hand stamped tote bags

 

I’ve been making some tote bags.  it started just for fun and then it got really fun and so I made a bunch.  now, I’m in love with them.  the best thing about these tote bags is they are all made from organic canvas scraps left over from a local futon maker in town.  the store owner very generously let me dig through big bags of fabric scrap to rescue these  from the landfill.  it’s beautiful, thick, wonderful canvas! I’m so lucky to have it.

I hand-carved a handful of stamps for the hand-printing swap way back when and I have just kept going.  I got into the idea of various, unusual forms of transportation starting with the hot air balloon and then bees who transport pollen.  transportation is a natural, I guess, considering I parent two boys.  the bikes are not that unusual but I just love a good bike on a tote bag.

to make the ocean-colored lines I simply used a paintbrush, which was so much fun and also pretty scary.  seemed too easy to mess things up but I love how it looks.

every single bag is a little different and the process of making them is such a creative process.  it felt really good to leap out of my ordinary making process and attempt something new.

I’m excited to be selling these at the craft fair in our town on Sunday.  I made the stamps, the fabric comes from a local shop, and all of it sold at a local craft fair.  these are awfully home-grown tote bags!

p.s. there are still spots in my upcoming hand-printing series where we will be carving and stamping fabric.   local friends, you do not want to miss out.  we will be making things in a frenzy, covering ourselves in ink and mess.  if you can doodle, you can make your own prints.  join me!