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!