NEW BABY!!!

Mom and I waiting for the baby!

Adam and Mandy waiting for the baby! And here he is!! JACKSON ADAM REEVE, born 2/20/09, 7 lbs, 19 3/4 inches!

Look at all of that blonde hair! How did I have a dark haired baby,
and my sis had a light haired baby? Look at this proud boy! He announced on the way home : "JackJack is my baby, not yours!"

Winter Weather and A New Bag Style!

We had beautiful winter snow and fog one morning this week. The only bummer was that I was on my way to work when I took these photos!
This is a little man-made pond across the street.
Goldfinch outside my office.
Carolina Chickadee outside Linda's office!

This is my version of Keykalou's "Sweetheart Shopper". The pattern was really easy to follow (you can find it on ETSY), but I wasn't totally pleased with the little side pieces that I put on to cover the bias handles. It had nothing to do with the pattern, and more to do with my execution. I'll have to think it through better next time. This fabric is awesome though!
And this bag....... I made this last night, using upholstery weight fabric I got at Wal-mart for a steal. You just never know what you'll find at Wal-mart. Anyways, I combined bits and pieces of other patterns I've tried with a little detail I've seen on other's bags (like the box pleat) and this is what I came up with! It's really roomy, but I pleated the inside too, so no pockets.



I'm going to do it again with a different shaped lining so that I can add pockets. The inside (sorry for the blurry pic) is a black with grey scrolls I had in my stash.

Special Post for Kim D.!

This post is Kim D., you know who you are! My Sis says that you are interested in sewing, and where I find the patterns for the things I sew. She specifically mentioned purses, so I'm going to include a few links I have found. There are so many free patterns and tutorials out there that other people have invented and share. And of course, free is my favorite price! Shown in this picture are some bags I made using a standard bag pattern. I'll include below a few links, and since it sounds like someone might actually be checking out my blog, I'll try to post more often!

http://colorfoolcreates.blogspot.com/2006/03/greatest-bag-tutorial-ever.html

http://testerlola.blogspot.com/2008/04/angel-bag-tutorial.html

Also surf the internet by googling something like free purse sewing tutorial or pattern.

Both of those sites will show some step by step instructions for making a lined, boxed bottom bag like those in my pic. Use cheap fabric and and make sure to get the right interfacings, and be aware that your first bag may not be that hot. But, after a couple of bags, they start looking pretty good! Also, feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I'd be glad to try to help.