Quilted Bag is Complete!

 Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. But I do have a finished bag to show!  My quilted bag has been done for a while, and I finally got around to posting some pics. It's no small bag!

 Here's my DD Angela modling the bag. It's plenty big to hold all my nursing stuff and a lunch sack too! I enjoyed the happy colors. The edges of the panels are all with 1/4 inch seam binding, and then I stitched the panels together by hand with a ladder stitch. It went by faster than you'd think. The fusable pellon I used in the side panels and bottom to stiffen it up made trying to stich the panels together tough. I couldn't get a clean finish. By binding all the edges, and ladder stitching by hand, it went together much easier, and I love the clean finish.

 Large back pocket for magazines, folders, etc... Button closure from my Momma's button jar that I've been carrying around for years. She'd have liked that!

 Custom pockets inside for all my goodies.I had a blast embroidering and appliqueing. I gave my new machine and my Accuquilt Go! die cutter a good work out. I felt the bag was a great place to showcare my work. I'll be smiling everytime I get into my bag. It's such a happy bag!

 Side pocket with a favorite saying. Bob Marley, you were so wise!

 And my Live,Love, Quilt! A motto to live by! Keeps you out of trouble!

And here is Addi modling her Hello Kitty sundress. Complete with matching bows. She's more fun than playing with a Barbie doll!

That's all I have for now. I'm going to finish the snail's trail quilt next. So I'll have some pics soon. I also started and Grandmother's flower garden. I can't wait to post about that!

Ohhhh, but I have been sewing!

It's no secret that I love a good yard sale! It's great fun to drive around, and finding bargains for pratically nothing! Like these little dresses for Addi! They were skirts, and too big to wear as skirts for her. I paid a dollar each. I knew I wasn't going to put them up forever, waiting for her to grow into them. A little ribbon for strap, a few stitches, and ta dah! Summer dresses to play in. Ms Addi is all about the dresses. I made her a matching hair bow too!

Then there is progress on the bag. I made a couple of fancy pockets for the inside. and finished the side panels. It's being finished up now. The sides and bottom are sewn on, and binding is in progress. It's a really big bag! Maybe too big for work, but I'll carry it once to show it off. I used the Accuquilt Go! to cut out the flower applique. Mostly I'm just testing out my Ruby, to see what all she can do. I'm really loving this machine! It sews like a dream, and has no problems sewing the mutiple layes of the bag together. I especially love the appliques stitches on Ms Ruby, and definitely have some applique quilts planned!

Last, but not least...There's a zombie boy loose in my house! He's growling, and biting everyone in sight! LOL...It's Aiden in Zombie makeup! His NuNu has been playing with makeup again! I think she's has the zombie makeup down pat!

Happily Tired, Taking it Easy!!!

Happily tired! What do I mean by this? It's the tired that comes from doing two days of satisfying work. Knowing you took care of your patients to the best of your ability, you did your job with relish. I felt love, and gave love in return. I feel my care improved the outcome of my patients, and I was able to convey to both them and their families that I genuinely care.

So I have a couple of nights off now. I've come home to my family, surrounded by love. I'm tired, but not to tired to make a big pot of Pho',(Vietnamese beef noodle soup). Supper is done. Our tummies are full, and I'm happily tired...content...satisfied! I feel surrounded by love.  I have hugged and loved on grandkids, spent time with DDs, and have retired to my little room, ready to relax and finish my bag.
(Yes, I am truly thankful to be so blessed!)

 I have the inside pockets complete, and one side panel embroidered with a patch pocket attached. One side to go, handles, bottom, and it will be complete. So I shall get off this computer, and go sew my little heart out!

Gumbo, quilting, and Dear Jane...It's been a satisfying week!

First of all, there is gumbo. It's the good stuff chocked full of shrimp, chicken, sausage, and okra. There's not, pursay, a written recipe of my gumbo. I've been making it the same way now for awhile. It always comes out really yummy! I made it mild this time for the grandbabies. The least little hot, and they fuss at me. ( Yeap, I am ruled by the grandbabies!) I always start off with 3 tablespoons of vegatable oil in a soup pan. I add 2 good heaping cups of the Pictosweet mixed seasoning veggies I get at Walmart.(or two cups of onions,celery,bell pepper red and green). While the seasoning veggies are sauting on high, I add several chopped fresh garlic cloves. When transluscent, I add 1 pound of chopped boneless chicken breast, 1 package of chopped smoked sausage and let it brown. Add several good shakes of Emeril's Essence seasoning. I also add 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 3 tablespoons of worstershire sauce, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce or Bragg's amino sauce. A couple packages of frozen okra goes in and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes and 1 large can of Rotel. ( except this time...remember the grandbabies? I just used 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes this time.) You can either add a can of chicken broth or some chicken bouillon and a cup of water. Turn it down to medium, and go sew for an hour or so. Come back and in a separate skillet, brown 1/3 of a cup of flour in 3 tablespoons of vegatable oil. I make my roux peanut butter color. Add to the gumbo mixture and stir well. While it's all hot and bubbly, cut down the heat to warm and add 2 lbs of cleaned,shelled, deveined, detailed shrimp. I get this at walmart as well. I usually get the medium shrimp. Now stir and mix well, put the lid on. It's hot enough to cooke the shrimp instantly, but I leave the lid on and let it set for another 15 mins. Serve with hot white buttered rice. This makes a giant pot of gumbo that feeds 8 people with some left overs. My soup pot is the size of a small washtub. It probably holds 3 gallons easy. So for 4 or 5 folks, I'd half the recipe. Addy tells me that the gumbo was,"Really yummy!" So if the picky grandkids loved it, it must have been pretty good!(Nana loves it!)

I've made a lot of progress on my quilted bag. I have the front panel complete and quilted...

And the back panel is quilted and completed. I'll probably finish up the sides, bottom,and get some handles on it the next couple of days. I'm totally enchanted with this bag. The colors and embroidery patern are happy! I love happy bright colorful things!

Last, but no means least...Dear Jane block. I have completed one block. (Don't laugh...it's not the easiest thing to peice such a small block!) Mine will be a neon Jane, I love bright colors! I've started block 2, and it's going a bit easier than block 1, now that I've figured out a technique that works for me. Well, that's all I have for now. I am going to be finishing up my Snail's Trail quilt soon too. Problems arose and were overcome. Next post will be about it and my completed bag!

PS- Here's block two! See, I told you it was half finished!