house.calendar (mobile.homes.4)

Every project comes in its own time. The past few days have been bright with the possibility of this latest work. And after a long process of working with this iconic form, the 'House' Calendar has arrived!
The changing of seasons in New England inspired this collection of small watercolor vignettes depicting sky, ground, and house.

Visit the online shop soon to purchase prints!!

mobile.homes.3

What started as an obsession with the iconic form of "house" is turning into much more.
This little shape holds so much meaning. It is evocative of times in our lives spent curled up inside as the snow fell outside, playing in the tall grass as the sun warmed the shingles and our bodies, and of the days the leaves turned red and the cool breeze through open windows lulled us to sleep at night.
These are the memories of home in New England.
This project captures these moments as the long year progresses and changes and our relationship to home changes with it. As the seasons change, so do the colors of our lives. It's a subtle shift but one that resonates with us all.

yay.weddings!

I have been asked a few times by friends to make an extra special clutch for their extra big day, the Wedding! The latest is one of my favorites. The grass stencil is so perfect for summer and the lovely gray interior compliments the wedding colors beautifully. Stay tuned to see it on the 'real' bride.

summer.handbags.3

A few days ago I posted a peak of new summer clutches in the works. They are finished and I'm loving the new color combinations, white, blue, green, and salmon! There is also a new size, the MINI CLUTCH! Hurry to the online shop, these won't last!

summer.handbags.2

I always have requests for the signature MALA clutch! Usually from friends of friends looking for a special color combination, something unexpected, or a unique handbag that no one else has. I love commissions because they inspire new designs and are usually unique to the person I'm make it for.
Here are a few in the works...
I have been working with bright summer colors lately, so this is a departure for sure. The beautiful muted tones of deep blues and gray can be stunning for summer...and who know, there is always the opportunity to add a splash of color with the lining!

mobile.homes.2

One of a few recurrent themes in my work is the "house" with it's sloped roof and sturdy proportions. An iconic form, it is classic and modern, intimate and generic, simple and complex all at once.

These are a few small scale pieces I'm working on where I use both the iconic image and the word home to create evocative compositions. I plan to make a much expanded series of these in various colors and text combinations. Check back soon. They will be available in the online shop both with clip hanging and framed!

inspiration.walk.3

I am overjoyed by encounters like this...a random mailbox, tagged.

explaining.stuff

I've been working on ways to better communicate what a MALA handbag looks like in real life. It's a challenging thing. A pretty picture says a lot, but there is nothing like understanding dimensions, colors, and fabrics to help you make a decision about whether or not you will buy something.
Between designing, making and selling, I've been working on some graphics to help communicate the detail information better. Still not quite working, but progress is being made.
Anything you would like to see? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below! Thanks.

saddle.bag.3

Another saddle bag is ready! The gently worn leather bag I found just keeps providing great inspiration and material for this collection! Let me know what you think.

Come back to see how these bags look when you wear them! Photo shoot coming soon...

Eames.Love

I am in love with these Eames House Blocks!
They are simple and beautifully graphic without all the plastic typical of kids stuff. It seems to me that the imagination is pretty involved when playing with this toy and, bonus, it will look great sitting on a dresser or bookshelf!
Is there a little one (or big one) in your life that would love these?  I know I would love a set. It's never to early to start shopping for Christmas (hint, hint).

(Image House Industries)

saddle.bag.2

It has been a wonderfully productive day! Inspiration struck this morning in the form of a few images, and by mid afternoon a prototype Saddle Bag was finished!
I started within the theme of the ARMY MARKET COLLECTION; soft linen + masculine lines. Luckily, I had this beautiful used leather bag to do the rest. I found it discarded on the sidewalk one morning destined for the dump! I fell in love with it's soft, well worn brown/red leather and softly tarnished heavy metal hardware.

With a bit of design, cutting, sewing and, of course, love, the result is, admittedly, unexpectedly wonderful!

saddle.bag

There is a new bag in the works! It's a take on the Hipster Bag I developed a couple of weeks ago.
It's influence comes from saddle bags used on horses.
Hmmm...we'll se how this one goes.

sneak.peak.3

Where do the long days of summer go?...away too quickly, it seems.
Thought I'd share a few things that have been in the works while I've been away from blogging.