DIY Plein Air Carry All

I searched for the perfect bag and finally decided it doesn't exist. So I decided to make my own out of  recycled fabric and whatever I could find in my sewing basket. My husband donated an old pair of blue jeans to the cause, so that made the rest easy. I just added an assortment of old buttons, a couple of snaps and some leftover fabric from curtains I made years ago.

It holds an amazing amount of stuff. My husband said that it reminded him of Mary Poppins' carpet bag the way I just kept pulling large items out of it. I put a rectangular piece of mat board on the bottom so that it will sit flat.
 All of my awkwardly shaped gear goes in                                                                                                without a problem.


Yes, it is rather funny looking, but my daughter once told me that she thinks I would do almost anything if I thought it was funny. Well, maybe she is right. One thing I didn't demonstrate in the video is that I can connect the two handles making one long one if I want to wear it as a cross over bag. It's just a matter of buttoning them together.

So this is my bag. Custom made weirdness.
My 'Got a Minute?' video is about 2 minutes this time. Hope you can squeeze it in. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Painting Sunshine on Canal Street

Our plein air painting group finally caught a break with the weather, so we met on Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach.
The sun was shining with nary a cloud in the sky.

If you know Canal Street, you are aware that it is popular with tourists and locals alike. It is lined with quaint shops, restaurants, and galleries. I love to hear the comments of people who stop to look. My favorite this day was "Oh! Fancy!".

This is where I set up. I started out enjoying the shade cast by the building across the street, but all too soon I found myself in full sun and beginning to burn.

I wear sunglasses to help me to not paint too dark in full sun. But even the shades couldn't eliminate all of the glare on this bright day.

Here is my "Got A Minute?" progress video. It even came in at just under a minute this week! Now who doesn't have a spare 57 seconds?

Back in the studio I took this picture of the finished painting.

"Canal Street" - oil - 8"x 10" - Leah Wiedemer - $280

Please leave a comment and tell me your thoughts. - thank you!