Another Tote Bag

First, here's a photo from my granddaughter's hubby's cell phone of our great granddaughter, Miss Caroline, 16 months old, taking her swimming lessons. When they were here visiting us and she was put on a playground swing, I noticed she had no fear—the higher they pushed her the more she laughed and liked it. So I suggested they give her swimming lessons just in case. After seeing her in a small child's pool in her backyard, they agreed. She is now loving the lessons and will put her face underwater. Ooooh, and the binky? Love Bunny says it's her flotation device. Her mummy said she loves that binky!

I decided to do another bag with a bit more room in it. This is what I've been working on for a few days. Remember, there is no pattern so I'm making it up as I go along. Not quite finished in this photo.

The back of it. Still have a scrap of that vintage pillowcase lace if I want to do another one.

Here it is finished. If I give this one away, the flower stays with me! LOL

I made this little ribbon rose many, many years ago when just learning how to do them well. This is one of only a few that are my favorites. I doubt I'll ever part with them since it was my first try. I've gotten a bit better though. I love crafting these flowers.

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Thoughtful People

I have no clue why this published early. I wanted it to post on 10/4/11! Sigh...

I have the most delightful neighbors. He teaches high school and she's a psychotherapist and they have 2 little girls: Ella, 6, and Hadley, 4. Hadley had open heart surgery as an infant and really gets around just fine now as a very energetic 4 yr. old. They're both little pistols, trust me. They know to vacate the sidewalk and driveway when they hear the garage door go up and always asks hubs if they can see his trains. A few days ago they came over with their bouquet of flowers for hubby and me. Quite a cute little twosome if I do say so. Ella once proceeded to give me all of their passwords for the garage and computer. LOL I looked at her dad; he looked at me and shrugged and then proceeded to reprimand her. I think she's going to be elected the next Homeowners Association President of our subdivision! She cannot keep a secret! Cute. This is the bouquet.

Then later in the day our friends from down the street and their 2 kids brought by a bouquet for watching the younger two while they were going through a crisis earlier in the week. How thoughtful some people are!

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Pink Saturday Apron Giveaway #2

If you're not a regular reader of mine then you missed this post about the bag giveaway. So I'm not going to draw a name for the winner until Sunday night. If you want a chance to win it, then I suggest you skedaddle on over there and leave a comment. And please leave me an email to get in touch with you if you don't have a blog.

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I planned to announce the winner of each preceding apron giveaway on the next week's giveaway, so in keeping with that the winner of the apron on last week's PS post is:

Cindy Adkins
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Today is the 2nd apron giveaway. This is the apron for this week. Only people who comment on this particular post are eligible for this one. Just trying to give everyone an even chance, gals. And once again thank you, Beverly, from the bottom of my heart for helping with this. I receive so many blessings from bloggers and friends that it is truly amazing and humbling. I'll also help in any way I can if you need me to, bloggers.

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Easy to win. Just leave a comment and you'll be given a chance to win one of twelve aprons I'm giving away on Pink Saturdays for the next couple of months. To see all of them go to this post.

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The Case for Giving and My Crummy Mood

Have you ever had "one-of-those-days"? That was just a rhetorical question. Silly me, of course, you have. Sunday was one of those days for me.

It was Fast and Testimony Sunday for our church. We fast for 24 hours —I'm horrid at it!—and then give what we would spend on a restaurant for those 3 meals and give to our bishop to help the needy families in our ward. We also bear our testimonies that day. I broke down. I couldn't stop crying from the very first man who spoke. Then a few kids got up and one young man who sobbed the entire time. That didn't help me.

Then in Sunday School I was handed a slip of paper with a scripture to read when the teacher got to that part. He must have given 2 slips of paper because another woman read the one I had. I'm still trying to get used to my iPod and the scriptures on it so I was flummoxed. It didn't get any better. Just one of those days when all goes wrong or the Lord is calling you (ME!) to repentance for thoughts during the week. Oh, who am I kidding? My thoughts in general my whole life! I skipped the 3rd hour, Relief Society, the women's hour at our church on Sunday. I couldn't take the chance that a thunderbolt wouldn't come down, zap me into the next century and the lucky person sitting next to me getting scorched for MY problem. I came home and picked up a book I've been reading. The photo below was a mistake pointing the camera up at the sky when I was taking photos but it pretty much sums up my mood today.

It is said that when we serve others we're happiest. So I'm serving you today. I've decided that I need to give something away to serve y'all. This little bag I made. If I make someone happy with this then I'll be happy. I can always make another one for me. Just drop a comment here and next Saturday when I give away one of the aprons I'll draw another name for this little tote bag. If you don't want it, don't comment here. It's that simple. Remember though that this was a prototype and ain't perfect, chicks. ;-)

P.S. Please do not tell me to be happy; let me wallow in self-pity for a few days at least, for Pete's sake.
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A Few Thoughts on a Lazy Afternoon

Summer is over or at least coming to an end. Our granddaughter, Mandy, Ivann and Miss Caroline came, camped with us and left. Our daughter, Nan, and her boyfriend came and went home. Hubs dragged me off to the wilds of Idaho for the last time this year. I have gotten the house in some semblance of order. At least most of the house. The craft/spare room is looking like...well, the photos below show what it looks like. I haven't put the craft table back up, but the sewing machine is up and running. This is a room that I can make a sewing mess and shut the door and no one knows the difference unless I choose to show them. You are one of those. ;-)

I'm trying to lighten the load on my shoulder when shopping by making a cute tote. I have a rather plain one that does the job but I wanted a snazzy one. Cute being the essential factor here, lightweight, over the shoulder/neck to leave me hands-free but security plays a factor in this also. I think I've designed one that meets the criteria I want. Less to carry but secure.

The boxes that I piled all the craft stuff into when I knew the kids/granddaughter/great granddaughter were coming still have not been emptied yet. I bought several little shoebox-type containers at Wal-Mart for this purpose but just haven't had the energy to do anything about that. I'm sure some of you understand this.

Yep, the beautiful fringe is still on the floor this morning. Remember: Close door and nothing shows.

You can see it coming together. I didn't have a pattern so just had to go by the seat-of-my-pants here. Lots of mistakes, but it is coming together. Taking notes for the next one though. Select fabrics I already have. Find that beautiful pink fringe I haven't seen for months. Then later I'll measure and cut a few pieces from different fabrics. Then I'll rest or "get away from" it for a while. Then go back and cut more. Leave. Come back. Sew. Little by little. It's taking me several days to complete this. I do it this way to not get frustrated. Didn't work. Trust me. I'm trying to have it done very soon though.

Later in the day:
As you can see I left the fold-over flap off. I just cut it too big for this one. I'll use it on the next one maybe. Plus I'm not that adept at flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants. A ribbon rose I made along with a darling little rose button in the center, scraps of ribbon and snippets of lace plus one vintage lace I had on a pillow case that was falling apart—the lace, not the pillowcase. It's so ratty but I just couldn't throw it out so I sewed it on here.


As I've said previously, I love the color combination of pink and yellow so I've put a very bright lemon yellow lining inside with pockets of various colors on the lining for glasses, iPod, cell and a pen. You definitely won't see this little cutie at WM.
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I was sitting here yesterday while hubs was at a convention. He goes to a lot of them: train conventions locally and on the west coast, Marine Corps League ones when they're close enough to drive, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) when they're local or close enough to drive here in the west or northwest. He's very supportive of and loves our troops. After all, he is a retired Marine.

The VFW Post in our town helps veterans financially when the need occurs. The past few weeks he's gotten calls from a couple of people who need help with their utility bills. After a few questions were answered, he met them at a local grocery store where you can pay your utility bill there. He doesn't just give them the money or a check. He goes there, meets the person asking for help there, pays it with a check and they both get a receipt. How many other organizations do that?

One such transaction yesterday involved a woman. Her hubby was a veteran (they don't have to be retired, just a veteran of a foreign war) and Love Bunny heard her tale of woe. Hubby was cut back hours in his job, their leased vehicle went over the mileage and they ended up owing a lot of money on the lease—at least to the tune of $600 being taken out of his paycheck for at least a couple of times but hubs didn't know how many times. Then she applied for a job at a local school cafeteria and the background check showed a felony at 17 yrs. of age so they fired her. She couldn't understand that one. DUH. But as hubby was walking out to the parking lot he noticed a big truck and when she opened it there were cartons of cigarettes in the cab. As he was telling me the story and got to that part, I reminded him we're not to judge; we're only to help. (Our church doctrine.) He agreed but had trouble wondering why people buy very expensive cigarettes in lieu of food or paying their essential life saving utility bills.

A few days before he was paying a utility bill for a man who got behind. As they were going to leave the store the man told hubs his wife said they were out of food and asked him if he could buy them some food, hot dogs, hamburger and buns. Hubby told him he was only authorized to pay his utility bill. After all, it's not my hubby's money and he's a great caretaker of money with which he's entrusted. So he told the man sorry.

When he got home and told me that, I chastised him. He could have helped with our personal money and bought the guy a few food items. I think he was sorry he didn't after my admonishment. We are commanded by the Lord to help each other. That doesn't mean judging others when they need food or clothing or essentials. It does NOT mean helping to pay their boat, ATV or car payment! (Yes, I'm a judgmental person but trying to "catch the vision" and am truly doing better on this issue.) But as the Lord says, aren't we all beggars? Yes, we are. So we need to be loving, kind and helpful to our brothers and sisters, but still maintain being prudent. Giving is never something for which you'll be sorry.
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Okay, I'll stop rambling now.
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