House-Elf Doings 

 Remember the sneak peek I shared “Better to wear out than rust out” of an embroidery I thought up? Well here is the bag it is designed by Stephanie. You can buy it here. She sent the pattern to both Ulla and I after Simone won it from her blog, as we are a bag club together, challenging and helping one another.

 The back with 2 patched pockets lined in the same fabric as the back.

 Inside I used a green which reminded me of a river with the last of my dragonfly fabric for 2 pockets.

Go here to see Ulla’s gorgous one made from an old embroidered tablecloth. It is pure Art!

And Simone’s will be just here. She made one before from the kit she won from Stephanie which can be found here. The instructions are well thought out and easy to follow. I could mention a few patterns by well known people who could do with taking a leaf from her book, but I am playing nice today.

 I can share this scissor holder now it has arrived with Deb. Below is the pincushion I made with the tiniest scraps which is all I had left of the fabric. 🙂 I do like it when I can use up a fabric totally.

 With all the aftershocks from the latest earthquake in Christchurch, Deb decided to have a little Christmas in July event to cheer herself up. I sent her an early Christmas present to help along. The pattern again is an Alan Dart.

 Daughter made some cakes and played with icing colours. I think she had fun.

 The tomato plant is looking promising. Tomorrow is meant to be 25C/77F so I am hoping they will ripen.

 The old lettuce “cut and come again” seeds did really well. Goodness how old the packet was!

 Daughter decided to grow some sprouted garlic. It is doing really well too.

 Recognise the design? Yes it is the Mary Jane by Stephanie in a totally different colourway. I call this one my SS Mary Jane

 because Simone sent me the little mini charms for the edge, and Stephanie sent me the cute crow fabric which she bought in Amish country.

 I think they go really well together. I pieced the left over mini charms to make 2 rear pockets.

 As I had a fair bit of the lining fabric, I added pockets for those bits you can never find when you need them.

 Thank you so much Simone and Stephanie for the fabrics.

 This is what I am bonded yesterday as a bribe to keep myself doing the ironing. I work well with bribes. 🙂

 They are little cherry blossom trees for a Spring Cherry themed bag. Backgrouns is calico, trunk I think is a Thimbleberry fabric and the blossom came from Anne Marie in Norway.

 I thought I would share this beautiful money with you. I hadn’t seen Egyptian money before. As a reward for Daughter sitting her A’levels  she has chosen to have a Nile Cruise with me! This is why we needed her passport sorting in such a rush. What a once in a lifetime experience! She really has deserved it after all her hard work and bravery. We wont find out until August though just what the result of 13 years of schooling will bring her.

All tips appreciated as I’ve not been before. Things like how to pack a pith helmet in a modern suitcase would be good. LOL

And lastly this is another new for me- the treble crochet stitch! Now to me as a knitter and sewer crochet was one of the Dark Arts. I made these 2 hairbands last night one in Double and the other in Treble so next time we have face packs I’m not there trying to get my hair unstuck too. 🙂

So this week is all about conquering new territory! Do you have a something you want to learn to do? Have you mastered a new skill recently? I’d love to hear from you. Perhaps there is something you could get together with someone to learn- a little like us Bag Club ladies?