Here’s a bag that I made for my cousin, Kari…another belated graduation gift. At least it was only a month late. I used some of my favorite turtle fabric from Japan that I’ve been meaning to use for quite a while and the pattern for a library tote from the book, The Crafter’s Companion .
I really like how the tote turned out, especially the gathered fabric for the front pocket.
Jon and I went up north to Gladwin, MI this weekend for a family weekend at my aunt and uncle's new lake house. The lake and the house were beautiful and we had a fun time hanging out with the fam...lots of eating, game playing, swimming, boating and relaxing.
Kari and I creamed Jon and Marsh in Sequence!
Hanging out on the deck for a coffee break with my grandparents...our age old summer pastime.
Funniest moment of the weekend: playing pictionary.
My little cousin, Casey, had the clue "New York." She drew one skyscraper, a box with squiggles in it and then finally a rough map of the east coast with a star on New York. We caught on after we saw the star on the map. After we had guessed correctly, we asked her what the box with the squiggles was supposed to be. "Oh, it's a sign that says, 'Welcome to New York.'"
Oh, yes, of course it did. I don't know how we all missed that! : )
While Nuku Nuku was busy napping this weekend, I made a little tote bag to replace my current handbag.
I made the little circle pattern on the front of the bag in photoshop and then used a transfer marker to trace it onto the fabric. I just used the standard stem stitch and embroidery thread that matches the bag lining.
The bag came together quickly until I got to the handle assembly. A few hours, two sore thumbs and two sore forefingers later, I was able to turn them inside out and top-stitch them. Ouch that hurt. What hurt even more was reading about a much easier way to sew handles with linings in Bend the Rules Sewing...oh, well, next time right?
Now we can't keep full glasses on the arm of the couch or on the coffee table without having this little visitor come to take his share. I guess the water bowl just isn't cutting it for him anymore!
We've been enjoying some lovely tossed salads every evening and we haven't had to go to the grocery store for about a week (although the cupboards are getting pretty bare around here). The garden is finally starting to pay off and we love it. Jon and I have finally started to like eating all types of tomatoes. We normally avoided the fresh tomatoes in favor of stewed, sun-dried, roasted or chopped up in salsa tomatoes. Boy were we missing out.
These grape tomatoes can't seem to ever make it inside...they're all eaten on the spot whenever a red one pops up. It's a good thing that I don't work on a tomato farm harvesting grape tomatoes...the company would surely lose money with me around.
The green peppers are starting to bloom...we've got about 15-20 blooms in progress so far.
And the impulse buy dahlia plants that we bought at the tulip farm back in May are finally worth the $3.99 that we paid for them (lots of the other tubers we bought never sprouted). These blooms are huge...about 6" wide.
And, wow! I was just looking back at old posts...look how small the garden used to be! It's grown so much.
My friend Kristen surprised me with this stupid sock creature last night after she found out one of my hidden talents is sewing. It's so soft and squishy and I love it. Aren't the lips hilarious? They sort of remind me of those ugly Nickelodeon cartoons from the 90's. She let me borrow the book, Stupid Sock Creatures, so I'm on the hunt for some cute, colorful, striped socks to try making one.
"What band is this...wait, let me guess. Green Day?"
"No"
"Weezer"
"No"
"Wait, don't tell me."
"Think: large vegetable."
"Eggplant, Squash...OH! The Smashing Pumpkins."
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