Where Have I Been?

I'm not faithfully posting like I thought I would do when I started but I've been busy, busy, busy!

First, every year I buy an amaryllis.  I look forward to watching it grow and finally bloom into something magnificent.  I'm going to post this very exciting process so you too can share my joy.

Day One:

Exciting huh?  Just you wait!  It will get better.

This is my latest tote bag: 

I've made lots and lots of these but this one is fast becoming my favorite.  I decided to try and line it.  

This picture doesn't do it justice, but I simply love how it is coming out.  I pondered and pondered how I'll make the handles.  A friend of mine told me she usually goes to thrift stores and buys purses with real neato handles.  I went to our thrift store in town and didn't quite find anything that hit me.  My favorite handles I made were braided out of jean material.

I found a REALLY big pair of men's jeans, (and I mean REALLY big).  Then I found a green and a brown pair of khakis.  Woo hoo!

Now the challenge is to finish the tote.  I'm already itching to do other things.  Focus, focus.

I'm working on an embroidery project.

There will be two more panels on either side of this one.  There is a product called transfer-ese which is my new favorite thing.  No more light boxes!  You just print the design right on to a sheet of this magical neato stuff and viola!  A perfect image.  Imagine the things you can do!  Somedaaaaay, I'll transfer one of my zentangle designs and stitch that up.  Oh my, my.

Now Dear Jane.  I've got a couple more blocks done.

Now in the spirit of doing things differently than everyone else, I came across these fabric cut outs at an Etsy store.

Oh my goodness!  I love, love, love these.  They are backed with something, (not sure yet what, maybe Wonder-under), and all you do is iron it on your project.  This idea is perfect for my quirky thoughts.  They will also soften and/or, more importantly, cover up mistakes.

Oh the possibilities!!!  We've got the instructions for the first two rows of the Dear Jane quilt and won't meet until January.  I have another neat idea that is out of the box.  I'll work on it a bit before I post.  

So today is Saturday and I don't need to go anywhere major until Tuesday.  Will I be finishing my tote bag?  Work on some Dear Jane blocks?  My embroidery project?  Oh no, no, no.  I have another project in mind.  Anyone who says they are bored in life never discovered the world of creativity.  It's awesome!

Thanks for looking!