Confident

Funny. The interior pockets are formed out of a top whose label is "Anxiety". Who would buy that for their kid? Don't they get enough of that without the $14.98 version from Bluenotes?!



I am confident that this bag will ease the anxiety of you and yours. Hah. Well, I had to try.
She's awfully nice. That fancy aristocratic stuff goes fabulously with some fuzzy golden brown stuff from the Niv thrift, and a re-purposed table runner which forms her bottom. (not rump, for any of you who followed yesterday's comment chit chat).



Then there's those buttons. It is no small thing that I am releasing them out into the world. These are hoarded treasures, you know. Okay, so we've started insulating the walls with the overflow... but still.
Go on and trump someone's rump and give this bag a home. I'm confident you've got what it takes. (as long as your cheque is good....)

Newbies? Anyone can bid. All you have to do is click "comments"; leave your mark and dollar amount, then follow throughout the day if you want to make sure the bag comes to you. At 8 pm cst, whoever leaves the highest bid before and not after 8:00 will e-mail me at re-joyce@mts.net for shipping info.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
For now.

*don't forget about the Winnipeg Walk For Darfur, this Sunday, Oct 5.

Dancer

Dancer.
Dancer is a gorgeous bag. Rich reds, browns, with bits of green, blue, black, and yellow; thanks largely to the tea towel I rescued from the thrift shop and reincarnated into a messenger bag. Her body is made of durable Mr Sample Guy fabrics; and her strap is reddish-brown on one side, and olive green on the other; thanks to a re-purposed table cloth.


If you are a dancer, go use your skills. Growing up Mennonite in the 60's and 70's meant distancing oneself fearfully from anything rhythmic that might get one's knees a-jigglin' or head a'boppin'. All that natural, God-given dance-ability got repressed right out of me at an early age. Shame.
One's head really ought to be intimately attached to one's body. No shame in that.
So, if you can dance, don't give up the skill. Or, if you were not born with three left feet as I was, go take some lessons or something.

(The interior pockets are formed from a pair of pants compliments of the generous owner of the Ceramics bag.)

Or, simply buy this bag and call yourself a dancer.
Bids are welcome until 8 pm, cst. Comments are always welcome.

Imagine

Something different today.
The proceeds of this bag is going to a fundraiser right here in my own town, towards a cause dear to my heart.

The Imagine 2008 1st Annual Rock & Roll Half Marathon is a non-competitive half marathon fundraiser organized in the loving memory of Joey Stott, an exceptional human being who left us far too soon! Our goal…to prevent suicide and defeat the negative social stigma surrounding the issue.

Funds raised go directly to suicide awareness campaigns, research and education.


The Stotts did a presentation in our church not long ago and it was powerful.
Our community has been deeply affected by mental health issues and lost two young men two years ago within three months. One of them was my first cousin's son.

I know what it is like to live with mental illness, personally, and watching the pain of it through my family members who have struggled with the challenges that come with these diagnoses. I would really love to see stigma be a thing of the past. For everyone's sake, but especially people who need to feel safe about asking for help. Both from the general public, and the medical community. And the church.


So, imagine with us.
I also encourage you to check out the link to the Imagine project, and if you are in the area; come out to the event tomorrow to show your support for the runners, musicians, volunteers, and the Kehler and Stott families.

A bit about the bag. This flap has the most gorgeous blend of colours, and came to me via Rosa. It is actually the bodice to a dress that her sister Patti bought on her honeymoon many moons ago! The body is made of durable upholstery sample material. The shoulder strap is two neckties, clipped together with an old tie clip that got unearthed in a tin full of buttons. Hippy guy came off a sheet that I bought many, many years ago and have been using in all sorts of projects. As usual, there is a pocket imbedded in each side panel, and two pockets on the inside.

This bag starts at $45.00, and bids will be accepted until 8 pm, cst.
For any newbies- to leave a bid, simply click "Comments"; leave your name or pretend name, and a dollar amount. If you have a blogger account, you will enter that way. If you do not, simply choose "anonymous" and your comment should publish.

Crepe Expectations

I am recycling the label of the recycled upholstery fabric that forms the body of this fun-filled bag. Particularly because it says; "all worsted wool", which made me think of yesterday's wooly bag. Today will be a happy "hangover" from all that wooly bliss.
Besides, it passes flammability tests and recommends heavy duty use. Sounds dependable.


The strap is bright yellow (table cloth) on one side and a splash happy green and blue swirl on the other. The orange plastic belt buckle from less inhibited days of fashion just pulls the whole darned thing together.


Darn dog. Although there are roughly 19 piles of fabric scattered from one end of my work space to the other.... Much like wall to wall carpeting.... She INSISTS on laying on the bag that I am trying to work on.
Last night I marched myself up to bed without a finished bag when I overheard myself shout at the dog: "Don't you bleed on tomorrow's bag!!"
.
Bloody dog.Now, don't get all squeamish on me. She didn't.

This bag has an extra pocket under the flap. So that's a total of five pockets- one in each side panel, two on the inside, and another hidden under the flap.
Today's bag is brought to you by: part of a quilt that I scored at Niv Thrift, a flowery bit of trim from Rosa, a yellow table cloth, some worsted wool from Mr Sample Guy, a bright green bit from baby sling making lady, some buttons with history, and some scraps of eyelet blouse from the Armbrusters' garage.

Not like I wandered into their garage and just helped myself. I do have a principle or two.

Same schtick, folks. If you want the bag, leave me comments and numbers throughout the day, up to 8 pm cst. It is fine to come back and re-bid just as often as you like. It is also fine (downright wonderful, in fact) to simply comment on the bag. Or lurk.

It's all good.

One Very Fine Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahg

Something really extraordinary and special today. Recently I received a donation of a different sort entirely. A wooly brown lamb; sent express post. Well.... Not exactly.

This bag was donated to the Darfur fundraiser by a wonderful fiber artist who raises her own sheep and llamas. She has been a felt maker for 11 years.
She raises sheep and uses their wool to make felted fabric. The coloured squares are dyed silk hankies that have been felted onto naturally coloured brown sheeps fleece. Her very own sheep.



Inside are two pockets appropriately sized for keys, eye glasses or cell phone. The bag itself measures about twelve inches across; with 2.5 inch side panels. The strap is reinforced with cotton so that it won't stretch and is attached to the outside so that it can be easily shortened.


This is a wonderful bag from a generous soul. And think of its hidden benefits- If you are caught out in a thunderstorm; I bet the natural oils in that wool would keep one's hair beautifully coifed when your wallet and cell phone were ditched and that bag turned into a snappy bandana.

hmmmm. Something to think about.
I'd like to start the bids at $45.00 myself; but I'd be happy to see you show up in my comments with any thoughts about the bag, the artist, and of course, your numerical figure.

Until 8 pm, cst, then.