The Abracadabra Slim Tote

So I've decided to reshape my business:

I'm leaner;

I'm greener; and

I have completely embraced recycling.

There are so many excellent mixed media opportunities for me as an accessories designer nowadays.  A few of my favorites are: old dryer sheets can be used for embroidery backing; bottle caps can be buttons and brooches; and old playing cards can be decorations.

That's right.  Playing cards.

I live with a magician.  He is a comedy magician who uses...and subsequently throws away once they are crimped, a ton.....of playing cards.  Not that he's a wasteful man...not at all.  He simply cannot use them for his act.  Typically, the cards end up in his office....then eventually the recycle bin.

I have this wonderful pin striped fabric that I've had in the back of my fabric closet...for well over a year. I'd held onto it because it was so "Chicago gangster".....black fabric with a thin savvy pinstripe....all it needed was a red carnation...or....wait.....hold on......

I ran to gather all of those lost little forlorn playing cards.  I collected them up and I found about two decks worth.  All different decks with different sized numbers, different, art and different backing art.

So..I envisioned the basic small tote bag.  Big enough for transferring papers from one place to another.  Perhaps even some groceries...so just wide enough for one's favorite beverage cartons

I'd collected several cards from my new "card stash".  I put them into  row onto the pinstriped fabric and then covered them with a thin matte vinyl.  There were several old grocery bags that a cut apart to make the handles.  Clear crinkly plastic....that otherwise would have been thrown out...or made into a poop bag for the large drooling hounds that also reside with us....LOL.

The plastic added a character all its own....each wrinkle and fold not only tells the story of a trash bag turned tote bag....but there is something sort of nostalgic about it.  It's completely local.  The story, the idea, me...

Attached is the wicked slick outcome.  Gives a whole new meaning to "Trashy" I suppose.  LOL.

It was a challenge to photograph, but the whole bag actually is "tote-ally" squared off at each corner.  It ended up being about 15x15x4.