I've just looked at this website: www.sfgirlbybay.com, it has links to loads of inspiring design websites and blogs...
It also had a link to this blogspot: www.inspirationboards.blogspot.com, which has an interesting interview with Maira Kalman (an artist, designer,author, illustrator and photographer) - she talks about collecting and found objects, and the way they can tell stories. Here's an extract from the interview with Maira Kalman by Lori Pickert on 23.03.08:

'What do you collect, and how does it inspire you?
First and foremost I collect books. Those are my treasures and if I had to give everything up, I would in a second, but not the books. Then there are all the collections of odd ephemera. Old notebooks, boxes, fezzes, cafe napkins, moss, doll clothes, interesting packaging. Inspiration comes from shape, color, text, misuse of text, humor, honesty of intent. All of those things play in making something. The endless possibilities are always encouraging.

Can you say something about found objects and how they inspire you?
First of all a found object is free. And that is always exhilarating. It was waiting for you and you took it. It had a life and now the life continues. You may pass it on to someone. Or forget it for years and then refind it in a box. It is mysterious and yet tells a story.'

I've been researching blogs:
I've looked at camillaengman.blogspot.com, and was interested by her illustrations and the photos she's been taking of collections of objects...

design application research

I have been researching design applications for the illustrative print designs I have been developing; I have looked at these websites because the designs have an illustrative quality pertinent to the designs i have been developing, and also to give me ideas about context, pricing and website design: www.freckledesigns.co.uk, www.sylviefuller.co.uk, www.nadiasparham.co.uk

bag handles and fastenings research

I have been exploring the collections of objects we carry with us in our various types of bags. I plan to make a series of bag samples using some of my printed fabric designs. These printed fabrics explore the real and imaginary narratives around collections of objects. Making these bag samples will be a way of researching and developing relevant design applications for my printed fabrics; linking with areas of interest in my research.
I've been researching handles and others types of fastenings to use for making the bags, I found these websites
www.u-handbag.com, www.bagsofhandles.co.uk, www.kleins.co.uk, which look like they might be useful to source handles and fastenings.