New Year, New Bag--Charm Pack Bag

I FINALLY finished this bag I started several weeks ago.  My new love of fabric and quilting is wonderful but I am not sure about making and finishing large quilts, both because of the expense and because of my inability to finish large projects.  So I have decided to use my wonderfully colorful fabric to make bags for the time being.  I don't think one can ever have too many bags!  :)

I used the lovely orangey fabric called Wrens & Friends by Gina Martin from Moda.  I bought the charm pack through Missouri Star Quilt Company and fabric by the yard at Harper's Fabrics and Quilt Co. in Overland Park, KS.  I decided on the orange fabric for the base and handles because I don't have many orange things and the color called out to me.  The oranges together with the browns make me think of Fall, which is when I started this bag!  We are currently in the grips of  a frigid Winter so these colors warm me up nicely.  I used Jenny Doan's tutorials on Craftsy and YouTube to help me make this bag.  This is my third bag made with her assistance.  She is awesome and so easy to follow!

Light side

Dark side

{ P.S.  I messed up the handles but I'm OK with that.  It makes the bag more endearing! :)}

HAPPY SEWING!

Happy New Year!

Wow, it's already the 3rd of January and I haven't blogged this year yet.  I guess I could blame it on the pink eye I came down with yesterday.  Ick.  Not a good day for me but I have meds to make it all better.

Normally, I don't like making new year's resolutions; rather I prefer to write down goals that I would like to accomplish in the coming year.  I suppose that's just semantics but it works for me.  Here is a list of a few goals I would like to work on in 2014:

1.  Make walking one of my hobbies. and get outside more.  My hobbies are typically sedentary and I am aware that I need to get off my derrière more!  I want to be more active so I can get into better shape and feel better in general.

2.  Finish projects.  I have so many crocheting projects and scrapbook pages started but several are just sitting around waiting to be finished.  I need to concentrate on finishing one project before beginning another.

3.  Declutter.  I have way too much junk in my basement and elsewhere.  I need to let it go so I can gain peace of mind and of space.   

4.  Be nicer.  Usually it is because I am lacking sleep but I find myself cranky and annoyed more often than I should.  I want to try to be nicer to people.  If you find me being mean, please call me out on it!

5.  Look on the bright side of life.  I try to be upbeat most of the time but I sometimes find myself concentrating on all that is wrong with the world and neglecting to see the wonderful things that exist.  The glass is half full, dang nabbit!

6.  Laugh more. Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, and John Fugelsang rock!  I need to have more laughter in my everyday life.  

I'm certain there are many more things I will work on this year.  But I need to go finish some projects, declutter my home, be nicer to my kids, look on the bright side, and laugh a little bit.  Although my area of the country missed the latest huge snow storm, it is only 27 degrees Fahrenheit out there and there is some snow on the ground.  So walking outside is not an option today.  :)  

Ikea in Kansas City later this year!  Yes!

Just binge watched The Walking Dead and I love me some Andrew Lincoln!

Love Norman Reedus too!