Cuz I Said So, This Week Continues on Monday...

Hey all.... Due to the fact that somehow two days this week got sucked into a giant vortex called
HUH? where'd the time go? It can't really be friday already?!

Africa week will be suspended until Monday, December First (!!) at which time, we will continue to celebrate Africa, with all its wonders, hardships, beauty, and batiks.

With the exception of Wednesday, which is a day to set aside for Phoenix, a little innocent girl who never really lived. Any monies raised on Wednesday on the upcoming Phoenix bag will be forwarded to the Christmas project that my church is involved in: Christmas gifts for Pikanjikum . A northern community with an abhorringly high rate of suicide and despair.

A sort of kick-off to Christmas. In our culture we know that Christmas is about giving, but we often completely miss the mark by just giving stuff to each other instead of giving to people and places where a gift could actually make a difference. I'd like to see Christmas become the time of year where the giant differences in the distribution of the world's wealth would shift, even for just a few days. Where the wealthy (us) would give extravagently in meaningful ways.

So, I'll carry on with an African bag on monday.
Have a grand weekend.... I know I will!

Serengeti

This isn't as easy as it looks; you know.


Some particularly astute people may remember this fabric from months back, when two loving husbands "fought" valiantly over a bag named Tanzania; each vying for the undying love of their fair maiden.



I named this bag Serengeti because Tanzania had been taken.
(pretty deep and meaningful, eh?)

This nifty-neato bit creates a pocket beneath the flap. There is also one side panel pocket, about the right size for a cell phone or bunch of keys.

I really like that soft brown stuff. It came straight to my door from a fellow sewing mama who gives her time to MCC, sewing quilts that land up all over the world. She gave me lots of other amazing pieces which you don't get to see yet, cuz I'm not quite done oggling them myself.

This bag measures 11" deep and 13" across.

You ask for handbags, Joyce makes handbags.

Now quit your whining and put your money where your mouth is.

(Or just leave me a comment- I like those too)

As usual, this carnival will be on until 8 pm, cst.

FAQ here.

Tree of Life

Inside pockets.

Rear view, and strap. both African fabrics.

three small pockets on the front, under the flap.

side views.

Amazing tree- the flap. embellished with tiny black buttons.

See?

What I said early this morning....

I am still sewing some buttons onto that tree, so I'm not quite ready to go the way of the whole photo shoot.

So, here's an appetizer. Its another Africa bag- Barundi again, I believe. And she's a beauty.


And no, all these buttons are not going onto the bag.... they are just a sampling of what I sifted through to find just the right ones.

May this tree return its fruit to the country from whence it came.

Bag is sized: 11" deep and 13" across.

bids please until 8 pm, cst.

Angel Wax

............beats ear wax every time.

Guaranteed.

Hey! It's Africa week!

See that gorgeous piece of batik that says "guaranteed angel wax"? I have no idea what that means, aside from the fact that wax is used in the batik process. But I do know that the amazing work comes from Barundi, thanks to Sheila, a name that you see pop up in the comments.

I paired up Sheila's batik with some super soft brown pieces and a couple of neckties for the shoulder strap.

That swirly colourful thingie is pretty amazing.

These photos capture the texture of the browns that I chose, and show the detail in the batik.

Interior. The criss cross fabric is also African, but to be honest, I can't remember from which area. They were gifted to me by our local doc. (anyone local remember where they worked in Africa?)

Details? side panel pockets, inside pockets. The bag measures 13" across and 11" deep. Its a terrific handbag size.

Bids? In the comments until and including 8 pm, cst.

Don't Bid- This Bag is Taken (Bags in the Real World)

My sister is in England, as we speak. And a certain blogger that I know happens to live in England. So, I prepared a little something for her. My sis very thoughtfully delivered it for me, selflessly taking a walk along the Thames with Lettuce before enjoying a local pub and delivering the buttony bag.

*sigh*

November 24

blech.

Not feeling so good on Sunday, so definately no bag prepared.

Sorry.....

I Just Wanna Blong

Bling, Blong, Anybody there?

How many polka dots does it take to get through a week so we can enjoy a nice tall blong on the weekend? Quite a few, by the looks of things.

*

(for those of you arriving on the scene PAST 7:00 am, here's a re-cap:

Joyce woke up at 6:45 instead of 5:45. She posted one picture of a bag that actually had no straps, and then set to work getting the straps sewn on, the photos taken, and uploaded, downloaded, rearranged, and published. Meanwhile, one photo got posted, and the comments began. Hence- the theme: BLONG. Wanna play?)

Some extra pockets. There are the typical two on the side panels, plus two under the flap, and then the two on the inside.

And that brings us back to the original, 7:00 am post.

Coming soon to a computer monitor near you....
(now where can I find an alarm clock that reaches out, grabs me, shakes me, and screams at me until I get out of bed?)

So, anyway. Welcome in the comments are: comments about blong. Comments about bags. Bids and names.

Until 8 pm, cst.