Warmth in a Bag GIVEAWAY!

Tammy at Stitching~N~Shipping (Click Here) is having a wonderful giveaway! A gorgeous quilted stocking, just in time for the Holidays! She makes the most wonderful tea stained items, I love her hearts! 

 About my own giveaway!

I couldn't think of a better way to kick off the upcoming festive season than to have my first giveaway! I will be giving away one of my winter antique white purses. It's a large crossover bag ladies,  the strap measures 18" drop, the bag is 14" tall 10" across and 3 1/2" wide. I quilted and beaded the front and back panels for that look and feel of warmth. I have to say this bag would go so well with one of Jana's beautiful sweaters and it just so happens that Jana is also having a giveaway of  one of those fabulous sweaters! Jana and Tammy's buttons are the top right hand corner of my blog so go register to win!

Okay, for the bag I'm making it a Thanksgiving special (Now until Nov. 25), to win comment on this post to get one chance, comment and follow for two chances, blog about it and grab my giveaway button (drop me a note letting me know) for four chances. I will be using Random.org to pick the winner on Nov. 26th!

Back of bag..

Blessings'
Catlyn

Weathering the storms with grace and elegance...'for all my sisters'

I had hoped to do this post for "Pink Saturday" but just couldn't wait!  This is one of those precious gems of a reminder that shows up at just the right moment when things seem so chaotic and out of control, those times when we feel truly graceless and there is nothing elegant about us or the situations that we find our selves in. It is  in these moments that our true beauty comes through and we learn to stand poised with the charm of calmness knowing this to shall pass...

After the tornadoes and storms that hit our area yesterday I went to check out the damage done outside and my attention was drawn to this braided hibiscus...after all the wind and rain it had to weather this one little flower struggling to remain poised with drooping rain drop heavy pedals...There were houses torn apart and vehicles over turned, trees up rooted and power lines down, but yet this one little flower, although drooping with heaviness,  remained poised in pink elegance... "The blessed strength of womanhood"

 

The day after the storm..."Sisterhood Blooms"

The little flower that weathered the storm has closed her pedals and laid over to rest but not before she knows her sister has bloomed with that same strength of  'grace and elegance'...

Hugs and Love to all my sisters!

Changes...

The one thing I have found true and trust worthy in this world..."change"

Everything changes, nothing in the this world stays the same, it's a world in motion! When we are young it is so hard to see the changes and just how fast they come n' go. We spend our youth complaining and praying for change to come faster, our thinking has us believing things will never change, then by middle age the realization that we have spent our youth in a whirl wind of constant change catches up to us so our complaints and prayers change to "please slow this world down! I don't want to change!"

I have spent the last 20 or so yrs. collecting books, history books, science books, language books, biographies...all kinds of books, fiction and non fiction, thousands of books, not hundreds but thousands! All crammed into one room no bigger than ??? maybe 10' or 12  x 14 or 16'...and what's more I crammed my sewing n' craft stuff, plus exercise equip. in this one room with all the books. Well, the wind of change blew this way today and I realized something had to change, I need to give up something. I spent yrs. also collecting all my materials and most of it is vintage! I love my books and my sewing stuff! the exercise equip. is just needed, not so much loved! Up until a few months ago this wouldn't have been a problem for me, the sewing stuff would be out the door, I had lost all interest in sewing and crafting some ten or so yrs ago and focused more on reading and collecting books...believe me, the Lord blessed me abundantly with that interest!

I sit here in my little room now and looking over my shoulder I have book shelves filled with sewing and crafting material...I'm minus two book shelves to make room for my ironing board. After numerous trips to the out reach ministry donating thousands of books for their store and a day filled with tears of letting go, I have settled into this change. The quietness after the windstorm (and being this old!) I know before long I will have material and fabrics crammed in every nook and cranny of this little room! Lord truly blesses us even with change...

Denim Roses!

The materials in this sweet little purse are a mixture of new denim and vintage,  I love the rose tapestry flap!

Inside material!

Rummage day!

Ever have one of those days where all your secret stash n stow boxes, tins and bags in my case, are luring and calling out "Hey remember me!"  Of course I can never remember what goodies I have stowed away in them and I can't resist rummaging through them for reminders! Hours are piddle away with gasps of  'Ohhhh lookie what I found!'  Christmas came early! Well, today was one of those days for me...and lookie what I found!

I have no clue where or when I picked up this little charm, it has a civil war scene on the front and back and it's very hard to photograph! It shines and reflects the light, might help if I would get myself a light box...and new camera!

I do remember this little box! It belonged to my Grandmother (Granny). It has all the pins in it, white and black heads...

The Lady Dixie! Made in Germany! this brought back such wonderful memories of 'Granny'  and all the dresses she sewed for me by hand and on a foot pedal sewing machine something like this..

http://images.craigslist.org/3k03o53pb5V65Z55S3a8ga8f6d97e5fd7130d.jpg

Do your sewing and exercise all at the same time! She never used a pattern for the dresses, just seemed to know how to cut them out and sew...It was a well spent day of wonderful memories and reminders!

Witch Bags!

What kind of bags do witches carry?

http://s5.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/8A5E4D26.jpg

http://www.racheshop.de/product_images/images/big/117604_tasche-karneval-halloween.jpg

Picture Link

Okay, so this little bag isn't exactly like the one Sarah has in the photo, but it's still cute!

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:U-lNwYsteSXtIM:http://http://www.thinktanktoys.com/cache.php?img=http://img.thinktanktoys.com/images/vendors/forum/60470-main.jpg



Well, this little orange plastic bucket bag may end up being the favorite choice this month! 

 http://media.merchantcircle.com/22615213/91419_full.jpeg

Rose for Dolores

I think this pattern and shape is a keeper! 'Rose for Dolores', the name was inspired by 'Mom' (my wonderful mother-in-law!) The bold black trims give this wonderful bag a flare of Italian and the raspberry beads are such an awesome find! The flap as vintage velvet panel with beautiful pink roses. I should also mention that all the bags have magnetic snaps!

Okay! I hear Leopard print is in style...So, I'll see what I can come up with!

Blessings'

Gold Coast Collection

Vintage never goes out of style!  

Bible and book covers!

I'm so happy to announce that I will be adding bible and book covers to my Art Fire studio! Here is the first one, it is made in a set with a gorgeous velvet purse and cover! I love the tassel and gold trims, the cover is made with contrasting floral colors and lined with satin!

Tan Seude and leather ???

This purse has no tags or markings, so I have no clue as to the designer or the year. The leather strap and trim has a wonderful design pattern and texture like snake skin. Although I know very little about the bag, I couldn't resist buying when I stumbled upon it at a thrift!