Be still my ruffled heart.... :)

OKaaaaaY!!! I've been quite excited at the prospect of making a 'ruffle bag' (tote!) after spying some on Etsy and thinking...oooohh, maybe I could make some of those...great presents!! Sooo..got out an old white damask tablecloth that I've had in a box with lots of others since I don't know when...got them at an antiques and collectibles auction maybe...4 years ago??...and they've sat in a box ever since...waiting to become something or other...they were actually a bonus...can't remember the actual thing I wanted in the auction, but these came with it! SO!...out with the tea bags (earl gray cos I never use them!)...into the big mixing bowl...soak...soak...outside to hang on balcony to dry in the oh so wonderful sunshine!!

So it started like this....white and ready to go...



Here it is hanging drying over the last of my ornamental kale...it's on it's way to the compost but still looked all frilly and lovely...so took a pic of it beneath my drying tablecloth!!..just cos...


And again....

And then it became ..this...the top one...it's on top of a white cloth to show the contrast, but the rooms too bright I think...ah well...you can see it's changed colour! Now a nice old vintagey look..



And here is where I should have taken photos 'as I went'...but forgot! Got too excited to get it made...ah well...(dunno why this is blue and underlining...???)
So...VOILA! My very first ruffled tote...and not too bad if I do say so myself!! I mitred the bottom corners so it will stand up when it has stuff in it...i really don't like bags that have to lean against something in order to stand. Ok...now to accessorize...all my lovely flowers come into play now....


So maybe a couple of burnt edged (a la Bryanna..thanks B!!) on a silk ruffle...or...
maybe a couple of silk roses...pink from a scarf at thrift shop...taupe from a top I cut up!..mentioned in previous post...

..or a taupe silk with a green linen?? from an old teatowel from my mum (thanks mum!)...the colours don't show too well sorry...lighting...
Anyways...what do you think? I"ve decided to make them into pins and then they can be changed to suit my mood...or the mood of the recipient as I make a couple more to give as gifts.
I LOVE BLOGGING!! IF I hadn't discovered this wonderful world of bloggin sisterhood, i'd never have made gorgeous flowers and bags and whatever i'm going to try my hand at next!! As if I haven't got enough to do over the next couple of months, and I really should have been working on Beths balldress today, but I truly am of the 'microwave generation' (I know, that's meant to be my kids, but alas..no..it's me..) ...INSTANT GRATIFICATION! I WANT IT..AND I WANT IT NOW!! That's why I love making things I can start and finish in a day...SO SATISFYING! And then I"ve got it...right away!!
ok...better get making these flower pins/brooches so I can try out my bag soon...well, soon as my eyes have healed and I can face the world again! (bit of a freakshow right now...don't want to scare any small dogs or children!! ;)
Thanks for stopping by :)
blessings...jessie x