(NOTE: The tote bag painting with the women in red is Nicole's. The black and white [with a splash of red marker] pencil drawing is mine. :D)

Well, when I lived in Northern California, I invited my best friend Nicole up to see me at my new apartment that my then-fiance and I had just rented. It was our first time living together, without roommates or parental distraction, so I was more than pleased when Nicole accepted my invitation without hesitation. She's also a creative lady, and throughout junior high and high school, we would swap drawings as gifts. Those priceless works of art were unquestionably more precious to me than something that can be bought with money.

One day we decided to get crafty, and while checking out the local art shop (which was sadly closing its doors in a few weeks, as our economy had started its steady descent), we found plain canvas tote bags. I looked at her. She looked at me. We knew we just HAD to do something with these awesome bags.

Anyway, after getting home, we pulled out paint and brushes and pencils and permanent markers... and got to work. At the time, I only had one magasine- a "bridal" book that a friend had given me (despite the fact that my husband and I only had less than two months to plan the festivities of our marriage). So, Nicole and I "made do," and after a couple hours, we had what each of us called "a finished unique work of art"...on a tote bag. :)