Pink Pillow

I grabbed the first packet of fabric of the top of my Great Tote Bag Challenge pile, and found it was cut and pinned for a 3 paneled pillow. So, I give you the Great Tote Bag/Pillow Challenge product number one: The Pink Pillow. I do not think this is going to be a holiday gift (thus defeating the purpose of the challenge), but I figured it couldn't hurt to finish it, since I cut and pinned it months ago.

All three panels of The Pink Pillow were fat quarters purchased at the Quilted Angel. I over stuffed the pillow as much as I could while allowing enough give to stitch up the last bit by hand. I discovered I HATE hand stitching! I did such a sloppy, rushed, hurried job last night I pulled it back out and forced myself to re-stitch the last 1.5 inches with some semblance of neatness.

I love the little pink and brown berries as the bottom of the above picture. They remind me of the holidays, festive and warm. Sorry about the dark pictures, there is no more evening light for photographing the crafts!
Random Picture of the Day: Inside a cave at Kirby Cove

The Great Tote Bag Challenge

Today I cut the fabric for 5 Christmas gift tote bags. The below picture is the stack of cut fabric, with the makings of three pillows in there as well. I decided that the Great Tote Bag Challenge would give me some incentive to get moving on this pile and put some check marks on the "to make" list. Originally, the challenge involved me making one bag per day this week. Then, I remembered I like sewing and do not hate myself.

Sometimes deadlines on the things I love create resentment towards something I once enjoyed. Its like the people who kill them selves around the holidays to make dozens upon dozens of holiday cookies for everyone from the bus driver to dear friends. (Note to my cookie factory friends...come holidays, despite what I have said here, please leave me on the list. I live for the ones with the jam in the middle. And the almond crescents.) I lowered the bar to three bags this week, a much more realistic target.


Here is to another week of crafting :)

Eye candy pictures: flowering tree, Union Square





Despite these summery pictures, taken this week at lunch, I am getting in the fall and holiday spirit with pumpkin pies! I bought some cream puffs from Beard Papas (a Japanese cream puff bakery of AMAZING caliber) for dessert on Saturday, including the daily special, a pumpkin flavored puff. It was amazing, and inspired me to bake a pumpkin pie today. Almost the time of year to make my favorite fudge, sugar cookies, and celebrate uninhibited sweets intake.