the internet made me

have you ever seen a project tutorial that convinced you of success? toting beginner-intermediate difficulty. spouting lovely photos of in process items. i'm all for googling just about anything, but little did i know, googling this tutorial would set my sewing stress capacity to its full limit.
about a month ago, i got all gung-ho on making a clutch bag. not just any clutch bag, mind you, but one of those fancy ones with the purse frame.
(my inspiration bag from redrubyrose)

the bag construction seems simple enough. nothing too scary. but the frame attachment. i was intrigued. i bought a few frames. i read countless blog tutorials.. my scrappy determination had lofty ideas of whipping up a few little clutches over the weekend.












fast forward 1 month. i discovered there lies a clutch bag frame conspiracy. they seem to prey on the lofty and otherwise naive purse makers and crush their very motivation to survive. after spending countless late midnight hours, ruined no less than 2 purse frames, i was completly stumped as to how to proceed. i gave up.  i moved on. it was over.

but every time i entered my sewing room, and saw them laying astray and bent on my work table. i could feel those seedy little frames taunting me with their insubordination.  at one point, i chucked a wayward frame across the sewing room out of spite for their defiance. dirty little frames. who do they think they are?? :)

but tonight, my friends, the wayward insubordination has been conquered. perhaps it was purely out of fear that those little grippe fellows cooperated...for fear that they would see the underside of my mini-van tire if they continued their strike.

i think i could write a book on what NOT to do when making one of these.
like how this "amazing" craft glue should have further disclaimers boasting cement-like properties, and inability to stay off of my new pants.

oh, and what kind of tool is meant to clamp the frames closed? if you know, please do share. i stumped my carpenter husband as well as an 8 year home-depot veteran.
i ended up with this

(thanks to clint's extensive tool bench the size of a barn. literally). it's a bit past crafter grade...i feel very rugged using it :)

after finally reaching sucess, i was half tempted to never make one again. and then i got an order for this...

a wedding clutch...and i couldn't resist. it's quite an honor.
and although it was still drying when i snapped this picture, it's stunning in person. though  more bedazzled than i've done in the past, there is something i love about it. i hope she does too :)