My new fabric is beautiful!  I decided to go ahead and make this Tote even though the fabric is a little “Christmassy”.  You can use any fabric you choose.  This fabric happens to be 100% which makes it easy to toss in the wash and then just air-dry.

Have fun!

Instructions

1. Zigzag-stitch sides of the crochet trim together until you have created a big enough piece of fabric to run through a Big Shot.
2. Run crochet trim “fabric,” beige fabric, and cotton batting through Big Shot using Flower Folds Bigz XL Die cutting one 3-3/4″ flower, one 3″ flower, and one 2-1/2″ flower. Sew crochet trim “fabric,” cotton batting, and beige fabric together to create three 3-D flowers.
3. Iron Décor Bond to wrong side of each piece of 4″ x 28″ fabric. Fold in half with right sides facing and sew along long sides, making handles the width you desire (ours are 3/4″ wide). Turn fabric; iron flat and top stitch.
4. Create three ruffles for each side of bag by cutting four layers of each of the Deck the Halls fabric using the Big Shot and Perfect Settings Bigz XL Die (cupcake liner). Sew two ruffles together for each ruffle and sew to each side of the bag.
5. Sew Chantilly 1/2″ Crochet Trim on the top of the bag.
6. To create outside bottom of bag, sew a 7-1/2″ x 14″ piece to each side of 10-1/2″ x 14″ piece to create a 14″ x 24″ rectangle. Iron Décor-Bond to wrong side of outside bag bottom.
7. Iron Décor-Bond on the inside of bag top. Sew bag bottom to bag top.
8. Fold lining in half and sew the side seams.  Sew across corners at 2-1/2″ to create gusset for the bottom of the bag. Repeat for the outside of bag. Turn outside of bag right-side out and slide lining inside.  Fold the top of the bag down and top stitch closed, adding the handles as you do this.
9. Crisscross piece of Chantilly 1/2″ Crochet Trim through Big Designer Button.
10. Attach flower to base of handle using Chantilly 1/2″ Crochet Trim.

Accessories and Tools

• Chantilly 1/2″ Crochet Trim
• Fabric:
• Lining: 14″ x 24″
• Outside bottom: 10-1/2″ x 14″; two at 7-1/2″ x 14″
• Handles: two at 4″ x 28″
• Big Buttons
• Big Shot
• Flower Folds Bigz XL Die
• Perfect Setting Bigz XL Die
• Beige thread
• Sage thread
• Cotton batting
• Beige fabric
• Décor-Bond by Pellon

I just got back to N.C. after a quick trip home to check on my business and my kids. With the entire weekend ahead, and all of my work caught up, I am so looking forward to spending all of my time creating!

Despite the fact that my favorite thing in life is to be in my studio designing, stamping, scraping and playing, I am forever getting the “guilts”.  It’s very hard for me to devote time to myself. And to do it for an entire weekend?  I’ll probably need to be medicated.

Anyway, I just got in the huge order I was waiting for, and I am just itching to get started.  The fabrics, colors and papers are breathtaking. I’ve got Halloween, Fall, Thanksgiving AND Christmas themes, and no clue where to begin. I guess I will just sit down and see what moves or inspires me, and get started!

What moves you? What inspires you to create? How do you choose where to begin?  Do you get the guilts too?  Have a great weekend everyone, and for all of you along the East coast, stay safe!

I am not a big apple eater.  I prefer berries; but the smell of these apples literally stopped me in my tracks.  At first I thought maybe they were those fake, plastic apples and I’d find a Yankee Candle Plug-in right behind the crate.

Nope, they were real and they smelled sooooo good that when I got home I actually got online and began looking for recipes.  Apple pie, apple cobbler, apple tart, apple turnovers, apple fritters, apple cheesecake, apple muffins, and then I saw it! A Double Apple Mojito!

Now THAT sounded good. Best of all, the recipe says that the prep time is just 2 minutes and the list of ingredients makes my mouth water. So tomorrow, instead of a nice cold beer or glass of wine, I’m gonna give this recipe a try!  Cheers!

I think that one of the saddest things about Alzheimer’s disease is the fact that it often robs children of their grandma or grandpa.  Children are very astute. They know that grandma or grandpa is there “physically”, but they can usually sense that they are not fully ”present”.

Little ones might be frightened. Tweens might get very quiet, and teens? They might just get angry. So how can we bring grandparents and grandchildren together? One of the things that I have found that works well is a plain, old-fashioned game of BINGO.

BINGO is fun!  Because it has been around forever, most patients can remember how to play as they remember the distant past.  Best of all, BINGO comes in so many varieties, that there is usually a game that will work nicely for the early and mid-stage patient.

Traditional BINGO, black-out BINGO and pattern BINGO are just a few that most kids, and adults can enjoy. Players can identify anything from animals to items of food, to body parts.

So give it try!  Bake some cookies, sit around the kitchen table, keep the camera handy (and maybe a box of tissues), and have some fun!

Until next time…

   
I was browsing the internet looking for some ideas on what I can do with a bunch of new fabric I just ordered and look what I found! This adorable little store that I just have to share with you, called Pink Olive!  I love it! 

Their About Us page  says “Pink Olive was born out of love. The love to find a beautiful gift that makes you smile. Pink Olive aspires to be a place for your imagination to sparkle and creative spirit to soar. Spend some time with us and feel inspired by this whimsical wonderland”. 

Just my kind of place!  Best of all, I found some great ideas on what to do with the new fabric I am getting next week!  What do you think of this great idea?  

I am always looking for new, inspirational ideas that I can use to bring warmth to my many projects!  Be sure to visit their store for lots of great ideas and good bargains! Enjoy!