OMG a UFO from 2013 is ready to share...

My One Monthly Goal for April was to finish

a tote I started almost 3 years ago.

I struggled with the written instructions and it took a bit

for my old brain to finally get it.

Finally it did and it all came together.

I am so happy to cross another UFO off my long list.

 The inside has a large zippered center pocket

a divided side pocket with a key fob

and a pleated pocket with 3 sections...

one section has a velcro flap.

 

 The top of the bag has a zipper closure...I like that.

Did I fight with this UFO? Yes!!

Will I make it again...Yes!!

I would love to make the mini version.

I am in need of a new hand bag and it would be perfect.

Hope it doesn't take as long to finish the mini.

I'll be making a Tammy sewing kit and maybe a few extra

pieces to complete my travelling sewing bag.

The front of the Tammy bag will have a

 sweet embroidered front.

It is a hand embroidery pattern from

a book by Anni Downs.

called The Simple Life.

Anni is an Australian designer and

 the owner of  Hatched and Patched.

Visit Anni's blog and be sure to check her free pattern section.

I'm linking with

  Heidi at Red Letter Quilts - OMG

and 
Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts - Finish it up Friday

Have a wonderful weekend!!

A bit of sewing and lots of cleaning...

First the fun part...a bit of sewing.

I finished three more Tammy Bag Sewing kits...

I really can't pick a favorite....I love them all.
The Tammy Bag pattern is by Mdm Samm.

 The embroidery is from the Stitcher's Alphabet pattern 

designed by Michelle Ridgway.  

Her pattern company is Rag-Tag Stitchin'.

Live Laugh Love is a free Bird Brain Design pattern at Lecien

designed by Robin Kingsley

and another alphabet design by Michelle Ridgway 

Now... the not so fun time I'm having....

We've had our house up for sale since February 1st.

We've had 53 showings so far, with two more today, 
plus 2 open houses, both in February.
Everyone expected our house would be sold in a couple of days.
We did too as it is priced less than we paid for it 13 years ago,
and we have put at least $100,000 into it since then.

We had hoped to be moved back to Canada by April 26th...

which was when our green cards were expiring.

We had to go to plan B...

we renewed our green cards, 

and we changed the kitchen counters.

The before...

and after.  I never liked the purple either.

Our agent called on Tuesday.

There are 2 families interested in the house.  He said

we should expect an offer, maybe two, on Thursday...

no offer so far and it is Saturday.  

Our 90 day contract is over on April 30th, 7 days from today.

If we don't get a reasonable offer before that we will

take the house off the market...take some time off

plant some flowers, have a garage sale 

and relist again sometime before July 1.

I'm so frustrated...

After all, with our renewed green cards 

we could stay for another 10 years,,, 

but we both agree that it is time to return home

...to Canada and spend more time with our families.

The good thing is that there is no real urgency to sell now.

I'm linking to Finish it up Friday with crazy mom quilts.

and to Stitchery Link Party #54 with Super Mom - No Cape

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

Happy stitching

ONE MONTHLY GOAL for April

My goal is to finish a UFO from July 2013.

I took a class to make this Professional Tote  

at QU 2013 in Ann Arbor Michigan.

It is a big tote....18" wide x 15" tall x 5" deep

designed by The Creative Thimble 

It was an all day class and I did finish the outside of the bag...

but haven't worked on it since the summer of 2013.

This tote has it all...great for a traveler.

There is a pleated pocket on each side of the tote to hold a bottle of water, umbrella, magazine and a phone.

The front has a zippered pocket to hold your ID and Passport for airport travel, 

another pocket to hold your boarding pass.  On the other side is 

a large pocket for a magazine or a newspaper and 

a strap to place over your rolling luggage to hold it in place.

There are several pockets inside for 

business cards, keys, pens, an iPad, even a laptop.

The tote is great for a quilter too...that's why I took the class.

There are lots of pockets inside 

to fill with patterns, books, fabrics and notions.

The pink dot fabric is to finish the inside.  

Some of the inside pockets will be black and white fabrics.

There are zippered pockets, pleated pockets and

pockets with flaps...even an optional key fob.

The tote has 4 zippers!!!  What was I thinking????

As of April 7, 2016...it still looks like it did in July 2013.

I must have been feeling very ambitious in 2013 as I bought

both the Professional Tote pattern and the Mini Professional Tote pattern.

The Mini is 15" wide x 12" tall x 4" deep.

I'm looking forward to finishing it for my

April's One Monthly Goal project.

It will be my new tote to take to my quilting groups. 

I'm linking with Heidi at 

Red Letter Quilts

Have a fantastic Friday!!