My niece Jennifer brought her friend Mike for a visit this week.  We had such a nice time!  We talked, drank wine, hiked, visited with her grandpa, listened to Mike play his banjo and guitar.  I love when different generations have time together.  Such love! 

We have family coming in to visit today so I decided to do a couple of little projects before they arrive.  The first is a linen hanging bag.  It's great to store clothes in or take on an overnight stay.  It is very simple and I just added some vintage lace and a tag to the top of the bag.  The other project is a hanger that has a little zipper pouch on it.  I really fancied it up with lace, crochet, and other vintage bits.  You could hang your favorite dress from it and all your accessories could be stored in the zipper pouch.  A bit classy don't you think?

When I mail a package out to my Etsy customers I hope that they will be delighted when they open their package!  I try very hard to include a pretty tag, a little extra surprise or put their purchase in a pretty handmade bag.  Rather like happy mail don't you think?  Today I spent some time making some new tags.  There is nothing like pretty linen, pearl buttons, a little lace and trim and even a little sewing package on the back of some of the tags!

What else can you call this?  I took an empty cardboard tube and wrapped it with vintage fabrics I had sewn together.  Then I added the sampler I showed you about a week ago that I made out of vintage yoyos, quilt pieces, a tea towel and some vintage linen.  After all that I added the fringe. Now here is the small miracle, I had a tin lid that fit this tube from another project.  I padded the lid and added a piece of vintage needlework.  Then I added a little more fringe around the edge of the lid.  Oh yeah, I even put a needlepoint piece of fabric inside the bottom of the tube! I think this will be perfect in my art room!  It can hold fabrics or sewing stuff or even a quilt and pillow.  Now that the table part was done  I wanted to have a solid piece of wood that I could set on top of the container to set a lamp or cup on.  Well, I had a little wood cutting board that was just right.  Could I stop there? No! I added a flower fabric piece to the top of the cutting board.  I can use it somewhere else if I want, but isn't it pretty with the little lamp!  So here is my sampler storage table! I can't wait to put in by my chair and settle down to stitch away!

I think one of the first sewing projects I did was cross stitch.  That is sewing, isn't it?  One takes a needle and thread and makes something beautiful.  Is it still a form of art that people do?  I can remember my great aunt working on cross stitch pieces.  She made the little boy and the horse for me many years ago.  Here are a few pieces I have left from days gone bye.

This morning I decided to make something different for my Etsy shop.  I had some little file folders that I decided to add some fabric collage to.  I started the cover with some antique linen, added some old sewing items and finished the front off with some buttons.  On the inside of the folder/card I collaged fabric, snaps, buttons and what not.  Each folder fits right into a 5" X 7" envelope!  I made 4 cards using sewing stuff and 1card acts as a little art journal folder.  The art journal folder has a collaged fabric piece on the cover that I did a while back.  Inside I used a postcard that I made this summer (It can be used as a pocket).  Then I sewed a strip of linen to the opposite side and slid a little handmade book into it.  Once again, they all fit into an envelope so they can be used as cards or gifts. 

I had a few old rock bags tucked away.  They were used by kids when they went out to collect rocks.   So yesterday I started sewing buttons on old quilt pieces and fabrics.  (This is how my thought process works).  I liked how they came together.  Then this morning I had the idea to sew the button/fabric pieces on the old rock bags.  They are perfect to keep buttons, sewing items or even keepsakes in.  I'm going to list them on Etsy later today.

I bought a vintage table runner from my friend Ann.  I wanted to keep the vintage charm but add some quilt pieces to it.  I sewed on a half Dresden plate first.  Then I added some vintage yoyos.  After that I made 4 Cathedral blocks and inserted vintage fabric into the windows.  Next came the wildflower piece, which is new and came from a tea towel I just bought from Under A Tin Roof. (They sell online and have wonderful items)!  The last thing I added was a purchased flower.  I think I will embroider a stem and leaves coming down from the flower.  This will make a pretty table runner, or in my case might end up on a chair or part of a fabric pieced headboard.  It was fun playing with all the different materials and textures.  I'm ready to start another project!