Mama's Got a Brand New Bag

by Kimberlee

 Do you recall the Anthropologie Knock-Off post of a few days ago?  We all fell in love with this Bow Bag AKO made by The Little Apple Seed:

Isn't it an amazing replica?  And so versatile!

As luck would have it, I had some toile I had just purchased from the Jo Ann's scrap bin, and some denim scraps from the many times I have chickened out from making shorts.  Wanna see?

I'm pretty pleased with it!  My bow is larger for some reason, but that's ok.  I had no problems making the bag from the instructions, but they are for someone who has made purses before, and the pictures from the tutorial are excellent.

My father is visiting now, so I'm going to take this baby out for a spin today.  Now I just need to find an outfit that coordinates with my purse...

Scrabble stalking the birds

Wishin' and Hopin' and Dreamin'

My Favorite Anthro Knock-Offs!

When I try to arrange stuff like this, it's called "hoarding."

I lurve Anthropologie....so.much.  I'm just that kind of girl, I loved Delia's when I was younger, then graduated to Urban Outfitters, which I also adore, but Anthro is really the top of the line to me, which is why I don't think I actually own anything from them.  I just get their catalog and stalk their website, and dream of a bohemian lifestyle where my home is a bohemian boat placed in the middle of an open field, and my friends and I lounge around beautifully.

Obviously, I am not alone in my obsession, owing to the huge amount of Anthro knock-offs all over the craft-o-sphere.  Some things just can't be knocked off, and so I have a better chance of owning a fainting goat than one of their fainting couches, but necessity being the mother of invention means jewelry, clothing, even artwork is all fair game, and a sharp eye in a 2nd hand shop + a can of spray paint can do wonders.

I was cruising through my formidable stack of bookmarks this morning and realized I have dozens of  AKOs saved.  Tons and tons.

Twelve Crafts Til Christmas

The Little Apple Seed

Tatertots & Jello

Vintage Revivals

Kojo Designs

Mandipity

Junk Market

Adventures in Dressmaking

Ruby Mines

Shoes and Sewing

New Green Mama

Flamingo Toes

I could go on and on, as I adore these tutorials!

And no, I haven't been avoiding posting my own stuff - I'm waiting for THREE MORE Google Friends to hit fifty to post one particular thing, and I'm waiting for some needlework kits to arrive in the mail.  Today I'm hitting JoAnns and possibly checking out a second-hand store here in town I haven't visited before (I know!).  I want to make this skirt that I absolutely fell in love with, and a shorter tiered skirt from some fabric I fell in love with. At some point, I hope to work my nerve up to my "re-sew-lution" of making pants.  Scared of pants...

Yes, please, put some pants on.