Back From... Well, No Where, Really.

I had hoped for enormous epiphanies on my sabbatical. Mind numbingly brilliant revelations of the lifechanging variety.

Here is what I did receive: A lovely visit from a Darfur blog supporter, who came armed with delicious fabrics and some of the most stunning buttons.. quite nearly ever. (I wonder if she knew....) And on the night that I was away watching Sand and Sorrow with some dear friends, I got to come home to this surprise- my daughter jane had already put a few of those buttons to very good use.
Sweet, no?

The film was moving, yes.
I wish I could remember the quotes, but what I do remember is that not caring is easy. Not informing oneself is less uncomfortable. But how do we feel when we hear about the holocaust? And how do we feel when we recognize that it keeps happening over and over and over again, regardless of commendable sayings like "never again"....

I wish it were easy to know what to do. I wish that when we leave the theatre we don't walk past a car covered in advertising for "Weight Loss Shoes"!! and immediately find ourselves back in our own world. So very, very far away from that other world. That we don't know how to impact. I wish there was a way to force justice. And dignity.

But like I said... I didn't exactly receive the epiphany of my dreams during my time away. (Like... Only a few feet away. Not AWAY away.)

I did manage to declutter the giant walk-in closet that I call a sewing room. I purged and re-stacked. Doesn't it look serene-ish?

Gosh. That is one slick work area. Everything there, within reach. Just look at that wide expance of table, just waiting to be sewn on.

hmmmm..... Only one or two things missing there. Like a bernina sewing machine or two?

Yup. weird. I had the one prepped to take in for a full spa treatment as it wasn't wanting to put in one more moment of hard work. Which was fine, since I had that whole other bernina to work with.

Till this afternoon.

When I pulled up to it and it.... Seized.

I have two seized berninas. what the--?! So, off to the doc they go. Just as soon as I can figure out how and when to get them there. I still do have one more machine in the house (aside from those five vintage showpieces that I don't actually work on). The tension in it isn't great so far, but I did manage to unearth the manuel, so maybe I can spin some gold on machine #3 this week.

In the meantime..... I did get some work done anyway. hey! I never said I was taking a break from sewing. So, you can expect some bag action this week. AND, there was this other fabulous thing that happened to me just today...

I got a totally amazing, drop-dead, shoot-me-now, don't-wake-me package in the mail from our friend Lettuce in London, England. She is a brilliant textile artist, and she just may have donated some bags for this very project. After I figure out how to mop the drool off said bags, I just might post them here for your viewing and buying pleasure.

Brilliant stuff.

Now for some housekeeping. Can Jeannie from a few bags ago who got the final bid on "Angel Wax" please contact me at re-joyce@mts.net?

"See" you on Monday!

Taking a Breather...

Greetings great Darfur supporters, bag lovers, and work avoiders.
After a great deal of thought and some trepidation (what will I do with myself?!) I have decided to take a one week sabbatical from the blog world. A week without being driven to my computer. A week for the possibility of refreshing perspectives and direction. Just a week.

It's a difficult thing to let go of, even for a week, but it feels right.
So, I'll be back with bags on, March 1, 2009.

Africa Friday

Yes, so my ten year old son figured out the computer issue in about 14 seconds flat. So, here we are at Friday, with a great Burundi bag to see us through to the magical gin and tonic hour.

I joined the green with the brown together on the strap- a delicious limey green on one side, and a fine looking brown plaid on the other.

There are actually three inside pockets, as I layered the one side. That colourful fabric comes from the Republic of Congo.

I know it's nothing that hasn't been seen before- but there is that reference to wax again. The last one said "angel wax" which was decided meant beautifully smooth and bristle free angelic beings. Any theories on "veritable real wax"?

The bag measures 11.5 by 10".

This party shuts down at 8 pm, cst.

Huh?!

Okay, so yesterday during my window of oppurtunity, the batteries on the camera got tired and lay down. Today.... After downloading the pictures off the camera, now fully charged.... I could get zero internet on my laptop. The pictures are on the laptop. No longer on the camera. I am on Brian's computer. A whole room away from the pictures that are on the laptop.

Weird.
So, maybe tomorrow I'll try... The Dog Ate My Laptop.

But then again, tomorrow is Saturday, so it looks like all the Darfur stalkers are going to roll up and blow away until Monday anyway.

Unless Brian e-mails me back LIKE NOW and solves this mysterious electronic pain-in-the.... for us and I can proceed with the bag'o'wax that I had planned for today.

In other news.... WE now have a bag in the Dominican Republic! One of the recipients gifted her back to a maid at a resort in the DR. Hope she likes it. Additionally, "Elephantine" is headed to Virginia. That's our second American bag. I think that the visit with Obama yesterday had a lot to do with this warming of trade between our two countries. Okay... Now it's just completely obvious that I've been breathing recycled air since the fall so very, very many months ago.

I hope to be back... Send Brian secret mental messages. Or bypass him entirely and send soothing mental messages to the laptop so it gets its moxy back.

Sand and Sorrow Documentary Screening

Good morning, Darfur supporters. The batteries on my camera need some time to recharge, so in the meantime, here is the information for a documentary film showing in Winnipeg next week, for anybody who lives around here.

Thursday, February 26, 2009
Time:
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:
Ellice Theater
Street:
585 Ellice Avenue
City/Town:
Winnipeg, MB

Email:
winnipegwalk4darfur@hotmail.com

Description
Come join us for the Winnipeg premier of the HBO Documentary Sand and Sorrow produced and narrated by George Clooney. This documentary looks at the history of the conflict and the international communities "Legacy of Failure" when responding to genocide.The documentary contains interviews with Darfur activists Samatha Power, John Prendergast, Eric Reeves, Holocaust Survivor Dr. Elie Wiesel and President Barack ObamaTickets will be $5 at the door!

**Plus come out and enjoy a cup of locally roasted, fair trade, organic coffee provided by Greenbean Coffee Imports, more information about them can be found here http://www.greenbeancoffeeimports.com/

** all the above information was copied and pasted from facebook.

Elephantine

el·e·phan·tine
adjective
Definition:

1. slow and heavy: moving in a slow, heavy, and often clumsy or awkward way.......the heavy elephantine tread of his feet

Sometimes, that's just the best we can do in this life. Plod through some days in this elephantine way.

There you have it (Karen..). That Special K box. So, no confusion on whether we measure in imperial or metric! Note the space above our cereal box- it's actually larger than the box.

I used some special pieces in this bag. The bottom panel is a repurposed quilt that I've enjoyed for several years, either under the Christmas tree, or over my eldest who favoured it on her bed.

The elephant piece is quite special. My sister brought it home for me from some far away country, and unfortunately i don't remember which one. It has lovely sequins sewn into it and lots of great colours.

Note the hand stitching on the yellow face piece of the bag. That's the other side of the quilt that I mentioned previously. There is something wonderful and beautiful about all those tiny little stiches. I like to think of women working together and loving one another when see fine quilting like this. The side panel pocket is a great piece of orange corduroy that reminds me of when Rose's son was a little wee babe and had pants and a jacket made of that fabric. I think this is the last remnant.

There's a lovely close-up of that gold stitching and sequin detailing.

Bids begin at $45.00 Cdn, as usual, and carry on until 8 pm, cst.

White Elephant Sale

Woops.... I realized this morning as I was doing the last minute stitching on this bag that it ought to be Tightwad Tuesday.. But I messed up with yesterday being a holiday and all. So, we might have tightwad day on a different day this week.

If you like elephants, and you like soft beige tones... this is the bag for you. It is lovely and understated. Sort of soothing to the eyeball.

The body is made of durable Mr Fancy Sample Guy materials, so it should live a long life.

I got my piece work fix on the adjustable straps. I used a combination of beige and light brown pieces for some variety on the bag.

For the inside lining and pockets, I cut up a shirt from Tanzania that I found at a Brandon thrift shop.

The bag measures 9.5 inches by 11 inches. A nice compromise between a big BIG bag and a small handbag.

If you purchase this handbag, you will not only feed refugees in a displaced person camp; but you will also be able to lay claim to the fact that you can easily sling an elephant over your shoulder and carry on with your everyday tasks.

Bids begin at $45.00 Cdn and the auction will continue until 8:00 central standard time.

Leave me a comment, will ya?

Zulu

A Zulu valentine, called an Ibheqe, is a narrow beaded band with a rectangular flap that rests in the hollow of the throat when worn around the neck.

Here's the rest of that pillow case that got shipped off to Alberta and got re-named "Donkeys and Elephants- oh my!" My friend Cheri was wondering why the elephant had five legs. I made an inappropriate comment, and then Cheri in her great wisdom finally figured out that the fifth leg was indeed the elephant's tail. But you already knew that.

I used nearly every single scrap of it, taking care to use those neat triangular details on the side pockets.

Since I'm already running way behind today.... I won't waste another moment by running off to hunt for my tape measure. It's the size of a 350 g of special K. (there goes another one of my Top Secrets. darn.)

I know the picture is blurry, but like I said.... I'm waaaaay late this morning.

Interior fabric is from the Republic of Congo.

The elephant and donkey bits are from Ethiopia, bordered by a green and brown piece from Tanzania, and the bottom and inside bits from Republic of Congo.

Happy Valentine (Ibheqe) Day.

Start with $45 CDN and go straight up from there.

xo

I love you

will you be mine

URAQT

Angel Wax

It's not easy to offer a guarantee these days; but here it is, in print. Guaranteed Angel Wax.

(I have no idea what that means, but I'll personally guarantee it.)

I know we've all seen versions of this bag before, but isn't it a dandy? i love this fabric from Burundi.

The use of colour is really wonderful.

The inside pockets are made from a piece from the Republic of Congo.

The bag measures 10.5" by 11".

Bids will begin at $45.00 Cdn. Comments are free, but really help me break up the monotonous bits of my day. The highest bid at 8 pm cst takes the Angel home.