This past weekend, a show at the Edina Art Center opened that I am proud to be included in. It is ten artists and our art based on the letter “T”. T for Toad – get it? I get a lot of visitors at art fairs calling them frogs, and that is OK. I don’t blame anyone for not knowing which is which. Either does this gal.

 

Come down between February 28th and April 1st 2015 and see this Showgirl, more new work by me and great work by other artists. I also recommend checking out the classes they have at the Art Center, and taking a walk around Lake Cornelia which is right outside. Some of the toads in my work were photographed out there. It is a very rich place for wildlife despite it’s relatively small size. I have found toads copulating there two different seasons. I know that sounds like something a crazy person would go looking for, but there you have it!

 

So, ahem, speaking of photography. I have had an older dSLR body just sitting around. It is my “back up” camera, but since I don’t bring my nicer camera with me except for planned outings and vacations, I thought why not make this my every day everywhere I can lose it in a snowbank and not feel too bad camera?

I just had one “problem.” No camera bag.

Well, OK; I have a few camera bags and even a couple purses that work really well AS camera bags. But I never had one small enough for one body and that does not scream “camera.” I looked for a bag and even found a couple that are remotely girly and cute, which the camera bag industry is slowly getting better at.

Alas, every purse-like camera bag was either too expensive, too frilly looking for me or made of “faux leather.” Ugh. I don’t know if I like any material less than fake leather. It feels so plastic to me. Probably because it is made of plastic. And these bags aren’t cheap! $200 and more for “leather” that will wear away to reveal little threads criss crossing about? $200 + for a bag that will creak and crack on a cold day like this? No thanks!

So I had no choice but to make one. I had a couple deer leather hides lying around from making thin wallets to sell on Etsy. I had the first sweater I knit from pure bulky wool. I felted the daylights out of the sweater and devised a more than simple pattern for the basic bag shape. Here a zipper, there some webbing; add two of the beautiful buttons (from the sweater) that I bought at Linden Yarn and Textiles for eyes, and viola!

Sometimes it’s good to be a hoarder. (Of craft supplies at least.) Behold my goofy snakey camera purse bag!

Next, to finish Husband’s sweater vest. Then I can get back to drawing!!