Numbers Tote

I’ve sewn a thing!  

My thing is a tote bag.  Man-O-Man has it been a long time since I’ve sewn a tote!  Back then they were all very simple.  This one also was (should have been) simple, but it seems I wanted to sew everything from finish to start rather than from start to finish!  I also tried new things.

Slowest thing about it coming together is that I made it up as I went along.  Which means it is riddled with mess-ups and made-up fixes.  That works for me!

I went to a quilt show last weekend and caught a huge sewing bug!  I bought all kinds of new fabrics and patterns and went home and decided to sew with a fabric I already had.  I can’t explain how that happened.

I couldn’t resist buying this Tim Holtz numbers fabric.  I love numbers.  Of course it had to be a one-way print.  Why ever would I choose something that could go either way for a tote.  Because I am my own worse enemy, that’s why.

I hardly ever buy fabric for a purpose.  99% of my fabric purchases are because I love the print.  Then I buy yardage according to how much I think I love the print.  I do not usually buy more than a yard.  But the number fabric I REALLY LOVED and bought 1 and a half yards.

That lining was an ancient purchase of a half yard.  There isn’t much left.  That means there is an open spot for a new piece of fabric to lie in wait.

Rather than batting and for durability, I stitched a strip of ultra suede inside the shoulder straps.

Sewing the straps gave me a new inspiration that I’ll be stitching up soon.

Inside the tote.

I have a Dymo label maker and wanted to try some iron-on tape.  It ironed on but I don’t trust it so I added stitching.

I also thought I’d like to corral my water bottle.  However, I don’t think that was  the best plan.  I have my doubts that I will like it.  Not a problem, easy to chop out if I decide to.

It’s pretty roomy inside.  When it goes to the next quilt show, I’m fairly certain I will run out of money before I run out of room to add purchases to it.

There are extra wide selvedges on this fabric.  I decided to add some wordy interest to the numbers print by stitching the selvedges along the side seams.

I also seemed to have had a need to add my love of cycling for a bit of added interest.  No other rhyme or reason.

Another selvedge section from a bicycle theme print.

I found these leather Hand Made labels so added that also for a bit of interest.  From a distance you might think this is a designer bag with a big name on it.  NOT.

That’s the “thing” I’ve sewn.

Sadly, I have nothing coming up to use it!  Sad face.

Fabric Postcard Mail Art

I’ve been in the mood to make fabric postcards lately.

An idea or two for designs presented themselves and I didn’t resist.  

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This snail simply had to be turned into a snail mail postcard.

The image of the girl has been in my stash of printed fabrics for quite a long time.  The sentiment that it sometimes takes all day to get nothing done spoke to me.  It seems like that is a rather common occurrence for me.  LOL. The other pieces on the postcard are all washi tapes.  I’d already started sewing them down on the edges before I thought to glue them down for extra security.  My hope was that they wouldn’t get caught in transit and tear.  I know the postcard arrived but I haven’t heard yet how the tapes survived.

And here’s my life in August.

While I wait for some new fabric postcard inspiration to pass by, I’ll just keep myself busy working on finishing up other “started” projects.

Happy September...already!

150 Years of Postcards

The world is celebrating the 150 years of the birth of postcards.  You know that I want to be part of that!

The interesting history of the postcard is documented

here

I sent in a couple of cards to get in on the celebration as I so love making and sending postcards.  One had to be fabric, the other art.

There is a bit of a contest for the front and written side of the cards as well. 

That meant a chance to express how you feel about postcard mail.

I’ve shared this art postcard before but had never sent the original to anyone.  Since it had a little bit of a postal theme, I sent it in as well.

My expressed words for my love of postcards.




As I say many times on my postcards...

Happy mail day!

Calendar Journal

Catching up on sharing my life with my calendar journals.  My nosey blogging friends have made requests.  I’m glad to know I’m not alone in being a Nosey Nellie.  I love reading what other’s are doing in their daily life.

Hmm, I wonder what I did on the 31st besides work.  Obviously nothing noteworthy.  And forgot to go back and fill it in with something that means nothing noteworthy happened.

Creepy Birthdays

My children and grandchildren love themselves some creep.

I got into my daughter’s creep stash and made them all creepy happy birthday cards this year.

Grandson’s card

Daughter-in-Law’s card

Son’s card

Granddaughter’s card

Daughter’s card

It was fun to make cards outside the ordinary box.

Especially for birthdays.

3-D Pinwheel Quilt

My first ever pieced quilt top.

I love that it is perfectly imperfect showing my piecing skill improvement over the years.

This quilt top has hidden from me for close to 25 years!  

I didn’t start making quilts until 9 years ago.  I was under the greatly misunderstood impression that quilts had to be free-motion quilted with a design or tied.  How silly is that!  I’ve done free-motion on many small quilted pieces, but I don’t enjoy it.  So I knew I’d never machine quilt this top.  It would have to be tied.  Although that wasn’t really appealing either, it would be what I would do.

This quilt top got carefully folded and set aside.  Then we moved.  And moved again.  This quilt top never made it’s way out of the storage bin that it was put into to move...and move again.

Over the last 9 years, I’ve searched for this quilt top a few times.  Because I finally woke up to the fact that I could quilt it in any design I wanted to.  Including straight line quilting.  Not finding it anywhere, I have been kicking myself for obviously giving it to the thrift shop thinking I’d never quilt it.  I went through the kicking myself every time I looked for it.  And I kept looking occasionally because I wasn’t absolutely sure that I had given it away.

During the last 2 years I have slowly worked at sorting and purging my stuff-burdened life.  A couple of months ago I finally began to notice the progress and I went at it whole hog in the basement.  At the very end of storage bins to sort through, buried at the bottom of the bin was this quilt top!!!  Can you even imagine my surprise?

The top is cheaply made.  The pinwheels and black sashing are broadcloth.  Did I hear shocked gasps?  Well, it was what I could afford at the time.  And could not afford batting and backing at the time.  Which was another reason the top was carefully folded and set aside.  

I’m not hard on my quilts, so I expect even broadcloth is going to last a good long time in my possession.  I won’t treat it any different than the quilts I’ve made with quilt shop fabrics.  

At the bottom of that storage bin was another surprise.  It was my daughter’s very first ever quilt top that she sewed.  She would have been about 10 or 11 years old at the time.  I told her I’d quilt it for her.  She’s not taking after her mother or grandmother or great grandmother with an interest for sewing.  Her quilt top is next under the needle as I cannot have unfinished projects lying around.

I still can’t believe I had enough patience to cut and fold all those 3-D pinwheel pieces!  I’m not sure I would even consider doing that these days.

Busy Doing

Hello!  Yes, I’m still here.

I’ve just been “doing” a little more rather than computing so much.

I created little tags to add to my sewn gifts.  Such a fun little detail to make and pin to gift items.  Three sizes can be made.  It’s the little things that thrill me.

This puzzle has sat around for a bunch of years waiting for me to put it together.

With my long time love for mail, I recognize so, so many stamps from over the years.

Birthday card for one of my creepy loving family members.  Each one of them (four) are getting a birthday card with a skeleton on it.  Each skeleton different.  



Of course I’ve kept up with my calendar journaling no matter what.  Just behind with sharing the completed months.

I loved having the space between the weeks to add little extra happenings.  

With less computing, I’ve had time for more reading.

Okay, I think that was an excuse...the real reason is so many of the stories just grab my attention and won’t let go until I know the ending.

Work days (Tue, Wed, Thur) don’t leave much time for notable happenings to document.  That’s okay too.  I sure don’t mind looking around for something a little fun to put into those day blocks.

I’ve prepared a couple of new months.  They just begin to sneak up on me so fast!  

I’ve been sewing some but haven’t gotten anything finished to share yet.  

So little time to do it all!

A Little of This and a Little of That

I’ve been up to a little of this and a little of that.

A little bit of sewing...

A fabric postcard.

Then, I’ve gotten hooked on making these keyring wristlets.

I have quite a bit of ultra suede pieces that I purchased years ago when it was much more reasonable to purchase.  So it makes for a nice durable wristlet.

Then, I’ve sent out some mail...

It seems like it’s been awhile since I’ve sent out some mail art envelopes.  Even just a bit of quick stamping changes boring mail into fun mail.

Sheila had a birthday.  Happy Birthday Sheila!

I did a little roasting and salting of pecans.  Once we reach a certain age and condition and life style, we appreciate edibles more than things.  These are a favorite of my special Valentine.

Of course a little pocket tag was needed.  I added a short letter into the pocket.



There’s my variety of little things that all went out through the mail to make very special people smile.

Although, I have SO many keyring wristlets still!  And I still want to make more!  Where to give them away???

Calendar Journal 2019

I’m enjoying my new process style for my calendar journaling.

I keep telling myself to get more creative with the journaling part, but it seems there is always something more pressing to get creative with.  Most times I’m lucky just to write in the block.

Several months ahead are ready for filling in the days doings.

I’m glad to have found a good home for the Tim Holtz Paper Dolls.

I’m perfectly happy getting some use of my rather extensive Washi Tape collection.





I sure hope July doesn’t all of a sudden show up and I’m not ready for it!  It could happen...times flies by so fast when you aren’t 5 years old anymore.