Bag Number Two...

So here is the second attempt at making bags out of men's and women's suits. This one was harder to do for several reasons: I cut the pattern and fabric BEFORE I had really figured it out and it took a zillion tries to get it to work the way I wanted to, next time I'll think about it more and sew less; also, the stuff I used as interfacing was a lot stiffer than before and I'm not sure that's what I wanted either but the outside fabric was so soft and floppy I thought I needed it. Now I realize I probably didn't. It doesn't affect the look or use of the bag but was so irritating when piecing and sewing.

Anyway, here's the front. The bottom is a woman's jacket that had belt loops and cute pockets so I HAD to leave them on and add a belt for fun. The top is a woman's jacket also but so soft and yummy with cute zippers on the front and sleeves (look for those in a later bag I have planned). The handles are cannibalized from an old purse and the inside is a pair of men's suit pants that I couldn't resist. I've made it so that all the pockets are still functional so there are several outside pockets that are working well for the phone, glasses, keys, all the stuff I want to get to easily and hate when they get lost in the inside of a purse. Nothing worse than searching among the junk at the bottom of a purse when your phone is ringing and ringing and ringing...

Here's the back. I think it's my favorite part.

Just a cute flap pocket and simple belt and bottom.
The inside with a magnetic closure, slit pocket from the pants and that's it!

One of the interesting things this week is that 3 people tried to buy the red purse from me. Random people at the doctor's and thrift store (buying jacket's of course) and the grocery store. Joe has given me orders not to sell it but the last offer was good enough to consider if I'd only had somewhere to put all the stuff that was inside of it. Next time maybe I'll negotiate a sale if it includes them providing a bag to put my stuff in to take home!

Where old things become new...

Here's a riddle for you: What do you get when you cross McCall's pattern M5599, a long Wednesday morning and two fairly hideous thrift store jackets?

If you answered the cutest bag on the planet then you're right!

A couple weeks ago when we were waiting in Border's for our movie to start (dangerous thing waiting for the movie) I was looking through the craft magazines that I love but can't afford and saw the cutest purses and bags made out of men's suits and thought, "Hey I can do that!" I love men's jackets for the same reason the artist does: The fabric is great, the lining can be amazing and the labels are pure art.

So, as soon as possible, I went to the thrift store and found four or five blazers that were ugly as blazers but looked like good possibilities for bags. Then I found a bag pattern I loved and cut it out of stiff pelon. Then I used the pelon cutout to piece the blazer fabric on until I was satisfied with the result and before I knew it, a cute and unique purse appeared.

So, what was once weird cuffs and lapels,

became cute pockets and decorations.

What was once a front pocket became two outside pockets.

What was once the front buttons,

became the inside closure.

What was once a chest pocket and sleeve,

became an inside pocket and water bottle holder.

So all of you unwanted, unloved, ill-fitting,

outdated jackets, come over to my house.

It's where ugly becomes beautiful, outdated becomes sheik,

unloved becomes coveted and where old things become new.

The Coolest Thing I've seen in a While...

The airshow is in town for the weekend so all week planes have been flying in. But that's not the cool thing.

Last night at Joe's ball game one of the huge F-something-or-others flew over the ball fields making what looked like a super slow turn to the airport. It was loud and huge and pretty exciting. But that's still not the cool thing.

When I glanced down at the field to see what was happening in the game I saw every single boy on the field looking up in the sky with their mouths hanging open. That was COOL! Sometimes I wonder about kids and how fast they seem to have to grow up and about the loss of wonder in their lives but that view made me feel so good and surprisingly optimistic about their future. When they can stop playing ball and simultaneously watch a jet fly overhead with those looks on their faces, life is good again.

Wish, wish, wish I had my camera with me!

I looked out the window and what did I see?....

Yeah, you guessed it. Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

And the plum tree. And almost popping on the nectarine and peach trees.

Cool huh?

Snow Trip Part Deaux

So we attempted the snow trip again last weekend and Yahoo!!! It was a great success. The temperature was in the 60's, the roads were clear and we found a fabulous and fast hill to slide down for several hours. Plus, Dustin and Tara and Lydia were with us! Below are my four favorite faces of the day:

Pookie finally gets to play in the snow. What a strange dog. She caught snowball after snowball in her mouth that we threw for her even after they exploded in her face.

Now that's a much happier face than last time.


What a sweetheart Lydia was. She had a ball squealing up and down the hills: Excited going up knowing what was coming and excited going down. What a nut.

And seriously, who couldn't love this face? I'm a bit fond of it.

Kacey spent most of the day digging this hole.

Don't know why but she was happy and

ended up with a hole that was nearly over her head

Then she sat in it. Hmmmm...

Go to Tori! She went all the way to the top and slide down on her

bottom over and over and over again.

Go mommy and Kacey! Finally got her out of her hole!

An epic snowball fight. What you don't see is the little 8-year-old-girl they are fighting (she had a little back up from her brothers). She was a fearless little thing zooming down the hill and taking on the Barros Brothers alone or with help. She just didn't care!

Even Pookie got to ride down the hill. No willingly and not often.

I did say that it was a fast hill, didn't I?

Go little family! I'm sad this isn't video because you really

could hear her from a long ways away.