week of bags, totes, pouches...whatever you want to call them!

i have been a busy little sewing bee lately, having decided last week to make some bags and totes that i've been wanting for a while. my goal was to make a bag a day and although i veered off that course just a bit, i have been able to get 9 different size and shape bags, totes, pouches, whatevers made up since starting last week...so all in all not too bad if i do say so myself (and i do!). and so here they all are, my week of whatevers in pictures!

the bag that started it all! front or back of charm square tote

other side of charm square tote

inside of tote: one large pocket on the blue side, divided pocket on the green side. 

the tote turned out bigger than i expected, but i still love it! i got the idea after seeing a mom's diaper bag in church one sunday a few weeks back. being a crafty person, i knew that the bag was handmade so i set out to find the pattern so that i could make one for myself (obviously not as a diaper bag since i'm so very done with that stage of life). also being a somewhat thrifty person, i chose not to purchase the $9 pattern and instead figured it all out on my own after seeing lots of pics online of the tote that others made using the pattern. i think it turned out just perfect, it's quilted on the outside and put all my extra fat quarters to good use!

itty bitty pouch, it's super tiny and is being used as a holder for my sewing supplies like scissors, little ruler, & seam rippers

first bag made using peltex (a stiff interfacing) and plastic handles

inside of bag, one pocket on each side

square tote, first bag having a tie closure

inside of tote, pocket is divided in two

quilted, patchwork zipper cosmetic pouch. first ever attempt at sewing a zipper...turned out pretty well and is just the right size for keeping in my purse.

clutch and mini clutch. the mini clutch is the perfect size for holding my id and a bit of change. the bigger clutch holds the mini & my phone.

sunglass holder with a id/card holder. the original was too long, so rather than take it apart and trash it, i re-did the size to include a card holder, too.

fold over clutch, made with a snap closure 

back of clutch, opened up

little tote, first with a fold over flap and single strap

sewing lesson learned: check that the lining is on the correct side so that you don't end up with a pocket on the wrong side! i wanted the pocket on the back side, the one with the flap not the front with the flap closure. oh well, it's a cute little bag for jordan now!

so, see, i've been sewing up a storm! also, been baking up muffins and cookies as well so i'm keeping up that end of my project...it really is the blog part that is suffering from lack of attention! more bags are in the pipeline for the next few weeks since i'm so full of ideas from all the etsy.com exploring that i've been doing! there are some super talented people out there and i get so inspired just browsing around the web!

off for more sewing and muffin making! house hunting begins again next week and i've got a whole new outlook on that adventure so it'll be way less stressfull this time around! oh, and just one more pic to show that i do use the totes and things that've i've made!

the tote i'm carrying this week, along with the cosmetic pouch, sunglass pouch, & purple clutch!

 

alone on my pulled pork island

i am deep in the middle of my "make a bag every day for a week" plan, but wanted to take a quick little minute to say that i am much better after the whole house-hunting/house-losing stress out from a few days ago. i have a much more relaxed outlook on all things in life now and know that everything will work out in the end the way it's always meant to.

i thawed out the pulled pork i made a month or so ago in hopes for serving it up for dinner one night a few days ago, only to sadly discover that i am the only one in the house who likes pulled pork! so, now i am left alone to enjoy the yummy, bar-b-que goodness that is pulled pork! and enjoy it, i did! sadly though that means that i will no longer be making pork butt...which, really in the end may not be so bad since apparently those things are not the healthiest cuts of meat!

anyway, loads of pics to follow in the next few days since i have been sewing up a storm and making lots of bags, purses, and pouches! i'm trying all kinds of new products and learning lots so there will definitely be a blog about it all when it's all done. come on back soon!

utterly and completely giving up

apologies in advance, but this isn't going to be a craft or cooking related blog...nope, this is going to be my little venting session to avoid going completely insane, well, that's my hope anyway.

we (mainly i) have been looking for a house to buy for the last couple months, well truthfully i"ve been looking since feb. when i was given the information that we were indeed going to buy a house this year. quick back story: we've been in our rental home for nearly 4 years and i've been going stir crazy in it about the last 2! needless to say, i was overly excited about the prospect of finally buying a house that would have more room! and that may be part of my problem since i tend to get overly attached to ideas, places, or things...not a good trait at all. i realize that as a severe character flaw and would like to change, but sadly know that i'm probably not going to.

so, here i sit tonight, on my third glass of wine, fighting the urge to completely breakdown since i just received the news that the house we had finally set our sites on (and truthfully, my heart) went under contract this past weekend. i'm crushed. it would be fine if that was the first house that got away, but no, it's one of many that i have found to be perfect that have gotten away from us for one reason or another.

and i know all the things that everyone will say to make me feel better, and much as i appreciate them, they don't really make me feel any better...they just, kinda make it hurt a little bit more. so i'm giving up, utterly and completely. we have until august on our current lease here so i'll either be giving up for a few weeks and start looking again in june, or i'll bite the bullet and stay here one more year in the hopes that next year we'll really find the place that we're meant to be in...biting the bullet does not tempt me in even the slightest, little bit.