From Oranges to Ornaments

This rather unassuming box holds my Christmas ornaments. Sure, there are all sorts of fancy boxes out there that you can buy to do that job, but this one works just fine. It has four cardboard trays inside, each one with a plastic insert shaped to cradle citrus, or, in this case, ornaments in all shapes and sizes.

I get a kick out of getting this box out each year and looking at the postmark. It's postmarked the month and year that my parents were expecting me. I made my grand entrance the following year (yes, year-- the box arrived in December, but I did not). This box has been sealed, moved and opened many times, but it won't be traded in any time soon for a fancier model.

Polka Dot Tote

Ok, let's be honest here: anything made with this fabric would be cute! I went with a simple solid color accent on the bottom and for the handles. Very cute, and very simple.

Asian Inspired Tote

For quite some time now, I have had a 1.5 gallon bag full of odds and ends of Asian-type fabrics. The pieces were too small to do much of anything with, and I kept thinking I'd make some sort of art quilt with them. Every so often, I'd get the bag out, and play with the fabric, and finding no inspiration, I'd put them back. A couple of weeks ago, I got the bag out again, and finally realized the reason the art quilt idea wasn't working was that it wasn't the right idea! Within a few minutes I had arranged the fabrics into this assymetrical bag. I put an attached key fob inside, just for kicks. These fabrics are really beautiful, and the intricate detail on them makes them so interesting to look at and enjoy. I'm pleased that I was finally able to use these fabrics.

Carry Anything Carry All, Take Three

Apparently, I can't stop making this bag! This is the third version I've made. I like using them for groceries. For this version, I left off the side handles. People kept asking me what purpose they served, so I thought I'd leave them off and see. Next time, I think I'll put them on again-- turns out, I like how they look, and the extra element of stability they add! This bag is made with Alexander Henry coordinates.

Christmas Gift Bag

When my mom sent me a big bag of strips of holiday fabrics, I divided them up by tone. The bright strips, which were the most numerous, went into a square in a square quilt top. The subdued strips became this bag. Only one set of strips remain, and I haven't figured out what to do with them yet!

Blue Stripe Bag

This quirky little bag was made up from leftover strips of fabric from a number of completed projects. It's too small to be a totebag, but will make a nice gift bag.

From One Margaret to Another

Last month my friend Liz asked me if I'd heard about the Craft Hope project to gather 400 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I hadn't, so she filled me in. The goal was to collect enough quilts to give one to every homeless child in the Grand Rapids Public School system. It sounded like an excellent thing to do, and this blue quilt was my contribution. And, the great news is, they met their goal!