Rivets

I finally finished a bag I've been working on for almost two months.  I had someone ask me if I made any bags with leather straps.  I had been thinking about it and went right to work.  I found a place that sells the straps I was looking for and ordered them.  The company wasn't very impressive and it took them 10 days to ship and then a couple of weeks before it finally reached my front door.  In the mean time I went looking for rivets to fasten on my straps.  I found some with a kit and brought them home.  I made the bag and prepared the straps.  When I got out the tools I knew something wasn't quite correct, but I just plunged ahead.  I hammered away and smashed those poor rivets to death.  After smashing three rivets I realized I needed to go and get the correct tools...shocking.  I ordered them and they came today.  

Here it finally is.  It's one of my favorites. 

 It's for sale in my Etsy shop.  

It was awfully tempting to keep it.

I like it.  I think I'll be making another.

New Bag Inspiration

I haven't sewn anything for a while.  I finally just went into the sewing room and got to work.  

Here is the result.

A cute canvas bag.

I'm pretty proud of this one.  It has an adjustable strap.  

That way you can wear it on your shoulder or -

 Across your body.  That part comes in handy when you need both hands to corral two rambunctious boys.

I think it would make a great diaper bag 

or just a fun bag to tote around.  

Check it out at the shop.

Plants

Spring has finally sprung.  

Thank goodness.  I was starting to wonder if it would ever come and if my tulips were ever going to bloom.  For some time, they were just sprouts of green leaves and nothing else.  I had to fight the snails off hoping that it would not be in vain and they would flower.  They did not disappoint.

Ryan and I planted a few more plants in some pots for the balcony today.

Not so sure about this set up.  The clouds were starting to roll in so that is where I plunked them down. The geraniums are the new plants.  That other one (not sure what it's called) managed to survive the winter and has sprung up from last year.

It was kind of an emergency planting session.  I realized my hydrangeas were looking a little wilted and need to be planted right away.  So here they are.  Probably one of my most favorite plants to have in the garden.

These next flowers are the last of the new ones for this spring.  I spotted them a couple of weeks ago at the nursery and scooped them up right away.  For one, I like the color and two, they remind me of a flower my grandma Davis used to have.  These are slightly different.  But I'm positive they are from the same family.  They filled a flower bed right off of her front  porch.  And when the flowers were closed the green foliage reminded me of green beans.  I used to wonder if they tasted the same...I never tried it though.  

Here they are in my garden, many miles away from Casa Grande.  Even so, when I look out at them I feel just a little bit closer to home and family.