Series, interrupted...'The story of the June change of heART'

On occasion, I can 'spin a yarn'. 

(Actually, I really do know how to spin yarn...haven't done it in years, but I do have that skill.  #RandomFacts)

But the yarn I am spinnin' today is the story of how it came to be that six days into my June series, and after a pretty big Amazon order- I completely abandoned my idea, made six new pieces from scratch and went in a brand new direction.

I had it all planned out, my summer artin' I mean.  I had planned on FINALLY playing around with these alcohol ink things- that was going to be my June series.  I had won a gift card and went on a big #TreatYoSelf shopping spree courtesy of the husband's Amazon Prime account.  The packages started coming at the end of May and the last one actually arrived today.  Alcohol inks, Yupo paper, blenders...heck, even materials for what I was planning for my July series, too!  

I was on top of my game.  I felt really organized. I totally adulted.  #GrownWomanStuff

But then on June 5th, I saw the news that accessory designer Kate Spade had died- she committed suicide.  And it just really stuck with me.

The thing is...I'm not really a designer handbag kinda girl.  Growing up we never had money, certainly not for fancy handbags and shoes.  Heck, when Keds were popular I couldn't afford them.  I remember my stepsister gave me her old pair, which I couldn't fit- I took off the labels and glued it to the back of my plain white shoes from Rose's.  

I probably didn't have my first 'designer' handbag until I was teaching at Indiantown Middle School.  I won teacher of the year and one of my gifts was a Coach wristlet, picked out my my super stylish and fancy friend Siddhi.  I had never had a real Coach...well, anything.   After that I did go through a period where I would buy the smallest Coach wristlet for myself to mark milestones...but that was it as far as me buying fancy things for myself.  My cousin Krista gave me her old Tory Burch shoes (barely worn!) because she got another pair since those didn't fit her quite right.  My friends all chipped in and bought me a vintage Badgley Mischka bag for my birthday one year, it is super sparkly and I only bring it out 'for special' (like granny's old fancy towel set)....and I John's sister gave me one of their mom's vintage Fendi bags, one of my most beloved pieces, another piece I only bring out on special occasions.  Those are my 'designer' pieces.  Everything else is a thrift or clearance find.  

And the thing is- I never owned a Kate Spade bag.  But the fact that someone so talented and notable took their own life...it just made me think about how things aren't always as they seem.  Folks can be hiding so much hurt, even if they seem strong, or seem like that have their life together.  We are fragile- all of us, designer or no-name brand...we only have one life to wear.

And I just started thinking,
'Maybe I should do something else this month?'

During my May series, I had purchased one of my favorite 'treats', the 'Vogue Paris Collections' magazine.  I will splurge and buy at least one a year.  It's a splurge because its kinda pricey, but when you love drawing fashion it's worth it.  When I was having this internal debate I kept seeing that magazine sitting on my desk;

...it just seemed like everything was pointing towards fashion- again.  

Heck, even Milky seemed to be telling me to go that route;

 
All silliness aside...I just really felt like changing my theme was what I needed to do.  I felt compelled to draw handbags for this month, in tribute to all the talented designers out there whose work makes us smile through their use of color, texture and pattern.  And also thinking about the 'baggage' that all of us carry with us...

I cannot really articulate any more that that.  I really want to- but the words just won't come to me.  It just had to be a celebration of handbags this month.  It had to be.  So I put away my alcohol inks and the pieces I had started to re-start this series.  The funny thing is, once I made that decision a better idea for my July series also came to me...and I will be using the alcohol inks as a portion of that and also revisiting a previous theme that I really enjoyed- so watch for those next month.

Here are the bags for the first six days;

...and just want to leave this here...

...'cause we all have that 'strong friend' that seems to have it all together.  Or may YOU are the 'strong friend'  In any case, check on that friend...self check on YOU.