put away in these!  going clockwise from the top left:

large vintage metal basket from neatokeen
vintage hardware parts drawers from luckylittledots
antique whisky farm style crate from ingenuity on display
vintage mail bin from vintage jane

new in my store!

it's big, it's pleated, it's cranberry!

making a list

and checking things off.
i am roman catholic.  so for lent i am giving up procrastination.  it's been hard!  i definitely have been living my life as a person who puts things off.  sometimes it's not too detrimental and other times it infuriates those close to me and myself.  but i am not a drug addict or an alcoholic so procrastination has become my vice and until it started affecting other people's lives did i realize what a nasty habit i have. 
it's like watching yourself on tv and knowing that you don't want to be this person, feeling like you are a completely different person than you thought you would be or could be - i could be better.

recently i had an intervention, my friends and family gathered in a room and one by one told me about everytime i had disappointed them with my selfish, reckless procrastinating behavior. it was horrible, i keep seeing images of them in tears, my aunt brought all of her dead plants, it was torturous.
just kidding, none of that happened

but something did happen with one of my best friends and it wasn't really horrifying, but it was totally disappointing and she was 100% right and that was when i realized that what i do does affect those i care about.  i am not interested in being one of those people who have ridiculous expectations of not only the people around them, but themselves as well. the problem there is that you can't control everything and everyone around you so you are only setting yourself up for disappointment.  you can plan out your day, week, month and life minute by minute and there are going to be obstacles thrown at you.  you can almost see these people's veins popping and hear the explosions going off in their brains.  that is no way to live either.  constantly fighting to keep what you think is "order".

but i admire them as well. for their determination to keep organized and in line.  there really isn't anything wrong with it until it consumes them.  there could be a happy medium between them and i.
as i start checking things off my list that have been hanging over my head for months i do feel happier.

and the winner is........

TARA!!! i guess it was good karma because she was one of my very first customers when i started this venture!!congrats Tara and thank you!
THANK YOU everyone who entered, it was very nice to see how many were interested in winning one of my clutches, stay tuned because i want to do more giveaways!

GIVEAWAY and NEW DESIGN!

ok kids! so today i will announce the winner of my giveaway, it'll be very soon......
in the meantime lay your eyes on this - announcing THE SUPER PLEATED CLUTCH!!!!

YAY!!!! this has been in my head ever since i designed the super pleated tote.  it's the perfect sibling!  it's super sized with gorgeous side pleating and it has a zippered closure.  take this baby out for a spin! get yours here.

new design - the broome street clutch!

i am so excited tonight.  it's been my mission to make some classic designs for bungaloe that could be my staple, signature designs.  so far the super pleated tote is one of them - the next addition to the bungaloe family is: the broome street clutch!! named after the street my mom grew up on in nyc.

i love the design because it's pretty classic, just straight up sleek.  it's made from reclaimed leather, has a flap with a hidden snap closure, riveted detail and you can stick your finger inside the strap for easy access.  it's very large approx 8.5" l x 12.5" w.
i have this obsession with making clutches that are perfect for going out with: on a date with your man or a new date, for a nice lunch or dinner with friends and i think this one fits into that category perfectly.  get it here!

winter 2010

NYC finally had a real winter this year.  no more wimpy snow flurries and fake ice storms of the past couple years.  we had honest snow storms, the ones you used to ooh and ahh at from you window as a child.  glittery fluffy snow.  this year it snowed on my birthday, not only did it snow but we had a really butt kicking storm.   here are some pics:

this was the big storm at the end of feb that the weathermen on the news were losing their minds over. meanwhile it wasn't as bad as they thought.  

that brings me to my next thought: this past weekend leaves me wondering maybe the weather men should be paid according to how close they come to the actual weather then maybe they wouldn't sit around in a studio horrifying the general public into spending hundreds of dollars in emergency food and products while sitting on the edge of their couches waiting for their roofs to cave in.  why? why would i say something so terrible? BECAUSE! here in NYC this past weekend, they sat around in their studios and said 'we'll be getting non eventful rain this weekend until monday'.

that's all i heard and anyone i know heard about the weather for this past weekend.

so explain to me why all the sudden on saturday i wake up to 60 mph winds and coastal flooding?!?!

they didn't see a nor'easter coming for NYC???!?!?!  people are still without electricity, heat, water....there was flooding all over, the wind ripped a piece of our house off, huge trees flew right out of the dirt!  so where were the weather men the couple days before this storm?  they way they usually carry on about storms i would've thought they'd be there flailing their arms in the studio and running around like chickens without heads.  where were the reporters who are usually interviewing people boarding up their windows and running out of supermarkets with $400 worth of water and canned goods? NOWHERE!  you and i both know how mental they can get us all when they start hyping up a storm.  now the time when we needed a warning they lay down and go to sleep?

there was not a single word uttered on the news about a nor'easter, they said rain.  and people were totally sideswipped by it.  so i can't help but ask? should they get paychecks for last week? what did they do? maybe i'm mean....

delicioustown

today the sky is dribbling rain, it's chilly and gray.  i really don't need an excuse to have a hot cocoa, but the weather has given me an opportunity that i cannot pass up.  i think it's time to share with you all my mom's hot cocoa.  it is the best hot cocoa i have ever had.  i hate to take the romance out of the whole scenario: 'it's made with love', 'it has special secret spices', 'mom learned it from a deceptive society buried beep in the rainforest'.  it's really just a simple common sense recipe. i don't think she wrote it.  it just tastes so much better then buying packets of hot cocoa and takes no time at all it's seriously worth it to make homemade hot cocoa.

photo courtesy of oziahz blog

you will need:

baking cocoa powder unsweetened - mom always used hershey's

milk

sugar

TADA! insane right? 

take your mug measure however much milk fits in it

pour it in a pot

measure out a heaping spoonful of cocoa

sweeten to taste with the sugar

cook over a very low flame

the best thing is that it tastes amazing this way but you can get mad scientist on it.

add vanilla extract, use maple syrup (my fav sweetener), use cream, use skim milk for less calories, top it with whipped cream, add bailey's for a chocolatey drunken night.

i'm on a mexican whoa ooh radio

i don't wanna be one of those people who says they loved something before it was mainstream but i did - i loved and still love the temper trap song "sweet disposition" before it was on a coke commercial - ok maybe it was only about a month before i saw it on tv but still:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxKjOOR9sPU

this brings me to think about how much i miss the station WDRE 92.7 and my feelings about radio music in general.  this song is so reminiscent of the music i grew up listening to in the '80's.  WDRE played a lot of  new wave music, ie: the cars, talking heads, the waterboys, the english beat.....it once was WLIR here in nyc and long island.  if you'll indulge me i'll go into my musical history a bit and how i am turing into my dad.  while my dad was the perfect age to be a "hippie" or "baby boomer", when i was little we listened to WLIR/WDRE and i knew nothing about music from the 60's & 70's, classic rock, disco, grateful dead, the beatles or trippy LSD music.  my dad has always been very in the moment. 

once i got to high school and started idolizing my bro who listened to classic rock and heavy metal i kinda fell into that a little.  i was totally all about alternative music when it came out too, alice in chains, nirvana, red hot chili peppers (well, still love rhcp) and to this day still love pink floyd.  i asked my dad why he didn't still listen to the music of his day, how come he didn't expose me to the bands from woodstock, he said 'because i am SICK of it!!!'.  well the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! i can't stand listening to any of the stuff from the 90's or what i listented to as a teenager anymore! except pink floyd. i am just totally over it - i'd rather listen to a blender sometimes.  it grates against my soul........and i really just hate the way the radio dj's play EVERYTHING out.
like, seriously, there are other songs by led zepplelin besides d'yer maker! come the f on already! if i have to suffer thru touch me by the doors one more time i'm going to pour hot lava in my ears. get with it.  dj's totally destroy songs at least play a lesser known song by these bands. makes me so angry i start yelling obscenities at the radio - people in the car next to me are scared for their lives.

another sign i am becoming my dad besides wanting to take a screwdriver to my radio is that he used to listen to independant radio when he lived in ny.  i would be like 'dad wtf are you listening too?'  well here we are and 90.7 and 91.5 are locked into my radio.  independent radio is amazing for the obvious reasons they are not sponsored by anyone but donations so they can play whatever the heck they want to play, they don't have to answer to anyone.  the morning show on 91.5 is awesome it's independent music, some better known bands mixed in there.  sure sometimes you will tune in and hear indian music, but sometimes i liek listening to that too.  it's just different it's stimulating to the mind.  let's hear it for indie radio stations!

91.5fm
90.7fm

i am nauseated by the slim pickings on the dial.  i bet dj's would play more experimental music if they were allowed to, but unfortunately they have advertisers to answer to and i'm sure there are politcis that are involved that i know nothing about or care to know.
you could say to me that i should get satellite radio and i say to you NO!  i don't need another freaking bill!!!

so my point is that:
a: i am turning into my parents
b: i am thrilled with the resurgence of all the new wave influenced bands that are mainstream
c: i love pandora
d: i need to get an ipod
e: nyc dj's should get it together
f: still have a lot to learn about finding music to my ears..................

p.s. i just skipped blind melon's no rain on my pandora radio because it crazily thought i wanted to hear that played out song.

can i just say

that i am so over fake moustaches! this might go over like a lead balloon but it had to be said!
back in the day real ones made me think of registered sex offenders and wrestlers. my dad had one and i guess on him it didn't make me suspicious because i knew he was on the up and up. (now he has a goatee) but anyone else was highly suspect in my book.
the fake ones are more friendly. they now feature an upturn at the ends forming a funny handlebar, while it is less threatening it is getting tiresome.

GIVEAWAY FROM BUNGALOE

i think it's about time i host a giveaway, in these stressful economic times it's hard to scrounge up the cash to buy the fun things in life. it's 7am on a wednesday and i wanna spread some joy!
YOU can win this screenprinted bungaloe canvas clutch handmade by me!

featuring 2 snap closures, an outside pocket and houndstooth screenprinted detail, measures approx 11.5" w x 6.5" l, made with organic canvas and waterbased ink.

here's how to win:
1. look thru my blog and note your favorite post in a comment on this post. (you MUST leave a comment because this is where i will choose the random winner from!)
2. take a look thru my etsy store and heart your favorite item.
3. if you have a blog become a follower of my blog.

pretty simple! you have until 12am tuesday march 16th.
i will choose the winner at random by next wednesday 9am and announce it on my blog!!

GIVEAWAY from the {NEWNEW}!!

i am a member of the {NEWNEW} etsy street team and this month, The {NewNew} Blog will be offering fabulous giveaways TWICE A WEEK from many of its talented members. From unique ceramics to glamorous jewelry to incredible paintings...each post will bring you a chance to win a {NewNew} item from some of the best Etsy shops in New York! Please share these amazing contests with others, and please visit this blog often for updates!

We kick off this Month of Giveaway Madness by featuring well known {NewNew} member MAY LUK a Brooklyn based ceramic artist who creates a line called TAKE ME HOMEWARE.

What better way to set a fresh and exciting Spring table than with items from May Luk's shop? AND GUESS WHAT? YOU CAN WIN THESE TWO GREAT PIECES!

A pair of his and her ditsy bowls for holding all your precious things. These will make a beautiful addition to your home.

HERE'S HOW TO WIN
Make sure you are a current follower of this blog. Visit May Luk's shop and take a look at all of her beautiful work. Then visit the newnew team's blog here and post below in comments and let us know what your favorite item is. You may comment one time only, but if you tweet or blog about this giveaway you get an extra entry, so mention that in your comment! CONTEST ENDS MARCH 7. Sorry- US entries only.

Good Luck!

new design - super pleated tote

i featured this style tote a couple weeks ago but didn't have the time to talk about it much, so hear it is:

i love this tote!!! i first started making hand bags with the intention of one day making a bag like this, i didn't know what it looked like in my mind years ago. it's been a process for sure. it's the fruition of everything i've always wanted in a bag for myself but couldn't afford or find.
the super pleated tote bag is a design that you could use everyday and feel like your carrying your belongings in something special. i love pleats, but i wanted to use them in an unexpected way - they are on the sides of the bag in a scattered pattern to create movement and scrunchyness.

the pleating created a really cool shape for the bag. the handles are riveted on. i wanted to keep the overall look simle by leaving out o rings and d rings and buckles.

the inside of the bag has 2 pockets. the outside is made from reclaimed leather and the interior is made with organic canvas.

fresh off the sewing machine.....

i have been hard at work, a while back i procured a box full of leather jackets & skirts and now is the time to start finally piecing together some of my ideas. here are two new designs that with some tweaking i would like to make staples to my shop.

houndstooth folded clutch in brown and black reclaimed leather:

super pleat tote in cranberry reclaimed leather:

2 in 1 clutch combo!!

this one needs a name cause i think i'll actually keep this design and recreate it in different leathers, faux and reclaimed. did you ever take out your clutch and find you needed more room all of a sudden? i have worked all weekend on this problem and come up with my clutch combo.
should you need more room all of a sudden just unfold this clutch and move a couple straps around and voila!!!!! and really sleek hand/shoulderbag!

here are some more views: