Awesome Organizer & Farewells

When I was visiting my girlfriend Liz, I noticed her awesome sewing bag. She said she had made it five years ago at a workshop in Mt. Brydges. I needed a bag, maybe two or three of these to get me organized this year.
 So here is the first bag & it is not for the faint of heart, it was a lot of work to make! The next bag will be easier with the hindsight I have now! lol

 The front, outside of the bag, is done in upholstery fabric & the ceramic houndstooth button is a lovely accent to the magnetic pocket closure. I also added the grosgrain ribbon for more variety.

The large front pocket is able to hold my Omnigrid cutting/pressing mat. Oh how I could have used this carrying case when I was taking quilting workshops!
 

This is the back of the sewing accessory bag. I plan on taking it with me when I travel. I love Canada!

 The inside of the bag I did in my favourite! black/white toile  & cotton ticking. See the center black line? That's velcro, you'll soon see how the layers,layer inside...

The large snaps in the corners hold the layers in place. So far I've found a place for 2 Sharpie markers. The pocket above that, is large enough to hold a magazine.

 Here, side by side,  are the two inside layers. I've already started filling the pockets with some of my favourite sewing tools. So much more has to go inside yet! Remember Molly Mouse & her pockets?!

                           The backs have hanging loops, very handy  for hanging, when using the layer.

Here they are hanging on the back of the door.

 First layer is placed on the velcro & snapped into place. See the velcro layer for the other layer?

I told Liz that the workshop was not a one day workshop...even if Eleanor Burns was teaching it! lol

It was several days of sewing & unsewing for me & the joy of working with vinyl. Thank you Ann for the tissue paper, it did make that job easier. So many zippers to be sewn it too & zippers & I usually don't have an easy time, in garment sewing anyway. They were easy this time. :-)

Surprise!

My Thursday stitching ladies, Bev, Lynn, & Deb, presented me with a going away wood turned, yarn bowl.

How beautiful is this! It truly is a work of art!

These are the ladies I will miss on Thursday...

 Bev working away on her cross stitch. She's inspired me to pull my 1990 work out & begin to work on it again. What's old is new again! I forgot that I even had work nearly finished. Oh to get organized with myself!

 Deb working away as a happy rug hooker! She's one of the most talented woman I know!

Lynn working on her last piece of Snow Days! It's a gorgeous piece now ready to assemble.

This is Gary & I, he is the published, wood turning artist that made this bowl & many other beautifully crafted items for friends & family. Bev your one lucky woman! He even dated & engraved the bottom of the bowl for my going away. Thank you Gary, thank you ladies! 

Then it was time time to see my friend Sandy. She & I love antique shopping together & will do it again, just in another province. Oh the finds we'll find! 

Speaking of finds! Lynn & I were out & about last week & look what I found in the Mission Bible Store!

                                                        Yes, Anne of Green Gables!

Her freckled face was beautiful. I looked up in Google, what was written on her neck. To my surprise , several years ago, she was Doll of the Year, for dolls over $200.00, Wow & I paid $5.00 for her with the stand!

What a find she was!

I'm really pleased at how the Autumn Fairy quilt ended up. It's now time to stitch the leaves on & I think I'll make a few more for the leaf  jumping fairy.

The parlour is loaded with 190 IKEA boxes for the new kitchen that's being built. 

The cats find the new perch of a washer & dryer fun these days. I had to cover them with a quilt because Rexton was biting & tearing at the plastic & the banning that held the packaging together.

The front room is very crowded these days. 

 Mr. Boots, sitting stylishly in the cat tree & Rexton snoozing on the quilt, covering the appliances.

Old Tommy, snoring away in the chair in the dining room. He just doesn't do heights anymore.

Nicholas gave me an early Mother's Day gift of a Fitbit & told me to get moving. I'm surprised with this little device & the motivation it gives me. It will vibrate to tell me to get moving or at the end of the day tell me that I need 250 more steps in 10 minutes to make my daily quota. I've even got Fitbit buddies & can see how they're doing...worse yet, they can see how I'm doing. lol It is also my watch & my calendar! It monitors my steps, then tells me kms or miles. It will help me get in shape, one step at a time! Thank you Nick! Your always the one to put me into better habits. Back in 1992, you were the reason I quit smoking cigarettes. It was not easy after having that habit for 22 years. Now to add fitness into my life, this really is a fun, helpful gadget. Thank you. XO 

It has been a busy time saying good-bye to everyone as I leave for my new east coast home. It's been a full two weeks & I have felt so lucky to have such special people in my life. It truly is a wonderful life & so much more to come!

Thank you for visiting & I hope that you too are feeling the spring fever as summer is approaching!

For now, winter is behind us.

Have a great weekend!