Messenger Bag

I just finished this messenger bag for a barter deal. I'm sure I got the better end of the deal, even though I'm really happy with this great messenger bag.

It's for a personal trainer! Yes, I've made friends with an amazing trainer and we agreed to trade services. She would watch me work out (oh the joys of that one) and listen to my goals (Get stronger in 2009!) and then write up a plan for me. We've met twice and she has been amazing. She taught me several new tricks and I'm
sure that I might end up with a strengthened core and a muscle or two in a few months.

In return I would make her a messenger style bag that would hold her laptop and some personal files. Look at the back, more pockets. Lots of dots and lots of pockets.











Inside...even more pockets. Both sides are lined with various sizes and there is even some slots for pens and pencils. Don't you hate waiting in line at the bank and you can't find a pen? Argh.

Finally, I had a bit of coordinating fabric and thought she might like a key fob and zipper pouch to hold hand lotion and chapstick.

Have you ever bartered for anything? I absolutely love the idea and will try to do more of this in 2009.

What a treat to be able to experience something I probably might not have treated myself to otherwise.

The Swinging Sling to Beckon Spring

I ordered this Amy Butler pattern as a little Happy New Year's present for myself. I was skipping around the kitchen when it arrived. I knew I would love the bag made up. Of course the zipper pouch for makeup and 1001 goodies is not part of the pattern but since the set is for my mom for her birthday I couldn't resist.

Oh yes, I also have oodles and oodles of this salmon colored material that ironically enough, my mom gave me a while back. She originally bought 5 yards of this salmon decorator weight material from Calico Corners for a drapery project that sort of hit the skids. I found the strangely matchy-fied green material at a decorator street sale a few summers ago. I immediately thought, weird...I think this goes with that load of salmon material I scored at Mom's a while ago. It's been hogging up precious storage space for a while now and quite frankly spoke to me out of the depths of it's storage drawer. At the time I was comtemplating a de-stash project...but that one's on hold as I found myself cutting up the Amy Butler pattern instead. It's lots more fun to make up a new bag rather than clean closets, let's be honest.

I hope my mom likes this slouchy sling as much as I do. This will of course be my spring bag when I get around to making one for myself, which is usually about a month or two after a new season starts.

Also related to the Swinging Sling, I was thinking in the shower this afternoon, no, I didn't exactly shower until afternoon today..long story involving 2 hours I will never get back after speaking with 2 different banks about possible fraud hitting our checking account. Happy New Year some yowzers out there keep trying to access our accounts. But, back to the sling. I think I could make this reversible. Yes, reversible!

Next up, making this swingy sling in coordating materials, losing the inside pockets and making it reversible!

I'm off to package the new salmon bags up for my mom so they might arrive in time for her birthday.

Avery's Little Goody Bags

Tomorrow, my daughter Ava, is going to attend a birthday party being held for a little girl she knows from school.

With all of the holiday rush and a late invite...Avery's little gift is coming in right under the wire.

This fabric is whimsical and bright, just perfect for a 7 year old. Ahh, who am I kidding, I might have to make something up for myself in the polka dots, they are so fun.

What girl of any age couldn't use a set of zipper pouches to hold hair bands, lip glosses, polly pockets, music cds, and just about anything else you could think of that might catch a 7 year old's fancy?

With the zipper pouches go Ava's instructions to take copious notes at the party tomorrow. Her 7th birthday is right around the corner this month and she has been itching for a grand party full of shrill and gleeful 7 year old girls. Other than cake and ice cream and a pinata full of candy she's come up blank as to other ideas on how to entertain a dozen 1st graders for 2 hours. I'm holding a candle that we will find an easy craft that will entertain the troops for 1/2 an hour and not permanently affix glue to my kitchen floor. Please speak up if you have any ideas.