craftgrrl | Question and photos

As I have no sewing machine (woe is me) I am left to my handsewing skills and tiny amount of free time. I like making purses, but it takes AGES to sew them by hand and make them really sturdy. So. I saw this purse and absolutely love it, but would want to augment it with something of my own design. My question to you is this -- can you use fabric paint (not "puffy paint" -- the fabric paint that comes in bottles applied with a brush) on suede? If not, I suppose I can just paint on fabric and then stitch it onto the suede, but that'll be a bear.

Anyone have experience with painting soft leather?

These are some things I painted for gifts last year. Everything is painted free hand on the fabric without any stencils or anything. I like painting!

Purse handstitched from black fabric and red grossgrain ribbon with little cherry painted on

Little Mr. Bouncy and Little Miss Bossy on a blue teeshirt

Little Miss Trouble on a blue teeshirt

Mario and Luigi, from a flash video online (about Mario Brothers) that my brother LOVED

Some bananas that were crying out for faces