July's Tote Give-Away!

We're coming up on the 1st of July and you know what that means! It's time for another Tote Give-Away! Last month I promised a patriotic themed tote for this month's give- away. I scoured the nation (went down to my local fabric shop) for fabric that would do our country proud and came up with this combination. It's not exactly a "snap-to-attention and salute" blend of fabrics, but technically it is red, white, and blue -- ish. I've given 'er the name of -- "Subtly Patriotic."

The contest will run through midnight on Sunday, July 6th. Monday morning, July 7th, the winner of the contest will be announced. This contest will run a little differently than my contests in the past. Instead of choosing a number, I will put all the names in a basket and randomly choose someone's name. The contest is open to all blogging buddies, relatives, and friends.

Here are the rules of the contest:
1) The participants must live in the continental U.S. or Canada. (I will provide the postage.)
2.) Each person that makes a comment below will have her name entered in the contest. If you put a "heads up" on your blog about the contest, and come back and let me know through another comment, your name will be entered again.
3.) No anonymous comments PLEASE! If you are not a friend or relative that I already know and love, please leave your name and a way for me to contact you (either an email address or the address of your blog). If I don't have any way to contact you, your name will not be eligible.
6.) This tote is not meant for resale. Only those intending to use the tote for their personal use may sign up for this contest. Thank you!

"Subtly Patriotic" measures 14.5" by 12". It is fully lined, has double interfacing, and has a reinforced fabric covered base for extra support. It comes with two inside pockets and canvas straps.

Also, "Suzanne's Hang Ups" are now for sale. Scroll down to see those that are available and to take note of a new product that I'm making -- the "Dwipe!"

SOLD - "Lemonade Anyone?", $55

This fabric reminds me of relaxing in a garden, cold glass of lemonade in hand, on a hot Summer day! This Hang Up measures approximately 15 1/2" x 12". It features an outside pocket on the front of the tote. Both the fabric and the lining of the tote are fully interfaced. There is a roomy, two-compartment pocket inside, a removable reinforced base, and canvas straps. Included in the price is the cost of shipping to the continental U.S. & Canada. If you would like to purchase this Hang-Up, send me an email at the address on my side-bar.

SOLD - "Striped Carnations", $40

I've used this green fabric a couple of times before and I'm not tired of it yet! This time I paired it with a striped bottom, that gives it a fun-loving, casual look. This Hang-Up has a roomy, two compartment pocket inside, a removable reinforced base, and canvas straps. The bag measures approximately 14 1/2" x 12". I'm selling this one for $40 (this includes shipping to the continental U.S. and Canada.) If you would like to purchase this Hang-Up, send me an email -- my email address is listed on my side-bar. (Blogging friends -- feel free to leave comments, even if you don't want to purchase it! That helps me to know what people like or dislike!)

Bloomin' Tuesday

Welcome Bloomin' Tuesday Friends,

This week has been a whirlwind. We have just been atwitter with excitement. First, my #4 son got engaged to a wonderful girl a week ago. They plan on getting married in October, so mutha here, has been all agog with getting plans in motion! Yippeee! I love a challenge. I have the following things arranged as of today ... the reception venue in Colorado ... the caterer ... the photographer ... the wedding cake ... the florist (oh man, she's good!) ... and the venue for the family dinner the night before the wedding in Utah. Not bad for 7 days work! Bride and groom get to fiddle with all the details, but it is so great having the basics done.

You can imagine with all this planning how "weddings" have been on my mind. This week I've been reminiscing about the last three weddings of my children and thinking about the wonderful times we had at those weddings and receptions. With all that, do you know what started blooming in my garden this week! Yup, roses. Roses have always been a favorite of ours for past weddings, so it seemed appropriate they would begin to display themselves this last week. I made a slide show of all the roses in our yard. The last three photos are the bridal bouquets of my daughter and daughters-in-law. All chose roses for their bridal bouquets -- but each bouquet was very different and unique -- just like they are! Enjoy...

Go to Ms. Green Thumb Jean's blog to sign up to participate in Bloomin' Tuesday and/or to see other participants Bloomin' Tuesday posts!

SOLD - " Baby Bugs" Dwipe, $15; Pattern, $5

This Dwipe has been sold...

Ok -- enough already with all these Dwipes! I've made a bunch of 'em so I can get back to making totes! I've got to have the July Tote Give-Away tote finished by next Monday, so I've got to get cracking. I hope to make a few more totes this week as well. Anyway, on to the task at hand. Here's the Bugs Dwipe ... same old, same old. Look below for informations on how to order it. Thanks everyone for your support!

BOTH SOLD - "Dots" Dwipe, $15, Pattern, $5

Both of these Dwipes have sold...

I made two of these tonight. One is spoken for, but the other is still available. Just look at the post below to find out all the information about Dwipes and ordering.

BOTH SOLD - "Little Blossom" Dwipe, $15

Today I made two of these Little Blossom Dwipes. One is spoken for, but the other one is still available. (Feel free to specify a "pink" or "green" link.) This Little Blossom Dwipe is fully lined and interfaced. It has a boxed corner at the bottom to allow room for the storage of diapers and wipes. Attached to this Dwipe will be one baby link. You can then attach other rattles, toys, etc., to entertain the baby while he/she is being changed. (FYI: Diapers and Wet Wipes are not included.) Included in the price is the cost of shipping to the continental U.S. & Canada. You may also purchase a Dwipe pattern with complete instructions for $5. However, this pattern is only available with the purchase of the Dwipe for $15. The pattern will enable you to make as many Dwipes as you would like. With the Dwipe in hand and the detailed instructions, even the most basic sewers should be able to crank out a Dwipe! If you're interested in purchasing this Dwipe please email me at the email address on my sidebar!

SOLD - "Dino" Dwipe"

Today I made a fun and practical addition to my Dwipe! I never much liked changing my children in public, but, let's face it, it is a necessity that we can't avoid. When I laid my child down on the public changing table, I wanted to change him as quickly as possible. If I had something he could play with while I changed him I was home free ... It would take half the time if he was a little preoccupied! Hence ... the Dwipe with entertainment included! Look closely at the photo below and you'll see a little tab attached to the top flap of the Dwipe. With that tab you can use a baby link to attach more links, a teething ring, a rattle, a set of baby keys, etc. After pulling out the diaper and wipes, you can hand the Dwipe to the baby and he can play with a toy while his diaper is being changed.
This Dino Dwipe is fully lined and interfaced. It has a boxed corner at the bottom to allow room for the storage of diapers and wipes. Attached to this Dwipe will be one baby link. (FYI: Diapers and Wet Wipes are not included.) Included in the price is the cost of shipping to the continental U.S. & Canada. You may also purchase a Dwipe pattern with complete instructions for $5. However, this pattern is only available with the purchase of the Dwipe for $15. The pattern will enable you to make as many Dwipes as you would like. With the Dwipe in hand and the detailed instructions, even the most basic sewers should be able to crank out a Dwipe! If you're interested in purchasing this Dwipe please email me at the email address on my sidebar!

SOLD - "A Walk on the Wild Side", $55

I love the fabrics and the patterns in this one! This tote features an additional outside pocket on the front to hide your keys and cell phone. The tote has three contrasting fabrics, that includes a black "snake skin" bottom. Both the outside fabric and the lining are fully interfaced. There is a roomy, two-compartment pocket inside, a removable reinforced base, and canvas straps. This bag measures approximately 15 1/2" x 12". Included in the price is the cost of shipping to the continental U.S. & Canada. If you would like to purchase this Hang-Up, send me an email at the email address on my side-bar.

SOLD - "Along the Garden Path", $45

Along the Garden Path is made of high quality fabric and fully lined. Both the outside fabric and the lining are fully interfaced. There is a roomy, two-compartment pocket inside, a removable reinforced base, and canvas straps. This bag measures approximately 14 1/2" x 12". Included in the price is the cost of shipping to the continental U.S. & Canada. If you would like to purchase this Hang-Up, send me an email at the email address on my side-bar.

SOLD - Verry Cherry

Love this Hang-Up! Not because of anything I did, but because the fabric is so fabulous! This is made from a high quality batik fabric. It has a roomy, two compartment pocket inside, a removable reinforced base, and canvas straps. This bag measures approximately 14 1/2" x 12". I'm selling this one for $45 (this includes shipping to the continental U.S. and Canada.) If you would like to purchase this Hang-Up, send me an email at the email address on my side-bar. (Blogging friends -- feel free to leave comments, even if you don't want to purchase it! That helps me to know what people like or dislike!)

BOTH SOLD - Dwipes Mini-Totes, $15

Hey Ladies! You've convinced me! I'm going to start selling my Hang-Ups (totes) and Dwipes (diaper + wipes mini-totes). I've tried to figure out how to do this and decided on the following approach. Each time I make a Hang-Up or Dwipe to sell, I will post the photo of the item on this blog along with the price. If you are interested, just leave me a comment and then send me an email. (My email address is listed in the right hand column.) We'll work out the exchanges at that time.

Today I have two Dwipes to sell. They are shown below. These Dwipes are fully lined and interfaced. They have a boxed corner at the bottom to allow room for the storage of diapers and wipes. If you are interested please specify "flower" or "dots." I'm pricing them at $15 each, which includes shipping. (FYI: Diapers and Wet Wipes are not included.) I have also decided to sell the pattern for the Dwipes, which includes the detailed instructions below, for $5. However, this pattern is only available with a purchase of a Dwipe for $15. That way you can make as many as you would like for shower gifts, etc. I think with the Dwipe in hand and the detailed instructions, even the most basic sewers could crank them out! Remember, I'm only going to sell the pattern to those who buy a tote, though. (Yup, I know that's disgusting.)Thanks, ladies! You have been so encouraging. I'm going to try to crank a tote out this afternoon. It's going to be made from a batik fabric that is so amazing.

"Bloomin' Cute!"

My daughter's family is moving next month. They have lived in Utah for the last several years while her husband has finished school. He graduated in April and they will be making a move to Grand Ole Opry country -- yup, they will be heading to Nashville soon! They will leave behind her husband's family, which, I'm sure, will be hard for them. As a little "going away" present, I offered to make her sister-in-law a tote. I guess her sister-in-law is a fan of my totes. I always feel good when I hear that someone appreciates them -- makes me feel flattered and happy! Anyway, Shannon picked out the fabric when she was here last week and yesterday I whipped it up. It's called "Bloomin' Cute!" Hope she likes it!

Drama Queen

Usually for my Bloomin' Tuesday posts, I like to show a variety of blossoms, but today I am limiting myself to just one variety. This flower is just too dramatic and spectacular to share the spotlight. The Peony. One of my all-time favorite flowers. It's gigantic, full blossoms demand attention and its sweet fragrance is heaven scent!

I have two varieties in my yard -- both of which are full-figured gals with voluptuous blossoms. We had a tardy spring this year, so they were a little late for their coming out party. This week they made their debut...

Could they possibly be any prettier?

Go to Ms. Green Thumb Jean's blog to sign up to participate in Bloomin' Tuesday and/or to see other participants Bloomin' Tuesday posts!

Dwipes (Diaper + Wipes) Mini-Tote

A few weeks ago I was talking with my daughter-in-law, Andi, and she mentioned her desire to start making some Dwipes Mini-Totes. (I have no idea what they are really called -- "Dwipes" is just a name I came up with to save myself from saying "Diaper & Wipes"!) These are apparently quite popular among young mothers. It is a small tote that one can store a small case of wet wipes and a couple of diapers in. This mini-tote can then be thrown in a glove compartment, purse, or diaper bag and you're ready to go. It especially comes in handy when you have more than one child in diapers of different sizes, because you can have two different mini-totes of different fabrics -- one for each child -- so you can grab the correct diaper at a glance. Carrying this type of tote in your hands to a restroom might be a little more subtle than a soggy child, package of wet-wipes, and a clean diaper! I offered to try to come up with a pattern and see if I could whip one up. Well, today I finally had the time to do just that! Here's what I came up with...mind you this is the first attempt.

Sneak Peek

Do you remember a couple of weeks ago when I promised that I just might make a tote for the July Tote Give-Away that would have a patriotic theme? Yeah, me too. Well, today I went looking for some fabric to make good on that promise. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I came away with this. Technically, it is red, white, and blue -- ish. I thought I'd give you a sneak peek of the fabric for the July Tote Give-Away!

Summertime Decisions...

Sometimes decisions are so hard to come by. I've always been one to waffle a bit. I admire a person who can make a quick decision that stands the test of time. I ho and hum over the most simple things. Summertime decisions can be especially difficult. One that comes to mind is the question of which Popsicle flavor to choose at a particular time. One might ask herself the question, "Do I want the tangy thirst-quenching taste of a lime Popsicle or the sweet citrusy flavor of an orange Popsicle?" These are weighty decisions and worth a few minutes of deliberation. Yesterday, I had a similar moment of contemplation.

My mother and daughter (and her baby) have been visiting this week. As always we hit the streets with abandon and did a little shopping. Yesterday I came upon some hang-ups (purses) that I fell in love with. They are roomy, have multiple pockets and hiding places, and are bold in color. I knew I wanted one. That's where the dilemma arose. I quickly dismissed the brown, off-white, and mustard color, but that left me with the tangy color of lime or the sweet citrusy color of orange. Hmmm. I'm sure you can sympathize. This was a decision that required several moments of rumination. Finally, I decided on the refreshing color of lime. I was thrilled with my purchase, however this morning I went to my closet only to realize that I have a vast array of orange apparel. This prompted another decision...
I've come to the realization that being wishy-washy definitely has its advantages!

Bloomin' Tuesday

Is it ok for me to mention just how jealous I am of all the Bloomin' Tuesday participants who live back East? I consider jealousy an undesirable trait and generally speaking I try to avoid it, but when I look at your photos with all the wooded acreage surrounding your homes and all the beautiful flowers climbing up ladders, and spilling over wood sheds, and blossoming in nooks and crannies in your gardens, it just makes me realize that, in spite of popular belief, the grass really IS greener on the other side of the fence! Gardens seem to flourish and bloom with abandon back East.

Things are different in Colorado. It's not unusual for us to have to hook our fledgling plant up to an I.V. for the first year and a half of its life. Plants don't do well here without plenty of tender loving care, and more importantly ... Miracle Grow. Even then I've had to put many a plant on life-support to get them through a rough winter. I have to admit I wish I had a summer home back East in the woods … preferably next door to one of you "Eastern" participants. That way I could wile away my summer, sitting on a lawn chair, sipping lemonade, and gazing at your beautifully landscaped yards! If only…

Enough of this pity party... Today I am featuring the area surrounding my front door for my Bloomin' Tuesday post. In the month of May the nurseries in our area are filled to the brim with plants. Some of these plants are not "native" to our zone. Nurseries purchase these plants and Coloradans flock to buy them, so we can have a tropical plant in our yard, even if it's only for the summer season. We pay big bucks for these "annuals" because we all like to pretend that we live in a place where these plants grow naturally. Below is an example of this. This year I decided to buy several hibiscus plants and I placed one by our front door. It is so beautiful and its huge flowers add such a fun punch of color. When I see it I feel like throwing a lei around my neck and swinging my hips!To the right of my front door, encircled by a walkway, lives a little rock garden. This rock garden consists mostly of perennials, but occasionally I plant a couple of annuals just to add a little color. Here are a few photos of this little rock garden...

We also have a cool little round tree in this garden area. I have no idea of it's name, but it's funky shape adds a lot of character to the area. Below the tree is my "rock cat." My mother gave this painted rock to me years ago and often people have to take a double take to figure out if it's real or not!Much to the delight of every bird in our neighborhood, there are strawberry plants that surround this little rock garden. I imagine these strawberries taste delightful, but we rarely get to treat ourselves to one as the birds in our neighborhood seem to get to them long before we have a chance to pop one in our mouths! We may not have strawberries to eat, but we've got a lot of fat, happy birds chirping around our house!

Go to Ms. Green Thumb Jean's blog to see other Bloomin' Tuesday posts!

Purple Posies Tote Give-Away !

It's time to announce the winner of the Purple Posies Tote Give-Away! Thank you all for participating! The month of June is one of my son's birth month, so in honor of him I chose the number 83 before I started the contest because he was born in 1983!

That means that the Purple Posies Tote goes to "Cole" from My Menagerie, with the winning number of 82. Apparently, she loves the color purple, so this tote is going to a good home! Congratulations, Cole, I'll be getting in touch.

Because it's the 4th of July next month, I might just have a "patriotic theme" for July's Give-Away. I'll have to work on that one... The contest will start June 30th and run for a week. Feel free to check back throughout the month and leave your comments often! I love your feed-back. Have a great month!

I've been tagged ...

Jean at Ms. Green Thumb Jean has tagged me to do a meme! The rules of the game get posted at the beginning of each post. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 4 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answers.

A.) What was I doing 10 years ago? Ten years ago my oldest child was 19 years old and in his first year of college, which means I still had six more children at home. At that time my children ranged in age from 9 to 19 years! I believe I had 5 teenagers at that time. It's an understatement when I say ... I was busy. Every night I took a looooong bubble bath.

B.) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?

1.) Get out of bed. (done.)
2.) Go to church. (completed.)
3.) Make my husband feel special because I celebrated Father's Day with him today. He's going to be with his own dad for Father's Day, so we celebrated a week early. (did it!)
4.) Write my son, Chris, who is on a mission for our church. (yikes -got to get on it!)
5.) Talk to the kids on the phone. You know those 7 kids I was telling you about -- Well none of them live in Colorado! Two are in California, one in Idaho, one in Utah, one in Missouri, one in Tennessee, and one in Virginia! A lot of our time on Sunday is spent on the phone talking to our children! (5 phone calls completed.)

C.) Snacks I enjoy: I'm not sure there is enough space on this server to handle this question. I will give you a short list: Weight Watchers Ice Cream Sandwiches & Fudge Bars, Slim Fast Peanut Butter Crunch Snack, M&M's with Peanuts, Dairy Queen Blizzards with peanut butter cup and extra peanuts, the list goes on ... and on ... and on.

D.) Things I would do if I were a billionaire: I would buy a "Smith Vacation Compound," with a home for each of our kids and their families and one for my husband and I right smack dab in the middle of all their cabins/houses. The compound would be on the beach ... or in the mountains. Let's make that two "Smith Vacation Compounds" -- one on the beach and one in the mountains. We would use this "compound" to get together several times a year. I love the idea of having a college education fund for each of the grandchildren. I would find a worthy cause, like an orphanage -- maybe in the Dominican Republic -- that I would fund and help grow. I'd rather be involved in a cause that has a huge effect on a few people, than a little bit of an effect on many. I would pay an honest tithe and thank God for financial security.

E.) Places I have lived:

Salt Lake City, Utah
Los Gatos, California
San Luis Obispo, California
Provo, Utah
Orem, Utah
Boulder, Colorado
Longmont, Colorado

I will tag the following people:
Mia at Flashing Yellow Lights
Jenni at Self-Baked Pizza
Maryam at Forever Moore, Right Now
Judy at Monologuing

Apron...

This afternoon I got busy and made an apron out of the some of the fabric I bought today. I spent about an hour at a fabric store looking at patterns for aprons, and finally decided to just wing it and make up my own. I mean, really, how difficult can a simple apron be. Maybe some day I'll make a more elaborate one from a pattern, but for now I just wanted something quick and easy. Anyway, this is what I came up with. It looks cuter when it's on, than laying flat on a table. I tried to get my husband to be the model for this picture, but he refused. Sometimes he can be downright stubborn! ;o) It's going in the mail tomorrow. It's for the greatest mom-in-law anyone could ever have. Hope she likes it!

New Fabric from Z&S Fabrics...

On Monday my talented niece posted a message on her blog about an internet fabric store, Z&S Fabrics, where she had purchased some fabric. I immediately went to the shop and discovered a gold mine! The fabrics are wonderful there and less expensive than some of the other internet fabric sites. I ordered some fabric with some moolaa I received for my birthday (thanks Beth!) and TODAY the fabric came in the mail. Whoooppeee! That was fast! I can't wait to get started ... Here's a sneak peak of some of the fabrics from Z&S...
Earlier today I went to my fav fabric store in town to buy some fabric for an apron I am going to make for a special someone's birthday. While there a few more fabric pieces called my name, so I decided to give them a good home.
I've decided in the not too distant future (that means -- whenever I get around to it) I'm going to start selling my totes. I've come to grips with the fact that I need to start funding this addiction that I've created! I'll probably just sell through this website, so keep tuned in for an update.

"Along the Garden Path"

The last couple of weeks have been busy ones with travel and gardening. Last night I had time to crank out a tote! It felt good. I really do love relaxing at the ol' sewing machine and seeing what takes shape! I love this tote. It's bold and refreshing. It took three people and "hours" of contemplation to name this baby. Flowers and geometric figures don't make for an easily named tote -- something you might want to consider when you buy fabric AND name your projects. Of course, most people probably don't name their inanimate objects ... I'll admit I can be a little eccentric at times. ;o) Anyway, here's "Along the Garden Path."

Here's What's Bloomin' at the St. Louis Zoo...

This last week my husband and I returned from a trip in which we drove through eastern Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee! Last Tuesday we could be found at the St. Louis Zoo with my daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Generally speaking one takes photos of the fauna at the zoo. Knowing I would need some photos for my Bloomin' Tuesday post, I took pictures of the beautiful flora as well! The grounds are absolutely spectacular at this zoo. There were flowers blooming at every turn. Below are just a few of the attractions at the St. Louis Zoo!

Go to Ms. Green Thumb Jean's blog to see other Bloomin' Tuesday posts! Also, scroll down to sign up for Just Another Hang Up's June Tote Give-Away!