I haz big purse!

My old purse was tattered, torn, mended and just sad looking. Okay, so I switched to another one I made from fabric I love.... but I'm just not loving the purse. It doesn't hold things as conveniently or hold as much, has no pockets, and while it was a fun purse to make, I'm just not feeling the love.

Here's the one I'm not loving...



















I still love that fabric, dog gone it!

Anyway, I wanted to try the Charm Tote pattern I got at Long Beach last year. At Easter, one of my prizes during the Easter Egg hunt at the Orange Quilt Bee was a charm pack! I got home with the one I picked out and raced upstairs to peek at my stash. Sure enough, I had a matching charm pack from another giveaway, from the same line. That meant I had enough to make the Charm Tote!

And for free!

It took me two evenings, because I kept getting sidetracked with NCIS episodes, but, I have a nice big bag that I really like!



















It holds EVERYTHING, and has convenient pockets inside, etc. I even had enough charms to piece the handles out of charms.





































Whoo hoo! I'm eyeing a few other charm packs and getting ideas! This one is more fall colors, I think. I would love to cut some red/white/blue charms and make one for summer. And I think I can score those right out of my stash. Yay for another frugal purse!

After finishing it, I moved on to a few more Farmer's Wife blocks.

I'm going to finish this row, and then I'm going to get serious about the next row on my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. Farmer's Wife seems easier to me, but I will conquer the next Sylvia row. Or else!!

P.S. Look what lives at my Home Depot now!

The guys in the garden section put out feed for them every night. They've been living there over a year! I'm always glad to see them. Someday, I'll have a few of my own!