Weekend Sewing

I love this book! I'll admit that a few weeks ago I read it in Barnes and Noble and liked the ideas, but didn't buy it at first. During spring break, my mom and I went to Crate and Barrel and I was looking at the desks and armoires because I remembered that the book mentioned something about putting your machine and fabric/notions in a computer armoire for easy access. I couldn't exactly describe what it looked like to my mom, so I bought the book to show it to her this weekend. I'm so glad I did!

I made four checkbook covers out of scraps and fat quarters (kind of lame, I think, but I love to make small things).

I look back on "high-school-me" and I remember the times that my friends and I would drive to the Macon Mall and sometimes just look, but mostly just buy useless stuff. Being 16, our favorite stores were usually Gap, American Eagle, Hollister, and Abercrombie, of course. But we weren't just teenagers. We were also a bit pretentious. So, being snobs, our ultimate favorite place to go was Mori Luggage to look at the Vera Bradley bags. I remember on a few occasions laying down twenty-five dollars for a simple checkbook cover. I'm shaking my head in past regret-- oh, youthful arrogance. When I sat down to make these, all of my fabric was bought on sale from purl or from a local fabric store, For the Love of Stitches (I love that name). I made all four of my covers for less than $10.


I love it so much more than my old Vera (and that's saying a lot, because even though I can't believe the price, I still love my green elephant cover even after 4 years!)

This pouch was pretty easy except for the edge stitching where my needle insisted on sticking. It's okay, we all made it through relatively unscathed. This is actually my favorite pouch that I made, which is why I haven't picked a closure for it yet. I don't want to mess it up by rushing into a decision. Velcro seems like the smartest choice (opening and closing would be easier and would reduce pressure, less pressing on the precious goods INSIDE, etc.), but snaps look so nice and professional. I'll probably resort to asking a friend and just going with whatever they say. It's a win-win-lose situation, and that's as good as I can hope for in these types of problems!

The great news is that my neighbor saw my work (I made more than just these two, I promise!) and loved it! She owns a tea room in a nearby town and she said that if I could make enough to form a stock, she would let me sell them in her company! I'm praying that this really will happen, because goodness knows I could use the pocket money!

Sewing was a wonderful way to relax after such a rough few weeks! I can't wait to do it again.

She said, "Hello, Country Bumpkin"

When a Georgia girl sees snow for the first time...

...she will want to make a snowball. There wasn't a lot of snow at first, but it was enough to make us all happy. And cold. As cliche as it is, it really did feel like we were in a snowglobe (which aren't allowed on airplanes!).

It had only been snowing for less than an hour, but it was still nice to see it.

Baboons...in their natural habitat?

The biggest bear we'd ever seen.


Lovely ladies under a bridge hiding from the snow.

At that point, I had my camera in one hand, a hotdog in the other, and a prayer in my heart that God would keep my feet from becoming frostbitten.