eP eTeam Picks Challenge and Valentine Winner

I don't always have the chance to play along with eP challenges but when I do....watch out! Andiepants in the house!

Altering a bag. hmmmmmm....I've done this before. Didn't turn out so well, so here was my chance for redemption.

First, I dug out this Master Cam bag that my hubby brought home from a machinist trade show about a decade ago. 

I decided I didn't want 2 handles so I started by using my seam ripper to remove the handles that were sewn on.

To color the handles I soaked them with water first. This allows the mist to spread more evenly over the fabric. Next I sprayed my Dylusions mist in Vibrant Turquoise generously over the handles so they were well covered. You may want to use gloves. I did not :(

In order to cover that gawd awful picture I decided I would cover the thing in gesso. Remember when working with fabric to place a piece of cardboard in between your layers to avoid bleeding and soak through. Here I just used an insert from a 12x12 Prima mask.

Cover generously with gesso. If you feel you need more coats make sure you dry thoroughly in between coats. Honestly I remove the handles and covered in gesso before dying the handles in order to give my bag some additional air-dry time.

Once covered to my liking I then used Distress paint in Broken China to color the background. after that was dry I sprayed some Vibrant Turqoise in order to allow some congruency to the piece. I did this to both sides of the bag.

You will want to do the handle next since you need to reattach it to the bag. Make sure your sewing needle is a large enough gauge to handle the material of the bag. I sewed my to pieces together to make one long handle, sewed a piece of trim down the middle, and then sewed each end to the seams in the bag.

You can see here where I attached it on the inside.

The rest is just like scrapbooking! For the front I adhered a piece of burlap using gloss gel medium in various areas. I adhered the large lace at the top using the same method and allowed that to dry. Arrange your clusters and take photos so that you know where to put them when you're ready.

Next I used Wendy Vecchi embossing paste in black through a Martha Stewart silk screen to attain the large black shape (Above) and the smaller one coming out of the bottom of my cluster. I then adhered the flowers with fabric glue in my hot glue gun and I sewed the small blue Prima baubles  on by hand in the bottom cluster, top cluster and across the lace.

For the back side, I gave a good coating of water and then added more Dylusions in Calypso Teal and Dirty Martini. 

I first added all the lace piece using the gloss gel medium and let them dry. You can add dimension with your lace as I have and the gel medium will allow it to dry stiff and hold it's shape. Next I used the Hollyhocks stamp with Stazon jet black ink

and added a script stamp in Stazon Timber Brown. Notice that I even stamped on the lace. It's subtle but a nice touch.

I used a leftover scrap of cheese cloth to make a rosette with a slight tail, added an altered flower that was leftover on my desk, a random button that was sitting there, and finally added the Prima border. Again I used gloss gel to adhere the Prima border so that it was sure to stay.

I definitely think I've redeemed my prior shame of altering a bag. I quite like this one.

And for the giveaway...

The random winner is Geri!!!!  Please email me your address at tiggertoo57@gmail.com.

Thanks so much

{{hugs}}

Andiepants