My Very Own Fairy Godmother

I made this purse to go to a black tie event.  I had a dress, but that was it.  I needed accessories and fast! And of course, I had no money.  When the person taking me called and asked what I was doing and I told him, he said it sounds like I am being my very own fairy godmother.  At the time, I was impatient with him.  I think I was more than anything, disappointed at having to be my own FGM, again, as usual.

What did he know, he just had to come home jump in the shower then his tux and was ready.  He was a pretty sweet guy though.  And we had a great night out.  He made  me feel like he was the most lucky man there.  I realized the real work of an FGM isn't for me but for everybody.

So, to the nuts and bolts of it, for I can tell you, there is absolutely NO magic involved.  All that's needed is an ability to take what's on hand, okay, keep good stuff on hand, and when needed, know what to do with them.

Earlier, I had been to Bendel's on some retail therapy.  Looking is free!  In a catalog lying on a table was a picture of an evening purse that captured my imagination.  They were giving them away so I took it home.  I liked it so much I'd ripped it out and saved it.  I wondered what it would be like to have such a thing, to have an event to bring it to.  What must it feel like to have that look back over my shoulder?  I wanted to be her, not a super model, just someone capable of drawing the kind of attention I felt toward that picture.
I got out the picture, collected stuff, cleared off my worktable and set to work.

All told, a little bit of shopping in the garment district and an hour or two of work and it was done!

I was worried that everybody would see through my DIY make lemonade from lemons getup (I'd made my dress too but that is for another post) to only to find that I was one of the best and most envied women attending.  It was a bit scary, actually.  It turns out they were all intimidated when I told them I was a costume designer and heard about some of the things I'd worked on.  So I fessed up and told them it was all fake, I made it myself because I was a broke working artist.  They changed from being envious to admirers. I smiled to myself and thanked my FGM.  I should have trusted her all along.