Made: Studded Tote

Months and months back I purchased a scrap piece of army green leather at a flea market in NYC. I had held onto it for so long because I wanted to come up with the perfect project. I always have loved the look of color blocking in tote bags, so I decided to take it in a different direction with a diagonal cut. I used black duck canvas to sturdy up the leather on the outside and also lined it with it as well. I added a clasp to the inside to make the bag more functional. It ended up being a bit bigger than I intended, but it really holds a lot. If you would like to make your own check out this tutorial for a lined tote bag, it is my most favorite.

These were taken a couple weeks ago adventuring in an unexplored part of my town. Don't you love finding something new about a place that you thought was so dull? There is so much beauty and mystery in these quarries. This place haunts you and fills you with a sense of deep wonder for the world. 

 Thanks so much for reading!

-Lo

Made: Hand Stamped Cushion

I have the cutest antique chair I scrounged from my great grandmother's basement before she moved. I never did anything to the chair itself as it is an incredible shape and a fine coat of off-white. I use this chair for sewing and wanted to change out my seat cover. 

You will need:

-scissors
-paint (fabric or multi-purpose)
-measuring tape
-paint brush
-bed sheet (or inexpensive fabric)
-cushion for seat (I already had mine, my step dad cut mine out with a band saw)
-stamp (I made my own from an eraser from the dollar store)
-zipper (optional, if you can figure it out...I wasn't quite sure)
-tailor's chalk (optional or use regular chalk)

Step1:Use your cushion as template and trace around the outside of your cushion. Try to leave a half inch  for seam allowance. You will need a piece for the front, back and side. For the side: Measure the length around the entire cushion and the height with seam allowance.

Step 2: Practice with your stamp and figure out which paint you would like to use. I was not sure if I wanted a light paint or the dark black paint that I ended up going with. Then stamp your 3 pieces with a specific pattern in mind. As you can tell mine are not all the same pattern, I messed up but luckily enough you won't notice because you won't see the back pattern. 

Step 3:Pin and sew the top and side all the way around. Sew your side up. Then pin, leaving an opening for the cushion, and sew the bottom and side together. *Cutting triangles out of your corners will help when you flip it inside out. *Leaving the space on the bottom will hide your hand sewing. This all takes some maneuvering and it may be a bit imperfect due to the seam allowance, but it works!

If you have any questions feel free to ask!

Thanks for looking!

Lo