Birds On A Francesca Handbag

[HollyNelson]

Hello all, glad to finally get joined up here, after many tries at getting past the CAPTCHA gatekeeper. As a beginner, I look forward to learning from you all.

Needing to learn pretty much everything, I thought a simple handbag kit (the Tandy Francesca) would acquaint me with several different skills, without demanding much in the way of accuracy or experience.

Just finished it yesterday. Except for it needing some edge finishing, I am pretty happy with it. The fencing was traced from clipart, the birds from photographs, and the flowers just slapped in any old how.

[benlilly1]

Welcome Holly! Nice handbag work!

[Grey Drakkon]

That's ambitious subject matter for a first try! I really like the random leaves on the side panels! In fact, the only thing that really stands out to me is the house sparrow looks huge compared to the fence, or that's supposed to be a very tiny fence. Nicely done, though!

[MonicaJacobson]

Wow Holly, that's really nice. Very original and cool looking.

[Wishful]

Nice job!

[HollyNelson]

That's ambitious subject matter for a first try! I really like the random leaves on the side panels! In fact, the only thing that really stands out to me is the house sparrow looks huge compared to the fence, or that's supposed to be a very tiny fence. Nicely done, though!

Heh, I see what you mean, but if I had made the bird smaller it would be insignificant, and if I made the fence larger, it would swamp the visual space. Therefore, it must be a giant mutant chickadee.

[HollyNelson]

I am also quite happy about the "wood grain" of the fencing, made with camo tools, ditto the feathers on the birds. On one scrap, figuring how to paint the fencing, i ended up grinding the garishly white paint down with a dremel, making it look like old milk-painted fence. Nice effect, but I like this better.

Paints are Tandy Eco-Flow dyes + white Cova paint, finish is Satin Sheen.

[Rohn]

Lovely handbag. Looks really good to me. You have some talent.

[Grey Drakkon]

Hey I'm all for mutant birds! I keep backyard chickens, so they're all freaky to begin with.

[HollyNelson]

Yeah, a friend keeps Silkie chickens, she tells me they are the only cuddly chicken breed. Maybe I can make a Mutant Chicken handbag next. ;-D

[Grey Drakkon]

If you do, sign up at backyardchickens.com and show it off there, it'd be snatched up for sure. Silkies can be very tame from what I've heard. I do have a Buff Orphington who will settle down and roost on my arm if I pet her, it's pretty funny to see because she's a hefty girl. She also rips a scream like a dinosaur, which scared the hell out of me the first time I heard it.

[HollyNelson]

If you do, sign up at backyardchickens.com and show it off there, it'd be snatched up for sure. Silkies can be very tame from what I've heard. I do have a Buff Orphington who will settle down and roost on my arm if I pet her, it's pretty funny to see because she's a hefty girl. She also rips a scream like a dinosaur, which scared the hell out of me the first time I heard it.

Hee hee! Sounds like a great, quirky idea!

[Airth]

That's impressive!

[Wild Bill46]

Holly I love this bag,

Just yesterday my friend hiimjoe was wanting to make a bag differently than those he previously had done,

and this is the vision I got reading his post, a modest Dr. Bag.

I sincerely hope he sees your bag, As yours is very well designed and exicuited , IMHO you have a gift, don't ever stop !

bring your craft back here again and again so we all might enjoy. .............. Wild Bill

[HollyNelson]

* blush *

Holly I love this bag,

Just yesterday my friend hiimjoe was wanting to make a bag differently than those he previously had done,

and this is the vision I got reading his post, a modest Dr. Bag.

I sincerely hope he sees your bag, As yours is very well designed and exicuited , IMHO you have a gift, don't ever stop !

bring your craft back here again and again so we all might enjoy. .............. Wild Bill