FEATURED ETSY SHOP - FLIRT BAGS

OOAK Flirty Skirt Purse in Bronze Taffeta

by Trudel

of FLIRT BAGS

(Click on the above photo to learn more about this charming purse.)

It is a real pleasure to have Trudel of FLIRT BAGS on DZFANTASY as a featured Etsy shop. Trudel just moved her fun, colorful and definitely "flirty bags" to her new shop on Etsy, which she is now calling FLIRT BAGS. If you are looking for a fun bag, purse, tote, wristlet.... just pop into FLIRT BAGS for a real treat. Trudel has a wide variety of styles and colors to choose from, but I know my favorite is the "flirt bag"! How fun and unique!

What led you to start creating your art/craft?

Well, I have always loved working with my hands, especially sewing, since I was around 6 years old. I was never the painting-drawing type, for me it had to be more tangible. Needle & thread, scissors, that sort of thing was right up my alley. I guess it runs in the family too, because my aunt was a fashion designer in Germany and another aunt is a consummate knitter. As a teen, I made pretty much most of my own clothing, including jeans and jean jackets (and it was hard to get the right jean fabric off the roll back in the 80's). I even started making a lot of my own patterns from my own ideas. Now, I've always had a major attraction to purses, handbags, totes, wallets, you name it. So one day I bought a pattern to learn some basic techniques and there's been no stopping since!

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

That was a moot point. I'm a sewer, my medium is fabric, fabric, fabric! A fabric store (even the on line ones) is like setting a sugar-deprived child loose in a candy store. I like to touch and feel; the fabric inspires me and dictates what I make from it.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

Hmmm. That's a hard one because I really, truly enjoy all apects pretty much equally. I love dreaming about what I'm going to make, I love retreating into my sewing room, where it's quiet and organized, and begin laying out my fabrics, I love the sound and feel of the scissors cutting the fabric, I love putting all the pieces together sitting hunched over my sewing machine, and of course I love the end product. But after I've admired it for a few moments, shown my husband (he's quite a big fan!) I'm itching to start the whole thing over again!

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable to describe your art/craft, what would you choose and why?

Mango Mango Mango!! I'm actually not quite sure why, that was the first thing that popped into my head so there must be some deep philosophical reason behind it! Perhaps because mangos are fun and sweet, exotic but not too uncommon, they come in a variety of shapes, colors, textures and tastes. When I eat a mango I feel really good, just like my purses make me feel really good!

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your "creativity", what would that be, and why?

Photography. Definitely. I've loved taking pictures since I was a teen. I took some courses years ago and just really love seeing things from different perspectives. I especially love doing macro photography of flowers and plants (another passion), and am trying to work on my landscape photography skills. I do a ton of backpacking in remote areas and find myself faced with supreme mountainous landscapes that go on forever but have yet to effectively record what I see.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

Have fun, live a little, you deserve to spoil yourself a bit! Step outside of the box, do somthing a litte different; don't take yourself too seriously!

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

Just to be true to yourself. Find what you love to do most of all, and do that. You'll be the best at it, and people will see it in your work. Don't try to be someone else; what works for them won't necessarily work for you.

Maxine Turquoise and Olive Jungle Print Purse

by Trudel

(Click on the photo of the above purse to learn more about it)

THANKS, Trudel for sharing your delightful creations and thoughts with all of us.

Don't forget.....if you are looking for some great styles and colors in purses....visit FLIRT BAGS by clicking on the links below.