I enjoy making bags. Quality of life improves when you can contain your stuff. And if your stuff is contained, you are likely to have less of it.

This potato sack came into my life before we made the change to organic. It's purple and plastic. I just had to make a puple plastic purse. (Anybody else love Lilly and the Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes? I'd link, but I still don't know how to cut and paste w/out a mouse.)



Here is the inside. I made a lining with muslin, and added some colorful pockets.



A casing, a drawstring, and a strip to cover the label. There you go.



I also added a lining and pockets to...



A rice bag.



No tutorials, I just keep working until everything looks right. And I rarely do the same thing twice. Those bags became birthday presents to two deserving 20 somethings.

Took A Ride Saturday

To St. Paul's Cemetery.

Lady of Perpetual Care

This might be my new profile picture. She sits on a stone labeled "Connell." There are graves of brothers, sisters, wives, and kids all around it. The words "perpetual care" are engraved near the bottom.



There is a lot of room left in this cemetery. But you have to be Catholic to get in.



Looking back from the very edge.



And looking out.



Ancient side walk leads to the cemetery. I bet in the old days, people used to take a walk out here on a Sunday to visit their ancestors. Now everybody drives their minivans or suv's. (Except me, of course!)

Gettin' used to a new 'puter. (MacBook Pro)

Love it, but I can't figure out how to cut and paste without a mouse... (pathetic, I know)

And. The saffron bloomed!

Halloween At My House, 2009

I can tell you how to grow a bunch of field pumpkins. Those are the big, hollow, jack-o-lantern pumpkins. The ones sold at grocery stores for a ton of money, but they're no good for eating.

I drive by a field on my way to work. This time of year it is standing fallow with abandoned, left over pumpkins.

In the spring, you just plow the weeds under, no need to be too careful. Plant the seeds. Let them grow. Come back a few weeks before Halloween and pick as many as your crates can hold and truck can haul. Leave the rest for the deer.

We bought seven pumpkins at .30 a pound. Did I ever mention that we do Halloween in a big way at my house?

In my wild youth, I would worry about wasting food, and would make pies and soup from the jack-o-lanterns after Halloween. Then I realized they weren't food grade.

I do roast the seeds. Just pull as much of the guts off as you can, plop them in a roasting pan, salt them, and roast at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes.



I also make broth from the guts. Put them in a pan, cover with water, simmer for a couple hours. Strain.



I did make curry pumpkin soup from the eyes, noses, and mouths of the seven jack-o-lanterns we carved. I put 3 carrots and a sweet potato in for color and flavor.



One of the seven.



And my favorite trick or treaters. That's my mom's friend Marge, Joe, and my mom. Aren't they precious? Mom and Marge went to a party dressed as carpenter partners. Joe went out with his friends dressed as a fox in pajamas. (I made the ears, Joe thinks I should sell them on etsy.)



We had more than 250 trick or treaters, and each got a fun size candy bar and a couple of star bursts. I had to turn the lights out and hide after 7:30. Next year I'll be prepared for 300, and I'm handing out pretzels.

Things That I Do That I Probably Shouldn't

In no particular order.

Number 2:

Sell my noisy, annoying, temperamental computer before I could afford my dream laptop. Sometimes my de-cluttering actions are not rational.

(Did you notice the gratuitous cute Mudge shot?)

Things I Do That I Probably Shouldn't

In no particular order.

Number 1:

Garden with a dachshund. He digs.

From an Old Sheet

I bought a sheet from the second hand shop for 50 cents. From the sheet I made, kitchen curtains jammie pants, and this bag. The bag was a birthday present for a friend.



I also made this bag out of a fat quarter from the fabric store. I almost never work with yellow.



I cut the scraps up into strips and squares, ready for future projects.