PhuluDesigns's Profile

Bio

Once upon a time, there was a little girl. She was a rambunctious girl. Her rambunctiousness often got her into trouble. Being on restriction didn’t really faze her much; she would entertain herself by writing, drawing, or creating things with found objects. She learned that time passed much quicker when she was engaged in a time-consuming project.

I am that girl, and I still love things that require tremendous attention to detail. One of my favorite craft projects is cigar box purses and cigar box-style purses. While many people say that functional art is not something to use every day, and it should be saved for special occasions, I try to create pieces that people will want to carry every day. As such, I make every effort to create a piece that can hold up to more than the occasional use.

Phulu Designs features a variety of designs, with an emphasis in wood boxes, furniture, handbags, totes, and cigar box purses.

Most of my pieces are truly one-of-a kind items. I don’t mean that they are one-of-a-kind because they were handcrafted, but because I refuse to create an item that even closely resembles another piece. Sure, I might make more than one item with the same theme, but if I make something, it’s the only one that I will make. If I ever make more than one, I will ensure that the buyer is aware, and the piece will be numbered. The only exception is the genuine cigar box purses.

Speaking of cigar box purses…there are two types of cigar box purses I make: purses where I have tried to preserve the look of the original cigar box, and purses where I have made modifications and covered some part of the box with new images. In either case, I put tremendous effort into ensuring that the box is suitable for a purse. I add new hardware if I feel that the existing hardware is not sturdy enough for frequent or everyday use. In the case of cigar boxes made out of very thin wood, I nail the joints together. In some cases, a cigar box purse may appear “upside down.” This is because changing the existing hardware would either cause damage to the box, or would disrupt the flow if the artwork. In an effort to ensure that your valuables remain safe, I never create a box that opens on the bottom. Because these are genuine cigar boxes, it is not uncommon for the boxes to occasionally have a residual cigar odor, or for there to be "imperfections" in the box. These are all part of the character. Remember, these boxes have been on many journeys, and these "imperfections" are part of their character. I only use quality products, and use boxes with minimal blemishes.

I make every effort to not only make a product that will sell, but to make a high-quality product that I would feel confident purchasing if I were a buyer.

P.S. I love glittery, kitschy, colorful things, which is probably apparent by the items in my store.

Thanks for checking out my store, and if you have any questions, please feel free to convo me or email me at phoebe [!at] phoebelulu.com.

Female

Favorite Materials

wood, cigar, boxes, glitter, glue, paint, beads, fabric, paper, charms, magazines, string, wire