Thursday, November 17, 2011

Bee Blessed November & a Christmas Goodie

If given the choice, what Christmas goodie would you make?  I thought long and hard about it.  There's so much inspiration out there!  I love the little embroidered pieces in a hoop hung by a ribbon. I am really liking the tree ornaments that I am seeing on several blogs.  Still, for my partner in the Modern Christmas Table Runner Swap, I wanted to make something that reflected my family's Christmas.  


I used this adorable (or at least I think so) Riley Blake Christmas fabric to make a little re-usable gift bag.  My family has stared making/buying fabric bags to wrap presents in as an alternative to the boxes and wrapping paper that gets tossed or recycled by noon on Christmas day.  So, for those folks that we continually exchange gifts with (parents, brother, sister-in-law) we're trying to move more to re-usable wrapping that then returns the next year and is swapped again.


So, in the spirit of a green Christmas, I made a Pink Penguin gift bag (visit her awesome tutorial).  I hope my partner likes it and puts it to good (repeated) use!

I also made a few blocks for Judith's Bee Blessed.  This month she's making quilts for elderly women, so she asked for soft, vintage log cabins.  I don't really have soft fabric, but this is at least a vintage-type print.  I am always stunned by the beautiful quilts that come from this bee



That's the news here at Fluffy Sheep Quilting.  No more stitching for today.  We're busy packing to move in the next two weeks, so tonight I'll be sorting through books and clothes.  What to keep?  What to give away?  What to toss.  It's really therapeutic!

25 comments:

Canadian Abroad said...

Your gift bag is a great gift to send to someone and will hopefully get them following your tradition. Lovely blocks for Bee Blessed too.

Lynne said...

Therapeutic? I just find it tiring! Good luck with the move - I did it once twenty years ago and am in no hurry to do it again!

I love the idea of the re-usable bags for Christmas gifts!

Nicky said...

Love your blocks and bag Cindy but when I sort through I always end with a tiny pile to throw and a huge pile to keep! Hope you are more successful and that the move goes well!

Katie said...

I also like the idea of reusable gift bags and have started making them instead of buying. I like the one you made and will have to bookmark the tutorial to use as a variation on the one I have been making.

Good luck with the move!

Sarah @ FairyFace Designs said...

Wow lovely blocks and FAB bag! Good luck with the move hon, don't get stressed! Xx

Judith, Belfast said...

Oh I didn't realise you were moving!! What a shame I don't live closer I could unload you of all your unwanted clothing (I love recycling clothes!). Thanks so much for the gorgeous Bee Blocks, and that's an inspired idea making a reuseable gifting bag for Christmas - love it! Jxo

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Great idea about the bags!
Have fun packing for your new Hobbit-hole! xxx

Quilterbell said...

I love your gift bag and the idea behind it. On my list!

Manda said...

Love the gift bag idea!
Good luck with the sorting/packing!

Linda Coleman said...

love the bag Cindy, especially so fresh a fabric. Good look with the packing.

Annabella said...

I love the idea of your eco-friendly bag and it`s super cute too. I don`t know that I can make the blocks this month as I have little vintage low key fabrics but I`ll have a look!

Elisa Black said...

I love your re-usable gift bag (thanks for including the link to the tute!)-- I think its a wonderful idea-- bb/c as you said, the paper wrapping quickly goes in the garbage. Your rendition with the Christmas fabric is lovely. And your Bee Blessed blocks came out great, too. I just sent last month's blocks to Judith, and now we are more than halfway thru Nov,-- time is getting away from me! I didn't know you were moving-- good luck with that. I need to sort through a lot of my things (even though we're not moving) b/c I've just accumulated too much (and especially the kids' stuff-- hardly know where to begin there!) It's exciting to move and get a new start. I hope all goes smoothly for you.

pippablue said...

I love the bag! It's a wonderful goody and a wonderful idea as a reusable gift bag, I think you've inspired me to do something similar this christmas!!1 And the Riley Blake fabric is gorgeous for sure :)

Rhonda the Rambler said...

The bag is indeed a grand idea. I am still in the great debate about what "goodie" to make my partner. UGH! All while trying to finish my runner.

Toni said...

Your bag is adorable! And a great idea! I'm pretty sure some of the people I'm obligated to give gifts to would look at me like I had a third eye if they received a reusable gift bag, but I may just do it anyway! Good luck with the moving, that's always a pain!

Pat Merkle said...

I love the bag with the drawstring, great idea. The blocks are fabulous too. Good luck with your move, don't forget to write! ;)

Sarah said...

Really love the gift bag, its a wonderful idea. But moving? Deciding what to keep etc THERAPEUTIC?? I've probably only done it 4 or 5 times, but I find it thoroughly traumatic! I hate it!

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

I love the gift bag idea! Good luck with the packing!

Trudi said...

I love the bag, its fabulous! Esecailly the green cord! I hope your swap partner loves it! (read that as ... as much as I do!) Great idea for Christmas giving and re-giving! I'm with you on the therapeutic packing, as a serial mover all my life I really do get it! Hope the move goes smoothly :)

Zanymouse said...

What a great idea to make reusable gift bags! My family has been re-gifting the paper gift bags for years, but after a while they develop tears or someone actually writes on the tag (gasp!) and forgets to take it off for the next person. Fabric bags seem so much more practical.

Katy Cameron said...

Love that bag! I have to say I was admiring a wee bag my friend had yesterday, and discovered it to be a similar style to this, designed as a lunch bag. "It was only £20" she told me, happily, and all I could think to say was, "I could have made it for so much less" lol Still, she forgave me, because she knows that tact and diplomacy are never my best friends...

Great job on the blocks too

Foolish Feathers said...

reusable bags are a great idea! My husband and I have been using the same paper bags for the past 3 years, especially since it already has them labeled. Now that we will have a 8 month old next Christmas I should consider that idea! I might even try to make some up for the family through this year and get them passed around...hmmm.

tink's mom said...

That is my favorite bag. I have lost track of how many of them I have made to date. Have'nt done one in brights and your is wonderful. I keep making them for purses. This is why I blog, new ideas for old ideas everywhere. Thanks for sharing.

Emma said...

What a great idea for Christmas.

hmmm. Do I have enough time before Christms....

Susan said...

Cindy that bag is so stinkin cute I can't even believe it. Great idea! So want to try this myself. :)

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