And Now. For Something Tote-Ally Different

So, it's not winter around here any more.
I'm spending considerably less time in my basement and an impressive amount of time in my back yard.
I like it that way.

Soccer starts this week, which puts me on the sidelines four nights of the week. Then there's basketball which can fill two to four other nights per week. No. I'm not pursuing the cloning option. (Although. Say, I were able to split both my thighs into two portions. Then you'd get my attention...)

Barring that, I've decided on a new bag format. Well, I'm borrowing a great idea from Made4Aid, if you must know. Instead of posting a bag each morning, I'll post what's available for the week, and leave the bids open for several days. That will allow me to spend the evenings cheering or chatting as the case may be. It will also allow me to maximize what I have of weekends for creating said bags, and leave the weekdays for cramming in everything else.

Besides, we have a ways to go before meeting our goal of $400,000.00
And that's modest.
That's only one dollar per person who has lost their life in the conflict thus far.





Scroll on down to find these three treats.
Please leave your bids in the post that goes with the bag that strikes your fancy.
It's good to be back.

"Nappy Tote"

In Australia, a nappy is a baby diaper. Such a sweet word. ( Still a stinky thing, but a sweet word nonetheless.)


And while I'm sure that this would hold nappies wonderfully, that's not why I chose the word. In this sense, "nappy" refers to the quirky fact that the tote is fashioned out of two discard pillow slips.

The boldly floral pillowcase forms the body, and a second floral orange case creates a pocket on one side. (thank you, Valerie C. for pocket piece!)

I saw this idea on a website a long time ago and have finally gotten around to trying it. If you want to try it yourself, check out the Martha Stewart website.

Or just chuck your stuff into this one, all hobo style, and call it a day.

*

This tote is available for sale all week.
Or more specifically, until Thursday, April 29, 2010, at 9:30 pm cst.

*

I'm going low on start bids because I can. Any offers above $7.00 Cdn will be accepted on the above tote. Leave your bids/comments below in the comment box. I'll be waiting all breathless with anticipation.....

Tree Hugger Tote

So, this used to be a curtain.

I'd like to meet the woman with that kind of confidence.

I adore the shades in this piece. I've been hoarding it for a while, clinging to it, grasping it to myself. But then spring came, and dead stuff starting turning green. And it was time to share.

So, I took those curtains, ripped a couple of seams, and turned those trees into something less overwhelming than window coverings.

(I even used velcro so that you can be all private and secretive about what you hide in there)

Here she is all bent out of shape and turned inside out. Three pockets on the one side; and three on the other. Going through the box of clothes in my closet labelled "Summer" meant the final sacrifice for a pair of well-worn cargo shorts.

A button closure means that large pocket just became more practical.

So, there you have it. I think those trees would look awesome just about anywhere in the spring and summer. Just imagine. Beach days. Picnics. Bike rides...

*

Ahhhhh.

*

This tote remains available all week.

Well, at least until Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 9:30 pm cst.

*

I'll accept any bids above $15.00 Cdn to get us started.

Please leave your bids and comments in the comment box, and send me an e-mail at re-joyce@mts.net if you have any questions.

Tote-ally Useful

There's something about the bikes, backyard blankets, and gardening gadgets coming out that makes me want to sew up a couple of tote bags.


And what better way to do so than by employing an old flour sack?

(donated by.... Someone wonderful. Mrs R?)

I love the pale blue lettering. I used one portion of the sack to form an exterior pocket, and supplied velcro for your closing convenience.

Here's the bag flipped inside out to better indicate the pockets. One large blue pocket, and some durable ticking fabric on the other side, divided into three pocket sections. Backing it all up is a funky old thrift shop table cloth.

*

This tote bag will remain available all week. Well, we'll conclude the week on Thursday evening at 9:30 pm, cst. I'll accept any starting bids above $15.00 Cdn.
*

Please leave your bids in the comment section of this post.

(Leave your comments there too!)

Bags In The Real World

My brother and his family in Rome, where they live.

Note my two nieces with their Darfur bags.

Note my daughter between her two cousins.

In Rome.

*sigh*

Spring/Soccer/Sunshine

So, I wish I had a sun-shiney bag to show this morning.
But.
I was actually out in the sunshine, and not really behind my sewing machine.

Please be patient with bags4darfur. I'm still here.....
Did I mention that soccer starts this week? Did I mention that I have three kids in soccer, equalling four nights a week on the field, plus one child in Basketball, equalling at least two nights a week, and one kid in swimming, equalling ImPossiBility?

So, I'm working on a master plan for balance.
Which will include raising funds for people without options like... sports.
Or adequate food and shelter.

Tick Tock Bubbles

Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking.....
Into the future.

Samples make up the body in today's bag. Some old polky dots add character. An outdated calendar tea towel makes one reflective of the passage of time. And some mustard coloured pile brings it all together.

The shoulder strap is made up of a hammock hand-me-down from Pam D, and a scrap of (African?) fabric from my sister, many years hence.

It all kind of works.

Two pockets beneath the flap.

Thank you, Kim Z for that scrap of upholstery.

Backside. (does this pile make my backside look big?)

The interior is all ablaze with fabric from the DR of Congo.

Are those bubbles not fun? And liberating?

Speaking of the passage of time, I had a bit of an incident in a fitting room last night. With a fellow forty-something year old friend. Turns out that gravity + time = unparallelled tragic repercussions for all sorts of body parts.

*

Speaking of bubbles.....

But I digress...

*

Today's bubbley bag comes to you in one size. It is available once. Although you never know what sorts of variations might come to you in the future.

*

bubbles measures 11x11 inches, give or take.

$25- Cdn starts it off, and whoever feels most generous by 9:30 pm cst gets to take this bag home. Today, April 15, 2010.

Bags In The Real World

Ahhhhh............

(I must forbid you to bid.

On the baby, and on the bag.

It just wouldn't be ethical.)

Kenya Meets Ethiopia

A number of my siblings spent time in Ethiopia between the 1970's and 1990's.
One of the gifts that came back was a beautifully hand embellished throw cushion, all festooned with Ethiopian animals. I still enjoy them.

But it's time to give them another life; and another oppurtunity to be loved by someone else. And maybe give back to Africa in the meantime.


The strap and portions of the body are pieces made in Kenya. Sadly, I don't remember exactly who donated this piece to the project- one of two or three possible women. In any case, it's lovely, and it too, is giving back to Africa.


(she's under the deception that this is all about her.)
.."........every morning, my human carefully lays out a lovely nest of fabric on the kitchen floor. How thoughtful of her."

(two pockets beneath the flap)

(same bag, turned inside out. Helps you see the pocket layout a little better)

I used some corduroy scraps from my brother-in-law Dan's mothers remnants. (did you follow that?) I guess she had a bit of a thing for sewing all her grandsons coveralls. Turns out you can use those shapes for the edges of messenger bags as well. (ok, after you totally change the shape of them)

This bag was actually destined for the sale at "Hope For Darfur" in Brandon, but it never got past the very initial stages of production. Maybe some of my Africa interests will visit the blog today?

*

Anyhoo, same schtick. Minimum start bid is $25- Cdn. You can place bids in the comment section, and the highest bid by 9:30 pm takes those elephants home.

*

Meanwhile, if you're not in a safari kind of mood, you can read about how not to be a board member over at Blunderview.