Monkeys, Masks, & Bags - Oh My!

Have you ever grown so accustomed to a storage holder that when it's time to replace it (for whatever reason) and you haven't had time to, you start feeling like pulling your hair out?  Tragic I know!  I've just experienced this "small" annoyance, and, unfortunately, it was all about a silly little grocery bag holder that I keep in my kitchen!  In fact, I had used my holder so much that the elastic openings were worn out at both ends and would no longer hold the bags.  Consequently the bags would end up on the floor.  And, silly as it may sound, I have developed this habit of keeping the plastic bags you get from the grocery store because I use them for various purposes around the house.  For example, I use them to line the small trash container under my kitchen sink; I use them for fruit rinds that I don't put through the garbage disposal; and I use them to wrap (cushion) cans and jars before placing them in the trash.  The list goes on and on.  Anyway to make matters worse, I don't want just ANY type of holder; it has to coordinate with my kitchen decor.  I know--how girlie or picky am I?  I've come to the realization-- PRETTY girlie and PRETTY picky!

A few years back, I was fortunate to have spotted one that happened to go with my decor.  My kitchen has an African Island theme so some items are easy to find and some are not so easy.  Well I figured my chances of finding something similar this time around would be a little slim--and certainly wasn't worth the store-to-store hunt--after all it's a holder for recycling grocery bags!  So you probably know what's next?  Yes, I decided to make one. 

Yesterday morning I took a look around the kitchen and thought:  no--no palm trees.  Besides, that was the motif on my old holder and I have a few trees in my kitchen already, such as the print on the wall.

Then I decided:  no--no monkeys.  I already have a few scattered here and there.

Then I thought-- how about a mask?  As of now, I only have one and it's hiding just above the frig, along with some earthenware.

So I made the decision and here's my holder!

Quite tribal looking wouldn't you say?  To maintain the shape of the mask even when I have a low supply of bags, I inserted an empty oatmeal container in which I had taken off the lid and cut off the bottom.  So now I am back to collecting bags for everyday use!  Hooray!