So, we had acquired a magnificent vintage crocodile purse from one of our pickers in Turkey, of all places. It was in pristine condition, but unfortunately someone had added a totally inappropriate strap to it, which I immediately removed. I had the purse out on my work table trying to decide how to replace the strap when a friend stopped in and commented on how beautiful it was without any strap at all. Decision over? No way!
It made me think outside of the box, though, and I thought, "How could I redefine this bag to be both a clutch and have a beautiful optional strap?" So I dug through our scrap bag and came up with:
- A magnificent alligator Brooks Brothers belt that my husband tried to throw away because one of our hunting puppies thought it was a chew toy.
- The supple lining saved from an old Furla purse
- Two beautiful old jump rings from that darn dog’s hand-me-down collar (which my husband also tried to trash... the nerve, haha!)
And voila – inspiration was born! Decisions were made! Watch for the finished product on our website. I’m always thankful for friends with good taste!