dressed up tote {it's in the bag}

Have I ever posted the pictures of my purse closet???  The one with all the cute COACH, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry purses and bags...No? Oh, that's right...I don't have one...sometimes I lust wish I did.


Oh well.  Someday soon enough, and I will post the pics of them all...{I'm very grateful for the ones that I do have, but a girl can dream, right?}


In the meantime, I make do with what I can.  With two kids through and done with diapers, and two more little ones currently in diapers, I am long over diaper bags! 


Once upon a time I was the mom with the awesome, cutesy, incredibly prepared, and organized diaper bag...somewhere shortly after my third child was born I got fed up with lugging the diaper bags and a purse and just resorted to large purses that I could put "it all" in.


Since my budget doesn't allow to be buying all the purses and bags that I like I have started to make them on my own when I feel the need for something new.


Behold my latest creation...

Nothing phenomenal...really it's just a "dressed up" tote bag that is lined and has metal rings to "jazz" it up a bit.

I whipped it up the other evening while my husband was playing Lego's with the kiddos. 


The fabric was actually a fabric sample that I had chosen for a design project I was working on four years ago.  The fabric was discontinued in the middle of the project and I liked it so much that I hung onto it {I figured I could make something out of it someday}.

I found the rings on clearance at JoAnn's a while ago for 63 cents!  The black fabric that I used for the lining was left over from another project and was just enough for the bag.

It works perfect for my needs...I can fit a few diapers and other child necessities in it, as well as my wallet and phone...and everything else that one might ask mom to "hold onto".

What are some of your favorite bags and purses to make?

Don't forget to check out and enter to win my current giveaway ...two patterns from Seamingly Smitten Sewing Patterns!
-R.