Making MY kind of book purse

[grygon.livejournal.com]

So I've wanted a book purse for a long time now and I've finally decided to make my own MY way since it's impossible to find the kind I like out there.

Any advice? Here's what I have in mind, something that most "make a book purse" tutorials don't cover, I think. I have NO experience with sewing or making usable crafts, so any advice or links to similar things would be greatly appreciated.

I want the lining to be leather (preferably deer, that rustic color) and I want to secure the lining inside the book by drilling holes along the book edge and then sewing the leather lining in place with a sturdy type of thread. What kind of thread/twine would you use? Was also thinking some kind of metal, like copper, would be cool, but what would be the downfall to using wire instead of twine?

I want it to close securely with 2 or 3 clasps that I will make out of deer antler- I was thinking like the clasps a jacket has- one side flap has holes and the other flap has these hand made button-things. OR one flap with 1 or 2 holes in it that goes over to the back of the book where I've secured 1 or 2 buttons. How do you cut these slits/holes in leather without them tearing open larger? I know clothing wise, these button slits having sewing done around them- should I do that too? I've never worked with leather.

And last- it must have shoulder-bag strap (just one) instead of clutch-type hoops. This I have no idea how to attach unless I added two metal hoops on each side of the book, then had a shoulder strap that had two clasps to hold these hoops?

ETA: if you can't tell, I hate glue.

Belated Happy Chinese New Years and Happy Valentines Day!

[darks-nightsky.livejournal.com]

Ditto the title =) I hope everyone had an enjoyable day.

I took the chance to finish a pendant today and the color theme seems to suit the holiday well so I present to you...


Amethyst Dreams







15ct flawless Amethyst in Oval Brilliant cut wrapped with Argentium silver.

The camera only caught half of the awesomeness but I hope you guys can get the gist of it x3

Goodwill Windfall or folly

[dolphin-daze.livejournal.com]

We decided to drop in at the Goodwill and see if they had anything good on Saturday and boy was it a mistake. I had wanted to pick up a cheap porcelain doll to alter. Instead I found seven huge bags of rubber stamps in the collectible case. It looks like someone got rid of their whole collection and there were some really cool stamps mixed in with some that were still very nice but not my style. It kind of sucked that I wanted a couple out of each bag but my boyfriend started talking about how there were a lot of stamps in the bags for $19.00 - 29.99 and that I could keep the ones I wanted and probably sell the others. . So I ended up buying all the bags of stamps. On the way home I got a wicked case of buyers remorse for spending the money and kind of freaked out. Here are pictures of the bags, each bag has at least 8 large rubber stamps in it but I think that they all have more. I think that I am now the queen of rubber stamps.

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gromets

[grygon.livejournal.com]

Me again, bugging for more info- for those who work with gromets, should I buy a craft kit from a craft store, or would you recommend a hardware kit from a hardware store? Do the hardware ones come in small craft sizes?

Looking at tutorials, and considering what I have in mind for gromets... I think I am gonna have gromet nightmares lol,

embroidery update

[missychacha.livejournal.com]

oh, I have been busy finishing up my thesis! being snowed in has helped a bit...
lots of pics under the cut
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so I have to do another tiny embroidery this weekend too, and a few more artsy photos for the thesis. and I need to figure out how to organize my embroidery. and there's more embroidery I haven't loaded up photos for. and I've gotten and idea for making little shrine/display boxes out of cigar boxes with brass elements added to make it more steampunk/robotic. if I can dig out of this snow long enough to get there!