Blogger, why have you forsaken me?

Why is it that Blogger bounces me out when I try to post these days? How frustrating is that - write out a little essay, share a giggle, vent a frustration and *poof* it's gone BECAUSE BLOGGER HATES ME?!? WTF redux!

I am really trying to rein in the fabric shopping; like a lot of craftspeople, I feel the need to hoard, store, gather, plan. The one with the most, wins right? Nah... it's just that all of this stuff (yarn, fabric, trim - whatever) is like holding unlimited potential in your hands. Piling up in your dining room. Suffocating your pets. Hmmm, maybe not.

Besides being thwarted by Blogger, it's been a fairly productive week. I've visited my small business advisor (Negative Ned, as I like to refer to him as - why do I get the feeling that he doesn't want this to succeed?), filled out countless forms, written a lengthy business report, sucked up my pride, got a filling replaced, sewed, knitted and tried my damnedest to keep smiling. What is good however is that, unlike months ago when the smile was forced, the smile is real (and really big, to boot). I am starting to feel like the path is the right one and also to understand my good friend, D when she says to trust my instincts. If it feels right, then it is right. The best news of all is that both D & K the elder have expressed interest in working with me, when we finally get this monkey out of its cage.

I got news that my swap partner received her bag so I can finally post about it. What an uplifting experience this has been and even though I haven't received mine yet, I feel as if being able to make something for someone else, a person whom I don't even know, was a gift in itself. It's so nice to make something special with your own hands and a bit of fabric. I got to put myself in the place of a younger mom, running around with a small child - what would she need? Then, apply those thoughts to the final product. I'm so impulsive that I had to undo a lot of work to add new details but the amazing thing is how little the experience felt like work. It just felt right.

I can't wait to get mine but with the strike in the port in Vancouver, it may be a while. Still, I'll keep checking the post and hoping....
I added an elastic topped pocket so that she could put stuff in it and it would stay in there - what a concept, huh? I get tired of having things fall out of pockets so I thought that it was a nice touch. Psst, can you see my label? I made it all by myself hee hee hee (just a little short bus rider, me)
I added a change purse, attached to the bag so it wouldn't get lost, as well as a key holder - I always hated trying to dig through a bag, looking for keys with a squirming toddler in one hand. Being such a proud Canadian, how could I resist the temptation to add a little bit of our beautiful flag? Well, I couldn't of course so I lined the change purse in it! The fabrics were an easy choice - I had this piece of lovely turquoise linen in my stash. It has flecks of green hiding in it and when you look closely, it reminds me of a cool, shallow bay back in the Keys. The splatter print fabric was a great find - it reminds me of the Northern Lights and I have to say it makes me homesick to think of evenings spent walking with our necks craned upwards, looking at the dance and shimmy of the beautiful Lights. That's my Canada and I really wanted to share this with M, my wonderful swap partner. I wish her and her family all the best. Use the bag in wonderful health and happiness, M!

And because I just can't stop sewing, I made a little bag for her little darling
That made my smile all the bigger