Fatima

So much to say.
Some mornings I struggle a little with the titles of these posts. This morning it was a toss-up between three possibilities. I settled on "Fatima" because of something remarkable that happened earlier on this week, which I will soon expound on.

The two other possibilities had to do with a relatively new commenter named "Janice" and my almost seven year old son Sam.(bag turned inside out- this is a Campbells soup bib apron turned pocket.)I'll start with Sam. Now, I had a son born to me almost five years before my Sam joined our family. This first son saw most clothes as uncomfortable, flashy, stress-provoking evils associated with life on this earth.

When Sam came along, it was a different story. He liked choosing clothes in the store. I remember seeing him as a toddler holding up a hanger in a store and making happy noises. This was altogether new for me. The other pocket(s) inside this bag are a pair of Sam's pants; re purposed.
They are actually hand-me-downs from a Darfur supporter whose son loved watching the bag action online. They passed down some of his clothes for the project, but they were just about the right size to wear on Sam first; and then make it into a bag. So, that's what we did.

Last night I photographed this bag, and had it slung over a chair, inside out- just like the above photo indicates. Then I came into the office and busied myself getting said photos onto the computer.

Sam came to me weeping.

It was a sad cry, and not his more typical mad cry.

He was sad about those pants. Mommy- why did you make my pants into a bag?!
(I soon realised that he thought these were his current brown pants, and that I'd taken them out of his drawer and sacrificed them to the greater good)

Oh, sweet sam.

(rear of bag- a red velveteen children's dress)

"Bright is in"- that's what Janice said.

She came here in the most serendipitous way. After the privelege of hearing Mariatu speak in the flesh, she went home and googled her name.

And came here.

And has delighted me since.

(this is under the flap: do you see that the two pockets are actually the bottoms of two sleeves on what I imagine is a child's Christmas dress?) The white lace forms the cuffs of the sleeves. Reminds me of photos of my sister and I dressed matchy matchy at Christmas time.

Now about Fatima. I had the awesome privelege of sitting in on the local MCC thrift store's annual meeting earlier on this week. I was duly impressed with their work in clothing and feeding people worldwide- it really looked like Jesus to me.

There was a guest speaker whose work involved operating a central Canadian warehouse from which goods are circulated worldwide. He shared powerpoint photos of baled clothing and quilts and then some of their destinations.

I got sort of breathless when he began to show photos of distribution in the Darfur region of Sudan!!!!! (a note about the straps: one side is a pretend patchwork scrap that I just had to keep. It was small, but I knew it would be perfect for something; and here it is. The other side of the strap is embroidered in flowers that I sat up all night stiching. Not. They really are embroidered, by hand I think I can safely assume. They did adorn a tablecloth in their other life.)

He shared a photo of a woman named Fatima. She was standing in a displaced persons camp, accepting a quilt sewn in the back rooms of some Canadian (Manitoban? Nivervillian?!) thrift shop. (our local thrift shop produces 500 to 600 quilts annually!)

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It was bright and colourful. And she was grateful to receive something so beautiful.

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When asked what she was planning to use her quilt for; she told our speaker that it was going to become her infant's bed. When asked where the infant currently slept, she explained that she made him a bed in the sand.

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Fatima is one of us. She's not someone far away who looks great in photos with a donated quilt and makes us feel comfortable with our contributions to the "lesser". I think that's a pit easily fallen into. I often forget the Fatimas when I'm sewing stuff together in my basement with fifty million toys on the floor, a couple of toddlers, a warm furnace, and fat on my bones. And yes. Sometimes the sewing is measured in comments. Or readers. Or followers. Stats.

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We are a greedy and selfish nation. (now you're starting to think: geez, here comes the fire and brimstone, and a lion's share of guilt). I think I'll ease off here.

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LARGE. 16" wide and 14" deep.

The lining is made of a thin quilted material. It wouldn't exactly protect a laptop, but it would help. This bag is also practical for: people who carry a lot of stuff, or binders, or small children. Even a mid-sized dog.

Bids begin at $25- Cdn, and the auction concludes at 9:30 pm, central standard time; Thursday, November 19, 2009.

Comments are always free.

Time Zones

Until I figure out a handy dandy way to put this in my sidebar, or along with my other FAQ's, here is Canada divided into time zones. I suppose that's not fair either, since the whole freaking world doesn't live in Canada, does it.

*sigh*

Things seem so easy until you put some thought into them.

Must stop thinking.

Foliage

Very similar to last week's bag (Remembrance)
However, this one fastens closed twice: once on the under flap pocket, and once on the flap itself.
Here is the inside; View A.

Inside; view B.

The back. The green has a velveteen feel to it. Very pleasant to touch.

The bottom.

Bag measures 7" x 10".

Auction concludes at 9:30 pm cst tonight, on November 17, 2009.

Bids begin at $25 Cdn.

Blues

I got that itch again. The one where I just have to sit and lose myself in thought while I stitch on buttons- little works of art. (inside out- large pocket)

(and another on the other side; plus a small pocket running along the bottom of the first)

The back- nice blue.

(although the lighting on these photos is a bit harsh. The top and bottom pictures are a better rendition of the way the bag looks)

The under flap pocket pulls the greens and blues together perfectly.

width of base: 7.5"

height of bag: 10"

Materials: high end upholstery samples, two neckties, a floral piece from Lettuce, two cloth napkins from Jamaica, a bit of quilting fabric, and a special sampling of buttons from lots of people.

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Bids begin at $25- cdn. The auction will conclude at 9:30 pm, this evening, November 16, 2009.

Must Post Bag.... Must Post Bag... Must...

That Lettuce kills me. She knits up a bag, then throws into hot water to felt the fibers.
The result? Sheer ecstacy.

I turned the bag inside out to give a good look at the lining fabric and the two small pockets.

The exterior has two pockets as well- one at the side, and the second on the "back".

It fastens closed with a lovely button, and a knit button hole.

Approximate dimensions are 11" at the base, widening to 14" width at the top. Height: approx 11". Colour scheme: smokey deep grey at the base; a stripe of blue- sort of a cross between peacock and navy (?) then a layer of soft pale grey, a small stripe of the softest, most subtle pink in the world, then another blue stripe, and at the very top a thin band of light grey mixed with pink. I had to hoard this one for a few weeks because its so precious and beautiful.

But today I am working for the greater good, and not greed. Hence... must post bag.

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Same schtick. Start at $25 but don't stay there. Leave uplifting and/or amusing comments. Tell all your friends and neighbours. Then tell them about an awesome Ugly Sweater Party coming up tomorrow.

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Well? What are you waiting for? Go!

Remembrance

Growing up Mennonite, pacifist, rural, and with precious little media; I was pretty much in the dumb when it came to understanding Armistice Day.

I knew that it had nothing to do with church.

But I also knew that it was special enough to warrant school closure.

There was no mail delivery.

We never owned a television, so programs about the Great War, Veterans Day, or the meaning of the poppy never got channelled into our rec room.

(Poppies. I bet my mother saved the same poppy from 1946 to present day to save herself a couple of cents. I suppose the notion of support through poppy sales was sort of lost on her.)

I liked poppies. My mother grew them in the garden every summer. There is a rumour that my brothers sowed "special poppies" in amongst them, but I'm sure I'll never know the truth of that one.

In our house, people didn't really ask questions. It wasn't a hostile environment; just a quiet and independent one- a sort of "survival of the fittest" sort of construct. So, year by year, I got November 11 off of school, wore my second hand poppy, and wondered what it was all about.

I'm 42 now, and own several televisions.

I wonder how those remaining veterans feel when they see all those soldiers carting off to Afghanistan. Where does "never again" fit into that?

Money. Power. Poverty. Suffering.

I go to a church now that recognizes Armistice Day. Pacifist or not, it's not fair to pretend that nobody fights in wars.

It is discouraging, though. People have been fighting since forever. They break down each others block towers and stomp on them. Then they get to be heroes by building all the towers back up.

We fight about everything.

Resources, authority, rules, freedomes, religion............

Everything.

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Now, you likely came here about a bag.

7.5" wide; 7.5" deep.

Rust coloured fabric all the way from Kuwait- I think they were my sister's curtains when she lived there?

Georgeous pile fabric with the floral print. This piece is truly regal. Rich. I'm thinking it may have come from sweet Mrs R. If I'm wrong, then it's Kim Z.

The strap is as lovely as the bag. One side has a very rich, dressy looking floral fabric. The other side is... wait for it.... a recycled hammock! (thank you, Pamela D)

Pockets: two interior. Front pocket is divided to house a pen in a narrow pocket. the other side is about right for your phone or keys.

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I don't really know who will be at their computer today, what with remembrance day and all. So, this auction will conclude tomorrow, November 12, 2009 at 9:30 pm, cst.

$25 starts it off.

technical difficulties....
will try again later.

Monday's Offering

(Hey-- YOU try and come up with an original bag name every day! I'm stumped this morning... And)
Well, Monday morning has dawned.

A few of my favourite things: that gorgeous turquoise lambskin coat-turned-bag.

The edge of one of those funky wall carpets that all our parents had in the '70's.

(just the edge- I avoided the deer and the sunset...)

My daughter's cat.

And... two lamby pockets on the front panel.

And. My right foot.

The coat.

(Did I mention that?)

Love this piece. A snip from a pillow slip.

A turquoise kitchen apron. I love those dandelion looking poofs on that fabric.

The strap: several unused fabric napkins, and an apron.

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I must say; this bag was a pleasure to build. It's soft, a lovely medium size (12" wide; 11" deep)

[Crumb. I forgot to photograph the inside, and now it's nearly crush hour.... You'll have to accept my description.]

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A few more pocket features on the inside: double pockets on one side. Pocket #1 is divided into two small pockets. I greedily thought that one was the perfect size for my business cards. Pocket #2 and #3 span the width of the bag.

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Bids begin at $25- Cdn and the auction concludes at 9:30 pm, cst this evening- November 9, 2009.

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totally unrelated:

Have I mentioned my fourth annual Ugly Sweater Party?

Well, you're invited.

All of you.

Great way to meet some lurkers. ;)

Ma Cherie

What do you get for a friend with impeccable taste, a husband who rolls in money, who lives in a perfect house with perfect kids?

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Well, a bag for her great big Bible, of course.

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Okay, seriously. Ma Cherie (literally: my darling) is a bag about my friend Cheri. Who doesn't roll in money or

have perfection entirely in hand.

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She does have it pretty good though. Really great kids, a pretty sweet deal for a husband, a great house, and best of all? ME for a friend.... ;)

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Although we attend the same church, we don't sit together. I like to row my own boat, and sit in my own (self-designated) spot.

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Cheri's self-designated spot is about two rows ahead of mine and across the aisle.

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A few Christmases ago, I made her a tote bag similar to the one you see here. All in ivories, with patches and pieces and patterns.

Cheri actually does carry her big old Bible in that bag, and so I see it every Sunday.

I keep meaning to make another.

So, eventually , I did.

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(I don't know that these pictures are all that great. Maybe if you double click on them, you'll get a better sense of the fabrics in this bag)




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A number of these pieces are upholstery samples; but not of the heavy variety.

A few are bits of taupe cotton held over from the days when I sewed children's clothing. I always loved little girl dresses in subtle beiges and off-whites.

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The straps are pieced together in a similar fashion.

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You'll see some lettering at the lower right corner of the tote. It's from a piece of unbleached cotton that I picked up (Morris thrift?). It must have been machine embroidered for what I always imagine was an elderly relatives birthday.

The scroll says: "forever young".

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a few photos up you'll see the bag turned inside out, and some lovely floral fabric (tablecloth) functioning as the pockets.

This makes the bag reversible.

17" wide and 14.5" deep.

Bids begin at $25- Cdn, and the auction concludes at 9:30 pm, cst today, November 5, 2009.

Humbug

I hope you are all still rooting for my laptop. You know, I've had it for two years and have an awful lot of data on there- like every contact I've ever made for this here project. I'm not having any warm thoughts towards Powerland right now....Thanks a lot for losing all my data you mean, mean people.

(oh. I'm sorry- was that my "out loud" voice?!)

Meanwhile, I'm managing on Brian's computer. I know- boo-freakin' hoo, right? could be worse.

Well, no. Well, it could be, but that's no comfort.

Oh. Were you here about a bag?

I'm ever so sorry. I seem to have lost it underneath a huge pile of rant.

About the bag then. All those awesome colours that our mothers always told us didn't match. Well, those upholstery manufacturers sure proved them wrong, didn't they. We've got the purple with the blue and the brown, some gold, and some varying shades along all spectrums.

This here is the inside of the bag.

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sometimes I get stuff donated to me and I'm just not completely sure that I'll use it... but then something comes along that is just perfect for it.

Hence, the boy's brown corduroy pants turned double pocket.

And a plaid pocket to finish the virtual outfit.

(these photos depict the bag turned inside out. Shows you a more accurate version of the interior.)

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Backside.

love that blue.

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The strap- I joined up a few little sample pieces to get those hues travelling all the way up your arm.

Details:

Medium sized bag- approximately 11" x 11'.

Two pockets under the flap- nice for phone and keys.

Unless you, like me, have simplified your life and lost your keys roughly a year ago, and then lost the third cell phone about two weeks ago.

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Makes for a lighter handbag.

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(three more pockets inside.)

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Bids begin at $25- Cdn. Auction concludes at 9:30 pm, cst, today November 4, 2009.

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FAQ link in the sidebar.

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Gin in the bar bar.

Whether The Weather

Another great work by Lettuce over at made4aid.

Who woulda thunk it? I love this sweater vest turned bag.

It is certainly a happier way to look at the impending winter weather than say.... well....looking at the impending winter weather.

Letty has quite a stash of fabulous buttons. If you didn't click on the hyperlink yesterday, well... you're just missing out.

And I bet this rosebud patterned fabric is old as well. That's just the way Letty rolls.

Her sewing is so tidy- her bags are so lovingly tended to.

Here are some details on the bag:

~17" wide at the base;

~16" from top to bottom.

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Top button bag closure.

Exterior side pocket.

Interior small pocket; also with button closure.

Lovely green felted wool face that can also serve as a pocket.

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Just think- that green vest kept the London chill off somebody. It never knew what it had coming.... that Canadian winter is going to be a shocker for sure.

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Please begin bids at $25- Cdn.

The auction will conclude at 9:30 pm, cst on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

Letty's Woven

Part A:
Tea meets coffee.


Today's bag is created by an artist in London, England. I'm tempted to call "Lettuce" an old friend- and she is by blogging standards. I first "met" letty through the practice of tripping and travelling through blog land. I liked her photos and her descriptions of her garden.


Then something unbelievable happened. My brother was diagnosed with cancer- a cancer that claimed him rapidly.


At the same time, letty began posting about the decline of her mother. She wrote some poetry that made me weep inwardly and outwardly.


Her mother lived longer than my brother; but the cancer got them both.

Part B: For my fortieth birthday, this virtual stranger sent me the most beautiful box of buttons. Some of them were truly exquisate; all of them were an act of generosity and selflessness. (she'd proposed a button swap prior to this, and my greed prevented me from obliging...)

On another occasion, she sent me several amazing bags to auction on the Darfur project. I couldn't even auction them for the first while because I just had to have them around for the pleasure of their company.

Part C: My sister travels a fair bit. One of her destinations was London, England. We arranged to have letty meet sister, and I gifted her with one of my humble bags. My sister confirmed my suspicions that this woman was lovely, generous, and kind.

Part D: letty sets up her own website to auction items for charity: Made4Aid.

But does her generosity stop there? oh no. She sends another package-- and here it begins.

The description is copy and pasted from the made4aid blog. I didn't want to risk my own description, since I've never done any weaving whatsoever.

This auction is for a shoulder bag, handwoven on a table top loom. Its one of a limited series woven according to a "Monks belt" weave pattern, where the weft distorts and goes wavey, making a nicely-textured weave.

The warp threads (the vertical ones) are soft cotton in pastel candy shades of lilac, green, cream and pink. The weft yarns include chenille, soft cottons and shiny ribbon and threads in a range colours from soft mauve through to pink and red- there was a bit of using up of leftovers and remnants going on here.

The strap was also woven on a table top loom as a long strip, on a strong cotton warp.

The bag is fully lined with vintage fabric - black with small white polka dots - and there is a little internal pocket.

It is finished by hand with a vintage green button with a little plaited loop fastening.


Woven mainly in cotton, this bag is quite soft but it will be durable and its washable by hand.
The dimensions of the bag are approximately 9.5 inches/24cm (wide) by 10 inches/25.5cm ; the strap is 35inches / 89cm long.

Thanks again for sharing your talents and excellent taste, letty.

Auction details: Bids begin at $25- Cdn please. Auction will conclude at 9:30 pm, cst, November 2, 2009. FAQ link can be found in the side bar.

Polka Party

Last winter or so, a lovely supporter named Kim came out to my house with her tickle trunk of treasures. There were several heart-stoppingly awesome vintage pieces within; and one of my favourites was this funky dotted piece.

It has the funnest combo of colours and swirls. I added some 3D appeal by festooning it with small coloured buttons.

I topped it with a tablecloth from none other than my own mother- a witty, sharp little mite of a thing. (my mother ; not the tablecloth gone strap)

And she's only 83. Think of her potential.

It has the typical bells and whistles- three pockets for your highly important gidgets and gadgets.

(that weird geometric green stuff inside is from an upcycled curtain. Can you quite imagine ever falling asleep if you had those bad boys hanging in your bedroom window?!)

Polka Party measures 7.5" across and 9.5" deep.

Perfect if you just want to carry your wallet and handgun and can't be bothered to dig around in a giant bag.

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If you bid on this bag, I can promise you eternal happiness.

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Well, that might be a touch optimistic.

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It's Friday again, and you'll see my dashing around my palace cleaning like a Cinderella on speed. We're having people and fabulous food tonight, and it's gonna be good.

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Boring stuff: Bids in the comment box please. Salutations there too. FAQ's answered here.

Bids begin at $25- Cdn and the auction concludes at 9:30 cst pm tonight- October 30, 2009.

Whine, Whine, Whine

Is it reasonable, I ask of you; to have

1. One load of laundry through the washer and headed to the dryer...
2. One dishwasher filled with -well that's kind of obvious- and percolating away...
3. One couch stripped and cushions bathed in hot Tide water... (don't ask. it's my lot in this life)
4. One pot of coffee already aging....

And all well before 6:40 am?

And still not have a bag photographed and uploaded and downloaded and rambled on about?

I think not.

And yet, this is our status. (will try... will try... want to.... got to bed late (11:00 pm is deadly late for me) couldn't sleep well at night, had to get up and tend to the heartburn born of a headlong plunge into pumpkin pie that carried on for several hours, (the pumpkin plunge lasted several hours- you can't expect me to properly eat half of a pie in a short period of time. That would be gluttony. The heartburn is gone with one nasty tablet of Gaviscon.) ...then woke up at 5:00 am worrying that I'd be tired. How dumb is that?!

Bed in a Bag

You may remember me mentioning a quilt that was bought at the thrift shop. A quilt that my husband pointed out would make 25 bag flaps. You may hear me talk about this quilt roughly 20 more times....

What I love about it is that the fabrics are vintage, but not worn. They must have been original scraps from a different sewing project(s).


What goes well with a quilt? A chenille bedspread, silly. (in one of my favourite colours, too)

I love that transition/ carry over of the turquoise from flap down to bag bottom. You know what that bottom bit is from? A cushion cover. So there- you've got a quilt, a bedspread, and pillow.

Which I could market as a "bed in a bag".

But would that be entirely honest?

The bag- turned inside out:

Kind of heavy on the prints. But that's why you don't actually turn the bag inside out. You just put your stuff in there. And that floor looks nasty. yech. But it works well in the entry of a madhouse daycare.

The backside.




I know this picture is sideways, but the computer is having oppostional disorder and won't let me manipulate photos. I decided to publish it anyway, because its a better picture of the bag as a whole.

Particulars: Large size: 15" x 13". Big enough for a binder, or overnight stuff, or diapers for twins. Possibly big enough for a baby. Or a small toddler.

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Pockets: two under the flap. Two smallish ones on the inside, and one large.

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Please begin bids at $25- Cdn.

In bagville, it's Wednesday, October 27/09. But we have been known to misplace a day or two here and there. So, if we are following the same calendar, let's play this auction game until 9:30 pm, cst, tonight.

Mills

A curious thing happens every summer- mysterious intruders enter our garage and pile all sorts of things up to the point that it becomes impossible to park a vehicle in that space. And we're not talking about a little garage here.

So every autumn when the cold winds blow in and the threat of ice and snow hangs in the air- well, it becomes prudent to beat back the space invaders and make room for the family van.

Well, there happened to be a number of containers of fabric in there. (mysterious. fabric. here.) And in my efforts to weed through them, I found an impressive stack that I wanted to see inside my house for a while.


All this leeched into an unplanned re-tidying and stacking event in my sewing room.
Which further led into me rediscovering some pieces that bring me pleasure.

One was a paper bag filled with all sorts, styles, and lengths of zippers. Now, I don't feel that fond about sewing zippers in the traditional way, but I can certainly see their value as an accessory. I love the effect on the flap of this bag.

Another was a pair of nasty looking knickers made from a mill bag replica. I think people actually wore those as shorts back in the day before full length mirrors.

I myself much prefer the words and large pictures of beavers on a shoulder bag. Not so much on the lower extremities of humanity.

But that's just me.

I also happen to have a particular fondness for Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Aside from the admirable milling of red beets, it also produced an impressive batch of nieces and nephews, thanks to my sister Laura. (well, if you want to get technical, it was west of Medicine Hat in a town called Bow Island, which is no where near any body of water whatsoever.)

Particulars:

Medium sized; ~11" x 9".

Shoulder straps are two neckties that appear to be cotton/poly. Not silk or wool. That makes them more washer friendly.

Pockets: Under the flap you'll find three compartments: one for your pen (I constantly misplace mine, then find 14 hundred of them at the dead bottom of my bag some months later)

And then two other pockets that I designed so that they are not flat up against the bag. That'll make them more user-friendly, I think.

Inside pockets: two smallish ones on the one side.

One large pocket on the other side, plus one small one. The small one is the inside pocket of the Nasty Knickers, upcycled.

Bag materials: upholstery fabric exterior. Should last longer than most of the couches ever have in my living room. daycare cirque du soliel.

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Questions, comments, salutations and bids are most welcome in the comment box. Bids will begin at $25.00 Cdn and the auction will close at 9:30 pm, cst, today- October 26, 2009.

Errr.... make that today, October 27, 2009.

And they wonder why I didn't make a living as an accountant.

hmmmph.

French Vanilla

Having a whole weekend that was not overbooked afforded me time and energy to retake photos, upload them the slow and ridiculous way, and even finish off some partially completed bags. That feels good.



I continue to experiment with pockets. This one has two large inside pockets, and two small inside pockets, as well as a third large pocket underneath the front flap.

I'd also like to introduce for the first time: labels! (Have we just gone brand name?!)

This bag has a lot of special details. The four buttons. The variety of beige tones. And a strap that employs an old hand embroidered pillowslip.

The body itself is constructed of sturdy upholstery sample pieces. (thank you again, Mr Fancy Upholstery Guy!!) The top of the flap comes from a throw pillow that I bought at the local thrift shop. I did throw it on my couch for a year or so, then took the pillow apart, washed the exterior, and loved that soft fuzzy pile. It's the perfect compliment to the variety of textures beneath it.

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This bag measures approximately 14" by 12.5". The shoulder strap is adjustable.

It comes with a packet of Darfur Bag cards. (and that fancy shmancy new label!)

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I hope to have a more consistent week with posting bags. There have been a number of logistical challenges lately, and sadly, my laptop is still not back from the repair shop. That doesn't sound good, does it? But there are bags, and with a little patience, I can load the photos onto Brian's computer and get the job done. (not that it's a job- it's just a passion).

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Interested in french vanilla? (and not the cappucino variety). Bid here until 9:30 pm, cst, Monday, October 26, 2009. Please start your bids at a minimum $25- Cdn.

CBC News - World - Obama offers 'incentives' to Sudan

Karla drew my attention to this article, and hopefully good news for Darfur.
Check it out.

CBC News - World - Obama offers 'incentives' to Sudan

Little Mary

Finally. A bag with photos that look all right, even without the option to rotate them. I think you'll be able to view these without turning your moniter on its side.

Now, here's a bag with a fascinating history.

Back in the day when I sold my very first bags for Darfur, it was just before Christmas and I'd gotten a little carried away trying out a pattern for a small wallet bag. So, I decided to sell them on the blog, and donate the money to a good cause.

I asked for $15- per bag, and in a few days or weeks, I managed to sell them all and reduce my stock while supporting a cause that I felt strongly about.

Everybody knows my weakness for thrift shops.

Well, one day some time ago, I was in the local thrift shop and whaddya know! there was one of the bags that I'd sold a few years earlier! It looked like it was unused, as the fabric was not at all soiled, and the bag showed no wear.

I bought it straight back.

And here it is!

I made a few small changes to it- such as adding the button closure and several snaps under the flap.

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And that's not the end of the story. Well, in a way it is. But I'd like to tell you the beginning of the story.

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There's a certain woman named Roberta whose name you may have seen in the comment section. She has purchased bags for her daughters and for herself and she's wonderfully supportive. Well, her mother-in-law used to live two houses over from me, and when she had a garage sale one summer day, I wandered over and bought a beautiful old table runner all intricately embroidered in red stichery.

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I went home and turned it into little wallet bags.

Which I sold.

One of which I re-bought.

And now wish to re-sell.

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I think its a perfect story for the Darfur fundraiser- using cast-offs, garbage, has-beens, and somebody else's not-so-favourites to turn old into gold. If you think its weird to buy a bag that I bought at the thrift shop- stop and think about it. All these bags come from stuff that somebody used to wear; or a sewing project that never got off the ground; or fabric samples destined for the landfill. This bag has awesome layers of history. Maybe I'm a bit strange, but that just makes it all the more wonderful to me.

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So, for the sake of all that is fair, righteous and sensible, bids on "Little Mary" will begin at $15- Cdn.

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Here are the specifics: 7" across; 8" deep. Shoulder strap: 43" long.

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Because of the weirdness of the week, and the obstacles of posting a bag at all; I'm going to leave this bag on auction until Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 9:30 pm.

AAAaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

Do all the computers in the world and all their repair people hate me?

I have bags; oh yes I do. That is not the problem. I have been making do with Brian's computer, which is no big deal, just less convenient. However. It refuses to upload my photos. Starting today. Then, Brian helped me by figuring out a weird way to temporarily get the photos. But. I can't rotate them. So, most of the photos are sideways and I can't expect you to turn your monitor on its ear to check out some Darfur bags.

aarrgh.