Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Guest Artist Giovanna Zara

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place
Please join us in welcoming guest artist Giovanna Zara to Somerset Place! Today, she will be sharing a beautiful, altered bag tutorial to inspire your next creative adventure.

 

Lately I’ve found this old small bag in my parent’s basement, ready for the bin, but still lingering there maybe for years.

My mum is a fashion addict and she is a bit of a hoarder. She likes collecting things and can’t let them go.  I would never wear something made with faux crocodile skin, but I’ve loved this bag’s texture so my goal was to highlight it and not cover it.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

Materials:

Process:

The first thing I wanted to do is give the bag a new shabby, romantic look. I took out the long straps and cut a small piece of one of them to make a handler for the bag.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

 

 

Then I glued various embellishments to the bag’s front, such as fabric flowers, scraps of vintage book pages, bits of lace and some metallic cogs and charms with heavy gel medium.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

When perfectly dry, I brushed a layer of gesso and let it dry.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

To give the soft, pastel feeling I sprayed pink and brown mists, but toning the colours down with water and white mist.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

For the last step, I highlighted a bit of the texture created by the flowers and laces with gold metallic waxes.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

Here are a few more close-ups, so you can help see how it turned out!

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

 

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

And there you have it …

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

We would like to extend a BIG thank you to Giovanna for sharing her mixed-media bag tutorial with us!

Giovanna Zara is a mixed-media artist from Sardinia, Italy. She is passionate about upcycling, giving new life to objects meant for the bin, art journaling and sewing. You can find her artwork, along with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials on her blog www.giogiocraft.it.

You might also be interested in …

Haute handbags Spring 2014

Haute Handbags Magazine

How do you carry it? That’s the question Somerset Studio would like to help answer through our exciting special publication! Whether we use purses, clutches, totes, portfolios, sacks, bags, or attachés, there are many styles made with an astounding array of materials emerging from all corners of the creative world – all vying to be made and enjoyed!

Every issue of Haute Handbags Magazine offers 144 pages of inspiration.

Look inside previous issues.

 

 


Posted: Monday, May 21st, 2018 @ 3:13 pm
Categories: How-To Project Tutorials, Mixed-Media Art.
Tags: , , , .
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8 Responses to “Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Guest Artist Giovanna Zara”

  1. scrAPpamondo says:

    Wow wow wow!!!! Amazing upcycling!! How wonderful is this bag??!! Thank you very much for the step by step tutorial and the inspiration!

  2. Craftyfield says:

    So unique! Wonderful piece of recycling and gorgeous colours, love it!

  3. Gorgeous upcycling project Gio! Love this bag and thank you for the step by step!
    Hugs,
    Sylvie

  4. Erna Taylor-Stark says:

    This bag is stunning especially since the original is somewhat scary to me. I don’t like “skin” bags whether real or fake.

    I have forwarded this to a friend who will probably make one!

  5. Cocofolies says:

    Wow!!!
    Such a fabulous transformation!!!!!
    Great tutorial, thank you so much, Gio and Somerset for this publication for free.
    I love it!

  6. butterfly says:

    What a stunning transformation by Gio – her work is always amazing.
    Alison x

  7. Susan says:

    Absolutely gorgeous!! I love the shabby transformation and the little touches that make it unique and just lovely. Thank you for the tutorial and the up close photos.

  8. This upcycled purse is totally luscious!
    Gio did and always does beautiful artwork! I am a follower and fan of her happy creations! Thanks so much Stampington for featuring Gio!
    Jackie xo

Jordan How-To Project TutorialsMixed-Media Art ,,,

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place
Please join us in welcoming guest artist Giovanna Zara to Somerset Place! Today, she will be sharing a beautiful, altered bag tutorial to inspire your next creative adventure.

 

Lately I’ve found this old small bag in my parent’s basement, ready for the bin, but still lingering there maybe for years.

My mum is a fashion addict and she is a bit of a hoarder. She likes collecting things and can’t let them go.  I would never wear something made with faux crocodile skin, but I’ve loved this bag’s texture so my goal was to highlight it and not cover it.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

Materials:

Process:

The first thing I wanted to do is give the bag a new shabby, romantic look. I took out the long straps and cut a small piece of one of them to make a handler for the bag.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

 

 

Then I glued various embellishments to the bag’s front, such as fabric flowers, scraps of vintage book pages, bits of lace and some metallic cogs and charms with heavy gel medium.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

When perfectly dry, I brushed a layer of gesso and let it dry.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

To give the soft, pastel feeling I sprayed pink and brown mists, but toning the colours down with water and white mist.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

For the last step, I highlighted a bit of the texture created by the flowers and laces with gold metallic waxes.

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

Here are a few more close-ups, so you can help see how it turned out!

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

 

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

And there you have it …

Altered Shabby-Chic Bag by Giovanna Zara on Somerset Place

We would like to extend a BIG thank you to Giovanna for sharing her mixed-media bag tutorial with us!

Giovanna Zara is a mixed-media artist from Sardinia, Italy. She is passionate about upcycling, giving new life to objects meant for the bin, art journaling and sewing. You can find her artwork, along with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials on her blog www.giogiocraft.it.

You might also be interested in …

Haute handbags Spring 2014

Haute Handbags Magazine

How do you carry it? That’s the question Somerset Studio would like to help answer through our exciting special publication! Whether we use purses, clutches, totes, portfolios, sacks, bags, or attachés, there are many styles made with an astounding array of materials emerging from all corners of the creative world – all vying to be made and enjoyed!

Every issue of Haute Handbags Magazine offers 144 pages of inspiration.

Look inside previous issues.