These sets will soon be mailed to their new home in Arizona.

I have one more custom order in the works, but I’ve given myself the day off today. I’ve had a sore throat for the last couple days. It feels like I’m moving in slow motion.

If I don’t go to bed early tonight, I may work on this quick project. I volunteered to fix our friends Sam and David’s advent calendar. This morning I went over to Joann Fabrics and bought some metallic green floss.

Can you spot what needs to be fixed?
(You can click on the photo to zoom.)

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Here are two recent purchases of mine:

The first is this cute sheep fabric from Superbuzzy.

Don’t know what I’ll use it for yet. But how could I resist getting two yards of it?
I couldn’t!

And, looking over my small purse collection I noticed that I have several pretty springtime purses, about three different little black purses and a few tote bags. But no fall/winter handbag. So, when I saw Maia’s newest handbag, made of brown corduroy (oh, I love corduroy!)… I had to have it!

This bag is so nice! I love the loop and button on the front, and it’s one of those bags that you can just keep putting stuff in and it never seems to get too full. It has three pockets inside and still holds my wallet, misc stuff AND my umbrella. If you need a new bag or wallet - I highly recommend checking out Maia’s Etsy shop, Glass Beach. She is very nice and her craftsmanship is excellent : )

And last, but not least…

A few weeks ago I was reading Rebecca’s blog Thrifty Goodness, and spotted a book in one of her photos, that made me chuckle. Being a fabulous pal, Rebecca has sent me that very book! So I present to you: Lake Resort Nurse by Arlene Hale, (published in 1966 and retailing at $.40).

I am seriously considering sharing this book with you, my blog readers. There are 15 chapters total, so I’m thinking of offering a 2 chapter synopsis once a week, complete with my own observations and…. quite possibly, re-enactments of major plot points. I’m not sure if I’ll draw the characters, or re-create them in felt or just raid Josh’s action figure collection. That part remains to be seen.

What do you think?
Is anyone out there interested in the saucy tale of Reba the lake resort nurse?
Her rocky relationship with Skip, owner of a boat rental business?
Or Lee, the mysterious stranger who has recently come to town?
Sure you are….. ; )

Hope you are all doing well!

For the last week I’ve been having this curious sense that something was about to happen. I would pause in my sewing, like the Jedi masters feeling a vibration in the Force….what was this strange impulse that called to me?

Then I received an email from Superbuzzy…
there’s a new issue of Cotton Time available!

I knew it!!!

Yesterday I received my Superbuzzy goodies:
the summer Cotton Time issue and another magazine about embroidery.

These remind me of taskets with little covers… cute!

A sewing notions fabric, birdie trim and this woodsy print.
(I think I may use this when I make the bear plushie set).

I also received this birdie tote from Ginny over at iSew.
She made it for me and it’s fantastic!

I was planning on giving it to my Grandma for Christmas,
to use when she goes to booksales.
But it’s so cute I don’t think I’ll wait that long!

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Last night I made another trip to Pacific Fabrics.
No matter what I need to get there, I ALWAYS check out their remnant stash,
and lately I’ve been scoring some great finds!

The Pacific Fabrics that I go to has another room attached that is all bridal and beautiful (and expensive) high-end fabrics…. and that room has a remnant bin, too!

I can’t give much advice about thrifting… but I can say that one trick I’ve learned over the years is to find the best fabric store you can, usually in the nicest neighborhood, and go through their remnant bin. Pacific Fabrics marks their remnants down at least 50%, which doesn’t always mean “cheap” but definitely a “good deal”.

Here are two of my recent finds:
(and sorry for the photos - I’ve discovered that fuzzy fabrics can be tricky to photograph).

The lighter colored fabric here is a gorgeous velveteen that I’m going to use for one of my plushie sets. I bought a yard of this months ago for $16.99.
I recently found 1 3/4 yds in the remnant bin for 50% off.

The darker colored fabric is a rich burgundy velvet (from the bridal room)
It is usually $18.99/yd. I got 3/4 yd marked down 50%.

Now to figure out what to do with that velvet!

Any ideas?

Josh suggested plush rabbits… which led me to think about maybe doing some small plush “Christmas Bears” or something along those lines.
I could also see making ornaments with it.
That lovely burgundy just says “Christmas” to me.