It's a Purse

I've been trying to stock up my shop with new things.  It takes time.  On most days I'm very motivated.  I enjoy seeing a bag take shape. On other days, it's just work.  This project was a little of both.   Here's why.

I bought this purse some years ago at Target.  Then one day the little wooden ring broke.  I glued it back together and kept on trucking.  Then I had kids and it was suddenly too small.  I stashed it away thinking I could use it as a pattern and make another one.  That was 7.5 years ago.

Last week I started to process of taking it apart to use as a pattern.  

Here's the result.

It was a lot of work.  But I managed.  I kept the lining of the bag intact so I could see how it was put together.  Here's the new bag. 

I like it and I think it was worth the 7.5 year wait.  It's in my Etsy shop if you want a closer look or you think you might need it for your collection.

New Stuff

It is my goal to make something new for my Etsy shop each day this week.  Of course this means the house work will go to pot, but that's okay isn't it?  Everyone still has on clothes and they aren't going hungry, so it's a win, win.

Here is what I've accomplished so far.

I especially like this one - it has a waterproof lining.  I was almost tempted to keep it.

This morning I woke up to a couple of emails for custom orders.  I'm excited and need to get sewing.

Puzzles

In an attempt to redirect my children from all electronic devices and to calm them down before bed, we put together a puzzle.

Funny enough it's a puzzle that we borrowed from my mother in law.  Who would have thought we'd find a puzzle of the United States in her Swiss game cabinet?

We started in the west and headed east. 

 We focused on a rather important state, for obvious reasons.  Then as we moved along I pointed out other states that have friends living in them.  

 The further east we got I started to realize that we know quite a few people scattered all over the United States.  I'm so thankful for our little International Church.  We have made some great friendships.  It sure has widened our sphere of influence.

All done!

There is a world map on the back side of this puzzle.  

I think we'll do that one another day.