Small Projects Catchup

Gosh, I love my new laptop!! Doesn't take 15 minutes to boot up and connect to the internet!  YAAAY!!
Anyhoo, I wanted to show some small projects I made over the last year. 

First off, we had our local guild's spring retreat a while back, and I'm on the committee that puts it on!! Sooooo, I wanted to make some table favors for the attendees!

We all love using those Wonder Clips for all manor of things like holding our bindings closed, so I made little personalized pin cushions to hold pins, of course, and Wonder Clips!

I made over 30 of them!!  I think the girls liked them!! A fun and functional memento! 

I also finished a little wool project that one of my bee friends gave me as a kit!!  Isn't it cute?

Since I retired six years ago, I traded in the giant carryall purse for smaller ones. Sometimes cross body bags that leave my hands free, and others I've added a little side clip that I can secure to the side wire of a grocery cart, so no one can grab it when my back is turned or I'm a few steps away.

I had these cool green leather handles that I wanted to use, so I made this bag first.  I loved the fabrics and colors, but the handles weren't quite right for the bag size and shape.  I used it for a few weeks then moved on to make this one.

The Retreat bag was all over Instagram awhile back.  The pattern is a free download, but you have to buy the wire hardware for it.  It opens like an old fashioned men's Dopp kit for travel.  You make the bag and create a channel around the zipper to slide the wire frame into, so when it's unzipped, it stays open.

I wanted mine to be a bit taller than the pattern for the smaller size, so I added the cork fabric bottom part and self-made fabric handles.

The size is just perfect or me!  I also made a little cosmetic pouch to keep inside...the pattern is from my friend, Sue, who also added cute beads for a  zipper pull!!

Every year, when I was teaching, I would ceremoniously change purses the night before I had to go back to work in the fall.  It was how I got my mind off summer time mode and back into work mode.  So, even today, six years since I retired, I get the urge for a new purse when September rolls around... any new purse patterns out there you are loving and want to share?

Grandson Neal continues to delight us in very way!!  We love being included in a shared online photo album with our kids, so we get to see new photos all the time!!  And most nights, we get to talk with him and see him via FaceTime!  Gotta love technology!!

So, what are you up to?  Any new quilt projects or good fall recipes to share?