DIY: Reconstructed Old Purse

Remember that American Apparel leather carry-all pouch I showed you while ago?  While I still am eager to buy one, I know in the back of my mind a simple leather pouch with a zipper is so not worth the $50-$60 they're asking for it.  I was set on making my own from some faux leather and zipper I bought online...and failed miserably.  It seems so simple (and it is) but I don't have a real sewing machine, just a little hand held one that doesn't sew through leather very well.  So...I had the genius idea of grabbing one of my old purses that I never use anymore, and reconstructing that into my very own cotton carry-all pouch.  What's even better is that the zipper is already on the bag, all I had to do was flip it inside out and sew it into a rectangle shape and VOILÁ!  A printed, not plain, pouch clutch!
Here are some before and after photos:

I loved the print of this purse and it already had a zipper...so this was the perfect purse to use

First, I cut off the straps

This odd half circle shape didn't work well, so I turned it inside out and sewed it into a smaller rectangle shape

And now it looks like this!

TADA!