Inspiration is where you find it and since I’m online a lot, I often find inspiration online. I recently got my first DSLR camera and as you can imagine I am pretty excited about it. I’m learning slowly and figuring out what kind of accessories I want and need. Right off the bat, I knew I wanted a camera bag, but not a boring black camera bag. Life is too short for boring and I like bags too much to settle for something un-cute. I went searching online and found this one by Built*, which I bought.
And don’t get me wrong, I really like the bag. It’s cute, but it doesn’t look like a bag I would use if I wasn’t carrying a camera. It looks a bit more like a cute lunch cooler.
As luck would have it I went to visit The Blue Ridge Gal and learned about Kelly Moore and Epiphanie bags which are beyond cute, but a tad expensive. Not to worry she also provided me with a link to oh, sweetlee me and that is when inspiration struck! You see this creative blogger made herself a lovely camera bag with a cute purse and the padding of a boring black camera bag that she had laying around. Well, if there is one thing I can do, it is to copy a good idea.
I didn’t have any camera bag padding laying around so I went online and googled, “camera bag dividers” and found this kit* on Amazon.
Basically it is padding that you can cut-to-fit with scissors and it comes with Velcro strips. It’s pretty idiot proof except that this idiot didn’t order enough of it. When I got it, I decided I still wanted more padding in the bag to cushion my camera, so I looked around the house and found a diaper changing pad that I wasn’t using.
I figure if it is good enough to cushion my baby’s tush, then it’s good enough to cushion my camera. Then all I needed was a bag. Bags I have aplenty. I pulled one out that sort of looks like an old-school camera bag and lined it with the diaper changing pad and then put in the dividers. I don’t have much camera gear right now so I can use half of the bag for my wallet and necessities. The bag also has a built in slot for my phone.
And this is what it looks like when all is said and done.
I love it! It was easy and inexpensive to make, I think it’s cute, and when I get tired if it I can put the padding in another bag.
I have two of the Kelley Moore Bags, They’re not really big enough to hold everything and those velcro dividers sort of bug. I think you’re on the right track.
Cute and clever!
You are brilliant! *runs out to copy UM*
Besos!
Besos right back at ya!
What a clever lady you are…
I have to agree with everyone who says this is very clever and I would add practical also.
Well done.
LOVE it!!! You’re right-that first bag is cute, but totally looks like a lunch bag.
Your idea was GREAT – that’s a killer idea.
I don’t ever carry a purse around so when I go somewhere with my camera, I just have my camera bag, which isn’t traditional black and now that I think about it, it might look like some kind of lunch bag as well….
I am very impressed. I just don’t know how I am going to travel around Europe with my Canon Rebel and point and shoot. I do have a built bag for my Netbook which I love. See
with my COPD I can’t carry much or I get winded. I’ve been avoiding this but now the trip is in like 12 days!!! I love what you made.
I love that idea. I get bored with a bag so fast so I don’t like to spend a lot of money on one.
You are definitely a clever lady!
Clever, practical, inexpensive and cute! I so have to follow your lead and make myself a camera bag.
That’s very clever!
Shoot, I also wanted to say that I like your handbag also, I would just need something larger (because of all the stuff I carry, of course).
score…it looks nice…its functional…well done i would say…
OMG that is freaky! I’m sitting in my lounge reading blogs, leaving comments.. and as per usual I can’t get into your comment box to leave a comment, so I drop it down to try again later… and you pop up with a comment for me!
As I said.. freaky!
so anyway.. I bring back up your blog and wah lah! I can leave a comment now?
Well… after all THAT…
I love your camera bag.. you have given me ideas now!
You are a clever wee tart! lol
I hope all is well with your two darling girls?
OMG that is freaky! I’m sitting in my lounge reading blogs, leaving comments.. and as per usual I can’t get into your comment box to leave a comment, so I drop it down to try again later… and you pop up with a comment for me!
As I said.. freaky!
so anyway.. I bring back up your blog and wah lah! I can leave a comment now?
Well… after all THAT…
I love your camera bag.. you have given me ideas now!
You are a clever wee tart! lol
I hope all is well with your two darling girls?
OMG that is freaky! I’m sitting in my lounge reading blogs, leaving comments.. and as per usual I can’t get into your comment box to leave a comment, so I drop it down to try again later… and you pop up with a comment for me!
As I said.. freaky!
so anyway.. I bring back up your blog and wah lah! I can leave a comment now?
Well… after all THAT…
I love your camera bag.. you have given me ideas now!
You are a clever wee tart! lol
I hope all is well with your two darling girls?
Oh, I’m sure you could make a great camera bag.
OMG that is freaky! I’m sitting in my lounge reading blogs, leaving comments.. and as per usual I can’t get into your comment box to leave a comment, so I drop it down to try again later… and you pop up with a comment for me!
As I said.. freaky!
so anyway.. I bring back up your blog and wah lah! I can leave a comment now?
Well… after all THAT…
I love your camera bag.. you have given me ideas now!
You are a clever wee tart! lol
I hope all is well with your two darling girls?
Hey Mami– GREAT camera bag! It’s beautiful and functional. What a great idea.
xo jj
Looks good – do you have one for your laptop? I’m thinking you could do similar thing for it. Velco is amazing stuff.
The red color is very nice as well as the purse. Is that leather? I like Kelly Moore bags but I think they are little pricey. Still, I haven’t seen backpacks in her collection. I prefer to use backpacks for my equipment especially for landscape photography and when travelling. Another advantage of the backpack is that you can attach tripod to it.
Thanks for sharing these lovely photos! 🙂
I like it! It’s a classic look and it has plenty of room to carry all of your stuff!
What a great idea!
I loved the purple bag (my favorite color) and then…you are just so determined and creative!
I think you were the only one that got my point that the “C” word is an insult to all women. Thanks for stopping by.
I hope your short week is off to a good start.
brilliant!
Why thank you!
i love this. i saw those same posts on blueridge gal’s site. i ended up making a makeshift camera bag out of a 12-pack cooler bag with some removable pads made from a thin chair cushion. it’s big enough to put my camera and lens in together without having to detact the telephoto. it’ll do if i want to take it for car travel… 🙂
Nice!
I’m totally ok with a boring bag for my camera- but mostly because I just got a new-to-me Lowepro Slingshot 100 AW and I’m head over heels in love with it and how easy it has become to carry my camera and camera stuff with me!
I didn’t even know what that was, but I just looked it up and I love that it is a sling.
you creative girl, you!! 🙂
Now THAT’s creativity. I love the bag! And it looks expensive!
Usually the things that hand made are so much cooler than the things they sell. This is most excellent!
Crafty!
Awesome! Love that you can buy dividers… I didn’t know that. Another of my readers bought a big purse at a discount store and used the dividers from her camera bag which she had outgrown… I think she spent a total of $50 and it was quite nice! Congrats on your successful camera bag too!
Great job!!! I love that you used turned an old bag into something useful! Mariliz