In my unsolicited opinion, choosing your accessories is one of the more fun aspects of putting together an outfit. I've never been a matching shoes/belt/purse girl myself. Why not let each piece tell its own story? If your favourite standbys are running out of tales to tell, allow me to introduce you to the Duct Tape Bag.

What you'll need:
- Duct tape
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Cardboard (12 x 4 inches)

Instructions:
These instructions are for making a bag that measures 12 inches wide, 10 inches tall, and 4 1/2 inches deep - essentially a small tote bag. For a smaller, night-on-the-town size bag, adjust the dimensions to your heart's content. Work on a large flat surface like your kitchen table. It'll be easier too if there are no inquisitive kitties around to sit on sticky-side-up duct tape!

Start by making the panels that will form the front and back of the bag. Cut six pieces of duct tape, each 12 inches long. Lay one strip with the sticky side facing up. Lay a second strip next to the first, with the edges overlapping at least 1/4 of an inch. Do the same to the remaining four strips. Cut more strips (I used 7) and place them sticky side down on top of and perpendicular to the first six. Do this two more times so that you have three panels. Cut two strips from the third panel, each 4 inches wide. These will be the two side panels for your bag. Cover the cardboard in tape. This is the bottom of the bag. Connect all the pieces of the bag. Tape them from the outside of the bag and from the inside.

First, attach the front and back panels to the bottom panel. Next, attach the side panels to the bottom panel. Third, attach the front and back panels to the side panels. (I know, that's an awful lot of use of the word "panel," but it's pretty straightforward.) If your side panels are a little taller than the front and back panels, trim them so that they're even.

The handles can be as long as you want them to be. Make them out of four pieces of duct tape cut to your desired length. (Between 20 and 24 inches is a good length for a small tote bag.) Fold one strip of duct tape in half along its length. Lay it out and place a second length of duct tape on top, overlapping in the middle. Flip the whole thing over and fold the second length of duct tape over the first so you have a seam down the middle. Repeat for the second handle. Attach the two handles to the inside of the bag. You can dress up the bag by using different colours of duct tape along the edges, or by putting a pocket on the front.