Blog #14: Childhood in a Purse/ Statement

Well, the crayon coin purse and the little wax coins have turned out extremely well. Fortunately...or unfortunately...I managed to finish it two weeks before the due date. One would think I'd have all that time off but nooo..... It was suggested that I go on to make a whole purse.

Well so that got my mind going. Rather than making a purse out of crayon boxes as well I figured I'd make it out af a girly backpack and it's contents out of various things pretaining to childhood and school. But what to women typically carry in their purses and what are the innocent parallels?

So among the first things to come to mind were the two objects I originally thought of working with: bubble gum and a condom. The parallel struck me. Condom symbolizes sex which is among the most exciting things adults get to experience. Then make it out of gum/candy which is a kid's prime source of pleasure. Also, for a woman carrying a condom can indicate that she is promiscuous (albeit responsible) and a child who brings gum to school is also...naughty.

Speaking of "naughty". How about some nasty habits? Smoking is the most obvious habit/addiction and in today's society its slowly becoming less accepted and more taboo. From personal experience, the worst habit I had in school was chewing my wooden pencils (one of the reasons I only like using mechanical pencils today). So with that I intend to construct a cigarette carton and ciggies from a box of pencils.

Cell phones.... how does an elementary student communicate? Notes...little obnoxious but cute love notes. While I doubt I'll be able to get my hands on a genuine love note I'll have to compose one myself and with it I hope to make a paper machete cell phone. However, I've recently decided to make this project a little sad. Already we've established that this purse's owner has a bad addiction, may be promiscuous, so to make that come full circle the message written on the love note and consequently the phone will be a negative one. Erin Cunningham reminded me of the old school notes with the "do you like me? check yes or no." So I plan to have the no box checked. This may even indicate as to why the purse was dropped.

This just adds to the reflection of simpler times. henceforth all the childhood supplies.

Other objects I hope to constuct are a stick of lipstick made from tootsie rolls (again candy being linked to sex)

a billfold with trading cards of some kind rather than credit cards and cash (forms of currency)

Keys made from a hall pass or a nail file made from a ruler. Hopefully the first thrift shop I visit will have all these things.