SHAKERS AND MOVERS...

The past three weeks have found me down with the "crud".  Last Saturday (two weeks in), a short, quick trip in the car turned into an episode of frantically finding a place to pull over to "settle" a severely upset stomach, and I realized it was probably more than just sinus problems.  Needing an entire day to settle the stomach after that, but ending up in pretty much the same condition upon entering the car Sunday morning, I drug myself to a Quick Care, where I was diagnosed with not only the inner ear infection that I knew I had at that point, but a sinus infection AND, acute bronchitis.

Haven't felt much like doing anything more than sitting around coughing into my sleeve, but did manage to squeeze in a few hours of sewing time, here and there...just enough to finish up two birthday bags for some pretty great friends, to end off the month of March.  Lacking any sun outside this morning, and fighting hellacious gale force winds, I was forced to resort to pictures on the dining room table...bad lighting, but I did want to snap a few.  This big bag went to Colleen M...ever our eclectic, bohemian friend.  She has a color pallet that would make most people's hair stand on end...and she can make it work like no other.  Orange, purple and lime green - that's our Myler Colleen, and she delights us to no end!

Orange brocade home dec fabric (custom free-motion quilted); soft purple velveteen; the requisite lime green thrown in, for good measure; and finished off with a large, celluloid, antique coat button - you will see her coming a mile off, but this is SO her.  I would actually carry this one myself.

The second bag went to delightful, spunky, "Zumba Chica" Pat.  I figured Pat could shake the bag right along with everything else...one of my favorite patterns for a fun, flirty summer bag, with lots and lots of ruffles.  Pat loves red, coupled with black, and she also has a thing for ROOSTERS - how lucky was I to dig through "the stash" and come up with a color combination that featured those three elements (strange though it may seem), with a little white and gold thrown in for good measure?!  LOVE the base fabric used on this - black with red embroidery.

The lining even got the rooster treatment, with a large pocket for all her girly things; hanging from big bamboo handles, it's a shaker and a mover...just like Pat.

If you ever see something here you might like, but can't find it in the etsy shop (I am trying to get back to my sewing roots this year, and am working towards actually getting a few bags back in the store), just drop me a line.  I always welcome custom orders.

And because that fluffy, flirty, shaky purse (and Pat's Zumba) got me thinking of it (and just to make myself feel better)...Harry Belafonte, and clips from one of my favorite movies...what could be better, besides Bobby Flay?  Shake something up this weekend!