Green Wardrobe

[avad]

Woohoo!!
I got my box of goodies from The Green Wardrobe/aka Leslie Hart today!! I have been absolutely obsessing over DIY and handmade crafty sites lately- I'm just so enthusiastic that this is all going on and the connections are getting denser so fast. It's like something I dreamt up when i was a kid- everyone just making things and being creative and selling things to eachother...instead of going to superstores and buying mass-produced items.

My first similar experience was a few years ago buying something off of novica.com and getting a box of aMAZINGLY detailed handpainted ornaments from India (which I gave as Xmas gifts that year)..the ornaments were wrapped so carefully and with love and somehow it SMELLED like it came from far away....and inside the box was a handwritten note on a postcard (that I couldn't read but!)and a little handcarved owl as an extra surprise gift.(!)
It was such a novel experience. First, on the site, I could learn a little bit about the artisans...they became people, individuals to me. Then I felt like I was directly supporting and encouraging them by buying something. Then receiving something with a human touch....I was hooked.

SO now back to today- I ordered two (2!)handpainted vintage bags that I fell in love with off the Green Wardrobe site. (everything is made of thrift store/second-hand finds that she alters/paints on, etc).One, I think the handbags are gorgeous and fun and I love that sort of thing- two, I'm just so enthusiastic it's as if I've found yet another additional purpose in life- to nurture this type of creativityrevolution as much as I can. I'll, um, just have to make more art and make more money!;)SO, it's getting clearer: I want to support education in developing countries (help build schools and libraries through the Peace Corps) and nurture creativity and expression on and through the internet. But I digress yet again.

So, remember, I ordered two handbags. And that got us e-mailing back and forth and exchanging links about art and such which is crazy and inspiring in itself- you're connecting with a stranger in another state!)But here's what I got today:
Included were a whole bunch of funny extra goodies and flourishes-and how cute is the box!?Each side had a different pic too by the way:


handpainted vintage purse #1, she painted both sides

handpainted vintage purse #2pink pomegranate pinwheeeeels!!:)

This is a freebie, a handmade lovecritter called PoePoeSnake. HEe, ok this lil feller is making me think bad thoughts. I don't know why.;)I asked her about hime and she said "PoePoe is a snake lover from outer space. His name was the name of a client we had where I work. (law firm) I loved the name so much that I had to use it, and so PoePoe the snake lover was born. He is a great companion! Take him with you whenever you can! He will protect you from evil snakes. Yeh, right. Anyway, he is cute, if I do say so myself. Enjoy him my dear"

Here's what his tag says:

and here's a little card reminder:

She also included a handmade feltpuff ring, 2 really cool handmade envelopes, and a small'trash art collage'!
I love it all. This is something I do NOT feel when purchasing something from a superstore, or a generic catalog. THIS is the one of the potentials of an evolving internet. And everyone is linked to everyone else...it's a bit dangerous because the discovery quotient is addictive. I just like to go from one DIY/handmade site's link page to check out any of the others...and oh lordy, if I'm not careful,there goes the night.
:)!

Comments

[unluckymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm going to make a note of that and make free things to include in people's purchases for the store! Thanks for sharing those purses are great and really inspiring!

[dizturbd-friend.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting the links to the sites of the finds you made ... and think I am going to go shopping ...

((love the 2 purse!!))