"Closet Party Girl"

Now, these photos came up somewhat overexposed, as my camera is at camp and my sis was good enough to let me borrow hers. Suffice to say that the picture does not do justice. This is a very, very fun bag that has received comments from many a wanderer through my cramped "studio".

This bag makes me think of a bunch of people and places. Gloria (yes, she has a good eye for fabric), brought me the gold piece. It has a low pile, and used to be a bedspread. Imagine spreading that in your love nest!! I have to credit her for that fun, colourful bit at the top of the flap as well. It's like Hansel and Gretel without the witch.

Brian's sister betrothed me the swirly bright pink, and the daisies for the strap.

The turquoise one that you see is a piece that I had hung on the wall of my sewing room for at least a year because I so enjoyed looking at it. You get to enjoy that piece of embroidery on its corner.

The pockets are pillowslips. But they actually came unsewn. I guess you could get them like that in the day- kind of like craft kits from Michaels?!

Under the flap and down below is a wildly fun piece that I found locally at the thrift shop. It is sort of dragony, all in pinks and purples, blues and greens.

Going somewhere for the August long weekend? This may be your last chance to get a receptacle for that sunscreen (not that you'd need it in our parts.... We've got clouds for that.)

Technical Difficulties

When you arise from your slumber, you will not find a bag here. I left my camera at camp with the kid, and got my friend to come over with her camera late this evening when I realised the error of my ways. She was good enough to bring the camera, but it was sans a memory card....
It is late, and I am tired. If I get it together tomorrow before too late, there will still be a bag. Sorry Tanya. I always look forward to your early morning comments.

Go to bed. That's what I'm going to do.

SHE DOES THE MATH!

Today, I made an online donation to WFP with the recent funds that have been sent here via the bag project. Folks, we are a mere $21.00 away from hitting the $6,000.00 mark!

As of today, we have donated a total of $5,979.00!!!

Thank you.

Newbie Tuesday presents: "Sing it to the Choir"

Newbie Tuesday:
Welcome one and all; today's bidding is open to anyone bagless. Not bagels. Bag Less; without a bag; lacking in bagliness. Are you hiding in the shadows? Lurking in the underbrush? Come on out then. You shall be heard.



Got lots of stuff? There's plenty of pockets here. Each side has the pockets off pants, plus the large pocket that forms between the lining and the pant front.

Great colour combos here. Goes with anything.
Any interested newbies? And oldies, feel free to colour the place with your grafitti. Then go put some stuff into your bag, and give something away to someone who needs it more than you. Or give it to someone who doesn't need it more than you, but would love to receive.
Smile at a snotty kid today.
Make eye contact with a surly teenager.
Phone your mother.
Be kinder than necessary.

Summer Pickin's

It's a conglomerate of summery bits- blankets and quilts reminiscent of a picnic in the meadow.

Even the pockets make you want to go outside.

Those buttons look downright playful and give your eye plenty of places to roam. Kind of like a butterfly garden with a large quilted butterfly coming in for a landing from underneath.

Just for the fun of it; here's what gets a new life in "summer pickin's".
*green and orange picnic blanket, purchased secondhand some years ago because it reminded me of a blanket we had in the barn for the kittens when we were kids.
*hand-stiched green quilt that you've heard me go on about in past bags.
*the butterfly quilt; decorated with that bad idea back-in-the-70's liquid embroidery and hand stitched all around.
*red, green, and orange quilt bit underneath the flap that my friend Gloria found for me
*a floral bandana; a doll's dress; and a kitchen apron
*chennille bedspread
*a splashy bunch of green and yellow buttons.

Thanks to those of you who got here bright and early. These words are arriving quite a few hours later in the morning, as I'm on holidays and did not get out of bed at 6:00.
No duh.

Going Awol

Summer is like that- people coming and going, backing their campers and mini-vans out of driveways and heading off into some great adventure. Well, me and the kids have our own adventures to fulfill. We are heading off to Bible Camp up at Riding Mountain National Park, where for the first week, Firstborn and I will be working together in the kitchen with some dear old friends from our prior life in Brandon. Second and third borns will be campers with their old buds as well. Then we'll leave Arianna behind to spend another week at teen camp while we head back home to check up on Brian and Sam.

The rhythm of camp life will be good. Watching kids be kids. Spending more time outdoors. Spending time with my Rosa.

And I could use a break from the bags. Not because I don't love it. I still get up every day and find myself drawn to the possibilities of turning piles of frayed edges into something concrete and lovely to behold. But it's not that balanced for all the other roles I need to play. And often, stepping back for a bit recharges some batteries and brings new ideas to the surface.

So, I'm off to the quiet chaos of camp.
Quiet, because I'm not a counsellor. (one of the toughest jobs out there).
Chaos, because lots of other people are.
I'll be an awesome oppurtunity to observe. One of my most favourite things to do.
Next to sewing bags for Darfur.

Back on July 28.

Rick Rack, Baby

Calling all ye who lie in wait; loiter-ers, prowlers, lurkers, skulkers, newbies and reticent ones. You who are more discreet, less forthcoming, more restrained; more communal, and collective. This is the day to celebrate you.
Today is the day for anyone who lurks here and has yet to be successful at hanging one of these sack-a-ronis over their own shoulder. What I'm saying is: Come on out of the shadows if you don't already have a Re-joyce bag but you're kinda interested in storing your stuff in one.

Now won't it be ironic if all of you hate brown, and orange, and yellow?! That's okay, the bag will keep. Now, it's perfect if you've got lots of stuff, because on her tender hippy insides, she's got more than one pocket to store your shades and peace paraphanalia.
This bag hosts some of my personal favourites. Funky gold pile stuff; swirly orange and yellow psychodelic stuff, rick rack, brown fringe, flowery bits, camoflauge, and gingham. I'm sure we were told in Home Ec that none of those things go together. Well, a delayed rebellion is better than no rebellion at all.....Once again, ladies and gents. Rick Rack, Baby is available to any person or being who has not yet received a Bags 4 Darfur bag. Comments are welcomed and encouraged from anyone with or without a criminal record, inhaling, or not so much. Numerical amounts will be honoured when they originate from a novice baggie.

6 am to 6 pm cst, baby. You can call me Rick. or Rack..... for that matter.

Cathedral

In this case, I think I'd have to say that the pictures don't do justice. These fabrics and colours are really deep and rich looking. Lots of textures, and the look of durability.

There are a lot of colours packed into Cathedral. They are all subtle, but when your eye roams, it has plenty of places to go.

Classic, but interesting. Anyone for Cathedral on this Thursday, the last day of my work week? Same schtick, folks. We'll go until 6 pm cst.

Tanzania Re-visited

Amazing what one can find near the bottom of one of those XXL ziploc bags hanging around under the dining room table. That piece of bright green with the paisley-type brown and
blue-ish tinges set me off on another Tanzania flight.

The strap, again, is from the 1970's Tanzanian donation. Hence the name.... Tanzania.

I did a close-up of the back because of that really great green quilt. And unless there are more scraps in giant ziplocs hiding under some other furniture, I think I am dangerously near the end of that hand stitched quilt.

I have gotten in the habit of making two side panel pockets. I think it would be handy to have one for the keys; one for the phone. Or as my friend Alice says; one for the candy wrappers.

Words are cheap. A flight to Tanzania; not so much.
How 'bout a bag then?
I'll be here, at 6 pm, cst to close the deal. Don't be shy. And if you just want to leave a comment, and you don't intend to bid, I'd love that too. I consider them "encouragement cards" and I'm all greedy for those.
And for chocolate.
But if you cyber sent that; it would probably get all squishy.

Looking on a Star

Classic good looks; thanks to people who actually buy their furniture from the manufacturer and not second or third hand. These hardy bits are all samples for people on the other side of the tracks who choose their couches right down to the colour and pattern. And I don't mean the colour and pattern of other people's stains.

She's a beauty.

And she's a lot less aged than my couch.

Buy her, put your stuff in her, but for heaven's sake, don't let the kids jump on her.