Art for Self-Care: Upcycled Fabric Bags

 

I love creating items I can use in my daily life or give away. I had an old zippered bag in my purse that I used to carry first aid items in.  That little bag had worn down to a bedraggled state.  Time to refresh and replace it!  

I dug out some small fabric scraps that had been given to me, and found a vintage thrifted zipper to create the pouch below.  

When I've snipped the last thread end on a small project like this, I feel such a joyful lift to my spirits. "I made that!" I say to myself, and immediately put it to use.  

One of my self-care secrets is to prop my creations where I see them as I walk by, so I can celebrate myself and my creativity.  Every time I reach into my purse now for my lip balm or car keys, I see this gorgeous little zippered bag, and I smile.  

"I made this!" echoes in my head. 

Imagine if we all had these cheering thoughts throughout the day -- that would lift our hearts like springtime sunshine.

The zipper on my old bedraggled bag was still sturdy, so I carefully picked out the stitches and removed it.  I used it to create the pink and yellow bag above, and gave that one away to my oldest kid.  Another smile to think of them putting it to use and feeling loved.

The tiny, purple bag now holds palo santo incense sticks, and will also be given away. I like to have these sorts of little gifts on hand to share. 

I now look at every cast-off piece of clothing in my rag bag with an eye to designing more little bags, wondering, "Where can I steal a zipper from?"

I hope you find time to sew some fabric scraps together to create joy in your life!