Creation Vacation!!

So, what have I been working on for 3 months?  Besides the other stuff you'll see on my blog, I've been making a book bag for a pal of mine.  (Actually it started as a cover but it morphed into a bag!)  It was her birthday, she retired & is travelling to Artfest in WA state.  So I hope she can use it.  And I hope she likes it!  Here's some pics of the process:

Baste & stuff block

Make a rolled edge around block

Randomly quilt block

Stitch blocks together

Deciding where to put blocks

Stitching on the hemp strap DH made for me

Strap & bag stitched closed

Latch hooking around base of strap

Adding a special shell from Kaua'i

Getting journal & card ready to go in bag

Finished front of bag

Finished back of bag

This bag is special to me & I hope to my pal.  All the blocks are made from fabrics we traded with each other.  So there's a little bit of both of us in this.  Plus the special loomed hemp strap my DH did and one block that another pal wanted to include.  

I had sworn I'd never make another quilted purse or cover, but then I saw this process in various books I have as well as on Teesha Moore's site.  You can see more of her site here.  This is the last year she will be at Artfest.  I also used other ideas from the books I had.  But I think this may be the last one I make!!!!!  They are very time consuming, but this is filled with lots of love!  Even if it's wonky!

What? Happy Blogoversary???

I had no idea there was such a thing as a Happy Blogoversary! Apparently people keep track of when they started their blogs! So I looked back & my blog was born 5/24/2007 at 12:11p.m.!!! It was a Thursday & I was nervous!

Now here it is almost 2 years later & I know how to transfer html to make that little button on the left side that tells me how many days it is until my Blogoversary! 55 days from today!

AND I find out that people celebrate this in different ways! Hmm...how will I celebrate? I'm not just sure yet, but know it will be a fun day! So I posted this little pin I made for a pal just before I started this blog. I guess I still like all those brilliant, fun colors! LOL! Well, since the blog will be 2, I guess that makes sense! Go Inner Child!

Art Quilting

Today I want to try to post some of the other things I've done. This post includes a picture of a quilted art purse I made for my own work, and one I was commissioned to do. They take FOREVER!!! So I went on to other things...which will follow in newer posts!

At the top is a picture of the first purse I made for my own body of work.

To the right is a commissioned purse I did...showing opened.

Sure wish I could figure out all this editing! :)

Happy Friday!