Green butterfly clutch bag

I love a butterfly print and I love a green clutch bag and this does both! It's made from a fabulous cotton vintage Japanese kimono fabric with a butterfly print in bright purple, yellow, pink and blue.

I used a hot pink cotton lining for the clutch bag, which matches the pink of the butterfly. I also added a hot pink tassel to match the lining.

The clutch bag has a green zipper closure to keep everything safe, and the bag is lightly padded to protect its contents.

Look up close and see the detail of the butterflies. Some are filled with colour and some are just outlines.

This makes a great gift for someone special, a truly unique item! It also makes a great summer clutch and is the perfect accessory to a summer wedding.

You can find it in my Etsy shop here

 

Pretty patchwork clutch

 I have a great selection of clutch bags in my Etsy shop and this one is so much fun. It's made from a combination of Japanese cotton fabrics that I have patchworked together, using shades of pink, purple, green and yellow.

I use this as a clutch bag but it could be used for so many other things. It's great as a makeup bag. It's made from 100% cotton so machine washable.

Look up close and you can see all the different patterns I've used in the patchwork.

The zipper bag is light padded and lined in a cream cotton fabric. This could also be used as an iPad case.

It's the perfect size for a pencil case and big enough to fit a sketch book or notebook in for when those creative justice are flowing.

This makes a great gift idea for someone special. All items are gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.

Red kimono clutch bag

 I'm absolutely loving this recent addition to my Etsy shop! It's a clutch bag made from vintage Japanese kimono fabrics in shades of red, pink and orange. I have a wide selection of kimono pieces in my collection and this is the perfect project for bringing them all together to create something truly unique and different. This would be a great wedding clutch or evening purse for a summer party.

The clutch bag is lightly padded and has a red lining and matching red zipper. 

I'm loving the addition of the red tassel attached to the zipper pull.

The kimono pieces are stitched together and then top stitched to help keep them neat and flat.

This pink bird fabric is one of my favourites.

Each side of the clutch bag has a different combination of fabrics.

The kimono clutch bag makes a great gift combo with one of my kimono scarves. The perfect gift for a Japan lover!

Shop clutch bags here

Purple clutch bag

I love the colour purple and this purple kimono fabric was calling out to me to be made into a clutch bag. It has a wonderful oversized chrysanthemum design woven into it and makes quite a statement. I've added a matching purple tassel to the zipper pull and given it a stunning burgundy satin lining for a contrasting colour when the bag is opened.

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Green and gold

 The Japanese obi is the 'belt' that goes around the kimono. The obi fabrics often come in vibrant colours and bold patterns which are perfect for making into clutch bags. This stunning clutch bag is made from a bright green and cold vintage Japanese obi and is the perfect show-stopper.

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Gorgeous green

I do love a shot of green and when I saw these fab boots in TX Maxx recently I thought 'Could I get away with these?!' They are made from a Chinese-inspired design in a fabulous emerald green satin fabric with a woven bird motif in gold and silver thread.

I then thought what a wonderful match they would make with my Cheeky Leopard clutch bag which comes in the same colours! It is also a fab emerald green colour and has a gold woven bird design. This fabric is a vintage Japanese obi fabric that I bought when I lived in Tokyo. The obi is the 'belt' that goes around the kimono and often comes in vibrant colours and designs.

This clutch goes beautifully with a little black dress and what a great accessory the boots would make with the bag! Quite an outfit. As you can see, it's big enough to fit all the essentials for a night out and has a magnetic snap closure.

What I love about this bird design is that it is very stylised and draws inspiration from origami bird designs. I also love the placement of the birds, as if in flight.

Now I just need to find an event to wear them to!

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Kimono necklace

I have a new addition to my store! It's a red floral necklace made from a piece of vintage Japanese kimono fabric and makes a stunning statement to any outfit.

I love the individual flowers found on many Japanese kimono fabrics and wanted to somehow use those as individual pieces. I realised that they would make a great pendant on a necklace.

The front of the necklace uses a red and white stylised flower. The flower has been bonded to a piece of coral-coloured leather to strengthen it, and then attached to a gold chain.

You can find this necklace in my store here.

Something fishy

Yesterday I mentioned some fishy little sweets I'd been given. These inspired me to make some fishy items for my store, and here they are! It's a coin purse and tissue holder combo, made from a gorgeous little Japanese cotton blue and white fish and bubbles design. I decided to give it a contrasting red and white spotty lining for a flash of colour.

Can you spot the little red fish amongst the bubbles?

I decided to give it a contrasting red and white spotty lining.

You can find them both in my store here.

Tote-ally awesome!

I've just added this beauty to my store. It's made from a vintage Japanese obi fabric (the 'belt' that goes around the kimono) and is a woven fabric in stunning shades of red, green and metallic gold. It makes quite a statement! You can find it in my store here.

Fabric Friday

This Friday I'd like to showcase some fabrics I've been playing with as an idea for my next scarf design. They are all vintage kimono pieces and come in shades of rust, mustard, black and white.

The highlight of the scarf is this stunning floral piece below. I bought it in Tokyo last November and have been saving it for the right item.

It will match very nicely with this black and white butterfly fabric. I only have  small amount of it, so I will have to be careful how I use it.

To tie in more of the black, I've chosen this ikat-effect fabric below. It has touches of red and white in it which matches with the reds of the floral design.

The geometric design below is a classic Japanese design motif and even though it is very classic, still looks modern. It will act as a nice trim for the scarf.

Look out for this scarf in store soon.

In the meantime you can check out more scarves in my shop here.

Litre Japan

I love receiving parcels, especially when they contain new fabric purchases, and especially when they come from Japan! Today's parcel was from a lovely shop called Litre Japan, run by Mina and her husband Hiro (below), as well as her grandma. Their shop is beautifully photographed and their Instagram account is definitely worth checking out for interesting Japanese finds.

They have a beautifully curated shop and I homed in on two stunning vintage kimono pieces.

One piece has a bird design on it and is on a soft green ground.

The other piece is a selection of stylised Japanese flowers in shades of orange and red.

I'm planning to use these fabrics to make items for my store. I think they would be perfect for small clutch bags, cuff bracelets and kimono necklaces. Now I need to get busy!

The parcel was beautifully wrapped and came with a little note. On one side was a picture of Mount Fuji, on the other side was a handwritten thank you.

I will definitely be buying from this shop again!

Envelope me

I've been enjoying creating these lovely little envelope clutches and now have three more in my store. Each one is made from a vintage Japanese obi fabric and comes in vibrant colours mixed with metallic gold for a shot of bling. You can find them in my store here.