Top 10 Great Ideas for Making your Own Handmade Bag

March 2, 2010

in Arts and Crafts, Inspiration

As I plan to make a smart little jute bag for myself that can hold my world, I came across these wonderful resources on the web for handmade bags.

Lot of great ideas, oodles of creativity, yet simply simple to make – these Top10 ideas are the best tutorials that I have come across. These creative individuals (and great bloggers) have, in their own special ways made professional quality bags out of simplest of materials. And along with the great products, they have shared their the best, simplest and most helpful step-by-step tutorials for making these bags at home.

Here is my list of favorite handmade bags DIY tutorials.

1) Sew Mama Sew has made a striking red handbad with wooden handles in no time. Love that color – for color’s sake. Another excellent visual tutorial-treat. You can experiment with toned down colors and still come up with a chic bag in no time. My must try.

-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

2) Purl Bee’s Music Bag is one of the simplest organizer that can be made very easily. I would like to use plain colors or some other desing to make this one. This basic tutorial rocks with easy steps and so many photo guides. Great resource for those who are attempting to make bags the first time.


-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

3) M M M Crafts gives us basic messenger bag ideas with those lovely simple motifs add to the charm. Instead of photos,  find line drawings and patterns to get a good idea of how to go about making this high-on-utility messenger bag. You could go creative with the motifs and make custom patterns for girls and boys.


-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

4) Purl Bee’s bag making tutorials are the benchmark for most DIY enthusiasts. This is the best bag making tutorial on the web that I have come across. Simple, illustrative and seems easy-to-make – her bag tutorials rock. Check out her other DIY tutorials as well.


-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

5) Eva For Eva has made a green bag made from recycled materials but what I am focusing on is the simple DIY tutorial that helps me make simple stylish eco-chic bags in no time. Love that rustic and down-to-earth feel of the bag.

-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

6) A Mingled Yarn may call it a diaper bag but I find an excellent messenger bag turorial here. Lovely colors and design inspiration here. From diapers to laptop, all can go in here, in style.


-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

7) Chubby Hobby has made this perfect market bag which doubles as an excellent laptop bag for me. I fancy elongated-padded- rectangluar bags for they can hold lot more things without looking cramped. Check this tutorial out for the fine detail work she has done.

-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

8 ) Craft Apple makes perfect finish bags and sells them. Here she shares her step-by-step bag making approach. Look for the fine stitch details and imagine this one in toned colors :-) Very chic and easy to make this lovely bag. Do experiment with colors and designs.


-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

9) J Caroline Creative has some stunning and easy-to-make tote bags which can take in anything, yet look elegant. Easy tutorial for great chic cloth tote bags. You can also find great tips on stitching on the zipper and basic finishing techniques.

-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

10) Image Fabric has this kitchy kitch tote bag that can be made with many interesting colors and combinations. The net effect is very casual, jazzy and stylish. I could do a similar one in toned down colors. What say?


-   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   -

I am supposed to be listing my top 10 tutorials for bag making ideas. But here is the irresistible one I have to share with you. Curbly has the most strikingly stylish hand purse with wooden handles made with an old book. Yes, an old book and a great recycling idea :-)

So here was my list. If you have come across any great handbag making tutorials or have made a great handbag yourself, do let me know. You gotta be known here.

And watch this space for my Jute Bag Tutorial – soon.

{ 3 comments }

Fire Within – Impasto Silhouette Painting of Burnt Trees Against Fiery Hues in Oil Media

February 23, 2010

in My Paintings

Fire Within - Oil on Canvas

Here comes another painting which took woefully long time to finish. Layer after layer, colors tones and hues kept changing till I could look at it from distance and say – done. Painting in midst mayhem does tell upon the canvas. I guess it is evident here.

Fire Within painting takes my passion for impasto to another level. The only catch is that I have not used any modelling paste or gesso to get the thickness. Those are the oils; thick strokes of dense colors that lend in their highlights, when viewed from sides.

This oil painting is related to Deep Rooted series but is changing its colors and emotions drastically. The tones are getting darker and deeper with every stroke. The photo does not show its colors and hues well enough. Sometimes I wonder if it is done yet. But if I do not say that to myself, I will probably never be able to move onto another painting.

It took a long time for Fire Within to reach where it is.  Today it stands dried and ready on a 36″ x 24″ box stretched canvas, that needs no framing and is ready to be hung on the wall.

{ 6 comments }

How to make a dried flower arrangement – DIY tutorial for making an exotic and frugal table centerpiece

February 16, 2010

in Arts and Crafts

Dried Flowers and Twig Accents for Corner piece Arrangement

 Good things in life come in small packets. In here, few dried flowers, small twigs and sticks are being used to make a striking centerpiece that does not wilt or sag. 

Dried floral centerpieces are easy to make, look great and last for as long as you can make them last. They also need less maintenance, no-watering and care. Far away from the artificial and synthetic flowers, these flower arrangements are natural, eco-friendly and bring in the much needed color burst into any setting. 

Dried flower arrangements are hassle-free so they are perfect for daily decoration. But when special occasions call for exotic decorations,  the same can be achieved with dry flowers and twigs such as this wonderful eco friendly wood-roses wreath for Christmas. Another advantage of dried table centerpieces is that they can be scented with essential oils and kept fragrant. 

Here is a quick tutorial to show you how easy it is to conjure up a simple and elegant dried flowers & twigs table centerpiece.  

Any floral centerpiece needs to take into consideration the platform on which it will be placed and the area surrounding it. The idea is to either blend the centerpiece into the surrounding or make it stand out. The floral arrangement can be of any shape, follow any geometric pattern, or borrow the ikebana logic in the centerpiece arrangements. 

But for a dried flower table arrangement, it is very important to make it simple with a lot of space around it. You can either bunch up similar flowers or twigs to tie it up into a simple and elegant centerpiece, or use varied flowers and twigs sparsely to create a medley of interesting figures and patters, whilst letting light and air in and through. This DIY tutorial uses the latter technique. 

Tools and Essentials for Making Dried Table Centerpiece

Take special care to balance the arrangement with a good vase or the base holder. It is always important to have a vase or container that compliments the arrangement. Here, I have chosen the terracotta earthen pot (more so because I had nothing else to play around with or rather the pot was too inspiring). Here I have some twigs, scissors, floral arrangement metal pin holder, florist’s foam, and a bit of excitement over what this might turn into. 

Gather all the dry flowers, dry branches, dry twigs and keep them at hand. Don’t follow any fixed rule in selecting the twigs are they are the most beautiful creations of nature. Let each twig, uncut and pure, determine its placement in your arrangement. More often than not, you will end up with a great centerpiece when you follow the dictates of its content. 

Simple DIY Tutorial Steps to Making Striking Floral Arrangement

Step 1
Use a floral pin holder if the flower twigs or stems are heavy as it will provide a firm grip and the arrangement will not topple. Having pushed the heavy stems into the vase, squeeze in florists foam to fix in the heavy stems and to help fix the lighter twigs around the heavy ones. 

Step 2
Follow a step down approach starting with the big heavy flowers/ twigs, tapering down to lighter/ delicate ones. Since this arrangement has 3 heavy twigs, they went in first to balance themselves and form a base for further additions. 

Step 3
The light and wispy twigs and branches come in at the end as fillers to fill in empty spaces as well as to give fullness to the arrangement. Whilst I could stop at step2 as it is my favorite, few more elements have been added to make it more fuller. 

Done

While inserting the flowers and twigs, take care to let the arrangement cast light and shadows. Dried twigs and branches create interesting shadows on the wall. Take advantage of this beautiful thing to cast natural and beautiful shadows thereon by letting the floral arrangement be light, and breathy. The sunlight in this picture was not deliberate; I just could not find a neutral place in the room to make this. :-)

Exotic Dried Flowers and Twigs Table Centerpiece

These basic steps can help you make fantastic floral and table centerpieces in no time. There is no end to what you can use in your table decorations. From branches, twigs, flowers, candles, glass, fruits, cloth, artifacts, and more. Just look around your house and you will find many ways and ideas to make your frugal yet one-of-a-kind centerpieces in no time.

Just go and enjoy what you make. Just create – out of nothing.

{ 7 comments }

Jamie Oliver’s TED Prize 2010 Wish: Teach every child about food

February 12, 2010

in Good Food Kitchen, Inspiration

Finally! Here is TED video of Jamie Oliver spelling out his wish.

Jamie Oliver’s Wish
“I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”

The situation may not be so serious in India, but the rate at which we ape food and lifestyle habits of the ‘developed nations’, we might just be the third in line. We are a nation of hypertensive, diabetic and obese people, with a host of new lifestyle related diseases are being added every year. With fast foods, frozen meals, and kitchen cupboard loaded with emulsifiers, additives and preservatives, we are almost there.

While Jamie’s talk and wish is centered around USA and England, we have some key messages to take home.

Watch. Contemplate. And ACT before it is too late. It is the health of your children in your hands.

[Read on…]

{ 2 comments }

Hurray! Jamie Oliver Wins TED Prize 2010 for Wishing Big Enough to Change the World

February 11, 2010

in Inspiration

Jamie Oliver wins $100,000 for Wishing Something Big!

Jamie Oliver has won the TED Prize for 2010 for making a big wish! 
Hurray!
But what is his wish?

[Read on…]

{ 0 comments }

Carrot Cake Recipe – An Easy, Healthy and Nutritious Dessert for Health Conscious Adults and Kids

February 8, 2010

in Good Food Kitchen

Carrot Cake - A healthy, tasty, home made dessert

Carrot Cake Recipe for all Occasions

My kitchen has turned into a carrot cake factory since past two weeks. Requests by mom and kids to make this cake have driven me crazy. But that also gave me a great opportunity to tweak my carrot cake recipe many times to arrive at the best carrot cake ever made, atleast by me.   

More carrots, less sugar, more whole-wheat, less spice, more nuts, etc… the tweaking options are plenty. But the one tweak I love the most and also have my kid hooked is healthiest carrot cake with lots of carrots, less sugar, less oil, more nuts and presto!!  We have been enjoying some real moist, tasty and nutritious carrot cakes and carrot cupcakes for many occasions.

I have been a fan of carrot cake since my childhood. I was introduced to it by my mother’s friend who baked it for me for any special occasion. Soft, sweet, spongy, dreamy and sans-icing, were her yummy carrot cakes. Since then, I have believed that cakes need no icing to go with. Well made and well baked cakes are all we need to bite into. Icing the cake of course is ‘icing on the cake’.  

Every carrot cake recipe calls for cream cheese icing which has become a de-facto standard for presenting carrot cake. But this one urges you to enjoy your guilt free carrot cake which has oodles of carrot and all other great ingredients that make it healthy, yet so tasty. This carrot cake recipe calls for no frosting or icing. This batter can also be scooped into cupcake papers to make tasty carrot cupcakes, an all-time favorite with kids. 

I have gone light on adding the spice and I wanted more of carrot flavor in the cake. Cinnamon is a great ingredient for carrot cakes as it adds wonderful spice and aroma, even to fresh fruit cakes such as the Apple Cinnamon Cake. You can add host of goodies such as chocolate chips, more cinnamon, nutmeg, garam masala, exotic nuts, chocolate, bananas, other fruits and more to make it interesting. But to begin with, here is the basic carrot cake batter.

Here is my favorite carrot cake recipe – baked to perfection. 

Ingredients for Carrot Cake:

  • Refined Flour/ Maida or Wholewheat Flour - 1 cup
  • Finely chopped/ grated carrots – 1  1/2 cup
  • Vegetable Oil – 1/2 or 3/4 cup
  • Sugar – 1/2 cup
  • Eggs 2
  • Baking Powder – 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon – 1 tsp
  • Salt – a pinch
  • Vanilla – few drops (optional)
  • Chopped Walnuts/ Almonds/ Raisins/ Dates/ etc – 1 cup

    •  

    How to Make the Carrot Cake in just 5 Steps:

    1)  Grease baking dish with oil and dust with flour. Keep aside.

    2)  Sift flour along with baking powder and salt. Keep aside.

    3)  Whisk eggs, add all the ingredients except the flour.

    4)  Fold in the chopped nuts. Finally fold in the flour mixture gently.

    5)  Pour the batter in the greased baking dish and bake at 160 degrees centigrade for about 25 minutes.Skewer test it to see if it is done.  

    Try this recipe to get the best, warm, fuzzy carrot cake that is not only healthy but tastes great. Drop a line for me if this recipe did wonders to your baking escapdes.

    { 3 comments }

    Nameless and Faceless – An Impressionist Painting in Acrylic Media on Paper

    February 2, 2010

    in My Paintings

    Nameless and Faceless - Acrylic Media on Paper

    This painting, Nameless and Faceless, has been inspired by a photo I had seen long time back. Though I remember nothing more than that, something about it stayed on for long… its form, colors, composition and the whole emotion that it conveyed; I have tried to convey the same with a palette knife. I could never come with a name for this painting for I can never justifiy it enough. So for now it remains, Nameless and Faceless.

    I would be glad if I can see that inspiring photograph once again and also get to meet the person behind it who got so many things right in a single frame.

    This is one of my favorite paintings with shades of blue, browns, ochre, indigoes and black. The subject and the composition may be cliched but the knife strokes are not. For me, these are the soul behind every painting  as the emotion laden strokes can never be copied or reproduced. I think thats the beauty of any original painting and that you cannot really reproduce any work of art. And if you do, it is like a beautiful body without the soul.

    My friends always complain about the dark nature of my paintings. They always ask me if I can come up with something happier. :-) I think these paintings are just another way of celebrating life. And I do not find anything dark or depressing about them.

    There seems to be more joy in these deeper shades and hues.

    { 9 comments }

    Lecture on Deep Ecology – John Seed Strums his Way into our Hearts

    January 29, 2010

    in Inspiration

    Life had been on the fast track mode since last few months. From relocating to another city, moving into a new apartment, to school hunting for my kid, there has been enough mayhem. Not to mention the stress that comes with it. But midst these whirlwind activities, I got an opportunity to attend a beautiful lecture on Deep Ecology by John Seed – an environmentalist who was instrumental is conserving the rainforests of Australia. I’d rather call him the father of rainforest activism.

    As a part of his lecture tour to India, John Deed has been travelling all over the country talking about Deep Ecology, rainforests conservation, and his past works in different parts of the worlds. The topic of Deep Ecology is very fascinating as it deals with philosophy of nature, which sees that underlying the environmental crisis there is a psychological or spiritual disease stemming from the illusion of separation between humans and the rest of the natural world. He explores the root causes of why our world has come to the state it is now in and we have dichotomized from our roots and the wisdom of our forefathers.

    John Seed is seemingly simple, unassuming and frail. Looking at him it is hard to believe that this man not only thinks like a mountain but also moves a few. This was one of the beautiful lectures attended which had talking and singing love songs for the Earth in equal measure. John Seed believes that this Earth is alive, living and breathing. And that he is trying to do his bit to keep the lovely symphony of life going.

    To read more about the event, here is a link to my coverage on John Seed’s lecture in Chennai on TreeSouls. And here are some of the songs John Seed sang at the Book Point Auditorium (Anna Salai, Chennai on 26th December 2009).

    [Read on…]

    { 0 comments }

    How to Listen to Music – Dame Evelyn Glennie’s TED Talk got us Listening

    January 13, 2010

    in Inspiration

    “My whole life is about sound. It’s what makes me tick as a human being” says Evelyn Glennie. These words come from the world’s leading solo female percussionist and is one of the finest artists in the world who feels the music and lives by it.   

    There is no other better way to jumpstart my day than by sharing with you an amazing talk by Evelyn which continues to inspire me – almost every day. If you love music, I urge you to watch this video.  

      

    TED Intro: Evelyn Glennie’s music challenges the listener to ask where music comes from: Is it more than simply a translation from score to instrument to audience? How can a musician who has almost no hearing play with such sensitivity and compassion?  

    There are moments when we come across a person, an episode or an incident that can have a deep impact on us. This is probably one of those moments in life that really move you. Forget moving, Evelyn Glennie’s performance gave me goose bumps as I watched her TED talk on “How To Listen to Music”.  

    Not only was her talk amazing but also refreshingly beautiful. It was not about powerpoint visuals but a stage full of percussion instruments, her connection with the audience and total involvement with music – live on the show.  

    There was something surreal and quaint about Evelyn. The things she talked about and confidence with which she demonstrated the nuances of playing and listening music, had me convinced that Evelyn is is no ordinary soul.  

    My amazement was more to do with her informative talk itself. It was quite a sight to see a female percussionist, to top that she was performing barefoot, talking a lot of sense and at the same time educating.  

    It was only after watching her video that I researched more on her. I did not know that Evelyn Glennie was deaf. I am still baffled as to how Evelyn Glennie, like Beethoven, make music she cannot hear?  

    A brief search about her on the web gives an insight into her year-round worldwide performances, winning Grammys, collecting scooters & bikes, her collection of percussion instruments, and more. Evelyn gives more than 100 performances a year worldwide, performing with the greatest conductors, orchestras, and artists.  

    In equal measure is written about her hearing disability. This mention is understandable as WE, the plebia, think that disable people should be respectfully kept aside on the footpath while we walk towards future, progress, blah blah blah.  

    Evelyn Glennie - World's only solo female percussionist with her musical inventions
    Evelyn Glennie – World Famous Solo Female Percussionist at Work

    And then comes along a petite woman who is deaf. She does not take ‘no’ for an answer. She goes the percussion way. She masters the macho instruments; She breaks the male bastion and goes onto become a solo percussionist. She performs in front of live audience. She composes music. She wins awards. She gives motivational talks. And she goes on to teach music. 

    Of course, this is all a bit too much to digest. Not to forget that she is now trying her hand at designing jewellery and cooking. But that’s Evelyn Glennie. She has me humbled, happy and proud. I am longing to see her next performance.  

    “Hearing is a form of touch. You feel it through your body, and sometimes it almost hits your face.”  

    It is believed that Beethoven produced his most complex masterpieces when he was completely deaf. It is also debated that had he not been deaf, he would not have produced pieces of that intensity and complexity making him unparalleled in the music world. I wait to see what more Evelyn is going to do.  

    Evelyn Glennie is currently the vice-president of Hearing Concern and Deafness Research UK, and president of The Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children, which provides musical therapy units to schools for the deaf and partially-hearing across the UK. Read her enlightening and soul warming interview on Hearing (Loss) and Related Issues here  

    “There’s sound everywhere—we just have to listen”  

    To know more about Evelyn Glennie, visit her official website and if you have not been able to view the spectacular TED video I am talking about, you can find a copy on YouTube - How to Listen to Music  

    You may now scroll up to see the video and let me know if your loved the music or lived it!

    { 2 comments }

    Almond Blossoms Painting by Vincent Van Gogh – A Rare Desolate Bloom, Frozen in Time

    January 1, 2010

    in Inspiration

    Monet’s Lilies.
    Vincent’s Sunflowers.
    Salvador Dali’s Melting Clocks.
    These are the classic icons of the art world that we often come across in our daily lives, in forms other than the stretched canvas. These iconic masterpieces are so popular that they represent the art-world to the world. But there are many more paintings and work by the same masters that, I’d say, are far more captivating, beautiful and awe-inspiring. 

    Almond Blossoms Oil Painting by Vincent Van Gogh

    Almond Blossoms Oil Painting by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890). Oil on Canvas - 73.5 X 92 cm

     Vincent Van Gogh’s Almond Blossoms is one such masterpiece. Having studied Van Gogh at length, his works, life, including closer to his life fiction, I am surprised how I missed out on this classic painting that tells me a lot more than biography on him would.  Guess I missed the Almond Blossoms midst Sunflowers, Irises, Open Fields and the portraits. 

    One fine afternoon, I chanced upon Almond Blossoms. Strange that I saw this painting on TV on Art Beat on NDTV Good Times. Yes, my jaw dropped then. 

    Almond Blossoms came across as a complete surprise as most of Van Gogh’s paintings were known for melancholy and loneliness. Painted upon good tidings of the birth of his nephew, Almond Blossoms is an unusual piece from Van Gogh’s collection. This turquoise and ivory masterpiece seems like a breath of fresh air in Vincent’s’ as well as our lives. 

    No one can help but admire the beauty of the panting. Watching Almond Blossoms is like having a conversation in your mind. What draws and trains the eye are not the ivory white blossoms, but the knots and gnarls of the branches in simple brush strokes.

    Almond Blossoms branches are twisted and gnarled like a complicated mind with few blossoms of hope. I wonder if it is my imagination and my bent of mind going there instead of landing on the feather blossoms. In simple brush strokes, Van Gogh had managed to complete a true picture of the moment. The myriad expressions he must have felt, at that one moment, are for us to experience. 

    A sudden departure from his color palette, strokes and hues, Van Gogh has conjured up an entirely different painting. It shows how much gloom was in his life and a piece of small news made him paint in a different way, conveying a rare emotion that he felt. Wonder how Van Gogh’s paintings would have been if he was a happy person. 

    His limited color palette is another surprise. His turquoise blues, sepias, white, pink, black, and greens are nothing but born of his color mixing mastery. Something tells me that Vincent must have ran out of colors while he painted it and therefore we can across this rare muted color palette with many tones in between – making Almond Blossoms an absolute rare one. 

    The innate simplicity of the branches and the brush strokes, the amount of color on the brush, are all to engrossing to mull over. Almond Blossoms is a painting you can quietly stare at without a lump in your throat but with a lot more going on in your head. Many art lovers who have seen this painting live have said to have felt mixed emotions watching it. 

    Vincent van Gogh Stichting, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam now houses this masterpiece. If I ever get to goto Amsterdam, it will be to see Almond Blossoms amongst the other masterpieces. I guess I would need at least a week to spend my time in the museum. Here is short description of the painting in the museum website: 

    On January 31, 1890, Theo wrote to Vincent of the birth of his son, whom he had named Vincent Willem. Van Gogh, who was extremely close to his younger brother, immediately set about making him a painting of his favorite subject: blossoming branches against a blue sky. The gift was meant to hang over the couple’s bed. As a symbol of this new life, Vincent chose an almond tree, which blooms early in southern regions, announcing the coming spring as early as February. 

    True to his nature, Vincent Van Gogh had unknowlingly created this masterpiece. He died the same year. Isn’t this painting a glimpse of, perhaps, one happy moment he savored before his death? 

    The best book that I came across on Van Gogh, is Irving Stone’s Lust for Life which I would recommend you to read it if you want to understand his paintings more.

    { 7 comments }

    ← Previous Entries