Day 36

TOdAy I went to a construction site for studio. This is the construction worker purse that I made after being inspired by an SNL skit with Cameron Diaz, where she caricatures an artist who says that she assembles her works and is actually a construction worker...you have to believe me the skit was funny...maybe because I could totally identify with it.

Day 35

rock n roll, rock n roll, rock n roll

Day 34

A more recent purse...Purple metallic leather carry-all. Big bags are the most telling signs about people. They say that people carry their baggage around. The bigger a purse and the more filled it is, the more baggage a person has. What does it mean if someone wears a really big bag but fills it with nothing?

Day 33

This purse is another cocktail-party-purse. Made with fluorescent-customized plastic flower parts and black nylon canvas- infused with a utility black zipper.

At school, in studio, we are designing superficial facades- no building exists behind them, no site, no context or connection to anything...the (Roman) classical orders were all about surface and copying elements out of context- that is why the Coliseum stands as a technologically advanced concrete structure, wrapped in a stone veneer of the "orders". Wouldn't it be more orderly if the structure and the facade were the same material?

Day 32

Another bolts 'n bonez purse...for a skull and crossbones kind of day (aka my thoughts about school).

Day 31

Poga Sushi Lunch Hour!
This purse was done as a campaign to promote doing yoga at lunch and then having to-go california rolls (w/roe). Poga stands for Pop-yoga, a philosophy, which means both that yoga should be popularized and that it should be done to a sound-drop of popular music!
I had sushi tonight and ate the salmon-roe sushi for the first time. It was wrapped with shiso leaf on a bed of rice and then double wrapped in seaweed. I was expecting not to like it but it was surprisingly tasty in a 'different' way. Then I had the best orange chocolate ice cream at Larry's in Dupont- highly recommended!

Day 30

It's almost Friday, so I thought I'd post a party bag (goodie bag-remember! those were the days!) I think it was Karl Lagerfeld who said that purses are one size fits all (not sure so if anyone knows the quote let me know). The idea being that no matter who you are or how you look, you can use a tiny little bag to define your look (even your attitude)!

The person is the backdrop to the bag- not the other way around. (The difference between reality and fashion is that in fashion, people are the backdrop/hangers for the clothes...whereas in the street, clothes serve as backdrop to the personalities of the wearers). I believe that people should be rooted in reality and purses should float with fashion. fabooloos!

Day 29

Yeah! Zippers are rock 'n roll!
The great thing about zippers is that no matter where you start to zip each side of the zipper, it will zip up- even if it zips up askew. The life lesson I take from the zipper is- it is important to start on the right foot. Dance away!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!

Day 28

FYI I designed this metallic duffel before duffels let alone metallic duffels became popular (aka american apparel).

Day 27

More photos of Sunny Cotton!!!
It's obvious that he is smiling as he holds the chestnut!
Sunny Cotton may be a misfit, but he's definitely not maudlin.

Day 26

This purse is nature-y. Green leather with safety-orange layered nylon mesh mess, with turquoise web strap. It's photographed thrown on the sidewalk cause I thought that looked the most nonchalant and natural.

Day 25

Since I got complements on the previous houndstooth post (from Eliana!), here is another (dipped in safety orange!)

Day 24

Today my cousin is in town from Philadelphia. I looked in her purse and guess what I saw- one of my purses! I've only given away like three bags total- ever, so this was a rare siting. The purse itself is one of the firsts. It is used as a make-up bag and well worn. xoxo

Day 23

Houndstooth heart satchel with a zesty fluo-pink detail on strap.
I chose this purse to highlight because-
a. I'm in love with houndstooth.
b. I'm in love with the yoga and sushi combination
(which needs a purse to go with it).
c. I'm in love with houndstooth.
The exciting thing about houndstooth is that it's a pattern which is in control and out of control at the same time. It is both a checkered grid and chaos at the same time. This reminds me of the top of napoleon desserts which have stripes of icing that have been dragged into each other to form a deviation of unlikely beautiful chaos- in other words, making something new out of something classic.

Day 22

I officially made it past the three week mark! According to John from my class, this means that I am officially a blogger! Today was the longest day ever- but now I can finally relax. The purse of the day includes a burst of sun (made from construction tape). According to my favorite cliche proverb - "the sun will shine brighter tomorrow" Can't wait!

Day 21

This is how I feel right now- deconstructed.

Day 20

As promised, here are the pictures of Sunny Cotton eating a walnut- from this morning. He is the cutest!

Day 19

Has football season started? This purse was inspired by my admiration for the dramatic antics of Terrell Owens, ex-star of the Dallas Cowboys. I remember watching him leap like a panther ballerino across his field-stage, his diamond studs acting as mini stadium lights sparkling him on.

Day 18

P.S. marquis grapes are now apparently out of season- will have to wait till next year. This bag was inspired by deer antlers, the woods, and the Fall. It was also the product of a camel color obsession that later included raw sienna, and culminated in burnt orange. I just saw the movie The September Issue and highly recommend it- a perfect marriage of art and business.

Day 17

This purse is made out of handmade felt with crocheted green grapes. In essence it is a grape wearing grapes. The message is- you are who you are. Tomorrow morning I will get special 'marquis' grapes at the market if they have them- I've been waiting all week!

Day 16

Guess who loves fluorescent pink?
I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ingredients= fluorescent pink webbing + green zipper

Food always tastes better when made with less ingredients,
so do purses!
Dee-lish

Day 15

Knotted zipper fuschia...black leather

Day 14

I am a product of the suburbs and proud of it! Today in real estate class we were learning how developments are designed in the boonies. Little caged in gated communities contribute to sprawl if they are designed with a compartmentalized separatist mentality. The only way to create suburbs that are true to the ideal of suburb is to create areas that are diverse in uses in a mixed up centralized way.
The best thing about the city is Starbucks.
The best thing about the suburbs is Starbucks.
The best thing about sprawl is Starbucks.
At least one thing can be agreed upon.

Day 13

The long weekend has ended. This purse was inspired by my poem, "Confetti galore, forever, on the floor." It has to do with leaving the confetti on the floor even when the party is over. In other words- life is the party.

Day 12

This purse is small- only about the size of a wallet.

Day 11

Black rouched leather purse.
My day started with a squirrel in the living room. I've been feeding him and finally named him Sunny Cotton after calling him little squirrel for months. Hopefully, I will post pictures of him soon...anyway, he snuck in when the door slowly closed while getting the newspaper. When I saw him in the middle of the living room, I immediately got the almonds and lured him back outside. He seemed very comfortable inside- like he didn't want to leave. The story would make a great children's book- that is if Sunny Cotton would write it! Then, a few minutes later when I got into my car to go to the market, there was a giant monarch butterfly sleeping on the passenger seat. It woke up and flew out the window. I wonder what all this means...

Day Ten

Today, after the beginning of the year picnic at school, I had junky french fries. This purse is constructed from alligator-print, embossed dark green leather. It is wrapped in yellow and neon lime construction tape affixed with plastic french fries. This food oriented purse illustrates a recurring theme of pop-food. It's the type of purse that you wear for a week and are really excited about. But then, all of a sudden you become self-concious of the artificial french fries and a new purse is forced to take the stage.

Day Nine

Sushi Purse! Constructed of nylon neon webbing and shrimp foam sushi. The shrimps are one:one scale. Sushi is the best complement to yoga class. Busy day.

Day Eight

I love potato chips!!! My favorite kind are the ones you make yourself in a frying pan, one by one. Then, you really do only eat a handful because they take forever to make. The second choice in chips would have to be classic Ruffles- for obvious reasons (they are the most fashion conscious- crimped and very 80s!) Nothing says pick me up like a salty-crunchy-glittery chip!

Day Seven

On my way home from school, I stopped at Sub*Urban Trading Company in Kensington. If you haven't been it's a mini-foodie's paradise- they also have the best scones ever. Today's purse is the "I Love Dale Jr." It is hand embroidered on plastic Coca Cola/Nascar fabric. Dale Jr. is Nascar royalty and he is celebrated for driving in a circle. That's what I love about Nascar- it's brand names that race as fast as they can to arrive at the point where they started. In other words, you are who you are and no matter how fast you drive, you won't get anywhere (might as well celebrate whatever/whoever it is... in a purse!).