Tuesday before Thanksgiving

Cool work week this week.  Two days!

I'll spend Wednesday getting the house ready for Thanksgiving and the rest of the weekend.  Thanksgiving day will be just Gary, Mom and me.  The day after we'll have Sherry and my brother, Bob and his wife, Stephanie.

Holidays are so strange for me now.  We can't get to Tennessee to be with the cousins.  So, there isn't much of a family feel to the holiday.  And, relations with my brother seem to continue to be strained.  I had not heard from him since Christmas until tonight.  Guess I should have called him, but my stubborn streak won out.  Gary and I take care of Mom completely.  Bob doesn't offer to help at all.  So, I decided that he could at least take the responsibility for calling his mother.  He didn't.  He apologized tonight for not calling.  I hope we'll be able to have a nice day when he comes.  I would really like to have my family back.

On the weaving front, I'm still trying to get my latest purse finished.  It's a bit too thick to go into the frame.  I haven't given up yet, tho.  Will try to attach the frame again tomorrow.  I'm also still trying to make the flat frame wallets.  First try was a disaster.  I've trashed the insides that took way too long to put together.  They really looked bad.  I'm changing the fabric and the design for the inside.  I just know that once I can get the design down and the production worked out, I'll have some really cool little clutches that people will like.  Just picture it:  one of those cute flat frame wallets covered with handwoven fabric instead of nawgahide!    Cool!

Saturday before Thanksgiving.

It's  been a few very busy work weeks since I last posted.  I've been working on a very interesting project at work that has taken up a lot of my time.

On the weaving front, I've sold another bag and have another nearly finished. I'm also working on 4 handmade, handwoven flat frame slim wallets.  They take alot of piecing for all of the inside parts.  The finished wallet will look so much nicer than the cheap, production-made ones.  I'm really excited about them.  I have some other exciting ideas for new bags that I can't wait to have the time to start.  I'm going to start making some larger bags like the one that just sold.  Still using the potholder loom, just more pieces.  I've made and sold 2 larger bags.  They seem to have an audience.  You can surely put a lot more stuff in them...

Went to 2 wonderful yoga classes this past week.  I've missed so many lately.  I can really feel the time away today in my thighs!  WHEW!  I'm going to do my best to start back to taking regular classes or practicing at home more regularly.  I feel so much better after a practice.

Burgundy Coco Clutch

I sold another of my Little Bags today.  Hoorah!  That makes 7 sales since I started up my Etsy shop at the end of August.  Doesn't sound like much, but they are the first of my weaving crafts that I've ever sold.  I've given many away as gifts, but these are the first to bring in money!

This cute little bag is a copy of the first one that I call "Coco", named after an immitation Coco Chanel bag I had while in High School.  The first one I made was woven with a cotton print fabric in green and black with a little pink.  This new one is out of a solid and a print in Burgundy.  It turned out great.  I also added a chain shoulder strap like the original Chanel bag.  Really cute.

It still amazes me that people are liking what I make. I love making them. Thank you, Etsy and my friend Martha.  I would never have tried with out your help and encouragement.