Okay, I admit it, I love color. Why do bags have to be black, or brown, or neutrals? Maybe it's indicative of where I live - we are color starved for the better part of the year. When spring rolls around and the birch trees bud it is so exciting!! When we get a good 'growing season' the flowers around town are spectacular, not to mention abundant. So, in the bleak days of winter it is always fun to go out with a purple or red bag on my shoulder to help remind me that those petunia's will bloom again. I really do like black, too, but lately have been injecting it with colored inlays that match all my wonderful batiks. I can spend hours in the studio just playing with my fabrics. And, no, that is NOT wasted time :) I get inspiration from the colors, the motifs, the textures. Eventually something gets sewn (or at least designed) after these forays. I'm the first to admit I have some slight a.d.d. - but watch out when I get focused!

I've been wondering how a person can afford multiple designer bags at $500-1200 a whack!? The Purse Forum is full of women talking about this designer bag and that bag, how they've got the brown, but have ordered the white, black, or whatever. It boggles my mind. I have to give some serious thought to spending that kind of money on something that doesn't cook my dinner, or drive me to town :) I think that I make some very nice purses - good leather, quality workmanship - so why can't I command those prices?? Maybe I under-value my work, or I just live in the wrong part of the country. It's sort of frustrating, though, to know that I can make someone a bag to their specifications for a reasonable price, and they'd rather have one that thousands of other women have at twice the money.... Oh well, I enjoy what I'm doing, so I'll keep on with it, and perhaps I'll get 'discovered' one day and people will be clamoring for an ArtBug bag :)

Fall is in the air. I am anxious to get into the studio and start creating! I always get a rush of ideas when school starts and my days become my own again. I have a notebook full of purse/bag ideas, and also a dozen art quilts just waiting to take shape.

This was a terrific leather shop in Venice. All those luscious colors of Italian lambskin. Lovely gloves. Hands. It makes me think of all we do with our hands, and what tools they can be all on their own. We 'speak' with our hands; draw; write; sew; weave; knit; crochet; sculpt; carve; make music. Recently I was studying my hands, aware of how like my grandmothers they are becoming. It doesn't bother me that they are no longer 'young' hands. Yes, they're getting wrinkly. I think that the wrinkles show that my hands have character, along with their various scars & the accompanying memories. (some good, some not so good) but all a part of me. I think my Nana would be proud of what's been created by these hands.

Here are a few more of my bags. These are all made out of Italian lambskin. I do reverse applique' inlay, and some also have button embellishments. Bags can be personalized for color and design. The cream colored bag was made for a friend who works in NYC doing stand-up and various tv/film projects - hence the filmstrip :)

I have been researching purse websites and blogs. One of these days I'll forward this address to one of them. It would be nice to get some feedback by 'bag ladies' to see if they like my work. I'm attempting another picture download...

In the past year I've made 3 trips to Italy. The colors, sights, and sounds are so inspiring. I am especially fascinated by the ironwork for use as inlay patterns for my leather bags. Here is an entrance gate I saw at the Arsenale in Venice.

Welcome to ArtBug Studio! This is my first blog post :) In the future, I will attempt to add photos of current work; comments on things that inspire me; and any interesting design or textile websites that others may find helpful. Let me know if you're a fiber-junkie, too!