You blink and summer is over.....

 It's now the end of August.  Life is really just a blink. A breath.  I am so aware of that these days.  I set my final retirement date for November 20th.  Even though I've just worked part time the last 10 1/2 years after my first 'official' retirement, I've still been going on site continually for almost 46 years.  Unbelievable really.  I don't feel my age inside, and i am so blessed with good health and an active lifestyle, but yet, at work I feel like a fossil. I think there is only one other person on our floor that is about my age.  I don't feel old, but am ok saying I am old, because I am.  Nothing wrong with saying that.  it is a fact of life - we age. It is going to happen to all of us.  I'm so thankful for my 66 years and 7 months.  Many don't get the gift of 66 years.

Ok, so what I've been doing.....some random pictures of what's going on in my neck of the woods.....

First off, we had the kids for a week in July.   SO.....MUCH......FUN

We played around with ChatGPT and some AI photos.  So cool!

When we took the kids back, we met my son and DIL in Huntsville, and she recreated some photos she originally took in 2020.  My, how they've grown and changed!

I made a baby quilt, using Bjorn Bear quilt pattern. This was for a young co-worker who just had his first child.

I still haven't cut my hair, and it is SO LONG.  Most days I love it, some not so much.  Not ready to cut it off yet.

Been pretty busy making bags.  I've made several leather ones now and my machine does a great job of these. Pretty quick too as they don't have a lining. The larger rectangular one will go to a charity auction in October to benefit our local food pantry.  I figured out how to do a leather pocket on the inside for it.  I will be offering about 6-8 for sale on facebook soon.  Hope they sell. I've decided to use whatever proceeds I make from the purses to buy supplies and fabric for other crafts and quilts.  Going to retire, so better get used to being more frugal.

Still baking sourdough. This sandwich bread was perfect!  I should never buy store-bought bread again, now that I've figured out this recipe.

The grands started back to school.. One in 6th, one in 3rd.  ❤️Love them so much!

My son made a quick visit a few weeks ago, on his return from a conference.  I made him a leather bible bag.  He loved it!  I was so happy to do something for him.  

So that's it!  

July

 I've had a few people ask for bags, so I am making more.  A friend's father in law just passed and she brought me a pair of his jeans to make her a purse. I took one of mine in to work and two of my younger guy friends wanted one for their wives. I also need to make a baby quilt for another young man I work with who is having his first child soon.  Busy, busy, but that's how I like it. I always want to have a project to do.  I am helping my young neighbor learn to make sourdough. I made a pretty round loaf yesterday and took her a starter yesterday.  I am going to help her in the morning mix up the dough.  I did find time to do some cooking today. I made Joanna Gaines sourdough bagels this morning, and put some pineapple and sugar water in a jar for a (hopefully) refreshing pineapple soda in a few days. Nature's probiotic! I also did the next step in my 16 day sweet pickle recipe.  Here are a few pics of what's been going on around here.....

We also finally got the new piece of furniture for under the TV.  I'm on the fence about it. I like it, but the other one was 36"tall, this one is only 32" and it just feels tiny, even though it is 8" longer than the other one. I guess I'll get used to it.....I do love the glass doors for displaying quilts.

I also hung a couple of quilted and framed blocks, bible verses, in my dining room.

Enjoy the pictures!

I've been pretty busy lately, but having fun....

 Well, I'm still making bags.  I made three last weekend, one today, and took eight to the little local gift shop that recently opened in the heart of our little town.  The building was my son's office when he and his family lived here.  The girl who now owns it, really fixed it up. I talked to her about selling some of my purses and she was game...

My friend wanted a white one. She thrift a pair of Ralph Lauren white denim, which were perfect for what she wanted.

And isn't this the cutest lemon lining fabric.

In addition to the purse making, we canned 22 quarts of green beans this week. Time consuming, yes, but worth it? I think so.

I finished what I'm calling a "comfort" quilt recently.  I love the bible verses in the blocks.

I initially intended to make two of these quilts but now I think I'm going to make pillow covers, and some framed blocks with the leftover verse fabric.

I'm thinking I might quilt some blocks and put them in the frames without glass. I might like that look better than unquilted, behind glass.  We shall see.  Might make a few for the gift shop owner to sell. She liked them.  I feel like I'm working on getting another job - making and selling bags and other crafts.  I really don't want another job, I'm getting ready to retire, but I love to make stuff, so it will be fun to make some things and if I sell some of it, great, I can make more - ha!  

She had some really cute things in her shop.  This little pillow was one. I love it and had to bring it home.

Leather Bag!!! I did it!

 This may be the most awesome thing I've ever made (It doesn't take much to get me excited).  I made so many round denim bags, I got my confidence up enough to cut into the big, beautiful piece of leather I bought last fall. It was on sale at the leather shop, and I had a "wild hair" thinking I would one day make a leather purse. I made it yesterday.  Cut it out a week or so ago.  I normally use a plate for the template, but my small plates were too small, and the large plates were too big. I found a paper plate to use that seemed right.  I made several mistakes -- put the zipper piece in crooked, then ripped the facing of it when trying to remove it, also cut the gusset too small, twice!  Thank goodness the leather piece was huge.  Well, here are the results.

Next are some process pics.  I patterned it after the round leather bags from Portland Leather I've seen online.

And why not put a denim pocket inside?? 

Not sure I'll ever made another one, because it did seem to be hard on my Bernina Bernette 08 machine, but no needles were broken. That machine is a workhorse!