Day 4 of Totes & only 7 days till Christmas

                          Day 4 of making totes. Christmas is getting closer only 7 days to go.
                         Getting the house ready for the 30 guests who will be here for dinner.
                          We will have a feast.

This tote  was made with scraps someone gave me plus some yardage of  red lotus fabric. The rectangle of purple started me off  and called for red as a compliment.  I take a piece of batting and  using the fabrics like paint  create a art quilt impromptu.

Its almost like painting.

I love the brightness of this tote and it is perfect for the library.

Fill it with books and you will be set for 2 weeks of reading.

If I am ever snowed in let it be in a Library.

I got lazy with this one and did not put in the zippered compartment.

This tote doesn't have a home yet. Some one will show up who it will be perfect for.

The next tote will be shades of brown and green.

Betty picked out the fabric at Easter for her tote and the green caught her eye.

Check back Sunday to see the results.

                     

Ho Ho Ho Day 3 of Making Totes

                   Day 3 of making totes. Colorful tribal fabric .

 This will be my sisters Christmas present. She loved these colorful fabric  especially the tribal women.

               The zippered pocket will hold all those items you don't want falling out  accidentally.

                                                The lining is as colorful as the tote

A closeup of the front pocket detail. I machine quilted the pocket and highlighted it with paint sticks.

The next tote will be red and purple a nice combination.

Day 2 of Tote making

This tote is made out of a mans suit coat , suede and tapestry fabric. I found out that it is difficult to work  with such thick layers.Too hard on the hands. I think today I will go back to my batiks for the next tote.

 I like to put  large pockets in my totes so you can put a book or magazines in the pocket.

            I always put in a zippered pouch so important things like glasses & credit cards stay put

 I am not sure if I like the menswear look. What do you think? Would you like this for a gift.

Check back Friday to see the next tote.

Count down to Christmas

 

    

10 more Days

                          

I need to make 6 more totes for Christmas gifts

The print on the pocket inspired this tote.
I found the fabric at the International Quilt Show this spring without any idea what I was going to do with it.

 I like the handles in both purple and lime. Inside there are lots of pockets with a zippered for a wallet.

 The zippered pouch is divided  so you can put your eye glasses away so as not to lose them.
 Then the flap covers the  purse part, I think my grand daughter might end up with this one.

Cold snow and winter

I woke up today to 4 degrees but bright and sunny

 Quiet fields with blue skies.

The birds have emptied the feeder. my husband made a feeder of a plastic plant saucer and mounted it on a pole. This way they cannot shove all the seed out on the ground. Sunday on that windy day the sparrows crouched down in the saucer to feed.

Today  I will start making the 5 tote bags I cut out yesterday. I am making them of wool tweeds and herringbone suiting. I go to the Salvation Army and buy old suit coats, wash and dry them. I find the best heavy wools that way.

I was in the basement working yesterday afternoon and looked up to see the deer looking back at me through the window while they munched the dead flower heads.They are doing my spring clean up for me.

While I had better start on my Christmas gifts.

Inside myself

Springs that never dry up

Inside myself

is a place where I live all alone,

and that's where you renew your springs

that never dry up.

Pearl S Buck

How aptly that describes me.

I find that places with water help me renew my spirit.

It is snowing and this seem like it will be a long cold winter.

I will return again and again to the scenes of this  past year to make winter seem shorter.

Finding treasures cleaning the sewing closet

 I took time out from cleaning the closet today  to make a Christmas card for Virginia A. Spiegel. Yesterday she posted on her blog  her new Folio 2 Black Trees art and I loved the new series so I  decided to treat myself for Christmas. Check out her blog. www.VirginiaSpiegel.com

I found some treasures while cleaning the closet. I bought this old sampler over 15 years ago. Amazing what you find.  I am going to set it out with the Christmas decor. Perfect to go with the winter season. Sunday morning 10 deer were wandering around the backyard munching the grass. One Sunday last year we counted 32 deer crossing the back yard. Some reason they move though on Sunday. Think they are on their way to church?

Than I found some old sheet music from 1908 that will be perfect for a collage.  I should have cleaned the closet a few years ago. It was so bad I couldn't walk in it. My grandson helped me and made me eliminate and share I have 3 big black bags to donate so far. We will continue in the morning with the closet detail. I promised him tacos for lunch if he brought a pound of hamburger.