Beauty School Dropout - BBArtisans Team Challenge

It's Shameless Commerce Tuesday, but it is also the BIG REVEAL of my Blogging Business Artisans Team Challenge project for July.  http://bloggingbusinessartisans.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-monthly-challenge-summer-lovin.html.

Jenny of A Bird in the Hand Art http://abirdinthehandart.blogspot.com chose the challenge theme:  Summer Lovin'.  The response to the challenge could be summer or love related, OR it could relate to the movie Grease.

Now Grease just happens to be one of my all-time favorite musicals!  If you haven't seen the 1978 film version starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, by all means rent it.  It is a must see.  My daughter's dance troupe did a production of Grease one summer, many years ago.  And even though I sat through many rehearsals, I never grew tired of the music.  Allison still has her Pink Ladies jacket, pictured below, stored in my closet:

One of my favorite songs from the movie was the ballad, Beauty School Dropout.  Frenchie, one of the Pink Ladies, drops out of high school to attend beauty school.  But a dreamy singing angel, Frankie Avalon, urgers her to turn in her teasing comb and go back to high school. (Image from fanpop.com.)

So, when I found this hair stylist fabric swatch from the Loralie Beauty Salon collection circa 2006, I knew that would be used somehow in my BBA Challenge project:

I decided to make a roomy 14" x 16" (35.5 cm x 40.6 cm) patchwork drawstring bag, with the hair stylist featured on the front.  The outer bag is a patchwork of 100 - 2.5" squares in black, pink and red.  I used Carolina gingham checks and polka dot fabrics from my scrap stash for a 50s era look.  The drawstring casing technique is one I adapted from a tutorial:  ayumills.blogspot.com/2008/09/tutorial-reversible-patchwork-bag.html.  The lining is a bold red and white polka dot print, and the bag could be reversible.  All the fabrics are 100% cotton, so the bag is machine washable.  I chose red "rattail" cording for the drawstrings, and sealed the ends with fabric sealant to prevent fraying.

My 24-year-old daughter, Allison, a DIY stylist, has accumulated a number of hair gizmos--curling irons, blow dryers, crimpers, straighteners -- not to mention brushes, combs, gels, mousse and goop to make her hair shinier.  This bag would be large enough to accommodate most if not all of that stuff.  Perfect for a hair-conscious teen or a recent grad heading off to college -- or even beauty school!  Or a thoughtful holiday gift for your favorite hair stylist.  This is a one of a kind bag.  I doubt that I will be able to find more Loralie swatches any time soon!

You can find this drawstring bag, and other fun and functional fabric stuff, in my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/105153470/large-drawstring-bag-hair-stylist-black.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com