The Summer of my 53rd Year.

I've been enjoying a few days away from work and the world to just "be". Summer is almost here.... and its my 53rd summer. I'll never be 53 during the summer again, so I've decided to make it a good one. The best thing about summer is that it comes right before fall, which is really my favorite season. You know how Friday nights are fun because its the night before the weekend? Well I feel the same way about summer. Its the pre-fall season. Time to enjoy and savor each day.

So how can I make this a special summer? By stopping to smell the roses,zinnias and marigolds and picking a few to go in the dollar store pitcher/jug thing I bought; by making my first grown from seed and made from scratch Southern sweet pickles; by spending a satisfying morning in the garden deadheading and weeding; by savoring that first drippy delicious, home grown from seed tomato sandwich; by sewing some neat projects, both for myself and others; finishing up some crinkly, soft quilts; drinking coffee early in the morning while walking amongst the flowers and/or veggies... and I'll let you know what else.

Friday was just such a day to begin my 53rd summer. I sewed to my heart's content. I made myself some girlie things to make everyday life a little more feminine and special. I was alone.... all day.

Here are the results. A new zipper bag made from several black prints. There are zebra prints, polka dots, florals and other kinds of strips. I quilted these in the ditch and magically, the zipper I had on hand was the right size and went in perfectly.

I will use this in my pocketbook to hold money, my debit card, my drivers license, and library card.



I was on a roll, so I decided to make another one in this red and black cherry themed fabric. This one will hold tissues, and other small necessities in my bag.



I made myself a new bag with this black and white rose fabric. Its a very light weight bag. I didn't put any pockets in it because a friend gave me a new purse insert that I can moved from bag to bag in a flash! Imagine having several bags in all kinds of colors that I can change out on a whim! The purses will go together faster because I don't need to worry about adding pockets to the lining. They will be inexpensive because I have fabric scraps on hand or if I choose to purchase fabric, I will only need about 1/2 yard which will not cost much.

This is the first bag I have made for my 53rd summer!



Here's the inside which shows the purse insert. It divides up the bottom of the bag wonderfully with places to store checkbooks, a small photo album, and the new zipper bags above.



I was also in need of a new make up bag. I don't own or use a huge amount of makeup, but it needs to be stored neatly and out of the way. When the opportunity comes up to go away overnight, I can just grab the bag and go.

Some scraps of this cute green floral prequilted fabric were in my stash. I decided to make a basic bag without spending a lot of time on it. No pockets or zipper. It closes securely with two strips of velcro. The inside seams were made using the overcasting stitch on Big Brother. Its very light weight and I love the way it stows away underneath the bathroom sink. Before I had a basket that I had to drag out and put away after putting on my makeup. This little bag is so much more fun and convenient.



And did I mention it was fun to make and cost nothing?



I'm really happy with the beginning of my 53rd summer. How about you? Which summer are you going to be experiencing this year? Whether its your 16th, 30th, "yikes" 53rd or 75th, lets make it a good one.

I gotta go cook my pickles!