Tic Tac Tote - Inkspirational May Anything Goes Challenge

As there is a 5th Wednesday in May we are having an Anything Goes challenge at Inkspirational this week.  No limits, you can create anything you like - how exciting is that?!

So I was determined to do something with one of my alterable items that I collect and hoard but don't often actually do anything with!  A few months ago I bought a lightweight wooden letter R and it has sat neglected in my craft room ever since but its time had come!

Firstly I traced round the letter onto a very pretty patterned paper and cut it out.  I decided to paint the letter and I sent my hubby Owen to the shed to investigate paint options.  We only had pale emulsion but I went with that as I'd chosen a pale paper and Owen very kindly painted my letter R for me.  While it was drying I completely changed my mind about which paper to use and I chose a dark brown damask paper instead.  Once the letter was dry I glued the patterned paper to the wooden letter.  There was too much pale colour showing around the sides so I inked the edges and nooks and crannies with Walnut Stain Distress Ink which helped a bit but not enough.  I decided I didn't want to keep the back of the letter pale either so off I went to the Glitter Pot to get Walnut Stain Distress Paint - that worked much better!   So then I punched a hole in the letter with my trusty Crop-A-Dile and set to embellishing my letter.  Some long hoarded SU! Sweet Pea felt embellishments were ideal - and some big pink bling and two ribbons finished it off.

I knew I wanted to have my letter R hanging from a tote bag that I recently acquired - for free!  I have donated a lot of crafty stuff on Freegle in the last few years and a lady that had received some of my goodies in the past was offering the bag and some US stamping magazines on Freegle and I was lucky enough to get them!   The bag is a Clippy tote bag made from thick clear plastic with pockets and the idea is that you place photos or other stuff in the pockets to customise the bag and make it individual to you.  So here's the bag with the pockets filled and my letter R attached to the handle.

It was very difficult to get good photos because of the shiny plastic and the resulting reflections!  I cut 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" pieces of old hoarded SU! patterned papers in colours that matched the Sweet Pea felt flowers - Old Olive, Rose Red and Pretty in Pink - to put in the pockets.  I added more felt flowers to the Pretty in Pink pockets.  I threaded Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon through Old Olive and Rose Red buttons and hot glued them to the metal snap closures to finish off the bag.   I'm calling this bag my Tic Tac Tote LOL!  Here's a photo of the back.

And a closer view of the front. 

It's a gusseted bag so it's really roomy, plus I've got plenty of pockets to tuck my shopping list into!  I love going into town shopping with my new tote - there isn't another one like it!  I've hot glued the letter and buttons to the bag so I guess I'll be keeping them but I can swap out the papers and flowers in the pockets any time I like if I want a different look!

I hope you'll take part in our Inkspirational Anything Goes challenge - I bet some of you have some alterable items you could work with!  ; )  The other DT members will have fab projects to inspire you so please check them out too!  I'll be visiting your blogs to see your wonderful creations!

Supplies:
Patterned paper:  SU! Spring Fling, Haiku & Rose Red Prints DSP, Echo Park Style Essentials dark brown damask paper
Ink: Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Walnut Stain Distress Paint
Tools: I-Bond hot glue gun, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: wooden letter R, Clippy tote bag, SU! Sweet Pea felt embellishments, Old Olive & Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbons, Old Olive & Rose Red buttons, Kaisercraft pink gems