It's the little things...

Sometimes it is the little things in life that make me happy. Right now it is this little “Teeny Tiny Tote” that makes me smile. My friend Sandy Brawner gave me a finished one at Quilt Market, but she sells the pattern through her store and pattern company Quilt Country in Texas. I carried mine all around Market. It’s just big enough to hold your phone (or ipod) some credit cards, cash and a few tissues. It’s darn near perfect. The strap is long enough to go over your head and shoulder, across your body for hands free shopping. It was the first time I came home from Market and didn’t feel like I needed a chiropractor from lugging a heavy tote bag all day.

Naturally I bought patterns to sell at the store. It was the featured demo at our “Happy Hour” last Monday night and everyone agreed that it would be a perfect “gift card holder” for the holidays. Better yet, I stitched up the sample that I had cut out and it only took about 15 minutes to make! The flap is just the right size for embellishing if you are looking to try something new. We foiled the one we made.

Another little project on my sewing list is a new stash of fabric belts for my oldest daughter, Lauren. I started making them for her a few years ago as a birthday gift. She loves them, and claims she gets more compliments on her belts than the rest of her wardrobe. They are simple to make (especially since she is a size 4!) One eighth yard of fabric, fuse some interfacing on the back, fold, stitch, turn and then add pair of D-rings to use as the buckle and you’re done. Ok, as a sewing professional, I top-stitch them too, I have a reputation to uphold, but I can still make a dozen of them in no time at all.

Sewing success. Finished. Sometimes it takes so little to make me happy.

Karen

P.S.

There are also “little things” that don’t make me happy. For example: My husband and I were just sitting on the sofa last night contemplating going to bed when our phone rang. It was after 11:30pm and at that hour a ringing phone is never a good thing. I answered and on the other end was our daughter, Lindsay; the one that still lives at home. She was calling from her cell phone from her room upstairs. She asked for her Dad. It seems that there was a small field mouse in her room. At that point I immediately gave the phone to her Dad. That call was DEFINITELY for him. There was lots of pounding, door slamming and other noise after he went up the stairs and I think I heard the garage door too. I can’t say exactly what went on, because I refused to move off this sofa until the whole thing was over. I hope that little mouse wasn't an excellent chef, or owned a red motorcycle or starred in some other Disney movie because my husband assures me that the only place he will be appearing now is in the obituaries.