Muriel showed up at the studio unannounced to take advantage of the “Studio Clear-Out” sale I had advertised in my city’s Facebook group—forgetting that appointments were required.
She had seen some pieces she liked, so we looked through them together.

As we chatted, she discovered my full custom service and told me she wanted to do something with the birds she had salvaged from a bag she'd used for 30 years—one that had finally fallen apart.
She was supposed to come back with fabric to resell, and I suggested she bring me the birds so we could talk about it.

Paired with a home décor fabric that instantly made us both say, “Oh wow, that matches the birds perfectly,” a green velvet I’d had lying around for two years, and her leather jacket she fetched in the meantime… we started thinking about a bag design based on a model I’d already made that would highlight all these elements.

After hitting me with a “Anyway, I trust you—you’re the artist,” she approved the quote I sent and chose one of the three layout proposals I gave her.
I got to work—unstitching, cutting, assembling… and that’s how her messenger bag came to life: a practical, playful bag that reflects her personality.

Doesn’t this lovely little lady look absolutely delighted?!