Yeyyyy, garbage!!

Look at this beautiful thing.

OK, not everyone would feel this way about an empty dog bag. I completely understand. But since I make things out of them...I'm excited when a new one makes it's way to my house. One day I had an empty bag in my hand and I thought, "hey, this is a neat material, maybe I can use it for something" and voila! This design hit me. It's amazing when you request these 'garbage' items (oh the stuff I gather!!) how many people think you're crazy, and might rather throw it out than give it to you.... Until they see this....

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Then they oooh and aaah and ask me if I sell them. I say "yes," hand them my card and explain that each is an original and they are made out of at least 90% (usually more) of recycled materials. The interior of this one is made up of the leg of a pair of jeans. The flower is from discontinued decorator fabric samples, the flower center is a vintage glow in the dark tack, embroidery stitching is made with vintage embroidery thread. It is machine quilted. It has a hard bottom insert to prevent sagging. Fun Fun Fun! 

Now you may understand my excitement. I recently got two 'Cat Chow' bags, too, that are such a pretty limish green. If you saw me, you would have thought I just received a birthday present. I picked them up from a gifter from Freecycle that left them on her porch for me...I was skipping down the walk like I won a prize...I was so excited when I saw the color!! Oh the brain started whipping all kinds of wonderful design images around. One of the bags has already been tagged for a commissioned handbag that will be given to a cat owner/lover. I think it might be a hip-bag....hmmmmmm I just received some old belts that just might work as the strap. Of course, my mind could change a 1,000 times before I actually sit down to make it. When I'm holding the materials in my hand, that's when the design pops into my head.