The title of this post could be a metaphor for my creative life; In my wonderful and magic bag of mixed media I have many tricks and supplies that I use when I create and alter the world around me. But that was not my intention today. I just need to show you my new bag. It’s kind of magic, or at least it feels so to me. It is most defiantly a iHanna “mixed media” project as you can see.
I am calling it The Happy Bag. The Happy Bag has acrylic paint all over, plus glitter, machine embroidered doodles, journaling, inside pockets, appliqu?d flowers, handwritten graffiti words and seams sewn together “wrong side”, and I love all of that. If there were any rules to break I’d be breaking them all with this bag. It is a creative explosion that I get to carry around on my shoulder… it makes me happy to be its creator and owner.
I have made marks in all kinds of ways on this fabric. I’ve painted in my favorite colour combination: summertime pink and spring green.
Top view of the zipper and the pink closing fabric.
And I am also very happy about the scrappy looking handle:
I did add little bits of leftover fabrics on the handle, many many trashed bits of pretty colour.
With a thousand zig-zag seams of black thread this handle took some time to make but oh my how fun it was!
You remember I talked about how fun it’s been filming and editing my very first online class yesterday, right? Now if you want to buy the class come back her on Monday, but before that we’d love you to help spread the world – and if you post about this on your blog you have the chance to win a spot in the art journal class! Check it out because this class is going to be awesome!
A few more photos;
The story behind the bag can be found in the following posts: Painted fabric that was sewn on to make a bag and then decorated with handmade glittery fabric beads!
Have a happy day!
Hannah! You rock too :-)
This bag is great, gorgious, fantastic.
You know me a little and my taste. This makes my fingers itch and I have to admit I would like to have one like yours. Maybe it’s because of the grids *rotflol*.
Dear, have so much fun carrying around.
Tally
Happy bag indeed. Simply marvelous. the fabric beads add so much to your collage quilt of work. xox Corrine
I want one too! Love you happy-bag
Thanks! I don’t know what it is with grids… there is something I love about them, even though I am more drawn to uneven messy grids I love the order they present too.
Corrine, thank you! I’m so glad my fabric beads have found a place where they will be happy too!
Antoinette, I wish I could produce a couple of these and sell but that will not happen. Nobody would pay for the amount of time that went into this one. I hope you can make your own happy-bag!
Hanna, that is the BEST HAPPY BAG I’ve ever seen!! I would so love to own something like that!! It’s a walking piece of inspiration!! You need to tell us how many compliments you get on it!! I’d be predicting….HUNDREDS!!
I love this bag…so bright and colorful…I want to make one for fall using darker colors. I’m curious to learn more about your online class…I’ll keep watching and waiting…
Cheers,
Mary
Thanks for commenting! Mary, I want to do more bags too, this was a lot of fun to make. Please let me know if you make a painted bag, I want to see that one!
Eden, well… I’d get a lot of compliments if I was going somewhere with a lot of peeps like you guys… I’m not sure everyone appreciate this kind of bag as much! ;-)
It’s SO lovely- the colors are marvelous! Beautiful!
Oh my, how scrumptious this bag is, Hanna. You’ve outdone yourself and created some major loveliness. The handle itself is a work of art with the multicolors and intensity of stitching. I love patchwork messy patchwork, too.
Wow, that bag is completely awesome, I love it! I would love to make something like that!
Wow, that is one fabulous bag, Hanna! I love it and can totally see why you’ve called it the happy bag. It would make me happy too!
your happy bag is very appropriately named…..not only is the bag colorful and happy, but it’s making me happy just looking at it!!! great job sewing this together…..tons of happiness going on here!! happy weekend to you!
p.s. thanks for stopping by my blog and saying hello! :))
I love the happy bag….My favorite colors too…..My garden is mostly greens and pinks now….Great way to preserve the summer….with a bag…Did you make your own pattern….? Love to see closer how you did the zipper….Now I know what I am going to do with my paint on fabric project….Thanks so much for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Susan
Thanks for commenting! Susan, it’s my design. Not a pattern at all I just sewed my painted patches together and then decided it would become a bag. Then to make the top match the bottom I added the two pink stripes at the top with a zipper in between, if that makes any sense… :-)
It’s adorable Hanna! So glad you’re happy with it!
that is just way too dang cute for words :)
oh what an awesomely FANTASTIC bag!!!! It is so glorious and delicious. I love your photography just as much as your colorful work :)
Absolutely amazing bag, Hanna! Thank you so much for sharing all the gorgeous photos with us! All the incredibly details and colors make me smile every time I look at it! Truly a pleasure to see!
I love your bag! And your photos are gorgeous.
WOW! I love your happy bag! Very inspirational!
Your bag is beautiful, a work of art in it’s own right. Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog too.
What an exciting bag! I love the idea of bringing mixed media into other forms. Somehow it seems connected to me trying to do the tshirt. I guess it is the thing of wearing your creativity. Thank you for the inspiration.
This is simply amazing, I can see why you call it your happy bag. Makes me want to paint fabric too (although I am not very good with a sewingmachine, so no idea what I would do with the fabric LOL) Thanks for sharing !
Oh its beautiful I love it and you have inspired me to get out all those samples of painted fabrics lurking at the bottom of my fabric drawer in my studio…. I want to make one of these ……. perfect for me at the moment it will serve as a stopgap between a changing bag and a handbag as my little one is at the toddler stage now. Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures.
Hanna, this bag is gorgeous! It just makes the world seem brighter :)
And thank you so much for your sweet words on my post about Connor’s arrival.
Hej!
Vilken superl?cker och f?rgglad v?ska!
This bag is absolutely juicy and gorgeous. It’s so you!
Hugs,
Sophie
awesome bag! so colorful!!!
The Happy Bag is awesome! It makes me smile. :)
oh my gosh Hanna this bag is an explosion of juicy colourful goodness……i am so in LOVE with it!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and commenting on my video….you are so sweet!
I will tweet about your wonderful class……
love, violette xo
Such an AMAZING bag! I just love it, and it really lightened up my day just looking at it!
I am vowing to make myself a Happy Bag this winter. I LOVE what you’ve created here – it makes me smile too!! =D
Wonderful mixed media bag!!
And thanks for your visit ;)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this bag! It is sooo fun!
Love it! The colors are great and the bag is amazing!! Awesome job!
absolutely pretty! i love this bag.
thanks for the inspiration!
best wishes, doro K.
I just found this today and I’m totally in love :) So much so that I took my fabric and acrylics and painted away :) Waiting for my pieces to dry now to finish them up, you can have a look
thank you for inspiring me
Beata.
I love making my own, unique, crazy, happy bags also. . . and this mixed media bag is just my kind of thing! It’s gorgeous!!
me too!