My Flea Market Bag

First and foremost I need to thank Lisa at "Polka Dot Cottage" *(formally Polka Dot Creations)....Thank you Lisa for the inspiration to start sewing again after so many years and also thank you for sharing all of the buttons you have created! :)

and another thank you goes out to Tanya at "Grand Revival Designs" for the Flea Market Bag Pattern I found while "Googling my Life Away" looking for a purse pattern I would like to attempt!... :) I wish my bag was made in the "Barefoot Roses Collection", but I got the material for this bag at Hancock Fabrics when in search of material...be sure to go check out all of Tanya's collections of fabric....there is a new one due out this Fall called "Happy Girl Style"...

"Melanie's Got a Brand New Bag"

Hope you enjoyed the show... now off to Grill some Ribs and Fry some Hot Bananna Peppers for supper... I wish you a "Great and Creative Kind of Weekend!"

Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

Here is the long awaited polymer clay button!!... you know my new Flea Market Bag would not be complete without it!... So the button first... :)

another view....

and another....

and one last view..... :)

Whew.... glad that's over....now on to my Flea Market Bag..... grab a cold drink and pull up a chair!... :)

Woodland Bloom Giveaway Contest

Lila is giving away a purse made from her Woodland Bloom *(which is not yet available) her Henna Sky and also fabric from Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett. This purse takes me back to the 1970's when I was in my teens...I LOVE this purse!!...

It's "Far Out"..."Funky"...and so "Cool" :)

Click HERE to visit her blog for details on how to enter.

From "Fat Quarters" to "Jelly Rolls"

Aren't these fabrics beautiful?.... I found them on Ebay...and that's when the "Jelly Roll" hit me smack dab in the face!!

Along with the "Fat Quarters" came a "Jelly Roll".... What?

I guess you are never too old to learn something new... :) ...I do have my first hand bag completed...Yeah for me!!...all it is lacking is a polymer clay button...I have three of the colors pretty close to what I want... real world things are keeping me from the fun...*(like canning 14 quarts of green beans)....yum...I made the "Flea Market" bag in the colors on the right laying on my sewing machine *(in the previous post)...the red/green plaid and the floral that is underneath of it...more on that later...I can't wait to post the pictures of it...the whole process from cutting it out to the top stitching felt so good!

A Step Back in Time

ok...where to start....hmmmm....I will blame it all on Lisa at Polka Dot Creations...HA!...don't worry Lisa it's a good thing!...I have been telling her for months she has got me itchin to pull out my Mother's old White sewing machine from the corner of my living room and tune her up and sew!...Lisa has been making some lovely things and adorning them with her polymer clay buttons....

Well I've gone and done it.....

Now somebody tell me....where do I start?

I have not sewed in at least 20 or so years...yeah....I am older than dirt! I went into a Hancock fabric store and didn't have a clue....clueless I was!... :) I recently sold all of my Vera Bradley hand bags on ebay....oh, I do still have the one I am currently using which is the style I liked the best...it is called hipster...goes over your shoulder around your neck and thief proof!!...unless they drag me along with them....so I decided my first sewing project would be a purse....I Googled a bit and came up with the two patterns above....The Flea Market Bag from Grand Revival Designs. Check out Tanya's fabrics too!!...I am so in love with them! The second pattern is from Lazy Girl Designs and it is called Sassy Bag. It is made from Fat Quarters...You ask "What is a Fat Quarter?"....you'll just have to Google it like I did to find out!!.... :)

This was my mama's sewing machine...my sister bought it for her in the late 60's...and I am sure my mama was the talk of the neighborhood to have such a fancy machine!...so like I said earlier in my post I have her all tuned up and ready to sew!!

The cabinet my dad refinished and placed the White in it...if you look real close underneath the machine...on the left is a lever you push with your left knee (of course!)....and it is connected along the back to some gizmo that pushes the foot pedal!!...how cool is that?....Way to go Dad! Now when my mama would sew it would start out about 5:00am and she would go non stop until the garment was finished...*(except for the hand sewing, hemming, etc) that was left for her mama to do...my Grandma Dorothy......

These things above my Grandma gave to me...her sewing box, tape measure, old sissors, and last but not least her pin cushion....

My Mama, Daddy, and Grandma Dorothy have all passed and I only hope they are looking down on me and feeling very proud..... :)

"Clay Day with my Sister"

I shared a wonderful day with my sister Kathy yesterday....she lives about 65 miles from me....I packed up everything but the kitchen sink and headed her way around 8:00am....and that is a big accomplishment in itself as I am not a morning person!!... :) We made plans ahead of time as to what we wanted to work on so things went pretty smooth....we took a couple of breaks with a bit of lunch and a trip out of the house for some fried pickles, sweet tea, and a luscious BLT!!...thanks for the treat Sis!...We completed two projects... the first was a necklace from a tutorial by Kim Cavender in this months Polymer Cafe and the second was a bracelet inspired by Bettina (beadworx) latest frenzy with extruded tube beads....you can see her beautiful work HERE on her flickr page....

Kathy's finished pieces above.....

and mine...*note the pictures could have been better...but by the time they were taken it was late in the evening and I had to get back on the road...**A big thank you to my sister for sharing the day with me!!...and I want to wish her a "Big Happy Birthday" for this coming Friday the 6th!!..... :)

She's Here

Our newest addition to the family and my 5th Grandbaby!
Let me introduce you to "Kiley Elizabeth"

Born 5-20-2008

weighing in at 7lbs. 13 ozs.

and 19 inches

Welcome to the world sweet baby girl.

Our precious Gift from God!