New gallery, new theme, and a twist!

Oh my, how is it already the 1st?!
Sorry for my delay in posting the gallery.
You know, it has just been one of those days. I woke up to find someone had egged my car.
Hmmm...
not a good beginning.

My brother came over and ran some test on my car (nothing to do with the eggs).
Result: blown head gasket.
Sigh. The dealer says it's a minimum of $3000 to fix.
I have to dog sit a sick dog in the north county at the end of the week.
In Southern California, you NEED a car.

Anyway, my original plan was to finish my bag and post it here, but forgive my lateness yet again.
I did, however, get my Amy Butler bag in by the deadline, so cross your fingers on that one. Boy, I could use a new Janome!
I'll be blogging about that bag soon on Woof Nanny.

Okay, but to business at hand.
Ten bags were presented in this challenge.
Ten is an okay amount, but I'd like to at least double that.

Check out Karen's amazing towel to cosmetic bag transformation!

Words don't even express how much I adore this!
See all the gallery photos.

Okay, the new theme: Refashion a readymade bag.
You're like, "huh?"

For example, go to the thrift store and pick up a 50's patent leather clutch, or an old train case, or a wooden basket purse.
And embellish it, or recover it, or somehow make it new again.
Preferably exterior and interior, but exterior for sure.
Okay?

I've never done this either, and I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl.

Here's a collage purse from Violette's Folk Art Tips

I can't find the permalink, so I'll just post her tutorial:

"This is a fun project if you want to resurrect an old purse and exercise your creative juices! You can put almost anything onto your purse as long as you use the proper adhesive and numerous coats of modge podge and varnish."

Materials
Old leather or vinyl purse
Collage items (Scrapbooking supplies)
sandpaper
Photocopied words or quotes
Gems, sequins, stars
Glitter
Stickers
Paper doily
White glue
Modge Podge
Varnish
Acrylic paints


Directions
1. Scuff purse with sandpaper
2. randomly paint acrylics over surface
3. choose your images that you have cut-words, faces, alphabets and patterns
4. Modge Podge on the surface of the purse in a pleasing fashion
5. Glue on sequins, Stickers, gems, stars and glitter
6. When dry modge podge several coats over entire design
7. For extra protection coat with varnish

Sounds fun, eh?
Please send me a jpg. to barbian7@yahoo.com of what you make by April 30, and I'll post it in the gallery May 1.

BUT, there's a twist!
In order to stir up more participation, this challenge will involve a prize!
Please leave comments about ideas for cool prizes.
I can't afford much, but maybe some purse notions, or a small gift card for Starbucks or something.
You tell me!