Leave Donations Here

I often have people gift me with fabric.
Sometimes buttons, and one time- a whole, big tub full of thread.
But this is the first time I've been given a teacup chock full of roses.
Thanks to Linda, over at Hutt-Write Voice.

To accept the tea, which may or may not contain buttons and thread, I'm to post seven facts about myself. I'll custom this just a little, and make these facts pertain to the bag project.

• I've met the nicest people through this project. It's always a happy moment for me when I lay eyes on someone who has commented or bought bags throughout the years but I've not had a face to put to the name. For example, this summer at the fair, a woman approached me looking like I was the most familiar face in the world to her. She said; "I'm Wendy", for which she receieved the blank stare. It was only when she referred to herself using the blogger nickname "Wendy Pendy" that I lit up with recognition! Same thing happened to me in Brandon one year when I met Nancy. It meant nothing until she prompted me with the words... "fancy Nancy"... and then it all fell into place! She then proceeded to help me set up my display and offer her services to me. And that's just a tiny bit about the many nice people I've met.
  


• One of my favourite gifts was a turquoise coloured lambskin leather coat. It had been a gift to a lady from her husband many years ago, and her daughter and granddaughter commissioned me to sew it into a bag to present to her for a significant birthday. What trust! Such a special article- so beautiful, unique, and lovely to work with.
  


• I started sewing when I was eleven. I'm so grateful to my mother that she let me use her sewing machine without hovering over me and controlling my every move. Instead, she gave me a small tin full of fabric scraps and let me have free access to her sewing machine. The first gift I remember sewing was a baby gift for my very first niece. It was a terry cloth stuffy that only a mother could love, but I'm proud of it to this day.



• My favourite childhood location was at my best friend Elaine's house, two miles down the gravel road. Her house was nothing like mine. Ours was sort of minimalist, very tidy, with few surprises. Hers was bursting with possibility. I believe that my own current home is inspired by Elaine's, and my impressive fabric collection reminicient of that house that always struck me as capable of holding any number of wonders.



• It doesn't bother me to hold onto a beautiful piece of fabric for ten or more years. These things can't be forced and ought to be allowed the freedom in which to come into fruition. This summer I sewed up a piece of fabric that my neighbour and I found in a dumpster about sixteen years ago. It raised well over $100.00 to feed the world. I'm glad I didn't force that one earlier than it was meant to be.



• One of the other most amazing gifts that I have receieved is a Bernina sewing machine from my siter-in-law, Joanne. It had been a gift from her now deceased husband, and because she never became the seamstress she thought she might be, the machine got passed along to me. Anyone who knows my utter devotion and love to my own bernina can begin to fathom what this sort of gift would mean to me-- a perfect machine both upstairs, and downstairs! (see above... house full of possibility.....)



• I've always accumulated nicknames. A great moment for me is when someone exclaims; "Oh! Are you the Bag Lady?" And second- I've heard that people who carry bags 4 darfur have been approached and asked- "Is that a Joyce Bag?" And these things make me very happy. They make me believe that the world is a kind and beautiful place, and there's so very much left not to lose hope about.
  

Thanks for the blog award, Linda. Now, off to my sewing machine to see how to incorporate a teacup and some rose petals....